1125-22 NY Times Crossword 25 Nov 22, Friday

Constructed by: Simon Marotte
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 10m 29s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Book of legends : ATLAS

The famous Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator published his first collection of maps in 1578. Mercator’s collection contained a frontispiece with an image of Atlas the Titan from Greek mythology holding up the world on his shoulders. That image gave us our term “atlas” that is used for a book of maps.

10 Biryani base : RICE

Biryani is a mixed rice dish found on the menu in many Indian restaurants.

14 Funny bones? : LOADED DICE

Dice were originally made from “knucklebones”, bones found in the ankles of a sheep. As a result, dice are often referred to as “bones”.

16 Green giant, maybe : OGRE

An ogre is a monster of mythology and folktales that has the appearance of a man, and which eats human beings. The term “ogre” comes to us via French from the name of the Etruscan god Orcus, who feasted on the flesh of humans.

21 Site for artisans : ETSY

Etsy.com is an e-commerce website where you can buy and sell the kind of items that you might find at a craft fair.

23 The Mayans’ Chichén Itzá, e.g. : RUINS

Chichén Itzá is a Mayan ruin located in the Mexican state of Yucatán. It is the second-most visited archaeological site in the country (after the ancient city of Teotihuacan). Chichén Itzá has seen a surge in the number of visitors since the development of nearby Cancún as a tourist destination.

28 Port authorities? : WINE SNOBS

Portugal’s city of Oporto (“Porto” in Portuguese) gave its name to port wine in the late 1600s. Oporto was the seaport through which most of the region’s fortified red wine was exported.

32 Touch, for one : IPOD

The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant and gaming console with a Wi-Fi capability. Essentially, I think it’s a stripped-down version of an iPhone.

33 Actress Tomei : MARISA

Marisa Tomei’s first screen role was in the daytime soap “As the World Turns”, but her break came with a recurring role in “The Cosby Show” spin-off “A Different World”. Tomei won an Oscar for her delightful performance in “My Cousin Vinny” in 1992.

34 Upper arm muscle, for short : TRI

The triceps brachii muscle is found at the back of the upper arm. The muscle’s name translates from Latin to “three-headed arm muscle”, fitting as it is actually made up of three bundles of muscles.

35 Ohio sluggers : REDS

The Red Scare (i.e. anti-communist sentiment) following WWII had such an effect on the populace that it even caused the Cincinnati baseball team to change its name from the Reds. The team was called the Cincinnati Redlegs from 1953-1958, as the management was fearful of losing money due to public distrust of any association with “Reds”.

36 Canoodles, in England : SNOGS

“Snogging” is British slang of unknown origin that dates back to the end of WWII. The term is used for “kissing and cuddling”, what we call “making out” over here in the US.

37 “___ Gone,” Hall & Oates hit : SHE’S

“She’s Gone” is a song written and released by Daryl Hall and John Oates in 1973, and later recorded by the band Tavares.

39 Garment that’s pulled over the head : PONCHO

A poncho is a typical South American outer garment that has been used by Native American peoples since pre-Hispanic times. One of the iconic uses of a poncho was by Clint Eastwood in spaghetti westerns.

40 Quiches, e.g. : PIES

The classic dish called quiche is made with eggs (“oeufs” in French). Even though the quiche is inextricably linked to French cuisine, the name “quiche” comes from “Kuchen”, the German word for “cake”. The variant called “quiche lorraine” includes bits of smoked bacon as an ingredient.

48 Some coffee or ice cream orders : MOCHAS

A caffè mocha is a caffè latte that has been flavored with chocolate. One might also regard a caffè mocha as hot chocolate with the addition of a shot of espresso.

54 Barbecue blends : RUBS

It is believed that our word “barbecue” (BBQ) comes from the Taíno people of the Caribbean in whose language “barbacoa” means “sacred fire pit”.

55 Animal that’s more akin to a squirrel than a canine, despite its name : PRAIRIE DOG

The prairie dog is a type of ground squirrel that is found in the grasslands of North America. Prairie dogs are so named because they inhabit prairies and because they have a warning call that is similar to the bark of a dog.

58 Bond issuer? : IAN FLEMING

The character James Bond was the creation of writer Ian Fleming. Fleming “stole” the James Bond name from an American ornithologist. The number “007” was “stolen” from the real-life, 16th-century English spy named John Dee. Dee would sign his reports to Queen Elizabeth I with a stylized “007” to indicate that the reports were for “her eyes only”. There’s an entertaining miniseries that aired on BBC America called “Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond” that details Ian Fleming’s military career, and draws some nice parallels between Fleming’s experiences and aspirations and those of his hero James Bond. Recommended …

59 Heated competition? : MEET

The term “heat”, meaning “qualifying race”, dates back to the 1660s. Originally, a heat was a run given to a horse to prepare it for a race, to “heat” it up.

61 Campus squares : QUADS

A university often features a central quadrangle (quad).

Down

1 Range across eight countries : ALPS

There are eight Alpine countries:

  • Austria
  • Slovenia
  • France
  • Switzerland
  • Liechtenstein
  • Germany
  • Monaco
  • Italy

2 Travail : TOIL

A travail is a really difficult task or burden. “Travail” is the French word for “work”.

4 Shaping tool : ADZ

An adze (also “adz”) is similar to an ax, but is different in that the blade of an adze is set at right angles to the tool’s shaft. An ax blade is set in line with the shaft.

8 Org. originally founded to support conscientious objectors : ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has its roots in the First World War. It grew out of the National Civil Liberties Bureau (CLB) that was founded to provide legal advice and support to conscientious objectors. The ACLU’s motto is “Because Freedom Can’t Protect Itself”. The ACLU also hosts a blog on the ACLU.org website called “Speak Freely”.

9 Coffee-brewing portmanteau : NESPRESSO

A Nespresso machine brews espresso from single-use capsules of ground coffee. The machine was invented by a Nestlé employee in Switzerland in 1976. “Nespresso” is a portmanteau of “Nestlé” and “espresso”. I’m a big fan, and am drinking a cup of decaf from mine right now …

Espresso is made by forcing extremely hot water, under pressure, through finely ground coffee beans. The result is a thick and concentrated coffee drink that contains quite a lot of solids and a lot of foam. An espresso machine was first patented in 1884 in Italy, although it was a machine to make the beverage in bulk. The first patent for a machine that made individual measures was applied for in 1901, also in Italy.

12 Mule, e.g. : CROSSBREED

A hinny is the offspring of a male horse (the “h-” from h-orse) and a female donkey/ass (the “-nny” from je-nny). A mule is more common, and is the offspring of a female horse and male donkey/ass.

15 Problem for a plumber : DRIP

“Plumbum” is Latin for “lead”, explaining why the symbol of the element in the Periodic Table is “Pb”. It also explains why the original lead weight on the end of a line used to check vertical was called a “plumb line”. And, as pipes were originally made of lead, it also explains why we would call in a “plumber” if one of those pipes were leaking.

24 Megan Rapinoe’s team : USA

Megan Rapinoe is a professional soccer player and a star on the US national team. One of Rapinoe’s many claims to fame is that she is the only player, male or female, to score a goal directly from a corner kick in an Olympic Games.

26 London has a “Royal” one : OPERA HOUSE

The Royal Opera House is located in Covent Garden in the West End of London. The Opera House is home to both the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet, as well as the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. The institution was founded in 1728 as the Theatre Royal, although the original building was destroyed by fire in 1808. The second Theater Royal opened on the site the following year, but it was also lost in a fire, in 1856. The current building opened in 1858, and was renamed to the Royal Opera House in 1892.

29 Classic Camaros : IROCS

The IROC-Z is a model of Camaro that was introduced by Chevrolet in 1978. The IROC-Z takes its name from a famous stock car race, the International Race of Champions.

31 Actress Spacek : SISSY

Actress Sissy Spacek got her big break in the movies when she played the title role in the 1976 horror movie “Carrie”, which is based on a Stephen King novel. Her most acclaimed role is the lead in the 1980 biopic about Loretta Lynn called “Coal MIner’s Daughter”, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar. Spacek’s first cousin was the actor Rip Torn.

33 Annual bodybuilding competition won 10 times by Iris Kyle : MS OLYMPIA

The Ms. Olympia contest is a women’s bodybuilding competition that was first held in 1980.

37 ___ folder : SPAM

The term “spam”, used for unwanted email, is taken from a “Monty Python” sketch. In the sketch (which I’ve seen) the dialog is taken over by the word Spam, a play on the glut of canned meat in the markets of Britain after WWII. So “spam” is used for the glut of emails that takes over online communication. I can just imagine nerdy Internet types (like me) adopting something from a “Monty Python” sketch to describe an online phenomenon …

39 “Reading Rainbow” airer : PBS

“Reading Rainbow” is an award-winning children’s television series that aired on Public Television from 1983 to 2006. The mission of the show was to encourage children to read. “Reading Rainbow” was hosted by the actor LeVar Burton (from “Roots” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation”).

43 Title girl of a 1957 Dale Hawkins hit : SUSIE Q

The song “Susie Q” was written by, and originally released by, Dale Hawkins in 1957. It was covered By Creedence Clearwater Revival (as “Suzie Q”) in 1968.

46 Psychologist Jung : CARL

Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist, and the founder of analytical psychology. Jung was very much associated with the analysis of dreams, and also introduced us to the psychological concepts of introversion and extroversion.

47 Puritanical : PRIM

“Puritan” was a pejorative term used in the 1560s to describe a Protestant extremist who was not satisfied with the extent of the reformation of the Church of England. The Puritans advocated further reforms, believing that the Church of England still harbored a lot of corruption. Facing staunch resistance to their ideals in Britain, many of the Puritans emigrated, the first wave to the Netherlands, with later emigrants moving to New England.

49 Like some contraceptives : ORAL

“The Pill” is more correctly called “the combined oral contraceptive pill”. The formulation is a combination of an estrogen called estradiol and a progestogen called progestin.

52 Setting for many a Monet painting : POND

French artist Claude Monet was one of the founders of the Impressionist movement, and indeed the term “Impressionism” comes from the title of his 1872 painting “Impression, Sunrise”. That work depicts the port of Le Havre, which was Monet’s hometown. Later in his life, Monet purchased a house in Giverny, and famously installed lily ponds and a Japanese bridge in the property’s extensive gardens. He spent two decades painting the water lily ponds, producing his most famous works. I was fortunate enough to visit Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny a few years ago. A beautiful place …

56 Creature frequently depicted in Indigenous Australian art : EMU

The emu has had a tough time in Australia since man settled there. There was even an “Emu War” in Western Australia in 1932 when migrating emus competed with livestock for water and food. Soldiers were sent in and used machine guns in an unsuccessful attempt to drive off the “invading force”. The emus were clever, breaking their usual formations and adopting guerrilla tactics, operating as smaller units. After 50 days of “war”, the military withdrew. Subsequent requests for military help for the farmers were ignored. The emus had emerged victorious …

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Book of legends : ATLAS
6 Site of 2022’s “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests : IRAN
10 Biryani base : RICE
14 Funny bones? : LOADED DICE
16 Green giant, maybe : OGRE
17 Cheesy snack pockets : PIZZA ROLLS
18 ___ party : POOL
19 Artful : SLY
20 List of players : LINEUP
21 Site for artisans : ETSY
22 Expressed joy, in a way : WEPT
23 The Mayans’ Chichén Itzá, e.g. : RUINS
25 Sour : GO BAD
28 Port authorities? : WINE SNOBS
32 Touch, for one : IPOD
33 Actress Tomei : MARISA
34 Upper arm muscle, for short : TRI
35 Ohio sluggers : REDS
36 Canoodles, in England : SNOGS
37 “___ Gone,” Hall & Oates hit : SHE’S
38 Sample : TRY
39 Garment that’s pulled over the head : PONCHO
40 Quiches, e.g. : PIES
41 Enjoyed oneself tremendously : HAD A BLAST
43 Tan : SANDY
44 Rocking toy, to a tot : HORSY
45 Film about fish tanks? : SCUM
47 Sulk : POUT
48 Some coffee or ice cream orders : MOCHAS
51 Parrot : APE
54 Barbecue blends : RUBS
55 Animal that’s more akin to a squirrel than a canine, despite its name : PRAIRIE DOG
57 Cruise stop, often : ISLE
58 Bond issuer? : IAN FLEMING
59 Heated competition? : MEET
60 Came down : ALIT
61 Campus squares : QUADS

Down

1 Range across eight countries : ALPS
2 Travail : TOIL
3 Like a ne’er-do-well : LAZY
4 Shaping tool : ADZ
5 Closed up : SEALED
6 Whiner’s “You can’t make me!” : I DON’T WANNA!
7 Tick off : RILE
8 Org. originally founded to support conscientious objectors : ACLU
9 Coffee-brewing portmanteau : NESPRESSO
10 Enlist : ROPE IN
11 “Beats me” : I GOT NOTHIN’
12 Mule, e.g. : CROSSBREED
13 Wriggly : EELY
15 Problem for a plumber : DRIP
22 Balls (up) : WADS
24 Megan Rapinoe’s team : USA
25 Costumer’s measurement : GIRTH
26 London has a “Royal” one : OPERA HOUSE
27 Performer whose face is rarely seen : BODY DOUBLE
29 Classic Camaros : IROCS
30 Late assignment : NIGHT SHIFT
31 Actress Spacek : SISSY
33 Annual bodybuilding competition won 10 times by Iris Kyle : MS OLYMPIA
37 ___ folder : SPAM
39 “Reading Rainbow” airer : PBS
42 Purchase for a creative kid : ART SET
43 Title girl of a 1957 Dale Hawkins hit : SUSIE Q
46 Psychologist Jung : CARL
47 Puritanical : PRIM
49 Like some contraceptives : ORAL
50 “Please?” : CAN I?
51 ___ Victoria, singer known for her “gothic blues” style : ADIA
52 Setting for many a Monet painting : POND
53 They’re fit to be dyed : EGGS
56 Creature frequently depicted in Indigenous Australian art : EMU

7 thoughts on “1125-22 NY Times Crossword 25 Nov 22, Friday”

  1. 23:20, no errors. Upper half of the grid looked like a potential DNF, finally gained traction in the lower half.

  2. 19:51. I would have finished faster if I didn’t have to fill in the upper half of the puzzle. A lot of missteps there too numerous to mention.

    Didn’t know the word “bones” can also refer to dice. I live in Vegas. I should know that.

    Best –

  3. 40:51 no errors but I had to look up 10A to open the NE corner. (I don’t get out much)😥
    Stay safe😀

  4. I’m a novice at NYT crosswords, but today’s puzzle was fairly easy. Like someone said today’s puzzle was more of a Wednesday puzzle. I thought it was well constructed, and I really enjoyed it.

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