LA Times Crossword 25 Mar 25, Tuesday

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Constructed by: Michael B. Berg
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Double Bill

Themed answers are DOUBLE-word names of items one might find on a restaurant BILL:

• 64A Event with two headliners, or a description of a restaurant check that includes any of the answers to the starred clues? : DOUBLE BILL

• 17A *Japanese hot-pot meal : SHABU-SHABU
• 26A *French chocolate confection : BONBON
• 28A *North African dish made with semolina : COUSCOUS
• 48A *Portuguese hot pepper sauce : PERI-PERI
• 50A *Sichuan noodles : DANDAN

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

Bill’s time: 6m 52s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Seven Sisters attendees, historically : WOMEN

The Seven Sisters are a group of (traditionally women’s) colleges in the northeast of the country that were founded to parallel the all-male (as they were then) Ivy League colleges. The seven are:

• Mount Holyoke
• Vassar
• Wellesley
• Smith
• Radcliffe
• Bryn Mawr
• Barnard

6 A third of the UAE? : ARAB

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

10 Rock blasters : AMPS

An electric guitar, for example, needs an amplifier (amp) to take the weak signal created by the vibration of the strings and turn it into a signal powerful enough for a loudspeaker.

14 Fast Amtrak train : ACELA

The Acela Express is the fastest train running routinely in the US, as it gets up to 150 mph at times. The service runs between Boston and Washington D.C. via Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. Introduced in 2000, the brand name “Acela” was created to evoke “acceleration” and “excellence”.

17 *Japanese hot-pot meal : SHABU-SHABU

Shabu-shabu is a hotpot dish in Japanese cuisine. It comprises very thin slices of meat that are boiled in water and served with various dipping sauces. Diners cook the meat in the boiling water themselves. They submerge a slice into the water and stir it around using chopsticks, usually just for a few seconds. The name “shabu-shabu” is onomatopoeic, and comes from the swishing sound made by the meat being stirred in the water.

19 Gobi Desert locale : ASIA

The Gobi, the large desert in Asia, lies in northern China and southern Mongolia. It is growing at an alarming rate, particularly towards the south. This “desertification” is caused by increased human activity. The Chinese government is trying to halt the desert’s forward progress by planting great swaths of new forest, the so-called “Green Wall of China”. The name “Gobi” is Mongolian for “waterless place, semidesert”.

20 Hash brown base : POTATO

Hash, beef and vegetables mashed together, is a very American dish and one that really surprised me when I first came across it. “Hash” just seems like such an unappetizing item, but I soon found out how delicious it was. The name “hash” in this context comes from the French “hacher” meaning “to chop”. Back in the early 1900s the dish called “hashed browned potatoes” was developed, which quickly morphed into “hash browns”. From there the likes of corned beef hash was introduced.

21 Planet simulated by NASA on Mauna Loa : MARS

HI-SEAS, the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, is a Mars analog habitat located on Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Operated by the University of Hawaii in collaboration with NASA, HI-SEAS allows researchers to simulate long-duration space missions to Mars. Crews live and work within the isolated habitat for extended periods, conducting scientific studies, testing technologies, and experiencing the challenges of living in a confined and remote environment.

28 *North African dish made with semolina : COUSCOUS

Couscous is made from semolina, tiny balls of durum wheat, that is cooked by steaming. It is a particularly common dish in North African cuisines.

33 Bassoon cousin : OBOE

Our modern bassoon first appeared in the 1800s and has had a place in the concert orchestra ever since.

34 Sleep lab study : APNEA

Many people suffering from sleep apnea use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine while sleeping. The patient wears a mask that supplies air to the upper respiratory tract at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. This positive pressure can prevent the collapse of the upper airway, which is the cause of obstructive sleep apnea.

40 Window sticker : DECAL

A decal is a decorative sticker. “Decal” is a shortening of “decalcomania”. The latter term is derived from the French “décalquer”, the practice of tracing a pattern from paper onto glass or perhaps porcelain.

42 Grace under pressure : POISE

Back in the early 1400s, “poise” meant “quality of being heavy”. We’ve been using the term to mean “steadiness, composure” since the mid-1600s, in the sense of being equally “weighted” on either side.

46 Nabe in L.A. and NYC : NOHO

The NoHo Arts District in Los Angeles takes its name from “North Hollywood”, although the abbreviation is a play on the name of the famous SoHo Arts District in New York City.

“NoHo” is short for “North of Houston (street)”, and is the equivalent area to SoHo, South of Houston, both of which are in New York City.

48 *Portuguese hot pepper sauce : PERI-PERI

Piri-piri (also “peri-peri”) sauce is a fiery condiment made from the African bird’s-eye chili pepper, from which the sauce gets its name. Originating in Portugal, or one of the former Portuguese colonies, it’s used as a marinade, seasoning, or table sauce. Beyond the chili peppers, piri-piri sauce often includes ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oil and sometimes even whiskey.

50 *Sichuan noodles : DANDAN

Dandan noodles is a popular dish in Sichuan cuisine. It comprises wheat noodles served in a rich sauce made with ground pork or beef, preserved vegetables, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and sesame paste. The name “dandan” is said to derive from the carrying poles (dandan) used by street vendors who would carry baskets of noodles and sauce to sell.

53 Medical pen prefix : EPI-

EpiPen is a brand of epinephrine auto-injector. An EpiPen delivers a measured dose of epinephrine, which is a common treatment for an extreme allergic reaction.

57 Son of Daedalus : ICARUS

Daedalus was a master craftsman of Greek mythology who was tasked with creating the Labyrinth on the island of Crete that was to house the Minotaur. After the Labyrinth was completed, King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in a tower, so that he could not spread word of his work. Daedalus fabricated wings so that he and Icarus could escape by flying off the island. Despite being warned by his father, Icarus flew too close to the sun so that the wax holding the wings’ feathers in place melted. Icarus drowned in the sea, and Daedalus escaped.

62 Baloney : LIES

“Baloney” is an American English variant of “Bologna” as in the sausage. The term came to be used to mean “nonsense” in the 1920s. “Baloney” was popularized in the 1930s by New York Governor Alfred E. Smith as he used the term quite often.

68 Philadelphia commuter org. : SEPTA

Public transportation in and around Philadelphia is managed by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

70 JCC alternative : YMCA

The YMCA (the Y) is a worldwide movement that has its roots in London, England. There, in 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was founded with the intent of promoting Christian principles through the development of “a healthy spirit, mind and body”. The founder, George Williams, saw the need to create YMCA facilities for young men who were flocking to the cities as the Industrial Revolution flourished. He saw that these men were frequenting taverns and brothels, and wanted to offer a more wholesome alternative.

Jewish Community Centers, or JCCs, are facilities that offer a range of social, recreational, educational, and cultural programs, usually rooted in Jewish values and traditions. While they serve as important hubs for Jewish communities, many JCCs welcome people of all backgrounds. They typically provide facilities like gyms, swimming pools, and classrooms.

Down

1 Ant-Man partner : WASP

The Avengers are a team of superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original lineup, which dates back to 1963, consisted of Ant-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and the Wasp. Soon after their formation, the Avengers rescued Captain America trapped in ice, and thereafter he joined the team. There is a 2012 movie called “The Avengers” that features Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Thor.

2 Diez menos dos : OCHO

In Spanish, “ocho” (eight) is “diez menos dos” (ten minus two).

3 Charcuterie staple : MEAT

In French, a “charcutier” is a pork butcher, although the term “charcuterie” has come to describe a genre of cooking focused on prepared meats such as bacon, ham, sausage and pâté. Although these meats often feature pork, it is not exclusively so. The word “charcuterie” comes from the French “chair” meaning “flesh” and “cuit” meaning “cooked”.

4 Idris of “The Wire” : ELBA

English actor Idris Elba played the drug lord Stringer Bell in the marvelous HBO drama series “The Wire”, and played the title character in the 2013 film “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”. Off the screen, Elba occasionally appears as a disk jockey using the name “DJ Big Driis”.

5 Like sextants and tide charts : NAUTICAL

The navigation tool known as a sextant is used to measure the angle between two visible objects, with one of those objects usually being the horizon. The primary role of a sextant is to determine latitude. The term “sextant” is said to have been coined by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe around the year 1600. The name comes from the fact that a sextant is constructed around a graduated arc of 60 degrees, one sixth part of a full circle.

6 Bonfire residue : ASH

Back in the mid-1500s, a “bonfire” was a fire used for burning bones, a “bone fire”.

8 Actress Jessica who co-founded The Honest Company : ALBA

The Honest Company is a retailer that specializes in supplying products that are exceptionally safe and eco-friendly. The enterprise was founded in 2011 by actress Jessica Alba, who “created The Honest Company because you shouldn’t have to choose between what works and what’s good for you.”

9 Mint julep liquor : BOURBON

A mint julep is a bourbon-based cocktail that is associated with the American South, and with the Kentucky Derby in particular. If you’d like to make yourself a mint julep, one recipe is:

• 3 oz of Bourbon
• 4-6 sprigs of mint
• granulated sugar to taste

25 Egg, in Ecuador : HUEVO

“Ecuador” is the Spanish word for “equator”, which gives the country its name.

27 “Out of the question” : NO SOAP

“No soap” is a slang term meaning “not possible”. The term probably originated with the slang usage of “soap” to mean “money”, so “no soap” meant, “I have no money (to lend you)”. Over time, the usage of “no soap” generalized to “it’s not going to happen, so don’t ask”.

31 Poseidon, for one : SEA GOD

Poseidon was the god of the sea in Greek mythology as well as the Earthshaker, the god responsible for earthquakes.

32 Rocky Road serving : SCOOP

The flavor of ice cream known as rocky road is made using chocolate ice cream mixed with nuts and marshmallows. The exact origin of the flavor seems to be disputed, but one story is that William Dreyer invented it in 1929, chopping up walnuts and marshmallows with sewing scissors belonging to his wife.

38 Library patron, e.g. : USER

Our word “library” ultimately derives from the Latin “liber” meaning “book”.

39 Mel B and Mel C bandmate : GERI

Geri Halliwell was nicknamed Ginger Spice when she was with the Spice Girls, because of her red hair. Halliwell was quite a bit older than the rest of the group and so sometimes she was less charitably referred to as “Old Spice”. After launching her solo career, Halliwell released a fabulous 2001 version of the song “It’s Raining Men”, which was originally recorded by the Weather Girls in 1982. Great song …

“Mel B” is the stage name of Melanie Brown, who came to fame as a member of the Spice Girls musical group. She took the name Mel B to distinguish herself from fellow band member Melanie Chisholm (Melanie C). Mel B was also known as “Scary Spice”, a nickname given to her by the media. American viewers saw Mel B on the TV show “America’s Got Talent” from 2013 through 2019, on which show she served as a judge.

Melanie C (Chisholm) is a member of the English girl band the Spice Girls, with whom she has the nickname “Sporty Spice”. “Mel C” got the gig with the Spice Girls by replying to an ad in “The Stage” magazine, and auditioning alongside about 40 women who responded to the same ad. Sporty Spice really is quite sporty, and has completed the London Triathlon … twice.

42 Leia Organa title : PRINCESS

The full name of the character played by Carrie Fisher in the “Star Wars” series of films is Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, and later Leia Organa Solo. Leia is the twin sister of Luke Skywalker, and the daughter of Anakin Skywalker (aka “Darth Vader”) and Padmé Amidala. Leia is raised by her adoptive parents Bail and Breha Organa. She eventually marries Han Solo.

47 Montreal NHLer, to fans : HAB

The Montreal Canadiens hockey team is known by the nickname “Habs”, which is short for “Les Habitants”. “Les habitants” were the original French settlers in Quebec.

50 Follower of Charlie? : DELTA

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

51 Bee-related : APIAN

Something described as apian is related to bees. “Apis” is Latin for “bee”.

56 Tostada topping, briefly : GUAC

In Mexican cuisine, a tostada is a flat or bowl-shaped tortilla

63 Enjoy Vail : SKI

The Vail Ski Resort in Colorado is the largest single-mountain ski resort in the whole country. The resort was opened in 1962, basically in the middle of nowhere. It was given the name Vail after Vail Pass which runs by the mountain (now also called Vail Mountain). The town of Vail, Colorado was established four years later in 1966, and now has a population of about 5,000.

65 Bikini top : BRA

The origin of the word “bikini”, describing a type of bathing suit, seems very uncertain. One story is that it is named after the Bikini Atoll, site of American A-bomb tests in the forties and fifties. The name “bikini” was chosen for the swim-wear because of the “explosive” effect it had on men who saw a woman wearing the garment …