Syllables for a stage magician crossword clue Archives - LAXCrossword.com (2024)

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Stage name of actor Raiford Chatman Davis : OSSIE

Ossie Davis was a prominent actor and civil rights activist. He married his wife, fellow actor Ruby Dee, in 1948. They remained together until his death in 2005, making their marriage one of the longest-lasting in Hollywood history. Davis was a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, and a close friend of both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Davis delivered a powerful eulogy at Malcolm X’s funeral in 1965.

11 Band also known as the Bangtan Boys : BTS

BTS is a boy band from South Korea with seven members. The initialism “BTS” stands for the phrase “Bangtan Sonyeondan”, which translates literally as “Bulletproof Boy Scouts”. BTS is the best-selling musical act in the history of South Korea.

14 Shapewear brand : SPANX

Spanx is an underwear brand. Most Spanx garments are designed to make the wearer appear thinner. Spanx is a privately held company that was founded by entrepreneur Sara Blakely in 2000. Despite the success of the product line, there is some controversy. Spanx have been referred to as the corset of the modern era.

15 Trojan War hero : AENEAS

Aeneas was a Trojan hero of myth who traveled to Italy and became the ancestor of all Romans. Aeneas’s story is told in Virgil’s epic poem “The Aeneid”.

16 “Shine Ya Light” singer Rita : ORA

“Shine Ya Light” is a 2012 song released by singer Rita Ora. The accompanying music video was filmed in Pristina, in modern-day Kosovo. Ora was born in the city in 1990, when it was part of Yugoslavia.

19 Say “Bingo,” say : WIN

Our game Bingo is a derivative of an Italian lottery game called “Il Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia” that became popular in the 16th-century.

22 Recurring TikTok post : VLOG

A video blog is perhaps what one might expect, i.e. a blog that is essentially a series of video posts. The phrase “video logging” is often shortened to “vlogging”.

23 Mauna __ : KEA

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the peak of which is the highest point in the whole state. Mauna Kea is in effect the tip of a gigantic volcano rising up from the seabed.

24 Antipasto choice : SALAMI

“Salame” (note the letter E at the end) is an Italian sausage that is traditionally associated with the peasant classes. The meat in the sausage is preserved with salt, and it can be hung and stored for as long as ten years. The name “salame” comes from “sale”, the Italian word for salt, and “-ame”, a suffix indicating a collective noun. Our English word “salami” is actually the Italian plural for “salame”.

Antipasto (plural “antipasti”) is the first course of a meal in Italy. “Antipasto” translates as “before the meal”.

29 Vacation spot in the Adirondacks : LAKE GEORGE (LA-RGE break)

The Lake George body of water in northeast New York State is located at the base of the Adirondack Mountains. British Army officer William Johnson named the lake for King George IIm during the French and Indian War in 1755.

33 Shaq’s alma mater : LSU

Retired basketball player Shaquille O’Neal now appears regularly as an analyst on the NBA TV show “Inside the NBA”. Shaq has quite a career in the entertainment world. His first rap album, called “Shaq Diesel”, went platinum. He also starred in two of his own reality shows: “Shaq’s Big Challenge” and “Shaq Vs.”

35 Muppeteer Jerry : NELSON

Puppeteer Jerry Nelson was known in particular for his work Muppet characteristics. He is perhaps best known for voicing and operating Count von Count. He was also the first to perform Mr. Snuffleupagus, from 1971 to 1978. He had to give up that role due to back problems, as the puppetry was very strenuous.

43 Nobel winner Hammarskjöld : DAG

Dag Hammarskjöld was the second secretary-general of the United Nations, right up until his death in a plane crash in Rhodesia in 1961. The crash was considered suspicious at the time as the bodyguards were found to have bullet wounds when they died, but this was put down to bullets exploding in the fire after the crash.

44 Gloves, gowns, and goggles in the ER : PPE

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

48 Fabled hare, e.g. : LOSER

“The Tortoise and the Hare” is perhaps the most famous fable attributed to Aesop. The co*cky hare takes a nap during a race against the tortoise, and the tortoise sneaks past the finish line for the win while his speedier friend is sleeping.

50 “Star Wars” heroes : REBELS

In the “Star Wars” universe, the Rebel Alliance is at war with the Galactic Empire.

51 Andrew Lloyd Webber title : SIR

English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is best known for the many hit stage musicals that he has created over his career, including “Cats”, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Evita” and “Jesus Christ Superstar”. He has music in his blood, as his mother was a violinist and pianist, and his father was Director of the London College of Music. Andrew’s younger brother is celebrated cellist Julian Lloyd Webber.

52 Actress Watson : EMMA

Actress Emma Watson is best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” film series, which she started at the age of 11. Watson is a highly educated individual, having graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. She has also studied at Oxford University and has been recognized for her academic achievements. She is also a talented musician and has played the guitar and the piano in several films.

56 Chinese American fashion icon : ANNA SUI

Anna Sui is a fashion designer from Detroit, Michigan.

60 Director Ang : LEE

Taiwanese director Ang Lee sure has directed a mixed bag of films, mixed in terms of genre but not in terms of quality. He was at the helm for such classics as “Sense & Sensibility” (my personal favorite), “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Hulk”, “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi”.

65 “A Delicate Balance” playwright : ALBEE

Edward Albee’s 1966 play “A Delicate Balance” won that season’s Pulitzer for Drama. Two of the lead characters are married couple Agnes and Tobias. In the original Broadway production, they were played by real-life, married actors Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn.

67 Will of “Blue Bloods” : ESTES

Actor Will Estes played JJ Pryor on the TV drama “American Dreams”, and then Jamie Reagan on the police drama “Blue Bloods”.

“Blue Bloods” is a police drama series about a family of New York City police officers led by Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, played by Tom Selleck. The show first aired in 2010, and is a creation of husband and wife Robin Green and Mirchell Burgess. Green and Burgess also wrote together for the hit show “The Sopranos”.

Down

1 Div. of Labor : OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

2 Played dreidel : SPUN

A dreidel is a spinning top with four sides that is often associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Each of the four sides on a dreidel bears a letter from the Hebrew alphabet (nun, gimel, hei and shin). The four letters are the initials of the Hebrew phrase “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham” meaning “a great miracle happened there”. According to tradition, children would be taught Torah while hiding in caves away from the Greeks. When Greek soldiers approached, the children would hide their torah scrolls and play with their dreidels instead.

5 Ostracizes : EXILES

The practice of ostracism, freezing out or exclusion, dates back to ancient Greece. Back then citizens could write the names of men they thought were exceptionally dangerous on tiles that were publicly posted, resulting in a banishment of ten years. “Ostracize” derives from the Greek “ostrakon”, the word for a “tile”.

6 Bambi still, e.g. : CEL

Animation cels are transparent sheets made of celluloid acetate that were used in traditional hand-drawn animation to create animated films. They were first introduced in the 1930s and were widely used in animation production until the late 1990s, when digital animation techniques began to dominate the industry.

The 1942 Disney classic “Bambi” is based on a book written by Felix Salten called “Bambi, A Life in the Woods”. There is a documented phenomenon known as the Bambi Effect, whereby people become more interested in animal rights after having watched the scene where Bambi’s mother is shot by hunters.

7 Winter hiker’s coat : ANORAK

Anoraks really aren’t very popular over here in America. Everyone has one in Ireland! An anorak is a heavy jacket with a hood, often lined with fur (or fake fur), and is an invention of the Inuit people.

8 Irish brew : RED ALE

My guess is that the most famous Irish red ale that actually comes from Ireland is Smithwick’s, which is produced in Kilkenny. Many visitors to Ireland flock to the world-famous Guinness Storehouse. The equivalent Smithwick’s Experience in Kilkenny is a much more intimate affair, and one that I highly recommend …

10 Jargon suffix : -ESE

The noun “jargon” can describe nonsensical and meaningless talk, or the specialized language of a particular group, trade or profession. The term “jargon” is Old French, with the more usual meaning of “chattering”. How apt …

11 Pitch, in cricket : BOWL

In the sport of cricket, the two sets of stumps at either end of the pitch are known as wickets. Bowlers try to bowl the ball into the wicket, which a batsman defends.

12 Snap, Crackle, and Pop, e.g. : TRIO

Snap, Crackle and Pop are three elves employed as the mascots for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. The trio first appeared in an ad campaign in 1933, although the phrase “snap, crackle and pop” had been used for the cereal for some time in radio ads. By the way, the elves are selling “Rice Bubbles” in Australia, and the elves have different names in other parts of the world (like “Cric!, Crac! and Croc!” in Québec).

18 SIGINT org. : NSA

Signals intelligence (SIGINT)

22 Baroque instrument : VIOL

The viola da gamba (also called simply “viol”) is a bass instrument in what is known as the viol family, with a tonal range that about matches that of the modern-day cello. It is the second largest of all the viols, so it is played resting on the floor between the legs. In fact, “viola da gamba” is Italian translating into “viol for the leg”.

The Baroque Era flourished from the early 1600s to the 1750s, following the Renaissance. The Baroque style of architecture, music, painting and other arts is very ornamented. The list of Baroque artists includes Rembrandt, Rubens and Caravaggio. The list of composers associated with the Baroque style includes Bach, Handel and Vivaldi.

24 Bygone Swedish carmaker : SAAB

“SAAB” stands for Svenska Aeroplan AB, which translates into English as Swedish Aeroplane Limited. Although we usually think of SAAB as an auto manufacturer, it is mainly an aircraft manufacturer. If you take small hops in Europe you might find yourself on a SAAB passenger plane. The SAAB automotive division was acquired by General Motors in the year 2000, who then sold it to a Dutch concern in 2010. However, SAAB (automotive) finally went bankrupt in 2011. The assets were acquired in 2012 by NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden), a new company that used the SAAB name on its vehicles for several years.

26 Trolley sound : CLANG

A tram is a means of public transportation that runs on rails laid along the length of streets in cities and towns. Trams might also be referred to as trolleys or streetcars.

27 Fur tycoon : ASTOR

John Jacob Astor was the patriarch of the famous American Astor dynasty. He was the country’s first multi-millionaire, making his fortune in the trade of fur, real estate and opium. In today’s terms, it has been calculated that by the time of his death he has accumulated a fortune big enough to make him the fourth wealthiest man in American history (in the company of the likes of Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Bill Gates, Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller).

28 __ cum laude : SUMMA

When an academic degree is awarded, a level of distinction can be noted depending on the degree of success achieved by the student. There are three types of honor, each with a Latin name:

• cum laude: meaning “with honor” (literally “with praise”)
• magna cum laude: meaning “with great honor”
• summa cum laude: meaning “with highest honor”

29 Pants part : LEG

The term “pants”, meaning “trousers”, is an abbreviated form of “pantaloons” and first appeared in the 1840s. Pantaloons were a kind of tights named for a silly old male character in Italian comedy named “Pantaloun” who always wore tight trousers over skinny legs.

30 Attendance records? : RSVPS

“RSVP” stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “answer, please”.

31 Rant and rave : GO APE

The slang “go ape” is actually a cleaner version of a similar expression, and is American slang that only dates back to about 1955.

34 Legumes from the Andes : LIMA BEANS

The lima bean is also known as the butter bean or madagascar bean. It was introduced to Europe from the area around Lima, Peru, hence the name.

37 Possible litmus test result : BASE

Litmus is a mixture of naturally-occurring dyes that responds to acidity by changing color. Litmus was probably first used around 1300 by the Spanish alchemist Arnaldus de Villa Nova, who extracted the blue dye from lichens. One suggestion is that the term “litmus” comes from the Old Norse “litmose” meaning “lichen for dyeing”. Litmus is often absorbed onto filter paper, creating “litmus paper” or “pH paper”. We also use the phrase “litmus test” figuratively to describe any test in which a single factor decides the outcome.

38 Nutritional stds. : RDAS

Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) were introduced during WWII, and were replaced by Recommended Daily Intakes (RDIs) in 1997.

42 Syllables for a stage magician : ABRA

The incantation “abracadabra” has a long history. It was used as far back as the 2nd century AD in ancient Rome when the word was prescribed by a physician to be worn on an amulet to help his emperor recover from disease. “Abracadabra” is Aramaic, and roughly translates as “I will create as I speak”.

47 Plaza Hotel girl : ELOISE

Kay Thompson wrote the “Eloise” series of children’s books. Kay Thompson actually lived at the Plaza Hotel in New York, the setting she would choose for her “Eloise” stories. Eloise started out as a hit song for Thompson, a success that she parlayed into the book franchise.

The celebrated Plaza Hotel in New York City is named for Grand Army Plaza, which faces the hotel’s main entrance on Fifth Avenue.

49 Seer : ORACLE

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

51 Bowen Yang’s show, for short : SNL

Bowen Yang is an actor and comedian who joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 2019, after working for a year with the show’s writing staff. When Yank became a cast member, he was the first Chinese-American to appear regularly on SNL.

54 Über relative : MEGA

“Über” is the German word for “over, across, above”. We have absorbed “uber-” into English as a prefix meaning “very”.

56 Only pres. to hold a patent : ABE

The only US president to hold a patent was Abraham Lincoln. He filed it about a dozen years before taking office in the White Office. It was for a device attached to the side of a boat with air chambers that could be inflated with bellows. The idea was to temporarily increase the buoyancy of the vessel so that it could lift over shoals and other obstructions in a river.

57 Japanese noodle : SOBA

Soba is a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour. In Japan, the word “soba” tends to describe any thin noodle, in contrast with the thicker noodle called “udon”.

59 Agenda listing : ITEM

“Agenda” is a Latin word that translates as “things to be done”, coming from the verb “agere” meaning “to do”.

62 Jack or jenny : ASS

A female donkey/ass is known as a jenny and a male is known as a jack, or sometimes “jackass”. We started using the term “jackass” to mean “fool” in the 1820s.