Constructed by: Gareth Bain
Edited by: Rich Norris
Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
Theme: Stock Split
The circled letters in today’s themed answers spell out a type of LIVESTOCK. The name of that animal is SPLIT between the start and end of the answers, so we have a STOCK SPLIT:
- 58A…Wall Street announcement … or a hint to the circled letters..STOCK SPLIT
- 18A…*Steinbeck novel set in Monterey..CANNERY ROW (c-ow split)
- 23A…*Starter..HORS D’OEUVRE (h-orse split)
- 35A…*China server..GRAVY BOAT (g-oat split)
- 52A…*Refinery job..PIPEFITTING (pi-g split)
Bill’s time: 10m 08s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5…Parts of gigs..MEGS
In the world of computers, a “bit” is the basic unit of information. It has a value of 0 or 1. A “byte” is a small collection of bits (usually 8), the number of bits needed to uniquely identify a character of text. The prefix mega- stands for 10 to the power of 6, so a megabyte (meg) is 1,000,000 bytes. And the prefix giga- means 10 to the power of 9, so a gigabyte (gig) is 1,000,000,000 bytes. Well, those are the SI definitions of megabyte and kilobyte. The purists still use 2 to the power of 20 for a megabyte (i.e. 1,048,576), and 2 to the power of 30 for a gigabyte.
14…Parrier’s tool..EPEE
In competitive fencing, a parry is a maneuver that blocks an attack by an opponent. There are actually nine defined ways to execute a parry.
15…Rent-a-car choice..AVIS
Avis has been around since 1946, and is the second largest car rental agency after Hertz. Avis has the distinction of being the first car rental company to locate a branch at an airport.
16…African city that hosts an annual international film festival..CAIRO
The Cairo International Film Festival has been held almost every year since 1976. Egypt is home to the largest film industry in the Arab world.
18…*Steinbeck novel set in Monterey..CANNERY ROW (c-ow split)
“Cannery Row” is a novel by John Steinbeck that was first published in 1945. The title refers to the street in Monterey, California known as Cannery Row that is home to now-defunct sardine canning factories. Back in 1945 the street was called Ocean View Avenue, but it was renamed in 1958 in recognition of the Steinbeck novel.
20…”Homeland” airer, briefly..SHO
“Homeland” is a psychological drama shown on Showtime about a CIA officer who is convinced that a certain US Marine is a threat to the security of the United States. The show is based on a series from Israeli television called “Hatufim” (Prisoners of War”). I saw the first series of this show and highly recommend it …
21…GPS options..RDS
When planning a route, a Global Positioning System (GPS) recommends certain roads (rds.).
23…*Starter..HORS D’OEUVRE (h-orse split)
An hors d’oeuvre is the first course in a meal. “Hors d’oeuvre” translates from French as “apart from the work”, really meaning “not the main course”.
27…”__ the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”..IT’S
“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is 1966 TV special featuring characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. It was aired as a special for Halloween.
30…Viennese “a”..EIN
Vienna is the capital of Austria. Vienna has a long musical tradition and was home to Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss (I and II), Josef Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms and Gustav Mahler. As such, Vienna is sometimes called the “City of Music”. It is also called the “City of Dreams” as it was home to the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.
33…Story __..ARC
A story arc is a continuing storyline in say a television show that has a number of episodes. Story arcs are also found in comics, books, video games, and other forms of media.
34…Michaelmas mo…SEPT
“Michaelmas” is the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, a day in the Western Christian calendar. Michaelmas is September 29th every year, and is associated with the beginning of fall.
35…*China server..GRAVY BOAT (g-oat split)
The ceramic known as “porcelain” can be referred to as “china” or “fine china”, as porcelain was developed in China.
46…Dark side..YIN
The yin and the yang can be explained using many different metaphors. In one, as the sun shines on a mountain, the side in the shade is the yin and the side in the light is the yang. The yin is also regarded as the feminine side, and the yang the masculine. The yin can also be associated with the moon, while the yang is associated with the sun.
47…Bill encl…SAE
An SAE is a “stamped, addressed envelope”. An SASE is a “self-addressed, stamped envelope”.
48…Texas home of Hardin-Simmons University..ABILENE
Hardin-Simmons University is a private school that was established in 1891 in Abilene, Texas as the Abilene Baptist College. The name changed in 1892 to Simmons College and to Hardin-Simmons University in 1934, in recognition of major benefactors.
51…All Hallows __..EVE
All Saints’ Day is November 1st each year. The day before All Saints’ Day is All Hallows’ Eve, better known by the Scottish term, “Halloween”.
54…”Four Quartets” poet..ELIOT
T. S. Eliot was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948, largely due to his “Four Quartets”, a set of four poems that Eliot himself considered to be his life’s masterpiece.
56…Obsolescent PC component..CRT
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
58…Wall Street announcement … or a hint to the circled letters..STOCK SPLIT
The face value (also “par value”) of a stock changes with a stock split. For example, a 2-for-1 split results in twice as much stock outstanding, so the price is halved. In a reverse stock split, less stock is outstanding.
61…New Orleans feature..LEVEE
A levee is an artificial bank usually made of earth, running along the length of a river. A levee is designed to hold back river water at a time of potential flooding. “Levée” is the French word for “raised” and is an American term that originated in French-speaking New Orleans around 1720.
62…Self-defense spray..MACE
Mace is actually a brand name, originally introduced by Lake Erie Chemical when they started to manufacture “Chemical Mace”, with the name being a play on the club-like weapon from days of old. Mace was originally a form of tear gas, but Mace today uses a formula that is actually a pepper spray, a different formulation.
63…Skin..PELT
The “pelt” is the skin of a furry animal.
65…Rigel or Arcturus..STAR
Rigel is the sixth brightest star in the night sky, and the brightest star in the constellation of Orion. If you can imagine the stars in Orion laid out, Rigel is at his left foot. The name “Rigel” is an abbreviated version of the Arabic term for “Left Foot of the Central One”.
Arcturus is a star in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is the fourth brightest star in the sky, after Sirius, Canopus and Alpha Centauri. The name “Arcturus” comes from the Greek for “Guardian of the Bear”, as is lies in a constellation that is close to the Greater and Lesser Bears (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor).
Down
1…Tea ceremony participant..GEISHA
The Japanese term “geisha” best translates as “artist” or “performing artist”.
3…Hanukkah symbol..MENORAH
There is a seven-branched menorah used symbolically in ancient temples. However, the Hanukkah menorah is a nine-branched lampstand that is lit during the eight-day holiday called Hanukkah. “Menorah” is the Hebrew word for “lamp”.
5…Modern shortcuts..MACROS
A macroinstruction (usually shortened to “macro”) is a set of instructions in a computer program that are abbreviated to one simple command.
7…”Never needs sharpening” brand..GINSU
Ginsu knives are more famous for their hard-sell television ads than they are for their efficacy in the kitchen. The Ginsu phenomenon took off in the seventies when two brothers found a set of knives called “Eversharp” that were being manufactured in Ohio. The brothers changed the brand name to something more exotic, and Japanese in particular (Ginsu), and then produced ads that made references to Japanese martial arts. I think they made a fortune …
8…Tax form no…SSN
Social Security Number (SSN)
10…”Airplane!” actor Robert..HAYS
The 1980 movie “Airplane!” has to be one of the zaniest comedies ever made. The lead roles were Ted Striker (played by Robert Hays) and Elaine Dickinson (played by Julie Hagerty). But it was Leslie Nielsen who stole the show, playing Dr. Barry Rumack. That’s my own humble opinion of course …
12…Become covered with rime..FROST UP
Rime is that beautiful coating of ice that forms on surfaces like roofs, trees and grass, when cold water freezes instantly under the right conditions.
19…Physicist Fermi..ENRICO
Enrico Fermi was born in Rome, Italy. Fermi moved to the US just before WWII, largely to escape the anti-Semitic feelings that were developing in Italy under Mussolini. It was Fermi’s work at the University of Chicago that led to the construction of the world’s first nuclear reactor. Fermi died at 53 years of age from stomach cancer . Cancer was a prevalent cause of death among the team working on that first nuclear pile.
37…Ford, but not Lincoln..VEEP
Gerald Ford is the only person to have served as both Vice President and President of the US, without having been elected to those positions. Ford was nominated by President Richard Nixon to replace Vice President Spiro Agnew after he resigned in 1973. Vice President Ford assumed the presidency the following year after President Nixon resigned.
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the US, elected in 1860 as the first president from the Republican Party. Lincoln’s electoral support came almost exclusively from the north and west of the country, winning only 2 out of 996 counties in the Southern slave states. Lincoln led the country through Civil War, and then was assassinated in 1865 just a few days after Robert E. Lee surrendered his army of Northern Virginia. President Lincoln was succeeded in office by Vice President Andrew Johnson.
40…Rosie, notably..RIVETER
Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon that represented women working in factories across the country during WWII as part of the war effort. The term “Rosie the Riveter” first appeared as the title of a 1942 song that was a national hit.
41…Bob Marley song with the lyric “Let’s get together and feel all right”..ONE LOVE
“One Love” is a classic reggae song from 1977 recorded by Bob Marley and the Wailers. A ska version of “One Love” had been released by the Wailers as early as 1965, but it is the 1977 release that we all remember, I am sure.
48…Where the Zambezi flows..AFRICA
The Zambezi is the largest African river flowing into the Indian Ocean, and the fourth-longest river on the continent. The most famous spot along the Zambezi is Victoria Falls.
50…”Snowy” birds..EGRETS
The Snowy Egret is a small white heron, native to the Americas. At one time the egret species was in danger of extinction due to hunting driven by the demand for plumes for women’s hats.
53…Showiness..ECLAT
“Éclat” can mean a brilliant show of success, or the applause or accolade that one receives. The word derives from the French “éclater” meaning “to splinter, burst out”.
58…Utah metropolis, initially..SLC
Salt Lake City (SLC) was founded by Brigham Young, in 1847. The city takes its name from the Great Salt Lake on which it sits, and indeed was known as “Great Salt Lake City” up until 1868.
59…The U.K.’s Pitt the Elder and Pitt the Younger..PMS
William Pitt, the Elder was the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768. Although a prominent figure in British politics for many years, he refused to accept a title until he took over government of the country. For this refusal, he earned the nickname “The Great Commoner”. It is William Pitt, the Elder who lent his name to the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
William Pitt, the Younger was Prime Minister of Britain from 1783 to 1801, and again from 1804 until 1806. When Pitt first took office, he was only 24 years of age, making him the nation’s youngest ever PM. William Pitt is known as “the Younger” as his father, William Pitt the Elder also served as prime minister, from 1766 to 1768.
60…Mail hub: Abbr…GPO
General post office (GPO)
Complete List of Clues and Answers
Across
1…Teeth setting..GUMS
5…Parts of gigs..MEGS
9…Golf club part..SHAFT
14…Parrier’s tool..EPEE
15…Rent-a-car choice..AVIS
16…African city that hosts an annual international film festival..CAIRO
17…Lacks being..ISN’T
18…*Steinbeck novel set in Monterey..CANNERY ROW (c-ow split)
20…”Homeland” airer, briefly..SHO
21…GPS options..RDS
22…Stick homes..NESTS
23…*Starter..HORS D’OEUVRE (h-orse split)
27…”__ the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”..IT’S
29…Stumped..AT A LOSS
30…Viennese “a”..EIN
31…Ale serving..MUG
32…”Git!”..SHOO!
33…Story __..ARC
34…Michaelmas mo…SEPT
35…*China server..GRAVY BOAT (g-oat split)
39…Guy friends..BROS
42…Like a few hours after midnight..WEE
43…Wait patiently..BIDE
46…Dark side..YIN
47…Bill encl…SAE
48…Texas home of Hardin-Simmons University..ABILENE
51…All Hallows __..EVE
52…*Refinery job..PIPEFITTING (pi-g split)
54…”Four Quartets” poet..ELIOT
56…Obsolescent PC component..CRT
57…With respect to..FOR
58…Wall Street announcement … or a hint to the circled letters..STOCK SPLIT
60…Poke fun at..GIBE
61…New Orleans feature..LEVEE
62…Self-defense spray..MACE
63…Skin..PELT
64…Salad green..CRESS
65…Rigel or Arcturus..STAR
66…Some lyric works..ODES
Down
1…Tea ceremony participant..GEISHA
2…Results..UPSHOTS
3…Hanukkah symbol..MENORAH
4…Solidified, as plans..SET
5…Modern shortcuts..MACROS
6…Gets around..EVADES
7…”Never needs sharpening” brand..GINSU
8…Tax form no…SSN
9…Project at the theater..SCREEN
10…”Airplane!” actor Robert..HAYS
11…Advertiser’s purchase..AIRTIME
12…Become covered with rime..FROST UP
13…Drag behind..TOW
19…Physicist Fermi..ENRICO
24…Arduous jobs..SLOGS
25…Way out..DOOR
26…Action word..VERB
28…Cpl.’s superior..SGT
33…Word to a captain..AYE
34…Support for the circus?..STILT
36…Is in store..AWAITS
37…Ford, but not Lincoln..VEEP
38…Slightly..A BIT
39…Sports schedule advantage..BYE
40…Rosie, notably..RIVETER
41…Bob Marley song with the lyric “Let’s get together and feel all right”..ONE LOVE
44…Put on a pedestal..DEIFIED
45…Raise up..ENNOBLE
47…Bike wheel parts..SPOKES
48…Where the Zambezi flows..AFRICA
49…Caustic..BITTER
50…”Snowy” birds..EGRETS
53…Showiness..ECLAT
55…Gets done in a bakery..ICES
58…Utah metropolis, initially..SLC
59…The U.K.’s Pitt the Elder and Pitt the Younger..PMS
60…Mail hub: Abbr…GPO