LA Times Crossword 5 Nov 26, Thursday

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Constructed by: Emily Biegas

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Red Blend

Themed answers each include the name of a RED wine hidden within, but BLENDED (anagrammed):

• 56A Many a house wine, or what can be found in each set of circled letters : RED BLEND

• 17A Destination for a team bus : AWAY GAME (blended “GAMAY”)
• 25A Hair product that often contains cornstarch : DRY SHAMPOO (blended “SYRAH”)
• 34A Dried or fried fruity snacks : PLANTAIN CHIPS (blended “CHIANTI”)
• 47A Extremely terse voicemail message : CALL ME BACK (blended “MALBEC”)

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

Bill’s time: 6m 26s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

13A Filmmaker Ang : LEE

Ang Lee made history at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006 when he won the Best Director award for “Brokeback Mountain”. He became the first Asian person to win the award, and the first non-white person to win in the category.

14A Mosque leader : IMAM

An imam is a Muslim leader, and often the person in charge of a mosque and/or perhaps a Muslim community.

17A Destination for a team bus : AWAY GAME (blended “GAMAY”)

Gamay is a grape variety most famous for producing the light red wines of the French Beaujolais region. In 1395, the Duke of Burgundy banished the grape from his lands to protect the economic dominance of his preferred pinot noir. The royal decree forced cultivators to move southward into the granitic soils of Beaujolais, soils that proved to be a perfect match for the vine.

20A Italian city with a big Fashion Week : MILAN

Milan Fashion Week was established in 1958, and today stands alongside New York, London, and Paris as one of the “Big Four” global fashion weeks.

23A Pico de __ : GALLO

Pico de gallo is a condiment in Mexican cuisine made from tomato, onion and chili peppers. “Pico de gallo” is Spanish for “beak of rooster”. Apparently this name was given as eating of the condiment with the thumb and forefinger resembled the pecking of a rooster. An alternative name for pico de gallo is “salsa fresca”, which translates literally as “fresh sauce”.

25A Hair product that often contains cornstarch : DRY SHAMPOO (blended “SYRAH”)

Syrah is a dark-skinned grape variety that is very much associated with the celebrated red blends of France’s Côtes du Rhône region. When cuttings were brought to Australia in the 19th century, the grape adapted to the warmer climate and earned a new name: Shiraz. Winemakers often use syrah grapes to introduce tones of blackberry and cracked black pepper into their wines. I do love a peppery Côtes du Rhône …

27A “Me Talk Pretty One Day” writer David : SEDARIS

“Me Talk Pretty One Day” is a collection of essays by the great humorist David Sedaris that was first published in 2000. The book is divided into two halves, with the first chronicling his childhood in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the second detailing his move to Paris with his partner.

29A Faux follower : PAS

The term “faux pas” is French in origin, and translates literally as “false step” (or “false steps”, as the plural has the same spelling in French).

31A Ad __ committee : HOC

The Latin phrase “ad hoc” means “for this purpose”. An ad hoc committee, for example, is formed for a specific purpose and disbanded after making its final report.

32A Corral : PEN

“Corral” is a Spanish word describing an enclosure for livestock, a word that we’ve imported into English. Ultimately, the term comes from the Vulgar Latin “currale” meaning “enclosure for carts”, itself coming from “currus”, the Latin for “cart”.

33A Anya’s “The Queen’s Gambit” role : BETH

“The Queen’s Gambit” is a wonderful 2020 miniseries based on a 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. Anya Taylor-Joy plays a young chess prodigy who has a tough upbringing in an orphanage, and who then struggles with alcohol and drug dependency. The series was so popular with viewers that it sparked a renewed interest in the game of chess, with sales of chess sets and chess books increasing dramatically.

34A Dried or fried fruity snacks : PLANTAIN CHIPS (blended “CHIANTI”)

Plantains are members of the banana family that contain significantly less sugar than the dessert banana that we often purchase in our grocery stores. As a result, they are used more like a vegetable in most recipes. The name “plantain” comes from the Spanish “plátano”, a reference to the plant’s massive, broad leaves.

39A “20/20” network : ABC

“20/20” is one of the longest-running news magazines on American television, having premiered on ABC in 1978. The premiere episode was anchored by magazine editor Harold Hayes and art critic Robert Hughes, both of whom had a lack of television experience resulting in a notably awkward on-air dynamic. The live broadcast was plagued by severe technical glitches and strange editorial choices, most notably a claymation segment featuring a singing Jimmy Carter. The reception was so overwhelmingly negative that both hosts were fired immediately after the broadcast. Veteran broadcaster Hugh Downs was rushed in to anchor the second episode just one week later, saving the program and establishing the serious journalistic tone it retains today.

41A Vietnamese New Year : TET

The full name for the New Year holiday in Vietnam is “Tet Nguyen Dan” meaning “Feast of the First Morning”, with the reference being to the arrival of the season of spring. Tet usually falls on the same day as Chinese New Year.

47A Extremely terse voicemail message : CALL ME BACK (blended “MALBEC”)

Malbec is a red wine grape that used to be mainly associated with Bordeaux. A frost killed off much of the crop in Bordeaux in the fifties, and today Malbec wines are more closely linked to Argentina and California. I must admit to being a big fan of Malbec blends …

51A Central Plains people : OTOES

The Native American people known as the Otoe and the Missouri were the first tribes encountered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The meeting took place in 1804 at a point on the Missouri River that is now known as Council Bluffs.

53A Sasha Obama’s sister : MALIA

Former First Daughter Malia Obama was a staff writer for the 2023 satirical horror series “Swarm”, co-created by Donald Glover. She is credited as a co-writer for the show’s fifth episode, “Girl, Bye”. Glover praised her contribution, saying, “She’s an amazingly talented person. She’s really focused, and she’s working really hard”. Her interest in the industry started much earlier when she interned on the set of the HBO show “Girls” in 2015 and worked as a production assistant on the CBS sci-fi drama “Extant” in 2014.

54A Emmy-winning drama with primarily Japanese dialogue : SHOGUN

The 2024 historical epic series “Shōgun” is based on James Clavell’s best-selling 1975 novel of the same name. The book was also famously adapted into a landmark TV miniseries in 1980 starring Richard Chamberlain.

58A El __ tequila : TESORO

El Tesoro (Spanish for “The Treasure”) is a premium tequila brand established in 1937. The brand is known for its adherence to pre-industrial production methods, even employing a traditional two-ton volcanic stone wheel known as a tahona to crush its roasted blue agave.

59A “Bugonia” actress Stone : EMMA

Actress Emma Stone is from Scottsdale, Arizona. She really came to prominence with her performance in the 2010 high school movie called “Easy A”, and won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the 2016 movie “La La Land”. Now one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood, Stone values her privacy and works hard to maintain a low profile. Good for her, I say …

“Bugonia” is a 2025 sci-fi dark comedy film that is an English-language remake of a 2003 South Korean cult film “Save the Green Planet!”. The movie follows two men who kidnap a powerful pharmaceutical CEO, played by Emma Stone. The conspiracy-obsessed kidnappers are certain that their captive is an extraterrestrial intent on destroying Earth.

63A Bruins great Bobby : ORR

Canadian hockey player Bobby Orr revolutionized the NHL by transforming the defenseman role into an offensive weapon. He is the only defenseman in league history to win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer, a feat he achieved twice.

Down

1D Stays in a heated yurt, perhaps : GLAMPS

“Glamping” is “glamorous camping”, camping with comforts and amenities.

A yurt is a wood-framed dwelling that is used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. Although a yurt is a substantial structure, it is also extremely portable.

2D Alter, as neural pathways : REWIRE

The scientific term for rewiring neural pathways is neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to physically reorganize its connections over a lifetime. Every time a person learns a new skill or breaks an old habit, they are literally altering the physical structure of their brain. Scientists once believed the brain became permanently fixed after childhood, but modern research proves it constantly maps and re-routes its billions of synapses every day.

3D Passport alternative for U.S. domestic travelers : REAL ID

What we know today as “Real IDs” are the result of the Real ID Act of 2005. One of the most visible results of the law are state-issued drivers’ licenses that meet new minimum security standards set by the federal government.

4D Talk with one’s hands? : SIGN

It’s really quite unfortunate that American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) are very different, and someone who has learned to sign in one cannot understand someone signing in the other.

5D Reddit session with a celeb guest : AMA

Reddit.com is a networking and news website that started up in 2005. It is essentially a bulletin board system with posts that are voted up and down by users, which determines the ranking of posts. The name “Reddit” is a play on “read it”, as in “I read it on Reddit”. One popular feature of the Reddit site is an online forum that is similar to a press conference. Known as an AMA (for “ask me anything”), participants have included the likes of President Barack Obama, Madonna, Bill Gates, Stephen Colbert and Gordon Ramsay. President Obama’s AMA was so popular that the high level of traffic brought down many parts of the Reddit site.

7D Nail file material : EMERY

Emery is a very hard type of rock that is crushed for use as an abrasive. Emery paper is made by gluing small particles of emery to paper. Emery boards are just emery paper with a cardboard backing. And emery boards are primarily used for filing nails.

8D Food blogger Perelman : DEB

“Smitten Kitchen” is a cooking blog that Deb Perelman has been publishing since 2006. She parlayed her successful blog into a cookbook, also called “Smitten Kitchen”, which was published in 2012. The fourth person to comment on Deb’s blog was a gentleman named Alex Perelman. After that first meeting, Alex and Deb became friends, and years later got married.

9D Some fatty acids : OMEGAS

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.

10D Thinker with a “razor” : OCCAM

Ockham’s (also “Occam’s”) razor is a principle in philosophy and science that basically states that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. This explanation is a corollary to the more exact statement of the principle, that one shouldn’t needlessly use assumptions in explaining something. The principle is referred to as “lex parsimoniae” in Latin, or “the law of parsimony”. Parsimony is being thrifty with money or resources. The principle was developed by 14th-century logician and Franciscan Friar William of Ockham (or “Occam” in Latin). The principle is dubbed a “razor” as it is used as a philosophical tool used to cut out absurd and spurious reasoning in an argument.

18D Some motorcycles and keyboards : YAMAHAS

The Japanese company Yamaha started out way back in 1887 as a manufacturer of reed organs. Even though the company has diversified since then, Yamaha’s logo still reflects its musical roots. Said logo is made up of three intersecting tuning forks, and can even be seen on Yamaha motorcycles and ATVs.

22D Setting of the annual Food & Wine Classic : ASPEN

“Food & Wine” is a monthly magazine founded in 1978 that aims to be a more down-to-earth alternative to other food publications. The premier event for the magazine is the annual Food & Wine Classic, held in Aspen, Colorado. This serves as the kickoff to Aspen’s summer season and features wine tasting, cooking demonstrations, and a cooking competition.

26D “Round Midnight” Oscar winner Herbie : HANCOCK

Herbie Hancock is a jazz pianist from Chicago who was notably a member of Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet. Hancock started out as a classical pianist, and was considered to be a child prodigy. In 1952, when he was 11 years old, Hancock played the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

“Round Midnight” is a 1986 musical drama film about the expatriate jazz scene in 1950s Paris. The lead role was fictionalized saxophonist Dale Turner, played by real-life bebop legend Dexter Gordon rather than a traditional Hollywood star. Gordon’s performance earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, making him one of the rare professional musicians to ever receive the honor. The film’s soundtrack won Herbie Hancock the Oscar for Best Original Score.

28D Baseball analyst Darling : RON

Ron Darling is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Darling retired from the game in 1995, and started working as a color commentator for TBS in 2007.

33D Like some lenses : BIFOCAL

Benjamin Franklin was a prolific inventor, coming up with bifocal glasses among other things. Franklin never filed for patents for his creations, and wrote:

… as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.

34D Vegan-friendly fabric : PLEATHER

“Pleather” is a slang term describing a leather-like material made from plastic. It is a portmanteau of “plastic” and “leather”.

36D Addis __, Ethiopia : ABABA

Addis Ababa, which means “new flower” in Amharic, is the capital city of Ethiopia and one of the highest capital cities in the world, situated at an altitude of 2,400 meters above sea level. It is also home to the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and other international organizations.

44D Lake Erie port : TOLEDO

Toledo, Ohio lies in the northwest of the state, at the western end of Lake Erie. Toledo was founded as a result of the prosperity that hit the area when the Miami and Erie Canal was constructed in the 19th century connecting Cincinnati to the Great Lakes. Toledo is known as the Glass City as several glass companies originated there, including Owens Corning and Libbey-Owens-Ford (now Pilkington North America). There is a large exhibition of glass art at the Toledo Museum of Art.

46D Bookworm : READER

A bookworm is someone devoted to reading and study. The term “bookworm” refers to insect larvae prone to eating holes in the bindings and paper of old books.

49D Griffith Park’s 4,210+ : ACRES

Griffith Park in Los Angeles is often referred to as the city’s “Central Park”, a reference to magnificent park in New York City. However, Griffith Park covers over 4,300 acres, and Central Park is roughly a fifth of that size, at 843 acres.

53D Wharton degs. : MBAS

Wharton is the business school of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. The school was established in 1881 largely due to a donation from industrialist Joseph Wharton, co-founder of Bethlehem Steel.

57D Rap trio Run-__ : DMC

Run-DMC was a hip hop group from Queens, New York. The trio took its name from two of the group’s members: Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels.