Day: April 8, 2014

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
11. Brillo competitor SOS
S.O.S is a brand name of scouring pads made from steel wool impregnated with soap. The product was invented as a giveaway by an aluminum pot salesman in San Francisco called Ed Cox. His wife gave it the name “S.O.S” as an acronym for “Save Our Saucepans”. Note the punctuation! There is no period after the last S, and that is deliberate. When Cox went to register the trademark, he found that “S.O.S.” could not be a trademark because it was used as an international distress signal. So he dropped the period after the last S, and I hope made a lot of money for himself and his wife.

Brillo Pad is a soapy, steel wool pad, patented in 1913. The company claims that the name “Brillo” is derived from the Latin word for “bright”. The problem with the assertion is that no such word exists in Latin, although the prefix brill- is used for words meaning “bright” in Italian, French and Spanish.

14. St. Teresa’s home AVILA
Avila is famous for the walled defenses around the old city, which date back to 1090. They were constructed out of brown granite, and are still in excellent repair. There are nine gateways and eighty-towers in all. Even the cathedral built between the 12th and 14th centuries is part of the city’s defenses, so it looks like an imposing fortress.

St. Teresa of Ávila (also known as St. Teresa of Jesus) was a Carmelite nun living in Spain in the 1500s. She is particularly noted for her writings on Christian meditation and mental prayer.

16. Demolition need TNT
TNT is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.

17. High-maintenance Gonzales? NEEDY SPEEDY
When I was a kid, Speedy Gonzales was one of my favorite cartoon characters. He was billed as “The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico” and tore around the place yelling “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Epa¡ ¡Epa! ¡Epa! Yeehaw!”

19. Native Nebraskan OTO
The Otoe (also Oto) Native American tribe originated in the Great Lakes region as part of the Winnebago or Siouan tribes. The group that would become the Otoe broke away from the Winnebago and migrated southwestwards ending up in the Great Plains. In the plains the Otoe adopted a semi-nomadic lifestyle dependent on the horse, with the American bison becoming central to their diet.

21. Pitcher Maglie SAL
Sal Maglie was a professional baseball pitcher, one of just a few players who played for all three New York teams of his day, namely the New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees. Maglie was known as Sal the Barber because he was said to give “close shaves” to hitters, frequently pitching on the inside.

28. Cinque e uno SEI
In Italian, five and one (cinque e uno) adds up to six (sei).

33. Versatile bean SOY
What are known as soybeans here in the US are called “soya beans” in most other English-speaking countries. So, I drink soy milk here in America, but when I am over in Ireland I drink “soya milk”.

34. Fond du __, Wisconsin LAC
“Fond du lac” is French and translates as “bottom of the lake”, an apt name for the city of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin located at the foot of Lake Winnebago. If you like to play the lottery, you might want to stop off in Fond du Lac as there is a stretch of South Main Street called “Miracle Mile”. Back in 1993, someone bought a ticket there and won $100 million. Then in 2006, another store sold a ticket that won $209 million. These things always come in threes, so buy your tickets now …

35. Like a blue moon, in old Rome RARA
“Rara” is the Latin for “rare”.

As there is a full moon once every four weeks, approximately monthly, there are usually twelve full moons in any given year. However, every 2-3 years, depending on the phase of the moon at the beginning of the calendar year, there may be a thirteenth full moon. The “extra” full moon is called a “blue moon”, although no one seems to really know why the term “blue” is used, as far as I can tell. Which of the thirteen full moons that is designated as the blue moon varies depending on tradition. My favorite definition is from the Farmer’s Almanac. It states that as each of the seasons normally has three full moons (twelve divided by the four seasons), then the season with four full moons is designated as “special”, then, the THIRD (and not the fourth) full moon in that “special” season is the blue moon. Complicated, huh?

36. Hand-holding group dances HORAS
The hora (also “horah”) is a circle dance that originated in the Balkans. The hora was brought to Israel by Romanian settlers, and is often performed to traditional Israeli folk songs. The dance is a regular sight at Jewish weddings and at bar and bat mitzvahs. At such events, it is common for the honorees to be raised on chairs during the dance.

39. Sacred synagogue cabinets ARKS
The Torah ark is found in a synagogue, and is the ornamental container in which are stored the Torah scrolls. The word “Torah” best translates as “teaching”, I am told.

41. Muse of poetry ERATO
In Greek mythology, Erato was the Muse of Lyric Poetry.

43. Forum robe TOGA
In Ancient Rome the classical attire known as a toga (plural “togae”) was usually worn over a tunic. The tunic was made from linen, and the toga itself was a piece of cloth about twenty feet long made from wool. The toga could only be worn by men, and only if those men were Roman citizens. The female equivalent of the toga was called a “stola”.

44. Rahm Emanuel, vis-à-vis Chicago MAYOR
The current Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, was an Illinois representative in the US House before resigning to take up President Obama’s offer to become the White House Chief of Staff.

46. Felipe or Matty of baseball 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.

47. Outdated PC monitor CRT
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

48. Curly tormentor MOE
If you’ve seen a few of the films starring “The Three Stooges” you’ll have noticed that the line up changed over the years. The original trio was made up of Moe and Shemp Howard (two brothers) and Larry Fine (a good friend of the Howards). This line up was usually known as “Moe, Larry and Shemp”. Then Curly Howard replaced his brother when Shemp quit the act, creating the most famous trio, “Moe, Larry And Curly”. Shemp returned when Curly had a debilitating stroke in 1946, and Shemp stayed with the troupe until he died in 1955. Shemp was replaced by Joe Besser, and then “Curly-Joe” DeRita. When Larry Fine had a stroke in 1970, it effectively marked the end of the act.

49. December drop-in SANTA
Saint Nicholas of Myra is the inspiration for Santa Claus. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra (now in modern-day Turkey) during the 4th century AD, and was known for being generous to the poor. Centuries after he died, his remains were desecrated by Italian sailors and moved to Bari in Italy. One legend has it that the relics were moved again centuries later and reburied in the grounds of Jerpoint Abbey in Co. Kilkenny in Ireland, where you can visit the grave today. I choose to believe that Santa Claus’s relics are indeed buried in Ireland …

61. Round-bottomed cooker WOK
“Wok” is a Cantonese word, the name for the frying pan now used in many Asian cuisines.

62. Overeating bird tempting Sylvester? MEATY TWEETY
Sylvester J, Pussycat was also known as Puddy Tat, and was a character who appeared in “Looney Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies” cartoons. Sylvester was the cat who was often trying to get the better of Tweety Bird, Speedy Gonzales and Hippety Hopper.

67. Eden outcast EVE
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.

69. “Sesame Street” roommate ERNIE
I’ve always believed that the “Sesame Street” characters Bert and Ernie were named after two roles played in the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”. In the movie, the policeman’s name is Bert and his taxi-driving buddy is named Ernie. However, the “Sesame Street” folks have stated that the use of the same names is just a coincidence.

70. “L.A. Law” co-star Susan DEY
The actress Susan Dey first appeared on “The Partridge Family” when she was 17-years-old when she had no acting experience. Years later, Dey won a Golden Globe for playing the leading role of Grace Van Owen in “L. A. Law”.

72. Sporty sunroofs T-TOPS
A T-top is a car roof that has removable panels on either side of a rigid bar that runs down the center of the vehicle above the driver.

Down
2. Many a Monopoly prop. AVE
The street names in the US version of Monopoly are locations in or around Atlantic City, New Jersey.

5. President after Polk TAYLOR
Zachary Taylor won the 1848 election to become the 12th US president, and the first president to hold office without a political resume. Taylor was a career military man, known as “Old Rough and Ready” Taylor. He died only 16 months into his term, apparently of gastroenteritis. Given that rumors of poisoning persisted over the decades, his body was exhumed in 1991 and tissue samples were checked for signs of foul play. Nothing out of order was discovered, although rumours still persist.

James Knox Polk was the 11th US President. He is known as a president who delivered on promises that he made during his election campaign. He left office after serving only one term, as he had promised the voters, and then contracted cholera on a goodwill tour of the South. He died at only 53 years of age, the youngest age for any president to die in retirement. He also enjoyed the shortest retirement of any president, at only 103 days. I guess that’s why no one keeps their campaign promises these days …

6. Like “stewardess” nowadays, briefly UN-PC
To be “un-PC” is to be politically incorrect, not be politically correct (PC).

9. Storm-tracking device RADAR
Scientists have been using radio waves to detect the presence of objects since the late 1800s, but it was the demands of WWII that accelerated the practical application of the technology. The British called their system RDF standing for Range and Direction Finding. The system used by the US Navy was called Radio Detection And Ranging, which was shortened to the acronym RADAR.

11. Bullwinkle pal who’s been working out? STOCKY ROCKY
“The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show” was a cartoon series that originally aired on television in the late fifties and early sixties. The title characters are a moose (Bullwinkle) and a squirrel (Rocky).

24. Stiller’s partner MEARA
Anne Meara has been married to fellow comedic actor Jerry Stiller since 1954. Anne and Jerry are the parents of actors Ben and Amy Stiller. Meara co-starred with Carroll O’Connor and Martin Balsam in the eighties sitcom “Archie Bunker’s Place”, a spinoff from “All in the Family”.

30. Poet Teasdale et al. SARAS
Sara Teasdale was a poet from St. Louis, Missouri although she spent much of her adult life in New York City. Examples of Teasdale’s most famous poems are “There Will Come Soft Rains” and “I Shall Not Care”. Teasdale committed suicide in 1933 by taking an overdose of sleeping pills.

38. Mythical man-goat SATYR
The satyrs of Greek mythology came with a very high sex drive. They are the “rude” male subjects drawn on the side of old Greek vases. The nubile maidens known as nymphs were often an object of attention for the satyrs.

53. Valuable stash TROVE
The term “treasure trove” comes from the Anglo-French “tresor trové “ meaning “found treasure”.

54. Driving hazard SLEET
Apparently “sleet” is a term used to describe two weather conditions. One is a shower of ice pellets, smaller than hail, and the second is a mixture of rain and snow, with the snow melting as it falls. It’s the second definition that I have always used …

59. Actress __ Flynn Boyle LARA
The actress Lara Flynn Boyle plays Donna Hayward on “Twin Peaks”, and Helen Gamble on “The Practice”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Parking lot attendant VALET
6. False friends USERS
11. Brillo competitor SOS
14. St. Teresa’s home AVILA
15. Just beginning to learn NEW AT
16. Demolition need TNT
17. High-maintenance Gonzales? NEEDY SPEEDY
19. Native Nebraskan OTO
20. Power co. service ELEC
21. Pitcher Maglie SAL
22. Dove call COO
23. Off-the-cuff stuff IMPROV
26. Took a chance on RISKED
28. Cinque e uno SEI
29. Naps, say RESTS
33. Versatile bean SOY
34. Fond du __, Wisconsin LAC
35. Like a blue moon, in old Rome RARA
36. Hand-holding group dances HORAS
39. Sacred synagogue cabinets ARKS
41. Muse of poetry ERATO
43. Forum robe TOGA
44. Rahm Emanuel, vis-à-vis Chicago MAYOR
46. Felipe or Matty of baseball ALOU
47. Outdated PC monitor CRT
48. Curly tormentor MOE
49. December drop-in SANTA
51. __ to the city KEY
52. Bee bites STINGS
55. One in the game PLAYER
57. Curved part ARC
58. Feverish ILL
60. In need of sharpening DULL
61. Round-bottomed cooker WOK
62. Overeating bird tempting Sylvester? MEATY TWEETY
67. Eden outcast EVE
68. Spooky EERIE
69. “Sesame Street” roommate ERNIE
70. “L.A. Law” co-star Susan DEY
71. Sports page data STATS
72. Sporty sunroofs T-TOPS

Down
1. Airport shuttle, often VAN
2. Many a Monopoly prop. AVE
3. More than a fib LIE
4. Respected village figure ELDER
5. President after Polk TAYLOR
6. Like “stewardess” nowadays, briefly UN-PC
7. “I __ what you did there” SEE
8. Meadow moms EWES
9. Storm-tracking device RADAR
10. In vogue STYLISH
11. Bullwinkle pal who’s been working out? STOCKY ROCKY
12. En pointe, in ballet ON TOE
13. Waited in line, say STOOD
18. Harsh SEVERE
23. Muslim religion ISLAM
24. Stiller’s partner MEARA
25. Fussy Disney mouse? PICKY MICKEY
27. Smudge on 49-Across’s suit SOOT
30. Poet Teasdale et al. SARAS
31. Refrain syllables TRA-LA
32. Kept under wraps SAT ON
37. Shake hands (on) AGREE
38. Mythical man-goat SATYR
40. “It won’t be long” SOON
42. Yield OUTPUT
45. Periods of power REGIMES
50. Way off base ALL WET
52. Cut, as logs SAWED
53. Valuable stash TROVE
54. Driving hazard SLEET
56. Bright-eyed ALERT
59. Actress __ Flynn Boyle LARA
60. Salon supplies DYES
63. __ for tat TIT
64. Record producer Brian ENO
65. Gratuity TIP
66. “Right!” YES!

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