LA Times Crossword 1 May 21, Saturday

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Constructed by: Ryan McCarty
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 9m 26s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

11 Fetid : NOISOME

Something noisome is harmful or annoying, and often bad-smelling.

16 Viagra alternative : LEVITRA

“Levitra” is a brand name for the drug vardenafil, which is used for treating erectile dysfunction. Levitra is very closely related to Viagra and Cialis, both of which treat the same syndrome.

17 Affair VIPs : EMCEES

The term “emcee” comes from “MC”, an initialism used for a Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

18 1960s girl group named for its lead singer : RONETTES

The Ronettes were a sixties girl group from New York City who worked with famed record producer Phil Spector. Their most famous hit was probably “Be My Baby” from 1963. The lead singer of the group was Veronica “Ronnie” Bennett, who ended up marrying Spector in 1968.

21 Benedict Cumberbatch superhero role, casually : DR STRANGE

“Doctor Strange” is a 2016 superhero film starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role.

23 Sonic boom creator? : SEGA

Sonic the Hedgehog is a title character in a videogame and the mascot of Sega, the computer game developer. Sonic was set up as a rival to Nintendo’s mascot Mario.

26 Bobs and weaves : DOS

A bob cut is a short hairstyle in which the hair is cut straight around the head, at about the line of the jaw. Back in the 1570s, “bob” was the name given to a horse’s tail that was cut short, and about a century later it was being used to describe short hair on humans. The style became very popular with women in the early 1900s (as worn by actress Clara Bow, for example), with the fashion dying out in the thirties. The style reemerged in the sixties around the time the Beatles introduced their “mop tops”, with Vidal Sassoon leading the way in styling women’s hair in a bob cut again. Personally, I like it …

29 __ vivant : BON

A bon vivant (plural “bons vivants”) is a person who enjoys the best of food and drink, a person with very refined tastes. The term is French, coming from “good living” in that language.

32 It was initially dubbed “Clinton’s Big Ditch” by its critics : ERIE CANAL

DeWitt Clinton served as Mayor of New York City on three separate occasions, starting in 1803 and ending in 1815. Prior to his mayoral jobs, Clinton served as a US Senator for New York from 1802 until 1803. He also served twice as Governor of New York, from 1817 to 1822, and from 1825 to 1828. As Governor, Clinton was the driving force behind the construction of the Erie Canal. Despite the success of the project, for some time the canal was referred to by many as “Clinton’s Folly”.

34 Collectible Camaro : IROC

The IROC-Z is a model of Camaro that was introduced by Chevrolet in 1978. The IROC-Z takes its name from a famous stock car race, the International Race of Champions.

36 Listen in : EAVESDROP

To eavesdrop is to listen in on someone else’s conversation without being invited to do so. The term comes from the practice of spies loitering in the area just outside the walls of a house, particularly in the “eavesdrip”, the ground close to a house that catches the drips of rainwater falling from the eaves of the roof.

42 Just below par : ONE-UNDER

The following terms are routinely used in golf for scores relative to par:

  • Bogey: one over par
  • Par
  • Birdie: one under par
  • Eagle: two under par
  • Albatross (also “double eagle”): three under par
  • Condor: four under par

No one has ever recorded a condor during a professional tournament.

46 One getting checks for quarters : LESSOR

We use the term “quarters” for a place of abode, especially housing for military personnel. Back in the late 16th century, quarters were a portion (quarter) of a town reserved for a military force.

50 Crack : TRY

Take a crack at it, have a try.

Down

2 Racked up cellphone charges, perhaps : ROAMED

A cell phone user may encounter a roaming charge when roaming, when using his or her phone outside of the geographic coverage offered by the user’s cell phone provider. Basically, a partner network is providing coverage when roaming, and may impose a charge for the privilege of using the partner’s service.

3 Aptly named giant in surfing sportswear : RIP CURL

Rip Curl is an Australian supplier of sportswear, primarily clothing for surfing.

5 “A Sorta Fairytale” singer Tori : AMOS

Tori Amos is an American pianist and singer. She started playing the piano at two years old, and was composing piano pieces by age five. Amos was playing in piano bars (chaperoned by her father) when she was 14. I’m going to have to find some of her music …

13 Family feuds : VENDETTAS

“Vendetta” is the Italian word for “blood feud”, and is especially associated with the island of Corsica.

14 Jah worshipers : RASTAS

“Jah” is a shortened form of “Jehovah”, and is a name often associated with the Rastafari movement.

18 Broke 100, maybe : RAN A FEVER

The medical symptom of elevated body temperature is called fever, febrile response or pyrexia.

28 __ Kelly, woman with the most lifetime “Jeopardy!” winnings : LARISSA

On the game show “Jeopardy!”, Ken Jennings holds the record for longest winning streak, winning on 74 episodes in a row, and amassing over $2.5 million. Brad Rutter holds the record for the highest winnings in cash and prizes overall, and has won over $5 million. The record holder for lifetime winnings by a woman is held by Larissa Kelly, who brought home over $650,000.

29 Group that includes Chevron and BP : BIG OIL

The oil and gas company Chevron is a descendent of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil. The US government stepped in and broke up Standard Oil in 1911, with one of the resulting “pieces” being Standard Oil Co. (California). Standard Oil of California changed its name to Chevron in 1984.

BP is an oil and gas company headquartered in London, UK. BP started out as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company in 1909 with the remit of exploiting oil discovered in Iran. The company name was changed to British Petroleum in 1954, and today the name used is simply “BP”.

35 Carnival offering : CRUISE

The Carnival Cruise Line was founded in 1972, and had over 20 vessels in operation at the height of its success. Three of those Carnival ships were chartered by the US government in the wake of Hurricane Katrina so that they could provide temporary housing for families displaced by the storm.

39 Composer Bruckner : ANTON

Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer. He’s no favorite of mine as he embraces the use of dissonances (I’m a sober traditionalist!). Bruckner’s “Symphony No. 7” is perhaps his most popular work. He created a slow and mournful movement for the work in recognition of the impending death of Richard Wagner, whom he greatly admired.

43 Framing piece : JAMB

A door jamb or window jamb is the vertical portion of the frame. The term “jamb” comes from the French word “jambe” meaning “leg”.

45 Org. with Behavior Detection Officers : TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the agency that employs the good folks who check passengers and baggage at airports.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Mess up : ERR
4 Traveler’s reference : MAP
7 Botanical garden adjective : LUSH
11 Fetid : NOISOME
13 Dental facade : VENEER
15 Shoddily attached, usually : TAPED ON
16 Viagra alternative : LEVITRA
17 Affair VIPs : EMCEES
18 1960s girl group named for its lead singer : RONETTES
19 Opts for another tour : RE-UPS
20 Like some romantic dinners : CANDLELIT
21 Benedict Cumberbatch superhero role, casually : DR STRANGE
23 Sonic boom creator? : SEGA
24 Inflatable emergency transports : LIFE RAFTS
26 Bobs and weaves : DOS
27 Like some serious accidents : NEAR-FATAL
29 __ vivant : BON
32 It was initially dubbed “Clinton’s Big Ditch” by its critics : ERIE CANAL
34 Collectible Camaro : IROC
36 Listen in : EAVESDROP
38 Wood stove successors : GAS RANGES
40 __ burger : BISON
42 Just below par : ONE-UNDER
43 Jar : JOSTLE
44 Arouses : IGNITES
45 Result of a certain property payment delinquency : TAX SALE
46 One getting checks for quarters : LESSOR
47 Took part in an ugly campaign : SMEARED
48 Spotted : SEEN
49 Beneficiaries of exercises called Russian twists : ABS
50 Crack : TRY

Down

1 Emerge from the wings : ENTER
2 Racked up cellphone charges, perhaps : ROAMED
3 Aptly named giant in surfing sportswear : RIP CURL
4 Amount that’s sometimes larger than it sounds : MODEST FEE
5 “A Sorta Fairytale” singer Tori : AMOS
6 Compose, perhaps : PEN
7 Stabilize, with “off” : LEVEL …
8 Associates : UNITES
9 Resolved, in a way : SETTLED
10 “Wish me luck!” : HERE I GO!
12 Slowly comes through : SEEPS IN
13 Family feuds : VENDETTAS
14 Jah worshipers : RASTAS
16 Gloomy looks : LONG FACES
18 Broke 100, maybe : RAN A FEVER
20 Fairy tale ball arrivals : CARRIAGES
22 Possible result of not knowing when to stop? : REAR-ENDER
25 Places to see small, colorful trucks : SANDBOXES
28 __ Kelly, woman with the most lifetime “Jeopardy!” winnings : LARISSA
29 Group that includes Chevron and BP : BIG OIL
30 Florida harvest : ORANGES
31 What poor instructions make : NO SENSE
33 Writing letters, some say : LOST ART
35 Carnival offering : CRUISE
37 Worker with many questions : POLLER
39 Composer Bruckner : ANTON
41 Poor : NEEDY
43 Framing piece : JAMB
45 Org. with Behavior Detection Officers : TSA