0630-18 NY Times Crossword Answers 30 Jun 2018, Saturday

Constructed by: Andy Kravis
Edited by: Will Shortz

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Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 16m 53s

Bill’s errors: 2

  • AVA DUVERNAY (Ava Duverney!!)
  • SPATLESE (Spetlese)

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5. Decorated military pilot : WAR ACE

A flying ace is an aviator who has shot down a number of enemy planes during combat. The qualifying number of kills seems to vary, but five is common. The first use of “ace” was during WWI, when the French newspapers dubbed pilot Adolphe Pegoud “l’as” (French for “the ace”) when he shot down his fifth German plane.

15. Cosmetic injections for guys : BROTOX

The use of botox by men, for cosmetic reasons, can be termed “brotox”.

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The toxin is a protein that can cause botulism, an extremely dangerous illness in humans and animals. Botulinum toxin is sold under the trade name “Botox”. Botox is used therapeutically and in cosmetic applications to weaken muscles, perhaps muscles that are in uncontrollable spasm. The cosmetic application involves the paralyzing of facial muscles in order to eliminate or reduce wrinkles, at least for a few months.

16. Former 57-Across star from China : YAO
(57A. See 16-Across : NBA)

Yao Ming is a retired professional basketball player from Shanghai who played for the Houston Rockets. At 7’6″, Yao was the tallest man playing in the NBA.

17. Another end of a chess game : MATE

In the game of chess, when the king is under immediate threat of capture it is said to be “in check”. If the king cannot escape from check, then the game ends in “checkmate” and the player in check loses. In the original Sanskrit game of chess, the king could actually be captured. Then a rule was introduced requiring that a warning be given if capture was imminent (today we announce “check!”) so that an accidental and early ending to the game doesn’t occur.

18. Grade in the high 80s or low 90s? : OCTANE

The difference between a premium and regular gasoline is its octane rating. The octane rating is measure of the resistance of the gasoline to auto-ignition i.e. its resistance to ignition just by virtue of being compressed in the cylinder. This auto-ignition is undesirable as multiple-cylinder engines are designed so that ignition within each cylinder takes place precisely when the plug sparks, and not before. If ignition occurs before the spark is created, the resulting phenomenon is called “knocking”. We sometimes use the adjective “high-octane” to mean “intense, dynamic, high-powered”

19. Crane arm : JIB

The lifting device known as a crane is so called because of its resemblance to the wading bird with the same name.

22. Half of some matched sets : HERS

His ‘n’ hers.

23. Sommelier’s concern : NOSE

“Sommelier” is the French word for “wine steward”. If that steward is a female, then the French term is “sommelière”.

28. When repeated, cry in Matthew 27 : ELI!

According to both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark in the Christian Bible, Jesus uttered the words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”) while hanging on the cross. This phrase is the only one that appears in more than one of the four gospels.

31. Potential source of college credit : AP TEST

The Advanced Placement (AP) program offers college-level courses to kids who are still in high school. After being tested at the end of the courses, successful students receive credits that count towards a college degree.

32. Director of 2018’s “A Wrinkle in Time” : AVA DUVERNAY

Ava DuVernay is a filmmaker who became the first African-American woman to win the Best Director Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, a feat she achieved in 2012 for her feature film “Middle of Nowhere”. “Middle of Nowhere” tells the story of a woman who drops out of medical school to focus on husband when he is sentenced to 8 years in prison. DuVernay also directed the 2014 film “Selma” about the 1965 voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

“A Wrinkle in Time” is a book by Madeleine L’Engle. Published in 1962, it is described as a science fantasy. Included in the book’s cast of characters are Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, all of whom turn out to be supernatural beings who transport the antagonists through the universe. “A Wrinkle in Time” was adapted into a 2018 movie of the same name starring Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling as the three “Mrs” characters.

35. Vaping needs : E-CIGARETTES

An electronic cigarette (also called an “e-cigarette”) is a battery-powered device that resembles a real cigarette. The e-cigarette vaporizes a solution that contains nicotine, forming a vapor that resembles smoke. The vapor is inhaled in a process called “vaping”, delivering the nicotine into the body. The assumption is that an e-cigarette is healthier than a regular cigarette as the inhaled vapor is less harmful than inhaled smoke. But, that may not be so …

37. Mr. Television, by another nickname : UNCLE MILTIE

Comedian Milton Berle was known as “Uncle Miltie” and “Mr. Television”, and was arguably the first real star of American television. Berle was hosting “Texaco Star Theater” back in 1948.

39. Tex-Mex offering : FAJITA

“Fajita” is a Tex-Mex term that refers to grilled meat served on a tortilla. The original Mexican-Spanish term “fajita” is used to describe a small strip of chicken or beef. Nowadays, fajitas are often served on a sizzling platter with the tortillas and condiments on the side.

42. 1941 Welles role : KANE

1941’s “Citizen Kane” was the first film made by Orson Welles, and considered by many to be the finest film ever made. It’s a remarkable achievement by Wells, as he played the lead, and also produced and directed. Despite all the accolades for “Citizen Kane” over the decades, the movie was far from a commercial success in its early run and actually lost money at the box office.

Orson Welles is perhaps best-remembered in the world of film for his role in 1941’s “Citizen Kane”. In the world of radio, Welles is known for directing and narrating 1938’s famous broadcast of “The War of the Worlds”, a broadcast that convinced many listeners that the Earth was indeed being invaded by aliens.

43. Late sixth-century year : DXC

In Roman numerals, 590 is written as DXC.

49. Sluggish : LOGY

Something or someone that is described as “logy” is dull. “Logy” might come from the Dutch word “log” that means “heavy, dull”.

52. Ford in the Country Music Hall of Fame : ERNIE

Tennessee Ernie Ford was mainly a country singer, whose most famous recording was “Sixteen Tons”. “Sixteen Tons” is a song about life as a coal miner, with the title being a reference to sixteen tons of coal.

53. Sites of many -ectomies, for short : ORS

Surgery (surg.) is usually performed in an operating room (OR).

56. Scintilla : IOTA

Iota is the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet, one that gave rise to our letters I and J. We use the word “iota” to portray something very small, as it is the smallest of all Greek letters.

A scintilla is a small amount. The term can also be used to describe a spark or a flash (as in “to scintillate”). The term came into English from Latin, in which language it means “spark, particle of fire, atom”.

60. Nairobi-to-Johannesburg dir. : SSW

Nairobi is the capital and largest city in the African nation of Kenya. The city is named for the Nairobi River, which in turn takes its name from the Maasai “Enkare Nairobi” meaning “Cool Water”. Nairobi was founded in 1899 as a stop on the Kenya-Uganda railroad, at a time when the country was a British colony.

Johannesburg is the most populous city in South Africa. The city developed from a prospecting settlement, and was named after two surveyors: Johannes Meyer and Johannes Rissik.

Down

2. Bar food? : GRANOLA

The names “Granola” and “Granula” were trademarked back in the late 1800s for whole-grain foods that were crumbled and baked until crisp. Granola was created in Dansville, New York in 1894.

5. Grp. recognizing international titleholders in 18 different weight classes : WBO

World Boxing Organization (WBO)

8. Retro console giant : ATARI

The kids today probably don’t realize that we had a video game console back in the seventies, and it wasn’t a Nintendo nor was it a PlayStation. The Atari 2600 game system introduced the idea of separating out computing hardware (the console) from the game code (a cartridge). The same concept persists to this day, although cartridges have been displaced by discs and downloads.

9. Emperor who called the First Council of Nicaea : CONSTANTINE

Constantine the Great (aka Constantine I and St. Constantine) was Emperor of Rome from 306 to 337. Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity, and along with co-Emperor Licinius he proclaimed religious tolerance throughout the Roman Empire. It was Constantine who gave his name to the city of Constantinople (now Istanbul). Also, the famous Arch of Constantine in Rome was built to commemorate one of Constantine’s military victories. This arch that was the model for many famous arches around the world including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Marble Arch in London, and the arch in the main facade of Union Station in Washington, DC.

10. Common PC file extension : EXE

In the Windows operating system, a file with the extension .exe is an “executable” file.

11. “I say!” : BY JOVE!

“By Jove” is a mild oath that calls on the Roman god Jove, who was also known as Jupiter.

30. John who directed “Tarzan, the Ape Man” : DEREK

“John Derek” was the stage name of Derek Delevan Harris, a native of Hollywood, California. Derek appeared in some notable films, including 1949’s “All the King’s Men” and 1956’s “The Ten Commandments”. Somewhat dissatisfied with a perceived lack of success as an actor, Derek turned to directing, and also became a recognized photographer. He had four very famous wives:

  1. Pati Behrs (1951-1957): a Russian-born prima ballerina
  2. Ursula Andress (1957-1966): the Swiss-American actress and “Bond girl”
  3. Linda Evans (1968-1974): the actress who played Krystle Carrington on “Dynasty”
  4. Bo Derek (1976-1998): the actress noted for playing the female lead in the film “10”

34. Like Frank Sinatra, three times : REMARRIED

Frank Sinatra was married four times in all. His first wife, and mother of his three children, was Nancy Barbato. Barbato and Sinatra met in Jersey City while in their teens, and married in their early twenties in 1939. They divorced in 1951 following a string of affairs that Sinatra had after he moved his family to Hollywood. One of those very public affairs was with actress Ava Gardner, who became Sinatra’s second wife a few months after divorcing Barbato. That marriage lasted until 1957. Sinatra then married actress Mia Farrow, when she was 21 years old and he was 29 years her senior. That marriage only lasted a couple of years. Sinatra’s last marriage took place in 1976, and was Barbara Blakely Marx, the ex-wife of Zeppo Marx of the Marx Brothers.

39. Penmen? : FELONS

“Pen” is a slang term for “penitentiary”. Back in the early 1400s, a penitentiary was a place to do “penance”, a place of punishment for offences against the church.

40. Totally cute, in slang : ADORBS

“Adorbs!” is a colloquial term meaning “So cute, adorable!”

41. Fitting pastime? : JIGSAW

Jigsaws are saws designed for the cutting of irregular curves by hand. The original jigsaw puzzles were created by painting a picture on a sheet of wood and then cutting the picture into small pieces using a jigsaw, hence the name. Today, almost all jigsaw puzzles are pictures glued onto cardboard. The puzzle pieces are then die-cut, and there’s no jigsaw involved at all.

48. Certain decorative paperweight : PRISM

When light passes through a prism, it splits up (“disperses”) into differing wavelengths. It then becomes clear that white light is actually a mixture of different colors, which show up as beautiful spectra.

54. Air safety org. : FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was set up in 1958 (as the Federal Aviation Agency). The agency was established at that particular time largely in response to an increasing number of midair collisions. The worst of these disasters had taken place two years earlier over the Grand Canyon, a crash between two commercial passenger airplanes that resulted in 128 fatalities.

55. Org. in the documentary “Citizenfour” : NSA

“Citizenfour” is a 2014 documentary about Edward Snowden and his leaking of classified NSA information. Much of the film consists of footage that director Laura Poitras shot while interviewing Snowden in a hotel room in Hong Kong before the story broke.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Yellowed or grayed, perhaps : AGED
5. Decorated military pilot : WAR ACE
11. Cold response? : BRR!
14. One end of a chess game : DRAW
15. Cosmetic injections for guys : BROTOX
16. Former 57-Across star from China : YAO
17. Another end of a chess game : MATE
18. Grade in the high 80s or low 90s? : OCTANE
19. Crane arm : JIB
20. Collectively : IN ALL
22. Half of some matched sets : HERS
23. Sommelier’s concern : NOSE
24. Churro ingredient? : ROLLED R
26. “This relationship can’t go on” : IT’S OVER
28. When repeated, cry in Matthew 27 : ELI!
29. Parched : ARID
31. Potential source of college credit : AP TEST
32. Director of 2018’s “A Wrinkle in Time” : AVA DUVERNAY
35. Vaping needs : E-CIGARETTES
37. Mr. Television, by another nickname : UNCLE MILTIE
39. Tex-Mex offering : FAJITA
42. 1941 Welles role : KANE
43. Late sixth-century year : DXC
45. Ones making periodical changes : EDITORS
47. Reason to bow : RESPECT
49. Sluggish : LOGY
50. Do 80, say : TEAR
52. Ford in the Country Music Hall of Fame : ERNIE
53. Sites of many -ectomies, for short : ORS
54. Accidentally got soaked at a pool : FELL IN
56. Scintilla : IOTA
57. See 16-Across : NBA
58. They’re on your side : ALLIES
59. Curtail : STEM
60. Nairobi-to-Johannesburg dir. : SSW
61. Position in a prosecutor’s office: Abbr. : ASST DA
62. Doc’s orders : MEDS

Down

1. Put on a pedestal : ADMIRE
2. Bar food? : GRANOLA
3. Really trounce : EAT ALIVE
4. Linger (on) : DWELL
5. Grp. recognizing international titleholders in 18 different weight classes : WBO
6. Primary competitor : ARCHRIVAL
7. Mechanical : ROTE
8. Retro console giant : ATARI
9. Emperor who called the First Council of Nicaea : CONSTANTINE
10. Common PC file extension : EXE
11. “I say!” : BY JOVE!
12. End-of-year requests : RAISES
13. Abstract Expressionist Rauschenberg : ROBERT
21. Provide a smooth transition for : LEAD INTO
23. “Wait for it …” : NOT YET …
25. Competing groups in Mexico : DRUG CARTELS
27. German wine made from late-harvest grapes : SPATLESE
30. John who directed “Tarzan, the Ape Man” : DEREK
33. Sharpness : ACUITY
34. Like Frank Sinatra, three times : REMARRIED
36. Tangential remark : SIDE NOTE
38. Pumped : EXCITED
39. Penmen? : FELONS
40. Totally cute, in slang : ADORBS
41. Fitting pastime? : JIGSAW
44. Backups’ backups : C-TEAMS
46. Moves : SELLS
48. Certain decorative paperweight : PRISM
51. Set down : ALIT
54. Air safety org. : FAA
55. Org. in the documentary “Citizenfour” : NSA