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P. Joseph Lamanna
P. Joseph Lamanna

What Do You Know?

New York Times, Sunday, January 4, 1948

Author:
P. J. Lamanna
Editor:
Margaret Farrar
Rows: 23, Columns: 23, Words: 172, Blocks: 85, Avg Word Len: 5.16, Missing: { J Q X }, Scrabble score: 689 (avg 1.55)
Open Squares: 134, Cheaters: 4, FITB: 9, XRef: 0, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 55, Grid flow: 32.2
P. Joseph Lamanna has 26 known pre-Shortz puzzles in our database.
P. J. Lamanna is an alias for P. Joseph Lamanna.
Jim Horne notes:

Peter Zenger (see 87 Down) is a key figure in the historical fight for freedom of the press.

104-Across: "Word not uttered over Walcott". This clue is a clever reference to one of the most famous and controversial moments in boxing history: the Joe Louis vs. Jersey Joe Walcott heavyweight title fight on December 5, 1947.

Here is the breakdown of why the word TEN was never "uttered over Walcott":

The Context: A David vs. Goliath Matchup

Going into the fight, Jersey Joe Walcott was a 10-to-1 underdog. Joe Louis, the "Brown Bomber," had held the title for a decade and was expected to dispatch Walcott easily. Instead, Walcott shocked the world by knocking Louis down twice (once in the 1st round and once in the 4th).

The "Ten" Count

In boxing, when a fighter is knocked down, the referee counts to ten. If the fighter doesn't rise by "ten," they are declared the loser by knockout (KO).

  • Because Louis was the one knocked down — and Walcott was never floored — the referee never counted to ten over Walcott.

  • The fight eventually went the full 15 rounds.

The Controversy

Despite Walcott clearly outboxing the champion and dropping him twice, the judges awarded a split decision victory to Joe Louis. The crowd at Madison Square Garden was so incensed by the perceived "robbery" that they booed for ten minutes. Even Louis himself was so embarrassed by the decision that he tried to leave the ring before the winner was officially announced.

Why the Clue is "Sly"

The puzzle was published on January 4, 1948, just one month after this fight took place. At the time, it was the biggest sporting scandal in the country. The answer TEN is a double-edged sword:

  1. Literally: Walcott was never counted out (the ref never said "ten").

  2. Figuratively: Many fans felt the decision was a "long count" or a fix that prevented Walcott from becoming the champion.

It's a perfect example of how early New York Times crosswords under Margaret Farrar used very fresh, "ripped-from-the-headlines" news to challenge solvers.

1
B
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Y
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R
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N
5
E
6
S
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B
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O
9
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10
S
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F
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L
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A
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M
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G
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W
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E
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R
21
L
E
H
I
G
H
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L
A
T
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I
A
M
B
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N
E
H
R
U
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A
M
E
L
I
O
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R
A
T
E
D
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A
M
B
A
S
28
S
A
D
O
R
S
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T
E
M
30
L
O
O
K
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V
E
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S
T
P
O
C
K
E
T
33
R
O
T
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S
N
A
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P
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R
E
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G
E
N
T
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L
I
A
R
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I
L
L
Y
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A
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M
Y
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A
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E
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M
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N
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S
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C
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O
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B
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A
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D
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A
M
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P
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L
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E
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C
H
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I
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C
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N
V
A
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D
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R
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T
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H
A
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C
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P
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S
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T
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Y
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D
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A
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B
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N
E
C
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K
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P
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E
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T
E
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P
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P
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S
K
E
A
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S
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M
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A
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T
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I
O
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D
R
A
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B
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M
A
R
K
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H
A
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P
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L
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P
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R
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A
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V
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87
H
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L
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E
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A
G
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O
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S
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C
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R
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D
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O
S
L
O
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A
U
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O
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I
S
T
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Y
101
E
O
M
A
N
102
N
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A
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S
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T
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N
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S
T
E
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N
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B
R
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N
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B
E
S
T
O
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W
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N
G
109
M
E
R
L
E
110
S
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P
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L
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M
O
D
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E
D
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C
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S
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A
Z
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O
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R
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A
N
117
T
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H
A
W
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O
R
A
L
120
L
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I
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L
Y
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M
A
T
T
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O
A
R
L
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O
P
126
L
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A
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R
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D
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I
C
E
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D
E
B
A
R
132
M
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E
N
T
S
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B
E
135
S
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S
137
L
A
U
138
B
E
A
139
V
E
R
B
R
O
O
K
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P
A
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R
E
N
T
H
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E
T
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C
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B
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L
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L
L
E
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I
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A
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T
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L
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E
A
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D
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N
A
M
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G
N
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© 1948, The New York TimesNo. 308
Across
1
He is "speaking frankly." : BYRNES
7
Foreman. : BOSS
11
Kind of lancet. : FLEAM
16
English poet (1325?–1408). : GOWER
21
University in Bethlehem, Pa. : LEHIGH
22
Recent. : LATE
23
Metric feet. : IAMBI
24
Indian Prime Minister. : NEHRU
25
Improved. : AMELIORATED
27
Caffery, Dunn, Smith, etc. : AMBASSADORS
29
Pro ___. : TEM
30
The New ___. : LOOK
31
Of small size, as a book. : VESTPOCKET
33
Piffle! : ROT
34
Cookie. : SNAP
36
Princess Juliana, for the present. : REGENT
38
Ananias. : LIAR
39
Badly. : ILLY
40
Host. : ARMY
43
Stake. : ANTE
44
Cotton cloths. : MUSLINS
46
Dross. : SCORIA
49
Scene in recent best seller. : BUS
50
Scorched. : ADUST
52
Full. : AMPLE
56
His painting of Lake Geneva adorned his Xmas card. : CHURCHILL
58
Author of "Behind the Silken Curtain." : CRUM
59
Of no weight. : INVALID
61
Soak. : RET
62
Arc of light. : HALO
63
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer and Economic Affairs head. : CRIPPS
65
Child's paradise. : TOYLAND
66
Belligerent in Asia. : ARAB
68
It has had its ups and downs in fashion history. : NECKLINE
70
Squeak. : PEEP
72
Common British-Russian interest. : TEA
73
Photograph. : PINUP
75
Dirks. : SKEANS
76
Aggregates. : SUMMATIONS
79
Thick woolen cloth. : DRAB
81
Notice. : MARK
82
Refer to somehing tediously. : HARP
83
RFC matter. : LOAN
84
Campaign issue of 1857. : PROSLAVERY
87
Push rudely. : HUSTLE
89
Premiums paid for exchange of currency. : AGIOS
92
Girl's nickname. : LOU
93
Herdsman of Swiss Alps. : SENN
94
Insurgent against Louis XIV, in 1702. : CAMISARD
96
Where the Storting convenes. : OSLO
97
Driver: Colloq. : AUTOIST
100
Petty officer. : YEOMAN
102
Island west of Sumatra. : NIAS
104
Word not uttered over Walcott. : TEN
105
Mississippi's new Senator. : STENNIS
106
Stick of a fan. : BRIN
107
Granting. : BESTOWING
109
Bluish-gray. : MERLE
110
Loot. : SPOIL
112
Annual congress in N. Scotland. : MOD
113
Orders. : EDICTS
114
Native of Horta. : AZOREAN
117
Dissolve. : THAW
119
Nuncupative; said of wills. : ORAL
120
"To paint the ___." : LILY
123
Man's nickname. : MATT
124
Rabbit with ears at right angles to head. : OARLOP
126
Enrich with bacon. : LARD
130
Simple dessert. : ICE
131
Preclusions. : DEBARMENTS
134
The First Lady. : BESS
137
Group of Fiji islands. : LAU
138
Owner of London Daily Express. : BEAVERBROOK
140
Of inserted comment. : PARENTHETIC
143
Add rods for support. : ENRIB
144
City in NE France. : LILLE
145
Son of Tros, founder of Troy. : ILUS
146
Dignified. : AUGUST
147
Transportation companies. : LINES
148
Disburdened. : EASED
149
Repute. : NAME
150
Fabled dwarfs. : GNOMES
Down
1
Utters raucously: Colloq. : BLATS
2
Member of Arab League. : YEMEN
3
A verb; word. : RHEMA
4
___ desperandum. : NIL
5
The Wilhelm Tell of Norse myth. : EGIL
6
Vamoose! : SHOO
7
He wrote "Songs of Innocence." : BLAKE
8
Reed instrument. : OAT
9
Hoboken college. : STEVENS
10
Sitting; said esp. of statues. : SEDENT
11
Sanction. : FIAT
12
Torch: Poet. : LAMP
13
Foreign particle in circulatory system. : EMBOLUS
14
Calculator. : ABACIST
15
Silver piece of Morocco. : MISKAL
16
Biting pest. : GNAT
17
Famous dictionary: Abbr. : OED
18
Coil. : WHORL
19
Leon ___, comedian. : ERROL
20
Out of practice. : RUSTY
26
___ O'More. : RORY
28
Silk: Comb. form. : SERI
32
Solid portions of fats. : STEARINS
35
Young salmon. : PARR
37
Frenchman. : GAUL
39
Of a doctrine. : ISMAL
41
Sumptuous. : RICH
42
American naval historian (1840–1914). : MAHAN
44
Mumble: Dial. : MUMP
45
Secy. Sullivan's charge. : NAVY
46
Bit. : SCRAP
47
French girl's sweetheart. : CHERI
48
Thoroughgoing member of his class: Colloq. : OUTANDOUTER
49
Workers who cut stone. : BLOCKMEN
51
Cheat. : DUPE
53
Concerning an ancient philosophy. : PLATONISTIC
54
White goods. : LINEN
55
Icelandic works. : EDDAS
57
___ sous le Vent. : ILES
58
Emit a thin metallic sound. : CRINK
59
Article. : ITEM
60
Prickly pear. : NOPAL
63
Potherb in S. Europe. : CLARY
64
Jets. : SPURTS
67
Hangers-on. : BURS
69
American commodore (1789–1868). : KEARNY
71
Embarked, in modern manner. : EMPLANED
74
Chum. : PAL
76
Indian antelope. : SASIN
77
Samoan warrior. : TOA
78
Role played by Jose Ferrer. : IAGO
80
Feodor Chaliapin and Ezio Pinza. : BASSI
82
Errable creature. : HUMAN
84
Fluid in muscle. : PLASM
85
Course. : ROUTE
86
Treats Dobbin. : VETS
87
Andrew ___, defender of Peter Zenger. : HAMILTON
88
Goddess of discord. : ERIS
90
Fragrant. : OLENT
91
Strains. : SONGS
94
Sharer of 1947 Nobel Prize in Medicine. : CORI
95
Instrument in post office. : DATER
98
Decoration added so as to be in relief. : ONLAY
99
Spanish Agnes. : INEZ
101
Inky. : EBON
103
Water softener. : SODA
107
Arena of any big contest on New Year's Day. : BOWL
108
Inclination. : WILL
110
Genus of grasses, named for floral bristles. : SETARIA
111
Boy Scout groups of eight. : PATROLS
112
Sicilian wine. : MARSALA
115
Tenth of an ephah. : OMER
116
Canaille. : RABBLE
118
Fastener for chapeau. : HATPIN
119
Aboveboard. : OPEN
120
Defame. : LIBEL
121
Ancient tribe of Britons. : ICENI
122
Hear. : LEARN
125
Describing Falstaff. : OBESE
127
___ mare, the high sea: Law. : ALTUM
128
Muster. : RAISE
129
Canals. : DUCTS
131
Candidate for President, 1920, while in prison. : DEBS
132
Worker in dark. : MOLE
133
Supplemented. : EKED
135
Animal. : STAG
136
Eschew. : SHUN
139
Contend. : VIE
141
Queer: Slang. : RUM
142
I: Latin. : EGO

Answer summary:
15 unique to this puzzle, 40 debuted here and reused later, 13 appeared only in pre-Shortz puzzles.

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Crosswords published prior to Nov. 21, 1993 are provided by David Steinberg and The Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project.

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