0320-13 New York Times Crossword Answers 20 Mar 13, Wednesday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Leave at the altar : JILT
To “jilt” someone with whom you have a relationship is to drop them suddenly or callously. “Jilt” is an obsolete noun that used to mean “harlot” or “loose woman”.

5. “___ Stop the Rain” (1970 hit) : WHO’LL
“Who’ll Stop the Rain” is a Creedence Clearwater Revival hit from 1970. The song is used in a 1978 movie, also called “Who’ll Stop the Rain”, which stars Nick Nolte as a Vietnam veteran who gets caught up in drug smuggling.

10. “II” movies: Abbr. : SEQS
Sequels (seqs.).

15. Ganja smoker : RASTA
I must admit that I don’t really understand Rastafarianism. I do know that a “Rasta”, like Bob Marley, is a follower of the movement. Some say that Rastafarianism is a religion, some not. I also know that it involves the worship of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

“Ganja” is another name for the drug cannabis. Cannabis is known to have been used thousands of years ago by ancient Hindus in India, and “ganja” is the Sanskrit term for the drug.

16. Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day org. : USTA
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national organization governing the sport of tennis in the US.

Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day is a children’s tennis event held every August at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York. Kids’ Day kicks off the US Open each year, as the first round of the Open takes place the following day.

17. Canseco who wrote “Juiced” : JOSE
José Canseco is a former Major League Baseball player originally from Cuba. Canseco wrote a tell-all book called “Juiced”, that was published in 2005, in which Canseco admitted to steroid use and claimed that 85% of all major league players took steroids. Some former teammates named by Canseco have since admitted to using steroids, including Jason Giambi and Mark McGwire.

19. Twix units : BARS
I remember Twix bars from way back in 1967 when they were introduced in the British Isles. Twix bars made it to the US over a decade later, in 1979.

20. Paper view? : OP-ED PAGE
Op-ed is an abbreviation for “opposite the editorial page”. Op-eds started in “The New York Evening World” in 1921 when the page opposite the editorials was used for articles written by a named guest writer, someone independent of the editorial board.

26. Tequila sources : AGAVES
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave. The drink takes its name from the city of Tequila, located about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara.

29. Upside-down-sleeping mammal : CAVE BAT
The cave bat is more correctly called the cave myotis, and is a type of vesper bat. Mosts bats have a good homing ability, but the cave myotis is unusual in that it lacks this gift.

37. Bandleader Kay : KYSER
Kay Kyser was popular bandleader in the thirties and forties.

38. Foreign Legion hat : KEPI
The kepi is that circular cap with a visor that’s worn in particular by the French military.

The French Foreign Legion is a military wing of the French Army that is noted for accepting foreign nationals into its ranks. The Legion is open to French recruits, but they only make up about a quarter of the fighting force. Having said that, the majority of the officers are Frenchman.

39. Pince-___ : NEZ
Pince-nez are eyeglasses clipped to the bridge of the nose. “Pince-nez” is French, translating as “pinch the nose”.

42. Women with esposos : SENORAS
“Esposos” are “husbands” in Spanish.

44. Lee Ann who sang “I Hope You Dance” : WOMACK
Lee Ann Womack is a country music singer and songwriter from Jacksonville, Texas.

46. Half of dix : CINQ
In French, “cinq” (five) is half of “dix” (ten).

47. Rihanna’s record label : DEF JAM
Def Jam is a US record label, one focused on hip hop music.

The singer Rihanna was born and grew up on the island of Barbados and moved to the US when she was 16-years-old to pursue a singing career.

50. Yellow blooms : JONQUILS
The bulbous flowering plant known as the jonquil is a species of Narcissus or daffodil. The name comes from “junquillo”, the Spanish for “rush”, reflecting the jonquil’s long, rush-like leaves.

54. Sch. that publishes the Daily Bruin : UCLA
The UCLA Bruins mascots are Joe and Josephine Bruin, characters that have evolved over the years. There used to be “mean” Bruin mascots but they weren’t very popular with the fans, so now there are only “happy” Bruin mascots at the games.

58. Looney Tunes animator ___ Freleng : FRIZ
Isadore “Friz” Freleng was a cartoonist best known for his work with Warner Bros, on the “Looney Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies” series of cartoons. Freleng was largely responsible for developing some great characters including Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Yosemite Sam and Speedy Gonzales. And for all that, he won four Academy Awards.

60. Tea brand owned by Starbucks : TAZO
The Tazo Tea Company was founded in 1994 in Portland, Oregon. Tzo was purchased in 1999 by Starbucks. Starbucks has started to open tea shops that are fully dedicated to Tazo teas.

61. Mess around (with) : FUTZ
To futz around is to waste time on trivial matters, to fool around. “Futz” is probably derived from a “not so nice” word that has been merged with “putz”.

62. Super Bowl played in 2005 : XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was played at the end of the 2004 season. The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the third straight Super Bowl win for the Patriots.

63. Picnic side dish : SLAW
The term “coleslaw” is an Anglicized version of the Dutch name “koolsla”, which in itself is a shortened form of “Koolsalade” meaning “cabbage salad”.

Down
1. Skater Starbuck : JOJO
JoJo Starbuck is a champion figure skater from Downey, California. Starbuck and her partner Kenneth Shelley won the US pair skating championship for three years in a row from 1970 to 1972. For several years, Starbuck was married to famed Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Tery Bradshaw.

2. Breakfast restaurant chain : IHOP
The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) was founded back in 1958. IHOP was originally intended to be called IHOE, the International House of Eggs, but that name didn’t do too well in marketing tests …

4. One to speak of? : THE DEVIL
Speak of the devil …

8. Printer tray size: Abbr. : LTR
Like so many things it seems, our paper sizes here in North America don’t conform with the standards in the rest of the world. ISO standard sizes used elsewhere have some logic behind them in that the ratio of width to length is usually one to the square root of two. This mathematical relationship means that when you cut a piece of paper in two each half preserves the aspect ratio of the original, which can be useful in making reduced or enlarged copies of documents. Our standard size of “letter” (8.5 x 11 inches) was determined in 1980 by the Reagan administration to be the official paper size for the US government. Prior to this, the “legal” size (8.5 x 14 inches) had been the standard, since 1921.

11. Morales of “Jericho” : ESAI
Esai Morales is best known for his role in the 1987 movie “La Bamba”, which depicted the life of Ritchie Valens and his half-brother Bob Morales (played by Esai).

“Jericho” is a drama series, initially produced by CBS, that tells of life in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on many cities in the US.

13. Cummerbund, e.g. : SASH
A cummerbund is a sash worn around the waist by some men, usually with a dinner jacket or tuxedo. Cummerbands came to us from Afghanistan in the early 1600s.

23. “Jeopardy!” response: Abbr. : QUES
The word is that Alex Trebek will step down as host of the game show “Jeopardy” in 2016, when his current contract expires. The list of names mentioned to replace Trebek includes Brian Williams, Dan Patrick, Matt Lauer and Anderson Cooper. I vote for Cooper, but I can’t see him taking the job …

25. Clotho and sisters : FATES
The three Fates of Greek mythology were also called the Moirai. The three Fates were Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, and between them they controlled a person’s fate, the so-called thread of life. Clotho spun the thread of life. Lachesis measured the thread so that each person received the correct allotment. Atropos cut the thread, and in so doing chose when a person died and the manner of that death.

26. ___ lady (doorbell ringer) : AVON
In 1886, a young man called David McConnell was selling books door-to-door. To enhance his sales numbers he was giving out free perfume to the ladies of the houses that he visited. Seeing as his perfume was more popular than his books, he founded the California Perfume Company in New York City and started manufacturing and selling across the country. The company name was changed to Avon in 1939, and the famous “Avon Calling” marketing campaign was launched in 1954.

29. Zodiac borders : CUSPS
The word “cusp” comes from the Latin “cuspis” meaning “spear, point”. In the world of astrology, a cusp is an imaginary line separating two signs of the zodiac. For example, some whose birthday is between April 16 and April 26 is said to have been born “on the cusp” between the signs Aries and Taurus.

30. Amorphous creature : AMEBA
An ameba (or “amoeba” as we spell it back in Ireland) is a single-celled microorganism. The name comes from the Greek “amoibe”, meaning change. The name is quite apt, as the cell changes shape readily as the ameba moves, eats and reproduces.

33. Sinatra standard : MY WAY
The song “My Way” has lyrics that were written by Paul Anka in 1969, but the tune itself was composed two years earlier by Claude François and Jacques Revaux. The song had been released with completely different lyrics in France as “Comme d’habitude” (“As Usual”). When Anka heard the song on television in Paris he sought out and obtained the rights to use it himself, for free. Supposedly, “Comme d’habitude” has been recorded in more languages, by more artists, than any other song in the contemporary repertoire.

Frank Sinatra was the only child of Italian immigrants living in Hoboken, New Jersey. Like so many of our heroes, Sinatra had a rough upbringing. His mother was arrested several times and convicted of running an illegal abortion business in the family home. Sinatra never finished high school, as he was expelled for rowdy conduct. He was later arrested as a youth on a morals charge for carrying on with a married woman, which was an offence back then. But Sinatra straightened himself out by the time he was twenty and started singing professionally.

37. He wrote “Capital is dead labor” : KARL MARX
Karl Marx was a German philosopher and revolutionary who helped develop the principles of modern communism and socialism. Marx argued that feudal society created internal strife due to class inequalities which led to its destruction and replacement by capitalism. He further argued that the inequalities created in a capitalist society create tensions that will also lead to its self-destruction. His thesis was that the inevitable replacement of capitalism was a classless (and stateless) society, which he called pure communism.

38. Orange fruits : KUMQUATS
The kumquat tree bears fruit that looks like a small orange, about the size of an olive. The rind of a kumquat is sweet, and the center sour, so often it is only the rind that is eaten.

40. Posture-improving exercises : YOGA
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 corporeal aspect of the practice plays a relatively small part in the whole philosophy. Other major components are meditation, ethical behavior, breathing and contemplation.

41. Rum named for a Spanish literary hero : DON Q
Don Q is the top-selling rum in Puerto Rico, where it is produced. The brand is named after Miguel Cervantes hero “Don Quixote”. Here in the US, Don Q’s main competitor is Bacardi.

43. Genre pioneered by Miles Davis : NU JAZZ
The jazz musician Miles Davis was born into a relatively affluent family, so he had plenty of music lessons as a child. After high school, Davis studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York but he dropped out before finishing his studies. He stated later that the Juilliard classes focused too much on European and “white” music, but he acknowledged that the school gave him a foundation in music theory that helped him in later life.

44. Popular glass cleaner : WINDEX
The glass cleaner called Windex was introduced in 1933. The formulation sold up to the end of WWII had to be packed in metal cans because it was so flammable.

46. Cousin of a raccoon : COATI
A coati is a member of the raccoon family and is also known as the Brazilian aardvark, or the snookum bear. The coati is native to Central and South America, but can also be found in the southwest of the United States.

47. Keister : DUFF
Back in the early 1900s a keister was a safe or a strongbox. It has been suggested that this term was then used as slang by pickpockets for the rear trouser pocket in which one might keep a wallet. From this usage, keister appeared as a slang term for the buttocks in the early 1930s.

48. Pantyhose shade : ECRU
The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.

50. ___ d’esprit (witticisms) : JEUX
A jeu d’esprit is a light-hearted display of wit, especially one found in literature. The term translates literally from French as “play of wit”.

51. Slanty type: Abbr. : ITAL
Italic type leans to the right. The style is known as “italic” because the stylized calligraphic form of writing originated in Italy, probably in the Vatican.

52. Co-star of Joel in “Cabaret” : LIZA
The actress and singer Liza Minnelli is the daughter of Judy Garland and movie director Vincente Minnelli. Liza won her only Oscar for her lead performance in 1972’s “Cabaret”. She has also won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony, and is one of the very few entertainers to have made that “sweep”.

56. Be a pugilist : BOX
“Pugilism”, another word for “boxing”, comes from the Latin “pugil” meaning “boxer”. In turn, “pugil” derives from “pugnus”, the word for “fist”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Leave at the altar : JILT
5. “___ Stop the Rain” (1970 hit) : WHO’LL
10. “II” movies: Abbr. : SEQS
14. “Whoops!” : OH-OH!
15. Ganja smoker : RASTA
16. Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day org. : USTA
17. Canseco who wrote “Juiced” : JOSE
18. Sweepstakes mail-in : ENTRY
19. Twix units : BARS
20. Paper view? : OP-ED PAGE
22. Step on, as a bug : SQUISH
24. Fun house cries : EEKS
25. Minimum number of times each letter of the alphabet appears in this puzzle’s solution : FOUR
26. Tequila sources : AGAVES
29. Upside-down-sleeping mammal : CAVE BAT
32. Candlelight event, perhaps : VIGIL
33. Softens, as tone : MUTES
34. Hard-to-comb hair : MOP
36. Dove soap shape : OVAL
37. Bandleader Kay : KYSER
38. Foreign Legion hat : KEPI
39. Pince-___ : NEZ
40. Harsh cries : YAWPS
41. Add to a film, as music : DUB IN
42. Women with esposos : SENORAS
44. Lee Ann who sang “I Hope You Dance” : WOMACK
45. Likely to break out into fighting : UGLY
46. Half of dix : CINQ
47. Rihanna’s record label : DEF JAM
50. Yellow blooms : JONQUILS
54. Sch. that publishes the Daily Bruin : UCLA
55. Draw ___ on (aim at) : A BEAD
57. Having a tiff : AT IT
58. Looney Tunes animator ___ Freleng : FRIZ
59. Way to get from point A to point B : ROUTE
60. Tea brand owned by Starbucks : TAZO
61. Mess around (with) : FUTZ
62. Super Bowl played in 2005 : XXXIX
63. Picnic side dish : SLAW

Down
1. Skater Starbuck : JOJO
2. Breakfast restaurant chain : IHOP
3. Mislay : LOSE
4. One to speak of? : THE DEVIL
5. Creates, as havoc : WREAKS
6. Pends : HANGS
7. Bone: Prefix : OSTE-
8. Printer tray size: Abbr. : LTR
9. Stops for a while in the course of a journey : LAYS OVER
10. Many a commuter’s home : SUBURB
11. Morales of “Jericho” : ESAI
12. N.F.L. divs. : QTRS
13. Cummerbund, e.g. : SASH
21. Banana waste : PEEL
23. “Jeopardy!” response: Abbr. : QUES
25. Clotho and sisters : FATES
26. ___ lady (doorbell ringer) : AVON
27. “What ___?” : GIVES
28. Goggle-eyed : AGAZE
29. Zodiac borders : CUSPS
30. Amorphous creature : AMEBA
31. Debate basis : TOPIC
33. Sinatra standard : MY WAY
35. Birth announcement color : PINK
37. He wrote “Capital is dead labor” : KARL MARX
38. Orange fruits : KUMQUATS
40. Posture-improving exercises : YOGA
41. Rum named for a Spanish literary hero : DON Q
43. Genre pioneered by Miles Davis : NU JAZZ
44. Popular glass cleaner : WINDEX
46. Cousin of a raccoon : COATI
47. Keister : DUFF
48. Pantyhose shade : ECRU
49. Move like a hummingbird : FLIT
50. ___ d’esprit (witticisms) : JEUX
51. Slanty type: Abbr. : ITAL
52. Co-star of Joel in “Cabaret” : LIZA
53. Pack in the overhead bin, say : STOW
56. Be a pugilist : BOX

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