0228-14 New York Times Crossword Answers 28 Feb 14, Friday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Modern-day locale of ancient Nineveh : IRAQ
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in modern-day Iraq. The ruins of the city are located just on the other side of the river from the Iraqi city of Mosul. At one time, Nineveh was the largest city in the world.

11. Exceeds the speed limit? : ODS
“Speed” is a slang name for some stimulant drugs, especially amphetamine or methamphetamine.

15. Company with an Energy Boost line : ADIDAS
The brand name Adidas dates back to when Adolf “Adi” Dassler started making his own sports shoes in his mother’s laundry room in Bavaria after returning from WWI. With his brother, Adi founded Dassler shoes. The companies big break came in 1936 at the Berlin Olympics, when Adi persuaded American sprinter Jesse Owens to use his shoes, and with the success of Jesse Owens came success for the fledgling shoe company. After WWII the brothers split, acrimoniously. Adi’s brother, Ru-dolf Da-ssler, formed “Ruda” shoes (later to become Puma), and Adi Das-sler formed “Adidas”.

16. Minim : JOT
“Minim” and “jot” are terms used to describe a small portion.

22. Bouillabaisse seasoning : THYME
In Ancient Greece, thyme was burned as incense and used in baths as it was believed to be a source of courage.

Bouillabaisse is a traditional seafood stew that originated in the port city of Marseille on the Mediterranean coast of France.

26. Mitochondrion-made material, briefly : ATP
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a chemical used in the body to transfer energy for cell-to-cell. One of the main uses of ATP is to shorten muscles, so that they can do work.

Mitochondria are structures found in most living cells. Some called cellular power plants, mitochondria generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s source of chemical energy.

27. Back, to a shellback : AFT
Shellbacks are veteran sailors, specifically sailors who have crossed the equator one or more times.

38. What a tropical tourist definitely doesn’t want to bring home : MALARIA PARASITE
Malaria is a disease passed onto humans by mosquitoes. As a result of the disease, a parasite invades human red blood cells and multiplies causing fever and possibly coma or death. Over 750,000 people died from malaria in 2009, out of 225 million cases reported.

41. Some Windows systems : NTS
Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7; they’re all based on the Windows NT operating system. There is a common perception that Windows NT (WNT) takes its name from VMS, an earlier operating system developed by Digital Equipment Corporation. “WNT” is what’s called a “Caesar cypher” of “VMS”, as you just augment the letters of VMS alphabetically by one to arrive at WNT. Bill Gates disputes this derivation of the name, and in a 1998 interview stated that the NT originally stood for N-Ten and that the marketing folks at Microsoft revised history by changing it to “New Technology”.

42. Shakespeare sonnet mentioning Philomel’s mournful hymns : CII
Philomela (also “Philomel”) is a figure from Greek mythology known as the ‘princess of Athens”. Philomel is a tragic figure, a woman who was raped by the sister’s husband and transforms into a nightingale. Based on the myth, the song of the nightingale is often portrayed as a sorrowful lament. Philomela appears several times in Shakespearean works, including his plays “Titus Andronicus” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and his Sonnet 102 “My love is strengthened, though more week in seeming”.

43. Title for Liszt : ABBE
Franz Liszt was a composer and pianist from Hungary active in the 1800s. As a pianist, Liszt was a true virtuoso, and was regarded by most in his day as the greatest player of all time. In 1859, Liszt’s 20-year old son died, and then three years later his daughter passed away. These events led to him taking up residence in a monastery outside room. He was ordained in 1865, after which he was often referred to as Abbé Liszt.

52. Text with Numbers : TORAH
The Book of Numbers in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles relates much of the journey of Moses and the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land. The title comes from the numbering of the people that is described in the beginning of the book.

55. Carlito’s way : VIA
“Via” is Italian for “by, way”.

58. First name in popular shorts : WALT
Walt Disney (born “Walter Elias Disney”) was one of five children, the son of Elias and Flora Disney. Elias was an Irish Canadian, and Flora was from Ohio.

59. Bond bit : ION
Some chemical bonds are formed between ions.

60. Coors Field player : ROCKIE
Coors Field in Denver is home to the Colorado Rockies MLB team. Coors Field used to give up the most home runs in the league, due to low air density and dry air at Denver’s high elevation. The number of home runs has dropped dramatically since 2002 when officials began to store ball games in a high-humidity environment.

64. Salk Institute architect Louis : KAHN
Louis Kahn was a celebrated architect based in Philadelphia. Among his list of works is the Yale University Art Gallery and the First Unitarian Church in Rochester, New York.

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California was founded in 1960 by Jonas Salk, the virologist who developed the polio vaccine.

Jonas Salk was an American medical researcher, famous for developing the first safe polio vaccine. In the fifties, especially after the 1952 epidemic, polio was the biggest health fear in the US because it killed thousands, left even more with disabilities and most of the victims were children. The situation was dire and the authorities immediately quarantined the family of any polio victim, and that quarantine was so strict that in many cases the families were not even permitted to attend the funeral of a family member who died from the disease.

Down
1. From Galway, say : IRISH
Galway is a city on the west coast of Ireland, the fourth most populous city in the country (after Dublin, Cork and Limerick).

4. Last thing seen by a proof reader? : QED
QED is used at the end of a mathematical proof or a philosophical argument. The QED acronym stands for the Latin “quod erat demonstrandum” meaning “that which was to be demonstrated”.

5. Some Wall Street contracts : CALL OPTIONS
In the world of stock trading, a “call” or “call option” is type of financial contract. The buyer of a call option purchases the right, without obligation, to buy a particular commodity from the seller before a specified date (the expiration date) at a specified price (the strike price).

7. Exist abroad? : VIVRE
“Vivre” is French for “to live”.

10. Squad cmdr. : SSGT
Staff sergeant (SSgt)

11. R&B group with the 1972 hit “Back Stabbers,” with “the” : O’JAYS
The O’Jays are an R&B group from Canton, Ohio. They came together in 1963 as a band of five singers and are still performing today, although now only as a trio. The band took the name of the O’Jays as a tribute to a radio disk jockey called Eddie O’Jay who was big in Cleveland at the time. The biggest hit for the O’Jays is “Love Train”, released in 1972.

12. Proselytizers push it : DOGMA
Proselytism is attempting to convert someone from one religion or opinion to another.

A dogma is a set of beliefs, with the plural being “dogmata” (or “dogmas”, if you’re not a pedant like me!)

27. Singer who’s a Backstreet Boy’s brother : AARON CARTER
Aaron Carter is a singer who became a pre-teen and teen idol about a decade ago. As successful as he was, he had to declare bankruptcy in 2013.

28. Sir James Galway, e.g. : FLAUTIST
James Galway is Ireland’s most famous flute player. Born in Belfast, Galways now lives in Switzerland.

29. Dodgers’ foes : T-MEN
A T-man is a law-enforcement agent of the US Treasury (T is for Treasury).

30. Hindu hero : RAMA
In the Hindu tradition, the god known as Vishnu has seven different avatars i.e. incarnations or manifestations. Rama is the seventh of these avatars.

31. Legions : A LOT
The word “legion” can be used to mean “a large number”.

32. Suffix with Edward : -IANA
Edwardiana is a material related to the Edwardian era.

The Edwardian era in the UK started with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and the succession to the throne of her son, King Edward VII. The period was known for increased interest in women’s suffrage and continued industrial development. The era ended with the death of the king in 1910, and was soon followed by the catastrophe that was the First World War.

33. It’s around 6 on the Mohs scale : OPAL
The Mohs scale of mineral hardness was developed in 1812 by Friedrich Mohs. Basically Mohs took minerals and scratched them with other minerals. In this way he was able to determine which minerals were hardest (most scratch resistant) and which softest.

34. “The Lion King” lion : NALA
In “The Lion King”, Nala is a lioness and the childhood friend of Simba.

The highly successful stage musical “The Lion King” started out life as a 1994 animated feature film of the same name from the Disney studio. The film is the highest earning traditionally-animated feature of all time. The animated film “Finding Nemo” has made more money, but it was created using computer animation.

37. Philatelic goals : SETS
Stamp collectors (philatelists) might purchase a whole pane of stamps.

“Philately” is the more formal name given to the practice of collecting postage stamps. The term “philately” was coined (in French, as “philatélie) in 1864 by French collector Georges Herpin. He came up with it from the Greek “phil-” meaning “loving” and “ateleia” meaning “exemption from tax”. Apparently “exemption from tax” was the closest thing Herpin could find to “postage stamp”.

43. When the first dogwatch ends : AT SIX
In the traditional watch system at sea, the crew is divided into two “teams”, often called the port and starboard watches. Each watch works for four hours and then rests for four hours, works again for four hours and rests etc. As there are six 4-hour periods (also called watches, to confuse!) in every day, and six is an even number, the period from midnight to 4am would have to be stood by the same crew members. As this is the watch that is considered undesirable to many, then a system was devised to rotate responsibilities for fairness. The “dogwatch” is the 4-hour period between 4pm and 8pm and it was split into two 2-hour periods, the first dogwatch and second dogwatch. This resulted in a complement of seven watches in every 24-hour period, an odd number. Consequently, the team attending a particular watch in a day, is replaced by the opposite team on the next day.

44. It’s not a cheap shot : BOTOX
Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The toxin is a protein that can cause botulism, an extremely dangerous illness in humans and animals. Botulinum toxin is sold under the trade name Botox. Botox is used therapeutically and in cosmetic applications to weaken muscles, perhaps muscles that are in uncontrollable spasm. The cosmetic application involves the paralyzing of facial muscles in order to eliminate or reduce wrinkles, at least for a few months.

45. Bombers’ locale : BRONX
The New York Yankees baseball team has the nickname “the Bronx Bombers”. The nickname reflects where the team plays (the Bronx) and the team’s reputation for hitting (bombers).

46. Spelunker’s aid : TORCH
Spelunking is an American term for caving, although the word has Latin roots (“spelunca” is the Latin for “cave”). The term originated in the 1940s in New England when it was adopted by a group of men who explored caves in the area.

48. City with major avenues named Cincinnati and Columbus : XENIA
Xenia, Ohio is in effect a suburb of Dayton. The name “Xenia” is the Greek word for “hospitality”. In terms of population, Xenia is the largest city in the US with a name beginning with the letter X.

49. First name among socialites : IVANA
Ivana Winklmayr was born in Czechoslovakia. Winklmayr was an excellent skier, and was named as an alternate for the 1982 Czech Olympic Team. She was promoting the Montreal Olympics in New York in 1976 when she met Donald Trump. Ivana and Donald’s marriage was very public and well-covered by the media, but not nearly so well as their very litigious divorce in 1990.

50. It means nothing : ZILCH
We use the term “zilch” to mean “nothing”. Our current usage evolved in the sixties, before which the term was used to describe “meaningless speech”. There was a comic character called Mr. Zilch in the 1930s in “Ballyhoo” magazine. Mr. Zilch’s name probably came from the American college slang “Joe Zilch” that was used in the early 1900s for “an insignificant person”.

53. Mann’s man : HERR
In Germany, a “Mr.” (Herr) is married to a “Mrs.” (Frau).

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, in a movie starring Dirk Bogarde.

58. Thai pan : WOK
“Wok” is a Cantonese word, the name for the frying pan now used in many Asian cuisines.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Modern-day locale of ancient Nineveh : IRAQ
5. People down under? : CAVERS
11. Exceeds the speed limit? : ODS
14. Exceed the speed limit, maybe : RACE
15. Company with an Energy Boost line : ADIDAS
16. Minim : JOT
17. Terse admission : I DID
18. It’ll keep a roof over your head : LIVING WAGE
20. Fall, in a way : SIN
21. Like a good lookout : ALERT
22. Bouillabaisse seasoning : THYME
23. They soar at the opera : HIGH NOTES
25. When to do a pressing job : ASAP
26. Mitochondrion-made material, briefly : ATP
27. Back, to a shellback : AFT
29. Investments since 1975 : TRADITIONAL IRAS
38. What a tropical tourist definitely doesn’t want to bring home : MALARIA PARASITE
39. It helps you let go : EMOTIONAL OUTLET
40. Many of them play at the Olympics : NATIONAL ANTHEMS
41. Some Windows systems : NTS
42. Shakespeare sonnet mentioning Philomel’s mournful hymns : CII
43. Title for Liszt : ABBE
46. Gigantic : TEXAS-SIZE
52. Text with Numbers : TORAH
54. Patent : OVERT
55. Carlito’s way : VIA
56. Street view : STOREFRONT
58. First name in popular shorts : WALT
59. Bond bit : ION
60. Coors Field player : ROCKIE
61. Almost never : ONCE
62. Really dirty : XXX
63. Try again : REHEAR
64. Salk Institute architect Louis : KAHN

Down
1. From Galway, say : IRISH
2. Cuts into a pizza, often : RADII
3. Sailing through : ACING
4. Last thing seen by a proof reader? : QED
5. Some Wall Street contracts : CALL OPTIONS
6. Go on ___ : A DIET
7. Exist abroad? : VIVRE
8. Applies polish to? : EDITS
9. Flew : RAN
10. Squad cmdr. : SSGT
11. R&B group with the 1972 hit “Back Stabbers,” with “the” : O’JAYS
12. Proselytizers push it : DOGMA
13. Pickle, e.g. : STEEP
19. Finder’s query : WHAT IS THIS?
21. Like some helmets and shields : ANTI-RIOT
24. Couldn’t hit pitches : HAD A TIN EAR
27. Singer who’s a Backstreet Boy’s brother : AARON CARTER
28. Sir James Galway, e.g. : FLAUTIST
29. Dodgers’ foes : T-MEN
30. Hindu hero : RAMA
31. Legions : A LOT
32. Suffix with Edward : -IANA
33. It’s around 6 on the Mohs scale : OPAL
34. “The Lion King” lion : NALA
35. Get to : RILE
36. “Let me ___!” : AT ‘EM
37. Philatelic goals : SETS
43. When the first dogwatch ends : AT SIX
44. It’s not a cheap shot : BOTOX
45. Bombers’ locale : BRONX
46. Spelunker’s aid : TORCH
47. Conjure : EVOKE
48. City with major avenues named Cincinnati and Columbus : XENIA
49. First name among socialites : IVANA
50. It means nothing : ZILCH
51. All gone : EATEN
53. Mann’s man : HERR
57. Ill-wisher : FOE
58. Thai pan : WOK

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