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Jump to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
CROSSWORD SETTER: Jeffrey Wechsler
THEME: Worth a Try … each of today’s themed answers is a common phrase with the letter sequence TRY inserted:
62A. Just tempting enough … and what 19-, 31-, 37- and 45-Across are? WORTH A TRY
19A. Scene when stores open on Black Friday? ENTRY DASH (from “en dash”)
31A. Superhero preparing to cook dinner? FLASH IN THE PANTRY (from “flash in the pan”)
37A. Eclair big enough to share? PASTRY DE DEUX (from “pas de deux”)
45A. Efficient wall decor for a steel vault? MAGNETIC TAPESTRY (from “magnetic tapes”)
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 14m 01s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
10. “The Wild Duck” playwright IBSEN
Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian playwright, considered by many to be the greatest playwright since William Shakespeare. Ibsen was famous for shocking his audiences by exploring subjects that offended the sensibilities of the day (the late 1800s).
15. Inclusive term ET ALII
Et alii (et al.) is the equivalent of et cetera (etc.), with et cetera being used in place of a list of objects, and et alii used for a list of names. In fact “et al.” can stand for et alii (for a group of males, or males and females), aliae (for a group of women) and et alia (for a group of neuter nouns, or for a group of people where the intent is to retain gender-neutrality).
17. Word on a résumé VITAE
A résumé is a summary of a person’s job experience and education and is used as a tool by a job seeker. In many countries, a résumé is equivalent to a curriculum vitae. “Résumé” is the French word for “summary”.
A curriculum vitae is a listing of someone’s work experience and qualifications, and is used mainly in making a job application. The term “curriculum vitae” can be translated from Latin as “course of life”.
18. Item with pips DOMINO
White masks with black spots were commonly seen in the old Venetian Carnival. The masks were known as “domini”. The domini lent their name to the game of dominoes, due to the similarity in appearance between the mask and a domino tile.
19. Scene when stores open on Black Friday? ENTRY DASH (from “en dash”)
In typography, there are em dashes and en dashes. The em dash is about the width of an “m” character, and an en dash about half that, the width of an “n’ character. An en dash is used, for example, to separate numbers designating a range, as in 5-10 years. Th em dash seems to be going out of style, and indeed the application I am using to write this paragraph won’t let me show you one!
In the world of retail, “Black Friday” is the day after Thanksgiving in the US. Black Friday is when many stores start the holiday shopping season, and so offer deep discounts to get ahead of the competition.
21. “I believe in the absolute __ … of humanity”: Gandhi ONENESS
The full quote from Gandhi is:
I believe in absolute oneness of God and, therefore, also of humanity. What though we have many bodies? We have but one soul. The rays of the sun are many through refraction. But they have the same source. It comprehends the whole of humanity. Its realization would thus mean the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Mohandas Gandhi was a political and spiritual leader in India in the first part of the 20th century, as the country sought independence from Britain. He was also referred to as “Mahatma”, meaning “great soul”. His remarkable philosophy of nonviolence and living a modest lifestyle was a great inspiration to the Indian people. India (and Pakistan) was granted independence in 1947. Sadly, Gandhi was assassinated the very next year, by a Hindu nationalist.
23. Investment initials IRA
Individual retirement account (IRA)
24. CPR provider EMT
An emergency medical technician (EMT) might administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
29. Quill __ PEN
Quills have been used as writing implements since the 6th century. Historically, goose, swan and turkey feathers have been the quills of choice. A bird’s feather is well suited for writing, as the hollow shaft acts as a reservoir for ink which then flows to the tip due to capillary action. Choice of feather is important. Right-handed writers are best served by feathers from the left wing, as the feather curves away from the palm of the hand when writing. The tip of the quill is sharpened using a “quill knife”. This quill knife is the ancestor of what we know today as a “penknife”.
31. Superhero preparing to cook dinner? FLASH IN THE PANTRY (from “flash in the pan”)
The word “pantry” dates back to 1300 when it came into English from the Old French “panetrie” meaning a “bread room”. Bread is “pain” in French, and “panis” in Latin.
37. Eclair big enough to share? PASTRY DE DEUX (from “pas de deux”)
In the world of ballet, a “pas de deux” is a duet in which the dancers dance together. A classic pas de deux has a particular structure. It starts with a short entree followed by an adagio and two variations, one for each dancer, and ends with a short coda. The term “pas de deux” is French for “step for two”, or I suppose “dance for two”.
The name for the pastry known as an “éclair” is clearly French in origin. The French word for lightning is “éclair”, but no one seems to be too sure how it came to be used for the rather delicious bakery item.
53. Tirana is its cap. ALB
Tirana is the capital city of Albania.
54. Blu-ray player error message NO DISC
A CD player reads the information on the disc using a laser beam. The beam is produced by what’s called a laser diode, a device similar to a light-emitting diode (LED) except that a laser beam is emitted. That laser beam is usually red in CD and DVD players. Blu-ray players are so called as they use blue lasers.
55. Sandusky’s lake ERIE
Sandusky, Ohio is a city on the shores of Lake Erie. My son is always talking about Sandusky as a place he’d like to visit, as it is home to one the largest collections of roller coasters in the world.
56. N.T. book JAS
The Epistle of James is part of the Christian Bible’s New Testament. Authorship is usually attributed to James the Just, also known as James, brother of Jesus.
66. Principle TENET
A tenet is an article of faith, something that is held to be true. “Tenet” is Latin for “he holds”.
67. Dickens’ “__ Mutual Friend” OUR
“Our Mutual Friend” is the last novel that Charles Dickens finished, first published in 1865. The last novel that Dickens worked on is “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, which he left unfinished.
68. Fountain offering MALTED
Walgreens claims to have introduced the malted milkshake, in 1922.
70. Old spy gp. OSS
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was formed during WWII in order to carry out espionage behind enemy lines. A few years after the end of the war the OSS functions were taken up by a new group, the Central Intelligence Agency that was chartered by the National Security Act of 1947.
Down
2. Like many Schoenberg compositions ATONAL
Arnold Schoenberg was a champion of the use of atonality in music. I admit to having a somewhat closed mind when it comes to atonality, so I have very little of his music in my collection.
4. Actors Kevin and Richard KLINES
The actor Kevin Kline stars in many of my favorite films, like “French Kiss” (in which he had a very impressive French accent) and “A Fish Called Wanda.” Kline also appeared in the romantic comedy “In & Out”, another favorite. “In & Out” is perhaps best remembered for it’s dramatic “interaction” between Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck … if you haven’t seen it yet, I won’t spoil it for you by saying any more!
The actor Richard Kline is best known for playing Larry Dallas on the seventies and eighties sitcom “Three’s Company”.
5. Article in Der Spiegel EINE
“Der Spiegel” is a very successful German magazine found on news-stands all over Europe. The name “Der Spiegel” translates from German into “the Mirror”.
6. Spanish deity DIOS
“Dios” is the Spanish word for “god”.
9. ’60s Moore role PETRIE
“The Dick Van Dyke Show” is a sitcom that ran from 1961 to 1966 starring Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore as Rob and Laura Petrie. This classic show was created by the great Carl Reiner, who also had a supporting role on the screen.
10. One of an academic octet IVY
The term “Ivy League” originally defined an athletic conference, but now it is used to describe a group of schools of higher education that are associated with both a long tradition and academic excellence. The eight Ivy League Schools are: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale.
12. Subject of a 1765 act STAMP TAX
A “stamp act” is a law requiring that taxes be paid when certain documents are “stamped” to make them legal. Such taxes are known as “stamp duty”. The infamous Stamp Act of 1765 was a tax imposed by Britain on the American colonies. The colonies famously rejected the Act declaring “No Taxation without Representation”, and the disagreement became a significant factor in the decision to declare independence.
13. Defunct carrier EASTERN
Eastern Air Lines was around from 1927 until 1991. The company was purchased in 1938 by Eddie Rickenbacker, who was a WWI flying ace. Under Rickenbacker’s leadership, Eastern were very successful. However, the airline couldn’t cope with a strike, high fuel prices and deregulation in the nineties, so Eastern went bankrupt in 1991.
14. O.T. book NEH
In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Ezra was originally combined with the Book of Nehemiah, with the two being separated in the early days of the Christian Era.
20. Woodworking tool RASP
A rasp is a like a coarse version of a file. Files have teeth that run from one side of the tool to the other, and are usually used for metalwork. Rasps have coarser teeth that cover the surface of the tool, like jagged bumps. Rasps are usually used in woodworking.
28. “Honor Thy Father” author TALESE
Gay Talese is an American author, famous as a journalist in the sixties at “The New York Times”. His 1981 book “Thy Neighbor’s Wife” is a study of sexuality in America in the early fifties. Apparently, as research for the book, Talese had sexual relations with his own neighbor’s wife for several months at a sexuality resort in Southern California called Sandstone Retreat.
Gay Talese’s 1971 book “Honor Thy Father” is about the Bonanno crime family of New York City in 1960s.
30. FDR was once its governor NYS
Franklin D. Roosevelt served as Governor New York from 1929 until 1932. He moved into the White House in 1933, and served as US president until his death in 1945.
34. Fresh, to a Frau NEU
In Germany, the lady of the house (haus) is the wife (frau).
38. Cape named by Charles I ANN
Cape Ann is 30 miles north of Boston and is on the northernmost edge of Massachusetts Bay. The Cape was first mapped by the explorer John Smith. Early in his adventurous life Smith had been captured and enslaved by the Ottoman Empire. His “owner” in his days of slavery was a woman called Tragabigzanda, and apparently the slave and owner fell in love. Smith originally called Cape Tragabigzanda in her memory, but King Charles I changed the name to Cape Ann in honor of his own mother, Anne of Denmark.
39. “__ Love”: “Carmen Jones” song DAT’S
“Carmen Jones” is a 1943 musical with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with music by Georges Bizet. The musical is Bizet’s marvelous opera “Carmen” that has been updated to a WWII setting. There’s also a successful big screen adaptation from 1954 based on the stage production.
42. Org. encouraging vaccination AMA
American Medical Association (AMA)
43. “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” musical PAL JOEY
“Pal Joey” is a 1940 novel by John O’Hara that was made into a stage musical and musical film with music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart. There are two well-known songs from the musical: “I Could Write a Book” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”. There’s also a film called “Pal Joey” starring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak. The film is loosely based on the stage musical.
46. Inedible wrap TOGA
In Ancient Rome the classical attire known as a toga (plural “togae”) was usually worn over a tunic. The tunic was made from linen, and the toga itself was a piece of cloth about twenty feet long made from wool. The toga could only be worn by men, and only if those men were Roman citizens. The female equivalent of the toga was called a “stola”.
48. Rue family tree CITRUS
The rue (also called “citrus”) family of flowering plants includes oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits.
50. Sibelius’ “Valse __” TRISTE
“Valse triste” (Sad Waltz) is one of Jean Sibelius’s most famous pieces. It was originally composed as incidental music for a play written by Sibelius’s brother-in-law, but now stands alone as separate concert piece.
51. Dead __ RINGER
A “ringer” was originally a fast horse that was substituted surreptitiously into a race for a slower one. The term was derived from the verb “to ring in”, meaning to substitute. We use the phrase “dead ringer” to describe an exact duplicate.
52. “Holy moly!” YE GODS!
The mild expletive “holy moly!” is a euphemism for “holy Moses!”
57. Cancel the dele STET
“Stet” is a Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” and then underscoring that change with a line of dots or dashes.
62. NYC Freedom Tower locale WTC
One World Trade Center (One WTC) is the legal name for the tallest building in the US that is known colloquially as “Freedom Tower”. The building stands at the symbolic height of 1776 feet.
63. Nos. on driver’s licenses HTS
Height (ht.)
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Was missing LACKED
7. Cell download APP
10. “The Wild Duck” playwright IBSEN
15. Inclusive term ET ALII
16. Engage in a bit of self-criticism RUE
17. Word on a résumé VITAE
18. Item with pips DOMINO
19. Scene when stores open on Black Friday? ENTRY DASH (from “en dash”)
21. “I believe in the absolute __ … of humanity”: Gandhi ONENESS
23. Investment initials IRA
24. CPR provider EMT
25. Certain rider FARE
26. Boost, say ASSIST
29. Quill __ PEN
31. Superhero preparing to cook dinner? FLASH IN THE PANTRY (from “flash in the pan”)
35. Yachting, perhaps ASEA
36. Relies (on) LEANS
37. Eclair big enough to share? PASTRY DE DEUX (from “pas de deux”)
42. Pub patron’s words A PINT
44. Pole-to-pole link AXIS
45. Efficient wall decor for a steel vault? MAGNETIC TAPESTRY (from “magnetic tapes”)
53. Tirana is its cap. ALB
54. Blu-ray player error message NO DISC
55. Sandusky’s lake ERIE
56. N.T. book JAS
58. Comprehended GOT
59. Winery event TASTING
62. Just tempting enough … and what 19-, 31-, 37- and 45-Across are? WORTH A TRY
65. “Move it!” LET’S GO!
66. Principle TENET
67. Dickens’ “__ Mutual Friend” OUR
68. Fountain offering MALTED
69. Minor surgery targets CYSTS
70. Old spy gp. OSS
71. Heads (toward) STEERS
Down
1. Started LED OFF
2. Like many Schoenberg compositions ATONAL
3. Cell component CAMERA
4. Actors Kevin and Richard KLINES
5. Article in Der Spiegel EINE
6. Spanish deity DIOS
7. “__ you kidding?” ARE
8. Lock up, say PUNISH
9. ’60s Moore role PETRIE
10. One of an academic octet IVY
11. Sit tight BIDE
12. Subject of a 1765 act STAMP TAX
13. Defunct carrier EASTERN
14. O.T. book NEH
20. Woodworking tool RASP
22. More practical SANER
27. Vacation time STAY
28. “Honor Thy Father” author TALESE
30. FDR was once its governor NYS
32. Move it HASTEN
33. Violin attachment? -IST
34. Fresh, to a Frau NEU
37. Farm houses PIG BARNS
38. Cape named by Charles I ANN
39. “__ Love”: “Carmen Jones” song DAT’S
40. Demand EXACT
41. Decline DIP
42. Org. encouraging vaccination AMA
43. “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” musical PAL JOEY
46. Inedible wrap TOGA
47. Affirming retort I DO TOO
48. Rue family tree CITRUS
49. Wrap up SETTLE
50. Sibelius’ “Valse __” TRISTE
51. Dead __ RINGER
52. “Holy moly!” YE GODS!
57. Cancel the dele STET
60. __ box ALMS
61. Box __ SEAT
62. NYC Freedom Tower locale WTC
63. Nos. on driver’s licenses HTS
64. Anniversary no. YRS