0110-20 NY Times Crossword 10 Jan 20, Friday

Constructed by: Brendan Emmett Quigley
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 18m 40s

Bill’s errors: 2

  • BITMOJI (bitmoni)
  • JUULPODS (NUULpods)

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Expressive cartoon avatar : BITMOJI

Bitmoji is an app that allows users to create personalized avatars.

15 A home in the major leagues? : OAKLAND

The Oakland Athletics (OAK) baseball franchise was founded back in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics. The team became the Kansas City Athletics in 1955 and moved to Oakland in 1968. Today, the Athletics are usually referred to as “the A’s”.

20 In particular: Abbr. : ESP

Especially (esp.)

22 Car ad abbr. : APR

Annual percentage rate (APR)

25 Proofreader’s notation : ITAL

Italic type leans to the right, and is often used to provide emphasis in text. The style is known as “italic” because the stylized calligraphic form of writing originated in Italy, probably in the Vatican.

28 Alley ___ : OOP

“Alley Oop” is a comic strip that ran for four decades starting in 1932. “Alley Oop” was drawn by V. T. Hamlin. The title character lived in the prehistoric kingdom of Moo, although for much of the strip’s life, Alley Oop had access to a time machine. Alley Oop also had a girlfriend called Ooola. I had assumed that Ooola’s name was a play on “hula hoop”, but that little toy wasn’t invented until the 1950s (a kind blog reader informs me) …

30 1954 Patti Page hit that begins “It was winter when you told me you were leaving” : I CRIED

“Patti Page” is the stage name of Clara Ann Fowler, the best-selling female artist in the 1950s. Patti Page’s signature song is “Tennessee Waltz”, a big hit for her that spent 13 weeks at number one in the charts in 1950. She also had a number one with “(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window” in 1953.

34 Over three-fifths of its land is owned by the federal government : IDAHO

Idaho has the nickname “Gem State”, mainly because almost every known type of gemstone has been found there. Idaho is also sometimes called the Potato State as potatoes are such a popular crop in the state. I’d go for the potatoes over the gems, but that’s probably just me …

36 Perfume : CENSE

To cense is to perfume with incense. Such a lovely word …

37 Some fruit-filled desserts : APPLE SHORTCAKES

Shortening is a fat used in baking. It is the term “shortening” that gives the words “shortbread” and “shortcake”.

45 Tory party symbol : OAK

“Tory” comes from the Irish word “tóraí” meaning “outlaw, robber”. The term “tory” was originally used for an Irish outlaw and later became a term of abuse for Irish rebels. At the end of the reign of King Charles II in Britain, there was a political divide with one side being called “Whigs” and the other “Tories”. Historically, the term “Tory” evolved to basically mean a supporter of the British monarchy, and indeed was used to describe those who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution. Today, “Tory” is used for a member of the British Conservative Party.

48 TV character who went to high school for 122 years : ALF

“ALF” is a sitcom that aired in the late eighties. The title character is a hand-puppet, and supposedly an alien named Gordon Shumway from the planet Melmac. The alien crash-landed into the house of amateur radio enthusiast Willie Tanner. Tanner renamed the intruder “ALF”, standing for “alien life form”.

50 Capable, jocularly : EPT

If one is capable, one might jokingly be described as “ept”, the ostensible opposite of “inept”.

58 Term for a group of moles : SPY RING

A mole is a spy who works from within the ranks of an enemy’s government of intelligence service. The use of “mole” took off after publication of John Le Carré’s 1974 novel “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”. The author was himself a former intelligence officer and asserts that “mole” was a term used by the KGB, whereas Western agencies used the term “sleeper agent”.

Down

1 Manhattan, e.g., informally : BORO’

The five boroughs of New York City were created in 1898. Those five boroughs are:

  • Manhattan
  • The Bronx
  • Brooklyn
  • Queens
  • Staten Island

2 Mononymous model : IMAN

Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid is a supermodel from Somalia who goes simply by the name “Iman” these days. “Iman” is an Arabic word for “faith”. Iman is a smart cookie. Imam has a degree in Political Science and is fluent in five languages: Somali, Arabic, Italian, French and English. Iman was married to English rock star David Bowie from 1992 until his death in 2016.

5 High winds : OBOES

The oboe is perhaps my favorite of the reed instruments. The name “oboe” comes from the French “hautbois” which means “high wood”.

6 Puff pieces? : JUULPODS

That would be vaping.

An electronic cigarette (also called an “e-cigarette”) is a battery-powered device that resembles a real cigarette. The e-cigarette vaporizes a solution that contains nicotine, forming a vapor that resembles smoke. The vapor is inhaled in a process called “vaping”, delivering nicotine into the body. The assumption is that an e-cigarette is healthier than a regular cigarette as the inhaled vapor is less harmful than inhaled smoke. But, that may not be so …

7 “Insecure” creator Rae : ISSA

Issa Rae is a Stanford University graduate who created a YouTube web series called “The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl”. Rae also plays the title role in the series, a young lady named “J”. “Awkward Black Girl” was adapted into an HBO comedy-drama called “Insecure”, in which Issa Rae stars.

9 Succotash ingredient, at times : OKRA

The main ingredients in succotash are corn and lima beans, although in parts of the South, succotash can be made with any collection of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with butter.

12 Article in Arles : UNE

Quite a few years ago now, I had the privilege of living just a short car-ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although Arles has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a prevailing influence over the city’s design. Arles has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place Vincent van Gogh often visited, and was where he painted many of his most famous works, including “Cafe Terrace at Night” and “Bedroom in Arles”.

13 Workplaces for dets. : PDS

Police department (PD)

23 P’s and q’s typer : PINKIE

The use of “pinkie” or “pinky” for the little finger or toe comes into English from “pinkje”, the Dutch word for the same digit. Who knew …?

Most touch-typers use the pinkie fingers to type letters P and Q.

27 Java product : APPLET

Java is a programming language that was developed by Sun Microsystems. Java was originally designed for interactive television, but it didn’t fit the needs at the time. Back then, the language was called Oak, named after an oak tree that stood outside the designer’s office. Later it was called Green, and finally named Java, which was simply picked out of a list of random words.

29 Locale of a noted 1941 attack : OAHU

The US Navy’s presence in Pearl Harbor dates back to 1899. The original name for the bay was “Wai Momi”, which translates from Hawaiian as “Waters of Pearl”.

31 Letters on cosmonauts’ helmets, once : CCCP

The abbreviation CCCP stands for “Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик”, which translates from Russian as “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics”, the USSR.

34 The “I” of I. M. Pei : IEOH

I. M. Pei (full name “Ieoh Ming Pei”) was an exceptional American architect who was born in China. Of Pei’s many wonderful works, my favorite is the renovation of the Louvre in Paris, and especially the Glass Pyramid in the museum’s courtyard.

35 Penguin predator : ORCA

The taxonomic name for the killer whale is “Orcinus orca”. The use of the name “orca”, rather than “killer whale”, is becoming more and more common. The Latin word “Orcinus” means “belonging to Orcus”, with Orcus being the name for the Kingdom of the Dead.

Penguins are flightless, aquatic birds that spend half their lives on land, and half in the sea. All species of penguins, bar one, live in the southern hemisphere. The one species found north of the equator is the Galápagos penguin that is endemic to the Galápagos Islands located west of Ecuador. Adult male penguins are called cocks, females are hens, and the young are chicks. A group of penguins in the water is a raft, and on land is a waddle. Apt, and cute …

49 Premium ticket spec : LOGE

In most theaters and stadia today, “loge” is the name given to the front rows of a mezzanine level. Loge can also be used for box seating.

51 Make into mush : PUREE

A purée is a food that has been made smooth by straining or blending. “Purée” is a French term, which I believe is now used to mean “pea soup” (more completely written as “purée de pois”). The French verb “purer” means “to strain, clean”, from the Latin “purare” meaning “to purify, clean”.

53 What Vulcan was the god of : FIRE

Our word “volcano” comes from “Vulcano”, the name of a volcanic island off the coast of Italy. The island’s name comes from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. The Romans believed that the island of Vulcano was the chimney of the forge belonging to the god Vulcan. The Romans also believed that the eruptions on Mount Etna in Sicily were caused by Vulcan getting angry and working his forge so hard that sparks and smoke flew out of the top of the volcano.

54 Golden State school inits. : UCSB

The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is one of the 10 campuses in the UC system. UCSB joined the UC system in 1944, although the school was founded as a teachers’ college in 1891.

55 Goddess wearing a vulture headdress : ISIS

Isis was the ancient Egyptian goddess of fertility, as well as the protector of the dead and the goddess of children. She was the personification of the pharaoh’s power. The name “Isis” translates as “throne”, and she is usually depicted with a headdress shaped like a throne.

58 Meaning of an embossed “S,” maybe : S’IL

“RSVP” stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “answer, please”.

59 Smack on the street, e.g., for short : PDA

Public display of affection (PDA)

60 Side-to-side motion : YAW

The word “yaw” means to deviate from the line of a course and is used mainly at sea and in the air. “Yaw” is derived from the Old Norse word “jaege” which means “to drive, chase”. As such, “yaw” is etymologically related to our word “yacht”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Expressive cartoon avatar : BITMOJI
8 Absorbs : SOPS UP
14 Like some congressional bills : OMNIBUS
15 A home in the major leagues? : OAKLAND
16 Loud and disorderly : RAUCOUS
17 Steals : PIRATES
18 When some contest entries are submitted, just in time : ON THE LAST DAY
20 In particular: Abbr. : ESP
21 Language suffix : -ISH
22 Car ad abbr. : APR
25 Proofreader’s notation : ITAL
28 Alley ___ : OOP
30 1954 Patti Page hit that begins “It was winter when you told me you were leaving” : I CRIED
33 Leap out, so to speak : POP
34 Over three-fifths of its land is owned by the federal government : IDAHO
36 Perfume : CENSE
37 Some fruit-filled desserts : APPLE SHORTCAKES
40 Tampa suburb named after a pope : ST LEO
41 Flip a top off : UNCAP
42 Sign : INK
43 Boil : SEETHE
45 Tory party symbol : OAK
46 Gym units : SETS
47 Series ender : NTH
48 TV character who went to high school for 122 years : ALF
50 Capable, jocularly : EPT
52 “Black Panther” genre : AFROFUTURISM
58 Term for a group of moles : SPY RING
61 20th- and 21st-century artist known by his first name : CHRISTO
62 “Sounds about right” : I’D AGREE
63 Not as likely to hold water, say : SEEPIER
64 One who goes through the motions? : LAWYER
65 “Goodness gracious!” : BLESS ME!

Down

1 Manhattan, e.g., informally : BORO’
2 Mononymous model : IMAN
3 Hardware fastener : T-NUT
4 Mont-Saint-___ (French tourist island) : MICHEL
5 High winds : OBOES
6 Puff pieces? : JUULPODS
7 “Insecure” creator Rae : ISSA
8 Greeted someone : SAID HI
9 Succotash ingredient, at times : OKRA
10 Part of some McDonald’s restaurants : PLAY AREA
11 Convened : SAT
12 Article in Arles : UNE
13 Workplaces for dets. : PDS
15 Decides : OPTS
19 Gradually steal : SIPHON OFF
23 P’s and q’s typer : PINKIE
24 Take umbrage at : RESENT
25 “Skip me” : I PASS
26 Highlights collection, maybe : TOP TEN
27 Java product : APPLET
29 Locale of a noted 1941 attack : OAHU
31 Letters on cosmonauts’ helmets, once : CCCP
32 Newsroom units : DESKS
34 The “I” of I. M. Pei : IEOH
35 Penguin predator : ORCA
38 Languor : LETHARGY
39 Admit defeat, in modern slang : TAKE THE L
44 Money maker : EARNER
46 Funnies : STRIPS
49 Premium ticket spec : LOGE
51 Make into mush : PUREE
53 What Vulcan was the god of : FIRE
54 Golden State school inits. : UCSB
55 Goddess wearing a vulture headdress : ISIS
56 Check : STEM
57 “What’s ___ …” : MORE
58 Meaning of an embossed “S,” maybe : S’IL
59 Smack on the street, e.g., for short : PDA
60 Side-to-side motion : YAW