Day: February 23, 2015

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Thom __: shoe brand MCAN
Thom McAn footwear was introduced in 1922 by the Melville Corporation (now CVS Caremark). The brand was named after a Scottish golfer called Thomas McCann. The Thom McAn line is epitomized by the comfortable leather casual and dress shoe, so sales have really been hurt in recent decades by the growing popularity of sneakers.

5. Greek Zs ZETAS
Zeta is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet, and is a precursor of our Roman letter Z. The word “zeta” is also the ancestor of the name “zed”, which became “zee”, the pronunciation that we use here in the US.

14. Poi source TARO
The corm of some taro plants is used to make poi, the traditional Hawaiian dish (that I think tastes horrible). When a taro plant is grown as an ornamental, it is often called Elephant Ears due to the shape of its large leaves.

17. __ the Impaler: model for “Dracula” VLAD
Vlad III was a 15th century ruler in modern-day Romania. He was given the name “Vlad the Impaler” after he died, and this suggests that he was in the habit of impaling his enemies. His father, Vlad II, was known as Vlad Dracul, which translates as Vlad the Devil or Dragon. As a result, Vlad the Impaler was also known by the diminutive form of his father’s name i.e. Dracula! Bram Stoker borrowed this name for his famous 1897 novel titled “Dracula”.

18. One of a 1492 trio PINTA
Christopher Columbus used three ships in his first voyage across the Atlantic: the Santa Maria, the Niña and the Pinta. The Pinta was the fastest of the three, and it was from the Pinta that the New World was first spotted, by a sailor called Rodrigo de Triana who was a lookout on the fateful day. Pinta was a nickname for the ship that translated as “the painted one”. The Pinta’s real name has been lost in mists of time.

20. They’re juiced in Jacksonville FLORIDA ORANGES
The port city of Jacksonville, Florida is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States (four cities in Alaska cover more land). Jacksonville was named in honor of President Andrew Jackson.

23. Anteater’s sound in the comic “B.C.” ZOT
“B.C.” is a comic strip that was drawn by Johnny Hart, and now since Hart’s passing, is produced by his grandson. Hart introduced “B.C.” in 1958. One of the non-human characters in the strip is the Anteater, who sucks up ants with his sticky tongue making a “ZOT” sound. Hart’s Anteater is the inspiration for Peter the Anteater, the team mascot for UC Irvine. Johnny Hart’s other famous comic strip is the brilliant “The Wizard of Id”.

24. Mobster’s gal MOLL
The slang term “moll” is a used for the female companion of a gangster. “Moll” is short for “Molly”, which is a nickname for “Mary”. In 17th century England a moll was a prostitute.

25. Hawaiian wreath LEI
“Lei” is the Hawaiian word for “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a “lei” is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.

31. Odorless gas ETHANE
Ethane is the second largest component of natural gas, after methane. Ethane’s main use is in the production of ethylene, a compound that is widely used in the chemical industry.

33. They’re baked in Boise IDAHO POTATOES
Boise, Idaho is the largest metropolitan area in the state by far. There are a number of stories pertaining to the etymology of the name “Boise”. One is that French trappers named the tree-lined river that ran through the area “la rivière boisée”, meaning “the wooded river”.

37. Disaster relief org. FEMA
Federal emergency management has been structured for over 200 years, but what we know today as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was created in 1979 in an Executive Order issued by President Jimmy Carter.

38. Put the kibosh on NIX
The use of “nix” as a verb, meaning “to shoot down”, dates back to the early 1900s. Before that “nix” was just a noun meaning “nothing”. “Nix” comes from the German “nichts”, which also means “nothing”.

“Kibosh” is something that constrains or checks. “Kibosh” looks like a Yiddish word but it isn’t, and is more likely English slang from the early 1800s.

42. They’re boiled in Bangor MAINE LOBSTERS
Bangor is the third-most populous city in the state of Maine (after Portland and Lewiston). The city was given its name in 1791, after the hymn “Antiphonary of Bangor” that was written at Bangor Abbey in Northern Ireland.

52. “Green __ and Ham” EGGS
Dr. Seuss’s famous children’s book “Green Eggs and Ham” was first published in 1960. “Green Eggs and Ham” now ranks twelfth in the list of top selling children’s books. By the way, “Harry Potter” books hold the top four slots in that list.

57. They’re shelled in Savannah GEORGIA PEANUTS
Savannah was founded in 1733, making it the oldest city in the state of Georgia. The city is named for the Savannah River, which runs through it. It is believed that the river’s name is derived from a Shawnee word, or a variant name for the Shawnee people.

66. Degree recipient ALUM
An “alumnus” (plural … alumni) is a graduate or former student of a school or college. The female form is “alumna” (plural … alumnae). The term comes into English from Latin, in which alumnus means foster-son or pupil. “Alum” is an informal term used for either an alumna or an alumnus.

70. Deuce toppers TREYS
A trey of clubs, for example, is a name for the three of clubs in a deck of cards. The name “trey” can also be used for a domino with three pips.

71. One-named Art Deco artist ERTE
Erté was the pseudonym of French artist (Russian born) Romain de Tirtoff. Erté is the French pronunciation of his initials “R.T.”

Down
1. Network that once employed VJs MTV
MTV (the Music Television Network) started using the term Video Jockey (VJ) for the media personalities that introduced music videos. The term is a derivative of the already well-established “disk jockey”.

3. Devastated Asian sea ARAL
The Aral Sea is a great example of how man can have a devastating effect on his environment. In the early sixties the Aral Sea covered 68,000 square miles of Central Asia. Soviet Union irrigation projects drained the lake to such an extent that today the total area is less than 7,000 square miles, with 90% of the lake now completely dry. Sad …

4. Caffeinated pill NODOZ
NoDoz and Vivarin are brand names of caffeine pills.

6. Oklahoma city ENID
Enid, Oklahoma takes its name from the old railroad station around which the city developed. Back in 1889, that train stop was called Skeleton Station. An official who didn’t like the name changed it to Enid Station, using a character from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Idylls of the King”. Maybe if he hadn’t changed the name, the city of Enid would now be called Skeleton, Oklahoma! Enid has the nickname “Queen Wheat City” because is has a huge capacity for storing grain, the third largest grain storage capacity in the world.

8. “Star Wars” droid, familiarly ARTOO
Artoo’s proper name is R2-D2. R2-D2 is the smaller of the two famous droids from the “Star Wars” movies. British actor Kenny Baker, who stands just 3 ft 8 ins tall, has been the man inside the R2-D2 droid for all six of the “Star Wars” movies.

11. Crow’s-nest telescopes SPYGLASSES
A crow’s nest is a structure atop the main mast of a ship that is used as a lookout point. The first crow’s nest was erected in 1807, and was simply a barrel that was lashed to the tallest mast. Supposedly, the structure is named for the crows or ravens that Vikings carried with them on their voyages. The birds were released and used as navigation aids as invariably, the crow or raven headed straight for the nearest land.

12. Deep serving bowl TUREEN
A “tureen” is a deep dish used for serving soups and stews. This should not be confused with “terrine”, the name of a cooking dish made from glazed earthenware that has a tightly-fitting lid.

13. Infant’s bodysuit ONESIE
A “onesie” is a baby’s bodysuit, and is a common gift at a baby shower.

21. __-Rooter ROTO
The “Roto-Rooter” is an invention of Samuel Oscar Blanc. Blanc came up with the idea in 1933 after having to deal with a sewer line in his son’s apartment that was blocked with roots from a tree, a common problem. He put together his first version of the device using a washing machine motor, roller skate wheels and a steel cable. The “rotating rooter” snaked down the sewer line, and rotating blades at the tip of the cable cut through the troublesome roots. Blanc sold his machine for decades to people who set up their own drain clearing businesses. In 1980 the Blanc family sold the Roto-Rooter company to a Cincinnati concern that started buying up independent franchises that used the Roto-Rooter and created the national service with which we are familiar today. Oh, and my advice is, save yourself the cost of the service call and just rent a machine. That’s what I do …

28. “Li’l Abner” matriarch MAMMY YOKUM
Mammy Yokum is the mother of Li’l Abner Yokum, the main character in Al Capp’s comic strip “Li’l Abner”. Mammy Yokum was born Pansy Hunks, and married Lucifer Ornamental Yokum, who became Pappy Yokum.

34. Lukas of “Witness” HAAS
Lukas Haas is an American actor best known for the role he played as an 8-year-old child in the excellent 1985 film “Witness”. In “Witness” Haas played a young Amish boy, alongside Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. Although Haas still acts today, he is also a musician and plays drums and piano for a band called The Rogues.

“Witness” is a very engaging Peter Weir film from 1985 starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. It’s all about a Philadelphia detective providing protection for a young Amish boy after he witnesses a murder.

36. Neural impulse conductor AXON
A nerve cell is more correctly called a neuron, and the long nerve fiber that is part of a neuron is called the axon.

44. NFLer who plays at the Meadowlands–in NJ, ironically NY GIANT
The Meadowlands Sports Complex, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, has three venues: the MetLife Stadium (home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets football teams), the Meadowlands Racetrack (for horse racing), and the Izod Center (former home to the New Jersey Nets basketball team).

46. Ugly duckling, as it turned out SWAN
Hans Christian Andersen’s tale “The Ugly Duckling” has to be one of the most endearing ever written. Unlike so many “fairy tales”, “The Ugly Duckling” isn’t based on any folklore and simply a product of Andersen’s imagination. It is speculated that Andersen was the illegitimate son of the Crown Prince of Denmark, and that he wrote the story of the ugly duckling that turned into a beautiful swan as a metaphor for the secret royal lineage that was within Andersen himself.

48. Bump from which cactus spines grow AREOLE
Areoles are bumps on the side of cacti from which grow clusters of spines. These areoles are one of the features of cacti that distinguish them from other succulent plants.

53. Xbox enthusiast GAMER
The XBox line of video game consoles is made by Microsoft. The original XBox platform was followed by XBox 360 and most recently by XBox One. Microsoft’s XBox competes directly with Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo’s Wii.

58. San __, Italy REMO
The Italian city of San Remo sits on the Mediterranean, right on the border with France. In Italian the city is named “Sanremo”, just one word, although the spelling of “San Remo” dates back to ancient times.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Thom __: shoe brand MCAN
5. Greek Zs ZETAS
10. This, in Spain ESTO
14. Poi source TARO
15. Motionless INERT
16. Like spider webs SPUN
17. __ the Impaler: model for “Dracula” VLAD
18. One of a 1492 trio PINTA
19. Ritual flammable stack PYRE
20. They’re juiced in Jacksonville FLORIDA ORANGES
23. Anteater’s sound in the comic “B.C.” ZOT
24. Mobster’s gal MOLL
25. Hawaiian wreath LEI
26. Flood-control project DAM
29. Garbage barge puller TUG
31. Odorless gas ETHANE
33. They’re baked in Boise IDAHO POTATOES
37. Disaster relief org. FEMA
38. Put the kibosh on NIX
39. Exec’s “By yesterday!” ASAP
42. They’re boiled in Bangor MAINE LOBSTERS
47. Sets aside for future use LAYS BY
49. __ and improved NEW
50. Barnyard home STY
51. Suffix with transit -ORY
52. “Green __ and Ham” EGGS
55. Knock sharply RAP
57. They’re shelled in Savannah GEORGIA PEANUTS
62. One-liner, e.g. JOKE
63. Make __: get rich A MINT
64. Dining table expansion piece LEAF
66. Degree recipient ALUM
67. Guts NERVE
68. Year-end clearance event SALE
69. Office note MEMO
70. Deuce toppers TREYS
71. One-named Art Deco artist ERTE

Down
1. Network that once employed VJs MTV
2. Muscle prone to cramps CALF
3. Devastated Asian sea ARAL
4. Caffeinated pill NODOZ
5. “Be quiet!” ZIP IT UP!
6. Oklahoma city ENID
7. Early brunch hr. TEN AM
8. “Star Wars” droid, familiarly ARTOO
9. Hollywood hopeful STARLET
10. “College Football Playoff” network ESPN
11. Crow’s-nest telescopes SPYGLASSES
12. Deep serving bowl TUREEN
13. Infant’s bodysuit ONESIE
21. __-Rooter ROTO
22. Voice above tenor ALTO
26. “What’s the __?”: “So what?” DIF
27. Fruity cooler ADE
28. “Li’l Abner” matriarch MAMMY YOKUM
30. Departed GONE
32. Furnace output HEAT
34. Lukas of “Witness” HAAS
35. “Shop __ you drop” ‘TIL
36. Neural impulse conductor AXON
40. Museum collection ART
41. Would-be social worker’s maj. PSY
43. “__ your pardon” I BEG
44. NFLer who plays at the Meadowlands–in NJ, ironically NY GIANT
45. Scolds but good BERATES
46. Ugly duckling, as it turned out SWAN
47. Lumber mill blockage LOGJAM
48. Bump from which cactus spines grow AREOLE
53. Xbox enthusiast GAMER
54. Cathedral topper SPIRE
56. Throb PULSE
58. San __, Italy REMO
59. Jealous feeling ENVY
60. Rip TEAR
61. Word after sea or before Lake SALT
65. Doctor’s charge FEE

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