LA Times Crossword 27 Nov 22, Sunday

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Constructed by: Katie Hale
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: Let It Go

Themed answers each start with a preposition. And, when we LET GO of the ending noun of each themed answer, we arrive at a common phrase:

  • 23A Ready to move on from reading Beat poetry? : OVER THE COUNTER CULTURE
  • 36A Would really prefer to use a globe? : AGAINST THE WALL MAP
  • 57A No longer interested in fairy tales? : PAST ONE’S BEDTIME STORY
  • 79A Trying to keep cool in a more eco-friendly way? : OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER
  • 99A So done with craft beers? : BEYOND THE PALE ALES
  • 118A Feeling too good for the family car? : ABOVE ONE’S STATION WAGON

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

Bill’s time: 13m 16s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Continent with the highest and lowest points on Earth : ASIA

The highest and lowest points on Earth (on land) are both in Asia. The highest is the summit of Mount Everest, and the lowest are the shores of the Dead Sea.

Mount Everest was named by the Royal Geographical Society in 1865 for Welsh surveyor George Everest, who had served as Surveyor General of India from 1830 through 1843. Everest actually objected initially to the use of his name, given that he had nothing to do with the peak’s discovery, and given that he believed “Everest” was difficult to write and to pronounce in Hindi.

The Dead Sea is a salt lake that lies over 1,000 feet below sea level in the Middle East. It is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, with a salt content that is almost ten times that of most oceans.

19 Baja resort : CABO

Cabo San Lucas is a major tourist destination at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. “Cabo” is sometimes referred to as the “Fort Lauderdale of Mexico”.

21 Actress Spelling : TORI

Tori Spelling is an American actress who made a name for herself playing Donna Martin on television’s “Beverly Hills, 90210”. Tori is the daughter of film and television producer Aaron Spelling.

22 “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” king : OBERON

Oberon and Titania are the King and Queen of the Fairies in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of William Shakespeare’s comedies. An interesting characteristic of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is that it features a play-within-a-play. The cast of characters includes a troupe of six actors called the Mechanicals who perform a play called “Pyramus and Thisbe”.

23 Ready to move on from reading Beat poetry? : OVER THE COUNTER CULTURE

The group of American writers known as the Beat Generation first came to prominence at a poetry reading at the Six Gallery in San Francisco in October of 1955. Five young poets presented their work that day:

  • Allen Ginsberg
  • Philip Lamantia
  • Michael McClure
  • Gary Snider
  • Philip Whalen

28 Warsaw __ : PACT

The full title of the Warsaw pact was the Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. The Soviet Union was behind the signing of the 1955 treaty, and the signatories were:

  • Bulgaria
  • Czechoslovakia
  • East Germany
  • Hungary
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Soviet Union
  • Albania

35 “Macbeth” role : HAG

The Three Witches in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” are referred to in the text as the “weird sisters”. They cook up an ugly brew in their cauldron:

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches’ mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravined salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digged i’ th’ dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat and slips of yew
Slivered in the moon’s eclipse,
Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-delivered by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab.
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

43 Netflix’s “The Haunting of __ Manor” : BLY

“The Haunting of Bly Manor” is the second story in “The Haunting” series created by Mike Flanagan (after “The Haunting of Hill House”). The “… Bly Manor” mini-series is loosely based on the “The Turn of the Screw”, the 1898 novella By Henry James.

45 Big name in coolers : YETI

YETI is a manufacturer of coolers and related products that is based in Austin, Texas. There was a kerfuffle between YETI and the National Rifle Association in 2018, when YETI removed the NRA from its membership discount program. That kerfuffle got quite public when some NRA members published videos of themselves destroying their own YETI products in protest.

48 Uber offer : RIDE

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”.

49 __ Springs : PALM

The desert resort city of Palm Springs is located about 100 miles east of Los Angeles. The name “Palm Springs” dates back at least to 1853, and probably is a reference to the abundant California fan palms that are native to the area. However, earlier Spanish explorers used the place name “La Palma de la Mano de Dios” (The Palm of God’s Hand), giving an alternative derivation for the “Palm Springs” moniker.

51 Singer Carly __ Jepsen : RAE

Carly Rae Jepsen is a singer/songwriter from Mission, British Columbia. Jepsen got her start on TV’s “Canadian Idol” when she placed third in the show’s fifth season.

62 18-wheeler : RIG

An 18-wheeler semi-trailer truck has eight wheels under the trailer, i.e. four on each of the two rear axles. There are 10 wheels under the tractor unit. Two of the ten wheels are on the front axle, and eight are on the rear two axles that sit under the front of the trailer.

69 Bozos : OAFS

The unsavory word “bozo” describes a person with a low IQ, and someone who is usually quite muscular. The term has been used since the early 1900s, and possibly comes from the Spanish “bozal” that was used to describe someone who spoke Spanish poorly.

72 The “kid” in “Here’s looking at you, kid” : ILSA

“Here’s looking at you, kid” is a line spoken in “Casablanca” by Rick (Humphrey Bogart) to Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman).

The famous line “Here’s looking at you, kid.” from 1942’s “Casablanca” was ranked no. 2 in a list of top movie quotes compiled by “The Hollywood Reporter”. The top of the list makes interesting reading, with the following comprising the top five:

  1. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” from “Gone With the Wind” (1939)
  2. “Here’s looking at you, kid.” from “Casablanca” (1942)
  3. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” from “Jaws” (1975)
  4. “May the Force be with you.” from “Star Wars” (1977)
  5. “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” from “The Wizard of Oz” (1939)

74 Dijon deity : DIEU

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!

75 Large wardrobe : ARMOIRE

“Armoire” is the French word for “wardrobe”, and is used in English for a standing closet that stores clothes.

77 Hush-hush org. : NSA

The National Security Agency (NSA) was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense (DoD) since 1949. The NSA has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that established the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the organization’s nickname … “No Such Agency”.

87 Bag-screening org. : TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the agency that employs the good folks who check passengers and baggage at airports.

88 Actress Mireille : ENOS

Mireille Enos is an actress from Kansas City. She is perhaps best known for her TV work, playing Sarah Linden on “The Killing” and for playing twins Kathy and JoDean Marquart on “Big Love”. Enos is married to actor Alan Ruck, who I mainly remember playing Cameron Frye in the great movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”.

89 “Misery” actor James : CAAN

James Caan was an actor from the Bronx, New York City. He was noted for his appearances in some very big movies such as “The Godfather”, “Misery”, “A Bridge Too Far”, “Rollerball” and more recently “Elf”. Caan was quite the sportsman. He played golf with an 8 handicap, and was a 6-Dan Black Belt Master of Gosoku Karate.

The 1990 film “Misery” is an adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name. I think it’s the only movie from a King book that I’ve watched and enjoyed. I can’t stomach his books, not because of the writing, but because of the gruesome scenes that are part of the plots. The screen version of “Misery” is toned down a little from the original storyline. In the novel, the Kathy Bates character amputates the James Caan character’s foot to incapacitate him. In the movie she just smashes his ankles. Big difference …

94 Spot for a nap : SOFA

“Sofa” is a Turkish word meaning “bench”.

96 Tempo similar to lento : LARGO

Largo is an instruction to play a piece of music with a very slow tempo. “Largo” is an Italian word meaning “broadly”. The instruction “larghetto” means “play broadly”, and “Larghissimo” means “play very, very slowly”.

97 “SmackDown” org. : WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is a company promoting professional wrestling as a form of entertainment.

99 So done with craft beers? : BEYOND THE PALE ALES

What’s known as “bitter ale” in the UK corresponds to “pale ale” in the US. I’m a fan …

The phrase “beyond the pale” describes something that is offensive, outside the bounds of what is acceptable. The expression has its roots in the palings that defined boundaries in the Middle Ages. Those palings (fences) were made from “pales”, from the Latin “palus” meaning “stake”. The noun “pale” came to describe that area within the palings. The most famous “Pale” was that part of Ireland controlled for centuries directly by the English government, which was land surrounding Dublin that was bounded by ditches and fences. People living outside the Pale did not share the beliefs and customs of those within the boundaries, which gave rise to our usage of the phrase “beyond the pale”.

106 2013 Lady Gaga album : ARTPOP

“Artpop” is a song co-written and recorded by Lady Gaga, and the title track of a 2013 studio album. The song received mixed reviews from critics, and is perhaps better known for the promotional video for the album that featured Lady Gaga singing “Artpop”. She wore several bizarre outfits in the video that earned it a “not safe for work” label.

107 “And when I love thee not, / Chaos is come again” speaker : OTHELLO

In William Shakespeare’s “Othello”, the title character utters the following lines to his wife Desdemona:

Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul
But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.

111 Step after using a sous vide, maybe : SEAR

“Sous-vide” is a cooking method in which the food is sealed in plastic bags and very slowly steamed in a water bath. The term “sous-vide” is French for “under vacuum”.

113 Sears partner : ROEBUCK

Richard Sears was a station agent on the railroad. In the late 1800s, he bought up a shipment of unwanted watches that was left at his depot and sold the watches to other agents up and down the line. He was so successful that he ordered more watches and then came up with the idea of using a catalog to promote more sales. Sears hired his first employee in 1887, a watch repairman named Alvah Curtis Roebuck who was brought on to repair watches that were returned. Sear and Roebuck co-founded Sears Roebuck & co. in 1895. By the mid 1900s, Sears was the biggest retailer in the whole country.

118 Feeling too good for the family car? : ABOVE ONE’S STATION WAGON

The style of automobile that we call “station wagon” here in North America, is known as “estate car” in Britain and Ireland. Both names are really references to the vehicle’s utility in hauling baggage in the extra space provided in the rear. A station wagon could haul bags to the station, and an estate car could haul bags to one’s country estate!

122 “Hakuna __”: “The Lion King” song : MATATA

“Hakuna matata” is a Swahili phrase, with a literal translation of “there are no worries”, or more colloquially perhaps, “no problem”. The phrase is used as the title for a hit song from the musical “The Lion King”.

125 Blackthorn 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.

127 “Orinoco Flow” singer : ENYA

“Orinoco Flow” is a song by Irish singer Enya that she released in 1988. It’s the one that goes “sail away, sail away, sail away …”

128 Diamond corner : BASE

That would be a baseball diamond.

129 NASCAR driver Petty : KYLE

Retired NASCAR driver Kyle Petty comes from racing stock. His father is former racer Richard Petty and his grandfather was racer Lee Petty. Kyle’s son Adam Petty was also a racer, but died in a crash during a practice round in 2000.

Down

1 Flat-bottomed boat : SCOW

A scow is a flat-bottomed boat with squared-off ends that’s often used for transportation, usually pushed or pulled by a barge. Often, a scow can be seen carrying junk or garbage.

3 Cain’s brother : ABEL

In the story of Cain and Abel in the Book of Genesis, Cain murders his brother Abel. Subsequently, God asks Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” Cain replies, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

4 Legal wrong : TORT

“Tort” is a French word meaning “mischief, injury or wrong”. In common law, a tort is a civil wrong that results in the injured party suffering loss or harm, and the injuring party having a legal liability. Tort law differs from criminal law in that torts may result from negligence and not just intentional actions. Also, tort lawsuits may be decided on a preponderance of evidence, without the need of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

5 Rose garden pests : APHIDS

Aphids are called “greenfly” back in Britain and Ireland where I come from. The most effective way to control aphids, in my experience, is to make sure there are plenty of ladybugs in the garden (called “ladybirds” in Ireland!).

7 Company abbr. : INC

A company that has incorporated uses the abbreviation “Inc.” after its name. By incorporating, a company forms a corporation, which is a legal entity that has legal rights similar to those of an individual. For example, a corporation can sue another corporation or individual. However, a corporation does not have all the rights of citizens. A corporation does not have the Fifth Amendment right of protections against self-incrimination, for example. It is perhaps understandable that the concept of “corporations as persons” is a frequent subject for debate.

8 Brouhaha : ADO

“Brouhaha”, meaning “ado, stir”, was a French word that back in the 1550s meant “the cry of the devil disguised as clergy” . Wow!

9 Sicilian volcano : ETNA

Mount Etna on the island of Sicily is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy, and indeed the largest of all active volcanoes in Europe. Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius. Mt. Etna is home to a 110-km long narrow-gauge railway, and two ski resorts. It is sometimes referred to as “Mongibello” in Italian, and as “Mungibeddu” (sometimes “Muncibeddu”) in Sicilian. The English name “Etna” comes from the Greek “aitho” meaning “I eat”.

10 “Roger that” : GOTCHA

The term “roger”, meaning “yes” or “acknowledged”, comes from the world of radiotelephony. The British military used a phonetic alphabet in the fifties that included “Roger” to represent the letter “R”. As such, it became customary to say “Roger” when acknowledging a message, with R (Roger) standing for “received”.

11 Grimm girl : GRETEL

“Hansel and Gretel” is a Germanic fairy tale found in the collection of the Brothers Grimm. It tells of two siblings, Hansel and Gretel, the children of a woodcutter. The youngsters are abandoned in a forest at the behest of an evil stepmother. Clever Hansel hears of the plan and leaves a trail of pebbles so that he and his sister can find their way home, which they do. But the children are abandoned again and this time leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Unfortunately, the crumbs are eaten by birds and so the children do indeed become lost. But eventually they do all live happily ever after …

12 Title for Patrick Stewart : SIR

Sir Patrick Stewart is perhaps most famous for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. Stewart’s Hollywood career became so successful that he moved from the UK to Los Angeles, but he returned to his homeland in 2004. He stated at the time that he was homesick, and wanted to get back to playing roles in the theater.

15 Béret spot : TETE

In French, one wears a “chapeau” (hat), a “béret” (beret) perhaps, on one’s “tête” (head).

17 “Because you’re worth it” cosmetics brand : L’OREAL

L’Oréal is a French cosmetics company, the largest cosmetics and beauty company in the world. Here in the US, L’Oréal runs a “Women of Worth” program that honors women who volunteer in their communities. The phrase “Women of Worth” underlines the longstanding L’Oréal slogan “Because I’m worth it”, which evolved into “Because you’re worth it” and eventually “Because we’re worth it”.

18 Zip : ENERGY

“Vim”, “zip“ and “pep” are all words that mean “energy, power”.

24 Oily part of the face, to dermatologists : T-ZONE

The T-zone on one’s faces includes the forehead (the horizontal line of the “T”) and the chin and nose (the vertical line of the “T”).

31 Concern for the “Queer Eye” guys : STYLE

“Queer Eye” is a reality TV show that was launched in 2003 as “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”. Each episode features a panel of gay professional experts in the fields of fashion and design giving a makeover to a straight man. The show was given a new life in 2018 when it was launched on Netflix as “Queer Eye” with a new “Fab Five” cast.

32 “__ the breaks” : THEM’S

They certainly is …

34 Birmingham’s st. : ALA

The city of Birmingham, Alabama was founded by the Elyton Land Company in 1871. The company’s idea was to build an industrial center taking advantage of the deposits of valuable minerals in the ground and the transportation infrastructure that was planned for the location. Many of the people living in the area at the time were from England, and so the name of Birmingham was chosen, as Birmingham in the English Midlands was and is a huge industrial center.

36 Big month for a CPA : APR

April 15th wasn’t always Tax Day in the US. The deadline for returns was March 1st from 1913-18, when it was moved to March 15th. Tax Day has been April 15th since 1955.

38 Verdi opera : AIDA

“Aida” is a celebrated opera by Giuseppe Verdi that is based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. Mariette also designed the costumes and stages for the opening performance. The opera was first staged in 1871 in an opera house in Cairo. In the storyline, Aida is an Ethiopian princess brought into Egypt as a slave. Radamès is an Egyptian commander who falls in love with her, and then complications arise!

40 Technology magazine : WIRED

“Wired” is a technology-focused magazine published since 1993 by Condé Nast in San Francisco. One interesting feature in “Wired” is the annual granting of the magazine’s Vaporware Awards, “honoring” products and games that were pitched and hyped but never delivered.

41 Church recesses : APSES

An apse of a church or cathedral is a semicircular recess in an outer wall, usually with a half-dome as a roof and often where there resides an altar. Originally, apses were used as burial places for the clergy and also for storage of important relics.

42 Banking IDs : PINS

One enters a Personal Identification Number (PIN) when using an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). Given that the N in PIN stands for “number”, then “PIN number” is a redundant phrase. And, given that the M in ATM stands for “machine”, then “ATM machine” is a redundant phrase as well. Grr …!

47 “Midnight Cowboy” role : RATSO

Enrico Salvatore “Ratso” Rizzo is one of the characters in the groundbreaking 1969 movie “Midnight Cowboy”. Rizzo is a down-and-out con man played by Dustin Hoffman.

The 1969 movie “Midnight Cowboy” is a Hollywood adaptation of a novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. It’s a pretty depressing story about a young Texan named Joe Buck (played by Jon Voight) who heads to New York City to make money as a hustler, hiring himself out to women for sex. Pretty soon the young man ends up selling his body for sex with males as well. Prior to release the MPAA gave the movie an R-rating, but the United Artists studio took advice and decided to release it with an X-rating. When “Midnight Cowboy” won the Best Picture Academy Award in 1969, it became the only X-rated film to be so honored.

49 Taro dish : POI

The corm of some taro plants is used to make poi, a traditional Hawaiian dish (which I think tastes horrible). When a taro plant is grown as an ornamental, it is often called Elephant Ears due to the shape of its large leaves.

50 Wool source : ANGORA

Angora wool comes from the Angora rabbit. On the other hand, the Angora goat produces the wool known as mohair. Both rabbit and goat are named for Turkey’s capital Ankara, which was known as “Angora” in many European languages.

52 Brody of “Peaky Blinders” : ADRIEN

Adrien Brody won a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the Roman Polanski masterpiece “The Pianist”. Brody won the award in 2003 at the age of 29, making him the youngest person ever to receive the Best Actor Oscar.

“Peaky Blinders” is a BBC crime drama that can be viewed on Netflix. The show follows the story of a gangster family in the English midlands city of Birmingham from just after the end of WWI. The show has a pretty good cast, led by Irishman Cillian Murphy as the gang’s leader, and New Zealander Sam Neill as police detective and the gangster’s nemesis.

60 Part of TGIF : IT’S

“Thank God It’s Friday” (TGIF)

66 Old 45 player : HI-FI

Hi-fi systems were introduced in the late 1940s. They are pieces of audio equipment designed to give a much higher quality reproduction of sound than cheaper systems available up to that point. “Hi-fi” stands for “high fidelity”.

The first vinyl records designed to play at 33⅓ rpm were introduced by RCA Victor in 1931, but were discontinued due to quality problems. The first long play (LP) 33⅓ rpm disc was introduced by Columbia Records many years later in 1948, with RCA Victor following up with a 45 rpm “single” the following year, in 1949.

68 “Straight __ Compton” : OUTTA

“Straight Outta Compton” was the first album by NWA. NWA was a hip hop group from Compton, California. The original five group members included rappers who have made a name for themselves as solo acts, including: Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. The story of NWA is told in a 2015 film, also called “Straight Outta Compton”.

73 Asian language : LAO

Lao, the language of Laos, does not use spaces between words (or periods!), although this is apparently changing. Spaces are used between sentences and clauses.

75 Hilltop nest : AERIE

An aerie (sometimes “eyrie”) is an eagle’s nest, and a young eagle is an eaglet.The term “aerie” can also more generally describe any bird’s nest that is located on a cliff or a mountaintop.

80 Marjoram, e.g. : HERB

Marjoram is a fragrant herb that is native to the Mediterranean area. Oregano, a related species, is sometimes known as wild marjoram.

83 Rose Bowl org. : NCAA

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) dates back to the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. When his son broke his nose playing football at Harvard, President Roosevelt turned his attention to the number of serious injuries and even deaths occurring in college sports. He instigated meetings between the major educational institutions, leading to the formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) in 1906, which was given the remit of regulating college sports. The IAAUS became the NCAA in 1910. The NCAA has been headquartered in Indianapolis since 1999.

The oldest of all the bowl games is the Rose Bowl and so has the nickname “The Granddaddy of Them All”. The first Rose Bowl game was played in 1902.

84 __ Grey tea : EARL

The Earl Grey blend of tea is supposedly named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey who was Prime Minister of the UK from 1830 to 1834. Earl Grey tea has a distinctive flavor that is largely due to the addition of oil from the rind of the bergamot orange.

92 Hose material : NYLON

The polymer known as “nylon” was developed by Dupont in the 1930s. The first application for the new product was as bristles in toothbrushes, in 1938. The second application became more famous. The first stockings made from nylon were produced in 1940, and since then stockings have been known as “nylons”. The polymer was developed as a replacement for silk, which was in short supply during WWII.

93 State in southwest India : GOA

Goa is the smallest state in India, and is located in the southwest of the country. The Portuguese landed in Goa in the early 1500s, at first peacefully carrying out trade, but then took the area by force creating Portuguese India. Portugal held onto Portuguese India even after the British pulled out of India in 1947, until the Indian Army marched into the area in 1961.

95 “Home Alone” actress Catherine : O’HARA

Catherine O’Hara is an actress and comedian from Toronto, Ontario. One of O’Hara’s more famous film roles is Kevin’s mother in the Christmas classic “Home Alone”. She also plays a lead character (Moira) in the excellent sitcom “Schitt’s Creek” alongside Eugen Levy.

“Home Alone” is a 1990 film starring Macaulay Culkin that has become a Christmas classic. Culkin was nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe for his performance, becoming the youngest actor ever to be so honored.

96 Looney Tunes stinker : LE PEW

Pepé Le Pew is a very likable cartoon character from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. Pepé is a French skunk, first introduced way back in 1945. He is always thinking of “l’amour” and chases the lady skunks, or a black cat with a white stripe accidentally painted down her back.

98 Home mixologist’s dream : WET BAR

A mixologist is someone who is well versed in the mixing of cocktails, said he, reaching for the shaker …

100 Leaf manufacturer : NISSAN

The Leaf is an electric car made by Nissan that was introduced in 2010. The model name is an acronym standing for “leading environmentally-friendly affordable car”.

102 Cook wear : APRONS

In Old French, a “naperon” was a “small table-cloth”. The term was absorbed into English as “napron”, describing a cloth used to cover the front of a person at work. Over time, “a napron” was heard as “an apron”, giving us our contemporary noun “apron”.

103 Canadian coin, familiarly : LOONIE

The common loon (also “great northern diver”) is the provincial bird of Ontario, and the state bird of Minnesota. The loon once appeared on Canadian $20 bills and also appears on the Canadian one-dollar coin, giving the coin the nickname “the loonie”.

108 2008 AL Rookie of the Year Longoria : EVAN

Evan Longoria started his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Tampa Bay Rays, when he was the third overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft. Evan would like everyone to know that he is not related to Eva Longoria, the actress.

109 Mother of Artemis : LETO

In Greek mythology, the goddess Leto and her sister Asteria are daughters of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe. Leto’s twin children Apollo and Artemis were fathered by Zeus, the king of the gods.

112 Naan flour : ATTA

Atta is a whole-wheat flour used to make flatbreads in South Asian cuisine, such as chapati and naan. “Atta” is the Hindi or Urdu word for “dough”.

114 Luxuriate (in) : BASK

Our verb “to bask”, meaning “to expose one to pleasant warmth”, is derived from the gruesome, 14th-century term “basken”, meaning “to wallow in blood”. The contemporary usage apparently originated with Shakespeare, who employed “bask” with reference to sunshine in “As You Like It”.

120 Diner check : TAB

When we run a “tab” at a bar, we are running a “tabulation”, a listing of what we owe. Such a use of “tab” is American slang that originated in the 1880s.

121 Food Network host Garten : INA

Ina Garten is an author as well as the host of a cooking show on the Food Network called “Barefoot Contessa”. She is a mentee of Martha Stewart, and indeed was touted as a potential “successor” to the TV celebrity when Stewart was incarcerated in 2004 after an insider trading scandal. Garten has no formal training as a chef, and indeed used to work as a nuclear policy analyst at the White House!

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Board in a wooden deck chair : SLAT
5 Continent with the highest and lowest points on Earth : ASIA
9 Fragile juggling props : EGGS
13 Tell the teacher : TATTLE
19 Baja resort : CABO
20 Remain unsettled : PEND
21 Actress Spelling : TORI
22 “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” king : OBERON
23 Ready to move on from reading Beat poetry? : OVER THE COUNTER CULTURE
27 Enter with flair : WALTZ IN
28 Warsaw __ : PACT
29 Wobbly, quaintly : ATEETER
30 Some poets : ODISTS
33 Get better : HEAL
35 “Macbeth” role : HAG
36 Would really prefer to use a globe? : AGAINST THE WALL MAP
43 Netflix’s “The Haunting of __ Manor” : BLY
44 Tag figure : PRICE
45 Big name in coolers : YETI
46 Aim high : ASPIRE
48 Uber offer : RIDE
49 __ Springs : PALM
51 Singer Carly __ Jepsen : RAE
54 Grab : SNATCH
57 No longer interested in fairy tales? : PAST ONE’S BEDTIME STORY
62 18-wheeler : RIG
63 Marketing fees : AD RATES
64 Smack : SLAP
65 “This could be a problem” : OH BOY
69 Bozos : OAFS
72 The “kid” in “Here’s looking at you, kid” : ILSA
73 Ski resort hangout : LODGE
74 Dijon deity : DIEU
75 Large wardrobe : ARMOIRE
77 Hush-hush org. : NSA
79 Trying to keep cool in a more eco-friendly way? : OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER
86 Disorderly protester : RIOTER
87 Bag-screening org. : TSA
88 Actress Mireille : ENOS
89 “Misery” actor James : CAAN
91 __ to go : RARING
94 Spot for a nap : SOFA
96 Tempo similar to lento : LARGO
97 “SmackDown” org. : WWE
99 So done with craft beers? : BEYOND THE PALE ALES
104 With it, once : HEP
105 Hideaway : LAIR
106 2013 Lady Gaga album : ARTPOP
107 “And when I love thee not, / Chaos is come again” speaker : OTHELLO
111 Step after using a sous vide, maybe : SEAR
113 Sears partner : ROEBUCK
118 Feeling too good for the family car? : ABOVE ONE’S STATION WAGON
122 “Hakuna __”: “The Lion King” song : MATATA
123 Expansive : VAST
124 Latin years : ANNI
125 Blackthorn fruit : SLOE
126 Like some patches : IRON-ON
127 “Orinoco Flow” singer : ENYA
128 Diamond corner : BASE
129 NASCAR driver Petty : KYLE

Down

1 Flat-bottomed boat : SCOW
2 9-Down output : LAVA
3 Cain’s brother : ABEL
4 Legal wrong : TORT
5 Rose garden pests : APHIDS
6 “Not this movie again!” : SEEN IT!
7 Company abbr. : INC
8 Brouhaha : ADO
9 Sicilian volcano : ETNA
10 “Roger that” : GOTCHA
11 Grimm girl : GRETEL
12 Title for Patrick Stewart : SIR
13 Talk up : TOUT
14 Up to it : ABLE
15 Béret spot : TETE
16 “If I’m honest … ” : TRUTH BE TOLD …
17 “Because you’re worth it” cosmetics brand : L’OREAL
18 Zip : ENERGY
24 Oily part of the face, to dermatologists : T-ZONE
25 Surprise victory : UPSET
26 Soothes : CALMS
31 Concern for the “Queer Eye” guys : STYLE
32 “__ the breaks” : THEM’S
34 Birmingham’s st. : ALA
36 Big month for a CPA : APR
37 Handlebar part : GRIP
38 Verdi opera : AIDA
39 Treats with a cold pack : ICES
40 Technology magazine : WIRED
41 Church recesses : APSES
42 Banking IDs : PINS
47 “Midnight Cowboy” role : RATSO
49 Taro dish : POI
50 Wool source : ANGORA
52 Brody of “Peaky Blinders” : ADRIEN
53 Etc. kin : ET AL
55 Rock climber’s handful : CRAG
56 Boost : HYPE
58 Give it a go : TRY
59 Nuts and bolts : BASICS
60 Part of TGIF : IT’S
61 Treating with contempt : MEAN TO
65 Aroma : ODOR
66 Old 45 player : HI-FI
67 Pre-makeover image : “BEFORE” PHOTO
68 “Straight __ Compton” : OUTTA
70 French friend : AMI
71 Stronghold : FORT
73 Asian language : LAO
75 Hilltop nest : AERIE
76 Swelter : ROAST
78 Female sib : SIS
80 Marjoram, e.g. : HERB
81 Put off : DEFER
82 Unsuitable : INAPT
83 Rose Bowl org. : NCAA
84 __ Grey tea : EARL
85 Fury : RAGE
90 Lottery ticket picks: Abbr. : NOS
92 Hose material : NYLON
93 State in southwest India : GOA
95 “Home Alone” actress Catherine : O’HARA
96 Looney Tunes stinker : LE PEW
97 Question in an identity crisis : WHO AM I?
98 Home mixologist’s dream : WET BAR
100 Leaf manufacturer : NISSAN
101 Somewhat formal : DRESSY
102 Cook wear : APRONS
103 Canadian coin, familiarly : LOONIE
108 2008 AL Rookie of the Year Longoria : EVAN
109 Mother of Artemis : LETO
110 Bank offering : LOAN
112 Naan flour : ATTA
114 Luxuriate (in) : BASK
115 Far from fair : UGLY
116 “Sounds good” : COOL
117 __-slapper : KNEE
119 Festive night, often : EVE
120 Diner check : TAB
121 Food Network host Garten : INA

14 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 27 Nov 22, Sunday”

  1. Additional thought on the theme: The final two words in each answer (after you LET the first part GO) also create a common phrase.
    COUNTER CULTURE
    WALL MAP
    BEDTIME STORY
    AIR CONDITIONER
    PALE ALES
    STATION WAGON

  2. 49:09 no errors…don’t think I ever heard the term “beyond the pale” before but their is usually something in each puzzle that’s new to me👍.
    Stay safe😀
    Go Ravens🏈

  3. From Wikipedia®: Lady Gaga “… co-wrote and co-produced … Artpop [ARTPOP] … with Paul … Blair, Nick Monson, and Dino Zisis.”

  4. One of the easier Sunday puzzles; yet I had to look up
    “Hakuna Matata” to help me in that corner. No errors at
    the finish.

  5. Fans of crosswords with metapuzzles may enjoy an elegant example, by Evan Birnholz, in today’s Washington Post. Even though I understand, in principle, how to construct such a thing, I would describe this one as awesome.

  6. 30:00 – no errors or lookups. False starts: THATS>THEMS, ALPACA>ANGORA.

    New: “The Haunting of BLY Manor,” DIEU, ENOS Mireille, ARTPOP, “sous vide,” “Orinoco Flow.”

    Saw the same added construct as @BV in MN with the ending two-word phrase.

    A nice exercise to work through with a clever theme.

  7. Mostly easy Sunday for me; took 24:18 with no peeks or errors. Had a little trouble with the 2nd and 3rd theme, but managed with crosses.

    And Germany is still alive after a 1-1 draw with Spain…yes!!

    @Bill – Evan Longoria at one time played for Tampa Bay, but now plays for the San Francisco Giants.

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