0614-19 NY Times Crossword 14 Jun 19, Friday

Constructed by: Caitlin Reid
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 9m 19s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

7 “Mine!” : I GOT DIBS!

The phrase “to have dibs on” expresses a claim on something. Apparently, the term “dibs” is a contraction of “dibstone”, which was a knucklebone or jack used in a children’s game.

17 Expecting, slangily : PREGGO

The normal gestation period for humans is 280 days, a little over 9 months. The gestation period can be a little shorter, or longer. Back in 1945, a pregnancy was confirmed at 375 days, which is just over 12 months.

20 Children’s Dr.? : SEUSS

“Dr. Seuss” was the pen name of Theodor Seuss Geisel. Geisel first used the pen name while studying at Dartmouth College and at the University of Oxford. Back then, he pronounced “Seuss” as it would be in German, i.e. rhyming with “voice”. After his books found success in the US, he went with the pronunciation being used widely by the public, quite happy to have a name that rhymes with “Mother Goose”.

23 1/746 horsepower : WATT

The unit of horsepower was introduced along with the steam engine, where the output of the engine was compared with the power of draft horses. Largely, this comparison with the horse was a marketing ploy, as the intent was to demonstrate that one steam engine could negate the need for a number of draft horses used for work.

24 Pouty face : MOUE

The term “moue” comes from French, and means “small grimace, pout”.

27 Celebrity mug shot, typically : BAD PR

The verb “to mug” means to make an exaggerated facial expression. The term comes from mugs used to drink beer (called Toby mugs) that are made in the shape of heads with grotesque expressions. “Mug” can also be a noun meaning “face”.

28 The key to making a quick exit? : ESC

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.

43 Simply taboo : NOT DONE

The word “taboo” was introduced into English by Captain Cook in his book “A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean”. Cook described “tabu” (likely imitative of a Tongan word that he had heard) as something that was both consecrated and forbidden.

45 Only N.F.L. franchise to win championships representing three different cities : RAMS

The Los Angeles Rams are the only franchise to have won NFL championships in three different cities, i.e. Cleveland (1945), Los Angeles (1951) and St. Louis (1999). The Rams were based in Cleveland from 1936 to 1945, in Los Angeles from 1946 to 1994, in St. Louis from 1995 to 2015, and returned to Los Angeles in 2016.

55 Like Antarctica : REMOTE

On average, Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest of all seven continents. Although Antarctica is very cold, it is essentially a desert, receiving only 8 inches of precipitation annually at the coasts and even less inland.

57 Pro QB Manning, by birth : ELISHA

Eli Manning plays as quarterback for the New York Giants. Eli’s brother Peyton Manning retired from football as the quarterback for the Denver Broncos in 2015. Eli and Peyton’s father is Archie Manning, who was also a successful NFL quarterback. Eli, Peyton and Archie co-authored a book for children titles “Family Huddle” in 2009. It describes the Mannings playing football together as young boys.

Down

1 “Savvy?” : CAPISCE?

“Capeesh?” is a slang term meaning “do you understand?” It comes from the Italian “capisce” meaning “understand”.

10 Julia Roberts’s role in the “Ocean’s” series : TESS

“Ocean’s 11” is a great film from 1960, starring Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean. The original storyline is updated for the excellent 2001 remake, with George Clooney playing the lead. In the 1960 movie, the love interest is a character called Beatrice Ocean, played by Angie Dickinson. In the 2001 version, the love interest gets a new name, Tess Ocean, and is played by Julia Roberts. The 2001 remake (titled “Ocean’s Eleven”, note the spelling) spawned two sequels: “Ocean’s Twelve” in 2004 and “Ocean’s Thirteen” in 2007.

11 Informal object : DAT

Not dis, but dat!

12 Pill bug or wood louse : ISOPOD

Isopods are small crustaceans with seven pairs of legs. Examples would be woodlice and pill bugs. The name “isopod” comes from the Greek “iso” (same) and “pod” (foot). All isopods have seven pairs of jointed limbs.

20 Toga go-with : SANDAL

In ancient Rome, the classical attire known as a toga (plural “togae” or “togas”) was usually worn over a tunic. The tunic was made from linen, and the toga itself was a piece of cloth about twenty feet long made from wool. The toga could only be worn by men, and only if those men were Roman citizens. The female equivalent of the toga was called a “stola”.

23 Mrs. Flintstone : WILMA

Wilma is the wife of cartoon character Fred Flintstone. On the TV show, Wilma was voiced by Jean Vander Pyl. Vander Pyl was also provided the voice for Rosie the Robot on “The Jetsons”.

24 Tequila cocktail, in slang : MARG

No one seems to know for sure who first created the cocktail known as a margarita. The most plausible and oft-quoted is that it was invented in 1941 in Ensenada, Mexico. The barman mixed the drink for an important visitor, the daughter of the German ambassador. The daughter’s name was Margarita Henkel, and she lent her name to the new drink. The basic recipe for a margarita is a mixture of tequila, orange-flavored liqueur (like Cointreau) and lime juice.

32 Mythological judge of the dead in the underworld : MINOS

Minos was the King of Crete in Greek mythology, and the son of Zeus and Europa. Minos had an elaborate labyrinth built under the island that was designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus (who famously died trying to escape from the island by “flying” away). In the labyrinth, King Minos kept the Minotaur, a dreadful creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man.

34 Clearance caveat : AS IS

“Caveat emptor” is a Latin expression meaning “Let the buyer beware”. It is used when someone buys something, emphasizing that after the deal is closed, there’s no going back.

42 Supreme god of the universe, in ancient Egypt : AMEN-RA

Amun-Ra (also “Amon, Amen”) was a god in Egyptian mythology. Amun lends his name to our word “ammonia”. This is because the Romans called the ammonium chloride that they collected near the Temple of Jupiter Amun, “sal ammoniacus” (salt of Amun).

44 It’s only skin-deep : DERMIS

The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. The thickest piece of epidermal tissue in humans is on the soles of the feet and the palms, and measures about 1.5 mm. The thinnest measures 0.1 mm, and that would be the human eyelid.

50 Hooters : OWLS

Much of an owl’s diet consists of small mammals. As a result, humans have used owls for centuries to control rodent populations, usually by placing a nest box for owls on a property. Despite the fact that owls and humans live together in relative harmony, owls have been known to attack humans from time to time. Celebrated English bird photographer Eric Hosking lost an eye when attacked by a tawny owl that he was trying to photograph. Hosking wrote an 1970 autobiography with the wry title “An Eye for a Bird”.

52 Banjoist Fleck : BELA

Béla Fleck is a banjo player who performed with the band’s New Grass Revival and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. Fleck was born in New York City and was given the name Béla Anton Leoš Fleck. He was named after Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, Austrian composer Anton Webern, and Czech composer Leoš Janáček. That’s quite a name to live up to, but by all accounts Fleck is one of the most technically proficient banjo players the world has ever known.

54 Clobbered, in brief : KO’D

A “kayo” is a knockout (KO).

55___ sleep : REM

“REM” is an acronym standing for rapid eye movement sleep. REM sleep takes up 20-25% of the sleeping hours and is the period associated with one’s most vivid dreams.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Cry on the battlefield : CHARGE!
7 “Mine!” : I GOT DIBS!
15 Reading Fightin Phils, e.g. : AA TEAM
16 “Just curious” : NO REASON
17 Expecting, slangily : PREGGO
18 “Cue the violins!” elicitor : SOB STORY
19 Loafs : IDLES
20 Children’s Dr.? : SEUSS
21 One on foot, informally : PED
22 Made a web site? : SPUN
23 1/746 horsepower : WATT
24 Pouty face : MOUE
25 “It’s no use” : CAN’T WIN
27 Celebrity mug shot, typically : BAD PR
28 The key to making a quick exit? : ESC
29 Veteran : OLD TIMER
33 Actors’ unions? : SHAM MARRIAGES
37 Famous sights at San Francisco’s Pier 39 : SEA LIONS
38 Chap : GUY
40 Einstein : BRAIN
43 Simply taboo : NOT DONE
45 Only N.F.L. franchise to win championships representing three different cities : RAMS
46 Villain in “Wonder Woman” : ARES
48 Diminishes : EBBS
49 Occasion for a party : EVE
50 Schooled on the field : OWNED
52 Sweeping : BROAD
53 [If you catch my drift …] : WINK WINK …
55 Like Antarctica : REMOTE
56 One on a registrar’s list : ENROLLEE
57 Pro QB Manning, by birth : ELISHA
58 Really hot : DEAD SEXY
59 Get down : MASTER

Down

1 “Savvy?” : CAPISCE?
2 Definite no, informally : HARD PASS
3 Put away a sandwich, perhaps : ATE LUNCH
4 Royal stand-in : REGENT
5 Has a hard time swallowing : GAGS
6 Alternative genre : EMO
7 Implant : INSET
8 Die, as a light : GO OUT
9 Round figures : ORBS
10 Julia Roberts’s role in the “Ocean’s” series : TESS
11 Informal object : DAT
12 Pill bug or wood louse : ISOPOD
13 Buoyed : BORE UP
14 Action film director Zack : SNYDER
20 Toga go-with : SANDAL
23 Mrs. Flintstone : WILMA
24 Tequila cocktail, in slang : MARG
26 Group who Mao Zedong famously said “hold up half the sky” : WOMEN
27 World’s longest wooden roller coaster, with “The” : BEAST
30 Prefix with -logy : TRI-
31 Worked (out) : IRONED
32 Mythological judge of the dead in the underworld : MINOS
34 Clearance caveat : AS IS
35 “I” lift? : EGO BOOST
36 Catch some rays : SUNBATHE
39 Reply often made with a sigh : YES, DEAR
40 Steeped : BREWED
41 Gorge : RAVINE
42 Supreme god of the universe, in ancient Egypt : AMEN-RA
44 It’s only skin-deep : DERMIS
46 Add-on : ANNEX
47 Change, as a lock : RE-KEY
50 Hooters : OWLS
51 Craftiness : WILE
52 Banjoist Fleck : BELA
54 Clobbered, in brief : KO’D
55___ sleep : REM