1011-22 NY Times Crossword 11 Oct 22, Tuesday

2022-10-062022-10-06

Constructed by: Ailee Yoshida
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Supergirl

Themed answers each comprise two words. The first is a synonym of “SUPER”, and the second a girl’s NAME:

  • 62A Kara Zor-El’s identity in DC Comics … or a punny hint to the answers to the starred clues : SUPERGIRL
  • 17A *Sincere intentions : GOOD FAITH
  • 25A *One who’s “Hoppin’ and a-boppin’ and a-singin’ his song,” in a 1958 hit : ROCKIN’ ROBIN
  • 38A *With 39-Across, flower named for its distinctive shape : STAR …
  • 39A *See 38-Across : … LILY
  • 40A Cake: Fr. : GATEAU
  • 51A *Considerable amount of money, in an idiom : PRETTY PENNY

Bill’s time: 8m 26s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Word said twice before “pants on fire” : LIAR

The full rhyme used by children to deride someone not telling the truth is:

Liar, liar, pants on fire,
Hang them up on the telephone wire.

9 Miso, for one : PASTE

Miso is the name of the seasoning that makes miso soup. Basic miso seasoning is made by fermenting rice, barley and soybeans with salt and a fungus to produce a paste. The paste can be added to stock to make miso soup, or perhaps to flavor tofu.

15 2021 Pixar film set on the Italian Riviera : LUCA

“Luca” is a 2021 Pixar animated film. The title character is a sea monster boy who can take the form of a human while on land.

“Riviera” is an Italian word meaning “coastline”. The term is often applied to a coastline that is sunny and popular with tourists. The term “the Riviera” is usually reserved for the French Riviera (the Mediterranean coastline in southeastern France), and the Italian Riviera (the Mediterranean coastline centered on Genoa).

16 Colorado ski resort : ASPEN

Aspen, Colorado used to be known as Ute City, with the name change taking place in 1880. Like many communities in the area, Aspen was a mining town, and in 1891 and 1892 it was at the center of the highest production of silver in the US. Nowadays, it’s all about skiing and movie stars.

19 Swiss green : CHARD

Chard is a lovely leafy vegetable, in my humble opinion. It is the same species as the garden beet, but chard is grown for the leaves and beet is grown for the roots. Chard also goes by the names Swiss chard, silverbeet, mangold. In some parts of Australia, it’s even known as spinach.

21 Martial artist Bruce : LEE

Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco, although he was raised in Hong Kong returned to the US to attend college. Sadly, Bruce Lee died when he was only 32 years old, due to cerebral edema (a swelling of the brain) attributed to adverse reactions to the pain killing drug Equagesic.

23 What gives a doc inside info? : MRI

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine uses powerful magnetic fields to generate its images so there is no exposure to ionizing radiation (such as X-rays). We used MRI equipment in our chemistry labs at school, way back in the days when the technology was still called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRI). Apparently the marketing folks didn’t like the term “nuclear” because of its association with atomic bombs, so now it’s just called MRI.

25 *One who’s “Hoppin’ and a-boppin’ and a-singin’ his song,” in a 1958 hit : ROCKIN’ ROBIN

1995’s “Rockin’ Robin” was the only number-one hit for rock and roll singer Bobby Day. The song was famously covered by Michael Jackson in 1972.

Rockin’ robin, (tweet-tweet-tweet)
Rock-rock-rockin’ robin’ (tweet-tweedilly-tweet)
Go rockin’ robin ’cause we’re really gonna rock tonight (tweet-tweedilly-tweet)

29 Vicinity : AREA

A vicinity is an area surrounding a place. The term “vicinity” ultimately comes from the Latin “vicus” meaning “group of houses, village”.

31 Round of a track race : HEAT

The term “heat”, meaning “qualifying race”, dates back to the 1660s. Originally, a heat was a run given to a horse to prepare it for a race, to “heat” it up.

32 King or Donkey follower : … KONG

1933’s “King Kong” really is a classic. It stars Fay Wray as the young woman (Ann Darrow) with whom Kong falls in love. Wray was very interested in the role as she was told that she would be playing opposite the “tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood”. She thought it might be Clark Gable. At least, that’s how the story goes …

The first video game featuring the ape named Donkey Kong was created in 1981. That same game introduced the world to the character known as Mario, four years before the game Super Mario Bros became such a big hit.

38 *With 39-Across, flower named for its distinctive shape : STAR …
39 *See 38-Across : … LILY

Leucocrinum is a perennial plant that is native to the American West. It is a stemless plant, and grows to a height of maybe 4 inches. Because it has star-shaped flowers and long, narrow leaves, the leucocrinum is also known as the star lily.

47 Possible score after deuce : AD IN

In tennis, if the score reaches deuce (i.e. when both players have scored three points), then the first player to win two points in a row wins the game. The player who wins the point immediately after deuce is said to have the advantage. If the player with the advantage wins the next point then that’s two in a row and that player wins the game. If the person with the advantage loses the next point, then advantage is lost and the players return to deuce and try again. The player calling out the score announces “ad in”, or more formally “advantage in”, if he/she has the advantage. If the score announcer’s opponent has the advantage, then the announcement is “ad out” or “advantage out”. Follow all of that …?

50 Yoshi of Mario games is one, for short : DINO

Yoshi is a dinosaur-like character in some Nintendo video games. Yoshi first appeared as a sidekick to Mario and Luigi in the 1991 game called “Super Mario World”.

55 Vietnamese dish containing 46-Down : PHO

Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a noodle soup from Vietnam that is a popular street food.

57 Tolkien creature : ENT

Ents are tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. “Ent” is an Old English word for “giant”.

60 Foolish : INANE

Our word “inane” meaning “silly, lacking substance” comes from the Latin “inanitis” meaning “empty space”.

62 Kara Zor-El’s identity in DC Comics … or a punny hint to the answers to the starred clues : SUPERGIRL

Kara Zor-El is Superman’s cousin, and is also known as Supergirl. Supergirl’s father and Superman’s father were brothers. On Earth, Supergirl uses the name “Linda Lee”.

65 Matt of “The Martian” : DAMON

“The Martian” is an intriguing 2015 science fiction film starring Matt Damon as an astronaut who is accidentally stranded on Mars. The movie is based on a 2011 novel of the same name by Andy Weir. One thing that I liked about the film is that the science cited is fairly realistic. In fact, NASA collaborated with the filmmakers extensively from script development to principal casting.

67 Garfield’s canine buddy : ODIE

Jon Arbuckle is a fictional character, and the owner of Odie from Jim Davis’s comic strip “Garfield”. Garfield is Arbuckle’s orange tabby cat. Odie is his less-than-smart beagle.

69 Badgers : NAGS

To badger is to harass. The verb “to badger” comes from the cruel practice of badger-baiting, which dates back to medieval times. Badger-baiting is a blood sport in which a dog is used as bait for a badger in its den, to draw it out into the open. The den is an artificial structure built to resemble a natural badgers’ den, complete with a tunnel entrance. The dog is sent down the tunnel causing the badger and dog to lock their jaws on each other. The badger and dog are then removed from the den by pulling on the dog’s tail. Horrible …

Down

2 Smelter’s material : IRON ORE

Metals are found in ore in the form of oxides. In order to get pure metal from the ore, the ore is heated and the metal oxides within are reduced (i.e. the oxygen is removed) in the chemical process known as smelting. The oxygen is extracted by adding a source of carbon or carbon monoxide which uses up the excess oxygen atoms to make carbon dioxide, a waste product of smelting (and, a greenhouse gas).

5 Mild cigar : CLARO

A claro is a mild cigar made with light-colored tobacco. The name “claro” comes from the Spanish for “clear”.

8 Mexico’s national flower : DAHLIA

The dahlia is a flowering plant native to Mexico and Central America. It was named the national flower of Mexico relatively recently, in 1963. The plant was given the name “dahlia” in 1791, in honor of Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.

11 Sender of unsolicited emails : SPAMBOT

Spambots are nasty little computer programs that send out spam emails and messages, often from fake accounts. This blog gets about 300 spam comments a day that I have to delete, almost all of which are written by spambots.

13 They’re typically happy in fairy tales : ENDINGS

The stock phrase “Once upon a time …” has been used in various forms as the start of a narrative at least since 1380. The stock phrase at the end of stories such as folktales is often “and they all lived happily ever after”. The earlier version of this ending was “happily until their deaths”.

34 Org. sponsoring a school fund-raiser, perhaps : PTA

Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

35 Hill with the 1998 #1 hit “Doo Wop (That Thing)” : LAURYN

Lauryn Hill is a singer-songwriter from South Orange, New Jersey who is best known as a member of the band called the Fugees (from 1994 to 1996). Off stage, Hill is known for having five children with Rohan Marley, the son of reggae icon Bob Marley. She was also in the public eye in 2010 when she served 3 months in jail for tax evasion.

37 Sandwich named for its ingredients : BLT

The BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) is the second-most popular sandwich in the US, after the plain old ham sandwich.

39 Depict by drawing : LIMN

To limn is to describe, or portray in a painting or a drawing. “Limn” has the same root as “illuminate”, in the sense of illuminating a manuscript.

40 Spinoff clothing store for children : GAP KIDS

The Gap is a San Francisco-based clothing retailer that was founded in 1969. The name “the Gap” was a homage to the popular sixties term “the generation gap”.

41 Kind of gland that produces cortisol : ADRENAL

The adrenal cortex is the outer part of the adrenal glands that sit just above our kidneys. The adrenal cortex produces two very important hormones:

  • Cortisol helps regulate metabolism, and is used in the body’s response to stress.
  • Aldosterone helps control blood pressure.

44 Hazardous current : RIPTIDE

Riptides are stretches of turbulent water caused by the meeting of different currents in the ocean.

53 Russian refusals : NYETS

“Nyet” is Russian for “no”, and “da” is Russian for “yes”.

63 “Party in the ___” (Miley Cyrus hit) : USA

“Party in the USA” is a 2009 song released by Miley Cyrus. It was co-written by Jessi J, with the intention that she would record it herself. She decided that the end product wasn’t “edgy” enough for her, and so passed it onto Cyrus. The Cyrus version made it to number-two in the charts, and Jessie J eventually recorded a cover version.

64 Common shape for a toy bank : PIG

The word “pig” can be used for earthenware, or an earthenware shard. From this usage there evolved the term “pig jar” that described an earthenware pot that could be filled with water for use as a bed-warmer. Crockery pots were also used to collect coins and these were also termed “pig jars”. By the 1700s, these pig jars had evolved into the first “piggy banks”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Word said twice before “pants on fire” : LIAR
5 Dressed (in) : CLAD
9 Miso, for one : PASTE
14 Guesstimate words : OR SO
15 2021 Pixar film set on the Italian Riviera : LUCA
16 Colorado ski resort : ASPEN
17 *Sincere intentions : GOOD FAITH
19 Swiss green : CHARD
20 How one might cower : IN FEAR
21 Martial artist Bruce : LEE
23 What gives a doc inside info? : MRI
24 Artfully evasive : COY
25 *One who’s “Hoppin’ and a-boppin’ and a-singin’ his song,” in a 1958 hit : ROCKIN’ ROBIN
29 Vicinity : AREA
31 Round of a track race : HEAT
32 King or Donkey follower : … KONG
33 What a dog’s tail wag and bark might mean : LET’S PLAY
36 Slackens, as rain : ABATES
38 *With 39-Across, flower named for its distinctive shape : STAR …
39 *See 38-Across : … LILY
40 Cake: Fr. : GATEAU
43 Slowly enter, as a crowd might : FILTER IN
47 Possible score after deuce : AD IN
48 Escape ___ (group activity) : ROOM
50 Yoshi of Mario games is one, for short : DINO
51 *Considerable amount of money, in an idiom : PRETTY PENNY
55 Vietnamese dish containing 46-Down : PHO
56 Barrel at a brewery : KEG
57 Tolkien creature : ENT
58 Chucked forcefully, in modern lingo : YEETED
60 Foolish : INANE
62 Kara Zor-El’s identity in DC Comics … or a punny hint to the answers to the starred clues : SUPERGIRL
65 Matt of “The Martian” : DAMON
66 “Really, though?” : IS IT?
67 Garfield’s canine buddy : ODIE
68 Some dog-powered transports : SLEDS
69 Badgers : NAGS
70 Filming locations : SETS

Down

1 Like the left brain, in pop psychology : LOGICAL
2 Smelter’s material : IRON ORE
3 Heretofore : AS OF YET
4 Went by horse or car : RODE
5 Mild cigar : CLARO
6 Him, in Paris : LUI
7 Do one’s part? : ACT
8 Mexico’s national flower : DAHLIA
9 Kind of fitness test for K-12 students : PACER
10 Output from an eruption : ASH
11 Sender of unsolicited emails : SPAMBOT
12 French loaf baked in a rectangular mold : TERRINE
13 They’re typically happy in fairy tales : ENDINGS
18 A ways away : FAR
22 Involve : ENTAIL
26 Burn slightly : CHAR
27 It has all the answers : KEY
28 Gave the green light : OKAYED
30 Agree : ASSENT
34 Org. sponsoring a school fund-raiser, perhaps : PTA
35 Hill with the 1998 #1 hit “Doo Wop (That Thing)” : LAURYN
37 Sandwich named for its ingredients : BLT
39 Depict by drawing : LIMN
40 Spinoff clothing store for children : GAP KIDS
41 Kind of gland that produces cortisol : ADRENAL
42 Reason for overtime : TIE GAME
43 Enemy : FOE
44 Hazardous current : RIPTIDE
45 Get using will power? : INHERIT
46 Slurpy strands of food : NOODLES
49 Decides to join : OPTS IN
52 Most student drivers : TEENS
53 Russian refusals : NYETS
54 “Quit ___ bellyachin’!” : YER
59 “Me” problems : EGOS
61 Minimal gesture of acknowledgment : NOD
63 “Party in the ___” (Miley Cyrus hit) : USA
64 Common shape for a toy bank : PIG