0304-22 NY Times Crossword 4 Mar 22, Friday

Constructed by: David Distenfeld
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 13m 27s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Genre for “Jersey Shore” and “The Real World” : DOCUSOAP

“Jersey Shore” is yet another reality TV series, one that ran on MTV from 2009 until 2012. The first season featured a group of eight friends sharing a house on the Jersey shore, and the second season had the same cadre warming themselves in a house down in Miami.

“The Real World” is a reality television show that airs on MTV. It’s all about a group of strangers that agree to live in a house together and get filmed as relationships develop. Many view “The Real World” as the original reality television show, as it debuted way back in 1992. It is MTV’s longest-running program.

14 Brand owned by Campbell’s : PREGO

The Prego brand of pasta sauce is owned by the Campbell Soup Company. It is actually based on the family recipe of one of the company’s chefs. “Prego” literally means “I pray” in Italian, but it translates best in English as “you’re welcome” when it is used after a “thank you” (“grazie”, in Italian).

16 “Little” one of rhyme : PIGGY

This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none,
And this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home.

19 ___ Carter, protagonist in 2018’s “The Hate U Give” : STARR

“The Hate U Give” is a 2018 film that is based on a 2017 novel of the same name by Angie Thomas. Both the film and novel center on the aftermath of a police officer shooting an unarmed teenager.

21 Letter opener? : ELL

The word “letter” opens with a letter L (ell).

24 One of two in a 747 : AISLE

The first jet to be called a “Jumbo” was Boeing’s 747, as it was the first wide-body airliner. A wide-body passenger aircraft has seating laid out with two aisles running the length of the plane. The 747 also has three decks for part of its length, with the lower deck being used for cargo and galley space, and the upper deck for extra passenger seating. The Airbus A380 is called a “Superjumbo” as it has two full decks of passengers.

26 Tactic of radical environmentalism : ECOTAGE

“Ecotage” is an act of “sabotage” in the name of environmentalism.

31 Emmy-winning title role for Rachel Brosnahan : MRS MAISEL

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is a comedy drama TV show set in the late fifties and early sixties. The title character, played by Rachel Brosnahan, is a New York housewife who opts for a career as a standup comedian.

Actress Rachel Brosnahan is best known for playing the title character in the comedy drama “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. Prior to that success, she had a recurring role playing sex worker Rachel Posner in the political thriller “House of Cards”.

34 Iraqi port city : BASRA

Basra is Iraq’s main port, and is located in the southeast of the country, just 34 miles from the Persian Gulf. Access to the gulf is via the Shatt al-Arab waterway, a river that discharges into the gulf in the port city of Umm Qasr.

39 Like Trump’s presidency : ONE-TERM

When Donald Trump won the nomination as presidential candidate in 2016, he wasn’t the first candidate to become the Republican nominee without any political experience. The most famous such candidate in recent decades was Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was put on the top of the ticket in 1952.

41 Point ___ Peninsula, WNW of San Francisco : REYES

Point Reyes is a picturesque cape on the Northern California coast about 30 miles west-northwest of San Francisco. The cape was named “Punto de los Reyes” (Kings’ Point) by Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno, when his ship anchored nearby on the Day of the Three Kings (January 6th) in 1603.

47 El color del mar : AZUL

In Spanish, “el mar” (the sea) is “azul” (blue) and is full of “agua” (water).

51 Like those celebrated with an annual Day of Visibility on March 31 : TRANS

The transgender community has widely adopted a blue, pink and white flag to represent transgender pride. The flag was designed by transgender activist and US Navy veteran Monica Helms in 1999. It comprises five horizontal stripes: light blue, pink, white, pink and light blue. The light blue stripes at the top and bottom are the traditional color associated with baby boys. The abutting pink stripes are the traditional color associated with baby girls. The white stripe in the center represents those who are transitioning, or those who consider themselves gender-neutral.

52 ___ car (Amtrak train component) : CAFE

Amtrak is the name used commercially by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. “Amtrak” comes from a melding of the words “America” and “track”.

Down

1 Waldorf salad ingredient : APPLE

As one might expect, the Waldorf salad was created at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (now the Waldorf=Astoria), back in the 1890s. The classic version of the Waldorf salad is made from apples, celery and walnuts dressed in mayonnaise and served on a bed of lettuce. Anyone who is a fan of the BBC sitcom “Fawlty Towers” will remember how much trouble Basil Fawlty had coming up with a Waldorf salad for an American guest, as the kitchen was “out of Waldorfs” …

2 Captain Marvel portrayer : BRIE LARSON

I mainly recognize actress Brie Larson from playing the daughter of Toni Collete’’s character on the excellent TV show “United States of Tara”. Larson is from Sacramento, and trained at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, where she was the youngest person ever admitted.

“Captain Marvel” is a superhero movie released in 2019. It was the first film in the Marvel franchise of films to feature a female lead. The title character, Carol Danvers (aka “Captain Marvel”), is played by Brie Larson.

6 What might get stuck in a window : DECAL

A decal is a decorative sticker. “Decal” is a shortening of “decalcomania”. The latter term is derived from the French “décalquer”, the practice of tracing a pattern from paper onto glass or perhaps porcelain.

8 ___ Daniels, main role on “The Wire” : CEDRIC

I didn’t watch the HBO series called “The Wire” when it first aired. We ended up buying all five series on DVD and we watched the whole thing several years ago. It is a great drama series, and I thoroughly recommend it.

9 Surfer’s destination, in brief : URL

An Internet address (like NYXCrossword.com and LAXCrossword.com) is more correctly called a uniform resource locator (URL).

12 Half of “Guys and Dolls” : ACT I

“Guys and Dolls” is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. It was first produced on Broadway, in 1950, and ran for 1200 performances. The show was based on a book written by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, which in turn was inspired by the short stories “The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown” and “Blood Pressure” by Damon Runyon. “Guys and Dolls” was chosen as winner of a Pulitzer in 1951, but the award was canceled as Abe Burrows was having problems with the House Un-American Activities Committee at the time.

13 Leave quickly, with “out” : PEEL …

One might peel out at the start of a drag race, for example.

15 Actress Wilson : RITA

Actress Rita Wilson is also a producer. She produced the 2002 movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, which was destined to become the highest-grossing independent movie of all time. Wilson married fellow actor Tom Hanks in 1988.

22 Run down, in a way : SLANDER

The word “libel” describes a published or written statement likely to harm a person’s reputation. It comes into English from the Latin “libellus”, the word for a small book. Back in the 1500s, libel was just a formal written statement, with the more damaging association arising in the 1600s. The related concept of slander is defamation in a transient form, such as speech, sign language or gestures.

25 Roe source : SMELT

Smelt is the name given to several types of small silvery fish, with examples being Great Lake smelts and whitebait smelts.

36 Defects : WARTS

It is said that the phrase “warts and all” was coined by Oliver Cromwell, although there is no real evidence that he ever uttered the phrase. Cromwell had his portrait painted by Sir Peter Lely, an artist who had a reputation for producing works that flattered the subject. Cromwell was a puritan, and may indeed have instructed Lely to produce a less flattering and more objective image. Indeed, the painting includes warts on Cromwell’s face, imperfections that could easily have been omitted.

46 Specs : DEETS

“Deets” is slang for “details”.

48 Novelist ___ Neale Hurston : ZORA

Zora Neale Hurston was an American author who was most famous for her 1937 novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God”.

50 Dregs : LEES

52 “Going Back to ___” (hip-hop classic) : CALI

“Going Back to Cali” is a 1997 song by the rap artist known as the Notorious B.I.G.

55 Kit ___ bar : KAT

I grew up eating Kit Kat bars as a kid. The Kit Kat hit the shelves on the other side of the pond in the 1930s, but didn’t make it into US stores until the 1970s. I’ve seen new varieties of Kit Kat bars over in Britain and Ireland, such as an orange-flavored version. I’ve been told that there are even more varieties available in Japan.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Better suited : ABLER
6 Genre for “Jersey Shore” and “The Real World” : DOCUSOAP
14 Brand owned by Campbell’s : PREGO
15 Respect : REVERENCE
16 “Little” one of rhyme : PIGGY
17 Cold brew alternative : ICED LATTE
18 Spots where you might count sheep : LEAS
19 ___ Carter, protagonist in 2018’s “The Hate U Give” : STARR
20 It’s all work and no play : TOIL
21 Letter opener? : ELL
22 Preserves, as flavor : SEALS IN
24 One of two in a 747 : AISLE
26 Tactic of radical environmentalism : ECOTAGE
31 Emmy-winning title role for Rachel Brosnahan : MRS MAISEL
34 Iraqi port city : BASRA
35 Needed help : ESSENTIAL WORKER
37 Food fungus, in Fulham : MOULD
38 1950s #1 hit with the repeated lyric “Bring me a dream” : MR SANDMAN
39 Like Trump’s presidency : ONE-TERM
41 Point ___ Peninsula, WNW of San Francisco : REYES
42 Tweaks further : RE-EDITS
45 Shepherded : LED
47 El color del mar : AZUL
51 Like those celebrated with an annual Day of Visibility on March 31 : TRANS
52 ___ car (Amtrak train component) : CAFE
53 Give up : LOSE FAITH
55 Woman’s nickname that sounds like its first and third letters : KATIE
56 Shady, as a street : TREE-LINED
57 A red one is concerning : ALERT
58 Low numbers? : SAD SONGS
59 Burns out : TIRES

Down

1 Waldorf salad ingredient : APPLE
2 Captain Marvel portrayer : BRIE LARSON
3 Basis for a case : LEGAL ISSUE
4 Things oologists study : EGGS
5 Civil rights activist Wilkins : ROY
6 What might get stuck in a window : DECAL
7 Promises too much : OVERSELLS
8 ___ Daniels, main role on “The Wire” : CEDRIC
9 Surfer’s destination, in brief : URL
10 Behind : SEAT
11 Catch ___ : ONTO
12 Half of “Guys and Dolls” : ACT I
13 Leave quickly, with “out” : PEEL …
15 Actress Wilson : RITA
19 Question asked while pointing a finger : SEE IT?
22 Run down, in a way : SLANDER
23 Lack of objections, in a phrase : NO BONES
25 Roe source : SMELT
27 Behind : TARDY
28 “I’m too busy right now” : ASK ME LATER
29 Kitchen flare-up : GREASE FIRE
30 Pull in : EARN
31 Note : MEMO
32 Like some feuds and foods on a stove : SIMMERING
33 Attention : EAR
36 Defects : WARTS
40 Get the services of, as a lawyer : RETAIN
43 Pitted fruit : DATES
44 Like many TV broadcasts since the 1990s : IN HD
46 Specs : DEETS
47 Secondary social media accounts, informally : ALTS
48 Novelist ___ Neale Hurston : ZORA
49 Put into service : USED
50 Dregs : LEES
52 “Going Back to ___” (hip-hop classic) : CALI
54 Popular women’s health app : FLO
55 Kit ___ bar : KAT

13 thoughts on “0304-22 NY Times Crossword 4 Mar 22, Friday”

    1. Got stuck in most of the puzzle. Needed “research” to help me finish in a bit under 30 minutes.

  1. 20:20, no errors. A bit of a tussle … from beginning to end … but I got ‘er done … 😳 … 🤪.

  2. 35:52 of slog. All kinds of subject matter of no interest to me (not to mention DEETS) so it’s no minor miracle I finished. Aside from that comment, I’ll just say – no comment.

    Be honest – did anyone else initially put “seven” for the clue “One of two in a 747”?

    Best –

    1. Not me, honest. I’ve seen similar clues before so it rang that old rusy bell in my brain.

  3. @Nonny – thanks for the kind and encouraging words yesterday – I need ‘um!

    Laying off today – I don’t need to get beat up … back to the LAX.

  4. 18:52,no errors. Pretty good Friday for me. Halfway done in 8+ minutes. I usually bog way down in the second half but I was in sync today. Maybe my 2 morning scuba dives cleaned out the cobwebs.

  5. 44:16 for “One of two in a 747”, I tried “pilots” before backing it out and leaving it blank, hoping for the down answers to help. My streaming TV failure rise up again for “Mrs. Maisel”, thank you down clues for the fill. A tough slog, but I finished it….looked a lot of stuff up after the completion to figure out what the answer implied.

  6. Wow Glen. I’d say they were educated guesses.

    Messed up in a couple of spots. Yes, I initially fell for SEVEN on 24A but came around later. But I did probably have seven errors (or more). One letter off on several.

    A worthy crossword!!

  7. My usual complaint TOO MANY PROPER NAMES!!!!
    But I got it done in spite of that.

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