Constructed by: Roland Huget
Edited by: Rich Norris
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Theme: Inside Knowledge
Today’s themed answer each contain a hidden word INSIDE, and those words are all synonyms of KNOWLEDGE:
- 55A. Privileged information demonstrated by this puzzle’s circles : INSIDE KNOWLEDGE
- 17A. Producer of lavish revues : FLORENZ ZIEGFELD (hiding “lore”)
- 25A. Where everything turns out all right : STORYBOOK ENDING (hiding “ken”)
- 42A. New Orleans spectacle : MARDI GRAS PARADE (hiding “grasp”)
Bill’s time: 8m 58s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Mike supports : BOOMS
“Microphone” is often abbreviated to “mike” or “mic”.
10. Capitol cap : DOME
A capitol is a building in which a legislature meets. Such buildings are often constructed with an impressive dome. The term “capitol” is a reference to the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the most important temple in Ancient Rome, and which sat on top of Capitoline Hill.
14. Zeno’s home : ELEA
Zeno of Elea was a Greek philosopher who lived in Elea, a Greek colony in Southern Italy. Zeno is famous for his “paradoxes”, a set of problems that really make you think! In the problem known as “Achilles and the Tortoise”, Zeno tells us that Achilles races a tortoise, giving the tortoise a head start (of say 100 meters). By the time Achilles reaches the starting point of the tortoise, the tortoise will have moved on, albeit only a small distance. Achilles then sets his sights on the tortoise’s new position and runs to it. Again the tortoise has moved ahead a little. Achilles keeps on moving to the tortoise’s new position but can never actually catch his slower rival. Or can he …?
15. Great-grandfather of Noah : ENOCH
There are two Enoch’s mentioned in the Bible. One was Enoch the son of Cain, and grandson of Adam. The second was Enoch the great-grandfather of Noah, and father of Methuselah.
17. Producer of lavish revues : FLORENZ ZIEGFELD
Florenz “Flo” Ziegfeld, Jr. was the man behind the series of theatrical revues called the “Ziegfeld Follies”, as well as the producer of the musical “Show Boat”. The “Follies” shows were structured as imitations of the “Folies Bergère” cabaret shows of Paris.
21. Chop __ : SUEY
Many believe that the Chinese dish known as chop suey was invented in America, by Chinese immigrants. In fact, by the time it showed up in the US it already existed in the Taishan district of Guangdong in southeast China, the origin of many of those immigrants. “Chop suey” translates as “assorted pieces”, and is made up of some meat and eggs quickly cooked with vegetables in a thickened sauce.
23. Pollutant concentration meas. : PPM
Parts per million (ppm)
24. Splint site : SHIN
Pain along the inner edge of the tibia (shinbone) is referred to as “shin splints”. It is a common injury incurred by runners.
33. Part of Great Britain : WALES
The Principality of Wales was created in 1216 when sovereign princes of Welsh territories agreed that Llywelyn the Great would become the paramount ruler of the region. The Principality covered about two thirds of what we call Wales today, and it gained partial recognition by the English Crown with the title of Prince of Wales being created for Llywelyn the Great and his successors. The relationship between the Principality and its powerful neighbor was an uneasy one though, and eventually there was a military conquest by the English King Edward I in 1282-1283. In 1284 the Statute of Rhuddlan became law which brought all the land held by the Prince of Wales under English rule. And today of course, the title of Prince of Wales is held by the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles.
The terms “United Kingdom”, “Great Britain” and “England” can sometimes be confused. The official use of “United Kingdom” originated in 1707 with the Acts of Union that declared the countries of England and Scotland as “United into One Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain”. The name changed again with the Acts of Union 1800 that created the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland” (much to the chagrin of most of the Irish population). This was partially reversed in 1927 when the current name was introduced, the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”, in recognition of an independent Irish Free State in the south of the island of Ireland.
34. Jersey, for one : SHIRT
We use the word “jersey” for a sports shirt worn by a particular team member, one that usually bears the player’s name and team number. Back in the mid-1800s, the term was used for a knitted shirt or close-fitting tunic. The item of clothing was named for Jersey in the Channel Islands off the coast of France. The island was famous for its knitting trade during the Middle Ages.
35. “The Purloined Letter” writer : POE
“The Purloined Letter” is the third of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories to feature Le Chevalier C. Auguste Dupin, Poe’s famous detective. The two earlier stories were the celebrated “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Mystery of Marie Roget”.
36. British tennis star Murray : ANDY
Andy Murray is a tennis player from Scotland who became British number in 2006, rising to world number one in 2016. Much to the delight of the locals, Murray won the Wimbledon Championship in 2013, making him the first British male player to win in 77 years. Murray also won Olympic gold in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and again in the Rio Games in 2016.
40. “What I dream of is __ of balance … “: Matisse : AN ART
Henri Matisse was a French artist renowned for his contribution to modern art. In his early career, Matisse was classed as a “fauve”, one of the group of artists known as the “wild beasts” who emphasized strong color over realism in their works. He was a lifelong friend of Pablo Picasso, and the two were considered to be good-natured rivals so their works are often compared. One major difference between their individual portfolios is that Picasso tended to paint from his imagination, whereas Matisse tended to use nature as his inspiration.
42. New Orleans spectacle : MARDI GRAS PARADE
“Mardi Gras” translates from French as “Fat Tuesday”, and gets its name from the practice of eating rich foods on the eve of the fasting season known as Lent. Lent starts on the next day, called Ash Wednesday.
45. Spring bloom : IRIS
Iris is a genus of flowering plants that come in a wide variety of flower colors. The term “iris” is a Greek word meaning “rainbow”. Many species of irises are called “flags”. One suggestion is that the alternate name comes from the Middle English “flagge” meaning “reed”. This term was used because iris leaves look like reeds.
47. International economic bloc : G-SEVEN
The G6 was a group of six industrialized nations that formed in 1975 and whose governments met on a periodic basis. The founding members were France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. The membership expanded in 1976 with the addition of Canada, forming the G7. Russia was given representation in the group in 1997, forming the G8. Russia membership was suspended in 2014 after she annexed Crimea.
50. Sheltered at sea : ALEE
“Alee” is the direction away from the wind. If a sailor points into the wind, he or she is pointing “aweather”.
59. Start of a kid’s rhyme : EENIE …
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,
Catch the tiger/monkey/baby by the toe.
If it hollers/screams let him go,
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, you are it!
61. Irish Rose’s guy : ABIE
“Abie’s Irish Rose” was originally a Broadway comedy play by Anne Nichols that opened in 1922 and ran for over five years, which back then was the longest run for any show in New York. The show then went on tour, and stayed on tour for an amazing 40 years. The play tells of a young Jewish man called Abie Levy who marries an Irish Catholic girl called Rosemary Murphy. Abie lies to his family and pretends that his “Irish Rose” is Jewish.
63. Out of control : AMOK
The phrase “to run amok” (sometimes “to run amuck”) has been around since the 1670s and is derived from the Malay word for “attacking furiously”, “amuk”. The word “amok” was also used as a noun to describe Malay natives who were “frenzied”. Given Malaya’s troubled history, the natives probably had good reason for that frenzy …
Down
2. “__ and Louis”: 1956 jazz album : ELLA
“Ella and Louis” was a studio album released in 1956, a collaboration between Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong with accompaniment by the Oscar Peterson Quartet. The pair worked together on two more albums: “Ella and Louis Again” and “Porgy and Bess”, both released in 1957.
3. Element #10 : NEON
Neon was discovered in 1898 by two British chemists Sir William Ramsay and Morris Travers who chilled a sample of air, turning it into a liquid. They warmed the liquid and separated out the gases that boiled off. Along with nitrogen, oxygen and argon (already known), the pair of scientists discovered two new gases. The first they called “krypton” and the second “neon”. “Krypton” is Greek for “the hidden one” and “neon” is Greek for “new”.
6. Number after dix : ONZE
In French, “dix et un” (ten and one) come to “onze” (eleven).
8. Old Sprint rival : MCI
MCI was a giant telecom company that suffered a similar fate to Enron, and around about the same time. MCI’s stock price fell in 2000 and in maneuvers designed to protect the price, the company committed illegal acts. The larger-than-life CEO back then, Bernie Ebbers, is now serving a 25-year sentence in Louisiana.
The company that we know today as Sprint has a history that is linked with the Southern Pacific railroad company. Southern Pacific developed a microwave communication system for its internal use across its network using rights-of-way associated with the company’s extensive railway lines. In the early seventies, the company laid huge lengths of fiber optic cable in those rights-of-way, alongside the tracks, primarily for internal use. The railroad sold excess fiber capacity to private companies, allowing those companies to operate long distance telephone service outside of AT&T, which at that time had a long-distance monopoly. Southern Pacific took advantage of changing FCC regulations and started offering voice service directly to consumers. That service was offered under the name SPRINT, an acronym that stood for Southern Pacific Railroad Internal Networking Telephony. Very interesting …
18. Best Championship Performance and Best Team : ESPYS
The ESPY Awards are a creation of the ESPN sports television network. One difference with similarly named awards in the entertainment industry is that ESPY winners are chosen solely based on viewer votes.
26. Self-named 2002 country album : TANYA
Country singer Tanya Tucker’s first hit was “Delta Dawn” in 1972, which she recorded at only 13 years of age.
28. Statuettes that were made of painted plaster during WWII : OSCARS
Legend has it that actor Emilio Fernández was the model for the Oscar statuette. Cedric Gibbons, art director at MGM, created the design and supposedly convinced a reluctant Fernández to pose nude for “Oscar”.
29. 1939 Leigh role : O’HARA
As casting proceeded for the movie version of “Gone With the Wind”, Clark Gable was a shoo-in from day one. The role of Scarlett O’Hara was considered very desirable in the acting community, with Bette Davis on the short list, and Katherine Hepburn demanding an appointment with producer David O. Selznick to discuss the role. Vivien Leigh was an unlikely contender, an English actress for the definitive Southern belle role. Selznick was adamant though, and stuck by his choice despite a lot of protests.
30. Bucky Beaver’s toothpaste : IPANA
Ipana toothpaste was introduced in 1915 and was at the height of its popularity in the forties and fifties. Sales declined in the sixties and the product was withdrawn from the US market in the seventies. Bucky the Beaver was the “spokesman” for Ipana. Bucky the Beaver’s slogan was “Brusha… Brusha… Brusha. Get the New Ipana – it’s dandy for your teeth!” Bucky’s nemesis in commercials was Mr. Decay Germ.
32. Former goslings : GEESE
A male goose is called a gander, with the female simply being referred to as a “goose”. Young geese are called goslings.
38. Certain dieter’s concern : CARB
Only relatively small amounts of carbohydrate can be stored by the human body, but those stores are important. The actual storage molecule is a starch-like polysaccharide called glycogen, which is found mainly in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is a quick source of energy when required by the body. Most of the body’s energy is stored in the form of fat, a more compact substance that is mobilized less rapidly. Endurance athletes often eat meals high in carbohydrate (carbo-loading) a few hours before an event, so that their body’s glycogen is at optimum levels.
44. Hall of Famer Reese : PEE WEE
Pee Wee Reese was a shortstop who played his professional career with the Brooklyn and LA Dodgers. Reese is remembered not only for his skill on the field, but for his very visible support for teammate Jackie Robinson, who famously struggled to be accepted as the first African American player in the majors. As he was an outstanding marbles player as a child, Reese was given the nickname “pee wee” after the name for a small marble.
47. Coolidge Dam’s river : GILA
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado and flows through New Mexico and Arizona. From 1848 to 1853, the Gila marked part of the border between the US and Mexico.
The Coolidge Dam in Arizona is built on the Gila River, forming the San Carlos River. The dam was named for Calvin Coolidge, and the former president himself dedicated it in 1930. When that dedication ceremony took place, the lake had not begun to fill. As a result, comic actor Will Rogers made reference to the grass in the lake bed by commenting, “If this were my dam, I’d mow it.”
48. Highbrow, perhaps : SNOB
Back in the 1780s, a “snob” was a shoemaker or a shoemaker’s apprentice. By the end of the 18th century the word was being used by students at Cambridge University in England to refer to all local merchants and people of the town. The term evolved to mean one who copies those who are his or her social superior (and not in a good way). From there it wasn’t a big leap for “snob” to include anyone who emphasized their superior social standing and not just those who aspired to rank. Nowadays a snob is anyone who looks down on those considered to be of inferior standing.
49. Morales of “NYPD Blue” : ESAI
The actor Esai Morales is best known in the world of film for the 1987 movie “La Bamba”, which depicted the life of Ritchie Valens and his half-brother Bob Morales (played by Esai). On the small screen, Morales plays Lt. Tony Rodriguez on “NYPD Blue” and Joseph Adama on “Caprica”.
51. “Family Guy” mom : LOIS
“Family Guy” is a very successful animated show on television. It was created by Seth MacFarlane, the same guy who came up with “American Dad!”. My kids love them both. Me, I can’t stand ‘em.
52. Dutch export : EDAM
Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.
53. French Toaster Sticks brand : EGGO
Eggo is the brand name of a line of frozen waffles made by Kellogg’s. When they were introduced in the 1930s, the name “Eggo” was chosen to promote the “egginess” of the batter. “Eggo” replaced the original name chosen, which was “Froffles”, created by melding “frozen” and “waffles”.
54. One of 33-Across’ national emblems : LEEK
(33A. Part of Great Britain : WALES)
The leek is a vegetable closely related to the onion and the garlic. It is also a national emblem of Wales (along with the daffodil), although I don’t think we know for sure how this came to be. One story is that the Welsh were ordered to wear leeks in their helmets to identify themselves in a battle against the Saxons. Apparently, the battle took place in a field of leeks.
56. Mauna __ : KEA
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the peak of which is the highest point in the whole state. Mauna Kea is in effect the tip of a gigantic volcano rising up from the seabed.
57. Starter’s stat : ERA
Earned run average (ERA)
Complete List of Clues and Answers
Across
1. Little bit of progress : DENT
5. Mike supports : BOOMS
10. Capitol cap : DOME
14. Zeno’s home : ELEA
15. Great-grandfather of Noah : ENOCH
16. Struck (out) : EXED
17. Producer of lavish revues : FLORENZ ZIEGFELD
20. Catch some rays : TAN
21. Chop __ : SUEY
22. More than enough : PLENTY
23. Pollutant concentration meas. : PPM
24. Splint site : SHIN
25. Where everything turns out all right : STORYBOOK ENDING
33. Part of Great Britain : WALES
34. Jersey, for one : SHIRT
35. “The Purloined Letter” writer : POE
36. British tennis star Murray : ANDY
37. Internet greeting : E-CARD
38. Lawyer’s job : CASE
39. Ham may be seen on it : RYE
40. “What I dream of is __ of balance … “: Matisse : AN ART
41. Track divisions : LANES
42. New Orleans spectacle : MARDI GRAS PARADE
45. Spring bloom : IRIS
46. Recede : EBB
47. International economic bloc : G-SEVEN
50. Sheltered at sea : ALEE
52. Epitome of slipperiness : EEL
55. Privileged information demonstrated by this puzzle’s circles : INSIDE KNOWLEDGE
58. Advance : LOAN
59. Start of a kid’s rhyme : EENIE …
60. Boil over : RAGE
61. Irish Rose’s guy : ABIE
62. Bring up : RAISE
63. Out of control : AMOK
Down
1. Like a magician’s hands : DEFT
2. “__ and Louis”: 1956 jazz album : ELLA
3. Element #10 : NEON
4. Smelly sealant : TAR
5. Render senseless : BENUMB
6. Number after dix : ONZE
7. Seeping slowly : OOZY
8. Old Sprint rival : MCI
9. One often seen with a crook : SHEPHERD
10. Stand up for : DEFEND
11. Ground-breaking team, at times : OXEN
12. Lunch order : MELT
13. Drain swirl : EDDY
18. Best Championship Performance and Best Team : ESPYS
19. Sparkle : GLINT
23. Carnivore’s target : PREY
24. Goes around : SKIRTS
25. Buzzing cloud : SWARM
26. Self-named 2002 country album : TANYA
27. From an earlier time : OLDER
28. Statuettes that were made of painted plaster during WWII : OSCARS
29. 1939 Leigh role : O’HARA
30. Bucky Beaver’s toothpaste : IPANA
31. Edged (out) : NOSED
32. Former goslings : GEESE
37. Mastermind : ENGINEER
38. Certain dieter’s concern : CARB
40. Made public : AIRED
41. Shop tag : LABEL
43. Godlike : DIVINE
44. Hall of Famer Reese : PEE WEE
47. Coolidge Dam’s river : GILA
48. Highbrow, perhaps : SNOB
49. Morales of “NYPD Blue” : ESAI
50. Years in Rome : ANNI
51. “Family Guy” mom : LOIS
52. Dutch export : EDAM
53. French Toaster Sticks brand : EGGO
54. One of 33-Across’ national emblems : LEEK
56. Mauna __ : KEA
57. Starter’s stat : ERA