LA Times Crossword 28 Feb 24, Wednesday

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Constructed by: Natalie Murphy
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Backward Day

Themed answers each contain the word “DAY” hidden within, but written BACKWARDS:

  • 50A Time to do things out of order, or what appears in 21-, 26-, and 43-Across : BACKWARD DAY
  • 21A Beach community in L.A.’s South Bay : PLAYA DEL REY
  • 26A Customer who buys a gadget as soon as it’s available : EARLY ADOPTER
  • 43A Guidance at just the right moment : TIMELY ADVICE

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

Bill’s time: 6m 36s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Like purchases made while playing freemium games : IN-APP

The “freemium” pricing strategy is common for applications available online. In such cases, a basic product is provided free of charge, and a premium is charged for proprietary features.

14 Storm-tracking device : RADAR

Scientists have been using radio waves to detect the presence of objects since the late 1800s, but it was the demands of WWII that accelerated the practical application of the technology. The British called their system RDF standing for Range and Direction Finding. The system used by the US Navy was called “Radio Detection And Ranging”, which was shortened to the acronym “RADAR”.

15 Cincinnati’s state : OHIO

Cincinnati, Ohio was the first major city to be founded after the American Revolution, and indeed was the first major inland city to be founded in the whole country. Cincinnati was a boomtown in the 1800s, but its growth slowed as the railroads displaced the steamboats as the major form of transportation. The city was founded in 1788, and was named “Cincinnati” two years later. It was named for the Society of Cincinnati, an organization with a mission to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the officers of the Revolutionary War. The society was in turn named for Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. Cincinnatus was a farmer in ancient Rome who left his land to serve as Consul and then lawful dictator of Rome during a war emergency, before happily handing back power to the Senate after the war was won.

17 “Skyfall” singer : ADELE

I have not been a fan of Daniel Craig as James Bond (preferring Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan in the role). However, I saw “Skyfall” when it first came out and have been won over. “Skyfall” is one of the best Bond films so far, in my humble opinion. And, Adele’s rendition of the title song is an added plus …

18 __ bene : NOTA

“Nota bene” is Latin for “note well”, and is abbreviated to “NB”.

19 “Space Jam” bunny voiced by Kath Soucie : LOLA

Kath Soucie is perhaps best known as a voice actor. One of her more notable roles is Lola Bunny, girlfriend to Bugs Bunny. Soucie first voiced Lola in the 1996 film “Space Jam”.

“Space Jam” is a 1996 movie that is a fictional account of the retirement of Michael Jordan from the NBA. Jordan himself stars in the film, along with a whole host of “Looney Tunes” cartoon characters.

20 Oldest Bobbsey daughter : NAN

The “Bobbsey Twins” series of children’s novels was first written by Edward Stratemeyer in 1904. Stratemeyer used the pseudonym Laura Lee Hope, as did subsequent authors who wrote 72 books in the series between 1904 and 1979. The title characters are two sets of fraternal twins, one named Bert and Nan (who are 12) and the other named Flossie and Freddie (who are 6).

21 Beach community in L.A.’s South Bay : PLAYA DEL REY

Playa del Rey is a beachside neighborhood and district of the City of Los Angeles. “Playa del Rey” translates from Spanish as “King’s Beach”.

24 Scottish Highlander : GAEL

A Gael is anyone of a race that speaks or spoke one of the Erse tongues. There are actually three Erse languages. Irish, Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man) and Scots Gaelic. In their own tongues, these would be “Gaeilge” (in Ireland), “Gaelg” (on the Isle of Man) and “Gaidhlig” (in Scotland).

37 “The Cider House Rules” Oscar winner Michael : CAINE

There have been only two actors who have been nominated for an Academy Award in every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s. One is Jack Nicholson, and the other is Michael Caine. Caine is now known as Sir Michael Caine, as he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the year 2000.

“The Cider House Rules” is a 1999 big-screen adaptation of a 1985 novel of the same name by John Irving. Irving wrote the screenplay himself, earning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Michael Caine.

41 Cast a ballot : VOTE

Today, a ballot is a piece of paper or equivalent used to cast a vote. Back in the 1500s, a “ballot” was a small “ball” used in the process of voting.

50 Time to do things out of order, or what appears in 21-, 26-, and 43-Across : BACKWARD DAY

National Backwards Day is observed by many on the 31st January each year. Participants are invited to eschew their daily routines and do things in reverse or unconventional ways. One option is to wear one’s clothes backwards, and another is to eat one’s meals in reverse order.

58 Like some breakfast tea : IRISH

English breakfast tea is a blend of black teas dominated by teas from Assam, Ceylon and Kenya. The blends are created to go well with milk and perhaps sugar, as indeed one might drink tea with an English breakfast. Irish breakfast tea is mainly a blend of teas from Assam. It is also created to go well with milk, especially after a few pints of Guinness. Okay, I made up that last bit …

60 “__ a Lady”: Tom Jones classic : SHE’S

“She’s a Lady” is a 1971 song composed by Paul Anka and released by Tom Jones that same year. It was destined to become the highest-charting single for Jones in the US.

61 Brunch, e.g. : MEAL

Tom Jones … someone with a real voice and a great showman. I saw him in Las Vegas many, many moons ago, and it was one of the best Vegas shows I’ve ever attended. Although “Tom Jones” is a carefully selected stage name, he was born “Thomas Woodward”, the name isn’t too far from reality as Jones is his mother’s maiden name. The stage name was chosen by his manager to capitalize on the appeal of “Tom Jones”, a filmed version of the Henry Fielding novel that was having a successful run at the time. The name also emphasized Tom’s Welsh roots, as Jones is a very common name in Wales.

64 Quiche base : EGGS

The classic dish called quiche is made with eggs (“oeufs” in French). Even though the quiche is inextricably linked to French cuisine, the name “quiche” comes from “Kuchen”, the German word for “cake”. The variant called “quiche lorraine” includes bits of smoked bacon as an ingredient.

65 V-formation flyers : GEESE

Apparently, birds that fly in a V-formation do so for a couple of reasons. One is that it makes for efficient flight and conserves energy. The leading bird gets no advantage, but every following bird gets to “slipstream” a little. It has been noted that the lead bird drops to the back of the formation when he/she gets fatigued. It’s also thought that the flock can stick together more easily when in formation, so it is more difficult to lose someone along the way.

Down

3 Yemen’s Gulf of __ : ADEN

The Gulf of Aden is the body of water that lies south of the Red Sea, and just north of the Horn of Africa.

6 2018 NL Rookie of the Year Acuña Jr. : RONALD

Ronald Acuña Jr. is a Major League Baseball player from Venezuela. He played his first league game in 2018, with the Atlanta Braves. That season, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year. In 2023, he was named the National League MVP.

9 Marioverse racer with pink braids : TOADETTE

Mario Bros. started out as an arcade game back in 1983, developed by Nintendo. The more famous of the two brothers, Mario, had already appeared in an earlier arcade game “Donkey Kong”. Mario was given a brother called Luigi, and the pair have been around ever since. In the game, Mario and Luigi are Italian American plumbers from New York City.

11 __ squash : ACORN

Acorn squash is a winter squash with a shape resembling a large acorn, hence the name.

13 Cafeteria stack : TRAYS

“Cafeteria” is a Mexican-Spanish word meaning “coffee store” that we imported into American English around 1840. Somehow, that coffee store became a self-service dining establishment in the 1890s.

27 Verdi opera set in Egypt : AIDA

“Aida” is a celebrated opera by Giuseppe Verdi that is based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. Mariette also designed the costumes and stages for the opening performance. The opera was first staged in 1871 in an opera house in Cairo. In the storyline, Aida is an Ethiopian princess brought into Egypt as a slave. Radamès is an Egyptian commander who falls in love with her, and then complications arise!

28 “Tell me if you’re coming” letters : RSVP

“RSVP” stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît”, which is French for “answer, please”.

29 Protruding window : ORIEL

An oriel window is a bay window that projects from a wall, but does not reach all the way to the ground.

33 “Pic-a-nic” basket-stealing bear : YOGI

Yogi Bear made his debut for Hanna-Barbera in 1958, on “The Huckleberry Hound Show” before he was given his own series. Do you remember that collar that Yogi wore around his neck? That was a little trick from the animators. By using the collar, for many frames all they had to do was redraw everything from the collar up, saving them lots and lots of time. Yogi and Boo-Boo lived in Jellystone Park, and made Ranger Smith’s life a misery.

34 Smart __: wiseacre : ALEC

Apparently, the original “smart Alec” (sometimes “Aleck”) was one Alec Hoag, a pimp, thief and confidence trickster who plied his trade in New York City in the 1840s.

The word “wiseacre” dates back to the late 1500s, when it was a botched translation of the Middle Dutch word “wijsegger” meaning “soothsayer”. Originally, there was no derogatory connotation to the word, but over time a wiseacre had become a know-it-all.

39 Dallas NBA team, for short : MAVS

The Mavericks (also “Mavs”) are an NBA franchise in Dallas, Texas. The team was founded in 1980, and the Mavericks name was chosen by fan votes. The choice of “Mavericks” was prompted by the fact that the actor James Garner was a part-owner of the team, and Garner of course played the title role in the “Maverick” television series.

45 Poet laureate Limón : ADA

Ada Limón was named US Poet Laureate in 2022. Here is her poem “Field Bling”, which comes from her 2015 collection “Bright Dead Things”:

Nights when it’s warm
and no one is watching,
I walk to the edge
of the road and stare
at all the fireflies.
I squint and pretend
they’re hallucinations,
bright made-up waves
of the brain.
I call them,
field bling.
I call them,
fancy creepies.
It’s been a long time
since I’ve wanted to die,
it makes me feel
like taking off
my skin suit
and seeing how
my light flies all
on its own, neon
and bouncy like a
wannabe star.

47 Branch of yoga : HATHA

Hatha yoga is a yoga system developed in 15th century India. Traditional Hatha yoga is a more “complete” practice than often encountered in the west, involving not just exercise but also meditation and relaxation. “Hatha” is a Sanskrit word meaning “force”.

51 “Walkabout” director Nicolas : ROEG

Nicolas Roeg is a film director from England with quite the pedigree when it comes to association with great movies. He contributed to 1962’s “Lawrence of Arabia”, and he himself directed noted films like “Walkabout” (1972), “Don’t Look Now” (1973) and “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (1976).

“Walkabout” is an interesting 1971 film set in Australia that stars English actress Jenny Agutter.The movie is about a teenage girl and her young brother who are stranded in the Australian outback. They are rescued by an Aboriginal youth who then wanders with them through the desert landscape. The young brother is played by Luc Roeg, the son of Nicolas Roeg who directed the film.

52 “RuPaul’s __ Race” : DRAG

RuPaul is a famous drag queen who has developed a diverse career beyond performing on stage. He works as an actor, model, author and a recording artist. Famously, RuPaul doesn’t mind whether one addresses him as “he” or as “she” …

You can call me he. You can call me she. You can call me Regis and Kathie Lee; I don’t care! Just as long as you call me.

He currently hosts his own reality TV show called “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, which is billed as a search for “America’s next drag superstar”.

55 Clarified butter : GHEE

Ghee is clarified butter used in South Asian cuisines. “Ghee” comes from Sanskrit, and translates as “sprinkled”.

59 Maki sushi topper : ROE

When I’m thinking of sushi, I’m really picturing “makizushi” (also “maki”), which is fish, vegetables and sushi rice combined in layers and rolled up in seaweed. “Makizushi” translates from Japanese as “rolled sushi”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Like purchases made while playing freemium games : IN-APP
6 Hanging on every word, say : RAPT
10 Golf course transport : CART
14 Storm-tracking device : RADAR
15 Cincinnati’s state : OHIO
16 Taiwan-based laptop giant : ACER
17 “Skyfall” singer : ADELE
18 __ bene : NOTA
19 “Space Jam” bunny voiced by Kath Soucie : LOLA
20 Oldest Bobbsey daughter : NAN
21 Beach community in L.A.’s South Bay : PLAYA DEL REY
24 Scottish Highlander : GAEL
25 Calendar entries : EVENTS
26 Customer who buys a gadget as soon as it’s available : EARLY ADOPTER
31 Woodshop grippers : VISES
32 “Aw, darn!” : RATS!
33 Sweet potato : YAM
36 “__ done the same thing!” : I’D’VE
37 “The Cider House Rules” Oscar winner Michael : CAINE
39 Beauty mark : MOLE
40 Napkin holder : LAP
41 Cast a ballot : VOTE
42 All fired up : EAGER
43 Guidance at just the right moment : TIMELY ADVICE
46 “Ooh, makes sense” : AH,I SEE
49 __ and ends : ODDS
50 Time to do things out of order, or what appears in 21-, 26-, and 43-Across : BACKWARD DAY
53 Enormous : BIG
56 Working hard : AT IT
57 Verbally attacked, with “into” : TORE …
58 Like some breakfast tea : IRISH
60 “__ a Lady”: Tom Jones classic : SHE’S
61 Brunch, e.g. : MEAL
62 Terse denial : NOT ME
63 Quaint “Listen!” : HARK!
64 Quiche base : EGGS
65 V-formation flyers : GEESE

Down

1 Persia, today : IRAN
2 Spanish “nothing” : NADA
3 Yemen’s Gulf of __ : ADEN
4 Buddy : PAL
5 Takes care of charges in advance : PREPAYS
6 2018 NL Rookie of the Year Acuña Jr. : RONALD
7 “Howdy, Cap’n!” : AHOY!
8 Bread with a pocket : PITA
9 Marioverse racer with pink braids : TOADETTE
10 Telemarketer : CALLER
11 __ squash : ACORN
12 Rented again : RELET
13 Cafeteria stack : TRAYS
22 Grassy meadow : LEA
23 Nights before : EVES
24 Delight : GLEE
26 Wicked : EVIL
27 Verdi opera set in Egypt : AIDA
28 “Tell me if you’re coming” letters : RSVP
29 Protruding window : ORIEL
30 Skillet : PAN
33 “Pic-a-nic” basket-stealing bear : YOGI
34 Smart __: wiseacre : ALEC
35 Little more than : MERE
37 “Bring it on!” : COME AT ME!
38 Consumed : ATE
39 Dallas NBA team, for short : MAVS
41 Perspective : VIEW
42 Going around in circles? : EDDYING
43 “Naughty!” : TSK TSK!
44 Alpine songs : YODELS
45 Poet laureate Limón : ADA
46 Embarrass : ABASH
47 Branch of yoga : HATHA
48 Less welcoming : ICIER
51 “Walkabout” director Nicolas : ROEG
52 “RuPaul’s __ Race” : DRAG
53 Tasting menu portion : BITE
54 Schools of belief : ISMS
55 Clarified butter : GHEE
59 Maki sushi topper : ROE

9 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 28 Feb 24, Wednesday”

  1. No errors. Got the theme early enough it helped with other words.

    Several “I’m sure about this word but I fits” scenarios.

    I’m going to guess it’s probably the crossword builders technique.

  2. Also,… ACORN squash? I had this image of somebody breaking open all these little acorns … until I read Bill’s explanation.

  3. I actually got the theme and it was useful!!! Yea me😉…although I had EarlyadApter vs EARLY ADOPTER, which of course made Ariel/ORIEL wrong.
    I think 36A IDVE is a stretch as a real word

  4. 10:21 – no errors, lookups, or false starts.

    New or forgotten: “Kathy Soucie,” RONALD Acuna, Jr, TOADETTE, ADA Limon, Nicolas ROEG, GHEE.

    Interesting theme it was. Help with solving it was not. Those were not backward, but perhaps close enough?

    Overall, a nice midweek “jaunt.”

  5. Yams and sweet potatoes are not the same vegetable. They’re from different plant families and are only distantly related. (Yes, I know Bruce’s calls their sweet potatoes yams!)

  6. 10:32, no errors. Had a false start in the SW when I thought the quaint expression was EARS but eventually figured it out with the aid of the reliable TSKTSK.

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