All birds have tail feathers called “pinions” that help them fly. Crows have 3 pinions and RAVENs have 4. So the difference between a crow and a RAVEN is just a matter of a pinion. (Carlos, that was for you, courtesy of an LMS post.)
That came up because RAVEN was a puzzle answer today, clued as “Cousin of a crow.” Here’s a shot of each, alphabetically. They do bear a striking resemblance. BTW, a group crows is a “murder of crows,” and a group of ravens is an “unkindness of ravens,” both reflecting their dark reputations.
My brother loved this “saying:” You can tell a happy motorcyclist by the bugs in his teeth.
Today’s puzzle was all about bugs. It was called “Step On It,” and several commenters, including Rex, took the constructor to task for the violence of the title. C’mon fellas, it’s just a crossword puzzle.
In various answers, different insects were to be filled in in one square (a “rebus”). For example, for the clue “Having an impeccable reputation,” the answer was ABOVE REP[ROACH], with the “roach” squeezing into one square. It formed part of the down answer too: “Brings up, as a subject;” answer: B[ROACH]ES.
My favorite was for “louse” (singular of lice): the great Peter Sellers character: INSPECTOR C[LOUSE]AU, with the down being: SILK B[LOUSE].
For “fly” we had IN LIKE [FLY]NN. And did you know where the expression comes from? It’s at least in part from Errol Flynn, the actor, who was reputed to be quite the ladies man. But get this:
“In later years, the rhyming phrase became associated with actor Errol Flynn, who had a reputation for womanizing, drinking, and brawling. In late 1942, two underage girls accused him of statutory rape. A group was organized to support Flynn named the American Boys’ Club for the Defense of Errol Flynn (ABCDEF). Flynn was acquitted. According to etymologist Michael Quinion, Flynn’s reputation as a ladies man increased, leading to the connotations of the phrase ‘in like Flynn.’”
Another etymologist presents evidence that it refers to Edward J. Flynn, a NYC political boss who became a campaign manager for the Democratic party during FDR’s presidency. Boss Flynn’s candidates were almost automatically “in.”
On the “bug” theme, LMS shared the following:
Omigod. Friday I had a conversation with Mr. Burch (head custodian and Supreme Wonderman of the Universe) about stepping on bugs, namely – my inability to do so. I had reported yet another Hot-Wheels size ROACH in my room. He grinningly asked if I had stepped on it.
Me: No! [shiver] I could never recover from the crunch.
Burch: The pop? I love that pop.
Me: I can’t kill any bug. What if it just told its kids it’d be back in just a sec and they’re all waiting? I know the thought is ridiculous, but still.
More on bug squishing. A comment noted:
In India I saw a procession of Jain monks. Two monks with brooms walked in front of the high priest sweeping the path so he wouldn’t step on any living thing. (Of course they could not pay close attention to where they were stepping so who knows how many bugs they squashed in preserving their leader from sin.)
Jain prayer
Forgiveness
I forgive all living beings,
may all living beings forgive me.
All in this world are my friends,
I have no enemies.
For the very common answer ELSA, the constructor reached pretty far: “Internet star Majimbo known for her comedy videos.” Kenyan Elsa Majimbo’s satirical monologues usually feature her eating potato crisps, leaning back to a pillow, and using a pair of tiny 1990’s sunglasses as a prop.
Amelia Boynton Robinson was a civil rights leader in Selma, Alabama, and a key figure in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. She was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal in 1990. She sat in on the puzzle today at 64 down.
In early 1965, Amelia Boynton helped organize a march to the state capital of Montgomery, initiated by James Bevel, which took place on March 7, 1965. Led by John Lewis, Hosea Williams, and Bob Mants, and including Rosa Parks among the marchers, the event became known as Bloody Sunday when police stopped the march and beat demonstrators after they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Boynton was beaten unconscious; a photograph of her lying on Edmund Pettus Bridge went around the world.
Boynton was a guest of honor at the ceremony when Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law. In 2015, she attended the State of the Union Address at the invitation of President Obama, and, in her wheelchair, was at Obama’s side as he and others walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the 50th anniversary of the march. She died in August of 2015, eight days after her 104th birthday.
Lets’ close today with a Brandeis story. You may recall the TV game show from a very long time ago: The GE College Bowl, hosted by Allen Ludden. Four students from each of two colleges would wage a battle over quiz questions. Brandeis was on when I was a student there. Our first match was against U. of Chicago and we won but just by a hair. It later emerged that we were wrongly awarded points for answering Monet, when the correct answer should have been Manet. (Or vicey versey.) They decided to split the winnings from that match (scholarship awards) and run a rematch the following week (which Brandeis won handily). Anyway, get this — The clue for 104 down today was “Painter Edouard often confused with painter Claude.” Of course, the answer is Manet. (Or Monet.)
This is by Manet. What a shayna punim!
The Wellington Files 