LA Times Crossword 17 Oct 23, Tuesday

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Constructed by: Henry Lin-David & Kate Luo
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: It’s Got Legs!

Themed answers have all GOT LEGS:

  • 55A Surprised shout when a spot on the wall starts moving, and what can be said about 17-, 26-, and 43-Across : IT’S GOT LEGS!
  • 17A Baton-passing race with co-ed teams : MIXED RELAY
  • 26A German white wine with a high sugar content : SWEET RIESLING
  • 43A Start of something great : PROMISING IDEA

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

Bill’s time: 4m 55s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Buckwheat noodle : SOBA

Soba is a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour. In Japan, the word “soba” tends to describe any thin noodle, in contrast with the thicker noodle called “udon”.

Despite the name, “buckwheat” is not related to wheat, and nor is it a grass. Buckwheat is related to rhubarb. As the seeds are eaten, it is known as a “pseudocereal”. The name comes from “beech wheat”, a reference to the resemblance of buckwheat seeds to beech nuts from the “beech” tree, and the fact that buckwheat seeds are used like “wheat”.

14 AFB no-show : AWOL

Air Force Base (AFB)

22 Second longest African river : CONGO

The Congo River in Africa is the second-largest in the world in terms of volume of water discharged (after the Amazon), and the second longest river in Africa (after the Nile). It is also the deepest river in the world, with depths exceeding 700 feet. The name “Congo” comes from the ancient Kingdom of Kongo that was once located at the mouth of the river.

25 Tennis star Osaka : NAOMI

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese-born tennis professional who became the first Asian player to be ranked number-one in singles. She was also the first ever tennis player to light the Olympic cauldron during an opening ceremony, doing so for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

26 German white wine with a high sugar content : SWEET RIESLING

The Riesling grape variety originated in the Rhine region of Germany, and is used to make wines that are often described as fruity and aromatic. The wine generally has a high level of acidity which makes it ideal for aging, with some examples being proclaimed as excellent at over a hundred-years-old.

30 Jimmy Kimmel’s network : ABC

Jimmy Kimmel is the host of the late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Kimmel also co-hosted “The Man Show” and my personal favorite, “Win Ben Stein’s Money”. Kimmel appeared on the PBS show “Finding Your Roots” in 2020, when he discovered that he was a cousin of Martha Stewart!

32 Bruno, to Mirabel, in “Encanto” : TIO

“Encanto” is a 2021 animated Disney film. It is about a Colombian family, named the Madrigals, who have magical powers that provide assistance to the people in their community (Encanto).

36 Vision-correcting surgery : LASIK

LASIK surgery uses a laser to reshape the cornea of the eye to improve vision. The LASIK acronym stands for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis”.

52 Wrinkly citrus fruit : UGLI

The ugli fruit is a hybrid of an orange and a tangerine that was first discovered growing wild in Jamaica where most ugli fruit comes from today. “UGLI” is a trademark name that is a variant of “ugly”, a nod to the fruit’s unsightly wrinkled rind.

53 Miracle-__: fertilizer brand : GRO

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company was founded in 1868 by one Orlando Scott, and initially sold seed to the agricultural industry. In the early 1900s, Scotts started to sell to homeowners, and mainly supplied lawn seed. The company merged with the gardening company Miracle-Gro in 1955, and then with TruGreen in 2016.

58 Source of 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)

59 Connective tissue : SINEW

“Sinew” is another name for “tendon”. Tendons are bands of collagen that connect muscle to bone. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae, which are also connective tissue made out of collagen, but ligaments join bone to bone, and fasciae connect muscle to muscle. We also use the term “sinew” to mean muscular power.

62 Coin flip call : HEADS

The two sides of a coin are known as the “obverse” and the “reverse”. The obverse is commonly referred to as “heads”, as it often depicts someone’s head. The reverse is commonly called “tails”, as it is the opposite of “heads”.

63 __-serif : SANS

Serifs are details on the ends of characters in some typefaces. Typefaces without serifs are known as sans-serif, using the French word “sans” meaning “without” and “serif” from the Dutch “schreef” meaning “line”. Some people say that serif fonts are easier to read on paper, whereas sans-serif fonts work better on a computer screen. I’m not so sure though …

Down

1 Pago Pago’s land : SAMOA

Pago Pago is the capital of American Samoa in the South Pacific. The island was used by the US Navy during WWII and it managed to escape most of the conflict. The only military incident of consequence was the shelling of the city’s harbor by a Japanese submarine. A more devastating event was the tsunami that hit Pago Pago and surrounding areas in 2009, causing widespread damage and numerous deaths.

3 Stocky dogs : BOXERS

The boxer breed of dog (one of my favorites) originated in Germany. My first dog was a boxer/Labrador mix, a beautiful combination. Our current family dog is a boxer/pug mix, and is another gorgeous animal.

5 Lesson one might get a kick out of? : KARATE CLASS

Karate is a martial art that originated in the Ryukyu Kingdom, which is now part of Japan. A practitioner of karate is known as a karateka. The sport of karate was included as an Olympic sport starting with the 2020 Games.

6 “We __ amused” : ARE NOT

The “royal we” is more correctly called the “majestic plural”, and is the use of a plural pronoun to describe a single person in a high office. I suppose the most often quoted phrase that uses the majestic plural is “We are not amused”, which is often attributed to Queen Victoria. The “editorial we” is a similar concept, in which a newspaper editor or columnist refers to himself or herself as “we” when giving an opinion.

12 Shenandoah Valley state : VIRGINIA

The Shenandoah Valley extends about 150 miles, through much of Virginia and part of West Virginia. It is named for the Shenandoah River that drains most of the valley.

18 Socially inept sort : DWEEB

“Dweeb” is relatively recent American slang that came out of college life in the late sixties. Dweeb, squarepants, nerd; they’re all not-nice terms that mean the same thing, i.e. someone excessively studious and socially inept.

24 Actor McGregor : EWAN

Ewan McGregor is a very talented Scottish actor, one who got his break in the 1996 film “Trainspotting”. McGregor’s first big Hollywood role was playing the young Obi-Wan-Kenobi in the “Star Wars” prequels. Less known is his televised marathon motorcycle journey from London to New York via central Europe, Ukraine, Siberia, Mongolia and Canada. The 2004 trip was shown as “Long Way Round” on TV. McGregor did a similar trip in 2007 called “Long Way Down”, which took him and the same traveling companion from the north of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa.

27 Like proofed dough : RISEN

When baking, proofing (also “proving”) is the resting of a dough made with yeast, allowing it to rise prior to baking.

33 Vanilla extract amt. : TSP

The flavor extract that we call “vanilla” comes from the pod-like fruit of climbing orchids belonging to the genus Vanilla. Genuine vanilla is a relatively expensive spice, second only to saffron, due to the amount of work required to grow and harvest the fruit (also called “beans” and “pods”). Spanish and Portuguese explorers came across the Vanilla orchid while exploring the Gulf Coast of Mexico. They gave it the name “vainilla” meaning “little pod”.

37 “Beef” actress Wong : ALI

Ali Wong is a stand-up comedian from San Francisco who is a protégé of Chris Rock. She made two very successful Netflix stand-up specials “Baby Cobra” and “Hard Knock Wife”. She also worked as a writer for the hit sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat”.

“Beef” is a comedy-drama TV show that debuted in 2023. It stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as two people in a prolonged feud after a road rage and car chase incident. The critics really like this one.

44 Joins the flow of traffic : MERGES

The “zipper merge” or “late merge” is encouraged by most traffic authorities when two lanes of traffic are merging into one. The alternative “early merge”, where cars move out of the lane that is closing before reaching the merge point, tends to be discouraged. The favored technique is to use both lanes until the merge point, and then alternate (zipper) from each lane through the merge itself. That said, one should always obey whatever instructions are given by the traffic authorities at the scene. And I know, I know … a lot of people think it rude to merge late …

46 Bassett who plays Marvel’s Queen Ramonda : ANGELA

Angela Bassett is an actress from New York whose breakthrough role was playing Tina Turner in the 1993 film about the pop icon’s life “What’s Love Got to Do with It”. Bassett married fellow actor Courtney B. Vance in 1997, having first met him while both were studying at Yale School of Drama.

49 Noble gas used in welding : ARGON

The nonreactive noble gas argon is mainly used as an inert shielding gas in welding. A shielding gas protects the area being welded from oxygen and water vapor, both of which can make welding more difficult and reduce the quality of the weld.

51 __ Club: bulk-buying chain : SAM’S

Sam’s Club is a warehouse club that is owned and operated by Walmart. It is named after the company’s founder Sam Walton. Walton opened the first Sam’s Club in 1983 in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

52 Annapolis military sch. : USNA

The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is located in Annapolis, Maryland. It was founded in 1845 and educates officers for both the US Navy and the US Marine Corps. The motto of the USNA is “Ex Scientia Tridens”, which translates as “From Knowledge, Sea Power”.

/p>

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Buckwheat noodle : SOBA
5 “Blam!” : KAPOW!
10 Wander : ROVE
14 AFB no-show : AWOL
15 Sports venue : ARENA
16 Profoundly bad : EVIL
17 Baton-passing race with co-ed teams : MIXED RELAY
19 Time in office : TERM
20 United : ONE
21 Desire : WANT
22 Second longest African river : CONGO
23 Go along with : AGREE TO
25 Tennis star Osaka : NAOMI
26 German white wine with a high sugar content : SWEET RIESLING
30 Jimmy Kimmel’s network : ABC
31 Yardstick unit : INCH
32 Bruno, to Mirabel, in “Encanto” : TIO
33 Now and __ : THEN
36 Vision-correcting surgery : LASIK
38 Not very much : A TAD
39 Slump : SAG
40 Iron-rich leafy vegetable : KALE
41 Disc golf number : PAR
43 Start of something great : PROMISING IDEA
47 Helps a thief, maybe : ABETS
48 Annual fact book : ALMANAC
51 Bedroom noise : SNORE
52 Wrinkly citrus fruit : UGLI
53 Miracle-__: fertilizer brand : GRO
54 Wide-eyed : AGOG
55 Surprised shout when a spot on the wall starts moving, and what can be said about 17-, 26-, and 43-Across : IT’S GOT LEGS!
58 Source of inspiration : MUSE
59 Connective tissue : SINEW
60 Inky stain : BLOT
61 Full collections : SETS
62 Coin flip call : HEADS
63 __-serif : SANS

Down

1 Pago Pago’s land : SAMOA
2 In debt : OWING
3 Stocky dogs : BOXERS
4 Brewery order : ALE
5 Lesson one might get a kick out of? : KARATE CLASS
6 “We __ amused” : ARE NOT
7 Attack with snowballs, say : PELT
8 “I’m __ roll!” : ON A
9 Route : WAY
10 Overhaul : RETOOL
11 Kitchen glove : OVEN MITT
12 Shenandoah Valley state : VIRGINIA
13 Muppet who refers to himself in the third person : ELMO
18 Socially inept sort : DWEEB
22 Yard sale payment : CASH
24 Actor McGregor : EWAN
25 Aids for airplane napping : NECK PILLOWS
27 Like proofed dough : RISEN
28 Suffix on pasta names : -INI
29 Supreme being : GOD
33 Vanilla extract amt. : TSP
34 Rant : HARANGUE
35 Confidence builder : EGO BOOST
37 “Beef” actress Wong : ALI
38 Painter’s calculation : AREA
40 Toy for a windy day : KITE
42 Confess : ADMIT
44 Joins the flow of traffic : MERGES
45 Had trouble swallowing : GAGGED
46 Bassett who plays Marvel’s Queen Ramonda : ANGELA
49 Noble gas used in welding : ARGON
50 Is priced at : COSTS
51 __ Club: bulk-buying chain : SAM’S
52 Annapolis military sch. : USNA
55 “More or less” suffix : -ISH
56 Knotted neckwear : TIE
57 Scale units: Abbr. : LBS

22 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 17 Oct 23, Tuesday”

    1. I think it’s just the letters LEGS.

      And I take issue with it applying to “promising idea.” If it’s promising it’s too early to say it has legs.

  1. Ended up matching Bill’s time on this one! A rare event. Had a last-minute writeover with RoESLING/oNI to RIESLING/INI. The theme seems to describe the clues as much as it does the answers, so I didn’t find it the most helpful. Also found it strange that SAMOA is clued as “Pago Pago’s land”, though I have read that American Samoans do consider themselves Samoan and even objected when “Western Samoa” changed its name to just “Samoa”, so I guess it isn’t inaccurate per se.

  2. I don’t get the answer. It’s got legs!!!! The only one that makes sense to me is mixed relay.

  3. 6:54, no errors. Got off to a rocky start with UDON as my answer to 1A but the down clues eventually had me on the right path.

  4. Don’t see the legs theme in the Riesling answer. Anyone? Pretty straightforward grid. Just my usual choice between Rove and Roam for the Wander clue, But always an easy fix

  5. 6:54 – no errors, lookups, or false starts.

    New or forgotten: “Queen Ramonda,” but not at all difficult to recall ANGELA Bassett.

    Not a difficult theme; not needed for solving the related clues.

    Something that “has legs” (not necessarily biological legs) can be viable or enduring in some way.

  6. Best theme and answers in years! (For non-wine drinkers, legs are the wine drops that roll down the inside of the glass, typically a sign of higher alcohol content.)

  7. Regarding the MERGE controversy, it’s my considered opinion that early merging is the superior tactic in that everyone keeps rolling through the open lane. Zipper merge usually involves someone stopping to allow another vehicle into the lane. Stoppages create backups. Backups create more stoppages and slow everybody down. If notification of a closed lane ahead is posted early, there is usually plenty of time and space for everybody to form one line and pass thru the closure smoothly.
    I am astounded that “zipper merge” is law in some states.

  8. Wine legs are those droplets on the inside of a glass as the beverage is consumed.
    The spot on the wall is moving (like a spider) is because it has legs and isn’t just a stain.
    For B.C. Readers, mobile mollusks perambulate ‘cuz CLAMS GOT FEET!!

  9. I think Bill’s explanation of Riesling gives us the answer to how it fits the theme: it ages very well, with hundred-year old bottles still being excellent wines. Slang for something that lasts a long time would be “it’s got legs”.
    I must confess I didn’t see how Riesling fit the theme until I read Bill’s write-up.

  10. Wine definitely has legs. Enter “legs wine term” into a search engine and you will find a plethora of explanations.

  11. One error: INI crosses LASIK. Had an O.
    Didn’t notice theme, Had ROam before ROVE, chokED before GAGGED.
    I couldn’t get yesterday’s, even though it was a Monday.

  12. When wine is swirled in the wine glass to see if it’s a good wine, if it is good you get a number of streaks running down after stopping to swirl and one either says it’s got windows or it’s got legs.

  13. SPOILER ALERT!! Wine, when swirled in a glass, will show rivulets running down the sides of the glass. These rivulets are called legs.

    Ok. That’s out of the way. Today was much easier than Monday.

  14. Nice, mostly easy Tuesday; took 7:52 with no peeks or errors. Had everything the first time except misspelling ReiSLING and started to put in KARATE Cours…nope. Fixed those quickly. Didn’t use the theme and I kind of vaguely understand it now after the fact.

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