Day: September 2, 2015

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Flier among hangers MOTH
The larvae of several types of moth are noted for eating fabrics made from natural fibers such as wool or cotton. Many people store woolens in cedar chests believing that the scent of the wood prevents a moth infestation. In fact, the only known effective repellent is the naphthalene found in mothballs, which might be a health concern for humans. One way to kill moth larvae in fabric is to freeze the garment for several days at a temperature below 8 degrees centigrade.

9. Exams for future attys. LSATS
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) has been around since 1948.

16. Open courtyards ATRIA
In modern architecture an atrium (plural “atria” or “atriums”) is a large open space usually in the center of a building and extending upwards to the roof. The original atrium was an open court in the center of an Ancient Roman house. One could access most of the enclosed rooms of the house from the atrium.

17. Some Broadway theater handouts SHOW BILLS
A show bill is an advertising poster, particularly one for a play or stage show.

19. Green shampoo PRELL
Prell shampoo was introduced by Procter & Gamble in 1947. Back then it was a clear green concentrate sold in a tube (like toothpaste).

21. Pilot-licensing org. FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was set up in 1958 (as the Federal Aviation Agency). The agency was established at that particular time largely in response to an increasing number of midair collisions. The worst of these disasters had taken place two years earlier over the Grand Canyon, a crash between two commercial passenger airplanes that resulted in 128 fatalities.

27. Hemingway nickname PAPA
Apparently, the author Ernest Hemingway picked up the moniker “Papa” on the birth of his first child (as one might expect!). Hemingway seemed to the like the nickname, and welcomed its use outside of the family, and his admirers obliged.

31. Yours, in Toulouse A TOI
“À toi” is the French term for “yours”, when talking to someone with whom one is familiar. “À toi” literally means “to you”.

Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France, and is locate in the southwest of the country. These days, Toulouse is noted as home to the Airbus headquarters and is known as the center of the European aerospace industry.

33. __ husky ALASKAN
The Alaskan husky is type of dog, not a breed. The name is applied to a sled dog that has been bred for that purpose.

36. PC exit key ESC
Escape (ESC)

38. Tournament advantage BYE
The word “bye”, as used in sport, originated in cricket. A bye is a run scored due to an error by the wicketkeeper (similar to a catcher in baseball) when he fails to stop a ball bowled by the bowler (like a pitcher in baseball). Later the word “bye” in sport came to mean the position of a player in a tournament who is left without a competitor when the rest have drawn pairs. In these commercial times, those byes tend to be awarded to the best (seeded) players, so that the most popular players always advance past the first round of competition.

39. With 40-Across, toy with a crank … and what each set of four circled puzzle squares graphically represents JACK-IN
40. See 39-Across -THE-BOX
A Jack-in-the-box is child’s toy. It’s a box with a crank handle at the side. Turning the crank causes a tune to play (usually “Pop Goes the Weasel”), and at the right moment the lid pops open and a spring loaded clown character jumps up out of the box.

42. D-backs, on scoreboards ARI
The Arizona Diamondbacks joined Major League Baseball’s National League in 1998. By winning the World Series in 2001, the Diamondbacks became the fastest expansion team to do so in Major League history.

43. “Little Red Book” author MAO
During China’s Cultural Revolution, the Communist Party published a book of statements and writings from Chairman Mao Zedong. Here in the West the publication was usually referred to as “The Little Red Book”.

46. Certain bond, briefly MUNI
A municipal bond (muni) is one that is issued by a city or local government, or some similar agency. Munis have an advantage over other investments in that any interest earned on the bond is usually exempt from state and federal income taxes.

48. Tae __ do KWON
Tae kwon do is the national sport of Korea. “Tae” means “to strike or break with foot”; “kwon” means “to strike or break with fist”; “do” means “way” or “art”. Along with judo, taekwondo is one of only two martial arts included in the Olympic Games.

50. “The __ lama, he’s a priest … “: Nash ONE-L
The poet Ogden Nash is well known for his light and humorous verse. Try this one for size:

The one-L lama,
He’s a priest.
The two-L llama,
He’s a beast.
And I would bet
A silk pajama
There isn’t any
Three-L lllama.

51. Sherry in a Poe title AMONTILLADO
“The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe that was first published in 1846. The story tells of a vengeful man who lures his enemy into the catacombs, locks him in chains and then traps him in a niche by sealing it with a brick wall. Nice man …

55. When doubled, a number puzzle KEN
KenKen is an arithmetic and logic puzzle invented quite recently, in 2004 by a Japanese math teacher named Tetsuya Miyamoto. “Ken” is the Japanese word for “cleverness”.

56. “Beatles ’65” song I’M A LOSER
The Beatles song “I’m a Loser” first appeared on the “Beatles for Sale” album in 1964. The first pressing of the album listed the song’s title as “I’m a Losser”. If you have one of those records, I’d say it’s worth a pretty penny …

65. Greek storyteller AESOP
Aesop is remembered today for his famous fables. Aesop lived in Ancient Greece, probably around the sixth century BC. Supposedly he was born a slave, somehow became a free man, but then met with a sorry end. Aesop was sent to the city of Delphi on a diplomatic mission but instead insulted the Delphians. He was tried on a trumped-up charge of stealing from a temple, sentenced to death and was thrown off a cliff.

66. Reject suddenly JILT
To “jilt” someone with whom you have a relationship is to drop them suddenly or callously. “Jilt” is an obsolete noun that used to mean “harlot” or “loose woman”.

68. Land maps PLATS
A plat is a map showing actual and planned features, so a town might have a plat showing existing and intended buildings.

Down
2. Nueve menos uno OCHO
In Spanish, nine minus one (nueve menos uno) is eight (ocho).

3. McAn of footwear THOM
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.

4. NHL great Gordie HOWE
Gordie Howe is a retired Canadian hockey player. Regarded as one of the games greatest players, Howe is sometimes referred to as “Mr Hockey”. He is the only hockey player to have competed in the NHL for five decades (from the forties through the eighties).

6. Camping gear company with a lantern in its logo COLEMAN
W. C. Coleman started his company in 1900, making and selling lamps in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.

8. People working for People, briefly EDS
Editor (ed.)

There used to be a “People” page in each issue of “Time” magazine. This page was spun-off in 1974 as a publication of its own, which we now call “People” magazine. “People” is noted for its annual special editions with features such as “Best & Worst Dressed” and “Sexiest Man Alive”. The “Sexiest Man Alive” edition now appears at the end of November each year. The first choice for “Sexiest Man” was Mel Gibson, in 1985.

13. Mineo of “Exodus” SAL
The actor Sal Mineo’s most famous role was John “Plato” Crawford, the kid who was in awe of the James Dean character in “Rebel Without a Cause”. Sadly, Mineo was murdered in 1976 when he was just 37 years old. He was attacked in the alley behind his Los Angeles apartment and stabbed through the heart. When an arrest was made it was discovered that the murderer had no idea that his victim was a celebrity, and that his plan was just to rob anyone who came along.

“Exodus” is a wonderful novel written by American writer Leon Uris, first published in 1947. The hero of the piece is Ari Ben Canaan, played by Paul Newman in the 1960 film adaptation directed by Otto Preminger.

18. Air rifle ammo BBS
A BB gun is an air pistol or rifle that shoots birdshot known as BBs. Birdshot comes in a number of different sizes, from size 9 (0.080″ in diameter) to size FF (.23″). 0.180″ diameter birdshot is size BB, which gives the airgun its name.

23. Caviar, e.g. 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 …

24. Award often blue RIBBON
Ribbons are often awarded in competitions to the winners. In the US, first, second and third place get blue, red and yellow ribbons in that order. In Canada, the same awards are red for first, then blue and yellow.

25. Pooh pal EEYORE
Eeyore is the donkey character in A. A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh”. Eeyore is very lovable, but has a gloomy and pessimistic outlook on life.

26. Philadelphia university DREXEL
Drexel University is a private school in Philadelphia, with a campus in Sacramento. It was founded in 1891 by philanthropist Anthony J. Drexel who was a Philadelphia financier. The school was originally known as the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry.

27. __ party PAJAMA
Our word “pajamas” comes to us from the Indian subcontinent, where “pai jamahs” were loose fitting pants tied at the waist and worn at night by locals and ultimately by the Europeans living there. And “pajamas” is another of those words that I had to learn to spell differently when I came to America. In the British Isles the spelling is “pyjamas”.

28. Shakespearean call to arms ALARUM
“Alarum” is a spelling often used by William Shakespeare for “alarm”.

29. “Scarface” (1983) star PACINO
Al Pacino seems to be best known for playing characters on both sides of the law. Pacino’s big break in movies came when he played Michael Corleone in “The Godfather”, a role that grew for him as the series of films progressed. But his Oscar-winning role was that of a blind ex-military officer in “Scent of a Woman”.

“Scarface” is a 1983 gangster movie starring Al Pacino as a Cuban expatriate drug lord in Miami. The film was directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, and is a remake of a 1932 film of the same name.

34. “Bette Davis Eyes” singer Carnes KIM
Kim Carnes has an incredible raspy voice. Perhaps Carnes’ most famous release was “Bette Davis Eyes”, one of my favorite songs. Back in 1966, she was a member of the New Christy Minstrels, performing alongside Kenny Rogers and Karen Black.

35. Luke and Leia’s father ANAKIN
Anakin “Ani” Skywalker is the principal character in all six of the “Star Wars” movies. His progress chronologically through the series of films is:

– Episode I: Anakin is a 9-year-old slave boy who earns the promise of Jedi training by young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
– Episode II: Anakin is 18-years-old and goes on a murdering rampage to avenge the killing of his mother.
– Episode III: Anakin is 21-years-old and a Jedi knight, but he turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. His wife Padme gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker.
– Episode IV: Darth Vader, comes into conflict with his children, Luke Skywalker and the Princess Leia.
– Episode V: Darth Vader attempts to coax his son Luke over to the dark side, and reveals to Luke that he is his father.
– Episode VI: Luke learns that Leia is his sister, and takes on the task of bringing Darth Vader back from the Dark Side in order to save the Galaxy. Vader saves his son from the Emperor’s evil grip, dying in the process, but his spirit ends up alongside the spirits of Yoda and Obi-Wan. They all live happily ever after …

37. Friend of Fidel CHE
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born in Argentina, and in 1948 he started to study medicine at the University of Buenos Aires. While at school he satisfied his need to “see the world” by taking two long journeys around South America, the story of which are told in Guevara’s memoir later published as “The Motorcycle Diaries”. While travelling, Guevara was moved by the plight of the people he saw and their working conditions and what he viewed as capitalistic exploitation. In Mexico City he met brothers Raul and Fidel Castro and was persuaded to join their cause, the overthrow of the US-backed government in Cuba. He rose to second-in-command among the Cuban insurgents, and when Castro came to power Guevara was influential in repelling the Bay of Pigs Invasion and bringing Soviet nuclear missiles to the island. Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to continue his work as a revolutionary. He was captured by Bolivian forces in 1967, and was executed. Fidel Castro led the public mourning of Guevara’s death, and soon the revolutionary was an icon for many left-wing movements around the world.

47. Place to dip a quill INKPOT
“Inkpot” is another name for “inkwell”, a container for holding ink into which a pen is dipped.

Quills have been used as writing implements since the 6th century. Historically, goose, swan and turkey feathers have been the quills of choice. A bird’s feather is well suited for writing, as the hollow shaft acts as a reservoir for ink which then flows to the tip due to capillary action. Choice of feather is important. Right-handed writers are best served by feathers from the left wing, as the feather curves away from the palm of the hand when writing. The tip of the quill is sharpened using a “quill knife”. This quill knife is the ancestor of what we know today as a “penknife”.

49. Piglet of children’s books OLIVIA
Olivia is a pig featured in a series of children’s books that is written and illustrated by Ian Falconer. The character was inspired by Falconer’s niece, also named Olivia.

53. 35-Down, as a Sith lord DARTH
(35D. Luke and Leia’s father ANAKIN)
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”.

54. Rusted, perhaps OLD
Rust is iron oxide, and oxidation is the reaction that combines an element with oxygen.

57. Setting of Camus’ “The Plague” ORAN
Oran lies on the Algerian coast, and is famous for being the port where the French Navy was largely destroyed by the British during WWII in order to avoid the French vessels falling into the hands of Nazi Germany after France surrendered. This decisive and unexpected unilateral action by the British sent a very strong message around the world that Britain was willing to fight alone against the axis powers if necessary.

“The Plague” is a novel by Albert Camus, first published in 1947. It is set in the Algerian port of Oran during a terrible plague.

Albert Camus was a French author, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. Sadly, Camus died in a car accident just two years after he received the prize, at only 46 years of age.

60. Spent time with Time READ
“Time” magazine has a readership of about 25 million, making it the largest circulation weekly news magazine in the world.

63. DOD intel arm NSA
The National Security Agency (NSA) was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense since 1949. The NSA has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that established the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the organization’s nickname … “No Such Agency”.

The largest government department in cabinet is the Department of Defense (DOD), with a permanent staff of over 600 thousand. The smallest department, by far, is the Department of Education, with a mere four or five thousand employees.

64. Drinks at IHOP OJS
Orange juice (OJ)

The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) was founded back in 1958. IHOP was originally intended to be called IHOE, the International House of Eggs, but that name didn’t do too well in marketing tests …

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Flier among hangers MOTH
5. Hurt ACHE
9. Exams for future attys. LSATS
14. Alpine feedback ECHO
15. Something to chew on FOOD
16. Open courtyards ATRIA
17. Some Broadway theater handouts SHOW BILLS
19. Green shampoo PRELL
20. Raised on one’s own ranch, as a horse HOMEBRED
21. Pilot-licensing org. FAA
22. Like many senior part-timers SEMI-RETIRED
27. Hemingway nickname PAPA
31. Yours, in Toulouse A TOI
32. Stadium level TIER
33. __ husky ALASKAN
36. PC exit key ESC
38. Tournament advantage BYE
39. With 40-Across, toy with a crank … and what each set of four circled puzzle squares graphically represents JACK-IN
40. See 39-Across -THE-BOX
42. D-backs, on scoreboards ARI
43. “Little Red Book” author MAO
45. It’s not pretty to look at EYESORE
46. Certain bond, briefly MUNI
48. Tae __ do KWON
50. “The __ lama, he’s a priest … “: Nash ONE-L
51. Sherry in a Poe title AMONTILLADO
55. When doubled, a number puzzle KEN
56. “Beatles ’65” song I’M A LOSER
61. Common news hr. TEN PM
64. Intensely active state OVERDRIVE
65. Greek storyteller AESOP
66. Reject suddenly JILT
67. Field AREA
68. Land maps PLATS
69. Ornamental band SASH
70. Socially awkward type NERD

Down
1. Interlock MESH
2. Nueve menos uno OCHO
3. McAn of footwear THOM
4. NHL great Gordie HOWE
5. In flames AFIRE
6. Camping gear company with a lantern in its logo COLEMAN
7. “Wait a minute!” HOLD IT!
8. People working for People, briefly EDS
9. Wash gently against LAP AT
10. Narrow waterway STRAIT
11. “__ you coming?” ARE
12. Up to, casually ‘TIL
13. Mineo of “Exodus” SAL
18. Air rifle ammo BBS
21. Full of gumption FEISTY
23. Caviar, e.g. ROE
24. Award often blue RIBBON
25. Pooh pal EEYORE
26. Philadelphia university DREXEL
27. __ party PAJAMA
28. Shakespearean call to arms ALARUM
29. “Scarface” (1983) star PACINO
30. “Try me” ASK
34. “Bette Davis Eyes” singer Carnes KIM
35. Luke and Leia’s father ANAKIN
37. Friend of Fidel CHE
41. Spanish “that” ESO
44. Woodland mouser OWL
45. Glossy coats ENAMELS
47. Place to dip a quill INKPOT
49. Piglet of children’s books OLIVIA
52. Holiday hires TEMPS
53. 35-Down, as a Sith lord DARTH
54. Rusted, perhaps OLD
57. Setting of Camus’ “The Plague” ORAN
58. Many a retired racehorse SIRE
59. At any time EVER
60. Spent time with Time READ
61. Gentle touch TAP
62. Oft-smoked fish EEL
63. DOD intel arm NSA
64. Drinks at IHOP OJS

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