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Joined: Nov 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439 |
Doing a Crossword today I was given the clue "Slang word for a whistle-blower." The answer was zebra. Never heard that before and really can't determine a connection between zebra and whistle-blower! Would you all clear this up for me? Please? (P.S. Outrageous replies are looked for eagerly  )
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
That means that people who aren't careful, such as when they're in a zebra crossing, are gonna get run down.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 427
addict
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addict
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 427 |
Quote:
That means that people who aren't careful, such as when they're in a zebra crossing, are gonna get run down.
 !!
Or that a zebra's stripes will call your attention anywhere... ok, 'cept possibly in the savannah and on Jackie's zebra crossing...
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
in sports, a zebra is an official who carries a whistle and wears a striped shirt; in corporate affairs, a whistle-blower is one who reveals something covert or who informs against another
the clue is a typical crossword ploy to get you thinking in the wrong way, about the latter, when the former is what's really meant.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 270
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 270 |
Being a crossword junky I was always wondering about it myself. Could've never made the connection... till now.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,773 |
Tsu: You have no doubt made the connection. A quick Googling however suggests that it's very tenuous; that is, "zebra" is not widely considered a synonym for corporate whistleblower. Nonetheless I get some eleven thousand hits for "zerbra" with "whistle-blower" but I just don't have the patience to pursue this approach
dalehileman
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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dale, re-read tsuwm's answer. he is saying that the whole "whistle-blower as a corporate thing" idea is a feint, that you need to ignore that and stick with the simple concept of referee-zebra.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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dalehileman
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
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This is why I don't do the cryptics. Even when I cheat and read the answers I don't get it.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Dang, tsuwm, how the heck do you know so much about something as boring as sports? [poking the borax e]
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