Homophone-a-Friend
Add 2,000 lbs. to the last name of Star Wars' original leading man, and you get this founding father
Hamilton ("Hamill" + "ton")
In 2026, Maine's primary elections will be held on this date
Tuesday, June 9th
Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci all reprise their roles in this fashion-forward sequel
While Heinz may have popularized ketchup in America, the word is borrowed from a southern variant of this language
Chinese (Hokkien)
This strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman has been much talked about in the news of late
The Strait of Hormuz
No time for exposition! This phrase describes a narrative which starts in the middle of things
In medias res
Apocryphally: "Let them eat brioche!"
Marie Antoinette
Made with a dye derived from a Mediterranean mollusk, Tyrian purple takes it name from a Phoenician city in this modern country
Lebanon
Combine two Golden Girls actresses, and you get this gem of a name
Ruby ("Rue" (McClanahan) + "Bea" (Arthur))
When Lucia Cormier challenged this woman in 1960, it became the first time in American history two women ran against each other for a Senate seat
Margaret Chase Smith
This director took significant creative liberties in her adaptation of Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi
Emerald Fennell
The word "dollar," despite seeming quintessentially American, traces its origin to this country, once the heartland of the Kingdom of Bohemia
Czechia/Czech Republic
This bridge, complete with an observatory, connects the town of Prospect, Mane with Verona island, and is named for the slim stretch of the river it spans
This Latin calque of a Greek phrase once described a literal contraption, but now typically refers to a contrivance
Deus ex machina
Drag superstar: "You better work!"
RuPaul
Kermes, which produce a brilliant red dye and gave us the word 'crimson,' are this kind of animal
Insects
Take one Gilligan's Island castaway and add the surname of the BlacKkKlansman director to get this word describing something done with care or caution
Gingerly ("Ginger" + (Spike) "Lee")
Though she was born in Boston, this labor Secretary and architect of social security had deep family roots in Maine and was depicted on a mural now in the State Museum
Frances Perkins
This 2024 thriller garnered rave reviews for the performances of its cast, including Ralph Fiennes and Isabelle Rossellini
Conclave
This Scandinavian language gives English the word "geyser"
Icelandic
In New York City, "the Narrows" refers to a tidal strait separating these two boroughs from one another
Brooklyn & Staten Island
In Dante's Inferno, he describes this Roman author as serving as his guide to the underworld
Virgil
Armored, atop a horse: "I have the heart and stomach of a king..."
Elizabeth I
Paris green was a popular pigment with painters and manufacturers in the 19th century, but its high levels of this toxic element made it more suitable as an insecticide
Arsenic
Prefix a Les Mis character with the given name of the "Queen of Jazz" to make this word, meaning enormous in size or strength
Elephantine ("Ella" (Fitzgerald) + "Fantine")
Maine's 1820 independence from Massachusetts was tied to the admission of this other state to the Union, part of a delicate balancing act in the antebellum years
Missouri
This animated Netflix hit about a weapon-wielding pop trio went "golden" with audiences, earning it a special sing-along theatrical release
KPop Demon Hunters
Despite the earliest noodles being attributed to the Chinese, the English word is actually borrowed from this central European language
German
This body of water has also been called "La Manche" by the French, who might object to its more common name, supposedly referring to its sleeve-like shape
The English Channel
Shakespeare popularized the notion that this Latin phrase was among the last words of Julius Caesar
"Et tu, Brute?"
Byzantine empress: "Purple is the noblest shroud"
Theodora
During the Renaissance, ultramarine pigment was made from grinding up this two-named stone that was mostly mined in Afghanistan
Lapis lazuli
Combining the pet names for historical fiction author Weir and the Aragonese subject of several of her works makes this phrase for a feral feline
Alley cat (Allison > "Allie" + Catherine (of Aragon) > "Cat")
In 1972, Maine senator Ed Muskie's bid for the presidential nomination was sunk when he got a few of these in his eyes
Snowflakes
Daniel Craig has portrayed this dandyish detective across three Rian Johnson films, including Knives Out and Glass Onion
Benoit Blanc
Originally describing a small, open garden pavilion, this word comes to English from the Turkish word "köşk"
Kiosk
The city of Istanbul sits on the Bosporus Strait, which connects these two bodies of water
The Black Sea & the Sea of Marmara
Latin gives us this handy phrase for a list of the main characters we'll see in play or sometimes in a novel
Dramatis personae
Qing dowager: "Whoever makes me unhappy for a day, I will make suffer a lifetime"
Dowager Empress Cixi
In 2014, artist Anish Kapoor generated significant controversy when he secured exclusive rights to use this "blackest black" pigment in artistic works
Vantablack