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Edited by: Patti Varol
Today’s Reveal Answer: Backstreet
Each themed answer includes a STREET hidden within, written BACKWARDS:
- 53A Thoroughfare away from the main drag, or what can be found in each set of circled letters : BACKSTREET
- 17A Sticky stuff in a dispenser : SCOTCH TAPE (hiding back “PATH”)
- 22A Out of this world : TOTALLY AWESOME (hiding back “WAY”)
- 35A Cause of some springtime discomfort : POLLEN ALLERGIES (hiding back “LANE”)
- 45A Fruit from the Sunshine State : FLORIDA ORANGES (hiding back “ROAD”)
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… a complete list of answers
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Bill’s time: 5m 03s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
1 Philosophy test component : ESSAY
philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. The word “philosophy” comes from the Greek “philos” meaning “love, loving” and “sophia”meaning “wisdom”. So literally, “philosophy” translates to “love of wisdom”.
10 Royal __: seabird native to the Americas : TERN
There are two subspecies of tern known as the royal tern, one native to the coasts of North And South America, and the other native to the West African coast. I suspect that the adjective “royal” is used because they sport a black cap during the breeding season.
14 India’s first prime minister : NEHRU
Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister of India, serving from 1947-64. Nehru was basically the heir to his mentor Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru’s only daughter Indira, also became prime minister (known as Indira Gandhi through marriage, though she was not related to Mahatma).
17 Sticky stuff in a dispenser : SCOTCH TAPE (hiding back “PATH”)
Scotch Tape is a brand of adhesive tape made by 3M. “Scotch Tape” is one of those brand names that has become a generic term for the product. The equivalent brand name of the product that we use over in Ireland is Sellotape. This British brand also has become a generic term, and so is our equivalent to “Scotch tape”.
19 Seckel, e.g. : PEAR
The Seckel pear is a small, sweet variety that’s often called a “sugar pear” or “candy pear”. It’s believed to have originated near Philadelphia in the 18th century, and its name comes from the farmer who likely discovered it, one Lawrence Seckel.
20 Normandy city : CAEN
Caen, on the River Orne, lies in the Calvados department of France in the northwest of the country. Caen is famous for the WWII Battle of Caen that left the town practically destroyed. Caen is also the burial place of Norman King William I of England, also known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
21 Competes in a regatta : SAILS
The word “regatta” is Venetian dialect and was originally used to describe boat races among the gondoliers of Venice on the Grand Canal back in the mid-1600s.
29 Middle East flyer : EL AL
El Al Israel Airlines is the flag carrier of Israel. The term “el al” translates from Hebrew as “to the skies”. The company started operations in 1948, with a flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv. Famously, El Al only operates six days a week, not flying on the Sabbath.
30 Triangular-stemmed marsh grass : SEDGE
Sedges are a family of plants that resemble grasses and rushes. They are more properly called Cyperaceae.
32 __ Dhabi : ABU
Abu Dhabi is one of the seven Emirates that make up the federation known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two largest members of the UAE (geographically) are Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the only two of the seven members that have veto power over UAE policy. Before 1971, the UAE was a British Protectorate, a collection of sheikdoms. The sheikdoms entered into a maritime truce with Britain in 1835, after which they became known as the Trucial States, derived from the word “truce”.
35 Cause of some springtime discomfort : POLLEN ALLERGIES (hiding back “LANE”)
The fine powder known as pollen is basically a flower’s sperm. Pollen carries a seed plant’s male reproductive cells.
39 Tunisian tennis pro __ Jabeur : ONS
Ons Jabeur is a Tunisian professional tennis player. When she achieved a ranking of world No. 2 in 2022, she became the highest-ranked African and Arab tennis player in Women’s Tennis Association history. Jabeur is also known for her friendly and upbeat demeanor, earning her the nickname “Minister of Happiness”.
45 Fruit from the Sunshine State : FLORIDA ORANGES (hiding back “ROAD”)
Florida is known as the Sunshine State, although it is also the lightning capital of the US, experiencing more lightning strikes than the rest of the country. Florida is also the nation’s fourth-rainiest state, after Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
50 Museum piece : RELIC
A relic is something that has survived from the past, reminding us of that past. In the world of religion, a relic is an object revered due to its association with a saint or martyr.
53 Thoroughfare away from the main drag, or what can be found in each set of circled letters : BACKSTREET
The main street of a city or town is often referred to as the “main drag”. The main drag is where horses would “drag” along most of the wagons and buggies back in the day.
61 Cause for some recalls : E COLI
Escherichia coli (E. coli) are usually harmless bacteria found in the human gut, working away quite happily. However, there are some strains that can produce lethal toxins. These strains can make their way into the food chain from animal fecal matter that comes into contact with food designated for human consumption.
Down
3 “Your Honor” airer, briefly : SHO
“Your Honor” is a legal drama starring Bryan Cranston as Michael Desiato, a respected New Orleans judge. The drama kicks off when the judge’s son kills the son of a mob kingpin in an accidental hit-and-run collision. “Your Honor” is an adaptation of an Israeli series called “Kvodo”.
4 Museum piece : ART
The term “museum” comes from the ancient Greek word “mouseion” that denoted a temple dedicated to the “Muses”. The Muses were the patrons of the arts in Greek mythology.
5 Desert bloomers : YUCCAS
Yuccas are a genus of shrubs and trees that live in hot and dry areas of North and South America. One of the more famous species of Yucca is the Joshua tree. Yuccas has a unique pollination system, with moths transferring pollen from plant to plant. New Mexico adopted the yucca as its state flower in 1927. By the way, the yucca is in the asparagus family.
6 Dev of “Hotel Mumbai” : PATEL
Dev Patel is an actor from Harrow in England who is perhaps best known for playing the lead in the hit movie “Slumdog Millionaire”. He also stars in a lovely 2012 film called “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” alongside an incredible cast that included Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson. Patel also had a regular role in the marvelous HBO drama series called “The Newsroom”.
“Hotel Mumbai” is a 2018 film depicting the real-life 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, specifically focusing on the siege at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The film follows the experiences of hotel staff and guests, including a waiter played by Dev Patel. Ominously, the closing credits disclose that the terrorists responsible for the attack were never apprehended.
9 Source of milk for manchego cheese : EWE
Manchego is a cheese made from sheep’s milk that comes from La Mancha in Spain. The term “Manchego” is used to describe things related to La Mancha.
11 “Old MacDonald” letters : E-I-E-I-O
There was an old American version of the English children’s song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (E-I-E-I-O) that was around in the days of WWI. The first line of the older US version goes “Old MacDougal had a farm, in Ohio-i-o”.
12 Monarch’s territory : REALM
A monarchy is a political entity in which an individual ruler functions as head of state. The term “monarchy” comes into English via French from the Greek “monos” meaning “alone” and “arkhein” meaning “to rule”.
22 Hawk’s weapon : TALON
A talon is a claw of a bird of prey. The term “talon” ultimately derives from “talus”, the Latin word for “ankle”.
24 Spill the beans : TELL
To spill the beans is to divulge a secret. The expression first appeared in American English, in the early 1900s. The phrase arose as an alternative to “spoil the beans” or “upset the applecart”. The similarly meaning phrase “spill the tea” is more prevalent on the other side of the Atlantic.
27 Credit union seizure : REPO
A credit union is a member-owned financial cooperative that focuses on providing credit to those members. One comparison of credit unions to regular banks is that credit unions had a five-times lower failure rate during the global financial crisis of 2007-2008.
30 North Pole VIP : SANTA
If you want to send a note to Santa from Canada, he has his own special postal code: “North Pole, HOH OHO”. The US Postal Service suggests that we send mail for Santa to zip code 99705, which directs it to the city of North Pole, Alaska.
31 Couple of fellows? : ELS
There are a couple of letters L (els) in the word “fellows”.
32 Singer-songwriter Mann : AIMEE
Aimee Mann is a rock singer and guitarist from Virginia. Mann is married to Michael Penn, the brother of actor Sean Penn.
34 Annapolis inst. : USNA
The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is located in Annapolis, Maryland. It was founded in 1845 and educates officers for both the US Navy and the US Marine Corps. The motto of the USNA is “Ex Scientia Tridens”, which translates as “From Knowledge, Sea Power”.
45 Hobbit who inherits the One Ring from Bilbo : FRODO
Frodo Baggins is a principal character in J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”. He is a Hobbit, and is charged with the quest of destroying Sauron’s Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Frodo is portrayed by American actor Elijah Wood in Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of the novels.
In J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel “The Hobbit”, the title character is Bilbo Baggins. He is a hobbit who stumbles across a magical ring and then embarks on a series of adventures.
48 Footnote abbr. : OP CIT
“Op. cit.” is short for “opus citatum”, Latin for “the work cited”. Op. cit. is used in footnotes to refer the reader to an earlier citation. It is similar to ibid, except that ibid refers the reader to the last citation, the one immediately above.
55 Classic TV brand : RCA
RCA, or the Radio Corporation of America, played a significant role in the history of television as a pioneer in the industry. RCA developed and introduced the first electronic television system in 1939 at the New York World’s Fair. RCA also created the NTSC (National Television System Committee) broadcast standard, which was adopted in the United States in 1953 and is still used today for analog television broadcasting. Additionally, RCA produced the first color television sets in 1954.
57 Arch Manning’s uncle : ELI
Eli Manning is a retired footballer who played quarterback for the New York Giants. Eli’s brother Peyton Manning retired from football as the quarterback for the Denver Broncos in 2015. Eli and Peyton’s father is Archie Manning, who was also a successful NFL quarterback. Eli, Peyton and Archie co-authored a book for children titled “Family Huddle” in 2009. It describes the Mannings playing football together as young boys.
Arch Manning is an American football quarterback who started playing for the Texas Longhorns of the University of Texas in 2024. He comes from a legendary football family, being the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning.
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Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Philosophy test component : ESSAY
6 Water conveyer : PIPE
10 Royal __: seabird native to the Americas : TERN
14 India’s first prime minister : NEHRU
15 Four or five : A FEW
16 French god : DIEU
17 Sticky stuff in a dispenser : SCOTCH TAPE (hiding back “PATH”)
19 Seckel, e.g. : PEAR
20 Normandy city : CAEN
21 Competes in a regatta : SAILS
22 Out of this world : TOTALLY AWESOME (hiding back “WAY”)
27 Least likely to be seen : RAREST
28 Family men : DADS
29 Middle East flyer : EL AL
30 Triangular-stemmed marsh grass : SEDGE
32 __ Dhabi : ABU
35 Cause of some springtime discomfort : POLLEN ALLERGIES (hiding back “LANE”)
39 Tunisian tennis pro __ Jabeur : ONS
40 Tied up in knots : TENSE
41 Country on the Arabian Sea : OMAN
42 Sharpen : WHET
43 The movie industry : CINEMA
45 Fruit from the Sunshine State : FLORIDA ORANGES (hiding back “ROAD”)
50 Museum piece : RELIC
51 Zero-star reviews : PANS
52 Drop out : OMIT
53 Thoroughfare away from the main drag, or what can be found in each set of circled letters : BACKSTREET
59 Symbol of peace : DOVE
60 Garfield’s housemate : ODIE
61 Cause for some recalls : E COLI
62 Small notes : ONES
63 Some imitative software : BOTS
64 Flip out : PANIC
Down
1 34-Down grad : ENS
2 “Hold on a __!” : SEC
3 “Your Honor” airer, briefly : SHO
4 Museum piece : ART
5 Desert bloomers : YUCCAS
6 Dev of “Hotel Mumbai” : PATEL
7 “Assuming there are some” : IF ANY
8 Frisky feeling : PEP
9 Source of milk for manchego cheese : EWE
10 Completion worth six points, informally : TD PASS
11 “Old MacDonald” letters : E-I-E-I-O
12 Monarch’s territory : REALM
13 Drink slowly : NURSE
18 Drill command : HALT
21 Ceremonial feast during Passover : SEDER
22 Hawk’s weapon : TALON
23 Face-to-face exams : ORALS
24 Spill the beans : TELL
25 Perplex : ADDLE
26 Minimum __ : WAGE
27 Credit union seizure : REPO
30 North Pole VIP : SANTA
31 Couple of fellows? : ELS
32 Singer-songwriter Mann : AIMEE
33 Grins broadly : BEAMS
34 Annapolis inst. : USNA
36 Code of conduct : ETHIC
37 “__ a hand?” : NEED
38 Large percussion instrument : GONG
42 Drops a line : WRITES
43 Beer containers : CANS
44 Foot part : INSTEP
45 Hobbit who inherits the One Ring from Bilbo : FRODO
46 Shade of yellow : LEMON
47 Shade of green : OLIVE
48 Footnote abbr. : OP CIT
49 Leaf collectors : RAKES
53 Weave’s partner : BOB
54 “Without further __ … ” : ADO
55 Classic TV brand : RCA
56 Long, long time : EON
57 Arch Manning’s uncle : ELI
58 Start of a pencil game : TIC-
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11 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 15 Jan 25, Wednesday”
Comments are closed.
10 min, no errors
Never had Pollen Allergies until after I turned 60. What’s up with that?
Apparently, late age allergies are not unusual. My wife developed a tree nut allergy (not peanuts) after age 50.
More like a Monday puzzle.
9:30 – no errors or lookups. False start: SIDESTREET>BACKSTREET (before I realized the circled words weren’t merely scrambled).
New or forgotten: Royal TERN, “Seckel,” “Your Honor,” “manchego,” AIMEE Mann. Needed a second take to realize that TIC was for tic-tac-toe (why particularly a “pencil” game?).
Easily seen theme once all the circled letters are filled in.
A real breezy solve, in 6 mins 3 seconds, with no errors … and then come to find Bill shaves an entire MINUTE off that with his solve!!! Man, that’s discouraging!!!
9 min, no errors. Straight forward one today.
Will have to remember 39 A, ONS, for the Tunisian tennis player. Never heard of him but that one solved itself. Why do I think we’ll meet up with him again?
9:07, no errors. Straightforward Wednesday
No errors despite 24&25D and 35, 63, & 64A clues missing from my paper which is nothing new.😠
Stay safe😀
Go Ravens🏈
I got my allergies later in life too. The doc said “kids grow out of allergies and adults grow into them”.
THIS felt like a Monday of Tuesday puzzle. I even got the theme which is a miracle in itself. Only 3 ink smears where the cross changed my original answer.
3 degrees and still 4″ of snow on the ground (was 8″ so that improved). So much for the prediction of a mild winter!
Nice, mostly easy Wednesday for me; took 8:39 with no peeks or errors. No real issues and just a bit of waiting around for crosses, mostly in the SW. Took a minute or so to remember FRODO and decipher LEMON, OLIVE and FLORIDA…
Noticed the theme when I got the reveal, but already had all the theme answers.
Speaking of SAILS – The first two sailors raced across the finish line on the Vendee Globe in France yesterday after sailing all the way around the globe in 66 days – a new record. Wow!
Fun theme, some clues were rough, stay giddy