LA Times Crossword 20 Apr 24, Saturday

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Constructed by: Rich Feely
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 10m 08s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

4 Key letter : PHI

Phi Beta Kappa was the first collegiate Greek fraternity in the US, founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary. The organization served as a model for future collegiate fraternities and sororities, although in the 19th century Phi Beta Kappa distanced itself from the fraternal focus and transformed into the honor society that it is today, recognizing academic excellence. The initials Phi Beta Kappa stand for “philosophia biou kybernētēs”, which translates into “philosophy is the guide of life”. The symbol of the Phi Beta Kappa Society is a golden key.

7 Language spoken in the Gaeltacht : IRISH

Gaeltacht areas in Ireland are those in which Irish, rather than English, is the predominant language spoken in the home. The vast majority of Gaeltacht districts are in the far west of the country. Such areas were defined officially in the 1920s as part of the Irish government’s efforts to restore the Irish language. If you get to visit Ireland, you’ll know when you’re in a Gaeltacht as the road signs are almost exclusively written in Irish.

16 Best Original Song Oscar nominee with the lyric “Anywhere else, I’d be a ten” : I’M JUST KEN

“I’m Just Ken” is a song from the soundtrack of the hit 2023 movie “Barbie”. It is sung by actor Ryan Gosling, who played Ken in the film. Also playing on the track are guitarists Slash (from Guns N’ Roses) and Wolfgang Van Halen, as well as drummer Josh Feese from Foo Fighters.

18 Commandment word : SHALT

In the Christian and Jewish traditions, the Ten Commandments are a set of principles relating to worship and ethics that the faithful should observe. Also known as the Decalogue, the Book of Exodus describes the revelation of the principles by God to Moses on Mount Sanai. Also according to Exodus, the Ten Commandments were inscribed by the finger of God onto a pair of stone tablets that were kept in a chest known as the Ark of the Covenant.

21 “Welp,” quaintly : ALAS

“Welp” is a slang term used at the beginning of a sentence to indicate disappointment. “Welp” is used in the same way that we use the interjection “well”.

Well, that worked out.

Welp, that didn’t work out.

23 Kir liqueur : CASSIS

Kir is a French cocktail made by adding a teaspoon or so of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) to a glass, and then topping it off with white wine. The drink is named after Felix Kir, the Mayor of Dijon in Burgundy, who used to offer the drink to his guests. My wife is particularly fond of a variant called a kir royale, in which the white wine is replaced with champagne.

29 Polar formations : FLOES

An ice floe is a sheet of ice that has separated from an ice field and is floating freely on the surface of the ocean.

31 Chloé Zhao’s alma mater: Abbr. : NYU

Chloé Zhao is a Chinese filmmaker who gained international recognition with the film “Nomadland” (2020), which she wrote, directed, edited, and produced. In addition to her work in film, Zhao is also a trained classical pianist and has played in orchestras in both China and the United States.

32 Frames : RIMS

Those would be the frames/rims of spectacles.

33 Hermosillo houses : CASAS

Hermosillo is a city in the northwest of Mexico that is the capital of the state of Sonora. The city was founded by the Spanish in 1700s as a collection of three mission villages, called Our Lady of the Populace, Our Lady of Angels and the Holy Trinity of Pitic. The growing settlement eventually took on the name “Villa del Pitic”, which was changed to “City of Hermasillo” in 1828 in honor of General José María González de Hermosillo.

35 Urgent call, briefly : APB

An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

37 Chocolate source : CACAO

The flowers of the cacao tree grow in clusters, directly on the trunk and on older branches. The pollinated flowers turn into ovoid cacao pods, each of which contain 20-60 seeds or beans. The seeds are used as the main ingredient in chocolate.

42 Many a rescue dog : MUTT

The original use of the term “mutt” was for a foolish person, and was probably short for “muttonhead”. The usage evolved into today’s “mongrel dog”.

43 Designer Cassini : OLEG

French-born American fashion designer Oleg Cassini developed a reputation for designing costumes for films, and dressing numerous film stars. He had two big names particularly associated with his designs. In the sixties he produced the state wardrobe for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. He was also the exclusive designer for Hollywood’s Gene Tierney, who was Cassini’s second wife.

44 Photovoltaic devices : SOLAR CELLS

Solar panels are arrays of solar cells that make use of what’s known as the photovoltaic effect. We are more likely to have learned about the photoelectric effect in school, in which electrons were ejected from the surface of some materials when it was exposed to light or other forms of radiation. The photovoltaic effect is related but different. Instead of being electrons ejected from the surface, in the photovoltaic effect electrons move around in the material creating a difference in voltage.

49 Deli roll : BIALY

“Bialy” is a Yiddish name for a small onion roll that takes its name from Bialystok, a city in Poland.

51 Dawn of the moon exploration program? : EARTHRISE

“Earthrise” is the appearance of the Earth above the horizon when viewed from, say, the moon. There is a famous photograph with the title “Earthrise” that was taken from lunar orbit by astronaut William Anders during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968. The picture shows the Earth rising above the surface of the moon, and is a beautiful image.

53 Epic : COLOSSAL

A colossus (plural “colossi”) is an exceptionally large statue, the most famous of which was the Colossus of Rhodes. This was a statue of the god Helios that stood over 100 feet tall, on the Greek island of Rhodes. New York’s Statue of Liberty was designed to have similar dimensions. The Emma Lazarus poem that is inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty is in fact titled “The New Colossus”. We get our adjective “colossal”, meaning “of exceptional size”, from “colossus”.

56 Southern capital: Abbr. : ATL

The city of Atlanta, Georgia (A-Town) had its beginnings in the late 1830s when the location was chosen as the terminus for a new railroad to be built connecting Georgia with the Midwestern United States. The city’s name was chosen by the Chief Engineer of the Georgia Railroad, apparently after the middle name of the daughter of Governor Wilson Lumpkin: “Atalanta”.

Down

1 Former HBO persona : ALI G

“Da Ali G Show” is a satirical TV series featuring English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. I wouldn’t be a big fan …

2 “__ arigato” : DOMO

“Domo arigato” is Japanese for “thank you very much”.

3 “Cobra Kai” setting : DOJO

“Cobra Kai” is a TV show that premiered in 2018 as a sequel to “The Karate Kid” series of films, the first of which was released in 1984. Actor Ralph Macchio reprises his role from the movies, playing protagonist Daniel LaRusso. William Zabka also reprises his role from the big screen, playing Johnny Lawrence, LaRusso’s rival in karate competitions. The title of the show “Cobra Kai” is the name of the karate dojo in which Johnny Lawrence trained as a youth, and which he decides to reopen 34 years later.

6 Tattoo culture magazine : INKED

“Inked” is an online magazine that caters to those interested in the tattoo lifestyle. It debuted in 2004 as a print magazine (appropriately enough) on newsstands.

8 Discuss ad nauseam : REHASH

To do something “ad nauseam” is to do so to a ridiculous degree, to the point of nausea. “Ad nauseam” is the Latin for “to sickness”.

9 Treat in a little white cup : ITALIAN ICE

A sno-cone (also “snow cone”) is just a paper cone filled with crushed ice and topped with flavored water. Italian ice is similar, but different. Whereas the flavoring is added on top of the ice to make a sno-cone, Italian ice is made with water that is flavored before it is frozen.

11 Red __ : HOTS

Red Hots are cinnamon-flavored candy pieces. I recently found out that Red Hots are sometimes used in apple sauce …

13 Treats in tall tulip glasses : SUNDAES

A tulip glass is bulbous like a brandy snifter, but with a top that flares out. That flared rim helps retain a head on beer, which is the beverage served most often in tulip glasses.

14 “Snowfall” org. : DEA

“Snowfall” is a crime drama show that premiered in 2017 on FX. It is set in Los Angeles in the 1980s and deals with the ballooning use of crack cocaine at that time.

17 Patron saint of children : NICOLAS

Saint Nicholas of Myra is the inspiration for Santa Claus. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra (now in modern-day Turkey) during the 4th century AD, and was known for being generous to the poor. Centuries after he died, his remains were desecrated by Italian sailors and moved to Bari in Italy. One legend has it that the relics were moved again centuries later and reburied in the grounds of Jerpoint Abbey in Co. Kilkenny in Ireland, where you can visit the grave today. I choose to believe that Santa Claus’s relics are indeed buried in Ireland …

20 Bloviates : RANTS

“To bloviate” is such a descriptive verb, one meaning “to discourse pompously”. “Bloviate” is mock-Latin and derived from “blow”.

24 NY and LA : STS

What we know today as New York State has its origins in the province of New Netherland that was established in North America’s Dutch Republic in 1614. During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the British laid claim to New Amsterdam. King Charles II awarded it to his brother James, Duke of York, who renamed the disputed territory the Province of New York. Following the Third Anglo-Dutch war, the Dutch finally surrendered New Netherland as part of 1674’s Treaty of Westminster that ended the conflict. After the Duke of York ascended to the British throne, as James II, land within the province was reassigned, reducing the Province of New York roughly to present-day New York State and Vermont. The State of New York was established in 1776, at the start of the Revolutionary War. The Vermont Republic gained its independence from New York the following year, in 1777.

The French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the Mississippi River basin for France in 1682. He named the region “La Louisiane” in honor of Louis XIV, who was King of France at that time. It is from “La Louisiane” that we get the state name “Louisiana”.

25 Toy for bodysurfing on land : SLIP ‘N SLIDE

The Slip ‘N Slide children’s toy was introduced to the market in 1961 by Wham-O. It is basically a length of plastic sheeting with a wet surface on which children can “slip” and “slide”. It is recommended for use by children only, as the weight of adults can result in serious neck and back injuries.

28 Capital of 20 countries : EURO

The euro is the official currency of most of the states in the European Union, but not all. The list of EU states not using the euro includes Denmark and Sweden.

29 German woman : FRAU

In German, a “Herr” (Mr.) is married to a “Frau” (Mrs.), and they live together in a “Haus” (house).

30 Alias in court : JANE DOE

Though the English court system does not use the term today, “John Doe” first appeared as the “name of a person unknown” in England in 1659, along with the similar “Richard Roe”. An unknown female is referred to as “Jane Doe ”, and the equivalent to Richard Roe is Jane Roe (as in Roe v. Wade, for example). Variants of “John Doe” used outside of the courts are “Joe Blow” and “John Q. Public”.

33 Carolina team, informally : CANES

The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The team was founded as the New England Whalers, when they were located in Boston, and then Hartford, Connecticut. The Whalers moved to Raleigh in 1997, and became the Hurricane.

36 Allen known as the “Voice of the Yankees” : MEL

For many years, the sportscaster Mel Allen was the play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees, and known as the “Voice of the New York Yankees”. Allen was also the first host of television’s “This Week in Baseball”.

37 Purina brand : CAT CHOW

Purina began business in 1894 as an operation for producing feed for farm animals. A few years later, in 1902, the Ralston name was introduced when Webster Edgerly joined the business. Edgerly was the founder of a controversial social movement called Ralstonism. Central to the movement was personal health, with RALSTON standing for Regime, Activity, Light, Strength, Temperation, Oxygen and Nature. Ralston Purina was acquired by Nestlé in 2001.

39 Milne character in a green striped romper : PIGLET

Here are a couple of engaging lines spoken by Piglet in the “Winnie-the-Pooh” stories:

“The things that make me different are the things that make me.”
“If you weren’t you, then we’d all be a bit less, um…we.”

40 Reptile on a green container of car wax : TURTLE

Turtle Wax liquid car wax first went on sale in 1941 under the brand name Plastone. The product name was changed to “Turtle” Wax to evoke the concept of a “hard, protective shell”.

42 Podcaster/comedian Marc : MARON

Stand-up comedian Marc Maron has been hosting the podcast “WTF with Marc Maron” since 2009. The online show features interviews with comedians and celebrities. The list of interviewees is pretty impressive, and includes Conan O’Brien, Robin Williams and even President Barack Obama.

43 “In memoriam” piece : OBIT

“In memoriam” is a Latin phrase that we use in English to mean “in memory of” when referring to a person that is deceased.

45 Supérieur, par exemple : LAC

In French, one of the Great Lakes is “Lac Supérieur” (Lake Superior).

46 Vanderpump of “Vanderpump Rules” : LISA

Lisa Vanderpump is a TV personality from England who really hit the big times in the US when she was cast on the show “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”. She then led the cast of a spinoff show “Vanderpump Rules”, followed by “Overserved with Lisa Vanderpump” and “Vanderpump Dogs”.

47 Trial for an aspiring atty.? : LSAT

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)