LA Times Crossword 19 Jul 21, Monday

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Constructed by: Paul Coulter
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Seaside Resort

Themed answers each start with something seen at a SEASIDE RESORT, and those things are arranged in the grid as they might be in a postcard image:

  • 52A Coastal vacation center, major elements of which are placed as they might look on a picture postcard : SEASIDE RESORT
  • 20A The Gulf Stream and others : OCEAN CURRENTS
  • 33A Summer Olympics sport played on sand : BEACH VOLLEYBALL
  • 41A 2010s HBO show set in Atlantic City : BOARDWALK EMPIRE

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 5m 35s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Smoothie superfruit : ACAI

Açaí (pronounced “ass-aye-ee”) is a palm tree native to Central and South America. The fruit has become very popular in recent years and its juice is a very fashionable addition to juice mixes and smoothies.

10 Daily paper fodder : NEWS

“Fodder”, meaning “animal feed”, is an Old English word for “food”.

15 Moray fisher : EELER

Morays are a large group of about 200 species of eels found across the world’s oceans. They are carnivorous and look pretty scary but they’re quite shy when confronted and present no threat to humans. One interesting thing about morays is that they will sometimes work in cooperation with the grouper fish found in reefs, the two helping each other hunt for food.

16 __ B’rith : B’NAI

B’nai B’rith is a Jewish service organization founded in New York City in 1843. “B’nai B’rith” is Hebrew for “Sons of the Covenant”.

17 Windshield glare reducer : TINT

What we know as a windshield here in North America, is referred to as a windscreen on the other side of the Atlantic. In America, we use the term “windscreen” for a mesh or foam device placed around a microphone to limit noise caused by wind.

18 Environs : AREAS

“Environ” is the French word for “round” or “round about”. We use “environ” as a verb in English, meaning to surround, form a circle around. The related plural noun “environs” is used to mean “surroundings, environment”.

19 Includes in the recipe : ADDS

The Latin “recipere” means “to take”, and the imperative form “recipe” was written at the top of medical prescriptions as an instruction, i.e. “take (the following)”. This use of “recipe” evolved into the instruction for preparing a dish of food in the mid-1700s.

20 The Gulf Stream and others : OCEAN CURRENTS

The Gulf Stream is a warming current that flows from the Gulf of Mexico up the eastern coast of North America and across the Atlantic Ocean. Before hitting Europe, the Gulf Stream splits into two streams, i.e. the North Atlantic Drift that impinges the coast of northern Europe, and the Canary Current that recirculates off the coast of West Africa.

24 Running shoe brand : AVIA

The “Avia” brand name for athletic shoes was chosen as “avia” is the Latin word for “to fly”, and suggests the concept of aviation. Avia was founded in Oregon in 1979.

26 Hank Aaron’s 2,297, briefly : RBIS

The great Hank Aaron (“Hammerin’ Hank” or “the Hammer”) has many claims to fame. One notable fact is that he is the last major league baseball player to have also played in the Negro League.

29 Spring mo. : APR

The exact etymology of “April”, the name of the fourth month of our year, seems to be uncertain. The ancient Romans called it “mensis Aprilis”, which roughly translated as “opening month”. The suggestion is that April is the month in which fruits, flowers and animals “open” their life cycles.

31 Eggy seasonal drink : NOG

It’s not really clear where the term “nog” (as in “eggnog”) comes from although it might derive from the word “noggin”, which was originally a small wooden cup that was long associated with alcoholic drinks.

33 Summer Olympics sport played on sand : BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Indoor volleyball was invented in 1895 and was originally called “mintonette”, a reference to the related game of “badminton”. The variant called beach volleyball originated in 1915 on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, but was popularized on the beaches of Santa Monica starting in 1920.

41 2010s HBO show set in Atlantic City : BOARDWALK EMPIRE

“Boardwalk Empire” is an HBO drama series set in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The storyline is set in the 1920s and 1930s during the Prohibition Era. Star of the show is Steve Buscemi.

44 Yang partner : YIN

The yin and yang can be illustrated using many different metaphors. In one, as the sun shines on a mountain, the side in the shade is the yin and the side in the light is the yang. The yin is also regarded as the feminine side, and the yang the masculine. The yin can also be associated with the moon, while the yang is associated with the sun.

45 Handspeak.com subj. : ASL

It’s really quite unfortunate that American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) are very different, and someone who has learned to sign in one cannot understand someone signing in the other.

46 All-purpose vehicles, for short : UTES

A utility vehicle is often called a “ute” for short. Nowadays one mainly hears about sport-utes and crossover-utes.

47 “Shane” star Alan : LADD

The last few years of actor Alan Ladd’s life were pretty rough. In 1962, he was found unconscious in a pool of blood with a bullet wound in his chest, an abortive suicide attempt. Two years later he was found dead, apparently having succumbed to an accidental overdose of drugs and sedatives. He was 50 years old.

The classic 1953 western movie “Shane” is based on the novel of the same name by Jack Schaefer published in 1949. Heading the cast is Alan Ladd in the title role, alongside Jean Arthur and Van Heflin.

49 “Battle Cry” author Leon : URIS

“Battle Cry” is a novel by Leon Uris that was first published in 1953. The story follows men in the US Marines during WWII. “Battle Cry” is somewhat biographical as Uris served with the 6th Marine Regiment during the war. The book was adapted into a 1955 movie of the same name for which Uris wrote the screenplay.

61 Gymnast Comaneci : NADIA

Nadia Comaneci won three golds in the 1976 Summer Olympics and was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of ten in the gymnastics competition. Comaneci published a book called “Letters to a Young Gymnast” in 2003, and now lives in the United States.

63 Like the Sahara : ARID

The name “Sahara” means “greatest desert” in Arabic. The Sahara is just that, a great desert covering almost 4 million square miles of Northern Africa. That’s almost the size of the United States.

64 __ 99, Maxwell Smart’s co-worker : AGENT

The satirical comedy series called “Get Smart” was the creation of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, and starred Don Adams as Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. Agent 86 worked for the spy agency CONTROL, alongside the lovely Agent 99 (played by Barbara Feldon). CONTROL’s sworn enemy was the criminal organization called KAOS. Smart’s shoe phone was a hilarious prop used in almost every episode. When Smart dialed the number 117, the shoe converted into a gun. Cool stuff …

65 Annie Lennox, by birth : SCOT

Annie Lennox is a Scottish singer who rose to fame as half of the duo Eurythmics, with David A. Stewart, in the 1980s. Lennox went solo in 1992, and has been riding high ever since.

67 Prickly heath shrub : GORSE

Gorse (also “furze”) can be a lovely plant to view, largely because of its showy yellow flower. However, gorse took over my front yard so I was glad to see the back of it when I relandscaped a while back, going instead with a drought-tolerant design.

68 Bowler and boater : HATS

I think that a bowler hat is usually called a derby here in the US. The bowler was first produced in 1849 in London by hatmakers Thomas and William Bowler, hence the name. The alternative name of “derby” comes from the tradition of wearing bowler hats at the Derby horse race (a major race held annually in England).

A boater is a straw hat often associated with boating, hence the name.

Down

2 Fashionably smart : CHIC

“Chic” is a French word meaning “stylish”.

4 Letter before kappa : IOTA

Iota is the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet, and one that gave rise to our letters I and J. We use the word “iota” to portray something very small, as it is the smallest of all Greek letters.

5 Cobbler fruit : PEACH

The dessert called “cobbler” originated in colonial America when settlers invented it as a substitute for suet pudding as they didn’t have the necessary ingredients to make the more traditional dish. Instead, they stewed fruit and covered it with a layer of uncooked scones or biscuits, creating a surface that resembled a “cobbled” street, hence the name.

6 “Peanuts” comic strip these days, e.g. : RERUN

The characters in the cartoon series “Peanuts” were largely drawn from Charles Schultz’s own life, with shy and withdrawn Charlie Brown representing Schultz himself.

7 Last Olds model : ALERO

The Alero was the last car made by General Motors under the Oldsmobile brand. It was produced from 1999 to 2004.

9 Gaelic language : ERSE

There are actually three Erse languages: Irish, Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man) and Scots Gaelic. In their own tongues, these would be “Gaeilge” (in Ireland), “Gaelg” (on the Isle of Man) and “Gaidhlig” (in Scotland).

21 On-the-run snack : NOSH

Our word “nosh” has been around since the late fifties, when it was imported from the Yiddish word “nashn” meaning “to nibble”. We use “nosh” as a noun that means “snack”, or as a verb meaning “to eat between meals”.

22 With 3-Down, zero : NARY …
3D See 22-Down : … A ONE

The adjective “nary” means “not one”, as in “nary a soul” or even “nary a one”.

25 Desktop Gold users : AOLERS

AOL Desktop GOLD is a premium product offered to users by AOL. It is in effect a portal for AOL users that offers a relatively easy and secure way for them to access their AOL services, such as email and browsing.

27 Slippery slapstick prop : BANANA SKIN

Slapstick is a physical form of comedy or horseplay. Back in the late 19th century, the term “slapstick” described a device made from two sticks loosely fastened together, which could be “slapped” together to create a sound effect offstage. The sound effect augmented the audience reaction when a clown or actor was given a slap on stage.

29 Fashion model Wek : ALEK

Alek Wek is a supermodel originally from Southern Sudan. In her native language, Wek’s name translates as “Black Spotted Cow”, which is a symbol of good luck for the Dinka, her native people.

30 Dad in Dijon : PERE

Dijon is a city in eastern France in the Burgundy region. Dijon is famous for its mustard, a particularly strong variation of the condiment. The European Union doesn’t protect the name “Dijon” so anyone can use it on a label. That seems fair enough to me, given that 90% of the mustard made in and around Dijon is produced using mustard seed imported from Canada!

36 “Bad” cholesterol, initially : LDL

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is one of the compounds responsible for transporting fats around the body. When LDL is combined with cholesterol it can be referred to as “bad cholesterol”. This is because LDL actually transports cholesterol into the inner walls of blood vessels leading to atherosclerosis.

37 Pres. Clinton, religiously : BAPT

One of the defining characteristics of a Baptist denomination within the Christian tradition is the “believer’s baptism”, the baptism of an individual who professes faith. Compare this to “infant baptism” which is the practice of baptizing infants soon after they are born.

42 Arp’s art : DADA

Dadaism thrived during and just after WWI, and was an anti-war, anti-bourgeois and anti-art culture. The movement was launched in Zurich, Switzerland by a group of artists and writers who met to discuss art and put on performances in the Cabaret Voltaire. The same group frequently expressed disgust at the war that was raging across Europe.

Jean Arp was a French artist renowned for his work with torn and pasted paper, although that wasn’t the only medium he used. Arp was the son of a French mother and German father and spoke both languages fluently. When he was speaking German he gave his name as Hans Arp, but when speaking French he called himself Jean Arp. Both “Hans” and “Jean” translate into English as “John”. In WWI Arp moved to Switzerland to avoid being called up to fight, taking advantage of Swiss neutrality. Eventually he was told to report to the German Consulate and fill out paperwork for the draft. In order to get out of fighting, Arp messed up the paperwork by writing the date in every blank space on the forms. Then he took off all of his clothes and walked with his papers over to the officials in charge. Arp was sent home …

43 Poet’s inspiration : MUSE

In Greek mythology, the muses are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. The number of muses is a subject of debate at times, but the most popular view is that there are nine:

  • Calliope (epic poetry)
  • Clio (history)
  • Erato (lyric poetry)
  • Euterpe (music)
  • Melpomene (tragedy)
  • Polyhymnia (choral poetry)
  • Terpsichore (dance)
  • Thalia (comedy)
  • Urania (astronomy)

Before the adoption of the nine muses of Greek mythology, there were originally three muses, the three Boeotian Muses. These were:

  • Mneme (memory)
  • Melete (meditation)
  • Aoede (song)

50 Stagecoach driver’s controls : REINS

Although the stagecoach is very much associated with the Wild West, the vehicle originated in England in the 16th century. Stagecoaches provided transportation for travellers and goods over long distances. The rest points for the travellers were known as “stages”, and later “stations”, hence the name “stagecoach”.

54 “Otello” baritone : IAGO

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Otello” was first performed in 1887 at La Scala Theater in Milan. The opera is based on Shakespeare’s play “Othello” and is considered by many to be Verdi’s greatest work.

55 Pageant adornment : SASH

The oldest beauty pageant still operating in the US is the Miss America contest. The Miss America beauty pageant started out as a marketing ploy in the early twenties to attract tourists to the Atlantic City boardwalk after Labor Day. Today, contestants must be between 17 and 24 years of age. Before those limits were introduced, Marian Bergeron won the 1933 title at only 15 years of age.

56 Aptly named “Jaws” boat : ORCA

Hollywood actor Roy Scheider really made it big when he landed the role of Police Chief Martin C. Brody in the 1975 blockbuster “Jaws”. The Brody character uttered one of the most iconic lines in the history of movies in “Jaws”, namely “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”. That was a line improvised by Scheider.

60 Cal.’s northern neighbor : ORE

The Oregon Treaty of 1846 settled a dispute between the US and the UK over sovereignty of the Oregon Country. “The Oregon Country” was the name given by the Americans to a large swathe of land west of the Rocky Mountains. That same disputed land was known as the Columbia Department by the British. Oregon became a US state in 1859.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Smoothie superfruit : ACAI
5 Chatter on and on : PRATE
10 Daily paper fodder : NEWS
14 “Scram, fly!” : SHOO!
15 Moray fisher : EELER
16 __ B’rith : B’NAI
17 Windshield glare reducer : TINT
18 Environs : AREAS
19 Includes in the recipe : ADDS
20 The Gulf Stream and others : OCEAN CURRENTS
23 “Heaven forbid!” : OH NO!
24 Running shoe brand : AVIA
26 Hank Aaron’s 2,297, briefly : RBIS
29 Spring mo. : APR
31 Eggy seasonal drink : NOG
33 Summer Olympics sport played on sand : BEACH VOLLEYBALL
38 Facial spots, maybe : ACNE
39 “May I take your __?”: server’s offer : ORDER
40 Suit to __ : A TEE
41 2010s HBO show set in Atlantic City : BOARDWALK EMPIRE
44 Yang partner : YIN
45 Handspeak.com subj. : ASL
46 All-purpose vehicles, for short : UTES
47 “Shane” star Alan : LADD
49 “Battle Cry” author Leon : URIS
52 Coastal vacation center, major elements of which are placed as they might look on a picture postcard : SEASIDE RESORT
59 __ one’s nose into: meddle : POKE
61 Gymnast Comaneci : NADIA
62 Operatic song : ARIA
63 Like the Sahara : ARID
64 __ 99, Maxwell Smart’s co-worker : AGENT
65 Annie Lennox, by birth : SCOT
66 Lions’ homes : DENS
67 Prickly heath shrub : GORSE
68 Bowler and boater : HATS

Down

1 Concerning : AS TO
2 Fashionably smart : CHIC
3 See 22-Down : … A ONE
4 Letter before kappa : IOTA
5 Cobbler fruit : PEACH
6 “Peanuts” comic strip these days, e.g. : RERUN
7 Last Olds model : ALERO
8 Drop of sadness, often : TEAR
9 Gaelic language : ERSE
10 Hoops cable channel : NBA TV
11 Produces no winner : ENDS IN A TIE
12 Gum, after use : WAD
13 Female sib : SIS
21 On-the-run snack : NOSH
22 With 3-Down, zero : NARY …
25 Desktop Gold users : AOLERS
26 Shrink back in fear : RECOIL
27 Slippery slapstick prop : BANANA SKIN
28 Cupcake decorator : ICER
29 Fashion model Wek : ALEK
30 Dad in Dijon : PERE
32 Delight : GLEE
33 Newborn : BABY
34 Wedding exchange : VOWS
35 Said aloud : ORAL
36 “Bad” cholesterol, initially : LDL
37 Pres. Clinton, religiously : BAPT
42 Arp’s art : DADA
43 Poet’s inspiration : MUSE
48 Accomplishments : DEEDS
49 Organ with milk : UDDER
50 Stagecoach driver’s controls : REINS
51 About to explode : IRATE
53 Unexpected issue : SNAG
54 “Otello” baritone : IAGO
55 Pageant adornment : SASH
56 Aptly named “Jaws” boat : ORCA
57 Life-of-the-party type : RIOT
58 Ink on skin : TATS
59 Low-tech note-taking aid : PAD
60 Cal.’s northern neighbor : ORE

13 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 19 Jul 21, Monday”

  1. I had a Natick where AVIA crossed AOLERS, and had to Google on a Monday (boo-hoo).

  2. Under 15 minutes no errors
    I would love to witness someone finishing a puzzle in three minutes 37 seconds …That is amazing
    Stay safe😀
    If you don’t have your shot yet what are you waiting for?

  3. To all composers of crossword puzzles: NO ONE in ATL calls their SUV a “UTE.” Maybe Yankees or Californians. But we Southerners never use that word.

  4. 8 mins 23 sec, needed Check Grid to fix 6 typos.

    Yeah, I wasn’t happy with BANANA SKIN, either. Overall, this one had more SNAGs in it than your average Monday.

    Meh.

  5. From Wikipedia: “A banana peel, called banana skin in British English, is the outer covering of the banana fruit.”

    English is spoken in other places besides the U.S.

  6. No problems with this one – 9:52 with no errors or lookups (worked on paper; no computer help to flag wrong letters).

    I also don’t know anyone who says banana skin – it’s always banana peel, which I had to change when I started working the intersecting answers.

  7. Slightly tricky Monday for me; took 8:25 with no errors or peeks. I too had to jump around a bit to get AOLERS and …SKIN, but got them on the crosses. I always forget that Olds model too, starting with ALERa.

  8. 7:51, no errors. Got lucky in that I finished the SW corner & had …KIN before wrestling with the slapstick clue

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