The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: 05.31.15 — Subwayland

Sunday, May 31, 2015

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s acrostic draws a quotation from “Subwayland:: Adventures in the World Beneath New York” by Randy Kennedy.

Since the doors of the first subway train opened in 1904, New Yorkers and tourists alike have been fascinated, amused, amazed, repelled and bewildered by the world-within-a-world that lies beneath the city.

Now, as the subway celebrates its centennial anniversary, the creator of The New York Times's award-winning "Tunnel Vision" column leads us on an extended tour of this storied subterranean land, revealing:

Its inhabitants: the Tango Man, the traveling magician, Mayor Bloomberg
Its wildlife: the subway-riding pigeons, the Fulton Street cat, the blind mules
Its customs, taboos and secret histories: door blocking, leg spreading, pole hugging, even, yes, token sucking
Its government: the sheriff of Grand Central, the Ethel Merman of the shuttle, the motorman who drove the last No. 1 train beneath the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001
Tips for the first-time traveler: how to get a seat, how to get a date, the fine art of "pre-walking" ~ amazon.com

The quotation: WORKERS HAVE COME ACROSS ALL MANNER OF HUMANITY IN THE SUBWAY OVER THE YEARS. LIKE THE HOMELESS MAN WHO LIKED TO SIT AT A Y IN THE TRACKS, IN A LAWN CHAIR, WITH A BATTERY-POWERED LIGHT, READING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

The author’s name and the title of the work: RANDY KENNEDY, “SUBWAYLAND”

The defined words:

A. Part of Queens served by the A train, ROCKAWAY
B. Ventilation aid for an underground transportation system (2 wds.), AIR SHAFT
C. Not terribly old, fairly recent, NEWISH
D. Weapon Nikola Tesla supposedly made (2 wds.), DEATH RAY
E. Vociferous cry of protest, YOWL
F. Winner of the first Tony for Best Original Score (2 wds.), KURT WEILL
G. Bay State symbol (2 wds.), ELM TREE
H. Ruff, muffler, bandanna or boa, NECKWEAR
I. Underground; deep-below, NETHER
J. Beyoncé’s role in “Cadillac Records” (2 wds.), ETTA JAMES
K. Intended for sale to hoi polloi (hyph.), DOWN-MARKET
L. New York alma mater for Chaim Potok, YESHIVA
M. Event generating a huge amount of buzz, SENSATION
N. Father of “the once and future king”, UTHER
O. Product made by Parker and Pentel, BALLPOINT
P. McCarthyite pursuit (2 wds), WITCH HUNT
Q. Procedure for solving a problem, ALGORITHM
R. Resort city on the Black Sea, YALTA
S. Over-the-top verbosity, LOGORRHEA
T. Ingredients in tapenade and Caesar salad, ANCHOVIES
U. Eponymous founder of a Copenhagen research institute (2 wds.), NIELS BOHR
V. Cup from which Turkish coffee is drunk, DEMITASSE

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