Day: May 1, 2016

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
6. Journalist Roberts COKIE
Cokie Roberts is a great journalist and author, best known for her work with National Public Radio.

11. Tests with printed patterns, briefly ECGS
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.

19. 1814 treaty site GHENT
Ghent is a city in the Flemish region of Belgium. The War of 1812 (between Britain and the US) was formally concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent IN 1814. The American negotiating team in Ghent included Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams.

20. Dadaism pioneer ERNST
Max Ernst was a painter and sculptor, a pioneer in the Dada movement and Surrealism. Ernst was born near Cologne in Germany in 1891 and he was called up to fight in WWI, as were most young German men at that time. In his autobiography he writes “Max Ernst died the 1st of August, 1914” a statement about his experiences in the war. In reality, Ernst died in 1976 having lived to the ripe old age of 85.

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.

21. Worn item that actually originated in Ecuador PANAMA HAT
Panama hats are also known as Jipijapas, named for a town in Ecuador (and not Panama, surprisingly) that was a major player in the hat trade.

23. Perfect apartment deal? GOLDEN LEASE (from “Golden Fleece”)
The Golden Fleece was the fleece of a winged ram made from pure gold that was held by King Aeëtes in Colchis, a kingdom on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. The fleece is central to the tale of Jason and the Argonauts, who set out on a quest to steal the fleece by order of King Pelias.

25. Saying “Break a leg,” say? STAGE RITE (from “stage fright”)
There are many, many colorful theories for the origins of the expression “break a leg”, used in the world of theater to mean “good luck”. Regardless of the origin, what is clear is that using the phrase “good luck” is considered to be very bad luck.

26. “TMI!” SPARE ME!
Too much information! (TMI)

30. Descendant of Sperry Rand UNISYS
Unisys is an IT services and consulting company that was founded in 1986 as the American Arithmometer Company.

45. Preview to a view, for short IMO
In my opinion (IMO)

49. Islands staple TARO
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.

55. N.L. lineup absentees DHS
Designated hitters (DHs)

58. The 114th began in 2015 CONGRESS
The 114th US Congress first met in January 2015. With a majority in both the House of Representatives and in the Senate, the 114th Congress began with the largest Republican majority since 1931.

62. “Roundabout” rockers YES
Yes are a rock band from England that formed in 1968 and were most successful in the 1980s. The band’s biggest hit was “Owner of a Lonely Heart” from 1983.

67. Singer Mann AIMEE
Aimee Mann is a rock singer and guitarist from Virginia. Mann is married to Michael Penn, the brother of actor Sean Penn.

71. Traditional wisdom about hustlers? DANCE LORE (from “dance floor”)
The hustle is a disco dance.

74. Ernie Banks epithet MR CUB
First baseman Ernie Banks was known as “Mr. Cub”, and played his entire 19-year professional career with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs retired Banks’ uniform number 14 in 1982, making him the first Cubs player to be so honored.

76. Karnak’s country EGYPT
The Karnak Temple Complex is located near Luxor on the banks of the River Nile in Egypt. The most famous structure at Karnak is the Great Temple of Amun.

89. Lager alternative ALE
Lager is so called because of the tradition of cold-storing the beer during fermentation. “Lager” is the German word for “storage”.

95. Astronomers’ monthly reading? “ORBS” MAGAZINE (from “‘Forbes’ magazine”)
“Forbes” is a business magazine that has been published since 1917, when it was founded by B. C. Forbes and Walter Drey. The full name of the original publication was “Forbes: Devoted to Doers and Doings”. “Forbes” is noted for publishing lists of the biggest and richest in the world of business. In 2014, “Forbes” listed the 2000 largest public companies in the world and showed for the first time that the three biggest companies are based in China.

101. Canton natives OHIOANS
The city of Canton, Ohio is located 60 miles south of Cleveland in the northeastern part of the state. It was founded in 1805 and was named for the Chinese city of Guangzhou (often “Canton” in English). Canton, Ohio is a home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and to the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

103. Key part of Bruce Wayne’s wardrobe BATSUIT
Batman and Robin are unique among their superhero compatriots in that they have no special powers, just a whole load of cool gadgets. Batman is sometimes referred to as the Caped Crusader, Robin as the Boy Wonder, and the pair as the Dynamic Duo.

104. 10001 letters NY, NY
The ZIP code 10001 covers much of Midtown Manhattan.

105. “M.O.” rapper NELLY
Nelly is the stage name of rap artist Cornell Haynes, Jr. from Austin, Texas.

107. Emulate Cher in the ’70s GO SOLO
Cher’s real name is Cherilyn Sarkisian, born in 1946. In her acting career, Cher was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar of 1984 for her performance in “Silkwood”. She went further in 1988 and won the Best Actress Oscar for playing Loretta Castorini in “Moonstruck”.

113. Valley where David fought Goliath ELAH
In the story of David and Goliath, the Israelites and the Philistines faced each other in battle at the Valley of Elah. Goliath was the warrior champion of the Philistines and each day he challenged the Israelites to send out their champion to decide the battle in a one-on-one fight. No one was courageous enough to accept the challenge until young David agreed to face the mighty Goliath. And of course David felled the giant soldier with a stone from his sling.

119. Song about a yellow ribbon? OAK BALLAD (from “folk ballad”)
A yellow ribbon is symbolically worn by people awaiting the return of a loved one, usually from military service overseas, but also from a penal institution. The song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” tells the tale of a convict returning home. His loyal loved one is waiting for him and she ties a whole boatload of yellow ribbons around the old oak tree to greet him.

127. Ottoman Empire founder OSMAN
Osman I was the man who established the Ottoman Dynasty, with “Ottoman” coming from the name “Osman”. This is despite the fact that the “Ottoman Empire” came about with the conquest of Constantinople, and that didn’t happen until almost 130 years after Osman I died.

128. Banned apple spray ALAR
The chemical name for Alar, a plant growth regulator and color enhancer, is daminozide. Alar was primarily used on apples but was withdrawn from the market when it was linked to cancer.

129. Part of Q.E.D. ERAT
QED is used at the end of a mathematical proof or a philosophical argument. The QED abbreviation stands for the Latin “quod erat demonstrandum” meaning “that which was to be demonstrated”.

130. Cher’s former partner SONNY
Sonny Bono was a recording artist who later moved into the world of politics. As a musical entertainer, Bono was most famous for his recordings as a duo with Cher, who later became his second wife. The couple divorced, but continued to work together. Bono went into politics, first as the mayor of Palm Springs, California and later as a representative for a California district in the US House of Representatives. Sadly, Bono was killed in a skiing accident in 1998. Coincidently, Michael Kennedy (son of Robert F. Kennedy) had died in a similar skiing accident just one week earlier. The epitaph on Bono’s gravestone reads “And the Beat Goes On”, a reference to the 1967 Sonny & Cher hit “The Beat Goes On”, which was written by Sonny.

Down
3. Ward of Hollywood SELA
The actress Sela Ward turns up in crosswords a lot. Ward played Teddy Reed in the TV show “Sisters” in the nineties, and was in “Once and Again” from 1999-2002. I don’t know either show, but I do know Ward from the medical drama “House” in which she played the hospital’s lawyer and Greg House’s ex-partner. That was a fun role, I thought. More recently Ward played a lead role on “CSI: NY” and was a very welcome and much-needed addition to the cast …

5. Dutchman who painted “The Surprise” STEEN
Jan Steen was a Dutch painter active in the Dutch Golden Age, the 17th century. Steen’s most famous work is probably “The Feast of Saint Nicholas”, which you can see at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

6. Frozen pizza brand CELESTE
Celeste frozen pizza was named after a real life Celeste, Celeste Lizio who came from Italy and who lived in Chicago starting in the 1930s. Celeste and her husband closed their restaurant in Chicago and turned to the sale of pizzas.

8. Hiker’s burden KNAPSACK
“Knapsack” is a Low German word for a bag with straps designed to be carried on the back. The word “knapsack” probably comes from the German verb “knappen” meaning “to eat”.

11. Some 45-rpm records EPS
An extended play record (EP) contains more music than a single, but less than an LP.

16. Sushi fish AHI
Yellowfin tuna is usually marketed as “ahi”, its Hawaiian name. Yellowfin tuna is one big fish, often weighing over 300 pounds.

17. 2015 N.L. MVP Bryce Harper, e.g. NAT
Bryce Harper is an MLB right fielder. One of Harper’s claims to fame is that he was the youngest player ever to be selected for the All-Star Game. That was in 2012 when he was 19 years of age.

18. Old AT&T rival GTE
GTE (formerly “General Telephone & Electric”) was a rival to AT&T, the largest of the independent competitors to the Bell System. GTE merged with Bell Atlantic in 2000 to form the company that we know today as Verizon.

24. Abbr. for people with only two names NMI
No middle initial (NMI)

31. Desires YENS
The word “yen”, meaning “urge”, has been around in English since the very early 1900s. It comes from the earlier word “yin” imported from Chinese, which was used in English to describe an intense craving for opium!

35. Supply at the thermometer factory? READY MERCURY (from “Freddie Mercury”)
Freddie Mercury was a British singer-songwriter who was lead singer for the rock group Queen. Mercury wrote many of Queen’s hits, including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Somebody to Love”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “We Are the Champions”. Mercury’s real name was Farrokh Bulsara, and he was born to Parsi parents in Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) in East Africa. He grew up mainly in India, and arrived in England at the age of 17 when his family had flee from the Zanzibar Revolution.

36. Chapel Hill athlete TAR HEEL
The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill started enrolling students way back in 1795, making it the oldest public university in the country (the first to enrol students).

Tar Heel is a nickname for anyone living in, or from, the state of North Carolina. As such, it is the nickname also of the athletic teams of the University of North Carolina. No one seems to know for sure where the term “Tar Heel” originated, but it is thought to be related to the historical importance of the tar, pitch and turpentine industries that thrived in the state due to the presence of vast forests of pine trees.

37. Eponymous Fox weekly news show STOSSEL
John Stossel used to co-anchor the ABC news show “20/20”. Now Stossel works for the Fox News Channel and hosts a weekly news show simply called “Stossel”.

39. Biblical prophet AMOS
Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible.

42. Stylish CHIC
“Chic” is a French word meaning “stylish”.

47. Radiation units REMS
The contemporary standard radiation dosage unit is the “roentgen equivalent in man”, abbreviated to “rem”.

48. Like a June day, to Lowell SO RARE
James Russell Lowell was a Romantic poet from Massachusetts. Lowell was known as one of the Fireside Poets, a group of New England poets who used a simpler style to make their work accessible to the general populace. One his more famous works is the poem that starts, “What is so rare as a day in June?”

51. Reeves of “John Wick” KEANU
Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor whose most celebrated roles were a metalhead in “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1989), a cop in “Speed” (1994) and the main antagonist Neo in “The Matrix” series of films. Although Reeves is a Canadian national, he was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Reeves has some Hawaiian descent, and the name “Keanu” is Hawaiian for “the coldness”.

“John Wick” is a 2014 action movie starring Keanu Reeves in the title role. Reeves plays a retired hitman who goes on a killing spree to avenge the murder of his dog.

54. Codebreaker’s org. NSA
The National Security Agency (NSA) was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense since 1949. The NSA has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that established the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the organization’s nickname … “No Such Agency”.

59. “Awake and Sing!” dramatist ODETS
The first play that American playwright Clifford Odets had produced was “Waiting for Lefty”, in 1935. However, the first play he wrote was “Awake and Sing!”, which was produced soon after “Waiting for Lefty”, and is the play that many consider his masterpiece.

60. Patriots’ org. NFL
The New England Patriots football team was founded in 1959 as the Boston Patriots. The “Patriots” name was selected from suggestions made by football fans in Boston. The team played at several different stadiums in the Boston area for just over ten years, before moving to their current home base in Foxborough, Massachusetts. At the time of the move, the “Boston” name was dropped and changed to “New England”.

64. Croatian capital ZAGREB
Zagreb is the capital city of the European Republic of Croatia. Zagreb has been around a long, long time, and dates back to the diocese of Zagreb that was founded at the end of 11th century.

65. Companion of Ares ENYO
Enyo was a Greek goddess of war, a companion to the war god Ares. Enyo was also the sister of Ares, and the daughter of Zeus and Hera.

69. “Nature” author EMERSON
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an essayist and poet who was active in the mid-1800s. Most of the essays that Emerson wrote were composed originally as lectures and then revised for print.

70. Live partner BREATHE
As I live and breathe …

72. Tax season VIP CPA
Certified public accountant (CPA)

75. “I need a short break” BRB
Be right back (brb)

78. Belmonts frontman DION
Dion and the Belmonts were a vocal group from the fifties who had success in the late fifties. The four singers were from the Bronx in New York, with two living on Belmont Avenue, hence the name that was chosen. Perhaps the biggest hits for Dion and the Belmonts were “A Teenager in Love” and “Where or When”.

90. Texas Air Force base LAUGHLIN
Del Rio is a border city in Texas, sitting opposite the Ciudad Acuña in the Mexican state of Coahuila. Del Rio was chosen as the site for Laughlin Air Force Base back in the forties. It was closed after a few years, but reopened during the Cold War mainly for flight training. Laughlin is now the busiest flight training base in the US Air Force.

91. He played Emile in Broadway’s “South Pacific” EZIO
Ezio Pinza was an opera singer from Italy. Pinza performed for many years with the Metropolitan Opera in New York before retiring from the Met in 1948. He then launched a career on Broadway and in Hollywood.

The 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific” is based on stories from the 1947 book “Tales of the South Pacific” by James A. Michener. “South Pacific” really is a classic show, featuring some classic songs like “Bali Ha’i”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”, “Some Enchanted Evening” and “Happy Talk”.

96. Agcy. that aids start-ups SBA
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a government agency with the mission of assisting small businesses. The SBA doesn’t give loans itself, but it does act as a guarantor under the right circumstances. The SBA was set up in 1953, and isn’t a favorite with fiscal conservatives.

106. Togo neighbor GHANA
The name “Ghana” means “warrior king” in the local language. The British established a colony they called Gold Coast in 1874, later to become Ghana, as part of the scramble by Europeans to settle as much of Africa as they could. One of Ghana’s most famous sons is Kofi Annan, the diplomat that served as General Secretary of the UN for ten years until the beginning of 2007.

Togo is a country on the West African coast, one of the smallest nations on the continent. It is located between Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north.

108. Every, in an Rx OMN
“Omni” is Latin for “all”, or “every” in the context of a medical prescription. On a prescription, “omni” is usually abbreviated to “omn”.

There seems to some uncertainty about the origin of the symbol “Rx” that’s used for a medical prescription. One explanation is that it comes from the astrological sign for Jupiter, a symbol put on prescriptions in days of old to invoke Jupiter’s blessing to help a patient recover.

109. The 5,922 of a Taj Mahal model LEGOS
Lego sells a kit for the erection of a model Taj Mahal. It apparently takes over 50 hours to assemble the 5,922 pieces.

112. Mark indicating a musical phrase SLUR
In the world of music, a “slur” is curved line that connects neighboring notes that are to be played smoothly, without separation.

114. Dr. Seuss’s “Horton Hears __” A WHO
Horton the elephant turns up in two books by Dr. Seuss, “Horton Hatches the Egg” and “Horton Hears a Who!”

119. Ipanema greeting OLA
Ipanema is a beach community in the south of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The name Ipanema is a local word meaning “bad water”, signifying that the shore is bad for fishing. The beach became famous on release of the song “The Girl from Ipanema” written in 1965.

121. Mauna __ KEA
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the peak of which is the highest point in the whole state. Mauna Kea is in effect the tip of a gigantic volcano rising up from the seabed.

122. Banned bug spray DDT
DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (don’t forget now!). DDT was used with great success to control disease-carrying insects during WWII, and when made available for use after the war it became by far the most popular pesticide. And then Rachel Carson published her famous book “Silent Spring”, suggesting there was a link between DDT and diminishing populations of certain wildlife. It was the public outcry sparked by the book, and reports of links between DDT and cancer, that led to the ban on the use of the chemical in 1972. That ban is touted as the main reason that the bald eagle was rescued from near extinction.

124. Novelist Deighton LEN
I used to walk my dog right past author Len Deighton’s house years ago, as we lived in the same village in Ireland (probably my only claim to fame!). Deighton wrote the excellent espionage thriller “The IPCRESS File”, made into a 1965 movie starring Michael Caine.

Return to top of page

For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Some “No Passing” road sections ESSES
6. Journalist Roberts COKIE
11. Tests with printed patterns, briefly ECGS
15. “Phooey!” DANG!
19. 1814 treaty site GHENT
20. Dadaism pioneer ERNST
21. Worn item that actually originated in Ecuador PANAMA HAT
23. Perfect apartment deal? GOLDEN LEASE (from “Golden Fleece”)
25. Saying “Break a leg,” say? STAGE RITE (from “stage fright”)
26. “TMI!” SPARE ME!
27. __ Authority PORT
29. Minor adjustment TWEAK
30. Descendant of Sperry Rand UNISYS
32. Likely to pry NOSY
34. “Phooey!” NERTS!
38. Traditionally red structure BARN
41. Roller with leaves TEACART
43. Situation of intense scrutiny HOT SEAT
45. Preview to a view, for short IMO
46. Plumbing school basic? WRENCH LESSON (from “French lesson”)
49. Islands staple TARO
50. “__ here!” LOOKEE
52. Glide on powder SKI
53. Portent OMEN
55. N.L. lineup absentees DHS
56. Highly values ESTEEMS
58. The 114th began in 2015 CONGRESS
62. “Roundabout” rockers YES
63. Flip over CAPSIZE
66. It has all five black keys in its scale D-FLAT
67. Singer Mann AIMEE
69. Black, in verse EBON
71. Traditional wisdom about hustlers? DANCE LORE (from “dance floor”)
73. Go like hotcakes SELL
74. Ernie Banks epithet MR CUB
76. Karnak’s country EGYPT
77. “Please help me out” BE A DEAR
80. Sound of fear EEK!
81. Sunday dinner entrée RIB ROAST
84. Little shooter MINICAM
87. Traitor RAT
88. Scottish hillside BRAE
89. Lager alternative ALE
92. Working ON DUTY
93. Top-billed STAR
95. Astronomers’ monthly reading? “ORBS” MAGAZINE (from “‘Forbes’ magazine”)
100. CD-__ ROM
101. Canton natives OHIOANS
103. Key part of Bruce Wayne’s wardrobe BATSUIT
104. 10001 letters NY, NY
105. “M.O.” rapper NELLY
106. Many a reception GALA
107. Emulate Cher in the ’70s GO SOLO
110. __ law LEASH
113. Valley where David fought Goliath ELAH
115. Came out EMERGED
119. Song about a yellow ribbon? OAK BALLAD (from “folk ballad”)
123. Hooting, mostly? OWL LANGUAGE (from “foul language”)
125. Relax LIE AROUND
126. Backs (away) SHIES
127. Ottoman Empire founder OSMAN
128. Banned apple spray ALAR
129. Part of Q.E.D. ERAT
130. Cher’s former partner SONNY
131. Storage facilities SHEDS

Down
1. They’re usually broken before use EGGS
2. Mom-and-pop enterprise SHOP
3. Ward of Hollywood SELA
4. Evasive strategy END RUN
5. Dutchman who painted “The Surprise” STEEN
6. Frozen pizza brand CELESTE
7. Rock to refine ORE
8. Hiker’s burden KNAPSACK
9. Schoolyard retort IS SO!
10. Infinite ETERNAL
11. Some 45-rpm records EPS
12. Showing one’s claws, so to speak CATTY
13. Nibble GNAW
14. Wise one SAGE
15. Most gloomy DARKEST
16. Sushi fish AHI
17. 2015 N.L. MVP Bryce Harper, e.g. NAT
18. Old AT&T rival GTE
22. Was serious about MEANT
24. Abbr. for people with only two names NMI
28. Raced TORE
31. Desires YENS
33. Rd. atlas listings STS
35. Supply at the thermometer factory? READY MERCURY (from “Freddie Mercury”)
36. Chapel Hill athlete TARHEEL
37. Eponymous Fox weekly news show STOSSEL
38. Anger BILE
39. Biblical prophet AMOS
40. Beet-flavored drink? ROOT COCKTAIL (from “fruit cocktail”)
42. Stylish CHIC
43. Betting favorite, often HOME TEAM
44. People ONES
46. Cry WEEP
47. Radiation units REMS
48. Like a June day, to Lowell SO RARE
51. Reeves of “John Wick” KEANU
54. Codebreaker’s org. NSA
57. “May I approach” court conferences SIDEBARS
59. “Awake and Sing!” dramatist ODETS
60. Patriots’ org. NFL
61. Goo amount GLOB
64. Croatian capital ZAGREB
65. Companion of Ares ENYO
68. “Again … ” I SAID …
69. “Nature” author EMERSON
70. Live partner BREATHE
72. Tax season VIP CPA
75. “I need a short break” BRB
78. Belmonts frontman DION
79. Kin of -trix -ENNE
82. Golfer’s choice IRON
83. Luggage danglers TAGS
85. Loads A TON
86. “Goodness!” MY MY!
90. Texas Air Force base LAUGHLIN
91. He played Emile in Broadway’s “South Pacific” EZIO
94. Racecar safety feature ROLL BAR
96. Agcy. that aids start-ups SBA
97. Guy MALE
98. Stumped AT A LOSS
99. “Piece of cake” IT’S EASY
102. Annually A YEAR
104. “I have time” NO RUSH
106. Togo neighbor GHANA
108. Every, in an Rx OMN
109. The 5,922 of a Taj Mahal model LEGOS
111. Natural balm ALOE
112. Mark indicating a musical phrase SLUR
114. Dr. Seuss’s “Horton Hears __” A WHO
116. Phone download GAME
117. “Goodness!” EGAD!
118. TV sites DENS
119. Ipanema greeting OLA
120. Confine to bed, maybe AIL
121. Mauna __ KEA
122. Banned bug spray DDT
124. Novelist Deighton LEN

Return to top of page