0411-22 NY Times Crossword 11 Apr 22, Monday

Constructed by: Rachel Simon
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Pick Up

Themed answers each end with a word that often follows “PICK UP”:

  • 66A Learn, as a new skill … or what can precede the ends of 20-, 36-, 42- and 59-Across : PICK UP
  • 20A Earthquakes occur around them : FAULT LINES (giving “pick up lines”)
  • 36A Fortnite and The Legend of Zelda, for two : VIDEO GAMES (giving “pick-up games”)
  • 42A Construction site vehicles : DUMP TRUCKS (giving “pickup trucks”)
  • 59A Eating utensils that might come wrapped in red paper : CHOPSTICKS (giving “pick-up sticks”)

Bill’s time: 6m 52s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Chemist’s workplace : LAB

Our term “laboratory”, often shortened to “lab”, comes from the Medieval Latin word “laboratorium” meaning “place for labor, work”. This in turn comes from the Latin verb “laborare” meaning “to work”.

4 Cousin of “Voilà!” : TA-DA!

The French word “voilà” means “there it is”, and “voici” means “here it is”. The terms come from “voi là” meaning “see there” and “voi ici” meaning “see here”.

8 Enjoy a night in Vegas, perhaps : GAMBLE

The stretch of South Las Vegas Boulevard on which most of the big casinos are concentrated is referred to as the “Las Vegas Strip”. The Strip was named for LA’s Sunset Strip by former Los Angeles law enforcement officer Guy McAfee. McAfee was a notoriously corrupt head of the LAPD vice squad in the 1920s and 1930s who ran several brothels and gambling saloons. McAfee moved to Las Vegas in 1939 where he opened several casinos, including the Golden Nugget.

17 “r u kidding me?!” : OMG!

“OMG” is text-speak for “Oh My Gosh!” “Oh My Goodness!” or any other G-words you might care to use …

18 Dalai ___ (Tibetan priest) : LAMA

The Dalai Lama is a religious leader in the Gelug branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The current Dalai Lama is the 14th to hold the office. He has indicated that the next Dalai Lama might be found outside of Tibet for the first time, and may even be female.

19 Alternative to a Tic Tac : ALTOID

Altoids breath mints have been around since 1780, when they were introduced in Britain. The famous tin in which Altoids are sold is often reused for other purposes. The most famous use is as a container for a mini-survival kit.

Tic Tacs aren’t American candies (as I always mistakenly believed). Tic Tacs are made by the Italian company Ferrero, and were introduced in 1969.

23 “___ Anything …” (classic rom-com) : SAY

“Say Anything…” is a much-respected 1989 film, a high-school romantic comedy/drama film starring John Cusack and Ione Skye.

30 Crystal-filled rock : GEODE

A geode is a rock in which there is a cavity that is lined or filled with crystal formations.

57 Of bees: Prefix : API-

Something described as apian is related to bees. “Apis” is Latin for “bee”.

61 Australian young woman : SHEILA

“Sheila” is a slang term used in Australia meaning “young woman”.

67 Throw in the microwave : NUKE

One might rewarm a meal by nuking it, by zapping it in the microwave.

68 Siouan language speaker : OTO

The Otoe (also “Oto”) Native American tribe originated in the Great Lakes region as part of the Winnebago or Siouan tribes. The group that would become the Otoe broke away from the Winnebago and migrated southwestward, ending up in the Great Plains. In the plains the Otoe adopted a semi-nomadic lifestyle dependent on the horse, with the American bison becoming central to their diet.

71 Maple product : SAP

About 75% of the world’s maple syrup comes from the province of Quebec. The US’s biggest producer is the state of Vermont, which produces 5-6% of the world’s supply.

Down

1 Shower scrubber : LOOFA

The loofah (also “loofa”, “lufah” and “luffa”, all Arabic words) is a vine, with fruit that’s very popular in Asia and Africa. If the fruit is allowed to mature, it can be processed to remove everything but the more rigid xylem structure (remember your high school botany class?) leaving a soft, sponge-like mass that is used as a skin polisher.

2 Madison Avenue fellow : ADMAN

Madison Avenue became the center of advertising in the US in the twenties, and serves as the backdrop to the great TV drama “Mad Men”. There aren’t many advertising agencies left on Madison Avenue these days though, as most have moved to other parts of New York City. The street takes its name from Madison Square, which is bounded on one side by Madison Avenue. The square in turn takes its name from James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.

5 Obsessive about little details : ANAL

The use of the word “anal” to mean “stiffly conventional” is an abbreviated form of “anal-retentive”, a term derived from Freudian psychology. Regardless, I’m not a big fan of the term …

6 Anastasia’s love in 1997’s “Anastasia” : DIMITRI

“Anastasia” is an 1997 animated musical from Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. The storyline is based on the urban myth that Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, survived the family’s execution by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Anastasia is voiced by Meg Ryan, although when Anastasia sings, her voice is dubbed by Liz Callaway.

9 “You’ve got mail” co. : AOL

The iconic phrase “You’ve got mail” was first used by AOL in 1989. The greeting was recorded by voice actor Elwood Edwards. Edwards has parlayed his gig with AOL into some other work. He appears in an episode of “The Simpsons” as a doctor who says the line “You’ve got leprosy”. Edwards also worked as a weatherman for a while and got to use the line “You’ve got hail” …

10 Sch. in Cambridge : MIT

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was founded in 1861 and first offered classes in 1865, in the Mercantile building in Boston. Today’s magnificent campus on the banks of the Charles River in Cambridge opened in 1916.

12 “Star Wars” character who founded the Resistance : LEIA

Princess Leia is Luke Skywalker’s twin sister in the original “Star Wars” trilogy and was played by Carrie Fisher. Carrie Fisher has stated that she hated the famous “cinnamon bun hairstyle” that she had to wear in the films, as she felt it made her face look too round. She also had to sit for two hours every day just to get her hair styled. Two hours to get your hair done? It takes me just two seconds …

26 The yolk’s not on them, but in them : EGGS

The yolk is the yellow part of a chicken’s egg. The term “yolk” comes from the Old English “geolu” meaning “yellow”.

32 Outstanding Team award or Best College Athlete award : ESPY

The ESPY Awards are a creation of the ESPN sports television network. One difference with similarly named awards in the entertainment industry is that ESPY winners are chosen solely based on viewer votes.

33 What polytheists worship : GODS

A polytheist is a person who believes in many deities, with the opposite being a monotheist, someone who believes in one god. The ancient Greeks and Romans were polytheists.

37 Brewer’s kiln : OAST

An oast is a kiln used for drying hops as part of the brewing process. Such a structure might also be called an “oast house” or “hop kiln”. The term “oast” can also apply to a kiln used to dry tobacco.

43 Home of Salt Lake City : UTAH

Salt Lake City (SLC) was founded by Brigham Young, in 1847. The city takes its name from the Great Salt Lake on which it sits, and indeed was known as “Great Salt Lake City” up until 1868.

44 Old Spice is a popular one : COLOGNE

Back in 1709, an Italian perfume-maker moved to Cologne in Germany. There he invented a new fragrance that he named Eau de Cologne after his newly adopted town. The fragrance is still produced in Cologne, using a secret formulation. However, the terms “Eau de Cologne” and “cologne”, are now used generically.

The Old Spice brand of grooming products was introduced in 1937, and was originally intended for a female clientele. The first male product hit the shelves in 1938, and today Old Spice is completely focused on products for men.

49 Rick who sang “Never Gonna Give You Up” : ASTLEY

Rick Astley is an English singer best known for his 1987 worldwide hit “Never Gonna Give You Up”. He retired in 1993 but became a huge hit on the Internet in 2007 when a YouTube video of “Never Gonna Give You Up” was chosen by tricksters as a link (labeled as something else) that was sent around the world so that the clip was seen by millions online. The phenomenon was given the name “Rickrolling”. With all the new exposure that the song received Astley made a whopping $12 in royalties from YouTube. Yep, 12 whole dollars.

50 ___ Beta Kappa : PHI

Phi Beta Kappa was the first collegiate Greek fraternity in the US, founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary. The organization served as a model for future collegiate fraternities and sororities, although in the 19th century Phi Beta Kappa distanced itself from the fraternal focus and transformed into the honor society that it is today, recognizing academic excellence. The initials Phi Beta Kappa stand for “philosophia biou kybernētēs”, which translates into “philosophy is the guide of life”. The symbol of the Phi Beta Kappa Society is a golden key.

54 Smart speakers from Amazon : ECHOS

Amazon Echo is a voice-controlled hardware device that can be used to provide several services including playing radio programs and music, recording of shopping lists, and managing a calendar. The device just sits in the home listening, until it hears a “wake up” command.

55 Curly-tailed Japanese dog : AKITA

The Akita breed of dog is named for its point of origin, Akita Prefecture in Japan. When Helen Keller visited Japan in 1937, she asked for and was given an Akita breed of dog, with the name of Kamikaze-go. Sadly, the dog died within a year from distemper. The following year the Japanese government officially presented Keller with a replacement dog. Supposedly Keller’s dogs were the first members of the breed to be introduced into the US.

56 Camera lens setting : F-STOP

Varying the f-stop in a lens varies how big the lens opening (the aperture) is when a photograph is taken. Smaller apertures (higher f-stop values) admit less light, but result in a greater depth of field (more of the photograph is in focus).

57 Snakes by the Nile : ASPS

The asp is a venomous snake found in the Nile region of Africa. It is so venomous that the asp was used in ancient Egypt and Greece as a means of execution. Cleopatra observed such executions noting that the venom brought on sleepiness without any painful spasms. When the great queen opted to commit suicide, the asp was therefore her chosen method.

58 Singer Collins : PHIL

English musician Phil Collins is best known for his work as drummer with the rock group Genesis, as well as for his solo career. In fact, Collins is often grouped with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, two other artists who had tremendous solo success after careers with very well-known bands.

60 Nordstrom rival, familiarly : SAKS

Saks Fifth Avenue is a high-end specialty store that competes with the likes of Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus. The original Saks & Company business was founded by Andrew Saks in 1867. The first Saks Fifth Avenue store was opened on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1924. There are now Saks Fifth Avenue stores in many major cities in the US, as well in several locations worldwide.

62 1950s presidential nickname : IKE

When the future president was growing up, the Eisenhowers used the nickname “Ike” for all seven boys in the family, as “Ike” was seen as an abbreviation for the family name. “Big Ike” was Edgar, the second oldest boy. “Little/Young Ike” was Dwight, who was the third son born. Dwight had no sisters.

63 Verb on a candy heart : LUV

The forerunner to Sweethearts candy was introduced in 1866, with the famous sayings written on the candy tailored for use at weddings. One of the original expressions was, “Married in pink, he will take a drink”. The original candy was a lot bigger, to fit all those words! The smaller, heart-shaped candy hit the shelves in 1901. We’ve been able to buy Sweethearts with the words “Text me” since 2010.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Chemist’s workplace : LAB
4 Cousin of “Voilà!” : TA-DA!
8 Enjoy a night in Vegas, perhaps : GAMBLE
14 Poetic tribute : ODE
15 ___ for the long haul : IN IT
16 Made turbulent, as water : ROILED
17 “r u kidding me?!” : OMG!
18 Dalai ___ (Tibetan priest) : LAMA
19 Alternative to a Tic Tac : ALTOID
20 Earthquakes occur around them : FAULT LINES
23 “___ Anything …” (classic rom-com) : SAY
24 Year, in France : ANNEE
25 Tantalizing promos : TEASERS
28 Pretties up : ADORNS
30 Crystal-filled rock : GEODE
33 Kind of reaction or instinct : GUT
36 Fortnite and The Legend of Zelda, for two : VIDEO GAMES
38 “Now it makes sense!” : OH, I SEE
41 Snoozing : ASLEEP
42 Construction site vehicles : DUMP TRUCKS
46 Like some humor and wine : DRY
47 Cut wool from : SHEAR
48 Keep time with the foot : TOE-TAP
51 Early buying opportunity : PRESALE
53 Bundle of paper : SHEAF
57 Of bees: Prefix : API-
59 Eating utensils that might come wrapped in red paper : CHOPSTICKS
61 Australian young woman : SHEILA
64 Something to shoot for … or shoot at : GOAL
65 Chart-topper : HIT
66 Learn, as a new skill … or what can precede the ends of 20-, 36-, 42- and 59-Across : PICK UP
67 Throw in the microwave : NUKE
68 Siouan language speaker : OTO
69 Record holder : SLEEVE
70 Online marketplace for artisans : ETSY
71 Maple product : SAP

Down

1 Shower scrubber : LOOFA
2 Madison Avenue fellow : ADMAN
3 Underway : BEGUN
4 At an angle : TILTED
5 Obsessive about little details : ANAL
6 Anastasia’s love in 1997’s “Anastasia” : DIMITRI
7 No longer happening : AT AN END
8 “Keep off the ___” (park sign) : GRASS
9 “You’ve got mail” co. : AOL
10 Sch. in Cambridge : MIT
11 Came into one’s own : BLOSSOMED
12 “Star Wars” character who founded the Resistance : LEIA
13 Small whirlpool : EDDY
21 Peaceful pasture : LEA
22 Loosen, as restrictions : EASE
26 The yolk’s not on them, but in them : EGGS
27 Genuine : REAL
29 No longer interested in : OVER
31 Animal on an “Xing” sign : DEER
32 Outstanding Team award or Best College Athlete award : ESPY
33 What polytheists worship : GODS
34 “Not happening” : UH-UH
35 Watch or clock : TIMEPIECE
37 Brewer’s kiln : OAST
39 Throw some jabs : SPAR
40 French for “to be” : ETRE
43 Home of Salt Lake City : UTAH
44 Old Spice is a popular one : COLOGNE
45 Sign on a moody teen’s door : KEEP OUT!
49 Rick who sang “Never Gonna Give You Up” : ASTLEY
50 ___ Beta Kappa : PHI
52 Ending with sea or land : -SCAPE
54 Smart speakers from Amazon : ECHOS
55 Curly-tailed Japanese dog : AKITA
56 Camera lens setting : F-STOP
57 Snakes by the Nile : ASPS
58 Singer Collins : PHIL
60 Nordstrom rival, familiarly : SAKS
62 1950s presidential nickname : IKE
63 Verb on a candy heart : LUV