0301-14 New York Times Crossword Answers 1 Mar 14, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Ian Livengood & J.A.S.A. Crossword Class
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 51m 14s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 4 … ATAVIST (atomist!), K THX BYE (K TTY BYE), ASHANTI (Ostanti), VEX (mey!)

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. 1987 #1 hit with the line “Yo no soy marinero, soy capitán” : LA BAMBA
“La Bamba” is a folk song from Veracruz, Mexico that became a huge hit for Ritchie Valens in 1958. The most notable cover version of the Valens hit was recorded by Los Lobos in 1987 as the title track of 1987 movie “La Bamba”.

8. Throwback : ATAVIST
An atavism is an evolutionary throwback, the reappearance of a trait that disappeared in prior generations. One example of an atavism would be a vestigial tail that might be found on some newborn babies.

15. Samsung Galaxy Note rival : IPAD AIR
The iPad Air is Apple’s 5th-generation table computer. The Air is just 7.5 mm thick, and is 22% lighter than the iPad 2.

16. Go-ahead for un hombre : SI, SENOR
In Spanish, a man (un hombre) might say “yes, sir” (si, senor).

17. Forward to some followers : RETWEET
Twitter is a microblogging service that limits any post sent to just 140 characters. In a sense, it is similar to this blog. Here I send out a post once a day containing information that I think might be useful to folks (thank you for reading!). But, I don’t think I could send out much of interest using just 140 characters.

19. Where Melville’s Billy Budd went : ASEA
“Billy Budd” is a novella by American author Herman Melville. However, Melville didn’t actually finish “Billy Budd” before he died in 1891.

20. Hubble sighting : NEBULA
In astronomical terms a nebula is a cloud of dust and ionized gases (“nebula” is the Latin for “cloud”). Many nebulae form as gases collapse in on themselves under the influence of enormous gravitational forces. Ultimately these collapses can result in the creation of new stars.

The famous Hubble Space Telescope was installed in orbit by the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990. The telescope was named for the astronomer Edwin Hubble, the man who changed our view of the universe by postulating that the universe is expanding.

22. Jesse Jackson, for one: Abbr. : REV
Rev. Jesse Jackson is a civil rights activist and Baptist minister from Greenville, South Carolina. Jackson twice ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for US president, in 1984 and 1988.

24. Like some double-deckers : OPEN-TOP
We use the term “bus” for a mode of transportation, an abbreviated form of the original “omnibus”. We imported “omnibus” via French from Latin, in which language it means “for all”. The idea is that an omnibus is a “carriage for all”.

28. One’s own worst critic? : SUPER-EGO
Sigmund Freud created a structural model of the human psyche, breaking it into three parts: the id, the ego, and the super-ego. The id is that part of the psyche containing the basic instinctual drives. The ego seeks to please the id by causing realistic behavior that benefits the individual. The super-ego almost has a parental role, contradicting the id by introducing critical thinking and morals to behavioral choices.

32. Put off : TABLE
These “tabling” and “shelving” idioms drive me crazy, because they are always misused. If a topic is shelved, it is set aside. If a topic is tabled, it is brought “off the shelf” and put “on the table” for discussion. But, maybe it’s just me …

38. Four roods : ACRE
At one time, an acre was defined as the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plow in a day. This was more precisely defined as a strip of land “one furrow long” (i.e. one furlong) and one furlong wide. The length of one furlong was equal to 10 chains, or 40 rods. A area of one furlong times 10 rods was one rood.

40. Pawnbroker, in slang : UNCLE
The tradition sign outside a pawnbroker’s shop consists of three balls. This symbol dates back to the Middle Ages, where it was used on coats of arms as a sign of monetary success. The running joke is that the three balls mean “two to one, you won’t get your stuff back”.

41. Travel safety grp. : SADD
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) was founded in Massachusetts in 1981. SADD’s aim is to prevent road traffic accidents by urging students to avoid potentially destructive decisions (such as driving under the influence of alcohol).

42. Modern device seen on a bridge : GOOGLE GLASS
Google Glass is a computer that one can wear, just like a pair of spectacles. In terms of hardware, Glass has a camera, a touchpad and a microphone. There has been a lot of discussion back and forth about Google Glass. The new technology has a lot of fans, but there are also many who have concerns about the use of Glass to invade someone’s privacy.

45. L.A. law figure : ITO
Judge Lance Ito came in for a lot of criticism for his handling of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. The lead prosecutor in that trial was Marcia Clark, you might recall. I read the book that’s Clark wrote about the trial called “Without a Doubt”, and she pointed out one trait of Judge Ito that I think is quite telling. Ito would almost always refer to the prosecutor as “Marcia”, while addressing the men on both sides of the case as “Mister”.

52. Beats by ___ (brand of audio equipment) : DRE
Beats by Dre is a brand of audio products that was founded by rapper Dr. Dre.

Dr. Dre is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as for producing records and starting the careers of others such Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.

59. Sack dress? : PAJAMAS
One might wear pajamas when one hits the sack, heads for bed.

Our word “pajamas” comes to us from the Indian subcontinent, where “pai jamahs” were loose fitting pants tied at the waist and worn at night by locals and ultimately by the Europeans living there. And “pajamas” is another of those words that I had to learn to spell differently when I came to America. In the British Isles the spelling is “pyjamas”.

63. Dish often served with a tamarind sauce : PAD THAI
The delicious dish called Pad Thai is a meld of stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus a mix of vegetables and possibly tofu, meat or fish. It is usually topped with crushed peanuts, coriander and lime. The name “Pad Thai” translates as “fried Thai style”.

The fruit of the tamarind tree is a little sour to be eaten raw, but it is used a lot in savory dishes. Famously, tamarind is a component of Worcestershire sauce.

66. Carrier with a pink logo : T-MOBILE
I use a pay-as-you-go phone from T-Mobile, which cost me $45 for calls and text, for the whole of last year …

Down
1. Turkey tip? : LIRA
The word “lira” is used in a number of countries for currency. “Lira” comes from the Latin for “pound” and is derived from a British pound sterling, the value of a Troy pound of silver. For example, the lira (plural “lire”) was the official currency of Italy before the country changed over to the euro in 2002.

2. Burlesques : APES
“Burlesque” came into English from French, although the word is rooted in the Italian “burla”, the word for a joke, or mockery. A burlesque is work of literature, drama or music that is intended to amuse and cause laughter. Burlesques in the US took on a variety show format and were popular in the US from the 1860s. Over time, the variety acts started to include female striptease, and the term “burlesque” has come to be mainly associated with such entertainment. The derivative verb “to burlesque” means “to imitate mockingly”.

4. Norton AntiVirus target : ADWARE
Norton Antivirus software is produced by Symantec. The Norton brand name originated with Peter Norton Computing, a company that Symantec acquired in 1990. Peter Norton’s most famous product was Norton Utilities, and he never produced an antivirus application. Symantec decided to use the respected Norton brand for the antivirus product that it developed and introduced in 1991.

5. Tina Turner’s real middle name : MAE
Tina Turner is actually a stage name used by Anna Mae Bullock, the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Turner has always loved Europe and moved there in the eighties. She now splits her time between her homes in England, France and Switzerland.

6. Welcome message to international travelers : BIENVENUE
“Bienvenue” is French for “welcome”.

7. Danza, e.g. : ARTE
In Spanish, dance (danza) is an art (arte).

8. Invite to one’s penthouse : ASK UP
Originally, the term “penthouse” was used to describe a modest building attached to a main structure. In fact, in centuries past, the manger in which Jesus was born was often referred to as a penthouse. The modern, more luxurious connotation dates back to the early twenties.

10. Ghanaian region known for gold and cocoa : ASHANTI
The Ashanti region of south Ghana is the most populous of the ten administrative regions of the country, as it is home to the nation’s capital of Kumasi. Ashanti’s economy is driven by the production of gold bars and cocoa.

12. Having five sharps : IN B
The musical key signature of B major has five sharps.

13. ___ milk : SOY
What are known as soybeans here in the US are called “soya beans” in most other English-speaking countries. So, I drink soy milk here in America, but when I am over in Ireland I drink “soya milk”.

14. III, in Rome : TRE
In Italian, tre (three) precedes quattro (four).

Ancient Rome went through three distinct periods. From 753 to 509 BC, Rome was a kingdom, founded by the legendary Romulus. The Roman Republic lasted from 509 to 27 BC. The Republic started with the overthrow of the last monarch, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, and replacement by two elected consuls who were advised by a senate. The Republic evolved over time, but came to an end when Octavian expanded his power and declared himself “First Citizen”, and effectively became Rome’s first Emperor and took the name Caesar Augustus. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century. The Eastern Roman Empire survived as the Byzantine Empire that was centered on Constantinople.

23. They make quick admissions decisions, for short : ERS
Emergency room (ER)

25. Ink : TATS
The word “tattoo” (often shortened to “tat”) was first used in English in the writings of the famous English explorer Captain Cook. In his descriptions of the indelible marks adorning the skin of Polynesian natives, Cook anglicized the Tahitian word “tatau” into our “tattoo”.

28. They sometimes lead to runs : SNAGS
A “snag” is a pull or a tear in a fabric. A snag, particularly in stockings, might lead to a run.

30. Italian brewer since 1846 : PERONI
The Peroni Brewery is based in Rome, although it was founded in Vigevano in Lombardy in 1846. Outside of Italy, Peroni is particularly popular in the UK.

31. Blood members, e.g. : GANG
The Bloods are a street gang that was founded in Los Angeles and now has a presence right across the country. There is even documented evidence that the Bloods have active members in the US military. The Bloods were founded in opposition to their main rival gang, the Crips.

36. Spirit : ELAN
Our word “élan” was imported from French, in which language the word has a similar meaning to ours i.e “style” or “flair”.

37. Emmy category, informally : BEST DRAMA
The Emmy Awards are the television equivalent of the Oscars in the world of film, the Grammy Awards in music and the Tony Awards for the stage. Emmy Awards are presented throughout the year, depending on the sector of television being honored. The most famous of these ceremonies are the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Daytime Emmy Awards. The distinctive name of “Emmy” is a softened version of the word “immy”, the nickname given to the video camera tubes found in old television cameras.

39. Food brand originally called Froffles : EGGO
Eggo is the brand name of a line of frozen waffles made by Kellogg’s. When they were introduced in the 1930s, the name “Eggo” was chosen to promote the “egginess” of the batter. “Eggo” replaced the original name chosen, which was “Froffles”, created by melding “frozen” and “waffles”.

56. ___ Drive, thoroughfare by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington : OHIO
The Lincoln Memorial is my favorite place to visit in the whole of Washington D.C. The memorial was designed by Henry Bacon, and the sculptor of the magnificent statue of President Lincoln was Daniel Chester French. I spent a wonderful afternoon not too long ago touring the workshop and home of French, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The workshop is stunning, with miniature studies for his magnus opus, the Lincoln Statue, as well as many other beautiful works.

57. Modern posting locale : WALL
That would be posting on a Facebook Wall.

59. .doc alternative : .PDF
Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format introduced by Adobe Systems in 1993. PDF documents can be shared between users and read using many different applications, making them more universally accessible than documents saved by one particular program.

60. Bird: Prefix : AVI-
The prefix “avi-” means “bird-related” as in “aviculture”, the breeding of birds.

61. The Clintons’ degs. : JDS
The law degree abbreviated to J.D. stands for Juris Doctor.

President Bill Clinton was born not as a Clinton, but as William Jefferson Blythe. Bill’s father was killed in a car accident just three months before he was born. His mother remarried a few years later, to Roger Clinton. Bill didn’t formally adopt the Clinton name until he was fourteen years old, although he used it as he was growing up.

HIllary Rodham was born in Chicago, Illinois to Hugh Rodham (a businessman in the textile industry) and Dorothy Howell (a homemaker). Hillary was raised in a conservative home, and she campaigned for Republican candidate Barry Goldwater in the 1964 US presidential election. The following year, she served as president of the Young Republicans at Wellesley College. Our former First Lady left the Republican Party expressing disappointment at what she witnessed at the 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami, citing “veiled” racist messages prevalent at that time.

62. Cousin of “verdammt” : ACH
The German exclamation “ach!” is usually translated into English as “oh!”

The German expletive “verdammt” translates as “damn”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. 1987 #1 hit with the line “Yo no soy marinero, soy capitán” : LA BAMBA
8. Throwback : ATAVIST
15. Samsung Galaxy Note rival : IPAD AIR
16. Go-ahead for un hombre : SI, SENOR
17. Forward to some followers : RETWEET
18. Curt chat closing : K THX BYE
19. Where Melville’s Billy Budd went : ASEA
20. Hubble sighting : NEBULA
22. Jesse Jackson, for one: Abbr. : REV
24. Like some double-deckers : OPEN-TOP
28. One’s own worst critic? : SUPER-EGO
32. Put off : TABLE
34. Dayton-to-Toledo dir. : NNE
35. Subjected to venomous attacks? : SNAKEBITTEN
38. Four roods : ACRE
40. Pawnbroker, in slang : UNCLE
41. Travel safety grp. : SADD
42. Modern device seen on a bridge : GOOGLE GLASS
45. L.A. law figure : ITO
46. Take a little hair off, maybe : SINGE
47. To date : UNTIL NOW
49. Den delivery : LION CUB
52. Beats by ___ (brand of audio equipment) : DRE
53. One picking up speed, say? : SENSOR
55. They’re game : FOWL
59. Sack dress? : PAJAMAS
63. Dish often served with a tamarind sauce : PAD THAI
65. Disc protector : DVD CASE
66. Carrier with a pink logo : T-MOBILE
67. Like some stockings : FISHNET
68. If it’s repeated, it’s nothing new : SAME OLD

Down
1. Turkey tip? : LIRA
2. Burlesques : APES
3. Moderate : BATE
4. Norton AntiVirus target : ADWARE
5. Tina Turner’s real middle name : MAE
6. Welcome message to international travelers : BIENVENUE
7. Danza, e.g. : ARTE
8. Invite to one’s penthouse : ASK UP
9. Proof of purchase : TITLE
10. Ghanaian region known for gold and cocoa : ASHANTI
11. Needle or nettle : VEX
12. Having five sharps : IN B
13. ___ milk : SOY
14. III, in Rome : TRE
21. Novel groups? : BOOK CLUBS
23. They make quick admissions decisions, for short : ERS
25. Ink : TATS
26. Come by : OBTAIN
27. Openly admitted, as in court : PLED TO
28. They sometimes lead to runs : SNAGS
29. Straighten out : UNCOIL
30. Italian brewer since 1846 : PERONI
31. Blood members, e.g. : GANG
33. Fund : ENDOW
36. Spirit : ELAN
37. Emmy category, informally : BEST DRAMA
39. Food brand originally called Froffles : EGGO
43. Photog : LENSMAN
44. Cry with a salute : SIR!
48. Ignored : LEFT BE
50. Fade out : CEASE
51. Like loose stones : UNSET
54. Decides : OPTS
56. ___ Drive, thoroughfare by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington : OHIO
57. Modern posting locale : WALL
58. Produced stories : LIED
59. .doc alternative : .PDF
60. Bird: Prefix : AVI-
61. The Clintons’ degs. : JDS
62. Cousin of “verdammt” : ACH
64. Suffix with official or fan : -DOM

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