Tag: Boxing titles? crossword clue

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Constructed by: Chandi Deitmer & Erik Agard

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 21m 33s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6A Book jacket blurbs : BIOS

The use of the word “blurb”, to describe a publicity notice on a book jacket, dates back to 1907 when it was used by American humorist Gelett Burgess. Burgess used a picture of a fictitious young woman named Miss Belinda Blurb on the dust jacket of a limited run of his 1906 book “Are You a Bromide?” That jacket proclaimed “YES, this is a ‘BLURB’!” The term persists to this day, without the young damsel.

10A Cover one’s tracks? : DUB

If voices need to be altered on the soundtrack of a film, that means double the work as there needs to be a re-recording. “Dub” is short for “double”, and is a term we’ve been using since the late 1920s. The term has been extended to describe the adding of sound to an otherwise silent film or tape.

13A African capital with a City of the Dead : CAIRO

Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is home to a vast historic cemetery known as the City of the Dead. It is inhabited by thousands of people who live among the tombs, often descendants of caretakers or those displaced by urban growth, creating a living community within a graveyard. Interesting …

14A Step in some Sun Salutations : COBRA POSE

In yoga, a sun salutation is a sequence of linked poses (asanas). A typical sequence involves twelve distinct asanas, starting and ending from a standing position, and included downward and upward dog poses.

17A Boxing titles? : RING NAMES

In the world of boxing and professional wrestling, athletes often adopt a “ring name” or “stage name” distinct from their birth name. For example, “Sugar Ray” Robinson’s birth name was Walker Smith Jr. In professional wrestling, Terry Bollea became the iconic Hulk Hogan, and Dwayne Johnson found global fame as “The Rock”.

18A Greta of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” : LEE

Actress Greta Lee is perhaps best known to TV audiences for playing Stella Bak, a news division president on “The Morning Show”. She was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the 2023 romantic drama film “Past Lives”.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is a 2023 sequel to 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”. Both are computer-animated films that were very well received by audiences and critics alike. There is a third movie in the series planned for release in 2024: “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse”, as well as a “Spider-Woman” spinoff.

21A Echelons : TIERS

We use the word “echelon” (ech.) to describe a rank or level, particularly in the military. The term comes from French, in which language it has the same meaning, although the original meaning in Old French is “rung of a ladder”.

22A Magnetic presence in a classroom? : DRY ERASE BOARD

The modern whiteboard (also “dry erase board”) was invented by photographer Martin Heit in the 1960s. He noticed that ink from felt-tip pens wiped off photographic negatives easily, leading to the idea of a non-staining writing surface.

26A Retired players? : VCRS

Video cassette recorder (VCR)

27A Screenwriter’s creations : ARCS

A story arc is a continuing storyline in say a television show that runs through a number of episodes. Story arcs are also found in comics, books, video games, and other forms of media.

28A Halyard attachments : SAILS

In the sailing world, a halyard is a line or rope that is used to hoist something, usually a sail.

30A Dose holder : VIAL

A vial is a small vessel, usually closed or closable, used to hold liquids. The term “vial” is derivative of the older “phial” that has the same meaning and is still used.

31A Pewter element : TIN

Pewter is a relatively soft alloy that is made up mostly of tin, with some copper, antimony, bismuth and lead.

34A Setting for some of “Pachinko” : KOREA

“Pachinko” is an historic fiction novel by Korean American author Min Jin Lee that was published in 2017. It traces the lives of a Korean family who immigrate to Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The story spans multiple generations and explores themes of identity, discrimination, and resilience faced by ethnic Koreans in Japan. “Pachinko” was adapted into a TV series of the same name that debuted in 2022.

40A Stream-ing music? : BURBLE

The word “burble” is a lovely onomatopoeia, describing a murmuring or bubbling sound, often associated with flowing water.

42A Some social circles? : HORAS

The hora is a circle dance that originated in the Balkans. It was brought to Israel by Romanian settlers, and is often performed to traditional, Israeli folk songs. The hora (also “horah”) is a regular sight at Jewish weddings. Sometimes the honoree at an event is raised on a chair during the dance.

44A Standard intro course : SALAD

Our word “salad” comes from the Latin “salare” meaning “to salt”. The Latin “herba salata” translates as “salted vegetables”, which I guess could be a salad …

45A Rice flour pastry : MOCHI DONUT

Mochi doughnuts are a fusion of Japanese mochi and the classic American doughnut. They come in a wide array of flavors and toppings, from classic glazes to more adventurous options like matcha, black sesame, and ube. Despite their Japanese influence, the mochi doughnut is believed to have originated in Hawaii, with the bakery chain Mister Donut popularizing the concept in the early 2010s.

48A Team whose logo is a basketball with a B : NETS

The NBA’s Brooklyn Nets were the New Jersey Nets until 2012, and were based in Newark. Prior to 1977, the team was known as the New York Nets and played in various locations on Long Island. Ten years earlier, the Nets were called the New Jersey Americans and were headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey.

49A In some cases, it won’t break : PHONE

My wife and I always safeguard each of our smartphones with a substantial case and glass screen protector.

52A Conductor Solti who held the record for most Grammys before Beyoncé : GEORG

Sir Georg Solti was a great Hungarian-British conductor who spent 22 years as music director of the Chicago Symphony, one of many prestigious positions he held in the world of classical music and opera. Solti was awarded 31 Grammy Awards, the most won by any individual in any genre of music, and a record that he held for over two decades (until along came Beyoncé). I think it’s kind of cool that Solti’s name comprises two notes in the solfa scale: sol-ti …

53A Slayer player : METALHEAD

Slayer is a heavy metal band from Southern California. They are listed as one of the Big Four thrash metal bands, alongside Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth. I have no idea what thrash metal is …

55A Classic Monopoly token : IRON

The iron token was one of the original eight Monopoly game pieces introduced by Parker Brothers in 1937. It was retired in 2013 after a public vote, and was replaced with the cat.

Down

1D Prep, as milk for custard : SCALD

In cooking, scalding a liquid brings it to just below the boiling point.

3D B.B. King’s given name : RILEY

Riley B. King is better known worldwide as B.B. King, the “King of the Blues”. His stage name “B.B.” stood for “Blues Boy”, coming from his early days as a radio disc jockey in Memphis, where he was known as “Beale Street Blues Boy”.

4D SIMPLE __ : IRA

A SIMPLE IRA (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees Individual Retirement Account) is a type of retirement plan offered by small businesses. It allows both employers and employees to contribute to retirement savings on a tax-deferred basis, simplifying the process for small companies compared to more complex 401(k) plans.

5D Looks in two different directions at once? : POWER CLASHING

“Power clashing” is a fashion term that refers to the deliberate mixing of bold colors, patterns, and textures that would traditionally be considered mismatched or inharmonious.

6D City that can be seen from Table Rock : BOISE

Boise, Idaho is the capital and the largest metropolitan area in the state by far. There are a number of stories pertaining to the etymology of the name “Boise”. One is that French trappers called the tree-lined river that ran through the area “la rivière boisée”, meaning “the wooded river”. Boise is known today as “The City of Trees”.

Table Rock is a prominent geological landmark overlooking Boise, Idaho that is named for its distinctive flat top. At its summit is a large, illuminated white cross, built in 1956 by the Jaycees (United States Junior Chamber). The cross is the subject of a lawsuit involving the separation of church and state.

7D Male equivalent of “bint,” in Arabic : IBN

“Ibn” is an Arabic word meaning “son” or “son of”. It is a common component in Arabic names, indicating lineage, much like “mac” or “o'” in Irish and Scottish names. For example, the famous medieval scholar Ibn Khaldun means “son of Khaldun”. The female equivalent is “bint”, which means “daughter of” or “daughter”. So, a woman’s name might be “Fatima bint Muhammad”, meaning Fatima, daughter of Muhammad.

9D Man known for his many gifts : SANTA CLAUS

Saint Nicholas of Myra is the inspiration for Santa Claus. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra (now in modern-day Turkey) during the 4th century AD, and was known for being generous to the poor. Centuries after he died, his remains were desecrated by Italian sailors and moved to Bari in Italy. One legend has it that the relics were moved again centuries later and reburied in the grounds of Jerpoint Abbey in Co. Kilkenny in Ireland, where you can visit the grave today. I choose to believe that Santa Claus’s relics are indeed buried in Ireland …

12D Téa’s “Madam Secretary” role : BESS

Téa Leoni is an American actress. One of Leoni’s early parts was in the great film “A League of Their Own” (a minor role: Racine at first base). She also played the fiancée of Sam Malone from “Cheers” on the spin-off sitcom “Frasier”. A leading role on the big screen was opposite Adam Sandler in “Spanglish”. My favorite of her more prominent movie roles was as Jane in “Fun with Dick and Jane”. Leoni started playing the title role in the drama series “Madam Secretary” in 2014, and that’s a show I quite enjoy …

“Madam Secretary” is a TV show that first aired from 2014 to 2019. It is about an ex-CIA analyst who is appointed as US Secretary of State. Téa Leoni plays the title role, ably supported by a favorite actress of mine, Bebe Neuwirth. I like this show …

20D Paves the way? : TARS

The terms “tarmac” and “macadam” are short for “tarmacadam”. In the 1800s, Scotsman John Loudon McAdam developed a style of road known as “macadam”. Macadam had a top-layer of crushed stone and gravel laid over larger stones. The macadam also had a convex cross-section so that water tended to drain to the sides. In 1901, a significant improvement was made by English engineer Edgar Purnell Hooley who introduced tar into the macadam, improving the resistance to water damage and practically eliminating dust. The “tar-penetration macadam” is the basis of what we now call “tarmac”.

23D Irish novelist Woods : EVIE

Evie Woods is the pen name of author Evie Gaughan. Hailing from Galway in the West of Ireland, Gaughan’s is best known for her 2023 novel “The Lost Bookshop”.

24D Leave folks hanging : BAIL

The phrase “to bail out” (sometimes just “to bail”) means to leave suddenly. We’ve been using the term since the early thirties, when it originated with airline pilots. To bail out is to make a parachute jump.

25D Big name in brushes : ORAL-B

The Oral-B toothbrush was introduced to the world in 1950, designed by a California periodontist. The first “model” was the Oral-B 60, a name given to reflect the 60 tufts in the brush. In 1969, the Oral-B was the first toothbrush to get to the moon as it was the toothbrush of choice for the crew of the Apollo 11 spacecraft.

28D Genre originally sponsored by Procter & Gamble : SOAP OPERA

The original soap operas were radio dramas back in the fifties. Given the structure of society back then, the daytime broadcasts were aimed at women working in the home as housewives. For some reason the sponsors of those radio shows, and the television shows that followed, were soap manufacturers like Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive and Lever Brothers. And that’s how the “soap” opera got its name …

30D Honey-don’t list? : VEGAN MENU

Because honey is produced by bees, it is considered an animal product by strict vegans, and therefore, they typically exclude it from their diet. This is partly due to concerns that commercial honey harvesting can involve practices that harm or even kill bees.

33D Maslovian considerations : NEEDS

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a concept proposed in 1943 by psychologist Abraham Maslow. The hierarchy is often portrayed as a pyramid, with the needs stacked on one another, the most fundamental at the base. The needs are ranked, starting with the most fundamental:

1. Physiological needs
2. Safety needs
3. Belongingness & love needs
4. Esteem needs
5. Self-fulfillment needs

34D Kloss’s “Project Runway” predecessor : KLUM

German-born Heidi Klum was married to the successful English singer, Seal. Klum is a talented lady and has built a multi-faceted career based on her early success as a model. She is the force behind the Bravo reality show called “Project Runway” that has been on the air since 2004. Klum has been nominated 4-5 times for an Emmy for her association with the show. Klum was also signed up as the official ambassador for Barbie in 2009, the 50th anniversary of the Barbie Doll, and for her service that year a Heidi Klum Barbie was produced. She has been adding a touch of class to the judging panel on the show “America’s Got Talent” from 2013 through 2020.

Karlie Kloss is an internationally renowned supermodel who took over as host of “Project Runway” from Heidi Klum in 2019. Beyond her modeling and television career, Kloss is also a passionate advocate for coding education, especially for young women. In 2015, she founded Kode With Klossy, a program that provides free coding camps and scholarships to encourage girls to pursue careers in technology.

“Project Runway” is a reality show in which contestants compete by presenting clothes designs having been given limited time and materials. “Project Runway” is now a worldwide franchise. North of the border, the show is called “Project Runway Canada” and is hosted by supermodel Iman. The show in the UK is known as “Project Catwalk” and has had several hosts, including Elizabeth Hurley and Kelly Osbourne.

36D Financial term from the French for “slice” : TRANCHE

“Tranche” is a financial term originating from the French word for “slice” or “portion”. It refers to a segment of a larger debt or financial instrument that is divided into smaller parts. These tranches often have different levels of risk, interest rates, or maturity dates, allowing investors to choose the level of exposure they desire.

46D Lockers in a row? : HORNS

Those in a row (dispute) might “lock horns”.

47D Quarry containers : TRAPS

We’ve been using the noun “quarry” to mean “anything chased in a hunt” since the early 17th century. The term derives from the earlier term “quirre”, which were the entrails of a deer that were given to dogs as a reward after a successful kill.

52D Piece of work? : GIG

Musicians use “gig” to describe a job, a performance. The term originated in the early 1900s in the world of jazz. The derivative phrase “gig economy” applies to a relatively recent phenomenon where workers find themselves jumping from temporary job to temporary job, from gig to gig.

53D JASON’s five, e.g. : MOS

“JASON” is a mnemonic device used to remember the sequence of months July, August, September, October, November. These are sometimes referred to as the peak hurricane months in the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

54D __ point : DEW

The air’s dew point is the temperature to which it has to be cooled in order to become saturated with water vapor. Below this temperature, water vapor condenses on a surface to form dew.