1007-22 NY Times Crossword 7 Oct 22, Friday

2022-10-062022-10-06

Constructed by: Mary Lou Guizzo & Jeff Chen
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 15m 42s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 “How fast does a ___ have to run before it looks gray?”: Demetri Martin : ZEBRA

Demetri Martin is a stand-up comedian and actor from New York City. Martin has a distinctive deadpan style of delivery, a style that is influenced by fellow comedian Steven Wright. Martin is also fond of using a large white pad in his stage act.

14 They come with strings attached : APRONS

In Old French, a “naperon” was a “small table-cloth”. The term was absorbed into English as “napron”, describing a cloth used to cover the front of a person at work. Over time, “a napron” was heard as “an apron”, giving us our contemporary noun “apron”.

16 Sycophant : HANGER-ON

A sycophant is a selfish person, and one who flatters. The term comes from the Greek “sykophantes” which originally meant “one who shows the fig”. This phrase described a vulgar gesture made with the thumb and two fingers.

20 Takes care of for the family? : OFFS

To ice, to off, to whack, to knock off, to murder.

Apparently, “Cosa Nostra” is the real name for the Italian Mafia. “Cosa Nostra” translates as “our thing” or “this thing of ours”. The term first became public in the US when the FBI managed to turn several members of the American Mafia. The Italian authorities established that “Cosa Nostra” was also used in Sicily when they penetrated the Sicilian Mafia in the 1980s. The term “Mafia” seems to be just a literary invention that has become popular with the public.

22 Lozenge target, maybe : RASP

Back in the 14th century, a “lozenge” was a “diamond shape”. The original lozenges were tablets held in the mouth to dissolve. They had this diamond shape, hence the name.

23 ___ City, nickname for Seattle : EMERALD

The Washington city of Seattle was founded on a site that had been occupied by Native Americans for over 4,000 years before the first Europeans arrived in the area. The name “Seattle” was chosen in honor of the Suquamish and Duwamish Chief Seattle, who had a reputation for welcoming white settlers.

25 “Yikes!” : OMG!

“OMG” is text-speak for “Oh My Gosh!” “Oh My Goodness!” or any other G-words you might care to use …

28 ___ makhani (buttery dish) : DAL

Several dishes in Indian cuisine bear the name “makhani”. “Makhani” is a Punjabi word meaning “butter”. A popular example is murgh makhani, which also goes by the English name “butter chicken”.

29 Steve with four N.B.A. coaching championships : KERR

Steve Kerr is a retired NBA basketball player who moved into team management. Kerr was born in Beirut, Lebanon, the son of an American academic who specialized in Middle East studies. Kerr’s father was assassinated by militant nationalists in Beirut when Steve was 19 years old.

31 Foe of the Roman Empire : ATTILA

In his day, Attila the Hun was the most feared enemy of the Roman Empire, until he died in 453 AD. Attila was the leader of the Hunnic Empire of central Europe and was famous for invading much of the continent. However, he never directly attacked Rome.

33 With 38- and 43-Across, history-making SCOTUS appointee : KETANJI … 38 See 33-Across : … BROWN …
43 See 33-Across : … JACKSON

Nominated by President Joe Biden, Ketanji Brown Jackson succeeded Associate Justice Stephen Breyer on the US Supreme Court in 2022. In doing so, she became the first Black woman to serve on the court. Jackson clerked for Justice Breyer, from 1999 to 2000.

37 Sale incentive, informally : BOGO

Buy one, get one (BOGO) or buy one, get one free (BOGOF).

40 “___ Coming,” 1969 Three Dog Night hit : ELI’S

The rock band Three Dog Night had its first and biggest success back in 1969 with the Harry Nilsson song “One”. The song is perhaps best known for its opening words, “One is the loneliest number …” Three Dog Night took their name from an Australian expression. Apparently, indigenous Australians would sleep in a hole in the ground alongside their tame dingoes. On a cold night, they would huddle up to two dingos, and if it was really, really cold, it was a “three-dog night”.

41 Fluffy fur source : ANGORA

Angora wool comes from the Angora rabbit. On the other hand, the Angora goat produces the wool known as mohair. Both rabbit and goat are named for Turkey’s capital Ankara, which was known as “Angora” in many European languages.

46 Lead-in to a Southern “-ville” : ASHE-

Samuel Ashe was the Governor of North Carolina from 1795 to 1798. North Carolina’s Ashe County and the cities of Asheboro and Asheville are named in his honor.

48 Lexicographic bit, in brief : DEF

One might find a definition (def.) in a dictionary (dict.).

A lexicographer is someone who compiles a dictionary. The term comes into English via French from the Greek “lexikon” meaning “wordbook”, and “graphos” meaning “writer”.

50 Spot for a spot : TEA SHOP

I guess the reference here is to the oft-quoted British phrase “a spot of tea”. Mind you, I’ve only ever heard that said in jest …

55 Bagful purchased at a nursery : LOAM

Loam is soil made up of sand, silt and clay in the ratio of about 40-40-20. Relative to other soil types, loam is usually rich in nutrients and moisture, drains well and is easy to till. Loam can also be used in constructing houses as it is quite strong when mixed with straw and dried.

57 Sports event with many touching moments : EPEE

The French word for sword is “épée”. In competitive fencing the épée is connected to a system that records an electrical signal when legal contact is made on an opponent’s body.

59 Big player : TUBA

The tuba is the lowest-pitched of all brass instruments, and one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra (usually there is just one tuba included in an orchestral line-up). “Tuba” is the Latin word for “trumpet, horn”. Oom-pah-pah …

66 At 18, the youngest person to sweep the four main Grammy categories (Song, Album, Record, Best New Artist) in a single year : EILISH

Billie Eilish is a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles. She has won several awards, and is the youngest person to have won all four major Grammy categories in the same year, i.e. Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Album of the Year.

67 Crumbly topping : STREUSEL

Streusel is a crumbly topping made from flour, butter and sugar that is baked on top of pies, breads and muffins.

68 Priestess of Hecate : MEDEA

In Greek mythology, Medea was the wife of Jason, the heroic leader of the Argonauts. Medea was a sorceress who pledged to help Jason in his search for the Golden Fleece, on condition that he take her as his wife. According to some accounts, Jason left Medea and took up with Glauce, the daughter of the king of Corinth. Medea got her own back by sending Glauce a golden coronet and a dress that were covered with poison. The poison killed Glauce, and her father the king. To further her revenge on Jason, Medea killed two of her own children that were fathered by him.

Hecate (sometimes “Hekate”) was a three-faced goddess in the Greek and Roman traditions. She was associated with many phenomena, including magic and witchcraft.

Down

1 Former name of the second-largest country in Africa : ZAIRE

The African nation once called Zaire is a neighbor of Rwanda. The genocide and war in Rwanda spilled over into Zaire in 1996, with the conflict escalating into what is now called the First Congo War. As part of the war’s fallout there was a regime change, and in 1997 Zaire became the Democratic Republic of Congo.

2 English derby site : EPSOM

The Surrey town of Epsom in England is most famous for its racecourse (Epsom Downs), at which the Epsom Derby is run every year, one of the three races that make up the English Triple Crown. We also come across “Epsom salts” from time to time. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, originally prepared by boiling down mineral waters. Epsom was indeed a spa town at one time. The town is also home to Epsom College, an English “public school” (which actually means “private, and expensive”). One of Epsom’s “old boys” was the Hollywood actor Stewart Granger.

4 One in a galley : ROWER

Galleys were large medieval ships found mainly in the Mediterranean. They were propelled by a combination of sails and oars.

5 Nickname in “Star Wars” : ANI

Anakin “Ani” Skywalker is the principal character in the first six of the “Star Wars” movies. His progress chronologically through the series of films is:

  • Episode I: Anakin is a 9-year-old slave boy who earns the promise of Jedi training by young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
  • Episode II: Anakin is 18-years-old and goes on a murdering rampage to avenge the killing of his mother.
  • Episode III: Anakin is 21-years-old and a Jedi knight, but he turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. His wife Padme gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker.
  • Episode IV: Darth Vader, comes into conflict with his children, Luke Skywalker and the Princess Leia.
  • Episode V: Darth Vader attempts to coax his son Luke over to the dark side, and reveals to Luke that he is his father.
  • Episode VI: Luke learns that Leia is his sister, and takes on the task of bringing Darth Vader back from the Dark Side in order to save the Galaxy. Vader saves his son from the Emperor’s evil grip, dying in the process, but his spirit ends up alongside the spirits of Yoda and Obi-Wan. They all live happily ever after …

7 What’s thrown for a loop? : LASSO

Our English word “lasso” comes from the Spanish “lazo”, and ultimately from the Latin “laqueum” meaning “noose, snare”.

8 Med. specialist : ENT

Ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT)

11 Animal that the Aztecs called ayotochtli, or “turtle-rabbit” : ARMADILLO

The nine-banded armadillo is the most common species of armadillo found in the Americas. The “bands” are bits of armor that circle the body of the armadillo. The term “nine-banded” is a bit of a misnomer as there aren’t always nine bands, but there are usually seven to eleven.

13 Some bridge maneuvers : END PLAYS

The version of the card game bridge that is played mostly today is contract bridge. Auction bridge is a similar game, and is a precursor to contract bridge.

21 First chairman of the E.E.O.C., familiarly : FDR JR

“Equal Employment Opportunity” (EEO) is a term that has been around since 1964 when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was set up by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII of the Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin or religion.

24 Connector of two names : AKA

Also known as (aka)

26 Comfort food with shortening? : MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

Thomas Jefferson’s name is associated with the dish we know today as “mac ‘n’ cheese”. The future president discovered baked macaroni with Parmesan cheese while in Paris and in northern Italy. He started serving the dish to guests in the US, and even had a machine imported to make the macaroni locally. Whether or not Jefferson was the first to bring mac ‘n’ cheese to America isn’t entirely clear, but it has been popular ever since.

27 Car modified into the Monkeemobile : GTO

The Pontiac GTO was produced by GM from 1964 to 1974, and again by a GM subsidiary in Australia from 2004 to 2006. The original GTO’s design is credited to Pontiac chief engineer at the time John DeLorean, who later founded the DeLorean Motor Company.

The Monkeemobile was designed in 1966 for the TV show “The Monkees”. Two of the vehicles were constructed, both modified Pontiac GTOs.

30 Dry wine of Spain : RIOJA

Rioja wines come from the province of La Rioja in Northern Spain. In my days living back in Europe, Rioja wines were noted for their heavy oaky flavors and it wasn’t uncommon to order a “rough Rioja” when out for dinner of an evening.

33 Coffee-growing region on the Big Island : KONA COAST

Kona coffee is cultivated on the Big Island of Hawaii, on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai, two of the five volcanoes on the island. Coffee plants were brought to Kona in 1828 and late in the 19th century, coffee became a viable and worthwhile crop. Today Kona is one of the most expensive and popular coffees in the world.

34 Helicopter, in slang : EGGBEATER

Our term “helicopter” was absorbed from the French word “hélicoptère” that was coined by Gustave Ponton d’Amécourt in 1861. d’Amécourt envisioned aircraft that could fly vertically using rotating wings that “screwed” into the air. He combined the Greek terms “helix” meaning “spiral, whirl” and “pteron” meaning “wing” to give us “helicopter”.

37 Tiny rod-shaped organism : BACILLUS

Bacteria can be classified into three groups, according to shape:

  • Round-shaped (coccus)
  • Rod-shaped (bacillus)
  • Spiral-shaped

44 Mauna ___ : KEA

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, the peak of which is the highest point in the whole state. Mauna Kea is in effect the tip of a gigantic volcano rising up from the seabed.

53 Falstaffian, in a way : OBESE

Sir John Falstaff is the lead character in Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and a supporting character in the two “Henry IV” plays. Falstaff is a self-promoting, obese and cowardly man. In “Henry IV, part I”, Falstaff refers to his portly size, saying, “thou seest I have more flesh than another man, and therefore more frailty.”

54 Title bestowed by a sultan : PASHA

A pasha was a high-ranking official in the Ottoman Empire, and was roughly equivalent to the English rank of lord.

58 Chemical ___ : PEEL

A chemical peel is a technique used to improve the look and feel of the skin. It involves using a chemical to deliberately injure the outermost layer of the skin. The damaged skin dies and peels off, revealing regenerated skin below.

61 Companion of a 1-Across, maybe : GNU
[1A “How fast does a ___ have to run before it looks gray?”: Demetri Martin : ZEBRA]

The gnu is also known as the wildebeest, and is an antelope native to Africa. “Wildebeest” is a Dutch meaning “wild beast”.

64 Vikki Carr’s “It Must Be ___” : HIM

“Vikki Carr” is the stage name of singer Florencia Bisenta de Casillas Martínez Cardona, born in El Paso. Most of Carr’s success came with songs released in Spanish, but also had a big hit in 1967 with the English-language song “It Must Be Him”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 “How fast does a ___ have to run before it looks gray?”: Demetri Martin : ZEBRA
6 Sharp divide : CLEAVAGE
14 They come with strings attached : APRONS
16 Sycophant : HANGER-ON
17 Words from a witness : I SAW IT
18 Like some colleagues : ESTEEMED
19 Go around : ROVE
20 Takes care of for the family? : OFFS
22 Lozenge target, maybe : RASP
23 ___ City, nickname for Seattle : EMERALD
25 “Yikes!” : OMG!
28 ___ makhani (buttery dish) : DAL
29 Steve with four N.B.A. coaching championships : KERR
31 Foe of the Roman Empire : ATTILA
33 With 38- and 43-Across, history-making SCOTUS appointee : KETANJI …
36 With calmness and self-control : COOLLY
37 Sale incentive, informally : BOGO
38 See 33-Across : … BROWN …
40 “___ Coming,” 1969 Three Dog Night hit : ELI’S
41 Fluffy fur source : ANGORA
43 See 33-Across : … JACKSON
45 Tangled mess, maybe : CABLES
46 Lead-in to a Southern “-ville” : ASHE-
47 Chill : ICE
48 Lexicographic bit, in brief : DEF
50 Spot for a spot : TEA SHOP
55 Bagful purchased at a nursery : LOAM
57 Sports event with many touching moments : EPEE
59 Big player : TUBA
60 Second half of a doubleheader : LATE GAME
63 Disgraces : SHAMES
65 Entry requirement, often : USERNAME
66 At 18, the youngest person to sweep the four main Grammy categories (Song, Album, Record, Best New Artist) in a single year : EILISH
67 Crumbly topping : STREUSEL
68 Priestess of Hecate : MEDEA

Down

1 Former name of the second-largest country in Africa : ZAIRE
2 English derby site : EPSOM
3 Withstand : BRAVE
4 One in a galley : ROWER
5 Nickname in “Star Wars” : ANI
6 One in a galley : CHEF
7 What’s thrown for a loop? : LASSO
8 Med. specialist : ENT
9 Dating app info : AGE
10 Zig or zag : VEER
11 Animal that the Aztecs called ayotochtli, or “turtle-rabbit” : ARMADILLO
12 Fully commits : GOES ALL IN
13 Some bridge maneuvers : END PLAYS
15 One has to make a run for it : STOLEN BASE
21 First chairman of the E.E.O.C., familiarly : FDR JR
24 Connector of two names : AKA
26 Comfort food with shortening? : MAC ‘N’ CHEESE
27 Car modified into the Monkeemobile : GTO
30 Dry wine of Spain : RIOJA
32 Base ten? : TOES
33 Coffee-growing region on the Big Island : KONA COAST
34 Helicopter, in slang : EGGBEATER
35 Jerkwad : TOOL
37 Tiny rod-shaped organism : BACILLUS
39 Scrap : WASTE
42 Stop sign : RED
44 Mauna ___ : KEA
49 French woman : FEMME
51 Like some unpleasant air : STALE
52 Like some unpleasant air : HUMID
53 Falstaffian, in a way : OBESE
54 Title bestowed by a sultan : PASHA
56 Just : MERE
58 Chemical ___ : PEEL
61 Companion of a 1-Across, maybe : GNU
62 Some batteries, for short : AAS
64 Vikki Carr’s “It Must Be ___” : HIM