LA Times Crossword 19 May 24, Sunday

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Constructed by: Parker Higgins
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Theme: IV Infusion

Themed answers are common phrases with the letters “IV” INFUSED, inserted:

• 22A 10-meter dash? : TRIVIAL RUN (IV in “trial run”)
• 33A Weekend activity for a group of clairvoyant sommeliers? : WINE AND DIVINE (IV in “wine and dine”)
• 46A Autograph on a rare baseball card? : CURSIVE OF THE BAMBINO (IV in “curse of the Bambino”)
• 62A Prayer candle depicting Taylor Swift as a saint? : POPULAR VOTIVE (IV in “popular vote”)
• 80A Excusing friends who secretly planned a surprise party? : FORGIVING AN ALLIANCE (IV in “forging an alliance”)
• 96A Ranking of recipes from most to least appetizing? : SALIVARY SCALE (IV in “salary scale”)
• 109A Turf damage caused by a raucous Czech band? : POLKA DIVOT (IV in “polka dot”)

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

Bill’s time: 19m 24s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Lullaby opener : HUSH …

“Hush, Little Baby” is a traditional lullaby that is thought to have originated in the American South, and to date back to at least the early 1900s. The opening rhyming couplets are:

Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.

If that mockingbird don’t sing,
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.

9 Sacred poem : PSALM

The Greek word “psalmoi” originally meant “songs sung to a harp”, and gave us the word “psalms”. In the Jewish and Western Christian traditions, the Book of Psalms contains 150 individual psalms, divided into five sections.

19 Disney princess and restaurateur : TIANA

“The Princess and the Frog” is an animated feature released in 2009 by Walt Disney Studios. The film is set in New Orleans in the twenties. A waitress named Tiana kisses a prince who had been turned into a frog, and then she herself turns into a frog.

21 Pt. of EMT : EMER

Emergency medical technician (EMT)

22 10-meter dash? : TRIVIAL RUN (IV in “trial run”)

Trivia are things of little consequence. “Trivia” is the plural of the Latin word “trivium” which means “a place where three roads meet”. Now that’s what I call a trivial fact …

25 Melodic structure of some Indian music : RAGA

Raga isn’t really a genre of music, but has been described as the “tonal framework” in which Indian classical music is composed. Ravi Shankar was perhaps the most famous raga virtuoso (to us Westerners). Western rock music with a heavy Indian influence might be called raga rock.

26 Punched metal : TIN

The Latin word for tin is “stannum”, and so tin’s atomic symbol is “Sn”. One of the ores used as a source of tin is “stannite”.

27 Nine-digit IDs on some W-9s : SSNS

IRS form W-9 is a Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. The W-9 is filled out by employees and used by employers for payroll purposes. The form is not submitted to the IRS.

28 Nabe near NYU : SOHO

The main campus of the private New York University (NYU) is located right in Manhattan, in Washington Square in the heart of Greenwich Village. NYU has over 12,000 resident students, the largest number of residents in a private school in the whole country. NYU’s sports teams are known as the Violets, a reference to the violet and white colors that are worn in competition. Since the 1980s, the school’s mascot has been a bobcat. “Bobcat” had been the familiar name given to NYU’s Bobst Library computerized catalog.

29 Vinyasa series : ASANAS

In some forms of yoga, it is important to make smooth transitions between the asana (poses). Such a transition is known as a vinyasa.

31 Game where it’s bad to catch a break? : EGG TOSS

Egg tossing is a game usually associated with Easter. In 1978, one Johnny Dell Foley tossed a fresh hen’s egg a distance of over 323 feet to a Keith Thomas to create a world record.

33 Weekend activity for a group of clairvoyant sommeliers? : WINE AND DIVINE (IV in “wine and dine”)

We’ve been using the term “clairvoyant” to describe a psychic since the nineteenth century. Prior to that, a clairvoyant was a clear-sighted person. The term comes from French, with “clair” meaning “clear” and “voyant” meaning “seeing”.

“Sommelier” is the French word for “wine steward”. If that steward is a female, then the term used in French is “sommelière”.

46 Autograph on a rare baseball card? : CURSIVE OF THE BAMBINO (IV in “curse of the Bambino”)

The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition cited as a reason for the failure of the Boston Red Sox the World Series from 1918 until 2004. The Curse was said to have been placed on the Red Sox by Babe “The Bambino” Ruth, who was reportedly angry at being traded to the Yankees.

49 Succulent spot : SILL

“Sill plate”, or simply “sill”, is an architectural term describing a bottom horizontal member to which vertical members are attached. Window sills and door sills are specific sill plates found at the bottoms of windows and door openings.

Succulent plants are those with thickened stems and/or leaves that have evolved to retain water. As such, succulents are often found where the climate is particularly dry. The term “succulent” comes from the Latin “sucus” meaning “juice, sap”.

51 Smidgen : TAD

Our word “smidgen” (sometimes shortened to “smidge”) is used to describe a small amount. The term might come from the Scots word “smitch” that means the same thing or “a small insignificant person”.

57 Language of a haka chant : MAORI

The haka is a war dance used by the Maori people of New Zealand. Famously, the New Zealand rugby team performs a haka before each of their matches.

61 Pilot’s fig. : ALT

Altitude (alt.)

62 Prayer candle depicting Taylor Swift as a saint? : POPULAR VOTIVE (IV in “popular vote”)

In some Christian traditions, the faithful can make an offering by lighting a votive or prayer candle. Each lit candle is symbolic of prayers that the worshiper is offering from themselves or for others.

66 Ragdoll or tuxedo : CAT

The ragdoll breed of cat only dates back to the 1960s. The breed was developed in Southern California, basically by selectively breeding alley cats. Ragdolls are often described as “dog-like” because of their innate behavior, following people around, lack of aggression towards other pets, and their willingness to be handled. When picked up, they tend to go limp, which is how the breed earned the name “ragdoll”.

A tuxedo cat is one with a white and black coat. Specifically, the coloring is a solid black coat with white fur on the paws, belly chest, throat and sometimes the chin.

69 Durable wood : TEAK

Teak is a hardwood tree in the mint family that is commonly found in monsoon forests of Asia. Teak’s tight grain and high oil content make it very suitable for constructing outdoor furniture, where weather resistance is valued. For the same reason, teak is the wood of choice for wooden decks on boats.

72 Shows the ropes : MENTORS

A mentor is a trusted teacher or counselor. The term “mentor” comes from Homer’s “Odyssey” in which there is a character named Mentor. He is a friend of Odysseus, although he is a relatively ineffective old man. The goddess Athena takes on Mentor’s appearance in order to guide Odysseus’s young son Telemachus through difficult times.

74 Get a lift, but not a Lyft : UBER

The rideshare service Uber takes its name from the English colloquial word “uber” meaning “super, topmost”, which in turn comes from the German “über” meaning “above”.

76 Fender blemish : DENT

On an automobile, the frames around the wheels are known as fenders. Their purpose is to prevent stones, liquids and other debris being thrown up by the rotating tires. “Fender” is a term used in American English. On the other side of the pond, fenders are usually called “wings”.

77 Scrooge’s 9-Down : BAH!
[9D “Drat!” : PHOOEY!]

The classic 1843 novella “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens has left us with a few famous phrases and words. Firstly, it led to popular use of the phrase “Merry Christmas”, and secondly it gave us the word “scrooge” to describe a miserly person. And thirdly, everyone knows that Ebenezer Scrooge uttered the words “Bah! Humbug!”.

89 Bygone big Apples : IMAC PROS

Apple made the iMac Pro from 2017 to 2021. It was positioned as an all-in-one alternative to the Mac Pro series of workstations.

90 Doily fabric : LACE

There was a draper in London in the seventeenth century named Doiley, and he gave his name to the lace fabric that he sold. The fabric in turn gave its name to the ornamental mat that we call a “doily”. I can’t abide doilies …

96 Ranking of recipes from most to least appetizing? : SALIVARY SCALE (IV in “salary scale”)

Ultimately, our contemporary term “saliva” is the Latin word for “spittle”.

It has been suggested that our term “salary” comes from the Latin “sal” meaning “salt”. The idea is that a Roman soldier’s “salarium” might have been an allowance to purchase salt.

101 Like the Ninja Turtles : TEENAGE

The “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” started out as a parody of comic book superheroes, first appearing in a self-published comic book in 1984. A couple of years later the characters were picked up by someone who built a whole line of toys around the characters, and then television and movies followed. Do you remember the names of all four of the Turtles? Their names were all taken from Renaissance artists:

• Leonardo
• Raphael
• Michelangelo
• Donatello

102 Mercury, but not zinc : PLANET

Mercury is the smallest of the planets in our solar system, and is the nearest to the Sun. Mercury orbits the sun relatively rapidly compared to the other planets, and this fact may have led to it being given the name “Mercury”, the Roman deity who was the speedy messenger to the gods.

Zinc is the chemical element with the atomic number 30 and the element symbol “Zn”. It is a metal that can form pointed crystals after smelting. It is probably these crystals that gave zinc its name, which comes from the Old High German “zint” meaning “point”.

104 “Auld Lang __” : SYNE

The song “Auld Lang Syne” is a staple at New Year’s Eve (well, actually in the opening minutes of New Year’s Day). The words were written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The literal translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is “old long since”, but is better translated as “old times”. The sentiment of the song is “for old time’s sake”.

105 “Modern Comfort Food” author Garten : INA

Ina Garten is an author as well as the host of a cooking show on the Food Network called “Barefoot Contessa”. She is a mentee of Martha Stewart, and indeed was touted as a potential “successor” to the TV celebrity when Stewart was incarcerated in 2004 after an insider trading scandal. Garten has no formal training as a chef, and indeed used to work as a nuclear policy analyst at the White House!

109 Turf damage caused by a raucous Czech band? : POLKA DIVOT (IV in “polka dot”)

The polka is a dance from central Europe, one that originated in Bohemia in the mid-1800s. It’s thought that “polka” comes from a Czech word meaning “little half”, reflecting the little half-steps included in the basic dance.

A divot is a chunk of grass and earth that is removed by a golf club immediately after striking the ball. “Divot” is derived from a Scottish word for a piece of turf or sod used as a roofing material.

A polka-dot pattern is one featuring an array of filled circles, usually of the same size and color. There doesn’t seem to be any connection between the name of the pattern and the polka dance, other than both the dance and the pattern gaining popularity around the same time, in the late nineteenth century.

112 Word before a Mass exodus? : AMEN

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”.

113 “Frozen” sauna owner : OAKEN

In the 2013 Disney movie “Frozen”, the character named Oaken owns the Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna.

114 Winter of “Modern Family” : ARIEL

Alex Dunphy is the youngest daughter of Claire and Phil on the sitcom “Modern Family”. Alex is played by the talented young actress Ariel Winter.

115 Parisian papa : PERE

In French, a “père” (father) is a “membre de la famille” (member of the family).

116 Photoreceptor cells : RODS

The retina is the tissue that lines the inside of the eye, and is the tissue that is light-sensitive. There are (mainly) two types of cells in the retina that are sensitive to light, namely rods and cones. Rods are cells that best function in very dim light and only provide black-and-white vision. Cones on the other hand function in brighter light and can perceive color.

118 Subway Series side : METS
99D Subway Series side, familiarly : YANKS

The term “Subway Series” has been used to describe World Series baseball games when both participating teams are based in New York.

119 Yemeni port : ADEN

Aden is a seaport in Yemen that is located on the Gulf of Aden by the eastern approach to the Red Sea. Aden has a long history of British rule, from 1838 until a very messy withdrawal in 1967. A native of Aden is known as an Adeni. Some believe that Cain and Abel are buried in the city.

Down

3 Beekeeper boo-boos : STINGS

A queen bee has a stinger, just like worker bees. When a worker bee stings, it leaves its stinger in its victim. The worker bee dies after losing its stinger as the loss rips out part of its insides. However, a queen bee can sting with impunity as her stinger’s anatomy is different.

4 Ride-sharing lane: Abbr. : HOV

In some parts of the country, one sees high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Out here in California we refer to them as carpool lanes.

7 Serengeti antelope : GNU

The Serengeti is a region in Africa located in northern Tanzania and southwest Kenya. The name “Serengeti” comes from the Maasai language and means “Endless Plains”.

10 Satirist Baron Cohen : SACHA

Sacha Baron Cohen is a comedian and comic actor from England. He is perhaps most famous for playing the characters Borat and Ali G on the small and large screens. I’m wasn’t a fan, but I must admit that I really enjoyed 2020’s “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”.

11 __ Martin: British sports car : ASTON

Aston Martin is a British car manufacturer founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin. The Aston part of the company name comes from Aston Hill, a famous site for hill-climbing cars that is nearby the original factory. Aston Martin cars are much loved by the British entertainment industry. James Bond was given one in “Goldfinger”, and Michael Caine drove one in the 1969 version of “The Italian Job”. Also, Roger Moore’s character drove a yellow Aston Martin in the seventies television show “The Persuaders!”.

12 5G precursor : LTE

In the world of telecommunications, the initialism LTE stands for Long-Term Evolution, and is wireless broadband communication standard. In general terms, LTE improves broadband speeds. As I understand it, LTE technology allows a 3G network to perform almost as well as a true 4G network, and so LTE is sometimes marketed as 4G LTE, even though it’s really “3G plus”.

13 Info about info : METADATA

“Metadata” is usually defined as “data about data”. The classic example is the card catalog of a library. The catalog is a set of data about a collection of books. Each entry in the catalog is data about a specific publication.

14 Skin care brand : CERAVE

CeraVe is a skin care brand that is owned by L’Oréal.

16 Like Gardein products : VEGAN

Gardein is a line of food products that are free of meat and dairy. The name “Gardein” is a portmanteau of “garden” and “protein”. The company is headquartered in Richmond in British Columbia.

23 Chemical relative : ISOMER

In the world of chemistry, isomers are two compounds with the same chemical formula (i.e. the same atomic constituents), but with a slightly different arrangement of the atoms relative to each other. The differing arrangement of atoms often leads to different chemical properties.

28 Consume greedily : SNARF

To snarf down is to gobble up, to eat voraciously. “Snarf” is a slang term that is probably related to “scarf”, which has the same meaning.

37 “L’Shana __”: Rosh Hashanah greeting : TOVA

“L’shanah tovah” is a traditional Jewish greeting meaning, “to a good year”.

40 Like a Christmas tree at night : LIT UP

The custom of decorating trees at Christmas seems to have originated in Renaissance Germany. Those first trees were placed in guildhalls and were decorated with sweets and candy for the apprentices and children. After the Protestant Reformation, the Christmas tree became an alternative in Protestant homes for the Roman Catholic Christmas cribs. The Christmas tree tradition was imported into Britain by the royal family because of its German heritage. That tradition spread from Britain into North America.

41 One-named flamenco guitarist : CHARO

Charo is an actress, comedian and flamenco guitarist from Spain. She is quite famous for her comedic catchphrase “cuchi cuchi”. Charo’s real name is … wait for it … María del Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Gutiérrez de los Perales Santa Ana Romaguera y de la Hinojosa Rasten.

Flamenco is a style of Spanish music and dance. The origin of the word “flamenco” isn’t clearly understood, but the explanation that seems most credible to me is that it comes from Flanders in Northern Europe. Given that “flamenco” is the Spanish word for “Flemish” and Flanders is home to the Flemish people it makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

44 Defensive take, for short? : INT

In football, a defensive back (DB) is constantly striving for an interception (Int).

45 Ballerina’s pivot point : TOE

Ballet is a type of dance that originated in Italy during the Renaissance. The term “ballet” ultimately derives from the Greek “ballizo” meaning “to dance”.

47 Treasure __ : TROVE

The term “treasure trove” comes from the Anglo-French “tresor trové “ meaning “found treasure”.

48 __-relief : BAS

In bas-relief, an image projects just a little above the background, as in perhaps a head depicted on a coin.

55 Green Power Partnership org. : EPA

The EPA’s Green Power Partnership supports organizations in their efforts to acquire green power, energy resources that benefit the environment.

57 Mediterranean island country : MALTA

The island state of Malta is relatively small (122 square miles), but its large number of inhabitants makes it one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. Malta’s strategic location has made it a prized possession for the conquering empires of the world. Most recently it was part of the British Empire and was an important fleet headquarters. Malta played a crucial role for the Allies during WWII as it was located very close to the Axis shipping lanes in the Mediterranean. The Siege of Malta lasted from 1940 to 1942, a prolonged attack by the Italians and Germans on the RAF and Royal Navy, and the people of Malta. When the siege was lifted, King George VI awarded the George Cross to the people of Malta collectively in recognition of their heroism and devotion to the Allied cause. The George Cross can still be seen on the Maltese flag, even though Britain granted Malta independence in 1964.

58 2022 World Cup winner: Abbr. : ARG

The 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament was held in Qatar, making it the first World Cup held in an Arab nation. As host nation, Qatar automatically qualified, marking the first time the Qatari national team had participated in the tournament. Argentina emerged victorious, beating France on penalties.

59 Pennsylvania in D.C. : AVE

Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. is sometimes called “America’s Main Street”, as it runs between the White House and the US Capitol. The exact reason why this important thoroughfare was given the name “Pennsylvania” seems to be unclear. One favored theory is that it was a gesture to the state of Pennsylvania after moving the country’s capital from Philadelphia.

63 Pipe trap : U-BEND

Most sinks in a home have a P-trap in the outlet pipe that empties into the sewer line. This P-trap has at its heart a U-bend that retains a small amount of water after the sink is emptied. This plug of water serves as a seal to prevent sewer gases entering into the home. By virtue of its design, the U-bend can also capture any heavy objects (like an item of jewelry) that might fall through the plughole. But the “trapping” of fallen objects is secondary to the P-trap’s main function of “trapping” sewer gases.

64 Important organs for a flutist : LUNGS

A flute is a woodwind instrument that doesn’t have a reed. Instead, sound is produced by blowing air across an opening. A flute player is often referred to as a flautist (sometimes “flutist”). Flutes have been around a long, long time. Primitive flutes found in modern-day Germany date back 43,000 to 35,000 years, which makes the flute the oldest known musical instrument.

68 Chinese kitchen general : TSO

“The Search for General Tso” is a 2014 documentary about the history of Chinese food in the US. Much of the film explores the life of Zuo Zontang, the Chinese military leader who gave his name to the very American dish known as General Tso’s chicken.

70 Unit of work : ERG

An erg is a unit of mechanical work or energy. It is a small unit, with one joule comprising 10 million ergs. It has been suggested that an erg is about the amount of energy required for a mosquito to take off. The term comes from “ergon”, the Greek word for work.

73 University of Arizona city : TUCSON

Tucson is the second largest city in Arizona (after Phoenix). The founding father of the city was Hugh O’Conor, yet another Irishman, but one who was raised in Spain. O’Conor was a mercenary working for Spain when he authorized the construction of a military fort called Presidio San Augustín del Tucsón in 1775, which eventually grew into the city that we know today. The Spanish name “Tucsón” comes from the local name “Cuk Ṣon”, which translates as “(at the) base of the black (hill)”.

The University of Arizona (UA, or “U of A”) was the first university founded in the state, opening its doors for students in Tucson in 1885 (which was actually 27 years before the territory was granted statehood).

75 Captcha target : BOT

A CAPTCHA is a challenge-and-response test that is used to determine if a user is a human or some automated program. The acronym “CAPTCHA” stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”.

76 Greasy spoon : DINER

“Greasy spoon” is a familiar term describing a restaurant, usually a diner, that is less than pristine and that serves cheap food.

78 MLB postseason semifinal : ALCS

American League Championship Series (ALCS)

81 “__ a dream … ” : I HAVE

1963’s March on Washington was one of the largest political rallies in the history of the US, with about a quarter of a million people participating in the march itself. The rally was a call for civil and economic rights for African Americans. Famously, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech to the protesters while standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

84 British barrister Clooney : AMAL

Amal Alamuddin married celebrated Hollywood actor George Clooney in 2014. Alamuddin was born in Beirut, Lebanon and moved with her family to London when she was a toddler. She is a lawyer specializing in international law, with one of her more renowned clients being the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange.

85 North London soccer club : ARSENAL

Arsenal Football Club (nicknamed “the Gunners”) is an English soccer team based in the Holloway district of London. The club was founded in 1886 as Dial Square by workers at the Royal Arsenal munitions factory. Dial Square was the name given to the workshops at the center of the Royal Arsenal complex. After just a few weeks in existence, the club changed its name to Royal Arsenal, which was eventually shortened to just Arsenal.

97 Memorable Texas landmark : ALAMO

The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna’s camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry “Remember the Alamo!”.

108 Glasgow no-go : NAE

Glasgow sits on the River Clyde, and is the largest city in Scotland and. Back in the Victorian Era, Glasgow earned a reputation for excellence in shipbuilding and was known as “Second City of the British Empire”. Glasgow shipyards were the birthplaces of such famous vessels as the Lusitania, the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth. People from Glasgow are known as Glaswegians.

109 Actress Dawber : PAM

Pam Dawber is the actress who teamed up with Robin Williams to play the lead roles in the sitcom “Mork & Mindy”. Dawber is married to the actor Mark Harmon.