Crossword

Note: This puzzle is part of Merl’s best-of series.

ACROSS

1 Set of beliefs 6 With 63 Down, a WWII battle arena 11 Scandinavian metropolis 15 Sloth’s hangout 19 Barbusse or Bergson 20 Aromatic seed 21 Waiter’s words as he clears your tamale wrappings? 23 ___ in the neck 24 Noted 15th-century aerobics instructor? 26 Reader’s Digest

version of The Godfather? 28 Stable staples 29 ___ flesh 30 Overhead streaker, briefly 31 Cashes in 32 Mag that featured a pregnant Bruce Willis on its cover 33 Be inquisitive 34 Sad sounds 35 Frat. order 37 Roseanne’s TV hubby 39 Octagonal order 43 Moss Hart autobiography 46 Bass ___ 47 Longtime Chicago maestro 49 Showtime rival 50 Willy Wonka creator 51 Big-boned writing siblings? 55 Brew for Branagh 56 Off road 57 Flyer’s prefix 58 “Dream on!” 59 Award-winning computer game 61 “You ___ here” 62 ___ Minor 64 A Study in Scarlet setting 65 Really big show 66 What men do at bars? 70 Bedrock pet 73 Words 2 and 3 of “Misty” 75 Goliath’s last stand 76 Bill the Science Guy of TV 77 White blanket 78 “___ was I ever born?” 80 David Lynch dud 82 Leisure 84 Place with a keeper 85 New name of Farmer John’s malt shop? 89 “___ I Had A Secret Love” 90 Musketeer motto word 91 Video partner 92 Cut down to size, perhaps 93 Business wedding 95 Game VIPs 97 Be up 98 Part of ABA 99 Step on it 100 Leon Uris’ The ___ 102 Mr. Hyde’s creator 103 Cut-up 104 Recipe verb 107 Classical manuscript 110 U.S. island discovered by Magellan 112 Working title of Ian Fleming’s The Mad Urologist? 115 Fighter who’s always getting cut up in the ring? 118 The truth 119 River-crossing choices? 120 Outmoded 121 Ninotchka portrayer 122 Driving test obstacle 123 History chapters, perhaps 124 The look of scorn 125 Lecher of a sort

DOWN

1 Western wear 2 Reclaimed autos 3 Put into effect, as laws 4 Larry’s co-star on CHiPs 5 Ate 6 Charley horse sites 7 “___ the loneliest ...” 8 Alice Kramden, at times 9 In the matter of 10 Poetic pasture 11 The time ___ 12 Nickelodeon feature 13 The Beatles, e.g. 14 ___ hunch 15 Uses the noodle 16 Dollars for quarters 17 Individually 18 Mirthful McClurg 22 Alamo rival 25 Rodeo gear 27 High country 32 Go it alone 33 ___-lock brakes 34 Sun, to Sanchez 35 Actress Andersson 36 Some TVs or toilets 37 Jim Morrison was one 38 Co-hit word 40 Horror film starring Garry Shandling? 41 Work, in Oaxaca 42 Nosegay 43 “There Is Nothing Like ___” 44 Flower part 45 Hot-tub lothario? 46 Anything irritating 47 Rip off 48 “Well, ___ that special?” 52 Wonder Woman’s goddess-protector 53 Hammers hit ’em 54 Warty ones 60 ___ point 61 Mimic 63 See 6 Across 64 Take out of mothballs 67 Japanese art of fencing with bamboo staves 68 Atlas blow-up 69 Ogler 71 Time being 72 Mortgage payer 74 See 87 Down 78 Karl in Patton 79 Golfer’s goal 80 Art movement 81 Condo, for one 83 Related 86 Topic: abbr. 87 Dame of piano fame 88 Blue toon 89 Part of OAS 94 Finales 96 Put on the back burner 98 Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock 99 Emily Litella portrayer 101 WWII powers 102 Runs for the money 103 Cruella De Vil portrayer 104 Shoelace-tip thingy 105 Zeus, for one 106 Gloomy 107 Round: abbr. 108 No-score situation 109 Sunup 110 Snarl or growl 111 Meat-grading dept. 112 Extended family 113 French river or department 114 Author Ephron 116 Wonderment 117 CD predecessors