L.A.Times Crossword Corner

Nov 9, 2024

Saturday, November 9, 2024, John Andrew Agpalo

Saturday Themeless by John Andrew Agpalo

John's third LA Times puzzle turned out to be a pleasant and quick walk in the park for this solver. John's construction had a low word count of only sixty four which yeilded a very desirable count of only six three-letter words. When the long fills appear with ease, it greatly facilitates obtaining a "got 'er done!"

Across:

1. Running tally?: VOTES - I followed a bunch of these Tuesday night.

6. City on the River Clyde: GLASGOW - GLASGOW on the Clyde at night

13. Fast train between Union Station and Back Bay Station: ACELA - This train and its lovely three vowels pulls into our crossword station quite often.

14. Target of a dehumidifier: MOISTURE and 12. Adds 14-Across: WETS - I'll be making the switch in our basement very soon.

15. German city: STADT - The largest in Germany according to their 2018 census

16. Outline in a plaster of paris keepsake: HAND PRINT.

17. "Get lost!": TAKE A HIKE.

19. Mike Trout's team, familiarly: HALOS - Mike Trout has been one of the MLB's best players for years as a member of the Los Angeles Angels, but like the Cubs' Ernie Banks, has never been in a World Series.

20. Vulcan salute, e.g.: GESTURE.

21. "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe" painter: MANET - The Luncheon On The Grass with clothing optional. Our friend Jeffery Wechsler would be so disappointed I don't know my MANET from my Monet.

22. Hall of Famer Ronnie who won four Super Bowls with the 49ers: LOTT - Some consider Ronnie to be the best safety in NFL history. Here he is separating a receiver from the ball

23. Got completely out of hand: RAN WILD.

25. Colony toiler: ANT.

26. Commits a hoops infraction: GOAL TENDS - If a basketball shot is in or above the basket cylinder, neither the offense or defense can touch it. Ironically, as our own goal tender Splynter can attest, it is perfectly legal in hockey!

30. Incapable of having a bad hair day, say: BALD - Waddaya think?

32. Gives hell?: DAMNS.

33. Catastrophic: DIRE.

34. Deliberate: SLEEP ON IT - The verb not the adjective. My car salesman friend says the chances for a sale go way down when a customer wants to do this.

36. Veto: NIX.

37. Pioneer in "New New Orleans" cuisine: LAGASSE.

39. Tax: LEVY.

40. Quite buff, casually: SWOLE.

42. In proportion: TO SCALE - Gutzon Borglum made a scale model and then transferred those dimensions to the mountain.

44. Airport featured in "Home Alone": O'HARE.

45. Notable name on a case: SAMSONITE - My 1964 H.S. graduation present from Grandma Opal

47. Dish that requires one's level best?: LAYER CAKE - Usually

49. Strikingly real: VIVID - This amazing holographic reproduction of an ABBA concert now playing in London is said to be very VIVID!

50. Supersuit designer who insists, "No capes"!: EDNA MODE ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - A cartoon based on Edith Head. If you're interested...

51. "They Called Us __": graphic novel co-written by George Takei: ENEMY - The story of his family's life in Japanese internment camps after Pearl Harbor.

52. [Look below]: SEE NOTE.

53. Levels a theatre, say: RASES - Alternate spelling for RAZES [Look below]

Down:

1. Seemingly endless: VAST.

2. Like many gazebos: OCTAGONAL.

3. Water heater: TEA KETTLE - Wrapped by a tea cosy not cozy (similar to raise and raze?)

4. Like Meg, among the March sisters: ELDEST - Little Women

5. Occupied, as a table: SAT AT.

6. Missing: GONE.

7. Topper: LID.

8. Lot surface: ASPHALT.

9. High and dry: STRANDED - How hurricanes can leave boats

10. Chicanery: GUILE.

11. Second-guessing phrase: OR NOT.

14. "Let me be clear": MAKE NO MISTAKE.

16. Some characters in Japanese writing: HIRAGANA - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

18. "Ben-__": HUR - It took 800 workers 4 months to build this recreation of Rome's Circus Maximus for the 13-minute chariot race scene in the 1925 version of Ben-Hur. [Look Below] Today this land has massive lanes of traffic and shops in Culver City, CA.