Day: December 26, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
6. Chest bone RIB (giving “rib eye”)
If you’re ever in Australia or New Zealand and looking for a rib eye steak, you need to order a “Scotch fillet”.

14. Ancient region in Asia Minor IONIA
Lydia and Ionia were ancient territories in a part of the world now covered by modern-day Turkey. Both territories eventually fell under Greek and then Roman rule.

Asia Minor is also known as Anatolia. It is the geographic part of Asia that protrudes out into the west, towards Europe, and is roughly equivalent to modern-day Turkey.

15. Republic on St. George’s Channel: Abbr. IRE
St. George’s Channel is a sea channel lying south of the Irish Sea and north of the Celtic Sea, separating Wales from Ireland’s southeast.

16. Basket willow OSIER
Most willows (trees and shrubs of the genus Salix) are called just that, willows. Some of the broad-leaved shrub varieties are called sallow, and the narrow-leaved shrubs are called osier. The variety known as osier is commonly used in basketry, as osier twigs are very flexible.

17. Pompeii attraction RUINS
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.

18. Quicken Loans Arena NBAer CAV
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970.

19. Strike site ALLEY
Bowling has been around for an awfully long time. The oldest known reference to the game is in Egypt, where pins and balls were found in an ancient tomb that is over 5,000 years old. The first form of the game to come to America was nine-pin bowling, which had been very popular in Europe for centuries. In 1841 in Connecticut, nine-pin bowling was banned due to its association with gambling. Supposedly, an additional pin was added to get around the ban, and ten-pin bowling was born.

20. Place to see FDR DIME
President Roosevelt was a major driver in the founding of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The Foundation’s most successful fund raising campaign was to encourage the public to just send a dime to support the charity, so that even before the Foundation officially changed its name, the public were already calling it March of Dimes. After President Roosevelt passed away in office, Congress passed legislation calling for a new design for the dime, one featuring the image of FDR. The Roosevelt dime was introduced in 1946, on the day that would have been the President’s 64th birthday.

21. 40-decibel unit SONE
In the acoustic world, the “sone” was introduced as a unit of perceived loudness in 1936.

22. St. Pat’s Day, e.g. HOL
St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday (hol.).

There is a fair amount known about St. Patrick, some of which comes from two letters written in his own hand. St. Patrick lived in the fifth century, but was not born in Ireland. He was first brought to Ireland at about 16 years of age from his native Britain, by Irish raiders who made him a slave for six years. Patrick managed to escape and returned to his homeland where he studied and entered the Church. He went back to Ireland as a bishop and a missionary and there lived out the rest of his life. There seems to be good evidence that he died on March 17th (now celebrated annually as St. Patrick’s Day), although the year is less clear. The stories about shamrock and snakes, I am afraid they are the stuff of legend.

24. Cricket call CHIRP
The sound made by crickets is usually referred to as chirping, although the scientific term is “stridulation”. The sound is made by male crickets as they rub the top of one wing along a serration on the other wing.

26. French pop PERE
In French, a father (père) has an important role in a family (famille).

29. Large primates APES
Primates are an order of mammals that consists of mainly arboreal species, but also humans. Primates are so called because they are considered to be “prime, first rank” in the animal kingdom.

31. Barbary Wars participant, now ALGERIA
There were two Barbary Wars, fought between the US and the Barbary States of North Africa. The wars were caused by Barbary pirates and privateers attacking and extracting tributes from American ships in the Mediterranean. Presidents Jefferson and Madison directed the US Navy to attack the Barbary States of Tripoli, Tunis and Algiers in order to cut off support for the pirates.

33. One of the smart set MENSAN
If you ever had to learn Latin, as did I, “mensa” was probably taught to you in Lesson One as it’s the word commonly used as an example of a first declension noun. Mensa means “table”. The Mensa organization for folks with high IQs was set up in Oxford, England back in 1946. To become a member, one is required to have an IQ that is in the top 2% of the population.

36. Seaweed extract AGAR
Agar (also “agar-agar”) is a jelly extracted from seaweed that has many uses. Agar is found in Japanese desserts, and can also be used as a food thickener or even as a laxative. In the world of science it is the most common medium used for growing bacteria in Petri dishes.

37. Ballpark fig.? AVG
Batting average (AVG)

38. Boxing biopic ALI
“Ali” is a 2001 biographical movie about Muhammad Ali, with Will Smith in the title role. Among other things, the film is noted for its realistic fight scenes. The scenes were realistic because Smith was really being hit, as hard as his opponents could manage.

39. Minnesota’s state fish, and a hint to all 12 border answers in this puzzle WALLEYE
Walleye is freshwater fish native to Canada and the northern US. The walleye takes its name from its distinctive eyes. The eyes reflect light, rather like those of a cat, creating a phenomenon of “eyeshine”. The walleye’s eyes are well adapted for hunting for food in turbid waters, but makes them a more visible prey to anglers that hunt for them at nighttime.

41. Chum PAL
A “chum” is a friend. The term originated in the late 1600s as an alternative spelling for “cham”. In turn “cham” was a shortened form of “chambermate”, a roommate at university.

42. Do goo GEL
One might use gel (goo) in one’s hairdo (do).

43. Covent Garden highlight ARIA
Covent Garden in London’s West End is associated with the Royal Opera House that is located in the area, and with the former fruit and vegetable market that used to sit right at the center of the district. The name “Covent Garden” comes from the fact that there once was a walled garden in the area owned by the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Westminster. The abbey rented out the walled garden calling it “Convent Garden”, and this morphed into the area’s current name.

44. Dalmatian’s spot DAPPLE
A dapple is a mottled marking on the coat of perhaps a horse or a dog.

The Dalmatian breed of dog originated in Dalmatia, in the Republic of Croatia. Here in the US, Dalmatians are known as “firehouse dogs”. This association dates back to the use of Dalmatians in firehouses to guard the valuable horses that pulled the fire engines.

48. Meyers of “SNL” SETH
Seth Meyers is an actor and comedian who is perhaps best-known for his appearances on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), for which program he is now head writer.

49. Motor suffix -CADE
A motorcade is a “motor cavalcade”. Traditionally, a cavalcade is procession of riders on horseback or horse-drawn carriages. “Cavalcade” comes from the Italian “cavalcare” meaning “to ride on horseback”.

52. Pequod captain AHAB
The Pequod is the ship that figures in Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby Dick”. The ship is owned by a consortium of the citizens of Nantucket Island, including Captains Ahab, Bildad and Peleg.

59. Little brook RILL
A rill is a small brook or rivulet. “Rill” has German roots, the same roots as “Rhine”, the name of the major European river.

62. Like the vbs. “creep” and “weep” IRR
Irregular (irr.)

66. ’50s movie monster destroyed at Mount Aso RODAN
Rodan is a flying pterosaur appearing in a series of Japanese monster movies, created by the same studio that had earlier come up with Godzilla.

Mount Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan and is found on the island of Kyushu.

69. Brooks Robinson’s base THIRD (giving “third eye”)
The “third eye” is also known as the “inner eye”. The term refers to the concept of an invisible eye that allows one to perceive beyond ordinary sight, to gain insight.

Down
1. Swallows, e.g. BIRDS (giving “bird’s-eye”)
Swallows and martins are birds with a relatively unique way of feeding. They feed on the wing, on flying insects.

2. Acerbic dispatcher on “Taxi” LOUIE
Danny DeVito’s big break as an actor was winning the role of Louie De Palma on the sitcom “TaxI”. After parlaying his success on television into some major comic roles on the big screen, DeVito turned to producing. He co-founded the production company Jersey Films which made hit movies such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Garden State”. DeVito has been married to actress Rhea Perlman for over 30 years, recently reconciling with her after an announcement that they planned to divorce.

3. Moving manga ANIME
Anime is cartoon animation in the style of Japanese Manga comic books.

The Japanese word “manga” means “whimsical pictures” and is an apt term to describe the Japanese style of comic book. Manga publications are more diverse than American comic books and have a larger audience. Manga cover many subjects including romance, sports, business, horror, and mystery.

6. Some copiers RICOHS
Ricoh is a Japanese company that started out in 1936 and by the year 2000 was the biggest manufacturer of copiers in the world. The company is also well known as a supplier of cameras.

7. “Argo” extra IRANI
“Argo” is a 2012 movie that is based on the true story of the rescue of six diplomats hiding out during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The film was directed by and stars Ben Affleck and is produced by Grant Heslov and George Clooney, the same pair who produced the excellent “Good Night, and Good Luck”. I saw “Argo” recently and recommend it, although I found the scenes of religious fervor pretty frightening …

9. Conductor of the first rescue mission NOAH
The term “ark”, when used with reference to Noah, is a translation of the Hebrew word “tebah”. The word “tebah” is also used in the Bible for the basket in which Moses was placed by his mother when she floated him down the Nile. It seems that the word “tebah” doesn’t mean “boat” and nor does it mean “basket”. Rather, a more appropriate translation is “life-preserver” or “life-saver”. So, Noah’s ark was Noah’s life-preserver during the flood.

21. Novel query requirement SCENARIO
A scenario is an outline of the plot of perhaps a novel or play.

25. What possums do when threatened PLAY DEAD
Although they are both marsupials, the opossum and the possum are two distinct animals. True possums are found in Australia and other places in the South Pacific. Opossums are found in North America.

27. Bing, to Google RIVAL
Bing is the search engine from Microsoft. Bing is the latest name for an engine that Microsoft used to call Live Search, Windows Live Search and MSN Search.

28. Two under par EAGLE (giving “eagle-eye”)
The use of the word “eagle” to signify a 2-under-par score on a hole in golf, simply builds on the established use of “birdie” for 1-under-par. An eagle is just a “bigger” bird, and 2-under par is bigger and better than 1-under.

33. Hogwarts teaching MAGIC (giving “magic eye”)
A magic eye tube is a visual aid used in tuning old radio receivers.

Hogwarts is of course the boarding school in the “Harry Potter” series of books by J. K. Rowling.

34. Kagan who clerked for Thurgood Marshall ELENA
Elena Kagan was the Solicitor General of the United States who replaced Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court. That made Justice Kagan the fourth female US Supreme Court justice (there have been 108 men!). I hear she is a fan of Jane Austen, and used to reread “Pride and Prejudice” once a year. Not a bad thing to do, I’d say …

Thurgood Marshall was the first African American to serve on the US Supreme Court, doing so from 1967 to 1991. Prior to being appointed to the Supreme Court, Marshall was a lawyer who successfully argued the Brown v. Board of Education case, which paved the way to integration in public schools.

35. Rosetta Stone discovery area NILE DELTA
Rosetta is a coastal city and port on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. The Rosetta Stone is an Ancient Egyptian artifact of tremendous importance in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics. Carvings on the stone are actually three translations of the same passage of prose, one in Egyptian hieroglyphics, one in Egyptian Demotic language, and one in classical Greek. The stone was discovered by the French military during Napoleon’s 1798 campaign in Egypt. Before the French could get it back to France, the stone somehow ended up in enemy hands (the British), so it is now on display in the British Museum. Ownership of the stone is very much in dispute. The French want it, and understandably, the Egyptians would like it back.

36. Like A LA
The phrase “in the style of” can be translated in “alla” in Italian and “à la” in French.

40. 1997 film with the tagline “Coming soon. Honest.” LIAR LIAR
The full rhyme used by children to deride someone not telling the truth is:

Liar, liar, pants on fire,
Hang them up on the telephone wire.

The rhyme is the source of the title for the 1997 Jim Carrey comedy “Liar Liar”. “Liar Liar” is an amusing film about a lawyer who finds himself only able to tell the truth and cannot tell a lie, all because his son made a birthday wish.

45. Giza pyramid builder PHARAOH
Giza is located on the west bank of the Nile, about 20 km southwest of Cairo. The nearby Giza Plateau is home to some of the most amazing ancient monuments on the planet, including the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Great Sphinx.

51. Rich cake TORTE
A torte is a type of cake made primarily with eggs, sugar and ground nuts (but no flour).

53. Language that gives us “pajamas” HINDI
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”.

55. Compulsory poker bet BLIND (giving “blind eye”)
In some variants of poker, a forced bet is made by one or two players sitting to the left of the dealer. These bets are known as “blinds”, and are used instead of antes to ensure that there is some money in the pot. The player to the immediate left of the dealer posts the “small blind” (usually half the minimum bet), and the next player to the left posts the “big blind” (usually the minimum bet).

57. Seas, to Cezanne MERS
Paul Cézanne was a Post-Impressionist artist who was born and worked in the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence in the South of France. Cézanne has the reputation of being the artist who bridged the late 19th century Impressionist movement with the early 20th century Cubist movement. Both Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso are quoted as saying that Cézanne “is the father of us all”.

60. Important BIG (giving “big eye”)
“The big eye” is a flirtatious look, or a look designed to get another’s attention.

61. Blowup: Abbr. ENL
Enlargement (enl.)

63. Old PC monitor CRT
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) … there aren’t many of them available in stores these days!

Return to top of page

For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Chess side BLACK (giving “black eye”)
6. Chest bone RIB (giving “rib eye”)
9. Stripped NAKED (giving “naked eye”)
14. Ancient region in Asia Minor IONIA
15. Republic on St. George’s Channel: Abbr. IRE
16. Basket willow OSIER
17. Pompeii attraction RUINS
18. Quicken Loans Arena NBAer CAV
19. Strike site ALLEY
20. Place to see FDR DIME
21. 40-decibel unit SONE
22. St. Pat’s Day, e.g. HOL
23. Pretend to be SEEM
24. Cricket call CHIRP
26. French pop PERE
29. Large primates APES
31. Barbary Wars participant, now ALGERIA
33. One of the smart set MENSAN
36. Seaweed extract AGAR
37. Ballpark fig.? AVG
38. Boxing biopic ALI
39. Minnesota’s state fish, and a hint to all 12 border answers in this puzzle WALLEYE
41. Chum PAL
42. Do goo GEL
43. Covent Garden highlight ARIA
44. Dalmatian’s spot DAPPLE
46. Slothfulness INERTIA
48. Meyers of “SNL” SETH
49. Motor suffix -CADE
50. “Coffee __?” OR TEA
52. Pequod captain AHAB
56. Shade provider ELM
58. Put in shells, say LOAD
59. Little brook RILL
60. Prove untrue BELIE
62. Like the vbs. “creep” and “weep” IRR
63. “Please, Mom?” CANT I?
64. Lay to rest INTER
65. Bolted down some nuts ATE
66. ’50s movie monster destroyed at Mount Aso RODAN
67. Calm water metaphor GLASS (giving “glass eye”)
68. Rosy RED (giving “red-eye”)
69. Brooks Robinson’s base THIRD (giving “third eye”)

Down
1. Swallows, e.g. BIRDS (giving “bird’s-eye”)
2. Acerbic dispatcher on “Taxi” LOUIE
3. Moving manga ANIME
4. Multiplexes CINEMAS
5. __ in kilo K AS
6. Some copiers RICOHS
7. “Argo” extra IRANI
8. Drink BEVERAGE
9. Conductor of the first rescue mission NOAH
10. At an angle ASLOPE
11. Best-selling program, in tech lingo KILLER APP
12. Broad foot letters EEE
13. Like some humor DRY (giving “dry eye”)
21. Novel query requirement SCENARIO
25. What possums do when threatened PLAY DEAD
27. Bing, to Google RIVAL
28. Two under par EAGLE (giving “eagle-eye”)
30. Investigate, tabby-style PAW AT
32. Classic GREAT
33. Hogwarts teaching MAGIC (giving “magic eye”)
34. Kagan who clerked for Thurgood Marshall ELENA
35. Rosetta Stone discovery area NILE DELTA
36. Like A LA
40. 1997 film with the tagline “Coming soon. Honest.” LIAR LIAR
45. Giza pyramid builder PHARAOH
47. Depends (on) RELIES
48. Like some sesame-crusted tuna SEARED
51. Rich cake TORTE
53. Language that gives us “pajamas” HINDI
54. Scene of some sworn statements ALTAR
55. Compulsory poker bet BLIND (giving “blind eye”)
57. Seas, to Cezanne MERS
60. Important BIG (giving “big eye”)
61. Blowup: Abbr. ENL
63. Old PC monitor CRT

Return to top of page