0702-19 NY Times Crossword 2 Jul 19, Tuesday

Constructed by: Peter Gordon
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Equal Parts, Initially

Themed answers are actors who played movie characters with with the same initials as their own:

  • 17A Actor with the same initials as Michael Rezendes, his role in “Spotlight” : MARK RUFFALO
  • 49A With 31-Across, actor with the same initials as Alfred Hitchcock, his role in “Hitchcock” : ANTHONY …
  • 31A See 49-Across : … HOPKINS
  • 62A Actor with the same initials as Jake Blues, his role in “The Blues Brothers” : JOHN BELUSHI
  • 11D Actress with the same initials as Linda Marolla, her role in “Arthur” : LIZA MINNELLI
  • 25D Actor with the same initials as Jefferson Smith, his role in “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” : JAMES STEWART

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

Bill’s time: 6m 34s

Bill’s errors:

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

11 On the ___ (fleeing) : LAM

To be on the lam is to be in flight, to have escaped from prison. “On the lam” is American slang that originated at the end of the 19th century. The word “lam” also means to “beat” or “thrash”, as in “lambaste”. So “on the lam” might derive from the phrase “to beat it, to scram”.

14 Crown for Miss America : TIARA

The oldest beauty pageant still operating in the US is the Miss America contest. The Miss America beauty pageant started out as a marketing ploy in the early twenties to attract tourists to the Atlantic City boardwalk after Labor Day. Today, contestants must be between 17 and 24 years of age. Before those limits were introduced, Marian Bergeron won the 1933 title at only 15 years of age.

16 ___ Jima : IWO

Iwo Jima is a volcanic island located south of Tokyo that today is uninhabited. The name is Japanese for “Sulfur Island”, referring to the sulfur mining on which Iwo Jima’s economy once depended. There were about a thousand Japanese civilians living on the island prior to WWII. In 1944, there was a massive influx of Japanese military personnel in anticipation of the inevitable US invasion. As the Japanese military moved in, the civilians were forced out and no one has lived there since. Control of the island was wrested from the Japanese in the five-week Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Said battle was one of the bloodiest in the Pacific theater in WWII.

17 Actor with the same initials as Michael Rezendes, his role in “Spotlight” : MARK RUFFALO

Mark Ruffalo is a Hollywood actor whose career really took off when he portrayed Bruce Banner/Hulk in a series of superhero films. He also gave an acclaimed performance in the 2014 biographical drama “Foxcather”, playing wrestler Dave Schultz. My personal favorite of Ruffalo’s performances is in the excellent 2015 film “Spotlight”.

“Spotlight” is a marvelous biographical drama released in 2015 that deals with “The Boston Globe” investigation into child sex abuse in the city by Roman Catholic priests. The film’s title refers to the paper’s “Spotlight” team of investigative journalists. “Spotlight” very much reminded me of another of my favorite movies, “All the President’s Men”. I really, really rue the demise of investigative journalism in the world …

20 Sloth, for example : SIN

The cardinal sins of Christian ethics are also known as the seven deadly sins. The seven sins are:

  • Wrath
  • Greed
  • Sloth
  • Pride
  • Lust
  • Envy
  • Gluttony

23 ___ Mahal : TAJ

“Mahal” is the Urdu word for “palace”, as in “Taj Mahal” meaning “crown of palaces”. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum holding the body of Mumtaz Mahal, the third wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The name “Mumtaz Mahal” translates as “the chosen one of the palace”.

37 Image on the back of a dime : TORCH

The term “dime”, used for a 10-cent coin, comes from the Old French word “disme” meaning “tenth part”.

39 Cell messenger : RNA

Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

42 Strong string : TWINE

Our word “twine”, meaning “light string”, has the same root as our word “twin”. The original Old English “twin” was a double thread.

43 Floating mass in the North Atlantic : BERG

An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that is floating freely after having broken away from a glacier or ice shelf. Out use of “iceberg” comes from the Dutch word for the same phenomenon “ijsberg”, which translates literally as “ice mountain”.

45 Eye woe : STYE

A stye is a bacterial infection of the sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes, and is also known as a hordeolum.

49 With 31-Across, actor with the same initials as Alfred Hitchcock, his role in “Hitchcock” : ANTHONY …
(31A See 49-Across : … HOPKINS)

The marvelous actor Anthony Hopkins got his big break in movies playing Richard the Lionheart in the 1968 historical drama “The Lion in Winter”. Hopkins hails from the south coast of Wales, and was encouraged in his early career by fellow Welshman Richard Burton, whom he met when he was a teenager. I’d say that Hopkins’ best-known film role was Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs”.

“Hitchcock” is a 2012 biographical film that gives a comedic slant to the story of famed director Alfred Hitchcock. Anthony Hopkins is in the title role, with an outstanding supporting cast that includes Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Toni Collette and Jessica Biel. The film’s storyline revolves around the making of the 1960 hit “Psycho”.

58 Subj. involving telescopes or microscopes : SCI

Science (sci.)

59 Army NCO : SGT

A non-commissioned officer (NCO) might be a sergeant (sgt.) or a corporal (cpl.).

62 Actor with the same initials as Jake Blues, his role in “The Blues Brothers” : JOHN BELUSHI

John Belushi was one of the original members of the “Saturday Night Live” cast. On the occasion of Belushi’s 30th birthday in 1979, he had the number one film in the country (“Animal House”), the number one album (“The Blues Brothers: Briefcase of Blues”) and he was a star of the highest-rated late night TV show (“Saturday Night Live”). Belushi died in 1982 from a “speedball”, a combined injection of cocaine and heroin.

The Blues Brothers blues band was created in 1978 for a “Saturday Night Live” sketch. The original Blues Brothers were Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues) and John Belushi (“Joliet” Jake Blues). The band eventually made it to the big screen in a 1980 musical comedy called “The Blues Brothers”.

68 Fall bloom : ASTER

Apparently, most aster species and cultivars bloom relatively late in the year, usually in the fall. The name “aster” comes into English via Latin from the Greek word “astéri” meaning “star”, a reference to the arrangement of the petals of the flower.

70 Former fast jet, in brief : SST

Supersonic transport (SST)

71 ___ nova (Brazilian music style) : BOSSA

Bossa nova is a style of music from Brazil that evolved from samba. The most famous piece of bossa nova is the song “The Girl from Ipanema”.

Down

2 Acapulco aunt : TIA

The Mexican city of Acapulco is on the southwest coast of the country, in the state of Guerrero. The name “Acapulco” translates from the local language into “at the big reeds”.

4 Temple cabinets : ARKS

The Torah ark is found in a synagogue, and is the ornamental container in which are stored the Torah scrolls. The word “Torah” best translates as “teaching” or “law”, I am told.

7 Southpaw punches : LEFTS

A southpaw is left-handed. The term “southpaw” arose as baseball slang in the mid-1880s to describe a left-handed pitcher. Back then, baseball diamonds were often laid out with home plate to the west. So, a pitcher’s left hand would be on his “south” side as he faced the batter.

10 What that is, in Tijuana : ESO

Tijuana is the largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California, and lies just across the US-Mexico border from San Diego. Tijuana is also the most westerly of all Mexican cities. A lot of Tijuana’s growth took place in the twenties as tourists flocked south of the border during the days of prohibition in the US. One of the many casinos and hotels that flourished at that time was Hotel Caesar’s in the Avenida Revolución area. Hotel Caesar’s claims to be the birthplace of the now ubiquitous Caesar Salad.

11 Actress with the same initials as Linda Marolla, her role in “Arthur” : LIZA MINNELLI

Actress and singer Liza Minnelli is the daughter of Judy Garland and movie director Vincente Minnelli. Liza won her only Oscar for her lead performance in 1972’s “Cabaret”. She has also won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony, and is one of the very few entertainers to have made that “sweep”.

“Arthur” is a fabulous film (although I can’t stand the giggly character played by Liza Minnelli). Dudley Moore (Arthur) and Sir John Gielgud (his butler “Hobson”) are the ones with the chemistry in this movie, not the romantic leads.

22 Establishment that might have a lot of hogs in front : BIKER BAR

The Harley-Davidson motorcycle company was founded in the very early 1900s by two childhood friends, William Harley and Arthur Davidson, . Their first design was in effect an engine hooked up to a pedal bicycle, but the 116 cc cylinder capacity simply couldn’t generate enough power to get up the hills of their native city of Milwaukee. The pair came up with a redesigned model that had a cylinder capacity of 405 cc, which the partners built in a shed at the back of Davidson’s house. In 1906, the partners built their first factory, located where the company’s headquarters is to this day, on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Famously, Harley motorcycles are nicknamed “hogs”.

25 Actor with the same initials as Jefferson Smith, his role in “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” : JAMES STEWART

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is yet another great film directed by Frank Capra. When the film was premiered in the nation’s capital in 1939, the list of guests included 45 US Senators. Not many of the senators liked the movie at all, and some attacked it as anti-American and pro-Communist propaganda because it portrayed corruption in Washington.

28 Lummox : APE

The word “lummox” comes from East Anglian slang , and describes an ungainly and often clueless person. The term is probably a contraction of “lumbering ox”.

34 “___ go bragh!” : ERIN

“Erin go bragh!” is an anglicization of the Irish phrase “Éirinn go Brách!”, which translates as “Ireland Forever!”

44 Greek sandwich : GYRO

A gyro is a traditional Greek dish of meat roasted on a tall vertical spit that is sliced from the spit as required. Gyros are usually served inside a lightly grilled piece of pita bread, along with tomato, onion and tzatziki (a yogurt and cucumber sauce).

46 ___ Kippur : YOM

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people, and is also known as the Day of Atonement.

49 A wide-body plane has two of them : AISLES

Boeing’s 747 was the first jet to be called a “Jumbo”, as it was the first wide-body airliner. This means that the 747 was the first to have seating laid out with two aisles running the length of the plane. The plane also has three decks for part of its length, with the lower deck being used for cargo and galley space, and the upper deck for extra passenger seating. The Airbus A380 is called a “Superjumbo” as it has two full decks of passengers.

50 Cavs and Mavs, for example : NBA’ERS

The Cavaliers are the professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970.

The Mavericks are the NBA franchise in Dallas, Texas. The team was founded in 1980, and the Mavericks name was chosen by fan votes. The choice of “Mavericks” was prompted by the fact that the actor James Garner was a part-owner of the team, and Garner of course played the title role in the “Maverick” television series.

60 Ballerina’s skirt : TUTU

The word “tutu”, used for a ballet dancer’s skirt, is actually a somewhat “naughty” term. It came into English from French in the early 20th century. The French “tutu” is an alteration of the word “cucu”, a childish word meaning “bottom, backside”.

63 Bikini top : BRA

The origin of the word “bikini”, describing a type of bathing suit, seems very uncertain. My favorite story is that it is named after the Bikini Atoll, site of American A-bomb tests in the forties and fifties. The name “bikini” was chosen for the swim-wear because of the “explosive” effect it had on men who saw a woman wearing the garment!

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Starting players : A-TEAM
6 Any classic vinyl record : OLDIE
11 On the ___ (fleeing) : LAM
14 Crown for Miss America : TIARA
15 Satellite signals : FEEDS
16 ___ Jima : IWO
17 Actor with the same initials as Michael Rezendes, his role in “Spotlight” : MARK RUFFALO
19 Nuke : ZAP
20 Sloth, for example : SIN
21 Have a go at : TRY
22 Put in a tandoor : BAKE
23 ___ Mahal : TAJ
26 Citrus garnish in a mixed drink : TWIST
28 Used a riflescope, say : AIMED
29 For fun : AS A LARK
31 See 49-Across : … HOPKINS
33 Graphic representation of history : TIMELINE
35 Fake ID user, often : TEEN
36 Fruity drinks : ADES
37 Image on the back of a dime : TORCH
39 Cell messenger : RNA
41 Serpentine letter : ESS
42 Strong string : TWINE
43 Floating mass in the North Atlantic : BERG
45 Eye woe : STYE
47 Regularness : NORMALCY
49 With 31-Across, actor with the same initials as Alfred Hitchcock, his role in “Hitchcock” : ANTHONY …
52 Performer with a baton : TWIRLER
53 Construction girder : I-BEAM
54 Didn’t do takeout at a restaurant : ATE IN
56 Altar promise : I DO
57 Like lumber : SAWN
58 Subj. involving telescopes or microscopes : SCI
59 Army NCO : SGT
61 Grassy field : LEA
62 Actor with the same initials as Jake Blues, his role in “The Blues Brothers” : JOHN BELUSHI
67 Do the wrong thing : ERR
68 Fall bloom : ASTER
69 Set of moral principles : ETHIC
70 Former fast jet, in brief : SST
71 ___ nova (Brazilian music style) : BOSSA
72 “So I was wrong” : SUE ME

Down

1 It’s stuffed with dough : ATM
2 Acapulco aunt : TIA
3 Musical sense : EAR
4 Temple cabinets : ARKS
5 ___ status (survey information) : MARITAL
6 Not working : OFF
7 Southpaw punches : LEFTS
8 Lack : DEARTH
9 How doodles are generally drawn : IDLY
10 What that is, in Tijuana : ESO
11 Actress with the same initials as Linda Marolla, her role in “Arthur” : LIZA MINNELLI
12 Come to : AWAKEN
13 Relatives of scooters : MOPEDS
18 Oral only : UNWRITTEN
22 Establishment that might have a lot of hogs in front : BIKER BAR
23 “Cheerio!” : TA-TA!
24 Parenthetical comment : ASIDE
25 Actor with the same initials as Jefferson Smith, his role in “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” : JAMES STEWART
27 “You don’t have to tell me” : I KNOW
28 Lummox : APE
30 What “&lt” means : LESS THAN
32 Else : OTHERWISE
34 “___ go bragh!” : ERIN
38 $100 bill, in slang : C-NOTE
40 Took a parabolic path : ARCED
44 Greek sandwich : GYRO
46 ___ Kippur : YOM
48 Is sociable at a party : MINGLES
49 A wide-body plane has two of them : AISLES
50 Cavs and Mavs, for example : NBA’ERS
51 Billionaires’ vessels : YACHTS
55 Fork prongs : TINES
58 Mediocre : SO-SO
60 Ballerina’s skirt : TUTU
62 Quick punch : JAB
63 Bikini top : BRA
64 That woman : SHE
65 That man : HIM
66 Rink surface : ICE