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Edited by: Patti Varol
Today’s Theme: None
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Bill’s time: 12m 07s
Bill’s errors: 3
- TIENDA (tielda)
- ZOM COM (romcom)
- NAZCA (Larca)
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
1 Skip-the-line status : TSA PRE
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operates its precheck program known as “TSA Pre✓” (or “TSA PreCheck”). Members of the program receive expedited screening at most airports. In order to become a member, a traveler must apply online, appear in person at a designated office for a background check and fingerprinting, and pay a fee for a 5-year membership.
7 Ambulatory access : APSE
An ambulatory is a sheltered location intended for walking, especially a cloister in a church. The term “ambulatory” ultimately derives from the Latin “ambulare” meaning “to walk”.
15 “Golda” subject : MEIR
“Golda” is a 2023 biographical drama that centers on Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir during the 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Helen Mirren portrays Meir, and her incredible transformation into Meir through makeup and hairstyling has to be seen to be believed. This work earned the film an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
16 Links target : PAR
The oldest type of golf course is a links course. The name “links” comes from the Old English word “hlinc” meaning “rising ground”. “Hlinc” was used to describe areas with coastal sand dunes or open parkland. As a result, we use the term “links course” to mean a golf course that is located at or on the coast, often amid sand dunes. The British Open is always played on a links course.
17 Heckles : BOOS AT
Originally, the verb “to heckle” meant “to question severely”, and for many years was associated with the public questioning of parliamentary candidates in Scotland. In more recent times, the meaning has evolved into questioning that is less polite and that is directed at stand-up comics.
18 Taylor Swift hit that begins, “I have this thing where I get older, but just never wiser” : ANTI-HERO
“Anti-Hero” is a 2022 song co-written and recorded by Taylor Swift as the lead single from her album “Midnights”. The lyrics have been described as autobiographical, and explore the singer’s flaws as she perceives them.
23 Whac-A-Mole move : BASH
The Whac-A-Mole arcade game was invented in 1976. Players use a mallet to force five plastic moles back into their holes. Whacking the moles can be so frustrating that we sometimes use the term “whac-a-mole” to describe a repetitive and futile task.
24 First name in boxing : LAILA
Laila Ali is the daughter of the great Muhammad Ali and is a very capable boxer in her own right. Laila’s professional record is an impressive 24 wins, including 21 knockouts. Now retired, she never lost a fight, and nor did she ever draw. One of those victories was against Jackie Frazier-Lyde, daughter of her father’s nemesis Joe Frazier. Laila is not a bad dancer either, coming in third place in the fourth season of “Dancing with the Stars”.
27 Penalty area in rugby, familiarly : SIN BIN
The penalty box (less formally “sin bin”) is an area used in several sports for a player to serve out a given time penalty. Sin bins are used perhaps most notably in ice hockey, rugby and roller derby.
30 Mantra sounds : OMS
A mantra is a word that is used as a focus for the mind while meditating. The term is Sanskrit in origin, and is now used figuratively in English to describe any oft-repeated word or phrase.
37 Tusked pinniped : WALRUS
Pinnipeds are a group of semi-aquatic marine mammals that are divided into three families: the Phocidae (true seals), the Otariidae (eared seals, including sea lions and fur seals), and the Odobenidae (walruses). The term “pinniped” means “fin-footed”.
42 Disco guy on “The Simpsons” : STU
On “The Simpsons”, the character Disco Stu is voiced by Hank Azaria, although the original intent was for him to be voiced by Phil Hartman. Disco Stu is described as “a black, wrinkly John Travolta”.
43 Univ. that sends acceptances on Pi Day : MIT
The first three digits of the mathematical constant pi are 3.14. Pi Day has been celebrated on March 14th (3/14) every year since 1988, when it was inaugurated at the San Francisco Exploratorium. In countries where the day is usually written before the month, Pi Day is July 22nd, reflecting the more accurate approximation of pi as 22/7. Interestingly, March 14th is also Albert Einstein’s birthday.
46 Tibet’s capital : LHASA
Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet, with the name “Lhasa” translating as “place of the gods”. However, Lhasa used to be called Rasa, a name that translates into the less auspicious “goat’s place”. Lhasa was also once called the “Forbidden City” due to its inaccessible location high in the Himalayas and a traditional hostility exhibited by residents to outsiders. The “forbidden” nature of the city has been reinforced since the Chinese took over Tibet in the early 1950s as it has been difficult for foreigners to get permission to visit Lhasa.
48 Title fellow in a 1922 Broadway hit : ABIE
“Abie’s Irish Rose” is a comedy play by Anne Nichols that opened in 1922 on Broadway and ran for over five years. Back then, that made it the longest run for any show in New York. The show then went on tour, and stayed on tour for an amazing 40 years. The play tells of a young Jewish man called Abie Levy who marries an Irish Catholic girl called Rosemary Murphy. Abie lies to his family and pretends that his “Irish Rose” is Jewish.
53 Competition for queens : RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE
RuPaul is a famous drag queen who has developed a diverse career beyond performing on stage. He works as an actor, model, author and a recording artist. Famously, RuPaul doesn’t mind whether one addresses him as “he” or as “she” …
You can call me he. You can call me she. You can call me Regis and Kathie Lee; I don’t care! Just as long as you call me.
He currently hosts his own reality TV show called “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, which is billed as a search for “America’s next drag superstar”.
59 Wade Wilson’s alter ego : DEADPOOL
“Deadpool” is a 2016 superhero film, the eighth of the “X-Men” series of movies. The title character is played by Ryan Reynolds. Deadpool constantly breaks the fourth wall in the movie, often to crack a joke. That characteristic is a carry-over from the comics, in which Deadpool often addresses asides to the reader.
60 “Shaun of the Dead” genre : ZOM COM
“Shaun of the Dead” is 2004 horror comedy movie starring English comic actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Written by Pegg and director Edgar Wright, “Shaun of the Dead” is the first in what’s known as their “Three Flavours Cornetto” trilogy of films, along with “Hot Fuzz” (2007) and “The World’s End” (2013).
65 FanDuel list : ODDS
DraftKings and FanDuel are companies offering fantasy sports games and leagues.
Down
4 Ovary plus stigma plus style : PISTIL
The pistil is the female reproductive part of a flower, often found at its center. It’s typically composed of three main structures: the stigma, a sticky surface at the top designed to capture pollen; the style, a slender stalk that supports the stigma; and the ovary at the base, which houses the ovules that develop into seeds after fertilization.
5 Response to a puerile joke : REAL MATURE
Something described as puerile is foolishly childish or immature. The term “puerile” comes from the Latin “puer” meaning “boy”.
6 Newbery Medal winner Eleanor : ESTES
Eleanor Estes started writing children’s books when she was bedridden, recovering from tuberculosis. By the time she died in 1988, she had written 20 books, including one novel for adults. Her most lauded title is “Ginger Pye”, published in 1951.
7 Coastal town at the foot of Monte Cerreto : AMALFI
Amalfi, Italy is a coastal town on the Gulf of Salerno located about 30 miles southeast of Naples. The town gives its name to the popular tourist destination known as the Amalfi Coast.
8 Suspended : PENDENT
Something described as pendent is overhanging, or supported from above. “Pendent” can also be used figuratively to mean “undetermined, pending”.
10 NFL Hall of Fame running back Dickerson : ERIC
Eric Dickerson is a retired NFL player. He set the league’s single-season rushing record (2,105 yards) in 1984. Because he was short-sighted, he wore prescription goggles for his whole professional career.
13 Ninth grader : FROSH
“Frosh” is a slang term for a college freshperson. We call such an individual a “fresher” back in Ireland …
19 Mix (with) : HOBNOB
“To hobnob with” means “to rub elbows with, associate with”. The phrase dates back to the mid 1700s and is derived from “hob and nob”, an expression meaning to toast each other in turn, or to buy alternate rounds of drinks.
21 Brewery kiln : OAST
An oast is a kiln used for drying hops as part of the brewing process. Such a structure might also be called an “oast house” or “hop kiln”. The term “oast” can also apply to a kiln used to dry tobacco.
24 Note played by covering every hole on a recorder : LOW C
The recorder is a woodwind instrument with a whistle mouthpiece. I have to admit to a negative impression of the recorder, as it’s the instrument that so many kids have to learn on the other side of the Atlantic. I’ve heard way too many school recitals featuring banks of recorders …
25 Eastern nanny : AMAH
“Amah” is an interesting word in that we associate it so much with Asian culture and yet the term actually comes from the Portuguese “ama” meaning “nurse”. Ama was imported into English in the days of the British Raj in India when a wet-nurse became known as an amah.
26 __ of Man : ISLE
The Isle of Man is a large island located in the middle of the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. I used to spend a lot of time there in my youth, and find it a very interesting place indeed. The Isle of Man is classed as a British Crown Dependency and isn’t part of the United Kingdom at all. It is self-governing and has its own parliament called the Tynwald. The Tynwald was created in AD 979 and is arguably the oldest continuously-running parliament in the world. The inhabitants of the island speak English, although they do have their own language called Manx, which is very similar to Irish Gaeilge and Scottish Gaelic. And then there are those Manx cats, the ones without any tails. I’ve seen lots of them, and can attest that they are indeed found all over the island.
28 Syst. that connects to Caltrain : BART
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a commuter rail system serving the San Francisco Bay Area.
34 Big cat : PUMA
The mountain lion is found in much of the Americas from the Yukon in Canada right down to the southern Andes in South America. Because the mountain lion is found over such a vast area, it has many different names applied by local peoples, such as “cougar” and “puma”. In fact, the mountain lion holds the Guinness record for the animal with the most number of different names, with over 40 in English alone.
35 Goddess of the Pyramid Texts : ISIS
The Pyramid Texts are a collection of ancient Egyptian religious writings dating back to the Old Kingdom (c. 2700–2200 BCE), also known as the “Age of the Pyramids”. Carved onto the walls and sarcophagi within the pyramids of pharaohs and a few queens, they are the oldest known body of religious texts in the world.
36 “Don’t Go to Strangers” singer Jones : ETTA
Etta Jones’s “Don’t Go to Strangers” is a classic jazz album released in 1960. The title track is a ballad with a memorable melody and lyrics that offer the advice: “Don’t go to strangers darling, come to me”
47 “NCIS: Origins” narrator Mark : HARMON
Actor Mark Harmon is best known today for playing the lead in the drama show “NCIS”. He played a similar character for several episodes on “The West Wing”. Mark is the son of a football star Tom Harmon, and was the brother-in-law of rock and roll star Ricky Nelson and automotive executive John DeLorean (through his sisters). Harmon has been married since 1987 to actress Pam Dawber, who played the female title role on “Mork & Mindy”.
“NCIS: Origins” is a prequel to the original “NCIS” show. Both series center on Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, originally played by Mark Harmon and played by Austin Stowell in the prequel. Harmon does have a role in “NCIS: Origins”, though, serving as the narrator.
48 Elizabeth of cosmetics : ARDEN
“Elizabeth Arden” was the business name used by Canadian-American Florence Nightingale Graham. Arden built a cosmetics empire that made her one of the wealthiest women in the world. Arden had a famous rivalry with fellow cosmetics entrepreneur Helena Rubinstein, and that rivalry even spawned a 2016 stage musical called “War Paint”.
49 “¡Qué __!” : BUENO
“Qué bueno” translates from Spanish as “It’s good, excellent”.
50 Procreate devices : IPADS
Procreate is a digital illustration app available for iPad and iPhone.
52 South American culture known for geoglyphs : NAZCA
The Nazca civilization thrived in southern Peru between 100 BCE and 800 CE. Their most famous legacy is the Nazca Lines, a vast collection of geoglyphs etched into the desert floor. The Nazca people also developed sophisticated irrigation systems and underground aqueducts to sustain life in the arid environment.
54 Beehive, e.g. : UPDO
That distinctive beehive hairstyle is also called a B-52, because the round, beehive-shape also resembles the bulbous nose of a B-52 bomber! The style originated in 1958, and is credited to Margaret Vinci Heldt, the owner of a hair salon in downtown Chicago. I’m not a fan of the beehive, but I do have to say that Audrey Hepburn carried it off in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, as did Dusty Springfield in her heyday.
56 Rights org. : ACLU
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
58 Some FD employees : EMTS
An emergency medical technician (EMT) often works for a fire department (FD).
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Skip-the-line status : TSA PRE
7 Ambulatory access : APSE
11 Out of sorts : OFF
14 Wartime partners : ALLIES
15 “Golda” subject : MEIR
16 Links target : PAR
17 Heckles : BOOS AT
18 Taylor Swift hit that begins, “I have this thing where I get older, but just never wiser” : ANTI-HERO
20 Take revenge : SETTLE OLD SCORES
22 Base runner’s assertion : I’M SAFE!
23 Whac-A-Mole move : BASH
24 First name in boxing : LAILA
27 Penalty area in rugby, familiarly : SIN BIN
30 Mantra sounds : OMS
31 Sleeve element, for short : TAT
33 Mexican-inspired casserole : TACO PIE
37 Tusked pinniped : WALRUS
39 Full-bodied : ROBUST
40 “Ta-ta!” : CHEERIO!
42 Disco guy on “The Simpsons” : STU
43 Univ. that sends acceptances on Pi Day : MIT
44 Turn down : REFUSE
46 Tibet’s capital : LHASA
48 Title fellow in a 1922 Broadway hit : ABIE
51 Spanish store : TIENDA
53 Competition for queens : RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE
59 Wade Wilson’s alter ego : DEADPOOL
60 “Shaun of the Dead” genre : ZOM COM
61 Terminate : END
62 Hill partner : DALE
63 “Take a chill pill!” : COOL IT!
64 Figs. : NOS
65 FanDuel list : ODDS
66 Makes invalid : ANNULS
Down
1 Window openings : TABS
2 Blackthorn : SLOE
3 Lazy answer to “How many stars are in the sky?” : A LOT
4 Ovary plus stigma plus style : PISTIL
5 Response to a puerile joke : REAL MATURE
6 Newbery Medal winner Eleanor : ESTES
7 Coastal town at the foot of Monte Cerreto : AMALFI
8 Suspended : PENDENT
9 Gets ready to drive : SITS
10 NFL Hall of Fame running back Dickerson : ERIC
11 Work traditionally performed without microphones : OPERA
12 Uber passengers : FARES
13 Ninth grader : FROSH
19 Mix (with) : HOBNOB
21 Brewery kiln : OAST
24 Note played by covering every hole on a recorder : LOW C
25 Eastern nanny : AMAH
26 __ of Man : ISLE
28 Syst. that connects to Caltrain : BART
29 “Do you need more reasons?” : I COULD GO ON
32 “Please.” : AS IF
34 Big cat : PUMA
35 Goddess of the Pyramid Texts : ISIS
36 “Don’t Go to Strangers” singer Jones : ETTA
38 Go over again : REREAD
41 Won an ad war, perhaps : OUTSOLD
42 Fortuneteller : SEER
45 Crab-walks : SIDLES
47 “NCIS: Origins” narrator Mark : HARMON
48 Elizabeth of cosmetics : ARDEN
49 “¡Qué __!” : BUENO
50 Procreate devices : IPADS
52 South American culture known for geoglyphs : NAZCA
54 Beehive, e.g. : UPDO
55 Freight weight : LOAD
56 Rights org. : ACLU
57 Kinky curl shape : COIL
58 Some FD employees : EMTS
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