0804-23 NY Times Crossword 4 Aug 23, Friday

Constructed by: Brandon Koppy
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 18m 11s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

15 1990 film that Roger Ebert called “so implausible that it makes it hard for us to really care about the plight of the kid” : HOME ALONE

“Home Alone” is a 1990 film starring Macaulay Culkin that has become a Christmas classic. Culkin was nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe for his performance, becoming the youngest actor ever to be so honored. And, there are four “Home Alone” sequels.

Roger Ebert was a film critic for “The Chicago Sun-Times” for 50 years. He also co-hosted a succession of film review television programs for over 23 years, most famously with Gene Siskel until Siskel passed away in 1999. Siskel and Ebert famously gave their thumbs up or thumbs down to the movies they reviewed. Ebert was the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, which he did in 1975. He was diagnosed and treated for thyroid cancer in 2002, and finally succumbed to a recurrence of the disease in April 2013.

16 Kind of acid found in “good” fats : OLEIC

Oleic acid is a fatty acid, one found in many animal and plant sources, but most notably in olives. As such, “oleic” means “derived from the olive”. Oleic acid dissolves in basic solutions to create soaps.

17 High point of a trip to California? : EL CAPITAN

El Capitan is a stunning vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park in California. The top of El Capitan has been used as the take-off point for many BASE jumps, parachute jumps made by diving off the top of the rock face. The National Park Service put a stop to the practice in 1999. Soon afterwards, a BASE jumper made an illegal jump to protest the ban. She died …

18 “Same” : DITTO

The word “ditto” was originally used in Italian (from Tuscan dialect) to avoid repetition of the names of months in a series of dates. So, “ditto” is another wonderful import from that lovely land …

20 Gusto : VIM

“Vim”, “zip“ and “pep” are each words that mean “energy, power”.

“Gusto” is an Italian word meaning “taste”. We use it in English in the phrase “with gusto” meaning “with great enjoyment”.

22 Org. for Triple H and The Ultimate Warrior : WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is a company promoting professional wrestling as a form of entertainment.

24 Hazmat monitor : OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Dangerous goods are commonly referred to as hazardous materials, or HAZMAT. People working with dangerous goods might wear a HAZMAT suit.

26 Flashy hoops highlight, for short : OOP

An alley-oop is a play in basketball in which one player lobs the ball close to the basket for a teammate who usually scores with a slam dunk.

33 Chi-town fixture since 1847, with “the” : … TRIB

“The Chicago Tribune” was first published in 1847. The most famous edition of “The Trib” was probably in 1948 when the headline was “DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN”, on the occasion of that year’s presidential election. When it turned out that Truman had actually won, the victor picked up the paper with the erroneous headline and posed for photographs with it … a famous, famous photo, that must have stuck in the craw of the editor at the time.

34 U.S. prez commemorated with a stone tablet in London’s Westminster Abbey : FDR

The actual name for the Gothic church we know as Westminster Abbey is the Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster. The Abbey is a favored location for coronations and royal weddings and burials.

37 Site for many of Jesus’ miracles : GALILEE

Galilee is a region in northern Israel that is thought to be the home of Jesus for most of his life.

40 Nigerian people in “Things Fall Apart” : IBO

The Igbo (also “Ibo”) people are an ethnic group living in southeastern Nigeria.

“Things Fall Apart” is a 1958 novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is set in Nigeria and deals with the changes that came with the invasion of Nigeria by Europeans, primarily from Britain. “Things Fall Apart” is regarded today as a seminal work, and is read and studied all over Africa and around the world. It is the most widely read book in the whole of African literature. The title is a quotation from the poem “The Second Coming” by W. B. Yeats.

43 Eponym for U.S. track and field’s highest award : OWENS

Jesse Owens is famous for winning four gold medals at the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936, much to the chagrin of Adolf Hitler. Jesse’s real name was James Cleveland Owens, and he went by “JC” as a child. However, his Alabama accent was misconstrued at school when his family moved to Cleveland, so teachers and classmates called him “Jesse” instead of “JC”, and the name stuck.

47 Rank for TV’s Klinger and Radar: Abbr. : CPL

Actor Jamie Farr is best known for playing the cross-dressing Max Klinger in the sitcom ”M*A*S*H”. Although Farr landed a role in the 1955 movie “Blackboard Jungle”, his career didn’t really take off until he started appearing regularly on “The Red Skelton Show”. Years later he managed to get a one-episode appearance in ”M*A*S*H”, and his character and performance were received so well that he became a regular on the show. Farr actually did serve in the US Army in Korea, although it was after hostilities had ended. The dog tags that Farr wore when filming ”M*A*S*H” were the ones that he actually wore while serving in the military.

Corporal Radar O’Reilly is a character in the “M*A*S*H” television series and film. The role was played by Gary Burghoff in both the film and on television.

48 Enters, in a way : 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.

50 “Barry ___” (1975 Kubrick drama) : LYNDON

“Barry Lyndon” is a period drama released in 1975 that was directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring Ryan O’Neal in the title role. The film is an adaptation of an 1844 novel by William Makepeace Thackeray called “The Luck of Barry Lyndon”. The hero of the piece is a member of the Irish gentry struggling to become a member of the English aristocracy.

52 Info in a visitor’s text, maybe : ETA

Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

58 Asteroids system : ATARI

I remember being quite addicted to the Atari video arcade game called Asteroids back in the early eighties. Apparently I wasn’t the only one, as Asteroids was Atari’s best selling game of all time.

59 John Harvard, of Harvard University, and others : CLERGYMEN

Harvard University was founded in 1636 as New College, the college at New Towne. The school was renamed three years later after John Harvard, a deceased clergyman and who donated books and money.

61 Non-English “Uncle” : NO MAS

“No mas!” translates from Spanish as “no more!”.

62 Graphic novelist who created “Watchmen” and “V for Vendetta” : ALAN MOORE

Alan Moore is an English writer of “graphic novels”, a term that Moore himself introduced in order to differentiate his work from “comic books”.

64 Classic 1966 album with the tracks “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Sloop John B” : PET SOUNDS

“Pet Sounds” is a 1966 album recorded by the Beach Boys.

The Beach Boys hit “Sloop John B” is a traditional folk song from the West Indies that was originally titled “The John B. Sails”. The John B. was a real boat, one used for collecting sponges. The John B. foundered and sank in Governor’s Harbor on the Bahamas in or about 1900. The folk song was around as far back as 1927, with recordings being made as early as 1935. The Kingston Trio recorded a version in 1958, as did Johnny Cash in 1959. The Beach Boys version of the song made it to #3 in the US charts in 1966. We liked it even more in Ireland and sent it to the top of the Irish charts.

Down

2 ___ Bunny (Looney Tunes character) : LOLA

Bugs Bunny’s girlfriend is Lola Bunny. She first appeared in the 1996 movie “Space Jam”.

3 Some theaters : AMCS

The AMC theater chain used to go by the name American Multi-Cinema Inc., hence the initialism “AMC”.

6 Hit Broadway musical with an exclamation point in its name : OLIVER!

“Oliver!” is a stage musical by Lionel Bart that is based on the Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist”. “Oliver!” was adapted successfully for the big screen in 1968. The film version won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Carol Reed. Leading the movie’s cast are Mark Lester in the title role, Ron Moody as Fagin and Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes.

11 Peace Nobelist Wiesel : ELIE

Elie Wiesel was a holocaust survivor, and is best known for his book “Night” that tells of his experiences in Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. He was also the first recipient of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum Award, which was later renamed the Elie Wiesel Award in his honor.

21 Queen of ___ : SHEBA

Sheba is referenced in the Bible several times. The Queen of Sheba is mentioned as someone who traveled to Jerusalem to behold the fame of King Solomon. No one knows for sure where the kingdom of Sheba was located, although there is evidence that it was actually the ancient Semitic civilization of Saba. The Sabeans lived in what today is Yemen, on the Arabian Peninsula.

23 In shorthand, it’s written with two S’s and two T’s : WEEK

We have seven days in a week because there are seven classical planets in the Solar System. The days were named for these “planets” during the Roman era:

  • Sun (Sunday)
  • Moon (Monday)
  • Mars (Tuesday)
  • Mercury (Wednesday)
  • Jupiter (Thursday)
  • Venus (Friday)
  • Saturn (Saturday)

25 Tap : SPIGOT

Back in the 15th century, a spigot was specifically a plug to stop a hole in a cask. Somewhere along the way, a spigot had a valve added for variable control of flow.

27 ___ Eisley (“Star Wars” spaceport) : MOS

In the original “Star Wars” movie (later called “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope”), Mos Eisley is an outpost and hangout of less than reputable traders. The main drinking hole in the outpost is Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina. Han Solo and Luke Skywalker get attacked there by Sandtroopers, but make their escape.

30 Heavily caffeinated, say : STRONG

Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant that is found in several plants. The chemical serves as a natural pesticide by paralyzing and killing certain insects that would otherwise feed on the plant. Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug that is consumed by humans across the world.

36 “The Smartest Guys in the Room” subject : ENRON

“The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron” is a 2003 book by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, two writers working for “Fortune” magazine. The book was used as the basis for a 2005 documentary “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”.

38 Major fantasy franchise, in brief : LOTR

J. R. R. Tolkien’s novel “The Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) consists of the three volumes:

  • “The Fellowship of the Ring”
  • “The Two Towers”
  • “The Return of the King”

42 Princess in Disney’s “Enchanted” : GISELLE

“Enchanted” is quite an entertaining 2007 Disney film. It tells the story of Princess Giselle, who is forced from her animated world to live in the real world of New York City.

47 The Hatfields and McCoys, e.g. : CLANS

The Hatfield and McCoy families of West Virginia and Kentucky were involved in a notorious feud that lasted from 1863 to 1891. The feud was somewhat resurrected in 1979 when representatives from both families appeared on the game show “Family Feud”. The McCoys came out ahead on TV and went home with over $11,000 and a pig.

51 Small amount of whiskey : DRAM

I think that the dram is a confusing unit of measurement. It has one value as an ancient unit of mass, and two different values as a modern unit of mass, another value as a unit of fluid volume, and yet another varying value as a measure of Scotch whisky!

60 A malaria-resistant mosquito is one, for short : GMO

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is one with genetic material that has been altered by genetic engineering. One might argue that the oldest form of genetic engineering is selective breeding, the use of animals or plants with desired traits for the creation of the next generation.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Junior mint? : PLAY MONEY
10 Vets’ counterparts : NEWBS
15 1990 film that Roger Ebert called “so implausible that it makes it hard for us to really care about the plight of the kid” : HOME ALONE
16 Kind of acid found in “good” fats : OLEIC
17 High point of a trip to California? : EL CAPITAN
18 “Same” : DITTO
19 No-win situation : WASH
20 Gusto : VIM
21 Handled : SEEN TO
22 Org. for Triple H and The Ultimate Warrior : WWE
24 Hazmat monitor : OSHA
26 Flashy hoops highlight, for short : OOP
27 Big sister? : MOTHER SUPERIOR
32 How some deli meats are served : ON RYE
33 Chi-town fixture since 1847, with “the” : … TRIB
34 U.S. prez commemorated with a stone tablet in London’s Westminster Abbey : FDR
35 Little rascal : STINKER
37 Site for many of Jesus’ miracles : GALILEE
40 Nigerian people in “Things Fall Apart” : IBO
41 Space scrap? : NO-GO
43 Eponym for U.S. track and field’s highest award : OWENS
44 Things that can really make someone pop? : PATERNITY TESTS
47 Rank for TV’s Klinger and Radar: Abbr. : CPL
48 Enters, in a way : LOGS
49 Slip : ERR
50 “Barry ___” (1975 Kubrick drama) : LYNDON
52 Info in a visitor’s text, maybe : ETA
54 Feature of an empty room, perhaps : ECHO
58 Asteroids system : ATARI
59 John Harvard, of Harvard University, and others : CLERGYMEN
61 Non-English “Uncle” : NO MAS
62 Graphic novelist who created “Watchmen” and “V for Vendetta” : ALAN MOORE
63 Teacher’s directive : SEE ME
64 Classic 1966 album with the tracks “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Sloop John B” : PET SOUNDS

Down

1 Cry that accompanies relief … or a reek : PHEW!
2 ___ Bunny (Looney Tunes character) : LOLA
3 Some theaters : AMCS
4 “I suppose it can’t hurt” : YEAH, WHY NOT?
5 Feature of open-world video games : MAP
6 Hit Broadway musical with an exclamation point in its name : OLIVER!
7 Formal denial : NOT I
8 Charm, to King Charles : ENAMOUR
9 Itch : YEN
10 “Sorry, babe” : NO, DEAR
11 Peace Nobelist Wiesel : ELIE
12 Ineffectual sorts : WET NOODLES
13 Format for peer-to-peer file sharing : BITTORRENT
14 Exclusive : SCOOP
21 Queen of ___ : SHEBA
23 In shorthand, it’s written with two S’s and two T’s : WEEK
25 Tap : SPIGOT
27 ___ Eisley (“Star Wars” spaceport) : MOS
28 A little taller than normal, say, as a kiddie : ON TIPPY-TOE
29 Certain native identity : TRIBAL NAME
30 Heavily caffeinated, say : STRONG
31 Advice lead-in : IF I WERE YOU …
36 “The Smartest Guys in the Room” subject : ENRON
38 Major fantasy franchise, in brief : LOTR
39 Suffix with govern : -ESS
42 Princess in Disney’s “Enchanted” : GISELLE
45 Children’s writer Greenfield : ELOISE
46 Pines : YEARNS
47 The Hatfields and McCoys, e.g. : CLANS
51 Small amount of whiskey : DRAM
53 Milk source : TEAT
55 “Ugh, this is unbelievable!” : C’MON!
56 What’s rounded up in a roundup : HERD
57 Column on the far right, maybe : ONES
59 Cover : CAP
60 A malaria-resistant mosquito is one, for short : GMO