Day: August 24, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
10. Syrian Ba’ath Party leader ASSAD
Dr. Bashar al-Assad is the current President of the Syrian Arab Republic and the son of the former President Hafez al-Assad whom he replaced in 2001. President Assad is a medical doctor, speaks fluent English and conversational French. Assad was studying ophthalmology in London when he met his wife, who is an Englishwoman.

The Ba’ath Party was founded in Syria in 1947. The party promotes the unification of the Arab world into one nation, and has the motto “Unity, Liberty, Socialism”.

17. Semi lubricant DIESEL OIL
“Diesel oil” is another term for diesel fuel. I think the term can also be used for the lubricant used in diesel engines.

There are two main types of internal combustion engine. Most cars in the US use spark injection engines (gasoline engines) in which a spark plug sparks in order to ignite the fuel-air mixture. A diesel engine, on the other hand, has no spark plug per se, and uses the heat generated by compressing the air-fuel mixture to cause ignition.

18. Longtime Cleveland Orchestra conductor SZELL
The marvelous American conductor George Szell was born in Hungary. He came to the US in 1939 with the outbreak of WWII in Europe. Famously, Szell took over the Cleveland Orchestra in 1946 and developed it into one of the world’s most respected orchestras.

19. Galaxy download APP
The Galaxy is a series of mobile computing devices made by Samsung.

21. Freight not permitted in some tunnels, familiarly HAZMAT
Dangerous goods are commonly referred to as hazardous materials, or HazMat. People working with dangerous goods might wear a HazMat suit.

22. Edsel feature FINS
The Edsel brand of automobile was named for Edsel, son of Henry Ford. Sadly, the name “Edsel” has become synonymous with “failure”, which was no fault of Edsel himself who had died several years before the Edsel line was introduced.

24. Two-player whist-like game ECARTE
Écarté is a card game that comes to us from France, with a name that translates into ‘discarded”. Écarté is a game like whist but is played with a stripped-down deck and involves only two players.

27. __ and Jack: kids’ clothing shop chain JANIE
Janie and Jack is a chain of retail outlets selling children’s clothing that is owned By the Gymboree Corporation.

28. 2012 N.L. Manager of the Year Johnson DAVEY
Davey Johnson is former professional baseball player who is now manager of the Washington Nationals. Johnson won Manager of the Year Award in 1997 for the American League while with the Baltimore Orioles. He won the National League’s Manager of the Year Award with the Nationals in 2012.

33. Eczema soother ALOE
Aloe vera has a number of alternate names that are descriptive of its efficacy as a medicine. These include the First Aid plant, Wand of Heaven, Silent Healer and Miracle Plant.

Eczema is a form of dermatitis. The term “eczema” comes from the Greek for “to boil over”.

34. Pool components GENES
A gene is a section of a chromosome that is responsible for a particular characteristic in an organism. For example, one gene may determine eye color and another balding pattern. We have two copies of each gene, one from each of our parents, with each copy known as an allele.

36. Numismatist’s concerns MINT MARKS
Mint marks are inscribed on coins to indicate where the coin was minted. In the US, the current mint marks are:

– “P” for the Philadelphia Mint
– “D” for the Denver Mint
– “S” for the San Francisco Mint
– “W” for the West Point Mint

39. Something up grandma’s sleeve? HANKY
A “kerchief” is a triangular or square piece of cloth used as a covering for the head. So, a handkerchief (“hand” “kerchief”) is a square piece of cloth held in the hand and used for personal hygiene.

44. Knitting rib WALE
Wales are parallel ribs in a fabric, such as corduroy.

45. Beachgoer’s wear THONGS
Let’s assume we’re talking about footwear …

47. Get dolled (up) TOG
The verb “tog”, meaning to dress up, comes from the Latin “toga”. “Tog” can be use as an informal word for a coat or a cloak. Back in Ireland, togs are what we call swimming shorts.

50. “For the Love of Mike” columnist ROYKO
Mike Royko was a celebrated columnist who wrote for all the major Chicago newspapers. Royko also wrote several books, including the most famous, “Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago” published in 1988. This unauthorized biography of the famous Chicago Mayor, portraying him as corrupt and a racist. The title spent 26 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers List.

51. Sierra Mist flavor LEMON-LIME
Sierra Mist is a brand of lemon-lime soft drink owned by PepsiCo.

53. Run the roast EMCEE
“Emcee” come from “MC”, an abbreviation for Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

54. Brand used by police in lieu of a sketch artist IDENTI-KIT
A facial composite is a graphical representation of the face, usually of a suspect in a crime. Such composites used to be put together by trained artists, but then in the sixties interchangeable templates were developed to standardize and simplify the process. The kit of templates called “Identi-kit” was produced by Smith & Wesson.

56. Gridiron defensive rush ZONE BLITZ
The defensive move in American Football known as the “zone blitz” was developed by Miami dolphins defensive coach Bill Arnsparger in 1971.

Down
2. Words of Hope QUIP
Bob Hope was known for his quips e.g. “I’m so old they’ve canceled my blood type”.

I remember my first non-business visit to Los Angeles. I was a typical tourist and bought a map showing the homes of the stars and drove around Beverly Hills absorbing all the glitz. At one point I drove past a Rolls Royce that was stopped in oncoming traffic, waiting to make a left turn. The window was down, and the driver was puffing away on a big cigar. It was none other than Bob Hope. Seeing him there right beside me, that was a big thrill …

3. Sch. whose mascot is Paydirt Pete UTEP
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) was founded in 1914, originally as the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy. To this day there is a mine shaft on the campus, and the mascot of the school’s sports teams is Paydirt Pete, a prospector from the mining industry.

4. First of seven? ESS
“S” (ess) is the first letter in the word “seven”.

6. Detroit Tigers great Al KALINE
Al Kaline is a former Major League Baseball player. Kaline played his whole career with the Detroit Tigers, and then became a sportscaster for the team when he retired. He now works as a front office official for Detroit. Given the years that Kaline has devoted to the same team, it’s perhaps not surprising that he has the nickname “Mr. Tiger”.

8. Mayberry sot OTIS
Otis Campbell is the town drunk on the sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show”, and was played by actor Hal Smith. The Campbell character was dropped in the late sixties as sponsors became concerned about being associated with heavy drinking.

9. Monogram on some high-end scarves YSL
Yves Saint-Laurent was a French fashion designer, actually born in Algeria. Saint-Laurent started off working as an assistant to Christian Dior at the age of 17. Dior died just four years later, and as a very young man Saint-Laurent was named head of the House of Dior. However, in 1950 Saint-Laurent was conscripted into the French Army and ended up in a military hospital after suffering a mental breakdown from the hazing inflicted on him by his fellow soldiers. His treatment included electroshock therapy and administration of sedatives and psychoactive drugs. He was released from prison, managed to pull his life back together and started his own fashion house. A remarkable story …

10. Old name of London’s Whitefriars district ALSATIA
The area in London known as Alsatia used to have the privilege of sanctuary, was a place where criminals could legally hide away from most law enforcement agencies. Places of sanctuary were abolished in England in the early 1700s. The name “Alsatia” was used as “Alsace” in Europe was at that time a region that fell outside of legislative control and was a place without formal law. Alsatia is now known as the Whitefriars district of London.

11. Fajitas server SIZZLE PLATE
“Fajita” is a Tex-Mex term that refers to grilled meat served on a tortilla. The Mexican term “fajita” is used to describe a small strip of chicken or beef. Nowadays, fajitas are often served on a sizzling platter with the tortillas and condiments on the side.

13. Traveler’s aid 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”.

24. Dutch export EDAM
Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.

25. Colombian city CALI
In terms of population, Cali is the third largest city in Colombia. Santiago de Cali (the full name for the city) lies in western Colombia. Apparently, Cali is a destination for “medical tourists”. The city’s surgeons have a reputation for being expert in cosmetic surgery and so folks looking for a “cheap” nose job head there

26. Big name in romance novels AVON
Avon was a noted publisher of comic books and paperbacks. The company was founded in 1941, and focused on pretty low-brow literature designed for popular appeal.

30. Dutch astronomer who found the first evidence of dark matter OORT
Jan Oort was an astronomer from the Netherlands who was a pioneer in radio astronomy. One of Oort’s claims to fame is that he was the first person to find evidence for the actual existence of the elusive “dark matter”, in 1932.

Dark matter is the theoretical material that makes up over 80% of the universe. Astrophysicists use dark matter to explain the discrepancy between the calculated mass of a large object and the mass determined empirically by observing gravitational effects. The term “dark matter” is an apt one as the matter is invisible to telescopes and neither admits nor absorbs light of significance.

31. Fragrant herb SAGE
In Britain, sage is listed as one of the four essential herbs. And those would be “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme”.

32. Fall setting EDEN
In the Christian tradition, the “fall of man” took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, against the bidding of God. As a result, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden to prevent them becoming immortal by eating from the tree of life. The first humans had transitioned from a state of innocent obedience to a state of guilty disobedience.

38. One in doubt? SILENT B
The letter B in the word “doubt” is silent.

40. Molly who sells cockles and mussels MALONE
The song “Molly Malone” is the unofficial anthem of Dublin City in Ireland.

In Dublin’s fair city,
Where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!

41. Amoxicillin target STREP
Streptococcus bacteria multiply and divide along a single axis so that they form linked chains. That behavior gives the genus of bacteria its name, as “streptos” is Greek for “easily twisted, like a chain”. I had a battle with streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat) not too long ago and it was not at all pleasant, I must say. Another species of streptococcus is responsible for that terrible “flesh-eating” infection that makes the news from time to time.

42. Jim who is the most recent member of the 600-home run club THOME
Jim Thome is a retired baseball player who spent most of his career with the Cleveland Indians (1991-2002) and last turned out for the Baltimore Orioles (2012).

43. Big name in luxury travel ROYCE
Henry Royce founded the Rolls-Royce company in 1904 with his partner, Charles Rolls. Royce died at 70 years of age in 1933. His last words were, reportedly, “I wish I had spent more time in the office …”

44. Lilith Fair performers WOMEN
Lilith Fair was a travelling music festival in the late nineties (revived once in 2010) that consisted solely of female performances. The concert tour raised over ten million dollars for women’s charities in its first three years. The name “Lilith Fair” comes from a Jewish legend that Lilith was Adam’s first wife.

47. __ bar TIKI
The world’s first tiki bar was called “Don the Beachcomber”, and was opened in L.A. in 1933 by Ernest Gantt (also known as “Donn Beach”). The bar became famous for its exotic rum cocktails. Gantt was called to serve in WWII, and the business expanded dramatically under his ex-wife’s management so that there was a 160-restaurant chain waiting for Gantt when he returned stateside.

49. Stan with a sax GETZ
Stan Getz was a jazz saxophonist. Getz’s playing style earned him the nickname “The Sound”.

51. 1963 Cleo player LIZ
Elizabeth Taylor led what can only be described as a “fabulous” life, especially while married to Richard Burton. Ms. Taylor was very fond of jewelry and she had a few spectacular pieces that were purchased for her by Burton, including the Krupp Diamond, the Taylor-Burton Diamond, and the La Peregrina Pearl. The latter was once owned by Mary I, Queen of England. Burton sought out and found a portrait of the Queen wearing the pearl. He purchased it for his wife, but on discovering that the British National Gallery did not have an original portrait of Queen Mary I, the couple donated the painting. Good for them …

The 1963 movie “Cleopatra” really was an epic work. It was the highest grossing film of the year, taking in $26 million dollars at the box office, yet it still lost money. The original budget for the film was just $2 million, but so many things went wrong the final cost swelled to a staggering $44 million dollars, making it the second most expensive movie ever made (taking into account inflation). Elizabeth Taylor was supposed to earn a record amount of $1 million for the film, and ended up earned seven times that amount due to delays. But she paid dearly, as she became seriously ill during shooting and had to have an emergency tracheotomy to save her life. The scar in her throat can actually be seen in some of the shots in the film.

52. __ Wolf: Big Bad’s son, in Disney comics LI’L
The Big Bad Wolf is a character in many folklore stories, including “Little Red Riding” and “Three Little Pigs”. Walt Disney’s version of Big Bad Wolf had a son called Li’l Bad Wolf, or just “Li’l Wolf” to his friends.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Pet’s plaything SQUEAK TOY
10. Syrian Ba’ath Party leader ASSAD
15. Fools OUTSMARTS
16. Fool LIE TO
17. Semi lubricant DIESEL OIL
18. Longtime Cleveland Orchestra conductor SZELL
19. Galaxy download APP
20. Baby bugs NITS
21. Freight not permitted in some tunnels, familiarly HAZMAT
22. Edsel feature FINS
23. Foolish WITLESS
24. Two-player whist-like game ECARTE
27. __ and Jack: kids’ clothing shop chain JANIE
28. 2012 N.L. Manager of the Year Johnson DAVEY
29. Prepare to compare JUXTAPOSE
33. Eczema soother ALOE
34. Pool components GENES
35. Wash unit LOAD
36. Numismatist’s concerns MINT MARKS
38. Base boss SARGE
39. Something up grandma’s sleeve? HANKY
40. Snowsuit clip-on MITTEN
41. Like some pot roast STRINGY
44. Knitting rib WALE
45. Beachgoer’s wear THONGS
46. Something to fill ROLE
47. Get dolled (up) TOG
50. “For the Love of Mike” columnist ROYKO
51. Sierra Mist flavor LEMON-LIME
53. Run the roast EMCEE
54. Brand used by police in lieu of a sketch artist IDENTI-KIT
55. Nobility PEERS
56. Gridiron defensive rush ZONE BLITZ

Down
1. Fountain buy SODA
2. Words of Hope QUIP
3. Sch. whose mascot is Paydirt Pete UTEP
4. First of seven? ESS
5. Hotel extra AMENITY
6. Detroit Tigers great Al KALINE
7. Brings (out) TROTS
8. Mayberry sot OTIS
9. Monogram on some high-end scarves YSL
10. Old name of London’s Whitefriars district ALSATIA
11. Fajitas server SIZZLE PLATE
12. Boss’s terse summons SEE ME
13. Traveler’s aid ATLAS
14. Fools DOLTS
21. Help for those at sea? HINTS
22. One who doesn’t follow the crowd FREETHINKER
23. Auto detailer’s supply WAXES
24. Dutch export EDAM
25. Colombian city CALI
26. Big name in romance novels AVON
27. Inferior JUNKY
29. Spasmodic JERKY
30. Dutch astronomer who found the first evidence of dark matter OORT
31. Fragrant herb SAGE
32. Fall setting EDEN
34. Mobs GANGS
37. Tropical fruit MANGOES
38. One in doubt? SILENT B
40. Molly who sells cockles and mussels MALONE
41. Amoxicillin target STREP
42. Jim who is the most recent member of the 600-home run club THOME
43. Big name in luxury travel ROYCE
44. Lilith Fair performers WOMEN
46. Overhaul REDO
47. __ bar TIKI
48. Drop OMIT
49. Stan with a sax GETZ
51. 1963 Cleo player LIZ
52. __ Wolf: Big Bad’s son, in Disney comics LI’L

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