0120-19 NY Times Crossword 20 Jan 19, Sunday

Constructed by: Richard Crowe
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: Question of Responsibility

Themed answers are common phrases that have been reinterpreted as QUESTIONS that a person named in the clue might ask:

  • 23A. Copy editor : IS THAT A FACT?
  • 33A. Political strategist : WHERE’S THE PARTY?
  • 45A. Museum curator : HOW’S IT HANGING?
  • 63A. Football line judge : WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?
  • 80A. Maternity room nurse : WHO’S CRYING NOW?
  • 96A. Parasitologist : WHAT’S EATING HIM?
  • 108A. Baseball scorekeeper : ANYBODY HOME?
  • Bill’s time: 23m 23s

    Bill’s errors: 0

    Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

    Across

    1. Moolah : CLAMS

    “Clam” is a slang term for “dollar”. It has been suggested that “clam” is a throwback to the supposed use of clams as units of currency in ancient cultures.

    11. Part of a chapel : APSE

    The apse of a church or cathedral is a semicircular recess in an outer wall, usually with a half-dome as a roof and often where there resides an altar. Originally, apses were used as burial places for the clergy and also for storage of important relics.

    22. Natl. Audubon Society concern : ECOL

    The National Audubon Society is an environmental organization that was formed in 1905. The society is named for John James Audubon, an ornithologist who compiled his famous book “Birds of America” between 1827 and 1838.

    27. Spanish pastries often dipped in chocolate : CHURROS

    A churro is pastry made from fried dough, and is sometimes called a Spanish doughnut. Churros are often served for breakfast, when they are dipped in hot chocolate or milky coffee.

    28. Emmy, Grammy and Academy Award winner : CHER

    “Cher” is the stage name used by Cherilyn Sarkisian. Formerly one half of husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher, she is often referred to as the Goddess of Pop. In her acting career, Cher was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar of 1984 for her performance in “Silkwood”. She went further in 1988 and won the Best Actress Oscar for playing Loretta Castorini in “Moonstruck”.

    32. Straight : HETERO

    “Heterosexuality” is sexual attraction between persons of the opposite gender. The prefix “hetero-” comes from the Greek “heteros” meaning “different, other”.

    35. February 13, e.g. : IDES

    There were three important days in each month of the old Roman calendar. These days originally depended on the cycles of the moon but were eventually “fixed” by law. “Kalendae” were the first days of each month, originally the days of the new moon. “Nonae” were originally the days of the half moon. And “idus” (the ides) was originally the day of the full moon, eventually fixed at the 15th day of a month. Well, actually the ides were the 15th day of March, May, July and October. For all other months, the ides fell on the 13th. Go figure …

    41. The “Odyssey,” for one : SAGA

    “Odyssey” is one of two epic poems from ancient Greece that is attributed to Homer. “Odyssey” is largely a sequel to Homer’s other epic “Iliad”. “Odyssey” centers on the heroic figure Odysseus, and his adventures on his journey home to Greece following the fall of Troy. We now use the term “odyssey” to describe any long series of adventures.

    45. Museum curator : HOW’S IT HANGING?

    The term “curator” is Latin and applies to a manager, guardian or overseer. In English, the original curators were the guardians and overseers of minors and those with mental disease.

    56. Toffee-nosed sorts : SNOOTS

    “Snoot” is a variant of “snout” and is a word that originated in Scotland. The idea is that someone who is snooty, or “snouty”, tends to look down his or her nose at the rest of the world.

    57. Sartorial choice for Lieutenant Columbo : RAINCOAT

    “Columbo” is a police drama that aired from 1971-78, with some more episodes made as recently as 2003. Columbo was of course played by Peter Falk, although the character of Columbo was first played by Bert Freed in 1960 in an episode of “The Chevy Mystery Show”. That first appearance was so successful that the episode was adapted for the stage in 1962, with Thomas Mitchell taking on the role. Then the same episode was stretched into a TV movie in 1968, with Peter Falk playing Lt. Columbo for the first time.

    61. Major California paper, for short : LAT

    The “Los Angeles Times” newspaper started out life in 1881 as the “Los Angeles Daily Times”. The paper has a turbulent history, especially in the early 1900s when management and unions were at loggerheads. In 1910, two union members bombed the “Los Angeles Times” building causing a fire that killed 21 newspaper employees.

    69. Cell material : RNA

    Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

    70. Teensy bit : SMIDGE

    Our word “smidgen” (sometimes shortened to “smidge”) is used to describe a small amount. The term might come from the Scots word “smitch” that means the same thing or “a small insignificant person”.

    73. Shoulder muscles : DELTOIDS

    The deltoid “muscle” is actually a group of muscles, the ones that cover the shoulder and create the roundness under the skin. The deltoids (delts) are triangular in shape resembling the Greek letter delta, hence the name.

    74. 30-year investments, informally : T-BONDS

    A Treasury note (T-note) is a government debt that matures in 1-10 years. A T-note has a coupon (interest) payment made every six months. The T-note is purchased at a discount to face value, and at the date of maturity can be redeemed at that face value. A T-bill is a similar financial vehicle, but it matures in one year or less, and a T-bond matures in 20-30 years.

    77. Cartoon style : ANIME

    Anime is cartoon animation in the style of Japanese Manga comic books.

    79. Monopoly foursome: Abbr. : RRS

    The four railroad (RR) properties in the Monopoly board game are:

    • Reading Railroad
    • Pennsylvania Railroad
    • B&O Railroad
    • Short Line

    82. “The ___ in love with you” (misheard lyric in a Herb Alpert hit) : SKY’S

    Herb Alpert still plays the trumpet today, but he is also a talented painter and sculptor. His works are seen regularly in exhibitions all around the world.

    84. Influence on Castro and Mao : MARX

    Marxism is the political and economic philosophy espoused by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the mid-to-late 1800s. The main tenet of Marxism is that bourgeois suppression of lower classes in a capitalistic society inevitably leads to a socialist and ultimately classless society.

    86. Classic song with the lyric “I love your kiss” : ESO BESO

    “Eso Beso” is Spanish for “That Kiss”, and is the name of a 1962 hit song recorded by Canadian-born singer Paul Anka.

    92. Actress Blanchett : CATE

    Cate Blanchett is a great actress from Australia, and a winner of an Academy Award for playing Katherine Hepburn in “The Aviator”. Winning for that role made Blanchett the first person to win an Academy Award for playing an actor (Hepburn) who had also won an Oscar. Now that, that is trivial information …

    100. How Vito Corleone treated Tom Hagen in “The Godfather” : AS A SON

    Mario Puzo created the Corleone Mafia family in his 1969 novel “The Godfather”. The head of the family is Vito Corleone (whose birth name was Vito Andolini), a native of Corleone in Sicily. He was given the name Corleone by immigration officers at Ellis Island. Don Corleone was played so very memorably, with a distinctive rasping voice, by Marlon Brando in the 1972 movie adaptation directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

    Tom Hagen was portrayed by Robert Duvall in “The Godfather” movies. Hagen wasn’t an Italian-American, but rather of German-Irish descent. Duvall was slated to appear in the role in “The Godfather, Part III” but the character was written out of the script when Duvall was deemed to have asked for too much money.

    103. Geraint’s love in “Idylls of the King” : ENID

    “Idylls of the King” is a cycle of twelve poems by Alfred, Lord Tennyson that retells the tale of King Arthur. One of the “idylls” is the story of Geraint and Enid. This story is told in two parts: “The Marriage of Geraint” and “Geraint and Enid”. Tennyson’s Enid gave her name to the city of Enid, Oklahoma.

    105. “___ Dinka Doo” (theme song of Jimmy Durante) : INKA

    “Inka Dinka Doo” was Jimmy Durante’s theme song, and a novelty piece composed by Durante in 1934. Such was his association with the song that when Durante’s charity paid for a heated therapy swimming pool in Port Arthur, Texas in 1968, it was named the “Inka Dinka Doo Pool”.

    Jimmy Durante was a very talented entertainer, with that wonderful, gravelly voice, as well as that large nose that he used in so much of his humor (and earned him the nickname “Schnozzola”). Durante appeared in the Broadway stage musical “Jumbo” in 1935. In one scene, he leads a live elephant across the stage, and gets stopped by a police officer who asks, “What are you doing with that elephant?” Durante replies “What elephant?” and brings the house down every night.

    106. Cognac letters : VSOP

    Brandy is a spirit distilled from wine. The term “brandy” ultimately comes from the Dutch “gebrande wijn” meaning “burnt wine”. The length of this aging of the spirit defines the various grades of brandy:

    • VS: Very Special … at least 2 years storage
    • VSOP: Very Special (or Superior) Old Pale … at least 4 years storage
    • XO: Extra Old … at least 6 years
    • VSO: Very Superior Old … 12-17 years

    Cognac is a famous variety of brandy named after the town of Cognac in the very west of France. To be called cognac, the brandy must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in very specific French oak barrels.

    110. Banking org. since 1933 : FDIC

    During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Banking Act of 1933. The legislation established the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), intended to be a temporary government corporation that provided insurance on deposits made by customers of qualified financial institutions. The first accounts to be covered, in 1934, had an insurance limit of $2,500. Since the financial crisis of 2008, that limit is $250,000.

    111. Ohio nine : REDS

    The Red Scare (i.e. anti-communist sentiment) following WWII had such an effect on the populace that it even caused the Cincinnati baseball team to change its name from the Reds. The team was called the Cincinnati Redlegs from 1953-1958, as the management was fearful of losing money due to public distrust of any association with “Reds”.

    112. Place for a candidate to speak : STUMP

    “To stump” can mean to go on a speaking tour during a political campaign. This peculiarly American term dates back to the 19th century. Back then a stump speech was an address given by someone standing on a large tree stump that provided a convenient perch to help the speaker get his or her message across to the crowd.

    113. Stock valuation phrase : NO PAR

    In days gone by, when companies first issued a stock, each share would be given a face value (called “par value”). In effect, the company was making a commitment not to issue any more stock under that par value, giving investors confidence that there was no better deal to be had. Nowadays, most stock is issued without such a “guarantee” and is called “no-par stock”.

    115. Website for handmade items : ETSY

    Etsy.com is an e-commerce website where you can buy and sell the kind of items that you might find at a craft fair.

    116. Southwest tribe : HOPIS

    Many of the Hopi nation live on a reservation that is actually located within the much larger Navajo reservation in Arizona.

    Down

    1. In style and letting everyone know it : CHICHI

    Someone or something described as chichi is showily trendy and pretentious. “Chichi” is a French noun meaning “airs, fuss”.

    4. Twins Phil and Steve who won gold and silver in Sarajevo : MAHRES

    Phil Mahre is one of the great alpine ski racers, and is a native of Yakima, Washington. Phil’s twin brother Steve was also a skier on the World Cup circuit.

    5. Fab Four name : STARR

    Sir Ringo Starr’s real name is Richard Starkey. Before he joined the Beatles, replacing drummer Pete Best, Starkey played with the Raving Texans. It was with the Raving Texans that he adopted the name “Ringo Starr”, because he wore a lot of rings and he thought it sounded “cowboyish”. Back then his drum solos were billed as “Starr Time”.

    6. Subject of early genetics research : PEAS

    Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk, and a scientist who achieved fame after his passing when his work in the field of genetics was rediscovered. The conclusions he drew from his studies of garden peas led to him earning the moniker “father of modern genetics”.

    7. Letters on some bowling lanes : AMF

    AMF Bowling Centers is an operator of bowling alleys, and is in fact the largest such company in the world.

    8. Duke basketball legend, informally : COACH K

    Mike Krzyzewski is a coach and former basketball player from Chicago, Illinois. As a young man, Krzyzewski captained the Army Cadets basketball team, before serving in the Army for five years. After resigning from active duty, Coach K (as he is called) eventually took the head coaching job with the Army Cadets followed by the head coach’s position with Duke, where he has been since 1980. Today, Coach K also coaches the US International team.

    11. ___-compliant : ADA

    Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

    12. Not yet proven : POSITED

    To posit is to assume as fact, to lay down as a “position”.

    16. More aloof : ICIER

    I suppose one might guess from the “feel” of the word “aloof” that is has nautical roots. Originally “aloof” meant “to windward” and was the opposite of “alee”. A helmsman might be instructed to stay aloof, to steer the boat into the weather to keep a distance from a lee-shore. It is from this sense of maintaining a distance that aloof came to mean “distant” in terms of personality. Interesting, huh …?

    17. Title film character with the catchphrase “Very nice!” : BORAT

    The full name of the 2006 “mockumentary” is “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”. Borat is played by a British comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen. Not my cup of tea …

    24. One of Goldilocks’s complaints : TOO HOT!

    The story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” was first recorded in 1837 in England, although the narrative was around before it was actually written down. The original fairy tale was rather gruesome, but successive versions became more family-oriented. The character that eventually became Goldilocks was originally an elderly woman, and the three “nameless” bears became Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear.

    34. Thick rug style : SHAG

    Shag carpet is one with a deep pile, one with a “shaggy” appearance.

    45. “Hansel and Gretel” character : HAG

    “Hansel and Gretel” is a Germanic fairy tale found in the collection of the Brothers Grimm. It tells of two siblings, Hansel and Gretel, the children of a woodcutter. The youngsters are abandoned in a forest at the behest of an evil stepmother. Clever Hansel hears of the plan and leaves a trail of pebbles so that he and his sister can find their way home, which they do. But the children are abandoned again and this time leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Unfortunately, the crumbs are eaten by birds and so the children do indeed become lost. But eventually they do all live happily ever after …

    48. Pouch at the bottom of an armoire : SACHET

    A sachet is a small packet of perfumed powder left in perhaps a closet or trunk to scent clothes. The word “sachet” is a diminutive of the French word “sac” meaning “bag”.

    “Armoire” is the French word for “wardrobe”, and is used for a standing closet that stores clothes.

    51. SpongeBob’s pet snail : GARY

    SpongeBob SquarePants is a cartoon character in a Nickelodeon television series. Spongebob first appeared in 1999, and he “lives in a pineapple under the sea”. The character was created by marine biologist, cartoonist and animator Stephen Hillenburg.

    52. Line at an awards show : LIMOS

    The word “limousine” derives from the French city of Limoges. The area around Limoges is called the Limousin, and it gave its name to a cloak hood worn by local shepherds. In early motor cars, a driver would sit outside in the weather while the passengers would sit in the covered compartment. The driver would often wear a limousin-style protective hood, giving rise to that type of transportation being called a “limousine”. Well, that’s how the story goes …

    57. Issa who wrote “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” : RAE

    Issa Rae is a Stanford University graduate who created a YouTube web series called “Awkward Black Girl”. Rae also plays the title role in the series, a young lady named “J”. “Awkward Black Girl” was adapted into an HBO comedy-drama called “Insecure”, in which Issa Rae stars.

    62. Money in Geneva : FRANC

    Not only is the Swiss Franc legal tender in Switzerland, it is also the money used in Liechtenstein and the Italian exclave of Campione d’Italia.

    Genève (“Geneva” in English) is the largest city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. I’ve been to Geneva only once, and sadly what I remember most is how expensive it is. It is in fact the fourth or fifth most expensive city in the world.

    64. ___ Bridge (historic span across the Mississippi) : EADS

    James Eads was an American Civil Engineer and inventor. He designed and built the first road and rail bridge to cross the Mississippi River in St. Louis, a bridge which went into service in 1874 and is still used to this day. Aptly enough, it is known as the Eads Bridge.

    66. Years, in Madrid : ANOS

    Madrid is the largest city in Spain, and is the nation’s capital. Madrid is located very close to the geographical center of the country. It is the third-largest city in the European Union (after London and Paris). People from Madrid called themselves Madrileños.

    71. Non-___ (food label) : GMO

    A genetically modified organism (GMO) is one with genetic material that has been altered by genetic engineering. One might argue that the oldest form of genetic engineering is selective breeding, the use of animals or plants with desired traits for the creation of the next generation.

    76. Destiny and fate, e.g.: Abbr. : SYNS

    Synonym (syn.)

    87. Georgia, once: Abbr. : SSR

    The former Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of Georgia is now an independent country. Supposedly, the Georgian people were given their name because they especially revered St. George. The flag of Georgia does indeed feature five St. George’s crosses.

    88. Work of a lifetime : OEUVRE

    The sum of an artist’s work in his or her lifetime is known as his or her “oeuvre”.

    89. Kind of hound : BASSET

    The basset hound wouldn’t be my favorite breed of dog, to be honest. Basset hounds have a great sense of smell with an ability to track a scent that is second only to that of the bloodhound. The name “basset” comes from the French word for “rather low”, a reference to the dog’s short legs.

    90. Traditional religion of Japan : SHINTO

    It is perhaps best not to describe Shinto as a religion, but more as a “spirituality of the Japanese people”, a spirituality that encompasses folklore, history and mythology. Having said that, “Shinto” translates literally as “Way of the gods”. Most people in Japan who are described as practicing Shinto, also practice Buddhism.

    92. Job at a drive-in joint : CARHOP

    Carhops are servers who bring food to customers in their cars at drive-in restaurants. The first carhops were seen at the Pig Stand restaurant in Dallas, Texas in 1921. These male employees would “hop” onto the running boards of cars as they entered the restaurant’s parking lot in order to quickly take the customer’s order, hence the name “carhop”.

    97. Language from which “dungarees” comes : HINDI

    “Dungarees” is an alternative name for overalls. Dungaree was a cheap and poorly woven fabric used by the lower classes. Dungaree originated in the port city of Dongri near Mumbai, India, hence the name.

    98. Alan of “The In-Laws” : ARKIN

    The actor Alan Arkin won his only Oscar (Best Supporting Actor) for his role in “Little Miss Sunshine” from 2006, a movie that I just did not understand …

    107. “Gangnam Style” rapper : PSY

    “PSY” is the stage name of South Korean rapper Park Jae-sang. PSY became an international star when his 2102 music video “Gangnam Style” went viral on YouTube. That video had over 1 billion views on YouTube in about six months, making it the most viewed YouTube video clip of all time. I am not one of that billion …

    109. Royalty-focused grp. : BMI

    ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) collects licence fees for musicians and distributes royalties to composers whose works have been performed. BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) provides the same service.

    Complete List of Clues/Answers

    Across

    1. Moolah : CLAMS
    6. Measured with steps : PACED
    11. Part of a chapel : APSE
    15. Bits of roasted cocoa beans : NIBS
    19. Lays into : HAS AT
    20. Act over the top : EMOTE
    21. Executor : DOER
    22. Natl. Audubon Society concern : ECOL
    23. Copy editor : IS THAT A FACT?
    25. Going coast to coast, maybe : ASEA
    26. Like many a distance runner : WIRY
    27. Spanish pastries often dipped in chocolate : CHURROS
    28. Emmy, Grammy and Academy Award winner : CHER
    30. “Agreed!” : IT’S A DEAL!
    32. Straight : HETERO
    33. Political strategist : WHERE’S THE PARTY?
    35. February 13, e.g. : IDES
    36. Some punches : HOOKS
    38. Yelled “S, P, I, R, I, T! – spirit!,” say : CHEERED
    39. Make toast? : DOOM
    40. Laundry basketful : LOAD
    41. The “Odyssey,” for one : SAGA
    45. Museum curator : HOW’S IT HANGING?
    51. The, in Milan : GLI
    54. When doubled, a dessert : BON
    55. Provinces : AREAS
    56. Toffee-nosed sorts : SNOOTS
    57. Sartorial choice for Lieutenant Columbo : RAINCOAT
    59. “O.K., I see” : GOTCHA
    61. Major California paper, for short : LAT
    62. It may have corn on the side : FARMHOUSE
    63. Football line judge : WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?
    67. Get situated, in Britspeak : ORIENTATE
    69. Cell material : RNA
    70. Teensy bit : SMIDGE
    73. Shoulder muscles : DELTOIDS
    74. 30-year investments, informally : T-BONDS
    77. Cartoon style : ANIME
    78. One of the fish in Italy’s Feast of the Seven Fishes : EEL
    79. Monopoly foursome: Abbr. : RRS
    80. Maternity room nurse : WHO’S CRYING NOW?
    82. “The ___ in love with you” (misheard lyric in a Herb Alpert hit) : SKY’S
    84. Influence on Castro and Mao : MARX
    85. Gendered suffix : -ENNE
    86. Classic song with the lyric “I love your kiss” : ESO BESO
    90. Secret store : STASH
    92. Actress Blanchett : CATE
    96. Parasitologist : WHAT’S EATING HIM?
    100. How Vito Corleone treated Tom Hagen in “The Godfather” : AS A SON
    102. Pretty up, as a photo : AIRBRUSH
    103. Geraint’s love in “Idylls of the King” : ENID
    104. Menace with teeth exposed : SNARL AT
    105. “___ Dinka Doo” (theme song of Jimmy Durante) : INKA
    106. Cognac letters : VSOP
    108. Baseball scorekeeper : ANYBODY HOME?
    110. Banking org. since 1933 : FDIC
    111. Ohio nine : REDS
    112. Place for a candidate to speak : STUMP
    113. Stock valuation phrase : NO PAR
    114. What hearts do when things look bad : SINK
    115. Website for handmade items : ETSY
    116. Southwest tribe : HOPIS
    117. Blooms : OPENS

    Down

    1. In style and letting everyone know it : CHICHI
    2. Whipped : LASHED
    3. Sharp-minded : ASTUTE
    4. Twins Phil and Steve who won gold and silver in Sarajevo : MAHRES
    5. Fab Four name : STARR
    6. Subject of early genetics research : PEAS
    7. Letters on some bowling lanes : AMF
    8. Duke basketball legend, informally : COACH K
    9. Draws on glass, say : ETCHES
    10. Frighten (from) : DETER
    11. ___-compliant : ADA
    12. Not yet proven : POSITED
    13. Boil : SEETHE
    14. Occasional aid in crossword solving : ERASER
    15. Ones handing out cigars, stereotypically : NEW DADS
    16. More aloof : ICIER
    17. Title film character with the catchphrase “Very nice!” : BORAT
    18. How cheaters deal cards : SLYLY
    24. One of Goldilocks’s complaints : TOO HOT!
    29. Some drone missions, in short : RECONS
    31. Parrot : APE
    33. Year of the ___ (2018) : WOMAN
    34. Thick rug style : SHAG
    37. Thrilled cries : OOHS
    39. Shame : DISHONOR
    40. Where to get the latest poop? : LITTER BOX
    42. Teem with : ABOUND IN
    43. Dress like for a Halloween bash : GO AS
    44. Up the ___ : ANTE
    45. “Hansel and Gretel” character : HAG
    46. ___ Valley, Ariz. : ORO
    47. Moistened finger in another’s ear : WET WILLY
    48. Pouch at the bottom of an armoire : SACHET
    49. “Honest!” : NO LIE!
    50. Provoke : GOAD
    51. SpongeBob’s pet snail : GARY
    52. Line at an awards show : LIMOS
    53. Cruel : INHUMANE
    57. Issa who wrote “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” : RAE
    58. Talking to a baby, maybe : COOING
    60. Moving about : ASTIR
    62. Money in Geneva : FRANC
    64. ___ Bridge (historic span across the Mississippi) : EADS
    65. Duane and Reade, in N.Y.C. : STS
    66. Years, in Madrid : ANOS
    67. Poems of admiration : ODES
    68. Stink : REEK
    71. Non-___ (food label) : GMO
    72. “Yuck” : EEW
    74. High chair? : THRONE
    75. Be unrealistic : DREAM
    76. Destiny and fate, e.g.: Abbr. : SYNS
    80. “So ___” (words of agreement) : WAS I
    81. Under control : IN HAND
    83. Hinder : SET BACK
    84. Techniques : METHODS
    87. Georgia, once: Abbr. : SSR
    88. Work of a lifetime : OEUVRE
    89. Kind of hound : BASSET
    90. Traditional religion of Japan : SHINTO
    91. Unclutter : TIDY UP
    92. Job at a drive-in joint : CARHOP
    93. Not level : ASLOPE
    94. Unanimously : TO A MAN
    95. Writes in : ENTERS
    96. Homeless children : WAIFS
    97. Language from which “dungarees” comes : HINDI
    98. Alan of “The In-Laws” : ARKIN
    99. Grind : GNASH
    101. Turn down an offer : SAY NO
    104. Concessions : SOPS
    107. “Gangnam Style” rapper : PSY
    109. Royalty-focused grp. : BMI

    8 thoughts on “0120-19 NY Times Crossword 20 Jan 19, Sunday”

    1. 32:10, no errors. For some reason, I found this a slow solve, from beginning to end, with many missteps. Got ‘er done, though … 😜

    2. 86 across esobeso and 88 down oeuvre. Yikes we had to look them up. Never heard of them.

      Nice fun puzzle until then. As Dave said we Got ‘er done

    3. 1 hr and 21 min. With no errors
      Some really tough clues like Gary for 51 down .
      I’m not sure gli is Italian for the

    4. Jack – I feel better. 1:25. I thought I would be the only one over an hour. But I’m also watching the Daytona Rolex 24 hour race. Go Alonso. 😁

    5. 42:44, no errors. Many false starts today. Unlike the clue for 14D, my erasure was a frequently used aid in solving todays crossword.

    6. Had NAVE at 11A and NON for 11D. Thought it made sense at the time, but really slowed down that section. Also stuck in TBILLS at 74A. Since I do the puzzle in ink, 14D didn’t help.

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