0722-23 NY Times Crossword 22 Jul 23, Saturday

Constructed by: Robert Logan
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 16m 14s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

13 Extreme challenges : DOUBLE-DOG DARES

The idiomatic phrase “double-dog dare” is very American, and dates back at least to the 1940s. One reference from back then cites the incrementally daring sequence:

  • I dare you
  • I dog dare you
  • I double-dog dare you
  • I black-dog dare you
  • I double-black-dog dare you

18 Big blows : GALES

A gale is a very strong wind, one defined by the Beaufort scale as having wind speeds from 50 to just over 100 kilometers per hour.

19 Measure of inflation: Abbr. : PSI

Pounds per square inch (PSI) is a measure of pressure.

22 Military acronym first used in W.W. II : SNAFU

“SNAFU” is an acronym standing for “situation normal: all fouled up” (well, that’s the polite version!). As one might perhaps imagine, the term developed in the US Army, during WWII.

24 Inflated : VAIN

That would be an inflated ego.

25 Like archaeological finds, typically : DATED

“Archaeology” is a word that looks like it’s British English, and one might be forgiven for using the spelling “archeology” in American English. Even though the latter spelling has been around for a couple of hundred years, the former is the standard spelling on both sides of the Atlantic.

26 Musical unit : SET

That would be a set during a performance, say.

29 National security adviser under Obama : SUSAN RICE

Susan Rice served as UN Ambassador and then National Security Adviser in the Obama administration.

33 “Just a sec,” in texts : BRB

Be right back (brb)

37 Periodic table no. : AT WT

The atomic weight (at. wt.) of an element is the mass of one atom of the element, relative to the mass of an atom of carbon (which is assumed to have an atomic weight of 12).

40 001-01-0001, for one: Abbr. : SSN

A Social Security number (SSN) is divided into three parts, i.e AAA-GG-SSSS. Originally, the Area Number (AAA) was the code for the office that issued the card. Starting in 1973, the Area Number reflected the ZIP code from which the application was made. The GG in the SSN was the Group Number, and the SSSS number the Serial Number. This is all moot today. Since 2011, SSNs have been assigned randomly. Some random numbers, however, have been excluded from use, i.e. Area Numbers 000, 666 (!) and 900-999.

41 Red dot in the middle of the forehead : BINDI

A bindi is a bright decorative dot worn applied to the middle of the forehead, particularly by Hindu women living on the Indian subcontinent. The term “bindi” comes from the Sanskrit “bindu” meaning “point, dot, small particle”.

44 Pan-fried dishes served to commemorate the Miracle of the Oil : LATKES

A latke is a delicious potato pancake (I’m Irish, so anything made with potatoes is delicious, to be honest).

50 Places to find faults : EPICENTERS

The epicenter is the point on the surface of the Earth that is directly above the focus of an earthquake.

Down

3 Some new job requirements, in jargon : RELOS

Relocate (relo)

4 Long shot in sports : TREY

A trey is a three in a deck of cards. The term “trey” can also be used for a domino with three pips, and even for a three-point play in basketball.

6 Kaiser’s grp. : HMO

Kaiser Permanente is a health maintenance organization (HMO) based in Oakland, California. “Kaiser” is the largest provider of managed care in the whole country.

7 Mind reading, in brief? : EEG

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of electrical activity caused by the firing of neurons within the brain. The EEG might be used to diagnose epilepsy, or perhaps to determine if a patient is “brain dead”.

8 Snorri’s story : EDDA

Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian and poet who wrote the “Prose Edda”, an important narrative of Norse mythology. Sturluson lived from 1179 to 1241 CE.

10 Court in a courtyard, perhaps : SERENADE

A serenade is a musical performance in the open air, specifically at night. We tend to think of the term applying to a young man serenading his lover from below her window. We imported the word via French from the Italian “serenata” meaning “evening song”, influenced by the Italian “sera” meaning “evening”.

13 “L’Absinthe” painter : DEGAS

Edgar Degas was a French artist who was famous for both his paintings and his sculptures. Some of Degas’ most beautiful works feature female ballet dancers, and others depict women bathing.

14 Like the leeward side : SAFER

Alee is the direction away from the wind. If a sailor points into the wind, he or she is pointing aweather. The sheltered side of an island, for example, might be referred to as the “lee” side.

17 Heady stuff? : SUDS

That would be the head on a beer. Something to be enjoyed in moderation. The head, I mean.

19 Hats originating in Ecuador, despite their name : PANAMAS

Panama hats are traditional headgear from Ecuador, and have never been made in volume in Panama. The “panama” moniker came about as many of the hats were shipped to the Isthmus of Panama for transportation by sea to the rest of the world. Authentic panama hats are made from the leaves of a palm-like plant known locally as the jipijapa palm.

20 Some seals : SIGNETS

A signet is a seal, in particular one used by an official to mark a document. A signet can be incorporated into a “signet ring”.

24 Glass for cerveza : VASO

In Spanish, when buying “cerveza” (beer), one might purchase a “paquete de seis” (six-pack).

28 Dryer detritus : LINT

Detritus is loose material that results from the process of erosion. The usage of the term has evolved to describe any accumulated material or debris. “Detritus” is Latin for “a wearing away”.

32 Sue Grafton Memorial Award and others : EDGARS

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.

Sue Grafton wrote detective novels, and her “alphabet series” features the private investigator Kinsey Millhone. She started off with “’A’ Is for Alibi” in 1982 and worked her way up to “‘Y’ is for Yesterday” before she passed away in 2017.

33 Nuts or bananas : BONKERS

The word “bonkers” meaning “crazy” originated in the fifties. The term might come from navy slang meaning “slightly drunk”, behaving as though one received a “bonk” on the head.

44 Mikhail Baryshnikov, by birth : LETT

Mikhail “Misha” Baryshnikov started his dancing career with the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad before defecting to Canada in 1974. The only time my wife ever lined up to get an autograph was when she did so outside the stage door after seeing Baryshnikov dance in Syracuse, New York many moons ago. In her eyes, the man is a god …

47 Dr. ___ : DRE

“Dr. Dre” is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as for producing records and starting the careers of others such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.

48 Chaney who was known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces” : LON

Lon Chaney, Sr. played a lot of crazed-looking characters in the days of silent movies. He did much of his own make-up work, developing the grotesque appearances that became his trademark, and earning himself the nickname “the man of a thousand faces”. Most famous were his portrayals of the title characters in the films “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923) and “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925).

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Turnovers on a football field, maybe? : CARTWHEELS
11 Chicken soup and eucalyptus oil, for two : HOME REMEDIES
13 Extreme challenges : DOUBLE-DOG DARES
15 Use : EMPLOY
16 Rings : ARENAS
18 Big blows : GALES
19 Measure of inflation: Abbr. : PSI
22 Military acronym first used in W.W. II : SNAFU
23 Like the expensive stuff, often : AGED
24 Inflated : VAIN
25 Like archaeological finds, typically : DATED
26 Musical unit : SET
27 Ones at the bar for a few drafts? : HANG GLIDERS
29 National security adviser under Obama : SUSAN RICE
30 Report on a match : I MET SOMEONE
33 “Just a sec,” in texts : BRB
36 General starting point? : CADET
37 Periodic table no. : AT WT
38 What goes to pot? : SOIL
39 Richard ___, longtime chief foreign correspondent for 46-Down : ENGEL
40 001-01-0001, for one: Abbr. : SSN
41 Red dot in the middle of the forehead : BINDI
42 Rang up : DIALED
44 Pan-fried dishes served to commemorate the Miracle of the Oil : LATKES
45 Academic umbrella : ARTS AND LETTERS
49 Members of one’s chosen family : SOUL BROTHERS
50 Places to find faults : EPICENTERS

Down

1 Heroic piece of writing : COUPLET
2 Wasn’t in a hurry : AMBLED
3 Some new job requirements, in jargon : RELOS
4 Long shot in sports : TREY
5 Make one : WED
6 Kaiser’s grp. : HMO
7 Mind reading, in brief? : EEG
8 Snorri’s story : EDDA
9 Game with rolling and bluffing : LIAR’S DICE
10 Court in a courtyard, perhaps : SERENADE
11 Something one can pay for free : HOMAGE
12 Subject of the 1787 Connecticut Compromise : SENATE
13 “L’Absinthe” painter : DEGAS
14 Like the leeward side : SAFER
17 Heady stuff? : SUDS
19 Hats originating in Ecuador, despite their name : PANAMAS
20 Some seals : SIGNETS
21 ___ hair : INGROWN
24 Glass for cerveza : VASO
27 Finds, and fast : HUSTLES UP
28 Dryer detritus : LINT
29 Feature of a work boot : STEEL TOE
30 Like some cakes and games : ICED
31 Fad suffix : -MANIA
32 Sue Grafton Memorial Award and others : EDGARS
33 Nuts or bananas : BONKERS
34 Parts of some contracts : RIDERS
35 Paradise : BLISS
38 One who usually works an evening shift : SITTER
41 Come clean? : BATHE
43 Subject of a museum in St. Petersburg, Fla. : DALI
44 Mikhail Baryshnikov, by birth : LETT
46 RCA spinoff : NBC
47 Dr. ___ : DRE
48 Chaney who was known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces” : LON

15 thoughts on “0722-23 NY Times Crossword 22 Jul 23, Saturday”

  1. 54:38, too many errors to mention. Although familiar with SUSAN RICE and vaguely familiar with Richard ENGEL, I stubbornly insisted that 30A had to be I’M AT GAME ONE and 27D would be HOG TIES UP.

  2. 29:17. One error. Clever puzzle. This type of configuration always intimidates me when I see it blank.

    I’m having a hard time seeing a direct substitute of VAIN for “Inflated”. That ability is usually my litmus test as to the validity of a clue. I just don’t see one here. Maybe I’m missing something. I understand the idea. You cay say, “He has an inflated ego”. Is it correct to say “He has a VAIN ego?” Not so sure. Maybe. He is VAIN because he has an inflated ego, but that’s different.

    I’m hiring an attorney to plead my case in front of the International Crossword court in The Hague. I’m asking 8 figures for pain and suffering.

    Best –

  3. 14:49, no errors. One of those rare times when everything just … flows. At the beginning, I got two or three Downs near the top and then filled in all three Across entries. I did get bogged down a bit elsewhere, but not for too long. (Kinda makes up for those times when a solve feels like having teeth pulled … 🙂.)

    Re Jeff’s question: Is a VAIN self-image an INFLATED one? Not entirely apt, but it kind of works for me … 🤨.

    1. Dave – Yes that’s true, but it’s not a direct replacement. I’m looking for a sentence where you can drop VAIN in for “Inflated” and the meaning doesn’t change AND both are valid ways of expressing the same thing.

      OTOH : He has a VAIN self image = He has an “Inflated” self image. Ok. That one does work…more or less. But would anyone say “He has a VAIN self image”? He’s VAIN because he has an inflated self image.

      All in all I think I’ll move forward with my lawsuit. Nit picky? Yes, but that’s what we do here.

      Best –

      1. Yes, I see your point. As I said, not entirely apt. Nearly inapt. Perhaps even infelicitous … 😜

        Let me know how your suit works out … 😜.

  4. 67:09 no errors.
    At the end, for 24A, resorted to brute force (cycling through the alphabet considering any possibilities) for a good 15 min. til finally cluing into ‘vain.’

    1. I liked the words SNAFU crossing with “suds” . SNAFU is my favourite pet expression and I use it all the time.

      I  got panned by some for my “political” reply yesterday to the SNAFU Glenn raised, and that’s fair. Yeah it’s “just a crossword” I agree but you also don’t wanna be naive about it. I also suggested there was a related business aspect, which should not be surprising. The NYT has been criticized before for making a “cash grab” with the separate subscriber only games platform which pissed off some traditional crossword enthusiasts.

      Anyway I am here for “just the cross ord” , in fact it’s partly an escape from the political stuff Ben Franklin referred to yesterday that we’re imbued with nowadays in the media. That’s precisely why I would not want to see politics creeping into the crossword.

      When I compare with the only other puzzles, admittedly not many, which I do since doing the NYT (the Globe and Mail), I haven’t seen any attempt to “wokify” or adjust them to user preferences as I’ve observed with the NYT, to a degree, on some days. But it doesn’t go overboard or hit you over the head with it constantly.

      1. To spiritually waken is why we are here. It doesn’t surprise me that conservatives would use woke as an insult. The universe, including us, is expanding. We are here to expand our consciousness and emerge from the sleep walking that consensus reality has trained us to live in. To be conservative is to be diametrically opposed to our very nature as expansive beings of unconditional love. Your higher Self is trying to communicate with you which is why you feel such an energetic charge around that word. Go inside and you will find the answer. Love to you.

  5. Didn’t do well. But not bad for me for a saturday. Got about half done with no errors and decided to hasten the pace. Did a lookup and I was AMPED!

    never heard of LIARS DICE.

    I got VAIN ok. It’s the same usage I’ve seen with EGO.

    Felt like HANG GLIDERS clue was a bad DAD joke.

  6. 21:56, no errors (finally). Very annoying and very not fun to solve for numerous reasons. Again diplomatic words compared to what you would have heard during the solve.

    As for yesterday:
    1. They’re only doing it with one puzzle (Friday). It’s not an additional puzzle, it’s the exact same puzzle, just one of the editors is rewriting the clues. Pretty gaudy in the long run.
    2. They already have a puzzle to “introduce folks to the game”. It’s called the Monday NYT.
    3. The only accurate thing said was that it is indeed a tee-ball style puzzle with the “Easy Mode” clues. I took what I found four hours ago (mentioned yesterday), mocked it up using Bill’s answer page (8-25), and then solved it a few minutes ago while I was waiting for the vid to build. 4:05, no errors. That’s sub-Monday.
    4. It’s bad enough too that they definitely have been watering down the regular Friday clues lately, too.
    5. Really I do have one question left. Why? What do they think they’re going to accomplish? Especially doing this instead of releasing another puzzle? I’m definitely thinking some of the stuff Nick said is definitely driving the decision.
    6. Anyway I know exactly what it is now. I haven’t compared the clues yet since I want a little bit of surprise in five weeks. But yeah… I know now.

  7. Should have known after yesterday’s cruise that today would be different. Got much much farther than I thought but couldn’t quite untangle a few letters in the west-south-west. I thought the cluing was kind of “out there.”

  8. Very difficult, solve, and thought provoking process. Finally finished with no errors. Tonight’s poker tournament starts right now. Usually when I finish a Satrday puzzle, I do horribly in the poker tournament. Wish me luck

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