0123-25 NY Times Crossword 23 Jan 25, Thursday

Constructed by: Natan Last & the J.A.S.A. Crossword Class
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Potholes

We have a rebus puzzle today, with “POT” appearing in four squares. The crossing across-answers use that POT, and the crossing down-squares use the square as a HOLE, and jump over it:

  • 56A Obstacles for a driver … or what this puzzle’s circled squares represent : POTHOLES
  • 15A Classic line from the Dick and Jane series : SEE SPOT RUN
  • 16A Hiring practice at a family business, say : NEPOTISM
  • 32A Land whose name meant “between two rivers” : MESOPOTAMIA
  • 55A Sichuan bean curd dish : MAPO TOFU

Bill’s time: 10m 00s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

7 Bit of haunted house décor : COBWEB

The silk that makes up a web is a protein fiber that is “spun” by a spider. Spider silk is about one sixth of the density of steel, yet has a comparable tensile strength.

13 Remove some bugs from : DELOUSE

Lice (singular “louse”) are small wingless insects, of which there are thousands of species. There are three species of lice affecting humans, i.e. head lice, body lice and pubic lice. Most lice feed on dead skin found on the body of the host animal, although some feed on blood. Ick …

14 Beethoven work initially dedicated to Napoleon : EROICA

Beethoven originally dedicated his “Symphony No. 3” to Napoleon Bonaparte. Beethoven admired the principles of the French Revolution and as such respected Bonaparte who was “born” out of the uprising. When Napoleon declared himself Emperor, Beethoven (and much of Europe) saw this as a betrayal to the ideals of the revolution so he changed the name of his new symphony from “Bonaparte” to “Eroica”, meaning “heroic, valiant”.

15 Classic line from the Dick and Jane series : SEE SPOT RUN

In the “Dick and Jane” series of books for children, Spot was a cat back in the thirties, but then became a dog in later editions.

16 Hiring practice at a family business, say : NEPOTISM

Nepotism is the practice of giving relatives preferential treatment. The term originated during the Middle Ages with favoritism shown by Roman Catholic bishops and popes. The ministers of the church had taken vows of chastity, and some gave preferred positions to their nephews, as they didn’t have sons of their own to favor. The term “nepotism” derives from the Latin “nepos” meaning “nephew”.

17 Like many shots in soccer : ON GOAL

Soccer (also known as “association football”) is the most popular sport in the world. The term “association football” was introduced in 1863 in England, with the name chosen to distinguish the sport from rugby football. The term “soccer” started to appear about 20 years later in Oxford, as an abbreviation for “association”.

20 Years of decline : DOTAGE

A dotard is a person who is in his or her dotage, someone who has become senile.

23 Pilots’ chronicles : LOGS

The word “logbook” dates back to the days when the captain of a ship kept a daily record of the vessel’s speed, progress etc. using a “log”. A log was a wooden float on a knotted line that was dropped overboard to measure speed through the water.

25 “___ plaisir!” : AVEC

“Avec plaisir!” is French for “with pleasure!”.

27 Where people amass for Mass : NAVE

In large Christian churches, the nave is the main approach to the altar, and is where most of the congregation are seated.

28 Bee-dazzler? : PETAL

Bees possess the ability to perceive ultraviolet light. This UV vision allows them to see intricate patterns on flowers, invisible to humans, that guide them towards nectar and pollen. These patterns are known as nectar guides, and act like landing strips, directing the bees to the flower’s nectar.

30 Hurdle for a future Ph.D. : GRE

Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

31 E, in a musical mnemonic : EVERY

In the world of music, EGBDF are the notes on the lines of the treble clef. The notes are often remembered with a mnemonic such as “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge”.

32 Land whose name meant “between two rivers” : MESOPOTAMIA

Mesopotamia was the land that lay between two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, that flow through modern-day Iraq. The name “Mesopotamia” means “between the rivers”.

39 Grp. with a lot of intelligence : NSA

The National Security Agency (NSA) is an arm of the Department of Defense (DOD).

40 Painter Bob who said “We don’t make mistakes. We have happy accidents” : ROSS

Bob Ross was an artist and art instructor. Ross created and appeared in the long-running PBS show “The Joy of Painting”, a show which provided instructions for budding artists. He was known for some colorful phrases that he tended to repeat on screen, one of the most famous being “let’s add some happy little trees”.

44 Advocacy org. that gained prominence in 1980s New York City : ACT UP

AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP)

45 Eastern currency : YUAN

Even though we generally refer to the currency of China as the “yuan”, the yuan is actually the basic unit of the “renminbi”. This is analogous to “sterling” being the official currency of the UK, with the “pound” being the basic unit of sterling.

46 Word repeated in a children’s game : DUCK

“Duck, Duck, Goose” is a kid’s game, and not one that I’ve heard of outside of crosswords, to be honest …

47 Laura of “Jurassic Park” : DERN

Actress Laura Dern is the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Among her many notable roles, Laura Dern played the Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris in the 2008 movie “Recount”, and Dr. Ellie Sattler in the 1993 blockbuster “Jurassic Park”.

“Jurassic Park” is a 1990 novel by Michael Crichton that was adapted into a hugely successful movie by Steven Spielberg in 1993. One of the main premises of the novel is that dinosaur DNA could be harvested from mosquitoes trapped in amber (fossilized tree resin), the DNA coming from the dinosaur blood consumed by the mosquitoes. The dinosaur DNA is then sequenced and used to create clones of the original beasts. Apparently, that’s a clever idea, but not very practical …

48 Structure with smoke flaps : TEEPEE

A tepee (also written as “tipi” and “teepee”) is a cone-shaped tent traditionally made from animal hides that is used by the Great Plains Native Americans. A wigwam is a completely different structure and is often a misnomer for a tepee. A wigwam is a domed structure built by Native Americans in the West and Southwest, intended to be a more permanent dwelling. The wigwam can also be covered with hides but more often was covered with grass, reeds, brush or cloth.

51 “Snow Falling on ___,” 1994 mystery novel set in Washington State : CEDARS

The film “Snow Falling on Cedars” is based on a novel by David Guterson. It tells of a Japanese-American living in Washington state, accused of murder. The trial occurs against the background of anti-Japanese sentiment immediately after WWII. Ethan Hawke plays a reporter covering the story, himself a WWII veteran who lost an arm fighting against the Japanese.

55 Sichuan bean curd dish : MAPO TOFU

Mapo tofu is a dish from Sichuan cuisine comprising tofu served in a spicy-hot red sauce along with minced meat. Yep, meat and tofu in the same dish …

56 Obstacles for a driver … or what this puzzle’s circled squares represent : POTHOLES

Back in the early 1800s, the term “pothole” only applied to relatively small cylindrical cavities in rock and glaciers. We extended the usage to holes in roads at the start of the 20th century.

58 “When in the course of human ___ …” (start of the Declaration of Independence) : EVENTS

The Declaration of Independence, adopted on 4 July 1776, refers to “these United Colonies”. The nation name “United States” was not adopted by the Continental Congress until September 9th of the same year.

Down

1 Singers who co-starred in the 1978 film “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” : BEE GEES

The Brothers Gibb (hence, the name “Bee Gees”) were born in England but grew up and started their musical careers in Australia. They moved back to Manchester in the north of England as youths, and there hit the big time.

3 Either of two diverging in a Robert Frost poem : ROAD

Robert Frost had a poem published in 1916 in which he describes the road he took in the last lines:

I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Because of these last lines, the poem is often assumed to be titled “The Road Less Traveled”. In fact, the poem’s correct name is “The Road Not Taken”. Quite interesting …

4 Horse-racing measurements : FURLONGS

There are eight furlongs in a mile. The name “furlong” comes from the Old English “furh” (meaning “furrow”) and “lang” (meaning “long”). In Anglo-Saxon times, a furlong was the length of a furrow in a “ploughed” field that was one acre in area. The width of said one-acre field was defined as one chain.

6 Eastern currency : YEN

The Japanese yen (JPY) is the third-most traded currency in the world, after the US dollar and the euro.

7 Perfume ecclesiastically : CENSE

To cense is to perfume with incense. Such a lovely word …

9 Sunset in the West? : BOULEVARD

The Los Angeles thoroughfare Sunset Boulevard is 22 miles long, stretching from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean. The most famous part of Sunset Boulevard is the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, a 1½-mile stretch that is home to high-end boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs.

10 Motion-sensing gaming device : WIIMOTE

“Wiimote” is an alternative name for the Wii Remote, the controller for the Nintendo Wii gaming console.

11 Popeye’s creator : EC SEGAR

Elzie Segar was a cartoonist who went by the name E. C. Segar. He was the man who created the strip “Thimble Theater”, home of the character Popeye.

Popeye first appeared in 1929 in a comic strip called “Thimble Theatre”. The strip, created by E. C. Segar, ran for ten years before Popeye made an appearance. Popeye received such a great welcome from readers that he soon “took over” the strip, and eventually even hogged the strip’s title. Before Popeye turned up, Olive Oyl was the main character.

13 All over again : DE NOVO

“De novo” is Latin for “anew”, and is a term that we use in English with the same meaning.

15 Lounges, e.g. : SOFAS

“Sofa” is a Turkish word meaning “bench”.

21 ___ chips, snack from Hawaii : TARO

Taro is a root vegetable that is grown for its edible underground plant stems (corms). The English name “taro” is borrowed from the Maori language of New Zealand. The same plant is known as “gabi” in the Philippines, “arbi” in much of India, and “jimbi” in parts of Africa where Swahili is spoken.

28 Canadian province where “Anne of Green Gables” is set: Abbr. : PEI

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a maritime Canadian province. The island at the center of the province was named for Prince Edward, the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria. PEI is the smallest Canadian province, both in terms of land area and population.

“Anne of Green Gables” is a 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery that she set in the fictional Prince Edward Island community of Avonlea. Montgomery wrote several sequels to “Anne”, with them all being set on Prince Edward Island (PEI), from where the author hailed.

35 Hall & Oates hit with the opening lyric “She’ll only come out at night” : MANEATER

Ostensibly, the 1982 Hall & Oates megahit “Maneater” is about a woman, and that’s how the final lyrics were written. However, John Oates tells us that the song was originally penned with New York City in mind, and how the city could “chew you up”.

49 Literary husband of Zeena Frome : ETHAN

“Ethan Frome” is a novel by New York and Massachusetts author Edith Wharton, first published in 1911. Wharton started “Ethan Frome” as a composition in French that she wrote while studying the language in Paris. The novel was adapted into a 1993 film of the same name starring Liam Neeson in the title role, opposite Patricia Arquette.

54 Steamed dumpling in Tibetan cuisine : MOMO

Momos are steamed dumplings from Tibetan and Nepalese cuisine. They usually have a filling, and are served with a sauce known as achar.

57 Metal para una medalla olímpica : ORO

In Spanish, a “medalla de victor” (victory medal) is often made of “oro” (gold).

54 Stimpy’s cartoon friend : REN

“The Ren & Stimpy Show” is an animated television serial created by Canadian animator John Kricfalusi, and which ran on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 1996. The title characters are Marland “Ren” Höek, a scrawny Chihuahua, and Stimpson J. Cat, a rotund Manx cat. Not my cup of tea …

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Tavern regular : BARFLY
7 Bit of haunted house décor : COBWEB
13 Remove some bugs from : DELOUSE
14 Beethoven work initially dedicated to Napoleon : EROICA
15 Classic line from the Dick and Jane series : SEE SPOT RUN
16 Hiring practice at a family business, say : NEPOTISM
17 Like many shots in soccer : ON GOAL
18 Suppose : ASSUME
19 One might be worthy or formidable : FOE
20 Years of decline : DOTAGE
23 Pilots’ chronicles : LOGS
25 “___ plaisir!” : AVEC
27 Where people amass for Mass : NAVE
28 Bee-dazzler? : PETAL
29 Adequate : SO-SO
30 Hurdle for a future Ph.D. : GRE
31 E, in a musical mnemonic : EVERY
32 Land whose name meant “between two rivers” : MESOPOTAMIA
36 Gets up : RISES
39 Grp. with a lot of intelligence : NSA
40 Painter Bob who said “We don’t make mistakes. We have happy accidents” : ROSS
44 Advocacy org. that gained prominence in 1980s New York City : ACT UP
45 Eastern currency : YUAN
46 Word repeated in a children’s game : DUCK
47 Laura of “Jurassic Park” : DERN
48 Structure with smoke flaps : TEEPEE
50 Prefix with color and county : TRI-
51 “Snow Falling on ___,” 1994 mystery novel set in Washington State : CEDARS
53 Bank assessment : ATM FEE
55 Sichuan bean curd dish : MAPO TOFU
56 Obstacles for a driver … or what this puzzle’s circled squares represent : POTHOLES
58 “When in the course of human ___ …” (start of the Declaration of Independence) : EVENTS
59 “You’re kidding yourself!” : DREAM ON!
60 Hate : DETEST
61 In the interim : FOR NOW

Down

1 Singers who co-starred in the 1978 film “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” : BEE GEES
2 Too : ALSO
3 Either of two diverging in a Robert Frost poem : ROAD
4 Horse-racing measurements : FURLONGS
5 Football powerhouse in the S.E.C. : LSU
6 Eastern currency : YEN
7 Perfume ecclesiastically : CENSE
8 Unrefined metal sources : ORES
9 Sunset in the West? : BOULEVARD
10 Motion-sensing gaming device : WIIMOTE
11 Popeye’s creator : EC SEGAR
12 “Kapow!” : BAM!
13 All over again : DE NOVO
15 Lounges, e.g. : SOFAS
18 Bit of biographical data : AGE
21 ___ chips, snack from Hawaii : TARO
22 Way : AVENUE
24 Vulpine : SLY
26 Fall apart mentally : COME UNDONE
28 Canadian province where “Anne of Green Gables” is set: Abbr. : PEI
33 Special reading ability, for short : ESP
34 “And make it snappy!” : ASAP!
35 Hall & Oates hit with the opening lyric “She’ll only come out at night” : MANEATER
36 Beyond cool : RAD
37 Geologic formation from glacial melting : ICE CAVE
38 Word with clothes or cleaner : STREET …
41 Discharge of water, e.g. : OUTFLOW
42 Filter : SCREEN
43 Heavens : SKIES
45 “You rang?” : YES?
48 Arrangement for an heir, perhaps : TRUST
49 Literary husband of Zeena Frome : ETHAN
52 Early p.m. times, in brief : AFTS
54 Steamed dumpling in Tibetan cuisine : MOMO
55 ___ school : MED
56 Common download : PDF
57 Metal para una medalla olímpica : ORO