Advertisement
Edited by: Patti Varol
Today’s Reveal Answer: Whatcha up To?
Themed answers each start with something that one might be UP TO:
- 25D “Anything fun on the agenda today?,” or a hint to the starts of 3-, 7-, 21-, and 29-Down : WHATCHA UP TO?
- 3D Quick way to meet a bunch of people : SPEED DATING (up to speed)
- 7D Right this second : HERE AND NOW (up to here)
- 21D Gotham City searchlight : BAT SIGNAL (up to bat)
- 29D Spot for doodling : SCRATCH PAD (up to scratch)
Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers
Want to discuss the puzzle? Then …
… leave a comment
Bill’s time: 5m 55s
Bill’s errors: 0
Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies
Across
4 Sign between Cancer and Virgo : LEO
Leo is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac. People born from July 23 to August 22 are Leos.
13 Mario Kart circuit : LAP
“Mario Kart” is a go-kart racing video game series from Nintendo.
14 Italian mountain : ALP
There are eight Alpine countries:
- Austria
- Slovenia
- France
- Switzerland
- Liechtenstein
- Germany
- Monaco
- Italy
19 Cookie with a Coca-Cola variety : OREO
In 2024, The Oreo and Coca-Cola brands were used in a joint marketing campaign. Coca-Cola introduced an Oreo-flavored version of Coke, and Nabisco produced a Coke-flavored Oreo biscuit.
20 Podcast pause : AD BREAK
A podcast is an audio or video media file that is made available for download. The name comes from the acronym “POD” meaning “playable on demand”, and “cast” from “broadcasting”. So, basically a podcast is a broadcast that one can play on demand, simply by downloading and opening the podcast file.
22 “The Incredibles” supersuit designer Mode : EDNA
Edna Mode is a character from “The Incredibles” series of films. She’s an incredibly talented fashion designer, known for creating the super-suits worn by the superhero family. She also has a firm belief that “No capes!” are essential for superhero safety. Edna is voiced by the films’ director, Brad Bird.
24 Like some solstice traditions : PAGAN
A pagan is someone who holds religious beliefs that are different from the main religions of the world, and especially someone who believes in polytheism. In classical Latin, “paganus” means “villager, rustic”.
A solstice occurs twice in every year. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year (has the most daylight), and the winter solstice is the shortest.
25 “SmackDown” org. : WWE
“SmackDown” is a weekly TV show presenting professional wrestling bouts, and produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
30 Laconic reply to 25-Down, perhaps : NOTHIN’
Ancient Laconia was a region in southern Greece that was dominated by the city of Sparta. The people from Laconia were proud of their brevity of speech, which gives rise to our modern term “laconic” meaning someone who uses few words.
34 Heart charts, for short : ECGS
An EKG measures the electrical activity in the heart. Back in my homeland of Ireland, an EKG is known as an ECG (for electrocardiogram). We use the German name in the US, Elektrokardiogramm, giving us EKG. Apparently the abbreviation EKG is preferred, as ECG might be confused (if poorly handwritten, I guess) with EEG, the abbreviation for an electroencephalogram.
40 Latin “Not you too!?” : ET TU?!
It was Shakespeare who popularized the words “Et tu, Brute?” (meaning “And you, Brutus?”). They appear in his play “Julius Caesar”, although the phrase had been around long before he penned his drama. It’s not known what Julius Caesar actually said in real life (if anything at all) as he was assassinated on the steps of the Senate in Rome.
41 Challenging riddle : ENIGMA
Our term “enigma” meaning “puzzle, riddle” comes from the Greek “ainigma”, which means the same thing.
45 Revolutionary Guevara : CHE
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born in Argentina, and in 1948 he started to study medicine at the University of Buenos Aires. While at school he satisfied his need to “see the world” by taking two long journeys around South America, the stories of which are told in Guevara’s memoir later published as “The Motorcycle Diaries”. While traveling, Guevara was moved by the plight of the people he saw and their working conditions and what he viewed as capitalistic exploitation. In Mexico City he met brothers Raul and Fidel Castro and was persuaded to join their cause, the overthrow of the US-backed government in Cuba. He rose to second-in-command among the Cuban insurgents, and when Castro came to power Guevara was influential in repelling the Bay of Pigs Invasion and bringing Soviet nuclear missiles to the island. Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to continue his work as a revolutionary. He was captured by Bolivian forces in 1967, and was executed. Fidel Castro led the public mourning of Guevara’s death, and soon the revolutionary was an icon for many left-wing movements around the world.
46 California burger joint : IN-N-OUT
In-N-Out Burger is a fast food chain that’s very popular out here on the left coast. Unusually for a fast food business, In-N-Out Burger has no franchises and is privately owned. The company also prides itself on paying all employees above minimum wage. Also, if you check the packaging of the food and drink items, you’ll find a bible verse discreetly printed on the bottom of cups and wrappers, reflecting the Christian beliefs held by the company ownership. In-N-Out Burger was founded in 1948 by Harry and Esther Snyder, and is now owned by Lynsi Snyder, the couple’s only grandchild.
52 Kid-lit’s “Frog and __ Together” : TOAD
The “Frog and Toad” series of books for young children was written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel. The books were the basis of a 2002 Broadway musical called “A Year with Frog and Toad”.
58 Rumormongers : GOSSIPS
Our word “gossip” comes from the Old English “godsibb” meaning “godparent”. Back then, the term was used for female friends who attended a birth, and later for anyone engaging in idle talk.
The suffix “-monger” indicates a dealer or trader. For example, A fishmonger sells fish, an ironmonger sells hardware, a warmonger proposes military conflict, and an ideamonger deals in ideas …
65 “__ Te Ching” : TAO
Lao Tse (also “Lao-Tzu”, “Laozi”) was a central figure in the development of the religion/philosophy of Taoism. Tradition holds that Lao-Tzu wrote the “Tao Te Ching”, a classical Chinese text that is fundamental to the philosophy of Taoism.
66 Secretary of state who negotiated the Alaska Purchase : SEWARD
William H. Seward was the Governor of New York, and then Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. On the night that President Lincoln was assassinated, the plan was to kill Vice President Johnson and Secretary Seward as well. The attack on Johnson never took place, but Seward was stabbed several times in the face and neck as he lay in bed. Seward survived, and continued to serve as Secretary of State in President Johnson’s administration. Two years later, Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia.
Alaska was never a profitable colony for Russia, so the empire was probably glad to receive the $7.2 million forked out by the US in 1867. The Alaska Purchase took place during the administration of President Andrew Johnson, while William H. Seward served as Secretary of State. Famously, opponents of the administration labeled the purchase “Seward’s Folly”. The US military ran Alaska for a while, until it was made into a territory in 1884. Alaska was admitted to the Union as the 49th state in 1959.
67 __ sauce : SOY
Soy sauce is made by fermenting soybeans with a mold in the presence of water and salt. Charming …
68 Texter’s “I’ll be there soon!” : OMW!
On my way (OMW)
Down
2 Support for a ballerina : BARRE
A barre is a handrail used by ballet dancers for warm-up exercises and to provide support when practicing certain moves.
3 Quick way to meet a bunch of people : SPEED DATING (up to speed)
Speed dating is a matchmaking process in which single people meet a relatively large number of potential partners in a short period of time. The first speed-dating event took place in Beverly Hills in 1998 at a Peet’s Café.
5 Jazz legend Fitzgerald : ELLA
Ella Fitzgerald, the “First Lady of Song”, made her real stage debut at the Apollo Theater in Harlem on Amatuer Night when she was just 17 years old. She had intended to perform a dance routine, but decided to sing instead after seeing a superior dance act. She won the Amatuer Night competition.
6 Newspaper section with views : OP-ED PAGE
“Op-ed” is an abbreviation for “opposite the editorial page”. Op-eds started in “The New York Evening World” in 1921 when the page opposite the editorials was used for articles written by a named guest writer, someone independent of the editorial board.
8 “The Luminaries” Booker Prize winner Catton : ELEANOR
“The Luminaries” by Eleanor Catton is a historical novel that won the 2013 Man Booker Prize. Set in 1866 during the New Zealand gold rush, it begins with the arrival of Walter Moody, who stumbles upon a mysterious gathering of twelve men discussing a series of strange and interconnected crimes. The novel’s structure is tied to Western astrology, with each of the twelve men associated with one of the twelve signs of the zodiac, influencing their characters and roles in the unfolding mysteries. I haven’t read this one, but it sounds intriguing …
12 “Colorful” Taylor Swift era : RED
“Red” is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released in 2012. It’s known for its blend of country, pop, and rock styles, marking a significant departure from her earlier, more purely country sound.
15 Icy nautical hazard : BERG
An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that is floating freely after having broken away from a glacier or ice shelf. Our use of “iceberg” comes from the Dutch word for the same phenomenon “ijsberg”, which translates literally as “ice mountain”.
21 Gotham City searchlight : BAT-SIGNAL (up to bat)
Batman is an ally of Police Commissioner Gordon of Gotham City. Gordon orders the shining of a searchlight, known as the Bat-Signal, into the sky to summon Batman when he is needed.
25 “Anything fun on the agenda today?,” or a hint to the starts of 3-, 7-, 21-, and 29-Down : WHATCHA UP TO?
“Agenda” is a Latin word that translates as “things to be done”, coming from the verb “agere” meaning “to do”.
33 Body dye in some wedding traditions : HENNA
Henna has been used for centuries as a dye, for leather and wool as well as hair and skin. In modern days, henna is often used for temporary tattoos.
39 Movie creatures that multiply if they get wet : GREMLINS
“Gremlins” is a 1984 horror-comedy film about cuddly little creatures that turn into evil little monsters. Creepy …
53 Atlanta WNBA team : DREAM
The Atlanta Dream is a WNBA team that joined the league for the 2008 season. After moving around a little, the Dreams settled into the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia starting with the 2021 season.
54 Job inspection org. : OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
55 Director Preminger : OTTO
Otto Preminger was noted for directing films that pushed the envelope in terms of subject matter, at least in the fifties and sixties. Great examples would be 1955’s “The Man with the Golden Arm” that dealt with drug addiction, 1959’s “Anatomy of a Murder” that dealt with rape, and 1962’s “Advise and Consent” that dealt with homosexuality. If you’ve seen these films, you’ll have noticed that the references are somewhat indirect and disguised, in order to get past the censors.
Read on, or …
… return to top of page
Complete List of Clues/Answers
Across
1 Core muscles worked by crunches : ABS
4 Sign between Cancer and Virgo : LEO
7 Assistant : HELPER
13 Mario Kart circuit : LAP
14 Italian mountain : ALP
15 Accept as true : BELIEVE
16 Shiver with fear : TREMBLE
18 Put up, as a building : ERECTED
19 Cookie with a Coca-Cola variety : OREO
20 Podcast pause : AD BREAK
22 “The Incredibles” supersuit designer Mode : EDNA
24 Like some solstice traditions : PAGAN
25 “SmackDown” org. : WWE
28 Took care of a friend’s pup, say : DOG-SAT
30 Laconic reply to 25-Down, perhaps : NOTHIN’
32 “It just clicked!” : AHA!
34 Heart charts, for short : ECGS
35 Hates the thought of : DREADS
36 Head, in French : TETE
38 Era in power : REIGN
40 Latin “Not you too!?” : ET TU?!
41 Challenging riddle : ENIGMA
43 “Money doesn’t __ on trees” : GROW
45 Revolutionary Guevara : CHE
46 California burger joint : IN-N-OUT
47 Fairly recent : NEWISH
49 Pester : NAG
50 “Get off my lawn!” : SCRAM!
52 Kid-lit’s “Frog and __ Together” : TOAD
54 Surprised greeting : OH, HELLO!
56 Wait in hiding : LURK
58 Rumormongers : GOSSIPS
61 “Come on in!” : IT’S OPEN!
63 Warm up before cooking : PREHEAT
64 To the __ degree : NTH
65 “__ Te Ching” : TAO
66 Secretary of state who negotiated the Alaska Purchase : SEWARD
67 __ sauce : SOY
68 Texter’s “I’ll be there soon!” : OMW!
Down
1 Choir voice : ALTO
2 Support for a ballerina : BARRE
3 Quick way to meet a bunch of people : SPEED DATING (up to speed)
4 Research setting : LAB
5 Jazz legend Fitzgerald : ELLA
6 Newspaper section with views : OP-ED PAGE
7 Right this second : HERE AND NOW (up to here)
8 “The Luminaries” Booker Prize winner Catton : ELEANOR
9 Kiss from a 10-Down : LICK
10 Fur baby : PET
11 Night before : EVE
12 “Colorful” Taylor Swift era : RED
15 Icy nautical hazard : BERG
17 Prefix with chrome or tone : MONO-
21 Gotham City searchlight : BAT-SIGNAL (up to bat)
23 Get older : AGE
25 “Anything fun on the agenda today?,” or a hint to the starts of 3-, 7-, 21-, and 29-Down : WHATCHA UP TO?
26 Area component : WIDTH
27 Come after : ENSUE
29 Spot for doodling : SCRATCH PAD (up to scratch)
31 Casual top : TEE
32 Had food at home : ATE IN
33 Body dye in some wedding traditions : HENNA
37 Alter __ : EGO
39 Movie creatures that multiply if they get wet : GREMLINS
42 More sentimental : MUSHIER
44 Cleverness : WIT
48 Alone : SOLO
51 Chill : REST
53 Atlanta WNBA team : DREAM
54 Job inspection org. : OSHA
55 Director Preminger : OTTO
57 Not just guess : KNOW
58 Rte. provider : GPS
59 Mine find : ORE
60 Use a needle and thread : SEW
62 Timid : SHY
Leave a comment (below), or …
… return to top of page
12 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 20 May 25, Tuesday”
Comments are closed.
11 min, no errors
I’ve actually heard of In N Out. But it was in Dallas Texas that I ate in one. Reminded me a lot of Freddies.
Lived west of the Rockies for a long time but never tried Inn N Out…too many other options.
A couple of inattention errors but basically how a Tuesday should be.
8 minutes, no errors. Straight forward Tuesday.
“Up to scratch” is an interesting, but rarely used, phrase. TBH, I never hear it!
I see that it’s used much more in Britain.
10:56, no errors. Forgot to check out the theme.
Good thing you explained the theme.
Good Tuesday: No errors, no misspellings and no lookups. A few proper names I didn’t know, but got them on cross. The theme totally escaped me. I always enjoy hearing the explanations. I think they help on future puzzles. On to Wednesday.!
No errors…another kind of Oreo cookie?
Stay safe😀
9 mins 35 seconds and no errors. Made kind of a meal out of this, seeing SKETCHPAD instead of SCRATCHPAD, and PETSAT before DOGSAT. Caused no end of confusion.
8:01 – no errors or lookups. Faalse starts: EKGS>ECGS, SKETCH__>SCRATCH__.
New or forgotten: “The Luminaries,” ELEANOR Catton.
Got the theme answers easily enough, but didn’t get the “up to” preface to the first words of them.
An interesting factoid that Bill provided on the root of “laconic.” I don’t care for Coca-Cola, and so I cannot imagine combining it with oreos!
Overall, a very reasonable Tuesday.
What! Coke and any kind of chocolate are made for each othet!
I do like dark chocolate, and regular Oreos on occasion, and have thought I might like the mint-flavored ones, but there is a line …
Mostly easy Tuesday for me; took 8:47 with two dumb errors: EkGS/ECGS and TAe/TAO. Didn’t feel like looking for the errors when I didn’t get the banner and the check-grid got them for me. In a bit of a rush today…