LA Times Crossword 13 Mar 24, Wednesday

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Constructed by: Wendy L. Brandes
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Home Improvement

Themed answers are idiomatic phrases that might be reinterpreted to mean “IMPROVES the HOME”:

  • 63A Remodeling projects, or a tongue-in-cheek title for this puzzle : HOME IMPROVEMENT
  • 17A Has a contagious smile, say : LIGHTS UP THE ROOM
  • 28A Parties like there’s no tomorrow : RAISES THE ROOF
  • 47A Gets ready for action : CLEARS THE DECK

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

Bill’s time: 5m 49s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

14 __ stick : POGO

What we know today as a pogo stick was invented in Germany by Max Pohlig and Ernst Gottschall. The name “pogo” comes from the first two letters in each of the inventors’ family names: Po-hlig and Go-ttschall. The highest jump on a pogo stick was achieved by Fred Grzybowski in 2010. He jumped over three cars and reached a height of 9 feet, 6 inches.

15 Double agent : MOLE

A mole is a spy who works from within the ranks of an enemy’s government of intelligence service. The use of “mole” took off after the publication of John Le Carré’s 1974 novel “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”. The author was himself a former intelligence officer and asserts that “mole” was a term used by the KGB, whereas Western agencies used the term “sleeper agent”.

20 Whitlock Jr. of “Cocaine Bear” : ISIAH

Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. is perhaps best known for playing state senator Clay Davis on the hit TV show “The Wire”. Whitlock picked up a colorful catchphrase from his character on “The Wire”, as the actor used his rich, deep voice to the full pronouncing a mild expletive as “sheeeeeeeee-it”. 🙂

“Cocaine Bear” is a 2023 horror comedy film loosely inspired by the true story of the “Cocaine Bear”, an American black bear that ingested nearly 75 lb of lost cocaine. The movie is a darkly comedic take on the true story of the Cocaine Bear. The film’s cast includes Ray Liotta, and It is dedicated to him as he died in May 2022.

21 Seal Beach’s location, informally : SOCAL

Seal Beach is a city on the Southern California coast lying between Long Beach and Huntington Beach. Back in the 1860s, what became Seal Beach was established as a small port named Anaheim Landing, as the settlers in the nearby town of Anaheim needed access to shipping.

24 Prefix with Pen : EPI-

EpiPen is a brand of epinephrine auto-injector. An EpiPen delivers a measured dose of epinephrine, which is a common treatment for an extreme allergic reaction.

26 Italian bubbly : ASTI

Asti is a sparkling white wine from the Piedmont region of Italy that is named for the town of Asti around which the wine is produced. The wine used to be called Asti Spumante, and it had a very bad reputation as a “poor man’s champagne”. The “Spumante” was dropped in a marketing attempt at rebranding associated with a reduction in the amount of residual sugar in the wine.

34 Feature of some kaleidoscopes : PRISM

When light passes through a prism, it splits up (disperses) into differing wavelengths. It then becomes clear that white light is actually a mixture of different colors, which show up as a beautiful spectrum.

A kaleidoscope is an optical device that generates colorful patterns. Usually in the form of a tube, the patterns are the result of loose bits of colored material moving between two clear plates and viewed in two mirrors placed at an angle. “Kaleidoscope” was coined by Scottish scientist and inventor Sir David Brewster. The term comes from the Ancient Greek “kalos” meaning “beautiful”, “eidos” meaning “shape”, with the suffix “-scope” (as in “telescope”).

35 Google Maps suggestion : ROUTE

Google Maps was developed as a web mapping service for desktops. The (wonderful!) Google Maps mobile app was released in 2008, and is now the most popular smartphone app in the world.

39 Mary Roach book subtitled “The Curious Life of Human Cadavers” : STIFF

American author Mary Roach writes books about science, using approachable language and a lot of humor. The list of her best-selling titles includes:

  • “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers” (2003)
  • “Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex” (2008)
  • “Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal” (2013)

45 R&B singer Braxton : TRACI

Toni Braxton is a very successful R&B singer, but one who seems to have trouble managing her financial affairs. After two highly successful albums, she had to file for bankruptcy protection in 1993. She recovered and had even more success, and then had to file for bankruptcy again in 2010.

53 __-Ida Tater Tots : ORE

Ore-Ida’s founders came up with the idea for Tater Tots when they were deciding what to do with residual cuts of potato. They chopped up the leftovers, added flour and seasoning, and extruded the mix through a large hole making a sausage that they cut into small cylinders. We eat 70 million pounds of this extruded potato every year!

61 Turkey neighbor : SYRIA

The border between Syria and Turkey extends 565 miles, from the Mediterranean in the west to the tripoint shared with Iraq in the east.

66 Nepali or Laotian : ASIAN

Nepal lies to the northeast of India. Today, the state is known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. In 2008, the Communist Party of Nepal won the country’s general election. Soon after, the Assembly voted to change the form of government, moving away from a monarchy and creating a secular republic.

The present-day nation of Laos can trace its roots back to the historic Lao kingdom of Lan Xang that existed from 1354 to 1707. The full name of the kingdom was “Lan Xang Hom Khao”, which translates as “The Land of a Million Elephants and the White Parasol”.

67 Country singer McCann : LILA

Lila McCann is a country singer who released her first single “Down Came a Blackbird” when she was just 16 years old. The first song made it into the “Billboard” country charts, peaking at number 28.

Down

2 Equanimity : POISE

Equanimity is the quality of being composed and calm. The term comes from the Latin”aequus” (even) and “”animus” (mind). “Equanimity” is one of my favorite words of all time …

3 Like challah, compared to white bread : EGGIER

Challah is a special braided bread that is eaten by Ashkenazi Jews on the Sabbath. The bread is served to commemorate the manna that fell from the heavens as the Israelites wandered around the desert after the Exodus from Egypt.

4 Qatar’s capital : DOHA

Doha is the capital city of the Persian Gulf state of Qatar. The name “Doha” translates from Arabic as “the big tree”.

5 Texting tech : SMS

Short Message Service (SMS) is the name for the text messaging service that many of us still use on our cell phones to contact friends and family.

7 Dog food brand : ALPO

Alpo is a brand of dog food introduced by Allen Products in 1936, with “Alpo” being an abbreviation for “Allen Products”. Lorne Greene used to push Alpo dog food in television spots, as did Ed McMahon and Garfield the Cat, would you believe?

8 Willow, to the Biden family : PET CAT

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have a family pet cat named Willow. It is named for Willow Grove, Pennsylvania where the First Lady spent her teenage years.

11 Famous __ cookies : AMOS

Wally Amos was a talent agent, one who was in the habit of taking home-baked cookies with him as an enticement to get celebrities to see him. He was urged by friends to open a cookie store (the cookies were that delicious, I guess) and this he did in Los Angeles in 1975 using the name “Famous Amos”. The store was a smash hit and he was able to build on the success by introducing his cookies into supermarkets. The brand was eventually purchased, making Wally a rich man, and Famous Amos cookies are still flying off the shelf. Wally Amos also became an energetic literacy advocate. He hosted 30 TV programs in 1987 entitled “Learn to Read” that provided reading instruction targeted at adults.

13 Bombeck who said, “If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it” : ERMA

Erma Bombeck wrote for newspapers for about 35 years. She produced more than 4,000 witty and humorous columns under the title “At Wit’s End”, with all describing her home life in suburbia.

19 Word with tag or mark : HASH-

A hashtag is a word preceded by the symbol #. Hashtags are big these days because of its use by Twitter. The “#” symbol is usually referred to as the “number sign”, but here in the US the name “pound sign” is very common as well.

The # symbol is usually referred to as the “number sign”, but here in the US the name “pound sign” is very common as well, as is “hash mark”.

30 Singer Patti who wrote the memoir “Just Kids” : SMITH

Punk singer Patti Smith penned a 2010 memoir “Just Kids”, which mainly dealt with her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. According to Smith, she wrote the book after vowing to do so as Mapplethorope lay on his deathbed in 1989. “Just Kids” won that year’s National Book Award for Nonfiction.

31 Arles aye : OUI

Quite a few years ago now, I had the privilege of living just a short car-ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although Arles has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a prevailing influence over the city’s design. Arles has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place Vincent van Gogh often visited, and was where he painted many of his most famous works, including “Cafe Terrace at Night” and “Bedroom in Arles”.

32 How homeopathic remedies are sold, for short : OTC

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs don’t need a prescription (Rx).

Homeopathy is an alternative medicine system that has been around since 1796, when it was conceived by German physician Samuel Hahnemann. He came to believe that drugs that were effective in curing a disease produced symptoms similar to the disease when administered to healthy individuals. It was this “observation” that led to Hahnemann coining “homeopathy”, from the Greek “homoios” meaning “like, similar” and “patheia” meaning “disease”. Homeopathic treatment involves administration of greatly diluted drugs. It’s pseudoscience …

36 Path of a three-pointer : ARC

That would be basketball.

40 Climb El Capitan without ropes, say : FREE-SOLO

When free solo climbing, a climber ascends the rock face without the use of protective equipment such as ropes or harnesses. If you’d like to spend a couple of terrifying hours in the comfort of your family room, I recommend viewing the 2018 Oscar-winning documentary film “Free Solo”.

El Capitan is a stunning vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park in California. The top of El Capitan has been used as the take-off point for many BASE jumps, parachute jumps made by diving off the top of the rock face. The National Park Service put a stop to the practice in 1999. Soon afterwards, a BASE jumper made an illegal jump to protest the ban. She died …

48 Milk choice : SKIM

The fatty component of milk is known as butterfat (sometimes “milkfat”). To be labeled whole milk, the butterfat content must be at least 3.25%. Low-fat milk is defined as milk containing 0.5-2% fat, with levels of 1% and 2% commonly found on grocery store shelves. Skim milk must contain less than 0.5% fat, and typically contains 0.1%.

49 The Pantheon, e.g. : TEMPLE

The Pantheon in Rome was built as a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome. Even though the Pantheon was built almost two thousand years ago, the roof at its center remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.

50 Like kimchi : KOREAN

Kimchi is a traditional dish from Korea. It is made from fermented vegetables, and is pretty strong stuff …

54 Drummer Starr : RINGO

Ringo Starr is a musician, best known as the drummer for the Beatles. In addition to his music career, Ringo Starr has appeared in a number of films. In addition to his film work, Ringo Starr has also done voiceover work for several animated television shows and movies. He has lent his distinctive voice to characters in shows like “Thomas & Friends” and “The Simpsons,” as well as movies like “Yellow Submarine”.

58 Gulf States title : EMIR

The term “Gulf States” might mean “US states on the Gulf of Mexico”, or “Arab states in the Persian Gulf”.

60 Writer/illustrator Carle : ERIC

Eric Carle is a very successful children’s author and book illustrator, with over 100 million of his books sold around the world. Carle’s most famous title is “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, and it alone has sold 30 million copies.

62 Party song title spelled out with gestures : YMCA

“YMCA” was released in 1978 by Village People and has been adopted as an anthem by the gay community. The song was written by Victor Willis, a straight member of the mostly gay band, and he clarifies that the lyrics extol the virtues of the “YMCA” as a source of recreation for black urban youth. I think he might have been winking when he said that …

64 __ Claire, Wisconsin : EAU

Eau Claire, Wisconsin is named for the Eau Claire River, which in turn was named by French explorers. The explorers had been traveling down the muddy Chippewa River and diverted into the clear water of what is now called the Eau Claire River. They exclaimed “Voici l’eau claire!” meaning “Here is clear water!” The French phrase “Voici l’eau claire” is now the city’s motto that appears on the city seal.

65 Moving vehicle : VAN

The vehicle we call a “van” takes its name from “caravan”, and so “van” is a shortened version of the older term. Back in the 1600s, a caravan was a covered cart. We still use the word “caravan” in Ireland to describe what we call a “mobile home” or “recreational vehicle” here in the US.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Went 60 in a 30, say : SPED
5 Expression of anger, maybe : SLAP
9 Deli device : SCALE
14 __ stick : POGO
15 Double agent : MOLE
16 Sense of __ : HUMOR
17 Has a contagious smile, say : LIGHTS UP THE ROOM
20 Whitlock Jr. of “Cocaine Bear” : ISIAH
21 Seal Beach’s location, informally : SOCAL
22 Self-care destination : SPA
23 Gym top : TEE
24 Prefix with Pen : EPI-
26 Italian bubbly : ASTI
28 Parties like there’s no tomorrow : RAISES THE ROOF
34 Feature of some kaleidoscopes : PRISM
35 Google Maps suggestion : ROUTE
36 Resting on : ATOP
39 Mary Roach book subtitled “The Curious Life of Human Cadavers” : STIFF
42 “Good going!” : NICE!
43 Keep from expiring : RENEW
45 R&B singer Braxton : TRACI
47 Gets ready for action : CLEARS THE DECK
51 Enjoy : LIKE
52 Spanish “that” : ESA
53 __-Ida Tater Tots : ORE
56 Get older : AGE
59 Airport postings : TIMES
61 Turkey neighbor : SYRIA
63 Remodeling projects, or a tongue-in-cheek title for this puzzle : HOME IMPROVEMENT
66 Nepali or Laotian : ASIAN
67 Country singer McCann : LILA
68 Bird house : CAGE
69 “Dunno” gesture : SHRUG
70 Social sci. major : ECON
71 Auth. unknown : ANON

Down

1 Gymnastics move : SPLIT
2 Equanimity : POISE
3 Like challah, compared to white bread : EGGIER
4 Qatar’s capital : DOHA
5 Texting tech : SMS
6 Worst : LOUSIEST
7 Dog food brand : ALPO
8 Willow, to the Biden family : PET CAT
9 Bus stop fixture : SHELTER
10 Hostile dog : CUR
11 Famous __ cookies : AMOS
12 Coaster feature : LOOP
13 Bombeck who said, “If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it” : ERMA
18 Nonbinary possessive : THEIR
19 Word with tag or mark : HASH-
25 Trident-shaped letters : PSIS
27 Like a big dog named Tiny : IRONIC
29 Attraction : APPEAL
30 Singer Patti who wrote the memoir “Just Kids” : SMITH
31 Arles aye : OUI
32 How homeopathic remedies are sold, for short : OTC
33 Shipping charge : FEE
36 Path of a three-pointer : ARC
37 Contact no. : TEL
38 Small number : ONE
40 Climb El Capitan without ropes, say : FREE-SOLO
41 Crazes : FADS
44 Putting pen to paper : WRITING
46 Come to an end : CEASE
48 Milk choice : SKIM
49 The Pantheon, e.g. : TEMPLE
50 Like kimchi : KOREAN
54 Drummer Starr : RINGO
55 Consumed : EATEN
56 Cries of clarity : AHAS
57 “Oh, golly” : GOSH
58 Gulf States title : EMIR
60 Writer/illustrator Carle : ERIC
62 Party song title spelled out with gestures : YMCA
64 __ Claire, Wisconsin : EAU
65 Moving vehicle : VAN