LA Times Crossword 11 Mar 23, Saturday

Constructed by: Bettina Elias Siegel & Dan Elias
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: None

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Bill’s time: 14m 57s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

12 Title in an order : FRA

The title “Fra” (brother) is used to address Italian monks.

15 Feature of the Bush and Johnson White Houses : TEXAS ACCENT

Which states were the birthplaces of the most US presidents? The top three states in that list are:

Virginia (8): George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson.
Ohio (7): Ulysses Grant, Rutherford Hayes, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Taft, and Warren Harding
New York (5): Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt & Donald Trump

16 Court call : LET!

That might be tennis.

17 Fox on TV : AGENT MULDER

“The X-Files” is a very successful science fiction show that originally aired on the Fox network from 1993 to 2002. The stars of the show are David Duchovny (playing Fox Mulder) and the very talented Gillian Anderson (playing Dana Scully). By the time the series ended, “The X-Files” was the longest running sci-fi show in US broadcast history. An “X-Files” reboot started airing in 2016 with Duchovny and Anderson reprising their starring roles.

19 Podcast feed letters : RSS

Many websites and blogs publish content in a format known as Rich Site Summary (RSS). The “feed” can be read using an RSS reader. The advantage of using an RSS reader is that the user doesn’t have to check the website for new content. That new material is fed to the RSS reader as soon as it is published.

A podcast is basically an audio or video media file that is made available for download. The name comes from the acronym “POD” meaning “playable on demand”, and “cast” from “broadcasting”. So, basically a podcast is a broadcast that one can play on demand, simply by downloading and opening the podcast file.

20 Zelle and Venmo : APPS

Zelle is a digital payments network that allows users to send and receive money quickly and securely using their mobile devices. Unlike other peer-to-peer payment services like Venmo or Cash App, Zelle was built directly into the mobile banking apps of its partner institutions. This allows users to send and receive money directly from their existing bank accounts without the need to download a separate app or create a new account.

Venmo is a smartphone payment app that is now owned by PayPal. The first version of the product was introduced in 2009 by two entrepreneurs who had met as freshman students at the University of Pennsylvania. They sold the company in 2012 for over $26 million, and then PayPal acquired it the following year for a whopping $800 million. I wonder if PayPal ever buys blogs …

23 Any of 12 popes : PIUS

There have been twelve popes named Pius, the latest being Pope Pius XII. He led the Roman Catholic Church until his death in 1958.

25 Some highlands musicians : PIPERS

Bagpipes have been played for centuries all across Europe, in parts of Asia and North Africa, and in the Persian Gulf. However, the most famous versions of the instrument today are the Scottish Great Highland bagpipe and the Irish uilleann pipes (my personal favorite; I’m biased!). The bag in the Scottish version is inflated by blowing into it, whereas the Irish version uses a bellows under the arm.

28 Salt Lake Bees and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp : AAA TEAMS

The Salt Lake Bees are a Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels that play their home games at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City. The team was established in 1915 and was called the Salt Lake City Bees. Over the years, the team went through several name changes, including the Salt Lake City Angels, the Salt Lake City Gulls, the Salt Lake Trappers, and the Salt Lake Buzz. In 2006, the team changed its name to the Salt Lake Bees, in honor of Utah’s state insect, the honeybee.

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins that play their home games at 121 Financial Ballpark in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is named for the shrimp that are caught in the area.

31 Red choice : CAB

The cabernet sauvignon (often just “cab”) grape has been around since the 17th century, and is the result of a chance crossing in southwestern France of the cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc grapes.

33 2020 Isabel Wilkerson bestseller subtitled “The Origins of Our Discontents” : CASTE

Journalist and author Isabel Wilkerson was the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in journalism, doing so in 1994. Wilkerson’s father was one of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen who fought during World War II. Her 2020 book “Castes: The Origins of Our Discontents” discusses racism in the US and posits that racial stratification in America is best understood as a caste system, similar to that existing in India and Nazi Germany.

34 Stud locale : LOBE

Despite what one might read on the Internet, humans don’t fall into two categories, one with free earlobes and one with attached earlobes. Free and attached earlobes are the extremes of a continuous range.

35 Night sch. class : ESL

English as a Second Language (ESL) is sometimes referred to as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

36 Gals, in dated slang : MOLLS

The slang term “moll” is used for the female companion of a gangster. “Moll” is short for “Molly”, which is a nickname for “Mary”. In 17th-century England, a moll was a prostitute.

38 Member of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame girl group : SHIRELLE

The Shirelles were a vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They were the first all-female group to have a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with their song “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” in 1961.

42 “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are __!”: 1978 album : DEVO

Devo is a band from Akron, Ohio formed back in 1973. The band’s biggest hit is “Whip It” released in 1980. Devo have a gimmick: the wearing of red, terraced plastic hats that are referred to as “energy domes”. Why? I have no idea …

45 Evil computer who says, “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that” : HAL

In Arthur C. Clarke’s “Space Odyssey” (famously adapted for the big screen as “2001: A Space Odyssey”) the computer system that went rogue was called HAL 9000, or simply “HAL”. HAL stands for “Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer”. Even though Clarke denied it, there’s a good argument that can be made that the acronym HAL is a veiled reference to IBM, the big player in the world of computing at the time of the novel’s publication (1968). The acronym HAL is just a one-letter shift from the initials “IBM”.

53 Actor who played Tony Rodriguez on “NYPD Blue” : ESAI MORALES

Esai Morales is an American actor, as well as a skilled musician who can play multiple instruments. Morales was originally interested in pursuing a career in music and played in a band called “The Plan” before he turned his attention to acting. He has incorporated his musical talents into some of his acting roles. For example, in the film “La Bamba,” which tells the story of the late musician Ritchie Valens, Morales portrayed Valens’ half-brother Bob, and played the guitar and sang in several scenes.

“NYPD Blue” is a police procedural drama series that aired on ABC from 1993 to 2005. The show was created by David Milch and Steven Bochco, the same team behind the hit 1980s cop drama “Hill Street Blues”. “NYPD Blue” was one of the first network television shows to use profanity and partial nudity.

54 Some corporate IP : TMS

Trademark (TM)

55 Display that may have rotating shelves : DESSERT CASE

Our word “dessert” comes from the French verb “desservir” meaning “to clear the table”. The idea is that dessert is usually the last course to be cleared from the table.

Down

1 Nicola Yoon’s “The Sun Is Also a __” : STAR

Nicola Yoon is a Jamaican-American author known for her young adult novels. Her debut novel “Everything, Everything” was adapted into a movie in 2017. When Yoon started writing that first book, she was on maternity leave from her job as a finance professional. She completed the first draft of “Everything, Everything” in only three months, and the book went on to become a New York Times bestseller.

2 Cribbage pieces : PEGS

Cribbage is one of my favorite card games. It always had a certain mystique to me as I was growing up as I’d see folks playing it in local pubs, sitting with cards and the fascinating cribbage board with its pegs as score markers. Apparently, cribbage was invented in the early 1600s by an English poet called John Suckling, who based it on a long-gone game called Noddy. Cribbage is often referred to simply as “crib”, and the name “cribbage” probably comes from this term. The “crib” is a set of cards that features in the game.

4 All-Clad product : PAN

All-Clad is a premium cookware brand that was founded in 1971 by John Ulam, who was a metallurgist by profession. He was working in the aerospace industry in the sixties when he began experimenting with bonding different metals together to create a more efficient heat conductor. He applied this knowledge to cookware and developed a unique process of bonding multiple layers of metals, including stainless steel and aluminum, to create cookware that would heat evenly and retain heat for a long time.

5 “Steps in Time” memoirist : ASTAIRE

Dancer, actor and singer Fred Astaire never won a competitive Academy Award, and received just one nomination: for Best Supporting Actor in 1974’s “The Towering Inferno”. However, was presented with an honorary Academy Award in the 1949 season “for his unique artistry and his contributions to the technique of musical pictures”. That honorary Oscar was presented by his longtime film and dance partner Ginger Rogers.

7 Keurig pods : K-CUPS

A K-Cup is a single-portion cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate in which the beverage is prepared in situ. K-Cup packs are used with brewing machines made by Keurig, a manufacturer of coffee brewers based in Reading, Massachusetts. Personally, I use a Nespresso machine …

8 Concerns for some orthopedic surgeons, initially : ACLS

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of four major ligaments that support the knee. It is located in the center of the knee and connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone).

9 HS proficiency test : GED

The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a battery of four tests designed to demonstrate that a student has the academic skills of someone who has graduated from an American or Canadian high school.

10 Sap : ENERVATE

To enervate is to drain of energy. “Enervare” is the Latin for “to weaken”.

11 Doja Cat hit with the lyric “Send your location, come through” : STREETS

Doja Cat is a singer and rapper who first gained popularity with her hit song “Mooo!” in 2018. Her real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini.

13 Scrooge, ultimately : REDEEMABLE

Ebeneezer Scrooge is the main character in the novella “A Christmas Carol” By Charles Dickens. Through the course of the story, Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, who show him the consequences of his miserly behavior. His name “Scrooge” has become a part of the English language as a term to describe someone who is stingy and mean with money.

22 One of the “Black-ish” parents : DRE

“Black-ish” is a sitcom starring Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross that premiered in 2014. The lead actors play Dre and Rainbow Johnson, a married couple leading an upper-middle class black family. The show is noted for tackling tough issues such as racism, police brutality, attitudes toward the LGBT community, and the 2016 US presidential election.

23 NOLA cagers : PELS

The New Orleans Hornets joined the NBA in 1988 as an expansion team, originally based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team was going to be called the Charlotte Spirit, but the name was changed following a “name the team” contest run in the local area. During the Revolutionary War, Lord General Cornwallis had referred to Charlotte as a “veritable nest of hornets” due the city’s resistance to British occupation, which explains the local fans’ fondness for the name “Hornets”. The franchise was moved to New Orleans for the 2002 season, as attendance wasn’t big enough to sustain the team in Charlotte. The team had to play two seasons in Oklahoma City due to damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, and played as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. After several years back in New Orleans, the franchise was renamed to the Pelicans, a nod to the Brown Pelican that is the Louisiana state bird.

24 Brewery equipment : OASTS

An oast is a kiln used for drying hops as part of the brewing process. Such a structure might also be called an “oast house” or “hop kiln”. The term “oast” can also apply to a kiln used to dry tobacco.

26 Mudslide element : IRISH CREAM

A “cream liqueur” is one that includes dairy cream. The most famous example is probably Baileys Irish Cream, which is made from cream and Irish whiskey. A “crème liqueur”, on the other hand, is one that includes a lot of added sugar, but no dairy cream. Examples are crème de cacao (chocolate-flavored), crème de menthe (mint-flavored) and crème de cassis (blackcurrant-flavored).

The mudslide cocktail is basically a white Russian with Baileys Irish Cream added.

A white Russian is a cocktail made from vodka, Kahlua or Tia Maria, and cream, served in an old-fashioned glass with ice. The white Russian is similar to a black Russian, which is the same drink without the cream. Both cocktails are called “Russian” as they are based on vodka, and both have been around since the late forties, with no one seeming to know which drink came first.

28 Target section : AISLE

The Target Corporation was originally founded in 1902 as a dry goods store called “Goodfellow’s”, by George Dayton in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It wasn’t until 1962 that the first Target store opened, which was designed to be a discount store with a modern, upscale feel.

37 The Lascaux bulls, e.g. : CAVE ART

The cave paintings in a cave complex near the village of Lascaux in southwestern France are perhaps the best-known examples in the world of Upper Paleolithic art. The paintings are about 17,300 years old, are about 2,000 in number and mainly depict large animals and human figures. The cave complex was discovered in 1940 by an 18-year-old man, and was opened to the public in 1948. However, public access has created many problems with damage to the paintings caused by carbon dioxide and by fungus and mold. Right now, human access to the caves is extremely limited.

40 Shower element : METEOR

A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic body traveling through space. Once in the atmosphere, the meteoroid is referred to as a “meteor” or “shooting star”. Almost all meteoroids burn up, but if one is large enough to survive and reach the ground then we call it a meteorite. The word “meteor” comes from the Greek “meteōros” meaning “high in the air”.

42 Actor Jean-Claude Van __ : DAMME

Jean-Claude Van Damme is a Belgian actor and an expert in martial arts. Given his background, he is referred to by the nickname “The Muscles from Brussels”. He even competed in bodybuilding competitions and won Mr. Belgium in 1978.

45 Dance with a kahiko style : HULA

The hula is a native dance of Hawaii that uses arm movements to relate a story. The hula can be performed while sitting (a noho dance) or while standing (a luna dance).

The term “hula kahiko” is reserved for more traditional hula dances, ones composed before the 1900s that do not use modern instruments (like guitars and ukuleles).

46 Trojan War god : ARES

The ancient city of Troy was located on the west coast of modern-day Turkey. The Trojan War of Greek mythology was precipitated by the elopement of Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta, with Paris of Troy. The war itself largely consisted of a nine-year siege of Troy by the Greeks. We know most about the final year of that siege, as it is described extensively in Homer’s “Iliad”. The city eventually fell when the Greeks hid soldiers inside the Trojan Horse, which the Trojans brought inside the city’s walls. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts …

47 __-majesté : LESE

“Lese-majesty” is the crime of offending the dignity of the “majesty” or sovereign, or the state. The term “lèse-majesté” is from French Law, and comes from the law of ancient Rome. In Latin “laesa maiestas” means “injured majesty”. The term has no relevance in the United States, but the law is occasionally cited in other countries, including many in Europe.

51 Pollen holder : SAC

The stamen is the male reproductive organ of a flower. The part of the stamen known as the anther sits on a stalk called the filament that carries the pollen. The pollen is picked up by insects, especially bees, who then transfer pollen from flower to flower. The pistil is the female reproductive organ, and it accepts the pollen.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Stress-relieving gifts : SPA PACKAGES
12 Title in an order : FRA
15 Feature of the Bush and Johnson White Houses : TEXAS ACCENT
16 Court call : LET!
17 Fox on TV : AGENT MULDER
18 Prelude to a kiss? : I DO
19 Podcast feed letters : RSS
20 Zelle and Venmo : APPS
21 Editor’s tool : RED PEN
23 Any of 12 popes : PIUS
24 Run : OVERSEE
25 Some highlands musicians : PIPERS
28 Salt Lake Bees and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp : AAA TEAMS
29 “Who’s better than me?!” : I RULE!
30 Drops in the air : MISTS
31 Red choice : CAB
32 Tips for a writer : NIBS
33 2020 Isabel Wilkerson bestseller subtitled “The Origins of Our Discontents” : CASTE
34 Stud locale : LOBE
35 Night sch. class : ESL
36 Gals, in dated slang : MOLLS
37 Winds : COILS
38 Member of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame girl group : SHIRELLE
40 Polarizing figure? : MAGNET
41 Agreements : ACCORDS
42 “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are __!”: 1978 album : DEVO
43 Opening night invitee : CRITIC
44 Untimely? : LATE
45 Evil computer who says, “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that” : HAL
48 Bulls and bucks : HES
49 Tailor’s device : TAPE MEASURE
52 “Dig in!” : EAT!
53 Actor who played Tony Rodriguez on “NYPD Blue” : ESAI MORALES
54 Some corporate IP : TMS
55 Display that may have rotating shelves : DESSERT CASE

Down

1 Nicola Yoon’s “The Sun Is Also a __” : STAR
2 Cribbage pieces : PEGS
3 x, y and z, in math : AXES
4 All-Clad product : PAN
5 “Steps in Time” memoirist : ASTAIRE
6 Intellectual property? : CAMPUS
7 Keurig pods : K-CUPS
8 Concerns for some orthopedic surgeons, initially : ACLS
9 HS proficiency test : GED
10 Sap : ENERVATE
11 Doja Cat hit with the lyric “Send your location, come through” : STREETS
12 Ensures that change is in the air? : FLIPS A COIN
13 Scrooge, ultimately : REDEEMABLE
14 In top form : AT ONE’S BEST
22 One of the “Black-ish” parents : DRE
23 NOLA cagers : PELS
24 Brewery equipment : OASTS
25 Pouch with a woodsy scent : PINE SACHET
26 Mudslide element : IRISH CREAM
27 Attention getters : PUBLICISTS
28 Target section : AISLE
30 Shop keepers? : MALLS
33 Focus of many a true crime podcast : COLD CASE
34 Letterhead feature, often : LOGO
36 Just : MERITED
37 The Lascaux bulls, e.g. : CAVE ART
39 Rubbish : ROT
40 Shower element : METEOR
42 Actor Jean-Claude Van __ : DAMME
44 Fragrant neckwear : LEIS
45 Dance with a kahiko style : HULA
46 Trojan War god : ARES
47 __-majesté : LESE
50 Pops : PAS
51 Pollen holder : SAC

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