Day: January 3, 2017

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
10. Leader from the House of Pahlavi : SHAH
The last Shah of Iran was Mohammed-Reza Shah Pahlavi, as he was overthrown in the revolution led by the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979. The post-revolution government sought the extradition of the Shah back to Iran while he was in the United States seeking medical care (he had cancer). His prolonged stay in the United States, recovering from surgery, caused some unrest back in Iran and resentment towards the United States. Some say that this resentment precipitated the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran and the resulting hostage crisis.

14. Eating pork, to an observant Jew or Muslim : TABOO
The word “taboo” was introduced into English by Captain Cook in his book “A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean”. Cook described “tabu” (likely imitative of a Tongan word that he had heard) as something that was both consecrated and forbidden.

15. Pac-12 hoops powerhouse : UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) gets more applications from students than any other university in the country. UCLA also has more students enrolled than any other university in the state.

16. ___ Alto, Calif. : PALO
The city of Palo Alto, California takes its name from a specific redwood tree called El Palo Alto (Spanish for “the tall stick”) that is located within the bounds of the city. The tree is 110 feet tall and over a thousand years old.

18. Cognitive scientist Chomsky : NOAM
Noam Chomsky is a professor of linguistics at MIT. Chomsky is known as one of the fathers of modern linguistics.

20. Puerto Rico clock setting : ATLANTIC TIME
Atlantic Standard Time (AST) is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time and one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. The list of locations that use AST includes Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Puerto Rico is located in the northeastern Caribbean (in the Atlantic Ocean), east of the Dominican Republic. The name “Puerto Rico” is Spanish for “rich port”. The locals often call their island Borinquen, the Spanish form of “Boriken”, the original name used by the natives.

23. Resealable bag : ZIPLOC
Ziploc re-sealable storage bags came on the market in 1968.

26. Chair with two hyphens in its name : LA-Z-BOY
La-Z-Boy is a furniture manufacturer based in Monroe, Michigan. Although the company makes furniture for every room in the house, it is famous for it’s recliner chairs found in family rooms all over the country.

27. Apple that might be seen on a teacher’s desk : IMAC
Apple makes versions of its iMac line of computers that are aimed at schools. These are usually low-end machines that sell at a reduced price. Apple used to name such an offering an “eMac”, short for “education Mac”.

32. W.W. II spy org. : OSS
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was formed during WWII in order to carry out espionage behind enemy lines. A few years after the end of the war the OSS functions were taken up by a new group, the Central Intelligence Agency that was chartered by the National Security Act of 1947.

33. Genre for Mötley Crüe : METAL
Mötley Crüe is an American rock band, from Los Angeles. They’ve been around since 1981, co-founded by the famous drummer Tommy Lee. Tommy Lee is also known for his two celebrated marriages, the first with Heather Locklear and the second with Pamela Anderson. The name “Mötley Crüe” was chosen as someone once described the band members as a “motley looking crew”. The spelling was made to look a little more exotic, with the umlauts added over the “o” and “u” one day, as the band were drinking bottles of “Löwenbräu” beer!

35. Incendiary weapon : NAPALM
Napalm is a incendiary compound used in weapons that is made from petroleum mixed with a thickening agent. Napalm was developed in a secret program at Harvard during WWII. It was initially used in incendiary bombs and in flamethrowers. The thickening agent in napalm causes the burning material to stick to skin causing severe burns. Because of this, the UN declared the use of napalm in civilian areas a war crime in 1980.

42. Ohio city on Lake Erie : LORAIN
Lorain, Ohio is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, 30 miles west of Cleveland. Lorain used to go by the name of Charleston.

43. Czech-made auto that’s part of the Volkswagen Group : SKODA
Skoda is a Czech auto manufacturer that founded back in 1895. Originally known as Laurin & Klement, the first vehicles produced were bicycles.

52. Chain of children’s stores founded by the Kaufman brothers (hence its name) : KB TOYS
KB Toys was a chain of toy stores that was founded in 1922, but folded in 2009. The chain was established by Harry and Joseph Kaufman, which gave the store the name “KB”, standing for Kaufman Brothers.

54. Basis of particle physics : ATOMIC THEORY
By some definitions, New Zealand-born physicist and chemist Ernest Rutherford was the first person to “split the atom”. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen with alpha particles and thereby forced neutrons out of the nucleus of the nitrogen atom. The first intentional nuclear “fission” came decades later in the 1930s, with experiments in which larger nuclei were split into smaller nuclei.

58. Nothin’ : NADA
“Nada” is the Spanish word for “nothing”.

64. Fashionable Christian : DIOR
Christian Dior was a French fashion designer. As WWII approached, Dior was called up by the French military, drawing a temporary halt to his career in fashion. He left the army in 1942 and for the duration of the war designed clothes for wives of Nazi officers and French collaborators. After the war his designs became so popular that he helped reestablish Paris as the fashion center of the world.

65. Including all grades, briefly : ELHI
“Elhi” is an informal word used to describe anything related to schooling from grades 1 through 12, i.e. elementary through high school.

66. “Bear” that’s actually a marsupial : KOALA
The koala bear really does look like a little bear, but it’s not even closely related. The koala is an arboreal marsupial and a herbivore, native to the east and south coasts of Australia. Koalas aren’t primates, and are one of the few mammals other than primates who have fingerprints. In fact, it can be very difficult to tell human fingerprints from koala fingerprints, even under an electron microscope. Male koalas are called “bucks”, females are “does”, and young koalas are “joeys”. I’m a little jealous of the koala, as it sleeps up to 20 hours a day …

69. “Bon appétit!” : ENJOY
The phrase “enjoy your meal” translates into French as “bon appétit”, and into German as “Guten Appetit”.

Down
2. Neighbor of Oman, for short : UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates (states) in the Middle East. Included in the seven are Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with the city of Abu Dhabi being the UAE capital and cultural center.

Oman lies on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula and is neighbored by the OAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Oman is a monarchy, and the official name of the state is the Sultanate of Oman. All of the country’s legislative, executive and judiciary power resides with the hereditary sultan.

3. Atty.’s org. : ABA
The American Bar Association (ABA)

5. “Veritas” for Harvard or “Veritas vos liberabit” for Johns Hopkins : MOTTO
“Veritas” is Latin for “truth”.

“Veritas liberabit vos” (also “veritas vos liberabit”) translates from Latin as “the truth shall set you free”).

8. Dead-tired? : FLAT
Here’s another example of terms that change as we cross the Atlantic Ocean. When talking about tires (“tyres” in Britain and Ireland), a defect can cause a “flat” (“puncture” in Britain and Ireland).

10. Pointy-eared dog : SPITZ
Spitz-type dogs are those with long thick fur that is usually white. Most spitz-type dogs seem to have originated in the Arctic and/or East Asia. Examples of breed described as spitz-type are the Alaskan Malamute and the Canadian Eskimo Dog.

11. Big maker of gummy bears : HARIBO
Haribo is confectionary company based in Germany, in the city of Bonn. Founded by Johannes “Hans” Riegel, Sr. in 1920, the company name derives from the first two letters of the words “Hans”, “Riegel” and “Bonn”.

12. Los ___ National Laboratory : ALAMOS
The town of Los Alamos, New Mexico takes its name from the Spanish for “the poplars” or “the cottonwoods”. Famously, it is home to Los Alamos National Laboratory which was founded during WWII to work on the Manhattan Project, the development of the first atomic bomb. The town of Los Alamos didn’t exist as such, until it was planned and constructed to support the employees working on development of the bomb.

21. Like some digital clocks, for short : LCD
Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) are the screens that are found in most laptops today, and in flat panel computer screens and some televisions. LCD monitors basically replaced Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) screens, the old television technology.

22. Maria known as “La Divina” : CALLAS
Although Maria Callas was born in New York City, she was educated in music in Greece, and launched her career in Italy. Her marvelous performances earned her the nickname “La Davina”, and she was described by Leonard Bernstein as “the Bible of opera …”

23. Bygone alcopop : ZIMA
Zima is a clear alcoholic beverage with about the same strength as beer. Zima is sold in beer bottles but is marketed as “not” a beer. It has a lemon-lime flavor and is referred to as an “alcopop”, a portmanteau word from “alcohol” and “pop”. Zima was made by Coors, but they stopped US production in 2008. However, it is still quite popular in Japan.

24. TV’s “How ___ Your Mother” : I MET
“How I Met Your Mother” is a sitcom that CBS has been airing since 2005. The main character is Ted Mosby, played by Josh Radnor. Mosby is also the narrator for the show looking back from the year 2030 (the live action is set in the present). As narrator, the older Mosby character is voiced by Bob Saget.

29. “Giant Brain” introduced in 1946 : ENIAC
The acronym ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (although many folks insist that the C was for “Computer”). ENIAC was introduced at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946, at which time it was the first general-purpose electronic computer. Its original purpose was the calculation of artillery firing tables, but it ended up being used early on to make calculations necessary for the development of the hydrogen bomb. Given its uses, it’s not surprising to hear that development of ENIAC was funded by the US Army during WWII.

34. Pope said to have died from a heart attack while in bed with his mistress : LEO VII
Leo VII was a reluctant Pope, effectively placed into the job by the monarch of Rome, Alberic II of Spoleto, so that Alberic could retain control over the papacy. Legend has it that Leo VII died of a heart attack while making love to his mistress.

36. Former heavyweight champion with a tattooed face : MIKE TYSON
The boxer Mike Tyson has said some pretty graphic things about his opponents. For example:

• About Lennox Lewis: “My main objective is to be professional but to kill him.”
• To Razor Ruddock: “I’m gonna make you my girlfriend.”
• About Tyrell Biggs: “He was screaming like my wife.”

44. Communications giant … or a possible title of this puzzle : AT AND T
The original AT&T Corporation was first known as the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.

46. Bringer of bad luck : HOODOO
Hoodoo is a traditional African-American folk magic and spirituality that has West African, Native American and European roots. Hoodoo is sometimes confused with Voodoo, especially as they both have West African connections. However, the two practices are very different.

48. ___ Pictures (bygone studio) : RKO
The RKO Pictures studio was formed when RCA (RADIO Corporation of America) bought the KEITH-Albee-ORPHEUM theaters (and Joe Kennedy’s Film Booking Offices of America). The RKO initialism then comes from the words “Radio”, “Keith” and “Orpheum”.

51. Store known for its Blue Light Specials : KMART
Kmart is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and Target. The company was founded by S. S. Kresge in 1899, with the first outlets known as S. S. Kresge stores. The first “Kmart” stores opened in 1962. Kmart is famous for its promotions known as “blue light specials”, a program first introduced in 1965 and discontinued in 1991. I remember being in a Kmart store soon after coming to live in the US. That evening an employee installed a light stand an aisle away from me, switched on a flashing blue light and there was some unintelligible announcement over the loudspeaker system. I had no idea what was going on …

61. Trek to Mecca : HAJ
A Haji (also “Hajji”) is the term used for someone who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and it is sometimes also used as a form of address for such a person. The journey itself goes by the name “haj” or “hajj”.

62. Band with the 1977 hit “Telephone Line,” in brief : ELO
“Telephone Line” was released as a single in 1977 by the band ELO, and hit the top ten listings on both sides of the Atlantic. ELO stands for the Electric Light Orchestra, a symphonic rock group from the north of England. Their manager was Don Arden, father of Sharon Osbourne (wife of Ozzy).

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Misgiving : QUALM
6. Small quarrel : TIFF
10. Leader from the House of Pahlavi : SHAH
14. Eating pork, to an observant Jew or Muslim : TABOO
15. Pac-12 hoops powerhouse : UCLA
16. ___ Alto, Calif. : PALO
17. Not be inert, as two chemical compounds : REACT
18. Cognitive scientist Chomsky : NOAM
19. 10-Across’s land : IRAN
20. Puerto Rico clock setting : ATLANTIC TIME
23. Resealable bag : ZIPLOC
26. Chair with two hyphens in its name : LA-Z-BOY
27. Apple that might be seen on a teacher’s desk : IMAC
28. ___-oriented : DETAIL
32. W.W. II spy org. : OSS
33. Genre for Mötley Crüe : METAL
35. Incendiary weapon : NAPALM
37. Fitness pro : ATHLETIC TRAINER
42. Ohio city on Lake Erie : LORAIN
43. Czech-made auto that’s part of the Volkswagen Group : SKODA
44. “Yes … ri-i-i-ight there!” : AHH!
47. Airplane’s direction : VECTOR
49. Like custard : EGGY
50. Adopted : TOOK IN
52. Chain of children’s stores founded by the Kaufman brothers (hence its name) : KB TOYS
54. Basis of particle physics : ATOMIC THEORY
58. Nothin’ : NADA
59. Relative of fake news : HOAX
60. Ghostly white : ASHEN
64. Fashionable Christian : DIOR
65. Including all grades, briefly : ELHI
66. “Bear” that’s actually a marsupial : KOALA
67. Gait faster than a walk : TROT
68. Baby’s crib part : SLAT
69. “Bon appétit!” : ENJOY

Down
1. Three months: Abbr. : QTR
2. Neighbor of Oman, for short : UAE
3. Atty.’s org. : ABA
4. Neighborhood buzz? : LOCAL CALL
5. “Veritas” for Harvard or “Veritas vos liberabit” for Johns Hopkins : MOTTO
6. Sushi fish : TUNA
7. Trash bin on a computer screen, e.g. : ICON
8. Dead-tired? : FLAT
9. Acquainted (with) : FAMILIAR
10. Pointy-eared dog : SPITZ
11. Big maker of gummy bears : HARIBO
12. Los ___ National Laboratory : ALAMOS
13. Sweetie pies : HONEYS
21. Like some digital clocks, for short : LCD
22. Maria known as “La Divina” : CALLAS
23. Bygone alcopop : ZIMA
24. TV’s “How ___ Your Mother” : I MET
25. Way : PATH
29. “Giant Brain” introduced in 1946 : ENIAC
30. Not expressly stated : TACIT
31. Abbr. in many an urban address : APT NO
34. Pope said to have died from a heart attack while in bed with his mistress : LEO VII
36. Former heavyweight champion with a tattooed face : MIKE TYSON
38. Soldiers’ digs? : TRENCHES
39. Canceled, as a mission : NO-GO
40. Tense : EDGY
41. They may be caught at the beach … or out at sea : RAYS
44. Communications giant … or a possible title of this puzzle : AT AND T
45. All talk, no action : HOT AIR
46. Bringer of bad luck : HOODOO
48. ___ Pictures (bygone studio) : RKO
51. Store known for its Blue Light Specials : KMART
53. Stopper : BRAKE
55. Bridge charge : TOLL
56. “The joke’s on you” : HA-HA
57. Off-ramp sign : EXIT
61. Trek to Mecca : HAJ
62. Band with the 1977 hit “Telephone Line,” in brief : ELO
63. Yea’s opposite : NAY

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