0620-15 New York Times Crossword Answers 20 Jun 15, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Kyle T. Dolan
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME:14m 22s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

10. Brienne of ___, “Game of Thrones” protagonist : TARTH
Brienne of Tarth is a female warrior in the George R. R. Martin ”A Song of Ice and Fire” series of books. The characters is played by Gwendoline Christie in the TV adaptation titled “Game of Thrones”.

15. Glutamine, e.g. : AMINO ACID
Amino acids are essential to life in many ways, not least of which is their use as the building blocks of proteins.

17. Architectural features above arches : SPANDRELS
When an arch is enclosed in a rectangle, with the top of the arch touching the top of the rectangle, the resulting two spaces above the arch are known as “spandrels”.

18. Common pie flavor : PECAN
The pecan is the state nut of which state in the Union? Nope, it’s not Georgia, it’s Alabama …

22. Service begun in 1947, for short : USAF
The US Air Force (USAF) is the youngest of the seven uniformed services in this country, having being formed in 1947. Today’s USAF was preceded by:

– Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps (1907-1914)
– Aviation Section, Signal Corps (1914-1918)
– Division of Military Aeronautics (1918)
– US Army Air Service (1918-1926)
– US Army Air Corps (1926-1941)
– US Army Air Forces (1941-1947)

26. B-school grad, perhaps : CPA
A certified public accountant (CPA) might graduate from a business school (B-school).

29. Medical prefix with -scope : ENDO-
An endoscope is an instrument used to make a visual examination of the inside of an organ or cavity of the body.

30. Level, to a Brit : RASE
To “raze” (“rase”, in UK English) is to level to the ground. How odd is it that “raise”, a homophone of “raze”, means to build up??!!

35. Country created by the Treaty of Sèvres, 1920 : IRAQ
The Treaty of Sèvres signed after the end of WWI was more completely and descriptively known as the Treaty of Peace Between the Allied and Associated Powers and the Ottoman Empire. Among other things, the treaty set up the British Mandates of Iraq and Palestine, and the French Mandates of Lebanon and Syria.

37. Tesla, e.g. : SERB
Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia, but later moved to the US. Tesla’s work on mechanical and electrical engineering was crucial to the development of alternating current technology, the same technology that is used by equipment at the backbone of modern power generation and distribution systems.

50. Binge : JAG
The word “jag” is used to describe periods of unrestrained activity, particularly involving alcohol, and has been in use since the 1800s.

54. Subject of the campaign slogan “Fifty-four forty, or fight!” : OREGON
The US participated in tripartite negotiations with imperial powers of Russia and Britain in the 1820s that established a boundary along the line of latitude at 54 degrees, 40 minutes north. Back then, the border separated Russian interests north of the border, and British and American interests to the south. Today, that border separates the US State of Alaska and the Canadian Province of British Columbia. The area south of the border was referred to as the Columbia District by the British, and the Oregon Country by the Americans, with the two nations disputing ownership. In the 1840s, the US Democratic Party took the position that America should annex the entire area, and coined the slogan “Fifty-four Forty or Fight!”.

56. Place in New York City? : PARK
Park Place is a street in Lower Manhattan that crosses Broadway, and is just a few blocks from the World Trade Center.

59. Egyptian god of war : HORUS
Horus was one of the oldest gods in Ancient Egyptian religion. Most often, Horus was depicted as a falcon or a man with a falcon head.

64. Panache : STYLE
Someone exhibiting panache is showing dash and verve, and perhaps has a swagger. “Panache” is a French word used for a plume of feathers, especially in a hat.

65. Social media debut of 2010 : PINTEREST
Pinterest is a free website which can be used to save and manage images (called “pins”) and other media. For some reason, the vast majority of Pinterest users are women.

Down
3. Falls on the border : NIAGARA
The mighty Niagara River flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, and forms part of the border between the US and Canada. The river is only about 35 miles long (so some describe it as a “strait”) and has a drop in elevation of 325 feet along its length, with 165 feet of that drop taking place at Niagara Falls.

4. ___ Wilson, lead singer for Heart : ANN
Heart is a rock band from Seattle, Washington, founded in the seventies and still going strong. The band has had a changing lineup, except for sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson.

5. Brouhaha : TO-DO
“Brouhaha”, meaning “ado, stir”, was a French word that back in the 1550s meant “the cry of the devil disguised as clergy” . Wow!

6. Woolly bear, e.g. : LARVA
The tiger moth is a brightly-colored moth. The young tiger moth is a very hairy caterpillar known as a woolly bear or a woolly worm.

9. Some deadline setters, in brief : EDS
Editor (ed.)

10. With 61-Down, grazing locale : TAPAS
(61. See 10-Down : BAR)
“Tapa” is the Spanish word for “lid”, and there is no clear rationale for why this word came to be used for an appetizer. There are lots of explanations cited, all of which seem to involve the temporary covering of one’s glass of wine with a plate or item of food to either preserve the wine or give one extra space at the table.

14. Like some tattooed hands : HENNAED
Henna has been used for centuries as a dye, not just for leather and wool, but also for the hair and skin. In modern days, henna is also used for temporary tattoos.

21. Bitcoin, e.g. : E-MONEY
Bitcoins are digital units of currency that are used on some Internet sites. Bitcoins are the most popular alternative currency used on the Web today. More and more reputable online retailers are accepting bitcoins, including Overstock.com, Expedia, Dell and Microsoft.

25. Output of Thomas Gray : ODES
Thomas Gray was an 18th-century poet from England. Gray’s most famous work is his “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, which is the source of many oft-quoted phrases, including:

– Celestial fire
– Far from the Madding Crowd
– Kindred spirit

30. Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, e.g. : REBELS
In the “Star Wars” universe, the Rebel Alliance is at war with the Galactic Empire.

32. Capital of Australia’s Northern Territory : DARWIN
Darwin is the capital and largest city in the Northern Territory of Australia. HMS Beagle landed in the area in 1839. A lieutenant on the ship called the location Port Darwin, in honor of the famed naturalist Charles Darwin. Darwin wasn’t on board the Beagle at the time, but he had been on the vessel’s prior voyage.

36. Area of study? : QUAD
A university often features a central quadrangle (quad).

38. Capital of Antigua and Barbuda : ST JOHNS
Antigua is an island in the West Indies, and is the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. These twin islands take their names from the Spanish for “ancient” and “bearded”.

41. 2013 World Series M.V.P., to fans : BIG PAPI
The Dominican American baseball player David Ortiz has the nickname “Big Papi”. After each home run that Ortiz scores, he looks upwards and points to the sky, a tribute to his mother who died in a car crash in 2002 when she was only 46 years old.

44. Jack ___ : DANIEL’S
I used to live in Tennessee, and one weekend took a tour of the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg. After watching all the whiskey being produced, we were brought to a room for “refreshments”. We were given lemonade and no samples of the whiskey were offered, because the distillery is located in Moore County, Tennessee, a dry country …

47. Lighten up : LEAVEN
“To leaven” is to lighten, as in lightening the mood. The term comes from the Latin “levare” meaning “to rise”.

51. Chicago-born choreographer : FOSSE
Bob Fosse won more Tony Awards for choreography than anyone else, a grand total of eight (and another Tony for direction). Fosse also won an Oscar for Best Director for his 1972 movie “Cabaret”, even beating out the formidable Francis Ford Coppola who was nominated that same year for “The Godfather”.

52. ___ Dilfer, Super Bowl XXXV-winning QB : TRENT
Trent Dilfer is a retired NFL quarterback. Dilfer led the Baltimore Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XXXV (at the end of the 2000 season) , defeating the New York Giants 34 to 7.

57. Feminist author Millett : KATE
Kate Miller is a feminist writer, artist and activist who was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. After earning a postgraduate degree at Oxford University, Millett spent most of her working life in New York City. She established the Woman’s Art Colony in Poughkeepsie, New York, which was renamed in her honor in 2012 to the Millett Center for the Arts.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Be successful, well-liked, etc. : WIN AT LIFE
10. Brienne of ___, “Game of Thrones” protagonist : TARTH
15. Glutamine, e.g. : AMINO ACID
16. Informed : AWARE
17. Architectural features above arches : SPANDRELS
18. Common pie flavor : PECAN
19. Lose crunchiness, as breakfast cereal : SOG
20. Speed-skating venue : OVAL
21. Gently enter : EASE IN
22. Service begun in 1947, for short : USAF
24. Truths : AXIOMS
26. B-school grad, perhaps : CPA
27. Rising sea levels, e.g. : PERIL
29. Medical prefix with -scope : ENDO-
30. Level, to a Brit : RASE
31. Introductory course? : SALAD
33. Like “hostess” and “comedienne” : GENDERED
35. Country created by the Treaty of Sèvres, 1920 : IRAQ
37. Tesla, e.g. : SERB
38. It produces a flavorful crust on some meat : STEAK RUB
42. Interest, e.g. : YIELD
45. Old Crayola color akin to Tropical Rain Forest : TEAL
46. Cry : WAIL
48. Bargains for time? : PLEAS
50. Binge : JAG
51. Have ants in one’s pants : FIDGET
53. Untouched? : SANE
54. Subject of the campaign slogan “Fifty-four forty, or fight!” : OREGON
56. Place in New York City? : PARK
58. Man’s nickname composed of three Roman numerals : VIC
59. Egyptian god of war : HORUS
60. Kick back while watching the ball game, say : HAVE A BEER
62. Zeroes : NULLS
63. Hostess offering : OPEN TABLE
64. Panache : STYLE
65. Social media debut of 2010 : PINTEREST

Down
1. “How’s it goin’?” : WASSUP?
2. Is obtrusive : IMPOSES
3. Falls on the border : NIAGARA
4. ___ Wilson, lead singer for Heart : ANN
5. Brouhaha : TO-DO
6. Woolly bear, e.g. : LARVA
7. Scaling tool : ICE AXE
8. Aid in restoring a crown : FILLING
9. Some deadline setters, in brief : EDS
10. With 61-Down, grazing locale : TAPAS
11. Throws for a loop : AWES
12. Pit sight : RACECAR
13. Wander : TRAIPSE
14. Like some tattooed hands : HENNAED
21. Bitcoin, e.g. : E-MONEY
23. Son- or daughter-related : FILIAL
25. Output of Thomas Gray : ODES
28. It’s just for fun : LARK
30. Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, e.g. : REBELS
32. Capital of Australia’s Northern Territory : DARWIN
34. Echoing sound in a cave : DRIP
36. Area of study? : QUAD
38. Capital of Antigua and Barbuda : ST JOHNS
39. Depart in a cloud of dust, perhaps : TEAR OUT
40. On tenterhooks : EAGERLY
41. 2013 World Series M.V.P., to fans : BIG PAPI
43. Stop troubling : LEAVE BE
44. Jack ___ : DANIEL’S
47. Lighten up : LEAVEN
49. Confidence : SECRET
51. Chicago-born choreographer : FOSSE
52. ___ Dilfer, Super Bowl XXXV-winning QB : TRENT
55. Dock figure : GULL
57. Feminist author Millett : KATE
60. Short flight : HOP
61. See 10-Down : BAR

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