LA Times Crossword Answers 14 Oct 12, Sunday

CROSSWORD SETTER: John Lampkin
THEME: Location, Location, Location … each of the theme answers is a “punny location”, that sounds like a well-known term:

25A. African antelope’s haven? GNU REPUBLIC (from “New Republic”)
27A. Farmer’s fields? FODDERLAND (from “Fatherland”)
44A. Roomer’s mecca? BOARDER STATE (from “border state”)
66A. Ford’s legacy? AUTO-MAN EMPIRE (from “Ottoman Empire”)
85A. Oscar fan’s realm? WILDE KINGDOM (from “Wild Kingdom”)
108A. Celebrity chef’s turf? EMERIL CITY (from “Emerald City”)
110A. Bellyacher’s bailiwick? WHINE REGION (from “wine region”)
42D. Friendly folks’ environs? HI COUNTRY (from “high country”)
50D. Jurist’s paradise? SUE NATION (from “Sioux Nation”)

COMPLETION TIME: 38m 03s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
9. Coffee flavoring MOCHA
Mocha is a port city in Yemen on the Red Sea, once the principal port for the capital city of Sana’a. Mocha was the major marketplace in the world for coffee until the 1600s, giving the name to the Mocha coffee bean.

19. Roaring Camp chronicler HARTE
“The Luck of Roaring Camp” is a short story by the author Bret Harte, first published in 1868.

Bret Harte was a storyteller noted for his tales of the American West even though he himself was from back East, born in Albany, New York.

22. Britten’s “Billy Budd,” e.g. OPERA
“Billy Budd” is a novella by American author Herman Melville, although he didn’t have time to finish it before he died in 1891. There is a fairly well-known operatic adaptation of the novella with a score by English composer Benjamin Britten.

25. African antelope’s haven? GNU REPUBLIC (from “New Republic”)
“The New Republic” is a magazine dealing with politics and the arts that is published in Washington, D.C.

29. Eocene and Miocene EPOCHS
The Eocene Epoch lasted from 56 to 34 million years ago, and is noted for the emergence of the first mammals on the planet.

The Miocene Epoch lasted from about 23 to 5 million years ago, and is noted for the emergence of kelp forests in the oceans, and grasslands on land.

38. Actress Vardalos NIA
Not only is the delightful Nia Vardalos the star of the 2002 hit movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, she also wrote the screenplay. The film never made it to number one at the box office, but it still pulled in more money than any other movie in history that didn’t make it to number one. That record I think reflects the fact that the film wasn’t a blockbuster but rather a so-called “sleeper hit”, a movie that people went to see based on referrals from friends. The big fat mistake came when a spin-off TV show was launched, “My Big Fat Greek Life”. It ran for only 7 episodes.

55. Galleria display ARTE
In Italy, one can see art (“arte”) in a gallery (“galleria”).

56. Aimée of “La Dolce Vita” ANOUK
Anouk Aimée is a French film actress. Her most famous film outside of France is probably the internationally successful French hit from 1966, “A Man and a Woman”, in which she played the female lead.

The title of the celebrated 1960 Federico Fellini film “La Dolce Vita” translates from Italian as “The Good Life”. There is a character in the film called Paparazzo who is a news photographer. It is this character that gives us the word “Paparazzi”, used for photographers who aim to take candid shots of celebrities.

60. Rhododendron variety AZALEA
Azaleas are very toxic to horses, sheep and goats, but strangely enough cause no problem for cats or dogs. And if you go to Korea you might come across “Tugyonju”, which is azalea wine made from the plant’s blossoms.

64. Nicklaus rival WATSON
Tom Watson is a professional golfer from Kansas City, Missouri. Watson was the world number one from 1978 to 1982. In 2009, he got very close to winning the British Open Championship, losing in a 4-hole playoff. At the time, Watson was just a few months shy of 60 years age …

66. Ford’s legacy? AUTO-MAN EMPIRE (from “Ottoman Empire”)
Osman I was the man who established the Ottoman Dynasty, with “Ottoman” coming from the name “Osman”. This is despite the fact that the “Ottoman Empire” came about with the conquest of Constantinople, and that didn’t happen until almost 130 years after Osman I died.

71. 1960s-’70s first family NIXONS
President Richard Milhous Nixon used “Milhous” in his name in honor of his mother, Hannah Milhous who married Francis Nixon. Richard was born in a house in Yorba Linda, California. You can visit that house today as it is on the grounds of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. It’s a really interesting way to spend a few hours if you ever get to Yorba Linda …

76. Floral fragrances ATTARS
Attar is a fragrant essential oil obtained from flowers, and the term may particularly refer to attar of roses.

81. Alligator __ PEAR
“Alligator pear” is another name for an avocado.

83. Legally block ESTOP
The legal term “estop” means to block or stop by using some legal device. The word “estop” comes from Old French, in which “estopper” means “to stop up” or “to impede”.

84. Feathered mimic MYNA
Some species of myna (also “mynah”) bird are known for their ability to imitate sounds.

85. Oscar fan’s realm? WILDE KINGDOM (from “Wild Kingdom”)
“Wild Kingdom” is a wildlife and nature show that first aired in 1963, running until 1988. Back then the show was famously sponsored by Mutual of Omaha. “Wild Kingdom” has been revived fairly recently and has been shown on Animal Planet since 2002.

If you didn’t know that Oscar Wilde was Irish, you will when you see the name he was given at birth: Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde!

97. Round Table figure GALAHAD
Sir Galahad is one of the Knights of the Round Table of Arthurian legend. Galahad is the illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot, so appears a little later in the tales. He is very gallant and noble, and some see him as the embodiment of Jesus in the Arthurian tradition. Indeed, legend has it that his soul was brought to heaven by Joseph of Arimathea, the man who donated his own tomb for the burial of Jesus according to the Gospels.

100. It broke up in 1991: Abbr. USSR
The former Soviet Union (USSR) was created in 1922, not long after the Russian Revolution of 1917 that overthrew the Tsar. Geographically, the new Soviet Union was roughly equivalent to the old Russian Empire, and was comprised of fifteen Soviet Socialist Republics.

104. __ Darya River AMU
The Amu Darya is a major river in Central Asia that empties into the Aral Sea. It is also called the Oxus or Amu River.

108. Celebrity chef’s turf? EMERIL CITY (from “Emerald City”)
The Emerald City is of course the capital of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum’s series of “Oz” novels.

Emeril Lagasse is an American chef, born in Massachusetts. Lagasse first achieved notoriety as executive chef in Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Now famous for his television shows, his cuisine still showcases New Orleans ingredients and influences. Lagasse started using his famous, “Bam!” catchphrase in order to keep his crew awake during repeated tapings of his show.

119. Site of unplayable organs TORSO
“Torso” (plural “torsi”) is an Italian word meaning the “trunk of a statue”, a word that we imported into English.

121. Philly cager SIXER
In the early days of basketball, when a ball went out of bounds possession was awarded to the player who first retrieved the ball. This led to mad scuffles off the court, often involving spectators. As the game became more organized courts were routinely “caged”, largely because of this out of bounds rule, to limit interaction with the crowd. So basketball players are sometimes referred to as “cagers”.

Down
1. Dumbwaiter enclosure SHAFT
A Lazy Susan is a circular tray at the center of a dining table that can be rotated by those partaking in the meal. The term “Lazy Susan” was introduced in the early 1900s, first appearing in an article in the magazine “Good Housekeeping”. Before this designation, the device had been called a “dumbwaiter”, a term we now use for a small elevator used for transporting food from a kitchen to a dining room.

4. Liszt’s “Transcendental __” ETUDES
Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was a Hungarian composer and a fabulous pianist. Particularly towards the end of his life, Liszt gained a tremendous reputation as a teacher. While he was in his sixties, his teaching profession demanded that he commute regularly between the cities of Rome, Weimar and Budapest. It is quite remarkable that a man of such advanced age, and in the 1870s, could do so much annual travel. It is estimated that Liszt journeyed at least 4,000 miles every year!

5. Elliott the Dragon’s friend PETE
“Pete’s Dragon” is a Walt Disney feature film released in 1977. It’s all about an orphan named Pete who has a dragon named Elliott as a friend.

9. Controversial flavor enhancer MSG
Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of a naturally-occurring (and non-essential) amino acid called glutamic acid. It is used widely as a flavor enhancer, particularly in many Asian cuisines. Whether or not it is harmful seems to be still under debate. I say that something produced in a test tube shouldn’t be in our food …

15. 911 call follow-up, perhaps APB
An All Points Bulletin (APB) is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

16. Baseball commissioner who helped establish interleague play SELIG
Bud Selig is the current commissioner of Major League Baseball. Selig became acting commissioner in 1992 after the resignation of Fay Vincent. The team owners searched for a new commissioner for six years, and finally gave the permanent job to Selig in 1998.

24. Bilbo’s heir FRODO
Frodo Baggins is a principal character in J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”. Frodo is a Hobbit, and was charged with the quest of destroying Sauron’s Ring in the fires of Mount Doom.

Bilbo Baggins is the main character in Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”, and someone who makes several appearances in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

37. Playing hooky, maybe: Abbr. ABS
Absent (abs.)

40. They made Trigger happy OATS
Roy Rogers had a famous horse, a palomino named Trigger. When Rogers met up with Trigger, he was a “horse-for-rent” who appeared regularly in films. He was called Golden Cloud back then, and one of the horse’s roles was as the mount of Maid Marian, played by Olivia de Havilland in “The Adventures of Robin Hood”. After Rogers rode Golden Cloud in his first major movie, he bought him and renamed him Trigger.

43. Memorable provider of roadside aid SAMARITAN
“The Good Samaritan” is a parable told by Jesus that can be read in the Gospel of Luke. According to the story, a Jewish traveler is robbed and beaten and left for dead at the side of the road. A priest happens by and sees the poor man, but does not stop to help. A fellow Jew also passes and refuses to help. A third man stops and gives aid. This kind person is a Samaritan, a native of Samaria. Back then Jewish and Samarian people were said to generally despise each other, and yet here a detested creature gives aid. Jesus told to the story to a self-righteous lawyer, the intent being (I assume) to shake up his self-righteousness.

46. Classic laundry soap RINSO
Rinso was a laundry detergent first manufactured in England in 1908 by a company called Hudson’s Soap. The detergent was introduced into the US in 1918. In America, Rinso took to radio advertising and sponsorship in the days of “soap operas”. Their most famous program association was with “The Amos ‘n’ Andy Show” in the forties. One of the Rinso brand’s slogans was “Solium, the sunlight ingredient”. I have no idea what Solium is, but it certainly did sell a lot of soap!

56. Mexican pyramid builder AZTEC
The Aztec people of Central America dominated the region in the 14th – 16th centuries. Two traits of the Aztec people are oft cited today. They built some magnificent pyramids, and they also engaged in human sacrifice. The two traits were linked in a way. For the consecration of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan, 84,400 prisoners were sacrificed over a period of four days.

58. Satyr cousins FAUNS
Fauns are regarded as the Roman mythological equivalent of the Greek satyrs, but fauns were half-man and half-goat and much more “carefree” in personality than their Hellenic cousins. In the modern age we are quite familiar with Mr. Tumnus, the faun-like character encountered by the children entering the world of Narnia in C. S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”.

59. “Inferno” author DANTE
Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy” is an epic poem dating back to the 14th century. The first part of that epic is “Inferno”, which is the Italian word for “Hell”. In the poem, Dante is led on a journey by the poet Virgil, starting at the gates of Hell on which are written the famous words “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here”.

62. Soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, e.g. MAORI
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is an outstanding soprano from New Zealand who was in great demand for operatic performances in the seventies and eighties.

64. Tobacco industry whistle-blower Jeffrey WIGAND
Jeffrey Wigand was once vice president of research and development at the tobacco company Brown & Williamson. Famously, Wigand gave a “tell all” interview for television’s “60 Minutes” in which he described deliberate actions by his employers to increase the level of addiction of cigarette smokers. Wigand’s fascinating story was told in the 1999 movie “The Insider”, with Russell Crowe playing the whistle-blower.

68. Pequod part-owner PELEG
The Pequod is the ship that figures in Herman Melville’s classic, “Moby Dick”. The ship is owned by a consortium of the citizens of Nantucket Island, including Captains Ahab, Bildad and Peleg.

70. Youngest Marx brother ZEPPO
The five Marx Brothers were born to “Minnie” and “Frenchy” Marx in New York City. The more famous older boys were Chico, Harpo and Groucho. Zeppo was the youngest brother, and he appeared in the early Marx Brothers movies. The fifth son was called Gummo, and he decided to pursue a different career off the stage.

72. Kubla Khan’s palace XANADU
“Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is my wife’s favorite poem. Coleridge wrote the masterpiece one night in 1797 after a vivid dream heavily influenced by opium.

75. Amendments 1-10 subj. RTS
The Constitution of the United States was adopted on September 17, 1787. There have been 27 amendments to the constitution, the first ten of which are collectively called the Bill of Rights. In essence the Bill of Rights limits the power of the Federal Government and protects the rights of individuals. For example, the First Amendment states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

78. Hundred-dollar bills, in slang BENJAMINS
Benjamin Franklin is featured on one side of the hundred-dollar bill, and Philadelphia’s Independence Hall on the other side. There is a famous “error” in the image of Independence Hall. If you look closely at the clock face at the top of the building you can see that the “four” is written in Roman numerals as “IV” as perhaps one might expect. However, on the actual clock on Independence Hall, the “four” is denoted by “IIII”.

86. RV park chain KOA
Kampgrounds of America (KOA) was founded in 1962 by Montana businessman Dave Drum, who opened up his first property along the Yellowstone River. His strategy was to offer a rich package of services including hot showers, restrooms and a store, which he hoped would attract people used to camping in the rough. The original campground was an immediate hit and Drum took on two partners and sold franchises all over the country. There are about 500 KOA sites today.

87. Vague rumor ON-DIT
An “on-dit” is bit of gossip, derived from the French “on dit” meaning “one says”.

90. Angus cut RIB EYE
The full name of the cattle breed is “Aberdeen Angus”, the name used around the world outside of the US. The breed was developed by cross-breeding cattle from the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland. The breed stands out in the US, as Angus cattle don’t have horns.

96. Birder’s Andean mecca QUITO
Quito is the capital city of Ecuador. Quito is a vast metropolis and so is of limited interest to bird watchers. However, the city makes a great starting point for an ornithologist heading off to spot birds in the Andes mountains.

102. Winwood of Traffic STEVE
Traffic was an English rock band, popular in the late sixties and early seventies. The most famous musician in the lineup was guitarist and singer Steve Winwood.

103. Cup sought every two years RYDER
The Ryder Cup trophy was donated to golf by Samuel Ryder, an English entrepreneur. Ryder made his money selling garden seeds in small packets. He only took up golf when he was in his fifties but became quite the enthusiast and eventually donated the trophy in 1927, when it was valued at 100 guineas.

107. “Pants on fire” person LIAR
The full rhyme used by children to deride someone not telling the truth is:

Liar, liar, pants on fire,
Hang them up on the telephone wire.

The rhyme is the source of the title for the 1997 Jim Carrey comedy “Liar Liar”. It’s a funny film about a lawyer who finds himself only able to tell the truth and cannot tell a lie, all because his son made a birthday wish.

109. Bussing needs LIPS
To “buss” is to “kiss”.

111. Some Windows systems NTS
Windows XP, Windows Vista and now Windows 7; they’re all based on the Windows NT operating system. There is a common perception that Windows NT (WNT) takes its name from VMS, an earlier operating system developed by Digital Equipment Corporation. “WNT” is what’s called a “Caesar cypher” of “VMS”, as you just augment the letters of VMS alphabetically by one to arrive at WNT. Bill Gates disputes this derivation of the name, and in a 1998 interview stated that the NT originally stood for N-Ten and that the marketing folks at Microsoft revised history by changing it to “New Technology”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Nighttime refresher SLEEP
6. Stir ADO
9. Coffee flavoring MOCHA
14. Galleon spars MASTS
19. Roaring Camp chronicler HARTE
20. Like some cats HEP
21. Faint SWOON
22. Britten’s “Billy Budd,” e.g. OPERA
23. Command to a soldier ABOUT-FACE
25. African antelope’s haven? GNU REPUBLIC (from “New Republic”)
27. Farmer’s fields? FODDERLAND (from “Fatherland”)
29. Eocene and Miocene EPOCHS
30. Unappreciative response ICK
31. Cardinal’s resting place TREE
32. Bid OFFERED
34. They may be written in tablets DOSAGES
36. Down SAD
38. Actress Vardalos NIA
39. At an earlier time SOONER
41. Appreciative responses AHS
44. Roomer’s mecca? BOARDER STATE (from “border state”)
48. It: It. ESSA
52. Amp controls DIALS
54. Shaping devices DIES
55. Galleria display ARTE
56. Aimée of “La Dolce Vita” ANOUK
57. Highest point ACME
58. Like some memories FOND
59. Tints DYES
60. Rhododendron variety AZALEA
61. Route directories ROAD MAPS
63. Mexican pyramid builder MAYA
64. Nicklaus rival WATSON
65. Berliner’s cont. EUR
66. Ford’s legacy? AUTO-MAN EMPIRE (from “Ottoman Empire”)
69. Peace, in Mexico PAZ
71. 1960s-’70s first family NIXONS
73. Queen’s subjects ANTS
74. Acoustical foam pattern EGG CRATE
76. Floral fragrances ATTARS
77. Down BLUE
78. Dullsville BLAH
79. Vacation plan TRIP
80. Modern Persian IRANI
81. Alligator __ PEAR
82. “__ there …” BEEN
83. Legally block ESTOP
84. Feathered mimic MYNA
85. Oscar fan’s realm? WILDE KINGDOM (from “Wild Kingdom”)
88. __-cone SNO
89. Dullsville DRAGGY
91. Gram. case OBJ
92. Sister NUN
94. Airport security concern LIQUIDS
97. Round Table figure GALAHAD
100. It broke up in 1991: Abbr. USSR
104. __ Darya River AMU
105. Come to pass BEFALL
108. Celebrity chef’s turf? EMERIL CITY (from “Emerald City”)
110. Bellyacher’s bailiwick? WHINE REGION (from “wine region”)
113. Taught gradually, with “in” INSTILLED
114. Gritty intro? NITTY
115. Rub out ERASE
116. U.S. Army E-6, e.g. NCO
117. Pet annoyance? PEEVE
118. “Jes’ think …” S’POSE
119. Site of unplayable organs TORSO
120. JFK, in the ’50s SEN
121. Philly cager SIXER

Down
1. Dumbwaiter enclosure SHAFT
2. Birthday work for mom LABOR
3. Destroy over time ERODE
4. Liszt’s “Transcendental __” ETUDES
5. Elliott the Dragon’s friend PETE
6. Time and __ A HALF
7. Orange-handled pot beverage DECAF
8. Unrestricted, as a discussion OPEN-ENDED
9. Controversial flavor enhancer MSG
10. Dominated OWNED
11. Clever stroke COUP
12. Scope opening? HORO-
13. One may begin “Reminds me of the time …” ANECDOTE
14. Creamy dessert MOUSSE
15. 911 call follow-up, perhaps APB
16. Baseball commissioner who helped establish interleague play SELIG
17. Instant TRICE
18. Quarterback’s concerns SACKS
24. Bilbo’s heir FRODO
26. App-using device PHONE
28. Helps with the dishes DRIES
33. Organ with a drum EAR
35. Some bowls ARENAS
37. Playing hooky, maybe: Abbr. ABS
39. Casting site STREAM
40. They made Trigger happy OATS
41. On __: if challenged A DARE
42. Friendly folks’ environs? HI COUNTRY (from “high country”)
43. Memorable provider of roadside aid SAMARITAN
45. Gets pets, maybe ADOPTS
46. Classic laundry soap RINSO
47. Approve SAY YES
49. Featured chorus lines SOLO PARTS
50. Jurist’s paradise? SUE NATION (from “Sioux Nation”)
51. Alias indicator AKA
53. Showed the way LED
56. Mexican pyramid builder AZTEC
58. Satyr cousins FAUNS
59. “Inferno” author DANTE
60. Cry of frustration AARGH
62. Soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, e.g. MAORI
63. Soil enricher MANURE
64. Tobacco industry whistle-blower Jeffrey WIGAND
67. Bug, perhaps MALADY
68. Pequod part-owner PELEG
70. Youngest Marx brother ZEPPO
72. Kubla Khan’s palace XANADU
75. Amendments 1-10 subj. RTS
76. Intention AIM
77. Lux. neighbor BELG
78. Hundred-dollar bills, in slang BENJAMINS
81. Pickled offering at a deli PIG’S FEET
82. Authoritative source BIBLE
83. Avian runner EMU
85. Spoonbill, for one WADER
86. RV park chain KOA
87. Vague rumor ON-DIT
90. Angus cut RIB EYE
93. Centers NUCLEI
94. Homeowners’ prides LAWNS
95. Cool cat’s “Understood” I’M HIP
96. Birder’s Andean mecca QUITO
97. Sheen GLOSS
98. So HENCE
99. Bad fire ARSON
101. Big name in kitchen appliances SILEX
102. Winwood of Traffic STEVE
103. Cup sought every two years RYDER
106. Farmer’s prefix AGRO-
107. “Pants on fire” person LIAR
109. Bussing needs LIPS
111. Some Windows systems NTS
112. Romantic beginning NEO-

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