Day: June 4, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Coffeehouse connection WI-FI
“Wi-Fi” is nothing more than a trademark, a trademark registered by an association of manufacturers of equipment that use wireless LAN (Local Area Network) technology. A device labeled with “Wi-Fi” has to meet certain defined technical standards, basically meaning that the devices can talk to each other. The name “Wi-Fi” suggests “Wireless Fidelity”, although apparently the term was never intended to mean anything at all.

16. “99 44/100 % pure” soap IVORY
Ivory soap is one of Procter & Gambles oldest products, introduced way back in 1879. Ivory soap is noted for its “purity” and also because of its property of floating in water. Despite urban myths to the contrary, the property of floating in water was developed deliberately by a chemist at the time Ivory was being formulated. The soap floats because the ingredients are mixed longer than necessary for homogenization, which introduces more air into the product.

26. Change People, say EDIT
There used to be a “People” page in each issue of “Time” magazine. This page was spun-off in 1974 as a publication of its own, which we now call “People” magazine.

30. Just manage, with “out” EKE
To “eke out” means to “make something go further or last longer”. For example, you could eke out your income by cutting back on expenses. I always have a problem with the commonly cited definition of “eke out” as “barely get by”. Close but no cigar, I say …

31. The Brewers, on scoreboards MIL
The Brewers are Milwaukee’s professional baseball team, and they play at Miller Park. Miller Park was completed in 2001. The stadium has the country’s only fan-shaped convertible roof, which can open and close in under ten minutes.

32. Gal pal of Jerry and George ELAINE
The character called Elaine Benes, unlike Jerry, Kramer and George, did not appear in the pilot episode of “Seinfeld”. NBC executives specified the addition of a female lead when they picked up the show citing that the situation was too “male-centric”.

37. Sikorsky and Stravinsky IGORS
Igor Sikorsky was a Russian pioneer in the world of aviation. He designed and indeed piloted the world’s first multi-engine, fixed-wing aircraft in 1913. He moved to the US in 1919 and set up his own aircraft manufacturing business. In the thirties he made the magnificent flying boats that were used by Pan Am in their Clipper era. Sikorsky also developed the world’s first mass-produced helicopter, in 1942.

The classical composer Igor Stravinsky’s most famous works were completed relatively early in his career, when he was quite young. His three ballets “The Firebird”, “Petrushka” and “The Rite of Spring” were published in 1910-1913, when Stravinsky was in his early thirties.

43. 8-Down, to Mexicans ESTADO
“Estado” is Spanish for “state”.

45. Ben-__ HUR
The celebrated Charlton Heston movie “Ben-Hur” is a dramatization of a book published in 1880 by Lew Wallace titled “Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ”. The 1959 epic film won a record 11 Academy Awards, a feat that has been equaled since then but has never been beaten. The other winners of 11 Oscars are “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Rings”.

49. Tabloid twosome ITEM
An unmarried couple known to be involved with each other might appear in the gossip columns. This appearance as “an item” in the papers, led to the use of “item” to refer to such a couple, but only since the very early seventies. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were an item in the gossip columns after they met on the set of the 2005 film “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”. Since then, they have unravelled their prior marriages and are now husband and wife with six children.

50. Jamaican resort MONTEGO BAY (from “bay window”)
Montego Bay is the second largest city on the island of Jamaica, after the capital Kingston. Montego Bay is a tourist destination with many cruise ships stopping there.

54. Ancient Aegean region IONIA
Lydia and Ionia were ancient territories in a part of the world now covered by modern-day Turkey. Both territories eventually fell under Greek and then Roman rule.

57. Classic Hitchcock film, and a hint to the end of 18-, 23-, 38- and 50-Across REAR WINDOW
“Rear Window” is a fabulous 1954 Hitchcock movie that is based on a short story called “It Had to Be Murder” by Cornell Woolrich. Stars in the film are James Stewart, Grace Kelly, with Raymond Burr playing the “bad guy”.

64. Movie “Citizen” KANE
“Citizen Kane” was the first film made by Orson Welles, one considered by many to be the finest film ever made. It’s a remarkable achievement by Wells, as he played the lead, and also produced and directed. Despite all the accolades for “Citizen Kane” over the decades, the movie was far from a commercial success in its early run and actually lost money at the box office.

67. 64-Across’s Rosebud SLED
A central plot line in the 1941 movie “Citizen Kane” is a newsreel reporter’s quest to find the meaning of the dying word spoken by the title character: “Rosebud”. Spoiler Alert … it is revealed at the end of the movie that “Rosebud” is the name of the sled used by Kane in his childhood, the only period in which he was really happy.

Down
2. Arctic pullover ANORAK
Anoraks aren’t very popular over here in America. Everyone has one in Ireland! An anorak is a heavy jacket with a hood, often lined with fur (or fake fur), and is an invention of the Inuit people.

4. Nerdy type DWEEB
Dweeb, squarepants, nerd, they’re all not-nice terms that mean the same thing: someone excessively studious and socially inept.

6. Mixologist’s bucketful ICE
A mixologist is someone who is well versed in the mixing of cocktails, said he reaching for the shaker …

8. Southern neighbor of British Columbia IDAHO
Idaho has the nickname the Gem State, mainly because almost every known type of gemstone has been found there. Idaho is also sometimes called the Potato State as potatoes are such a popular crop in the state.

9. Iranian currency RIAL
The “Rial” is name of the currency of Iran (as well as Yemen, Oman, Cambodia and Tunisia).

10. Harvard and Yale are in it IVY LEAGUE
The term “Ivy League” originally defined an athletic conference, but now it is used to describe a group of schools of higher education that are associated with both a long tradition and academic excellence. The eight Ivy League Schools are: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale.

11. Leader of the Dwarfs DOC
In the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale called “Snow White”, the seven dwarfs were not given any names. The names were added for the 1937 classic Disney film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. The seven dwarfs are:

– Doc (the leader of the group)
– Grumpy (that would be me, according to my wife …)
– Happy
– Sleepy
– Bashful
– Sneezy
– Dopey

12. Stat for Jered Weaver ERA
Jered Weaver is a starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Weaver is in the habit of writing the initials NA in the dirt at the back of the pitcher’s mound during a game. This is in honor of fellow-pitcher Nick Adenhart who was killed by a drunk driver in 2009.

13. Country W of Iraq SYR
The modern state that we know as Syria was established after WWI as a French mandate. Syria was granted independence from France in 1946.

27. A-line designer DIOR
Christian Dior was a French fashion designer. As WWII approached, Dior was called up by the French military, imposing a temporary halt to his career in fashion. He left the army in 1942 and for the duration of the war designed clothes for wives of Nazi officers and French collaborators. After the war his designs became so popular that he helped re-establish Paris as the fashion center of the world.

An A-line skirt is one that fits snugly at the hips and flares toward the hem.

28. Legal memo’s “concerning” IN RE
The term “in re” is Latin, derived from “in” (in) and “res” (thing, matter). “In re” literally means “in the matter”, and is used to mean “in regard to”, or “in the matter of”.

29. Parisian possessive TES
“Tes” is the French word for “your”, when referring to a group of items and when talking to someone with whom you are familiar.

36. Traffic controller LIGHT
The use of green to mean go, and red to mean stop, is believed to originate with the use of red and green colors/lights in maritime law. Red is displayed on the port side of a vessel, and green on starboard. When two vessels approach each other obliquely, the rule is that the vessel on the left/port/red side must stop to give way to the one on the right/starboard/green side.

39. Art Deco designer ERTE
Erté was the pseudonym of French artist (Russian born) Romain de Tirtoff. Erté is the French pronunciation of his initials “R.T.”

40. Game with suspicions and accusations CLUE
Clue is another board game that we knew under a different name growing up in Ireland. Outside of North America, Clue is marketed as “Cluedo”. Cluedo was the original name of the game, introduced in 1949 by the famous British board game manufacturer Waddingtons. There are cute differences between the US and UK versions. For example, the man who is murdered is called Dr. Black (Mr. Boddy in the US), one of the suspects is the Reverend Green (Mr. Green in the US), and the suspect weapons include a dagger (a knife in the US), a lead pipe (lead piping in the US) and a spanner (a wrench in the US). I think it’s a fabulous game, a must during the holidays …

41. Canada’s smallest prov. PEI
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a maritime Canadian province. The island at the center of the province was named for Prince Edward, the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria.

44. Luxury hotel chain OMNI
Omni Hotels & Resorts is headquartered in Irvine, California and has properties in the US, Canada and Mexico.

52. Spanish tennis star Rafael NADAL
Rafael Nadal is a Spanish tennis player who is noted for his expertise on clay courts, earning him the nickname “The King of Clay”.

53. Sunset dirección OESTE
“Oeste” (west) is a “dirección” (direction), in Spanish.

57. Pepsi alternatives RCS
“Nehi Corporation” was the nickname for the Chero-Cola/Union Bottle Works that introduced the Nehi drink in 1924. Years later the company developed a new brand, Royal Crown Cola (also known as RC Cola). By 1955, RC Cola was the company’s flagship product, so the “Nehi Corporation” became the “Royal Crown Company”. In 1954, RC Cola became the first company to sell soft drinks in cans.

59. California’s Santa __ ANA
Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County, California and takes its name from the Santa Ana River that runs through the city.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. King or queen, but not a prince CARD
5. Coffeehouse connection WI-FI
9. Carnival features RIDES
14. Once again ANEW
15. Breezed through ACED
16. “99 44/100 % pure” soap IVORY
17. Staff symbol NOTE
18. Need after a bank job GETAWAY CAR (from “car window”)
20. Partner of true TRIED
22. Veg (out) CHILL
23. Business that cuts locks BARBERSHOP (from “shop window”)
26. Change People, say EDIT
30. Just manage, with “out” EKE
31. The Brewers, on scoreboards MIL
32. Gal pal of Jerry and George ELAINE
34. Church get-together SOCIAL
37. Sikorsky and Stravinsky IGORS
38. “Know what I mean?” GET THE PICTURE? (from “picture window”)
41. Blender setting PUREE
42. Paste back together REGLUE
43. 8-Down, to Mexicans ESTADO
45. Ben-__ HUR
46. Spot for a shot ARM
49. Tabloid twosome ITEM
50. Jamaican resort MONTEGO BAY (from “bay window”)
54. Ancient Aegean region IONIA
56. Kind of question with only two possible answers YES/NO
57. Classic Hitchcock film, and a hint to the end of 18-, 23-, 38- and 50-Across REAR WINDOW
62. “No __ luck!” SUCH
63. Paddled boat CANOE
64. Movie “Citizen” KANE
65. In good shape TRIM
66. Put up with STAND
67. 64-Across’s Rosebud SLED
68. Current event? EDDY

Down
1. “That’s impossible!” CAN’T BE!
2. Arctic pullover ANORAK
3. Call it a night RETIRE
4. Nerdy type DWEEB
5. Shake, as a tail WAG
6. Mixologist’s bucketful ICE
7. Command to Fido FETCH
8. Southern neighbor of British Columbia IDAHO
9. Iranian currency RIAL
10. Harvard and Yale are in it IVY LEAGUE
11. Leader of the Dwarfs DOC
12. Stat for Jered Weaver ERA
13. Country W of Iraq SYR
19. Clean with a rag WIPE
21. Knocked down a peg DEMOTED
24. Rolling in dough RICH
25. More shrewd SLIER
27. A-line designer DIOR
28. Legal memo’s “concerning” IN RE
29. Parisian possessive TES
33. Religious ritual LITURGY
34. Household gadget used on a board STEAM IRON
35. Big brute APE
36. Traffic controller LIGHT
38. Short burst of wind GUST
39. Art Deco designer ERTE
40. Game with suspicions and accusations CLUE
41. Canada’s smallest prov. PEI
44. Luxury hotel chain OMNI
46. Preposterous ABSURD
47. Causing serious nose-wrinkling RANCID
48. “Good heavens!” MY OH MY!
51. Cries in sties OINKS
52. Spanish tennis star Rafael NADAL
53. Sunset dirección OESTE
55. Needed to pay OWED
57. Pepsi alternatives RCS
58. Put away some dishes? EAT
59. California’s Santa __ ANA
60. Small bill ONE
61. United WED

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