0923-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 23 Sep 11, Friday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. It has rock bands : AGATE
Agate is a micro-crystalline form of quartz (so is related to sand/silica). Some agate samples have deposited layers giving a striped appearance, and these are called “banded agate”.

14. ___-toothed : SABER
A saber-toothed cat is an extinct mammal that lived up to 9,000 years ago.

15. Informal show of approval? : STANDING O
Give ‘em a big hand, maybe even a “standing O”, a standing ovation.

19. Modern proofs-of-purchase, for short : UPCS
The first UPC-marked item to get scanned in a store was on June 26, 1974, at 08:01 a.m. at Marsh’s supermarket in Troy, Ohio. It was a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum!

24. Gaston who wrote “The Phantom of the Opera” : LEROUX
Gaston Leroux was a French author and journalist best known for writing “The Phantom of the Opera”, first published in 1910. As a journalist, Leroux was involved in an investigation into the Paris Opera. The basement of the opera house contained a cell that was used to hold prisoners in 1871, something that Leroux featured in his most famous novel.

28. ___ Lady (decades-old commercial creation) : AVON
In 1886, a young man called David McConnell was selling books door-to-door. To enhance his sales numbers he was giving out free perfume to the ladies of the houses he visited. Seeing as his perfume was more popular than his books he founded the California Perfume Company in New York City and started manufacturing and selling across the country. The company name was changed to Avon in 1939, and the famous “Avon Calling” marketing campaign started in 1954.

34. “Dominus illuminatio ___” (Oxford University’s motto) : MEA
“Dominus illuminatio mea” is the motto of the University of Oxford. The words come from the opening to Psalm 27, and translate from Latin as “The Lord is my light …”

36. “___ Como Va” (1971 hit) : OYE
“Oye Como Va” is a song written by Tito Puente in 1963. The best-known recoding is the cover version from Santana released in 1970.

46. Deny : GAINSAY
“To gainsay” is to deny or contradict, basically to “say again”.

48. Give a good rubdown : ROLF
Rolfing is a trademarked massage technique, developed by Ida Pauline Rolf in the fifties. Rolf was a biochemist by training, from New York. Rolfing is one of those practices that is controversial, with many folks doubting that there is any benefit.

49. Blue shade : TEAL
The beautiful color of teal takes it name from the duck called a “teal”, which has dark, greenish-blue (teal) markings on its head and wings.

55. The Temptations’ “Since ___ My Baby” : I LOST
The Temptations used to be known as the Elgins, and were formed in 1960 in Detroit. The group is still performing, although only the second tenor, Otis Williams, was part of the original quintet. The Temptations were very much associated with their “sister group”, the Supremes.

Down
2. Series ender, sometimes : GAME SEVEN
There might be a game seven in MLB’s World Series, the NBA Playoffs, or NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs.

3. 1969 #1 album for 11 weeks : ABBEY ROAD
“Abbey Road” was the last album that the Beatles released before they finally broke up. “Abbey Road” was named after the street in London in which the recording studio was located. The Fab Four is featured in the album’s cover, walking across the pedestrian crossing that’s in the road right in front of the studio.

5. 1974 lyric repeated after “Como una promesa” : ERES TU
We have a big event across Europe every year called the Eurovision Song Contest. Each nation enters one song in competition with each other, and then voters across the whole continent decide on the winner. That’s how ABBA got their big break when they won in 1974 with “Waterloo”. In 1972, Spain’s entry was “Eres tu” (the Spanish for “You Are”) sung by the band Mocedades. It came second in the competition, but should have won in my humble opinion.

8. Some blockers : ENDS
Ends are football players.

9. Old Tokyo : EDO
Edo is the former name of the Japanese city of Tokyo. Edo was the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal regime that ruled from 1603 until 1868. The shogun lived in the magnificent Edo castle. Some parts of the original castle remain, and today’s Tokyo Imperial Palace, the residence of the Emperor of Japan, was built on its grounds.

10. Diamond substitute : ZIRCON
Zircon is the name of the mineral with the chemical name of zirconium silicate. Zircon comes in many colors, and colorless specimens that are of gem quality are often used as a substitute for diamonds.

13. Many a sculpture : TORSO
“Torso” is an Italian word meaning the “trunk of a statue”, which we imported into English.

24. Asian spiritual guide : LAMA
“Lama” is a Tibetan word, meaning “chief” or “high priest”.

26. One who’s gone but not forgotten : AWOL
The Military Police go after personnel who are Absent With-Out Leave (AWOL).

27. Muscles strengthened by squats : GLUTEI
There are three gluteal muscles in the human body, the largest of which is the gluteus maximus. It’s the glueteus maximus which really dictates the shape and size of the human buttocks. In evolutionary terms, the human “glutes” are larger than those in related species because they play a big role maintaining our erect posture.

31. Music style derived from samba and jazz : BOSSA NOVA
Bossa Nova is a style of music from Brazil that evolved from samba. The most famous piece of bossa nova is the song “The Girl from Ipanema”.

35. Aficionado : BUFF
An “aficionado” is an enthusiast, a word that came to us from Spanish. It was originally used in English to describe a devotee of bullfighting.

43. He famously asked “Why didn’t you burn the tapes?” : FROST
The British journalist David Frost is perhaps best known in the US for hosting the television show “Through the Keyhole”, and for his celebrity interviews, most notably with former President Richard Nixon. That interview was adapted as a play and then a movie called “Frost/Nixon”. The movie was directed by Ron Howard. It’s a little slow, but a must see for political history buffs like me.

44. Vinegar quality : LOW PH
As we all recall from chemistry class, a pH of 7 is considered neutral. Anything less than 7 is an acid, and anything above 7 is a base.

45. Attachments to pronator quadratus muscles : ULNAE
The radius and ulna are bones in the forearm. If you hold the palm of your hand up in front of you, the radius is the bone on the “thumb-side” of the arm, and the ulna is the bone on the “pinkie-side”.

47. Botanical balm : ALOE
Aloe vera has a number of alternate names that are descriptive of its efficacy as a medicine. These include the First Aid plant, Wand of Heaven, Silent Healer and Miracle Plant.

49. Object frequently painted by Degas : TUTU
The word “tutu”, used for a ballet dancer’s skirt, is actually a somewhat “naughty” term. It came into English from French in the early 20th century. The French “tutu” is an alteration of the word “cucu”, a childish word for “cul” meaning the “bottom, backside”.

Edgar Degas was a French artist, famous for his paintings and sculptures. Some of his most beautiful works feature female ballet dancers.

54. Employer of many a 7-Down : DEA
(7. One looking for a deal? : NARC)
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was set up in 1973 while President Nixon was in office.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. It has rock bands : AGATE
6. Pooh-pooh : SNEEZE AT
14. ___-toothed : SABER
15. Informal show of approval? : STANDING O
16. Stroll : AMBLE
17. Factor affecting Google search results : WORD ORDER
18. Juicer detritus : PEELS
19. Modern proofs-of-purchase, for short : UPCS
20. Takes for a ride : CONS
21. Many gamblers have them : SYSTEMS
23. Self-help book : HOW-TO
24. Gaston who wrote “The Phantom of the Opera” : LEROUX
25. Include as an extra : TAG ON
28. ___ Lady (decades-old commercial creation) : AVON
29. Movie credits, usually : CRAWLS
31. Collision sound : BAM
34. “Dominus illuminatio ___” (Oxford University’s motto) : MEA
35. Validate : BEAR OUT
36. “___ Como Va” (1971 hit) : OYE
37. It makes a lot of connections : AND
38. Give a slant to : UPTILT
39. Follower’s response : I SEE
40. In many cases : OFTEN
41. Worries : EATS AT
43. Last report on the evening news, typically : FLUFF
46. Deny : GAINSAY
48. Give a good rubdown : ROLF
49. Blue shade : TEAL
51. Providers of directions : VANES
53. Admitted : OWNED UP TO
55. The Temptations’ “Since ___ My Baby” : I LOST
56. Leisure : SPARE TIME
57. Spitting mad : LIVID
58. Something a drunkard is liable to hit : THE SAUCE
59. Turns brown quickly : SEARS

Down
1. Before all else : ASAP
2. Series ender, sometimes : GAME SEVEN
3. 1969 #1 album for 11 weeks : ABBEY ROAD
4. Betrays, in a way : TELLS ON
5. 1974 lyric repeated after “Como una promesa” : ERES TU
6. Plea from the self-conscious : STOP STARING AT ME
7. One looking for a deal? : NARC
8. Some blockers : ENDS
9. Old Tokyo : EDO
10. Diamond substitute : ZIRCON
11. Grant : ENDOW
12. 7-Down, for one : AGENT
13. Many a sculpture : TORSO
15. Like some Olympic races : SWUM
22. Not counting : EXCEPT
23. Multitude : HOST
24. Asian spiritual guide : LAMA
26. One who’s gone but not forgotten : AWOL
27. Muscles strengthened by squats : GLUTEI
30. Put on a scale : RATE
31. Music style derived from samba and jazz : BOSSA NOVA
32. Agreement from one’s mate? : AYE AYE, SIR
33. Big competition : MEET
35. Aficionado : BUFF
39. Phrase used to 46-Across : IT’S A LIE
40. Proposals : OFFERS
42. Forgers’ tools : ANVILS
43. He famously asked “Why didn’t you burn the tapes?” : FROST
44. Vinegar quality : LOW PH
45. Attachments to pronator quadratus muscles : ULNAE
47. Botanical balm : ALOE
49. Object frequently painted by Degas : TUTU
50. Grand : EPIC
52. Some govt. issuances: Abbr. : STDS
54. Employer of many a 7-Down : DEA
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