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CROSSWORD SETTER: Paula Gamache
THEME: The Result of Waxing … if we take the last word from each of today’s themed answers we arrive at the phrase “HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW”, which might hint at the spa treatment known as WAXING:
59D. Spa treatment hinted at by the ends of 17-, 27-, 44- and 55-Across : WAX
17A. Entreaty to Rapunzel : LET DOWN YOUR HAIR
27A. Magazine whose website has a “Find a Therapist” feature : PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
44A. 1970 B. B. King hit : THE THRILL IS GONE
55A. Procrastinator’s promise : I’LL DO IT TOMORROW
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 16m 22s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
9. Woody Allen title role : ZELIG
“Zelig” is a 1983 film by Woody Allen. “Zelig” tells the fictitious story, in documentary style, of Leonard Zelig (played by Allen) who has the gift of being able to change his appearance in order to better fit in with the company he keeps. He becomes famous as a “human chameleon”. By using archive footage, the film includes clever “cameos” by real figures from history (like Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover and Susan Sontag).
14. 1999 drama “___ and the King” : ANNA
The 1999 film “Anna and the King” was inspired by the 1944 semi-fictional biographical novel by Margaret Landon called “Anna and the King of Siam”. The same book spawned a 1946 movie starring Irene Dunne as Anna and Rex Harrison as the King of Siam. Then followed a 1951 stage musical “The King and I”, with a related 1956 film musical of the same name starring Deborah Kerr as Anna and Yul Brynner as the King. In the 1999 film “Anna and the King”, Jodie Foster plays Anna and Chow Yun-Fat plays the King.
15. “Stoppeth it!”? : ENOW!
“Enow” is an archaic form of the word “enough”.
16. Cause of some abdominal cramps : E COLI
Escherichia coli (E. coli) are usually harmless bacteria found in the human gut, working away quite happily. However, there are some strains that can produce lethal toxins. These strains can make their way into the food chain from animal fecal matter that comes into contact with food designated for human consumption.
17. Entreaty to Rapunzel : LET DOWN YOUR HAIR
“Rapunzel” is a fairy tale in the collection of the Brothers Grimm. Rapunzel was a maiden who was locked in a tower by an enchantress. The inevitable prince turns up, and he climbs up to Rapunzel using her long, fair hair as a climbing rope.
27. Magazine whose website has a “Find a Therapist” feature : PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
“Psychology Today” is a popular magazine that focuses on behavior and related topics, and has the aim of making psychology literature more accessible to the general public.
33. Collector’s suffix : -IANA
The suffix “-iana” is a variant of “-ana”.
An ana (plural “anas”) is a collection, perhaps of literature, that represents the character of a particular place or a person. Ana can be used as a noun or as a suffix (e.g. Americana).
34. They run free on TV, in brief : PSAS
Public service announcement (PSA)
38. Myers-___ personality test : BRIGGS
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was created in 1962, by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. The MBTI has been a popular tool used by businesses and business consultants for decades. The MBTI is built on the theories of Carl Jung and is designed to assess an individual’s personality type and give insight into how that individual interacts with other personality types.
39. Willie of “Eight Is Enough” : AAMES
Willie Aames is an actor from Newport Beach, California. Aames is best known for playing Tommy Bradford on the TV comedy “Eight is Enough” that originally aired in the seventies.
40. Sitcom nickname of Wally’s bro : BEAV
Ward Cleaver and his wife June were the parents of Wally Cleaver and his younger brother “The Beaver”. The four family members appeared in the fifties sitcom “Leave It to Beaver”.
We used to see a lot of American television programming growing up in Ireland, but “Leave It to Beaver” was one show that didn’t make it across the Atlantic. I’ve seen a couple of episodes, and I am not sure it would travel well. The show went on the air for the first time the day that Sputnik was launched by the Russians, and aired its last show just a few months before President Kennedy was assassinated. An iconic series, by all accounts.
44. 1970 B. B. King hit : THE THRILL IS GONE
B.B. King was the stage name of Riley B. King, the celebrated blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. He truly was a dedicated performer, as he was doing gigs for over 50 years, and made over 15,000 appearances on stage. King’s first hit was “3 O’Clock Blues”, recorded in 1952. He passed away in May of 2015.
47. ___ Brigante (1993 Pacino role) : CARLITO
“Carlito’s Way” is a 1993 crime film based on two novels by Judge Edwin Torres: “Carlito’s Way” and the sequel “After Hours”. Directed by Brian De Palma, the film stars Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante, an ex-con who intends to go straight but gets dragged back into a life of crime.
48. Withdrawal symptom, in short : DTS
The episodes of delirium that can accompany withdrawal from alcohol are called Delirium Tremens (the DTs). The literal translation of this Latin phrase is “trembling madness”.
53. Germinated grain : MALT
Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried. The cereal is germinated by soaking it in water, and then germination is halted by drying the grains with hot air.
60. Van ___ & Arpels (jeweler) : CLEEF
Van Cleef & Arpels is a jewellery, watch and perfume company that is based in France. As perhaps one might expect, the company was founded by a Charles Arpels and an Alfred Van Cleef, back in 1906 in Paris.
61. Author Morrison : TONI
The writer Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. Amongst other things, Morrison is noted for first coining the phrase, “our first black President”, a reference to President Bill Clinton.
64. Kirk ___, first actor to play Superman on screen, 1948 : ALYN
Kirk Alyn was the actor who played the title role in the first ever “Superman” movie, way back in 1948. Alyn reprised the role in a 1950 sequel called “Atom Man V. Superman”.
65. Cheeky, flirtatious sort : MINX
A minx is a flirtatious woman. The term derives from the 16th-century word “mynx” used for a pet dog.
Down
1. Old White House nickname : CAL
President Calvin Coolidge, the only US President to have been born on July 4th, was known as a man of few words. It was while he was serving as Vice-President to in the administration of Warren G. Harding, that Coolidge earned the nickname “Silent Cal”. There is a famous story told about Coolidge’s reticence that I would love to think is true, attributed to the poet Dorothy Parker. Sitting beside him at dinner, she remarked to him, “Mr. Coolidge, I’ve made a bet against a fellow who said it was impossible to get more than two words out of you.” His famous reply: “You lose.”
3. Orkin target : ANT
Orkin is a pest-control company. If you want to learn more about insects, you might want to visit the O. Orkin Zoo, a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The exhibit has over 300 live insects, all displayed in their natural habitats.
4. “The Blue Dahlia” star, 1946 : LADD
“The Blue Dahlia” is a 1946 film noir that was written by crime novelist Raymond Chandler. Stars of the movie are Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake.
6. Tempers : ANNEALS
One anneals glass or metal by exposing to a very specific temperature profile, resulting in a tougher or less brittle product.
7. Disney’s nephew : ROY
Roy E. Disney was Walt Disney’s nephew, the son of brother Roy O. Disney with whom Walt founded the Walt Disney Company. Roy E. was the last of the Disney family to be active in the Walt Disney Company, and he had a big impact. He is credited with two famous ousting of Disney executives: Ron Miller in 1984 and Michael Eisner in 2005.
10. Nymph of myth : ECHO
In Greek mythology, Echo is one of the Oreads, the mountain nymphs. Echo fell in love with the vain Narcissus, and followed him into the forest one day. Narcissus heard her following him and called out, “Who’s there?”. Echo answered, “Who’s there?” Again he called out, and again Echo echoed his words back to him. Get the gist?
11. Good earth : LOAM
Loam is soil made up of sand, silt and clay in the ratio of about 40-40-20. Relative to other soil types, loam is is usually rich in nutrients and moisture, drains well and is easy to till. Loam can also be used in constructing houses as it is quite strong when mixed with straw and dried.
13. Encircle : GIRD
The phrase “gird your loins” dates back to Ancient Rome. The expression describes the action of lifting “one’s skirts” and tying them between the legs to allow more freedom of movement before going into battle. Nowadays, “gird your loins” is a metaphor for “prepare yourself for the worst”.
19. 1934 Chemistry Nobelist Harold : UREY
Harold Urey was an American physical chemist who won the 1934 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen.
23. Source of the line “They shall beat their swords into plowshares” : ISAIAH
The concept of turning “swords into plowshares” is spoken about in the Book of Isaiah in the Bible. The idea expressed is to convert destructive tools into similar tools that can have useful and peaceful applications.
26. Animal group suffix : -ZOA
The suffix “-zoa” is used for groups of animal organisms e.g. protozoa and metazoa. “Zoia” is the Greek for “animals, living beings”.
28. Sticking point? : CARET
I suppose one might use a caret to show the “point” where one should “stick” a punctuation mark …
The character known as a caret was originally a proofreading mark, used to indicate where a punctuation mark was to be inserted. “Caret” is Latin for “it lacks”.
29. Having too much, informally : ODING
Overdosing (ODing)
31. Silver, in heraldry : ARGENT
In heraldry, “agent” is a silver color used to emblazon a coat of arms. The name comes from the Latin “argentum” meaning “silver”.
37. Attorney general during George W. Bush’s entire first term : ASHCROFT
John Ashcroft served as US Attorney General in the administration of President George W. Bush. Ashcroft is quite the musician and has composed some religious tunes in particular. When he was a member of the US Senate (representing the state of Missouri) he formed a barbershop quartet along with three of his colleagues that was called the Singing Senators.
38. Part of a complex : B VITAMIN
The B vitamins were originally thought to be just one vitamin, which was labeled vitamin B. It was then discovered vitamin B was in fact made up of eight distinct vitamins, which today are given distinct numbers (B1, B6, B12 etc). Supplements often contain a mixture of all eight, a combination known as vitamin B complex.
40. Cardinal’s cap : BIRETTA
A biretta is a type of cap, one with three or four peaks and often a central tuft. Birettas are often worn by the clergy, and are particularly associated with the Roman Catholic tradition.
41. July third? : ELL
The third letter in the word “July” is a letter L (ell).
42. Splitting headache? : ALIMONY
The word “alimony” derives from the Latin “alimonia”, meaning “nourishment, food, support”.
45. Musician Shankar : RAVI
Ravi Shankar was perhaps the most famous virtuoso (to us Westerners) from the world of Indian classical music, and was noted for his sitar playing. Also, Shankar was the father of the beautiful pop singer Norah Jones.
50. Lorde’s actual first name : ELLA
Lorde is a stage name of the singer-songwriter Ella Yelich-O’Connor from New Zealand. Lorde’s cover version of the great Tears for Fears song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” was used in the soundtrack for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” (2013). Her song “Yellow Flicker Beat” is included in the soundtrack for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1”.
52. Setting for a panel of Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” : EDEN
Hieronymus Bosch was a Dutch painter who worked late 15th and early 16th centuries. Perhaps his most recognized work is his triptych titled “The Garden of Earthly Delights”.
A triptych is a work of art divided into three panels. The word “triptych” comes from the Greek adjective for “three-fold”.
56. “My mama done ___ me” : TOL’
“My mama done tol’ me” are the first words of the immensely popular standard “Blues in the Night”. The music was written by Harold Arlen and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, originally for a film of the same name released in 1941.
57. Early resident in the Louvre : ROI
In French, a king and queen (roi et reine) are members of the nobility (noblesse).
The Musée du Louvre has the distinction of being the most visited art museum in the whole world. The collection is housed in the magnificent Louvre Palace which used to be the seat of power in France, until 1682 when Louis XIV moved to Versailles.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Shade of black : COAL
5. Zip around : DART
9. Woody Allen title role : ZELIG
14. 1999 drama “___ and the King” : ANNA
15. “Stoppeth it!”? : ENOW!
16. Cause of some abdominal cramps : E COLI
17. Entreaty to Rapunzel : LET DOWN YOUR HAIR
20. Bro : DUDE
21. Like show horses : GROOMED
22. Bro, e.g. : SIB
25. Loons : CRAZIES
27. Magazine whose website has a “Find a Therapist” feature : PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
33. Collector’s suffix : -IANA
34. They run free on TV, in brief : PSAS
35. Love : ADORE
36. Girl bands? : TIARAS
38. Myers-___ personality test : BRIGGS
39. Willie of “Eight Is Enough” : AAMES
40. Sitcom nickname of Wally’s bro : BEAV
43. Opposite of 32-Down : NOES
44. 1970 B. B. King hit : THE THRILL IS GONE
47. ___ Brigante (1993 Pacino role) : CARLITO
48. Withdrawal symptom, in short : DTS
49. Stock : RESERVE
53. Germinated grain : MALT
55. Procrastinator’s promise : I’LL DO IT TOMORROW
60. Van ___ & Arpels (jeweler) : CLEEF
61. Author Morrison : TONI
62. River flowing SE to the Mississippi : IOWA
63. Lacked, for short : HADN’T
64. Kirk ___, first actor to play Superman on screen, 1948 : ALYN
65. Cheeky, flirtatious sort : MINX
Down
1. Old White House nickname : CAL
2. “Good ___!” : ONE
3. Orkin target : ANT
4. “The Blue Dahlia” star, 1946 : LADD
5. Water source for many insects : DEWDROPS
6. Tempers : ANNEALS
7. Disney’s nephew : ROY
8. Modest flash drive capacity, informally : TWO GIGS
9. Worst possible, as a review : ZERO-STAR
10. Nymph of myth : ECHO
11. Good earth : LOAM
12. “Would ___?” : I LIE
13. Encircle : GIRD
18. Punch line? : OUCH!
19. 1934 Chemistry Nobelist Harold : UREY
22. Show disdain for : SPIT AT
23. Source of the line “They shall beat their swords into plowshares” : ISAIAH
24. One way to address someone : BY NAME
26. Animal group suffix : -ZOA
28. Sticking point? : CARET
29. Having too much, informally : ODING
30. Be charitable : DO GOOD
31. Silver, in heraldry : ARGENT
32. Acceptances : YESSES
37. Attorney general during George W. Bush’s entire first term : ASHCROFT
38. Part of a complex : B VITAMIN
40. Cardinal’s cap : BIRETTA
41. July third? : ELL
42. Splitting headache? : ALIMONY
45. Musician Shankar : RAVI
46. Helpless? : SOLO
49. “That’s ___” (sarcastic response) : RICH
50. Lorde’s actual first name : ELLA
51. Gravity-powered vehicle : SLED
52. Setting for a panel of Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” : EDEN
54. Short cut : TRIM
56. “My mama done ___ me” : TOL’
57. Early resident in the Louvre : ROI
58. Dominate : OWN
59. Spa treatment hinted at by the ends of 17-, 27-, 44- and 55-Across : WAX
The Best of the New York Times Crossword Collections
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Tough, as Thursdays are wont. Still not liking 33 ACROSS: just an ungainly clue (and answer). Couldn't quite unlock it until I got to 59 DOWN, and that opened the floodgates.