Tag: Widely spoken language in India crossword clue

Today’s Reveal Answer: California

Themed answers are famous people whose first name gives a CALIFORNIA city when paired with “SAN”:

• 58A Its “saintly” cities include the starts to 16-, 28-, 37- and 43-Across : CALIFORNIA

• 16A Actor who won an Oscar for 1950’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” : JOSE FERRER (giving “San Jose”)
• 28A Longtime rival of Roger Federer : RAFAEL NADAL (giving “San Rafael”)
• 37A Dictator following the Spanish Civil War : FRANCISCO FRANCO (giving “San Francisco”)
• 43A A founder of Mexican muralism : DIEGO RIVERA (giving “San Diego”)

… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 6m 34s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

15 Soothing ingredient : ALOE

Aloe vera is a succulent plant that grows in relatively dry climates. The plants leaves are full of biologically-active compounds that have been studied extensively. Aloe vera has been used for centuries in herbal medicine, mainly for topical treatment of wounds.

16 Actor who won an Oscar for 1950’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” : JOSE FERRER (giving “San Jose”)

José Ferrer was a wonderful Hollywood actor from Puerto Rico. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his magnificent performance in the title role of 1950’s “Cyrano de Bergerac”. That made him the first Hispanic person to win an Academy Award. Ferrer had a couple of celebrity wives. His first wife was the German-American actress Uta Hagen. That marriage fell apart after ten years largely due to an affair that Hagen had with singer/actor Paul Robeson. Ferrer’s third wife was singer/actress Rosemary Clooney. Clooney and Ferrer actually married and divorced twice, eventually splitting up completely in 1967 over an affair that Ferre had with Stella Magee, who was to become his wife in his fifth and final marriage.

San Jose is the third-largest city in California and is located at the heart of Silicon Valley. The city was founded by the Spanish in 1777 and named El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe. Under Spanish and Mexican rule, the territory of Alta California had its capital in Monterey. When California was made a US state, San Jose was named as the first capital, in 1850. Subsequently, the state legislature met in Vallejo in 1852, Benicia in 1853, and finally settled in Sacramento.

23 Pipe type : BRIAR

The wood of the tree heath plant is known as briar root and is extremely heat-resistant. As a result, briar root is used to make smoking pipes.

25 Sugar suffix : -OSE

Sugars are usually named using the “-ose” suffix e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose.

28 Longtime rival of Roger Federer : RAFAEL NADAL (giving “San Rafael”)

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”.

San Rafael is the county seat of Marin County in the North San Francisco Bay. Like many cities in California, San Rafael owes its name to a Spanish mission, Mission San Rafael Arcángel.

33 Gambling card game : FARO

Faro is a card game somewhat akin to Baccarat that was popular in England and France in the 18th century. Faro made it to the Old West, where it became a favorite of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. The origin of the name “Faro” is unclear. One popular theory is that Faro is a contraction of ‘pharaoh’ given that Egyptian motifs used to be common on playing cards of the period. There’s another theory involving the usual suspects: Irish immigrants and famines …

37 Dictator following the Spanish Civil War : FRANCISCO FRANCO (giving “San Francisco”)

Francisco Franco was dictator of Spain from 1936 to 1975, a reign of 39 years that made him the longest-ruling dictator in the history of Europe.

The California city of San Francisco takes its name from the Presidio of San Francisco and the nearby Mission San Francisco de Asís that were founded in 1776 by Spanish colonists.

40 Famous Ford failure : EDSEL

The Edsel brand of automobile was named for Edsel Ford, son of Henry. Sadly, the name “Edsel” has become synonymous with “failure”, which was no fault of Edsel himself who had died several years before the Edsel line was introduced. When the Ford Motor Company introduced the Edsel on 4 September 1957, Ford proclaimed the day to be “E Day”.

41 Hacienda room : SALA

In Spanish, the term “hacienda” is often used for a large estate.

43 A founder of Mexican muralism : DIEGO RIVERA (giving “San Diego”)

Diego Rivera was a Mexican painter who was famous for his murals. His wife was the equally famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

The name of the California city of San Diego dates back to 1602, when Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno named the area after the Catholic Saint Didacus. Saint Didacus was more commonly referred to as San Diego de Alcalá.

46 Wagner’s “___ Rheingold” : DAS

“Das Rheingold” is an 1869 opera by Richard Wagner, and is the first of four works that comprise his famous “Ring Cycle”.

57 Milky white mineraloid : OPAL

An opal is often described as having a milky iridescence known as opalescence.

65 Splendor : LUXE

“Luxe” is another word for “luxury”. The term came into English via French from the Latin “luxus” meaning “luxury”.

66 Baseball’s Musial : STAN

Stan Musial was a baseball player who went by the nickname “Stan the Man”, a moniker he was awarded by the Brooklyn Dodgers fans in 1946. Off the field, Stan was quite the harmonica player.

Down

1 Confidence, slangily : MOJO

The word “mojo”, meaning “magical charm, magnetism”, is probably of Creole origin.

2 With 7-Down, early historical time : IRON …
(7 See 2-Down : … AGE)

Ancient societies can be classified by the “three-age system”, which depends on the prevalence of materials used to make tools. The three ages are:

• The Stone Age
• The Bronze Age
• The Iron Age

The actual dates defined by each age depend on the society, as the timing of the transition from the use of one material to another varied around the globe.

3 Mama ___ Elliot : CASS

Cass Elliot (born “Ellen Cohen”) was one of the four singers in the Mamas and the Papas, a sensational group from the sixties. “Mama Cass” was performing sold-out concerts in London in 1974 when she was found dead one morning, having had a heart attack. She was only 32 years old. Eerily, Elliot died in the same flat (on loan from Harry Nilsson) in which the Who’s drummer Keith Moon would die just four years later.

5 ___ Krishna (religious movement) : HARE

The Hare Krishna mantra dates back to the 15th century. It is a 16-word mantra that can be written as:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

10 Norway’s patron saint : OLAV

Of the many kings of Norway named Olaf/Olav (and there have been five), Olaf II is perhaps the most celebrated, as he was canonized and made the patron saint of the country. Olaf II was king from 1015 to 1028 and was known as “Olaf the Big” (or “Olaf the Fat”) during his reign. Today he is more commonly referred to as “Olaf the Holy”. After Olaf died he was given the title of “Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae”, which is Latin for “Norway’s Eternal King”.

11 Move like molasses : OOZE

When sugar cane is processed to extract sugar, it is crushed and mashed to produce a juice. The juice is boiled to make a sugary concentrate called cane syrup, from which sugar crystals are extracted. A second boiling of the leftover syrup produces second molasses, from which more sugar crystals can be extracted. A third boiling results in what is called blackstrap molasses.

14 Widely spoken language in India : BENGALI

Bengal is a region in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent that lies at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. Bengal is divided between the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.

17 One cause of goose bumps : FEAR

The terms “goose bumps” and “goose flesh” come from the fact that skin which is cold can look like the flesh of a plucked goose.

23 Lower part of Wayne Manor : BATCAVE

Wayne Manor is the home of Bruce Wayne, the alter-ego of Batman. It is a huge manor that lies just outside Gotham City. Looking after the house is the Wayne family servant, Alfred. Beneath the grounds of the manor is an extensive cave system where Bruce Wayne put together his Batcave. Access to the cave is via a staircase behind a hidden door. The door is opened by moving the hands of a non-functioning grandfather clock to 10:47, the time at which Wayne’s parents were murdered. It is the murder of his parents that sets Bruce off on his journey of crime fighting.

24 Fix a clog? : RESOLE

Clogs are shoes made from wood, at least in part. The clog originated as a protective item of footwear for use by farm, factory and mine workers.

26 Famed theater district restaurateur : SARDI

Sardi’s is a famous restaurant in the Theater District of Manhattan that was opened in 1927 by Italian immigrant Vincent Sardi, Sr. Sardi’s is famous for attracting celebrities who sometimes pose for caricatures that are then displayed on the restaurant’s walls. After the death of actress and director Antoinette Perry in 1946, her friend and partner Brock Pemberton was having lunch at Sardi’s and came up with the idea of a theater award that could be presented in Perry’s honor. The award was to be called the Tony Award. In fact, Vincent Sardi, Sr. was presented with a special Tony at the first award ceremony, held in 1947.

From the French, a “restaurateur” (without a letter N) owns or manages a “restaurant” (with a letter N).

29 What’s left of a dinosaur : FOSSIL

The largest and best-preserved dinosaur fossil ever found can be seen on display at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The fossil is a Tyrannosaurus rex that is thought to have weighed over 7 tons when alive. It was discovered in South Dakota in 1990 by paleontologist Sue Hendrickson. The specimen is nicknamed “Sue” after Hendrickson.

31 Company with a can-do attitude? : ALCOA

The Aluminum Corporation of America (ALCOA) is the largest producer of aluminum in the United States. The company was founded in 1888 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where its headquarters are to this day.

32 French city with a history of silk-making : LYONS

The city of Lyon in France, is sometimes known as “Lyons” in English. Lyon is the second-largest metropolitan area in the country, after Paris. It is located just to the north of the confluence of the Rhône and Saône Rivers.

34 Eight pints : ONE GALLON

The name of our fluid measure called a “gallon” ultimately comes from the Medieval Latin term “galleta” meaning “bucket, pail”.

39 Liberal and then some : FAR-LEFT

The concept of left-right politics started in France during the French Revolution. When members of France’s National Assembly convened in 1789, supporters of the King sat to the President’s right, and supporters of the revolution to the President’s left. The political terms “left” and “right” were then coined in the local media and have been used ever since.

50 Shell’s shell, e.g. : LOGO

Royal Dutch Shell is the fourth largest company in the world in terms of revenue (Walmart is the largest) and is headquartered in the Hague, in the Netherlands. The company was formed in 1907 with the merger of the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and Shell Transport and Trading company of the UK. The two companies merged in order to compete globally with the biggest US oil company of the day, John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil. Shell Oil Company is a US-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell that is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

55 Radames’s love, in opera : AIDA

“Aida” is a celebrated opera by Giuseppe Verdi that is based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. Mariette also designed the costumes and stages for the opening performance. The opera was first staged in 1871 in an opera house in Cairo. In the storyline, Aida is an Ethiopian princess brought into Egypt as a slave. Radames is an Egyptian commander who falls in love with her, and then complications arise!

59 “The Simpsons” character whose last name has 18 letters : APU

The fictional Kwik-E-Mart store is operated by Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on “The Simpsons” TV show. Apu is married to Manjula, and the couple have eight children. The convenience store owner doesn’t seem to be making much use of his Ph.D in computer science that he earned in the US. Apu’s undergraduate degree is from Caltech (the Calcutta Technical Institute), where he graduated top of his class of seven million students …

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Little squeakers : MICE
5 Good thing to keep above water : HEAD
9 Hip : COOL
13 Said aloud : ORAL
14 Enter abruptly and obtrusively, with “in” : BARGE …
15 Soothing ingredient : ALOE
16 Actor who won an Oscar for 1950’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” : JOSE FERRER (giving “San Jose”)
18 Challenge sometimes built outdoors with hedges : MAZE
19 Not remote, as a TV reporter : ON SCENE
20 “Yours truly” alternative : AS EVER
22 What a baseball rundown usually ends in : TAG
23 Pipe type : BRIAR
25 Sugar suffix : -OSE
28 Longtime rival of Roger Federer : RAFAEL NADAL (giving “San Rafael”)
33 Gambling card game : FARO
35 Oodles : LOTS
36 Actress Blunt : EMILY
37 Dictator following the Spanish Civil War : FRANCISCO FRANCO (giving “San Francisco”)
40 Famous Ford failure : EDSEL
41 Hacienda room : SALA
42 Very bright, as colors : NEON
43 A founder of Mexican muralism : DIEGO RIVERA (giving “San Diego”)
46 Wagner’s “___ Rheingold” : DAS
47 See 38-Down : … A SALE
48 Permit to : LET
50 Big scoopers : LADLES
53 Words from a new arrival : HERE I AM
57 Milky white mineraloid : OPAL
58 Its “saintly” cities include the starts to 16-, 28-, 37- and 43-Across : CALIFORNIA
61 Attend : GO TO
62 In pieces : APART
63 Skirt style : MIDI
64 Agreeable (to) : OPEN
65 Splendor : LUXE
66 Baseball’s Musial : STAN

Down

1 Confidence, slangily : MOJO
2 With 7-Down, early historical time : IRON …
3 Mama ___ Elliot : CASS
4 Vote into office : ELECT
5 ___ Krishna (religious movement) : HARE
6 Muff something : ERR
7 See 2-Down : … AGE
8 Go off the tracks : DERAIL
9 Professional on a film set : CAMERAMAN
10 Norway’s patron saint : OLAV
11 Move like molasses : OOZE
12 Creepy stare : LEER
14 Widely spoken language in India : BENGALI
17 One cause of goose bumps : FEAR
21 More balanced mentally : SANER
23 Lower part of Wayne Manor : BATCAVE
24 Fix a clog? : RESOLE
25 Killed, in mobspeak : OFFED
26 Famed theater district restaurateur : SARDI
27 Rub out : ERASE
29 What’s left of a dinosaur : FOSSIL
30 Enjoyed a fine meal : DINED
31 Company with a can-do attitude? : ALCOA
32 French city with a history of silk-making : LYONS
34 Eight pints : ONE GALLON
38 With 47-Across, get the buyer to buy : CLOSE …
39 Liberal and then some : FAR-LEFT
44 Little troublemaker : RASCAL
45 Prefix with dynamic : AERO-
49 Partner of conditions : TERMS
50 Shell’s shell, e.g. : LOGO
51 Each : A POP
52 One may be blind or hot : DATE
53 Employ : HIRE
54 Participating : IN IT
55 Radames’s love, in opera : AIDA
56 Principal : MAIN
59 “The Simpsons” character whose last name has 18 letters : APU
60 Loosey-goosey : LAX