Day: June 1, 2025

Bill’s time: 19m 16s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

20A Leader of the world’s smallest country : POPE

The Pope, as the Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, also serves as the sovereign of Vatican City State, which is the world’s smallest independent nation. Vatican City is less than half a square kilometer (about 110 acres), making it smaller than many golf courses!

21A Vice follower : VERSA

“Vice versa” is a Latin phrase meaning “with position turned”. We always pronounce this term “incorrectly”. In Latin, a “c” is a hard sound, and a “v” is pronounced like a “w”. The pronunciation should be something like “wee-kay wehr-sa”.

22A Cambodian cash : RIEL

The Cambodian riel was introduced in 1953, and was taken out of circulation by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 when they completely abolished money on taking control of the country. After the Vietnamese invasion of 1978, money was reintroduced and the Cambodian people are still using the “second” riel. The original riel was divided into 100 centimes, but this was changed to 100 “sen” in 1959.

29A Example of industry in Proverbs 6:6-9 : ANT

In the Old Testament, Proverbs 6:6-9 advises: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” The ant serves as a metaphor for hard work and planning for the future.

30A They might be ripe for changing : DIAPERS

“Diaper” is another word that I had to learn when I moved to America. What are called “diapers” over here, we call “nappies” back in Ireland. The term “diaper” is actually the original term that was used in England for the garment, where “diaper” referred to the cloth that was used. The term “diaper” was brought to the New World where it stuck. Back in Britain, “diaper” was displaced by the word “nappy”, a diminutive of “napkin”.

44A Substance adapted to lab use by Fanny Hesse in 1881 : AGAR

Fanny Hesse, the wife of German-American physician Walther Hesse, suggested using agar as a culture medium for bacteria in 1881. Prior to this, scientists used gelatin, which would melt at body temperature and was also consumed by bacteria. Agar, derived from seaweed, doesn’t melt until 85°C (185°F) and isn’t digestible by most bacteria.

58A One “M” of the M.M.R. vaccine : MEASLES

The MMR vaccine protects against three diseases, namely measles (M), mumps (M) and rubella (R).

Measles, one of the diseases covered by the MMR vaccine, is caused by a virus and is highly contagious. Before the vaccine, measles was a common childhood illness, but it could lead to severe complications like pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death. The global effort to eradicate measles through vaccination has dramatically reduced its incidence, though outbreaks still occur in undervaccinated populations

60A Inflation meas. : PSI

Pounds per square inch (PSI) is a measure of pressure.

61A “Paradise ___” : LOST

“Paradise Lost” is an epic poem written by Englishman John Milton. It is indeed an epic work, published originally in ten volumes with over ten thousand lines of verse. The “paradise” that is “lost” is the Garden of Eden, from which Adam and Eve were expelled by God in the “Fall of Man”.

64A Big Apple airport code : LGA

Fiorello La Guardia was the Mayor of New York from 1934 to 1945, racking up three full terms in office. The famous airport that bears La Guardia’s name was built at his urging, stemming from an incident that took place while he was in office. He was taking a TWA flight to “New York” and was outraged when the plane landed at Newark Airport, in the state of New Jersey. The Mayor demanded that the flight take off again and land at a small airport in Brooklyn. A gaggle of press reporters joined him on the short hop and he gave them a story, urging New Yorkers to support the construction of a new commercial airport within the city’s limits. The new airport, in Queens, opened in 1939 as New York Municipal, often called “LaGuardia” as a nickname. The airport was officially relabeled as “LaGuardia” (LGA) in 1947.

73A Org. enabled by the 16th Amendment : IRS

The Sixteenth Amendment to the US Constitution gives the US Congress the right to levy a personal income tax without the need to reapportion the funds collected to the states proportionally based on census results. Prior to the amendment, taxes collected had to be returned to the states based on population.

79A Home of Morehouse College : ATLANTA

Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia is one of only three all-male liberal arts colleges left in the US. The other two are Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia and Wabash College in Indiana.

87A One may be fawning : DOE

A fawn is a young deer, usually one less than a year old.

88A European capital through which the Akerselva flows : OSLO

The Akerselva is one of the rivers flowing through Oslo, Norway. Historically, it powered numerous industries, earning it the nickname “the green lung” of the city.

92A Army NCO : SSGT

A staff sergeant (SSgt.) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO).

96A Sweden joined it in 2024 : NATO

The country of Sweden emerged during the Middle Ages, and became one of the great powers of Europe in the days of the Swedish Empire in the 17th and early 18th century. Since then Sweden’s influence has waned. What was the eastern part of Sweden was lost to Russia in the early 1800s, and is now modern-day Finland. In the 20th century Sweden has adopted a very non-aggressive stance and was neutral in both World Wars. Sweden is a member of the European Union, although the country does not use the euro as its currency. And, Sweden joined NATO in 2024, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

103A Peddled things : WARES

In its purest sense, a peddler is someone who sells his or her wares on the street or from door to door. The term probably comes from the Latin “pedarius” meaning “one who goes on foot”.

104A Hawaiian song of farewell : ALOHA ‘OE

“Aloha ‘Oe,” a famous Hawaiian song, was composed by Liliuokalani, who holds the distinction of being Hawaii’s last monarch and its only reigning queen. The song’s title translates as “Farewell to Thee.”

105A Meas. roughly equivalent to 10 billion 12-Downs : BTU
12D Piece of work? : ERG

British Thermal Unit (BTU)

106A Bit of equipment for a vault : POLE

The pole vault has been an Olympic event for men since the 1896 games. However, women’s pole vaulting was only introduced at the 2000 games.

111A Nerve : GALL

Today, we use the verb “to gall” to mean “to vex, irritate”. This is a figurative usage of the same verb that arose mid-1400s, when it meant “to make sore by chafing”. Back then, a gall was a sore on the skin caused by rubbing or chafing.

121A Number after zwei : DREI

“Eins, zwei, drei, vier” is German for “one, two, three, four”.

125A ___ Lee : SARA

In 1935, businessman Charles Lubin bought a chain of three bakeries in Chicago called Community Bake Shops, and soon expanded the operation into seven stores. Lubin introduced a cream cheesecake that he named after his daughter who was only 8-years-old at the time, Sara Lee Lubin. The cheesecake was a hit and he renamed the bakeries to Kitchen of Sara Lee. The business was bought out by Consolidated Foods in 1956, but the brand name Sara Lee persists to this day, as does Ms. Sara Lee herself who now goes by the name Sara Lee Schupf.

Down

2D First name in stunts : EVEL

Daredevil Evel Knievel contracted hepatitis C from the many blood transfusions that he needed after injuries incurred during stunts. He had to have a liver transplant as a result, but his health declined after that. Knievel eventually passed away in 2007.

5D Big Apple media inits. : NYT

“The New York Times” (NYT) has been published since 1851, and is sometimes referred to as “the Gray Lady”. These days a viable alternative to buying the paper is to read the news online. NYTimes.com is the most popular online newspaper website in the country.

6D Park known as a “permanent world’s fair” : EPCOT

EPCOT Center (now just called “Epcot”) is the theme park beside Walt Disney World in Florida. EPCOT is an acronym standing for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, and is a representation of the future as envisioned by Walt Disney. Walt Disney actually wanted to build a living community for 20,000 residents at EPCOT, but he passed away without that vision being realized.

10D Nonspeaking character in “Frozen” : SVEN

Sven is Kristoff’s loyal reindeer companion and best friend in Disney’s “Frozen” movies. Though he doesn’t speak, Sven is often seen acting as Kristoff’s conscience, guiding him with gentle nudges and reminding him to be kind and selfless. He’s also incredibly helpful, pulling Kristoff’s sled and assisting Anna and Elsa on their adventures.

12D Piece of work? : ERG

An erg is a unit of mechanical work or energy. It is a small unit, with one joule comprising 10 million ergs. It has been suggested that an erg is about the amount of energy required for a mosquito to take off. The term comes from “ergon”, the Greek word for work.

14D Bakery treat : DANISH

The “Danish” pastry is popular worldwide, particularly in North America, and is indeed of “Danish” origin. In Denmark, it’s typically known as “wienerbrød”, meaning “Viennese bread”, because its modern form was developed by Austrian bakers who came to Denmark in the mid-19th century.

18D Early automaker : OLDS

Oldsmobile was an automobile brand founded by Ransom E. Olds (REO) in 1897. The brand was finally phased out by General Motors in 2004.

24D Egyptian fertility goddess : ISIS

Isis was the ancient Egyptian goddess of fertility, as well as the protector of the dead and the goddess of children. She was the personification of the pharaoh’s power. The name “Isis” translates as “throne”, and she is usually depicted with a headdress shaped like a throne.

32D Fantasy role-playing game, for short : D AND D

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D, DnD) is a complex role-playing game (RPG) introduced in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules Incorporated (TSR). Dungeons & Dragons was probably the first of the modern role-playing games to be developed, and the most successful. It is still played by lots of people today, including my youngest son …

38D Loss of the ability to read : ALEXIA

Dyslexia is a disorder in which a person with normal intelligence has difficulty in reading. The term “dyslexia” comes from the Greek “dys-” meaning “bad” and “lexis” meaning “word”. If a person who can read normally loses that capability, then the disorder is referred to as alexia.

43D Some collared shirts : POLOS

René Lacoste was a French tennis player who went into the clothing business, and came up with a more comfortable shirt that players could use. This became known as a “tennis shirt”. When it was adopted for use in the sport of polo, the shirts also became known as “polo shirts”. The “golf shirt” is basically the same thing. The Lacoste line of clothing features a crocodile logo, because René was nicknamed “The Crocodile”.

48D Regional divisions in Russia : OBLASTS

“Oblast” is a term of Slavic origin, literally meaning “area” or “region”, that refers to a primary administrative territorial unit. While historically used in the former Soviet Union, oblasts persist in modern Russia, functioning much like a province or state in other countries.

50D It may be dropped for effect : MIC

A mic drop takes place when a performer has done particularly well and decides to celebrate by throwing or dropping the microphone to the floor. That doesn’t seem to happen at the performances I tend to frequent …

53D Members of a priestly caste of ancient Persia : MAGI

The Magi were an ancient Medean tribe who became known for their expertise in astrology and religious practices. They are most famously known from the biblical narrative of the “three wise men” who visited the infant Jesus, though the Bible does not specify their number or that they were kings. Their historical role was as a priestly caste in ancient Persia, serving as interpreters of dreams and practitioners of divination.

56D German town : STADT

“Stadt” is the German word for “city, town”.

63D Two-version marketing experiments : A/B TESTS

A/B testing, often called split testing, is a method of comparing two versions of a webpage, app feature, or marketing campaign element against each other to see which one performs better. By showing half the audience version A and the other half version B, businesses can collect data on user behavior and make informed decisions to optimize their content for higher engagement or other desired outcome.

66D Rio maker : KIA

The Kia Rio is a subcompact that has been in production since 1999, and has undergone several updates and redesigns over the years. The Rio was designed by Kia’s chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, who previously worked for Audi and is credited with designing the iconic Audi TT.

67D Puzzlemaker Rubik : ERNO

Ernő Rubik is a Hungarian inventor and professor of architecture, best known for inventing the mechanical puzzle known as Rubik’s Cube. He created the Cube in 1974 as a teaching tool for his students to understand three-dimensional problems. It unexpectedly became a global phenomenon, and became one of the best-selling toys of all time.

70D Wyoming’s Cheyenne Frontier Days, e.g. : RODEO

Cheyenne Frontier Days is a rodeo held annually in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is often called the “Daddy of ’em All” and is the world’s largest outdoor rodeo. The city held its first Frontier Days event in 1897.

72D Brand with cup sizes from “minis” to “world’s largest” : REESE’S

Hershey’s produces three sizes of Peanut Butter Cups now. Alongside “standard”, we can buy “Mini” and “Big Cup”.

75D Rock’s Ocasek : RIC

Ric Ocasek was an American musician of Czech heritage. He was the lead vocalist of the Cars rock band.

78D Small songbird : WREN

The wren is a small songbird belonging to the family troglodytidae and the genus troglodytes. Wrens are known for making dome-shaped nests. Despite their small size, they are known for their loud and complex songs. Male wrens often sing to attract mates and to establish territory, They have been known to attack much larger birds that get too close to their nests.

89D Butter substitute : OLEO

Emperor Louis Napoleon III of France announced a competition to develop a substitute for butter, a substitute that would be more accessible to the lower classes and more practical for the armed forces. A French chemist called Hippolyte Mege-Mouries came up with something he called oleomargarine in 1869, which was eventually manufactured under the trade name “margarine”. The name “oleomargarine” also gives us our generic term “oleo”.

93D Popular food fish or its genus name : TILAPIA

The name “tilapia” is used for almost a hundred species of related fish, most of which are found in freshwater. Tilapia are found in many fish farms as they grow very quickly and are popular in restaurants.

95D Fundamental building block of DNA : ADENINE

Adenine is one of the four nucleobases found in DNA and RNA, along with guanine, cytosine, and thymine (uracil in RNA). These nucleobases form the “rungs” of the DNA ladder, pairing specifically (adenine with thymine, guanine with cytosine) to create the genetic code.

97D Green often found in mixed greens : ARUGULA

Eruca sativa is an edible plant that is known as “arugula” in the US, and “rocket” in Britain and Ireland and in Canada. The Italian name for the plant is “rucola”, from the Latin name. It is “rucula” that evolved into the American term “arugula”.

100D Revealer of “the man behind the curtain” : TOTO

Towards the end of the movie “The Wizard of Oz”, Dorothy’s little dog Toto pulls back a green curtain to reveal the true identity of the Wizard. He is merely a normal man operating machinery, and so Toto exposes the illusion behind the wizard’s power.

101D Center of mass? : CHURCH

The principal act of worship in the Roman Catholic tradition is the Mass. The term “Mass” comes from the Late Latin word “missa” meaning “dismissal”. This word is used at the end of the Latin Mass in “Ite, missa est” which translates literally as “Go, it is the dismissal”.

114D Slobbery cartoon pet : ODIE

Odie is Garfield’s best friend, and is a slobbery beagle. Both are characters in Jim Davis’ comic strip named “Garfield”.

115D Arizona’s third-largest city : MESA

The city of Mesa, Arizona is in effect a suburb of Phoenix. The original settlement of non-Native Americans was founded by Daniel Webster Jones who led a Mormon group from St. George, Utah. The settlement was first called Jonesville, then Fort Utah and eventually Lehi. A second group of Mormons arrived and formed a settlement on top of a nearby mesa. It was this use of a mesa that eventually gave the city its current name.

116D Early education option, for short : PRE-K

Pre-kindergarten (pre-K)

“Kindergarten” is a German word, one translated as “children’s garden”. The term was coined by the German education authority Friedrich Fröbel in 1837, when he used it as the name for his play and activity institute that he created for young children to use before they headed off to school. His thought was that children should be nourished educationally, like plants in a garden.