0705-22 NY Times Crossword 5 Jul 22, Tuesday

Constructed by: Malgorzata Nowakowska & Eileen Williams
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Swift

Themed answers are titles of TAYLOR SWIFT songs:

  • 10A *Workplace for the Seven Dwarfs : MINE
  • 20A *Like daredevils, seemingly : FEARLESS
  • 25A *Little one in arms : BABE
  • 30A *Visibly embarrassed : RED
  • 34A *Void : BLANK SPACE
  • 41A *Get over a minor injury, say : SHAKE IT OFF
  • 54A *Start of a classic breakup letter : DEAR JOHN …

Bill’s time: 11m 46s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Word with dressing or days : SALAD …

One’s salad days are the days of one’s youth, days of carefree exuberance and idealism. The expression “salad days” originated in William Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” as Cleopatra refers to her youthful indiscretions saying:

…My salad days, / When I was green in judgment, cold in blood…

10 *Workplace for the Seven Dwarfs : MINE

In the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale called “Snow White”, the seven dwarfs were not given any names. The names were added for the 1937 classic Disney film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. The seven dwarfs are:

  • Doc (the leader of the group)
  • Grumpy (that would be me, according to my wife …)
  • Happy
  • Sleepy
  • Bashful
  • Sneezy
  • Dopey

16 Head of state in Qatar : EMIR

Qatar is a sovereign state in the Middle East occupying the Qatar Peninsula, itself located in the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar lies on the Persian Gulf and shares one land border, with Saudi Arabia to the south. Qatar has more oil and gas reserves per capita of population than any other country in the world. In 2010, Qatar had the fastest growing economy in the world, driven by the petrochemical industry. Qatar is scheduled to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although the nation’s eligibility to do so is under question after a far-reaching bribery scandal was uncovered at the sport’s governing body.

18 Weighted with freight : LADEN

The verb “to lade” meaning “to load” comes from an Old English word “hladan”. “Lade” also used to mean “draw water” and indeed gave us our word “ladle”. So “lade” and “ladle” are close cousins.

24 Desires : YENS

The word “yen”, meaning “urge”, has been around in English since the very early 1900s. It comes from the earlier word “yin” imported from Chinese, which was used in English to describe an intense craving for opium.

33 Caramel-filled candy : ROLO

Rolo was a hugely popular chocolate candy in Ireland when I was growing up. It was introduced in the thirties in the UK, and is produced under license in the US by Hershey. I was a little disappointed when I had my first taste of the American version as the center is very hard and chewy. The recipe used on the other side of the Atlantic calls for a soft gooey center.

40 Formerly the largest country in Africa, but since 2011 the third-largest : SUDAN

Sudan was the largest country in Africa until 2011, when the Southern Sudan region opted by referendum to become independent. “North Sudan” retained the name of Sudan, and the new state is called South Sudan. Sudan is now the third largest country in the continent, after Algeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

44 Basis for a lawsuit : TORT

“Tort” is a French word meaning “mischief, injury or wrong”. In common law, a tort is a civil wrong that results in the injured party suffering loss or harm, and the injuring party having a legal liability. Tort law differs from criminal law in that torts may result from negligence and not just intentional actions. Also, tort lawsuits may be decided on a preponderance of evidence, without the need of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

54 *Start of a classic breakup letter : DEAR JOHN …

The expression “Dear John letter” originated in WWII among American troops who were serving abroad. The servicemen highly valued letters from girlfriends and wives back home, and almost invariably those missives started out with “Dearest”, or “My Darling” or some other expression of affection. A curt, “Dear John” set the tone for a letter which was likely to contain news of a new love interest in the life of the girlfriend or wife. The contemporary equivalent missive from a male to a female is a “Dear Jane letter”.

58 ___ Gagarin, first person in space : YURI

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space when his spacecraft Vostok I made a single orbit of the Earth in 1961. Sadly, Gagarin died only seven years later in a plane crash.

62 Singing snowman in Disney’s “Frozen” : OLAF

In the 2013 animated film “Frozen”, Olaf is a happy-go-lucky snowman who provides a lot of comic relief in the movie. Olaf is voiced by actor and comedian Josh Gad.

63 Unit in a birth announcement : OUNCE

Our term “ounce” (abbreviated to “oz.”) comes from the Latin “uncia”. An “uncia” was 1/12 of a Roman “libra” (pound).

67 Send nude pics, maybe : SEXT

Sexting (a portmanteau of “sex” and “texting”) is the sending of explicit dialog and images between cell phones. The term “sexting” was coined by the UK’s “Sunday Telegraph Magazine” in a 2005 article.

Down

1 Symbol over the “i” in the Tropicana logo : LEAF

The Tropicana company is most famous for its orange juice. The company is headquartered in Chicago, where not many oranges are grown …

2 Part of a drivetrain : AXLE

The drivetrain of a car is made up of the components that deliver power to the driving wheels. It excludes the engine, which produces that power. The combination of the engine and the drivetrain is known as the powertrain.

3 City with a famous tower : PISA

The city of Pisa sits right on the Italian coast, at the mouth of the River Arno. The city is perhaps most famous for its Leaning Tower. The tower is actually the campanile (bell tower) of the city’s cathedral, and it has been leaning since it was completed in 1173. Just shows you how important good foundations are …

5 Element of doubt? : SILENT B

The “B” in the word “doubt” is a silent letter B.

9 Southernmost part of Scandinavia : DENMARK

The constitutional monarchy of Denmark consists of not only the country of Denmark, but also the autonomous constituent countries of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

Strictly speaking, Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe that covers the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The broader region that includes Finland and Iceland is referred to locally as “the Nordic countries”.

12 What all Alaska ZIP codes start with : NINE …

ZIP codes were introduced in 1963. The acronym “ZIP” stands for “Zone Improvement Plan”, a name indicating that mail travels more efficiently when the codes are included in the postal address.

13 The “E” of Q.E.D. : ERAT

The initialism “QED” is used at the end of a mathematical proof or a philosophical argument. QED stands for the Latin “quod erat demonstrandum” meaning “that which was to be demonstrated”.

25 Canada’s oldest national park : BANFF

Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada is located high in the Canadian Rockies and is a popular tourist destination. The town of Banff and the surrounding park were given their name in 1884 by then president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, George Stephen. He named Banff for his birthplace of Banffshire in Scotland.

30 Household gas that may require mitigation : RADON

The element radon (Rn) is a radioactive gas, and a byproduct produced when uranium decays naturally in the earth. Radon gas can collect and accumulate in buildings and rooms that are particularly well insulated with very little air exchange. The danger is very real, as radon is listed as the second most frequent cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoke.

48 Sculler’s need : OAR

A scull is a boat used for competitive rowing. The main hull of the boat is often referred to as a shell. Crew members who row the boat can be referred to as “oars”. And, a scull is also an oar mounted on the stern of a small boat. It’s all very confusing …

49 Taylor ___, some of whose hit songs are featured in the answers to the starred clues : SWIFT

Singer Taylor Swift had one of her first gigs at the US Open tennis tournament when she was in her early teens. There she sang the national anthem and received a lot of favorable attention for the performance.

51 “We won’t be serving alcohol, but …” : … BYOB

Bring Your Own Beer/Bottle/Booze (BYOB)

52 Something a renegade may break or ignore : RULE

A renegade is a person who leaves one cause, usually to take up an opposing cause. “Renegade” likely comes from the Spanish “renegado”, a term which originally was used for a Christian who had converted to Islam back in the late 16th century.

55 New York theater award : OBIE

The Obies are the Off-Broadway Theater Awards. They have been presented annually since 1956. The recipients used to be chosen by “The Village Voice” newspaper, but now are jointly administered with the American Theatre Wing.

56 Abominable Snowman (probably) : HOAX

The yeti, also known as the abominable snowman, is a beast of legend. “Yeti” is a Tibetan term, and the beast is fabled to live in the Himalayan regions of Nepal and Tibet. Our equivalent legend in North America is that of Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch. The study of animals whose existence have not yet been substantiated is called cryptozoology, and a cryptid is a creature or plant that isn’t recognized by the scientific community, but the existence of which has been suggested.

57 Hornet’s home : NEST

A hornet is a large type of wasp, with some species reaching over two inches in length.

60 “___ Song,” 2007 hit that begins “I was ridin’ shotgun with my hair undone” : OUR

“Our Song” is a number recorded by Taylor Swift in 2006. Swift wrote the song during her freshman year for a high school talent show.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Swimmer’s set : LAPS
5 Word with dressing or days : SALAD …
10 *Workplace for the Seven Dwarfs : MINE
14 Way out : EXIT
15 Mental picture : IMAGE
16 Head of state in Qatar : EMIR
17 As well : ALSO
18 Weighted with freight : LADEN
19 Covid-19, slangily : RONA
20 *Like daredevils, seemingly : FEARLESS
22 Nuts and bolts drawer? : MAGNET
24 Desires : YENS
25 *Little one in arms : BABE
26 Reach for greedily : GRAB AT
29 Differ : VARY
30 *Visibly embarrassed : RED
33 Caramel-filled candy : ROLO
34 *Void : BLANK SPACE
37 One in a cast : ACTOR
39 Mischievous creature of folklore : ELF
40 Formerly the largest country in Africa, but since 2011 the third-largest : SUDAN
41 *Get over a minor injury, say : SHAKE IT OFF
44 Basis for a lawsuit : TORT
45 Apiece : PER
46 Way out : DOOR
47 Things made by doctors and bartenders : ROUNDS
49 Planted for future reaping : SOWN
50 Pile : HEAP
51 Look a little here, a little there : BROWSE
54 *Start of a classic breakup letter : DEAR JOHN …
58 ___ Gagarin, first person in space : YURI
59 Take stealthily, informally : YOINK
61 Orchestral instrument with a bell key : OBOE
62 Singing snowman in Disney’s “Frozen” : OLAF
63 Unit in a birth announcement : OUNCE
64 Influence that’s often unconscious : BIAS
65 Sing loudly, with “out” : BELT …
66 Encouraged : URGED
67 Send nude pics, maybe : SEXT

Down

1 Symbol over the “i” in the Tropicana logo : LEAF
2 Part of a drivetrain : AXLE
3 City with a famous tower : PISA
4 Perfect, as a romance : STORYBOOK
5 Element of doubt? : SILENT B
6 Accumulate : AMASS
7 Boys : LADS
8 Grow older : AGE
9 Southernmost part of Scandinavia : DENMARK
10 Become one : MERGE
11 “That’s my cue!” : I’M ON!
12 What all Alaska ZIP codes start with : NINE …
13 The “E” of Q.E.D. : ERAT
21 Meadowland : LEA
23 Deep chasm : ABYSS
25 Canada’s oldest national park : BANFF
26 Understand : GRASP
27 La ___-Posay (skin-care brand) : ROCHE
28 Place to say “I do” : ALTAR
29 Display from a knight : VALOR
30 Household gas that may require mitigation : RADON
31 Virtual greeting : E-CARD
32 Fender bender reminders : DENTS
35 Divulge : LET ON
36 Well-orchestrated ruses : PUT-UP JOBS
38 Second attempts : REDOS
42 “Much obliged” : I OWE YOU
43 Lost control, informally : FREAKED
48 Sculler’s need : OAR
49 Taylor ___, some of whose hit songs are featured in the answers to the starred clues : SWIFT
50 Ergo : HENCE
51 “We won’t be serving alcohol, but …” : … BYOB
52 Something a renegade may break or ignore : RULE
53 Spoken : ORAL
54 Tiny bell sound : DING
55 New York theater award : OBIE
56 Abominable Snowman (probably) : HOAX
57 Hornet’s home : NEST
60 “___ Song,” 2007 hit that begins “I was ridin’ shotgun with my hair undone” : OUR

13 thoughts on “0705-22 NY Times Crossword 5 Jul 22, Tuesday”

  1. 10:16, no errors. I don’t know any Taylor Swift songs…but it didn’t matter. No problem areas today. Favorite word of the day: YOINK.

  2. 15:43, no errors. Have only heard ‘Shake It Off’ a couple of times, totally unfamiliar with the rest.

  3. 12:00. Ditto – I knew nothing of Taylor Swift songs so this was, in effect, a themeless puzzle for me.

    Very tough for a Tuesday. I wonder how much knowing the songs would have helped? I don’t know because no one posting so far knows any of them…

    I like how BABE and MAGNET were connected…sort of…in the upper right.

    If SALAD days are your youth, I must be getting close to the after dinner drink days by now….

    Best –

    1. >Very tough for a Tuesday. I wonder how much knowing the songs would have helped?

      Re-reading this. After I saw the reveal, I could hear a few of them in my head, but the theme (per usual) wasn’t helpful in the course of solving it. Basically a themeless over all and the revealers was just an “Oh” moment before I went on to the next thing.

  4. 17:34, because I don’t know how to spell “sown” because I am an idiot. :- )

  5. 15:52 no errors…never paid any attention to the theme.
    When have you or anyone you know said YOINK ?
    Two setters on a Tuesday puzzle…WOW
    Stay safe😀

  6. 15 minutes. No errors or look ups. Would’ve been a couple of minutes quicker but I originally had blank slate instead of blank space which bogged me down. Also, “yoink”?? Never heard of it and never heard it. Only got it because it fit.

  7. I know “yoink” from doing crosswords. I’m told that it’s used a lot on “The Simpsons”, a program that I’ve never watched, but know a bit about (again, from doing crosswords):

    https://youtu.be/CJh1hmmLLzw

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