# Crossword puzzle Immortals: Yma Sumac **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332 "2008-11-05T19:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/21 "2008-11-06T09:52:26Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Peruvian singer Yma Sumac has died, but her name will live forever. Woah! I’ve been so election-obsessed that I hadn’t heard this. How sad. Yma was very hit or miss. I mean, her voice was always a hit, but her music was not, for me. I thought too many songs were ruined by additions like strings and horns, 50’s Hollywood Bowl movie musical backing, or worse (70’s swing, gak!), very dated and tedious for me to listen to, no matter how amazing her voice is. Her best album, IMO is Voice of the Xtabay. I don’t cringe when I listen to most of it, anyway. One of my favorite songs on it is [“Chuncho”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KprLT-JxPY) which I played often on my radio show, always perfectly segueing it into Lene Lovich’s [“Bird Song.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maucjGIUzzo)\* My other favorite song on that album is “Llulla Mak’Ta” but I couldn’t find a video for it. RIP Yma! - the segue can be heard in [this podcast](http://suspended-in-gaffa.com/SIG_05/index.html#04). ---
**Author:** ![williamweigand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b3f665/32.png) [@williamweigand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williamweigand)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/22 "2008-11-06T14:43:05Z")
ESAI Morales ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/23 "2008-11-06T15:48:39Z")
Omar Epps. Several dadaists: Dali, Arp, Ernst. Architect Eero Saarinen. (We’re starting to get to the orts here.) ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/24 "2008-11-06T17:26:18Z")
Ona Munson–“Belle Watling” from “Gone with the Wind”. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/25 "2008-11-06T17:29:03Z")
I haven’t a clue what you all are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/26 "2008-11-06T19:57:45Z")
Arthur ASHE ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/27 "2008-11-06T20:18:31Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Ned Rorem – composer. Any relation to Lorem Ipsum–writer? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/28 "2008-11-06T20:32:44Z")
Any of the Alou brothers, Felipe, Matty, and Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/29 "2008-11-06T20:36:57Z")
> [@De\_La\_Rue](#): > > Any of the Alou brothers, Felipe, Matty, and Jesus. How does Moises fit into the group? Any relation? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/30 "2008-11-06T20:45:25Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > How does Moises fit into the group? Any relation? Son of Felipe. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/31 "2008-11-06T20:51:28Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I haven’t a clue what you all are talking about. Heh. Crossword puzzles are rather difficult to construct. Short (three- and four-letter) words using common letters are essential filler when piecing together more complicated words in the opposite direction. If you do a lot of crosswords, you’ll see a number of odd-words-with-common-letters cropping up with unusual frequency. LEI, for example, or OBOE or UVEA or OTOE or ILEA or whatnot. Proper names are also fair game; thus this thread. [Or wait; am I whooshed? I note your clue of “clue”.] > [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > How does Moises fit into the group? Any relation? Felipe’s son. [Beaten on preview]. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/32 "2008-11-06T22:16:34Z")
Is this in cryptic crosswords? I only ever do the idiot ones in The Irish Times, rarely if ever a proper noun is used. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/33 "2008-11-06T22:16:43Z")
Estes Kefauver, Adlai’s running mate. Without him, we’d be stuck with Estes Park, Colorado. The thing is, Adlai actually ran twice, with two different running mates–John Sparkman in 1952, and Estes Kefauver in 1956. Poor Sparkman is the forgotten man. If your answer is “John”, there are a **million** better clues. But not if _I_ were writing puzzles. My clue would be “Adlai’s running mate”, and the answer would be “John”. I’m telling you, it would freak people out. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/34 "2008-11-06T22:35:33Z")
Remembered another one: Dictator [Idi] Amin. (Although you sometimes get the last name.) Vowels are the key in some of these words. Especially if they start/end with one. Hence the name in the OP. My computer dictionary lists just 2 words that start with “Y” and end with a vowel. If you wanted a consonant in the middle, it’s “Singer Sumac” for the clue. I also see “Baseball player Moises” the most often of the Alou family. It’s all a mixture, you know, a, um, oleo? olla? olio? Something like that. Oreo!! No wait. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/35 "2008-11-06T22:38:40Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Is this in cryptic crosswords? I only ever do the idiot ones in The Irish Times, rarely if ever a proper noun is used. Nope. Regular old crosswords here. I don’t touch cryptics but I think I’ve seen every one of the names on this page at least once. > [@ftg](#): > > If you wanted a consonant in the middle, it’s “Singer Sumac” for the clue. Let me guess, the other is “in favor.” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/36 "2008-11-06T22:43:41Z")
Good answers, all. I also thought of Brian Eno. Strangely, I think Bebe Neuwirth has not caught on like one might expect. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/37 "2008-11-06T22:55:46Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Peruvian singer Yma Sumac has died, but her name will live forever. However much I like her music, her name is no place for a crossword puzzle just because some crossword writer needed some unlikely combination of letters to make a puzzle. The vast majority of people who get this clue are simply those who have done previous versions of this puzzle that have the same answer, worded differently, perhaps. It’s not really a true puzzle, but a question of, “How many times have you done this particular puzzle?” Yeah, her name will live forever, but not because anybody who does crosswords would otherwise know who she is. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/38 "2008-11-06T23:09:21Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > However much I like her music, her name is no place for a crossword puzzle just because some crossword writer needed some unlikely combination of letters to make a puzzle. The vast majority of people who get this clue are simply those who have done previous versions of this puzzle that have the same answer, worded differently, perhaps. It’s not really a true puzzle, but a question of, “How many times have you done this particular puzzle?” > > Yeah, her name will live forever, but not because anybody who does crosswords would otherwise know who she is. So what other examples of trivia are banned from crossword puzzles in your world? Obsolete words? Alternate spellings? Acronyms? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/39 "2008-11-06T23:41:41Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Is this in cryptic crosswords? I only ever do the idiot ones in The Irish Times, rarely if ever a proper noun is used. I don’t know about everyone else, but I only ever do the New York Times crossword puzzles and that’s where I see these names. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332/40 "2008-11-07T01:02:20Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > But here’s Anne Bancroft doing it as a [comedy skit](http://www.wikio.com/video/126446). Uma - Oprah, Oprah - Uma! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-puzzle-immortals-yma-sumac/471332.md?page=3)