Constructed by: Gail Grabowski
Edited by: Rich Norris
Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
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Theme: The More the Merrier
- 25A. Trendy tots’ footwear? : HIP BOOTIES (from “hip boot”)
- 27A. Tipsy tour members? : HIGH ROADIES (from “high road”)
- 45A. Bakery products made with white chocolate? : LIGHT BROWNIES (from “light brown”)
- 83A. Complimentary hotel apparel? : GUEST NIGHTIES (from “guest night”)
- 98A. “Check out those platters of candy and fudge!”? : LOOK! GOODIES! (from “look good”)
- 104A. Tournament-changing scores? : BIG BIRDIES (from “Big Bird”)
- 35D. Snacks Batman can’t have? : ROBIN COOKIES (from “Robin Cook”)
- 40D. Protective tops for cattle drivers? : RANGE HOODIES (from “range hood”)
Bill’s time: 16m 14s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
19. Coastal South American capital : LIMA
Lima is the capital city of Peru. Lima was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who named it “la Ciudad de los Reyes” (the City of Kings). He chose this name because the decision to found the city was made on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany that commemorates the visit of the three kings to Jesus in Bethlehem.
27. Tipsy tour members? : HIGH ROADIES (from “high road”)
A “roadie” is someone who loads, unloads and sets up equipment for musicians on tour, on the road.
30. How Steak Diane is traditionally served : FLAMBE
Flambé is the French word for “flamed”, and was originally a term used to describe certain types of porcelain. The word “flambé” crept into cookery just after 1900.
Steak Diane is pan-fried filet mignon served in a flambéed sauce made from the juices in the pan along with butter, shallots, cream and brandy. The dish is named after Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt.
31. Ermine cousin : MINK
There are two species of mink extant: the European Mink and the American Mink. There used to be a Sea Mink which was much larger than its two cousins, but it was hunted to extinction (for its fur) in the late 1800s. American Minks are farmed over in Europe for fur, and animal rights activists have released many of these animals into the wild when raiding mink farms. As a result the European Mink population has declined due to the presence of its larger and more adaptable American cousin.
The stoat has dark brown fur in the summer, and white fur in the winter. Sometimes the term “ermine” is used for the animal during the winter when the fur is white. Ermine skins have long been prized by royalty and are often used for white trim on ceremonial robes.
41. “Dog Whisperer” Millan : CESAR
Cesar Millan is the real name of television’s “Dog Whisperer”. Millan has been working with overly aggressive dogs on his show “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan” since 2004. Millan was an illegal immigrant from Mexico in the US back in 1990, became legal in 2000 and then became a US citizen in 2009.
44. Extended time off, briefly : LOA
Leave of absence (LOA)
45. Bakery products made with white chocolate? : LIGHT BROWNIES (from “light brown”)
Apparently the first brownies were created for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. The recipe was developed by a pastry chef at the city’s Palmer House Hotel. The idea was to produce a cake-like dessert that was small enough and dainty enough to be eaten by ladies as part of a boxed lunch.
49. HVAC measure : BTU
In the world of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), the power of a heating or cooling unit can be measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). This dated unit is the amount of energy required to heat a pound of water so that the water’s temperature increases by one degree Fahrenheit.
50. It’s near the humerus : ULNA
The humerus is the long bone in the upper arm. The bones in the forearm are the radius and ulna. “Ulna” is the Latin word for “elbow”, and “radius” is Latin for “ray”.
54. Publication sales fig. : CIRC
Circulation (circ.)
55. Diploma word : MAGNA
When an academic degree is awarded, a level of distinction can be noted depending on the degree of success achieved by the student. There are three types of honor, each with a Latin name:
- cum laude: meaning “with honor” (literally “with praise”)
- magna cum laude: meaning “with great honor”
- summa cum laude: meaning “with highest honor”
58. Opposite of belt : CROON
Don’t belt out the song; croon!
59. Co-star of Keanu in “The Whole Truth” : RENEE
“The Whole Truth” is a 2016 legal thriller film starring Keanu Reeves and Renée Zellweger. Apparently Daniel Craig had agreed to play the lead but dropped out of the project a few days before filming was due to start. A few months later, Reeves agreed to take the role.
62. Stake-driving tools : MAULS
A maul is a large, heavy hammer, one often used for driving stakes into the ground. The term comes from the Old French “mail”, and ultimately from the Latin “malleus”, both meaning “hammer”.
74. New York governor Andrew : CUOMO
Andrew Cuomo won the gubernatorial election for the State of New York in 2010. Andrew is the son of former Governor of New York, Mario Cuomo. Andrew was also married for 13 years to Kerry Kennedy, a daughter of Robert F. Kennedy.
78. University town near Bangor : ORONO
The town of Orono is home to the University of Maine, founded in 1862. The college is actually located on an island (Marsh island) lying between the Penobscot and Stillwater rivers. The town of Orono is named after Joseph Orono, a chief of the Penobscot Nation.
Bangor is the third-most populous city in the state of Maine (after Portland and Lewiston). The city was given its name in 1791, after the hymn “Antiphonary of Bangor” that was written at Bangor Abbey in Northern Ireland.
79. Brilliant display : 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”.
81. Emphatic assent, in Sonora : SI SI!
Sonora is the state in Mexico that lies just south of the borders with Arizona and New Mexico. Sonora is the second-largest state in the country, after Chihuahua.
82. Govt.-issued aid : SSI
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is federal program that provides financial relief to persons with low incomes who are 65 or older, or who are blind or disabled. The SSI program is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) even though the the Social Security trust fund is not used for SSI payments. SSI payments come out of general tax revenue.
87. Protective film : ACETATE
The protective film that might be referred to as “acetate” is actually cellulose acetate. The same material is used to make transparencies that can be projected onto a screen. As a result, transparencies are sometimes referred to as “acetates”.
93. “The Picasso of our profession,” to Seinfeld : PRYOR
Richard Pryor was a stand-up comedian and actor from Peoria, Illinois. Pryor had a rough childhood. He was the daughter of a prostitute and was raised in his grandmother’s brothel after his mother abandoned him at the age of ten years. He was regularly beaten by his grandmother, and was molested as a child. Pryor grew up to become the comedian’s comedian, one who was much respected by his peers. Jerry Seinfeld once referred to Pryor as “the Picasso of our profession”.
95. Folk first name : 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.
104. Tournament-changing scores? : BIG BIRDIES (from “Big Bird”)
The man “inside” Big Bird on “Sesame Street” is Caroll Spinney, who has been playing the character since 1969. That’s a long time, so Matt Vogel has been Spinney’s understudy since 1998.
108. Gaucho’s turf : LLANO
“Llano” is the Spanish word for “plain”.
A “gaucho” is someone who lives in the South American pampas, the fertile lowlands in the southeast of South America. The term “gaucho” is also used as the equivalent of our “cowboy”.
110. Kibbles ‘n Bits shelfmate : ALPO
Alpo is a brand of dog food first produced by Allen Products in 1936, with “Alpo” being an abbreviation for “Allen Products”. Lorne Greene used to push Alpo in television spots, as did Ed McMahon and Garfield the Cat, would you believe?
115. Cookware brand : PYREX
Pyrex is a brand of glassware that was developed by Corning. As well as being used in bakeware and laboratory glassware, Pyrex is often the material of choice for optics in large telescopes used in astronomy. Corning’s PYREX (note the capital letters) is made from borosilicate glass, the main ingredients of which are silica and boron trioxide. Such Corning products are only available now outside of the US. Corning divested its consumer products division in 1998, resulting in the formation of World Kitchen. World Kitchen purchased the rights to the “Pyrex” name in the US, and market it as “pyrex” (all lowercase letters). So “PYREX” glassware is made from borosilicate glass, and “pyrex” products are made from cheaper tempered soda-lime glass.
Down
2. Taylor of “Six Feet Under” : LILI
The actress Lili Taylor had supporting roles in films like “Mystic Pizza”, “The Haunting” and “Rudy”, and she had a recurring role in the HBO series “Six Feet Under”.
“Six Feet Under” is reportedly a great TV drama aired on HBO, one that I fully intend to take a look at one day. The “six feet under” is a reference to the show’s storyline which features a family funeral business.
3. Webby Award candidate : E-MAG
The Webby Awards recognize excellent on the Internet, and have been presented since 1995. One interesting twist in the Webby version of the award ceremony is that (theoretically) recipients are limited to five-word acceptance speeches.
4. Words written with an index? : WASH ME
That would be an index finger, writing on a dirty vehicle.
6. Longtime photo lab supplier : KODAK
George Eastman founded the Eastman Kodak Company, named after the Kodak camera that he had invented four years earlier. He came up with the name of Kodak after careful consideration. Firstly he was a big fan of the letter “K”, calling it “strong, incisive”. He also wanted a word that was short, easy to pronounce and difficult to mispronounce, and a word that was clearly unique with no prior associations. “Kodak” fit the bill.
8. Doctor Zhivago : YURI
Doctor Zhivago is an epic novel by Boris Pasternak, first published in 1957. I haven’t tried to read it the book, but the 1965 film version is a must-see, directed by David Lean and starring Omar Sharif in the title role. The story centers on Yuri Zhivago, a doctor and poet, and how he is affected by the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War.
11. Ill-gotten gains : GRIFT
“Grift” is money made dishonestly, especially as the result of a swindle. The term perhaps is an alteration of the the word “graft”, which can have a similar meaning.
13. Noodle sometimes served with a dipping sauce : SOBA
Soba is a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour. In Japan, the word “soba” tends to be used to describe any thin noodle, in contrast with the thicker noodles that are called udon.
16. __ Fit: video exercise game : WII
Wii Fit is popular, very popular. It’s the third bestselling console “game” in history, with over 20 million sold. Wii Fit uses the Wii Balance Board for much of its functionality, on which the user stands.
17. Par-four rarity : ACE
One well-documented hole-in-one (ace) was during a round of the British Open in 1973. American golfer Gene Sarazen achieved the feat that day, at the age of 71. A less well-documented series of holes-in-one was reported by the North Korean press in a story about the Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The report was that Kim Jong-il scored 11 holes-in-one in his one and only round of golf.
28. Capital of Yemen : RIAL
“Rial” is the name of the currency of Yemen (as well as Iran, Oman, Cambodia and Tunisia).
35. Snacks Batman can’t have? : ROBIN COOKIES (from “Robin Cook”)
Robin Cook is novelist from New York who writes thrillers dealing with medical situations. Cook’s first major novel “Coma” was made into a 1978 feature film directed by Michael Crichton and starring Geneviève Bujold and Michael Douglas. Cook is himself a physician and is currently on leave with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
37. They may be wild : DEUCES
A “two” playing card might be called a “deuce”, from the Middle French “deus” (or Modern French “deux”) meaning “two”.
43. Phillips of “I, Claudius” : SIAN
Siân Phillips is an actress from Wales. Phillips was married for twenty years to actor Peter O’Toole.
47. Angora and alpaca : WOOLS
Angora wool comes from the Angora rabbit. On the other hand, the Angora goat produces the wool known as mohair.
Alpacas are like small llamas, but unlike llamas were never beasts of burden. Alpacas were bred specifically for the fleece. As such, there are no known wild alpacas these days, even in their native Peru.
51. Signal receiver : ANTENNA
An antenna’s job is to convert electrical power into radio waves, and radio waves into an electrical signal. The first antennas were built by the German physicist Heinrich Hertz in 1888.
54. Citation Mustangs, e.g. : CESSNAS
The Cessna Aircraft manufacturing company was founded in 1911 by Clyde Cessna, a farmer from Kansas. Cessna is headquartered in Wichita and today has over 8,000 employees.
58. Coptic Museum city : CAIRO
The Coptic Museum in Cairo traces the history of Christianity in Egypt and contains the largest collection of Coptic artifacts and artwork in the world.
The Copts make up the largest minority religious group in Egypt. Copts are Christians, with most adhered to the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, and others practicing Coptic Catholicism or Coptic Protestantism. The term “Copt” ultimately derives from a Greek word for Egyptian.
61. “The Blacklist” network : NBC
“The Blacklist” is an entertaining, albeit a little formulaic, crime drama TV show starring James Spader and Megan Boone. Spader plays a successful criminal who surrenders to the FBI in order to help catch a “blacklist” of high-profile criminals.
63. Water__: dental brand : PIK
Waterpik is a brand of oral irrigator, a device that uses a stream of water to remove food debris and dental plaque from the teeth. There are claims made that water irrigators are more effective than dental floss.
66. __ Lama : DALAI
The Dalai Lama is a religious leader in the Gelug branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The current Dalai Lama is the 14th to hold the office. He has indicated that the next Dalai Lama might be found outside of Tibet for the first time, and may even be female.
68. Minnesota lake : ITASCA
Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota is the main source of the Mississippi River. Known by Native Americans as “Elk Lake”, the name was changed by Henry Schoolcraft, who led the 1832 expedition to find the source of the Mississippi River. The name “Itasca” is formed from the Latin words for truth (ver-ITAS) and head (CA-put).
69. OutKast and others : DUOS
OutKast is a hip hop duo consisting of rappers André 3000 and Big Boi.
71. “The Gondoliers” bride : TESSA
“The Gondoliers” is a delightful operetta by Gilbert & Sullivan, first performed in 1889 at the Savoy Theatre in London. Tessa is a maiden selected as a bride in a “line up” by one of the gondoliers. I last saw “The Gondoliers” decades ago, an amateur production in the small town where I was living at the time in Ireland. Great fun!
74. First Nations 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.
“First Nations” is a term used in Canada describing the ethnicity of Native Americans who are neither Inuit nor Métis people.
83. Bouquet __ : GARNI
“Bouquet garni” is French for “garnished bouquet”, and is the name given to a bundle of herbs often tied together and added to soups, stocks and stews. The bouquet garni adds flavor, but is removed prior to serving. The list of herbs included in the “bundle” varies, but thyme and bay leaf are often the base ingredients.
85. Rural structure : SILO
“Silo” is a Spanish word that we absorbed into English, originally coming from the Greek word “siros” that described a pit in which one kept corn.
88. Driver’s starting point : TEE BOX
In the game of golf, a “tee” is the wooden or plastic peg on which one can place a ball when “teeing off”. Also, the “teeing ground” (sometimes “tee” or “tee box”) is the area at the beginning of the hole from which the first stroke is taken, from where one tees off.
94. Singer Della : REESE
Della Reese is the stage name of the actress, singer and all-round entertainer Delloreese Patricia Early. Her career that started as a singer in the fifties and was revived in the nineties when she played the lead character in the TV show “Touched by an Angel”.
95. Late-’60s Maryland governor : AGNEW
Spiro Agnew served as Vice-President under Richard Nixon, before becoming the only VP in American history to resign because of criminal charges (there was a bribery scandal). Agnew was also the first Greek-American to serve as US Vice President as he was the son of a Greek immigrant who had shortened the family name from Anagnostopoulos.
99. Author Robert __ Butler : OLEN
Robert Olen Butler is an American writer of fiction. He won a Pulitzer in 1995 for his collection of short stories called “A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain”. Each of the stories in the book tells of a different Vietnamese immigrant living in Louisiana.
100. Green Hornet sidekick : KATO
In “The Green Hornet” television series, Kato was famously played by Bruce Lee. The Kato role has been cited as a driving force behind the increase in popularity of martial arts in the US during the sixties.
101. Netman Nastase : ILIE
I think that Ilie Nastase was the most entertaining tennis player of the 1970s, the days of Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe. No matter how much pressure there was in a match, Nastase always had time to give the crowd a laugh. After retiring from the sport, he had a few novels published (in French) during the eighties. Then Nastase went into politics, making an unsuccessful run for the mayorship of Bucharest in 1996. He made a successful run for the Hungarian Senate though, and has been a senator since May 2014.
105. Worldwide workers’ gp. : ILO
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is an agency now administered by the UN which was established by the League of Nations after WWI. The ILO deals with important issues such as health and safety, discrimination, child labor and forced labor. The organization was recognized for its work in 1969 when it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
106. Scholastic meas. : GPA
Grade point average (GPA)
Complete List of Clues and Answers
Across
1. Made a mess of : BLEW
5. Authorizes : OKAYS
10. Audibly jarred : AGASP
15. Off the premises : AWAY
19. Coastal South American capital : LIMA
20. Unenthusiastic about, with “for” : NOT UP
21. Hard wear : ARMOR
22. “Good job!” : NICE!
23. Wistful word : ALAS
24. Words after do or before you : I DARE
25. Trendy tots’ footwear? : HIP BOOTIES (from “hip boot”)
27. Tipsy tour members? : HIGH ROADIES (from “high road”)
30. How Steak Diane is traditionally served : FLAMBE
31. Ermine cousin : MINK
32. One may be responsible for rain : DEITY
34. Came down : POURED
38. Gambler’s concern : SPREAD
41. “Dog Whisperer” Millan : CESAR
43. Starting point : STEP ONE
44. Extended time off, briefly : LOA
45. Bakery products made with white chocolate? : LIGHT BROWNIES (from “light brown”)
49. HVAC measure : BTU
50. It’s near the humerus : ULNA
52. Hard to keep up? : POUTY
53. Musical shortcoming : NO EAR
54. Publication sales fig. : CIRC
55. Diploma word : MAGNA
57. Sit in a cellar, say : AGE
58. Opposite of belt : CROON
59. Co-star of Keanu in “The Whole Truth” : RENEE
60. Isn’t serious : PRETENDS
62. Stake-driving tools : MAULS
63. Many a March birth : PISCES
64. Chef’s supply : HERBS
65. Has to repeat, maybe : FAILS
66. Mouthy retort : DID SO!
67. Superhuman : BIONIC
69. “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” rapper : DR DRE
70. Pay attention : TAKE NOTE
73. More than apologize : ATONE
74. New York governor Andrew : CUOMO
75. Catch a bug, say : AIL
76. Amassed, with “in” : RAKED
77. When tripled, a story shortener : YADA
78. University town near Bangor : ORONO
79. Brilliant display : ECLAT
81. Emphatic assent, in Sonora : SI SI!
82. Govt.-issued aid : SSI
83. Complimentary hotel apparel? : GUEST NIGHTIES (from “guest night”)
86. Changed-my-mind key : ESC
87. Protective film : ACETATE
89. Boundaries : EDGES
90. Zeroes in on : AIMS AT
92. Stunning instruments : TASERS
93. “The Picasso of our profession,” to Seinfeld : PRYOR
95. Folk first name : ARLO
96. Unabbreviated : ENTIRE
98. “Check out those platters of candy and fudge!”? : LOOK! GOODIES! (from “look good”)
104. Tournament-changing scores? : BIG BIRDIES (from “Big Bird”)
108. Gaucho’s turf : LLANO
109. Couture monthly : ELLE
110. Kibbles ‘n Bits shelfmate : ALPO
111. Brief concession : I LOSE
112. “Don’t care what they do” : LET ‘EM
113. Upswing : RISE
114. Elaborate ruse : HOAX
115. Cookware brand : PYREX
116. Puts one over on : SNOWS
117. Call for : NEED
Down
1. Hardly thrilling : BLAH
2. Taylor of “Six Feet Under” : LILI
3. Webby Award candidate : E-MAG
4. Words written with an index? : WASH ME
5. Party bowlful : ONION DIP
6. Longtime photo lab supplier : KODAK
7. Somewhat : A TAD
8. Doctor Zhivago : YURI
9. Passes in a blur : SPEEDS BY
10. “How relaxing!” : AAH!
11. Ill-gotten gains : GRIFT
12. With room to spare : AMPLY
13. Noodle sometimes served with a dipping sauce : SOBA
14. Provider of cues : PROMPTER
15. Get in on the deal : ANTE UP
16. __ Fit: video exercise game : WII
17. Par-four rarity : ACE
18. “No doubt” : YES
26. Penetrating winds : OBOES
28. Capital of Yemen : RIAL
29. Scorch : SEAR
33. Strict control : IRON RULE
35. Snacks Batman can’t have? : ROBIN COOKIES (from “Robin Cook”)
36. Primary course : ENTREE
37. They may be wild : DEUCES
38. Rough patch : SLUMP
39. Really cold : POLAR
40. Protective tops for cattle drivers? : RANGE HOODIES (from “range hood”)
41. Guzzles : CHUGS
42. Novel conclusion : -ETTE
43. Phillips of “I, Claudius” : SIAN
46. Incites : GOADS
47. Angora and alpaca : WOOLS
48. Modernists, informally : NEOS
51. Signal receiver : ANTENNA
54. Citation Mustangs, e.g. : CESSNAS
56. Cliff dwelling : AERIE
58. Coptic Museum city : CAIRO
59. Bill add-on : RIDER
61. “The Blacklist” network : NBC
62. Contingency funds : MAD MONEY
63. Water__: dental brand : PIK
65. Illegal laundering operation, say : FRONT
66. __ Lama : DALAI
67. Reacts to, as a dog does the moon : BAYS AT
68. Minnesota lake : ITASCA
69. OutKast and others : DUOS
70. Is inclined : TILTS
71. “The Gondoliers” bride : TESSA
72. Royal order : EDICT
74. First Nations tribe : CREE
75. Heat rub target : ACHE
78. Surpass : OUTSTRIP
79. Deep-fried appetizers : EGG ROLLS
80. Elegant cafés : TEAROOMS
83. Bouquet __ : GARNI
84. Object of adoration : IDOL
85. Rural structure : SILO
88. Driver’s starting point : TEE BOX
91. In step with the times : MODERN
93. Earlier offense : PRIOR
94. Singer Della : REESE
95. Late-’60s Maryland governor : AGNEW
97. In a laid-back manner : IDLY
99. Author Robert __ Butler : OLEN
100. Green Hornet sidekick : KATO
101. Netman Nastase : ILIE
102. Apart from this : ELSE
103. Flower child? : SEED
104. “What nonsense!” : BAH!
105. Worldwide workers’ gp. : ILO
106. Scholastic meas. : GPA
107. It sells in advertising : SEX