Tag: Forms of rapid transit crossword clue

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Constructed by: August Miller

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 12m 39s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

15A Banchero who was the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year : PAOLO

Paolo Banchero was the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and went on to win the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year award. Paolo’s mother, Rhonda Smith-Banchero, also played professionally and made the USA Women’s National Team in the 1990s. Paolo has dual American and Italian citizenship, and has played for both Team Italy and Team USA.

16A Manipulator of one of the four elements, in a classic animated series : AIRBENDER

The animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is set in a world where people called “benders” can manipulate one of the four elements (Air, Water, Earth, or Fire). The series title was changed outside of the US (sometimes to “Avatar: The Legend of Aang”) to avoid confusion with James Cameron’s 2009 film, Avatar.

18A __ punk: “Tragic Kingdom” genre : SKA

“Tragic Kingdom” is a 1995 album released by rock band No Doubt. The album’s title is often thought to be a commentary on the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, and its Magic Kingdom, near where the band formed.

19A “All My Children” actress Kathleen : NOONE

Kathleen Noone is an actress most famous for her work in soap operas. She is best known for her Emmy-winning role as Ellen Shepherd Dalton on “All My Children” and for playing the manipulative Claudia Whittaker on the primetime drama “Knots Landing”.

27A Mikey Day’s show, for short : SNL

Mikey Day is an actor, comedian, and writer best known as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live”, where he started as a writer in 2013 and joined the cast in 2016. Outside of SNL, he is the host of a popular Netflix baking contest series called “Is It Cake?”.

31A Some boxing losses : SPLIT DECISIONS

In professional boxing, a split decision means two judges agreed on the winner, but the third judge scored the fight for the other boxer. A majority decision is when two judges agree on the winner and the third judge scores it a draw. A unanimous decision means all three judges scored the fight for the same person.

36A Who Shot Mr. Burns?, for one : TWO-PART EPISODE

“The Simpsons” episode “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” aired in two parts, ending season 6 and beginning season 7. It served as a huge cliffhanger and a direct parody of the popular “Who Shot J.R.?” plot from the series “Dallas”. The mystery involved Mr. Burns making enemies of the entire town and was solved when the shooter was revealed to be the seemingly innocent baby, Maggie Simpson. Oops! Spoiler …

37A Glom __ : ONTO

“Glom” is a slang term meaning “steal”, although it can also be used to mean “latch onto” when used as “glom onto”. The term probably comes from the Scots word “glam” meaning “to snatch at”.

38A Some humanities degs. : MAS

The academic studies of human culture are collectively called the humanities. Subjects included in the humanities are languages, literature, philosophy, religion and music.

39A Confession confession : SIN

A member of the Roman Catholic church can participate in the sacrament of confession. A penitent confesses to a priest, starting with the words, “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been [time period] since my last confession …”

40A “The best in pests” company : ORKIN

Orkin is a pest-control company. If you want to learn more about insects, you might want to visit the O. Orkin Zoo, a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The exhibit has over 300 live insects, all displayed in their natural habitats.

42A Attracted to more than one gender, informally : M-SPEC

“M-spec” is informal shorthand for “multisexual spectrum”, which is an umbrella term describing any individual attracted to more than one gender. This encompasses identities like bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, and omnisexual.

48A Stay at a 57-Across, perhaps : GLAMP
[57A Sustainable place to unwind : ECO-RESORT]

“Glamping” is “glamorous camping”, camping with comforts and amenities.

52A “Hadestown” Tony nominee Noblezada : EVA

Eva Noblezada is an actress and singer who debuted on Broadway playing the lead in a 2017 revival of “Miss Saigon”. That performance earned her a Tony nomination, as did her portrayal of Eurydice in “Hadestown”.

“Hadestown” is a 2006 musical based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Anaïs Mitchell wrote the music and lyrics, and in 2010 adapted the stage musical into a concept album, for which Mitchell herself took on the role of Eurydice. After a 9-year hiatus, Mitchell reworked the piece, and a new version of “Hadestown” opened off-Broadway in 2016. A few years later, the show made it to Broadway, and won eight Tony Awards.

53A Big name in chips : INTEL

Intel used to be the world’s largest manufacturer of semiconductor chips, but has faced challenges in recent years, apparently “missing” the AI boom. The company was founded in 1968, and the name “Intel” is derived from the term “int(egrated) el(ectronics)”. Recognition of the Intel brand has been greatly helped by the success of the “Intel Inside” campaign that started back in 1991.

Down

2D Waititi of “Our Flag Means Death” : TAIKA

Taika Waititi is a very successful New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian who has directed a variety of successful films, including “Thor: Ragnarok”, “Jojo Rabbit,” and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”. Waititi has also acted in several of his films, including taking on the role of Adolf Hitler in the satirical drama movie “Jojo Rabbit”. That film earned Waititi an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. In 2022, Waititi married British singer Rita Ora.

“Our Flag Means Death” is a historical comedy television series that reimagines the life of Stede Bonnet, a real-life aristocrat who abandoned his privileged life to become a pirate. I haven’t seen this one, but I hear very good things …

3D Mallow family plants with edible seed pods : OKRAS

The mallow family, formally the Malvaceae, is a large group of flowering plants that includes many familiar and economically important plants. Key members of this family are cotton, cacao (the source of chocolate), okra and hibiscus. The confection we call a marshmallow gets its name because it was originally made from the root of the marsh-mallow plant, a member of the same family.

5D Tech startup? : NANO-

Nanotechnology is the study of the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular level. It is a discipline that is essential to the electronic and biomaterials industries.

7D Très __! : BIEN!

“Very good” is written as “sehr gut” in German, and as “très bien” in French.

8D Safari snap : SCREEN CAP

Safari is Apple’s flagship Internet browser, one that is used on its Mac line of computers. A mobile version of Safari is included with all iPhones.

9D Array at a hotel breakfast bar : WAFFLE IRONS

Waffle irons have been around since the 1300s, in the Low Countries. The original version comprised two iron plates connected by a hinge, and two wooden handles. The plates were often cast with a pattern that left an image on the waffle. The waffles were baked in the iron over a fire in a hearth.

10D Lizard with defensive spines : HORNY TOAD

Horny toads (also called “horned toads”) aren’t toads at all. “Horny toad” is a familiar name for the desert horned lizard, a species of lizard native to the western US. It does look somewhat like a toad though, as it has a very flat and wide body.

11D __ gobi : ALOO

Aloo gobi is a very tasty vegetarian dish in Indian cuisine made from potatoes and cauliflower, flavored with traditional Indian spices. “Aloo” translates to “potato” and “gobi” to “cauliflower”.

22D Forms of rapid transit : TELEPORTERS

Teleportation is a favorite of authors of science fiction. The hypothetical process results in the transfer of matter from one point to another, with actually crossing the intervening space. Beam me up, Scotty!

24D Crime stories? : ALIBIS

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

26D Kylie’s daughter : STORMI

Stormi Webster is the daughter of reality star Kylie Jenner and rapper Travis Scott. Her last name, Webster, comes from her father, whose legal name is Jacques Webster.

27D Tennis great Monica : SELES

Monica Seles has a Hungarian name as she was born to Hungarian parents in former Yugoslavia. Seles was the World No. 1 professional tennis player in 1991 and 1992 before being forced from the sport when she was stabbed by a spectator at a match in 1993. She did return to the game two years later, but never achieved the same level of success.

32D One just starting to shine : PROTOSTAR

A protostar is a dense, hot core of gas and dust that is contracting under its own gravity, representing a very early phase in the evolution of a star. At this stage, it has not yet begun nuclear fusion in its core, which is the process that defines a “true” star. The energy and light that a protostar emits come from the heat generated by the enormous force of gravity contracting its material.

35D Exec who might oversee R&D : CTO

Chief technology officer (CTO)

41D Superfood whose “special power is tasting bad,” per Jim Gaffigan : KALE

Jim Gaffigan is a standup comedian from Chesterton, Indiana. Gaffigan wrote a book called “Dad is Fat” that was published in 2013. The book is a collection of essays about the raising of children.

43D Tea type : PEKOE

A pekoe (or more commonly “orange pekoe”) is a medium-grade black tea. There is no orange flavor in an orange pekoe tea. The “orange” name most likely derived from the name of the trading company that brought the tea to Europe from Asia.

47D Worshipper of the goddess Pachamama : INCA

In Inca mythology, Pachamama was the earth mother. Her daughter Axomamma was the goddess of potatoes.

49D Peignoir trim : LACE

A peignoir is a loose-fitting dressing gown worn by a woman. The term “peignoir” comes from “peigner”, the French for “to comb the hair”. The idea was that a peignoir was worn by a lady while she was combing her hair before retiring.

51D Writer Shelley : MARY

Not only did Mary Shelley pen the famous novel “Frankenstein”, she also edited the works of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was her husband.