0208-23 NY Times Crossword 8 Feb 23, Wednesday

Constructed by: Chase Dittrich
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): With or Without

Themed answers each include a shaded letter. The clue matches the answer WITH OR WITHOUT that letter:

  • 17A Alternative to 2% … with or without the shaded letter : GOAT MILK or OAT MILK
  • 31A It may be half of a blackjack … with or without the shaded letter : FACE CARD or ACE CARD
  • 45A Things that might be raised in court … with or without the shaded letter : EMOTIONS or MOTIONS
  • 62A They might eliminate teams … with or without the shaded letter : PLAYOFFS or LAYOFFS
  • Bill’s time: 9m 25s

    Bill’s errors: 0

    Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

    Across

    1 “In like a lion, out like a ___” (March adage) : LAMB

    “March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb” is a proverb suggesting that the month of March starts off with cold and unpleasant weather, but finishes mildly and quite pleasantly.

    5 Knee stabilizer, in brief : ACL

    The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of four major ligaments that support the knee.

    8 Quaff : IMBIBE

    To imbibe is to drink or take in. The verb “to imbibe” ultimately comes from the Latin “in-” (into, in) and “bibere” (to drink).

    “Quaff” is both a verb and a noun. One “quaffs” (takes a hearty drink) of a “quaff” (a hearty drink).

    14 Moises of baseball fame : ALOU

    Moisés Alou played Major League Baseball, as did his father Felipe and his uncles Matty and Jesús.

    15 One of the fire signs : LEO

    Each of the twelve astrological signs is associated with one of the classical elements:

    • Fire signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
    • Earth signs: Taurus, Capricorn, Virgo
    • Air signs: Libra, Aquarius, Gemini
    • Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

    16 “Marvelous” TV character : MAISEL

    “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is a comedy drama TV show set in the late fifties and early sixties. The title character, played by Rachel Brosnahan, is a New York housewife who opts for a career as a standup comedian.

    17 Alternative to 2% … with or without the shaded letter : GOAT MILK or OAT MILK

    Oat milk is one of the alternatives to cow’s milk, and is lactose free. I’m a huge fan …

    21 Simpson with an I.Q. of 159 : LISA

    Lisa Simpson is Bart’s brainy younger sister on TV’s “The Simpsons”. Lisa is voiced by actress Yeardley Smith. In a 2008 episode of the show, Lisa enters a crossword tournament. Crossword celebrities Merl Reagle and Will Shortz make appearances in that episode, basically playing cartoon versions of themselves.

    24 Place to practice martial arts : DOJO

    The Japanese word “dojo” translates literally as “place of the way”. Originally the term applied to training halls that were found in or beside temples. The teaching in a dojo was not limited to the martial arts, but in the Western world we use the dojo as the name for a training facility for judo, karate and the like.

    Martial arts are various fighting traditions and systems used in combat or simply to promote physical well-being. The term “martial” ultimately derives from Latin and means “Arts of Mars”, a reference to Mars, the Roman god of war.

    26 One-named singer with the 2000 hit “Only Time” : ENYA

    “Only Time” is a song written and recorded by Irish singer Enya. Released in 2000, “Only Time” is the biggest solo hit for Enya in the US.

    28 Tex-Mex dish : FAJITA

    “Fajita” is a Tex-Mex term that refers to grilled meat served on a tortilla. The original Mexican-Spanish term “fajita” is used to describe a small strip of chicken or beef. Nowadays, fajitas are often served on a sizzling platter with the tortillas and condiments on the side.

    31 It may be half of a blackjack … with or without the shaded letter : FACE CARD or ACE CARD

    The card game known as “twenty-one” was first referred to in print in a book by Cervantes, the author famous for writing “Don Quixote”. He called the game “veintiuna” (Spanish for “twenty-one”). Cervantes wrote his story just after the year 1600, so the game has been around at least since then. Twenty-one came to the US but it wasn’t all that popular so bonus payments were introduced to create more interest. One of the more attractive bonuses was a ten-to-one payout to a player who was dealt an ace of spades and a black jack. This bonus led to the game adopting the moniker “Blackjack”.

    35 On the briny : ASEA

    The briny is the sea, with “brine” meaning “salty water”. The term “briny” was originally used for “tears”.

    38 “Doctor ___” : WHO

    The iconic science-fiction television show “Doctor Who” first aired in 1963 on the BBC, and relaunched in 2005. The relaunched series is produced in-house by the BBC in Cardiff in Wales, the location that is the setting of the successful “Doctor Who” spin-off called “Torchwood”. The new show is about the Cardiff branch of the Torchwood Institute which investigates incidents involving extraterrestrials. Why “Torchwood”? Well, “Torchwood” is an anagram of “Doctor Who”.

    39 Small stream : RILL

    The word “rill”, meaning a small brook or rivulet, has German roots. It has the same roots as “Rhine”, the name of the major European river.

    41 Alien conveyances : UFOS

    In 1952, the USAF revived its studies of reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in a program called Project Blue Book. Project Blue Book ran from 1952 until it was shut down in 1969 with the conclusion that there was no threat to national security and that there were no sightings that could not be explained within the bounds of modern scientific knowledge.

    42 The Golden Bears of the N.C.A.A., familiarly : CAL

    The California Golden Bears are the athletic teams of the University of California, Berkeley. The University of California, Berkeley (Cal) is the most difficult public university to get into in the world. It opened in 1869 and is named for Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkeley.

    43 Mediterranean country with 8,500 miles of coastline : GREECE

    Someone from Greece can be called a Hellene. “Ellas” is the Greek word for “Greece”, the name of the country. Greece is also known as the “Hellenic” Republic.

    44 On a streak? : NUDE

    People have been running around naked for an awfully long time, but the application of the word “streaking” to the phenomenon only dates back to 1973. A journalist was reporting on a mass nude run of 533 people at the University of Maryland in 1973, and used the words “they are streaking (i.e. moving quickly) past me right now. It’s an incredible sight!”. The Associated Press picked up the story the next day, and interpreted “streaking” as the term to describe “running naked”, and we’ve been using it that way ever since.

    49 Brand for which Garfield was once a “spokescat” : ALPO

    Alpo is a brand of dog food introduced by Allen Products in 1936, with “Alpo” being an abbreviation for “Allen Products”. Lorne Greene used to push Alpo dog food in television spots, as did Ed McMahon and Garfield the Cat, would you believe?

    50 Memo heading : IN RE

    The term “in re” is Latin, and is derived from “in” (in) and “res” (thing, matter). “In re” literally means “in the matter”, and is used to mean “in regard to” or “in the matter of”.

    51 Trojan War hero : AJAX

    Ajax was a figure in Greek mythology, and was the cousin of Achilles. Ajax is an important figure in Homer’s “Iliad”. According to Homer, Ajax was chosen by lot to meet Hector in an epic duel that lasted a whole day. The duel ended in a draw.

    54 V.A. concern : PTSD

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

    56 Chardonnay, for one : GRAPE

    The chardonnay grape is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of France. Now it’s grown “everywhere”. Drinkers of California “chards” seem to be particularly fond of oak flavor, so most chardonnay wines are aged in oak barrels or with oak chips.

    60 Corkscrew pasta : ROTINI

    Rotini is a corkscrew-shaped pasta that is often used in pasta salads. Even though “rotini” sounds like it comes from a word meaning “twist, rotate”, the word “rotini” doesn’t exist in Italian other than as the name for the pasta.

    64 2013 Sheryl Sandberg best seller : LEAN IN

    Sheryl Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook, having left her position as a vice president with Google. Sandberg is the co-author of a very influential book called “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead”.

    65 Big name in outdoor gear : REI

    REI is a sporting goods store, with the initialism standing for Recreational Equipment Inc. REI was founded in Seattle by Lloyd and Mary Anderson in 1938 as a cooperative that supplies quality climbing gear to outdoor enthusiasts. The first full-time employee hired by the Andersons was Jim Whittaker, who was the first American to climb Mount Everest.

    66 Hobbit foes : ORCS

    According to Tolkien, Orcs are small humanoids that live in his fantasy world of Middle-earth (also called “Mordor”). They are very ugly and dirty, and are fond of eating human flesh.

    68 Luxury handbag initials : YSL

    Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) was an Algerian-born French fashion designer. Saint Laurent started off working as an assistant to Christian Dior at the age of 17. Dior died just four years later, and as a very young man Saint-Laurent was named head of the House of Dior. However, in 1950 Saint Laurent was conscripted into the French Army and ended up in a military hospital after suffering a mental breakdown from the hazing inflicted on him by his fellow soldiers. His treatment included electroshock therapy and administration of sedatives and psychoactive drugs. He was released from hospital, managed to pull his life back together and started his own fashion house. A remarkable story …

    Down

    1 Streaming hiccups : LAGS

    In Internet terms, lag is a delay in response caused by network latency. We might notice lag when streaming a video, for example.

    2 Soothing ingredient : ALOE

    Aloe vera is a succulent plant that grows in relatively dry climates. The plant’s leaves are full of biologically-active compounds that have been studied extensively. Aloe vera has been used for centuries in herbal medicine, mainly for topical treatment of wounds.

    3 Water repellent? : MOAT

    A moat is a protective trench that surrounds a castle, say, or an exhibit in a zoo. A moat may or may not be filled with water.

    4 Make a mistake while sitting down? : BUTT-DIAL

    “Butt dialing” is an alternative name for “pocket dialing”, the accidental placing of a call while a phone is in one’s pocket or purse.

    5 Comedian Wong : ALI

    Ali Wong is a stand-up comedian from San Francisco who is a protégé of Chris Rock. She made two very successful Netflix stand-up specials “Baby Cobra” and “Hard Knock Wife”. She also worked as a writer for the hit sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat”.

    6 Member of a string quartet : CELLO

    A standard string quartet is made up of two violins, a viola and a cello. A string quintet consists of a standard string quartet with the addition of a fifth instrument, usually a second viola or cello.

    7 Thor’s mischievous brother : LOKI

    Loki is a god appearing in Norse mythology. In one story about Loki, he was punished by other gods for having caused the death of Baldr, the god of light and beauty. Loki is bound to a sharp rock using the entrails of one of his sons. A serpent drips venom which is collected in a bowl, and then his wife must empty the venom onto Loki when the bowl is full. The venom causes Loki great pain, and his writhing results in what we poor mortals experience as earthquakes.

    10 Sandwich on a sesame seed bun : BIG MAC

    The iconic Big Mac sandwich was introduced nationally by McDonald’s in 1967. It was the creation of a Pittsburgh franchisee who offered it on the menu as a response to the very similar “Big Boy” sandwich offered by the competing Big Boy restaurant chain.

    12 Muppet that sings “Doin’ the Pigeon” : BERT

    The muppet character named Bert usually plays the straight man to his partner character Ernie. Bert has a unibrow, while Ernie has no brows at all.

    13 Disney princess who can conjure ice : ELSA

    “Frozen” is a 2013 animated feature from Walt Disney Studios that is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Snow Queen”. The film is all about the exploits of Princess Anna, the younger sister of Elsa, Snow Queen of Arendelle. Spoiler alert: Prince Hans of the Southern Isles seems to be a good guy for most of the film, but turns out to be a baddie in the end. And, a snowman named Olaf provides some comic relief.

    18 Not worth discussing : MOOT

    To moot is to bring up as a subject for discussion or debate. So, something that is moot is open to debate. Something that is no longer moot, is no longer worth debating. We don’t seem to be able to get that right, which drives me crazy …

    22 Airport near Olympia, informally : SEA-TAC

    Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) is more fully known as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Sea-Tac is the main hub for Alaska Airlines.

    27 Nikkei 225 currency : YEN

    The Nikkei is a stock market index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange that has been published by the “Nihon Keizai Shimbun” newspaper since 1950. The “Nihon Keizai Shimbun” has the largest circulation of any financial newspaper in the world, and is read by over 3 million people daily.

    29 “Take me ___” : AS I AM

    Please do …

    30 Word with shot or mold : JELL-O

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

    31 Gets out of Dodge : FLEES

    The phrase “get out of Dodge”, meaning “scram, flee”, is a reference to Dodge City, Kansas. The phrase became a cliché on TV westerns (mainly “Gunsmoke”, I think) and was then popularized by teenagers in the sixties and seventies.

    33 ___ Island (location that’s not really an island) : RHODE

    Rhode Island is the smallest state in the union, and is the second-most densely populated. (after New Jersey). Rhode Island is known as the Ocean State (and more informally “Little Rhody”), largely because about 14% of the state’s area is made up of ocean bays and inlets. Exactly how Rhode Island got its name is a little unclear. What is known is that way back in 1524, long before the Pilgrims came to New England, the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano likened an island in the area to the Island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean. There were subsequent references to “Rhode Island” in English publications, before the colonists arrived.

    41 Fruit of the Loom product featuring superhero themes : UNDEROOS

    Underoos is a brand of underwear for children that is made by Fruit of the Loom. Each pack of Underoos includes a top and a bottom that feature characters from comics and animated shows. The list of characters includes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Supergirl. I hear that Underoos are now made in adult sizes as well.

    43 ___ Grissom, longtime “CSI” character : GIL

    Actor William Petersen is best known for portraying forensic scientist Gil Grissom on the “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. Petersen quit acting in the show after nine seasons, and moved into the role of executive producer.

    48 Dionysian party : ORGY

    Dionysus was the party animal of Greek mythology. Dionysus was the god of wine, ritual madness and ecstasy! His Roman equivalent was Bacchus.

    51 Guthrie who wrote “Alice’s Restaurant” : ARLO

    Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for singing protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m 34s. In the song Guthrie tells how, after being drafted, he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War based on his criminal record. He had only one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest for littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.

    52 One of the Coen brothers : JOEL

    I think it’s great to see two brothers working together and being so successful. Joel and Ethan Coen are two movie producers and directors who both live in New York City. The Coen brothers do love the movie-making business and they even married industry “insiders”. Ethan’s wife is film editor Tricia Cooke, and Joel is married to one of my favorite actresses, the talented Frances McDormand.

    57 Do for Billy Preston, once : AFRO

    “Oh My My” is a 1973 song co-written and recorded by ex-Beatle Ringo Starr. The song’s byline doesn’t credit “Ringo Starr” as such, but “Richard Starkey”, Ringo’s birth name. Another bit of trivia is that American musician Billy Preston played keyboard for the recording. Preston is the only non-Beatle to be given a credit on a Beatles recording (“Get Back” by the Beatles with Billy Preston).

    58 Ones ranking below cpls. : PFCS

    Private first class (PFC)

    59 Canadian gas brand : ESSO

    The Esso brand has its roots in the old Standard Oil company as it uses the initial letters of “Standard” and “Oil” (ESS-O). The Esso brand was replaced by Exxon in the US, but ESSO is still used in many other countries.

    61 Actress Vardalos : NIA

    Nia Vardalos is an actress and screenwriter whose biggest break came with the 2002 film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, which she wrote and in which she starred. The film tells the story of a Greek-American woman marrying a non-Greek Caucasian American who converts to the Greek Orthodox Church to facilitate the marriage. The storyline reflects the actual experiences of Vardalos and her husband, actor Ian Gomez. Vardalos and Gomez appeared together as hosts for two seasons of the reality competition “The Great American Baking Show”.

    Complete List of Clues/Answers

    Across

    1 “In like a lion, out like a ___” (March adage) : LAMB
    5 Knee stabilizer, in brief : ACL
    8 Quaff : IMBIBE
    14 Moises of baseball fame : ALOU
    15 One of the fire signs : LEO
    16 “Marvelous” TV character : MAISEL
    17 Alternative to 2% … with or without the shaded letter : GOAT MILK or OAT MILK
    19 Lawn trimmers : EDGERS
    20 Scuffle : SET-TO
    21 Simpson with an I.Q. of 159 : LISA
    23 Modern lead-in to “-verse” : META-
    24 Place to practice martial arts : DOJO
    26 One-named singer with the 2000 hit “Only Time” : ENYA
    28 Tex-Mex dish : FAJITA
    31 It may be half of a blackjack … with or without the shaded letter : FACE CARD or ACE CARD
    35 On the briny : ASEA
    36 N.B.A. Hall-of-Famer Bill : WALTON
    38 “Doctor ___” : WHO
    39 Small stream : RILL
    40 Vision that’s subject to interpretation : DREAM
    41 Alien conveyances : UFOS
    42 The Golden Bears of the N.C.A.A., familiarly : CAL
    43 Mediterranean country with 8,500 miles of coastline : GREECE
    44 On a streak? : NUDE
    45 Things that might be raised in court … with or without the shaded letter : EMOTIONS or MOTIONS
    47 Bajillions : OODLES
    49 Brand for which Garfield was once a “spokescat” : ALPO
    50 Memo heading : IN RE
    51 Trojan War hero : AJAX
    54 V.A. concern : PTSD
    56 Chardonnay, for one : GRAPE
    60 Corkscrew pasta : ROTINI
    62 They might eliminate teams … with or without the shaded letter : PLAYOFFS or LAYOFFS
    64 2013 Sheryl Sandberg best seller : LEAN IN
    65 Big name in outdoor gear : REI
    66 Hobbit foes : ORCS
    67 Whoopee cushion, for one : OLD GAG
    68 Luxury handbag initials : YSL
    69 Meh : SO-SO

    Down

    1 Streaming hiccups : LAGS
    2 Soothing ingredient : ALOE
    3 Water repellent? : MOAT
    4 Make a mistake while sitting down? : BUTT-DIAL
    5 Comedian Wong : ALI
    6 Member of a string quartet : CELLO
    7 Thor’s mischievous brother : LOKI
    8 “Seriously, though?!” : I MEAN, COME ON!
    9 ___ dash : MAD
    10 Sandwich on a sesame seed bun : BIG MAC
    11 “Gotcha” : I SEE
    12 Muppet that sings “Doin’ the Pigeon” : BERT
    13 Disney princess who can conjure ice : ELSA
    18 Not worth discussing : MOOT
    22 Airport near Olympia, informally : SEA-TAC
    25 Absolutely incredible : JAW-DROPPING
    27 Nikkei 225 currency : YEN
    28 Ridiculous display : FARCE
    29 “Take me ___” : AS I AM
    30 Word with shot or mold : JELL-O
    31 Gets out of Dodge : FLEES
    32 Not just bad : AWFUL
    33 ___ Island (location that’s not really an island) : RHODE
    34 Pharmacy amounts : DOSES
    37 Playground retort : ARE NOT!
    41 Fruit of the Loom product featuring superhero themes : UNDEROOS
    43 ___ Grissom, longtime “CSI” character : GIL
    46 Wearisome : TAXING
    48 Dionysian party : ORGY
    50 Sits around : IDLES
    51 Guthrie who wrote “Alice’s Restaurant” : ARLO
    52 One of the Coen brothers : JOEL
    53 Slightly : A TAD
    55 Nimble : SPRY
    57 Do for Billy Preston, once : AFRO
    58 Ones ranking below cpls. : PFCS
    59 Canadian gas brand : ESSO
    61 Actress Vardalos : NIA
    63 Not feel great : AIL

    7 thoughts on “0208-23 NY Times Crossword 8 Feb 23, Wednesday”

    1. Something goofy with my app today. I was “almost there” in around 14 minutes. Couldn’t find the error. Looked at Bill’s answers. There were no errors. Hit the “reveal puzzle” button and it showed an error in every square.

    2. 11:56, no errors. SEATAC Airport is a little over 50 miles from Olympia. Travel Tip: Do not book a motel in Olympia, thinking that it is close to SEATAC Airport.

    3. 8:49. Another good theme. I could think of FLAMMABLE and INFLAMMABLE…but that’s another thing entirely.

      We had a group in college (for all I know it’s still there) called the 13 Club, and on the night of the 13th of every month, they all went streaking around campus wearing nothing but shaving cream which they used to write “13” everywhere they could find with the shaving cream. One time they did it just outside the library window where I was studying.

      Best –

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