LA Times Crossword 15 Oct 25, Wednesday

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Constructed by: Victoria Fernandez Grande

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Stir the Pot

Themed answers each include the letter string POT, but with the order STIRRED, changed:

• 62A Create tension among friends, or a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters : STIR THE POT

• 17A Like some fast planes : JET-POWERED
• 25A Exclusive excursion : VIP TOUR
• 31A Chili dish served in a corn chip bag : FRITO PIE
• 45A Toaster pastry brand : POP-TARTS
• 50A Had a decent showing on the links : SHOT PAR

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

Bill’s time: 7m 02s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

10A Torah chests : ARKS

The Torah ark is found in a synagogue, and is the ornamental container in which the Torah scrolls are stored. The word “Torah” best translates as “teaching” or “law”. The Torah ark is referred to as the “Aron Kodesh” in Hebrew, meaning “Holy Ark”.

16A Former Iranian leader : SHAH

The last Shah of Iran was Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who was overthrown in the revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979. The post-revolution government sought the extradition of the Shah back to Iran while he was in the United States seeking medical care (he had cancer). His prolonged stay in the United States, recovering from surgery, caused some unrest back in Iran and resentment towards the United States. Some say that this resentment precipitated the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran and the resulting hostage crisis.

19A Link destination : SITE

In essence, the World Wide Web (WWW) is a vast collection of documents that is accessible using the Internet, with each document containing hyperlinks that point to other documents in the collection. So the “Web” is different from the Internet, although the terms are often used interchangeably. The Web is a collection of documents, and the Internet is a global network of computers on which the documents reside. The Web was effectively the invention of British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee. The key to Berner-Lee’s invention was bringing together two technologies that already existed: hypertext and the Internet. I, for one, am very grateful …

20A 2007 Apple debut : IPHONE

Apple started development of the iPhone in 2004 in collaboration with Cingular Wireless (now AT&T Mobility). The confidential program was given the name “Project Purple”, and took thirty months to complete at a cost of about $150 million. The iPhone was introduced in 2007 at the Macworld convention in San Francisco.

21A Sixth __ : SENSE

The so-called sixth sense is extrasensory perception (ESP). It is also referred to as second sight.

22A Mono alternative : STEREO

Monophonic sound (“mono”) is sound reproduced using just one audio channel, which is usually played out of just one speaker. Stereophonic sound is reproduced using two audio channels, with the sound from each channel played out of two different speakers. The pair of stereo speakers are usually positioned apart from each other so that sound appears to come from between the two. Quadraphonic sound (4.0 surround sound) uses four audio channels with the sound played back through four speakers that are often positioned at the corners of the room in which one is listening.

31A Chili dish served in a corn chip bag : FRITO PIE

The oldest known printed recipe for frito pie dates back to 1949, in a Texas publication. Most recipes include chile, cheese and corn chips (usually Fritos), but can also include salsa, refried beans, sour cream, onion, rice and/or jalapeños.

34A Encrypted messaging software : SIGNAL

Signal is a secure messaging service that competes with the likes of WhatsApp and Telegram. Apparently, many CIA employees have Signal installed by default on their devices, and its usage is covered by standard training when they are hired.

39A Lion of Narnia : ASLAN

In the CS Lewis series of books known as “The Chronicles of Narnia”, Aslan is the lion character (as in the title “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”). “Aslan” is the Turkish word for “lion”. Anyone who has read the books will recognize the remarkable similarity between the story of Aslan and the story of Christ, including a sacrifice and resurrection.

Apparently, it’s not certain how CS Lewis came to choose Narnia as the name of the fantasy world featured in his series of children’s books, including “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. There was an ancient city in Umbria that the Romans called Narnia, but there is no evidence of a link.

40A Microdosing study subj. : LSD

LSD (known colloquially as “acid”) is lysergic acid diethylamide. A Swiss chemist named Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 in a research project looking for medically efficacious ergot alkaloids. It wasn’t until some five years later when Hofmann ingested some of the drug accidentally that its psychedelic properties were discovered. Trippy, man …

Psychedelic microdosing is the practice of taking extremely low doses of psychedelic drugs in order to promote creativity and well-being. Drugs commonly used are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin (found in “magic mushrooms”). Hmm …

42A Bubble bath accessory : LOOFA

The loofah (also “loofa”, “lufah” and “luffa”, all Arabic words) is a vine, with fruit that’s very popular in Asia and Africa. If the fruit is allowed to mature, it can be processed to remove everything but the more rigid xylem structure (remember your high school botany class?) leaving a soft, sponge-like mass that is used as a skin polisher.

43A Waged a long campaign against : SIEGED

Our word “siege” comes from a 13th-century word for a “seat”. The military usage derives from the concept of a besieging force “sitting down” outside a fortress until it falls.

45A Toaster pastry brand : POP-TARTS

Pop-Tart is the most successful single brand for the Kellogg company, as millions of the sugary treats are sold every year. The US Military bought quite a few in 2001, and dropped 2.4 million Pop-Tarts into Afghanistan during the invasion after 9/11.

50A Had a decent showing on the links : SHOT PAR

The oldest type of golf course is a links course. The name “links” comes from the Old English word “hlinc” meaning “rising ground”. “Hlinc” was used to describe areas with coastal sand dunes or open parkland. As a result, we use the term “links course” to mean a golf course that is located at or on the coast, often amid sand dunes. The British Open is always played on a links course.

58A Microsoft business applications suite : OFFICE

Microsoft Office is a suite of applications that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook,

61A First name in jazz : ETTA

“Etta James” was the stage name of celebrated blues and soul singer Jamesetta Hawkins. James’ most famous recording was her 1960 hit “At Last”, which made it into the pop charts. James performed “At Last” at the age of 71 in 2009 on the reality show “Dancing with the Stars”, which was to be her final television appearance. She passed away in 2012.

68A One of the Coen brothers : ETHAN

Ethan and Joel Coen, often referred to as the Coen Brothers, are a pair of very successful movie directors and producers. For many of their early films, including “Fargo”, the credits listed Joel as director and Ethan as producer, even though they co-directed every aspect; this was a way to bypass certain guild rules at the time. They later began receiving joint directing credits.

69A Musical instrument in Orpheus mosaics : LYRE

Orpheus is a figure from Greek mythology very often associated with poetry, singing, music and the lyre in particular. In ancient Greece there was even an Orphic cult that in effect adopted the poetry ascribed to Orpheus as central to the cult’s belief system. The adjectives “Orphic” and “Orphean” describe things pertaining to Orpheus, and because of his romantic, musical bent, the term has come to describe anything melodious or enchanting. One of the more famous stories about Orpheus describes his attempts to rescue his wife Eurydice from the underworld.

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

70A Amino __ : ACID

There are 20 different types of amino acids that make up proteins. However, only 11 of them can be synthesized by the human body, while the remaining nine essential amino acids must be obtained from food sources.

71A Low on cash : SHORT

Our word “cash” comes from the Middle French “caisse” meaning “money box”.

Down

1D __ Mahal : TAJ

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India is a magnificent marble mausoleum. It was built in the mid-17th century by the fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died while giving birth to her 14th child in 1631. When Shah Jahan himself died in 1666, he was buried in the Taj Mahal, alongside his wife.

4D Mammal with a flexible snout : TAPIR

All four species of tapir are endangered. Even though the tapir looks much like a pig, it is more closely related to the horse and the rhinoceros.

6D Cookie preserved in a vault as part of a 2020 publicity stunt : OREO

As a publicity stunt, Oreo built the “Global Oreo Vault” in Svalbard, Norway, to protect the cookies and their recipe from a potential asteroid impact. The stunt was inspired by the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located nearby, that stores duplicates of seeds from around the world.

11D Safari herbivore : RHINO

There are five types of rhinoceros that survive today, with the smaller Javan Rhino being the most rare. The rhinoceros is probably the rarest large mammal on the planet, thanks to poaching. Hunters mainly prize the horn of the rhino as it is used in powdered form in traditional Chinese medicine.

12D Panko-breaded fried cutlet : KATSU

“Katsu” refers to a Japanese cooking technique where a cutlet of meat (most commonly pork or chicken) is breaded with panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. While often associated with chicken or pork, the “katsu” preparation can also be applied to other ingredients like beef, ham, or even vegetables.

13D Like organza and chiffon : SHEER

Organza is a sheer and stiff fabric that is similar to chiffon. The name “organza” is believed to be derived from “organzine,” a term for a type of strong silk thread. In turn, the term “organzine” is thought to have originated from Urgench, a city in modern-day Uzbekistan that was a well-known silk market on the ancient Silk Road.

Chiffon is a sheer fabric usually made from silk, cotton, nylon or rayon. The French word “chiffon” is a diminutive of “chiffe” meaning “rag, piece of cloth”.

23D Anklebones : TARSI

The tarsals (also “tarsi”) are the ankle bones, and are equivalent to the carpals in the wrist.

24D Go paperless on April 15 : E-FILE

April 15th wasn’t always Tax Day in the US. The deadline for returns was March 1st from 1913-18, when it was moved to March 15th. Tax Day has been April 15th since 1955.

29D Part of EVOO : OIL

Virgin olive oil is oil produced from olives with no chemical treatment involved in the production process at all. To be labeled “virgin”, the oil must have an acidity level of less than 2% and must be judged to have “a good taste”. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) comes from virgin oil production, and is the portion with acidity levels of less than 0.8% acidity that is judged to have “superior taste”.

30D “Roman Holiday” scooter : VESPA

Vespa is a brand of motor scooter that was originally made in Italy (and now all over the world) by Piaggio. “Vespa” is Italian for “wasp”.

“Roman Holiday’ is a 1953 film, and surely one of the greatest romcoms ever made. Audrey Hepburn plays a princess who escapes her minders to explore Rome on her own. On her ventures, she meets up with a newspaper reporter played by Gregory Peck. Peck was a major Hollywood A-lister, while Hepburn was a complete unknown at the time. His contract gave him solo, above-the-title billing. Partway through filming, Peck was so impressed by Hepburn’s talent that he contacted his agent and insisted that she be given equal, co-star billing. He correctly predicted that she would win an Academy Award for the role.

35D India’s smallest state : GOA

Goa is the smallest state in India, and is located in the southwest of the country. The Portuguese landed in Goa in the early 1500s, at first peacefully carrying out trade, but then took the area by force creating Portuguese India. Portugal held onto Portuguese India even after the British pulled out of India in 1947, until the Indian Army marched into the area in 1961.

36D Viking language : NORSE

Old Norse was a North Germanic language spoken by the inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, from about the 8th to the 15th centuries. It is the ancestor of modern North Germanic languages, including Icelandic, Faroese, Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish. Of these, Icelandic is the closest to Old Norse. Modern Icelanders can read Old Norse texts with relative ease.

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.

41D “¿Por qué no los __?” : DOS

In Spanish, one might ask, “Por qué no los dos?” (Why not both?)

44D Double helix molecule : DNA

Rosalind Franklin was a chemist who specialized in X-ray crystallography. It was work by Franklin and her student that produced the famous “Photo 51” that was key to the determination of the structure of DNA. James Watson and Francis Crick used the photo as they constructed their model of the double-helix structures of DNA. The photo had been shared with Watson and Crick by Maurice Wilkins, who worked with Franklin, without Franklin’s consent. A few years after Franklin died (at the age of 37), Watson, Crick and Wilkins shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on DNA. As Franklin received very little recognition for her contribution, she is sometimes referred to as the “dark lady of DNA” and the “wronged heroine”.

46D “Le __ Prince”: de Saint-Exupéry novella : PETIT

“Le Petit Prince” is a celebrated French novella written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and first published in 1943. “Le Petit Prince” (The Little Prince) is the most read book in France, and the book most translated from French. The philosophical tale recounts the story of a stranded pilot meeting a young prince who falls to Earth from an asteroid. Saint-Exupéry was himself a pioneering aviator. He wrote “Le Petit France” while living in exile in the US due to the German occupation of France during WWII.

52D Sea animal with “pockets” to store food and tools : OTTER

Sea otters use skin flaps, akin to “pockets”, to store and transport food they find while foraging on the seafloor, allowing them to bring multiple items to the surface to eat. They also use these pockets to carry a favorite rock, which they use as a tool to crack open hard-shelled prey such as clams, mussels, and crabs while floating on their backs. An otter may keep the same rock for its entire life. Wow!

55D Advil targets : ACHES

Advil is Wyeth’s brand of ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug.

60D VanVleet of the NBA : FRED

NBA point guard Fred VanFleet wasn’t selected in the 2016 NBA draft, and instead “bet on himself” by signing a modest, non-guaranteed contract with the Toronto Raptors. In 2023, he joined the Houston Rockets, signing the largest contract in league history for an undrafted player. VanVleet was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association in 2025.

62D Venue offering LED light therapy : SPA

LED light therapy is a cosmetic skincare treatment offered in venues like spas. The technique came from NASA research in the early 1990s. Scientists studying how to use LED lights to stimulate plant growth on space missions discovered that the light also promoted wound healing and helped human cells and tissues grow more quickly. Interesting …

63D Vietnam’s national dish : PHO

Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a noodle soup from Vietnam that is a popular street food, and the nation’s unofficial national dish. It is often ordered with a side of hanh dam, pickled white onions.