LA Times Crossword 12 Mar 26, Thursday

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Constructed by: Jay Silverman

Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Warning Track

Themed answers are TRACKS (songs) with titles that are WARNINGS:

• 57A Deep part of the outfield, and an apt description of 20-, 28-, 37-, and 49-Across : WARNING TRACK

• 20A 2019 Dua Lipa hit single : DON’T START NOW
• 28A 1986 Kenny Loggins hit single : DANGER ZONE
• 37A 2018 Cardi B hit single : BE CAREFUL
• 49A 1972 Eagles hit single : TAKE IT EASY

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

Bill’s time: 8m 57s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

15A Heavy-duty cooler brand : IGLOO

Igloo Products is a Texas-based manufacturer of coolers. The company started up in 1947 making metal water coolers, and introduced its first all-plastic ice chest in 1962. The Igloo name was adopted in 1971.

17A __ rhythm: brain wave pattern : THETA

When electrical signals from the brain are recorded in an electroencephalogram (EEG), a strong oscillating pattern is observed that is referred to as the theta rhythm. It isn’t really clear what function the theta rhythm plays.

19A 2022 National Toy Hall of Fame inductee : TOP

The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in Salem, Oregon in 1998, but was relocated to Rochester, New York in 2002-2003. There were seventeen original inductees, including:

• Barbie
• Etch A Sketch
• Frisbee
• Hula Hoop
• Marbles
• Monopoly

20A 2019 Dua Lipa hit single : DON’T START NOW

Dua Lipa’s 2019 hit “Don’t Start Now” is categorized as a “nu-disco” song, and is often pegged as the beginning of a revival of disco music that took off in 2020. Some have noted the timing of such a revival, suggesting that songs like “Don’t Start Now” became popular with fans during the COVID-19 pandemic who were constrained by a lockdown and could not participate in the club scene.

27A Marmalade bit : PEEL

Marmalade is my favorite fruit preserve. The essential ingredients in a marmalade are fruit juice and peel, and sugar and water. “Marmalade” comes from the Portuguese “marmelada” meaning “quince jam”.

28A 1986 Kenny Loggins hit single : DANGER ZONE

Kenny Loggins is a singer-songwriter and guitarist known for his contributions to popular music in the 1970s and 80s. He rose to prominence as one half of the duo Loggins and Messina before launching a successful solo career. Loggins’ most celebrated recordings include “This Is It”, “Footloose” and “Danger Zone”, all of which were featured in hit films.

33A Waffle topper : SYRUP

Waffle irons have been around since the 1300s, in the Low Countries. The original version comprised two iron plates connected by a hinge, and two wooden handles. The plates were often cast with a pattern that left an image on the waffle. The waffles were baked in the iron over a fire in a hearth.

35A Irish designer Kiely known for her stem leaf print : ORLA

Irish fashion designer Orla Kiely began her career designing hats, but is mainly known as the “Queen of Prints” with her graphics appearing on clothing, handbags, and even a London bus!

36A Some QB protectors : RGS

In football, right guards (RGs) protect the quarterback (QB).

37A 2018 Cardi B hit single : BE CAREFUL

Cardi B’s 2018 release “Be Careful” has a whole host of songwriters listed. That’s because it samples songs by other artists, which in turn sample other songs creating a “sample within sample” chain. Predictably, perhaps, the only song I recognize in the chain is Barbra Streisand’s hit “The Way We Were”, which gets Marvin Hamlisch a writing credit on “Be Careful”.

49A 1972 Eagles hit single : TAKE IT EASY

“Take It Easy” is a 1972 song released by the rock band Eagles. It was the group’s debut single, and was written by band member Glenn Frey with Jackson Browne. Two famous lines in the song are “Well, I’m a-standing on a corner / In Winslow, Arizona”. If you go to Winslow, Arizona today, you can visit Standin’ on the Corner Park and see a bronze of a male figure, the “Take It Easy” statue.

53A Third-qtr. month : SEPT

The month of September is the ninth month in our year, although the name “September” comes from the Latin word “septem” meaning “seventh”. September was the seventh month in the Roman calendar until the year 46 BC when Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar. The Julian system moved the start of the year from March 1st to January 1st, and shifted September to the ninth month. The Gregorian calendar that we use today was introduced in 1582.

54A “Juno” actor Michael : CERA

Michael Cera is a Canadian actor who played great characters on the TV show “Arrested Development”, and in the 2007 comedy-drama “Juno”. Cera is also quite the musician. He released an indie folk album titled “True That” in 2014.

“Juno” is a great comedy-drama released in 2007 that tells the story of a spunky teenager who is faced with an unplanned pregnancy. The title character is played by Ellen (now Elliot) Page, with Michael Cera playing the father of her child. The film won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The relatively low-budget movie earned back its initial budget on the first day of its full release to the public. Low-budget blockbuster; my kind of movie …

55A 10,000 square meters : HECTARE

The hectare is a non-SI unit of area that is mainly used to measure land. One hectare is equal to 10,000 square meters (100 meters x 100 meters), and equivalent to 2.47 acres. And, coincidentally, “hectare” is an anagram of “the acre”. And further, 100 square meters is equal to one “are”.

57A Deep part of the outfield, and an apt description of 20-, 28-, 37-, and 49-Across : WARNING TRACK

In a baseball field, there is a dirt track around the outside of the grass field that runs parallel to the ballpark’s wall. This is the warning track, which serves as a warning to a fielder making a deep catch that he is approaching the wall.

62A Canadian prov. : PEI

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a maritime Canadian province. The island at the center of the province was named for Prince Edward, the fourth son of King George III and the father of Queen Victoria. PEI is the smallest Canadian province, both in terms of land area and population.

63A Pong platform : ATARI

Do you remember the arcade video game that is like a game of tennis, with paddles moving up and down to hit what looks like a ball, over what looks like a net? Well, that is Pong. The arcade version of Pong was introduced in 1972, with Atari selling a home version through Sears for the Christmas market in 1975.

2D Once-common wood for Louisville slugger : ASH

Louisville Slugger is a brand of baseball bat manufactured by the Hillerich & Bradsby Company in Louisville, Kentucky. The famous bat is made of Northern White Ash grown on the New York/Pennsylvania border. These ash forests used by the company are threatened by the emerald ash borer which is moving closer and closer every year. There are already plans in place to replace the traditional wood used in the bat as the assumption is that the source of ash will succumb to infestation.

6D Secret social media account, perhaps : FINSTA

“Finsta” is a slang term describing a fake Instagram account. Apparently, some Instagram users create a second account, a finsta, to post more candid and personal content that they would not want to share on their main account.

7D Showbiz grand slam : EGOT

Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Awards (EGOT)

8D Ingrid’s “Casablanca” role : ILSA

Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund were played by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the 1942 movie “Casablanca”. I love the words of one critic describing the chemistry between Bogart and Bergman in this film: “She paints his face with her eyes”. Wow …

9D Pinot __ : NOIR

The pinot noir wine grape variety takes its name from the French for “pine” and “black”. The grapes grow in tight clusters shaped like pine cones, and are very dark in color. The pinot noir grape is most closely associated with Burgundy wines in France, although in recent years the popularity (and price) of California pinot noir wine has soared after it featured so prominently in the wonderful 2004 movie “Sideways”. Grab a bottle of pinot, and go rent the movie …

10D Legal wrong : TORT

“Tort” is a French word meaning “mischief, injury or wrong”. In common law, a tort is a civil wrong that results in the injured party suffering loss or harm, and the injuring party having a legal liability. Tort law differs from criminal law in that torts may result from negligence and not just intentional actions. Also, tort lawsuits may be decided on a preponderance of evidence, without the need of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

13D Little dickens : IMP

The phrase “little dickens” is used to describe a little imp, a badly behaved child. “Dickens” has served as a polite euphemism for the devil since the late 1500s.

21D Kristen’s “The Good Place” co-star : TED

Actress Kristen Bell’s first major role was playing the title character in the TV show “Veronica Mars”. Her first major film role was also playing a title character, in the 2008 film “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”. Perhaps Bell’s most famous role is as a voice actor, playing Princess Anna in the 2013 Disney hit “Frozen”.

Actor Ted Danson is noted in particular for three successful roles that he has played on television. He played Sam Malone on the sitcom “Cheers”, the title role on the sitcom “Becker”, and eventually led the cast on the drama series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. Danson has been married to actress Mary Steenburgen, his third wife, since 1995. He had a very public divorce from his second wife after an affair with Whoopi Goldberg that was covered widely in the tabloid press.

“The Good Place” is a fantasy-comedy TV show about a woman who wakes up in the afterlife. The woman is played by Kristen Bell, and the afterlife is a heaven-like utopia designed by Michael, an immortal architect portrayed by Ted Danson. I haven’t seen this one …

22D Pince-__ glasses : NEZ

Pince-nez are eyeglasses clipped to the bridge of the nose. “Pince-nez” is French, and translates as “pinch the nose”.

23D Pranks with rolls, for short : TPS

TP’ing (toilet papering) is a prank involving the covering of some object or location with rolls and rolls of toilet paper. If you live in Texas or Minnesota, that little “prank” is legal, but if you live here in California it is classed as mischief or vandalism.

26D Your, in French : TES

In French “tes” means “your”, when referring to a single individual and multiple items.

29D “__ Rae”: Sally Field film : NORMA

“Norma Rae” is a 1979 movie starring Sally Field as Norma Rae Webster in a tale of union activities in a textile factory in Alabama. The film is based on the true story of Crystal Lee Sutton told in a 1975 book called “Crystal Lee, a Woman of Inheritance”.

Actress Sally Field first came to the public’s attention in the sixties with title roles in the TV shows “Gidget” and “The Flying Nun”. She has two Best Actress Oscars; one for “Norma Rae” (1979) and one for “Places in the Heart” (1984).

30D Univ. senior’s test : GRE

Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

31D Sprite : ELF

A sprite is an elfin or fairy-like creature of European myth. The term “sprite” comes from the Latin “spiritus” meaning “spirit”.

32D Actor Julia who played Gomez Addams : RAUL

Raúl Juliá was a Hollywood actor from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Julia had a very distinguished career, but is perhaps best known for portraying Gomez Addams in the two film adaptations of “The Addams Family”.

34D Mani-__ : PEDI

Manicure & pedicure (mani-pedi)

42D 1930s film star known for double entendres : MAE WEST

Comic actress Mae West can be quoted so easily, as she had so many great lines delivered so well. Here are a few:

• When I’m good, I’m very good. When I’m bad, I’m better.
• When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I’ve never tried before.
• I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure.
• Marriage is a great institution, but I’m not ready for an institution yet.
• I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
• Why don’t you come on up and see me sometime — when I’ve got nothin’ on but the radio.
• It’s better to be looked over than overlooked.
• To err is human, but it feels divine.
• I like my clothes to be tight enough to show I’m a woman, but loose enough to show I’m a lady.
• I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.
• Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

“Double entendre” is a term describing something said that can be understood in two different ways. The literal translation from French is “double” (double) “entendre” (to mean). However, the modern French phrase describing the same thing is “double entente”.

43D Kyiv’s country : UKRAINE

Kyiv is located on the Dnieper River, and is the capital of Ukraine. We still seem to use the spelling “Kiev” sometimes, but the Ukrainian government decided in 1995 to refer to the city as “Kyiv” when using Roman/Latin script.

46D Bad argument, informally : WEAK TEA

The phrase “weak tea” is used to describe an underwhelming argument or idea. Just as weak tea is thin, watery, and lacking the robust flavor of a properly brewed cup, a “weak tea” argument is seen as insubstantial and lacking in persuasive power.

47D “Fresh Air” airer : NPR

“Fresh Air” is a marvelous radio talk show broadcast on NPR, and hosted by Terry Gross. The first broadcast of the program was made in 1975, with Judy Blank hosting. Terry Gross took over a few months later, and Gross has been presenting and producing the show ever since. I had the privilege of hearing Terry Gross give a talk here in my hometown some years ago. What a fascinating woman she is, full of great stories about her experiences interviewing so many interesting personalities.

48D Sault __ Marie : STE

“Sault Ste. Marie” is the name of two cities on either side of the Canada-US border, one in Ontario and the other in Michigan. The two cities were originally one settlement in the 17th century, established by Jesuit Missionaries. The missionaries gave the settlement the name “Sault Sainte Marie”, which can be translated as “Saint Mary’s Falls”. The city was one community until 1817, when a US-UK Joint Boundary Commission set the border along the St. Mary’s River.

50D Orecchiette shape : EAR

Orecchiette are small dome-shaped pasta from Southern Italy. Each piece resembles a small ear, hence the name. “Orecchietta” (the singular) comes from the Italian “orecchia” meaning “ear” and “-etta” meaning “small”.

51D Comedy routine : SHTICK

A shtick is a routine, a bit, a piece of entertainment. The term comes from the Yiddish “shtick”, which has the same meaning and derives from the Middle High German word “stücke”, the word for “piece”.

59D Milan lang. : ITAL

Milan (“Milano” in Italian) is Italy’s second-largest city, second only to Rome. It is a European fashion capital, the headquarters for the big Italian fashion houses of Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Armani, Prada and others. Mario Prada was even born in Milan, and helped establish the city’s reputation in the world of fashion.

60D Orkan farewell syllables : NANU

The sitcom “Mork & Mindy” was broadcast from 1978 to 1982. We were first introduced to Mork (played by Robin Williams) in a special episode of “Happy Days”. The particular episode in question has a bizarre storyline culminating in Fonzie and Mork having a thumb-to-finger duel. Eventually Richie wakes up in bed, and alien Mork was just part of a dream! Oh, and “Nanu Nanu” means both “hello” and “goodbye” back on the planet Ork. “I am Mork from Ork, Nanu Nanu”. Great stuff …

62D “The More You Know” TV spot, e.g. : PSA

“The More You Know” campaign is a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) launched on NBC in 1989 in response to federal pressure for broadcasters to provide more educational programming. Equivalent campaigns are “CBS Cares”, PBS’s “Be More” and ABC’s “Be Inspired”.