0217-16 New York Times Crossword Answers 17 Feb 16, Wednesday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Derby sound : NEIGH
Our use of the word “derby” to mean a race started in 1780 with the English Derby horse race, which was founded then by the 12th Earl of Derby. Ultimately, the term “derby” derives from the old English shire of “Deorby”, a word meaning “deer village”.

14. Golfer Palmer, to fans : ARNIE
Arnold Palmer is one of the greats of the world of golf. Palmer is very popular with many fans of the game, and his followers are usually referred to as “Arnie’s Army”. Off the course, Palmer was an avid pilot, but is now retired from flying. He resides in Latrobe, Pennsylvania for much of the year and the local airport is named in his honor: Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

15. ___ Romeo : ALFA
The “Alfa” in Alfa Romeo is actually an acronym, standing for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (“Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company”). ALFA was an enterprise founded in 1909 and which was taken over by Nicola Romeo in 1915. In 1920 the company name was changed to Alfa Romeo.

16. HBO hit starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus : VEEP
“Veep” is a political satire sitcom on HBO that is a remake of the British show “The Thick of It”. “Veep” is set in the office of a fictional Vice President of the United States played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Actress and comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus is an alum of the sketch show “Saturday Night Live”, in which she appeared from 1982 to 1985. Her really big break came when she was chosen to play Elaine Benes on “Seinfeld”. More recently, Louis-Dreyfus can be seen playing Vice President Selina Meyer on the HBO comedy show “Veep”.

17. Cuddly-looking “bear” : KOALA
The koala bear really does look like a little bear, but it’s not even closely related. The koala is an arboreal marsupial and a herbivore, native to the east and south coasts of Australia. Koalas aren’t primates, and are one of the few mammals other than primates who have fingerprints. In fact, it can be very difficult to tell human fingerprints from koala fingerprints, even under an electron microscope. Male koalas are called “bucks”, females are “does”, and young koalas are “joeys”. I’m a little jealous of the koala, as it sleeps up to 20 hours a day …

20. Informant trapped after an icy storm? : EDWARD SNOWED IN (from “Edward Snowden”)
Edward Snowden is a former NSA contractor who leaked several top secret NSA documents to the media beginning in June 2013. After disclosing his name as the source of the leaks, Snowden tried to seek asylum in Ecuador. While travelling to Ecuador he had a layover in Moscow. While in Moscow, the US government revoked his passport, which effectively left him stranded in the transit area of Moscow Airport. The Russian government eventually granted him annually-renewable temporary asylum.

23. Twisted Sister frontman Snider : DEE
Dee Snider is the frontman from the heavy metal band Twisted Sister from Long Island, New York. Not my kind of music …

26. Actress with an icy stare? : JODIE FROSTER (from “Jodie Foster”)
The wonderful Jodie Foster got her big break in movies early in her life, playing a very young prostitute in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film “Taxi Driver”. Sadly, her appearance in “Taxi Driver” led to her being stalked by an obsessed John Hinckley, Jr. Hinckley called Foster on the phone, sent her love letters, and followed her on campus while she was attending Yale. In 1981, Hinckley famously shot and wounded President Reagan, claiming that he believed an assassination of the President would impress Foster.

34. Mary Lincoln’s maiden name : TODD
Mary Todd moved in the best of the social circles in Springfield, Illinois and there met the successful lawyer, Abraham Lincoln. The path to their marriage wasn’t exactly smooth, as the engagement was broken once but reinstated, with the couple eventually marrying in 1842.

35. Treasure on the Spanish Main : ORO
“Oro” is Spanish for “gold”.

When one thinks of the word “main” in the context of the sea, the Spanish Main usually comes to mind. Indeed, the use of the more general term “main”, meaning the sea, originates from the more specific “Spanish Main”. “Spanish Main” originally referred to land and not water, as it was the name given to the mainland coast around the Caribbean Sea in the days of Spanish domination of the region.

36. Chicago mayor Emanuel : RAHM
The current Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, was an Illinois representative in the US House before resigning to take up President Obama’s offer to become the White House Chief of Staff.

37. “Weekend Update” co-anchor Michael : CHE
Michael Che is a standup comedian from New York City. Che had worked as a writer for “Saturday Night Live” (SNL), and started to appear in front of SNL cameras in September 1914 as co-anchor for the “Weekend Update” segment of the show.

38. “Two for me. None for you” 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.

39. Pronoun in several Beatles titles : SHE
Oh, I’d say that “several” is a bit of an understatement …

40. Basilica part : APSE
The apse of a church or cathedral is a semicircular recess in an outer wall, usually with a half-dome as a roof and often where there resides an altar. Originally apses were used as burial places for the clergy and also for storage of important relics.

In its modern usage, the term “basilica” applies to a Roman Catholic church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope.

42. Like a trampoline : BOUNCY
The first modern trampoline was developed in 1936. The apparatus was given its name from the Spanish “trampolín” meaning “diving board”. Trampolines were used during WWII in the training of pilots, to give them exposure to some spatial orientations that would be encountered during flight. Trampolines were also used by astronauts training in the space flight program.

49. Grp. concerned with global warming : EPA
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

52. Next Republican nominee after Dwight D. Ice in Shower left office? : BARRY COLDWATER (from “Barry Goldwater”)
After receiving a note from a kind blog reader, I had to think about the accuracy of this clue, the suggestion being that Richard Nixon was the nominee following Dwight Eisenhower. But, the clue reads “after (Eisenhower) left office”. Eisenhower was president until January 1961. Richard Nixon was the unsuccessful nominee in 1960. The first Republican nominee after Eisenhow left office was Barry Goldwater, in 1964.

Barry Goldwater was a five-term US Senator for the state of Arizona noted for this right-wing positions. He was known for a while as “Mr. Conservative”, something that didn’t help him with the electorate in the 1964 race for the White House as he lost to the incumbent President Johnson in a landslide. In fact, the only non-Southern state that Goldwater carried was his native Arizona.

56. Garment usually with two buttons : POLO
René Lacoste was a French tennis player who went into the clothing business, and came up with a more comfortable shirt that players could use. This became known as a “tennis shirt”. When it was adopted for use in the sport of polo, the shirts also became known as “polo shirts”. And then the “golf shirt” is basically the same thing.

57. Chutzpah : GALL
Our word “chutzpah” meaning “nerve, gall, impudence” is derived from the Yiddish “khutspe”, which has the same meaning.

58. Part of a drum kit : HI-HAT
In a drum kit, a hi-hat is that pairing of cymbals that sits on a stand and is played by using a foot pedal. The top cymbal is raised and lowered by the foot, hence creating a crashing sound.

59. Ticklish “Sesame Street” character : ELMO
The man behind/under the character Elmo on “Sesame Street” is Kevin Clash. If you want to learn more about Elmo and Clash, you can watch the 2011 documentary “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey”.

62. Offering in The New Yorker : POEM
“The New Yorker” magazine is published by Conde Nast. It was founded back in 1925 by Harold Ross, and his wife, Jane Grant, a reporter for “The New York Times”. The venerated magazine has become famous for many aspects of its content, including its stylish covers and its cartoons.

Down
4. ___ monster : GILA
A Gila monster is a venomous lizard found in the southwestern US and northern Mexico, and is the only venomous lizard native to America. Gila monsters move along at a snail’s pace so aren’t normally a danger to humans.

8. Old hairdo for Diana Ross : AFRO
Diana Ross is one of the most prolific recording artists in history. She sang with the Supremes from 1959 to 1970 and then launched an incredibly successful solo career. Ross was listed in the 1993 edition of “The Guinness Book of World Records” as the most successful music artist ever, with eighteen #1 records.

21. Toggery : DUDS
“Duds” is an informal word for clothing, coming from the word “dudde” that was used around 1300 as the name for a cloak.

“Toggery” is another word for clothing, sometimes shorted to “togs”. For example, back in Ireland we call a bathing suit “swimming togs”. The term “toggery” comes from the Latin “toga”.

22. Gen. follower : EXOD
In the Bible, the Book of Genesis (Gen.) is followed immediately by the Book of Exodus (Exod.).

26. “Huckleberry Finn” character : JIM
In Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, the title character befriends a slave called Jim and helps him escape.

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain was first published in 1884, not here in the US but rather in England. The original launch planned for the US had to be delayed until 1885, because some rascal had defaced the plate for one of the illustrations, making an obscene joke. Once the problem was spotted a new plate had to be made, and 30,000 copies already printed had to be reworked to cover up the obscenity.

27. Neighbor of Lucy on “I Love Lucy” : ETHEL
In the hit television show “I Love Lucy”, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz played Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. The Ricardos’ best friends were also their landlords, Fred and Ethel Mertz. The Mertz’s were played by William Frawley and Vivian Vance.

28. One alternative of a sentry’s challenge : FOE
Halt! Friend or foe?!

29. ___ the Red : ERIC
According to Icelandic tradition, Erik the Red was the man responsible for founding the first Nordic settlement in Greenland. Erik had a famous son, the explorer Leif Ericson.

30. Common theater name : ROXY
The original Roxy Theater was opened in 1927 in New York City, designed to be the biggest and best “motion picture palace” of the day. The first theater operator was a professional, Samuel Rothafel. As part of the deal to entice him to take the job, the owners offered to name the theater after him. As Rothafel’s nickname was Roxy, that’s the name they used.

31. Richie’s mom, to Fonzie : MRS C
In the great sitcom “Happy Days”, the Fonz liked to address Richie Cunningham’s mother as “Mrs. C”. In turn, Mrs. Marion Cunningham addressed the Fonz as “Arthur”.

The fabulous sitcom “Happy Days” originally ran for 11 seasons, from 1974 to 1984. That makes it the second longest-running sitcom in the history of ABC (behind “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”). “Happy Days’ spawned several spin-off shows, two of which became very successful. Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams played two characters who later featured in “Laverne and Shirley”, and Robin Williams first played Mork from Ork on a “Happy Days” episode, which led to “Mork & Mindy”.

32. Locale of Kaneohe Bay : OAHU
Kaneohe Bay is a very large bay in Hawaii, located on the coast of the main island of Oahu. At over 17 square miles in size, Kaneohe Bay is the largest sheltered body of water in the state.

37. Long-running CBS drama : CSI
The “CSI” franchise of TV shows has been tremendously successful, but seems to be winding down. “CSI: Miami” (the “worst” of the franchise, I think) was cancelled in 2012 after ten seasons. “CSI: NY” (the “best” of the franchise) was cancelled in 2013 after nine seasons. The original “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, set in Las Vegas, hung in there until 2015 when it ended with a two-hour TV movie. The youngest show in the series is “CSI: Cyber”, and it’s still on the air.

41. Realm of King Midas : PHRYGIA
Phrygia was an ancient territory that occupied land now covered by modern-day Turkey. According to Greek mythology, Phrygia was ruled by several kings of legend, including King Midas who turned everything he touched into gold. Another Phrygian king was Midas’ father Gordias, after whom the Gordian Knot was named.

45. Where a Nintendo might be hooked up : TV ROOM
Nintendo is a Japanese company, the largest manufacturer of video games in the world. Nintendo was founded way back in 1889 and originally made hanafuda cards, Japanese playing cards. The name “Nintendo” translates as “leave luck to heaven”.

52. Skinny tie : BOLO
I’ve never worn a bolo tie, and was surprised to discover that it is a relatively recent invention. The first bolo tie was apparently produced in Wickenburg, Arizona in the late 1940s by a silversmith. The bolo takes its name from the boleadora, an Argentine lariat.

54. Jar for stews : OLLA
An olla is a traditional clay pot used for the making of stews. “Olla” was the Latin word used in Ancient Rome to describe a similar type of pot.

55. White House worker : AIDE
The White House was designed by an Irishman, I am proud to say. James Hoban from County Kilkenny emigrated to the US in his twenties, and won the design competition for the White House in 1792.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Derby sound : NEIGH
6. Evidence of injury : SCAB
10. Some football linemen : ENDS
14. Golfer Palmer, to fans : ARNIE
15. ___ Romeo : ALFA
16. HBO hit starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus : VEEP
17. Cuddly-looking “bear” : KOALA
18. One of 100 on a football field : YARD
19. Not home : AWAY
20. Informant trapped after an icy storm? : EDWARD SNOWED IN (from “Edward Snowden”)
23. Twisted Sister frontman Snider : DEE
24. “Who doesn’t know that?!” : DUH!
25. Ones with a lot of pull in the agricultural world? : OXEN
26. Actress with an icy stare? : JODIE FROSTER (from “Jodie Foster”)
31. Repeated musical themes : MOTIFS
34. Mary Lincoln’s maiden name : TODD
35. Treasure on the Spanish Main : ORO
36. Chicago mayor Emanuel : RAHM
37. “Weekend Update” co-anchor Michael : CHE
38. “Two for me. None for you” candy bar : TWIX
39. Pronoun in several Beatles titles : SHE
40. Basilica part : APSE
42. Like a trampoline : BOUNCY
44. Pitcher of ice? : CURT CHILLING (from “Curt Schilling”)
47. “Would I ___!” : EVER
48. A, in Spanish : UNA
49. Grp. concerned with global warming : EPA
52. Next Republican nominee after Dwight D. Ice in Shower left office? : BARRY COLDWATER (from “Barry Goldwater”)
56. Garment usually with two buttons : POLO
57. Chutzpah : GALL
58. Part of a drum kit : HI-HAT
59. Ticklish “Sesame Street” character : ELMO
60. Sunny honeymoon site, maybe : ISLE
61. Venerated ones : IDOLS
62. Offering in The New Yorker : POEM
63. Somewhat : A TAD
64. Not neat : MESSY

Down
1. Obvious, as ambition : NAKED
2. Crumble over time : ERODE
3. Dumbstruck : IN AWE
4. ___ monster : GILA
5. Generally known : HEARD OF
6. Waves, say : SAYS HI
7. Whole extended family : CLAN
8. Old hairdo for Diana Ross : AFRO
9. Something bleeped : BAD WORD
10. Doesn’t answer directly : EVADES
11. Like a recent transplant : NEW IN TOWN
12. School overseer : DEAN
13. Secret admirer? : SPY
21. Toggery : DUDS
22. Gen. follower : EXOD
26. “Huckleberry Finn” character : JIM
27. Neighbor of Lucy on “I Love Lucy” : ETHEL
28. One alternative of a sentry’s challenge : FOE
29. ___ the Red : ERIC
30. Common theater name : ROXY
31. Richie’s mom, to Fonzie : MRS C
32. Locale of Kaneohe Bay : OAHU
33. Who I am inside : THE REAL ME
37. Long-running CBS drama : CSI
38. Pull : TUG
40. One scoring on a serve : ACER
41. Realm of King Midas : PHRYGIA
42. Tie up : BIND
43. Just because : ON A WHIM
45. Where a Nintendo might be hooked up : TV ROOM
46. Soothed : LULLED
49. Group values : ETHOS
50. Sounds from a bell tower : PEALS
51. Affected : ARTSY
52. Skinny tie : BOLO
53. Museum dinosaur skeleton, say : CAST
54. Jar for stews : OLLA
55. White House worker : AIDE
56. Get-up-and-go : PEP

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