Day: August 5, 2015

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Barbie maker MATTEL
Mattel is the world’s largest toy manufacturer. Mattel was founded by Harold “Matt” Matson and Elliot Handler in 1945, and they chose the company name by combining “Matt” with “El-liot” giving “Matt-el”.

The famous Barbie doll was created by businesswoman Ruth Handler and first appeared on store shelves in 1959. Barbie was based on a German fashion doll called Bild Lilli that was introduced in 1955. Lilli had been a German cartoon character before taking on a three-dimensional form. Prior to the introduction of Bild Lilli and Barbie, children’s dolls were primarily representations of infants.

7. Dada pioneer ARP
Hans Arp was a French artist renowned for his work with torn and pasted paper, although that wasn’t the only medium he used. Arp was the son of a French mother and German father and spoke both languages fluently. When he was speaking German he gave his name as Hans Arp, but when speaking French he called himself Jean Arp. Both “Hans” and “Jean” translate into English as “John”. In WWI Arp moved to Switzerland to avoid being called up to fight, taking advantage of Swiss neutrality. Eventually he was told to report to the German Consulate and fill out paperwork for the draft. In order to get out of fighting, Arp messed up the paperwork by writing the date in every blank space on the forms. Then he took off all of his clothes and walked with his papers over to the officials in charge. Arp was sent home …

Dadaism thrived during and just after WWI, and was an anti-war, anti-bourgeois and anti-art culture. The movement began in Zurich, Switzerland started by a group of artists and writers who met to discuss art and put on performances in the Cabaret Voltaire, frequently expressing disgust at the war that was raging across Europe.

10. Soviet air force acronym MIG
The Russian fighter jets that we know as “MiGs” are so called because they were designed by the Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau, and MiG is an acronym for “Mikoyan-and-Gurevich” in Russian.

13. Melodic piece ARIOSO
An arioso (plural “ariosi”) is a solo vocal piece in a classical work such as an opera or an oratorio. An arioso’s structure lies somewhere between that of a full-blown aria and speech-like recitative.

14. Source of Sun. inspiration SER
Sermon (ser.)

16. Mississippi River explorer DE SOTO
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish conquistador who led expeditions throughout the southeastern US. De Soto’s travels were unsuccessful in that he failed to bring gold or silver back to Spain, and nor did he found any colonies. What de Soto did achieve was the exposure of local populations to devastating Eurasian diseases. De Soto was the first European to cross the Mississippi River, in 1541. The first European to see the Mississippi (but not cross it) was Alonso Álvarez de Pineda, in 1519.

19. Home of the Green Bay Packers LAMBEAU FIELD
When Curly Lambeau founded his small-town football team in Green Bay in 1919, he was working for the Indian Packing Company. Lambeau went to his employers looking for sponsorship and was given $250 provided that the team was named for the company. And so, the team was originally referred to as the Green Bay Indians, but by the time they took to the field for their first game it had changed to the Packers, and Lambeau was $250 richer.

22. Other, in Oaxaca OTRA
Oaxaca is a state in the southern part of Mexico on the Pacific coast. The state takes the name of Oaxaca, its largest city.

25. Where to find a horse with no legs? SEA
Seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus. The genus name comes from the Greek “hippo” meaning “horse” and “kampos” meaning “sea monster”.

26. Outlaw Kelly NED
Ned Kelly was an Irish-Australian outlaw, regarded by many as a symbol of resistance against the British ruling class in Australia in the 19th century. There have been two famous films made of his life story. “The Story of the Kelly Gang” was released in 1906, and is recognized today as the first feature film ever made. We might be more familiar with the film called “Ned Kelly” released in 1970, as it starred Mick Jagger in the title role.

27. Favre of the Green Bay Packers BRETT
Brett Favre is best known as the former starting-quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Favre retired in 2010 after playing with the Minnesota Vikings for a short time. Among the many NFL records held by Favre, he has thrown the most career touchdown passes, and has made the most consecutive starts.

29. Evita’s land: Abbr. ARG
Argentina is the second largest country in South America (after Brazil), and geographically is the world’s largest Spanish-speaking nation. The name “Argentina” of course comes from the Latin “argentum”, the word for “silver”. It is thought that the name was given by the early Spanish and Portuguese conquerors who also named the Rio de la Plata (the “Silver River”). Those early explorers got hold of lots of silver objects that they found among the native population.

Eva Perón was the second wife of President Juan Perón who was in office from 1946 to 1955. The Argentine First Lady was known affectionately by the people as “Evita”, the Spanish language diminutive of “Eva”. “Evita” was also the follow-up musical to “Jesus Christ Superstar” for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and was based on the life of Eva Perón.

35. “Northanger Abbey” author JANE AUSTEN
Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey” was the first novel that she completed for publication, having completed it in its original form in 1799. The original title given by the author was “Memorandum, Susan”. She sold the novel for the princely sum of 10 pounds, after which the publisher deciding against going to print, and sold it back to Jane’s brother Henry Austen. Jane then revised “Memorandum, Susan”, including a change to the lead character’s name, which led to a new title “Catherine”. Jane Austen died in July 1817, without seeing the novel in print. Henry Austen gave the book the title “Northanger Abbey” and arranged for publication a few months after his sister’s passing.

38. __ code AREA
Area codes were introduced in the 1940s. Back then the “clicks” one heard when dialling a number led to mechanical wear on various pieces of equipment. In order to minimize overall mechanical wear, areas with high call volumes were given the most efficient area codes (lowest number of clicks). That led to New York getting the area code 212, Los Angeles 213 and Chicago 312.

39. N.H. clock setting EST
Eastern Standard Time (EST

Of the many claims to fame of the great state of New Hampshire, one is that was the first to adopt its own state constitution. New Hampshire is also famous worldwide for holding the first primary in presidential elections, a tradition that dates back to 1952.

43. Bistro awning word CHEZ
“Chez” is a French term meaning “at the house of”, which comes from the Latin word “casa” meaning “cottage” or “hut”.

“Bistro” was originally a Parisian slang term for a “little wine shop or restaurant”.

45. Bistro drink CAFE AU LAIT
Café au lait (“coffee with milk” in French) is usually strong, drip coffee to which one adds steamed milk. At least that’s the way we tend to make in this country.

47. Austrian state bordering three countries TYROL
The Austrian state of Tyrol has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, especially if you love the mountains. It is in the very west of the country, just south of Bavaria in Germany. The capital city is the famous Innsbruck.

49. NFL positions RGS
In football, right guards (RGs) protect the quarterback (QB).

51. Cookie Monster eating sound NOM
Cookie Monster is a beloved Muppet on the TV show “Sesame Street”. He is a big eater, and is especially fond of cookies, which he eats while grunting out “Om nom nom nom”.

56. Olympic action involving a bar POLE-VAULTING
The pole vault has been an Olympic event for men since the 1896 games. However, women’s pole vaulting was only introduced at the 2000 games.

61. Brother of Peyton ELI
Peyton Manning is quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Peyton’s brother Eli Manning plays as quarterback for the New York Giants. Eli and Peyton’s father is Archie Manning, who was also a successful NFL quarterback.

62. Cornerstone abbr. ESTD
Established (estd.)

70. Promise from a shy person? IOU
To be “shy” is to be short, lacking. The term originated as gambling slang, meaning to owe money to the pot.

Down
1. “Spy vs. Spy” magazine MAD
“Spy vs. Spy” is a comic strip that has run in “Mad” magazine continuously since 1961. It was drawn by Antonio Prohias, a refugee from Cuba, until his retirement. The early storyline was very fitting for the times, a statement about the futility of the arms race, detente and the Cold War.

2. Modern art? ARE
“You are” is the contemporary way of saying “thou art”.

3. “__ the year’s midnight … “: Donne ‘TIS
The English poet John Donne probably wrote the poem “A Nocturnal upon S. Lucy’s Day, Being the Shortest Day” in 1627. That year, Donne lost two women named Lucy: his friend Lucy, Countess of Bedford and his own daughter, Lucy Donne. The opening stanza of the poem is:

‘TIS the year’s midnight, and it is the day’s,
Lucy’s, who scarce seven hours herself unmasks;
The sun is spent, and now his flasks
Send forth light squibs, no constant rays;
The world’s whole sap is sunk;
The general balm th’ hydroptic earth hath drunk,
Whither, as to the bed’s-feet, life is shrunk,
Dead and interr’d; yet all these seem to laugh,
Compared with me, who am their epitaph.

5. Spanish 101 verb ESTA
In Spanish, “está” translates as “it is”.

7. Where most live 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.

8. “M*A*S*H” episode, now RERUN
“M*A*S*H” has only three stars (three asterisks, that is!). These asterisks first appeared on the poster for the 1970 movie, but they were omitted in the opening titles. The TV series went on to use the asterisks from the poster.

11. “American __” IDOL
Fox’s “American Idol” is a spin-off show that was created after the amazing success of the British television show “Pop Idol”. I can’t abide either program(me) …

12. Like no news? GOOD
No news is good news …

21. Bean sprout? IDEA
A slang term for a “head” might be “bean” or “noggin”.

23. Like many tabloids TRASHY
“Tabloid” is the trademarked name (owned by Burroughs, Wellcome and Co,) for a “small tablet of medicine”, a name that goes back to 1884. The word “tabloid” had entered into general use to mean a compressed form of anything, and by the early 1900s was used in “tabloid journalism”, applied to newspapers that had short, condensed articles and stories printed on smaller sheets of paper.

28. 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.

32. Obscure ARCANE
Something that is “arcane” is something that is understood by only a few, something that might be described as mysterious.

33. Light-sensitive eye layer RETINA
The retina is the tissue that lines the inside of the eye, the tissue that is light-sensitive. There are (mainly) two types of cell in the retina that are sensitive to light, called rods and cones. Rods are cells that best function in very dim light and only provide black-and-white vision. Cones on the other hand function in brighter light and can perceive color.

34. Saint Stephen, e.g. MARTYR
Saint Stephen was a Christian church deacon in Jerusalem who was stoned to death after having been found guilty of blasphemy. He is widely recognized as the first martyr in the Christian tradition, and a holiday is observed in his name on the day after Christmas Day.

37. PBS funder NEA
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an agency funded by the federal government that offers support and financing for artistic projects. The NEA was created by an Act of Congress in 1965. Between 1965 and 2008, the NEA awarded over $4 billion to the arts, with Congress authorizing around $170 million annually through the eighties and much of the nineties. That funding was cut to less than $100 million in the late nineties due to pressure from conservatives concerned about the use of funds, but it is now back over the $150 million mark. I wonder how long that will last though …

41. Name DUB
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”.

44. Temperate __ ZONE
The Earth has five geographical zones defined by the major circles of latitude:

– The North Frigid Zone lies north of the Arctic Circle
– The North Temperate Zone lies between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer
– The Torrid Zone lies between the two Tropical Circles
– The South Temperate Zone lies between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle
– The South Frigid Zone lies south of the Antarctic Circle

48. Hippie happening LOVE-IN
A “love-in” was a peaceful protest most associated with the late sixties. The gatherings themselves often involved meditation, music and the use of psychedelic drugs. The term “love-in” was apparently coined by LA comedian Peter Bergman who had a radio show at that time.

54. Shampoo instruction RINSE
Back in the 1760s, the verb “to shampoo” was an Anglo-Indian word meaning “to massage”. A century later we started to shampoo our hair.

56. Mani counterpart PEDI
Manicure & pedicure (mani-pedi)

57. Mishmash OLIO
“Olio” is a term meaning a hodgepodge or a mixture, coming from the mixed stew of the same name. The stew in turn takes its name from the Spanish “olla”, the clay pot used for cooking.

58. Stead LIEU
As one might perhaps imagine, “in lieu” comes into English from the Old French word “lieu” meaning “place”, which in turn is derived from the Latin “locum”, also meaning “place”. So, “in lieu” means “in place of”.

59. “Cure Ignorance” online reader UTNE
The “Utne Reader” is known for aggregation and republishing of articles on politics, culture and the environment from other sources in the media. The “Utne Reader” was founded in 1984, with “Utne” being the family name of the couple that started the publication. The magazine uses the slogan “Cure Ignorance”.

65. Brain scan, for short EEG
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of electrical activity caused by the firing of neurons within the brain. The EEG might be used to diagnose epilepsy, or perhaps to determine if a patient is “brain dead”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Barbie maker MATTEL
7. Dada pioneer ARP
10. Soviet air force acronym MIG
13. Melodic piece ARIOSO
14. Source of Sun. inspiration SER
15. Life-altering words I DO
16. Mississippi River explorer DE SOTO
17. Put to work HIRE
18. Stock quote? MOO
19. Home of the Green Bay Packers LAMBEAU FIELD
22. Other, in Oaxaca OTRA
25. Where to find a horse with no legs? SEA
26. Outlaw Kelly NED
27. Favre of the Green Bay Packers BRETT
29. Evita’s land: Abbr. ARG
31. Supply with more weapons REARM
35. “Northanger Abbey” author JANE AUSTEN
38. __ code AREA
39. N.H. clock setting EST
40. Chanted INTONED
42. NFL snapper CTR
43. Bistro awning word CHEZ
45. Bistro drink CAFE AU LAIT
47. Austrian state bordering three countries TYROL
49. NFL positions RGS
50. Lovely, like a lass BONNY
51. Cookie Monster eating sound NOM
53. Poetic preposition O’ER
55. Equipment GEAR
56. Olympic action involving a bar POLE-VAULTING
61. Brother of Peyton ELI
62. Cornerstone abbr. ESTD
63. “I’m clueless” NO IDEA
67. Go pfft DIE
68. It’s charged ION
69. Stretched out on the beach SUNNED
70. Promise from a shy person? IOU
71. New Orleans-to-Detroit dir. NNE
72. Put to work ENGAGE

Down
1. “Spy vs. Spy” magazine MAD
2. Modern art? ARE
3. “__ the year’s midnight … “: Donne ‘TIS
4. “You missed it” TOO LATE
5. Spanish 101 verb ESTA
6. Appears impressively on the horizon LOOMS
7. Where most live ASIA
8. “M*A*S*H” episode, now RERUN
9. Favor PREFER
10. Silent ape MIME
11. “American __” IDOL
12. Like no news? GOOD
17. Kind nature, and, symbolically, what 19-, 35-, 45- and 56-Across have HEART OF GOLD
20. Make it big in Hollywood BE A STAR
21. Bean sprout? IDEA
22. Goal OBJECT
23. Like many tabloids TRASHY
24. Tenant RENTER
28. Mai __ TAI
30. 64-Down research subject GENE SET
32. Obscure ARCANE
33. Light-sensitive eye layer RETINA
34. Saint Stephen, e.g. MARTYR
36. Mom’s bro UNC
37. PBS funder NEA
41. Name DUB
44. Temperate __ ZONE
46. Lumberjack’s trade LOGGING
48. Hippie happening LOVE-IN
52. Layer of stones MASON
54. Shampoo instruction RINSE
56. Mani counterpart PEDI
57. Mishmash OLIO
58. Stead LIEU
59. “Cure Ignorance” online reader UTNE
60. Doohickey or whatchamacallit, e.g. NOUN
64. “CSI” evidence DNA
65. Brain scan, for short EEG
66. Citrusy drink ADE

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