NYT Crossword Trainer - Saturday Flashcards
Pakistani president Asif ___ Zardari
ALI Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is the widower of the former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in 2007. He is supposed to be one of the richest men in the country, with a net worth of over a billion dollars. Maybe that is partly explained by his time as Minister for Investment in his wife’s cabinet. During that time he was given the nickname “Mr 10%”, reflecting charges of corruption.
KO connection maker
ALI Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. was born in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali when he converted to Islam in 1964. Who can forget Muhammad Ali lighting the Olympic flame for the 1996 games in Atlanta? Ali was presented with a gold medal during those ‘96 Games, a replacement for the medal he won at the 1960 Olympics. He had thrown the original into the Ohio River as a gesture of disgust after being refused service at a “whites only” restaurant.
Fourth caliph in Sunni Islam
ALI Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet Muhammad. Ali was the first male to accept the message of Muhammad and dedicate his life to the cause of Islam.
Onetime giant in decking
ALI Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. was born in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali when he converted to Islam in 1964. Who can forget Muhammad Ali lighting the Olympic flame for the 1996 games in Atlanta? Ali was presented with a gold medal during those ‘96 Games, a replacement for the medal he won at the 1960 Olympics. He had thrown the original into the Ohio River as a gesture of disgust after being refused service at a “whites only” restaurant.
Winning party in Clay v
ALI The boxer Muhammed Ali was classified as ineligible for the draft in 1964 due to poor writing and spelling skills. The standards were lowered in 1965, and Ali was notified in 1966 that he was eligible to serve in the US Armed Forces. When notified as such, Ali publicly declared himself a conscientious objector on religious grounds. Ali was in fact drafted and refused to serve in 1967. At that point his boxing license was suspended and he was stripped of his World Heavyweight title. Ali was convicted for refusing to to report for induction during the Vietnam War. Ultimately, the US Supreme Court reversed the decision to convict on the grounds that the government had failed to properly specify why Ali’s application for conscientious objector classification had been denied.
Loser of the Drama in Bahama
ALI The Drama in Bahama was a 1981 boxing match fought in Nassau, Bahamas between Muhammad Ali and Trevor Berbick. 27-year-old Berbick defeated 39-year-old Ali on points. It was to be Ali’s last fight. Apparently, it was a very sad and pathetic affair …
Laura Nyro album “___ and the Thirteenth Confession”
ELI Laura Nyro was a singer-songwriter from the Bronx, New York. Nyro had success with her own recordings, but her songs were even more successful when recorded by other big names. Two of Nyro’s compositions were ‘Eli’s Coming’ recorded by Three Dog Night, and ‘Stoney End’ by Barbra Streisand.
One adopting the motto “Lux et veritas”
ELI Lux et veritas’ translates from Latin as ‘Light and Truth’. ‘Lux et veritas’ is used as a motto of several universities including Indiana University, the University of Montana and Yale University. However, Yale’s motto is often given in Hebrew, as ‘Urim and Thummim’.
Country’s ___ Young Band
ELI The Eli Young Band is a country group from Texas founded by Mike Eli and James Young when they were roommates in the University of North Texas.
Hellenic character
ETA Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek (Hellenic) alphabet, and is a forerunner of our Latin character “H”.
Symbol of elasticity, in economics
ETA Elasticity in the world of economics is a mathematical concept. An elastic variable is one that might be varied by changing something else. For example, in some markets one can lower the price of goods and thereby increase the volume of sales. Sometimes variables are inelastic. For example, sales volume might be described as inelastic if chaning the price has no effect.
It’s H-shaped
ETA Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, and is a forerunner of our Latin character “H”.
Projection in the air, for short
ETA Expected time of arrival (ETA)
Air ticket info
ETA Expected time of arrival (ETA)
Info for air traffic control
ETA Estimated time of arrival (ETA)
Itinerary abbr
ETA Expected time of arrival (ETA)
Itinerary abbr.
ETA Expected time of arrival (ETA)
You may give it when you are running late for a meeting, informally
ETA Expected time of arrival (ETA)
View from Presque Isle
ERIE Presque Isle State Park is off the coast of Erie, Pennsylvania, sitting on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Erie. The name ‘Presque Isle’ translates from French as ‘peninsula’, or more literally ‘almost an island’.
Ontario’s Fort ___
ERIE The original Fort Erie was built by the British in 1764. The current structure can be visited today, located in the province of Ontario, just across the Niagara River from the city of Buffalo, New York.
___ Railroad, 1832-1960
ERIE The Erie Railroad operated from 1832 to 1960, and connected New York City with Lake Erie. The Erie Railroad was largely built as compensation for the towns in the Southern Tier of New York who lost business when the Erie Canal was completed in 1825.
Language related to Wyandot
ERIE The language of the Erie people was an Iroquoian language that was similar to Wyandot.
War of 1812 battle site
ERIE The Battle of Lake Erie was fought during the War of 1812 just off the Ohio coast. The outcome of the action was a defeat for the British and American control of Lake Erie for the remainder of the war.
Lakeside tribe
ERIE The Erie people lived on lands south of Lake Erie. The Erie were sometimes referred to as the Cat Nation, a reference to the mountain lions that were ever-present in the area that they lived. The name ‘Erie’ is a shortened form of ‘Erielhonan’ meaning ‘long tail’, possibly a further reference to the mountain lion or cat, which was possibly used as a totem. The Erie people gave their name to the Great Lake.
New York county on the Canadian border
ERIE Erie County lies just west of Wyoming County in New York State. Erie County is home to the city of Buffalo, and sits right on the shores of lake Erie.
Insurance company based in Pennsylvania
ERIE Erie Insurance, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, started out in 1925 offering auto insurance. Today, Erie also offer home, commercial and life insurance.
Good thing to keep low on a diamond
ERA The pitching stat, earned run average (ERA), measures how many runs a pitcher tends to give up per nine innings.
Christian ___
ERA The designations Anno Domini (AD, “year of Our Lord”) and Before Christ (BC) are found in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The dividing point between AD and BC is the year of the conception of Jesus, with AD 1 following 1 BC, without a year “0” in between. The AD/BC scheme dates back to AD 525, and gained wide acceptance soon after AD 800. Nowadays, a modified version has become popular, with CE (Common/Christian Era) used to replace AD, and BCE (Before the Common/Christian Era) replacing BC.
Prohibition, e.g
ERA There were concerted efforts to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages in the US from the 1840s right up until the lobbyists achieved success with ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the US Constitution in 1919. While there were several factors that influenced legislators at that time, one was the perceived need to take political power away from German-based brewing industry during WWI.
Ace’s stat
ERA Earned run average (ERA)
Reagan-___
ERA Ronald Reagan started out his political career as a member of the Democratic Party, but switched to the Republicans in the early fifties. He served as Governor of California for eight years, and vied unsuccessfully for the nomination for US President on two occasions. He finally succeeded in 1980 and defeated President Jimmy Carter to become the 40th US President in 1981.
Follower of Johnson or Kennedy
ERA President Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) is one of only four people to have held all four elected federal offices, namely US Representative, US Senator, US Vice-President and US President. As President he is perhaps best remembered for escalating involvement in the Vietnam War, and for his ‘Great Society’ legislation.
Cy Young Award consideration
ERA Cy Young was a pitcher in the major leagues from 1890-1911. He is known for pitching the first perfect game of baseball’s modern era. Soon after he died in 1955, the Cy Young Award was created to honor the best pitcher of a particular baseball season.
Receiver of contributions, for short
IRA Nice clue … I have to tell you, when I first came to the US from Ireland, it was pretty confusing seeing big signs along the freeway touting contributions to the IRA! Back in Ireland, that was pretty illegal (where IRA means the Irish Republican Army).
Pianist Stein
IRA Ira Stein is an American pianist who does a lot of work combining classical and jazz music.
Pulitzer-winning sports reporter Berkow
IRA Ira Berkow is a sports reporter and writer.
Fidelity offering, briefly
IRA Fidelity Investments is financial services corporation that is based in Boston. Fidelity was founded back in 1946.
Org
IRA ‘Patriot Games’ is a 1987 novel from Tom Clancy that features his hero Jack Ryan. The story opens with Ryan saving the lives of the Prince and Princess of Wales during a kidnapping attempt by an Irish terrorist group. In the 1992 film adaptation of the book, the Prince and Princess of Wales are dropped from the story, and replaced by the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Generative music pioneer
ENO Brian Eno started out his musical career with Roxy Music. However, his most oft played composition (by far!) is Microsoft’s “start-up jingle”, the 6-second sound you hear when the Windows operating system is booting up.
“Warszawa” instrumentalist
ENO ‘Warszawa’ is a song written by David Bowie and Brian Eno, released in 1977. ‘Warszawa’ is the Polish word for ‘Warsaw’.
“Discreet Music” musician
ENO Brian Eno started out his musical career with Roxy Music. However, Eno’s most oft-played composition (by far!) is Microsoft’s “start-up jingle”, the 6-second sound you hear when the Windows operating system is booting up. Eno might have annoyed the Microsoft folks when he stated on a BBC radio show:
Musician with the 2016 album “The Ship”
ENO Brian Eno’s 2016 studio album entitled ‘The Ship’ is named for the sinking of the Titanic, according to Eno himself.
Côte d’Ivoire’s rainy season
ETE The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire is located in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea. The country is often, mistakenly, referred to as the Ivory coast, the direct translation from the French. The official language of the country is French, as for many years it was a French colony.
It can heat up Roquefort
ETE One might spend the summer (été) in Roquefort in France.
Time of long journées
ETE In French, the longest days (journées) are in summer (été).
Juillet’s time
ETE In French, ‘juillet’ (July) is a month in the ‘été’ (summer).
Bibliophile’s suffix
ANA An ana (or plural anas) is a collection, including literature, that represent the character of a particular place or a person. Ana can be used as a noun, or as a suffix.
NPR’s Shapiro
ARI Ari Shapiro is the very able White House correspondent for National Public Radio.
Talent agent Emanuel
ARI Ari Emanuel is the co-CEO of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, the largest talent agency in the world. Emanuel represents the likes of Martin Scorsese, Michael Moore, Matt Damon, and Conan O’Brien.
“Exodus” character
ARI “Exodus” is a wonderful novel written by American writer Leon Uris, first published in 1947. The book was incredibly well received by the public and is the second biggest bestseller in the US after “Gone with the Wind”. The hero of the piece is Ari Ben Canaan, played by Paul Newman in the 1960 film adaptation directed by Otto Preminger.
“The Guilt Trip” actress Graynor
ARI Ari Graynor is an American actress who first came to national attention playing the character of Caitlin Rucker in a few episodes of the HBO series “The Sopranos”.
Cantatrice’s delivery
ARIA A cantatrice is a female professional singer, especially one who sings opera.
“La donna è mobile,” e.g
ARIA “La donna è mobile” is a very famous aria from Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto”.
Conan O’Brien’s employer from ‘88 to ‘91
SNL ‘Saturday Night Live’ (‘SNL’)
1-Across’s home, once: Abbr.
SNL ‘Saturday Night Live’ (SNL).
“Celebrity Jeopardy!” show, briefly
SNL “Celebrity Jeopardy!” was a regular skit on ‘Saturday Night Live’ that aired on the show between 1996 and 2002. Comedian Will Ferrell always played the host Alex Trebek in the sketches, and other cast members played celebrity contestants.
Show on Sen
SNL Al Franken is the junior US Senator from Minnesota. Franken won the seat in 2009 after an extremely close race, a race that he eventually won by just 312 votes. Prior to serving in the Senate, Franken was a noted satirist and writer for ‘Saturday Night Live’.
Hit with skits, for short
SNL ‘Saturday Night Live’ (SNL)
Tokyo-based carrier
ANA All Nippon Airways (ANA) is a Japanese airline, second in size only to Japan Airlines (JAL).
Tennis’s Ivanovic
ANA Ana Ivanovic is a Serbian tennis player, and former world number one. As well as playing tennis, she also studied finance at university in her native Belgrade.
Man’s name that’s another man’s name in reverse
ARI The male name ‘Ari’ when written backwards spells the name ‘Ira’.
N.L
ARI The Arizona Diamondbacks joined Major League Baseball’s National League in 1998. By winning the World Series in 2001, the Diamondbacks became the fastest expansion team to do so in Major League history.
Staple for sketches, for short
SNL ‘Saturday Night Live’ (SNL)
An old couple fell in it
EDEN The Fall of Man in the Christian doctrine is the name given to Adam and Eve’s succumbing to temptation in the Garden of Eden.
Commuting options
ELS The Chicago “L” is the second largest rapid transit system in the US, with the New York City Subway being the largest. It is also the second oldest, again with the New York Subway system having the honor of being the oldest. Note that the official nickname for the system is the “L”, although the term “El” is also in common use (especially in crosswords as “ELS”). The L is managed by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).
Its entrance was barred with a flaming sword
EDEN According to the Book Of Genesis, Adam and Eve lived in a garden “in” Eden, with Eden being geographically located by reference to four rivers, including the Tigris and Euphrates. Some scholars hypothesize that Eden was located in Mesopotamia, which encompasses much of modern-day Iraq.
It’s between Obama and Robinson
NEE Michelle Obama grew up on the South Side of Chicago, and is sister to Craig Robinson, the coach of men’s basketball at Oregon State University. After graduating from Harvard Law School, she worked as an associate at the Chicago office of the Sidley Austin law firm. Barack Obama joined the firm as a summer associate and Michelle Robinson was assigned to mentor him, and as they say, one thing led to another …
Player who followed in Player’s footsteps
ELS Ernie Els is a South African golfer. He’s a big guy but he has an easy fluid golf swing that has earned him the nickname “The Big Easy”. Els has a child who suffers from autism and the golfer has been very effective in raising money for charities that focus on the condition.
South African with two U.S
ELS Ernie Els is a South African golfer. Els a big guy but he has an easy fluid golf swing that has earned him the nickname “The Big Easy”. He has a child who suffers from autism and so Els has been very effective in raising money for charities that focus on the condition.
Obituary word
NEE “Née” is the French word for “born” when referring to a female. The male equivalent is “né”.
They have high stations
ELS ‘Els’ are elevated railroads.
Fall scene
EDEN In the Christian tradition, the ‘fall of man’ took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, against the bidding of God. As a result, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden to prevent them becoming immortal by eating from the tree of life. The first humans had transitioned from a state of innocent obedience to a state of guilty disobedience.
Locale painted in the Sistine Chapel
EDEN The Sistine Chapel, in the Pope’s residence in Rome, takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV who was responsible for restoring the old Capella Magna in the 15th century. It was about a century later (1508-1512) that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel under the patronage of Pope Julius II.
Connection between Obama and Robinson?
NEE Michelle Obama nee Robinson grew up on the South Side of Chicago and is sister to Craig Robinson, the coach of men’s basketball at Oregon State University. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Michelle Robinson worked as an associate at the Chicago office of the Sidley Austin law firm. Barack Obama joined the firm as a summer associate and Michelle Robinson was assigned to mentor him, and as they say, one thing led to another …
Starting point of a long race?
EDEN According to the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve lived in a garden “in” Eden, with Eden being geographically located by reference to four rivers including the Tigris and the Euphrates. Some scholars hypothesize that Eden was located in Mesopotamia, which encompasses much of modern-day Iraq.
Obituary word
NEE “Née” is the French word for “born” when referring to a female. The male equivalent is “né”.
Sistine Chapel setting
EDEN I suppose it’s a little ironic that there were only five popes who took the name ‘Sixtus’, and not six. The Sistine Chapel, in the Pope’s residence in Rome, takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV who was responsible for restoring the old Capella Magna in the 15th century. It was about a century later (1508-1512) that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel under the patronage of Pope Julius II.
Name-dropper’s word
NEE “Née” is the French word for “born” when referring to a female. The male equivalent is “né”.
Heart-piercing figure
EROS As always seems to be the case with Greek gods, Eros and Aphrodite have overlapping spheres of influence. Aphrodite was the goddess of love between a man and a woman, and Eros was the god who stirred the passions of the male.
Figure taking a bow?
EROS Cupid is the god of desire and erotic love in Roman mythology. The Greek counterpart of Cupid is Eros.
Son of 30-Down
EROS Cupid is the god of desire and erotic love in Roman mythology. The Greek counterpart of Cupid is Eros.
Kind of virus
RNA A virus is a small, infectious agent, made up of either two or three parts:
Viroid composition
RNA A virus is an infective agent, composed of RNA protected by a coating of protein. A viroid is a smaller pathogen, also composed of RNA, but without the protection of proteins.
Olympics locale where the first figure-skating triple jump was landed
OSLO The 1952 Winter Olympic Games took place in Oslo, Norway. The games is remembered as the first time a purpose-built athletes’ village was constructed.
Birthplace of Queen Sonja
OSLO Queen Sonja is married to King Harald V of Norway. Prior to their marriage, Sonja and Harald had to see each other in secret because Sonja was a non-royal, the daughter of a clothing merchant. The couple dated for nine years before Harald’s father and the Norwegian government sanctioned the marriage, which took place in 1968.
Nissan bumpers?
ENS The bumpers (letters at either end) of the word ‘Nissan’ are two letters N (en).
50% nonunion?
ENS 50% of the letters in the word ‘nonunion’ are Ns (ens).
Material in the translation process
RNA Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.
Cannes neighbors?
ENS The are two letters N (ens) sitting side-by-side in the word ‘Cannes’.
Half of nine?
ENS Half of the letters in the word ‘nine’ are Ns (ens).
There are three in an inning
ENS There are three letters N in the word ‘inning’.
Characters of average width
ENS In typography, there are em dashes and en dashes. The em dash is about the width of an “m” character, and an en dash about half that, the width of an “n’ character. An en dash is used, for example, to separate numbers designating a range, as in 5-10 years. Th em dash seems to be going out of style, and indeed the application I am using to write this paragraph won’t let me show you one!
Nation’s boundaries?
ENS There are two letters N (ens) in the word ‘nation’, one at each end (‘boundary’).
Enterprise position: Abbr.
ENS Ensign (ens.)
Quartet in “No, No, Nanette”
ENS There is a quarter of letters N (ens) in the title ‘No, No, Nanette’.
Setting for Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler”
OSLO ‘Hedda Gabler’ is a play by the great Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, first published in 1890. Considered one of the greatest theater roles, the title character of Hedda Gabler is sometimes referred to as ‘the female Hamlet’.
Kind of virus
RNA A virus is a small, infectious agent, made up of either two or three parts:
Translation material
RNA Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.
Basic cable inits
TNT TNT stands for Turner Network Television. It made a big splash in the eighties when it started to broadcast old MGM movies that had been “colorized”, not something that was a big hit with the public. In recent years, the TNT programming lineup is governed by the tag-line “We Know Drama”, and includes shows like “Judging Amy”, “ER” and “Cold Case”.
Letters on some sticks
TNT TNT is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. The chemical was first produced by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand in 1863, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.
Fukuda’s predecessor as Japan’s P.M
ABE Shinzō Abe is the current Prime Minister of Japan, and has been in office since 2012. Abe also served as Prime Minister from 2006 to 2007.
Boom source
TNT TNT is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.
Wile E
TNT TNT is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.
Certain shell contents
TNT TNT is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.
Metal (mental) worker’s claim?
ESP Extrasensory perception (ESP)
Special feeling?
ESP Extrasensory perception (ESP)
It goes head to head, for short
ESP Extrasensory perception (ESP)
Prime minister who helped his country land the 2020 Summer Olympics
ABE Shinzo Abe first became Prime Minister of Japan in 2006, at which time he was the youngest person to hold the post since WWII and was the first PM born after the war. Abe was in office for less than a year, but was voted in again in 2012. Abe is usually characterized as a right-wing nationalist.
Debatable ability
ESP Extrasensory perception (ESP)
Museu do Índio site
RIO The Museu do Índio (Portuguese for ‘the Museum of the Indian’) is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The museum focuses on collecting and displaying artifacts from the indigenous cultures of the country.
Antagonistic org
EPA ‘The Simpsons’ television show spawned ‘The Simpsons Movie’ in 2007. The film is all about the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) taking on Homer Simpson after he pollutes the local lake.
“Cherry ice cream smile” wearer, in a Duran Duran hit
RIO Duran Duran is a New Wave band from Birmingham in England. Duran Duran’s success was partially driven by some well-received MTV music videos in the 1980s. The band also worked hard on their image and paid a lot of money for very fashionable clothes in which they performed. As a result, one of Duran Duran’s nicknames is ‘the prettiest boys in rock’.
2014 World Cup locale, for short
RIO The next three FIFA World Cups (soccer) will be hosted by Brazil (2014), Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022).
Org
EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was set up during the Nixon administration and began operation at the end of 1970.
Green org
EPA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Envelope abbr
STE Suite (Ste.)
Envelope abbr.
STE Suite (Ste.)
Québec map abbr
STE Sainte (Ste.)
Québec map abbr.
STE Sainte (Ste.)
Adèle, for one: Abbr.
STE Sainte-Adèle is a municipality located about 70 kilometres northwest of Montreal in Quebec. The town was really built on the back of the skiing and tourism industries, with the first ski area opening up in 1914.
Animated film franchise starting in 2011
RIO Rio’ is a 2011 animated movie about a male blue macaw who is brought to mate with a female blue macaw in Rio de Janeiro, hence the movie’s title. Fans can go see ‘Rio 2’ that was released in 2014.
Exotic “Now, Voyager” setting
RIO The 1942 movie ‘Now, Voyager’ stars Bette Davis, Paul Henreid and Claude Rains. The film is based on a novel of the same name by Olive Higgins Prouty. Prouty got the title of her book from the Walt Whitman poem ‘The Untold Want’:
South America’s ___ Negro
RIO The Rio Negro (Spanish for ‘black river’) is a tributary of the Amazon in South America. The Rio Negro is the largest blackwater river in the world. A blackwater river is a slow-moving waterway that flows through forestation, collecting decaying vegetable matter that turns the water to a dark coffee color.
___-Chapelle
STE Sainte-Chapelle is a beautiful Gothic chapel located on the Île de la Cité, the same island in the Seine that is home to Notre-Dame Cathedral. The name ‘Sainte-Chapelle’ is usually translated as ‘Holy Chapel’. The chapel was built in the mid-1200s by Louis IX to house a relic that he believed to be the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus just prior to the Crucifixion.
Moose Drool or Trout Slayer
ALE Moose Drool and Trout Slayer are two beers brewed by Big Sky Brewing Company in Missoula, Montana. Moose Drool is the most popular “crafted” beer consumed in the state.
Thing with a bell guard
EPEE The hilt of a sword consists of a grip and a guard (also called a bell guard). One grasps the sword with the grip, and the bell guard is a metal shell that is designed to protect the fingers. Epee is the French word for sword.
“Walking on Thin Ice” singer
ONO Yoko Ono was born into a prosperous Japanese family, and is actually a descendant of one of the emperors of Japan. Her father moved around the world for work, and she lived the first few years of her life in San Francisco. The family returned to Japan, before moving on to New York, Hanoi, and back to Japan just before WWII, in time to live through the great fire-bombing of Tokyo in 1945. Immediately after the war, the family was far from prosperous. While Yoko’s father was being held in a prison camp in Vietnam, her mother had to resort to begging and bartering to feed her children. When her father returned, life started to return to normal, and Yoko was able to attend university, and was the first woman to be accepted into the philosophy program of Gakushuin University.
Full Sail or Fuller’s
ALE Full Sail is a craft brewery in Hood River, Oregon.
French-derived word with two accents
EPEE The French word for sword is “épée”. In competitive fencing the épée is connected to a system that records an electrical signal when legal contact is made on an opponent’s body.
Thrust item
EPEE The French word for sword is “épée”. In competitive fencing the épée is connected to a system that records an electrical signal when legal contact is made on an opponent’s body.
“Spec of Dust” singer, 1982
ONO Yoko Ono was born into a prosperous Japanese family, and is actually a descendant of one of the emperors of Japan. Her father moved around the world for work and she lived the first few years of her life in San Francisco. The family returned to Japan before moving on to New York, Hanoi and back to Japan just before WWII, in time to live through the great fire-bombing of Tokyo in 1945. Immediately after the war the Ono family was far from prosperous. While Yoko’s father was being held in a prison camp in Vietnam, her mother had to resort to begging and bartering to feed her children. When her father was repatriated, life started to return to normal and Yoko was able to attend university. She was the first woman to be accepted into the philosophy program of Gakushuin University.
Event with body cords
EPEE The French word for sword is “épée”. In competitive fencing the épée is connected to a system that records an electrical signal when legal contact is made on an opponent’s body.
Subject of the tribute album “Every Man Has a Woman”
ONO Every Man Has a Woman” is a tribute album recorded for Yoko Ono’s 50th birthday, in 1984. The tracks are songs from albums recorded by Ono, but recorded as cover version by artists such as Harry Nilsson, Roberta Flack and Ono’s husband, John Lennon. This album was supposedly Lennon’s idea, but sadly he was murdered before he could see it completed.
Mackerel variety on Hawaiian menus
ONO Ono is the name given in Hawaii to the fish better known as the wahoo.
French pioneer of sign language
EPEE The French clergyman Abbé Charles-Michel de l’Épée is often referred to as the ‘Father of the Deaf’. Épée dedicated much of his life to helping the deaf. He opened the world’s first free school for the deaf in 1760 in Paris, initially using it to provide shelter for those who were poor and hearing-impaired. Épée developed a type of sign language that is believed to be the first example of a formal and complete visual-gesture system for the deaf.
Bitter ___
ALE What’s known as ‘bitter ale’ in the UK corresponds to ‘pale ale’ in the US. I’m a fan …
Firing squad?: Abbr.
NRA The NRA is the National Rifle Association, and has been around since 1871. The group was founded as the American rifle Association, and had some celebrated presidents, including President Ulysses S. Grant. It’s often been said that the NRA is the most powerful lobbying group in Washington.
Heat-seeking grp.?
NRA ‘Heat’ is slang for a firearm.
Kind of card
NRA The NRA is the National Rifle Association, an organization that has been around since 1871. The group has had some celebrity presidents, including US President Ulysses S. Grant. It’s often said that the NRA is the most powerful lobbying group in Washington.
Supporter of the Heller decision, 2008: Abbr.
NRA District of Columbia v. Heller was a 2008 case decided by the US Supreme Court. The Court held that the US Constitution’s 2nd Amendment protected an individual’s right to own a firearm for lawful use.
Org
NRA National Rifle Association (NRA)
Noted six-foot runner
EMU The emu has had a tough time in Australia since man settled there. There was even an “Emu War” in Western Australia in 1932 when migrating emus competed with livestock for water and food. Soldiers were sent in and used machine guns in an unsuccessful attempt to drive off the “invading force”. The emus were clever, breaking their usual formation and adopting guerrilla tactics, operating as smaller units. After 50 days of “war”, the military withdrew. Subsequent requests for military help for the farmers were ignored. The emus had emerged victorious …
Scottish doctor/explorer John
RAE John Rae was a Scottish explorer, who took on the task of searching for the ill-fated Franklin Expedition of 1845. The Franklin Expedition was itself searching for the elusive Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific. John Rae created much controversy back in England when he reported evidence of cannibalism among the ill-fated Franklin explorers.
Source of 13-Down eggs
EMU Emu eggs are very large, with a thick shell that is dark-green in color. One emu egg weighs about the same as a dozen chicken eggs.
Pace of “Pushing Daisies”
LEE Lee Pace is an actor most famous for playing Ned in the television comedy-drama ‘Pushing Daisies’.
Means of changing one’s mind
LSD LSD (colloquially known as ‘acid’) is short for lysergic acid diethylamide. A Swiss chemist called Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 in a research project looking for medically efficacious ergot alkaloids. It wasn’t until some five years later when Hofmann ingested some of the drug accidentally that its psychedelic properties were discovered. Trippy, man …
Historical figure a.k.a
LEE Robert E. Lee is of course renowned as a southern officer in the Civil War. Lee was a somewhat reluctant participant in the war in that he opposed the secession of his home state of Virginia from the Union. At the beginning of the war, President Lincoln invited Lee to take command of the whole Union Army but he declined, choosing instead to stay loyal to his home state. During the Civil War, Lee’s men referred to him affectionately as ‘Marse Robert’, with ‘marse’ being slang for ‘master’.
Dingo dodger
EMU The emu has had a tough time in Australia since man settled there. There was even an “Emu War” in Western Australia in 1932 when migrating emus competed with livestock for water and food. Soldiers were sent in and used machine guns in an unsuccessful attempt to drive off the “invading force”. The emus were clever, breaking their usual formations and adopting guerrilla tactics, operating as smaller units. After 50 days of “war”, the military withdrew. Subsequent requests for military help for the farmers were ignored. The emus had emerged victorious …
Source of jumbo eggs
EMU Emu eggs are very large, with a thick shell that is dark-green in color. One emu egg weighs about the same as a dozen chicken eggs.
Victor at Fussell’s Mill
LEE The Second Battle of Deep Bottom (also called ‘Fussell’s Mill’) was fought in the middle of August 1864, in Henrico County, Virginia during the Civil War. The Union forces were led by Maj. Gen Winfield S. Hancock, and the Confederates by Gen Robert E. Lee and Maj, Gen W. Field.
Some dropped tabs
LSD LSD (colloquially known as ‘acid’) is short for lysergic acid diethylamide. A Swiss chemist called Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 in a research project looking for medically efficacious ergot alkaloids. It wasn’t until some five years later when Hofmann ingested some of the drug accidentally that its psychedelic properties were discovered. Trippy, man …
Hit from the ’60s?
LSD LSD (colloquially known as ‘acid’) is short for lysergic acid diethylamide. A Swiss chemist called Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 in a research project looking for medically efficacious ergot alkaloids. It wasn’t until some five years later when Hofmann ingested some of the drug accidentally that its psychedelic properties were discovered. Trippy, man …
“Tabs”
LSD The drug LSD is often sold impregnated into blotter paper. The paper blotter is usually divided into squares with ¼-inch sides, with each square referred to as a ‘tab’.
Something taken in preparation for a trip
LSD LSD (colloquially known as ‘acid’) is short for lysergic acid diethylamide. A Swiss chemist called Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 in a research project looking for medically efficacious ergot alkaloids. It wasn’t until some five years later when Hofmann ingested some of the drug accidentally that its psychedelic properties were discovered. Trippy, man …
Bob ___, leader of Canada’s Liberal Party before Justin Trudeau
RAE Bob Rae is a former politician who was the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada for almost two full years starting in 2011. Rae was replaced by Justin Trudeau as party leader in 2013.
___ Sremmurd, hip-hop duo with the 2016 #1 hit “Black Beatles”
RAE Rae Sremmurd is hip hop act consisting of two brothers from Tupelo, Mississippi: Khalif ‘Swae Lee’ Brown and Aaquil ‘Slim Jxmmi’ Brown. The pair used to perform as Dem Outta St8 Boyz, with the brothers using the names Kid Krunk and Caliboy, along with a third brother known as Lil Pantz. Sometimes I think I over-complicate things by using the name ‘Bill’ …
Former Texas governor Richards
ANN Ann Richards was the second woman to serve as Governor of Texas, and held the office from 1991 to 1995. Richards was a Democrat, and she was defeated in the 1994 election by George W. Bush.
Many a paean
ODE A paean is a poem or song that expresses triumph or thanksgiving. ‘Paean’ comes from the ancient Greek ‘paian’ meaning “song of triumph’.
Skater with many trophies
ORR Bobby Orr is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players who ever played the game. By the time he retired in 1978, Orr had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries. At 31 years of age, Orr concluded that he just couldn’t skate anymore. Reportedly, he was even having trouble walking …
One of the Romneys
ANN Ann Davies knew Mitt Romney way back in elementary school, and the pair started dating when Ann was 16 and were married in 1968 when she was 19 years old. Ann Romney was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, and she has been very active with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Packer in a bookstore
ANN Ann Packer is a novelist from Stanford. California who is probably best known for her first book called ‘The Dive from Clausen’s Pier’.
1967 Calder Trophy winner at age 18
ORR Bobby Orr is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. By the time he retired in 1978 he had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries. At 31 years of age, he concluded that he just couldn’t skate anymore. Reportedly, he was even having trouble walking …
___ Wilson, lead singer for Heart
ANN Heart is a rock band from Seattle, Washington, founded in the seventies and still going strong. The band has had a changing lineup, except for sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson.
Subject of a statue outside Boston’s TD Garden
ORR Bobby Orr is a former hockey player from Ontario who played most of his professional career with the Boston Bruins. Orr is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. A bronze statue of Orr was erected outside Boston’s TD Garden in 2010. By the time he retired in 1978, Orr had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries. At 31 years of age, he concluded that he just couldn’t skate anymore. Reportedly, he was even having trouble walking …
Yossarian’s “Catch-22” tentmate
ORR Orr has no other name, just “Orr”, in Joseph Heller’s novel “Catch 22”.
___ Dunham, Barack Obama’s mother
ANN Barack Obama, Sr. was first married at the age of 18 in his home country of Kenya, and had two children during that marriage. He left his wife and children back in Kenya when he enrolled in the University of Hawaii in 1959 as the school’s first African foreign student. There Obama met Ann Dunham in a Russian language course. The two entered into a romantic relationship and Dunham became pregnant. Obama told Dunham that he was divorced from his first wife (not true), and the pair were married on Maui in 1961. Six months later, Barack Obama II was born, destined to become the 44th President of the United States. The couple divorced in 1964. After the divorce, Dunham was able to marry Lalo Soetoro, a Javanese surveyor who she met while he was studying for a masters degree at the university. Soetoro returned to Indonesia in 1966, and Dunham joined him there the following year with her 6-year-old son. Barack Obama spent four years in Indonesia before returning to Hawaii to live with his grandparents.
Bridge builder’s grp
ADA The American Dental Association members at times have to build bridges between teeth.
The Bible’s “cunning hunter”
ESAU Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. He is portrayed as being very different from his brother, a hunter, someone who loves the outdoor life.
Issachar’s uncle
ESAU Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother, Rebekah, gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).
Until June 25, 2011, its first three digits had geographical significance: Abbr.
SSN Prior to the June 2011, the first three digits of the Social Security Number (SSN) was designated as an Area Number. In recent decades this Area Number reflects the ZIP code in the mailing address of the person for which the SSN was applied. From June 2011, all SSNs issued have been assigned randomly. I always think that’s a good idea …
Subj
SSN The main purpose of a Social Security Number (SSN) is to track individuals for the purposes of taxation although, given its ubiquitous use, it is looking more and more like an “identity number” to me. The social security number system was introduced in 1936. Prior to 1986, an SSN was required only for persons with substantial income, so many children under 14 had no number assigned. There was concern that a lot of people were claiming children as dependents on their tax returns who did not exist, so from 1986 onwards it was a requirement to get a SSN for any dependents over the ago of 5. Sure enough, in the following year’s returns, seven million dependents “disappeared”.
The “you” in “you will serve your brother”
ESAU Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother Rebekah gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).
It was retired by the Yankees in 1986
ONE The New York Yankees retired the uniform with the number 1 in 1986, the number worn by second baseman and manager Billy Martin.
___ Blizzard (Dairy Queen offering)
OREO The Oreo was the best-selling cookie in the 20th century, and almost 500 billion of them have been produced since they were introduced in 1912 by Nabisco. In those early days the creme filling was made with pork fat, but today vegetable oils are used instead. If you take a bite out of an Oreo sold outside of America you might notice a difference from the homegrown cookie, as coconut oil is added in the overseas version to give a different taste.
Sandwich often given a twist
OREO The Oreo was the best-selling cookie in the 20th century, and almost 500 billion of them have been produced since they were introduced in 1912 by Nabisco. In those early days the creme filling was made with pork fat, but today vegetable oils are used instead. If you take a bite out of an Oreo sold outside of America you might notice a difference from the homegrown cookie, as coconut oil is added in the overseas version to give a different taste.
Novelist Leverson
ADA Ada Leverson was a British writer, a great friend of Oscar Wilde. Leverson was played by actress Zoë Wanamaker in the 1997 film ‘Wilde’ starring Stephen Fry in the title role.
He was born “all over like an hairy garment”
ESAU Esau, was the grandson of Abraham and the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When Esau was born, the event was described, ‘Now the first came forth, red all over like a hairy garment’. Esau is portrayed later in life as being very different from his brother, as a hunter and someone who loves the outdoor life.
Grandson of Abraham
ESAU Esau, was the grandson of Abraham and the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When Esau was born to Isaac and Rebekah, the event was described, ‘Now the first came forth, red all over like a hairy garment’. Esau is portrayed later in life as being very different from his brother, as a hunter and someone who loves the outdoor life.
___ Biscuit (1912 debut)
OREO The Oreo was the best-selling cookie in the 20th century, and almost 500 billion of them have been sold since they were introduced in 1912 by Nabisco. In those early days the creme filling was made with pork fat, but today vegetable oils are used instead. If you take a bite out of an Oreo sold outside of America you might notice a difference from the homegrown cookie, as coconut oil is added in the overseas version to give a different taste.
Org
ADA American Dental Association (ADA)
Brand with a “Wonderfilled” ad campaign
OREO The Oreo was the best-selling cookie in the 20th century, and almost 500 billion of them have been sold since they were introduced in 1912 by Nabisco. In those early days the creme filling was made with pork fat, but today vegetable oils are used instead. If you take a bite out of an Oreo sold outside of America you might notice a difference from the homegrown cookie, as coconut oil is added in the overseas version to give a different taste.
It’s double-hyphenated: Abbr.
SSN A Social Security number (SSN) is divided into three parts i.e AAA-GG-SSSS, Originally, the Area Number (AAA) was the code for the office that issued the card. Since 1973, the Area Number reflects the ZIP code from which the application was made. The GG in the SSN is the Group Number, and the SSSS in the number is the Serial Number. However, this is all moot, as since 2011 SSN’s are assigned randomly.
Fig
SSN Generally speaking, I think it’s a good idea to shred documents that show a social security number (SSN), rather than just toss them in the garbage.
One of a reconciling pair painted by Rubens
ESAU ‘The Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau’ is a painting by Sir Peter Paul Rubens.
Joseph’s uncle, in Genesis
ESAU Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother Rebekah gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).
Marine ___ (presidential helicopter)
ONE Marine One is the call sign used by a Marine Corps helicopter when it is carrying the US president. In fact, the call sign can be used by any Marine Corps aircraft carrying the president, but usually refers either a Sea King or White Hawk helicopter that is used routinely in transportation to and from the White House.
Treat since 1912
OREO The Oreo cookie was introduced in 1912. The Oreo was intended to be a competitor to the very similar Hydrox cookie which had debuted four years earlier. The Oreo won the resulting battle on the grocery store shelves …
Doubly hyphenated ID
SSN A Social Security number (SSN) is divided into three parts i.e AAA-GG-SSSS, Originally, the Area Number (AAA) was the code for the office that issued the card. Since 1973, the Area Number reflects the ZIP code from which the application was made. The GG in the SSN is the Group Number, and the SSSS in the number is the Serial Number. However, this is all moot, as since 2011 SSn’s are assigned randomly.
Dashboard Confessional’s genre
EMO Dashboard Confessional is an emo band from Boca Raton, Florida.
Modern music genre
EMO The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. Not my cup of tea …
Floral arrangement
LEI “Lei” is the Hawaiian word for “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a “lei” is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.
___ Day (May 1)
LEI What’s known as May Day around the world is also called Lei Day in Hawaii. Lei Day started in the twenties and is a celebration of native Hawaiian culture.
Some rock
EMO The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. Not my cup of tea …
Like some broody teens
EMO The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. ‘Emo’ is also the name given to the associated subculture. Not my cup of tea …
Overly sensitive, informally
EMO The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. Not my cup of tea …
Souvenir sometimes made with shells
LEI “Lei” is the Hawaiian word for “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a “lei” is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.
Angst-ridden and moody
EMO The musical genre of ‘emo’ originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from ‘emotional hardcore’. ‘Emo’ is also the name given to the associated subculture. Not my cup of tea …
Redolent ring
LEI “Lei” is the Hawaiian word for “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a “lei” is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.
Pennsylvania’s ___ Mountain (skiing area)
ELK Elk Mountain Ski Area is located about 30 miles north of Scranton, in the Endless Mountain region of Pennsylvania.
Actor Somerhalder of “Lost”
IAN Ian Somerhalder had his big break as an actor in the TV drama “Lost”, and now has a part in TV’s “The Vampire Diaries”.
