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Edited by: Patti Varol
Today’s Reveal Answer: Trite
Themed answers each include “TE”, THREE times:
- 65A Banal, or a three-part hint for the answers to the starred clues : TRITE or TRI-TE
- 17A *Asked for trouble : TEMPTED FATE
- 24A *Nickname for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio where Bugs Bunny was developed : TERMITE TERRACE
- 34A *Van Gogh painting also known as “Sorrowing Old Man” : AT ETERNITY’S GATE
- 47A *GPS offering, maybe : ALTERNATE ROUTE
- 56A *One who might leave bite marks? : TASTE TESTER
Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers
Want to discuss the puzzle? Then …
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Bill’s time: 9m 36s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
6 Universal donor’s type, briefly : O-NEG
In general, a person with type O-negative blood is a universal donor, meaning that his or her blood can be used for transfusion into persons with any other blood type: A, B, AB or O, negative or positive (although there are other considerations). Also in general, a person with type AB-positive blood is a universal recipient, meaning that he or she can receive a transfusion of blood of any type: A, B, AB or O, negative or positive.
10 __ generis : SUI
“Sui generis” is a Latin expression meaning “of its own kind”. The term can be used in a number of fields, and in philosophy it refers to an idea which cannot be included in a wider concept, and idea of its own kind.
13 “Spirited Away” genre : ANIME
The Japanese animated movie “Spirited Away” was released in 2001, and is very highly regarded by film critics. It also won that season’s Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
14 First State capital : DOVER
The city of Dover is the capital of Delaware, and is the state’s second biggest city (after Wilmington). Dover is named after the town of Dover on the south coast of England, and was given that name by William Penn. The English Dover lies in the county of Kent, and the American Dover resides in Kent County.
The state of Delaware takes its name from Virginia’s first colonial governor, Englishman Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr. Delaware is known as “the First State” as it was the first to ratify the US Constitution, in 1787.
16 Sculptor Gillen : ANN
American sculptor Ann Gillen works in a variety of mediums. One theme that runs through the majority of her commissioned works is the human body in motion. One of her more famous pieces is “Flying Red”, an aluminum sculpture that has stood in Midtown Manhattan since 1987.
20 Shot spot : ARM
An injection using a hypodermic needle might be termed a “shot” in North America, and a “jab” in Britain and Ireland.
21 Game cube : DIE
The numbers on dice are arranged so that the opposite faces add up to seven. Given this arrangement, the numbers 1, 2 and 3 all meet at a common vertex. There are two ways of arranging the 1, 2 and 3 around the common vertex, a so-called right-handed die (clockwise 1-2-3) or a left-handed die (counterclockwise 1-2-3). Traditionally, dice used in Western cultures are right-handed, whereas Chinese dice are left-handed. Quite interesting …
22 Handy reference for a crossword constructor : ROGET’S
Peter Mark Roget was an English lexicographer. He was an avid maker of lists, apparently using the routine of list-making to combat depression, a condition he endured for most of his life. Roget published his famous thesaurus in 1852, with revisions and expansions being made years later by his son, and then in turn by his grandson.
24 *Nickname for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio where Bugs Bunny was developed : TERMITE TERRACE
The original Warner Brothers Animation Studio was housed in less-than-ideal conditions on the Warner Bros. lot. The building was small, cramped, and somewhat dilapidated, leading the animators to jokingly compare it to a place infested with termites, and to dub it “Termite Terrace”.
28 Like granola : OATY
The names “Granola” and “Granula” were trademarked back in the late 1800s for whole-grain foods that were crumbled and baked until crisp. Granola was created in Dansville, New York in 1894.
33 Start at the beginning? : ESS
The beginning of the word “start” is a letter S (ess).
34 *Van Gogh painting also known as “Sorrowing Old Man” : AT ETERNITY’S GATE
“Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate)” is an 1890 oil painting by Vincent van Gogh. It depicts an elderly man dressed in blue, sitting on a chair with his head bowed down onto his clenched hands. Van Gogh completed the work just two months before he committed suicide.
45 Paint brand at Home Depot : BEHR
The name of the Behr brand of paint is pronounced “bear”, and the cans even have a bear logo. The company was founded in 1947 by Otho Behr, Jr.
52 “You for Me” singer Rita : ORA
Rita Ora is a British singer who was born Rita Sahatçiu in Pristina, Yugoslavia to Albanian parents. The family name “Sahatçiu” comes from a Turkish word meaning “watchmaker”. Rita’s parents changed their name to make it easier to pronounce. So, the family name morphed from “watchmaker” to “time”, which is “ora” in Albanian.
53 Purple yam in some desserts : UBE
Ube is a species of yam that is purple in color. I’m a big fan of ube ice cream. Potato-flavored ice cream; what’s not to like?!
62 __-Grain cereal bars : NUTRI
The Nutri-Grain brand of breakfast foods is made by Kellogg. The brand was actually introduced first in Australia in 1981.
63 __ Moines, Iowa : DES
The city of Des Moines is the capital of Iowa, and takes its name from the Des Moines River. The river in turn takes its name from the French “Riviere des Moines” meaning “River of the Monks”. It looks like there isn’t any “monkish” connection to the city’s name per se. “Des Moines” was just the name given by French traders who corrupted “Moingona”, the name of a group of Illinois Native Americans who lived by the river. However, others contend that French Trappist monks, who lived a full 200 miles from the river, somehow influenced the name.
Down
1 Mined stuff : DATA
The process of data mining is used to extract information from a database and present it in a form that facilitates further use.
2 Like helium : INERT
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and the element symbol “He”. It is a gas, lighter than air, and is the second-most abundant element in the universe (after hydrogen). Helium was first detected in 1868 as an unknown yellow spectral line during a solar eclipse. As such, the gas was named for “Helios”, the Greek god of the Sun.
7 Pro bono : NO-FEE
The Latin term “pro bono publico” means “for the public good”, and is usually shortened to “pro bono”. The term applies to professional work that is done for free or at a reduced fee as a service to the public.
8 Green of “Casino Royale” : EVA
Despite the English-sounding name, Eva Green is a French actress. Green played Bond girl Vesper Lynd in the 2006 movie “Casino Royale” opposite Daniel Craig.
2006’s “Casino Royale” is the 21st film in the “James Bond” series, and the first to star Daniel Craig in the lead role. The film was directed by New Zealander Martin Campbell, someone who was my next door neighbor for a couple of years (my claim to fame!). Campbell also directed “GoldenEye” in 1995, which introduced Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. I find it interesting that Campbell was asked back to oversee the introduction of Daniel Craig to the role.
23 Hurdle for Ph.D. hopefuls : GRE
Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.
25 __ cellar : ROOT
A root cellar (also “fruit cellar, earth cellar”) is a storage space devoted to the preservation of vegetables and other foods. As the name implies, the original root cellars were built to store root vegetables in an underground structure.
26 World of Warcraft charmer : MAGE
“Mage” is an archaic word meaning “magician, wizard”.
World of Warcraft is an online role-playing game (RPG). My son informs me that the game is not that great. Like I would know …
31 Does one’s om work? : MEDITATES
“Om” is a sacred mystic word from the Hindu tradition. “Om” is sometimes used as a mantra, a focus for the mind in meditation.
35 Plan B time : RAIN DATE
A rain date is an alternative date scheduled if an event is postponed due to rain.
36 “Little Girl Blue” singer Simone : NINA
“Little Girl Blue” is Nina Simone’s debut album. It was released in 1959 when she was in her mid-20s. The album sold millions of copies, and yet Simone made a mere $3,000 from it. All of the royalties went to jazz label Bethlehem Records.
37 Neighborhood near Tribeca : SOHO
The Manhattan neighborhood known today as SoHo was very fashionable in the early 1900s, but as the well-heeled started to move uptown the area became very run down and poorly maintained. Noted for the number of fires that erupted in derelict buildings, SoHo earned the nickname “Hell’s Hundred Acres”. The area was then zoned for manufacturing and became home to many sweatshops. In the mid-1900s artists started to move into open loft spaces and renovating old buildings as the lofts were ideal locations in which an artist could both live and work. In 1968, artists and others organized themselves so that they could legalize their residential use of an area zoned for manufacturing. The group they formed took its name from the name given to the area by the city’s Planning Commission i.e “South of Houston”. This was shortened from So-uth of Ho-uston to SoHo as in “SoHo Artists Association”, and the name stuck.
“TriBeCa” is a clever little acronym that expands into “TRI-angle BE-low CA-nal Street”. The name of the New York City neighborhood was developed by local residents who basically copied the naming technique used by residents of the adjacent area of SoHo, with “SoHo” being short for “SO-uth of HO-uston Street”.
38 Ashram adviser : GURU
“Guru” is a Hindi word meaning “teacher” or “priest”.
“Ashram” is a term used in the Hindu tradition to describe a place of spiritual retreat, one that is typically located in a remote location conducive to spiritual instruction and meditation.
44 “Lady Bird” Oscar nominee Gerwig : GRETA
Greta Gerwig is an actress, screenwriter and director from Sacramento whose best-known acting role is probably opposite Russell Brand in the remake of the film “Arthur”. Gerwig has turned to directing, and was at the helm for the 2019 movie “Little Women”. And then, she co-wrote and directed the hit 2023 film “Barbie”.
45 Tête toppers : BERETS
In French, one wears a “chapeau” (hat), a “béret” (beret) perhaps, on one’s “tête” (head).
46 Basic Latin verb : ERAT
“Esse” is the Latin for “to be”. “Sum” means “I am”, “est” means “he, she is”, and “erat” means “he, she was”.
49 __-frutti : TUTTI
The adjective “tutti-frutti” describes a prepared confection that has a combination of fruit flavors. “Tutti frutti” is Italian for “all fruits”.
50 “At the Movies” co-host : EBERT
The film review TV show “At the Movies” has been around since 1988 in various forms with various hosts, most famously Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Siskel and Ebert used the iconic “thumbs up and thumbs down” rating system from the very first show.
54 Pennsylvania port : ERIE
Erie is a port city in the very north of Pennsylvania, sitting on the southern shore of Lake Erie. The city takes its name from the Erie Native American tribe that resided in the area. Erie is nicknamed the Gem City, a reference to the “sparkling” water of Lake Erie.
58 Tolkien’s Treebeard, for one : ENT
Treebeard is the elder of the tree-like people called Ents in J. R. R. Tolkien’s series of novels set in Middle-earth.
Read on, or …
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Ferret out : DIG UP
6 Universal donor’s type, briefly : O-NEG
10 __ generis : SUI
13 “Spirited Away” genre : ANIME
14 First State capital : DOVER
16 Sculptor Gillen : ANN
17 *Asked for trouble : TEMPTED FATE
19 Routing word : VIA
20 Shot spot : ARM
21 Game cube : DIE
22 Handy reference for a crossword constructor : ROGET’S
24 *Nickname for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio where Bugs Bunny was developed : TERMITE TERRACE
28 Like granola : OATY
29 Continues with intensity : RAGES ON
30 Urban haze : SMOG
32 Fishing pole : ROD
33 Start at the beginning? : ESS
34 *Van Gogh painting also known as “Sorrowing Old Man” : AT ETERNITY’S GATE
39 Little bit : TAD
40 Intention : AIM
41 Ballpark figure : OUTS
42 Connecting : TYING IN
45 Paint brand at Home Depot : BEHR
47 *GPS offering, maybe : ALTERNATE ROUTE
51 Having a veneer : COATED
52 “You for Me” singer Rita : ORA
53 Purple yam in some desserts : UBE
55 On a streak : HOT
56 *One who might leave bite marks? : TASTE TESTER
60 New Orleans-to-Tampa dir. : ESE
61 Bothered : ATE AT
62 __-Grain cereal bars : NUTRI
63 __ Moines, Iowa : DES
64 Slithery swimmers : EELS
65 Banal, or a three-part hint for the answers to the starred clues : TRITE or TRI-TE
Down
1 Mined stuff : DATA
2 Like helium : INERT
3 Easy score : GIMME
4 Ballpark figure : UMP
5 Family member who might be microchipped : PET
6 Curious thing : ODDITY
7 Pro bono : NO-FEE
8 Green of “Casino Royale” : EVA
9 Warm up : GET READY
10 Put one’s jacket down, say : SAVE A SEAT
11 Prices per piece : UNIT COSTS
12 “Sorta” : IN A SENSE
15 Office shake-up, briefly : REORG
18 Improve, hopefully : EDIT
23 Hurdle for Ph.D. hopefuls : GRE
25 __ cellar : ROOT
26 World of Warcraft charmer : MAGE
27 Brisk gait : TROT
30 “Relax!” : STAY LOOSE!
31 Does one’s om work? : MEDITATES
32 Basket part : RIM
34 Unable to let go : ATTACHED
35 Plan B time : RAIN DATE
36 “Little Girl Blue” singer Simone : NINA
37 Neighborhood near Tribeca : SOHO
38 Ashram adviser : GURU
43 Basket part : NET
44 “Lady Bird” Oscar nominee Gerwig : GRETA
45 Tête toppers : BERETS
46 Basic Latin verb : ERAT
48 Absolute : TOTAL
49 __-frutti : TUTTI
50 “At the Movies” co-host : EBERT
54 Pennsylvania port : ERIE
57 “Get the picture?” : SEE?
58 Tolkien’s Treebeard, for one : ENT
59 South, south of the border : SUR
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12 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 13 Sep 24, Friday”
Comments are closed.
24 min, 2 errors
(G)UI / (G)AVE A SEAT
Quite an ink smear on the right side of grid. Ball Park estimate gave a bit of a stink. 41A went from ORSO to ESTS to OUTS. Didn’t know BEHR so had to let that fend for itself.
Got the theme early so that helped.
62A started at NUTTY. I was thinking of those delicious NUTTY BARS. But alas, it was NUTRI- … something more nutritious.
Speaking of nutrition… purple yam in a dessert? Yuck..
No real issues today for whatever reason. A little slower on the westside, but really got done without any undue angst. As to those who have never been exposed to Filipino food the purple yam (ube) is quite common and absolutely delicious.
Check out the ube cheesecake photo: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8517373/ube-cheesecake/
Purple yam ….Sweet potato pie???? Maybe???
Never tasted a purple yam. Interesting!
I want whatever these constructors are on when they come up with these themes. 🤪
21:25 – no errors or lookups. False starts: RAGESAT>RAGESON, OBSESSED>ATTACHED, RITA>NITA, YOGI>GURU, AMAT>ERAT, ____GAME>RAINDATE.
New or forgotten: “Spirited Away,” ANN Gillen, TERMITE TERRACE, Van Gogh paintings, NITA Simone.
Could not figure out the theme scheme. How does a 5-letter, one-syllable word have 3 parts? Then Bill’s explanation made it all clear, as usual. In my mind, that makes 65A a 2-part hint (“tri” and “te”), although I get the “tri” means “three” aspect.
Some of the bottom section cluing felt like a Saturday to me; but, some patience and reconsidering of some answers finally pulled it together.
Duplicate cluing: “ballpark figure,” “basket part.”
NINA, not Nita. Tying in, not tying it.
And the theme clue IS 3 parts, as in Tri-T-E. Easy puzzle for a Friday.
24:53 – needed help for SUI & ANN – never heard of either and they were right next to each other. A DNF.
Didn’t know about the same as Ray C.
Never got the theme. Had to read Bill’s explanation twice to get it, must be getting too old …
A tough, fair appropriately difficult Friday puzzle. I’m OK with my effort.
Be Well.
Even if you look up something, you’ve finished the puzzle.
Kudos for knowing about Termite Terrace! I was tickled to find it in the puzzle, I didn’t know that was general knowledge! My parents met at Termite Terrace. My dad was an animator and my mom was a cel painter.
Never got the theme (just shocking) and really struggled with the longer answers in this one. If you didn’t know, it affected so many crosses.
Did finally manage to get all except 34A. That ended up being a lookup and the remaining crosses fell into place.
Errors at 52A/46D.
Mostly easy Friday for me; took 1745 with no peeks or errors. That said, it seemed mostly luck as I didn’t really know a whole bunch and the theme played no role. I just filled in what I knew and worked with crosses to get more fill and then relied on reasonable guesses based on what was there 🙂
No idea on ANN, BEHR and MAGE, but crosses did the work. The theme, in retrospect, is pretty clever. Pretty amusing about Termite Terrace – glad to see we got Sheryl, besides Bugs Bunny 🙂