Constructed by: C.C. Burnikel
Edited by: Rich Norris
Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
Quicklink to comments
Theme: Action Figures
Today’s themed answers are all common phrases that take the form “X-ing Y”. However, the phrases have been reinterpreted so that Y is the family name of a famous showbiz personality whose given name is referenced in the clue. Very punny!
- 23A. Doris during a workout? : TRAINING DAY (from “Doris Day”)
- 29A. Director Oliver working on pizza dough? : ROLLING STONE (from “Oliver Stone”)
- 59A. Comical Samantha busy stitching? : QUILTING BEE (from “Samantha Bee”)
- 78A. Nicolas taking a swing? : BATTING CAGE (from “Nicolas Cage”)
- 106A. Singer Al making a strike? : BOWLING GREEN (from “Al Green”)
- 115A. Nathan at quarterback? : PASSING LANE (from “Nathan Lane”)
- 3D. Sally having fun? : PLAYING FIELD (from “Sally Field”)
- 65D. Lucille on a trampoline? : BOUNCING BALL (from “Lucille Ball”)
Bill’s time: 16m 31s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Quaker in the wind : ASPEN
The “quaking” aspen tree is so called because the structure of the leaves causes them to move easily in the wind, to “tremble, quake”.
11. “House” actor Omar : EPPS
Omar Epps is the actor who played Eric Forman on the excellent television series “House”. Prior to playing Dr. Forman, Epps had a recurring role playing Dr. Dennis Grant on “ER”. And, in another link to the world of medicine, Epps was born in Savannah, Georgia to single mom, Dr. Bonnie Epps.
15. Full house, e.g. : HAND
That would be in the card game poker.
19. Pond flower : CALLA
“Calla lily” is a common name for a lily of the genus Zantedeschia. There is a lily genus called calla, but the calla lily isn’t in it. Now that, that is confusing …
23. Doris during a workout? : TRAINING DAY (from “Doris Day”)
The actress and singer Doris Day was born Doris Kappelhoff in Cincinnati, Ohio. Day made more than 650 recordings as a singer with Columbia Records, and also appeared in 39 movies. Outside the world of entertainment, she has been an ardent supporter of animal rights. She now lives in Carmel-by-the-Sea in California, along with her many pets and stray animals that she has adopted over the years.
25. Maker of Regenerist skin care products : OLAY
Oil of Olay was developed in South Africa in 1949. When Oil of Olay was introduced internationally, it was given slightly different brand names designed to appeal in the different geographies. In Ireland we know it as Oil of Ulay, for example, and in France it is Oil of Olaz.
26. ‘Vette roof option : T-TOP
The Chevrolet Corvette was introduced to the world in 1953, and was named after the small maneuverable warship called a corvette. The Corvette has legs. It is the only American sports car that has been around for over 50 years.
28. Greenwich Village sch. : NYU
The main campus of the private New York University (NYU) is located right in Manhattan, in Washington Square in the heart of Greenwich Village. NYU has over 12,000 resident students, the largest number of residents in a private school in the whole country. NYU’s sports teams are known as the Violets, a reference to the violet and white colors that are worn in competition. Since the 1980s, the school’s mascot has been a bobcat. “Bobcat” had been the familiar name given to NYU’s Bobst Library computerized catalog.
29. Director Oliver working on pizza dough? : ROLLING STONE (from “Oliver Stone”)
Oliver Stone came to prominence as a film director in the 1980s when he came out with a string of war films such as “Salvador”, “Platoon” and “Born on the Fourth of July”. Stone dropped out of Yale University in the sixties and spent six months in South Vietnam teaching English. A few years later he signed up with the US Army and requested combat duty in South Vietnam and completed a 15-month tour. His movie “Platoon” is a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences during the Vietnam War.
32. Cymbals with a pedal : HI-HAT
In a drum kit, a hi-hat is a pairing of cymbals that sits on a stand and is played by using a foot pedal. The top cymbal is raised and lowered by the foot, hence creating a crashing sound.
36. Perfect Sleepers, e.g. : SERTAS
Serta was founded in 1931 when a group of 13 mattress manufacturers came together, essentially forming a cooperative. Today, the Serta company is owned by eight independent licensees in a similar arrangement. Serta advertisements feature the Serta Counting Sheep. Each numbered sheep has a different personality, such as:
- #1 The Leader of the Flock
- #½ The Tweener
- #13 Mr. Bad Luck
- #53 The Pessimist
- #86 Benedict Arnold
37. Yoga class greeting : NAMASTE
In the Hindu tradition, “namaste” is a respectful greeting meaning “I bow to the divine in you”. The greeting usually includes a slight bow made with the palms of the hand pressed together, pointing upwards in front of the body.
48. Subj. for Janet Yellen : ECON
The economist Janet Yellen was appointed Chair of the Federal Reserve in 2014 by President Obama. When her appointment was confirmed by the US Senate, Yellen became the first woman to hold the position.
51. Diaper cream additive : ALOE
“Diaper” is another word that I had to learn when I moved to America. What are called “diapers” over here, we call “nappies” back in Ireland. The term “diaper” is actually the original term that was used in England for the garment, where “diaper” referred to the cloth that was used. The term diaper was brought to the New World where it stuck. Back in Britain, diaper was displaced by the word “nappy”, a diminutive of “napkin”.
54. Quisling’s crime : TREASON
Treason is a serious crime committed against the nation (or the sovereign). One who commits “treason” is called a “traitor”. In the past, the term treason also applied to lesser crimes (like a woman killing her husband) so there was a differentiation between high treason against the king, and “petit treason”, against a more common citizen.
We use the word “quisling” for a person who is a collaborator with enemy forces during wartime. The term comes from Norwegian Vidkun Quisling, who led a regime during WWII that collaborated with the occupying Nazi forces.
57. 1688 coffeehouse founder Edward better known in the insurance world : LLOYD
Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, members of the shipping industry community were in the habit of meeting regularly in Lloyd’s Coffee House in London, an establishment owned by one Edward Lloyd. The coffee house’s owner catered to his clientele by providing regular news about the shipping industry. The shipping merchants discussed deals among themselves, forming syndicates that insured vessels and cargo, for each other and for others in the business. The members of the group eventually relocated to a permanent headquarters, but maintained the name “Society of Lloyd’s”, which exists to this day.
59. Comical Samantha busy stitching? : QUILTING BEE (from “Samantha Bee”)
Samantha Bee is a comedian from Toronto who is best known as a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” starting way back in 2003. Bee left “The Daily Show” in 2015 to host her own late-night talk show “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” on TBS.
62. Masterful move : COUP
A coup d’état (often just “coup”) is the sudden overthrow of a government, and comes from the French for “stroke of state”. The Swiss-German word “putsch” is sometimes used instead of “coup”, with “Putsch” translating literally as “sudden blow”.
64. Ski resort sight : GONDOLA
The word “gondola” was originally limited to the famous boats that travel along the canals of Venice. When man started to fly through the air in hot air balloons, “gondola” was used for the basket in which the passenger(s) traveled. By extension, the structure carrying passengers and crew under an airship is also called a gondola, as are the cars suspended from a cable at a ski resort.
68. Some battered rings : CALAMARI
“Calamaro” is the Italian word for “squid” (plural “calamari”).
70. Mumbai mister : SRI
Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and the second most populous city in the world (after Shanghai). The name of the city was changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995.
71. Baker’s gluten-free choice : OAT FLOUR
Gluten is a protein mixture found in foods processed mainly from wheat. The sticky properties of gluten are used in making bread, giving dough its elasticity and making the final product chewy. “Gluten” is the Latin word for “glue”.
73. JFK : New York :: __ : Chicago : ORD
O’Hare International is the fourth busiest airport in the world. The original airport was constructed on the site between 1942 and 1943, and was used by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the manufacture of planes during WWII. Before the factory and airport were built, there was a community in the area called Orchard Place, so the airport was called Orchard Place Airport/Douglas Field. This name is the derivation of the airport’s current location identifier: ORD (OR-chard D-ouglas). Orchard Place Airport was renamed to O’Hare International in 1949 in honor of Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare who grew up in Chicago. O’Hare was the US Navy’s first flying ace and a Medal of Honor recipient in WWII.
74. Singer Laine : FRANKIE
The singer Frankie Laine was known for singing the theme songs from Western movies and shows, although he wasn’t a country & western singer. Laine released a version of the theme for “High Noon” for example, and “Champion the Wonder Horse”, and they became bigger hits than the originals.
77. Lara’s love : 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.
The heroine of Boris Pasternak’s epic novel “Doctor Zhivago” is Lara. The Lara character was inspired by Pasternak’s mistress Olga Ivinskaya.
78. Nicolas taking a swing? : BATTING CAGE (from “Nicolas Cage”)
The actor Nicolas “Nic” Cage was born Nicolas Coppola. Cage is the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire, both of whom are his father’s siblings.
81. Painter of dancers : DEGAS
Edgar Degas was a French artist, famous for his paintings and sculptures. Some of Degas’ most beautiful works feature female ballet dancers, and others depict women bathing.
88. Disc golf obstacle : TREE
Disc golf is also known as Frisbee golf.
The Frisbee concept started back in 1938 with a couple who had an upturned cake pan that they were tossing between each other on Santa Monica Beach in California. They were offered 25 cents for the pan on the spot, and as pans could be bought for 5 cents, the pair figured there was a living to be earned.
89. Dürer, e.g. : ETCHER
Albrecht Dürer was a German artist who was noted for his etchings and engravings as well as for his paintings.
91. They, in Cognac : ILS
Cognac is a famous variety of brandy named after the town of Cognac in the very west of France. To be called cognac, the brandy must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in very specific French oak barrels.
92. One typing a’s and z’s : PINKIE
The use of “pinkie” or “pinky” for the little finger or toe comes into English from “pinkje”, the Dutch word for the same digit. Who knew …?
97. Certain triathlete : IRONMAN
An Ironman Triathlon is a race involving a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a marathon run of just over 26 miles. The idea for the race came out of a debate between some runners in the 1977 Oahu Perimeter Relay. They were questioning whether runners, swimmers or bikers were the most fit athletes. The debaters decided to combine three local events to determine the answer, inviting athletes from all three disciplines. The events that were mimicked to come up with the first triathlon were the Waikiki Roughwater swim (2.4 miles), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (115 miles) and the Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles). The idea was that whoever finished first would be called “the Iron Man”. The first triathlon was run in 1978, with fifteen starters and only twelve finishers. The race format is used all over the world now, but the Hawaiian Ironman is the event that everyone wants to win.
102. Linguine sauce : PESTO
The term “pesto” applies to anything made by pounding. What we tend to know as “pesto” sauce is more properly called “pesto alla genovese”, pesto from Genoa in northern Italy. I love, love pesto sauce …
106. Singer Al making a strike? : BOWLING GREEN (from “Al Green”)
Al Green is a gospel and soul music singer. Green was born in Arkansas, where he started out as a gospel singer and moved into R&B. In 1974, he was assaulted by a girlfriend who burned him badly on much of his body by pouring boiling grits over him (and then she committed suicide). The incident changed Green’s life and he turned to the church, becoming a pastor in Memphis in 1976. He continued to record music, but never really enjoyed the same success that he had in the early seventies with hits like “Let’s Stay Together” and “I’m Still In Love With You”.
113. Eurasian border river : URAL
The Ural River rises in the Ural Mountains in Russia and flows for half its length through Russian territory until it crosses the border into Kazakhstan, finally emptying into the Caspian Sea.
115. Nathan at quarterback? : PASSING LANE (from “Nathan Lane”)
Nathan Lane is a wonderful actor, one perhaps most associated with musical theater. Famous roles include Albert in “The Birdcage” and Max in “The Producers”. Best of all though to me, is Lane’s performance in the 1996 film “The Birdcage”.
119. Exiled Roman poet : OVID
The Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso is today known simply as Ovid. Ovid is usually listed alongside the two other great Roman poets: Horace and Virgil. Although he was immensely popular during his own lifetime, he spent the last ten years of his life in exile. He fell foul of Emperor Augustus, although what led to this disfavor isn’t truly understood.
122. Florist’s creation : POSY
A “poesy” was the name given to a line of verse engraved on the inner surface of a ring. The related word “posy”, meaning a bouquet of flowers, arose with the notion that giving a posy might be a message of love, just as a poesy inside a ring could have the same meaning.
124. “Spider-Man” actress : DUNST
Kirsten Dunst is a Hollywood actress from Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Dunst is perhaps best known for playing the love interest and female lead in the “Spider-Man” series of movies opposite Tobey Maguire. Personally, my favorite Dunst films are “Wimbledon” and “Marie Antoinette”. Dunst is a dual citizen of the US and Germany, as her father is from Hamburg.
125. Shoelace protector : AGLET
An aglet is a plastic or metal sheath that is found on the end of a shoelace or perhaps a drawstring. The name “aglet” comes from the Old French word “aguillette” meaning “needle”.
Down
2. 2002 skating gold medalist Hughes : SARAH
American figure skater Sarah Hughes won the Ladies Singles’ gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
3. Sally having fun? : PLAYING FIELD (from “Sally Field”)
Actress Sally Field first came to the public’s attention in the sixties with title roles in the TV shows “Gidget” and “The Flying Nun”. She has two Best Actress Oscars: one for “Norma Rae” (1979) and one for “Places in the Heart” (1984).
4. Cuthbert of “24” : ELISHA
Elisha Cuthbert is a Canadian actress who came to world attention playing Kim Bauer, Jack Bauer’s daughter on TV’s “24”. After “24”, Cuthbert played one of the lead characters on the sitcom “Happy Endings” that ran from 2011 to 2013.
5. Editor Talese with her own Doubleday imprint : NAN
Nan Talese is an editor working at Doubleday. She is married to author Gay Talese, who is apparently in the process of writing a non-fiction book documenting their life together.
6. Stylish : TONY
Something described as “tony” is elegant or exclusive. “Tony” is derived from the word “tone”.
7. Amen Corner golf course, familiarly : AUGUSTA
The Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia was founded in 1933 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. Famously, Augusta hosts the Masters Tournament each year. Augusta is very much a private club, and some of its policies have drawn criticism over the years. Prior to 1959, the club had a bylaw requiring that all caddies be African American. There were no African-American club members admitted until 1990, and no women until 2012.
One section of the course at Augusta National has been nicknamed as Amen Corner since 1958. It comprises the second shot at the 11th hole, all of the 12th hole, and the first couple of shots at the 13th.
10. Pooh’s mopey pal : EEYORE
Eeyore is the donkey character in A. A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh”. Eeyore is very lovable, but has a gloomy and pessimistic outlook on life.
11. “Silent Spring” subj. : ECOL
DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (don’t forget now!). DDT was used with great success to control disease-carrying insects during WWII, and when made available for use after the war it became by far the most popular pesticide. And then Rachel Carson published her famous book “Silent Spring”, suggesting there was a link between DDT and diminishing populations of certain wildlife. It was the public outcry sparked by the book, and reports of links between DDT and cancer, that led to the ban on the use of the chemical in 1972. That ban is touted as the main reason that the bald eagle was rescued from near extinction.
12. Canines with corded coats : PULIS
The puli is a small herding dog that is noted for its coat with tight curls that resemble dreadlocks. Pulik (the plural) originated in Hungary.
15. Spicy steamed Mexican food : HOT TAMALE
A tamale is a traditional dish from Central America composed of a starchy dough that is steamed or boiled in a wrapper made from a corn husk or banana leaf. The dough is called masa, and can include many different ingredients including meat, cheese fruit and vegetables.
16. “He Was Despised,” in Handel’s “Messiah” : ALTO SOLO
George Frideric Handel was the King of the Oratorio. Handel’s most famous oratorio is “Messiah”, which had its debut performance in Dublin, Ireland back in 1742.
17. Strip gas : NEON
The basic design of neon lighting was first demonstrated at the Paris Motor Show in 1910. Such lighting is made up of glass tubes containing a vacuum into which has been introduced a small amount of neon gas. When a voltage is applied between two electrodes inside the tube, the neon gas “glows” and gives off the familiar light.
31. Amtrak stop: Abbr. : STN
Amtrak is the name used commercially by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. “Amtrak” comes from a melding of the words “America” and “track”.
33. “__ Schoolchildren”: Tracy Kidder book : AMONG
Tracy Kidder is a writer from New York City. Kidder was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1981 for his book called “The Soul of a New Machine”, which is a non-fiction work about the creation of a new design of computer.
38. Google Maps lines: Abbr. : STS
Google Maps was developed as a web mapping service for desktops. The (wonderful!) Google Maps mobile app was released in 2008, and is now the most popular smartphone app in the world.
42. Tofurky protein source : SOY
Tofurky is the brand name of a turkey “replacement” made from wheat protein and tofu. I am a vegan and have tried Tofurky, and it is disgusting …
43. Newsman Koppel : TED
The broadcast journalist Ted Koppel is most associated with his long run as anchor for the “Nightline” program on ABC. Koppel was actually born in England, to a Jewish family that had fled from Germany. He emigrated with his family to the US when he was 13 years old. Koppel is great friends with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger who was a frequent guest on his television show.
44. Debacle : FIASCO
Back in the mid-1800s, “fiasco” was theater slang meaning “failure in performance”. The meaning morphed soon after into any kind of failure or flop. The term evolved from the Italian “far fiasco”, a phrase that the same meaning in Italian theater, but translated literally as “make a bottle”. It turns out that “fiasco” and “flask” both derive from the Latin “flasco” meaning “bottle”.
A “debacle” is a disaster, and is a French word with the same meaning. In French, the term originally was used for the breaking up of ice on a river.
53. Ottawa-born songwriter Paul : ANKA
Canadian-born Paul Anka’s big hit was in 1957, the song entitled “Diana”. Anka was the subject of a much-lauded documentary film in 1962 called “Lonely Boy”.
55. “View of Toledo” painter : EL GRECO
“El Greco” (“the Greek”, in Spanish) was the nickname of the artist whose real name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos. El Greco was born in Crete in 1541, and moved to Venice to study art when he was in his early twenties. A few years later he moved to the city of Toledo in central Spain, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life.
56. Yours, in Cognac : A TOI
“À toi” is the French term for “yours”, when talking to someone with whom one is familiar. “À toi” literally means “to you”.
57. Romaine bit : LEAF
Romaine is also known as cos lettuce, with the “romaine” name being most common here in North America.
59. Tonic ingredient : QUININE
The original tonic water was a fairly strong solution of the drug quinine dissolved in carbonated water. It was used in tropical areas in South Asia and Africa where malaria is rampant. The quinine has a prophylactic effect against the disease, and was formulated as “tonic water” so that it could be easily distributed. In British colonial India, the colonial types got into the habit of mixing in gin with the tonic water to make it more palatable by hiding the bitter taste of the quinine. Nowadays, the level of quinine in tonic water has been dropped, and sugar has been added.
65. Lucille on a trampoline? : BOUNCING BALL (from “Lucille Ball”)
Lucille Ball was at the height of her success while she was married to Desi Arnaz. The couple met in 1940 and not long afterwards eloped. Lucy had several miscarriages before she gave birth to her first child in 1951, just one month before her fortieth birthday. A year and a half later, while “I Love Lucy” was garnering large audiences, she became pregnant with her second child, a pregnancy that was written into the television show’s script. In fact, the day that Lucy gave birth on the show, was the same day that she gave birth in real life.
66. Pass good in 28 countries : EURAIL
In my days as a student, the way to backpack around Europe was using a Europass. Nowadays that is known as a Eurail pass. The Eurail pass gives you access to most trains (and some shipping lines) right across the continent.
69. Degs. for writers : MFAS
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
70. Something flashed by a catcher : SIGN
That would be baseball.
72. The Eagles’ “__ Eyes” : LYIN’
The Eagles song “Lyin’ Eyes” was recorded in 1975. Written by band members Don Henley and Glenn Frey, the lyrics were inspired by a meeting between a man and a woman the composers witnessed in Dan Tana’s Bar & Restaurant in Los Angeles. Henley and Frey imagined a scenario of secret love, and “Lyin’ Eyes” was born.
79. Had Subway fare : ATE
The SUBWAY chain of fast food restaurants is the largest single-brand restaurant in the world. I’m a big fan of SUBWAY sandwiches, especially the toasted ones …
80. Physics Nobelist of 1938 : FERMI
Enrico Fermi was born in Rome, Italy. Fermi moved to the US just before WWII, largely to escape the anti-Semitic feelings that were developing in Italy under Mussolini. It was Fermi’s work at the University of Chicago that led to the construction of the world’s first nuclear reactor. Fermi died at 53 years of age from stomach cancer . Cancer was a prevalent cause of death among the team working on that first nuclear pile.
81. Tango move : DIP
The dramatic dance called the tango originated in the late 1800s in the area along the border between Argentina and Uruguay. Dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires in particular traveled to Europe and beyond in the early twentieth century and brought the tango with them. The tango craze first struck Europe in Paris in the 1910s, and from there spread to London and Berlin, crossing the Atlantic to New York in 1913.
82. London’s Virgin __ Records : EMI
Virgin EMI Records is a label that formed in 2013 with the merger of Mercury Records UK and Virgin Records. The list of artists recording with Virgin EMI includes Justin Bieber, Elton John, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, U2, Willie Nelson and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
85. “Billions” network, briefly : SHO
“Billions” is a Showtime drama series starring Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis. It’s about a federal prosecutor going after a hedge fund manager in New York. I haven’t seen this one, but hear good things. Must be good with Giamatti and Lewis starring …
86. Muscle-bone connector : TENDON
Tendons are bands of collagen that connect muscle to bone. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae, which are also connective tissue made out of collagen, but ligaments join bone to bone, and fasciae connect muscle to muscle.
88. “16 and Pregnant” spin-off : TEEN MOM
“Teen Mom” is an MTV reality TV show. Not for me …
90. King known for his wealth : CROESUS
Croesus was the king of Lydia from 560 to 547 BC. He was noted for his fabulous wealth. As a result, the name “Croesus” entered the English language as a synonym for a wealthy man in expressions such as “rich as Croesus” and “richer than Croesus”.
93. “Lord, is __?”: Matthew : IT I
At the Last Supper, Jesus told his apostles that one of them would betray him that day. According to the Gospel of Matthew:
And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
95. Big primate : APE
Apes and monkeys both belong to the order of primates. The most obvious way to distinguish apes from monkeys is by the presence or lack of a tail. Almost all apes have no tail, and almost all monkeys have tails.
100. __ nectar: sugar substitute : AGAVE
Agave nectar (also “agave syrup”) is sweeter than honey, but is much more fluid. The nectar’s sweetness comes from its high fructose content. A lot of agave nectar comes from the blue agave, the same species that is used to make tequila.
101. Wrinkly fruits : UGLIS
The ugli fruit is a hybrid of an orange and a tangerine, first discovered growing wild in Jamaica where most ugli fruit comes from today. “UGLI” is a trademark name that is a variant of “ugly”, a nod to the fruits unsightly wrinkled rind.
103. Major snag : SNAFU
SNAFU is an acronym standing for Situation Normal: All Fouled Up (well, that’s the “polite” version!). As one might perhaps imagine, the term developed in the US Army, during WWII.
105. Broadway matchmaker : YENTE
Yenta (also “Yente”) is actually a female Yiddish name. In Yiddish theater “yenta” came to mean a busybody, gossip.
107. Sister brand of Nilla : OREO
The Oreo was the best-selling cookie in the 20th century, and almost 500 billion of them have been sold since they were introduced in 1912 by Nabisco. In those early days the creme filling was made with pork fat, but today vegetable oils are used instead. If you take a bite out of an Oreo sold outside of America you might notice a difference from the homegrown cookie, as coconut oil is added in the overseas version to give a different taste.
As one might expect, “Nilla” is a shortened form of “vanilla”. However, you won’t find any vanilla in Nilla brand cookies or wafers. They have always been flavored with vanillin, which is synthetic vanilla. Is nothing sacred …?
116. Scott Eastwood, to Clint : SON
Actor Scott Eastwood is the youngest son of Clint Eastwood. Scott has appeared in quite a few movies that his father directed, including “Gran Torino”, “Invictus” and “Flags of Our Fathers”.
117. “Today” alternative, for short : GMA
“Good Morning America” (GMA) is ABC’s morning show, and has been since 1975. There was even a spinoff show called “Good Afternoon America”, although that only lasted for a few months in 2012.
Complete List of Clues and Answers
Across
1. Quaker in the wind : ASPEN
6. Little bite : TASTE
11. “House” actor Omar : EPPS
15. Full house, e.g. : HAND
19. Pond flower : CALLA
20. Navel type : OUTIE
21. Selectively remove : CULL
22. Butterlike topping : OLEO
23. Doris during a workout? : TRAINING DAY (from “Doris Day”)
25. Maker of Regenerist skin care products : OLAY
26. ‘Vette roof option : T-TOP
27. Claims : SAYS
28. Greenwich Village sch. : NYU
29. Director Oliver working on pizza dough? : ROLLING STONE (from “Oliver Stone”)
32. Cymbals with a pedal : HI-HAT
34. Tire for emergencies : SPARE
36. Perfect Sleepers, e.g. : SERTAS
37. Yoga class greeting : NAMASTE
39. Place for a bud? : EAR
41. Deepest, as feelings : INMOST
44. Tiny bit : FIG
46. Many a pizza slice : OCTANT
48. Subj. for Janet Yellen : ECON
51. Diaper cream additive : ALOE
52. Labor day deliveries : INFANTS
54. Quisling’s crime : TREASON
57. 1688 coffeehouse founder Edward better known in the insurance world : LLOYD
58. Cause of some lines : AGING
59. Comical Samantha busy stitching? : QUILTING BEE (from “Samantha Bee”)
61. Look for : SEEK
62. Masterful move : COUP
64. Ski resort sight : GONDOLA
65. Avoid, as an issue : BEG
68. Some battered rings : CALAMARI
70. Mumbai mister : SRI
71. Baker’s gluten-free choice : OAT FLOUR
73. JFK : New York :: __ : Chicago : ORD
74. Singer Laine : FRANKIE
76. Troubles : ILLS
77. Lara’s love : YURI
78. Nicolas taking a swing? : BATTING CAGE (from “Nicolas Cage”)
80. Big 112-Down : FINAL
81. Painter of dancers : DEGAS
84. Lacking variety : ONE-NOTE
85. Silkscreen aid : STENCIL
87. Computer with a Magic Keyboard : IMAC
88. Disc golf obstacle : TREE
89. Dürer, e.g. : ETCHER
91. They, in Cognac : ILS
92. One typing a’s and z’s : PINKIE
94. Used a bench, say : SAT
97. Certain triathlete : IRONMAN
99. French sponge cake : GATEAU
102. Linguine sauce : PESTO
104. Squalid : DINGY
106. Singer Al making a strike? : BOWLING GREEN (from “Al Green”)
109. Spanish pronoun : ESO
111. Provide a bank floor plan for, say : ABET
113. Eurasian border river : URAL
114. Alpha __ : MALE
115. Nathan at quarterback? : PASSING LANE (from “Nathan Lane”)
118. Inconsequential : MERE
119. Exiled Roman poet : OVID
120. Clashing with, with “of” : AFOUL
121. Sheds : MOLTS
122. Florist’s creation : POSY
123. State of disarray : MESS
124. “Spider-Man” actress : DUNST
125. Shoelace protector : AGLET
Down
1. Accomplishments : ACTS
2. 2002 skating gold medalist Hughes : SARAH
3. Sally having fun? : PLAYING FIELD (from “Sally Field”)
4. Cuthbert of “24” : ELISHA
5. Editor Talese with her own Doubleday imprint : NAN
6. Stylish : TONY
7. Amen Corner golf course, familiarly : AUGUSTA
8. Benchmark: Abbr. : STD
9. Pageant sparkler : TIARA
10. Pooh’s mopey pal : EEYORE
11. “Silent Spring” subj. : ECOL
12. Canines with corded coats : PULIS
13. Flier : PLANE
14. Con man’s expression : SLY GRIN
15. Spicy steamed Mexican food : HOT TAMALE
16. “He Was Despised,” in Handel’s “Messiah” : ALTO SOLO
17. Strip gas : NEON
18. Suss (out) : DOPE
24. In one piece : INTACT
30. Grassy expanse : LEA
31. Amtrak stop: Abbr. : STN
33. “__ Schoolchildren”: Tracy Kidder book : AMONG
35. Unreleased : PENT-UP
38. Google Maps lines: Abbr. : STS
40. Varnish component : RESIN
42. Tofurky protein source : SOY
43. Newsman Koppel : TED
44. Debacle : FIASCO
45. Engaged : IN GEAR
47. Hexa- halved : TRI-
49. Express sympathy (with) : CONDOLE
50. Needing to be saved? : ON GOAL
53. Ottawa-born songwriter Paul : ANKA
55. “View of Toledo” painter : EL GRECO
56. Yours, in Cognac : A TOI
57. Romaine bit : LEAF
59. Tonic ingredient : QUININE
60. Layered lunches : BLTS
62. Golf course rental : CART
63. Soapbox user : ORATOR
65. Lucille on a trampoline? : BOUNCING BALL (from “Lucille Ball”)
66. Pass good in 28 countries : EURAIL
67. Tailgating fixtures : GRILLS
69. Degs. for writers : MFAS
70. Something flashed by a catcher : SIGN
72. The Eagles’ “__ Eyes” : LYIN’
75. Prayer supports : KNEES
76. Following remark? : I GET IT
78. Place for shady transactions : BACK ALLEY
79. Had Subway fare : ATE
80. Physics Nobelist of 1938 : FERMI
81. Tango move : DIP
82. London’s Virgin __ Records : EMI
83. Turf disputes : GANG WARS
85. “Billions” network, briefly : SHO
86. Muscle-bone connector : TENDON
88. “16 and Pregnant” spin-off : TEEN MOM
90. King known for his wealth : CROESUS
93. “Lord, is __?”: Matthew : IT I
95. Big primate : APE
96. One of 18 on a disc golf course : TEE PAD
98. Like sundials : ANALOG
100. __ nectar: sugar substitute : AGAVE
101. Wrinkly fruits : UGLIS
103. Major snag : SNAFU
105. Broadway matchmaker : YENTE
106. Speed deterrent : BUMP
107. Sister brand of Nilla : OREO
108. Wine list heading : REDS
110. Bank deposit : SILT
112. See 80-Across : TEST
116. Scott Eastwood, to Clint : SON
117. “Today” alternative, for short : GMA