LA Times Crossword 4 Feb 23, Saturday

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Constructed by: Doug Peterson
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 19m 20s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 British cartoon whose logo features a curly tail : PEPPA PIG

“Peppa Pig” is a children’s animated show that is produced in the UK and airs all over the world. There’s even a Peppa Pig World theme park located in Hampshire, England.

9 Company offering Viewliner Bedrooms : AMTRAK

Amtrak started replacing its Heritage Fleet of rolling stock in 1979 with the gradual introduction of Superliner railcars in 1979. Superliner cars are a bilevel design, with most passenger spaces in the upper level, with windows on both sides. Superliner cars were deployed on routes operating east of Chicago, and could not be used on eastern routes due to low tunnel clearances. Amtrak started introducing single-level Viewliner rolling stock in 1994, on long-distance routes east of Chicago.

15 Cape Canaveral’s 321, for one : AREA CODE

The famous headland in Florida called Cape Canaveral was named by Spanish explorers in the early 16th century. As the Cape acts as a launching station for many of NASA’s rockets, when President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 the NASA facility on nearby Merritt Island was renamed the Kennedy Space Center, and President Johnson went as far as renaming the whole of Cape Canaveral to Cape Kennedy. The name change for the cape didn’t go down well in Florida though, as the headland had been called Cape Canaveral for over 400 years. So, the name was restored in 1973, and Cape Kennedy is no more.

16 Period of devotion : NOVENA

In the Roman Catholic tradition, a novena is a set of prayers or services that are repeated over nine successive days. “Novena” derives from the Latin “novem” meaning “nine”.

20 Shelter named for a senator : ROTH IRA

Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (Roth IRAs) were introduced in 1997 under a bill sponsored by Senator William Roth of Delaware, hence the name.

21 Bean sprout? : IDEA

Slang terms for “head” include “bean”, “coconut”, “gourd”, “noodle” and “noggin”.

22 Printer color : CYAN

“Cyan” is short for “cyan blue”. The term comes from the Greek word “kyanos” meaning “dark blue, the color of lapis lazuli”.

Four-color printing uses four different color inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The black ink is also known as the “key”. The first letter of the colors (with black being ”key”) give the more common name for four-color printing, namely CMYK.

24 Art student’s subj. : ANAT

Anatomy (anat.)

25 Orthodox leader? : NEO-

Neo-orthodoxy is a 20th-century Protestant movement that emphasizes certain older, traditional doctrines. It arose after World War I, largely as a reaction to the more liberal theology that developed in the 19th century.

26 Hedgehog relative : SHREW

Shrews are mammals that look like small moles or long-nosed mice. They are the only terrestrial mammals that are known to echolocate, using a series of ultrasonic squeaks to examine their nearby surroundings.

Hedgehogs are spiny mammals that have adapted to a nocturnal life. Even though they have spines, hedgehogs are unrelated to porcupines. The term “hedgehog” arose in the 15th century. They are often found in hedgerows and have hog-like snouts, hence the name “hedgehog”.

29 1993 Jack Lemmon comedy : GRUMPY OLD MEN

“Grumpy Old Men” is a wonderful romantic comedy film from 1993 starring the great actors Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret along with an excellent supporting cast. “Grumpy Old Man” was the sixth on-screen collaboration between Lemmon and Matthau, but the first in over a decade.

The marvelous actor Jack Lemmon was born in 1925 in a suburb of Boston, in a hospital elevator. The long list of Jack Lemmon movies on my list of favorites includes “Some Like It Hot”, “The Apartment”, “Irma La Douce”, “The Odd Couple” and “Grumpy Old Men”.

35 Top 40 hit on the soundtrack for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” : LINUS AND LUCY

“Linus and Lucy” is a jazz instrumental composed by pianist Vince Guaraldi and released in 1964 in Guaraldi’s album “Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown”. It was included in the soundtrack to 1965’s TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, and since then has been regarded as the signature tune of the “Peanuts” franchise. The title refers to the “Peanuts” characters Linus and Lucy van Pelt.

37 Studio bed : FUTON

Anyone lucky enough to have visited Japan might be familiar with the traditional Japanese futon. Unlike what we tend to call futon in this country, the Japanese original is a padded mattress and quilt. Japanese futons are usually rolled up in the morning so that the space used for sleeping can be repurposed during the day.

41 “My __”: Usher/Alicia Keys duet : BOO

“My Boo” is a 2004 duet co-written and recorded by Usher and Alicia Keys. In the song, Usher and Keys play the role of an ex-couple talking about residual feelings for each other after breaking up.

42 Tofu nutrient : IRON

“Tofu” is a name for bean curd, and is a Japanese word meaning just that … bean that has curdled. Tofu is produced by coagulating soy milk, using either salt or something acidic. Once the protein has coagulated, the curds are pressed into the familiar blocks. Personally I love tofu, but my wife absolutely hates it …

44 Bobby of R&B’s Famous Flames : BYRD

Bobby Byrd was an R&B singer and founder of the vocal group The Famous Flames. Byrd is credited with discovering the talents of soul icon James Brown, who Byrd brought into the Famous Flames as lead singer in the mid-fifties.

50 Nick name in Paris? : PERE NOEL

A central figure on Christmas Day is Santa Claus aka “Father Christmas”, and “Père Noël” in French.

52 Venetian marketplace : RIALTO

The Rialto is the financial and commercial center of Venice, and has been so for centuries. One of the most famous features of the area is the Rialto Bridge that spans the Grand Canal.

53 One MCU character : UNIVERSE

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

Marvel Comics was founded in 1939 as Timely Comics, before becoming Atlas Comics in 1951 and eventually Marvel Comics in 1961. The “Marvel” brand had existed from day one, and Timely Comics’ first publication was “Marvel Comics #1” in October 1939. That first comic featured the superhero the Human Torch.

Down

4 Arctic hunter’s wear : PARKA

A parka is a hooded jacket that is often lined with fur, and that is worn in cold weather. The original parka was a pullover design, but nowadays it is usually zipped at the front. “Parka” is the Russian name for the garment, and it was absorbed into English in the late 1700s via the Aleut language.

7 Docs with DOBs, often : IDS

Identity document (ID)

Date of birth (DOB)

9 Actor Mount who plays Captain Pike in recent “Star Trek” series : ANSON

Actor Anton Mount was given the role of Captain Christopher Pile in the TV show “Star Trek: Discovery” in 2018. He reprised the role in several episodes of the sister show “Star Trek: Short Treks”, and then led the cast as Captain Pike in the TV series “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” starting in 2022.

10 Name on some magnums : MOET

Moët & Chandon is a French winery, and one of the world’s largest producers of champagne. The company was founded by wine trader Claude Moët in 1743. The name was changed to Moët & Chandon in the 1830s when Pierre-Gabriel Chandon, an in-law to the Moët family, was given co-ownership. Moët & Chandon owns the famous Dom Pérignon brand name, honoring the Benedictine monk who did so much to improve the quality of champagne.

The list of standard sizes for wine bottles is quite long. The main ones encountered would be:

  • 187.5 ml: a “split”, often used for a single serving of champagne
  • 375 ml: a “half”
  • 750 ml: the standard size
  • 1.5 L: a “magnum”, double the standard size
  • 3.0 L: a “double magnum”, and also a “standard size” for boxes of wine

11 Remote possibility? : TV CHANNEL

The first television remote control was introduced by Zenith Radio Corporation, in 1950. That remote was hard-wired to the TV, and was marketed as “Lazy Bones”. Personally, my first “remote” was a broomstick that I used by pushing in large mechanical buttons that selected each of the three channels that were available back then on the east coast of Ireland …

12 Cone holder : RETINA

The retina is the tissue that lines the inside of the eye, and is the tissue that is light-sensitive. There are (mainly) two types of cells in the retina that are sensitive to light, namely rods and cones. Rods are cells that best function in very dim light and only provide black-and-white vision. Cones on the other hand function in brighter light and can perceive color.

13 Arctic hunter’s wear : ANORAK

Anoraks really aren’t very popular over here in America. Everyone has one in Ireland! An anorak is a heavy jacket with a hood, often lined with fur (or fake fur), and is an invention of the Inuit people.

14 Summer Olympics debut of 2021 : KARATE

Karate is a martial art that originated in the Ryukyu Kingdom, which is now part of Japan. A practitioner of karate is known as a karateka. The sport of karate was included as an Olympic sport starting with the 2020 Games.

22 Sources of saffron : CROCUSES

The crocus (plural “croci”) is a plant genus in the iris family. The term “crocus” ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word for “saffron”. Saffron spice comes from Crocus sativus, the “saffron crocus”.

26 Tenerife’s country : SPAIN

Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands located off the coast of Morocco in North Africa. Part of Spain, Tenerife is the nation’s most populous island, home to almost 900,000 people. It also receives about five million visitors annually, making it one of the most important tourist destinations in the world.

27 Mass performance : HYMN

The principal act of worship in the Roman Catholic tradition is the Mass. The term “Mass” comes from the Late Latin word “missa” meaning “dismissal”. This word is used at the end of the Latin Mass in “Ite, missa est” which translates literally as “Go, it is the dismissal”.

30 Summer salad morsel : MELON BALL

Melons are plants with edible, fleshy fruits that are usually sweet. The fruit of a melon is actually a berry.

33 Fortified red wine : RUBY PORT

Portugal’s city of Oporto (“Porto” in Portuguese) gave its name to port wine in the late 1600s. Oporto was the seaport through which most of the region’s fortified red wine was exported.

34 Filmmaker who helped launch the African Film Heritage Project : SCORSESE

Movie director Martin Scorsese is very much a New York City native, and is well-known for directing movies set in the Big Apple. Among the list of great Scorsese films are “Taxi Driver”, “Raging Bull”, “Goodfellas”, “Cape Fear”, “Casino” and “The Departed”.

38 Muse on the U.S. Naval Observatory’s seal : URANIA

In Greek mythology, Urania was the goddess and muse of astronomy. She is usually depicted wearing a cloak embroidered with stars, and with her eyes looking up to the heavens.

The US Naval Observatory was founded in 1830 as the Depot of Charts and Instruments. It is responsible for producing data for the Department of Defense for navigation, geopositioning and timekeeping. The US Naval Observatory campus, located in Northwest Washington, D.C., is home to an astronomical observatory, as well as the official residence of the US vice president (at Number One Observatory Circle).

44 Curses : BANES

Today, we tend to use the word “bane” to mean “anathema, a source of persistent annoyance”. A few centuries ago, a bane was a cause of harm or death, perhaps a deadly poison.

46 Hound of whodunits : ASTA

Asta is the wonderful little dog in the superb “The Thin Man” series of films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy (as Nick and Nora Charles). In the original story by Dashiell Hammett, Asta was a female Schnauzer, but on screen Asta was played by a wire-haired fox terrier called “Skippy”. Skippy was also the dog in “Bringing Up Baby” with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, the one who kept stealing the dinosaur bone. Skippy retired in 1939, so Asta was played by other dogs in the remainder of “The Thin Man” films.

47 Judgment of Paris instigator : ERIS

In Greek mythology, the Judgment of Paris is the story of Paris of Troy tasked with deciding whom of the goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite was the fairest. Aphrodite gave Paris the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta, as a bribe to win the competition. Paris carried Helen off to TroyJudgment of Paris initiating the Trojan War.

48 “The Periodic Table” author Primo : LEVI

“The Periodic Table” is a collection of 21 short stories by Primo Levi. The stories are mainly autobiographical, and each is named for an element in the Periodic Table. Each story is connected to the title element in some way.

50 Brita alternative : PUR

Pur is a brand of water filters and related products that was sold to Procter & Gamble in 1999, and sold on again to Helen of Troy Limited.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 British cartoon whose logo features a curly tail : PEPPA PIG
9 Company offering Viewliner Bedrooms : AMTRAK
15 Cape Canaveral’s 321, for one : AREA CODE
16 Period of devotion : NOVENA
17 Nearest the back : REARMOST
18 Private __ : SECTOR
19 Tool akin to a staple gun : TACKER
20 Shelter named for a senator : ROTH IRA
21 Bean sprout? : IDEA
22 Printer color : CYAN
24 Art student’s subj. : ANAT
25 Orthodox leader? : NEO-
26 Hedgehog relative : SHREW
28 Clog buster : SNAKE
29 1993 Jack Lemmon comedy : GRUMPY OLD MEN
32 Rentals used on rugs : STEAM CLEANERS
35 Top 40 hit on the soundtrack for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” : LINUS AND LUCY
37 Studio bed : FUTON
40 Stock reducers : SALES
41 “My __”: Usher/Alicia Keys duet : BOO
42 Tofu nutrient : IRON
43 Darlings : PETS
44 Bobby of R&B’s Famous Flames : BYRD
45 They swell with pride : GAY BARS
47 Tick by : ELAPSE
49 Do some warehouse work : UNCASE
50 Nick name in Paris? : PERE NOEL
52 Venetian marketplace : RIALTO
53 One MCU character : UNIVERSE
54 Frostbite preventer : EARLAP
55 Stood firm : RESISTED

Down

1 Occasion to say 3-Down : PARTING
2 Literary devices : E-READERS
3 “See ya” : PEACE OUT
4 Arctic hunter’s wear : PARKA
5 Culmination : ACME
6 Barely passable : POOR
7 Docs with DOBs, often : IDS
8 Appreciate : GET
9 Actor Mount who plays Captain Pike in recent “Star Trek” series : ANSON
10 Name on some magnums : MOET
11 Remote possibility? : TV CHANNEL
12 Cone holder : RETINA
13 Arctic hunter’s wear : ANORAK
14 Summer Olympics debut of 2021 : KARATE
20 Reasons for grievances : RAW DEALS
22 Sources of saffron : CROCUSES
23 Chews out : YELLS AT
26 Tenerife’s country : SPAIN
27 Mass performance : HYMN
28 Fires off : SENDS
30 Summer salad morsel : MELON BALL
31 Locks in a barn? : MANE
33 Fortified red wine : RUBY PORT
34 Filmmaker who helped launch the African Film Heritage Project : SCORSESE
36 Was in peak form, vocally? : YODELED
37 Sculpture, often : FIGURE
38 Muse on the U.S. Naval Observatory’s seal : URANIA
39 A little buggy, perhaps : TOY CAR
43 Before going under, say : PRE-OP
44 Curses : BANES
46 Hound of whodunits : ASTA
47 Judgment of Paris instigator : ERIS
48 “The Periodic Table” author Primo : LEVI
50 Brita alternative : PUR
51 Navigator’s dir. : ENE