1007-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 7 Oct 11, Friday

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Solution to today’s crossword in the New York Times
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CROSSWORD SETTER: Kevin G. Der
THEME: Steve Jobs, R.I.P. 5 October 2011 … all the theme answers relate to Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computers, who passed away on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011:

1. Brainchild of 57-Across : IPOD
16. Film studio spearheaded by 57-Across : PIXAR
17. Brainchild of 57-Across : MACINTOSH
26. Slogan associated with 57-Across : THINK DIFFERENT
42. Frequent description of 57-Across : CREATIVE GENIUS
57. This puzzle’s subject : STEVE JOBS
60. Company co-founded by 57-Across : APPLE
64. Company founded by 57-Across : NEXT

COMPLETION TIME: 15m 45s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0


Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Brainchild of 57-Across : IPOD
The iPod is Apple’s signature line of portable media players. It first hit the market in 2001 in the form of a hard drive-based device now known as the iPod Classic. Later models all use flash memory, allowing a smaller form factor.

5. 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit : ADIA
Apparently the song “Adia”, co-written by Sarah McLachlan, was intended as an apology to her best friend … for stealing her ex-boyfriend and then marrying him!

9. 1972 Bill Withers hit : USE ME
Bill Withers was working as an assembly operator while he was trying to make a name for himself in the music industry. Even as he found success with his glorious 1971 single “Ain’t No Sunshine”, he held onto his day job, worried that the music industry was unpredictable.

16. Film studio spearheaded by 57-Across : PIXAR
Pixar Animation Studios started out as part of Lucasfilm in 1979, George Lucas’s production company. Lucas sold what was to become Pixar to Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 1986. Pixar produced its first feature film in 1995, the fabulous “Toy Story”, and followed it with a string of hits. The company was then sold again, to Walt Disney in 2006 when valued at $7.4 billion. That transaction resulted in Steve Jobs becoming the single largest shareholder in the Walt Disney Company.

17. Brainchild of 57-Across : MACINTOSH
Macintosh (also “Mac”) is a line of computers from Apple Inc. The first Mac was introduced in 1984, and I remember someone showing me one at work in those early days of personal computing. There was a piece of white plastic connected to the main computer by a cord, and I was amazed when the guy showed me that it controlled where the cursor was on the screen. My colleague told me that this lump of plastic was called “a mouse” …

18. Parade V.I.P. : ST PAT
There is a fair amount known about St. Patrick, some of which comes from two letters written in his own hand. He lived in the fifth century, but was not born in Ireland. He was first brought to Ireland at about 16 years of age from his native Britain, by Irish raiders who made him a slave for six years. He managed to escape and return home where he studied and entered the Church. He went back to Ireland as a bishop and a missionary and there lived out the rest of his life. There seems to be good evidence that he died on March 17th (now celebrated annually as St. Patrick’s Day), although the year is less clear. The stories about shamrock and snakes, I am afraid they are the stuff of legend.

20. Thimbleful : TAD
Back in the 1800s “tad” was used to describe a young child, and this morphed into our usage meaning a “small amount” in the early 1900s. The original use of “tad” for a child is very likely a shortened version of “tadpole”.

21. Finest example : EPITOME
The more common meaning of “epitome” is a perfect example of a group, quality, type etc. “Epitome” is also another word for an abstract or summary of a book or article.

25. Ulan-___ (Siberian capital) : UDE
Ulan-ude is a city in Eastern Siberia founded by the Russian Cossacks. If you ever get to visit, you’ll be able to see a huge sculpture of the head of Vladimir Lenin, the largest head of Lenin ever built.

26. Slogan associated with 57-Across : THINK DIFFERENT
Apple Computer introduced its “Think Different” advertising slogan in 1997. It was a very clear play on the longstanding motto used by IBM, namely “Think”.

33. Bitmap images : GIFS
A bitmap is an image file format used to store digital images. Basically, each pixel in a bitmap file is stored as a “bit” of information, hence the name “bitmap”. In 1987, CompuServe introduced a new type of image file called the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF). A GIF image takes the same information as a bitmap, and then compresses it, resulting in a smaller file size. However, during compression the image may lose some resolution.

34. Tyler of “The Lord of the Rings” : LIV
Actress and model Liv Tyler is the daughter of Steven Tyler, lead singer with Aerosmith, and Bebe Buell, the model and singer.

38. Singer Simone : NINA
Nina Simone was the stage name of Eunice Waymon. She was very much associated with jazz music, although she really wanted to be a classical musician early in her career, inspired by a love for the music of Bach.

39. Head : LAV
Our word “lavatory” originally referred to a washbasin, and comes from the Latin “lavatorium”, a place for washing. In the 1600s a “lavatory” became a washroom, and in the 1920s a toilet.

In old sailing ships the toilet area for the regular sailors was located in the forward part (the head) of the ship, hence the term “head”, used since those days for any toilet on board a ship.

40. Like some Arabians : SHOD
The Arab (or Arabian) breed of horse takes its name from its original home, the Arabian Peninsula. Like any animal that humans have over-bred though, the horse falls prey to genetic diseases, some of which are fatal, and some of which require the horse to be euthanized.

46. Wheeler Peak locale: Abbr. : NEV
Wheeler Peak is the highest point in Great Basin National Park in Nevada.

47. Many an early computer user : AOLER
AOL’s “first” Initial Public Offering was in 1992. Years later the company was picked up by Time Warner (not a great investment for Time Warner, it turned out). AOL was spun off as a separate entity again in 2009 and the new company had a “second” IPO that same year.

48. “Doonesbury” cartoonist : TRUDEAU
When cartoonist Garry Trudeau was deciding on a name for his comic strip in 1970, he opted for “Doonesbury”. He combined “doone”, which is slang for a “genial fool”, and the last syllables in “Pillsbury”, the family name of Trudeau’s roommate while he was at Yale.

52. Anderson who directed “Rushmore” : WES
Wes Anderson‘s most famous movie is probably “The Royal Tenenbaums”, released in 2001, not my favorite film by any stretch. However, his 2007 release “The Darjeeling Limited”, that I enjoyed.

53. ___ drive : ZIP
Zip drives were hugely popular in the late nineties. Made by Iomega, Zip drives and their portable Zip disks, were used the same way as standard 3.5-inch floppy drives and disks. But Zip disks had a much, much higher storage capacity.

57. This puzzle’s subject : STEVE JOBS
Steve Jobs certainly was a business icon in Silicon Valley. I don’t think it is too surprising to learn that the brilliant Jobs didn’t even finish his college education, dropping out of Reed College in Oregon after only one semester.

60. Company co-founded by 57-Across : APPLE
Apple Computers was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The company incorporated the following year, but without Wayne. He sold his share of the company back to Jobs and Wozniak, for $800 …

64. Company founded by 57-Across : NEXT
Steve Jobs co-founded Apple in 1976, but in 1985 he was basically fired from his own company during the computer sales slump of the mid-eighties. Jobs then founded NeXT Computer, a company focused on supplying workstations to the higher education and business markets. Apple purchased NeXT in 1996, and that’s how Jobs found himself back with his original company.

Down
1. “Have a Little Faith ___” (1930 hit) : IN ME
“Have a Little Faith in Me” is a popular song published in 1930, with lyrics by Sam Lewis and Joe Young, and music by Harry Warren.

2. Onetime host of “The Tonight Show” : PAAR
Jack Paar was most famous as the host of “The Tonight Show”, from 1957 to 1962. When he died in 2004, “Time” magazine wrote that Paar was “the fellow who split talk show history into two eras: Before Paar and Below Paar”. Very complimentary …

3. One seeking to catch some rays? : ORCA
The taxonomic name for the killer whale is Orcinus orca. The use of the name “orca”, rather than “killer whale”, is becoming more and more common. The Latin word “Orcinus” means “belonging to Orcus”, with Orcus being the name for the Kingdom of the Dead.

4. Soft & ___ : DRI
Soft & Dri is an antiperspirant.

5. “Sic ’em!” : ATTACK
Sic ’em is an attack order given to a dog, instructing the animal to growl, bark or even bite. The term dates back to the 1830s, with “sic” being a variation of “seek”.

7. Return letters? : IRS
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) came into being during the Civil War, to raise money to cover war expenses. Prior to the introduction of income tax in 1862, the government was funded by levies on trade and property.

8. ___ Stadium, sports venue since 1997 : ASHE
The Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York opened in 1997 and is the largest outdoor, tennis-only venue in the world. The stadium is sometimes criticized for not having a retractable dome to protect the playing surface from inclement weather.

13. “Symphony in Black” artist : ERTE
Erte was the pseudonym of French artist (Russian born) Romain de Tirtoff. Erte is the French pronunciation of his initials “R.T.”

15. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” speaker : ANTONY
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears …” is the start of a famous speech by Mark Antony from William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”.

William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar” is a little unusual, in that Julius Caesar is not the main character. The protagonist is actually Marcus Brutus, the man who plays a major role in Caesar’s assassination.

22. Patisserie offerings : PUFFS
A patisserie is a French bakery that sells pastries, or “tartes”.

23. YouTube content, for short : VIDS
YouTube is a video-sharing website. It was started in 2005 by three ex-PayPal employees. Google bought YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion. Yep, $1.65 billion … less than two years after it was founded …

26. “Prelude ___” (1942 Frank Capra film) : TO WAR
I can’t tell you how many of Frank Capra’s movies are on my list of all-time favorites. He directed such classics as “It Happened One Night”, “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town”, “Lost Horizon”, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”, “Meet John Doe”, “Arsenic and Old Lace” and the holiday favorite “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Capra also did his bit during WWII, enlisting just a few days after Pearl Harbor was attacked. Given his great talent, and the fact that he enlisted at the relatively advanced age of 44, the US Army put him to work directing 11 documentary war films in the “Why We Fight” series, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. The first in the series of propaganda films was called “Prelude to War”.

29. Root of diplomacy : ELIHU
Elihu Root was an American statesman, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his diplomatic work that brought “nations together through arbitration and cooperation”.

30. Good diving scores : NINES
As in many sports competitions, diving is scored by giving marks out of ten.

32. Baby powder ingredient : TALC
Talc is a mineral, actually hydrated magnesium silicate. Talcum powder is composed of loose talc, although these days “baby powder” can also be corn starch.

36. Hindu god often depicted meditating : SHIVA
The Hindu Trinity is composed of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva (also Siva) the destroyer or transformer. Shiva is a Sanskrit word meaning “auspicious, kind, gracious”.

37. All Saints’ Day mo. : NOV
All Saints’ Day is November 1st each year. The day before All Saints’ Day is All Hallows Eve, better known by the Scottish term, “Halloween”.

38. Mitchum’s genre : NOIR
The expression “film noir” has French origins, but only in that it was “created” by a French critic in describing a style of Hollywood film. The term, meaning “black film” in French, was first used by Nino Frank in 1946. Film noir often applies to a movie with a melodramatic plot, and a private eye or detective at its center. Good examples would be “The Big Sleep” and “D.O.A”.

Robert Mitchum was perhaps most famous for the roles he played in film noir movies early in his career. What is less known is that Mitchum was an accomplished singer and composer. He recorded a number of records, mainly in the country music style. He also co-wrote and composed an oratorio that was performed at the Hollywood Bowl. Go Robert …

43. Speedy Gonzales shout : ANDALE
When I was a kid, Speedy Gonzales was one of my favorite cartoon characters. He was billed as “The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico” and tore around the place yelling “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Epa¡ ¡Epa! ¡Epa! Yeehaw!”

44. Film in which the Marx Brothers join the gold rush : GO WEST
The five Marx Brothers were born to “Minnie” and “Frenchy” Marx in New York City. The more famous, older boys were Chico, Harpo and Groucho. The youngest brother, Zeppo, appeared in the early Marx Brothers movies, but the fifth son, Gummo, he went off to pursue his own career off the stage.

45. Gridiron group : ELEVEN
We never used the word “gridiron” when I was growing up (meaning a grill used for cooking food over an open fire). So, maybe I am excused for finding out relatively late in life that a football field gridiron is so called because the layout of yard lines over the field looks like a gridiron used in cooking!

51. “From knowledge, sea power” org. : USNA
The motto of the United States Naval Academy (USNA) is “Ex Scientia Tridens”, which translates as “From Knowledge, Sea Power”.

54. Mountain climber : IBEX
Ibex is a common name for various species of mountain goat. “Ibex” is a Latin name that was used for wild goats found in the Alps and Apennines in Europe.

58. Tater ___ : TOT
Ore-Ida founders came up with the idea for Tater Tots when they were deciding what to do with residual cuts of potato. They chopped up the leftovers, added flour and seasoning, and extruded the mix through a large hole making a sausage which they cut into small cylinders. We eat 70 million pounds of this extruded potato every year!

59. Pianist Nakamatsu : JON
Jon Nakamatsu is a Japanese American classical pianist. Nakamatsu never formally studied piano at a conservatory or other musical institute, and actually has a degree in German studies. He quit his job as a German teacher in order to play piano full time.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Brainchild of 57-Across : IPOD
5. 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit : ADIA
9. 1972 Bill Withers hit : USE ME
14. Some documentary workers : NARRATORS
16. Film studio spearheaded by 57-Across : PIXAR
17. Brainchild of 57-Across : MACINTOSH
18. Parade V.I.P. : ST PAT
19. Post-PC ___ : ERA
20. Thimbleful : TAD
21. Finest example : EPITOME
23. Focus of some prep work : VOCAB
25. Ulan-___ (Siberian capital) : UDE
26. Slogan associated with 57-Across : THINK DIFFERENT
32. Flatterer : TOADY
33. Bitmap images : GIFS
34. Tyler of “The Lord of the Rings” : LIV
35. Hole punchers : AWLS
36. Huffs : SNITS
38. Singer Simone : NINA
39. Head : LAV
40. Like some Arabians : SHOD
41. Reacted to an unveiling, say : OOHED
42. Frequent description of 57-Across : CREATIVE GENIUS
46. Wheeler Peak locale: Abbr. : NEV
47. Many an early computer user : AOLER
48. “Doonesbury” cartoonist : TRUDEAU
52. Anderson who directed “Rushmore” : WES
53. ___ drive : ZIP
56. Cover again, as terrain? : REMAP
57. This puzzle’s subject : STEVE JOBS
60. Company co-founded by 57-Across : APPLE
61. Rocket parts : NOSE CONES
62. Prepared to be shot : POSED
63. E-mail heading: Abbr. : ATTN
64. Company founded by 57-Across : NEXT

Down
1. “Have a Little Faith ___” (1930 hit) : IN ME
2. Onetime host of “The Tonight Show” : PAAR
3. One seeking to catch some rays? : ORCA
4. Soft & ___ : DRI
5. “Sic ’em!” : ATTACK
6. Thingamajig : DOODAD
7. Return letters? : IRS
8. ___ Stadium, sports venue since 1997 : ASHE
9. They’re positive : UPSIDES
10. Junior watcher : SITTER
11. Site of some unveilings : EXPO
12. Term of address for a lady : MA’AM
13. “Symphony in Black” artist : ERTE
15. “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” speaker : ANTONY
22. Patisserie offerings : PUFFS
23. YouTube content, for short : VIDS
24. One of many from 57-Across : BIG IDEA
26. “Prelude ___” (1942 Frank Capra film) : TO WAR
27. Split, in a way : HALVE
28. Tailor’s concern : FIT
29. Root of diplomacy : ELIHU
30. Good diving scores : NINES
31. Show stopper? : TV AD
32. Baby powder ingredient : TALC
36. Hindu god often depicted meditating : SHIVA
37. All Saints’ Day mo. : NOV
38. Mitchum’s genre : NOIR
40. Got into hot water? : STEEPED
41. “Hold on” : ONE SEC
43. Speedy Gonzales shout : ANDALE
44. Film in which the Marx Brothers join the gold rush : GO WEST
45. Gridiron group : ELEVEN
48. Golfer’s concern : TRAP
49. Unwanted collection : REPO
50. Ones who might cry foul? : UMPS
51. “From knowledge, sea power” org. : USNA
53. Tract : ZONE
54. Mountain climber : IBEX
55. Cheater’s whisper : PSST
58. Tater ___ : TOT
59. Pianist Nakamatsu : JON

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2 thoughts on “1007-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 7 Oct 11, Friday”

  1. Hi there,

    It seems that there is a Wheeler Peak in both Nevada and New Mexico. Wheeler Peak, New Mexico is the most famous of the two it seems, but there is one in Nevada as well. I checked! 🙂

    Thanks for stopping by.

  2. And there’s a Wheeler Mountain in Colorado! (I climbed it on October 24, 1987.) Wikipedia seems to verify that they were all named for “Major George Montague Wheeler (1842–1905) who for ten years led a party of surveyors and naturalists collecting geologic, biologic, planimetric and topographic data in New Mexico and six other southwestern states”.

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