Q: I know the first crossword puzzle appeared in 1913 in the New York World. Who created the puzzle?
— M.P.O., Daytona Beach, Fla.
A: Arthur Wynne (1871-1945) produced the first crossword puzzle. Born in Liverpool, England, Wynne worked as an editor in his home country before coming to the United States. Employed by the New York World, he was asked to come up with a new game, which he called a Word-Cross Puzzle. Wynne published the first crossword-puzzle book in 1924.
Q: Christmas is coming, and there is a gift I would love to get my husband — the motorcycle jacket worn by Marlon Brando in the 1953 movie “The Wild One.” Is it available?
— T.D., Worcester, Mass.
A: Brando wore a Schott NYC Perfecto 618, with epaulet stars added. The jacket is still available. If you have access to a computer, conduct a search. The price varies considerably depending on the materials, but you should expect to spend about $500.
Q: Someone once described a weed as “A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” Who said it?
— M.N., Trenton, N.J.
A: American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882).
Q: Where is Peak XV?
— L.M., Ann Arbor, Mich.
A: In 1848, Peak b was renamed Peak XV. Then, in 1865, Peak XV was renamed Mount Everest to honor Sir George Everest, the surveyor general of India. By the way: In Tibet, Everest is known as Chomolungma, while the mountain is called Sagarmatha in Nepal.
Q: On the long-running TV Western “Gunsmoke,” how many actors remained throughout the entire series?
— K.I., Anniston, Ala.
A: Only two: James Arness, as Marshall Matt Dillon, and Milburn Stone in the role of Doc Adams, although Stone was briefly sidelined in 1971 owing to a heart attack.
Q: When was a laugh track, sometimes called canned laughter, first used on television?
— G.H., Port Orange, Fla.
A: A laugh track is, of course, a soundtrack with audience laughter used to enhance TV comedies. The first TV show to use a laugh track was “The Hank McCune Show” in 1950.
Q: In the late 1980s, there was a wonderful TV show called “ALF.” Alf was the name of a space alien from the planet Melmac. He crashed on Earth and wound up in the Tanner family, which agreed to keep him if he did not reveal his presence to anyone. It was a fun show and one of my favorites. Who did the voice of ALF? Why was he given the name ALF?
— B.V., Tulsa, Okla.
A: ALF is short for Alien Life Form. The character was created and voiced by puppeteer Paul Fusco.
Q: When my two children were growing up, I was always buying crayons for them. Do you have any idea how many crayons a child goes through?
— C.R., Columbus, Ohio
A: According to Binney & Smith, the manufacturers of Crayola crayons, by the child’s 10th birthday, he or she will wear down 730 crayons, or nearly 11-1/2 boxes of 64s.
Q: What is the word for a poem or song written for the bride and groom to celebrate their marriage?
— J.J., Santa Rosa, Calif.
A: It is called an epithalamium.
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Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at gclothier@ readingeagle.com or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.
Lifestyles
The original puzzle master
Gary Clothier, Syndicated Columnist
- Lifestyles
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Hiatt, Duckworth announce plans to marry June 29
Some are granted the blessing of loving deeply only once in a lifetime. For a few, that blessing happens twice.
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Weaver, Benefiel tie the knot in Grapevine
Rikki Leigh Weaver and Brandon Joe Benefiel united in marriage the evening of May 4, 2013, at Delaney Vineyards in Grapevine.
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From daughter to mother: a special Mother’s Day reflection
For this Mother’s Day I thought I would say something special about my mom. I rarely say anything, I guess because I take a lot of what she does for granted, because she is mom to me. But there is more to this woman than I could ever have hoped for.
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Audet, Richardson plan October nuptials
Michele and Jim Audet, of Weatherford, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Nicole Rene Audet, to Scott Maclean Richardson, of Washington, D.C.
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Richards celebrate 60 years of marriage
Celebrating 60 years of love and marriage, David and Jewell Richards of Weatherford are happy to announce their anniversary this May.
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Bunns to celebrate 25th anniversary
Spending a quarter of a century in love with one person is to be celebrated.
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WB, Totsie Cook celebrate 70 years of marriage
William Burton Cook and Totsie Dean Grisham celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on April 24. They were married at Shep, Taylor County, Texas, the evening of April 24, 1943, in the home of Rev. Willie Brown, the local Baptist pastor, with Mrs. Brown as the witness.
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White, Rigacci unite in marriage
Brittany White and Fernando Rigacci were united in marriage March 23, 2013, in the Rotunda at the Dallas Petroleum Club.
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Horton, Williams engaged
Eddie and Kathryn Horton are pleased to announce the engagament of their daughter, Kathryn Renee Horton to Nathan Douglas Williams, son of Michael and Charla Williams of Amarillo.
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Stowe-Coronado engaged
Roy and Leslie Stowe, of Azle, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Megan Nicole Stowe, to David Michael Coronado, son of Dave and Debbie Coronado, of Comanche.
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