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: Works in Translation … all the theme answers are the titles of literary or musical works, with clues that are written in the native language referenced in the title e.g. APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA (“Maw’id” is “appointment” in Arabic), BACK IN THE USSR (“Nazad” is “back” in Russian), ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK (“Neung Keun” is “one night” in Thai)
COMPLETION TIME: 41m 38s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 … ALWES (ILWES), AVEDA (AVIDA)
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
19. It’s high in Peru : ALTO
“Alto” is the Spanish for “high”.
Peru’s name comes from the word “Biru”. Back in the early 1500s, Biru was a ruler living near the Bay of San Miguel in Panama. The territory over which Biru ruled was the furthest land south on the continent known to Europeans at that time. The Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro was the first European to move south of Biru’s empire, and the land that he found was designated “Peru”, a derivative of “Biru”.
President Gerald Ford was well known for his athletic prowess. He was the star football player both in his high school and later at the University of Michigan. After graduation President Ford received two offers to play in the NFL, from the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. He turned down both teams opting instead to take a coaching position at Yale giving him the opportunity to apply to Yale Law School. But young Mr. Ford’s plan backfired as Yale Law School turned him down because of his full time commitment to sports, coaching football, boxing and teaching JV cheer-leading. It took three years for President Ford to make it into Yale Law School, but he finally got there, in 1938.
23. Like some points : MOOT
To moot, is to bring up as a subject for discussion or debate. So, something that is moot is open to debate. Something that is no longer moot, is no longer worth debating.
24. Royal Norwegian Order of St. ___ : OLAV
Of the many kings of Norway named Olaf (and there have been five), Olaf II is perhaps the most remembered as he was canonized and made patron saint of the country. Olaf was king from 1015 to 1028, and was known as “Olaf the Big” during his reign. Today he is more commonly referred to as “Olaf the Holy”.
(Note: the clue may appear in Arabic script in your paper. I’ve used the English-letter transliteration so that it shows on the web page)
“Maw’id” is the Arabic word for “appointment”.
“Appointment in Samarra” was John O’Hara’s first novel, published in 1934. Samarra is a city north of Baghdad in Iraq, although the story itself takes place in a fictional town in Pennsylvania. The novel deals with the last three days in the life of Julian English, describing how he destroys himself with a series compulsive acts leading up to his suicide. This one doesn’t qualify as light reading for the plane …
“Harold and Maude” is a somewhat dark comedy film released in 1971. The found the storyline to be quite bizarre when I saw it many years ago, dealing with a death-obsessed young man taken to driving a hearse as his private vehicle. He makes friends with a 79-year-old woman who, like him, is in the habit of attending the funerals of people she never knew. It’s not my cup of tea, quite frankly …
“Many Unhappy Returns” is a 2005 book subtitled “One Man’s Quest to Turn Around the Most Unpopular Organization in America”. The book was written by Charles O. Rossotti, the commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service from 1997 to 2002. It actually sounds like a good read, to be honest …
33. Greeting in Lisbon : OLA
“Olá” is the Portuguese word for “hello”.
34. ___ shui : FENG
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese system of arranging objects, buildings and other structures in a manner that is said to improve the lives of the individuals living in or using the space. “Feng shui” translates as “wind-water”, a reference to the belief that positive and negative life forces ride the wind and scatter, but are retained when they encounter water.
(Note: the clue may appear in Cyrillic script in your paper. I’ve used the English-letter transliteration so that it shows on the web page).
“Nazad” is the Russian for “back”.
By the time the Beatles recorded “Back in the U.S.S.R”, they were having a lot of problems working with each other. The song was recorded in 1968, with the band formally dissolving in 1970. Tensions were so great during the recording of “Back in the U.S.S.R” that Ringo Starr actually stormed out saying that he had quit, and the remaining three Beatles made the record without Ringo. Drums were played mainly by Paul McCartney, but there are also drum tracks on the final cut by both George Harrison and John Lennon. Interesting, huh?
43. NPR host Conan and others : NEALS
Neal Conan is the host of the excellent NPR radio show “Talk of the Nation”. Conan is an American journalist, but was in fact born in Beirut, Lebanon. During the 1991 Gulf War, Conan was on assignment in the region and managed to get detained by the Iraqi Republican Guard. NPR fans might know that Neal is married to the host of “Weekend Edition Sunday”, the very entertaining Liane Hansen.
Elsie the cow is the mascot of the Borden Company. Elsie first appeared at the New York World’s Fair in 1939, introduced to symbolize the perfect dairy product. Elsie was also given a husband, Elmer the Bull. Later in Elmer’s life he moved over to the chemical division of Borden where he was used as the mascot for Elmer’s Glue.
(Note: the clue may appear in Thai script in your paper. I’ve used the English-letter transliteration so that it shows on the web page).
“Neung Keun” is Thai for “one night”.
“One Night in Bangkok” is a song from the musical “Chess”. “Chess” is a very enjoyable show, with music written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (of ABBA fame) and lyrics by Tim Rice (of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Evita” fame). The story is about two chess masters, one American and one Russian, who face off against each other during the Cold War. Much of the action takes place in Bangkok at a World Championship Tournament, and there’s a woman, and a love triangle. I saw the show decades ago in the north of England, and recommend it …
The celebrated Charlton Heston movie “Ben-Hur” was a dramatization of a book published in 1880 by Lew Wallace, “Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ”. The 1959 epic film won a record 11 Academy Awards, a feat that has been equaled since then but never beaten (by “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Rings”).
The Pac-Man arcade game was first released in Japan in 1980 and is as popular today as it ever was, at least in some circles. The game features characters that are maneuvered around the screen to eat up dots and earn points. The name comes from the Japanese folk hero “Paku”, known for his appetite.
![PAC-MAN [Game Download]](https://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B003ZSIJA2&tag=wesneyoticrso-20)
58. Impassive : STOIC
Zeno of Citium was a Greek philosophers famous for teaching at the Stoa Poikile, the “Painted Porch”, located on the north side of the Ancient Agora of Athens. Because of the location of his classes, his philosophy became known as stoicism (from “stoa”). And yes, we get our adjective “stoic” from the same root.
59. Cath. title : MSGR
Monsignor is a form of address used when speaking to some high ranking members of the Roman Catholic Church. The word “monsignor” comes from the Italian “monsignore” which in turn comes from the French “mon seignor” meaning “my lord”.
60. Reactions from the hoity-toity : SNIFFS
Believe it or not, the word “hoity-toity” has been in the English language since the 1660s, but back then it meant “riotous behavior”. It began to mean “haughty” in the late 1800s, simply because the two terms sounded familiar.
Electrophorus electricus is the biological name for the electric eel. Despite its name, the electric “eel” isn’t an eel at all, but rather what is called a knifefish, a fish with an elongated body related to the catfish. The electric eel has three pairs of organs along its abdomen, each capable of generating an electric discharge. The shock can go as high as 500 volts with 1 ampere of current (that’s 500 watts), and that could perhaps kill a human.
“Érase una Vez” is Spanish for “once up a time”.
“Once Upon a Time in Mexico”, released in 2003, is the third film in the “Mariachi Trilogy” of movies starring Antonio Banderas in the title role. This third film has been criticized for relegating the “hero” of the trilogy, played by Banderas, into a secondary role below a new character that was introduced, played by Johnny Depp. If you’re a Johnny Depp fan, my guess is you wouldn’t be so critical …
76. Constellation next to Ursa Major and Ursa Minor : DRACO
Ursa Minor sits right beside the constellation Draco (Latin for “dragon”). Once Ursa Minor was considered to be the wing of Draco, and so was called “Dragon’s Wing”.
77. Paisano : PAL
“Paisano” translates literally from Spanish as “fellow countryman”, but also is used to mean “pal”.
79. Spanish liqueur : ANIS
Anis is the Spanish liqueur equivalent to what’s called anisette in other countries, for example in France. It has a licorice taste as it is produced by distilling the seeds of the anis plant. Like all anis-type drinks, it is usually mixed with water and turns a milky, white color when the water is added.
82. ___-Turkish War, 1911-12 : ITALO
The Italo-Turkish War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 1911 and October 1912. At the end of the conflict the Ottoman Empire ceded to Italy the three provinces of Tropolitania, Fezzan and Cyrenaica, which became Italian North Africa, and ultimately the country that we know today as Libya.
88. Sweet suffix? : -OSE
The sugar we consume as “table sugar” is mainly sucrose that is extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet. We also consume lactose, naturally occurring in milk, and fructose, naturally occurring in fruit. Other sugars we eat or drink tend to be prepared commercially, the most famous being high-fructose corn syrup, which is glucose that is industrially processed into a glucose/fructose mix. Don’t get me started on the politics of food …
“Une Personne des États-Unis” is French for “An American” (literally “A Person from the United States”).
The 1951 film “An American in Paris” was inspired by the delightful symphonic tone poem of the same name written by George Gershwin in 1928. Gershwin also wrote the music for the film, with lyrics by his brother Ira. The musical is chock full of famous tunes including “I got Rhythm” and “‘S Wonderful”. At the end of the movie there is a very unique dance sequence featuring the stars, Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. The dance lasts a full 16 minutes, choreographed to Gershwin’s original “An American in Paris” composition.
“Robin Hood: Men in Tights” is a 1993 movie produced and directed by Mel Brooks, and starring Cary Elwes in the title role. The film was panned by the critics, but I didn’t think it was that bad, and I don’t normally like Mel Brooks movies …
98. Reveler’s cry : SKOAL
Skoal is a Swedish toast, with its roots in the old Norse word “skaal”, meaning “cup”.
“Morte” is Italian for “death”.
Thomas Mann was a German novelist, whose most famous work is probably his novella “Death in Venice”, originally published in German in 1912 as “Der Tod in Venedig”. The story was famously adapted for the big screen in 1971, starring Dirk Bogarde.
109. Irish Rose’s guy : ABIE
“Abie’s Irish Rose” was originally a Broadway play by Anne Nichols that opened in 1922, and ran for over five years, at the time the longest run for any show in New York. The show then went on tour, and stayed on tour for an amazing 40 years.
Koi are also called Japanese carp. They have been bred for decorative purposes and there are now some very brightly colored koi found in Japanese water gardens.
111. It contains uracil : RNA
Nucleobases are molecules that form the backbone of DNA and RNA chains. It is the sequence of these bases in the DNA chain that makes up the so-called “genetic code”. In DNA the four bases are adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine. The same bases are found in RNA, except that thymine is replaced by uracil.
113. 90% off? : SENILE
That would be me …
I guess one might say “Whaddya Tink? A Sapling Stays a Sapling Fuhevah?” in Brooklynese, expanding on “a tree grows”!
Betty Smith’s novel “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” is a story that is largely auto-biographical. The tree referenced in the title and the story is the “tree of heaven”, a deciduous variety native to China, brought into the US in 1784. The tree is so successful here in America that it takes over vacant lots and many “waste” spaces of land, and is now considered to be a weed. Awfully big weed, I’d say …
120. Hit CBS series beginning in 2004 : CSI: NY
The TV show “CSI” gets a lot of criticism from law enforcement agencies for its unrealistic portrayal of the procedures and science of criminal investigation. I don’t care though, as I just think it’s a fun show to watch. The original “CSI” set in Las Vegas seems to have “gone off the boil” lately, but the addition of Sela Ward to the cast of “CSI: NY” has really, really raised the level of the sister show set in New York City.
“The Story of G.I. Joe” is a 1945 movie starring Robert Mitchum. The acclaimed movie (which must be the only WWII movie I haven’t seen!) tells the story of the American infantryman through the eyes of famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle. The film was released exactly two months after Pyle was killed in action.
122. All’s partner : EACH
Each and all …
Ilse Bing was a German photographer from Frankfurt, who established herself at the forefront of the avant-garde and surrealist photography movement when she moved to Paris in 1930. She had to leave Paris in 1941 as WWII progressed, and emigrated to the US, living in New York City. There she established her reputation again, but with a different, softer style.
124. Bahraini buck : DINAR
The Dinar is the official currency in many countries, such as Iraq and Bahrain. The Gold Dinar dates back to the early days of Islam, with the name deriving from the Roman currency called “denarius” meaning “ten times” (as it was originally a coin worth ten asses).
Ilona Massey was a Hollywood actress, a native of Budapest in Hungary. Given her background, and the period at which she hit the big screen, she was marketed by the studios as “the new Dietrich”.
The hair removal product “Neet” was launched in Canada in 1901, and was also sold as “Immac”. Today it is sold under the name “Veet”.
128. 2003 Economics Nobelist Robert : ENGLE
Robert Engle is an American economist, joint winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2003.
131. Tests for coll. seniors : GRES
Passing the Graduate Record Examination is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.
Down
The Japanese company Yamaha, started out way back in 1888 as a manufacturer of piano and reed organs. Even though the company has diversified since then, Yamaha’s logo still reflects it musical roots. Even on Yamaha motorcycles you can see a logo made up of three intersecting tuning forks.
6. Music on a carnival ride : LILT
A lilt is light, happy tune, so I guess one might hear that on a carnival ride …
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 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 the military to make GPS 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.
10. Novelist Hoag : TAMI
Tami Hoag is a novelist best known for writing romances and thrillers. She is a prolific writer, and once had five consecutive titles on the New York Times bestsellers list, all in a 20-month period.
11. Author Steinhauer with the 2009 best seller “The Tourist” : OLEN
Olen Steinhauer wrote the espionage thriller “The Tourist”, published in 2009. It’s about a CIA agent who specializes in black ops. George Clooney’s production company has purchased the film rights and the word is that a movie may be in the works soon with Clooney in the lead role. The 2010 espionage movie “The Tourist” starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp is a different project altogether (and a pretty predictable and forgettable film, by the way) that bears no relation to the Steinhauer novel.
Charles Kuralt was a television journalist who gained real fame appearing in a regular segment called “On the Road” aired on “The CBS Evening News with Walter Kronkite”. “On the Road” certainly wasn’t a hard news piece, but rather Kuralt reporting about who and what he encountered traveling “on the road” all over America. He traveled with a small crew in a motor home, mainly sticking to the country’s back roads. By the time the segment came off the air Kuralt had worn out six motor homes in all.
14. Muchacha: Abbr. : SRTA
“Muchacha” is Spanish for “girl”, a señorita.
18. English dramatist Thomas : KYD
Thomas Kyd’s most famous work is “The Spanish Tragedy”, written in the mid to late 1580s. Even though Kyd was a recognized dramatist within his own lifetime, he fell foul of the standards of the Privy Council of the day and was imprisoned and tortured for allegedly being an atheist. He died soon after, impoverished.
28. Immigrant from Japan : ISSEI
There are some very specific terms used to describe the children born to Japanese immigrants in their new country. The immigrants themselves are known as Issei. The Nisei are second generation Japanese, the Sansei third generation (grandchildren of the immigrant), and the Yonsei are fourth generation.
29. Ultrasecret org. : NSA
The National Security Agency was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense since 1949. The agency has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that set up the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the nickname given to the NSA: “No Such Agency” …
“Mahjong” (also mahjongg and mah-jongg) is the Chinese word for “sparrow”. Mahjong is a game that originated in China, usually played by four players. There is a myth that the game was developed by the Chinese philosopher, Confucius. The myth also suggests that Confucius was fond of birds, and hence chose the name “sparrow”.
Germaine Greer is a very outspoken Australian feminist who was catapulted into the limelight with her runaway bestseller “The Female Eunuch”, first published in 1970. Greer has lived in the UK for many years, and I see her a lot on British television news/panel shows. Apparently she also made what I would have thought is an odd choice for her, to appear on the UK version of “Celebrity Big Brother”. Mind you, she walked out of the house after just five days.
37. Pre-college yrs. : ELHI
“Elhi” is an informal word used to describe anything related to schooling from grades 1 through 12, i.e. elementary through high school.
40. Some Korean exports : KIAS
Kia Motors is the second largest manufacturer of cars in South Korea, behind Hyundai (Hyundai is a part owner in Kia now). In recent years, Kia has focused on sales into Europe, and has been remarkably successful.
44. D.C.’s Union ___ : STN
There are a lot of stations called “Union Station” in the US. This is because the generic “union station” was one built by two or more railroad companies acting in concert or “union”, sharing tracks and facilities.
47. Très : OH SO
“Très” is the French word for “very”.
Sam Nunn served as a US Senator for the state of Georgia as a Democrat, for 24 years until 1997. Nunn is married to Colleen O’Brien, whom he met for the first time in the US Embassy in Paris where she was working as a spy for the CIA.
49. Hockey’s Lindros : ERIC
Eric Lindros is a retired Canadian hockey player. During his NHL career he played for the Philadelphia Flyers, the New York Rangers, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Dallas Stars.
Did you know that IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943 … when he was just 17-years-old??!! IKEA is an acronym that stands for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. Elmtaryd was the name of the farm where Ingvar Kamprad grew up, and Agunnaryd is his home parish in Sweden.
“Nyet” is the Russian for “no”.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s most famous novels are “Crime and Punishment” and “The Brothers Karamazov”. Dostoyevsky was arrested in 1849 and sentenced to death by Tsar Nicholas I, for being part of a liberal intellectual group. He endured a mock execution before being told his sentence was commuted to four years hard labor and exile in a camp at Omsk in Siberia.
52. Area crossed by Marco Polo : GOBI
Marco Polo was a merchant from Venice and a famous traveler throughout Asia. He journeyed with his father and uncle on an epic tour of Central Asia and China that lasted 24 years. Marco tends to be the member of the party we remember today though, because it was he who documented their travels in his book “Il Milione”.
54. Carol start : O COME
The lovely hymn “Adeste Fideles” (aka “O Come All Ye Faithful”) was written by one John Francis Wade in the 13th century. Well, he wrote the original four verses, with four more verses being added over time.
59. Year of the first Spanish settlement in Cuba : MDXI
It was Christopher Columbus who claimed the island now known as Cuba for Spain, in 1492. He named his new find “Isla Juana” after Juan, Prince of Asturias. Columbus landed on the northeastern coast near what is now the city of Baracoa. The city of Baracoa developed from the first Spanish settlement on the island, established in 1511 by the conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar.
61. A.T.F. agents, e.g. : FEDS
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is today part of the department of Justice. The ATF has ts roots in the Department of Treasury dating back to 1886 when it was known as the Bureau of Prohibition. “Explosives” was added to the department’s name when the bureau was moved under the Department of Justice as part of the government reorganization called out in the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
63. Home of Galicia : SPAIN
Galicia is an autonomous community at the very northwestern tip of Spain, sharing its southern border with Portugal. Galicia has its own historic language, Galician, which is related to Portuguese. Galician has a relatively unique characteristic, shared with the Irish language by the way, in that there are no words for “yes” or “no”. In Irish we always answer yes/no questions with “it is” or “it is not” or use some other verb for yes and no, a characteristic you might even notice when Irish people speak English …
“Waking Ned Devine” is an entertaining comedy film from 1998, set in Ireland. It’s all about Ned Devine who wins a fortune from the National Lottery, but who dies before he can claim the prize. The whole village conspires to “keep him alive” so that the winnings will be delivered and the locals can share the loot. Worth a rental …
Noam Chomsky is a professor of linguistics at MIT, and is known as one of the fathers of modern linguistics.
71. Jacobs of fashion : MARC
Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer from New York City with his own line of clothing, who is also the creative director for the French design house, Louis Vuitton.
72. “The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers” essayist : ELIA
“The Praise of Chimney Sweepers” is an essay, published in a collection simply entitled “Essays of Elia”. The “Essays of Elia” began appearing in “London Magazine” in 1820, and were immediate hits. Elia was actually a clerk, and a co-worker of Charles Lamb, but it was Lamb who was the author, not Elia. The most famous of the essays in the collection are probably “Dream-Children” and “Old China”.
Mozart’s comic opera “Cosi fan tutte” is also known as “The School for Lovers” in English. A more literal translation is “Thus do all (women)”, or “Women are like that”.
79. Skin care brand : AVEDA
Horst Rechelbacher was travelling in India in 1970 when he was introduced to the Hindu science of longevity called Ayurveda, which inspired him to set up his own company of skin and hair care products that he called Aveda. The company opened its doors in 1978 and is based in Blaine, Minnesota.
80. About 10% of Africa : NILE BASIN
Depending on definition, the Nile is generally regarded as the longest river on the planet. The Nile forms from two major tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile which join near Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. From Khartoum the Nile flows north, traveling almost entirely through desert making it central to life for the peoples living along its length.
83. ___-majesté : LESE
Lèse majesté is the crime of offending the dignity of the “majesty” or sovereign, or the state. The term is from French Law, and comes from the law of Ancient Rome. In Latin “laesa maiestas” means “injured majesty”. Clearly, the term has no relevance in the United States but in other countries, including many in Europe, the law is occasionally cited.
84. Setting for Cervantes’s “El Gallardo Español” : ORAN
Oran lies on the Algerian coast, and is famous for being the port where the French Navy was largely destroyed by the British during WWII in order to avoid the French vessels falling into the hands of Nazi Germany after France surrendered. This decisive and unexpected action by the British sent a very strong message around the world that Britain was willing to fight alone against the axis powers if necessary.
A tiki torch is a bamboo torch that’s very commonly used in Tiki culture. Tiki culture is a modern invention dating from the 20th century and describes the experience created in Polynesian-style restaurants. The name “Tiki” is borrowed from Polynesia.
A tiki is a large carving of wood or stone, resembling a human form, found in Polynesian cultures. The carvings often mark out boundaries of sites sacred to the locals.
91. Starting point on a French map : ICI
“Ici” is the French for “here”.
93. 1990s Toyota coupe : PASEO
The Paseo is a compact car sold in the US by Toyota from 1991 to 1997. “Paseo” is Spanish for “walk, stroll”.
Alan King was a comedian and satirist, famous for joking about his Jewish culture. He was also an actor, and starred in many movies over a 50-year period, including “I, the Jury (1982), “Author! Author!” (1982), “Casino” (1995) and “Rush Hour 2” (2001).
100. “South Park” sibling : IKE
I don’t do “South Park” …
101. Gourd : NOGGIN
Gourd and noggin are slang terms for the head.
103. ___ de coeur : CRI
A “cri de coeur” is an impassioned outcry, literally “cry of the heart” in French.
104. The Supreme Court, e.g. : ENNEAD
Ennead is the Greek word for “the nine”.
The US Constitution doesn’t specify the size of the Supreme Court, but authorizes the Congress to the determine the number of justices. The court started with six justices in 1789, and the size of the bench grew with the size of the country and the number of judicial circuits. There were as many as ten justices from 1863, and in 1866 Congress passed a law that called for the next three justices not to be replaced when they retired. The court did get down to eight justices in 1867, but in 1869 a new law was passed setting the number of justices at nine, as it is today.
107. Parisian palace : ELYSEE
The Élysée Palace is the official residence of the French President, and is near the Champs-Élysées in Paris. In the 1800s, there used to be a tunnel between the Élysée Palace and the nearby Tuileries Palace, a tunnel used quite often by Napoleon Bonaparte. While Napoleon lived in the Tuileries Palace, he would meet his mistresses in the Élysée Palace. Ever the soul of discretion …
“Jane Eyre” is of course the novel written by Charlotte Bronte, and published as “Jane Eyre. An Autobiography” under the pen name Currer Bell. I’ve been sharing here on the blog that the storyline is a little too dark and Gothic for my taste, but a very persuasive blog reader has convinced me to look more at the romantic side of the story and give it a second chance. The love story is perhaps represented by the oft-quoted opening lines of the last chapter, “Reader, I married him”. I think I’ll check out the film again as a first step …
116. Iberian eyes : OJOS
“Ojos” is the Spanish for “eyes”.
117. Custom : WONT
The adjective “wont” means “accustomed”, as in “I am wont to solving the New York Times crossword of an evening”.
119. Forces on horses: Abbr. : RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the Mounties; RCMP) is an unusual police force in that it provides all policing for the whole country. It works on the national level, right down to the municipal level. The distinctive RCMP uniform of red serge tunic, blue pants with a yellow stripe, stetson hat etc. is known internally as “Review Order”. The red uniform dates back to the days of the North-West Mounted Police, one of the forerunners to the mounties that were formed in 1920 through the merger of existing forces.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Polite, old-fashioned assent : YES’M
5. Court action : PLEA
9. Baby bird? : STORK
14. Inventory : STOCK
19. It’s high in Peru : ALTO
20. Rear : HIND
21. Where Gerald Ford went to law sch. : YALE U
22. E-mail button : REPLY
23. Like some points : MOOT
24. Royal Norwegian Order of St. ___ : OLAV
25. Slur : SMEAR
26. Like boxers’ hands : TAPED
27. 1934 novel “Maw’id” : APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA
31. Harold’s car in “Harold and Maude” : HEARSE
32. Subj. of the 2005 book “Many Unhappy Returns” : IRS
33. Greeting in Lisbon : OLA
34. ___ shui : FENG
36. Creative sort : ARTISTE
38. 1968 hit song “Nazad” : BACK IN THE USSR
43. NPR host Conan and others : NEALS
45. ___ for owl : O IS
46. Pitcher of milk? : ELSIE
47. 1985 hit song “Neung Keun” : ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK
55. Portland-to-Spokane dir. : ENE
56. “Ben-___” : HUR
57. One of the Pac-Man ghosts : INKY
58. Impassive : STOIC
59. Cath. title : MSGR
60. Reactions from the hoity-toity : SNIFFS
64. Electrophorus electricus, for one : EEL
66. Light on the top? : BLOND
68. 2003 film “Érase una Vez” : ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO
76. Constellation next to Ursa Major and Ursa Minor : DRACO
77. Paisano : PAL
78. Film worker : EDITOR
79. Spanish liqueur : ANIS
82. ___-Turkish War, 1911-12 : ITALO
85. Brilliant display : RIOT
88. Sweet suffix? : -OSE
89. Pep : VIM
90. 1951 film “Une Personne des États-Unis” : AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
95. Robin Hood portrayer in “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” : ELWES
97. Little pocket : SAC
98. Reveler’s cry : SKOAL
99. 1912 novella “Morte” : DEATH IN VENICE
105. “You’re on!” : IT’S A BET
109. Irish Rose’s guy : ABIE
110. ___ pond : KOI
111. It contains uracil : RNA
113. 90% off? : SENILE
114. 1943 novel “Whaddya Tink? A Sapling Stays a Sapling Fuhevah?” : A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN
120. Hit CBS series beginning in 2004 : CSI: NY
121. “The Story of ___” (1945 war film) : GI JOE
122. All’s partner : EACH
123. German photographer ___ Bing : ILSE
124. Bahraini buck : DINAR
125. Actress Massey : ILONA
126. Prefix with sphere : ATMO-
127. Classic brand of hair remover : NEET
128. 2003 Economics Nobelist Robert : ENGLE
129. Forest homes : NESTS
130. Abbr. in many a mail-order address : DEPT
131. Tests for coll. seniors : GRES
Down
1. Bike brand : YAMAHA
2. One forming a secret union? : ELOPER
3. Visit during a trip : STOP AT
4. It’s often visited during a trip : MOTOR INN
5. Failure to communicate? : PHONE TAG
6. Music on a carnival ride : LILT
7. As a friend: Fr. : EN AMI
8. Daily or weekly : ADVERB
9. Part of GPS: Abbr. : SYST
10. Novelist Hoag : TAMI
11. Author Steinhauer with the 2009 best seller “The Tourist” : OLEN
12. Use logic : REASON
13. “On the Road” journalist : KURALT
14. Muchacha: Abbr. : SRTA
15. Like some goodbyes : TEARFUL
16. Puts under the yoke : OPPRESSES
17. Purifying : CLEANSING
18. English dramatist Thomas : KYD
28. Immigrant from Japan : ISSEI
29. Ultrasecret org. : NSA
30. ___-jongg : MAH
35. Feminist Germaine : GREER
37. Pre-college yrs. : ELHI
39. Cookout discard : COB
40. Some Korean exports : KIAS
41. “And who ___?” : ISN’T
42. “Yikes!” : EEK
44. D.C.’s Union ___ : STN
47. Très : OH SO
48. Senate Armed Services Committee chairman after Goldwater : NUNN
49. Hockey’s Lindros : ERIC
50. Retail giant whose logo has blue letters in a yellow oval : IKEA
51. Dostoyevsky’s denial : NYET
52. Area crossed by Marco Polo : GOBI
53. Pottery need : KILN
54. Carol start : O COME
59. Year of the first Spanish settlement in Cuba : MDXI
61. A.T.F. agents, e.g. : FEDS
62. Some trim : FUR
63. Home of Galicia : SPAIN
65. Something that may be glossed over : LIP
67. “Waking ___ Devine” (1998 comedy) : NED
69. Numerical prefix : OCTA-
70. Linguist Chomsky : NOAM
71. Jacobs of fashion : MARC
72. “The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers” essayist : ELIA
73. “Like ___ not …” : IT OR
74. Mozart opera title opening : COSI
75. Rich rocks : ORES
79. Skin care brand : AVEDA
80. About 10% of Africa : NILE BASIN
81. “Any day now” : I’M WAITING
83. ___-majesté : LESE
84. Setting for Cervantes’s “El Gallardo Español” : ORAN
86. Turn-___ : ONS
87. Kind of torch : TIKI
90. Bat wood : ASH
91. Starting point on a French map : ICI
92. Eh : NOT SO HOT
93. 1990s Toyota coupe : PASEO
94. Comic who said “A short summary of every Jewish holiday: They tried to kill us. We won. Let’s eat” : ALAN KING
96. Everlasting : ETERNAL
100. “South Park” sibling : IKE
101. Gourd : NOGGIN
102. Manly : VIRILE
103. ___ de coeur : CRI
104. The Supreme Court, e.g. : ENNEAD
106. Invoice issuer : BILLER
107. Parisian palace : ELYSEE
108. Dogmata : TENETS
112. Drop off : ABATE
115. “Reader, I married him” heroine : EYRE
116. Iberian eyes : OJOS
117. Custom : WONT
118. They may be high or heavy : SEAS
119. Forces on horses: Abbr. : RCMP
120. Alphabet trio : CDE