output_trainer_2_3 Flashcards
One-sixth of diciotto. 3 letters
TRE. In Italian, one sixth of eighteen (diciotto) is three (tre).
Teachers’ org. 3 letters
NEA. The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the country, mainly representing public school teachers.
Trucker’s circuit: Abbr.. 3 letters
RTE. Route (rte.)
Conquistador’s booty. 3 letters
ORO. Conquistador is the Spanish for “conqueror”.
Member of a Western tribe. 3 letters
UTE. The Ute is a group of Native American tribes that now resides in Utah and Colorado. The Ute were not a unified people as such, but rather a loose association of nomadic groups.
U.S.P.S. 3 letters
RTE. The US Postal Service (USPS) is a remarkable agency in many ways. For starters, the government’s right and responsibility to establish the Post Office is specifically called out in Article One of the US constitution. Also, the first postmaster general was none other than Benjamin Franklin. And the USPS operates over 200,000 vehicles, which is the largest vehicle fleet in the world.
Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Tale of ___ Saltan”. 4 letters
TSAR. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera ‘The Tale of Tsar Saltan’ is based on a poem by Alexander Pushkin. The opera is perhaps best remembered as the source of the delightful orchestral interlude known as the ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’.
Mach3 forerunner. 4 letters
ATRA. Fortunately for crossword setters, the Atra razor was introduced by Gillette in 1977. The Atra was sold as the Contour in some markets and its derivative products are still around today.
Woody offshoot?. 4 letters
ARLO. Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for their singing of protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m 34s. In the song Guthrie tells how, after being drafted, he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War based on his criminal record. He had only one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest for littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.
Docs united. 3 letters
AMA. American Medical Association (AMA)
Hundred Acre Wood denizen. 3 letters
ROO. Hundred Acre Wood is where Winnie the Pooh lives with his friends. According to a map illustrating the books by A. A. Milne, Hundred Acre Wood is part of a larger forest, with Owl’s house sitting right at the center.
Cette fille, e.g. 4 letters
ELLE. In French, she (elle) is that girl (cette fille) over there.
___ Vegas. 3 letters
LAS. Back in the 1800s, the Las Vegas Valley was given its name from the extensive meadows (“las vegas” is Spanish for “the meadows”) present in the area courtesy of the artesian wells drilled by local farmers. Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1905, in the days when it was a stopping-off point for pioneers travelling west. It eventually became a railroad town, although with the coming of the railroad growth halted as travelers began to bypass Las Vegas. The city’s tourism industry took off in 1935 with the completion of the nearby Hoover Dam, which is still a popular attraction. Then gambling was legalized, and things really started to move. Vegas was picked, largely by celebrated figures in “the mob”, as a convenient location across the California/Nevada state line that could service the vast population of Los Angeles. As a result, Las Vegas is the most populous US city founded in the 20th century (Chicago is the most populous city founded in the 19th century, just in case you were wondering).
“Bearded” flower. 4 letters
IRIS. Iris is a genus of flowering plants that come in a wide variety of flower colors. The term ‘iris’ is a Greek word meaning ‘rainbow’. Many species of irises are called ‘flags’. One suggestion is that the alternate name comes from the Middle English ‘flagge’ meaning ‘reed’. This term was used because iris leaves look like reeds.
___ Chicago Grill. 3 letters
UNO. The chain of pizza parlors known today as Uno Chicago Grill used to be called Pizzeria Uno, or just ‘Uno’s’. Apparently Uno’s created the world’s first deep dish pizza.
Coach Parseghian. 3 letters
ARA. Ara Parseghian coached the Notre Dame football team from 1964 to 1974, a period known as “The Era of Ara”.
Inits. 3 letters
TSA. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created in 2001, soon after the 9/11 attacks. TSA personnel carry out the baggage and body searches at US airports. The TSA has a Trusted Traveler program that allows certain passengers to move more quickly through security screening. These passengers pay the TSA a one-time fee that covers a background check after which successful applicants are issued a Known Traveler Number (KTN).
Omega preceder. 3 letters
PSI. The Greek letter psi is the one that looks a bit like a trident or a pitchfork.
___ Sea (inland body with high salinity). 4 letters
ARAL. The Aral Sea is a great example of how man can have a devastating effect on his environment. In the early sixties the Aral Sea covered 68,000 square miles of Central Asia. Soviet Union irrigation projects drained the lake to such an extent that today the total area is less than 7,000 square miles, with 90% of the lake now completely dry. Sad …
Gillette razor brand. 4 letters
ATRA. Fortunately for crossword setters, Gillette introduced the Atra razor in 1977.
Place to relax. 3 letters
SPA. The word “spa” migrated into English from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a municipality in the east of the country that is famous for its healing hot springs. The name “Spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.
Unlatched, say. 4 letters
AJAR. Our word “ajar” is thought to come from Scottish dialect, in which “a char” means “slightly open”.
Bio subject. 3 letters
DNA. I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that the DNA of living things is so very similar across different species. Human DNA is almost exactly the same for every individual (to the degree of 99.9%). However, those small differences are sufficient to distinguish one individual from another, and to determine whether or not individuals are close family relations.
Bus driver on “The Simpsons”. 4 letters
OTTO. Otto Mann drives the school bus on “The Simpsons”. He is voiced by Harry Shearer. Otto is a Germanic character, and his name is a play on the Ottoman Empire. When Bart sees him, he greets him with “Otto, man!”
A.A.A. 3 letters
RTE. The American Automobile Association is a not-for-profit organization, focused on lobbying, provision of automobile servicing, and selling of automobile insurance. It was founded in 1902 in Chicago, and published the first of its celebrated hotel guides back in 1917.
Next-to-last Greek letter. 3 letters
PSI. The Greek letter psi is the one that looks a bit like a trident or a pitchfork.
___ of Capri. 4 letters
ISLE. The island of Capri off the coast of Southern Italy has been a tourist resort since the days of ancient Rome. Capri is home to the famous Blue Grotto, a sea cave that is illuminated with sunlight that’s colored blue as it passes through the seawater into the cave. Natives of Capri are known as ‘Capriotes’.
Course for a prospective citizen, for short. 3 letters
ESL. English as a Second Language (ESL) is sometimes referred to as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).
Place to relax. 3 letters
SPA. The word “spa” comes to us from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a health resort there. The name “Spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.
Introduction to a Spanish count?. 3 letters
UNO. Uno, dos, tres, cuatro!
U.S.P.S. assignment: Abbr.. 3 letters
RTE. The US Postal Service (USPS) is a remarkable agency in many ways. For starters, the government’s right and responsibility to establish the Post Office is specifically called out in Article One of the US constitution. Also, the first postmaster general was none other than Benjamin Franklin. And, the USPS operates over 200,000 vehicles, which is the largest vehicle fleet in the world.
“Tell Mama” singer James. 4 letters
ETTA. Etta James is best known for her beautiful rendition of the song “At Last”. Sadly, as she discloses in her autobiography, James has lived a life that has been ravaged by drug addiction, leading to numerous legal and health problems.
Coach Parseghian. 3 letters
ARA. Ara Parseghian coached the Notre Dame football team from 1964 to 1974, a period known as “The Era of Ara”.
“The Touch of Your Hand” lyricist Harbach. 4 letters
OTTO. Otto Harbach was a very successful librettist and lyricist. He was responsible for the words of many celebrated songs including ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’ and ‘Indian Love Call’.
Colorful ring. 4 letters
IRIS. The iris is the colored part of the eye, which has an aperture in the center that can open or close depending on the level of light hitting the eye.
Actor Stephen. 3 letters
REA. Stephen Rea is an actor from Belfast in Northern Ireland. Rea’s big break in movies came with his role in the 1992 film ‘The Crying Game’, a role for which he was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar.
Goddess who caused the Trojan women to riot in the “Aeneid”. 4 letters
IRIS. In Greek mythology the goddess Iris was viewed as the link between the gods and humanity, a messenger. She was also the goddess of the rainbow. In Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’, Iris takes the form of a Trojan woman and incites other Trojan mothers to set fire to Aeneas’ ships, preventing them from leaving Sicily.
Tire spec abbr.. 3 letters
PSI. Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI) is a measure of pressure.
Arthur in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 4 letters
ASHE. Arthur Ashe was a professional tennis player from Richmond, Virginia. In his youth he found himself having to travel great distances to play against Caucasian opponents due to the segregation that still existed in his home state. He was rewarded for his dedication by being selected for the 1963 US Davis Cup team, the first African America player to be so honored. He continued to run into trouble because of his ethnicity though, and in 1968 was denied entry into South Africa to play in the South African Open. In 1979 Ashe suffered a heart attack and had bypass surgery, with follow up surgery four years later during which he contracted HIV from blood transfusions. Ashe passed away in 1993, due to complications from AIDS.
Org. 3 letters
TSA. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was of course created in 2001, soon after the 9/11 attacks.
“The Twilight Saga” vampire. 4 letters
ALEC. ‘New Moon’ is the second in the ‘Twilight’ series of novels by Stephenie Meyer. “The Twilight Saga” is a series of films based on the books. The novels and films are about vampires. I don’t do vampires …
Mississippi River’s largest tributary. 4 letters
OHIO. The Ohio is the largest tributary of the Mississippi by volume. In fact where the two rivers meet, in Cairo, Illinois, the Ohio is actually the larger of the pair.
Nintendo’s Super ___. 3 letters
NES. The abbreviation Super NES (or SNES) stands for Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Our kids probably have one somewhere …
Highly draftable … 5 letters
ONE-A. The US government maintains information on all males who are potentially subject to military conscription, using what is called the Selective Service System(SS). In the event that a draft was held, men registered would be classified into groups to determine eligibility for service. Class 1-A registrants are those available for unrestricted military service. Other classes are 1-A-O (conscientious objector available for noncombatant service), 4-A (registrant who has completed military service) and 4-D (Minister of religion).
Mark meaning “no change”. 4 letters
STET. “Stet” is the Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” beside the change and then underscoring the change with a line of dots (or dashes).
Bolshevik target. 4 letters
TSAR. At the second party congress of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1903, a split developed. The faction with the most support was led by Vladimir Lenin, and as they were in the majority, they became known as the Bolsheviks, derived from the Russian word for “more” or “majority”.
“___ Karenina”. 4 letters
ANNA. I have to admit to not having read the Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina”, but I did see the excellent 1977 British television adaptation starring Nicola Pagett. In the stroyline, Anna Karenina’s lover is Count Alexei Vronsky.
Springfield Elementary employee. 4 letters
OTTO. Otto Mann drives the school bus on the TV show “The Simpsons”. Otto is a Germanic character voiced by Harry Shearer, and his name is a play on “Ottoman Empire”. Whenever Bart sees him, he greets Otto with the words “Otto, man!”
Baldwin who has hosted “S.N.L.” more times than anyone else. 4 letters
ALEC. Alec is the oldest of the acting Baldwin brothers. I think his big break was playing Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan in “The Hunt for Red October”, but thank goodness that role was taken over by Harrison Ford for the subsequent Jack Ryan movies. Baldwin is making a name for himself these days playing Jack Donaghy on “30 Rock”, opposite Tina Fey. He has also hosted the sketch show ‘Saturday Night Live’ more times than anyone else (16 times).
Bygone despot. 4 letters
TSAR. The term czar (also tsar) is a Slavic word that was first used as a title by Simeon I of Bulgaria in 913 AD. “Czar” is derived from the word “Caesar”, which was synonymous with “emperor” at that time.
Capri, e.g. 4 letters
ISLE. The island of Capri off the coast of Southern Italy has been a tourist resort since the days of ancient Rome. Capri is home to the famous Blue Grotto, a sea cave that is illuminated with sunlight that’s colored blue as it passes through the seawater into the cave. Natives of Capri are known as Capriotes.
Classic roadside logo name with red lettering in a blue oval. 4 letters
ESSO. The brand name Esso has its roots in the old Standard Oil company as it uses the initial letters of “Standard” and “Oil” (ESS-O). The Esso brand was replaced by Exxon in the US, but ESSO is still used in many other countries.
Quack stopper, for short. 3 letters
AMA. American Medical Association (AMA)
___ Vegas. 3 letters
LAS. Las Vegas, Nevada was founded as a city in 1905. It became a stop-off point for pioneers travelling west, and eventually a railroad town, although with the coming of the railroad, growth halted as folks began to bypass Las Vegas. The city’s tourism industry took off in 1935 when the nearby Hoover Dam was completed, and visitors to Vegas take tours of the dam to this day. But then gambling was legalized, and the things really started to move. Vegas was picked, largely by celebrated figures in “the mob”, as a convenient location across the state line that would service the vast population of Los Angeles. As a result, Las Vegas became the most populous US city founded in the 20th century, an honor that went to Chicago in the 19th century.
Org. 3 letters
AMA. The American Medical Association was founded in 1847, at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. The first female member was allowed to join in 1868, but the first African American members weren’t admitted until one hundred years later, in 1968.
Setting for a Marx Brothers farce. 5 letters
OPERA. The five Mark Brothers were born to “Minnie” and “Frenchy” Marx in New York City. The more famous, three older boys were Chico, Harpo and Groucho. The youngest brother, Zeppo, appeared in the early Marx Brothers movies, but the fifth son Gummo, he went off to pursue his own career off the stage.
Symbol of the planet Neptune. 3 letters
PSI. The Greek letter psi is the one that looks a bit like a trident or a pitchfork. The resemblance to a trident is probably why the letter psi is the symbol for the planet Neptune. Neptune was the Roman god of the sea and is often depicted carrying a trident.
Fictional creature whose name is Old English for “giant”. 3 letters
ENT. Ents are those tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. ‘Ent’ is an Old English word for ‘giant’.
Palliative plant. 4 letters
ALOE. Aloe vera has a number of alternate names that are descriptive of its efficacy as a medicine. These include the First Aid plant, Wand of Heaven, Silent Healer and Miracle Plant.
Map line: Abbr.. 3 letters
RTE. Some maps show routes.
Kanga’s baby. 3 letters
ROO. Kanga is a friend of Winnie-the-Pooh, a kangaroo. She is the mother of Roo, who appears more frequently in the storyline.
___ Palmas. 3 letters
LAS. Gran Canaria, or Grand Canary Island, may be grand but it isn’t quite as big as Tenerife, the largest island of the group and the most populated. The capital of Gran Canaria is Las Palmas, which was a port of call for Christopher Columbus in 1492 on his way to the Americas.
Mule of song. 3 letters
SAL. The song “Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal” was written in 1905. The lyrics are nostalgic and look back to the days when traffic on the canal was pulled by mules, bemoaing the introduction of the fast-moving engine-powered barges. The first line is “I’ve got an old mule and her name is Sal”.
One-named singer from County Donegal. 4 letters
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!
Folkie who sang of Alice. 4 letters
ARLO. “Alice’s Restaurant Masacree” is the name of the Arlo Guthrie song, all 18m 48s of it, that takes up one whole side of the album “Alice’s Restaurant”.
Grp. 3 letters
AMA. The icon known as the caduceus is a staff around which are twisted two serpents and which has two wings at the top. The caduceus was carried by the Greek god Hermes. The traditional symbol for the medical profession was the rod of Asclepius, a Greek god associated with healing and medicine. The rod of Asclepius is similar to the caduceus, being a staff with a single serpent-entwined. Some medical organizations use the caduceus as a symbol, apparently due to confusion that dates by to the its mistaken use by the US Army Medical Corps in 1902.
Arthur of tennis. 4 letters
ASHE. Arthur Ashe was a professional tennis player from Richmond, Virginia. In his youth, Ashe found himself having to travel great distances to play against Caucasian opponents due to the segregation that still existed in his home state. He was rewarded for his dedication by being selected for the 1963 US Davis Cup team, the first African American player to be so honored. Ashe continued to run into trouble because of his ethnicity though, and in 1968 was denied entry into South Africa to play in the South African Open. In 1979 Ashe suffered a heart attack and had bypass surgery, with follow-up surgery four years later during which he contracted HIV from blood transfusions. Ashe passed away in 1993 due to complications from AIDS. Shortly afterwards, Ashe was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton.
Notre Dame coach Parseghian. 3 letters
ARA. Ara Parseghian coached the Notre Dame football team from 1964 to 1974, a period known as “The Era of Ara”.
Grp. 3 letters
NEA. The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the country, and mainly represents public school teachers.
Tahiti, for one. 4 letters
ISLE. Tahiti is the most populous island in French Polynesia, which is located in the central Southern Pacific. Although Captain Cook landed in Tahiti in 1769, he wasn’t the first European to do so. However, Cook’s visit was the most significant in that it heralded a whole spate of European visitors, who brought with them prostitution, venereal disease and alcohol. Paradoxically, they also brought Christianity. Included among the subsequent visitors was the famous HMS Bounty under the charge of Captain Bligh.
Slaughter in baseball. 4 letters
ENOS. Enos Slaughter has a remarkable playing record in Major League Baseball over a 19-year career. Slaughter’s record is particularly remarkable given that he left baseball for three years to serve in the military during WWII.
Évian, for one. 3 letters
SPA. Évian-les-Bains (or simply Évian) is in the very east of France on the shores of Lake Geneva, directly across the lake from Lausanne, Switzerland. As you might imagine, Évian is the home of Évian mineral water, the most successful business in town. I can’t stand the taste of Évian water …
Former Russian royal. 4 letters
TSAR. The term czar (also tsar) is a Slavic word, and was first used as a title by Simeon I of Bulgaria in 913 A.D. It is derived from the word Caesar, which was synonymous with emperor at that time.
Plata’s partner. 3 letters
ORO. Oro y Plata means “gold and silver”, and is the state motto of Montana. The motto was written in Spanish, purely because “it had a nice ring to it”.
Coach Parseghian. 3 letters
ARA. Ara Parseghian coached Notre Dame football team from 1964 to 1974, a period known as “The Era of Ara”.
Mens ___ (criminal intent). 3 letters
REA. “Mens rea” is Latin for “guilty mind” and is a central concept in criminal law. The concept is expanded to “actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea” meaning “the act does not make a person guilty unless the mind be also guilty”. In other words, a someone should not be deemed guilty of an act, unless he or she had a “guilty mind”, intended to do wrong.
1975 Wimbledon winner. 4 letters
ASHE. Arthur Ashe was a professional tennis player from Richmond, Virginia. In his youth he found himself having to travel great distances to play against Caucasian opponents due to the segregation that still existed in his home state. He was rewarded for his dedication by being selected for the 1963 US Davis Cup team, the first African America player to be so honored. He continued to run into trouble because of his ethnicity though, and in 1968 was denied entry into South Africa to play in the South African Open. In 1979 Ashe suffered a heart attack and had bypass surgery, with follow up surgery four years later during which he contracted HIV from blood transfusions. Ashe passed away in 1993, due to complications from AIDS.
A reed. 4 letters
OBOE. The oboe is perhaps my favorite of the reed instruments. The name “oboe” comes from the French “hautbois” which means “high wood”. When you hear an orchestra tuning before a performance, you’ll note (pun intended!) the oboe starts off the process by playing an “A”. The rest of the musicians in turn tune to that oboe’s “A”. Oh, and if you want to read a fun book (almost an “exposé”) about life playing the oboe, you might try “Mozart in the Jungle” by oboist Blair Tindall.
Tennis’s Arthur ___ Stadium. 4 letters
ASHE. The Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York opened in 1997 and is the largest outdoor, tennis-only venue in the world. The stadium is sometimes criticized for not having a retractable dome to protect the playing surface from inclement weather.
Required to serve, maybe. 5 letters
ONE-A. The US government maintains information on all males who are potentially subject to military conscription, using what is called the Selective Service System(SS). In the event that a draft was held, men registered would be classified into groups to determine eligibility for service. Class 1-A registrants are those available for unrestricted military service. Other classes are 1-A-O (conscientious objector available for noncombatant service), 4-A (registrant who has completed military service) and 4-D (Minister of religion).
Razor handle?. 4 letters
ATRA. Fortunately for crossword setters, the Atra razor was introduced by Gillette in 1977. The Atra was sold as the Contour in some markets and its derivative products are still around today.
Dr. 3 letters
DRE. Dr. Dre is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as producing records and starting the careers of others such Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.
“The Lord of the Rings” creature. 3 letters
ENT. Ents are those tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. ‘Ent’ is an Old English word for ‘giant’.
“Wrath of the Titans” antagonist. 4 letters
ARES. Wrath of the Titans” is a 2012 fantasy adventure film, a sequel to 2010’s ‘Clash of the Titans’.
Subj. 3 letters
ESL. English as a Second Language (ESL) is sometimes referred to as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).
Tre minus due. 3 letters
UNO. ‘One, two, three’ in Italian is “uno, due, tre”.
Deputy sheriff in “The Dukes of Hazzard”. 4 letters
ENOS. Enos Strate (played by Sonny Shroyer) was the small-town deputy in the television sitcom ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’, and the success of his character merited a follow-on show. The spinoff “Enos” only ran for 18 episodes though.
Night school subj. 3 letters
ESL. English as a Second Language (ESL) is sometimes referred to as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).
Hip-hop’s Dr. 3 letters
DRE. Dr. Dre is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as for producing records and starting the careers of others such Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.
MS. 3 letters
EDS. An editor (ed.) might receive a manuscript (MS) with a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).
MS. 3 letters
EDS. Editors (eds.) might read a manuscript (MS.) are ‘Ms.’ magazine.
So-called Mother of Presidents. 4 letters
OHIO. There are two states that have the nickname ‘Mother of Presidents’ … Ohio and Virginia, although sometimes Ohio is known as ‘Modern Mother of Presidents’. Eight presidents were born in Virginia, from George Washington to Woodrow Wilson. Ohio was the birthplace of seven presidents, from Ulysses S. Grant to Warren G. Harding. Additionally, eight presidents hailed from Ohio at the time of their elections.
Next-to-last Greek letter. 3 letters
PSI. The Greek letter psi is the one that looks a bit like a trident or a pitchfork.
2013 Pawel Pawlikowski film set in post-W.W. 3 letters
IDA. Pawel Pawlikowski is a filmmaker based in Paris who was born and grew up in Warsaw, Poland. Pawlikowski’s most famous films are ‘Last Resort’ (2000), which he both wrote and directed, and the intriguing ‘My Summer of Love’ (2004) that stars Natalie Press and Emily Blunt.
Proofer’s “oops”. 4 letters
STET. “Stet” is a Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” and then underscoring that change with a line of dots or dashes.
Brand operated by Imperial. 4 letters
ESSO. Imperial Oil is a Canadian company with a majority ownership by Exxon Mobil. Imperial produces a lot of crude oil and natural gas, and also operates service stations with brand name ESSO.
Relative of the Contour Plus. 4 letters
ATRA. Fortunately for crossword constructors, the Atra razor was introduced by Gillette in 1977. The Atra was sold as the Contour in some markets and its derivative products are still around today.
Place to get a mudbath or massage. 3 letters
SPA. The word “spa” migrated into English from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a health resort there. The name “Spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.
Mani-pedi spot. 3 letters
SPA. Manicure & pedicure (mani-pedi)
Classic Fiat model. 3 letters
UNO. The Uno is a subcompact that was produced for many years by Fiat, from 1983 until 1995, and it is still being produced in other countries around the world.
“And Winter Came …” singer. 4 letters
ENYA. Enya’s real name is Eithne Patricia Ni Braonain, which can translate from the 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. She sure does turn up a lot in crosswords!
Palindromic magazine title. 4 letters
ELLE. “Elle” magazine was founded in 1945 in France and today has the highest circulation of any fashion magazine in the world. “Elle” is the French word for “she”. ‘Elle’ is published monthly worldwide, although you can pick up a weekly edition if you live in France.
___ Pacis (Roman monument). 3 letters
ARA. The Ara Pacis Augustae, the Altar of Augustan Peace, is often just called the ‘Ara’ or ‘Ara Pacis’. It is an altar that was commissioned by the Roman Senate to honor the return of Caesar Augustus after his conquests in Hispania and Gaul. It stood at the northern outskirts of Rome, and over the centuries was covered by silt as it was located in the floodplain of the river Tiber. The Ara was excavated and much of the altar recovered over recent centuries, although as usual, parts of the altar have found their way into the major museums around the world. Much of the altar was reconstructed and placed inside a protective building under the orders of dictator Benito Mussolini in 1938. A new building was built to house the altar in 2006.
Proofer’s mark. 4 letters
STET. “Stet” is a Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” and then underscoring that change with a line of dots or dashes.
“At Last” singer James. 4 letters
ETTA. Etta James is best known for her rendition of “At Last”. Sadly, she discloses in her autobiography, Etta James has lived a life that has been ravaged by drug addiction, leading to numerous legal and health problems.
B’way success sign. 3 letters
SRO. Standing Room Only
Baldwin of “30 Rock”. 4 letters
ALEC. Alec is the oldest of the acting Baldwin brothers. I think Alec’s big break was playing Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan in “The Hunt for Red October”, but thank goodness that role was taken over by Harrison Ford for the subsequent Jack Ryan movies. Baldwin made a name for himself in recent times playing Jack Donaghy on “30 Rock”, opposite Tina Fey. He has also hosted the sketch show ‘Saturday Night Live’ on more occasions than anyone else (16 times).
Important Scrabble tile. 3 letters
ESS. The game of Scrabble has been around since 1938, the invention of an architect named Alfred Mosher Butts. Butts determined how many tiles of each letter, and the point value of each tile, by analyzing letter distributions in publications like ‘The New York Times’.
Natural pain reliever. 4 letters
ALOE. Aloe vera has a number of alternate names that are descriptive of its efficacy as a medicine. These include the First Aid plant, Wand of Heaven, Silent Healer and Miracle Plant.
Last of the Mohicans?. 3 letters
ESS. Ess (the letter S) is the last letter in the word ‘Mohicans’.
Kid-friendly card game. 3 letters
UNO. In my youth I remember being taught a great card game, by a German acquaintance of mine, called Mau Mau. Years later I discovered that Uno is basically the same game, but played with a purpose-printed deck instead of the regular deck of playing cards that’s used for Mau Mau. I hear that Mau Mau is derived from the game called Crazy Eights.
Boise’s state: Abbr.. 3 letters
IDA. Boise, Idaho is the largest metropolitan area in the state by far. There are a number of stories pertaining to the etymology of the name ‘Boise’. One is that French trappers named the tree-lined river that ran through the area ‘la rivière boisée’, meaning ‘the wooded river’.
Cream-toned. 4 letters
ECRU. The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.
Actress Gunn of “Breaking Bad”. 4 letters
ANNA. Anna Gunn is an actress from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is best known for playing Skyler White on the TV show ‘Breaking Bad’.
___ Cruces, N.M. 3 letters
LAS. Las Cruces (Spanish for ‘the crosses’) is the second largest city in the state of New Mexico, and is the home of New Mexico State University.
One of the Baldwins. 4 letters
ALEC. Alec Baldwin is the oldest of the acting Baldwin brothers. I think Alec’s big break was playing Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan in “The Hunt for Red October”, but thank goodness that role was taken over by Harrison Ford for the subsequent Jack Ryan movies. Baldwin is making a name for himself these days playing Jack Donaghy on “30 Rock”, opposite Tina Fey.
Sparkle. 4 letters
ELAN. Our word “élan” was imported from French, in which it has a similar meaning, “style” or “flair”.
PBS funder. 3 letters
NEA. The National Endowment for the Arts is an agency funded by the federal government that offers support and funding for artistic projects. It was created by an Act of Congress in 1965.
Grandson of 47-Across and 37-Down. 4 letters
ENOS. Enos, as the son of Seth, was the grandson of Adam and Eve.
Pampering place. 3 letters
SPA. The word “spa” migrated into English from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a municipality in the east of the country that is famous for its healing hot springs. The name “Spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.
Screen grp.?. 3 letters
TSA. The Transportation Security Administration was of course created in 2001, soon after the 9/11 attacks.
“Forgot About ___” (2000 Grammy-winning rap). 3 letters
DRE. ‘Forgot About Dre’ is a single recorded by rap artist Dr. Dre, ‘featuring Eminem’.
Bygone monarch. 4 letters
TSAR. The last ruler of Imperial Russia was Tsar Nicholas II (of the House of Romanov). Famously, the Tsar and his family were murdered in 1918 in the basement of a house in Yekaterinburg, Russia by members of the Bolshevik secret police. The Tsar’s youngest daughter was 16-year-old Anastasia and rumors of her escape have persisted for years. The rumors grew with the help of numerous women who claimed to be Anastasia. In 2009, DNA testing finally proved that the remains of all of the Tsar’s immediate family, including Anastasia, have been found and identified.
“Goodnight” girl of old song. 5 letters
IRENE. “Goodnight, Irene”, also known as “Irene, Goodnight” is a lovely American folk song, that was first recorded commercially back in 1932 by blues singer, Lead Belly. The song made it number one in the charts for the Weavers in 1950, and for Frank Sinatra the same year.
Wave function symbol in quantum mechanics. 3 letters
PSI. The science of quantum mechanics (or quantum physics) pulls together mathematically, the fact that energy and matter sometimes behave like waves, and sometimes particles. In general, the laws of classical mechanics break down as “things” get smaller, on the atomic and subatomic scale.
Actor Mineo. 3 letters
SAL. The actor Sal Mineo’s most famous role was John ‘Plato’ Crawford, the kid who was in awe of the James Dean character in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’. Sadly, Mineo was murdered in 1976 when he was just 37 years old. He was attacked in the alley behind his Los Angeles apartment and stabbed through the heart. When an arrest was made it was discovered that the murderer had no idea that his victim was a celebrity, and that his plan was just to rob anyone who came along.
___ Noticias (New York Hispanic paper). 3 letters
LAS. ‘Las Noticias’ is a Hispanic publication serving the Latino community in Kingston, New York.
[Ignore prior marks]. 4 letters
STET. “Stet” is a Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” and then underscoring that change with a line of dots or dashes.
Writer James. 4 letters
AGEE. James Agee was a noted American film critic. He wrote an autobiographical novel “A Death in the Family” that won him his Pulitzer in 1958, albeit posthumously.
[Ignore edit]. 4 letters
STET. Stet is the Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” beside the change, and then underscoring the change with a line of dots (or dashes).
Pre-1917 autocrat. 4 letters
TSAR. The term czar (also tsar) is a Slavic word that was first used as a title by Simeon I of Bulgaria in 913 AD. “Czar” is derived from the word “Caesar”, which was synonymous with “emperor” at that time.
Shade similar to camel. 4 letters
ECRU. The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.
Genesis grandson. 4 letters
ENOS. Enos was the son of Seth and the grandson of Adam and Eve.
Beats by ___ (headphones brand). 3 letters
DRE. Beats by Dre is a brand of audio products that was founded by rapper Dr. Dre.
“___ Is Betta Than Evvah!” (1976 album). 4 letters
ETTA. Etta James is best known for her beautiful rendition of the song “At Last”. Sadly, as she discloses in her autobiography, James has lived a life that has been ravaged by drug addiction, leading to numerous legal and health problems.
Canadian gas brand. 4 letters
ESSO. The brand name Esso has its roots in the old Standard Oil company, as it uses the initial letters of Standard and Oil (ESS-O). The Esso brand was replaced by Exxon in the US, but it is still used all over the rest of the world.
“The King and I” heroine. 4 letters
ANNA. The King and I’ is a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical based on a book by Margaret Landon called ‘Anna and the King of Siam’ first published in 1944. Landon’s book is based on a true story, told in the memoirs of Anna Leonowens. Leonowens was the governess of the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the 1860s, and she also taught the king’s wives.
Shelfmate of Vogue. 4 letters
ELLE. “Elle” magazine was founded in 1945 in France and today has the highest circulation of any fashion magazine in the world. “Elle” is the French word for “she”.
Number on un orologio. 3 letters
TRE. In Italian, one can find the number ‘tre’ (three) on ‘un orologio’ (a clock).
Card game akin to crazy eights. 3 letters
UNO. In my youth I remember being taught a great card game by a German acquaintance of mine called Mau Mau. Years later I discovered that Uno is basically the same game, but played with a purpose-printed deck instead of the regular deck of playing cards that’s used for Mau Mau. I hear that Mau Mau is derived from the game called Crazy Eights.
Altar constellation. 3 letters
ARA. The constellation of Ara takes its name from the Latin word for “altar”.
James of jazz. 4 letters
ETTA. Etta James was best known for her beautiful rendition of the song “At Last”. Sadly, as she disclosed in her autobiography, James lived a life that was ravaged by drug addiction leading to numerous legal and health problems. Ms. James passed away in January 2012 having suffered from leukemia.
Ready to serve. 5 letters
ONE-A. The US government maintains information on all males who are potentially subject to military conscription, using what is called the Selective Service System. In the event that a draft was held, men registered would be classified into groups to determine eligibility for service. Class 1-A registrants are those available for unrestricted military service. Other classes are 1-A-O (conscientious objector available for noncombatant service), 4-A (registrant who has completed military service) and 4-D (Minister of religion).
Heckelphone lookalike. 4 letters
OBOE. A heckelphone is a musical instrument like an oboe, but pitched an octave lower. The heckelphone was invented in 1904 by a manufacturer of woodwind instruments in Germany called Wilhelm Heckel.
Chain of life?. 3 letters
DNA. Francis Crick and James Watson discovered that DNA had a double-helix, chain-like structure, publishing their results in Cambridge in 1953. To this day the discovery is mired in controversy, as some crucial results collected by fellow researcher Rosalind Franklin were used without her permission or even knowledge.
“The Lord of the Rings” tree creature. 3 letters
ENT. Ents are those tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. ‘Ent’ is an Old English word for ‘giant’.
2009 Grammy winner for “Crack a Bottle,” briefly. 3 letters
DRE. Dr. Dre is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as producing records and starting the careers of others such Snoop Dog, Eminem and 50 Cent.
Color of raw silk. 4 letters
ECRU. The shade of ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French, and means “raw, unbleached”, and has the same roots as our word “crude”.
Neutral tone. 4 letters
ECRU. The Goodyear tire company was founded in 1898. The company was named for Charles Goodyear, the man who invented vulcanized rubber in 1839. Despite the Goodyear name, Charles Goodyear himself had no connection with the company.
Fit to serve. 5 letters
ONE-A. The US government maintains information on all males who are potentially subject to military conscription, using what is called the Selective Service System (SSS). In the event that a draft was held, men registered would be classified into groups to determine eligibility for service. Class 1-A registrants are those available for unrestricted military service. Other classes are 1-A-O (conscientious objectors available for noncombatant service), 4-A (registrants who have completed military service) and 4-D (ministers of religion).
Michael, e.g. 4 letters
TSAR. The first Tsar of the famous House of Romanov was Mikhail I, coming to power in 1613.
O, in a phonetic alphabet. 4 letters
OBOE. Nowadays we tend to use the NATO Phonetic Alphabet (Alfa, Bravo, Charlie etc.) but before this was introduced in 1956, the Joint Army/Navy Phonetand P represented by Oboe. The NATO equivalent for O is Oscar.
Gillette product. 4 letters
ATRA. Fortunately for crossword constructors, the Atra razor was introduced by Gillette in 1977. The Atra was sold as the Contour in some markets and its derivative products are still around today.
Retired fleet. 4 letters
SSTS. SuperSonic Transports, like the Concorde, broke Mach 1, the speed of sound.
Dr. 3 letters
DRE. Dr. Dre is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as for producing records and starting the careers of others such Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.
Razor brand. 4 letters
ATRA. The Atra was introduced by Gillette in 1977, and sold as the Contour in some markets, and its derivative products are still around today.
Pizarro’s gold. 3 letters
ORO. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro discovered the Incas in 1526, marking the beginning of the end for an ancient civilization that was to be ravaged by brutal Spanish colonists and by imported smallpox. The last leader of the Inca was Atahualpa. Pizarro staged a mock trial and then condemned Atahualpa to execution by burning. A Spanish friar intervened on behalf of the condemned man, as Atahualpa believed that if he was burned his soul would not move on to the afterlife. Pizarro, was kind enough to have Atahualpa garroted instead.
Jazzy James. 4 letters
ETTA. Etta James was best known for her beautiful rendition of the song ‘At Last’. Sadly, as she disclosed in her autobiography, James lived a life that was ravaged by drug addiction leading to numerous legal and health problems. Ms. James passed away in January 2012 having suffered from leukemia.
Singer Guthrie. 4 letters
ARLO. Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for their singing of protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m 34s. In the song Guthrie tells how, after being drafted, he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War based on his criminal record. He had only one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest for littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.
Self-assembly retail chain. 4 letters
IKEA. Did you know that IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943 …. when he was just 17-years-old??!!
Jazzy James. 4 letters
ETTA. Etta James is best known for her rendition of “At Last”. Sadly, she discloses in her autobiography, Etta James has lived a life that has been ravaged by drug addiction, leading to numerous legal and health problems.
Standard offshoot. 4 letters
ESSO. The brand name Esso has its roots in the old Standard Oil company as it uses the initial letters of “Standard” and “Oil” (ESS-O). The Esso brand was replaced by Exxon in the US, but ESSO is still used in many other countries.
Neutral color. 4 letters
ECRU. The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.
___ Blue (old kerosene brand). 4 letters
ESSO. I don’t think Esso Blue was sold over here in the US, but it was very big back in Ireland and the UK. We called it paraffin oil, our name for kerosene, and used it in domestic heaters.
U.S. 4 letters
ASHE. The 37c commemorative postal stamp was released in 2005, and did indeed bear the image of Arthur Ashe.
Stephen of “The Crying Game”. 3 letters
REA. Stephen Rea is an Irish actor from Belfast. Rea’s most successful role was Fergus in 1992’s ‘The Crying Game’, for which performance he was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar. In ‘The Crying Game’, Fergus was a member of the IRA. In real life, Rea was married to IRA bomber and hunger striker Dolours Price at the time he made the movie.
One of a race in Middle-earth. 3 letters
ENT. Ents are those tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. ‘Ent’ is an Old English word for ‘giant’.
Florida’s Sanibel, e.g. 4 letters
ISLE. Sanibel Island is on the Gulf coast of Florida and is just offshore of the city of Fort Myers. The island is home to the city of Sanibel, a city which takes up the whole of the island.
The so-called “path of virtue”. 3 letters
TAO. The Chinese character “tao” translates as “path”, but the concept of Tao signifies the true nature of the world.
Part of the eye. 4 letters
IRIS. The iris is the colored part of the eye with an aperture in the center that can open or close depending on the level of light hitting the eye.
1-Across ingredient. 4 letters
ALOE. 1. Healing ointment : BALM
1968 U.S. 4 letters
ASHE. Arthur Ashe was a professional tennis player from Richmond, Virginia. In his youth he found himself having to travel great distances to play against Caucasian opponents due to the segregation that still existed in his home state. He was rewarded for his dedication by being selected for the 1963 US Davis Cup team, the first African America player to be so honored. He continued to run into trouble because of his ethnicity though, and in 1968 was denied entry into South Africa to play in the South African Open. In 1979 Ashe suffered a heart attack and had bypass surgery. He had further heart surgery in 1983, and contracted HIV from blood transfusions during the procedure. Ashe passed away in 1993, due to complications from AIDS.
Pimienta’s partner. 3 letters
SAL. In Spanish, one might partner set the pepper (pimienta) by the salt (sal).
Actor Stephen. 3 letters
REA. Stephen Rea is an Irish actor, whose most famous role was that of the “retired” IRA man in the brilliant 1992 film “The Crying Game”. He also starred in the chilling movie “Stuck”, a 2007 film that is based on a true story about a woman who commits a hit and run on a homeless man. The woman leaves the scene of the crime with the victim still “stuck” in her windshield. The woman leaves the man to die in her garage. Chilling, eh? But as I said, a true story …
Singer Guthrie. 4 letters
ARLO. Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for their singing of protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m 34s. In the song Guthrie tells how, after being drafted, he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War based on his criminal record. He had only one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest for littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.
“The African Queen” screenwriter James. 4 letters
AGEE. James Agee was a noted American film critic and screenwriter. Agee wrote an autobiographical novel “A Death in the Family” that won him his Pulitzer in 1958, albeit posthumously. He was also one of the screenwriters for the 1951 classic movie ‘The African Queen’.
Dr. 3 letters
DRE. (19D. Commercials : ADS)
Kazakhstan’s ___ Sea. 4 letters
ARAL. The Aral Sea is a great example of how man can have a devastating effect on his environment. In the early sixties the Aral Sea covered 68,000 square miles of Central Asia. Soviet Union irrigation projects drained the lake to such an extent that today the total area is less than 7,000 square miles, with 90% of the lake now completely dry. Sad …
Memorable hurricane of 2011. 5 letters
IRENE. Hurricane Irene caused extensive flooding in 2011 as it travelled through the Caribbean, up the East Coast of the United States and into the Atlantic seaboard of Canada. The hurricane was unusual in that it came so far up north. Fifty-five deaths were attributed to Irene.
Author who won a posthumous Pulitzer in 1958. 4 letters
AGEE. James Agee was a noted, American film critic. He wrote an autobiographical novel “A Death in the Family” that won him his Pulitzer in 1958, albeit posthumously.
Frequent “S.N.L.” host Baldwin. 4 letters
ALEC. Alec is the oldest of the acting Baldwin brothers. I think Alec’s big break was playing Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan in “The Hunt for Red October”, but thank goodness that role was taken over by Harrison Ford for the subsequent Jack Ryan movies. Baldwin made a name for himself in recent times playing Jack Donaghy on “30 Rock”, opposite Tina Fey. He has also hosted the sketch show ‘Saturday Night Live’ on more occasions than anyone else (16 times).
Biblical figure said to have married his sister Noam. 4 letters
ENOS. According to the Book of Jubilees, Adam’s grandson Enos married his sister Noam.
Mark in a margin. 4 letters
STET. “Stet” is the Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” beside the change and then underscoring the change with a line of dots (or dashes).
Hydrocortisone additive. 4 letters
ALOE. Hydrocortisone is also known as Cortisol. Cortisol is a naturally occurring chemical, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. In the body it is produced as a response to stress or when there is low blood sugar, and is primary purpose is to increase blood sugar levels. Cortisol also has the effect of suppressing the bodies immune response. As such, the pharmaceutical form of cortisol (usually called hydrocortisone) is used to treat allergic reactions. Hydrocortisone can calm down skin irritation if applied as a cream (usually mixed with aloe).
James who sang “At Last”. 4 letters
ETTA. Etta James was best known for her beautiful rendition of the song “At Last”. Sadly, as she disclosed in her autobiography, James lived a life that was ravaged by drug addiction leading to numerous legal and health problems. Ms. James passed away in January 2012 having suffered from leukemia.
Oaxaca article. 3 letters
LAS. In general, the definite article is ‘el’ for masculine nouns (plural ‘los’), and ‘la’ for feminine nouns (plural ‘las’).
Furniture giant. 4 letters
IKEA. Did you know that IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943 …. when he was just 17-years-old??!! IKEA is an acronym that stands for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. Elmtaryd was the name of the farm where Ingvar Kamprad grew up, and Agunnaryd is his home parish in Sweden.
Pac-12 player. 3 letters
UTE. The Runnin’ Utes are the basketball team of the University of Utah. The team was given the nickname the Runnin’ Redskins back when Jack Gardner was the head coach from 1953 to 1971. The “Runnin’” part of the name was chosen because Gardner was famous for playing quick offenses. The “Redskins” name was later dropped in favor of the less controversial “Utes”.
___ of Man. 4 letters
ISLE. The Isle of Man is a large island located in the middle of the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. I used to spend a lot of time there in my youth, and a very interesting place it is indeed. The Isle of Man is classed as a British Crown Dependency and isn’t part of the United Kingdom at all. It is self-governing and has its own parliament called the Tynwald. The Tynwald was created in AD 979 and is arguably the oldest continuously-running parliament in the world. The inhabitants of the island speak English, although they do have their own language as well called Manx, which is very similar to Irish Gaeilge and Scottish Gaelic. And then there are those Manx cats, the ones without any tails. I’ve seen lots of them, and can attest that they are indeed found all over the island.
Bathroom tile shade. 4 letters
ECRU. The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word ‘ecru’ comes from French and means ‘raw, unbleached’. ‘Ecru’ has the same roots as our word ‘crude’.
Slightly open. 4 letters
AJAR. Our word “ajar” is thought to come from Scottish dialect, in which “a char” means “slightly open”.
Captains on The Atlantic, briefly?. 3 letters
EDS. Editors (eds.)
Beats by ___ (audio brand). 3 letters
DRE. Beats by Dre is a brand of audio products made by Beats Electronics, a company that was co-founded by rapper Dr. Dre. Apple bought Beats for $3 billion in 2014, the largest acquisition by far in the company’s history.
Lotion ingredient. 4 letters
ALOE. The so called “true aloe” is aloe vera, a succulent plant native to Africa that grows in relatively dry climates. The plant’s leaves are full of biologically active compounds that have been extensively studied. Even before all the modern research, aloe vera was used for centuries in herbal medicine, mainly for topical treatment of wounds.
Mule on a canal, in song. 3 letters
SAL. The song “Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal” was written in 1905. The lyrics are nostalgic and look back to the days when traffic on the canal was pulled by mules, bemoaning the introduction of the fast-moving engine-powered barges. The first line is “I’ve got an old mule and her name is Sal”.
Mythical father of Harmonia, strangely enough. 4 letters
ARES. The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of bloodlust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos (Fear), Deimos (Terror) and Eros (Desire). The Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars.
Gas brand in Canada. 4 letters
ESSO. The brand name Esso has its roots in the old Standard Oil company as it uses the initial letters of “Standard” and “Oil” (ESS-O). The Esso brand was replaced by Exxon in the US, but ESSO is still used in many other countries.
Actor Jeong of “The Hangover”. 3 letters
KEN. Ken Jeong is an actor from Detroit who is perhaps best known for playing the gangster Leslie Chow in the ‘The Hangover’ series of films. Jeong isn’t only an actor; he has an M.D. degree and is a licensed physician in California.
Neutral shade. 4 letters
ECRU. The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word ‘ecru’ comes from French and means ‘raw, unbleached’. ‘Ecru’ has the same roots as our word ‘crude’.
“The Lord of the Rings” creature. 3 letters
ENT. Ents are those tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. ‘Ent’ is an Old English word for ‘giant’.
