Constructed by: Sarah Sinclair & Paolo Pasco
Edited by: Joel Fagliano
Not your puzzle? Try today’s …
… syndicated NY Times crossword
Today’s Reveal Answer: Monster Mash
Today’s rebus puzzle includes a synonym of “MONSTER” MASHED into four different squares. Those MONSTERS are:
- DEMON
- TROLL
- GOLEM
- OGRE
- 34A Halloween-themed hit, with a hint to four squares in this puzzle : MONSTER MASH
- 20A June observance : PRIDE MONTH
- 22A Pastry whose dough is used in making pigs in a blanket : CRESCENT ROLL
- 45A Summer drink made from the fruits of two tropical trees : MANGO LEMONADE
- 48A Graphic showing the status of a download, say : PROGRESS BAR
- 4D “Othello” role : DESDEMONA
- 13D Source of refreshments on a train to London : TEA TROLLEY
- 34D Certain edible seedlings : MICROGREENS
- 35D Khan tract? : MONGOL EMPIRE
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Bill’s time: 12m 42s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
15 The “boy” in the Broadway lyric “Never before has a boy wanted more!” : OLIVER
“Oliver!” is a stage musical by Lionel Bart that is based on the Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist”. “Oliver!” was adapted successfully for the big screen in 1968. The film version won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Carol Reed. Leading the movie’s cast are Mark Lester in the title role, Ron Moody as Fagin and Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes.
18 Noted convention center? : GENEVA
The Geneva Conventions are four treaties aimed at protecting the victims of armed conflict. The first of these treaties was signed in 1864 by the major European powers at the urging of relief activist Henri Dunant. Dunant also established the Red Cross in 1863, an organization that is specifically called out in the First Geneva Convention as an agency that is allowed to provide protection and relief for wounded and sick soldiers. The first treaty was significantly updated and expanded in 1906, 1929 and 1949.
20 June observance : PRIDE MONTH
The police raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn on June 29th, 1969. That raid triggered a spate of violent demonstrations led by the LGBT community. Now known as the Stonewall riots, those demonstrations are viewed by many as a significant event leading to the modern-day fight for LGBT rights in the US. Since then, June has been chosen as LGBT Pride Month in recognition of the Stonewall riots.
22 Pastry whose dough is used in making pigs in a blanket : CRESCENT ROLL
“Pigs in a blanket” are usually hot dogs that have been wrapped and cooked in some kind of dough. Over in Scotland, the same dish is called a “kilted sausage”.
26 The emperor Caligula wanted to name his a consul, in legend : HORSE
Caligula was emperor of Rome after Tiberius, and before Claudius. “Caligula” was actually a nickname for Gaius Germanicus. Gaius’s father was a successful general in the Roman army and his soldiers called young Gaius “Caligula”, meaning “little soldier’s boot”.
29 Singer Lewis : HUEY
Huey Lewis and the News are a band based in San Francisco. When the movie “Ghostbusters” came out in 1984, the band sued Ray Parker, Jr. who wrote the film’s theme song, claiming that it was very similar to their own song “I Want a New Drug”. The case was settled out of court, and the following year “Huey Lewis and the News” made the most of an opportunity to write a movie theme themselves. Their smash hit “The Power of Love” was written for “Back to the Future”, and propelled the band into stardom.
30 Last word in the full title of Cervantes’s most famous novel : MANCHA
The full name of Cervantes’s novel is “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha”. In the story, Don Quixote is a retired country gentleman who heads out as a knight-errant and who renames himself Don Quixote of La Mancha. In his mind he designates a neighboring farm girl called Aldonza Lorenzo as his lady love, and renames her Dulcinea del Toboso.
33 Pigeonry : COTE
The Old English word “cote” was used to describe a small house. Our modern word “cottage” comes from “cote”. We now use “cote” to describe a small shelter on a farm for sheep or birds.
34 Halloween-themed hit, with a hint to four squares in this puzzle : MONSTER MASH
“Monster Mash” is a fun novelty song released by Bobby Pickett in 1962. Pickett sings “Monster Mash” in a voice imitating that of Boris Karloff.
36 What the puck is going on? : RINK
Before wooden and rubber pucks were introduced in the late 1800s, ice hockey was played with balls. The first rubber pucks were made by cutting down rubber balls into the shape of discs.
38 BeBe’s sister, in a gospel duo : CECE
CeCe Winans (real given name “Priscilla”) is a Gospel music singer. She is part of a duo with her brother, BeBe Winans (real name Benjamin).
39 Something “dead” in a haunted corn maze? : END
A corn maze is simply a maze cut into a cornfield. On the other side of the pond, the same attraction is known as a maize maze … cute!
45 Summer drink made from the fruits of two tropical trees : MANGO LEMONADE
The delicious mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines. Almost half of the world’s supply of mangoes comes from India.
50 Like Polish, but not polish : PROPER
That would be a proper noun.
51 Lionizing lines : ODE
The term “lionize” dates back to the late 1700s when there were lions kept in the Tower of London. The lions were quite famous, and attracted many visitors. Hence the term “lionize” means “treat someone as a celebrity”.
52 General during the Clone Wars : KENOBI
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the more beloved of the “Star Wars” characters. He was portrayed by two fabulous actors in the series of films. As a young man Kenobi was played by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, and as an older man by Alec Guinness.
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” is an animated TV series that aired from 2008 to 2020. In a novel move, the series was launched in 2008 with a theatrical feature film bearing the same title, which was also animated. In terms of the timeline in the “Star Wars” universe, the Clone Wars kick off just after the end of the action in the movie “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”.
54 “Last Christmas” pop duo : WHAM!
I found out relatively recently that the eighties pop duo that we knew on the other side of the Atlantic as “Wham!” were better known as “Wham! UK” in North America. Apparently there already was a band called Wham! here in the US. Wham! UK was composed of singers George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. George Michael made it big as a solo artist after the pair broke up and Ridgeley kind of faded into obscurity, relatively speaking.
55 Marble count for each side in Chinese checkers : TEN
The board game known as Chinese Checkers has nothing to do with checkers, nor anything to do with China. It was invented in Germany in 1892, under the name “Stern-Halma”. The Chinese Checkers moniker was the creation of the Pressman Company which purchased the rights to the game in the US in 1928.
60 Throw hard, in modern slang : YEET
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’ …”
Down
3 “Mistress of the Dark” in a 1988 film : ELVIRA
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark was a character originally used to introduce a local Los Angeles weekend horror show back in the early eighties. Elvira was a comic sexy persona played by actress Cassandra Peterson. She wore a tight black gown with a famous low-cut neckline. The weekend horror show is long gone, but the Elvira character is still going strong.
4 “Othello” role : DESDEMONA
Desdemona is one of the main characters in William Shakespeare’s play “Othello”. She is the daughter of a Venetian senator called Brabantio whom she vexes by eloping with Othello, a man not of her race and several years older.
6 Encouragement to a flamenco performer : OLE!
Flamenco is a style of Spanish music and dance. The origin of the word “flamenco” isn’t clearly understood, but the explanation that seems most credible to me is that it comes from Flanders in Northern Europe. Given that “flamenco” is the Spanish word for “Flemish” and Flanders is home to the Flemish people it makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?
8 Civil rights leader Medgar : EVERS
Medgar Evers was an African-American civil rights activist from Mississippi who was assassinated by the Klu Klux Klan in 1963. A year after the murder, one Byron De La Beckwith was arrested and charged with the crime. Two trials failed to return a decision on Beckwith’s guilt as the juries, composed completely of white males, deadlocked both times. New evidence was unearthed some thirty years later so Beckwith could be retried and he was finally convicted of the murder in 1994. Back in 1963, Evers was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Evers had served in the US Army in France during WWII and left the military with the rank of sergeant.
9 Campbell of horror film fame : NEVE
Neve Campbell is a Canadian actress whose big break in the movies came with the “Scream” horror film series, in which she had a leading role. I don’t do horror films, so I haven’t seen any of the “Scream” movies. Nor have I seen the TV series “Party of Five” that launched the acting careers of both Campbell and Jennifer Love Hewitt in the nineties.
11 One of the original five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame : BABE RUTH
Jack Dunn was the owner/manager of the Baltimore Orioles back in 1913, when he signed George Herman Ruth as a pitcher. The other players called Ruth “Jack’s newest babe”, and the name “Babe” stuck.
25 Art knife brand : X-ACTO
The X-Acto knife was invented in the thirties by a Polish immigrant, although his intention was to come up with a scalpel for surgeons. The knife couldn’t cut it as a scalpel though (pun!), because it was difficult to clean. The inventor’s brother-in-law suggested it be used as a craft knife, and it is still around today.
30 Paintings in the “Water Lilies” series, e.g. : MONETS
“Water Lilies” by French Impressionist Claude Monet is actually a whole series of paintings, numbering about 250 in total. The subjects of the works were the water lilies in Monet’s flower garden at Giverny in northern France.
32 Elizabeth of cosmetics : ARDEN
“Elizabeth Arden” was the business name used by Canadian-American Florence Nightingale Graham. Arden built a cosmetics empire that made her one of the wealthiest women in the world. Arden had a famous rivalry with fellow cosmetics entrepreneur Helena Rubinstein, and that rivalry even spawned a 2016 stage musical called “War Paint”.
35 Khan tract? : MONGOL EMPIRE
Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire that was destined to be the largest contiguous empire in the history of the world. He first built his empire by uniting nomadic tribes of northeast Asia, but once Genghis Khan had consolidated his position, he initiated Mongol invasions throughout Eurasia. At its height, the Mongol Empire stretched from the River Danube to the Sea of Japan.
38 “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” author : CAPOTE
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is a 1958 novella written by Truman Capote. Truman’s colorful protagonist in the story is Holiday “Holly” Golightly, who was played so very, very ably by Audrey Hepburn in the marvelous 1961 movie adaptation. It must be said that the film is a rather loose interpretation of Capote’s novella.
40 “Apollo and ___” (Bernini masterpiece) : DAPHNE
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian sculptor and architect, one generally regarded as the successor to Michelangelo. Bernini’s most famous work perhaps is the design for the Piazza San Pietro (Saint Peter’s Square) that is located in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
45 Painter whose “Olympia” caused controversy for its depiction of a sex worker : MANET
Édouard Manet painted “Olympia” in 1863, and the work caused a lot of controversy when it was first shown. Despite the grandiose title, Olympia is actually a courtesan, and that caused offense in the art appreciation circles at that time. I have been lucky enough to have seen the work (which doesn’t offend anyone anymore!) a few times in the Musee d’Orsay in Paris.
49 2016 election nickname : BERN
“Feel the Bern” is perhaps the best-known of several slogans used by the Bernie Sanders campaign for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Go downhill fast, maybe : SLED
5 Instigate : FOMENT
11 Little while : BIT
14 Adjective often paired with “hearty” : HALE
15 The “boy” in the Broadway lyric “Never before has a boy wanted more!” : OLIVER
16 Cruise through : ACE
17 “Duh!,” in textspeak : OBVS!
18 Noted convention center? : GENEVA
19 “Moo, ___, La La La!” (children’s book) : BAA
20 June observance : PRIDE MONTH
22 Pastry whose dough is used in making pigs in a blanket : CRESCENT ROLL
24 Common situations in time travel narratives : PARADOXES
26 The emperor Caligula wanted to name his a consul, in legend : HORSE
27 Lowercase “n” lookalike : ETA
28 Its cups aren’t supposed to runneth over : BRA
29 Singer Lewis : HUEY
30 Last word in the full title of Cervantes’s most famous novel : MANCHA
33 Pigeonry : COTE
34 Halloween-themed hit, with a hint to four squares in this puzzle : MONSTER MASH
36 What the puck is going on? : RINK
37 ” … have it your way, then” : … OR DON’T
38 BeBe’s sister, in a gospel duo : CECE
39 Something “dead” in a haunted corn maze? : END
40 ___ powder (manicure type) : DIP
43 It comes from the heart : AORTA
45 Summer drink made from the fruits of two tropical trees : MANGO LEMONADE
48 Graphic showing the status of a download, say : PROGRESS BAR
50 Like Polish, but not polish : PROPER
51 Lionizing lines : ODE
52 General during the Clone Wars : KENOBI
54 “Last Christmas” pop duo : WHAM!
55 Marble count for each side in Chinese checkers : TEN
56 Opposite of a jumbo shake? : TREMOR
57 Prefix with trust or rust : ANTI-
58 Sounds of hesitation : ERS
59 Recorded, in a way : ON TAPE
60 Throw hard, in modern slang : YEET
Down
1 Quaint store : SHOPPE
2 Maze runner : LAB RAT
3 “Mistress of the Dark” in a 1988 film : ELVIRA
4 “Othello” role : DESDEMONA
5 Sound sounds : FOGHORNS
6 Encouragement to a flamenco performer : OLE!
7 Cut finely : MINCE
8 Civil rights leader Medgar : EVERS
9 Campbell of horror film fame : NEVE
10 Just terrible, in slang : TRASH
11 One of the original five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame : BABE RUTH
12 “Yes, that’s abundantly clear” : I CAN SEE
13 Source of refreshments on a train to London : TEA TROLLEY
21 Financial institution with A.T.M.s known as “Green Machines” : TD BANK
23 Fellow presenter : CO-HOST
25 Art knife brand : X-ACTO
30 Paintings in the “Water Lilies” series, e.g. : MONETS
31 Dating app for queer women : HER
32 Elizabeth of cosmetics : ARDEN
33 Openness : CANDOR
34 Certain edible seedlings : MICROGREENS
35 Khan tract? : MONGOL EMPIRE
36 Keep in stock, say : REORDER
38 “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” author : CAPOTE
40 “Apollo and ___” (Bernini masterpiece) : DAPHNE
41 Kick around some concepts : IDEATE
42 Aspiring driver’s need : PERMIT
44 Invite for : ASK TO
45 Painter whose “Olympia” caused controversy for its depiction of a sex worker : MANET
46 Result of burning sage : AROMA
47 “Not happening!” : NO WAY!
49 2016 election nickname : BERN
53 Catchy song : BOP
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