0228-23 NY Times Crossword 28 Feb 23, Tuesday

Constructed by: Gia Bosko
Edited by: Will Shortz

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Today’s Reveal Answer: Green Eggs and Ham

Themed answers are (mainly) ways in which GREEN EGGS AND HAM are offered in the Dr. Seuss classic:

38A Colorful meal in a Dr. Seuss story : GREEN EGGS AND HAM</li>

17A One way 38-Across is offered : IN THE RAIN
26A Another way 38-Across is offered : ON A BOAT
53A Another way 38-Across is offered : IN A TREE
66A Another way 38-Across is offered : WITH A GOAT
48D One who won’t take no for an answer regarding 38-Across : SAM-I-AM

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Bill’s time: 7m 04s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Gin-flavoring fruit : SLOE

The sloe is the fruit of the blackthorn bush, and the main flavoring ingredient in sloe gin. A sloe looks like a small plum, but is usually much more tart in taste.

5 Edinburgher, for one : SCOT

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and is a really beautiful city. In days gone by it might not have been quite so charming though. Like many cities, plumes of smoke hung over Edinburgh when coal and wood fires weren’t regulated. To this day, the city has the nickname “Auld Reekie”, Scots for “Old Smoky”.

14 “Jesus ___” (shortest verse in the Bible) : WEPT

The shortest verse in the King James Bible is in the Gospel of John; Chapter 11; Verse 35 … “Jesus wept.” The verse occurs in the context of the death of Lazarus. He arrives four days after his friend’s passing, weeps in front of his tomb, and then raises him from the dead. The longest verse is in the Book of Esther, i.e. Chapter 8; Verse 9, which has 78 words.

15 Syllables sung in “The Farmer in the Dell” : HI-HO

“The Farmer in the Dell” is a nursery rhyme and singing game that probably originated in Germany. The first verse is:

The farmer in the dell
The farmer in the dell
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The farmer in the dell

The last verse is:

The cheese stands alone
The cheese stands alone
Hi-ho, the derry-o…
The cheese stands alone

21 Big name in elevators : OTIS

Otis is a manufacturer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways. By some accounts, Otis is the world’s most popular transportation company, with the equivalent of the whole world’s population traveling on Otis devices every few days.

31 Kuwaiti leader : EMIR

The State of Kuwait sits at the northern tip of the Persian Gulf, sharing a border to the north with Iraq. After WWI, Kuwait was a Protectorate within the British Empire and then gained independence from the UK in 1961. Iraq annexed Kuwait in 1990, which led to the Gulf War of 1990-1991.

33 Like a latte made with nonfat milk, in cafe lingo : SKINNY

The fatty component of milk is known as butterfat (sometimes “milkfat”). To be labeled whole milk, the butterfat content must be at least 3.25%. Low-fat milk is defined as milk containing 0.5-2% fat, with levels of 1% and 2% commonly found on grocery store shelves. Skim milk must contain less than 0.5% fat, and typically contains 0.1%.

38 Colorful meal in a Dr. Seuss story : GREEN EGGS AND HAM
48D One who won’t take no for an answer regarding 38-Across

Dr. Seuss’s famous children’s book “Green Eggs and Ham” was first published in 1960. “Green Eggs and Ham” now ranks twelfth in the list of top selling children’s books. By the way, “Harry Potter” books hold the top four slots in that list. The text of “Green Eggs and Ham” has a lot of “I am” going on. It starts with:

I am Sam
I am Sam
Sam I am

and ends with:

I do so like
green eggs and ham!
Thank you!
Thank you,
Sam-I-am

44 Swamp-dwelling salamander : MUD EEL

Salamanders are lizard-like amphibians found all across the northern hemisphere. They are the only vertebrate animals that can regenerate lost limbs.

52 Yellowstone herd animal : ELK

Male elks are called bulls, and females are known as cows. Bull elks are known for their very loud screaming, which is called bugling. Cow elks are attracted to bulls that bugle more often and most loudly.

Yellowstone was the first National Park to be established in the world when it was designated as such by President Grant in 1872. What a great tradition it started! The American National Parks are truly a treasure …

57 Leg, in old slang : GAM

The American slang term “gams” is used for a woman’s legs. The term goes back to the 18th century “gamb” describing the leg of an animal on a coat of arms.

69 Watson who portrayed Hermione Granger : EMMA

Emma Watson is an English actress famous for playing Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” series of movies. Watson continued her education while pursuing her acting career and studied at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

71 Neat and tidy : KEMPT

The word “unkempt” means “disheveled, not well-combed”. It derives from the Old English word “cemban” meaning “to comb”. The opposite to the more common “unkempt” is … “kempt”.

Down

2 Fallon’s predecessor on “The Tonight Show” : LENO

“The Tonight Show” has had six permanent hosts so far:

Steve Allen (1954-57)
Jack Paar (1957-62)
Johnny Carson (1962–92)
Jay Leno (1992–2009, 2010–14)
Conan O’Brien (2009–10)
Jimmy Fallon (2014–present)

6 Spy org. : CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is the successor to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) formed during WWII. The CIA was chartered by the National Security Act of 1947. The organization is often referred to familiarly as “the Company”.

7 Toledo’s home : OHIO

Toledo, Ohio lies in the northwest of the state, at the western end of Lake Erie. Toledo was founded as a result of the prosperity that hit the area when the Miami and Erie Canal was constructed in the 19th century connecting Cincinnati to the Great Lakes. Toledo is known as the Glass City as several glass companies originated there, including Owens Corning and Pilkington North America. There is a large exhibition of glass art at the Toledo Museum of Art.

8 The Lone Ranger’s companion : TONTO

Tonto was played by the actor Jay Silverheels In the television version of “The Lone Ranger”. In the terrible 1981 movie “The Legend of the Lone Ranger”, Tonto was portrayed by Michael Horse. Tonto was then played by Johnny Depp In the 2013 movie “The Lone Ranger”. Famously, the Lone Ranger’s horse was called Silver and Tonto’s mount was named Scout. But, in the early TV shows, Tonto rode a horse called White Feller.

12 The “K” of K-pop : KOREAN

K-pop (Korean pop) is a genre of music from South Korea that emerged in the early nineties.

18 Vogue competitor : ELLE

“Elle” magazine was founded in 1945 in France and today has the highest circulation of any fashion magazine in the world. “Elle” is the French word for “she”. “Elle” is published monthly worldwide, although you can pick up a weekly edition if you live in France.

22 Photo-sharing app, familiarly : INSTA

Instagram (often abbreviated to “Insta”, or “IG”) is a photo-sharing application, one that is extremely popular. Instagram started in San Francisco in 2010. Facebook purchased Instagram two years later, paying $1 billion. The billion-dollar Instagram company had just 13 employees at the time of the sale …

25 Utter nonsense : BILGE

The bilge is the lowest internal part of a ship. The water that collects in there is called bilge water. The term “bilge” is also used as slang for nonsense talk.

27 Swallows, e.g. : BIRDS

Swallows are remarkable birds, at least in one aspect. Swallows, and the related martins, have evolved so that they can feed while flying, snapping up insects in mid-air.

28 Notorious ___ (onetime Supreme Court nickname) : RBG

The 2015 book “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” was co-written by Shana Knizhnik and Iris Carmon. Knizhnik had previously authored a “Notorious R.B.G” blog. The moniker “Notorious RBG” is reminiscent of the name of rap star the Notorious B.I.G.

32 Name that’s practically synonymous with synonyms : ROGET

Peter Mark Roget was an English lexicographer. He was an avid maker of lists, apparently using the routine of list-making to combat depression, a condition he endured for most of his life. Roget published his famous thesaurus in 1852, with revisions and expansions being made years later by his son, and then in turn by his grandson.

37 Faith with a holy site in Mecca : ISLAM

Mecca is in the Makkah province of Saudi Arabia. It was the birthplace of Muhammad and is the holiest city in Islam. Every year several million Muslims perform the Hajj, a holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

40 Ford flop of the 1950s : EDSEL

The Edsel brand of automobile was named for Edsel Ford, son of Henry. Sadly, the name “Edsel” has become synonymous with “failure”, which was no fault of Edsel himself who had died several years before the Edsel line was introduced. When the Ford Motor Company introduced the Edsel on 4 September 1957, Ford proclaimed the day to be “E Day”.

43 Annual Jan. honoree : MLK

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a US Federal holiday taking place on the third Monday of each year. It celebrates the birthday of Dr. King, and was signed into law by President Reagan in 1983, and first observed in 1986. However, some states resisted naming the holiday MLK Day, and gave it alternative names (like “Civil Rights Day”). It was officially celebrated as MLK Day in all 50 states from the year 2000 onwards.

51 Start of a spell : ABRA-

The incantation “abracadabra” has a long history. It was used as far back as the 2nd century AD in ancient Rome when the word was prescribed by a physician to be worn on an amulet to help his emperor recover from disease. “Abracadabra” is Aramaic, and roughly translates as “I will create as I speak”.

54 Cary of “The Princess Bride” : ELWES

Cary Elwes is an English actor who is perhaps most noted for appearing in the 1987 film “The Princess Bride”. He also played the title role in 1993’s “Cary Elwes”. Cary is the son of a celebrated English portrait painter, Dominick Elwes.

56 Popeye creator Elzie : SEGAR

Elzie Segar was a cartoonist who went by the name E. C. Segar. He was the man who created the strip “Thimble Theater”, home of the character Popeye.

63 Cotton swab brand : Q-TIP

Cotton swabs were originally marketed under the name “Baby Gays”. This was changed in 1926 to “Q-Tips”, with the Q standing for “quality”.

65 Guacamole, for one : DIP

Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes. It is prepared by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

67 “Eww! I didn’t need to know that!” : TMI!

Too much information (TMI)

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Gin-flavoring fruit : SLOE
5 Edinburgher, for one : SCOT
9 Y’s in roads : FORKS
14 “Jesus ___” (shortest verse in the Bible) : WEPT
15 Syllables sung in “The Farmer in the Dell” : HI-HO
16 Producer of tears in the kitchen : ONION
17 One way 38-Across is offered : IN THE RAIN
19 Not an original : REPRO
20 Dis-band? : GO SOLO
21 Big name in elevators : OTIS
23 Collect it all! : SET
24 Slovenly sort : SLOB
26 Another way 38-Across is offered : ON A BOAT
28 Soccer official, informally : REF
31 Kuwaiti leader : EMIR
33 Like a latte made with nonfat milk, in cafe lingo : SKINNY
34 Coffee or tea : BREW
36 Hang around aimlessly : LOITER
38 Colorful meal in a Dr. Seuss story : GREEN EGGS AND HAM
44 Swamp-dwelling salamander : MUD EEL
45 Dirt : SOIL
46 Attacks from all sides : BESETS
49 “Toodle-oo!” : TA-TA!
52 Yellowstone herd animal : ELK
53 Another way 38-Across is offered : IN A TREE
55 Disorderly crowds : MOBS
57 Leg, in old slang : GAM
58 Woes : ILLS
60 Calc, for many an engineering major : PREREQ
64 Endure : ABIDE
66 Another way 38-Across is offered : WITH A GOAT
68 Like the dragon at the end of a hero’s tale : SLAIN
69 Watson who portrayed Hermione Granger : EMMA
70 Opposed to : ANTI
71 Neat and tidy : KEMPT
72 Barbecue rod : SPIT
73 Speak with a hoarse voice : RASP

Down

1 Big gulp : SWIG
2 Fallon’s predecessor on “The Tonight Show” : LENO
3 Chooses : OPTS
4 Shared cultural values : ETHOS
5 Psychedelic fungus, slangily : SHROOM
6 Spy org. : CIA
7 Toledo’s home : OHIO
8 The Lone Ranger’s companion : TONTO
9 Abandoned : FORSAKEN
10 It shares a computer key with an exclamation point : ONE
11 Mercilessly criticizes : RIPS ON
12 The “K” of K-pop : KOREAN
13 Overbearing and unpleasant, say : SNOTTY
18 Vogue competitor : ELLE
22 Photo-sharing app, familiarly : INSTA
25 Utter nonsense : BILGE
27 Swallows, e.g. : BIRDS
28 Notorious ___ (onetime Supreme Court nickname) : RBG
29 Make a misstep : ERR
30 Service charge : FEE
32 Name that’s practically synonymous with synonyms : ROGET
35 “I already know her” : WE MET
37 Faith with a holy site in Mecca : ISLAM
39 Dietary vitamin or mineral : NUTRIENT
40 Ford flop of the 1950s : EDSEL
41 Gardening tool : HOE
42 Afflict : AIL
43 Annual Jan. honoree : MLK
46 Huge favor : BIG ASK
47 Make possible : ENABLE
48 One who won’t take no for an answer regarding 38-Across : SAM-I-AM
50 Part of an Abraham Lincoln costume : TOP HAT
51 Start of a spell : ABRA-
54 Cary of “The Princess Bride” : ELWES
56 Popeye creator Elzie : SEGAR
59 Knucklehead : SIMP
61 Covid-19, informally : RONA
62 Grub : EATS
63 Cotton swab brand : Q-TIP
65 Guacamole, for one : DIP
67 “Eww! I didn’t need to know that!” : TMI!

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