LA Times Crossword 19 Apr 23, Wednesday

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Constructed by: Bruce Venzke
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Foolproof

Themed answers each have the same clue, namely “FOOLPROOF”:

  • 19A FOOLPROOF : CAN’T-MISS
  • 58A FOOLPROOF : IRONCLAD
  • 8D FOOLPROOF : SUREFIRE
  • 38D FOOLPROOF : IN THE BAG

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

Bill’s time: 6m 24s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Mind reader’s knack : ESP

The so-called sixth sense is extrasensory perception (ESP). It is also referred to as second sight.

4 Register figure : COST

What we usually call a cash register here in North America, we mostly call a “till” in Ireland and the UK. I haven’t heard the word “till” used much here in that sense …

15 Smooth-talking : SUAVE

The Latin word “suavis” translates as “agreeable, pleasant to the senses”. “Sauvis” is the root of the English word “suave” that describes someone who is gracious and sophisticated, and perhaps somewhat superficial. “Sauvis” also gave us the English word “sweet” meaning “pleasing to the taste”.

16 Big-screen movie format : IMAX

The IMAX Corporation, which is behind the IMAX film format, is a Canadian company. The impetus for developing the system came after Expo ’67 in Montreal. Back then large format screenings were accomplished using multiple projectors with multiple screens, with images basically stitched together. The team behind the IMAX technology set out to simplify things, and developed a single-camera, single-projector system.

22 Egyptian beetle : SCARAB

Scarabs were amulets in ancient Egypt. They were modeled on the dung beetle, as it was viewed as a symbol of the cycle of life.

23 Small fishing boat : SKIFF

A skiff is a small boat. The name can be used generically and applied to several unrelated styles of vessel, as long as they are relatively small. The term “skiff” comes from “scif”, the Old High German word for “boat” and a term that also gave us our word “ship”.

34 Puts together, as Lego sets : BUILDS

Lego produces some wonderful specialized sets with which you can build models of celebrated structures, including:

  • The Statue of Liberty (2,882 pieces)
  • The Sydney Opera House (2,989 pieces)
  • The Eiffel Tower (3,428 pieces)
  • Tower Bridge (4,295 pieces)
  • The Taj Mahal (5,922 pieces)

37 Heart chambers : ATRIA

The heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers (the atria) accept deoxygenated blood from the body and oxygenated blood from the lungs. The atria squeeze those blood supplies into the two lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles), “priming” the pump, as it were. One ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs, and the other pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.

40 Cliff dwelling : 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.

41 Day break? : NOON

Our word “noon”, meaning “midday”, comes from the Latin “nona hora” that translates as “ninth hour”. Back in ancient Rome, the “ninth hour” was three in the afternoon. Over the centuries, traditions such as church prayers and “midday” meals shifted from 3 p.m. to 12 p.m., and so “noon” became understood as 12 noon.

42 Gecko or iguana : LIZARD

The word “gecko” comes from an Indonesian/Javanese word “tokek”, which is imitative of the reptile’s chirping sound. In making such a sound, geckos are unique in the world of lizards. More interesting to me than a gecko’s chirping is its ability to cling to walls and other vertical surfaces. Their feet are specially adapted with “toes” that make extremely intimate, close contact to a surface. The toes have millions of hairs called setae that enable the clinging. It isn’t suction that supports them, but rather van der Waals forces (weak “gravitational” attractions). Fascinating stuff …

An iguana is a lizard, and as such is cold-blooded. There are times when pet iguanas need heat from an IR lamp to maintain body temperature. They can also be very large lizards, sometimes growing to a length of six feet.

44 Majestic tree : ELM

Elm trees have a unique ability to tolerate urban environments, making them a popular choice for city planners looking to add greenery to their landscapes. They have a high tolerance for air pollution, compacted soil, and other stresses commonly found in urban areas, which allows them to thrive in these environments where other tree species might struggle.

45 Ginormous number : UMPTEEN

The word “umpty” was introduced as slang for a Morse code dash. In the early 1900’s, the same term came to mean “of an indefinite number”, and was associated with the numerals divisible by ten, i.e. twenty, thirty, forty, etc. The extended adjective “umpteen” began to appear during WWI as army slang.

47 Alaskan gold rush town : NOME

The Nome Gold Rush of 1899-1909 was remarkable in the ease that the precious metal could be gathered. Many prospectors were finding gold lying in beach sand and were making their fortunes without even having to make a claim.

51 Childbirth technique : LAMAZE

The Lamaze technique for childbirth was developed by a French obstetrician called Fernand Lamaze. He introduced the technique in the west after observing similar practices in the Soviet Union during a visit there in 1951.

55 Hacker’s goal : ACCESS

A computer hacker is a computer expert, and in particular one who uses that expertise to solve problems with hardware and software. So, the original use of the term “hacking” was very positive. Since the 1980s, the term “hacker” is more commonly used for an expert in subverting computer security.

61 “Tell me about it, __”: “Grease” line : STUD

“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”.

62 New Haven collegians : ELIS

The city of New Haven, Connecticut was founded in 1638 by Puritan immigrants from England. Famously, it is home to Yale University. The city also initiated the first public tree planting program in the country. The large elms included in the program led to New Haven being called “the Elm City”.

64 High top __: hairstyle : FADE

For the haircut known as the hi-top fade, the hair on the sides is cut short, while the hair on the top of the head is grown relatively long.

65 Green land : EIRE

Ireland is often referred to as “the Emerald Isle” (and described as “green”). There is a common misconception that the association with the color green is because of all that green grass that grows due to the seemingly non-stop rain. However, the use of green has more political overtones, as it is associated with many of the rebellions against British colonial rule over the centuries.

66 Trade-show freebies : SWAG

Swag is loot, stolen property, and a term that started out as criminal slang in England in the 1830s. “Swag” is also the name given to the promotional freebies available at some events. That said, there’s an urban myth that the promotional version of “swag” is an acronym standing for “stuff we all get”.

67 Desert antelope : ORYX

The oryx is a large antelope species, mainly found in Africa but also in the Arabian Peninsula. One species was introduced by man into the White Sands Missile Range. As a result, the oryx is now considered an invasive species in the neighboring White Sands National Monument.

68 Dragon roll fish : EEL

A dragon roll is a sushi dish made from eel, cucumber, seaweed, rice and avocado. I am sure it’s delicious … without the eel!

Down

2 Herb in the spice blend za’atar : SUMAC

Sumac (also “Sicilian sumac”) is a spice made from the dried and ground berries of the wild sumac flower. It has a sour, lemony flavor, and is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Za’atar is a herb that is used mainly in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. The name “Za’atar” is also used for a mixture of spices in which it is the key ingredient, along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, salt and other spices.

3 Vital force, in yoga : PRANA

“Prana” is a Sanskrit word meaning “breath, life force”.

4 Yukon game : CARIBOU

“Caribou” is the North American name for “reindeer”.

Canada’s federal territory known as Yukon takes its name from the Yukon River. “Yukon” means “Big Stream” in the local Gwich’in language.

6 Creator of the Lorax : SEUSS

“The Lorax” is a 1971 children’s book written by Dr. Seuss. It is an allegorical work questioning the problems created by industrialization, and in particular its impact on the environment. At one point in the story, the Lorax “speaks for the trees, for the trees have no tongues”. “The Lorax” was adapted into an animated film that was released in 2012, with Danny DeVito voicing the title character.

He was shortish, and oldish, and brownish and mossy. And he spoke with a voice that was sharpish and bossy.

9 Chocolate or yellow dogs, for short : LABS

The Labrador (Lab) breed of dog has been around at least since 1814. The breed comes in three registered colors: black, yellow and chocolate.

10 Some NASA data-retrieval missions : EVAS

Extravehicular activity (EVA) is the name given to any work done by an astronaut outside of his or her spacecraft. The term would encompass walking on the moon, as well as making a space walk i.e. floating around in space tethered to spacecraft.

13 Polar Ice gum brand : EXTRA

Extra is a sugar-free chewing gum that was launched in 1984 by the Wrigley Company. Originally using NutraSweet as an artificial sweetener, Extra was reformulated with aspartame in 1997, as aspartame is believed to be a safer ingredient.

20 Deadly African snake : MAMBA

Mambas, most famously black mambas, are highly venomous snakes that used to be responsible for a great number of fatalities before anti-venoms became available. Mamba venom is a deadly mix of neurotoxins that attack the nervous system and cardiotoxins that attack the heart. A bite, if left untreated, causes the lungs and the heart to shut down.

24 “Big Little Lies” actress Nicole : KIDMAN

Nicole Kidman is an Australian-American actress whose breakthrough role was the female lead in 1989’s “Dead Calm”. Kidman was actually born in Hawaii, to Australian parents. As a result, she has dual citizenship of Australia and the US. Famously, Kidman was married to fellow-actor Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001, and is now married to New Zealand-born country singer Keith Urban.

30 Flute part : STEM

The narrow bowl of a champagne flute is usually preferred over the wide bowl of a champagne coupe as the smaller surface area of the wine helps retain its carbonation.

31 Premier League team, to fans : MAN U

Manchester United (“Man U”) is one of the most successful football (soccer) clubs in England, having won more League titles than any other in the history of the game. The club is also famous for an airplane crash known as the 1958 Munich air disaster. The British European flight crashed during takeoff, resulting in the death of 23 passengers, including eight members of the Manchester United team.

The best soccer teams in England and Wales play in the Premier League. The league was founded in 1992 as the FA Premier League to take advantage of a generous television deal. Today, the Premier League is the most-watched soccer league in the world.

32 Tiny particle : ATOM

Our word “atom” comes from the Latin “atomus” meaning “indivisible particle”. In turn, the Latin term comes from the Greek “a-tomos” meaning “not-cut”.

33 Theater accessory : PROP

We use the word “props” for objects that are used by actors on stage during a play. The term is a shortening of the older term “properties”, which was used with the same meaning up through the 19th century.

35 Claiborne of fashion : LIZ

Liz Claiborne was a Belgian-American fashion designer and founder of the Liz Claiborne fashion company. She was the first woman to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Indeed, Liz Claiborne Inc. was also the first company founded by a woman to make the Fortune 500 list, doing so in 1986.

38 FOOLPROOF : IN THE BAG

The phrase “in the bag” is an American colloquialism that means something is virtually secured or guaranteed. It is thought to have originated in the early 20th century, when the New York Giants baseball team had a superstition that if they carried the ball bag off the field with them when they were leading in the ninth inning, the game would be won.

42 Part of SLR : LENS

The initialism “SLR” stands for “single lens reflex”. Usually, cameras with changeable lenses are the SLR type. The main feature of an SLR is that a mirror reflects the image seen through the lens out through the viewfinder, so that the photographer sees exactly what the lens sees. The mirror moves out of the way as the picture is taken, and the image that comes through the lens falls onto unexposed film, or nowadays onto a digital sensor.

43 Low-tech card file : ROLODEX

The brand name “Rolodex” is short for “rolling index”, and applies to a device that was invented back in 1956. Even in today’s world that is run by computers, Rolodexes are still quite popular.

46 Supporter of the arts? : EASEL

The word “easel” comes from an old Dutch word meaning “donkey”, would you believe? The idea is that an easel carries its load (an oil painting, say) just as a donkey would be made to carry a load.

48 Toaster or roaster, maybe : EMCEE

The term “emcee” comes from “MC”, an initialism used for a Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

The tradition of toasting someone probably dates back to the reign of Charles II, when the practice was to drink a glass of wine to the health of a beautiful or favored woman. In those days, spiced toast was added to beverages to add flavor, so the use of the word “toast” was an indicator that the lady’s beauty would enhance the wine. Very charming, I must say …

50 Stringed instrument in Hindi cinema : SITAR

The sitar has been around since the Middle Ages. It is a stringed instrument that is played by plucking, and is used most often in Hindustani classical music. In the West we have been exposed to the instrument largely through the performances of Ravi Shankar and some music by George Harrison of the Beatles, a onetime student of Shankar.

52 Four-time WNBA 3-Point Contest champion Quigley : ALLIE

Allie Quigley is an American-born professional basketball player who spent several years playing in Europe, in Hungary in particular. In 2010, Quigley took out Hungarian citizenship and played for the Hungarian national team.

53 Former name of Kinshasa’s country : ZAIRE

The African nation once called Zaire is a neighbor of Rwanda. The genocide and war in Rwanda spilled over into Zaire in 1996, with the conflict escalating into what is now called the First Congo War. As part of the war’s fallout there was a regime change, and in 1997 Zaire became the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The city was formerly known as Léopoldville. Kinshasa is the third largest city in Africa, after Cairo in Egypt and Lagos in Nigeria.

54 Unsuccessful Ford : EDSEL

The Edsel brand of automobile was named for Edsel Ford, son of Henry. Sadly, the name “Edsel” has become synonymous with “failure”, which was no fault of Edsel himself who had died several years before the Edsel line was introduced. When the Ford Motor Company introduced the Edsel on 4 September 1957, Ford proclaimed the day to be “E Day”.

56 College sport on the water : CREW

Competitive team rowing is sometimes referred to as “crew”. The narrow boat used in the sport is called a shell.

57 Musical ending : CODA

In music, a coda is primarily a passage that brings a movement to a conclusion. “Coda” is Italian for “tail”.

59 Football film starring Sean Astin : RUDY

Sean Astin is best known for playing the title role in the 1993 film “Rudy” and the character Samwise Gamgee in “The Lord of the Rings” movies. You might also have seen him playing Lynn McGill in the 5th season of “24”. Astin is the son of actress Patty Duke, and the adopted son of actor John Astin (of “The Addams Family” fame).

“Rudy” is a 1993 American biographical sports film starring Sean Astin in the title role. The movie is an account of the life of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles. It was the first film that the Notre Dame administration allowed to be shot on campus since “Knute Rockne, All American” in 1940.

61 Hub northwest of LAX : SFO

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) served as the main base of operations for Virgin America (sold to Alaska Airlines), and is also the maintenance hub for United Airlines. Even though SFO is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco, the airport is located to the south in San Mateo County.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Mind reader’s knack : ESP
4 Register figure : COST
8 Winter transport : SLED
12 Additive-free : PURE
14 Length x width : AREA
15 Smooth-talking : SUAVE
16 Big-screen movie format : IMAX
17 Sign on for another tour : REUP
18 __ legend : URBAN
19 FOOLPROOF : CAN’T-MISS
21 Smart, in a way : DRESSY
22 Egyptian beetle : SCARAB
23 Small fishing boat : SKIFF
25 Love of Spain : AMOR
27 Won’t take no for an answer : INSISTS
31 “You are here” display : MAP
34 Puts together, as Lego sets : BUILDS
36 Plant anchor : ROOT
37 Heart chambers : ATRIA
39 Turn down? : DIM
40 Cliff dwelling : AERIE
41 Day break? : NOON
42 Gecko or iguana : LIZARD
44 Majestic tree : ELM
45 Ginormous number : UMPTEEN
47 Alaskan gold rush town : NOME
49 Chills out (with) : HANGS
51 Childbirth technique : LAMAZE
55 Hacker’s goal : ACCESS
58 FOOLPROOF : IRONCLAD
60 Investigation : PROBE
61 “Tell me about it, __”: “Grease” line : STUD
62 New Haven collegians : ELIS
63 “Bike faster!” : PEDAL
64 High top __: hairstyle : FADE
65 Green land : EIRE
66 Trade-show freebies : SWAG
67 Desert antelope : ORYX
68 Dragon roll fish : EEL

Down

1 Sweeping stories : EPICS
2 Herb in the spice blend za’atar : SUMAC
3 Vital force, in yoga : PRANA
4 Yukon game : CARIBOU
5 Metal containers? : ORES
6 Creator of the Lorax : SEUSS
7 Bar fixture : TAP
8 FOOLPROOF : SUREFIRE
9 Chocolate or yellow dogs, for short : LABS
10 Some NASA data-retrieval missions : EVAS
11 Refuse to admit : DENY
13 Polar Ice gum brand : EXTRA
15 Sees the sites : SURFS
20 Deadly African snake : MAMBA
21 Commotions : DINS
24 “Big Little Lies” actress Nicole : KIDMAN
26 Dependent (on) : RIDING
28 Feeling the effects of too much exercise, say : SORE
29 Sweat and strain : TOIL
30 Flute part : STEM
31 Premier League team, to fans : MAN U
32 Tiny particle : ATOM
33 Theater accessory : PROP
35 Claiborne of fashion : LIZ
38 FOOLPROOF : IN THE BAG
40 Jingle-writing guy : ADMAN
42 Part of SLR : LENS
43 Low-tech card file : ROLODEX
46 Supporter of the arts? : EASEL
48 Toaster or roaster, maybe : EMCEE
50 Stringed instrument in Hindi cinema : SITAR
52 Four-time WNBA 3-Point Contest champion Quigley : ALLIE
53 Former name of Kinshasa’s country : ZAIRE
54 Unsuccessful Ford : EDSEL
55 Programs that may update on their own : APPS
56 College sport on the water : CREW
57 Musical ending : CODA
59 Football film starring Sean Astin : RUDY
61 Hub northwest of LAX : SFO

19 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 19 Apr 23, Wednesday”

  1. Maybe my coffee wasn’t hot enough or I was in a SNIT, but I found this one tedious and annoying. Many starts, stops and write overs. Only days I’ve regretted ink in a long time.

  2. 11:38, no errors. I struggled a bit with the NE, originally had ADOS instead of DINS & stupidly didn’t notice that the NASA clue pointed to a plural. Luckily I didn’t waste too much time wondering why the themed clues were in all caps.

  3. Not too bad today; no errors but had to look up a couple of words:
    i.e. the “Extra” gum which I didn’t know at all, and “sitar” which I
    should have known but couldn’t remember. I also had to change
    “ibex” to “oryx” when that became evident.

  4. Same for me on ORYX, had IBIX first.

    Didn’t know PRANA.

    Longer fill than expected.. about 15 minutes.

  5. I’m still wondering what “data retrieval” necessitates an EVA?

    No errors in the final product.

    1. “Some” extravehicular activities (EVA) in space are done in order to assess (collect data on) something about the spaceship, lunar surface, or perhaps the ISS.

  6. Bill didn’t explain why Yale college students are called Elis (62 Across). The college was named after Elihu Yale who was a primary benefactor of the college.

  7. Kinda dumb theme. Like Bill J., couldn’t figure out why themed clues were capitalized and, like Mary, had ibex before the crosses showed ORYX. Didn’t know PRANA but finished without errors or lookups despite the usual problem with names. Not too bad for a Wednesday.

  8. It would be nice if people acknowledged compliments and/or WTG’s. It’s only common courtesy …

    “Old Timers” like Nonny, Glenn et al, who are held in high esteem, constantly give kudos that are blatantly disregarded.

    C’mon people!

  9. 8 mins 46 seconds and needed Check Help to ferret out typos on 4 entries.

    As an Arsenal fan, I commonly refer to ManU as “ManUre”; rivalry and all.

    Hoping my team can hold on and win the Premier League this year!!! It’s going to be a tight one!!!

  10. 9:18 – no errors or lookups. False starts: CLASSY>DRESSY, ADOS>DINS, OAK>ELM.

    New: “za’atar,” PRANA, ALLIE Quigley.

    Getting the theme early helped a little.

    Not too difficult, and I learned a couple of things.

  11. Kinda tough Wednesday, done after Thursday puzzle; took 25:27 with one error RUDi/ORiX. Didn’t know SUMAC, PRANA, ALLIE, STUD, FADE and RUDY. Managed most with crosses and guesses except for RUDi, although I should’ve known ORYX.

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