LA Times Crossword 20 Apr 25, Sunday

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Constructed by: Zhouqin Burnikel
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: Use It or Lose It

Themed answers are common phrases with “IT” added (“USE IT”) OR dropped (“LOSE IT”):

• 23A Fair amount of time? : LEGIT STRETCH (“leg stretch” + IT)
• 32A Shady place? : VISOR CENTER (“visitor center” – IT)
• 40A A-list actor with A+ manners? : POLITE STAR (“pole star” + IT)
• 56A Source of the wisdom of the ages? : ANCIENT BRAIN (“ancient Britain” – IT)
• 83A Cronus, at birth? : INSTANT TITAN (“instant tan” + IT)
• 99A Elegant partner in some split decisions? : GRACEFUL EX (“graceful exit” – IT)
• 106A Copper thief, e.g.? : METAL BANDIT (“metal band” + IT)
• 122A Tent event with a “members only” policy? : CLOSED CIRCUS (“closed circuits” – IT)

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

Bill’s time: 21m 52s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

16 Dict. entries : WDS

Words (wds.)

19 Behind the times : OLD HAT

The use of “old hat” to mean something “out of date, stale” started about 1911. Before that, the term “old hat” meant something very different, and very vulgar. “Old hat” was the name given to a very private part of the female anatomy, the idea being that it was “often felt” (as in a “felt hat”). I just don’t know what to say …

20 Electric coil inventor : TESLA

A Tesla coil is used to create the high voltages needed to ionize air in those pyrotechnic shows where sparks jump from globe to globe. The same technology was used up to the twenties in spark-gap radio transmitters, which were central to wireless telegraphy back then.

25 Streetcar tracks, in Sheffield : TRAMLINE

Trams were a common form of transport in London starting with horse-drawn versions in 1860. They were gradually replaced by diesel buses after WWII, with the last tram running in 1952. Even though trams disappeared in the early fifties, many of the rails that carried the trams remained in some streets for many years afterwards (I remember them well as a child). A new generation of tram, a so-called light-rail system, was introduced in London in 2000.

Sheffield is a city in the north of England, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Sheffield is famous for its production of steel, for being the setting of the film “The Full Monty” and … for being home to my alma mater, the University of Sheffield!

26 Specifics, informally : DEETS

“Deets” is slang for “details”.

27 Complete stranger : RANDO

“Rando” is a slang term describing a “random person”. It tends not to be used flatteringly.

28 Gazelle, to a cheetah : PREY

When running at a sustained speed, gazelles can move along at 30 miles per hour. If needed, they can accelerate for bursts up to 60 miles per hour.

The cheetah can run faster than any other land animal, achieving speeds of 70-75 mph. The name “cheetah” comes into English from Sanskrit via Hindi, from the word for “variegated”. Something that is variegated has different colored zones, like the mottled hide of the cheetah.

29 Actress Rae : ISSA

Issa Rae is a Stanford University graduate who created a YouTube web series called “The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl”. Rae also plays the title role in the series, a young lady named “J”. “Awkward Black Girl” was adapted into an HBO comedy-drama called “Insecure”, in which Issa Rae stars.

35 Composer who wrote his first minuet at age five : MOZART

Mozart’s “Minuet in G major, K. 1” is a piece composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is a short, elegant and simple work, one that he composed in late 1761 or early 1762. It’s worth listening to, as it is the composer’s first composition, written when he was just five years old.

37 Frost creations : POEMS

The wonderful poet Robert Frost was a native of San Francisco, but lived most of life in New England. He also spent a few years in England, just before WWI. Frost was well recognized for his work during his lifetime, and received four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. He was also Vermont’s first Poet Laureate, a position that he held from 1961 until his death in 1963.

40 A-list actor with A+ manners? : POLITE STAR (“pole star” + IT)

Because the orientation of the Earth’s axis shifts, albeit very slowly, the position of north relative to the stars changes over time. The bright star that is closest to true north is Polaris, and so we call Polaris the “North Star” or “Pole Star”. Because of the relatively stable position of Polaris in the Northern Sky, it is a useful navigational tool. 14,000 years ago, the nearest bright star to true north was Vega, and it will be so again in about 12,000 year’s time.

49 Almond __: toffee candy : ROCA

Almond Roca is a brand of chocolate-covered toffee that has a coating of ground almonds, and was invented in 1923.

52 Dolphin’s color : GRAY

Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals known for their playful behavior and complex social structures. Their intelligence is particularly notable, demonstrated by their ability to solve problems, use tools, and recognize themselves in mirrors. Dolphins communicate using a variety of clicks, whistles, and body language, and they often form strong bonds within their pods.

53 __ gow poker : PAI

Pai gow poker is a casino card game that blends elements of poker and the ancient Chinese domino game of pai gow. Players are dealt seven cards, which they must then split into two hands: a five-card “high” hand and a two-card “low” hand. The objective is to have both hands rank higher than the dealer’s corresponding hands.

54 Lamb’s mother : EWE

An adult male sheep is a ram, although a castrated ram is known as a wether. An adult female is a ewe, and a young sheep is a lamb.

56 Source of the wisdom of the ages? : ANCIENT BRAIN (“ancient Britain” – IT)

The separation of the island of Britain from the European mainland occurred over thousands of years, primarily due to rising sea levels after the last Ice Age. Initially, Britain was connected to Europe by a land bridge known as Doggerland. As glaciers melted, the North Sea gradually flooded, eventually submerging Doggerland.. A significant rise in sea levels around 6500 BC, potentially triggered by a massive tsunami, breached the remaining land connection, fully isolating Britain.

60 Olympian who loved war and battles : ARES

Mount Olympus is the highest peak in Greece. In Greek mythology, it was home to the gods, and in particular home to the principal gods known as the Twelve Olympians.

64 Thompson of “Creed” : TESSA

Tessa Thompson is an actress from Los Angeles who is known for playing the supporting role of Jackie Cook on the TV show “Veronica Mars”, and for playing student leader Diane Nash in the 2014 film “Selma”. She also portrays superheroine Valkyrie in movies based on Marvel Comics characters.

“Creed” is a 2015 boxing movie, the seventh in the “Rocky” franchise. Sylvester Stallone returns as Rocky Balboa, but this time as a trainer. Rocky trains Apollo Creed’s son Adonis. Stallone was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in the film. It was the first Academy Award nomination he had received since the first “Rocky” film, which was released almost forty years earlier.

75 Low point : NADIR

The nadir is the direction pointing immediately below a particular location (through to the other side of the Earth for example). The opposite direction, that pointing immediately above, is called the zenith. We use the terms “nadir” and “zenith” figuratively to mean the low and high points in a person’s fortunes.

79 Anti-bullying spots, e.g. : PSAS

Public service announcement (PSA)

83 Cronus, at birth? : INSTANT TITAN (“instant tan” + IT)

In Greek mythology, Cronus (also “Kronos”) was one of the Titans. He overthrew his father Uranus and took over rule of the Titans. Eventually, Cronus was ousted by his own son Zeus. The Roman equivalent of Cronus was the deity Saturn.

89 Latin primer verb : AMO

“Amo, amas, amat” translates from Latin as “I love, you love, he/she/it loves”.

95 Avril follower : MAI

In French, the month of “mai” (May) comes after “avril” (April) and before “juin” (June).

105 Like some Netflix subscriptions : AD FREE

Netflix was founded in Los Gatos, California in 1997 as a DVD rental company that sent out titles by mail. The company delivered its billionth DVD in 2007. I presume the renter wasn’t charged for that movie …

110 Mosaic artist’s binder : GROUT

Grout is a thin mortar used to fill the joints between ceramic tiles. The name “grout” comes from the Old English word “gruta”, the word for a “coarse porridge” (due to the similarity in appearance of the two). Interestingly, the word “grits” comes from the same root. Grout … grits … makes sense …

In the Middle Ages, mosaics were often dedicated to the Muses. The term “mosaic” translates as “of the Muses”.

111 Some PC ports : USBS

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard dealing with how computers and electronic devices connect and communicate, and dealing with electrical power through those connections.

112 People unlikely to fall in love, for short : AROS

Someone described as aromantic (“aro”, for short) experiences little or no romantic attraction. The opposite of aromanticism is alloromanticism.

113 Heraldic shade of blue : AZURE

The term “azure” came into English from Persian via Old French. The French word “l’azur” was taken from the Persian name for a place in northeastern Afghanistan called “Lazhward” which was the main source of the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli. The stone has a vivid blue color, and “azure” has been describing this color since the 14th century.

126 Active Naturals skin care brand : AVEENO

Aveeno is a manufacturer of skincare and haircare products that was founded in 1945. The name Aveeno comes from the Latin name for the common oat, i.e. Avena sativa.

Down

2 “Fish Magic” painter Paul : KLEE

“Fish Magic” is a 1925 painting by Paul Klee that can be seen in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It is a work in the surrealist style, depicting an ethereal underwater world, where fish, clocks, and other enigmatic symbols float against a dreamlike backdrop.

4 Rose variety, for short : WHITE ZIN

Rosé wines get their color from the skins of the grapes, although the intensity of the color is not sufficient to make them red wines. Of the varying type of rosé wines available, we are most familiar with sweet white zinfandels. Personally, I am fond of the dry Provençal rosé wines …

6 ACLU focus : RTS

Rights (rts.)

7 Tube in a boba tea : STRAW

Bubble tea, sometimes called “boba tea”, is a tea-based drink from Taiwan. The “bubbles” are chewy tapioca balls that are usually added to the drink.

8 “__ Titans”: superhero series with Starfire and Beast Boy : TEEN

“Teen Titans” is an animated superhero television series that aired on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2006. It follows the adventures of a team of young superheroes, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy, as they protect Jump City from various villains.

9 Cornerstone abbr. : ESTD

In practical terms, a cornerstone is the first stone set during the construction of a building with a masonry foundation. Also known as the foundation stone or setting stone, the cornerstone determines the final position of the final structure, as all other stones are laid with reference to that first stone. For some time, we’ve also used the term “cornerstone” in a ceremonial sense. A ceremonial cornerstone is set in a prominent position at the corner of a wall, and usually bears significant information such as date of construction and names of the architect and builder.

12 Amazon’s home robot : ASTRO

The Amazon Astro is a home robot designed to provide a variety of services, including home monitoring, security, and assistance. It features a screen on a wheeled base, allowing it to navigate autonomously throughout a home. It has been described as Amazon Alexa on wheels, and costs over $1,500.

14 Surface dominated by Rafael Nadal : CLAY COURT

Rafael “Rafa” Nadal is a Spanish tennis player. He is noted for his expertise on clay courts, which earned him the nickname “The King of Clay”.

15 Bottom of bell-bottoms : HEM

Bell-bottom pants have legs that flare out from the knees downwards. It is common knowledge that bell-bottoms originated as a style worn by sailors. They were standard uniform wear in the British Royal Navy starting in the mid-19th century. American sailors, however, were wearing bell-bottoms in the very early 1800s. The wide pant leg allows bell-bottoms to double as a life-saving device. Sailors are trained to remove the pants (without the need to remove shoes), tie a knot in the end of each leg, and then inflate the pants with air so that they can be used to aid flotation.

18 Weapon on Kenya’s flag : SPEAR

The flag of Kenya is a tricolor of black, red, and green, separated by narrow white stripes. At the center lies a Maasai shield with two crossed spears. The black represents the people of Kenya, the red symbolizes the blood shed during the struggle for independence, and the green signifies the country’s agriculture and natural resources. The white stripes symbolize peace, while the Maasai shield and crossed spears represent the defense of freedom.

22 Gin cocktail : SLING

A sling is a cocktail made of brandy, whiskey or gin that is sweetened and flavored with lemon. The most famous version of the sling is the Singapore sling, which was invented by a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. I am proud to report that I once had a Singapore sling in Raffles Hotel, many moons ago …

33 Chats on Discord, for short : IMS

Discord is a social media platform designed primarily for voice, video, and text communication. Originally popular among gamers, Discord has expanded to encompass a wide range of communities, including artists, musicians, study groups, and general interest groups.

34 Triage ctrs. : ERS

Triage is the process of prioritizing patients for treatment, especially on the battlefield. The term “triage” is French and means “sorting”.

35 Grinding tooth : MOLAR

Molars are grinding teeth. The term “molar” comes from the Latin “mola” meaning “millstone”.

37 Kung __ shrimp : PAO

Kung Pao chicken (or sometimes shrimp or tofu) is a Sichuan stir-fry dish that includes peanuts, vegetables and chili peppers. The name “Kung Pao” is thought to come from a governor of the Sichuan province whose title was “Gongbao”, meaning “Palace Guardian”.

40 Baby Bear’s dad : PAPA

The story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” was first recorded in 1837 in England, although the narrative was around before it was actually written down. The original fairy tale was rather gruesome, but successive versions became more family-oriented. The character that eventually became Goldilocks was originally an elderly woman, and the three “nameless” bears became Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear.

41 Arduous journey : TREK

A trek is an arduous journey. The term “trek” comes into English via Afrikaans from the Dutch “trekken” meaning “to march, journey”.

44 Omega-3 source : TUNA OIL

Fish oils are noted for containing omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits including the reduction of inflammation. Like so many essential nutrients that we get from animals, the only reason the animal has them is that it feeds on plants. In this case, fish cannot manufacture omega-3 fatty acids, and instead absorb them from algae. Omega-3 fatty acids are also readily found in other plant oils such as flaxseed oil.

47 “Auld Lang __” : SYNE

The song “Auld Lang Syne” is a staple at New Year’s Eve (well, actually in the opening minutes of New Year’s Day). The words were written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The literal translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is “old long since”, but is better translated as “old times”. The sentiment of the song is “for old time’s sake”.

57 Head of cabbage? : CEE

The word “cabbage” starts with a letter C (cee).

59 Alphabetical order? : BLT

The BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) is the second-most popular sandwich in the US, after the plain old ham sandwich.

63 Eid al-Fitr cash gift : EIDI

Eid al-Fitr is a religious holiday in the Muslim tradition that is known in English as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast”. It marks the end of Ramadan, a period of dawn-to-sunset fasting.

71 Fettuccine sauce : ALFREDO

Fettuccine is a popular type of pasta in Italy, particularly in Rome. It is a flat noodle similar to the smaller tagliatelle that is more popular in Bologna. The most common dish made with fettuccine in North America is Fettuccine Alfredo.

72 Thailand, before 1940 : SIAM

“Siam” was the official name of Thailand up to 1939 (and again from 1945 to 1949).

73 Empire centered at Cuzco : INCA

Cusco (also “Cuzco”) is a city in the southeast of Peru. Historically, Cusco was the historic capital of the Inca Empire, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

78 Wang of fashion : VERA

Vera Wang’s first choice for a career was figure skating. Although she is a very capable skater, Wang failed to make the 1968 US Olympics team. She switched to the world of fashion, and is now famous for her designs of wedding dresses … and also costumes for figure skaters.

81 “Save Me” singer Mann : AIMEE

Aimee Mann is a rock singer and guitarist from Virginia. Mann is married to Michael Penn, the brother of actor Sean Penn.

82 X-ray __: novelty wear : SPEX

X-ray specs were a novelty item much advertised in comic books in the 1950s and 1960s. Advertisements suggested that the spectacles allowed one to see through skin and view the underlying bones. In fact, the glasses produced two identical but slightly overlapped images. There was a darker image at the point of the overlap. Especially when one looked at a hand, this gave the illusion of seeing a darker (“bony”) hand within a lighter image. Excellent value for one or two bucks!

85 Badgers : NAGS

To badger is to harass. The verb “to badger” comes from the cruel practice of badger-baiting, which dates back to medieval times. Badger-baiting is a blood sport in which a dog is used as bait for a badger in its den, to draw it out into the open. The den is an artificial structure built to resemble a natural badgers’ den, complete with a tunnel entrance. The dog is sent down the tunnel causing the badger and dog to lock their jaws on each other. The badger and dog are then removed from the den by pulling on the dog’s tail. Horrible …

104 Bold alternative : ITALIC

Italic type leans to the right, and is often used to provide emphasis in text. The style is known as “italic” because the stylized calligraphic form of writing originated in Italy, probably in the Vatican.

106 Like many a summer cabin after a long winter : MUSTY

Something described as “musty” has a stale or moldy odor. The term derives from an obsolete word “moisty”, as in “moist”.

107 Lauder of cosmetics : ESTEE

Estée Lauder was a very successful businesswoman, and someone with a great reputation as a salesperson. Lauder introduced her own line of fragrances in 1953, a bath oil called “Youth Dew”. “Youth Dew” was marketed as a perfume, but it was added to bathwater. All of a sudden women were pouring whole bottles of Ms. Lauder’s “perfume” into their baths while using only a drop or two of French perfumes behind their ears. That’s quite a difference in sales “volume” …

109 Like Vikings : NORSE

The Vikings were a Germanic people from northern Europe who were noted as great seafarers. Key to the success of the Vikings was the design of their famous “longships”. Made from wood, the longship was long and narrow with a shallow hull, It was also light, so that the crew would actually carry it small distances over land and around obstacles. Longships were designed to be propelled by both sail and oars.

115 Org. that runs the Opens : USGA

The United States Golf Association (USGA) was formed in 1894. The need for a governing body for the sport became evident that year when both the Newport Country Club and the St. Andrew’s Golf Club in Yonkers declared that the winner of a tournament at each of their courses was the “national amateur champion”. The first president of the USGA was Theodore Havemeyer. To this day, the one-and-only US Amateur Trophy bears Havemeyer’s name.

121 __ Lanka : SRI

The island nation of Sri Lanka lies off the southeast coast of India. The name “Sri Lanka” translates from Sanskrit into English as “venerable island”. Before 1970, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon, a name given to the country during British rule.

122 Exec at an AI startup : CTO

Chief technology officer (CTO)

Artificial intelligence (AI)