Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
14. Soul singer Baker ANITA
Anita Baker is an R&B and soul singer who was raised in Detroit, Michigan. Baker’s most successful song is the Grammy-winning “Sweet Love” released in 1986.

16. With 1-Across, Kentucky Derby drink MINT
(1A. See 16-Across JULEP)
The mint julep is a bourbon-based cocktail that is associated with the American South, and with the Kentucky Derby in particular. Although the Mint Julep mixed drink has probably only been around a couple of hundred years or so, the term “julep” dates back to the 14th century, when it described a syrupy drink in which medicine was administered. The term came into English from Old French, but ultimately derives from the Persian “golâb”. If you’d like to make yourself a mint julep, one recipe is:

- 3 oz of Bourbon
- 4-6 sprigs of mint
- granulated sugar to taste

18. "__ we forget"LEST
“Lest we forget” is an oft-quoted phrase, one that comes from a poem by Rudyard Kipling called “Recessional”. Kipling wrote the piece on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897 and used it to express sadness at the waning of the British Empire. The phrase “lest we forget” is used in this context, a warning that the empire will decline. Ever since WWI we’ve been using the words on memorials as a plea not forget the sacrifices made by others in the past.

19. Hold 'em fee ANTE
The official birthplace of the incredibly popular poker game of Texas Hold 'Em is Robstown, Texas where the game dates back to the early 1900s. The game was introduced into Las Vegas in 1967 by a group of Texan enthusiasts including Doyle Brunson, a champion often seen playing on TV today. Doyle Brunson published a poker strategy guide in 1978, and this really helped increase the popularity of the game. But it was the inclusion of Texas Hold 'Em in the television lineup that really gave the game its explosive surge in popularity, with the size of the prize money just skyrocketing.

25. Some briefs JOCKEY SHORTS
Jockey was the company that invented the Y-Front brief, in 1934.

40. Mortgage change, briefly REFI
Our word “mortgage” comes from the Old French “mort gaige” which translated as “dead pledge”. The idea was that a pledge to repay a loan dies when the debt is cleared.

42. Bach's "Mass in __"B MINOR
Perhaps the most famous mass in classical music is J. S. Bach's "Mass in B minor", fittingly completed just before he died. It was one of the last of Bach’s compositions, although much of the music was composed earlier in his life.

49. DVR button REC
DVR (Digital Video Recorder)

50. 1937 Marx Brothers film ... and, based on words that begin 20-, 25- and 44-Across, this puzzle's title A DAY AT THE RACES
“A Day at the Races” is a 1937 Marx Brothers film, a big hit for them. Groucho Marx played a madcap Dr. Hackenbush, although the original script called for the name to be “Quackenbush”. That had to be changed due to fears of a lawsuit from a real Dr. Quackenbush.

56. Golf standout McIlroy RORY
Rory McIlroy is an incredibly successful golfer from Northern Ireland. McIlroy is a relatively young man and the current world number one on the circuit, so folks can’t help but compare him to Tiger Woods. He is first European to win three different majors. Along with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, McIlroy is one of the only three people to win three majors before the age of 25.

57. Furniture chain that sells Swedish meatballs IKEA
Every IKEA store features a restaurant that serves traditional Swedish food, including Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam. Each store also has a Swedish Food Market where customers can purchase specialty foods from Sweden.

62. Went berserk RAGED
Our word “berserk” meaning “deranged” comes from the "Berserkers", Norse warriors described in Old Norse literature. Berserkers were renowned for going into battle in a fury, and some believe that they consumed drugged food to get themselves worked up for the fighting ahead.

63. Isaac's older son ESAU
Esau, was the grandson of Abraham and the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When Esau was born to Isaac and Rebekah, the event was described, “Now the first came forth, red all over like a hairy garment”. Esau is portrayed later in life as being very different from his brother, as a hunter and someone who loves the outdoor life.

64. Once-sacred snakes ASPS
The venomous snake called an asp was a symbol of royalty in Ancient Egypt.

Down
1. Car with a cat logo, briefly JAG
Jaguar started out as a manufacturer of sidecars for motorcycles back in 1922, when the company was known as the Swallow Sidecar Company (SS for short). The company changed its name to Jaguar after WWII, because of the unfortunate connotations of the letters "SS" in that era (i.e. the Nazi paramilitary organization).

4. Sicilian volcano ETNA
Mt. Etna is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy. Mt Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius. Etna is home to a 110-km long narrow-guage railway, and two ski resorts.

7. Yoked team OXEN
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen so that they are forced to work together.

8. Vaulted church recess APSE
The apse of a church or cathedral is a semicircular recess in an outer wall, usually with a half-dome as a roof and often where there resides an altar. Originally apses were used as burial places for the clergy and also for storage of important relics.

11. Many a Mumbai man HINDU
Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and the second most populous city in the world (after Shanghai). The name of the city was changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995.

29. '20s-'30s skating gold medalist Sonja HENIE
Sonja Henie was a World and Olympic Champion figure skater from Norway from the days when "amateur" sports stars were not paid. Henie made up for her lack of income from competing by developing a career in Hollywood. She was one of highest-paid film stars at the height of her movie career.

30. Part of BYOB OWN
Bring Your Own Beer/Bottle/Booze (BYOB)

33. "Both Sides Now" singer Mitchell JONI
Joni Mitchell is a Canadian singer and songwriter from Fort MacLeod in Alberta. Mitchell is perhaps best known for her recordings “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Woodstock”.

"Both Sides Now" is a very successful song written by Joni Mitchell, most famously recorded by Judy Collins. It has been recorded many, many times by many different artists, including Leonard Nimoy would you believe?

34. Door-to-door cosmetics seller AVON
In 1886, a young man called David McConnell was selling books door-to-door. To enhance his sales numbers he was giving out free perfume to the ladies of the houses that he visited. Seeing as his perfume was more popular than his books, he founded the California Perfume Company in New York City and started manufacturing and selling across the country. The company name was changed to Avon in 1939, and the famous "Avon Calling" marketing campaign was launched in 1954.

35. Arctic hazard BERG
An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that is floating freely after having broken off from a glacier or ice shelf. Out use of “iceberg” comes from the Dutch word for the same phenomenon “ijsberg”, which translates literally as “ice mountain”.

40. Membership list ROTA
“Rota”, meaning a roster of names, isn’t a word I hear much in the US, but we used it all the time back in Ireland.

42. Fictional fox's title BR’ER
Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox are characters in the Uncle Remus stories, written by Joel Chandler Harris. The Uncle Remus stories are adaptations of African American folktales that Harris collected across the Southern States. "Br'er" is an abbreviated form of "brother".

46. À la __ CARTE
On a restaurant menu, items that are "à la carte" are priced and ordered separately. A menu marked "table d'hôte" (also called "prix fixe") is a fixed-price menu with limited choice.

48. "West Side Story" love song MARIA
Leonard Bernstein's musical "West Side Story" is based on William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". The musical is set in New York City and features two rival gangs: the Sharks from Puerto Rico and the Jets with working-class, Caucasian roots. Tony from the Jets (played by Richard Beymer) falls in love with Maria (played by Natalie Wood) from the Sharks. All this parallels Romeo from the House of Montague falling for Juliet from the House of Capulet in the Italian city of Verona.

51. Boxer's stats TKOS
In boxing, a knockout (KO) is when one of the fighters can't get up from the canvas within a specified time, usually 10 seconds. This can be due to fatigue, injury, or the participant may be truly "knocked out". A referee, fighter or doctor may also decide to stop a fight without a physical knockout, especially if there is concern about a fighter's safety. In this case the bout is said to end with a technical knockout (TKO).

54. Former soldier, briefly EX-GI
The initials "G.I." stand for "Government Issue" and not "General Infantry" as is often believed. GI was first used in the military to denote equipment made from Galvanized Iron and during WWI, incoming German shells were nicknamed "GI cans". Soon after, the term GI came to be associated with "Government Issue" and eventually became an adjective to describe anything associated with the Army.

59. Outlawed pesticide DDT
DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (don't forget now!). DDT was used with great success to control disease-carrying insects during WWII, and when made available for use after the war it became by far the most popular pesticide. And then Rachel Carson published her famous book "Silent Spring", suggesting there was a link between DDT and diminishing populations of certain wildlife. It was the public outcry sparked by the book, and reports of links between DDT and cancer, that led to the ban on the use of the chemical in 1972. That ban is touted as the main reason that the bald eagle was rescued from near extinction.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. See 16-Across JULEP
6. Haunted house sound MOAN
10. Females SHES
14. Soul singer Baker ANITA
15. Convention center event EXPO
16. With 1-Across, Kentucky Derby drink MINT
17. Humongous GIANT
18. "__ we forget" LEST
19. Hold 'em fee ANTE
20. Keep tabs on a shipment TRACK ONE’S ORDER
23. Coop group female HEN
24. Favorable rise UPTURN
25. Some briefs JOCKEY SHORTS
31. Except if UNLESS
32. Crimp-haired critters EWES
33. Elbow poke JAB
36. Party lacking ladies STAG
37. Roadside retreat INN
38. "Out of the way!" MOVE!
39. Help for one stuck in a rut, perhaps TOW
40. Mortgage change, briefly REFI
42. Bach's "Mass in __" B MINOR
44. Shrewd bargaining HORSE TRADING
46. Snap out of it COME TO
49. DVR button REC
50. 1937 Marx Brothers film ... and, based on words that begin 20-, 25- and 44-Across, this puzzle's title A DAY AT THE RACES
56. Golf standout McIlroy RORY
57. Furniture chain that sells Swedish meatballs IKEA
58. Like a gift of chocolates BOXED
60. Small jazz group TRIO
61. What one often wears out? COAT
62. Went berserk RAGED
63. Isaac's older son ESAU
64. Once-sacred snakes ASPS
65. Live and breathe EXIST

Down
1. Car with a cat logo, briefly JAG
2. Self-storage compartment UNIT
3. "Tell me the truth!" LIAR!
4. Sicilian volcano ETNA
5. Quilting squares PATCHES
6. Fruit stand buys MELONS
7. Yoked team OXEN
8. Vaulted church recess APSE
9. On the fence NOT SURE
10. Brainpower SMARTS
11. Many a Mumbai man HINDU
12. Step into ENTER
13. Back of the boat STERN
21. Lock inserts KEYS
22. Drops (out) OPTS
25. Barely JUST
26. Not fooled by ONTO
27. Tiger's gripper CLAW
28. Beer barrel KEG
29. '20s-'30s skating gold medalist Sonja HENIE
30. Part of BYOB OWN
33. "Both Sides Now" singer Mitchell JONI
34. Door-to-door cosmetics seller AVON
35. Arctic hazard BERG
37. Things up in the air IFS
38. Prefix with term or town MID-
40. Membership list ROTA
41. Steamy writing EROTICA
42. Fictional fox's title BR’ER
43. Ghoulish MACABRE
44. "Psst!" HEY YOU!
45. Springs for lunch TREATS
46. À la __ CARTE
47. Clean-out-the-fridge warnings ODORS
48. "West Side Story" love song MARIA
51. Boxer's stats TKOS
52. Sloppy stack HEAP
53. Persuade gently COAX
54. Former soldier, briefly EX-GI
55. Lays eyes on SEES
59. Outlawed pesticide DDT


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
9. Paper size LEGAL
Our paper sizes here in the US don't conform with the standards in the rest of the world. ISO standard sizes used elsewhere have some logic behind them in that the ratio of width to length is usually one to the square root of two. This mathematical relationship means that when you cut a piece of paper in two each half preserves the aspect ratio of the original, which can be useful in making reduced or enlarged copies of documents. Our standard size of "letter" (8.5 x 11 inches) was determined in 1980 by the Reagan administration to be the official paper size for the US government. Prior to this, the "legal" size (8.5 x 14 inches) had been the standard, since 1921.

14. Village People song with arm motions YMCA
"YMCA" was released in 1978 by Village People and has been adopted as an anthem by the gay community. The song was written by Victor Willis, a straight member of the mostly gay band, and he clarifies that the lyrics are extolling the virtues of the "YMCA" as a source of recreation for black urban youth. I think he might have been winking when he said that ...

15. Samoan capital APIA
Apia is the capital city, and in fact the only city, of the Pacific island-nation of Samoa. The harbor of Apia is famous for a very foolish incident in 1889 involving seven naval vessels from Germany, the US and Britain. A typhoon was approaching so the safest thing to do was to head for open water away from land, but no nation would move its ships for fear of losing face in front of the others. Six of the ships were lost in the typhoon as a result and 200 American and German sailors perished. The British cruiser HMS Calliope barely managed to escape from the harbor and rode out the storm safely.

17. "Peanuts" outburst GOOD GRIEF! (giving “Good Friday”)
The characters in the cartoon series "Peanuts" were largely drawn from Charles Schultz's own life, with shy and withdrawn Charlie Brown representing Schultz himself.

Good Friday is a holiday observed by Christians that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is part of Holy Week, which is the last week of Lent and which starts with Palm Sunday and ends with Holy Saturday. The term “Good Friday” might be a corruption of “God Friday”, but this etymology is contested.

19. Towel material TERRY
Terry cloth is a fabric designed to absorb lots of liquid. The fabric has relatively large loops of thread that improve the absorption properties. The larger the loop, the more thread, the better the absorption.

20. Arg. neighbor URU
The official name of Uruguay is the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, reflecting the nation’s location on the eastern coast of South America. It is a relatively small country, the second-smallest on the continent, after Suriname. In 2009, Uruguay became the first country in the world to provide a free laptop and Internet access to every child. Now there's a thought ...

26. Distress call at sea MAN OVERBOARD! (giving “Man Friday”)
In Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel “Robinson Crusoe”, the castaway encounters a companion that Crusoe calls “Friday”, because the two first met on that day. Friday soon becomes his willing servant. This character is the source of our terms “Man Friday” and “Girl Friday”, which are used to describe a particularly competent and loyal assistant.

35. Two-handed hammer SLEDGE
A sledgehammer is a big hammer, used to apply a lot of force. The word “sledgehammer” comes from the Anglo Saxon “Slaegan” meaning “to strike violently”. “Slaegan” is also the root of the words “slag”, “slay” and “slog”.

36. __ Claire, Wisconsin EAU
Eau Claire, Wisconsin is named for the Eau Claire River, which in turn was named by French explorers. The explorers had been travelling down the muddy Chippewa River and diverted into the clear water of what is now called the Eau Claire River. They exclaimed “Voici l’eau claire!” meaning “Here is clear water!” The French phrase “Voici l’eau claire” is now the city’s motto that appears on the city seal.

39. Dry as the Mojave ARID
The Mojave Desert in the southwest is named after the Native American Mohave tribe. Famous locations within the boundaries of the desert, are Death Valley, Las Vegas, Nevada and the ghost town of Calico, California.

40. Tax-auditing org. IRS
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

41. Maritime measure LEAGUE
A “league” is a unit of distance that dates back to the Middle Ages. No longer used, it was originally defined as the distance that a person could walk in an hour. In the English-speaking world, a league was equal to three miles on land, or three nautical miles at sea.

44. Zippo NONE
The use of the words "zip" and “zippo” to mean "nothing" dates back to the early 1900s when it was student slang for being graded zero on a test.

56. Slope overlooking a loch BRAE
"Brae" is a lowland Scots word for the slope or brow of a hill.

“Loch” is the Scottish Gaelic word for “lake”. The Irish Gaelic word is “lough”.

58. "Who, me?"MOI?
“Moi” is the French word for “me”.

60. Oil metaphor BLACK GOLD (giving “Black Friday”)
In the world of retail, “Black Friday” is the day after Thanksgiving in the US. Black Friday is when many stores start the holiday shopping season, and so offer deep discounts to get ahead of the competition.

65. Rodeo rope REATA
“Reata” is the Spanish word for “lasso”. We tend to use the spelling “riata” in English, but sometimes can use the original Spanish word.

67. Pre-weekend shout ... and a hint to the first word of 17-, 26-, 45- and 60-Across TGIF!
"Thank God It's Friday" (TGIF) is a relatively new expression that apparently originated in Akron, Ohio. It was a catchphrase used first by disk jockey Jerry Healy of WAKR in the early seventies. That said, one blog reader wrote me to say that he had been using the phrase in the fifties.

Down
6. TV role for Ronny OPIE
Opie Taylor is the character played by Ron Howard on “The Andy Griffith Show”. Opie lives with widowed father Andy Taylor (played by Andy Griffith) and his great-aunt Beatrice “Aunt Bee” Taylor (played by Frances Bavier). Ron Howard first played the role in 1960 in the pilot show, when he was just 5 years old. Howard sure has come a long way since playing Opie Taylor. He has directed some fabulous movies including favorites of mine like "Apollo 13", "A Beautiful Mind" and "The Da Vinci Code".

9. Beatles title after "Speaking words of wisdom"LET IT BE
"Let It Be" was the last album that the Beatles released as an active group playing together. The title song “Let It Be” was written by Paul McCartney, and it is clearly one of his own favorites. McCartney says that he was inspired to write the song after having had a dream about his mother (who had died some years earlier from cancer). In fact he refers to her (Mary McCartney) in the line "Mother Mary comes to me". Paul's first wife, Linda, is singing backing vocals on the song, the only time she is known to have done so in a Beatles recording. 18 years after that 1970 recording was made, Paul, George and Ringo sang "Let It Be" at a memorial service for Linda, who was also lost to cancer. Sad stuff, but a lovely song ...

11. Encircle with a belt GIRD
The phrase "gird your loins" dates back to Ancient Rome. The expression describes the action of lifting "one's skirts" and tying them between the legs to allow more freedom of movement before going into battle. Nowadays, "gird your loins" is a metaphor for "prepare yourself for the worst".

13. Space travel dist. LT YR
A light-year (lt. yr.) is a measure of distance, not time. It is the distance that light travels in a vacuum in one year. The accepted abbreviation for a light-year is “ly”. A light-second is a lot shorter distance: about 186,282 miles.

18. Explorer Vasco da __ GAMA
Vasco da Gama left on his first voyage of discovery in 1497. da Gama journeyed around the Cape of Good Hope, the southernmost tip of Africa, and across the Indian Ocean making landfall in India. Landing in India, his fleet became the first expedition to sail directly from Europe to the sub-continent. Vasco da Gama was well known for acts of cruelty, especially on local inhabitants. One of his milder atrocities was inflicted on a priest whom he labelled as a spy. He had the priest's lips and ears cut off, and sent him on his way after having a pair of dog's ears sewn onto his head.

22. Town BURG
“Burg” is an informal term used in the US for a smaller town, from the German word “burg” meaning a fortified city.

25. "The Shining" mantra REDRUM
In the 1980 movie “The Shining”, there is a young boy called Danny who has the gift of ESP and who has a bad feeling about the hotel where he and his family are to live. At one stage, Danny calls out the word “redrum” and then goes into a trance. “Redrum” is “murder” spelled backwards.

27. Chicago Fire Mrs. O'LEARY
The Great Chicago Fire blazed for almost three full days in October of 1871. By the time it was extinguished, hundreds of people had died and four square miles of the city had been destroyed. It is known that the fire started in or near a small barn owned by an Irish immigrant, a Mrs. Catherine O’Leary. A reporter called Michael Ahern wrote in the “Chicago Tribune” that the fire was ignited when a cow in the barn kicked over a lantern. Years later, Ahern admitted that he made up the story about the cow and the lantern, as he felt it made colorful copy. Supposedly Mrs. O’Leary died a heartbroken woman as she spent the rest of her life with the public blaming her on the tragic loss of life and property.

32. Stylish CHIC
"Chic" is a French word meaning "stylish".

39. Pharaoh's cross ANKH
The ankh was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character for "eternal life". The ankh wasn't just used in inscriptions but was often fashioned into amulets and as surrounds for mirrors (perhaps symbolizing a view into another world). The ankh is also known as “the key of the Nile” and “crux ansata” (Latin for “cross with a handle”).

41. Hall of Fame manager Tony LA RUSSA
Tony La Russa is a former MLB player and manager. Off the field, La Russa is well known in this part of Northern California as the founder of the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) headquartered in the city of Walnut Creek. The ARF is a “no-kill” animal shelter for abandoned dogs and cats. We rescued our pet dog from the ARF.

51. Conductor Sir Georg SOLTI
Sir Georg Solti was a great Hungarian-British conductor, who spent 22 years as music director of the Chicago Symphony, one of many prestigious positions he held in the world of classical music and opera. Solti was awarded 31 Grammy Awards, the most won by any individual in any genre of music.

52. Part of HDTV, briefly HI-DEF
High-definition television (HDTV)

55. Land surrounded by agua ISLA
In Spanish, “tierra” (land) surrounded by “aqua” (water) is an “isla” (island).

61. Thug's gun GAT
“Gat” is slang for “gun”. The term is derived from the Gatling gun, the precursor to the modern machine gun. The Gatling gun was invented by Dr. Richard J. Gatling in 1861. Apparently he was inspired to invent it so that one man could do as much damage as a hundred, thereby reducing the size of armies and diminishing the suffering caused by war. Go figure ...

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Big celebration BASH
5. __ guy: dependable sort GO-TO
9. Paper size LEGAL
14. Village People song with arm motions YMCA
15. Samoan capital APIA
16. Send packing, as a delinquent tenant EVICT
17. "Peanuts" outburst GOOD GRIEF! (giving “Good Friday”)
19. Towel material TERRY
20. Arg. neighbor URU
21. Fruity soft drinks ADES
22. Student's organizer BINDER
23. Self-indulgent period ME-TIME
25. Grooves from wagon wheels RUTS
26. Distress call at sea MAN OVERBOARD! (giving “Man Friday”)
32. Where many a lanyard is woven CAMP
35. Two-handed hammer SLEDGE
36. __ Claire, Wisconsin EAU
37. Spectral array HUES
38. Zig when you should have zagged, say ERR
39. Dry as the Mojave ARID
40. Tax-auditing org. IRS
41. Maritime measure LEAGUE
44. Zippo NONE
45. Off-the-cuff comment CASUAL REMARK (giving “casual Friday”)
48. Hunter's target PREY
49. Discuss again and again REHASH
53. Regular on the slopes SKI BUM
56. Slope overlooking a loch BRAE
58. "Who, me?" MOI?
59. Makes less difficult EASES
60. Oil metaphor BLACK GOLD (giving “Black Friday”)
62. Those girls, in Spain ELLAS
63. Word of honor OATH
64. First chip in a pot ANTE
65. Rodeo rope REATA
66. Sledder's cry WHEE!
67. Pre-weekend shout ... and a hint to the first word of 17-, 26-, 45- and 60-Across TGIF!

Down
1. Old-fashioned "How about that!" BY GUM!
2. Love, to Luciano AMORE
3. Talent finder SCOUT
4. Consumed HAD
5. Flower exhibits GARDENS
6. TV role for Ronny OPIE
7. Garbage bag closers TIES
8. Bungler OAF
9. Beatles title after "Speaking words of wisdom" LET IT BE
10. Despite that EVEN SO
11. Encircle with a belt GIRD
12. Orchard measure ACRE
13. Space travel dist. LT YR
18. Explorer Vasco da __ GAMA
22. Town BURG
24. Little pranksters IMPS
25. "The Shining" mantra REDRUM
27. Chicago Fire Mrs. O'LEARY
28. Brink VERGE
29. Prefix with space AERO-
30. Picnic spoiler RAIN
31. "C'mon, bro!" DUDE!
32. Stylish CHIC
33. Otherworldly radiance AURA
34. Sticky situation MESS
39. Pharaoh's cross ANKH
41. Hall of Fame manager Tony LA RUSSA
42. Grade sch. level ELEM
43. Common swimmer's ailment EARACHE
46. In high spirits UPBEAT
47. Smell really bad REEK
50. Mixed in with AMONG
51. Conductor Sir Georg SOLTI
52. Part of HDTV, briefly HI-DEF
53. Visionary SEER
54. Curly cabbage KALE
55. Land surrounded by agua ISLA
56. Boring BLAH
57. Hourly charge, e.g. RATE
60. Present decoration BOW
61. Thug's gun GAT


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
9. Salon creations COIFS
A “coif” is a hairdo. The term comes from an old French term “coife”, a skull-cap that was worn under a helmet back in the late 13th century.

15. Palmer with an "army"ARNIE
Arnold Palmer is one of the greats of the world of golf. Palmer is very popular with many fans of the game, and his followers are usually referred to as “Arnie’s Army”. Off the course, Palmer was an avid pilot, but is now retired from flying. He resides in Latrobe, Pennsylvania for much of the year and the local airport is named in his honor: Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

21. Tater SPUD
The word "spud" is used as a slang term for a potato and was first recorded in the mid-1800s, in New Zealand would you believe?

23. Anti-apartheid org. ANC
The African National Congress (ANC) started out as the South African Native National Congress in 1912 with the goal of improving the lot of Black South Africans. After years of turmoil, the ANC came to power in the first open election in 1964.

Apartheid was the system of racial segregation used in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. “Apartheid” is an Afrikaans word meaning “apart-hood, the state of being apart”.

24. Verne's circumnavigator PHILEAS FOGG
"Around the World in 80 Days" is just a wonderful adventure story, written by French author Jules Verne and first published in 1873. There have been some great screen adaptations of the story, including the 1956 movie starring David Niven as Phileas Fogg. In almost all adaptations, a balloon is used for part of the journey, perhaps the most memorable means of transportation on Fogg's trip around the world. However, if you read the book, Fogg never used a balloon at all.

32. All-Clad product PAN
All-Clad is a manufacturer of cookware based in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

33. Yucatán year ANO
The Yucatán Peninsula is located in southeastern Mexico, where it separates the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest from the Caribbean Sea to the southeast.

44. Done in by Buffy, say SLAIN
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is a TV series that originally aired from 1997 to 2003. “Buffy …” was incredibly successful, especially given that it wasn’t aired on the one of the big four networks. The show was created by Joss Whedon and starred Sarah Michelle Gellar in the title role.

45. __ Pérignon DOM
Dom Pérignon is the name given to the prestige label of champagne from Moët et Chandon, the French winery. The label's name honors the Benedictine monk, Dom Pérignon, who helped to improve the quality and production of champagne in the early 18th century. Although Dom Pérignon made major contributions to champagne production, many of the stories in which he figures are just myths. He did not "invent" champagne, nor sparkling wine in general. Nor did he say the famous words, "Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!". That lovely line first appeared in a print advertisement in the late 1800s!

46. Lunch letters BLT
The BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) is the second-most popular sandwich in the US, after the plain old ham sandwich.

47. Simile words … AS AN …
A simile is a figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two things that are unalike. For example, a person might be described as “cute as a kitten” or as “busy as a bee”.

50. Affluent London area CHELSEA
Chelsea is an area of central London located just north of the River Thames that is famous for its high property prices. Chelsea is also home to many expat Americans, who make up almost 7% of all the area’s residents.

56. "Moulin Rouge!" director Luhrmann BAZ
Baz Luhrmann is a film director from Australia best known for the hit films “Strictly Ballroom” (1992) and “Moulin Rouge!” (2001). He also directed the epic movies “Australia” (2008) starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, and “The Great Gatsby” (2013) starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

“Moulin Rouge!" is musical film that was released in 2001, starring Nicole Kidman as the star of the Moulin Rouge cabaret, and Ewan McGregor as the young man who falls in love with her. Although set in the early 1900s, the film uses many, many contemporary songs. There were so many that it took the producers almost two years to secure the rights to use the music.

57. Most blue state electees: Abbr. DEMS
On political maps, red states are Republican and blue states Democrat. The designation of red and blue states is a very recent concept, only introduced in the 2000 presidential election by TV journalist, the late Tim Russert. In retrospect, the choice of colors is surprising, as in other democracies around the world red is usually used to describe left-leaning socialist parties (the reds under the bed!), and blue is used for conservative right-wing parties. In election cycles, swing/battleground states are often depicted in purple.

62. Piano exercise ETUDE
An étude is a short instrumental composition that is usually quite hard to play and is intended to help the performer master a particular technique. "Étude" is the French word for "study". Études are commonly performed on the piano.

64. Ben & Jerry's flavor inspired by a Vermont rock band PHISH FOOD
Phish is a rock and roll band that formed at the University of Vermont in 1983. After I hiatus from 2004 until 2009, the band is going strong to this day. The has been a “Phish Food” flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream since 1997.

68. World Court site, with "The"HAGUE
Den Haag is the Dutch name for the city in the Netherlands that we know in English as The Hague. Even though The Hague is the seat of the Dutch parliament and is where Queen Beatrix resides, it is not the country's capital city. That honor goes to Amsterdam.

International Court of Justice (ICJ) is commonly referred to as the World Court, and is based in the Hague in the Netherlands. The ICJ is the main judicial branch of the United Nations, and one of its functions is to settle disputes between UN member states. The US no longer accepts the jurisdiction of the ICJ, after the court’s 1986 decision that the US’s covert war against Nicaragua was in violation of international law. The UN Security Council is charged with enforcing ICJ rulings, and so the US used its veto power in the Nicaragua v. United States case.

69. Holiday drink NOG
It's not really clear where the term "nog" (as in “eggnog”) comes from although it might derive from the word "noggin", which was originally a small wooden cup that was long associated with alcoholic drinks.

Down
1. "Carmina Burana" composer ORFF
"Carmina Burana" is a cantata by Carl Orff based on a collection of medieval poems that go by the same name. The name translates as "Songs from Beuern". The best known movement of the cantata by far is the dramatic "O Fortuna" used at the opening and closing of the piece. One study placed "O Fortuna" as the most often played piece of classical music in the UK over the past 75 years, largely due to its use in television commercials. Famously, the piece appeared in the US in ads for Gatorade and Old Spice aftershave.

2. __ sci POLI
Political science (poli sci)

3. Mars candy bar TWIX
I remember Twix bars from way back in 1967 when they were introduced in the British Isles. Twix bars made it to the US over a decade later, in 1979.

Forrest Mars, Sr. was the founder of the Mars Company. Forrest invented the Mars Bar while living over in England and then developed M&M's when he returned to the US. Mars came up with the idea for M&M's when he saw soldiers in the Spanish Civil War eating chocolate pellets. Those pellets had a hard shell of tempered chocolate on the outside to prevent them from melting. Mars got some of the funding to develop the M&M from William Murrie, the son of the president of Hershey's Chocolate. It is the "M" and "M" from "Mars" and "Murrie" that give the name to the candy.

4. Lyric poet of Lesbos SAPPHO
Sappho was an Ancient Greek poet born on the Greek island of Lesbos. Sappho was much admired for her work, although very little of it survives today. She was renowned for writing erotic and romantic verse that dealt with the love of women as well as men. It was because of this poetry that the word “lesbian” (someone from Lesbos) is used to describe a gay woman.

5. Initials for William or Harry HRH
His/her Royal Highness (HRH)

Prince William is second in line to the British throne, after his father Prince Charles, with Prince Harry holding the third spot. Prince Harry moved down the list when William and Kate had their first child George. The law was changed in 2011 so that the eldest child of Prince William and Kate Middleton would be next in line, regardless of sex. Up until 2011, sons took precedence, even over older daughters.

8. Starting point for Frisbee golfers TEE PAD
The Frisbee phenomenon started back in 1938 with a couple who had an upturned cake pan that they were tossing between each other on Santa Monica Beach in California. They were offered 25 cents for the pan on the spot, and as pans could be bought for 5 cents, the pair figured there was a living to be earned.

18. Baby sharks PUPS
Apparently male sharks are referred to as “bulls” or just “males”. Female sharks are only known as “females”. The offspring of sharks are referred to as “pups”.

25. Apple variety IMAC
The iMac is a desktop computer platform from Apple introduced in 1998. One of the main features of the iMac is an "all-in-one" design, with the computer console and monitor integrated. The iMac also came in a range of colors, that Apple marketed as “flavors”, such strawberry, blueberry and lime.

26. Singer Horne LENA
Lena Horne was an American jazz singer, actress, dancer and civil rights activist. Horne started out her career as a nightclub singer and then began to get some meaty acting roles in Hollywood. However, she ended up on the blacklist during the McCarthy Era for expressing left wing political views. One of Horne's starring roles was in the 1943 movie "Stormy Weather" for which she also performed the title song.

27. Crow, at times, in Hinduism OMEN
In the Hindu tradition, crows are regarded as a carriers of information, omens. For example, when a crow makes a crowing sound in front of person’s house, this can be considered a sign that a special visitor will arrive.

29. Brand of beard trimmers WAHL
The Wahl Clipper Corporations is a company based in Sterling, Illinois that makes grooming clippers for both humans and animals.

30. Singer who co-composed a song in Elvish for "The Lord of the Rings"ENYA
Enya co-wrote and performed a song titled “Aníron” for “The Lord of the Rings” series of films. The song’s lyrics are written in the Elvish language of Sindarin, a fictional language that was created by author J.R.R. Tolkien.

36. CSA soldiers REBS
The Confederate States of America (CSA) set up government in 1861 just before Abraham Lincoln took office. Jefferson Davis was selected as President of the CSA at its formation and retained the post for the life of the government.

37. Archipelago part ISLE
“Archipelago” is a name often used for a group or chain of islands. “Archipelago” is our spelling of the Italian “arcipelago”, a word that has Greek roots. “Arcipelago” was the proper name for the Aegean Sea in Greek, a word that was eventually used for the Aegean Islands.

38. Spanish pronoun ESTA
In Spanish, the “otra” (other) is neither “esta” (this) nor “esa” (that).

40. Broadway king's domain SIAM
"Anna and the King of Siam" is a semi-biographical novel written by Margaret Landon and first published in 1944. The book tells the largely true story of Anna Leonowens who spent five years in Siam teaching English to the children and wives of King Mongkut. The novel was adapted as a 1946 movie of the same name starring Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison. Then followed a 1951 stage musical titled “The King and I”. The musical was written as a vehicle for Gertrude Lawrence, who played Anna. Rex Harrison was asked to play the King, but he turned it down and Yul Brynner was cast instead. A movie version of the stage musical was released in 1956, famously starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr.

42. Nina of "The Ten Commandments"FOCH
Nina Foch was a Dutch-American actress who appeared in many Hollywood movies in the forties and fifties. Foch’s first husband was James Lipton, the host of Bravo’s “Inside the Actors Studio”.

“The Ten Commandments” is an epic movie directed by Cecil B. DeMille, and released in 1956. The cast is as epic as the film, with Charlton Heston playing the lead role of Moses. Also appearing are Yul Brynner as Rameses, Edward G. Robinson as Dathan, Vincent Price as Baka and Anne Baxter as Nefretiri.

43. FWIW kin IMHO
In my humble opinion (IMHO)

For what it's worth (FWIW)

54. Blue shade AZURE
The word "azure" came into English from Persian via Old French. The French word "l'azur" was taken from the Persian name for a place in northeastern Afghanistan called "Lazhward" which was the main source of the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli. The stone has a vivid blue color, and "azure" has been describing this color since the 14th century.

56. Result of glacial calving BERG
An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that is floating freely after having broken off from a glacier or ice shelf. Out use of “iceberg” comes from the Dutch word for the same phenomenon “ijsberg”, which translates literally as “ice mountain”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Choose OPT
4. Metaphorical loss in a bad deal SHIRT
9. Salon creations COIFS
14. Column crosser ROW
15. Palmer with an "army" ARNIE
16. "Strange to say ... " ODDLY ...
17. Communication device also called a clamshell FLIP PHONE
19. Unlock the door for LET IN
20. Match socially FIX UP
21. Tater SPUD
23. Anti-apartheid org. ANC
24. Verne's circumnavigator PHILEAS FOGG
28. "Rad!" AWESOME!
31. Consider DEEM
32. All-Clad product PAN
33. Yucatán year ANO
35. Spooky EERIE
39. Gym teacher's concern PHYSICAL FITNESS
44. Done in by Buffy, say SLAIN
45. __ Pérignon DOM
46. Lunch letters BLT
47. Simile words … AS AN ...
50. Affluent London area CHELSEA
53. Reunion memento FAMILY PHOTO
56. "Moulin Rouge!" director Luhrmann BAZ
57. Most blue state electees: Abbr. DEMS
58. Secret stash CACHE
62. Piano exercise ETUDE
64. Ben & Jerry's flavor inspired by a Vermont rock band PHISH FOOD
67. More valuable to a collector RARER
68. World Court site, with "The" HAGUE
69. Holiday drink NOG
70. Narrow valleys GLENS
71. Symbol of military power SWORD
72. __ blue SKY

Down
1. "Carmina Burana" composer ORFF
2. __ sci POLI
3. Mars candy bar TWIX
4. Lyric poet of Lesbos SAPPHO
5. Initials for William or Harry HRH
6. Diminutive Italian suffix -INO
7. Dishwasher cycle RINSE
8. Starting point for Frisbee golfers TEE PAD
9. Loss of nerve COLD FEET
10. Dedicated poem ODE
11. Luggage label ID TAG
12. Affair FLING
13. (In) agreement SYNC
18. Baby sharks PUPS
22. Take advantage of USE
25. Apple variety IMAC
26. Singer Horne LENA
27. Crow, at times, in Hinduism OMEN
28. Mobile downloads APPS
29. Brand of beard trimmers WAHL
30. Singer who co-composed a song in Elvish for "The Lord of the Rings" ENYA
34. Over the hill OLD
36. CSA soldiers REBS
37. Archipelago part ISLE
38. Spanish pronoun ESTA
40. Broadway king's domain SIAM
41. Ones with access INSIDERS
42. Nina of "The Ten Commandments" FOCH
43. FWIW kin IMHO
48. Tankard contents ALE
49. Mythological maidens NYMPHS
51. Ingrained ETCHED
52. Just sit around LOAF
53. Decisive, as a mistake FATAL
54. Blue shade AZURE
55. "Poppycock!" PSHAW!
56. Result of glacial calving BERG
59. Deceives CONS
60. Hoops shot HOOK
61. Like envelope-pushing comedy EDGY
63. Hibernation spot DEN
65. "Can __ now?" I GO
66. Prefix with charge SUR-


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Carmen of jazz MCRAE
Carmen McRae was a jazz singer from Harlem in New York City. McRae’s inspiration was singer Billie Holiday, whom McRae met when she was 17 years old.

15. "Bleeding Love" singer Lewis LEONA
Leona Lewis rocketed to fame after winning the British TV show called "The X Factor" (the show that spawned the UK's "Pop Idol" and America's "American Idol").

16. Legendary fighter ALI
The boxer Muhammad Ali was classified as ineligible for the draft in 1964 due to poor writing and spelling skills. The standards were lowered in 1965, and Ali was notified in 1966 that he was eligible to serve in the US Armed Forces. When notified as such, Ali publicly declared himself a conscientious objector on religious grounds. Ali was in fact drafted and refused to serve in 1967. At that point his boxing license was suspended and he was stripped of his World Heavyweight title. Ali was convicted for refusing to to report for induction during the Vietnam War. Ultimately, the US Supreme Court reversed the decision to convict on the grounds that the government had failed to properly specify why Ali’s application for conscientious objector classification had been denied.

17. Breakfast order SESAME BAGEL (giving “Sesame Street”)
The bagel was invented in the Polish city of Kraków in the 16th century. Bagels were brought to this country by Jewish immigrants from Poland who mainly established homes in and around New York City.

Back in 1966, the Carnegie Institute allocated money to study the use of television to help young children prepare for school. The institute gave an $8million grant to set up the Children's Television Workshop with the task of creating an educational TV program for young people. The program began to come together, especially after Jim Henson (of Muppet fame) got involved. The name "Sesame Street" was chosen simply because it was the "least disliked" of all names proposed just before the program went on the air.

19. Tee, for one TOP
That would be a tee-shirt.

22. Grand cousins SPINETS
A spinet is the name given to a smaller version of keyboard instruments, such as the harpsichord, piano or organ. Spinets are still made today, as smaller and cheaper versions of full-size instruments.

A grand piano is one with the frame supported horizontally on three legs. An upright piano has the frame and strings running vertically.

24. Goth accessory NOSE RING
The goth subculture developed from the gothic rock scene in the early eighties, and is a derivative of the punk music movement. It started in England and spread to many countries around the globe. The term "goth" of course comes from the Eastern Germanic tribe called the Goths. Frankly, I don't understand the whole goth thing ...

27. Sugarloaf lift T-BAR
A T-bar is a type of ski lift on which the skiers are pulled up the hill in pairs, with each pair standing (not sitting!) either side of T-shaped metal bar. The bar is placed behind the thighs, pulling along the skiers as they remain standing on their skis (hopefully!). There's also a J-bar, a similar device, but with each J-shaped bar used by one skier at a time.

30. Austen classic EMMA
Jane Austen’s novel "Emma" is the tale of Emma Woodhouse and the wonderful George Knightley. At the end of the story, Emma marries Knightley and her young friend Harriet marries Robert Martin, who had been trying to get Harriet's attention practically from page one of the novel!

32. Egypt's second president NASSER
Gamal Abdel Nasser was the second president of Egypt, from 1956 until he died in 1970. He stood alongside Muhammad Naguib, Egypt's first president, during the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 that overthrew the ruling monarchy of Egypt and Sudan. Nasser was an advocate of Pan-Arabism, an ideology promoting unification of Arab peoples and countries. President Nasser went so far as forming the United Arab Republic (UAR), a union between Egypt and Syria that started in 1958 but fell apart in 1961 when Syria withdrew.

38. Summer hrs. in Philly EDT
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

51. Wig out FLIP
The idea behind the expression "to wig out", meaning "to go crazy", is that there is so much going on in your brain that it might "lift your hair/wig".

53. Mentor's offering GUIDANCE
A mentor is a trusted teacher or counselor. The term comes Homer’s “Odyssey” in which there is a character called Mentor. Mentor is a friend of Odysseus, although he is a relatively ineffective old man. However, the goddess Athena takes on Mentor’s appearance in order to guide Odysseus’s young son Telemachus through difficult times.

57. Where the world is really flat? WALL MAP (giving “Wall Street”)
New York’s famous “Wall Street” was originally named by the Dutch as “de Waal Straat”.

60. Part of M.S.: Abbr. SCI
Master of Science (“M.S.” in the US, “M. Sc.” in Canada and Britain).

61. Seaside raptor ERN
The ern (also erne) is sometimes called the white-tailed eagle, or the sea-eagle.

"Raptor" is a generic term for a bird of prey, one that has talons to grip its victims.

69. Enjoy oysters, say EAT
There is a traditional warning that one shouldn’t eat shellfish in a month without an R i.e. May through August. That’s because these are the warmer months here in the northern hemisphere when algae blooms can spread toxins that are soaked up by clams, mussels and oysters. Personally, I only eat shellfish in months containing a Q. That would be never …

70. Runner of 1992 PEROT
Ross Perot graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1953, as president of his class. Perot served his 4-year commitment but then resigned his commission, apparently having become somewhat disillusioned with the navy. He was ranked number 101 on the Forbes 400 List of Richest Americans in 2012, and at that time was worth about $3.5 billion. Back in 1992, Perot ran as an independent candidate for US president. He founded the Reform Party in 1995, and ran as the Reform Party candidate for president in 1996.

71. Like Satchmo's singing voice RASPY
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1900. Armstrong had a poor upbringing, and only stayed in school till he was 11 years old. The exact origin of Louis’s nickname “Satchmo” seems to be a little unclear. One story is that he used to dance for pennies in New Orleans as a youngster and would hide those pennies in his mouth away from the other kids. For this he earned the nickname “satchel mouth”, which was shortened to “Satchmo”.

Down
2. Set of beliefs CREDO
A creed or credo is a confession of faith, or a system of belief or principles. “Credo” is Latin for "I believe".

4. Class for baseball's Durham Bulls AAA
The Durham Bulls are the Triple-A minor league baseball team based in Durham, North Carolina. The team was established in 1902 as the Durham Tobacconists, and are now the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the Durham Bulls who featured in the 1988 movie Bull Durham starring Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon.

6. White whale, e.g. ALBINO
An “albino” is an organism lacking normal pigmentation. The term comes from “albus”, Latin for “white”.

7. Org. with a "Raise Your Hand" campaign NEA
The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the country, and mainly represents public school teachers.

8. Wardrobe TOGS
The verb "tog", meaning to dress up, comes from the Latin "toga", the garment worn in Ancient Rome. "Tog" can be use as an informal word for a coat or a cloak. Back in Ireland, togs are what we call swimming shorts.

10. Ammunition measurement CALIBER
The caliber of a firearm is the diameter of its barrel (approximately). Bullets are just a little smaller than the diameter of the barrel, so bullets are also classified by caliber. So, a "forty-five", has a diameter of 0.45 inches.

11. Line in a utility network WATER MAIN (giving “Main Street”)
The most common street name in the US is “Second Street”. “First Street” comes in only at number three, and this is because many cities and towns forego the use of “First” and instead go with “Main” or something more historical in nature. “Elm Street” appears on the list at number fifteen.

13. Turbulent currents RIPS
A rip current (wrongly called a rip “tide” sometimes) is a localized current that flows seaward from near the shore. Rip currents are dangerous as they can pull swimmers out to sea.

18. Nation east of Sudan ERITREA
Eritrea is a country located in the Horn of Africa, surrounded by Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti and the Red Sea. Some scientists believe that the area now known as Eritrea was the departure point for the anatomically modern humans who first left Africa to populate the rest of the world.

23. Sonny or Cher NAME
Sonny Bono was a recording artist who later moved into the world of politics. As a musical entertainer, Bono was most famous for his recordings as a duo with Cher, who later became his second wife. The couple divorced, but continued to work together. Bono went into politics, first as the mayor of Palm Springs, California and later as a representative for a California district in the US House of Representatives. Sadly, Bono was killed in a skiing accident in 1998. Coincidently, Michael Kennedy (son of Robert F. Kennedy) had died in a similar skiing accident just one week earlier. The epitaph on Bono’s gravestone reads “And the Beat Goes On”, a reference to the 1967 Sonny & Cher hit “The Beat Goes On”, which was written by Sonny.

Cher's real name is Cherilyn Sarkisian, born in 1946. In her acting career, Cher was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar of 1984 for her performance in "Silkwood". She went further in 1988 and won the Best Actress Oscar for playing Loretta Castorini in "Moonstruck".

25. RNs' workplaces ERS
One might find a registered nurse (RN) or a medical doctor (MD) in an emergency room (ER).

26. Compliment to a boxer GOOD DOG
The boxer breed of dog (one of my favorites!) originated in Germany. My first dog was a boxer/Labrador mix, a beautiful animal. Our current family dog is a boxer/pug mix, another gorgeous creature.

29. Half of CXII LVI
In Roman numerals, half of CXII (112) is LVI (56).

32. Service stopper NET
That would be a tennis serve, perhaps …

33. Adderall target ADHD
Adderall is a drug used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as narcolepsy. Adderall is also misused as a recreational drug as it is considered an aphrodisiac and a euphoriant.

34. United Federation of Planets affiliate STARFLEET (giving “Fleet Street”)
In the “Star Trek” universe, Starfleet is the military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets. Famously, Starfleet is also tasked with deep-space exploration, to boldly go where no man has gone before …

Fleet Street in London used to be home to most British national newspapers, but not anymore. The last British news office moved out of the high-priced neighborhood in 2005. It is now home to investment banking, legal and accountancy firms. The street is named for the River Fleet, which is the city’s largest underground river.

40. Little beef NIT
A “beef” is a complaint or a grievance. It’s not quite clear how “beef” came to have this meaning, but one suggestion is that derives from the habit of soldiers at the end of the 1800s complaining about the quality or availability of beef in their rations.

46. Reviewer of books AUDITOR
In accounting, an auditor is a person who examines and verifies accounts and records. The term “auditor” comes from the Latin verb “audire” meaning to hear. The official examination of accounts used to be an oral procedure.

50. McDonald's potato variety RUSSET
The full name of the potato that we commonly refer to as a “russet” is a “russet Burbank”. The russet is probably a mutation of the Burbank potato. One Luther Burbank developed the Burbank potato as a disease-resistant Irish potato, and gave the strain its name. The russet Burbank is a relatively large potato. As such, it is the favored potato for restaurant chains like McDonald’s as it can produce long French fries.

52. Break down, as a sentence PARSE
The verb "to parse" means "to state the parts of speech in a sentence". "Parse" comes from the Latin word "pars" meaning "part".

58. Calculus calculation AREA
In the world of calculus, the integration function calculates the area between a curve and the x-axis or y-axis.

64. __-Caps: candy SNO
Sno-Caps are a brand of candy usually only available in movie theaters. Sno-caps have been around since the 1920s, would you believe?

65. Nutritional stat RDA
Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) were introduced during WWII and are a set of recommendations for the standard daily allowances of specific nutrients. RDAs were effectively absorbed into a broader set of dietary guidelines in 1997 called Recommended Daily Intakes (RDIs). RDIs are used to determine the Daily Values (DV) of foods that are printed on nutrition fact labels on most food that we purchase.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Carmen of jazz MCRAE
6. Ludicrous ANTIC
11. It may be declared WAR
14. Popular font ARIAL
15. "Bleeding Love" singer Lewis LEONA
16. Legendary fighter ALI
17. Breakfast order SESAME BAGEL (giving “Sesame Street”)
19. Tee, for one TOP
20. Hymn relative ODE
21. __-color pasta salad TRI
22. Grand cousins SPINETS
24. Goth accessory NOSE RING
27. Sugarloaf lift T-BAR
28. Make equipment changes RETOOL
30. Austen classic EMMA
32. Egypt's second president NASSER
35. Breakfast order OVER EASY (giving “easy street”)
38. Summer hrs. in Philly EDT
39. Call off the affair END IT
41. Expert follower? -ISE
42. "However ... " THAT SAID ...
45. Regular hangouts HAUNTS
48. Shootout shout DRAW!
49. In shreds TORN UP
51. Wig out FLIP
53. Mentor's offering GUIDANCE
57. Where the world is really flat? WALL MAP (giving “Wall Street”)
60. Part of M.S.: Abbr. SCI
61. Seaside raptor ERN
62. Explosive state IRE
63. Intersecting road ... and one of a pair indicated by each puzzle circle CROSS STREET
66. Price of admission FEE
67. All together AS ONE
68. Stranger ODDER
69. Enjoy oysters, say EAT
70. Runner of 1992 PEROT
71. Like Satchmo's singing voice RASPY

Down
1. Worker with blocks MASON
2. Set of beliefs CREDO
3. Stops lying RISES
4. Class for baseball's Durham Bulls AAA
5. North Dakota symbol ELM TREE (giving “Elm Street”)
6. White whale, e.g. ALBINO
7. Org. with a "Raise Your Hand" campaign NEA
8. Wardrobe TOGS
9. Ham-handed INEPT
10. Ammunition measurement CALIBER
11. Line in a utility network WATER MAIN (giving “Main Street”)
12. Gazillions A LOT
13. Turbulent currents RIPS
18. Nation east of Sudan ERITREA
23. Sonny or Cher NAME
25. RNs' workplaces ERS
26. Compliment to a boxer GOOD DOG
29. Half of CXII LVI
31. Coach's aide: Abbr ASST
32. Service stopper NET
33. Adderall target ADHD
34. United Federation of Planets affiliate STARFLEET (giving “Fleet Street”)
36. Ones bonded by a common culture ETHNICS
37. "Sounds good" YES
40. Little beef NIT
43. Like most supermodels TALL
44. Pool wear SWIM CAP
46. Reviewer of books AUDITOR
47. Put __ fight UP A
50. McDonald's potato variety RUSSET
52. Break down, as a sentence PARSE
54. They may be pressing NEEDS
55. Move at a snail's pace CREEP
56. Contest submission ENTRY
57. Certain partner WIFE
58. Calculus calculation AREA
59. Lame, as an excuse POOR
64. __-Caps: candy SNO
65. Nutritional stat RDA


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Sprinkled stuff TALC
Talc is a mineral, actually hydrated magnesium silicate. Talcum powder is composed of loose talc, although these days "baby powder" is also made from cornstarch.

5. Ottoman honorific AGHA
"Aga" (also "agha") is a title that was used by both civil and military officials in the Ottoman Empire.

17. Financially distressed royal residence? PALACE IN THE HOLE (from “ace in the hole”)
Stud poker is the name given to many variants of poker, all characterized by the dealer giving each player a mix of cards face-down and face-up. The cards facing downwards are called "hole cards", cards only visible to the individual who holds that particular hand. This gives rise to the phrase "ace in the hole", a valuable holding that only the player with the ace is aware of.

21. New Delhi-to-Mumbai dir. SSW
New Delhi is the capital city of India. New Delhi resides within the National Capital Territory of Delhi (otherwise known as the metropolis of Delhi). New Delhi and Delhi, therefore, are two different things.

Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and the second most populous city in the world (after Shanghai). The name of the city was changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995.

22. "Downton Abbey" assent YES, SIR
In the incredibly successful period drama “Downton Abbey", the patriarch of the family living at Downton is Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham or Lord Grantham. The character is played by Hugh Bonneville. Lord Grantham married American Cora Levinson (played by Elizabeth McGovern. Lord and Lady Grantham had three daughters, and no son. The lack of a male heir implied that the Grantham estate would pass to a male cousin, and out of the immediate family. The Grantham daughters are Lady Mary (played by Michelle Dockery), Lady Edith (played by Laura Carmichael) and Lady Sybil (played by Jessica Brown Findlay). Lady Sybil had the audacity to marry the family chauffeur, an Irish nationalist. The shame of it all …

24. Wit WAG
A “wag” or a “card” is a very amusing person, one who is often quite eccentric.

26. "The Golden Arm" of the Baltimore Colts UNITAS
Footballer Johnny Unitas was nicknamed "the Golden Arm" as well as "Johnny U". Unitas played in the fifties through the seventies, mainly for the Baltimore Colts. He held the record for throwing touchdown passes in consecutive games (47 games) for 52 years, until it was surpassed in 2012 by Drew Brees.

34. Pious antelope? IMPALA BELIEVER (from “I’m a Believer”)
"Impala" is the Zulu word for "gazelle". When running at a sustained speed, gazelles can move along at 30 miles per hour. If needed, they can accelerate for bursts up to 60 miles per hour.

“I’m a Believer” was a big hit for the Monkees in 1966. The Monkees recording of “I’m a Believer” is a cover version. The song was written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond.

37. Geisha circler OBI
The sash worn as part of traditional Japanese dress is known as an obi. The obi can be tied in what is called a butterfly knot.

The Japanese term “geisha” best translates as “artist” or “performing artist”.

38. Sister of Melpomene ERATO
In Greek mythology, the muses are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. The number of muses is a subject of debate at times, but the most popular view is that there are nine:

- Calliope (epic poetry)
- Clio (history)
- Erato (lyric poetry)
- Euterpe (music)
- Melpomene (tragedy)
- Polyhymnia (choral poetry)
- Terpsichore (dance)
- Thalia (comedy)
- Urania (astronomy)

39. Ho's accompaniment UKE
The ukulele (“uke”) originated in the 1800s and mimicked a small guitar brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants.

The singer and entertainer Don Ho apparently had a pretty liberal arrangement with his wife. When Ho was touring with his two backing singers, Patti Swallie and Elizabeth Guevara, all three of them shared a room together. He had two children with each of his roommates, giving a total of ten kids including the six he had with his wife. The arrangement was quite open, it seems, with all ten kids visiting each other regularly. To each his own …

40. Clairvoyant magazine staff? PALMISTS OF TIME (from “mists of time”)
We’ve been using the term “clairvoyant” to describe a psychic since the nineteenth century. Prior to that, a clairvoyant was a clear-sighted person. The term comes from French, with “clair” meaning “clear” and “voyant” meaning “seeing”.

45. Introduction PROEM
A “proem” is a brief introduction, a prelude. The term comes into English via Old French and is ultimately derived from the Greek “prooimion” meaning “prelude”, especially a prelude to music or poetry.

53. Setting in Eng. GMT
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the time at the Prime Meridian, the meridian that runs through Greenwich in London.

A meridian is a line of longitude, and the Prime Meridian is that line of longitude defined as 0 degrees. The Prime Meridian is also called the Greenwich Meridian as it passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in southeast London. Of course the line of longitude that is used to represent 0 degrees is an arbitrary decision. 25 nations formally decided in 1884 to use the Greenwich Meridian as 0 degrees as it was already a popular choice. That is all except the French, who abstained from the vote and used the Paris Meridian as 0 degrees on French charts for several decades.

56. First name in Western crime JESSE
Jesse James was an outlaw from Missouri who became a legendary figure of the Wild West. James somehow earned the reputation that he was a Robin Hood figure, robbing the rich and giving to the poor, but in fact this is far from the truth. After being chased persistently by law enforcement officers, he was eventually killed by one of his own gang members who hoped to collect a reward. As soon as newspaper reported his death in 1882, rumors started that Jesse James had in fact survived. Eventually, the body buried in the grave marked with Jesse James’ name was exhumed in 1995, and DNA testing showed that almost certainly it was the resting place of the infamous outlaw.

60. Like George H. W. Bush EX-CIA
The CIA headquarters is located in Langley, Virginia in a complex called the George Bush Center for Intelligence, named for former Director of the CIA and US President George H. W. Bush.

61. Carole King song title ... or a hint to 17-, 34- and 40-Across YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND
Carole King is a marvelous singer-songwriter from Manhattan, New York. King started her career writing a string of hit songs with her partner and eventual husband Gerry Goffin (although they later divorced). King’s first composition to get to number one was “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, which she wrote at 18 years of age for the Shirelles. Not so long ago, my wife and I saw the stage musical “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”, which tells the story of King’s music and life. I highly recommend “Beautiful” …

65. Singing daughter of Judy and Vincente LIZA
The actress and singer Liza Minnelli is the daughter of Judy Garland and movie director Vincente Minnelli. Liza won her only Oscar for her lead performance in 1972’s “Cabaret”. She has also won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony, and is one of the very few entertainers to have made that “sweep”.

68. "L'__, c'est moi": Louis XIV ETAT
"L'État, c'est moi" is a French phrase, supposedly spoken by Louis XIV on his deathbed. It translates to "I am the State", and would appear to mean that Louis considered himself to be "above his station" as it were. However, many dispute the quotation, and argue that Louis actually said on his deathbed that even though he was dying, the State would live on.

Down
1. Lit TIPSY
The term "tipsy" comes from the verb "to tip" meaning "to overturn, knock over", and has been meaning “drunk” since the late 1500s.

2. "... __ which will live in infamy": FDR A DATE
The Infamy Speech was delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The speech takes its name for the opening line:

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The phrase “a date which will live in infamy” is often misquoted as “a day which will live in infamy”. The term “infamy” was inserted in the speech just before it was delivered. A previous version read “... a date which will live in world history”.

3. Falana and Glaudini LOLAS
Lola Falana is a singer, dancer and actress who grew up in Philadelphia. In the sixties Falana had an affair with, and later became good friends with, Sammy Davis Jr. Davis helped get her act into Las Vegas where she was very successful, eventually earning Falana the nickname “Queen of Las Vegas”. With her success came money, and so she became the highest paid female performer in Vegas at that time. Sadly, Falana suffers from multiple sclerosis, a disease that forced her to cut short her career as an entertainer.

Lola Glaudini is an actress from New York City who is perhaps best known for playing FBI Special Agent Ella Greenaway on the CBS crime drama “Criminal Minds”.

6. Greek primordial deity GAIA
In ancient Greek religion, Gaia was the Earth goddess, the mother of everything. The Roman equivalent was the goddess Terra.

9. Annually celebrated group THE MAGI
"Magi" is the plural of the Latin word "magus", a term applied to someone who was able to read the stars. Hence, magi is commonly used with reference to the "wise men from the East" who followed the star and visited Jesus soon after he was born.

12. Sushi kitchen supply EELS
Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, and unadon is the Japanese word for "eel bowl". Unadon is actually a contraction of "unagi no kabayaki" (grilled eel) and "donburi" (rice bowl dish).

16. "I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation" speaker SHAW
George Bernard Shaw was a very successful Irish playwright. Shaw is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize for Literature, and an Oscar. He won his Oscar for adapting his own play "Pygmalion" for the 1938 film of the same name starring Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller. Most people are more likely to have seen the musical adaptation of "Pygmalion" that goes by the title "My Fair Lady".

18. Where gunpowder was invented CHINA
Gunpowder is the earliest known explosive chemical. Also called “black powder”, it is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal and saltpeter (i.e. potassium nitrate). The saltpeter is a powerful oxidizing agent, providing the oxygen to burn the sulfur and charcoal, which acts as the fuel in the mixture. Gunpowder was invented by the Chinese in 8th century.

25. Univ. student's ordeal GRE
Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

27. Wonderland trial evidence TARTS
In the Lewis Carroll novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, Alice attends a trial in which the Knave of Hearts is accused of stealing tarts belonging to the Queen of Hearts.

29. __ Hall SETON
Seton Hall is a private, Roman Catholic college in South Orange, New Jersey. The most famous of their sports programs is men's basketball, played by the Seton Hall Pirates.

32. Chinese toy PEKE
The pekingese breed originated in China, as one might suspect from the name. Breeding practices have resulted in the the dog having many health problems, including breathing issues related to the "desirable" flat face. Standards have been changed in recent years, demanding an "evident muzzle" in an attempt to breed healthier dogs.

35. Close follower of Venus? MILO
The famous "Venus de Milo" is so named as she was discovered in the ruins of the ancient city of Milos, on the Aegean island of the same name. I've been lucky enough to see the statue, in the Louvre in Paris, and was surprised at how large it is (6 ft 8 in tall).

41. Citi Field player MET
Citi Field is the relatively new baseball stadium used by the New York Mets, and sits right next door to Shea stadium, where the Mets had played for decades. And the name of course comes from sponsor Citigroup.

42. "D'oh!"I'M A JERK!
"The Simpsons" is one of the most successful programs produced by the Fox Broadcasting Company. Homer Simpson's catchphrase is "D'oh!", which became such a famous exclamation that it has been included in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) since 2001. “D’oh!” can be translated as “I should have thought of that!”

44. Napoleonic? IN EXILE
Napoleon was sent into exile twice. A coalition of European powers sent him to the island of Elba in Tuscany in 1814, only for him to escape after a year and return to power. After Wellington defeated him at Waterloo, Napoleon was dispatched to the British-owned island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic, where he spent the last six years of his life.

48. Cribbage pieces PEGS
Cribbage is a great card game that originated in 17th-century England, a creation of the poet Sir John Suckling. One of the unique features of the game is that a cribbage board with pegs is used to keep score. Here in the US, cribbage is very much associated with the submarine service, as it is a favorite game of submariners of all ranks.

51. Japan's answer to Rodeo Drive GINZA
Ginza is a district in Tokyo that is noted for its western shops, especially the leading fashion stores.

There’s a three-block stretch of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California that is known for expensive shopping, mainly in designer clothes stores.

53. Places to see presses GYMS
Our word “gymnasium” comes from the Greek “gymnasion” meaning “public place where exercise is taken”. The Greek term comes from “gymnos” meaning "naked", as that physical training was usually done unclothed.

54. Academic MOOT
“To moot” is to bring up as a subject for discussion or debate. So, something that is moot is open to debate. Something that is no longer moot, is no longer worth debating. We don’t seem to be able get that right ...

55. "Fantasia" hippo's garb TUTU
The word "tutu", used for a ballet dancer's skirt, is actually a somewhat "naughty" term. It came into English from French in the early 20th century. The French "tutu" is an alteration of the word "cucu", a childish word meaning "bottom," or "backside".

"Fantasia" was Disney's third feature length movie, released in 1940. The film had a disappointing critical reception and pushed the Disney company into financial difficulties. RKO took over the film's distribution in 1946. The folks at RKO cut a full hour off the running time and relaunched the movie into a successful run. If you haven't seen "Fantasia", I urge you to do so. It's a real delight …

57. Certain collegian SOPH
The term “sophomore” has been used for a student in the second year of university since the 1680’s. The original meaning of the word was “arguer”. The term has Greek roots, from two Greek words that have been artificially combined in English. The Greek “sophos” means “wise”, and “moros” means “foolish”.

58. Athenian walkway STOA
A stoa was a covered walkway in Ancient Greece. A stoa usually consisted of columns lining the side of a building or buildings, with another row of columns defining the other side of the walkway. The columns supported a roof. Often stoae would surround marketplaces in large cities.

62. Otto __ Bismarck VON
Germany first became a country of her own in 1871 when the Princes of the various independent German states met at Versailles outside Paris to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as the Emperor of the German Empire. The man behind this historic development was Wilhelm’s Ministerpräsident, Otto von Bismarck. Von Bismarck was a powerful figure in Prussia and indeed on the world stage, earning him the nickname of the “Iron Chancellor”.

63. Mercury is on its co. logo FTD
Back in 1910, fifteen florists from around America agreed to fulfill each other's orders using the telegraph system, setting up what they called the Florists' Telegraph Delivery. The concept grew so large that in 1965 the group started to offer international service, and changed its name to Florists' Transworld Delivery (FTD).

Mercury was a Roman god called “the messenger”, and the god of trade. Mercury’s name comes from the Latin word "merx" meaning merchandise (and therefore has the same roots as "merchant" and "commerce").

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Sprinkled stuff TALC
5. Ottoman honorific AGHA
9. Carried TOTED
14. Star often gazed at IDOL
15. Golf inconvenience RAIN SHOWER
17. Financially distressed royal residence? PALACE IN THE HOLE (from “ace in the hole”)
19. Things kept for oneself STASH
20. Elite group A-TEAM
21. New Delhi-to-Mumbai dir. SSW
22. "Downton Abbey" assent YES, SIR
24. Wit WAG
26. "The Golden Arm" of the Baltimore Colts UNITAS
30. Reach uncertainly GROPE
34. Pious antelope? IMPALA BELIEVER (from “I’m a Believer”)
37. Geisha circler OBI
38. Sister of Melpomene ERATO
39. Ho's accompaniment UKE
40. Clairvoyant magazine staff? PALMISTS OF TIME (from “mists of time”)
45. Introduction PROEM
46. Submitted SENT IN
47. Dance genre TAP
49. Annual delivery vehicle? SLEIGH
53. Setting in Eng. GMT
56. First name in Western crime JESSE
60. Like George H. W. Bush EX-CIA
61. Carole King song title ... or a hint to 17-, 34- and 40-Across YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND
64. Rallying, e.g. MOTOR SPORT
65. Singing daughter of Judy and Vincente LIZA
66. Bombed STUNK
67. Expression of appreciation HAND
68. "L'__, c'est moi": Louis XIV ETAT

Down
1. Lit TIPSY
2. "... __ which will live in infamy": FDR A DATE
3. Falana and Glaudini LOLAS
4. Infuse with elegance CLASS UP
5. Exist ARE
6. Greek primordial deity GAIA
7. Subtlety HINT
8. Startup money? ANTE
9. Annually celebrated group THE MAGI
10. "How wonderful!" OOH!
11. Dancers, often TWOS
12. Sushi kitchen supply EELS
13. Gained (from) DREW
16. "I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation" speaker SHAW
18. Where gunpowder was invented CHINA
23. Irks RILES
25. Univ. student's ordeal GRE
27. Wonderland trial evidence TARTS
28. Demean ABASE
29. __ Hall SETON
31. Cell with potential OVUM
32. Chinese toy PEKE
33. Poet's "previously" ERE
34. Construction support I-BAR
35. Close follower of Venus? MILO
36. Some apartments LOFTS
37. On the facing pg. OPP
41. Citi Field player MET
42. "D'oh!" I'M A JERK!
43. Interior construction specialist TILER
44. Napoleonic? IN EXILE
48. Cribbage pieces PEGS
50. Clinch the game, in slang ICE IT
51. Japan's answer to Rodeo Drive GINZA
52. Attacked HAD AT
53. Places to see presses GYMS
54. Academic MOOT
55. "Fantasia" hippo's garb TUTU
57. Certain collegian SOPH
58. Athenian walkway STOA
59. Get through work EARN
62. Otto __ Bismarck VON
63. Mercury is on its co. logo FTD


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
16. 20 fins ONE-C
The US five-dollar bill is often called an “Abe”, as President Lincoln’s portrait is on the front. An Abe is also referred to as a “fin”, a term that has been used for a five-pound note in Britain since 1868.

19. Chemical formerly used in carbonless copy paper manufacture PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were banned with good reason. Apart from their link to cancer and other disorders in humans and animals, they are extremely persistent in the environment once contamination has occurred. Among other things, PCBs were used as coolants and insulating fluids in electrical gear such as transformers and large capacitors, as well as a transfer agent in carbonless copy paper.

22. Mayan pyramid feature STEP
The giant step-pyramid known as El Castillo at Chichen Itza is probably the most famous example of Mayan ceremonial architecture. Chichén Itzá is a Mayan ruin located in the Mexican state of Yucatán. It is the second most visited archaeological site in the country (after the ancient city of Teotihuacan). Chichén Itzá has seen a surge in the number of visitors since the development of nearby Cancún as a tourist destination.

26. Self-described "non-musician"ENO
Brian Eno started out his musical career with Roxy Music. However, Eno's most oft-played composition (by far!) is Microsoft's "startup jingle", the 6-second sound you hear when the Windows operating system is booting up. Eno might have annoyed the Microsoft folks when he stated on a BBC radio show:

I wrote it on a Mac. I’ve never used a PC in my life; I don’t like them.

30. Checkup result letters HDL
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a compound that is used to transport fats around the body. When HDL is combined with (i.e. is transporting) cholesterol, it is often called "good cholesterol". This is because HDL seems to remove cholesterol from where it should not be, say on the walls of arteries, and transports it to the liver for reuse or disposal. Important stuff …

37. Enterprise officer UHURA
Lt. Nyota Uhura is the communications officer in the original "Star Trek" television series, played by Nichelle Nichols. The role is significant in that Uhura was one of the first African American characters to figure front and center in US television. In a 1968 episode, Kirk (played by William Shatner) and Uhura kiss, the first inter-racial kiss to be broadcast in the US. Apparently the scene was meant to be shot twice, with and without the kiss, so that network executives could later decide which version to air. William Shatner says that he deliberately ran long on the first shoot (with the kiss) and fluffed the hurried second shoot (without the kiss), so that the network would have no choice.

38. Eponymous Seminole leader OSCEOLA
Chief Osceola was a leader of the Seminole Native Americans in Florida who actively resisted the removal of his people from their lands during the Second Seminole War. Osceola was captured when he was tricked into entering a US fort for peace talks. He died in prison a few months later. The Florida State University Seminoles football team uses a student dressed as Chief Osceola on his horse Renegade as a mascot at their games. This practice, approved by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, involves Chief Osceola riding onto the field and planting a flaming spear at the 50-yard line.

41. Kiwi genus APTERYX
The kiwi is an unusual bird in that it has a highly developed sense of smell and is the only one of our feathered friends with nostrils located at the tip of its long beak.

43. Disgusted word from Lady Macbeth FIE!
Lady Macbeth is an evil and treacherous woman in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”. The most famous lines uttered by Lady Macbeth have to be

Out, damned spot! Out, I say!
One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky!
Fie, my lord, fie!

As she utters these words, Lady Macbeth is frantically rubbing at her hand trying to get rid of an imaginary bloodstain left there after she committed four murders.

46. Kind of trading, briefly OTC
Over-the-counter (OTC) trading of stocks is a way of trading directly between two parties, as opposed to exchange trading in which trading occurs at an exchange.

47. Pabst brand STROH’S
Bernard Stroh was the son of a German brewer. Stroh immigrated to the US in 1848 and set up his own brewery in 1850 in Detroit. Years later, the Stroh Brewing Company introduced a European process called fire-brewing. This results in higher temperatures at a crucial stage in the brewing process, supposedly bringing out flavor. Stroh's is the only American beer that still uses this process. By the way, even though the American Stroh’s brewery was set up in 1850, the label bears the words “since 1775”. This is a reference to the date that the Stroh family started brewing back in Germany.

49. Big Ten player since 2014 TERP
The sports teams of the University of Maryland are called the Maryland Terrapins, or "the Terps" for short. The name dates back to 1932 when it was coined by the the university's president at the time, Curley Byrd. He took the name from the diamondback terrapins that are native to the Chesapeake Bay.

53. Epps of "House"OMAR
Omar Epps is the actor who played Eric Forman on the excellent television series "House". Prior to playing Dr. Forman, Epps had a recurring role playing Dr. Dennis Grant on "ER". And, in another link to the world of medicine, Epps was born in Savannah, Georgia to single mom, Dr. Bonnie Epps.

55. Gobs OODLES
It's thought that the term "oodles", meaning “a lot”, comes from "kit and caboodle".

57. Good name for a London washroom attendant LOU
It has been suggested that the British term "loo" comes from Waterloo (water-closet ... water-loo), but no one seems to know for sure. Another suggestion is that the term comes from the card game of "lanterloo" in which the pot was called the loo.

61. Apple site EDEN
In the Christian tradition, the “fall of man” took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation of eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, against the bidding of God. As a result, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden to prevent them becoming immortal by eating from the tree of life. The first humans had transitioned from a state of innocent obedience to a state of guilty disobedience.

62. Leftovers dish, perhaps COTTAGE PIE
Shepherd’s pie, also known as cottage pie, is one of my favorite dishes. It is a meat pie (although my wife makes a vegetarian version), with a crust made from mashed potato.

Down
3. Crooked bread? BRIBE
The use of the word "bread" as a slang term for money dates back to the 1940s, and is derived from the term "breadwinner", meaning the person in the house who puts bread on the table, brings in the money.

6. Knocked DERIDED
“To deride” is to treat with contemptuous mirth. The term comes into English via Old French from the Latin “deridere” meaning “to ridicule”. In turn, “deridere” comes from the prefix “de-” (down) and “”ridere” (to laugh). So, to ridicule or deride is “to laugh down at”.

7. Spouted containers FLAGONS
A flagon is a large jug with a lid, traditionally used for holding beer or wine.

8. Big name in stationery EATON
Eaton Cards and Stationery is a company that specializes in supplying stationery for weddings.

10. Mosaic piece TESSERA
A tessera is an individual tile used in making a mosaic. Tesserae are usually formed in the shape of cubes.

11. __ Chiles, portrayer of Dr. Holly Goodhead in "Moonraker"LOIS
The actress Lois Chiles is probably best known for playing Bond girl Dr. Holly Goodhead in the 1979 film “Moonraker”, opposite Roger Moore.

23. Baudelaire, par exemple POETE
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet, noted not only for his own work but also for translating the work of American poet Edgar Allen Poe.

28. Plinth course layers MASONS
A plinth is a block on which something is placed, especially a column. The Greek word "plinthos" means "squared stone".

33. Generally gluten-free snacks RICE CAKES
Gluten is a protein mixture found in foods processed mainly from wheat. The sticky properties of gluten are used in making bread, giving dough its elasticity and making the final product chewy. “Gluten” is the Latin word for “glue”.

35. Tea __ CHEST
When I was growing up across the pond, a “tea chest” was an extremely large wooden box used to ship loose tea. We used to purchased used empty tea chests to store things in our attic. But I have learned that a North American tea chest is a wooden box with compartments for varieties of bagged teas.

39. Play that inspired Puccini LA TOSCA
“La Tosca” is a play written by Frenchman Victorien Sardou. We rarely get a chance to see the play these days, but the musical adaptation by Puccini called “Tosca” is one of the most frequently performed operas in the contemporary repertoire.

40. Fitting APROPOS
"Apropos" comes into English directly from French, in which "à propos" means "to the purpose". Note that we use the term as one word (apropos), but the original French is two words (à propos).

48. "Sweet Smell of Success" co-screenwriter ODETS
Clifford Odets was a playwright, screenwriter and director from Philadelphia. Odets wrote a play called "Golden Boy" that was first performed in 1937 on Broadway. There was a film adaptation released in 1939 that starred a young William Holden. "Golden Boy" was the film that launched Holden's career. There was also a 1964 musical of the same name that was based on the play.

“Sweet Smell of Success" is a 1957 movie starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis, based on a novelette by screenwriter Ernest Lehman. The movie was adapted into a 2002 musical of the same name by Marvin Hamlisch.

51. Masterless samurai RONIN
In feudal Japan, a samurai who lost his master, perhaps through death or loss of favor, was known as a ronin. The term “ronin” is also used in contemporary Japan for a salaried worker between jobs.

52. Sound named by George Vancouver PUGET
George Vancouver was a British explorer, and an officer in the Royal Navy. As well as exploring the coast of Australia, he is best known for his travels along the northwest coast of North America. The city of Vancouver was named in his honor. Travelling with him on his American voyage was a lieutenant Peter Puget, and in his honor, Vancouver named the waters south of the Tacoma Narrows “Puget's Sound”. Nowadays, the name Puget Sound describes an area much greater than Vancouver had envisioned.

60. Rover's kin? LEM
In the Apollo program, the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) was the vehicle that actually landed on the moon and returned the astronauts to the command module that was orbiting overhead. The third LEM built was named "Spider", and it participated in the Apollo 9 mission which tested the functionality of the LEM design in space. The fourth LEM was called "Snoopy" and it flew around the moon in the Apollo 10 mission, the dress rehearsal for the upcoming moon landing. Apollo 11's LEM was called "Eagle" and it brought Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to and from the moon's surface. Another famous LEM was Apollo 13’s Aquarius. Although Aquarius never landed on the moon, it did serve as a “lifeboat” for the three astronauts after the explosive rupture of an oxygen canister in the Service Module.

Three countries have sent lunar rovers to the Moon. Famously, the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (aka “moon buggy”) carried American astronauts across the Moon’s surface, on the last three missions of the Apollo program in the early seventies. Before the landing of the Apollo vehicles, the Soviet Union sent two unmanned, remote-controlled rovers to the Moon called Lunokhod 1 & 2. Years later, in 2013, the Chinese landed a lunar rover called Yutu (or “Jade Rabbit”).

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. What separates the gulls from the buoys? WEBBED FEET
11. Red number LOSS
15. Come fashionably? ARRIVE LATE
16. 20 fins ONE-C
17. Hammers home REITERATES
18. Nail target ITCH
19. Chemical formerly used in carbonless copy paper manufacture PCB
20. Challenges RIGORS
21. "Go away!" SHOO!
22. Mayan pyramid feature STEP
24. Threw on DONNED
26. Self-described "non-musician" ENO
27. Portent OMEN
29. It can be before you ARE
30. Checkup result letters HDL
31. Nut features THREADS
34. Experimental habit? LAB COAT
36. They can be frustrating WAITS
37. Enterprise officer UHURA
38. Eponymous Seminole leader OSCEOLA
41. Kiwi genus APTERYX
43. Disgusted word from Lady Macbeth FIE!
44. Rest NAP
45. Rest poorly TOSS
46. Kind of trading, briefly OTC
47. Pabst brand STROH’S
49. Big Ten player since 2014 TERP
53. Epps of "House" OMAR
55. Gobs OODLES
57. Good name for a London washroom attendant LOU
58. Net TAKE
59. Zip SPEED ALONG
61. Apple site EDEN
62. Leftovers dish, perhaps COTTAGE PIE
63. Leftovers REST
64. Valuation ASSESSMENT

Down
1. Twists WARPS
2. Straight up ERECT
3. Crooked bread? BRIBE
4. Boring piece BIT
5. Lasting start EVER-
6. Knocked DERIDED
7. Spouted containers FLAGONS
8. Big name in stationery EATON
9. Lasting ETERNAL
10. Mosaic piece TESSERA
11. __ Chiles, portrayer of Dr. Holly Goodhead in "Moonraker" LOIS
12. At ten, say ON THE HOUR
13. Lesser SECONDARY
14. Homeowner's burden SCHOOL TAX
23. Baudelaire, par exemple POETE
25. Times to come out DEBUTS
28. Plinth course layers MASONS
31. Short putt TWO-FOOTER
32. Is set HAS IT MADE
33. Generally gluten-free snacks RICE CAKES
35. Tea __ CHEST
39. Play that inspired Puccini LA TOSCA
40. Fitting APROPOS
41. Fit figure, usually ATHLETE
42. Impersonated POSED AS
48. "Sweet Smell of Success" co-screenwriter ODETS
50. Slip to tie a knot? ELOPE
51. Masterless samurai RONIN
52. Sound named by George Vancouver PUGET
54. Torn RENT
56. Weakens SAGS
60. Rover's kin? LEM


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Campus org. founded in 1906 NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) dates back to the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. When his son broke his nose playing football at Harvard, President Roosevelt turned his attention to the number of serious injuries and even deaths occurring in college sports. He instigated meetings between the major educational institutions leading to the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) in 1906, which was given the remit of regulating college sports. The IAAUS became the NCAA in 1910.

19. Religion of most Iranians SHIA
The Islamic sects of Sunni and Shia Muslims differ in the belief of who should have taken over leadership of the Muslim faithful after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Followers of the Sunni tradition agree with the decision that the Prophet Muhammad’s confidant Abu Bakr was the right choice to become the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. Followers of the Shia tradition believe that leadership should have stayed within the Prophet Muhammad’s own family, and favoured the Prophet’s son-in-law Ali.

22. Greenland native INUIT
The Inuit peoples live in the Arctic, in parts of the US, Russia, Greenland and Canada.

Greenland is the largest island on the planet. Geographically, Greenland is part of the continent of North America, but culturally and politically is considered part of Europe. The island became a Danish colony in 1815, and joined the European Economic Community (EEC) with Denmark. Greenland withdrew from the EEC after a referendum in 1983. Since 2009, Greenland has been relatively autonomous, with the Danish government retaining control of foreign affairs, defence and the judicial system.

23. "Time for a shindig!"LET’S PARTY!
“Shindig” is such a lovely word, I think, describing a party that usually includes some dancing. Although its origin isn’t really clear, the term perhaps comes from “shinty”, a Scottish game that is similar to field hockey.

25. "Common Sense" pamphleteer THOMAS PAINE
Thomas Paine was an English author who achieved incredible success with his pamphlet “Common Sense” published in 1776 which advocated independence of colonial America from Britain. Paine had immigrated to the American colonies just two years before his pamphlet was published, and so was just in time to make a major contribution to the American Revolution.

27. Chichén Itzá builder MAYA
Chichén Itzá is a Mayan ruin located in the Mexican state of Yucatán. It is the second most visited archaeological site in the country (after the ancient city of Teotihuacan). Chichén Itzá has seen a surge in the number of visitors since the development of nearby Cancún as a tourist destination.

28. Basque city with a Guggenheim Museum BILBAO
Bilbao is a city in the Basque region of northern Spain. One of the most famous buildings in the city is the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, a spectacular structure standing on the banks of the Nervión river in the downtown area.

31. "Bus Stop" playwright INGE
Playwright William Inge had a run of success on Broadway in the early fifties. Inge's most celebrated work of that time was the play "Picnic", for which he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize. The original 1953 cast of "Picnic" included a young male actor making his debut on Broadway. His name was Paul Newman.

"Bus Stop" is a marvelous play written by William Inge in 1955. The famous 1956 movie of the same name starring Marilyn Monroe is only very loosely based on the play.

32. Juice unit AMP
The unit of electric current is the ampere, abbreviated correctly to "A" rather than "amp". It is named after French physicist André-Marie Ampère, one of the main scientists responsible for the discovery of electromagnetism.

34. Knitting choices PURLS
As all of us knitters know (!) the purl stitch and knit stitch are very similar, one being sort of the inverse of the other. Yes, I can knit ...

35. People's Choice Award winner for Favorite TV Drama, 2008-2011 HOUSE MD
I think that “House” is one of the better shows made by Fox television. It is fun for me to see English actor Hugh Laurie in the title role as coming from the other side of the Atlantic I have been watching him in various comedic roles for decades. Famously he played Bertie Wooster opposite Stephen Fry in P.G. Wodehouse’s “Jeeves & Wooster”, as well as one of the bumbling “bad guys” in “101 Dalmatians” (the version starring Glenn Close).

37. Remarkable thing, in old slang CAT'S PAJAMAS
There was a whole series of phrases involving animals that developed in the 1920s, all designed to indicate a superlative. Some are still around today, such as “the cat’s pajamas” and “the bee’s knees”. Others didn't last too long e.g. “the eel’s ankle” and “the snake’s hip”.

43. __ Plaines River DES
The Des Plaines River that flows in Wisconsin and Illinois was named by early French woodsmen for the trees that lined its banks. These trees resembled European plane trees, hence the name “Des Plaines”.

44. Off-road ride, for short ATV
All-terrain vehicle (ATV)

45. Muchos meses ANOS
In Spanish, “muchos meses” (many months) make up “años” (years).

48. SEC concern IPO
An Initial Public Offering (IPO) is the very first offer of stock for sale by a company on the open market. In other words, an IPO marks the first time that a company is traded on a public exchange. Companies have an IPO to raise capital to expand (usually).

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was established by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and has primary responsibility for enforcing federal securities law. The first chairman of the SEC was Joe Kennedy, father of future president John F. Kennedy.

50. Yemeni capital RIAL
"Rial" is name of the currency of Yemen (as well as Iran, Oman, Cambodia and Tunisia).

52. Palm products DATES
Date palms can be either male or female. Only the female tree bears fruit.

59. Sicilian skiing attraction ETNA
Mt. Etna is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy. Mt Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius. Etna is home to a 110-km long narrow-guage railway, and two ski resorts.

60. They may be about nothing ADOS
"Much Ado About Nothing" is a favorite of mine, a play by William Shakespeare. It is a comedic tale of two pairs of lovers with lots of mistaken identities and double meanings. I once saw it performed in the fabulous Globe Theatre in London ... by an all-female cast! Such a performance was somewhat ironic, given that in Shakespeare's day the practice was to use an all-male cast.

61. Jacket material SUEDE
Suede is leather made from the underside of the skin, mainly from a lamb. As such it is very soft, although not as durable as leather made from the exterior skin. The soft leather was, and is still used for making gloves. Back in 1859 these gloves were called "gants de Suede" in France, or "gloves of Sweden". So, the name "suede" comes from the French word for Sweden.

71. Resort with a Forum Tower CAESARS PALACE
Caesars Palace is one of my favorite hotels on the Las Vegas strip, even though it is beginning to show its age. Caesars opened in 1966.

75. CBS forensic series CSI
The “CSI” franchise of TV shows has been remarkably successful. That said, only one of the four “CSI” shows is now in production (“CSI: Cyber”)

- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (set in Las Vegas)
- CSI: Miami
- CSI: NY
- CSI: Cyber (set in Washington, DC)

76. Sammy Davis Jr.'s only #1 hit, with "The"CANDY MAN
“The Candy Man” is a song that was written for the 1971 film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”. The song is best known as the signature song for Sammy Davis, Jr.

81. Weymouth of Talking Heads TINA
Tina Weymouth is one of the founding members of the New Wave group called Talking Heads. Talking Heads was a New Wave band from New York City, formed in 1974 and active until 1991. I couldn’t name one of their songs, to be honest …

82. Like clarinet music REEDY
The clarinet is a lovely-sounding instrument, isn't it? The name comes from the Italian word "clarino" meaning "trumpet" with the "-et" suffix indicating "small".

84. Clarinet kin OBOE
The oboe is perhaps my favorite of the reed instruments. The name "oboe" comes from the French "hautbois" which means "high wood". When you hear an orchestra tuning before a performance you'll note (pun intended!) that the oboe starts off the process by playing an "A". The rest of the musicians in turn tune to that oboe's "A".

92. Dishwasher handle? AMANA
The Amana Corporation takes its name from the location of its original headquarters, in Middle Amana, Iowa.

93. Simon of Broadway NEIL
Neil Simon is one of my favorite playwrights. Simon has written over thirty plays and about thirty screenplays. He has received more nominations for Oscars and Tony Awards than any other writer. My favorite play penned by Simon has to be "Brighton Beach Memoirs", but the list of his great stage works seems endless and includes "Barefoot in the Park", "The Odd Couple", "Sweet Charity", "Plaza Suite", "California Suite", "Biloxi Blues" and "The Goodbye Girl".

94. Match part SET
A tennis match, for example, is divided into sets.

95. Big name in Russian ballet KIROV
The Mariinsky Ballet is a company based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was founded in the mid-1700s as the Imperial Russian Ballet, but was renamed to the Kirov Ballet during the Soviet era, in honor of the Bolshevik revolutionary Sergey Kirov. The Kirov was renamed again at the end of communist rule, taking the name of the Mariinsky Theatre where the company was headquartered. The theatre was named for Empress Maria Alexandrovna, who was the wife of Tsar Alexander II.

99. L.A. Galaxy's group MLS
The LA Galaxy is one of the ten charter clubs of Major League Soccer (MLS). The team is known for signing some high-profile players from more established leagues. England star David Beckham played for the Galaxy from 2007 to 2012, and Ireland’s captain Robbie Keane is currently the Galaxy’s captain.

100. Gardner of film AVA
Ava Gardner is noted for her association with some big movies, but also for her association with some big names when it came to the men in her life. In the world of film, she appeared in the likes of "Mogambo" (1953), "On the Beach" (1959), "The Night of the Iguana" (1964) and "Earthquake" (1974). The men in her life included husbands Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. After her marriages had failed (and perhaps before!) she had long-term relationships with Howard Hughes and bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin whom she met through her friend Ernest Hemingway.

103. Chinese menu assurance NO MSG
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of a naturally-occurring,non-essential amino acid called glutamic acid. It is used widely as a flavor enhancer, particularly in many Asian cuisines. Whether or not it is harmful seems to be still under debate. I say that something produced in a test tube shouldn't be in our food ...

105. Brewery product since 1777 BASS PALE ALE
The red triangle on the label of a bottle of Bass Ale was registered in 1875 and is UK Registered Trade Mark (TM) No: 00001, the first trademark issued in the world. The Bass Brewery was founded almost a century earlier, in 1777.

110. Whence Saint Teresa AVILA
Avila is famous for the walled defenses around the old city, which date back to 1090. They were constructed out of brown granite, and are still in excellent repair. There are nine gateways and eighty-towers in all. Even the cathedral built between the 12th and 14th centuries is part of the city's defenses, so it looks like an imposing fortress.

St. Teresa of Avila (also known as St. Teresa of Jesus) was a Carmelite nun living in Spain in the 1500s. She is particularly noted for her writings on Christian meditation and mental prayer.

115. Spartan serfs HELOTS
The helots were a population of poorly-treated slaves who served the citizens of Sparta.

Sparta was a city-state in ancient Greece, famous for her military might. Spartan children had a tough upbringing, and newborn babies were bathed in wine to see if the child was strong enough to survive. Every child was presented to a council of elders that decided if the baby was suitable for rearing. Those children deemed too puny were executed by tossing them into a chasm. We’ve been using the term “spartan” to describe something self-disciplined or austere since the 1600s.

117. Its initials became its name in 1999 AARP
“AARP” is now the official name for the interest group that used to be called the American Association of Retired Persons. The name change reflects the current focus of the group on all Americans aged 50 or over, as opposed to just people who have retired.

120. Acid test substance LITMUS PAPER
Litmus is a mixture of naturally-occurring dyes that responds to acidity by changing color. Litmus was probably first used around 1300 by the Spanish alchemist Arnaldus de Villa Nova, who extracted the blue dye from lichens. One suggestion is that the term “litmus” comes from the Old Norse “litmose” meaning “lichen for dyeing”.

126. Great Lakes natives ERIES
The Erie people lived on lands south of Lake Erie. The Erie were sometimes referred to as the Cat Nation, a reference to the mountain lions that were ever-present in the area that they lived. The name “Erie” is a shortened form of “Erielhonan” meaning “long tail”, possibly a further reference to the mountain lion or cat, which was possibly used as a totem. The Erie people gave their name to the Great Lake.

128. Fertilizer ingredient PEAT
When dead plant matter accumulates in marshy areas, it may not fully decay due to a lack of oxygen or acidic conditions. We are familiar with this in Ireland, because this decaying matter can form peat, and we have lots and lots of peat bogs.

133. Grammy winner James ETTA
Etta James was best known for her beautiful rendition of the song "At Last". Sadly, as she disclosed in her autobiography, James lived a life that was ravaged by drug addiction leading to numerous legal and health problems. Ms. James passed away in January 2012 having suffered from leukemia.

Down
1. Surfing letters DSL
The abbreviation “DSL” originally stood for Digital Subscriber Loop, but is now accepted to mean (Asymmetric) Digital Subscriber Line. DSL is the technology that allows Internet service be delivered down the same telephone line as voice service, by separating the two into different frequency signals.

3. Beatles girl RITA
"Lovely Rita" is a Beatles song on the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. When the album was released in 1967, the term "meter maid" wasn't used in the UK, although it was a slang term used in the US. The song helped spread the usage of "meter maid" all around the English-speaking world. Apparently the inspiration for the song was McCartney getting a parking ticket one day outside the Abbey Road Studios. He accepted the ticket with good grace, from a warden named Meta Davis. McCartney felt that Meta "looked like a Rita", so that was the name she was given in the song.

5. Magic org. NBA
The Orlando Magic were formed in 1989 as an NBA expansion team. A local paper was asked to run a competition to suggest names for the new team and the community came up with its four top picks of "Heat", "Tropics", "Juice" and "Magic". A committee then opted for "Orlando Magic". A good choice I think ...

6. Concern for some losers CARB
Only relatively small amounts of carbohydrate can be stored by the human body, but those stores are important. The actual storage molecule is a starch-like polysaccharide called glycogen, which is found mainly in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is a quick source of energy when required by the body. Most of the body’s energy is stored in the form of fat, a more compact substance that is mobilized less rapidly. Endurance athletes often eat meals high in carbohydrate (carbo-loading) a few hours before an event, so that their body’s glycogen is at optimum levels.

7. Ristorante course ANTIPASTO
Antipasto is the first course of a meal in Italy. “Antipasto” translates as “before the meal”.

8. Safe haven ASYLUM
"Asylum" is a Latin word, meaning "sanctuary".

11. Judge in 1995 news ITO
Judge Lance Ito came in for a lot of criticism for his handling of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. The lead prosecutor in that trial was Marcia Clark, you might recall. I read the book that's Clark wrote about the trial called "Without a Doubt", and she pointed out one trait of Judge Ito that I think is quite telling. Ito would almost always refer to the prosecutor as "Marcia", while addressing the men on both sides of the case as "Mister".

12. Pixar protagonist NEMO
"Finding Nemo" is a 2003 animated blockbuster from Pixar. The film was the winner of the Oscar that year for Best Animated Feature. Believe it or not, "Finding Nemo" is the best-selling DVD of all time and, until 2010's "Toy Story 3", it was the highest-grossing, G-rated movie at the box office.

15. "Delta of Venus" author Nin ANAIS
Anaïs Nin was a French author, famous for her journals that she wrote for over sixty years from the age of 11 right up to her death. Nin also wrote highly regarded erotica and cited D. H. Lawrence as someone from whom she drew inspiration. Nin was married to banker and artist Hugh Parker Guiler in 1923. Decades later in 1955, Nin married former actor Rupert Pole, even though she was still married to Guiler. Nin and Pole had their marriage annulled in 1966, but just for legal reasons, and they continued to live together as husband and wife until Nin passed away in 1977.

17. Checkers speech? KING ME
In the game of checkers, when a “man” reaches the other side of the board, it is promoted to “king”.

24. Argentine plain PAMPA
The Pampas are fertile lowlands covering a large part of Argentina, Uruguay and some of Brazil. “Pampa” is a Quechua word meaning “plain”.

33. How to watch Mei Xiang and Bei Bei PANDACAM
Panda’s have a particularly short mating season, lasting only a few days per year. The zookeepers at San Diego Zoo like to give the pandas some well-deserved privacy during this time, so the popular Internet “PandaCam” is shut down for about a week.

36. Delivery letters USPS
The US Postal Service (USPS) is a remarkable agency in many ways. For starters, the government's right and responsibility to establish the Post Office is specifically called out in Article One of the US constitution. Also, the first postmaster general was none other than Benjamin Franklin. And, the USPS operates over 200,000 vehicles, which is the largest vehicle fleet in the world.

40. Steinbeck hero Tom JOAD
John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” is set during the Great Depression. The novel tells the story of the Joad family from Oklahoma, farmers who had to leave their home and head for California due to economic hardship.

42. Battery terminal-related ANODAL
A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electric energy. A simple battery is made up of three parts: a cathode, an anode and a liquid electrolyte. Ions from the electrolyte react chemically with the material in the anode producing a compound and releasing electrons. At the same time, the electrolyte reacts with the material in the cathode, absorbing electrons and producing a different chemical compound. In this way, there is a buildup of electrons at the anode and a deficit of electrons at the cathode. When a connection (wire, say) is made between the cathode and anode, electrons flow through the resulting circuit from the anode to cathode in an attempt to rectify the electron imbalance.

51. GPS figure LAT
Lines of latitude (lat.) are the imaginary horizontal lines surrounding the planet. The most "important" lines of latitude are, from north to south:

- Arctic Circle
- Tropic of Cancer
- Equator
- Tropic of Capricorn
- Antarctic Circle

A global positioning system (GPS) is known as a satellite navigation (Sat Nav) system in the UK and Ireland.

53. She, in Sicily ESSA
In the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, the “boot” is the mainland of Italy, and the the ball being kicked by the boot is the island of Sicily.

55. First name in country REBA
Reba McEntire is a country music singer and television actress. McEntire starred in her own sitcom called "Reba" that aired on the WB and the CW cable channels from 2001 to 2007.

57. Grain processor GRISTMILL
When grain has been separated from its chaff, to prepare it for grinding, it is called "grist". Indeed, the word "grist" is derived from the word "grind". Grist can be ground into a relatively coarse meal, or into a fine flour. The names can be confusing though. For example, the grist from maize when ground to a coarse consistency is called "grits", and when ground to a fine consistency is called "corn meal". There is an idiomatic phrase “grist for one’s mill”, meaning something used to one’s advantage. The grinding mechanism, or the building that holds the mechanism, is known as a “gristmill”.

58. Morales of "The Brink"ESAI
The actor Esai Morales is best known for his role in the 1987 movie "La Bamba", which depicted the life of Ritchie Valens and his half-brother Bob Morales (played by Esai).

“The Brink” is an HBO comedy series that centers on a geopolitical crisis in Pakistan. Stars of the show are Tim Robbins and Jack Black.

61. Actress Spacek SISSY
The actress Sissy Spacek probably got her big break in movies when she played the title role in the 1976 horror movie “Carrie”, which is based on the Stephen King novel. Her most acclaimed role is the lead in the 1980 biopic about Loretta Lynn called “Coal Miner’s Daughter”, for which she won an Oscar. Spacek’s first cousin is the actor Rip Torn.

70. Book following the Gospels ACTS
The Acts of the Apostles is the fifth book of the New Testament. It is believed that the author of the Gospel of Luke was the same person who wrote “Acts”.

72. Holliday friend EARP
Wyatt Earp is famous as one of the participants in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Earp was a city policeman in Wichita, Kansas and also in Dodge City, Kansas. Earp was also deputy sheriff in Tombstone, Arizona where the O.K. Corral gunfight took place. Years later, Earp joined the Alaska Gold Rush and with a partner built and operated the Dexter Saloon in Nome.

The famous gunslinger Doc Holliday was from Georgia, and received the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in Philadelphia. Holliday moved to the Southwest after he contracted tuberculosis, in the hope that the climate might be good for his health. He first settled in Dallas, where he soon discovered that he could make a better living gambling than by running a dental practice. It was while gambling in saloons that Holliday got involved in gunfights and built a reputation as a gunslinger. The most famous shootout in which he was involved was the Gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona when he fought alongside the Earp brothers. Holliday survived his many gunfights, but eventually succumbed to the disease in his lungs. He died in Glenwood Springs, Colorado at the age of 36.

74. Splittable bit ATOM
By some definitions, New Zealand-born physicist and chemist Ernest Rutherford was the first person to “split the atom”. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen with alpha particles and thereby forced neutrons out of the nucleus of the nitrogen atom. The first intentional nuclear “fission” came decades later in the 1930s, with experiments in which larger nuclei were split into smaller nuclei.

77. Place for a speaker DAIS
Ultimately our word "dais", meaning “raised platform for a speaker”, comes from the Latin "discus" meaning a "disk-shaped object". I guess that many a dais was disc-shaped ...

80. Cal. column MON
Our word “Monday” evolved from an Old English word meaning “moon’s day”.

83. Smokeless smoke, briefly E-CIG
An electronic cigarette (also called an “e-cigarette”) is a battery-powered device that resembles a real cigarette. The e-cigarette vaporizes a solution that contains nicotine, forming a vapor that resembles smoke. The vapor is inhaled, delivering the nicotine into the body. The assumption is that an e-cigarette is healthier than a regular cigarette as the inhaled vapor is less harmful than inhaled smoke. But, that may not be so ...

85. Fast-growing sapling BALSA TREE
Balsa is a very fast growing tree that is native to parts of South America. Even though balsa wood is very soft, it is actually classified as a hardwood, the softest of all the hardwoods (go figure!). Balsa is light and strong, so is commonly used in making model airplanes. Amazingly, in WWII a full-size British plane, the de Havilland Mosquito, was built largely from balsa and plywood. No wonder they called it "The Wooden Wonder" and "The Timber Terror".

86. "Movin' __": "The Jeffersons" theme ON UP
The very popular sitcom called “The Jeffersons” ran from 1975 until it came to an abrupt end in 1985. CBS cancelled the show without even allowing a series finale that “wrapped things up”. In fact the lead actor, Sherman Hemsley, first learned of the show’s cancellation in the newspaper.

90. Fast time? LENT
In Latin, the Christian season that is now called Lent was termed "quadragesima" (meaning "fortieth"), a reference to the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert before beginning his public ministry. When the church began its move in the Middle Ages towards using the vernacular, the term "Lent" was introduced. "Lent" comes from "lenz", the German word for "spring".

96. FDR's side, on a dime OBVERSE
One meaning of the word "obverse" is "the side turned towards the observer". This led to the use of obverse to describe the side of a coin bearing the principal image or design.

President Roosevelt was a major driver in the founding of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The Foundation's most successful fund raising campaign was to encourage the public to just send a dime to support the charity, so that even before the Foundation officially changed its name, the public were already calling it March of Dimes. After President Roosevelt passed away in office, Congress passed legislation calling for a new design for the dime, one featuring the image of FDR. The Roosevelt dime was introduced in 1946, on the day that would have been the President's 64th birthday.

101. Former moderator of "The View"VIEIRA
Meredith Vieira is journalist and television personality. Vieira had a regular gig on “The View” and NBC’s “Morning” show. She also took over from Regis Philbin as host of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”.

102. Vinegary ACETIC
Acetic acid has the formula CH3COOH, and is the main component of vinegar.

104. Reason for spectacles MYOPIA
A myope is someone suffering from myopia, short-sightedness. Far-sightedness or long-sightedness is known as hypermetropia or hyperopia .

106. __ Joe SLOPPY
Sloppy joe is a dish usually made of ground beef, onions, ketchup and seasonings, all served on a bun. There are two stories that supposedly explain the origin of the name "sloppy joe". One is that it comes from Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West, Florida; the other is that it was invented by a cook named Joe in Sioux City, Iowa.

109. Wascally wabbit wival ELMER
Elmer Fudd is one of the most famous of all the Looney Tunes cartoon characters, the hapless nemesis of Bugs Bunny. If you have never seen it, check out Elmer and Bugs in the marvelous “Rabbit of Seville”, a short cartoon that parodies Rossini’s “Barber of Seville”. Wonderful stuff …

114. Mice move on them PADS
The first computer mouse was invented at the Stanford Research Institute in 1963, by one Douglas Engelbart. Sadly for him, his patent ran out before mice became standard equipment on computers, so he never made any money from his amazing invention.

119. Natl. Merit Scholarship qualifying exam PSAT
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1955. The program governs two annual competitions for scholarships, one open to all students and one open to only African Americans.

122. Canada's smallest prov. PEI
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a maritime Canadian province. The island at the center of the province was named for Prince Edward, the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria.

124. Airport NW of the Gateway Arch STL
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport has the IATA airport code STL. Commonly referred to as Lambert Field, the airport is named for Albert Bond Lambert, an olympic golfer and aviator from St. Louis. Back in the 1920s, Lambert Field was the first airport to have an air traffic control system, albeit a pretty rudimentary one in which pilots received flag signals.

125. Retreat hidden in nine puzzle answers SPA
The word "spa" migrated into English from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a municipality in the east of the country that is famous for its healing hot springs. The name "Spa" comes from the Walloon word "espa" meaning "spring, fountain".

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Playground provocation DARE
5. Campus org. founded in 1906 NCAA
9. Existing BEING
14. Capers LARKS
19. Religion of most Iranians SHIA
20. Stops allowing BANS
21. Complete UTTER
22. Greenland native INUIT
23. "Time for a shindig!" LET’S PARTY!
25. "Common Sense" pamphleteer THOMAS PAINE
27. Chichén Itzá builder MAYA
28. Basque city with a Guggenheim Museum BILBAO
30. Make up your mind OPT
31. "Bus Stop" playwright INGE
32. Juice unit AMP
34. Knitting choices PURLS
35. People's Choice Award winner for Favorite TV Drama, 2008-2011 HOUSE MD
37. Remarkable thing, in old slang CAT'S PAJAMAS
41. Winged stingers WASPS
43. __ Plaines River DES
44. Off-road ride, for short ATV
45. Muchos meses ANOS
46. Dealer's query YOU IN?
48. SEC concern IPO
50. Yemeni capital RIAL
52. Palm products DATES
54. Where to get the score SPORTS PAGE
59. Sicilian skiing attraction ETNA
60. They may be about nothing ADOS
61. Jacket material SUEDE
62. Drops the ball ERRS
63. Top story ATTIC
65. Move a muscle STIR
67. Some might vote in it ABSENTIA
70. Time of life AGE
71. Resort with a Forum Tower CAESARS PALACE
75. CBS forensic series CSI
76. Sammy Davis Jr.'s only #1 hit, with "The" CANDY MAN
78. Short staffer? ASST
79. Send payment REMIT
81. Weymouth of Talking Heads TINA
82. Like clarinet music REEDY
84. Clarinet kin OBOE
87. "Drinks are __!" ON ME
89. Very slow motion SNAIL'S PACE
92. Dishwasher handle? AMANA
93. Simon of Broadway NEIL
94. Match part SET
95. Big name in Russian ballet KIROV
97. Coal unit LUMP
99. L.A. Galaxy's group MLS
100. Gardner of film AVA
103. Chinese menu assurance NO MSG
105. Brewery product since 1777 BASS PALE ALE
108. "I don't think so" NICE TRY
110. Whence Saint Teresa AVILA
111. Phone book no. TEL
112. Ship stabilizer KEEL
113. Unruly do MOP
115. Spartan serfs HELOTS
117. Its initials became its name in 1999 AARP
120. Acid test substance LITMUS PAPER
123. Reporter's entrée PRESS PASS
126. Great Lakes natives ERIES
127. Novelist's list, perhaps IDEAS
128. Fertilizer ingredient PEAT
129. Lose it SNAP
130. Holy, to Henri SACRE
131. Theatrical device ASIDE
132. Use one's outside voice YELL
133. Grammy winner James ETTA

Down
1. Surfing letters DSL
2. Small clearing? AHEM
3. Beatles girl RITA
4. Piece-of-cake courses EASY A’S
5. Magic org. NBA
6. Concern for some losers CARB
7. Ristorante course ANTIPASTO
8. Safe haven ASYLUM
9. "Furthermore, however, ... " BUT ALSO ...
10. Cultural spirit ETHOS
11. Judge in 1995 news ITO
12. Pixar protagonist NEMO
13. Boardroom props GRAPHS
14. Edge LIP
15. "Delta of Venus" author Nin ANAIS
16. Beyond repair RUINED
17. Checkers speech? KING ME
18. Renaissance fair rides STEEDS
24. Argentine plain PAMPA
26. Restraining order? STOP IT!
29. Donkeys' cries BRAYS
33. How to watch Mei Xiang and Bei Bei PANDACAM
36. Delivery letters USPS
37. Close attention CARE
38. Like political foes, frequently AT IT AGAIN
39. Dish forerunner TV ANTENNA
40. Steinbeck hero Tom JOAD
41. Erase completely WIPE
42. Battery terminal-related ANODAL
47. Seizes illegally USURPS
49. Welcoming sign OPEN
51. GPS figure LAT
53. She, in Sicily ESSA
55. First name in country REBA
56. Aesthetic film genre ART CINEMA
57. Grain processor GRISTMILL
58. Morales of "The Brink" ESAI
61. Actress Spacek SISSY
64. Like a "daggers" look ICY
66. Wall Street regular TRADER
68. Dress down in a big way SCREAM AT
69. Broad shoe size EEE
70. Book following the Gospels ACTS
72. Holliday friend EARP
73. Devious ones SNEAKS
74. Splittable bit ATOM
77. Place for a speaker DAIS
80. Cal. column MON
83. Smokeless smoke, briefly E-CIG
85. Fast-growing sapling BALSA TREE
86. "Movin' __": "The Jeffersons" theme ON UP
88. Otherwise ELSE
90. Fast time? LENT
91. Rages STORMS
92. Be of use AVAIL
96. FDR's side, on a dime OBVERSE
98. Ardent requests PLEAS
100. They're just over two feet ANKLES
101. Former moderator of "The View" VIEIRA
102. Vinegary ACETIC
104. Reason for spectacles MYOPIA
106. __ Joe SLOPPY
107. Tick away ELAPSE
109. Wascally wabbit wival ELMER
110. Best way to leave Vegas AHEAD
114. Mice move on them PADS
116. Official emblem SEAL
118. Emotional blog entry RANT
119. Natl. Merit Scholarship qualifying exam PSAT
121. Find a job for USE
122. Canada's smallest prov. PEI
124. Airport NW of the Gateway Arch STL
125. Retreat hidden in nine puzzle answers SPA


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Vehicles with meters CABS
A hansom cab is a very specific design of horse and buggy that was patented by Joseph Hansom in 1834 in England. The "cab" in the name is short for "cabriolet", an earlier design of carriage on which the hansom was based. It's from "hansom cab" that we get our modern term "cab".

15. South Pacific island studied by Margaret Mead SAMOA
The official name for the South Pacific country formerly known as Western Samoa is the Independent State of Samoa. "Samoa" is the western part of the island group, with American Samoa lying to the southeast. The whole group of islands used to be known as Navigators Island, a name given by European explorers in recognition of the seafaring skills of the native Samoans.

"Coming of Age in Samoa" sounds like a fascinating book. It was written by American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead and published in 1928. In the book, Mead examines the behavior of youths in Samoa, making some comparisons with youths in America. One major observation she made was the smooth transition from childhood to adulthood of Samoan girls, compared to what she described as a more troublesome transition in the US.

16. Olympic sword EPEE
There are three fencing events in the modern Olympics, distinguished by the weapon used:

- Foil
- Épée
- Sabre

17. 1987 Cher film MOONSTRUCK
“Moonstruck” is a 1987 movie, a romantic comedy starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. There’s a bit of a love triangle in the storyline, with Danny Aiello playing the man who loses the girl. “Moonstruck” won three Oscars and was a huge success, and somehow, I’ve never seen it …

21. Sophocles character for whom a Freudian complex is named OEDIPUS
“Oedipus Rex” (also “Oedipus the King”) is a tragedy penned by the Ancient Greek playwright Sophocles. The play tells the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes King of Thebes. Famously, Oedipus was destined from birth to murder his father and marry his mother.

An oedipal relationship is one in which a child exhibits sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex. A child exhibiting such behavior is said to have an Oedipus complex, named for the play “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles.

34. Time co-founder Henry LUCE
Henry Luce was a publisher, mainly of magazines. He was responsible for launching such iconic publications as "Time", "Life", "Fortune" and "Sports Illustrated".

“TIME” was the first weekly news magazine in the US, co-founded in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce. Hadden and Luce had previously worked together as chairman and managing editor of the “Yale Daily News”.

41. Tehran's country IRAN
Tehran is the capital of Iran and is the largest city in the Middle East, with a population of about 8.5 million. Iran has been around an awful long time and Tehran is actually the country's 31st national capital.

43. Ireland, to an Irish poet ERIN
"Éire" is the Irish word for "Ireland". "Erin" is an anglicized version of "Éire" and actually corresponds to "Éirinn", the dative case of "Éire".

44. Painter Chagall MARC
Marc Chagall was a Russian-French artist, one of the most successful of the 20th century. Unlike so many painters, Chagall was able to achieve wealth and notoriety for his work during his own lifetime. It did help that Chagall lived to a ripe old age though. He passed away in 1985, when he was 97 years young. One of Chagall’s most famous works is the ceiling of the Paris Opera. The new ceiling for the beautiful 19th-century building was commissioned in 1963, and took Chagall a year to complete. Chagall was 77 years old when he worked on the Paris Opera project.

45. New Testament king HEROD
Herod Agrippa was the grandson of Herod the Great, and like his grandfather was a Roman client king of Judea. It is thought that Herod Agrippa is the “Herod” mentioned in the Bible’s “Acts of the Apostles”, the king who imprisoned Peter and who had killed James son of Zebedee. Agrippa’s grandfather was the King Herod who ordered the Massacre of the Innocents described in the Gospel of Matthew. This was Herod’s attempt to kill the young Jesus by ordering the murder of all boys aged two or younger in Bethlehem and vicinity.

46. Monopoly card with mortgage values DEED
The commercial game of Monopoly is supposedly a remake of "The Landlord's Game" created in 1903 by a Quaker woman called Lizzie Phillips. Phillips used her game as a tool to explain the single tax theory of American economist Henry George. The Landlord's Game was first produced commercially in 1924. The incredibly successful derivative game called Monopoly was introduced in 1933 by Charles Darrow, who became a very rich man when Parker Brothers bought the rights to the game just two years later in 1935.

47. __-Bits: letter-shaped cereal ALPHA
Alpha-Bits is a Post breakfast cereal that is made from “bits” of corn cereal in “alphabet” shapes.

49. Leaf under a petal SEPAL
In a flower, the sepals are those green, leaf-like structures that are “interleaved” with the petals, providing support. Prior to acting as support for the petals, the sepals protect the flower in bud.

58. Capital of Lithuania VILNIUS
The nation of Lithuania is a former Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) sitting on the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. The capital of Lithuania is Vilnius, and 16 miles north of Vilnius is a point that is officially recognized as the Geographic Center of Europe.

64. 1945 Ingrid Bergman film SPELLBOUND
“Spellbound” is a 1945 Hitchcock film starring Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck. It is a psychological thriller in which Bergman and Peck play psychoanalysts. That’s all I’ll say, to avoid spoiling the film for potential viewers. I will say that Hitchcock makes his traditional cameo appearance in the movie, although it occurs relatively late in the plot. Hitch can be seen exiting an elevator carrying a violin case and smoking a cigarette about 43 minutes into the film.

That talented and beautiful actress Ingrid Bergman was born in Stockholm, and was a successful Swedish actress before launching her Hollywood career in 1939 in the film “Intermezzo: A Love Story”. Bergman’s most famous film appearances were probably in 1942’s “Casablanca” opposite Humphrey Bogart, and in 1946’s HItchcock movie “Notorious” opposite Cary Grant.

70. Latvian capital RIGA
Riga is the capital city of Latvia. The historical center of Riga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, declared as such because of the city's magnificent examples of Art Nouveau architecture.

71. Collecting Soc. Sec., maybe RETD
The Social Security Administration (SSA) was set up as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. The first person to receive a monthly retirement benefit was Ida May Fuller of Vermont who received her first check for the sum of $22.54 after having contributed for three years through payroll taxes. The New Deal turned out to be a good deal for Ms. Fuller, as she lived to 100 years of age and received a total benefit of almost $23,000, whereas her three years of contributions added up to just $24.75.

73. Tabloid twosome ITEM
An unmarried couple known to be involved with each other might appear in the gossip columns. This appearance as "an item" in the papers, led to the use of "item" to refer to such a couple, but only since the very early seventies.

"Tabloid" is the trademarked name (owned by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co,) for a "small tablet of medicine", a name that goes back to 1884. The word "tabloid" had entered into general use to mean a compressed form of anything, and by the early 1900s was used in "tabloid journalism", applied to newspapers that had short, condensed articles and stories printed on smaller sheets of paper.

Down
1. Free tickets, say COMPS
“To comp” is “to give for free”, from “complimentary”.

2. Marketplace of ancient Greece AGORA
In early Greece the "agora" was a place of assembly. Often the assemblies held there were quite formal, perhaps for the reading of a proclamation. Later in Greek history, things became less formal as the agora evolved into a market place. Our contemporary word "agoraphobia" comes from these agorae, in the sense that an agoraphobe has a fear of open spaces, a fear of "public meeting places".

3. Dustpan go-with BROOM
The sweeping implement known as a “broom” used to called a “besom”. A besom was made from a bundle of twigs tied to a stouter pole. The favored source for the twigs came from thorny shrubs from the genus Genista. The common term for many species of Genista is “broom”. Over time, “broom besoms” came to be known as just “brooms”.

5. Fla. clock setting EST
Eastern Standard Time (EST)

What we know as the US state of Florida, was named by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who led the first Europeans to the area in 1513. The actual name he used was “La Florida”, Spanish for “the Flowery (Land)”.

7. Outback bird EMU
The large flightless birds called emus make sounds by manipulating inflatable necks sacs. The sac is about a foot long, has a thin wall and allows the bird to emit a booming sound. The type of sound emitted is the easiest way to differentiate between male and female emus.

In Australia, the land outside of urban area is referred to as “the outback” or “the bush”. That said, I think that the term “outback” can also be used for the more remote parts of the bush.

8. Chanel of fashion COCO
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer. Perhaps because I am a man, clothes design is not my forte. However, if I had to pick a designer whose clothes I really admired, it would be Chanel. She had a way of creating simpler designs that look so elegant on a woman.

10. 2005 Nicole Kidman film BEWITCHED
“Bewitched” is a 2005 film starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell, and was inspired by the celebrated sixties sitcom of the same name. The twist in the movie is that Ferrell plays an actor slated to play the male lead in a remake of the “Bewitched” TV show. Kidman’s character is chosen to play the female lead in the “Bewitched” reboot, and the twist is that the actress is actually a witch.

Nicole Kidman is an Australian-American actress whose breakthrough role was the female lead in 1989's "Dead Calm". Kidman was actually born in Hawaii, to Australian parents. As a result, she has dual citizenship of Australia and the US.

12. Eye care brand RENU
ReNu is a brand name of contact lens products sold by Bausch & Lomb.

22. Batman and Robin, e.g. DUO
Batman and Robin are unique among their superhero compatriots in that they have no special powers, just a whole load of cool gadgets. Batman is sometimes referred to as the Caped Crusader, Robin as the Boy Wonder, and the pair as the Dynamic Duo.

31. Michelin product TIRE
Michelin is a manufacturer of tires based in France. The company was founded by brothers Édouard and André Michelin in 1888. The brothers were running a rubber factory at the time, and invented the world’s first removable pneumatic tire, an invention that they used to launch their new company. Michelin is also noted for rating restaurants and accommodation in its famous Michelin Travel Guides, awarding coveted Michelin “stars”.

32. New York border lake ERIE
Lake Erie is the fourth largest of the five Great Lakes by area (Lake Ontario is the smallest). The lake takes its name from the Erie tribe of Native Americans that used to live along its southern shore. Erie is the smallest of the Great Lakes by volume and the shallowest, something for which nearby residents must be quite grateful. Being relatively shallow, much of Erie freezes over part way through most winters putting an end to most of the lake effect snow that falls in the snow belt extending from the lake's edge.

34. Peru's capital LIMA
Lima is the capital city of Peru. Lima was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who named it “la Ciudad de los Reyes” (the City of Kings). He chose this name because the decision to found the city was made on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany that commemorates the visit of the three kings to Jesus in Bethlehem.

35. River to the Caspian URAL
The Ural River rises in the Ural Mountains in Russia and flows for half its length through Russian territory until it crosses the border into Kazakhstan, finally emptying into the Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea is a landlocked body of water lying between Asia and Europe. By some definitions, the Caspian is the largest lake on the planet. The name “Caspian” comes from the Caspi people who lived to the southwest of the sea in South Caucasus.

36. Bellyache CARP
The word "carp" used to mean simply "talk" back in the 13th century, with its roots in the Old Norwegian "karpa" meaning "to brag". A century later the Latin word "carpere" meaning "to slander" influenced the use of "carp" so that it came to mean "find fault with".

37. 2007 Amy Adams film ENCHANTED
“Enchanted” is actually quite an entertaining Disney film, the story of the Princess Giselle who is forced from her animated world to live in the real world of New York City. Actress Amy Adams played the princess, in what turned out to be her breakthrough role.

39. Family car SEDAN
The American "sedan" car is the equivalent of the British "saloon" car. By definition, a sedan car has two rows of seating and a separate trunk (boot in the UK), although in some models the engine can be at the rear of the car.

48. Tycoon Onassis ARI
Aristotle Onassis was born to a successful Greek shipping entrepreneur in Smyrna in modern-day Turkey. However, his family lost its fortune during WWI and so Aristotle worked with his father to build up a new business empire centered on the importation of tobacco. In 1957, Aristotle founded the Greek national airline, what is today called Olympic Air, and he also got into the business of shipping oil around the world. He married Athina Livanos in 1946, the daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate. They couple had two children together, with one being the famous Christina Onassis. Livanos divorced Onassis on discovering him in bed with the opera singer Maria Callas. Onassis ended his affair with Callas in order to marry Jackie Kennedy in 1968.

52. Inspiration sources MUSES
In Greek mythology, the muses are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. The number of muses is a subject of debate at times, but the most popular view is that there are nine:

- Calliope (epic poetry)
- Clio (history)
- Erato (lyric poetry)
- Euterpe (music)
- Melpomene (tragedy)
- Polyhymnia (choral poetry)
- Terpsichore (dance)
- Thalia (comedy)
- Urania (astronomy)

54. New Zealand native MAORI
The Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. The Māori are eastern Polynesian in origin and began arriving in New Zealand relatively recently, starting sometime in the late 13th century. The word "māori" simply means "normal", distinguishing the mortal human being from spiritual entities.

55. Arctic dweller INUIT
The Inuit peoples live in the Arctic, in parts of the US, Russia, Greenland and Canada.

57. Respectful address MADAM
Our term of address “madam” came into English from the Old French “ma dame”, meaning “my lady”.

67. __ Alcindor: Kareem, formerly LEW
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's name at birth was Ferdinand Lewis “Lew” Alcindor. Alcindor changed his name when he converted to Islam.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Vehicles with meters CABS
5. Give the heave-ho EJECT
10. Fishhook point BARB
14. Fabled monster OGRE
15. South Pacific island studied by Margaret Mead SAMOA
16. Olympic sword EPEE
17. 1987 Cher film MOONSTRUCK
19. Refuses to WON’T
20. Plain text PROSE
21. Sophocles character for whom a Freudian complex is named OEDIPUS
23. Lack of variety SAMENESS
27. Trail mix tidbit NUT
28. Gradually become narrower TAPER
30. Group of eight OCTET
34. Time co-founder Henry LUCE
38. Track events RACES
40. Put on the payroll HIRE
41. Tehran's country IRAN
42. Armistice TRUCE
43. Ireland, to an Irish poet ERIN
44. Painter Chagall MARC
45. New Testament king HEROD
46. Monopoly card with mortgage values DEED
47. __-Bits: letter-shaped cereal ALPHA
49. Leaf under a petal SEPAL
51. Escort's offering ARM
53. Great energy DYNAMISM
58. Capital of Lithuania VILNIUS
62. Latest craze MANIA
63. Tinker with text EDIT
64. 1945 Ingrid Bergman film SPELLBOUND
68. "What __ could I do?" ELSE
69. Spine-tingling EERIE
70. Latvian capital RIGA
71. Collecting Soc. Sec., maybe RETD
72. Threaded fastener SCREW
73. Tabloid twosome ITEM

Down
1. Free tickets, say COMPS
2. Marketplace of ancient Greece AGORA
3. Dustpan go-with BROOM
4. Good judgment SENSE
5. Fla. clock setting EST
6. Cookie container JAR
7. Outback bird EMU
8. Chanel of fashion COCO
9. Spoken for TAKEN
10. 2005 Nicole Kidman film BEWITCHED
11. For each one A POP
12. Eye care brand RENU
13. "All __ are off" BETS
18. Telegraphed SENT
22. Batman and Robin, e.g. DUO
24. Word before or after "mother" EARTH
25. Shows mercy SPARES
26. Assured payment of, as a loan SECURED
29. Duplicate again RECOPY
31. Michelin product TIRE
32. New York border lake ERIE
33. Watch over, as sheep TEND
34. Peru's capital LIMA
35. River to the Caspian URAL
36. Bellyache CARP
37. 2007 Amy Adams film ENCHANTED
39. Family car SEDAN
48. Tycoon Onassis ARI
50. Sheepish youngster? LAMB
52. Inspiration sources MUSES
54. New Zealand native MAORI
55. Arctic dweller INUIT
56. Burn slightly SINGE
57. Respectful address MADAM
58. Zig or zag VEER
59. On a break IDLE
60. Enumerate LIST
61. On __: without a contract SPEC
65. Flub a line, say ERR
66. Golf ball position LIE
67. __ Alcindor: Kareem, formerly LEW


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
16. Dance that tells a story HULA
Hula is the name of the Polynesian dance. The chant or song that the dance illustrates, that's known as the mele.

17. Arm bones ULNAE
The radius and ulna are bones in the forearm. If you hold the palm of your hand up in front of you, the radius is the bone on the "thumb-side" of the arm, and the ulna is the bone on the "pinkie-side".

19. Wild goat with recurved horns IBEX
Ibex is a common name for various species of mountain goat. “Ibex” is a Latin name that was used for wild goats found in the Alps and Apennines in Europe.

29. Body shop fig. EST
Estimate (est.)

39. Multivolume ref. work OED
The "Oxford English Dictionary" (OED) contains over 300,000 "main" entries and 59 million words in total. It is said it would take a single person 120 years to type it out in full. The longest entry for one word in the second edition of the OED is the verb "set". When the third edition was published in 2007, the longest entry for a single word became the verb "put". Perhaps not surprisingly, the most-quoted author in the OED is William Shakespeare, with his most quoted work being “Hamlet”. The most-quoted female author is George Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans).

40. Common diagnosis for distracted kids: Abbr. ADHD
The "official" name for the condition we sometimes still refer to as "attention deficit disorder" (ADD) is "attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder" (ADHD).

41. KP duty need POTATO PEELER
KP is a US military slang term that stands for either "kitchen police" or "kitchen patrol".

47. Black __: spy doings OPS
"Black ops" is the name given to covert operations, activities that are usually outside of standard military protocol and may even be against the law. Funding for black ops is usually provided by a secret "black budget".

48. Critic Reed REX
Rex Reed is a film critic who used to co-host “At the Movies”.

54. National park on the Maine coast ACADIA
Acadia National Park in Maine was created in 1919, although back then it was called Lafayette National Park in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette who famously supported the American Revolution. The park was renamed to Acadia in 1929.

60. April honoree? FOOL
April Fool's Day is celebrated on April 1st in the western world. In the US (and Ireland) one can make practical jokes all day long if one wants. But in the UK there is a noon deadline. Anyone pranking after midday is called an "April Fool".

63. German automaker AUDI
The predecessor to today’s Audi company was called Auto Union. Auto Union was formed with the merger of four individual entities: Audi, Horch, DKW and Wanderer. The Audi logo comprises four intersecting rings, each representing one of the four companies that merged.

65. Bridges in Hollywood BEAU
The actor Beau Bridges is the son of actor Lloyd Bridges, and brother of actor Jeff Bridges. Beau’s best-known role is perhaps one of “The Fabulous Bakker Boys” alongside brother Jeff.

66. TMZ twosome ITEM
An unmarried couple known to be involved with each other might appear in the gossip columns. This appearance as "an item" in the papers, led to the use of "item" to refer to such a couple, but only since the very early seventies.

TMZ.com is a celebrity gossip web site launched in 2005. "TMZ" stands for "thirty-mile zone", a reference to the "studio zone" in Los Angeles. The studio zone is circular in shape with a 30-mile radius centered on the intersection of West Beverly Boulevard and North La Cienega Boulevard.

Down
1. Prince's lookalike, in a Twain novel PAUPER
“The Prince and the Pauper” is a novel by Mark Twain, the tale of two identical boys, one a pauper living in London, and the other Edward VI, Prince of Wales and son of Henry VIII. The pair switch places, and the plot develops from there.

3. Enjoyed a ride in a birchbark CANOED
The boat called a canoe takes its name from the Carib word “kenu” meaning “dugout”. It was Christopher Columbus who brought “kenu” into Spanish as “canoa”, which evolved into our English “canoe”.

The bark of birch trees (known as “birchbark”) is a useful material that has been used since prehistoric times as a building, crafting and writing material. Birchbark is readily cut, bent and sewn and resembles cardboard, although unlike cardboard, it is also water-resistant. Birchbark was a popular material with Native Americans, used for making canoes, wigwams, scrolls and maps.

5. Metal refinery SMELTER
Metals are found in ore in the form of oxides. In order to get pure metal from the ore, the ore is heated and the metal oxides within are reduced (i.e. the oxygen is removed) in the chemical process known as smelting. The oxygen is extracted by adding a source of carbon or carbon monoxide which uses up the excess oxygen atoms to make carbon dioxide, a waste product of smelting (and of course, a greenhouse gas).

7. __ duck LAME
The original usage of the term “lame duck” was on the London Stock Exchange where it referred to a broker who could not honor his debts. The idea was that a lame duck could not keep up with the rest of the flock and so was a target for predators.

8. "Back to you," in CBspeak OVER
In 1945, the FCC set aside certain radio frequencies for the personal use of citizens. The use of the Citizens' Band increased throughout the seventies as advances in electronics brought down the size of transceivers and their cost. There aren't many CB radios sold these days though, as they have largely been replaced by cell phones.

21. Latin 101 infinitive ESSE
“Esse” is the Latin for “to be”. “Sum” means “I am” and “erat” means “he, she was”.

22. Sports analyst Hershiser OREL
Orel Hershiser is big into poker now that he has retired from Major League Baseball. Hershiser lives in Las Vegas and when he isn't working for ESPN, apparently he is at the poker tables, playing professionally. When Hershiser is eliminated in a poker tournament, he is in the habit of presenting the person who ousts him with an autographed baseball.

25. Unlike Lady Godiva CLAD
In the legend of Lady Godiva, a noblewoman rode naked through the streets of Coventry in England, basically as a dare from her husband in return for relieving the taxes of his tenants. Lady Godiva issued instructions that all the town’s inhabitants should stay indoors while she made her journey. However, a tailor in the town named Tom disobeyed the instructions by boring holes in the shutters on his windows, and “peeped”. As a result, Peeping Tom was struck blind, and the term “peeping Tom” has been in our language ever since.

26. Poppycock, to a Brit TOSH
"Tosh" is British slang for "foolish nonsense", and is likely a combination of "trash" and "bosh".

It is thought that the relatively gentle term “poppycock”, meaning “nonsense”, comes from a Dutch word for “dung” combined with a Latin word for “excrete”. Not so gentle after all …

30. Car roofs with removable panels T-TOPS
A T-top is a car roof that has removable panels on either side of a rigid bar that runs down the center of the vehicle above the driver.

31. Golf's __ Cup RYDER
The Ryder Cup trophy was donated to the game of golf by Samuel Ryder, an English entrepreneur. Ryder made his money selling garden seeds in small packets. He only took up golf when he was in his fifties but became quite the enthusiast and eventually donated the trophy in 1927, when it was valued at 100 guineas. The Ryder Cup is a biennial tournament played between teams from the US and Europe.

33. Class-conscious gp.? PTA
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

37. Theater section LOGE
In most theaters today, “loge” is the name given to the front rows of a mezzanine level. Loge can also be the name given to box seating.

50. Dog at a roast WIENIE
“Wienie” is an informal variant of “wiener”.

What we call a wiener in this country is known as a Vienna sausage in Germany. It was first produced by a butcher from Frankfurt who was living in Vienna, hence the name “Wiener”, which is German for “of Vienna”. Paradoxically, the same sausage is called a Frankfurter in Vienna, as it was created by someone from Frankfurt. It’s all very confusing …

51. Kitchen storage area LARDER
The Latin word for bacon or lard, is "lardum", from which developed a Middle Latin word "lardarium" meaning a "room for meats". This came into English as "larder" to describe a meat storeroom. Over time, our larders stored all types of foods and our fresh meats went into refrigerators.

55. Colorado skiing mecca ASPEN
Aspen, Colorado used to be known as Ute City, with the name change taking place in 1880. Like many communities in the area, Aspen was a mining town, and in 1891 and 1892 it was at the center of the highest production of silver in the US. Nowadays of course, it's all about skiing and movie stars.

60. Justice Dept. agency FBI
What we know today as the FBI was set up in 1908 as the BOI, the Bureau of Investigation. The name was changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935. The Bureau was set up at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt was largely moved to do so after the 1901 assassination of President McKinley, as there was a perception that anarchists were threatening law and order. The FBI’s motto uses the organization’s initialism, and is “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity”.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is headed up by Attorneys General (AGs). When the office of the Attorney General was created in 1789 it was a part-time job, with no departmental support. The Department of Justice came into being in 1870.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Negotiated agreements PACTS
6. Coagulate CLOT
10. Cry of disbelief WHAT?!
14. Wake-up call alternative ALARM
15. Talk wildly RAVE
16. Dance that tells a story HULA
17. Arm bones ULNAE
18. Sign of things to come OMEN
19. Wild goat with recurved horns IBEX
20. Outgoing sort PEOPLE PERSON
23. Spews EGESTS
24. Sets upright ERECTS
28. Danger color RED
29. Body shop fig. EST
31. Feel remorse over RUE
32. Chop (off) LOP
33. Extra-earnest entreaty PRETTY PLEASE
36. Crate component SLAT
39. Multivolume ref. work OED
40. Common diagnosis for distracted kids: Abbr. ADHD
41. KP duty need POTATO PEELER
46. Back in time AGO
47. Black __: spy doings OPS
48. Critic Reed REX
49. Punching tool AWL
52. Sales enticement REBATE
54. National park on the Maine coast ACADIA
56. Clerical worker, facetiously PENCIL PUSHER
60. April honoree? FOOL
63. German automaker AUDI
64. Occupy, as one's time SPEND
65. Bridges in Hollywood BEAU
66. TMZ twosome ITEM
67. Creepy EERIE
68. Vexes IRKS
69. Gather in the fields REAP
70. Expression of disdain SNEER

Down
1. Prince's lookalike, in a Twain novel PAUPER
2. Assert without proof ALLEGE
3. Enjoyed a ride in a birchbark CANOED
4. Police stings, e.g. TRAPS
5. Metal refinery SMELTER
6. Edit for size, as a photo CROP
7. __ duck LAME
8. "Back to you," in CBspeak OVER
9. Stiffen in fear TENSE UP
10. Moan and groan WHINE
11. Center of activity HUB
12. Draft pick ALE
13. Price add-on TAX
21. Latin 101 infinitive ESSE
22. Sports analyst Hershiser OREL
25. Unlike Lady Godiva CLAD
26. Poppycock, to a Brit TOSH
27. Made tracks SPED
30. Car roofs with removable panels T-TOPS
31. Golf's __ Cup RYDER
33. Class-conscious gp.? PTA
34. Golf ball support TEE
35. Musical gift EAR
36. Box for practice SPAR
37. Theater section LOGE
38. Get from __: make slow progress A TO B
42. Carryall bag TOTE
43. Outdoor OPEN-AIR
44. Spring LEAP
45. Reasons that may be flimsy or lame EXCUSES
49. Cling ADHERE
50. Dog at a roast WIENIE
51. Kitchen storage area LARDER
53. Top grade A-PLUS
55. Colorado skiing mecca ASPEN
57. Baby-faced CUTE
58. Invention beginning IDEA
59. Like overcooked pasta LIMP
60. Justice Dept. agency FBI
61. On top of, in an ode O’ER
62. Furniture wood OAK


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
6. Place for a chicken COOP
An Old English word for basket ("cypa") started to be used in the 14th century as the word "coop", meaning a small cage for poultry, a word we still use today.

10. Herring prized for its roe SHAD
The shad is also known as the river herring. The eggs (roe) of the female shad are prized as a delicacy in the Eastern US.

17. With 59-Across, words from a fictional mariner ... and a hint to both parts of 26-, 31-, 42- and 47-Across WATER, WATER, …
(59A. See 17-Across … EVERY WHERE)
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is an epic poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge first published in 1798. The publication of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is said to mark the beginning of the Romantic period of British literature. Perhaps the lines most often quoted from the poem are:

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where
Nor any drop to drink

19. Any minute now, to a bard ANON
“Anon” originally meant “at once” and evolved into today’s meaning of “soon” apparently just because the word was misused over time.

20. Tampa-to-Jacksonville dir. NNE
The Florida city of Tampa has been known as the Big Guava since the seventies. The term is imitative of New York’s “Big Apple”, and refers to the unsuccessful search for the reported wild guava trees that were once hoped to be the basis of a new industry for the area.

The port city of Jacksonville, Florida is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States (four cities in Alaska cover more land). Jacksonville was named in honor of President Andrew Jackson.

21. Frosty coat HOAR
The Old English word "har" meant "gray, venerable, old", and came into English as "hoar" (and later "hoary") with the same meaning. The term "hoar-frost" dates back to the 13th century, and reflects the similarity of the white feathers of frost to the gray/white of an old man's beard.

22. Fern-to-be SPORE
Ferns are unlike mosses, in that they have xylem and phloem, making them vascular plants. They also have stems, leaves and roots, but they do not have seeds and flowers, and reproduce using spores. Spores differ from seeds in that they have very little stored food.

23. Criticize sneakily SNIPE
“To snipe” is to attack with snide criticism, especially from a safe distance. This usage of the term is an extension of the older meaning, to take a shot from a hidden position (as in “sniper”). Such a shot was originally taken when hunting the game birds called “snipes”.

34. Astronaut Grissom GUS
Gus Grissom was the second American to fly in space, and the first astronaut at NASA to make two space flights. Sadly, Grissom was one of the three astronauts who died in a terrible launch pad fire in 1967.

38. __-Locka, Florida OPA
Opa-Locka is a rather interesting city in Florida. Opa-Locka is located near Miami, and has a themed city plan that is based on “One Thousand and One Nights”. The city hall has a very Arabian look, and some examples of street names are Ali Baba Avenue and Sesame Street.

42. Reaganomics term SUPPLY-SIDE (giving “water supply” & “waterside”)
The theory of supply-side economics holds that economic growth is best-promoted by investing in capital, and by making it easy for goods and services to be delivered to potential customers. The idea is that consumers will respond to the ready availability of products and services at lower prices and will spend. In turn, suppliers reinvest in businesses, creating more jobs and more spending power.

The economic policies promoted by the Reagan administration in the eighties came to be known as “Reaganomics”. The policy had four main elements:

1. Reduction in the growth of government spending
2. Reduction in the rate of federal income tax and capital gains tax
3. Reduction in government regulation
4. Tightening of the money supply

44. __ Kan: Alpo rival KAL
The brand name “Whiskas” has been used for cat food since 1988, but the product itself has been made in McLean, Virginia since 1936. For decades it was sold under the name “Kal Kan”.

Alpo is a brand of dog food first produced by Allen Products in 1936, with "Alpo" being an abbreviation for "Allen Products". Lorne Greene used to push Alpo in television spots, as did Ed McMahon and Garfield the Cat, would you believe?

46. Fit as a fiddle and tough as nails SIMILES
Someone who is “as fit as a fiddle” is very fit, very well. When the idiom was coined around 1600, the phrase meant “suitable for purpose” as “fit” was more often used in that sense.

47. Primary entrance MAIN GATE (giving “water main” & “Watergate”)
The Watergate scandal is so named because it involved a break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. The Watergate complex is made up of five units, three of which are apartment buildings, one an office building, and one a hotel-office building (which housed the DNC headquarters).

52. Exams for would-be attys. LSATS
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) has been around since 1948.

53. Shore eagles ERNES
The ern (also erne) is also called the white-tailed eagle or sea-eagle.

56. Dick's wife, twice LIZ
Actress Elizabeth Taylor married eight times, to seven husbands. Those marriages were to:

- Conrad “Nicky” Hilton, the young hotel heir
- Michael Wilding, the English actor
- Mike Todd, the film and stage producer
- Eddie Fisher, the singer
- Richard Burton (twice), the Welsh actor
- John Warner, who went on to become a US Senator for Virginia
- Larry Fortensky, a construction worker whom Taylor met at the Betty Ford Clinic

58. __-Seltzer ALKA
Alka-Seltzer is a brand of fizzy antacid that has been marketed since 1931. In terms of ingredients, it is a mix of sodium bicarbonate, aspirin and anhydrous citric acid.

64. Conundrum POSER
“Conundrum” is a relatively new word, even though it sounds like Latin. It was coined in the late 16th century in Oxford University, England as slang, pseudo-Latin word meaning “pedant”. Somehow, this meaning evolved into “riddle, puzzle” in the late 18th century.

66. __ buco: veal dish OSSO
“Osso” is the Italian word for bone as in the name of the dish Osso Buco: braised veal shanks.

Down
4. Nice season? ETE
In French, the season of “été” (summer) starts in “juin” (June).

The French city of Nice is on the Mediterranean coast in the southeast of the country. Although Nice is only the fifth most populous city in France, it is home to the busiest airport outside of Paris. That’s because of all the tourists flocking to the French Riviera.

6. "Ta-ta"CIAO
"Ciao" is the Italian for "'bye". "Arrivederci" is more formal, and translates as "goodbye".

An Englishman might say "ta-ta" or "cheerio" instead of "goodbye". Well, supposedly so ...

8. Ferrell's "SNL" cheerleading partner OTERI
Cheri Oteri was the “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) cast member who regularly appeared with Will Ferrell in the skit featuring a pair of Spartan cheerleaders.

11. Onetime capital of French Indochina HANOI
Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam, and Saigon the capital of South Vietnam. After the Vietnam War, Hanoi was made capital of the reunified state. Saigon, the larger metropolis, was renamed to Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi is located in the delta of the Red River, and is just over 50 miles from the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea.

France possessed a group of colonies in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954 that was collectively referred to as French Indochina. The colonies included much of modern-day Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

18. Puppy WHELP
A whelp is a young dog, and also a young wolf, bear, lion, tiger and seal. The term has largely been replaced by “pup” or “puppy”.

22. Masters and Johnson subject SEX
William Masters and Virginia Johnson were two research partners famous for their investigation into human sexual response. The duo worked together from 1957 until the nineties at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

24. Agenda line ITEM
“Agenda” is a Latin word that translates as “things to be done”, coming from the verb “agere” meaning “to do”.

27. First lady after Lady Bird PAT
Pat Nixon was the First Lady of the US from 1969 to 1974. Nixon was born in Ely, Nevada and named Thelma Catherine Ryan. The future First Lady’s Irish father gave her the nickname “Pat” because she was born on March 16th, the day before St. Patrick’s Day.

President Lyndon Johnson’s wife Claudia Alta Taylor was named after her mother's brother Claud. Taylor’s more familiar name came from her childhood nurse Alice Tittle, who remarked that as a little baby Claudia was "purty as a ladybird". A ladybird is what we call a ladybug on the other side of the Atlantic. So, the moniker Lady Bird stuck with the future First Lady throughout her life.

28. Suntan lotion numbers, briefly SPFS
In theory, the sun protection factor (SPF) is a calibrated measure of the effectiveness of a sunscreen in protecting the skin from harmful UV rays. The idea is that if you wear a lotion with say SPF 20, then it takes 20 times as much UV radiation to cause the skin to burn than it would take without protection. I say just stay out of the sun ...

29. Baseball's Matty or Felipe ALOU
Matty Alou played major league baseball, as did his brothers Jesus and Felipe, and as did Felipe's son, Moises.

32. Droid download APP
The Droid is a smartphone from Motorola that is noted for running Google’s Android operating system.

36. Fr. holy women STES
“Sainte” (ste.) is French for “saint”, when referring to a female.

39. Places with rings and horses GYMS
Our word “gymnasium” comes from the Greek “gymnasion” meaning “public place where exercise is taken”. The Greek term comes from “gymnos” meaning "naked", as that physical training was usually done unclothed.

40. Massive land mass ASIA
Most of the world’s population lives in Asia (60%), and Asia is the largest continent in terms of landmass (30% of the world). Asia also has the highest population density (246 people per square mile), and the most populous city on the continent is Shanghai, China.

42. Gp. that kidnapped Patty Hearst SLA
The Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) was founded in 1973 by an escapee of the prison system, Donald DeFreeze. The group's manifesto promoted the rights of African Americans although, in the 2-3 year life of the group, DeFreeze was the only black member. Famously, the SLA kidnapped heiress Patty Hearst in 1974. Hearst apparently fell victim to what is called the Stockholm syndrome and became sympathetic to her captors’ cause. She joined the SLA and assumed the name “Tania”.

43. Big name in pharmaceuticals LILLY
Eli Lilly is the largest corporation in the state of Indiana. The founder Eli Lilly was a veteran of the Union Army in the Civil War, and a failed Mississippi plantation owner. Later in life he returned to his first profession and opened a pharmaceutical operation to manufacture drugs and sell them wholesale. Under Lilly's early guidance, the company was the first to create gelatin capsules to hold medicines and the first to use fruit flavoring in liquid medicines.

45. Top prosecutors: Abbr. AGS
Attorneys General (AGs) head up the Department of Justice (DOJ). When the office of the Attorney General was created in 1789 it was a part-time job, with no departmental support. The Department of Justice came into being in 1870.

47. Maryland's Fort __ MEADE
Fort George G. Meade is located near Odenton, Maryland and is most famous these days as the location of the headquarters of the National Security Agency (NSA).

48. "Over the Rainbow" composer Harold ARLEN
Harold Arlen is a composer of popular music who will forever be associated with his composition “Over the Rainbow” from the movie “The Wizard of Oz”. Arlen also composed the music to “Come Rain or Come Shine”, “It’s Only a Paper Moon”, “Lydia the Tattooed Lady” and the wonderful “Stormy Weather”.

"Over the Rainbow" is a classic song written especially for the 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz". It was sung by the young Judy Garland (Dorothy) in the film, and it was to become her signature song. There is an introductory verse that wasn't used in the movie, and is very rarely heard:

When all the world is a hopeless jumble
And the raindrops tumble all around,
Heaven opens a magic lane
When all the clouds darken up the skyway,
There's a rainbow highway to be found
Leading from your window pane
To a place behind the sun,
Just a step beyond the rain.

There is also a second chorus that was intended to be in the movie, but it ended up on the cutting room floor:

Someday I'll wake and rub my eyes
And in that land beyond the skies,
You'll find me
I'll be a laughing daffodil
And leave the silly cares that fill
My mind behind me.

50. DVR devices TIVOS
TiVo was introduced in 1999 and was the world's first commercially successful DVR (Digital Video Recorder).

55. Treat often split OREO
There’s an iPhone app featuring the Oreo cookie. It’s a game in which one twists Oreo cookies apart, “licks” the cream from the center and then dunks the remainder of the cookie in a glass of milk.

60. Typing meas. WPM
Words per minute (WPM)

61. __ polloi HOI
"Hoi polloi" is a Greek term, literally meaning "the majority, the many". In English, "hoi polloi" has come to mean "the masses" and is often used in a derogatory sense.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Pricey STEEP
6. Place for a chicken COOP
10. Herring prized for its roe SHAD
14. Use a lectern ORATE
15. A fan of INTO
16. Tortilla snack TACO
17. With 59-Across, words from a fictional mariner ... and a hint to both parts of 26-, 31-, 42- and 47-Across WATER, WATER, ...
19. Any minute now, to a bard ANON
20. Tampa-to-Jacksonville dir. NNE
21. Frosty coat HOAR
22. Fern-to-be SPORE
23. Criticize sneakily SNIPE
26. Oil conduit PIPELINE (giving “water pipe” & “waterline”)
28. Chef's tool SPATULA
30. Fire, or fire-fighting tool AXE
31. Electricity source POWER PLANT (giving “water power” & “water plant”)
34. Astronaut Grissom GUS
37. Incriminate with false evidence FRAME
38. __-Locka, Florida OPA
39. Emaciated GAUNT
41. Messy spot STY
42. Reaganomics term SUPPLY-SIDE (giving “water supply” & “waterside”)
44. __ Kan: Alpo rival KAL
46. Fit as a fiddle and tough as nails SIMILES
47. Primary entrance MAIN GATE (giving “water main” & “Watergate”)
52. Exams for would-be attys. LSATS
53. Shore eagles ERNES
54. Object of worship IDOL
56. Dick's wife, twice LIZ
58. __-Seltzer ALKA
59. See 17-Across … EVERY WHERE
62. Safe document DEED
63. Left GONE
64. Conundrum POSER
65. They may be split or tight ENDS
66. __ buco: veal dish OSSO
67. Make a mess of MISDO

Down
1. Seeded SOWN
2. Convey TRANSPORT
3. Completely eroded EATEN AWAY
4. Nice season? ETE
5. Part of 60-Down PER
6. "Ta-ta" CIAO
7. Coming up next ON TAP
8. Ferrell's "SNL" cheerleading partner OTERI
9. __ favor: Pedro's "please" POR
10. Paper clip alternative STAPLE
11. Onetime capital of French Indochina HANOI
12. Oak nut ACORN
13. Charity, say DONEE
18. Puppy WHELP
22. Masters and Johnson subject SEX
24. Agenda line ITEM
25. Partner of simple PURE
27. First lady after Lady Bird PAT
28. Suntan lotion numbers, briefly SPFS
29. Baseball's Matty or Felipe ALOU
32. Droid download APP
33. Snoozes NAPS
34. Free from blame GUILTLESS
35. Not wanted UNDESIRED
36. Fr. holy women STES
39. Places with rings and horses GYMS
40. Massive land mass ASIA
42. Gp. that kidnapped Patty Hearst SLA
43. Big name in pharmaceuticals LILLY
44. Works on, as dough KNEADS
45. Top prosecutors: Abbr. AGS
47. Maryland's Fort __ MEADE
48. "Over the Rainbow" composer Harold ARLEN
49. Signed in pen INKED
50. DVR devices TIVOS
51. Blissful places EDENS
55. Treat often split OREO
57. Nothing ZERO
59. __ trip EGO
60. Typing meas. WPM
61. __ polloi HOI


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Toddler coddlers MAMAS
The verb “to coddle”, meaning “to treat tenderly”, was actually coined in 1815 by Jane Austen in her novel “Emma”. At least, that is the first written record we have of the verb’s usage. John Knightley (younger brother of George Knightley) addresses his wife Isabella (elder sister of Emma Woodhouse) with the following words:

"My dear Isabella," exclaimed he, hastily, "pray do not concern yourself about my looks. Be satisfied with doctoring and coddling yourself and the children, and let me look as I chuse."

10. Port container CASK
The city of Oporto in Portugal gave its name to port wine in the late 1600s, as it was the seaport through which most of the region's fortified red wine was exported.

16. Eclipse, to some OMEN
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into the shadow cast by the earth from the light of the sun, in other words when the earth is positioned directly between the sun and the moon. The more spectacular solar eclipse takes place when moon passes in front of the sun, so that the earth falls into the shadow cast by the moon.

20. "Me too"DITTO
"Ditto" was originally used in Italian (from Tuscan dialect) to avoid repetition of the names of months in a series of dates. So, "ditto" is just another wonderful import from that lovely land ...

21. Sleeper's malady APNEA
Sleep apnea (“apnoea” in British English) can be caused by an obstruction in the airways, possibly due to obesity or enlarged tonsils.

22. Communications feature since the 1870s QWERTY KEYBOARD
There is an alternative to the annoying QWERTY keyboard layout. Dr. August Dvorak came up with a much simpler and more efficient layout in 1936. The Dvorak layout is supposed to allow faster typing rates and to reduce repetitive strain injuries.

28. El __ PASO
Although there have been human settlements in the El Paso area for thousands of years, the first European settlement was founded in 1659 by the Spanish. That first community was on the south bank of the Rio Grande, and was called El Paso del Norte (the North Pass). Most of the urban development under Spanish rule took place on the south side of the river, with El Paso del Norte acting as the center of governance for the Spanish for the territory of New Mexico. The Rio Grande was chosen as the border between Mexico and the US in 1848, so most of the city of El Paso del Norte became part of the Mexican state of Chihuahua (and is now called Ciudad Juarez). The area north of the river developed as a US military post, eventually becoming the modern city of El Paso, Texas.

34. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" duettist KIKI DEE
Kiki Dee is an English singer, best known for her hit duet with Elton John from 1976 called "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". Kiki Dee had the honor of being the first Caucasian singer to be signed by Motown.

37. WWII battle site, for short IWO
Iwo Jima is a volcanic island located south of Tokyo that today is uninhabited. The name is Japanese for “Sulfur Island”, referring to the sulfur mining on which Iwo Jima’s economy once depended. There were about a thousand Japanese civilians living on the island prior to WWII. In 1944, there was a massive influx of Japanese military personnel in anticipation of the inevitable US invasion. As the Japanese military moved in, the civilians were forced out and no one has lived there since.

40. Emailed a dupe to CCED
I wonder do the kids of today know that "cc" stands for carbon copy, and do they have any idea what a carbon copy was? Do you remember how messy carbon paper was to handle?

41. Research ctr. INST
Institute (inst.)

42. White of the eye SCLERA
The sclera is the white part of the eye. Usually the sclera is white, but in horses for example, it is black. Really, go check!

49. 1945 meeting site YALTA
The Yalta Conference was a wartime meeting between WWII leaders Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Held in February of 1945, the conference is most remembered for decisions made on the post-war organization of Europe. To a large extent, the three leaders made decisions carving up political influence around the world, decisions that have profound implications to this day.

50. Stern with a bow ISAAC
Isaac Stern was Ukrainian-born, but moved with his family to San Francisco at a very young age. He was a wonderful violin virtuoso who passed away in 2001.

52. Psychology subject ... and what's contained in this puzzle's circles INNER CHILD
The concept of the “wounded inner child” was popularized by the pop psychologist and author John Bradshaw. Bradshaw suggested that many issues in adulthood were due to unresolved childhood experiences.

57. Rapper with the debut album "Trouble"AKON
Akon is a Senegalese American R&B and hip hop singer, who was born in St. Louis but lived much of his early life in Senegal. Akon is a stage name, and his real name is Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Bongo Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam. Got that?

58. Porch torch type TIKI
A tiki torch is a bamboo torch that's very commonly used in Tiki culture. Tiki culture is a relatively modern invention dating from the 20th century, and is the experience created in Polynesian-style restaurants. The word "Tiki" is borrowed from Polynesia.

59. Sun: Pref. HELIO-
Helios was the god of the Sun in Greek mythology. Helios was the brother of Selene, the goddess of the moon, and Eos, the goddess of the dawn. Helios drove his chariot of the sun across the sky during the day, returning to the East at night be travelling through the ocean.

61. Right on an atlas EAST
The famous Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his first collection of maps in 1578. Mercator's collection contained a frontispiece with an image of Atlas the Titan from Greek mythology holding up the world on his shoulders. That image gave us our term "atlas".

Down
3. Hood, for one: Abbr. MTN
Mount Hood is a volcanic peak in northern Oregon. Mount Hood is the highest peak in the state, and is located about 50 miles southeast of Portland. There are six ski areas on the mountain, including a resort called Timberline that has North America’s only lift operating year-round for skiing.

4. Like Radio City Music Hall ART DECO
New York City’s Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center opened for business in 1932. Originally to be named International Music Hall, the current name was chosen in honor of the Radio Corporation of America, which was one of Rockefeller Center’s first tenants.

5. "The Daily Show" device SATIRE
“The Daily Show" is a satirical news program on the Comedy Central that first aired in 1996. The show was presented by Craig Kilborn from 1996 until 1998, and then very successfully by Jon Stewart from 1999 until 2015. Trevor Noah has been hosting the show since Jon Stewart left.

9. Case, for instance: Abbr. SYN
“Case” is a synonym for “instance”.

10. Ranch hand COWPOKE
Cowpoke is a term used nowadays for any cowboy, but it was originally limited to the cowboys who prodded cattle onto railroad cars using long poles.

11. Its website has a range finder AMANA
The Amana Corporation takes its name from the location of its original headquarters, in Middle Amana, Iowa.

13. Prep, at a pizza parlor KNEAD
Pizza was invented in Naples where it has a long tradition that goes back to Ancient Rome. During an 1889 visit to Naples, Queen Margherita of Savoy was served a special pizza that was created with toppings designed to mimic the colors of the Italian flag. The ingredients of tomato (red), mozzarella (white) and basil (green) can still be found together on menus today on a pie usually named Pizza Margherita after the queen. I do love basil on my pizza ...

18. Mel and Ed with World Series rings OTTS
At 5' 9", Mel Ott weighed just 170 lb (I don't think he took steroids!) and yet he was the first National League player to hit over 500 home runs. Sadly, Ott died in a car accident in New Orleans in 1958 when he was only 49 years old.

Ed Ott is a retired baseball catcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the California Angels of the Major Leagues. Ed Ott is no relation to the more famous Mel Ott.

24. Plains "Queen Wheat City"ENID
Enid, Oklahoma takes its name from the old railroad station around which the city developed. Back in 1889, that train stop was called Skeleton Station. An official who didn't like the name changed it to Enid Station, using a character from Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Idylls of the King". Maybe if he hadn't changed the name, the city of Enid would now be called Skeleton, Oklahoma! Enid has the nickname "Queen Wheat City" because is has a huge capacity for storing grain, the third largest grain storage capacity in the world.

25. Days long gone YORE
We use the word “yore” to mean “time long past” as in “the days of yore”. “Yore” comes from the Old English words for “of years”.

26. Photo file format JPEG
The JPEG file format was created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), hence the name.

31. Dance provocatively TWERK
Twerking is a dancing move in which a woman (usually) shakes her hips up and down causing a lot of “wobbling”. It’s possible that “twerk” is a portmanteau of “twist” and “jerk”. The term may have been coined back in the early 2000s with the song “Whistle While You Twurk” released by the Ying Yang Twins. Twerking became a real phenomenon in 2013 when Miley Cyrus posted a video of herself twerking in a unicorn suit to the 2011 song “Wop” by J. Dash. That video went viral on YouTube, amassing over 4 million views in no time at all.

36. Pop's Perry KATY
Katy Perry is an American singer who grew up listening to and singing gospel music, as she was the daughter of two Christian pastors. In fact, her first musical release was a gospel album in 2001. She has branched out since then. Her first successful single was "Ur so Gay", followed by "I Kissed A Girl". She was married (only for a year) to the British comedian Russell Brand, until 2012.

39. Things on strings MITTENS
Yep, when I was a toddler my mother used to sew a string to connect each of my mittens so that I wouldn’t lose them. The string went up one sleeve, across the back, and down the other sleeve.

40. Played-out sayings CLICHES
“Cliché” is a word that comes from the world of printing. In the days when type was added as individual letters into a printing plate, for efficiency some oft-used phrases and words were created as one single slug of metal. The word “cliché” was used for such a grouping of letters. It’s easy to see how the same word would become a term to describe any overused phrase. Supposedly, “cliché” comes from French, from the verb “clicher” meaning “to click”. The idea is that when a matrix of letters was dropped in molten metal to make a cliché, it made a clicking sound.

43. Ballroom dance CHA-CHA
The cha-cha-cha (often simplified to “cha-cha”) is a Latin dance with origins in Cuba, where it was introduced by composer Enrique Jorrin in 1953.

44. Longtime Rolling Stones bassist Bill WYMAN
Bill Wyman was one of the first members of the Rolling Stones, joining in 1962 and staying with the band until 1992. Wyman is multi-talented. As well as having played bass guitar with the Stones, he is a very talented photographer whose work has been shown in many galleries around the world. He is also an amateur archaeologist, and markets his own design of metal detector for the amateur relic hunter.

45. 17-syllable work HAIKU
A haiku is a very elegant form of Japanese verse. When writing a haiku in English we tend to impose the rule that the verse must contain 17 syllables. This restriction comes from the rule in Japanese that the verse must contain 17 sound units called "moras", but moras and syllables aren't the same thing. What the difference is though, is not so clear to me. Here’s an example of a Haiku:

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator

53. Actress Peeples NIA
Actress Nia Peeples played the character Nicole Chapman in the TV series "Fame".

56. Financial measure, with "the"DOW
Dow Jones & Company was founded as a publishing house in 1882 by three newspaper reporters, Charles Dow, Edward Jones and Charles Bergstresser. Today, the company's most famous publication has to be "The Wall Street Journal". In 1884, Charles Dow started reporting the average dollar value of the stock of eleven companies, an index which spawned a whole host of metrics that carry the Dow Jones name to this day, including the renowned Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), also known as the “Dow 30”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Toddler coddlers MAMAS
6. Office stock PENS
10. Port container CASK
14. What's made "just in case" EXTRA
15. Follow OBEY
16. Eclipse, to some OMEN
17. Overindulged oneself WENT TO TOWN
19. It may sweep you off your feet WAVE
20. "Me too" DITTO
21. Sleeper's malady APNEA
22. Communications feature since the 1870s QWERTY KEYBOARD
26. Breakfast choices JUICES
27. Spot for breakfast NOOK
28. El __ PASO
29. They're usually covered by grilles AIR VENTS
33. __ out a living EKE
34. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" duettist KIKI DEE
37. WWII battle site, for short IWO
38. Just beginning to develop GERMINAL
40. Emailed a dupe to CCED
41. Research ctr. INST
42. White of the eye SCLERA
44. "Looks pretty good, huh?" WHAT DO YOU THINK?
49. 1945 meeting site YALTA
50. Stern with a bow ISAAC
51. __ marker MILE
52. Psychology subject ... and what's contained in this puzzle's circles INNER CHILD
57. Rapper with the debut album "Trouble" AKON
58. Porch torch type TIKI
59. Sun: Pref. HELIO-
60. Common allergen NUTS
61. Right on an atlas EAST
62. A bit off ASKEW

Down
1. Litter attention-getter MEW
2. Hefted tool AXE
3. Hood, for one: Abbr. MTN
4. Like Radio City Music Hall ART DECO
5. "The Daily Show" device SATIRE
6. Where wee ones go POTTY
7. Waiting room read E-BOOK
8. Just out NEW
9. Case, for instance: Abbr. SYN
10. Ranch hand COWPOKE
11. Its website has a range finder AMANA
12. Divide into parts SEVER
13. Prep, at a pizza parlor KNEAD
18. Mel and Ed with World Series rings OTTS
21. Not subject to, as suspicion ABOVE
22. Fault product QUAKE
23. More learned WISER
24. Plains "Queen Wheat City" ENID
25. Days long gone YORE
26. Photo file format JPEG
29. Feel poorly AIL
30. Tidy (up), facetiously NICEN
31. Dance provocatively TWERK
32. Pop SODA
34. Cousin of "-ish" KINDA
35. __ many words IN SO
36. Pop's Perry KATY
39. Things on strings MITTENS
40. Played-out sayings CLICHES
42. Ratings unit STAR
43. Ballroom dance CHA-CHA
44. Longtime Rolling Stones bassist Bill WYMAN
45. 17-syllable work HAIKU
46. Divvy up ALLOT
47. Down and dirty noises OINKS
48. "Can you __ in a sentence?" USE IT
52. Relative of "-ian" -ITE
53. Actress Peeples NIA
54. Kind ILK
55. One of a rat's pack? LIE
56. Financial measure, with "the" DOW


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Light source BIC
Société Bic is a French company, based in Clichy in France. The first product the company produced, more than fifty years ago, was the Bic Cristal ballpoint pen that is still produced today. Bic also makes other disposable products such as lighters and razors.

4. Sea bordering Uzbekistan ARAL
The Aral Sea is a great example of how man can have a devastating effect on his environment. In the early sixties the Aral Sea covered 68,000 square miles of Central Asia. Soviet Union irrigation projects drained the lake to such an extent that today the total area is less than 7,000 square miles, with 90% of the lake now completely dry. Sad ...

The Republic of Uzbekistan is a former Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR). Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, and is in fact surrounded by countries which are also landlocked. This means that to reach a coastline from Uzbekistan, you have to cross at least two international borders. There are only two “doubly landlocked” countries in the world: Uzbekistan in Central Asia, and Liechtenstein in Central Europe.

8. Online money source E-LOAN
E-Loan used to be based just down the road from me in the San Francisco Bay Area, but after takeover by a Rosemont, Illinois company it was moved to the parent's headquarters. E-Loan was founded in 1997 to provide customers access to mortgages over the Internet.

13. Prepare for a snap LOAD
Back in the day, one had to load a camera before taking a snap (photo).

15. "Sons and Lovers" author DH LAWRENCE
D. H. Lawrence was very much a reactionary novelist, in the sense that his work tended to decry the social impact of the industrial revolution. His novels were also criticized for their erotic content, so much so that Lawrence was publicly labelled as a pornographer by the end of his days. His most famous novels are “Sons and Lovers”, “The Rainbow”, “Women in Love” and “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”.

19. Tuscan hill city SIENA
Siena is a beautiful city in the Tuscany region of Italy. In the center of Siena is the magnificent medieval square called Piazza del Campo, a paved sloping open area made up of nine triangular sections. The square has to be seen to be believed. Twice a year, the famous bareback horse-race called the Palio di Siena is held in the Piazza.

22. Gulf Coast resort city SARASOTA
Sarasota is a city on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The area was noted on maps in the mid-1700s as “Zara Zote”, perhaps a local name. The name became “Sara Sota” when European settlers arrives in the late 1840s, and finally “Sarasota” in 1902.

24. Like sriracha sauce HOT
Sriracha hot chile sauce is named for the coastal city of Si Racha in eastern Thailand, where the recipe likely originated. Here in North America, we are most familiar with the Sriracha sold in a red bottle with a green that is made by Huy Fong Foods in the city of Irwindale, California. The manufacturer was founded by Vietnamese refugee David Tran, who escaped from Vietnam in 1978 on a Taiwanese freighter called the Huey Fong, after which he named his new company.

27. Colorful cover-ups SERAPES
"Serape" is the English pronunciation and spelling of the Spanish word "zarape". A zarape is like a Mexican poncho, a soft woolen blanket with a hole in the middle for the head. Most serapes have colorful designs that use traditional Mayan motifs.

36. Popular truck brand RAM
Chrysler put ram hood ornaments on all of its Dodge branded vehicles starting in 1933. When the first line of Dodge trucks and vans were introduced in 1981, they were named “Rams” in honor of that hood ornament.

38. Heat MIAMI HOOPSTERS
The Miami Heat basketball team debuted in the NBA in the 1988-89 season. The franchise name was chosen in a competitive survey, with “Miami Heat” beating out “Miami Vice”.

46. PETA concern FUR
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a very large animal rights organization, with 300 employees and two million members and supporters worldwide. Although the group campaigns for animal rights across a broad spectrum of issues, it has a stated focus in opposition of four practices:

- factory farming
- fur farming
- animal testing
- use of animals in entertainment

47. Turn right GEE
"Haw!" is a command given to a trained animal that is hauling something (like a horse or an ox). "Haw!" is used to instruct the animal to turn to the left. The equivalent command for a right turn is "Gee!" Just to confuse things, the same commands are used in the British Isles but with the opposite meanings. That must be pretty unsettling for jet-setting plow horses ...

53. Egg on SPUR
The verb "edge" has been used to mean to incite, to urge on, from the 16th century. Somewhere along the way "edge" was mistakenly replaced with "egg", giving us our term "to egg on" meaning “to goad”.

56. L, vis-à-vis C HALF
In Roman numerals, L (50) is a half of C (100).

We can use the French phrase “vis-à-vis” as a preposition meaning “compared with”. When used as an adverb or adjective, it means “face to face”, which is a more literal translation from French.

59. Heat HABANERO FEATURE
The habanero chili has a very intense flavor. Interestingly, the correct spelling of the chili’s name is “habanero”, although in English we often try to be clever and add a tilde making it “habañero”, which isn’t right at all …

63. Fries, e.g. SIDE
“French fries” are called “chips” back in the British Isles where I grew up. In France, they’re called “pommes frites” (meaning “fried potatoes”).

64. Medicare card specification PART A
Medicare is divided into four parts:

A: Hospital Insurance
B: Medical Insurance
C: Medicare Advantage Plans
D: Prescription Drug Plans

65. Fabulous runner-up HARE
"The Tortoise and the Hare" is perhaps the most famous fable attributed to Aesop. The cocky hare takes a nap during a race against the tortoise, and the tortoise sneaks past the finish line for the win while his speedier friend is sleeping.

We use the word “fabulous” these days mainly to describe something incredible, almost impossible to believe. The term can also mean “told about in fables”.

66. Talk trash to DIS
“Dis” is a slang term meaning “insult” that originated in the eighties. It is a shortened form of "disrespect” or "dismiss".

Down
2. Region that rebelled against Persia in about 500 B.C. IONIA
The geographic region called Ionia is located in present day Turkey. Ionia was prominent in the days of Ancient Greece although it wasn't a unified state, but rather a collection of tribes. The tribal confederacy was more based on religious and cultural similarities than a political or military alliance. Nowadays we often refer to this arrangement as the Ionian League.

4. Hulu distractions ADS
Hulu.com is a website providing streaming video of full television shows. It is a joint venture of NBC and Disney, and so features a lot of their content. The service is free and is supported by advertising, but you can sign up for a premium subscription and get access to more shows. A lot of younger folks seem to use Hulu quite often ...

5. Butler in a classic film RHETT
In Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone with the Wind”, when Rhett Butler finally walks out on Scarlett O’Hara he utters the words “My dear, I don’t give a damn”. Most of us are more familiar with the slightly different words spoken by Clark Gable in the film adaption of the story: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

6. Greek leader ALPHA
The Greek alphabet starts off with the letters alpha, beta, gamma …

7. Logan of "60 Minutes"LARA
Lara Logan is a South African newswoman, and is currently the Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent for CBS News. CBS placed Logan on a forced leave of absence at the end of 2013 for comments that she made about the US Government's culpability in the Benghazi attack and for inaccuracies in her reporting of the story.

The marvelous news magazine program "60 Minutes" has been on the air since 1968. The show is unique among all other regularly-scheduled shows in that it has never used theme music. There is just the ticking of that Aristo stopwatch.

8. EMS destinations ERS
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) usually head for the emergency room (ER).

9. Advertised advantage of some lights LESS TAR
The partially combusted particulate matter that is produced as a cigarette burns forms a resinous material called “tar”. Cigarette tar is different than the tar used on roads, but is very toxic. Marijuana smoke produces a very similar tar to cigarette smoke, and is just as dangerous.

10. "Get __": 1967 Esquires hit ON UP
The Esquires were an R&B band from Milwaukee that formed in 1957. The band’s biggest hit was “Get on Up”, released in 1967.

11. Amount to plow ACRE
At one time, an acre was defined as the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plow in a day. This was more precisely defined as a strip of land “one furrow long” (i.e. one furlong) and one furlong wide. The length of one furlong was equal to 10 chains, or 40 rods. A area of one furlong times 10 rods was one rood.

14. "You're welcome," in Havana DE NADA
"Nada" is the Spanish word for "nothing". "De nada" translates literally from the Spanish as "of nothing", and is used to mean "you're welcome" or "don't mention it". The French have the same expression "de rien", also translating to "of nothing" and used the same way.

Havana is the capital city of Cuba. The city was founded by the Spanish in the early 1500s after which it became a strategic location for Spain’s exploration and conquest of the Americas. In particular, Havana was used as a stopping-off point for treasure-laden ships on the return journey to Spain.

16. Anger simile WET HEN
Someone described as “mad as a wet hen” is “very angry”.

18. Like Willie Nelson's voice NASAL
Country singer, actor and activist Willie Nelson was born during the Great Depression in Abbott, Texas. He wrote his first song at the age of seven and joined his first band at the age of ten, and he is still going strong. Nelson has a ranch in Texas but now spends most of his time in Maui, where he lives in a largely self-sustaining community alongside neighbors such as Kris Kristofferson, Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson.

23. Kabuki accessory OBI
The sash worn as part of traditional Japanese dress is known as an obi. The obi can be tied in what is called a butterfly knot.

Kabuki is a Japanese form of theater involving dance and drama. In the original Kabuki theater, both male and female parts were played by women. In contrast, the Noh dramas have the male and female parts played by men.

25. URL ender ORG
The .org domain was one of the six original generic top-level domains specified. The complete original list is:

- .com (commercial enterprise)
- .net (entity involved in network infrastructure e.g. an ISP)
- .mil (US military)
- .org (not-for-profit organization)
- .gov (US federal government entity)
- .edu (college-level educational institution)

27. Easy mark SIMP
"Simp" is slang for a simple or foolish person. Not nice ...

28. Host after Allen PAAR
Jack Paar was most famous as the host of “The Tonight Show”, from 1957 to 1962. When he died in 2004, “Time” magazine wrote that Paar was “the fellow who split talk show history into two eras: “Before Paar and Below Paar”. Very complimentary …

Steve Allen was a television personality who always seemed to be on air in the fifties, sixties and seventies. Famously, Allen was the original host of “The Tonight Show”. He also played a little piano and composed over 10,000 songs, perhaps more than anyone in history. His best known song is probably “This Could Be the Start of Something Big”.

29. Med. tests using leads ECGS
An EKG measures electrical activity in the heart. Back in my homeland of Ireland, an EKG is known as an ECG (for electrocardiogram). We use the German name in the US, Elektrokardiogramm, giving us EKG. Apparently the abbreviation EKG is preferred as ECG might be confused (if poorly handwritten, I guess) with EEG, the abbreviation for an electroencephalogram.

32. 1,509-mile border river URAL
The Ural River rises in the Ural Mountains in Russia and flows for half its length through Russian territory until it crosses the border into Kazakhstan, finally emptying into the Caspian Sea.

34. 2011 NBA retiree YAO
Yao Ming is a retired professional basketball player from Shanghai who played for the Houston Rockets. At 7'6", Yao was the tallest man playing in the NBA.

35. Divs. on some rulers CMS
Centimeters (cms.)

39. "The Grapes of Wrath" character MIGRANT
John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” is set during the Great Depression. The novel tells the story of the Joad family from Oklahoma, farmers who had to leave their home and head for California due to economic hardship.

40. Make sure of ICE
“To ice” is a slang term meaning “to secure a victory”.

42. Bay Area travel letters SFO
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) serves as the main base of operations for Virgin America (recently sold to Alaska Airlines), and is also the maintenance hub for United Airlines. SFO was the site of a 2013 crash of an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 that resulted in three fatalities.

43. Home of the WNBA's Shock TULSA
The Shock were the professional WNBA team based in Tulsa from 2010 to 2015. The team was founded as the Detroit Shock in 1998, and became the Dallas Wings after leaving Tulsa in 2016.

48. Botanist's field FLORA
The fauna is the animal life of a particular region, and the flora is that region’s plant life. The term “fauna” comes from the Roman goddess of earth and fertility who was called Fauna. Flora was the Roman goddess of plants, flowers and fertility.

50. Old Celtic religious leader DRUID
Druids were priests of Celtic Europe during the Iron Age.

51. Column in un calendrier MARDI
In French, one of the columns in “un calendrier” (a calendar) is “mardi” (Tuesday).

54. Hemingway sobriquet PAPA
Apparently, the author Ernest Hemingway picked up the moniker “Papa” on the birth of his first child (as one might expect!). Hemingway seemed to the like the nickname, and welcomed its use outside of the family, and his admirers obliged.

55. Cab company competitor UBER
Uber is a ridesharing service that was founded in 2009 and is based in San Francisco. The service is somewhat controversial and has been described as an illegal taxicab operation. Central to Uber’s service is the company’s mobile app, which can use the client’s GPS location to help find the nearest available ride. Personally, I love the service and only have had good experiences ...

57. Image on Missouri's state quarter ARCH
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest monument in the United States. It was designed by Eero Saarinen, with the help of structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel. They did their design work back in 1947, but construction wasn't started until 1963. In 1980, a daredevil took it upon himself to parachute onto the top of the arch, intending to further jump from the apex of the arch and parachute to the ground. He hit the arch alright, and slid all the way down one of the arches to his death. No comment ...

The American quarter is a little unusual in the world of decimal currency if you think about it. Most currencies have a "20-cent" coin, easier to work with mathematically. The US went for the quarter in deference to the practice of dividing Spanish Milled Dollars into eight wedge-shaped "bits". That's also why the quarter is sometimes referred to as "two bits". State quarters were introduced in 1999, but prior to that the quarter had an eagle on its reverse.

60. "Citizenfour" org. NSA
“Citizenfour” is a 2014 documentary about Edward Snowden and his leaking of classified NSA information. Much of the film consists of footage that director Laura Poitras shot while interviewing Snowden in a hotel room in Hong Kong before the story broke.

61. Saison in Provence ETE
In French, “été” (summer) is “la saison chaude” (the warm season).

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Light source BIC
4. Sea bordering Uzbekistan ARAL
8. Online money source E-LOAN
13. Prepare for a snap LOAD
15. "Sons and Lovers" author DH LAWRENCE
17. Heat INTENSE PRESSURE
19. Tuscan hill city SIENA
20. "__ does it!" THAT
21. Zipped SPED
22. Gulf Coast resort city SARASOTA
24. Like sriracha sauce HOT
26. Smidgen DAB
27. Colorful cover-ups SERAPES
31. Heat QUALIFYING RACE
35. Alley wanderer CUR
36. Popular truck brand RAM
37. Important time AGE
38. Heat MIAMI HOOPSTERS
45. Unites, in a way SPLICES
46. PETA concern FUR
47. Turn right GEE
48. "No, really?" FOOLED ME
53. Egg on SPUR
56. L, vis-à-vis C HALF
58. Junkyard material SCRAP
59. Heat HABANERO FEATURE
62. It's thinly disguised OPEN SECRET
63. Fries, e.g. SIDE
64. Medicare card specification PART A
65. Fabulous runner-up HARE
66. Talk trash to DIS

Down
1. Euphoria BLISS
2. Region that rebelled against Persia in about 500 B.C. IONIA
3. Work at weddings CATER
4. Hulu distractions ADS
5. Butler in a classic film RHETT
6. Greek leader ALPHA
7. Logan of "60 Minutes" LARA
8. EMS destinations ERS
9. Advertised advantage of some lights LESS TAR
10. "Get __": 1967 Esquires hit ON UP
11. Amount to plow ACRE
12. Cry out for NEED
14. "You're welcome," in Havana DE NADA
16. Anger simile WET HEN
18. Like Willie Nelson's voice NASAL
23. Kabuki accessory OBI
25. URL ender ORG
27. Easy mark SIMP
28. Host after Allen PAAR
29. Med. tests using leads ECGS
30. "Now do you believe me?" SEE?
31. Wit's end? QUIP
32. 1,509-mile border river URAL
33. Big dos FROS
34. 2011 NBA retiree YAO
35. Divs. on some rulers CMS
39. "The Grapes of Wrath" character MIGRANT
40. Make sure of ICE
41. Titter HEE-HEE
42. Bay Area travel letters SFO
43. Home of the WNBA's Shock TULSA
44. Puts up ERECTS
48. Botanist's field FLORA
49. Proposal OFFER
50. Old Celtic religious leader DRUID
51. Column in un calendrier MARDI
52. Fencing swords EPEES
53. Hunt for bargains SHOP
54. Hemingway sobriquet PAPA
55. Cab company competitor UBER
57. Image on Missouri's state quarter ARCH
60. "Citizenfour" org. NSA
61. Saison in Provence ETE


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
16. Lovelace whom many consider the first computer programmer ADA
Ada Lovelace’s real name was Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace. She was the only legitimate child of Lord Byron, the poet. Lovelace was fascinated by mathematics and wrote about the work done by Charles Babbage in building his groundbreaking mechanical computer. In some of her notes, she proposed an algorithm for Babbage’s machine to compute Bernoulli numbers. This algorithm is recognized by many as the world’s first computer program and so Lovelace is sometimes called the first “computer programmer”. There is a computer language called “Ada” that was named in her honor. The Ada language was developed from 1977 to 1983 for the US Department of Defense.

18. Solo on-screen HAN
Han Solo is the space smuggler in "Star Wars" played by Harrison Ford. Ford was originally hired by George Lucas just to read lines for actors during auditions for "Star Wars", but over time Lucas became convinced that Ford was right for the pivotal role of Han Solo.

20. Milky Way source MARS
Having lived on both sides of the Atlantic, I find the Mars Bar to be the most perplexing of candies! The original Mars Bar is a British confection (and delicious) first manufactured in 1932. The US version of the original Mars Bar is called a Milky Way. But there is candy bar called a Milky Way that is also produced in the UK, and it is completely different to its US cousin, being more like an American "3 Musketeers". And then there is an American confection called a Mars Bar, something different again. No wonder I gave up eating candy bars ...

23. Tablet container ARK
According to the Book of Exodus, the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments are inscribed were placed in a chest called the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was built according to instructions given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.

24. Coral Triangle tourist destination BALI
The geographic term “Coral Triangle” refers to a large marine area in the western Pacific Ocean. Included in the region are the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands.

26. Down a lot TOPE
"To tope" is to drink alcohol excessively and habitually.

30. Robot starter NANO-
Nanorobots (also “nanobots”) are tiny devices that range from 0.1 to 10 micrometers in size. The technology of nanorobotics is in its infancy, but it is hoped that nanobots might be used (for example) in medicine one day. The oft-cited application is the use of nanobots inserted inside the body to identify and destroy cancer cells.

38. Icy Hot competitor BENGAY
Bengay is sold as a painkilling heat rub, to relieve aching muscles. It was developed in France by a Dr. Jules Bengue (hence the name) and was first sold in America way back in 1898.

Icy Hot is a topical heat rub that is used to relieve muscular discomfort and pain from arthritis and rheumatism. The active ingredient doesn’t provide any heat or cold, but it does stimulate nerve receptors in the skin causing the user to experience a cool sensation followed by warmth.

41. Sushi bar delicacy ROE
Sushi is a Japanese dish that has as its primary ingredient cooked, vinegared rice. The rice is usually topped with something, most often fish, and can be served in seaweed rolls. If you want raw fish by itself, then you have to order "sashimi".

43. Slam offering POEM
A poetry slam is a competition in which poets read their own work (usually), with winners being chosen by members of audience. Apparently the first poetry slam took place in Chicago in 1984. Now there is a Nation Poetry Slam that takes place each year, with representatives from the US, Canada and France.

45. Org. that monitors plants OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970 during the Nixon administration. OSHA regulates workplaces in the private sector and regulates just one government agency, namely the US Postal Service.

48. Nervous person? NELLIE
A nervous Nellie is someone easily upset and hesitant to act. The term comes from "Old Nell", a name often used for a nag. “Nervous Nellie” was originally used to describe a highly-strung racehorse.

52. AIDS-fighting drug AZT
AZT is the abbreviated name for the drug azidothymidine, much used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. AZT was originally developed in the seventies as a potential treatment for retroviruses (cancer-causing viruses), although it was never approved for use in treatment. In 1984, it was confirmed that AIDS was caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), so scientists turned to known antiviral drugs in the search for a viable treatment. Burroughs-Wellcome came up with a treatment regime using AZT, and filed a patent in 1985. The patent was challenged in court but the patent expired anyway in 2005 without any decision being made. There are now at least four generic forms of AZT approved for sale in the US.

54. Rough stuff TWEED
Tweed is a rough woolen fabric very much associated with Scotland in the UK, and County Donegal in Ireland. The cloth was originally called “tweel”, the Scots word for “twill”. Apparently a London merchant misinterpreted some handwriting in the early 1800s and assumed the fabric was called “tweed”, a reference to the Scottish River Tweed, and the name stuck …

55. Low-cost pub ZINE
Fanboys (and fangirls) are fans, but fans of a very specific subject in a particular field. So, someone might be a fan of home computing, but an Intel fanboy would have an enthusiasm for CPUs made by Intel. A fanzine (also “zine”) is a fan publication with a very limited circulation, dealing with a very specific subject matter. Fanzines are usually desktop published and distributed electronically or as photocopies.

56. "__ bien"ESTA
“Este bien” is Spanish for “it’s okay”.

57. Storage unit? BIT
In the world of computers, a "bit" is the basic unit of information. It has a value of 0 or 1. A "byte" is a small collection of bits (usually 8), the number of bits needed to uniquely identify a character of text. The prefix mega- stands for 10 to the power of 6, so a megabyte (meg) is 1,000,000 bytes. And the prefix giga- means 10 to the power of 9, so a gigabyte (gig) is 1,000,000,000 bytes. Well, those are the SI definitions of megabyte and kilobyte. The purists still use 2 to the power of 20 for a megabyte (i.e. 1,048,576), and 2 to the power of 30 for a gigabyte.

58. Vaping devices E-CIGARETTES
An electronic cigarette (also called an “e-cigarette”) is a battery-powered device that resembles a real cigarette. The e-cigarette vaporizes a solution that contains nicotine, forming a vapor that resembles smoke. The vapor is inhaled, delivering the nicotine into the body. The assumption is that an e-cigarette is healthier than a regular cigarette as the inhaled vapor is less harmful than inhaled smoke. But, that may not be so ...

61. "Wheel of Fortune" purchase AN I
Contestants have been spinning the “Wheel of Fortune” since the game show first aired in 1975.

63. Mo. for which tanzanite is a birthstone DEC
Here is the "official" list of birthstones by month, that we tend to use today:

January: Garnet
February: Amethyst
March: Bloodstone or Aquamarine
April: Diamond
May: Emerald
June: Pearl or Moonstone
July: Ruby
August: Sardonyx or Peridot
September: Sapphire or Lapis Lazuli
October: Opal or Pink Tourmaline
November: Topaz or Citrine
December: Turquoise or Zircon (also now, Tanzanite)

64. Comics-derived danger alert SPIDEY SENSE
“Spidey sense” is a phrase used to describe one’s intuition or instinct, especially when sensing something that might be dangerous. The term arises from the comic book hero Spider-Man’s ability to sense danger before others.

Down
1. Yoga variety HATHA
Hatha yoga is a yoga system developed in 15th century India. Traditional Hatha yoga is a more “complete” practice than often encountered in the west, involving not just exercise but also meditation and relaxation.

3. Well-lit? STINKO
To be “stewed” or “lit” is to be drunk.

6. Certain queen's domain DRAMA
That would a “drama queen” …

7. Steamed cantina food TAMALE
A tamale is a traditional dish from Central America composed of a starchy dough that is steamed or boiled in a wrapper made from a corn husk or banana leaf. The dough is called masa, and can include many different ingredients including meat, cheese fruit and vegetables.

9. Ink deliverers NIBS
"Nib" is a Scottish variant of the Old English word "neb", with both meaning the beak of a bird. This usage of "nib" as a beak dates back to the 14th century, with "nib" meaning the tip of a pen or quill coming a little later, in the early 1600s.

10. WWII arena ETO
European Theater of Operations (ETO)

11. Basil's wife on "Fawlty Towers"SYBIL
"Fawlty Towers" might just be the world's greatest sitcom, popular on both sides of the Atlantic. It was written by, and starred, John Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth. There were two series, one broadcast in 1975, and the other in 1979. There have been three attempts to remake the series in the US, one of which starred John Larroquette as Basil Fawlty, but none of the remakes worked at all.

12. Buddhism branch MAHAYANA
The Buddhist tradition has two major branches. The Theravada is “the School of the Elders”, and the Mahayana is “the Great Vehicle”. The Theravada is the older of the two schools, whereas the Mahayana split from the Theravada around the 1st century CE.

14. Mystery woman JANE DOE
Although the English court system does not use the term today, “John Doe” first appeared as the "name of a person unknown" in England in 1659, along with another unknown, Richard Roe. The female equivalent of John Doe is Jane Doe, with the equivalent to Richard Roe being Jane Roe (as in Roe v. Wade, for example).

24. Where an engineer may retire BERTH
An engineer on a train or a ship might retire to a berth for a nap or a good night's sleep.

27. Artery problem POTHOLE
A main road can be described as an “artery”.

34. Arrogant sort SNOOT
"Snoot" is a variant of "snout" and is a word that originated in Scotland. The idea is that someone who is “snooty”, or snouty, tends to look down his or her nose at the rest of the world.

36. Team member in "Moneyball"ATHLETIC
Michael Lewis wrote his book “Moneyball” about the way Billy Beane built up the Oakland Athletics baseball team by bringing on board players who were “undervalued”, getting the maximum benefit from his limited payroll budget. I must admit I know nothing about baseball, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Moneyball”, as well as the film adaptation with Brad Pitt playing Beane.

37. "Eldorado" group ELO
ELO of course stands for the Electric Light Orchestra, a symphonic rock group from the north of England. ELO’s manager was Don Arden, father of Sharon Osbourne (wife of Ozzy).

40. Part-human mythological creature DEMIGOD
In Greek mythology, a demigod was a half-god, the offspring of one parent who was a god and one parent who was human. The list of demigods includes the Greek Heracles and the Celtic hero Cú Chulainn.

47. Ancient cacao bean traders AZTECS
The flowers of the cacao tree grow in clusters directly on the trunk, and on older branches. The pollinated flowers turn into ovoid cacao pods, each of which contain 20-60 seeds or beans. The seeds are used as the main ingredient in chocolate.

49. TED talk subjects IDEAS
The acronym TED stands for Technology Entertainment and Design. TED is a set of conferences held around the world by a non-profit group called the Sapling Foundation. The conference subjects are varied, and the meetings are often led by big names such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Gates and Jane Goodall. The Sapling Foundation then makes recordings of the conferences available for free online with the intent of disseminating the ideas globally. These conferences are known as “TED Talks”.

51. Encyclopedia Brown's first name LEROY
The “Encyclopedia Brown” series of children’s books feature the exploits of boy detective Leroy Brown. The books were written by Donald J. Sobol, starting in 1963.

55. Italian tubes ZITI
Tubular pasta is known in general as “penne”, and there are many variants. For example, ziti is a particularly large and long tube with square-cut ends. "Penne" is the plural of "penna", the Italian for "feather, quill".

56. Sera is a form of it ETRE
In French, the verb “être” means “to be”, and “il, elle, on sera” means “he, she, one will be”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Librarians might use them HUSHED TONES
12. Lt. col.'s inferior MAJ
15. Sci-fi concept ANTIGRAVITY
16. Lovelace whom many consider the first computer programmer ADA
17. Whatchamacallit THINGAMABOB
18. Solo on-screen HAN
19. Trail, perhaps HUNT
20. Milky Way source MARS
21. Camera product IMAGE
23. Tablet container ARK
24. Coral Triangle tourist destination BALI
25. Left rolling in the aisles SLAYED
26. Down a lot TOPE
28. __ other EACH
30. Robot starter NANO-
31. Pay dirt ORE
33. Hassle NUISANCE
35. First instrument for many RATTLE
38. Icy Hot competitor BENGAY
39. Keep secret WITHHOLD
41. Sushi bar delicacy ROE
42. __ pedal: guitar accessory ECHO
43. Slam offering POEM
45. Org. that monitors plants OSHA
48. Nervous person? NELLIE
50. Fail to beat the heat MELT
52. AIDS-fighting drug AZT
54. Rough stuff TWEED
55. Low-cost pub ZINE
56. "__ bien" ESTA
57. Storage unit? BIT
58. Vaping devices E-CIGARETTES
61. "Wheel of Fortune" purchase AN I
62. Amusing editor, at times AUTOCORRECT
63. Mo. for which tanzanite is a birthstone DEC
64. Comics-derived danger alert SPIDEY SENSE

Down
1. Yoga variety HATHA
2. Fine after an accident UNHURT
3. Well-lit? STINKO
4. "Gimme a __" HINT
5. Noodle variety EGG
6. Certain queen's domain DRAMA
7. Steamed cantina food TAMALE
8. Like a certain female artery OVARIAN
9. Ink deliverers NIBS
10. WWII arena ETO
11. Basil's wife on "Fawlty Towers" SYBIL
12. Buddhism branch MAHAYANA
13. Company offering many promotions AD AGENCY
14. Mystery woman JANE DOE
22. Watches over MANAGES
24. Where an engineer may retire BERTH
25. Less forward SHIER
27. Artery problem POTHOLE
29. Bear fruit? CUB
32. Secretly unite ELOPE
34. Arrogant sort SNOOT
35. Beverage used in Chinese cuisine RICE WINE
36. Team member in "Moneyball" ATHLETIC
37. "Eldorado" group ELO
39. Soured WENT BAD
40. Part-human mythological creature DEMIGOD
44. Threat MENACE
46. Get cracking HASTEN
47. Ancient cacao bean traders AZTECS
49. TED talk subjects IDEAS
51. Encyclopedia Brown's first name LEROY
53. Discretion TASTE
55. Italian tubes ZITI
56. Sera is a form of it ETRE
59. Tea holder CUP
60. Halting syllables ERS


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Hyde Park carriage PRAM
Another word used in the UK that's rarely used over here is "pram", which in my day was the most common term for what is called a baby carriage in the US. "Pram" is short for "perambulator".

Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London. A famous element in Hyde Park is Speakers’ Corner, located in the northeast corner of the park. Speakers’ Corner was the site of the infamous Tyburn gallows that was used for public executions in centuries past. Today, Speakers’ Corner is a site for public speeches and debate, and a center for public protest. Some say that the tradition of allowing free speech at the site dates back to the condemned man being allowed to say his piece prior to execution at the Tyburn gallows.

5. One with ropelike tresses RASTA
I must admit that I don't really understand Rastafarianism. I do know that a "Rasta", like Bob Marley, is a follower of the movement. Some say that Rastafarianism is a religion, some not. I also know that it involves the worship of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

10. Enjoys King and Queen READS
Stephen King is a remarkably successful author having sold over 350 million copies of his books, many of which have been made into hit movies. I’ve tried reading two or three, but never finished one. I really don’t do horror …

The Ellery Queen series of detective novels was somewhat unique in that Ellery Queen was the hero of the tales, and was also the pen name of the author. Actually, the “author” was a pair of writers; two cousins from Brooklyn, New York.

19. Seat of Allen County, Kansas IOLA
Iola is a city in Southeast Kansas. The city is named for Iola, wife of J. F. Colburn, one of the owners of the land that was chosen as a site for the town in the late 1850s.

20. __ Bell: Emily Brontë pen name ELLIS
The first work that any of the three Brontë sisters had in print was an 1846 collection of poetry that they published jointly. This first work was titled “Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell”, each using a male pen name. Charlotte Brontë published her novel “Jane Eyre” under the name Currer Bell. Emily Brontë followed soon after with “Wuthering Heights” published under the name Ellis Bell. The youngest sister, Anne Brontë, published “Agnes Grey” using the name Acton Bell.

21. Run the show EMCEE
The term "emcee" comes from "MC", an initialism standing for Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

22. Morales of "Jericho"ESAI
The actor Esai Morales is best known for his role in the 1987 movie "La Bamba", which depicted the life of Ritchie Valens and his half-brother Bob Morales (played by Esai).

“Jericho” is a drama series, initially produced by CBS, that tells of life in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on many cities in the US.

23. Mongolian for "waterless place"GOBI
The large desert in Asia called the Gobi lies in northern China and southern Mongolia. The Gobi desert is growing at an alarming rate, particularly towards the south. This “desertification” is caused by increased human activity. The Chinese government is trying to halt the desert’s progress by planting great swaths of new forest, the so called "Green Wall of China". The name “Gobi” is Mongolian for “waterless place, semidesert”.

24. Half a Yale cheer BOOLA!
“Boola Boola” is a fight song of Yale University that was composed in 1900, although it was based on a song called “La Hoola Boola” that had been around in the 1800s. The tune of “Boola Boola” is used by the University of Oklahoma for its fight song, “Boomer Sooner”.

25. Order to attack SIC ‘EM!
“Sic 'em” is an attack order given to a dog, instructing the animal to growl, bark or even bite. The term dates back to the 1830s, with "sic" being a variation of "seek".

26. Reason to ban a book PORN
The word "pornography" comes from the Greek "pornographos" meaning "writing of prostitutes".

32. Shows some spunk DARES
We've been using the word "spunk" to mean "pluck, courage" since the late 1700s. Prior to that it was a Scottish word meaning "spark", a word that we absorbed into English.

38. Tel __ AVIV
The full name of Israel's second largest city is Tel Aviv-Yafo. Tel Aviv translates into "Spring Mound", a name chosen in 1910.

40. Many August births LEOS
Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac. People born from July 23 to August 22 are Leos.

41. Angry reaction to insolent trick-or-treaters? HALLOWEEN FIT (from “Halloween outfit”)
All Saints' Day is November 1st each year. The day before All Saints' Day is All Hallows Eve, better known by the Scottish term, "Halloween".

45. Short deli order? BLT
The BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) is the second-most popular sandwich in the US, after the plain old ham sandwich.

48. Russian retreat DACHA
Dachas are usually second homes in Russia and the former Soviet Union that are located outside the city limits in rural areas. Residents/tenants of dachas are often called dachniks.

53. Member of college music's Whiffenpoofs ELI
Eli is the nickname for a graduate of Yale University, a term used in honor of the Yale benefactor Elihu Yale.

The Yale Whiffenpoofs are an a cappella group based in Yale University. They are the oldest such university group in this country, established in 1909. “The Whiffenpoof Song” is the group’s traditional closing number. The song was first performed back in 1909, and has been recorded by many artists including Rudy Vallee and Bing Crosby.

We're poor little lambs
Who have lost our way,
Baa Baa Baa,
We're little black sheep
Who have gone astray
Baa Baa Baa.

54. Long Island airport town ISLIP
The town of Islip is on the south shore of Long Island. It is home to Islip Airport, now known as Long Island MacArthur Airport, used by many as a viable alternative to JFK and LaGuardia.

56. Shock source TASER
Victor Appleton wrote a novel for young adults called "Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle". The company that developed the TASER electroshock weapon named its product as a homage to the novel. The acronym TASER stands for "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle".

59. Bug-loving org. NSA
The National Security Agency (NSA) was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense since 1949. The NSA has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that established the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the organization’s nickname ... "No Such Agency".

60. Pickup shtick that needs refinement? ROUGH LINE (from “rough outline”)
A "shtick" is a routine, a bit, a piece of entertainment. It comes from the Yiddish "shtick", which has the same meaning and derives from the Middle High German word "stücke", the word for "piece".

65. Ref's call TKO
In boxing, a knockout (KO) is when one of the fighters can't get up from the canvas within a specified time, usually 10 seconds. This can be due to fatigue, injury, or the participant may be truly "knocked out". A referee, fighter or doctor may also decide to stop a fight without a physical knockout, especially if there is concern about a fighter's safety. In this case the bout is said to end with a technical knockout (TKO).

66. Capital east of the Black Hills PIERRE
Here's an old chestnut of a trivia question for you ... what's the only state capital in the Union for which the name of the capital and the name of its state share no common letters? You guessed it: Pierre, South Dakota ...

The Black Hills are a mountain range in South Dakota and Wyoming. The Black Hills are home to some celebrated locations including Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave National Park, the Crazy Horse Memorial and the historic city of Deadwood.

72. MD associates RNS
One might find a registered nurse (RN) or a medical doctor (MD) in an emergency room (ER).

75. Three-time Olympics host country ITALY
Italy hosted the Olympic Games on three occasions:

- 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo
- 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome
- 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

79. Cioppino cooker POT
“Cioppino” is a fish stew that originated in San Francisco, despite the Italian-sounding name. That said, the dish is considered part of Italian-American cuisine. Cioppino came out of the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco in the late 19th century, which was then home to Italian immigrants mainly from the port city of Genoa. The name comes from “ciuppin”, a soup from the Liguria region in north-western Italy.

81. Steinbeck surname JOAD
Tom Joad is a character in the John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath". The role of Joad was played by Henry Fonda in the 1940 film adaptation directed by John Ford. Ford's movie has a place in history, as it was one of the first 25 movies selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

82. Some light beers BUDS
The first light beer was produced by Chicago's Meister Brau brewery in the sixties. Miller took over Meister Brau, reformulated the light beer using the same process and became the first of the big breweries to come out with a light beer, "Lite Beer from Miller" introduced in 1973. There really wasn't a serious competitor to Miller Lite until Anheuser-Busch finally came up with a process and a product in 1982 that they called Bud Light.

85. Ambulance VIP EMT
Emergency medical technician (EMT)

90. Salinger title teen ESME
J. D. Salinger wrote a short story called "For Esmé - with Love and Squalor", originally published in "The New Yorker" in 1950. It is a story about a young English girl called Esme and an American soldier, and is set in WWII.

95. Split the tab GO DUTCH
A Dutch door has a top and a bottom equally divided in area. There is a suggestion that the term “go Dutch” originated with the Dutch door. The bill is “split”, and so are Dutch doors. That said, when people “go Dutch” they each pay for themselves, as opposed to even splitting the tab.

102. Wing for rugby's Wallabies? AUSTRALIAN BACK (from “Australian Outback”)
In Australia, the land outside of urban area is referred to as “the Outback” or “the bush”. Although, I think that “Outback” can also be used for the more remote parts of the bush.

The Australian national rugby team are nicknamed “the Wallabies”. The name is a reference to the Australian marsupial called the wallaby.

107. Retina feature CONE
The retina is the tissue that lines the inside of the eye, the tissue that is light-sensitive. There are (mainly) two types of cell in the retina that are sensitive to light, called rods and cones. Rods are cells that best function in very dim light and only provide black-and-white vision. Cones on the other hand function in brighter light and can perceive color.

108. "Invisible Man" author Ellison RALPH
The author Ralph Ellison’s most famous book is “Invisible Man”, which won the National Book Award in 1953. Ellison’s full name is Ralph Waldo Ellison, as he was named for Ralph Waldo Emerson.

110. Chan portrayer OLAND
Warner Oland was a Swedish actor, best remembered for his portrayal of Charlie Chan in a series of 16 highly successful Hollywood movies. Before playing Charlie Chan, Oland made a name for himself playing another Asian role on screen, that of Dr. Fu Manchu.

112. Rock band famous for face paint KISS
KISS is a hard rock band from New York City. KISS is the group whose band members use all that scary face paint and wear wacky outfits on stage.

115. Northern terminus of I-79 ERIE
Interstate 79 runs from Charleston, West Virginia in the south to Erie, Pennsylvania in the north.

116. Some Neruda poems ODES
Pablo Neruda was the pen name, and eventually the legal name, used by Chilean writer Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. Basoalto chose the name as a homage to Czech poet Jan Neruda.

119. Peace Nobelist Cassin RENE
René Cassin drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after WWII that was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948. This work led to Cassin being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968.

Down
1. Fairy tale trio PIGS
The fairy tale of “The Three Little Pigs” has been around for centuries, although it first appeared in print in the 1840s. One little pig built a house using straw and another built one using wood. The cleverest little pig built its house using bricks.

3. Goya's "Duchess of __"ALBA
María Cayetana de Silva was the 13th duchess of Alba. She was a favorite subject of the Spanish painter Francisco Goya. The duchess is the subject in the famous portraits known as “La maja desnuda” (The Nude Maja) and “La maja vestida” (The Clothed Maja). “Maja” translates from Spanish as “beautiful lady”.

8. Scrabble piece TILE
The game of Scrabble has been produced in many international versions, and each of these editions has its own tile distribution to suit the local language. For example, in English we have two tiles worth ten points: one “Q” and one “Z”. If you play the game in French then there are five tiles worth ten points: one “K”, one “W”, one “X”, one “Y” and one “Z”.

11. Qatari bigwigs EMIRS
In English, emir can also be written as emeer, amir and ameer (watch out for those spellings in crosswords!).

Qatar is a sovereign state in the Middle East occupying the Qatar Peninsula, itself located in the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar lies on the Persian Gulf and shares one land border, with Saudi Arabia to the south. Qatar has more oil and gas reserves per capita of population than any other country in the world. In 2010, Qatar had the fastest growing economy in the world, driven by the petrochemical industry. Qatar is scheduled to who the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although the nation’s eligibility to do so is under question after a far-reaching bribery scandal was uncovered at the sport’s governing body.

12. Part of IRA: Abbr. ACCT
Individual retirement account (IRA)

13. Wood finish? DEE
The word “wood” finishes with the letter D (dee).

14. Like parts of the Great Plains SEMIARID
The Great Plains lie between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains in North America. This vast grassland is called "the Prairies" in Canada.

16. D.C. location, familiarly US OF A
The District of Columbia was established by the Residence Act in 1790. Article One, Section 8 of the US constitution provides for the establishment of a District outside of the states, over which the federal government has authority. The constitution also specifies that the District cannot exceed an area of ten miles square.

17. Chocolate substitute CAROB
The carob is a tree or shrub in the pea family, mainly grown for its seed pods. The carob seeds are dried or roasted, and when powdered or chipped make a good substitute for chocolate.

28. Court figs. DAS
District Attorney (DA)

29. Texter's "Just sayin'"FWIW
For what it's worth (FWIW)

31. Site for techies C|NET
c|net is an excellent technology website. c|net started out in 1994 as a television network specializing in technology news. The host of “American Idol”, Ryan Seacrest, started off his career as host of a c|net show.

34. Nilla product WAFER
As one might expect, “Nilla” is a shortened from of "vanilla". However, you won't find any vanilla in Nilla cookies or wafers. They have always been flavored with vanillin, which is synthetic vanilla. Is nothing sacred ...?

35. Pilgrim John ALDEN
John Alden is said to have been the first person to disembark from the Mayflower and to have set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1620. Alden himself was not a Pilgrim as such, and was a carpenter working on the Mayflower before it sailed. He apparently decided to travel with the ship at the last minute, perhaps in pursuit of the passenger who would become his wife, Priscilla Mullens. Alden ended up in a love triangle with Priscilla and Captain Miles Standish, a relationship which is recounted in the Longfellow poem “The Courtship of Miles Standish”. John and Priscilla were the parents of a son, John Alden, who was later to be accused during the Salem witch trials.

38. Hebrew opener ALEPH
“Aleph” is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and “beth” the second.

39. First word of "The Raven"ONCE
The first verse of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” is:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore-
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door

"The Raven" is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe that tells of a student who has lost the love of his life, Lenore. A raven enters the student's bedchamber and perches on a bust of Pallas. The raven can talk, to the student’s surprise, but says nothing but the word “nevermore” (“quoth the raven, ‘Nevermore’”). As the student questions all aspects of his life, the raven taunts him with the same comment, “nevermore”. Finally the student decides that his soul is trapped beneath the raven's shadow and shall be lifted "nevermore"…

43. "Gone With the Wind" actress LEIGH
As casting proceeded for the movie version of "Gone With the Wind", Clark Gable was a shoo-in from day one. The role of Scarlett was considered very desirable in the acting community, with Bette Davis on the short list, and Katherine Hepburn demanding an appointment with producer David O. Selznick to discuss the role. Vivien Leigh was an unlikely contender, an English actress for the definitive Southern belle role. Selznick was adamant though, and stuck by his choice despite a lot of protests.

45. Blog entry about garden edging? BORDER POST (from “border outpost”)
Many folks who visit this website regard it as just that, a website. That is true, but more correctly it is referred to as a blog, as I make regular posts (actually daily posts) which then occupy the "front page" of the site. The blog entries are in reverse chronological order, and one can just look back day-by-day, reading older and older posts. “Blog” is a contraction of the term "web log".

46. Winter Games vehicle LUGE
A luge is a small sled used by one or two people, on which one lies face up and feet first. The luge can be compared to the skeleton, a sled for only one person and on which the rider lies face down and goes down the hill head-first. Yikes!

49. United route AIRWAY
United Airlines (UAL) has a complicated history, but can trace its roots back to Aviation Enterprises, founded in 1944 and later called Texas International. The first use of the “United” name in the company’s history was when airplane pioneer William Boeing merged his Boeing Air Transport with Pratt & Whitney to form the United Aircraft and Transport Corporation (UATC) in 1929. The Air Mail Act of 1934 required that UATC be broken up into United Aircraft (which became United Technologies), the Boeing Aircraft Company and United Air Lines.

56. Maori carvings TIKIS
A tiki is a large carving of wood or stone resembling a human form, found in Polynesian cultures. The carvings often mark out boundaries of sites sacred to the locals.

The Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. The Māori are eastern Polynesian in origin and began arriving in New Zealand relatively recently, starting sometime in the late 13th century. The word "māori" simply means "normal", distinguishing the mortal human being from spiritual entities.

57. Like many an Internet troll: Abbr. ANON
In Internet terms, a "troll" is someone who attempts to disrupt online group activities. The fishing term "troll" is used to describe such a person, as he or she throws out off-topic remarks in an attempt to "lure" others into some emotional response.

61. Interstellar dist. LT YR
A light-year (lt. yr.) is a measure of distance, not time. It is the distance that light travels in a vacuum in one year. The accepted abbreviation for a light-year is “ly”. A light-second is a lot shorter distance: about 186,282 miles.

66. Cincy-based consumer products giant P AND G
Procter & Gamble was a founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. Procter was a candlemaker, an immigrant from England. Gamble was a soapmaker, an immigrant from Ireland. The pair had settled in Cincinnati and married two sisters. Their father-in-law persuaded the two to set up in business together, and rest is history.

Cincinnati (Cincy)

67. Like Oscar Wilde IRISH
If you didn't know Oscar Wilde was Irish, you will when you see the name he was given at birth: Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde!

70. "This Gun for Hire" actor LADD
The last few years of actor Alan Ladd’s life were pretty rough. In 1962 he was found unconscious in a pool of blood with a bullet wound in his chest, an abortive suicide attempt. Two years later he was found dead, apparently having succumbed to an accidental overdose of drugs and sedatives. He was 50 years old.

“This Gun for Hire" is a 1942 movie based on a 1936 novel by Graham Greene. The big headliner in this film noir is femme fatale Veronica Lake, but the movie is perhaps best remembered for providing Alan Ladd’s breakthrough role.

71. Astronaut's garb G-SUIT
A G-suit is needed when astronauts and aviators are subject to high accelerations. Such acceleration can cause blood to pool in the lower part of the body, reducing the supply to the brain and possibly leading to a blackout. A G-suit is basically a special pair of tight-fitting pants that are fitted with inflatable bladders. The bladders inflate during high accelerations, tightening around the legs and abdomen, reducing the amount of blood pooling. So, a “G-suit” is more correctly referred to as an “anti-G suit”.

76. Word in two state names SOUTH
Those would be South Carolina and South Dakota …

81. Department of Labor training program JOB CORPS
Job Corps is a Department of Labour training program for young people from 16 through 24. It was established in 1964 as part of President Johnson’s War on Poverty, and is modelled on the Civilian Conservation Corps set up up during the Great Depression.

84. Not-too-potent potable NEAR BEER
“Near beer” is slang term for a malt liquor that doesn’t contain enough alcohol to be labelled as “beer”. An example would be “O’Doul’s”, a beverage that I tend to consume in a glass full of ice when I am the designated driver.

89. Potter's pedal TREADLE
A “treadle” is a foot pedal that is used to create motion in a machine such as a loom or a potter’s wheel.

95. Tropical lizard GECKO
The word "gecko" comes from an Indonesian/Javanese word "tokek", which is imitative of the reptile's chirping sound. In making such a sound, geckos are unique in the world of lizards. More interesting to me than a gecko's chirping is its ability to cling to walls and to other vertical surfaces. Their feet are specially adapted with "toes" that make extremely intimate, close contact to a surface. The toes have millions of hairs called setae that enable the clinging. It isn't suction that supports them, but rather van der Waals forces (weak "gravitational" attractions). Fascinating stuff ...

96. Like jellybeans OVOID
Jelly beans are thought to have originated in Boston, and it is documented that they were sent by families and friends of soldiers fighting in the Civil War.

98. One learning the ropes PUPIL
As one might expect perhaps, the phrase “learning the ropes” is nautical in origin. A new recruit on a sailing vessel would have to learn how to tie the appropriate knots and learn which rope controlled which sail or spar.

102. Wasatch Mountains resort ALTA
Alta ski resort actually lies within the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Area. The first ski lift in the resort was opened way back in 1939. Today, Alta is one of only three ski resorts in the country that prohibits snowboarding (along with Deer Valley, Utah and Mad River Glen, Vermont. The ski resort of Snowbird located next to Alta has been in operation since 1971.

The Wasatch Range is at the western edge of the Rocky Mountains and runs through Utah. “Wasatch” is a Ute word meaning “mountain pass”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Hyde Park carriage PRAM
5. One with ropelike tresses RASTA
10. Enjoys King and Queen READS
15. Water carrier DUCT
19. Seat of Allen County, Kansas IOLA
20. __ Bell: Emily Brontë pen name ELLIS
21. Run the show EMCEE
22. Morales of "Jericho" ESAI
23. Mongolian for "waterless place" GOBI
24. Half a Yale cheer BOOLA!
25. Order to attack SIC ‘EM!
26. Reason to ban a book PORN
27. Exertion while getting up? STANDING EFFORT (from “outstanding effort”)
30. Crystallized mist ICE FOG
32. Shows some spunk DARES
33. Leather piercers AWLS
34. Aspirant WANNABE
35. Take under one's wing ASSIST
38. Tel __ AVIV
39. Had a row? OARED
40. Many August births LEOS
41. Angry reaction to insolent trick-or-treaters? HALLOWEEN FIT (from “Halloween outfit”)
45. Short deli order? BLT
48. Russian retreat DACHA
50. Pressure source PEER
51. Completed with one stroke ACED
52. Really come down POUR
53. Member of college music's Whiffenpoofs ELI
54. Long Island airport town ISLIP
56. Shock source TASER
58. __ pants CARGO
59. Bug-loving org. NSA
60. Pickup shtick that needs refinement? ROUGH LINE (from “rough outline”)
62. Attacked without warning RAIDED
63. Somewhat soft, as a sound LOWISH
65. Ref's call TKO
66. Capital east of the Black Hills PIERRE
68. Spa treatment FACIAL
70. Place for perjurers? LYING AREA (from “outlying area”)
72. MD associates RNS
75. Three-time Olympics host country ITALY
76. They may be emotional SCARS
78. Express disdain (at) SNIFF
79. Cioppino cooker POT
80. Curious to a fault NOSY
81. Steinbeck surname JOAD
82. Some light beers BUDS
83. Cyberjotting E-NOTE
85. Ambulance VIP EMT
86. Ship's secure containers? BOUND FREIGHT (from “outbound freight”)
90. Salinger title teen ESME
91. Collectors' items? DEBTS
92. Go on LAST
93. Too violent, perhaps R-RATED
95. Split the tab GO DUTCH
98. Fourth down play PUNT
99. Bit of ugly politics SMEAR
101. Extremely EVER SO
102. Wing for rugby's Wallabies? AUSTRALIAN BACK (from “Australian Outback”)
107. Retina feature CONE
108. "Invisible Man" author Ellison RALPH
110. Chan portrayer OLAND
111. Supply-and-demand sci. ECON
112. Rock band famous for face paint KISS
113. Often-bricked surface PATIO
114. King creation NOVEL
115. Northern terminus of I-79 ERIE
116. Some Neruda poems ODES
117. Old will? SHALT
118. Noisy fliers GEESE
119. Peace Nobelist Cassin RENE

Down
1. Fairy tale trio PIGS
2. Underlying cause ROOT
3. Goya's "Duchess of __" ALBA
4. It often includes sides MAIN DISH
5. Second coming REBIRTH
6. How writers usually work ALONE
7. Plods (through) SLOGS
8. Scrabble piece TILE
9. Without obligation AS A FAVOR
10. Work out RESOLVE
11. Qatari bigwigs EMIRS
12. Part of IRA: Abbr. ACCT
13. Wood finish? DEE
14. Like parts of the Great Plains SEMIARID
15. Count (on) DEPEND
16. D.C. location, familiarly US OF A
17. Chocolate substitute CAROB
18. Hint TINGE
28. Court figs. DAS
29. Texter's "Just sayin'" FWIW
31. Site for techies C|NET
34. Nilla product WAFER
35. Pilgrim John ALDEN
36. They can make good impressions SEALS
37. Gregarious play group? SOCIAL CAST (from “social outcast”)
38. Hebrew opener ALEPH
39. First word of "The Raven" ONCE
42. Distinctive mark A-PLUS
43. "Gone With the Wind" actress LEIGH
44. Assuage EASE
45. Blog entry about garden edging? BORDER POST (from “border outpost”)
46. Winter Games vehicle LUGE
47. Walked (on) TROD
49. United route AIRWAY
52. Two of a kind PAIR
55. It covers a lot of ground SOIL
56. Maori carvings TIKIS
57. Like many an Internet troll: Abbr. ANON
58. Wine order CARAFE
61. Interstellar dist. LT YR
62. Navigation hazard REEF
64. Slick OILY
66. Cincy-based consumer products giant P AND G
67. Like Oscar Wilde IRISH
68. "Whatever floats your boat" FINE
69. Energy source ATOM
70. "This Gun for Hire" actor LADD
71. Astronaut's garb G-SUIT
73. Innocent words NOT ME
74. Mount to mount STEED
76. Word in two state names SOUTH
77. Soup aisle array CANS
81. Department of Labor training program JOB CORPS
82. "Hang in there" BE STRONG
84. Not-too-potent potable NEAR BEER
86. Gets in the pool, maybe BETS
87. Seasonal pharmacy offering FLU SHOT
88. Frantic monologue RANT
89. Potter's pedal TREADLE
91. Arm-twisting DURESS
94. Took off RAN
95. Tropical lizard GECKO
96. Like jellybeans OVOID
97. Like urban population DENSE
98. One learning the ropes PUPIL
99. Toil (away) SLAVE
100. Bores for ore MINES
102. Wasatch Mountains resort ALTA
103. Burn remedy ALOE
104. Spread measurement ACRE
105. Mint product COIN
106. Often-skinned spot KNEE
109. Fan reaction? AAH!


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Gadget for KP duty PEELER
KP is a US military slang term that stands for either "kitchen police" or "kitchen patrol".

11. Part of www WEB
In essence, the World Wide Web is a vast collection of documents that is accessible using the Internet, with each document containing hyperlinks which point to other documents in the collection. So the “Web” is different from the Internet, although the terms are often used interchangeably. The Web is the collection of documents, and the Internet is global network of computers on which the documents reside. The Web was effectively the invention of British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee. The key to Berner-Lee’s invention was bringing together two technologies that already existed: hypertext and the Internet. I for one am very grateful ...

14. Champagne Tony of golf LEMA
Tony Lema was a golfer, a native of Oakland, California. In 1962-1966 he had an impressive run of PGA victories, including a famous 1962 win at the Orange County Open. As a joke, he promised that should he win he would serve champagne to the press corps, who quickly gave him the nickname "Champagne Tony", a name that stuck. In 1966, Lema and his wife were flying in a small, chartered plane to an exhibition tournament in Illinois, when the aircraft ran out of fuel. Ironically, it crashed into a water hazard near the seventh green of a country club in Lansing, Illinois, killing all four people on board. Lema was 32-years-old.

15. Replacing, with "of"IN LIEU
As one might perhaps imagine, "in lieu" comes into English from the Old French word "lieu" meaning "place", which in turn is derived from the Latin "locum", also meaning "place". So, "in lieu" means "in place of".

17. Old pharmacy weight DRAM
The dram is a confusing unit of measurement, I think. It has one value as an ancient unit of mass, and two different values as a modern unit of mass, another value as a unit of fluid volume, and yet another varying value as a measure of Scotch whisky!

18. Phonograph inventor EDISON
Thomas Edison was a very successful inventor. He held over a thousand US patents in his name. Included in the list of Edison’s inventions is the phonograph, the movie camera and the long-lasting light bulb. He passed away in 1931. There is a test tube at the Henry Ford Museum that supposedly holds Edison’s last breath. Ford convinced Thomas’s son Charles to seal up a tube of air in the room just after the inventor died, as a memento.

26. __ voce: softly SOTTO
“Sotto voce” literally means "under the voice" in Italian, and describes the deliberate lowering of one’s voice for emphasis.

33. Promotional bribe PAYOLA
“Payola” is the illegal practice of paying radio stations or disk jockeys to repeatedly play a particular piece of music. The impetus behind the crime is that the more often a song is played, the more likely it is to sell. The term "payola" comes from the words "pay" and "Victrola", an RCA brand name for an early phonograph.

36. Novelist Fleming IAN
Ian Fleming is most famous for writing the "James Bond" series of spy novels. You might also know that he wrote the children's story "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", which was made into a cute movie released in 1968 and even a stage musical that opened in 2002.

37. Letter after zeta ETA
Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, and is a forerunner of our Latin character "H". Originally denoting a consonant, eta was used as a long vowel in Ancient Greek.

38. *Rhinoplasty NOSE JOB
A nose job is more correctly called rhinoplasty. The "first plastic surgeon" was a physician in ancient India called Sushruta who lived around 1500 B.C. Sushruta performed reconstructive surgery on noses even in his time, largely as there was a demand for the procedure as punitive nose amputation was a favored punishment of the day.

39. Genetic letters RNA
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

40. Terrier's welcome ARF
Most terrier breeds of dog originated in the British Isles. Terriers were developed as working dogs, with the job of controlling populations of rats, rabbits and foxes by rooting them out above and below the ground. The name “terrier” comes via Middle French from the the Latin “terra” meaning “earth”, a reflection of the breeds habit of burrowing into the earth looking for its prey.

41. Writing fluid container INKPOT
“Inkpot” is another name for “inkwell”, a container for holding ink into which a pen is dipped.

45. Minister's home MANSE
A manse is a minister’s home in various Christian traditions. "Manse" derives from "mansus", the Latin for “dwelling”. The term can also be used for any stately residence.

46. French cruise stops ILES
The French would find "une île" (an island) in "la mer" (the sea).

47. Manuscript insertion mark CARET
The character known as a caret was originally a proofreading mark, used to indicate where a punctuation mark was to be inserted. “Caret” is Latin for “it lacks”.

50. Emmy-winning daytime host Lake RICKI
Ricki Lake is perhaps as well known for her "Ricki Lake" talk show, as she is for playing Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 movie "Hairspray".

52. Classic "Saturday Night Live" family, with "the" ... and, literally, what the starts of the answers to starred clues can be CONEHEADS
“The Coneheads” first appeared in a “Saturday Night Live” sketch in 1977. The three family members back then were played by Dan Ackroyd (father), Jane Curtin (mother) and Laraine Newman (daughter). The characters became so popular they were featured in a “Coneheads” movie in 1993.

56. Modifying wd. ADJ
Adjective (adj.)

57. Martial arts film star Chuck NORRIS
Chuck Norris is a martial artist and an actor from Ryan, Oklahoma. Norris’s first real exposure to martial arts was in the US Air Force when he was serving in South Korea. When he left the service Norris opened up a chain of karate schools, and among his clients were Steve McQueen and his son, as well as Donny and Marie Osmond.

59. Fingerprint, to a detective CLUE
In the world of criminology, there are three classes of fingerprints. Patent prints are those which are obvious, easily spotted by the naked eye. Impressed prints are those made when the fingertips apply pressure to a soft material or surface, such as the skin. Latent prints are those that are invisible to the naked eye, but which can be detected using special equipment and materials.

60. "Kampgrounds" chain KOA
Kampgrounds of America (KOA) was founded in 1962 by Montana businessman Dave Drum, who opened up his first property along the Yellowstone River. His strategy was to offer a rich package of services including hot showers, restrooms and a store, which he hoped would attract people used to camping in the rough. The original campground was an immediate hit and Drum took on two partners and sold franchises all over the country. There are about 500 KOA sites today.

65. __ Springs, California PALM
The desert resort city of Palm Springs is located about 100 miles east of Los Angeles. The name “Palm Springs” dates back at least to 1853, and probably is a reference to the abundant California fan palms that are native to the area. However, earlier Spanish explorers used the place name “La Palma de la Mano de Dios” (The Palm of God’s Hand), giving an alternative derivation for the “Palm Springs” moniker.

Down
1. The "O" in REO cars OLDS
The REO Motor Company was founded by Ransom Eli Olds (hence the name REO). The company made cars, trucks and buses, and was in business from 1905 to 1975 in Lansing, Michigan. Among the company’s most famous models were the REO Royale and the REO Flying Cloud.

2. Land of Lima and llamas PERU
Peru's name comes from the word "Biru". Back in the early 1500s, Biru was a ruler living near the Bay of San Miguel in Panama. The territory over which Biru ruled was the furthest land south in the Americas known to Europeans at that time. The Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro was the first European to move south of Biru's empire and the land that he found was designated "Peru", a derivative of "Biru".

Lima is the capital city of Peru. Lima was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who named it “la Ciudad de los Reyes” (the City of Kings). He chose this name because the decision to found the city was made on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany that commemorates the visit of the three kings to Jesus in Bethlehem.

The wool from a llama is much softer than that from a sheep, and it is also free from lanolin.

3. Kindle read, briefly E-MAG
Amazon’s Kindle line of e-book readers was introduced in 2007. The name “kindle” was chosen to evoke images of “lighting a fire” through reading and intellectual stimulation. I bought myself a Kindle Fire HD not that long ago. I’ve started reading e-books for the first time in my life, as well as enjoying other computing options available with the tablet device. I love it ...

4. Word that ends many yoga classes NAMASTE
In the Hindu tradition, “namaste” is a respectful greeting meaning “I bow to the divine in you”. The greeting usually includes a slight bow made with the palms of the hand pressed together, pointing upwards in front of the body.

5. Jigsaw puzzle unit PIECE
The original jigsaw puzzles were created by painting a picture on a sheet of wood and then cutting the picture into small pieces using a jigsaw, hence the name. Today, almost all jigsaw puzzles are pictures glued onto cardboard. The puzzle pieces are then die-cut, and there’s no jigsaw involved at all.

7. Sewing machine inventor Howe ELIAS
Elias Howe was an American inventor. Howe wasn't the first to come up with the idea of a sewing machine, but he was the first to develop one that was functional.

8. "Schindler's __"LIST
Oskar Schindler is the protagonist in the Steven Spielberg movie “Schindler’s List”. Schindler was a real person who survived WWII. During the Holocaust, Schindler managed to save almost 1,200 Jews from perishing by employing them in his factories. After the war, Schindler and his wife were left penniless having used his assets to protect and feed his workers. For years the couple survived on the charity of Jewish groups. Schindler tried to make a go of it in business again but never had any real success. He died a pauper in 1974 in Hildesheim, not far from Hanover. His last wish was to be buried in Jerusalem. Schindler was the only former member of the Nazi Party to be buried on Mount Zion.

9. Fair-hiring abbr. EEO
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is a term that has been around since 1964 when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was set up by the Civil Rights Act. Title VII of the Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin or religion.

10. Gets credit from the bartender RUNS A TAB
When we “run a tab” at a bar say, we are “running a tabulation”, a listing of what we owe. Such a use of “tab” is American slang that originated in the 1880s.

11. *Appliance that makes Eggos unnecessary WAFFLE IRON (giving “waffle cone”)
You can’t get a Belgian waffle in Belgium, and the nearest thing is probably a Brussels waffle. Brussels waffles were introduced to the world in 1958, and arrived in the US in 1962 at the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle. The name “Brussels” was changed to “Bel-Gem” for the US market, which evolved into “Belgian”.

Eggo is the brand name of a line of frozen waffles made by Kellogg's. When they were introduced in the 1930s, the name "Eggo" was chosen to promote the "egginess" of the batter. "Eggo" replaced the original name chosen, which was "Froffles", created by melding "frozen" and "waffles".

12. One of the Great Lakes ERIE
Lake Erie is the fourth largest of the five Great Lakes by area (Lake Ontario is the smallest). The lake takes its name from the Erie tribe of Native Americans that used to live along its southern shore. Erie is the smallest of the Great Lakes by volume and the shallowest, something for which nearby residents must be quite grateful. Being relatively shallow, much of Erie freezes over part way through most winters putting an end to most of the lake effect snow that falls in the snow belt extending from the lake's edge.

21. "King Kong" studio RKO
When RKO released the 1933 movie “King Kong”, the promotional material listed the ape’s height as 50 feet. During filming, a bust was created for a 40-foot ape, as well as a full-size hand that went with a 70-foot Kong.

23. PC key ALT
The Alt (alternate) key is found on either side of the space bar on US PC keyboards. The Alt key evolved from what was called a Meta key on old MIT keyboards, although the function has changed somewhat over the years. Alt is equivalent in many ways to the Option key on a Mac keyboard, and indeed the letters “Alt” have been printed on most Mac keyboards starting in the nineties.

27. Very odd OUTRE
The word "outré" meaning “unconventional, bizarre” comes to us from French, as you might imagine, derived from the verb "outrer" meaning "to overdo, exaggerate". "Outrer" is also the ultimate root of our word "outrage".

29. Magic charm MOJO
The word “mojo”, meaning magical charm or magnetism, is probably of Creole origin.

33. Southern loaves PONES
“Pone” is another word for corn bread, from the Powhatan word “apan” meaning “something baked”.

45. "Doesn't thrill me"MEH
“Meh!” is one of those terms unfamiliar to me outside of crosswords. It is a modern colloquialism meaning “I’m not great, but not bad”. A friendly reader of this blog tells me that the usage of the term increased dramatically after it started to appear regularly in "The Simpsons" starting in the early nineties.

48. Sambuca flavoring ANISE
Sambuca is an Italian liqueur that is flavored with anise. Sambuca is often served straight up with three coffee beans floating on the surface. The beans are said to represent health, happiness and prosperity. A more “saucy” representation for the beans is the husband, wife and mistress.

49. Enjoys a hammock RESTS
Our word “hammock” comes via Spanish from Haiti, evolving from a word used there to describe a fishing net.

52. Old PC monitors CRTS
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

53. Jessica of the "Fantastic Four" films ALBA
Actress Jessica Alba got her big break when she was cast in the Fox science fiction show “Dark Angel”. Alba had a tough life growing up as she spent a lot of time in hospital and so found it difficult to develop friendships. As a youngster she twice had a collapsed lung, frequently caught pneumonia, suffered from asthma, had a ruptured appendix and a tonsillar cyst. On top of all that she acknowledges that she suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder as a child. It seems that she has really turned her life around ...

“Fantastic Four” is a 2005 movie about the band of comic heroes made famous in Marvel Comics. The Fantastic Four are:

- Mr. Fantastic (played by Ioan Gruffudd)
- The Invisible Woman (played by Jessica Alba)
- The Human Torch (played by Chris Evans)
- Thing (played by Michael Chiklis)

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Like a store ready for business OPEN
5. Gadget for KP duty PEELER
11. Part of www WEB
14. Champagne Tony of golf LEMA
15. Replacing, with "of" IN LIEU
16. "__ we done here?" ARE
17. Old pharmacy weight DRAM
18. Phonograph inventor EDISON
19. Quaint "Tsk, tsk!" FIE!
20. *Make easier to hear, as bad news SUGARCOAT (giving “sugar cone”)
22. Not as risky SAFER
24. Misrepresents, as data SKEWS
25. Veil of gloom PALL
26. __ voce: softly SOTTO
29. Kid gloves? MITTENS
32. Unadulterated PURE
33. Promotional bribe PAYOLA
36. Novelist Fleming IAN
37. Letter after zeta ETA
38. *Rhinoplasty NOSE JOB
39. Genetic letters RNA
40. Terrier's welcome ARF
41. Writing fluid container INKPOT
42. Laugh good and loud ROAR
43. Removes impurities from REFINES
45. Minister's home MANSE
46. French cruise stops ILES
47. Manuscript insertion mark CARET
50. Emmy-winning daytime host Lake RICKI
52. Classic "Saturday Night Live" family, with "the" ... and, literally, what the starts of the answers to starred clues can be CONEHEADS
56. Modifying wd. ADJ
57. Martial arts film star Chuck NORRIS
59. Fingerprint, to a detective CLUE
60. "Kampgrounds" chain KOA
61. Most adorable CUTEST
62. Not just ready and willing ABLE
63. Big shade tree ELM
64. Radiator sounds HISSES
65. __ Springs, California PALM

Down
1. The "O" in REO cars OLDS
2. Land of Lima and llamas PERU
3. Kindle read, briefly E-MAG
4. Word that ends many yoga classes NAMASTE
5. Jigsaw puzzle unit PIECE
6. Provide with funds ENDOW
7. Sewing machine inventor Howe ELIAS
8. "Schindler's __" LIST
9. Fair-hiring abbr. EEO
10. Gets credit from the bartender RUNS A TAB
11. *Appliance that makes Eggos unnecessary WAFFLE IRON (giving “waffle cone”)
12. One of the Great Lakes ERIE
13. Suds in a mug BEER
21. "King Kong" studio RKO
23. PC key ALT
25. Show's first episode PILOT
26. Asparagus unit SPEAR
27. Very odd OUTRE
28. *Freeway congestion TRAFFIC JAM (giving “traffic cone”)
29. Magic charm MOJO
30. Family babysitters NANAS
31. Hunter's trap SNARE
33. Southern loaves PONES
34. Poses a poser ASKS
35. Slangy affirmative YEP
38. Like the width of many foot-long envelopes NINE-INCH
42. Interest limitation RATE CAP
44. Sort ILK
45. "Doesn't thrill me" MEH
47. Apple centers CORES
48. Sambuca flavoring ANISE
49. Enjoys a hammock RESTS
50. Leaf-clearing tool RAKE
51. Superstar IDOL
52. Old PC monitors CRTS
53. Jessica of the "Fantastic Four" films ALBA
54. Yawn-inducing DULL
55. Outwardly appear SEEM
58. Yves' yes OUI


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
20. Between Europe and America, say ASEA
The continent of Europe was named for Europa, a Phoenician princess of Greek mythology.

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer. Vespucci was the man who established that the landmass discovered by Christopher Columbus was not the eastern coast of Asia, but rather was a “New World”. The newly-discovered supercontinent was named “America”, coming from the Latin version of Vespucci’s first name “Amerigo”.

23. Three-letter sandwich BLT
The BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) is the second-most popular sandwich in the US, after the plain old ham sandwich.

26. Belmont Stakes racer HORSE
The Belmont Stakes is a horse race held in June each year, at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, New York. The Belmont Stakes is the last of the US Triple Crown races, following the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

28. J or D, for J.D. Salinger INIT
Initial (init.)

J. D. Salinger was a very reclusive author, most famous for his novel “Catcher in the Rye”. Salinger fought in WWII after he was drafted into the US Army. He saw action on Utah Beach on D-Day, and in the Battle of the Bulge. He also spent a lot of time interrogating prisoners due to his knowledge of French and German, and he was one of the first Americans to go into a liberated concentration camp. He later spent time in hospital suffering from what was then called combat stress reaction, as he tried to deal with what he saw in the German camps.

30. w/o delay ASAP
As soon as possible (ASAP)

Without (w/o)

32. Apple desktops IMACS
The iMac is a desktop computer platform from Apple introduced in 1998. One of the main features of the iMac is an "all-in-one" design, with the computer console and monitor integrated. The iMac also came in a range of colors, that Apple marketed as “flavors”, such strawberry, blueberry and lime.

34. Fodder holder SILO
“Silo” is a Spanish word that we absorbed into English, originally coming from the Greek word "siros" that described a pit in which one kept corn.

36. Gael, for one CELT
A Gael is anyone who speaks or spoke one of the Erse tongues. There are actually three Erse languages. Irish, Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man) and Scots Gaelic. In their own tongues, these would be Gaeilge (in Ireland), Gaelg (on the Isle of Man) and Gaidhlig (in Scotland).

40. *Command to an attack dog SIC ‘EM
“Sic 'em” is an attack order given to a dog, instructing the animal to growl, bark or even bite. The term dates back to the 1830s, with "sic" being a variation of "seek".

42. The Emerald Isle ERIN
"Éire", is the Irish word for "Ireland". "Erin" is an anglicized version of "Éire" and actually corresponds to "Éirinn", the dative case of "Éire".

Ireland is called the "Emerald Isle" (and described as “green”) because of all that green grass that grows due to the seemingly non-stop rain.

43. Rodriguez of the Yankees ALEX
Professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez earned more nicknames than just A-Rod. He has been called "the Cooler" by some players as there is a perception that teams go cold when he joins them and hot when he leaves. He has also been called "A-Fraud" by teammates because of another perception, that he is over-demanding. On top of all that, Rodriguez was suspended by Major League Baseball for the entire 2014 season, after he admitted to using performance enhancing drugs.

44. Starter for 007's car? ASTON
Aston Martin is a British car manufacturer, founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin. The Aston part of the company name comes from Aston Hill, a famous site for hill-climbing cars that is nearby the original factory. Aston Martin cars are much loved by the British entertainment industry. James Bond was given one in “Goldfinger”, and Michael Caine drove one in the 1969 version of “The Italian Job”. Also, Roger Moore’s character drove a yellow Aston Martin in the seventies television show “The Persuaders!”.

James Bond is the creation of the writer Ian Fleming. Fleming “stole” the James Bond name from an American ornithologist. The number 007 was “stolen” from the real-life, 16th century English spy called John Dee. Dee would sign his reports to Queen Elizabeth I with a stylized "007" to indicate that the reports were for “her eyes only”.

45. First name in perfume COCO
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer. Perhaps because I am a man, clothes design is not my forte. However, if I had to pick a designer whose clothes I really liked, it would be Chanel. She had a way of creating simpler designs that looked so elegant on a woman.

47. __ Bator ULAN
The name "Ulan Bator" translates from Mongolian as "the Red Hero", and is Mongolia's capital city. The "Red Hero" name was chosen in honor of the country's national hero, Damdin Sükhbaatar. Sükhbaatar fought alongside the Soviet Red Army in the fight for liberation from Chinese occupation.

50. Actor Lugosi BELA
Bela Lugosi was a Hungarian stage and screen actor, best known for playing the title role in the 1931 film "Dracula" and for playing the same role on Broadway. Lugosi found himself typecast for the rest of his career and almost always played the role of the villain, often in horror movies. When he passed away in 1956, his wife had him buried in the costume he wore playing Count Dracula on Broadway.

52. Dorm VIPs RAS
RAs are resident assistants or resident advisers, the peer leaders found in residence halls, particularly on a college campus.

53. Tropical plain SAVANNA
A savanna (also savannah) is a grassland. If there are any trees in a savanna, by definition they are small and widely spaced so that light can get to the grasses allowing them to grow unhindered.

64. Pedro's January ENERO
In Spanish, “el año” (the year) starts in “enero” (January) and ends in “diciembre” (December).

68. Win an Olympics prize MEDAL
In the Ancient Olympic Games, the winner of an event was awarded an olive wreath. When the games were revived in 1896, the winners were originally given a silver medal and an olive branch, with runners-up receiving a bronze medal and a laurel branch. The tradition of giving gold, silver and bronze medals began at the 1904 Summer Olympic Games held in St. Louis, Missouri.

Down
2. Tulsa sch. with a Prayer Tower ORU
Oral Roberts University (ORU) is a private school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ORU was founded relatively recently, in 1963 by the late televangelist Oral Roberts. The campus includes a Prayer Tower at its center, a spectacular glass and steel structure designed by architect Frank Wallace. The tower includes an observation deck, and is a popular tourist attraction. The school’s sports teams are known as the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.

4. Cuba, por ejemplo ISLA
In Spanish, Cuba “por ejemplo” (for example) is an “isla” (island).

5. Kimono-clad entertainers GEISHAS
The Japanese term “geisha” best translates as “artist” or “performing artist”.

The lovely Japanese kimono is a garment worn by men, women and children. The word “kimono” translates simply as “thing to wear”, with “ki” meaning “wear” and “mono” meaning “thing”.

6. Maker of Ultra acne treatments CLEARASIL
Clearasil acne medication was developed in 1940 by Ivan Combe and Kedzie Teller. Combe promoted the product by sponsoring the television show “American Bandstand” for many years.

7. Sci-fi pilot Solo HAN
Han Solo is the space smuggler in "Star Wars" played by Harrison Ford. Ford was originally hired by George Lucas just to read lines for actors during auditions for "Star Wars", but over time Lucas became convinced that Ford was right for the pivotal role of Han Solo.

9. Quarterback Tony ROMO
Tony Romo is a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo is also an avid amateur golfer and has even tried (albeit unsuccessfully) to qualify for the US Open golf championship.

11. *Beverage-named Denver arena PEPSI CENTER
Pepsi Center in Denver is home to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. The facility opened in 1999.

18. Corp. heads CEOS
Chief executive officer (CEO)

23. Latte-colored BEIGE
Our word “beige” comes from the Old French “bege”, a term that applied to the natural color of wool and cotton that was not dyed.

The term “latte” is an abbreviation of the Italian "caffelatte" meaning "coffee (and) milk". Note that in the correct spelling of "latte", the Italian word for milk, there is no accent over the "e". An accent is often added by mistake when we use the word in English, perhaps meaning to suggest that the word is French.

24. Ex-NBA star Odom LAMAR
Lamar Odom is a basketball forward in NBA. Apparently Odom loves candy, and that's how he earned his nickname, "The Candy Man". Odom is married to Khloé Kardashian, and the couple’s wedding featured on an episode of the reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. Not a show that I have ever seen …

31. Cousin of org COM
The .com domain was one of the six original generic top-level domains specified. The complete original list is:

- .com (commercial enterprise)
- .net (entity involved in network infrastructure e.g. an ISP)
- .mil (US military)
- .org (not-for-profit organization)
- .gov (US federal government entity)
- .edu (college-level educational institution)

33. Corn oil alternative CANOLA
Canola is a type of rapeseed, and Canola oil is made from the seeds. The particular cultivar used in oil production was developed in Canada, and the name Canola in fact comes from "CANadian Oil, Low Acid".

35. Foe in "Batman v Superman"LEX LUTHOR
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is a 2016 movie starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in the title roles. It’s a superhero film, so I probably won’t be seeing it, despite an impressive supporting cast. That includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth.

37. Hotelier Helmsley LEONA
Leona Helmsley was a high-rolling real estate investor and hotel operator in New York City. She was convicted of income tax evasion in 1989 and sentenced to 16 years in jail. At her trial a witness quoted her as saying "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes." No wonder she was known as the Queen of Mean ...

40. __ Paulo SAO
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. São Paulo is also the city with the highest number of helicopters in the world. This is partly driven by the horrendous traffic jams in São Paulo, but also by the wealthy having a very real fear of being kidnapped on the city's streets.

48. "Acoustic Soul" artist India.__ ARIE
India.Arie is an American soul and R&B singer who was born India Arie Simpson in Denver, Colorado.

50. Crawfish habitat BAYOU
A bayou is a marshy inlet or outlet of a lake or river, usually with stagnant or slow-moving water. The exact origins of the term "bayou" is uncertain, but it is thought perhaps to come from the Choctaw (a Native American people from the southeast) word "bayuk", meaning "small stream".

“Crawdad” and “crawfish” are alternative names for crayfish, with “crawdad” being more common in the south of the country.

59. Dr. of hip-hop DRE
Dr. Dre is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as for producing records and starting the careers of others such Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.

60. Smidgen TAD
Our word “smidgen”, meaning a small amount, might come from the Scots word “smitch” that means the same thing or "a small insignificant person".

61. Pollution-monitoring org. EPA
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

62. ISP alternative DSL
An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is just what the name indicates, a company that provides its customers with access to the Internet. One way that ISPs differentiate themselves from each other is in the way in which end users are connected to the ISP's network. So, there are cable ISPs, DSL ISPs, dial-up ISPs and satellite ISPs. I'd go with cable if I were you, if it's available in your area ...

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Shoot for the stars GO BIG
6. Group of musical notes CHORD
11. Buddy PAL
14. Get off the couch ARISE
15. Part of a mechanic's bill LABOR
16. Green prefix ECO-
17. *Menace to society PUBLIC ENEMY
19. Pod veggie PEA
20. Between Europe and America, say ASEA
21. Permeates SOAKS IN
23. Three-letter sandwich BLT
26. Belmont Stakes racer HORSE
28. J or D, for J.D. Salinger INIT
29. Musical sense EAR
30. w/o delay ASAP
31. Gator kin CROC
32. Apple desktops IMACS
34. Fodder holder SILO
36. Gael, for one CELT
39. Wild (over) GAGA
40. *Command to an attack dog SIC ‘EM
41. Joint for a dummy KNEE
42. The Emerald Isle ERIN
43. Rodriguez of the Yankees ALEX
44. Starter for 007's car? ASTON
45. First name in perfume COCO
47. __ Bator ULAN
49. Conclusion END
50. Actor Lugosi BELA
51. Sudden gush SPURT
52. Dorm VIPs RAS
53. Tropical plain SAVANNA
55. Spat TIFF
57. Needle aperture EYE
58. Unemotional, and a hint to the hidden word in the answers to starred clues COLD-HEARTED
63. Came in first WON
64. Pedro's January ENERO
65. Brings in at harvest time REAPS
66. Pecan or almond NUT
67. Short-straw picker LOSER
68. Win an Olympics prize MEDAL

Down
1. Opening GAP
2. Tulsa sch. with a Prayer Tower ORU
3. Highchair user's protector BIB
4. Cuba, por ejemplo ISLA
5. Kimono-clad entertainers GEISHAS
6. Maker of Ultra acne treatments CLEARASIL
7. Sci-fi pilot Solo HAN
8. Having lots to lose OBESE
9. Quarterback Tony ROMO
10. Low-humidity environment DRY AIR
11. *Beverage-named Denver arena PEPSI CENTER
12. Crush the midterm ACE IT
13. Cash advance LOAN
18. Corp. heads CEOS
22. Criticizes KNOCKS
23. Latte-colored BEIGE
24. Ex-NBA star Odom LAMAR
25. *Many a news story, alas TRAGIC EVENT
27. *Add zest to SPICE UP
31. Cousin of org COM
33. Corn oil alternative CANOLA
35. Foe in "Batman v Superman" LEX LUTHOR
37. Hotelier Helmsley LEONA
38. Looks after TENDS
40. __ Paulo SAO
44. Colony with tunnels ANT FARM
46. Call off CANCEL
48. "Acoustic Soul" artist India.__ ARIE
50. Crawfish habitat BAYOU
51. After-Christmas specials SALES
53. Attached using thread SEWN
54. Texting while driving, e.g. NO-NO
56. Release FREE
59. Dr. of hip-hop DRE
60. Smidgen TAD
61. Pollution-monitoring org. EPA
62. ISP alternative DSL


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Observe Ramadan, in a way FAST
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and is traditionally a period of fasting. The faithful that observe Ramadan refrain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from dawn to dusk everyday, a lesson in patience, humility and spirituality.

5. __ and terminer: criminal court OYER
“Oyer and terminer” is a term that originates in English law and that applies in some US states. Here in the US, oyer and terminer is the name given to some courts of criminal jurisdiction. Even though it has its origins in English law, the words “oyer” and “terminer” come from French (via Anglo-Norman) and mean “to hear” and “to determine”.

15. Sub spot DELI
The word "delicatessen" (or “deli” for short) came into English from the German "Delikatessen". The Germans borrowed the word from French, in which language "délicatesse" means "delicious things (to eat)". The term's ultimate root is "delicatus", the Latin for "giving pleasure, delightful".

16. "Glee" club CHOIR
A glee club is a choir group, usually of males, that sings short songs known as “glees”. A glee is a song scored for three or more voices that is performed unaccompanied.

The TV show called "Glee" has proven to be very popular. The storyline focuses on a high school glee club in Lima, Ohio called New Directions.

17. "Sharknado" actress Reid TARA
Tara Reid is an actress known for roles she played on television and the big screen. My guess is her most remembered performances were in the “American Pie” series of movies in which she played Vicky. Sadly, Reid succumbed to the pressure to alter her looks with plastic surgery. In interviews, she has shared that her first experience under the knife “went wrong” leading to more surgeries in attempts to rectify the resulting deformity.

“Sharknado” is a 2013 tongue-in-cheek disaster movie that was made for the Syfy television channel. The basis of the plot is a freak hurricane that hits Los Angeles, resulting in a flood that leaves man-eating sharks roaming the city. I don’t think so ...

18. Banish to Hades, say DOOM
Hades was the god of the underworld to the ancient Greeks. Over time, Hades gave his name to the underworld itself, the place where the dead reside. The term “Hades” was also adopted into the Christian tradition, as an alternative name for hell. But, the concept of hell in Christianity is more akin to the Greek “Tartarus”, which is a dark and gloomy dungeon located in Hades, a place of suffering and torment.

19. Like most tarantulas HAIRY
Tarantulas are spider-like arachnids that are usually quite hairy. The original tarantula was a type of wolf spider found in Europe, found near the southern Italian town called Taranto.

20. Bond portrayer Daniel's BuzzFeed piece? CRAIG’S LISTICLE (from “Craig’s List”)
I have not been a fan of Daniel Craig as James Bond (preferring Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan in the role). However, I saw “Skyfall” when it first came out and have been won over. “Skyfall” is one of the best Bond films so far, in my humble opinion. And, Adele’s rendition of the title song is an added plus ...

A “listicle” is a form of writing used by some journalist and bloggers that is basically a list, but which is fleshed out with extra information for each list item. Typically, listicles have title such as “10 Ways to …”, “The 100 best …” or “The 10 Most …” The term “listicle” is a portmanteau of “list” and “article”.

BuzzFeed is an Internet media company that was founded in 2006 in New York City.

33. Yes, on Talk Like a Pirate Day AYE
International Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19th every year, a “holiday” that was created in 1995. The event started out as an inside joke between John Baur and Mark Summers of Albany, Oregon, but when they shared the notion with the columnist Dave Barry, he promoted the idea and it took off.

34. Love god EROS
Eros, the Greek god of love, was also known as Amor.

35. Seagoing mil. group USN
United States Navy (USN)

41. Sydney school UNI
In Australia (Down Under) and in the British Isles the term “Uni” is routinely used for “university”.

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia. People from Sydney are known as “Sydneysiders”.

42. Charlatan FAKE
A charlatan is someone who makes false claims of skill or knowledge. It is a word we imported from French, although the original derivation is the Italian “ciarlatano”, the term for “a quack”.

50. "Collages" novelist NIN
“Collages” is the last novel that French author Anaïs Nin had published, in 1964.

52. Marked, as a ballot XED
Today a “ballot” is a piece of paper used to cast a vote. Back in the 1500s, a “ballot” was a small “ball” used in the process of voting.

55. Beantown treat? BOSTON POPSICLE (from “Boston Pops”)
The marvelous Boston Pops orchestra specializes in playing light classical and popular music. The Boston Pops Orchestra grew out of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), founded in 1885 by Henry Lee Higginson. Higginson instituted a series of performances by the BSO of lighter classics for the summer months, starting in 1885. These performances were originally known as the “Promenade Concerts”, and soon became year-round events. The name evolved into “Popular Concerts”, which was shortened to “Pops” and officially adopted in 1900.

In the days of sail, the natural trade routes across the Atlantic involved a lot of ships arriving in Boston directly from West Indies. One of the main cargoes carried by these vessels coming from the West Indies was molasses. An abundance of cheap molasses led to an abundance of baked beans in the port city, and all those baked beans gave rise to Boston's nickname “Beantown”.

61. Trompe l'__ OEIL
Trompe-l’oeil is a technique in art that creates the optical illusion that a drawn object exists in three dimensions. “Trompe-l’oeil” is French for “deceive the eye”.

62. Online urban music magazine VIBE
“Vibe” is a magazine that focuses on R&B and rap artists. “Vibe” was founded by the great record producer Quincy Jones, in 1993.

63. Actress Woodard ALFRE
Alfre Woodard is an actress from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Woodard was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the 1983 film “Cross Creek”. Off the stage and screen she is very active in the Democratic Party.

66. Perp subduer TASER
Perpetrator (perp.)

Down
2. Game company formerly named Syzygy ATARI
At one point, the electronics and video game manufacturer Atari was the fastest growing company in US history. However, Atari never really recovered from the video game industry crash of 1983. Atari was founded in 1971 as Syzygy Engineering in 1971, at which time it produced “Computer Space”, the world’s first arcade video game.

6. Shoppe descriptor YE OLDE
The word "olde" wasn't actually used much earlier than the 1920s. "Olde" was introduced to give a quaint antique feel to brand names, shop names etc.

7. Weena's race, in "The Time Machine"ELOI
In the 1895 novel by H. G. Wells called "The Time Machine", there are two races that the hero encounter in his travels into the future. The Eloi are the “beautiful people” who live on the planet's surface. The Morlocks are a race of cannibals living underground who use the Eloi as food.

8. What swish shots don't touch RIMS
That would be in basketball …

10. Joanie's love CHACHI
Scott Baio is the actor who played Chachi Arcola in the great sitcom “Happy Days” and in the not-so-great spinoff “Joanie Loves Chachi”. Baio also played the title role in a later sitcom called “Charles in Charge”. Earlier in his career, he played another title role, in the 1976 movie “Bugsy Malone”, appearing opposite a young Jodie Foster.

12. Green land EIRE
"Éire", is the Irish word for "Ireland". "Erin" is an anglicized version of "Éire" and actually corresponds to "Éirinn", the dative case of "Éire".

13. Seinfeldesque WRY
"Seinfeld" aired for nine seasons on NBC, and in 2002 was declared by TV Guide as the "greatest television program of all time". After the show completed its run in 1998, each of the main supporting actors made failed attempts to launch new sitcoms. This phenomenon became known as "the Seinfeld curse", but Julia Louis-Dreyfus finally managed to break free of it with a successful five-season run in "The New Adventures of Old Christine", and is also currently starring in “Veep”.

21. Wagga Wagga welcome G’DAY
Wagga Wagga is an Australian city in New South Wales located midway between Sydney and Melbourne.

22. Starchy tuber TARO
The corm of some taro plants is used to make poi, the traditional Hawaiian dish (that I think tastes horrible). When a taro plant is grown as an ornamental, it is often called Elephant Ears due to the shape of its large leaves.

28. Saint at a gate PETER
In the Christian tradition, Saint Peter is often depicted as the keeper of the gates of heaven. This depiction arises from a passage in the Gospel of Matthew:

I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

31. "Geaux Tigers" SEC school LSU
The LSU Tigers are the sports teams of Louisiana State University (LSU). They are officially known as the Fightin' Tigers, and the school mascot is "Mike the Tiger". The name comes from the days of the Civil War, when two Louisiana brigades earned the nickname the "Louisiana Tigers". Given the French/Cajun history of Louisiana, the LSU fans use the cheer “Geaux Tigers” instead of “Go Tigers”.

37. Sean Lennon's middle name ONO
Sean Taro Ono Lennon is the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Sean’s godfather is Elton John. Sean is a musician and composer, and has a band called the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger.

38. Jack-in-the-box flipper LID
A Jack-in-the-box is child's toy. It's a box with a crank handle at the side. Turning the crank causes a tune to play (usually "Pop Goes the Weasel"), and at the right moment the lid pops open and a spring loaded clown character jumps up out of the box.

39. Police blotter letters AKA
Also known as (aka)

A police blotter is (or used to be) a daily record of arrests made.

40. Lowest-ranking NCO CPL
An NCO is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces. Usually such an officer is one who has earned his or her rank by promotion through the enlisted ranks. A good example would be a sergeant (sgt.) or a corporal (cpl.).

43. __ Domini ANNO
The designations Anno Domini (AD, "year of Our Lord") and Before Christ (BC) are found in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The dividing point between AD and BC is the year of the conception of Jesus, with AD 1 following 1 BC without a year "0" in between. The AD/BC scheme dates back to AD 525, and gained wide acceptance soon after AD 800. Nowadays a modified version has become popular, with CE (Common/Christian Era) used to replace AD, and BCE (Before the Common/Christian Era) used to replace BC.

48. Lao-tzu's philosophy TAOISM
Lao Tse (also Lao-Tzu) was a central figure in the development of the religion/philosophy of Taoism. Tradition holds that Lao-Tzu wrote the “Tao Te Ching”, a classical Chinese text that is fundamental to the philosophy of Taoism.

55. Composer Bartók BELA
Bela Bartók was a composer and a pianist, and perhaps after Liszt is considered by many to be Hungary's greatest composer.

56. Klutzes OAFS
A “klutz” is an awkward individual, and the term comes from Yiddish. The Yiddish word for a clumsy person is "klots".

57. Stellar phenomenon NOVA
A nova is basically a star that suddenly gets much brighter, gradually returning to its original state weeks or even years later. The increased brightness of a nova is due to increased nuclear activity causing the star to pick up extra hydrogen from a neighboring celestial body. A supernova is very different from a nova. A supernova is a very bright burst of light and energy created when most of the material in a star explodes. The bright burst of a supernova is very short-lived compared to the sustained brightness of a nova.

58. Ring out PEAL
A “peal”, meaning “a ringing of a bell”, is thought to be a shortened form of “appeal”. The idea is that a bell-ringing can be an appeal or summons to church.

59. Nobelist Pavlov IVAN
Ivan Pavlov was studying gastric function in dogs in the 1890s when he observed that his subject dogs started to salivate before he even presented food to them. This "psychic secretion", as he called it, interested him so much that he changed the direction of his research and studied the reactions of dogs to various stimuli that were associated with the presentation of food. Famously, he discovered that a dog could be conditioned to respond as though he was about to be fed, just by sensing some stimulus that he had come to associate with food. This might be a bell ringing, an electric shock (poor dog!) or perhaps the waving of a hand. Nowadays we might describe someone as "Pavlov's Dog" if that person responds just the way he/she has been conditioned to respond, rather than applying critical thinking.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Observe Ramadan, in a way FAST
5. __ and terminer: criminal court OYER
9. Tapered fastener SCREW
14. Scratch the surface? ETCH
15. Sub spot DELI
16. "Glee" club CHOIR
17. "Sharknado" actress Reid TARA
18. Banish to Hades, say DOOM
19. Like most tarantulas HAIRY
20. Bond portrayer Daniel's BuzzFeed piece? CRAIG’S LISTICLE (from “Craig’s List”)
23. That guy HIM
24. Stay-at-home __ DAD
25. Bonfire residue ASH
26. Leftover bit of a physics experiment? SPARE PARTICLE (from “spare part”)
33. Yes, on Talk Like a Pirate Day AYE
34. Love god EROS
35. Seagoing mil. group USN
36. "__ you!" TOLD
39. Source of 20s ATM
40. Icky buildup CRUD
41. Sydney school UNI
42. Charlatan FAKE
44. 18%, often TIP
46. Ezine feature? MODERN ARTICLE (from “modern art”)
50. "Collages" novelist NIN
51. Chest-beating beast APE
52. Marked, as a ballot XED
55. Beantown treat? BOSTON POPSICLE (from “Boston Pops”)
60. Real pip BEAUT
61. Trompe l'__ OEIL
62. Online urban music magazine VIBE
63. Actress Woodard ALFRE
64. Mantel piece VASE
65. Molecule component ATOM
66. Perp subduer TASER
67. Help for the poor ALMS
68. What's going on NEWS

Down
1. Sell for FETCH
2. Game company formerly named Syzygy ATARI
3. Beats it SCRAMS
4. Asian language with 44 consonants THAI
5. "Probably ... " ODDS ARE ...
6. Shoppe descriptor YE OLDE
7. Weena's race, in "The Time Machine" ELOI
8. What swish shots don't touch RIMS
9. Flaky metamorphic rocks SCHISTS
10. Joanie's love CHACHI
11. Bubble and churn ROIL
12. Green land EIRE
13. Seinfeldesque WRY
21. Wagga Wagga welcome G’DAY
22. Starchy tuber TARO
27. Shock absorber PAD
28. Saint at a gate PETER
29. Operational branch ARM
30. Mongrel CUR
31. "Geaux Tigers" SEC school LSU
32. Wind down or wind up END
36. Belly, to a tot TUM
37. Sean Lennon's middle name ONO
38. Jack-in-the-box flipper LID
39. Police blotter letters AKA
40. Lowest-ranking NCO CPL
42. Fried corn cake FRITTER
43. __ Domini ANNO
44. Has a few TIPPLES
45. Treats, as a sprain ICES
47. Make certain ENSURE
48. Lao-tzu's philosophy TAOISM
49. Whip up EXCITE
53. Fight (through), as a crowd ELBOW
54. Considers DEEMS
55. Composer Bartók BELA
56. Klutzes OAFS
57. Stellar phenomenon NOVA
58. Ring out PEAL
59. Nobelist Pavlov IVAN
60. Ball club BAT


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Parts of gigs MEGS
In the world of computers, a "bit" is the basic unit of information. It has a value of 0 or 1. A "byte" is a small collection of bits (usually 8), the number of bits needed to uniquely identify a character of text. The prefix mega- stands for 10 to the power of 6, so a megabyte (meg) is 1,000,000 bytes. And the prefix giga- means 10 to the power of 9, so a gigabyte (gig) is 1,000,000,000 bytes. Well, those are the SI definitions of megabyte and kilobyte. The purists still use 2 to the power of 20 for a megabyte (i.e. 1,048,576), and 2 to the power of 30 for a gigabyte.

14. Parrier's tool EPEE
In competitive fencing, a parry is a maneuver that blocks an attack by an opponent. There are actually nine defined ways to execute a parry.

15. Rent-a-car choice AVIS
Avis has been around since 1946, and is the second largest car rental agency after Hertz. Avis has the distinction of being the first car rental company to locate a branch at an airport.

16. African city that hosts an annual international film festival CAIRO
The Cairo International Film Festival has been held almost every year since 1976. Egypt is home to the largest film industry in the Arab world.

18. *Steinbeck novel set in Monterey CANNERY ROW
“Cannery Row” is a novel by John Steinbeck that was first published in 1945. The title refers to the street in Monterey, California known as Cannery Row that is home to now-defunct sardine canning factories. Back in 1945 the street was called Ocean View Avenue, but it was renamed in 1958 in recognition of the Steinbeck novel.

20. "Homeland" airer, briefly SHO
“Homeland” is a psychological drama shown on Showtime about a CIA officer who is convinced that a certain US Marine is a threat to the security of the United States. The show is based on a series from Israeli television called “Hatufim” (Prisoners of War”). I saw the first series of this show and highly recommend it ...

21. GPS options RDS
When planning a route, a Global Positioning System (GPS) recommends certain roads (rds.).

23. *Starter HORS D'OEUVRE
An hors d’oeuvre is the first course in a meal. “Hors d’oeuvre” translates from French as “apart from the work”, really meaning “not the main course”.

27. "__ the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"IT’S
“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is 1966 TV special featuring characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. It was aired as a special for Halloween.

30. Viennese "a"EIN
Vienna is the capital of Austria. Vienna has a long musical tradition and was home to Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss (I and II), Josef Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler. As such, Vienna is sometimes called the “City of Music”. It is also called the “City of Dreams” as it was home to the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.

33. Story __ ARC
A story arc is a continuing storyline in say a television show that has a number of episodes. Story arcs are also found in comics, books, video games, and other forms of media.

34. Michaelmas mo. SEPT
“Michaelmas” is the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, a day in the Western Christian calendar. Michaelmas is September 29th every year, and is associated with the beginning of fall.

35. *China server GRAVY BOAT
The ceramic known as “porcelain” can be referred to as “china” or “fine china”, as porcelain was developed in China.

46. Dark side YIN
The yin and the yang can be explained using many different metaphors. In one, as the sun shines on a mountain, the side in the shade is the yin and the side in the light is the yang. The yin is also regarded as the feminine side, and the yang the masculine. The yin can also be associated with the moon, while the yang is associated with the sun.

47. Bill encl. SAE
An SAE is a “stamped, addressed envelope”. An SASE is a “self-addressed, stamped envelope”.

48. Texas home of Hardin-Simmons University ABILENE
Hardin-Simmons University is a private school that was established in 1891 in Abilene, Texas as the Abilene Baptist College. The name changed in 1892 to Simmons College and to Hardin-Simmons University in 1934, in recognition of major benefactors.

51. All Hallows' __ EVE
All Saints' Day is November 1st each year. The day before All Saints' Day is All Hallows' Eve, better known by the Scottish term, "Halloween".

54. "Four Quartets" poet ELIOT
T. S. Eliot was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948, largely due to his "Four Quartets", a set of four poems that Eliot himself considered to be his life's masterpiece.

56. Obsolescent PC component CRT
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

58. Wall Street announcement ... or a hint to the circled letters STOCK SPLIT
The face value (also “par value”) of a stock changes with a stock split. For example, a 2-for-1 split results in twice as much stock outstanding, so the price is halved. In a reverse stock split, less stock is outstanding.

61. New Orleans feature LEVEE
A levee is an artificial bank usually made of earth, running along the length of a river. A levee is designed to hold back river water at a time of potential flooding. "Levée" is the French word for "raised" and is an American term that originated in French-speaking New Orleans around 1720.

62. Self-defense spray MACE
Mace is actually a brand name, originally introduced by Lake Erie Chemical when they started to manufacture "Chemical Mace", with the name being a play on the club-like weapon from days of old. Mace was originally a form of tear gas, but Mace today uses a formula that is actually a pepper spray, a different formulation.

63. Skin PELT
The “pelt” is the skin of a furry animal.

65. Rigel or Arcturus STAR
Rigel is the sixth brightest star in the night sky, and the brightest star in the constellation of Orion. If you can imagine the stars in Orion laid out, Rigel is at his left foot. The name “Rigel” is an abbreviated version of the Arabic term for “Left Foot of the Central One”.

Arcturus is a star in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is the fourth brightest star in the sky, after Sirius, Canopus and Alpha Centauri. The name “Arcturus” comes from the Greek for “Guardian of the Bear”, as is lies in a constellation that is close to the Greater and Lesser Bears (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor).

Down
1. Tea ceremony participant GEISHA
The Japanese term “geisha” best translates as “artist” or “performing artist”.

3. Hanukkah symbol MENORAH
There is a seven-branched menorah used symbolically in ancient temples. However, the Hanukkah menorah is a nine-branched lampstand that is lit during the eight-day holiday called Hanukkah. “Menorah” is the Hebrew word for “lamp”.

5. Modern shortcuts MACROS
A macroinstruction (usually shortened to “macro”) is a set of instructions in a computer program that are abbreviated to one simple command.

7. "Never needs sharpening" brand GINSU
Ginsu knives are more famous for their hard-sell television ads than they are for their efficacy in the kitchen. The Ginsu phenomenon took off in the seventies when two brothers found a set of knives called "Eversharp" that were being manufactured in Ohio. The brothers changed the brand name to something more exotic, and Japanese in particular (Ginsu), and then produced ads that made references to Japanese martial arts. I think they made a fortune ...

8. Tax form no. SSN
Social Security Number (SSN)

10. "Airplane!" actor Robert HAYS
The 1980 movie “Airplane!” has to be one of the zaniest comedies ever made. The lead roles were Ted Striker (played by Robert Hays) and Elaine Dickinson (played by Julie Hagerty). But it was Leslie Nielsen who stole the show, playing Dr. Barry Rumack. That's my own humble opinion of course ...

12. Become covered with rime FROST UP
Rime is that beautiful coating of ice that forms on surfaces like roofs, trees and grass, when cold water freezes instantly under the right conditions.

19. Physicist Fermi ENRICO
Enrico Fermi was born in Rome, Italy. Fermi moved to the US just before WWII, largely to escape the anti-Semitic feelings that were developing in Italy under Mussolini. It was Fermi's work at the University of Chicago that led to the construction of the world's first nuclear reactor. Fermi died at 53 years of age from stomach cancer . Cancer was a prevalent cause of death among the team working on that first nuclear pile.

37. Ford, but not Lincoln VEEP
Gerald Ford is the only person to have served as both Vice President and President of the US, without having been elected to those positions. Ford was nominated by President Richard Nixon to replace Vice President Spiro Agnew after he resigned in 1973. Vice President Ford assumed the presidency the following year after President Nixon resigned.

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the US, elected in 1860 as the first president from the Republican Party. Lincoln’s electoral support came almost exclusively from the north and west of the country, winning only 2 out of 996 counties in the Southern slave states. Lincoln led the country through Civil War, and then was assassinated in 1865 just a few days after Robert E. Lee surrendered his army of Northern Virginia. President Lincoln was succeeded in office by Vice President Andrew Johnson.

40. Rosie, notably RIVETER
Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon that represented women working in factories across the country during WWII as part of the war effort. The term “Rosie the Riveter” first appeared as the title of a 1942 song that was a national hit.

41. Bob Marley song with the lyric "Let's get together and feel all right"ONE LOVE
“One Love” is a classic reggae song from 1977 recorded by Bob Marley and the Wailers. A ska version of “One Love” had been released by the Wailers as early as 1965, but it is the 1977 release that we all remember, I am sure.

48. Where the Zambezi flows AFRICA
The Zambezi is the largest African river flowing into the Indian Ocean, and the fourth-longest river on the continent. The most famous spot along the Zambezi is Victoria Falls.

50. "Snowy" birds EGRETS
The Snowy Egret is a small white heron, native to the Americas. At one time the egret species was in danger of extinction due to hunting driven by the demand for plumes for women's hats.

53. Showiness ECLAT
“Éclat” can mean a brilliant show of success, or the applause or accolade that one receives. The word derives from the French "éclater" meaning "to splinter, burst out".

58. Utah metropolis, initially SLC
Salt Lake City (SLC) was founded by Brigham Young, in 1847. The city takes its name from the Great Salt Lake on which it sits, and indeed was known as "Great Salt Lake City" up until 1868.

59. The U.K.'s Pitt the Elder and Pitt the Younger PMS
William Pitt, the Elder was the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768. Although a prominent figure in British politics for many years, he refused to accept a title until he took over government of the country. For this refusal, he earned the nickname “The Great Commoner”. It is William Pitt, the Elder who lent his name to the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

William Pitt, the Younger was Prime Minister of Britain from 1783 to 1801, and again from 1804 until 1806. When Pitt first took office, he was only 24 years of age, making him the nation’s youngest ever PM. William Pitt is known as “the Younger” as his father, William Pitt the Elder also served as prime minister, from 1766 to 1768.

60. Mail hub: Abbr. GPO
General post office (GPO)

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Teeth setting GUMS
5. Parts of gigs MEGS
9. Golf club part SHAFT
14. Parrier's tool EPEE
15. Rent-a-car choice AVIS
16. African city that hosts an annual international film festival CAIRO
17. Lacks being ISN'T
18. *Steinbeck novel set in Monterey CANNERY ROW
20. "Homeland" airer, briefly SHO
21. GPS options RDS
22. Stick homes NESTS
23. *Starter HORS D'OEUVRE
27. "__ the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" IT’S
29. Stumped AT A LOSS
30. Viennese "a" EIN
31. Ale serving MUG
32. "Git!" SHOO!
33. Story __ ARC
34. Michaelmas mo. SEPT
35. *China server GRAVY BOAT
39. Guy friends BROS
42. Like a few hours after midnight WEE
43. Wait patiently BIDE
46. Dark side YIN
47. Bill encl. SAE
48. Texas home of Hardin-Simmons University ABILENE
51. All Hallows' __ EVE
52. *Refinery job PIPEFITTING
54. "Four Quartets" poet ELIOT
56. Obsolescent PC component CRT
57. With respect to FOR
58. Wall Street announcement ... or a hint to the circled letters STOCK SPLIT
60. Poke fun at GIBE
61. New Orleans feature LEVEE
62. Self-defense spray MACE
63. Skin PELT
64. Salad green CRESS
65. Rigel or Arcturus STAR
66. Some lyric works ODES

Down
1. Tea ceremony participant GEISHA
2. Results UPSHOTS
3. Hanukkah symbol MENORAH
4. Solidified, as plans SET
5. Modern shortcuts MACROS
6. Gets around EVADES
7. "Never needs sharpening" brand GINSU
8. Tax form no. SSN
9. Project at the theater SCREEN
10. "Airplane!" actor Robert HAYS
11. Advertiser's purchase AIRTIME
12. Become covered with rime FROST UP
13. Drag behind TOW
19. Physicist Fermi ENRICO
24. Arduous jobs SLOGS
25. Way out DOOR
26. Action word VERB
28. Cpl.'s superior SGT
33. Word to a captain AYE
34. Support for the circus? STILT
36. Is in store AWAITS
37. Ford, but not Lincoln VEEP
38. Slightly A BIT
39. Sports schedule advantage BYE
40. Rosie, notably RIVETER
41. Bob Marley song with the lyric "Let's get together and feel all right" ONE LOVE
44. Put on a pedestal DEIFIED
45. Raise up ENNOBLE
47. Bike wheel parts SPOKES
48. Where the Zambezi flows AFRICA
49. Caustic BITTER
50. "Snowy" birds EGRETS
53. Showiness ECLAT
55. Gets done in a bakery ICES
58. Utah metropolis, initially SLC
59. The U.K.'s Pitt the Elder and Pitt the Younger PMS
60. Mail hub: Abbr. GPO


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Man of many words ROGET
Peter Mark Roget was an English lexicographer. Roget was an avid maker of lists, apparently using the routine of list-making to combat depression, a condition he endured for most of his life. He published his famous thesaurus in 1852, with revisions and expansions being made years later by his son, and then in turn by his grandson.

10. Hiker's map, briefly TOPO
A topographic map (“topo”) is one that illustrates “land relief” the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the terrain. Typically, this is done using contours lines that show the steepness of slopes.

15. Virna of "How to Murder Your Wife"LISI
Virna Lisi is an Italian film actress who made a few movies in Hollywood in the sixties. Lisi appeared opposite Jack Lemmon in the fun movie “How to Murder Your Wife” in 1965, and with Frank Sinatra in “Assault on a Queen” in 1966.

16. Organic compound ENOL
An enol is an alkene with a hydroxyl group, sort of part-alkene and part-alcohol. The term "enol" therefore, is a portmanteau of "alkene" and "alcohol".

17. '60s executive order creation PEACE CORPS
The Peace Corps is an organization of American volunteers that is run by the US government. The Peace Corps was established by President Kennedy in 1961, and has a three-part mission:

1. Providing technical assistance
2. Helping people outside the US to understand American culture
3. Helping Americans to understand the culture of other countries

21. Human Be-In attendee HIPPIE
Just before 1967’s "Summer of Love" in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, a Human Be-In was held in the city’s Golden Gate Park. The Be-In is described as a “happening”, a gathering triggered by a new state law banning the use of LSD. The term “Human Be-In” is a play on “humanist sit-in”.

23. 1988 Cabinet resignee ED MEESE
Ed Meese was born in Oakland, California just down the road here and spent 24 years in the office of the Treasurer of Alameda County, the county in which I live. After military service, Meese earned himself a law degree at UC Berkeley. Later, as Chief of Staff for Governor Reagan, he was instrumental in a famous decision to crack down on student protesters at Berkeley which resulted in one protester dying and a two-week occupation of the city by the California National Guard. Meese served as Counselor to President Reagan and as such became heavily involved in the Iran-Contra affair, and then in Iraq-Jordan oil pipeline deal that came under the scrutiny of Congress. Meese was forced to resign amid allegation of financial improprieties associated with the pipeline deal.

27. Apostle known as "the Zealot"ST SIMON
Simon the Zealot was one of the lesser known of the Apostles, not to be confused with Simon Peter, leader of the early Christian Church. There are suggestions that Simon the Zealot may be the same person as Simon, brother of Jesus.

29. Steady BEAU
A “beau” is the boyfriend of a “belle”, a young lady. “Beau” and “belle” are the masculine and feminine forms of the French word for “handsome, beautiful”.

30. Comfort and others INNS
The Comfort Inn chain is part of Choice Hotels International. I stay in Comfort Suites every so often. Not bad for the price ...

31. Avid surfers NETIZENS
A netizen is an "Internet citizen", someone with a presence on the Internet.

35. Societal change begun in Quebec during the '60s QUIET REVOLUTION
The “Révolution tranquille” (Quiet Revolution) was a period of great change in the history of Quebec. More specifically, the term originally applied to the six years when the Quebec Liberal Party was in power in the sixties with Jean Lesage as Premier. Lesage’s government made sweeping social, economic and political changes that led to a strengthening of the Québécois identity.

40. Subway purchase HERO
"Hero" is another name for a submarine sandwich. The hero originated in New York City in the 1800s among Italian immigrants who wanted an Italian sandwich that reminded them of home. The name "hero" was coined in the 1930s, supposedly by a food critic in the "New York Herald Tribune" when he wrote that "one had to be a hero" to finish the gigantic sandwich. Hero is a prevalent term to this day in New York City, reserved for a submarine sandwich with an Italian flavor.

41. Blue dye ANIL
Anil is another name for the indigo plant, as well as the name for the blue indigo dye that is obtained from it. The color of anil is relatively close to navy blue. The main coloring agent in indigo dye is a crystalline powder called indigotin.

48. Greasy spoon BEANERY
A beanery is an inexpensive restaurant, and a term that’s been in American English since the 1800s.

“Greasy spoon” is a familiar term for a restaurant, usually a diner, that is less than pristine and that serves cheap food.

50. Small flaw WART
A wart is a small eruption on the skin caused by a localized viral infection. The most successful treatment is topical use of salicylic acid, with a cure rate of 75%. I think it's best to try to avoid getting them ...

52. '60s aviation nickname WHISPERJET
The British Aerospace 146 airliner was marketed under the name “Whisperjet”, a reference to the aircraft's relatively quiet operation. The BA 146 was produced from 1983 to 2001. It has a high-wing design with a roomy fuselage. The plane is popular on short-haul routes within Europe, but I haven’t seen that many of them over here in North America …

58. Quattro competitor ATRA
Fortunately for crossword setters, the Atra razor was introduced by Gillette in 1977. The Atra was sold as the Contour in some markets and its derivative products are still around today.

Quattro (Italian for “four”) is a series of four-bladed safety razors made by Wilkinson Sword under the brand name Schick.

59. Quattro, e.g. AUDI
Audi introduced the Quattro model in 1980. It was the first car to use Audi’s “quattro permanent” four-wheel drive system, hence the name “Quattro”.

60. 2013 One Direction hit DIANA
One Direction is a UK-based boy band. Each member of the band competed in the reality show “The X Factor”, and didn’t do very well. The five were then combined in a boy band at a later stage of the competition. They only finished in third place, but I don’t think they care. They’re doing very, very well for “losers” …

61. Victor's "Samson and Delilah" co-star HEDY
Hedy Lamarr was an American actress, originally from Vienna in modern-day Austria. Not only was Lamarr a successful Hollywood performer, during WWII she was the co-inventor of the frequency-hopping spread-spectrum method of transmitting radio signals that is still used to this day in wireless communication. Impressive ...

"Samson and Delilah" is epic film produced and directed by Cecil B. Demille and released in 1949. The title roles are played by Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr.

63. Lustrous synthetic RAYON
Rayon is a little unusual in the textile industry in that it is not truly a synthetic fiber, but nor can it be called a natural fiber. Rayon is produced from naturally occurring cellulose that is dissolved and then reformed into fibers.

Down
3. 1998 Angelina Jolie biopic GIA
Gia Carangi was a fashion model, often described as the world’s first supermodel. Carangi was from Philadelphia, and had her first modelling jobs appearing in newspaper ads. She started to abuse heroin in 1980, at 20 years of age. She contracted AIDS, and died at 26 years old. Carangi was one of the first famous women to succumb to the disease, in 1986. HBO made a biopic about Carangi’s life called “Gia” in 1998. Angelina Jolie plays the title role.

4. F1 neighbor ESC
The escape key (Esc) is usually beside the F1 key on a PC keyboard.

5. It's across from Alice Tully Hall THE MET
The Metropolitan Opera (the Met) of New York City is the largest classical music organization in the country, presenting about 220 performances each and every year. Founded in 1880, the Met is renowned for using technology to expand its audiences. Performances have been broadcast live on radio since 1931, and on television since 1977. And since 2006 you can go see a live performance from New York in high definition on the big screen, at a movie theater near you ...

Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall located in the Juilliard Building at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The hall is named for Alice Tully, a performer whose philanthropy helped fund its construction.

6. One of many in "Orphan Black"CLONE
“Orphan Black" is a Canadian sci-fi TV show about several women who discover that they are in fact clones. Star of the show is Tatiana Maslany, who has what must be an exhausting job, playing all of the clones.

8. Sixth of five? ESP
Extrasensory perception (ESP) is sometimes referred to as the “sixth sense”.

10. Largo and presto TEMPI
Largo is a instruction to play a piece of music with a very slow tempo. “Largo” is the Italian word for “broadly”.

On a musical score, presto is used to indicate a fast tempo. "Presto" is the Italian word for "quick".

11. Matinee hr. ONE PM
“Matinée” is a French word used to describe a musical entertainment held during the daytime. “Matinée” is derived from the word “matin”, meaning “morning”, although here the term is used in the sense of “daylight”. Theater performances in the US tend to be either in the evening (for the night owls) or in matinees in the afternoon (for "the early-to-bed crowd", of which I am a member).

12. March of Dimes' original crusade POLIO
In the fifties, especially after the 1952 polio epidemic, the biggest health fear in the US was polio because it killed thousands, left even more with disabilities and most of the victims were children. The situation was dire and the authorities immediately quarantined the family of any polio victim, and that quarantine was so strict that in many cases the families were not even permitted to attend the funeral of a family member who died from the disease.

President Roosevelt was a major driver in the founding of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The Foundation's most successful fund raising campaign was to encourage the public to just send a dime to support the charity, so that even before the Foundation officially changed its name, the public were already calling it March of Dimes. After President Roosevelt passed away in office, Congress passed legislation calling for a new design for the dime, one featuring the image of FDR. The Roosevelt dime was introduced in 1946, on the day that would have been the President's 64th birthday.

18. Mama in music CASS
Cass Elliot was one of the four singers in the Mamas and the Papas, a sensational group from the sixties. “Mama Cass” was performing sold-out concerts in London in 1974 when she was found dead one morning, having had a heart attack. She was only 32 years old. Eerily, Elliot died in the same flat (on loan from Harry Nilsson) in which the Who's drummer, Keith Moon, would die just four years later.

22. Trooper's outfit? ISUZU
Isuzu is a Japanese auto manufacturer, very successful in the medium and heavy truck market in particular. You'll be seeing fewer and fewer Isuzu passenger cars on American roads though, as the company exited the US passenger car market in 2008. The Isuzu Trooper was one of their most successful SUVs, produced between 1981 and 2005.

23. La Salle of "ER"ERIQ
Eriq La Salle played Dr. Peter Benton on "ER", and is best known in film for his portrayal of Darryl in the 1998 comedy "Coming to America".

26. Thomas Cromwell's earldom ESSEX
Essex is a county in England, referred to as one of the “home counties”. The home counties are the counties that surround the city of London, outside of London itself. "Home county" is not an official designation but has been in popular use since the 1800s.

Thomas Cromwell was the 1st Earl of Essex, and a trusted advisor of King Henry VIII of England. Cromwell very much drove the English Reformation, the break with the Catholic Church in Rome. He was also the man who arranged for the annulment of Henry’s first marriage so that the king could marry Anne Boleyn. But, like so many of those close to Henry VIII, Cromwell fell out of favor and was executed. Cromwell’s "crime" was that he arranged Henry’s fourth marriage, to Anne of Cleves, and this turned out to be a terrible match.

29. Oblique cut BEVEL
A bevelled edged is like a chamfered edge. The edge of a mirror is often bevelled, meaning that it is cut at an angle that isn’t perpendicular to the mirror’s surface.

31. Half a Caribbean federation NEVIS
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, which along with the island of Saint Kitts makes up the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. At the center of Nevis is a volcano, called Nevis Peak. Apparently the clouds at the top of this peak reminded someone of snow, so the island was given the Spanish name “Nuestra Señora de las Nieves” (Our Lady of the Snows). The name “Nevis” then comes from “nieves”, the word for “snow”.

32. Tom's "Mission: Impossible" role ETHAN
It was Tom Cruise’s idea to adapt the “Mission Impossible” television series for the big screen, and it became the first project for Cruise’s own production company. Tom Cruise took on the starring role of Ethan Hunt in the movies, the point man for the Impossible Missions Force (IMF).

42. Former Blue Devil rival, briefly TERP
The sports teams of the University of Maryland are called the Maryland Terrapins, or "the Terps" for short. The name dates back to 1932 when it was coined by the the university's president at the time, Curley Byrd. He took the name from the diamondback terrapins that are native to the Chesapeake Bay.

Duke University was founded in 1838 as Brown’s Schoolhouse. The school was renamed to Trinity College in 1859, and to this day the town where the college was located back then is known as Trinity, in honor of the school. The school was moved in 1892 to Durham, North Carolina in part due to generous donations from the wealthy tobacco industrialist Washington Duke. Duke’s donation required that the school open its doors to women, placing them on an equal footing with men. Trinity’s name was changed to Duke in 1924 in recognition of the generosity of the Duke family. Duke’s athletic teams are known as the Blue Devils.

44. Shore show of the '70s DINAH!
Dinah Shore had a lot of success as a singer in the forties and fifties in the Big Band Era, and then in the sixties as a hostess of variety programs on television. Shore was also a big fan of golf, both as a player and a spectator. She founded the Colgate Dinah Shore golf tournament which is now the Kraft Nabisco Championship, one of the four majors on the LPGA Tour.

47. Jim-dandy A-OKAY
Our term “A-OK” is supposedly an abbreviation for “A(ll systems are) OK”, and arose in the sixties during the Space Program.

A jim-dandy is someone or something that is excellent. The term might possibly arise from the song “Dandy Jim of Caroline” that was popular in the 1840s.

48. Pizza sauce herb BASIL
Traditionally, basil is considered “the king of herbs”. And in fact, the herb’s name comes form the Greek “basileus” meaning “king”.

54. 46-Down kin RIA
(46D. Alaskan cruise sight FJORD)
A drowned valley might be called a ria or a fjord, both formed as sea level rises. A ria is a drowned valley created by river erosion, and a fjord is a drowned valley created by glaciation.

55. Magpie relative JAY
The bird known as a “jay” is sometimes called a “magpie”, although the terms are not completely interchangeable.

56. "Microsoft sound" composer ENO
Brian Eno started out his musical career with Roxy Music. However, Eno's most oft-played composition (by far!) is Microsoft's "startup jingle", the 6-second sound you hear when the Windows operating system is booting up. Eno might have annoyed the Microsoft folks when he stated on a BBC radio show:

I wrote it on a Mac. I’ve never used a PC in my life; I don’t like them.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Man of many words ROGET
6. Course designer CHEF
10. Hiker's map, briefly TOPO
14. Words spoken on a star? I WISH
15. Virna of "How to Murder Your Wife" LISI
16. Organic compound ENOL
17. '60s executive order creation PEACE CORPS
19. Combine MELD
20. Locks in a zoo MANE
21. Human Be-In attendee HIPPIE
23. 1988 Cabinet resignee ED MEESE
27. Apostle known as "the Zealot" ST SIMON
28. Facetious tributes ROASTS
29. Steady BEAU
30. Comfort and others INNS
31. Avid surfers NETIZENS
35. Societal change begun in Quebec during the '60s QUIET REVOLUTION
39. Money-saving refuge TAX HAVEN
40. Subway purchase HERO
41. Blue dye ANIL
42. Hints TRACES
44. Renders harmless DEFANGS
48. Greasy spoon BEANERY
49. It's not widely understood IN-JOKE
50. Small flaw WART
51. Cozy spot NOOK
52. '60s aviation nickname WHISPERJET
58. Quattro competitor ATRA
59. Quattro, e.g. AUDI
60. 2013 One Direction hit DIANA
61. Victor's "Samson and Delilah" co-star HEDY
62. Line holder for a cast REEL
63. Lustrous synthetic RAYON

Down
1. Swindle, with "off" RIP
2. Run a tab, say OWE
3. 1998 Angelina Jolie biopic GIA
4. F1 neighbor ESC
5. It's across from Alice Tully Hall THE MET
6. One of many in "Orphan Black" CLONE
7. Engage HIRE
8. Sixth of five? ESP
9. Skid FISHTAIL
10. Largo and presto TEMPI
11. Matinee hr. ONE PM
12. March of Dimes' original crusade POLIO
13. Ancient OLDEN
18. Mama in music CASS
22. Trooper's outfit? ISUZU
23. La Salle of "ER" ERIQ
24. Fried treat DONUT
25. Obsession MANIA
26. Thomas Cromwell's earldom ESSEX
27. Determined about SET ON
29. Oblique cut BEVEL
31. Half a Caribbean federation NEVIS
32. Tom's "Mission: Impossible" role ETHAN
33. Reunion attendee NIECE
34. More put out SORER
36. "__ heaven" THANK
37. American West conflict RANGE WAR
38. Overly curious NOSY
42. Former Blue Devil rival, briefly TERP
43. Not suitable for kids RATED-R
44. Shore show of the '70s DINAH!
45. Modern message E-NOTE
46. Alaskan cruise sight FJORD
47. Jim-dandy A-OKAY
48. Pizza sauce herb BASIL
50. Off-target WIDE
53. Color distinction HUE
54. 46-Down kin RIA
55. Magpie relative JAY
56. "Microsoft sound" composer ENO
57. Brown shade TAN


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Today's Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Instruments mentioned in the Beatles'"Back in the USSR"BALALAIKAS
A balalaika is a stringed instrument from Russia. It has a neck with three strings, and a triangular body. They come in various sizes, from the rare "piccolo" variety to the very large "contrabasso" balalaika which is so heavy it has to be supported by extension legs that rest on the ground.

By the time the Beatles recorded "Back in the U.S.S.R", they were having a lot of problems working with each other. The song was recorded in 1968, with the band formally dissolving in 1970. Tensions were so great during the recording of "Back in the U.S.S.R" that Ringo Starr actually stormed out saying that he had quit, and the remaining three Beatles made the record without Ringo. Drums were played mainly by Paul McCartney, but there are also drum tracks on the final cut by both George Harrison and John Lennon. Interesting, huh?

11. Arguably biased, briefly UN-PC
To be “un-PC” is to be politically incorrect, not be politically correct (PC).

16. Nebula Award winner Frederik POHL
Frederik Pohl is an American science-fiction writer, a winner of three Hugo awards. Pohl started off his career as a literary agent, and was the only agent ever hired by Isaac Asimov.

17. Hanging aid STUD FINDER
A stud finder is a handy little device used locate framing studs behind drywall, something necessary say when searching for a stud to use in hanging a picture.

18. Gin flavoring SLOE
The sloe is the fruit of the blackthorn bush, and the main flavoring ingredient in sloe gin.

19. USSR component SOVIET
The abbreviation CCCP stands for "Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик", which translates from Russian as “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics”, the USSR.

20. Direction at sea ALEE
"Alee" is the direction away from the wind. If a sailor points into the wind, he or she is pointing "aweather".

22. "Cat __ Hot Tin Roof"ON A
“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is the play that won Tennessee Williams the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955. The play was adapted into a famous film version in 1958, with Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman playing the leads.

24. Ham's transport? ARK
The term “ark”, when used with reference to Noah, is a translation of the Hebrew word “tebah”. The word “tebah” is also used in the Bible for the basket in which Moses was placed by his mother when she floated him down the Nile. It seems that the word “tebah” doesn’t mean “boat” and nor does it mean “basket”. Rather, a more appropriate translation is “life-preserver” or “life-saver”. So, Noah’s ark was Noah's life-preserver during the flood.

According to the Book of Genesis, Noah lived to a ripe old age. Noah fathered his three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth when he was 500 years old, and the Great Flood took place when he was 600.

29. Atheist activist Madalyn O'HAIR
Madalyn Murray O’Hair was the president of the organization American Atheists from 1963 to 1986. Murray was the plaintiff in the lawsuit Murray v. Curlett that in 1963 led to the Supreme Court ruling that ended Bible-reading in American schools. Murray came to a sorry end, as she was kidnapped in 1995 and brutally murdered along with her son and granddaughter. The crime was committed by a co-worker at American Atheists.

31. Mil. squad leaders SSGTS
Staff sergeant (SSgt)

32. Phys ed teacher Leonard for whom a band was named SKINNER
Lynyrd Skynyrd is a southern rock band that formed in 1964 in Jacksonville, Florida as My Backyard. The name was changed to Leonard Skinnerd in 1969, and then to Lynyrd Skynyrd a few months later. The chosen name was a wry tribute to the member’s phys-ed teacher at high school, one Leonard Skinner. Lynyrd Skynyrd were most successful in the 1970s, when they recorded their two biggest hits: “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird”. Sadly, three of the original band members were killed in a plane crash in 1977.

39. Tolstoy title first name ANNA
I have to admit to not having read the Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina", but I did see the excellent 1977 British television adaptation starring Nicola Pagett. In the storyline, Anna Karenina's lover is Count Alexei Vronsky.

44. Baker's amt. TSP
Teaspoon (tsp.)

47. Hailing from Changwon, say KOREAN
Changwon is a heavy industrial city on the southeast coast of South Korea. The list of companies located in Changwon includes Samsung Techwin, GM Korea, LG Electronics and Hyundai Rotem.

49. Hood et al.: Abbr. MTS
Mount Hood is a volcanic peak in northern Oregon. Mount Hood is the highest peak in the state, and is located about 50 miles southeast of Portland. There are six ski areas on the mountain, including a resort called Timberline that has North America’s only lift operating year-round for skiing.

50. Mascot Misha of the 1980 Olympics, e.g. BEAR
The Olympic Misha was the Russian Bear that served as the mascot for the 1980 Olympic Games held in Moscow. Misha was the first Olympic mascot that seeded a successful line of commercial merchandise.

51. Madrid Mrs. SRA
The equivalent of “Mrs.” in French is “Mme.” (Madame) and in Spanish is “Sra.” (Señora).

Madrid is the largest city in Spain and the capital. Madrid is located very close to the geographical center of the country. It is the third-largest city in the European Union (after London and Paris). People from Madrid called themselves Madrileños.

52. Groups for biologists TAXA
Taxonomy is the classification of organisms or into groups or categories known as taxons (plural “taxa”). We are most familiar with the classification of organisms in the major taxonomic ranks (taxa) of:

- Life
- Domain
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species

56. Internet letters HTTP
"http" are the first letters in most Internet links. “http” stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol.

61. Gives up CRIES UNCLE!
To "say uncle" is an American expression meaning to submit or yield. Its usage dates back to the early 1900s, but nobody seems to know how "uncle!" came to mean "stop!"

62. Start of a tennis point TOSS
In tennis, the player serving the ball first tosses it in the air before striking it.

Down
1. Half an African country, or its capital city BISSAU
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is in West Africa, bordered by the countries of Senegal and Guinea. The country was a Portuguese colony for centuries under the name Portuguese Guinea. When independence was granted in 1974, the name Guinea-Bissau was chosen for the new country, as Bissau is the nation’s capital. The double-barrelled name helps to prevent confusion with the neighboring Republic of Guinea.

2. Half a beer? ARTOIS
The Belgian beer Stella Artois is named for the brewer Sebastianus Artois. Artois was the master brewer at the Den Horen Brewery in Leuven, Belgium in the early 1700s. The Den Horen Brewery has been around at least since 1366 … yes, 1366!

3. Where the Mona Lisa smiles LOUVRE
The Musée du Louvre has the distinction of being the most visited art museum in the whole world. The collection is housed in the magnificent Louvre Palace which used to be the seat of power in France, until 1682 when Louis XIV moved to Versailles.

Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece that we know in English as the "Mona Lisa" is called "La Gioconda" in Italian, the language of the artist. It's also known as "La Joconde" by the Government of France which owns the painting and displays it in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The title comes from the name of the subject, almost certainly Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo. Giocondo was a wealthy silk merchant in Florence who commissioned the painting for the couple's new home to celebrate the birth of their second son.

4. Bill's "Groundhog Day" co-star ANDIE
Andie MacDowell is an American actress who seems to turn up in quite a few British productions set in that part of the world. Most famously she was the love interest in the fabulous film “Four Weddings and a Funeral” starring opposite Hugh Grant. I also enjoyed another of her movies, “Groundhog Day”, which is a fun tale set back here in the US.

“Groundhog Day” is a 1993 comedy film that has already become a classic. The star of the movie is Bill Murray, with the lovely Andie MacDowell putting in a great supporting performance. “Groundhog Day” is set in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania although it was actually filmed in the town of Woodstock, Illinois.

6. Subject of the 2013 documentary subtitled "Speaking Truth to Power"ANITA HILL
Anita Hill is an attorney who is currently a professor at Brandeis University. Hill gained a lot of attention in 1991 when she accused US Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Judge Thomas was confirmed anyway. Many say that Hill’s testimony during the confirmation hearings launched public awareness of the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace. Within a year, complaints of harassment were up by fifty percent.

7. Slot in a car: Abbr. IGN
The first ignition key was introduced by Chrysler back in 1949. Prior to the use of ignition keys, vehicles had both an ignition on/off switch and a starter button.

8. Brand with a Magicube KODAK INSTAMATIC
Kodak introduced its line of Instamatic cameras in 1963. Instamatics were so easy to use that the term is erroneously applied sometimes today to any point-and-shoot camera. Kodak improved the ease of use of the Instamatic line by introducing Flashcubes and Magicubes in the late sixties. These “cubes” were flash units that included four individual flashbulbs that could be used sequentially, instead of the traditional single flashbulb.

9. Writer of really old stories? AUEL
As Jean Auel prepared her first book in the “Earth’s Children” series, she did a lot of research about the Ice Age, the setting for her stories. She went as far as taking a survival course in cold conditions, learning to build an ice cave and how to make fire, tan leather and knap stone.

10. Throat trouble STREP
Streptococcus bacteria multiply and divide along a single axis so that they form linked chains. That behavior gives the genus of bacteria its name, as “streptos” is Greek for “easily twisted, like a chain”. I had to battle with streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat) twice in the past few years and it was not at all pleasant, I must say. Another species of streptococcus is responsible for that terrible “flesh-eating” infection that makes the news from time to time.

21. "The Big Easy" of golf ELS
Ernie Els is a South African golfer. Els a big guy but he has an easy fluid golf swing that has earned him the nickname "The Big Easy". He is a former World No. 1 and has won four majors: the US Open (1994 & 1997) and the British Open (2002 & 2012).

25. Eastern royals RANEES
“Raja” (also “rajah”) is word derived from Sanskrit that is used particularly in India for a monarch or princely ruler. The female form is “rani” (also “ranee”) and is used for a raja’s wife.

27. Winter X Games host ASPEN
Aspen, Colorado used to be known as Ute City, with the name change taking place in 1880. Like many communities in the area, Aspen was a mining town, and in 1891 and 1892 it was at the center of the highest production of silver in the US. Nowadays of course, it's all about skiing and movie stars.

The X Games are annual events, with a Summer X Games held every year as well as a Winter X Games. It's very much a commercial venture, with all aspects controlled by the TV station ESPN. The games focus on extreme action sports, like skateboarding and freestyle motocross in the summer and various extreme snowboarding events in the winter.

32. Charmer's target SNAKE
Snake charmers don’t actually hypnotize their cobras, but they do train them. The snake is trained to “follow” the movement of end of the pungi, the instrument that the charmer uses in the act. The snake presents no danger to the charmer or the audience, as it is typically defanged or has it’s mouth partially stitched up so that only the tongue can be moved in and out. Not a very nice practice ...

35. Strategy involving a cushion BANK SHOT
In games like pool and billiards, a “bank shot” is one in which the object ball is bounced off one or more cushions prior to being pocketed.

44. Legislation opposed by the Sons of Liberty TEA ACT
The Sons of Liberty was a secret organization in Colonial America that opposed the imposition of local taxes by the British. The group embraced the watchword at the time. “No Taxation with Representation”. The most famous act of rebellion by the Sons of Liberty was 1773’s Boston Tea Party. The list of notable members of the organization includes John Adams, Benedict Arnold, Samuel Adams, John Hancock and Paul Revere.

48. Org. founded on the 100th anniversary of Lincoln's birth NAACP
The full name of the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is remarkable in that it actually still uses the old offensive term "colored people". The NAACP was founded in 1909, by a group that included suffragette and journalist Mary White Ovington, wealthy socialist William English Walling, and civil rights activist Henry Moscowitz. Another member of the founding group was W. E. B. Du Bois, the first African American to earn a doctorate at Harvard University. The date chosen for the founding of the NAACP was February 12th, 2009, the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln, the man most visibly associated with the emancipation of African American slaves.

50. Sportscaster Musburger BRENT
Brent Musburger was one of the original presenters of CBS’s program “The NFL Today”, and was considered by many to be the network’s top sportscaster. One of Musburger’s claims to fame is that he is considered the first broadcaster to describe the NCAA Basketball Championship as “March Madness”.

57. APB senders PDS
A police department (PD) might issue an All Points Bulletin (APB). An APB is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

59. Half a bray HEE
“Heehaw” said the donkey.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Instruments mentioned in the Beatles'"Back in the USSR" BALALAIKAS
11. Arguably biased, briefly UN-PC
15. Resolving IRONING OUT
16. Nebula Award winner Frederik POHL
17. Hanging aid STUD FINDER
18. Gin flavoring SLOE
19. USSR component SOVIET
20. Direction at sea ALEE
22. "Cat __ Hot Tin Roof" ON A
23. It can be added to a million but rarely to a thousand -AIRE
24. Ham's transport? ARK
26. Woodworking tool PLANER
28. Adopt USE
29. Atheist activist Madalyn O'HAIR
31. Mil. squad leaders SSGTS
32. Phys ed teacher Leonard for whom a band was named SKINNER
34. Maximum PEAK
35. Dynamo's asset BOUNDLESS ENERGY
39. Tolstoy title first name ANNA
40. Be less critical of LET UP ON
41. Narrow landforms NECKS
43. Do doer SALON
44. Baker's amt. TSP
47. Hailing from Changwon, say KOREAN
49. Hood et al.: Abbr. MTS
50. Mascot Misha of the 1980 Olympics, e.g. BEAR
51. Madrid Mrs. SRA
52. Groups for biologists TAXA
54. Italian road STRADA
56. Internet letters HTTP
58. On tap AT THE READY
60. Yet to be settled OWED
61. Gives up CRIES UNCLE!
62. Start of a tennis point TOSS
63. One to follow PACESETTER

Down
1. Half an African country, or its capital city BISSAU
2. Half a beer? ARTOIS
3. Where the Mona Lisa smiles LOUVRE
4. Bill's "Groundhog Day" co-star ANDIE
5. "That's __" LIFE
6. Subject of the 2013 documentary subtitled "Speaking Truth to Power" ANITA HILL
7. Slot in a car: Abbr. IGN
8. Brand with a Magicube KODAK INSTAMATIC
9. Writer of really old stories? AUEL
10. Throat trouble STREP
11. Increases UPS
12. Not anymore NO LONGER
13. Frustrating sequence PHONE TAG
14. Blue forecast CLEAR SKY
21. "The Big Easy" of golf ELS
25. Eastern royals RANEES
27. Winter X Games host ASPEN
29. Approved OK’D
30. Outcome RESULT
32. Charmer's target SNAKE
33. Take back REPOSSESS
35. Strategy involving a cushion BANK SHOT
36. Less than a few ONE OR TWO
37. Opens at the warehouse UNCRATES
38. Confrontational start NON-
42. Met SAT
44. Legislation opposed by the Sons of Liberty TEA ACT
45. Burden SADDLE
46. Slight chance PRAYER
48. Org. founded on the 100th anniversary of Lincoln's birth NAACP
50. Sportscaster Musburger BRENT
53. More, in ads XTRA
55. In alignment TRUE
57. APB senders PDS
59. Half a bray HEE


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