0706-19 NY Times Crossword 6 Jul 19, Saturday

Constructed by: Erik Agard
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 43m 41s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

10 Activity that might elicit stares, for short : PDA

Public display of affection (PDA)

13 Singer/actress Janelle : MONAE

Janelle Monáe is a singer and actress. I’m not familiar with her as a singer, but did see Monáe play NASA engineer Mary Jackson in the excellent 2016 film “Hidden Figures”.

14 Theater option : IMAX

The IMAX Corporation, which is behind the IMAX film format, is a Canadian company. The impetus for developing the system came after Expo ’67 in Montreal. Back then large format screenings were accomplished using multiple projectors with multiple screens, with images basically stitched together. The team behind the IMAX technology set out to simplify things, and developed a single-camera, single-projector system.

15 Couleur du chocolat : BRUN

In French, the “couleur du chocolat” (color of chocolate) is “brun” (brown).

17 Yamaha purchase : MOTORBIKE

The Japanese company Yamaha started out way back in 1888 as a manufacturer of pianos and reed organs. Even though the company has diversified since then, Yamaha’s logo still reflects it musical roots. Said logo is made up of three intersecting tuning forks, and can even be seen on Yamaha motorcycles.

19 Hazmat regulator : OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970 during the Nixon administration. OSHA regulates workplaces in the private sector and regulates just one government agency, namely the US Postal Service.

Dangerous goods are commonly referred to as hazardous materials, or “Hazmat”. People working with dangerous goods might wear a Hazmat suit.

20 USA competitor : TBS

The tbs cable television station started out in 1967 as local broadcast TV station in Atlanta. The station’s first call letters were WJRJ-TV, and this was changed to WTCG in 1970 when it was acquired by Ted Turner (the TCG stood for Turner Communications Group). In 1976, Turner started distributing WTCG via satellite making its programming available in other parts of the country. WTCG was only the second channel to transmit via satellite, following HBO. The difference was that WTCG was broadcast without requiring a premium subscription. The station’s call sign was changed again in 1979 to WTBS, with TBS standing for Turner Broadcasting System. In 1981, the channel adopted the moniker “Superstation WTBS”.

22 Kashyyyk denizen, in sci-fi : WOOKIEE

Wookiees are a biped race featured in “Star Wars”. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca (aka “Chewie”), the loyal friend and associate of Han Solo who serves as co-pilot on the Millennium Falcon spaceship.

24 Contents of some sleeves : LPS

The first vinyl records designed to play at 33⅓ rpm were introduced by RCA Victor in 1931, but were discontinued due to quality problems. The first long play (LP) 33⅓ rpm disc was introduced by Columbia Records many years later in 1948, with RCA Victor following up with a 45 rpm “single” the following year, in 1949.

31 Cellist with a Presidential Medal of Freedom : PABLO CASALS

Pablo Casals was a wonderful cellist from Catalonia in Spain. He lived at the time of the Franco regime in Spain. As a supporter of the Spanish Republican Government, he placed himself in self-imposed exile in 1938, vowing not to return home until democracy had been restored. Casals never again set foot on Spanish soil, and died in Puerto Rico in 1973.

38 GPS suggestion: Abbr. : RTE

A global positioning system (GPS) might point out a route (rte.).

39 Walletful : IDS

Identity document (ID)

45 Pixy ___ : STIX

Pixy Stix is powdered candy that’s packaged in what looks like a straw. The “candy” was sold back in the thirties as a drink mix, but when kids were found to be eating the sweet & sour-tasting mix directly from packets, the producers began to packaging it as candy.

46 #2 image among smartphone users? : POOP EMOJI

An emoji is a character found on many cell phones that is much like an emoticon, but is more elaborate.

51 Taqueria order, informally : GUAC

Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes. It is prepared by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

52 ___ Park, Calif. : MENLO

Menlo Park is a town in the San Francisco Bay Area. The town was built around land previously owned by two Irish immigrants. The pair called their property “Menlo Park”, naming it for Menlo in County Galway, which is where the Irishmen came from.

Down

2 One of the nine weapons in 2008’s expanded version of Clue : POISON

Clue is a board game that we knew under a different name growing up in Ireland. Outside of North America, Clue is marketed as “Cluedo”. Cluedo was the original name of the game, introduced in 1949 by the famous British board game manufacturer Waddingtons. There are cute differences between the US and UK versions. For example, the man who is murdered is called Dr. Black (Mr. Boddy in the US), one of the suspects is the Reverend Green (Mr. Green in the US), and the suspect weapons include a dagger (a knife in the US), and a spanner (a wrench in the US). I think it’s a fabulous game, a must during the holidays …

3 “That, in spades!” : AND HOW!

The phrase “in spades” meaning “in abundance” dates back to the late twenties. The term probably comes from the game of bridge, in which spades are the highest-ranking suit.

5 Lead-in to cow, horse or dog : SEA-

Manatees, also known as “sea cows”, are very large marine mammals that can grow to 12 feet in length. The manatee is believed to have evolved from four-legged land mammals and probably shares a common ancestor with the elephant.

Seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus. The genus name comes from the Greek “hippo” meaning “horse” and “kampos” meaning “sea monster”. It’s the male seahorse who carries the fertilized eggs, and not the females. The region of the brain known as the hippocampus, is so called because it resembles a seahorse in shape.

“Sea dog” and “old salt” are familiar terms for a sailor, especially one that has lots of experience.

6 Footwear with a tree logo : TIMBERLANDS

The Timberland Company was founded in 1957 by Nathan Swartz, a shoemaker from Boston. The business’s first successful product was the waterproof boot called the Timberland. It was so successful that the company adopted Timberland for its name.

7 Who said “The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem” : AMOS

Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible. The Old Testament’s Book of Amos is attributed to him.

8 With 4-Down, someone who might repossess your car when you go bankrupt? : PAT …
(4D See 8-Down : … SAJAK)

Pat Sajak took over as host of “Wheel of Fortune” from Chuck Woolery back in 1983 and has been doing the job ever since. Sajak had a short run as a talk show host in 1989/1990 and used to sub quite often for Larry King and Regis Philbin.

11 1980s presidential candidate : DUKAKIS

Michael Dukakis was the Democratic nominee for president in 1988, losing out to President George H. Bush. Dukakis was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, the same town in which President John F. Kennedy came into the world.

12 Weak : ANEMIC

The term “anemia” (or “anaemia”, as we write it back in Ireland) comes from a Greek word meaning “lack of blood”. Anemia is a lack of iron in the blood, or a low red blood cell count. Tiredness is a symptom of the condition, and so we use the term “anemic” figuratively to mean “lacking in vitality or substance”.

20 English breakfast, for example : TEA BLEND

English breakfast tea is a blend of black teas dominated by teas from Assam, Ceylon and Kenya. The blends are created to go well with milk and perhaps sugar, as indeed one might drink tea with an English breakfast. Irish breakfast tea is mainly a blend of teas from Assam. It is also created to go well with milk, especially after a few pints of Guinness. Okay, I made up that last bit …

23 “Ninotchka” actress, 1939 : INA CLAIRE

“Ina Claire” was the stage name of actress Ina Fagan. Claire’s second marriage was to silent-movie heartthrob John Gilbert.

“Ninotchka” is a 1939 movie starring Greta Garbo in the title role. The film is a comedy, and was the second-to-last film in which Garbo appeared. “Ninotchka” was the only full comedy that Garbo made in her career, and was marketed with the line, “Garbo Laughs!”

25 Close … but not THAT close : PLATONIC

The Greek philosopher Plato wrote a philosophical treatise on the nature of love called “Symposium”. “Symposium” is the source of the contemporary phrase “Platonic love”.

31 French homophone of 30-Down : PERE
(30D Trim : PARE)

In French, a “père” (father) is a “membre de la famille” (member of the family).

32 Stand-up comedian with the 2005 double-platinum album “Retaliation” : DANE COOK

Dane Cook is a stand-up comedian who has had a number of roles in movies as well. He had a setback handling the income he was earning from his work though back in 2008. His half-brother had been his business manager up to that point and it was discovered that he had embezzled millions of dollars from Dane. The half-brother and his wife are now in prison for the crime.

33 Companies known for their net profit : DOT-COMS

A dot-com is a company that primarily makes it money by providing products and services using its online presence.

35 Many a Univision viewer, in modern usage : LATINX

Univision is a Spanish-language television broadcaster based in New York City, with production facilities in Doral, Florida.

36 Armpit : AXILLA

“Axilla” is the anatomical name for armpit, not to be confused with “maxilla”, the upper jawbone.

37 Poet with the 1967 Pulitzer-winning volume “Live or Die” : SEXTON

Anne Sexton was a poet from Massachusetts who won the 1967 Pulitzer for poetry for her collection titled “Live or Die”. Sexton’s style of poetry is sometimes classified as “confessional”, and reveals details of her private life, including her battle with depression. She finally committed suicide in 1974 at the age of 45.

41 Big name in parfum : ESTEE

Estée Lauder was a very successful businesswoman, and someone with a great reputation as a salesperson. Lauder introduced her own line of fragrances in 1953, a bath oil called “Youth Dew”. “Youth Dew” was marketed as a perfume, but it was added to bathwater. All of a sudden women were pouring whole bottles of Ms. Lauder’s “perfume” into their baths while using only a drop or two of French perfumes behind their ears. That’s quite a difference in sales volume …

43 Original airer of “Everybody Hates Chris” : UPN

The United Paramount Network (UPN) was a TV channel that launched in 1995, and shut down in 2006. Some of UPN’s programming was moved to the CW channel at the time of UPN’s demise.

44 Cracked : AJAR

Our word “ajar” is thought to come from Scottish dialect, in which “a char” means “slightly open”.

47 ___ Resorts International : MGM

MGM Resorts International is the name given to a chain of hotel resorts and casinos, including the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The MGM Grand Las Vegas was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in 1993, and is now the second largest (behind the Venetian, also in Las Vegas).

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 “No, thanks” : I PASS
6 Rapper’s release : TAPE
10 Activity that might elicit stares, for short : PDA
13 Singer/actress Janelle : MONAE
14 Theater option : IMAX
15 Couleur du chocolat : BRUN
16 “___ Ever” (Elvis song from “G.I. Blues”) : DIDJA’
17 Yamaha purchase : MOTORBIKE
19 Hazmat regulator : OSHA
20 USA competitor : TBS
21 Construction piece that describes what happens when you compliment me? : I-BEAM
22 Kashyyyk denizen, in sci-fi : WOOKIEE
24 Contents of some sleeves : LPS
26 Olympic runner? : SKI
27 Up and a little to the left, for short : NNW
28 One who might be diagnosed with a polysomnogram : NARCOLEPTIC
31 Cellist with a Presidential Medal of Freedom : PABLO CASALS
32 Like some legal judgments : DECLARATORY
33 Singer seen annually on David Letterman’s Christmas show : DARLENE LOVE
34 “Say no more – I’m on it” : DONE AND DONE
35 “___ Mañanitas” (traditional Mexican birthday song) : LAS
38 GPS suggestion: Abbr. : RTE
39 Walletful : IDS
40 Aid in breaking down doors : FIRE AXE
42 Go down, so to speak : OCCUR
44 ___ South, div. of the 55-Acrosses : AFC
45 Pixy ___ : STIX
46 #2 image among smartphone users? : POOP EMOJI
49 Not straight up : ATILT
50 “That’s my cue!” : I’M ON
51 Taqueria order, informally : GUAC
52 ___ Park, Calif. : MENLO
53 “C’mon, man,” in a syllable : TSK
54 Wetlands feature : MIRE
55 See 44-Across : TEXAN

Down

1 “Count me in” : I’M DOWN
2 One of the nine weapons in 2008’s expanded version of Clue : POISON
3 “That, in spades!” : AND HOW!
4 See 8-Down : … SAJAK
5 Lead-in to cow, horse or dog : SEA
6 Footwear with a tree logo : TIMBERLANDS
7 Who said “The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem” : AMOS
8 With 4-Down, someone who might repossess your car when you go bankrupt? : PAT …
9 Prefix with thermic : EXO-
10 Like some vestments : PRIESTLY
11 1980s presidential candidate : DUKAKIS
12 Weak : ANEMIC
15 So-so bond rating : BBB
18 Conquers : RISES OVER
20 English breakfast, for example : TEA BLEND
23 “Ninotchka” actress, 1939 : INA CLAIRE
24 Mayoralty, e.g. : LOCAL OFFICE
25 Close … but not THAT close : PLATONIC
29 Unseeded? : CORED
30 Trim : PARE
31 French homophone of 30-Down : PERE
32 Stand-up comedian with the 2005 double-platinum album “Retaliation” : DANE COOK
33 Companies known for their net profit : DOT-COMS
34 “Enough already!” : DROP IT!
35 Many a Univision viewer, in modern usage : LATINX
36 Armpit : AXILLA
37 Poet with the 1967 Pulitzer-winning volume “Live or Die” : SEXTON
41 Big name in parfum : ESTEE
43 Original airer of “Everybody Hates Chris” : UPN
44 Cracked : AJAR
47 ___ Resorts International : MGM
48 “Je pense que ___” (“I think so”: Fr.) : OUI
49 Tsp. or tbsp. : AMT