LA Times Crossword 7 Nov 22, Monday

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Constructed by: MaryEllen Uthlaut
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Oohs

Themed answers are exclamations, and each ends with an “OOHS” sound:

  • 67A Cries of delight, and what each of the answers to the starred clues literally are? : OOHS
  • 17A *”Drinks are on the house!” : FREE BOOZE!
  • 25A *”Just what I wanted to hear!” : GREAT NEWS!
  • 36A *”Eyes like Paul Newman!” : BABY BLUES!
  • 51A *”Check out those Outback hoppers!” : KANGAROOS!
  • 60A *”There’s the star of ‘Top Gun’!” : TOM CRUISE!

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

Bill’s time: 5m 01s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Taj Mahal city : AGRA

Agra is a medieval city on the banks of the river Yamuna in India that was the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1658. The city is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

  • The Taj Mahal: the famous mausoleum built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal.
  • Agra Fort: the site where the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond was seized.
  • Fatehpur Sikri: a historic city that’s home to well-preserved Mughal architecture.

9 Burdened (with) : LADEN

The verb “to lade” meaning “to load” comes from an Old English word “hladan”. “Lade” also used to mean “draw water” and indeed gave us our word “ladle”. So “lade” and “ladle” are close cousins.

14 Horn-shaped flower : LILY

There are many plants with the word “lily” in their common name, but few belong to the genus “Lilium”, the so-called “true” lilies. So, water lilies, calla lilies, lilies of the valley, etc.; they aren’t lilies at all.

16 Large stadium : ARENA

Our term “arena” comes from the Latin “harena”, a place of combat. Originally “harena” was used to describe sand or a sandy place. Those Ancient Roman places of combat were covered with sand to soak up blood.

20 “Beauty and the Beast” heroine : BELLE

“Beauty and the Beast” is a fairy tale that was written by novelist Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Titled “La belle et la bête” in French, the story was first published in 1756. The “beauty” in the tale is named “Belle”.

30 Refrigerator art holder : MAGNET

Refrigerator magnets … I can’t stand them! But, there is something interesting about their structure. If we place two fridge magnets back to back, and slide them slowly against each other, then we can feel an alternating attraction and repulsion. This is because they are manufactured with alternating north and south poles on the back side, and do not have two distinct poles. Who knew …?!

35 Toy bear : TEDDY

The stuffed toy known as a teddy bear was introduced in the early 1900s and was named for President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. The toy was inspired by a political cartoon that was drawn in 1902 showing President Roosevelt on a bear hunt and refusing to kill a black bear cub.

36 *”Eyes like Paul Newman!” : BABY BLUES!

Paul Newman was an actor from Shaker Heights, Ohio. Newman won his only Best Actor Oscar for his role in “The Color of Money”, a Martin Scorsese film. Off screen Newman was a very successful racing driver and won several national championships. He also founded a food company called Newman’s Own which donates its profits to charity, an amount that now exceeds $500 million.

39 Fall-blooming plant : ASTER

Apparently, most aster species and cultivars bloom relatively late in the year, usually in the fall. The name “aster” comes into English via Latin from the Greek word “astéri” meaning “star”, a reference to the arrangement of the petals of the flower.

42 Glasgow resident : SCOT

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and sits on the River Clyde. Back in the Victorian Era, Glasgow earned a reputation for excellence in shipbuilding and was known as “Second City of the British Empire”. Glasgow shipyards were the birthplaces of such famous vessels as the Lusitania, the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth. People from Glasgow are known as Glaswegians.

46 Cheap cigar : STOGIE

A stogie (also “stogy”) is both a rough, heavy shoe, and a long, cheap cigar. Both items were favored by the drivers of the covered wagons called Conestogas that wended their way across the Midwest in days gone by. The term “stogie” is derived from the name of the wagon, which itself is named after the area in which the wagons were built, i.e. Conestoga, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

51 *”Check out those Outback hoppers!” : KANGAROOS!

The word “kangaroo” comes from the Australian Aborigine term for the animal. There’s an oft-quoted story that the explorer James Cook (later Captain Cook) asked a local native what was the name of this remarkable-looking animal, and the native responded with “Kangaroo”. The story is that the native was actually saying “I don’t understand you”, but as cute as that tale is, it’s just an urban myth.

54 Actor Capaldi : PETER

Scottish actor Peter Capaldi might be best known in North America for portraying the title character in the iconic sci-fi series “Doctor Who” from 2013-2017. He is also known for playing the foul-talking Malcom Tucker on “The Thick of It”, the British sitcom that was remade in the US as “Veep”. Fans of the 1983 movie “Local Hero” might remember a very young Capaldi as the naive local oil company representative in Scotland. Great film …

55 Genetic letters : RNA

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

56 NATO HQ locale : EUR

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance that was established in 1949. NATO headquarters was initially set up in London, moved to Paris in 1952, and then to Brussels 1967.

60 *”There’s the star of ‘Top Gun’!” : TOM CRUISE!

Tom Cruise’s real name is Tom Cruise Mapother IV. He was born in Syracuse, New York. That’s one of my favorite cities in the US, because it’s where I met my lovely wife-to-be …

“Top Gun” is an entertaining action movie released in 1986 starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. The movie is all about pilots training at the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School. A lot of footage was shot on board the Navy’s carrier the USS Enterprise during flight operations. At one point in a day’s shooting, the commander of the Enterprise changed course as needed for normal operations, but this altered the light for the cameras that were filming at the time. Director Tony Scott asked for the course to be changed back, but was informed that a course change would cost the Navy $25,000. Scott wrote out a check there and then, and he got another five minutes of filming with the light he needed.

63 Racing sleds : LUGES

A luge is a small sled used by one or two people, on which one lies face up and feet first. The luge can be compared to the skeleton, a sled for only one person and on which the rider lies face down and goes down the hill head-first. Yikes!

64 Pesky insect : GNAT

Gnats are attracted to the smell of rotting food, and vinegar. Simple homemade traps that use vinegar are often constructed to attract and kill gnats.

66 Opinion pieces : OP-EDS

“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.

68 Gaelic language : ERSE

There are actually three Erse languages: Irish, Manx (spoken on the Isle of Man) and Scots Gaelic. In their own tongues, these would be “Gaeilge” (in Ireland), “Gaelg” (on the Isle of Man) and “Gaidhlig” (in Scotland).

Down

1 Figure on the shelf, in Christmas decor : ELF

“The Elf on the Shelf” is an illustrated children’s book penned in 2005 by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. The title character is dispatched by Santa every Thanksgiving to keep an eye on children during the holiday season, and to determine who is naughty and who is nice.

3 Rained ice : SLEETED

Apparently, “sleet” is a term used to describe two different weather conditions. One is a shower of ice pellets that are smaller than hail, and the second is a mixture of rain and snow, with the snow melting as it falls.

5 __ vera : ALOE

Aloe vera has a number of alternate names that are descriptive of its efficacy as a medicine. ancient Egyptians knew it as the plant of immortality, and Native Americans called it the wand of heaven.

8 “Someone Like You” singer : ADELE

“Someone Like You” is a 2001 Adele song that was the artist’s first number-one hit in her home country, the UK. It’s about a boyfriend who broke up with her.

9 Internet connectivity annoyance : LAG

In Internet terms, lag is a delay in response caused by network latency. We might notice lag when streaming a video, for example.

25 “__ Anatomy”: Ellen Pompeo series : GREY’S

Actress Ellen Pompeo is perhaps best known for playing the title character in the TV medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy”. That gig has paid well. Pompeo was ranked third in the “Forbes” list of highest-paid TV actresses in 2017, with Sofia Vergara (from “Modern Family”) and Kaley Cuoco (from “The Big Bang Theory”) holding the first and second spots respectively.

26 London art gallery : TATE

The museum known as “the Tate” comprises four separate galleries in England. The original Tate gallery was founded by Sir Henry Tate as the National Gallery of British Art. It is located on Millbank in London, on the site of the old Millbank Prison, and is now called Tate Britain. There is also the Tate Liverpool in the north of England that is located in an old warehouse, and the Tate St. Ives in the west country located in an old gas works. My favorite of the Tate galleries is the Tate Modern which lies on the banks of the Thames in London. It’s a beautiful building, a converted power station that you have to see to believe. As of 2018, the Tate Modern was the most visited art museum in the UK.

29 PD alert : APB

An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

33 Kindergarten letters : ABC

“Kindergarten” is a German term, one translating as “children’s garden”. The term was coined by the German education authority Friedrich Fröbel in 1837, when he used it as the name for his play and activity institute that he created for young children to use before they headed off to school. His thought was that children should be nourished educationally, like plants in a garden.

36 Defied, as belief : BEGGARED

To beggar belief is to be unbelievable. I recall the phrase “beggar belief” as being quite common when I was growing up on the other side of the Atlantic, but I rarely hear it in the US. In this context, the verb “to beggar” means “to exceed the abilities of”. Something unbelievable might “beggar belief”, and something indescribable might “beggar description”.

38 Beehive State native : UTE

When Mormon pioneers were settling what is today the state of Utah, they referred to the area as Deseret, a word that means “beehive” according to the Book of Mormon. Today Utah is known as the Beehive State and there is a beehive symbol on the Utah state flag. In 1959, “Industry” was even chosen as the state motto, for the term’s association with the beehive.

39 “__ me no questions … ” : ASK

… and I’ll tell you no lies.

40 Fledgling company : START-UP

A young bird is said to have fledged when its wing muscles and feathers have developed enough for it to fly. The term “fledgling” is used for a bird that has fledged, but is still reliant on a parent for food and protection. The verb “to fledge” means “to acquire feathers”. We use the term “fledgling” more generally to describe any person who is inexperienced.

41 Shipping weight allowance : TONNAGE

The measure of weight that we know as a ton was originally the quantity of wine needed to fill a cask (“tun”) with wine.

43 Like Almond Joy, compared to Mounds : NUTTIER

I think my favorite candy growing up was an Almond Joy, although in my part of the world it was a little different formulation and was called a Bounty Bar (and was more like a Mounds bar). The Almond Joy bar has been around since 1946. Hershey’s used a famous jingle in a seventies ad campaign for the Mounds and Almond Joy:

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t
Almond Joy’s got nuts
Mounds don’t

47 “… __ he drove out of sight” : ERE

Here are the closing lines to the Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

49 San Antonio NBAer : SPUR

The Spurs are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team was founded as the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967.

50 Academic security : TENURE

A job in a university that is described as “tenure-track” is one that can lead to a tenured position. A tenured position is a “job for life”. A person with tenure can only be dismissed for cause.

53 Maine college town : ORONO

The town of Orono is home to the University of Maine that was founded in 1862. The college is actually located on an island (Marsh island) lying between the Penobscot and Stillwater rivers. The town of Orono is named after Joseph Orono, a chief of the Penobscot Nation. The school’s athletic teams are named the Maine Black Bears.

61 __-jongg : MAH

Mahjong (also “mahjongg” and “mah-jongg”) is the Chinese word for “sparrow”. Mahjong is a game that originated in China, and is usually played by four players. There is a myth that the game was developed by the Chinese philosopher, Confucius. The myth also suggests that Confucius was fond of birds, and hence chose the name “sparrow”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 “At __, soldier!” : EASE
5 Taj Mahal city : AGRA
9 Burdened (with) : LADEN
14 Horn-shaped flower : LILY
15 “Get a __ of this!” : LOAD
16 Large stadium : ARENA
17 *”Drinks are on the house!” : FREE BOOZE!
19 A- or B+ : GRADE
20 “Beauty and the Beast” heroine : BELLE
21 Out of style : OLD
23 Big fuss : ADO
24 Outdoor dining area : PATIO
25 *”Just what I wanted to hear!” : GREAT NEWS!
28 Autotrader offering : USED CAR
30 Refrigerator art holder : MAGNET
31 Place for pillow talk : BED
32 __ and carrots : PEAS
35 Toy bear : TEDDY
36 *”Eyes like Paul Newman!” : BABY BLUES!
39 Fall-blooming plant : ASTER
42 Glasgow resident : SCOT
43 To the __ degree : NTH
46 Cheap cigar : STOGIE
48 Fist pump or fist bump : GESTURE
51 *”Check out those Outback hoppers!” : KANGAROOS!
54 Actor Capaldi : PETER
55 Genetic letters : RNA
56 NATO HQ locale : EUR
57 Mom’s sisters : AUNTS
58 Unblinking look : STARE
60 *”There’s the star of ‘Top Gun’!” : TOM CRUISE!
63 Racing sleds : LUGES
64 Pesky insect : GNAT
65 Really stink : REEK
66 Opinion pieces : OP-EDS
67 Cries of delight, and what each of the answers to the starred clues literally are? : OOHS
68 Gaelic language : ERSE

Down

1 Figure on the shelf, in Christmas decor : ELF
2 Post for military pilots : AIR BASE
3 Rained ice : SLEETED
4 Body part with lashes : EYELID
5 __ vera : ALOE
6 Sticky substance : GOO
7 Stubble remover : RAZOR
8 “Someone Like You” singer : ADELE
9 Internet connectivity annoyance : LAG
10 Sets up, as flowers in a vase : ARRANGES
11 Like many paths in a maze : DEAD-END
12 Funded on an ongoing basis : ENDOWED
13 “Sorry, laddie” : NAE
18 Voting alliance : BLOC
22 Flood-control structure : DAM
24 Tavern : PUB
25 “__ Anatomy”: Ellen Pompeo series : GREY’S
26 London art gallery : TATE
27 Spot that’s rarely spotless : STY
29 PD alert : APB
33 Kindergarten letters : ABC
34 Plods (through) : SLOGS
36 Defied, as belief : BEGGARED
37 Opera solo : ARIA
38 Beehive State native : UTE
39 “__ me no questions … ” : ASK
40 Fledgling company : START-UP
41 Shipping weight allowance : TONNAGE
43 Like Almond Joy, compared to Mounds : NUTTIER
44 Long locks of hair : TRESSES
45 That girl : HER
47 “… __ he drove out of sight” : ERE
49 San Antonio NBAer : SPUR
50 Academic security : TENURE
52 Expenditure : OUTGO
53 Maine college town : ORONO
57 Plays a part : ACTS
58 __-mo video : SLO
59 Sinuous letter : ESS
61 __-jongg : MAH
62 Scratch (out), as a living : EKE