LA Times Crossword 5 May 19, Sunday

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Constructed by: David Alfred Bywaters
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: Not!

Themed answers are common phrases with “NO T” at the end, with an ending letter T dropped:

  • 22 Animated image of Santa repeatedly going down the chimney? : CHRISTMAS GIF (from “Christmas gift”)
  • 41A Fruity neckwear? : BANANA BOA (from “banana boat”)
  • 43A Votes at a beer convention? : BREWERS’ YEAS (from “brewer’s yeast”)
  • 67A First catch the fly, then eat the fly? : SPIDER PLAN (from “spider plant”)
  • 71A Indication of growing impatience? : SECOND SIGH (from “second sight”)
  • 96A Social newcomer who won’t go away? : LONG-TERM DEB (from “long-term debt”)
  • 99A Basic banking rule? : DON’T FORGE (from “don’t forget”)
  • 118A Subjecting to a basic haunting strategy? : GIVING THE BOO (from “giving the boot”)

Bill’s time: 12m 48s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Bearlike marsupial : KOALA

The koala bear really does look like a little bear, but it’s not even closely related. The koala is an arboreal marsupial and a herbivore, native to the east and south coasts of Australia. Koalas aren’t primates, and are one of the few mammals other than primates who have fingerprints. In fact, it can be very difficult to tell human fingerprints from koala fingerprints, even under an electron microscope. Male koalas are called “bucks”, females are “does”, and young koalas are “joeys”. I’m a little jealous of the koala, as it sleeps up to 20 hours a day …

Marsupials are mammals that carry their young in a pouch. Better-known marsupials are kangaroos, koalas, wombats and Tasmanian devils. As you can perhaps tell from this list, most marsupials are native to the Southern Hemisphere.

17 Fast Northeast train : ACELA

The Acela Express is the fastest train routinely running in the US, as it gets up to 150 mph at times. The service runs between Boston and Washington D.C. via Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. Introduced in 2000, the brand name “Acela” was created to evoke “acceleration” and “excellence”.

21 Usually well-compensated leader : CEO

Chief executive officer (CEO)

22 Animated image of Santa repeatedly going down the chimney? : CHRISTMAS GIF (from “Christmas gift”)

A bitmap is an image file format used to store digital images. Basically, each pixel in a bitmap file is stored as a “bit” of information, hence the name “bitmap”. In 1987, CompuServe introduced a new type of image file called the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF). A GIF image takes the same information as a bitmap and then compresses it, resulting in a smaller file size. However, during compression the image may lose some resolution. The GIF format also handles short video clips, usually animations.

29 Windshield sticker : DECAL

A decal is a decorative sticker. “Decal” is a shortening of “decalcomania”. The latter term is derived from the French “décalquer”, the practice of tracing a pattern from paper onto glass or perhaps porcelain.

30 Cashew family shrubs : SUMACS

Sumacs are a group of flowering shrubs and small trees that includes poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac (nasty stuff!). The leaves of some species of sumac contain tannins that are used for tanning leather. Morocco leather is an example of the use of sumac tannins.

34 Extract with a solvent : ELUTE

Elution is the extraction of one material from a mixture by washing it out with a solvent. Often this is done with the help of solid substance that adsorbs one material in the mixture so that the second, unadsorbed material can easily be dissolved and collected.

35 Crew member : TAR

A jack tar, or just “tar”, was a seaman in the days of the British Empire. The term probably arose due to a sailor’s various uses of tar back then, including waterproofing his clothes and using tar in his hair to slick down his ponytail.

38 Robert who sang the role of Figaro 46 times at the Met : MERRILL

Robert Merrill was an operatic baritone from New York City. Above and beyond his successful career in the classical world, Merrill was known for singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at important games in both Yankee Stadium and Giants Stadium. Notably, Merrill sang the anthem traditionally, without ornamentation. I wish others would follow suit …

43 Votes at a beer convention? : BREWERS’ YEAS (from “brewer’s yeast”)

Yeasts are unicellular microorganisms in the kingdom Fungi. The species of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used for centuries in the making of wine and beer, and in breadmaking. Saccharomyces cerevisiae converts carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and alcohol in the process of fermentation. When making beer and wine, the carbon dioxide and alcohol may be captured by the liquid. When making bread, the carbon dioxide and alcohol is driven off by heat.

47 Rural skyline standouts : SILOS

“Silo” is a Spanish word that we absorbed into English. The term ultimately derives from the Greek “siros”, which described a pit in which one kept corn.

50 Japanese pond fish : KOI

Koi are fish that are also known as Japanese carp. Koi have been bred for decorative purposes and there are now some very brightly colored examples found in Japanese water gardens.

58 Sam or Wiggily : UNCLE

The Uncle Sam personification of the United States was first used during the War of 1812. The “Uncle Sam” term was so widely accepted that even the Germans used it during WWII, choosing the code word “Samland” for “America” in intelligence communiques.

Uncle Wiggily is the main character in a huge series of the children’s stories penned by Howard R. Garris. Reportedly, Garis wrote a different Uncle Wiggily story six days a week, for 52 years.

62 Cruller coating : GLAZE

Crullers (also “twisters”) are fried pastries that have a twisted shape. The pastry’s name comes from the Dutch “kruller” meaning “to curl”. Crullers are a traditional dish served on Shrove Tuesday (the day before Lent) in some European countries, including Germany.

67 First catch the fly, then eat the fly? : SPIDER PLAN (from “spider plant”)

The spider plant species of perennial flowering plant is more formally known as Chlorophytum comosum. It has long, narrow leaves, and greenish-white flowers that form in clusters. Spider plants are common houseplants, and have been shown to reduce indoor air pollution by neutralizing formaldehyde emitted by cooking oils.

73 Valentine card hugs : OOO

In the sequence letter sequence “XOX”, the X represents a kiss, and the O a hug. “OOO” is a string of hugs, and “XXX” a string of kisses. Hugs and kisses …

Saint Valentine’s Day was introduced by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD to honor various martyrs with the name Valentine. However, the saint’s’ day was dropped by the Roman Catholic church in 1969, by Pope Paul VI. Try telling that to Hallmark though …

74 Popular school cafeteria item : TATER TOT

Ore-Ida’s founders came up with the idea for Tater Tots when they were deciding what to do with residual cuts of potato. They chopped up the leftovers, added flour and seasoning, and extruded the mix through a large hole making a sausage that they cut into small cylinders. We eat 70 million pounds of this extruded potato every year!

76 Immerse (in), as maple syrup : DROWN

About 75% of the world’s maple syrup comes from the province of Quebec. The US’s biggest producer is the state of Vermont, which produces 5-6% of the world’s supply.

77 Togo neighbor : BENIN

The Republic of Benin is a country in West Africa. Benin used to be a French colony, and was known as Dahomey. Dahomey gained independence in 1975, and took the name Benin after the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies.

Togo is a country on the West African coast, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. It is located between Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north.

79 Sharpening tool : STROP

A strop is a strip of leather used to sharpen a razor.

87 How Sitka, Alaska, ranks as the largest U.S. city : IN AREA

The city of Sitka is located on Baranof Island and part of Chichagof Island in the Alexander Archipelago off the coast of Alaska. Sitka used to be known as Redoubt Saint Michael and then New Archangel when it was ruled by the Russians. The current city name comes from a local term meaning “People on the Outside of Baranof Island”. Immediately after the purchase of Alaska by the US, Sitka served as the capital of the Alaska Territory until the seat of government was relocated north to Juneau. Sitka is a consolidated city-borough, and so by one definition, Sitka is the largest city in the US. The city-borough covers 2,870 square miles of land, although Urban Sitka covers just 2 square miles of land.

90 Trojan War god : ARES

The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of bloodlust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos (Fear), Deimos (Terror) and Eros (Desire). Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera, and the Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars.

The ancient city of Troy was located on the west coast of modern-day Turkey. The Trojan War of Greek mythology was precipitated by the elopement of Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta, with Paris of Troy. The war itself largely consisted of a nine-year siege of Troy by the Greeks. We know most about the final year of that siege, as it is described extensively in Homer’s “Iliad”. The city eventually fell when the Greeks hid soldiers inside the Trojan Horse, which the Trojans brought inside the city’s walls. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts …

93 Small-time British crook : SPIV

“Spiv” is a British slang term describing a petty criminal, one usually dealing in illicit goods. The term was particularly prevalent during WWII when spivs would sell black market goods, taking advantage of shortages caused by government rationing.

96 Social newcomer who won’t go away? : LONG-TERM DEB (from “long-term debt”)

“Deb” is short for “debutante”, which translates from French as “beginner” when referring to a female.

102 USCG officer : ENS

Ensign (ens.)

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has the distinction of being the country’s oldest continuous seagoing service. The USCG was founded as the Revenue Cutter Service by Alexander Hamilton in 1790.

106 __ network : NEURAL

It used to be that “neural network” was just the name given to a network nerve cells in an organism. In the modern world, the term “neural net” (short for “neural network”) also applies to virtual or electronic devices designed to mimic the function of the human brain, and in particular learning from past experiences.

109 BP, pulse, etc. : VITALS

Blood pressure (BP)

121 Heart test letters : EKG

An EKG measures electrical activity in the heart. Back in my homeland of Ireland, an EKG is known as an ECG (for electrocardiogram). We use the German name in the US, Elektrokardiogramm, giving us EKG. Apparently the abbreviation EKG is preferred as ECG might be confused (if poorly handwritten, I guess) with EEG, the abbreviation for an electroencephalogram.

122 Hunger remedy wrongly attributed to Marie Antoinette : CAKE

There is no evidence that Marie Antoinette ever uttered the words “Let them eat cake”. The phrase was attributed to “a great princess” though, by the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau wrote in his autobiography:

Finally I recalled the stopgap solution of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread, and who responded: “Let them eat brioche (cake).”

127 Principle : TENET

A tenet is an article of faith, something that is held to be true. “Tenet” is Latin for “he holds”.

Down

3 Emperor adopted by Claudius : NERO

Nero was Emperor of Rome from 54 to 68 CE, and he had quite the family life. When he was just 16-years-old Nero married his step-sister Claudia Octavia. He also had his mother and step-brother executed.

I find Claudius to be the most fascinating of all the Roman Emperors. Claudius had a lot going against him as he walked with a limp and was slightly deaf. He was put in office by the Praetorian Guard (the emperor’s bodyguards) after Caligula was assassinated. Claudius had very little political experience and yet proved to be very forward-thinking and capable.

5 Ukulele wood : KOA

The flowering tree known as koa grows in the wild only on the Hawaiian Islands. Koa wood is prized for the construction of dugout canoes, surfboards and guitars.

6 MD workplaces : ORS

Medical doctors (MDs) might be found in an operating room (OR) or emergency room (ER).

7 Ship protected by Hera : ARGO

In Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts sailed on the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. The vessel was called “Argo” in honor of the ship’s builder, a man named Argus.

In Greek mythology, Hera was the wife of Zeus and was noted for her jealous and vengeful nature, particularly against those who vied for the affections of her husband. The equivalent character to Hera in Roman mythology was Juno. Hera was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea.

10 Tiny shape-shifters : AMOEBAE

An ameba (also “amoeba”) is a single-celled microorganism. The name comes from the Greek “amoibe”, meaning change. The name is quite apt, as the cell changes shape readily as the ameba moves, eats and reproduces.

15 Cato the Elder or Cato the Younger : SENATOR

Cato the Elder was a Roman statesman, known historically as “the elder” in order to distinguish him from his great-grandson, Cato the Younger. Cato the Elder’s ultimate position within Roman society was that of Censor, making him responsible for maintaining the census, and for supervising public morality.

Cato the Younger was a politician in the late Roman Republic. He was noted for his moral integrity, and his ability as an orator. He is also remembered for an extended conflict that he had with Julius Caesar.

25 Skin pigment : MELANIN

Melanin is a natural pigment found in most organisms. In humans, melanin is the pigment in the skin, the production of which accelerates in response to UV radiation causing a “tan”. Melanin is also what is released as cephalopod ink, a defensive cloud squirted into the water by squids and octopodes.

31 1993 Aerosmith hit that begins “There was a time / When I was so broken-hearted” : CRYIN’

Aerosmith is a hard rock band from Boston that formed in 1970. Aerosmith is the best-selling American rock band of all time, and holds the record for most gold albums by any American group.

32 Tuscany city : SIENA

Siena is a beautiful city in the Tuscany region of Italy. In the center of Siena is the magnificent medieval square called Piazza del Campo, a paved sloping open area made up of nine triangular sections. The square has to be seen to be believed. Twice a year, the famous bareback horse-race called the Palio di Siena is held in the Piazza.

35 Recipe meas. : TBSP

Tablespoon (tbsp.)

39 PC-to-PC system : LAN

Local Area Network (LAN)

40 Future attys.’ exams : LSATS

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

53 __-Nehemiah: Hebrew Bible book : EZRA

In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Ezra was originally combined with the Book of Nehemiah, with the two being separated in the early days of the Christian Era.

56 Japanese tech company : NEC

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

57 Sparkling rock : GEODE

A geode is a rock in which there is a cavity that is lined or filled with crystal formations.

61 Addis Ababa’s land: Abbr. : ETH

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia. The city is relatively young, having being founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II. Addis Ababa holds an important position within the nations of Africa as it is home to many international organizations that are focused on the continent.

63 Company named for a volcano : AETNA

When the healthcare management and insurance company known as Aetna was founded, the name was chosen to evoke images of Mount Etna, the Italian volcano.

64 Playwright Chekhov : ANTON

Anton Chekhov was a Russian writer of short stories and a playwright, as well as a physician. He wrote four classic plays that are often performed all around the world, namely “The Seagull”, “Uncle Vanya”, “Three Sisters” and “The Cherry Orchard”. All the time Chekhov was writing, he continued to practice medicine. He is quoted as saying “Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.”

65 About, on memos : IN RE

The term “in re” is Latin, and is derived from “in” (in) and “res” (thing, matter). “In re” literally means “in the matter”, and is used to mean “in regard to” or “in the matter of”.

68 “The Purloined Letter” writer : POE

“The Purloined Letter” is the third of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories to feature Le Chevalier C. Auguste Dupin, Poe’s famous detective. The two earlier stories are the celebrated “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Mystery of Marie Roget”.

75 Iridescent gems : OPALS

An opal is often described as having a milky iridescence known as opalescence.

80 Mortise joiner : TENON

One simple type of joint used in carpentry is a mortise and tenon. It is basically a projection carved at the end of one piece of wood that fits into a hole cut into the end of another. In the related dovetail joint, the projecting tenon is not rectangular but is cut at a bias, so that when the dovetails are joined they resist being pulled apart. You’ll see dovetail joints in drawers around the house.

81 Dutch city, with “The” : HAGUE

“Den Haag” is the Dutch name for the city in the Netherlands that we know in English as “The Hague”. Even though the Hague is the seat of the Dutch parliament and is where Queen Beatrix resides, it is not the country’s capital city. That honor goes to Amsterdam.

83 Eve’s first home : EDEN

In the Christian tradition, the “fall of man” took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This went against the bidding of God, and was at the urging of the serpent. As a result, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden to prevent them becoming immortal by eating from the tree of life. The first humans had transitioned from a state of innocent obedience to a state of guilty disobedience.

84 Civil War fighters : REBS

During the Civil War, the personification of the Southern states was “Johnny Reb”. The northern equivalent was “Billy Yank”.

86 Paul Anka’s “__ Beso” : ESO

“Eso Beso” is Spanish for “That Kiss”, and is the title of a 1962 hit song recorded by Canadian-born singer Paul Anka.

88 Mythical elephant carrier : ROC

The mythical roc is a huge bird of prey, one reputedly able to carry off and eat elephants. The roc was said to come from the Indian subcontinent. The supposed existence of the roc was promulgated by Marco Polo in the accounts that he published of his travels through Asia.

91 Lost Colony’s island : ROANOKE

Roanoke Island is in modern-day North Carolina. It was settled in the late 1500s by an expedition financed by Sir Walter Raleigh. The final group of colonists that were landed in Roanoke were left there for three years without resupply from England (due to the Anglo-Spanish War). When a supply ship finally landed, the settlement was found abandoned with no sign of the colonists. All 100 people had disappeared without any indication of a struggle, and so Roanoke became known as the “Lost Colony”.

98 White-plumed wader : EGRET

Egrets are a group of several species of white herons. Many egret species were faced with extinction in the 1800s and early 1900s due to plume hunting, a practice driven by the demand for egret plumes that could be incorporated into hats.

100 Painting on wet plaster : FRESCO

A fresco is a painting created on a moist plaster, usually on a wall or ceiling. The plaster is “freshly” laid when the image is created, and “fresco” is the Italian for “fresh”.

107 “Almost Like Being in Love” composer Frederick : LOEWE

Frederick Loewe was a composer best known for his collaborations with the lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, the most famous of which were “My Fair Lady”, “Gigi” and “Camelot”.

“Almost Like Being in Love” us a song composed for the 1947 Lerner and Loewe musical “Brigadoon”.

111 Pet reindeer in “Frozen” : SVEN

“Sven” is a Scandinavian name. “Sven” is derived from the Old Norse word for “young man” or “young warrior”.

“Frozen” is a 2013 animated feature from Walt Disney Studios that is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Snow Queen”. The film is all about the exploits of Princess Anna, the younger sister of Elsa, Snow Queen of Arendelle. Spoiler alert: Prince Hans of the Southern Isles seems to be a good guy for most of the film, but turns out to be a baddie in the end. And, a snowman named Olaf provides some comic relief.

113 Lyft competitor : UBER

The rideshare service Uber takes its name from the English colloquial word “uber” meaning “super, topmost”, which in turn comes from the German “über” meaning “above”.

115 They’re often smashed : SOTS

Our word “sot” comes from the Old English “sott”, meaning “fool”. The word “sot” started to be associated with alcohol and not just foolery in the late 1500s.

119 Like Bach’s French Suite No. 6 : IN E

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a series of six suites for the clavier, that are today referred to as the “French Suites”. Even though the suites were written in “the Italian style”, the “French Suites” moniker has stuck, possible because some of the original manuscripts are titled in French: “Suites Pour Le Clavecin”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Writers : PENS
5 Bearlike marsupial : KOALA
10 Super-impressed : AWED
14 Numerical suffix for “about” : -ISH
17 Fast Northeast train : ACELA
19 Severe distress : SORROW
20 Greater : MORE
21 Usually well-compensated leader : CEO
22 Animated image of Santa repeatedly going down the chimney? : CHRISTMAS GIF (from “Christmas gift”)
24 Adorn : ORNAMENT
26 Owie spot, maybe : TOOTSIE
27 Burdens : ONUSES
29 Windshield sticker : DECAL
30 Cashew family shrubs : SUMACS
33 Garage service : LUBE
34 Extract with a solvent : ELUTE
35 Crew member : TAR
38 Robert who sang the role of Figaro 46 times at the Met : MERRILL
41 Fruity neckwear? : BANANA BOA (from “banana boat”)
43 Votes at a beer convention? : BREWERS’ YEAS (from “brewer’s yeast”)
45 Smaller : LESS
46 Socially challenged one, often : NERD
47 Rural skyline standouts : SILOS
48 Hereditary : INNATE
50 Japanese pond fish : KOI
52 Beach volleyball team : PAIR
53 Woman’s name that means “pleasure” in Hebrew : EDNA
55 Country sound : TWANG
58 Sam or Wiggily : UNCLE
62 Cruller coating : GLAZE
64 Words before a view : AS I SEE IT …
66 Muffin grain : OAT
67 First catch the fly, then eat the fly? : SPIDER PLAN (from “spider plant”)
71 Indication of growing impatience? : SECOND SIGH (from “second sight”)
73 Valentine card hugs : OOO
74 Popular school cafeteria item : TATER TOT
76 Immerse (in), as maple syrup : DROWN
77 Togo neighbor : BENIN
79 Sharpening tool : STROP
80 Fare-well link : … THEE …
82 Maker of Aspire laptops : ACER
85 “Sorry, lad” : NAE
87 How Sitka, Alaska, ranks as the largest U.S. city : IN AREA
89 Wedding party : BRIDE
90 Trojan War god : ARES
93 Small-time British crook : SPIV
96 Social newcomer who won’t go away? : LONG-TERM DEB (from “long-term debt”)
99 Basic banking rule? : DON’T FORGE (from “don’t forget”)
101 Plague : SCOURGE
102 USCG officer : ENS
103 Courage : VALOR
104 __ even footing : ON AN
106 __ network : NEURAL
108 Meaningless : INANE
109 BP, pulse, etc. : VITALS
112 Causes of traffic jams … or ways to avoid them : DETOURS
116 The “there” in “Don’t go there” : SORE SPOT
118 Subjecting to a basic haunting strategy? : GIVING THE BOO (from “giving the boot”)
121 Heart test letters : EKG
122 Hunger remedy wrongly attributed to Marie Antoinette : CAKE
123 Means : AVENUE
124 Hard work : SWEAT
125 Poor grade : DEE
126 Is indebted to : OWES
127 Principle : TENET
128 Goes off : ERRS

Down

1 Treaty : PACT
2 Repetitive sound : ECHO
3 Emperor adopted by Claudius : NERO
4 Buttonholes, e.g. : SLITS
5 Ukulele wood : KOA
6 MD workplaces : ORS
7 Ship protected by Hera : ARGO
8 Cut of meat : LOIN
9 Really bad : AWFUL
10 Tiny shape-shifters : AMOEBAE
11 Goes downhill : WORSENS
12 North end? : -ERN
13 Numb : DEADEN
14 Rock at the bar? : ICE CUBE
15 Cato the Elder or Cato the Younger : SENATOR
16 Cop’s case-breaking tip, perhaps : HOT LEAD
18 Supposes : ASSUMES
19 Campaign nastiness : SMEARS
23 Kitchen convenience : TIMER
25 Skin pigment : MELANIN
28 Renter’s rental : SUBLEASE
31 1993 Aerosmith hit that begins “There was a time / When I was so broken-hearted” : CRYIN’
32 Tuscany city : SIENA
35 Recipe meas. : TBSP
36 Tenor’s moment : ARIA
37 Faith : RELIGION
39 PC-to-PC system : LAN
40 Future attys.’ exams : LSATS
42 Set as a price : ASK
44 __ Cup : WORLD
49 Unexpected story ending : TWIST
51 Improve upon : OUTDO
53 __-Nehemiah: Hebrew Bible book : EZRA
54 Coll. units : DEPTS
56 Japanese tech company : NEC
57 Sparkling rock : GEODE
59 Happen at the same time : COINCIDE
60 Fall behind : LAG
61 Addis Ababa’s land: Abbr. : ETH
63 Company named for a volcano : AETNA
64 Playwright Chekhov : ANTON
65 About, on memos : IN RE
67 Weep : SOB
68 “The Purloined Letter” writer : POE
69 Allow : LET
70 Reach : ARRIVE AT
72 Bee team : SWARM
75 Iridescent gems : OPALS
78 How some things are set : IN STONE
80 Mortise joiner : TENON
81 Dutch city, with “The” : HAGUE
83 Eve’s first home : EDEN
84 Civil War fighters : REBS
86 Paul Anka’s “__ Beso” : ESO
88 Mythical elephant carrier : ROC
89 Inspiring acts? : BREATHS
90 Counseled : ADVISED
91 Lost Colony’s island : ROANOKE
92 Blow up : ENLARGE
94 Incite : PROVOKE
95 Sets a match to : IGNITES
97 Plod : TRUDGE
98 White-plumed wader : EGRET
100 Painting on wet plaster : FRESCO
105 Annoy constantly : NAG AT
107 “Almost Like Being in Love” composer Frederick : LOEWE
110 Happening right now : LIVE
111 Pet reindeer in “Frozen” : SVEN
113 Lyft competitor : UBER
114 Lion’s warning : ROAR
115 They’re often smashed : SOTS
117 Friendly dog’s offering : PAW
119 Like Bach’s French Suite No. 6 : IN E
120 Superfan : NUT

10 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 5 May 19, Sunday”

  1. LAT: 18:48, no errors. Newsday: 20:20, no errors. Sunday Universal: 19:44, no errors. WP: 35:29, with a silly one-square error; cool puzzle, but it took me a while to grok the gimmick and I was running out of time to finish, so I skipped the final check.

  2. 34:42. A full 11 seconds faster than my NYT time today. I guess I’m always working at the same pace. Nice end to a tough weekend of puzzles. SPIV was new to me. I’m surprised I hadn’t seen it in crosswords before. I guess they couldn’t work “slav” into that space…

    Best –

  3. Finished too fast and made two DUMB mistakes. Should learn to go
    back and check over my answers. Mea culpa

  4. 23:28 and no errors. Did noT really enjoy the picayune theme gag. Wasn’t clever, wasn’t funny, wasn’t …. anything, really.

  5. Finished but with mistakes, and was ready to toss this one out. Agree, this was a lame puzzle. It really made no sense at all. What’s happened to the humor? We should be having a fun time on Sundays. Very boring.

  6. Why did the answer in my puzzle come up “spiderilan,” rather than “spiderplan?”

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