LA Times Crossword 23 Feb 23, Thursday

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Constructed by: Dan Caprera
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Books on Tape

Themed answers each include the title of a BOOK as a hidden word. Each title sits ON (in the grid) a kind of TAPE:

  • 58A Audible.com predecessor, and three literal occurrences in this puzzle : BOOKS ON TAPE
  • 16A Rides in the sand : DUNE BUGGIES (“Dune”)
  • 19A Lagavulin, for one : SCOTCH (tape)
  • 28A Hypothetical regions of space-time : WHITE HOLES (“Holes”)
  • 33A Crawl on a news program : TICKER (tape)
  • 44A “Little Women” star : EMMA WATSON (“Emma”)
  • 58A Audible.com predecessor, and three literal occurrences in this puzzle : BOOKS ON TAPE

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

Bill’s time: 7m 09s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Green producers? : ATMS

“Greenback” is a common nickname for a US dollar bill. The original greenbacks were the Demand Notes issued by Abraham Lincoln’s administration to pay expenses incurred during the Civil War. Those notes were green and black on the front, and just green on the back, hence “greenback”.

10 “I Think You Should Leave” star Robinson : TIM

Comedian Tim Robinson worked as a cast member and writer on “Saturday Night Live” for one season in 2012, but was fired from the show after only one year. Despite this setback, Robinson continued to pursue his passion for comedy and eventually found success with “I Think You Should Leave,” which has been praised for its absurdist humor and unconventional approach to sketch comedy.

13 “Aw, crud” : DRAT

The word “crud”, meaning “something disgusting”, is American slang dating back to the 1920s. Originating in the US Army, the term was used in place of “venereal disease”.

16 Rides in the sand : DUNE BUGGIES (“Dune”)

The first dune buggies were built by modifying Volkswagen Beetle cars, stripping them down to their basic frames and adding larger wheels and tires for better traction on sand. The lightweight, open-air design of dune buggies made them popular among young people and beachgoers, and they soon became a symbol of the California car culture of the 1960s.

“Dune” is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, first published in 1965. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time. The book has a large and dedicated fanbase, who refer to themselves as “Duners” or “Dune fans.”

18 Mountain __ : DEW

Mountain Dew was originally created as a mixer for alcoholic beverages, and was marketed as “zero-proof moonshine.” The original formula included caffeine and sugar, which helped to make it a popular mixer for whiskey and other spirits.

19 Lagavulin, for one : SCOTCH (tape)

Lagavulin is a single malt Scotch whisky that is known for its strong, smoky flavor and its association with the Scottish island of Islay. It is a favorite of actor Nick Offerman, who played the character Ron Swanson on the TV show “Parks and Recreation.” He has appeared in several ads for the brand.

Scotch Tape is a brand of adhesive tape made by 3M. “Scotch Tape” is one of those brand names that has become a generic term for the product. The equivalent brand name of the product that we use over in Ireland is Sellotape. This British brand also has become a generic term, and so is our equivalent to “Scotch tape”.

23 “A League of Their __” : OWN

“A League of Their Own” is a 1992 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Penny Marshall, starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell, among others. The movie is based on the true story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), which was created during World War II when many of the male baseball players were serving in the military. The Baseball Hall of Fame has recognized the contributions of the AAGPBL, and in 1988, former players from the league were invited to Cooperstown to participate in a ceremony honoring their legacy. Many of the actresses from “A League of Their Own” also attended the ceremony to pay tribute to the pioneering female athletes who inspired the film.

25 2021 U.S. Open champ Jon : RAHM

Jon Rahm is a professional golfer from Spain who has been consistently ranked among the top players in the world. In 2021, Rahm tested positive for COVID-19 while leading the Memorial Tournament by six strokes after the third round. He was forced to withdraw from the tournament, but later returned to win the U.S. Open just two weeks later.

27 __ buco : OSSO

Osso buco is a traditional Italian dish that is typically made with veal shanks that are braised with vegetables and herbs. The name “osso buco” means “bone with a hole” in Italian, which refers to the marrow-filled bone in the center of the veal shank. The marrow is considered a delicacy and is often scooped out and served with the dish.

28 Hypothetical regions of space-time : WHITE HOLES (“Holes”)

White holes are hypothetical astronomical objects that are the opposite of black holes. While black holes are known for their ability to absorb matter and light, white holes are thought to emit matter and light.

According to the theory of relativity, space and time are not separate entities, but are instead woven together into a single fabric called space-time. This means that the position and motion of an object is not described simply by its position in space, but also by its position in time.

“Holes” is a 2003 American comedy-drama film directed by Andrew Davis and based on the novel of the same name by Louis Sachar. Shia LaBeouf, who played the lead role of Stanley Yelnats IV, was relatively unknown at the time the movie was made. His performance in “Holes” helped to launch his career as an actor.

31 Some tandoori breads : NAANS

Naan bread is a type of leavened bread that is a staple in Indian cuisine. The word “naan” comes from the Persian word “non,” which means bread.

33 Crawl on a news program : TICKER (tape)

A news ticker, or “crawler”, is a text-based graphic that runs across the bottom of a TV screen providing perhaps news headlines or continuous stock quotes.

Ticker tape was first used in the late 1800s to transmit stock market information over telegraph lines. The tape was printed with a series of dots and dashes that corresponded to the various stocks being traded. In the early 1900s, ticker tape parades became a popular way to celebrate a significant event or achievement. The parades would feature confetti made from shredded ticker tape, which would rain down on the honorees and spectators.

37 Progressive agent played by Stephanie Courtney : FLO

Stephanie Courtney is an American actress and comedian best known for her portrayal of the character Flo in a series of commercials for the insurance company Progressive.

39 Fuel additive brand : STP

STP was founded in 1953 by racing enthusiast and businessman Andy Granatelli. The name “STP” stands for “Scientifically Treated Petroleum.”

40 Sneaky sort : WEASEL

To weasel out of something is to back away from a prior commitment. The association of weasels with the concept of not being trusted might have arisen from the behavior in which a weasel sucks out the contents of an egg while leaving the shell virtually intact.

42 Paté holder : TOAST

Pâté is a rich spreadable paste made from a mixture of ground meat and fat to which various vegetables, herbs and spices may be added. The most famous version of the paste is pâté de foie gras, which is made from the fattened livers of geese (“foie gras” means “fat liver” in French).

44 “Little Women” star : EMMA WATSON (“Emma”)

Actress Emma Watson is best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” film series, which she started at the age of 11. Watson is a highly educated individual, having graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. She has also studied at Oxford University and has been recognized for her academic achievements. She is also a talented musician and has played the guitar and the piano in several films.

The 2019 big-screen adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Acanlen as the March sisters. Laura Dern plays their mother. The film was critically acclaimed and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Saoirse Ronan, and Best Supporting Actress for Florence Pugh.

46 Insect that dates to the Jurassic era : WASP

While wasps are considered a nuisance by many, they are very important to the agricultural industry. Wasps prey on many pest insects, while having very little impact on crops.

The Jurassic geologic period lasted from about 200 to 145 million years ago, following the Triassic and followed by the Cretaceous. Limestone strata from the period were first identified in the Jura Mountains in the Western Alps. It is this mountain range that gives us the name “Jurassic”.

50 Air line : DUCT (tape)

What we tend to call “duct” tape today was originally known as “duck” tape. In its first form, duck tape was rubber-based adhesive applied to a duck cloth backing, hence the name. Cotton duck cloth is a canvas-like material, a plain woven cotton fabric. The name “duck” comes from the Dutch “doek” meaning “linen canvas”. Duck tape started to be known as “duct tape” in the fifties, as it was commonly used to wrap air ducts in the construction industry.

52 Roughly : CIRCA

“Circa” is a Latin word meaning “around, near, about the time of”. We use “circa” directly in English to mean “about the time of”, as well as in derivative words such as “circle” and “circus”.

53 Prayer beads : ROSARY

The rosary is a set of prayer beads used in the Roman Catholic tradition. The name “rosary” comes from the Latin “rosarium”, the word for a “rose garden” or a “garland of roses”. The term is used figuratively, in the sense of a “garden of prayers”.

56 Benny the Bull, for one : MASCOT

Benny the Bull is the official mascot of the NBA team, the Chicago Bulls. Benny has won numerous awards for his performance skills and creativity. He has been named the NBA’s Mascot of the Year several times, and he has also won awards for his comedic and dramatic performances during games.

64 Part of some sports drink names : ADE

Gatorade was developed at the University of Florida by a team of researchers at the request of the school’s football team. And so, Gatorade is named after the Gators football team.

Down

4 Hatmaker since 1865 : STETSON

Stetson is a brand of hat manufactured by John B. Stetson Company of St. Joseph, Missouri. The so-called “cowboy hat” that Stetson pioneered was such a success that the company became the largest hat maker in the world, producing over 3.3 million hats per year.

6 Gaming annoyance : LAG

In Internet terms, lag is a delay in response caused by network latency. We might notice lag when streaming a video, for example.

9 Member of the South Asian diaspora : DESI

People from the Indian subcontinent might refer to themselves as “desi”.

“Diaspora” is a Greek word meaning “a scattering of seeds”. I guess I’m one of the Irish seeds …

10 Internet addresses? : TED TALKS

The acronym “TED” stands for “Technology, Entertainment and Design”. TED is a set of conferences held around the world by a non-profit group called the Sapling Foundation. The conference subjects are varied, and the meetings are often led by big names such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Gates and Jane Goodall. The Sapling Foundation then makes recordings of the conferences available for free online with the intent of disseminating the ideas globally. These conferences are known as “TED Talks”. There are also TEDx events, which are locally-run talks presented under license from TED.

11 Much of Greenland : ICE SHEET

Greenland is the largest island on the planet. Geographically, it is part of the continent of North America, but culturally and politically is considered part of Europe. The island became a Danish colony in 1815, and joined the European Economic Community (EEC) with Denmark. Greenland withdrew from the EEC after a referendum in 1983. Since 2009, Greenland has been relatively autonomous, with the Danish government retaining control of foreign affairs, defense and the judicial system.

17 Letters in early dates : BCE

The designations Anno Domini (AD, “year of Our Lord”) and Before Christ (BC) are found in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The dividing point between AD and BC is the year of the conception of Jesus, with AD 1 following 1 BC without a year “0” in between. The AD/BC scheme dates back to AD 525, and gained wide acceptance soon after AD 800. Nowadays a modified version has become popular, with CE (Common/Christian Era) used to replace AD, and BCE (Before the Common/Christian Era) used to replace BC.

21 Gator kin : CROC

Crocodiles and alligators do indeed bear a resemblance to each other, although they belong to distinct biological families. One of the main ways used to distinguish them is by their teeth and jaws. Both the upper and lower sets of teeth of a crocodile are visible when its mouth is closed, whereas only the upper teeth of an alligator are visible with the mouth shut.

24 State whose motto is “Forward”: Abbr. : WIS

Several US states have single-word mottos:

  • Eureka (I have found it) — California
  • Dirigo (I lead) — Maine
  • Excelsior (Ever upward) — New York
  • Hope — Rhode Island
  • Friendship — Texas
  • Industry — Utah
  • Forward — Wisconsin

26 Car sticker abbr. : MSRP

Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)

28 Half a Northwest city : WALLA

The Washington city of Walla Walla used to be called Steptoeville. It was named for Edward Steptoe, an officer in the US Army who served in the Indian Wars. Walla Walla is a Native American phrase meaning “place of many waters”.

29 __ Allen furniture : ETHAN

Ethan Allen was one of the founders of the state of Vermont. Allen was also a hero in the American Revolutionary War, famous for leading (along with Benedict Arnold) the small band of men known as the Green Mountain Boys that captured Fort Ticonderoga. And yes, the Ethan Allen store and furniture line is named for Ethan Allen the patriot, even though he had nothing to do with the furniture business.

35 Showed reluctance : DEMURRED

To demur is to voice opposition, to object. It can also mean to delay and has its roots in the Latin word “demorare”, meaning “to delay”.

36 “A Change Is Gonna Come” singer : SAM COOKE

Sam Cooke’s 1964 song “A Change Is Gonna Come” is about the struggle that African-Americans were facing in the US in the sixties. Cooke was inspired to write the song after he and his associates were refused rooms at a “whites only” Holiday Inn motel in Shreveport, Louisiana.

38 Flue buildup : SOOT

The flue in a chimney is a duct that conveys exhaust gases from a fire to the outdoors. An important feature of a flue is that its opening is adjustable. When starting a fire, the flue should be wide open, maximizing airflow to get help ignition.

41 Exams for college-bound srs. : SATS

Today, the standardized test for admission to colleges is known as the SAT Reasoning Test, but it used to be called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test, which led to the abbreviation “SAT”.

42 PreCheck org. : TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operates its precheck program known as “TSA Pre✓” (or “TSA PreCheck”). Members of the program receive expedited screening at most airports. In order to become a member, a traveler must apply online, appear in person at a designated office for a background check and fingerprinting, and pay a fee for a 5-year membership.

43 Party game that can get awkward : TWISTER

Twister is a game requiring a lot of physical dexterity and flexibility. It involves players placing specific hands and feet onto colored pads on a mat, as directed by a spinning arrow on a board. Sales of the game got a great boost in 1966, when Eva Gabor played Twister with Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show”.

45 Camry, for one : TOYOTA

Toyota’s Camry takes its name from the Japanese word for “crown”. Toyota management likes the idea of naming their cars after the word “crown”, as they did with the Toyota Crown, followed by the Toyota Corona (Latin for “crown”) and the Toyota Corolla (Latin for “small crown”).

47 Place to play : ARCADE

Our word “arcade” comes from the Latin “arcus” meaning “arc”. The first arcades were passages made from a series of arches. This could be an avenue of trees, and eventually any covered avenue. I remember arcades lined with shops and stores when I was growing up on the other side of the Atlantic. Arcades came to be lined with lots of amusements, resulting in amusement arcades and video game arcades.

48 Cases, with “out” : SCOPES …

The phrase “to case the joint” is American slang meaning “to examine a location with the intent of robbing it”. The origins of the phrase are apparently unknown, although it dates back at least to 1915.

49 Unmistakable : PATENT

Something described as patent is clearly evident, obvious. The term ultimately derives from the Latin “patentum” meaning “open, lying open”.

52 Many a pop-top : CAN

The term “pop top” refers to a whole family of designs for opening the top of a soda can. The oldest method is the “pull tab” or “ring pull”, invented in Canada in 1956. The design was long-lived, but it had its problems, so the world heaved a sigh of relief with the invention of the stay-on-tab in 1975. The new design led to less injuries and eliminated all those used pull tabs that littered the streets.

56 Tat that can be misread as WOW : MOM

The word “tattoo” (often shortened to “tat”) was first used in English in the writings of the famous English explorer Captain Cook. In his descriptions of the indelible marks adorning the skin of Polynesian natives, Cook anglicized the Tahitian word “tatau” into our “tattoo”. Tattoos are sometimes referred to as “ink”.

57 “Maude” star Arthur : BEA

Actress Bea Arthur’s most famous roles were on television, as the lead in the “All in the Family” spin-off “Maude” and as Dorothy Zbornak in “The Golden Girls”. Arthur also won a Tony for playing Vera Charles on stage in the original cast of “Mame” in 1966, two years after she played Yente the matchmaker in the original cast of “Fiddler on the Roof”.

The seventies sitcom “Maude” stars Bea Arthur as the title character Maude Findlay. “Maude” is a spin-off of “All in the Family”, as Findlay is a cousin of Edith Bunker.

59 “Kenan & __”: late-’90s Nickelodeon show : KEL

“Kenan & Kel” is a sitcom that aired on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2000. It starred Kenan Thompson (now of “Saturday Night Live”), and Kel Mitchell.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Green producers? : ATMS
5 Sun screen? : CLOUD
10 “I Think You Should Leave” star Robinson : TIM
13 “Aw, crud” : DRAT
14 Sounding rough : HOARSE
15 __ hotel: sustainable lodging : ECO
16 Rides in the sand : DUNE BUGGIES (“Dune”)
18 Mountain __ : DEW
19 Lagavulin, for one : SCOTCH (tape)
20 Formal orders : EDICTS
22 Succinct : TERSE
23 “A League of Their __” : OWN
25 2021 U.S. Open champ Jon : RAHM
27 __ buco : OSSO
28 Hypothetical regions of space-time : WHITE HOLES (“Holes”)
31 Some tandoori breads : NAANS
33 Crawl on a news program : TICKER (tape)
34 Show stoppers? : ADS
37 Progressive agent played by Stephanie Courtney : FLO
38 Feminine pronoun : SHE
39 Fuel additive brand : STP
40 Sneaky sort : WEASEL
42 Paté holder : TOAST
44 “Little Women” star : EMMA WATSON (“Emma”)
46 Insect that dates to the Jurassic era : WASP
50 Air line : DUCT (tape)
51 __ flour : OAT
52 Roughly : CIRCA
53 Prayer beads : ROSARY
56 Benny the Bull, for one : MASCOT
57 “My man!” : BRO!
58 Audible.com predecessor, and three literal occurrences in this puzzle : BOOKS ON TAPE
61 “Big spider! Big spider!” : EEK!
62 Think the world of : ESTEEM
63 Biblical garden : EDEN
64 Part of some sports drink names : ADE
65 Dispensed, as cards : DEALT
66 Pause in music : REST

Down

1 Expands upon : ADDS TO
2 Armistices : TRUCES
3 Estate homes : MANORS
4 Hatmaker since 1865 : STETSON
5 Bit player : COG
6 Gaming annoyance : LAG
7 Turn (toward) : ORIENT
8 Exploited : USED
9 Member of the South Asian diaspora : DESI
10 Internet addresses? : TED TALKS
11 Much of Greenland : ICE SHEET
12 Cut the lawn : MOW
14 “What the?” : HUH?
17 Letters in early dates : BCE
21 Gator kin : CROC
23 Words of disbelief : OH NO!
24 State whose motto is “Forward”: Abbr. : WIS
26 Car sticker abbr. : MSRP
28 Half a Northwest city : WALLA
29 __ Allen furniture : ETHAN
30 Zooms, quaintly : HIES
32 Several : A FEW
34 Wonder-struck : AWED
35 Showed reluctance : DEMURRED
36 “A Change Is Gonna Come” singer : SAM COOKE
38 Flue buildup : SOOT
41 Exams for college-bound srs. : SATS
42 PreCheck org. : TSA
43 Party game that can get awkward : TWISTER
45 Camry, for one : TOYOTA
47 Place to play : ARCADE
48 Cases, with “out” : SCOPES …
49 Unmistakable : PATENT
52 Many a pop-top : CAN
54 Reading while propped up by pillows, say : ABED
55 Stood up : ROSE
56 Tat that can be misread as WOW : MOM
57 “Maude” star Arthur : BEA
59 “Kenan & __”: late-’90s Nickelodeon show : KEL
60 Congeal, as glue : SET