Day: April 10, 2016

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Mulching material PEAT
When dead plant matter accumulates in marshy areas, it may not fully decay due to a lack of oxygen or acidic conditions. We are familiar with this in Ireland, because this decaying matter can form peat, and we have lots and lots of peat bogs.

Mulch is a layer of material applied by gardeners over the top of soil. The intent can be to retain moisture, to add nutrients, to reduce weed growth, or just to improve the look of the garden.

14. It leaves trails JET
We talk so often about global warming these days but there is another fascinating phenomenon that is related, known as “global dimming”. Global dimming is the reduction in the amount of heat that irradiates daily from the planet due to the insulating effect of pollution and vapor trails from aircraft, that are present in the atmosphere. The effect has been touted as a theory for decades but dramatic empirical data became available in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Planes were grounded and the skies over America were clear for three days. There was a stark change in the temperature range measured across the US for these three days, demonstrating the impact that air travel has on our climate.

18. Tiny tank plant ALGA
Algae are similar to terrestrial plants in that they use photosynthesis to create sugars from light and carbon dioxide, but they differ in that they have simpler anatomies, and for example lack roots.

20. Photo subject for NASA’s New Horizons PLUTO
NASA’s New Horizons space probe was launched in 2006 with the primary mission of flying by and studying Pluto. As New Horizons launched, Pluto was officially classified as a planet, but a few months later it was downgraded to a dwarf planet. New Horizons achieved its primary mission in 2015, and is now headed towards a large object in the Kuiper Belt, scheduled to arrive there in 2019.

22. “Forever” purchase FIRST CLASS STAMP
The “forever stamp” for first-class postage was introduced in 2006 (and about time!). Now we have stamps that are good for first-class postage forever, no matter how the rates change.

25. Broad-leaved ornamental HOSTA
The Hosta genus of plant was once classified as a lily, but is now in a family of its own and is described as “lily-like”. The plant was given the name “Hosta” in honor of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host.

27. Blog updates POSTS
Many folks who visit this website regard it as just that, a website. That is true, but more correctly it is referred to as a blog, as I make regular posts (actually daily posts) which then occupy the “front page” of the site. The blog entries are in reverse chronological order, and one can just look back day-by-day, reading older and older posts. “Blog” is a contraction of the term “web log”.

29. “__ Miniver” MRS
“Mrs Miniver” is a 1942 movie starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon that is based on a 1940 book of the same name by Jan Struther. The book itself is actually a compilation of newspaper columns that Struther wrote for “The Times” of London. The columns were reflections of daily life in the run up to WWII as seen through the eyes of the fictional “Mrs. Miniver”. When the film was completed, President Roosevelt stepped in and had it rushed to theaters as he believed it would help convince the American people that the US needed to intervene in the war raging in Europe.

32. Humana rival AETNA
When the health care management and insurance company known as Aetna was founded, the name was chosen to evoke images of Mt. Etna, the European volcano.

Humana is a health insurance company based in Louisville, and is the largest company in the state of Kentucky.

33. Chinese gambling mecca MACAO
Macau (also “Macao”) was a Portuguese colony, the first European colony in China, which was established in the 16th century. Macau was handed back to the Chinese in 1999, two years after Hong Kong was returned by the British. That made Macau the last European colony in China. Today Macau’s economy is driven by tourism and gambling.

37. Sauce with a kick TABASCO
Edward McIlhenny created the first Tabasco Sauce in 1868. He recycled old cologne bottles as a container for the sauce so that he could present it to friends, and when he went into business he ordered new cologne bottles for the commercial product. Even today, the Tabasco Sauce bottle bears a striking resemblance to the bottle used to distribute 4711 cologne.

41. “The Simpsons” disco guy STU
On “The Simpsons”, the character of Disco Stu is voiced by Hank Azaria, although he was voiced for a while by Phil Hartman. Disco Stu is described as “a black, wrinkly John Travolta”.

50. Bulgarian capital SOFIA
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. Natives pronounce the name “Sofia” with the emphasis on the “o”, while the rest of us tend to stress the “i”. Bulgarians do agree with us though when it comes to the girl’s name “Sofia”, then they stress the “i” like we do!

52. Enterprise counselor TROI
Deanna Troi is a character on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” who is played by the lovely Marina Sirtis. Sirtis is a naturalized American citizen and has what I would call a soft American accent on the show. However, she was born in the East End of London and has a natural accent off-stage that is more like that of a true Cockney.

53. Capital with a Viking Ship Museum OSLO
The most famous exhibit in Oslo’s Viking Ship Museum is the completely intact Oseberg ship. Named for the farm where it was discovered, the Oseberg ship was excavated from a large burial mound that dates back to 834 AD. The interment is an example of a “ship burial”, in which a ship was used as a container for a dead body and associated grave goods. The Oseberg ship included the bodies of two elderly females, one of which may have been included as a human sacrifice.

54. Prohibition era gun GAT
“Gat” is a slang term for a gun that is derived from the Gatling gun, the precursor to the modern machine gun. The Gatling gun was invented by Dr. Richard J. Gatling in 1861. Apparently he was inspired to invent it so that one man could do as much damage as a hundred, thereby reducing the size of armies and diminishing the suffering caused by war. Go figure …

59. “Feliz año nuevo” time ENERO
In Spanish, one often says “Feliz Año Nuevo!” (Happy New Year!) each “enero” (January).

62. Champion TITLIST
A “titlist” is a titleholder, champion.

64. Like Gen. Powell RETD
Retired (retd.)

Colin Powell was the first African American to serve as US Secretary of State. Earlier in his career, Powell had been a four-star general in the US Army, as well as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War. Even though Colin Powell has retired from public service, he is one of the most noted moderate Republicans, often advocating support for centrist and liberal causes.

69. __ year LEAP
I wasn’t sure of the origin of the term “leap year”, and when I checked I found it to be fairly obvious. As a reference, let’s use March 25, 2007, a Sunday. The year before, in 2006, March 25th fell one weekday earlier on a Saturday, following the rule that each year any particular date moves forward in the week by one day. However, the next year (208) has an extra day, February 29th. So March 25, 2008 falls on a Tuesday, “leaping” two weekdays forward, not one, as 2008 is a “leap” year. I think I am more confused now than when I started this paragraph …

70. WWII Navy vessel named for the 29th state USS IOWA
The USS Iowa that saw action in WWII was the fourth ship to be so called by the US Navy. Among her many missions, the Iowa carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Casablanca in 1943 for one of the famed war summits with Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin. Today we can visit the Iowa at the Port of Los Angeles, as it is now a floating museum.

73. Ocular sign of mischief GLEAM
Mischievous crossword constructors might submit their latest puzzle with gleams in their eyes.

76. On the ball ALERT
The phrase “on the ball”, meaning “alert”, comes from ball sports. It is a contraction of the expression “keep your eye on the ball”, i.e. stay alert!

79. Puerto Rico, por ejemplo ISLA
In Spanish, Puerto Rico “por ejemplo” (for example), is an “isla” (island).

Puerto Rico is located in the northeastern Caribbean (in the Atlantic Ocean), east of the Dominican Republic. The name “Puerto Rico” is Spanish for “rich port”. The locals often call their island Borinquen, the Spanish form of “Boriken”, the original name used by the natives.

84. Cedar Rapids campus COE
Coe College is a private school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that was founded in 1851. Coe is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.

Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in the state of Iowa. It is named for rapids on the Cedar River on which the city is located. The river itself was named for the red cedars growing along the river’s banks.

85. Marsh duck TEAL
The beautiful color of teal takes it name from the duck called a “teal”, which has dark greenish-blue (teal) markings on its head and wings.

86. Hindu deity RAMA
In the Hindu tradition, the god known as Vishnu has seven different avatars i.e. incarnations or manifestations. Rama is the seventh of these avatars.

87. Salentina Peninsula country ITALY
The geographic region known as Salento (sometimes “the Salentina Peninsula”) is the sub-peninsula of the Italian peninsula that forms the “heel” of the Italian “boot”.

93. Three-syllable foot ANAPEST
Anapest is the name given to a metrical foot in poetry, one in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed one. Indeed, the name “anapest” is a good example, when pronounced an-a-pest. Here is a better example of a verse using anapest, so let’s all say it out loud together! “‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house”.

95. FDR successor HST
The letter “S” in the middle of the name Harry S. Truman (HST) doesn’t stand for anything. The future-president was named “Harry” in honor of his mother’s brother Harrison “Harry” Young. The initial “S” was chosen in honor of young Harry’s two grandfathers: Anderson S-hipp Truman and S-olomon Young.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was the only child of Sara Delano and James Roosevelt Sr. The Delano family history in America goes back to the pilgrim Philippe de Lannoy, an immigrant of Flemish descent who arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. The family name “de Lannoy” was anglicized here in the US, to “Delano”. Franklin was to marry Eleanor Roosevelt, and apparently the relationship between Sara and her daughter-in-law was very “strained”.

97. “Kung Fu” actor Philip AHN
The actor Philip Ahn is perhaps best known for playing Master Kahn, one of Caine’s teachers on the television show “Kung Fu”. Ahn was the first Asian-American actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

100. Bombards with e-junk SPAMS
Apparently the term “spam”, used for unwanted email, is taken from a “Monty Python” sketch. In the sketch (which I’ve seen) the dialog is taken over by the word Spam, a play on the glut of canned meat in the markets of Britain after WWII. So “spam” is used for the glut of emails that takes over online communication. I can just imagine nerdy Internet types (like me) adopting something from a “Monty Python” sketch to describe an online phenomenon …

102. Yucatán native MAYA
The Maya civilization held sway in Central America and Mexico from about 350 AD until the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s.

The Yucatán Peninsula is located in southeastern Mexico, where it separates the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest from the Caribbean Sea to the southeast.

104. Billion-year span EON
In geology and astronomy, an “eon” is defined as a period of one billion years.

107. Weapon in a scabbard SABER
A saber is a sword with a curved blade and a relatively large hand guard. It is thought that the term originated with the Hungarian verb “szabni” meaning “to cut”.

110. Nutmeg State team HUSKIES
The UConn Huskies are the sports teams of the University of Connecticut. I wasn’t able to uncover the derivation of the “Huskies” moniker. Although it is true that “UConn” sounds like “Yukon”, that isn’t the derivation of the “Huskies” nickname. The school didn’t become the University of Connecticut (UConn) until 1939, and the Huskies name has been used since 1933.

Connecticut’s official nickname is the Constitution State, but can also be referred to as the Nutmeg State, the Provisions State, and the Land of Steady Habits.

118. Kunta __ of “Roots” KINTE
Not only did Alex Haley author the magnificent novel “Roots”, but he was also the collaborator with Malcolm X on “The Autobiography of Malcolm X”. His 1976 novel “Roots” is based on Haley’s own family history, and he claimed to be a direct descendant of the real life Kunta Kinte, the slave who was kidnapped in the The Gambia in 1767. If you remember the fabulous television adaptation of “Roots”, you might recall that Kunta Kinte was played by LeVar Burton, who later went on to play another famous role, namely Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: the Next Generation”.

119. Ritzy retreat VILLA
The original “villas” were country houses owned by the elite in Ancient Rome. A member of the Roman elite would live in a “domus” in the city, whereas the rest of the population would live in “insulae”, apartment buildings.

120. “Oy vey!” AH ME!
“Oy vey” is a Yiddish expression of dismay that literally translates as “oh, pain”. The more usual translation is “woe is me”.

123. Great __ Mountains SMOKY
The Great Smoky Mountains are a subrange of the Appalachians and are located in North Carolina and Tennessee. The “Smokies” lie almost entirely within the bounds of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is the most-visited national park in the whole country. The name “Smoky” is a reference to the natural fog often seen hanging over the range. The fog is actually a vapor made up of volatile organic compounds released by the vegetation covering the peaks.

124. Orgs. that donate to runners PACS
A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a private group that works to influence the outcome of a particular election or group of elections. Any group becomes a PAC by law when it receives or spends more than $1,000 for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election. In 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that PACS that did not make direct contributions to candidates or parties could accept unlimited contributions. These “independent-expenditure only committees” are commonly referred to as “super PACs”.

Down
3. New York MTA-owned commuter line LIRR
The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is the commuter rail service that runs all over Long Island, New York with 124 stations and 700 miles of track. More people use the LIRR than any other commuter railroad in the US. It is also the only commuter railroad in the country that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The MTA is the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has public transportation responsibility in the state of New York (as well as part of Connecticut). MTA might also refer to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is known as the Metro and sometimes the MTA.

6. “__ Enchanted”: 2004 film ELLA
“Ella Enchanted” is a fantasy novel written by Gail Carson Levine, and published in 1997. It is a retelling of the story of Cinderella, with lots of mythical creatures added. A film adaptation was released in 2004, starring Anne Hathaway in the title role.

7. Aunt in P.G. Wodehouse’s “Jeeves” stories AGATHA
Aunt Agatha is a character in the Jeeves stories created by novelist P. G. Wodehouse. Wodehouse’s full name was Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse. Bertie Wooster’s celebrated valet’s full name is Reginald Jeeves.

8. Prof’s aides TAS
Teaching Assistants (TAs)

9. Ristorante rice dish RISOTTO
Risotto is an Italian rice dish that is usually served as a first course in Italy, but as a main course here in North America.

12. Peridot and garnet GEMS
Olivine is relatively common mineral, but is rarely found with purity that is sufficient for use as a gemstone. When the olivine is pure enough to be used as a gem, it is called peridot. Peridot is always olive green in color, with its color intensity a function of how much iron is in the stone.

Garnets are silicate minerals that comes in many colors. However, the color that we call “garnet” is a dark red.

13. Claim subject to debate ESP
Extrasensory perception (ESP)

20. Instagram fodder PHOTOS
Instagram is a photo-sharing application, one that is extremely popular I hear. Instagram was started in San Francisco in 2010. Facebook purchased Instagram two years later, paying $1 billion. The billion-dollar Instagram company had just 13 employees at the time …

21. Wells Fargo product LOAN
Back in the mid-1800s, Henry Wells founded an express package delivery service called Wells and Company. Around the same time, William Fargo founded Fargo and Company as a competitor. The two decided to join forces instead of competing, and took on a partner and formed the American Express Company (which is still around today). Fargo and Wells then decided to set up a company in California to provide express delivery and banking services, a company they called Wells Fargo.

23. Pain usually pluralized THROE
Our contemporary word “throe”, meaning a spasm of pain, has been around since the early 1600s. It is a different spelling of the word “throwe” that had been around since around 1200 AD and which meant pain, particularly a pang of childbirth or the agony of death. Pain, from cradle to grave …

24. UV-blocker rating syst. SPF
In theory, the sun protection factor (SPF) is a calibrated measure of the effectiveness of a sunscreen in protecting the skin from harmful UV rays. The idea is that if you wear a lotion with say SPF 20, then it takes 20 times as much UV radiation to cause the skin to burn than it would take without protection. I say just stay out of the sun …

28. Gospel singer Winans CECE
CeCe Winans (real name Priscilla) is a Gospel music singer. She is part of a duo with her brother, BeBe Winans (real name Benjamin).

32. St. Clare’s town ASSISI
The Italian town of Assisi is in Umbria. Assisi is famous as the birthplace of St. Francis and as the home to the Franciscan religious order. It was also the home to Saint Clare and her order of the Poor Sisters (later known as the Poor Clares).

33. Tiny biting fly MIDGE
“Midge” is a familiar term used for many different kinds of small flies.

34. Like most people ASIAN
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.

35. Great Sioux War of 1876 event CUSTER’S LAST STAND
The Battle of Little Bighorn was a famous engagement between the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho Native American peoples against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the US Army led by General George Custer. Custer was soundly defeated and he and all of his men were killed in the engagement. As a result, the battle is often referred to as “Custer’s Last Stand”. I had the privilege of visiting the battle site a few years ago, and it was a very memorable experience.

36. Sponge made from a vine fruit LOOFA
The loofah (also “loofa”, “lufah” and “luffa”, all Arabic words) is a vine, with fruit that’s very popular in Asia and Africa. If the fruit is allowed to mature, it can be processed to remove everything but the more rigid xylem structure (remember your high school botany class?) leaving a soft, sponge-like mass that is used as a skin polisher.

39. Highway noise barrier BERM
The term “berm” can be used to describe a physical barrier of some kind. Berms can be constructed along a highway to protect those living and working nearby from noise pollution.

40. Score after deuce AD OUT
In tennis, if the score reaches “deuce” (i.e. when both players have scored three points), then the first player to win two points in a row wins the game. The player who wins the point immediately after deuce is said to have the “advantage”. If the player with the advantage wins the next point then that’s two in a row and that player wins the game. If the person with the advantage loses the next point, then advantage is lost and the players return to deuce and try again. If the one of the players is calling out the score then if he/she has the advantage then that player announces “ad in” or more formally “advantage in”. If the score announcer’s opponent has the advantage, then the announcement is “ad out” or “advantage out”. Follow all of that …?

43. Pizzeria chain, familiarly UNO’S
The chain of pizza parlors known today as Uno Chicago Grill used to be called Pizzeria Uno, or just “Uno’s”. Apparently Uno’s created the world’s first deep dish pizza.

45. Brit. military award DSO
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a British military award that is usually presented to officers with the rank of major or higher.

47. Loop on the range LASSO
Our English word “lasso” comes from the Spanish “lazo”, and ultimately from the Latin “laqueum” meaning “noose, snare”.

51. What a Sphynx cat lacks FUR
A Sphynx is a breed of cat that has no fur. The lack of fur was introduced by selective breeding in the sixties. Although there is no fur, the Sphynx does have some fine hair on tits body. The selective breeding has led to some health issues, though. The lack of fur leaves kittens susceptible to respiratory infections, and prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause skin cancer.

55. “Don’t look at me!” NOT I!
You should it, not I …

56. 53-Across locale, to natives NORGE
(53A. Capital with a Viking Ship Museum OSLO)
“Norge” is Norwegian for “Norway”, and “Sverige” is Swedish for “Sweden”.

57. Cardinal cap letters STL
The St. Louis Cardinals were originally called the “Brown Stockings”, changing their name to the “Perfectos” in 1899. That obviously didn’t go down well with the locals, as the owners changed it one year later to the Cardinals.

65. Bio info DOB
Date of Birth (DOB)

67. Borden spokescow ELSIE
Elsie the Cow is the mascot of the Borden Company. Elsie first appeared at the New York World’s Fair in 1939, introduced to symbolize the perfect dairy product. Elsie was also given a husband named Elmer the Bull. Elmer eventually moved over to the chemical division of Borden where he gave his name to Elmer’s Glue.

68. Tour de France downtime REST DAY
Back in the late 1800s, long-distance cycle races were used as promotional events, traditionally to help boost sales of newspapers. These races usually took place around tracks, but in 1902 the backers of the struggling sports publication “L’Auto” decided to stage a race that would take the competitors all around France. That first Tour de France took place in 1903, starting in Paris and passing through Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Nantes and then back to Paris.

71. Lousy sausages? WURSTS
These sausages are lousy, they are the “wurst” …

“Wurst” is simply a German word for “sausage”.

72. “Ditto” AS AM I
“Ditto” was originally used in Italian (from Tuscan dialect) to avoid repetition of the names of months in a series of dates. So, “ditto” is just another wonderful import from that lovely land …

74. Altar up above ARA
The constellation of Ara takes its name from the Latin word for “altar”.

75. 87-Across fashion center MILAN
(87A. Salentina Peninsula country ITALY)
Milan (“Milano” in Italian) is Italy’s second largest city, second only to Rome. Milan is a European fashion capital, the headquarters for the big Italian fashion houses of Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Armani, Prada and others. Mario Prada was even born in Milan, and helped establish the city’s reputation in the world of fashion.

82. Harper’s Weekly caricaturist NAST
Thomas Nast was an American caricaturist and cartoonist. He was the creator of the Republican Party elephant, the Democratic Party donkey, Uncle Sam and the image of the plump and jocular Santa Claus that we use today.

“Harper’s Weekly” was a political magazine published in New York City from 1857 until 1916. One of the most famous features of “Harper’s Weekly” was the cartoons of Thomas Nast.

83. Bawling, for crying out loud: Abbr. SYN
“Bawling” is a synonym of “crying out loud”.

88. Don Quixote, for one SPANIARD
The full name of Cervantes’ novel is “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha”. In the story, Don Quixote is a retired country gentleman who heads out as a knight-errant and who renames himself Don Quixote of la Mancha. In his mind he designates a neighboring farm girl called Aldonza Lorenzo as his lady love, and renames her Dulcinea del Toboso.

91. Brand with a paw print in its logo IAMS
Iams dog food was produced by the animal nutritionist Paul Iams. He felt that household pets were suffering somewhat by being fed a diet of table scraps, so he developed a dry dog food that he felt was more nutritious and suitable for pet dogs. He founded the Iams company, now part of Procter & Gamble, in 1946.

105. Torah holders ARKS
The Torah ark is found in a synagogue, and is the ornamental container in which are stored the Torah scrolls. The word “Torah” best translates as “teaching”, I am told.

106. Luke’s twin LEIA
Princess Leia is Luke Skywalker’s twin sister in the original “Star Wars” trilogy and was played by Carrie Fisher. Carrie Fisher has stated that she hated the famous “cinnamon bun hairstyle” that she had to wear in the films, as she felt it made her face look too round. She also had to to sit for two hours every day just to get her hair styled. Two hours to get your hair done? It takes me just two seconds …

108. Woody’s son ARLO
Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for their singing of protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m 34s. In the song Guthrie tells how, after being drafted, he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War based on his criminal record. He had only one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest for littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.

109. Take for a ride BILK
The word “bilk”, meaning “to defraud”, comes from the card game of cribbage.

111. “Semper Fi” org. USMC
“Semper Fidelis” (often shortened to “Semper Fi”) is the motto of the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The phrase is Latin and means “Always Faithful”. The US Marine Corps isn’t the only military unit using “Semper Fidelis” as a motto . It’s also used by the Portuguese Marine Corps, the Republic of China Marine Corps and the Swiss Grenadiers.

112. Biblical name meaning “hairy” ESAU
Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother Rebekah gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).

113. They’re often pickled SOTS
Our word “sot” comes from the Old English “sott”, meaning a fool. The word “sot” started to be associated with alcohol and not just foolery in the late 1500s.

115. Walgreens rival CVS
The name of the drugstore chain CVS once stood for Consumer Value Stores, although these days the company uses the initialism to denote Convenience, Value and Service.

Walgreens is the largest chain of drugstores in the United States, with over 7,500 retail outlets. The company is named for the owner of the first store and founder of the chain, Charles R. Walgreen.

117. Ping-Pong need NET
Ping-Pong is called table tennis in the UK, where the sport originated in the 1880s. Table tennis started as an after-dinner activity among the elite, and was called “wiff-waff”. To play the game, books were stacked in the center of a table as a “net”, two more books served as “”rackets” and the ball used was actually a golf ball. The game evolved over time with the rackets being upgraded to the lids of cigar boxes and the ball becoming a champagne cork (how snooty is that?). Eventually the game was produced commercially, and the sound of the ball hitting the racket was deemed to be a “ping” and a “pong”, giving the sport its alternative name.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Check some figures? OGLE
5. Mulching material PEAT
9. Hot spot RANGE
14. It leaves trails JET
17. Song often sung in Italian ARIA
18. Tiny tank plant ALGA
19. Brain freeze-causing drinks ICEES
20. Photo subject for NASA’s New Horizons PLUTO
22. “Forever” purchase FIRST CLASS STAMP
25. Broad-leaved ornamental HOSTA
26. Desert climate feature DRY HEAT
27. Blog updates POSTS
28. Like easier-to-swallow pills COATED
29. “__ Miniver” MRS
30. Strain to lift HEFT
32. Humana rival AETNA
33. Chinese gambling mecca MACAO
36. Sloppy, as security LAX
37. Sauce with a kick TABASCO
41. “The Simpsons” disco guy STU
44. “Suits me fine!” I SURE DO!
46. Government meeting for delicate subjects CLOSED SESSION
49. Storage medium DISK
50. Bulgarian capital SOFIA
52. Enterprise counselor TROI
53. Capital with a Viking Ship Museum OSLO
54. Prohibition era gun GAT
55. Simple to use, in adspeak NO FUSS, NO MUSS
58. Reminders on cards CUES
59. “Feliz año nuevo” time ENERO
61. “You __ right!” ARE SO
62. Champion TITLIST
64. Like Gen. Powell RETD
66. More painful SORER
69. __ year LEAP
70. WWII Navy vessel named for the 29th state USS IOWA
73. Ocular sign of mischief GLEAM
76. On the ball ALERT
79. Puerto Rico, por ejemplo ISLA
80. Corporate uncertainty BUSINESS RISK
84. Cedar Rapids campus COE
85. Marsh duck TEAL
86. Hindu deity RAMA
87. Salentina Peninsula country ITALY
88. Bowl over STUN
89. Judge’s decree CASE DISMISSED
93. Three-syllable foot ANAPEST
95. FDR successor HST
96. Erode EAT INTO
97. “Kung Fu” actor Philip AHN
99. Gets one’s feet wet WADES
100. Bombards with e-junk SPAMS
102. Yucatán native MAYA
104. Billion-year span EON
105. Takes in, say ALTERS
107. Weapon in a scabbard SABER
110. Nutmeg State team HUSKIES
114. Kingdom REALM
115. It has a November kickoff CHRISTMAS SEASON
118. Kunta __ of “Roots” KINTE
119. Ritzy retreat VILLA
120. “Oy vey!” AH ME!
121. Figure of interest? RATE
122. Blue SAD
123. Great __ Mountains SMOKY
124. Orgs. that donate to runners PACS
125. Do some cleaning DUST

Down
1. Clumsy type OAF
2. Electrical system GRID
3. New York MTA-owned commuter line LIRR
4. Patsy EASY MARK
5. Treasure map units PACES
6. “__ Enchanted”: 2004 film ELLA
7. Aunt in P.G. Wodehouse’s “Jeeves” stories AGATHA
8. Prof’s aides TAS
9. Ristorante rice dish RISOTTO
10. Play times? ACTS
11. Trim NEAT
12. Peridot and garnet GEMS
13. Claim subject to debate ESP
14. “Aha!” JUST AS I SUSPECTED!
15. Relative of -let -ETTE
16. Pond hopper TOAD
20. Instagram fodder PHOTOS
21. Wells Fargo product LOAN
23. Pain usually pluralized THROE
24. UV-blocker rating syst. SPF
28. Gospel singer Winans CECE
31. Takes out EXCISES
32. St. Clare’s town ASSISI
33. Tiny biting fly MIDGE
34. Like most people ASIAN
35. Great Sioux War of 1876 event CUSTER’S LAST STAND
36. Sponge made from a vine fruit LOOFA
38. Regarding AS TO
39. Highway noise barrier BERM
40. Score after deuce AD OUT
42. Vacancy sign TO LET
43. Pizzeria chain, familiarly UNO’S
45. Brit. military award DSO
47. Loop on the range LASSO
48. Get-together SOCIAL
51. What a Sphynx cat lacks FUR
55. “Don’t look at me!” NOT I!
56. 53-Across locale, to natives NORGE
57. Cardinal cap letters STL
60. Flea market deal RESALE
63. Reporter’s source LEAK
65. Bio info DOB
67. Borden spokescow ELSIE
68. Tour de France downtime REST DAY
70. __ directed USE AS
71. Lousy sausages? WURSTS
72. “Ditto” AS AM I
74. Altar up above ARA
75. 87-Across fashion center MILAN
77. Stir ROUSE
78. Places for cots TENTS
79. Sign of a recent bite ITCH
81. Hacker’s cry I’M IN!
82. Harper’s Weekly caricaturist NAST
83. Bawling, for crying out loud: Abbr. SYN
88. Don Quixote, for one SPANIARD
90. “Gosh!” DEAR ME!
91. Brand with a paw print in its logo IAMS
92. “The rumor is … ” SOME SAY …
94. Got up AWOKE
98. “Very funny!” HA HA HA!
101. Hit with hail, say PELT
103. Museum pieces ART
104. Twisty turns … and the “quad” in each of this puzzle’s eight longest answers ESSES
105. Torah holders ARKS
106. Luke’s twin LEIA
107. Thin strip of wood SHIM
108. Woody’s son ARLO
109. Take for a ride BILK
111. “Semper Fi” org. USMC
112. Biblical name meaning “hairy” ESAU
113. They’re often pickled SOTS
115. Walgreens rival CVS
116. Hiking guide MAP
117. Ping-Pong need NET

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