0125-19 NY Times Crossword 25 Jan 19, Friday

Constructed by: Zhouqin Burnikel
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 15m 34s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

10. Stuff to collect and crunch : DATA

Our word “data” (singular “datum”) comes from the Latin “datum” meaning “given”. The idea is that data are “things given”.

17. Neil Armstrong or Steven Spielberg, as a teen : EAGLE SCOUT

The rank of Eagle Scout was introduced by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in 1911. A candidate for Eagle Scout must have first earned a minimum of 21 merit badges, and demonstrate leadership skills and embrace Scout Spirit. Prior to 1911, the highest rank attainable in the BSA was Wolf Scout.

Neil Armstrong was the most private of individuals. You didn’t often see him giving interviews, unlike so many of the more approachable astronauts of the Apollo space program. His famous, “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind” statement; that was something that he came up with himself, while Apollo 11 was making its way to the moon.

The director Steven Spielberg has had so many hit movies. Spielberg won two Best Director Oscars, one being “Schindler’s List” from 1993 and “Saving Private Ryan” from 1998. Three Spielberg films broke box office records: “Jaws” (1975), “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) and “Jurassic Park” (1993). That’s quite a portfolio of movies …

19. Stern competitor, once : IMUS

Don Imus’s syndicated radio show “Imus in the Morning” used to broadcast from New York City. Imus has been described as a “shock jock”, a disc jockey who deliberately uses provocative language and humor that many would find offensive . I’m not a big fan of shock jocks …

Howard Stern is one of the original “shock jocks” who seems now to have found his niche on uncensored satellite radio (SiriusXM).

23. “Planet Money” producer : NPR

National Public Radio (now just called “NPR”) was established in 1970 after President Johnson signed into law the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. The station’s first broadcast took place in April of 1971, and was coverage of the US Senate hearings on the Vietnam War. The intent of the act was to provide funding for radio and television broadcasting that wasn’t simply driven by profit. As a longtime fan of the state-funded BBC in the UK, I’d have to agree with that intent …

29. Bill producer, for short : ATM

Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)

31. Subject of several Spanish statues : EL CID

Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar was known as El Cid Campeador, which translates as “The Champion” or perhaps “The Lord, Master of Military Arts”. El Cid was a soldier who fought under the rule of King Alfonso VI of Spain (among others). However, he was sent into exile by the King in 1080, after acting beyond his authorization in battle. El Cid then offered his services to his former foes, the Moorish kings, After a number of years building a reputation with the Moors, he was recalled from exile by Alfonso. By this time El Cid was very much his own man. Nominally under the orders of Alfonso, he led a combined army of Spanish and Moorish troops and took the city of Valencia on the Mediterranean coast in 1094, making it his headquarters and home. He died in Valencia, quite peacefully, in 1099.

40. Language blooper : MALAPROP

“The Rivals” is a play written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, first performed in 1775. The character, Mrs. Malaprop, takes her name from her habit of misspeaking, to great comical effect. Malapropism is the substitution of a word for a word with a similar sound. For example, Mrs Malaprop says, “she’s as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile” (substituting allegory for alligator).

43. Payroll service co. : ADP

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) is an enterprise based in Roseland, New Jersey that provides business services to companies.

47. Writer/illustrator Silverstein : SHEL

Author Shel Silverstein had a varied career and did a lot more than write books. Silverstein was a poet, composer, cartoonist and screenwriter among other things. One of his successful children’s books is “A Light in the Attic”, a collection of poems that first published in 1981. Some parents have tried to get the book banned from libraries. The collection includes the poem “How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes”, which encourages disobedience and making a mess. Scandalous …

50. Tokyo-based tech giant : NEC

“NEC” is the name that the Nippon Electric Company chose for itself outside of Japan after a rebranding exercise in 1983.

53. Held (off) : STAVED

The word “stave” was originally the plural of “staff”, a word describing a wooden rod. To “stave off” originated with the concept of holding off with a staff. In the world of barrel-making, a stave is a narrow strip of wood that forms part of a barrel’s side.

55. Alternative to “?,” in some listings : TBA

Something not yet on the schedule (“sked” or “sched.”) is to be advised/announced (TBA).

56. Short-sleeved shirt : POLO

René Lacoste was a French tennis player who went into the clothing business, and came up with a more comfortable shirt that players could use. This became known as a “tennis shirt”. When it was adopted for use in the sport of polo, the shirts also became known as “polo shirts”. The “golf shirt” is basically the same thing.

57. Pez flavor : COLA

PEZ is an Austrian brand of candy sold in a mechanical dispenser. Famously, PEZ dispensers have molded “heads”, and have become very collectible over the years. The list of heads includes historical figures like Betsy Ross and Paul Revere, characters from “Star Wars” and “Star Trek”, and even British royalty like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (“William and Kate”). The name PEZ comes from the first, middle and last letters of “Pfefferminz”, the German word for “peppermint”.

61. Longtime Yankee teammate of Sandman : A-ROD

Baseball player Alex Rodriguez, nicknamed “A-Rod”, broke a lot of records in his career, albeit under a shroud of controversy due to his use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs. When he signed a 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $252 million in 2000, it was the most lucrative contract in sports history. In 2007, Rodriguez signed an even more lucrative 10-year contract with the New York Yankees, worth $275 million. Rodriguez retired in 2016.

Mariano Rivera is a professional baseball pitcher from Panama City. Rivera played for the New York Yankees from 1995 until his retirement at the end of the 2013 season. Rivera holds the league record for the most career saves (at 652). He is known by the nicknames “Mo” and “Sandman”.

62. Sexennial event : SENATE RACE

The six-year terms enjoyed by US senators are staggered, so that every two years about one third of the 100 US Senate seats come up for reelection.

63. Sandberg at second base : RYNE

Ryne “Ryno” Sandberg is a former second baseman who played most of his career for the Chicago Cubs. Sandberg holds the major league fielding percentage record at second base.

Down

1. Draft pick : STEIN

A stein is a type of beer glass. The term is German in origin, and is short for “Steinkrug” meaning “stone jug”. “Stein” is German for “stone”.

2. One might stop a marathoner : CRAMP

The marathon commemorates the legendary messenger-run by Pheidippides from the site of the Battle of Marathon back to Athens, and is run over 26 miles and 385 yards. The first modern Olympic marathon races were run over a distance that approximated the length of the modern-day Marathon-Athens highway, although the actual length of the race varied from games to games. For the 1908 Olympics in London, a course starting at Windsor Castle and ending in front of the Royal Box at White City Stadium was defined. That course was 26 miles and 385 yards, the standard length now used at all Olympic Games. Organizers of subsequent games continued to vary the length of the race, until a decision was made in 1921 to adopt the distance used in London in 1908.

3. Predict : AUGUR

The verb “to augur” means “to bode”, to serve as an omen. The term comes from the name of religious officials in Ancient Rome called augurs whose job it was to interpret signs and omens.

4. Where TV’s Flo waitressed : MEL’S

The sitcom “Alice” is set in Mel’s Diner, which is supposedly frequented by locals and truckers on the outskirts of Phoenix. There is a real Mel’s Diner in Phoenix, and the restaurant’s sign is used in the opening credits. The real-world Mel’s was called “Chris’ Diner”, but the owner agreed to a temporary change in name for the purposes of the show. But, “Chris” never came back, and “Mel’s” is still serving customers today.

Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry was a waitress in the sitcom “Alice” which aired on CBS in the 70s and 80s. Flo got her own sitcom (called “Flo”) which had a brief run in the early 80s. I saw a few episodes of “Alice”, but that’s about it. Flo was played by Polly Holliday.

11. Shelter initiative : ADOPT-A-PET

Adopt-a-Pet.com is a non-profit website that maintains a website of adoptable pets from over 12,000 pet shelters across North America.

12. “Just between us” talk : TETE-A-TETE

A “tête-à-tête” is a one-on-one meeting, and a term that translates from French as “head-to-head”.

13. Sales caveat : AS IS

A caveat is a warning or a qualification. “Caveat” is the Latin for “let him beware”.

15. Life on Mars? : ETS

Extraterrestrial (ET)

27. Northern Europe’s Gulf of ___ : RIGA

The Gulf of Riga is a bay in the Baltic Sea that lies between Latvia and Estonia.

28. Org chart topper : CEO

Chief executive officer (CEO)

30. #24 in 24 All-Star Games : MAYS

Willie Mays’ nickname was “Say Hey Kid”, although his friends and teammates were more likely to refer to him as “Buck”. When Mays was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, he was asked who was the best player he’d ever seen in the game. He replied, “I don’t mean to be bashful, but I was.”

31. Top name in a Social Security Administration list every year from 2014 to 2017 : EMMA

The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of the 1,000 most common baby names for the prior year annually, just before Mother’s Day. The list is compiled using applications for Social Security cards.

37. Glass on the air : IRA

Ira Glass is a well-respected presenter on American Public Radio who is perhaps best known for his show “This American Life”. I was interested to learn that one of my favorite composers, Philip Glass, is Ira’s first cousin.

38. Seaweed in a sushi restaurant : NORI

Nori is an edible seaweed that we used to know as “laver” when I was living in Wales. Nori is usually dried into thin sheets. Here in the US, we are most familiar with nori as the seaweed used as a wrap for sushi.

41. Rival of L’Oréal : PANTENE

The hair care product line called Pantene was introduced in the late 1940s in Europe, but has been owned by Procter & Gamble since the 80s. The name “Pantene” was chosen as one of the main ingredients was the alcohol called panthenol.

L’Oréal is a French cosmetics company, and indeed the largest cosmetics and beauty company in the world. Here in the US, L’Oréal runs a “Women of Worth” program that honors women who volunteer in their communities.

50. Lacking face value : NO-PAR

In days gone by, when companies first issued a stock, each share would be given a face value (called “par value”). In effect, the company was making a commitment not to issue any more stock under that par value, giving investors confidence that there was no better deal to be had. Nowadays, most stock is issued without such a “guarantee” and is called “no-par stock”.

54. Slight, informally : DIS

“Dis” is a slang term meaning “insult” that originated in the eighties. It is a shortened form of “disrespect” or “dismiss”.

56. Law firm aide, informally : PARA

A paralegal (sometimes just “para”) is a person who is trained sufficiently in legal matters to assist a lawyer. A paralegal cannot engage in the practice of law and must be supervised by a qualified lawyer.

59. Film picture not shot with a camera : CEL

In the world of animation, a cel is a transparent sheet on which objects and characters are drawn. In the first half of the 20th century the sheet was actually made of celluloid, giving the “cel” its name.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Warning about a racket : SCAM ALERT
10. Stuff to collect and crunch : DATA
14. Not running small or large, in a clothing store : TRUE TO SIZE
16. Uplifting works : ODES
17. Neil Armstrong or Steven Spielberg, as a teen : EAGLE SCOUT
18. Possible reply to “Who’s responsible?” : NOT I
19. Stern competitor, once : IMUS
20. Play date participant : TOT
21. Dummies : STUPES
23. “Planet Money” producer : NPR
24. Does nothing at all for : BORES
26. “___ way!” (words of congratulation) : ATTA
27. Covered some ground quickly? : RAN TRACK
29. Bill producer, for short : ATM
31. Subject of several Spanish statues : EL CID
34. Darling : SWEET PEA
36. “I’m back” : ME AGAIN
39. Upper crust : SOCIETY
40. Language blooper : MALAPROP
42. Opening round at a game table : ANTES
43. Payroll service co. : ADP
44. Figures by a float : PARADERS
47. Writer/illustrator Silverstein : SHEL
49. Absurd : INANE
50. Tokyo-based tech giant : NEC
53. Held (off) : STAVED
55. Alternative to “?,” in some listings : TBA
56. Short-sleeved shirt : POLO
57. Pez flavor : COLA
58. Windshield clearer : ICE SCRAPER
61. Longtime Yankee teammate of Sandman : A-ROD
62. Sexennial event : SENATE RACE
63. Sandberg at second base : RYNE
64. Reveler’s cry : LET’S PARTY!

Down

1. Draft pick : STEIN
2. One might stop a marathoner : CRAMP
3. Predict : AUGUR
4. Where TV’s Flo waitressed : MEL’S
5. Patronized 4-Down, say : ATE
6. Not registering with : LOST ON
7. Arms provider? : ESCORT
8. Revolting group : RIOTERS
9. Chinese philosopher Meng-___ : TZU
10. Ring in a coffee shop : DONUT
11. Shelter initiative : ADOPT-A-PET
12. “Just between us” talk : TETE-A-TETE
13. Sales caveat : AS IS
15. Life on Mars? : ETS
22. “Watch yourself out there” : TAKE CARE
24. Group spoiler : BAD APPLE
25. Parts of lumber mills : SAWS
27. Northern Europe’s Gulf of ___ : RIGA
28. Org chart topper : CEO
30. #24 in 24 All-Star Games : MAYS
31. Top name in a Social Security Administration list every year from 2014 to 2017 : EMMA
32. Start of a newscast : LEAD STORY
33. Big name in cookware : CALPHALON
35. Mint holders : TINS
37. Glass on the air : IRA
38. Seaweed in a sushi restaurant : NORI
41. Rival of L’Oréal : PANTENE
45. Gently touches : DABS AT
46. Passes : ENACTS
48. Get by : EVADE
50. Lacking face value : NO-PAR
51. Word after president or governor : -ELECT
52. 1995 U.S. Open winner Pavin : COREY
53. Lasting mark : SCAR
54. Slight, informally : DIS
56. Law firm aide, informally : PARA
59. Film picture not shot with a camera : CEL
60. Street cred : REP