LA Times Crossword 17 Mar 23, Friday

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Constructed by: Jess Shulman & Max Woghiren
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Down in Front

Happy Saint Paddy’s Day, everyone! Themed answers need the addition of a synonym of “DOWN” IN FRONT for completion:

  • 63A “You’re blocking the view!,” and what is needed to complete the answers to the starred clues? : DOWN IN FRONT!
  • 17A *Bilingual Ed Sheeran song featuring Camila Cabello and Cardi B : “SOUTH” OF THE BORDER
  • 29A *R.E.M. hit single on “Out of Time” : “LOSING” MY RELIGION
  • 47A *Carl Perkins rockabilly classic popularized by Elvis Presley : “BLUE” SUEDE SHOES

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

Bill’s time: 6m 54s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Italian port : GENOA

Genoa is a seaport in the very north of Italy, in the region known as Liguria. One of Genoa’s most famous sons was Christopher Columbus. Another was the violinist Niccolò Paganini.

15 Cheri of “Scary Movie” : OTERI

Cheri Oteri is an actress and comedian who is best known for her work on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL). Before she became a famous comedian, she worked as a cocktail waitress at the comedy club The Improv, where she was inspired to pursue a career in comedy.

16 Musical about Henry VIII’s many wives : SIX

“Six” is a musical that tells the story of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss when they were both students at Cambridge University. Each of the six wives has her own unique style of music. Anne Boleyn’s songs have a rock and pop feel, while Catherine of Aragon’s songs have a Spanish influence.

17 *Bilingual Ed Sheeran song featuring Camila Cabello and Cardi B : “SOUTH” OF THE BORDER

“South of the Border” is a 2019 song by British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran featuring Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello and American rapper Cardi B. The accompanying music video is subtitled “A Frivolous Spy FIlm” and features Sheeran, Cabello, and Cardi B as undercover agents trying to rescue a girl from a gangster’s mansion in Mexico.

23 “Love Stuff” singer King : ELLE

“Love Stuff” is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Elle King, released in 2015. Apparently, it took King over four years to write and record the whole album.

29 *R.E.M. hit single on “Out of Time” : “LOSING” MY RELIGION

The REM song “Losing My Religion” was released in 1991. The title is a phrase used in the southern US with the meaning “losing my temper, civility”.

37 Jazz org. : NBA

The Utah Jazz professional basketball team moved to Salt Lake City in 1979. As one might guess from the name, the team originated in New Orleans, but only played there for five seasons. New Orleans was a tough place to be based because venues were hard to come by, and Mardi Gras forced the team to play on the road for a whole month.

38 “¡Ay, Dios __!” : MIO

“Dios mio!” translates from Spanish as “My God!”

39 Anthem that ends, “We stand on guard for thee” : O CANADA

Canada’s national anthem “O Canada” was commissioned in 1880 by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, so the original words are in French. The first English translation was made in 1906. The current English lyrics have been revised a few times, but the French version remains the same as it did back in 1880.

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

44 “Shane” star Alan : LADD

The last few years of actor Alan Ladd’s life were pretty rough. In 1962, he was found unconscious in a pool of blood with a bullet wound in his chest, an abortive suicide attempt. Two years later he was found dead, apparently having succumbed to an accidental overdose of drugs and sedatives. He was 50 years old.

The classic 1953 western movie “Shane” is based on the novel of the same name by Jack Schaefer published in 1949. Heading the cast is Alan Ladd in the title role, alongside Jean Arthur and Van Heflin. “Shane” was shot in the beautiful Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

45 “Spider-Man” trilogy director : RAIMI

Sam Raimi is a very successful director and producer. He was behind the “Spider-Man” series of films among others, and TV shows such as “Xena: Warrior Princess”. In 1993, Raimi married Gillian Green, the youngest daughter of actor Lorne Greene of “Bonanza” fame. Raimi and Greene named their eldest son Lorne, after his grandfather.

47 *Carl Perkins rockabilly classic popularized by Elvis Presley : “BLUE” SUEDE SHOES

“Blue Suede Shoes” was written and first recorded by Carl Perkins, in 1955. The idea for the song was given to him by Johnny Cash. Cash had been serving with the military in Germany and there met an airman who referred to his military regulation air shoes as “blue suede shoes”. The idea was reinforced when Perkins heard a young man who was dancing say to his partner, “Don’t step on my suede shoes”. Perkins’ version of the song was very, very successful, actually “going gold” in sales. Elvis Presley’s 1956 cover version did even better.

51 Jet set jet : LEAR

52 Wrote to online, briefly : IM’ED

Instant message (IM)

55 TikTok upload : VIDEO

TikTok is a video-sharing service that is based in China, and is very popular with the younger set (I am told). The TikTok mobile app provides tools facilitating production of sophisticated selfie videos that use special effects.

62 Rita Dove’s “__ to My Right Knee” : ODE

Poet Rita Dove received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1987, and was the second African American to be so honored (the first being Gwendolyn Brooks). Dove was also the first African American to be appointed as Poet Laureate, a position she held from 1993 to 1995.

66 Decathlon number : TEN

The decathlon is a track and field competition, with the name “decathlon” coming from the Greek “deka” (ten) and “athlos” (contest). The ten events in the men’s decathlon are:

  • 100 meters
  • Long jump
  • Shot put
  • High jump
  • 400 meters
  • 110 meters hurdles
  • Discus throw
  • Pole vault
  • Javelin throw
  • 1500 meters

Down

2 Food sold in blocks : TOFU

“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 …

3 “American Pastoral” Pulitzer winner : ROTH

“American Pastoral” is a novel written by Philip Roth and published in 1997. It is the first book in Roth’s “American Trilogy,” which also includes “I Married a Communist” (1998) and “The Human Stain” (2000).

4 Word in several ESPY Award categories : ATHLETE

The ESPY Awards are a creation of the ESPN sports television network. One difference with similarly named awards in the entertainment industry is that ESPY winners are chosen solely based on viewer votes. The acronym “ESPY” stands for “Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly”.

6 Loosey-__ : GOOSEY

Something described as loosey-goosey is extremely relaxed, very loose.

7 Basic French verb : ETRE

The verb “to be” is “être” in French.

8 Composer Rorem : NED

American composer Ned Rorem is famous for his musical compositions, but also for his book “Paris Diary of Ned Rorem” that was published in 1966. Rorem talks openly about his sexuality in the book, and also about the sexual orientation of others including Noël Coward, Leonard Bernstein and Samuel Barber, much to some people’s chagrin.

9 Nickel source : ORE

The whitish metal we know as “nickel” was given its name by Swedish mineralogist Axel von Cronstedt in 1754. The name he chose was an abbreviated version of “kopparnickel”, the Swedish for “copper-colored ore”.

10 Wind instrument? : AIR GUITAR

The concept of playing an imaginary electric guitar ( an “air guitar”) is so popular that there are several championship competitions held. There has even been a world championship since 1996. Crazy …

11 Much of an atlas : ASIA

The first modern atlas was published in 1570 by Abraham Ortelius, a Flemish cartographer. It was called “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” (Theater of the World).

12 Mary Cassatt’s “Little __ in a Blue Armchair” : GIRL

“Little Girl in a Blue Armchair” is an 1878 oil painting by American artist Mary Cassatt that can be viewed in the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. The “little girl” who sat for the painting was the daughter of Cassatt’s good friend, French Impressionist Edgar Degas.

Mary Cassatt was an American painter from Pennsylvania who moved to France at the young age of 22 years, in 1866. By which time she was already studying to become a professional artist. Cassatt became friends with Edgar Degas, who invited her to exhibit with the group called “the Impressionists”, who were garnering a great deal of attention at the time. Cassatt’s reputation as a great artist is perhaps built on an extensive series of paintings of mothers with a child.

24 Actress Ward : SELA

Sela Ward is an American actress who won Emmys for her role on the TV show “Sisters” in 1994 and for her role on “Once and Again” in 2000. She is a published author and released her autobiography “Homesick: A Memoir” in 2012.

26 Awards for “Schitt’s Creek” : EMMYS

“Schitt’s Creek” is a very entertaining Canadian sitcom created by two of the four leading actors: Dan Levy and his father Eugene Levy. The other two leads are played by Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy. It is about a very wealthy family who lose their money and relocate to a small town called Schitt’s Creek, which they had once purchased as a joke. Recommended …

28 “The Favourite” actress Emma : STONE

“The Favourite” is an entertaining 2018 comedy about two women vying to be “the favourite” at the court of Queen Anne. The two competitors are portrayed by Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, and the marvelous Olivia Colman plays the queen. Recommended …

30 Total stranger : RANDO

“Rando” is a slang term describing a “random person”. The term tends not to be used flatteringly.

32 “Becoming” memoirist : OBAMA

“Becoming” is a 2018 memoir by former First Lady Michelle Obama. After “Becoming” was published in November 2018, it took just 15 days for it to break the record for copies sold of any book in the US that year.

33 Low point : NADIR

The nadir is the direction pointing immediately below a particular location (through to the other side of the Earth for example). The opposite direction, that pointing immediately above, is called the zenith. We use the terms “nadir” and “zenith” figuratively to mean the low and high points in a person’s fortunes.

40 Docket item : CASE

A docket is the official summary of proceedings in a court of law. The term is sometimes used (informally) to refer to a court’s calendar of cases.

41 Ritalin target: Abbr. : ADHD

Ritalin is a trade name for the drug methylphenidate that is used for treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy. Methylphenidate has a similar structure and similar properties to the drug cocaine, although it is less potent.

48 Conk out : DIE

The phrase “conk out” was coined by airmen during WWI, and was used to describe the stalling of an engine.

50 Say “cheese” by rubbing one’s palms together, e.g. : SIGN

It’s really quite unfortunate that American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) are very different, and someone who has learned to sign in one cannot understand someone signing in the other.

55 Rock the __ : VOTE

Rock the Vote is a nonpartisan movement aimed at young Americans that is designed to increase engagement in the political process.

59 “__ arigato” : DOMO

“Domo arigato” is Japanese for “thank you very much”.

64 São Paulo greeting : OLA

São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil. It is also the city with the highest number of helicopters in the world. This is partly driven by the horrendous traffic jams in São Paulo, but also by the wealthy having a very real fear of being kidnapped on the city’s streets.

65 Card : WIT

A very amusing person might be referred to as a card, stitch, wag or riot.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Scarecrow innards : STRAW
6 Italian port : GENOA
11 Get better, maybe : AGE
14 Gear bit : TOOTH
15 Cheri of “Scary Movie” : OTERI
16 Musical about Henry VIII’s many wives : SIX
17 *Bilingual Ed Sheeran song featuring Camila Cabello and Cardi B : “SOUTH” OF THE BORDER
19 Fury : IRE
20 “Oh, come on!” : PUH-LEASE!
21 Aims : GOALS
23 “Love Stuff” singer King : ELLE
24 Tub gunk : SCUM
26 Vane point : EAST
29 *R.E.M. hit single on “Out of Time” : “LOSING” MY RELIGION
34 Poetic rhythm : METER
36 Plenty : A LOT
37 Jazz org. : NBA
38 “¡Ay, Dios __!” : MIO
39 Anthem that ends, “We stand on guard for thee” : O CANADA
42 “Dear old” one : DAD
43 Over thataway : YON
44 “Shane” star Alan : LADD
45 “Spider-Man” trilogy director : RAIMI
47 *Carl Perkins rockabilly classic popularized by Elvis Presley : “BLUE” SUEDE SHOES
51 Jet set jet : LEAR
52 Wrote to online, briefly : IM’ED
53 Feels bad : AILS
55 TikTok upload : VIDEO
58 Very nearly : AS GOOD AS
62 Rita Dove’s “__ to My Right Knee” : ODE
63 “You’re blocking the view!,” and what is needed to complete the answers to the starred clues? : DOWN IN FRONT!
66 Decathlon number : TEN
67 Top-flight : ELITE
68 Under control : TAMED
69 Put away : EAT
70 “I’m out” : LATER
71 Puts one over on : SNOWS

Down

1 “Cut it out!” : STOP!
2 Food sold in blocks : TOFU
3 “American Pastoral” Pulitzer winner : ROTH
4 Word in several ESPY Award categories : ATHLETE
5 Cheese shape : WHEEL
6 Loosey-__ : GOOSEY
7 Basic French verb : ETRE
8 Composer Rorem : NED
9 Nickel source : ORE
10 Wind instrument? : AIR GUITAR
11 Much of an atlas : ASIA
12 Mary Cassatt’s “Little __ in a Blue Armchair” : GIRL
13 Former couples : EXES
18 Lip __ : BALM
22 “Srsly?!” : OMG!
24 Actress Ward : SELA
25 Dolt : CLOD
26 Awards for “Schitt’s Creek” : EMMYS
27 Vowel set : A-E-I-O-U
28 “The Favourite” actress Emma : STONE
30 Total stranger : RANDO
31 __ folk : INDIE
32 “Becoming” memoirist : OBAMA
33 Low point : NADIR
35 One to emulate : ROLE MODEL
40 Docket item : CASE
41 Ritalin target: Abbr. : ADHD
46 Unsuccessful candidate : ALSO-RAN
48 Conk out : DIE
49 Less taxing : EASIER
50 Say “cheese” by rubbing one’s palms together, e.g. : SIGN
54 Many apartments in former industrial areas : LOFTS
55 Rock the __ : VOTE
56 Concept : IDEA
57 Minor progress : DENT
58 Chip in? : ANTE
59 “__ arigato” : DOMO
60 Over again : ANEW
61 Norms: Abbr. : STDS
64 São Paulo greeting : OLA
65 Card : WIT