1018-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 18 Oct 11, Tuesday

QuickLinks:
Solution to today’s crossword in the New York Times
Solution to today’s SYNDICATED New York Times crossword in all other publications

CROSSWORD SETTER: Patrick Berry
There’s a note with today’s puzzle!
“CROSS” WORD CONTEST — All the puzzles this week, from Monday to Saturday, have been created by one person, Patrick Berry. Have your solutions handy, because the Saturday puzzle conceals a meta-challenge involving the solution grids of all six. When you have the answer to the meta-challenge, mail it to: crossword@nytimes.com. Twenty-five correct solvers, chosen at random, whose entries are received by 6:00 p.m. E.T. Sunday, Oct. 23, will receive copies of “Will Shortz Picks His Favorite Puzzles: 101 of the Top Crosswords From The New York Times.” Only one entry per person, please. The answer and winners’ names will appear on Friday, Oct. 28, at Wordplay.
THEME: Crosses … each of the the theme answers today is a common, two-part expression, with the beginning of the first word melded with the end of the last word to give a word cited in the clue:

17A. Starch: a cross between ___? : STAR(SKY AND HUT)CH
25A. Pimple: a cross between ___? : P(URE AND S)IMPLE
44A. Hisses: a cross between ___? : H(UGS AND K)ISSES
57A. Beetles: a cross between ___? : BEE(R AND SKIT)TLES

COMPLETION TIME: 6m 35s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0


Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. ___ the Hutt (“Return of the Jedi” villain) : JABBA
Jabba the Hutt is the big blob of an alien that appears in the “Star Wars” movie “The Return of the Jedi”. His claim to fame is that he enslaved Princess Leia and kitted her out in that celebrated metal bikini.

10. Not of the clergy : LAIC
Anything described is laic (or laical) is related to the laity, those members of the church who are not clergy. The term “laic” ultimately comes from the Greek “laikos” meaning “of the people”.

15. Flu symptom : AGUE
Ague .. fever.

Influenza is an ailment that is caused by a virus. The virus is readily inactivated by the use of soap, so washing hands and surfaces is especially helpful in containing flu outbreaks.

16. “The King and I” governess : ANNA
“The King and I” is a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical based on a book by Margaret Landon called “Anna and the King of Siam”, first published in 1944. Landon’s book is based on a true story, told in the memoirs of Anna Leonowens. Leonowens was the governess of the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the 1860s, and she also taught the King’s wives.

17. Starch: a cross between ___? : STAR(SKY AND HUT)CH
“Starsky & Hutch” is a fun cop show that ran for four seasons on television in the seventies. The lead roles were played by David Soul (Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson) and Paul Michael Glaser (David Starsky). It was Glaser who really brought the show to a close. He tried to get out of his contract during filming of the third season (even suing to do so). He tried again during the fourth season, and then finally plans to film a fifth season were just dropped.

20. “___ the season …” : ‘TIS
“‘Tis the season to be jolly” is a line from the traditional Yuletide carol “Deck the Halls”. The tune itself is Welsh in origin, dating back to the 16th century. However, the lyrics are American and from the 19th century. Also, Mozart used the tune as a theme for a delightful violin and piano duet.

21. Oscar winner for “Moonstruck” : CHER
Cher’s real name is Cherilyn Sarkasian, born in 1946. In her acting career she was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar of 1984 for her performance in “Silkwood”. She went all the way and won the Best Actress Oscar in 1988 for playing Loretta Castorini in “Moonstruck”.

22. Swinger who loves Jane : TARZAN
“Tarzan” is the title character in the series of books created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The line “Me Tarzan, you Jane” never appeared in the books, and indeed doesn’t even figure in the movies. Apparently Johnny Weissmuller (the original movie “Tarzan”) saw Maureen O’Sullivan (the original movie “Jane”) struggling with a suitcase in the parking lot during filming. He grabbed the bag from her, jokingly saying “Me Tarzan, you Jane”. I guess they mentioned that incident to someone, and people have been quoting those words ever since.

23. Underwire garment : BRA
The word “brassière” is of course French in origin, but it isn’t the word the French use for a “bra”. In France what we call a bra is known as a “soutien-gorge”, translating to “held under the neck”. The word “brassière” is indeed used in France but there it describes a baby’s undershirt, a lifebelt or a harness. “Brassière” comes from the Old French word for an “arm protector” in a military uniform (“bras” is the French for “arm”). Later “brassière” came to mean “breast plate” and from there was used for a type of woman’s corset. The word jumped into English around 1900.

24. Pre-euro Italian currency : LIRE
The name “lira” is used in a number of countries for currency. It comes from the Latin word for a pound, and is derived from a British pound sterling, the value of a Troy pound of silver. The lira (plural “lire”) was the currency of choice in Italy before the change was made to the euro.

31. Sad poem : ELEGY
Perhaps the most famous elegy in the English language is that written by Thomas Gray, completed in 1750. “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is the source of many oft-quoted phrases, including:

– Celestial fire
– Far from the Madding Crowd
– Kindred spirit

32. Pinnacle : ACME
The “acme” is the highest point, coming from the Greek word “akme” which has the same meaning.

36. Messenger ___ : RNA
RNA and DNA are very similar molecules. One big difference is that RNA is a single strand structure, whereas DNA is famously a double-helix. Another difference is that RNA contains ribose as a structural unit, and DNA contains deoxyribose i.e. ribose with one less oxygen atom. And that ribose/deoxyribose difference is reflected in the full name of the two molecules: ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

37. What Visine is dispensed in : DROPS
Visine is a brand of eye drops made by Johnson & Johnson, advertised to “get the red out”. The red in the eye is reduced because Visine contains tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride, a vasoconstrictor. The blood vessels creating the redness constrict when Visine is applied, and you “get the red out” as the blood is “squeezed” away from the surface of the eye.

39. Apple Store offerings : MACS
Macintosh (also “Mac”) is a line of computers from Apple Inc. The first Mac was introduced in 1984, and I remember someone at work showing me one in those early days of personal computing. There was a piece of white plastic connected to the main computer by a cord, and I was amazed when the guy showed me that it controlled where the cursor was on the screen. My colleague told me that this lump of plastic was called “a mouse” …

41. Concerning : IN RE
The term “in re” is Latin, derived from “in” (in) and “res” (thing, matter). It literally means “in the matter”, and is used as “in regard to”, or “in the matter of”.

42. “Love Lockdown” singer West : KANYE
Kanye West is a rap singer from Atlanta, Georgia. That’s all I know …

47. Word before “Boy,” “Love” and “Come Back” in titles to #1 songs : BABY
“Baby Boy” is a song recorded in 2003 by Beyoncé Knowles.

“Baby Love” is a 1964 song recorded by The Supremes.

“Baby Come Back” is a song first performed in 1966 by the English group The Equals.

48. Construction project in Genesis : ARK
Genesis 6:19-20 states that Noah was instructed to take two animals of every kind into the ark. Later, in Genesis 7:2-3, Noah was instructed to take on board “every clean animal by sevens … male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth”. Apparently “extras” (7 rather than 2) were needed for ritual sacrifice.

49. Classic Chevy model : IMPALA
The Chevrolet Impala was first introduced in 1957, and you can still buy one today.

“Impala” is the Zulu word for “gazelle”.

60. Isaac’s eldest : ESAU
Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother, Rebekah, gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).

62. Like helium : INERT
The noble gases are those elements over on the extreme right of the Periodic Table. Because of their “full” complement of electrons, noble gases are very nonreactive. The noble gases are Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton and Xenon.

63. Deck hands : TARS
A Jack Tar, or just “tar”, was a seaman in the days of the British Empire. The term probably arose due to a sailor’s various uses of tar in those days, including waterproofing his clothes, and using tar in his hair to slick down his ponytail.

65. Seen-it-all feeling : ENNUI
Ennui is the French word for boredom that we now readily use in English. It’s one of the few French words we’ve imported that we haven’t anglicized and actually pronounce “correctly”.

Down
3. Sounds in “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” : BAAS
There was an American version of the English children’s song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (E-I-E-I-O), that was around in the days of WWI. The first line of the US version goes “Old Macdougal had a farm, in Ohio-i-o”.

5. “Take a hike!” : AMSCRAY
Pig Latin is in effect a game, whereby one takes the first consonant of an English word and moves it to the end of the word, and then adds the letters “ay”. So the Pig Latin for the “nix” is “ix-n-ay” … ixnay, and for “scram” is “am-scr-ay”

6. “Let’s Get It On” singer : GAYE
“Let’s Get It On” is a song by Marvin Gaye, first recorded in 1973. The song’s lyrics have to be among the most sexually charged in the popular repertoire, and helped to earn Gaye a reputation as a sex icon.

7. Petri dish gel : AGAR
Agar is a jelly extracted from seaweed that has many uses. It is found in Japanese desserts, and can also be used as a food thickener or even as a laxative, and it is the most common medium used for growing bacteria in Petri dishes.

10. Prizes in early Olympics : LAURELS
The Bay Laurel is a shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region, and is the source of bay leaves used in cooking. In Ancient Greece, the laurel leaves and stems were used to make laurel wreaths which were awarded to victors in athletic competitions.

11. 1998 animated film loosely based on “Brave New World” : ANTZ
“Antz” was the first feature movie released by Dreamworks SKG, the studio founded by Steven Spielberg and two partners in 1994. “Antz” came out in 1998, and has a stellar cast that includes Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Gene Hackman and many, many other big names. The cartoon is quite unique in that the facial features of the voice actors are reflected in the animated characters.

12. Machu Picchu resident : INCA
Machu Picchu is known as “The Lost City of the Incas”, and it can be visited on a mountain ridge in Peru, 50 miles northwest of the city of Cuzco in the southeast of the country. The name Machu Picchu means “old peak”.

13. “Come Fly With Me” lyricist Sammy : CAHN
Sammy Cahn wrote for them all, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Doris Day. His most famous song was probably “Three Coins in the Fountain”.

19. Instrument on Ireland’s coat of arms : HARP
The arms of Ireland has a very simple design, consisting of a gold harp with silver strings on a blue background. The design dates back to the days of Henry VIII, as it was adopted when he declared Ireland to be its own kingdom again in 1541. When Ireland separated from the United Kingdom in 1922, the arms were retained as the national emblem by the government of the Irish Free State.

25. Salon treatment : PERM
A perm is the name given to the permanent wave, a chemical or thermal treatment of hair to produce waves, curls or even to straighten hair. I don’t worry about such things … No.1 all over …

26. Forearm bone : ULNA
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”.

28. Charles ___, hero of “A Tale of Two Cities” : DARNAY
“A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens is the most printed book that was originally written in English.

34. Dunaway of “Chinatown” : FAYE
Faye Dunaway won an Oscar for her performance in the 1976 movie “Network”. She also starred in the original version of “The Thomas Crown Affair” in 1968, opposite Steve McQueen. She had a role in the remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair” with Pierce Brosnan, over thirty years later in 1999.

40. Outbacks and Foresters : SUBARUS
Subaru is the automobile division of the Japanese company, Fuji Heavy Industries. The name “Subaru” is the Japanese name of the Pleiades star cluster. As a result, the Subaru logo is also a cluster of stars.

42. Alley seen on TV : KIRSTIE
Kirstie Alley was born Kirstie Deal, and takes her stage name from her first marriage, to Robert Alley. Her most famous role was that of Rebecca Howe, Sam Malone’s boss on the sitcom “Cheers” from 1987 to 1993.

46. Malevolent Hindu goddess : KALI
Kali is a Hindu goddess, the consort of Lord Shiva. The name “Kali” translates as “the black one”.

50. Mountain with a flat top : MESA
“Mesa” is the Spanish for “table” and is of course is how we get the name “mesa”, a geographic feature.

“What’s the difference between a butte and a mesa?” I hear you cry! Both are hills with flat tops, but a mesa has a top that is wider than it is tall. A butte is a much narrower formation, taller than it is wide. Now we know …

53. Les Nessman’s station in a 1978-82 sitcom : WKRP
The sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati” was an MTM production, the company established by Mary Tyler Moore and her husband to produce “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. “WKRP” was a successful enough show when it originally aired, but then became a blockbuster in syndication. It became MTM’s most watched program, even outstripping the original “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”.

55. Home of former U.N. Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar : PERU
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar is a diplomat from Peru, and the man who served as the fith Secretary-General of the United Nations. He held the office from 1982 to 1992, replacing Kurt Waldheim. He was succeeded by Boutros Boutro-Ghali.

56. Italian wine region : ASTI
Asti is in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. It is perhaps most famous for its Asti Spumante sparkling white wine.

58. Mountain ___ : DEW
If you check the can, Mountain Dew is now known as “Mtn Dew”.

59. Spike TV, once : TNN
Spike TV was a 2003 relaunch of The Nashville Network (TNN), and was marketed as the first television channel for men. The station owners ran into trouble though as the director Spike Lee sued, claiming that viewers would assume he was associated with the channel because of the use of “Spike”. The suit was settled when Lee concluded that there was no intention to trade on his name.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. ___ the Hutt (“Return of the Jedi” villain) : JABBA
6. Stuff to wear : GARB
10. Not of the clergy : LAIC
14. Take a weapon from : UNARM
15. Flu symptom : AGUE
16. “The King and I” governess : ANNA
17. Starch: a cross between ___? : STAR(SKY AND HUT)CH
20. “___ the season …” : ‘TIS
21. Oscar winner for “Moonstruck” : CHER
22. Swinger who loves Jane : TARZAN
23. Underwire garment : BRA
24. Pre-euro Italian currency : LIRE
25. Pimple: a cross between ___? : P(URE AND S)IMPLE
31. Sad poem : ELEGY
32. Pinnacle : ACME
33. Call at first base, maybe : SAFE
36. Messenger ___ : RNA
37. What Visine is dispensed in : DROPS
38. Sunbeam : RAY
39. Apple Store offerings : MACS
41. Concerning : IN RE
42. “Love Lockdown” singer West : KANYE
44. Hisses: a cross between ___? : H(UGS AND K)ISSES
47. Word before “Boy,” “Love” and “Come Back” in titles to #1 songs : BABY
48. Construction project in Genesis : ARK
49. Classic Chevy model : IMPALA
52. Leatherworking tools : AWLS
54. No. on a college transcript : GPA
57. Beetles: a cross between ___? : BEE(R AND SKIT)TLES
60. Isaac’s eldest : ESAU
61. Rural road sign : DEER
62. Like helium : INERT
63. Deck hands : TARS
64. Cashless transaction : SWAP
65. Seen-it-all feeling : ENNUI

Down
1. Merely : JUST
2. Not a fan of : ANTI
3. Sounds in “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” : BAAS
4. Reaction to a cold snap : BRR
5. “Take a hike!” : AMSCRAY
6. “Let’s Get It On” singer : GAYE
7. Petri dish gel : AGAR
8. Choose flight instead of fight : RUN
9. Parents set them for kids : BEDTIMES
10. Prizes in early Olympics : LAURELS
11. 1998 animated film loosely based on “Brave New World” : ANTZ
12. Machu Picchu resident : INCA
13. “Come Fly With Me” lyricist Sammy : CAHN
18. Title that’s a homophone of 13-Down : KHAN
19. Instrument on Ireland’s coat of arms : HARP
23. Panhandle : BEG
24. Walked with one foot asleep, say : LIMPED
25. Salon treatment : PERM
26. Forearm bone : ULNA
27. Get through to : REACH
28. Charles ___, hero of “A Tale of Two Cities” : DARNAY
29. Contempt : SCORN
30. Makes at work : EARNS
34. Dunaway of “Chinatown” : FAYE
35. They may be lazy or wandering : EYES
37. Breaks up : DISBANDS
40. Outbacks and Foresters : SUBARUS
42. Alley seen on TV : KIRSTIE
43. Pump : ASK
45. Festive occasion : GALA
46. Malevolent Hindu goddess : KALI
49. “That doesn’t surprise me!” : I BET
50. Mountain with a flat top : MESA
51. Distinctively shaped fruit : PEAR
52. On the ocean : ASEA
53. Les Nessman’s station in a 1978-82 sitcom : WKRP
54. Isolated valley : GLEN
55. Home of former U.N. Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar : PERU
56. Italian wine region : ASTI
58. Mountain ___ : DEW
59. Spike TV, once : TNN

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