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Constructed by:Tracy Bennett & Erik Agard
Edited by: Rich Norris
Today’s Theme: None
Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers
Want to discuss the puzzle? Then …
… leave a comment
Bill’s time: 15m 37s
Bill’s errors: 0
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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
14. One in a deli dozen : ONION BAGEL
The bagel was invented in the Polish city of Kraków in the 16th century. Bagels were brought to this country by Jewish immigrants from Poland who mainly established homes in and around New York City.
16. Accent sound? : HONK
The Accent is subcompact car that was introduced by Hyundai in 1994.
18. Bill nos. : AMTS
Amount (amt.)
19. Strips on a tree : TINSEL
Back in the mid-1400s, the word “tinsel” applied to cloth into which was woven gold or silver thread. The term came from the Middle French word “estincelle” meaning “spark, spangle”, which ultimately derived from the Latin “scintilla” meaning “spark”. By the end of the 1500s, “tinsel” described thin strip of shiny metal. The word “Tinseltown” wasn’t applied to Hollywood until 1972.
The custom of decorating trees at Christmas seems to have originated in Renaissance Germany. Those first trees were placed in guildhalls and were decorated with sweets and candy for the apprentices and children. After the Protestant Reformation, the Christmas tree became an alternative in Protestant homes for the Roman Catholic Christmas cribs. The Christmas tree tradition was imported into Britain by the royal family because of its German heritage. That tradition spread from Britain into North America.
22. “__ 281”: film about the making of “Citizen Kane” : RKO
“RKO 281” is a 1999 movie about the production of the 1941 film “Citizen Kane”. Liev Schreiber portrays Orson Welles, and William Randolph Hearst is played by James Cromwell. “RKO 281” was the title assigned to “Citizen Kane” during production.
1941’s “Citizen Kane” was the first film made by Orson Welles, and considered by many to be the finest film ever made. It’s a remarkable achievement by Wells, as he played the lead, and also produced and directed. Despite all the accolades for “Citizen Kane” over the decades, the movie was far from a commercial success in its early run and actually lost money at the box office.
25. Capital city that’s home to the Garden of Babur : KABUL
Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. The city has been the site of major conflict for much of the 3,500 years that it has been in existence. In the past, this conflict was mainly driven by the city’s strategic location on the major trade routes of south and central Asia.
The Gardens of Babur in Kabul, Afghanistan is a historic park that dates back to the 16th century. The park was built by the first Mughal emperor Babur, and indeed the Gardens of Babur is his last resting-place.
27. “__ Blues”: “White Album” track : YER
“Yer Blues” is a John Lennon song, credited to Lennon and McCartney, that appears on “The White Album”, recorded in 1968. Lennon recorded the song while the band was on retreat in Rishikesh, India, and while Lennon was “trying to reach God and feeling suicidal”.
The 1968 studio double album “The Beatles” is usually referred to as “The White Album”, a reference to the LP’s plain white sleeve. Most of the album’s tracks were written while the group were in India on a transcendental meditation course. The tranquility of their Indian retreat disappeared soon after they returned and started recording. “The White Album” is noted for the tensions that erupted between the band members, all of whom were rapidly transitioning into solo artists.
28. Heat fig. : BTU
In the world of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), the power of a heating or cooling unit can be measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). This dated unit is the amount of energy required to heat a pound of water so that the water’s temperature increases by one degree Fahrenheit.
29. Burrito filling word : ASADA
The name of the dish called “carne asada” translates from Spanish as “roasted meat”.
A burrito is a common dish served in Mexican cuisine. It is a flour tortilla filled with all sorts of good stuff. The term “burrito” is Spanish for “little donkey”, the diminutive of “burro” meaning “donkey”. It’s thought that the name was applied as a burrito looks like a bedroll or pack that might be carried by a donkey.
37. “__ porridge hot … ” : PEASE
Pease pudding or pease porridge, is a very English dish similar to split pea soup. We used to sing a nursery rhyme as kids:
Pease pudding hot, pease pudding cold, pease pudding in the pot, nine days old.
38. Cybertalk elements : IMS
Even though instant messaging (sending IMs) has been around since the 1960s, it was AOL who popularized the term “instant message” in the eighties and nineties. The “AOL Instant Message” service was known as AIM.
39. “Portlandia” network : IFC
“Portlandia” is a satirical sketch show that airs on the Independent Film Channel (IFC). The show is set in Portland, Oregon and takes its name from a statue called “Portlandia” which sits above the entrance to a building in downtown Portland. The statue is a copper repoussé work, and is second in size in the US only to the Statue of Liberty.
42. Rhyme scheme for Edward Lear : AABBA
Here’s a limerick from the pen of nonsense poet Edward Lear:
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, “It is just as I feared!—
Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard.
46. “The Wiz” tune with the lyric “You’re the bravest of them all” : BE A LION
“The Wiz”, the 1975 musical, was written by Charlie Smalls and is an African-American adaptation of Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. The film version of the stage show was released in 1978, starring Diana Ross as Dorothy and Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow. I haven’t seen it, though. “The Wizard of Oz” scares me, as the flying monkeys creep me out. There, I’ve admitted it in public …
55. Covert ’50s-’70s federal flier : AIR AMERICA
Air America was an airline covertly operated by the US government between 1950 and 1976. Primarily set up and used by the CIA, Air America was also used by other government agencies to carry out secret military operations in areas where the US was far from welcome. Most of the airline’s operations were to support American activities during the Vietnam War.
56. Eminem-inspired word for a rabid supporter : STAN
“Stan” is a song by rapper Eminem (featuring Dido) that was recorded in 2000. The title refers to a fictional Eminem fan named “Stan” who becomes obsessed with the rapper, and who grows irate when his letters to his idol go unanswered. Stan’s final act is to make a voice recording as he drives into a river, with his pregnant girlfriend locked in the trunk. One of the legacies of the song is that “stan” is now used as a slang term for an obsessed and maniacal fan.
57. Wicked “stawm” : NOR’EASTER
A nor’easter is a storm that blows from the northeast.
Down
1. “The only thing that matters”: cummings : POETRY
The American poet Edward Estlin Cummings was fond of ignoring accepted English syntax and punctuation in his poems. He also left some of his poems untitled so that they are known by just their first lines (e.g. “anyone lived in a pretty how town”). Because of the Cummings “style”, he was quite often referred to as e.e. cummings, with all the letters of his name written in lower case.
3. Property claimant : LIENOR
A lien is the right that one has to retain or secure someone’s property until a debt is paid. When an individual takes out a car loan, for example, the lending bank is usually a lien holder. The bank releases the lien on the car when the loan is paid in full.
4. Loans drawn as needed: Abbr. : LOCS
Line of credit (LOC)
5. Stud stake : ANTE
Stud poker is the name given to many variants of poker, all of which are characterized by the dealer giving each player a mix of cards face-down and face-up. The cards facing upwards are called “upcards”. The cards facing downwards are called “hole cards”, cards only visible to the individual who holds that particular hand. This gives rise to the phrase “ace in the hole”, a valuable holding that only the player with the ace is aware of.
13. World Cup tiebreakers, for short : PKS
Penalty kick (PK)
15. Dance judge Goodman : LEN
Len Goodman is a professional ballroom dancer. Goodman is the head judge on the US’s “Dancing with the Stars”, and sued to have the same role on the original UK version of the show called “Strictly Come Dancing”.
21. Camel performers : SKATERS
A camel spin is a figure skating move in which the skater spins on one leg with the free leg extended outwards with the knee held above the hip. The version of the move known as a flying camel spin is initiated with a jump before adopting the formal spin position. The latter was first performed by US figure skater Dick Button.
26. Wisconsin’s Fond du __ : LAC
“Fond du lac” is French and translates as “bottom of the lake”, and is an apt name for the city of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin located at the foot of Lake Winnebago. If you like to play the lottery, you might want to stop off in Fond du Lac as there is a stretch of South Main Street called “Miracle Mile”. Back in 1993, someone bought a ticket there and won $100 million. Then in 2006, another store sold a ticket that won $209 million. These things always come in threes, so buy your tickets now …
28. Agreement with Satan, by most accounts : BAD DEAL
Faust is a character from a classic German legend who makes a pact with the devil. He agrees to exchange his soul for worldly gratification and unlimited knowledge.
30. Capital of Hesse : WIESBADEN
Wiesbaden is the capital city of the federal state of Hesse in southwestern Germany. Wiesbaden is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe, and its name translates literally to “meadow baths”.
Hesse is a German state. The capital of Hesse is Wiesbaden, although the largest city in the state is Frankfurt.
35. Strauss opera : ARABELLA
“Arabella” is a comic opera by Richard Strauss that was first performed in 1933 in Dresden. Strauss collaborated with librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal, who passed away before he could see the work performed.
36. New Deal agcy. : WPA
The Work Progress Administration (WPA) was the largest of the New Deal agencies. The WPA employed millions of people during the Depression, putting them to work on various public works projects. The total spending through the WPA from 1936 to 1939 was nearly $7 billion. We have to give the federal government credit for taking an enlightened view of what types of project qualified for financial support, so artists who could not get commissions privately were hired by the government itself. The result is a collection of “New Deal Art”, including a series of murals that can be found in post offices around the country to this day.
39. Disappointing reply to “Where’s the last chocolate truffle?” : I ATE IT
A chocolate truffle is a (delicious) confectionary comprising a chocolate coating surrounded by chocolate that may be coated in cocoa powder or chopped nuts. The confection is named for the edible fungus called a truffle, which has a similar shape.
41. Reagan defense secretary Weinberger : CASPAR
Caspar Weinberger served as Secretary of Defense under President Reagan from 1981 to 1987, and played in important role in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Weinberger also fell foul of the law during the Iran-Contra Affair and was indicted on counts of perjury and obstruction of justice. He was granted a Presidential pardon by George H. W. Bush in 1992.
47. Hoppy initials : IPA
India pale ale (IPA) is a style of beer that originated in England. The beer was originally intended for transportation from England to India, hence the name.
The foodstuff that we call “hops” are actually the female flower of the hop plant. The main use of hops is to add flavor to beer. The town in which I live here in California used to be home to the largest hop farm in the whole world. Most of the harvested hops were exported all the way to the breweries of London, where they could fetch the best price.
50. Shutterbugs’ buys : SLRS
Single-lens reflex camera (SLR)
A shutterbug is an enthusiastic amateur photographer, someone who likes to hear the click of that shutter, someone like me …
51. Woolf’s “__ Dalloway” : MRS
“Mrs. Dalloway” is a novel by Virginia Woolf that was first published in 1925. The story tells of a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, a day in which she is preparing for a party that she is hosting. The novel has been compared to “Ulysses” by James Joyce, a story about a day in the life of Leopold Bloom.
Virginia Woolf was an English author active in the period between the two World Wars. Woolf’s most famous novels were “Mrs. Dalloway”, “To the Lighthouse” and “Orlando”. She also wrote a long essay entitled “A Room of One’s Own” in which she states “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”
53. One on the water : TAR
A jack tar, or just “tar”, was a seaman in the days of the British Empire. The term probably arose due to a sailor’s various uses of tar back then, including waterproofing his clothes and using tar in his hair to slick down his ponytail.
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1. Break away from the pack : PULL AHEAD
10. Mixer setting : WHIP
14. One in a deli dozen : ONION BAGEL
16. Accent sound? : HONK
17. Eligible voters : ELECTORATE
18. Bill nos. : AMTS
19. Strips on a tree : TINSEL
20. Under-the-bed figment, hopefully : MONSTER
22. “__ 281”: film about the making of “Citizen Kane” : RKO
23. Crest : APEX
25. Capital city that’s home to the Garden of Babur : KABUL
27. “__ Blues”: “White Album” track : YER
28. Heat fig. : BTU
29. Burrito filling word : ASADA
30. “Be right there” : WAIT JUST A SEC
34. Words dismissing the statement that preceded them : SAID NO ONE EVER!
36. “That’s enough of that” : WE’RE DONE HERE
37. “__ porridge hot … ” : PEASE
38. Cybertalk elements : IMS
39. “Portlandia” network : IFC
42. Rhyme scheme for Edward Lear : AABBA
43. Sounds from squeaky toys? : YIPS
45. Emulating : A LA
46. “The Wiz” tune with the lyric “You’re the bravest of them all” : BE A LION
48. Samples : TASTES
51. Former? : MOLD
52. Seriously sedate : PUT TO SLEEP
54. Dictate : RULE
55. Covert ’50s-’70s federal flier : AIR AMERICA
56. Eminem-inspired word for a rabid supporter : STAN
57. Wicked “stawm” : NOR’EASTER
Down
1. “The only thing that matters”: cummings : POETRY
2. Not typical of : UNLIKE
3. Property claimant : LIENOR
4. Loans drawn as needed: Abbr. : LOCS
5. Stud stake : ANTE
6. Spanish cable network : HBO LATINO
7. Audition user? : EAR
8. Height of one’s ability : A-GAME
9. Cleanse goal : DETOX
10. Hockey announcer’s “Great stop!” : WHAT A SAVE!
11. Principal place of operations : HOME BASE
12. One breaking in : INTRUDER
13. World Cup tiebreakers, for short : PKS
15. Dance judge Goodman : LEN
21. Camel performers : SKATERS
24. Deceive : PUT ON
26. Wisconsin’s Fond du __ : LAC
28. Agreement with Satan, by most accounts : BAD DEAL
30. Capital of Hesse : WIESBADEN
31. Average __ : JOE
32. Not cool : UNHIP
33. “I’d say … ” : SEEMS TO ME …
34. Check into : SEE ABOUT
35. Strauss opera : ARABELLA
36. New Deal agcy. : WPA
39. Disappointing reply to “Where’s the last chocolate truffle?” : I ATE IT
40. Cool-weather material : FLEECE
41. Reagan defense secretary Weinberger : CASPAR
43. “Coming along?” : YOU IN?
44. Opening : INTRO
47. Hoppy initials : IPA
49. On the water : ASEA
50. Shutterbugs’ buys : SLRS
51. Woolf’s “__ Dalloway” : MRS
53. One on the water : TAR
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