L.A.Times Crossword Corner

Apr 23, 2024

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 Matthew Stock and Wendy L Brandes

Home is where the heart is. The last word of each theme clue describes a type of living space.

16-Across. Digs for a member of a string quartet?: CELLO SUITE. Suite: a set of rooms designated for one person's or family's use or for a particular purpose.

26-Across. Digs for a gym rat?: MUSCLE BUILDING. Building: a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house, school, store, or factory.

42-Across. Digs for a Greek mythology buff?: OEDIPUS COMPLEX. Complex: A building complex consists of a large building or series of interconnected buildings that fulfill a specific purpose.

56-Across. Digs for a dancer?: BALLET FLAT. Flat: A term predominantly used in the United Kingdom to describe a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building. The etymology of flat originates from the Old English word “flett,” dating back to the 1300s. The term means level and in one plane. Hence, the term flat is used to describe a one-level apartment.

Across:

1. Dynamism: PEP.

4. Eatery with a chalkboard menu: BISTRO. Bistro: a small, casual restaurant with a relatively inexpensive, simple menu. Though often a French restaurant, it doesn't have to be, and not every bistro serves French food. I was just reading something about the defeat of Napoleon and learned about the word Bistro came into the French language. It was first used in the early 1800s following the 1814 occupation of Paris by Russian soldiers. It seems that it was a mispronunciation of a Russian word that meant hurry. Russian soldiers would shout Hurry at restaurant owners while waiting for their food. Small restaurants began to pop-up that could quickly serve food ~ the original fast food restaurants!

10. Free TV spot: PSA. As in Public Service Announcement.

13. "Origin" writer/director DuVernay: AVA. Ava Marie DuVernay (b. Aug. 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She has been involved in many movies, including Selma, and A Wrinkle in Time. Origin is based on Isabel Wilkerson's book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. [Name # 1.]

14. Off-the-cuff performance: IMPROV. Short for Improvisation.

15. Final push?: CRAM. Cram: Study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination.

18. Roll-call call: HERE.

19. "At Wit's End" writer Bombeck: ERMA. Erma Bombeck (née Erma Louise Bombeck; Feb. 21, 1927 ~ Apr. 22, 1996) was an American humorist. She wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns which gave a humorous view on family life. She also published 15 books. At Wit's End, her first publish book, came out in 1967. [Name # 2.]

20. Spherical body: ORB.

21. "Ant" on a celery "log": RAISIN.

23. Scand. land: NOR. Norway is a Scandinavian country.

25. Flakes on plans: BAILS. This clue appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle as Flake (on): Bail. [See 68-Across in last week's puzzle.]

32. Lauder in the cosmetics aisle: ESTÉE. Estée Lauder (née Josephine Esther Mentzer; July 1, 1908 ~ Apr. 24, 2004) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles. She was an American businesswoman. She and her husband, Joseph Lauter co-founded her eponymous cosmetics company. [Name # 3.]

33. Measurement given in degrees: ANGLE.

34. __ Lanka: SRI. Sri Lanka is the tear-drop island off the south-east coast of India.

36. OPS or RBI: STAT. Both OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) and RBI (Runs Batted In) are baseball Statistics.

37. Prunes: TRIMS.

38. Sparks or Fire: TEAM. The Los Angeles Sparks are a WNBA Team and the Chicago Fire is a soccer Team. This clue is immediately followed by 39-Across. Like sparks and fire: HOT.

40. __ Monica Pier: SANTA.

41. Mazda roadster: MIATA.

45. Entrepreneur __ C.J. Walker: MADAM. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Madam C J Walker (née Sarah Breedlove; b. Dec. 23, 1867 ~ May 25, 1919) was the first female self-made millionaire in America. That's a pretty amazing feat considering she was an African-American woman who born in Louisiana a year before the State was readmitted into the Union. Her older sibling were all born enslaved. She made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women. [Name # 4.]

46. Language in which to order larb: LAO. Larb is certainly not a Tuesday word. Larb is a spicy and sour meat salad and is the national dish of Laos.

47. Puts one's feelings on display: EMOTES.

49. Woebegone: SAD. // And 52-down. Woebegone word: ALAS.

51. Hand-held coolers: FANS.

55. Checkout lane purchase: TOTE.

59. Starchy snack bites, for short: TOTS. Think of Tater Tots. Yummers! // And 40-Down: 59-Across, perhaps: SIDE.

60. Tennis star Andre: AGASSI. Andre Kirk Agassi (b. Apr. 29, 1970) was briefly married to actress Brooke Shields (b. May 31, 1965) in the 1990s. [Name # 5.]

61. Periodontists' gp.: ADA. As in the American Dental Association.

62. "Without further __ ... ": ADO.

63. Like some work from home: REMOTE.

64. "__ your piece": SAY.

Down:

1. Four-minute mile, for one: PACE.

2. CCR's "Have You __ Seen the Rain": EVER. This song was first released in 1971 by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Can it really be over half a century ago?

3. Acai tree, e.g.: PALM.

4. Info on a profile page: BIO. As in a Biography

5. Post-triathlon lament: I'M SORE.

6. Barrel racer's accessory: SPUR.

7. Chi-Town paper: TRIB. As in the Chicago Tribune. Film critic and journalist Gene Siskel (1946 ~ 1999) wrote for the Tribune.

8. Turn brown, maybe: ROT.

9. Clothes with bibs and braces: OVERALLS.

10. Film similar to cling wrap: PRESS'N SEAL. A bit unfair, since cling wrap is a generic term and the answer is the name of a product.

11. Garment that may be nine yards long: SARI.

12. Grace ender: AMEN.

15. Cook-off entry: CHILI.

17. Small surgical knife: LANCET. Another déjà vu from last Tuesday. Also the name of a medical journal. The Lancet, which was founded in England in 1823, is one of the oldest medical journals. [See 30-Down from last week.]

22. Congressional staffer: AIDE.

24. "Rah," in fútbol: OLÉ. Today's Spanish lesson.

25. Signature Golden Arches offering: BIG MAC. I understand it has a special sauce.

26. Sports bib material: MESH.

27. "We totally agree": US, TOO.

28. "Liberty and Prosperity," for New Jersey, e.g.: STATE MOTTO. Louisiana's state motto is Union, Justice and Confidence. What's yours?

29. Bailey's circus partner: BARNUM. As in P.T. Barnum (né Phineas Taylor Barnum; July 5, 1810 ~ Apr. 7, 1891) and James Anthony Bailey (né James Anthony McGinnis; July 4, 1847 ~ Apr. 11, 1906). [Names # 6 and 7.]

30. Curriculum parts: UNITS.

31. Shred, as cheese: GRATE.

35. Big big-screen format: IMAX.

37. Eatery with small plates: TAPAS BAR. A tapa is an appetiser or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold or hot. In some bars and restaurants in Spain and across the globe, tapas have evolved into a very sophisticated cuisine. Yummers!

38. WNBA game start: TIP OFF.

41. UFC sport: MMA. As in Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship.

43. eHarmony matches: DATES.

44. Like Yellowstone, among National Parks: OLDEST. Yellowstone National Park was established by and Act of Congress and President Ulysses S Grant () signed it into law on March 1, 1872. Not only is Yellowstone National park the first National Park in the United States, but it is also believed to be the first national park in the world.

47. "At Last" singer James: ETTA. Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles. [Name # 8.]