0907-13 New York Times Crossword Answers 7 Sep 13, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Julian Lim
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 59m 49s!!
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 … BURJ KHALIFA (Hurj Khalifa), BOWE (Howe)

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. World’s tallest building : BURJ KHALIFA
Burj Khalifa is a spectacular skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the tallest man-made structure in the world, and has been so since the completion of its exterior in 2009. The space in the building came onto the market at a really bad time, during the global financial crisis. The building was part of a US$20 billion development of downtown Dubai that was backed by the city government which had to go looking for a bailout from the neighboring city of Abu Dhabi. The tower was given the name Burj Khalifa at the last minute, apparently as a nod to the UAE president Khalifa bi Zayed Al Nahyan who helped to broker the bailout.

12. Instagram post : PIC
Instagram is a photo-sharing application, one that is extremely popular I hear. Instagram was started in San Francisco in 2010. Facebook purchased Instagram two years later, paying $1 billion. The billion-dollar Instagram had just 13 employees at the time …

16. 7 a.m. staple, briefly : GMA
“Good Morning America” (GMA) is ABC’s morning show, and has been since 1975. There was even a spinoff show called “Good Afternoon America”, although it only lasted for a few months in 2012.

17. They come out of many mouths : WISDOM TEETH
Wisdom teeth are an extra set of molars in the back of the jaws. There are usually four wisdom teeth, and they only occur in about 65% of the population.

18. Protection from pirates: Abbr. : TMS
The red triangle on the label of a bottle of Bass Ale was registered in 1875 and is UK Registered Trade Mark (TM) No: 00001, the first trade mark issued in the world.

22. Guitar maker Fender : LEO
The company that made Fender electric guitars was founded in Fullerton, California in 1946 by Leo Fender.

23. She’s beautiful, per a popular song : AMERICA
When she was 33 years old, Katharine Lee Bates took a train ride from Massachusetts to Colorado Springs. She was so inspired by many of the beautiful sights she saw on her journey that she wrote a poem she called “Pikes Peak”. Upon publication the poem became quite a hit, and several musical works were adapted to the words of the poem, the most popular being a hymn tune composed by Samuel Ward. Bates’s poem and Ward’s tune were published together for the first time in 1910, and given the title “America the Beautiful”.

24. So-called “weekend pill” : CIALIS
Cialis and Viagra are not just brands competing against each other, they also have differing active ingredients. Viagra is a trade name for Sildenafil citrate, and Cialis is tadalafil. Both drugs are used to treat erectile dysfunction, and more recently for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension.

31. Spa treatment, for short : TLC
Tender loving care (TLC)

The word “spa” migrated into English from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a municipality in the east of the country that is famous for its healing hot springs. The name “Spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.

35. Starz alternative : TMC
The Movie Channel is owned by Showtime, which in turn is subsidiary of CBS. The channel’s name is often abbreviated to “TMC”, although this is informal usage.

The Starz premium cable channel is owned by the same company that owns the Encore cable channel. Starz was launched in 1994 and mainly shows movies.

36. Belfast is on its shore : MAINE
Belfast, Maine is located on Penobscot Bay. The Maine city is of course named for Belfast in Northern Ireland.

38. Site of the Sibelius Monument : HELSINKI
Helsinki is the capital city of Finland, and is by far the country’s biggest urban area. In English we tend to stress the “-sink-” in “Helsinki”, whereas the Finns stress the “Hel-”.

Jean Sibelius is the most famous Finnish classical composer, and shall forever be linked with his wonderful symphonic poem, “Finlandia”. Sibelius composed many lovely pieces of music right up until the mid 1920s when he was in his fifties. Despite all his efforts, he wasn’t able to produce any noted works for the last thirty years of his life.

40. Castle’s place, initially : CORNER
The corner piece in the game of chess is a called a rook, a word coming from the Persian word “rokh” meaning a “chariot”. The rook has also been called, perhaps incorrectly, the castle, tower, marquess and rector.

43. Trepanning targets : CRANIA
Trepanning is the surgical procedure in which a hole is drilled into the skull, often to reduce pressure building up within the cranium. Trepanning can be carried out using an instrument known as a trephine. We have been drilling holes in each other’s skulls since prehistoric time, presumably in the hope of curing some sort of disorder related to the head.

44. Some partial appointments : CRONYISM
A crony is a friend or companion. The term originated as slang in Cambridge University in England in the 1600s. “Crony” is probably derived from the Greek “khronios” meaning “long-lasting”.

53. “C’est la vie” : AND SO IT GOES
“C’est la vie” is French for “that’s life”.

54. Co. purchased by Wizards of the Coast : TSR
Dungeons & Dragons is a complex role-playing game first published in 1974, by Tactical Studies Rules Incorporated (TSR). Dungeons & Dragons was probably the first of the modern role-playing games to be developed, and the most successful. It is still played by lots of people today, including my nerdy son …

55. Hail Marys, e.g. : LAST RESORTS
A “Hail Mary pass” is a desperation move in American football in which the a long pass is thrown with very little chance of a success, right at the the end of a game or at the end of a half. The term dates back to thirties, and was probably first used at Notre Dame. The “Hail Mary” is a prayer in the Christian tradition that is of particular significance Roman Catholicism.

Down
1. Champion between Holyfield reigns : BOWE
Riddick Bowe is professional boxer from Brooklyn, New York. Bowe was Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1992. A few years later, Bowe retired from boxing to join the US Marines. However, after just 11 days of basic training Bowe asked to quit, and the Marine Corps came into a lot of criticism for acceding to his request.

Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from Atmore, Alabama. Holyfield was Undisputed World Champion twice over, once as a cruiserweight and then as a heavyweight.

2. It has “batch” and “patch” commands : UNIX
Unix is a computer operating system that was fideveloped rst at Bell Labs in 1969.

I always think of an operating system as that piece of software that sits between the hardware on my computer and the programs that I choose to run. Developers of application programs don’t really have to worry about being able to “talk to” the countless different types of hardware found in the wide variety of computers that are manufactured, they just need to talk to the handful of operating systems that are out there, like Windows, MAC and Unix. The operating system takes care of the rest.

4. Activity with holding and throwing : JUDO
Judo is a martial art from Japan that was developed relatively recently, in 1882. The name “judo” translates as “gentle way”.

5. Singer of the 1987 #1 country hit “Do Ya” : KT OSLIN
Singer K. T. Oslin is best known for her string of country hits in the eighties.

6. Buds : HOMIES
Homie is short for homeboy: someone from one’s home neighborhood.

7. “I shall not find myself so ___ die”: Antony : APT TO
“I shall not find myself so apt to die” is a line 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, who plays a major role in Caesar’s assassination.

10. Bygone yellow-roofed kiosks : FOTOMATS
Fotomat kiosks were small drive-thru locations where customers could drop off photographic film for same-day development. The first kiosk opened in 1965, and around 1980 there were over 4,000 Fotomats all around the US. Most employees were females, known as “Fotomates”. Male employees were called “Fotomacs”.

12. Like every Bond film since 1989 : PG-THIRTEEN
The Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) film-rating system (R, PG-17, G etc.) is purely voluntary and is not backed by any law. Movie theaters agree to abide by the rules that come with the MPAA ratings in exchange for access to new movies.

James Bond was of course the creation of the writer Ian Fleming. Fleming “stole” the James Bond name from an American ornithologist. The number 007 was “stolen” from the real-life, 16th century English spy called John Dee. Dee would sign his reports to Queen Elizabeth I with a stylized “007” to indicate that the reports were for “her eyes only”.

21. Karate trainee in 2010’s “The Karate Kid” : DRE
In the original 1984 movie, the Karate Kid was named Daniel LaRusso, and in the 2010 remake was named Dre Parker.

The 1984 film “The Karate Kid” starred Ralph Macchio in the title role, with Pat Morita playing the enigmatic karate teacher Mr. Miyagi. There is an excellent 2010 remake, starring Jaden Smith (Will Smith’s son) as the Karate Kid himself, with Jackie Chan playing the teacher.

23. Agatha Christie’s “There Is ___ …” : A TIDE
“Taken at the Flood” is a Hercule Poirot mystery written by Agatha Christie. The book was first published in 1948 with the original title “”There is a Tide …”

24. Is unable to cut the mustard : CAN’T HACK IT
The expression “to cut the mustard” means “to meet expectations”. Apparently, the
the origins of the expression are unclear, but some suggest it may come from the phrase “cut the muster”. But “cut the muster” has a very different meaning: to not turn up for a military parade. I’ve also heard people use “cut the mustard” and “not pass muster” interchangeably. It’s all so confusing …

25. Form of strength training : ISOMETRICS
The word “isometric” comes from Greek, and means “having equal measurement”. Isometric exercise is a resistance exercise in which the muscle does not change in length (and the joint angle stays the same). The alternative would be dynamic exercises, ones using the joint’s full range of motion.

27. Fast flight : LAM
To be “on the lam” is to be in flight, to have escaped from prison. “On the lam” is American slang that originated at the end of the 19th century. The word “lam” also means to “beat” or “thrash”, as in “lambaste”. So “on the lam” might derive from the phrase “to beat it, to scram”.

28. One in a religious majority : SUNNI
The Islamic sects of Sunni and Shia Muslims differ in the belief of who should have taken over leadership of the Muslim faithful after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Followers of the Sunni tradition agree with the decision that the Prophet Muhammad’s confidante Abu Bakr was the right choice to become the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. Followers of the Shia tradition believe that leadership should have stayed within the Prophet Muhammad’s own family.

30. Brand on a face : SEIKO
Seiko Epson is a Japanese company, one of the largest manufacturers of printers in the world. The company has its roots in the watch business, roots that go back to 1942. Seiko was chosen as the official timekeeper for the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and was asked to supply a timer that produced a printed record. This request brought Seiko into the business of printer production. The company developed the world’s first mini-printer for the 1964 Games and called it EP-101 (EP standing for Electronic Printer). In 1975 Seiko introduced the next generation of EP printers which was called EPSON, from “SON of EP”. Cute, huh?

33. Largest river of southern California : SANTA ANA
The Santa Ana River rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and empties into the Pacific Ocean 96 miles downstream. The Santa Ana is the largest river in Southern California.

34. Norah Jones’s “Tell ___ Mama” : YER
The beguiling Norah Jones is the daughter of famous sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, and is one of my favorite singers. If you haven’t heard Jones sing “Come Away with Me”, you just haven’t lived …

37. “Holy” group in 17th-century literature : SONNETS
The “Holy Sonnets” are a group of Nineteen poems by John Donne.

John Donne is one of England’s most celebrated poets, working at the start of the 17th century. He spent much of his life in poverty and even spent a short time in prison for having married his wife without procuring the appropriate permissions. After his release, his wife bore him 12 children in 16 years, passing away a few days after the twelfth child was born.

40. Ill-paid laborer : COOLIE
Back in the 1800s, a “coolie” was an Asian slave or poorly-paid manual laborer. “Coolie” was mainly used on the Indian subcontinent, and over time has become an offensive term.

45. ___ Sant’Gria (wine choice) : YAGO
Yago Sant’Gria is a brand name of bottled sangria.

Sangria is red wine punch, usually associated with Portugal and Spain. Recipes for sangria vary, but almost all include a robust red wine, sliced fruit, something sweet (e.g. orange juice, sugar), a spirit (e.g. brandy, triple sec), carbonated water or perhaps 7up, and ice. The drink is named for its color, as “sangre” is the Spanish for blood.

46. Servant in the “Discworld” novels : IGOR
“Discworld” is a series of comic books written by Terry Pratchett. The title refers to world that is a flat disc that sits on the backs of four elephants, which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle.

47. Kind of pudding : SUET
Fat, when extracted from the carcass of an animal, is called “suet”. Untreated suet decomposes at room temperature quite easily so it has to be “rendered” or purified to make it stable. Rendered fat from pigs is what we call “lard”. Rendered beef or mutton fat is known as “tallow”.

51. Both Barack and Michelle Obama have them: Abbr. : JDS
The law degree abbreviated to J.D. stands for Juris Doctor.

Michelle Obama nee Robinson grew up on the South Side of Chicago and is sister to Craig Robinson, the coach of men’s basketball at Oregon State University. After graduating from Harvard Law School, Michelle Robinson worked as an associate at the Chicago office of the Sidley Austin law firm. Barack Obama joined the firm as a summer associate and Michelle Robinson was assigned to mentor him, and as they say, one thing led to another …

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. World’s tallest building : BURJ KHALIFA
12. Instagram post : PIC
15. One way to cruise along : ON AUTOPILOT
16. 7 a.m. staple, briefly : GMA
17. They come out of many mouths : WISDOM TEETH
18. Protection from pirates: Abbr. : TMS
19. Sets forth thoroughly : EXPOSITS
20. Trite : OLD-HAT
22. Guitar maker Fender : LEO
23. She’s beautiful, per a popular song : AMERICA
24. So-called “weekend pill” : CIALIS
28. Like some liquor stores : STATE-RUN
29. Like 30-Down : ASIAN
30. Room at the top, maybe : SUITE
31. Spa treatment, for short : TLC
32. Unsurprising outcome : NORM
33. Radios, e.g. : SENDS
34. “Sweet!” : YEAH!
35. Starz alternative : TMC
36. Belfast is on its shore : MAINE
37. Mind : SEE TO
38. Site of the Sibelius Monument : HELSINKI
40. Castle’s place, initially : CORNER
41. Took up some of : ATE INTO
42. Big time : EON
43. Trepanning targets : CRANIA
44. Some partial appointments : CRONYISM
49. Blood : KIN
50. Big time : MAJOR-LEAGUE
52. It may be cracked or packed : ICE
53. “C’est la vie” : AND SO IT GOES
54. Co. purchased by Wizards of the Coast : TSR
55. Hail Marys, e.g. : LAST RESORTS

Down
1. Champion between Holyfield reigns : BOWE
2. It has “batch” and “patch” commands : UNIX
3. Not be smooth-talking? : RASP
4. Activity with holding and throwing : JUDO
5. Singer of the 1987 #1 country hit “Do Ya” : KT OSLIN
6. Buds : HOMIES
7. “I shall not find myself so ___ die”: Antony : APT TO
8. Fictional accounts : LIES
9. Text attachment? : -ILE
10. Bygone yellow-roofed kiosks : FOTOMATS
11. Forward, back or center : ATHLETE
12. Like every Bond film since 1989 : PG-THIRTEEN
13. Virginal : IMMACULATE
14. Moor : CAST ANCHOR
21. Karate trainee in 2010’s “The Karate Kid” : DRE
23. Agatha Christie’s “There Is ___ …” : A TIDE
24. Is unable to cut the mustard : CAN’T HACK IT
25. Form of strength training : ISOMETRICS
26. It’ll help you breathe easier : AIR CLEANER
27. Fast flight : LAM
28. One in a religious majority : SUNNI
30. Brand on a face : SEIKO
33. Largest river of southern California : SANTA ANA
34. Norah Jones’s “Tell ___ Mama” : YER
36. Not amounting to much : MINIMAL
37. “Holy” group in 17th-century literature : SONNETS
39. Something to beg pardon for : SIN
40. Ill-paid laborer : COOLIE
42. Something to beg pardon for : ERROR
44. Not be gratuitous : COST
45. ___ Sant’Gria (wine choice) : YAGO
46. Servant in the “Discworld” novels : IGOR
47. Kind of pudding : SUET
48. Whole bunch : MESS
51. Both Barack and Michelle Obama have them: Abbr. : JDS

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