LA Times Crossword 30 Jul 22, Saturday

Constructed by: Kate Chin Park
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: None

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Bill’s time: 14m 30s

Bill’s errors: 2

FOWL (bowl!)
TRUST FALL (trust ball!)

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

8 Rosebush pest : APHID

Aphids are called “greenfly” back in Britain and Ireland where I come from. The most effective way to control aphids, in my experience, is to make sure there are plenty of ladybugs in the garden (called “ladybirds” in Ireland!).

Believe it or not, roses don’t have any thorns as such. Thorns are derived from shoots, spines are derived from leaves, and prickles are derived from the epidermis. The rose’s defensive barbs are in fact prickles.

13 Acrobatic Brazilian martial art : CAPOEIRA

Depending on your source material, capoeira is either a martial art that incorporates elements of dance, or dance incorporating martial arts movements. Either way, it originated in Brazil amongst African slaves in the early 1500s. Apparently, capoeira started out as a way to practice fighting moves, by disguising them within dance. A practitioner of the art if a known as a capoeirista.

17 Decorative threads : TINSEL

Back in the mid-1400s, the word “tinsel” applied to cloth into which was woven gold or silver thread. The term came from the Middle French word “estincelle” meaning “spark, spangle”, which ultimately derived from the Latin “scintilla” meaning “spark”. By the end of the 1500s, “tinsel” described thin strips of shiny metal. The word “Tinseltown” wasn’t applied to Hollywood until 1972.

24 Many a “Thirtysomething” character : YUPPIE

The term “yuppie” first appeared in the 1980s and is short for “young urban professional”. Yuppies are generally regarded as upper middle class or upper class men and women in their twenties or thirties.

30 “Bright Dead Things” poet Limón : ADA

Ada Limón was named US Poet Laureate in 2022. Here is her poem “Field Bling”, which comes from her 2015 collection “Bright Dead Things”:

Nights when it’s warm
and no one is watching,
I walk to the edge
of the road and stare
at all the fireflies.
I squint and pretend
they’re hallucinations,
bright made-up waves
of the brain.
I call them,
field bling.
I call them,
fancy creepies.
It’s been a long time
since I’ve wanted to die,
it makes me feel
like taking off
my skin suit
and seeing how
my light flies all
on its own, neon
and bouncy like a
wannabe star.

35 Neutrogena product : T/GEL

Neutrogena is a brand of skincare products that was founded in 1930 as a cosmetics company called Natone.

38 “Love Actually” actor : GRANT

English actor Hugh Grant’s full name is Hugh John Mungo Grant. His breakthrough came with a leading role in 1994’s “Four Weddings and a Funeral”. That was a fabulous performance. Largely, I think Grant has been playing the same character ever since …

“Love Actually” is a wonderful British romantic comedy, and a film we watch every Christmas. The movie has a great ensemble cast and was written and directed by Richard Curtis. Curtis was also the man behind “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “Notting Hill”. “Love Actually” is very much in the same style as those earlier films.

42 Head for Vegas? : LAS

Back in the 1800s, the Las Vegas Valley was given its name from the extensive meadows (“las vegas” is Spanish for “the meadows”) present in the area courtesy of the artesian wells drilled by local farmers. Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1905, in the days when it was a stopping-off point for pioneers traveling west. It eventually became a railroad town, although with the coming of the railroad growth halted as travelers began to bypass Las Vegas. The city’s tourism industry took off in 1935 with the completion of the nearby Hoover Dam, which is still a popular attraction. Then gambling was legalized, and things really started to move. Vegas was picked, largely by celebrated figures in “the mob”, as a convenient location across the California/Nevada state line that could service the vast population of Los Angeles. As a result, Las Vegas is the most populous US city founded in the 20th century (Chicago is the most populous city founded in the 19th century, just in case you were wondering).

44 __ Awards: high honors for comic books : EISNER

The Eisner Awards are more fully known as the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. They are the equivalent of the Academy Awards in the comics industry. The Eisners are named for cartoonist and writer Will Eisner who was a pioneer in the American comic book industry. It was Eisner who popularized the term “graphic novel”, as far back as the 1970s.

47 Looney Tunes explosive : TNT

“Looney Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies” are two series of animated short films produced by Warner Bros. from 1930 until 1969. The list of famous “Looney Tunes” characters includes Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Tweety Bird, and my favorites Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

50 Pointillism elements : DOTS

Pointillism is a style of painting that grew out of Impressionism. The pointillist technique calls for the artist to use small, distinct dots of bold color to build up the image. Pointillism was developed in the late 1800s by the great French painter, Georges Seurat. You can go see his magnificent work “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” at The Art Institute of Chicago the next time you’re in town.

56 Late gathering : SOIREE

“Soir” is the French word for “evening” and a soirée is an evening party. The French word “soirée” has an acute accent over the first “e”, but we tend to drop this when using the word in English.

Down

1 Zebra mother : MARE

The term “zebra” comes from an old Portuguese word “zevra” meaning “wild ass”. Studies of zebra embryos show that zebras are basically black in color, with white stripes that develop with growth. Before this finding, it was believed they were white, with black stripes.

5 MagSafe Charging Case inserts : AIRPODS

MagSafe is a system used by Apple for attaching power connectors. The connector is held in place magnetically (hence “Mag-”) and prevents damage to the connecting hardware should the cord be tugged violently (hence “-Safe”). A clever concept, I think …

6 Goals in a hat trick, e.g. : TRIO

A hat trick is the scoring of three goals by the same player in a game of perhaps soccer or hockey.

7 Features of some positive messaging : HAPPY FACE EMOJIS

An emoji is a character found on many cell phones that is much like an emoticon, but is more elaborate. The use of emojis originated in 1997 on mobile phones in Japan, and within a few years spread around the world. “Emoji” is a Japanese word meaning “picture word”.

10 Capital west of Ha Long Bay : HANOI

Hanoi (“Hà Nội” in Vietnamese) was the capital of North Vietnam, and Saigon the capital of South Vietnam. After the Vietnam War, Hanoi was made capital of the reunified state. Saigon, the larger metropolis, was renamed to Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi is located in the delta of the Red River, and is just over 50 miles from the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea.

Ha Long Bay is a spectacular bay that is home to thousands of limestone islets. The bay is found in northern Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin, which in turn is part of the South China Sea. It is a popular tourist destination and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

13 Opposite of trans : CIS

In Latin, the prefix “cis-” means “this side of”. The prefix “trans-” means “the other side of”.

20 Family name on “Ugly Betty” : SUAREZ

“Ugly Betty” is a drama-comedy show that originally aired on television from 2006 to 2010. The show is based on a telenovela soap opera from Colombia called “Yo soy Betty, la fea”. The title role of Betty Suarez is played by America Ferrera.

23 Singles : ONES

The nation’s first president, George Washington, is on the US one-dollar bills produced today. When the original one-dollar bill was issued in 1863, it featured a portrait of Salmon P. Chase, President Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of the Treasury.

25 Hrs. at T-Mobile Park : PDT

Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

T-Mobile Park (formerly “Safeco Field”) is the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners. Safeco Insurance was the highest bidder when it came to christening the new stadium opened in 1999, paying $40m for a 20-year contract. T-Mobile took over the naming rights in 2019, after signing a 25-year contract.

26 Journalist Gwen honored on a U.S. postage stamp in 2020 : IFILL

Gwen Ifill was a television journalist who was regularly seen on PBS’s “Newshour”. Ifill was also the moderator on the weekly PBS show “Washington Week”, and was also selected to moderate the US Vice Presidential debates in 2004 and 2008.

27 Tyler Perry persona : MADEA

Tyler Perry is an actor, comedian and writer who is perhaps best known in front of the camera for his drag performances as a tough elderly woman named Madea. Perry also created the sitcom “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” that ran for eight seasons from 2006 until 2012.

34 Like a pagoda : TIERED

Pagodas are tiered (“storied”) towers, found in various parts of Asia, that are usually built for religious purposes.

35 Hands-on experience, hopefully : TRUST FALL

In a team-building workshop, one exercise might have someone falling backwards into the arms of others. The idea is for the “faller” to trust the “catchers”. And so, it is called a “trust fall”. I dunno …

40 __ Bruin: UCLA mascot : JOE

The UCLA Bruins’ mascots are Joe and Josephine Bruin, characters that have evolved over the years. There used to be “mean” Bruin mascots but they weren’t very popular with the fans, so now there are only “happy” Bruin mascots at the games.

43 Twitch __ : STREAM

Twitch is a live-streaming platform used primarily by gamers. Folks playing games can broadcast their game play live to an audience.

48 F1 neighbor : ESC

On many computer keyboards, the escape key (Esc) is located beside the first function key (F1).

49 Daikon, e.g. : ROOT

The daikon is a Japanese winter radish with a mild flavor. The Japanese name “daikon” translates as “big root”.

53 Thin reed : OBOE

A double-reed instrument is one in which two pieces of cane vibrate against each other to produce sound. In a single-reed instrument, just one piece of cane vibrates the mouthpiece. The best-known examples of double-reed instruments are the oboe and the bassoon.

55 Pt. of LLC : LTD

A limited liability company (LLC) has a structure that limits the liability of the owner or owners. It is a hybrid structure in the sense that it can be taxed as would an individual or partnership, while also maintaining the liability protection afforded to a corporation.

57 Critical-care ctrs. : ERS

Emergency room (ER)

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Spa service : MUD BATH
8 Rosebush pest : APHID
13 Acrobatic Brazilian martial art : CAPOEIRA
14 Sleeping spots for some dogs : CRATES
16 Firm hold : IRON GRIP
17 Decorative threads : TINSEL
18 Dispatched : SENT
19 Stands out : POPS
21 Either parent, for some kids : MOMMY
22 [I’m a ghost!] : BOO!
24 Many a “Thirtysomething” character : YUPPIE
26 Be imminent : IMPEND
29 Many modern diets : FADS
30 “Bright Dead Things” poet Limón : ADA
33 Running early? : FALSE START
35 Neutrogena product : T/GEL
36 Some journal entries : IDEAS
37 Clinch : ICE
38 “Love Actually” actor : GRANT
39 Main role : LEAD
40 “Good gravy!” : JEEZ LOUISE!
42 Head for Vegas? : LAS
43 Achy : SORE
44 __ Awards: high honors for comic books : EISNER
45 Regard : ESTEEM
47 Looney Tunes explosive : TNT
48 Unforced __ : ERROR
50 Pointillism elements : DOTS
52 They might be game : FOWL
56 Late gathering : SOIREE
58 Not much at all : JUST A BIT
60 Person to split a bill with : COSTAR
61 Age line? : I FEEL OLD
62 Home and away, e.g. : TEAMS
63 Braced : STEELED

Down

1 Zebra mother : MARE
2 After : UPON
3 “I also have good news, though!” : DON’T BE SAD
4 Beseech : BEG
5 MagSafe Charging Case inserts : AIRPODS
6 Goals in a hat trick, e.g. : TRIO
7 Features of some positive messaging : HAPPY FACE EMOJIS
8 Make a scene? : ACT
9 Takes one’s time at the mirror : PRIMPS
10 Capital west of Ha Long Bay : HANOI
11 Message during phone tag : IT’S ME AGAIN
12 Believe : DEEM
13 Opposite of trans : CIS
15 Underhanded : SLY
20 Family name on “Ugly Betty” : SUAREZ
23 Singles : ONES
25 Hrs. at T-Mobile Park : PDT
26 Journalist Gwen honored on a U.S. postage stamp in 2020 : IFILL
27 Tyler Perry persona : MADEA
28 Standing order? : PLEASE RISE!
31 Packed : DENSE
32 Change one’s skirt? : ALTER
34 Like a pagoda : TIERED
35 Hands-on experience, hopefully : TRUST FALL
38 Enter : GO IN
40 __ Bruin: UCLA mascot : JOE
41 “Decisions, decisions … ” : LET’S SEE …
43 Twitch __ : STREAM
46 “Yes and no” : SORTA
48 F1 neighbor : ESC
49 Daikon, e.g. : ROOT
51 Hairy bunch : TUFT
53 Thin reed : OBOE
54 Stormy : WILD
55 Pt. of LLC : LTD
57 Critical-care ctrs. : ERS
59 Workout wear : TEE

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