LA Times Crossword 9 Apr 22, Saturday

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Constructed by: John Hawksley
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: None

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

Bill’s time: 11m 01s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

7 Editor of “The Hugo Winners” anthology series : ASIMOV

Isaac Asimov was a wonderful science fiction writer, and a professor of biochemistry. He was a favorite author as I was growing up and I must admit that some hero worship on my part led me to study and work as a biochemist for a short while early in my career. My favorite of his works is the collection of short stories called “I, Robot”, although Asimov’s most famous work is probably his “Foundation” trilogy of novels. Asimov wrote three autobiographies, the last of which was called “I, Asimov”, which was published in 1994, two years after his death.

13 Bee sting treatment, perhaps : EPIPEN

EpiPen is a brand of epinephrine auto-injector. An EpiPen delivers a measured dose of epinephrine, which is a common treatment for an extreme allergic reaction.

14 Ricotta-stuffed pastry : CANNOLI

Cannoli (singular “connolo”) are Italian sweet pastries that originated in Sicily. Cannoli are made by filling tubes of fried pastry dough with a creamy filling that usually contains ricotta cheese. “Cannolo” is Italian for “little tube”.

Ricotta is an Italian cheese made from the milk of a sheep or a cow. It is produced from the whey of the milk, the liquid left after the curds have been separated out (curds are used to make “traditional” cheese). The whey is heated again so that the remaining protein precipitates out, producing ricotta cheese. The word “ricotta” literally means “recooked”, which makes sense to me now …

16 Decor style associated with hobo bags : BOHO-CHIC

Boho-chic is a style of fashion that grew out of the bohemian and hippie looks.

A hobo bag is a rather unstructured-looking, crescent-shaped bag with a long strap and soft sides that tends to slump when set down. It’s called a hobo bag because the shape resembles that of the bundle carried by archetypal hobos on the ends of sticks resting on their shoulders.

18 Cousin of org : COM

The .com domain was one of the six original generic top-level domains specified. The complete original list is:

  • .com (commercial enterprise)
  • .net (entity involved in network infrastructure e.g. an ISP)
  • .mil (US military)
  • .org (not-for-profit organization)
  • .gov (US federal government entity)
  • .edu (college-level educational institution)

19 Tropical fruit tree : GUAVA

The name “guava” applies to several tropical fruit species. The most frequently eaten species is the apple guava (also “common guava”). Almost half of the world’s guava is produced by India.

20 Home of Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans,” briefly : MOMA

The founding of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City was very much driven by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, wife of John D. Rockefeller. Working with two friends, Abby managed to get the museum opened in 1929, just nine days after the Wall Street Crash. The MoMA’s sculpture garden bears the name of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and has done so since 1949.

Andy Warhol went through a period of painting iconic American products, including Coca-Cola bottles and Campbell’s tomato soup cans. In 1964 he participated in a gallery show called “The American Supermarket”. Along with other pop artists he contributed works including a painting of a can of Campbell’s tomato soup. He priced the painting at $1,500, and sold autographed cans of soup for $6 a piece.

21 “Hot House” Grammy-winning pianist : COREA

Chick Corea is an American jazz pianist. Corea is noted for his work in the area of jazz fusion, as well as for his promotion of Scientology.

23 Driver of a converted bus, maybe : RVER

One using a recreational vehicle (RV) might be called an RVer.

24 Eastern honorific : SRI

“Sri” is a title of respect for a male in India.

25 Mercury’s had wings : SANDALS

The winged sandals of the Greek messenger god Hermes, and his Roman equivalent Mercury, are called the Talaria. The name comes from the Latin “talaris” meaning “of the ankle”.

33 Beverage rebranded to include “Zero Sugar” in its name in 2020 : DIET SEVEN-UP

The diet soda 7UP Zero Sugar was introduced in 1963 under the brand name “Like”. After the federal government banned the use of cyclamate sweetener, the drink was reformulated and reintroduced in 1970 as Diet 7UP. It was rebranded as Sugar Free 7UP in 1973, but the Diet 7UP name was resurrected in 1979. That name persisted until 2020, when 7UP Zero sugar hit the shelves.

35 President whose nickname originated in childhood : IKE

When the future president was growing up, the Eisenhowers used the nickname “Ike” for all seven boys in the family, as “Ike” was seen as an abbreviation for the family name. “Big Ike” was Edgar, the second oldest boy. “Little/Young Ike” was Dwight, who was the third son born. Dwight had no sisters.

41 Beer flavoring : MALT

Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried. The cereal is germinated by soaking it in water, and then germination is halted by drying the grains with hot air.

43 Whitewater principal : STARR

Ken Starr has to be one of the most famous lawyers in recent history, due to his tenure as Independent Counsel when President Bill Clinton was in office. Starr’s original brief was to investigate the suicide of White House Counsel Vince Foster as well as to continue the investigation of the Whitewater controversy in which then-Governor Clinton was accused of applying pressure to arrange an illegal loan to one of his partners in the Whitewater land deal. Famously, Starr’s purview was extended to include an investigation into President Clinton’s extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky, to determine if the President had lied under oath about his relationship with the young intern.

45 En este momento : AHORA

In Spanish, “ahora” (now) is “en este momento” (at this point in time).

48 Pie not served for dessert : PIZZA

Pizza was invented in Naples, where it has a long tradition that goes back to ancient Rome. During an 1889 visit to Naples, Queen Margherita of Savoy was served a special pizza that was created with toppings designed to mimic the colors of the Italian flag. The ingredients of tomato (red), mozzarella (white) and basil (green) can still be found together on menus today, on a pie usually named Pizza Margherita after the queen. I do love basil on my pizza …

49 Java serving : CUP OF 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.

51 Winter airs : CAROLS

The word “carol” came into English via the Old French word “carole”, which was a “dance in a ring”. When “carol” made it into English, about 1300 AD, the term was used to describe a dance as well as a joyful song. Around 1500 AD, carols that were sung came to be associated with Christmas.

52 Obsolescent club usually replaced by a fairway wood : ONE IRON

The golf club known as the 1-iron is the iron with the lowest loft. However, golfer big hitter John Daly owned a 0-iron that was specially made for him by Wilson.

Something described as “obsolescent” is going out of use, becoming “obsolete”.

53 Member of a noted octet : PLANET

Our word “planet” ultimately comes from the Greek word “plantai” meaning “wandering”. In olden times, the planets were deemed “wandering” stars, sort of like Lee Marvin …

55 Break : RECESS

To recess is to go back, to retreat. The use of the noun “recess” to mean “period of stopping from usual work” dates back to the early 1600s. This usage might stem from the action of parliamentarians “recessing” into, returning to private chambers.

Down

2 Valid independent of experience : A PRIORI

In the world of philosophy, one can have “a priori” knowledge or “a posteriori” knowledge. A priori (“from the earlier”) knowledge is independent of experience, it is just known or assumed. For example, one might say that “all boys are males” is a priori knowledge. A posteriori knowledge relies on experience or some empirical evidence. For example, one might say that “boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADD” is a posteriori knowledge.

3 Former Asian communist coalition : VIET MINH

The Viet Minh was an organization that fought for the independence of Vietnam from French rule. It was founded in 1941 by future president of North Vietnam Ho Chi Minh.

4 Sleep woe : APNEA

Sleep apnea (“apnoea” in British English) can be caused by an obstruction in the airways, possibly due to obesity or enlarged tonsils.

5 Paraphernalia : GEAR

Back in the 17th century, paraphernalia was a woman’s property, above and beyond that which was classified as her dowry. Nowadays we tend to use the word to mean just “personal belongings”.

6 Northern frontiers? : ENS

The frontiers (ends) of the word “northern” are letters N (ens).

8 Neck, in Newcastle : SNOG

“Snogging” is British slang of unknown origin that dates back to the end of WWII. The term is used for “kissing and cuddling”, what we call “making out” over here in the US.

Newcastle upon Tyne in the North of England used to be home to a lot of coal, and now is home to the famous Newcastle Brown Ale.

10 Northwestern Arizona county : MOHAVE

Mohave County in the very northwest of Arizona is the fifth largest county in the whole country. It is home part of Grand Canyon NP, as well as part of Lake Mead NRA.

11 “Last Week Tonight” host John : OLIVER

“Last Week Tonight” is a satirical late-night talk show hosted by British comedian John Oliver. The HBO show shares a look and feel with Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show”, of which Oliver is an alumnus.

12 Parish priests : VICARS

A vicar is a member of the clergy in several Christian traditions. In more general terms, we can use the word “vicar” for a person who acts in the place of another, i.e. a deputy. It was the latter usage of the term that gave rise to the religious usage, as a vicar in a church was considered a person acting for God.

21 Library array : CARRELS

A carrel is a nook located near the stacks in a library. Such a space is usually partially partitioned off to allow private study.

25 Character-building aid? : SERIF

Serifs are details on the ends of characters in some typefaces. Typefaces without serifs are known as sans-serif, using the French word “sans” meaning “without” and “serif” from the Dutch “schreef” meaning “line”. Some people say that serif fonts are easier to read on paper, whereas sans-serif fonts work better on a computer screen. I’m not so sure though …

29 “Dracula” (1931) 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.

32 Multicountry union using the same currency : EUROZONE

Euro coins are issued by all the participating European states. The reverse side is a common design used by all countries, whereas the obverse is a design specific to each nation. For example, the one euro coin issued by Malta features the Maltese Cross. That Maltese euro is legal tender right across the eurozone. The Irish euro features a harp.

35 Friday revelation? : I’M A COP

The TV detective show “Dragnet” opened up each episode with lines spoken by the character Sergeant Joe Friday:

This is the city, Los Angeles, California, I work here. I’m a cop.

In later series, the phrase “I’m a cop” was replaced with “I carry a badge”.

36 Islands bigwig : KAHUNA

Like many words in Hawaiian, “kahuna” has several English translations, everything from a priest to an expert in some profession. The expression “the Big Kahuna” comes from the 1959 movie “Gidget”. The Big Kahuna was the leader of one of the surfing gangs in the film, and was played by Cliff Robertson.

37 Romeo or Juliet, marriage-wise : ELOPER

In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, it is explicitly stated that Juliet is 13 years of age, and the assumption is that Romeo is perhaps a little older.

40 Rhinos and hippos : BEASTS

There are five types of rhinoceros that survive today, with the smaller Javan Rhino being the most rare. The rhinoceros is probably the rarest large mammal on the planet, thanks to poaching. Hunters mainly prize the horn of the rhino as it is used in powdered form in traditional Chinese medicine.

The name “hippopotamus” comes from the Greek for “river horse”. Hippos are the third-largest land mammals, after elephants and rhinos. The closest living relatives to hippos don’t even live on land. They are the whales and porpoises of the oceans.

42 Nice crowd : TROIS

In French, “deux” (two) is company, and “trois” (three) is a crowd.

44 1933 physics Nobelist Paul : DIRAC

Paul Dirac was an English theoretical physicist, and a co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1933. It was Dirac who predicted the existence of antimatter. What would the Starship Enterprise have done without antimatter?

50 Hamm of “Mad Men” : JON

Jon Hamm lived the life of a struggling actor for quite some time before he hit gold with a starring role in the AMC drama “Mad Men”. He plays the main character, advertising executive and man about town Don Draper.

51 EMT proficiency : CPR

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

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Destroy : RAVAGE
7 Editor of “The Hugo Winners” anthology series : ASIMOV
13 Bee sting treatment, perhaps : EPIPEN
14 Ricotta-stuffed pastry : CANNOLI
15 Big game places : ARENAS
16 Decor style associated with hobo bags : BOHO-CHIC
17 Soft drink size : LITER
18 Cousin of org : COM
19 Tropical fruit tree : GUAVA
20 Home of Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans,” briefly : MOMA
21 “Hot House” Grammy-winning pianist : COREA
23 Driver of a converted bus, maybe : RVER
24 Eastern honorific : SRI
25 Mercury’s had wings : SANDALS
27 Floundering sounds : ERS
28 Code of concern to users : INTERNET LAW
31 Gothic fiction outgrowth : HORROR MOVIE
33 Beverage rebranded to include “Zero Sugar” in its name in 2020 : DIET SEVEN-UP
35 President whose nickname originated in childhood : IKE
38 Open-bodied truck : FLATBED
39 Barbecue flavoring : RUB
41 Beer flavoring : MALT
43 Whitewater principal : STARR
44 Catnap : DOZE
45 En este momento : AHORA
47 “Who am __ judge?” : I TO
48 Pie not served for dessert : PIZZA
49 Java serving : CUP OF JOE
51 Winter airs : CAROLS
52 Obsolescent club usually replaced by a fairway wood : ONE IRON
53 Member of a noted octet : PLANET
54 Serviceman? : PARSON
55 Break : RECESS

Down

1 Kingdoms : REALMS
2 Valid independent of experience : A PRIORI
3 Former Asian communist coalition : VIET MINH
4 Sleep woe : APNEA
5 Paraphernalia : GEAR
6 Northern frontiers? : ENS
7 “Finally I can relax!” : AAH!
8 Neck, in Newcastle : SNOG
9 Provoke : INCUR
10 Northwestern Arizona county : MOHAVE
11 “Last Week Tonight” host John : OLIVER
12 Parish priests : VICARS
14 “Bring it on, dude!” : COME AT ME, BRO!
16 Locale with special regard for customs? : BORDER STATE
18 Implicit meaning : CONNOTATION
21 Library array : CARRELS
22 Done : ALL OVER
25 Character-building aid? : SERIF
26 Bookmarked, in effect : SAVED
29 “Dracula” (1931) director Browning : TOD
30 Carry the day : WIN
32 Multicountry union using the same currency : EUROZONE
34 Daily newspaper entertainment : PUZZLES
35 Friday revelation? : I’M A COP
36 Islands bigwig : KAHUNA
37 Romeo or Juliet, marriage-wise : ELOPER
40 Rhinos and hippos : BEASTS
42 Nice crowd : TROIS
44 1933 physics Nobelist Paul : DIRAC
46 Curly hairdo : AFRO
48 Lose color : PALE
50 Hamm of “Mad Men” : JON
51 EMT proficiency : CPR