Day: May 21, 2014

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. National Museum of Afghanistan city KABUL
Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. The city has been the site of major conflict for much of the 3,500 years that it has been in existence. In the past this conflict was mainly driven by the city’s strategic location on the major trade routes of south and central Asia.

6. High point ACME
The “acme” is the highest point, coming from the Greek word “akme” which has the same meaning.

14. Greek market AGORA
In early Greece the “agora” was a place of assembly. Often the assemblies held there were quite formal, perhaps for the reading of a proclamation. Later in Greek history, things became less formal as the agora evolved into a market place. Our contemporary word “agoraphobia” comes from these agorae, in the sense that an agoraphobe has a fear of open spaces, a fear of “public meeting places”.

15. Really good, in ’90s slang PHAT
In hip-hop circles, the term “phat” means excellent or first-rate.

17. Barbra Streisand’s “Funny Girl” role FANNY BRICE (giving “fanny pack”)
The movie “Funny Girl” stars Barbra Streisand in the title role of Fanny Brice. The real Fanny Brice was a theater and film actress, and “Funny Girl” is very loosely based on her life story. Fanny Brice was born into a Hungarian Jewish family in New York City, with the real name of Fania Borach.

In the British Isles, a “fanny pack” is called a “bum bag”. The use of the word “bum” is considered more polite than the word “fanny”, which has a very rude meaning in that part of the world.

19. Flair ELAN
Our word “élan” was imported from French, in which language the word has a similar meaning to ours i.e “style” or “flair”.

21. Singer India.__ ARIE
India.Arie is an American soul and R&B singer, born India Arie Simpson.

23. Comeback: Abbr. ANS
Answer (ans.)

24. “The Situation Room” host WOLF BLITZER (giving “wolfpack”)
Wolf Blitzer is the son of Jewish refugees from Poland. He was born in Augsburg in Germany and was given the name “Wolf” in honor of his maternal grandfather. Wolf came with his family to live in the US, and he was raised in Buffalo, New York.

“The Situation Room” is a CNN news show that is aired in the afternoons and hosted by Wolf Blitzer. I’m not a big fan, to be honest …

27. Dick Tracy has a square one JAW
The “Dick Tracy” comic strip was created way back in 1931 by Chester Gould. Dick Tracy was always up to date with the latest crime fighting techniques and gadgets, and even had a few that weren’t in use in real life. Tracy’s most famous gadget was his two-way wrist radio, something he started using in 1946. The radio got an upgrade in 1964 when it became a two-way wrist TV!

28. Daughter of Lyndon LUCI
Luci Baines Johnson is the youngest daughter of President Lyndon Johnson. Luci married Patrick Nugent in Washington, D.C. in 1966, while her father was still in the White House. The Nugents had their marriage annulled by the Catholic Church in 1979 and Luci remarried in 1984, to Ian J. Turpin.

29. Permanent UN Security Council member, familiarly THE UK
The United Nations Security Council has 15 members, 5 of whom are permanent and who have veto power over any resolution. The 10 non-permanent members are elected into place, and hold their seats for two years. The UN charter requires that authorized representatives of the member nations are always present at UN headquarters so that the Security council can meet at any time. The permanent members are:

– China
– France
– Russia
– United Kingdom
– United States

32. Some CNBC interviewees CEOS
Chief executive officer (CEO)

34. K thru 12 ELHI
“Elhi” is an informal word used to describe anything related to schooling from grades 1 through 12, i.e. elementary through high school.

38. 1964 Shangri-Las hit … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme found in 17-, 24-, 47- and 59-Across LEADER OF THE PACK
“Leader of the Pack” was big hit for the Shangri-Las back in 1964. The song tells the story of teenagers Betty and Jimmy. Betty falls for Jimmy, but he’s from “the wrong side of town” so he her parents disapprove of the match. Betty jilts Jimmy and he drives off on his motorcycle, only to crash and die on a wet road. The morbid theme of the song led to it being banned by the BBC.

42. Sinusitis docs ENTS
Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT)

The suffix “-itis” is used to denote inflammation, as in laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx) and sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses).

44. “Zounds!” EGAD!
“Egad!” developed as a polite way of saying “oh God!” in the late 1600s and is an expression of fear or surprise somewhat like “good grief!”.

47. Like reptiles and amphibians COLD-BLOODED (giving “cold pack”)
An ice pack (also “cold pack”) can be used as a cold compress to alleviate pain from an injury.

57. “__ Been Thinking About You”: 1991 Londonbeat chart-topper I’VE
Londonbeat is a dance and R&B band from Britain who had a few hits in the early nineties.

59. Shine-minimizing makeup layer FACE POWDER (giving “face pack”)
A face pack is a cream that cleanses and tones the skin. I did not know that …

63. Lab medium AGAR
Agar (also “agar-agar”) is a jelly extracted from seaweed that has many uses. Agar is found in Japanese desserts, and can also be used as a food thickener or even as a laxative. In the world of science it is the most common medium used for growing bacteria in Petri dishes.

64. House of Lords members PEERS
The UK Parliament is divided into two houses, with the upper house known as the House of Lords and the lower house as the House of Commons. The members of the House of Commons are elected, but most new members of the House of Lords are appointed. Historically, a large proportion of the membership of the upper house were hereditary peers, but recent legislative changes are reducing the numbers who can sit in the House of Lords by virtue of birthright.

65. Angry, with “off” TEED
The term “teed off” meaning to be angry, has been around since the early fifties. It is probably a polite way of saying something that might be considered more offensive.

Down
1. “Metamorphosis” author KAFKA
Franz Kafka was born in 1883 in Prague, then part of Bohemia and today the capital of the Czech Republic. Kafka is known as one of the greatest novelists who worked in the German language, and even has an adjective named after him. Something that is “kafkaesque” is senseless, disorienting and may have menacing complexity. As it was for many great artists, Kafka’s fame came after his death when much of his work was published.

“The Metamorphosis” is the famous novella by Franz Kafka, regarded by many as one of the greatest pieces of short fiction written in the 20th century. The story tells of the metamorphosis of Gregor Samsa into a gigantic insect. His sister, Grete Samsa, becomes his caregiver.

6. Earth Day month APRIL
Earth Day was founded in the US, an event introduced by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. Earth Day was designed to increase awareness and appreciation of our planet’s natural environment. The original Earth Day was on April 22nd, 1970. Decades later, the day is observed in over 175 countries.

8. Bub MAC
“Bub” is American slang, a term used to address males, and is possibly a variation of bud.

9. Parisian summer ETE
One might spend the summer (été) under the sun (le soleil) in French-speaking countries.

11. Ballroom dance WALTZ
What we tend to think of as a waltz today is danced at about 90 beats per minute. The original waltz was much faster, and is danced at about 180 beats per minute. To differentiate, we now call the faster dance a “Viennese Waltz”, and sometimes refer to the other as the “English Waltz” or “slow waltz”.

12. Quartz variety AGATE
Agate is a micro-crystalline form of quartz (so is related to sand/silica). Some agate samples have deposited layers that give a striped appearance, and these are called “banded agate”.

22. [Not my mistake] SIC
“Sic” indicates that a quotation is written as originally found, perhaps including a typo. “Sic” is Latin for “thus, like this”.

26. Verdant LUSH
Back in the late 1500s, “verdant” simply meant “green”, but we now tend to use the term to mean green and lush with vegetation. “Viridis” is the Latin for “green”.

27. 1995 Stallone film JUDGE DREDD
The 1995 movie “Judge Dredd” starring Sylvester Stallone in the title role, was loosely based on the comic book character of the same name. Judge Dredd may be an American hero from the future in an American city, but the comic is written and published in the UK.

29. Treatment from Dr. Mom TLC
Tender loving care (TLC)

31. __ de Cologne EAU
Back in 1709, an Italian perfume-maker moved to Cologne in Germany. There he invented a new fragrance that he named Eau de Cologne after his newly adopted town. The fragrance is still produced in Cologne, using a secret formulation. However, the terms “Eau de Cologne” and “cologne”, are now used generically.

32. Homebuyer’s option CONDO
The words “condominium” and “apartment” tend to describe the one type of residential property, a private living space with facilities shared with others residing in the same building or complex. The difference is that a condominium is usually owned, and an apartment is rented. At least that’s how it is in the US. The word “condominium” comes from the Latin “com” (together) and “dominum” (right of ownership).

33. Little newt EFT
Newts wouldn’t be my favorite animals. They are found all over the world living on land or in water depending on the species, but always associated with water even if it is only for breeding. Newts metamorphose through three distinct developmental stages during their lives. They start off as larvae in water, fertilized eggs that often cling to aquatic plants. The eggs hatch into tadpoles, the first developmental form of the newt. After living some months as tadpoles swimming around in the water, they undergo another metamorphosis, sprouting legs and replacing their external gills with lungs. At this juvenile stage they are known as efts, and leave the water to live on land. A more gradual transition takes place then, as the eft takes on the lizard-like appearance of the adult newt.

35. Vegas intro? LAS
Back in the 1800s, the Las Vegas Valley was given its name from the extensive meadows (“las vegas” is Spanish for “the meadows”) present in the area courtesy of the artesian wells drilled by local farmers. Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1905, in the days when it was a stopping-off point for pioneers travelling west. It eventually became a railroad town, although with the coming of the railroad growth halted as travelers began to bypass Las Vegas. The city’s tourism industry took off in 1935 with the completion of the nearby Hoover Dam, which is still a popular attraction. Then gambling was legalized, and things really started to move. Vegas was picked, largely by celebrated figures in “the mob”, as a convenient location across the California/Nevada state line that could service the vast population of Los Angeles. As a result, Las Vegas is the most populous US city founded in the 20th century (Chicago is the most populous city founded in the 19th century, just in case you were wondering).

36. Stomach acid, chemically HCL
Gastric acid is produced by cells lining the stomach, and is composed of hydrochloric acid (HCl), potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium chloride (NaCl). Other cells lining the stomach produce bicarbonate to ensure the contents of the stomach do not become too acidic. Those same cell also produce mucus that lines the stomach wall to protect it from the acid.

37. Well-liked prez IKE
“I Like Ike” was a political slogan that originated with the grassroots movement to get Dwight D. Eisenhower to run for president in the 1952 presidential election.

45. “Pygmalion” playwright’s monogram GBS
George Bernard Shaw (GBS) was a very successful Irish playwright. Shaw is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize for Literature, and an Oscar. He won his Oscar for adapting his own play “Pygmalion” for the 1938 film of the same name starring Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller. Most people are more likely to have seen the musical adaptation of “Pygmalion” that went by the title “My Fair Lady”.

47. Bandleader Xavier CUGAT
Xavier Cugat was an American bandleader born in Spain, who arrived in the United States via Cuba. He worked in Hollywood on movies, although he was also in charge of the Hotel Orchestra in the Waldorf Astoria in New York City for 16 years. Famously he conducted using just one arm, as he would hold his pet Chihuahua in the other. His fourth marriage was to comic actress Charo, in the first marriage ceremony ever to take place in Caesar’s Palace.

48. Missouri tributary OSAGE
Much of the Osage River in Missouri is now taken up by two large reservoirs created behind two dams that provide power for St. Louis and the surrounding area. The two reservoirs are the Truman Reservoir and the Lake of the Ozarks.

49. River barrier LEVEE
A levee is an artificial bank usually made of earth, running along the length of a river. A levee is designed to hold back river water at a time of potential flooding. “Levée” is the French word for “raised” and is an American term that originated in French-speaking New Orleans around 1720.

50. Witty Wilde OSCAR
If you didn’t know Oscar Wilde was Irish, you will when you see the name he was given at birth: Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde!

51. “It’s __ Season”: agricultural supply slogan DEERE
John Deere invented the first commercially successful steel plow in 1837. Prior to Deere’s invention, farmers used an iron or wooden plow that constantly had to be cleaned as rich soil stuck to its surfaces. The cast-steel plow was revolutionary as its smooth sides solved the problem of “stickiness”.

52. Longtime Delaware senator BIDEN
Vice President Joe Biden was a US Senator representing the state of Delaware from 1973 until he joined the Obama administration. While he was a senator, Vice President Biden commuted to Washington from Wilmington, Delaware almost every working day. He was such an active customer and supporter of Amtrak that the Wilmington Station was renamed as the Joseph R. Biden Railroad Station in 2011. Biden has made over 7,000 trips from that station, and the Amtrak crews were known to even hold the last train for a few minutes so that he could catch it. Biden earned himself the nickname “Amtrak Joe”.

53. ’50s-’60s civil rights leader EVERS
Medgar Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi who was assassinated by the Klu Klux Klan in 1963. A year after the murder, one Byron De La Beckwith was arrested and charged with the crime. Two trials failed to return a decision on Beckwith’s guilt as the juries, composed completely of white males, deadlocked both times. New evidence was unearthed some thirty years later so Beckwith could be retried and he was finally convicted of the murder in 1994. Back in 1963 Evers was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Evers had served in the US Army in France during WWII and left the military with the rank of sergeant.

59. British Invasion adjective FAB
The Beatles were described on the sleeve notes of their 1963 album “With the Beatles” as the “fabulous foursome”. The press picked up on the phrase and morphed it into “the Fab Four”.

61. Like a bairn WEE
“Bairn” is a Scots word for “child”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. National Museum of Afghanistan city KABUL
6. High point ACME
10. Hit SWAT
14. Greek market AGORA
15. Really good, in ’90s slang PHAT
16. Salary WAGE
17. Barbra Streisand’s “Funny Girl” role FANNY BRICE (giving “fanny pack”)
19. Flair ELAN
20. Nanny’s charge KID
21. Singer India.__ ARIE
22. Short fight SET-TO
23. Comeback: Abbr. ANS
24. “The Situation Room” host WOLF BLITZER (giving “wolfpack”)
27. Dick Tracy has a square one JAW
28. Daughter of Lyndon LUCI
29. Permanent UN Security Council member, familiarly THE UK
32. Some CNBC interviewees CEOS
34. K thru 12 ELHI
38. 1964 Shangri-Las hit … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme found in 17-, 24-, 47- and 59-Across LEADER OF THE PACK
41. Drink quickly CHUG
42. Sinusitis docs ENTS
43. Supermarket division AISLE
44. “Zounds!” EGAD!
46. Ante- kin PRE-
47. Like reptiles and amphibians COLD-BLOODED (giving “cold pack”)
52. “Not on a __” BET
55. Password creators USERS
56. Palmist, e.g. SEER
57. “__ Been Thinking About You”: 1991 Londonbeat chart-topper I’VE
58. Was charitable GAVE
59. Shine-minimizing makeup layer FACE POWDER (giving “face pack”)
62. Kept in a vat, say AGED
63. Lab medium AGAR
64. House of Lords members PEERS
65. Angry, with “off” TEED
66. Yawner BORE
67. Feel SENSE

Down
1. “Metamorphosis” author KAFKA
2. One more time AGAIN
3. Connects emotionally BONDS
4. Buffet table server URN
5. Suffered from insomnia LAY AWAKE
6. Earth Day month APRIL
7. Top cop CHIEF
8. Bub MAC
9. Parisian summer ETE
10. Honey SWEETIE PIE
11. Ballroom dance WALTZ
12. Quartz variety AGATE
13. Voice above baritone TENOR
18. It may be knitted BROW
22. [Not my mistake] SIC
25. Absorbs with a towel BLOTS
26. Verdant LUSH
27. 1995 Stallone film JUDGE DREDD
29. Treatment from Dr. Mom TLC
30. Sneaky laugh HEH
31. __ de Cologne EAU
32. Homebuyer’s option CONDO
33. Little newt EFT
35. Vegas intro? LAS
36. Stomach acid, chemically HCL
37. Well-liked prez IKE
39. Very REAL
40. Dangling jewelry EAR-DROPS
45. “Pygmalion” playwright’s monogram GBS
46. Hatchery sound PEEP
47. Bandleader Xavier CUGAT
48. Missouri tributary OSAGE
49. River barrier LEVEE
50. Witty Wilde OSCAR
51. “It’s __ Season”: agricultural supply slogan DEERE
52. Longtime Delaware senator BIDEN
53. ’50s-’60s civil rights leader EVERS
54. Hardly talkative TERSE
59. British Invasion adjective FAB
60. In the past AGO
61. Like a bairn WEE

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