Looking for the solutions to the Christmas crosswords from our Dec. 11 issue? Look no further! The author has also included some behind-the-scenes insight into how he came up with the answers, in case you were stumped!
ANDY MEYER
The Norwegian American
Julekryssord No. 1
Vannrett (Across)
1. Common tree in Norwegian forests (and cabins) (N) Many Norwegian cabins are decked in or made of furu, the Norwegian word for pine.
5. Islamic religious leader (E)
6. Main dish at many a Norwegian Christmas dinner (N) Although it is of German origin, ribbe has become a mainstay on many Norwegian Christmas tables, especially in Eastern Norway.
8. Eden’s favorite son? (E)
9. Captain of the Starship Enterprise (E)
Loddrett (Down)
1. Common tree in Norwegian forests (E)
2. Traditional Inuit boat (E)
3. Jewish religious leader (E)
4. Earth tone (E)
7. American ungulate many Norwegians mistake (in writing) for a moose (E) The Norwegian word for moose is elg, and unsurprisingly, both Norwegians and Americans mistake them for elk in writing (and vice versa).
Julekryssord No. 2
Vannrett (Across)
1. With 6-Down, main dish at many a Norwegian-American Christmas dinner What is a Norwegian-American Christmas crossword without lutefisk?
5. The main component of a julenek (E)
7. Positive response (E)
8. Syllable between re and fa (E), or the feminine 1st-person possessive pronoun (N)
9. One often can’t see the forest for them (E)
11. Another word for kjærlighet (N)
Loddrett (Down)
1. One must pass it on the way to the bar? (E) LSAT, the Law School Admission Test, is a classic bit of crosswordese, and there are many ways to play on words to hint at it. In this case, of course, “the bar” is the legal profession.
2. Norwegian monster (N)
3. Kaffe eller __?
4. Modern design eponym most known for a chair (E)
6. See 1-Across
10. Superior transportation option? (E) “Superior” in this case is meant to imply “above” or “elevated,” as in Chicago’s EL trains.
Julekryssord No. 3
Vannrett (Across)
1. With 6-Down, main dish at many a Norwegian Christmas dinner (N) Most Norwegians today serve either pinnekjøtt or ribbe at Christmas—pinnekjøtt is more common in Western Norway where you’ll find it in more than 3/4 of homes at Christmas (vs. 14% in the east).
6. “Have a good time, y’all!” (N) “Kos deg” and “Kos dere” are common ways to say “Have a good time!”, the difference being in the addressee: deg if you’re talking to one person, dere if you’re talking to two or more.
8. Theme for this issue of The Norwegian American (N)
9. Requirements for buying 10-Across (E)
10. Traditional requirement of Norwegian farmsteads during jul (N) During the Viking era and well into the Christianized era, it was Norwegian law that farmsteads had to brew their own beer for the pagan festival jól and subsequently the Christmas season. Traditionally, Christmas season officially ends when the Christmas beer has finally run empty, just before mid-January.
11. __ på tur, aldri sur! (N)
12. Amt. of pepper in Baker Harepus’ “gingerbread” recipe (hint: the answer is elsewhere in this issue) (E)
14. What a tree’s rings tell about a tree (E)
15. The Pontiac Firebird is an example of one in the United Kingdom (E) This one is admittedly a stretch, as few Britons would say “T-bar car” although sources say that it isn’t unusual in Britain to call a T-top a T-bar.
17. Basketball star Shaquille
Loddrett (Down)
1. Washington state’s “Little Norway”
2. Country between Greenland and Norway (Abbr.) (N)
3. State that is host to Høstfest (Abbr.) (E)
4. Negative response (N)
5. Emphatic negative response to a dare, perhaps: “__ __ ___?” (N) “Er du gal?” means “Are you crazy?” in Norweigan.
6. See 6-Across
7. Chemical aroma (E), eller boka i bibelen mellom Nehemja og Job (N)
13. Greek god of the wild (E) The author regrets not cluing this one, “Knut Hamsun novel set in Nordland.”
14. Official abbr. for Obamacare (E)
16. English equivalent of the Norwegian prefix gjen- (E)
