Constructed by: Kurt Krauss
Edited by: Rich Norris
Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
Quicklink to comments
Theme: Teammates
Today’s themed answers start with a word that is often MATED with, follows, the word TEAM:
- 61A. Players on the same side … and what the starts of the answers to starred clues can be : TEAMMATES
- 17A. *Track event with batons : RELAY RACE (giving “relay team”)
- 25A. *Romantic outing for four : DOUBLE DATE (giving “double-team”)
- 36A. *Romantic ideal : DREAM GIRL (giving “dream team”)
- 51A. *Machinist’s hole maker : DRILL PRESS (giving “drill team”)
Bill’s time: 5m 10s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
4. 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.
9. The Congo, formerly : ZAIRE
The African nation once called Zaire is a neighbor of Rwanda. The genocide and war in Rwanda spilled over into Zaire in 1996, with the conflict escalating into what is now called the First Congo War. As part of the war’s fallout there was a regime change, and in 1997 Zaire became the Democratic Republic of Congo.
14. Martinique, par exemple : ILE
In French, Martinique “par exemple” (for example) is an “île” (island).
The island of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean is actually a part of France, and is referred to as an “overseas department”. As such, Martinique is part of the European Union and even uses the euro as its currency. The island is fully represented in the French National Assembly and Senate, just like any department within France. It’s sort of like the status of Hawaii within the US.
19. Night, in Naples : NOTTE
Naples (“Napoli” in Italian) is the third largest city in Italy. The name “Napoli” comes from the city’s Ancient Greek name, which translates as “New City”. That’s a bit of a paradox as today Naples is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world.
20. Congregational “Absolutely!” : AMEN!
The word “amen” translates as “so be it”. “Amen” is said to be of Hebrew origin, but it is likely to be also influenced by Aramaic and Arabic.
21. “__ beaucoup” : MERCI
“Merci beaucoup” is French for “thank you very much”.
27. “Romanian Rhapsodies” composer : ENESCO
George Enescu (aka Georges Enesco) was a Romanian composer and performer. Enescu’s most popular works are two “Romanian Rhapsodies” (1901-2) and the opera “Oedipe” (1936).
30. John, Paul and George: Abbr. : STS
Saints (sts.)
31. Under-the-sink fitting : P TRAP
Most sinks in a home have a P trap in the outlet pipe that empties into the sewer line. This P trap has at its heart a U-bend that retains a small amount of water after the sink is emptied. This plug of water serves as a seal to prevent sewer gases entering into the home. By virtue of its design, the U-bend can also capture any heavy objects (like an item of jewelry) that might fall through the plughole. But the “trapping” of fallen objects is secondary to the P-traps main function of trapping sewer gases.
39. Farmland measure : 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.
42. Steinway or Yamaha : PIANO
Steinway & Sons is supplier of handmade pianos based in New York City and in Hamburg, Germany. The company was founded in Manhattan in 1853 by German immigrant Henry E. Steinway. One element of Steinway’s business model is to offer a “piano bank” service. Performing artists can “borrow” a particular piano from the bank for a particular concert or tour. About 400 pianos are in the bank, and are located over the world. The value of the bank’s collection of pianos is estimated at over $25 million.
The Japanese company Yamaha started out way back in 1888 as a manufacturer of pianos and reed organs. Even though the company has diversified since then, Yamaha’s logo still reflects it musical roots. Even on Yamaha motorcycles you can see a logo made up of three intersecting tuning forks.
46. Yellow Teletubby : LAA-LAA
“Teletubbies” is a children’s television show produced by the BBC in the UK and shown over here on PBS. The show attracted a lot of attention in 1999 when Jerry Falwell suggested that one of the Teletubbies characters (Tinky Winky) was a homosexual role model for children.
49. Meditative music genre : NEW-AGE
New-Age music is created to provide a relaxing and stress-free atmosphere. The New Age movement is often said to have begun with the release of an album called “Spectrum Suite” by Steven Halpern in 1975.
56. Announcer Hall : EDD
Edd Hall is most famous as the former announcer for Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show”. Hall replaced Ed McMahon when Johnny Carson retired from the show.
58. What aces may count as : ONES
In the card game called Blackjack, an ace has the point value of one or eleven. When one of the two cards dealt to a player is an ace, the hand is called “soft”. This means that the player cannot go bust by taking another card, as the ace can be revalued at “one” if necessary in order to stay under 21.
59. Black, in Burgundy : NOIRE
The Burgundy region of France is famous for its wine production. If you’re looking at a label that isn’t translated into English though, you’ll see Burgundy written in French, namely “Bourgogne”.
65. The “I” in IV : INTRA-
One might see intravenous drips (IVs) in an intensive care unit (ICU).
66. High season on the Riviera : ETE
In French, the season of “été” (summer) starts in “juin” (June).
The Côte d’Azur is on the Mediterranean coast of France and stretches from Saint Tropez in the west and to the Italian border in the east. In English we often refer to the area as “the French Riviera”. It’s a little crowded for me (okay, “expensive”), especially in the summer.
67. Grain disease : ERGOT
Ergot is a fungus, or actually a group of fungi, that cause disease in rye and related plants. If human eat ergot-contaminated grain, a condition called ergotism can result. Ergotism is the result of consumption of alkaloids produced by the fungi, alkaloids that can cause seizures and manic behavior. It has even been suggested that the hysteria exhibited by the Salem “witches” was perhaps caused by the ingestion of ergot-contaminated rye.
68. Ruby Dee’s husband Davis : OSSIE
Ossie Davis was a very successful African-American actor, but also a director, poet, playwright and social activist. One of Davis’s better known performances was in the 1993 movie “Grumpy Old Men”, in which he played the owner of the bait shop by the lake.
Ruby Dee was an actress and civil rights activist. On the big screen she is perhaps best remembered for co-starring in “A Raisin in the Sun” alongside Sidney Poitier, in “Do the Right Thing” alongside her husband Ossie Davis, and in “American Gangster” in which she played Denzel Washington’s mother.
Down
2. Periodic table listing : ELEMENT
Dmitri Mendeleev was a Russian chemist. When Mendeleev classified elements according to their chemical properties, he noticed patterns and was able to group elements into his famous 1869 Periodic Table. So powerful was his table that he actually predicted the properties of some elements that had not even been discovered in 1869. Element number 101 is mendelevium and was named after Mendeleev.
3. Fax forerunners : TELEXES
Telex grew out of the world of the telegraph. What Telex brought to telegraphy was the ability to route messages. Instead of having to talk to an operator to route a particular message to the intended party, the user of a telex could route the message directly to another telex machine by way of a rotary dial, very similar to that on a telephone.
5. The Once-__: “The Lorax” character : LER
“The Lorax” is a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss. It is an allegorical work questioning the problems created by industrialization, and in particular its impact on the environment. At one point in the story, the Lorax “speaks for the trees, for the trees have no tongues”. “The Lorax” was adapted into an animated film that was released in 2012, with Danny DeVito voicing the title character.
6. Mission to remember : ALAMO
The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna’s camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry “Remember the Alamo!”.
7. Houston sch. : RICE U
Rice University is a private school in Houston, Texas. William Marsh Rice had made a will endowing the funds for the establishment of the school at the time of his death. When he was found dead one morning in his bed, his lawyer announced that his will had been changed, with the bulk of Rice’s estate actually going to the lawyer making the announcement. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the lawyer had paid Rice’s valet to murder his employer using chloroform and a fake will was written. Eventually, the original will was deemed valid and the funds were disbursed so that the school could be built.
8. Biting, as criticism : ACERB
“Acerb” is a variant of “acerbic”, meaning sour or bitter-tasting, acidic.
9. More wacky : ZANIER
Something described as “zany” is clownish and bizarre. “Zany” can also be a noun, a term used for a clown or a buffoon. The original noun was “Zanni”, a Venetian dialect variant of Gianni, short for Giovanni (John). Zanni was a character who appeared in comedy plays of the day, and was someone who aped the principal actors.
10. Period with 365 días : ANO
In Spanish, there are 365 “días” (days) in a “año” (year).
18. Aardvark fare : ANTS
The aardvark is the oddest looking of creatures, a nocturnal burrowing animal, native to Africa. Even though it is sometimes called the African ant bear, the name “aardvark” is Afrikaans for “earth pig”. Aardvarks are noted, among other things, for their unique teeth. Their teeth have no enamel and wear away quite readily, but continuously regrow. The aardvark feeds mainly on ants and termites.
22. The NFL’s Browns, on sports tickers : CLE
The Cleveland Browns football team was a charter member of the All-American Football Conference, formed in 1946. Cleveland is the only NFL city that has never hosted nor sent a team to the Super Bowl.
28. EMT procedure : CPR
An emergency medical technician (EMT) might administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
33. Parisian pal : AMI
A male friend in France is “un ami”, and a female friend is “une amie”.
34. Ryder Cup org. : PGA
The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) was founded in 1916 and today has its headquarters (unsurprisingly) in Florida, where so many golfers live. Back in 1916, the PGA was based in New York City.
The Ryder Cup trophy was donated to the game of golf by Samuel Ryder, an English entrepreneur. Ryder made his money selling garden seeds in small packets. He only took up golf when he was in his fifties but became quite the enthusiast and eventually donated the trophy in 1927, when it was valued at 100 guineas. The Ryder Cup is a biennial tournament played between teams from the US and Europe.
36. Big name in computers : DELL
Dell, the computer manufacturer, is named after the company’s founder Michael Dell. Michael Dell started his company in his dorm room at college, shipping personal computers that were customized to the specific needs of his customers. He dropped out of school in order to focus on his growing business, a decision that I doubt he regrets. Michael Dell is now one of the richest people in the world.
37. Holiday and Days : INNS
The first Holiday Inn hotel was opened in 1952. The name for the hotel chain was inspired by the 1942 movie “Holiday Inn” starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.
The Days Inn hotel chain was founded in 1970 by a real estate developer called Cecil B. Day. One of the features of a Days Inn hotel in those early days was an on-site gas pump, which dispensed gasoline at discount prices.
38. Caviar : ROE
“Caviar” is the roe of a large fish that has been salted and seasoned, and especially the roe of a sturgeon. Beluga caviar comes from the beluga sturgeon, found primarily in the Caspian Sea. It is the most expensive type of caviar in the world. 8 ounces of US-farmed beluga caviar can be purchased through Amazon.com for just over $850, in case you’re feeling peckish …
39. Firm, as pasta : AL DENTE
The Italian expression “al dente” literally means “to the tooth” or “to the bite” and is used to describe not only pasta, but also vegetables that are cooked so that they are tender and yet still crisp.
47. L.A. Angels’ division : AL WEST
The Anaheim Angels are today more correctly called the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (LAA). The “Angels” name dates back to 1961 when the team was founded in the “City of Angels”, Los Angeles. When the franchise moved to Anaheim in 1965 they were known as the California Angels, then the Anaheim Angels, and most recently the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim.
48. Big galoot : APE
“Galoot” is an insulting term meaning an awkward or boorish man, an ape. “Galoot” comes from the nautical world, where it was originally what a sailor might call a soldier or marine.
50. Stagecoach driver’s “Stop!” : WHOA!
Although the stagecoach is very much associated with the Wild West, the vehicle originated in England in the 16th century. Stagecoaches provided transportation for travellers and goods over long distances. The rest points for the travellers were known as “stages”, and later “stations”, hence the name “stagecoach”.
60. Classic car : REO
The REO Motor Company was founded by Ransom Eli Olds (hence the name REO). The company made cars, trucks and buses, and was in business from 1905 to 1975 in Lansing, Michigan. Among the company’s most famous models were the REO Royale and the REO Flying Cloud.
62. CAT scan cousin : MRI
An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine uses powerful magnetic fields to generate its images so there is no exposure to ionizing radiation (such as X-rays). We used MRI equipment in our chemistry labs at school, way back in the days when the technology was still called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRI). Apparently the marketing folks didn’t like the term “nuclear” because of its association with atomic bombs, so now it’s just called MRI.
63. Fannie or Ginnie follower : MAE
A CT (or “CAT”) scan produces (via computer manipulation) a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object, usually the human body. It does so by taking a series of two dimensional x-ray images while rotating the camera around the patient. The issue with CT scans is that they use x-rays, and high doses of radiation can be harmful, causing damage that is cumulative over time.
Complete List of Clues and Answers
Across
1. Show affection to, as a dog : PET
4. Barton of the Red Cross : CLARA
9. The Congo, formerly : ZAIRE
14. Martinique, par exemple : ILE
15. Archaeological find : RELIC
16. Bother : ANNOY
17. *Track event with batons : RELAY RACE (giving “relay team”)
19. Night, in Naples : NOTTE
20. Congregational “Absolutely!” : AMEN!
21. “__ beaucoup” : MERCI
23. Lab rodent : RAT
24. Schoolbook, or much of its contents : TEXT
25. *Romantic outing for four : DOUBLE DATE (giving “double-team”)
27. “Romanian Rhapsodies” composer : ENESCO
29. Wears away : ERODES
30. John, Paul and George: Abbr. : STS
31. Under-the-sink fitting : P TRAP
35. For fear that : LEST
36. *Romantic ideal : DREAM GIRL (giving “dream team”)
39. Farmland measure : ACRE
42. Steinway or Yamaha : PIANO
43. Crone : HAG
46. Yellow Teletubby : LAA-LAA
49. Meditative music genre : NEW-AGE
51. *Machinist’s hole maker : DRILL PRESS (giving “drill team”)
55. Ache : HURT
56. Announcer Hall : EDD
57. Use a loom : WEAVE
58. What aces may count as : ONES
59. Black, in Burgundy : NOIRE
61. Players on the same side … and what the starts of the answers to starred clues can be : TEAMMATES
64. Hues : TONES
65. The “I” in IV : INTRA-
66. High season on the Riviera : ETE
67. Grain disease : ERGOT
68. Ruby Dee’s husband Davis : OSSIE
69. Period, e.g. : DOT
Down
1. High seas bandits : PIRATES
2. Periodic table listing : ELEMENT
3. Fax forerunners : TELEXES
4. Bawl : CRY
5. The Once-__: “The Lorax” character : LER
6. Mission to remember : ALAMO
7. Houston sch. : RICE U
8. Biting, as criticism : ACERB
9. More wacky : ZANIER
10. Period with 365 días : ANO
11. For services rendered instead of cash : IN TRADE
12. Revolves : ROTATES
13. Driver’s license requirement : EYE TEST
18. Aardvark fare : ANTS
22. The NFL’s Browns, on sports tickers : CLE
25. Pour affection (on) : DOTE
26. Sweetie pie : DOLL
28. EMT procedure : CPR
32. Knock hard : RAP
33. Parisian pal : AMI
34. Ryder Cup org. : PGA
36. Big name in computers : DELL
37. Holiday and Days : INNS
38. Caviar : ROE
39. Firm, as pasta : AL DENTE
40. It’s usually locked after parking : CAR DOOR
41. Attacking, as the fridge : RAIDING
43. Full of ghosts : HAUNTED
44. Go along with : AGREE TO
45. Prepares : GETS SET
47. L.A. Angels’ division : AL WEST
48. Big galoot : APE
50. Stagecoach driver’s “Stop!” : WHOA!
52. 4:1, e.g. : RATIO
53. Alternative to odds : EVENS
54. Theater chairs : SEATS
60. Classic car : REO
62. CAT scan cousin : MRI
63. Fannie or Ginnie follower : MAE
Did ot know LER or LAALAA.
Couldn’t figure the team, as I thought it was alliteration, at first.
Snow day here in Upstate NY.
Monday puzzle. Nuff said. While looking for something else over the weekend, I ran across an old interview with NYT xword editor Will Shortz. He said the hardest day to solicit crosswords for is Monday. He’s always seeking good Monday puzzles. Second on that list were Sundays. Makes me think better of the setters who do Monday grids as most want to do the more challenging grids I suppose.
If aardvarks just eat ants and termites, why do they need teeth at all?
Steinway has a collection of 400 pianos valued at $25 million? That’s about $62,500 per. Just out of curiosity I Googled the price of a new one and they’re about $80,000 now. Expensive hobby. Now I know why I don’t play the piano…
I always appreciate a plug for my alma mater, RICE U. There is a statue of William Rice in the middle of the main quad. I don’t know if it’s still done, but they used to give an annual Willie Award for the most disgusting act involving the statue. As a favor to all, I’ll spare you the details of some of the winners I know of….
Best –
6:13, no errors.
I found Jeff’s comments most interesting, especially the bit about Monday puzzles (which makes a lot of sense, when you think about it). And I have a different reason for not playing the piano: It’s by universal request … 🙂 . And is it possible that the phrase “Willie Award” gives a hint about the nature of the “statue-tory” abuse?
No easy Monday for me. Got stumped in a lot of places.
LAA-LAA? LER?
Ryder cup. Can’t keep those straight. I forget the tennis, sailing, hockey
awards. ENESCO, African country name-changes.
Had TINTS before TONES
Didn’t get to time the LAT yesterday, but got zero errors (done in pen!). Best estimate is around 60-70 minutes on clock time for that one. Compare with 77 minutes and 3 errors on the NYT (trick grid). More on that blog for those of course.
@Jeff
A lot of it has to do with the difficulty of coming up with something a *bit* harder than the “easy” grids I talk about on here on occasion (basically very easy words, minimal but obvious pop culture, easy but not super-obvious clues,etc), but not so hard it goes into Wed/Thurs territory. Part of that too is coming up with easy/obvious themes that are workable as well (“easy” grids are themeless grids, btw).
My initial attempts at creating grids were targeted at Monday level, but couldn’t come up with a good workable theme that wouldn’t throw the grid into Thu/Fri land anyway (I can find a quote from Norris somewhere on how he determines this).
My thought is either most of the good Monday/Tuesday type grid-makers are gainfully employed by companies such as Dell and the like and don’t want to moonlight making more grids (70-80 puzzles in a book per month * how ever many different books they put out), or submit grids towards other outfits that moderate their grids at NYT-Tues level at most (Universal/Newsday). So NYT/LAT gets their market pretty severely limited.
Of course, Sunday grids are another discussion altogether, but the reasons for that should be pretty patently obvious.
I just finished today’s WSJ puzzle and really enjoyed it. It had the kind of clues that make you think a little harder but you can get them. It’s nice to solve one that doesn’t require you to be a walking encyclopedia of sports and entertainment trivia.
I wish I could make an easy grid. I tried to make a really simple one once and couldn’t finish it. I can’t imagine being so good at it that you don’t want to make the easy Monday ones.
I had a good time with this easy puzzle despite LaaLaa. I had never heard of Teletubbies, until Jerry Falwell “explained” – rather gave an insight into their “sexual orientation” …. Some people have too much time on their hands ….
Btw, I’ve been told most gay men dont ‘carry’ a ‘purse’ – which was the putative basis of Jerry Falwell’s “orientation determination.”
Thank you , Bill, for your blog – and also the link on the 12th day of Christmas. Fascinating. Also, I spent an hour this afternoon reading about Martinique. Very interesting.
Aaardvark Teeth, Jeff, are apparently like pegs, and have no roots. Ants and termites must be chewed by the Aardvark, or the ants will borrow in his/her stomach and make tunnels …. Lol. Seriously, all food must be chewed, whether ants, or rice grains, mustard seeds or even blades of grass.
I have a baby grand piano in my house, that has not been played for over 15 years, since my kids left the nest. It sits by itself, looking dignified, in its own corner of the living room. Sometimes, when we have company, I even lean on it…..
Jeff, as an accountant, I should tell you, that figure of $ 62.5 K per piano seems rather high.
1. Not all the pianos must be new. Some of them may be over 10 yrs old.
2. They must have depreciated over the years, and their original pre-inflation costs may have been much, much lower.
3. The $ 25 million, must be the replacement cost, or the insurance valuation…. Or, maybe just a marketing gimmick.
Have a nice evening, all.
Nice quick Monday, except for the Teletubbie clue…
While reading the Rice U answer I was persuaded to check out the Wikipedia entry for the founder. What a twisted lawyer!!* He apparently appealed his death sentence and ended up getting pardoned, after 13 years on Sing Sing’s death row. At least he was debarred. No word on what happened to the valet who actually murdered Rice.
Also, first day of beekeeping for the new year. So far 4 out of 4 have survived the Winter and received their first honey super to fill up.
* multiple exclamation points are a registered trademark of Carrie
Well…
This puzzle sidelined me for a minute there. I started off by RUSHING thru, as it looked like a super easy Monday, but I got CARELESS, misreading clues, and put EEG instead of CPR, which really messed me up. Jeez! That’s what happens when one doesn’t give a Monday puzzle its due, amiright?
And what’s with LAALAA?? I would never had known that. Also didn’t know ENESCO. Oh well–all came together finally.
@Vidwan, LOVE the image of you leaning on the dignified piano, cocktail in hand, brilliantly regaling your guests ? Probably some of those pianos are antiques? That’s why the value adds up.
I think there are Stradivarius violins out there worth millions.
@Dave — LOL! Statue-tory… Nicely done ?
Never thought it would be so hard to give up multiple exclamation marks…Thank you Dirk for providing some…???
Sweet dreams~~™????