0125-17 New York Times Crossword Answers 25 Jan 17, Wednesday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Sweet-curd cheese : EDAM
Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.

8. S.L.R. settings : F-STOPS
Varying the f-stop in a lens varies how big the lens opening (the aperture) is when a photograph is taken. Smaller apertures (higher f-stop values) admit less light, but result in a greater depth of field (more of the photograph is in focus).

14. River that turned to blood in Exodus : NILE
According to the biblical Book of Exodus, God inflicted ten plagues on Egypt to persuade the Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. For example, the first was the changing of water in the Nile to blood, the eighth was a plague of locusts that consumed all the Egyptian crops, and the tenth was the death of firstborn sons.

17. “@#$!” from Deputy Dawg : DAGNABIT!
Deputy Dawg is a cartoon character in the Terrytoon television series. Deputy Dawg is a deputy sheriff in the State of Mississippi. I remember him well as my parents put curtains on the windows in our bedroom when we were very young, curtains which featured the characters Deputy Dawg and Yogi Bear.

21. “Blondie” or “Dilbert” : STRIP
“Blondie” was created as a comic strip by Chic Young. It was first published in 1930, and is still being created today (although the strip is now controlled by Chic’s son, Dean). The strip spawned a series of radio programs (1939-1950) and a series of Blondie films (1938-1950). Blondie is married to Dagwood Bumstead, and the couple have a son and daughter Alexander and Cookie. Dagwood slaves away at a construction company run by Julius Dithers, whose wife is called Cora. Blondie’s best friend is her neighbor Tootsie Woodley, with whom she starts a catering business. Dagwood’s best friend is Tootsie’s husband Herb.

“Dilbert” is a comic strip written by Scott Adams, a “neighbor” of mine here in the Bay Area. Adams used to be co-owner of a restaurant at the end of my street that had a menu replete with “Dilbertesque” comments.

23. QVC competitor : HSN
The Home Shopping Network (HSN) was the first national shopping network, and was launched locally as the Home Shopping Club in Florida in 1982.

The QVC shopping channel was founded in 1986 in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The company now has operations not only in the US but also in the UK, Germany, Japan and Italy. That means QVC is reaching 200 million households. The QVC acronym stands for Quality, Value and Convenience.

24. “@#$!” from Colonel Sherman Potter : HORSE HOCKEY!
Colonel Sherman Potter is a character on the memorable TV series “M*A*S*H”. Potter was played by actor Harry Morgan. Potter replaced Colonel Henry Blake who was killed of in the story when actor McLean Stevenson left the show at the end of the third season. Morgan was asked to play Potter largely due to a great guest performance he had delivered in an early episode.

27. Cinco de Mayo beer : CORONA
The Mexican beer called Corona is the biggest-selling imported beer in the United States.

The celebration known as Cinco de Mayo is observed all over the US and in parts of Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is not, as some believe, Mexico’s Independence Day. Independence is celebrated on September 16, whereas Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5th. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

30. Milo of “The Verdict” : O’SHEA
Milo O’Shea was a great Irish character actor from Dublin who has appeared in everything from “Romeo and Juliet” to “The West Wing”. O’Shea passed away in 2013, in New York City.

1982’s “The Verdict” is an entertaining courtroom drama movie that stars Paul Newman as a struggling alcoholic lawyer. The storyline involves a medical malpractice case involving a woman in persistent vegetative state. As a bonus, if you keep a careful eye out, you’ll see Bruce Willis as an extra in one of his first on-screen appearances.

31. Burglar’s take : HAUL
The crime of burglary is the breaking into and entering of a building with the intent to steal. The actual theft is a separate crime.

35. Like Marx Brothers comedies : ANTIC
The five Marx Brothers were born to “Minnie” and “Frenchy” Marx in New York City. The more famous older boys were Chico, Harpo and Groucho. Zeppo was the youngest brother, and he appeared in the early Marx Brothers movies. The fifth son was called Gummo, and he decided to pursue a different career off the stage.

39. “@#$!” from Mork : SHAZBOT!
“Mork & Mindy” is a sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982. The title characters were played by Robin Williams and Pam Dawber.

44. Dark film genre, informally : NOIR
The expression “film noir” has French origins, but only in that it was coined by a French critic in describing a style of Hollywood film. The term, meaning “black film” in French, was first used by Nino Frank in 1946. Film noir often applies to a movie with a melodramatic plot and a private eye or detective at its center. Good examples would be “The Big Sleep” and “D.O.A”.

45. Golfer Norman a.k.a. the Great White Shark : GREG
Greg Norman is from Australia, a golfer who spent a long time ranked as the world’s number one in the eighties and nineties. Off the golf course, Norman is a very, very successful businessman. One of his more visible ventures is his winery called Greg Norman Estates.

46. Christina who played Lizzie Borden : RICCI
Christina Ricci is an American actress who found fame on the big screen at an early age, playing the very young Wednesday Addams in the 1991 movie version of “The Addams Family”.

50. “@#$!” from SpongeBob SquarePants : OH BARNACLES!
SpongeBob SquarePants is a cartoon character in a Nickelodeon television series. Spongebob first appeared in 1999, and he “lives in a pineapple under the sea”. The character was created by marine biologist, cartoonist and animator Stephen Hillenburg.

55. “The Voice” airer : NBC TV
“The Voice” is yet another reality television show. “The Voice” is a singing competition in which the judges hear the contestants without seeing them in the first round. The judges then take on chosen contestants as coaches for the remaining rounds. “The Voice” is a highly successful worldwide franchise that originated in the Netherlands.

61. “@#$!” from Frank on “Everybody Loves Raymond” : JEEZALOO!
The actor Peter Boyle’s best-known roles were as Raymond’s father Frank Barone on the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond”, and as the monster in the Mel Brooks movie “Young Frankenstein”.

63. Abode that’s abuzz : APIARY
An apiary is an area where bees are kept. The Latin word for “bee” is “apis”.

64. WWW bookmark : URL
Internet addresses (like NYTCrossword.com and LAXCrossword.com) are more correctly called Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).

67. Schuss, say : SKI
A schuss is a very fast run downhill in skiing, not taking any turns to slow the pace of the descent. “Schuss” is a German word for “shot”.

Down
2. Competitor of Ivory and Coast : DIAL
Dial was the first antibacterial soap introduced in the US. It was given the name “Dial” as it was touted as offering “round-the-clock” protection against any odors caused by perspiration.

3. Bit of birdbath gunk : ALGA
Algae are similar to terrestrial plants in that they use photosynthesis to create sugars from light and carbon dioxide, but they differ in that they have simpler anatomies, and for example lack roots.

4. Flavoring in Kool cigarettes : MENTHOL
Kools cigarettes were introduced in 1933, and are still around today. The brand is marketed as being “smooth”, as the ingredient menthol numbs the mouth and dulls the taste of the tobacco.

5. One of the Bushes : JEB
Jeb Bush is the son of President George H. W. Bush, and the brother of President George W. Bush. I always thought that Jeb was an American nickname for James or Joseph but I must be wrong, because George and Barbara’s son John Ellis Bush is called “Jeb”. A kind blog reader has suggested the the name “Jeb” may have been chosen as JEB are the initials of John Ellis Bush.

7. Montana city that consolidated with Silver Bow County : BUTTE
The city of Butte, Montana has a history that is rooted in mining. Butte was founded as a mining town in the late 1800s. Although mining brought great growth to the area, it also brought environmental problems. Today Bette is home to the country’s largest Superfund cleanup site.

9. Most-downloaded app of 2016 : SNAPCHAT
Snapchat is a messaging system that allows users to send photos and video clips to a limited list of recipients. The photos and clips, called “snaps”, can be viewed for only a few seconds before they are deleted from the recipient’s device, and from the Snapchat servers.

18. MTV’s “___ Flux” : AEON
“Aeon Flux” is a sci-fi film from 2005 starring Charlize Theron in the title role. The movie was inspired by an animated TV series of the same name that aired on MTV in the nineties.

26. Baseball’s Griffey : KEN
Ken Griffey, Jr. is noted as a home run hitter as well as a defensive player. In fact, Griffey is tied for the record for the most consecutive games with a home run.

27. “Cheerio” sayer : CHAP
“Chap” is an informal term for “lad, fellow”, especially in England. The term derives from “chapman”, an obsolete word meaning “purchaser” or “trader”.

An Englishman might say “tata” or “cheerio” instead of “goodbye”. Well, supposedly so!

29. “According to the grapevine …” : RUMOR HAS IT …
There are competing stories about the etymology of the phrase “heard it through the grapevine”, meaning heard it by means of gossip or rumor. One is that it is a reference to the Grapevine Tavern in Greenwich Village, New York City. The Grapevine was a popular meeting place for Union officers and Confederate spies during the Civil War, and so was a great spot for picking up and spreading vital gossip.

34. Kind of dye with vivid colors : AZO
Azo compounds have very vivid colors and so are used to make dyes, especially dyes with the colors red, orange and yellow. The term “azo” comes from the French word “azote” meaning “nitrogen”. French chemist Lavoisier coined the term “azote” from the Greek word “azotos” meaning “lifeless”. He used this name as in pure nitrogen/azote animals die and flames are snuffed out (due to a lack of oxygen).

43. Pen tip : NIB
“Nib” is a Scottish variant of the Old English word “neb”, with both meaning the beak of a bird. This usage of “nib” as a beak dates back to the 14th century, with “nib” meaning the tip of a pen or quill coming a little later, in the early 1600s.

47. Hume of “Cocoon” : CRONYN
“Cocoon” is a fun 1985 sci-fi film directed by Ron Howard. The movie is about a group of elderly friends who become rejuvenated due to exposure to alien cocoons. One of the stars of the film is Don Ameche, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance.

49. Auto pioneer Karl : BENZ
It is generally accepted that Karl Benz invented the internal combustion engine, although others were doing similar work around the same time. He certainly was awarded the first patent for an automobile, in 1886. His first automobile, the Patent-Motorwagen, couldn’t get up hills unaided so his wife Bertha Benz suggested the introduction of gears. Sure enough, the next model had two gears. Behind every successful man …

50. Giraffe’s cousin : OKAPI
The okapi is closely related to the giraffe, although it does have markings on its legs and haunches that resemble those of a zebra. The okapi’s tongue is long enough to reach back and wash its eyeballs, and can go back even further to clean its ears inside and out.

51. How prime rib may be served : AU JUS
The French term “au jus” is usually translated as “with it’s own juice”.

52. Uriah Heep’s profession : CLERK
Uriah Heep is a sniveling insincere character in the novel “David Copperfield” by Charles Dickens. The character is such a “yes man” that today, if we know someone who behaves the same way, then we might call that person a “Uriah Heep”.

53. Much-maligned food : SPAM
Spam is a precooked meat product that is sold in cans. It was introduced by Hormel Foods in 1937. The main meat ingredients are pork shoulder meat and ham. The name “Spam” was chosen as the result of a competition at Hormel, with the winner earning himself a hundred dollars. According to the company, the derivation of the name “Spam” is a secret known by only a few former executives, but the speculation is that it stands for “spiced ham” or “shoulders of pork and ham”. Spam is particularly popular in Hawaii, so popular that it is sometimes referred to as “the Hawaiian steak”.

57. Spelling or Amos : TORI
Tori Spelling is an American actress who made a name for herself playing Donna Martin on television’s “Beverly Hills, 90210”. Tori is the daughter of film and television producer Aaron Spelling.

Tori Amos is an American pianist and singer. Amos started playing the piano at two years old, and was composing piano pieces by age five. She was playing in piano bars (chaperoned by her father) when she was 14. I’m going to have to find some of her music (I lead such a sheltered life …)!

58. Chevy plug-in car : VOLT
Despite being late entering the eco-friendly car market, Chevrolet today produces the most fuel-efficient compact car with a gasoline engine that is sold in the US. The Chevrolet Volt went on sale at the end of 2010, a plug-in hybrid car that runs on batteries. The Volt has a gasoline engine that can be used run an electric generator if needed. The Volt also uses a regenerative braking system similar to that on my Honda Civic Hybrid, a car that I really love.

62. Manning of the gridiron : ELI
Eli Manning plays as quarterback for the New York Giants. Eli’s brother Peyton Manning retired from football as the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Eli and Peyton’s father is Archie Manning, who was also a successful NFL quarterback.

Return to top of page

For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Sweet-curd cheese : EDAM
5. Start of a one-two punch : JAB
8. S.L.R. settings : F-STOPS
14. River that turned to blood in Exodus : NILE
15. Bird with a potent kick : EMU
16. Available for rental, in Britain : ON HIRE
17. “@#$!” from Deputy Dawg : DAGNABIT!
19. Hid from the cops, say : LAY LOW
20. Blue-gray shade : SLATE
21. “Blondie” or “Dilbert” : STRIP
23. QVC competitor : HSN
24. “@#$!” from Colonel Sherman Potter : HORSE HOCKEY!
27. Cinco de Mayo beer : CORONA
30. Milo of “The Verdict” : O’SHEA
31. Burglar’s take : HAUL
32. Robocall from the I.R.S., e.g. : SCAM
35. Like Marx Brothers comedies : ANTIC
38. Place for quick cash, for short : ATM
39. “@#$!” from Mork : SHAZBOT!
41. Prefix with freak or friendly : ECO-
42. Bogus : PHONY
44. Dark film genre, informally : NOIR
45. Golfer Norman a.k.a. the Great White Shark : GREG
46. Christina who played Lizzie Borden : RICCI
48. Takes down a notch : ABASES
50. “@#$!” from SpongeBob SquarePants : OH BARNACLES!
53. Reggae forerunner : SKA
54. Business bigwig : MOGUL
55. “The Voice” airer : NBC TV
59. Hand down, as a family business : PASS ON
61. “@#$!” from Frank on “Everybody Loves Raymond” : JEEZALOO!
63. Abode that’s abuzz : APIARY
64. WWW bookmark : URL
65. Former Little League star Mo’ne Davis, e.g. : GIRL
66. Snowsuit attachment : MITTEN
67. Schuss, say : SKI
68. Polish’s partner : SPIT

Down
1. Breaks off : ENDS
2. Competitor of Ivory and Coast : DIAL
3. Bit of birdbath gunk : ALGA
4. Flavoring in Kool cigarettes : MENTHOL
5. One of the Bushes : JEB
6. Out of whack : AMISS
7. Montana city that consolidated with Silver Bow County : BUTTE
8. Books with large pages : FOLIOS
9. Most-downloaded app of 2016 : SNAPCHAT
10. Possessive pronoun in the Lord’s Prayer : THY
11. Some portable room warmers : OIL HEATERS
12. Like dull-as-dishwater writing : PROSY
13. Stitched together : SEWN
18. MTV’s “___ Flux” : AEON
22. Diamonds, in plane geometry : RHOMBI
25. Devil-may-care : RASH
26. Baseball’s Griffey : KEN
27. “Cheerio” sayer : CHAP
28. Words from the witness stand : OATH
29. “According to the grapevine …” : RUMOR HAS IT …
33. Making, as a wicker chair : CANING
34. Kind of dye with vivid colors : AZO
36. Frozen drink brand : ICEE
37. Gear parts : COGS
39. Tree that sheds its bark : SYCAMORE
40. ___ fixation (Freud topic) : ORAL
43. Pen tip : NIB
45. Long-winded sorts : GASBAGS
47. Hume of “Cocoon” : CRONYN
49. Auto pioneer Karl : BENZ
50. Giraffe’s cousin : OKAPI
51. How prime rib may be served : AU JUS
52. Uriah Heep’s profession : CLERK
53. Much-maligned food : SPAM
56. Hair holder : CLIP
57. Spelling or Amos : TORI
58. Chevy plug-in car : VOLT
60. Took a load off : SAT
62. Manning of the gridiron : ELI

Return to top of page