1013-21 NY Times Crossword 13 Oct 21, Wednesday

Constructed by: Brianne McManis
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer See Eye to Eye

Themed answers famous people whose names begin and end with a letter I:

  • 65D With 70- and 71-Across, agree … and a phonetic hint to this puzzle’s theme : SEE …
  • 70A See 65-Down : … EYE …
  • 71A See 65-Down : … TO EYE
  • 20A First and only female prime minister of India : INDIRA GANDHI
  • 32A “Red Cube” sculptor with an eponymous museum in New York : ISAMU NOGUCHI
  • 42A First M.L.B. player to enter the Meikyukai (a Japanese baseball hall of fame) : ICHIRO SUZUKI
  • 57A Fashion designer and judge on “Project Runway All Stars” : ISAAC MIZRAHI

Bill’s time: 10m 44s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

14 Low-carb “stone age” diet : PALEO

The paleolithic (or “paleo, caveman”) diet is a fad diet that became popular in the 2000s. The idea is to eat wild plants and animals that would have been available to humans during the Paleolithic era (roughly the Stone Age). This period precedes the introduction of agriculture and the domestication of animals. As a result, someone on the diet avoids consuming grains, legumes, dairy and processed foods. The diet consists mainly of lean meat (about 45-65% of the total calorie intake), non-starchy vegetables, fruits, berries and nuts.

16 Vodka ___ : TONIC

The original tonic water was a fairly strong solution of the drug quinine dissolved in carbonated water. It was used in tropical areas in South Asia and Africa where malaria is rampant. The quinine has a prophylactic effect against the disease, and was formulated as “tonic water” so that it could be easily distributed. In British colonial India, the colonial types got into the habit of mixing gin with the tonic water to make it more palatable by hiding the bitter taste of quinine. Nowadays, the level of quinine in tonic water has dropped, and sugar has been added.

19 Psychoanalyst Fromm : ERICH

Erich Fromm was a German psychologist. Fromm studied extensively the work of Sigmund Freud, and became very critical of his theories. He was also noted for his political views, and had a socialist leaning. He spent some time in the US and was active in the Socialist Party of America in the fifties, when McCarthyism was running rampant.

20 First and only female prime minister of India : INDIRA GANDHI

Indira Gandhi’s father was Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India. Indira herself became prime minister in 1966. She was assassinated in 1984 by two of her own bodyguards as she was walking to meet Peter Ustinov, who was about to interview her for Irish television.

22 Poker variety : HOLD ‘EM

The official birthplace of the incredibly popular poker game of Texas hold ’em is Robstown, Texas where the game dates back to the early 1900s. The game was introduced into Las Vegas in 1967 by a group of Texan enthusiasts including Doyle Brunson, a champion often seen playing on TV today. Doyle Brunson published a poker strategy guide in 1978, and this really helped increase the popularity of the game. But it was the inclusion of Texas hold ‘em in the television lineup that really gave the game its explosive surge in popularity, with the size of the prize money just skyrocketing.

25 With 8-Down, street with no outlet : CUL-
(8D See 25-Across : -DE-SAC)

Even though “cul-de-sac” can indeed mean “bottom-of-the-bag” in French, the term “cul-de-sac” is of English origin (the use of “cul” in French is actually quite rude). The term was introduced in aristocratic circles at a time when it was considered very fashionable to speak French. Dead-end streets in France are usually signposted with just a symbol and no accompanying words, but if words are included they are “voie sans issue”, meaning “way without exit”.

26 “___ Enfants Terribles” (Cocteau novel) : LES

An “enfant terrible”, French for “terrible child”, is one who embarrasses his or her parents with untimely candid remarks.

32 “Red Cube” sculptor with an eponymous museum in New York : ISAMU NOGUCHI

The Noguchi Museum in Queens, New York City houses works created by Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. The museum opened in 1985.

36 Colosseo locale : ROMA

In Italian, “il Colosseo” (the Colosseum) is found in “Roma” (Rome).

The Colosseum of Rome was the largest amphitheater in the whole of the Roman Empire in its day, and could seat about 50,000 people. The structure was originally called the “Amphitheatrum Flavium” but the name changed to “Colosseum” after a colossal statue of Emperor Nero was located nearby.

37 Word after launch or lily : … PAD

Water lilies have leaves and flowers that float on the surface of a body of water. However, the roots of the plant are embedded in soil, soil at the bottom of the pond or lake.

42 First M.L.B. player to enter the Meikyukai (a Japanese baseball hall of fame) : ICHIRO SUZUKI

Ichiro Suzuki holds quite a few batting records, including the single-season record for base hits (262) and a record-breaking streak of 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons. Ichiro Suzuki is a huge celebrity in his native-Japan. His agent says that if you address fan mail to “Ichiro Suzuki, Japan”, he’ll get your letter …

47 Justice who died in 2016 : SCALIA

Antonin Scalia was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Reagan in 1986, and was the longest-serving member of the court on the occasion of his passing in 2016. Justice Scalia’s minority opinions were known for the scathing language that he used to criticize the Court’s majority.

52 Krazy ___ : KAT

“Krazy Kat” is a successful comic strip that ran from 1913-1944 and was drawn by George Herriman.

53 New Deal agcy. : NRA

The National Recovery Administration (NRA) was one of the first agencies set up under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program. On the one hand, the NRA helped set minimum wages and maximum working hours for workers in industry, and on the other hand it helped set minimum prices for goods produced by companies. The NRA was very popular with the public, and businesses that didn’t opt to participate in the program found themselves boycotted. The NRA didn’t survive for long though, as after two years of operation it was deemed to be unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court and so it ceased operations in 1935.

55 Merch stand staple : T-SHIRT

Merchandise (“mdse.” or “merch”)

57 Fashion designer and judge on “Project Runway All Stars” : ISAAC MIZRAHI

Isaac Mizrahi is a fashion designer from Brooklyn, New York. Mizrahi pops up on television quite a lot. He took on the post of head judge on the reality show “Project Runway: All Stars” in 2012.

61 Tree with papery bark : BIRCH

The bark of birch trees (known as “birchbark”) is a useful material that has been used since prehistoric times as a building, crafting and writing material. Birchbark is readily cut, bent and sewn and resembles cardboard, although unlike cardboard, it is also water-resistant. Birchbark was a popular material with Native Americans, used for making canoes, wigwams, scrolls and maps.

62 Island nation once home to the dodo : MAURITIUS

The island of Mauritius lies in the Indian Ocean, about 700 miles east of Madagascar. One of Mauritius’ claim to fame is that it was the only place where one could find the renowned flightless bird called a dodo. The dodo became extinct less than a century after it was discovered, due to human settlement on the island.

67 Like-it-or-loathe-it bread piece : END

Like it … in fact, love it …

68 N.J. town next to Palisades Park : FT LEE

Fort Lee, New Jersey is located at the western side of the George Washington Bridge that spans the Hudson River. Fort Lee is known as the birthplace of the motion picture industry. The world’s first movie studio was built there by Thomas Edison, in a facility known as the Black Maria.

69 Exodus leader : MOSES

According to the Bible, after fleeing Egypt the Hebrews were led by Moses to the promised land of Canaan. Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan (one from each of the Twelve Tribes) to report on what awaited them. Ten spies returned with exaggerated stories of giants who would kill the Hebrew army if it entered Canaan. Two spies, Caleb and Joshua, came back with valid reports that the Hebrews could inhabit the area. As a result of the false reports from the ten spies, the Hebrews did not enter Canaan but instead wandered the desert for another forty years, before they finally took up residence in the promised land. At the end of the forty years, Caleb and Joshua were the only adults that survived the forty-year journey, a reward from God for their obedience.

Down

1 Two-striper in the Army: Abbr. : CPL

Sergeant (sgt.) is a rank above corporal (cpl.).

2 Golden State team, on scoreboards : LAA

The Anaheim Angels baseball team is today more correctly called the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (LAA). The “Angels” name dates back to 1961 when the team was founded in the “City of Angels”, Los Angeles. When the franchise moved to Anaheim in 1965 they were known as the California Angels, then the Anaheim Angels, and most recently the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Angels are also known as “the Halos”.

3 Chicago trains : ELS

The Chicago “L” is the second largest rapid transit system in the US, with the New York City Subway being the largest. The “L” is also the second oldest, again with the New York City Subway system having the honor of being around the longest. Note that the official nickname for the system is the “L” (originally short for “elevated railroad”), although the term “El” is also in common use (especially in crosswords as “ELS”). The L is managed by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).

5 Cover for the bed of a pickup truck : TONNEAU

In automotive terms, a tonneau is a passenger or cargo space that is open to the elements at the top. The original tonneau was an open passenger compartment at the rear that was rounded, like a barrel. “Tonneau” is a French word meaning “barrel, cask”.

7 “Your turn,” on a walkie-talkie : OVER

The more formal name for a walkie-talkie is “handheld transceiver”. A walkie-talkie is a handheld, two-way radio, and a device first developed for military use during WWII by Motorola (although others developed similar designs soon after). The first walkie-talkie was portable, but large. It was back-mounted and was carried around the battlefield by a radio officer.

13 Crystalline rock : SCHIST

Schists are a family of metamorphic rocks. The name “schist” comes from the Greek word “schízein” meaning “to split”, and is a reference to the ease at which schists can be cleaved. Back in the mid-1700s, miners tended to use the terms “slate”, “shale” and “schist” interchangeably.

18 TV’s Don Draper, e.g. : ADMAN

Jon Hamm lived the life of a struggling actor for quite some time before he hit gold with a starring role in the AMC drama “Mad Men”. He plays the main character, advertising executive and man about town Don Draper.

21 Dip for chips, informally : GUAC

Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes. It is prepared by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

23 ___ buco : OSSO

“Osso” is the Italian word for bone, as in the name of the dish “osso buco” (bone with a hole), which features braised veal shanks.

24 Gardener’s soil : 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 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.

29 Tribe that considers the Grand Canyon its creation place : HOPI

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

31 “Puttin’ on the ___” : RITZ

“Puttin’ on the Ritz” is a song written by Irving Berlin in 1929, for the musical film of the same name. Back in the twenties, the expression “puttin’ on the Ritz” was used to mean “dressing very fashionably”, well enough for a visit to the Ritz Hotel …

34 Needle-nosed fish : GAR

“Gar” was originally the name given to a species of needlefish found in the North Atlantic. The term “gar” is now used to describe several species of fish with elongated bodies that inhabit North and Central America and the Caribbean. The gar is unusual in that it is often found in very brackish water. What I find interesting is that the gar’s swim bladders are vascularized so that they can actually function as lungs. Many species of gar can actually be seen coming to the surface and taking a gulp of air. This adaptation makes it possible for them to live in conditions highly unsuitable for other fish that rely on their gills to get oxygen out of the water. Indeed, quite interesting …

35 Thick soup noodle : UDON

Udon noodles are made from wheat-flour and are very popular in Japanese cuisines such as tempura.

39 Its logo is four interlocking circles : AUDI

The predecessor to today’s Audi company was called Auto Union. Auto Union was formed with the merger of four individual entities: Audi, Horch, DKW and Wanderer. The Audi logo comprises four intersecting rings, each representing one of the four companies that merged.

40 Popular toffee bar : SKOR

The candy bar named “Skor” is produced by Hershey’s. “Skor” is Swedish for “shoes”, and the candy bar’s wrapping features a crown that is identical to that found in the Swedish national emblem. What shoes have to do with candy, I don’t know …

41 Eartha who played Catwoman : KITT

Eartha Kitt really did have a unique voice and singing style. Her rendition of “Santa Baby” has to be one of the most distinctive and memorable recordings in the popular repertoire. Some of you will no doubt remember Eartha playing Catwoman on the final series of the 1960s TV show “Batman”.

43 Sure things : CINCHES

The term “cinch” was absorbed into American English from Spanish in the mid-1800s, when it was used to mean a “saddle-girth”. “Cincha” is the Spanish word for “girdle”. In the late 1800s, “cinch” came to mean a ‘sure thing”, in the sense that a saddle-girth can provide a “sure hold”.

45 Instrument invented in medieval India : SITAR

The sitar has been around since the Middle Ages. It is a stringed instrument that is played by plucking, and is used most often in Hindustani classical music. In the West we have been exposed to the instrument largely through the performances of Ravi Shankar and some music by George Harrison of the Beatles, a onetime student of Shankar.

47 One who loves to shred some gnar pow : SKI BUM

A ski bum might use the term “gnar pow” for the quality of fresh snow, meaning “gnarly powder”.

48 Betting setting : CASINO

The term “casino” originated in the 1700s, then describing a public room for music or dancing. “Casino” is a diminutive of “casa” meaning “house”.

49 Classic consoles : ATARIS

The kids today probably don’t realize that we had a video game console back in the seventies, and it wasn’t a Nintendo nor was it a PlayStation. The Atari 2600 game system introduced the idea of separating out computing hardware (the console) from the game code (a cartridge). The same concept persists to this day, although cartridges have been displaced by discs and downloads.

54 Songwriter Mann : AIMEE

Aimee Mann is a rock singer and guitarist from Virginia. Mann is married to Michael Penn, the brother of actor Sean Penn.

58 Opéra division : ACTE

In French, “un opéra” (an opera) usually comprises several “actes” (acts).

59 Off-the-wall : ZANY

Something described as zany is clownish and bizarre. “Zany” can also be a noun, a term used for a clown or buffoon. The original noun was “Zanni”, a Venetian dialect variant of Gianni, short for Giovanni (John). Zanni was a character who appeared in comedy plays of the day, and was someone who aped the principal actors.

63 Réunion, for one : ILE

In French, one might go to an “île” (island) in the middle of “l’océan” (the ocean).

Réunion is a French island in the Indian Ocean, located east of Madagascar. As the island is a department of France, and has the same status as French domestic departments, Réunion is actually part of the European Union.

64 One-eighty : UEY

Hang a “uey” or “uie”, make a u-turn, make a 180.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Chin dimple : CLEFT
6 Lawn care supply : SOD
9 Awakens : STIRS
14 Low-carb “stone age” diet : PALEO
15 Night before : EVE
16 Vodka ___ : TONIC
17 They’re often used with people, but rarely with pets : LAST NAMES
19 Psychoanalyst Fromm : ERICH
20 First and only female prime minister of India : INDIRA GANDHI
22 Poker variety : HOLD ‘EM
25 With 8-Down, street with no outlet : CUL-
26 “___ Enfants Terribles” (Cocteau novel) : LES
27 That, in Spanish : ESO
28 Something you might say at a doctor’s office : AAH!
30 Stationary : AT REST
32 “Red Cube” sculptor with an eponymous museum in New York : ISAMU NOGUCHI
36 Colosseo locale : ROMA
37 Word after launch or lily : … PAD
38 Item on a list : TASK
42 First M.L.B. player to enter the Meikyukai (a Japanese baseball hall of fame) : ICHIRO SUZUKI
47 Justice who died in 2016 : SCALIA
50 Chilly air : NIP
51 Period, essentially : DOT
52 Krazy ___ : KAT
53 New Deal agcy. : NRA
55 Merch stand staple : T-SHIRT
57 Fashion designer and judge on “Project Runway All Stars” : ISAAC MIZRAHI
61 Tree with papery bark : BIRCH
62 Island nation once home to the dodo : MAURITIUS
66 Join forces : UNITE
67 Like-it-or-loathe-it bread piece : END
68 N.J. town next to Palisades Park : FT LEE
69 Exodus leader : MOSES
70 See 65-Down : … EYE …
71 See 65-Down : … TO EYE

Down

1 Two-striper in the Army: Abbr. : CPL
2 Golden State team, on scoreboards : LAA
3 Chicago trains : ELS
4 Stinky : FETID
5 Cover for the bed of a pickup truck : TONNEAU
6 Highway hauler : SEMI
7 “Your turn,” on a walkie-talkie : OVER
8 See 25-Across : -DE-SAC
9 Sneakiness : STEALTH
10 Extremely undecided : TORN
11 Not going anywhere : IN IDLE
12 Embarrassment of ___ : RICHES
13 Crystalline rock : SCHIST
18 TV’s Don Draper, e.g. : ADMAN
21 Dip for chips, informally : GUAC
22 Prince, for one : HEIR
23 ___ buco : OSSO
24 Gardener’s soil : LOAM
29 Tribe that considers the Grand Canyon its creation place : HOPI
31 “Puttin’ on the ___” : RITZ
33 Knight’s armor : MAIL
34 Needle-nosed fish : GAR
35 Thick soup noodle : UDON
39 Its logo is four interlocking circles : AUDI
40 Popular toffee bar : SKOR
41 Eartha who played Catwoman : KITT
43 Sure things : CINCHES
44 Damage : HARM
45 Instrument invented in medieval India : SITAR
46 Go into a higher gear : UPSHIFT
47 One who loves to shred some gnar pow : SKI BUM
48 Betting setting : CASINO
49 Classic consoles : ATARIS
54 Songwriter Mann : AIMEE
56 “Take two and ___ right” (old baseball adage) : HIT TO
58 Opéra division : ACTE
59 Off-the-wall : ZANY
60 Like cutting and pushing : RUDE
63 Réunion, for one : ILE
64 One-eighty : UEY
65 With 70- and 71-Across, agree … and a phonetic hint to this puzzle’s theme : SEE …

11 thoughts on “1013-21 NY Times Crossword 13 Oct 21, Wednesday”

  1. 11:33, no errors. Quite the collection of interesting names. Not a John Smith or a Bob Jones in sight … 😳.

  2. 13:10, 2 squares wrong. Surprisingly, neither had anything to do with the names.

    I used to love to go skiing, but now that I know the term “gnar pow” I’m not so sure…..Guess I’ll stick to the “pack pow”?

    Best –

  3. What’s going on with these puzzles this week? Real struggle for me at the bottom section..
    A real Olio of words..

    Noone noticed it took Bill over 10 minutes?

  4. 9:53, 2 Naticks. Of course, it would have to involve a crossword-famous individual and another piece of Northeast specific geographic trivia.

  5. 56:40 no errors…if this is a Wednesday puzzle I wouldn’t want to see this setters version of a Thursday or Friday 👎
    47D is a horrible clue IMO.
    Stay safe😀

  6. 14:17, no errors. Fortunately, old enough to remember INDIRA GANDHI; and, being a Mariners fan, knew ICHIRO SUZUKI. Otherwise the theme proper names were a total blanks, filled entirely by crosses.

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