Tag: Farm stores crossword clue

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Constructed by: Adrianne Baik
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: Runway Show

Themed answers are common phrases that start with something that FLIES, and end with a form of ENTERTAINMENT:

• 63A Long-haul travel perk, and a description of the answers to the starred clues : INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

• 27A *Dish service : SATELLITE TV
• 29A *Animated film with the tagline “Honey just got funny” : BEE MOVIE
• 44A *”Rumpelstiltskin” or “Cinderella” : FAIRY TALE
• 47A *Many a sunset image : CLOUDSCAPE
• 86A *Kids party entertainer’s craft : BALLOON ART
• 88A *Asian competition involving line cutting : KITE FIGHT
• 105A *Repeated tweets : BIRDSONG
• 108A *Chinese festival performance said to bring good luck : DRAGON DANCE

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

Bill’s time: 14m 43s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Shell competitor : MOBIL

Mobil was founded as part of the breakup of Standard Oil in 1911. The company was originally called Socony (Standard Oil Company of New York). Socony merged with Magnolia Petroleum Company in the thirties and adopted Magnolia’s Pegasus emblem, and it has been used ever since. Mobil merged with Exxon in 1999 but the Mobil brand and Pegasus are alive and well.

Royal Dutch Shell is the fourth largest company in the world in terms of revenue (Walmart is the largest) and is headquartered in the Hague, in the Netherlands. The company was formed in 1907 with the merger of the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and Shell Transport and Trading company of the UK. The two companies merged in order to compete globally with the biggest US oil company of the day, John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil. Shell Oil Company is a US-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell that is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

19 Cover, in a way : ALIBI

“Alibi” is the Latin word for “elsewhere” as in, “I claim that I was ‘elsewhere’ when the crime was committed, I have an ‘alibi’”.

21 Welsh accent feature : LILT

The Welsh language is a Celtic tongue that is known as “Cymraeg” by its native speakers. The country of Wales is known as “Cymru” in Welsh.

23 Eldest von Trapp sister : LIESL

The von Trapps portrayed in the musical “The Sound of Music” were a real family, as is well known. In the musical and film, the eldest daughter is Liesl, although in real life her name was Agathe. Agathe came with her family to the US in 1938, and operated a private kindergarten in Baltimore, Maryland for 35 years. Agathe passed away in 2010. Agathe/Liesl was the daughter who was “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”.

25 Greek venues : ODEA

In ancient Greece, an odeon (also “odeum”) was like a small theater, with “odeon” literally meaning “building for musical competition”. Odea were used in both Greece and Rome for entertainments such as musical shows and poetry readings.

26 Taj Mahal site : AGRA

Agra is a medieval city on the banks of the river Yamuna in India that was the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1658. The city is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• The Taj Mahal: the famous mausoleum built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal.
• Agra Fort: the site where the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond was seized.
• Fatehpur Sikri: a historic city that’s home to well-preserved Mughal architecture.

29 *Animated film with the tagline “Honey just got funny” : BEE MOVIE

“Bee Movie” is a 2007 animated feature starring Jerry Seinfeld and Renée Zellweger. Seinfeld voices a honeybee named Barry B. Benson, and Zellweger a human named Vanessa whom he befriends. Seinfeld also co-wrote and produced the film.

32 “Wonder Woman” antagonist : ARES

Superhero Wonder Woman first appeared in print in 1941, in a publication from DC Comics. As she was created during WWII, Wonder Woman’s first foes were the axis powers. In the less realistic world her biggest foe was and still is Ares, a “baddie” named after the Greek mythological figure. Wonder Woman had several signature expressions, including “Merciful Minerva!”, “Suffering Sappho!” and “Great Hera!”. She also has several devices that she uses in her quest for justice, e.g. the Lasso of Truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets and a tiara that can be used as a deadly projectile. Wonder Woman uses the name “Diana Prince” when “out of uniform”.

35 KPMG employee : CPA

KPMG is an accounting and professional services company based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The company’s initialism stands for “Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler”.

40 Focal point in a cathedral : APSE

A cathedral is the church at the center of a Christian diocese or episcopate. The name “cathedral” comes from the “cathedra” that it houses, the “seat” of the bishop. That seat is more like a throne.

42 Sign on a staff : CLEF

“Clef” is the French word for “key”. In music, a clef is used to indicate the pitch of the notes written on a stave. The bass clef is also known as the F-clef, the alto clef is the C-clef, and the treble clef is the G-clef.

43 British “sir” : GUV

“Guv” is an informal word used in the UK, and a shortened form of “governor”. It is usually a friendly address to a man, sort of like our “Mac” or “Dad”.

44 *”Rumpelstiltskin” or “Cinderella” : FAIRY TALE

“Rumpelstiltskin” is a fairy tale first recorded by the Brothers Grimm in their 1812 collection of German folk tales. variations of the story appear in oral traditions across Europe, suggesting its roots are much older, potentially dating back to the 16th century or even earlier. The tale revolves around a miller who boasts to the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold.

The folktale usually known as “Cinderella” was first published by French author Charles Perrault in 1697, although it was later included by the Brothers Grimm in their famous 1812 collection. The storyline of the tale may date back as far as the days of ancient Greece. A common alternative title to the story is “The Little Glass Slipper”.

50 Reasons some check Zillow, for short : RELOS

Zillow is a company that is primarily known for providing a website and app the public can use to value properties.

58 105-Across producers : WRENS
[105 *Repeated tweets : BIRDSONG]

The wren is a small songbird belonging to the family troglodytidae and the genus troglodytes. Wrens are known for making dome-shaped nests. Despite their small size, they are known for their loud and complex songs. Male wrens often sing to attract mates and to establish territory, They have been known to attack much larger birds that get too close to their nests.

59 __ Deng: pygmy hippo of internet fame : MOO

Moo Deng is a baby pygmy hippopotamus that became an Internet sensation in late 2024. She is kept at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, and videos of her playing went viral worldwide. Her name, meaning “bouncy pork” in Thai, was chosen by way of a public poll.

62 Asian language : LAO

Lao, the language of Laos, does not use spaces between words (or periods!), although this is apparently changing. Spaces are used between sentences and clauses.

73 Spiny succulent : ALOE

Succulent plants are those with thickened stems and/or leaves that have evolved to retain water. As such, succulents are often found where the climate is particularly dry. The term “succulent” comes from the Latin “sucus” meaning “juice, sap”.

78 Dipper’s twin in “Gravity Falls” : MABEL

“Gravity Falls” is an animated mystery-comedy series that follows twins Dipper and Mabel Pines as they spend the summer with their Grunkle (“great-uncle”) Stan in the strange town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. Dipper and Mabel encounter a variety of paranormal creatures and supernatural events, from gnomes and ghosts to time travelers and dimensional rifts.

80 Read a QR code : SCAN

A QR Code (for “Quick Response Code”) is a two-dimensional barcode that is favored over UPC barcodes as it can read more quickly and can store much more information. The QR Code comprises black squares within a square grid on a white background.

84 Fashion designer Anna : SUI

Anna Sui is an American fashion designer. Born in Detroit to Chinese immigrant parents, Sui moved to New York to attend Parsons School of Design, where she befriended photographers like Steven Meisel and began designing for sportswear companies.

88 *Asian competition involving line cutting : KITE FIGHT

Kite fighting is a popular sport in many countries, particularly in Asia and South America. It involves aerial duels where participants maneuver their kites to cut the lines of their opponents. The kites are usually small and highly maneuverable, made with lightweight materials like paper or nylon. The lines are often coated with abrasive materials like glass or metal to increase their cutting power.

92 D-Day conflict : WWII

The most famous D-Day in history was June 6, 1944, the date of the Normandy landings in WWII. The term “D-Day” is used by the military to designate the day on which a combat operation is to be launched, especially when the actual date has yet to be determined. What D stands for seems to have been lost in the mists of time although the tradition is that D just stands for “Day”. In fact, the French have a similar term, “Jour J” (Day J), with a similar meaning. We also use H-Hour to denote the hour the attack is to commence.

93 Final notice? : OBIT

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

99 Crunch in the cereal aisle : CAP’N

The first Cap’n Crunch commercials aired in 1963, at the time the product line was launched. The Cap’n’s full name is Captain Horatio Magellan Crunch, would you believe? Crunch’s voice was provided for many years by Daws Butler, the same voice actor who gave us Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound. Cap’n Crunch is commander of the S.S. Guppy.

108 *Chinese festival performance said to bring good luck : DRAGON DANCE

The Chinese dragon dance involves a team of performers who manipulate a long, colorful dragon puppet using poles. Often performed during festivals and celebrations like Chinese New Year, the dragon dance is believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune to the community.

The lion dance is a traditional dance in Chinese cultures in which performers move around in an elaborate lion costume. Apparently, we Westerners often mistake the lion for a dragon. The Chinese dragon dance does exist, and is similar, but the dancers perform outside of the costume and hold up the dragon on poles.

112 Machu Picchu native : INCA

Machu Picchu is known as “The Lost City of the Incas”, and it can be visited on a mountain ridge in Peru, 50 miles northwest of the city of Cuzco in the southeast of the country. The name Machu Picchu means “old peak”. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu originates about 50 miles from Cusco on the Urubamba River in Peru. It can take travelers about 5 days to trek the full length of the trail, passing through many Incan ruins before reaching the Sun Gate on Machu Picchu mountain. The trail was becoming greatly overused, forcing the Peruvian government to limit the number of people on the trail each day to 500. Book early …

114 Biotech giant : AMGEN

AMGen is a biotechnology company that was founded in 1980 as Applied Molecular Genetics. The company’s headquarters is in Thousand Oaks, California.

116 Pair : DUAD

A duad is a pair, with “duad” coming from the Greek “duo” meaning “two”.

118 Spills the beans : TELLS

To spill the beans is to divulge a secret. The expression first appeared in American English, in the early 1900s. The phrase arose as an alternative to “spoil the beans” or “upset the applecart”. The similarly meaning phrase “spill the tea” is more prevalent on the other side of the Atlantic.

120 SFO info : ETAS

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) served as the main base of operations for Virgin America (sold to Alaska Airlines), and is also the maintenance hub for United Airlines. Even though SFO is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco, the airport is located to the south in San Mateo County.

122 “Easy on Me” Grammy winner : ADELE

“Easy on Me” is a 2021 song co-written and recorded by Adele. In the song, Adele is directly addressing her 9-year-old son, asking him to be “easy on” her following her divorce from his father.

Down

2 Epic set in the 10th year of the Trojan War : ILIAD

“Iliad” is an epic poem by the Greek poet Homer that tells the story of the ten-year siege of “Ilium” (i.e. “Troy”) during the Trojan war. “The Odyssey”, also attributed to Homer, is sometimes described as a sequel to “Iliad”.

5 Window feature : SILL

“Sill plate”, or simply “sill”, is an architectural term describing a bottom horizontal member to which vertical members are attached. Window sills and door sills are specific sill plates found at the bottoms of windows and door openings.

7 Give a TED Talk, e.g. : ORATE

The acronym “TED” stands for “Technology, Entertainment and Design”. TED is a set of conferences held around the world by a non-profit group called the Sapling Foundation. The conference subjects are varied, and the meetings are often led by big names such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Gates and Jane Goodall. The Sapling Foundation then makes recordings of the conferences available for free online with the intent of disseminating the ideas globally. These conferences are known as “TED Talks”. There are also TEDx events, which are locally-run talks presented under license from TED.

10 “Frasier” actress Jane : LEEVES

Jane Leeves is an English actress who had her big break in the US with a recurring role on the TV show “Murphy Brown”. Leeves really hit the big time when she was cast as Daphne Moon on the hit sitcom “Frasier”. “Frasier’ co-star Peri Gilpin (who played “Roz”) is the godmother of Leeve’s daughter Isabella. Leeves, in turn, is godmother of Gilpin’s daughter Stella.

13 Groups that create harmony? : GLEE CLUBS

A glee club is a choir group, usually of males, that sings short songs known as “glees”. A glee is a song scored for three or more voices that is performed unaccompanied.

14 Spooked wildebeest movement : STAMPEDE

The gnu is also known as the wildebeest, and is an antelope native to Africa. “Wildebeest” is a Dutch word meaning “wild beast”.

15 Bulgarian or Bosnian : SLAV

Bulgaria is a country in Southeastern Europe lying on the west coast of the Black Sea. The nation’s capital city is Sofia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes referred to simply as Bosnia, is a country on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. Sarajevo is the nation’s capital, and its largest city. While still recovering from the Bosnian War of 1992 to 1995, the country is developing quickly. It has a social security system, universal healthcare, and free primary- and secondary-level education.

16 Digital circuit building block : LOGIC GATE

Digital systems are made up from a series of logic gates, electronic circuits with one or more inputs but only one output. Logic gates are named for the relationship between the input and output, and can be AND gates, OR gates or perhaps NOT gates.

34 Got comfortable in a La-Z-Boy : RECLINED

La-Z-Boy is a furniture manufacturer based in Monroe, Michigan. Although the company makes furniture for every room in the house, it is famous for its recliner chairs found in family rooms all over the country.

39 Org. that takes many forms : IRS

Form 1040, issued by the IRS, is the “US Individual Income Tax Return”. It was originally created just for tax returns from 1913, 1914 and 1915, but it’s a form that just keeps on giving, or should I say “taking” …?

41 Veterinary patient : PET

A veterinarian (vet) is a professional who treats animals for disease and injury. The word “veterinary” comes from the Latin “veterinae” meaning “working animals, beasts of burden”.

42 Dove shelter : COTE

The Old English word “cote” was used to describe a small house. Our modern word “cottage” comes from “cote”. We now use “cote” to describe a small shelter on a farm for sheep or birds.

45 Icy : ALOOF

I suppose one might guess from the feel of the word “aloof” that it has nautical roots. Originally “aloof” meant “to windward” and was the opposite of “alee”. A helmsman might be instructed to stay aloof, to steer the boat into the weather to keep a distance from a lee-shore. It is from this sense of maintaining a distance that aloof came to mean “distant” in terms of personality. Interesting, huh …?

46 Shoelace tip : AGLET

An aglet is a plastic or metal sheath found on the end of a shoelace or perhaps a drawstring. The name “aglet” comes from the Old French word “aiguillette” meaning “needle”.

49 Billiards bounce : CAROM

A carom is a ricochet, the bouncing of some projectile off a surface. “Carom” has come to describe the banking of a billiard ball, the bouncing of the ball off the side of the table.

50 Persian poet : RUMI

Rumi was a poet, theologian and mystic who lived and worked in the 13th century, towards the end of the Islamic Golden Age. HIs best known work is a six-volume poem titled “Spiritual Couplets” in English, which is sometimes referred to as “the Quran in Persian”.

55 __ stick : POGO

What we know today as a pogo stick was invented in Germany by Max Pohlig and Ernst Gottschall. The name “pogo” comes from the first two letters in each of the inventors’ family names: Po-hlig and Go-ttschall. The highest jump on a pogo stick was achieved by Fred Grzybowski in 2010. He jumped over three cars and reached a height of 9 feet, 6 inches.

60 Capital near the Andes : LIMA

Lima is the capital city of Peru. It was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who named it “la Ciudad de los Reyes” (the City of Kings). He chose this name because the decision to found the city was made on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany that commemorates the visit of the three kings to Jesus in Bethlehem. Lima is home to the oldest university in all of the Americas, as San Marco University was founded in 1551 during the days of Spanish colonial rule.

62 MGM mascot : LION

There has been a lion in the logo of the MGM studio since 1924. The original was an Irishman (!), a lion named Slats who was born in Dublin Zoo in 1919. However, it wasn’t until Jackie took over from Slats in 1928 that the roar was heard, as the era of silent movies was coming to an end. The current lion is called Leo, and he has been around since 1957.

64 Tennis star Ivan : LENDL

Ivan Lendl is a former professional tennis player from Czechoslovakia. He appeared in eight consecutive US Open finals in the eighties, a record that stands to this day. After retiring from tennis, Lendl took up golf, and eventually became a scratch player. Three of Lendl’s five daughters followed their father into golf, all playing for their college golf teams.

68 Big time? : EPOCH

Geologic time is divided into a number of units of varying lengths. These are, starting from the largest:

• supereon
• eon (also “aeon”)
• era
• period
• epoch
• age

70 Donald Glover’s “Community” role : TROY

Actor and singer Donald Glover also uses the stage name “Childish Gambino”. He perhaps came to the public’s attention when created and took on the starring role in the comedy-drama TV series “Atlanta” in 2016.

“Community” is a sitcom created that ran for 110 episodes over six seasons, from 2009 to 2015. The title refers to Greendale Community College, a school located in the fictional town of Greendale, Colorado. “Community” was canceled by NBC after five seasons, and then Yahoo! picked it up to stream the final sixth season.

85 Disney’s Cruella de __ : VIL

Cruella de Vil is the villain in the 1956 novel “The Hundred and One Dalmatians” written by Dodie Smith. Most famously perhaps, Cruella was played so ably by Glenn Close in the Disney movie adaption “101 Dalmatians”, released in 1996.

89 Gamer’s field : ESPORTS

Esports (electronic sports) are video game competitions. The International Olympic Committee has held meetings to consider the inclusion of esports in the Olympic Games. What about medals for crossword solving …?

90 Twain hero : FINN

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain was first published in 1884, not here in the US but rather in England. The original launch planned for the US had to be delayed until the following year because some rascal had defaced the plate for one of the illustrations, making an obscene joke. Once the problem was spotted a new plate had to be made, and 30,000 copies already printed had to be reworked to cover up the obscenity.

103 Pathogen fighter : T CELL

T cells are a group of white blood cells that are essential components of the body’s immune system. T cells are so called because they mature in the thymus, a specialized organ found in the chest.

107 College World Series org. : NCAA

Back in 1947/48, the College World Series (CWS) was held in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and then in 1949 in Wichita, Kansas. Since 1950, the CWS has been held every year in Omaha, Nebraska.

109 Critic’s kudos : RAVE

Our word “kudos” means “acclaim given for an exceptional achievement”. “Kudos” is both a singular and plural noun, and comes from the Greek “kyddos” meaning “glory, fame”.

110 Spreadsheet filler : DATA

Our word “data” (singular “datum”) comes from the Latin “datum” meaning “given”. The idea is that data are “things given”.

111 __ shed : SHE

A “she shed” is the equivalent of a “man cave”. It is somewhere that “she” can use as her own space within a home.