Day: February 15, 2015

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Chauffeur’s ride TOWN CAR
The Lincoln brand “Town Car” is simply a translation of the French term that was already in use by Cadillac, namely “Sedan de Ville”.

8. Glass-tinting element COBALT
The element cobalt, usually in the form of cobalt silicate, is added to glass to give a deep blue tint.

14. Pin sites ALLEYS
Bowling has been around for an awfully long time. The oldest known reference to the game is in Egypt, where pins and balls were found in an ancient tomb that is over 5,000 years old. The first form of the game to come to America was nine-pin bowling, which had been very popular in Europe for centuries. In 1841 in Connecticut, nine-pin bowling was banned due to its association with gambling. Supposedly, an additional pin was added to get around the ban, and ten-pin bowling was born.

20. Otter’s prey ABALONE
The large edible sea snails that we call abalone are called “ormer” in the British Isles. The abalone shell resembles a human ear, giving rise to the alternative names “ear shell” and “sea ear”.

21. Key of Beethoven’s “Für Elise” A MINOR
“Fur Elise” is a beautiful piece of music written by Beethoven, and is also known as “Bagatelle in A Minor”. “Fur Elise” means simply “For Elise”, but sadly no one knows for sure the identity of the mysterious dedicatee.

24. Presidential thoroughfare? MADISON AVENUE (from “James Madison”)
Madison Avenue became the center of advertising in the US in the twenties, and serves as the backdrop to the great TV drama “Mad Men”. There aren’t many advertising agencies left on Madison Avenue these days though, as most have moved to other parts of New York City. The street takes its name from Madison Square, which is bounded on one side by Madison Avenue. The square in turn takes its name from James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.

James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, was one of the Founding Fathers. Back during the founding of the nation, Madison was principal contributor to the Constitution and so today he is often called the Father of the Constitution. While he was serving in the 1st US Congress, Madison wrote the first ten amendments to the constitution, collectively known as the Bill of Rights. So, he is also referred to as the Father of the Bill of Rights. With such a contribution it is perhaps fitting that when President Madison passed away in 1836 at 85 years of age, he was the last of the Founding Fathers to die.

26. __Kosh B’gosh OSH
OshKosh B’gosh is a company that produces and sells children’s clothes. The trademark OshKosh bib-overalls remind us of the company’s roots, as it was originally a manufacturer of adult work clothes based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

30. Chem class suffix -IDE
In chemistry, when a metal combines with a nonmetal, the non-metal is often given the suffix -ide. One example would be iron sulfide..

31. Mayberry kid 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”.

39. Presidential records? LINCOLN LOGS (from “Abraham Lincoln”)
The toy known as Lincoln Logs was invented by John Lloyd Wright, the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The toy was named after President Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log cabin.

Abraham Lincoln was born in a one-room log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky making him the first president born in the West. His formal education was limited to a year and a half of schooling, but fortunately for us, Lincoln was an avid reader and educated himself over the years. Even though he was from a rural area, he avoided hunting and fishing because he did not like to kill animals even for food.

42. Spurs to action GOOSES
“To goose” is to prod into action, albeit a little rudely. A “goose” is a prod or a pinch in the rear end.

46. Major __: Sherwood Forest attraction OAK
The Major Oak is supposedly the tree where Robin Hood took shelter with his Merry Men in Sherwood Forest. Although Robin Hood maybe a character from folklore, the Major Oak is very real. It weighs about 23 tons, measures about 33 feet around the trunk and may be up to a thousand years old.

49. Dome of the Rock floor plan shape OCTAGON
The Dome of the Rock is a beautiful Islamic mosque located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. The golden dome, which gives the structure its name, was refurbished in 1993 using $8.2 million gifted by King Hussein of Jordan. Apparently King Hussein sold one of his houses in London in order to fund the 80 kg of gold required for the project.

53. Horatian works EPODES
An epode is a lyric poem made up of couplets in which the first line is long, and the second line much shorter. The form was invented by the Greek poet Archilochus, and was most famously used by the Roman poet Horace.

54. Presidential teams? BUSH LEAGUE (from “George Bush”)
“Bush league” is baseball slang for “minor league” or “unprofessional”. The idea is that a minor league team might be based in “the sticks” or “the bushes”, in a small town.

President George H. W. Bush served in the US Navy during WWII. Future President Bush postponed his entry into college after the attack on Pearl Harbor and enlisted in the navy instead. When he earned his wings, he was the youngest aviator in the US Navy at that time.

56. Botanist Gray ASA
Asa Gray was an important American botanist in the nineteenth century. He was a lifelong friend of Charles Darwin, albeit mainly through correspondence. Darwin’s book “Forms of Flowers”, was dedicated to Gray.

57. “Writing on the wall” word MENE
In the Book of Daniel, there is the story of the words “Mene, Mene, Tekel uPharsin” being written mysteriously on the walls of the royal place. This story is the origin of the phrase “the writing’s on the wall”.

58. What some buds detect TASTE
There are 2,000 to 8,000 taste buds on the human tongue, and together they detect five different tastes: salty, sour, bitter, sweet and umami. Taste buds have a short lifetime, and are replaced about every ten days.

59. Fed. collection agency IRS
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

61. Sandra Denton, in a hip-hop trio PEPA
Salt-n-Pepa are an all-female hip hop trio from New York, made up of “Salt” (Cheryl James), “Pepa” (Sandra Denton) and “DJ Spinderella” (Deidra Roper). Their 1991 song “Let’s Talk Sex” created quite a fuss as the lyrics explored the subject of sex, and safe sex in particular. A later version addressed the dangers of AIDS.

63. Irish nationalist Robert EMMET
Irish nationalist Robert Emmet led the unsuccessful 1803 rebellion against the British, for which he was hung, drawn and quartered.

65. Usually fuzzy tabloid pics UFOS
“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.

66. Seacrest’s show, to fans IDOL
“American Idol” is a spin-off show that was created after the amazing success of the British television show “Pop Idol”. I can’t abide either program(me) …

Radio and television personality Ryan Seacrest is best known as the host of the talent show “American Idol”. Seacrest has also been hosting “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC since 2005. He is also a producer, and is the man behind the show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. Ryan has a lot to answer for …

67. Bend’s state: Abbr. ORE
Bend is the largest city in Central Oregon. The city is located on a bend along the Deschutes River that was once called “Farewell Bend”, which gave the first settlement its name.

69. 1492 Bahamas lander NINA
The ship used by Christopher Columbus that we know as the Niña was actually the nickname of a ship actually called the Santa Clara. The nickname “Niña” probably came from the name of her owner, Juan Niña of Moguer.

Christopher Columbus made four voyages of discovery to the Americas. The first voyage, of 1492-1493, took Columbus and his crew to several islands in the Caribbean including Cuba and the Bahamas. His return to Europe was via the Azores, specifically the island of Santa Maria.

70. Children’s author Asquith ROS
Ros Asquith writes the “Teenage Worrier” books aimed at teens, as well as cartoons for “The Guardian” newspaper in the UK.

71. Presidential horse? FORD BRONCO (from “Gerald Ford”)
The Bronco is an SUV that was made by Ford from 1966 to 1996. O. J. Simpson was driving a white Ford Bronco in that famous low-speed chase by the LAPD that resulted in Simpson’s arrest.

President Gerald Ford was well known for his athletic prowess. He was the star football player both in his high school and later at the University of Michigan. After graduation, President Ford received two offers to play in the NFL, from the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. He turned down both teams opting instead to take a coaching position at Yale giving him the opportunity to apply to Yale Law School. But young Mr. Ford’s plan backfired as Yale Law School turned him down because of his full-time commitment to sports: coaching football, boxing and teaching JV cheer-leading. It took three years for President Ford to make it into Yale Law School, but he finally got there, in 1938.

74. College address ending DOT EDU
The .edu 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)

76. Poncherello portrayer on “CHiPs” ESTRADA
Actor Erik Estrada got his big break in the movie “Airport 1975”, before playing motorcycle police officer Poncherello on the television show “CHiPs” from 1977-81.

83. Presidential quintet? JACKSON FIVE (from “Andrew Jackson”)
The Jackson 5 singing group was originally made up of brothers Tito, Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael.

Like many of the earlier US presidents, Andrew Jackson was a career military man. He distinguished himself as commander of American forces during the War of 1812, particularly in the defense of New Orleans. He had a reputation of being fair to his troops, but strict. It was during this time that he was described as “tough as old hickory”, creating a nickname that stuck with him for life.

87. SADD concern DWI
In some states, there is no longer a legal difference between a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) and a DUI (Driving Under the Influence). Other states retain that difference, so that by definition a DUI is a lesser offence than a DWI.

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) was founded in Massachusetts in 1981. SADD’s aim is to prevent road traffic accidents by urging students to avoid potentially destructive decisions (such as driving under the influence of alcohol).

88. Like raw silk ECRU
The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.

91. 1997 film apiarist ULEE
“Ulee’s Gold” is a highly respected film from 1997 in which Peter Fonda plays the title role of Ulee. Ulee’s “gold” is the honey that Ulee produces. It is a favorite role for Peter Fonda and he has shared that playing Ulee brought to mind his father Henry Fonda, who himself kept a couple of hives. So if you see Peter Fonda in “Ulee’s Gold” you’re witnessing some characteristics that Peter saw in his father.

An apiary is an area where bees are kept. The Latin word for “bee” is “apis”.

92. Camembert’s department ORNE
Orne is a department and river in the northwest of France. Perhaps one of the most famous locations in Orne is the village of Camembert, the home of the famous (and delicious!) cheese.

95. Springfield’s only tavern MOE’S
Moe Szyslak is the surly bartender and owner of Moe’s Tavern in “The Simpsons” animated TV show. I don’t really care for “The Simpsons”, but Hank Azaria who supplies the voice for the Moe character … him I like …

“The Simpsons” television show is meant to be set in “anytown, USA”, so the creators chose the name Springfield as it is one of most common town and city names in the country.

96. H.S. equivalency test GED
The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a battery of five tests designed to demonstrate that a student has the academic skills of someone who has graduated from an American or Canadian high school.

97. Poet Teasdale SARA
Sara Teasdale was a poet from St. Louis, Missouri although she spent much of her adult life in New York City. Examples of Teasdale’s most famous poems are “There Will Come Soft Rains” and “I Shall Not Care”. Teasdale committed suicide in 1933 by taking an overdose of sleeping pills.

99. “Cloud Shepherd” sculptor JEAN ARP
“Cloud Shepherd” is a sculpture by the artist Jean Arp that can be seen on the grounds of the University City of Caracas.

101. Spartan Stadium sch. MSU
Michigan State University’s athletic team is known as the Spartans.

102. Presidential resistance? GRANT IMMUNITY (from “Ulysses Grant”)
Ulysses S. Grant had been a career soldier when he was elected as the 18th president of the US, and had risen to commander of all the Union armies by the end of the Civil War. Grant served two nonconsecutive terms as president, and also made a failed bid for a third term. Grant’s reputation was tarnished by his apparent tolerance of corruption in his administration. On the other hand, Grant worked hard to protect African Americans during Reconstruction after the Civil War, and pursued peaceful relations with Native Americans.

108. “Because you’re worth it” company L’OREAL
L’Oréal is a French cosmetics company, the largest cosmetics and beauty company in the world.

Down
1. They’re off-limits TABOOS
The word “taboo” was introduced into English by Captain Cook in his book “A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean”. Cook described “tabu” (likely imitative of a Tongan word that he had heard) as something that was both consecrated and forbidden.

2. San Luis __, Calif. OBISPO
The city of San Luis Obispo is one of the oldest communities in California. The name “San Luis Obispo” translates as “Saint Louis, the Bishop of Toulouse”. In 1990, San Luis Obispo became the first municipality in the world to ban smoking in all indoor public areas.

3. Presidential tweet? WASHINGTON POST (from “George Washington”)
“The Washington Post” is the oldest paper still being published in the DC area, having been founded in 1877. Famously, “Post” reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the media’s investigation into what we now called the Watergate scandal. “The Washington Post” was purchased in 2013 by Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.com.

4. Marlins’ div. NLE
National League East (NLE)

The Miami Marlins baseball team started out life in 1993 as the Florida Marlins. The franchise changed its name to the Miami Marlins in 2011 when it relocated to the newly constructed Marlins Park.

9. Horoscope columnist Sydney OMARR
Sydney Omarr was an astrology consultant to the rich and famous, and author of a horoscope column that appeared in the Los Angeles Times. While Omarr (real name Sidney Kimmelman) was in the US Army he even wrote a horoscope column for “Stars and Stripes”. He claimed that he got the job of writing for “Stars and Stripes” after having given a consultation to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

10. eBay offers BIDS
eBay was founded in 1995 as AuctionWeb as part of a computer programmer’s personal website. One of the first items purchased was a broken laser pointer, for $14.83. The buyer collected broken laser pointers …

11. “Star Wars” saga nickname ANI
Anakin “Ani” Skywalker is the principal character in all six of the “Star Wars” movies. His progress chronologically through the series of films is:

– Episode I: Anakin is a 9-year-old slave boy who earns the promise of Jedi training by young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
– Episode II: Anakin is 18-years-old and goes on a murdering rampage to avenge the killing of his mother.
– Episode III: Anakin is 21-years-old and a Jedi knight, but he turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. His wife Padme gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker.
– Episode IV: Darth Vader, comes into conflict with his children, Luke Skywalker and the Princess Leia.
– Episode V: Darth Vader attempts to coax his son Luke over to the dark side, and reveals to Luke that he is his father.
– Episode VI: Luke learns that Leia is his sister, and takes on the task of bringing Darth Vader back from the Dark Side in order to save the Galaxy. Vader saves his son from the Emperor’s evil grip, dying in the process, but his spirit ends up alongside the spirits of Yoda and Obi-Wan. They all live happily ever after …

16. Boo Radley creator Harper LEE
In Harper Lee’s classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Boo Radley is the reclusive neighbor living next door, that the children are both afraid of and at the same time fascinated by.

17. Current phenomenon EL NINO
When the surface temperature of much of the Pacific Ocean rises more that half a degree centigrade, then there is said to be an El Niño episode. That small temperature change in the Pacific has been associated with climatic changes that can stretch right across the globe. El Niño is Spanish for “the boy” and is a reference to the Christ child. The phenomenon was given this particular Spanish name because the warming is usually noticed near South America and around Christmas-time.

28. Snow __ PEAS
Snow peas are lovely vegetables, noted for having edible pods without that any inedible fiber.

34. Dreidel letter GIMEL
A dreidel is a spinning top with four sides, often associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Each of the four sides on a dreidel bears a letter from the Hebrew alphabet (nun, gimel, hei and shin). The four letters are the initials of the Hebrew phrase “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham” meaning “a great miracle happened there”. According to tradition, children would be taught Torah while hiding in caves away from the Greeks. When Greek soldiers approached, the children would hide their torah scrolls and play with their dreidels instead.

36. “Past Imperfect” memoirist Chase ILKA
Ilka Chase was an actress and novelist. Chase appeared on stage in a play called “In Bed We Cry”, which was an adaptation of her own novel of the same name.

39. Underworld river LETHE
The Lethe is one of the five rivers of Hades in Greek mythology. All the souls who drank from the river Lethe experienced complete forgetfulness. The Greek word “lethe” means “oblivion, forgetfulness”.

40. Exodus insect LOCUST
According to the biblical Book of Exodus, God inflicted ten plagues on Egypt to persuade the Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. The eight of these was a plague of locusts, which consumed all the Egyptian crops.

41. Hoops Hall of Famer Thurmond NATE
Nate Thurmond is a retired basketball player who was known to fans as “Nate the Great”.

43. Fútbol cheer OLE!
“Fútbol” is the Spanish word for football, soccer.

44. OH and OK STS
Ohio (OH) and Oklahoma (OK) are states (sts.)

45. Cleans with Old English DUSTS
Old English is a furniture polish.

47. Olympic pool sights SPEEDOS
Speedo brand swimwear was first produced in Australia in 1928, by a hosiery company that wanted to diversify. The brand name was chosen after a slogan competition among employees was won by “Speed on in your Speedos”. It was a long time ago, I guess …

50. Presidential stand-ups? GARFIELD COMICS (from “James Garfield”)
“Garfield” is a comic strip drawn by Jim Davis since 1978. Garfield is an orange tabby cat. Davis named his hero Garfield after his own grandfather.

James Abram Garfield, the 20th President, was assassinated in office. He was shot twice, and one bullet could not be found (it was lodged in his spine). The inventor Alexander Graham Bell developed a metal detector in an attempt to locate the bullet, but apparently he was unsuccessful because of interference from the metal bed frame on which the president lay. Garfield died two months after being shot.

51. Notable Mormon family OSMONDS
The Osmond Brothers were performing at Disneyland in the early sixties when they were spotted by Andy Williams’ father. He was so impressed by their performance that he told Andy to book them on his TV show, after which they became regulars from 1962-69.

52. Junkanoo parade city NASSAU
Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, used to be called Charles Town. After having been burnt to the ground by the Spanish in 1684, it was rebuilt and named Nassau in honor of King William III of England, a Dutchman from the House of Orange-Nassau (aka William of Orange). Nassau is a favored location for the James Bond series of movies. The city and surroundings feature in “Thunderball”, “Never Say Never Again”, “Casino Royale” and “For Your Eyes Only”.

Junkanoo is the name given to a street parade held on the day after Christmas (“Boxing Day”) and on New Year’s Day in towns in the Bahamas. Junkanoo originated as a festival in the 16th century held by African slaves in the Bahamas, who were allowed to leave the plantations and be with their families around Christmas time.

53. Ottoman, e.g. EMPIRE
Osman I was the man who established the Ottoman Dynasty, with “Ottoman” coming from the name “Osman”. This is despite the fact that the “Ottoman Empire” came about with the conquest of Constantinople, and that didn’t happen until almost 130 years after Osman I died.

58. __ cotta TERRA
The name “terra cotta” comes to us from Latin via Italian and means “baked earth”. Terra cotta is a ceramic made from clay which is left unglazed. Maybe the most famous work in terra cotta is the Terracotta Army, the enormous collection of life-size figures that was buried with the Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China around 210 BC. I had the privilege of seeing some of this collection when it toured the US a few years ago, and just the few pieces on display were so very impressive.

60. Uncle Henry’s wife AUNTIE EM
In “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, Dorothy lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.

62. Practice with dolls VOODOO
Voodoo is a religion that originated the French slave colony of Saint-Domingue on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

63. Physicist Mach or artist Max ERNST
The Mach number of a moving object (like say an airplane) is it’s speed relative to the speed of sound. A plane travelling at Mach 2, for example, is moving at twice the speed of sound. The term “Mach” takes its name from the Austrian physicist Ernst Mach who published a groundbreaking paper in 1877 that even predicted the “sonic boom”.

Max Ernst was a painter and sculptor, a pioneer in the Dada movement and Surrealism. Ernst was born near Cologne in Germany in 1891 and he was called up to fight in WWI, as were most young German men at that time. In his autobiography he writes “Max Ernst died the 1st of August, 1914” a statement about his experiences in the war. In reality, Ernst died in 1976 having lived to the ripe old age of 85.

64. Eponymous store founder MACY
The original Macy’s store was opened by Rowland Hussey Macy in Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1851. This store, and several others that Macy opened, all failed. Macy picked himself up though, and started over again in New York City. Those early New York stores all focused on the sale of dry goods, but added departments quickly as the clientele grew. The Macy’s “star” logo has been around since the company was first established. Macy chose the star because it mimicked the star tattoo that he got as a teenager when he was working on a whaling ship out of Nantucket.

68. “No man is an island” poet DONNE
“Devotions upon Emergent Occasions” is a work of prose by English poet John Donne, first published in 1624. A couple of famous phrases oft-quoted from the work are “No man is an island” and “for whom the bell tolls”.

72. Word from a proctor BEGIN
A “proctor” is a supervisor, especially of an examination in a school, or perhaps of a dormitory. The word “proctor” originated in the late 1500s, a contraction of the word “procurator”, the name given to an official agent of a church.

73. Kent portrayer on the big screen REEVE
The actor Christopher Reeve was most associated with his portrayal of Superman in the late seventies and early eighties. Reeve became paralyzed from the neck down when he fell from a horse in a jumping event in 1995. He passed away in 2004.

Superman’s comic book creators gave their title character’s alter-ego the name “Clark Kent” by melding the names of Clark Gable and Kent Taylor, two leading men of the cinema at the time Superman was created. However, they modeled Clark’s character more on the silent film actor Harold Lloyd.

79. Major tea exporter SRI LANKA
The name Sri Lanka translates from Sanskrit into English as “venerable island”. Before 1970, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon, a name given to the country during British rule.

81. Some chalets A-FRAMES
A A-frame house is one that has a steeply-angled roof, one forming the shape of the letter “A”. The A-frame design is popular in snowy regions, as the roof is so steeply pitched that it does not collect snow.

82. John Irving’s “A Prayer for __ Meany” OWEN
“A Prayer for Owen Meany” is a novel by John Irving, first published in 1989. Although Irving’s work is an independent story, it is written as a homage to “The Tin Drum” by Günter Grass.

84. Final Olds models ALEROS
The Oldsmobile Alero was the last car made under the Oldsmobile brand. The Alero was produced from 1999 to 2004.

85. Sources of aromatic wood CEDARS
Cedar is used for the manufacture of some wardrobes and chests as it has long been believed that the fragrant oil in the wood is a moth-repellent. However, whether or not cedar oil is actually effective at keeping moths away seems to be in doubt.

86. “Cheers” shout NORM!
The character of Norm Peterson was the only customer of the bar to appear in every episode of “Cheers”, something that one couldn’t really call ironic since he loved that barstool! George Wendt played Norm, and I suppose the fact the Wendt was expelled from Notre Dame after one semester, with a 0.0 GPA, might have helped him get the role!

87. Wrestler Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock DWAYNE
Dwayne Johnson is a former professional wrestler whose ring name was “The Rock”. He has used his success as a character in the ring, to cross over into television and movies. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as getting the highest payment for a first starring role, a payment of $5.5 million.

90. Takes by force USURPS
“To usurp” is to seize and hold by force, say the power or authority of a ruler. The term “usurp” comes to us from Latin via French, from “usus” (a use) and “rapere” (to seize).

94. Nottingham’s river TRENT
The River Trent in England is one of the few rivers that flows north for much of its route. The Trent rises in Staffordshire and empties into the River Ouse in Yorkshire.

Nottingham is a city in the East Midlands of England. To outsiders, perhaps Nottingham is most famous for its links to the legend of Robin Hood.

100. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear PRET
“Prêt-à-Porter” is a common enough phrase over in Europe, a French expression meaning “ready-to-wear” that has made it into a number of other languages including English.

103. Teachers’ org. NEA
The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the country, and mainly represents public school teachers.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Chauffeur’s ride TOWN CAR
8. Glass-tinting element COBALT
14. Pin sites ALLEYS
20. Otter’s prey ABALONE
21. Key of Beethoven’s “Für Elise” A MINOR
22. Fly under the radar LIE LOW
23. Splits evenly BISECTS
24. Presidential thoroughfare? MADISON AVENUE (from “James Madison”)
26. __Kosh B’gosh OSH
27. Bigger fish to fry? KEEPERS
29. Ask POSE
30. Chem class suffix -IDE
31. Mayberry kid OPIE
33. Bard’s “bleak” DREAR
34. Dieting setback GAIN
36. Surname preceder, perhaps: Abbr. INIT
37. It may be a hit SONG
38. Brewery container VAT
39. Presidential records? LINCOLN LOGS (from “Abraham Lincoln”)
42. Spurs to action GOOSES
45. Rookie rockers’ recordings DEMOS
46. Major __: Sherwood Forest attraction OAK
47. Beach house features STILTS
48. Subdued MUTED
49. Dome of the Rock floor plan shape OCTAGON
53. Horatian works EPODES
54. Presidential teams? BUSH LEAGUE (from “George Bush”)
56. Botanist Gray ASA
57. “Writing on the wall” word MENE
58. What some buds detect TASTE
59. Fed. collection agency IRS
60. Hugging duo ARMS
61. Sandra Denton, in a hip-hop trio PEPA
62. Hunting wear VESTS
63. Irish nationalist Robert EMMET
65. Usually fuzzy tabloid pics UFOS
66. Seacrest’s show, to fans IDOL
67. Bend’s state: Abbr. ORE
68. Mild oaths DRATS
69. 1492 Bahamas lander NINA
70. Children’s author Asquith ROS
71. Presidential horse? FORD BRONCO (from “Gerald Ford”)
74. College address ending DOT EDU
76. Poncherello portrayer on “CHiPs” ESTRADA
78. Itty-bitty EENSY
79. Trail-making mollusks SNAILS
80. “… further __ …” ADO
81. Word with free or secret AGENT
82. Addressed the nation, say ORATED
83. Presidential quintet? JACKSON FIVE (from “Andrew Jackson”)
87. SADD concern DWI
88. Like raw silk ECRU
91. 1997 film apiarist ULEE
92. Camembert’s department ORNE
93. Obsessed (on) DWELT
95. Springfield’s only tavern MOE’S
96. H.S. equivalency test GED
97. Poet Teasdale SARA
99. “Cloud Shepherd” sculptor JEAN ARP
101. Spartan Stadium sch. MSU
102. Presidential resistance? GRANT IMMUNITY (from “Ulysses Grant”)
106. Less likely to be named homecoming king NERDIER
108. “Because you’re worth it” company L’OREAL
109. Late news time ELEVEN
110. A pad may protect it KNEECAP
111. English assignments ESSAYS
112. Like subarctic winters SEVERE
113. Certifies ATTESTS

Down
1. They’re off-limits TABOOS
2. San Luis __, Calif. OBISPO
3. Presidential tweet? WASHINGTON POST (from “George Washington”)
4. Marlins’ div. NLE
5. Prepare to fire COCK
6. Got in the game ANTED
7. Books RESERVES
8. Charged CAME AT
9. Horoscope columnist Sydney OMARR
10. eBay offers BIDS
11. “Star Wars” saga nickname ANI
12. Spanish article LOS
13. Hot spot, with “the” TROPICS
14. Troubled word ALAS
15. Like much radio LIVE
16. Boo Radley creator Harper LEE
17. Current phenomenon EL NINO
18. Cat’s “Get it?” YOU DIG?
19. Gummy bears and such SWEETS
25. It’s off-limits NO-NO
28. Snow __ PEAS
32. Perfect self, in psychoanalysis EGO IDEAL
34. Dreidel letter GIMEL
35. Battery terminal ANODE
36. “Past Imperfect” memoirist Chase ILKA
39. Underworld river LETHE
40. Exodus insect LOCUST
41. Hoops Hall of Famer Thurmond NATE
43. Fútbol cheer OLE!
44. OH and OK STS
45. Cleans with Old English DUSTS
47. Olympic pool sights SPEEDOS
48. Requirement MUST
49. Fiends of fantasy OGRES
50. Presidential stand-ups? GARFIELD COMICS (from “James Garfield”)
51. Notable Mormon family OSMONDS
52. Junkanoo parade city NASSAU
53. Ottoman, e.g. EMPIRE
54. Predicated BASED
55. “We __ please” AIM TO
58. __ cotta TERRA
60. Uncle Henry’s wife AUNTIE EM
62. Practice with dolls VOODOO
63. Physicist Mach or artist Max ERNST
64. Eponymous store founder MACY
68. “No man is an island” poet DONNE
71. Rages FADS
72. Word from a proctor BEGIN
73. Kent portrayer on the big screen REEVE
74. Modern evidence DNA
75. Muffin grain OAT
77. Toothed tool RAKE
79. Major tea exporter SRI LANKA
81. Some chalets A-FRAMES
82. John Irving’s “A Prayer for __ Meany” OWEN
83. Manage, as multiple tasks JUGGLE
84. Final Olds models ALEROS
85. Sources of aromatic wood CEDARS
86. “Cheers” shout NORM!
87. Wrestler Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock DWAYNE
89. Move to a new table RESEAT
90. Takes by force USURPS
93. Hardly encourage DETER
94. Nottingham’s river TRENT
97. Court postponement STAY
98. Needs a doctor, maybe AILS
99. Baloney JIVE
100. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear PRET
103. Teachers’ org. NEA
104. Suffix meaning “little” -ULE
105. Calif. neighbor NEV
107. Fourth grade? DEE

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