LAXCrossword.com

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Place for Lightning and Hurricanes RINK
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a team in the National Hockey League, commonly referred to as “the Bolts”.

The Carolina Hurricanes are the professional hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The team was founded as the New England Whalers, when they were located in Boston, and then Hartford, Connecticut. The Whalers moved to Raleigh in 1997, and became the Hurricane.

14. Screen dot PIXEL
A pixel is a dot, the base element that goes to make up a digital image.

15. “Rumble in the Jungle” fighter ALI
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier had three memorable fights. The first was billed as the “Fight of the Century” and took place in 1971 in Madison Square Garden. It was a fight between two great boxers, both of whom were undefeated up till that point. Frazier won in a unanimous decision after fifteen rounds. A couple of years later, in 1973, Frazier lost his title to George Foreman. Ali and Frazier had a non-title rematch in 1974, with Ali coming out ahead this time, also in a unanimous decision. Later that year, Ali grabbed back the World Heavyweight Title in “The Rumble in the Jungle”, the famous “rope-a-dope” fight against George Foreman. That set the stage for the third and final fight between Ali and Frazier, “The Thrilla in Manila”. Ali won the early rounds, but Frazier made a comeback in the middle of the fight. Ali took control at the end of the bout, so much so that Frazier wasn’t able to come out of his corner for the 15th and final round. He couldn’t come out of his corner because both of his eyes were swollen shut, giving Ali a victory due to a technical knockout (TKO).

16. *It classifies ancient times based on metals THREE-AGE SYSTEM
Ancient societies can be classified by the “three-age system”, which depends on the prevalence of materials used to make tools. The three ages are:

– The Stone Age
– The Bronze Age
– The Iron Age

The actual dates defined by each age depend on the society, as the timing of the transition from the use of one material to another varied around the globe.

19. Ancient volume CODEX
A codex is an old book, one in the format of a modern book as opposed to its predecessor which was a scroll. The word “codex” comes from the Latin “caudex” meaning “trunk of a tree”.

22. Itty bit TAD
Back in the 1800s “tad” was used to describe a young child, and this morphed into our usage of “small amount” in the early 1900s. The original use of “tad” for a child is very likely a shortened version of “tadpole”.

24. “Green Eggs and Ham” opening I AM SAM
You know, I probably should read a Dr. Seuss book some day. They weren’t big where I grew up. I understand that the character called Sam in the book “Green Eggs and Ham” is also known as “Sam-I-Am”.

30. Jamaican export RUM
Rum was first distilled by slaves on the sugarcane plantations of the Caribbean in the 1800s, with the tradition being that the very first production came from Barbados.

43. Where Georgia is ASIA
The former Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of Georgia is now an independent country. Supposedly, the Georgian people were given their name because they especially revered St. George. The flag of Georgia does indeed feature five St. George’s crosses.

44. *Possible reason for marriage counseling SEVEN-YEAR ITCH
The phrase “seven-year itch” had been used by psychologists to describe declining interest in staying monogamous after seven years of marriage.

48. Fictional planet ORK
“Mork & Mindy” was broadcast from 1978 to 1982. We were first introduced to Mork (played by Robin Williams) in a special episode of “Happy Days”. The particular episode in question has a bizarre storyline culminating in Fonzie and Mork having a thumb-to-finger duel. Eventually Richie wakes up in bed, and alien Mork was just part of a dream! Oh, and “Nanu Nanu” means both “hello” and “goodbye” back on the planet Ork. “I am Mork from Ork, Nanu Nanu”. Great stuff …

50. “The Kiss” and “The Thinker” RODINS
“The Kiss” is a beautiful sculpture created in 1889 by Auguste Rodin. I’ve had the privilege of standing beside the original, life-size marble work on a few occasions as it is housed in the Rodin Museum, my favorite of all museums in Paris. The Musée Rodin is very special in that the building and garden that hold all of the works were Rodin’s actual home and studio. Well worth a visit if you make it to Paris …

Rodin’s famous sculpture known as “The Thinker” has been reproduced many times. Rodin’s original version of “The Thinker” is actually a detail in a much larger work known as “The Gates of Hell”. The original plaster version of “The Gates of Hell” can be seen at the magnificent Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

62. *Justification for eating food that’s fallen on the ground FIVE-SECOND RULE
According to the “five-second rule” of folklore, an item of food or a piece of cutlery that drops to the floor can be picked up and used without washing if it is retrieved within five seconds. I guess bacteria move very, very slowly …

65. Genetic info carrier RNA
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

66. Like Cheerios OATEN
Cheerios breakfast cereal has the distinction of being the first oat-based cereal introduced into the market, hitting the grocery store shelves in 1941. Back then, “Cheerios” were known as CheeriOats.

67. “Paradise Lost” character ADAM
“Paradise Lost” is an epic poem written by Englishman John Milton. It is indeed an epic work, published originally in ten volumes with over ten thousand lines of verse. The “paradise” that is “lost” is the Garden of Eden, from which Adam and Eve were expelled by God in the “Fall of Man”.

68. Hankering YEN
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!

Down
1. Military prep prog. ROTC
The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program for officers based in colleges all around the US. The ROTC program was established in 1862 when as a condition of receiving a land-grant to create colleges, the federal government required that military tactics be part of a new school’s curriculum.

2. Texter’s qualifier IMHO
In my humble opinion (IMHO)

5. A D will usually lower it: Abbr. GPA
Grade point average (GPA)

10. Trig or calc, to a Brit MATHS
Yep, on the other side of the Atlantic we learn “maths” and not “math” …

11. Colleague of Antonin and Anthony ELENA
Elena Kagan was the Solicitor General of the United States who replaced Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court. That made Justice Kagan the fourth female US Supreme Court justice (there have been 108 men!). I hear she is a fan of Jane Austen, and used to reread “Pride and Prejudice” once a year. Not a bad thing to do, I’d say …

Antonin Scalia was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Reagan in 1986, and is now the longest serving member of the court. Justice Scalia’s minority opinions are known for the scathing language that he uses to criticize the Court’s majority.

Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy of the US Supreme Court was appointed by President Reagan in 1988. Although Justice Kennedy’s decisions are viewed as largely conservative, after Sandra Day O’Connor has retired he has been considered by many as the “swing vote” on the court.

18. French river to the English Channel SOMME
The Somme is a river in the north of France. The name “Somme” comes from a Celtic word meaning “tranquility”. Paradoxically, the Somme is remembered as the site of a devastating WWI battle. The river separated British and French forces from the German army from July to November 1916. By the end of the battle, over one million soldiers had been wounded or killed.

The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean, the narrow part that separates the south of England from northern France. The French call the same body of water “La Manche”, which translates literally as “the sleeve”. At its narrowest point the Channel is just over 20 miles wide, and it indeed possible to see France from England and vice versa. Nowadays of course there is a tunnel under the channel making travel extremely convenient. When I was living and working in Europe, with the help of the Channel Tunnel, one day I had a breakfast meeting in Brussels, a lunch meeting in London, and a dinner meeting in Paris. It’s more fun sitting here doing the crossword though …

25. Arctic divers AUKS
Auks are penguin-like sea birds that live in colder northern waters including the Arctic. Like penguins, auks are great swimmers, but unlike penguins, auks can fly.

28. Rich dessert TORTE
A torte is a type of cake made primarily with eggs, sugar and ground nuts (but no flour).

29. Newspaper figs. EDS
Editor (ed.)

34. Stacks like Tupperware NESTS
Back in the 1930s, Earl Tupper was working at the DuPont Chemical Company, and from DuPont obtained inflexible pieces of polyethylene slag. Tupper purified the slag and shaped it into unbreakable containers. He added airtight lids with a “burping seal”, which were provided tight seals similar to that provided by the lids on paint cans. He called his new product Tupperware.

39. Madeline of “Clue” KAHN
Madeline Kahn was an American actress best known for her comedic roles, especially those directed by Mel Brooks. Kahn also had her own TV sitcom, called “Oh Madeline”. But, it only lasted the one season, in 1983.

41. Seedless plant FERN
Ferns are unlike mosses, in that they have xylem and phloem, making them vascular plants. They also have stems, leaves and roots, but they do not have seeds and flowers, and reproduce using spores. Spores differ from seeds in that they have very little stored food.

42. Lefty’s writing concern INK SMEAR
Because we write from left to right in English, a right-handed person draws his or her hand away from the wet ink of the written word as the writing progresses. A left-handed person moves the hand “through” the writing, potentially smearing any wet ink.

43. __ Jordan AIR
Air Jordan is a Nike brand of shoe (and other apparel), endorsed by NBA great Michael Jordan. The silhouette of a basketball player that features on Air Jordans is known as the “jumpman” logo. For what it’s worth, the national airline of the nation of Jordan is called Royal Jordanian, just in case there’s any confusion …

47. Willy Wonka creator Dahl ROALD
Willy Wonka is the lead character in the 1964 novel by Roald Dahl called “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory”. Willy Wonka has been portrayed on the big screen twice. Gene Wilder was a fabulous Wonka in the 1971 version titled “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”, and Johnny Depp played him in the Tim Burton movie from 2005 called “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. I’m not too fond of Tim Burton movies, so I haven’t seen that one …

50. Prepare beans, Mexican-style REFRY
“Refried” beans are misnamed in English. The beans aren’t “fried again”, but rather are just fried the once. “Refired” is a mistranslation of the Mexican Spanish “refritos” which actually means “well-fried”.

52. Backless sofa DIVAN
Divans are essentially couches without backs or arms. The design originated in the Middle East, where the couches were commonly found lining the walls of an office that was known as a “divan” or “diwan”, meaning “government office”.

53. Introduction PROEM
A “proem” is a brief introduction, a prelude. The term comes into English via Old French and is ultimately derived from the Greek “prooimion” meaning “prelude”, especially a prelude to music or poetry.

56. When Tony sings “Maria” ACT I
Leonard Bernstein’s musical “West Side Story” is based on William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. The musical is set in New York City and features two rival gangs: the Sharks from Puerto Rico and the Jets with working-class, Caucasian roots. Tony from the Jets falls in love with Maria from the Sharks. All this parallels Romeo from the House of Montague falling for Juliet from the House of Capulet in the Italian city of Verona.

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

59. BMW rival AUDI
The predecessor to today’s Audi company was called Auto Union. Auto Union was formed with the merger of the four individual entities: Audi, Horch, DKW and Wanderer. Today’s Audi logo comprises four intersecting rings, each representing one of the four companies that merged. The Audi name has an interesting history. The Horch company was founded by August Horch in 1909. Early in the life of the new company, Horch was forced out of his own business. He set up a new enterprise and continued to use his own name as a brand. The old company sued him for using the Horch name so a meeting was held to choose something new. Horch’s young son was studying Latin in the room where the meeting was taking place. He pointed out that “Horch” was German for “hear” and he suggested “Audi” as a replacement, the Latin for “listen”.

The abbreviation BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, which translates into Bavarian Motor Works. BMW was making aircraft engines during WWI, but had to cease that activity according to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The company then started making motorcycles, and then moved into automobile production starting in 1928. BMW moved back into aircraft engine manufacturing during the build-up of the Luftwaffe prior to WWII.

61. Iron-rich blood pigment HEME
“Heme” (also “haem”) is an organic structure containing iron, and is a component of hemoglobin, the protein that transports primarily oxygen around the body. It is the “heme” in “hemoglobin” that binds the oxygen atoms.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Place for Lightning and Hurricanes RINK
5. Confederate soldiers GRAYS
10. “It’s okay, I guess” MEH!
13. Sign OMEN
14. Screen dot PIXEL
15. “Rumble in the Jungle” fighter ALI
16. *It classifies ancient times based on metals THREE-AGE SYSTEM
19. Ancient volume CODEX
20. Passports, licenses, etc. IDS
21. “Egad!” OH NO!
22. Itty bit TAD
24. “Green Eggs and Ham” opening I AM SAM
26. Toward the back ASTERN
30. Jamaican export RUM
31. *Typical worker’s break TWO-DAY WEEKEND
36. Seals with pitch TARS
37. Some drafts ALES
38. Frightful cry EEK!
40. Fitting APT
41. Cone droppers FIRS
43. Where Georgia is ASIA
44. *Possible reason for marriage counseling SEVEN-YEAR ITCH
48. Fictional planet ORK
49. Go downhill WORSEN
50. “The Kiss” and “The Thinker” RODINS
53. Soup veggie PEA
54. Many a miniseries EPIC
55. Spoil MAR
57. Obedience school item LEASH
62. *Justification for eating food that’s fallen on the ground FIVE-SECOND RULE
65. Genetic info carrier RNA
66. Like Cheerios OATEN
67. “Paradise Lost” character ADAM
68. Hankering YEN
69. With 70-Across, prized programming slot … or a hint to the first two parts of the answers to starred clues PRIME
70. See 69-Across TIME

Down
1. Military prep prog. ROTC
2. Texter’s qualifier IMHO
3. Stereotypical sci-fi fan NERD
4. Joint where kids are welcome? KNEE
5. A D will usually lower it: Abbr. GPA
6. Unbending RIGID
7. Took a hatchet to AXED
8. “You got that right!” YESSIREE!
9. Wily SLY
10. Trig or calc, to a Brit MATHS
11. Colleague of Antonin and Anthony ELENA
12. Call-home opener HI, MOM
17. Not needed EXTRA
18. French river to the English Channel SOMME
23. “__ more bright ideas?” ANY
25. Arctic divers AUKS
26. “__ girl!” ATTA
27. Cashless deals SWAPS
28. Rich dessert TORTE
29. Newspaper figs. EDS
32. On the lookout WARY
33. Otherwise ELSE
34. Stacks like Tupperware NESTS
35. Unfreeze DEICE
39. Madeline of “Clue” KAHN
41. Seedless plant FERN
42. Lefty’s writing concern INK SMEAR
43. __ Jordan AIR
45. Give expression to VOICE
46. Stun AWE
47. Willy Wonka creator Dahl ROALD
50. Prepare beans, Mexican-style REFRY
51. Weigh in OPINE
52. Backless sofa DIVAN
53. Introduction PROEM
56. When Tony sings “Maria” ACT I
58. Q.E.D. word ERAT
59. BMW rival AUDI
60. Shut angrily SLAM
61. Iron-rich blood pigment HEME
63. Bread, at times SOP
64. Hershey-to-Scranton dir. NNE

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