0929-22 NY Times Crossword 29 Sep 22, Thursday

Constructed by: Jeremy Newton
Edited by: Will Shortz

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Today’s Reveal Answer: It’s a Lot to Unpack

Circled letters in the grid contain the letters “A LOT”, and these letters get UNPACKED as we descend the grid:

1. 62A “So many layers here” … or a hint to the circled squares : IT’S “A LOT” TO UNPACK

• 16A “Which is a big deal, considering!” : AND THAT’S SAYING A LOT
• 26A Contest for millions on the West Coast : CALIFORNIA LOTTO
• 47A Popular skin moisturizer : ALOE VERA LOTION

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Bill’s time: 15m 07s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Cartesian sum? : I AM

Anything pertaining to the philosophy of the great Rene Descartes can be described by the adjective “Cartesian”.

The great French philosopher Rene Descartes made the famous statement in Latin, “Cogito ergo sum”. This translates into French as “Je pense, donc je suis” and into English as “I think, therefore I am”. Anything pertaining to the philosophy of Descartes can be described by the adjective “Cartesian”.

4 Quran keeper : IMAM

An imam is a Muslim leader, and often the person in charge of a mosque and/or perhaps a Muslim community.

The Koran is also known as the “Qur’an” and “Quran” in English. “Qur’an” a transliteration of the Arabic name for the holy text of the Muslim faith. The literal translation of “Koran” is “the recitation”.

13 Molecule in some modern vaccines : RNA

A vaccine used to be a modified virus administered to an individual to stimulate the immune system into developing immunity, until mRNA vaccines were introduced to combat COVID-19. British physician Edward Jenner came up with the first vaccine, injecting people with the cowpox virus in order to prevent smallpox. The term “vaccination” comes from the Latin “vaccinus” meaning “from cows”, with “vacca” translating as “cow”.

15 Chachi’s “Happy Days” sweetheart : JOANIE

Erin Moran was an actress most famous for playing Joanie Cunningham on “Happy Days” and on the resulting (short-lived) spin-off sitcom called “Joanie Loves Chachi”. Long before she got her big break in “Happy Days”, Moran played Jenny Jones on the children’s drama “Daktari” from the late sixties.

Scott Baio is the actor who played Chachi Arcola in the great sitcom “Happy Days” and in the not-so-great spin-off “Joanie Loves Chachi”. Baio also played the title role in a later sitcom called “Charles in Charge”. Earlier in his career, he played another title role, in the 1976 movie “Bugsy Malone”, appearing opposite a young Jodie Foster.

20 Maker of the Split Decision Breakfast : IHOP

The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) was founded back in 1958. IHOP was originally intended to be called IHOE, the International House of Eggs, but that name didn’t do too well in marketing tests.

21 Damsel : LASS

A damsel is a young woman, and often a lady of noble birth. The term “damsel” came into English from the Old French “dameisele”, which had the same meaning. The modern French term is “demoiselle”, which in turn is related to the term of address “mademoiselle”.

22 Def Jam, for DMX : LABEL

“DMX” and “Dark Man X” are stage names used by rap artist Earl Simmons. DMX’s biggest hit is “Party Up (Up in Here)” released in 1999 (I know that song!). DMX seems to get in trouble with the law a lot, an awful lot …

Def Jam is a US record label, one focused on hip hop music.

24 Spa day sounds : AAHS

The word “spa” migrated into English from Belgium, as “Spa” is the name of a municipality in the east of the country that is famous for its healing hot springs. The name “Spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.

26 Contest for millions on the West Coast : CALIFORNIA LOTTO

Originally, lotto was a type of card game, with “lotto” being the Italian for “a lot”. We’ve used “lotto” to mean a gambling game since the late 1700s.

32 Sierra Nevada’s Dankful, e.g., in brief : IPA

India pale ale (IPA) is a style of beer that originated in England. The beer was originally intended for transportation from England to India, hence the name.

42 Common refrain in pre-K circles : E-I-E-I-O

There was an old American version of the English children’s song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (E-I-E-I-O) that was around in the days of WWI. The first line of the older US version goes “Old MacDougal had a farm, in Ohio-i-o”.

44 Father of Norway’s King Harald : OLAV

King Harald V ascended to the throne of Norway in 1991 when his father King Olav V passed away. The European Royal houses are famously quite “incestuous”, so King Harald V of Norway is in the line of succession for the throne of England (albeit around no. 60).

46 Royal Navy inits. : HMS

On Her Majesty’s Service or On His Majesty’s Service (OHMS)

47 Popular skin moisturizer : ALOE VERA LOTION

Aloe vera is a succulent plant that grows in relatively dry climates. The plant’s leaves are full of biologically-active compounds that have been studied extensively. Aloe vera has been used for centuries in herbal medicine, mainly for topical treatment of wounds.

52 “El ___ de los Anillos” (translation of a Tolkien title) : SENOR

J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” is the second best-selling novel ever written, with only “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens having sold more copies around the world. Remarkably, I think, the third best-selling novel is “The Hobbit”, which was also written by Tolkien.

66 Often-pickled pods : OKRA

The plant known as okra is mainly grown for its edible green pods. The pods are said to resemble “ladies’ fingers”, which is an alternative name for the plant. Okra is known as “ngombo” in Bantu, a name that might give us the word “gumbo”, the name for the name of the southern Louisiana stew that includes okra as a key ingredient.

69 Big wheel’s place : HELM

In its broadest sense, the term “helm” describes the whole of a ship’s steering mechanism, including the rudder and tiller. In a more specific sense, the helm is the handle, tiller or wheel that is used to control the steering gear.

70 Word with clean or rot : DRY …

Dry rot is a fungal infection that causes wood to decay as the fungus digest those parts of the wood giving it strength and structure. Despite the name, dry rot does indeed require the presence of some moisture to thrive. Wet rot is a similar condition, but one requiring a higher moisture content.

Down

3 Appeared briefly : MADE A CAMEO

Even in my day, a cameo role was more than just a short appearance in a movie (or other artistic piece). For the appearance to be a cameo, the actor had to play himself or herself, and was instantly recognizable. With this meaning it’s easy to see the etymology of the term, as a cameo brooch is one with the recognizable carving of the silhouette of a person. Nowadays, a cameo is any minor role played by a celebrity or famous actor, regardless of the character played.

4 How many salsa dancers dance : IN HEELS

The genre of music called salsa is a modern interpretation of various Cuban traditional music styles.

5 God-knows-where, casually : MIA

Missing in action (MIA)

8 Miso base : SOY

Miso is the name of the seasoning that makes miso soup. Basic miso seasoning is made by fermenting rice, barley and soybeans with salt and a fungus to produce a paste. The paste can be added to stock to make miso soup, or perhaps to flavor tofu.

10 Actress Gunn : ANNA

Anna Gunn is an actress from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is best known for playing Skyler White on the TV show “Breaking Bad”.

15 “Homeland” of the monsters Mothra and Gamera : JAPAN

Mothra is a giant moth-like monster that made its big-screen debut in the 1961 film “Mothra”. Mothra turns up quite often in “Godzilla” movies.

17 Big band staple : 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 …

23 Pet peeves? : LICE

Lice (singular “louse”) are small wingless insects, of which there are thousands of species. There are three species of lice affecting humans, i.e. head lice, body lice and pubic lice. Most lice feed on dead skin found on the body of the host animal, although some feed on blood. Ick …

The phrase “pet peeve”, meaning “thing that provokes one most”, seems to be somewhat ironic. A “peeve” is a source of irritation, and the adjective “pet” means “especially cherished”.

29 Group putting out electronic music : TECHNO BAND

Techno is a type of electronic dance music that originated in Detroit in the eighties. Techno involves a heavy beat in common time, and what seems to be a lot of repetition. Not for me …

37 Quiche base : PIE PLATE

The classic dish called quiche is made with eggs (“oeufs” in French). Even though the quiche is inextricably linked to French cuisine, the name “quiche” comes from “Kuchen”, the German word for “cake”. The variant called “quiche lorraine” includes bits of smoked bacon as an ingredient.

39 Grp. with the 1977 hit double album “Out of the Blue” : ELO

“Out of the Blue” is a double album released in 1977 by ELO. All the tracks were written by band leader Jeff Lynne in just three weeks, in a rented chalet in the Swiss Alps. A creative environment, I guess …

48 Printing giant : EPSON

Seiko Epson is a Japanese company, and one of the largest manufacturers of printers in the world. The company has its roots in the watch business, roots that go back to 1942. Seiko was chosen as the official timekeeper for the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and was asked to supply a timer that produced a printed record. This request brought Seiko into the business of printer production. The company developed the world’s first mini-printer for the 1964 Games and called it EP-101 (with “EP” standing for Electronic Printer). In 1975 Seiko introduced the next generation of EP printers which was called EPSON, from “SON of EP”. Cute, huh?

50 “Get ___” (2014 James Brown biopic) : ON UP

“Get on Up” is a 2014 film about the life of soul singer James Brown, who is portrayed by Chadwick Boseman. Mick Jagger is one of the movie’s producers, and appears as a character on screen (played by Nick Eversman).

54 Pocket stuffed with tabbouleh, maybe : PITA

Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern dish made from tomatoes, and chopped parsley, mint, bulgur and onion, along with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. The name “tabbouleh” comes from the Arabic “taabil” meaning “seasoning”. I love tabbouleh …

55 Windsor Castle neighbor : ETON

The town of Eton in Berkshire, England is home to the world-famous Eton College. The original settlement of Eton was located on an island surrounded by the River Thames, and the name “Eton” means “settlement on an island. A stream on one side of the island silted up almost 200 years ago, but it was cleared in 2019 so that Eton qualifies as an island once again.

Windsor Castle is located on the River Thames in Berkshire, just 20 miles outside London. It was built in the early 11th century by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of England. Queen Elizabeth II used to spend many of her weekends at Windsor. She had lots of room to move around there, as it’s the largest inhabited castle in the world.

56 Presenter of many games : ESPN

The initialism “ESPN” stands for Entertainment Sports Programming Network. ESPN is a cable network that broadcasts sports programming 24 hours a day, and was launched back in 1979. ESPN has a lot of ardent fans. Several parents have named their children Espn (usually pronounced “Espen”) in honor of the network.

58 Tweeter’s “That said …” : OTOH …

On the other hand (OTOH)

59 Socially “with it” : WOKE

The term “woke” can be used as a slang term, an adjective meaning “aware of issues of racial and social justice”.

61 Fashion house with a Manhattan HQ : DKNY

Donna Karan is an American fashion designer, creator of the Donna Karan New York (DKNY) clothing label. Karan was very much raised in the fashion industry, as her mother was a model and her stepfather a tailor.

63 First name in DC Comics villainy : LEX

Lex Luthor is the nemesis of Superman in comics. Luthor has been portrayed in a number of guises in the comic world as well in movies and on the small screen. For example, he appeared as Atom Man in the 1950 film series “Atom Man vs. Superman”, and was played by actor Lyle Talbot, opposite Kirk Alyn’s Superman.

64 Certain link : URL

An Internet address (like NYXCrossword.com and LAXCrossword.com) is more correctly called a uniform resource locator (URL).

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Cartesian sum? : I AM
4 Quran keeper : IMAM
8 Spiff (up) : SNAZZ
13 Molecule in some modern vaccines : RNA
14 Impressive diving score : NINE
15 Chachi’s “Happy Days” sweetheart : JOANIE
16 “Which is a big deal, considering!” : AND THAT’S SAYING A LOT
19 Line : QUEUE
20 Maker of the Split Decision Breakfast : IHOP
21 Damsel : LASS
22 Def Jam, for DMX : LABEL
24 Spa day sounds : AAHS
26 Contest for millions on the West Coast : CALIFORNIA LOTTO
32 Sierra Nevada’s Dankful, e.g., in brief : IPA
34 It’s a good look : SCAN
35 It’s a bad look : SNEER
36 Tear-stained, perhaps : DAMP
38 Landscaping tool : EDGER
41 Part of a healing process : SCAB
42 Common refrain in pre-K circles : E-I-E-I-O
44 Father of Norway’s King Harald : OLAV
46 Royal Navy inits. : HMS
47 Popular skin moisturizer : ALOE VERA LOTION
51 Family man : PAPA
52 “El ___ de los Anillos” (translation of a Tolkien title) : SENOR
54 Take off fast, with “out” : PEEL …
57 Word with shoe or cap : SNOW-
60 Floated for fun, in a way : TUBED
62 “So many layers here” … or a hint to the circled squares : IT’S A LOT TO UNPACK
65 A big hit might break it : TOP TEN
66 Often-pickled pods : OKRA
67 One who may be out of the habit : NUN
68 Result of an architect’s winging it? : ANNEX
69 Big wheel’s place : HELM
70 Word with clean or rot : DRY …

Down

1 Setting for Operation Red Dawn : IRAQ
2 Void : ANNUL
3 Appeared briefly : MADE A CAMEO
4 How many salsa dancers dance : IN HEELS
5 God-knows-where, casually : MIA
6 Challenging : ANTI
7 Go together nicely : MESH
8 Miso base : SOY
9 Some spots that need polish : NAIL SALONS
10 Actress Gunn : ANNA
11 Veers sharply : ZIGS
12 Extremist group : ZEALOTS
15 “Homeland” of the monsters Mothra and Gamera : JAPAN
17 Big band staple : TUBA
18 Take off : SOAR
23 Pet peeves? : LICE
25 Introductory remarks : HIS
27 Everybody’s doing it : FAD
28 Like a blocked penalty kick, in soccer : ON GOAL
29 Group putting out electronic music : TECHNO BAND
30 Group often told to “Go!” : TEAM
31 Eyes, poetically : ORBS
32 Starting point for a plan : IDEA
33 Beach mold : PAIL
37 Quiche base : PIE PLATE
39 Grp. with the 1977 hit double album “Out of the Blue” : ELO
40 “Oh, fudge!” : RATS!
43 Fertility clinic donations : OVA
45 World’s largest producer of black pepper : VIETNAM
48 Printing giant : EPSON
49 Go off : RANT
50 “Get ___” (2014 James Brown biopic) : ON UP
53 Come back : RECUR
54 Pocket stuffed with tabbouleh, maybe : PITA
55 Windsor Castle neighbor : ETON
56 Presenter of many games : ESPN
58 Tweeter’s “That said …” : OTOH …
59 Socially “with it” : WOKE
61 Fashion house with a Manhattan HQ : DKNY
63 First name in DC Comics villainy : LEX
64 Certain link : URL

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