Day: April 14, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. “___ Mia!” MAMMA
The hit musical “Mamma Mia!” was written to showcase the songs of ABBA. I’m a big fan of ABBA’s music, so I’ve seen this show a couple of times and just love it. “Mamma Mia!” is such a big hit on the stage that on any giamasven day there are at least seven performances going on somewhere in the world. There is a really interesting film version of the show that was released in 2008. I think the female lead Meryl Streep is wonderful in the movie, but the male leads, not so much …

By the way, one can tell the difference between “Mamma Mia” the ABBA song and “Mamma Mia!” the musical, by noting the difference in the punctuation in the titles.

11. Economics pioneer Smith ADAM
Adam Smith’s great work in economics is called “The Wealth of Nations”, published in 1776. The book was a big hit within his own lifetime, and went a long way to earning him the reputation as the father of modern economics and capitalism. Smith coined the phrase “the invisible hand of the market”, describing his assertion that a marketplace tends to self-regulate.

15. Evite letters RSVP
RSVP stands for “Répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “please, answer”.

19. Victim of Artemis ORION
There are many versions of the death of Orion at the hands of Artemis. Orion was a great hunter, and companion of the goddess Artemis. Some versions of the tale of Artemis and Orion describe her being tricked into killing him.

20. Chewy chocolate treats ROLOS
Rolo was a hugely popular chocolate candy in Ireland when I was growing up. It was developed in the thirties in the UK, and is made under license in the US by Hershey. I was a little disappointed when I had my first taste of the American version as the center is very hard and chewy, whereas the recipe used on the other side of the Atlantic calls for a soft, gooey center.

26. Summers of Food Network’s “Unwrapped” MARC
Marc Summers is a television personality from Indianapolis. Summers hosts the game show on Nickelodeon called “Double Dare”, as well as the Food Network show called “Unwrapped”.

27. Ancient concert venues ODEA
In Ancient Greece an odeon was like a small theater, with “odeon” literally meaning “building for musical competition”. Odea were used in both Greece and Rome for entertainments such as musical shows and poetry readings.

30. Mount near Olympus OSSA
Mt. Ossa in Greece is located between Mt. Pelion in the south, and the famed Mt. Olympus in the north. Mount Ossa is also known as Kissavos.

31. __-am: kids’ book character SAM-I-
You know, I probably should read a Dr. Seuss book some day. They weren’t big where I grew up. I understand that the character called Sam in the book “Green Eggs and Ham” is also known as “Sam-I-Am”.

33. Symphonic finale CODA
In music, a coda is primarily a passage that brings a movement to a conclusion. “Coda” is Italian for “tail”.

34. Sleep inducer of a sort SANDMAN
The sandman is a mythical character from folklore who is said to induce sleep and bring good dreams by sprinkling sand on the eyes of children.

36. Teflon advisory groups? NONSTICK PANELS
Teflon is a brand name for the polymer called PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). Teflon is used as a coating for nonstick pans, a lubricant in machinery and as a graft material in surgery.

51. RAZR MAXX manufacturer MOTOROLA
The RAZR is a line of flip phones introduced by Motorola in 2004.

55. Its first maps were pub. in 1905 AAA
The American Automobile Association (AAA) is a not-for-profit organization focused on lobbying, provision of automobile servicing, and selling of automobile insurance. The AAA was founded in 1902 in Chicago and published the first of its celebrated series of maps in 1905 and hotel guides back in 1917.

56. Central Eur. power until 1806 HRE
The Holy Roman Empire (HRE) existed from 962 to 1806 AD and was a territory of varying size over the centuries that centered on the Kingdom of Germany. The HRE was a successor to the western half of the Ancient Roman Empire.

61. Western treaty gp. OAS
The Organization of American States (OAS) has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. All the independent states in the Americas are members of the group except Honduras, which had its membership suspended after the country’s 2009 coup.

62. Speakeasy difficulty RAID
A speakeasy is an establishment that sells alcoholic drinks illegally. Speakeasies were very big in the US in the days of Prohibition. The obvious etymology, of a speakeasy owner asking his or her customers to “speak easy” so as not to draw attention to the authorities, is thought to have originated in 1888 in McKeesport just outside Pittsburgh.

64. Horn of Afr. country ETH
Ethiopia holds an important position within the nations of Africa, with the capital of Addis Ababa being home to many international organizations that are focused on the continent.

72. White House middle name DELANO
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only child of Sara Delano and James Roosevelt Sr. The Delano family history in America goes back to the pilgrim Philippe de Lannoy, an immigrant of Flemish descent who arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. The family name “de Lannoy” was anglicized here in the US, to “Delano”.

75. Religious sch. with the motto “Make no little plans here” ORU
Oral Roberts University is a private school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was founded relatively recently, in 1963, by the late evangelist Oral Roberts.

77. Latin I word AMAS
“Amas” is a word one might learn in a First Year Latin class (Latin I).

“Amo, amas, amat: … “I love, you love, he/she/it loves”, in Latin.

87. She played Mia in “Pulp Fiction” UMA
Robert Thurman was the first westerner to be ordained a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Robert raised his children in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and called his daughter “Uma” as it is a phonetic spelling of the Buddhist name “Dbuma”.

I”m not a big fan of Quentin Tarantino. His movies are too violent for me, and the size of his ego just turns me right off. Having said that, I think “Pulp Fiction” is a remarkable film. If you can look past the violence it’s really well written. And what a legacy it has. John Travolta’s career was on the rocks and he did the film for practically no money, and it turned out be a re-launch for him. Uma Thurman became a top celebrity overnight from her role. Even Bruce Willis got some good out of it, putting an end to a string of poorly received performances.

88. It was held outside of California only once, in 1942 ROSE BOWL
The 1942 Rose Bowl was the only Rose Bowl game that wasn’t played in Pasadena, and instead was hosted in Durham, North Carolina. The exception was made due to the fear of a Japanese attack on the West Coast, just a few weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

89. “Memoirs of a __” GEISHA
“Memoirs of a Geisha” is a novel by American writer Arthur Golden that recounts the life of a geisha working in Kyoto, Japan before, during and after WWII. Golden was helped in his research by a retired geisha called Mineko Iwasaki who claimed that she provided assistance on condition of anonymity. When her name was published in the book, Iwasaki sued and ended up with an undisclosed settlement. There was a 2005 movie adaption of the novel, which also led to some criticism in Japan. The concern was that Chinese actresses were used for the main female roles instead of Japanese actresses.

104. Curious box opener PANDORA
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. Pandora is famous for the story of “Pandora’s Box”. In actual fact, the story should be about Pandora’s “Jar” as a 16th-century error in translation created a “box” out of the “jar”. In the story of Pandora’s Box, curiosity got the better of her and she opened up a box she was meant to leave alone. As a result she released all the evils of mankind, just closing it in time to trap hope inside.

108. February deity EROS
Eros was the Greek god of love, and so is associated with the celebration of Saint Valentine’s Day in February.

109. Frankfurt’s river ODER
Frankfurt an der Oder is a town in Brandenburg, Germany that is right on the border with Poland. The suffix “an der Oder” shows that it lies on the Oder River and also serves to differentiate the town from the larger city of Frankfurt am Main.

111. “Food, Glorious Food” musical OLIVER!
“Oliver!” is stage musical by Lionel Bart, of course based on the Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist”. “Oliver!” was adapted successfully for the big screen in 1968.

113. Lyon lover’s word AIME
“J’aime” is the French for “I love”.

The city of Lyon in France, is also known as Lyons in English.

123. Agt. after tax evaders T-MAN
A T-man is a law-enforcement agent of the US Treasury (T is for Treasury).

124. DOE part: Abbr. ENER
The US Department of Energy (DOE) came into being largely as a result of the 1973 oil crisis. The DOE was founded in 1977 by the Carter administration. The DOE is responsible for regulating the production of nuclear power, and it is also responsible for the nation’s nuclear weapons.

125. Half a historic bomber ENOLA
The Enola Gay was the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb, on Hiroshima in August 1945. Enola Gay was the name of the mother of the pilot, Col. Paul W. Tibbets, Jr.

126. VW and BMW AUTOS
VW stands for Volkswagen, which translates from German into “people’s car”. The original “Volkswagen” was built under a directive from Adolf Hitler, who wanted a cheap car built that ordinary people could afford to purchase. He awarded the contract to engineer Ferdinand Porsche, whose name (paradoxically) would forever be associated with high-performance, expensive cars.

BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke, which translates into “Bavarian Motor Works”. BMW was making aircraft engines during WWI, but had to cease that activity according to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The company started making motorcycles, and then moved into automobile production starting in 1928. BMW moved back into aircraft engine manufacturing during the build-up of the Luftwaffe prior to WWII.

127. Sisterhood name in a Rebecca Wells novel YA-YA
The 2002 film “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood” was a screen adaptation of the successful novel of the same name by Rebecca Wells. The Ya-Ya Sisterhood is a secret order created by four little girls from Louisiana, all of whom get together in later life to reassure a potential bride of the wonders of marriage and love.

129. Latin for “he holds” TENET
A tenet is an article of faith, something that is held to be true. “Tenet” is Latin for “he holds”.

Down
1. Charm MOJO
The word “mojo”, meaning magical charm or magnetism, is probably of Creole origin.

2. Fading star of the East? A-ROD
Poor old Alex Rodriguez earned more nicknames than just A-Rod. He has been called “the Cooler” by some players as there is a perception that teams go cold when he joins them and hot when he leaves. He has also been called “A-Fraud” by teammates because of another perception, that he is over-demanding.

4. Sugar refining byproduct MOLASSES
When sugar cane is processed to extract sugar, it is crushed and mashed to produce a juice. The juice is boiled to make a sugary concentrate called cane syrup, from which sugar crystals are extracted. A second boiling of the leftover syrup produces second molasses, from which more sugar crystals can be extracted. A third boiling results in what is called blackstrap molasses.

8. Road travel pioneer OLDS
The REO Motor Company was founded by Ransom E. Olds (hence the name REO). The company made cars, trucks and buses, and was in business from 1905 to 1975 in Lansing, Michigan.

9. Mythical flying giant ROC
The mythical roc is a huge bird of prey, reputedly able to carry off and eat elephants.

10. Kutcher of “That ’70s Show” ASHTON
Ashton Kutcher played the character Michael Kelso on Fox’s “That ‘70s Show”. Kelso was Kutcher’s breakthrough acting role. He is now doing a good job on the sitcom “Two and a Half Men”, having replaced the disgraced Charlie Sheen.

13. World carrier ATLAS
The famous Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his first collection of maps in 1578. Mercator’s collection contained a frontispiece with an image of Atlas the Titan from Greek mythology holding up the world on his shoulders. That image gave us our term “atlas”.

17. Vice __ VERSA
“Vice versa” is a Latin phrase meaning “with position turned”. We always pronounce this term “incorrectly”. In Latin, a “c” is always a hard sound, and a “v” is pronounced like a “w”. The pronunciation should be something like “wee-kay wehr-sa”.

32. Onetime Yes label ATCO
Atco Records is an American record label founded in 1955, taking its name from the parent company, Atlantic Corporation.

Yes is an English rock band that was formed in the late sixties.

33. Social group CASTE
Many creatures organize themselves into a social structure, a phenomenon known as “eusociality”. Examples of such creatures would be ants, bees and wasps, where there are queens, workers and soldiers. The groups within such a hierarchical structure are known as castes. The word “caste” was borrowed from the class divisions in Indian society (although the word “caste” and hierarchical concept was actually introduced by the Portuguese).

36. Cheese-topped chip NACHO
The dish known as “nachos” were supposedly created by the maître d’ at a restaurant called the Victory Club in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. The maître d’’s name was Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya.

37. Palais Garnier performance OPERA
The Paris Opera company is currently housed in the beautifully ornate Palais Garnier. The Paris Opera was founded by Louis XIV in 1669, and the Palais Garnier is the 13th theater to house the company and has done so since 1875.

38. Tiger’s front and back? NINES
Tiger Woods often plays a front nine followed by back nine.

39. Dragon’s island KOMODO
The large lizard called a Komodo dragon is so named because it is found on the island of Komodo (and others) in Indonesia. It can grow to a length of over 9 1/2 feet, so I guess that explains the dragon part of the name …

47. Eponymous inventor Tupper EARL
Back in the 1930s, Earl Tupper was working at the DuPont Chemical Company, and from DuPont obtained inflexible pieces of polyethylene slag. Tupper purified the slag and shaped it into unbreakable containers. He added airtight lids which were provided tight seals similar to that provided by the lids on paint cans. He called his new product Tupperware.

49. What Simon does SAYS
“Simon Says” is a kids’ game. The idea is for the players of the game to obey the “controller” who gives instructions. But the players should only obey when the controller uses the words, “Simon says …”. The game has very old roots, with a Latin version that uses the words “Cicero dicit fac hoc” (Cicero says do this).

57. Jury trial Amendment VII
The Seventh Amendment to the US constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. A key provision of the Seventh Amendment is the right to a jury trial.

62. Indian royal RANI
A ranee (also spelled rani) is the female equivalent of a raja in India.

63. Lady’s business? AVON
In 1886, a young man called David McConnell was selling books door-to-door. To enhance his sales numbers he was giving out free perfume to the ladies of the houses that he visited. Seeing as his perfume was more popular than his books, he founded the California Perfume Company in New York City and started manufacturing and selling across the country. The company name was changed to Avon in 1939, and the famous “Avon Calling” marketing campaign was launched in 1954.

66. St. Louis player RAM
The St. Louis Rams have won the Super Bowl only once, in 1999 against the Tennessee Titans. The Rams were based in Cleveland from 1936-45, Los Angeles from 1946-94 and St. Louis from 1995 to the present day.

68. Wrath, in a hymn IRAE
“Dies Irae” is Latin for “Day of Wrath”. It is the name of a famous melody in Gregorian Chant, one that is often used as part of the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass.

70. Eponymous comet tracker HALLEY
Edmond Halley was an English astronomer who lived at the turn of 17th and 18th centuries. In 1705 he declared that comet sightings recorded in 1456, 1531, 1607 and 1682 were in fact observations of the same comet returning to fly by Earth at regular intervals. He predicted that this comet would return in 1758, and he was right, and so the comet was named after him. Sadly, Halley didn’t live long enough to see his prediction come true.

71. Maximum trio? EMS
The are three letters M (ems) in the word “maximum”.

73. Funny 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.

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

79. Merman of Broadway ETHEL
Ethel Merman was an actress and singer, one noted for having a very powerful voice. Merman was married and divorced four times, the last time to the actor Ernest Borgnine albeit for only 32 days in 1964.

82. College Football Hall of Fame inductee 29 years after Knute ARA
Ara Parseghian coached the Notre Dame football team from 1964 to 1974, a period known as “The Era of Ara”.

Knute Rockne, America’s most famous football coach many say, was born in the city of Voss in Norway. He came to the United States with his family when he was 5-years-old. Years later he graduated Notre Dame with a degree in Chemistry, but abandoned that career path when he was offered his first real coaching job.

89. Like drinkable milk GRADE A
Grade A milk is milk that is deemed good enough for drinking directly. Grade B milk is milk that is judged to be unsuitable for direct human consumption but can be used in the production of cheese, butter and nonfat dry milk.

90. Beckett’s homeland EIRE
An Irishman I may be, but I have sat through so many Samuel Beckett plays (the Irish dramatist) and I have yet to come away feeling satisfied that I spent my time well. Of course I am in the minority, as his play “Waiting for Godot” was once voted the most significant English language play of the 20th century. Maybe I will try again one day …

93. Frequent child companion? MADONNA
A Madonna is an artistic representation of Mary, mother of Jesus, one that often includes both mother and child.

101. Hurler Hershiser OREL
Orel Hershiser is big into poker now that he has retired from Major League Baseball. Hershiser lives in Las Vegas and when he isn’t working for ESPN, apparently he is at the poker tables.

102. Victoria’s Secret purchase CORSET
Victoria’s Secret was founded in 1977 in San Francisco, California. The founder wanted to create an environment where men were comfortable buying lingerie for their wives and girlfriends, an alternative to a department store.

104. Picayune PETTY
Something described as “picayune” is of little value or importance. The original picayune was a Spanish coin worth half a real, not a lot of money.

107. Ex of Rod Stewart ALANA
Alana Stewart is a former model and actress. She had two famous husbands, but both marriages ended in divorce. Her first husband was actor George Hamilton, and her second was rock star Rod Stewart.

112. “__ a Kick Out of You”: Cole Porter I GET
“I Get a Kick Out of You” is a Cole Porter song from the musical “Anything Goes”. The song was first performed on stage by Ethel Merman. Over the years, Porter found himself having to change some of the original lyrics. In 1932 he removed a reference to “Mrs. Lindbergh”, after the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. In 1936 he removed a reference to “cocaine”, in deference to the Production Code of 1934 adopted in Hollywood.

117. Bespectacled Ghostbuster EGON
Egon Spengler is one of the lead characters in the films “Ghostbusters” and “Ghostbusters II”. Spengler is played by Harold Ramis.

121. Prop- suffix -ANE
Alkanes are organic compounds. The “smaller” alkanes are gases and are quite combustible. Methane (CH4) is the main component of natural gas with ethane (C2H6) being the second largest component. Propane (C3H8) is another component of natural gas and is heavy enough to be readily turned into a liquid by compression for ease of transportation and storage. Butane (C4H10) is also easily liquefied under pressure and can be used as the fuel in cigarette lighters or as the propellant in aerosol sprays. The heavier alkanes are not gases, and instead are liquids and solids at room temperature.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. “___ Mia!” MAMMA
6. Botanist’s study FLORA
11. Economics pioneer Smith ADAM
15. Evite letters RSVP
19. Victim of Artemis ORION
20. Chewy chocolate treats ROLOS
21. Wrap alternative PITA
22. Sport with touches EPEE
23. “I say! Lovely places to worship!”? JOLLY GOOD CHAPELS
26. Summers of Food Network’s “Unwrapped” MARC
27. Ancient concert venues ODEA
28. European chain ALPS
29. Functional clothing accessory TIE TAC
30. Mount near Olympus OSSA
31. __-am: kids’ book character SAM-I-
33. Symphonic finale CODA
34. Sleep inducer of a sort SANDMAN
36. Teflon advisory groups? NONSTICK PANELS
42. Cry over, maybe RUE
43. Division word APIECE
44. Surg. workplaces ORS
45. Concerns in substance abuse therapy ENABLERS
50. Insert “@#$%!,” say CENSOR
51. RAZR MAXX manufacturer MOTOROLA
55. Its first maps were pub. in 1905 AAA
56. Central Eur. power until 1806 HRE
57. IOU? VOWELS OF POVERTY
61. Western treaty gp. OAS
62. Speakeasy difficulty RAID
64. Horn of Afr. country ETH
65. King and queen TITLES
66. Filled Italian fare RAVIOLI
69. Showed (in) USHERED
72. White House middle name DELANO
75. Religious sch. with the motto “Make no little plans here” ORU
77. Latin I word AMAS
78. Pod resident PEA
81. Really bad nursery color schemes? CRIMINAL PASTELS
86. 24-hr. banking service ATM
87. She played Mia in “Pulp Fiction” UMA
88. It was held outside of California only once, in 1942 ROSE BOWL
89. “Memoirs of a __” GEISHA
92. Ristorante topper PARMESAN
96. Comfy top TEE
97. Salon supplies RINSES
98. Pretense ACT
99. Ones who control the markets? GROCERY CARTELS
104. Curious box opener PANDORA
108. February deity EROS
109. Frankfurt’s river ODER
110. Suffix with smack -EROO
111. “Food, Glorious Food” musical OLIVER!
113. Lyon lover’s word AIME
115. Shopping list entry ITEM
119. __ hall TOWN
120. What to grab for an early morning flight? BAGELS AND BAGGAGE
123. Agt. after tax evaders T-MAN
124. DOE part: Abbr. ENER
125. Half a historic bomber ENOLA
126. VW and BMW AUTOS
127. Sisterhood name in a Rebecca Wells novel YA-YA
128. Hardly leave wanting SATE
129. Latin for “he holds” TENET
130. Food often spilled? BEANS

Down
1. Charm MOJO
2. Fading star of the East? A-ROD
3. 1,760 yards MILE
4. Sugar refining byproduct MOLASSES
5. Whichever ANY
6. Gambol FROLIC
7. Roller coaster inversion LOOP
8. Road travel pioneer OLDS
9. Mythical flying giant ROC
10. Kutcher of “That ’70s Show” ASHTON
11. Word with sex or snob APPEAL
12. Downsizing program? DIET
13. World carrier ATLAS
14. Maybelline purchase MASCARA
15. Update, in a way REMODEL
16. Muscle malady SPASM
17. Vice __ VERSA
18. Pie nut PECAN
24. More sordid GAMIER
25. Helper AIDE
32. Onetime Yes label ATCO
33. Social group CASTE
35. Crux NUB
36. Cheese-topped chip NACHO
37. Palais Garnier performance OPERA
38. Tiger’s front and back? NINES
39. Dragon’s island KOMODO
40. Figurehead place PROW
41. Confident leader? SELF-
46. Siesta NAP
47. Eponymous inventor Tupper EARL
48. It might be going RATE
49. What Simon does SAYS
52. Soccer stadium shout OLE
53. Alphabetic run RSTU
54. July 4th reactions OOHS
57. Jury trial Amendment VII
58. Señorita’s other OTRA
59. Joins the race VIES
60. SFO approximation ETD
62. Indian royal RANI
63. Lady’s business? AVON
66. St. Louis player RAM
67. Prunes LOPS
68. Wrath, in a hymn IRAE
70. Eponymous comet tracker HALLEY
71. Maximum trio? EMS
72. Bra spec D-CUP
73. Funny Bombeck ERMA
74. Makeup artist? LIAR
76. PC port USB
78. Far from in vogue PASSE
79. Merman of Broadway ETHEL
80. Squirrel away AMASS
82. College Football Hall of Fame inductee 29 years after Knute ARA
83. Like epics LONG
84. Beach bags TOTES
85. Still-life vessel EWER
89. Like drinkable milk GRADE A
90. Beckett’s homeland EIRE
91. Mystery writer’s forte INTRIGUE
93. Frequent child companion? MADONNA
94. Earth-friendly prefix ECO-
95. Some disco lighting STROBES
100. Admire to the max REVERE
101. Hurler Hershiser OREL
102. Victoria’s Secret purchase CORSET
103. Fight COMBAT
104. Picayune PETTY
105. Therapy prefix AROMA-
106. “When pigs fly!” NO WAY!
107. Ex of Rod Stewart ALANA
112. “__ a Kick Out of You”: Cole Porter I GET
113. Soon ANON
114. Like chitchat IDLE
116. “Bye” TATA
117. Bespectacled Ghostbuster EGON
118. Neatnik’s bane MESS
121. Prop- suffix -ANE
122. Chitchat GAB

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