Tag: What might pop up from time to time crossword clue

Bill’s time: 17m 09s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1A Tennis superstar Nadal, familiarly : RAFA

Rafael “Rafa” Nadal is a Spanish tennis player. He is noted for his expertise on clay courts, which earned him the nickname “The King of Clay”.

5A “Wicked” director Jon M. ___ : CHU

Jon M. Chu is a movie and television director who is perhaps known for directing 2018’s highly-acclaimed film “Crazy Rich Asians”. Chu’s firstborn child is named “Willow”, after the 1988 film “Willow”. His second-born child is named “Jonathan Heights”, after the 2021 movie “In the Heights”.

“Wicked” (2024) is the first installment of a two-part film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical of the same name. It stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, and shows the events that lead them to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. I skipped this one, because I am scared of flying monkeys …

11A Pack (down) : TAMP

To tamp is to pack down tightly by tapping. “Tamp” was originally used specifically to describe the action of packing down sand or dirt around an explosive prior to detonation.

16A Bygone carrier that had a fleet of “Clippers” : PAN AM

Pan American World Airways (usually just “Pan Am”) started out as a mail and passenger service between Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba in 1927. From very early in the company’s life it was the de facto representative air carrier of the United States. For many years, Pan Am’s fleet was built around the Boeing 314 Clipper, a long-range flying boat that was one of the largest aircraft around at the time. Pan Am adopted the Clipper as part of its image, even using “clipper” as the call sign for its flights.

21A Woodwind related to the cor anglais : OBOE

The English horn is also known by its French name “cor anglais” (and sometimes “alto oboe”). It is a double-reed, woodwind instrument.

22A Article of sports equipment that typically has two rubber sheets of different colors : PING-PONG PADDLE

Ping-Pong is called table tennis in the UK, where the sport originated in the 1880s. Table tennis started as an after-dinner activity among the elite, and was called “wiff-waff”. To play the game, books were stacked in the center of a table as a “net”, two more books served as “”rackets” and the ball used was actually a golf ball. The game evolved over time with the rackets being upgraded to the lids of cigar boxes and the ball becoming a champagne cork (how snooty is that?). Eventually the game was produced commercially, and the sound of the ball hitting the racket was deemed to be a “ping” and a “pong”, giving the sport its alternative name. The name “Ping-Pong” was trademarked in Britain in 1901, and eventually sold to Parker Brothers in the US.

24A Delivery option : FEDEX

FedEx began operations in 1973 as Federal Express, but now operates very successfully under its more catchy, abbreviated name. Headquartered in Memphis with its “SuperHub” at Memphis International Airport, FedEx is the world’s largest airline in terms of tons of freight flown. And due to the presence of FedEx, Memphis Airport has the largest-volume cargo operation of any airport worldwide.

25A Sound from a ragdoll : PURR!

The ragdoll breed of cat only dates back to the 1960s. The breed was developed in Southern California, basically by selectively breeding alley cats. Ragdolls are often described as “dog-like” because of their innate behavior, following people around, lack of aggression towards other pets, and their willingness to be handled. When picked up, they tend to go limp, which is how the breed earned the name “ragdoll”.

26A Division signs, more formally : OBELI

The division symbol consists of a horizontal line with a dot above and below. It is called an “obelus” (plural “obeli”). “Obelus” is the Greek word for “sharpened stick, pointed pillar”. Prior to 1659, the obelus was used as the symbol for subtraction, and not division.

27A Word sung three times in a row in “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” : ROOT

“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is a 1908 song that is traditionally sung during the seventh inning stretch of a baseball game. Even though the song is now inextricably linked to baseball, neither of the two composers had ever been to a game before they wrote it.

34A “King Kong” actress Wray : FAY

Fay Wray was a Canadian-American actress who is best known for her starring role in the classic 1933 film “King Kong”. When Wray passed away at the age of 96 in 2004, the lights of the Empire State Building were extinguished for 15 minutes. That fine gesture was a nod to the celebrated Empire State Building scene in “King Kong”.

1933’s “King Kong” really is a classic. It stars Fay Wray as the young woman (Ann Darrow) with whom Kong falls in love. Wray was very interested in the role as she was told that she would be playing opposite the “tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood”. She thought it might be Clark Gable. At least, that’s how the story goes …

35A What might pop up from time to time? : TOASTER

The electric toaster is a Scottish invention, one created by Alan McMasters in Edinburgh in 1893.

37A Item in a numismatist’s collection : COIN

A numismatist is a coin collector. The term “numismatics” comes into English via French from the Latin word “nomisma” meaning ”coin”.

38A “S.N.L.” alum Nora : DUNN

Nora Dunn is a comedian best known as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live”. She is the sister of actor Kevin Dunn, who is known for many supporting roles including Chief of Staff Ben Cafferty in TV’s “Veep”.

39A Champagne giant : MOËT

Moët & Chandon is a French winery, and one of the world’s largest producers of champagne. The company was founded by wine trader Claude Moët in 1743. The name was changed to Moët & Chandon in the 1830s when Pierre-Gabriel Chandon, an in-law to the Moët family, was given co-ownership. Moët & Chandon owns the famous Dom Pérignon brand name, honoring the Benedictine monk who did so much to improve the quality of champagne.

46A Birthstone before opal : SAPPHIRE

The gemstone sapphire is a type of corundum, and consists mainly of aluminum oxide. The color of sapphire varies, depending on the metallic impurities that are present. In general terms, if the impurity is predominantly chromium, then the color is red and the stone is called a ruby. The presence of ferrous iron and titanium results in a blue sapphire.

51A Ladybug’s prey : APHID

Aphids are called “greenfly” back in Britain and Ireland where I come from. The most effective way to control aphids, in my experience, is to make sure there are plenty of ladybugs in the garden (called “ladybirds” in Ireland!).

The insect we know as a ladybug (also “ladybird”) has seven spots on its wing covers. These seven spots gave rise to the common name “ladybug”, as in the Middle Ages the insect was called the “beetle of Our Lady”. The spots were said to symbolize the Seven Joys and Seven Sorrows, events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary called out in the Roman Catholic tradition.

53A Debaters who use deceptive arguments : SOPHISTS

A sophist is someone who engages in devious argument. Originally, “sophist” described a wise or learned person, but over time it has become a term of contempt. Our word “sophisticate” comes from the same Greek root.

56A Oscar-winning actress Loren : SOPHIA

Sophia Loren certainly has earned her exalted position in the world of movies. In 1962 Loren won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the Italian film “Two Women”, marking the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English speaking performance. She received a second nomination for Best Actress for her role in “Marriage Italian-Style”, another Italian-language movie, released in 1964.

59A ___ nous (between us) : ENTRE

In French, something might perhaps be discussed “entre deux” (between two) or “entre nous” (between us).

60A Kristen of “Bridesmaids” : WIIG

Kristen Wiig is a comic actress who appears on “Saturday Night Live”. She also made an appearance on the first season of Spike TV’s quirky “The Joe Schmo Show”, playing “Dr. Pat”. More recently, she co-wrote and starred in the 2011 hit film “Bridesmaids”, and co-starred in the 2016 reboot of “Ghostbusters”.

“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 …

67A Iridescent jewelry material : NACRE

Nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, is the strong iridescent material laid down by some mollusks on the inside of their shells, and it’s also what makes up pearls. The creature lays down nacre as a defensive mechanism, protecting the soft tissue of its body from the rough surface of the outer shell. Similarly, it uses nacre to encapsulate harmful debris or a parasite that penetrates the shell, and that’s how a pearl is formed. Cultured pearls are made by inserting a tissue graft from a donor oyster, around which the nacre is laid down.

68A Rug cleaner, for short : VAC

The first practical portable vacuum cleaner was invented by James Spangler in 1907. Spangler sold the patent for the design to his cousin’s husband, William Henry Hoover. Hoover then made his fortune from manufacturing and selling vacuum cleaners. Hoover was so successful in my part of the world that back in Ireland we don’t use the verb “to vacuum” and instead say “to hoover”. Also, “hoover” is what we call a vacuum cleaner, regardless of who makes it.

70A Two-time capital of the Mughal Empire : DELHI

The Mughal Empire extended over much of the Indian subcontinent from 1526 to 1707.

76A Cameron who voiced Princess Fiona in the “Shrek” movies : DIAZ

Hollywood actress Cameron Diaz started out her professional life as a model. Diaz’s first acting role was in the 1994 film “The Mask”, starring alongside Jim Carrey.

Princess Fiona is the title character’s love interest in the “Shrek” series of films. She is voiced by Cameron Diaz.

77A Flo Rida title sung before the words “just a little” : I CRY

“I Cry” is a 2012 song recorded by hip hop artist Flo Rida. I guess you could call the song a masterclass in musical recycling, as it samples 2011’s “Cry (Just a Little)” by Bingo Players, which in turn borrowed its melody from Brenda Russell’s 1988 ballad “Piano in the Dark”.

78A Big cat hybrid : LIGER

The tiger is the largest species in the cat family. Tigers have been known to breed with lions. A liger is a cross between a male lion and female tiger. A tigon is a cross between a female lion and a male tiger.

79A No Shave November growth, informally : ‘STACHE

Movember is a charitable event that kicked off in a Melbourne pub in 2003 when two friends challenged 30 “Mo Bros” (“mo” is Aussie clang for “mustache”) to grow mustaches to promote prostate cancer awareness. There is also a No-Shave November event that was founded in 2009 by an Illinois family to honor their father, who passed away from colon cancer.

82A Connecticut governor Lamont : NED

Ned Lamont became Governor of Connecticut in 2019. Back in 2006, Lamont defeated incumbent US Senator Joe Lieberman in the Democratic primary for the senate seat. Lieberman didn’t give up though, and ran in the election as an independent. Despite defeating Lieberman in the primary, Lamont lost to him in the election.

83A N.B.A. team that plays at Gainbridge Fieldhouse : PACERS

The Gainbridge Fieldhouse indoor arena in downtown Indianapolis is host to several local basketball teams, including the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. The facility opened for business in 1999, then named the Conseco Fieldhouse. It was designed to look like a college field house, hence the name “fieldhouse”, and hence the primary use as a basketball arena.

84A Compound that ripens bananas : ETHENE

Ethylene (also called “ethene”) has a gazillion uses, including as an anesthetic and an aid to hastening the ripening of fruit. Ethylene’s most common use is as a major raw material in the manufacture of plastics (like polyethylene).

88A Owlish, in a way : WISE

The Greek goddess Athena (sometimes “Athene”) is often associated with wisdom, among other attributes. In many representations. Athena is depicted with an owl sitting on her head. It is this linkage of the owl with the goddess of wisdom that led to today’s perception of the owl as being “wise”. Athena’s Roman counterpart was Minerva.

89A Brontë heroine : EYRE

“Jane Eyre” is a classic 1847 novel by Charlotte Brontë, published under the pseudonym “Currer Bell”. It’s a coming-of-age tale in which the title character endures a harsh childhood and education before becoming a governess at Thornfield Hall. Jane falls in love with her brooding employer, Mr. Rochester, but there’s a rocky road to travel before the couple finally get to the altar.

91A Bit of entertainment for a morning commute, maybe : PODCAST

A podcast is an audio or video media file that is made available for download. The term “podcast” is a portmanteau of “iPod” and “broadcast”. Basically, a podcast is a broadcast that one can play on demand, simply by downloading and opening the podcast file.

97A Beachy footwear : FLIP-FLOP SANDALS

The use of the word “thong” to describe a sandal dates back to the 1960s in the US, before the term “flip-flop” became more widespread. The sandal comprises a flat sole with a y-shaped strap (toe thong) that crosses the top of the foot and passes between the first and second toes. In Australia, and some other parts of the world, flip-flops are still primarily known as “thongs”.

108A Classic origami design : CRANE

Sadako Sasaki was a Japanese girl who was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. She was exposed to the radiation and developed leukemia ten years later. While she was in the hospital, she began folding origami cranes. A Japanese folktale says that if a person folds 1,000 cranes (“senbazuru”), they will be granted a wish. Sadako hoped that by folding the cranes, she would be cured of her leukemia. She folded over 1,000 cranes before she died in 1955 at the age of 12.

109A Medallions might be seen in them : CABS

In the world of urban transportation, a “medallion” is the official license that grants a taxi the right to pick up passengers on the street. The medallion system originated in New York City in 1937 to limit the number of drivers during the Great Depression and to prevent “taxicab wars”. At their financial peak around 2014, medallions were so sought after that a single one could sell for over a million dollars.

110A ___ Games, event first held in 70-Across : ASIAN
[70A Two-time capital of the Mughal Empire : DELHI]

Today’s Asian Games are run by the Olympic Council of Asia and are held every four years. They are the second largest, multi-sport event in the world after the Olympics. The first Asian Games were held in 1951 in Delhi, India. The first Asian Games to be held in the Middle East were in 1974 in Tehran, Iran.

111A Tupac and Eminem, for two : HIP-HOP ARTISTS

Rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur adopted the inventive stage name “2Pac”. He was a hard man, spending eleven months in prison for sexual assault. He was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas at only 25 years of age.

Rap star Eminem’s real name is Marshall Mathers. He grew up poor in Saint Joseph, Missouri, raised by a single-mom as the family was abandoned by his father when he was 18 months old. Marshall and his mother moved around the country before settling in a suburb of Detroit. He didn’t do well at school, and dropped out at the age of 17. But in the end, he made it pretty big …

115A ___ Montoya, “The Princess Bride” swordsman : INIGO

In the William Goldman novel “The Princess Bride”, the title character is kidnapped by a trio of outlaws that includes fencing master Inigo Montoya. In the 1987 film adaptation, Montoya is played by Mandy Patinkin.

116A Telly channel, with “the” : … BEEB

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is also known as “the Beeb”, a name given to the network by the great Peter Sellers on the classic British radio comedy called “The Goon Show”. Another nickname is “Auntie”, perhaps a reference to an old idiom “Auntie knows best”. As a result, the moniker “Auntie Beeb” has also become popular!. The BBC was founded in 1922, and was the world’s first national broadcasting organization.

118A Hit title for Abba or Rihanna : SOS

The ABBA 1975 song “SOS” was originally titled “Turn Me On”. In the movie “Mamma Mia!”, “SOS” is performed by Meryl Streep (brilliantly) and by Pierce Brosnan (terribly).

“SOS” is a dance-pop song released by Rihanna in 2006.

120A Website with a “Craft Supplies & Tools” page : ETSY

Etsy.com is an e-commerce website where you can buy and sell the kind of items that you might find at a craft fair.

Down

2D Class with frogs : AMPHIBIA

Frogs are amphibians that undergo a complete metamorphosis during their lives, transforming from aquatic tadpoles into air-breathing, carnivorous adults. Along with powerful jumping legs, frogs have permeable skin that can absorb oxygen from water, supplementing the oxygen in the air breathed in with their lungs.

5D Filing pro : CPA

Certified public accountant (CPA)

6D Roman emperor with a namesake wall : HADRIAN

The Roman Emperor Hadrian is best remembered today for building Hadrian’s Wall, a barrier marking the northern limit of Roman Britain. Construction of the stone wall started in AD 122, and the end result was the most fortified border in the whole of the Roman Empire. Much of Hadrian’s Wall can still be seen today, and I’ve had the privilege of walking along part of it when visiting Northern England.

8D Error message on a Blu-Ray display : NO DISC

A CD player reads the information on the disc using a laser beam. The beam is produced by what’s called a laser diode, a device similar to a light-emitting diode (LED) except that a laser beam is emitted. That laser beam is usually red in CD and DVD players. Blu-ray players are so called as they use blue lasers.

9D Benedict Arnold’s offense : TREASON

Benedict Arnold was a general in the Continental Army during the American War of Independence who defected to the British Army. While serving with the Continental Army, Arnold was given command of the fort at West Point. He planned on surrendering the fort to the British, but his plot was discovered before he could do so and he made a narrow escape. Arnold was made a brigadier general in the British Army and he led British forces in several raids against American troops. After the war ended, Arnold moved to London and worked in the merchant business. He died there in 1791.

10D Practice witchcraft on : HEX

“Hexen” is a German word meaning “to practice witchcraft”. The use of the word “hex” in English started with the Pennsylvania Dutch in the early 1800s.

11D Birthstone after opal : TOPAZ

Topaz is a semiprecious stone made from silicate containing aluminum and fluorine. Topaz is the state gemstone of Utah, and the rare blue topaz is the state gemstone of Texas.

13D Mushroom often added to cream sauces : MOREL

A morel is a mushroom with a honeycomb-like structure on the cap. They are highly prized, especially in French cuisine. Morels should never be eaten raw as they are toxic, with the toxins being removed by thorough cooking.

14D Inherently : PER SE

“Per se” is a Latin phrase that translates as “by itself”. We use “per se” pretty literally, meaning “in itself, intrinsically”.

18D ___ Gala : MET

The Costume Institute Gala is an annual fundraising event that benefits the Anna Wintour Costume Center in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). The fundraiser is commonly referred to as the “Met Gala” or “Met Ball”, and was established in 1948.

20D Classical Greek precinct with a noted oracle : DELPHI

In ancient Greece and Rome, an oracle was someone believed to be inspired by the gods to give wise counsel. The word “oracle” derives from the Latin “orare” meaning “to speak”, which is the same root for our word “orator”. One of the most important oracles of ancient Greece was Pythia, the high priestess to Apollo at Delphi.

29D Randall who created the webcomic “xkcd” : MUNROE

XKCD is a webcomic created by Randall Munroe that was launched in 2005. The title is not actually an acronym or abbreviation for anything. Munroe has stated that he simply chose the letters “XKCD” because they sounded cool and were easy to remember. XKCD frequently incorporates scientific and mathematical concepts into its humor, as Munroe has a degree in physics.

32D ___-Magnon : CRO

Remains of early man, dating back to 35,000 years ago, were found in Abri de Cro-Magnon in southwest France, giving the name to those early humans. Cro-Magnon remains are the oldest human relics that have been discovered in Europe.

33D Apt name of 12 popes : PIUS

There have been twelve popes named Pius, the latest being Pope Pius XII. He led the Roman Catholic Church until his death in 1958.

38D Prank of doorbell ringing and running : DING-DONG DITCH

Ding dong ditch is a game played by kids that involves the ringing of doorbells and then running away to hide nearby. The game originated in the UK, where it is usually called knock, knock, ginger.

45D Less laissez-faire : STRICTER

“Laissez-faire” is a French term that we use to describe non-interference in the affairs of others. The literal translation is “to let to allow”.

49D Part of the Horn of Africa : SOMALIA

The Horn of Africa is that horn-shaped peninsula at the easternmost tip of the continent, containing the countries Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia as well as Somalia. The Horn of Africa is also known as the Somali Peninsula.

54D Leaf-turning mo. : SEP

Leaves are green because of the presence of the pigment chlorophyll. There is so much chlorophyll in a leaf during the growing season that it masks out the colors of any other pigments. The amount of chlorophyll falls off in the autumn so that other pigments, present all year, become evident. These pigments are carotenoids which are orange-yellow in color, and anthocyanins which are red-purple.

58D Subject of an R.S.V.P. : PARTY

RSVP is an initialism derived from the French phrase “Répondez s’il vous plaît”, meaning “Please respond”. It’s a polite way to ask your invited guests to let you know if they will be attending your event.

78D Swan song : LAST ACT

The phrase “swan song” is used for a final gesture, a last performance. The expression derives from an ancient belief that swans are silent for most of their lives, but sing a beautiful song just before they die.

80D Mononymous singer who popularized “New Celtic” music : ENYA

Enya’s real name is Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, which can translate from Irish into Enya Brennan. Her Donegal family (in the northwest of Ireland) formed a band called Clannad, which included Enya. In 1980 Enya launched her very successful solo career, eventually becoming Ireland’s best-selling solo musician. And, she sure does turn up a lot in crosswords!

85D Birth name of Che Guevara : ERNESTO

Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born in Argentina, and in 1948 he started to study medicine at the University of Buenos Aires. While at school he satisfied his need to “see the world” by taking two long journeys around South America, the stories of which are told in Guevara’s memoir later published as “The Motorcycle Diaries”. While traveling, Guevara was moved by the plight of the people he saw and their working conditions and what he viewed as capitalistic exploitation. In Mexico City he met brothers Raul and Fidel Castro and was persuaded to join their cause, the overthrow of the US-backed government in Cuba. He rose to second-in-command among the Cuban insurgents, and when Castro came to power Guevara was influential in repelling the Bay of Pigs Invasion and bringing Soviet nuclear missiles to the island. Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to continue his work as a revolutionary. He was captured by Bolivian forces in 1967, and was executed. Fidel Castro led the public mourning of Guevara’s death, and soon the revolutionary was an icon for many left-wing movements around the world.

87D Computer addresses, for short : IPS

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label assigned to every device on a computer network. The device that you’re using to read this blog post on has been assigned a unique IP address, as has the computer that I’m using to make this post …

88D Light bulb measure : WATTAGE

“Wattage” is a colloquial term meaning “electric power in watts”. Electric power is the rate at which electrical energy is transferred by a circuit. In the SI system, electric power is measured in joules per second, i.e. watts.

92D Intelligent sea mammal : DOLPHIN

Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals known for their playful behavior and complex social structures. Their intelligence is particularly notable, demonstrated by their ability to solve problems, use tools, and recognize themselves in mirrors. Dolphins communicate using a variety of clicks, whistles, and body language, and they often form strong bonds within their pods.

93D Composer of the “Raindrop” prelude : CHOPIN

The “Raindrop” is the longest of Frédéric Chopin’s cycle of 24 preludes. The piece features a repeating A-flat that reminds the listener of raindrops, hence the prelude’s nickname. A lovely work …

94D How china is often sold : AS A SET

The ceramic known as “porcelain” can be referred to as “china” or “fine china”, as porcelain was developed in China.

98D Beast domesticated by the Incas : LLAMA

The llama is a South American camelid that has been domesticated. They have been used as pack animals by Andean cultures since pre-Columbian times, as they are known for their calm demeanor and ability to carry heavy loads over long distances in rugged terrain. Llamas are also raised for their meat and wool.

99D Longtime TV personality Regis : PHILBIN

Regis Philbin was an incredibly popular television personality. He was in such high demand, and had such a long career, that he holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera (in excess of 16,000 hours).

101D Culture medium : AGAR

Agar (also “agar-agar”) is a jelly extracted from seaweed that has many uses. Agar is found in Japanese desserts, and can also be used as a food thickener or even as a laxative. In the world of science, it is the most common medium used for growing bacteria in Petri dishes.

102D Country singer Loretta : LYNN

Singer Loretta Lynn is sometimes referred to as the First Lady of Country Music. Lynn was born in 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner and his wife, and so famously is also referred to as “the Coal Miner’s Daughter”. Her much younger sister (by 19 years) is the singer Crystal Gayle.

104D “Survivor” group : TRIBE

The reality show “Survivor” is based on a Swedish television series created in 1997 called “Expedition Robinson”. The American “Survivor” is widely considered as the leading reality TV show. It was the first highly-rated reality TV offering to become very profitable.

107D Greek letter that resembles an “I” atop an “O,” as seen eight times in this puzzle : PHI

Phi is the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet.

112D Period in the periodic table : ROW

Dmitri Mendeleev was a Russian chemist. When Mendeleev classified elements according to their chemical properties, he noticed patterns and was able to group elements into his famous 1869 Periodic Table. So powerful was his table that he actually predicted the properties of some elements that had not even been discovered in 1869. Element number 101 is mendelevium, and was named after Mendeleev.