Day: July 5, 2014

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
10. Lenox brand DANSK
Dansk was actually an American company that manufactured and distributed tableware and cookware. Dansk founded in 1954 by a couple in the garage of their home in Great Neck, New York after a visit to Denmark where they found a unique design of cutlery that they arranged to fabricate here in the US. The company was set up to showcase the flatware designs of Danish designer Jens Quistgaard. The name “Dansk” is Danish for “Danish”!

The Lenox Corporation is a manufacturer of tableware and collectibles in Bristol, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1889 by Walter Scott Lenox, the company is the only producer of bone china in the US. Lenox has made tableware for six US presidents, from Woodrow Wilson to George W. Bush.

18. Decalogue delivery site SINAI
According to the Bible, Mount Sinai is the mountain on which Moses was given the Ten Commandments. The Biblical Mount Sinai is probably not the mountain in Egypt that today has the same name, although this is the subject of much debate. The Egyptian Mount Sinai has two developed routes that one can take to reach the summit. The longer gentler climb takes about 2 1/2 hours, but there is also the steeper climb up the 3,750 “steps of penitence”.

“Decalogue” is another name for the Ten Commandments. The term comes into English via Latin from the Greek “hoi deka logoi”, which translates literally as “the ten sayings”. The term has been broadened and is sometimes used generically in English to describe a fundamental set of authoritive rules.

19. They may hook you up, briefly RNS
A registered nurses (RN) might hook you up to an intravenous drip (IV).

20. Ranks achieved by Armstrong and Lovell EAGLE SCOUTS
The rank of Eagle Scout was introduced by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in 1911. A candidate for Eagle Scout must have first earned a minimum of 21 merit badges, and demonstrate leadership skills and embrace Scout Spirit. Prior to 1911, the highest rank attainable in the BSA was Wolf Scout.

Neil Armstrong was the most private of individuals. You didn’t often see him giving interviews, unlike so many of the more approachable astronauts of the Apollo space program. His famous, “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind” statement; that was something that he came up with himself while Apollo 11 was making its way to the moon.

Jim Lovell is a retired astronaut who commanded the famous Apollo 13 mission that almost ended in disaster with three crew members lost in space. Lovell wrote an account of the dramatic mission in a book called “Lost Moon”. “Lost Moon” was the basis of the excellent movie “Apollo 13” in which Tom Hanks portrayed Lovell.

22. Los __, city near San Luis Obispo OSOS
Los Osos (Spanish for “The Bears”) is a coastal community in California located in San Luis Obispo County. One of the more famous residents of Los Osos was stop motion clay animator Art Clokey, the man who gave us “Gumby”.

24. Greenland capital KRONE
Greenland is the largest island in the world. Geographically, Greenland is part of the continent of North America, but culturally and politically is considered part of Europe. The island became a Danish colony in 1815, and joined the European Economic Community (EEC) with Denmark. Greenland withdrew from the EEC after a referendum in 1983. Since 2009, Greenland has been relatively autonomous, with the Danish government retaining control of foreign affairs, defence and the judicial system.

31. First lady after Bess MAMIE
Mamie Eisenhower has to have been one of the most charming of all the First Ladies of the United States. Ms. Eisenhower suffered from an inner ear complaint called Ménière’s disease which caused her to lose her balance quite often. Because she was unsteady on her feet there were unfounded rumors floating around Washington that Ms. Eisenhower had a drinking problem. People can be very unkind …

Harry and Bess Truman met when they were very young children, at Sunday school. They were friends right through high school and became engaged in 1918 just before Harry went off to France during WWI, marrying the next year. Bess Truman never really took to the Washington scene when she became First Lady and stayed out of the limelight as much as she could. Perhaps that contributed to her longevity. Mrs. Truman lived to the age of 97, making her the longest living First Lady in US history.

38. “Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka” composer STRAUSS
“Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka” is a marvelous dance piece written by “the Waltz King” Johann Strauss II. The title may be as “chit-chat” or “gossip” polka.

Of the many classical composers with the Strauss name, “The Waltz King” was Johann Strauss II from Austria. Among the many beautiful waltzes that Strauss penned are “The Blue Danube” and “Tales from the Vienna Woods”. He also composed the famous operetta “Die Fledermaus”.

39. “The Fox and the Hound” hound COPPER
Disney’s 1981 animated feature “The Fox and the Hound” is based on a novel of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix. Both the novel and movie tell the tale of a young fox and a young hound who are good friends. The fox and hound struggle to maintain their friendship as they grow older and their animal instincts kick in, and social pressures demand that they become adversaries. Heavy stuff!

41. Beluga output ROE
“Caviar” is the roe of a large fish that has been salted and seasoned, and especially the roe of a sturgeon. Beluga caviar comes from the beluga sturgeon, found primarily in the Caspian Sea. It is the most expensive type of caviar in the world. 8 ounces of US-farmed beluga caviar can be purchased through Amazon.com for just over $850, in case you’re feeling peckish …

42. Arabian capital SANAA
Sana (also Sanaa) is the capital city of Yemen. Within the bounds of today’s metropolis is the old fortified city of Sana, where people have lived for over 2,500 years. The Old City is now a World Heritage Site.

44. “__ luego” HASTA
“Hasta luego!” translates literally from Spanish as “until later!”, and is used to say “see you later!”.

48. Bald eagle cousins ERNS
The ern (also erne) is also called the white-tailed eagle, and the sea-eagle.

The Bald Eagle is sometimes referred to as the American eagle. It is both the national bird and the national animal of the USA, and appears on the US Seal.

53. Events after shootings WRAP PARTIES
When shooting of a film is concluded the movie is said to “wrap”, and everyone heads to the wrap party. There is one story that “wrap” is actually an acronym for “wind, reel and print”, a reference to the transition of the filming process into post-production. But, this explanation is disputed.

57. Gugino of “Night at the Museum” CARLA
Carla Gugino is an actress from Sarasota, Florida. One of Gugino’s television roles was playing Michael J. Fox’s love interest, Ashley Schaeffer, in the sitcom “Spin City”.

60. Hindu principle of life ATMAN
“Atman” is defined as the “inner-self” in Hindu philosophy. The word “atman” is often translated into English as “self”, but the concept of atman goes beyond the idea of self in the worldly sense. It describes the soul, perhaps of an individual, or maybe even something as grand as the soul of the world.

61. “The Raven” feature OCTAMETER
A poem written in octameter contains lines of eight metrical feet. Here’s an example from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore-
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door

“The Raven” is a narrative poem by Edgar Allen Poe that tells of a student who has lost the love of his life, Lenore. A raven enters the student’s bedchamber and perches on a bust of Pallas. The raven can talk, to the student’s surprise, but says nothing but the word “nevermore” (“quoth the raven, ‘Nevermore’”). As the student questions all aspects of his life, the raven taunts him with the same comment, “nevermore”. Finally the student decides that his soul is trapped beneath the raven’s shadow and shall be lifted “nevermore” …

63. Pump house? SHOE STORE
A pump is a woman’s shoe that doesn’t have a strap. Such shoes are probably called “pumps” because of the sound they make while walking in them.

Down
1. Zoom HOT-ROD
“To hot-rod” is drive very fast, as if in a hot-rod, a vehicle specially built or modified for speed and acceleration.

3. Hold on a mat NELSON
The full nelson and half nelson are wrestling holds in which one wrestler secures an opponent by encircling the opponent’s arms under the armpits and around the neck. Some say the hold is named after Admiral Nelson, who was renowned for using encircling tactics in battle.

6. Sign of age CREAK
Sort of like my knees …

7. Large, long-billed marsh bird KING RAIL
The King Rail is the largest of the North American rails.

Rails are birds of the family Rallidae (hence their name). Outside of America, the name “rail” tends to be reserved for long-billed specie and the the term “crake” is used for short-billed species.

10. Round snow toy DISC
Snow discs are those round plastic toys used for sledding downhill on snow.

12. Otherworldly greeting? NANU NANU
“Mork & Mindy” was broadcast from 1978 to 1982. We were first introduced to Mork (played by Robin Williams, of course) in a special episode of “Happy Days”. The particular episode in question has a bizarre storyline culminating in Fonzie and Mork having a thumb-to-finger duel. Eventually Richie wakes up in bed, and alien Mork was just part of a dream! Oh, and “Nanu Nanu” means both “hello” and “goodbye” back on the planet Ork. “I am Mork from Ork, Nanu Nanu”. Great stuff …

14. Bums’ American counterparts KEISTERS
Back in the early 1900s a keister was a safe or a strongbox. It has been suggested that this term was then used as slang by pickpockets for the rear trouser pocket in which one might keep a wallet. From this usage, keister appeared as a slang term for the buttocks in the early 1930s.

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.

27. Stuns in an arrest TASES
Victor Appleton wrote a novel for young adults called “Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle”. The company that developed the TASER electroshock weapon named its product as a homage to the novel, with TASER standing for “Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle”.

29. Sith title DARTH
The Sith are characters in the “Star Wars” universe who use the “dark side” of “the Force”, and as such are the antithesis of the Jedi Knights. Members of the Sith use the title “Darth” before their name, as in Darth Vader. The last made of the six “Star Wars” movies is called “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith”.

“Stars Wars” fans will no doubt be delighted to hear that George Lucas has announced that he will be making “Star Wars Episode VII”, scheduled for release in 2015.

32. Rumba shaker MARACA
Maracas are percussion instruments native to Latin America. They are constructed from a dried shell, like that of a coconut, to which a handle is attached. The shell is filled with dried seeds or beans, and shaken.

The rumba is a Cuban dance, with influences brought by African slaves and Spanish colonists. The name “rumba” comes from “rumbo”, the Spanish word for “party, spree”.

36. Elizabethan property tax to benefit the disadvantaged POOR RATE
Poor Laws were designed to put an infrastructure in place to provide relief for the poor. One of the most famous sets of Poor Laws were those enacted in Ireland in the 1800s. The Irish Poor Law Act was the first attempt to by the government to address social instability caused by poverty that was rampant in the country. The system quickly became overwhelmed with the advent of the Great Famine, which of course helped fuel emigration on a massive scale.

37. Title words before “Nothing to hide,” in a Journey hit OPEN ARMS
Journey is a San Francisco band that got together back in 1973. Journey’s biggest hits are probably “Who’s Crying Now” (1981), “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981) and “Open Arms” (1982).

40. MIT rival, despite the distance CALTECH
Caltech is more properly known as the California Institute of Technology, and is a private research-oriented school in Pasadena. One of Caltech’s responsibilities is the management and operation of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. If you watch “The Big Bang Theory” on television like me, you might know that the four lead characters all work at Caltech.

45. Site of a 1976 anti-apartheid uprising SOWETO
Soweto is an urban area in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. The name comes from SOuth WEstern TOwnship, a black township that was set up the days of apartheid. The famous Soweto Uprising took place in 1976, triggered by government policy forcing education to be given in Afrikaans rather than in English.

51. Spiders’ sensors, e.g. SETAE
“Seta” is derived from the Latin word for a “bristle”, and is used to describe bristle-like structures in both plants and animals.

54. Sweeps the set PANS
“To pan” a camera is to move in such a way as to create a panoramic effect, generally to sweep from one side of a scene to another.

55. Virtual people, in a popular game series SIMS
“SimCity” is a very clever computer game. Players build and grow cities and societies by creating the conditions necessary for people (the Sims) to move in and thrive. “SimCity” was launched in 1989, and to this day it is consistently ranked as one of the greatest computer games of all time.

Return to top of page

For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Harassed, in a way HENPECKED
10. Lenox brand DANSK
15. Busy state to go into OVERDRIVE
16. Boiling IRATE
17. Made for the tube TELEGENIC
18. Decalogue delivery site SINAI
19. They may hook you up, briefly RNS
20. Ranks achieved by Armstrong and Lovell EAGLE SCOUTS
22. Los __, city near San Luis Obispo OSOS
24. Greenland capital KRONE
25. Flanged bit of hardware T-NUT
26. Powder holder DONUT
28. Added a little to the pot ANTED
30. Took in takeout ATE
31. First lady after Bess MAMIE
33. Kind MANNER
35. Kind of support SPOUSAL
38. “Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka” composer STRAUSS
39. “The Fox and the Hound” hound COPPER
40. Stops running? CLOTS
41. Beluga output ROE
42. Arabian capital SANAA
44. “__ luego” HASTA
48. Bald eagle cousins ERNS
50. Settles CALMS
52. Start of many a prayer LORD
53. Events after shootings WRAP PARTIES
56. Crib cry WAH!
57. Gugino of “Night at the Museum” CARLA
58. Exterminator’s target CENTIPEDE
60. Hindu principle of life ATMAN
61. “The Raven” feature OCTAMETER
62. Pains PESTS
63. Pump house? SHOE STORE

Down
1. Zoom HOT-ROD
2. Yet EVEN SO
3. Hold on a mat NELSON
4. Start to date? PRE-
5. It’s uncomfortable to be on it EDGE
6. Sign of age CREAK
7. Large, long-billed marsh bird KING RAIL
8. Satan EVIL ONE
9. Respectable DECENT
10. Round snow toy DISC
11. “That’s __!”: “Funny!” A RIOT
12. Otherworldly greeting? NANU NANU
13. Former bills STATUTES
14. Bums’ American counterparts KEISTERS
21. Look that way SEEM TO
23. Recap SUM UP
27. Stuns in an arrest TASES
29. Sith title DARTH
32. Rumba shaker MARACA
34. Cavity opening? NASAL
35. Cork alternative SCREWCAP
36. Elizabethan property tax to benefit the disadvantaged POOR RATE
37. Title words before “Nothing to hide,” in a Journey hit OPEN ARMS
38. Collide with SLAM INTO
40. MIT rival, despite the distance CALTECH
43. Some agents NARCOS
45. Site of a 1976 anti-apartheid uprising SOWETO
46. Broker’s customer TRADER
47. Hold tight ADHERE
49. Fall sound SPLAT!
51. Spiders’ sensors, e.g. SETAE
54. Sweeps the set PANS
55. Virtual people, in a popular game series SIMS
59. Ferret, for one PET

Return to top of page