Day: August 18, 2015

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
15. Org. with a “Speak Freely” blog ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union (The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has its roots in the First World War when it was founded to provide legal advice and support to conscientious objectors. The ACLU’s motto is “Because Freedom Can’t Protect Itself”.
) has its roots in the First World War when it was founded to provide legal advice and support to conscientious objectors. The ACLU’s motto is “Because Freedom Can’t Protect Itself”. The ACLU also hosts a blog on the ACLU.org website called “Speak Freely”.

16. Seth of “Pineapple Express” ROGEN
Seth Rogen is a Canadian comedian who got a lot of credit for his supporting role in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”. That led to him being cast as the lead in the 1970 film “Knocked Up”. I am afraid that I haven’t seen either movie …

“Pineapple Express” is a 2008 action comedy film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. It’s also described as a “stoner” movie, meaning that the plot somewhat revolves around the use of cannabis. Not my kind of film …

17. *Arctic carnivore POLAR BEAR
Polar bears are close cousins of brown bears, and are thought to have evolved from a population of brown bears that became isolated during a period of glaciation. Most polar bears live north of the Arctic Circle, and live mainly on seals that they capture near to the edge of ice floes.

19. Texas mission ALAMO
The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna’s camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry “Remember the Alamo!”.

22. Postal motto word NOR
There is no official creed or motto for the US Postal Service. However, there is the oft-quoted inscription that is posted (pun!) over the entrance to the James Farley Post Office in New York City:
It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.

25. Tyke KID
“Tyke” has been used playfully to describe a young child since at least 1902, but for centuries before that a tyke was a cur or mongrel, or perhaps a lazy or lower-class man.

27. Home for mil. jets AFB
Air Force Base (AFB)

31. *1969 #1 hit used in a cereal promotion SUGAR, SUGAR
“Sugar, Sugar” is a hit song that topped the charts in 1969. What’s unusual about the recording is that is performed by a band of fictional cartoon teenagers called the Archies. A group of studio musicians provided the actual soundtrack, while the video uses characters from the Saturday-morning animated series “The Archie Show”. Post Cereal distributed millions of the records on the back of Super Sugar Crisp cereal boxes, and as a result, “Sugar, Sugar” is now considered the most produced recording in history.

35. Autumn bloom ASTER
Apparently, most aster species and cultivars bloom relatively late in the year, usually in the fall.

37. __-Lorraine: former German region ALSACE
Alsace-Lorraine was a territory in the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The territory was created when Germany annexed most of Alsace and Lorraine from France in the Franco-Prussian War. The area reverted to French control after World War One, and is now called Alsace-Moselle.

38. Blockhead SCHMO
“Schmo” (also “shmo”) is American slang for a dull or boring person, from the Yiddish word “shmok”.

43. Major artery AORTA
The aorta originates in the heart and extends down into the abdomen. It is the largest artery in the body.

54. German article DER
“Der”, “die” and “das” are German words meaning “the”. “Der” is used with a masculine noun, “die” with a feminine noun and “das” with a neuter noun.

55. Spicy lentil stew DAL
I love dal dishes, which are prepared from various peas or beans (often lentils) that have been stripped of their outer skins and split. I suppose in Indian terms, split pea soup (another of my favorites) would be called a dal.

63. “Girls” cable channel HBO
“Girls” is an HBO comedy-drama series that was created by and stars Lena Dunham. The show follows a group of female friends living their lives in New York City. Good show …

64. French darling CHERI
“Cheri” is a form of familiar address in French, meaning “dear, darling, precious”. “Cheri” is the form used when talking to/of a male, and “cherie” to/of a female.

66. *Period between consecutive spring equinoxes SOLAR YEAR
A solar calendar is based on the 365 1/4 days it takes for the earth to orbit the sun. A lunar calendar is based on the moon’s phases (not the 28 days it takes the moon to orbit the earth) and has 12 lunar months of 29-30 days, with the “lunar year” ending eleven days earlier than the “solar year”. So, solar and lunar calendars are always out of sync. There is a device called an epact that adjusts the lunar calendar to bring it into sync with the solar calendar.

An equinox is a phenomenon dictated by the tilt of the earth’s axis. Twice every year, that tilt “evens out” and the sun is equidistant from points at the same latitude both north and south of the equator. It is as if the earth has no tilt relative to the sun. The name equinox comes from the Latin for “equal night”, inferring that night and day are equally long, as the effect of the earth’s “tilt” is nullified.

69. Mideast bigwig EMIR
In English, emir can also be written as emeer, amir and ameer (watch out for those spellings in crosswords!).

70. Egg on URGE
The verb “to egg on”, meaning “to goad”, has nothing to do with birds’ eggs. Rather, the term evolved from “to edge on”, to move forward a small amount.

73. Some August births, astrologically LEOS
Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac. People born from July 13 to August 23 are Leos.

Down
5. Cholesterol check, e.g. LAB TEST
We produce all the cholesterol we need in our own bodies, in the liver, so don’t actually need additional amounts in our diet. Elevated levels of cholesterol, often associated with diet (from eating animal fats), have been closely linked with higher risk of cardiovascular disease. A change in the diet is the usual recommendation to lower cholesterol levels in the blood, but drugs such as statins can be administered as well, which inhibit the body’s own production of cholesterol.

7. Chowder morsel CLAM
The type of soup known as “chowder” may be named for the pot in which it used to be cooked called a “chaudière”, a French term.

8. “I got it!” EUREKA!
Eureka translates from Greek as “I have found it”. The word is usually associated with Archimedes, uttered as he stepped into his bath one day. His discovery was that the volume of water that was displaced was equal to that of the object (presumably his foot) that had been submerged. He used this fact to determine the volume of a crown, something he needed in order to determine if it was made of pure gold or was a forgery.

10. Cylindrical caramel candy ROLO
Rolo was a hugely popular chocolate candy in Ireland when I was growing up. Rolo was introduced in the thirties in the UK, and is produced under license in the US by Hershey. I was a little disappointed when I had my first taste of the American version as the center is very hard and chewy. The recipe used on the other side of the Atlantic calls for a soft, gooey center.

11. *Gelatin made from algae AGAR-AGAR
Agar (also “agar-agar”) is a jelly extracted from seaweed that has many uses. Agar is found in Japanese desserts, and can also be used as a food thickener or even as a laxative. In the world of science it is the most common medium used for growing bacteria in Petri dishes.

12. Rep.’s counterpart DEM
On political maps, red states are Republican and blue states Democrat. The designation of red and blue states is a very recent concept, only introduced in the 2000 presidential election by TV journalist, the late Tim Russert. In retrospect, the choice of colors is surprising, as in other democracies around the world red is usually used to describe left-leaning socialist parties (the reds under the bed!), and blue is used for conservative right-wing parties. In election cycles, swing/battleground states are often depicted in purple.

13. Brian who co-produced many U2 albums ENO
Brian Eno was one of the pioneers of the “ambient” genre of music. Eno composed an album in 1978 called “Ambient 1: Music for Airports”, the first in a series of four albums with an ambient theme. Eno named the tracks somewhat inventively: 1/1, 2/1, 2/1 and 2/2.

Irish singer Bono is a Dubliner, born Paul David Hewson. As a youth, Hewson was given the nickname “Bono Vox” by a friend, a Latin expression meaning “good voice”, and so the singer has been known as Bono since the late seventies. His band’s first name was “Feedback”, later changed to “The Hype”. The band members searched for yet another name and chose U2 from a list of six names suggested by a friend. They picked U2 because it was the name they disliked least …

18. Wrestler Flair RIC
The wrestler Ric Flair’s real name is Richard Fliehr. Perhaps following the lead of his compatriot Jesse Ventura, Flair explored the possibility of running for governor of the state of North Carolina. Dearie, dearie me …

26. Tax shelter initials IRA
Individual retirement account (IRA)

29. 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 …

33. Fodder for a mill GRIST
When grain has been separated from its chaff, to prepare it for grinding, it is called “grist”. Indeed, the word “grist” is derived from the word “grind”. Grist can be ground into a relatively coarse meal, or into a fine flour. The names can be confusing though. For example, the grist from maize when ground to a coarse consistency is called “grits”, and when ground to a fine consistency is called “corn meal”. There is an idiomatic phrase “grist for one’s mill”, meaning something used to one’s advantage.

38. “48 HRS.” law gp. SFPD
The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is the 11th largest police department in the country. The SFPD dates back to the days of the Gold Rush, being founded in 1849 as a force of 35 officers. SFPD has featured a lot in movies and on television. The most famous films are probably “Bullitt”, the “Dirty Harry” series and “48 Hrs.” On television there was “Ironside”, “The Streets of San Francisco” and now “Monk”.

“48 HRS.” is a hilarious 1982 movie starring Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte. Even though the lead characters play a convict and a cop who team up, “48 HRS.” is often cited as the first of the modern “buddy cop” movies, a precursor to the likes of “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Lethal Weapon”.

39. Canadian tribe CREE
The Cree are one of the largest groups of Native Americans on the continent. In the US most of the Cree nation live in Montana on a reservation shared with the Ojibwe people. In Canada most of the Cree live in Manitoba.

42. School meeting org. PTA
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

52. Trinidad and __ TOBAGO
Trinidad and Tobago is a republic in the southern Caribbean, largely comprising the two main islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago is the birthplace of calypso music.

53. Messy campfire treats S’MORES
S’mores are a treat peculiar to North America, usually eaten around a campfire. A s’more consists of a roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers. The earliest written reference to the recipe is in a 1927 publication called “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts”. Girl Scouts always did corner the market on cookies and the like!

57. __ Lingus AER
Aer Lingus is my favorite airline! Well, the service isn’t that great, but when I get on board an Aer Lingus plane I feel like I am back in Ireland. Aer Lingus is the national airline of Ireland, with “Aer Lingus” being a phonetic spelling of the Irish “aer-loingeas” meaning “air fleet”. These days Aer Lingus can only lay claim to the title of Ireland’s oldest airline as it is no longer the biggest. That honor goes to the controversial budget airline called Ryanair.

59. Bing search results, for short URLS
Internet addresses (like NYTCrossword.com and LAXCrossword.com) are more correctly called Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).

Bing is the search engine from Microsoft. Bing is the latest name for an engine that Microsoft used to call Live Search, Windows Live Search and MSN Search.

61. Where the heart is? HOME
“Home is where the heart is”.

64. Mo. summer hrs. CDT
During the summer, the state of Missouri (Mo.) observes Central Daylight Time (CDT).

67. Actor Brynner YUL
Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor. Brynner was well known for his great performances, but also for his shaved head and his deep rich voice. He first adopted the “hairstyle” while playing the King of Siam in the stage version of “The King and I”, and he stuck with it.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Somewhat A BIT
5. Garter material LACE
9. Level of learning GRADE
14. Entitled to the entire estate, as an heir SOLE
15. Org. with a “Speak Freely” blog ACLU
16. Seth of “Pineapple Express” ROGEN
17. *Arctic carnivore POLAR BEAR
19. Texas mission ALAMO
20. Outward flow EBB
21. Shout from a knocker IT’S ME!
22. Postal motto word NOR
23. Strong-arm COERCE
25. Tyke KID
27. Home for mil. jets AFB
30. Expo freebie, often TOTE
31. *1969 #1 hit used in a cereal promotion SUGAR, SUGAR
35. Autumn bloom ASTER
37. __-Lorraine: former German region ALSACE
38. Blockhead SCHMO
41. Little bark YIP
43. Major artery AORTA
44. Make available, as time FREE UP
46. Post office buy STAMP
48. *Puréed fruit drink PEAR NECTAR
50. Breaks bread EATS
54. German article DER
55. Spicy lentil stew DAL
56. Like raffle drawings RANDOM
58. Airport with many connecting flights HUB
60. “Well, shucks!” OH GEE!
63. “Girls” cable channel HBO
64. French darling CHERI
66. *Period between consecutive spring equinoxes SOLAR YEAR
68. Distributed cards DEALT
69. Mideast bigwig EMIR
70. Egg on URGE
71. Not very chatty TERSE
72. Anti-Union figures REBS
73. Some August births, astrologically LEOS

Down
1. Viewpoint ASPECT
2. Owie BOO-BOO
3. “As if!” I’LL BET
4. Herbal drink TEA
5. Cholesterol check, e.g. LAB TEST
6. Highest deck quartet ACES
7. Chowder morsel CLAM
8. “I got it!” EUREKA!
9. Bases loaded opportunity GRAND SLAM
10. Cylindrical caramel candy ROLO
11. *Gelatin made from algae AGAR-AGAR
12. Rep.’s counterpart DEM
13. Brian who co-produced many U2 albums ENO
18. Wrestler Flair RIC
24. Citrus juice extractor REAMER
26. Tax shelter initials IRA
28. Reference book tidbit FACT
29. La __ Tar Pits BREA
32. Slangy turnaround UEY
33. Fodder for a mill GRIST
34. Major event in golf or tennis US OPEN
36. Brief broadcast clip SOUND BITE
38. “48 HRS.” law gp. SFPD
39. Canadian tribe CREE
40. *”Well said!” HEAR, HEAR!
42. School meeting org. PTA
45. Veggie often in fried rice PEA
47. Unpaid debts … or, read differently, what both parts of the answers to starred clues have? ARREARS
49. More intimate CLOSER
51. Cling (to) ADHERE
52. Trinidad and __ TOBAGO
53. Messy campfire treats S’MORES
57. __ Lingus AER
59. Bing search results, for short URLS
61. Where the heart is? HOME
62. Smooth-talking GLIB
64. Mo. summer hrs. CDT
65. Half a giggle HEE
67. Actor Brynner YUL

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