0907-19 NY Times Crossword 7 Sep 19, Saturday

Constructed by: Trenton Charlson
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 20m 21s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 H.S. teams mainly with freshmen and sophomore players : JV SQUADS

Junior varsity (JV)

“Varsity” is an adjective used to describe a university or school team or competition. “Varsity” is a variant of the earlier term “versity” used in the late 17th century, which was a shortened form of “university”.

14 One engaged in a hairy escape? : RAPUNZEL

“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.

15 Product of meiosis : GAMETE

A gamete is a reproductive cell that has half the full complement of genes needed to make a normal cell. In sexual reproduction, it takes two gametes, one from each parent, to fuse into one cell which then develops into a new organism. The female gamete is the ovum, and the male the sperm.

Mitosis is the process by which the complement of chromosomes in a cell nucleus replicates and then divides into two identical sets of new chromosomes. Mitosis is followed by division of the cell itself, resulting in two identical cells. Meiosis is a special type of cell division that results in reproductive cells that have half the full complement of chromosomes. The reproductive cells join together, with one cell coming from each parent, to form a new cell with a full complement of chromosomes. That new cell develops into offspring that have characteristics of both parents.

16 Fixture in a church sanctuary : PRIE DIEU

“Prie-dieu” means literally “pray (to) God” in French. A prie-dieu is basically a padded kneeler, with an armrest in front and a shelf on which one placed books of prayer.

17 Inner selves, to Jung : ANIMAS

The concepts of anima and animus are found in the Carl Jung school of analytical psychology. The idea is that within each male there resides a feminine inner personality called the anima, and within each female there is a male inner personality known as the animus.

21 Unit equivalent to 4.184 joules: Abbr. : CAL

I wish we’d stop using the term “calorie”, because it is so confusing. In terms of physics, a calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree celsius (at one atmosphere of pressure). The so called “food calorie” is one thousand times as large, as it is defined in terms of kilograms instead of grams. In attempts to differentiate between these two definitions, the former is sometimes referred to as the “small calorie” and is given the symbol “cal”. The latter is referred to as the “large calorie” and given the symbol “Cal”, with a capital C. If only we’d use the SI system of units, we’d be think in just joules, instead of large and small and food calories.

23 Ancient Roman writer of comedies : TERENCE

Terence is the common name used in English when referring to the Roman playwright Publius Terentius Afer.

24 51-Acrosses often hold them : MBAS
(51A Board appointment, for short : EXEC)

The world’s first Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree was offered by Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, in 1908.

26 Epitome of thinness : TISSUE

The more common meaning of “epitome” is “perfect example of a group, quality, type”. An epitome is also an abstract or summary of a book or article.

28 Rank in judo : DAN

Judo is a martial art from Japan that was developed relatively recently, in 1882. The name “judo” translates as “gentle way”. Practitioners of judo proceed through a series of proficiency grades known as the kyu-dan system. At each progression, a different colored belt is awarded.

29 Film bit : ALGA

Algae are similar to terrestrial plants in that they use photosynthesis to create sugars from light and carbon dioxide, but they differ in that they have simpler anatomies, and for example lack roots.

30 Only 20th-century president whose three distinct initials are in alphabetical order : HST

The letter “S” in the middle of the name Harry S. Truman (HST) doesn’t stand for anything. The future-president was named “Harry” in honor of his mother’s brother Harrison “Harry” Young. The initial “S” was chosen in honor of young Harry’s two grandfathers: Anderson S-hipp Truman and S-olomon Young.

35 Ring-toss item? : HAT

One might throw one’s hat into the ring.

37 Palatable : SAPID

Something that is sapid is tasty, savory. The opposite to “sapid” is “insipid”, meaning “without taste, bland”.

41 A.P. exam inits. : ETS

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) was founded in 1947, and produces standardized tests for students from kindergarten through college. Perhaps most famously, ETS operates the SAT testing process.

45 Pence, e.g. : VICE

Mike Pence served as the 50th Governor of Indiana from 2013 until 2017, when he became the 48th Vice President of the US, in the Trump administration. Famously, Vice President Pence has described himself as “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order”, although he grew up in an Irish-Catholic Democrat family.

46 Some exchanges, in brief : IMS

Even though instant messaging (sending and receiving IMs) has been around since the 1960s, it was AOL who popularized the term “instant message” in the eighties and nineties. The “AOL Instant Message” service was known as AIM.

52 Lower-priced ticket option, maybe : MATINEE

“Matinée” is a French word used to describe a musical entertainment held during the daytime. “Matinée” is derived from the word “matin”, meaning “morning”, although here the term is used in the sense of “daylight”.

54 Floral arrangement : LEI

“Lei” is a Hawaiian word meaning “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a lei is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.

56 Monogram on L’Homme products : YSL

Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) was an Algerian-born French fashion designer. Saint Laurent started off working as an assistant to Christian Dior at the age of 17. Dior died just four years later, and as a very young man Saint-Laurent was named head of the House of Dior. However, in 1950 Saint Laurent was conscripted into the French Army and ended up in a military hospital after suffering a mental breakdown from the hazing inflicted on him by his fellow soldiers. His treatment included electroshock therapy and administration of sedatives and psychoactive drugs. He was released from hospital, managed to pull his life back together and started his own fashion house. A remarkable story …

60 ___ Museum, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls : ISRAEL

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered over a period of years, between 1947 and 1956, in eleven caves on the shores of the Dead Sea. The scrolls are believed to have been written by an ancient Jewish sect called the Essenes, although this has been called into question recently. Many of the texts are copies of writings from the Hebrew Bible.

61 Brave, e.g. : ATLANTAN

The Atlanta Braves are the only team to have won baseball’s World Series in three different home cities. They won as the Boston Braves in 1914, the Milwaukee Braves in 1957 and the Atlanta Braves in 1995.

63 Gathers together with stitching : SHIRRS

Shirring is a decorative technique used when sewing a garment. I don’t understand it …

65 Jockey competitor : HANES

The Hanes brand of apparel was founded in 1901. A related brand was introduced in 1986 called Hanes Her Way.

Jockey was the company that invented the Y-front brief, in 1934.

66 Enigmatic people : SPHINXES

In Greek mythology, the creature known as the Sphinx has the body of a lion, the wings of a bird and the face of a woman. The Sphinx threatened to strangle and devour any person who could not answer a famous riddle: “Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?” Oedipus was able to save himself by answering correctly “Man”. The idea is that a man crawls on all fours as a baby, and then walks on two feet as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age. “Sphinx” is actually a Greek word, meaning “the strangler” …

Down

1 1980s arcade character with a propeller beanie : JR PACMAN

The Pac-Man arcade game was first released in Japan in 1980, and is as popular today as it ever was. The game features characters that are maneuvered around the screen to eat up dots and earn points. The name comes from the Japanese folk hero “Paku”, known for his voracious appetite. The spin-off game called Ms. Pac-Man was released in 1981, and Jr. Pac-Man in 1983.

8 Musical symbol indicating legato : SLUR

In the world of music, a slur is curved line that connects neighboring notes that are to be played smoothly, without separation.

Staccato is a musical direction signifying that notes should be played in a disconnected form. The opposite of staccato would be legato, indicating long and continuous notes played very smoothly.

9 Where the islets of Langerhans are located : PANCREAS

The hormone insulin is secreted by structures in the pancreas called the islets of Langerhans, which are named for their island-like appearance under a microscope and for their discoverer Paul Langerhans. The hormone is named for the “islets”, as the Latin for island is “insula”.

10 Rat in “Ratatouille” : EMILE

“Ratatouille” is a 2007 animated film produced by Pixar. The hero of the piece is Remy, a rat whose ambition is to become a chef. Remy was voiced by stand-up comedian Patton Oswalt. The veteran actor Peter O’Toole voiced the character Anton Ego, a restaurant critic.

11 Send back : REMAND

To remand is to send back. In the law, the verb “to remand” can mean “to send back into custody” or “to send back a case to a lower court”.

12 Minnesota county or lake : ITASCA

Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota is the main source of the Mississippi River. Known by Native Americans as “Elk Lake”, the name was changed by Henry Schoolcraft, who led the 1832 expedition to find the source of the Mississippi River. The name “Itasca” is formed from the Latin words for “truth” (ver-ITAS) and “head” (CA-put).

20 Decisive periods, briefly : OTS

Overtime (OT)

25 Singer with the 1986 #1 album “Promise” : SADE

The singer Sade’s real name is Helen Folasade Adu. Although she was born in Nigeria, Sade grew up and lives in the UK. She was the lead vocalist for the English group Sade, and adopted the name of the band. The band’s biggest hits were “Smooth Operator” (1984) and “The Sweetest Taboo” (1985).

32 Image on an oscilloscope : WAVE

An oscilloscope is an electronic instrument that visually shows the variation in voltage of an electrical signal.

38 Candy sold in straws : PIXY STIX

Pixy Stix is powdered candy that’s packaged in what looks like a straw. The “candy” was sold back in the thirties as a drink mix, but when kids were found to be eating the sweet & sour-tasting mix directly from packets, the producers began to packaging it as candy.

42 Tackle box accessories : SNELLS

A snell is a length of thin line that connects a fishhook to heavier line. The knot that is typically used to fasten a hook to the snell is known as a snell knot.

44 Ninja’s asset : STEALTH

The ninjas were around in Japan at the time of the samurai, but were a very different type of warrior. The ninjas were covert operatives, specializing in the use of stealth to accomplish their missions. As they were a secretive cadre they took on a mystical reputation with the public, who believed they had the ability to become invisible or perhaps walk on water.

47 ___ Norman, 1983 Pulitzer-winning playwright : MARSHA

Marsha Norman won the 1983 Pulitzer for Drama for her play “‘night, Mother”. Norman also wrote the book and lyrics for the Broadway musicals “The Secret Garden” and “The Red Shoes”. She wrote the libretto for “The Color Purple”, and the book for the musical “The Bridges of Madison County”.

50 Susan who starred on TV’s “The Partridge Family” : DEY

Actress Susan Dey first appeared on “The Partridge Family” when she was 17-years-old when she had no acting experience. Years later, Dey won a Golden Globe for playing the leading role of Grace Van Owen in “L.A. Law”.

58 Works (out) : PANS

When prospectors pan for gold, they do so by mixing soil and water in a pan. Because gold is very dense, gravel and soil can be washed over the side of the pan leaving the heavy precious metal at the bottom. The gold has been “panned out”, and so we often use “pan out” figuratively to mean “turn out, succeed”.

62 Poor Clares member : NUN

Clare of Assisi was one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Clare was the founder of the Order of Poor Ladies. The order still exists today and is now known as the Poor Clares in her honor.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 H.S. teams mainly with freshmen and sophomore players : JV SQUADS
9 Cause for caution : PERIL
14 One engaged in a hairy escape? : RAPUNZEL
15 Product of meiosis : GAMETE
16 Fixture in a church sanctuary : PRIE DIEU
17 Inner selves, to Jung : ANIMAS
18 Trouble : AIL
19 Where people may make a scene : IMPROV CLASS
21 Unit equivalent to 4.184 joules: Abbr. : CAL
22 Bust : DUD
23 Ancient Roman writer of comedies : TERENCE
24 51-Acrosses often hold them : MBAS
26 Epitome of thinness : TISSUE
28 Rank in judo : DAN
29 Film bit : ALGA
30 Only 20th-century president whose three distinct initials are in alphabetical order : HST
31 Shake on it! : PAW
33 Calls for : NEEDS
35 Ring-toss item? : HAT
37 Palatable : SAPID
41 A.P. exam inits. : ETS
43 Empty talk : GAS
45 Pence, e.g. : VICE
46 Some exchanges, in brief : IMS
49 Charging too much, say : IN DEBT
51 Board appointment, for short : EXEC
52 Lower-priced ticket option, maybe : MATINEE
54 Floral arrangement : LEI
56 Monogram on L’Homme products : YSL
57 Cactus with an edible fruit : PRICKLY PEAR
59 Word with run or jump : SKI …
60 ___ Museum, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls : ISRAEL
61 Brave, e.g. : ATLANTAN
63 Gathers together with stitching : SHIRRS
64 “Close …” : NOT QUITE …
65 Jockey competitor : HANES
66 Enigmatic people : SPHINXES

Down

1 1980s arcade character with a propeller beanie : JR PACMAN
2 Not fixed : VARIABLE
3 Overflow : SPILLAGE
4 Spanish interrogative : QUE?
5 Reversed : UNDID
6 Angle measured by an astrolabe : AZIMUTH
7 Kind of pizza : DEEP DISH
8 Musical symbol indicating legato : SLUR
9 Where the islets of Langerhans are located : PANCREAS
10 Rat in “Ratatouille” : EMILE
11 Send back : REMAND
12 Minnesota county or lake : ITASCA
13 Mitigate : LESSEN
15 Swore off : GAVE UP
20 Decisive periods, briefly : OTS
25 Singer with the 1986 #1 album “Promise” : SADE
27 Something to act on : STAGE
32 Image on an oscilloscope : WAVE
34 No-goodniks : STINKERS
36 Place to play a board game : TABLETOP
38 Candy sold in straws : PIXY STIX
39 Something to lace up before competition : ICE SKATE
40 Dips : DECLINES
42 Tackle box accessories : SNELLS
44 Ninja’s asset : STEALTH
46 Like a troublemaker : IMPISH
47 ___ Norman, 1983 Pulitzer-winning playwright : MARSHA
48 Add to the rotation? : STIR IN
50 Susan who starred on TV’s “The Partridge Family” : DEY
53 Comforting comment : I CARE
55 Dialect of Arabic : IRAQI
58 Works (out) : PANS
62 Poor Clares member : NUN

8 thoughts on “0907-19 NY Times Crossword 7 Sep 19, Saturday”

  1. 16:23 after finding and fixing a ridiculous error: the last square I filled in was the one in the upper left corner and I tried an “M” and a “D” before having the appropriate “D’OH” moment and putting in the “J”. Haste makes waste … 🤪.

  2. I thought this was exactly as a Saturday puzzle should be as far as difficulty goes, but I do have issues with some of the cluing. No errors but needed a few crosses and a couple of single-box guesses to complete. I’m a Minnesotan so knowing ITASCA early on was a major help in the north east.

  3. 1 hour & 11 min with no errors….as far as 6D & 16A along with some others all I can say is hooray for crosses

  4. 34:16, no errors. Initially looked like a DNS (did not start), not even a DNF. For some odd reason, Harry Truman came to mind for 30A and HST was my first entry. Worked from the center out.

  5. Well, I screwed this one up.
    I had scads of outright guesses – some good, some goof.
    My cheeks are a little pink (two from embarrassment and two from the spanking that Mr. Charlson’s excellent puzzle gave me.)
    But, I learned a lot of new words.

  6. Is 30 across correct? Is Harry S Truman the “only 20th century American president” whose initials are in alphabetical order? What about Barack Husein Obama and Donald John Trump?

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