LA Times Crossword 27 Jan 24, Saturday

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Constructed by: Annemarie Brethauer & Katie Hale
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 11m 50s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Start of communications with NATO : ALFA

The NATO phonetic alphabet is also called the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) phonetic alphabet. Alfa, Bravo, Charlie … X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

9 Seacrest vehicle, familiarly : IDOL

Radio and television personality Ryan Seacrest is best known as the host of the talent show “American Idol”. He also started hosting “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on ABC in 2005, and co-hosting “Live with Kelly and Ryan” in 2017. As a producer, Seacrest is the man behind the show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (so, he has a lot to answer for …).

13 Baby hippo : CALF

The name “hippopotamus” comes from the Greek for “river horse”. Hippos are the third-largest land mammals, after elephants and rhinos. The closest living relatives to hippos don’t even live on land. They are the whales and porpoises of the oceans.

14 Studio Ghibli’s animated fuzz ball : SOOT SPRITE

A soot sprite (“susuwatari” in Japanese) is a black, ball-shaped being with fuzzy hair that appears in the animated fantasy films “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away”.

17 Rhyming song that’s acted out : I’M A LITTLE TEAPOT

The children’s song “I’m a Little Teapot” was written and published in 1939, composed by a married couple who ran a dance school for children. They needed a simple tune that young ones could use to learn a simple tap routine, and came up with this:

I’m a little teapot,
Short and stout,
Here is my handle,
Here is my spout,
When I get all steamed up,
Hear me shout,
Tip me over and pour me out!

19 Fanning of “Coraline” : DAKOTA

Dakota Fanning hit the big time as a child actress at the age of seven years in the movie “I Am Sam” released in 2001. For that performance, she was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, making her the youngest nominee ever. Dakota’s sister Elle is also an actress.

20 Uber CEO Khosrowshahi : DARA

Iranian-American businessman Dara Khosrowshahi left his position as CEO of online travel agency Expedia in 2017 to take over as CEO of transportation company Uber.

24 Some shortcuts : MACROS

A macroinstruction (usually shortened to “macro”) is a set of instructions in a computer program that are abbreviated to one simple command.

32 Doner __: Turkish dish : KEBAB

The term “kebab” (also “kabob”) covers a wide variety of meat dishes that originated in Persia. In the West, we usually use “kebab” when talking about shish kebab, which is meat (often lamb) served on a skewer. “Shish” comes from the Turkish word for “skewer”.

44 Shiba __ : INU

The Shiba Inu is a Japanese breed of dog that was developed for hunting. Although the exact etymology of “Shibu” is unclear, the term translates as “brushwood”. “Inu” is Japanese for “dog”.

49 Pro who worked with Magic : KAREEM

Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s name at birth was Ferdinand Lewis “Lew” Alcindor. Alcindor changed his name when he converted to Islam.

Magic Johnson’s real name is Earvin Johnson. Johnson was born and grew up in Lansing, Michigan. Earvin earned the nickname “Magic” when playing basketball in high school, after one particularly great performance on the court.

51 “Memories of the Future” author Hustvedt : SIRI

“Memories of the Future” is a 2019 novel by Siri Hustvedt. It is about a woman who writes down in a notebook the ravings of a neighbor that she overhears, as well as some personal experiences. She discovers the notebook some 40 years later and muses about what she had written at the time, and what she remembers and what she has forgotten.

52 Cribbage piece : PEG

Cribbage is a great card game that originated in 17th-century England. It was a creation of the poet Sir John Suckling. One of the unique features of the game is that a cribbage board with pegs is used to keep score. Here in the US, cribbage is very much associated with the submarine service, as it is a favorite game of submariners of all ranks.

55 Figure in a Clement Clarke Moore poem : ST NICK

The poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” was published anonymously in 1823, and is better known today by its first line “‘Twas the night before Christmas”. Most scholars believe that the poem was written by Clement Clarke Moore, a theologian from New York City. Others say that it was written by Henry Livingston, Jr., a poet from Upstate New York.

59 First play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway : A RAISIN IN THE SUN

“A Raisin in the Sun” is a 1961 film starring Sidney Poitier that is based on a 1959 play of the same name by Lorraine Hansberry. Both film and play follow the lives of an African-American family from Chicago as they struggle with the decision about what to do with an insurance payout following the death of the family’s patriarch.

62 Many a Gillian Flynn work : CRIME NOVEL

Author and screenwriter Gilian Flynn is known for her crime-mystery novels. Her 2012 novel “Gone Girl” was adapted into the hit 2014 film of the same name, for which Flynn penned the screenplay.

63 Gladys Knight, for one : ALTO

Gladys Knight & the Pips performed together from 1953 to 1989. The Pips were founded around Gladys Knight, originally featuring her brother, sister and two cousins. The group took its name from yet another cousin, a cousin named “Pip”.

64 Sardine cans : TINS

Sardines are oily fish related to herrings. They are also known as pilchards, although in the UK “sardine” is a noun reserved for a young pilchard. Very confusing …

66 With 57-Down, rom-com trope : MEET-
[57D See 66-Across : -CUTE]

“Meet-cute” is a term used since the 1930s or 1940s for a scene in a film or TV show in which a future couple have an amusing first encounter.

Down

1 Rock type : ACID

The musical genre known as acid rock is a subset of psychedelic rock. The term comes from the influence of the drug LSD (acid) on some compositions in the early days.

2 Dharma teacher : LAMA

In the context of Buddhism, “dharma” can mean the collection of teachings and doctrines of the faith. The term is also used to describe proper and correct behavior that maintains the natural order of things.

3 Barrage of criticism : FLAK

“Flak” was originally an acronym standing for the German term for an aircraft defense cannon (FLiegerAbwehrKanone). “Flak” then became used in English as a general term for antiaircraft fire and ultimately a term for verbal criticism, as in “to take flak”.

5 “Easter Parade” star : ASTAIRE

Dancer, actor and singer Fred Astaire never won a competitive Academy Award, and received just one nomination: for Best Supporting Actor in 1974’s “The Towering Inferno”. However, was presented with an honorary Academy Award in the 1949 season “for his unique artistry and his contributions to the technique of musical pictures”. That honorary Oscar was presented by his longtime film and dance partner Ginger Rogers.

“Easter Parade” is an Irving Berlin song that was first published in 1993. The 1948 musical film of the same name was constructed around the song, and starred Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.

6 Spam maker : BOT

Spambots are nasty little computer programs that send out spam emails and messages, often from fake accounts. This blog gets about 300 spam comments a day that I have to delete, almost all of which are written by spambots.

9 A Gershwin : IRA

Ira Gershwin was the lyricist who worked with his brother George to create such American classics as the songs “I Got Rhythm” and “Someone to Watch Over Me”, as well as the opera “Porgy and Bess”. After George Gershwin died, Ira continued to create great music, and worked with the likes of Jerome Kern and Kurt Weill.

11 Chiwere speakers : OTOES

Chiwere is a Siouan language spoken by the Otoe people, as well as by the Missouria and Iowa.

15 Classic Fender, for short : STRAT

The Stratocaster (often “Strat”) is an electric guitar that has been made by Fender since 1954. The company that made Fender electric guitars was founded in Fullerton, California in 1946 by Leo Fender.

23 Home of the Museum of the Future : DUBAI

The Museum of the Future is a remarkable facility in Dubai, one with a very futuristic (!) torus-shaped structure. The windows are arranged in such a way that, from the outside, they spell out three quotes about the future of the emirate. In English, one of the quotes is (translated into English):

We won’t live for hundreds of years, but the products of our creativity can leave a legacy long after we are gone.

26 Quick dip? : GUAC

Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes. It is prepared by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

27 Princess Fiona, after sunset : OGRE

Princess Fiona is the title character’s love interest in the “Shrek” series of films. She is voiced by Cameron Diaz.

29 Mother-of-pearl : NACRE

Nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, is the strong iridescent material laid down by some mollusks on the inside of their shells, and it’s also what makes up pearls. The creature lays down nacre as a defensive mechanism, protecting the soft tissue of its body from the rough surface of the outer shell. Similarly, it uses nacre to encapsulate harmful debris or a parasite that penetrates the shell, and that’s how a pearl is formed. Cultured pearls are made by inserting a tissue graft from a donor oyster, around which the nacre is laid down.

33 Part of a full English breakfast : BEANS

A “full Irish” (also “full English”) breakfast is a ubiquitous morning offering in hotels and restaurants on the other side of the Arlantic. It usually consists of bacon, sausages, eggs, black (blood) pudding, white pudding (blood pudding without the blood), baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, fried bread along with coffee or tea. To be honest, I avoid a full Irish while in the country, opting to dig into one at Dublin Airport before flying back to the US (accompanied by a pre-flight pint of Guinness!) …

43 Symbol of Scotland : THISTLE

The thistle may be considered a weed, but Scots are very proud to have it as the national flower of Scotland.

49 Gymnast Strug : KERRI

Kerri Strug is that plucky little gymnast who made an outstanding final vault in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics despite having an injured ankle. I think we all remember her being carried off after her vault in the arms of the US team coach Bela Karolyi.

54 Late show broadcaster? : TIVO

TiVo is a digital video recorder (DVR) that revolutionized the way we watch television. The first TiVo devices were installed in homes in 1999, when they were the first consumer DVRs to hit the market. TiVo was originally marketed as a way to “pause live TV.” It quickly became known for its ability to record TV shows and movies, allowing viewers to watch them at their convenience.

56 “__ of Dogs”: Wes Anderson film : ISLE

“Isle of Dogs” is a 2018 animated and stop-action film by Wes Anderson. The movie has a science-fiction storyline, and is set in near-future Japan. All dogs are banished to Trash Island after an outbreak of dog flu threatens to cross into the human population. The voice cast of “Isle of Dogs” is very impressive, and includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, Yoko Ono and many other A-list names.

61 Composer Rorem : NED

American composer Ned Rorem is famous for his musical compositions, but also for his book “Paris Diary of Ned Rorem” that was published in 1966. Rorem talks openly about his sexuality in the book, and also about the sexual orientation of others including Noël Coward, Leonard Bernstein and Samuel Barber, much to some people’s chagrin.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Start of communications with NATO : ALFA
5 Building blocks : ABCS
9 Seacrest vehicle, familiarly : IDOL
13 Baby hippo : CALF
14 Studio Ghibli’s animated fuzz ball : SOOT SPRITE
17 Rhyming song that’s acted out : I’M A LITTLE TEAPOT
19 Fanning of “Coraline” : DAKOTA
20 Uber CEO Khosrowshahi : DARA
21 Article in a French periodical : LES
22 In : AMID
24 Some shortcuts : MACROS
26 “I’m late!” : GOTTA RUN!
30 Overflow (with) : TEEM
31 “Ew, no” : UGH
32 Doner __: Turkish dish : KEBAB
34 Gems formed by silica deposits : OPALS
37 Get up : ARISE
39 Valuable diamond, say : ACE
40 “Ask anyone else” : NOT IT
41 Change : CENTS
42 Fuming : IRATE
44 Shiba __ : INU
45 Meet face-to-face? : KISS
47 Magnified : ENHANCED
49 Pro who worked with Magic : KAREEM
51 “Memories of the Future” author Hustvedt : SIRI
52 Cribbage piece : PEG
53 Just so : NEAT
55 Figure in a Clement Clarke Moore poem : ST NICK
59 First play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway : A RAISIN IN THE SUN
62 Many a Gillian Flynn work : CRIME NOVEL
63 Gladys Knight, for one : ALTO
64 Sardine cans : TINS
65 Used cars? : RODE
66 With 57-Down, rom-com trope : MEET-

Down

1 Rock type : ACID
2 Dharma teacher : LAMA
3 Barrage of criticism : FLAK
4 Solvent : AFLOAT
5 “Easter Parade” star : ASTAIRE
6 Spam maker : BOT
7 Dispassionate : COLD
8 Video game distribution platform : STEAM
9 A Gershwin : IRA
10 Strategically polite : DIPLOMATIC
11 Chiwere speakers : OTOES
12 “I’m down” : LET’S
15 Classic Fender, for short : STRAT
16 Message on some holiday cards : PEACE ON EARTH
18 “That tracks” : IT MAKES SENSE
23 Home of the Museum of the Future : DUBAI
25 Default action, informally : REPO
26 Quick dip? : GUAC
27 Princess Fiona, after sunset : OGRE
28 “Nope” : THINK AGAIN
29 Mother-of-pearl : NACRE
33 Part of a full English breakfast : BEANS
35 Stick figure’s torso : LINE
36 First earring, maybe : STUD
38 Mix : STIR
43 Symbol of Scotland : THISTLE
46 Receive : SEE IN
48 Starting hr. for some : NINE AM
49 Gymnast Strug : KERRI
50 Estate : MANOR
52 Accord : PACT
54 Late show broadcaster? : TIVO
56 “__ of Dogs”: Wes Anderson film : ISLE
57 See 66-Across : -CUTE
58 Bedhead problem : KNOT
60 Cyberchats : IMS
61 Composer Rorem : NED

11 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 27 Jan 24, Saturday”

  1. No errors after a 40 minute run!!

    @glenn and @davek – thanks for the insight. Look like I’ll pass also. I’m good with the 4-5 I do daily. @dave, – who gets to inherit your treasure trove of crosswords!!!

    For today, what a sea of misdirects! the authors and other tricks were no help. Although I have very little blue ink smears.!

    Funny that KEBAB was actually a familiar and so was SIRI. I wonder if Annemarie and Katie meant to do that.

    I was taken back when DUBAI appeared but then I remembered it from another crossword. Amazing.

    2 groaners – TIVO and ALTO.

    I wanted so bad to make MIDNGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA to fit in 63A but it didn’t fit. Then I went with APIP. But ALTO finally fell.

    My best Poitier movie is LILLIES OF THE FIELD. I saw that when I was young and it has stuck with me.

    How many started 17A with IM A LITTLE TEA CUP? okay, only me. POT eventually made it in.

  2. Typically tough Saturday puzzle. Almost completed it, but three or four misses in the upper middle did me in. I had “soap sprite” instead of “soot sprite,” causing most of my errors.

  3. NE corner made this a DNF for me. Once I’d inked in “une” for 21 Across “Article in a French periodical” I never could straighten out the answers. D’oh! But hey, everything else was filled in correctly! Kind of like the old joke, “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?”

  4. The only way I could have beat Bills time today was if I used “auto fill”…fun puzzle not super hard for a Sat.

  5. Also had teacup instead of pot.
    Bill has Easter Parade published in 1993 and the movie in 1948. Doesn’t sound correct.

  6. A couple of errors, I too had soap sprite.
    Never heard of “soot sprite”. In fact there
    were too many PPP’s for my liking. One gets
    the feeling a crayon was used in the
    construction of this puzzle. Or perhaps it
    was resurrected from a discard pile
    considering it had 2 Holiday Season clues.
    😂

  7. 22:41, no errors. I’d never heard of “SOOT SPRITE”, but the reality turned out to match my imagination. I was also unfamiliar with “DARA” Khosrowshahi and, just to complicate things, my daughter’s middle name (which I found in a list of girl’s names in 1972, when she made her appearance on the planet) is … (drum roll) … Dara!

    @Anon Mike … The question is not so much “who gets to inherit” as “who is responsible for disposing of” … 😜.

  8. Should’ve known the second I saw this had two constructors that it would be an unsolveable mess. Every clue and reference was completely obscure, and it’s just “teeming” with NAMES.

    The good news is that it only took 8 1/2 minutes of trying to work with it before I realized that it wasn’t *meant* to be solved, but to puff up two people’s “cleverer than thou” egos.

    Both of them go on my IGNORE list.

  9. 19 something minutes but with errors in the North, all related to me having CALM instead of COLD for 7D. Other than that, I felt good about this Saturday puzzle in that I was quick to see most of the long fills such as …TEAPOT, ARAISIN… & PEACE…

  10. 22:21 – one lookup for Studio Ghibli’s fuzz ball. Did not know DARA, could not see past CALM for 7D, and SOAPSPRITE wouldn’t let 8D work out well. With the intersections of 14A, 8D, and 20A, and CALM not budging, the lookup was needed.

    False starts: CALM>COLD, ICE>ACE, IQUIT>NOTIT, DMS>IMS, HAIR>KNOT.

    New or forgotten: SOOTSPRITE, “Coraline,” DARA KHosrowshahi, Doner KEBAB, Shiba INU, SIRI Hustvedt, “Gillian Flynn,” STEAM video game platform.

    A few clues with multiple meanings: diamond, change, rock, default, receive.

    Seems like the clue for 55A should’ve indicated an abbreviation or shortened form.

  11. A bit too tough for me today, but I made some progress; took 43:24 with about 10-12 errors and some 6-7 check-grids. Got almost all of the top 2/3rds except A?TA?RE and ?OaTSPRITE and CaLm and mARA. Had a little more trouble in the bottom 1/3rd, needing a few prompts, but then finished relatively okay. I was thinking float for Easter parade, when I should’ve noted the quote marks, indicating a title…

    Doner KEBABs are really big in Germany, so that was a gimme. I should’ve gotten DARA, since I immediately recognized it once I got the right crosses. Fascinating to see some pics and video of Museum of the Future. SOOT SPRITE is a new one for me.

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