0305-22 NY Times Crossword 5 Mar 22, Saturday

Constructed by: Nam Jin Yoon
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 12m 06s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Much of Iceland’s greenery : MOSS

Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in the whole of Europe, with two-thirds of the nation’s population residing in and around the capital city of Reykjavik. Iceland was settled by the Norse people in AD 874, and was ruled for centuries by Norway and then Denmark. Iceland became independent in 1918, and has been a republic since 1944. Iceland is not a member of the EU but is a member of NATO, having joined in 1949 despite not having a standing army.

12 Fictional device in which to convey secret information : CONE OF SILENCE

The “Cone of Silence” is an ineffective security device that featured on the espionage sitcom “Get Smart” in the sixties.

15 “Calvin and Hobbes” character described as “a six-year-old who shaves” : MOE

The comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes” is still widely syndicated, but hasn’t been written since 1995. The cartoonist Bill Watterson named the character Calvin after John Calvin, the 16th century theologian. Hobbes was named for Thomas Hobbes, a 17th century English political philosopher.

16 Imperturbable : STOIC

Zeno of Citium was a Greek philosopher famous for teaching at the Stoa Poikile, the “Painted Porch”, located on the north side of the Ancient Agora of Athens. Because of the location of his classes, his philosophy became known as stoicism (from “stoa”, the word for “porch”). We get our adjective “stoic”, meaning “indifferent to pleasure or pain”, from the same root.

17 “Duck Soup,” for one : FARCE

A farce is a comedy play that features an exaggerated and improbable storyline, with lots of physical humor. I love a good farce …

25 Georgetown athlete : HOYA

The athletic teams of Georgetown University are known as the Hoyas. The name is derived from “Hoya Saxa”, a traditional cheer yelled out at Georgetown games as far back as 1893. The term is a mixture of Greek and Latin, with the Greek word “hoya” meaning “such” or “what”, and “saxa” translating from Latin as “rocks” or “small stones”. The cheer is usually rendered in English as “what rocks!”.

27 Org. created in the wake of “Silent Spring” : EPA

DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (don’t forget now!). DDT was used with great success to control disease-carrying insects during WWII, and when made available for use after the war it became by far the most popular pesticide. And then Rachel Carson published her famous book “Silent Spring”, suggesting there was a link between DDT and diminishing populations of certain wildlife. It was the public outcry sparked by the book, and reports of links between DDT and cancer, that led to the ban on the use of the chemical in 1972. That ban is touted as the main reason that the bald eagle was rescued from near extinction.

33 Steamed masa dishes : TAMALES

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. A hot tamale is a kind of tamale that originated in the Mississippi Delta. It is particularly spicy, and the masa is replaced with corn meal.

37 Surname in a Virginia Woolf title : DALLOWAY

“Mrs. Dalloway” is a novel by Virginia Woolf that was first published in 1925. The story tells of a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, a day in which she is preparing for a party that she is hosting. The novel has been compared to “Ulysses” by James Joyce, a story about a day in the life of Leopold Bloom.

39 Tesla, for one : NIKOLA

Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia, but later moved to the US. Tesla’s work on mechanical and electrical engineering was crucial to the development of alternating current technology, the same technology that is used by equipment at the backbone of modern power generation and distribution systems.

40 Counsel council, in brief : ABA

American Bar Association (ABA)

43 Letters on a pass : VIP

Very important person (VIP)

46 Like a dewlap : SAGGY

A dewlap is a flap of skin that hangs below the neck of some creatures. Dewlaps are found on anything from dogs to iguanas.

50 Time constant symbol : TAU

Tau is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, and the letter that gave rise to our Roman “T”. Both the letters tau (T) and chi (X) have long been symbolically associated with the cross.

51 Spanish term of endearment : PAPI

“Papi” is Spanish for “Daddy”.

57 Robe for a sumo wrestler : KIMONO

The lovely Japanese kimono is a garment worn by men, women and children. The word “kimono” translates simply as “thing to wear”, with “ki” meaning “wear” and “mono” meaning “thing”.

Sumo is a sport that is practiced professionally only in Japan, the country of its origin. There is an international federation of sumo wrestling now, and one of the organization’s aims is to have the sport accepted as an Olympic event.

58 Wrap order? : AND … SCENE!

When shooting of a film is concluded the movie is said to wrap, and everyone heads to the wrap party. There is one story that “wrap” is actually an acronym for “wind, reel and print”, a reference to the transition of the filming process into post-production. But, this explanation is disputed.

61 Additive once extracted from kelp : MSG

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of a naturally-occurring,non-essential amino acid called glutamic acid. It is used widely as a flavor enhancer, particularly in many Asian cuisines. Whether or not it is harmful seems to be still under debate. I say that something produced in a test tube shouldn’t be in our food …

Kelps are large seaweeds that grow in kelp forests underwater. Kelps can grow to over 250 feet in length, and do so very quickly. Some kelps can grow at the rate of 1-2 feet per day.

Down

1 Expression ending with a rising voice : MOI?

“Moi” is the French word for “me”. One might say “Moi?” when feigning innocence.

2 Low dice roll : ONES

“Snake eyes” is a slang term describing a roll of two dice in which one pip turns up on each die.

8 Easily bought : VENAL

Someone described as “venal” is open to bribery. The term ultimately derives from the Latin word “venus” meaning “for sale”.

9 Course option : ENTREE

“Entrée” means “entry” in French. An entrée can be something that helps one get “a way in”, an interview for example perhaps helped along by a recommendation letter. In Europe, even in English-speaking countries, the entrée is the name for the “entry” to the meal, the first course. I found the ordering of meals to be very confusing when I first came to America!

10 Contracting sheet : ICE CAP

The polar ice cap at the north of our planet is floating pack ice in the Arctic Ocean. The southern polar ice cap is an ice sheet that covers the landmass known as Antarctica. About 70% of all the freshwater on Earth is held in the southern polar ice cap.

12 Very best : CREME DE LA CREME

The crème de la crème are the elite, the best of the best. The term “crème de la crème” is French, and translates as “cream of the cream”.

24 “The Jungle Book” character : BALOO

“The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling was originally published in 1894, and is a collection of adventure stories or fables featuring the animals of the jungle and a young boy named Mowgli. Baloo is a sloth bear that teaches the cubs of a wolf pack the Law of the Jungle. Baloo’s most challenging pupil however is no lupine, but rather the man-cub Mowgli.

30 Traditional filling for momo (Nepalese dumplings) : YAK

The English word “yak” is an Anglicized version of the Tibetan name for the male of the species. Yak milk is much prized in Tibetan culture. It is made into cheese and butter, and the butter is used to make a tea that is consumed in great volume by Tibetans. The butter is also used as a fuel in lamps, and during festivals the butter is even sculpted into religious icons.

34 Many a Pablo Neruda work : LOVE POEM

“Pablo Neruda” was the pen name, and eventually the legal name, used by Chilean writer Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. Basoalto chose the name as an homage to Czech poet Jan Neruda.

35 Word shortcuts : ELISIONS

“Elision” is a linguistic term describing the omission of a sound or sounds in a word or phrase. Examples of elisions are found in “bo’s’n”, “Will-o’-the-wisp” and “‘Enry” (Eliza Dolittle’s “Henry”).

37 Reversible patterned fabrics : DAMASKS

Damask was originally a weaving technique associated with the Byzantine and Islamic weaving centers of the Middle Ages. “Damask” comes from the name of Damascus, which was a major trading city at that time.

38 Something to meditate on? : YOGA MAT

In the West, we tend to think of yoga as just a physical discipline, a means of exercise that uses specific poses to stretch and strengthen muscles. While it is true that the ancient Indian practice of yoga does involve such physical discipline, the corporeal aspect of the practice plays a relatively small part in the whole philosophy. Other major components are meditation, ethical behavior, breathing and contemplation.

42 Animal that climbs cactuses to eat their flowers : IGUANA

An iguana is a lizard, and as such is cold-blooded. There are times when pet iguanas need heat from an IR lamp to maintain body temperature.

47 “Hairspray” co-composer Shaiman : MARC

The stage musical “Hairspray” is based on the original 1988 film by John Waters. The stage musical was in turn adapted for the big screen, in a film of the same name released in 2007 and starring John Travolta.

49 Kind of wave : SINE

A sine wave is a mathematical function that describes a simple, smooth, repetitive oscillation. The sine wave is found right throughout the natural world. Ocean waves, light waves and sound waves all have a sine wave pattern.

55 Inits. for East Germany : DDR

The former East Germany was known officially as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), or Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR).

56 Ryan of “You’ve Got Mail” : MEG

Meg Ryan is the stage name of the actress Margaret Mary Hyra. Ryan’s big break came with the excellent 1989 movie “When Harry Met Sally …”, from which she went on to star in some of the most popular romantic comedies ever made.

“You’ve Got Mail” is a 1998 romantic comedy film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, and directed by Nora Ephron. The film is an adaptation of the Miklos Laszlo play “Parfumerie”. The storyline of “Parfumerie” was also used for the movies “The Shop Around the Corner” (from 1940 starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan) and “In the Good Old Summertime” (from 1949 starring Van Johnson and Judy Garland).

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Much of Iceland’s greenery : MOSS
5 “I don’t believe you” : PROVE IT
12 Fictional device in which to convey secret information : CONE OF SILENCE
14 Needle exchange? : FRIENDLY BANTER
15 “Calvin and Hobbes” character described as “a six-year-old who shaves” : MOE
16 Imperturbable : STOIC
17 “Duck Soup,” for one : FARCE
18 They may be dealt or folded : ARMS
20 “Uh-huh” : RIGHT
22 Green lands : LEAS
23 “Doing OK for myself” : I GET BY
25 Georgetown athlete : HOYA
27 Org. created in the wake of “Silent Spring” : EPA
28 Kind of scrum : MEDIA
29 Unlikely to tip : STURDY
31 Rat out : TELL ON
33 Steamed masa dishes : TAMALES
37 Surname in a Virginia Woolf title : DALLOWAY
39 Tesla, for one : NIKOLA
40 Counsel council, in brief : ABA
41 Pertinent : ON POINT
43 Letters on a pass : VIP
44 Imitation : MOCK
46 Like a dewlap : SAGGY
47 Fix : MESS
48 Vibes : AURAS
50 Time constant symbol : TAU
51 Spanish term of endearment : PAPI
52 Attempt to play peacemaker : STEP IN
54 Scooched over : MADE ROOM
57 Robe for a sumo wrestler : KIMONO
58 Wrap order? : AND … SCENE!
59 Fretted : STEWED
60 Common bake-off challenge : TART
61 Additive once extracted from kelp : MSG

Down

1 Expression ending with a rising voice : MOI?
2 Low dice roll : ONES
3 Halter? : SENTRY
4 “Same” : SO DO I
5 Play mind games with : PSYCH OUT
6 Costa, to a botanist : RIB
7 Chancellor Scholz of Germany : OLAF
8 Easily bought : VENAL
9 Course option : ENTREE
10 Contracting sheet : ICE CAP
11 ___ Teng, singer dubbed “Asia’s eternal queen of pop” : TERESA
12 Very best : CREME DE LA CREME
13 It’s booked before getting caught : FLIGHT
14 “Not a chance” : FORGET ABOUT IT
15 Incapacitate : MAIM
19 Sparkling alternative : STILL
21 Rule to take exception to : TYRANNY
24 “The Jungle Book” character : BALOO
26 Allow : ADMIT
29 Answer rudely : SNAP AT
30 Traditional filling for momo (Nepalese dumplings) : YAK
32 Takes responsibility for : OWNS
34 Many a Pablo Neruda work : LOVE POEM
35 Word shortcuts : ELISIONS
36 Leaches : SAPS
37 Reversible patterned fabrics : DAMASKS
38 Something to meditate on? : YOGA MAT
42 Animal that climbs cactuses to eat their flowers : IGUANA
45 Word often seen in comic book lettering : KAPOW!
47 “Hairspray” co-composer Shaiman : MARC
49 Kind of wave : SINE
51 Bother : PEST
53 Green light : NOD
55 Inits. for East Germany : DDR
56 Ryan of “You’ve Got Mail” : MEG