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Edited by: Patti Varol
Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Blowouts
Themed clues all refer to BLOWOUTS:
- 17A Group that might enjoy a blowout : WINNING TEAM
- 30A Host who might throw a blowout : PARTY GIVER
- 48A Wheel that might experience a blowout : RADIAL TIRE
- 63A Professional who might provide a blowout : HAIR STYLIST
Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers
Want to discuss the puzzle? Then …
… leave a comment
Bill’s time: 6m 03s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
16 “The Queen’s Gambit” actress Anya Taylor-__ : JOY
Actress Anya Taylor-Joy had quite the international upbringing. She was born in Miami, and raised in Buenos Aires and then London. She is perhaps best known for playing the title character in the 2020 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Emma”, and the lead role in the Netflix miniseries “The Queen’s Gambit”.
“The Queen’s Gambit” is a wonderful 2020 miniseries based on a 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. Anya Taylor-Joy plays a young chess prodigy who has a tough upbringing in an orphanage, and who then struggles with alcohol and drug dependency. The series was so popular with viewers that it sparked a renewed interest in the game of chess, with sales of chess sets and chess books increasing dramatically.
35 Auden’s “Musée __ Beaux Arts” : DES
W.H. Auden’s 1938 poem “Musée des Beaux Arts” was inspired by the painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus”. The title is a reference to the museum in which the painting was on display, in Brussels. Back in 1938, the canvas in question was attributed to Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder. A technical examination in 1966 resulted in the painting being reattributed to an unknown artist, and so it is now deemed to be a very good copy of the original Bruegel, which is now lost.
36 Video game archaeologist Croft : LARA
Lara Croft was introduced to the world in 1996 as the main character in a pretty cool video game (or so I thought, back then) called “Tomb Raider”. Lara Croft moved to the big screen in 2001 and 2003, in two pretty awful movie adaptations of the game’s storyline. Angelina Jolie played Croft, and she did a very energetic job.
38 Davis of “Stuart Little” : GEENA
As well as being a successful Hollywood actress, Geena Davis is an accomplished archer and came close to qualifying for the US archery team for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Davis is also a member of American Mensa. She is quite the lady …
“Stuart Little” is a 1999 film about a mouse adopted into a family headed by parents played by Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie. Beyond the story told in the film, there is a remarkable connection between the movie and the art world. A painting prominently featured in the Little’s home, titled “Sleeping Lady with Black Vase”, was actually discovered by a set designer in an antique shop. Years later, an art historian, watching the movie on television, identified the painting as a lost masterpiece by Hungarian artist Róbert Berény. Originally purchased for the film set at a price of $500, the work fetched an impressive $285,700 at auction.
40 [Not my error] : [SIC]
[Sic] indicates that a quotation is written as originally found, perhaps including a typo. “Sic” is Latin for “thus, like this”. The term is more completely written as “sic erat scriptum”, which translates as “thus was it written”.
42 Some nesting figures : DOLLS
Matryoshka dolls are those wooden nesting dolls that are on sale at every tourist trap across Russia. “Matryoshka” is Russian for “little matron”.
45 Gym cushions : MATS
Our word “gymnasium” comes from the Greek “gymnasion” meaning “public place where exercise is taken”. The Greek term comes from “gymnos” meaning “naked”, as that physical training was usually done unclothed in ancient Greece.
47 Gymnast Suni : LEE
Suni Lee is an American gymnast who won the women’s artistic individual all-around event at the 2020 Olympics. A few weeks after her victory in Tokyo, Lee competed in the 30th season of “Dancing with the Stars”, finishing in 5th place.
48 Wheel that might experience a blowout : RADIAL TIRE
Radial (actually “radial-ply”) tires are so called because the cord plies embedded in the rubber are arranged radially from the center of the tire. This means that the plies are at right angles to the direction of travel. In older tires the plies were criss-crossed over each other, at angles of 60 and -60 degrees from the direction of travel. Such tires are cross-ply or bias tires.
51 “Puppy Love” singer Paul : ANKA
“Puppy Love” is a song written and recorded by Paul Anka in 1960. He wrote the song for his girlfriend at the time, actress and singer Annette Funicello. “Puppy Love” was covered by Donny Osmond, who had a big hit with it in 1972.
52 “Bad, Bad” Brown of song : LEROY
“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” is a song written and first performed by Jim Croce. It was a number-one hit for him in 1973. The song was inspired by a real-life Leroy Brown, who was someone that Croce met while serving in the US Army.
54 Head of cabbage? : HARD C
The first letter in the word “cabbage” is a hard letter C (cee).
57 __-Wan Kenobi : OBI
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the more beloved of the “Star Wars” characters. He was portrayed by two fabulous actors in the series of films. As a young man Kenobi was played by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, and as an older man by Alec Guinness.
59 Pond buildup : ALGAE
Eutrophication is a big problem in our waters. Essentially, it happens when too many nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers, end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans. This overload causes excessive growth of algae. This overgrowth blocks sunlight and ultimately depletes oxygen in the water, harming fish and other aquatic life.
66 Mojito liquor : RUM
A mojito is a Cuban cocktail, although the exact origins appear to be unclear, as does the derivation of the name. Want one? Put 4 mint leaves in a glass, and add the juice of half a lime and a teaspoon of powdered sugar. Muddle the ingredients, smashing them together with a muddler or a spoon. Add some crushed ice, two ounces of white rum and stir. Top with a couple of ounces of club soda, and garnish with a sprig of mint and/or a slice of lime. Cheers!
68 “Battle Cry” novelist Leon : URIS
“Battle Cry” is a novel by Leon Uris that was first published in 1953. The story follows men in the US Marines during WWII. “Battle Cry” is somewhat biographical as Uris served with the 6th Marine Regiment during the war. The book was adapted into a 1955 movie of the same name for which Uris wrote the screenplay.
Down
2 “Tosca” solo : ARIA
Unlike so many operas, Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca” was a big hit right from day one, when it was first performed in 1900 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome. Currently, “Tosca” is the eighth-most performed opera in America.
7 “¿Cómo __ usted?” : ESTA
“¿Cómo está usted?” is a more formal way of asking “How are you?” in Spanish.
10 Mercury and Saturn : ROMAN GODS
Mercury was a Roman god called “the messenger”, and the god of trade. Mercury’s name comes from the Latin word “merx” meaning merchandise (and therefore has the same roots as “merchant” and “commerce”).
Saturn was a Roman deity, the god of agriculture and the harvest. Both the planet Saturn and day “Saturday” are named after Saturn the god.
18 401(k) kin : IRA
A 401(k) account resembles an IRA in that contributions can be made from a paycheck prior to the deduction of income taxes. A 401(k) differs from an IRA in that it is an employer-sponsored plan, with payments taken by the employer directly from an employee’s paycheck. Additionally, contributions can be fully or partially matched by an employer.
23 Insurance company with a spokeslizard : GEICO
Gecko is the “spokes-lizard” for GEICO. When Gecko was introduced in 1999, he was voiced by actor Kelsey Grammer of “Cheers” and “Frasier” fame. Since then, Gecko has been voiced by British radio presenter Dave Kelly and most recently by actor Jake Wood, who plays Max Branning on the British soap opera “EastEnders”.
27 Olive in the comics : OYL
E. C. Segar’s cartoon character Olive Oyl had quite a large family. Her mother is Nana Oyl, and her father Cole Oyl. Olive’s brother is Castor Oyl, and she has uncles named Otto Oyl and Lubry Kent Oyl (my favorite!).
28 “The Dance Class” painter Degas : EDGAR
Edgar Degas’ 1874 painting “The Dance Class” can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It depicts ballet master Jules Perrot holding a class in a rehearsal room in the old Paris Opéra. The scene is imagined by the artist, as the building had been destroyed by fire the year before. The Musée d’Orsay in Paris owns a variant of the painting that goes by the title “The Ballet Class”, which was painted before the fire took place.
31 “Spider-Man” trilogy director : RAIMI
Sam Raimi is a very successful director and producer. He was behind the “Spider-Man” series of films among others, and TV shows such as “Xena: Warrior Princess”. In 1993, Raimi married Gillian Green, the youngest daughter of actor Lorne Greene of “Bonanza” fame. Raimi and Greene named their eldest son Lorne, after his grandfather.
32 Stereotypical Southern California teen of the 1980s : VALLEY GIRL
The original “valley girls” were the young, middle-class females living in San Fernando Valley in Southern California.
33 Daytime talk show that ended in 2022 : ELLEN
Ellen DeGeneres is a very, very successful TV personality, having parlayed her career in stand-up comedy into lucrative gigs as an actress and talk show host. Back in 1997 DeGeneres chose the “Oprah Winfrey Show” to announce that she was a lesbian. Her character on “The Ellen Show” also came out as a lesbian in a scene with her therapist, who was played by Oprah Winfrey. Nice twist!
36 Secure a ship : LAY ANCHOR
When an anchor is “aweigh” or “atrip”, it is just clear of the ocean bottom, it has just been lifted.
39 Water nymph : NAIAD
The Naiads of Greek mythology were water nymphs associated with fountains, wells, springs and streams. The saltwater equivalents of the freshwater Naiads were the Oceanids.
41 “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” singer Belinda : CARLISLE
Released in 1987, “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” is Belinda Carlisle’s signature song. The accompanying music video was directed by none other than actress Diane Keaton. It features Carlisle dancing in a flowing white dress, and there’s an appearance by Carlisle’s husband Morgan Mason, son of English actors Pamela and James Mason.
44 Antlered animal : ELK
The elk (also “wapiti”) is one of the largest species of deer in the world, with only the moose being bigger. Early European settlers were familiar with the smaller red deer back in their homelands, so when they saw the “huge” wapiti they assumed it was a moose, and incorrectly gave it the European name for a moose, namely “elk”. The more correct name for the beast is “wapiti”, which means “white rump” in Shawnee. It’s all very confusing …
49 Disciple of Lao-tzu : TAOIST
Lao Tse (also “Lao-Tzu”, “Laozi”) was a central figure in the development of the religion/philosophy of Taoism. Tradition holds that Lao-Tzu wrote the “Tao Te Ching”, a classical Chinese text that is fundamental to the philosophy of Taoism.
55 Lago contents : AGUA
In Spanish, a “lago” (lake) is full of “agua” (water).
65 Low card in a royal flush : TEN
The poker hand called a royal flush is the highest-ranking hand possible. It consists of a run of 10, jack, queen, king and ace, with all in the same suit.
Read on, or …
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Cry like a baby : BAWL
5 First game of a doubleheader : OPENER
11 Appear onstage : ACT
14 Sandwich cookie : OREO
15 Not tricked by : WISE TO
16 “The Queen’s Gambit” actress Anya Taylor-__ : JOY
17 Group that might enjoy a blowout : WINNING TEAM
19 Band’s sound booster : AMP
20 Sooner or __ : LATER
21 Melancholy : SAD
22 Shake hands (on) : AGREE
24 Lingering amount : TRACE
26 All alternative : NONE
28 Spanish “those” : ESOS
30 Host who might throw a blowout : PARTY GIVER
35 Auden’s “Musée __ Beaux Arts” : DES
36 Video game archaeologist Croft : LARA
37 Place : LOCALE
38 Davis of “Stuart Little” : GEENA
40 [Not my error] : [SIC]
42 Some nesting figures : DOLLS
43 “On it, Captain!” : AYE AYE!
45 Gym cushions : MATS
47 Gymnast Suni : LEE
48 Wheel that might experience a blowout : RADIAL TIRE
50 Landlord’s income : RENT
51 “Puppy Love” singer Paul : ANKA
52 “Bad, Bad” Brown of song : LEROY
54 Head of cabbage? : HARD C
57 __-Wan Kenobi : OBI
59 Pond buildup : ALGAE
62 Many moons __ : AGO
63 Professional who might provide a blowout : HAIR STYLIST
66 Mojito liquor : RUM
67 Discounted : ON SALE
68 “Battle Cry” novelist Leon : URIS
69 Atlas page : MAP
70 Far from fresh : ROTTEN
71 Theater production : PLAY
Down
1 Many a New Year’s Day football game : BOWL
2 “Tosca” solo : ARIA
3 Became shabby : WENT TO SEED
4 Reclusive sorts : LONERS
5 Private : OWN
6 Pork-based dog treats : PIGS’ EARS
7 “¿Cómo __ usted?” : ESTA
8 “You __ bother!” : NEEDN’T
9 In-flight info, for short : ETA
10 Mercury and Saturn : ROMAN GODS
11 Letting in light, as a door : AJAR
12 “The best is yet to __” : COME
13 Use a keyboard : TYPE
18 401(k) kin : IRA
23 Insurance company with a spokeslizard : GEICO
25 Tax pro : CPA
27 Olive in the comics : OYL
28 “The Dance Class” painter Degas : EDGAR
29 “Bye now” : SEE YA
31 “Spider-Man” trilogy director : RAIMI
32 Stereotypical Southern California teen of the 1980s : VALLEY GIRL
33 Daytime talk show that ended in 2022 : ELLEN
34 Button clicked by a password forgetter : RESET
36 Secure a ship : LAY ANCHOR
39 Water nymph : NAIAD
41 “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” singer Belinda : CARLISLE
44 Antlered animal : ELK
46 Casual top : TEE
49 Disciple of Lao-tzu : TAOIST
50 Prepare to store, as a sleeping bag : ROLL UP
53 Beam : RAY
54 Damage : HARM
55 Lago contents : AGUA
56 Frolic : ROMP
58 Pesky kid : BRAT
60 Atlas section : ASIA
61 Retail site with art and collectibles : ETSY
64 “So that’s __?” : A NO
65 Low card in a royal flush : TEN
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