Day: July 25, 2013

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
6. Pro bono promo, for short : PSA
Public service announcement (PSA)

The Latin term “pro bono publico” means “for the public good”, and is usually shortened to “pro bono”. The term applies to professional work that is done for free or at a reduced fee as a service to the public.

9. It may have many jets : SPA
Jacuzzi is one of those brand names that has become so much associated with the product that it is often assumed to be a generic term. The Jacuzzi company was founded in 1915 by the seven(!) Jacuzzi brothers in Berkeley California. The brothers, who were Italian immigrants, pronounced their name “ja-coot-si”, as one might suspect when one realizes the name is of Italian origin. The company started off by making aircraft propellers and then small aircraft, but suspended aircraft production in 1925 when one the brothers was killed in one of their planes. The family then started making hydraulic pumps, and in 1948 developed a submersible bathtub pump so that a son of one of the brothers could enjoy hydrotherapy for his rheumatoid arthritis. The “hydrotherapy product” took off in the fifties with some astute marketing towards “worn-out housewives” and the use of celebrity spokesman Jack Benny.

14. Pirate portrayer of film : DEPP
Johnny Depp had his big break as an actor on television, in the eighties television show “21 Jump Street”. Depp’s first film success came when he played the title role in 1990’s “Edward Scissorhands”. He has twice been named Sexiest Man Alive by “People” magazine.

Captain Jack Sparrow is the protagonist in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series of movies. Sparrow is of course played by Johnny Depp. Depp has said that he based his portrayal of Sparrow partly on the Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. I can see that …

15. Keyboard key : TAB
Like most features on our computer keyboards, the tab key is a hangover from the days of typewriters. When using a typewriter, making entries into a table was very tedious as it involved lots of tapping on the spacebar and backspace key. So, a lever was added to typewriters that allowed the operator to “jump” across the page to positions that could be set by hand. Later this was simplified to a tab key, which could be depressed causing the carriage to jump to the next tab stop in much the same way that the modern tab key works on a computer.

17. Abbr. accompanying 0 : OPER
Dial “0” for operator assistance.

22. Captain von ___ (musical role) : TRAPP
Baron Georg Johannes von Trapp was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Navy who achieved worldwide fame when his family became the inspiration for the musical “The Sound of Musical”.

“The Sound of Music” is a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical made into a celebrated movie in 1965 starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The musical is based on “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers”, a memoir by Maria von Trapp. The von Trapp family ended up in Stowe, Vermont after the war and one family descended from the Vermont von Trapps lives here in the same town in which I reside in California.

32. Mary of early Hollywood : ASTOR
Mary Astor was an American actress who is best remembered perhaps for playing Brigid O’Shaughnessy in 1941’s “The Maltese Falcon” opposite Humphrey Bogart. As well as being an Oscar-winning actress, Mary Astor was also the author of five novels, and a best-selling autobiography.

33. Says, informally : GOES
Perhaps, the man says “Yada yada” or the man goes “Yada yada”?

38. Wetlands birds : STILTS
Several species of wetland birds are called “stilts”. Stilts have very long legs, hence the name. They also have very long beaks.

40. “V” vehicle : UFO
The ABC science fiction series “V” ran for two seasons from 2009 to 2011. It is a remake of a mini-series of the same name from 1983. “V” is all about aliens coming to Earth “in peace”, but they actually have a more sinister agenda.

43. Broadway’s “Me ___ Girl” : AND MY
“Me and My Girl” is a stage musical by Noel Gay that premiered in the West End of London in 1937. One of the most famous numbers from the show is “The Lambeth Walk”. “Me and My Girl” was adapted for the big screen in 1939 under the title “The Lambeth Walk”.

49. Carpenter ___ : ANT
Carpenter ants can wreak havoc in a wooden structure. They burrow into damp wood creating galleries and pathways that form a complex network of nests. Unlike termites though, carpenter ants don’t feed on the wood.

50. Annual literary award : EDGAR
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (the Edgars) are presented annually by the Mystery Writers of America.

51. ___ Carpenter : KAREN
Karen Carpenter was an accomplished drummer, although she only started playing drums in high school, as a member of the school band. After she graduated she started playing jazz with her brother, Richard, and a college friend. Later, she and Richard played with a group called Spectrum, and submitted many demo tapes to recording companies, but all were unsuccessful. Finally, Karen and Richard got a recording contract with A&M Records, and when they had Karen take the lead on their songs, they hit the big time. Sadly, of course, Karen passed away at only 32-years-old, dying from heart failure brought on by anorexia.

54. Horny devil : SATYR
The satyrs of Greek mythology came with a very high sex drive. They are the “rude” male subjects drawn on the side of old Greek vases. The nubile maidens known as nymphs were often an object of attention for the satyrs.

56. Psychoactive drug used in medicine : L-DOPA
L-3,4-DihydrOxyPhenylAlanine, thankfully can be shortened to L-DOPA. Swedish scientist Arvid Carlsson won a Nobel Prize for showing that L-DOPA could be used to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s Syndrome.

58. Mainframe brain, for short : CPU
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the main component on the “motherboard” of a computer. The CPU is the part of the computer that carries out most of the functions required by a program. Nowadays you can get CPUs in everything from cars to telephones.

59. Nabisco offering : OREO
The National Biscuit Company was formed in 1898 with the merger of three existing bakery businesses. The company name today is Nabisco, an abbreviated form of National Biscuit Company.

61. Cooking spray : PAM
PAM cooking oil was introduced in 1961 by Leon Rubin and Arthur Meyerhoff. The name “PAM” is an acronym … standing for “Product of Arthur Meyerhoff” …

62. Diane of “Numb3rs” : FARR
Diane Farr plays the FBI agent Megan Reeves on the TV show “Numb3rs”.

“Numb3rs” ran on CBS for five years, finishing up in 2010. The show features an FBI agent (played by Rob Morrow) and his mathematical genius of a brother who helps him solve crimes.

63. Perk for a pool party? : HOV LANE
In some parts of the country one sees high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV lanes), but out here in California, we call them carpool lanes.

67. Dangerous sprayer : UZI
The first Uzi submachine gun was designed in the late 1940s by Major Uziel Gal of the Israel Defense Forces who gave his name to the gun.

68. Soft cheese : BRIE
Brie is a soft cheese, named after the French province of Brie where it originated.

71. Chain part: Abbr. : ISL
Sometimes an island (isl.) is part of an island chain.

Down
1. Scale abbr. : LBS
The unit of mass that we know today as a “pound” is descended from the old Roman unit of weight known as a “libra”. That “libra” connection is why we abbreviate pound to “lb”. The name “pound” though comes from the Latin “pondo” meaning “weight”.

2. Classified inits. : EEO
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is a term that has been around since 1964 when the Equal Employment Commission was set up by the Civil Rights Act.

3. 2012 rap Grammy nominee for “Life Is Good” : NAS
Rapper Nas used to go by another stage name, Nasty Nas, and before that by his real name, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones. Nas released his first album “Illmatic” in 1994, and inventively titled his fifth studio album “Stillmatic”, released in 2001. Not my cup of tea, I would say …

4. 14-Down starring Jack Lemmon : GRUMPY OLD MEN & THE APARTMENT
“Grumpy Old Men” is a wonderful romantic comedy film from 1993 starring the great actors Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret along with an excellent supporting cast. “Grumpy Old Man” was the sixth on-screen collaboration between Lemmon and Matthau, but the first in over a decade.

“The Apartment” is a fabulous Billy Wilder comedy-drama movie starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine that was released in 1960. “The Apartment” was Wilder’s next project after the hugely successful “Some Like It Hot” that was released the prior year, also starring Jack Lemmon.

The great actor Jack Lemmon appeared in some of my favorite films, over a career that spanned over fifty years. Included in the list of fine movies that featured Lemmon are “Some Like It Hot” (1959), “The Apartment” (1960), “Irma la Douce” (1963), “The Odd Couple” (1968), “Grumpy Old Men” (1995) and “My Fellow Americans” (1996).

6. Beverage introduced as Brad’s Drink : PEPSI
The Pepsi-Cola formulation was developed by one Caleb Bradham who made the drink at home and sold it as “Brad’s Drink”. Bradham’s aim was to provide a drink that was pleasant to taste, that would aid digestion and boost energy. Included in the formula were pepsin (a digestive enzyme) and kola nuts. These two ingredients inspired the brand name we use today: Pepsi-Cola.

7. Maker of the LZR Racer suit : SPEEDO
Speedo brand swimwear was first produced in Australia in 1928, by a hosiery company that wanted to diversify. The brand name was chosen after a slogan competition among employees was won by “Speed on in your Speedos”. It was a long time ago, I guess …

8. Loan letters : APR
Annual percentage rate (APR)

9. Football Hall-of-Famer Bart : STARR
Bart Starr is a retired football player and coach who spent his whole career with the Green Bay Packers. Starr was quarterback for the Packers from 1956 to 1971.

13. Triple Crown winner of 1934 : GEHRIG
Lou Gehrig was known as a powerhouse. He was a big hitter and just kept on playing. He broke the record for the most consecutive number of games played, and he stills holds the record for the most career grand slams. His durability earned him the nickname “The Iron Horse”. Sadly, he died in 1941 at 37-years-old suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an illness we now call “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”.

21. 14-Down starring Frank Sinatra : OCEAN’S ELEVEN & GUYS AND DOLLS
“Ocean’s 11” is a great film from 1960, starring Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean. The original storyline is updated for the excellent 2001 remake, with George Clooney playing the lead. The 2001 remake (Called “Ocean’s Eleven”) spawned two sequels: “Ocean’s Twelve” in 2004 and “Ocean’s Thirteen” in 2007.

“Guys and Dolls” is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. It was first produced on Broadway, in 1950, and ran for 1200 performances. The show was based on a book written by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. “Guys and Dolls” was chosen as winner of a Pulitzer in 1951, but the award was cancelled as Abe Burrows was having problems with the House Un-American Activities Committee at the time.

Frank Sinatra was the only child of Italian immigrants living in Hoboken, New Jersey. Like so many of our heroes, Sinatra had a rough upbringing. His mother was arrested several times and convicted of running an illegal abortion business in the family home. Sinatra never finished high school, as he was expelled for rowdy conduct. He was later arrested as a youth on a morals charge for carrying on with a married woman, which was an offence back then. But Sinatra straightened himself out by the time he was twenty and started singing professionally.

23. Bob Marley, e.g. : RASTA
I must admit that I don’t really understand Rastafarianism. I do know that a “Rasta”, like Bob Marley, is a follower of the movement. Some say that Rastafarianism is a religion, some not. I also know that it involves the worship of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

Bob Marley is the most widely known reggae performer, with big hits such as “I Shot the Sheriff”, “Woman, No Cry” and “One Love”. A little sadly perhaps, Marley’s best selling album was released three years after he died. That album would be the legendary album called “Legend”.

24. Sean of “The Lord of the Rings” : ASTIN
Sean Astin is best known for playing the title role in the 1993 film “Rudy” and the character Samwise Gamgee in the “Lord of the Rings” movies. You might also have seen him playing Lynn McGill in the 5th season of “24”. Astin is the son of actress Patty Duke.

26. Viva voce : ALOUD
“Viva voce” translates literally from Latin as “with living voice”, and we use it today to mean “by word of mouth”.

31. A.L. East team, on scoreboards : BOS
The Boston Red Sox is one of the most successful Major League Baseball teams and so commands a large attendance, but only when on the road. The relatively small capacity of Boston’s Fenway Park, the team’s home since 1912, has dictated that every game the Red Sox has played there has been a sell out since May of 2003.

42. Juno, to the Greeks : HERA
In Greek mythology, Hera was the wife of Zeus and was noted for her jealous and vengeful nature, particularly against those who vied for the affections of her husband. The equivalent character to Hera in Roman mythology was Juno. Hera was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea.

45. Brew whose name is an article of clothing when read backward : STROH’S
“Stroh’s” written backwards spells “shorts”.

Bernard Stroh was the son of a German brewer. Stroh immigrated to the US in 1848 and set up his own brewery in 1850 in Detroit. Years later, the Stroh Brewing Company introduced a European process called fire-brewing. This results in higher temperatures at a crucial stage in the brewing process, supposedly bringing out flavor. Stroh’s is the only American beer that still uses this process.

48. Star-studded show, with “the” : OSCARS
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) is the organization that gives the annual Academy Awards also known as the “Oscars”. The root of the name “Oscar” is hotly debated, but what is agreed is that the award was officially named “Oscar” in 1939. The first Academy Awards were presented at a brunch in 1929 with an audience of just 29 people. The Awards ceremony is a slightly bigger event these days …

51. Utterly dead : KAPUT
“Kaput” comes to us from French via German. “Capot” means “not having won a single trick” in the French card game called Piquet.

55. You may be fooled at its beginning : APRIL
April Fool’s Day is celebrated on April 1st in the western world. In the US (and Ireland) one can make practical jokes all day long if one wants. But in the UK there is a noon deadline. Anyone pranking after midday is called an “April Fool”.

60. ___ de boeuf : ROTI
“Rôti” is the French for “roasted”, so “Rôti de boeuf” is “roast beef”.

62. Org. whose motto is “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity” : FBI
What we know today as the FBI was set up in 1908 as the BOI, the Bureau of Investigation. The name was changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935. The Bureau was set up at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt. President Roosevelt was largely moved to do so after the 1901 assassination of President McKinley, as there was a perception that anarchists were threatening law and order .

65. Music writer Hentoff : NAT
Nat Hentoff writes regularly on jazz and country music for “The Wall Street Journal”.

66. R.N.’s are in them : ERS
Registered nurses (RNs) might be found in an operating room (OR) or emergency room (ER).

Return to top of page

For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. One of the three dimensions : LENGTH
6. Pro bono promo, for short : PSA
9. It may have many jets : SPA
12. Tight squeeze : BEAR HUG
14. Pirate portrayer of film : DEPP
15. Keyboard key : TAB
16. “I was wrong … big whoop” : SO SUE ME!
17. Abbr. accompanying 0 : OPER
18. “___ luck?” : ANY
19. Pound, as potatoes : MASH
20. Milk, in a way : USE
21. Nasties : OGRES
22. Captain von ___ (musical role) : TRAPP
25. Overzealous : RABID
27. Some arm exercises : CURLS
28. Something requiring little study : EASY A
29. Sick : ILL
30. Mind : OBEY
32. Mary of early Hollywood : ASTOR
33. Says, informally : GOES
35. Garden spot : OASIS
38. Wetlands birds : STILTS
40. “V” vehicle : UFO
41. Grab suddenly : SNATCH
43. Broadway’s “Me ___ Girl” : AND MY
44. Burrows, e.g. : DENS
46. Grab suddenly : SNARE
47. Note : MEMO
49. Carpenter ___ : ANT
50. Annual literary award : EDGAR
51. ___ Carpenter : KAREN
54. Horny devil : SATYR
56. Psychoactive drug used in medicine : L-DOPA
57. Insurance worker : AGENT
58. Mainframe brain, for short : CPU
59. Nabisco offering : OREO
61. Cooking spray : PAM
62. Diane of “Numb3rs” : FARR
63. Perk for a pool party? : HOV LANE
67. Dangerous sprayer : UZI
68. Soft cheese : BRIE
69. Outstanding : STELLAR
70. Cowboy moniker : TEX
71. Chain part: Abbr. : ISL
72. Some close-ups : INSETS

Down
1. Scale abbr. : LBS
2. Classified inits. : EEO
3. 2012 rap Grammy nominee for “Life Is Good” : NAS
4. 14-Down starring Jack Lemmon : GRUMPY OLD MEN & THE APARTMENT
5. Keeps one’s mouth shut? : HUMS
6. Beverage introduced as Brad’s Drink : PEPSI
7. Maker of the LZR Racer suit : SPEEDO
8. Loan letters : APR
9. Football Hall-of-Famer Bart : STARR
10. Comic part : PANEL
11. Bottomless pit : ABYSS
13. Triple Crown winner of 1934 : GEHRIG
14. Drive-in theater draw … with a literal hint to 4- and 21-Down : DOUBLE FEATURE
21. 14-Down starring Frank Sinatra : OCEAN’S ELEVEN & GUYS AND DOLLS
22. Brewed beverages : TEAS
23. Bob Marley, e.g. : RASTA
24. Sean of “The Lord of the Rings” : ASTIN
26. Viva voce : ALOUD
31. A.L. East team, on scoreboards : BOS
34. Little fella : SONNY
36. “Let’s give ___” : IT A GO
37. Get rid of : SCRAP
39. Prefix with pathetic : SYM-
42. Juno, to the Greeks : HERA
45. Brew whose name is an article of clothing when read backward : STROH’S
48. Star-studded show, with “the” : OSCARS
51. Utterly dead : KAPUT
52. Goggling : AGAZE
53. Dance version of a record, often : REMIX
55. You may be fooled at its beginning : APRIL
60. ___ de boeuf : ROTI
62. Org. whose motto is “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity” : FBI
64. Brewed beverage : ALE
65. Music writer Hentoff : NAT
66. R.N.’s are in them : ERS

Return to top of page

The Best of the New York Times Crossword Collections
Amazon.com Widgets