LA Times Crossword 29 May 23, Monday

Constructed by: Mike Peluso
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: On the Waterfront

Themed answers each end with a word seen in FRONT of “WATER”:

39A Oscar-winning Marlon Brando film, or where the last words of 18-, 23-, 49-, and 57-Across can literally be found : ON THE WATERFRONT

18A Blended condiment : GARLIC SALT (giving “saltwater”)
23A Fictional band that uses an umlaut on the “n” in its name : SPINAL TAP (giving “tap water”)
49A Like recently harvested produce : FARM FRESH (giving “freshwater”)
57A Leavening agent that’s also a cleaning product : BAKING SODA (giving “soda water”)

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

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Bill’s time: 5m 03s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Meghan Trainor’s “All About That __” : BASS

My taste in music tends to be buried in the past, but I do like Meghan Trainor’s 2014 debut single “All About That Bass”. To me, the song has a bit of a retro feel to it.

5 Catholic service : MASS

The principal act of worship in the Roman Catholic tradition is the Mass. The term “Mass” comes from the Late Latin word “missa” meaning “dismissal”. This word is used at the end of the Latin Mass in “Ite, missa est” which translates literally as “Go, it is the dismissal”.

14 West Coast gas brand with ampm convenience stores : ARCO

ampm convenience stores are owned by multinational oil and gas company BP. The first ampm opened in 1978 in Southern California. Today, almost all ampm stores are located within ARCO or BP gas stations.

17 Fibber : LIAR

To fib is to tell a lie. The verb “to fib” likely comes from “fibble-fable” meaning “nonsense”, with “fibble-fable” coming from “fable”.

18 Blended condiment : GARLIC SALT (giving “saltwater”)

The main ingredients in garlic salt are dried ground garlic and table salt (plus an anti-caking agent).

20 Pinochle plays : MELDS

Pinochle is a card game that was developed from the 19th-century French game called bezique.

22 Snowball pile, say : AMMO

The word “munitions” describes materials and equipment used in war. The term derives from the Latin “munitionem” meaning “fortification, defensive wall”. Back in the 17th century, French soldiers referred to such materials as “la munition”, a Middle French term. This was misheard as “l’ammunition”, and as a result we ended up importing the word “ammunition” (often shortened to “ammo”), a term that we now use mainly to describe the material fired from a weapon.

23 Fictional band that uses an umlaut on the “n” in its name : SPINAL TAP (giving “tap water”)

“This Is Spın̈al Tap” is a rock musical mockumentary about the fictional band Spinal Tap, directed by the great Rob Reiner. I love Rob Reiner’s work, but this movie … not so much …

An umlaut (also “diaeresis”) is a diacritical mark consisting of two horizontal dots placed over a letter, usually a vowel. Here in the West, we are perhaps most familiar with umlauts in German, as in “Schön”.

31 Honker in a gaggle : GOOSE

A collection of geese is referred to as a “gaggle” when on the ground. When geese are in V-formation in flight, they are referred to collectively as a “skein”.

32 Local source of 49-Across produce, for short : CSA
[49A Like recently harvested produce : FARM FRESH]

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

35 Twin of Romulus : REMUS

According to tradition, Rome was founded by the twin brothers Romulus and Remus. The pair had a heated argument about who should be allowed to name the city and Romulus hit Remus with a shovel, killing him. And so, “Rome” was born, perhaps instead of “Reme”!

38 Tiny bits : IOTAS

Iota is the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet, and one that gave rise to our letters I and J. We use the word “iota” to portray something very small, as it is the smallest of all Greek letters.

39 Oscar-winning Marlon Brando film, or where the last words of 18-, 23-, 49-, and 57-Across can literally be found : ON THE WATERFRONT

The 1954 drama “On the Waterfront”, starring Marlon Brando, told a story of violence and corruption among longshoremen. The movie was based on a series of 24 articles written by investigative journalist Malcolm Johnston and published in “The New York Sun”. The original news stories uncovered mob infiltration on the New York City Waterfront, but the location for the film was chosen as Hoboken, New Jersey.

42 Word before pointer or printer : LASER …

eBay was founded in 1995 as AuctionWeb. One of the first items purchased was a broken laser pointer, for $14.83. The buyer was a collector of broken laser pointers …

The key features of a laser printer (or copier) are that it uses plain paper and produces quality text at high speed. Laser printers work by projecting a laser image of the printed page onto a rotating drum that is coated with photoconductors (material that becomes conductive when exposed to light). The areas of the drum exposed to the laser carry a different charge than the unexposed areas. Dry ink (toner) sticks to the exposed areas due to electrostatic charge. The toner is then transferred to paper by contact and is fused into the paper by the application of heat. So, that explains why paper coming out of a laser printer is warm, and the ink is sometimes powdery.

43 Letter embellishment, in typography : 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 …

44 Comedian Romano : RAY

Ray Romano is a comic actor and stand-up comedian from Queens, New York. He is perhaps best-known as the star of the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond”. Off-screen, Romano can be seen appearing regularly in pro-am golf tournaments. And, he has competed many times in the World Series of Poker.

46 Airborne mysteries : UFOS

Unidentified flying object (UFO)

57 Leavening agent that’s also a cleaning product : BAKING SODA (giving “soda water”)

Baking powder is a mixture of substances used to release carbon dioxide into a batter or dough in order to lighten it. In this respect, baking powder has a similar effect as yeast, and can be described as a leavening agent. A common mixture comprises sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with a weak acid. The acid reacts with the bicarbonate when water is added, releasing carbon dioxide.

64 Regional flora and fauna : BIOTA

The biota of a region is the total collection of flora and fauna found there.

The fauna (plural “faunae”) is the animal life of a particular region, and the flora (plural “florae”) is that region’s plant life. The term “fauna” comes from the Roman goddess of earth and fertility who was called Fauna. Flora was the Roman goddess of plants, flowers and fertility.

66 Smart __ : ALEC

Apparently, the original “smart Alec” (sometimes “Aleck”) was one Alec Hoag, a pimp, thief and confidence trickster who plied his trade in New York City in the 1840s.

68 Actress Daly : TYNE

Actress Tyne Daly really came into the public eye playing Detective Lacey in “Cagney and Lacey”. From 1999 to 2005, Daly played the mother of the title character in the TV show “Judging Amy”.

69 Result of a sting, maybe : WELT

The welt of a shoe is a strip, often made of leather, that runs along the perimeter of the outsole. It is used to attach the shoe’s upper to the outsole. The term “welt”, in this sense, dates back to the early 1600s. The extended use to mean “ridge on the skin from a wound” dates to the early 1800s.

Down

2 Zodiac sign also called the Ram : ARIES

Aries the Ram is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, and is named after the constellation. Your birth sign is Aries if you were born between March 21 and April 20, but if you are an Aries you would know that! “Aries” is the Latin word for “ram”.

5 Car sticker stat : MPG

Miles per gallon (mpg)

6 Roadside aid org. : AAA

The American Automobile Association (AAA) is a not-for-profit organization focused on lobbying, provision of automobile servicing, and selling of automobile insurance. The AAA was founded in 1902 in Chicago and published the first of its celebrated hotel guides back in 1917.

7 Jack who could eat no fat : SPRAT

“Jack Sprat” is a nickname given in the 16th century to people of small stature. Jack featured in a proverb of the day:

Jack will eat not fat, and Jull doth love no leane. Yet betwixt them both they lick the dishes cleane.

Over time, this mutated into a nursery rhyme that is still recited in England:

Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between them both, you see, they licked the platter clean.

8 “Frida” star Hayek Pinault : SALMA

“Frida” is a 2002 biographical film about the professional and private life of the surrealist Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Salma Hayek plays the title role, and Alfred Molina plays Kahlo’s husband and fellow artist Diego Rivera. Hayek’s performance earned her a nomination for a Best Actress Oscar, making her the first Mexican actress to be so honored.

11 Cape Town’s country: Abbr. : RSA

Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa (RSA), and one of three capital cities in the country. Pretoria is the executive capital, and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital.

25 Tibetan spiritual leaders : LAMAS

“Lama” is a Tibetan word meaning “chief, high priest”.

26 Cuckoo clock part : DOOR

Cuckoo clocks are usually regulated with a pendulum and signal the hour with the appearance of a cuckoo and the sound of a cuckoo’s call. Cuckoo clocks have been around since the 1600s, but they really took off in the 1850s when production ramped up in the Black Forest region of Germany for the export market.

27 Windmill part : ROTOR

A turbine is a machine that uses the flow of a fluid (sometimes air) to create rotational work. Simple examples of turbines are windmills and waterwheels.

28 Yoga pose : ASANA

“Asana” is a Sanskrit word that translates literally as “sitting down”. The asanas are the poses that a practitioner of yoga assumes. The most famous is the lotus position, the cross-legged pose called “padmasana”.

29 Short-tempered : TESTY

Somebody described as testy is touchy, irritably impatient. The term “testy” comes into English from Old French, ultimately deriving from “testu” meaning “stubborn, headstrong”, literally “heady”. So, our word “testy” comes from the same root as the French word “tête” meaning “head”.

31 Kathie Lee of morning talk : GIFFORD

Kathie Lee Gifford is most famous for working alongside Regis Philbin on the talk show “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee”, in a stint that lasted for about 15 years.

36 Sport-__: off-road vehicle : UTE

A utility vehicle is often called a “ute” for short. Nowadays one mainly hears about sport-utes and crossover-utes.

37 Skin rejuvenator : SERUM

Skin serums are liquids designed to be absorbed quickly and to deliver high concentrations of compounds that can address common skin conditions. Most serum formulations are intended to have an anti-aging effect, and are said to be more effective than using moisturizers and/or sunscreen.

41 Repeated jazz phrase : RIFF

A riff is a short rhythmic phrase in music, especially one improvised on a guitar.

49 Weather condition common around the Golden Gate Bridge : FOG

The Golden Gate is the opening of San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. The bridge that spans the Golden Gate is called the Golden Gate “Bridge”, and was opened in 1937. At that time it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. One of the most eerie things about the Golden Gate Bridge is that is the second most popular place in the whole world to commit suicide (after the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge). Steps have been taken to reduce the number of suicides, including suicide hotline telephones placed along the walkway, but still there is one suicide every two weeks on average throughout the year. There are plans to place a purpose-built net below the bridge as a deterrent, at a cost of tens of millions of dollars.

54 Round closer on an infant’s onesie : SNAP

A onesie is a baby’s one-piece bodysuit, and is a common gift at a baby shower.

57 “Doctor Who” TV network : BBC

The iconic science-fiction television show “Doctor Who” first aired in 1963 on the BBC, and relaunched in 2005. The relaunched series is produced in-house by the BBC in Cardiff in Wales, the location that is the setting of the successful “Doctor Who” spin-off called “Torchwood”. The new show is about the Cardiff branch of the Torchwood Institute which investigates incidents involving extraterrestrials. Why “Torchwood”? Well, “Torchwood” is an anagram of “Doctor Who”.

59 Colorful carp : KOI

Koi are fish that are also known as Japanese carp. Koi have been bred for decorative purposes and there are now some very brightly colored examples found in Japanese water gardens.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Meghan Trainor’s “All About That __” : BASS
5 Catholic service : MASS
9 Tossed : THREW
14 West Coast gas brand with ampm convenience stores : ARCO
15 Fatherly nickname : PAPA
16 Grocery section : AISLE
17 Fibber : LIAR
18 Blended condiment : GARLIC SALT (giving “saltwater”)
20 Pinochle plays : MELDS
22 Snowball pile, say : AMMO
23 Fictional band that uses an umlaut on the “n” in its name : SPINAL TAP (giving “tap water”)
26 “Rats” : DRAT
30 Portuguese lady : DONA
31 Honker in a gaggle : GOOSE
32 Local source of 49-Across produce, for short : CSA
35 Twin of Romulus : REMUS
38 Tiny bits : IOTAS
39 Oscar-winning Marlon Brando film, or where the last words of 18-, 23-, 49-, and 57-Across can literally be found : ON THE WATERFRONT
42 Word before pointer or printer : LASER …
43 Letter embellishment, in typography : SERIF
44 Comedian Romano : RAY
45 Neighborhoods : AREAS
46 Airborne mysteries : UFOS
48 Open-handed hit : SLAP
49 Like recently harvested produce : FARM FRESH (giving “freshwater”)
54 Unremarkable : SO-SO
55 Trial versions of software, e.g. : DEMOS
57 Leavening agent that’s also a cleaning product : BAKING SODA (giving “soda water”)
63 Locale : SITE
64 Regional flora and fauna : BIOTA
65 Give off : EMIT
66 Smart __ : ALEC
67 Refreshingly cool : CRISP
68 Actress Daly : TYNE
69 Result of a sting, maybe : WELT

Down

1 Salve : BALM
2 Zodiac sign also called the Ram : ARIES
3 Spot for implants : SCALP
4 Filthy : SORDID
5 Car sticker stat : MPG
6 Roadside aid org. : AAA
7 Jack who could eat no fat : SPRAT
8 “Frida” star Hayek Pinault : SALMA
9 Food truck snack : TACO
10 That dude’s : HIS
11 Cape Town’s country: Abbr. : RSA
12 Right-angled bracket shape : ELL
13 Damp : WET
19 Little pest : IMP
21 Noisy sleepers : SNORERS
24 Once again : ANEW
25 Tibetan spiritual leaders : LAMAS
26 Cuckoo clock part : DOOR
27 Windmill part : ROTOR
28 Yoga pose : ASANA
29 Short-tempered : TESTY
31 Kathie Lee of morning talk : GIFFORD
32 Some soft drinks : COLAS
33 Entangle : SNARL
34 On a cruise : AT SEA
36 Sport-__: off-road vehicle : UTE
37 Skin rejuvenator : SERUM
40 Messy mound : HEAP
41 Repeated jazz phrase : RIFF
47 Two-person playground fixture : SEESAW
49 Weather condition common around the Golden Gate Bridge : FOG
50 Profit-and-loss figure : ASSET
51 Spacious : ROOMY
52 Grin : SMILE
53 Suite spot : HOTEL
54 Round closer on an infant’s onesie : SNAP
56 Offshoot group : SECT
57 “Doctor Who” TV network : BBC
58 Beach ball filler : AIR
59 Colorful carp : KOI
60 “__ about time!” : IT’S
61 Clamor : DIN
62 Downed : ATE

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