New York Times Crossword No. 0219
Jeremy Newton, of Austin, Tex., is an engineering manager for mobile games at SciPlay. He’s been making crosswords for The Times since 2008. He says this one is a special accomplishment, because the idea for it has been kicking around since 2010. He finally managed to find a consistent theme set he was happy with. While creating the puzzle, he mumbled a lot. You’ll soon see why. — W.S.
ACROSS
1 King, queen, etc.
9 Overly impulsive
13 Something in a cocoon
17 It may produce both a
cringe and a laugh
19 Acclaimed rock ’n’ roll
biopic of 2022
21 Emerald or
aquamarine
22 ‘‘That cult’s initiation ceremony is brutal!’’ [1983]
24 Creator of the games
Xybots and Klax
25 Bit of memory, for
short
26 It’s quite the stretch
27 Not stay outside,
informally
29 Spurred into action
32 Bronzed New York basketball player from Bangkok [1997]
34 Junk
35 Prominent features of
Sphynx cats
38 Treaty that was
dissolved in 2020
39 Neighbor of a return
key
42 Places
44 ____ Stavro Blofeld,
enemy of 007
48 Therein lies the
rubbed
49 Why the Devil was forced to pay ‘‘The Greatest’’ [1969]
52 Parks at a pier
54 Anise-flavored liqueur
56 Passes (out)
57 Not play by oneself,
perhaps
59 ‘‘Remarkable!’’
60 Bucatini, ziti and
rigatoni, e.g.
62 High point of a trip to
Europe?
63 Total breeze
64 Do some making up
65 Cry after remembering to meet at noon [1984]
68 Somewhat off
69 English football
powerhouse, to fans
70 Time out in pre-K?
71 Change for the better
72 Belly, cutesily
73 ‘‘You didn’t fool me!’’
75 One way to cross a
lake
77 One in the oil
business?
80 Actress Davis
81 ‘‘You there, hoarding the Quattro razor! Scram!’’ [2002]
85 Losing line in ticktack-toe
86 Wryly comical
88 Word with pie, pot
or port
89 Subject of SETI space
scans
91 Partner of Clark in
American history
93 Stefani who sang the 1996 hit ‘‘Don’t Speak’’
94 Six-foot runners?
95 How one cannibal felt after devouring the other [2000]
101 Like ‘‘threads,’’ for
clothing
104 Latest releases, of
sorts
105 Neighbor of an
Emirati
108 Anxiety condition,
for short
109 I.T. bigwig
110 Some optical illusions created with one’s fingers [1999]
116 Rival of a ’Vette
117 ‘‘Socrate’’ composer
118 Auditing a class,
maybe
119 Part of H.K.
120 Miffed, with ‘‘off’’
121 Compliment to Daisy during a game of fetch
DOWN
1 Summer hrs. in Dallas
2 ‘‘Nice joke!’’
3 Previously, poetically
4 Bit of apparel that
covers the face
5 Turn into confetti
6 Big change in price or
power
7 Classic record label
8 Lug around
9 [Yuck!]
10 Greeting that means,
literally, ‘‘love’’
11 Crime-show spinoff,
to fans
12 Skedaddle, with ‘‘it’’
13 ____ Hall, home of the
N.C.A.A.’s Pirates
14 Many a Zoroastrian
15 Line at a karaoke bar
16 ‘‘Hogan’s Heroes’’
colonel
18 Ambassador, in brief
20 Pile of papers
21 Cosmic comeuppance
23 Big drinkers
28 Pay (up)
29 Freak
30 What you get upon reading aloud the answers to the seven italicized clues
31 ‘‘Works for me!’’
33 Historic builders of
rope bridges
34 Recipe qty.
36 Syst. of unspoken
words
37 Diamond shapes
40 Make an appearance
41 Many a watch display,
for short
42 1983 No. 1 hit for
David Bowie
43 Work of appreciation
45 Dozes after a dose,
say
46 Category for which every 30-Down in this puzzle was recognized, aptly
47 Its loss can cause
baldness
50 Ganja
51 Didn’t go anywhere
53 Filling-station brand
55 ‘‘Not good, amigo’’
58 Missions, in brief
60 ‘‘____ OK!’’
61 One who makes calls
62 Writer Rand 64 Like the death of 19-Across, some claim
65 Grammy-winning
DiFranco
66 Out of control
67 Cowboy’s cry of
excitement
69 Aerial threat during
the Cold War
72 Classic Disney film that opens at Flynn’s arcade
74 On display, as a
painting 75 Tapped
76 Feel bad
77 Travel through time?
78 Easily persuaded sort
79 Things pandas have
20 of
82 Chew the fat
83 Jubilant cheer
84 Options for ‘‘bee’s
knees’’ cocktails
87 Alternative to Levi’s
90 End of a flight, in two
senses 92 Serves, with ‘‘on’’
93 Nickname for Mom’s
mom
95 Grind
96 Brought about
97 ‘‘Well, shucks!’’
98 Contacting on Twitter,
for short
99 Compadre
100 Journalist in a field
102 Ball game?
103 Like the smell of
burnt rubber 106 Rapper behind the ‘‘King’s Disease’’ trilogy
107 ‘‘Copy,’’ to a cat
111 Great Basin people
112 D.D.E.’s W.W. II
battleground
113 Sci-fi film staple, for
short
114 White-wine aperitif
115 Show with a ‘‘What’s Up With That?’’ segment, for short