0713-22 NY Times Crossword 13 Jul 22, Wednesday

Constructed by: Addison Snell
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): To Be, or Not to Be

Themed answers are the names of people quoted in the clue. And, all the clues have an “I am” flavor:

  • 24A “Who Am I?” : JEAN VALJEAN
  • 37A With 39-Across, “I Am What I Am” : GLORIA …
    39A See 37-Across : … GAYNOR
  • 49A “I think, therefore I am” : RENE DESCARTES
  • 55A “I yam what I yam” : POPEYE
  • 56A “I Am that I Am” : YAHWEH

Bill’s time: 10m 42s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Feature on the right side of the Apple logo : BITE

The logo of Apple, the computer company, is a silhouette of an apple with a bite taken out of it. The company’s original logo featured a picture of Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree.

5 ___ Sandoval, two-time All-Star third baseman : PABLO

Pablo Sandoval is a Major League third baseman from Venezuela. Sandoval has the cute and cuddly nickname “Kung Fu Panda”, a nickname given to him by teammate Barry Zito when they played together for the San Francisco Giants.

18 Dress (up) : GUSSY

To gussy up is to dress showily. The term “gussy” was a slang term that was used to describe an overly-dressed person.

23 Extract from ore, as metal : SMELT

Metals are found in ore in the form of oxides. In order to get pure metal from the ore, the ore is heated and the metal oxides within are reduced (i.e. the oxygen is removed) in the chemical process known as smelting. The oxygen is extracted by adding a source of carbon or carbon monoxide which uses up the excess oxygen atoms to make carbon dioxide, a waste product of smelting (and, a greenhouse gas).

24 “Who Am I?” : JEAN VALJEAN

The 1980 musical “Les Misérables” is an adaptation of the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. The show opened in London in 1985, and is the longest running musical in the history of London’s West End. My wife and I saw “Les Miz” in the Queen’s Theatre in London many years ago, but were only able to get tickets in the very back row. The theater seating is very steep, so the back row of the balcony is extremely high over the stage. One of the big events in the storyline is the building of a street barricade over which the rebels fight. At the height we were seated we could see the stagehands behind the barricade, sitting drinking Coke, even smoking cigarettes. On cue, the stagehands would get up and catch a dropped rifle, or an actor who had been shot. It was pretty comical. I didn’t really enjoy the show that much, to be honest. Some great songs, but the musical version of the storyline just didn’t seem to hang together for me.

27 Big Apple airport code : LGA

The three big airports serving New York City (NYC) are John F. Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark (EWR).

Apparently, the first published use of the term “Big Apple” to describe New York City dates back to 1909. Edward Martin wrote the following in his book “The Wayfarer in New York”:

Kansas is apt to see in New York a greedy city. . . . It inclines to think that the big apple gets a disproportionate share of the national sap.

Over ten years later, the term “big apple” was used as a nickname for racetracks in and around New York City. However, the concerted effort to “brand” the city as the Big Apple had to wait until the seventies and was the work of the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau.

30 Scottish cap : TAM

A tam o’shanter is a man’s cap worn traditionally by Scotsmen. “Tams” were originally all blue (and called “blue bonnets”) but as more dyes became readily available they became more colorful. The name of the cap comes from the title character of the Robert Burns poem “Tam o’ Shanter”. A pom-pom adorning a tam is known as a toorie.

33 Result of an entente : PACT

An entente cordiale (sometimes just “entente”) is a friendly understanding, usually between two nations. The term, which translates from French as “cordial agreement”, was first used to describe a set of agreements between the UK and France that were put in place in 1904.

35 Ranch animal : STEER

A steer is a male bovine that was castrated when young and is then raised for beef. The term “steer” comes from the Old English “steor” meaning “bullock”.

36 Ferris wheel, e.g. : RIDE

The first Ferris Wheel was built for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. That wheel was designed and constructed by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. who lent his name to wheels built from then on.

37 With 39-Across, “I Am What I Am” : GLORIA …
39 See 37-Across : … GAYNOR

Gloria Gaynor is a singer who had most success during the disco era, most notably with “I Will Survive” in 1979. Gaynor released “I Will Survive” as a B-side to “Substitute”, a cover version to a Righteous Brothers song. “Substitute” made it to #107 in the charts in December 1978. “I Will Survive” hit the #1 spot three months later.

41 Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore : ALBUS

Professor Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster of the school for wizards called Hogwarts, in the Harry Potter universe. Dumbledore’s specialties are nonverbal spells and alchemy. Author J. K. Rowling chose the name Dumbledore as it is an Early English word for a bumblebee. Apparently she pictured him wandering around, humming to himself.

49 “I think, therefore I am” : RENE DESCARTES

The great French philosopher Rene Descartes made the famous statement in Latin, “Cogito ergo sum”. This translates into French as “Je pense, donc je suis” and into English as “I think, therefore I am”. Anything pertaining to the philosophy of Descartes can be described by the adjective “Cartesian”.

55 “I yam what I yam” : POPEYE

Popeye first appeared in 1929 in a comic strip called “Thimble Theatre”. The strip, created by E. C. Segar, ran for ten years before Popeye made an appearance. Popeye received such a great welcome from readers that he soon “took over” the strip, and eventually even hogged the strip’s title. Before Popeye turned up, Olive Oyl was the main character.

56 “I Am that I Am” : YAHWEH

“Tetragrammaton” is a Greek word meaning “consisting of four letters” It is the name given to the four-letter word in Hebrew for the name God. The four letters are usually translated into English as YHWH, with “Yahweh” used as the ancient pronunciation. Another pronunciation that has been used is “Jehovah”.

59 Queen ___ lace : ANNE’S

What we call “Queen Anne’s Lace” over here in the US is known by many in Britain and Ireland as “wild carrot”. The roots of Queen Anne’s Lace are indeed edible, just like carrots, but only when they are very young because later in life they get very woody. The wild carrot was given the name Queen Anne’s Lace when it was introduced into America as the flowers do resemble white lace. There is one small red flower in the center of the plant that is said to be a drop of blood that Queen Anne spilled when she pricked herself as she was making the lace.

67 Woody and Buzz Lightyear, for two : TOYS

1995’s “Toy Story” was the world’s first feature-length computer-animated movie. “Toy Story” was also Pixar’s first production. The main roles in the film are Buzz Lightyear and Woody, who are voiced by Tim Allen and Tom Hanks respectively. Hanks was the first choice to voice Woody, but Allen was asked to voice Buzz after Billy Crystal turned down the role.

68 QB John in the Pro Football Hall of Fame : ELWAY

Former quarterback John Elway played his entire professional football career with the Denver Broncos. Elway was the oldest player ever to be named MVP in a Super Bowl game, being so honored in Super Bowl XXXIII in the 1998 season after the Broncos’ victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Down

3 One side of a “Twilight” fan debate : TEAM JACOB

The reference is to a character (Jacob Black) in “The Twilight” series of books by Stephenie Meyer. “The Twilight Saga” is a series of films based on the books. “The Twilight” books feature vampires, and I don’t do vampires …

5 Cribbage score keeper : PEG

Cribbage is a great card game that originated in 17th-century England. It was a creation of the poet Sir John Suckling. One of the unique features of the game is that a cribbage board with pegs is used to keep score. Here in the US, cribbage is very much associated with the submarine service, as it is a favorite game of submariners of all ranks.

9 Classic beer of the Pacific Northwest, familiarly : OLY

The Olympia Brewing Company was founded in the town of Tumwater, Washington in 1896, by a German immigrant. Olympia (familiarly “Oly”) was acquired by Pabst in 1983.

10 Who nominated Sotomayor and Kagan to the Supreme Court : OBAMA

Sonia Sotomayor was the first Hispanic justice appointed to the US Supreme Court, and the third female justice. Sotomayor was nominated by President Barack Obama to replace the retiring Justice David Souter.

Elena Kagan was the Solicitor General of the United States from 2009 until 2010, when she replaced Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court. That made Justice Kagan the first female US Solicitor General and the fourth female US Supreme Court justice. Kagan also served as the first female dean of Harvard Law School from 2003 to 2009.

11 Most of Patagonia is in it : ARGENTINA

Patagonia is a very sparsely populated region at the very southern tip of South America that is divided administratively between Chile and Argentina. The area is named for the Patagons, a race of giant humans that were rumored to live there.

12 Automotive pioneer Benz : KARL

It is generally accepted that Karl Benz invented the internal combustion engine, although others were doing similar work around the same time. He certainly was awarded the first patent for an automobile, in 1886. His first automobile, the Patent-Motorwagen, couldn’t get up hills unaided so his wife Bertha Benz suggested the introduction of gears. Sure enough, the next model had two gears. Behind every successful man …

21 Zodiac animal between fish and bull : RAM

Aries the Ram is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, and is named after the constellation. Your birth sign is Aries if you were born between March 21 and April 20, but if you are an Aries you would know that! “Aries” is the Latin word for “ram”.

25 Perseverance’s org. : NASA

There have been several rovers sent to Mars from Earth. The Soviet Union’s Mars 2 landed in 1971, and failed. Mars 3 landed the same year, and ceased operation just 20 seconds after landing. NASA’s Sojourner landed in 1997 (what a great day that was!) and operated from July through September. The British rover Beagle 2 was lost six days before its scheduled entry into the Martian atmosphere. NASA’s Spirit landed in 2004, and operated successfully for over six years before getting trapped in sand and eventually ceasing to communicate. NASA’s Opportunity also landed in 2004, and operated for over fourteen years. And then NASA’s Curiosity made a spectacular, hi-tech landing in 2012 and is continuing to explore the planet today. Based on the Curiosity design, NASA’s Perseverance rover landed in 2021, along with the Mars helicopter named Ingenuity. The China National Space Administration landed its first rover, named Zhurong (“Rover” in English), five months after Perseverance started its mission on the planet.

27 Grp. for women who drive : LPGA

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) was founded in 1950 by a group of 13 lady golfers, and today it is the oldest ongoing women’s sports professional organization in the US.

31 Kerfuffles : ADOS

“Kerfuffle” comes from the Scottish “curfuffle”, with both words meaning “disruption”.

34 ___TV, “Impractical Jokers” airer : TRU

“Impractical Jokers” is a show that first aired in 2011 that falls into the “Candid Camera” genre, with the hosts pranking the public.

36 Main ingredient in a Sazerac : RYE

The classic New Orleans cocktail known as a Sazerac is a mixture of rye, absinthe, bitters and sugar. The use of rye is a little incongruous, given that the cocktail is named for Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of Cognac that was originally the base spirit.

38 Name of brothers in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame : ISLEY

The Isley Brothers are an R&B group from Cincinnati, Ohio. The original lineup was a vocal trio consisting of three brothers: O’Kelly, Jr., Rudolph and Ronald Isley. The three brothers wrote the fabulous 1959 hit “Shout”, the song which brought the group its first success.

40 Capital of Ghana : ACCRA

Accra sits on Ghana’s coast and is a major seaport as well as the country’s capital city. The name “Accra” comes from a local word “Nkran” meaning “ants”, a name chosen because of the large number of anthills found in the area when the city was founded.

42 Special gear for med. workers : PPE

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

44 Locale for ZIP code 10001, in brief : NYC

The ZIP code 10001 covers much of Midtown Manhattan.

49 Event held in a ring : RODEO

“Rodeo” is a Spanish word that is usually translated into English as “round up”.

50 Resinous adhesive : EPOXY

Epoxy resins are thermosetting polymers that have high adhesive strength. In order to achieve mechanical and adhesive strength, the epoxy has to cure. The “curing” is a cross-linking reaction that takes place between individual molecules in the material. In some cases, the cross-linking is brought about by mixing the epoxy with a co-reactant known as a “hardener”. In other cases, the epoxy is cured by exposing it to heat.

53 Family name on TV’s “Dallas” : EWING

The TV soap “Dallas” revolved around the Ewing family. The series that ran for 13 years was originally intended as a five-part mini-series, with the main characters being newlyweds Bobby and Pam Ewing. But, the devious character in the piece, Bobby’s brother J. R., became so popular with audiences that the series was extended with J. R. at the center of the story. Who can remember who shot J.R.? (It was Kristin Shepard: J.R.’s mistress, who was also his sister-in-law).

54 1965 march setting : SELMA

The Alabama city of Selma was settled in 1815. It was named in 1820 by Alabama politician William R. King, who would later serve briefly as US Vice President under President Franklin Pierce. Meaning “high seat, throne”, King chose the city’s name from the Ossianic poem “The Songs of Selma”. Today, the city is perhaps best known for the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches, which ultimately led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Feature on the right side of the Apple logo : BITE
5 ___ Sandoval, two-time All-Star third baseman : PABLO
10 “White” or “red” trees : OAKS
14 Starter home? : EDEN
15 Like all the sides in a regular polygon : EQUAL
16 Healthful cereal component : BRAN
17 “Ah, me!” : ALAS!
18 Dress (up) : GUSSY
19 Prefix with cultural : AGRI-
20 Make an objection : DEMUR
22 Salmon ___ plancha (fish dish) : A LA
23 Extract from ore, as metal : SMELT
24 “Who Am I?” : JEAN VALJEAN
27 Big Apple airport code : LGA
29 Primary place to park : MAIN LOT
30 Scottish cap : TAM
33 Result of an entente : PACT
35 Ranch animal : STEER
36 Ferris wheel, e.g. : RIDE
37 With 39-Across, “I Am What I Am” : GLORIA …
39 See 37-Across : … GAYNOR
41 Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore : ALBUS
42 Word with poison or pig : … PEN
45 Stop : CEASE
46 Not really sing, say : LIP-SYNC
49 “I think, therefore I am” : RENE DESCARTES
55 “I yam what I yam” : POPEYE
56 “I Am that I Am” : YAHWEH
58 Wedding declarations : I DOS
59 Queen ___ lace : ANNE’S
63 Get under the skin of : RILE
64 Deli counter call : NEXT!
65 Bit of pageant wear : TIARA
66 “You Dropped a Bomb ___” (1982 hit by the Gap Band) : ON ME
67 Woody and Buzz Lightyear, for two : TOYS
68 QB John in the Pro Football Hall of Fame : ELWAY
69 “Zounds!” : EGAD!

Down

1 Bit of sweat : BEAD
2 Just waiting around : IDLE
3 One side of a “Twilight” fan debate : TEAM JACOB
4 Follow : ENSUE
5 Cribbage score keeper : PEG
6 Scandinavian liquor whose name means “water of life” : AQUAVIT
7 Feature of some city streets : BUS LANE
8 French explorer of the Great Lakes : LASALLE
9 Classic beer of the Pacific Northwest, familiarly : OLY
10 Who nominated Sotomayor and Kagan to the Supreme Court : OBAMA
11 Most of Patagonia is in it : ARGENTINA
12 Automotive pioneer Benz : KARL
13 Peevish state : SNIT
21 Zodiac animal between fish and bull : RAM
23 Train ___ : SET
25 Perseverance’s org. : NASA
26 George, in Germany : JORG
27 Grp. for women who drive : LPGA
28 Impudence : GALL
31 Kerfuffles : ADOS
32 No more than : MERE
34 ___TV, “Impractical Jokers” airer : TRU
36 Main ingredient in a Sazerac : RYE
38 Name of brothers in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame : ISLEY
40 Capital of Ghana : ACCRA
42 Special gear for med. workers : PPE
43 Double curve : ESS
44 Locale for ZIP code 10001, in brief : NYC
47 Contribute to a brainstorming session : IDEATE
48 Deny : NAYSAY
49 Event held in a ring : RODEO
50 Resinous adhesive : EPOXY
51 Places to brood : NESTS
52 Intense convulsion : THROE
53 Family name on TV’s “Dallas” : EWING
54 1965 march setting : SELMA
55 Pub order : PINT
57 Follow : HEED
60 Love of soccer? : NIL
61 Opposite of yep : NAW
62 Stretch of time : ERA