0611-18 NY Times Crossword Answers 11 Jun 2018, Monday

Constructed by: Gary Cee
Edited by: Will Shortz

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Today’s Reveal Answer: Drinks Are On Me

Today’s grid includes four instances of the word “ME” shown in circled letters. Right above each ME is the name of a DRINK:

  • 35A. “I’ve got this round!” … or a literal hint to this puzzle’s theme : DRINKS ARE ON ME
  • 17A. Motorcycle attachment : SIDECAR
  • 19A. Chef Lagasse : EMERIL
  • 21A. Tropical tree with hot pink flowers : MIMOSA
  • 26A. “The ___ shall inherit the earth” : MEEK
  • 53A. Hand tool for boring holes : GIMLET
  • 59A. Sticker that might start “Hello …” : NAME TAG
  • 61A. Danny DeVito’s role in 1975’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” : MARTINI
  • 65A. Fair way to judge something : ON MERIT
  • Bill’s time: 5m 14s

    Bill’s errors: 0

    Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

    Across

    7. Knight’s title : SIR

    Kneel, and a monarch might “dub thee a knight” if you’re lucky. “Dub” is a specific term derived from Old English that was used to mean “make a knight”. As the knight was also given a knightly name at the same time, “dub” has come to mean “give someone a name”.

    13. George Bernard Shaw wanted his to read “I knew if I stayed around long enough, something like this would happen” : EPITAPH

    Our word “epitaph” ultimately comes from the Greek “epitaphion”, which translates as “funeral oration”.

    George Bernard Shaw (GBS) was a very successful Irish playwright. Shaw is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize for Literature, and an Oscar. He won his Oscar for adapting his own play “Pygmalion” for the 1938 film of the same name starring Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller. Most people are more likely to have seen the musical adaptation of “Pygmalion” that goes by the title “My Fair Lady”.

    17. Motorcycle attachment : SIDECAR

    The sidecar is actually my favorite cocktail. It was invented around the end of WWI possibly in the Ritz Hotel in Paris. It’s a simple drink to make, and contains brandy, cointreau or triple sec, and lemon or lime juice. It’s really the brandy version of a margarita (or vice versa).

    18. French ballroom dance : GAVOTTE

    The gavotte was originally a folk dance that came from southeastern France where it was was named for the Gavot people who performed the dance. The gavotte became more mainstream in the Baroque period in the French court and so composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach began including gavottes in their instrumental suites.

    19. Chef Lagasse : EMERIL

    Emeril Lagasse is an American chef who was born in Massachusetts. Lagasse first achieved celebrity as executive chef in Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Now famous for his television shows, his cuisine still showcases New Orleans ingredients and influences. Lagasse started using his famous “Bam!” catchphrase in order to keep his crew awake during repeated tapings of his show.

    21. Tropical tree with hot pink flowers : MIMOSA

    Where I come from, the cocktail known in North America as a mimosa is called a buck’s fizz, with the latter named for Buck’s Club in London where it was introduced in 1921. The mimosa came along a few years later, apparently first being served in the Paris Ritz. If you want to make a mimosa, it’s a 50-50 mix of champagne and orange juice, and it is very tasty …

    26. “The ___ shall inherit the earth” : MEEK

    The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of teachings of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. One famous section of the discourse is known as the Beatitudes. The eight Beatitudes are:

    • … Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
    • … Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted
    • … Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth
    • … Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled
    • … Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy
    • … Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God
    • … Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God
    • … Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    31. Result of iron deficiency : ANEMIA

    The term “anemia” (or “anaemia”, as we write it back in Ireland) comes from a Greek word meaning “lack of blood”. Anemia is a lack of iron in the blood, or a low red blood cell count. Tiredness is a symptom of the condition, and so we use the term “anemic” figuratively to mean “lacking in vitality or substance”.

    33. The “k” of kHz : KILO

    The unit of frequency measure is the hertz (Hz). It is the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. The unit is named for Heinrich Hertz, the German physicist who proved the existence of electromagnetic waves.

    40. Moonwalker Armstrong : NEIL

    Neil Armstrong was the most private of individuals. You didn’t often see him giving interviews, unlike so many of the more approachable astronauts of the Apollo space program. His famous, “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind” statement; that was something that he came up with himself, while Apollo 11 was making its way to the moon.

    43. Dresses in India : SARIS

    The item of clothing called a “sari” (also “saree”) is a strip of cloth, as one might imagine, unusual perhaps in that is unstitched along the whole of its length. The strip of cloth can range from four to nine meters long (that’s a lot of material!). The sari is usually wrapped around the waist, then draped over the shoulder leaving the midriff bare. I must say, it can be a beautiful item of clothing.

    50. Colored part of the eye : IRIS

    The iris is the colored part of the eye. It has an aperture in the center that can open or close depending on the level of light hitting the eye.

    51. Thomas Edison’s middle name : ALVA

    Thomas Alva Edison (TAE) was nicknamed “The Wizard of Menlo Park” by a newspaper reporter, a name that stuck. He was indeed a wizard, in the sense that he was such a prolific inventor. The Menlo Park part of the moniker recognizes the location of his first research lab, in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

    52. Hush-hush government org. : NSA

    The National Security Agency (NSA) was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense since 1949. The NSA has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that established the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the organization’s nickname … “No Such Agency”.

    53. Hand tool for boring holes : GIMLET

    A gimlet is a relatively simple cocktail that is traditionally made with just gin and lime juice. The trend in more recent times is to replace the gin with vodka.

    61. Danny DeVito’s role in 1975’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” : MARTINI

    Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is a set in a psychiatric hospital in Salem, Oregon. The novel was adapted into a stage play in 1963, starring Kirk Douglas who had purchased the rights to produce it on stage and screen. The film version was finally made in 1975, with Kirk Douglas’s son Michael Douglas as co-producer.

    Danny DeVito’s big break as an actor came with the role of Louie De Palma on the sitcom “Taxi”. After parlaying his success on television into some major comic roles on the big screen, DeVito turned to producing. He co-founded the production company Jersey Films which made hit movies such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Garden State”. DeVito has been married to actress Rhea Perlman for well over 30 years.

    68. U.S.’s largest union, with 3.2 million members : NEA

    The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the country, and mainly represents public school teachers.

    69. Short albums, for short : EPS

    An extended-play (EP) record, CD or download contains more music than a single, but less than an LP.

    Down

    1. “___ Just Not That Into You” : HE’S

    “He’s Just Not That Into You” is a line of dialog from the HBO television series “Sex and the City”. The line was lifted and used as the title of a self-help book published in 2004. The book was adapted into a 2009 romantic comedy film with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson. Haven’t seen it …

    2. Longtime inits. in newswires : UPI

    Founded in 1958, United Press International (UPI) used to be one of the biggest news agencies in the world, sending out news by wire to the major newspapers. UPI ran into trouble with the change in media formats at the end of the twentieth century and lost many of its clients as the afternoon newspapers shut down due to the advent of television news. UPI, which once employed thousands, still exists today but with just a fraction of that workforce.

    3. Sustain temporarily : TIDE OVER

    Something is said “to tide one over” if it (often money) will see one through a rough patch. The idea behind the expression is that a swelling tide can carry you over an obstacle without effort on your part, as perhaps a reserve fund might keep the lenders from your door. The use of “tide” in this sense might come from some famous lines spoken by Brutus in “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare

    There is a Tide in the affairs of men,
    Which taken at the Flood, leads on to Fortune

    8. Muslim leaders : IMAMS

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

    9. Sitarist Shankar : RAVI

    Ravi Shankar was perhaps the most famous virtuoso (to us Westerners) from the world of Indian classical music, and was noted for his sitar playing. Also, Shankar was the father of the beautiful pop singer Norah Jones.

    10. Nixes from Nixon, e.g. : VETOES

    The verb “veto” comes directly from Latin and means “I forbid”. The term was used by tribunes of Ancient Rome to indicate that they opposed measures passed by the Senate.

    14. President pro ___ : TEM

    “Pro tempore” can be abbreviated to “pro tem” or “p.t.” “Pro tempore” is a Latin phrase that best translates as “for the time being”. It is used to describe a person who is acting for another, usually a superior. The President pro tempore of the US Senate is the person who presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President of the US. It has been tradition since 1890 that the president pro tem is the most senior senator in the majority party. The president pro tem ranks highly in the line of succession to the presidency, falling third in line after the Vice President and the Speaker of the House.

    16. Designer Hilfiger : TOMMY

    Tommy Hilfiger is a fashion designer from Elmira, New York who is based in New York City.

    23. Kentucky senator Paul : RAND

    Rand Paul is a US Senator representing the state of Kentucky, and was elected to office in 2010 as a prominent member of the Tea Party movement. Senator Rand Paul is the son of US Representative Ron Paul from Texas. Rand Paul thus became the first US Senator to serve alongside a parent in the House of Representatives.

    28. Classic record label : EMI

    EMI was a British music company, with the initialism standing for Electric and Musical Industries.

    36. Window ledge : SILL

    “Sill plate”, or simply “sill”, is an architectural term for a bottom horizontal member to which vertical members are attached. Windowsills and doorsills are specific sill plates found at the bottoms of a window and door openings.

    38. Country’s Reba : MCENTIRE

    Reba McEntire is a country music singer and television actress. McEntire starred in her own sitcom called “Reba” that aired on the WB and the CW cable channels from 2001 to 2007.

    42. Some Jamaican music : SKA

    Ska originated in Jamaica in the late fifties and was the precursor to reggae music. No one has a really definitive etymology of the term “ska”, but it is likely to be imitative of some sound.

    43. Mister, in Milan : SIGNOR

    Milan is Italy’s second largest city, second only to Rome. Milan is a European fashion capital, the headquarters for the big Italian fashion houses of Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Armani, Prada and others. Mario Prada was even born in Milan, and helped establish the city’s reputation in the world of fashion.

    44. Singer Grande : ARIANA

    Ariana Grande is a singer and actress from Boca Raton, Florida. Grande plays the role of Cat Valentine on the sitcom “Victorious” that aired for four season on Nickelodeon. Grande’s singing career took off with the release of the 2011 album “Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show”.

    46. The ___ Brothers of R&B : ISLEY

    The Isley Brothers are an R&B group from Cincinnati, Ohio. The original lineup was a vocal trio consisting of three brothers: O’Kelly, Jr., Rudolph and Ronald Isley. The three brothers wrote the fabulous 1959 hit “Shout”, the song which brought the group its first success.

    51. Big name in arcade gaming : ATARI

    At one point, the electronics and video game manufacturer Atari was the fastest growing company in US history. However, Atari never really recovered from the video game industry crash of 1983.

    Our word “arcade” comes from the Latin “arcus” meaning “arc”. The first arcades were passages made from a series of arches. This could be an avenue of trees, and eventually any covered avenue. I remember arcades lined with shops and stores when I was growing up on the other side of the Atlantic. Arcades came to be lined with lots of amusements, resulting in amusement arcades and video game arcades.

    56. Copenhagener, e.g. : DANE

    Copenhagen is the largest city and the capital of Denmark. I haven’t had the privilege of visiting Copenhagen, but I hear it is a wonderful metropolis with a marvelous quality of life. The city is also very environmentally friendly, with over a third of its population commuting to work by bicycle.

    57. Bombeck who wrote “Housework, if you do it right, will kill you” : ERMA

    Erma Bombeck wrote for newspapers for about 35 years, producing more than 4,000 witty and humorous columns, under the title “At Wit’s End”, describing her home life in suburbia.

    58. Sault ___ Marie, Mich. : STE

    Sault Ste. Marie is the name of two cities on either side of the Canada-US border, one in Ontario and the other in Michigan. The two cities were originally one settlement in the 17th century, established by Jesuit Missionaries. The missionaries gave the settlement the name “Sault Sainte Marie”, which can be translated as “Saint Mary’s Falls”. The city was one community until 1817, when a US-UK Joint Boundary Commission set the border along the St. Mary’s River.

    60. Meas. of a country’s economic output : GDP

    A country’s Gross National Product (GNP) is the value of all services and products produced by its residents in a particular year. GNP includes all production wherever it is in the world, as long as the business is owned by residents of the country concerned. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is different, although related, and is the value of all services and goods produced within the borders of the country for that year.

    63. “___ over” (“We’re done”) : IT’S

    Indeed it is …

    Complete List of Clues/Answers

    Across

    1. Home made of mud and thatch : HUT
    4. Mob informant : RAT
    7. Knight’s title : SIR
    10. “I do,” at a wedding : VOW
    13. George Bernard Shaw wanted his to read “I knew if I stayed around long enough, something like this would happen” : EPITAPH
    15. Professional’s opposite : AMATEUR
    17. Motorcycle attachment : SIDECAR
    18. French ballroom dance : GAVOTTE
    19. Chef Lagasse : EMERIL
    21. Tropical tree with hot pink flowers : MIMOSA
    22. Sis’s sibling : BRO
    24. Spreadsheet amount shown in parentheses : LOSS
    26. “The ___ shall inherit the earth” : MEEK
    27. Gushing review : RAVE
    29. Inky mess : BLOT
    30. Dermatological sacs : CYSTS
    31. Result of iron deficiency : ANEMIA
    33. The “k” of kHz : KILO
    35. “I’ve got this round!” … or a literal hint to this puzzle’s theme : DRINKS ARE ON ME
    40. Moonwalker Armstrong : NEIL
    41. Press agents, informally : FLACKS
    43. Dresses in India : SARIS
    47. Roster : LIST
    49. Nerd : GEEK
    50. Colored part of the eye : IRIS
    51. Thomas Edison’s middle name : ALVA
    52. Hush-hush government org. : NSA
    53. Hand tool for boring holes : GIMLET
    55. One with only younger siblings : ELDEST
    59. Sticker that might start “Hello …” : NAME TAG
    61. Danny DeVito’s role in 1975’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” : MARTINI
    64. Minor gain in football : ONE YARD
    65. Fair way to judge something : ON MERIT
    66. “Cool!” : RAD!
    67. Back talk : LIP
    68. U.S.’s largest union, with 3.2 million members : NEA
    69. Short albums, for short : EPS

    Down

    1. “___ Just Not That Into You” : HE’S
    2. Longtime inits. in newswires : UPI
    3. Sustain temporarily : TIDE OVER
    4. 5K or 10K : RACE
    5. On ___ with (even with) : A PAR
    6. Surge of exhilaration : THRILL
    7. Droop : SAG
    8. Muslim leaders : IMAMS
    9. Sitarist Shankar : RAVI
    10. Nixes from Nixon, e.g. : VETOES
    11. Beginning : OUTSET
    12. Unleashes, as havoc : WREAKS
    14. President pro ___ : TEM
    16. Designer Hilfiger : TOMMY
    20. “Pay attention out there!” : LOOK ALIVE!
    22. Undergarment usually fastened in the back : BRA
    23. Kentucky senator Paul : RAND
    25. Mix, as paint : STIR
    28. Classic record label : EMI
    29. Pie recipe directive : BAKE
    30. Pie recipe directive : COOL
    32. B&Bs : INNS
    34. Pointing in this direction: ⟵ : LEFT
    36. Window ledge : SILL
    37. Chronic complainer : NAG
    38. Country’s Reba : MCENTIRE
    39. Barely makes, with “out” : EKES
    42. Some Jamaican music : SKA
    43. Mister, in Milan : SIGNOR
    44. Singer Grande : ARIANA
    45. Horn-___ glasses : RIMMED
    46. The ___ Brothers of R&B : ISLEY
    48. Fish sometimes served smoked : SALMON
    51. Big name in arcade gaming : ATARI
    54. And others, in a bibliography : ET AL
    56. Copenhagener, e.g. : DANE
    57. Bombeck who wrote “Housework, if you do it right, will kill you” : ERMA
    58. Sault ___ Marie, Mich. : STE
    60. Meas. of a country’s economic output : GDP
    62. Puppy’s bite : NIP
    63. “___ over” (“We’re done”) : IT’S

    11 thoughts on “0611-18 NY Times Crossword Answers 11 Jun 2018, Monday”

    1. 6:50 after getting the “almost there” message and fixing an error: I had put MCENTYRE for 38D and didn’t notice MARTYNI. Silly me … 😜

    2. 9:15. No circles in the NYT online grid. There were just shaded squares that I never noticed until after I had finished. I got the reveal, but I never really looked for the theme answers.

      Best –

    3. @Allen
      Hopefully you see the responses to you on last Sunday (syndie time’s) blog post where the question of whether Bill’s time was realistic.

    4. First thought this was a bit too easy even for a Monday, but found it firming up in getting further into it. Earns a good rating ON MERIT.

    5. Quite easy. I had a glitch in my newspaper where they left out the arrow for 34-Down pointing to the LEFT. But I figured it out okay even without the arrow. I don’t use alcohol so I can only view these drinks as curiosities.

    6. I detected the word “it” either backwards, forwards, vertically, or horizontally SIX times in the puzzle. This made me think of an alternate theme: “Its (it’s) all about ME.”

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