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: PALINDROMIC WORDS … all the answers around the perimeter of the grid are palindromes i.e. DAD, LEVEL, SOLOS, SIS, REDDER, TOOT, TAT, TENET, MINIM, MOM, PIP-PIP, DEED.
COMPLETION TIME: 8m 10s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
Charles Lindbergh was the American pilot who made the first solo, non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, a distance of nearly 3,600 miles. He won the accolades of a whole country for that feat, and was awarded the Medal of Honor (for which Lindbergh was eligible, as an Army Reserve officer). His new-found fame brought tragedy to his door, however, when a kidnapper took his infant son from his home in East Amwell, New Jersey. A ransom was paid in part, but the child was never returned, and was found dead a few weeks later. It was as a result of this case that Congress made kidnapping a federal offence should there be any aspect of the crime that crosses a state line.
The ecu was an Old French coin, and when introduced in 1640, was worth three livres (an older coin, called a “pound” in English). The word “ecu” comes from the Latin “scutum” meaning “shield”. The original ecu used to have a coat of arms on it, a shield.
16. Native New Zealanders : MAORI
The Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. The Māori are eastern Polynesian in origin and began arriving in New Zealand relatively recently, starting some time in the late 13th century. The word “māori” simply means “normal” in the Māori language, distinguishing the mortal human being from spiritual entities.
17. Yadda, yadda, yadda: Abbr. : ETC
Et alii is the equivalent of et cetera, with et cetera being used in place of a list of objects, and et alii used for a list of names.
18. “Dang it!” : NERTS
Nerts is a slang term, a corruption of “nuts!”.
22. QB’s successes : TDS
Quarterbacks love to see those touch downs …
23. Dawn goddess : EOS
Eos is the goddess of the dawn in Greek mythology. Rather delightfully, Homer referred to Eos as “rosy-fingered dawn” in both the Iliad and the Odyssey.
26. Two, for many minigolf holes : PAR
Apparently, the first minigolf course in the world was built in St. Andrews in Scotland, a course you can still play today. Back in 1867, about 100 years after the Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded, the Ladies’ Putting Club was constructed by some of the golf clubs members so that the ladies could “have a go” at the sport. Back then it was believed that the energetic swing required to hit a ball on a full-size course was far from ladylike, so a small, 18-hole course of putting greens was deemed to be more acceptable.
29. Postlarval : PUPAL
The larval and pupal are intermediate stages in the development of an insect. All four stages are embryo, larva, pupa and imago.
The final meal that Jesus shared with his twelve disciples is known as the Last Supper. During the meal, Jesus foretold that one of his disciples would betray him. Judas, who was destined to carry out the betrayal, asked Jesus, “Is it I?”. Jesus replied, “You have said”.
36. Not much : A TAD
Back in the 1800s a “tad” was used to describe a young child, and this morphed into our contemporary usage meaning a small amount in the early 1900s. The original use of tad to mean a child is very likely a shortened version of “tadpole”.
37. What every answer on the perimeter of this puzzle is : PALINDROMIC WORD
The three most famous palindromes in English are:
– Able was I ere I saw Elba
– A man, a plan, a canal, Panama!
– Madam, I’m Adam
Another word used in the UK that’s rarely used over here is “pram”, which used to be the most common term for what is/was called a baby carriage in the US. “Pram” is short for “perambulator”.
41. Wings, in zoology : ALAE
A bird (avis) has wings (alae, plural of ala), in Latin.
“Tomorrow” is a song written for the Broadway musical “Annie”. The musical was based on the Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie”. There were two subsequent film adaptations, both really quite successful, including one released in 1982 directed by John Huston of all people. It was his only ever musical.
César Chávez was a Mexican American farm worker, and co-founder of the union today known as the United Farm Workers. Chávez was born in Yuma, Arizona, but moved to California as a child with his family. He never attended high school, dropping out to become a full-time migrant farm worker. In 1944, at 17 years of age, he joined the US Navy and served for two years. 5-6 years after returning from the military, back working as a farm laborer, Chávez became politically active and rose to national attention as an articulate union leader during some high profile strikes. He is remembered annually here in California on his birthday, March 31, a state holiday.
46. English poet laureate Henry James ___ : PYE
Henry James Pye was an English poet who held the post of Poet Laureate from 1790 until his death in 1813. As Poet Laureate he was the first with the title to receive an annual cash stipend, albeit a modest one. Prior to Pye, Poet Laureates of England were given a annual stipend of a barrel of wine.
Leonard Bernstein’s musical “West Side Story” is of course based on William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. The musical is set in New York City and features two rival gangs: the Sharks from Puerto Rico and the Jets with working-class, Caucasian roots. Tony from the Jets falls in love with Maria from the Sharks. All this parallels Romeo from the House of Montague falling for Juliet from the House of Capulet in the Italian city of Verona.
60. Norwegian king until A.D. 1000 : OLAF I
It is believed that the Norwegian King Olaf I led the conversion of the Vikings to Christianity and built the first church in the country (in 995 CE). Olaf was actually married to an Irishwoman, albeit a woman from a Viking family. Queen Gyda was the sister of the King of Dublin, Olaf Cuaran.
63. 1/60 fluid dram : MINIM
The unit of volume called a minim is 1/60 of a fluid dram, and 1/480 of a fluid ounce. The minim is still used in some parts of the world today, in dosing out medicines.
Down
Benito Mussolini was deposed in 1943 just a few weeks after the Allies invaded Sicily and started to bomb Rome. Fascist politicians voted to oust him, and Italian King Victor Emmanuel had him arrested. Hitler selected Lieutenant Colonel Otto Skorzeny to lead a group of German commandos in a daring rescue of his longtime ally. The rescuers were towed into Italian airspace in gliders, which the commandos flew into a mountainside close to where Mussolini was being held captive. The element of surprise was so significant, that the rescue was effected without a shot being fired. A small plane was flown in to transport Mussolini and Skorzeny out of Italy, and to safety in Vienna. Some months later, Mussolini returned to Italy and fought on in parts of the country not yet taken by the Allies. As the end drew near, he made a run for Switzerland but was captured by Italian partisans. They executed him and took his body to Milan, where it was put on display hanging upside down for all to see.
Lena Olin is a Swedish actress, discovered by Ingmar Bergman. Her most famous performance was in “Chocolat” released in 2000, and she won an Emmy in 2003 for Best Supporting actress in the TV show “Alias”.
Medgar Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi, assassinated by the Klu Klux Klan in 1963. A year after the murder, one Byron De La Beckwith was arrested and charged with the crime. Two trials failed to return a decision on Beckwith’s guilt, as the juries, composed completely of white males, deadlocked both times. New evidence was unearthed some thirty years later so Beckwith could be retried, and he was finally convicted of the murder in 1994. Back in 1963 Evers was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Evers had served in the US Army in France during WWII and left the service at the rank of sergeant.
7. Summer N.Y. hrs. : EDT
On the other side of the Atlantic, Daylight Saving Time (DST) is known as “summer time”. The idea behind summer/daylight-savings is to move clocks forward an hour in spring and backwards in the fall, so that afternoons have more daylight.
The 1980 musical “Les Miserables” is an adaptation of the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. It opened in London in 1985, and is the longest running musical in the history of London’s West End. My wife and I saw “Les Miz” in the Queen’s Theatre in London quite a few years ago, but were only able to get tickets in the very back row. The theater seating is very steep, so the back row of the balcony is very high over the stage. One of the big events in the story is the building of a street barricade, over which the rebels fight. At the height we were seated we could see the stagehands behind the barricade, sitting drinking Coke, even having a cigarette. On cue they would get up and catch a dropped rifle, or an actor that had been shot. It was pretty comical. I didn’t really enjoy the show that much, to be honest. Some great songs, but the storyline just didn’t seem to hang together for me.
10. Sculler’s gear : OARS
A scull is a rowing boat used for competitive rowing. The main hull of the boat is often referred to as a shell.
22. People of Rwanda : TUTSI
The Tutsi are the second largest population of people in the Rwanda, with the Hutu being the largest group. The bloody conflict that has existed between the Tutsi and Hutu peoples dates back to about 1880 when Catholic missionaries arrived in the region. The missionaries found that they had more success converting the Hutus than the Tutsi, and when the Germans occupied the area during WWI they confiscated Tutsi land and gave it to Hutu tribes in order to reward religious conversion. This injustice fuels the fighting to this very day.
“Coming of Age in Samoa” sounds like a fascinating book. It was written by American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead and published in 1928. In it she examines the behavior of youths in Samoa, making some comparisons with youths in America. One major observation she made was the smooth transition from childhood to adulthood of Samoan girls, compared to what she described as a more troublesome transition in the US.
25. Eggnog sprinkling : NUTMEG
A noggin was the name of a small cup back in the 1600s that later lent its name to a small drink (and eventually to “eggnog”).
Hank Azaria is one of my favorite American actors, someone who I think can really expertly portray a vast array of characters. I can’t stand “The Simpsons” mind you, a show to which Azaria is inextricably linked, but, if you look at his role in “The Birdcage” as a flamboyant, gay houseboy, and his role in “Shattered Glass” as a stoic magazine editor, you’ll get a taste for Azaria’s extensive range.
29. Brit’s “Goodbye!” : PIP-PIP
The only time I’ve ever heard a Brit say “pip-pip” meaning “goodbye” is in the movies. It is a slang term that was used back in the early 1900s, apparently imitative of one of those squeezable bicycle horns.
30. G.I.’s org. : US ARMY
The initials G.I. stand for “Government Issue” and not “General Infantry” as is often believed. G.I. was first used in the military to denote equipment made from Galvanized Iron, and during WWII, incoming German shells were nicknamed “GI cans”. Soon after, the term GI came to be associated with “Government Issue”, eventually became an adjective to describe anything associated with the Army.
31. Pontius ___ : PILATE
Pontius Pilate was the judge at the trial of Jesus Christ and the man who authorized his crucifixion. Over the years, many scholars have suggested that Pilate was a mythical character. However, in 1961 a block of limestone was found in the modern-day city of Caesarea in Israel, and in the block was an inscription that included the name of Pontius Pilate, citing him as Prefect of Judea.
George Carlin was a stand-up comic famous for pushing the envelope of comedy in the broadcast media. Despite all the controversies surrounding his act, his passing in 2008 occasioned major tributes by networks and fellow entertainers alike.
Richard J. Daley was the Mayor of Chicago for 21 years (1955-1976), making him the longest-serving mayor for the city in history. His son, Richard M. Daley is the current Mayor of Chicago, the second-longest serving mayor.
39. Decorative plant holder : CACHEPOT
A cachepot is an ornamental container for a flowerpot. The word comes from French, and means literally “hide a pot”.
44. Bar mitzvah toast : L’CHAIM
“L’Chaim” is a Hebrew toast meaning “to life”, as “chai” is the Hebrew word for “life”.
“Wi-Fi” is nothing more than a trademark, a trademark registered by an association of manufacturers of equipment that uses wireless LAN (Local Area Network) technology. A device labeled with “Wi-Fi” has to meet certain defined technical standards, basically meaning that the devices can talk to each other.
50. Yemeni port : ADEN
Aden is a seaport in Yemen, located on the Gulf of Aden by the eastern approach to the Red Sea. Aden has a long history of British rule, from 1838 until a very messy withdrawal in 1967.
52. ___ Major : URSA
The constellation called Ursa Major (Latin for “Larger Bear”) is often just called the Big Dipper because of its resemblance to a ladle, or dipper. It also resembles a plow, and that’s what we usually call it back in Ireland, the “plough”.
53. Barfly’s binge : TOOT
“Toot” is slang for a binge of drinking, and for a snort of cocaine. Not good either way, I guess …
54. Partner of baseball and apple pie : MOM
The full expression is, “As American as motherhood and apple pie”. I think the concept here is not that America is the home of motherhood or apple pie, but rather that America is as wholesome as motherhood and apple pie. I’ve heard that the phrase originated in WWII when GI’s when interviewed by journalists would say that they were going to war “for Mom and apple pie”.
Muhammad Ali was tested for qualification to serve in US Armed Forces in 1964, and failed because of poor writing and spelling skills. In 1966 the test standards were revised, and Ali was reclassified as 1A, eligible for the draft. Ali immediately declared himself a conscientious objector, stating that war is against the teachings of the Qur’an. He was then scheduled to be inducted into the US Armed Forces in 1967, and was arrested when he refused to answer the call. He was stripped of his boxing titles, and was found guilty of a felony at a jury trial. He appealed the conviction, an appeal that went all the way to the US Supreme Court. His conviction was overturned, not because the court agreed with Ali’s claim that he was a conscientious objector, but rather because the government had failed to properly specify why Ali’s application to be treated as a conscientious objector had been denied.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. The old man : DAD
4. Like a pool table, ideally : LEVEL
9. Flights like Lindy’s : SOLOS
14. French coin of old : ECU
15. Fail to pay, as taxes : EVADE
16. Native New Zealanders : MAORI
17. Yadda, yadda, yadda: Abbr. : ETC
18. “Dang it!” : NERTS
19. “Primitive” feelings : URGES
20. ___ fiber : DIETARY
22. QB’s successes : TDS
23. Dawn goddess : EOS
24. Like a bug in a rug : SNUG
26. Two, for many minigolf holes : PAR
29. Postlarval : PUPAL
32. Burn, as a wound : CAUTERIZE
34. Last Supper query : IS IT I
35. Quantities: Abbr. : AMTS
36. Not much : A TAD
37. What every answer on the perimeter of this puzzle is : PALINDROMIC WORD
40. Brit’s baby buggy : PRAM
41. Wings, in zoology : ALAE
42. Musical featuring “Tomorrow” : ANNIE
43. Schoolyard snitch’s words : I’M TELLING
45. Activist Chávez : CESAR
46. English poet laureate Henry James ___ : PYE
47. Millennium divs. : CENS
48. Exclamations of understanding : AHS
49. Reporter’s question : WHY
50. Gets the best of, in slang : ACES OUT
54. Tony’s “West Side Story” love : MARIA
57. Make sense : ADD UP
59. One in the family, informally : BRO
60. Norwegian king until A.D. 1000 : OLAF I
61. Be dishonest with : LIE TO
62. Equal: Prefix : ISO-
63. 1/60 fluid dram : MINIM
64. Guiding principle : TENET
65. Repeated machine gun sound : TAT
Down
1. Something good for a Boy Scout? : DEED
2. Stage opening : ACT I
3. Il ___ (Mussolini) : DUCE
4. “Chocolat” actress : LENA OLIN
5. Civil rights leader Medgar : EVERS
6. Results may do this, in commercials : VARY
7. Summer N.Y. hrs. : EDT
8. “___ Miz” : LES
9. Makeup mishap : SMUDGE
10. Sculler’s gear : OARS
11. Trucker’s record : LOG
12. Vein contents : ORE
13. One in the family, informally : SIS
21. 4:00 P.M., traditionally : TEATIME
22. People of Rwanda : TUTSI
24. Margaret Mead interviewees : SAMOANS
25. Eggnog sprinkling : NUTMEG
26. Rock climbers’ spikes : PITONS
27. “The Simpsons” voice man Hank : AZARIA
28. More visibly ashamed : REDDER
29. Brit’s “Goodbye!” : PIP-PIP
30. G.I.’s org. : US ARMY
31. Pontius ___ : PILATE
32. Comic who quipped “Weather forecast for tonight: dark” : CARLIN
33. Lack of experience : RAWNESS
38. Family name in Chicago politics : DALEY
39. Decorative plant holder : CACHEPOT
44. Bar mitzvah toast : L’CHAIM
48. Like a 45° or 60° angle : ACUTE
49. Internet cafe connection : WI-FI
50. Yemeni port : ADEN
51. Black-bordered news item : OBIT
52. ___ Major : URSA
53. Barfly’s binge : TOOT
54. Partner of baseball and apple pie : MOM
55. Induction-refusing boxing champ : ALI
56. Hightailed it : RAN
57. Key near the space bar : ALT
58. Fizzle out : DIE