LA Times Crossword 3 Apr 23, Monday

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Constructed by: Dan Caprera
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Showstopper

Themed answers each end (STOP) with the title of a SHOW:

  • 61A Dazzling theater performance, and what the answer to each starred clue literally has : SHOWSTOPPER
  • 16A *Vigorous effort : ELBOW GREASE (giving “Grease”)
  • 23A *”Last Week Tonight” host : JOHN OLIVER (giving “Oliver”)
  • 38A *Winter transports with treads : SNO-CATS (giving “Cats”)
  • 49A *Come out on top, but just barely : WIN BY A HAIR (giving “Hair”)

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

Bill’s time: 5m 10s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

16 *Vigorous effort : ELBOW GREASE (giving “Grease”)

“Grease” is a very successful stage musical with a blockbuster film version released in 1978. The movie stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Travolta wasn’t the first choice for the lead role. It was first offered to Henry Winkler of “Happy Days” fame in which he played “the Fonz”. Winkler turned down the role for fear of being typecast as a leather-clad fifties “hood”.

19 Future prunes, perhaps : PLUMS

A prune is a dried plum. The name “prune” comes from the Latin “prunum”, the word for “plum”.

20 R&B singer Redding : OTIS

Otis Redding is often referred to as the “King of Soul”, and what a voice he had. Like so many of the greats in the world of popular music it seems, Redding was killed in a plane crash, in 1967 when he was just 26 years old. Just three days earlier he had recorded what was to be his biggest hit, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay”.

23 *”Last Week Tonight” host : JOHN OLIVER (giving “Oliver”)

John Oliver is a British comedian and satirist who has been hosting the late-night talk show “Last Week Tonight” since 2014. He moved to the United States in 2008 to host “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, after having worked as the show’s Senior British Correspondent since 2006. Back in his native land, Oliver was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire), but he declined the honor citing his discomfort with the words “British Empire”. Good for him …

“Oliver!” is a stage musical by Lionel Bart that is based on the Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist”. “Oliver!” was adapted successfully for the big screen in 1968. The film version won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Carol Reed. Leading the movie’s cast are Mark Lester in the title role, Ron Moody as Fagin and Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes.

25 Treble __: music symbol : CLEF

“Clef” is the French word for “key”. In music, a clef is used to indicate the pitch of the notes written on a stave. The bass clef is also known as the F-clef, the alto clef is the C-clef, and the treble clef is the G-clef.

31 Use Grubhub, say : EAT IN

Grubhub is an online food ordering and delivery company that was founded in Chicago in 2004. Users can access restaurant menus online, place an order, and receive home delivery of their meal.

38 *Winter transports with treads : SNO-CATS (giving “Cats”)

The brand name “Sno-Cat” is owned by the Tucker company. All snowcats are tracked vehicles built to work in snow, and are famously used in expeditions to the polar regions. The modern Sno-Cat from Tucker differs from its competitors in that it has four independently-mounted tracks.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s source material for his hit musical “Cats” was T. S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”. Eliot’s collection of whimsical poems was published in 1939, and was a personal favorite of Webber as he was growing up. My wife and I have seen “Cats” a couple of times and really enjoyed it …

41 Mermaid whose father is King Triton : ARIEL

“The Little Mermaid” is a 1989 animated feature from Disney that is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. It tells the story of a mermaid princess named Ariel who falls in love with the human Prince Eric. Ariel’s father is chief merman King Triton. Her best friend is Flounder, who despite his name is not a flounder at all and is actually a tropical fish. Ariel is also friends with Sebastian, a red Jamaican crab whose full name is Horatio Thelonious Ignacious Crustaceous Sebastian.

43 Soda brand in blue cans : PEPSI

The Pepsi-Cola formulation was developed by one Caleb Bradham who made the drink at home and sold it as Brad’s Drink. Bradham’s aim was to provide a drink that was pleasant to taste, that would aid digestion and boost energy. Included in the formula were pepsin (a digestive enzyme) and kola nuts. These two ingredients inspired the brand name Pepsi-Cola. That name was shortened to just “Pepsi” in 1961.

47 Philosopher Immanuel : KANT

Immanuel Kant was an 18th-century German philosopher. Kant published “Perpetual Peace” in 1795, laying out what he believed were conditions for ending all wars and creating a lasting peace. The good news for us is that one of these conditions was to have a world full of constitutional republics, so it seems we are on the right track here in the US!

49 *Come out on top, but just barely : WIN BY A HAIR (giving “Hair”)

The full name of the famed show from the sixties is “Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical”, although the 1979 film adaptation was simply titled “Hair”. This controversial work outraged many when it was first performed in the sixties, as it attacked many aspects of life at the time. For example, the song “Air” is a satirical look at pollution, sung by a character who comes onto the stage wearing a gas mask. The opening lines are “Welcome, sulfur dioxide. Hello carbon monoxide. The air … is everywhere”. How things have changed over the past few decades said he … satirically …

53 Carmine and ruby : REDS

Carmine is a bright red pigment produced from carminic acid extracted from crushed cochineal insects.

58 Piggy bank addition : COIN

The word “pig” can be used for earthenware, or an earthenware shard. From this usage there evolved the term “pig jar” that described an earthenware pot that could be filled with water for use as a bed-warmer. Crockery pots were also used to collect coins and these were also termed “pig jars”. By the 1700s, these pig jars had evolved into the first “piggy banks”.

60 Hullabaloo : ADO

Our word “hullabaloo”, meaning “commotion”, is a derivative of an older term “hollo-ballo”. “Hollo-ballo” was a word used for an uproar in the north of England and Scotland.

64 James of jazz : ETTA

“Etta James” was the stage name of celebrated R&B and jazz singer Jamesetta Hawkins. James was an acquaintance of civil rights activist Malcom X. For ten years, she was a member of the Nation of Islam, and used the name “Jamesetta X”.
.

68 Dangerous African fly : TSETSE

The tsetse fly is responsible for the transmission of sleeping sickness, a disease that is more correctly called African trypanosomiasis. The disease is only observed in humans who have been bitten by a tsetse fly that is infected with the trypanosome parasitic protozoan.

Down

2 Large stringed instruments in an orchestra : CELLI

The cello is the second-largest instrument in the violin family, after the double bass. It is said that the cello produces a sound nearer the human voice than any other instrument in an orchestra. I can see/hear that …

3 Picture puzzle : REBUS

A rebus is a puzzle that uses pictures to represent letters and groups of letters. For example, a picture of a “ewe” might represent the letter “U” or the pronoun “you”, a picture of an “oar” might represent the letter “R” or the conjunction “or”, and a picture of an “awl” might represent the word “all”.

5 Church benches : PEWS

A pew is a church bench, usually one with a high back. The original pews were raised and sometimes enclosed seats in the church used by women and important men or families. “Pew” comes from the Old French “puie” meaning “balcony, elevation”.

6 Indoor rower, for short : ERG

An indoor rowing machine is often referred to as an ergometer (or simply “erg”). However, the term “ergometer” really applies to a device that measures the amount of work performed.

7 Barcelona’s country : SPAIN

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, after the capital Madrid. It is also the largest European city that sits on the Mediterranean coast, and the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia.

8 Rodeo ropes : LASSOS

Our English word “lasso” comes from the Spanish “lazo”, and ultimately from the Latin “laqueum” meaning “noose, snare”.

9 Dollar : ONE

Conspiracy theorists love to point out “suspicious” symbols on the one-dollar bill. The pyramid on the bill is unfinished, with 13 steps. The number 13 has been associated with the occult, but it is also the number of original colonies that declared independence from Britain forming the United States. Not so suspicious after all …

10 The other way around : VICE VERSA

“Vice versa” is a Latin phrase meaning “with position turned”. We always pronounce this term “incorrectly”. In Latin, a “c” is a hard sound, and a “v” is pronounced like a “w”. The pronunciation should be something like “wee-kay wehr-sa”.

12 Pisa landmark : TOWER

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, which is caused by an unstable foundation. The tower was built in the 12th century and began to lean during construction. The lean worsened over time, and by the 1990s, the tower was at risk of collapse with a lean of 5½ degrees. A major stabilization project was undertaken in the 1990s, which reduced the lean to 3.97 degrees.

14 “Jokes __ Can’t Tell”: late-night segment : SETH

Seth Meyers is an actor and comedian who is perhaps best-known today for hosting his own late night talk show on NBC. Meyers might be described as a poker shark. He won the third season of Celebrity Poker Showdown in 2004.

23 The Fugees rapper Wyclef __ : JEAN

Wyclef Jean is an American rap artist who was born in Haiti and emigrated to the US with his family when he was 9 years old. In 2010, Wyclef made a serious attempt to run in the Haitian presidential election. His candidacy was rejected as he had not lived in the country for five years prior to the date of that election.

26 TV journalist Stahl : LESLEY

Television journalist Lesley Stahl first appeared on “60 Minutes” in 1991, after serving as moderator of “Face the Nation” for almost 8 years starting in 1983. Stahl is married to author and journalist Aaron Latham. One of Latham’s claims to fame is that he wrote the article that inspired the movie “Urban Cowboy”.

28 Wardrobe item with a clasp : BRA

The brassiere is a relatively modern invention, with the first modern bra being patented in 1914. However, there are ancient artifacts that show that women have been wearing garments to support their breasts for thousands of years. One of the most famous examples is a mosaic from Sicily that dates back to the 4th century AD. It depicts women athletes wearing bra-like garments while throwing the discus, lifting weights, and playing ball games.

30 Russian Orthodox church feature : ONION DOME

Onion domes, named for their onion-like shape, are usually associated with Russian Orthodox churches. Onion domes are often seen in groups of three or five. The number three represents the Holy Trinity, and the number five represents Jesus Christ and the four evangelists.

33 Some lap coverers : NAPKINS

Our word “napkin” dates back to the 1300s, when it had the same meaning as today. The term comes from the old French word “nape” meaning “tablecloth” and the Middle English suffix “-kin” meaning “little”. So, a napkin is a little tablecloth.

35 Kenny G’s horn : SAX

Saxophonist Kenny G is the best-selling jazz artist of all time. He earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. Using circular breathing, Kenny G held an E-flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds.

39 Old Russian ruler : TSAR

Tsars ruled Russia from the 16th century to the early 20th century. The first Tsar was Ivan the Terrible, who ruled from 1547 to 1584. The last Tsar was Nicholas II, who ruled from 1894 to 1917.

48 __ sec: orange-flavored liqueur : TRIPLE

Triple sec is liqueur made from the dried peels of bitter and sweet oranges. I tend to use it in cocktails calling for Grand Marnier or Cointreau, as it is a cheaper alternative and tastes very similar …

51 Owl sounds : HOOTS

Owls can rotate their heads 270 degrees, allowing them to look around without moving their bodies.

52 Audio brand : AIWA

Aiwa was a Japanese company that produced consumer electronics, mainly audio and video equipment. Sony bought Aiwa in 2002 and eventually discontinued the brand in 2006. The Aiwa trademark was acquired by a Chicago-based consumer electronics company in 2015.

59 May honorees : MOMS

Note the official punctuation in “Mother’s Day”, even though one might think it should be “Mothers’ Day”. President Wilson and Anna Jarvis, who created the tradition, specifically wanted Mother’s Day to honor the mothers within each family and not just “mothers” in general, so they went with the “Mother’s Day” punctuation.

62 __ for tat : TIT

The phrase “tit for tat”, meaning some sort of retaliation, has been around for an awfully long time, since the mid-1500s. It might be derived from “tip for tap”, meaning “blow for blow”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Abrasion a tot may call an “owie” : SCRAPE
7 __-mo: instant replay technique : SLO
10 Cauldron : VAT
13 Wobble : TEETER
14 Stretch across : SPAN
15 Wedding promise : I DO
16 *Vigorous effort : ELBOW GREASE (giving “Grease”)
18 Dairy farm animal : COW
19 Future prunes, perhaps : PLUMS
20 R&B singer Redding : OTIS
21 “And __ off!” : WE’RE
22 Spanish “Yes, yes!” : SI SI!
23 *”Last Week Tonight” host : JOHN OLIVER (giving “Oliver”)
25 Treble __: music symbol : CLEF
27 Exceedingly dry : SERE
28 Fan’s “I want my money back!” : BOO!
31 Use Grubhub, say : EAT IN
34 Curt : TERSE
37 Gallop : RUN
38 *Winter transports with treads : SNO-CATS (giving “Cats”)
40 “__ it ain’t so!” : SAY
41 Mermaid whose father is King Triton : ARIEL
43 Soda brand in blue cans : PEPSI
44 Chopping tool : AXE
45 Do as one’s asked : OBEY
47 Philosopher Immanuel : KANT
49 *Come out on top, but just barely : WIN BY A HAIR (giving “Hair”)
53 Carmine and ruby : REDS
57 Comes to a close : ENDS
58 Piggy bank addition : COIN
59 Confusion : MIX-UP
60 Hullabaloo : ADO
61 Dazzling theater performance, and what the answer to each starred clue literally has : SHOWSTOPPER
63 Cup edge : RIM
64 James of jazz : ETTA
65 “Gotta hurry!” : I’M LATE!
66 Observe : SEE
67 Donkey : ASS
68 Dangerous African fly : TSETSE

Down

1 Units tracked by fitness trackers : STEPS
2 Large stringed instruments in an orchestra : CELLI
3 Picture puzzle : REBUS
4 Decidedly tiny : ATOMIC
5 Church benches : PEWS
6 Indoor rower, for short : ERG
7 Barcelona’s country : SPAIN
8 Rodeo ropes : LASSOS
9 Dollar : ONE
10 The other way around : VICE VERSA
11 Love to pieces : ADORE
12 Pisa landmark : TOWER
14 “Jokes __ Can’t Tell”: late-night segment : SETH
17 Locale of many a swanky bar : ROOFTOP
21 Cable : WIRE
23 The Fugees rapper Wyclef __ : JEAN
24 Admits : LETS IN
26 TV journalist Stahl : LESLEY
28 Wardrobe item with a clasp : BRA
29 Belonging to us : OUR
30 Russian Orthodox church feature : ONION DOME
32 Rink surface : ICE
33 Some lap coverers : NAPKINS
35 Kenny G’s horn : SAX
36 Observe : EYE
39 Old Russian ruler : TSAR
42 Subsides : EBBS
46 Luxury vessels : YACHTS
48 __ sec: orange-flavored liqueur : TRIPLE
49 Puts on : WEARS
50 Many a low-budget flick : INDIE
51 Owl sounds : HOOTS
52 Audio brand : AIWA
54 American living abroad, for short : EX-PAT
55 Tunes two croon : DUETS
56 Shopping binge : SPREE
59 May honorees : MOMS
61 Salty expanse : SEA
62 __ for tat : TIT