LA Times Crossword 6 Feb 22, Sunday

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Constructed by: Peter Koetters
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: Mondegreens

Themed answers are MONDEGREENS, mishearings of song titles:

  • 23A Song in which Pat Benatar challenges the owner of an aquarium? (1980) : HIT ME WITH YOUR PET SHARK (from “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”)
  • 30A Song in which The Beatles say goodbye to a girl on a big bird? (1965) : CHICKEN TO RIDE (from “Ticket to Ride”)
  • 43A Song in which Johnny Rivers unmasks a Far East spy? (1966) : SECRET ASIAN MAN (from “Secret Agent Man”)
  • 60A Song in which Peter Gabriel bakes a simian-shaped dessert? (1982) : CHOCOLATE MONKEY (from “Shock the Monkey”)
  • 69A Song in which the Plastic Ono Band promotes legumes? (1969) : GIVE PEAS A CHANCE (from “Give Peace a Chance”)
  • 86A Song in which Culture Club dons lizard costumes to teach punctuation? (1983) : COMMA CHAMELEON (from “Karma Chameleon”)
  • 99A Song in which The Clash knocks over a wedding reception? (1982) : ROB THE CASH BAR (from “Rock the Casbah”)
  • 107A Song in which AC/DC plays nasty tricks on livestock? (1976) : DIRTY DEEDS DONE TO SHEEP (from “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”)

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 17m 14s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Heat in “The Heat” : NARCS

“The Heat” is a 2013 comedy film about an FBI agent and a Boston detective working together to take down a mobster. Sandra Bullock plays the agent, and Melissa McCarthy the detective.

“Narc” and “narco” are slang terms describing a law enforcement officer who tracks down criminals associated with illegal drugs. Both words are short for “narcotics officer”. Narcs might work for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

6 Pickle piece : SPEAR

Often, a dill pickle is actually a pickled gherkin, as the gherkin and cucumber are different cultivars within the same species. Here in the US, dill is commonly added to the pickling vinegar or brine, but this wasn’t the case when I used to eat them back in Ireland (I can’t stand dill!). You might see jars labeled as “cornichons”, but they’re gherkins. “Cornichon” is the French word for “gherkin”.

11 Eschew : SHUN

“To eschew”, meaning “to avoid, shun”, comes from the Old French word “eschiver” that means the same thing.

19 Scouting party? : TROOP

As every little boy (of my era) knows, the Scouting movement was founded by Lord Baden-Powell, in 1907. He also founded the Girl Guide and Girl Scout organization in 1910, along with this sister Agnes Baden-Powell. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) soon followed, also in 1910. The Boy Scouts motto is “Be Prepared”.

20 2018 CVS Health acquisition : AETNA

When the healthcare management and insurance company known as Aetna was founded, the name was chosen to evoke images of Mount Etna, the Italian volcano.

The name of the drugstore chain CVS once stood for “Consumer Value Stores”, although these days the company uses the initialism to denote “Convenience, Value and Service”.

23 Song in which Pat Benatar challenges the owner of an aquarium? (1980) : HIT ME WITH YOUR PET SHARK (from “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”)

Pat Benatar released “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” in 1980. The song was written by Canadian musician Eddie Schwartz. He came up with the title after completing a therapy session that involved “pillow punching”.

Pat Benatar is a singer from Brooklyn, New York who was born Patricia Andrzejewski. She married her high school boyfriend Dennis Benatar in 1972 when she was 19 years old, but they divorced in 1979. Presumably, she kept the Benatar name as her career was already showing signs of taking off. Benatar’s biggest hits are “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”, “Love is a Battlefield” and “We Belong”.

30 Song in which The Beatles say goodbye to a girl on a big bird? (1965) : CHICKEN TO RIDE (from “Ticket to Ride”)

“Ticket to Ride” is a 1965 Beatles song credited, as usual, to the Lennon-McCartney partnership. Paul McCartney claimed publicly that he played a major role in its composition, and John Lennon disagreed. Lennon asserted that McCartney’s role was limited to “the way Ringo played the drums”. Harsh …

36 IRS exam : AUD

An audit (aud.) might be carried out by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

37 Tokyo, once : EDO

“Edo” is the former name of the Japanese city of Tokyo. Edo was the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal regime that ruled from 1603 until 1868. The shogun lived in the magnificent Edo Castle. Some parts of the original castle remain and today’s Tokyo Imperial Palace, the residence of the Emperor of Japan, was built on its grounds.

38 Peruvian pronoun : ESO

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”.

39 Gibbons on TV : LEEZA

Leeza Gibbons had her own radio show called “Hollywood Confidential”, and her own talk show on NBC television that aired from 1994 to 2000. Gibbons is the founder of a nonprofit group called Leeza’s Place which supports people giving care to patients with memory disorders. Since 2007, she has been a board member of California’s stem cell research agency, appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

41 Answered an invite : RSVP’D

“RSVP” stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “answer, please”.

43 Song in which Johnny Rivers unmasks a Far East spy? (1966) : SECRET ASIAN MAN (from “Secret Agent Man”)

I saw Johnny Rivers perform for the very first time a few years ago at our local county fairgrounds, and a great show he puts on. The big hit for Johnny Rivers was “Secret Agent Man”. It is a song written especially for the opening title of the British TV show “Danger Man” when it was broadcast over here in America in the sixties. Remember that one, starring Patrick McGoohan?.

49 Puritan pronoun : THEE

“Puritan” was a pejorative term used in the 1560s to describe a Protestant extremist who was not satisfied with the extent of the reformation of the Church of England. The Puritans advocated further reforms, believing that the Church of England still harbored a lot of corruption. Facing staunch resistance to their ideals in Britain, many of the Puritans emigrated, the first wave to the Netherlands, with later emigrants moving to New England.

50 Judge’s seat : BANC

“En banc” is a French term, translating as “on a bench”. It refers to the cases in which all the judges of a court hear a case, as opposed to a case heard just by a panel, a subset of the full complement. The phrase is sometimes written as “in banc” in the US.

53 Big pitcher : ACE

That might be baseball.

58 Checkout task : SCAN

The initialism “UPC” stands for Universal Price Code or Universal Product Code. The first ever UPC-marked item to get scanned in a store was on June 26, 1974 at 08:01 a.m. at Marsh’s supermarket in Troy, Ohio. It was a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum.

59 Bit of sediment : DREG

The dregs in wine, the sediment that settles during fermentation (and sometimes in the bottle), are also called “lees”.

60 Song in which Peter Gabriel bakes a simian-shaped dessert? (1982) : CHOCOLATE MONKEY (from “Shock the Monkey”)

Peter Gabriel is a singer-songwriter from England who used to perform with the rock band Genesis. Gabriel was the band’s original lead singer, and also played the flute.

The Peter Gabriel song “Shock the Monkey” is known for a very disturbing music video featuring a capuchin monkey with a scared look on its face. Gabriel also appears in the video, looking more and more scared himself as the song progresses.

64 Volkswagen model : JETTA

“Jetta” is one in a series of model names related to winds that has been used by Volkswagen. “Jetta” comes from the German for “jet stream”, and the model name “Passat” comes from the German for “trade wind”.

65 Veracruz neighbor : OAXACA

Oaxaca is a state in the southern part of Mexico on the Pacific coast. The state takes the name of Oaxaca, its largest city.

Veracruz is one of Mexico’s 31 states, and is located on the country’s east coast. The state takes its name from the city of Veracruz, which is a major port city in the state. Veracruz is not the state capital, however, That honor goes to the city of Xalapa.

66 Ending with calc and sod : -IUM

The name of the element calcium comes from the Latin “calcis” meaning “lime”. “Quicklime” and “burnt lime” are common names for calcium oxide.

Sodium is a mineral that plays an essential role in the body, and has a major impact on blood volume and blood pressure. There seems to be a lot of evidence that the typical American diet includes levels of sodium that are above the maximum considered healthy by the medical community. Apparently, most of the sodium in the typical diet comes from processed food.

68 Drag racer’s fuel, briefly : NITRO

“Laughing gas” is a common name for nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is used as an anesthetic, particularly by dentists. It is also used in motor racing to increase the power output of engines. Laughing gas was first synthesized by the English chemist Joseph Priestley, but it was Humphry Davy who discovered its potential as an anesthetic. Once it was realized that the gas could give the patient a fit of the giggles, “laughing gas parties” became common among those who could afford them.

Back in the 18th century, “drag” was slang for a wagon or buggy, as it was “dragged” along by a horse or horses. In the 1930s, the underworld adopted “drag” as slang for an automobile. This sense of the word was imported into automobile racing in the forties, giving the name to “drag racing”. A drag race is basically a competition between two cars to determine which can accelerate faster from a standstill.

69 Song in which the Plastic Ono Band promotes legumes? (1969) : GIVE PEAS A CHANCE (from “Give Peace a Chance”)

John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a very public honeymoon in a hotel in Amsterdam and then Montreal, when they staged their famous “bed-in” for peace. In answering questions from reporters Lennon found himself often repeating the words “give peace a chance”. While still in bed, he composed his famous song “Give Peace a Chance” and even made the original recording of the song in the Montreal hotel room, with reporters present, and with a whole bunch of friends. The song was released later in 1969 and became a smash hit. Writing credit was initially given to Lennon-McCartney, as was the agreement between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Later versions of the song were credited just to Lennon, even though Lennon stated that Yoko Ono actually wrote the song with him.

The Plastic Ono Band was a so-called “super-group”, brought together by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969. Members of the group included John and Yoko, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Keith Moon.

75 Good card for lowball : TREY

A trey is a three in a deck of cards. The term “trey” can also be used for a domino with three pips, and even for a three-point play in basketball.

Lowball is a variant of poker in which the hands are ranked opposite to normal hands of poker.

76 Explorer Hernando de __ : SOTO

Hernando de Soto was a Spanish conquistador who led expeditions throughout the southeastern US. De Soto’s travels were unsuccessful in that he failed to bring gold or silver back to Spain, and he did not establish any colonies in the Spanish name. What de Soto did achieve was the exposure of local populations to devastating Eurasian diseases. De Soto was the first European to cross the Mississippi River, in 1541. The first European to see the Mississippi (but not cross it) was Alonso Álvarez de Pineda, in 1519.

78 Oral health org. : ADA

The American Dental Association (ADA) is the largest and oldest national dental association in the world. Today the ADA is based in Chicago, but the association was founded in Niagara Falls, New York in 1859. The ADA started out as a group of 26 dentists, and it now has more than 152,000 members.

82 Biblical twin : ESAU

Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother Rebekah gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).

86 Song in which Culture Club dons lizard costumes to teach punctuation? (1983) : COMMA CHAMELEON (from “Karma Chameleon”)

90 Nickname for Chicago’s Ernie Banks : MR CUB

First baseman Ernie Banks was known as “Mr. Cub”, and played his entire 19-year professional career with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs retired Banks’ uniform number 14 in 1982, making him the first Cubs player to be so honored. Banks was known for his catchphrase, “It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame … Let’s play two!”, a reference to his love of the game, always wanting to play a doubleheader.

95 “We __ the World” : ARE

“We Are the World” is a 1985 charity single recorded by a whole host of celebrity singers who came together as “USA for Africa”. “We Are the World” was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and sold over 20 million copies. The idea for the USA for Africa recording came out of the great success of the UK project, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”.

96 Mid-calf pants : CAPRIS

Capri pants first became popular on the island of Capri, apparently. They were invented in Europe in 1948, but only became stylish in the US in the sixties. Mary Tyler Moore often wore Capri pants on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and to some extent she sparked a fashion trend. After a lull in the seventies and eighties there was a resurgence in sales after Uma Thurman wore them (and danced in them) in “Pulp Fiction”.

99 Song in which The Clash knocks over a wedding reception? (1982) : ROB THE CASH BAR (from “Rock the Casbah”)

“Rock the Casbah” was a 1982 hit for the Clash, a punk rock band from England. It was the first song aired by Armed Forces Radio during Operation Desert Storm.

The Clash were one of the original punk bands, one that came together in 1976 in London. Despite their popularity, the Clash only ever had one number one single, “Should I Stay or Should I Go”. Even though the song was first released in 1982, it didn’t make it to the top of the charts until 1991 when it was re-released.

103 Ninja Turtles’ ally April __ : O’NEIL

The “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” started out as a parody of comic book superheroes, first appearing in a self-published comic book in 1984. A couple of years later the characters were picked up by someone who built a whole line of toys around the characters, and then television and movies followed. Do you remember the names of all four of the Turtles? Their names were all taken from Renaissance artists:

  • Leonardo
  • Raphael
  • Michelangelo
  • Donatello

107 Song in which AC/DC plays nasty tricks on livestock? (1976) : DIRTY DEEDS DONE TO SHEEP (from “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”)

The AC/DC hit “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” was released in 1976. It was written by three members of the band: Angus and Malcom Young, and Bon Scott. The “dirty deeds” referred to in the title are services offered by hitman, including “concrete shoes” and “neckties”. Angus Young came up with the title from the cartoon “Beany and Cecil” that he used to watch as a child. The cartoon character Dishonest John had a calling card that read, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays, and Special Rates.”

114 Actress Watson : EMMA

Emma Watson is an English actress famous for playing Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” series of movies. Watson continued her education while pursuing her acting career and studied at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

115 Nabisco cookie : OREO

If you take a close look at the embossed design on the front and back of an Oreo cookie, you’ll spot the main elements of the Nabisco logo. Those elements are an oval with a cross on top, a cross with two bars. Usually the company name “Nabisco” is inside the oval, but for the cookie it’s the brand name “Oreo”. The current embossed design was introduced in 1952.

117 Calculus pioneer : EULER

Leonhard Euler was a brilliant Swiss mathematician and physicist, and a pioneer in the fields of logarithms and graph theory. Euler’s eyesight deteriorated during his working life, and he eventually became almost totally blind.

The Latin word “calculus” was originally used for a reckoning or an account, and originally applied to a pebble that was used to maintain a count. The Latin word came from the Greek for a pebble, “khalix”.

121 Brontë sister : EMILY

In terms of age, Emily Brontë was the middle of the three Brontë sisters, younger than Charlotte and older than Anne. Emily was a poet and a novelist, and is best remembered for her only novel, “Wuthering Heights”. Emily died very young, at 30 years old. She never recovered from a severe cold that she caught at the funeral service of Branwell Brontë, her only brother. The cold developed into tuberculosis, for which she eschewed medical attention. She passed away after three months of illness.

Down

2 Singer Grande’s debut fragrance : ARI

Ariana Grande is a singer and actress from Boca Raton, Florida. Grande plays the role of Cat Valentine on the sitcom “Victorious” that aired for four seasons on Nickelodeon. Grande’s singing career took off with the release of the 2011 album “Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show”.

3 Hogwash : ROT

“Hogwash” means “rubbish, of little value”. “Hogwash” was originally the name of swill fed to pigs.

4 Larry the Cable Guy, for one : COMIC

Larry the Cable Guy is the stage name of stand-up comedian and actor Daniel Lawrence Whitney. Larry’s famous catchphrase is “Get-r-done!”

7 Small, at the Sorbonne : PETIT

“Sorbonne” is the name usually used for the old University of Paris, and some of the institutions that have succeeded it. The institution was named for French theologian Robert de Sorbonne who founded the original Collège de Sorbonne in 1257. That’s quite a while ago …

10 ’90s Indian prime minister : RAO

P. V. Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996. Rao is seen by most as the leader who transformed his country’s economy into the market-driven engine that it is today.

11 Jag : SPREE

The terms “jag” and “bender” describe periods of unrestrained activity, particularly those involving alcohol. Both words have been in use since the 1800s.

12 Crossed-fingers sentiment : HOPE

The crossed-fingers hand gesture is used as a wish for good luck, or sometimes as an excuse for telling a white lie. The gesture originated in the early Christian church when crossing of the fingers invoked the protection of the Christian cross. Crossed fingers were also used by Christians as a secret sign of recognition during the days of persecution by the ancient Romans.

14 Hoops hanger : NET

Basketball is truly a North American sport. It was created in 1891 by Canadian James Naismith at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. His goal was to create something active and interesting for his students in the gym. The first “hoops” were actually peach baskets, with the bottoms of the baskets intact. When a player got the ball into the “net”, someone had to clamber up and get the ball back out again in order to continue the game!

15 Very hot and dry : SAHARAN

The name “Sahara” means “greatest desert” in Arabic. The Sahara is just that, a great desert covering almost 4 million square miles of Northern Africa. That’s almost the size of the United States.

17 Chutzpah : NERVE

Our word “chutzpah” meaning “nerve, gall, impudence” is derived from the Yiddish “khutspe”, which has the same meaning.

26 Captain Marvel’s magic word : SHAZAM

“Shazam” is a word that was coined in the “Captain Marvel” comics in 1940. Billy Batson is a boy who can transform himself into the superhero Captain Marvel (aka “Shazam”) by speaking the magic word “Shazam”. “Shazam” is actually an acronym standing for “Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury”.

32 “If only __ known … ” : I’D’VE

I would have (I’d’ve)

34 Leb. neighbor : ISR

Lebanon lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. The nation has a rich cultural history, and was home to the ancient civilization of Phoenicia. The name “Lebanon” derives from the Semitic word “lbn” meaning “white”, and is probably a reference to the snow that caps the mountain range known as Mount Lebanon, which parallels the Mediterranean coast.

35 __ Sanders, only athlete to play in both the Super Bowl and World Series : DEION

Deion Sanders is a former NFL footballer, and a former Major League Baseball player. He is the only person to play in a Super Bowl and in a World Series. And, in the 1989 season Sanders became the only person to hit a major league home run and score an NFL touchdown in the same week. While playing, he earned the nicknames “Neon Deion” and “Prime Time Sanders”.

39 Jousting weapon : LANCE

“Jousting” and “tilting” are synonyms describing the medieval competition in which two horsemen yielding blunted lances attempt to unseat each other. Such an event has been referred to as “jousting” since the 1300s. At some point, the path of the two charging horsemen was separated by a cloth barrier known as a tilt (“tilt” meant “cloth covering”). The term “tilting” was applied to the sport in the 1500s, although by then the cloth barrier had been upgraded to a wooden fence.

42 South American pig relative : PECCARY

A peccary is a hoofed animal that resembles a small pig. They are mostly found in the wild in South and Central America. In some countries, peccaries are kept as pets.

43 Vexed state : SNIT

The exact etymology of “snit”, meaning “fit of temper”, isn’t really known. The term was first used in print in the play “Kiss the Boys Goodbye” by Clare Boothe Luce, which dates back to the 1930s and is set in the American South.

44 “__ homo” : ECCE

According to the Gospel of John, when Pilate presented a scourged and beaten Jesus to the crowd he used the words “Ecce homo”, Latin for “Behold the man”.

46 Mink cousin : MARTEN

Martens are weasel-like carnivores with yellowish to dark-brown fur. That fur is relatively thick, and is valued by fur trappers.

47 Acid type found in vinegar : ACETIC

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

50 Composer Bartók : BELA

Béla Bartók was a composer and a pianist. After Liszt, Bartók is considered by many to have been Hungary’s greatest composer.

51 Altar in the sky : ARA

The constellation of Ara takes its name from the Latin word for “altar”.

55 In __ parentis : LOCO

The Latin phrase “in loco parentis” translates as “in the place of a parent”. We use the term in the law when referring to a person or organization that takes on some of the responsibilities of a parent.

57 Jeweler’s tool : LOUPE

A loupe is a small magnifying lens that is held in the hand. “Loupe” is the French name for such a device.

60 Cold relief brand : CONTAC

Contac is a GlaxoSmithKline product used to treat the symptoms of a cold and influenza. The medicine’s active ingredient is pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is a drug with decongestant properties, although it is also a stimulant. Personally, I’d go with hot tea and lemon …

62 It can take a yoke : OX TEAM

A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of animals so that they are forced to work together.

63 Truth or Consequences st. : NMEX

Truth or Consequences is a city in New Mexico that originally had the name “Hot Springs”. In 1950, the host of the radio quiz show “Truth or Consequences” announced that he would broadcast the show’s 10th anniversary episode from the first town that would change its name to “Truth or Consequences”. Hot Springs made the change, and as a result hosted the show the very next day.

64 Father of Julian : JOHN

John Lennon grew up in a modest home in Liverpool in the northwest of England. Named “Mendips”, the house belonged to Lennon’s maternal aunt and her husband. Lennon was raised by his aunt from the age of five, after his mother was persuaded that the arrangement would be of benefit to young John. Mendips was purchased by Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono in 2002, who then handed it over to the National Trust, a British conservation organization.

Julian Lennon is the oldest child of John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia Powell. Julian was the inspiration of several Beatles songs, including “Hey Jude” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. “Hey Jude” was originally a song called “Hey Jules”, written by Paul McCartney. He wrote the original song for Julian, as a way of comforting the child during his parents divorce. One day in 1966, Julian came home from nursery school and showed his Dad a drawing he had made of his classmate, a little girl called Lucy O’Donnell. Julian described the artwork as “Lucy … in the sky with diamonds”.

69 Some black-clad teens : GOTHS

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” comes from the Eastern Germanic tribe called the Goths.

71 “Va-va-__!” : VOOM

“Va-va-voom!” is an expression that turns up in a lot of places. For example, it was a frequent utterance by comic actor Art Carney, most notably while playing Ed Norton in the sitcom “The Honeymooners” from the 1950s. Carney even released a comedy song “Va Va Va Voom” in 1954.

72 Prefix with sphere : ATMO-

An atmosphere is the layer of gasses surrounding a body, usually a planet. The word “atmosphere” comes from the Greek “atmos” meaning “vapor, steam”. The term was first applied to the Moon, which is a real paradox as the Moon doesn’t have any atmosphere.

73 Half-brother of Julian : SEAN

Sean Lennon is the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and godson of Elton John. Sean is a musician and composer, and has a band called the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger.

74 Santa __ winds : ANA

The Santa Ana winds are the very dry air currents that sweep offshore late in the year in Southern California. Because these air currents are so dry, they are noted for their influence over forest fires in the area, especially in the heat of the fall. The winds arise from a buildup of air pressure in the Great Basin that lies between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. Under the right conditions, that air spills over the peaks of the Sierra Nevada and basically “falls” down the side of the Sierra range, heading for the ocean. As the air falls it becomes drier and heats up so that relative humidity can fall to below 10% by the time it hits the coast.

80 Argentine icons : PERONS

Nowadays, President Juan Perón of Argentina is perhaps less well-known than his second wife, Eva Perón of “Evita” fame. Juan and Eva Perón were overthrown in a military coup in 1955, although Juan Perón was returned to power in 1973 after which he served for only nine months before he passed away. Juan was succeeded in office by his third wife, Isabel Perón.

83 Worker during a walkout : SCAB

We first started calling strikebreakers scabs in the early 1800s, and before that a scab was a person who refused to join a trade union (back as early 1777). The word “scab” probably comes from the use of “scab” as a symptom of a skin disease, and so is a term that is meant to insult.

85 Ride provider : UBER

The basic service offered by ride-hailing company Uber is known as UberX. The service provides a private ride for up to four passengers in a standard car. UberXL provides a minivan or SUV with room for up to 6 passengers.

88 Chocolate __ : LAB

The Labrador (Lab) breed of dog has been around at least since 1814. The breed comes in three registered colors: black, yellow and chocolate.

89 First responder: Abbr. : EMT

Emergency medical technician (EMT)

93 Rake over the coals : SCATHE

To drag, haul or rake someone over the coals is to criticize him or her severely. The phrase “over the coals” is rooted in the treatment meted out to heretics in Medieval times.

94 Sinaloa street snack : TACO

Sinaloa is one of Mexico’s 31 states, and is located on the Gulf of California, in the west of the country. The capital and largest city of Sinaloa is Culiacán. My guess is that most Americans are more familiar with the state’s tourist destination of Mazatlán that is famous for its beaches and resort hotels.

97 Cartoon genre : ANIME

Anime is cartoon animation in the style of Japanese manga comic books.

98 Prefix with frost : PERMA-

Permafrost is by definition soil that has been below the freezing point of water for two years or more. Usually permafrost is covered by a thin layer of soil that thaws during the warmer months and which can sustain life. Plants can grow in the active layer, but their roots cannot penetrate the permafrost below.

99 Odorless basement hazard : RADON

The element radon (Rn) is a radioactive gas, and a byproduct produced when uranium decays naturally in the earth. Radon gas can collect and accumulate in buildings and rooms that are particularly well insulated with very little air exchange. The danger is very real, as radon is listed as the second most frequent cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoke.

100 Temporary tattoo dye : HENNA

Henna has been used for centuries as a dye, for leather and wool as well as hair and skin. In modern days, henna is often used for temporary tattoos.

101 C-suite VIPs : EXECS

The C-suite is the suite of offices assigned to senior management. The “C” reference is to the abbreviation for “Chief”, the word that starts the titles of many senior officers in a company, e.g. chief executive officer, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

104 Major quinoa producer : PERU

Quinoa is a grain crop that is more closely related to beetroots and spinach that it is to cereals and grasses. Quinoa is mainly cultivated for its edible seeds, which are high in protein. The seeds are also gluten free, which seems to be a big deal these days. I do like my quinoa …

109 Hip-hop Dr. : 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 as Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.

111 Philanthropist Broad : ELI

Eli Broad made his fortune in real estate and was one of the founders of Kaufman and Broad, a construction company that we know these days as KB Homes. Broad is the only person to have created two companies that made the Fortune 500 list (KB Homes and SunAmerica).

Philanthropy is a concern for human welfare, and the act of donating to persons or groups who support such concerns. The term “philanthropy” derives from the Greek “phil-” meaning “loving”, and “anthropos” meaning “mankind”.

112 Fish that may be jellied : EEL

Jellied eels are a traditional British dish associated with the working class East End of London. Historically, the eels used were caught in the River Thames. The dish is prepared by boiling up eels that have been chopped into rounds in a seasoned stock and then allowing it to set. The eel contains a lot of gelatinous protein so the stock forms a jelly as it cools.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Heat in “The Heat” : NARCS
6 Pickle piece : SPEAR
11 Eschew : SHUN
15 On its way : SENT
19 Scouting party? : TROOP
20 2018 CVS Health acquisition : AETNA
21 Prepare to be shot? : POSE
22 x, y and z, in math : AXES
23 Song in which Pat Benatar challenges the owner of an aquarium? (1980) : HIT ME WITH YOUR PET SHARK (from “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”)
27 Trapped by a winter storm : ICED IN
28 It’s not an option : NEED
29 Split in two : HALVE
30 Song in which The Beatles say goodbye to a girl on a big bird? (1965) : CHICKEN TO RIDE (from “Ticket to Ride”)
35 Zipped : DARTED
36 IRS exam : AUD
37 Tokyo, once : EDO
38 Peruvian pronoun : ESO
39 Gibbons on TV : LEEZA
41 Answered an invite : RSVP’D
43 Song in which Johnny Rivers unmasks a Far East spy? (1966) : SECRET ASIAN MAN (from “Secret Agent Man”)
49 Puritan pronoun : THEE
50 Judge’s seat : BANC
52 Release money : RANSOM
53 Big pitcher : ACE
54 Like some office jobs : CLERICAL
58 Checkout task : SCAN
59 Bit of sediment : DREG
60 Song in which Peter Gabriel bakes a simian-shaped dessert? (1982) : CHOCOLATE MONKEY (from “Shock the Monkey”)
64 Volkswagen model : JETTA
65 Veracruz neighbor : OAXACA
66 Ending with calc and sod : -IUM
67 “Amen” : SO BE IT
68 Drag racer’s fuel, briefly : NITRO
69 Song in which the Plastic Ono Band promotes legumes? (1969) : GIVE PEAS A CHANCE (from “Give Peace a Chance”)
75 Good card for lowball : TREY
76 Explorer Hernando de __ : SOTO
77 Former renter : EX-TENANT
78 Oral health org. : ADA
79 Tool in a wheeled bucket : WET MOP
81 Polite address : MA’AM
82 Biblical twin : ESAU
86 Song in which Culture Club dons lizard costumes to teach punctuation? (1983) : COMMA CHAMELEON (from “Karma Chameleon”)
90 Nickname for Chicago’s Ernie Banks : MR CUB
91 Pretentious : ARTSY
92 Ewe wish? : RAM
93 Apt name for a chef? : STU
95 “We __ the World” : ARE
96 Mid-calf pants : CAPRIS
99 Song in which The Clash knocks over a wedding reception? (1982) : ROB THE CASH BAR (from “Rock the Casbah”)
103 Ninja Turtles’ ally April __ : O’NEIL
104 Pension __ : PLAN
106 Pablo’s “precise” : EXACTO
107 Song in which AC/DC plays nasty tricks on livestock? (1976) : DIRTY DEEDS DONE TO SHEEP (from “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”)
114 Actress Watson : EMMA
115 Nabisco cookie : OREO
116 Home on the range : RANCH
117 Calculus pioneer : EULER
118 Negotiation ender : DEAL
119 Ballroom basic : TURN
120 Rub off : ERASE
121 Brontë sister : EMILY

Down

1 Ultimate degree : NTH
2 Singer Grande’s debut fragrance : ARI
3 Hogwash : ROT
4 Larry the Cable Guy, for one : COMIC
5 Dotted (with) : SPECKED
6 Declined : SAID NO
7 Small, at the Sorbonne : PETIT
8 Culture: Pref. : ETHNO-
9 Even one : ANY
10 ’90s Indian prime minister : RAO
11 Jag : SPREE
12 Crossed-fingers sentiment : HOPE
13 Yard sale adjective : USED
14 Hoops hanger : NET
15 Very hot and dry : SAHARAN
16 Glorify : EXALT
17 Chutzpah : NERVE
18 Expressed disdain for : TSKED
24 Neaten the garden, perhaps : WEED
25 Scandal, to a politician, perhaps : UNDOER
26 Captain Marvel’s magic word : SHAZAM
30 E-commerce icon : CART
31 “Quiet!” : HUSH!
32 “If only __ known … ” : I’D’VE
33 Tape deck button : REC
34 Leb. neighbor : ISR
35 __ Sanders, only athlete to play in both the Super Bowl and World Series : DEION
39 Jousting weapon : LANCE
40 Homework assignment : ESSAY
42 South American pig relative : PECCARY
43 Vexed state : SNIT
44 “__ homo” : ECCE
45 Job : TASK
46 Mink cousin : MARTEN
47 Acid type found in vinegar : ACETIC
48 Cancel out : NEGATE
50 Composer Bartók : BELA
51 Altar in the sky : ARA
55 In __ parentis : LOCO
56 French friend : AMIE
57 Jeweler’s tool : LOUPE
59 Con, half the time : DEBATER
60 Cold relief brand : CONTAC
61 High style, maybe : HAIRDO
62 It can take a yoke : OX TEAM
63 Truth or Consequences st. : NMEX
64 Father of Julian : JOHN
67 Con job : SCAM
69 Some black-clad teens : GOTHS
70 “Possibly” : IT MAY
71 “Va-va-__!” : VOOM
72 Prefix with sphere : ATMO-
73 Half-brother of Julian : SEAN
74 Santa __ winds : ANA
76 Splinter groups : SECTS
79 With suspicion : WARILY
80 Argentine icons : PERONS
83 Worker during a walkout : SCAB
84 Ambiance : AURA
85 Ride provider : UBER
87 Kind of vows : MARITAL
88 Chocolate __ : LAB
89 First responder: Abbr. : EMT
90 Rave review word : MUST-SEE
93 Rake over the coals : SCATHE
94 Sinaloa street snack : TACO
96 Like apps : CODED
97 Cartoon genre : ANIME
98 Prefix with frost : PERMA-
99 Odorless basement hazard : RADON
100 Temporary tattoo dye : HENNA
101 C-suite VIPs : EXECS
102 “Meh” : HO-HUM
104 Major quinoa producer : PERU
105 Creepy look : LEER
108 Web address component : DOT
109 Hip-hop Dr. : DRE
110 Propeller with just one blade : OAR
111 Philanthropist Broad : ELI
112 Fish that may be jellied : EEL
113 Meddle : PRY