Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
10 Sgts. and cpls. : NCOS
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) might be a sergeant (sgt.) or a corporal (cpl.).
19 Broadband device : MODEM
A modem is a device that is used to facilitate the transmission of a digital signal over an analog line. At one end of the line, a modem is used to “modulate” an analog carrier signal to encode digital information. At the other end of the line, a modem is used to “demodulate” the analog carrier signal and so reproduce the original digital information. This modulation-demodulation gives the device its name: a MOdulator-DEModulator, or “modem”.
In Internet terms, the word “broadband” is used to describe Internet access that is faster than dialup. In more broad (pun!) telecommunication terms, “broadband” is used to describe “bandwidth” data transmission that is “broad” enough to carry several signals and several different types of traffic at the same time.
21 Subj. with AB and BC AP tests : CALC
Apparently, calculus courses used to be taught in three parts in schools back in the day: Calculus A, Calculus B, and Calculus C. When it became customary to teach calculus across two semesters, those three parts morphed into Calculus AB and Calculus BC.
22 “Cold Hearted” singer Abdul : PAULA
“Cold Hearted” is a 1989 song recorded by Paula Abdul that made it to the top of the US charts. The song is also a track from “Forever Your Girl”, released in 1988 as Abdul’s debut album.
23 Golden State 90-Down : CHICO, CALIFORNIA
The city of Chico is located in Northern California in the Sacramento Valley. It was founded in 1860 by John Bidwell, a native New Yorker who arrived in California on one of the first wagon trains heading west. Today, the city is home to California State University, Chico. And, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.
“Golden State” has been the official nickname of California since 1968. The nickname reflects the expansion of the state’s economy that followed the discovery of gold in 1848, and also the fields of golden poppies seen growing wild across California in the spring.
27 Midsize Hyundai : SONATA
The Sonata is one of Hyundai’s most successful models, having been introduced in 1985 and still being sold today. The original model didn’t make it to the North American market as it had problems meeting emission standards. The first Sonatas hit this side of the Pacific in 1988, and were assembled in Bromont, Quebec.
28 Yemeni port : ADEN
Aden is a seaport in Yemen that is located on the Gulf of Aden by the eastern approach to the Red Sea. Aden has a long history of British rule, from 1838 until a very messy withdrawal in 1967. A native of Aden is known as an Adeni. Some believe that Cain and Abel are buried in the city.
31 __ bean : LIMA
The lima bean is also known as the butter bean or madagascar bean. It was introduced to Europe from the area around Lima, Peru, hence the name.
33 React to yeast : RISE
Yeasts are unicellular microorganisms in the kingdom Fungi. The species of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used for centuries in the making of wine and beer, and in breadmaking. Saccharomyces cerevisiae converts carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and alcohol in the process of fermentation. When making beer and wine, the carbon dioxide and alcohol may be captured by the liquid. When making bread, the carbon dioxide and alcohol is driven off by heat.
39 Sooner State 90-Down : NORMAN, OKLAHOMA
Norman, Oklahoma is located just a few miles south of Oklahoma City. The city was named for Abner Norman from Kentucky, who first surveyed the area for the federal government. Norman is the third-largest city in the state, and is home to the University of Oklahoma that was founded there in 1890.
46 Like carbonara : BACONY
A carbonara pasta dish includes a sauce made with eggs, cheese, bacon and black pepper. Apparently, the name of the dish is derived from “carbonaro”, the Italian for “charcoal burner”. One suggestion is that it was first made for Italian charcoal workers in the mid-1900s.
47 Take a strop to : HONE
A strop is a strip of leather used to sharpen a razor.
51 Much of an atlas : ASIA
Most of the world’s population lives in Asia (60%), and Asia is the largest continent in terms of landmass (30% of the world). Asia also has the highest population density (246 people per square mile), and the most populous city on the continent is Shanghai, China.
55 Use lofty language : WAX POETIC
The verb “to wax”, in phrases like “wax lyrical” and “wax poetic”, means “to grow”. “To wax” is the opposite of “to wane”, which means “to decrease”. We are probably most familiar with the “waxing and waning” of the moon.
57 Hoosier State 90-Down : GARY, INDIANA
The city of Gary, Indiana is located just 25 miles from downtown Chicago and falls within the Chicago metropolitan area (also known as “Chicagoland”). Gary was founded by US Steel in 1906, as the company selected it as the site for a new steel plant. The name “Gary” was chosen in honor of Elbert H. Gary, who was the key player in setting up US Steel in 1901.
The exact origin of the word “hoosier” is unknown, but has been around since at least 1830. The term had no direct linkage with Indiana until John Finley of Richmond, Indiana wrote a poem called “The Hoosier’s Nest” in 1833. A few years later, by 1840, “hoosiers” was generally accepted as a term describing Indiana residents.
61 Olympic skating gold medalist Nathan : CHEN
Nathan Chen is a figure skater from Salt Lake City who is known for performing the most technically difficult of programs in competition. He is a recognized master of the quadruple jump, and is sometimes referred to as the Quad King.
64 Mount Rushmore State 90-Down : PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA
Here’s an old chestnut of a trivia question for you … what’s the only state capital in the Union for which the name of the capital and the name of its state share no common letters? You guessed it: Pierre, South Dakota …
The four presidents whose faces are carved in the granite face of Mount Rushmore are (from left to right) George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Each of the presidents is about 60 feet in height, although they might have been larger. The original intent was for the presidents to be depicted from head to waist, but the project lost funding.
69 Rum cocktail : MAI TAI
The mai tai cocktail is strongly associated with the Polynesian islands, but the drink was supposedly invented in 1944 in Trader Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. One recipe is 6 parts white rum, 3 parts orange curaçao, 3 parts orgeat syrup, 1 part rock candy syrup, 2 parts fresh lime juice, all mixed with ice and then a float added of 6 parts dark rum. “Maita’i” is the Tahitian word for “good”.
71 Lawful borders? : ELLS
The bordering, starting and ending, letters in the word are letters L (els).
73 Lone Star State 90-Down : IRVING, TEXAS
Irving is a city in Texas located not far from Dallas. The Dallas Cowboys NFL team used to play in Texas Stadium, which stood in Irving until it was demolished in 2010. It is thought that the name “Irving” was chosen for the city as Washington Irving was a favorite author of one of the founders.
The single star on the state flag of Texas is a reminder of the “lone star” on the 1836 National Standard of Texas. The single white star on a blue background symbolizes Texas as an independent republic and its struggle for independence from Mexico.
76 Like a noteworthy day : RED-LETTER
A red-letter day is one that is special for some reason. The term comes from the illuminated manuscripts of Medieval times. In such documents, initial letters were often written in red ink, so-called “red letters”.
81 Highest-paid corp. employees, often : CEOS
Highest paid? Oh yeah …
83 Jordanian archaeological site : PETRA
The archaeological city of Petra in Jordan sounds like a fabulous sight, and is known for its beautiful buildings that have been carved out of the natural rock. Because of the color of the sandstone used, Petra is known as “Rose City”. It is Jordan’s most visited tourist attraction.
84 Shakespearean manipulator : IAGO
In William Shakespeare’s “Othello”, Iago is the villain of the piece. At one point he readily admits this, saying “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse”. Here he is claiming to make money out of making fools of others. In this case, he takes money from Roderigo, who believes that Iago will help him bed Othello’s wife Desdemona.
86 Bit of Christmas candy : CANE
Apparently, candy canes were created at the behest of the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral in Germany in 1672. The sweet sticks were basically used as bribes to keep children quiet during services. The choirmaster specified that the candy sticks should have a crook at the top so that they reminded the children of the three shepherds who visited the infant Jesus just after his birth.
88 Truckers’ competition : ROADEO
A roadeo is a competition held between drivers of buses or trucks. The competition’s name is a play on the words “road” and “rodeo”.
90 __ Madness: Snapple flavor : MANGO
Originally, “Snapple” was the name of just one type of juice made by a company called Unadulterated Food Products. The drink’s name was a contraction of “snappy apple”. The company’s name was changed to the Snapple Beverage Corporation in the early 1980s. Snapple was sold in 1994, and is now a brand name owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group.
91 Sunshine State 90-Down : ORLANDO, FLORIDA
Orlando in Central Florida is the largest inland city in the state. It was the most visited city in the US in 2009. That’s mainly because it is home to many theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida and SeaWorld. Orlando has a few nicknames, including “O-Town” and “Theme Park Capital of the World”.
94 Planet Fitness, e.g. : GYM
Planet Fitness is a chain of fitness centers operating around the world and headquartered in Hampton, New Hampshire. About 100 of the Planet Fitness locations are corporate owned, but the balance (about 2,000) are franchises.
104 Wyatt of Tombstone : EARP
Wyatt Earp is famous as one of the participants in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Earp was a city policeman in Wichita, Kansas and also in Dodge City, Kansas. Earp was also deputy sheriff in Tombstone, Arizona where the O.K. Corral gunfight took place. Years later, Earp joined the Alaska Gold Rush and with a partner built and operated the Dexter Saloon in Nome.
The Arizona town of Tombstone built up around a mine that was owned by one Ed Schieffelin. Schieffelin had been told by US soldiers stationed in the area that the only stone (ore sample) he would find in the area was his tombstone. Regardless, he did file a claim, and it was centered on the grave site of one of his men who had been killed by Apaches. Schieffelin filed papers under the name “the Tombstone claim”.
107 Sharp insight : ACUMEN
“Acumen” is such a lovely word, I think, one meaning “keenness of judgment or insight”. “Acumen” is Latin for “point, sting”, the idea being that someone with acumen has mental sharpness.
111 Start to go haywire : ACT UP
Haywire is wire used to bind bales of hay. Haywire is very springy, and coils of the wire are difficult to keep under control. That characteristic gives us the informal meaning of “haywire”, namely “erratic, crazy”.
112 Grand Canyon State 90-Down : CHANDLER, ARIZONA
The Arizona city of Chandler was founded as Chandler Ranch by Canadian Alexander John Chandler, who was the first veterinary surgeon to do business in the Arizona Territory.
115 Gaggle creatures : GEESE
A collection of geese is referred to as a “gaggle” when on the ground. When geese are in V-formation in flight, they are referred to collectively as a “skein”.
116 Color similar to chartreuse : LIME
Hyssop is a shrub used in traditional medicine that is in the mint family. It is also a key ingredient in chartreuse and some absinthe formulations, imparting a green color.
117 Website with a Daily Deals section : EBAY
eBay was founded in 1995 as AuctionWeb. One of the first items purchased was a broken laser pointer, for $14.83. The buyer was a collector of broken laser pointers …
118 Knight contests : TILTS
Tilting is the most recognized form of jousting. Jousting can involve the use of a number of different weapons, but when lances are used, the competition is called tilting.
120 Hill inhabitants : ANTS
Anthills are actually underground nests. The ants in the colony excavate below ground, resulting in a pile of sand or soil above ground.
Down
1 Some movie theaters : AMCS
The AMC theater chain used to go by the name American Multi-Cinema Inc., hence the initialism “AMC”.
2 __-chic : BOHO
Boho-chic is a style of fashion that grew out of the bohemian and hippie looks.
4 Windshield sticker : DECAL
A decal is a decorative sticker. “Decal” is a shortening of “decalcomania”. The latter term is derived from the French “décalquer”, the practice of tracing a pattern from paper onto glass or perhaps porcelain.
7 Island performance : HULA
The hula is a native dance of Hawaii that uses arm movements to relate a story. The hula can be performed while sitting (a noho dance) or while standing (a luna dance).
9 Intense blazes : INFERNOS
“Inferno” is a word meaning “Hell” that we’ve imported into English, probably because of the influence of Dante’s “Inferno”.
10 ATM manufacturer : NCR
NCR is an American company that has been in business since 1884 and was originally called the National Cash Register Company. The company has done well in a market where new technologies seem to be constantly disrupting the status quo. NCR is a leading supplier of automated teller machines (ATMs) and barcode scanners.
12 Spaghetti aglio e __ : OLIO
Spaghetti aglio e olio is a traditional pasta dish associated with the Italian city of Naples. It has a relatively simple recipe, which is reflected in the dish’s name that translates as “spaghetti with garlic and oil”.
15 Meditation recitation : MANTRA
A mantra is a word that is used as a focus for the mind while meditating. The term is Sanskrit in origin, and is now used figuratively in English to describe any oft-repeated word or phrase.
16 German luxury cars : AUDIS
The Audi name has an interesting history. The Horch company was founded by August Horch in 1909. Early in the life of the new company, Horch was forced out of his own business. He set up a new enterprise and continued to use his own name as a brand. The old company sued him for using the Horch name so a meeting was held to choose something new. Horch’s young son was studying Latin in the room where the meeting was taking place. He pointed out that “horch” was German for “hear” and he suggested “Audi” as a replacement, the Latin for “listen”.
24 Paintballer’s attire, for short : CAMO
Our word “camouflage” (often abbreviated to “camo”) evolved directly from a Parisian slang term “camoufler” meaning “to disguise”. The term was first used in WWI, although the British navy at that time preferred the expression “dazzle-painting” as it applied to the pattern painted on the hulls of ships.
The “paint” in paintball isn’t actually paint, but rather a mix of gelatin and food coloring.
25 Vegetable in pico de gallo : ONION
Pico de gallo is a Mexican condiment made from tomato, onion and chili peppers. “Pico de gallo” is Spanish for “beak of rooster”. Apparently this name was given as eating of the condiment with the thumb and forefinger resembled the pecking of a rooster. An alternative name for pico de gallo is “salsa fresca”, which translates literally as “fresh sauce”.
30 Mary Kay rival : AVON
In 1886, a young man called David McConnell was selling books door-to-door. To enhance his sales numbers he was giving out free perfume to the ladies of the houses that he visited. Seeing as his perfume was more popular than his books, he founded the California Perfume Company in New York City and started manufacturing and selling across the country. The company name was changed to Avon in 1939, and the famous “Avon Calling” marketing campaign was launched in 1954.
Mary Kay Ash founded her skincare and cosmetics company, somewhat ominously, on Friday, 13th September 1963. In 1968, she bought herself a pink Cadillac, specially painted to match the color of one of her compacts. The car became so famous that she gave away five of them to her top saleswoman, a tradition that endures to this day.
34 Place for vapor trails : SKY
We talk so often about global warming these days but there is another fascinating phenomenon that is related, and known as “global dimming”. Global dimming is the reduction in the amount of heat that radiates daily from the planet due to the insulating effect of pollution and vapor trails (contrails) from aircraft that are present in the atmosphere. The effect has been touted as a theory for decades but dramatic empirical data became available in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Planes were grounded and the skies over America were clear for three days. There was a stark change in the temperature range measured across the US for these three days, demonstrating the impact that air travel has on our climate.
37 Distant exploration acronym : NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
38 Cereal that’s not for a silly rabbit : TRIX
Trix is a corn-based breakfast cereal that has been around since 1954, produced by General Mills. Ads for the cereal featured Trix Rabbit, who would try hard to get hold of bowls of the cereal. He would always get caught though, and be admonished with, “Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!” With 46% sugar content, the rabbit probably wouldn’t have liked it anyway …
40 Camp Pendleton soldier : MARINE
Camp Pendleton is a large Marine Corps base located on the Southern California coast in San Diego County. The base was opened during WWII, in 1942, and was named for Marine Corps Major General Joseph Henry Pendleton, who passed away that same year after 40 years of service.
41 “Thunderstruck” band : AC/DC
“Thunderstruck” is a single by Australian hard rock band AC/DC released in 1990. The title of the song was used for a 2004 Australian film about five AC/DC fans.
43 Uto-Aztecan language : HOPI
Many members of the Hopi nation live on a reservation that is actually located within the much larger Navajo reservation in Arizona.
45 Big name in caulk : DAP
DAP is an American manufacturer of caulks, sealants and adhesives. The acronym “DAP” stands for “Dicks-Armstrong-Pontius”.
The term “caulk” comes from old Norman French “cauquer”, and described the action of filling gaps with lime. “Caulk” has the same root as our word “chalk”.
48 Movie set on the island of Motunui : MOANA
“Moana” is a 2016 animated feature film and the 56th animated Disney movie. The title character is the daughter of a Polynesian chief who heads off in search of the demigod Maui, hoping that he can save her people. Unlike many of the previous Disney Princess films, Moana’s story is not centered around romance. In fact, she is the first Disney Princess who doesn’t have a love interest.
49 Lois who debuted in Action Comics No. 1 : LANE
Lois Lane has been the love interest of Superman/Clark Kent since the comic series was first published in 1938. Lois and Clark both work for the big newspaper in the city of Metropolis called “The Daily Planet”. The couple finally got hitched in the comics (and on television’s “Lois and Clark”) in 1996. One has to wonder how challenging the crossword is in “The Daily Planet” …
50 Slender nail : BRAD
A brad is a slender wire nail with a relatively small head that is typically used to tack pieces of wood together, i.e. to fasten either temporarily or with minimal damage to the wood. Nowadays, brads are commonly applied using a nail gun.
52 Yankee legend Lou : GEHRIG
Baseball legend Lou Gehrig was known as a powerhouse. He was a big hitter and just kept on playing. Gehrig broke the record for the most consecutive number of games played, and he still holds the record for the most career grand slams. His durability earned him the nickname “The Iron Horse”. Sadly, he died in 1941 at 37-years-old suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an illness we now call “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. The New York Yankees retired the number four on 4th of July 1939 in his honor, making Lou Gehrig the first baseball player to have his number retired.
56 Coral reef’s place : OCEAN
A reef is a ridge of stable material lying beneath the surface of a body of water. They can be made up of sand or rock, and also of coral. The largest coral reef on the planet is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, which stretches over 1,400 miles.
57 People conquered by Caesar : GAULS
The Gauls were a Celtic race, with Gaul covering what is now known as France and Belgium. We use the term “Gallic” today, when we refer to something pertaining to France or the French.
59 Inventor Tesla : NIKOLA
Nikola Tesla was born in the Austrian Empire in a village located in modern-day Croatia, and later moved to the US. Tesla’s work on mechanical and electrical engineering was crucial to the development of alternating current technology, the same technology that is used by equipment at the backbone of modern power generation and distribution systems.
62 “Run __ Run”: 1998 thriller : LOLA
“Run Lola Run” is a 1998 thriller movie from Germany. The film comprises three tellings of events that transpire after a woman named Lola finds herself in need of DM100,000 within 20 minutes. Intriguing …
67 Calorie counter : DIETER
I wish we’d stop using the term “calorie”, because it is so confusing. In terms of physics, a calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree celsius (at one atmosphere of pressure). The so-called “food calorie” is one thousand times as large, as it is defined in terms of kilograms instead of grams. In attempts to differentiate between these two definitions, the former is sometimes referred to as the “small calorie” and is given the symbol “cal”. The latter is referred to as the “large calorie” and given the symbol “Cal”, with a capital C. If only we’d use the SI system of units, we’d be thinking in just joules, instead of large and small and food calories.
68 M3GAN, for one : ANDROID
“M3GAN” is a 2022 sci-fi horror film. I love science-fiction, but I can’t do horror …
69 Itchy and Jerry, in cartoons : MICE
“The Itchy & Scratchy Show” is a fictional program that pops up on “The Simpsons”, i.e. a show within a show. Itchy is a blue mouse, and Scratchy is a black cat.
74 Actress Fey : TINA
Comic actress Tina Fey has a scar on her face a few inches long on her left cheek, which I was shocked to learn was caused by a childhood “slashing” incident. When she was just five years old and playing in the alley behind her house, someone just came up to her and slashed her with a knife. How sad!
79 Like hollandaise : EGGY
Hollandaise sauce is a mixture of egg yolk and melted butter that is then seasoned, usually with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Hollandaise has an exalted position in French cuisine. Although the origin is debated, some say that the recipe was invented in the Netherlands and taken to France by the Huguenots, hence the name “Hollandaise”, meaning “of Holland”.
83 Brewpub orders : PALE ALES
What’s known as “bitter ale” in the UK corresponds to “pale ale” in the US. I’m a fan …
87 Banff’s prov. : ALTA
Alberta (Alta.) is a big province, one about the size of Texas. It is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Princess Louise also donated her name to Lake Louise, the large glacial lake in the province, now within the bounds of Banff National Park.
88 Rouen royal : ROI
Rouen is a major French city in Normandy. During the days of Norman Britain, Rouen was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties. It was also where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.
89 Eliminated, in noir lingo : OFFED
The expression “film noir” has French origins, but only in that it was coined by a French critic in describing a style of Hollywood film. The term, meaning “black film” in French, was first used by Nino Frank in 1946. Film noir often applies to a movie with a melodramatic plot and a private eye or detective at its center. Good examples would be “The Big Sleep” and “D.O.A”.
90 Premier League powerhouse, familiarly, and an alternate title for this puzzle : MAN CITY
Manchester City is a pro soccer/football team in the north of England that was founded in 1880 using the name “St. Mark’s”. “Man City” has competed in the Premier League since its founding in 1992.
91 Angle type : OBTUSE
In geometry, there are several classes of angles:
- Acute (< 90 degrees)
- Right (= 90 degrees)
- Obtuse (> 90 degrees and < 180 degrees)
- Straight (180 degrees)
- Reflex (> 180 degrees)
95 Cicada stage : IMAGO
The imago is an intermediate stage in the development of an insect. All four stages are embryo, larva, pupa and imago.
Cicadas are insects that are found all over the world. Although they resemble locusts, cicadas are an unrelated family. The name “cicada” is Latin and translated as “tree cricket”. However, the name is imitative of the clicking sound the insect makes using parts of its exoskeleton known as “tymbals”.
96 Less churlish : NICER
A churl is a rude, boorish person. The word “churl” comes from the Old English word “ceorl”, meaning “freeman of the lowest class”.
100 “__ Q”: Creedence Clearwater Revival hit : SUZIE
The song “Susie Q” was written by, and originally released by, Dale Hawkins in 1957. It was covered By Creedence Clearwater Revival (as “Suzie Q”) in 1968.
102 Sch. near Bel Air : UCLA
Bel Air is a ritzy neighborhood in Los Angeles that was once home to many, many stars of film and television. Famously, the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” was set in the neighborhood. President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan had a home in Bel Air, and in fact the former president passed away there in 2004.
105 Country great McEntire : REBA
Reba McEntire is a country music singer and television actress. McEntire starred in her own sitcom “Reba” that aired on the WB and the CW cable channels from 2001 to 2007. She is sometimes referred to as “The Queen of Country”.
106 Brighton baby buggy : PRAM
Another word used in Britain and Ireland that’s rarely used over here is “pram”, which in my day was the most common term for what is called a baby carriage in the US. “Pram” is short for “perambulator”.
Brighton is a town (now part of the city called Brighton and Hove) on the south coast of England. Brighton developed as a major seaside tourist destination during the Victorian era after the completion of the London and Brighton Railway in 1841. Large hotels were built on the seafront, as well as famous piers that housed concert halls and other places of entertainment.
109 Tinnitus docs : ENTS
Tinnitus is a ringing sound in the ears when there is actually no sound present. The term derives from the Latin verb “tinnire” meaning “to ring”.
110 “Claws” actress Niecy : NASH
Niecy Nash is a comedian and actress who played Deputy Raineesha Williams in the comedy show “Reno 911!” Nash is one of the celebrities to have participated in the reality competition “Dancing with the Stars”, taking fifth place in the tenth season.
The comedy-drama TV show “Claws” first aired from 2017 to 1022. It’s about five Florida manicurists who launder money for the mob.
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Residence : ABODE
6 __ iced tea : THAI
10 Sgts. and cpls. : NCOS
14 Slap sharply : SMACK
19 Broadband device : MODEM
20 Overcook : BURN
21 Subj. with AB and BC AP tests : CALC
22 “Cold Hearted” singer Abdul : PAULA
23 Golden State 90-Down : CHICO, CALIFORNIA
26 Two-in-one conjunction : AND/OR
27 Midsize Hyundai : SONATA
28 Yemeni port : ADEN
29 Pro with a racket? : CON ARTIST
31 __ bean : LIMA
33 React to yeast : RISE
35 Divisions of a biblical chapter : VERSES
36 Explosive initials : TNT
39 Sooner State 90-Down : NORMAN, OKLAHOMA
44 Feature of Goliath, but not giants : HARD G
46 Like carbonara : BACONY
47 Take a strop to : HONE
48 Org. with a Ballpark app : MLB
51 Much of an atlas : ASIA
52 Encircles with a band : GIRDS
53 Jazz style : BOP
54 Surf sound : ROAR
55 Use lofty language : WAX POETIC
57 Hoosier State 90-Down : GARY, INDIANA
61 Olympic skating gold medalist Nathan : CHEN
62 Chorus syllables : LA LA
63 Ready to wear, in a way : IRONED
64 Mount Rushmore State 90-Down : PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA
69 Rum cocktail : MAI TAI
71 Lawful borders? : ELLS
72 Privy to : IN ON
73 Lone Star State 90-Down : IRVING, TEXAS
76 Like a noteworthy day : RED-LETTER
81 Highest-paid corp. employees, often : CEOS
82 Trellis climber : IVY
83 Jordanian archaeological site : PETRA
84 Shakespearean manipulator : IAGO
85 Snack on : EAT
86 Bit of Christmas candy : CANE
88 Truckers’ competition : ROADEO
90 __ Madness: Snapple flavor : MANGO
91 Sunshine State 90-Down : ORLANDO, FLORIDA
94 Planet Fitness, e.g. : GYM
95 Before too long : IN A BIT
98 Teeming (with) : RIFE
99 Cozy hideaways : DENS
101 Roast lamb condiment : MINT SAUCE
104 Wyatt of Tombstone : EARP
107 Sharp insight : ACUMEN
111 Start to go haywire : ACT UP
112 Grand Canyon State 90-Down : CHANDLER, ARIZONA
115 Gaggle creatures : GEESE
116 Color similar to chartreuse : LIME
117 Website with a Daily Deals section : EBAY
118 Knight contests : TILTS
119 Pick from a menu : ORDER
120 Hill inhabitants : ANTS
121 Unchanged : SAME
122 “Good grief!” : YEESH!
Down
1 Some movie theaters : AMCS
2 __-chic : BOHO
3 Father of Thor : ODIN
4 Windshield sticker : DECAL
5 Acting with great feeling : EMOTING
6 Schedule abbr. : TBA
7 Island performance : HULA
8 Desiccated : ARID
9 Intense blazes : INFERNOS
10 ATM manufacturer : NCR
11 Call off : CANCEL
12 Spaghetti aglio e __ : OLIO
13 Skim through : SCAN
14 “I really don’t want to know” : SPARE ME
15 Meditation recitation : MANTRA
16 German luxury cars : AUDIS
17 Complete the deal : CLOSE
18 Go-__: mini racers : KARTS
24 Paintballer’s attire, for short : CAMO
25 Vegetable in pico de gallo : ONION
30 Mary Kay rival : AVON
32 Dispute settler : ARBITER
34 Place for vapor trails : SKY
36 Warm up : THAW
37 Distant exploration acronym : NASA
38 Cereal that’s not for a silly rabbit : TRIX
40 Camp Pendleton soldier : MARINE
41 “Thunderstruck” band : AC/DC
42 Greeting on the bridge : AHOY!
43 Uto-Aztecan language : HOPI
45 Big name in caulk : DAP
48 Movie set on the island of Motunui : MOANA
49 Lois who debuted in Action Comics No. 1 : LANE
50 Slender nail : BRAD
52 Yankee legend Lou : GEHRIG
53 “Dude!” : BRAH!
54 Hilarious person : RIOT
56 Coral reef’s place : OCEAN
57 People conquered by Caesar : GAULS
58 Secondary social media accounts, briefly : ALTS
59 Inventor Tesla : NIKOLA
60 Remote-controlled flier : DRONE
62 “Run __ Run”: 1998 thriller : LOLA
64 Shortstop’s double play move : PIVOT
65 “For real?” : IT IS?
66 Seductive : SEXY
67 Calorie counter : DIETER
68 M3GAN, for one : ANDROID
69 Itchy and Jerry, in cartoons : MICE
70 Domain : AREA
74 Actress Fey : TINA
75 Fairly matched : EVEN
76 Modernize, say : REDO
77 Spanish aunt : TIA
78 Zippy flavor : TANG
79 Like hollandaise : EGGY
80 Dorm assignment : ROOM
83 Brewpub orders : PALE ALES
86 Refrigerator drawer : CRISPER
87 Banff’s prov. : ALTA
88 Rouen royal : ROI
89 Eliminated, in noir lingo : OFFED
90 Premier League powerhouse, familiarly, and an alternate title for this puzzle : MAN CITY
91 Angle type : OBTUSE
92 Experienced while sleeping : DREAMT
93 Sweetie : DEAR
95 Cicada stage : IMAGO
96 Less churlish : NICER
97 Started a pot : ANTED
100 “__ Q”: Creedence Clearwater Revival hit : SUZIE
102 Sch. near Bel Air : UCLA
103 Facial feature : CHIN
105 Country great McEntire : REBA
106 Brighton baby buggy : PRAM
108 Spy-fi figure : MOLE
109 Tinnitus docs : ENTS
110 “Claws” actress Niecy : NASH
113 1980s gaming console : NES
114 What pros say : AYE
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