0414-21 NY Times Crossword 14 Apr 21, Wednesday

Constructed by: Nathan Hasegawa
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Rocky Start

Today’s grid includes 12 hidden words. We can COUNT twelve SHEEP in total:

  • 60A With 61-Across, advice for an insomniac … or what you can do 12 times in this puzzle, reading across and down (not including this answer) : COUNT
  • 61A See 60-Across : SHEEP
  • 13A Dish that may be eaten with either chopsticks or a spoon : RAMEN (hiding RAM)
  • 14A What may raise a big stink? : SEWER (hiding EWE)
  • 19A Completely exhausted : BONE WEARY (hiding EWE)
  • 31A President Garfield’s middle name : ABRAM (hiding RAM)
  • 37A Expensive Italian car, informally : LAMBO (hiding LAMB)
  • 49A Cry upon arriving : HERE WE ARE! (hiding EWE)
  • 10D Attention-grabbing : FLAMBOYANT (hiding LAMB)
  • 22D One extending a library book loan : RENEWER (hiding EWE)
  • 27D Spring recreation? : TRAMPOLINE (hiding RAM)
  • 28D Castle wall : RAMPART (hiding RAM)
  • 41D Actress who said “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough” : MAE WEST (hiding EWE)
  • 46D ___ Decimal System : DEWEY (hiding EWE)

Bill’s time: 5m 12s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Some G.I. wear, in brief : CAMO

Our word “camouflage” (often abbreviated to “camo”) evolved directly from a Parisian slang term “camoufler” meaning “to disguise”. The term was first used in WWI, although the British navy at that time preferred the expression “dazzle-painting” as it applied to the pattern painted on the hulls of ships.

5 Barton of the Red Cross : CLARA

Clara Barton was deeply disturbed by her experiences caring for the wounded during the Civil War. She dedicated herself after the war towards American recognition of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The American Red Cross was inevitably formed, in 1881, and Barton was installed as its first president.

10 Brother : FRA

The title “Fra” (brother) is used to address Italian monks.

13 Dish that may be eaten with either chopsticks or a spoon : RAMEN

Ramen is a noodle dish composed of Chinese-style wheat noodles in a meat or fish broth flavored with soy or miso sauce. Ramen is usually topped with sliced pork and dried seaweed. The term “ramen” is also used for precooked, instant noodles that come in single-serving, solid blocks.

16 “The Barber of Seville,” e.g. : OPERA

“The Barber of Seville” is an extremely popular comic opera by Gioachino Rossini that is based on a play of the same name by Pierre Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais wrote a sequel called “The Marriage of Figaro”, on which Mozart based his comic opera of the same name.

17 Medicare section : PART B

Medicare is divided into four parts:

  • A: Hospital Insurance
  • B: Medical Insurance
  • C: Medicare Advantage Plans
  • D: Prescription Drug Plans

21 Financial guru Suze : ORMAN

Suze Orman is a financial advisor who has gotten her message out on television, in books and on the speaking circuit. She often appears on PBS, and indeed is the most successful fundraiser public television has ever had.

23 Bae : HON

“Bae” is a contemporary term of endearment. It is a pet name that is an abbreviation of “babe, baby”, although I’ve also read that it is an acronym standing for “before anyone else”.

24 Kind of clef preceding notes usually played with the right hand on a piano : TREBLE

“Clef” is the French word for “key”. In music, a clef is used to indicate the pitch of the notes written on a stave. The bass clef is also known as the F-clef, the alto clef is the C-clef, and the treble clef is the G-clef.

25 Tylenol alternative : MOTRIN

The anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen is sold under the brand names Advil and Motrin.

31 President Garfield’s middle name : ABRAM

President James Abram Garfield was born in Orange Township in Ohio, the youngest son of Abram Garfield. Abram had moved from New York to Ohio specifically to court his childhood sweetheart Mehitabel Ballou. When Abram arrived in Ohio, however, he found that Mehitabel had already married. Abram did manage to join the Ballou family though, as he eventually married Mehitabel’s sister Eliza.

32 What a good Samaritan offers : HELP

“The Good Samaritan” is a parable told by Jesus that can be read in the Gospel of Luke. According to the story, a Jewish traveler is robbed and beaten and left for dead at the side of the road. A priest happens by and sees the poor man, but does not stop to help. A fellow Jewish traveler also passes and refuses to help. A third man stops and gives aid. This kind person is a Samaritan, a native of Samaria. Back then, Jewish and Samarian people were said to generally despise each other, and yet here a detested creature gives aid. Jesus told the story to a self-righteous lawyer, the intent being (I assume) to shake up his self-righteousness.

33 What the giant Argus has 100 of, in Greek myth : EYES

Argus Panoptes was a monster of Greek mythology. “Panoptes” means “all-seeing”, so over time Argus has been described as having many, many eyes. Argus was noted for being alert, always keeping some eyes open when sleeping. This characteristic led to Argus being used for a vigilant person, and has been adopted as the name for many newspapers. After the monster died, the goddess Hera transferred Argus’s eyes to the tail of the peacock.

36 Rich soil : LOAM

Loam is soil made up of sand, silt and clay in the ratio of about 40-40-20. Relative to other soil types, loam is usually rich in nutrients and moisture, drains well and is easy to till. Loam can also be used in constructing houses as it is quite strong when mixed with straw and dried.

37 Expensive Italian car, informally : LAMBO

Ferruccio Lamborghini was in the business of manufacturing tractors back in the late forties. Almost two decades later, he founded Automobili Lamborghini to produce high-end sports cars. That’s quite a shift in target market …

40 Director Kazan : ELIA

Elia Kazan won Oscars for best director in 1948 for “Gentleman’s Agreement” and in 1955 for “On The Waterfront”. He was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences when he was given the 1998 Academy Honorary Award citing his lifetime achievement in the industry. Kazan also directed “East of Eden”, which introduced James Dean to movie audiences, and “Splendor in the Grass” that included Warren Beatty in his debut role.

41 Smart society : MENSA

Mensa is a high-IQ society that was founded in Oxford, England in 1946. The founders were two lawyers: Australian Roland Berrill and Englishman Lancelot Ware. Apparently, the elitist founders were unhappy with the development of Mensa, given that most members came from the working and lower classes.

42 Makes frescoes or murals : PAINTS

A fresco is a painting created on a moist plaster, usually on a wall or ceiling. The plaster is “freshly” laid when the image is created, and “fresco” is the Italian for “fresh”.

A mural is a painting that is applied directly to a wall or a ceiling. The term “mural” comes from the Latin “murus” meaning “wall”.

44 Kind of sauce : TARTAR

Tartar sauce is basically mayonnaise with some chopped pickles, capers and onion or chives. The recipe was invented by the French (as “sauce tartare”) with the name somehow linked to the Tatars, a people who once occupied Ukraine and parts of Russia.

47 Start of a giant’s chant : FEE-

The line “fee-fi-fo-fum” (with various spellings) comes from the famous English fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk”. Within the story, the giant at the top of the beanstalk utters a little poem when he detects the presence of Jack:

Fee-fi-fo-fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman,
Be he alive, or be he dead
I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.

48 Shoulder muscles, for short : DELTS

The deltoid “muscle” is actually a group of muscles, the ones that cover the shoulder and create the roundness under the skin. The deltoids (delts) are triangular in shape resembling the Greek letter delta, hence the name.

55 Bad thing to have on a record, in brief : DWI

In some states, there is no longer a legal difference between a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) and a DUI (Driving Under the Influence). Other states retain that difference, so that by definition a DUI is a lesser offence than a DWI.

58 Hues that rhyme with “hues” : ECRUS

The color ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.

64 Ally in Super Mario games : TOAD

“Super Mario” is a series of video games created by Nintendo that features the character Mario, and his adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Down

1 Guitar accessory : CAPO

A capo is a clamp-like device that is placed around the neck of a guitar or other stringed instrument to shorten the strings, and hence raise the pitch. The full name, rarely used these days, is “capo tasto”, which is Italian for “head tie”.

2 End of a blessing : AMEN

The word “amen” translates as “so be it”. “Amen” is said to be of Hebrew origin, but it is also likely to be influenced by Aramaic and Arabic.

5 Congressional hearing airer : C-SPAN

C-SPAN is a privately-funded, nonprofit cable channel that broadcasts continuous coverage of government proceedings.

6 King quoted as saying “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child!” : LEAR

Shakespeare was inspired to write his famous drama “King Lear” by the legend of “Leir of Britain”, the story of a mythological Celtic king.

8 No longer active: Abbr. : RET

Retired (ret.)

10 Attention-grabbing : FLAMBOYANT

Our word “flamboyant”, meaning “showy and elaborate”, is a French term meaning “flaming”. The term was first used in English to describe wavy, flame-like curves used in architecture.

12 Observe Yom Kippur : ATONE

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people, and is also known as the Day of Atonement.

25 Order at an ice cream parlor : MALT

Walgreens claims to have introduced the malted milkshake, back in 1922.

26 Double-reeded aerophone with keys : OBOE

The oboe is perhaps my favorite of the reed instruments. The name “oboe” comes from the French “hautbois” which means “high wood”.

27 Spring recreation? : TRAMPOLINE

The first modern trampoline was developed in 1936. The apparatus was given its name from the Spanish “trampolín” meaning “diving board”. Trampolines were used during WWII in the training of pilots, to give them exposure to some spatial orientations that would be encountered during flight. Trampolines were also used by astronauts training in the space flight program. The sport of trampolining became an Olympic event starting in the 2000 Games.

28 Castle wall : RAMPART

A rampart is a raised embankment, mound of earth, or length of wall that is used as a fortification. Ramparts often surround castles and forts.

30 Actress Jessica : ALBA

Actress Jessica Alba got her big break when she was cast in the Fox science fiction show “Dark Angel”. Alba had a tough life growing up as she spent a lot of time in hospital and so found it difficult to develop friendships. As a youngster she twice had a collapsed lung, frequently caught pneumonia, suffered from asthma, had a ruptured appendix and a tonsillar cyst. On top of all that, Alba acknowledges that she suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder as a child.

34 Disney queen who sings in an ice palace : ELSA

“Frozen” is a 2013 animated feature from Walt Disney Studios that is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Snow Queen”. The film is all about the exploits of Princess Anna, the younger sister of Elsa, Snow Queen of Arendelle. Spoiler alert: Prince Hans of the Southern Isles seems to be a good guy for most of the film, but turns out to be a baddie in the end. And, a snowman named Olaf provides some comic relief.

41 Actress who said “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough” : MAE WEST

Comic actress Mae West can be quoted so easily, as she had so many great lines delivered so well. Here are a few:

  • When I’m good, I’m very good. When I’m bad, I’m better.
  • When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I’ve never tried before.
  • I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure.
  • Marriage is a great institution, but I’m not ready for an institution yet.
  • I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
  • Why don’t you come on up and see me sometime — when I’ve got nothin’ on but the radio.
  • It’s better to be looked over than overlooked.
  • To err is human, but it feels divine.
  • I like my clothes to be tight enough to show I’m a woman, but loose enough to show I’m a lady.
  • I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.
  • Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

44 Golf hole starter : TEE

There’s an urban myth that the standard number of holes on a golf course is 18 because it takes 18 shots to polish off a fifth of scotch whisky. However, the truth is that the standard number of holes in the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland happened to settle down over time at 18, and that standard was adopted all around the world.

49 ___ monde (fashionable society) : HAUT

“Haut monde” is a French term meaning “high society” that we use in English with the same meaning.

50 Sicilian spewer : ETNA

Mount Etna on the island of Sicily is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy, and indeed the largest of all active volcanoes in Europe. Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius. Mt. Etna is home to a 110-km long narrow-gauge railway, and two ski resorts. It is sometimes referred to as “Mongibello” in Italian, and as “Mungibeddu” in Sicilian. The English name “Etna” comes from the Greek “aitho” meaning “I eat”.

54 Medium power? : ESP

The so-called “sixth sense” is extrasensory perception (ESP).

57 Mauna ___ Observatory : LOA

Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii is the largest volcano on the planet (in terms of volume). The name “Mauna Loa” is Hawaiian for “Long Mountain”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Some G.I. wear, in brief : CAMO
5 Barton of the Red Cross : CLARA
10 Brother : FRA
13 Dish that may be eaten with either chopsticks or a spoon : RAMEN
14 What may raise a big stink? : SEWER
15 Allow to : LET
16 “The Barber of Seville,” e.g. : OPERA
17 Medicare section : PART B
18 Before now : AGO
19 Completely exhausted : BONE WEARY
21 Financial guru Suze : ORMAN
23 Bae : HON
24 Kind of clef preceding notes usually played with the right hand on a piano : TREBLE
25 Tylenol alternative : MOTRIN
29 Objects : SAYS NO
31 President Garfield’s middle name : ABRAM
32 What a good Samaritan offers : HELP
33 What the giant Argus has 100 of, in Greek myth : EYES
36 Rich soil : LOAM
37 Expensive Italian car, informally : LAMBO
38 One-named rapper with the 2015 #1 album “The Album About Nothing” : WALE
39 Sub at the office : TEMP
40 Director Kazan : ELIA
41 Smart society : MENSA
42 Makes frescoes or murals : PAINTS
44 Kind of sauce : TARTAR
45 Trims : ADORNS
47 Start of a giant’s chant : FEE-
48 Shoulder muscles, for short : DELTS
49 Cry upon arriving : HERE WE ARE!
55 Bad thing to have on a record, in brief : DWI
56 Send : ELATE
58 Hues that rhyme with “hues” : ECRUS
59 One followed by nothing? : TEN
60 With 61-Across, advice for an insomniac … or what you can do 12 times in this puzzle, reading across and down (not including this answer) : COUNT
61 See 60-Across : SHEEP
62 Spanish attention-getter : OYE!
63 Byes : TA-TAS
64 Ally in Super Mario games : TOAD

Down

1 Guitar accessory : CAPO
2 End of a blessing : AMEN
3 Slight : MERE
4 Impulsively : ON A WHIM
5 Congressional hearing airer : C-SPAN
6 King quoted as saying “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child!” : LEAR
7 Amiss : AWRY
8 No longer active: Abbr. : RET
9 Shady alcoves : ARBORS
10 Attention-grabbing : FLAMBOYANT
11 ___ Cinemas (theater chain) : REGAL
12 Observe Yom Kippur : ATONE
13 Apt name for a thief : ROB
20 Ages and ages : EON
22 One extending a library book loan : RENEWER
24 This cluue has one, apparently : TYPO
25 Order at an ice cream parlor : MALT
26 Double-reeded aerophone with keys : OBOE
27 Spring recreation? : TRAMPOLINE
28 Castle wall : RAMPART
29 One round at a tournament : SEMIS
30 Actress Jessica : ALBA
32 Cry before “Who goes there?” : HALT!
34 Disney queen who sings in an ice palace : ELSA
35 Burn : SEAR
37 Magnifier, e.g. : LENS
41 Actress who said “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough” : MAE WEST
43 One putting out feelers? : INSECT
44 Golf hole starter : TEE
45 Supplement : ADD TO
46 ___ Decimal System : DEWEY
47 Stews : FRETS
49 ___ monde (fashionable society) : HAUT
50 Sicilian spewer : ETNA
51 Comeback : ECHO
52 Specialty : AREA
53 Regretted : RUED
54 Medium power? : ESP
57 Mauna ___ Observatory : LOA