LA Times Crossword 15 May 25, Thursday

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Constructed by: Desirée Penner & Jeff Sinnock
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Love Letters

Themed answers each point to a single LETTER within that answer. Descending the grid, those LETTERS are L-O-V-E:

• 60A Messages containing X’s and O’s, and what the answers to the starred clues literally describe? : LOVE LETTERS

• 16A *Dolores Huerta, for one : LABOR LEADER (L = leading letter in “labor”)
• 25A *In the lead : OUT-FRONT (O = front letter of “out”)
• 35A *Convention site : CIVIC CENTER (V = center letter of “civic”)
• 52A *Portion of the Irish flag that’s green : ONE THIRD (E = a third of “one”)

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

Bill’s time: 6m 31s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Canines, e.g. : TEETH

The canine teeth of a mammal are also called the eyeteeth or cuspids. The name “canine” is used because these particular teeth are very prominent in dogs. The prefix “eye-” is used because in humans the eyeteeth are located in the upper jaw, directly below the eyes.

13 Mammal that may steal fish from a fisher’s line : SEAL

Male seals are called bulls, females are cows, and babies are pups. A group of seals comprising one or two males, with several females and their offspring, is known as a harem.

14 Transparent layer in the eye : CORNEA

The cornea is the transparent part of the eye in the front, and the part that covers the iris and the pupil. Even though the cornea is not part of the eye’s lens, it acts as a lens. In fact, the cornea does most of the work focusing light coming in through the eye. It is, in effect, a fixed-focus lens passing on light to the variable-focus lens that is inside the eye.

15 Surname separator : NEE

“Née” is the French word for “born” when referring to a female. The male equivalent is “né”. The term “née” is mainly used in English when referring to a married woman’s birth name, assuming that she has adopted her husband’s name, e.g. Michelle Obama née Robinson, Melania Trump née Knavs, and Jill Biden née Jacobs.

16 *Dolores Huerta, for one : LABOR LEADER

Dolores Huerta is a prominent American labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) with Cesar Chavez. She is also known for her powerful organizing skills and her famous rallying cry, “Sí, se puede” (“Yes, we can”).

18 TNT part : TRI-

Trinitrotoluene (TNT)

22 Rum-soaked cakes : BABAS

Rum baba (also “baba au rhum” in French) is a small yeast cake saturated in rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream. Rum baba is derived from the recipe for the tall “babka” yeast cake that was introduced to the world by the Polish communities. The Polish words “baba” and “babka” mean “old woman” or “grandmother” in English. I guess someone must have thought that all grandmothers were saturated in rum!

32 Bodega convenience : ATM

“Bodega” is a Spanish term describing a winery or, these days, a grocery store.

34 Cooling systs. : ACS

Air conditioner (AC)

40 “Unforgettable” singer __ King Cole : NAT

Nat King Cole’s real name was Nathaniel Adams Coles. Cole made television history in 1956 when his own show debuted on NBC, a first for an African-American. Cole couldn’t pick up a national sponsor, so in order to save money and possibly save the show, many guest artists worked for no fee at all – the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte and Peggy Lee. The show survived for a year, but eventually Nat King Cole had to pull the plug on it himself.

“Unforgettable” is a song recorded by Nat King Cole in 1951. It was his biggest hit single. In 1991, his daughter Natalie Cole released a version of “Unforgettable”, as a duet with her late father. The duet was created using digital splicing, which allowed Natalie’s voice to be blended with her father’s voice. The song was a critical and commercial success, winning a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

41 Cap. founded by Brigham Young : SLC

Salt Lake City (SLC) was founded by Brigham Young, in 1847. The city takes its name from the Great Salt Lake on which it sits, and indeed was known as “Great Salt Lake City” up until 1868.

Brigham Young was the second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Young believed in and practiced polygamy, so he has a large family of descendants. One of his more famous great-great-great-grandsons is Steve Young, the retired quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.

52 *Portion of the Irish flag that’s green : ONE THIRD

One interpretation of the colors of the tricolor Irish flag of Ireland are that the green represents the Irish Nationalist movement striving for independence from Britain, and that the orange represents the Orange movement concentrated in the north of the country (now Northern Ireland) that favors British rule. The white is a hopeful representation of peace between the two ideals. The flag’s design dates back to 1848 when it was presented to Irish Nationalist Thomas Francis Meagher by a small group of sympathetic French women. It was likely inspired by the French tricolor, although it might also have derived from the Newfoundland Tricolour, as Meagher’s father was born there.

55 Yemen metropolis with an elevation over 7,200 feet : SANAA

Sana (also “Sana’a” and “Sanaa”) is the capital city of Yemen. Sitting at an elevation of 7,380 feet, Sana is one of the highest capital cities in the world. Within the bounds of today’s metropolis is the old fortified city of Sana, where people have lived for over 2,500 years. The Old City is now a World Heritage Site. According to legend, Sana was founded by Shem, the son of Noah.

59 Hairy Addams cousin : ITT

In the television sitcom “The Addams Family”, the family has a frequent visitor named Cousin Itt. He is a short man with long hair that runs from his head to the floor. Itt was played by Italian actor Felix Silla.

60 Messages containing X’s and O’s, and what the answers to the starred clues literally describe? : LOVE LETTERS

In the sequence letter sequence “X-O-X”, the X represents a kiss, and the O a hug. “O-O-O” is a string of hugs, and “X-X-X” a string of kisses. Hugs and kisses …

65 Actress Vardalos : NIA

Nia Vardalos is an actress and screenwriter whose biggest break came with the 2002 film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, which she wrote and in which she starred. The film tells the story of a Greek-American woman marrying a non-Greek Caucasian American who converts to the Greek Orthodox Church to facilitate the marriage. The storyline reflects the actual experiences of Vardalos and her husband, actor Ian Gomez. Vardalos and Gomez appeared together as hosts for two seasons of the reality competition “The Great American Baking Show”.

66 English cathedral city : EXETER

Exeter is a historic city in the county of Devon in the southwest of England. The city takes its name from the river on which it lies: the River Exe.

67 In a frenzy : AMOK

The phrase “to run amok” (sometimes “to run amuck”) has been around since the 1670s and is derived from the Malay word for “attacking furiously”, “amuk”. The word “amok” was also used as a noun to describe Malay natives who were “frenzied”. Given Malaya’s troubled history, the natives probably had a good reason for that frenzy …

68 Family docs : GPS

General practitioner (GP)

70 Shade of red : RUBY

The gemstone sapphire is a type of corundum, and consists mainly of aluminum oxide. The color of sapphire varies, depending on the metallic impurities that are present. In general terms, if the impurity is predominantly chromium, then the color is red and the stone is called a ruby. The presence of ferrous iron and titanium results in a blue sapphire.

Down

1 Handy way to communicate, for short? : ASL

American Sign Language (ASL)

2 Justice Dept. arm : DEA

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was set up in 1973 while President Nixon was in office.

4 “Just say no” or “Just do it” : SLOGAN

The slogan “Just Say No” was introduced by First Lady Nancy Reagan for the War on Drugs in the 1980s. The slogan was developed by advertising executives, but the First Lady first used the phrase in response to a schoolgirl asking in 1982 what to do if she was offered drugs.

The Nike slogan “Just Do It” was created in an advertising meeting in 1988. Apparently the phrase was inspired by the last words of infamous criminal Gary Gilmore. Gilmore faced execution by the state of Utah in 1977, and when asked if he had any last words he simply replied, “Let’s do it”. A few minutes later, Gilmore was executed by a firing squad.

6 Poet’s Muse : ERATO

In Greek mythology, Erato was the Muse of lyric poetry. She is often depicted with a wreath of myrtle and roses, and playing a lyre.

14 The Cavs, on scoreboards : CLE

The Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970.

22 Chem. in some plastic : BPA

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic chemical that is used extensively in the manufacture of plastics. The main source of the controversy surrounding the use of the chemical is that BPA has hormone-like properties and has been classified as an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it can interfere with human hormone systems. BPA is “everywhere”, given the amount of plastic that we use in society. The debate seems to be whether or not the levels that we are exposed to are sufficient to create a health risk.

23 Cry after an epiphany : AHA!

An epiphany is an appearance or manifestation, especially of a supreme being. By extension, “epiphany” can also apply to a sudden insight or intuitive perception. The term derives from the Greek “epiphainein” meaning “to manifest, display”.

24 Pear variety : BOSC

Bosc is a cultivar of the European pear that is grown mainly in the northwest of the United States. It is named for French horticulturist Louis Bosc. The cultivar originated in Belgium or France in the early 19th century. The Bosc is that pear with a skin the color of a potato, with a long neck.

28 Cocktail with a tiny umbrella : MAI TAI

The mai tai cocktail is strongly associated with the Polynesian islands, but the drink was supposedly invented in 1944 in Trader Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. One recipe is 6 parts white rum, 3 parts orange curaçao, 3 parts orgeat syrup, 1 part rock candy syrup, 2 parts fresh lime juice, all mixed with ice and then a float added of 6 parts dark rum. “Maita’i” is the Tahitian word for “good”.

33 Roast VIPs : MCS

The term “emcee” comes from “MC”, an initialism used for a Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

36 Social media app launched on Oct. 6, 2010 : INSTA

Instagram (often abbreviated to “Insta”, or “IG”) is a photo-sharing application, one that is extremely popular. Instagram started in San Francisco in 2010. Facebook purchased Instagram two years later, paying $1 billion. The billion-dollar Instagram company had just 13 employees at the time of the sale …

37 “1984” rock band : VAN HALEN

Van Halen is a heavy metal band formed in Pasadena, California back in 1972. Brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen originally called the band Mammoth, changing the name to Van Halen in 1974 when they found out there was another Mammoth playing the circuit. Early on, the brothers were renting a sound system from David Lee Roth, and they decided to save some money by bringing him into the band and saving on the rental fee!

“1984”was Van Halen’s sixth studio album, and released in the year of its title. It was to be the band’s last full album with original frontman David Lee Roth until 2012. The album showcased a more polished, synthesizer-driven sound, largely due to Eddie Van Halen’s increased use of keyboards, most notably on the iconic hit “Jump.” While still retaining their hard rock edge, “1984” achieved massive commercial success, cementing Van Halen’s status as a mainstream powerhouse and producing several enduring rock anthems.

38 Caribou kin : ELK

Wapiti, also known as elk, are one of the largest species of deer found in North America and East Asia. They are social animals and live in herds of up to 400 individuals. The herds are usually led by a dominant male, known as a bull, who defends his harem of females during the mating season.

“Caribou” is the North American name for “reindeer”.

43 Works on easels : ART

The term “easel” comes from an old Dutch word meaning “donkey”, would you believe? The idea is that an easel carries its load (an oil painting, say) just as a donkey would be made to carry a load.

44 Social science maj. : PSY

The social sciences are the collection of academic disciplines devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within societies. Included in the collection are anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, psychology and political science.

47 Dressed like for a comic-con, e.g. : WENT AS

San Diego’s Comic-Con was founded in 1970 as the Golden State Comic Book Convention. Held over four days each summer, I hear it is the largest show in North America.

57 Seine sights : ILES

There are two famous “îles” (islands) in the middle of the River Seine in Paris, one being the Île de la Cité, and the other Île Saint-Louis. Île de la Cité is the most renowned of the two, as it is home to the cathedral of Notre-Dame.

61 Good Grips brand : OXO

The OXO line of kitchen utensils and housewares is designed to be ergonomically superior to the average household tools. The intended user of OXO products is someone who doesn’t have the normal range of motion or strength in the hands e.g. someone suffering from arthritis.

62 Grounded bird : EMU

The emu has had a tough time in Australia since man settled there. There was even an “Emu War” in Western Australia in 1932 when migrating emus competed with livestock for water and food. Soldiers were sent in and used machine guns in an unsuccessful attempt to drive off the “invading force”. The emus were clever, breaking their usual formations and adopting guerrilla tactics, operating as smaller units. After 50 days of “war”, the military withdrew. Subsequent requests for military help for the farmers were ignored. The emus had emerged victorious …

63 Actor Lowe : ROB

Actor Rob Lowe is one of the “founding” members of the so-called Brat Pack, having appeared in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. More recently, he played a regular character on the TV show “Parks and Recreation”. My favorite of his roles though, was playing Sam Seaborn on Aaron Sorkin’s great drama series “The West Wing”. When “The West Wing” first aired, Seaborn was billed as the show’s main character, but outstanding performances from the rest of the cast and some great writing meant that Lowe’s role became “one of many”. This led to some dissatisfaction on Lowe’s part, and eventually he quit the show.