LA Times Crossword 5 Aug 22, Friday

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Constructed by: Jake Houston
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer(s): Hide-a-Bed

Themed answers each have the size of a BED HIDDEN from the grid:

  • 72A With 73-Across, space-saving furniture, and what the answers to the starred clues each do : HIDE- …
  • 73A See 72-Across :… -A-BED
  • 20A *Aircraft with dual turboprops : (TWIN)-ENGINE PLANE
  • 38A *Gutsy wager on “Jeopardy!” : TRUE DAILY (DOUBLE)
  • 44A *Wildflower also known as wild carrot : (QUEEN) ANNE’S LACE
  • 57A *Tennyson poetry series set in Camelot : IDYLLS OF THE (KING)

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

Bill’s time: 6m 32s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Pataky of the “Fast & Furious” films : ELSA

Elsa Pataky is a model and actress from Spain who is perhaps best known for playing Brazilian military police officer Elena Neves in the “Fast & Furious” movies. Pataky’s husband is Australian actor Chris Hemsworth.

9 “What Unites Us” writer Rather : DAN

Journalist and former news anchor Dan Rather is from Texas, and began his career as a reporter for the Associated Press in Huntsville, Texas. Rather was the man chosen to replace Walter Cronkite as anchor and Managing Editor of “CBS Evening News” when Cronkite retired in 1981.

14 Musical narrated by Che : EVITA

“Evita” was the followup musical to “Jesus Christ Superstar” for Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. Both of these works were originally released as album musicals, and very successful ones at that (I remember buying them when they first came out). For the original album’s cast of “Evita” they chose Irish singer Colm Wilkinson (or C. T. Wilkinson, as we know him back in Ireland) to play “Che”, the narrator of the piece. In the movie adaptation, Che was portrayed by Antonio Banderas.

17 With 65-Across, seat of California’s Orange County : SANTA …
65A See 17-Across : … ANA

Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County, California and takes its name from the Santa Ana River that runs through the city.

The Santa Ana River rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and empties into the Pacific Ocean 96 miles downstream. It is the largest river in Southern California.

19 Beats by __ : DRE

Beats by Dre is a brand of audio products made by Beats Electronics, a company that was co-founded by rapper Dr. Dre. Apple bought Beats for $3 billion in 2014, the largest acquisition by far in the company’s history.

20 *Aircraft with dual turboprops : (TWIN)-ENGINE PLANE

In a turbojet engine, it’s the expanding exhaust gases expelled from the rear of the engine that provide thrust. In a turboprop engine, on the other hand, the energy from the turbine energy is used to drive a propeller via a gearbox.

24 “Dark Phoenix” superheroes : X-MEN

“Dark Phoenix” is a 2019 superhero movie featuring characters from Marvel Comics’ X-Men universe. The film was dedicated to Stan Lee, the co-creator of the X-Men, and who died while the movie was in post-production.

26 AFB truant : AWOL

MPs (military police officers) often track down personnel who go AWOL (absent without leave).

Air Force Base (AFB)

“Truant” is such a lovely word. We have been using it to describe someone who wanders from an appointed place since the mid-1400s. Prior to that, a truant was a beggar or a vagabond.

36 Get to the point? : TAPER

I used to think that the word “taper” was used for a slender candle because said candle was “tapered” in shape, but it’s exactly the opposite. It turns out that our word “tapered” comes from the candle. “Taper” and “tapur” are Old English words meaning “candle”. From these nouns arose the verb “to taper” meaning “shoot up like flame”. This meaning evolved into “become slender” from the idea that a candle’s flame has such a shape.

38 *Gutsy wager on “Jeopardy!” : TRUE DAILY (DOUBLE)

The TV show “Jeopardy!” first went on the air in 1964, and is another successful Merv Griffin creation. But, it took the introduction of Alex Trebek as host in order to bring the show into the big times. Trebek was host from 1984 until his sad passing in 2020.

44 *Wildflower also known as wild carrot : (QUEEN) ANNE’S LACE

What we call “Queen Anne’s Lace” over here in the US is known by many in Britain and Ireland as “wild carrot”. The roots of Queen Anne’s Lace are indeed edible, just like carrots, but only when they are very young because later in life they get very woody. The wild carrot was given the name Queen Anne’s Lace when it was introduced into America as the flowers do resemble white lace. There is one small red flower in the center of the plant that is said to be a drop of blood that Queen Anne spilled when she pricked herself as she was making the lace.

46 Curling piece : STONE

I think curling is such a cool game (pun!). It’s somewhat like bowls, but played on a sheet of ice. The sport was supposedly invented in medieval Scotland, and is called curling because of the action of the granite stone as it moves across the ice. A player can make the stone take a curved path (“curl”) by causing it to slowly rotate as it slides.

52 Repast : MEAL

Our word “repast”, meaning “meal”, came to us via French (in which language “repas” is “meal”). Ultimately the term comes from the Latin “repascere” meaning “to repeatedly graze”.

56 “Montero” singer Lil __ X : NAS

“Lil Nas X” is the stage name of rapper Montero Lamar Hill. He was born and raised just outside of Atlanta. His first hit was “Old Town Road”, which is classified as country rap.

57 *Tennyson poetry series set in Camelot : IDYLLS OF THE (KING)

“Idylls of the King” is a cycle of twelve poems by Alfred, Lord Tennyson that retells the tale of King Arthur. One of the “idylls” is the story of Geraint and Enid. This story is told in two parts: “The Marriage of Geraint” and “Geraint and Enid”. Tennyson’s Enid gave her name to the city of Enid, Oklahoma.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was the Poet Laureate during much of the reign of Queen Victoria. There are many phrases we use today that were first penned by Tennyson, including:

  • – ‘Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all
  • – Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die

66 Farm song refrain : 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”.

67 Jetson who attends Little Dipper School : ELROY

“The Jetsons” is an animated show from Hanna-Barbera that had its first run in 1962-1963, and then was recreated in 1985-1987. When it debuted in 1963 on ABC, “The Jetsons” was the network’s first ever color broadcast. “The Jetsons” is like a space-age version of “The Flintstones”. The four Jetson family members are George and Jane, the parents, and children Judy and Elroy. Residing with the family in Orbit City are their household robot Rosie and pet dog Astro.

68 “Loki” actor Hiddleston : TOM

Tom Hiddleston is an English actor who garnered international attention when he was given the role of Loki in the superhero film “Thor” (2011). More recently, I enjoyed Hiddleston’s performance in the excellent thriller miniseries “The Night Manager” that’s based on a John le Carré novel.

“Loki” is a TV series based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name. The show’s action takes place after the storyline in the 2019 movie “Avengers: Endgame”. In that movie, English actor Tom Hiddleston plays Loki, and he reprises the role in the TV series.

69 “¿Cómo está __?” : USTED

“¿Cómo está usted?” is the more formal way of asking “How are you?” in Spanish.

70 French flower : SEINE

There are 37 bridges spanning the River Seine in Paris, including 5 pedestrian-only bridges and 2 rail bridges.

72 With 73-Across, space-saving furniture, and what the answers to the starred clues each do : HIDE- …

73 See 72-Across :… -A-BED

The first patent for a folding bed (later “hide-a-bed”) was issued way back in 1899.

Down

2 Pastrami spec : LEAN

In the US, pastrami was originally called “pastrama”, and was a dish brought to America by Jewish immigrants from Romania in the second half of the nineteenth century. The original name may have evolved from the Turkish word “pastirma” meaning “pressed”. “Pastrama” likely morphed into “pastrami” influenced by the name of the Italian sausage called salami.

4 Encyclopedia entry : ARTICLE

An encyclopedia is a compendium reference work containing summary information about a branch of knowledge, or about all knowledge. The word “encyclopedia” comes from the Greek “enkyklios paideia” meaning “general education”, or literally “general rearing of a child”.

6 Diabolical : EVIL

Something diabolical (also “diabolic”) is devilish, devil-like. The term ultimately comes from the Greek “Diabolos” meaning, “Satan, the Devil”.

7 EGOT winner Moreno : RITA

Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress Rita Moreno is one of the few performers to have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony (EGOT). Moreno got her big break, and won her Oscar, for playing Anita in the 1961 screen adaptation of “West Side Story”. And, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2004.

9 Australian wind : DIDGERIDOO

The didgeridoo is a wind instrument that was developed in northern Australia over a thousand years ago by the indigenous people. Despite the instrument’s origins, the name “didgeridoo” is not aboriginal, and is thought perhaps to be onomatopoetic and imitative of the sound made.

10 Fight-or-flight hormone : ADRENALINE

The naturally occurring hormone adrenaline is also known as epinephrine. It takes its name from the adrenal glands that produce the hormone. The glands themselves take their name from their location in the body, right on the kidneys (“ad-renes” meaning “near or at the kidneys” in Latin). The alternative name of epinephrine has a similar root (“epi-nephros” meaning “upon the kidney” in Greek).

11 Oasis guitarist Gallagher : NOEL

English singer and musician Noel Gallagher is best known as co-lead vocalist with the rock band Oasis. His younger brother Liam was already a member when Noel joined the band. Over the years, the two brothers have had a terrible relationship at times, one that played out in the tabloids.

13 Technology prefix : NANO-

Nanotechnology is the study of the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular level. Nanotechnology is essential to the electronic and biomaterials industries.

21 CGI bird in Liberty Mutual ads : EMU

Liberty Mutual is an insurance company based in Boston. The business was founded in 1912 as the Massachusetts Employees Insurance Association (MEIA). Liberty Mutual has a famous advertising icon named LiMu Emu.

Computer-generated imagery (CGI)

25 CFO’s degree : MBA

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree might be a qualification required for a chief financial officer (CFO).

27 Gothic estate in Gotham City : WAYNE MANOR

Wayne Manor is the home of Bruce Wayne, the alter-ego of Batman. It is a huge manor that lies just outside Gotham City. Looking after the house is the Wayne family servant, Alfred. Beneath the grounds of the manor is an extensive cave system where Bruce Wayne put together his Batcave. Access to the cave is via a staircase behind a hidden door. The door is opened by moving the hands of a non-functioning grandfather clock to 10:47, the time at which Wayne’s parents were murdered. It is the murder of his parents that sets Bruce off on his journey of crime fighting.

28 Words that provide access : OPEN SESAME

In the folk tale “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”, the title character is a poor woodcutter who discovers the magic phrase “Open sesame!” that opens the thieves’ den.

31 CNN correspondent Hill : ERICA

Erica Hill was the co-anchor of “CBS This Morning”, and before that she was co-anchor of CBS’s “The Early Show”. Hill moved in 2008 to NBC News and co-hosted the weekend edition of “Today”. She moved to CNN in 2016.

32 Ancient characters : RUNES

A rune is a character in an alphabet that is believed to have mysterious powers. In Norse mythology, the runic alphabet was said to have a divine origin.

37 Dorm figs. : RAS

A resident assistant/adviser (RA) is a peer leader found in a residence hall, particularly on a college campus.

39 __ Equis beer : DOS

Dos Equis lager was originally brewed in 1897, and back then was called “Siglo XX” (20th century) to celebrate the arrival of the new century. The name was changed later to simply “Dos Equis” (two exes).

42 “CrazySexyCool” singers : TLC

The girl band called TLC is from Atlanta, Georgia. The band’s name comes from the trio’s original members:

  • Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins
  • Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
  • Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas

“CrazySexyCool” is a 1994 studio album released by girl group TLC. The album was a commercial success. About 20 years later, a 2013 TV movie about the trio was released under the title “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story”.

45 Unreliable stat from the fashionably late : ETA

Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

47 John Donne poem featuring an insect : THE FLEA

“The Flea” is a metaphysical poem by John Donne that was first published in 1633, a couple of years after his death. Despite the less-than-arousing title, “The Flea” is an erotic piece in which the speaker tries to convince a lady to sleep with him.

53 In __ of : LIEU

As one might imagine perhaps, “in lieu” came into English from the Old French word “lieu” meaning “place”, which in turn is derived from the Latin “locum” that also means “place”. So, “in lieu” translates as “in place of”.

56 Org. with an alphabet : NATO

The NATO phonetic alphabet is also called the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) phonetic alphabet. Alfa, Bravo, Charlie … X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

59 Creature in Tibetan myth : YETI

The yeti, also known as the abominable snowman, is a beast of legend. “Yeti” is a Tibetan term, and the beast is fabled to live in the Himalayan regions of Nepal and Tibet. Our equivalent legend in North America is that of Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch. The study of animals whose existence have not yet been substantiated is called cryptozoology, and a cryptid is a creature or plant that isn’t recognized by the scientific community, but the existence of which has been suggested.

61 Mined find : LODE

A lode is a metal ore deposit that’s found between two layers of rock or in a fissure. The mother lode is the principal deposit in a mine, usually of gold or silver. “Mother lode” is probably a translation of “veta madre”, an expression used in mining in Mexico.

62 Windy City paper, with “the” : … TRIB

“The Chicago Tribune” was first published in 1847. The most famous edition of “The Trib” was probably in 1948 when the headline was “DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN”, on the occasion of that year’s presidential election. When it turned out that Truman had actually won, the victor picked up the paper with the erroneous headline and posed for photographs with it … a famous, famous photo, that must have stuck in the craw of the editor at the time.

It seems that the derivation of Chicago’s nickname “Windy City” isn’t as obvious as I would have thought. There are two viable theories. Firstly, that the weather can be breezy with wind blowing in off Lake Michigan. The effect of the wind is exaggerated by the grid-layout adopted by city planners after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The second theory is that “windy” means “being full of bluster”. Sportswriters from the rival city of Cincinnati were fond of calling Chicago supporters “windy” in the 1860s and 1870s, meaning that they were full of hot air in their claims that the Chicago White Stockings were superior to the Cincinnati Red Stockings.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Pataky of the “Fast & Furious” films : ELSA
5 Pronoun on a coffee mug, maybe : HERS
9 “What Unites Us” writer Rather : DAN
12 Profit (from) : LEARN
14 Musical narrated by Che : EVITA
16 Wedding vow : I DO
17 With 65-Across, seat of California’s Orange County : SANTA …
18 Illuminated : LIT UP
19 Beats by __ : DRE
20 *Aircraft with dual turboprops : (TWIN)-ENGINE PLANE
22 Stylist’s option : GEL
23 Rom-__ : COM
24 “Dark Phoenix” superheroes : X-MEN
26 AFB truant : AWOL
29 Manual readers : USERS
34 Babysitter’s handful : BRAT
36 Get to the point? : TAPER
38 *Gutsy wager on “Jeopardy!” : TRUE DAILY (DOUBLE)
40 “See ya!” : BYE!
41 Eroded : ATE INTO
43 Salsa, e.g. : DIP
44 *Wildflower also known as wild carrot : (QUEEN) ANNE’S LACE
46 Curling piece : STONE
48 Class struggle? : TEST
49 Butt heads : CLASH
51 Groundbreaking tools : HOES
52 Repast : MEAL
54 Wow : AWE
56 “Montero” singer Lil __ X : NAS
57 *Tennyson poetry series set in Camelot : IDYLLS OF THE (KING)
65 See 17-Across : … ANA
66 Farm song refrain : E-I-E-I-O
67 Jetson who attends Little Dipper School : ELROY
68 “Loki” actor Hiddleston : TOM
69 “¿Cómo está __?” : USTED
70 French flower : SEINE
71 Mined find : ORE
72 With 73-Across, space-saving furniture, and what the answers to the starred clues each do : HIDE- …
73 See 72-Across :… -A-BED

Down

1 “Anything __?” : ELSE
2 Pastrami spec : LEAN
3 Squealed : SANG
4 Encyclopedia entry : ARTICLE
5 Toolbar button with a question mark : HELP
6 Diabolical : EVIL
7 EGOT winner Moreno : RITA
8 Wow : STUN
9 Australian wind : DIDGERIDOO
10 Fight-or-flight hormone : ADRENALINE
11 Oasis guitarist Gallagher : NOEL
13 Technology prefix : NANO-
15 High point : APEX
21 CGI bird in Liberty Mutual ads : EMU
25 CFO’s degree : MBA
26 Ready to swing : AT BAT
27 Gothic estate in Gotham City : WAYNE MANOR
28 Words that provide access : OPEN SESAME
30 Great deal : STEAL
31 CNN correspondent Hill : ERICA
32 Ancient characters : RUNES
33 All ready : SET
35 Sorts : TYPES
37 Dorm figs. : RAS
39 __ Equis beer : DOS
42 “CrazySexyCool” singers : TLC
45 Unreliable stat from the fashionably late : ETA
47 John Donne poem featuring an insect : THE FLEA
50 Owns : HAS
53 In __ of : LIEU
55 Burdens : WOES
56 Org. with an alphabet : NATO
58 Menu item : DISH
59 Creature in Tibetan myth : YETI
60 Wasn’t truthful : LIED
61 Mined find : LODE
62 Windy City paper, with “the” : … TRIB
63 Polish : HONE
64 Sized up : EYED