LA Times Crossword 5 Apr 23, Wednesday

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Constructed by: Jeffrey Wechsler
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): That Hat

Themed answers are two word-phrases, and types of hat. And, those two words rhyme:

  • 19A Hat that sounds right for an eco-conscious poet? : SOLAR BOWLER
  • 31A Hat that sounds right for a futuristic cartoon poet? : JETSON STETSON
  • 42A Hat that sounds right for a poet’s annual party? : BIRTHDAY BERET
  • 56A Hat that sounds right for a poet on Election Day? : VOTER BOATER

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

Bill’s time: 7m 17s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Hair-covering garments : HIJABS

Some Muslim women wear a hijab in the presence of males outside of their immediate family. A hijab is a veil covering the head and chest. Some also wear a niqab as part of the hijab, which is a cloth that covers the face. Other Muslim women wear a burqa, which covers the whole body from the top of the head to the ground.

7 __ oil : CASTOR

Castor oil comes from the seeds of the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis). It is a pale yellow liquid with a mild odor that has been used for centuries for its medicinal and cosmetic properties.

15 Army swimmer? : OCTOPUS

The term “octopus” comes from the Greek for “eight-footed”. The most common plural used is “octopuses”, although the Greek plural form “octopodes” is also quite correct. The plural “octopi” isn’t really correct as the inference is that “octopus” is like a second-declension Latin noun, which it isn’t. That said, dictionaries are now citing “octopi” as an acceptable plural. Language does evolve, even though it drives me crazy …

17 Equestrian loop : STIRRUP

Something described as equestrian is related to horses or horsemanship. The term “equestrian” comes from the Latin “equus” meaning “horse”.

19 Hat that sounds right for an eco-conscious poet? : SOLAR BOWLER

The bowler hat is so called because it was originally designed, in 1849, by the London hat-makers Thomas and William Bowler. The Bowlers created it as an alternative for the top hats then worn by gamekeepers. The gamekeepers needed a tight-fitting hat with a low and rounded crown so that it would stay on their heads as they rode by horseback through woodland with low-hanging branches.

22 Thompson who plays Bianca in the “Creed” films : TESSA

Tessa Thompson is an actress from Los Angeles who is known for playing the supporting role of Jackie Cook on the TV show “Veronica Mars”, and for playing student leader Diane Nash in the 2014 film “Selma”. She also portrays superheroine Valkyrie in movies based on Marvel Comics characters.

“Creed” is a 2015 boxing movie, the seventh in the “Rocky” franchise. Sylvester Stallone returns as Rocky Balboa, but this time as a trainer. Rocky trains Apollo Creed’s son Adonis. Stallone was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in the film. It was the first Academy Award nomination he had received since the first “Rocky” film, which was released almost forty years earlier.

23 Foil alternative : EPEE

Before the foil was introduced as a sporting weapon, it was used as a blunted weapon for sword practice. It has been suggested that the sword was blunted by wrapping metal foil around the tip, hence the name.

24 Bend at a 5-Down : PLIE
[5D Supporter of dance troupes : BARRE]

The French word for “bent” is “plié”. In the ballet move known as a plié, the knees are bent. A “demi-plié” is a similar move, but with less bending of the knees. A fondu is similar to a plié, except that only one leg remains on the ground.

27 Some chats, briefly : IMS

Instant message (IM)

30 Cheryl of “Charlie’s Angels” : LADD

Cheryl Ladd’s most famous role was Kris Munroe in television’s “Charlie’s Angels”. Ladd replaced Farrah Fawcett-Majors when the latter opted out of the show. Cheryl was the daughter-in-law of famed Hollywood actor Alan Ladd, as she was married to Ladd’s son, David. After the couple divorced, Cheryl retained the Ladd name.

When the TV show “Charlie’s Angels” first aired in the mid-seventies, it was a little unusual in that it featured three women playing private detectives, a role usually reserved for men. The name first chosen for the show was “The Alley Cats”, then “Harry’s Angels”, before finally settling on “Charlie’s Angels”.

31 Hat that sounds right for a futuristic cartoon poet? : JETSON 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.

“The Jetsons” is an animated show from Hanna-Barbera that had its first run in 1962-1963, and then was recreated in 1985-1987. When it debuted in 1963 on ABC, “The Jetsons” was the network’s first ever color broadcast. “The Jetsons” is like a space-age version of “The Flintstones”. The four Jetson family members are George and Jane, the parents, and children Judy and Elroy. Residing with the family in Orbit City are their household robot Rosie and pet dog Astro.

36 Eur. carrier : SAS

SAS was formerly known as Scandinavian Airlines System and is the flag carrier of three countries: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. SAS is based at Stockholm Arlanda Airport located just north of the Swedish capital.

37 Carnival city : RIO

The Rio de Janeiro Carnival is the largest carnival celebration in the world. The city hosts about two million celebrants on its streets for the six days of the festival.

The celebration of Carnival comes right before the Lenten period in some Christian traditions. It is thought that Carnival perhaps arose from the need to “eat and drink up” any excess food and drink before the beginning of Lent.

38 Concept in East Asian philosophy : TAO

Taoism is a religion and philosophy that originated in ancient China. It has been connected to the development of martial arts. The Chinese martial arts are based on the idea of using the body’s natural movements to defend oneself. Taoist philosophy emphasizes the importance of being in tune with one’s body and mind, which is essential for martial arts training.

39 Scheduling abbr. : TBA

Something not yet on the schedule (“sked” or “sched.”) is to be advised/announced (TBA).

42 Hat that sounds right for a poet’s annual party? : BIRTHDAY BERET

The beret is a type of hat that is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, where it was worn by shepherds.

46 2% alternative : SKIM

The fatty component of milk is known as butterfat (sometimes “milkfat”). To be labeled whole milk, the butterfat content must be at least 3.25%. Low-fat milk is defined as milk containing 0.5-2% fat, with levels of 1% and 2% commonly found on grocery store shelves. Skim milk must contain less than 0.5% fat, and typically contains 0.1%.

48 Phillipa of “Hamilton” : SOO

Phillipa Soo is an actress and singer who is perhaps best known for portraying Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the title character’s wife in the original Broadway production of “Hamilton”.

49 “Auld Lang __” : SYNE

The song “Auld Lang Syne” is a staple at New Year’s Eve (well, actually in the opening minutes of New Year’s Day). The words were written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The literal translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is “old long since”, but is better translated as “old times”. The sentiment of the song is “for old time’s sake”.

50 Tea brand with an Iced Citrus Jasmine variety : TAZO

Tazo is an American brand of tea products introduced in 1983. The company’s name is a Romany word meaning “river of life”.

56 Hat that sounds right for a poet on Election Day? : VOTER BOATER

A boater is a straw hat often associated with boating, hence the name.

62 Backdrop for some History Channel programming : WARTIME

The History Channel first went on the air in 1995, with a focus on history-based programming. Pretty soon, the network was labeled by jokesters as “The Hitler Channel” due to the frequent airing of shows about WWII.

66 Joint Chiefs member : GENERAL

In the US Military, the Joint Chiefs of Staff comprises:

  • Chief of Staff of the Army
  • Commandant of the Marine Corps
  • Chief of Naval Operations
  • Chief of Staff of the Air Force
  • Chief of the National Guard Bureau

67 Trigonometry function : SECANT

In trigonometry, the reciprocal of the sine function is the secant. The term “secant” comes from the Latin verb “secare” meaning “to cut”, and was coined by Danish mathematician Thomas Fincke in the 1580s.

Down

1 “Bonanza” brother : HOSS

Dan Blocker was the actor who played Eric “Hoss” Cartwright in the Western TV series “Bonanza”. Hoss was the “slow” character on the show. Paradoxically, Dan Blocker was the most-educated member of the cast, having earned a master’s degree in the dramatic arts. Blocker passed away while “Bonanza” was still running. He was undergoing relatively routine gallbladder surgery and developed a pulmonary embolism which killed him. “Bonanza” ran for just one more season after Blocker passed away.

3 Monopoly corner : JAIL

In the game of Monopoly, there are three ways that a player can end up in jail:

  1. Landing directly on the “Go to Jail” space
  2. Throwing three consecutive doubles in one turn
  3. Drawing a “Go (Directly) to Jail” card from Chance or Community Chest

5 Supporter of dance troupes : BARRE

A barre is a handrail used by ballet dancers for warm-up exercises and to provide support when practicing certain moves.

6 Short Wikipedia entries : STUBS

The Wikipedia community uses the term “stub” to denote an article considered too short. A stub is deemed inadequate in that it provides information about a subject that is insufficient for inclusion in an encyclopedia.

7 Slinky, for one : COIL

The marvelous Slinky toy was invented in the early forties by a naval engineer named Richard James. James was developing springs for the navy that could stabilize sensitive instruments in rough seas. One day he accidentally knocked one of his experimental coils off a shelf and watched it “step” onto a stack of books, then onto a table and from there onto the floor where it recoiled itself very neatly. The Slinky was born …

9 “There was a __ danced, and under that was I born”: “Much Ado About Nothing” : STAR

“Much Ado About Nothing” is a play by William Shakespeare, and a favorite of mine. It is a comedic tale of two pairs of lovers with lots of mistaken identities and double meanings. I once saw the play performed in the fabulous Globe Theatre in London … by an all-female cast. Such a performance was somewhat ironic, given that in Shakespeare’s day the practice was to use an all-male cast.

10 “Dracula” director Browning : TOD

Tod Browning was a Hollywood actor and director whose career spanned the silent and talkie eras. Browning is best remembered as the director of 1931’s “Dracula”, starring Bela Lugosi in the title role, and for his silent film work with Lon Chaney.

The 1931 horror film “Dracula” is based on the 1924 stage play that was adapted from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. The film was originally meant to star Lon Chaney in the title role, but he passed away suddenly before filming started. Bela Lugosi eventually landed the part. Lugosi had garnered excellent reviews for his portrayal of Dracula in the stage play.

11 Kitchen storage option : OPEN PANTRY

The word “pantry” dates back to 1300, when it came into English from the Old French “panetrie” meaning a “bread room”. Bread is “pain” in French, and “panis” in Latin.

14 Thematic set of poems : EPOS

“Epos” is the Greek word for “story, poem”. We have absorbed the term into English with the same meaning. We also use it in English to mean “epic”, describing a long narrative poetic work featuring heroic deeds and ventures.

23 Jeff Lynne’s band : ELO

Jeff Lynne is a singer-songwriter who is best known as the leader of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Lynne went on to form the Traveling Wilburys supergroup, along with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty.

24 Short nightwear? : PJS

Our word “pajamas” (sometimes “PJs” or “jammies”) comes to us from the Indian subcontinent, where “pai jamahs” were loose fitting pants tied at the waist and worn at night by locals and ultimately by the Europeans living there. And “pajamas” is another of those words that I had to learn to spell differently when I came to America. On the other side of the Atlantic, the spelling is “pyjamas”.

25 “Mulan” singer Salonga : LEA

Lea Salonga is a singer and actress from the Philippines who is known for originating the lead role in the musical “Miss Saigon” in both the West End and on Broadway. She also provided the singing voice for the Disney princesses Jasmine (in “Aladdin”) and Fa Mulan (in “Mulan”, both 1998 and 2004 versions). Salonga was the first Asian woman to win a Tony Award, for her performance in “Miss Saigon”.

“Mulan” is a 1998 animated feature film made by Walt Disney studios. The film is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, a woman who takes the place of her father in the army and serves with distinction for twelve years without reward. Disney’s lead character was given the name Fa Mulan. Donny Osmond provided the singing voice for one of the lead characters, after which his sons remarked that he had finally made it in show business as he was in a Disney film.

2020’s “Mulan” is a live-action remake of the 1998 animated Disney film of the same name. Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei plays the title character, a woman from Chinese legend. The movie was received well by the critics, but fans of the animated original were largely unimpressed.

26 “I’ve never seen anything so weird!” : IT’S BIZARRE!

“Bizarre” is a French word, one with the same meaning in English. However, back in the 16th century, “bizarre” used to mean “handsome, brave” in French. I guess that’s what my wife means when she refers to me as “bizarre” …

28 Facebook parent company : META

Facebook, Inc. changed its name to Meta Platforms, Inc. in 2021 as part of a rebranding exercise.

32 NHL great Bobby : ORR

Bobby Orr is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. By the time he retired in 1978 he had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries. At 31 years of age, he concluded that he just couldn’t skate anymore. Reportedly, he was even having trouble walking. While still 31 years old, in 1979, Orr became the youngest person inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Prior to that, in 1967, Orr became the youngest person named the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.

34 Nabe in lower Manhattan : SOHO

The Manhattan neighborhood known today as SoHo was very fashionable in the early 1900s, but as the well-heeled started to move uptown the area became very run down and poorly maintained. Noted for the number of fires that erupted in derelict buildings, SoHo earned the nickname “Hell’s Hundred Acres”. The area was then zoned for manufacturing and became home to many sweatshops. In the mid-1900s artists started to move into open loft spaces and renovating old buildings as the lofts were ideal locations in which an artist could both live and work. In 1968, artists and others organized themselves so that they could legalize their residential use of an area zoned for manufacturing. The group they formed took its name from the name given to the area by the city’s Planning Commission i.e “South of Houston”. This was shortened from So-uth of Ho-uston to SoHo as in “SoHo Artists Association”, and the name stuck.

40 2016 World Series MVP Zobrist : BEN

Ben Zobrist is a retired professional baseball player. He won the 2015 World Series with the Kansas City Royals, and the 2016 World Series with the Chicago Cubs. For the latter win, Zobrist was named the 2016 World Series MVP. Oh, and his nickname is “Zorilla”.

43 Tweeter’s “I think” : IMO

In my opinion (IMO)

44 Pour on the TLC : DOTE

Tender loving care (TLC)

46 Instant Pot dishes : STEWS

The Instant Pot is a brand of pressure cooker cum slow cooker. We’ve got one …

47 Gold standards : KARATS

A karat (also “carat”, the spelling outside of North America) is a measure of the purity of gold alloys, with 24-karat representing pure gold.

53 Stage awards : OBIES

The Obies are the Off-Broadway Theater Awards. They have been presented annually since 1956. The recipients used to be chosen by “The Village Voice” newspaper, but now are jointly administered with the American Theatre Wing.

54 TV producer Michaels : LORNE

Lorne Michaels is a television producer who is best known as the creator of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL). We can get some insight into Michaels’ character and demeanor by watching the show “30 Rock”. The character Jack Donaghy, played by Alec Baldwin, is inspired by Michaels.

56 Bounty alternative : VIVA

VIVA is a Kimberly-Clark brand of paper towels.

57 Harbinger : OMEN

A harbinger is a person or a thing that indicates what is to come. The word comes from the Middle English “herbenger” describing a person sent ahead to arrange lodgings.

59 Skating commentator Lipinski : TARA

When American skater Tara Lipinski won the figure skating gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics, she was only 15 years old. To this day, Lipinski is the youngest person to win an individual gold at the Winter Games.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Hair-covering garments : HIJABS
7 __ oil : CASTOR
13 Together at the movies, say : ON A DATE
15 Army swimmer? : OCTOPUS
17 Equestrian loop : STIRRUP
18 “Success at last!” : I MADE IT!
19 Hat that sounds right for an eco-conscious poet? : SOLAR BOWLER
21 Opposite of SSW : NNE
22 Thompson who plays Bianca in the “Creed” films : TESSA
23 Foil alternative : EPEE
24 Bend at a 5-Down : PLIE
27 Some chats, briefly : IMS
30 Cheryl of “Charlie’s Angels” : LADD
31 Hat that sounds right for a futuristic cartoon poet? : JETSON STETSON
36 Eur. carrier : SAS
37 Carnival city : RIO
38 Concept in East Asian philosophy : TAO
39 Scheduling abbr. : TBA
42 Hat that sounds right for a poet’s annual party? : BIRTHDAY BERET
46 2% alternative : SKIM
48 Phillipa of “Hamilton” : SOO
49 “Auld Lang __” : SYNE
50 Tea brand with an Iced Citrus Jasmine variety : TAZO
51 Letter-shaped fastener : T-BOLT
55 Notable period : ERA
56 Hat that sounds right for a poet on Election Day? : VOTER BOATER
62 Backdrop for some History Channel programming : WARTIME
64 Flyer making short hops : AIR TAXI
65 Tries hard : STRIVES
66 Joint Chiefs member : GENERAL
67 Trigonometry function : SECANT
68 __ seed : SESAME

Down

1 “Bonanza” brother : HOSS
2 Engrossed by : INTO
3 Monopoly corner : JAIL
4 Classified info? : AD RATES
5 Supporter of dance troupes : BARRE
6 Short Wikipedia entries : STUBS
7 Slinky, for one : COIL
8 Top : ACME
9 “There was a __ danced, and under that was I born”: “Much Ado About Nothing” : STAR
10 “Dracula” director Browning : TOD
11 Kitchen storage option : OPEN PANTRY
12 Beyond repair : RUINED
14 Thematic set of poems : EPOS
16 Fine mount : STEED
20 “Don’t go!” : WAIT!
23 Jeff Lynne’s band : ELO
24 Short nightwear? : PJS
25 “Mulan” singer Salonga : LEA
26 “I’ve never seen anything so weird!” : IT’S BIZARRE!
28 Facebook parent company : META
29 “Don’t go!” : STAY!
32 NHL great Bobby : ORR
33 Minor complaints : NITS
34 Nabe in lower Manhattan : SOHO
35 __ story : SOB
40 2016 World Series MVP Zobrist : BEN
41 Broke bread : ATE
43 Tweeter’s “I think” : IMO
44 Pour on the TLC : DOTE
45 Some country homes : ESTATES
46 Instant Pot dishes : STEWS
47 Gold standards : KARATS
52 Crow : BRAG
53 Stage awards : OBIES
54 TV producer Michaels : LORNE
56 Bounty alternative : VIVA
57 Harbinger : OMEN
58 Skills assessment : TEST
59 Skating commentator Lipinski : TARA
60 Skills assessment : EXAM
61 Provoke : RILE
63 Spasm : TIC