1204-10: New York Times Crossword Answers 4 Dec 10, Saturday

Quicklinks:
The full solution to today’s crossword that appears in the New York Times
The full solution to today’s SYNDICATED New York Times crossword that appears in all other publications


THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 45m 56s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies

Across
1. Capital NE of the Gulf of Trieste : LJUBLJANA
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, a status the city was awarded on the creation of the Republic in 1991 following the break up of Yugoslavia.

Tortilla Flat Poster Movie 11x17 Spencer Tracy Hedy Lamarr John Garfield Frank Morgan10. Housemate in Steinbeck’s “Tortilla Flat” : PABLO
“Tortilla Flat” was the first of John Steinbeck’s novels to become a commercial success, published in 1935. The novel was made into a film of the same name in 1942 starring Spencer Tracy and Hedy Lamarr (with Akim Tamiroff playing Pablo).

15. With nothing on : AU NATUREL
“Au naturel” is of course a French phrase, simply meaning “in a natural state”, that we use for “nude”.

17. Fiery rhetoric : BRIMSTONE
“Brimstone” is a damnation to hell, and formerly was a name for sulfur.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland18. “You’re nothing but a pack of cards!” speaker : ALICE
In Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, towards the end of the story Alice finds herself as a witness in a trial in front of the King and Queen of Hearts. Alice becomes somewhat obstreperous, earning the famous rebuke from the Queen, “Off with her head!” Alice stands her ground and simply retorts, “You’re nothing but a pack of cards!”

20. File stuff : EMERY
Emery is a very hard rock type that is crushed in order to be used as an abrasive. Emery paper is made by gluing small particles of emery to paper. Emery boards are just emery paper with a cardboard backing. And emery boards are used for filing nails, primarily.

22. Sparkle : ELAN
Our word “élan” was imported from French, in which it has a similar meaning, “style” or “flair”.

23. With 3-Down, collectively : AS A
3. See 23-Across : UNIT

Pair of Light Gold and Black Alexandra Tassels24. Fringe group? : TASSELS
Tassels can grouped into a fringe.

VICTORIA PRINCIPAL 8X10 COLOR PHOTO33. Victoria’s “Dallas” role : PAMELA
Victoria Principal’s most famous role, by far, was that of Pam Ewing on the TV show “Dallas”. As a young woman, Principal went to college to study medicine, but after the first year she was seriously injured in a car crash by a drunk driver. She spent months recovering and when faced with the prospect of taking her first year of study over again, she decided instead to move to New York city to study acting. She made it as an actress …

37. Presbyterian-founded Michigan college : ALMA
Alma College, in Alma, Michigan was founded by Michigan Presbyterians in 1886. The school has a Scottish heritage of which it is very proud. Alma has its own Scottish marching band, A Scottish dance troupe and even its own design of tartan.

40. Puma rival : AVIA
The Avia brand name for athletic shoes was chosen as it it is the Latin word for “to fly”, and suggested the concept of aviation.

Mrs. Dalloway41. Mrs. Dalloway in “Mrs. Dalloway” : CLARISSA
“Mrs Dalloway” is a novel by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1925. The story tells of a day in the life of Clarissa Galloway, a day in which she is preparing for a party that she is hosting. The novel has been compared to “Ulysses” by James Joyce, a story about a day in the life of Leopold Bloom.

49. Dress down like a sailor? : SWEAR AT
In a real dressing down, one might “swear like a sailor”.

51. Co. with many keywords : AOL
A keyword is a reference point for finding other words, especially in using search engines like Google or AOL Search. In August of 2006 an AOL researcher published a text file online containing words that over 650,000 users had searched for, listed by users who were only identified by an anonymous user number. The degree of anonymity was insufficient though, as some users could be identified by the terms in their search histories. “The New York Times” tracked down several users just from the information in the released file, one of whom even gave permission for the paper to publish her name. One user in particular (#927) was singled out as a very”scary” person based on his or her search history, spawning a play called “User 927”.

54. Wind sounds : MOANS
The sound of the wind is sometimes described as a “moan”.

56. Monarchy since the 1740s : OMAN
Oman is lies on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula, neighbored by the OAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The city of Muscat, with its strategic location, has a history of invasion and unrest. Centuries of occupation by the Persians ended in 1507 when the Portuguese took the city in a bloody attack. The Portuguese held Muscat for much of the next century until finally ousted by local Omani forces in 1648. A Yemeni tribe invaded the area in 1741 and set up a monarchy that has been in place ever since.

60. Collection of 24 books : ILIAD
The Iliad is the epic poem by the Greek poet Homer, which tells the story of the siege of Ilium during the Trojan war. The exceptionally long poem is divided into 24 books.

OMAR SHARIF 20X24 PHOTO62. Russian famously played by an Egyptian : DR ZHIVAGO
Omar Sharif is the great Hollywood actor from Egypt, who played such memorable roles in the likes of “Doctor Zhivago” and “Lawrence of Arabia”. But to me he is a bridge hero (the card game). In his day he was one of the best players in the world, but doesn’t play anymore.

66. “Days of Our Lives” town : SALEM
NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” is the second-longest running soap opera on US television, second only to “General Hospital”. It has been running since November 1965. The show was renewed in 2010 so it will at least be around in 2013.

Black and White Photo Paramahansa Yogananda sitting in meditation pose 11 x 14 New67. It may have you in an awkward position : YOGA CLASS
In the west, we tend to think of yoga as a physical discipline, a means of exercise that uses specific poses to stretch and strengthen muscles. While it is true that the ancient Indian practice of yoga does involve such physical discipline, the physical aspect of the practice plays a relatively small part in the whole philosophy. Other major components are meditation, ethical behavior, breathing and contemplation.

Down
1. Culture development sites : LABS
Bacterial cultures are grown in laboratories.

2. De ___ (by law) : JURE
“De jure” is the Latin for “of law”. Jure is a form of the word “jus” meaning “law” (from which we also derive our words, “just” and “justice”). Conceptually, “de jure” and “de facto” are related terms, one meaning “concerning law” and the other meaning “concerning fact”.

3. See 23-Across : UNIT

5. Some capts.-to-be : LTS
The word “lieutenant” come from French, with “lieu” meaning “in place” and “tenant” meaning “holding”. “Lieutenant” then means somebody holding a position in the absence of his or her superior. In America of course “lieutenant” is pronounced loo-tenant, whereas back in the British Isles we say “lef-tenant”.

6. Old Isle of Wight settlers : JUTES
The Isle of Wight is the largest island in England, and lies about five miles off the south coast. After the Romans left Britain, the island was occupied the Jutes (a Germanic people) until 661 AD.

7. Invisible enticements : AROMAS
“Aroma” is a Greek word meaning “sweet spice”.

8. New Mexican? : NENE
“Nene” is the Spanish word for a male baby.

10. Ed supporter : PTA
The Parent Teacher Association supports schools and education.

Ravensburger Van Gogh, Café Terrace at Night - 1500 Piece Puzzle11. “Cafe Terrace at Night” setting : ARLES
A few years ago I had the privilege of living just a short car ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although it has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a tremendous influence over the city’s design. It has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place that Vincent van Gogh often visited, and where he painted his famous “Cafe Terrace at Night”, as well as “Bedroom in Arles”.

14. “Let me in,” facetiously : OPEN SESAME
In the Arabic tale “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”, the magical cave entrance is opened with the words “Open, Simsim”, but this mutated into “Open Sesame” in European translations.

21. One noted for ingenuity : YANKEE
Yankee was a term that originated in the 1700s when it was used to describe residents of New England, eventually becoming a word to describe Americans in general. The term has become offensive in the UK, although originally implied attributes of ingenuity and enterprise.

23. American leader? : ALL
“All” might lead into the expression “All-American”.

Garmin nüvi 265/265T 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic25. GPS data: Abbr. : STS
There are lots of “streets” in one’s GPS unit.

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. The US military have been working on the satellite technology used in GPS since the days of the first Russian satellite in space, Sputnik. The modern GPS system that we use today was built by the US military who received the massive funding needed because of fears during the Cold War of the use of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. We civilians, all round the world, owe a lot to President Ronald Reagan, because he directed that GPS be made available to the public for the common good. He was moved to do this after the Soviet Union shot down KAL flight 007 carrying 269 people, when it accidentally strayed into Soviet airspace.

Avatar -- Embrace Movie Poster26. “Avatar” craft : SPACESHIPS
I went to the 3D version of “Avatar” when I saw it for the first time … it really is the only way to see that movie!

27. Home of Whitman College : WALLA WALLA
Marcus and Narcissus Whitman established a mission 1836 in a location on modern-day southeast Washington. Their goal was to convert the local Walla Walla tribe to Christianity. Some years after the Whitmans settled in the area, disease spread through the local tribes that was blamed on the missionaries as the natives believed they were being poisoned. The Whitmans were killed in retaliation. Twelve years later in 1858, Whitman Seminary was built in a nearby settlement (now the city of Walla Walla) in memory of the missionaries. The seminary was converted to Whitman College in 1882.

29. Can : REAR
“Can” is a slang term for the rear end, the buttocks.

34. Sting in 1980 headlines : ABSCAM
The FBI set up a sting operation in 1978, eventually targeting corruption within Congress. Central to the “scam” was a front company called “Abdul Enterprises, Ltd”, giving the whole operation the nickname “Abscam”. At the end of the say, one senator and five House members were convicted of bribery and conspiracy. Kraim Abdul Rahman was the fictional sheik that gave “his” name to the front company.

36. Brie alternative : PATE
Brie is a soft cheese, names after the French province of Brie where it originated.

Pâté is a rich, spreadable paste made up of a mixture of ground meat and fat, to which varous vegetables, herbs and spices may be added. The most famous version is pâté de fois gras, made from the fattened livers of geese (“fois gras” means “fat liver” in French).

USA TODAY39. It has color-coded sections : USA TODAY
The title of widest circulation of any American newspaper is an honor competed for by “The Wall Street Journal” and “USA Today”, with each paper selling about 2 million copies daily (including online subscribers). “USA Today” was launched in 1982.

42. Its highest mtn. is Meron : ISR
The highest mountain in Israel, if one excludes the disputed are of the Golan Heights, is Mount Meron which lies in the very north of the country.

St. Louis Cardinals Hitch Cover44. Card letters : STL
On a scoreboard, the Saint Louis Cardinal baseball team is denoted with the letters STL.

The St. Louis Cardinals were originally called the “Brown Stockings”, changing their name to the “Perfectos” in 1899. That obviously didn’t go down well with the locals, as the owners changed it one year later to the Cardinals.

47. Birthplace of Günter Grass : DANZIG
Günter Grass is best known for his first novel “The Tin Drum” published in 1959. He was born in 1927, in what was then called the Free City of Danzig. Danzig became the city of Gdansk in Poland after WWII.

TESSIE O'SHEA 8x10 COLOR PHOTO52. Tony-winning Tessie : O’SHEA
Tessie O’Shea was a Welsh actress and entertainer. Famously, she was a heavy woman, and made use of the fact by singing as her theme song “Two Ton Tessie from Tennessee”. She appeared in the Noel Coward musical “The Girl Who Came to Supper” in 1963, for which she picked up a Tony Award.

Arlo Guthrie Autographed Signed reprint Photo 155. Joan followed him at Woodstock : ARLO
Joan Baez followed Arlo Guthrie in the line up at the Woodstock music festival.

Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for their singing of protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m and 34s. In the song, Guthrie tells how he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War after being drafted, based on his criminal record. He had one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest from littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.

57. ___ Hari : MATA
Mata Hari was a stage name. Margaretha Geertuida Zella was born in the Netherlands in 1876. After an unsuccessful and somewhat tragic marriage, Zella moved to Paris in 1903 where she struggled to make a living. By 1905 she was working as an exotic dancer, and using the name Mata Hari. She was a successful courtesan, notably moving in the various circles of high-ranking military officers. She apparently worked as a double agent, both for the French and the Germans. When she was found guilty by the French of passing information to the Germans, she was tried, found guilty and executed by firing squad in 1917, at the age of 41.

59. Signs an agreement? : NODS
Clever wording …

For completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Capital NE of the Gulf of Trieste : LJUBLJANA
10. Housemate in Steinbeck’s “Tortilla Flat” : PABLO
15. With nothing on : AU NATUREL
16. Outfit : TROOP
17. Fiery rhetoric : BRIMSTONE
18. “You’re nothing but a pack of cards!” speaker : ALICE
19. Becomes fixed : SETS
20. File stuff : EMERY
22. Sparkle : ELAN
23. With 3-Down, collectively : AS A
24. Fringe group? : TASSELS
26. Easter egg design : SWIRL
30. Spell : STINT
32. Stop running : DIE
33. Victoria’s “Dallas” role : PAMELA
35. Some shirt pocket problems : INK SPOTS
37. Presbyterian-founded Michigan college : ALMA
38. Stir : BUDGE
40. Puma rival : AVIA
41. Mrs. Dalloway in “Mrs. Dalloway” : CLARISSA
43. Treasure : ESTEEM
45. Get down : EAT
46. Kitchen mishap : SCALD
48. Not flowery : TERSE
49. Dress down like a sailor? : SWEAR AT
51. Co. with many keywords : AOL
53. Wrong : HARM
54. Wind sounds : MOANS
56. Monarchy since the 1740s : OMAN
60. Collection of 24 books : ILIAD
62. Russian famously played by an Egyptian : DR ZHIVAGO
64. Superhighway service site : PLAZA
65. Like many former friends : ALIENATED
66. “Days of Our Lives” town : SALEM
67. It may have you in an awkward position : YOGA CLASS

Down
1. Culture development sites : LABS
2. De ___ (by law) : JURE
3. See 23-Across : UNIT
4. Smashing sounds : BAMS
5. Some capts.-to-be : LTS
6. Old Isle of Wight settlers : JUTES
7. Invisible enticements : AROMAS
8. New Mexican? : NENE
9. Red flag’s purpose : ALERTING
10. Ed supporter : PTA
11. “Cafe Terrace at Night” setting : ARLES
12. Hit the roof : BOILED OVER
13. Settings : LOCALITIES
14. “Let me in,” facetiously : OPEN SESAME
21. One noted for ingenuity : YANKEE
23. American leader? : ALL
25. GPS data: Abbr. : STS
26. “Avatar” craft : SPACESHIPS
27. Home of Whitman College : WALLA WALLA
28. Neither here nor there : IMMATERIAL
29. Can : REAR
31. Like some pools : TIDAL
34. Sting in 1980 headlines : ABSCAM
36. Brie alternative : PATE
39. It has color-coded sections : USA TODAY
42. Its highest mtn. is Meron : ISR
44. Card letters : STL
47. Birthplace of Günter Grass : DANZIG
50. Floor : AMAZE
52. Tony-winning Tessie : O’SHEA
55. Joan followed him at Woodstock : ARLO
56. Like olives : OVAL
57. ___ Hari : MATA
58. Dating service data : AGES
59. Signs an agreement? : NODS
61. Stop from running : DAM
63. Letterhead abbr. : INC

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