Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
5 Thriller with a two-note theme : JAWS
“Jaws” is a thrilling 1975 movie directed by Steven Spielberg that is based on a novel of the same name by Peter Benchley. The film has a powerful cast, led by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. “Jaws” was perhaps the first summer blockbuster and had the highest box office take in history up to that time, which was a record that stood until “Star Wars” was released two years later.
9 Certain fund-raising orgs. : PTAS
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)
17 Actor and L.G.B.T.Q. rights activist George : TAKEI
Mr. Hikaru Sulu was played by George Takei in the original “Star Trek” series. Takei has played lots of roles over the years, and is still very active in television. Did you know that he appeared in the 1963 film, “Pt-109”? He played the helmsman steering the Japanese destroyer that ran down John F. Kennedy’s motor torpedo boat. From destroyer helmsman to starship helmsman …
21 ___ bar : TAPAS
“Tapa” is the Spanish word for “lid”. There is no clear rationale for why this word came to be used for an appetizer. There are lots of explanations cited, all of which seem to involve the temporary covering of one’s glass of wine with a plate or item of food to either preserve the wine or give one extra space at the table.
26 Bigwigs : TOP BRASS
A bigwig is someone important. The use of the term “bigwig” harks back to the days when men of authority and rank wore … big wigs.
29 Bread crumbs used as a coating : PANKO
Panko is a breadcrumb used in some Japanese cuisine, primarily as a crunchy coating for fried foods.
31 Anxiety condition, for short : OCD
Apparently, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the fourth most commonly diagnosed mental disorder, making it about as prevalent as asthma.
43 Hardly a long shot : PUTT
That would be golf.
51 Honor … or a goner : TOAST
The tradition of toasting someone probably dates back to the reign of Charles II, when the practice was to drink a glass of wine to the health of a beautiful or favored woman. In those days, spiced toast was added to beverages to add flavor, so the use of the word “toast” was an indicator that the lady’s beauty would enhance the wine. Very charming, I must say …
52 Genre for “The Truman Show” in 1998’s “The Truman Show” : REALITY TV
“The Truman Show” is an interesting film starring Jim Carrey as a man who, although unaware of the fact, is living and starring in a life-long reality TV show.
53 Actor Elba : IDRIS
English actor Idris Elba plays the drug lord Stringer Bell in the marvelous HBO drama series “The Wire”, and played the title character in the 2013 film “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”. Off the screen, Elba occasionally appears as a disk jockey using the name “DJ Big Driis”.
57 Sequel to Pearl S. Buck’s “The Good Earth” : SONS
Pearl S. Buck’s novel “The Good Earth” won a Pulitzer in 1932, and helped Buck win the Nobel Prize for literature a few years later. The novel tells of life in a Chinese village and follows the fortunes of Wang Lung and his wife O-Lan. Although “The Good Earth” has been around for decades, it hit the bestseller list again in 2004 when it was a pick for Oprah’s Book Club.
Down
3 Jay between Johnny and Jimmy : LENO
“The Tonight Show” has had six permanent hosts so far:
- Steve Allen (1954-57)
- Jack Paar (1957-62)
- Johnny Carson (1962–92)
- Jay Leno (1992–2009, 2010–14)
- Conan O’Brien (2009–10)
- Jimmy Fallon (2014–present)
4 Business school alumni, collectively : NETWORK
An alumnus (plural “alumni”) is a graduate or former student of a school or college. The female form is “alumna” (plural “alumnae”). The term comes into English from Latin, in which an alumnus is a foster-son or pupil. “Alum” is an informal term used for either an alumna or alumnus.
5 Cheerful and self-confident : JAUNTY
Our words “jaunty” and “genteel” are related in that they both derive from the French “gentil” meaning “nice, pleasing”. In modern usage, someone described as jaunty has a buoyant air. Someone described as genteel is refined in manner.
8 Explicit, to a Brit : SPELT OUT
Both “spelled” and “spelt” are valid past tenses for the verb “to spell”, although the former is way more common on this side of the Atlantic. I grew up with “spelt” on the other side of the Pond, but its usage is rapidly being replaced by “spelled” in the UK and Ireland.
14 2012 title role for Jamie Foxx : DJANGO
“Django Unchained” is a Quentin Tarantino film that was released in 2012, starring Jamie Foxx in the title role of a branded black slave just before the outbreak of the Civil War. It is the highest grossing film that Tarantino has made to date. I tend to avoid Tarantino movies as I find them to be unnecessarily violent. Apparently “Django Unchained” is one of his more violent offerings.
Jamie Foxx is the professional name used by Eric Marlon Bishop, an actor from Terrell, Texas. Foxx is a very versatile entertainer. He is an Oscar-winning actor (for playing the title role in “Ray”), and a Grammy Award winning musician. He is also a stand-up comedian and a talk-radio host.
22 Loan figs. : APRS
Annual percentage rate (APR)
23 Anthropocene, for one : EPOCH
Geological time is divided into a number of units of varying lengths. These are, starting from the largest:
- supereon
- eon (also “aeon”)
- era
- period
- epoch
- age
24 Guac go-with : NACHO
The dish known as “nachos” was supposedly created by the maître d’ at a restaurant called the Victory Club in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. The name of the maître d’ was Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya.
Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes. It is prepared by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.
28 Savvy : SENSE
The term “savvy”, meaning “understanding”, comes from the French “savez-vous?”. The French phrase translates as “do you know?”
32 One in the care of una madre : BEBE
In Spanish, a “madre’s” (mother’s) treasure is her “bebe” (baby).
37 Queens squad, for short : NY METS
Citi Field is a relatively new baseball stadium used by the New York Mets that sits right next door to the site of Shea stadium, where the Mets had played for decades. And the new facility’s name comes from corporate sponsor Citigroup.
41 Gunny : BURLAP
Burlap, also called “hessian”, is a coarse woven fabric made from fibers taken from jute, sisal or hemp plants.
A gunny sack is a crude bag made from hessian fabric. The term “gunny” ultimately comes from the tulu (an Indian language) word “goni” meaning “thread, fiber”. Gunny sacks were commonly used for carrying potatoes, and were sized to hold about 100 pounds.
49 One of the schools named in the Public Schools Act of 1868 : ETON
Eton College near Windsor in the south of England was founded way back in 1440 by King Henry VI. Originally known as “The King’s College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor”, the school was intended to provide free education to poor boys. Free education today at Eton? Not so much …
50 Certain Netflix offerings : DVDS
Netflix was founded in Los Gatos, California in 1997 as a DVD rental company that sent out titles by mail. The company delivered it’s billionth DVD in 2007. I presume the renter wasn’t charged for that movie …
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Hot pot spot : KILN
5 Thriller with a two-note theme : JAWS
9 Certain fund-raising orgs. : PTAS
13 Something said while nodding : I NEED A NAP
15 Or : SLASH
16 “Quit looking at me like that” : DON’T JUDGE
17 Actor and L.G.B.T.Q. rights activist George : TAKEI
18 A child who’s lying might make one : SNOW ANGEL
19 What’s always found in bed? : OCEAN
20 More than suspicious of : ONTO
21 ___ bar : TAPAS
23 ___ bar : ENERGY
26 Bigwigs : TOP BRASS
29 Bread crumbs used as a coating : PANKO
30 Mythological figure who nearly managed to flee Hades : EURYDICE
31 Anxiety condition, for short : OCD
32 Measure of a heart rate : BEATS
34 “Pachinko” author ___ Jin Lee : MIN
35 Tight squeezes for Santa : CHIMNEYS
38 Riffles (through) : LEAFS
40 Small organic food producer : HONEY BEE
41 One whom you might tell *everything* : BESTIE
42 Fixes, as unruly hair : TAMES
43 Hardly a long shot : PUTT
44 Spectacle : SCENE
46 Not all it’s cracked up to be : OVERRATED
51 Honor … or a goner : TOAST
52 Genre for “The Truman Show” in 1998’s “The Truman Show” : REALITY TV
53 Actor Elba : IDRIS
54 Space out? : ESCAPE POD
55 Time out? : REST
56 Manual part : STEP
57 Sequel to Pearl S. Buck’s “The Good Earth” : SONS
Down
1 Jokes : KIDS
2 Words after walk or cash : … IN ON
3 Jay between Johnny and Jimmy : LENO
4 Business school alumni, collectively : NETWORK
5 Cheerful and self-confident : JAUNTY
6 “Wait for it … wait for it … NOW!” : AND … GO!
7 Pay : WAGE
8 Explicit, to a Brit : SPELT OUT
9 Sign : PLACARD
10 Sets sights on : TAKES AIM AT
11 Befuddled : ASEA
12 Well-guarded area in sports? : SHIN
14 2012 title role for Jamie Foxx : DJANGO
15 Drop in : STOP BY
22 Loan figs. : APRS
23 Anthropocene, for one : EPOCH
24 Guac go-with : NACHO
25 Turn out badly for everyone involved : END IN TEARS
26 Rib : TEASE
27 Bookstore section, informally : SCI-FI
28 Savvy : SENSE
32 One in the care of una madre : BEBE
33 Concerns for homeowner associations : EYESORES
36 Is serious : MEANS IT
37 Queens squad, for short : NY METS
38 Unleash : LET RIP
39 They get left behind : ESTATES
41 Gunny : BURLAP
43 “See ya later!” : PEACE!
44 Hubbub : STIR
45 Veiled language : CODE
47 Common item of fishing apparel : VEST
48 Cars for cats, say : TYPO
49 One of the schools named in the Public Schools Act of 1868 : ETON
50 Certain Netflix offerings : DVDS
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FAQs
Is it okay to look up crossword answers? ›
If you are stuck and have access to the answers, it is not generally considered cheating to look up an answer or two. There are a few notable exceptions, however. A crossword puzzle meant to represent your work, as might be assigned for a class on occasion, should not include someone else's answers.
How do I access old NYT crosswords? ›- Select the hamburger menu icon on the top left-hand side of the New York Times Games homepage (nytimes.com/games):
- Select Crossword Archives from the drop-down menu:
Tricky Clues
1A relies on a pun: An “Eye exam you need to pass?” is an IRIS SCAN, which can supposedly get you through airport security faster.
Free to download, the app offers puzzles for every level so you can steadily improve your skills. From The Crossword and Wordle to Spelling Bee, we've got a word game for every player. There are never any ads to disrupt the fun in The New York Times Crossword app, so you can play without distraction.
Which NYT puzzles are hardest? ›The Saturday crossword is actually the hardest puzzle of the week. Mondays have the most straightforward clues and Saturday clues are the hardest, or involve the most wordplay. Contrary to popular belief, the Sunday puzzles are midweek difficulty, not the hardest. They're just bigger.
Does my NYT subscription include crossword? ›With a New York Times Games subscription, you have access to all of The New York Times Word Games and Logic Puzzles, including: The Crossword - Access to the Daily Crossword puzzles the evening before their release in print. The Mini Crossword. Wordle.
Can you play old Nytimes Wordle? ›Sites that created Wordle archives have been pressured by the New York Times to shut down. That means there's no longer any way to access the full archive, but we've provided a list of the past 20 Wordle answers for you to see what words have already been used, and plan your strategy going forward.
How many letters can you miss on a vision test? ›Even if you miss one or two letters on the smallest line you can read, you are still considered to have vision equal to that line.
Can I fail an eye exam? ›This is not a test, there are no right answers and you cannot fail your eye exam! So many patients worry about “failing” the test that it literally changes their prescription because they are over-thinking. So relax and breathe and let the lenses do the job.
What is passing on a vision test? ›The DMV's vision screening standard is: 20/40 with both eyes tested together, and. 20/40 in one eye and at least, 20/70 in the other eye.
How do I get The New York Times app for free? ›
The New York Times news app is free to download and install, and includes some free content. For unlimited access, you can purchase an All Access subscription. For more information, visit Digital Subscriptions. To use all of the features available in The New York Times News app, create a NYTimes account and log in.
Which Wordle app is free? ›Instead, you'll find it as part of The New York Times Crossword app that is available for both Android and iOS.
Can I get The Times Crossword online? ›Times crosswords are available online to subscribers to the online newspaper via the Times Crossword Club. Subscribers have access to more than 9,000 puzzles from The Times and The Sunday Times.
Is using a crossword solver cheating? ›Similarly, some people solve crosswords to learn more about a subject or to improve their English. In these cases, looking up answers helps them to achieve their goal, meaning it's not cheating.
Can you get paid to do crossword puzzles? ›crossword construction probably won't make you rich. Most constructors work on a freelance basis, on a "per puzzle payment plan," if you will. The best known crossword publisher, the New York Times, pays $200 to $300 a puzzle, and $1,000 if you land a coveted Sunday spot (source).
Where can I download free crosswords? ›BestCrosswords.com is the largest supplier of free crossword puzzles on the web, publishing 15 grids daily from an archive of more 100,000. You can play in your web browser, smartphone, tablet or print in high resolution. No registration required.
Are word searches good for dementia? ›Yes, wordsearches are great for people living with dementia as they keep their minds active and exercise the brain. If played regularly, they can improve thought processes and reasoning and even slow cognitive decline.
Can dyslexic people do word searches? ›I have a few of my dyslexic clients who actually LOVE word searches, "sleuth" puzzles that require spelling, Mad Libs, and other similar word-based activities. We do these together, so they have my support on them.
What is the secret to word wipe? ›- You need to create words that are at least three letters long.
- You can make words horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or a combination of all three.
- Once you spot a hidden word, click and drag the letters that form it to clear those tiles.
A 1,000-piece puzzle has a solving time range of 5 to 12 hours and an average solving time of 9 hours. This kind of time of time is our preference. It's great for leaving out on the table and chipping away at over a week or two.
How long does it take the average person to build a 1000 piece puzzle? ›
Completing a 1000 piece puzzle can last anywhere from a couple of hours to multiple days. For the average puzzler, a 1000 piece puzzle takes anywhere from 4–10 hours to complete. Jigsaws are the toughest, but different strategies help to decrease time. It's all about interest.
What is the hardest puzzle on earth? ›Designed by Yuu Asaka, the Ice 9 comprises a small board and nine pieces consisting of an array of right angles and curved edges, many of which fit together in a number of combinations, much like a real life game of Tetris — but getting all nine to fit together on the board is quite the challenge.
Can multiple people use same NYT subscription? ›When you share a bonus subscription with a friend or family member, they can access The New York Times with their own login information. Your account data, billing information and personal information are not shared with the recipient of your bonus subscription.
What is the point of the nyt tiles game? ›Tiles players are presented with a collection of “tiles” composed of layered shapes (the initial tile sets were inspired by Portuguese and Parisian tiles). When two tiles are tapped, all elements they share will disappear. Players can tap more tiles to remove more shapes and must clear the entire board to win.
What is the popular word game Wordle? ›Wordle is a new, fun, and engaging app that comes with a puzzle daily to guess a five-letter word in 6 chances. It comes with words daily, and people are taking it as competition with their winning streaks.
What are the 4 best words for Wordle? ›While WordleBot — an AI from Wordle owner New York Times which analyzes your strategy — recommends SLATE, CRANE, SLANT, CRATE and CARTE as the strongest openings, Paskov says the issue is that analysis wasn't done using MIT's computational capabilities.
Can I play yesterday's Wordle if I missed it? ›Although Wordle releases only one puzzle a day, there are a few ways you can access and play past Wordles, including by changing the date on your device or via an archive site.
What letter does the Wordle start with? ›You may intuitively know that the most common starting letter for a daily Wordle is "S".
What level of vision loss is considered a disability? ›You may qualify for SSDI benefits or SSI payments if you're blind. We consider you to be blind if your vision can't be corrected to better than 20/200 in your better eye.
How far away do you stand for a vision test? ›For uncorrected visual acuity, you will be asked to remove your glasses or contact lenses and stand or sit 20 feet (6 meters) from the eye chart. You will keep both eyes open.
What is the lowest eye score? ›
20/500 to 20/1000, this is considered profound visual impairment or profound low vision. Less than 20/1000, this is considered near-total visual impairment or near-total low vision. No light perception, this is considered total visual impairment, or total blindness.
Can optometrist make mistake? ›When taking our eye measurements to find the correct prescription, they could very well make mistakes. Human error is nothing to be ashamed of; we've all made our share of mistakes, I'm sure. However, that doesn't mean we can't be on the lookout for these mistakes.
What is a good eye exam score? ›While 20/20 vision is considered to be perfect, it's not actually what we think of as perfect. Many people, mostly children, have better than 20/20 vision. Healthy eyes can easily go down to the 20/15 level with some accuracy.
What line on an eye chart is 20 40? ›The third line is equivalent to 20/40, it is the driver's test line.
What is a failed vision test? ›What if the red reflex test is abnormal or if there is a 'failed vision screening' test? This happens when an abnormal red reflex triggers the photoscreener's 'risk factor' settings in one or both of your child's eyes. These risk factors can tell us if your child could be at risk for decreased vision in the future.
What is a failing vision score? ›Near Normal visual impairment: 20/30-20/60. Moderate visual impairment: 20/70-20/160. Severe visual impairment: 20/200-20/400, or 11-20 degrees on the visual field. Profound visual impairment: 20/500-20/1000 visual acuity, or 6- 10 degrees on visual field.
How to bypass nyt? ›Anytime you hit a page on the NY Times' website asking you to cough up some cash to continue reading, simply hit the NYTClean bookmark in your toolbar. Magically, it works and you're redirected to a free version of the article.
How do I get rid of New York Times paywall? ›- Google the headline. This also works for the Wall Street Journal paywall. ...
- Use an incognito window in Chrome. ...
- Search for the link on Twitter. ...
- Use the NYClean bookmark. ...
- Quit complaining and pony up the $15 per month for quality journalism.
- Go to AccessNYT.com.
- Choose your campus from the dropdown menu.
- Click on create account, enter your campus email address.
- Create a password.
- Then indicate you are a student and choose your graduation year.
If you want to make sure you can keep playing Wordle for free every single day of the week, even if The New York Times decides to put it behind a paywall, it couldn't be simpler—you just need to right-click on the Wordle webpage and click “Save As.” It's literally that easy!
How can I play Wordle online for free without downloading? ›
Wordle does not have an app. You gotta play it on a web browser. You need to open the New York Times Games site and play. Though the Wordle website originally hosted the game, which was designed by its founder Josh Wordle, it was eventually bought by New York Times in February this year.
Why can't I access Wordle today? ›Wordle is dead, long live Wordle. New York Times Games announced via tweet that game creator Josh Wardle's website will no longer host a playable version of Wardle's megahit word-guessing game Wordle, and will now be fully migrating to the New York Times' own page starting June 9, 2022.
Which day of NYT crossword is hardest? ›The Saturday crossword is actually the hardest puzzle of the week. Mondays have the most straightforward clues and Saturday clues are the hardest, or involve the most wordplay. Contrary to popular belief, the Sunday puzzles are midweek difficulty, not the hardest. They're just bigger.
Is USA Today crossword app free? ›The USA TODAY Crossword app is free to download and play. In-app purchases are available for subscriptions.
What is the best way to solve a crossword puzzle? ›- Believe in yourself. ...
- Use a pencil, not a pen. ...
- Tackle the easiest clues first. ...
- Confirm an answer by solving the entries that cross it. ...
- Make guesses. ...
- It's okay to look stuff up! ...
- Ask a friend for help. ...
- Take a break.
Scientists found crossword puzzles were better at improving later cognitive disease stages, but both crosswords and brain games positively impacted early stages. They also found that those who did crossword puzzles ended up having less brain shrinkage based on MRI results.
What do crosswords do to your brain? ›Memory and thinking skills may improve with regular crossword practice. A study published in NEJM Evidence found that people with mild memory problems who did web-based crossword puzzles showed improvement in cognition and experienced less brain shrinkage, compared to those who played web-based cognitive games.
Are crosswords good for ADHD? ›Crossword Puzzles and Picture Puzzles: It sounds simple, but these are great tools for kids with ADHD.
Is there an app that helps solve puzzles? ›Jigsaw Puzzles Epic is a cool jigsaw game app for both Android and iOS users with over 8000 puzzles to solve. That should keep you busy for some time. Instead of choosing random scenarios and objects, the app takes a cue from the real world and offers real-world places and landscapes.
How long does it take to complete a 1000 piece puzzle? ›Completing a 1000 piece puzzle can last anywhere from a couple of hours to multiple days. For the average puzzler, a 1000 piece puzzle takes anywhere from 4–10 hours to complete. Jigsaws are the toughest, but different strategies help to decrease time. It's all about interest.
Is Wordle good for the brain? ›
Games like Wordle are a great stimulation activity that protect brain function and help prevent dementia and cognitive decline.
Is it good for your brain to do puzzles? ›"Unfortunately, there's really no conclusive evidence supporting that word games and puzzles benefit the brain over time," says Dr. Tanu Garg, a neurologist at Houston Methodist. For instance, studies haven't shown that they help prevent memory loss or reduce the risk of developing dementia.
Do puzzles increase IQ? ›They can Improve Your IQ Score. Since puzzles can improve our memory, concentration, vocabulary, and reasoning skills it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that they also raise our IQs. A study at the University of Michigan showed that doing puzzles for at least 25 minutes a day can boost your IQ by 4 points.
Is Sudoku good for the brain? ›Sudoku requires attention of the subject to analyze the grids and fill in the numbers; basically it requires no math but is based on logic [1]. Solving puzzles has long been thought to keep the brain healthy [2] and has been shown to delay the onset of dementia [3].
Do puzzles prevent dementia? ›Researchers determined that, out of the participants who eventually developed dementia, those who frequently did crossword puzzles demonstrated a much slower decline in memory. On average, crossword puzzles provided about a two and a half year delay in memory decline compared to those who did not do crossword puzzles.
Is Googling crossword cheating? ›The Context of the Crossword
Similarly, some people solve crosswords to learn more about a subject or to improve their English. In these cases, looking up answers helps them to achieve their goal, meaning it's not cheating.
High-risk activities — driving fast, motorcycle riding, and waterskiing — motivate ADHD brains to focus. Some extreme activities, like daring ski jumps, sky-diving, or taking fast-acting street drugs, elicit a dopamine spike, the brain's most intense reward.
What it feels like to have ADHD activity? ›People with ADHD will have at least two or three of the following challenges: difficulty staying on task, paying attention, daydreaming or tuning out, organizational issues, and hyper-focus, which causes us to lose track of time. ADHD-ers are often highly sensitive and empathic.
What is ADHD sensory overload? ›Sensory overload happens when something overstimulates one or more of the senses. There's suddenly too much information coming in for the brain to process. It's common in people with sensory processing issues. Many people associate sensory overload with kids who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).