0209-15 New York Times Crossword Answers 9 Feb 15, Monday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
11. E.R. procedure : CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has for decades involved the simultaneous compression of the chest to pump blood using the heart, and artificial respiration by blowing air into the lungs. Nowadays emergency services are placing more emphasis on heart compressions, and less on artificial respiration.

15. Animals in a yoke : OXEN
A yoke is that wooden beam used between a pair of oxen so that they are forced to work together.

16. ___-Ida (frozen potato brand) : ORE
Ore-Ida frozen foods are all made with potatoes. The company is located in Oregon, just across the border from Idaho. “Ore-Ida” is a melding of the two state names.

17. Expensive annual commercial : SUPER BOWL AD
The Super Bowl is used for high-profile advertising because of the high viewership numbers. For example, Super Bowl XLV (2011) had an average audience of 111 million viewers, making it the most-watched American TV program in history.

19. Get-up-and-go : VIM
“Vim” and “pep” are words that both mean “energy” and “power”.

20. One trained in 11-Across, for short : EMT
Emergency medical technician (EMT)

23. Feature of a Dalmatian’s coat : SPOT
The Dalmatian breed of dog originated in Dalmatia, in the Republic of Croatia. Here in the US, Dalmatians are known as “firehouse dogs”. This association dates back to the use of Dalmatians in firehouses to guard the valuable horses that pulled the fire engines.

29. Gap crossed by a nerve impulse : SYNAPSE
A synapse is a junction between a nerve cell and another cell over which an electrical or chemical signal can pass.

33. Harper who wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird” : LEE
Nelle Harper Lee is an author from Monroeville, Alabama. Lee wrote only one novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and yet that contribution to the world of literature was enough to earn her the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Pulitzer Prize. Harper Lee was a close friend of fellow author Truman Capote who was the inspiration for the character named “Dill” in her novel. Lee is all over the news right now as she announced in February 2015 that she will publish a second novel in July 2015. The title is “Go Set a Watchman”, and is a work that she wrote before “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

34. Cassini who was dubbed Jackie Kennedy’s “Secretary of Style” : OLEG
Oleg Cassini, the French-born American fashion designer, had two big names particularly associated with his designs. In the sixties he produced the state wardrobe for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and he was also the exclusive designer for Hollywood’s Gene Tierney, who was Cassini’s second wife.

36. New Jersey home to two New York teams : MEADOWLANDS
The Meadowlands Sports Complex, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, has three venues: the MetLife Stadium (home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets football teams), the Meadowlands Racetrack (for horse racing), and the Izod Center (former home to the New Jersey Nets basketball team).

39. Alien’s transport, for short : UFO
Unidentified flying object (UFO)

41. Valentine’s feeling : LOVE
Saint Valentine’s Day was chosen by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD to honor various martyrs with the name Valentine. However, the saints’ day was dropped by the Roman Catholic church in 1969, by Pope Paul VI. Try telling that to Hallmark though …

42. Debussy’s “La ___” : MER
“La Mer” is a lovely group of three symphonic sketches for orchestra by the French composer Claude Debussy. Listen to it, and you can feel yourself at the ocean. “La Mer” is French for “The Sea”.

Claude Debussy is one of my favorite composers, one who epitomises the Romantic Era and Impressionist Movement in music. One of my favorite CDs is a collection of some “lighter” Debussy pieces called “Debussy for Daydreaming”, and what an evocative collection it is. Included are “Syrinx”, “Maid with the Flaxen Hair”, “Rêverie” and everyone’s favorite, “Clair de Lune”.

43. Big name in hair care : PANTENE
The hair care product line called Pantene was introduced in the late 1940s in Europe, but has been owned by Procter & Gamble since the 80s. The name “Pantene” was chosen as one of the main ingredients was the alcohol called panthenol.

45. Resting place for a pharaoh : PYRAMID
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and yet it is the only one of the Wonders that is basically intact today. Egyptologists believe that the structure took ten to twenty years to complete, and that it dates back to around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest man-made structure in the world for nearly 3,900 years, until it was surpassed by Lincoln Cathedral in England in 1311 AD.

49. Typical prom concluder : SLOW DANCE
A prom is a formal dance held upon graduation from high school (we call them “formals” over in Ireland). The term “prom” is short for “promenade”, the name given to a type of dance or ball.

52. Org. for the Williams sisters : USTA
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national organization governing the sport of tennis in the US. The USTA was founded way back in 1881 as the United States National Lawn Tennis Association.

Venus Williams is the older of the two Williams sisters playing professional tennis. In 2002, Williams became the first black woman to earn the World No. 1 ranking by the Women’s Tennis Association.

Serena Williams is the younger of the two Williams sisters playing professional tennis. Serena has won more prize money in her career than any other female athlete.

56. “Get ___ to the Greek” (2010 comedy) : HIM
“Get Him to the Greek” is a 2010 comedy film starring Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. The movie is a spin-off of the 2008 film “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” in which Brand also plays the wild rock star Aldous Snow. Jonah Hill also appeared in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, but in the later film portrays a different character. In “Get Him to the Greek”, Hill plays talent scout Aaron Hill, whose job is to escort Aldous Snow from London to his scheduled performance in the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

57. ___ de Janeiro : RIO
Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil (after São Paulo). “Rio de Janeiro” translates as “January River”. The name reflects the discovery of the bay on which Rio sits, on New Years Day in 1502.

58. Popular children’s book series … whose protagonist is “hiding” in the circled letters : WHERE’S WALDO?
The reference is to the series of children’s illustrated books called “Where’s Waldo?”, originally titled “Where’s Wally?” in Britain where the books originated. The book contains page after page of illustrations with crowds of people surrounding famous landmarks from around the world. The challenge is to find Waldo/Wally, who is hidden in the crowd.

62. Title for Powell or Petraeus: Abbr. : GEN
Colin Powell was the first African American to serve as US Secretary of State. Earlier in his career, Powell had been a four-star general in the US Army, as well as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War. Even though Colin Powell has retired from public service, he is one of the most noted moderate Republicans, often advocating support for centrist and liberal causes.

General David Petraeus retired from the US military in 2011 after a very distinguished 38-year career. He then took over as the Director of the CIA under President Obama. However, Petraeus resigned from the post just over a year later when it was revealed that he had conducted an extramarital affair with Paula Bradwell, the author of his biography.

63. “Othello” evildoer : IAGO
Iago is the schemer in Shakespeare’s “Othello”. Iago is a soldier who fought alongside Othello and feels hard done by, missing out on promotion. He hatches a plot designed to discredit his rival Cassio by insinuating that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona, Othello’s wife. By the end of the play it’s Iago himself who is discredited and Othello (before committing suicide) apologizes to Cassio for having believed Iago’s lies. Heavy stuff …

Down
3. World’s top-selling brand of 9-Down : LIPTON
Sir Thomas Lipton was a grocer in Glasgow, Scotland. He founded a tea packing company in North America in 1893, in Hoboken, New Jersey. He was very successful as his blends of tea became popular in the US. Despite the Lipton roots in the UK, Lipton black tea isn’t available there, so I’ve always thought of it as an American brand.

5. Rainproof cover : TARP
Originally, tarpaulins (tarps) were made from canvas covered in tar that rendered the material waterproof. The word “tarpaulin” comes from “tar” and “palling”, with “pall” meaning “heavy cloth covering”.

6. Italian site of Napoleon’s exile : ELBA
Napoleon was sent into exile twice. A coalition of European powers sent him to the island of Elba in Tuscany in 1814, only for him to escape after a year and return to power. After Wellington defeated him at Waterloo, Napoleon was dispatched to the British-owned island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic, where he spent the last six years of his life.

8. Rock’s ___ Rose : AXL
Axl Rose is the lead vocalist of the American rock band, Guns N’ Roses.

Guns N’ Roses is a hard rock band founded in 1985 that is still going strong. The group was pulled together by Axl Rose, the lead vocalist. The lead-guitar player back then was Tracii Guns, and it was the combination of Axl and Tracii’s “family” names that led to the band being called Guns N’ Roses.

9. Earl Grey, e.g. : TEA
The Earl Grey blend of tea is supposedly named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey who was Prime Minister of the UK from 1830 to 1834. Earl Grey tea has a distinctive flavor that is largely due to the addition of oil from the rind of the bergamot orange.

10. Bottom of the ninth, usually : END
Baseball games usually end after the ninth inning.

12. Books for beginning readers : PRIMERS
A “primer” is a textbook used to teach the alphabet and basic reading. When “primer” is used in this sense in the US, it is pronounced with a short i (“primmer”). I’ve never understood why such a pronunciation would be used …

22. Yoga surface : MAT
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.

24. Offering from the Brothers Grimm : TALE
The Brothers Grimm (Jacob and Wilhelm) were two German academics noted for collecting and publishing folk tales. Among the tales in their marvelous collection are “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella”.

28. German composer of “Tristan und Isolde” : WAGNER
Richard Wagner was born in the Jewish quarter of Leipzig in 1813. Decades later, Wagner became known not only for writing magnificent music, but also for his anti-semitic views and writings.

“Tristan und Isolde” is an epic opera by Richard Wagner (Wagner … not one of my favorites!). Many see it as the first serious move away from the traditional harmony and tonality of the classical and romantic eras.

31. Arizona city known for its red sandstone : SEDONA
The city of Sedona is noted for its location amid an array of red sandstone rock formations, which are particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset. Sedona was named after the wife of the city’s first postmaster, one Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly.

40. Part of Tootsie or Mrs. Doubtfire’s costume : FALSIES
Falsies are shaped pads worn inside a bra to make the breasts appear larger. A more extreme pair of falsies can be worn by male performers in drag.

“Tootsie” is a hilarious 1982 comedy starring Dustin Hoffman in the title role, a male actor who adopts a female identity in order to land an acting job. Jessica Lange won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in the film. “Tootsie” was also provided Geena Davis with her first movie role.

The 1993 comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire” is based on a 1987 novel called “Madame Doubtfire” by Anne Fine. The movie is set and was filmed in San Francisco. The title role is played by Robin Williams who spent most of the movie dressed as the female Mrs. Doubtfire. Perhaps not surprisingly, the movie won the Oscar for Best Makeup.

44. Onetime carrier with a hub at JFK : TWA
Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a big carrier in the US, but was perhaps even more recognized for its extensive presence in Europe and the Middle East. For many years, especially after the collapse of Pan-Am, TWA was considered the unofficial flag carrier for the US. The company started in 1930, the product of a forced merger of Transcontinental Air Transport and Western Air Express. The Transcontinental and Western Air that resulted (the original meaning of the acronym TWA) was what the Postmaster General wanted, a bigger airline to which the Postal Service could award airmail contracts.

45. Retired Brazilian soccer sensation : PELE
Pelé is the nickname of Edson de Nascimento, a soccer player who has used the name Pelé for most of his life. Pelé is now retired, and for my money was the world’s greatest ever player of the game. He is the only person to have been part of three World Cup winning squads, and is a national treasure in his native Brazil.

46. Composer Gustav : MAHLER
I’m still trying to keep an open mind when it comes to the music of Gustav Mahler, but I find it hard to appreciate. Mahler was an Austrian composer, active in the late-Romantic period. During his own lifetime he was most notable as a conductor, and his compositions gained in popularity only after his death in 1911. Mahler’s music was banned as “degenerate” during the Nazi Era, as Mahler was Jewish.

50. Tree that yields a chocolate substitute : CAROB
The carob is a tree or shrub in the pea family, mainly grown for its seed pods. The carob seeds are dried or roasted, and when powdered or chipped make a good substitute for chocolate.

54. Capri, for one : ISLE
The island of Capri off the coast of Southern Italy has been a tourist resort since the days of ancient Rome. Capri is home to the famous Blue Grotto, a sea cave that is illuminated with sunlight that’s colored blue as it passes through the seawater into the cave. Natives of Capri are known as Capriotes.

55. Chocolate-and-caramel candy bar : TWIX
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.

59. “2001” computer : HAL
In Arthur C. Clarke’s “Space Odyssey” (famously adapted for the big screen as “2001: A Space Odyssey”) the computer system that went rogue was called HAL 9000, or simply “HAL”. HAL stands for Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer. Even though, Clarke denied it, there’s a good argument that can be made that the acronym HAL is a veiled reference to IBM, the big player in the world of computing at the time of the novel’s publication (1968). The acronym HAL is just a one-letter shift from the initials “IBM”.

60. Freudian “I” : EGO
Sigmund Freud created a structural model of the human psyche, breaking it into three parts: the id, the ego, and the super-ego. The id is that part of the psyche containing the basic instinctual drives. The ego seeks to please the id by causing realistic behavior that benefits the individual. The super-ego almost has a parental role, contradicting the id by introducing critical thinking and morals to behavioral choices.

61. Madison in N.Y.C., e.g. : AVE
Madison Avenue became the center of advertising in the US in the twenties, and serves as the backdrop to the great TV drama “Mad Men”. There aren’t many advertising agencies left on Madison Avenue these days though, as most have moved to other parts of New York City.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Recently : OF LATE
7. Loathe : HATE
11. E.R. procedure : CPR
14. Like many white gowns : BRIDAL
15. Animals in a yoke : OXEN
16. ___-Ida (frozen potato brand) : ORE
17. Expensive annual commercial : SUPER BOWL AD
19. Get-up-and-go : VIM
20. One trained in 11-Across, for short : EMT
21. Breathe hard, as after running : PANT
22. Note from a co-worker : MEMO
23. Feature of a Dalmatian’s coat : SPOT
25. What may be poured on a bad idea : COLD WATER
29. Gap crossed by a nerve impulse : SYNAPSE
32. Eloquent speakers : ORATORS
33. Harper who wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird” : LEE
34. Cassini who was dubbed Jackie Kennedy’s “Secretary of Style” : OLEG
35. “___ your head!” : USE
36. New Jersey home to two New York teams : MEADOWLANDS
39. Alien’s transport, for short : UFO
41. Valentine’s feeling : LOVE
42. Debussy’s “La ___” : MER
43. Big name in hair care : PANTENE
45. Resting place for a pharaoh : PYRAMID
49. Typical prom concluder : SLOW DANCE
51. Cross a shallow stream, say : WADE
52. Org. for the Williams sisters : USTA
53. Landed : ALIT
56. “Get ___ to the Greek” (2010 comedy) : HIM
57. ___ de Janeiro : RIO
58. Popular children’s book series … whose protagonist is “hiding” in the circled letters : WHERE’S WALDO?
62. Title for Powell or Petraeus: Abbr. : GEN
63. “Othello” evildoer : IAGO
64. Like some help and boyfriends : LIVE-IN
65. Opposite of WNW : ESE
66. Gunky lump : GLOB
67. Applies, as pressure : EXERTS

Down
1. Preoccupy and then some : OBSESS
2. Dowdy : FRUMPY
3. World’s top-selling brand of 9-Down : LIPTON
4. Fruity drink suffix : -ADE
5. Rainproof cover : TARP
6. Italian site of Napoleon’s exile : ELBA
7. Book genre for do-it-yourselfers : HOW-TO
8. Rock’s ___ Rose : AXL
9. Earl Grey, e.g. : TEA
10. Bottom of the ninth, usually : END
11. Greedy : COVETOUS
12. Books for beginning readers : PRIMERS
13. Guilty feeling : REMORSE
18. In the past : ONCE
22. Yoga surface : MAT
24. Offering from the Brothers Grimm : TALE
26. Lounge lazily : LOLL
27. Utterly marvelous : DREAMY
28. German composer of “Tristan und Isolde” : WAGNER
30. Rang out : PEALED
31. Arizona city known for its red sandstone : SEDONA
34. Have to fork over : OWE
36. Droning speech quality : MONOTONE
37. Pizzeria fixture : OVEN
38. Take from the deck : DRAW
39. Rapid increase : UPSURGE
40. Part of Tootsie or Mrs. Doubtfire’s costume : FALSIES
44. Onetime carrier with a hub at JFK : TWA
45. Retired Brazilian soccer sensation : PELE
46. Composer Gustav : MAHLER
47. Exultant cry : I DID IT!
48. Fiends : DEMONS
50. Tree that yields a chocolate substitute : CAROB
54. Capri, for one : ISLE
55. Chocolate-and-caramel candy bar : TWIX
58. Part of Tootsie or Mrs. Doubtfire’s costume : WIG
59. “2001” computer : HAL
60. Freudian “I” : EGO
61. Madison in N.Y.C., e.g. : AVE

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