Tag: Line at a luxury boutique? crossword clule

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 “Voyage” group : ABBA

“Voyage” is a 2021 album released by ABBA, the first collection of new songs recorded by the group since “The Visitors” in 1981. The album’s release was much anticipated all around the world, and sold one million units in the first week.

15 Like many a troll : RUDE

In Internet terms, a troll is someone who attempts to disrupt online group activities. The fishing term “troll” is used to describe such a person as he or she throws out off-topic remarks in an attempt to “lure” others into some emotional response. I must admit to feeling sorry for people who have such sad lives …

19 Relatively cool place : OASIS

An isolated area of vegetation in a desert is called an oasis (plural “oases”). As water is needed for plant growth, an oasis might also include a spring, pond or small lake. We often use the term “oasis” more generally to describe a haven, a place of rest.

22 With 18-Across, colonial-style houses? : ANT …
18A See 22-Across : … FARMS

“Formicary” is another name for “ant nest”, and comes from the Latin “formica” meaning “ant”. The phrase “ant colony” describes the ants living in an ant nest. A formicarium is similar to an aquarium, and used to house an ant colony perhaps for study. The phrase “ant farm” is usually reserved for ant nests built by an ant colony in a formicarium.

23 Not-so-hot wheels : LEMON

Long before we associated the term “lemon” with a defective car, it was used to describe defective items in general.

26 Subj. in experimental psychology : ESP

The so-called sixth sense is extrasensory perception (ESP). It is also referred to as second sight.

38 Pro whose home stadium features a life-size pirate ship : BUC

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (the Bucs) joined the NFL in 1976, along with the Seattle Seahawks, as an expansion team. The Bucs had a tough start in the NFL, losing their first 26 games. Things went better in the early eighties, but then the team went through 14 consecutive losing seasons. Their luck changed again though, and they won the Super Bowl at the end of the 2002 season.

40 They have small bulbs : LEEKS

The leek is a vegetable closely related to the onion and the garlic. It is also a national emblem of Wales (along with the daffodil), although I don’t think we know for sure how this came to be. One story is that the Welsh were ordered to wear leeks in their helmets to identify themselves in a battle against the Saxons. Apparently, the battle took place in a field of leeks.

41 ___-spot : TEN

The obverse of the US ten-dollar bill features the image of Alexander Hamilton, the first US Secretary of the Treasury. As such, ten-dollar bills are sometimes called “Hamiltons”. By the way, the $10 bill is the only US currency in circulation in which the portrait faces to the left. The reverse of the ten-dollar bill features the US Treasury Building.

43 Part of a window : SASH

A movable (up-and-down) window frame is called a sash, from the French word for a frame “châssis”. The term is also applied to that part of a door or window into which windows are set.

46 Grp. with special airport lounges : USO

The United Service Organization (USO) was founded in 1941 at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt “to handle the on-leave recreation of the men in the armed forces”. A USO tour is undertaken by a troupe of entertainers, many of whom are big-name celebrities. A USO tour usually includes troop locations in combat zones.

53 Hybrid vehicle : MOPED

The word “moped” was coined in 1952 by a Swedish journalist named Harald Nielsen. The term is a portmanteau of “motor” and “pedal”.

62 2017 Tony-winning play whose main characters are diplomats : OSLO

“Oslo” is a 2016 play by J. T. Rogers that dramatizes the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the Oslo I Accord between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Rogers came to write the play when he became acquainted with Norwegian diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen, who played a pivotal role in the negotiations.

Down

3 2009 hit with the lyric “I want your love, and I want your revenge” : BAD ROMANCE

The music video released with Lady Gaga’s 2009 hit “Bad Romance” involves drugs, supermodels, the Russian Mafia and sexual slavery. All a little out of my league …

9 Bank figure : CD RATE

A certificate of deposit (CD) is like a less-flexible and higher-paying savings account. Instead of depositing money into a savings account and earning interest periodically, one can open a CD. With a CD one deposits a minimum amount of money but must leave it there for a specified length of time. In return for committing the funds for a fixed period, one is given a higher interest rate than a savings account and can redeem that interest and the initial deposit when the term has expired. CDs are relatively low-risk investments as they are FDIC insured, just like savings accounts.

11 Major export from Brazil : ACAI

Açaí (pronounced “ass-aye-ee”) is a palm tree native to Central and South America. The fruit has become very popular in recent years and its juice is a very fashionable addition to juice mixes and smoothies.

18 ___ Beauty, brand founded by Rihanna : FENTY

Singer Rihanna was born and grew up on the island of Barbados and moved to the US when she was 16-years-old to pursue a singing career. “Rihanna” is her stage name, as she was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty. The name “Rihanna” is derived from the Welsh name “Rhiannon”. And, Rihanna sometimes goes by the nickname “RiRi”, which is also the name of her line of beauty products.

22 Like violas and English horns : ALTO

The viola looks like and is played like a violin, but is slightly larger. It is referred to as the middle voice in the violin family, lying between the violin and the cello.

The English horn is also known by its French name “cor anglais”. It is a double-reed woodwind instrument.

27 It requires you to pick up the pieces fast : SPEED CHESS

Speed chess is a type of chess in which each player is given less time to consider their moves than normal tournament time controls allow. There is speed, and there is speed:

• Rapid chess: each player has 15 minutes to make all of their moves.
• Blitz chess: each player has 5 minutes to make all of their moves.
• Bullet chess: each player has 3 minutes to make all of their moves.

28 Game with paddles : PICKLEBALL

Pickleball is a sport invented in the 1960s that combines elements of tennis, table tennis and badminton. Originally marketed as a game for children to play in backyards, pickleball is now played on purpose-built courts by many, many adults, but mainly in North and South America.

32 Popular shopping site : ETSY

Etsy.com was founded in 2005 as a way for artists and craftspeople to sell their handmade goods online, and has since grown to include vintage items and crafting supplies as well. The company’s name is derived from the Italian word “etsi,” which means “oh, yes”? This was a nod to founder Rob Kalin’s love of Italy and his appreciation for the country’s history and artistry.

35 Domain of the Norse god Njord : SEA

The gods and goddesses of Norse mythology generally belong to either the Aesir tribe or the Vanir tribe. Most of the Norse gods with which we are familiar belong to Aesir, including Odin, Thor, Frigg and Tyr. Examples of the Vanir gods are Freya and Njord. The Aesir live in Asgard, and the Vanir in Vanaheim. The Aesir and Vanir eventually united into one pantheon after the Aesir-Vanir War.

37 Subject of a much-anticipated “return” in 1983 : JEDI

The name of the third film in the “Star Wars” series of movies is “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi”.

44 Dwellers at the tops of mesas : HOPIS

Many members of the Hopi nation live on a reservation that is actually located within the much larger Navajo reservation in Arizona.

50 Stuff in a special bag : SWAG

Swag is loot, stolen property, and a term that started out as criminal slang in England in the 1830s. “Swag” is also the name given to the promotional freebies available at some events. That said, there’s an urban myth that the promotional version of “swag” is an acronym standing for “stuff we all get”.

51 Word on a Spanish name tag : HOLA

“Hola” is Spanish for the greeting “hi”.

52 Sailmakers’ tools : AWLS

An awl is a pointed tool used for marking a surface or for piercing small holes. The earliest awls were used to pierce ears, apparently. The tool then became very much associated with shoemakers.

53 One sees the light every so often : MOLE

One of the more commonly known facts about my native Ireland is that there are no snakes in the country (outside of politics, that is). A lesser known fact is that there are no moles either. There are plenty of snakes and moles in Britain, just a few miles away. Over a pint, we tend to give the credit to Saint Patrick, but the last ice age is more likely the responsible party …

55 ___ balls (decadent dessert) : OREO

Oreo balls are a homemade dessert or snack usually made around Christmas. As such, oreo balls also go by the unappetizing name “reindeer droppings”.

57 Sore spot, perhaps : ZIT

The slang term “zit”, meaning “pimple”, came into the language in 1966, but no one seems to know its exact derivation.