0201-23 NY Times Crossword 1 Feb 23, Wednesday

Constructed by: Dan Caprera
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Tractor Beams

Themed answers are SCIENCE FICTION VESSELS, each with a TRACTOR BEAM that SUCKS UP EARTHLY BODIES shown with circled letters in the grid:

  • 58A Science fiction energy rays that might suck up earthly bodies, as depicted three times in this puzzle : TRACTOR BEAMS
  • 14A Science fiction vessel : FLYING SAUCER
  • 16D Trash hauler [Moooooooo!] : SCOW [COW]
  • 35A Science fiction vessel : MOTHER SHIP
  • 28D Place for a drink while traveling [Hooooonk!] : BAR CAR [CAR]
  • 41A Science fiction vessel : SPACECRAFT
  • 25D 1976 hit by Heart [Heeeeelp!] : MAGIC MAN [MAN]

Bill’s time: 9m 33s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Contents of some college party shots : JELL-O

The earliest published recipe for Jell-O shots (or equivalent) appeared in an 1862 book called “How to Mix Drinks” by Jerry Thomas. That recipe called for gelatin, cognac, rum and lemon juice.

6 Reclining hero pose, for one : ASANA

“Asana” is a Sanskrit word that translates literally as “sitting down”. The asanas are the poses that a practitioner of yoga assumes. The most famous is the lotus position, the cross-legged pose called “padmasana”.

11 Film special f/x : CGI

Computer-generated imagery (CGI)

“FX” (sometimes “f/x”) is an abbreviation for “effects”, as in “special effects”.

14 Science fiction vessel : FLYING SAUCER

Disc-shaped flying objects have been reported in the sky since the Middle Ages. In the modern era, the event that launched the term “flying saucer” was a UFO sighting in 1947, which was covered widely in the media. Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine unidentified flying objects in formation near Mount Rainier in Washington. In describing the objects, he repeatedly used the words “saucer”, “disc” and “pie-plate”. Newspapers latched onto the terminology, and we’ve been seeing flying “saucers” ever since.

18 Like a government led by thieving politicians : KLEPTOCRATIC

Kleptocrats are corrupt rulers who use their power to their own benefit, stealing resources from their realm and exploiting their people. The word “kleptocracy” comes from the related term “kleptomania”. The Greek word “kleptein” translates as “to steal”.

20 Platte River people : OTO

The Platte River used to be called the Nebrakier, which is an Oto word meaning “flat river”. Indeed, the state of Nebraska takes its name from “Nebrakier”. For a while it was also called the River Plate as “plate” is the French word “flat”. Later this became “Platte”, the phonetic spelling of the French “plate”.

21 Diesel found in street racers? : VIN

Vin Diesel is the stage name of actor Mark Sinclair Vincent. He was born in New York City with his twin brother Paul. The twins never knew their father, and their mother is an astrologer. Vincent was given the nickname of “Diesel” by his friends early in his life, as he was said to have a bottomless supply of energy.

22 Costco unit : CASE

Costco is the largest warehouse club in the US, and the second largest retailer in the world (after Wal-Mart). Apparently Costco is also the largest retailer of wine in the whole world. The company was founded in 1983 in Kirkland, Washington. Kirkland Signature is Costco’s store brand, and you can even buy Kirkland Signature wine.

23 Ingredient in a hurricane : RUM

The hurricane is a daiquiri-like cocktail that is very much associated with the French Quarter in New Orleans. It comprises rum, lemon juice and passion fruit syrup and is traditionally served in what’s now known as a hurricane glass. Supposedly, the drink was created in the 1940s by a bar owner who wanted to sell off some overstocked rum. He mixed up the drink and sold it to sailors in glass shaped like hurricane lamps, hence the name of the cocktail.

26 Cute, cutely : TWEE

In the UK, something “twee” is cutesy or overly nice. “Twee” came from “tweet”, which is the cutesy, baby-talk way of saying “sweet”.

28 Held in suspense : BATED

To bate is to restrain, as in “with bated breath” meaning “with restrained breath”. “Bate” can also mean “lessen”, and is a shortening of “abate”.

29 Peak whose name means “the high one” : DENALI

Denali’s summit stands at 20,310 feet, making it the highest mountain peak in North America. Denali means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language. The peak was known as Mount McKinley for many years, named in 1896 for future president William McKinley. The state of Alaska changed the name back to Denali in 1975, and the federal government followed suit in 2015.

31 Some footwear fasteners : T-STRAPS

A t-strap is a t-shaped strap that is part of many women’s shoes. The strap is in two parts, with one part going across the ankle, and the other lying along the length of the foot on top.

34 Adult stage in insects : IMAGO

The imago is an intermediate stage in the development of an insect. All four stages are embryo, larva, pupa and imago.

38 Fig Newtons manufacturer : NABISCO

The Fig Newton cookie is based on what is actually a very old recipe that dates back to ancient Egypt. Whereas we grew up with “Fig Rolls” in Ireland, here in America the brand name “Fig Newton” was used, as the cookies were originally produced in Newton, Massachusetts.

The National Biscuit Company was formed in 1898 with the merger of three existing bakery businesses. The company name today is “Nabisco”, an abbreviated form of “National Biscuit Company”.

40 Primeval : ANCIENT

Something described as primeval is very old or ancient, belongs to the earliest ages.

44 East Coast Amtrak service with the fastest trains in the Americas : ACELA

The Acela Express is the fastest train routinely running in the US, as it gets up to 150 mph at times. The service runs between Boston and Washington D.C. via Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. Introduced in 2000, the brand name “Acela” was created to evoke “acceleration” and “excellence”.

47 Instrument with a pedal : HI-HAT

In a drum kit, a hi-hat is a pairing of cymbals that sits on a stand and is played by using a foot pedal. The top cymbal is raised and lowered by the foot, hence creating a crashing sound.

51 Denver winter hrs. : MST

Mountain Standard Time (MST)

52 Site of a terrible fall? : EDEN

In the Christian tradition, the “fall of man” took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This went against the bidding of God, and was at the urging of the serpent. As a result, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden to prevent them from becoming immortal by eating from the tree of life. The first humans had transitioned from a state of innocent obedience to a state of guilty disobedience.

53 Org. in “The X-Files” : FBI

“The X-Files” is a very successful science fiction show that originally aired on the Fox network from 1993 to 2002. The stars of the show are David Duchovny (playing Fox Mulder) and the very talented Gillian Anderson (playing Dana Scully). By the time the series ended, “The X-Files” was the longest running sci-fi show in US broadcast history. An “X-Files” reboot started airing in 2016 with Duchovny and Anderson reprising their starring roles.

55 On the ___ : LAM

To be on the lam is to be in flight, to have escaped from prison. “On the lam” is American slang that originated at the end of the 19th century. The word “lam” also means “beat” or “thrash”, as in “lambaste”. So “on the lam” might derive from the phrase “to beat it, scram”.

57 Helmed : LED

In its broadest sense, the term “helm” describes the whole of a ship’s steering mechanism, including the rudder and tiller. In a more specific sense, the helm is the handle, tiller or wheel that is used to control the steering gear.

64 Chum : PAL

A chum is a friend. The term “chum” originated in the late 1600s as an alternative spelling for “cham”. In turn, “cham” was a shortened form of “chambermate”, a roommate at university.

68 Gumbos, e.g. : STEWS

Gumbo is a type of stew or soup that originated in Louisiana. The primary ingredient can be meat or fish, but to be true gumbo it must include the “holy trinity” of vegetables, namely celery, bell peppers and onion. Okra used to be a requirement but this is no longer the case. Okra gave the dish its name as the vernacular word for the African vegetable is “okingumbo”, from the Bantu language spoken by many of the slaves brought to America.

Down

1 Airport alternative to Newark Liberty : JFK

The Idlewild Golf Course was taken over by the city of New York in 1943 and construction started on a new airport to serve the metropolis and relieve congestion at LaGuardia. The Idlewild name still persists, even though the airport was named after Major General Alexander E. Anderson from the first days of the project. When the facility started operating in 1948 it was known as New York International Airport, Anderson Field. It was renamed to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 1963, one month after the President was assassinated.

Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) is the busiest of all the airports in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area. It opened in 1928 and became the busiest commercial airport in the world through the 1930s. The airport’s name was changed to Newark Liberty in 2002 to honor the victims of 9/11.

3 Strong cleaner : LYE

What we call “lye” is usually sodium hydroxide (NaOH), although historically the term “lye” was used for potassium hydroxide. Lye has many uses, including to cure several foodstuffs. Lye can make olives less bitter, for example. The chemical is also found in canned mandarin oranges, pretzels and Japanese ramen noodles. More concentrated grades of lye are used to clear drains and clean ovens. Scary …

6 Longest river entirely in Switzerland : AAR

The Aar (also called the “Aare” in German) is the longest river entirely in Switzerland. The Aar is a major tributary of the Rhine and flows through Bern, the nation’s capital.

7 Most urbane : SUAVEST

The Latin word “suavis” translates as “agreeable, pleasant to the senses”. “Sauvis” is the root of the English word “suave” that describes someone who is gracious and sophisticated, and perhaps somewhat superficial. “Sauvis” also gave us the English word “sweet” meaning “pleasing to the taste”.

We use “urbane” today to describe something courteous or refined. Back in the 1500s, the term was used in the same way that we now use “urban”. Those townsfolk thought they were more sophisticated than the country folk, and so the usage evolved.

8 When “Time Warp” is sung in the musical “The Rocky Horror Show” : ACT I

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has to have the most devout cult-following of any movie ever made. Famously, fans attending a midnight show of the film will dress up in outrageous costumes used in the film, and bring props with them. The props bear little relation to the storyline, but a tradition of using certain props in a particular way has been established. For example, at one point a character proposes a toast, and the audience throws toast around the theater. Go figure …

9 German veto : NEIN

The verb “veto” comes directly from Latin and means “I forbid”. The term was used by tribunes of ancient Rome to indicate that they opposed measures passed by the Senate.

10 Path of a comet : ARC

Comets and asteroids are similar, both being relatively small celestial bodies orbiting the sun. Comets differ from asteroids in that they have a coma or tail, especially when they are close enough to the sun. The coma and tail are temporary fuzzy atmospheres that develop due to the presence of solar radiation. Comets are sometimes referred to as “dirty snowballs”, a reference to their composition: rock, dust, water ice and frozen gasses.

11 Crib notes : CHEAT SHEETS

A crib is plagiarism. It is most commonly the copying of an answer in an examination.

12 Gaggle components : GEESE

A collection of geese is referred to as a “gaggle” when on the ground. When geese are in V-formation in flight, they are referred to collectively as a “skein”.

15 2018 John Travolta flop : GOTTI

Actor, dancer and singer John Travolta got his first break playing student Vinnie Barbarino in the sitcom “Welcome Back, Kotter” in the seventies. While still on the TV show, Travolta showed off his dancing skills on two fabulous musical films: “Saturday Night Fever” (1977) and “Grease” (1978). His career then took a bit of a dip, before resurging again with his role in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino blockbuster “Pulp Fiction”.

16 Trash hauler [Moooooooo!] : SCOW [COW]

A scow is a flat-bottomed boat with squared-off ends that’s often used for transportation, usually pushed or pulled by a barge. Often, a scow can be seen carrying junk or garbage.

22 Chili pepper or bell pepper, scientifically : CAPSICUM

Chili peppers originated in Bolivia, and were first grown as a crop in Mexico. The spelling of the word “chili” can lead to some confusion. “Chili” is the most common spelling in North America, although the spelling “chile” is usual in Mexico and some parts of the US and Canada. The spelling in Britain and Ireland that I grew up with is “”chilli”.

27 W.W. II war zone, in brief : ETO

European Theater of Operations (ETO)

28 Place for a drink while traveling [Hooooonk!] : BAR CAR [CAR]

That would be a bar car on a train. Choo choo …

33 Stimpy’s chum of toondom : REN

“The Ren & Stimpy Show” is an animated television serial created by Canadian animator John Kricfalusi, and which ran on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 1996. The title characters are Marland “Ren” Höek, a scrawny Chihuahua, and Stimpson J. Cat, a rotund Manx cat. Not my cup of tea …

37 Grps. organizing book sales or bake sales, maybe : PTAS

Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

42 One of seven in the Constitution : ARTICLE

The US Constitution comprises a preamble (famously beginning with “We the people …”), seven articles and twenty-seven amendments (to date).

43 Tallahassee sch. : FSU

Florida State University (FSU) is located in Tallahassee, the state capital of Florida. The school’s athletic teams are known as the Seminoles (sometimes the “‘Noles”). The team name was chosen in 1947 by the students in a vote, and alludes to the Seminole people of Florida.

Tallahassee isn’t only the county seat of Leon County, it is the capital city of Florida. Tallahassee was chosen as the state capital because it was equidistant from the cities of St. Augustine and Pensacola, which had been the capitals of the earlier French and British colonies of East Florida and West Florida.

56 Major corp. hirees : MBAS

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

58 Atlanta-based network : TBS

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) adopted the slogan “Very Funny” in 2004. The slogan is meant to contrast TBS with its sister channel TNT, which focuses on drama shows. In 2012, TNT adopted the slogan “Drama, Period.”

59 ___ Allen, host of “Chopped” on the Food Network : TED

Ted Allen is a TV personality who found fame as the food and wine expert on the Bravo show “Queer Eye”. He started as host of the cooking competition show “Chopped” in 2009.

60 Tolkien’s Leaflock, for one : 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”.

62 Pokémon with a catlike appearance : MEW

“Pokémon” is the second-biggest video game franchise in the world, second only to the “Mario” franchise. “Pokémon” is a contraction of “Pocket Monsters”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Contents of some college party shots : JELL-O
6 Reclining hero pose, for one : ASANA
11 Film special f/x : CGI
14 Science fiction vessel : FLYING SAUCER
17 She/___ pronouns : HER
18 Like a government led by thieving politicians : KLEPTOCRATIC
19 Comic strip cry : EEK!
20 Platte River people : OTO
21 Diesel found in street racers? : VIN
22 Costco unit : CASE
23 Ingredient in a hurricane : RUM
26 Cute, cutely : TWEE
28 Held in suspense : BATED
29 Peak whose name means “the high one” : DENALI
31 Some footwear fasteners : T-STRAPS
34 Adult stage in insects : IMAGO
35 Science fiction vessel : MOTHER SHIP
38 Fig Newtons manufacturer : NABISCO
40 Primeval : ANCIENT
41 Science fiction vessel : SPACECRAFT
44 East Coast Amtrak service with the fastest trains in the Americas : ACELA
45 Some cheerful folks : SMILERS
46 Heavy-handed sorts : BRUTES
47 Instrument with a pedal : HI-HAT
49 Part of an IV or an old TV : TUBE
51 Denver winter hrs. : MST
52 Site of a terrible fall? : EDEN
53 Org. in “The X-Files” : FBI
55 On the ___ : LAM
57 Helmed : LED
58 Science fiction energy rays that might suck up earthly bodies, as depicted three times in this puzzle : TRACTOR BEAMS
64 Chum : PAL
65 Performer who might step on some toes? : BALLET DANCER
66 On the ___ : SLY
67 Trusty companion for a knight : STEED
68 Gumbos, e.g. : STEWS

Down

1 Airport alternative to Newark Liberty : JFK
2 Building wing : ELL
3 Strong cleaner : LYE
4 Sass : LIP
5 Not flummoxed by : ONTO
6 Longest river entirely in Switzerland : AAR
7 Most urbane : SUAVEST
8 When “Time Warp” is sung in the musical “The Rocky Horror Show” : ACT I
9 German veto : NEIN
10 Path of a comet : ARC
11 Crib notes : CHEAT SHEETS
12 Gaggle components : GEESE
13 Cross : IRKED
15 2018 John Travolta flop : GOTTI
16 Trash hauler [Moooooooo!] : SCOW [COW]
22 Chili pepper or bell pepper, scientifically : CAPSICUM
23 Update, as a site layout : REMAP
24 Without shame : UNABASHEDLY
25 1976 hit by Heart [Heeeeelp!] : MAGIC MAN [MAN]
27 W.W. II war zone, in brief : ETO
28 Place for a drink while traveling [Hooooonk!] : BAR CAR [CAR]
29 Loud, unpleasant noises : DINS
30 Fly off the handle : LOSE IT
32 “Well, ___ escalated quickly!” : THAT
33 Stimpy’s chum of toondom : REN
35 Seconds or thirds : MORE
36 Quiet spot to moor a boat : INLET
37 Grps. organizing book sales or bake sales, maybe : PTAS
39 Half of D : CCL
42 One of seven in the Constitution : ARTICLE
43 Tallahassee sch. : FSU
46 Feature on either brother of Smith Bros. cough drops : BEARD
47 Lends a hand : HELPS
48 Unbeatable : IDEAL
50 Result of a leaky pen, perhaps : BLOT
53 Chi Psi, e.g., informally : FRAT
54 It’s bound to be eaten by livestock : BALE
56 Major corp. hirees : MBAS
58 Atlanta-based network : TBS
59 ___ Allen, host of “Chopped” on the Food Network : TED
60 Tolkien’s Leaflock, for one : ENT
61 One of a pair of “bullets,” in poker : ACE
62 Pokémon with a catlike appearance : MEW
63 One section of a H.S. yearbook : SRS

5 thoughts on “0201-23 NY Times Crossword 1 Feb 23, Wednesday”

  1. 14:32, got the theme, but didn’t. The “cow, car, man” thing was over my head. Must’ve been the tractor beam…

  2. 14:30. Duncan minus 2 seconds.

    Seems to me that the TRACTOR BEAM itself was carrying a BALLET DANCER in addition to the car, man, and cow in the other vehicles.

    Isn’t saying something is a KLEPTOCRATIC government redundant?? A government led by thieving politicians…..also redundant.

    Best –

  3. 17:04, no errors. The theme, like alien spacecraft, was totally invisible to me. I don’t think anyone would believe me if I had seen them.

  4. 14:54, no errors. I had to find one fat fingered error before I got the jingle. I’ve never heard of (are you ready?)…JELJO shots😋

  5. Got the theme,.. I think.
    Liked @jeff response with tractor beams picking up ballet dancers!!

    How about ARTICLE or INLET or better yet PTAS!! HA!

Comments are closed.