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Constructed by: Patti Varol

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Spirited Exchanges

Themed answers are all inspired by HALLOWEEN, and sound like common phrases:

• 17A Suggestion at the start of a Halloween decoration workshop? : MAKE A WITCH (from “make a wish”)
• 23A Expectation during a Halloween concert? : RHYTHM AND BOOS (from “rhythm and blues”)
• 36A Apparition who only appears on Halloween in the Golden State? : CALIFORNIA GHOST (from “California coast”)
• 49A Got separated from a spooky friend at a Halloween party? : LOST ONE’S GHOUL (from “lost one’s cool”)
• 59A “My Halloween monster costume is so disappointing!”? : I DON’T SCARE! (from “I don’t care”)

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

Bill’s time: 8m 42s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

13A Kidney-related : RENAL

Something described as renal is related to the kidneys. “Ren” is the Latin word for “kidney”.

20A Sugar suffix : -OSE

Sugars are usually named using the “-ose” suffix e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose.

21A Shoreline shaper : TIDE

Tides on Earth are mainly caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and, to a lesser extent, the gravitational pull of the Sun. During the new moon and full moon, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are roughly aligned. Their gravitational forces combine, resulting in stronger tides called spring tides, which have higher high tides and lower low tides. During the first and third quarter moons (when we see a half moon), the Sun and Moon are at right angles relative to the Earth. This means their gravitational forces partially counteract each other, resulting in more moderate tides called neap tides. High tides are not as high, and low tides are not as low.

22A Yaz’s team from 1961 to 1983 : BOSOX

Carl Yastrzemski, who played his whole career with the Boston Red Sox, goes by the nickname “Yaz”.

27A Athletic honor : ESPY

The ESPY Awards, also known as the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, were first presented in a ceremony in 1993. They were created by ESPN as a response to the lack of sports coverage during the summer months. ESPN decided to create an awards show to help fill that gap.

28A Horn of Africa nation : ERITREA

Eritrea is a country located in the Horn of Africa, and surrounded by Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti and the Red Sea. Some scientists believe that the area now known as Eritrea was the departure point for anatomically modern humans who first left Africa to populate the rest of the world.

31A Omnia vincit __ : AMOR

“Omnia vincit amor” is a line from Eclogue X, one of the major works of the Latin poet Virgil. We know the phrase in English as “love conquers all”.

35A Dragon boat steerer : OAR

Dragon boats are traditional paddled longboats associated with the Pearl River Delta in South China. The locals have been engaged in the sport of dragon boat racing for over two millennia. The vessels are traditionally made from teak, but contemporary racing craft are built using carbon fiber and fiberglass. Traditionally, the boat has the head of a dragon at the prow and a dragon’s tail at the stern.

36A Apparition who only appears on Halloween in the Golden State? : CALIFORNIA GHOST

“Golden State” has been the official nickname of California since 1968. The nickname reflects the expansion of the state’s economy that followed the discovery of gold in 1848, and also the fields of golden poppies seen growing wild across California in the spring.

41A Meadow mouthful : CUD

Animals that chew the cud are called ruminants. Ruminants eat vegetable matter but cannot extract any nutritional value from cellulose without the help of microbes in the gut. Ruminants collect roughage in the first part of the alimentary canal, allowing microbes to work on it. The partially digested material (the cud) is regurgitated into the mouth so that the ruminant can chew the food more completely, exposing more surface area for microbes to do their work.

43A Iowa college town : AMES

The Iowa city of Ames was founded as a stop on the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad in 1864. It was named for US Congressman Oakes Ames from the state of Massachusetts in honor of the role that Ames played in the building of the transcontinental railroad.

46A Sportages and Tellurides : KIAS

Kia Motors is the second-largest manufacturer of cars in South Korea, behind Hyundai (and Hyundai is a part owner in Kia now). Kia was founded in 1944 as a manufacturer of bicycle parts, and did indeed produce Korea’s first domestic bicycle. The company’s original name was Kyungsung Precision Industry, with the Kia name introduced in 1952.

49A Got separated from a spooky friend at a Halloween party? : LOST ONE’S GHOUL

Our word “ghoul” comes from the Arabic “ghul”, the name for an evil spirit that feeds on corpses.

56A Covent Garden solo : ARIA

Covent Garden in London’s West End is associated with the Royal Opera House that is located in the area, and with the former fruit and vegetable market that used to sit right at the center of the district. The name “Covent Garden” comes from the fact that there once was a walled garden in the area owned by the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Westminster. The abbey rented out the walled garden calling it “Convent Garden”, and this morphed into the area’s current name.

58A Rich soil : LOAM

Loam is soil made up of sand, silt and clay in the ratio of about 40-40-20. Relative to other soil types, loam is usually rich in nutrients and moisture, drains well and is easy to till. Loam can also be used in constructing houses as it is quite strong when mixed with straw and dried.

62A Dough for pupusas : MASA

A pupusa is a thick flatbread from the cuisine of El Salvador and Honduras. It is usually served with ingredients such as cheese, squash or refried beans, and served with a fermented cabbage called curtido. It is the national dish of El Salvador, and even has its own day of celebration.

63A Alaskan gold rush town : NOME

Nome, Alaska, has over 3,500 residents, the majority of whom are Native American. The next largest ethnic group in Nome is the white population. The origin of the name “Nome” isn’t well understood, it seems. One theory is that there was a misunderstanding of the local Inupiaq word meaning “Where at?”

66A “The Crying Game” writer/director Jordan : NEIL

Irish director and screenwriter Neil Jordan achieved international acclaim with the 1992 psychological thriller “The Crying Game”, which earned six Oscar nominations and won Jordan the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. My personal favorite of Jordan’s films is “Michael Collins”, starring Liam Neeson in the title role …

“The Crying Game” is a fascinating film that made quite a splash when it was released in 1992. Although it was set in Ireland and the UK, it didn’t do well in cinemas in either country yet made a lot of money over here in the US. I think the politics of the movie were a bit raw for Irish and UK audiences back then. It’s an unusual plot, blending Irish political issues with some raw sexuality questions.

Down

4D __ kwon do : TAE

Tae kwon do is the national sport of Korea. “Tae” means “to strike or break with foot”; “kwon” means “to strike or break with fist”; “do” means “way” or “art”. Along with judo, tae kwon do is one of only two martial arts currently included in the Olympic Games.

12D River that made Achilles (mostly) invincible : STYX

The River Styx of Greek mythology was the river that formed the boundary between the Earth and the Underworld (or “Hades”). The souls of the newly dead had to cross the River Styx in a ferry boat piloted by Charon. Traditionally, a coin would be placed in the mouths of the dead “to pay the ferryman”.

Achilles is the protagonist in Homer’s “Iliad”. When Achilles was born, his mother attempted to make him immortal by dipping him into the River Styx. As he was held by the heel while under the water, this became the only vulnerable point on his body (his “Achilles’ heel”). Years later he was killed when a poisoned arrow struck him in the heel. That arrow was shot by Paris.

24D With 11-Down, “The Fosters” actress : TERI …
11D See 24-Down : … POLO

Teri Polo’s most prominent role on the big screen was Pam Focker in “Meet the Fockers” and its sequels. Pam is the wife of the character played by Ben Stiller. Polo also played the wife of Presidential candidate Matt Santos in “The West Wing”.

“The Fosters” is a teen drama TV show about a lesbian couple raising a blended family of biological, adopted and foster children. Originally airing from 2013 to 2018, Jennifer Lopez was involved in the show as an executive producer.

25D Lovato with the 2025 album “It’s Not That Deep” : DEMI

“It’s Not That Deep” is a 2025 album released by Demi Lovato. The title phrase comes directly from the lyrics of the included track “Kiss”.

26D City near Anaheim : BREA

The city of Brea is in Orange County in Southern California. Historically, the area that is now Brea was known for its many oil wells. The city was incorporated in 1917, taking the name “Brea” as it is a Spanish term meaning “natural asphalt, tar”.

31D Checkbook no. : ACCT

Checks and checking accounts caused me some language trouble when I first came to the US. Back in Ireland (and the UK) we write “cheques” using funds from our “current” accounts.

32D Home of Kahului Airport : MAUI

Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian islands. It is sometimes called the “Valley Isle” as it is composed of two volcanoes to the northwest and southeast of the island, each with numerous beautiful valleys carved into them.

Kahului Airport (OGG) is the primary gateway to the island of Maui, Hawaii, handling both inter-island and overseas flights. The air route between Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu and Kahului Airport is one of the more heavily trafficked air corridors within the US.

33D Tex-Mex brand : OLD EL PASO

Old El Paso is a Tex-Mex food brand that is owned today by General Mills. The original company behind Old El Paso started operating in 1917, and launched the Old El Paso brand name in 1938 in El Paso, Texas. The first products produced were canned tomatoes and pinto beans.

34D Echidna snack : ANT

The echidna is also called the spiny anteater. Just like the platypus, the echidna is a mammal that lays eggs.

38D Notice in passing? : OBIT

Our word “obituary” comes from the Latin “obituarius”. The Latin term was used for “record of the death of a person”, although the literal meaning is “pertaining to death”.

39D Credit report blot : REPO

Repossession (repo)

40D Leftovers dish : HASH

Hash, beef and vegetables mashed together, is a very American dish and one that really surprised me when I first came across it. “Hash” just seems like such an unappetizing item, but I soon found out how delicious it was. The name “hash” in this context comes from the French “hacher” meaning “to chop”. Meat hashes like corned beef hash have existed for centuries, and in the late 1800s the dish called “hashed browned potatoes” was developed, which quickly morphed into “hash browns”.

45D “The Favourite” Oscar winner Olivia : COLMAN

Olivia Colman has been a favorite actress of mine for many years, drawing my attention for the many comedic roles that she has had on mainly British TV and radio. I think that she reached a much broader audience starting in 2013 portraying Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller in the excellent crime drama “Broadchurch”. She won an Emmy for playing Queen Elizabeth II on the Netflix drama “The Crown”, and an Oscar for playing Anne, Queen of Britain in the 2018 movie “The Favourite”.

“The Favourite” is an entertaining 2018 comedy about two women vying to be “the favourite” at the court of Queen Anne. The two competitors are portrayed by Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, and the marvelous Olivia Colman plays the queen. Recommended …

50D With 51-Down, 2019 and 2021 Australian Open winner : NAOMI …
51D See 50-Down : … OSAKA

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese-born tennis professional who became the first Asian player to be ranked number-one in singles. She was also the first ever tennis player to light the Olympic cauldron during an opening ceremony, doing so for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

52D General Assembly fig. : UN REP

The United Nations was established right after the end of WWII, and was a replacement for the ineffective League of Nations that had been formed after the end of WWI. The US was at the forefront of the founding of the United Nations, led by President Franklin Roosevelt. The UN’s headquarters is in international territory in New York. There are three regional UN headquarters, also located in international territory, in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.

53D Windborne sediment : LOESS

Loess is a wind-blown accumulation of silt. The word “loess” is German in origin and was first used to describe silt along the Rhine Valley.

54D __ mater : ALMA

The term “alma mater” (literally “nurturing mother”) is used to describe a school from which one has graduated. It can also describe a school’s song or hymn.

60D Generic surname : DOE

Though the English court system does not use the term today, “John Doe” first appeared as the “name of a person unknown” in England in 1659, along with the similar “Richard Roe”. An unknown female is referred to as “Jane Doe”, and the equivalent to Richard Roe is Jane Roe (as in Roe v. Wade, for example). Variants of “John Doe” used outside of the courts are “Joe Blow” and “John Q. Public”.

61D Horologist’s piece : COG

Horology (also “chronometry”) is the scientific measurement of time, and also the art of crafting chronometers like clocks and watches. The term “horology” comes from the Greek “hora” meaning “hour, time”, and “-logia” meaning “study of”.