L.A.Times Crossword Corner: May 32

May 23, 2023

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 Juliana Tringali Golden

You are SO RIGHT. Today's theme seems a bit off to me and really had me scratching my head. Notice that each of the theme answers ends in the letters "SO". The letters "SO" are to the RIGHT of the answer's other letters or words. So what is the connection of the word "Good" in the theme clue? Well, "Good" and "Right" can be synonymous. I know ~ it's a stretch. Notice, too, that the first and last theme answers are two words, while the middle three theme answers are only one word. If you see a deeper meaning in today's theme, please share.

17-Across. Good dog?: LHASA APSO.

25-Across. Good shot?: ESPRESSO.

37-Across. Good condition?: PROVISO.

Provisos in the cat world.

40. Good measures?: CALYPSO. Ok, class. Who remembers that Harry Belafonte (Mar. 1, 1927 ~ Apr. 25, 2023), the King of Calypso, appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle? Calypso certainly has a good beat.

48. Good character?: TED LASSO. Ted Lasso is a television show about an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team. Hilarity ensues. I have never seen Ted Lasso, so I don't know if he is a good character or not.

And the unifier of sorts:

60. For good reason, and a hint to five answers in this puzzle: RIGHTLY SO.

Across:

1. Disaster relief org.: FEMA. As in the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

5. Kimchi containers: JARS. // And 40-Down. Tuna holder: CAN. Kimchi is a traditional staple in Korean cuisine. It is made of salted, fermented vegetables, usually cabbage. I tried some for the first time a few weeks ago, and was pleasantly surprised that it was so good.

9. Out in the sticks: RURAL.

14. Finishes a cake, say: ICES.

It looks good enough to eat, but it's actually made of felt.

15. Grades K thru 6: ELEM. Elementary school.

16. Año Nuevo month: ENERO. Today's Spanish lesson. January is the first month of the year.

19. Temporary stay: VISIT.

20. Up-to-date: MODERN.

Modern, but uncomfortable, furniture.

21. Prepare to be photographed: POSE.

23. Skin pic: TAT.

24. Low-__: indistinct, as computer graphics: RES. As in Resolution.

27. Terra-__ tiles: COTTA. Many buildings on the LSU campus have terra-cotta tile roofs.

30. Rift: SCHISM. The Great Schism is probably one of the most well known. It was the separation of the Catholic church of the West from the Orthodox churches of the East. This schism took place in 1054 and was caused by disagreements between Western and Eastern church leaders on several issues, including Papal authority.

31. "Aw, not again!": UGH!

32. Little one: TOT.

Tater Tot

33. "Ask and you shall receive!": NAME IT.

41. Calm and collected: SERENE.

42. Buddy: PAL.

43. "Xanadu" band, for short: ELO. The band's full name is Electric Light Orchestra. [Name # 1.]

44. One after another: IN TURN.

46. Bit of luck: BREAK.

51. Cheer at a fútbol match: OLÉ. More of today's Spanish lesson.

52. Logger's tool: AXE. Paul Bunyan carried a big AXE.

53. Abound (with): TEEM.

54. Monopoly token worn by Mr. Monopoly: TOP HAT.

58. Rhythm of daily life?: PULSE. Great clue.

62. Ibuprofen brand: ADVIL. Everything you wanted to known about Ibuprofen but didn't know to ask.

63. "That makes sense": I SEE.

64. Orangutans, e.g.: APES. Did you know that Orangutan means "person of the forest" in the Indonesian and Malaysian languages?

65. Far from posh: SEEDY.

66. Unwelcome garden grazers: DEER.

67. Congressional assents: YEAS.

Down:

1. Movie: FILM.

2. Canyon phenomenon: ECHO.

3. Honey-based beverage: MEAD. Also the name of a lake on the Nevada-Arizona border named after Elwood Mead (Jan. 16, 1858 ~ Jan. 26, 1936). It is actually a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam. It is the largest reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity. It has been in news recently.

4. State as fact: ASSERT.

5. Dungarees: JEANS. Last Saturday May 20, 2023 marked an historic day for blue jeans: it was 150th anniversary of the blue jean. On May 20, 1873 Levi Strauss (Feb. 26, 1829 ~ Sept. 26, 1902) and Jacob Davis (1831 ~ 1908) obtained a U.S. patent on the process of putting rivets in men's work pants for the very first time.

6. Many a mountain whose name ends in "horn": ALP. The most well know is the Matterhorn.

7. Word spelled out in an Aretha Franklin hit: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Time for a musical interlude.

8. Mash down: SMOOSH.

9. Changeabout: REVERSAL.

10. Sea urchin, at a sushi bar: UNI. Everything you wanted to know about UNI but didn't know ask.

11. Takes a breather: RESTS.

12. La Scala solos: ARIAS. One of my favorite arias is from Carmen.

13. Mega Millions, e.g.: LOTTO. A Mega Millions clue appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle, too.

States and Territories that have the Mega Millions lottery.

18. Cabinetmaker's calculation: AREA.

22. "This Is __ Tap": SPINAL. This mockumentary movie came out nearly 40 years ago. I remember it as being really funny. I wonder how it has held up after these years.

26. "Abbott Elementary" award: EMMY. Another mockumentary. Abbott Elementary is current television series about teachers in a poorly funded public school (aren't they all). The focus is a young, idealistic second grade teacher trying to do her best in a school that is also terribly mismanaged.