Advertisement
Constructed by: Zachary David Levy
Edited by: Patti Varol
Today’s Reveal Answer: Zhuzhed It Up
Themed answers are all common phrases with a ZHUZH-sound added to the end of the first word:
- 61A Added panache, as was done three times in this puzzle? : ZHUZHED IT UP
- 17A Farmer’s tan? : BEIGE OF PIGS (from “Bay of Pigs”)
- 30A Battle hymn? : SIEGE SHANTY (from “sea shanty”)
- 49A Don rose-colored glasses? : ROUGE THE DAY (from “rue the day”)
Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers
Want to discuss the puzzle? Then …
… leave a comment
Bill’s time: 8m 26s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
6 Comets, to some : OMENS
Comets and asteroids are similar, both being relatively small celestial bodies orbiting the sun. Comets differ from asteroids in that they have a coma or tail, especially when they are close enough to the sun. The coma and tail are temporary fuzzy atmospheres that develop due to the presence of solar radiation. Comets are sometimes referred to as “dirty snowballs”, a reference to their composition: rock, dust, water ice and frozen gasses.
15 Manuscript sheet : FOLIO
We can use the word “folio” for a sheet of paper folded in half, one time. The term comes from the Latin “folium” meaning “leaf”.
17 Farmer’s tan? : BEIGE OF PIGS (from “Bay of Pigs”)
The Bay of Pigs is on the southern coast of Cuba. It was the site of an abortive military invasion of Cuba in 1961 by a paramilitary group sponsored by the CIA. Cuban forces defending against the attack were personally led by Fidel Castro, and emerged victorious after three days of fighting.
21 “Lonely Planet” recommendation : HOSTEL
“Lonely Planet” is a publisher of a very successful series of travel guide books. The company was founded by British couple Tony and Maureen Wheeler in 1972. Their first publication was “Across Asia on the Cheap”, which was issued as a stapled booklet.
30 Battle hymn? : SIEGE SHANTY (from “sea shanty”)
A sea shanty (also “chantey”) is a song sung by sailors, often when they are working away on some repetitive task.
33 “u crack me up” : ROTFL
Rolling on the floor, laughing (ROTFL)
35 Purple Heart recipients : WAR HEROES
The Purple Heart is a military decoration awarded by the President to members of the US military forces who have been wounded or killed while serving. Today’s Purple Heart was originally called the Badge of Military Merit, an award that was established by George Washington 1782 while he was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. The Purple Heart is a heart-shaped medal with a gold border bearing a profile of President Washington, and a purple ribbon.
36 Copa locale : RIO
Copacabana is a neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro that is home to a famous (and much-used) beach. The neighborhood is named for a chapel there, dedicated to the Virgen de Copacabana (Our Lady of Copacabana). The Virgen de Copacabana is the patron saint of Bolivia, with the original Copacabana being a Bolivian town located on the southeastern shore of Lake Titicaca.
45 Winner’s gesture : V-SIGN
One has to be careful making that V-sign depending where you are in the world. Where I came from, the V-for-victory (or peace) sign has to be made with the palm facing outwards. If the sign is made with the palm facing inwards, it can be interpreted as a very obscene gesture.
52 Beyoncé’s “Cadillac Records” role : ETTA
“Cadillac Records” is a 2008 movie about the life of Leonard Chess who founded Chess Records along with his brother. There are some famous characters appearing in the film, including Chuck Berry (played by Mos Def) and Etta James (played by Beyoncé Knowles).
53 High-and-mighty sort : SNOB
Back in the 1780s, a snob was a shoemaker or a shoemaker’s apprentice. By the end of the 18th century the word “snob” was being used by students at Cambridge University in England to refer to all local merchants and people of the town. The term evolved to mean one who copies those who are his or her social superior (and not in a good way). From there it wasn’t a big leap for “snob” to include anyone who emphasized their superior social standing and not just those who aspired to rank. Nowadays a snob is anyone who looks down on those considered to be of inferior standing.
58 Rapper Kendrick who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 : LAMAR
Kendrick Lamar is a hip-hop singer from Compton, California. Lamar’s full name is Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, with the singer’s given name honoring Motown artist Eddie Kendricks. Notably, his 2017 album “Damn” won a Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first non-classical or non-jazz album to do so.
60 JFK-to-Tokyo carrier : ANA
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is a Japanese airline, one that is now larger in size than the nation’s flag carrier Japan Airlines (JAL).
61 Added panache, as was done three times in this puzzle? : ZHUZHED IT UP
Someone exhibiting panache is showing dash and verve, and perhaps has a swagger. “Panache” is a French word used for a plume of feathers, especially one in a hat.
66 Some NIH grant recipients : MDS
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) organization is made up of 27 different institutes that coordinate their research and services. Examples of member institutes are the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Aging.
71 “Woman With a Parasol” painter Claude : MONET
“Woman With a Parasol” is a famous 1875 oil painting by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet that can be seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. The work features the artist’s wife and son, Camille and Jean Monet.
Down
1 PD advisory : APB
An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.
5 Square root of nueve : TRES
In Spanish, “tres” (three) is the square root of “nueve” (nine).
8 “Boola Boola” collegian : ELI
“Boola Boola” is a fight song of Yale University that was composed in 1900, although it is based on a song called “La Hoola Boola” that had been around in the 1800s. The melody of “Boola Boola” is used by the University of Oklahoma for its fight song, “Boomer Sooner”.
11 Orser’s rival in the “Battle of the Brians” at the 1988 Winter Olympics : BOITANO
Brian Boitano is a figure skater from Sunnyvale, California. He won the Olympic gold medal in 1988, and the World Championship title in 1986 and 1988. Boitano was one of the combatants in “the Battle of the Brians”, the name given to the rivalry between Boitano and Canadian skater Brian Orser.
12 Actress Bening : ANNETTE
The marvelous actress Annette Bening is from Topeka, Kansas. Bening has been married to actor Warren Beatty since 1992. The pair married about a year after starring together in the 1991 film “Bugsy”.
22 Mavens : SHARKS
I’ve always loved the term “maven”, which is another word for “expert”. Maven comes into English from the Yiddish “meyvn” describing someone who appreciates and is a connoisseur.
23 Title for Andy Murray : SIR
Andy Murray is a tennis player from Scotland who became British number-one in 2006, rising to world number-one in 2016. Much to the delight of the locals, Murray won the Wimbledon Championship in 2013, making him the first British male player to win in 77 years. Murray also won Olympic gold in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and again in the Rio Games in 2016. Sir Andy Murray was knighted in 2017.
25 Common name of Taxus baccata : YEW
The family of trees and shrubs known as yews propagate by producing a seed surrounded by soft, sweet and brightly colored aril. Birds eat the fruit and then disperse the seed in their droppings. The birds leave the seed undamaged, and so are unharmed by the potent poisons taxane and taxol that are found within the seed. The seeds are highly toxic to humans.
26 Green gp. : PGA
Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA)
40 Domed hall : ROTUNDA
In architecture, the word “rotunda” describes a building with a circular ground plan. Often the building has a dome, but that isn’t a strict requirement. The term can also refer to a round room within a building. The most famous example in this country is the Rotunda in the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
48 Org. with Thunder and Heat : NBA
The Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team arrived in 2008 after relocating from Seattle, where they were named the SuperSonics. The “Thunder” name was chosen as a reference to Oklahoma City’s exposure to the storms of Tornado Alley, and to the 45th Infantry Division “Thunderbirds” who were headquartered there until 1968.
The Miami Heat basketball team debuted in the NBA in the 1988-89 season. The franchise name was chosen in a competitive survey, with “Miami Heat” beating out “Miami Vice”.
56 Alt-rock band Better Than __ : EZRA
Better Than Ezra is an alternative rock band from New Orleans. The band apparently keeps the origins of its name a secret. The fans of the group call themselves “Ezralites”.
59 Scott of “Severance” : ADAM
Adam Scott is an actor from Santa Cruz, California who is perhaps best known for playing Ben Wyatt on the hit sitcom “Parks and Recreation”. More recently, Scott has been playing the lead in the sci-fi TV show “Severance”.
62 Initials in the news : UPI
Founded in 1958, United Press International (UPI) used to be one of the biggest news agencies in the world, sending out news by wire to the major newspapers. UPI ran into trouble with the change in media formats at the end of the twentieth century and lost many of its clients as the afternoon newspapers shut down due to the advent of television news. UPI, which once employed thousands, still exists today but with just a fraction of that workforce.
63 Menagerie : ZOO
A menagerie is a varied group, and particularly refers to a collection of wild or unusual animals. The term “menagerie“ comes from the French “ménagerie”, which described housing for domestic animals.
64 Retail channel : HSN
The Home Shopping Network (HSN) was the first national shopping network, and was launched locally as the Home Shopping Club in Florida in 1982. Its first product was a can opener.
/p>
Read on, or …
… return to top of page
Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Representative : AGENT
6 Comets, to some : OMENS
11 “Pow!” : BAM!
14 Like some opposites : POLAR
15 Manuscript sheet : FOLIO
16 Single : ONE
17 Farmer’s tan? : BEIGE OF PIGS (from “Bay of Pigs”)
19 Ill. neighbor : IND
20 Save for later : STASH
21 “Lonely Planet” recommendation : HOSTEL
23 Skewer : SPIT
24 Buzz : HYPE
28 “I __ to say it, but … ” : HATE
29 Org. with complex schedules : IRS
30 Battle hymn? : SIEGE SHANTY (from “sea shanty”)
33 “u crack me up” : ROTFL
35 Purple Heart recipients : WAR HEROES
36 Copa locale : RIO
38 Shaggy ox : YAK
39 One handing out cigars in a waiting room, perhaps : PROUD PAPA
45 Winner’s gesture : V-SIGN
49 Don rose-colored glasses? : ROUGE THE DAY (from “rue the day”)
51 Pinch : NAB
52 Beyoncé’s “Cadillac Records” role : ETTA
53 High-and-mighty sort : SNOB
54 Aquarium growth : ALGA
55 Piehole : GULLET
58 Rapper Kendrick who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 : LAMAR
60 JFK-to-Tokyo carrier : ANA
61 Added panache, as was done three times in this puzzle? : ZHUZHED IT UP
66 Some NIH grant recipients : MDS
67 Seized items : REPOS
68 Acrobatic : AGILE
69 Make a fast stop? : EAT
70 “Is that my cue?” : AM I ON?
71 “Woman With a Parasol” painter Claude : MONET
Down
1 PD advisory : APB
2 Joins the big leagues : GOES PRO
3 High-and-mighty sort : ELITIST
4 Worry : NAG AT
5 Square root of nueve : TRES
6 Askew : OFF
7 Disheveled do : MOP
8 “Boola Boola” collegian : ELI
9 At hand : NIGH
10 Only fair : SO-SO
11 Orser’s rival in the “Battle of the Brians” at the 1988 Winter Olympics : BOITANO
12 Actress Bening : ANNETTE
13 Collages of songs : MEDLEYS
18 “Well, hey there!” : OH, HI!
22 Mavens : SHARKS
23 Title for Andy Murray : SIR
25 Common name of Taxus baccata : YEW
26 Green gp. : PGA
27 Poetic adverb : E’ER
30 Go downhill : SLIDE
31 Not bold : SHY
32 Hard to handle : HEAVY
34 Penny-pinching : FRUGAL
37 Bow (out) : OPT
39 Warmup time : PREGAME
40 Domed hall : ROTUNDA
41 Stay longer than : OUTLAST
42 Relaxed sounds : AHS
43 Stock room? : PEN
44 Big bother : ADO
46 Like many state mottoes : IN LATIN
47 Regulation that restricts discussion : GAG RULE
48 Org. with Thunder and Heat : NBA
50 Up to the task : ABLE
54 “¡Mi hombre!” : AMIGO!
56 Alt-rock band Better Than __ : EZRA
57 Not us : THEM
59 Scott of “Severance” : ADAM
62 Initials in the news : UPI
63 Menagerie : ZOO
64 Retail channel : HSN
65 Gently stroke : PET
Leave a comment (below), or …
… return to top of page
17 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 3 Nov 23, Friday”
Comments are closed.
This puzzle brought back memories. I remember my Dad using that term, zhuzhe it up, never knew how to spell it, so when I saw it was filling in zhuz… in the cross ins, I was like, wow…haven’t heard that in so long, he’s been gone 23 years. I think I thought it was something he had made up! One of the reasons I love these puzzles, moments like this. Thanks whoever made this puzzle! 👍🙂
Thanks, Jim, for your sweet comment. I remember years ago in the early days of Food Network when Rachael Ray used that term in reference to cooking. It’s comments like yours that keep me reading here.
Oh yuk! Too clever by half…
It would help to put the “theme” in the paper!!
15:13 – no errors or lookups. False starts: NEAR>NIGH, MEDLIES>MEDLEYS, OVER___>OUTLAST, GAGORD_>GAGRULE, PAT>PET.
New or forgotten: “Lonely Planet,” “Cadillac Records,” ANA, “Taxus baccata,” Better Than EZRA, ADAM Scott.
Had to guess at the “Z” in square 61 in order to finish, but it seemed to make sense after re-reading the 3 theme answers.
Not sure that MEDLEYS is grammatically correct (“change Y to I and add ES”), but one has to make allowances in a crossword puzzle.
MANY ANSWERS ARE STUPID!!!
Well, I’ve never heard zuhzhed and spent the puzzle completely in the dark. Also never heard of maven and sharks being interchangeable.
Didn’t enjoy this one and just looked up a few to get finished.
13:26, and 4 left unfilled in the center of the grid. This entire theme is pure BULLSH*T. The sound referred to is nothing like the spelling, nor is that spelling used in the fills. It’s just preposterous.
What is our editor doing?? Why does she let this kind of garbage reach print???
Nowhere near a correct description of a farmer’s tan. Too much made up bullstuff.
I disagree especially when taken in context with of pigs. Farmer skin tan in the sun is brown or beige.
Nonsense. It might make sense to clue it as “hogs tan?” or “porcine tan”, but “farmer’s tan” is just not correct for the intended answer.
18:48 – with a few check grids and happy with it for a fairly typical Friday. Felt “meh” after I got it done, not real happy but not real annoyed either …
Ah me and my sheltered life (again) never head of ZHUZHED … when it filled in with the crosses it actually helped me with the theme (for once).
Be Well.
This one took me a while. It was great to see the Better Than EZRA clue as I had seen and met the band in a small venue many years ago. As usual, Grid Check helped me finish.
I have never commented on a puzzle here before, but had to chime in today. To say there were a few instances of “reaching for it,” would be an understatement. Challenge is one thing, but convoluting logic and common sense is another.
Quite a Friday for me; took 26:00 with 5 errors and 2 grid-checks. Had Near instead of the desired NIGH and Sam? instead of SOSO. I somehow managed to get the theme ZHUZHED without ever having heard the term, but had to carefully feel my way to get the top two theme clues.
Quite a challenge and I learned a word or two…good puzzle.
As mentioned above, the clue for 17A should have been something like “Porcine tan?” because the actual clue is clearly not a match for the answer.
Never heard the word ‘zhuzh’ before. Interesting word.
To be very charitable, the theme of the puzzle (per the puzzlemaker) is extremely strained. It would be more accurate to say that it’s just wrong. The three answers mentioned by 61A are not just ‘zhuzhed up’, their entire meaning is completely changed from their origins. I honestly don’t know how to correctly clue what was actually done to “bay of pigs”, “sea shanty” and “rue the day” to make the actual answers, but it’s clear, based on the definitions of ‘zhuzh’ and ‘panache’ that they do not apply.
Here’s a fascinating article about the origin and spelling of zhuzh:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/style/jeuje-zhoosh-zhuzh.html