Day: April 23, 2025

Bill’s time: 9m 40s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 “That one’s mine!”: DIBS!

The phrase “to have dibs on” expresses a claim on something. Apparently, the term “dibs” is a contraction of “dibstone”, which was a knucklebone or jack used in a children’s game.

5 Treat that may have a cherry on top: SUNDAE

There’s a lot of speculation about how the dessert called a sundae got its name, but there seems to be agreement that it is an alteration of the word “Sunday”.

15 Computer that originally came in five “flavors”: IMAC

The iMac is a desktop computer platform that Apple introduced in 1998. One of the main features of the iMac is an “all-in-one” design, with the computer console and monitor integrated. The iMac also came in a range of colors that Apple marketed as “flavors”, such as strawberry, blueberry and lime.

17 Improvisational singing: SCAT

Scat singing is a vocal improvisation found in the world of jazz. There aren’t any words as such in scat singing, just random nonsense syllables made up on the spot.

18 Honor for “Dune” and “American Gods”: NEBULA AWARD

The best works of science fiction and fantasy published each year are recognized annually by the Nebula Awards. The first Nebulas were awarded in 1966.

“Dune” is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, first published in 1965. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time. The book has a large and dedicated fanbase, who refer to themselves as “Duners” or “Dune fans.”

“American Gods” is a 2001 fantasy novel by English author Neil Gaiman. The book has been adapted into a TV series, with the first season airing on Starz in 2017. It’s all about gods and mythological creatures in contemporary America. Not my cup of tea, although there is a leprechaun named Mad Sweeney in the mix …

20 Certain Bear or Smurf: PAPA

The story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” was first recorded in 1837 in England, although the narrative was around before it was actually written down. The original fairy tale was rather gruesome, but successive versions became more family-oriented. The character that eventually became Goldilocks was originally an elderly woman, and the three “nameless” bears became Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear.

The Smurfs are little blue people created in 1958 by the Belgian cartoonist who went by the pen name Peyo. The Smurfs became famous in the US when Hanna-Barbera used them in a children’s cartoon series. The characters are largely a group of males. The original lineup included just one “Smurfette”, who is wooed by almost all of the boy Smurfs. Later, another female was introduced into the mix called Sassette, and still later along came Granny Smurf.

21 Establishment in Chicago’s Boystown: GAY BAR

A gay village (also “gayborhood”) is a part of a city that is home to and frequented by a large number of LGBT people. Famous gay villages around the world are Soho in London, Chelsea in New York City, the Castro in San Francisco and Boystown in Chicago.

23 Transparent film: SARAN

What’s known as plastic wrap in America, we call cling-film in Ireland. The brand name “Saran” is often used generically in the US, while “Glad” wrap is common down under. Plastic wrap was one of those unintended inventions, a byproduct of a development program to create a hard plastic cover for cars.

25 Like Swifties vis-à-vis Taylor Swift: STARSTRUCK

A swiftie is a fan of singer Taylor Swift. In 2017, the singer trademarked the term “Swifties”. She has also trademarked the term “Swiftmas”.

27 Ringo Starr or Paul McCartney: SIR

The ex-Beatles bass player’s full name is Sir James Paul McCartney. “Paul” was knighted for his services to music in 1997. His fellow Beatle Ringo Starr was knighted for his services to music in 2018.

36 Genre for the Final Fantasy series, in brief: RPG

Role-playing game (RPG)

“Final Fantasy” is a series of fantasy role-playing video games that is much-respected in the gaming community. The first game was released back in 1987.

37 Grammy-winning Soundgarden hit of 1994: BLACK HOLE SUN

Soundgarden was a rock band formed in 1984 by drummer Chris Cornell and guitarist Kim Thayil. They were active from 1984 through 1997, and again from 2010 through 2018. The band’s name came from an outdoor public art work called “A Sound Garden” that can be seen on the campus of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Seattle. After Soundgarden’s co-founder Cornell committed suicide in 2017, the NOAA’s Sound Garden became a makeshift memorial to the singer.

41 Massachusetts’ Cape ___: ANN

Cape Ann is located 30 miles north of Boston and is on the northernmost edge of Massachusetts Bay. The Cape was first mapped by the explorer John Smith. Early in his adventurous life Smith had been captured and enslaved by the Ottoman Empire. His “owner” in his days of slavery was a woman called Tragabigzanda, and apparently the slave and owner fell in love. Smith originally called Cape Tragabigzanda in her memory, but King Charles I changed the name to Cape Ann in honor of his own mother, Anne of Denmark.

50 Middle X or O: TAC

When I was growing up in Ireland we played “noughts and crosses” … our name for the game tic-tac-toe.

52 Canadian province on the Gulf of Maine: NOVA SCOTIA

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia (NS) lies on the east coast of the country and is a peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. The area was settled by Scots starting in 1621, and Nova Scotia is Latin for “New Scotland”.

55 ___ apso: LHASA

The Lhasa apso breed of dog originated in Tibet and is named after “Lhasa” (the capital city) and “apso” (a Tibetan word meaning “bearded”). The Lhasa apso has been around since 800 BC and is one of the oldest breeds in the world, one very closely related to the ancestral wolf.

58 Home of Madison Ave. and Houston St.: NYC

Madison Avenue became the center of advertising in the US in the twenties, and serves as the backdrop to the great TV drama “Mad Men”. There aren’t many advertising agencies left on Madison Avenue these days though, as most have moved to other parts of New York City. The street takes its name from Madison Square, which is bounded on one side by Madison Avenue. The square in turn takes its name from James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.

Houston Street stretches right across the island of Manhattan in an east-west direction. The thoroughfare was named for William Houstoun who served as a delegate from Georgia to the Continental Congress in 1787. As such, the street name is pronounced “HOUSE-ton”, unlike the city of Houston, which was named for Sam Houston.

60 Chimney sweep’s target: FLUE

The flue in a chimney is a duct that conveys exhaust gases from a fire to the outdoors. An important feature of a flue is that its opening is adjustable. When starting a fire, the flue should be wide open, maximizing airflow to get help ignition.

63 Instrument similar to a sousaphone: TUBA

The sousaphone is a kind of tuba that was specifically designed to send the sound upward and over the rest of the orchestra, with a warm tone, achieved with a large bell that pointed upwards. The instrument was developed at the request of the composer John Philip Sousa, hence the name. The design proved to be more suitable than its predecessors for use in marching bands, and that is how it is used most frequently today.

64 2009 aviatrix biopic: AMELIA

The 2009 movie “Amelia” tells the life story of Amelia Earhart, with Hilary Swank in the title role. “Amelia” didn’t do well with the critics, although I must say that I enjoyed it. Maybe that’s because I am fascinated by the whole Earhart story …

The feminine suffix “-trix” is Latin in origin, and is equivalent to the male suffix “-tor”. Examples of usage would be “aviatrix” and “aviator”. Similarly, the feminine suffix “-ette” came into English from French, with the suffix “-et” being the male equivalent. Examples of usage would be “brunette” and “brunet”. The suffix “-enne” also came into English from French, with a male equivalent of “-en” and “-an”. Examples would be “comedienne, comedian” and “doyenne, doyen”.

65 Ohio city whose name is pronounced with a long “I”: LIMA

Lima is a city located in northwestern Ohio, about 70 miles north of Dayton. The city is home to the Lima Army Tank Plant, where the M1 Abrams battle tank is produced. Lima is also home to the fictional William McKinley High School that is the setting for the TV series “Glee”.

67 Reunited city: BERLIN

After World War II, the allies agreed to divide the city of Berlin into four sectors. The sector administered by the Soviets became known as “East Berlin”, and the sectors administered by the Americans, French and British became known as “West Berlin”. The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was established in 1949, and declared its capital as East Berlin. Starting in 1961, the GDR built a wall (the Berlin Wall) around West Berlin, separating that portion of the city from East German territory.

Down

1 Nincompoop: DINGUS

The word “nincompoop”, meaning “fool”, seems to have been around for quite a while. It has been used since the 1670s, but no one appears to know its origins.

3 Bassinet alternative: BABY CRIB

A bassinet is a basket or bed made up for a young baby in the first few months of his or her life.

4 Diving acronym: SCUBA

The self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) was co-invented by celebrated French marine explorer Jacques Cousteau.

6 “___ cerveza, por favor”: UNA

In Spanish, when buying “cerveza” (beer), one might purchase a “paquete de seis” (six-pack).

9 “Sleeping Beauty” princess: AURORA

“Sleeping Beauty” is a classic fairy tale appearing in the Brothers Grimm collection. The story itself was an original work written by French author Charles Perrault and first published in 1697. However, Perrault’s story does contain elements that preexisted in folklore.

11 Spears on a plate: ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is a perennial flowering plant that is grown mainly for its edible shoots (or “spears”). The shoots must be harvested when they are very young, as they become woody very quickly.

12 In myth, one who flew too close to the sun: ICARUS

Daedalus was a master craftsman of Greek mythology who was tasked with creating the Labyrinth on the island of Crete that was to house the Minotaur. After the Labyrinth was completed, King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in a tower, so that he could not spread word of his work. Daedalus fabricated wings so that he and Icarus could escape by flying off the island. Despite being warned by his father, Icarus flew too close to the sun so that the wax holding the wings’ feathers in place melted. Icarus drowned in the sea, and Daedalus escaped.

19 Trounces in Mario Kart, say: LAPS

“Mario Kart” is a go-kart racing video game series from Nintendo.

25 Give the pink slip: SACK

The term “pink-slip” can be used as a verb meaning “to terminate an employee”. No one really seems to know for sure where the phrase originated, but there are lots of stories.

26 Player of the Iron Lady in “The Iron Lady”: STREEP

“The Iron Lady” is a 2011 biopic about Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister. The marvelous Meryl Streep does a wonderful job playing the title role. I had great expectations for this film and found that it didn’t quite deliver, despite a great cast.

39 Kinks song spoofed in Weird Al’s “Yoda”: LOLA

“Lola” is a fabulous song that was written by Ray Davies and released by the Kinks back in 1970. Inspired by a real life incident, the lyrics tell of a young man who met a young “lady” in a club, danced with her, and then discovered “she” was actually a transvestite. The storyline isn’t very traditional, and the music is superb.

“Weird Al” Yankovic is a singer-songwriter who is noted for writing and performing parodies of popular songs. Of the 150 or so such songs, the best known are probably “Eat It” (parodying “Beat It” by Michael Jackson) and “Like a Surgeon” (parodying “Like a Virgin” by Madonna).

44 Course in an omakase meal: SASHIMI

Sashimi is thinly sliced raw fish, although it can also be raw meat. The word “sashimi” translates literally as “pierced body”, which may be a reference to the practice of sticking the tail and fin to sliced fish to identify it.

When food is ordered “omakase” in a Japanese restaurant, the patron is asking the chef to choose what is served. The term “omakase” comes from the Japanese for “to entrust”.

45 Dress to the nines: DOLL UP

The term “to the nines” means “to perfection”. The first person to use the term in literature was Robbie Burns. Apparently the idea behind the use of “nines” is figurative (pun!), with the number nine considered “ideal” as it is arrived at by multiplying three by three.

52 Pact from 1994 to 2020: NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was a treaty between Canada, Mexico and the United States. When NAFTA came into force in 1994, it set up the largest free trade zone in the world. It was replaced by the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2020, an agreement that is often referred to as NAFTA 2.0 because it largely maintains the provisions in the original NAFTA treaty.

53 Texas city named after a president: TYLER

Tyler, Texas is nicknamed “Rose Capital of the World” as it plays a major role in the US’s rose-growing industry and is home to the country’s largest rose garden. The city is named for President John Tyler in recognition of the support he gave to the admission of Texas into the United States.

John Tyler was the tenth President of the US, and the first to take the office on the death of the incumbent. Tyler’s predecessor was President William Henry Harrison, who was in office only 32 days before he died of natural causes. For a while there was a little confusion about the wording in the constitution that covered such an eventuality. There was an argument made that Tyler would continue as Vice-President but would assume the responsibilities of the office of President, in effect as “Acting President”. However, Tyler proceeded as though he was taking over as President and took the oath of office in his hotel room in Washington. Soon afterwards, Congress declared that Tyler was indeed President, although many continued to dispute the fact. Many of President Tyler’s opponents referred to him as “His Accidency”. His term in office ended in 1845. When the Civil War began in 1861, Tyler sided with the Confederacy and was even elected to the Confederate House of Representatives for the 3rd District of Virginia. President Tyler passed away only a few days after taking his seat in the House. His death was the only one in presidential history that was not recognized in the nation’s capital, as he sided with the Confederate States.

56 Yeets: HURLS

In contemporary slang, to yeet is to throw away, discard. “To yeet” usually implies the use of force and a general disregard for what is being discarded. As in, “I really want to yeet the word ‘yeet’ …”

59 Ink cartridge color: CYAN

“Cyan” is short for “cyan blue”. The term comes from the Greek word “kyanos” meaning “dark blue, the color of lapis lazuli”.

Four-color printing uses four different color inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The black ink is also known as the “key”. The first letter of the colors (with black being ”key”) give the more common name for four-color printing, namely CMYK.