1013-22 NY Times Crossword 13 Oct 22, Thursday

Constructed by: Lewis Rothlein
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Skip Town

Themed answers make sense after we SKIP the TOWN hidden in the apparent answer, a TOWN in the state specified in the clue:

  • 62A Run off … or how to make the answers to 17-, 21-, 34-, 44- and 53-Across fit their clues : SKIP TOWN
  • 17A Sunset shade (MT) : REBUTTED (skip BUTTE to get RED)
  • 21A Start of an objection (TX) : BLARED OUT (skip LAREDO to get BUT …)
  • 34A Booty spot? (PA) : CHEERIEST (skip ERIE to get CHEST)
  • 44A They’re the pits (AZ) : HOME SALES (skip MESA to get HOLES)
  • 53A Sole (UT) : PROVOLONE (skip PROVO to get LONE)

Bill’s time: 13m 56s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Extended feature of “Hey Jude” and “Layla” : CODA

In music, a coda is primarily a passage that brings a movement to a conclusion. “Coda” is Italian for “tail”.

“Hey Jude” was originally a song titled “Hey Jules” written by Paul McCartney. He wrote the original song for John Lennon’s son Julian, in an attempt to comfort the boy during his parents’ divorce. There’s a phenomenal coda in “Hey Jude” after the fourth verse that lasts for over four minutes.

“Layla” is one of the great rock anthems of the seventies, released by Derek and the Dominos as a single in 1971. It is a masterpiece of composition, with the first half of the song a great vehicle for the guitar-playing talents of Eric Clapton. The second half is a beautifully melodic piano coda (a coda … taking up half the length of the track!). To top things off we have the “unplugged” version recorded by Clapton in 1992, a fabulous and inventive variation on the original.

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees.
Layla, I’m begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won’t you ease my worried mind.

5 Heat setting, in brief : NBA

The Miami Heat basketball team debuted in the NBA in the 1988-89 season. The franchise name was chosen in a competitive survey, with “Miami Heat” beating out “Miami Vice”.

15 Meaningful work, for short? : OED

Oxford English Dictionary (OED)

17 Sunset shade (MT) : REBUTTED

(skip BUTTE to get RED)
The city of Butte, Montana was founded as a mining town in the late 1800s. Although mining brought great growth to the area, it also brought environmental problems. Today, Butte is home to the country’s largest Superfund cleanup site.

19 Churchill portrayer in 2017’s “Darkest Hour” : OLDMAN

Gary Oldman is an English stage and screen actor. Like many English actors it seems, Oldman has played a lot of villains in Hollywood movies e.g. in “Air Force One” and “The Fifth Element”. My favorite Oldman performance is as Ludwig van Beethoven in “Immortal Beloved”. He also gave an outstanding, and Oscar-winning, portrayal of Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour”.

“Darkest Hour” is an excellent 2017 WWII movie about Winston Churchill during the early years of the war. Gary Oldman’s excellent performance as Churchill earned him that season’s Best Actor Oscar. Churchill had used the phrase “the darkest hour in French history” to describe that nation’s invasion by Nazi Germany in 1940.

20 “Sixteen Tons” singer, often : BASSO

The bass is the lowest male singing voice. A man with such a voice might be called a “basso” (plural “bassi”). In an opera, the villain of the piece is usually played by a basso.

21 Start of an objection (TX) : BLARED OUT (skip LAREDO to get BUT …)

Laredo is a border city in Texas that is situated on the banks of the Rio Grande, across the border from Nuevo Laredo in Mexico.

23 Props can build it up : EGO

“Props” is North American slang for “proper respect”.

34 Booty spot? (PA) : CHEERIEST (skip ERIE to get CHEST)

Erie is a port city in the very north of Pennsylvania, sitting on the southern shore of Lake Erie. The city takes its name from the Erie Native American tribe that resided in the area. Erie is nicknamed the Gem City, a reference to the “sparkling” water of Lake Erie.

“Booty”, meaning “plunder, profit”, is derived from the Old French word “butin” that has the same meaning.

38 “Documentary Now!” cable channel, originally : IFC

Independent Film Channel (IFC)

42 Holst’s “The Planets,” for one : SUITE

Despite the Scandinavian-sounding name, Gustav Holst was born in Britain and was the most English of classical composers. His most famous work is the orchestral suite known as ‘The Planets”. The suite has seven movements, one for each of the planets known at the time (1914-1916) except Earth. Pluto was discovered during Holst’s lifetime, but decades after he had completed his masterpiece. Anyway, Pluto was relegated from the league of planets …

44 They’re the pits (AZ) : HOME SALES (skip MESA to get HOLES)

The city of Mesa, Arizona is in effect a suburb of Phoenix. The original settlement of non-Native Americans was founded by Daniel Webster Jones who led a Mormon group from St. George, Utah. The settlement was first called Jonesville, then Fort Utah and eventually Lehi. A second group of Mormons arrived and formed a settlement on top of a nearby mesa. It was this use of a mesa that eventually gave the city its current name.

46 Congress-created media giant : NPR

National Public Radio (now just called “NPR”) was established in 1970 after President Johnson signed into law the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. The station’s first broadcast took place in April of 1971, coverage of the US Senate hearings on the Vietnam War. The intent of the act was to provide funding for radio and television broadcasting that wasn’t simply driven by profit. As a longtime fan of the state-funded BBC in the UK, I’d have to agree with that intent …

49 Evidence provider for some citations : RADAR

Radar speed guns were first used to monitor traffic by Connecticut State Police in the town of Glastonbury, way back in 1947!

53 Sole (UT) : PROVOLONE (skip PROVO to get LONE)

Provo, Utah is a city located just over 40 miles south of South Lake City. Provo is home to Brigham Young University. The city was originally called Fort Utah, and the name was changed to Provo in 1850 in honor of Étienne Provost. Provost was a French-Canadian fur trader who was perhaps the first man of European descent to see the Great Salt Lake.

Provolone cheese originated in Southern Italy, although today is mostly produced in the northern part of the country. Provola is also a cheese, and the name “Provolone” means “large Provola”.

61 Withdraw : RECANT

Our term “to recant”, meaning “to retract, take back” comes directly from the Latin “recantare”, which has the same meaning. In turn, “recantare” derives from “re-” (back) and “cantare” (to chant).

64 Jamaican sprinter Thompson-Herah with five Olympic golds : ELAINE

Elaine Thompson-Herah is an Olympic champion sprinter from Jamaica. In a 100m race in 2021, she became the first woman to break the 40 km/h barrier.

66 Lumpy citrus : UGLI

The ugli fruit is a hybrid of an orange and a tangerine that was first discovered growing wild in Jamaica where most ugli fruit comes from today. “UGLI” is a trademark name that is a variant of “ugly”, a nod to the fruit’s unsightly wrinkled rind.

Down

1 Consumer’s energy source, informally : CARB

Only relatively small amounts of carbohydrate can be stored by the human body, but those stores are important. The actual storage molecule is a starch-like polysaccharide called glycogen, which is found mainly in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is a quick source of energy when required by the body. Most of the body’s energy is stored in the form of fat, a more compact substance that is mobilized less rapidly. Endurance athletes often eat meals high in carbohydrates (carbo-loading) a few hours before an event, so that their body’s glycogen is at optimum levels.

2 Old music halls : ODEA

In ancient Greece, an odeon (also “odeum”) was like a small theater, with “odeon” literally meaning “building for musical competition”. Odea were used in both Greece and Rome for entertainments such as musical shows and poetry readings.

6 “EastEnders” broadcaster, with “the” : … BEEB

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is also known as “the Beeb”, a name given to the network by the great Peter Sellers on the classic British radio comedy called “The Goon Show”. The BBC was founded in 1922, and was the world’s first national broadcasting organization.

“EastEnders” is a very, very successful soap opera produced and aired by the BBC since 1985. The title refers to the East of London.

The East End of London was associated with overcrowding, poverty and accompanying social strife. It is also very much associated with Cockney culture and dialect. The traditional definition of a Cockney is someone “born within the sound of Bow Bells”, the bells in the church of St Mary-le-Bow on the thoroughfare Cheapside.

7 Extra: Abbr. : ADDL

Additional (addl.)

8 Like leis : FLORAL

“Lei” is a Hawaiian word meaning “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a lei is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.

11 Fruit liqueur from Italy : LIMONCELLO

Limoncello is a rather tasty lemon liqueur that is mostly associated with Southern Italy. I’ve come across California-made limoncello quite a lot in recent years …

12 Hairy twin in a Bible story : ESAU

Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother Rebekah gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).

18 Dress nicely, with “up” : TOG …

The verb “to tog up”, meaning “to dress up”, comes from the Latin “toga” describing the garment worn in ancient Rome. “Tog” can also be used as an informal word for a coat or a cloak. Back in Ireland, togs are what we call swimming shorts.

24 Best New American Play 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.

26 Longtime CBS procedural : NCIS

NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigates crimes in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The service gives its name to the CBS TV show “NCIS”, a spin-off drama from “JAG” in which the main “NCIS” characters were first introduced. The big star in “NCIS” is the actor Mark Harmon. “NCIS” is now a franchise, with spin-off shows “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “NCIS: New Orleans”.

35 Manhattan component : RYE

The cocktail called a manhattan is made from whiskey, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters. I favor my own version of a brandy manhattan, using brandy, sweet vermouth and orange bitters.

37 Actress Harper of “No Country for Old Men” : TESS

“No Country for Old Men” is a 2007 thriller made by the Coen brothers that is based on a novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. I have to put this one on my list as I hear good things about it. It won several Oscars and stars Tommy Lee Jones, a favorite actor of mine.

40 Their scores are on some coll. applications : GEDS

The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a battery of four tests designed to demonstrate that a student has the academic skills of someone who has graduated from an American or Canadian high school.

43 Painful effort : TRAVAIL

A travail is a really difficult task or burden. “Travail” is the French word for “work”.

50 Poet who originated the phrase “For whom the bell tolls” : DONNE

John Donne was one of England’s most celebrated poets, and was active at the start of the 17th century. He spent much of his life in poverty and even spent a short time in prison for having married his wife without procuring the appropriate permissions. After his release, his wife bore him 12 children in 16 years, passing away a few days after the twelfth child was born.

John Donne wrote a piece of prose called “Devotions upon Emergent Occasions”. One passage contains two phrases that are oft-quoted: “No man is an island”, and “for whom the bell tolls”.

No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.

52 Clairvoyant’s claim : ESP

We’ve been using the term “clairvoyant” to describe a psychic since the nineteenth century. Prior to that, a clairvoyant was a clear-sighted person. The term comes from French, with “clair” meaning “clear” and “voyant” meaning “seeing”.

54 Move, informally : RELO

Relocate (relo)

55 “Careful where you open this” indicator : NSFW

The abbreviation “NSFW” stands for “not safe/suitable for work”. It’s Internet slang used to describe online content that is best not viewed at work.

58 A bird in flight, for Lufthansa : LOGO

The Hanseatic League was a confederation of merchant guilds and market towns that stretched along the Northern European coast from the 13th to the 17th centuries. Also known as the Hansa, the league is remembered today in company names like “Lufthansa”, the airline (translating as “Air Hansa”).

59 Birds whose eyes don’t move : OWLS

Owls have 14 vertebrae in their necks (compared to our 7). The extra bones in the neck, along with other adaptations allow owls to rotate the head and neck about 270 degrees.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Extended feature of “Hey Jude” and “Layla” : CODA
5 Heat setting, in brief : NBA
8 Many morality tales : FABLES
14 Mankind, biblically : ADAM
15 Meaningful work, for short? : OED
16 Serve as a go-between : LIAISE
17 Sunset shade (MT) : REBUTTED (skip BUTTE to get RED)
19 Churchill portrayer in 2017’s “Darkest Hour” : OLDMAN
20 “Sixteen Tons” singer, often : BASSO
21 Start of an objection (TX) : BLARED OUT (skip LAREDO to get BUT …)
23 Props can build it up : EGO
25 Encumbered : LADEN
26 Opposite of an exception : NORM
29 It’s played in the 5-Across, informally : B-BALL
32 It may be hard to follow : ACT
34 Booty spot? (PA) : CHEERIEST (skip ERIE to get CHEST)
36 All ears : ALERT
38 “Documentary Now!” cable channel, originally : IFC
39 “… about up to here” : … YEA HIGH
41 Bluff, say : LIE
42 Holst’s “The Planets,” for one : SUITE
44 They’re the pits (AZ) : HOME SALES (skip MESA to get HOLES)
46 Congress-created media giant : NPR
47 Dispensed, with “out” : METED …
48 Throw out : TOSS
49 Evidence provider for some citations : RADAR
51 Go to : SEE
53 Sole (UT) : PROVOLONE (skip PROVO to get LONE)
57 Isolates, in a way : SILOS
61 Withdraw : RECANT
62 Run off … or how to make the answers to 17-, 21-, 34-, 44- and 53-Across fit their clues : SKIP TOWN
64 Jamaican sprinter Thompson-Herah with five Olympic golds : ELAINE
65 Bottle-___ : FED
66 Lumpy citrus : UGLI
67 Did some campaign work : POLLED
68 15-Across focus: Abbr. : WDS
69 After, before : POST-

Down

1 Consumer’s energy source, informally : CARB
2 Old music halls : ODEA
3 Glue amounts, often : DABS
4 “Go on, do something funny” : AMUSE ME
5 “Sorry ___ sorry” : NOT
6 “EastEnders” broadcaster, with “the” : … BEEB
7 Extra: Abbr. : ADDL
8 Like leis : FLORAL
9 Was laid up : AILED
10 Devil’s bargain, so to speak : BAD DEAL
11 Fruit liqueur from Italy : LIMONCELLO
12 Hairy twin in a Bible story : ESAU
13 In the mail : SENT
18 Dress nicely, with “up” : TOG …
22 Unequaled, ever : ALL-TIME
24 Best New American Play award : OBIE
26 Longtime CBS procedural : NCIS
27 “Sounds exciting,” sincerely or sarcastically : OH FUN
28 Going both ways : RECIPROCAL
30 Do something amazing for another : BE A HERO
31 Gives ___ (attempts) : A SHOT
33 Attempts : TRIES
35 Manhattan component : RYE
36 Sounds of realization : AHS
37 Actress Harper of “No Country for Old Men” : TESS
40 Their scores are on some coll. applications : GEDS
43 Painful effort : TRAVAIL
45 Enjoyed something with relish, say : ATE IT UP
47 ___ milk : MALTED
50 Poet who originated the phrase “For whom the bell tolls” : DONNE
52 Clairvoyant’s claim : ESP
53 Ready, informally : PREP
54 Move, informally : RELO
55 “Careful where you open this” indicator : NSFW
56 Squeezed (out) : EKED
58 A bird in flight, for Lufthansa : LOGO
59 Birds whose eyes don’t move : OWLS
60 Apt rhyme for “fit” : SNIT
63 Some items in purses, for short : IDS