1107-17 NY Times Crossword Answers 7 Nov 2017, Tuesday

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Constructed by: Greg Poulos
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: Word of the Year

Each of today’s themed answers have won the annual WORD OF THE YEAR award from the American Dialect Society:

  • 56A. Annual American Dialect Society award given to seven answers in this puzzle : WORD OF THE YEAR
  • 20A. Rollover problem? [1997] : MILLENNIUM BUG
  • 28A. Spectacular disaster [2016] : DUMPSTER FIRE
  • 36A. Rescue from insolvency [2008] : BAIL OUT
  • 39A. Demoted [2006] : PLUTOED
  • 46A. Gender-neutral pronoun [2015] : SINGULAR THEY

Bill’s time: 9m 24s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

11. London’s ___ Gardens : KEW

Kew Gardens is a beautiful location in southwest London that was formerly known as the Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew Gardens has the world’s largest collection of living plants.

14. “Hasta ___” : MANANA

“Hasta mañana” translates from Spanish as “See you tomorrow”, and literally “Until tomorrow”.

15. Prime rating org. : USDA

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies meat into eight different grades:

  • Prime
  • Choice
  • Select
  • Standard
  • Commercial
  • Utility
  • Cutter
  • Canner

19. Homer’s next-door neighbor on “The Simpsons” : NED

Ned Flanders lives next door to Homer on TV’s “The Simpsons”. Ned is voiced by actor Harry Shearer and has been around since the very first episode aired in 1989.

23. ___ Paulo, Brazil : SAO

São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It is also the city with the highest number of helicopters in the world. This is partly driven by the horrendous traffic jams in São Paulo, but also by the wealthy having a very real fear of being kidnapped on the city’s streets.

25. Jazz pianist Jamal : AHMAD

Ahmad Jamal is an American jazz pianist who often played with Miles Davis.

28. Spectacular disaster [2016] : DUMPSTER FIRE

“Dumpster” is one of those words that we use generically even though it is actually a brand name. The original “Dumpster” was patented by the Dempster Brothers of Knoxville, Tennessee. “Dumpster” is derived from “dump” and “Dempster”.

32. H&R Block staffers : CPAS

The tax preparation company called H&R Block was founded in 1955 In Kansas City by two brothers, Henry and Richard Bloch. The Bloch brothers changed the spelling of their family name to “Block” for the company moniker, in order to avoid mispronunciation.

34. Start of the season? : ‘TIS

The music for the Christmas song “Deck the Halls” is a traditional Welsh tune that dates back to the 16th century. The same tune was used by Mozart for a violin and piano duet. The lyrics with which we are familiar (other than the “f-la-la”) are American in origin, and were recorded in 19th century.

“’Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la!”

35. Vardalos of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” : NIA

Nia Vardalos is an actress and screenwriter whose biggest break came with the 2002 film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, which she wrote and in which she starred. The film tells the story of a Greek-American woman marrying a non-Greek Caucasian American who converts to the Greek Orthodox Church to facilitate the marriage. The storyline reflects the actual experiences of Vardalos and her husband, actor Ian Gomez. Vardalos and Gomez appear together as hosts of the reality competition “The Great American Baking Show”.

39. Demoted [2006] : PLUTOED

Pluto was discovered in 1930, and was welcomed as the ninth planet in our solar system. Pluto is relatively small in size, just one fifth of the mass of our own moon. In the seventies, astronomers began to discover more large objects in the solar system, including Eris, a “scattered disc object” at the outer reaches. Given that Eris is actually bigger than Pluto, and other objects really aren’t that much smaller, Pluto’s status as a planet was drawn into question. In 2006 there was a scientific definition for a “planet” agreed for the first time, resulting in Pluto being relegated to the status of “dwarf planet”, along with Eris.

42. Wife of Juan Perón : EVA

Nowadays, President Juan Perón of Argentina is perhaps less well-known than his second wife, Eva Perón of “Evita” fame. Juan and Eva Perón were overthrown in a military coup in 1955, although Juan Perón was returned to power in 1973 after which he served for only nine months before he passed away. Juan was succeeded in office by his third wife, Isabel Perón.

51. John B, in a Beach Boys hit : SLOOP

The Beach Boys hit “Sloop John B” is a traditional folk song from the West Indies, originally titled “The John B. Sails”. The John B. was a real boat, one used for collecting sponges. The John B. foundered and sank in Governor’s Harbor on the Bahamas on or about 1900. The folk song was around as far back is 1927, with recordings being made as early 1935. The Kingston Trio recorded a version in 1958, as did Johnny Cash in 1959. The Beach Boys version of the song made it to #3 in the US charts in 1966. We liked it even more in Ireland and sent it to the top of the Irish charts.

53. When doubled, a Gabor sister : ZSA

Zsa Zsa Gabor was a Hungarian American actress, born in Budapest as Sári Gábor (the older sister of the actress Eva). Zsa Zsa Gabor was married a whopping nine times, including a 5-year stint with Conrad Hilton and another 5 years with the actor George Sanders. One of Gabor’s famous quips was that she was always a good housekeeper, as after every divorce she kept the house!

61. Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Da ___ G Show” : ALI

“Da Ali G Show” is a satirical TV series featuring English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. I wouldn’t be a big fan …

64. Verdi opera based on a Shakespeare play : OTELLO

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Otello” was first performed in 1887 at La Scala Theater in Milan. The opera is based on Shakespeare’s play “Othello” and is considered by many to be Verdi’s greatest work.

66. One chain by one furlong : ACRE

There are eight furlongs in a mile. The name “furlong” comes from the Old English “furh” (meaning “furrow”) and “lang” (meaning “long”). In Anglo-Saxon times, a furlong was the length of a furrow in ploughed field that was one acre in area. The width of said one-acre field was defined as one chain.

68. “The Fall of the House of Usher” writer : POE

“The Fall of the House of Usher” is perhaps the most famous short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1839. The story is a Gothic tale, an interview with Robert Usher in his house which literally “falls”, breaks into two and is swallowed up by a lake. Some believe that the story was inspired by events at a real Usher House that once stood on Boston’s Lewis Wharf. When the Usher House was torn down, the bodies of a man and woman were found embracing in a cavity in the cellar, a fact reflected in the story as Robert Usher’s sister is supposedly buried alive in the crypt.

Down

1. Muslim worship leaders : IMAMS

An imam is a Muslim leader, and often the person in charge of a mosque or perhaps a Muslim community.

4. Corner square in Monopoly : JAIL

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.

5. Either of two wives of Henry VIII : ANNE

Anne Boleyn was the second wife of Henry VIII of England. Anne was found guilty of high treason after about a thousand days of marriage to Henry, accused of adultery and incest (probably trumped-up charges). She was executed, but perhaps her legacy lived on in her only child, as her daughter reigned for 45 very prosperous years as Queen Elizabeth I.

Anne of Cleves was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. It seems that Anne’s arranged marriage to Henry was doomed from the day the two met soon after she arrived in England. Henry just wasn’t attracted to her, but the couple went ahead with the wedding. The marriage was annulled six months later on the grounds that it had not been consummated. Anne lived the rest of her life in England, and in fact outlived Henry’s five other wives.

6. ___ opus : MAGNUM

“Magnum opus” is a Latin term meaning “great work”. The magnum opus of a writer or composer perhaps, is his or her greatest work.

9. Actor Driver of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” : ADAM

Adam Driver is an actor best known to TV audiences for playing Adam Sackler on the show “Girls” that airs on HBO. Driver’s movie career got a huge boost in 2015 when he played villain Kylo Ren in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.

11. Cretan who had the Labyrinth built : KING MINOS

Minos was the King of Crete in Greek mythology, and the son of Zeus and Europa. Minos had an elaborate labyrinth built under the island, designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus (who famously died trying to escape from the island by “flying” away). In the labyrinth, King Minos kept the Minotaur, a dreadful creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man.

13. Iraq War worry, for short [2002] : WMD

The first recorded use of the term “Weapon of Mass Destruction” (WMD) was in 1937. The words were used by Cosmo Gordon Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, in reference to the bombardment of Guernica in Spain during the Spanish Civil War by the German Luftwaffe. He said, “Who can think without horror of what another widespread war would mean, waged as it would be with all the new weapons of mass destruction?”

22. Channels 14 and up, for short : UHF

TV frequencies here in North America are divided into two bands. The VHF band covers channels 2 through 13; the UHF band covers channels 14 through 83.

26. April fools’ sign? : ARIES

Aries the Ram is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, and is named after the constellation. Your birth sign is Aries if you were born between March 21 and April 20, but if you are an Aries you would know that! “Aries” is the Latin word for “ram”.

28. Lentil dish at an Indian restaurant : DAL

I love dal dishes, which are prepared from various peas or beans (often lentils) that have been stripped of their outer skins and split. Dal is an important part of Indian cuisines. I suppose in Indian terms, split pea soup (another of my favorites) would be called a dal.

29. G.I. tour grp. : USO

The United Service Organization (USO) was founded in 1941 at the request of FDR “to handle the on-leave recreation of the men in the armed forces”. A USO tour is undertaken by a troupe of entertainers, many of whom are big-name celebrities. A USO tour usually includes troop locations in combat zones.

31. Subj. for U.S. citizens-to-be : ESL

English as a Second Language (ESL) is sometimes referred to as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

36. Porgy’s partner : BESS

“Porgy and Bess” is an opera with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and libretto by DuBose Heyward. The storyline of the opera is based on the novel “Porgy” written by DuBose Heyward and and wife Dorothy. “Porgy and Bess” was first performed in 1935, in New York City, but really wasn’t accepted as legitimate opera until 1976 after a landmark production by the Houston Grand Opera. The most famous song from the piece is probably the wonderful aria “Summertime”.

37. https://www.whitehouse.gov, e.g. : URL

The White House website went live in 1994, although the design and content changes with each new administration. The website’s address is WhiteHouse.gov. It’s a good idea to note the ending of the address, because WhiteHouse.com used to be an adult site!

40. Western native : UTE

The Ute is a group of Native American tribes that now resides in Utah and Colorado. The Ute were not a unified people as such, but rather a loose association of nomadic groups. The word “Ute” means “Land of the Sun”, and “Ute” also gave us the state name “Utah”.

49. Explosive in a stick : TNT

“TNT” is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.

53. Video game princess : ZELDA

“The Legend of Zelda” is a video game. Apparently, it’s very successful …

54. “Skoal!” alternative : SALUT!

In French “salut” means “hi”, and is less formal than “bonjour”. The term can also be used as a friendly toast.

“Skoal” is a Swedish toast, with roots in the old Norse word “skaal” meaning “cup”.

55. Soap-on-___ : A-ROPE

“Soap on a rope” is a bar of soap that has been molded around a loop of rope. The idea is that someone showering can place the loop around the wrist or over the head in order to prevent the soap falling to the floor.

57. Chrysler Building’s style, briefly : DECO

The Chrysler Building in Manhattan is a magnificent Art Deco structure that was opened in 1930. Standing at over 1,000 feet tall, it was the tallest building in the world for almost a year, until the Empire State Building was completed in 1931. The building was constructed for use of the Chrysler Corporation, but the company never owned it. The car manufacturer’s founder decided to pay for the Chrysler Building out if his personal wealth, so that he could pass it on to his children.

59. Kind of collar : ETON

An Eton collar is a wide, stiff, buttoned collar that is still part of the formal school uniform at Eton College near Windsor in England.

61. Snapchat or Dropbox [2010] : APP

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.

Dropbox is a big name in the world of cloud data storage.

62. One of 13 popes : LEO

The first Pope Leo led the church from 440-461 AD and is now known as Pope Saint Leo the Great. Leo I is famous for having met with the feared Attila the Hun, and persuading him to turn back his invading force that was threatening to overrun Western Europe. The last Pope Leo reigned from 1878-1903. Leo XIII died at the age of 93, making him the oldest of all popes.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Facing difficulty : IN A JAM
7. Crow : BRAG
11. London’s ___ Gardens : KEW
14. “Hasta ___” : MANANA
15. Prime rating org. : USDA
16. Belief, informally : ISM
17. Contributing (to) : ADDING
18. Neither raise nor fold, in poker : STAY
19. Homer’s next-door neighbor on “The Simpsons” : NED
20. Rollover problem? [1997] : MILLENNIUM BUG
23. ___ Paulo, Brazil : SAO
24. Something a driver may “hang” : U-IE
25. Jazz pianist Jamal : AHMAD
28. Spectacular disaster [2016] : DUMPSTER FIRE
32. H&R Block staffers : CPAS
34. Start of the season? : ‘TIS
35. Vardalos of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” : NIA
36. Rescue from insolvency [2008] : BAIL OUT
39. Demoted [2006] : PLUTOED
42. Wife of Juan Perón : EVA
43. Agency issuance, in brief : REG
45. Get rid of : TOSS
46. Gender-neutral pronoun [2015] : SINGULAR THEY
51. John B, in a Beach Boys hit : SLOOP
52. Particle physics suffix : -INO
53. When doubled, a Gabor sister : ZSA
56. Annual American Dialect Society award given to seven answers in this puzzle : WORD OF THE YEAR
61. Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Da ___ G Show” : ALI
63. Egg: Fr. : OEUF
64. Verdi opera based on a Shakespeare play : OTELLO
65. Cent or capita preceder : PER
66. One chain by one furlong : ACRE
67. “Now wait just one second!” : HOLD UP!
68. “The Fall of the House of Usher” writer : POE
69. Pink : ROSY
70. Airing after midnight, say : ON LATE

Down

1. Muslim worship leaders : IMAMS
2. Foreign exchange student in “American Pie” : NADIA
3. “___, the angel of the Lord came upon them”: Luke : AND LO
4. Corner square in Monopoly : JAIL
5. Either of two wives of Henry VIII : ANNE
6. ___ opus : MAGNUM
7. Like Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station, according to Guinness : BUSIEST
8. Q-V connection : RSTU
9. Actor Driver of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” : ADAM
10. New York’s Stonewall Inn, e.g. : GAY BAR
11. Cretan who had the Labyrinth built : KING MINOS
12. WNW’s opposite : ESE
13. Iraq War worry, for short [2002] : WMD
21. Puppy’s bite : NIP
22. Channels 14 and up, for short : UHF
26. April fools’ sign? : ARIES
27. Inoperative : DEAD
28. Lentil dish at an Indian restaurant : DAL
29. G.I. tour grp. : USO
30. Money left on the table? : TIP
31. Subj. for U.S. citizens-to-be : ESL
32. Petty objection : CAVIL
33. Part of a musical instrument made from spring steel : PIANO WIRE
36. Porgy’s partner : BESS
37. https://www.whitehouse.gov, e.g. : URL
38. Serving from a trolley : TEA
40. Western native : UTE
41. Play (with) : TOY
44. Baseball’s Ken Jr. or Sr. : GRIFFEY
47. When repeated, baby’s utterance : GOO
48. Furor : UPROAR
49. Explosive in a stick : TNT
50. Santa’s laugh : HO HO HO!
53. Video game princess : ZELDA
54. “Skoal!” alternative : SALUT!
55. Soap-on-___ : A-ROPE
57. Chrysler Building’s style, briefly : DECO
58. Not just mine : OURS
59. Kind of collar : ETON
60. Holler : YELL
61. Snapchat or Dropbox [2010] : APP
62. One of 13 popes : LEO