Jacob Stulberg's crossword in today's
Daily News uses the clue "Somewhat family-friendly" for PGTHIRTEEN. Thirteen words and phrases include PG. Among them are PGA, MPG, CAPGUN, CAMPGROUND, SWAMPGAS, STOPGAP, PINUPGIRL, KEEPGOING and CRAPGAMES. And is it just coincidental that the PG-13 puzzle was published on October 13? I wonder.
The Universal crossword includes three A-H phrases: ACHILLESHEEL, AUDREYHEPBURN and AIRPLANEHEADING. Amazing, huh?
Mike Peluso's
Los Angeles Times crossword includes MORTALENEMY, FATALERROR, SMARTALECK and Canadian-born actress RUTALEE. (Her real last name is Kilmonis; her parents came from Lithuania.) "Truth known only to a few" is INSIDESTORY. Hidden in each of those four answers is TALE.
And now we're all wondering where the term "smart-aleck" came from, right? If not, please start wondering now. I'll wait.
Okay, according to Gerald Cohn's 1985 book
Studies In Slang, the term is a corruption of "smart Alex," a nickname given by New York City police in the 1840s to Alex Hoag, a pimp, thief and con man.
http://articles.courant.com/2009-03-03/news/words0303.art_1_smart-aleck-melinda-pockets
