Tag: “Spill!” crossword clue

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Constructed by: Ella Dershowitz
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Entitled Couples

Themed answers are common phrases reinterpreted with reference to the titles of a pair of songs cited in the corresponding clues:

• 17A “Call Me Maybe” or “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)”? : TELEPHONE NUMBER
• 28A “Sound of da Police” or “The Artist in the Ambulance”? : SIREN SONG
• 38A “Midnight Train to Georgia” or “Chattanooga Choo Choo”? : RAILROAD TRACK
• 48A “Sittin’ in the Sun (Countin’ My Money)” or “Can’t Buy Me Love”? : BUDGET CUT
• 50A “I’m Too Sexy” or “Summer in the City”? : HOT AIR
• 61A “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” or “Talkin’ Baseball”? : LINEDRIVE SINGLE

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

Bill’s time: 8m 30s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Fries, e.g. : SIDE

French fries are called “chips” back in Ireland where I grew up. And what we call “chips” in the US are known as “crisps” in Britain and Ireland. In France, French fries are known as “pommes frites” (fried potatoes).

16 2019 March Madness champs : UVA

The University of Virginia (UVA) sports teams are known officially as “the Cavaliers”. The unofficial nickname is “the Wahoos”.

“March Madness” is the name given to the NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball Championship (among others), that is held in the spring each year. Another name is “the Big Dance”.

17 “Call Me Maybe” or “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)”? : TELEPHONE NUMBER

“Call Me Maybe” was released as a single in 2011 by Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen. Jepsen co-wrote the number originally as a folk song, but it was transformed into pop during production.

“Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)” is a 1972 folk-pop song written and recorded by Jim Croce. The lyrics describe a conversation with a telephone operator, as the singer asks for help finding the phone number of his former lover who has betrayed him by moving away with his former best friend. Apparently, Croce was inspired by his own experience while serving in the military, as he witnessed heartbroken soldiers calling their wives and girlfriends after receiving Dear John letters.

20 BTS genre : K-POP

BTS is a boy band from South Korea with seven members. The initialism “BTS” stands for the phrase “Bangtan Sonyeondan”, which translates literally as “Bulletproof Boy Scouts”. It is the best-selling musical act in the history of South Korea.

22 Tony winner Hagen : UTA

Uta Hagen was a German-born American actress. Hagen married Jose Ferrer in 1938, but they were divorced ten years later after it was revealed that she was having a long-running affair with Paul Robeson. Her association with Robeson, a prominent civil rights activist, earned her a spot on the Hollywood Blacklist during the McCarthy Era. This forced her away from film, but towards a successful stage career in New York City.

25 NFL three-pointers, for short : FGS

In American football, three points (pts.) are awarded for a field goal (FG).

27 “Popular” or “Fashion!”? : IN TUNE

“Popular” is a 2023 song recorded by the Weeknd, Playboi Carti and Madonna. It was written as a track for a soundtrack album (eventually scrapped) for the drama TV show “The Idol”, which was created by the Weeknd and in which he starred.

“Fashion!” is a track from Lady Gaga’s 2013 album “Artpop”. It is a dance song, delivered by Gaga in a style that many say is reminiscent of a David Bowie performance.

28 “Sound of da Police” or “The Artist in the Ambulance”? : SIREN SONG

In Greek mythology, the Sirens were seductive bird-women who lured men to their deaths with their song. When Odysseus sailed close to the island home of the Sirens he wanted to hear their voices, but in safety. He had his men plug their ears with beeswax and then ordered them to tie him to the mast and not to free him until they were safe. On hearing their song Odysseus begged to be let loose, but the sailors just tightened his bonds and the whole crew sailed away unharmed. We sometimes use the term “siren” today to describe a seductively charming woman, and “siren song” to describe an utterance that is particularly appealing.

“Sound of da Police” is a song released in 1993 by rapper KRS-One. It is a song with a message, criticizing systemic racism and incidents involving police brutality.

“The Artist in the Ambulance” in the title track of a 2003 album released by the rock band Thrice. The album was destined to become the band’s first entry into the Billboard 200 chart, making it to number sixteen.

33 Lebanese capital : BEIRUT

Beirut is the capital city of Lebanon. After WWI, Lebanon was placed under administrative control of the French and Beirut flourished as a financial center in the Middle East and as a major world tourist destination. The city was devastated in the Lebanese Civil War that raged from 1975 to 1990, but reconstruction has restored the city to much of its former glory, making it a major cultural center once again.

38 “Midnight Train to Georgia” or “Chattanooga Choo Choo”? : RAILROAD TRACK

“Midnight Train to Georgia” is a 1973 song released by Gladys Knight & the Pips, one that became their breakthrough single, topping the Billboard Hot 100. It was written and originally recorded by Jim Weatherly with a different title (and slightly different lyrics): “Midnight Plane to Houston”.

“Chattanooga Choo Choo” is a song from the film “Sun Valley Serenade” released in 1941. The song was recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra that same year, and was destined to become the first record to sell over a million copies and become certified “gold”.

42 Griswold of the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” films : CLARK

The “National Lampoon’s Vacation” series of films were inspired by a short story in “National Lampoon” magazine titled “Vacation ‘58”. That story was penned by the great film director and screenwriter John Hughes, who wrote the scripts for two of the movies in the series. All the films are about the Griswald family, with Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo playing the parents Clark and Ellen Griswald. The films in the 1983-20015 series are:

1. “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (1983)
2. “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” (1985)
3. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)
4. “Vegas Vacation” (1997)
5. “Vacation” (2015)

43 Adidas addition : INSOLE

The Adidas brand dates back to when Adolf “Adi” Dassler started making his own sports shoes in his mother’s laundry room in Bavaria after returning from WWI. With his brother, Adi founded Dassler shoes. The company’s big break came in 1936 at the Berlin Olympics, when Adi persuaded American sprinter Jesse Owens to use his shoes, and with the success of Jesse Owens came success for the fledgling shoe company. After WWII the brothers split, acrimoniously. Adi’s brother, Ru-dolf Da-ssler, formed “Ruda” shoes (later to become Puma), and Adi Das-sler formed “Adidas”.

45 Undecided initials : TBA

To be advised/announced (TBA)

48 “Sittin’ in the Sun (Countin’ My Money)” or “Can’t Buy Me Love”? : BUDGET CUT

“Sittin’ in the Sun (Countin’ My Money)” is an Irving Berlin song that he wrote in 1952 for the 1954 hit musical film “White Christmas”. Production delays for the movie led to Berlin giving the song to Louis Armstrong, who recorded it in 1953.

“Can’t Buy Me Love” is a 1964 Beatles song. Paul McCartney composed it on an upright piano in a hotel room in the magnificent George V hotel in Paris. The song is included in the 1964 Beatles film “A Hard Day’s Night”, in a scene where the Fab Four are running and jumping around in a field.

50 “I’m Too Sexy” or “Summer in the City”? : HOT AIR

“I’m Too Sexy” is a fun 1991 song that really turned out to be the only big hit for the British band Right Said Fred. It was co-written by the band’s founders, brothers Fred and Richard Fairbrass. They came up with the idea for the lyrics while working out in a gym in London, as they watched several gym rats engaged in some narcissistic posing.

“Summer in the City” is a great song recorded in 1966 by the Lovin’ Spoonful, a folk-rock band from Greenwich Village in New York. The band’s co-founder John Sebastien co-wrote the song, reworking the lyrics and melody composed by his brother Mark. Mark wrote it when he was 14 years old!

54 Antioxidant juice brand : POM

POM Wonderful is a privately-held company that has been making fruit juice drinks since 2002. The main product line is pomegranate juice, hence the company name.

55 Some mantras : OMS

A mantra is a word that is used as a focus for the mind while meditating. The term is Sanskrit in origin, and is now used figuratively in English to describe any oft-repeated word or phrase.

61 “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” or “Talkin’ Baseball”? : LINEDRIVE SINGLE

“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is a 1908 song that is traditionally sung during the seventh inning stretch of a baseball game. Even though the song is now inextricably linked to baseball, neither of the two composers had ever been to a game before they wrote it.

“Talkin’ Baseball (Willie, Mickey & The Duke)” is a 1981 song written and recorded by Terry Cashman during the Major League Baseball strike in 1981. The lyrics lay out the history of MLB baseball from the 1950s to that time, and name-checks about 30 players. The chorus features “Willie (Mays), Mickey (Mantle) and the Duke (Snider)”, all of whom played in New York at the same time, for the Giants, the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers respectively.

66 Actress Ryan : MEG

“Meg Ryan” is the stage name of the actress Margaret Mary Hyra. Ryan’s big break came with the excellent 1989 movie “When Harry Met Sally …”, from which she went on to star in some of the most popular romantic comedies ever made.

67 Watch rim : BEZEL

A bezel is a groove that is designed to hold a beveled edge. An example would be the groove around the face of a watch, which accepts the beveled edge of a watch crystal.

Down

3 Fiber alternative : DSL

The initialism “DSL” originally stood for Digital Subscriber Loop, but is now accepted to mean (Asymmetric) Digital Subscriber Line. It is a technology that allows Internet service to be delivered down the same telephone line as voice service, by separating the two into different frequency signals.

Optical fibers are lengths of glass or plastic that are slightly thicker than a human hair. They are usually bundled into cables, and then used for transmission of data signals. Optical transmission has advantages over electrical transmission, especially in terms of interference and loss of signal strength.

5 Reneé of the “Mean Girls” musical : RAPP

Singer and actress Reneé Rapp’s big break came with a starring role in the musical “Mean Girls” on Broadway. She played “mean girl” Regina George on stage from 2019 to 2020, and also in the big-screen adaptation released with the same title in 2024.

7 “Amsterdam” novelist McEwan : IAN

“Amsterdam” is a 1998, Booker Prize-winning novel by British author Ian McEwan. Central to the story is a euthanasia pact entered into by two friends.

9 The blahs : ENNUI

“Ennui” is the French word for “boredom”, and is a term that we now use in English. It’s one of the few French words we’ve imported and haven’t anglicized, and actually pronounce “correctly”.

11 Maker of Healthy Start Newborn skin products : AVEENO

Aveeno is a manufacturer of skincare and haircare products that was founded in 1945. The name Aveeno comes from the Latin name for the common oat, i.e. Avena sativa.

18 Long Island university that has hosted several presidential debates : HOFSTRA

Hofstra University is a private school on Long Island, New York that was established in 1935 as an extension of NYU (New York University). Hofstra became an independent college in 1939, and a university in its own right in 1963. It is named for businessman and philanthropist William S. Hofstra, whose estate was home to the original school.

22 Common port type : USB

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard dealing with how computers and electronic devices connect and communicate, and dealing with electrical power through those connections.

29 Actor Stoltz : ERIC

Eric Stoltz is an actor from Whittier, California who is best known for playing the disfigured Rocky Dennis in the 1985 movie “Mask”. In 1984, Stolz spent weeks playing Marty McFly for the film “Back to the Future” before producers concluded that he was miscast and gave the role to Michael J. Fox.

35 Bad marks : STIGMAS

A stigma (plural “stigmata”), in a social sense, is a distinguishing mark of disgrace. For example, one might have to suffer the stigma of being in prison. The term derives from the Greek “stigma” meaning “mark, brand”.

36 Sea eagle : ERNE

The ern (sometimes “erne”) is also known as the white-tailed eagle or the sea eagle.

40 Pixar film set on the Day of the Dead : COCO

“Coco” is a 2017 Pixar movie about a 12-year-old boy named Miguel who ends up in the land of the dead by accident. There, he seeks out the help of the great-great-grandfather to get back to his family in the land of the living.

The “Día de Muertos” (also “Dia de los Muertos”, both meaning “Day of the Dead”) is a holiday that originated in Mexico, and is now celebrated around the world. It is traditionally celebrated on November 1st and 2nd, and involves family and friends gathering to remember those who have died. Despite the somber nature, the Day of the Dead usually has a joyful tone, as family remembers the happier events and anecdotes associated with the departed.

41 Longtime “Project Runway” host Heidi : KLUM

“Project Runway” is a reality show that is hosted by model Heidi Klum. On the show, 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.

44 GRE org. : ETS

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) was founded in 1947, and produces standardized tests for students from kindergarten through college. Perhaps most famously, ETS operates the SAT testing process.

Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

45 Title role for Geena Davis : THELMA

“Thelma & Louise” is a thought-provoking movie, and one that is very entertaining. It was directed by Ridley Scott in 1991, and stars two fabulous leads in Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. You’ll also spot Brad Pitt onscreen in his first significant movie role.

Hollywood actress Geena Davis established the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2004 after noticing the lack of female characters on television shows while watching with her young daughter. According to Davis:

The fact is women are seriously underrepresented in nearly all sectors of society across the globe, not just on screen, but, for the most part, we are simply not aware to this reality, and media images exert a powerful influence in perpetuating our unconscious bias.

46 Tougher to fillet, perhaps : BONIER

A fillet is a boneless cut of meat or fish. The term “fillet” comes from the Old French “filet” meaning “small thread, filament”. Apparently, we applied the term to food because the piece of fish or meat was tied up with string after it was boned. Here in the US, we tend to use the French spelling “filet”.

52 Film trivia site : IMDB

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) website was launched in 1990, and is now owned by Amazon.com. It’s a great site for answering questions one has about movies and actors.

59 “Spill!” : DISH!

To dish the dirt is to talk about someone or something without regard to veracity. The phrase comes from “dish” (in the sense of dishing out food) and “dirt” (in the sense of negative information). To be dishy is to be given to gossip.

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.