LA Times Crossword 27 Mar 23, Monday

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Constructed by: Zachary David Levy
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: After School

Themed answers each start with a word that is often seen AFTER “SCHOOL”:

  • 59A Common time for homework, and where to find the starts of 17-, 26-, 37-, and 49-Across : AFTER SCHOOL
  • 17A Swimming trunks worn by some surfers : BOARDSHORTS (giving “school board”)
  • 26A Plant family that includes tomatoes and eggplant : NIGHTSHADE (giving “school night”)
  • 37A Guardian angel, e.g. : SPIRIT GUIDE (giving “school spirit”)
  • 49A Salad vegetable that may be red, yellow, or green : BELL PEPPER (giving “school bell”)

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

Bill’s time: 6m 54s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Blow a gasket : ERUPT

The idiomatic phrase “to blow a gasket” means “to lose one’s temper”, and arose during the 1940s as cars became more common sites on roads. A gasket is a seal, often made of rubber, that fits between two pieces of metal, especially two parts of an engine. The gasket prevents the leakage of liquid or gas. A blown gasket evokes the image of steam escaping from the engine through a ruptured gasket. A cartoon character who loses his or her temper is often depicted with steam coming out of the ears, having blown that metaphorical gasket.

14 Angled cut : BEVEL

A beveled edge is like a chamfered edge. The edge of a mirror is often beveled, meaning that it is cut at an angle that isn’t perpendicular to the mirror’s surface.

17 Swimming trunks worn by some surfers : BOARDSHORTS (giving “school board”)

Swimming trunks are shorts used, usually by males, when swimming. The term “trunks” is used because centuries ago, people routinely wore underwear that covered the entire “trunk” of the body. Swimming usually involved stripping down to those “trunks”. We’re less modest when swimming nowadays, but the term “trunks” has persisted.

20 One playing hooky : TRUANT

“Truant” is such a lovely word. We have been using it to describe someone who wanders from an appointed place since the mid-1400s. Prior to that, a truant was a beggar or a vagabond.

Apparently the term “hooky” comes from “hoekje”, the Dutch name for the game hide-and-seek. To play hooky is to shirk one’s responsibility, as in a schoolkid taking a day off without permission.

21 From stem to __ : STERN

The phrase “from stem to stern” means “entirely, from beginning to end”. It is nautical in origin. The stern is the back end of a sailing vessel, and the stem is an upright beam at the bow.

23 Country music’s __ Brown Band : ZAC

The Zac Brown Band is a country music group from Atlanta, Georgia that formed in 2002.

26 Plant family that includes tomatoes and eggplant : NIGHTSHADE (giving “school night”)

The nightshade family of plants, also known as Solanaceae, is a diverse group of plants that includes many popular crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. However, other members of the nightshade family are known for their poisonous or psychoactive properties. For example, the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) contains a toxin that can cause hallucinations, delirium, and even death if ingested in sufficient quantities.

28 Cold-weather coat : ANORAK

Anoraks really aren’t very popular over here in America. Everyone has one in Ireland! An anorak is a heavy jacket with a hood, often lined with fur (or fake fur), and is an invention of the Inuit people.

32 Old Delta rival : PAN AM

Pan American World Airways (usually just “Pan Am”) started out as a mail and passenger service between Key West, Florida and Havana, Cuba in 1927. From very early in the company’s life it was the de facto representative air carrier of the United States. For many years, Pan Am’s fleet was built around the Boeing 314 Clipper, a long-range flying boat that was one of the largest aircraft around at the time. Pan Am adopted the Clipper as part of its image, even using “clipper” as the call sign for its flights.

36 Lemons : DUDS

Long before we associated the term “lemon” with a defective car, it was used to describe defective items in general.

40 Telephone-on-the-web tech : VOIP

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) enables voice communication over the Internet. Instead of using traditional phone lines, VoIP converts voice signals into digital data packets that are transmitted over the Internet. VoIP technology allows for a wide range of features that are not possible with traditional phone systems, such as video conferencing, integrated instant messaging, and screen sharing.

42 Muslim scholar : IMAM

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

49 Salad vegetable that may be red, yellow, or green : BELL PEPPER (giving “school bell”)

Bell peppers are pepper cultivars that are relatively mild in taste, and so are sometimes referred to as “sweet” peppers. The color of bell peppers changes as they ripen: they start off green, and as they mature turn yellow, orange, and eventually red.

53 Genetic material : DNA

DNA was first isolated in 1869 by Swiss physician and biologist Friedrich Miescher. The molecular structure of DNA was identified in 1953, by the American and British team of James Watson and Francis Crick.

55 Mount where Noah landed : ARARAT

Mount Ararat is in Turkey. It is a snow-capped, dormant volcano with two peaks. The higher of the two, Greater Ararat, is the tallest peak in the country. Ararat takes its name from a legendary Armenian hero called Ara the Beautiful (or “Ara the Handsome”). According to the Book of Genesis, Noah’s ark landed on Mount Ararat as the Great Flood subsided.

64 La Brea __ Pits : TAR

The La Brea Tar Pits are located right in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. At the site there is a constant flow of tar that seeps up to the surface from underground, a phenomenon that has been around for tens of thousands of years. What is significant is that much of the seeping tar is covered by water. Over many, many centuries animals came to the water to drink and became trapped in the tar as they entered the water to quench their thirst. The tar then preserved the bones of the dead animals. Today a museum is located right by the Tar Pits, recovering bones and displaying specimens of the animals found there. It’s well worth a visit if you are in town …

66 Delivery room helper : DOULA

A doula is a person who provides non-medical support for women and their families during childbirth as well as in the period immediately following the arrival. The term “doula” comes from the Ancient Greek word “doule” which means “female slave”. Given such a negative association, “doula” is often dropped in favor of “labor companion” or “birthworker”.

67 Calm part of a hurricane : EYE

Hurricanes are given names primarily to help the public keep track of dangerous systems. The names are decided ahead of the hurricane season, with the first system given a name beginning with A, the second, B etc. The names are alternated between male and female names throughout the season. Also, if the first storm of the season is male, then the following year a female name is chosen. For hurricanes in the North Atlantic, names are assigned for every letter, except Q, U, X, Y and Z. The most frequently used name is Arlene, which was used for ten different storms from 1959 to 2011.

Down

2 __ Speedwagon : REO

REO Speedwagon is an American rock band that formed in 1967, and is still going strong. The band’s biggest hits are “Keep On Loving You” (1980) and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” (1985). The founding members chose the name for the REO Speed Wagon flatbed truck. Note that the band’s name is one word “Speedwagon”, whereas the vehicle’s name uses two words “Speed Wagon”.

3 Charlottesville sch. : UVA

The University of Virginia (UVA) was founded by Thomas Jefferson, who then sat on the original Board of Visitors alongside former US Presidents James Madison and James Monroe. In fact, the original UVA campus was built on land near Charlottesville that was once a farm belonging to President Monroe.

The city of Charlottesville, Virginia was named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of King George III. George’s queen consort also lent her name to the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.

4 Jaunty : PERT

Our words “jaunty” and “genteel” are related in that they both derive from the French “gentil” meaning “nice, pleasing”. In modern usage, someone described as jaunty has a buoyant air. Someone described as genteel is refined in manner.

5 Abbr. before a synopsis : TL;DR

Too long, didn’t read (TL;DR)

6 Persian faith that promotes spiritual unity : BAHA’I

The Baha’i Faith is relatively new in the scheme of things, and was founded in Persia in the 1800s. One of the tenets of the religion is that messengers have come from God over time, including Abraham, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and most recently Bahá’u’lláh who founded the Baha’i Faith. Baha’i scripture specifies some particular architectural requirements for houses of worship, including that the building have a nine-sided, circular shape. It is also specified that there be no pictures, statues or images displayed within a temple.

8 Word with due or true : … NORTH

True north is the direction pointing towards the Earth’s geographic North Pole. Magnetic north is the direction pointing towards the Earth’s Magnetic North Pole, and is the direction indicated by a compass needle.

11 Under fire : BELEAGUERED

Something described as “beleaguered” is beset with troubles. More literally, the term means “besieged”, from the Dutch or Low German word for “camp around”.

18 Pocketed, as a pool ball : SUNK

The more correct name for the game of pool is “pocket billiards”. The designation “pool” arose after pocket billiards became a common feature in “pool halls”, places where gamblers “pooled” their money to bet on horse races.

23 Hit with a laser : ZAP

The term “laser” is an acronym standing for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. It has been pointed out that a more precise name for laser technology is “light oscillation by stimulated emission of radiation”, but the resulting acronym isn’t quite so appealing, namely “loser”.

24 “Love, Victor” actress Ortiz : ANA

Ana Ortiz played the title character’s older sister in the TV series “Ugly Betty”.

25 “The Godfather” right-hand man : CONSIGLIERE

The Corleone family’s consigliere Tom Hagen is portrayed by Robert Duvall in the first two of “The Godfather” movies. Hagen isn’t an Italian-American, but rather of German-Irish descent. Duvall was slated to appear in the role in “The Godfather, Part III” but the character was written out of the script, apparently because Duvall asked for too much money.

27 Pants, slangily : TROU

The term “pants”, meaning “trousers”, is an abbreviated form of “pantaloons” and first appeared in the 1840s. Pantaloons were a kind of tights named for a silly old male character in Italian comedy named “Pantaloun” who always wore tight trousers over skinny legs.

29 Descends, as a rock wall : RAPPELS

What we call “rappelling” in this country is known as “abseiling” in the rest of the world (from the German “abseilen” meaning “to rope down”).

35 Studio whose films begin with a roaring lion : MGM

There has been a lion in the logo of the MGM studio since 1924. The original was an Irishman (!), a lion named Slats who was born in Dublin Zoo in 1919. However, it wasn’t until Jackie took over from Slats in 1928 that the roar was heard, as the era of silent movies was coming to an end. The current lion is called Leo, and he has been around since 1957.

41 Like many multivitamins : ONE-A-DAY

One A Day is a line of multivitamins made by Bayer. One A Day was introduced way back in 1940.

44 Passenger transport : 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.

47 Asparagus units : SPEARS

Asparagus is a perennial flowering plant that is grown mainly for its edible shoots (or “spears”). The shoots must be harvested when they are very young, as they become woody very quickly.

50 Punk icon Smith : PATTI

Patti Smith is a singer-songwriter who was a big player in the seventies punk rock movement in New York City. Smith’s most successful song is “Because the Night”, a song co-written with Bruce Springsteen and recorded by Smith in 1978. Her influence in the punk rock scene earned Smith the nickname “Godmother of Punk”.

56 “Thunderstruck” rock band : AC/DC

“Thunderstruck” is a single by Australian hard rock band AC/DC released in 1990. The title of the song was used for a 2004 Australian film about five AC/DC fans.

57 Recurring role for Chris Hemsworth : THOR

The 2011 movie “Thor” is yet another film based on a comic book hero. Even though I won’t be seeing it (I don’t do comics), I must admit it does have an impressive cast. Chris Hemsworth plays Thor, supported by Natalie Portman, Rene Russo, Idris Elba and Anthony Hopkins. And to crown it all, Kenneth Branagh is the director.

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth had a prominent role in the Australian TV series “Home and Away” that became a stepping stone to a successful career in Hollywood. HIs first major role was playing the title character in the superhero movie “Thor”. Chris is the younger brother of fellow actors Luke and Liam Helmsworth, and is married to Spanish actress Elsa Pataky.

62 Nashville’s Grand __ Opry : OLE

The Grand Ole Opry started out as a radio show in 1925 originally called the WSM “Barn Dance”. In 1927, the “Barn Dance” radio show was broadcast in a slot after an NBC production called “Musical Appreciation Hour”, a collection of classical works including Grand Opera. In a December show, the host of “Barn Dance” announced, “For the past hour, we have been listening to music taken largely from Grand Opera. From now on we will present the ‘Grand Ole Opry'”. That name was used for the radio show from then on.

The Tennessee city of Nashville was founded in 1779 near a stockade in the Cumberland River valley called Fort Nashborough. Both the settlement and the fort were named for General Francis Nash, a war hero who died in combat during the American Revolution.

63 __ Vegas Aces : LAS

The Las Vegas Aces women’s basketball team was formed in Salt Lake City in 1997 as the Utah Starzz. The team became the San Antonio (Silver) Stars in 2002, before moving to Las Vegas as the Aces in 2018.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Blow a gasket : ERUPT
6 Tediously familiar : BANAL
11 “That’s a pretty low __” : BAR
14 Angled cut : BEVEL
15 Love, in Italian : AMORE
16 Female sheep : EWE
17 Swimming trunks worn by some surfers : BOARDSHORTS (giving “school board”)
19 Youngster : LAD
20 One playing hooky : TRUANT
21 From stem to __ : STERN
23 Country music’s __ Brown Band : ZAC
26 Plant family that includes tomatoes and eggplant : NIGHTSHADE (giving “school night”)
28 Cold-weather coat : ANORAK
31 Cheek colorers : ROUGES
32 Old Delta rival : PAN AM
33 Sample : DEMO
36 Lemons : DUDS
37 Guardian angel, e.g. : SPIRIT GUIDE (giving “school spirit”)
40 Telephone-on-the-web tech : VOIP
42 Muslim scholar : IMAM
43 Gumption : NERVE
46 Consume, as food : INGEST
48 Make precious : ENDEAR
49 Salad vegetable that may be red, yellow, or green : BELL PEPPER (giving “school bell”)
53 Genetic material : DNA
54 Pay increase : RAISE
55 Mount where Noah landed : ARARAT
58 Citrus drink suffix : -ADE
59 Common time for homework, and where to find the starts of 17-, 26-, 37-, and 49-Across : AFTER SCHOOL
64 La Brea __ Pits : TAR
65 Inform against : RAT ON
66 Delivery room helper : DOULA
67 Calm part of a hurricane : EYE
68 Scissors sounds : SNIPS
69 Blubbers : CRIES

Down

1 Flow back : EBB
2 __ Speedwagon : REO
3 Charlottesville sch. : UVA
4 Jaunty : PERT
5 Abbr. before a synopsis : TL;DR
6 Persian faith that promotes spiritual unity : BAHA’I
7 In the middle of : AMONG
8 Word with due or true : … NORTH
9 Installation object : ART
10 Not as much : LESS SO
11 Under fire : BELEAGUERED
12 Bestowed, as a grant : AWARDED
13 Sign of irritation : REDNESS
18 Pocketed, as a pool ball : SUNK
22 Landed hard : THUDDED
23 Hit with a laser : ZAP
24 “Love, Victor” actress Ortiz : ANA
25 “The Godfather” right-hand man : CONSIGLIERE
27 Pants, slangily : TROU
29 Descends, as a rock wall : RAPPELS
30 “Who __ to judge?” : AM I
33 Low-lit : DIM
34 “When will u b here?” : ETA?
35 Studio whose films begin with a roaring lion : MGM
38 Ceremonial event : RITE
39 Roadside lodging : INN
40 Text alert option : VIBRATE
41 Like many multivitamins : ONE-A-DAY
44 Passenger transport : VAN
45 Span of time : ERA
47 Asparagus units : SPEARS
48 __ on the side of caution : ERRS
50 Punk icon Smith : PATTI
51 Area before surgery, briefly : PRE-OP
52 Works hard for : EARNS
56 “Thunderstruck” rock band : AC/DC
57 Recurring role for Chris Hemsworth : THOR
60 Groupie : FAN
61 French “yes” : OUI
62 Nashville’s Grand __ Opry : OLE
63 __ Vegas Aces : LAS