Day: March 13, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
14. Role for Ronny OPIE
Ron Howard sure has come a long way since playing Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show”. Howard has directed some fabulous movies including favorites of mine like “Apollo 13”, “A Beautiful Mind” and “The Da Vinci Code”. And today, “Opie” is a grandfather …

23. First word of “Greensleeves” ALAS
The rather delightful English ballad known as “Greensleeves” starts with:

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.

There is a persistent urban legend that “Greensleeves” was written by King Henry VIII for Anne Boleyn when he was courting her. In fact the song was more likely written after the king’s death, in the Elizabethan era.

34. Green shade TEAL
The beautiful color of teal takes it name from the duck called a “teal”, which has dark greenish-blue (teal) markings on its head and wings.

35. Aimée of “La Dolce Vita” ANOUK
Anouk Aimée is a French film actress. Aimée’s most famous film outside of France is probably the internationally successful 1966 French hit “A Man and a Woman”, in which she played the female lead.

42. “At Wit’s End” 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.

52. __ carotene BETA
Carotene is an orange pigment that plants use in the process of photosynthesis. Carotene gives carrots their orange color, and it is carrots that give the pigment its name. “Carota” is the Latin for “carrot”. Carotene is found in nature in two structural forms: alpha-carotene and the more common beta-carotene.

54. Parlor piece SOFA
“Sofa” is a Turkish word meaning “bench”.

57. “The Green Hornet” airer, 1966-’67 ABC
In “The Green Hornet” television series, Kato was famously played by Bruce Lee. The Kato role has been cited as a driving force behind the increase in popularity of martial arts in the US during the sixties.

59. Puget Sound port TACOMA
Tacoma is a city on Puget Sound in the state of Washington. The city took its name from Mount Rainier that is nearby, as the peak used to be known as Mount Tahoma.

66. Japan’s commercial center, historically OSAKA
The Japanese city of Osaka used to be called Naniwa, with the name changing to Osaka some time before 1500. “Osaka” can be translated either as “large hill” or “large slope”.

71. Body art, briefly TATS
The word “tattoo” was first used in English in the writings of the famous English explorer Captain Cook. In his descriptions of the indelible marks adorning the skin of Polynesian natives, Cook anglicized the Tahitian word “tatau” into our “tattoo”.

Down
1. Little, to Leoncavallo POCO
“Poco” is an Italian word for “little” and is used in musical notation to mean “to a small degree, a little”.

Ruggero Leoncavallo was an Italian composer of operas who is most famously associated with his masterpiece “Pagliacci”. In fact, “Pagliacci” is the only Leoncavallo work that is ever staged today.

5. Pre-Renaissance period DARK AGES
The “Dark Ages” was a term that used to be popular as a description of the period following the decline of the Roman Empire in Europe, the time after the “light of Rome” was extinguished. The Dark Ages were said to end with the rise of the Italian Renaissance in the 14th century.

6. Football commentator Cross IRV
Irv Cross is a former professional footballer and a sportscaster. Cross was hired by CBS Sports in 1971 and became the first African American to work full-time as a sports analyst on network television.

8. Emilio Estefan, notably LATINO
Emilio Estefan is a Cuban American producer and musician. Emilio is the husband of singer Gloria Estefan.

9. Producer Ziegfeld FLO
Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. was the man behind the series of theatrical revues called the “Ziegfeld Follies”, as well as the producer of the musical “Show Boat”. The “Follies” shows were structured as imitations of the “Folies Bergère” cabaret shows of Paris.

13. Internet address letters HTTP
“http” are the first letters in most Internet link addresses. “http” stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol.

18. Brilliance ECLAT
Éclat can mean a brilliant show of success, or the applause or accolade that one receives. The word derives from the French “éclater” meaning “to splinter, burst out”.

26. Dr.’s group AMA
The American Medical Association (AMA) was founded in 1847 at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. The first female member was allowed to join the AMA in 1868, but the first African American members weren’t admitted until one hundred years later, in 1968.

27. Sanskrit scripture VEDA
The Vedas are a body of ancient Indian texts, the oldest Hindu scriptures. The word “véda” is Sanskrit, and means “knowledge, wisdom”.

29. Mute sound? LONG U
There is a long U in the word “mute”.

31. Marilyn, before she was Marilyn NORMA
Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926 in LA County Hospital, the child of Gladys Pearl Baker. The young girl was given the name of Norma Jeane Mortenson on her birth certificate, but her mother changed this to Norma Jeane Baker almost immediately. She and her estranged husband, Martin Edward Mortensen, had separated before Baker became pregnant so it is suggested that the Mortensen name was used just to give Norma Jeane “legitimacy”. Norma Jeane married a Jim Dougherty when she 16 years old, and took his name to become Norma Jeane Dougherty in 1932. During WWII she was discovered by a photographer and became quite a successful model. The modelling earned her a screen test, at which time it was suggested that Norma Jean change her name yet again. The first name chosen for her by studio executives was Carole Lind (after Carole Lombard and Jenny Lind), but then Norma Jeane chose “Jeane Monroe” for herself, using her mother’s maiden name. It didn’t take long before the studio intervened again, suggesting that they had too many “Jeans” already. The name Marilyn Monroe was floated as it had a nice ring to it. Along with the new name, Marilyn changed from a brunette to a blonde, and a star was born …

32. Poison __ SUMAC
Sumacs are a group of flowering shrubs and small trees that includes Poison oak, Poison ivy and Poison sumac. Nasty stuff …

36. Latest addition to the British Royal Family KATE
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge married Catherine “Kate” Middleton in 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Middleton is what one might call a commoner, born to parents who were flight attendants. However, as is so often the case in Britain, Kate’s ancestry can be traced back far enough to show that she and William do have common ancestors, dating back to the 1500s on her mother’s side and to the 1400s on her father’s side.

41. Genetic research insect FRUIT FLY
The common fruit fly is used in biological research because it is easy to care for, it breeds very quickly, and lays lots of eggs. The average lifespan of a fruit fly in nature is about a month.

44. U.S. 1, for one RTE
US Route 1 runs from Fort Kent in Maine right down to Key West in Florida.

46. Lobster Newburg ingredient CREAM
Lobster Newberg is a rich dish made from lobster with butter, cream, cognac, sherry, eggs and Cayenne pepper. The dish was created by one Ben Wenberg for Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City in 1876, and was listed on the menu as Lobster à la Wenberg. Wenberg and the restaurant owner had a falling out, and so the restaurant owner renamed the dish to Lobster à la Newberg.

49. Emphatic type: Abbr. ITAL
Italic type leans to the right. The style is known as “italic” because the stylized calligraphic form of writing originated in Italy, probably in the Vatican.

50. Big wheels NABOBS
A nabob is a person of wealth and prominence. “Nabob” derives from the title of a governor in India.

51. Author Fitzgerald F SCOTT
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote five novels (one unfinished), the most famous of which is “The Great Gatsby”. A little bit of trivia about Fitzgerald is that he was the first cousin once removed of Mary Surratt, the boarding house owner who was convicted of participating in the plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln and who was hanged for her crime.

60. Military classification ONE-A
The US government maintains information on all males who are potentially subject to military conscription, using what is called the Selective Service System(SS). In the event that a draft was held, men registered would be classified into groups to determine eligibility for service. Class 1-A registrants are those available for unrestricted military service. Other classes are 1-A-O (conscientious objector available for noncombatant service), 4-A (registrant who has completed military service) and 4-D (Minister of religion).

64. Bit of muesli OAT
“Muesli” is a Swiss-German term describing a breakfast serving of oats, nuts, fruit and milk. Delicious …

65. Schnozz extender -OLA
“Schnoz” is a slang term for a nose, particularly one that is overly large.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Sound finely tuned PURR
5. Parsley family herb DILL
9. Straight from the garden FRESH
14. Role for Ronny OPIE
15. Neighborhood AREA
16. Ceiling LIMIT
17. GREEN CONSERVATIONIST
20. Next in line ON DECK
21. Hobbyist’s buy KIT
22. Tennis racket part GRIP
23. First word of “Greensleeves” ALAS
25. In a glass by itself NEAT
27. GREEN VILLAGE COMMONS
33. Green prefix ECO-
34. Green shade TEAL
35. Aimée of “La Dolce Vita” ANOUK
37. Cozy reading rooms DENS
39. Personal property STUFF
42. “At Wit’s End” humorist Bombeck ERMA
43. Drilling tool AUGER
45. Buster? NARC
47. It might say “Wipe your paws” MAT
48. GREEN PUTTING SURFACE
52. __ carotene BETA
53. Draws TIES
54. Parlor piece SOFA
57. “The Green Hornet” airer, 1966-’67 ABC
59. Puget Sound port TACOMA
63. GREEN THE COLOR OF MONEY
66. Japan’s commercial center, historically OSAKA
67. Accessory on the handlebars BELL
68. TV part? TELE-
69. __-case scenario WORST
70. Oscillation SWAY
71. Body art, briefly TATS

Down
1. Little, to Leoncavallo POCO
2. Aware of, as the latest UP ON
3. Fruit coat RIND
4. Protect again, as a driveway RESEAL
5. Pre-Renaissance period DARK AGES
6. Football commentator Cross IRV
7. Drip, say LEAK
8. Emilio Estefan, notably LATINO
9. Producer Ziegfeld FLO
10. Cellphone customer’s creation, perhaps RINGTONE
11. Mideast ruler EMIR
12. “Right away, señor!” SI! SI!
13. Internet address letters HTTP
18. Brilliance ECLAT
19. Gossip tidbit ITEM
24. Install in Congress SEAT
26. Dr.’s group AMA
27. Sanskrit scripture VEDA
28. Frost over ICE UP
29. Mute sound? LONG U
30. Stuck (to) CLUNG
31. Marilyn, before she was Marilyn NORMA
32. Poison __ SUMAC
36. Latest addition to the British Royal Family KATE
38. Reversals SETBACKS
40. __ food FAST
41. Genetic research insect FRUIT FLY
44. U.S. 1, for one RTE
46. Lobster Newburg ingredient CREAM
49. Emphatic type: Abbr. ITAL
50. Big wheels NABOBS
51. Author Fitzgerald F SCOTT
54. Put in the overhead bin STOW
55. Very OH SO
56. Cold feet FEAR
58. Seagoing help CREW
60. Military classification ONE-A
61. Go all weak in the knees MELT
62. Seagoing assents AYES
64. Bit of muesli OAT
65. Schnozz extender -OLA

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