Day: February 25, 2015

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Mutinous Kubrick computer HAL
In Arthur C. Clarke’s “Space Odyssey” (famously adapted for the big screen as “2001: A Space Odyssey”) the computer system that went rogue was called HAL 9000, or simply “HAL”. HAL stands for Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer. Even though, Clarke denied it, there’s a good argument that can be made that the acronym HAL is a veiled reference to IBM, the big player in the world of computing at the time of the novel’s publication (1968). The acronym HAL is just a one-letter shift from the initials “IBM”.

Stanley Kubrick was a film director from New York who worked mainly in the UK. Kubrick directed “Spartacus” in Hollywood in 1960, and then relocated to the UK to shoot “Lolita” in 1962. His next film was “Doctor Strangelove”, which also had to be shot in the UK. At that point Kubrick decided to make England his home.

4. High-end violin STRAD
Generations of the Stradivari family produced violins, the most famous of which were constructed by Antonio Stradivari.

9. Sextet for Henry VIII WIVES
Famously, King Henry VIII had six queens consort. There is a rhyme that is commonly used to help remember the fates of each of his wives, which goes:

King Henry the Eighth, to six wives he was wedded. One died, one survived, two divorced, two beheaded.

The use of the term “divorce” isn’t quite accurate though, as in fact Henry had two of his marriages annulled. His wives (and their fates) were:

– Catherine of Aragon (Annulled),
– Anne Boleyn (Beheaded),
– Jane Seymour (Died)
– Anne of Cleves (Annulled),
– Catherine Howard (Beheaded),
– Catherine Parr (Survived).

14. British verb suffix -ISE
Not only is Noah Webster’s name inextricably linked with his series of dictionaries, but he is also renowned as an advocate for English spelling reform. He argued that “traditional” English is hard to learn, and that it should be simplified and standardized (instead of “standardised”). He published spelling books that were used in schools, and from edition to edition he changed the spelling of words in order to simplify the language. Examples are the use of “s” over “c” in words like “defense” (in Ireland we have defence and defense depending on usage), “-re” became “-er” as in center instead of centre (reversing the influence of French), and he dropped one of the Ls in words like traveler (I learned “traveller”). Mind you, he also spelled “tongue” as “tung”, but he didn’t get very far with that one.

15. “Some glory in __ birth …”: Shak. THEIR
William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 91 starts out with:

Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,
Some in their wealth, some in their body’s force,
Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill,
Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse;

16. Ginsburg associate ALITO
Associate Justice Samuel Alito was nominated to the US Supreme Court by President George W. Bush. Alito is the second Italian-American to serve on the Supreme Court (Antonin Scalia was the first). Alito studied law at Yale and while in his final year he left the country for the first time in his life, heading to Italy to work on his thesis about the Italian legal system.

Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg serves on the US Supreme Court. Justice Ginsburg was the second woman to join the Court, nominated by President Bill Clinton. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1999 and underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. During that time she did not miss one day on the bench. In 2009 Justice Ginsburg had surgery for pancreatic cancer, and was back to work 12 days later.

20. Sharp-wittedness ACUMEN
Acumen is such a lovely word, I think, meaning “keenness of judgment or insight”. “Acumen” is Latin, meaning “point, sting”, the idea being that someone with acumen has mental sharpness.

22. Gore, once VEEP
Al Gore was born in Washington DC, the son of Al Gore, Sr., then a US Representative for the state of Tennessee. After deferring his military service in order to attend Harvard, the younger Gore became eligible for the draft on graduation. Many of his classmates found ways of avoiding the draft, but Gore decided to serve and even took the “tougher” option of joining the army as an enlisted man. Actor Tommy Lee Jones shared a house with Gore in college and says that his buddy told him that even if he could find a way around the draft, someone with less options than him would have to go in his place and that was just wrong.

23. Jeweler’s movie role? CAMEO APPEARANCE
Even in my day, a cameo role was more than just a short appearance in a movie (or other artistic piece). For the appearance to be a cameo, the actor had to playing himself or herself, and was instantly recognizable. With this meaning, it’s easy to see the etymology of the term, as a cameo brooch is one with the recognizable carving of the silhouette of a person. Nowadays, a cameo is any minor role played by a celebrity or famous actor, regardless of the character played.

Cameo is a method of carving, often the carving of a gemstone or a piece of jewelry. The resulting image is in relief (sits proud of the background), whereas an engraved image would be produced by the similar (but “opposite”) carving method known as intaglio. Nowadays, the term cameo is used for any piece of oval-shaped jewelry that contains the image of a head, usually in profile (maybe even a photograph).

31. Delta deposit SILT
Some rivers deposit a lot of silt at the river’s mouth, where it empties into a sea or ocean. That deposit of silt makes the river more shallow, and so the volume of water spreads out laterally, into a triangle- or delta-shape.

32. False flattery SMARM
The term “smarm”, meaning insincere flattery, comes from a colloquial word “smalm” meaning to smear the hair with some sort of styling product.

34. Robbins’ ice cream partner BASKIN
The Baskin-Robbins chain of ice cream parlors is the largest in the word. The chain was founded by Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins in Glendale, California in 1945. The company started using the slogan “31 flavors” in 1953, suggesting that a customer could order a different flavor of ice cream on every day of every month.

36. ER personnel MDS
A medical doctor (MD) might be found in an emergency room (ER).

39. Horse trainer’s movie role? BIT PART
Bit parts are small roles for an actor. In the US, the term “five or less” is often used, meaning there is no more than five lines of dialogue. In the UK, bit parts on television are called “under sixers” for the same reason, there are less than six lines spoken.

41. Org. concerned with the AQI EPA
The air quality index (AQI) is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

42. Crankcase component OIL PAN
In most internal combustion engines the pistons that move up and down are arranged in a line, and connected to a crankshaft that runs along the bottom of the engine. The up and down motion of the pistons turns the crankshaft, which turning motion is “transmitted” (via the transmission) to the wheels. The case surrounding the crankshaft is called the crankcase. The crankcase contains a lot of oil that is squirted onto the crankshaft to lubricate it. Excess oil falls to the bottom of the crankcase and into a reservoir called the oil pan.

46. Boyfriend BEAU
A “beau” is the boyfriend of a “belle”, a young lady. “Beau” and “belle” are the masculine and feminine forms of the French word for “handsome, beautiful”.

47. Bearing MIEN
One’s “mien” is one’s bearing or manner. “Mien” shares the same etymological root as our word “demeanor”.

48. Meat pkg. letters USDA
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies meat into eight different grades:

– Prime
– Choice
– Select
– Standard
– Commercial
– Utility
– Cutter
– Canner

56. Chamber group often including a piano TRIO
In the world of chamber music, a trio often includes a piano. Common forms are:

– Clarinet-cello-piano
– Clarinet-viola-piano
– Clarinet-violin-piano

63. Loafer front TOE
The type of slip-on shoe called a “loafer” dates back to 1939. “Loafer” was originally a brand name introduced by the Fortnum and Mason’s store in London.

64. Madison Square Garden, e.g. ARENA
Madison Square Garden is an arena in New York City used for a variety of events. In the world of sports it is home to the New York Rangers of the NHL, as well as the New York Knicks of the NBA. “The Garden” is also the third busiest music venue in the world in terms of ticket sales. The current arena is the fourth structure to bear the name, a name taken from the Madison Square location in Manhattan. In turn, the square was named for James Madison, the fourth President of the US.

65. Cookbook verb SAUTE
“Sauté” is a French word. The literal translation from the French is “jumped” or “bounced”, a reference to the tossing of food while cooking it in a frying pan.

67. H.S. hurdles PSATS
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)

69. Del. clock setting EST
Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Down
1. Take by force HIJACK
The verb “to hijack” dates back to the 1920s when it applied to the robbing of a bootlegger or smuggler while he or she was traveling. The term probably comes from “highway” and “jack”, with the latter meaning “to hold up, rob”.

3. Peanut, for one LEGUME
Plants called legumes are notable in that they work symbiotically with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, microorganisms found in the root nodules that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium ions. As nitrogen is an essential component of proteins, legumes are exceptionally rich sources of plant protein.

4. Fifth cen. pope called “The Great” ST LEO
The first pope named Leo is now known as Pope Saint Leo the Great. Leo I is famous for meeting with the feared Attila the Hun and persuading him to turn back his invading force that was threatening to overrun Western Europe.

6. Stephen of “Breakfast on Pluto” REA
Stephen Rea is an Irish actor from Belfast. Rea’s most successful role was Fergus in 1992’s “The Crying Game”, for which performance he was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar. In “The Crying Game”, Fergus was a member of the IRA. In real life, Rea was married to IRA bomber and hunger striker Dolours Price at the time he made the movie.

“Breakfast on Pluto” is a 2005 film adaptation by Neil Jordan based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Patrick McCabe. I watched this one as I like Neil Jordan films, and it is largely set in Ireland. Hated it …

11. Google Maps directions word VIA
Google Maps is the core application to a suite of services that includes the Google Maps Website, Google Ride Finder and Google Transit. Google acquired this technology when they purchased a company based in Sydney, Australia. The basic application was developed by two Danish brothers called Lars and Jens Rasmussen.

12. Sea-Tac approx. ETD
Estimated time of departure (ETD)

Sea-Tac Airport is more fully known as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Sea-Tac is the main hub for Alaska Airlines.

13. Protein-rich 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”.

19. Org. that funds cultural exhibitions NEA
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an agency funded by the federal government that offers support and financing for artistic projects. The NEA was created by an Act of Congress in 1965. Between 1965 and 2008, the NEA awarded over $4 billion to the arts, with Congress authorizing around $170 million annually through the eighties and much of the nineties. That funding was cut to less than $100 million in the late nineties due to pressure from conservatives concerned about the use of funds, but it is now back over the $150 million mark. I wonder how long that will last though …

25. Italian archaeological attraction POMPEII
The ancient city of Pompeii is situated close to Naples in Italy. Pompeii was destroyed in AD 79 by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius. The city was completely lost from that time, and was only rediscovered in 1748. Excavations have uncovered the remarkably well-preserved buildings and roads, and Pompeii now attracts over 2 million visitors annually.

26. Puma competitor NIKE
Nike was the Greek goddess of victory, often referred to as the Winged Goddess of Victory. The athletic shoe company Nike uses the “Nike swoosh” as its logo, which is based on the goddess’s wing.

Puma is a German company that sells athletic shoes worldwide. The company is most famous for its line of soccer boots.

28. Italian tourist attraction ETNA
Mt. Etna is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy. Mt Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius.

33. CFO’s degree MBA
The world’s first Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree was offered by Harvard’s Graduate School of Business Administration, in 1908.

35. Verizon competitor ATT
The original AT&T Corporation was first known as the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.

GTE was a rival to AT&T, the largest of the independent competitors to the Bell System. GTE merged with Bell Atlantic in 2000 to form the company that we know today as Verizon.

37. The Lord, in Lourdes DIEU
Lourdes is a town in France where a 14-year-old peasant girl reported visions of the Virgin Mary. One of the instructions Mary gave to the girl was to drink water from a nearby spring. A local priest and bishop bought the land where the spring was located and developed it for visitors. This all happened in 1858, and now over 80,000 pilgrims a year visit the site.

43. Campsite sight PUP TENT
A pup tent is a small ridge tent, meant for use by 2-3 people. The term “pup tent” has been around since the mid-1800s. Sometimes a pup tent used to be called a dog tent, for some reason.

47. Peak near Olympus MT OSSA
Mount Ossa in Greece is located between Mt. Pelion in the south, and the famed Mt. Olympus in the north. Mount Ossa is also known as Kissavos.

49. Lincoln Memorial feature STATUE
The Lincoln Memorial is my favorite place to visit in the whole of Washington D.C. The memorial was designed by Henry Bacon, and the sculptor of the magnificent statue of President Lincoln was Daniel Chester French. I spent a wonderful afternoon a few years ago touring the workshop and home of French, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The workshop is stunning, with miniature studies for his magnus opus, the Lincoln Statue, as well as many other beautiful works.

53. Black-and-white sea predators ORCAS
The taxonomic name for the killer whale is Orcinus orca. The use of the name “orca”, rather than “killer whale”, is becoming more and more common. The Latin word “Orcinus” means “belonging to Orcus”, with Orcus being the name for the Kingdom of the Dead.

54. Narrow inlet RIA
A drowned valley might be called a ria or a fjord, both formed as sea level rises. A ria is a drowned valley created by river erosion, and a fjord is a drowned valley created by glaciation.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Mutinous Kubrick computer HAL
4. High-end violin STRAD
9. Sextet for Henry VIII WIVES
14. British verb suffix -ISE
15. “Some glory in __ birth …”: Shak. THEIR
16. Ginsburg associate ALITO
17. Sprightly dance JIG
18. Shepherdess’ movie role? LEADING LADY
20. Sharp-wittedness ACUMEN
22. Gore, once VEEP
23. Jeweler’s movie role? CAMEO APPEARANCE
29. Met previously KNEW
30. “I’m listening …” GO ON …
31. Delta deposit SILT
32. False flattery SMARM
34. Robbins’ ice cream partner BASKIN
36. ER personnel MDS
39. Horse trainer’s movie role? BIT PART
41. Org. concerned with the AQI EPA
42. Crankcase component OIL PAN
44. Sends out EMITS
46. Boyfriend BEAU
47. Bearing MIEN
48. Meat pkg. letters USDA
52. Weightlifter’s movie role? SUPPORTING ACTOR
56. Chamber group often including a piano TRIO
57. Under control IN HAND
58. What 18-, 23-, 39- and 52-Across exemplify? TYPE-CASTING
63. Loafer front TOE
64. Madison Square Garden, e.g. ARENA
65. Cookbook verb SAUTE
66. Decorative vase URN
67. H.S. hurdles PSATS
68. Heavy metal cover ARMOR
69. Del. clock setting EST

Down
1. Take by force HIJACK
2. “… based on my abilities” … AS I CAN
3. Peanut, for one LEGUME
4. Fifth cen. pope called “The Great” ST LEO
5. “Come to think of it …” THEN AGAIN …
6. Stephen of “Breakfast on Pluto” REA
7. Succor AID
8. Hungry for success, say DRIVEN
9. Track transaction WAGER
10. “No thanks” I’LL PASS
11. Google Maps directions word VIA
12. Sea-Tac approx. ETD
13. Protein-rich bean SOY
19. Org. that funds cultural exhibitions NEA
21. Litter peeps MEWS
24. Cruise stop PORT
25. Italian archaeological attraction POMPEII
26. Puma competitor NIKE
27. Paper holder CLIP
28. Italian tourist attraction ETNA
33. CFO’s degree MBA
34. Invite as a member of BRING INTO
35. Verizon competitor ATT
36. Unruly groups MOBS
37. The Lord, in Lourdes DIEU
38. Response to freshness? SLAP
40. “You got that right!” AMEN!
43. Campsite sight PUP TENT
45. Very SUCH
47. Peak near Olympus MT OSSA
49. Lincoln Memorial feature STATUE
50. Bloodmobile visitors DONORS
51. Zealous ARDENT
53. Black-and-white sea predators ORCAS
54. Narrow inlet RIA
55. __ management ANGER
58. Bug on the line TAP
59. Timeline parts: Abbr. YRS
60. Shooter lead-in PEA-
61. Sealing goo TAR
62. Periodic table suffix -IUM

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