0213-23 NY Times Crossword 13 Feb 23, Monday

Constructed by: Eric Rollfing
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Well-Rounded Diet

Themed answers are foodstuffs that are ROUNDED:

  • 37A Nutritionist’s recommendation … or what the answers to the starred clues make up, to an overly literal person? : WELL-ROUNDED DIET
  • 18A *Colorful cereal with the mascot Toucan Sam : FROOT LOOPS
  • 24A *”Uh-oh, ___!” (classic line in commercials) : SPAGHETTIOS
  • 52A *Bulk purchase of Gouda, e.g. : CHEESE WHEEL
  • 58A *”Ice Cream of the Future” since 1988 : DIPPIN’ DOTS

Bill’s time: 7m 09s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Channel for “Mad Money” : CNBC

The television show “Mad Money” started airing in 2005, and is hosted by the ebullient Jim Cramer. Cramer recommends that essential funds, such as those reserved for retirement, be safely locked away in conservative investment vehicles. Any money left over (still looking for that here!) is classed as “mad money” and can be invested in more risky stocks.

Mad money is money that one sets aside for an unlikely contingency, or perhaps an impulse purchase. The term “mad money” originated in the 1920s, and back then applied to money that a woman would carry on a date in case her escort didn’t have the decency to drive her home. Times have changed …

9 Eponymous prize awarded by the Mystery Writers of America : EDGAR

The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (“Edgars”) are presented annually by the Mystery Writers of America. There are several categories of awards. For example, the Ellery Queen Award honors “writing teams and outstanding people in the mystery-publishing industry”. The Raven Award is presented to non-writers, who contribute to the mystery genre.

14 Lyft competitor : UBER

Uber is a ridesharing service that was founded in 2009 and is based in San Francisco. The service is somewhat controversial and has been described as an illegal taxicab operation. Central to Uber’s service is the company’s mobile app, which can use the client’s GPS location to help find the nearest available ride. Uber’s main competitor is Lyft.

15 Ireland, to the Irish : EIRE

“Éire”, is the Irish word for “Ireland”. The related “Erin” is an anglicized version of “Éire” and actually corresponds to “Éirinn”, the dative case of “Éire”.

18 *Colorful cereal with the mascot Toucan Sam : FROOT LOOPS

Toucan Sam is the mascot of Kellogg’s Froot Loops breakfast cereal, and he can be seen on the front of every box. Froot Loops have been manufactured by Kellogg’s since 1963. The little loops come in different colors, originally red, orange and yellow, but now there are green, purple and blue loops as well. Notice I said “different colors” not “different flavors”. Each loop tastes the same, so I wonder where the color comes from …?

20 Omani currency : RIAL

The rial is the currency of Oman (as well as Yemen, Iran and Tunisia). Generally, there are 1,000 baisa in one rial.

23 Successor of Nintendo’s GameCube : WII

Introduced in 2006, Nintendo’s Wii quickly became the biggest-selling game console in the world.

24 *”Uh-oh, ___!” (classic line in commercials) : SPAGHETTIOS

SpaghettiOs were developed by the Campbell Soup Company in 1965. Campbell’s wanted a pasta dish that could be marketed as being more “kid-friendly” and “less messy for kids”.

30 Sound represented by an upside-down “e” : SCHWA

A schwa is an unstressed and toneless vowel found in a number of languages including English. Examples from our language are the “a” in “about”, the “e” in “taken” and the “i” in pencil.

31 Capture on cassette : TAPE

The French for “box” is “casse”. So, a “cassette” is a “little box”.

33 Star of the Disney animated short “Once Upon a Snowman” : OLAF

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

36 Coop resident : HEN

The Old English word “cypa”, meaning “basket”, evolved in the 14th century to the word “coop” to describe a small cage for poultry. We still use “coop” today.

43 Big part of a basset hound : EAR

The basset hound wouldn’t be my favorite breed of dog, to be honest. Basset hounds have a great sense of smell with an ability to track a scent that is second only to that of the bloodhound. The name “basset” comes from the French word for “rather low”, a reference to the dog’s short legs.

44 Korean automaker : KIA

Kia Motors is the second-largest manufacturer of cars in South Korea, behind Hyundai (and Hyundai is a part owner in Kia now). Kia was founded in 1944 as a manufacturer of bicycle parts, and did indeed produce Korea’s first domestic bicycle. The company’s original name was Kyungsung Precision Industry, with the Kia name introduced in 1952.

45 Memo starter : 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”.

50 24 horas : DIA

In Spanish, a “día” (day) comprises 24 “horas” (hours).

51 New ___ smell : CAR

Most of what we call that “new car smell” comes from adhesives and sealants that are holding together various plastic components in the automobile’s interior. In fact, there is concern in some quarters that the compounds giving that new car smell might pose a health risk.

52 *Bulk purchase of Gouda, e.g. : CHEESE WHEEL

Gouda is a cheese that originated in the Dutch city of the same name, although today Gouda is produced all over the world and very little of it comes from the Netherlands. Gouda is often smoke-cured, which gives it a yellowish-brown outer skin and that characteristic smoky taste.

55 Climbing vine : IVY

The species of flowering plant Hedera helix is variously referred to as common ivy, English ivy, or usually just plain “ivy”. “Hedera” is the generic term for “ivy”, and “helix” is Greek for “spiral, twist, turn”.

65 Singer and AIDS charity founder ___ John : ELTON

Elton John’s real name is Reginald Dwight. Sir Elton was knighted in 1998, not for his music per se, but for his charitable work. He founded his own Elton John AIDS Foundation back in 1992.

66 Genesis backdrop : EDEN

According to the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve lived in a garden “in” Eden, with Eden being geographically located by reference to four rivers, including the Tigris and the Euphrates. Some scholars hypothesize that Eden was located in Mesopotamia, which encompasses much of modern-day Iraq.

67 With 41-Down, Buffalo’s body of water : LAKE …
[41D See 67-Across : … ERIE]

Lake Erie is the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes by area (Lake Ontario is the smallest). The lake takes its name from the Erie tribe of Native Americans that used to live along its southern shore. Erie is the smallest of the Great Lakes by volume and the shallowest, something for which nearby residents must be quite grateful. Being relatively shallow, much of Erie freezes over part way through most winters putting an end to most of the lake-effect snow that falls in the snow belt extending from the lake’s edge.

Buffalo is the second-most populous city in the state of New York. The city takes its name from Buffalo Creek that runs through the metropolis (although the waterway is called Buffalo River within the city). The source of the name Buffalo Creek is the subject of much speculation, but one thing is clear, there were never any bison in the area.

Down

1 Twice-chewed food : CUD

Animals that chew the cud are called ruminants. Ruminants eat vegetable matter but cannot extract any nutritional value from cellulose without the help of microbes in the gut. Ruminants collect roughage in the first part of the alimentary canal, allowing microbes to work on it. The partially digested material (the cud) is regurgitated into the mouth so that the ruminant can chew the food more completely, exposing more surface area for microbes to do their work.

2 Sports org. for Bill Russell : NBA

Bill Russell is a retired basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969. Russell also captained the gold medal-winning US national team at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

4 Former late-night host Ferguson : CRAIG

The Scottish stand-up comedian Craig Ferguson is best known these days as host of CBS’s “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”. For several years Ferguson played Drew Carey’s boss on “The Drew Carey Show”.

7 Sold-out theater inits. : SRO

Standing room only (SRO)

8 Illinois city that’s a symbol of Middle America : PEORIA

Peoria is the oldest European settlement in the state of Illinois, having been settled by the French in 1680. The city is famous for being cited as “the average American city”.

10 Bert and Ernie, for one : DUO

For many years, I believed that the “Sesame Street” characters Bert and Ernie were named after two roles played in the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”. In the movie, the policeman’s name is Bert and his taxi-driving buddy is named Ernie. However, the “Sesame Street” folks have stated that the use of the same names is just a coincidence. Aww, I don’t wanna believe that’s a coincidence …

13 Sticky secretion : RESIN

Resinous trees have evolved the ability to secrete resins in response to an injury. The resin serves as a barrier, protecting the tree from insects and pathogens that might otherwise exploit the site of the injury.

27 Alternative to a Ho Ho : TWINKIE

The snack cakes called Twinkies have been around since 1930. They were created by a baker called James Dewar, who chose the name from a billboard advertising “Twinkle Toe Shoes”. The original filling in the cake was a banana cream, but this was swapped out as a result of rationing during WWII. The vanilla cream became so popular that the banana recipe was dropped completely.

32 “___ will always love you” (Whitney Houston lyric) : AND I

“I Will Always Love You” is a fabulous song written, and originally recorded, by Dolly Parton. Parton wrote the song on the occasion of her professional breakup with Porter Wagoner, with whom she sang as part of a duo for six years. Famously, Whitney Houston recorded a highly successful rearranged cover version of “I Will Always Love You”, primarily for the soundtrack of “The Bodyguard”. Houston starred in the movie “The Bodyguard” alongside Kevin Costner.

Whitney Houston was the only singer to have a run of seven consecutive Billboard number-one hits. Houston’s recording of the wonderful Dolly Parton song “I Will Always Love You”, from the soundtrack of 1992’s “The Bodyguard”, is the best-selling single for a female artist in the history of recorded music. Houston died at the age of 48 in 2012, drowning in her bathtub.

34 Target of a medicated dog collar : FLEA

Fleas are flightless insects, but they sure can jump. Their very specialized hind legs allow them to jump up to 50 times the length of their bodies.

42 Color akin to turquoise : TEAL

The beautiful color teal takes its name from the duck called a teal, which has dark greenish-blue (teal) markings on its head and wings.

46 ___ Row (London street known for its tailors) : SAVILE

Savile Row is a street in central London that is home to many prestigious men’s tailors. The street was named for Lady Dorothy Savile, who was one of Queen Caroline’s Ladies of the Bedchamber (Caroline was the wife of King George II).

47 Modern lead-in to currency : CRYPTO-

A cryptocurrency is a digital asset that I simply do not understand. Apparently, an essential aspect of cryptocurrency is that it has no central administration. The first, and most famous, decentralized cryptocurrency is bitcoin.

48 Like some watermelons or brackets : SEEDED

The watermelon that we find in the grocery store is actually a berry produced by the flowering, vine-like watermelon plant. Seedless watermelons were developed by Japanese scientists in 1939, and now seedless varieties account for over 80% of watermelon sales in the US.

“Bracketology” is a term used to describe the process of predicting which college basketball teams will advance in a bracket in the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament. President Barack Obama famously participates in an ESPN segment called “Baracketology” in which he predicts the outcome of the tournament, game by game.

49 Subject of many baa-a-ad puns? : EWE

An adult male sheep is a ram, although a castrated ram is known as a wether. An adult female is a ewe, and a young sheep is a lamb.

61 President pro ___ : TEM

“Pro tempore” can be abbreviated to “pro tem” or “p.t.” “Pro tempore” is a Latin phrase that best translates as “for the time being”. It is used to describe a person who is acting for another, usually a superior. The President pro tempore of the US Senate is the person who presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President of the US. It has been tradition since 1890 that the president pro tem is the most senior senator in the majority party. The president pro tem ranks highly in the line of succession to the presidency, falling third in line after the Vice President and the Speaker of the House.

63 Bit of Winter Olympics equipment : SKI

The first Winter Olympic Games were held in 1924, in Chamonix, France. The Winter and Summer Games were held in the same year until 1992 after which they were staggered, so that we have an Olympic Games every two years.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Channel for “Mad Money” : CNBC
5 Hoarse vocal quality : RASP
9 Eponymous prize awarded by the Mystery Writers of America : EDGAR
14 Lyft competitor : UBER
15 Ireland, to the Irish : EIRE
16 Frontline health care professional : NURSE
17 Computer input : DATA
18 *Colorful cereal with the mascot Toucan Sam : FROOT LOOPS
20 Omani currency : RIAL
22 King: Fr. : ROI
23 Successor of Nintendo’s GameCube : WII
24 *”Uh-oh, ___!” (classic line in commercials) : SPAGHETTIOS
28 Catering container : URN
29 Contents of a farmyard stack : HAY
30 Sound represented by an upside-down “e” : SCHWA
31 Capture on cassette : TAPE
33 Star of the Disney animated short “Once Upon a Snowman” : OLAF
35 ___-state area (N.Y., N.J. and Conn., e.g.) : TRI
36 Coop resident : HEN
37 Nutritionist’s recommendation … or what the answers to the starred clues make up, to an overly literal person? : WELL-ROUNDED DIET
43 Big part of a basset hound : EAR
44 Korean automaker : KIA
45 Memo starter : IN RE
46 Radio button that’s handy on a road trip : SCAN
48 Food strainer : SIEVE
50 24 horas : DIA
51 New ___ smell : CAR
52 *Bulk purchase of Gouda, e.g. : CHEESE WHEEL
55 Climbing vine : IVY
56 Weeding tool : HOE
57 Wildly bright, as a color : NEON
58 *”Ice Cream of the Future” since 1988 : DIPPIN’ DOTS
62 Something to make when tossing a coin into a fountain : WISH
65 Singer and AIDS charity founder ___ John : ELTON
66 Genesis backdrop : EDEN
67 With 41-Down, Buffalo’s body of water : LAKE …
68 Corporate shake-up, for short : REORG
69 Sales pitch display, informally : DEMO
70 Slender : SLIM

Down

1 Twice-chewed food : CUD
2 Sports org. for Bill Russell : NBA
3 Backstabber’s forte : BETRAYAL
4 Former late-night host Ferguson : CRAIG
5 Shiny bicycle attachment : REFLECTOR
6 Broadcast : AIR
7 Sold-out theater inits. : SRO
8 Illinois city that’s a symbol of Middle America : PEORIA
9 Signed up : ENLISTED
10 Bert and Ernie, for one : DUO
11 “Quit being so immature!” : GROW UP!
12 Shoot for the stars : ASPIRE
13 Sticky secretion : RESIN
19 Excessively : TOO
21 Sounds during a dental exam : AHS
24 Exhibit : SHOW
25 Drained of color : PALE
26 Drive-___ window : THRU
27 Alternative to a Ho Ho : TWINKIE
32 “___ will always love you” (Whitney Houston lyric) : AND I
34 Target of a medicated dog collar : FLEA
36 “Goodness me, absolutely not!’ : HEAVENS, NO!
38 Major Texas industry : RANCHING
39 Goes pffft : DIES
40 Refusing to accept reality : IN DENIAL
41 See 67-Across : … ERIE
42 Color akin to turquoise : TEAL
46 ___ Row (London street known for its tailors) : SAVILE
47 Modern lead-in to currency : CRYPTO-
48 Like some watermelons or brackets : SEEDED
49 Subject of many baa-a-ad puns? : EWE
51 Orchard beverage : CIDER
53 Babe : HON
54 Roars with laughter : HOWLS
59 ___ favor (Spanish “please”) : POR
60 Praiseful poem : ODE
61 President pro ___ : TEM
63 Bit of Winter Olympics equipment : SKI
64 Folded edge : HEM

6 thoughts on “0213-23 NY Times Crossword 13 Feb 23, Monday”

  1. 6:33. Stunning that OREOS weren’t part of the theme.

    I was on a softball team in college that used the SCHWA symbol as a logo. It was a bit of a nerdy team.

    I would think a Suzy Q would be more of a substitute for a hoho than a TWINKIE is. They’re both chocolate with cream filling, unlike TWINKIES. Then again, I guess if you need a sugar fix, any of them would do..

    Best –

  2. 11:34, no errors. Too many fat-fingered errors.
    Thanks Jeff, I now have Creedence Clearwater Revival running through my head. 😀

    1. Took me a second to see the connection. Then I got a good laugh about it. Different Suzy Q……I assume.

  3. I loved Froot Loops when I was kid.

    Loved it also when the toucan showed up on some guiness ware recently!

  4. About 12 minutes with no errors…I lost track of time when a mouse trap went off in my kitchen…the mouse lost even more.
    Stay safe😀

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