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CROSSWORD SETTER: Barry C. Silk
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 17m 44s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Preceder of 64-Across on the calendar : BLACK FRIDAY
In the world of retail, “Black Friday” is the day after Thanksgiving in the US. Black Friday is when many stores start the holiday shopping season, and so offer deep discounts to get ahead of the competition.
12. It may justify things : 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, involving 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.
15. Ilmenite is the chief one : TITANIUM ORE
The most important titanium ore is ilmenite, most of which comes from Australia and South Africa. The ore is mined mainly for the production of titanium dioxide, which is used as a base white pigment in paint, paper and plastics.
16. Winner of the first three Fiesta Bowls, for short : ASU
Arizona State University (ASU) has a long history, founded as the Tempe Normal School for the Arizona Territory in 1885. The athletic teams of ASU used to be known as the Normals, then the Bulldogs, and since 1946 they’ve been called the Sun Devils.
The Fiesta Bowl is a college football bowl game played every year at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona.
18. Radio frequency abbr. : KHZ
The unit of frequency measure is the hertz (Hz) and is the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon.
19. Scrap : ORT
Orts are small scraps of food left after a meal. “Ort” comes from Middle English, and originally described scraps left by animals.
20. Discoverer of New Zealand : TASMAN
Tasmania is the large island lying off the southeast coast of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to sail past the island, in 1642. Tasman named his discovery Van Diemen’s Land after the Governor of the Dutch East Indies, Anthony van Dieman. The name was officially changed to Tasmania, after the discoverer himself, in 1856. In Australia a more familiar name used is “Tassie”.
22. Liberty’s home, for short : MSG
Madison Square Garden (MSG) is an arena in New York City used for a variety of events. In the world of sports it is home to the New York Rangers of the NHL, as well as the New York Knicks of the NBA and New York Liberty of the WNBA. “The Garden” is also the third busiest music venue in the world in terms of ticket sales. The current arena is the fourth structure to bear the name, a name taken from the Madison Square location in Manhattan. In turn, the square was named for James Madison, the fourth President of the US.
25. Site of Akbar the Great’s tomb : AGRA
The Indian city of Agra is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
– The Taj Mahal: the famous mausoleum built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal.
– Agra Fort: the site where the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond was seized.
– Fatehpur Sikri: a historic city that’s home to well-preserved Mughal
Akbar the Great was Mughal Emperor from 1556 until his death in 1605. Akbar’s reign was a successful one for empire, as he consolidated the Mughal influence in the whole of the Indian subcontinent. Akbar made significant social reforms that improved the lives of women, legalizing the remarriage of widows and raising the legal age of marriage. He also banned “sati”, the practice whereby a widow immolated herself on the funeral pyre of her husband.
28. Article in El País : LAS
“El País” is a national daily newspaper published in Spain. “El País” is Spanish for “The Country”.
34. Parts of cross-shaped churches : TRANSEPTS
A transept is a transverse section that crosses the main body of a building. Transepts are important features in many Gothic Christian churches, which often have a cross-shaped floorplan.
37. He worked for Hershey in the 1910s-’20s : REESE
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were invented by Harry Burnett “H.B.” Reese. Peanut Butter Cups were originally called penny cups, reflecting the price at which they were sold. Then inflation took over, and maybe that’s why they were broken into smaller “Pieces” …
44. Dutch oven, e.g. : POT
A Dutch oven is a cooking pot with a tight lid, usually made from cast-iron. Back in Ireland we call them casserole dishes.
45. 1995 Emmy winner Sofer : RENA
Rena Sofer came to prominence as an actor in daytime television, most notably playing Lois Cerullo on “General Hospital”. Sofer’s love interest on the show was played by Wally Kurth, and the online romance led to the pair walking down the aisle in real life in 1995 (although they divorced two years later).
50. Laverne and Shirley, e.g. : PALS
On the late-seventies and early-eighties sitcom “Laverne & Shirley”, Penny Marshall played Laverne (De Fazio) , and Cindy Williams played Shirley (Feeney). The show was a spinoff of “Happy Days”, in which Laverne and Shirley were friends of the Fonz.
52. Lumber mill employee : SAWYER
A “sawyer” is someone who saws wood for a living.
55. World of Warcraft figure : HAG
(61A. World of Warcraft figure : IMP)
“World of Warcraft” is an online role-playing game. My son informs me that it is not that great. Like I would know …
58. Bud abroad : AMI
A male friend in France is “un ami”, and a female friend is “une amie”.
59. Port authority? : WINE STEWARD
The city of Oporto in Portugal gave its name to port wine in the late 1600s, as it was the seaport through which most of the region’s fortified red wine was exported.
62. Name that went down in history? : ANDREA DORIA
The SS Andrea Doria was an Italian ocean liner with the home port of Genoa. She was named after Andrea Doria, a 16th-century admiral from the city. As always seems to be the case with ships that go down, the Andrea Doria was the pride of the fleet and was deemed to be the biggest, fastest and safest of Italy’s ships in the fifties. Her end came in 1956 when she collided with the MS Stockholm off the coast of Nantucket Island. Such was the damage to the side of the vessel that she quickly and severely listed to starboard, rendering half her lifeboats unusable. Nonetheless, 1,660 crew and passengers were rescued by vessels that came to her aid. Only 46 lives were lost, mainly in the collision itself. The Andrea Doria capsized and sank eleven hours after the collision.
64. Follower of 1-Across on the calendar : CYBER MONDAY
“Cyber Monday” is the Monday after Thanksgiving, when retailers offer incentives to online shoppers in the hope of boosting sales. The term “Cyber Monday” was coined in 2005 in a press release issued by the website Shop.org. In recent years, consumers have been spending more money online on Cyber Monday than any other day in the year.
Down
1. Vitamin a.k.a. riboflavin : B-TWO
Riboflavin is vitamin B-2. At one time, riboflavin was known as vitamin G.
7. Kirmans, e.g. : RUGS
A Kirman rug is a Persian rug with ornate flowing designs made using muted colors. The rugs are named for the Iranian city of Kerman (also “Kirman”) located in the southeast of the country.
8. Certain prayer leader : IMAM
An imam is a Muslim leader, often the person in charge of a mosque or perhaps a Muslim community.
9. Rapper wrapper? : DO-RAG
Hip-hoppers might wear do-rags today, but they have been around for centuries. If you recall the famous image of Rosie the Riveter, she was wearing a do-rag. The etymology is pretty evident, a piece of cloth (rag) to hold a hairstyle (do) in place.
13. Court legend : ASHE
Arthur Ashe was a professional tennis player from Richmond, Virginia. In his youth, Ashe found himself having to travel great distances to play against Caucasian opponents due to the segregation that still existed in his home state. He was rewarded for his dedication by being selected for the 1963 US Davis Cup team, the first African American player to be so honored. Ashe continued to run into trouble because of his ethnicity though, and in 1968 was denied entry into South Africa to play in the South African Open. In 1979 Ashe suffered a heart attack and had bypass surgery, with follow-up surgery four years later during which he contracted HIV from blood transfusions. Ashe passed away in 1993 due to complications from AIDS. Shortly afterwards, Ashe was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton.
22. Civil War battle site : MANASSAS
Manassas, Virginia was the site of two major battles during the Civil War, the First and Second Battles of Bull Run (also known as the Battles of Manassas). In the first battle, one of the southern brigades was led by Brigadier General Thomas Jackson. His brigade was well-trained and disciplined, so much so that as the Union troops made advances, a fellow-general encouraged his retreating men to hold their positions yelling “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer”. There are reports that the actual quote was less complimentary, but regardless, from that day on Jackson was known as “Stonewall”.
24. Largest minority in Bulgaria : TURKS
Bulgaria is a European country located west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria became a one-party socialist state aligned with the Soviet Union after WWII, but transitioned to democracy in December 1989 following end of Communist rule. The capital and largest Bulgarian city is Sofia.
26. Duck lookalike : GREBE
A grebe is a small to medium-sized freshwater diving bird. Although they appear to be very different, recent molecular studies have shown that grebes and flamingos are closely related.
27. Spots for air traffic controllers : RADAR BLIPS
Scientists have been using radio waves to detect the presence of objects since the late 1800s, but it was the demands of WWII that accelerated the practical application of the technology. The British called their system RDF standing for Range and Direction Finding. The system used by the US Navy was called Radio Detection And Ranging, which was shortened to the acronym RADAR.
29. They may precede high-speed chases, in brief : APBS
An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.
32. European city whose name means “eat” : ESSEN
“Essen” is the German word for “to eat”.
Essen is a large industrial city located on the River Ruhr in western Germany.
33. Bright swimmer : TETRA
The neon tetra is a freshwater fish, native to parts of South America. The tetra is a very popular aquarium fish and millions are imported into the US every year. Almost all of the imported tetras are farm-raised in Asia and very few come from their native continent.
35. Part of a mean mien : SNEER
One’s “mien” is one’s bearing or manner. “Mien” shares the same etymological root as our word “demeanor”.
36. One of Utah’s state symbols : SEGO
The Sego Lily is the state flower of Utah, and is a perennial plant found throughout the Western United States.
39. Civil War battle site : ANTIETAM
The first major battle to take place on northern soil during the Civil War was at Antietam Creek in Maryland. It was also the most bloody 1-day battle in American history, with about 23,000 casualties.
43. Like hashish or shoe wax : RESINY
Hashish is a drug that is derived from the Indian hemp or cannabis plant. The term “hashish” comes from the Arabic word for “grass”.
49. Philosophy : CREDO
A creed or credo is a confession of faith, or a system of belief or principles. “Credo” is Latin for “I believe”.
51. It’s loaded : AMMO
The word “munitions” describes materials and equipment used in war. The term derives from the Latin “munitionem” meaning “fortification, defensive wall”. Back in the 17th century, French soldiers referred to such materials as “la munition”, a Middle French term. This was misheard as “l’ammunition”, and as a result we ended up importing the word “ammunition” (often shortened to “ammo”), a term that we now use mainly to describe the material fired from a weapon.
54. W.W. I battle site : YSER
The Yser originates in northern France and flows through Belgium into the North Sea. The Yser is often associated with WWI as it figured in a major battle early in the conflict. In the first three months of the war, the German Army pushed almost completely through Belgium, inflicting heavy losses on the Belgian Army as the defenders were forced to fight a fast-moving rearguard action. The Germans were intent on pushing right through Belgium and across France in a “race to the sea”. But the Belgians, with the help of their Allies, decided to make a final stand at the Yser Canal in an effort to prevent the Germans reaching the French ports of Calais and Dunkirk. The 22-mile long defensive line was chosen at the Yser because the river and canal system could be flooded to create a barrier that might be defended. The plan was successful and the front was “stabilized”. As we now know, millions of lives were lost over the coming years with very little movement of that battle line.
56. “Eri tu,” but not “Eres Tú” : ARIA
Every crossword constructors’ favorite aria “Eri tu” is from Verdi’s opera “Un ballo in maschera” (A Masked Ball). The opera tells the story of the assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden during a masked ball.
We have a big event across Europe every year called the Eurovision Song Contest. Each nation enters one song in competition with each other, and then voters across the whole continent decide on the winner. That’s how ABBA got their big break when they won in 1974 with “Waterloo”. In 1973, Spain’s entry was “Eres tú” (the Spanish for “You Are”) sung by the band Mocedades. “Eres tu” came second in the competition, but should have won in my humble opinion.
57. Oz salutation : G’DAY
“G’day” is a greeting in Australia (a.k.a. “Oz”).
59. New Mexico State’s athletic grp. : WAC
Western Athletic Conference (WAC)
New Mexico State University (NMSU) is located in Las Cruces. NMSU was founded as Las Cruces College in 1888, as an agricultural school. The current name was adopted in 1960.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Preceder of 64-Across on the calendar : BLACK FRIDAY
12. It may justify things : TAB
15. Ilmenite is the chief one : TITANIUM ORE
16. Winner of the first three Fiesta Bowls, for short : ASU
17. Airport terminal feature : WAITING AREA
18. Radio frequency abbr. : KHZ
19. Scrap : ORT
20. Discoverer of New Zealand : TASMAN
21. “I can’t believe that!” : GEEZ!
22. Liberty’s home, for short : MSG
23. 4-Downs, south of the border : GATOS
25. Site of Akbar the Great’s tomb : AGRA
28. Article in El País : LAS
31. Release? : SUBLET
34. Parts of cross-shaped churches : TRANSEPTS
37. He worked for Hershey in the 1910s-’20s : REESE
38. Quaint getaway destination : BED AND BREAKFAST
40. Bring down : ABASE
41. Officially gives up : SIGNS OVER
42. More compact : TERSER
44. Dutch oven, e.g. : POT
45. 1995 Emmy winner Sofer : RENA
46. Less adorned : BARER
48. Highway hazard : ICE
50. Laverne and Shirley, e.g. : PALS
52. Lumber mill employee : SAWYER
55. World of Warcraft figure : HAG
58. Bud abroad : AMI
59. Port authority? : WINE STEWARD
61. World of Warcraft figure : IMP
62. Name that went down in history? : ANDREA DORIA
63. Buns, for example : DOS
64. Follower of 1-Across on the calendar : CYBER MONDAY
Down
1. Vitamin a.k.a. riboflavin : B-TWO
2. Story teller : LIAR
3. Having a scrap : AT IT
4. Stealthy sort : CAT
5. Sweaters and such : KNITS
6. Got via guile : FINAGLED
7. Kirmans, e.g. : RUGS
8. Certain prayer leader : IMAM
9. Rapper wrapper? : DO-RAG
10. 22-Across and others : ARENAS
11. Motion supporter : YEA
12. Departs : TAKES LEAVE
13. Court legend : ASHE
14. Dreaded game show sound : BUZZ
21. Antedate : GO BEFORE
22. Civil War battle site : MANASSAS
24. Largest minority in Bulgaria : TURKS
25. Single chance? : AT BAT
26. Duck lookalike : GREBE
27. Spots for air traffic controllers : RADAR BLIPS
29. They may precede high-speed chases, in brief : APBS
30. Peel : STRIP
32. European city whose name means “eat” : ESSEN
33. Bright swimmer : TETRA
35. Part of a mean mien : SNEER
36. One of Utah’s state symbols : SEGO
39. Civil War battle site : ANTIETAM
43. Like hashish or shoe wax : RESINY
47. Soul mate? : R AND B
49. Philosophy : CREDO
50. Bookkeeper’s stamp : PAID
51. It’s loaded : AMMO
53. “___ live!” : WE’RE
54. W.W. I battle site : YSER
55. With 60-Down, gotten by great effort : HARD
56. “Eri tu,” but not “Eres Tú” : ARIA
57. Oz salutation : G’DAY
59. New Mexico State’s athletic grp. : WAC
60. See 55-Down : WON