1103-17 NY Times Crossword Answers 3 Nov 2017, Friday

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Constructed by: Kameron Austin Collins & Brendan Emmett Quigley
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 14m 07s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

8. Part of the Constitution : ARTICLE

The Constitution of the United States was adopted on September 17, 1787. There have been 27 amendments to the constitution, the first ten of which are collectively called the Bill of Rights. In essence the Bill of Rights limits the power of the Federal Government and protects the rights of individuals. For example, the First Amendment states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

19. Cross-shaped mil. award : DSO

The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a British military award that is usually presented to officers with the rank of major or higher.

22. You, overseas : SIE

“Sie” is a German word meaning “you”.

26. Naval Academy students, informally : MIDS

The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is located in Annapolis, Maryland. The USNA was founded in 1845 and educates officers for both the US Navy and the US Marine Corps. The motto of the USNA is “Ex Scientia Tridens”, which translates as “From Knowledge, Sea Power”.

27. Auntie ___ (pretzel chain) : ANNE’S

Auntie Anne’s is a chain of pretzel bakeries that was founded in 1988. The chain started out as a simple stand in a farmer’s market in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. There are now almost 900 outlets in about a dozen countries.

44. Filmmaker whose directorial debut was “This Is Spinal Tap” : ROB REINER

The great director and actor Rob Reiner first came to prominence playing “Meathead”, Archie and Edith Bunker’s son-in-law in “All in the Family”. Since then, Reiner has directed a long string of hit movies including, “The Princess Bride”, “Stand by Me”, “This Is Spinal Tap”, “When Harry Met Sally”, “Misery” and “A Few Good Men”.

“This Is Spın̈al Tap” is a rock musical mockumentary about the fictional band Spinal Tap, directed by the great Rob Reiner. I love Rob Reiner’s work, but this movie … not so much …

47. Suffragist Carrie Chapman ___ : CATT

Carrie Chapman Catt founded the League of Women Voters and the International Alliance of Women. Catt was also very close to Susan B. Anthony and succeeded Anthony as head of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

51. Hit 2014 musical based on a 1992 film : ALADDIN

The Disney animated feature “Aladdin” was released in 1992 and is one of the best movies to come out of the studio, in my opinion, largely due to the great performance by Robin Williams who voiced the Genie. “Aladdin” was the most successful film of 1992, earning over $500 million worldwide, an unusual feat for an animated movie.

54. Abbr. in a financial report : YTD

Year-to-date (YTD)

55. White whales : BELUGAS

The beluga whale is also known as the white whale, and is a mammal that inhabits Arctic and sub-Arctic seas. The name “beluga” comes from the Russian “belukha”, which in turn derives from “belyy” meaning “white”.

61. The Muses and others : ENNEADS

The Ennead is a group of nine gods in Egyptian mythology. The Ennead were all in the same family, all descendents of the god Atum.

62. Like many of the Minions in “Despicable Me” : ONE-EYED

“Despicable Me” is a 2010 animated comedy film. The main voice actor in the movie is the very funny Steve Carell. “Despicable Me” is a Universal Pictures production, although all of the animation was done in France. The 2010 film was followed by a sequel “Despicable Me 2” released in 2013, with a prequel/spinoff film called “Minions” released in 2015.

Down

3. Penn State campus site : ALTOONA

Altoona is in central Pennsylvania, and is home to the Ivyside Park Campus of Pennsylvania State University. Altoona is also home to Lakemont Park and Leap-The-Dips, the world’s oldest operating wooden roller coaster.

6. Car whose name means “reward” : MIATA

The Mazda MX-5 is sold as the Miata in North America, and as the Roadster in Japan. I’ve always liked the looks of the Mazda Miata, probably because it reminds me so much of old British sports cars. The Miata is built in Hiroshima, Japan. The name “Miata” comes from an Old High German word meaning “reward”.

7. Ugandan city on Lake Victoria : ENTEBBE

Kampala is the capital city of Uganda. The airport that serves Kampala is in the town of Entebbe. Entebbe airport is well known for the daring hostage-rescue carried out by Israeli Defense Forces in 1976 following a hijacking.

Lake Victoria is the largest lake by surface area on the continent of Africa. It was named by English explorer John Hanning Speke in honor of Queen Victoria of the UK. Speke was the first European to set eyes on the lake.

12. Senator who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar : CASSIUS

In discussing Roman history, when we refer to “Cassius”, we are usually talking about Gaius Cassius Longinus. Cassius was a senator, and one of the leaders in the successful plot to kill Julius Caesar. After the assassination, Cassius was defeated in the Battle of Philippi by Marc Antony. The vanquished senator then killed himself, using the very same dagger that he used against Julius Caesar.

21. Gold-certifying org. : RIAA

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) represents music distributors. It is the RIAA that certifies records that have gone gold and platinum i.e. reached fixed sales thresholds. It’s also the RIAA that goes after individuals who share music illegally online.

24. Things seen in a shower : METEORS

The two most famous meteor showers are the Perseids and Leonids. The Perseid meteor shower is most visible around August 12th each year, and the Leonid meteor shower is most notable around November 17th. The Perseids appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, and the Leonids from the constellation Leo (hence the names “Perseids” and “Leonids”).

26. “Hero and Leander” poet : MARLOWE

Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist and poet around in the Elizabethan era. Marlowe was born in the same year as William Shakespeare, and it seems that Shakespeare was heavily influenced by Marlowe’s work. Marlowe achieved success and prominence at a relatively young age. It was only after Marlowe’s early death (at 29 years of age) that Shakespeare became extremely successful. There is one theory, now considered somewhat outlandish, that Marlowe faked his death and continued to work under the name “William Shakespeare”.

31. Gorky Reservoir river : VOLGA

The Volga is the longest river in Europe, and is also considered the national river of Russia.

37. Ohio school : OBERLIN

Oberlin, Ohio is a city southwest of Cleveland. The city is home to Oberlin College, the biggest employer in town. Oberlin was named after Jean-Frédéric Oberlin, a pastor from Alsace. Oberlin was the first college in the country to admit African American students, and the second to admit females (after Cumberland College in Princeton, Kentucky).

40. Style symbolizing luxury and glamour : ART DECO

Art deco is a style of design and architecture of the 1920s that actually had its roots in Belgium and then spread throughout Europe before arriving in North America. Celebrated examples of art deco architecture are the magnificent Chrysler Building in New York City completed in 1930, and the GE Building that sits in the middle of Rockefeller Center also in New York City, with the address of “30 Rock”.

42. Willful? : TESTATE

Someone who dies “intestate” does so without having made a will. Someone with a will is “testate”.

44. Hoi polloi sorts : RABBLE

“Hoi polloi” is a Greek term, literally meaning “the majority, the many”. In English, “hoi polloi” has come to mean “the masses” and is often used in a derogatory sense.

48. God father? : TITAN

The Titans were a group of twelve older deities in Greek mythology, the twelve children of the primordial Gaia and Uranus, Mother Earth and Father Sky. In the celebrated Battle of the Titans, they were overthrown by the Olympians, who were twelve younger gods. We use the term “titan” figuratively to describe a powerful person, someone with great influence.

51. Tequila chaser : AGUA

Tequila is a city in Mexico that is located about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco. The city is the birthplace of the drink called “tequila”. Local people made a variety of a drink called mezcal by fermenting the heart of the blue agave plant that is native to the area surrounding Tequila. It was the Spanish who introduced the distillation process to the mescal, giving us what we now know as “tequila”.

52. It’s used in preparing tamales : LARD

Fat, when extracted from the carcass of an animal, is called suet. Untreated suet decomposes at room temperature quite easily so it has to be rendered or purified to make it stable. Rendered fat from pigs is what we call lard. Rendered beef or mutton fat is known as tallow.

A tamale is a traditional dish from Central America composed of a starchy dough that is steamed or boiled in a wrapper made from a corn husk or banana leaf. The dough is called masa, and can include many different ingredients including meat, cheese fruit and vegetables.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. “Save your excuses” : SPARE ME
8. Part of the Constitution : ARTICLE
15. Grant access : ALLOW IN
16. Half of the digits have this : TOENAIL
17. Edible kernel : NUT MEAT
18. Built up : AMASSED
19. Cross-shaped mil. award : DSO
20. Not so lenient : STERNER
22. You, overseas : SIE
23. Death or destruction : DOOM
25. “___ the Agent” (old comic strip) : ABIE
26. Naval Academy students, informally : MIDS
27. Auntie ___ (pretzel chain) : ANNE’S
29. Target of a heist : BANK VAULT
32. Not let go of something : BEAT A DEAD HORSE
34. In advance of : ERE
35. A to Z : ALL
36. Platform for chatting : GOOGLE HANGOUTS
44. Filmmaker whose directorial debut was “This Is Spinal Tap” : ROB REINER
45. “You’re making me blush!” : AW GEE!
46. Forever and a day : AGES
47. Suffragist Carrie Chapman ___ : CATT
49. Word after who, what, where, when, why or how : … ELSE
50. Utterance made while shaking : BRR!
51. Hit 2014 musical based on a 1992 film : ALADDIN
54. Abbr. in a financial report : YTD
55. White whales : BELUGAS
57. English headwear with a short visor : ETON CAP
59. Time off : LEISURE
60. Target, as an audience : CATER TO
61. The Muses and others : ENNEADS
62. Like many of the Minions in “Despicable Me” : ONE-EYED

Down

1. Pacific flatfish : SANDDAB
2. With a guest, on a guest list : PLUS ONE
3. Penn State campus site : ALTOONA
4. DVD attachment? : ROM
5. Much of a flock : EWES
6. Car whose name means “reward” : MIATA
7. Ugandan city on Lake Victoria : ENTEBBE
8. Finished : AT AN END
9. Setting for Broadway’s “The Light in the Piazza” : ROME
10. Common sports injury : TEAR
11. They can help you get jobs : INS
12. Senator who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar : CASSIUS
13. Go unused : LIE IDLE
14. Destined to inherit the throne : ELDEST
21. Gold-certifying org. : RIAA
24. Things seen in a shower : METEORS
26. “Hero and Leander” poet : MARLOWE
28. Platoon V.I.P. : SARGE
30. Sadiq ___, London mayor elected in 2016 : KHAN
31. Gorky Reservoir river : VOLGA
33. Grocery section : DELI
36. Stop wasting energy, say : GO GREEN
37. Ohio school : OBERLIN
38. Boxes : ENCASES
39. Source of a river : HEAD
40. Style symbolizing luxury and glamour : ART DECO
41. Intense sobbing with a contorted face, in modern lingo : UGLY CRY
42. Willful? : TESTATE
43. Green bean, e.g. : SEED POD
44. Hoi polloi sorts : RABBLE
48. God father? : TITAN
51. Tequila chaser : AGUA
52. It’s used in preparing tamales : LARD
53. “See here …” : NOTE …
56. “It’s no ___” : USE
58. Previously : NEE

8 thoughts on “1103-17 NY Times Crossword Answers 3 Nov 2017, Friday”

  1. @Roger Sicker (from yesterday) … What makes a crossword puzzle “good” is highly subjective. I think you just have to try puzzles from various sources and decide for yourself what you think of them. That said, a guy named “Glenn” (who sometimes posts here, but more frequently posts over on Bill’s LAT blog) has put together an excellent guide to various crossword puzzle sources on the web. See

    https://glenncrossblog.wordpress.com/crossword-plaza/

    Some of the sites Glenn discusses also contain links to other sites.

    1. Thanks for the info. Seems my paper The Lake County News Herald is jumping around a bit. I left this comment some time ago , but did this puzzle today, BTB missed RIAA , had RBAA.

  2. 40:31 with 3 cheats. I thought I was beyond having to cheat on Friday puzzles, but not today. Some absolutely diabolical cluing in this one, but that is to be expected with BEQ as one of the setters. This is one of those puzzles that seems much easier in retrospect than it did while solving.

    I prefer a sangrita rather than AGUA as a tequila chaser. There are many forms of it, but my favorite is tomato juice, lime juice, orange juice, tobasco, and a little worcestershire sauce. It really cleanses the palate especially if you are trying different types of tequila. How did I get on this tangent? I guess it’s Friday…

    Best –

  3. 25:33 with a nice sprinkling of errors. Started off seemingly easy for a Friday. Agree with Jeff: some diabolical cluing. I might call it cruel. Mostly a fun solve tho.

  4. 19:45. Took me a little bit to get into but once I did it fell pretty quickly. Getting ENTEBBEof the B in BANKVAULT helped a lot.

  5. 27:24, almost a non-starter for me. Went through most of the grid with only a few entries, many of them wrong; such as 19A DSC for DSO; 33D MEAT for DELI; 51D LIME for AGUA; 61A SEPTETS for ENNEADS. Eventually, after many severe brain contortions, was able to twist my thinking into seeing one or two correct entries in each quadrant. Then everything fell into place.

  6. 21:06, and could only get it about 70% filled. Bottom center and right were impossible. Yes, the clueing was completely opaque in this one. I have a decided bone to pick with 51D: there’s absolutely no reason to assume the answer is going to be in Spanish from that clue. And 49A? Nearly half those words are NOT commonly used with ELSE. Come ON!!!!

    I might have to start swearing off any puzzles constructed by TWO people with pretentious triple-names…. 😉

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