0823-15 New York Times Crossword Answers 23 Aug 15, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Joel Fagliano
THEME: Musical Remixes … we have pairs of themed answers sitting beside each other in today’s grid. Each pairing includes the name of a #1 Billboard artist on the right, beside an anagram of that artist’s name on the left. And, that anagram is a musical reference:

23A. Alternative band that sounds like every other alternative band? : INDIE CLONE
25A. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 23-Across : CELINE DION

45A. Invitation for musical plagiarism? : USE MY LYRIC
48A. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 45-Across : MILEY CYRUS

66A. Greeting to a conductor? : HI, MAESTRO
68A. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 66-Across : AEROSMITH

87A. Friendly music genre? : GENIAL ROCK
89A. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 87-Across : CAROLE KING

112A. Part of a hospital playlist? : NURSE’S SONG
115A. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 112-Across : GUNS N’ ROSES

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 20m 49s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Paintball sound : SPLAT!
The “paint” in paintball isn’t actually paint, but rather a mix of gelatin and food coloring.

6. City between Turin and Genoa : ASTI
Asti is in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The region is perhaps most famous for its Asti Spumante sparkling white wine.

10. Padlocks lock them : HASPS
The “hasp” of a lock might refer to more than one thing. The u-shape loop protruding from a padlock is often called a “lock hasp”, for example.

15. Nothing, slangily : JACK
We’ve been using the slang term “jack” to mean “nothing” since the late sixties. It’s not a word I’m fond of, to be honest …

20. ___ Air : IPAD
The iPad Air is Apple’s 5th-generation tablet computer. The Air is just 7.5 mm thick, and is 22% lighter than the iPad 2.

22. Drivetrain part : AXLE
The drivetrain of a car is made up of the components that deliver power to the driving wheels. The drivetrain excludes the engine, which produces that power. The combination of the engine and the drivetrain is known as the powertrain.

25. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 23-Across : CELINE DION
French-Canadienne singer Céline Dion first came to international attention when she won the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, in which she represented Switzerland in the competition that was hosted in Dublin, Ireland.

28. “Wicked Game” singer Chris : ISAAK
Chris Isaak is not only a rock musician, but also has had a lot of acting parts. Isaak had small roles in movies like “Married to the Mob” and “The Silence of the Lambs”, but I remember him as astronaut Ed White in the fabulous HBO miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon”.

31. Documentarian Morris : ERROL
Errol Morris is a film director, best known for his excellent 2003 documentary “The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara”. Morris also directed “The Unknown Known: The Life and Times of Donald Rumsfeld” in 2013.

36. Mystery writer Deighton : LEN
I used to walk my dog right past author Len Deighton’s house years ago, as we lived in the same village in Ireland (probably my only claim to fame!). Deighton wrote the excellent espionage thriller “The IPCRESS File”, made into a 1965 movie starring Michael Caine.

48. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 45-Across : MILEY CYRUS
Miley Cyrus became famous playing the Disney Channel character “Hannah Montana”. Miley is of course the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. When she was born, Billy Ray and his wife named their daughter “Destiny Hope”, but soon they themselves calling her “Smiley” as she was always smiling as a baby, and this got shortened to Miley over time. Cute …

54. Cell in a 21-Across : OOCYTE
An oocyte is an immature egg cell involved in reproduction.

55. Frilly trim : RUCHE
Ruching is a technique used in sewing to create “ripples” in fabric. The effect is achieved by increasing the number of stitches all in one row, and then decreasing to the original number a few rows later.

57. Rebels’ school : OLE MISS
Ole Miss is the nickname for the University of Mississippi. The name “Ole Miss” dates back to 1897, the first year a student yearbook was published. The graduating class held a competition to name the yearbook and “Ole Miss” emerged as the winner. The name stuck to the yearbook, and also as a nickname for the school itself. The University of Mississippi sports teams have been known as the Rebels since 1936. Prior to 1936, they were known as the Mississippi Flood.

59. “… ___ other name would smell as sweet”: Juliet : ANY
In William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet”, the lovers discuss the sad fact that they have been born into two feuding families in the famous balcony scene. Juliet says:

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

Romeo’s reply includes the lines:

What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;

63. Carrier letters : USS
The abbreviation “USS” stands for “United States Ship”. The practice of naming US Navy vessels in a standard format didn’t start until 1907 when President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order that addressed the issue.

68. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 66-Across : AEROSMITH
Aerosmith is a hard rock band from Boston that formed in 1970. Aerosmith is the best-selling American rock band of all time, and holds the record for most gold albums by any American group.

76. Welcome to the fold? : BAA
A “fold” is an enclosure for sheep, or an alternative name for a “flock”.

77. Tide type : NEAP
Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon on the oceans. At neap tide, the smaller gravitational effect of the sun cancels out some of the moon’s effect. At spring tide, the sun and the moon’s gravitational forces act in concert causing more extreme movement of the oceans.

89. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 87-Across : CAROLE KING
Carole King is a marvelous singer-songwriter from Manhattan, New York. King started her career writing a string of hit songs with her partner and eventual husband Gerry Goffin (although they later divorced). King’s first composition to get to number one was “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, which she wrote at 18 years of age for the Shirelles. Not so long ago, my wife and I saw the stage musical “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”, which tells the story of King’s music and life. I highly recommend “Beautiful” …

96. Kimchi is its national dish : KOREA
Kimchi is a traditional dish from Korea. The original kimchi is made from fermented vegetables, and is pretty strong stuff …

98. Botanist Gray : ASA
Asa Gray was an important American botanist in the nineteenth century. He was a lifelong friend of Charles Darwin, albeit mainly through correspondence. Darwin’s book “Forms of Flowers”, was dedicated to Gray.

99. Alternative to an Oscar : SAG AWARD
Screen Actors Guild (SAG)

102. Pepper ___, Iron Man’s love interest : POTTS
Iron Man is another one of those comic book superheroes, created by Stan Lee for Marvel Comics. The character has become very famous in recent years since the appearance of the 2008 action movie “Iron Man” starring Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role.

104. “Family Guy” baby : STEWIE
“Family Guy” is a very successful animated show on television. It was created by Seth MacFarlane, the same guy who came up with “American Dad!”. My kids love them both. Me, I can’t stand ‘em.

106. Mythical weeper : NIOBE
In Greek mythology, when her children were killed, Niobe fled to Mt. Sipylus where she was turned into stone and wept for eternity. There is in fact a Niobe’s Rock on Mt. Sipylus that resembles a female face, and so is known as “The Weeping Rock”.

108. Sea creatures with beaks : OCTOPI
The name “octopus” comes from the Greek for “eight-footed”. The most common plural used is “octopuses”, although the Greek plural form “octopodes” is also quite correct. The plural “octopi” isn’t really correct as the inference is that “octopus” is like a second-declension Latin noun, which it isn’t. That said, dictionaries are now citing “octopi” as an acceptable plural.

An octopus has a hard beak, also called a “rostrum”. The beak is in two parts, and functions with a scissor-like motion, and is situated inside the animal’s mouth.

115. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 112-Across : GUNS N’ ROSES
Guns N’ Roses is a hard rock band founded in 1985 that is still going strong. The group was pulled together by Axl Rose, the lead vocalist. The lead-guitar player back then was Tracii Guns, and it was the combination of Axl and Tracii’s “family” names that led to the band being called Guns N’ Roses.

118. Emmy-nominated FX comedy : LOUIE
“Louis C.K.” is the stage name of comedian Louis Szekely. The family name “Szekely” is Hungarian, and “CK” is an approximation of the name in English. “Louis” has a successful comedy drama show that airs on FX called “Louie”.

123. Banks with a lot of money : TYRA
Tyra Banks is a tremendously successful model and businesswoman. Banks created and hosts the hit show “America’s Next Top Model “, and also has her own talk show. She was also the first African American woman to make the cover of the “Sports Illustrated” swimsuit issue.

Down
2. Enrique ___ Nieto, Mexican president elected in 2012 : PENA
Enrique Peña Nieto is the current President of Mexico, holding office since 2012.

9. “___ are like beards; men do not have them until they grow up”: Voltaire : IDEAS
Voltaire was the pen name of French writer and philosopher François-Marie Arouet. He chose the name “Voltaire” as it is an anagram of “Arovet Li”, the Latinized spelling of his family name “Arouet”.

10. Face wear for Jason Voorhees in “Friday the 13th” : HOCKEY MASK
Can you believe that the “Friday the 13th” franchise of horror movies comprises twelve films (so far)? The bad guy in the series is Jason Voorhees, a boy who drowned at summer camp. “Friday the 13th” is an incredibly successful franchise, something that I just do not understand …

11. Old greeting : AVE
“Ave” is a Latin word meaning “hail” as in “Ave Maria”, which translates as “Hail Mary”. “Ave” can also be used to mean “goodbye”.

12. ___ acetosella (KHC2O4) : SAL
“Sal acetosella” is a common name for the chemical potassium hydrogenoxalate. It is used commercially in photography, and to remove ink stains. But, it is dangerous stuff and excessive exposure can cause a heart attack and death.

13. Human, for one : PRIMATE
Primates are mammals, many of whom are omnivorous and make good use of their hands. They also have larger brains relative to their body size, compared to other animals. The order Primates includes apes, lemurs, baboons and humans.

14. Church council : SYNOD
The word synod comes from the Greek for assembly, or meeting. A synod is a church council, usually in the Christian faith.

15. Light blue-green : JADE
Jade is actually the name given to two different mineral rocks, both of which are used to make gemstones. The first is nephrite, a mineral with a varying degree of iron content, the more iron the greener the color. The second is jadeite, a sodium and aluminum-rich pyroxene. As well as being used for gemstones, both jade minerals can be carved into decorative pieces.

16. Armpit-related : AXILLARY
Axilla is the anatomical term for armpit, not to be confused with the maxilla, the upper jawbone.

18. Actor Jeong of “The Hangover” : KEN
Ken Jeong is an actor from Detroit who is perhaps best known for playing the gangster Leslie Chow in the “The Hangover” series of films. Jeong isn’t only an actor; he has an M.D. degree and is a licensed physician in California.

24. Saint with an alphabet named after him : CYRIL
Saints Cyril and Methodius were brothers, and Christian missionaries among the Slavic peoples. As well as introducing Christianity to the region in the 9th century, the brothers taught many illiterate people to write. They invented two Slavic alphabets for use in translating the Bible into Slavic languages. One is the Glagolitic alphabet, but the more famous is the Cyrillic alphabet that developed into the Cyrillic script that is used widely today across Eastern Europe and much of Asia.

32. California school attended by Obama, familiarly : OXY
Occidental College is the oldest liberal arts school in Los Angeles, founded in 1887. Often referred to as “Oxy”. President Barack Obama studied at Oxy for two years prior to transferring to Columbia University.

34. N.L. East team, to fans : PHILS
Philadelphia’s baseball team was founded in 1883 as the Quakers, with the name changing to the Philadelphias and Phillies not long into the team’s history. The Phillies have been based in the same city using the same team name longer than any other team in US professional sports.

35. New Year’s Eve host Carson : DALY
Carson Daly is a radio and television personality who is perhaps best known today as host of the reality show “The Voice”. If you stay up late enough on New Year’s Eve, you might also know him from NBC’s “New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly”.

37. Org. with a closing bell : NYSE
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

42. Dough used for tortillas, maybe : DINERO
Dinero is the Spanish word for money, as well as a slang term for money here in the US.

44. Aristotle’s school : LYCEUM
The Academy was founded by Plato circa 387 BC in Athens. Aristotle studied at the Academy for twenty years and then founded his own school called the Lyceum.

49. “Et tu?” : YOU TOO?
It was Shakespeare who popularized the words “Et tu, Brute?” (And you, Brutus?), in his play “Julius Caesar”, although the phrase had been around long before he penned his drama. It’s not known what Julius Caesar actually said in real life just before he was assassinated on the steps of the Senate in Rome.

53. Karaoke need : MIC
“Karate”, means “open hand”, and the related word “karaoke” means “open orchestra”.

56. Maa in “Babe,” e.g. : EWE
The hit 1995 film “Babe” was produced and filmed in Australia. The movie is an adaptation of a 1983 novel called “The Sheep-Pig” written by Dick King-Smith. “Babe” was a smash hit at the box office and was extremely well received by the critics. The film was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, but lost out to “Braveheart”. However, it did win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects by beating out “Apollo 13”, which was an amazing feat, I’d say…

61. Jacob’s name after he wrestled with the angel : ISRAEL
In the Book of Genesis, there is an account of Jacob wrestling with an angel, or by some accounts with another man or with God. After the battle, Jacob is renamed to “Israel”, which can be translated as “He who struggles with God”.

64. Epitome of desolateness : SIBERIA
Siberia is a vast area in Northern Asia. The region’s industrial development started with the construction of the Trans-Siberian railway from 1891 to 1916, which linked Siberia to Russia in the west.

67. ___ coeptis (phrase on the back of a dollar bill) : ANNUIT
There are three mottos on the Great Seal of the United States. The motto on the obverse if “E pluribus unum”, meaning “Out of many, one”. There are two mottos on the reverse of the seal. The first is “Annuit coeptis”, meaning “Providence has favored our undertakings”. The second motto on the reverse is “Novus ordo seclorum”, which translates as “A new order of the ages”.

68. Hooded jacket : ANORAK
Anoraks aren’t very popular over here in America. Everyone has one in Ireland! An anorak is a heavy jacket with a hood, often lined with fur (or fake fur), and is an invention of the Inuit people.

69. Nascar sponsor : STP
STP is a brand name for automotive lubricants and additives. The name STP comes from “Scientifically Treated Petroleum”.

73. Figure in a Yogi Bear cartoon : PARK RANGER
Yogi Bear made his debut for Hanna-Barbera in 1958, on the Huckleberry Hound Show before he was given his own series. Do you remember that collar that Yogi wore around his neck? That was a little trick from the animators. By using the collar, for many frames all they had to do was redraw everything from the collar up, saving them lots and lots of time. Yogi and Boo Boo lived in Jellystone Park, and made Ranger Smith’s life a misery.

74. “The Walking Dead” channel : AMC
“The Walking Dead” is a horror television show that made by AMC. There are lots of flesh-eating zombies featured, so I won’t be “seen dead” watching it …

75. Computer that sounds like a theater when pluralized : IMAC
The iMac is a desktop computer platform from Apple introduced in 1998. One of the main features of the iMac is an “all-in-one” design, with the computer console and monitor integrated. The iMac also came in a range of colors, that Apple marketed as “flavors”, such strawberry, blueberry and lime.

The IMAX Corporation, which is behind the IMAX film format, is a Canadian company. The impetus for developing the system came after Expo ’67 in Montreal. Back then large format screenings were accomplished using multiple projectors with multiple screens, with images basically stitched together. The team behind the IMAX technology set out to simplify things, and developed a single-camera, single-projector system.

79. Noisy talker : MACAW
Macaws are beautifully colored birds of native to Central and South America, and are actually a type of parrot. Most species of macaw are now endangered, with several having become extinct in recent decades. The main threats are deforestation and illegal trapping and trafficking of exotic birds.

81. Virginia’s ___ Hill Academy, alma mater of 20+ N.B.A. players : OAK
Oak Hill Academy is a private secondary school in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. Oak Hill is famous for its basketball program, with many graduates eventually playing in the NBA.

82. Taj Mahal city : AGRA
The most famous mausoleum in the world has to be the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The Taj Mahal was built after the death of the third wife of Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal (hence the name of the mausoleum). The poor woman died in childbirth delivering the couple’s 14th child.

85. ___ wars : COLA
“Cola Wars” is the phrase used to describe the competing marketing campaigns of Coca Cola and PepsiCo. Coke is winning …

92. Lose face : EAT CROW
The phrase “eat crow”, an alternative to “eat humble pie”, perhaps refers to the fact that cooked crow may be edible, but is not a great food choice.

95. Hosp. procedure : MRI
A CT (or “CAT”) scan produces (via computer manipulation) a three dimensional image of the inside of an object, usually the human body. It does so by taking a series of two dimensional x-ray images while rotating the camera around the patient. The issue with CT scans is that they use x-rays, and high doses of radiation can be harmful causing damage that is cumulative over time. An MRI on the other hand (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), uses powerful magnetic fields to generate its images so there is no exposure to ionizing radiation (such as X-rays). We used MRI equipment in our chemistry labs at school, way back in the days when the technology was still called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRI). Apparently the marketing folks didn’t like the term “nuclear” because of its association with atomic bombs, so now it’s just called MRI.

99. Winter Olympics powerhouse: Abbr. : SWE
The first Winter Olympic Games was held in 1924, in Chamonix, France. The Winter and Summer Games were held in the same year until 1992, after which they were staggered so that we have an Olympic Games every two years. Only one country has won a gold medal at each and every Winter Games, and that is the United States.

101. Loaf : DOG IT
“To dog it” is a slang term (unknown to me outside of crosswords) meaning to not expend the effort necessary to accomplish a task.

112. “Science Friday” airer : NPR
“Science Friday” is an excellent talk show broadcast every Friday on National Public Radio (NPR), and hosted by Ira Flatow. Flatow is known on television as the host of “Newton’s Apple”, which ran from 1983 to 1998.

114. Never, in Berlin : NIE
Berlin is the capital and largest city in Germany, and is the second most populous city in the European Union (after London).

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Paintball sound : SPLAT!
6. City between Turin and Genoa : ASTI
10. Padlocks lock them : HASPS
15. Nothing, slangily : JACK
19. Spot check? : LEASH
20. ___ Air : IPAD
21. Egg producer : OVARY
22. Drivetrain part : AXLE
23. Alternative band that sounds like every other alternative band? : INDIE CLONE
25. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 23-Across : CELINE DION
27. Check time : PAYDAY
28. “Wicked Game” singer Chris : ISAAK
30. Showroom display : MODELS
31. Documentarian Morris : ERROL
33. They’re new to the family : STEPDADS
36. Mystery writer Deighton : LEN
38. Deli order : HAM
41. Like some drinks and emotions : MIXED
43. “Nonsense!” : MY HAT!
44. Full of frills : LACY
45. Invitation for musical plagiarism? : USE MY LYRIC
48. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 45-Across : MILEY CYRUS
51. Like first editions, often : RARE
52. Quirk : ANOMALY
54. Cell in a 21-Across : OOCYTE
55. Frilly trim : RUCHE
57. Rebels’ school : OLE MISS
58. Remote possibility? : MUTE
59. “… ___ other name would smell as sweet”: Juliet : ANY
60. Cellar setup : WINE RACK
62. Good deal : LOT
63. Carrier letters : USS
66. Greeting to a conductor? : HI, MAESTRO
68. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 66-Across : AEROSMITH
71. Till bill : TEN
72. Turn to mush : ROT
73. Acrylic container : PAINT POT
76. Welcome to the fold? : BAA
77. Tide type : NEAP
79. Enormous : MAMMOTH
80. Coffeehouse entertainers : POETS
82. Excite : AROUSE
85. Oil change, brake test, etc. : CAR CARE
86. Performance often in Italian : ARIA
87. Friendly music genre? : GENIAL ROCK
89. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 87-Across : CAROLE KING
93. Spellbound : RAPT
94. It’s often set at night : ALARM
96. Kimchi is its national dish : KOREA
97. See 124-Across : AGO
98. Botanist Gray : ASA
99. Alternative to an Oscar : SAG AWARD
102. Pepper ___, Iron Man’s love interest : POTTS
104. “Family Guy” baby : STEWIE
106. Mythical weeper : NIOBE
108. Sea creatures with beaks : OCTOPI
112. Part of a hospital playlist? : NURSE’S SONG
115. #1 Billboard artist that’s an anagram of 112-Across : GUNS N’ ROSES
117. Play thing : PROP
118. Emmy-nominated FX comedy : LOUIE
119. “Ohhh, O.K.” : I SEE
120. Ready for use : ON TAP
121. Count (on) : RELY
122. Punch in : ENTER
123. Banks with a lot of money : TYRA
124. With 97-Across, back some time : WEEKS

Down
1. Make a mistake : SLIP
2. Enrique ___ Nieto, Mexican president elected in 2012 : PENA
3. Word after leading or cleaning : LADY
4. Digression : ASIDE
5. Private sector? : THE ARMY
6. Hurt : AIL
7. Caution in a movie review, maybe : SPOILER ALERT
8. Whips : TANS
9. “___ are like beards; men do not have them until they grow up”: Voltaire : IDEAS
10. Face wear for Jason Voorhees in “Friday the 13th” : HOCKEY MASK
11. Old greeting : AVE
12. ___ acetosella (KHC2O4) : SAL
13. Human, for one : PRIMATE
14. Church council : SYNOD
15. Light blue-green : JADE
16. Armpit-related : AXILLARY
17. Like military hairstyles : CLOSE-CUT
18. Actor Jeong of “The Hangover” : KEN
24. Saint with an alphabet named after him : CYRIL
26. Newsroom workers, for short : EDS
29. Twenty something? : ATM
32. California school attended by Obama, familiarly : OXY
34. N.L. East team, to fans : PHILS
35. New Year’s Eve host Carson : DALY
37. Org. with a closing bell : NYSE
38. Triumphant cry : HURRAH!
39. Together : AS A UNIT
40. “Heavens!” : MERCY ME!
42. Dough used for tortillas, maybe : DINERO
44. Aristotle’s school : LYCEUM
46. “Whatever” : MEH
47. Head case? : COMA
49. “Et tu?” : YOU TOO?
50. Bunkhouse feature : COT
53. Karaoke need : MIC
56. Maa in “Babe,” e.g. : EWE
57. Leading : ON TOP
58. Turn (into) : MORPH
61. Jacob’s name after he wrestled with the angel : ISRAEL
62. Makeshift weapon in a murder mystery : LETTER OPENER
64. Epitome of desolateness : SIBERIA
65. Making known : STATING
67. ___ coeptis (phrase on the back of a dollar bill) : ANNUIT
68. Hooded jacket : ANORAK
69. Nascar sponsor : STP
70. Tries : HAS A GO
73. Figure in a Yogi Bear cartoon : PARK RANGER
74. “The Walking Dead” channel : AMC
75. Computer that sounds like a theater when pluralized : IMAC
78. That: Sp. : ESA
79. Noisy talker : MACAW
81. Virginia’s ___ Hill Academy, alma mater of 20+ N.B.A. players : OAK
82. Taj Mahal city : AGRA
83. Comfort : REASSURE
84. Keeping the beat? : ON PATROL
85. ___ wars : COLA
88. Persists, as a forest fire : RAGES ON
90. Spanish gold : ORO
91. Reveal : LET ON
92. Lose face : EAT CROW
95. Hosp. procedure : MRI
99. Winter Olympics powerhouse: Abbr. : SWE
100. Congressional divider : AISLE
101. Loaf : DOG IT
103. Something skipped : STONE
105. Spot : ESPY
107. Ornate : BUSY
109. Bone: Prefix : OSTE-
110. Hit a high point : PEAK
111. AT&T and Comcast, for short : ISPS
112. “Science Friday” airer : NPR
113. Unseen winning card, in poker lingo : OUT
114. Never, in Berlin : NIE
116. Limitless quantity : SEA

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14 thoughts on “0823-15 New York Times Crossword Answers 23 Aug 15, Sunday”

  1. Just want to point out that Science Friday might be heard on NPR member public radio stations, but the show itself is distributed by PRI (Public Radio International.)

  2. Twenty something must be because you can only get twenty dollar bills from most ATMs. A pretty lame clue, in my book. MYHAT was also lame. Never heard it, but maybe somebody has. STEPDADS was well-clued, but mystified us until very late in the game.

  3. I used to hear "my hat" when I was a kid, but I haven't heard it recently. Example: Someone says, "I think Donald Trump would make a great president!" In response, I say (very heatedly), "Great president, my hat! He'd make the worst president ever!" Perhaps this is to be understood as shorthand for, "If what you just said has any truth to it at all, I'll eat my hat!" (Rank speculation, but I have heard that phrase, as well.)

  4. As a kid, I also heard "my eye" used in the same way as "my hat". And I have no idea what the etymology of that might have been. Idioms can be very strange.

  5. Thought of another one: "my foot". Perhaps there were arcane shades of meaning, known only to a privileged few, that depended on the particular body part mentioned? … 🙂

    Oh, well … enough … too much, perhaps …

  6. 40:10, no errors. Some completely unknown entries such as RUCHE and LOUIE; as well as many vaguely familiar words such as OOCYTE. Combined with some nasty (but clever) curveballs: “Banks with a lot of money”, made for an interesting but satisfying effort.

  7. Just curious – this puzzle is from FOUR years ago. Why on earth is it just now in syndication? What am I missing?

    1. @Jeff
      Syndication distribution has been off for a month now. This is the third instance in the last four weeks.

      1. You’re right on there. Not just a week off but four years! If it was just my newspaper doing this I’d suspect it was another attempt to force me to get the online version. Wrong puzzle, comic page in black and white instead of color, paper delivery late or not at all. sigh. But this seems to be what ever middle man that distributes the puzzle. And very annoying since I finished this one. growl.

  8. Almost 2 hours and I had PATTI FOR POTTS and then couldn’t find the puzzle without Bills help. Thank you Mr Bill

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