Crossword Knowledge 5 - Stone

So far, my crossword knowledge notes have been random collections of words and facts, jotted down as I come across them when completing crosswords.  As a break from the norm, today's words are stony.

Clue: Oparcie, ostoja.

Well, still having my L plates on with the Polish language, this one had me stumped until I had more letters on the crossword.  Both words in the clue had multiple meanings.  Oparcie, has been translated as support, backbone, backrest, reliance, base, foundation, footings, crutch, anchor (list continues).  Ostoja, has been translated as mainstay, support, prop, footing, backbone, refuge, anchorage (list continues).

Answer: Opoka.

Opoka, seems to mean hard sedimentary rock, but also is used colloquially for rock or stone and figuratively to describe sanctuary or solid, stable support.  So if you were to describe someone as your rock, the literal translation would seem to work on Polish, using opoka.  Like: "Kinga, moja opoka, bardzo mi pomaga."

Clue: Kamień golibrody. - Barber's stone.

When I get a nick shaving, to stop the bleeding I would use a styptic pencil, an astringent in stick form.  The astringent in it is alum.

Answer: Ałun.

For the next clue, I think the only link to stone is for the English word.  Freemasonry started in England in the 18th century. The english word, mason, is another word for stonemason and Freemasonry had its beginnings with stonemasons in the Middle Ages.  I must confess I didn't know that Freemasonry spread throughout the word and I was surprised to find that masonic lodges excisted in Poland.

Clue: ... Masońska.

Answer: Loża

Loża masońska - Masonic lodge.