Constructed by: Casey Callaghan & Will Nediger
Edited by: Joel Fagliano
Not your puzzle? Try today’s …
… syndicated NY Times crossword
Today’s Reveal Answer: The Spanish Steps
Today’s theme is THE SPANISH STEPS in Rome. Circled letters running STEPWISE through the center of the grid spell out UNOS, DOS, TRES, CUATRO (Spanish for one, two, three, four):
- 67A Architectural attraction in Rome depicted by this puzzle’s grid? : THE SPANISH STEPS
- 17A House of worship at the top of 67-Across : TRINITA DEI MONTI
Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers
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Bill’s time: 8m 00s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
1 When les Jeux Olympiques de Paris took place : ETE
When Paris hosted the Summer Olympics in 2024, it became only the second city to host the Olympics three times (London hosted in 1908, 1948 and 2012).
9 Like the watches in Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory” : LIMP
“The Persistence of Memory” is probably Salvador Dalí’s most famous work. It features the celebrated melting clocks/watches, and you can see them in the painting in the MoMA in New York City.
13 Lawless princess : XENA
The Xena character, played by New Zealander Lucy Lawless, was introduced in a made-for-TV movie called “Hercules and the Amazon Women”. Lawless reprised the role in a series called “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”. Xena became so popular that a series was built around her character, with Lawless retained for the title role. The fictional Xena supposedly came from the “non-fictional” Greek city of Amphipolis.
15 Meal with matzo : SEDER
Matzo is an unleavened flatbread used in Jewish cuisine, and which plays a central role in the Seder ritual feast that marks the beginning of Passover.
20 Largest arboreal mammal, informally : ORANG
Orangutans (also “orangs”) are arboreal creatures, the largest arboreal animals known to man. They are native to Indonesia and Malaysia, and live in rainforests. Like most species in rainforests these days, orangutans are endangered, with only two species surviving. The word “orangutan” is Malay, meaning “man of the forest”.
21 Head honcho at a barbecue : PITMASTER
“Honcho” is a slang term meaning “leader”. The word comes to us from the Japanese military, in which language a “hancho” is a “squad” (han) “leader” (cho).
22 Unfilled space : LACUNA
A lacuna is a missing piece of text (or music) in a larger work. Usually the text has been lost due to damage of an older manuscript. Lacunae can be very controversial as experts vie with each other to suggest what words have been lost.
24 Half of a Dashiell Hammett detective couple : NORA
“The Thin Man” is a detective novel written by Dashiell Hammett that was first published in the magazine “Redbook” in 1934. Hammett never wrote a sequel to his story, but it spawned a wonderful, wonderful series of “The Thin Man” films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy (as Nick and Nora Charles). “The Thin Man” was the last novel that Hammett wrote.
Dashiell Hammett was an American author known for his detective fiction. Hammett was the creator of such enduring characters as Sam Spade from “The Maltese Falcon” as well as Nick and Nora Charles from “The Thin Man”. Outside of writing, Hammett was also politically active and served as the president of a group the Civil Rights Congress (CRC) after WWII. The CRC was deemed to be a Communist front group and was listed as a subversive organization by the US government. At one point, he even served time in jail for contempt of court, after refusing to answer some questions in a trial in which the CRC was involved.
25 Subreddit overseer, for short : MOD
Moderator (mod)
26 24th and final letters : OMEGAS
Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet and is the one that looks like a horseshoe (Ω) when in uppercase. The lowercase omega looks like a Latin W. The word “omega” literally means “great O” (O-mega). Compare this with the Greek letter Omicron, meaning “little O” (O-micron).
39 Disney daughter of King Triton : ARIEL
“The Little Mermaid” is a 1989 animated feature from Disney that is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. It tells the story of a mermaid princess named Ariel who falls in love with the human Prince Eric. Ariel’s father is chief merman King Triton. Her best friend is Flounder, who despite his name is not a flounder at all and is actually a tropical fish. Ariel is also friends with Sebastian, a red Jamaican crab whose full name is Horatio Thelonious Ignacious Crustaceous Sebastian.
45 Region of ancient Greece : IONIA
The geographic region called Ionia is located in present-day Turkey. It was prominent in the days of ancient Greece, although it wasn’t a unified state and rather a collection of tribes. The tribal confederacy was more based on religious and cultural similarities than a political or military alliance. Nowadays we often refer to this arrangement as the Ionian League.
46 ___ Basil, singer of the 1982 hit “Mickey” : TONI
Here’s a 2002 list of one-hit wonders that VH1 dubbed the top-10 greatest of all time:
- “Macarena” – Los del Río (1996)
- “Tainted Love” – Soft Cell (1982)
- “Come on Eileen” – Dexys Midnight Runners (1982)
- “I’m Too Sexy” – Right Said Fred (1991)
- “Mickey” – Toni Basil (1982)
- “Who Let the Dogs Out?” – Baha Men (2000)
- “Ice Ice Baby” – Vanilla Ice (1990)
- “Take On Me” – A-ha (1985)
- “Rico Suave” – Gerardo (1990)
- “99 Luftballons” – Nena (1984)
47 Source of saffron : CROCUS
Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice by weight. It is derived from the saffron crocus. The spice itself is the dried stigma found in the flower of the plant.
49 Color similar to hazelnut : TAN
Hazelnuts are the (delicious) fruit of the hazel tree. About a quarter of the world’s supply of hazelnuts is gobbled up by Italian confectioner Ferrero, using it to make Nutella spread (also delicious) and Ferraro Rocher confectioneries (even more delicious).
52 Govt. agency that investigates, among other things, arson : ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) today is part of the Department of Justice (DOJ). The ATF has its roots in the Department of Treasury dating back to 1886 when it was known as the Bureau of Prohibition. “Explosives” was added to the ATF’s name when the bureau was moved under the Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of the reorganization called for in the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
54 TV personality Kotb : HODA
Hoda Kotb is an Egyptian-American television journalist who is perhaps best known as a co-host of the NBC morning show “Today”. She is also the author of the bestselling autobiography “Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee”.
57 Beethoven’s Third : 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”.
61 Classic comedy that often plays during holiday movie marathons : 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.
67 Architectural attraction in Rome depicted by this puzzle’s grid? : THE SPANISH STEPS
Rome’s Spanish Steps are known locally as the “Scalinata” and are a set of 135 steps that sit above the Piazza di Spagna. The Spanish Steps actually form the widest staircase in Europe. They always remind me of the movie “Roman Holiday”, as that is where Audrey Hepburn enjoyed her gelato.
72 Mother ___ : LODE
A lode is a metal ore deposit that’s found between two layers of rock or in a fissure. The mother lode is the principal deposit in a mine, usually of gold or silver. “Mother lode” is probably a translation of “veta madre”, an expression used in mining in Mexico.
73 Heart vessel support : STENT
In the world of surgical medicine, a stent is an artificial tube inserted inside a vessel in the body, say an artery, in order to reduce the effects of a local restriction in the body’s conduit.
74 Louse egg : NIT
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 …
Down
2 ___ firma : TERRA
“Terra firma” is Latin for “solid ground”.
3 Pioneering 1940s computer : ENIAC
The acronym ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (although many folks insist that the C was for “Computer”). ENIAC was introduced at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946, at which time it was the first general-purpose electronic computer, and dubbed “Giant Brain” by the press. Its original purpose was the calculation of artillery firing tables, but it ended up being used early on to make calculations necessary for the development of the hydrogen bomb. Given its uses, it’s not surprising to hear that development of ENIAC was funded by the US Army during WWII.
4 Winter hrs. in Winnipeg : CST
The Manitoba city of Winnipeg is the largest city in the province, and its capital. The city is named for the nearby Lake Winnipeg, which in turn is an anglicization of a Cree word meaning “muddy waters”.
8 Flower on a proverbial “path” : PRIMROSE
According to the idiom, one might be “led down the primrose path”, meaning that one can be led astray or deceived. It’s likely that the phrase “primrose path” was coined by William Shakespeare, in “Hamlet”. Ophelia says:
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whiles, like a puff’d and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treadsAnd recks not his own rede.
9 Its capital is Vientiane : LAOS
Vientiane is the capital city of Laos, and is situated on the Mekong River. The city was originally called the “city of sandalwood” by Buddhist monks, naming it after the valued trees that grew in the area. The French took the Pali words for “city of sandalwood” and rewrote it as the French-sounding “Vientiane”.
11 Small arachnid : MITE
Mites are tiny arthropods in the arachnid (spider) class. They are (annoyingly!) very successful creatures that have adapted to all sorts of habitats. And being so small, mites generally pass unnoticed. Ick …
14 Per ___ : ANNUM
The Latin word for year is “annus” (plural “anni”). We often see it used in Latin phrases, but usually with a different spelling. In “anno Domini”, the “anno” is the ablative case of “annus” as the phrase means “in the year of the Lord”. Another example is “per annum”, in which “annum” is the accusative case as the literal translation of the phrase is “during the year”.
27 Letter between Delta and Foxtrot : ECHO
The NATO phonetic alphabet is also called the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) phonetic alphabet. Alfa, Bravo, Charlie … X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.
28 ___ sequoia, world’s most massive tree species : GIANT
The giant sequoia tree is also known as the giant redwood. There’s only one part of the world where you can see giant sequoias growing naturally, and that’s on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. However, there are plenty of examples of giant sequoias that have been planted as ornamentals all over the world.
29 Bright spots? : ATRIA
In modern architecture, an atrium (plural “atria” or “atriums”) is a large open space usually in the center of a building and extending upwards to the roof. The original atrium was an open court in the center of an Ancient Roman house. One could access most of the enclosed rooms of the house from the atrium.
30 Car with a three-box design : SEDAN
The American sedan car is the equivalent of the British and Irish saloon car. By definition, a sedan car has two rows of seating and a separate trunk (boot in Britain and Ireland), although in some models the engine can be at the rear of the car.
31 Bulb measures : WATTS
James Watt was a Scottish inventor. He figured prominently in the Industrial Revolution in Britain, largely due to the improvements he made to the fledgling steam engine. The SI unit of power is called the watt, and was named in his honor.
33 ___ Prince, a.k.a. Wonder Woman : DIANA
Superhero Wonder Woman first appeared in print in 1941, in a publication from DC Comics. As she was created during WWII, Wonder Woman’s first foes were the axis powers. In the less realistic world her biggest foe was and still is Ares, a “baddie” named after the Greek mythological figure. Wonder Woman had several signature expressions, including “Merciful Minerva!”, “Suffering Sappho!” and “Great Hera!”. She also has several devices that she uses in her quest for justice, e.g. the Lasso of Truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets and a tiara that can be used as a deadly projectile. Wonder Woman uses the name “Diana Prince” when “out of uniform”.
42 Linux software packages, informally : DISTROS
The Linux operating system uses as its mascot a penguin named “Tux”.
48 Dubai’s home: Abbr. : UAE
Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the federation known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two largest members of the UAE (geographically) are Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the only two of the seven members that have veto power over UAE policy.
53 Some stops along the Oregon Trail : FORTS
The Oregon Trail was established by fur trappers and traders as early as 1811. The first migrant wagon train traveled the route in 1836, starting off in Independence, Missouri and going as far as Fort Hall, Idaho. In the coming years, the trail was extended for wagons as far as the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
59 ___ pants : CAPRI
Capri pants first became popular on the island of Capri, apparently. They were invented in Europe in 1948, but only became stylish in the US in the sixties. Mary Tyler Moore often wore Capri pants on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and to some extent she sparked a fashion trend. After a lull in the seventies and eighties there was a resurgence in sales after Uma Thurman wore them (and danced in them) in “Pulp Fiction”.
61 Web code letters : HTML
The initialism “HTML” stands for HyperText Markup Language. HTML is the language used to write most Internet web pages (including this one).
62 Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame : OHIO
The Pro Football Hall of Fame opened in 1963 in Canton, Ohio. One reason that Canton was chosen for the Hall of Fame was that the National Football League (NFL) was founded in the city in 1920.
64 Sunrise direction, in San Salvador : ESTE
San Salvador is the capital of El Salvador. The city was founded by the Spanish 1525, although it was moved on two occasions early on, in 1528 and 1545. The name “San Salvador” translates as “Holy Savior”.
68 F.D.R.’s successor : HST
The letter “S” in the middle of the name Harry S. Truman (HST) doesn’t stand for anything. The future-president was named “Harry” in honor of his mother’s brother Harrison “Harry” Young. The initial “S” was chosen in honor of young Harry’s two grandfathers: Anderson S-hipp Truman and S-olomon Young.
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 When les Jeux Olympiques de Paris took place : ETE
4 Jewelry fastener : CLASP
9 Like the watches in Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory” : LIMP
13 Lawless princess : XENA
15 Meal with matzo : SEDER
16 Roughly 75% of Russia is in it : ASIA
17 House of worship at the top of 67-Across : TRINITA DEI MONTI
20 Largest arboreal mammal, informally : ORANG
21 Head honcho at a barbecue : PITMASTER
22 Unfilled space : LACUNA
24 Half of a Dashiell Hammett detective couple : NORA
25 Subreddit overseer, for short : MOD
26 24th and final letters : OMEGAS
31 Gum ball, say : WAD
34 Chests : BOSOMS
38 Reference : CITE
39 Disney daughter of King Triton : ARIEL
41 Gave it one’s all : TRIED HARD
43 Cutesy term for a swap : TRADESIES
45 Region of ancient Greece : IONIA
46 ___ Basil, singer of the 1982 hit “Mickey” : TONI
47 Source of saffron : CROCUS
49 Color similar to hazelnut : TAN
50 Fabric sample : SWATCH
52 Govt. agency that investigates, among other things, arson : ATF
54 TV personality Kotb : HODA
57 Beethoven’s Third : EROICA
61 Classic comedy that often plays during holiday movie marathons : HOME ALONE
66 Black-and-white predators : ORCAS
67 Architectural attraction in Rome depicted by this puzzle’s grid? : THE SPANISH STEPS
69 Money maker : MINT
70 Posteriors : RUMPS
71 Father : SIRE
72 Mother ___ : LODE
73 Heart vessel support : STENT
74 Louse egg : NIT
Down
1 Sing the praises of : EXTOL
2 ___ firma : TERRA
3 Pioneering 1940s computer : ENIAC
4 Winter hrs. in Winnipeg : CST
5 Go for a rebound, perhaps : LEAP
6 Extra ingredient : ADD-IN
7 Make sure of : SEE TO
8 Flower on a proverbial “path” : PRIMROSE
9 Its capital is Vientiane : LAOS
10 Contradictory contraction : ISN’T
11 Small arachnid : MITE
12 Kings or queens, say : PAIR
14 Per ___ : ANNUM
18 Dishonorable : IGNOBLE
19 Palindromic term of address : MA’AM
23 Hubbub : ADO
27 Letter between Delta and Foxtrot : ECHO
28 ___ sequoia, world’s most massive tree species : GIANT
29 Bright spots? : ATRIA
30 Car with a three-box design : SEDAN
31 Bulb measures : WATTS
32 Exit sign feature : ARROW
33 ___ Prince, a.k.a. Wonder Woman : DIANA
35 Mix up : STIR
36 “Oh! Oh! ___” (onetime snack brand slogan) : OREO
37 Odds and ends: Abbr. : MISC
40 Correct type : EDIT
42 Linux software packages, informally : DISTROS
44 Well-read sorts : SCHOLARS
48 Dubai’s home: Abbr. : UAE
51 Fellow : CHAP
53 Some stops along the Oregon Trail : FORTS
55 Toroidal treat : DONUT
56 Japanese cartoons : ANIME
58 Entrap during a winter storm : ICE IN
59 ___ pants : CAPRI
60 Something of value : ASSET
61 Web code letters : HTML
62 Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame : OHIO
63 Repair : MEND
64 Sunrise direction, in San Salvador : ESTE
65 Its website has a Fantasy section : ESPN
68 F.D.R.’s successor : HST
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