Day: June 30, 2024

Bill’s time: 23m 16s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Baltimore squad, casually : THE O’S

The Baltimore Orioles (also the O’s, the Birds) are one of the eight charter teams of MLB’s American League, so the franchise dates back to 1901. Prior to 1901, the team had roots in the Minor League Milwaukee Brewers, and indeed entered the American League as the Brewers. In 1902 the Brewers moved to St. Louis and became the Browns. The team didn’t fare well in St. Louis, so when it finally relocated to Baltimore in the early fifties the team changed its name completely, to the Baltimore Orioles. The owners so badly wanted a fresh start that they traded 17 old Browns players with the New York Yankees. The trade didn’t help the team’s performance on the field in those early days, but it did help distance the new team from its past.

10 Turkic tongue : TATAR

Tatars (sometimes “Tartars”) are an ethnic group of people who mainly reside in Russia (a population of about 5 1/2 million). One of the more famous people with a Tatar heritage was Hollywood actor Charles Bronson. Bronson’s real name was Charles Buchinsky.

“Turkestan” is the name given over history to the place where the majority of Turkic peoples lived. The name “Turkestan” (sometimes “Turkistan”) translates from Persian as “Land of the Turks”.

15 “I’ll return shortly,” in shorthand : BRB

Be right back (brb)

21 Feast often concluded with haupia (coconut pudding) : LUAU

The anglicized name of the Hawaiian feast “luau” comes from the Hawaiian word “lu’au”, which translates literally as “young taro tops”. Taro leaves and corms are often served at luaus.

22 Getaway driver’s plan, obviously? : FLOOR IT, DUH (from “Florida”)

What we know as the US state of Florida, was named by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who led the first Europeans to the area in 1513. The actual name he used was “La Florida”, Spanish for “the Flowery (Land)”.

27 Graphing calculator button : COS

Cosine (cos)

28 “She sure runs fast!”? : MISS IS ZIPPY! (from “Mississippi”)

Mississippi is named for the Mississippi River, which forms most of the state’s western border. In turn, the river’s name comes from the Chippewa “misi-ziibi” meaning “great river”.

45 Jaded miner’s remark? : ORE AGAIN (from “Oregon”)

The Oregon Treaty of 1846 settled a dispute between the US and the UK over sovereignty of the Oregon Country. “The Oregon Country” was the name given by the Americans to a large swathe of land west of the Rocky Mountains. That same disputed land was known as the Columbia Department by the British. Oregon became a US state in 1859.

47 Preferring platonic relationships, informally : ARO

Someone described as aromantic (“aro”, for short) experiences little or no romantic attraction. The opposite of aromanticism is a alloromanticism.

48 Words after “Mamma mia!” in “Bohemian Rhapsody” : … LET ME GO!

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a marvelously unique song in the pop repertoire. It has a very appealing structure, with no chorus but three distinct parts and with three distinct “sounds”. The opening is truly a slow ballad, which morphs into an operatic middle section, ending with a really heavy, rock-guitar conclusion. The song monopolized the number one slot in the UK charts for weeks in 1975/76, and made a comeback in 1996 when it appeared in the movie “Wayne’s World”. Great stuff …

50 Bhagavad ___ (Hindu scripture) : GITA

“The Bhagavad Gita” (sometimes just “The Gita”) is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that forms part of the ancient Indian epic, “The Mahabharata”. Written in Sanskrit, the title of the work translates as “The Song of the Bhagavan”, with “Bhagavan” often translated as “Lord, God”.

51 Coke-ette? : MINI SODA (from “Minnesota”)

Minnesota is called the North Star State because it is the northernmost state in the contiguous United States. The state’s motto, “L’Étoile du Nord,” is French for “The Star of the North.” The North Star is still a symbol of Minnesota, and is featured on the state flag and seal.

59 Real ___ : ESTATE

The terms “realty” and “real estate” actually date back to the late 1600s. Back then, the terms meant “real possessions, things owned that are tangible and real”.

60 Actress Kendrick, when appearing in smaller films? : INDIE ANNA (from “Indiana”)

Indiana adopted “Crossroads of America” as the state’s official motto in 1937. The same phrase also applies unofficially to Indianapolis, a reference to the state capital’s location at the junction of four interstates in the center of Indiana.

Anna Kendrick is a marvelous actress whose big break came when she played the sidekick to George Clooney’s character in the very interesting 2009 film “Up in the Air”. Kendrick can sing as well as act, and played a student a cappella singer in the 2012 movie “Pitch Perfect”.

70 PC-sensitive, in a way? : DELL AWARE (from “Delaware”)

Computer manufacturer Dell is named for the company’s founder Michael Dell. Michael Dell started his company in his dorm room at college, shipping personal computers that were customized to the specific needs of his customers. He dropped out of school in order to focus on his growing business, a decision that I doubt he regrets. Michael Dell is now one of the richest people in the world.

The state of Delaware takes its name from Virginia’s first colonial governor, Englishman Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr. Delaware is known as “the First State” as it was the first to ratify the US Constitution, in 1787.

74 Day before domingo : SABADO

In Spanish (Span.), the days of the week are masculine (masc.) nouns. Unlike in English, the days of the week in Spanish are not capitalized when used in the middle of a sentence:

• lunes – Monday
• martes – Tuesday
• miércoles – Wednesday
• jueves – Thursday
• viernes – Friday
• sábado – Saturday
• domingo – Sunday

80 “You realize this is a silent meditation, right?” : WHY OMING?

“Om” is a sacred mystic word from the Hindu tradition. “Om” is sometimes used as a mantra, a focus for the mind in meditation.

82 Cornucopia, essentially : HORN

The horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance that has been used in Western art since the days of antiquity. It is usually depicted as a horn-shaped vessel containing flowers and edible delights. The horn of plenty may also be referred to as the cornucopia.

85 Ring call, for short : TKO

Technical knockout (TKO)

86 Considered buying that garden tool? : EYED A HOE (from “Idaho”)

Idaho was admitted as the 43rd state of the union in 1890. The passage to statehood was not without difficulty. There had been plans in Washington to split what is now Idaho between the new states of Washington and Nevada.

94 Unswayable : ADAMANT

The words “adamant” and “adamantine” can mean “hard like rock, stony”, in the literal sense. In the more figurative sense, someone who is adamant or adamantine is stubborn or inflexible, like a mule, mulish.

96 “Wait … can we not play this in F sharp instead?” : HUH? WHY E? (from “Hawaii”)

The largest island in the state of Hawaii is named Hawaii, and nicknamed “the Big Island”. Of the Hawaiian islands that I’ve had the pleasure to visit, the Big Island is definitely my favorite.

99 Landlocked African country : CHAD

The landlocked African country called Chad takes its name from the second largest wetland on the continent, which is known as Lake Chad.

101 Quick-cooking noodles : RAMEN

Ramen is a noodle dish composed of Chinese-style wheat noodles in a meat or fish broth flavored with soy or miso sauce. Ramen is usually topped with sliced pork and dried seaweed. The term “ramen” is also used for precooked, instant noodles that come in single-serving, solid blocks.

107 Spanish wine region : RIOJA

Rioja wines come from the province of La Rioja in Northern Spain. In my days living back in Europe, Rioja wines were noted for their heavy oaky flavors and it wasn’t uncommon to order a “rough Rioja” when out for dinner of an evening.

113 Parent’s encouragement to a budding chef? : WHISK ON, SON (from “Wisconsin”)

The state of Wisconsin is nicknamed “the Badger State”. This name came about in the early days of lead mining in the 1800s. The miners would often set up home in the holes they were digging, earning them the nickname “badgers”, and leading to the state’s nickname.

117 Ancient region bordering the Aegean Sea : IONIA

The geographic region called Ionia is located in present-day Turkey. It was prominent in the days of ancient Greece, although it wasn’t a unified state and rather a collection of tribes. The tribal confederacy was more based on religious and cultural similarities than a political or military alliance. Nowadays we often refer to this arrangement as the Ionian League.

The Aegean Sea is that part of the Mediterranean that lies between Greece and Turkey. Within the Aegean Sea are found the Aegean Islands, a group that includes Crete and Rhodes.

Down

1 Two halves of a platonic whole : BFFS

Best friend forever (BFF)

The Greek philosopher Plato wrote a philosophical treatise on the nature of love called “Symposium”. “Symposium” is the source of the contemporary phrase “Platonic love”.

4 Like the “h” in “hat,” to a linguist : GLOTTAL

The epiglottis is an elastic cartilage flap located above the larynx. The epiglottis opens when breathing, and closes when swallowing. That motion directs air into the lungs, and food into the stomach.

5 Response to hearing all the gory details : TMI

Too much information! (TMI!)

6 Campfire remnant : HOT COAL

A remnant is a small part that’s left over from something larger. The term comes from the Latin “remanour” meaning “to remain”. So, a “remnant” is something “remaining”.

7 Paul ___, Hungarian mathematician with over 1,500 published papers : ERDOS

Paul Erdős was a famous Hungarian mathematician, and a very prolific writer. Erdős published more papers than any other mathematician in history.

10 Specifically : TO WIT

The verb “to wit” means “to know”. The verb really isn’t used anymore except in the phrase “to wit” meaning “that is to say, namely”.

12 Black and ___ (beer cocktails) : TANS

The alcoholic drink known as a “half-and-half” is a 50-50 mix of two different types of beer. Back in Ireland a half-and-half is made from an Irish ale on the bottom with Guinness floated on top. Over here you might see that combination referred to as a “Black and Tan”, but we tend to avoid that reference in my homeland. The Black and Tans were British paramilitary units deployed in Ireland in the early 1920s to suppress the movement for independence. They weren’t good guys …

13 Like Gandhi : ANTIWAR

Mohandas Gandhi was a political and spiritual leader in India in the first part of the 20th century, as the country sought independence from Britain. He was also referred to as “Mahatma”, meaning “great soul”. His remarkable philosophy of nonviolence and living a modest lifestyle was a great inspiration to the Indian people. India (and Pakistan) was granted independence in 1947. Tragically, Gandhi was assassinated the very next year.

14 Meat-filled puff : RISSOLE

A rissole is a small croquette covered in pastry or bread crumbs that is baked or deep-fried. The filling may be sweet or savory, although it is usually some minced meat or fish.

23 Actor Matthew of “The Americans” : RHYS

Welsh actor Matthew Rhys got his break playing Kevin Walker on the TV drama “Brothers & Sisters” from 2006 to 2011. He gained even further recognition playing the co-lead role of Philip Jennings in the excellent spy drama series “The Americans” that ran from 2013 to 2018. Rhys started a relationship with his co-star in “The Americans”, Keri Russell, in 2014. The couple had a child together in 2016, and refer to each other as husband and wife.

“The Americans” is a very engaging drama series set during the Cold War that features two KGB spies living as a married couple just outside Washington, D.C. The show was created by Joe Weisberg, who is a novelist and former CIA officer. The lead roles in “The Americans” are played by real-life couple Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys.

29 Author Émile : ZOLA

The most famous work by French writer Émile Zola is his 1898 open letter “J’Accuse!” written to French president Félix Faure. The letter was published on the front page of a leading Paris newspaper, and accused the government of anti-Semitism in its handling of the trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Dreyfus was a Jewish military officer in the French army, falsely accused and convicted of spying for Germany. Even after the error was discovered, the government refused to back down and let Dreyfus rot away on Devil’s Island rather than admit to the mistake. It wasn’t until 1906, 12 years after the wrongful conviction, that Dreyfus was freed and reinstated, largely due to the advocacy of Emile Zola.

32 Sheep product : MUTTON

The meat of the domestic sheep is given a different name, depending on how old the animal was at time of slaughter. Generally speaking, lamb is the meat of sheep no more than one year old. Hogget is the meat of a juvenile, and mutton is the meat of an adult.

38 Heckles, in a way : BOOS AT

Originally, the verb “to heckle” meant “to question severely”, and for many years was associated with the public questioning of parliamentary candidates in Scotland. In more recent times, the meaning has evolved into questioning that is less polite and that is directed at stand-up comics.

40 Long-necked instrument : SITAR

The sitar has been around since the Middle Ages. It is a stringed instrument that is played by plucking, and is used most often in Hindustani classical music. In the West we have been exposed to the instrument largely through the performances of Ravi Shankar and some music by George Harrison of the Beatles, a onetime student of Shankar.

44 South Asian : DESI

People from the Indian subcontinent might refer to themselves as “desi”.

49 V-six or V-twelve? : GEESE

Apparently, birds that fly in a V-formation do so for a couple of reasons. One is that it makes for efficient flight and conserves energy. The leading bird gets no advantage, but every following bird gets to “slipstream” a little. It has been noted that the lead bird drops to the back of the formation when he/she gets fatigued. It’s also thought that the flock can stick together more easily when in formation, so it is more difficult to lose someone along the way.

52 Figure skater Midori : ITO

Midori Ito is a Japanese figure skater. She was the first woman to land a triple/triple jump and a triple axel in competition. In fact, Ito landed her first triple jump in training when she was only 8 years old. Ito won Olympic silver in 1992, and was chosen as the person to light the Olympic cauldron at the commencement of the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

53 Like Mecca and Medina : SAUDI

Mecca is in the Makkah province of Saudi Arabia. It was the birthplace of Muhammad and is the holiest city in Islam. Every year, several million Muslims perform the Hajj, a holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

Medina is a city in western Saudi Arabia. Medina is the second holiest city in the Islamic tradition after Mecca, as it is the burial place of the Prophet Muhammad.

54 Pride : lion :: raft : ___ : OTTER

Male and female otters are known as dogs and bitches, with the offspring called pups. Males and females are sometimes referred to as boars and sows. A collection of otters is a bevy, family, lodge or perhaps a romp. When in water, a collection of otters can be called a raft.

57 Cloisonné technique : INLAY

“Cloisonné” is an ancient technique that uses vitreous enamel to decorate metalwork. The technique involves the addition of metal compartments to the surface of the piece, made by soldering silver or gold wires that form the edges of each compartment. Vitreous enamels of various colors are then added to each compartment and the whole piece fired. “Cloison” is a French word meaning “compartment, partition”.

58 1990s fitness craze : TAE BO

Tae Bo isn’t an ancient martial art, even though it perhaps sounds like one. The discipline was developed as a form of aerobic exercise in the 1990s by taekwondo expert Billy Blanks who gave it the name Tae Bo, a melding of “taekwondo” and “boxing”.

60 “Invisible Cities” author Calvino : ITALO

“Invisible Cities” is a 1972 novel by Italian author Italo Calvino. The book is structured as a series of dialogues between the aging Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan and the Venetian Explorer Marco Polo.

61 Poet who wrote “Behold the duck / It does not cluck” : NASH

Ogden Nash was a poet from Rye, New York who is remembered for his light and quirky verse. Nash had over 500 such works published between 1931 and 1972.

64 Bordeaux red : CLARET

Clairet is a dark rosé wine. Although it is uncommon today, clairet used to be the most common wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. For centuries now, British consumers have used the derivative term “claret” to describe any red wine from Bordeaux.

69 What surfers and guitarists can do, in slang : SHRED

Shred guitar is a style of lead guitar playing that stresses fast passages.

72 “___ and the Bee” (2006 film) : AKEELAH

“Akeelah and the Bee” is a 2006 movie about a young girl participating in the National Spelling Bee.

80 Sad trombone sound : WAH

The so-called “sad trombone” sound is used a lot in game shows to indicate that a player is losing. It’s that plaintive “wah wah” sound.

88 Fish whose left eye migrates to its right side as it ages (!?) : HALIBUT

Halibuts are flatfish. The common name “halibut” comes from the earlier terms “hali” (holy) and “butte” (flatfish). The adjective “holy” is a reference to the popularity of halibut as a replacement for meat on holy days in the Roman Catholic calendar.

91 “Eureka!” : THAT’S IT!

“Eureka” translates from Greek as “I have found it”. The word is usually associated with Archimedes, uttered as he stepped into his bath one day. His discovery was that the volume of water that was displaced was equal to that of the object (presumably his foot) that had been submerged. He used this fact to determine volume (and density) of a crown, something he needed in order to determine if it was made of pure gold or was a forgery.

99 Chest material : CEDAR

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 celsius.

100 Padlock parts : HASPS

The “hasp” of a lock might refer to more than one thing. The u-shape loop protruding from a padlock is often called a “lock hasp”, for example.

101 What’s left of the Colosseum : RUINS

The Colosseum of Rome was the largest amphitheater in the whole of the Roman Empire in its day, and could seat about 50,000 people. The structure was originally called the “Amphitheatrum Flavium” but the name changed to “Colosseum” after a colossal statue of Emperor Nero was located nearby.

102 A tourist may have one : VISA

A visa is usually a stamp in one’s passport, an indication that one is authorized to enter (and less often, to exit) a particular country. The word “visa” comes into English, via French, from the Latin expression “charta visa” meaning “paper that has been seen”, or “verified paper”.

108 Where the Nobel Peace Prize is presented : OSLO

The Peace Prize is the most famous of the five prizes bequeathed by Alfred Nobel. The others are for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. There is also a Nobel Prize in Economics that is awarded along with the original five, but it is funded separately and is awarded “in memory of Alfred Nobel”. Four of the prizes are awarded by Swedish organizations (Alfred Nobel was a Swede) and so the award ceremonies take place in Stockholm. The Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and is presented in Oslo.

109 “Belle de ___,” 1967 Catherine Deneuve film : JOUR

Catherine Deneuve is a French actress who was born in occupied Paris in 1943. She is a well-respected and prolific movie actress, and appeared in her 100th film in 2008.

113 Freak (out) : WIG

The idea behind the expression “to wig out”, meaning “to go crazy”, is that there is so much going on in your brain that it might “lift your hair/wig”.

114 Elided agreement : ‘KAY

Back in the late 1830s, there were some slang abbreviations coined mainly in Boston. The craze called for two-letter abbreviations of deliberately misspelled phrases. For example “no use” became “KY” from “know yuse”, and “enough said” became “NC” from “‘nuff ced”. Fortunately (I say!), the practice was short-lived. But, one of those abbreviations persists to this day. “All correct” was misspelled to give “oll korrect”, abbreviated to “OK”.