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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1A “The Planets” composer : HOLST

Despite the Scandinavian-sounding name, Gustav Holst was born in Britain and was the most English of classical composers. His most famous work is the orchestral suite known as ‘The Planets”. The suite has seven movements, one for each of the planets known at the time (1914-1916) except Earth. Pluto was discovered during Holst’s lifetime, but 14 years after he had completed his masterpiece. Anyway, Pluto was relegated from the league of planets …

6A About 746 of these equal one horsepower : WATTS

The unit of horsepower was introduced along with the steam engine, where the output of the engine was compared with the power of draft horses. Largely, this comparison with the horse was a marketing ploy, as the intent was to demonstrate that one steam engine could negate the need for a number of draft horses used for work.

11A Colorado Plateau people : UTE

The Colorado Plateau is a geographical feature in the southwest, covering parts of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, roughly equivalent to what is known as the Four Corners region. It is home to the greatest concentration of national parks in the country. Included in the area are Grand Canyon NP, Zion NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Arches NP and Mesa Verde NP, to name but a few.

15A Kirin competitor : ASAHI

Asahi is a Japanese beer, and the name of the brewery that produces it. “Asahi” is Japanese for “morning sun”. Asahi introduced a “dry beer” in 1987, igniting a craze that rocketed the brewery to the number one spot in terms of beer production in Japan, with Kirin close behind.

16A Something entered into an A.T.M. : PIN

One enters a Personal Identification Number (PIN) when using an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). Given that the N in PIN stands for “number”, then “PIN number” is a redundant phrase. And, given that the M in ATM stands for “machine”, then “ATM machine” is a redundant phrase as well. Grr …!

17A 2003 crime drama adapted from a Dennis Lehane novel : MYSTIC RIVER

“Mystic River” is a 2003 drama film based on a novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. The film has quite a dark storyline and deals with the difficult subject of pedophilia.

19A ___ Bo (exercise regimen popularized via VHS tapes) : TAE

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”.

20A List in Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” : EXES

“Thank U, Next” is a 2018 song co-written and recorded by Ariana Grande. The title is a phrase that Grande apparently uses with reference to the breakup of a relationship. I guess it means “Thank you for the past relationship, let’s move onto the next one”. After the song’s release, the phrase “Thank U, next” became popular on the Internet, used in the same way it is used in the song.

22A Middle-of-the-bell-curve result : NORM

A bell curve graph is more correctly known as a Gaussian function. The frequency with which many phenomena occur in nature results in a bell curve shape.

23A Swimmer in a Japanese garden : KOI

Koi are fish that are also known as Japanese carp. Koi have been bred for decorative purposes and there are now some very brightly colored examples found in Japanese water gardens.

27A Six Flags location that was the first amusement park to offer 20 roller coasters : MAGIC MOUNTAIN

The Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is an operator of amusement parks that is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Six Flags owns more amusement parks than any other company in the world. The first of these properties to open was Six Flags Over Texas. The park’s name was chosen as a homage to the flags of the six nations that have governed Texas, namely Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America.

32A Chicken ___ king : A LA

A dish prepared “à la king” (usually chicken or turkey), is prepared in a cream sauce with mushrooms, pimentos, green peppers and sherry.

39A Typeface that sounds like the name of a Disney princess : ARIAL

Arial is a basic, no-frills typeface.

In the 1989 Disney animated film “The Little Mermaid”, the title character is given the name “Ariel”. In the original fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen that dates back to 1836, the Little Mermaid is given no name at all. There is a famous statue of the unnamed Little Mermaid sitting in Copenhagen Harbor, in Andersen’s homeland of Denmark.

43A Attire in the old Roman Senate : TOGAS

In ancient Rome, the color of a man’s toga could indicate the wearer’s social status. For example, a plain white toga (known as a “toga candida”) was worn by candidates for political office, while a “toga praetexta” with a purple border was worn by magistrates and certain priests. A “toga picta”, which was decorated with elaborate embroidery and gold trim, was reserved for victorious generals and triumphal processions.

Our word “senate” comes from the Latin name for such a body, namely “senatus”. In turn, “senatus” is derived from “senex” meaning “old man”, reflecting the original Roman Senate’s makeup as a council of “elders”. Ain’t that true …?

48A Concept explaining why certain humanoid robots look so unsettling : UNCANNY VALLEY

The “uncanny valley” is a hypothesis in the field of robotics and that suggests that as robots and animated figures become more humanlike, they become more appealing, until a certain point where their resemblance to humans is almost perfect but not quite. At this point, the uncanny valley, the slight deviations from human appearance can cause feelings of unease or revulsion in observers. It’s that eerie feeling you get when something looks almost human, but your brain signals that something is “off.”

52A Cloudy craft beer : HAZY IPA

Hazy IPAs tend to be unfiltered, and so retain some yeast sediment. These days, I am almost forced to drink IPAs (what else is available?!), and usually opt for a hazy IPA. Please, please, brewers, bring back hefeweizens …

54A Mediator between the id and the ideal, in Freudian psychology : EGO

Sigmund Freud created a structural model of the human psyche, breaking it into three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is that part of the psyche containing the basic instinctual drives. The ego seeks to please the id by causing realistic behavior that benefits the individual. The superego almost has a parental role, contradicting the id by introducing critical thinking and morals to behavioral choices.

55A Pasta that resembles rice : ORZO

Orzo is pasta that has been formed into granular shapes, much like barley. And indeed, “orzo” is the Italian word for “barley”. Orzo is also called “risoni”, meaning “large rice”.

59A “hahaha!” : LMAO!

Laughing my a** off (LMAO)

63A Kenan’s bestie on a 1990s sitcom : KEL

Kel Mitchell is an actor and comedian who appeared in the first five seasons of the hit sketch comedy show “All That”. He then co-starred with Kenan Thompson in the sitcom “Kenan & Kel” in the late 1990s.

64A Utopian expanse … a map of which might include 17-, 27- and 48-Across? : FANTASYLAND

The word “Utopia” was coined by Sir Thomas More in his book “Utopia” published in 1516 to describe an idyllic fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. More’s use of the name Utopia comes from the Greek “ou” meaning “not” and “topos” meaning “place”. By calling his perfect island “Not Place”, More was apparently making the point that he didn’t think that the ideal could actually exist.

68A Like flapjacks and Frisbees : ROUND

The Frisbee concept started back in 1938 with a couple who had an upturned cake pan that they were tossing between each other on Santa Monica Beach in California. They were offered 25 cents for the pan on the spot, and as pans could be bought for 5 cents, the pair figured there was a living to be earned.

Down

1D “E.T. phone ___” : HOME

1982’s classic science fiction movie “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” was directed by Steven Spielberg. The idea behind the film came from Spielberg himself, and the character E.T. was based on an imaginary friend whom he conjured up as a child after his parents divorced in 1966.

2D Banded mineral seen at many a street fair : ONYX

Onyx is a form of quartz that comes in many different shades, but most often it’s the black version that’s used for jewelry. The name “onyx” comes from the Greek word for “fingernail”, as onyx in the flesh color is said to resemble a fingernail.

3D Produce coherent light : LASE

The term “laser” is an acronym standing for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. It has been pointed out that a more precise name for laser technology is “light oscillation by stimulated emission of radiation”, but the resulting acronym isn’t quite so appealing, namely “loser”.

4D Piece of equipment for a Winter Paralympian : SIT-SKI

The Winter and Summer Paralympic Games grew out of a gathering of British disabled WWII veterans that coincided with 1948’s Summer Olympic Games. The first official Paralympic Games was held in Rome in 1960.

5D Muscle strengthened by dips, familiarly : TRI

The triceps brachii muscle is found at the back of the upper arm. The muscle’s name translates from Latin to “three-headed arm muscle”, fitting as it is actually made up of three bundles of muscles.

6D Ending with kitchen or earthen : -WARE

In the history of ceramics, earthenware (also “terra cotta”) is a relatively old material. It is porous, and needs a ceramic glaze to make it impervious to liquids. Stoneware was developed later, and is impervious to liquids in its own right due to the higher firing temperature. Porcelain came later still, and is fired at even higher temperatures to produce a stronger, harder and finer material.

8D Establishment where a D&D party might refuel and pick up new leads : TAVERN

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 …

9D What 2020 was a year of, in the Chinese zodiac : THE RAT

The 12-year cycle in the Chinese calendar uses the following animals in order:

• Rat
• Ox
• Tiger
• Rabbit
• Dragon
• Snake
• Horse
• Goat
• Monkey
• Rooster
• Dog
• Pig

10D “Aaron Burr, ___” (“Hamilton” number) : SIR

“Aaron Burr, Sir” is the second song in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2015 musical “Hamilton”. In the storyline, it marks the first meeting between Burr and his future rival, Alexander Hamilton, in a tavern in 1776.

11D Billy Joel title character who’s “been living in her white bread world” : UPTOWN GIRL

“Uptown Girl” is a 1983 song written and recorded by Billy Joel that tells the story of a working-class man from “downtown” who falls for a wealthy woman from “uptown”. Joel wrote the song for his soon-to-be wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley. That said, he originally wrote the song as “Uptown Girls”, describing his three friends: singer Whitney Houston and models Elle Macpherson and Christie Brinkley. Brinkley played the title character in the music video.

12D Headwear for Wonder Woman : TIARA

Superhero Wonder Woman first appeared in print in 1941, in a publication from DC Comics. As she was created during WWII, Wonder Woman’s first foes were the Axis powers. In the less realistic world her biggest foe was and still is Ares, a “baddie” named after the Greek mythological figure. Wonder Woman had several signature expressions, including “Merciful Minerva!”, “Suffering Sappho!” and “Great Hera!”. She also has several devices that she uses in her quest for justice, e.g. the Lasso of Truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets and a tiara that can be used as a deadly projectile. Wonder Woman uses the name “Diana Prince” when “out of uniform”.

18D Ukrainian peninsula seized by Russia in 2014 : CRIMEA

Crimea is a peninsula jutting out into the Black Sea that is almost completely surrounded by water. It is connected to the Ukrainian mainland to the north by the Isthmus of Perekop, and is separated from the nearby Russian region of Kuban by the narrow (less than 10 miles) Kerch Strait. Crimea has been occupied by foreign powers many times over the centuries, and now control of the region is disputed by Ukraine and Russia.

22D Water nymph of Greek myth : NAIAD

The Naiads of Greek mythology were water nymphs associated with fountains, wells, springs and streams. The saltwater equivalents of the freshwater Naiads were the Oceanids.

24D Anxious condition, in brief : OCD

Apparently, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the fourth most commonly diagnosed mental disorder, making it about as prevalent as asthma.

27D Soda fountain order : MALT

Walgreens claims to have introduced the malted milkshake, back in 1922.

28D Potatoes, in Indian cuisine : ALOO

Aloo gobi is a very tasty vegetarian dish in Indian cuisine made from potatoes and cauliflower, flavored with traditional Indian spices. “Aloo” translates to “potato” and “gobi” to “cauliflower”.

31D International Longshoremen’s Association, e.g. : UNION

A stevedore, or longshoreman, is someone employed in the loading and unloading of ships at a port. The word “stevedore” comes from the Spanish “estibador”, meaning “one who loads cargo”, with the verb “to steeve” meaning to load cargo in a hold. The word “longshoreman”, is simply from a man who works “alongshore”.

38D Panasonic acquisition of 2009 : SANYO

Sanyo was a Japanese electronics manufacturer based near Osaka and founded in 1947. The company name means “three oceans” reflecting the company’s original aim to sell its products all around the world (across three oceans: the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Indian).

40D “Inside ___ Schumer” (sketch comedy series) : AMY

Amy Schumer is a stand-up comedian, and an alumna of the reality TV show “Last Comic Standing”, in which she placed fourth. Schumer now has her own comedy series “Inside Amy Schumer”. Amy is a first cousin once removed of Chuck Schumer, the US Senator from New York.

41D Embankments protecting New Orleans : LEVEES

A levee is an artificial bank, usually made of earth, that runs along the length of a river. It is designed to hold back river water at a time of potential flooding. “Levée” is the French word for “raised” and is an American term that originated in French-speaking New Orleans around 1720.

50D 2010s dance fad with a reduplicative name : NAE NAE

The Nae Nae is a hip hop dance that is named for the 2013 song “Drop that NaeNae” recorded by We Are Toonz. The main move in the dance involves swaying with one hand in the air and one hand down, with both feet firmly planted on the dancefloor. Go on, do it. You know you want to …

53D Venue for a boss fight : ARENA

Our term “arena” comes from the Latin “harena”, describing a place of combat. Originally “harena” was used for “sand” or “sandy place”. Those Ancient Roman places of combat were covered with sand to soak up blood.

In the world of video gaming, a significantly strong computer-controlled opponent is referred to as a boss. A fight against a boss is a boss battle or boss fight.

60D Hawaii’s second-largest island : MAUI

Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian islands. It is sometimes called the “Valley Isle” as it is composed of two volcanoes to the northwest and southeast of the island, each with numerous beautiful valleys carved into them.

61D Frank of diary fame : ANNE

Anne Frank has to be one of the most famous victims of the Holocaust. This is largely because the story of this young girl lives on in her widely published diary, and in adaptations of the diary for stage and screen. Anne Frank was a German until she lost her nationality in 1941, when the Nazis stripped Jews living outside Germany of their citizenship. By this time, she was living with her family in Amsterdam, as the Franks chose to flee Germany in 1933. When the Germans occupied the Netherlands, the family went into hiding in rooms concealed behind a bookcase in Otto Frank’s office building (Otto was Anne’s father). There the family hid for two whole years until they were betrayed. The family was split up, and Anne and her sister died from typhus in a concentration camp in 1945.

64D ___ Five (advisers on “Queer Eye”) : FAB

“Queer Eye” is a reality TV show that was launched in 2003 as “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”. Each episode features a panel of gay professional experts in the fields of fashion and design giving a makeover to a straight man. The show was given a new life in 2018 when it was launched on Netflix as “Queer Eye” with a new “Fab Five” cast.