LA Times Crossword Answers 21 Jan 2018, Sunday

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Constructed by: Paul Coulter
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Theme: Bit Parts

The circled letters in the grid spell out the word “CAMEOS”, reading from top to bottom. The letters C, A, M, E, O and S are “bit parts” inserted into the titles of movies to make sense of the themed clues:

  • 22A. Film about a convict’s lame claims of innocence? : JAILHOUSE CROCK (C in “Jailhouse Rock”)
  • 39A. Film about St. Peter’s favorite striped stone? : HEAVEN’S AGATE (A in “Heaven’s Gate”)
  • 60A. Film about the last of the old-time schoolteachers? : A FAREWELL TO MARMS (M in “A Farewell to Arms”)
  • 70A. Film about dealing with a class of five-year-olds? : KINDERGARTEN COPE (E in “Kindergarten Cop”)
  • 91A. Film about yet another complaint? : THE THIRD MOAN (O in “The Third Man”)
  • 112A. Film about a devastating blizzard? : APOCALYPSE SNOW (S in “Apocalypse Now”)

Bill’s time: 16m 13s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Many a reggae musician : RASTA

I must admit that I don’t really know much about Rastafarianism. I do know that a “Rasta”, such as 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.

6. Flavor : SAPOR

“Sapor” is another word for a flavor, a quality that can be tasted. “Sapor” is the Latin word for “taste, flavor”.

16. Montezuma’s people : AZTECS

Montezuma I and Montezuma II were Aztec emperors. Montezuma II was the ninth Aztec emperor and ruled from 1502 until 1520. He was the leader of the Aztec Empire when the Spanish first made contact and started the conquest of Mexico. Montezuma II was killed in a battle with the Spanish, although the details of his demise are not clear.

18. Books smaller than quartos : OCTAVOS

Some common book formats/sizes are folio, octavo and quarto. For an octavo book, sixteen pages of text are printed, eight pages on each side of a “full-size” piece of paper. The pages are formed by folding the sheet of paper three times in half, giving a group of sixteen pages printed on eight leaves (after separation). The size of the resulting pages of course depends on the size of the original sheet, but each page is one eighth the size of that original (hence the name octavo). Nowadays the octavo size refers to books that are between eight and ten inches tall.

22. Film about a convict’s lame claims of innocence? : JAILHOUSE CROCK (C in “Jailhouse Rock”)

We’ve been using the term “crock” to mean “worthless rubbish” since the 1800s. The usage very possibly arouse from the use of crockery as chamber pots.

“Jailhouse Rock” is a 1957 Elvis Presley film that was originally title “The Hard Way”. The movie was renamed in order to cash in on the anticipated success of the title song. The opening dance sequence, in which he performs “Jailhouse Rock”, is perhaps Presley’s most memorable moment on the big screen.

26. __ Marbles: historic sculptures : ELGIN

A frieze is an architectural feature found in many Roman and Greek buildings. Perhaps the most famous frieze comes from the Parthenon in Athens. Over a third of this highly decorated feature was removed from Athens and taken to London in the early 1800s by the Earl of Elgin, where they remain on display in the British Museum. These famous “Elgin Marbles” are subject of much controversy as the legality of the removal is in dispute.

27. Longtime film critic for The New Yorker : KAEL

Pauline Kael was a film critic who wrote for “The New Yorker” magazine from 1968 to 1991.

29. “¿Cómo __ usted?” : ESTA

“¿Cómo está usted?” is the more formal way of asking, “How are you?” in Spanish.

32. Chow line? : LEASH

The Chow Chow is a breed of dog that originated in China. The Chinese name for the breed is “Songshi Quan”, which translates as “puffy-lion dog”, a rather apt name given its appearance …

35. P&L report column : YTD

On a income statement, a profit & loss figure (P&L) might be year to date (YTD).

36. High hat : MITER

A miter is a traditional headdress worn by bishops in some Christian traditions. The name “miter” comes from a Greek word for “headband, turban”.

39. Film about St. Peter’s favorite striped stone? : HEAVEN’S AGATE (A in “Heaven’s Gate”)

Agate is a micro-crystalline form of quartz (so is related to sand/silica). Some agate samples have deposited layers that give a striped appearance, and these are called “banded agate”.

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.

“Heaven’s Gate” is a 1980 Western movie that is commonly cited as one of the biggest box office bombs in the history of cinema. With an initial budget of $11.6 million, the film ended up costing over $30 million. Box office sales were forecast at $40 million. The reception was so bad that “Heaven’s Gate” was pulled after only two week in theaters, with ticket sales of just $1.3 million.

42. Wildebeests : GNUS

The gnu is also known as the wildebeest, and is an antelope native to Africa. “Wildebeest” is a Dutch meaning “wild beast”.

44. Barrel-bottom stuff : LEES

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

48. K-12 : ELHI

“Elhi” is an informal word used to describe anything related to schooling from kindergarten through grade 12, i.e. elementary through high school.

49. River to the North Sea : YSER

The Yser river flows into the North Sea at Nieuwpoort in the Flemish province of West Flanders in Belgium.

50. Stage hog : HAM

The word “ham”, describing a performer who overacts, is apparently a shortened form of “hamfatter” and dates back to the late 1800s. “Hamfatter” comes from a song in old minstrel shows called “The Ham-Fat Man”. It seems that a poorly performing actor was deemed to have the “acting” qualities of a minstrel made up in blackface.

53. Lady of León : SENORA

León is a province in the autonomous community of Castile and León in the northwest of Spain. The province’s capital is the city of León, which was founded as Roman military encampment around 29 BC.

59. Back muscle, familiarly : LAT

The muscles known as the “lats” are the latissimi dorsi, the broadest muscles in the back. “Latissimus” is the Latin for “broadest” and “dorsum” is Latin for “back”.

60. Film about the last of the old-time schoolteachers? : A FAREWELL TO MARMS (M in “A Farewell to Arms”)

“A Farewell to Arms” is a somewhat autobiographical novel written by Ernest Hemingway, telling the story of an American ambulance driver serving with the Italian army during WWI. The most famous screen adaptation is probably the 1957 version starring Rock Hudson and Jennifer Jones.

64. First husband of Bathsheba : URIAH

Uriah the Hittite was a soldier mentioned in the Bible, a soldier in the army of King David. Uriah was married to Bathsheba with whom King David had an affair. David had Uriah killed and then took Bathsheba as his wife. Bathsheba and David became the parents of Solomon who succeeded David as king.

68. Aurora’s Greek counterpart : EOS

In Greek mythology, Eos was the goddess of the dawn who lived at the edge of the ocean. Eos would wake each morning to welcome her brother Helios the sun. The Roman equivalent of Eos was Aurora.

70. Film about dealing with a class of five-year-olds? : KINDERGARTEN COPE (E in “Kindergarten Cop”)

“Kindergarten Cop” is a fun 1990 comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in a different role for him. Arnie is a cop, but working undercover as a kindergarten teacher.

76. Arles article : LES

Quite a few years ago now, I had the privilege of living just a short car-ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although Arles has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a prevailing influence over the city’s design. Arles has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place Vincent van Gogh often visited, and was where he painted many of his most famous works, including “Cafe Terrace at Night” and “Bedroom in Arles”.

77. Form of aphasia involving the inability to name objects : ANOMIA

Anomia (also “anomic aphasia”) is a form of aphasia in which an individual can usually describe an object in detail, but cannot find the word to name the object.

Someone with aphasia has dysfunction in specific regions of the brain that result in an inability to use words as symbols of ideas. The most common causes of aphasia are strokes or head trauma.

78. Loi maker : SENAT

In French, members of the “Sénat” (Senate) participate in the enacting of “lois” (laws).

82. “Do the Right Thing” pizzeria owner : SAL

“Do the Right Thing” is a Spike Lee movie, released in 1989. Much of the action in the film is centered on a local pizzeria called “Sal’s” owned by Italian-American Salvatore Frangione (played by Danny Aiello).

83. Disco family name : GIBB

The Brothers Gibb (hence, the name “The Bee Gees”) were born in England but grew up and started their musical careers in Australia. They moved back to Manchester in the north of England as youths, and there hit the big time.

86. Cherbourg cherub : ANGE

“Ange” is French for “angel”.

Cherbourg is a port on the northern coast of France lying on the English Channel. Interestingly (I think!), the wreck of the Confederate States of America warship CSS Alabama was discovered just outside the port 1984. The Alabama was sunk by the Union cruiser Kearsarge in 1864, after she left the port of Cherbourg to engage the Kearsarge who was lying in wait offshore.

88. Plump Capp critter : SHMOO

The Shmoo is a cartoon creature who first appeared in the Al Capp comic strip “Li’l Abner” in 1948. Apparently, shmoos are delicious to eat, and love to be eaten. They’ll even jump into the frying pan themselves!

89. “Beowulf” beverage : MEAD

Mead is a lovely drink that’s made from fermented honey and water.

“Beowulf” is an old epic poem from England, although the story is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf fights a battle, defending the Danish King Hrothgar from the ferocious outcast Grendel. Hrothgar had built a great hall for his people in which they could celebrate; singing, dancing and drinking lots of mead. Grendel was angered by the carousing and attacked the hall, devouring many of the incumbent warriors as they slept. A bit of an extreme reaction to noisy neighbors I’d say …

91. Film about yet another complaint? : THE THIRD MOAN (O in “The Third Man”)

“The Third Man” is a great film noir produced in England in 1949, and starring Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles and Trevor Howard. A great film in itself, “The Third Man” is often remembered for the title music, an instrumental piece featuring the zither that was written and performed by Anton Karas. The screenplay for the film was written by Graham Greene.

95. __ Colinas: upscale neighborhood in Irving, Texas : LAS

The Dallas suburb of Las Colinas was one of the first planned communities in the US. Originally known as “El Ranchito de Las Colinas” (The Little Ranch of the Hills), development started in 1972. Las Colinas is a relatively upscale area that has been favored by its central location between Dallas and Fort Worth, and its proximity to both Dallas airports.

99. Rival of Paris : ROMEO

In William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo And Juliet”, Count Paris is a rival of Romeo’s for the hand of Juliet. At the end of the play, Romeo kills Paris in a duel. There’s a lot of dying in “Romeo and Juliet” …

100. Marshal at Waterloo : NEY

Michel Ney was one of the first 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon. When Bonaparte was eventually defeated for the last time, Ney was arrested and sentenced to death. He was executed in Paris by firing squad. Nay refused to wear a blindfold, and demanded that he himself be allowed to give the order to fire.

106. Utah lily : SEGO

The sego lily is the state flower of Utah, and is a perennial plant found throughout the Western United States.

109. Pie in the sky? : UFO

We use the phrase “pie in the sky” to describe a ridiculously optimistic goal. The expression was coined by songwriter and labor activist Joe Hill in 1911 as a lyric in the hymn parody “The Preacher and the Slave”. The chorus is:

You will eat, bye and bye
In that glorious land above the sky
Work and Pray, live on hay
You’ll get pie in the sky when you die

110. Jaguar, e.g. : BIG CAT

The four “big cats” are the tiger, lion, jaguar and leopard. The largest of the big cats is the tiger, and the smallest is the leopard.

112. Film about a devastating blizzard? : APOCALYPSE SNOW (S in “Apocalypse Now”)

The epic war drama “Apocalypse Now” was released in 1979 and starred Martin Sheen as Captain Willard and Marlon Brando as Colonel Kurtz. The premise of the film is that both Willard and Kurtz are special ops officers, with Willard sent into the jungle to assassinate Kurtz who has “gone rogue”. The film is notorious for the trouble that director Francis Ford Coppola had completing the shoot. Brando turned up on set grossly overweight (as a special ops guy!), and poor Martin Sheen had a heart attack during filming.

117. À la King : EERILY

Stephen King is a remarkably successful author. He has sold well over 350 million copies of his books, with many of them made into hit movies. I’ve tried reading two or three of the novels, and didn’t get too far. I really don’t do horror …

119. Stylish filmmaker : AUTEUR

We use the term “auteur” to describe a film director with a distinctive style, one that is distinct enough to overcome the influence of a movie studio and other commercial pressures. Examples often cited are Akira Kurosawa, Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hawks and Jean Renoir. “Auteur” is a French word meaning “author”.

122. Commuter’s read : DAILY

Our verb “to commute”, meaning “to go back and forth to work”, ultimately derives from the Latin “commutare”, meaning “to often change”. Back in the late 1800s, a “commutation ticket” was a season pass, so named because it allowed one to “change” one kind of payment into another. Quite interesting …

Down

2. Georgia’s state wildflower : AZALEA

Azaleas are very toxic to horses, sheep and goats, but strangely enough cause no problem for cats or dogs. And if you go to Korea you might come across “Tug Yonju”, which is azalea wine made from the plant’s blossoms. Azaleas are usually grown as shrubs, but are also seen as small trees, and often indoors.

3. Mushroom stems : STIPES

A mushroom isn’t a complete living organism per se but rather is one part of a fungus, the fruiting body that is responsible for distributing reproductive spores. The mushroom generally has three main components: the stipe (or “stem”), the pileus (or “cap”) and the lamellae (or “gills”) under the cap which distribute the spores.

6. Extended operatic solo : SCENA

A scena is an extended operatic solo, one that usually includes an aria and a recitative. “Scena” is Italian for “scene”.

7. PDX tower group : ATC

Air traffic control (ATC)

Portland International Airport has the IATA airport code PDX. PDX is the largest airport in Oregon and is used jointly for civil and military traffic. Portland International opened in 1927, and was dedicated by celebrated aviator Charles Lindbergh.

9. Ab __: from the start : OVO

“Ab ovo” translates literally from Latin as “from the egg”, and is used in English to mean “from the beginning”.

10. 1990 Stallone flick with the tagline “Go For It” : ROCKY V

1990’s “Rocky V” was intended to be the last in the “Rocky” series of films. It seems that all parties were unhappy with the movie, both the critics and Sylvester Stallone, who wrote the screenplay and starred. Stallone eventually made a sixth film though, 2006’s “Rocky Balboa”, which got a much better reception.

14. Hill with one steep side : CUESTA

A cuesta is a hill with a gentle slope on one side and a steep slope on the other. The name “cuesta” is Spanish for “slope of a hill”. The steep slope might be referred to as an escarpment.

15. Sonnet section : SESTET

A sestet is a group of six lines of poetry. It is similar to a quatrain, a group of four lines.

A sonnet is a short poem with varying rhyming schemes but always with 14 lines. The sonnet form has been around at least since the 13th century. The Shakespearean sonnet, for example, is composed of three quatrains (4 lines) and a final couplet (2 lines).

17. One before la : SOL

The solfa syllables are: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la & ti.

18. Basket material : OSIER

Most willows (trees and shrubs of the genus Salix) are called just that, willows. Some of the broad-leaved shrub varieties are called sallow, and the narrow-leaved shrubs are called osier. The variety known as osier is commonly used in basketry, as osier twigs are very flexible. The strong and flexible willow stems are sometimes referred to as withies.

23. Hybrid fruits : UGLIS

The ugli fruit is a hybrid of an orange and a tangerine that was first discovered growing wild in Jamaica where most ugli fruit comes from today. “UGLI” is a trademark name that is a variant of “ugly”, a nod to the fruits unsightly wrinkled rind.

28. Author Ferber et al. : EDNAS

Edna Ferber was a novelist and playwright from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ferber won a Pulitzer for her novel “So Big”, which was made into a film a few times, most famously in 1953 starring Jane Wyman. Ferber also wrote “Show Boat”, “Cimarron” and “Giant”, which were adapted successful for the stage and/or big screen.

33. Put on hold : SHELVE

These “tabling” and “shelving” idioms drive me crazy, because they are often misused. If a topic is shelved, it is set aside. If a topic is tabled, it is brought “off the shelf” and put “on the table” for discussion. I know that language evolves, but I think it should at least make sense …

34. Variety show set in Kornfield Kounty : HEE HAW

The variety show “Hee Haw” aired on CBS from 1969-1971, and then had a 20-year run in syndication. The show was built around country music, although the format was inspired by “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In”.

36. Fabric beltmaker’s technique : MACRAME

Macramé is a way to make cloth that uses a knotting technique rather than weaving or knitting. Macramé was popularised at sea, where sailors would decorate the likes of knife handles, bottles and even parts of the ship.

38. Lindley of “Three’s Company” : AUDRA

Audra Lindley was the actress who played building owner Helen Roper on the sitcom “Three’s Company”. Lindley also appeared as one of the title characters in the spinoff show “The Ropers”, alongside actor Norman Fell.

The tremendously successful US sitcom “Three’s Company” ran from 1977 to 1984. The show was actually a remake of an equally successful British sitcom called “Man About the House”. I must, I was a fan of both shows. The American show started its run with three roommates, played by Joyce DeWitt, Suzanne Somers and John Ritter. The trio lived in an apartment building owned by characters Stanley and Helen Roper. The Ropers were eventually replaced by landlord Ralph Furley, played by the marvelous Don Knotts.

41. Gregg user : STENO

Gregg shorthand was developed in 1888 by John Robert Gregg, a native of Ireland who was living in New York City at the time.

43. “The Matrix” hero : NEO

The 1999 movie sensation “The Matrix” was meant to be set in a nondescript urban environment. It was actually shot in Australia, as one of the co-producers of the film was the Australian company, Village Roadshow Pictures. You can pick up all sorts of clues about the location when watching the film, including a view of Sydney Harbour Bridge in a background shot. Also, traffic drives along on the left and there are signs for the “lift” instead of an “elevator”.

46. Catherine the Great, e.g. : TSARINA

A tsarina was the wife of a tsar, and so was a Russian empress.

Catherine the Great (aka Catherine II) was Empress of Russia for 34 years, up to her death in 1796. Her long reign is considered by many to have been Russia’s Golden Age.

47. Vitamin A form : RETINOL

Vitamin A is actually a group of chemicals, including retinol, retinal and beta-carotene.

59. “Witness” actor Haas : LUKAS

Lukas Haas is an American actor best known for the role he played as an 8-year-old child in the excellent 1985 film “Witness”. In “Witness”, Haas plays a young Amish boy, alongside Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. Although Haas still acts today, he is also a musician and plays drums and piano for a band called The Rogues.

61. Obamacare, briefly : ACA

The correct name for what has been dubbed “Obamacare” is the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (ACA).

62. John, to Ringo : LOO

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!

The use of “john” as a slang term for a toilet is peculiar to North America. “John” probably comes from the older slang term of “jack” or “jakes” that had been around since the 16th century. In Ireland, in cruder moments, we still refer to a toilet as “the jacks”.

65. Gen.’s counterpart : ADM

Admiral (adm.)

66. Fictional miners’ work song : HEIGH-HO

“Heigh-Ho” is one of the best known songs in the classic Disney animated feature “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. “Heigh-Ho” is sung by the seven dwarfs as they head off to mine diamonds and rubies.

71. “Spider-Man” director : RAIMI

Sam Raimi is a very successful director and producer. He was behind the “Spider-Man” series of films among others, and TV series’ such as “Xena: Warrior Princess”.

72. Latin lover’s line : TE AMO

“I love you” translates into “te amo” in Spanish, and into “je t’aime” in French.

73. The Supreme Court, for one : ENNEAD

The Ennead is a group of nine gods in Egyptian mythology. The Ennead were all in the same family, all descendents of the god Atum. The word “ennead” is also used more generically for any group of nine things. The term comes from “ennea”, the Greek word for “nine”.

The US Constitution doesn’t specify the size of the Supreme Court, but authorizes the Congress to the determine the number of justices. The court started with six justices in 1789, and the size of the bench grew with the size of the country and the number of judicial circuits. There were as many as ten justices, from 1863 to 1866. There have been nine justices since 1869.

74. Where Tara Lipinski won her Olympics gold medal at age 15 : NAGANO

Nagano is a city on Japan’s largest island, Honshu. Nagano was host to the 1998 Winter Olympic Games.

When American skater Tara Lipinski won the figure skating gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics, she was only 15 years old. To this day, Lipinski is the youngest person to win an individual gold at the Winter Games.

80. War on Poverty agcy. : OEO

The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) was created during the Lyndon Johnson administration. The agency was responsible for administering the War on Poverty programs that were part of the President Johnson’s Great Society agenda. The OEO was shut down by President Nixon, although some of the office’s programs were transferred to other agencies. A few of the OEO’s programs are still around today, like Head Start for example.

81. Hulu offering : VIDEO

Hulu is a video on demand service. Although competing directly with Netflix and Amazon Prime, Hulu’s primary focus is the streaming of television shows rather than movies.

85. Spanish convenience stores : BODEGAS

“Bodega” is the Spanish term for a winery, or these days for a grocery store.

90. Lively country dance : GALOP

A galop is a type of dance that was especially popular in Parisian society in the 1800s. It is a fast-paced dance named after the fastest running gait of a horse (a gallop). The most famous exponent of the form was Johann Strauss II.

93. Political fugitive : EMIGRE

An “émigré” is an emigrant. The term is French in origin, and particularly applies to someone who is a political refugee from his or her native land.

94. Mr. Magoo et al. : MYOPES

A myope is someone suffering from myopia, short-sightedness. Far-sightedness or long-sightedness is known as hypermetropia or hyperopia .

Mr. Quincy Magoo is a wonderful cartoon character voiced by Jim Backus. Backus is probably equally well-known for playing Mr. Magoo as well as Thurston Howell, III on “Gilligan’s Island”. Mr. Magoo first appeared on the screen in a short called “The Ragtime Bear” in 1949. His persona was at least in part based on the antics of W. C. Fields. Backus originally used a fake rubber nose that pinched his nostrils in order to create the distinctive voice, although in time he learned to do the voice without the prop. My absolute favorite appearance by Mr. Magoo is in “Mr Magoo’s Christmas Carol”, a true classic from the sixties. There was a movie adaptation of “Mr Magoo” released in 1997, with Leslie Nielsen playing the title role.

95. Bridges in movies : LLOYD

The actor Lloyd Bridges is noted for his many television and movie roles over a long and distinguished career. Lloyd is also remembered as the father of two great actor sons: Beau Bridges and jeff Bridges. Lloyd served with the US Coast Guard during WWII, and was a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary after the war. Sons Beau and Jeff also served in the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve.

97. Sultanate on the South China Sea : BRUNEI

The official name of Brunei is the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace. Brunei is situated in the island of Borneo, almost completely surrounded by Malaysia. Brunei’s government is dictated by the constitution adopted in 1959, and is ruled by a sultan with full executive authority. The main language spoken in the country is “Melayu Brunei” (Brunei Malay), with the official language being Malay. Apparently Malay and Brunei Malay are quite different from each other, with native speakers finding it difficult to understand each other.

104. Bridal estate : DOWRY

Originally, a dowry was money that was set aside by a man for his wife and children, to be used in the event that he passed away. A widow who receives said money was known as a dowager. Over time, “dowry” became a term used for the money, goods or estate that a woman brought into a marriage, and “dowager” came to mean an elderly woman with an elevated social position.

106. “Come Sail Away” band : STYX

Styx is a band that formed in Chicago in 1972. Their biggest hit was “Babe” from 1979, and “Mr. Roboto” from 1983.

108. ANC country : RSA

Republic of South Africa (RSA)

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.

111. Mobile home: Abbr. : ALA

Mobile, Alabama was the first capital of French Colonial Louisiana, founded in 1702. The city takes its name from the Mobilian tribe of Native Americans who lived in that area.

113. “__ to Billie Joe” : ODE

“Ode to Billie Joe” is a hit song written and recorded by Bobbie Gentry in 1967. It tells the tale of a family talking about the day that “Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.”

114. Cry near the ears : CAW!

Those would be ears of corn in cornfields beset by crows.

116. B&O stop : STA

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was one of the oldest in the country. Construction started on the railroad in 1828 in order to offer a method of transportation inland from Baltimore. This was deemed necessary as Baltimore was losing business to New York City after the completion of the Erie Canal (which cheaply and efficiently moved goods inland).

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Many a reggae musician : RASTA
6. Flavor : SAPOR
11. Involved stories : EPICS
16. Montezuma’s people : AZTECS
18. Books smaller than quartos : OCTAVOS
20. Arenas, say : VENUES
22. Film about a convict’s lame claims of innocence? : JAILHOUSE CROCK (C in “Jailhouse Rock”)
24. Play the market : INVEST
25. European skyline sight : ALP
26. __ Marbles: historic sculptures : ELGIN
27. Longtime film critic for The New Yorker : KAEL
29. “¿Cómo __ usted?” : ESTA
30. Pays attention to : HEEDS
32. Chow line? : LEASH
35. P&L report column : YTD
36. High hat : MITER
37. “__ was saying … ” : AS I
38. Go public with : AIR
39. Film about St. Peter’s favorite striped stone? : HEAVEN’S AGATE (A in “Heaven’s Gate”)
42. Wildebeests : GNUS
44. Barrel-bottom stuff : LEES
45. Cookie baking session output : BATCH
46. Put to the test : TRIED
48. K-12 : ELHI
49. River to the North Sea : YSER
50. Stage hog : HAM
53. Lady of León : SENORA
55. Duck : EVADE
57. Inherent character : NATURE
59. Back muscle, familiarly : LAT
60. Film about the last of the old-time schoolteachers? : A FAREWELL TO MARMS (M in “A Farewell to Arms”)
64. First husband of Bathsheba : URIAH
67. Bar stock : ICE
68. Aurora’s Greek counterpart : EOS
69. Leftover : EXTRA
70. Film about dealing with a class of five-year-olds? : KINDERGARTEN COPE (E in “Kindergarten Cop”)
76. Arles article : LES
77. Form of aphasia involving the inability to name objects : ANOMIA
78. Loi maker : SENAT
79. Hot spots : STOVES
82. “Do the Right Thing” pizzeria owner : SAL
83. Disco family name : GIBB
86. Cherbourg cherub : ANGE
87. It usually involves a getaway car : HEIST
88. Plump Capp critter : SHMOO
89. “Beowulf” beverage : MEAD
90. “Well done!” : GOOD!
91. Film about yet another complaint? : THE THIRD MOAN (O in “The Third Man”)
95. __ Colinas: upscale neighborhood in Irving, Texas : LAS
96. Diminish : EBB
99. Rival of Paris : ROMEO
100. Marshal at Waterloo : NEY
101. Cause harm : DO ILL
103. Studied, with “over” : PORED
105. “Sounds like fun to me!” : I’M IN!
106. Utah lily : SEGO
107. Metaphor for opportunities : DOORS
109. Pie in the sky? : UFO
110. Jaguar, e.g. : BIG CAT
112. Film about a devastating blizzard? : APOCALYPSE SNOW (S in “Apocalypse Now”)
117. À la King : EERILY
118. Calmed down : SEDATED
119. Stylish filmmaker : AUTEUR
120. Chill : RELAX
121. Runoff collector : SEWER
122. Commuter’s read : DAILY

Down

1. Indian prince : RAJAH
2. Georgia’s state wildflower : AZALEA
3. Mushroom stems : STIPES
4. Bus. card info : TEL
5. Yearns : ACHES
6. Extended operatic solo : SCENA
7. PDX tower group : ATC
8. Most golfers never break it : PAR
9. Ab __: from the start : OVO
10. 1990 Stallone flick with the tagline “Go For It” : ROCKY V
11. Bad to the bone : EVIL
12. Stock holder : PEN
13. Protest bitterly (against) : INVEIGH
14. Hill with one steep side : CUESTA
15. Sonnet section : SESTET
17. One before la : SOL
18. Basket material : OSIER
19. Achieve with minimal effort : SKATE BY
21. Impolite look : STARE
23. Hybrid fruits : UGLIS
28. Author Ferber et al. : EDNAS
31. Make a stand : DIG IN
33. Put on hold : SHELVE
34. Variety show set in Kornfield Kounty : HEE HAW
36. Fabric beltmaker’s technique : MACRAME
38. Lindley of “Three’s Company” : AUDRA
40. Line to the audience : ASIDE
41. Gregg user : STENO
43. “The Matrix” hero : NEO
44. Some wolves : LEERERS
46. Catherine the Great, e.g. : TSARINA
47. Vitamin A form : RETINOL
50. Moves speedily : HURTLES
51. One often shared in flight : ARMREST
52. Flat-topped lands : MESAS
54. “I don’t give __” : A FIG
56. In : ELECTED
58. Duty : TAX
59. “Witness” actor Haas : LUKAS
61. Obamacare, briefly : ACA
62. John, to Ringo : LOO
63. Recipe amts. : TSPS
65. Gen.’s counterpart : ADM
66. Fictional miners’ work song : HEIGH-HO
71. “Spider-Man” director : RAIMI
72. Latin lover’s line : TE AMO
73. The Supreme Court, for one : ENNEAD
74. Where Tara Lipinski won her Olympics gold medal at age 15 : NAGANO
75. Community character : ETHOS
80. War on Poverty agcy. : OEO
81. Hulu offering : VIDEO
84. Carried : BORNE
85. Spanish convenience stores : BODEGAS
88. Lettering guide : STENCIL
90. Lively country dance : GALOP
91. Extended family : TRIBE
92. More cozy : HOMIER
93. Political fugitive : EMIGRE
94. Mr. Magoo et al. : MYOPES
95. Bridges in movies : LLOYD
97. Sultanate on the South China Sea : BRUNEI
98. Make dirty : BEFOUL
102. One in an airport taxi line, for the most part : IDLER
103. False: Pref. : PSEUD
104. Bridal estate : DOWRY
106. “Come Sail Away” band : STYX
108. ANC country : RSA
111. Mobile home: Abbr. : ALA
113. “__ to Billie Joe” : ODE
114. Cry near the ears : CAW!
115. Broke bread : ATE
116. B&O stop : STA

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