Day: June 27, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Worked a wedding, perhaps DJED
The world’s first radio disk jockey was one Ray Newby of Stockton, California who made his debut broadcast in 1909, would you believe? When he was 16 years old and a student, Newby started to play his records on a primitive radio located in the Herrold College of Engineering and Wireless in San Jose. The records played back then were mostly recordings of Enrico Caruso.

16. Like Silas Marner before finding Eppie ALONE
“Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe” is a novel written by George Eliot and first published in 1861. There’s an excellent BBC TV version of the tale (shown on PBS) starring Ben Kingsley in the title role, with Patsy Kensit playing Eppie, the young orphaned child that Marner takes under his wing.

19. Cap’ns’ underlings BOS’NS
A boatswain works on the deck of a boat. A boatswain is unlicensed, and so is not involved in the navigation or handling of the vessel. He or she has charge of the other unlicensed workers on the deck. Boatswain is pronounced “bosun” and this phonetic spelling is often used interchangeably with “boatswain”. The contraction “bos’n” is also very popular.

31. RB’s units YDS
In football, aspects of a running back’s (RB) performance is measured in yards (yds).

32. *Words often heard after “Welcome” YOU’VE GOT MAIL (from “mail bag”)
The iconic phrase “You’ve got mail” was first used by AOL in 1989. The greeting was recorded by voice actor Elwood Edwards. Edwards has parlayed his gig with AOL into some other work. He appears in an episode of “The Simpsons” as a doctor who says the line “You’ve got leprosy”. Edwards also worked as a weatherman for a while and got to use the line “You’ve got hail” …

36. Humorous Margaret CHO
Margaret Cho is a very successful stand-up comedian, but she is also a fashion designer with her own line of clothing. Cho also acts, and you might have seen her in the John Travolta/Nicholas Cage movie “Face/Off” in which she played John Travolta’s FBI colleague.

46. Old flier SST
The most famous supersonic transport (SST) is the retired Concorde. Concorde was developed and produced under an Anglo-French treaty by France’s Aérospatiale and the UK’s British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).

49. Enlarge, as a blueprint RESCALE
Blueprints are reproductions of technical drawings that are contact prints made on light-sensitive sheets. Blueprints were introduced in the 1800s and the technology available dictated that the drawings were reproduced with white lines on a blue background, hence the name “blue-print”.

50. Égotiste’s pronoun MOI
In French, an egotist (égotiste) might oft use the word “me” (moi).

53. City on the Somme AMIENS
Amiens is a city in the north of France in the region known as Picardy. Amiens lies on the River Somme, and is the capital city of the Somme department.

60. Scull crew OARS
A scull is a boat used for competitive rowing. The main hull of the boat is often referred to as a shell. Crew members who row the boat can be referred to as “oars”.

61. Names DUBS
Kneel, and the Queen might “dub thee a knight” if you’re lucky. “Dub” is a specific term derived from Old English that was used to mean “make a knight”. As the knight was also given a knightly name at the same time, “dub” has come to mean “give someone a name”.

64. Mule and whitetail DEERS
The mule deer is so called because it has large ears, similar to those of a mule.

The white-tailed deer is very common in North America, especially east of the Rocky Mountains. West of the Rockies, white-tails have largely been replaced by black-tailed deer.

65. Balanchine bend PLIE
The French word for “bent” is “plié”. In the ballet move known as a plié, the knees are bent.

George Balanchine was a choreographer of ballet from Saint Petersburg, Russia who relocated to the US in the 1930s. Balanchine co-founded the New York City Ballet in 1948 with Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine is sometimes referred to as “the father of American ballet”.

67. Peacock’s gait STRUT
The female peafowl, the peahen, has very dull plumage compared to the extravagant display on the tail of the peacock. The young of a peacock and peahen is known as a peachick (there’s a surprise!).

68. Law firm letterhead abbreviations ESQS
The title “esquire” is of British origin and is used differently today depending on whether one is in the US or the UK. Here in America the term is usually reserved for those practicing the law (both male and female). In the UK, “esquire” is a term of gentle respect reserved for a male who has no other title that one can use. So a mere commoner like me might receive a letter from the bank say, addressed to W. E. Butler Esq.

69. Lines from the heart? EKGS
An EKG measures electrical activity in the heart. Back in my homeland of Ireland, an EKG is known as an ECG (for electrocardiogram). We use the German name in the US, Elektrokardiogramm, giving us EKG. Apparently the abbreviation EKG is preferred as ECG might be confused (if poorly handwritten, I guess) with EEG, the abbreviation for an electroencephalogram.

Down
1. Smile specialist’s deg. DDS
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

2. Morning pick-me-up JOE
It seems that no one really knows why we refer to coffee as “joe”, but we’ve been doing so since early in WWII.

5. “__ Millionaire”: 2008 Best Picture SLUMDOG
The brilliant film “Slumdog Millionaire” is a screen adaptation of a 2005 novel by Indian author Vikas Swarup. This low-budget movie won eight Oscars in 2008. I reckon it turned a profit …

6. Column filler COPY
Columns in a newspaper are filled with “copy”, the material that makes up a story or article.

7. Biennial games org. USOC
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has a federal charter but it doesn’t receive any funds from the US government. As such, it has to engage in fundraising just like any other charitable organization.

9. Bulgur salad TABOULI
Tabouleh is one my my favorite dishes. It is usually made from bulgur, tomato, cucumber, parsley, mint, onion, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Just writing that list of ingredients gets my mouth watering …

12. Ball team, e.g. ENNEAD
“Ennead” is the Greek word for “the nine”.

22. Old-time actress Negri POLA
Pola Negri was a Polish actress, the first star to be invited from Europe to develop a career in Hollywood. Most of her success came in the silent era, but she was able to make the transition to the talkies. Her off-screen life attracted the attention of the gossip columnists who rejoiced in her affairs with the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino.

24. Bugs, for one TOON
Bugs Bunny first said “What’s up, Doc?” in the 1940 cartoon short “A Wild Hare”, addressing the hunter Elmer Fudd.

33. Hardly a rookie VET
The term “rookie”, used for a raw recruit, first appeared in Rudyard Kipling’s collection of songs and poems called the “Barrack-Room Ballads” originally published in 1892.

34. “Knots Landing” actress __ Park Lincoln LAR
Lar Park Lincoln’s real name is Laurie Jill Park. Lincoln’s first big role was playing Linda Fairgate on “Knots Landing”, a gig that lasted for five years.

38. Certain November also-ran LAME DUCK
The original usage of the term “lame duck” was on the London Stock Exchange where it referred to a broker who could not honor his debts. The idea was that a lame duck could not keep up with the rest of the flock and so was a target for predators.

43. Trotsky of Russia LEON
Leon Trotsky was a Soviet politician and revolutionary, the founder and first leader of the Red Army as well as one of the first members of the Politburo. Trotsky was ousted and deported in 1929 when he opposed the policies of Joseph Stalin. Trotsky continued to be vocal in opposition to Stalin in Mexico, his place of exile. Stalin had him assassinated there in 1940.

44. Ones resting on a bridge GLASSES
One’s glasses rest on the bridge of one’s nose.

45. Vivaldi motif TEMA
“Tema” is the Italian word for “theme”.

Antonio Vivaldi was one of the great composers of the Baroque period. Vivaldi achieved fame and success within in his own lifetime, notoriety that faded soon after he died. His music has reemerged in recent decades and most people are familiar with at least part of his most famous composition, the violin concerto called “The Four Seasons”. Vivaldi was nicknamed “The Red Priest” because he was indeed a priest, and he had red hair.

47. Parlor instrument SPINET
A spinet is the name given to a smaller version of keyboard instruments, such as the harpsichord, piano or organ. Spinets are still made today, as smaller and cheaper versions of full-size instruments.

52. ’60s rockers’ jacket style NEHRU
A Nehru jacket is very like a regular suit jacket, except that the collar buttons at the neck. It was originally created in the 1940s in India, and then marketed as the Nehru jacket in the west in the sixties. The name Nehru was lifted from Jawaharlal Nehru, the prime minister of India from 1947 to 1964.

56. Engage in frequent elbow-bending TOPE
“To tope” is to drink alcohol excessively and habitually.

57. Dutch artist Frans HALS
Frans Hals was a painter from the Dutch Golden Age born in Antwerp but who lived and worked in Haarlem. Hals is best known for his portraits, the most famous of which is probably “The Laughing Cavalier”.

58. La Salle of “ER” ERIQ
Eriq La Salle played Dr. Peter Benton on “ER”, and is best known in film for his portrayal of Darryl in the 1998 comedy “Coming to America”.

63. Mercedes roadsters SLS
The Mercedes-Benz SL was first manufactured in 1954. The “SL” stands for Sport Leicht, or “Sport Light” in English.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Worked a wedding, perhaps DJED
5. Film on water SCUM
9. Worker with a whip TAMER
14. Jackknifed, say DOVE
15. What you may do when you snooze? LOSE
16. Like Silas Marner before finding Eppie ALONE
17. Flow slowly SEEP
18. Conversant with UP ON
19. Cap’ns’ underlings BOS’NS
20. *Polite words showing little interest NOT MY CUP OF TEA “from “tea bag”)
23. Ready to sire AT STUD
25. Forbid OUTLAW
26. Overly TOO
27. Be a bad omen BODE ILL
31. RB’s units YDS
32. *Words often heard after “Welcome” YOU’VE GOT MAIL (from “mail bag”)
35. Chamber opening? ANTE-
36. Humorous Margaret CHO
37. Landed ALIT
41. *Verbal gamesmanship TALKING TRASH (from “trash bag”)
46. Old flier SST
49. Enlarge, as a blueprint RESCALE
50. Égotiste’s pronoun MOI
51. Ready for OPEN TO
53. City on the Somme AMIENS
55. *Metaphorical boundary LINE IN THE SAND (from “sandbag”)
59. With 62-Down, certain … and where to find the ends of the answers to starred clues IN THE
60. Scull crew OARS
61. Names DUBS
64. Mule and whitetail DEERS
65. Balanchine bend PLIE
66. Canon ending? -ICAL
67. Peacock’s gait STRUT
68. Law firm letterhead abbreviations ESQS
69. Lines from the heart? EKGS

Down
1. Smile specialist’s deg. DDS
2. Morning pick-me-up JOE
3. Smooths EVENS OUT
4. Where to get a ticket to ride DEPOT
5. “__ Millionaire”: 2008 Best Picture SLUMDOG
6. Column filler COPY
7. Biennial games org. USOC
8. List MENU
9. Bulgur salad TABOULI
10. Up in the rigging ALOFT
11. To a large degree MOSTLY
12. Ball team, e.g. ENNEAD
13. Corrects in wood shop RESAWS
21. __ top TUBE
22. Old-time actress Negri POLA
23. “Back __!”: “Same here!” AT YA
24. Bugs, for one TOON
28. Places to tie up DOCKS
29. Set of moral principles ETHIC
30. “__ roll!” I’M ON A
33. Hardly a rookie VET
34. “Knots Landing” actress __ Park Lincoln LAR
38. Certain November also-ran LAME DUCK
39. Will occur as planned IS ON
40. The one here THIS
42. Most pretentious ARTIEST
43. Trotsky of Russia LEON
44. Ones resting on a bridge GLASSES
45. Vivaldi motif TEMA
46. Infants don’t eat them SOLIDS
47. Parlor instrument SPINET
48. Backpacker, often TENTER
52. ’60s rockers’ jacket style NEHRU
54. Many a low-budget film INDIE
56. Engage in frequent elbow-bending TOPE
57. Dutch artist Frans HALS
58. La Salle of “ER” ERIQ
62. See 59-Across BAG
63. Mercedes roadsters SLS

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