LA Times Crossword 8 May 23, Monday

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Constructed by: Katie Hale
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Crown Jewels

Themed answers are CROWNED with JEWELS, have JEWELS at the start:

  • 24D Some sparklers at King Charles III’s coronation, and a literal feature of 3-, 7-, and 22-Down? : CROWN JEWELS
  • 3D Rolling Stones song that inspired a restaurant name : RUBY TUESDAY
  • 7D Aromatic bulbs in coq au vin : PEARL ONIONS
  • 22D Nickname for Ireland : EMERALD ISLE

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

Bill’s time: 5m 29s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Title for Elton John : SIR

Elton John’s real name is Reginald Dwight. Sir Elton was knighted in 1998, not for his music per se, but for his charitable work. He founded his own Elton John AIDS Foundation back in 1992.

4 “__ Misérables” : LES

Victor Hugo’s famous 1862 novel “Les Misérables” has been translated into English several times. However, the title is usually left in the original French as a successful translation of “les misérables” seems to be elusive. Some suggestions for an English title are “The Wretched”, “The Victims” and “The Dispossessed”. The novel follows the lives of several characters including an ex-convict Jean Valjean, a fanatic police inspector Javert, a beautiful prostitute Fantine, and Fantine’s illegitimate daughter Cosette.

7 Yellow tropical fruit : PAPAYA

The papaya (also “papaw”) tropical fruit is native to Mexico and South America. When cultivating papaya trees, only female plants are used. Female plants produce just one, high-quality fruit per tree. Male plants produce several fruit per tree, but they are very poor quality.

15 Exercise plan, e.g. : REGIMEN

Quite often, the terms “regime” and “regimen” seem to be used interchangeably. In contemporary usage, “regime” is applied more generally, and “regimen” more specifically. A “regimen” is a systematic approach that one might apply to something, to exercise or diet for example. The term “regime” can also be used in such contexts, but can have additional definitions, such as “government in power”. A form of government cannot be described as a “regimen”.

16 Beirut’s country : LEBANON

Beirut is the capital city of Lebanon. After WWI, Lebanon was placed under administrative control of the French and Beirut flourished as a financial center in the Middle East and as a major world tourist destination. The city was devastated in the Lebanese Civil War that raged from 1975 to 1990, but reconstruction has restored the city to much of its former glory, making it a major cultural center once again.

21 Occupants of a classroom farm : ANTS

“Formicary” is another name for “ant nest”, and comes from the Latin “formica” meaning “ant”. The phrase “ant colony” describes the ants living in an ant nest. A formicarium is similar to an aquarium, and used to house an ant colony perhaps for study. The phrase “ant farm” is usually reserved for ant nests built by an ant colony in a formicarium.

27 “Rugrats” dad : STU

“Rugrats” is a cartoon show that aired on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 2004. The show spawned a series of movies, starting with 1998’s “The Rugrats Movie”.

28 Destination in “The Lord of the Rings” : MORDOR

Mordor is a fictional land in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. It is a place of great danger, but also home to the volcano Mount Doom. Mount. Mount Doom is the only place where the One Ring can be destroyed, and so it is the destination of the Fellowship of the Ring in their quest to save Middle-earth.

30 Actor Lowe : ROB

Actor Rob Lowe is one of the “founding members” of the so-called Brat Pack, having appeared in the movie “St. Elmo’s Fire”. More recently, he played a regular character on the TV show “Parks and Recreation”. My favorite of his roles though, was playing Sam Seaborn on Aaron Sorkin’s great drama series “The West Wing”. When “The West Wing” first aired, Seaborn was billed as the show’s main character, but outstanding performances from the rest of the cast and some great writing meant that Lowe’s role became “one of many”. This led to some dissatisfaction on Lowe’s part, and eventually he quit the show.

34 The Pussycat Dolls lead singer Scherzinger : NICOLE

The Pussycat Dolls were a girl group and dance ensemble that started out as a burlesque troupe in Los Angeles in 1995. They morphed into a music franchise in 2003, with Nicole Scherzinger as the lead singer.

39 Early Ford roadster : MODEL A

The Ford Model A was the original car produced by the Ford Motor Company. The first production run lasted from 1903 to 1904, when it was replaced by the Model C. The name “Model A” was brought back in 1927 and used for the successor to the Model T.

42 Big name in outdoor apparel : LL.BEAN

L.L.Bean (note the lack of spaces in the company name) was founded back in 1912 in Freeport, Maine as a company selling its own line of waterproof boots. The founder, Leon Leonwood Bean, gave his name to the enterprise. Right from the start, L.L.Bean focused on mail-order and sold from a circular he distributed and then from a catalog. Defects in the initial design led to 90% of the first boots sold being returned, and the company made good on its guarantee to replace them or give back the money paid.

44 Morning brew, slangily : JOE

It seems that no one really knows why we refer to coffee as “joe”, but we’ve been doing so since early in WWII.

47 “Year of the Gentleman” R&B singer : NE-YO

“Ne-Yo” is the stage name of R&B singer Shaffer Chimere Smith.

61 Starbucks size : GRANDE

Starbucks introduced us to coffee drinks in a whole range of volumes:

  • Demi … 3 fl oz
  • Short … 8 fl oz
  • Tall … 12 fl oz
  • Grande … 16 fl oz (Italian for “large”)
  • Venti … 20 fl oz (Italian for “twenty”)
  • Trenta … 30 fl oz (Italian for “thirty”)

Down

3 Rolling Stones song that inspired a restaurant name : RUBY TUESDAY

“Ruby Tuesday” is a 1966 song by the Rolling Stones written by Keith Richards, and is apparently about a groupie that he once knew. The American chain of restaurants with the name Ruby Tuesday is named for the song.

4 Longtime late-night host Jay : LENO

Jay Leno was born James Leno in New Rochelle, New York. Jay’s father was the son of Italian immigrants, and his mother was from Scotland. Leno grew up in Andover, Massachusetts and actually dropped out of school on the advice of a high school guidance counselor. However, years later he went to Emerson College and earned a Bachelor’s degree in speech therapy. Leno also started a comedy club at Emerson in 1973. Today Jay Leno is a car nut and owns over 300 vehicles of various types. You can check them out on his website: www.jaylenosgarage.com.

5 Punk rock subgenre : EMO

“Emo” is short for “emotional hardcore”.

6 Ottawa NHL team : SENATORS

The Senators are the NHL hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada. The current team, founded in the 1992-93 season, is the second NHL team in the city to use the name “Senators”. The original team was founded in 1917, and had a very successful run until the league expanded into the US in the late twenties. The cost of operating in what became the smallest NHL city eventually drove the Senators to St. Louis where they played for a year as the Eagles before finally folding.

7 Aromatic bulbs in coq au vin : PEARL ONIONS

The French word “coq” actually means rooster, but a more tender bird is usually chosen for the classic French dish “coq au vin”. The most common wine used for the “vin” is burgundy, but sometimes another red wine is chosen, and you can also find on a menu “coq au Champagne” and “coq au Riesling”.

8 City in India’s Golden Triangle : AGRA

The Golden Triangle is a popular tourist circuit in Northern India. It encompasses the triangular region between New Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur.

  1. New Delhi is the capital of India. Some of the must-see attractions are the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and the Akshardham Temple.
  2. Agra is home to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
  3. Jaipur is known for its pink sandstone buildings, including the Hawa Mahal and the City Palace.

9 Spotted pony : PINTO

A pinto is a horse with patchy markings of white mixed with another color. “Pinto” means “painted” in American Spanish.

11 Kyoto currency : YEN

The city of Kyoto was once the capital of Japan, and in fact the name “Kyoto” means “capital city” in Japanese. Kyoto is sometimes referred to as the City of Ten Thousand Shrines.

12 “Sense and Sensibility” director Lee : ANG

Ang Lee is a Taiwanese-born filmmaker who has directed several critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies. He has worked in a variety of genres, including romantic comedies (“Sense and Sensibility”), dramas (“Brokeback Mountain”), and superhero movies (“Hulk”).

14 Comic __: cartoony font choice : SANS

Comic Sans MS is a font that looks a bit like that used in old comic books. Comic Sans was released by Microsoft in 1994. If you live in the Netherlands, you are lucky enough to enjoy Comic Sans Day on the first Friday of July each year.

22 Nickname for Ireland : EMERALD ISLE

Ireland is often referred to as “the Emerald Isle” (and described as “green”). There is a common misconception that the association with the color green is because of all that green grass that grows due to the seemingly non-stop rain. However, the use of green has more political overtones, as it is associated with many of the rebellions against British colonial rule over the centuries.

24 Some sparklers at King Charles III’s coronation, and a literal feature of 3-, 7-, and 22-Down? : CROWN JEWELS

The British Crown Jewels are a collection of 140 royal ceremonial objects kept in the Tower of London. The oldest item in the collection is the Coronation Spoon, which dates from the 12th century. The most famous item is the Imperial State Crown, which was made for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. It is made of gold and set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and 4 rubies.

35 Revolutionary Guevara : CHE

Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born in Argentina, and in 1948 he started to study medicine at the University of Buenos Aires. While at school he satisfied his need to “see the world” by taking two long journeys around South America, the story of which are told in Guevara’s memoir later published as “The Motorcycle Diaries”. While traveling, Guevara was moved by the plight of the people he saw and their working conditions and what he viewed as capitalistic exploitation. In Mexico City he met brothers Raul and Fidel Castro and was persuaded to join their cause, the overthrow of the US-backed government in Cuba. He rose to second-in-command among the Cuban insurgents, and when Castro came to power Guevara was influential in repelling the Bay of Pigs Invasion and bringing Soviet nuclear missiles to the island. Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to continue his work as a revolutionary. He was captured by Bolivian forces in 1967, and was executed. Fidel Castro led the public mourning of Guevara’s death, and soon the revolutionary was an icon for many left-wing movements around the world.

43 Root vegetables such as Detroit Dark Red and Bull’s Blood : BEETS

Chard is a lovely leafy vegetable, in my humble opinion. It is the same species as the garden beet, but chard is grown for the leaves and beet is grown for the roots.

46 Belgium locale : EUROPE

Belgium is one of the six founding members of the European Economic Community (EEC) that evolved into today’s European Union (EU). Belgium also acts as host of several international organizations, including NATO. There are two large regions in the country. Flanders in the north is predominantly Dutch-speaking, and Wallonia in the south is predominantly French-speaking. The capital city of Brussels is officially bilingual, although from personal experience I can attest that it is mainly French-speaking even though it is located in the Flemish part of the country.

50 Janitorial tools : MOPS

A janitor is someone who takes care of the maintenance or cleaning of a building. An older definition of the term “janitor” is “doorman”. Our word comes from the Latin “ianitor” meaning “doorkeeper”.

55 Acronym in many credit card ads : APR

Annual percentage rate (APR)

56 Chem. in some plastics : BPA

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic chemical that is used extensively in the manufacture of plastics. The main source of the controversy surrounding the use of the chemical is that BPA has hormone-like properties and has been classified as an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it can interfere with human hormone systems. BPA is “everywhere”, given the amount of plastic that we use in society. The debate seems to be whether or not the levels that we are exposed to are sufficient to create a health risk.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Title for Elton John : SIR
4 “__ Misérables” : LES
7 Yellow tropical fruit : PAPAYA
13 “Say something funny!” : AMUSE ME!
15 Exercise plan, e.g. : REGIMEN
16 Beirut’s country : LEBANON
17 Working hard for : EARNING
18 Decline : SAY NO
19 “Dang it” : AW DRAT
21 Occupants of a classroom farm : ANTS
22 Internet shopping : E-TAIL
23 Spanish eight : OCHO
27 “Rugrats” dad : STU
28 Destination in “The Lord of the Rings” : MORDOR
30 Actor Lowe : ROB
31 Spot to grab a bite : EATERY
34 The Pussycat Dolls lead singer Scherzinger : NICOLE
36 Replies : ANSWERS
38 Interstate road, e.g. : HIGHWAY
39 Early Ford roadster : MODEL A
40 Give some slack : LOOSEN
41 Citymapper info, for short : ETA
42 Big name in outdoor apparel : LL.BEAN
44 Morning brew, slangily : JOE
47 “Year of the Gentleman” R&B singer : NE-YO
49 Darlings : DEARS
50 Restaurant list : MENU
51 Buddy : FRIEND
53 Farther down : LOWER
54 Basic metabolic panel, e.g. : LAB TEST
57 “Crossing my fingers!” : I HOPE SO!
59 Challenges a verdict in a higher court : APPEALS
60 Traction-improving : NONSLIP
61 Starbucks size : GRANDE
62 “Golly” : GEE
63 Spot : SEE

Down

1 Taco truck condiments : SALSAS
2 “To clarify … ” : I MEANT …
3 Rolling Stones song that inspired a restaurant name : RUBY TUESDAY
4 Longtime late-night host Jay : LENO
5 Punk rock subgenre : EMO
6 Ottawa NHL team : SENATORS
7 Aromatic bulbs in coq au vin : PEARL ONIONS
8 City in India’s Golden Triangle : AGRA
9 Spotted pony : PINTO
10 51-Across, in France : AMI
11 Kyoto currency : YEN
12 “Sense and Sensibility” director Lee : ANG
14 Comic __: cartoony font choice : SANS
15 Overhauled, as decor : REDID
20 Cautious : WARY
22 Nickname for Ireland : EMERALD ISLE
24 Some sparklers at King Charles III’s coronation, and a literal feature of 3-, 7-, and 22-Down? : CROWN JEWELS
25 Spanish greeting : HOLA
26 Follow instructions : OBEY
29 Fixes, in a way : RIGS
32 Wide-eyed wonder : AWE
33 Blab : TELL
35 Revolutionary Guevara : CHE
36 Hymn ender : AMEN
37 A flat or B sharp : NOTE
38 Squirreling away : HOARDING
40 Tilt : LEAN
43 Root vegetables such as Detroit Dark Red and Bull’s Blood : BEETS
45 Infant’s bodysuit : ONESIE
46 Belgium locale : EUROPE
48 More than sometimes : OFTEN
50 Janitorial tools : MOPS
52 Word on a library poster : READ
53 Solitary : LONE
54 Fall behind : LAG
55 Acronym in many credit card ads : APR
56 Chem. in some plastics : BPA
58 Earth-turning tool : HOE