Tag: Phenomenon through which luxuries become necessities crossword clue

Bill’s time: 12m 13s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1A Tiny feature of a spork : PRONG

“Spork” is the more common name for the utensil that is a hybrid between a spoon and a fork. The same utensil is less commonly referred to as a “foon”.

6A Certain computer picture files : JPGS

The JPEG image file format (also “.jpg”) was created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), hence the name.

14A Reds’ fandom? : OENOPHILIA

“Oinos” is a Greek word meaning “wine”, giving us “oeno-” as a prefix meaning “wine”. For example, oenology is the study of wine and an oenophile is a wine-lover.

16A Like a pointless point : MOOT

To moot is to bring up as a subject for discussion or debate. So, something that is moot is open to debate. Something that is no longer moot, is no longer worth debating. We don’t seem to be able to get that right, which drives me crazy …

19A Manning who threw the “Helmet Catch” : ELI

Eli Manning is a retired footballer who played quarterback for the New York Giants. Eli’s brother Peyton Manning retired from football as the quarterback for the Denver Broncos in 2016. Eli and Peyton’s father is Archie Manning, who was also a successful NFL quarterback. Eli, Peyton and Archie co-authored a book for children titled “Family Huddle” in 2009. It describes the Mannings playing football together as young boys.

20A Finishes a season, say : WRAPS

When shooting of a film is concluded the movie is said to wrap, and everyone heads to the wrap party. There is one story that “wrap” is actually an acronym for “wind, reel and print”, a reference to the transition of the filming process into post-production. But, this explanation is disputed.

22A Iconic Disneyland ride : IT’S A SMALL WORLD

“It’s a Small World” is the name of a surprisingly (to me!) popular ride in Disneyland. The ride was created for the 1964 World’s Fair that was held in New York, and was moved to Disneyland in 1966 after the fair closed. The song that accompanies the ride was written soon after the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the message of peace in the lyrics perhaps reflects the “sigh of relief” that pervaded the globe at the time. The song actually gives its name to the ride, which was originally to be called “Children of the World”.

25A Muscle by the rotator cuff, for short : DELT

What we sometimes refer to as the rotor cuff, is more correctly termed the rotator cuff. It is the group of four muscles that stabilizes the shoulder.

27A Sweetwater 420 is a “pale” one : ALE

SweetWater Brewery was founded in 1997 in Atlanta, Georgia. It is named for the Sweetwater Creek that runs near the brewery.

30A Minecraft block crafted using gunpowder and sand : TNT

Minecraft is a video game that was released in 2011. Apparently, it is the most popular video game of all time, with well over 200 million units sold.

31A Org. created by the National Security Act of 1947 : CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the successor to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) formed during WWII. The CIA was chartered by the National Security Act of 1947. The organization is often referred to familiarly as “the Company”.

36A Suddenly quit texting, say : GHOSTED

A rather insensitive person might break off a relationship simply by cutting off all communication with their partner, without any warning. Such a move is referred to as “ghosting” in modern parlance, particularly when the relationship relies heavily on online interaction.

39A Estádio do Maracanã cheer : OLE!

Maracanã Stadium is a soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro that opened in 1950, when it acted as host for that year’s FIFA World Cup. The facility was partially rebuilt in time for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. It was also used during the 2016 Summer Olympics, most notably for the opening and closing ceremonies.

40A Edge of a snifter : RIM

A brandy snifter is a glass with a short stem, a wide bowl and a narrow top. The bowl is cupped in the hand so that the brandy, whiskey or other spirit is warmed, to facilitate evaporation. The wide bowl gives a large surface area, further encouraging evaporation, and the narrow top traps the aroma in the glass. So, one can easily “sniff” the spirit’s aroma in the “snifter”.

42A “___ Luna,” Isabel Allende novel : EVA

“Eva Luna” is a 1987 novel penned by Chilean novelist Isabel Allende. The title character is an orphan who grows up in an unnamed South American country. In the novel, we learn about Eva’s life as she narrates the life story of Rolf Carlé, a photojournalist who grew up in post-WWII Europe. Eva and Rolf meet up while he is covering the guerilla movement, and eventually fall in love.

44A “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” grouping : PANEL

Chicago Public Radio produces one of my favorite radio shows, “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” It is indeed a fun game show, hosted by Peter Sagal. The “Morning Edition” newsreader Carl Kasell used to act as judge and scorekeeper, until he retired in 2014. There should be more game shows of that ilk on the radio, in my humble opinion …

46A First name in soul music : ETTA

“Etta James” was the stage name of celebrated blues and soul singer Jamesetta Hawkins. James’ most famous recording was her 1960 hit “At Last”, which made it into the pop charts. James performed “At Last” at the age of 71 in 2009 on the reality show “Dancing with the Stars”, which was to be her final television appearance. She passed away in 2012.

54A Crime ring, for short? : APB

An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

56A Simone Biles or Tom Brady, acronymically : GOAT

Greatest of all time (GOAT)

Simone Biles holds the record for the most gold medals won by an American gymnast in a single Olympic Games. She achieved the feat at the 2016 games held in Rio. Biles has also won more World medals than any other gymnast in history. She was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022, by President Joe Biden.

Quarterback Tom Brady signed up with the New England Patriots in 2000, and led the team to more Super Bowl appearances than any other player in history. He signed up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, and led them to win the Super Bowl in his first season. Brady is from San Mateo, California, which isn’t very far from here. He dated actress Bridget Moynahan for a couple of years, and the pair have a child together. Brady was also married to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, for thirteen years.

57A Challenge for a gamer : BOSS BATTLE

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.

59A Home improvement site, after a 2021 rebranding : ANGI

Angie’s List is a website used by consumers to rate and research local businesses. The “list” was founded in 1995, originally as a call-in service and publication with reviews, by William S. Oesterle and the eponymous Angie Hicks. Angie’s List moved to the Internet in 1996, and by 2013 had 70,000 subscribers. A rebranding exercise in 2021 resulted in Angie’s List becoming “ANGI”.

62A Word with wax or butter : … BEAN

Wax beans are a type of green bean. They are picked as snap beans when the pods turn yellow.

The lima bean is also known as the butter bean or madagascar bean. It was introduced to Europe from the area around Lima, Peru, hence the name.

63A Bantu ___ (hairstyle) : KNOTS

Bantu knots are a hairstyle that originated with the Zulu people of southern Africa. They are created by sectioning the hair into small sections, twisting each section, and then wrapping it into a knot. Bantu knots can be worn on any hair type, but they are especially popular for textured hair.

Down

2D U.S. travel requirement starting in 2025 : REAL ID

What we know today as “Real IDs” are the result of the Real ID Act of 2005. One of the most visible results of the law are state-issued drivers’ licenses that meet new minimum security standards set by the federal government.

6D Vegetable also known as a Mexican turnip : JICAMA

The plant called the jícama is also known as the Mexican yam and Mexican turnip. Jícama is grown for its tuberous root. The tuber’s interior is usually eaten raw.

8D Classic mixed drink developed in Singapore : GIN SLING

A sling is a cocktail made of brandy, whiskey or gin that is sweetened and flavored with lemon. The most famous version of the sling is the Singapore sling, which was invented by a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. I am proud to report that I once had a Singapore sling in Raffles Hotel, many moons ago …

9D Lachrymose : SAD

“Lachrymose” means “teary”, from the Latin “lacrima”, the word for “tear”.

10D Kind of acid : AMINO

There are 20 different types of amino acids that make up proteins. However, only 11 of them can be synthesized by the human body, while the remaining nine essential amino acids must be obtained from food sources.

13D Suddenly conk out : STOP DEAD

The phrase “conk out” was coined by airmen during WWI, and was used to describe the stalling of an engine.

15D “Hearts are ___ for the breakin'” (Taylor Swift lyric) : HERS

Taylor Swift is the first musician to become a billionaire primarily from her music and performances, including songwriting, touring, and her music catalog. There are other billionaire musicians, but they didn’t make their fortunes solely through music. For example, Rihanna made her fortune primarily from a cosmetics company, and Jay-Z built his wealth through a diverse business portfolio in addition to his music.

21D Parliament constituent : OWL

Here are some colorful collective nouns:

• A pride of lions
• A shrewdness of apes
• A cloud of bats
• A bench of bishops
• A parliament of owls
• A clowder of cats
• A waddling of ducks
• An army of frogs
• A knot of toads

23D Entered a bear market, say : SLID

The terms “bull market” and “bear market” come from the way in which each animal attacks. A bull thrusts his horns upwards (an “up” market), whereas a bear swipes with his paws downward (a “down” market).

29D Jeweler’s unit : KARAT

A karat (also “carat”, the spelling outside of North America) is a measure of the purity of gold alloys, with 24-karat representing pure gold.

32D Rowdy : HOOLIGAN

“Hooligan” is a word that arose in England in the late 1800s and describes an aggressive and violent youth. The term is apparently derived from the Irish family name “Houlihan”. I can’t think why …

33D Like a Swiss Army knife : ALL-IN-ONE

Swiss Army knives are multi-tools made by the Swiss company Victorinox. The device was first produced in 1891 when Victorinox’s predecessor company was awarded the contract to supply the knife to the Swiss Army. The name “Swiss Army knife” was actually an American invention as it was the term used by American GIs during and after WWII as an alternative to pronouncing the more difficult German “Schweizer Offiziersmesser” (Swiss Officer Knife).

41D Actress McCarthy of “Bridesmaids” : MELISSA

Melissa McCarthy is an actress and comedian who is perhaps best known on the small screen for playing Molly on the sitcom “Mike & Molly”, and on the big screen for playing the wild and wacky Megan Price in the 2011 comedy “Bridesmaids”. According to “Forbes”, McCarthy was the third-highest paid actress in 2014/2015, after Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson. She married fellow actor, and comedian, Ben Falcone in 2005.

“Bridesmaids” is a 2011 comedy movie co-written by and starring Kristen Wiig. I wasn’t crazy about this film until Chris O’Dowd turned up as a traffic cop. Wiig and O’Dowd were great together, I thought. Pity about the rest of the movie …

44D Stage name of South Korean rapper Park Jae-sang : PSY

“PSY” is the stage name of South Korean rapper Park Jae-sang. PSY became an international star when his 2012 music video “Gangnam Style” went viral on YouTube. That video had over 1 billion views on YouTube in about six months, making it the most viewed YouTube video clip up to that time. The title of the song refers to a lifestyle experienced in the Gangnam District of Seoul.

47D Commedia dell’arte setting : TEATRO

“Commedia dell’arte” translates literally from Italian as “comedy of craft”. It is a style of theater that started out in Italy in the mid-1500s. The commedia featured a cast of stock characters such as devious servants and foolish old men, most of whom wore distinctive and recognizable masks. Some of the better known characters are Harlequin (a foolish but acrobatic servant), and Pantalone (a lascivious old merchant).

48D Auxiliary program : APPLET

“Applet” is the name given to a small application that runs within a larger computer program.

51D Modern name of the first National League champions (1876) : CUBS

The Chicago Cubs baseball team was supposedly subject to the “Curse of the Billy Goat” from 1945 until 2016. Billy Sianis, the owner of a Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago, took his pet goat with him to a World Series game against the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field. Fans sitting nearby didn’t like the smell of the goat, and so the owner was asked to leave. As he left, Sianis yelled out, “Them Cubs, they ain’t gonna win no more.” And that is how a curse is born …

55D Places for clams and oysters : BEDS

Clams can live up to about 500 years. The oldest recorded clam was a quahog clam found in Iceland, which lived to be 507 years old. To determine the clam’s age, the researchers opened it up. By doing so, they ended the life of the oldest living animal ever found …

A group of oysters is commonly referred to as a “bed”, and oysters can be farmed in man-made beds. The largest body of water producing oysters in the US today is Chesapeake Bay, although the number of beds continues to dwindle due to pollution and overfishing. Back in the 1800s, most of the world’s oysters came from New York Harbor.

57D Tie one on at dinner : BIB

The word “bib” comes from the Latin “bibere” meaning “to drink”, as does our word “imbibe”. So, maybe a bib is less about spilling the food, and more about soaking up the booze …