Day: July 6, 2023

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Constructed by: Ed Sessa
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Soap Bubbles

Themed answers are all in the down-direction. Circled letters (BUBBLES) within each themed answer spell the name of a SOAP, when read in the up-direction:

• 25D Products of a child’s wand, and what are literally rising in this puzzle’s circles : SOAP BUBBLES

• 3D Snooze : CATCH SOME Z’S (giving “ZEST”)
• 8D Whoopi Goldberg comedy with a “Back in the Habit” sequel : SISTER ACT (giving “CARESS”)
• 14D Got carried away : WENT OVERBOARD (giving “DOVE”)
• 34D Act as a matchmaker : PLAY CUPID (giving “DIAL”)

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 6m 04s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Indy 500 leader : PACE CAR

In automobile racing, a pace car is used for safety when there is an obstruction on the track. The pace car enters the track in front of the leader and slows the racing cars to what is deemed to be a safe speed. While the pace car is on the track, the competitors cannot pass the pace car and nor can they pass each other. When the pace car exits the track, the race resumes.

15 One-dimensional : LINEAR

The dimension of an object is defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify each point in the object. Therefore, a line is one-dimensional, as you only need an x-coordinate to specify a particular point on the line. A surface is two-dimensional, as you need both an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate to locate a point on the surface. The inside of a solid object is then three-dimensional, needing an x-, y- and z-coordinate to specify a point, say within a cube.

18 Gumshoe : TEC

“Gumshoe” is a slang word used for a private detective or private investigator (P.I.). Apparently the term dates back to the early 1900s, and refers to the rubber-soled shoes popular with private detectives at that time.

21 Prefix with scope : HORO-

A natal horoscope or natal chart is an astrological map that is built around the exact time and location of an individual’s birth. The chart shows the position of the astrologically relevant celestial bodies at that time. The term “horoscope” ultimately comes from Greek, with “hora” meaning “hour, season” and “skopos” meaning “watcher, what is watched”.

23 Actress Catherine who played Donna Noble on “Doctor Who” : TATE

Catherine Tate is an English actress, comedian, and writer. She became famous in the UK for appearing in and co-writing the BBC sketch comedy series “The Catherine Tate Show”. She also had a leading role in the acclaimed “Doctor Who” sci-fi TV show from 2006 to 2008. Viewers on this side of the Atlantic might recognize her from the US version of “The Office”, in which she played misguided project manager Nellie Bertram.

30 Candymaker Russell : STOVER

Russell Stover and a partner started in business in 1921. Their company’s initial product was the world’s first chocolate-dipped ice cream bar that they called an Eskimo Pie. When competition for the ice cream product became too intense, Russell and his wife formed a new company to make boxed chocolates. That enterprise was formed in 1923, and the chocolates were originally known as Mrs. Stover’s Bungalow Candies. They were renamed to Russell Stover Candies in 1943.

35 Vegan brand owned by Estée Lauder : AVEDA

Horst Rechelbacher was traveling in India in 1970 when he was introduced to the Hindu science of longevity called Ayurveda, which inspired him to set up his own company of skin and hair care products that he called Aveda. The company opened its doors in 1978 and is based in Blaine, Minnesota.

36 Instant messaging pioneer : AOL

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a popular instant messaging service that was launched by America Online (AOL) in 1997, making it one of the first such services. AIM introduced many of the features that we now take for granted in messaging apps, such as emoticons, screen names, and buddy lists. The service was eventually shut down in 2017 due to declining usage and the rise of newer messaging apps.

37 Desert mount : CAMEL

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of a camel is the large deposit of fatty tissue on its back. The dromedary is the most common camel, and has one hump of fatty tissue on its back. The Bactrian camel has two humps, and makes up just 6% of the world’s camel population. Those fatty humps are useful if no food or water is available, as fat can be broken down into water and energy.

38 Part of mph : PER

Miles per hour (mph)

39 __ pants : CAPRI

Capri pants first became popular on the island of Capri, apparently. They were invented in Europe in 1948, but only became stylish in the US in the sixties. Mary Tyler Moore often wore Capri pants on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and to some extent she sparked a fashion trend. After a lull in the seventies and eighties there was a resurgence in sales after Uma Thurman wore them (and danced in them) in “Pulp Fiction”.

41 Pacific Coast Highway’s route number : ONE

“Pacific Coast Highway” is the name given to several sections of California State Route 1, which runs along much of the state’s Pacific coastline.

42 Golden __ : AGERS

A golden ager is a senior citizen.

45 “Supernova” singer Phair : LIZ

Liz Phair is a rock singer from New Haven, Connecticut. Phair started out in the industry releasing homemade tapes under the name Girly Sound.

49 Donkey : ASS

A female donkey/ass is known as a jenny and a male is known as a jack, or sometimes “jackass”. We started using the term “jackass” to mean “fool” in the 1820s.

50 Guitarist’s gadget : CAPO

A capo is a clamp-like device that is placed around the neck of a guitar or other stringed instrument to shorten the strings, and hence raise the pitch. The full name, rarely used these days, is “capo tasto”, which is Italian for “head tie”.

56 Pal to text emoji hearts to : BFF

Best friend forever (BFF)

59 Party app : CANAPE

A canapé is a finger food, something small enough to eat in just one bite. In French, “canapé” is actually the word for a couch or a sofa. The name was given to the snack as the original canapés were savories served on toasted or stale bread that supposedly resembled a tiny couch.

Down

2 Suit to __ : A TEE

The expression “to a T” can also be written as “to a tee”, and has been around at least since 1693.

3 Snooze : CATCH SOME Z’S (giving “ZEST”)

Zest is a brand of soap owned by Procter & Gamble in 1958. Actually, Zest was originally promoted as a cleansing product that wasn’t soap at all, one that did not leave a soap scum. However, the “not-soap” concept has now been dropped, and Zest has been used as the name of a regular old bar of soap since 2007.

4 Greek vowel : ETA

Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, and is a forerunner of our Latin character “H”. Originally denoting a consonant, eta was used as a long vowel in Ancient Greek.

5 Wood for some dressers : CEDAR

Cedar is used for the manufacture of some wardrobes and chests as it has long been believed that the fragrant oil in the wood is a moth-repellent. However, whether or not cedar oil is actually effective at keeping moths away seems to be in doubt.

6 Los __, New Mexico : ALAMOS

The town of Los Alamos, New Mexico takes its name from the Spanish for “the poplars” or “the cottonwoods”. Famously, it is home to Los Alamos National Laboratory which was founded during WWII to work on the Manhattan Project, the development of the first atomic bomb. The town of Los Alamos didn’t exist as such, until it was planned and constructed to support the employees working on development of the bomb.

8 Whoopi Goldberg comedy with a “Back in the Habit” sequel : SISTER ACT (giving “CARESS”)

The 1992 comedy “Sister Act” stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer from Reno who hides out in a San Francisco convent disguised as a nun. It’s a funny, funny film.

Caress is a line of body washes and beauty bars owned by Unilever.

9 Rihanna’s “__ Girl (In the World)” : ONLY

“Only Girl (In the World)” is a 2010 song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It serves as an anthem about a woman who wants to be the only one in her lover’s world. “Only Girl (In the World)” was a commercial success, and won the award for Best Dance Recording at the 2011 Grammy Awards.

10 Belfast-born actor Stephen : REA

Stephen Rea is an Irish actor from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Rea’s most successful role was Fergus in 1992’s “The Crying Game”, for which performance he was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar. In “The Crying Game”, Fergus was a member of the IRA. In real life, Rea was married to IRA bomber and hunger striker Dolours Price at the time he made the movie.

14 Got carried away : WENT OVERBOARD (giving “DOVE”)

Dove is a brand of personal care products made by Unilever. The brand originated in the UK, back in 1955.

28 Dr Pepper alternative : RC COLA

Claude A. Hatcher ran a grocery store in Columbus, Georgia. He decided to develop his own soft drink formula when he balked at the price his store was being charged for Coca-Cola syrup. Hatcher launched the Union Bottling Works in his own grocery store, and introduced Royal Crown Ginger Ale in 1905. The Union Bottling Works was renamed to Chero-Cola in 1910, the Nehi Corporation in 1925, and Royal Crown Company in the mid-fifties. The first RC Cola hit the market in 1934.

Dr Pepper was introduced in 1885 in Waco, Texas, one year before the competing Coca-Cola was released to the market. I spent an entertaining few hours at the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco a few years ago. And, note the lack of a period after “Dr”.

29 Seven-time Grammy winner Morissette : ALANIS

Alanis Morissette is a Canadian singer-songwriter. After releasing two pop albums in Canada, in 1995 she recorded her first album to be distributed internationally. Called “Jagged Little Pill”, it is a collection of songs with more of a rock influence. The album was a huge success, the highest-selling album of the 1990s, and the highest-selling debut album by any artist at any time (selling over 30 million units).

34 Act as a matchmaker : PLAY CUPID (giving “DIAL”)

Cupid was the god of love in Roman mythology. Cupid’s name comes from the Latin verb “cupere” meaning “to desire”. Cupid’s Latin name was “Amor”, and his Greek counterpart was Eros.

Dial was the first antibacterial soap introduced in the US. It was given the name “Dial” as it was touted as offering “round-the-clock” protection against any odors caused by perspiration.

43 Doodled beard on some pictures : GOATEE

A goatee is a beard formed by hair on a man’s chin. The name probably comes from the tuft of hair seen on an adult goat.

47 __ fly : TSETSE

The tsetse fly is responsible for the transmission of sleeping sickness, a disease that is more correctly called African trypanosomiasis. The disease is only observed in humans who have been bitten by a tsetse fly that is infected with the trypanosome parasitic protozoan.

58 Unfettered : FREE

A fetter is a chain or shackle for the feet. Less literally, the term “fetter” describes anything that restrains or confines To be unfettered is to be unrestrained.

59 “Young Sheldon” network : CBS

“Young Sheldon” is a spinoff prequel to the hit sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” that follows the life of a 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper. The title character is played by child actor Iain Armitage. Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory”, is the narrator for the spinoff, and is also an executive producer. In another link between the shows, young Sheldon’s Mom is played by actress Zoe Perry. Perry is the real-life daughter of Laurie Metcalf, who plays “old” Sheldon’s mom in the original series.

60 Latin primer word : AMO

“Amo, amas, amat” translates from Latin as “I love, you love, he/she/it loves”.

63 Org. that takes many forms : IRS

Form 1040, issued by the IRS, is the “US Individual Income Tax Return”. It was originally created just for tax returns from 1913, 1914 and 1915, but it’s a form that just keeps on giving, or should I say “taking” …?