The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: 03.08.15 — Counting Sheep

Sunday, March 8, 2015

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s acrostic draws a quotation from “Counting Sheep: the Science and Pleasures of Sleep and Dreams” by Paul Martin.

Author Paul Martin here tackles the science of that most mysterious, elusive and alluring of human activities, sleeping, and draws on both cutting-edge neuroscience and classic literature to do so. We spend one third of our lives asleep, but know hardly anything about it, and can remember so little of it as we come out of it. Why? Are dreams the place we go to resolve our problems, emasculate our fears and rehearse our hopes? Why are we paralysed when we dream? Why did sleep evolve? And is anybody getting enough sleep? ~ amazon.com

The quotation: THE PURITAN WORK ETHIC AND THE CULT OF TIME MANAGEMENT NAG US TO DO A LITTLE… MORE… EACH DAY. SO WE GET LESS SLEEP. BUT THAT IS STUPID, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO CUT BACK ON THEIR SLEEP ACHIEVE LESS AND FEEL BAD INTO THE BARGAIN.

The author’s name and the title of the work: PAUL MARTIN, COUNTING SHEEP

The defined words:

A. Trash-to-ashtray converter (2 wds.), PIG LATIN
B. Period for lighting candles, ADVENT
C. Of the previous month, ULTIMO
D. Find utterly despicable, LOATHE
E. Painkiller for patients in rehab, METHADONE
F. British author of “Island in the Sun” (2 wds.), ALEC WAUGH
G. Chide, scold, admonish, REBUKE
H. Crime of a quisling, TREASON
I. The Big 12’s Cyclones (2 wds.), IOWA STATE
J. Language of Big Brother, NEWSPEAK
K. Grape variety used in Bordeaux, CABERNET
L. Square one, starting point, OUTSET
M. Use a derailleur on the way down a hill, UPSHIFT
N. Lunatic, kook, psycho, NUTCASE
O. Sons of Liberty action of 1773 (wds.), TEA PARTY
P. Replacement for Apple’s MobileMe, iCLOUD
Q. After-dark entertainment, NIGHTLIFE
R. Field cultivated by Gregor Mendel, GENETICS
S. Thrown together carelessly, SLIPSHOD
T. Device limiting free movement, HOBBLED
U. Dutch export with a red cover (2 wds.), EDAM CHEESE
V. Engaged in conflict, under siege, EMBATTLED
W. Tom Cruise’s wheels in “Risky Business”, PORSCHE

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