1130-19 NY Times Crossword 30 Nov 19, Saturday

Constructed by: Joe Deeney
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 17m 11s

Bill’s errors: 2

  • ARIE (Urie)
  • AFTERCARE (after-cure!!!)

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

18 Leather band for sharpening : STROP

A strop is a strip of leather used to sharpen a razor.

19 It gets pushed in a corner : ESCAPE KEY

The escape key (Esc) was originally used to control computer peripherals. It was a key that allowed the computer operator to stop what the peripheral was doing (cancel a print job, for example). Nowadays the escape key is used for all sorts of things, especially in gaming programs.

20 Source of red ink : HENNA

Henna has been used for centuries as a dye, for leather and wool as well as hair and skin. In modern days, henna is often used for temporary tattoos.

21 Island once called Serendip, source of the word “serendipity” : CEYLON

The island nation of Sri Lanka lies off the southeast coast of India. The name “Sri Lanka” translates from Sanskrit into English as “venerable island”. Before 1970, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon, a name given to the country during British rule.

22 Speaker of the line “Hamlet, thou art slain” : LAERTES

In William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”, Laertes is the son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia. It is Laertes who kills Hamlet using a poisoned sword..

24 FAQ checker : USER

Most websites have a page listing answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Even this blog has one!

27 Duds for dandies : ASCOTS

An Ascot is a horrible-looking (I think!), wide tie that narrows at the neck, which these days is only really worn at weddings. The tie takes its name from the Royal Ascot horse race at which punters still turn up in formal wear at Ascot Racecourse in England.

28 Dope : PHAT

In hip-hop circles, the term “phat” means “excellent, first-rate”.

33 ___ Luyendyk Jr., TV bachelor of 2018 : ARIE

Arie Luyendyk is a racing driver from the Netherlands, winner of the Indianapolis 500 on two occasions. Luyendyk’s son, also called Arie, is following in his father’s footsteps and is also an auto racer.

34 “___ Flux” (2005 film) : AEON

“Aeon Flux” is a sci-fi film from 2005 starring Charlize Theron in the title role. The movie was inspired by the animated TV series of the same name that aired on MTV in the nineties.

42 “Abyssinia” : TATA

“Abyssinia” … “I’ll be seeing you”

44 Thor’s hammer : MJOLNIR

The hammer associated with the Norse god Thor is known as Mjölnir. The name “Mjölnir” translates as “crusher”.

55 Part of a staircase : RISER

The riser is the vertical part of a step in a flight of stairs.

58 One who might find a pattern in the noise : DATA MINER

The process of data mining is used to extract information from a database and present it in a form that facilitates further use.

59 Brown ___ : BETTY

Brown Betty is a simple dessert made from apples (usually) with sweetened crumbs on top, and then baked.

60 Porsche two-seaters : BOXSTERS

The Boxster is a roadster built by Porsche that was introduced in 1996. The name “Boxster” comes from a melding of “boxer” and “roadster”. A “boxer” engine (also “flat” engine) is one in which the pistons move in a horizontal plane, with the cylinders laid out in two rows opposing each other.

Down

1 San Diego State athlete : AZTEC

The Aztecs are the athletic teams of San Diego State university. The team mascot is the Aztec Warrior.

2 Eponymous candy man : REESE

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were invented by Harry Burnett “H.B.” Reese. Peanut Butter Cups were originally called penny cups, reflecting the price at which they were sold. Then inflation took over, and maybe that’s why they were broken into smaller “Pieces” …

An eponym is a name for something derived from the name of a person, as in the food item we call a “sandwich”, named after the Earl of Sandwich.

3 Funny Morgan : TRACY

Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan plays the role of Tracy Jordan on the TV show “30 Rock”. Morgan got his big break on TV when he joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1996. He stayed with the show for eight seasons.

9 Gossips : DISHES

To dish the dirt is to talk about someone or something without regard to veracity. The phrase comes from “dish” (in the sense of dishing out food) and “dirt” (in the sense of negative information).

11 1975 hit with a classic saxophone solo : BORN TO RUN

“Born to Run” is a 1975 album released by Bruce Springsteen, and the third of his career. “Born to Run” was to be Springsteen’s “breakout” album and really established him as a popular artist.

12 Hermits get a lot of it : ALONE TIME

The Greek word for “uninhabited” is “eremos”, which is the root for “eremia” meaning both “desert” and “solitude”. The Greek word eremites then means “a person of the desert”. This was absorbed into Latin as “ermita”, meaning someone who lived in solitude or in an uninhabited area. We use “eremite” to mean the same thing, although the derivative term “hermit” is more common.

13 Some QB successes : TD PASSES

Touchdown (TD)

15 “Until next time,” in a text : TTYL

Talk to you later (ttyl)

23 Grp. that offers driver safety courses : AARP

“AARP” is now the official name for the interest group that used to be called the American Association of Retired Persons. The name change reflects the current focus of the group on all Americans aged 50 or over, as opposed to just people who have retired.

25 Alternative to Leyden or Boerenkaas : EDAM

Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.

34 Biblical starting material : ADAM’S RIB

According to the Bible, Eve was created as Adam’s companion by God, creating her from Adam’s rib.

35 Forceful one? : JEDI

The Jedi are the good guys in the “Star Wars” series of movies. The most famous Jedi knights from the films are Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness, and later Ewan McGregor) and Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz). Well, they’re my favorites anyway …

39 Little chickens : BANTAMS

Small breeds of poultry might be known as bantam breeds. European sailors found smaller fowl in Southeast Asia that they referred to as “bantam”, using the name of Bantam, an old Indonesian seaport.

43 Noted parliamentary measure of 1773 : TEA TAX

The famous destruction of tea in Boston Harbor to protest against the Tea Act took place on December 16, 1773. The action was referred to as the “destruction of the tea” for decades, and it wasn’t until 1834 that the term “Boston Tea Party” first appeared in print.

48 R.B.’s blockers : O-LINE

Offensive line (O-line)

49 Renowned London street in literature : BAKER

In the “Sherlock Holmes” stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous detective has lodgings at 221b Baker Street in London. Holmes shares rooms with his friend and chronicler Dr. Watson. The landlady in the residence is the amiable Mrs. Hudson.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Where one might be graded on a curve? : ART CLASS
9 Use a tissue on : DAB AT
14 Eliminates : ZEROES OUT
16 “That’s it for me” : I FOLD
17 Really let have : TEAR APART
18 Leather band for sharpening : STROP
19 It gets pushed in a corner : ESCAPE KEY
20 Source of red ink : HENNA
21 Island once called Serendip, source of the word “serendipity” : CEYLON
22 Speaker of the line “Hamlet, thou art slain” : LAERTES
24 FAQ checker : USER
27 Duds for dandies : ASCOTS
28 Dope : PHAT
31 Darling : DEAR
33 ___ Luyendyk Jr., TV bachelor of 2018 : ARIE
34 “___ Flux” (2005 film) : AEON
35 Clog : JAM UP
36 Some Cuban exports : RUMS
37 Common duel setting : DAWN
38 One title of the prophet Muhammad : EMIR
39 Positive response to “Come va?” : BENE
40 Spoke in court : ARGUED
42 “Abyssinia” : TATA
44 Thor’s hammer : MJOLNIR
46 Get ready for court, maybe : ENROBE
51 Sarcastic “Sorry!” : SUE ME!
52 Subject of passing interest? : ESTATE LAW
55 Part of a staircase : RISER
56 Quite similar : A LOT ALIKE
57 Cause of a delay in a plane’s takeoff : ICING
58 One who might find a pattern in the noise : DATA MINER
59 Brown ___ : BETTY
60 Porsche two-seaters : BOXSTERS

Down

1 San Diego State athlete : AZTEC
2 Eponymous candy man : REESE
3 Funny Morgan : TRACY
4 Pink shade : CORAL
5 Be immediately obvious : LEAP OUT
6 Trees that “at the cross-roads talk together,” in an Edward Thomas poem : ASPENS
7 Do a prewashing job : SOAK
8 “Okey-doke” : SURE
9 Gossips : DISHES
10 Postoperative treatment : AFTERCARE
11 1975 hit with a classic saxophone solo : BORN TO RUN
12 Hermits get a lot of it : ALONE TIME
13 Some QB successes : TD PASSES
15 “Until next time,” in a text : TTYL
23 Grp. that offers driver safety courses : AARP
25 Alternative to Leyden or Boerenkaas : EDAM
26 Compensate for something? : REMIT
28 Apple cider alternative : PEAR JUICE
29 “Everything good with you?” : HOW GOES IT?
30 “I do” undoer : ANNULMENT
32 Mood : AURA
34 Biblical starting material : ADAM’S RIB
35 Forceful one? : JEDI
39 Little chickens : BANTAMS
41 ___ drink : ENERGY
43 Noted parliamentary measure of 1773 : TEA TAX
45 Went over : READ
47 On again : RELIT
48 R.B.’s blockers : O-LINE
49 Renowned London street in literature : BAKER
50 Some still-life fixtures : EWERS
53 Tabletop, perhaps : SLAB
54 Altogether, after “in” : … TOTO