Day: December 22, 2012

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Org. Indonesia left in 2008 OPEC
The OPEC cartel (the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) was formally established in 1960 and has been headquartered in Vienna since 1965. The US is actually the third largest oil producer in the world (after Russia and Saudi Arabia). One reason America isn’t in OPEC, even though we are a big producer, is that we import a lot more than we export. But we all probably knew that already …

9. Either of two “Matter of Fact” columnists ALSOP
The two brothers Stewart and Joseph Alsop wrote the “Matter of Fact” column three times a week for the “New York Herald Tribune” from 1945 to 1958. Stewart covered domestic politics from Washington, and Joseph covered foreign affairs while travelling the world.

14. Galileo’s birthplace PISA
Galileo Galilei may be the most famous son of the city of Pisa in Italy and was considered by many to have been the father of modern science. In the world of physics, Galileo postulated that objects of different masses would fall at the same rate provided they did so in a vacuum (so there was no air resistance). There is a story that he dropped two balls of different masses from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate this, but this probably never happened. Centuries later, Astronaut David Scott performed Galileo’s proposed experiment when he dropped a hammer and feather on the moon during the Apollo 15 mission and we all saw the objects hit the moon surface, at exactly the same time.

15. Weena’s people, in a Wells novel ELOI
In the 1895 novel by H. G. Wells called “The Time Machine”, there are two races that the hero encounter in his travels into the future. The Eloi are the “beautiful people” who live on the planet’s surface. The Morlocks are a race of cannibals living underground who use the Eloi as food.

17. Spade et al., briefly TECS
Private detective Sam Spade is the main character in Dashiell Hammett’s novel “The Maltese Falcon”. Famously, Spade was played by Humphrey Bogart in the 1941 film adaptation directed by John Huston.

18. Layer on many pies MOZZARELLA
Mozzarella is an Italian cheese that is prepared using a spinning and cutting technique. It is the cutting that gives the cheese its name, as “mozzare” means “to cut” in Italian.

20. Letters from Athens ETAS
Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, and is a forerunner of our Latin character “H”.

28. Dutch engineering feat DIKE
A dike is an embankment usually made of earth and rock that is used to prevent floods.

35. Sweet girl? ADELINE
“Sweet Adeline” is a marvelous ballad that is most often heard these days sung by barbershop groups. My favorite version of “Sweet Adeline” was sung by the Australian group called the Seekers.

39. Edward VII’s queen ALEXANDRA
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife and queen consort of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Alexandra and Edward became king and queen on the death of Edward’s mother, Queen Victoria. Edward died in 1910, and Alexandra became queen mother to her eldest son, King George V.

43. 1977 ELO hit DO YA
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) is a symphonic rock group from the north of England. The band’s manager was Don Arden, father of Sharon Osbourne (wife of Ozzy).

44. Chef’s wear TOQUE
A toque was a brimless style of hat that was very fashionable in Europe, in France in particular, in the 13th to 16th centuries. Nowadays we associate toques with chefs, as it is the name given to a chef’s hat (called a “toque blanche” in French, a “white hat”). A chef’s toque is quite interesting. Many toques have exactly 100 pleats, often said to signify the number of ways that an egg can be cooked.

47. Rodeo highlight CALF ROPING
“Rodeo” is a Spanish word, which is usually translated as “round up”.

53. Bee’s address? AUNT
Aunt Bee was a character in “The Andy Griffith Show”. The character’s full name was Beatrice Taylor but everyone in Mayberry called her “Aunt Bee”. In the storyline she was the aunt of the protagonist, Sheriff Andy Taylor. Aunt Bee was played by actress Frances Beaver.

54. Mariana Islands region MICRONESIA
The part of the Pacific Ocean known as Oceania is roughly equivalent to the tropical islands of the South Pacific. Oceania can be divided into the regions of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.

The Mariana Islands are an archipelago lying south of Japan at the eastern limit of the Philippine Sea. The islands were colonized by the Spanish who named them after Queen Mariana of Austria (who was a Spaniard). The island in the Marianas with which we are most familiar in the US is Guam.

55. City on the Brazos WACO
The Brazos River is the longest river in the state of Texas. It was originally called “Rio de los Brazos de Dios” by the Spanish, which translates as “the River of the Arms of God”. So, the Brazos is literally “the arms” in English.

In recent years, Waco is perhaps most famous as the site of a siege and shootout between ATF agents and members of the Protestant sect known as the Branch Davidians. Shortly after ATF agents tried to execute a search warrant, shots were fired and at the end of the fight six people inside the Branch Davidian compound were dead, as were four agents. A fifty-day siege ensued at the end of which a final assault resulted in members of the community setting fire to the compound. Only nine people walked away from that fire. 50 adults and 25 children perished.

57. Upscale TONY
Something described as “tony” is elegant or exclusive. The term derives from “high-toned”.

58. __ impasse AT AN
“Impasse” is a French word for a blind alley or an impassable road.

59. Eponymous trailblazer Chisholm JESSE
The Chisholm Trail was used in the late 1800s by ranchers driving their cattle from Texas to the stockyards and railroad termini in Kansas. The trail was named for Jesse Chisholm who operated trading posts along much of the route.

60. 1961 space chimp ENOS
Enos was a chimpanzee who was launched into Earth orbit in 1961 by NASA on a Mercury Atlas 4 rocket. Enos’s flight was a rehearsal for the first orbital flight made by an American, astronaut John Glenn. Enos returned from his mission safely, but died the following year from dysentery.

Down
2. Artistic representation of the Lamentation of Christ PIETA
The Pietà is a representation of the Virgin Mary holding in her arms the dead body of her son Jesus. The most famous “Pietà” is probably the sculpted rendition by Michelangelo which is located in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. In some depictions, Mary and her son are surrounded by other figures from the New Testament, and these depictions are known as “Lamentations”.

3. Cliff ESCARPMENT
An escarp or escarpment is a steep slope or cliff. The term is also used for the inner wall of a ditch that is dug around a fortification.

5. Environmentally friendly crop HEMP
Hemp is a hardy, fast-growing plant that has many uses mainly due to the strength of the fibers in the plant’s stalks. Hemp is used to make rope, paper and textiles. There is of course a variety of hemp that is grown to make drugs, most famously cannabis.

6. Giants manager before Bochy ALOU
Felipe Alou is a former professional baseball player and manager. Alou managed the Montreal Expos from 1992 to 2001, and the San Francisco Giants from 2003 to 2006. Alou was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and came to the US to play for the Giants in 1955. Felipe’s brothers Matty and Jesús followed him to the US, and into Major League baseball.

Bruce Bochy has been manager of the San Francisco Giants baseball team since 2007. Bochy is a little unusual in the Major League Baseball world in that he was born in France (his father was a US Army officer stationed there). Bruce became the first European-born manager to win the World Series when the Giants emerged victorious in 2010.

10. Singer with the children’s album “Camp Lisa” LOEB
The singer Lisa Loeb was discovered by actor Ethan Hawke, who lived just across the street from her in New York City. Hawke took a demo of her song “Stay (I Missed You)” and gave it to director Ben Stiller, who in turn used it over the ending credits of his 1994 movie “Reality Bites”. The movie was a hit, the song went to number one, and Loeb became the first artist ever to hit that number one spot without having signed up with a record label. Good for her!

12. Kon-Tiki Museum city OSLO
The Kon-Tiki was a raft used by Thor Heyerdahl in 1947 to cross the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands. The original raft used in the voyage is on display in the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo, Norway (Heyerdahl was a native of Norway).

19. Der __: Adenauer epithet ALTE
Konrad Adenauer was the first Chancellor of West Germany after WWII, taking office in 1949 at the age of 73. Adenauer was 87 years old when he left office. Understandably perhaps, his nickname was “Der Alte”, German for “the old man”. Adenauer spent much of WWII in prison, courtesy of Herr Hitler.

23. Singer portrayed by Spacey in “Beyond the Sea” DARIN
“Beyond the Sea” is a biopic released in 2004 based on the life of singer Bobby Darin. Kevin Spacey played Darin in the film. The movie’s title is taken from the Bobby Darin song of the same name.

The pop classic “Beyond the Sea”, most famously recorded by Bobby Darin, is an adaptation of a French composition called “La Mer” (The Sea). “La Mer” has the same melody but completely different lyrics.

26. “Sweet Tooth” writer McEwan IAN
Ian McEwan is an English author with a track record of writing well-received novels. McEwan’s most famous work at the moment I would say is “Atonement” which has benefited from the success of the fabulous movie adaptation released in 2007.

27. Cheap wine SNEAKY PETE
Sneaky Pete is a slang term for cheap fortified wine, often associated with down and outs sleeping rough on skid row.

28. 4 Seasons title line preceding “I’m no good for you” DAWN (GO AWAY)
The singing group usually known as the Four Seasons have had a few names over their long career. The group started out as the Four Lovers in 1960 and then became the Four Seasons. As lead singer Frankie Valli became a box office draw, the group sometimes used the name Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons.

30. LPGA star Cristie KERR
Cristie Kerr is a professional golfer on the LPGA tour from Miami, Florida. Outside of golfing, Kerr is a very successful fundraiser for breast cancer research through her foundation called Birdies for Breast Cancer.

31. Humorist Bombeck ERMA
Erma Bombeck wrote for newspapers for about 35 years, producing more than 4,000 witty and humorous columns describing her home life in suburbia.

32. Washington attraction MALL
The National Mall is a park in downtown Washington, D.C. The National Mall is home to several museums that are part of the Smithsonian, as well as the National Gallery of Art.

33. Falco of “Nurse Jackie” EDIE
Edie Falco won her three Emmy Awards for playing Carmela Soprano on HBO’s outstanding drama series called “The Sopranos”.

34. German town STADT
“Stadt” is the German word for “city” or “town”.

40. Tryst LIAISON
In its most general sense, a tryst is a meeting at an agreed time and place. More usually we consider a tryst to be a prearranged meeting between lovers. The term comes from the Old French “triste”, a waiting place designated when hunting.

43. He bee DRONE
Drone bees and ants are fertile males of the species whose sole role in life seems to be to mate with a queen.

46. Waist-length jackets ETONS
An Eton jacket is usually black, cut square at the hips and with wide lapels. It is named for the design of jacket that is worn by the younger students at Eton College just outside London.

47. Key of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 C-MAJ
Ludwig van Beethoven dedicated his Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major to a student of his, Countess Keglevics (Babette).

49. Some TV screens LCDS
Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) are the screens that are found in most laptops today, and in flat panel computer screens and some televisions. LCD monitors basically replaced Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) screens, the old television technology.

51. El __ NINO
When the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean rises or falls more that half a degree centigrade, then there is said to be an El Niño episode. That small temperature change in the Pacific has been associated with climatic changes that can stretch right across the globe. El Niño is Spanish for “the boy” and is a reference to the Christ child. The phenomenon was given this particular Spanish name because the warming is usually noticed near South America and around Christmas-time.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Org. Indonesia left in 2008 OPEC
5. Lid fastener HASP
9. Either of two “Matter of Fact” columnists ALSOP
14. Galileo’s birthplace PISA
15. Weena’s people, in a Wells novel ELOI
16. Dickensian holiday meal GOOSE
17. Spade et al., briefly TECS
18. Layer on many pies MOZZARELLA
20. Letters from Athens ETAS
21. Frequent flier’s distraction, maybe PUZZLE BOOK
22. Was plucky enough DARED
24. How workaholics often work LATE
25. “Hallelujah!” PRAISE BE!
28. Dutch engineering feat DIKE
32. Break room postings MEMORANDA
34. More balanced SANER
35. Sweet girl? ADELINE
36. Close in on the answer GET WARM
38. Closet stuff LINEN
39. Edward VII’s queen ALEXANDRA
41. Permits LETS
42. Hot tub site, maybe SKI LODGE
43. 1977 ELO hit DO YA
44. Chef’s wear TOQUE
47. Rodeo highlight CALF ROPING
53. Bee’s address? AUNT
54. Mariana Islands region MICRONESIA
55. City on the Brazos WACO
56. Not standard ADD ON
57. Upscale TONY
58. __ impasse AT AN
59. Eponymous trailblazer Chisholm JESSE
60. 1961 space chimp ENOS
61. Slangy approvals YEPS

Down
1. Was decisive OPTED
2. Artistic representation of the Lamentation of Christ PIETA
3. Cliff ESCARPMENT
4. Potluck array CASSEROLES
5. Environmentally friendly crop HEMP
6. Giants manager before Bochy ALOU
7. More than buzzed SOZZLED
8. Toaster oven treat PIZZA BAGEL
9. Line up AGREE
10. Singer with the children’s album “Camp Lisa” LOEB
11. Big moment on stage SOLO
12. Kon-Tiki Museum city OSLO
13. Optimum selling point PEAK
19. Der __: Adenauer epithet ALTE
23. Singer portrayed by Spacey in “Beyond the Sea” DARIN
26. “Sweet Tooth” writer McEwan IAN
27. Cheap wine SNEAKY PETE
28. 4 Seasons title line preceding “I’m no good for you” DAWN (GO AWAY)
29. Not up to snuff INADEQUATE
30. LPGA star Cristie KERR
31. Humorist Bombeck ERMA
32. Washington attraction MALL
33. Falco of “Nurse Jackie” EDIE
34. German town STADT
37. Skeleton opening EXO-
40. Tryst LIAISON
42. Delaying tactic word SOON
43. He bee DRONE
45. Open, in a way UNCAP
46. Waist-length jackets ETONS
47. Key of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 C-MAJ
48. Lieutenant AIDE
49. Some TV screens LCDS
50. Big dos FROS
51. El __ NINO
52. Some civil rights activists GAYS

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