0905-14 New York Times Crossword Answers 5 Sep 14, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Joe Krozel
THEME: Waiting for Morse … the black squares in today’s grid are Morse code dots and dashes, that spell out the word WAITING:

20D. On hold … or what the seven rows of black squares in this puzzle’s grid spell in Morse code WAITING

W = . _ _
A = . _
I = . .
T = _
I = . .
N = _ .
G = _ _ .

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 22m 24s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

18. 1957 Patrick White novel adapted into a 1986 opera VOSS
“Voss” is a 1957 novel written by Patrick White that tells the tale of a Prussian explorer named Voss, who disappears in the Australian outback in the mid-1800s. “Voss” was adapted into an opera of the same name by Australian composer Richard Meale, with libretto by David Malouf. The opera premiered in 1986 in Adelaide.

19. Comprehends KENS
“Ken” is a noun meaning “understanding, perception”. One might say, for example, “half the clues in Saturday’s crossword are beyond my ken, beyond my understanding”.

24. G.P. grp. HMO
General practitioners (GPs) might work for a health maintenance organization (HMO).

32. Corp. whose name is also its stock symbol ITT
International Telephone & Telegraph (ITT) was formed in 1920 from the Puerto Rico Telephone Company. ITT divested its telecommunications business in 1986, today the company is known for its products in the field of water and fluids management, as well motion and flow control. Many of ITT’s products are sold into the aerospace market.

33. L. Frank Baum princess OZMA
L. Frank Baum wrote a whole series of books about the Land of Oz, and Princess Ozma appears in all of them except the one that’s most famous, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”.

L. Frank Baum (the “L” is for Lyman) was of course famous for writing “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. Writing early in the 20th century, Baum actually described in his books things that had yet to be invented, like television, laptop computers and wireless telephones.

34. Title heroine of a Wagner opera ISOLDE
According to the legend of King Arthur, Tristan was a Knight of the Round Table from Cornwall in the south of England. Tristan was sent by his Cornish king to fetch an Irish princess called Iseult from her homeland, but Tristan and Iseult instead fall in love. Most famously, the couple’s story was retold as the opera “Tristan and Isolde” by Richard Wagner.

35. Ford from the past TORINO
The Torino was produced by Ford from 1968 to 1976. The car took its name from the Italian city of Turin (in Italian, “Torino”), which is home to Italy’s automotive industry. Turin is home to FIAT, Lancia and Alfa Romeo.

46. With 53-Down, many Marcel Duchamp works DADA
Dadaism thrived during and just after WWI, and was an anti-war, anti-bourgeois and anti-art culture. The movement began in Zurich, Switzerland started by a group of artists and writers who met to discuss art and put on performances in the Cabaret Voltaire, frequently expressing disgust at the war that was raging across Europe. According to the Dada Manifesto of 1918:
DADA DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING. Every man must shout: there is great destructive, negative work to be done. To sweep, to clean. Dada means nothing… Thought is produced in the mouth.

Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose works are associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. One of his most celebrated “works” is simply what he called “readymade” art, a urinal which he titled “Fountain”. Even though this work is considered to be “a major landmark in 20th century art”, the original that was submitted for exhibition was never actually displayed and had been lost forever. Replicas were commissioned by Duchamp, and are on display in many museums around the world. I have no further comment …

47. Ray of old pictures ALDO
Aldo Ray started out his Hollywood career playing tough, sexy roles. Ray played “the other man” in a favorite film of mine, “Pat and Mike” starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. He eventually became typecast in less sexy and more tough-guy parts.

48. It’s a mouthful CHAW
“Chaw” is a slang term for a chew, often a plug of tobacco.

51. Silents actress Negri POLA
Pola Negri was a Polish actress, the first star to be invited from Europe to develop a career in Hollywood. Most of her success came in the silent era, but she was able to make the transition to the talkies. Her off-screen life attracted the attention of the gossip columnists who rejoiced in her affairs with the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino.

52. Political machine practice PATRONAGE HIRING
The term “patronage” can be used to describe the practice of a politician giving jobs to those who have supported his or her political campaign or political party.

59. Eugenia Washington (co-founder of the Daughters of the American Revolution), to George Washington GREAT-GRANDNIECE
In order to be a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), an applicant has to prove that she is a descendant of someone closely associated with, and supportive of, the American Revolution. The DAR was founded in 1890, with one of the four co-founders being Eugenia Washington, a great-grandniece of President George Washington.

60. Tumblers STEMLESS GLASSES
A tumbler is another name for a glass. Back in the 1660s a tumbler was a glass with a rounded or pointed base so that it could not be put down without spilling its contents, as it would “tumble” over. The idea was that one had to drink up before putting the glass down.

Down
1. Bruin legend ORR
Bobby Orr is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. By the time he retired in 1978 he had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries. At 31 years of age, he concluded that he just couldn’t skate anymore. Reportedly, he was even having trouble walking …

4. Hymn opener ADESTE
The lovely hymn “Adeste Fideles” (translated from Latin as “O Come, All Ye Faithful”) was written by one John Francis Wade in the 13th century. Well, Wade wrote the original four verses, with four more verses being added over time.

7. Word that is its own synonym when spelled backward PAT
“Pat” and “tap” are synonyms, with both words meaning “strike or stroke lightly”.

9. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Phil NIEKRO
Phil Niekro is a former baseball pitcher. Niekro is famous for the knuckleballs that he threw, and so he earned the nickname “Knucksie”.

10. PepsiCo brand SOBE
The brand name SoBe can be found on teas, juices and bottled waters. SoBe is an abbreviation for South Beach, the neighborhood in Miami Beach, Florida.

12. Fall mos. OCTS
October is the tenth month in our calendar but was the eighth month in the old Roman calendar, hence the name “Octo-ber”. Back then there were only ten months in the year. “Ianuarius” (January) and “Februarius” (February) were then added as the eleventh and twelfth months of the year. Soon after, the year was reset and January and February became the first and second months.

13. D.C. player NAT
The Washington Nationals baseball team started out life as the Montreal Expos in 1969. The Expos moved to Washington in 2005 becoming the Nats. There are only two Major Leagues teams that have never played in a World Series, one being the Mariners and the other the Nats.

14. Like some broody teens EMO
The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. The use of the term “emo” expanded to included fans of the genre, especially young people who wore the emo “uniform” i.e. tight t-shirts and jeans, and dyed black hair. Stereotypical emos are overly sensitive and full of angst.

15. Dash letters RPM
A tachometer takes its name from the Greek word “tachos” meaning “speed”. A tachometer measures engine revolutions per minute (rpm).

Back in the 1800s, “dashboard” was the name given to a “board” placed at the front of a carriage to stop mud from “dashing” against the passengers in the carriage, mud that was kicked up by the hoofs of the horses. Quite interesting …

20. On hold … or what the seven rows of black squares in this puzzle’s grid spell in Morse code WAITING
Samuel Morse didn’t invent Morse code, but it took his name because it was created for use on the electric telegraph, which was invented by him.

Samuel Morse was a very accomplished and reputable painter (he was engaged to paint a portrait of President John Adams, for example). In 1825 Morse was in Washington working on a commissioned painting when he received a one-line letter by horse messenger telling him that his wife was ill. He left immediately for his home in New Haven, Connecticut but by the time that Morse arrived his wife had already died and had been buried. This single event spurred him to move from painting to the development of a rapid means of long distance communication, leading to the single-wire telegraph and Morse code.

21. Pasta ___ (Italian dish, informally) FAZOOL
The Italian dish “pasta e fagioli” is sometimes pronounced as “pasta fazool” here in the US, as “fazool” sounds like the word for “beans” in the Neapolitan language. Pasta e fagioli comprises pasta and beans, cooked with olive oil, garlic, minced onion, spices and stewed tomatoes. There’s a famous line in the Dean Martin classic “That’s Amore” that goes:
When the stars make you drool, just-a like pasta fazool, that’s amore.

23. Much like A LA
The term “in the style of” can be translated in “alla” in Italian and “à la” in French.

25. Alvin Ailey’s field MODERN DANCE
Alvin Ailey was a dancer who formed his own group in New York in 1958, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The most famous work that Ailey choreographed was called “Revelations”.

28. Metric weight TONNE
The “tonne” is also called a “metric ton”, and is equivalent to 1,000 kg. The tonne isn’t an official unit of mass in the metric system, but it is used a lot.

29. One coming out of its shell? CICADA
Cicadas are insects that are found all over the world. Although they resemble locusts, cicadas are an unrelated family. The name “cicada” is Latin and translated as “tree cricket”. However, the name is imitative of the clicking sound the insect makes using parts of its exoskeleton known as “tymbals”.

39. It’s stranded, for short RNA
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

44. Native New Zealanders MAORIS
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 sometime in the late 13th century. The word “māori” simply means “normal”, distinguishing the mortal human being from spiritual entities.

49. Lanford Wilson’s “The ___ Baltimore” HOT L
“The Hot l Baltimore” is a play by Lanford Wilson about the manager and residents of a dilapidated hotel in Baltimore. The play’s name comes from the establishment’s neon sign which is meant to read “Hotel Baltimore”, but the burnt-out “e” in “Hotel” was never replaced.

50. Messenger de Dieu ANGE
In French, an angel (ange) is a messenger from God (de Dieu).

51. ___ colada PINA
“Piña colada” is a Spanish term which translates into “strained pineapple”. The Piña colada cocktail was introduced in the Caribe Hilton San Juan in 1954, and since 1978 it has been the official beverage of Puerto Rico. Yum …

52. “War and Peace” has a lot of them: Abbr. PGS
Pages (pgs.)

I have to confess that I have tried to read Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” twice in my life, and failed both times (it is l-o-n-g). Even though the 1956 movie adaptation runs for 3 1/2 hours, it’s still the easy way out! The film version stars Audrey Hepburn as Natasha Rostova and Henry Fonda as Count Pierre Bezukhov.

57. Blood test letters HDL
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a compound that is used to transport fats around the body. When HDL is combined with (i.e. is transporting) cholesterol, it is often called “good cholesterol”. This is because HDL seems to remove cholesterol from where it should not be, say on the walls of arteries, and transports it to the liver for reuse or disposal. Important stuff …

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is one of the compounds responsible for transporting fats around the body. When LDL is combined with cholesterol it can be referred to as “bad cholesterol”. This is because LDL actually transports cholesterol into the inner walls of blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis.

58. Some appliances, for short GES
The General Electric Company is usually referred to simply as “GE”. One of the precursor companies to GE was Edison General Electric, founded in 1890 by the inventor Thomas Edison. What we know today as GE was formed two years later when Edison merged his company with Charles Coffin’s Thomson-Houston Electric Company. In 1896, GE was selected as one of the 12 companies listed on the newly formed Dow Jones Industrial Average. GE is the only one of the original 12 that is still on that list. I spent over ten years with GE at the beginning of my working career, and in fact it was GE that asked me to transfer to the US back in the 1980s …

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Elderly person on a fixed income OLD AGE PENSIONER
16. Propagandists’ detention site REEDUCATION CAMP
17. Deterioration of standards by competitive forces RACE TO THE BOTTOM
18. 1957 Patrick White novel adapted into a 1986 opera VOSS
19. Comprehends KENS
20. Didn’t clash (with) WENT
21. What a chicken feels FEAR
24. G.P. grp. HMO
27. Diversified investment strategy ASSET ALLOCATION
32. Corp. whose name is also its stock symbol ITT
33. L. Frank Baum princess OZMA
34. Title heroine of a Wagner opera ISOLDE
35. Ford from the past TORINO
37. It’s easy to swallow CAPLET
38. “Beats me” I DUNNO
39. Go outside the calling area, say ROAM
41. Dawg BRO
42. Charging for every little thing NICKEL AND DIMING
45. With 11-Down, become a part of GET
46. With 53-Down, many Marcel Duchamp works DADA
47. Ray of old pictures ALDO
48. It’s a mouthful CHAW
51. Silents actress Negri POLA
52. Political machine practice PATRONAGE HIRING
59. Eugenia Washington (co-founder of the Daughters of the American Revolution), to George Washington GREAT-GRANDNIECE
60. Tumblers STEMLESS GLASSES

Down
1. Bruin legend ORR
2. Heartlessly abandons LEAVES TO DIE
3. Break down DECONSTRUCT
4. Hymn opener ADESTE
5. Courage GUTS
6. Friendly start? ECO-
7. Word that is its own synonym when spelled backward PAT
8. Biblical ending -ETH
9. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Phil NIEKRO
10. PepsiCo brand SOBE
11. See 45-Across IN ON
12. Fall mos. OCTS
13. D.C. player NAT
14. Like some broody teens EMO
15. Dash letters RPM
20. On hold … or what the seven rows of black squares in this puzzle’s grid spell in Morse code WAITING
21. Pasta ___ (Italian dish, informally) FAZOOL
22. Smooth-leaved ___ ELM
23. Much like A LA
24. Some backwoods folks HILLBILLIES
25. Alvin Ailey’s field MODERN DANCE
26. “Just about done” ONE TO GO
28. Metric weight TONNE
29. One coming out of its shell? CICADA
30. “Me too” AS AM I
31. Best TOP
36. Contents of a well INK
39. It’s stranded, for short RNA
40. Head-scratching ODD
43. Televised fights? AD WARS
44. Native New Zealanders MAORIS
48. Pack (in) CRAM
49. Lanford Wilson’s “The ___ Baltimore” HOT L
50. Messenger de Dieu ANGE
51. ___ colada PINA
52. “War and Peace” has a lot of them: Abbr. PGS
53. See 46-Across ART
54. Silkscreen target TEE
55. Oomph GAS
56. Lang. class ENG
57. Blood test letters HDL
58. Some appliances, for short GES

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