1016-23 NY Times Crossword 16 Oct 23, Monday

Constructed by: Michael Lieberman & Andrea Carla Michaels
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: Movie Buffs

Themed answers are all MOVIE stars who might be described as “hunky” and “BUFF”:

  • 63A Avid fans of cinema … or a punny description of 17-, 31-, 40- and 47-Across : MOVIE BUFFS
  • 17A Hunky star of “Aquaman” : JASON MOMOA
  • 31A Hunky star of “Magic Mike” : CHANNING TATUM
  • 40A Hunky co-star of “Rocky III” : MR T
  • 47A Hunky co-star of the “Fast & Furious” franchise : DWAYNE JOHNSON

Bill’s time: 5m 32s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Closes, as a jacket or travel bag : ZIPS

What we know today as a “zipper” was invented by mechanical engineer Whitcomb Judson in 1890, when it was called a “clasp locker”. The device was introduced at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, but was not successful. Several people made improvements to the basic design over the coming decades. By the 1920s, the B. F. Goodrich Company was using the device on a line of rubber boots. It was Goodrich who introduced us to the name “zipper”.

10 Like the odds of getting dealt a royal flush : SLIM

The poker hand called a royal flush is the highest-ranking hand possible. It consists of a run of 10, jack, queen, king and ace, with all in the same suit.

14 Stratosphere layer with a “hole” : OZONE

Ozone gets its name from the Greek word “ozein” meaning “to smell”. It was given this name as ozone’s formation during lightning storms was detected by the gas’s distinctive smell. Famously, there is a relatively high concentration of the gas in the “ozone layer” in the Earth’s stratosphere. This ozone layer provides a vital function for animal life on the planet as it absorbs most of the sun’s UV radiation. A molecule of ozone is made up of three oxygen atoms (O3), whereas a “normal” oxygen (O2) has just two atoms.

17 Hunky star of “Aquaman” : JASON MOMOA

Jason Momoa is a model and actor who is perhaps best known for playing superhero Aquaman in several DC Comics films. He also played warrior leader Khal Drogo in the HBO TV series “Game of Thrones”. In 2017, Momoa married actress Lisa Bonet, who played Denise Huxtable on “The Cosby Show”.

“Aquaman” is a 2018 superhero film starring Jason Momoa in the title role. Momoa had previously played the Aquaman character in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” in 2016, and in “Justice League” in 2017.

22 Distress signal device : FLARE

The most commonly used flare gun was invented by an American naval officer, called Edward Wilson Very. He put his name to his invention (from the late 1800s), so we often hear the terms Very pistol, Very flare, and maybe even Very “light”. A Very pistol is indeed a gun, with a trigger and a hammer that’s cocked and can be reloaded with Very flares.

26 Actress Tyler : LIV

Actress and model Liv Tyler is the daughter of Steven Tyler, lead singer with Aerosmith, and Bebe Buell, a celebrated model and singer. Apparently, Buell hid the fact that Tyler was Liv’s father until Liv was 8 years old. Buell wanted to insulate her child from the rock-and-roll lifestyle. Liv Tyler plays the Elf maiden Arwen Undómiel in Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

28 Dinner’s main course : ENTREE

“Entrée” means “entry” in French. An entrée can be something that helps one get “a way in”, an interview for example perhaps helped along by a recommendation letter. In Europe, even in English-speaking countries, the entrée is the name for the “entry” to the meal, the first course. I found the ordering of meals to be very confusing when I first came to America!

31 Hunky star of “Magic Mike” : CHANNING TATUM

“Magic Mike” is a 2012 movie starring Channing Tatum as a young male stripper. The film’s storyline is loosely based on Tatum’s real-life experiences, as he worked as a stripper in Tampa, Florida when he was 18 years old.

35 Derrière : TUSH

“Derrière” is a French term meaning “back part, rear”.

36 The “A” in MoMA : ART

The founding of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City was very much driven by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, wife of John D. Rockefeller. Working with two friends, Abby managed to get the museum opened in 1929, just nine days after the Wall Street Crash. The MoMA’s sculpture garden bears the name of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and has done so since 1949.

40 Hunky co-star of “Rocky III” : MR T

“Rocky III” is the movie in which Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) goes up against Clubber Lang (Mr. T). It is a forgettable film, but Mr. T was grateful for his role no doubt, as it launched his career and landed him a spot on television’s “The A-Team”. Also making an appearance was professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, an appearance that raised his profile as well and kick-started his career outside of the ring. But for me, the most memorable thing is the song “Eye of the Tiger”, which was commissioned for “Rocky III”. A great tune …

41 Popular toaster waffles : EGGOS

Eggo is a brand of frozen waffles that was introduced by Kellogg in 1953. The brand experienced a surge in popularity in the 1980s due to a successful ad campaign featuring a family sitting down to breakfast together and enjoying Eggo waffles. The tagline of the commercials, “Leggo my Eggo”, is still recognized today.

44 Berry said to be a “superfood” : ACAI

We hear the word “superfood” a lot these days. I think it’s important that we realize that our friends in marketing coined the term to promote foods that have supposed health benefits, even though there’s no obligation to prove those health benefits exist. Since 2007, the European Union (EU) has banned the use of the term “superfood” in marketing of foodstuffs unless there is credible scientific research to back up any health claim. Good for the EU …

47 Hunky co-star of the “Fast & Furious” franchise : DWAYNE JOHNSON

Dwayne Johnson is a former professional wrestler whose ring name was “the Rock”. He has used his success as a character in the ring, to cross over into television and movies. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as getting the highest payment for a first starring role, an incredible $5.5 million.

“The Fast and the Furious” (also “Fast & Furious”) is a series of action movies about street racing and car heists. The original 2001 film spawned several sequels, making it Universal Pictures most successful franchise of all time.

60 Actress Vardalos or Long : 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”.

Nia Long is an actress who is probably best known for playing Will Smith’s sometime girlfriend and fiancee Lisa Wilkes on the TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”.

63 Avid fans of cinema … or a punny description of 17-, 31-, 40- and 47-Across : MOVIE BUFFS

A buff or nut is someone who is extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about a subject. For example, one might be a movie buff, or perhaps a baseball nut.

70 “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer : CHER

“If I Could Turn Back Time” is a 1989 song released by Cher as the lead track on the album “Heart of Stone”. The US Navy gave permission for Cher to shoot the song’s music video on the USS Missouri battleship while it was stationed in Long Beach. Cher wore a revealing outfit while performing for the video, resulting in some claims that the event desecrated a national monument.

71 “For ___ sake!” : PETE’S

“For Pete’s sake” is a minced oath, meaning it’s a milder version of a less pleasant expression. “For Pete’s sake” probably came from “for God’s sake”, and maybe even refers to St. Peter.

Down

1 Judo schools : DOJOS

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.

2 Arkansas’s ___ Mountains : OZARK

The Ozark Mountains aren’t really mountains geographically speaking, and so the Ozarks are better described by the alternate name, the Ozark Plateau. It’s not really certain how the Ozarks got their name, but my favorite theory is that “Ozarks” is the phonetic spelling of “aux Arks”, short for “of Arkansas” in French.

3 Inlaid tile design : MOSAIC

In the Middle Ages, mosaics were often dedicated to the Muses. The term “mosaic” translates as “of the Muses”.

4 Bowie collaborator Brian : ENO

English musician David Bowie collaborated with record producer Brian Eno on three albums over a two-year period: “Low” (1977), “Heroes” (1977) and “Lodger” (1979). All three albums were recorded and/or mixed in West Berlin, and so came to be called the “Berlin Trilogy”.

7 Tech giant dubbed “Big Blue” : IBM

The origin of the IBM nickname “Big Blue” seems to have been lost in the mists of time. That said, maybe it has something to do with the fact that the IBM logo is blue, and almost every mainframe they produced was painted blue. I remember visiting IBM on business a few times in my career, and back then we were encouraged to wear white shirts and blue suits “to fit in” with our client’s culture.

9 What a landlubber likely lacks : SEA LEGS

A lubber is a clumsy person and “landlubber” is a contemptuous term used by sailors describing a man of the land. Sailors might also call an inexperienced seaman a landlubber or perhaps just a lubber.

10 Ancient rival of Athens : SPARTA

Sparta was a city-state in ancient Greece that was famous for her military might. Spartan children had a tough upbringing, and newborn babies were bathed in wine to see if the child was strong enough to survive. Every child was presented to a council of elders that decided if the baby was suitable for rearing. Those children deemed too puny were executed by tossing them into a chasm. We’ve been using the term “spartan” to describe something self-disciplined or austere since the 1600s.

11 Game like paintball, but without the paint or the balls : LASER TAG

The name “Laser Tag” is really a misnomer as lasers are rarely used in the game. The “guns” actually send out infrared light, and not laser light, that is picked up by infrared detectors worn by the players.

The “paint” in paintball isn’t actually paint, but rather a mix of gelatin and food coloring.

12 Pub offering, for short : IPA

India pale ale (IPA)

13 Rand McNally product : MAP

Rand McNally is a company long associated with the city of Chicago. Its roots go back to 1856 when William Rand opened a printing shop in the city. Two years later he hired an Irish immigrant named Andrew McNally and the pair turned to printing tickets and timetables for the railroad industry. They diversified into “railroad guides” in 1870, including the first Rand McNally map in the December 1872 edition. When automobile travel started to become significant, Rand and McNally turned their attention to roads and they published their first road map in 1904, a map of New York City. Rand and McNally popularized the use of highway numbers, and indeed erected many roadside highway signs themselves, long before the state and federal authorities adopted the idea.

18 Pooh and Piglet creator : MILNE

Alan Alexander (A.A.) Milne was an English author who is best known for his delightful “Winnie-the-Pooh” series of books. He had only one son, Christopher Robin Milne, born in 1920. The young Milne was the inspiration for the Christopher Robin character in the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. Winnie-the-Pooh was named after Christopher Robin’s real teddy bear, one he called Winnie, who in turn was named after a Canadian black bear called Winnie that the Milnes would visit in London Zoo. The original Winnie teddy bear is on display at the main branch of the New York Public Library in New York.

23 “O Canada” and others : ANTHEMS

Canada’s national anthem “O Canada” was commissioned in 1880 by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, so the original words are in French. The first English translation was made in 1906. The current English lyrics have been revised a few times, but the French version remains the same as it did back in 1880.

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

25 Quaker pronoun : THOU

Members of the Religious Society of Friends are known as Friends or Quakers. The Christian sect started in England in the 1640s, led by George Fox. The principal tenet at that point was that Christians could have direct experience of Jesus Christ without the mediation of clergy, a reflection of the increasing dissatisfaction with the established church at that time. The term “Quaker” is thought to have been used earlier in reference to foreign religious sects whose followers were given to fits of shaking during religious fervor. Somehow that term became used for members of the Religious Society of Friends.

27 Bitter criticism : VITRIOL

We use the term “vitriol” to mean “bitter or abusive feelings”. This usage stems from the original meaning of the term as a corrosive substance, a sulfate of iron that produces sulfuric acid when heated. Sulfuric acid used to be referred to as “oil of vitriol”. The use of the term in chemistry comes from the Latin “vitrium” meaning “glass”, as the iron sulfate sometimes had a glassy appearance.

29 € currency : EURO

The euro sign (€) looks like a letter C, but with two horizontal lines drawn across the middle. Inspiration for the design comes from the Greek letter epsilon.

30 911 responders, in brief : EMTS

The first use of a national emergency phone number was in 1937 in the UK, where the number 999 was introduced to call emergency services. If you need emergency services in the UK or Ireland to this day, you have to dial 999. It’s not really clear why 911 became the emergency number in the US. The most credible suggestion (to me) is that when it was introduced by the FCC in 1967, it was a number that “fit” with the numbers already used by AT&T for free services (211-long distance; 411-information; 611-repair service).

33 Filbert or pecan : NUT

The hazelnut is the nut of the hazel tree. The nuts from some hazel species are referred to as cobnuts or filbert nuts.

The pecan is the state nut of Alabama, Arkansas and California. Also, the pecan is the state tree of Texas.

45 Like pots made by a potter : CERAMIC

A ceramic is a hard, heat- and corrosion-resistant material that is strong in compression but has a low tensile strength. Most ceramics are inorganic, non-metallic chemicals. As an aside, I have a degree in ceramics, believe it or not, after writing a thesis on the material used to make refrigerator magnets. Sad, really …

48 Buttinskies : YENTAS

“Yenta” (also “Yente”) is actually a female Yiddish name. In Yiddish theater “yenta” came to mean a busybody, a gossip.

50 Like skim milk : NONFAT

The fatty component of milk is known as butterfat (sometimes “milkfat”). To be labeled whole milk, the butterfat content must be at least 3.25%. Low-fat milk is defined as milk containing 0.5-2% fat, with levels of 1% and 2% commonly found on grocery store shelves. Skim milk must contain less than 0.5% fat, and typically contains 0.1%.

55 Halloween disguises : MASKS

All Saints’ Day is November 1st each year. The day before All Saints’ Day is All Hallows’ Eve, better known by the Scottish term “Halloween”.

57 Swanky, like a certain Spice Girl? : POSH

The five members of the English pop group the Spice Girls are:

  • Scary Spice (Melanie Brown, or Mel B)
  • Baby Spice (Emma Bunton, and my fave!)
  • Ginger Spice (Geri Halliwell)
  • Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham)
  • Sporty Spice (Melanie Chisholm, or Mel C)

61 Pharmaceutical watchdog org. : FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has its roots in the Division of Chemistry (later “Bureau of Chemistry”) that was part of the US Department of Agriculture. President Theodore Roosevelt gave responsibility for examination of food and drugs to the Bureau of Chemistry with the signing of the Pure Food and Drug Act. The Bureau’s name was changed to the Food, Drug and Insecticide Organization in 1927, and to the Food and Drug Administration in 1930.

64 Letter represented by a peace sign : VEE

One has to be careful making that V-sign depending where you are in the world. Where I came from, the V-for-victory (or peace) sign has to be made with the palm facing outwards. If the sign is made with the palm facing inwards, it can be interpreted as a very obscene gesture.

65 Great Basin people : UTE

The Great Basin is a large region of the US covering most of Nevada, much of Utah and some parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon and California. The 200,000 square mile area drains internally, with all precipitation sinking underground or flowing into lakes. Most of the lakes in the Great Basin are saline, including the Great Salt Lake, Pyramid Lake and the Humboldt Sink.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Rounded roofs : DOMES
6 Closes, as a jacket or travel bag : ZIPS
10 Like the odds of getting dealt a royal flush : SLIM
14 Stratosphere layer with a “hole” : OZONE
15 Orchestra woodwind : OBOE
16 Partner for a mama : PAPA
17 Hunky star of “Aquaman” : JASON MOMOA
19 “Immediately!,” on an order : ASAP!
20 “Chopsticks ___ fork?” : OR A
21 Opposite of bright : DIM
22 Distress signal device : FLARE
24 Satirical sketch : SKIT
26 Actress Tyler : LIV
28 Dinner’s main course : ENTREE
31 Hunky star of “Magic Mike” : CHANNING TATUM
34 Soccer stadium shout : OLE!
35 Derrière : TUSH
36 The “A” in MoMA : ART
37 “Sure as shootin’ …” : BY GUM …
40 Hunky co-star of “Rocky III” : MR T
41 Popular toaster waffles : EGGOS
43 Rowing blade : OAR
44 Berry said to be a “superfood” : ACAI
46 “Here’s what I think,” to emailers : IMO
47 Hunky co-star of the “Fast & Furious” franchise : DWAYNE JOHNSON
51 Make beloved : ENDEAR
52 Boy : LAD
53 Campus digs : DORM
56 Flip one’s lid? : UNCAP
58 Skin blemish, slangily : ZIT
60 Actress Vardalos or Long : NIA
61 Lacking fizz, as soda : FLAT
63 Avid fans of cinema … or a punny description of 17-, 31-, 40- and 47-Across : MOVIE BUFFS
66 Info for a computer : DATA
67 “Gotcha” : I SEE
68 Bit of celery or broccoli : STALK
69 Lumberjacks swing them : AXES
70 “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer : CHER
71 “For ___ sake!” : PETE’S

Down

1 Judo schools : DOJOS
2 Arkansas’s ___ Mountains : OZARK
3 Inlaid tile design : MOSAIC
4 Bowie collaborator Brian : ENO
5 Drop in the mail : SEND
6 Get a closer view, as with a camera : ZOOM IN
7 Tech giant dubbed “Big Blue” : IBM
8 [It just disappeared!] : [POOF!]
9 What a landlubber likely lacks : SEA LEGS
10 Ancient rival of Athens : SPARTA
11 Game like paintball, but without the paint or the balls : LASER TAG
12 Pub offering, for short : IPA
13 Rand McNally product : MAP
18 Pooh and Piglet creator : MILNE
23 “O Canada” and others : ANTHEMS
25 Quaker pronoun : THOU
27 Bitter criticism : VITRIOL
29 € currency : EURO
30 911 responders, in brief : EMTS
32 The Old Farmer’s ___ : ALMANAC
33 Filbert or pecan : NUT
37 Be an omen of : BODE
38 [Bor-r-ring!] : YAWN
39 Finish school : GRADUATE
40 Lt. col.’s inferior : MAJ
42 B, gradewise : GOOD
45 Like pots made by a potter : CERAMIC
46 Nonmainstream, as music : INDIE
48 Buttinskies : YENTAS
49 More foggy : HAZIER
50 Like skim milk : NONFAT
54 Long-barreled gun : RIFLE
55 Halloween disguises : MASKS
57 Swanky, like a certain Spice Girl? : POSH
59 Recipe amt. : TBSP
61 Pharmaceutical watchdog org. : FDA
62 Not strict : LAX
64 Letter represented by a peace sign : VEE
65 Great Basin people : UTE