Day: April 29, 2014

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Cabbage side SLAW
The term “coleslaw” is an Anglicized version of the Dutch name “koolsla”, which in itself is a shortened form of “Koolsalade” meaning “cabbage salad”.

15. Wild West movie OATER
The term “oater” that is used for a western movie comes from the number of horses seen, as horses love oats!

16. Peter Fonda’s beekeeper ULEE
“Ulee’s Gold” is a highly respected film from 1997 in which Peter Fonda plays the title role of Ulee. Ulee’s “gold” is the honey that Ulee produces. It is a favorite role for Peter Fonda and he has shared that playing Ulee brought to mind his father Henry Fonda, who himself kept a couple of hives. So if you see Peter Fonda in “Ulee’s Gold” you’re witnessing some characteristics that Peter saw in his father.

Peter Fonda is the son of actor Henry, brother of actress Jane, and father of actress Bridget. Peter nearly didn’t make it to the stage. He was one of the many children who have been victims of shooting accidents. Peter shot himself in the stomach when he was just 11-years-old, and very nearly died.

20. Southern Florida “trail” that’s a portmanteau of the two cities it connects TAMIAMI
The Tamiami Trail is a section of US Highway 41 in Florida that connects Tampa to Miami. The name “Tamiami” is a portmanteau of “Tampa” and “Miami”.

25. Bert’s buddy ERNIE
I’ve always believed that the “Sesame Street” characters Bert and Ernie were named after two roles played in the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”. In the movie, the policeman’s name is Bert and his taxi-driving buddy is named Ernie. However, the “Sesame Street” folks have stated that the use of the same names is just a coincidence.

26. Xbox One, for one GAME CONSOLE (giving “gamekeeper”)
The XBox line of video game consoles is made by Microsoft. The original XBox platform was followed by XBox 360 and most recently by XBox One. Microsoft’s XBox competes directly with Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo’s Wii.

30. Indiana hoopster PACER
The Indiana Pacers are the professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, who play in the NBA. The name was chosen when the team was formed in 1967. “Pacers” is a homage harness racing pacers (famed in Indiana) and the pace car used in the Indianapolis 500.

31. Aegean island IOS
The Cyclades are a group of islands in the Aegean Sea lying southeast of the Greek mainland. There are about 200 islands in the group, almost all of which are the peaks of a submerged mountain range. Ios is one of the larger islands, 11 miles long and 6 miles wide.

42. Barely makes, with “out” EKES
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 …

44. Toyota __4: SUV model RAV
The Toyota RAV4 is Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV or “ute” for short). The RAV4 name stands for “Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive”. Inventive, huh?

45. Desert stopover OASIS
The most famous oasis in the US is … Las Vegas, in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

47. Image on many tie-dyed shirts PEACE SYMBOL (giving “peacekeeper”)
The peace symbol that we tend to use today was born in the 1950s. It was originally created as the logo for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), an organization based in the UK. The CND symbol was designed by artist Gerald Holtom for a 1958 protest march from Trafalgar Square in London to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston in Berkshire, England. The use of the symbol simply spread throughout the world and was used by other disarmament and antiwar activists.

51. Woodland deity SATYR
The satyrs of Greek mythology came with a very high sex drive. They are the “rude” male subjects drawn on the side of old Greek vases. The nubile maidens known as nymphs were often an object of attention for the satyrs.

54. Singer Lisa et al. LOEBS
The singer Lisa Loeb was discovered by actor Ethan Hawke, who lived just across the street from her in New York City. Hawke took a demo of her song “Stay (I Missed You)” and gave it to director Ben Stiller, who in turn used it over the ending credits of his 1994 movie “Reality Bites”. The movie was a hit, the song went to number one, and Loeb became the first artist ever to hit that number one spot without having signed up with a record label. Good for her!

58. Fortified position BASTION
Our word “bastion”, meaning “well-fortified position”, comes from the Old French “bastille”, a word for “fortress”.

62. Angler’s “I don’t have to throw this one back,” and hint to the first word of 18-, 26-, 37- and 47-Across IT’S A KEEPER
We use the verb “to angle” to mean “to fish” because “angel” was an Old English word for a hook.

64. Rooney of “60 Minutes” ANDY
Andy Rooney began his career in newspapers during WWII working for “Stars and Stripes” in London. He had some memorable experiences during the war, including flying on the first American bombing raid over Germany. He was also one of the first American journalists to visit the German concentration camps as they were liberated. He started his segment called “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney” on CBS’s “60 Minutes” way back in 1978, and so was on our screens for over 40 years. Rooney passed away in 2011. He was a cool, cool guy …

66. Packed like sardines IN OIL
Sardines are oily fish related to herrings. Sardines are also known as pilchards, although in the UK “sardine” is the name for a young pilchard.

69. Group in pews LAITY
Anything described is laic (or “laical, lay”) is related to the laity, those members of the church who are not clergy. The term “laic” ultimately comes from the Greek “laikos” meaning “of the people”.

A pew is a bench in a church, usually with a high back. The original pews were raised and sometimes enclosed seats in the church used by women and important men or families. “Pew” comes from the Old French “puie” meaning “balcony, elevation”.

70. Old-timey “not” NARY
The adjective “nary” means “not one”, as in “nary a soul”.

Down
1. NCO rank SSGT
Staff sergeant (SSgt)

An NCO is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces. Usually such an officer is one who has earned his or her rank by promotion through the enlisted ranks. A good example would be a sergeant.

2. Kinks girl who “walks like a woman and talks like a man” LOLA
“Lola” is a fabulous song, written by Ray Davies and released by the Kinks back in 1970. Inspired by a real life incident, the lyrics tell of young man who met a young “lady” in a club, danced with her, and then discovered “she” was actually a transvestite. The storyline isn’t very traditional, but the music is superb.

3. University grad ALUM
An “alumnus” (plural … alumni) is a graduate or former student of a school or college. The female form is “alumna” (plural … alumnae). The term comes into English from Latin, in which alumnus means foster-son or pupil. “Alum” is an informal term used for either an alumna or an alumnus.

5. Like some rays and dust COSMIC
Cosmic rays aren’t actually rays at all. They are high energy particles that originate in outer space outside of our solar system. Cosmic rays interact with atoms in our atmosphere creating secondary particles that can reach the Earth’s surface.

Cosmic dust is usually defined as the space dust that exists in our solar system. These dust particles mainly originate from comets and asteroids in our system, but can also be interstellar dust particles that are just “passing through” from other solar systems.

9. La __ Tar Pits BREA
The La Brea Tar Pits are located right in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. At the site there is a constant flow of tar that seeps up to the surface from underground, a phenomenon that has been around for tens of thousands of years. What is significant is that much of the seeping tar is covered by water. Over many, many centuries animals came to the water to drink and became trapped in the tar as they entered the water to quench their thirsts. The tar then preserved the bones of the dead animals. Today a museum is located right by the Tar Pits, recovering bones and displaying specimens of the animals found there. It’s well worth a visit if you are in town …

12. Old Finnish cent PENNI
A penni was one hundredth of a markka, the currency of Finland that was used until it was replaced by the euro in 2002. The markka was introduced by the Finns in 1860 to replace the Russian ruble.

13. Marsh plant SEDGE
Sedges are a family of plants that resemble grasses and rushes. Sedges are more properly called Cyperaceae.

19. Belgian composer Jacques BREL
Jacques Brel was a songwriter from Belgium whose songs were most popular in France, although English translations of his works became hits for artists all around the world.

24. Evel on a bike KNIEVEL
Daredevil Evel Knievel contracted hepatitis C from the many blood transfusions that he needed after injuries incurred during stunts. He had to have a liver transplant as a result, but his health declined after that. He eventually passed away in 2007.

28. U.S./Canada’s __ Canals SOO
In the summer of 2010 I spent a very interesting afternoon watching ships make their way through the Soo Locks and Soo Canal between Lake Superior and the lower Great lakes. The name “Soo” comes from the US and Canadian cities on either side of the locks, both called Sault Ste. Marie.

29. Sch. whose mascot is Brutus Buckeye OSU
Ohio State University was founded back in 1870 as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College. The athletic teams of Ohio State University (OSU) are called the Buckeyes, named after the state tree of Ohio. In turn the buckeye tree gets its name from the appearance of its fruit, a dark nut with a light patch thought to resemble a “buck’s eye”.

30. “The Raven” poet POE
“The Raven” is a narrative poem by Edgar Allen Poe that tells of a student who has lost the love of his life, Lenore. A raven enters the student’s bedchamber and perches on a bust of Pallas. The raven can talk, to the student’s surprise, but says nothing but the word “nevermore” (“quoth the raven, ‘Nevermore’”). As the student questions all aspects of his life, the raven taunts him with the same comment, “nevermore”. Finally the student decides that his soul is trapped beneath the raven’s shadow and shall be lifted “nevermore” …

38. 401(k) kin, briefly IRA
A 401(k) account is similar to an IRA in that contributions can be made from a paycheck prior to the deduction of income taxes. Additionally, contributions can be fully or partially matched by an employer.

39. Apple product MAC
Macintosh (also “Mac”) is a line of computers from Apple Inc. The first Mac was introduced in 1984, and I remember someone showing me one at work in those early days of personal computing. There was a piece of white plastic connected to the main computer by a cord, and I was amazed when the guy showed me that it controlled where the cursor was on the screen. My colleague told me that this lump of plastic was called “a mouse” …

43. Surreptitious data-collecting computer program SPYWARE
Spyware is software that is installed on a computer to gather information without the owner’s knowledge. Nasty stuff …

48. Estrada of “CHiPs” ERIK
Erik Estrada got his big break in the movie “Airport 1975”, before playing motorcycle police officer Poncherello on the television show “CHiPs” from 1977-81.

53. “We’re off __ the wizard …” TO SEE
“We’re Off to See the Wizard” is a song from the 1939 classic film “The Wizard of Oz”. It was composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg. The song is sung three times in the movie, once as a duet between Dorothy and the Scarecrow, then as a trio with the addition of the Tin Man, and finally as a quartet when the Cowardly Lion joins the group. Famously, Buddy Ebsen started filming as the Tin Man, but had to be replaced by Jack Haley. Still, it’s Ebsen voice that we hear singing “We’re Off to See the Wizard” as the song was never re-recorded with Haley.

56. Playwright Simon NEIL
Neil Simon is one of my favorite playwrights. Simon has written over thirty plays and about thirty screenplays. He has received more nominations for Oscars and Tony Awards than any other writer. My favorite play penned by Simon has to be “Brighton Beach Memoirs”, but the list of his great stage works seems endless and includes “Barefoot in the Park”, “The Odd Couple”, “Sweet Charity”, “Plaza Suite”, “California Suite”, “Biloxi Blues” and “The Goodbye Girl”.

57. Rowlands of “Gloria” GENA
Gena Rowlands is an actress best known for the films made with her husband, actor and director John Cassavetes. More recently, Rowlands played a lead role opposite James Garner in the weepy, weepy 2004 film “The Notebook”. “The Notebook” was directed by her son, Nick Cassavetes.

“Gloria” is a crime thriller movie from 1980 that stars Gena Rowlands as gangster’s girlfriend on the run from the mob. “Gloria” was directed by John Cassavetes, who is Rowlands’ husband.

59. Ancient Andean INCA
The Inca Empire was known as the Tawantinsuyu, which translates as “land of the four quarters”. The Inca Empire was a federal organization having a central government that sat above four “suyu” or “quarters”, four administrative regions.

61. Part of a B’way address NY, NY
Broadway really is, and always has been, the Main Street of New York City. It started out as the Wickquasgeck Trail that was trampled into the Manhattan brush land by the Native Americans of the area. In the days of the Dutch, the trail became the main road though the island of Manhattan, down to the New Amsterdam settlement in the south. The Dutch described it as a “Breede weg”, a broad street or “broad way”. The name Broadway was adopted as the official name for the whole thoroughfare in 1899.

63. Hawaiian dish POI
The corm of some taro plants is used to make poi, the traditional Hawaiian dish (that I think tastes horrible). When a taro plant is grown as an ornamental, it is often called Elephant Ears due to the shape of its large leaves.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Cabbage side SLAW
5. Airplane maneuver CLIMB
10. Cookbook amts. TSPS
14. Go it alone SOLO
15. Wild West movie OATER
16. Peter Fonda’s beekeeper ULEE
17. Nursery school adhesive GLUE
18. Generic product STORE BRAND (giving “storekeeper”)
20. Southern Florida “trail” that’s a portmanteau of the two cities it connects TAMIAMI
22. Generating, as interest on an account EARNING
23. Move covertly SLINK
25. Bert’s buddy ERNIE
26. Xbox One, for one GAME CONSOLE (giving “gamekeeper”)
30. Indiana hoopster PACER
31. Aegean island IOS
32. Computer input DATA
36. Hold the title to OWN
37. Referee’s call TIME OUT (giving “timekeeper”)
41. Young fellow LAD
42. Barely makes, with “out” EKES
44. Toyota __4: SUV model RAV
45. Desert stopover OASIS
47. Image on many tie-dyed shirts PEACE SYMBOL (giving “peacekeeper”)
51. Woodland deity SATYR
54. Singer Lisa et al. LOEBS
55. Readying a field, say PLOWING
58. Fortified position BASTION
62. Angler’s “I don’t have to throw this one back,” and hint to the first word of 18-, 26-, 37- and 47-Across IT’S A KEEPER
64. Rooney of “60 Minutes” ANDY
65. Sly look LEER
66. Packed like sardines IN OIL
67. Subject of adoration ICON
68. Family chart TREE
69. Group in pews LAITY
70. Old-timey “not” NARY

Down
1. NCO rank SSGT
2. Kinks girl who “walks like a woman and talks like a man” LOLA
3. University grad ALUM
4. Cry of distress WOE IS ME
5. Like some rays and dust COSMIC
6. Spanglish speaker, often LATINO
7. “Who am __ argue?” I TO
8. Little more than MERE
9. La __ Tar Pits BREA
10. Show embarrassment TURN RED
11. Done in, as a dragon SLAIN
12. Old Finnish cent PENNI
13. Marsh plant SEDGE
19. Belgian composer Jacques BREL
21. Make aware ALERT
24. Evel on a bike KNIEVEL
26. Stare unsubtly GAWK
27. Pimply condition ACNE
28. U.S./Canada’s __ Canals SOO
29. Sch. whose mascot is Brutus Buckeye OSU
30. “The Raven” poet POE
33. Furthermore ALSO
34. Wagger on the dog TAIL
35. Promos ADS
38. 401(k) kin, briefly IRA
39. Apple product MAC
40. Burial places TOMBS
43. Surreptitious data-collecting computer program SPYWARE
46. Choose not to vote ABSTAIN
48. Estrada of “CHiPs” ERIK
49. “Amen!” SO BE IT
50. Every September, say YEARLY
51. Like milk on the floor SPILT
52. Modify ALTER
53. “We’re off __ the wizard …” TO SEE
56. Playwright Simon NEIL
57. Rowlands of “Gloria” GENA
59. Ancient Andean INCA
60. Fragrance ODOR
61. Part of a B’way address NY, NY
63. Hawaiian dish POI

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