LA Times Crossword 24 Aug 18, Friday

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Constructed by: Jeffrey Wechsler
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Sounds Like a Sunday Crossword

Themed answers are ingredients layered into a SUNDAE, and in order from top to bottom. One letter from each layer is circled in the grid, and those circled letters spell out the word “SUNDAE”.

  • 18A. *See 64-Across : MARASCHINO CHERRY
  • 24A. *See 64-Across : NUTS
  • 34A. *See 64-Across : WHIPPED TOPPING
  • 41A. *See 64-Across : HOT FUDGE
  • 51A. *See 64-Across : FRUIT SAUCE
  • 64A. *Foundation ingredient of a treat built upward in the answers to starred clues and spelled downward in the circles : ICE CREAM

Bill’s time: 8m 32s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5. Wet-Nap unit : PACKET

Wet nap is a term commonly used for a “wet wipe”, a manufactured paper tissues that comes pre-moistened. They are often provided after a meal at some restaurants after a finger-food dish, or perhaps as a refresher on an airplane. I think that “nap” is short of “napkin”, and that “Wet-Nap” is a brand name.

16. St. Clare’s town : ASSISI

The Italian town of Assisi is in Umbria. Assisi is famous as the birthplace of St. Francis and as the home to the Franciscan religious order. It was also the home to Saint Clare and her order of the Poor Sisters (later known as the Poor Clares).

17. Carrie who was a friend of Susan B. : CATT

Carrie Chapman Catt founded the League of Women Voters and the International Alliance of Women. Catt was also very close to Susan B. Anthony and succeeded Anthony as head of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.

18. *See 64-Across : MARASCHINO CHERRY

Maraschino liqueur gets its name from the Marasca cherry that is used in its preparation. Traditionally, whole Marasca cherries would be preserved in the maraschino, giving rise to the name “maraschino cherry”. The maraschino cherries that are served up today are a very different product, with not one Marasca cherry in sight. And, there’s a lot of brine used in the preparation, as well as sulfur dioxide, calcium carbonate, sugar syrup and food coloring. Enjoy …

28. Rudder-controlled movement : YAW

The word “yaw” means to deviate from the line of a course and is used mainly at sea and in the air. “Yaw” is derived from the Old Norse word “jaege” which means “to drive, chase”. As such, “yaw” is etymologically related to our word “yacht”.

29. Beckett’s “Endgame” has one : ACT

“Endgame” is a 1957, one-act play written by Irishman Samuel Beckett. Beckett actually wrote “Endgame” in French (naming it “Fin de Partie”), and translated it himself into English.

30. 7-Up moniker : UNCOLA

7UP was introduced to the world as “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda”, and was a patent medicine that contained lithium citrate, a mood-stabilizing drug. The introduction of a mood-stabilizing medication was pretty timely, as 1929 Wall Street Crash happened just two weeks later. 7UP’s “Uncola” advertising campaign dates back to 1967.

32. Narrow inlet : RIA

A drowned valley might be called a ria or a fjord, with both formed as sea level rises. A ria is a drowned valley created by river erosion, and a fjord is a drowned valley created by glaciation.

38. Sexy : EROTIC

Eros, the Greek god of love, gives rise to our word “erotic”, meaning “arousing sexual desire”. Eros was referred to in Latin as both Amor (meaning “love”) and Cupid (meaning “desire”).

40. Rap sheet letters : AKA

Also known as (aka)

46. SFO info : ETA

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) serves as the main base of operations for Virgin America (sold to Alaska Airlines not that long ago), and is also the maintenance hub for United Airlines.

47. Sci-fi good guys : JEDI

The Jedi are the “good guys” in the “Star Wars” series of movies. The most famous Jedi knights from the films are Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness, and later Ewan McGregor) and Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz). Well, they’re my favorites anyway …

75. Dr.’s group : HMO

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)

Down

7. TV forensic series : CSI

The “CSI” franchise of TV shows has been tremendously successful, but seems to have finally wound down. “CSI: Miami” (the “worst” of the franchise, I think) was cancelled in 2012 after ten seasons. “CSI: NY” (the “best” of the franchise) was cancelled in 2013 after nine seasons. The original “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, set in Las Vegas, hung in there until 2015 when it ended with a two-hour TV movie. The youngest show in the series was “CSI: Cyber”. It lasted for two seasons, before being canceled in 2016.

Something described as forensic is connected with a court of law, or with public discussion or debate. The term comes from the Latin “forensis” meaning “of a forum, of a place of assembly”. We mainly use the word today to mean “pertaining to legal trials” as in “forensic medicine” and “forensic science”.

9. Anka’s “__ Beso” : ESO

“Eso Beso” is Spanish for “That Kiss”, and is the name of a 1962 hit song recorded by Canadian-born singer Paul Anka.

“Eso Beso” is Spanish for “That Kiss”, and is the name of a 1962 hit song recorded by Canadian-born singer Paul Anka.

14. Texter’s sign-off : TTYL

Talk to you later (TTYL)

25. Golden State sch. in Davis : UCD

The University of California, Davis (UCD) is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. I have a particular affection for UCD for a couple of reasons. My younger son is a graduate of Davis and, in a sense, so am I. I graduated from the other UCD: University College Dublin in Ireland …

33. Emotional distress : AGITA

“Agita” is another name for “acid indigestion”, and more generally can mean “agitation, anxiety”.

35. Half a tuba sound : -PAH

The tuba is the lowest-pitched of all the brass instruments, and one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra (usually there is just one tuba included in an orchestral line-up). “Tuba” is the Latin word for “trumpet, horn”. Oom-pah-pah …

37. Jersey casino, with “The” : TAJ

Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal Casino Resort opened up for business in Atlantic City in 1990. Donald Trump exited the casino business in 2016 after his gambling empire went bankrupt. The Taj stayed open under new ownership for a year, but was resold and rebranded as a Hard Rock property in 2017.

44. Initials on American vessels : USS

The abbreviation “USS” stands for “United States Ship”. The practice of naming US Navy vessels in a standard format didn’t start until 1907 when President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order that addressed the issue.

45. Org. concerned with meth : DEA

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

“Meth” is a street name used for the drug methamphetamine, also called “crank” and “crystal meth”.

48. “Stan Against Evil” airer : IFC

Independent Film Channel (IFC)

“Stan Against Evil” is a comedy horror TV show about demons haunting a New Hampshire town that was once the site of witch-burning. Nope …

54. Big name in moving : U-HAUL

The U-Haul company was started by married couple Leonard Shoen and Anna Mary Carty in Ridgefield, Washington in 1945. The Shoens used $5,000 of seed money to build trailers in their garage, and then cleverly recruited gas station owners as franchisees with whom they would split the rental revenue. There are now about 15,000 U-Haul dealers across the country.

55. Like TV’s “Batman” : CAMPY

The television show “Batman” aired from 1966-1968. Burt Ward played Robin opposite Adam West’s Batman. Supposedly, Burt Ward was offered the part taken by Dustin Hoffman in “The Graduate”, but Ward couldn’t get out of his contract for the “Batman” television series. Holy xxxx, Batman!

56. With 2-Down, Latin hymn : DIES …
(2D. See 56-Down : … IRAE)

“Dies Irae” is Latin for “Day of Wrath”. It is the name of a famous melody in Gregorian Chant, one that is often used as part of the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass.

57. “May It Be” co-songwriter : ENYA

The Irish singer Enya co-wrote and performed two songs for the 2001 film “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”. Her song “May It Be” was nominated to that season’s Best Original Song Academy Award. The second number, called “Aniron”, was sung in Tolkien’s Elvish language called Sindarin.

65. Org. dealing with brownfields : EPA

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

A brownfield site is land that was previously used for industrial or commercial purposes. Such land might be contaminated with hazardous waste and in need of clean up.

66. EMT proficiency : CPR

An emergency medical technician (EMT) might administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Smartphone call record, say : LIST
5. Wet-Nap unit : PACKET
11. Utterly beyond repair : SHOT
15. Part of a foot : ARCH
16. St. Clare’s town : ASSISI
17. Carrie who was a friend of Susan B. : CATT
18. *See 64-Across : MARASCHINO CHERRY
21. “Shove off!” : BEAT IT!
22. Summer footwear : SANDAL
23. Suggestion : TIP
24. *See 64-Across : NUTS
28. Rudder-controlled movement : YAW
29. Beckett’s “Endgame” has one : ACT
30. 7-Up moniker : UNCOLA
32. Narrow inlet : RIA
34. *See 64-Across : WHIPPED TOPPING
37. Strikes lightly, as a window : TAPS AT
38. Sexy : EROTIC
40. Rap sheet letters : AKA
41. *See 64-Across : HOT FUDGE
46. SFO info : ETA
47. Sci-fi good guys : JEDI
49. Prove equal (to) : RISE
50. Take quickly : GRAB
51. *See 64-Across : FRUIT SAUCE
56. Christian official : DEACON
59. Laundry convenience : HAMPER
63. Alpine retreat : INN
64. *Foundation ingredient of a treat built upward in the answers to starred clues and spelled downward in the circles : ICE CREAM
69. Guitar, slangily : AXE
70. Needle part : EYE
71. Really enjoyed : LAPPED UP
72. Little bit : TAD
73. Spotted : SAW
74. How farmland is populated : SPARSELY
75. Dr.’s group : HMO

Down

1. Country kid? : LAMB
2. See 56-Down : … IRAE
3. Doodle site : SCRATCHPAD
4. “Precisely so!” : THAT IT IS!
5. Formal agreement : PACT
6. Grill remnants : ASH
7. TV forensic series : CSI
8. Many holiday guests : KIN
9. Anka’s “__ Beso” : ESO
10. Involuntary motions : TICS
11. Plot outline : SCENARIO
12. Seasonal frontier challenge : HARD WINTER
13. José’s “other” : OTRA
14. Texter’s sign-off : TTYL
19. Hardly a gulp : SIP
20. Loft bale : HAY
24. Philadelphia-to-Albany dir. : NNE
25. Golden State sch. in Davis : UCD
26. Young one : TOT
27. __-mo : SLO
29. Open one’s eyes : AWAKE
30. Plotting : UP TO
31. Take down __ : A PEG
33. Emotional distress : AGITA
35. Half a tuba sound : -PAH
36. Tense beginning? : PRE-
37. Jersey casino, with “The” : TAJ
39. Bus alternative : CAB
42. Half of hexa- : TRI-
43. Able-bodied : FIT
44. Initials on American vessels : USS
45. Org. concerned with meth : DEA
48. “Stan Against Evil” airer : IFC
50. Shining example : GEM
52. Deeply disturbs : ROILS
53. Take the top off : UNCAP
54. Big name in moving : U-HAUL
55. Like TV’s “Batman” : CAMPY
56. With 2-Down, Latin hymn : DIES …
57. “May It Be” co-songwriter : ENYA
58. Once more : ANEW
60. Hiking spot : PATH
61. Final, for one : EXAM
62. Correct, in a way : REDO
65. Org. dealing with brownfields : EPA
66. EMT proficiency : CPR
67. High-__ monitor : RES
68. Stamp addition? : -EDE

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