Constructed by: Paul Coulter
Edited by: Rich Norris
Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
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Theme: Dr, Hoodoo
Today’s themed answers are common phrases, but with an extra, rhyming syllable added:
- 23A…Wimpish newspaper writer?..EDITORIAL WIENIE (from “editorial we”)
- 36A…Corleone family member providing free downloads?..SONNY AND SHAREWARE (from “Sonny and Cher”)
- 59A…Succeed after leaving the band?..REAP WHAT YOU SOLO (from “reap what you sow”)
- 87A…Gardening during karate training?..RAKING IN THE DOJO (from “raking in the dough”)
- 103A…Old Aspen music maker?..ROCKY MOUNTAIN HI-FI (from “Rocky Mountain High”)
- 126A…”The comedian just wasn’t funny”?..NOT MY CUP OF TE-HEE (from “not my cup of tea”)
Bill’s time: 26m 02s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1…Agcy. that does searches..TSA
The TSA is the Transportation Security Administration, the good folks that check passengers and baggage at airports.
4…Curry spice..CUMIN
Cumin is a flowering plant native to the region stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to East India. Cumin spice is made from the dried seeds and is the second most common spice used in the world (only black pepper is more popular). Cumin is particularly associated with Indian cuisine and is a key ingredient in curry powder. Lovely stuff …
9…Letter-moving gp…USPO
The US Postal Service (USPS) is sometimes referred to as the US Post Office (USPO).
The US Postal Service (USPS) is a remarkable agency in many ways. For starters, the government’s right and responsibility to establish the Post Office is specifically called out in Article One of the US constitution. Also, the first postmaster general was none other than Benjamin Franklin. And, the USPS operates over 200,000 vehicles, which is the largest vehicle fleet in the world.
18…Song and dance..RIGAMAROLE
“Rigmarole” (sometimes “rigamarole”) is a lovely word, used for an elaborate and complicated procedure. According to the OED, the term evolved from a medieval game of chance called “Ragman’s Roll”. I guess it was a complicated game …
23…Wimpish newspaper writer?..EDITORIAL WIENIE (from “editorial we”)
The “royal we” is more correctly called the majestic plural, and is the use of a plural pronoun to describe a single person in a high office. I suppose the most often quoted phrase that uses the majestic plural is, “We are not amused”, often attributed to Queen Victoria. The editorial “we” is a similar concept, in which a newspaper editor or columnist refers to himself or herself when giving an opinion.
25…Patsy’s “Ab Fab” pal..EDINA
“Absolutely Fabulous” (sometimes shortened to “Ab Fab”) is a cult-classic sitcom produced by the BBC. The two stars of the show are Jennifer Saunders (Edina Monsoon) and Joanna Lumley (Patsy Stone). “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie” hit the screens in 2016. I haven’t seen it yet, but my wife did and really enjoyed it. She said that there’s a veritable cavalcade of British stars that make an appearance …
27…Bourbon and others: Abbr…STS
When New Orleans was founded by the French, the House of Bourbon was ruling France. Bourbon Street was named in its honor.
The House of Bourbon is a royal house in Europe that ruled France right up until the French Revolution. Famous French kings such as Louis XIV and Louis XVI all belonged to the House of Bourbon.
28…Small birds with complex songs..WRENS
A wren is a small songbird belonging to the family troglodytidae and the genus troglodytes.
30…Home on the range..TEEPEE
A tepee (also written as “tipi” and “teepee”) is a cone-shaped tent traditionally made from animal hides that is used by the Great Plains Native Americans. A wigwam is a completely different structure and is often a misnomer for a tepee. A wigwam is a domed structure built by Native Americans in the West and Southwest, intended to be a more permanent dwelling. The wigwam can also be covered with hides but more often was covered with grass, reeds, brush or cloth.
32…Mine, in Marseilles..A MOI
“À moi” (literally “to me”) is French for “mine”.
34…Winter Palace resident..TSAR
The Winter Palace is a magnificent building in St. Petersburg in Russia, home to the Russian tsars (and tsarinas). The Winter Palace houses the famous Hermitage Museum. I was lucky enough to visit the Palace and museum some years ago, and I have to say that I have rarely been more impressed by a historical building.
36…Corleone family member providing free downloads?..SONNY AND SHAREWARE (from “Sonny and Cher”)
Sonny Corleone was eldest son of Don Vito Corleone in Mario Puzo’s great novel “The Godfather”. In the movie, Sonny was played by James Caan. Sonny appears as a boy in the movie “The Godfather: Part II”, and is played by director Francis Ford Coppola’s own son, Roman Coppola.
Shareware is software that is distributed for free, although there is usually a request to pay non-compulsory license fee.
The famous duo Sonny & Cher started out in the mid-1960s as backing singer working with Phil Spector. The couple married in 1964, and the next year released their breakthrough numbers “Baby Don’t Go” and “I Got You Babe”. Sonny and Cher divorced in 1975, and dissolved their act that same year. Cher moved onto a successful solo career that continues to this day. Sonny Bono was elected as a US Congressman for California in 1995. Sadly, he didn’t finish his term in the House as he died from injuries sustained in a skiing accident in 1998.
44…Bowlers, e.g…HATS
I think a bowler hat is usually called a derby here in the US. The bowler was first produced in 1849 in London by hatmakers Thomas and William Bowler, hence the name. The alternative name of “derby” comes from the tradition of wearing bowler hats at the Derby horse race (a major race held annually in England).
50…Heather family shrubs..ERICAS
It is a commonly held belief that heather and erica are the same thing botanically, but in fact, erica is another name for a different species called “heath”.
53…Bermuda Triangle locale: Abbr…ATL
The Bermuda Triangle is an area in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean that is famous for the loss of ships and aircraft under mysterious circumstances. The triangular area is roughly defined by Miami, Florida, and the islands of Bermuda and Puerto Rico.
58…”JAG” spin-off..NCIS
NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigates crimes in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The service gives its name to the CBS TV show “NCIS”, a spin-off drama from “JAG” in which the main “NCIS” characters were first introduced. The big star in “NCIS” is the actor Mark Harmon. “NCIS” is now a franchise, with spinoff shows “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “NCIS: New Orleans”.
The legal drama “JAG” is named for the highest ranking uniformed lawyer in the US Navy, the Judge Advocate General. Apparently the show was created as a cross between “Top Gun” and “A Few Good Men”.
59…Succeed after leaving the band?..REAP WHAT YOU SOLO (from “reap what you sow”)
The commonly quoted line “As ye sow, so shall ye reap” is not actually a direct quote from the Bible, although the sentiment is expressed there at least twice. In the Book of Job is the line “They that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same”. In the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians is the line “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”.
64…Katniss’ “Hunger Games” ally..PEETA
“The Hunger Games” is a 2008 novel by Suzanne Collins, the first in a trilogy of titles that also includes “Catching Fire” (2009) and “Mockingjay” (2010). “The Hunger Games” was adapted into a very successful movie released in 2012, with the sequels following soon after. Amazon.com reports more sales of “The Hunger Games” series books than even the “Harry Potter” series.
65…South Carolina river..SANTEE
South Carolina’s Santee River was named by English settlers for the Santee tribe that lived along its banks. The Santee River was dammed in the late 1930s and early 1940s to form Lake Marion reservoir as part of a WPA project.
66…Foreword..INTRO
A “preface” is a book’s introduction that is written by the author himself or herself. A “foreword” is an introduction written by a different person, and precedes the author’s preface. Note the spelling of “foreword”, as opposed to the spelling of the relative direction “forward”. A book may also have an “afterword”, a commentary that may or may not be written by the author.
67…Closet concern..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.
In old French a “clos” was an enclosure, with the diminutive form “closet” describing a small enclosure or private room. Over time this evolved into our modern usage, to describe a cabinet or cupboard.
70…Game ragout..SALMI
Salmi (also “salmis”) is a spicy dish made with roasted game birds that have been minced and stewed in wine and butter.
A “ragout” is dish from French cuisine, highly-seasoned stew of either meat or fish. The name “ragout” comes from the verb “ragouter”, “to revive the taste”. The Italian “ragù” is a term borrowed from the French that describes a meat-based sauce served with pasta.
72…Fields who founded Mrs. Fields..DEBBI
The Mrs. Fields brand of snack foods was founded in the late seventies by Debbi Fields. Fields opened her first store in Palo Alto, California.
76…It’s generally higher on the hwy…MPG
Miles per gallon (mpg)
78…Fuzz..LINT
Lint”, meaning “fluff”, is one of those terms that I had to learn when I moved to the US. We call the same thing “fuzz” on the other side of the pond …
82…Vehicle with caterpillar treads..SNO-CAT
The brand name Sno-Cat is owned by the Tucker company. All “snowcats” are tracked vehicles built to work in snow, famously used in expeditions to the polar regions. The modern Sno-Cat from Tucker differs from its competitors in that it has four independently-mounted tracks.
85…Jays and Rays..ALERS
American League (AL)
The Toronto Blue Jays baseball franchise was founded in 1977. The Blue Jays are the only team based outside the US to have won a World Series, doing so in 1992 and 1993. And since the Montreal Expos relocated to Washington, the Blue Jays are the only Major League Baseball team now headquartered outside of the US.
The Tampa Bay Rays are a relatively “young” franchise, being formed in 1998. The initial name of the franchise was the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. While known as the Devil Rays, the team finished last in the league in almost every year. The name was changed to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, and I am told the Rays started into a streak of winning seasons soon after.
87…Gardening during karate training?..RAKING IN THE DOJO (from “raking in the dough”)
The Japanese word “dojo” literally means “place of the way”. Originally the term applied to training halls that were found in or beside temples. The teaching in a dojo was not limited to the martial arts, but in the Western world we use the dojo as the name for a training facility for judo, karate and the like.
90…Jupiter’s wife..JUNO
Juno was the patron goddess of Rome and the Roman Empire, and also looked after the interests of the women of Rome. Juno was the sister and wife of Jupiter, the king of the Roman gods.
91…Emperor after Claudius..NERO
Nero was Emperor of Rome from 54 to 68 CE, and he had quite the family life. When he was just 16-years-old Nero married his step-sister Claudia Octavia. He also had his mother and step-brother executed.
I find Claudius to be the most fascinating of all the Roman Emperors. Claudius had a lot going against him as he walked with a limp and was slightly deaf. He was put in office by the Praetorian Guard (the emperor’s bodyguards) after Caligula was assassinated. Claudius had very little political experience and yet proved to be very forward-thinking and capable.
93…Driver’s choice..SEDAN
The American “sedan” car is the equivalent of the British “saloon” car. By definition, a sedan car has two rows of seating and a separate trunk (boot in the UK), although in some models the engine can be at the rear of the car.
94…Good-for-nothing..OTIOSE
Otiose means “lazy, indolent”, and comes from the Latin word “otium” meaning “leisure”.
96…PGA part: Abbr…ASSN
The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) was founded in 1916 and today has its headquarters (unsurprisingly) in Florida, where so many golfers live. Back in 1916, the PGA was based in New York City.
100…__ de coeur: pained outburst..CRI
A “cri de coeur” is an impassioned outcry, literally “cry of the heart” in French.
103…Old Aspen music maker?..ROCKY MOUNTAIN HI-FI (from “Rocky Mountain High”)
Hi-fi systems were introduced in the late forties, and is audio equipment designed to give a much higher quality reproduction of sound than cheaper systems available up to that point. “Hi-fi” stands for “high fidelity”.
“Rocky Mountain High” is a song by John Denver. Since 2007, “Rocky Mountain High” has been one of the two official state songs of Colorado. The song may not have received that honor had there not been a clarification of the meaning of some of the words. Some radio stations actually banned it for a while, assuming that the “high” in the title was a drug reference.
Aspen, Colorado used to be known as Ute City, with the name change taking place in 1880. Like many communities in the area, Aspen was a mining town, and in 1891 and 1892 it was at the center of the highest production of silver in the US. Nowadays, it’s all about skiing and movie stars.
108…Desolate..LORN
To be “lorn” is be “bereft, forsaken”. “Lorn” is an archaic term meaning “lost”. A lovely word, I think …
The term “desolate” usually describes a place that is barren or uninhabited. A person can also feel desolate, feel abandoned and lonely.
109…Hammett hound..ASTA
Asta is the wonderful little dog in the superb “The Thin Man” series of films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy (as Nick and Nora Charles). In the original story by Dashiell Hammett, Asta was a female Schnauzer, but on screen Asta was played by a wire-haired fox terrier called “Skippy”. Skippy was also the dog in “Bringing up Baby” with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, the one who kept stealing the dinosaur bone. Skippy retired in 1939, so Asta was played by other dogs in the remainder of “The Thin Man” films.
Dashiell Hammett was an American author known for his detective fiction. Hammett was the creator of such enduring characters as Sam Spade from “The Maltese Falcon” as well as Nick and Nora Charles from “The Thin Man”. Outside of writing, Hammett was also politically active and serves as the president of a group the Civil Rights Congress (CRC) after WWII. The CRC was deemed to be a Communist front group and was listed as a subversive organization by the US government. At one point, he even served time in jail for contempt of court, after refusing to answer some questions in a trial in which the CRC was involved.
110…Soft sweater..ANGORA
Angora wool comes from the Angora rabbit. On the other hand, the Angora goat produces the wool known as mohair.
115…Ocean ring..ATOLL
An atoll is a coral island that is shaped in a ring and enclosing a lagoon. There is still some debate as to how an atoll forms, but a theory proposed by Charles Darwin while on his famous voyage aboard HMS Beagle still holds sway. Basically an atoll was once a volcanic island that had subsided and fallen into the sea. The coastline of the island is home to coral growth which persists even as the island continues to subside internal to the circling coral reef.
121…Medicinal amt…TSP
Teaspoon (tsp.)
124…”America’s Funniest Home Videos” host..SAGET
Bob Saget is a real enigma to me. He made a name for himself playing very sugary roles in TV shows like “Full House” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos”, and yet in the world of stand-up comedy he is known for very blue and raunchy routines.
129…Long-distance commuter’s community..EXURB
As an extension to the term “suburb”, an “exurb” is an area beyond the suburbs at the very outskirts of a city. Often the term exurb is used to denote an area inhabited by more wealthy people.
130…Actress Gershon..GINA
Gina Gershon is an American actress. Gershon has played a lesbian on screen a number of times and has become somewhat of a gay icon.
131…Capital on the Danube..BRATISLAVA
Bratislava is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. The city itself actually borders Austria and Hungary, making Bratislava the only national capital in the world that borders two foreign countries.
The Danube is the second largest river in Europe (after the Volga). The Danube flows through four European capitals (Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade and Bratislava).
132…Japanese-American..NISEI
There are some very specific terms used to describe the children born to Japanese immigrants in their new country. The immigrants themselves are known as “Issei”. “Nisei” are second generation Japanese, “Sansei” the third generation (grandchildren of the immigrant), and “Yonsei” are fourth generation.
Down
1…Late October option..TREAT
Trick or treat!
5…”The Haj” novelist..URIS
“The Haj” is a novel by the very successful American author Leon Uris. Set in Palestine in the first half of the 20th century, the novel follows the life of a Palestinian named Ishmael against the backdrop of the political events taking place in the area in that period of time.
10…Loudness unit..SONE
In the world of acoustics, the “sone” was introduced in 1935 as a unit of perceived loudness.
11…Statue base..PLINTH
A plinth is a block on which something is placed, especially a column. The Greek word “plinthos” means “squared stone”.
12…Black Sea port..ODESSA
The city of Odessa (also “Odesa”) in Ukraine was founded relatively recently, in 1794 by Catherine the Great. The city was originally meant to be called Odessos after an ancient Greek city believed to have been located nearby. Catherine liked the way the locals pronounced the name as “Odessa” and so went with the less Greek-sounding name.
14…Highway safety org. since 1980..MADD
Candice Lightner lost her 13-year-old child to a drink driver in 1980. Soon after, Lightner formed the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
16…Eye care solution brand..RENU
ReNu is a brand name of contact lens products sold by Bausch & Lomb.
20…Tiny particles..MOTES
A “mote” is a speck of dust.
31…Daybreak goddess..EOS
In Greek mythology, Eos is the goddess of the dawn who lived at the edge of the ocean. Eos would wake each morning to welcome her brother Helios the sun. The Roman equivalent of Eos is Aurora.
33…Printemps period..MAI
In French, the month of “mai” (May) is in the season of “printemps” (spring).
35…Chariot-riding god..ARES
The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of bloodlust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos, Deimos and Eros. The Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars. Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera.
37…Sweet Sixteen org…NCAA
In the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship, the teams remaining at various stages of the tournament are known as:
- The “Sweet Sixteen” (the regional semi-finalists)
- The “Elite Eight” (the regional finalists)
- The “Final Four” (the national semi-finalists)
38…Capone colleague..NITTI
Frank Nitti was one of the top henchmen working for Al Capone. Unlike American-born Capone, Nitti was actually from Italy and was born near the city of Salerno. When Capone was eventually put away for 11 years for tax evasion, Nitti was convicted of the same crime. Nitti was only imprisoned for 18 months, and when released he was labelled as the new head of Capone’s Chicago Outfit. However the truth seems to be that he was just a frontman, with others making the decisions.
39…Starch-producing palm tree..SAGO
When I was growing up in Ireland I was very familiar with pearl sago, which is very similar to pearl tapioca. Pearls of sago are simply little balls of sago starch used to make breads, pancakes, biscuits, or the steamed puddings that we ate as kids. Sago comes from pith of the sago palm tree. To get at the starch the tree has to be cut down and the trunk split to reveal the pith. The pith is crushed and manipulated to make the starch available, which is then washed out of a fibrous suspension. One sago palm tree yields about 150-300 kg of starch. Personally I love the stuff, but then, I am a bit weird …
42…”Something to Talk About” singer..RAITT
Bonnie Raitt is a blues singer, originally from Burbank, California. Raitt has won nine Grammys for her work, but she is perhaps as well known for her political activism as she is for her music. She was no fan of President George W. Bush while he was in office, and she sure did show it.
43…Bacon serving?..ESSAY
The English philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon wrote a celebrated and respected collection of essays called “The Essayes”, first published in 1597. My favorite of these essays is “Of Simulation and Dissimulation”, which observes:
Dissimulation, in the negative; when a man lets fall signs and arguments, that he is not, that he is… Simulation, in the affirmative; when a man industriously and expressly feigns and pretends to be, that he is not.
46…Like some organisms modified in labs..TRANSGENIC
A transgene is a segment of DNA that has been taken from one organism and introduced into another. As one might perhaps imagine, the use of transgenes is fraught with controversy.
47…Anatomical walls..SEPTA
In the world of anatomy, a septum (plural “septa”) is a dividing wall within a chamber or other structure. For example, the interatrial septum separates the left and right atria of the heart, and the nasal septum separates the nostrils of the nose.
54…”Casino Royale” Bond girl Vesper __..LYND
Vesper Lynd is a character in Ian Fleming’s novel “Casino Royale”. Lynd was played by Ursula Andress in the 1967 film spoof of the same name, and by Eva Green in the more action-packed 2006 “Casino Royale” starring Daniel Craig as 007.
56…20th-century blight victim..ELM
Dutch elm disease is a fungus devastating to all species of elm trees that is transmitted by the elm bark beetle. The disease is thought to have originated in Asia and is now rampant in Europe and North America. Even though there is a hybrid of elm known as the Dutch elm, the disease isn’t named after the tree. Rather, the disease is called “Dutch” as it was identified in 1921 by a phytopathologist (plant pathologist) in the Netherlands.
61…”SNL” castmate of Ferrell and Gasteyer..OTERI
Cheri Oteri was the SNL cast member who regularly appeared with Will Ferrell in the skit featuring a pair of Spartan cheerleaders.
Will Ferrell is a comedian and comic actor from Irvine, California who got his big break as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) in the mid-nineties. While appearing on SNL, Ferrell was noted for several impersonations, including President George W. Bush, Neil Diamond, James Lipton, Ted Kennedy and Janet Reno.
Ana Gasteyer is an actress best known for being a cast member of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) from 1996 to 2002. Gasteyer was famous on SNL for playing Martha Stewart … topless!
62…Name of eight popes..URBAN
There have been eight popes named Urban who have led the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Urban I was in office from 222 to 230 and is the only one of the eight to have been sanctified. Urban VII’s papacy was the shortest in the history of the church. He died from malaria just 13 days after having been chosen as Pope in September 1590.
63…Pulitzer-winning Ferber novel..SO BIG
Edna Ferber was a novelist and playwright from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ferber won a Pulitzer for her novel “So Big”, which was made into a film a few times, most famously in 1953 starring Jane Wyman. Ferber also wrote “Showboat”, “Cimarron” and “Giant”, which were adapted successful for the stage and/or big screen.
73…Sister of Osiris..ISIS
Isis was the ancient Egyptian goddess of fertility, as well as the protector of the dead and the goddess of children. She was the personification of the pharaoh’s power. The name “Isis” translates as “throne”, and she is usually depicted with a headdress shaped like a throne.
Osiris was the Egyptian god of the underworld. Osiris was the son of Geb the Earth god, and Nut the sky goddess. His wife Isis was also his sister. Osiris was killed and mutilated by Set, his own brother. Isis reassembled Osiris and revived him, just long enough that they could conceive their son Horus.
75…Data transmitter..MODEM
A modem is a device that is used to facilitate the transmission of a digital signal over an analog line. At one end of the line a modem is used to “modulate” an analog carrier signal to encode the the digital information, and at the other end a modem is used to “demodulate” the analog carrier signal and so reproduce the original digital information. This modulation-demodulation gives the device its name: a MOdulator-DEModulator, or “modem”.
77…Demotion in 2006 news..PLUTO
Pluto was discovered in 1930, and was welcomed as the ninth planet in our solar system. Pluto is relatively small in size, just one fifth of the mass of our own moon. In the seventies, astronomers began to discover more large objects in the solar system, including Eris, a “scattered disc object” at the outer reaches. Given that Eris is actually bigger than Pluto, and other objects really aren’t that much smaller, Pluto’s status as a planet was drawn into question. In 2006 there was a scientific definition for a “planet” agreed for the first time, resulting in Pluto being relegated to the status of “dwarf planet”, along with Eris.
79…Bluejacket..TAR
A Jack Tar, or just “tar”, was a seaman in the days of the British Empire. The term probably arose due to a sailor’s various uses of tar back then, including waterproofing his clothes and using tar in his hair to slick down his ponytail.
“Bluejacket” is a familiar term used for enlisted sailors in the Royal Navy and US Navy. In fact, the basic handbook for US Navy personnel is titled “The Bluejacket’s Manual”.
81…Methuselah’s father..ENOCH
There are two Enoch’s mentioned in the Bible. One was Enoch the son of Cain, and grandson of Adam. The second was Enoch the great-grandfather of Noah, and father of Methuselah.
83…A bit cracked..AJAR
Our word “ajar” is thought to come from Scottish dialect, in which “a char” means “slightly open”.
86…Hornswoggle..ROOK
“To rook” is to cheat. The earlier use of “rook” as a noun was as a disparaging term for a swindler or cheat. Somehow, it was insulting to refer to a person as a rook, as in the type of bird.
“To hornswoggle” is to cheat, to deceive, to bamboozle.
88…Zen riddle..KOAN
The concept of the “koan” appears in the Zen Buddhist tradition. A koan is a story, question or perhaps a statement that is used as an aid to meditation. It often takes the form of a problem or riddle that has no logical solution and is intended to help the meditator break free of reason and develop intuition.
91…Captain of the Nautilus..NEMO
The Jules Verne sci-fi novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” was first published in 1869-1870 as a serial in a French magazine. Star of the novel (to me) is Captain Nemo’s magnificent submarine called the Nautilus. The distance travelled by the Nautilus is the “20,000 leagues” in the title, not a depth. 20,000 leagues is about three times the circumference of the Earth.
95…Class guides..SYLLABI
“Syllabus” (plural “syllabi”) is the Latin word for “list”.
101…”__ tree falls … “..IF A
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody’s around to hear it, does it make a sound? Answers on a postcard please …
107…Tech. schools..INSTS
Institute (inst.)
111…Highlands native..GAEL
The Scottish Highlands are that part of the country that is not classified as the Lowlands (!). The Highlands make up the north and west of Scotland.
112…Early Irish alphabet..OGHAM
Ogham is an old Irish alphabet that is found on a few hundred surviving monuments located around the country and in parts of western Britain. The oldest of these inscriptions has been dated back to the 4th century.
113…”Still Me” memoirist..REEVE
The actor Christopher Reeve was most associated with his portrayal of Superman in the late seventies and early eighties. Reeve became paralyzed from the neck down when he fell from a horse in a jumping event in 1995. He passed away in 2004.
118…Old Italian capital..LIRE
The word “lira” is used in a number of countries for currency. “Lira” comes from the Latin for “pound” and is derived from a British pound sterling, the value of a Troy pound of silver. For example, the lira (plural “lire”) was the official currency of Italy before the country changed over to the euro in 2002.
120…Italian hot spot..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. Etna is home to a 110-km long narrow-guage railway, and two ski resorts.
123…Kitties..POTS
The “pot” in a card game has been referred to as the kitty since the 1880s. It’s not certain how the name “kitty” evolved but possibly it came from “kit”, the necessary equipment for the game.
127…It has an eye on television..CBS
CBS is the second-largest broadcaster in the world, second only to the BBC in the UK. CBS introduced its “eye” logo in 1951.
Complete List of Clues and Answers
Across
1…Agcy. that does searches..TSA
4…Curry spice..CUMIN
9…Letter-moving gp…USPO
13…Kind of cookie?..SMART
18…Song and dance..RIGAMAROLE
21…Auction cry..SOLD!
22…Have second thoughts..WAVER
23…Wimpish newspaper writer?..EDITORIAL WIENIE (from “editorial we”)
25…Patsy’s “Ab Fab” pal..EDINA
26…Divvy up..ALLOT
27…Bourbon and others: Abbr…STS
28…Small birds with complex songs..WRENS
29…Fit the facts..ADD UP
30…Home on the range..TEEPEE
32…Mine, in Marseilles..A MOI
34…Winter Palace resident..TSAR
36…Corleone family member providing free downloads?..SONNY AND SHAREWARE (from “Sonny and Cher”)
44…Bowlers, e.g…HATS
48…Biol. or chem…SCI
49…With 17-Down, warning cry..IT’S A …
50…Heather family shrubs..ERICAS
51…Blew it..ERRED
53…Bermuda Triangle locale: Abbr…ATL
55…Comes down with..GETS
58…”JAG” spin-off..NCIS
59…Succeed after leaving the band?..REAP WHAT YOU SOLO (from “reap what you sow”)
64…Katniss’ “Hunger Games” ally..PEETA
65…South Carolina river..SANTEE
66…Foreword..INTRO
67…Closet concern..MOTH
69…Muddy home..STY
70…Game ragout..SALMI
72…Fields who founded Mrs. Fields..DEBBI
74…Carpet manufacturers’ contraptions..LOOMS
76…It’s generally higher on the hwy…MPG
78…Fuzz..LINT
80…Bring up..RAISE
82…Vehicle with caterpillar treads..SNO-CAT
85…Jays and Rays..ALERS
87…Gardening during karate training?..RAKING IN THE DOJO (from “raking in the dough”)
90…Jupiter’s wife..JUNO
91…Emperor after Claudius..NERO
92…”Your point being … ?”..SOO …?
93…Driver’s choice..SEDAN
94…Good-for-nothing..OTIOSE
96…PGA part: Abbr…ASSN
100…__ de coeur: pained outburst..CRI
102…Insignificant..MERE
103…Old Aspen music maker?..ROCKY MOUNTAIN HI-FI (from “Rocky Mountain High”)
108…Desolate..LORN
109…Hammett hound..ASTA
110…Soft sweater..ANGORA
115…Ocean ring..ATOLL
119…Champagne buckets, e.g…ICERS
121…Medicinal amt…TSP
124…”America’s Funniest Home Videos” host..SAGET
125…Craze..MANIA
126…”The comedian just wasn’t funny”?..NOT MY CUP OF TE-HEE (from “not my cup of tea”)
129…Long-distance commuter’s community..EXURB
130…Actress Gershon..GINA
131…Capital on the Danube..BRATISLAVA
132…Japanese-American..NISEI
133…Painful rebuke..SLAP
134…Common thing?..SENSE
135…Came upon..MET
Down
1…Late October option..TREAT
2…Move furtively..SIDLE
3…Quick..AGILE
4…It’s driven..CAR
5…”The Haj” novelist..URIS
6…Zoo barrier..MOAT
7…”And how!”..I’LL SAY!
8…Just out..NEW
9…Log-in requirements..USER IDS
10…Loudness unit..SONE
11…Statue base..PLINTH
12…Black Sea port..ODESSA
13…One on the stand..SWEARER
14…Highway safety org. since 1980..MADD
15…All fired up..AVID
16…Eye care solution brand..RENU
17…See 49-Across.. … TRAP!
19…Crowning..ATOP
20…Tiny particles..MOTES
24…”Forget it!”..I WON’T!
31…Daybreak goddess..EOS
33…Printemps period..MAI
35…Chariot-riding god..ARES
37…Sweet Sixteen org…NCAA
38…Capone colleague..NITTI
39…Starch-producing palm tree..SAGO
40…Press release?..WINE
41…Online security feature..ACCESS CODE
42…”Something to Talk About” singer..RAITT
43…Bacon serving?..ESSAY
44…Half a matched set..HERS
45…Atlas stat..AREA
46…Like some organisms modified in labs..TRANSGENIC
47…Anatomical walls..SEPTA
52…Fixates (on)..DWELLS
54…”Casino Royale” Bond girl Vesper __..LYND
56…20th-century blight victim..ELM
57…Item on a belt..TOOL
60…Spherical opening?..HEMI-
61…”SNL” castmate of Ferrell and Gasteyer..OTERI
62…Name of eight popes..URBAN
63…Pulitzer-winning Ferber novel..SO BIG
64…Calls..PHONES
68…Baloney, to Brits..TOSH
71…As to..IN RE
73…Sister of Osiris..ISIS
75…Data transmitter..MODEM
76…Very important..MAJOR
77…Demotion in 2006 news..PLUTO
79…Bluejacket..TAR
81…Methuselah’s father..ENOCH
83…A bit cracked..AJAR
84…Color quality..TONE
86…Hornswoggle..ROOK
88…Zen riddle..KOAN
89…Doughnuts, shapewise..TORI
91…Captain of the Nautilus..NEMO
95…Class guides..SYLLABI
97…Astronomer’s aid..STAR MAP
98…Pert..SASSY
99…It might be picked..NIT
101…”__ tree falls … “..IF A
104…Circular gaskets..O-RINGS
105…Straighten out..UNCOIL
106…Simple life some strive to get back to..NATURE
107…Tech. schools..INSTS
111…Highlands native..GAEL
112…Early Irish alphabet..OGHAM
113…”Still Me” memoirist..REEVE
114…Bothered big-time..ATE AT
115…”Right on!”..AMEN!
116…Curbside call..TAXI!
117…Responsibility..ONUS
118…Old Italian capital..LIRE
120…Italian hot spot..ETNA
122…Cross..SPAN
123…Kitties..POTS
127…It has an eye on television..CBS
128…”Shame on thee!”..FIE!