0829-16 New York Times Crossword Answers 29 Aug 16, Monday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: David Steinberg
THEME: Wyoming

Each of today’s themed answers is a celebrated location in WYOMING:
39A. Squarest of the 50 states : WYOMING

17A. Famous geyser in 39-Across : OLD FAITHFUL
60A. Historic trading post in 39-Across : FORT LARAMIE
11D. Noted rock formation in 39-Across : DEVILS TOWER
24D. Skiing mecca in 39-Across : JACKSON HOLE

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 4m 36s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Apple computers : IMACS
The iMac is a desktop computer platform from Apple introduced in 1998. One of the main features of the iMac is an “all-in-one” design, with the computer console and monitor integrated. The iMac also came in a range of colors, that Apple marketed as “flavors”, such strawberry, blueberry and lime.

6. Game with a stack of blocks : JENGA
Jenga is a simple but very entertaining game, one in which one stacks wooden blocks as high as possible until the resulting tower collapses. “Jenga” is the Swahili word for “to build”.

11. Nevada/Arizona’s Hoover ___ : DAM
When the magnificent Hoover Dam was completed in 1936 it was the largest hydroelectric plant in the world, as well as being the world’s largest concrete structure. The edifice was originally known as Boulder Dam, due to its location near Boulder City, Nevada. The dam was eventually named after Herbert Hoover for his role in having the dam built when he was Secretary of Commerce, and his later support as US President. There was a formal dedication ceremony held in September 1935 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in the area, when only work on the powerhouse was incomplete. President Roosevelt managed to make his dedication speech without once referring to the name of his former opponent President Hoover. When the dam was finally put into service in 1936, the project was two years ahead of schedule. Those were the days …

14. Gold ___ flour : MEDAL
Gold Medal is a brand of flour produced by General Mills. The line was introduced by a precursor company to General Mills named Washburn-Crosby in 1880, following a gold-medal win at the Millers’ International Exhibition in Cincinnati.

15. Sometimes-bad bacteria : E COLI
Escherichia coli (E. coli) are usually harmless bacteria found in the human gut, working away quite happily. However, there are some strains that can produce lethal toxins. These strains can make their way into the food chain from animal fecal matter that comes into contact with food designated for human consumption.

17. Famous geyser in 39-Across : OLD FAITHFUL
Old Faithful is a geyser in Yellowstone National Park. It erupts almost every 63 minutes on the nose, making it one of the most predictable geographic features on the planet. It was this predictability that led to the name “Old Faithful”. In the early days of Yellowstone’s existence as a park, the geyser was used as a laundry. Dirty linen clothing was placed in the geyser’s crater during the quiet period. The clothing was ejected during the eruption, thoroughly washed.

19. Good job for an animal-loving ex-G.I.? : VET
An animal lover might become a vet (veterinarian), and an ex-GI might be termed a vet (veteran).

22. Style of music north of the Rio Grande : TEJANO
Tejano is the Spanish word for “Texan”. Tejano music is strongly influenced by Cajun culture, because of the proximity of Texas to Louisiana. The other strong influence came with immigrants from the Poland and what is now the Czech Republic. These immigrants brought with them the waltz, polka … and the accordion.

25. Cosmic clouds : NEBULAE
In astronomical terms, a nebula is a cloud of dust and ionized gases (“nebula” is the Latin for “cloud”). Many nebulae form as gases collapse in on themselves under the influence of enormous gravitational forces. Ultimately these collapses can result in the creation of new stars.

27. ___ the Terrible : IVAN
The Grand Prince of Moscow Ivan IV became known as Ivan the Terrible. The name “terrible” is a translation from Russian, and perhaps creates the wrong impression about the man. The Russian word is “Grozny”, which is more akin to “strict” and “powerful” rather than “cruel” or “abominable”.

28. Preparer of fast food that’s “finger-lickin’ good” : KFC
The famous “Colonel” of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fame was Harland Sanders, an entrepreneur from Henryville, Indiana. Although not really a “Colonel”, Sanders did indeed serve in the military. He enlisted in the Army as a private in 1906 at the age of 16, lying about his age. He spent the whole of his time in the Army as a soldier in Cuba. It was much later, in the 1930s, that Sanders went into the restaurant business making his specialty deep-fried chicken. By 1935 his reputation as a “character” had grown, so much so that Governor Ruby Laffoon of Kentucky gave Sanders the honorary title of “Kentucky Colonel”. Later in the fifties, Sanders developed his trademark look with the white suit, string tie, mustache and goatee. When Sanders was 65 however, his business failed and in stepped Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s. Thomas simplified the Sanders menu, cutting it back from over a hundred items to just fried chicken and salads. That was enough to launch KFC into the fast food business. Sanders sold the US franchise in 1964 for just $2 million and moved to Canada to grow KFC north of the border. He died in 1980 and is buried in Louisville, Kentucky. The Colonel’s secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices is indeed a trade secret. Apparently there is only one copy of the recipe, a handwritten piece of paper, written in pencil and signed by Colonel Sanders. Since 2009, the piece of paper has been locked in a computerized vault surrounded with motion detectors and security cameras.

31. Catches red-handed : NABS
“To be caught red-handed” means to be caught in the act. The expression originated in Scotland and dates back at least to the 1400s. The red in question is blood, as in being caught with blood on one’s hands after perhaps committing a murder or an act of poaching.

32. Clic Stic pen maker : BIC
Société Bic is a French company, based in Clichy in France. The first product the company produced, more than fifty years ago, was the Bic Cristal ballpoint pen that is still produced today. Bic also makes other disposable products such as lighters and razors.

39. Squarest of the 50 states : WYOMING
Wyoming is nicknamed the “Equality State”, and the state’s motto is “equal rights”. Wyoming was the first state to give women the vote, and the first to allow women serve on juries. It was also the first state to have a female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross, who took office in 1925. Unofficially, Wyoming is also referred to as the “Cowboy State”.

44. British coins : PENCE
The official name of our smallest denomination coin is a “cent”, and our use of the word “penny” is just a colloquialism derived from the British coin of the same name. However, in the UK the plural of penny is “pence”, whereas we have “pennies” in our pockets.

48. Luau necklace : LEI
“Lei” is the Hawaiian word for “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a “lei” is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.

Nowadays the word “luau” denotes almost any kind of party on the Hawaiian Islands, but to the purist a luau is a feast that always includes a serving of “poi”, the bulbous underground stems of taro baked with coconut milk.

49. Money due in Monopoly : RENT
The commercial game of Monopoly is supposedly a remake of “The Landlord’s Game” created in 1903 by a Quaker woman called Lizzie Phillips. Phillips used her game as a tool to explain the single tax theory of American economist Henry George. The Landlord’s Game was first produced commercially in 1924. The incredibly successful derivative game called Monopoly was introduced in 1933 by Charles Darrow, who became a very rich man when Parker Brothers bought the rights to the game just two years later in 1935.

53. Like Mustangs and Camaros : SPORTY
The Ford Mustang car was introduced in 1964. Back then the Mustang wasn’t a brand new design, but was based on the Ford Falcon. The Mustang was the first of the “pony cars”, American models that are compact and affordable, as well as sporty in image and performance.

The Chevrolet Camaro is a car produced by General Motors from 1966 to 2002, and reintroduced in 2009. The Camaro shared much of its design with the Pontiac Firebird, and was introduced as a potential competitor to the Ford Mustang.

59. Greek “r” : RHO
Rho is the Greek letter that looks just like our Roman letter “p”, although it is equivalent to the Roman letter R.

60. Historic trading post in 39-Across : FORT LARAMIE
The town of Fort Laramie, Wyoming is named for the trading post and military encampment of the same name that was located nearby. Fort Laramie was a stop on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails.

64. Note after fa : SOL
The solfa syllables are: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la & ti.

66. Boy Scouts squad : TROOP
As every little boy (of my era) knows, the Scouting movement was founded by Lord Baden Powell, in 1907. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) soon followed, in 1910. And, the Boy Scouts motto is “Be Prepared”.

68. 1990s fitness fad with infomercials : TAE BO
Tae Bo isn’t an ancient martial art, even though it perhaps sounds like one. The discipline was developed as a form of aerobic exercise in the 1990s by taekwondo expert Billy Blanks who gave it the name Tae Bo, a melding of “taekwondo” and “boxing”.

69. Evil animal in “The Lion King” : HYENA
Among the group of lions at the center of “The Lion King” story, young Simba is the heir apparent, the lion cub destined to take over as leader of the pride. His uncle is jealous of Simba, and plots with a trio of hyenas to kill Simba, so that he can take his position. The uncle was originally named Taka (according to books) but he was given the name Scar after being injured by a buffalo. The trio of hyenas are called Shenzi, Banzai and Ed.

Down
1. Texter’s “I think …” : IMO
In my opinion (IMO)

2. Brooks of “Spaceballs” : MEL
Mel Brooks’ real name is Melvin Kaminsky. Brooks is one of very few entertainers (there are only ten) who has won the “Showbiz Award Grand Slam” i.e. an Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Emmy. He is in good company, as the list also includes the likes of Richard Rogers, Sir John Gielgud, Marvin Hamlisch and Audrey Hepburn.

“Spaceballs” is a 1987 spoof of sci-fi films, mainly poking fun at the “Star Wars” franchise. It was co-written and directed by, and indeed stars, Mel Brooks.

4. Mideast robe : CAFTAN
A kaftan (also “caftan”) is long robe associated for thousands of years with Islamic cultures.

6. Ballet leap : JETE
A jeté is a leap in ballet, coming from the French word “jeter” meaning “to throw”. A “jeté en avant” is a “leap to the front”, towards the audience. A “grand jeté” is a long horizontal jump, a split in the air, leaping from one foot to the other.

9. Protein in bread : GLUTEN
Gluten is a protein mixture found in foods processed mainly from wheat. The sticky properties of gluten are used in making bread, giving dough its elasticity and making the final product chewy. “Gluten” is the Latin word for “glue”.

11. Noted rock formation in 39-Across : DEVILS TOWER
Devils Tower is an igneous intrusion that rises over 1200 feet from the ground in the Black Hills in northeastern Wyoming. Devils Tower was the first of the nation’s National Monuments, having being so designated in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Devils Tower played a pivotal role in the 1977 movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”.

12. Gladiators’ locale : ARENA
The term “gladiator” means “swordsman”, coming from “gladius”, the Latin word for “sword”.

13. Nonglossy finish : MATTE
“Matte”, meaning flat and lusterless, comes from the Old French word “mat” meaning beaten down and withered. In turn, the French “mat” comes from the Latin “maddus”, meaning “maudlin with drink”. Sometimes I wonder about these derivations …

22. Lower leg bone : TIBIA
The tibia is the shin bone, the larger of the two bones right below the knee. The tibia is the strongest weight-bearing bone in the human body. “Tibia” is the Roman name for a Greek flute and it is thought that the shin bone was given the same name because flutes were often fashioned out of the shin bones of animals.

24. Skiing mecca in 39-Across : JACKSON HOLE
Jackson Hole is the name of a beautiful valley in Wyoming formed between the Teton and Gros Ventre Ranges. The name “Jackson Hole” is also used locally for the town of Jackson, located in the valley.

29. Edsel or New Coke, notably : FLOP
The Edsel brand of automobile was named for Edsel, son of Henry Ford. Sadly, the name “Edsel” has become synonymous with “failure”, which was no fault of Edsel himself who had died several years before the Edsel line was introduced. When the Ford Motor Company introduced the Edsel on 4 September 1957, Ford proclaimed the day to be “E Day”.

When “new Coke” was introduced in 1985, the market reacted very, very badly. The public reaction was so negative that the Coca-Cola company quickly reintroduced its “Coca Cola Classic” line. Ironically, the whole debacle resulted in Coke actually gaining market share when the “old coke” returned to supermarket shelves.

30. Animal with a hump : CAMEL
The dromedary, also known as the Arabian Camel or Indian Camel, is the camel that has only one hump. The other species of camel is the Bactrian, which has two humps. The hump of a dromedary contains up to 80 pounds of fat, which can be broken down into water and energy if no food or water is available.

33. Group of gnats : SWARM
Gnats are attracted to the smell of rotting food, and to vinegar. Simple homemade traps that use vinegar are often constructed to attract and kill gnats.

40. CBS spinoff set in SoCal : NCIS: LA
NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigates crimes in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The service gives its name to the CBS TV show “NCIS”, a spin-off drama from “JAG” in which the main “NCIS” characters were first introduced. The big star in “NCIS” is the actor Mark Harmon. “NCIS” is now a franchise, with spinoff shows “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “NCIS: New Orleans”.

47. Stuffed Indian pastry : SAMOSA
A samosa is quite a tasty appetizer, usually a triangular-shaped savory that often has a vegetarian filling. The word “samosa” is primarily used on Indian menus, and the name comes from “sanbosag”, the name for the dish in Persia.

49. Set of religious beads : ROSARY
The Rosary is a set of prayer beads used in the Roman Catholic tradition. The name “Rosary” comes from the Latin “rosarium”, the word for a “rose garden” or a “garland of roses”. The term is used figuratively, in the sense of a “garden of prayers”.

50. Crocodile’s home : MARSH
Crocodiles and alligators do indeed bear a resemblance to each other, although they belong to distinct biological families. One of the main ways used to distinguish them is by their teeth and jaws. Both the upper and lower sets of teeth of a crocodile are visible when its mouth is closed, whereas only the upper teeth of an alligator are visible with the mouth shut.

54. Australia’s City of Light : PERTH
Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. Perth earned itself the nickname of “City of Light” in 1962 as the virtually all the town’s lights were turned on at full power when astronaut John Glenn passed overhead in earth orbit in Friendship 7, so that he could see the city below. The city gave a repeat performance for Glenn in 1998 when he passed overhead in the Space Shuttle in 1998.

58. Queen killed by an asp, familiarly : CLEO
The asp is a venomous snake found in the Nile region of Africa. It is so venomous that the asp was used in ancient Egypt and Greece as a means of execution. Cleopatra observed such executions noting that the venom brought on sleepiness without any painful spasms. When the great queen opted to commit suicide, the asp was therefore her chosen method.

61. One of the Three Stooges : MOE
If you’ve seen a few of the films starring “The Three Stooges” you’ll have noticed that the line up changed over the years. The original trio was made up of Moe and Shemp Howard (two brothers) and Larry Fine (a good friend of the Howards). This line up was usually known as “Moe, Larry and Shemp”. Then Curly Howard replaced his brother when Shemp quit the act, creating the most famous trio, “Moe, Larry And Curly”. Shemp returned when Curly had a debilitating stroke in 1946, and Shemp stayed with the troupe until he died in 1955. Shemp was replaced by Joe Besser, and then “Curly-Joe” DeRita. When Larry Fine had a stroke in 1970, it effectively marked the end of the act.

62. Lithium-___ battery : ION
Lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium are types of rechargeable batteries.

63. Energy Star org. : EPA
The Energy Star standard was created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the Clinton Administration. In general, an item marked with an Energy Star uses 20-30% less energy than that mandated by federal standards. We just put an Energy Star roof on our house, and I am looking forward to seeing if the home stays cooler this summer.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Apple computers : IMACS
6. Game with a stack of blocks : JENGA
11. Nevada/Arizona’s Hoover ___ : DAM
14. Gold ___ flour : MEDAL
15. Sometimes-bad bacteria : E COLI
16. Political period : ERA
17. Famous geyser in 39-Across : OLD FAITHFUL
19. Good job for an animal-loving ex-G.I.? : VET
20. Gentle discipline for a misbehaving child : TIME OUT
21. Hue : TINT
22. Style of music north of the Rio Grande : TEJANO
25. Cosmic clouds : NEBULAE
27. ___ the Terrible : IVAN
28. Preparer of fast food that’s “finger-lickin’ good” : KFC
31. Catches red-handed : NABS
32. Clic Stic pen maker : BIC
33. Dish of greens : SALAD
35. Inhibit : DETER
38. “Gross!” : ICK!
39. Squarest of the 50 states : WYOMING
41. Lab eggs : OVA
42. Where the buoys are? : AT SEA
44. British coins : PENCE
45. Rainy : WET
46. Crew implements : OARS
48. Luau necklace : LEI
49. Money due in Monopoly : RENT
50. Exemplar of masculinity : MAN’S MAN
53. Like Mustangs and Camaros : SPORTY
55. Sore, as 56-Across : ACHY
56. Parts of the body that may be ripped : MUSCLES
59. Greek “r” : RHO
60. Historic trading post in 39-Across : FORT LARAMIE
64. Note after fa : SOL
65. Topic to debate : ISSUE
66. Boy Scouts squad : TROOP
67. Soil-turning tool : HOE
68. 1990s fitness fad with infomercials : TAE BO
69. Evil animal in “The Lion King” : HYENA

Down
1. Texter’s “I think …” : IMO
2. Brooks of “Spaceballs” : MEL
3. ___ Friend (Facebook option) : ADD
4. Mideast robe : CAFTAN
5. Killed : SLAIN
6. Ballet leap : JETE
7. Canyon phenomenon : ECHO
8. Completely joyless : NO FUN
9. Protein in bread : GLUTEN
10. Not feel well : AIL
11. Noted rock formation in 39-Across : DEVILS TOWER
12. Gladiators’ locale : ARENA
13. Nonglossy finish : MATTE
18. “Don’t worry, nothing’s broken” : I’M OKAY
21. Inner ___ (flotation device) : TUBE
22. Lower leg bone : TIBIA
23. Kick out : EVICT
24. Skiing mecca in 39-Across : JACKSON HOLE
26. Boy Scouts award : BADGE
29. Edsel or New Coke, notably : FLOP
30. Animal with a hump : CAMEL
33. Group of gnats : SWARM
34. Have a fancy meal : DINE
36. Wedding or concert : EVENT
37. In very bad condition : RATTY
40. CBS spinoff set in SoCal : NCIS: LA
43. Eggs over ___ : EASY
47. Stuffed Indian pastry : SAMOSA
49. Set of religious beads : ROSARY
50. Crocodile’s home : MARSH
51. Allergy season sound : ACHOO!
52. One administering shots, maybe : NURSE
54. Australia’s City of Light : PERTH
57. What’s left of a ticket after it’s used : STUB
58. Queen killed by an asp, familiarly : CLEO
60. Go on snugly : FIT
61. One of the Three Stooges : MOE
62. Lithium-___ battery : ION
63. Energy Star org. : EPA

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8 thoughts on “0829-16 New York Times Crossword Answers 29 Aug 16, Monday”

  1. Harder than my usual, and not because of age or sports. More an ethnic thing. I'm a New Yorker who is ignorant of Mid Western and Western items. Never knew FORT LARAMIE was a trading post. Also food. Didn't know SAMOSA, but it looks a lot like arancine or pasteles.

    I do take issue with KFC not being clued as an abbrev.

  2. I thought this was easier than LA Times, but JETE/JENGA did me in just like a similar nexus killed me in the LA Times.

    GLUTEN rears its ugly head again….

    Didn't really have time for 2 puzzles today, but since it's Monday they're short enough.

    Best

  3. Love your site. Used to follow that Rex guy. You've always been spot on…however as a huge Mel Brooks fan, I humbly correct your Spaceballs reference as as a spoof of Star Trek. It was in fact a spoof of Star Wars. Huge difference:)

  4. Mostly easy-peasy. I had to think a while on the J of JETE and JENGA but had enough vague memory of JETE to get it right.

    @Sfingi, I think maybe KFC would not need an abbreviation clue. It, of course, originated from the original name of Kentucky Fried Chicken but the company officially changed the name to just the letters KFC and nothing more. I think the company's motivation was to get away from the negative association with fried food as being unhealthy.

  5. 6:44, no errors. My wife is from Wyoming, we have been to Yellowstone, Fort Laramie and Jackson Hole. I have not been to Devil's Tower yet, but I did watch 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'.

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