LA Times Crossword Answers 14 Dec 12, Friday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. *Century maker BUICK (Buick Regal)
The Regal was a mid-size Buick made from 1973 to 2004. The Regal was relaunched in 2011 as a sports sedan.

6. Berlin beef? ACH
The German exclamation “ach!” is usually translated into English as “oh!”

14. Ishikari Bay city OTARU
The Japanese city and port of Otaru is just a 25-minute drive northwest from Sapporo. Just like Sapporo, Otaru has a famous beer that shares the city’s name.

17. Red Square honoree LENIN
I made it to Russia only once in my life, and it was a memorable trip. I saw all the sites in and around Red Square in Moscow, but couldn’t get in to visit Lenin’s Tomb. It was closed for renovations …

18. Title in a Shakespeare title GENTLEMEN
“The Two Gentlemen of Verona” is one of William Shakespeare’s comedies. Some scholars think that “Two Gentlemen” is Shakespeare’s first play, and not his best.

21. Karmann __: classic VW GHIA
Volkswagen made the Karmann Ghia from 1955 to 1974. The original model was built on the VW Beetle chassis, was styled by the Italian automobile design house Ghia, and the bodywork was hand-built by the German coach-builder Karmann.

23. *Name of eight English kings EDWARD (Edward Elgar)
There have been eight kings of England named Edward. Edward I was on the throne from 1272 to 1307 and was also known as Edward Longshanks. The “Longshanks” name came from Edward’s exceptional height. Edward VIII was on the British throne for less than a year. Famously, Edward abdicated in 1936 in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

Sir Edward Elgar was the quintessential English composer, inextricably associated with his “Pomp and Circumstance” marches (which includes “Land of Hope and Glory”) and the “Enigma Variations”.

24. [As written] SIC
“Sic” indicates that a quotation is written as originally found, perhaps including a typo. “Sic” is Latin for “thus, like this”.

25. *Engenders FOSTERS (Foster’s Lager)
Foster’s Lager is an extremely popular Australian beer consumed all over the world. Foster’s sells well everywhere it seems, except in Australia …

27. Pageboys et al. DOS
What we now know as the “pageboy” hairstyle was apparently one introduced and made famous by the fifties fetish model, Betty Page. Women’s magazines dissociated themselves from the connection with Ms. Page and sold the hairstyle to the public as one worn historically by English pageboys, hence the name. A pageboy hairstyle is sort of like a “long bob cut” I guess. But don’t listen to me; I get a “number one all over” at my local barber shop …

28. Down Under runners EMUS
The emu has had a tough time in Australia since man settled there. There was even an “Emu War” in Western Australia in 1932 when migrating emus competed with livestock for water and food. Soldiers were sent in and used machine guns in an unsuccessful attempt to drive off the “invading force”. The emus were clever, breaking their usual formations and adopting guerrilla tactics, operating as smaller units. After 50 days of “war”, the military withdrew. Subsequent requests for military help for the farmers were ignored. The emus had emerged victorious …

30. Banks of Chicago ERNIE
First baseman Ernie Banks was known as “Mr. Cub”, and played his entire 19-year professional career with the Chicago Cubs.

32. Suffragist Julia Ward __ HOWE
Julia Ward Howe was an active pacifist and suffragist. Howe is also well known as the writer of the words to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”.

34. Michigan, to Mitterand ETAT
In French, a state (état) is a political division (division politique).

François Mitterrand (note that the spelling is incorrect in the clue) was the 21st President of France, serving from 1981 to 1995. There was some controversy after his term ended when it was revealed that for much of the time he was in office, Mitterrand suffered from prostate cancer and falsified his personal medical records to hide the fact from the public. He died from the disease just six months after he handed over the presidency to Jacques Chirac.

36. Tippler DIPSO
“Dipsomania” is a craving for alcohol to the point of damaging one’s health. “Dipsa” is the Greek for “thirst”, hence dipsomania is a “manic thirst”.

40. Hindu teacher SWAMI
A swami is a religious teacher in the Hindu tradition.

42. Sajak sale AN E
Pat Sajak took over the hosting of “Wheel of Fortune” back in 1983 and has been doing the job ever since. He had a short run as a talk show host in 1989/1990 and used to sub quite often for Larry King and Regis Philbin.

43. Arab League founding member EGYPT
The Arab League was formed in 1945 in Cairo with six founding members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria. As a result of events during the 2011 Arab Spring, the Arab League suspended Syria’s membership.

44. Carpentry joint component TENON
One simple type of joint used in carpentry is a mortise and tenon, basically a projection carved at the end of one piece of wood that fits into a hole cut into the end of another. The mortise is the “hole” and the tenon is the “projection”.

48. Joined a jam SAT IN
The use of “jam”, to mean an improvised passage performed by a whole jazz band, dates back to the late twenties. This gave rise to “jam session”, a term used a few years later. The use of “jam” in this context probably stems from the meaning of “jam” as something sweet, something excellent.

52. Kentucky Colonels’ org. ABA
The Kentucky Colonels were a team in the American Basketball Association. The American Basketball Association (ABA) merged with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1976.

55. *To whom Hamlet said, “O, I die” HORATIO (Horatio Alger)
Horatio is a character in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, a friend of the play’s hero and a relatively uninterested party in the intrigue that makes up the storyline. As a trusted friend, Horatio serves as a sounding board for Hamlet, allowing us in the audience to gain more insight into Hamlet’s thinking and character as we listen to the two in conversation.

Horatio Alger was an American writer of the late nineteenth century. Alger was a prolific writer of novels for young people and creates tales of poor children making it good in the world, achieving the American dream as it were.

69. Sombrero, e.g. HAT
In English we think of a sombrero as a wide-brimmed hat, but in Spanish “sombrero” is the word for any hat. “Sombrero” is derived from “sombra” meaning “shade”.

70. Mark Twain, for one ALIAS
Samuel Langhorne Clemens was the real name of the author Mark Twain. Twain wasn’t the only pen name used by Clemens. Early in his career he signed some sketches as “Josh”, and signed some humorous letters that he wrote under the name “Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass”. The name of Mark Twain came from the days when Clemens was working on riverboats on the Mississippi. A riverboatman would call out “by the mark twain” when measuring the depth of water. This meant that on the sounding line, according to the “mark” on the line, the depth was two (“twain”) fathoms, and so it was safe for the riverboat to proceed.

72. Poehler of “Parks and Recreation” AMY
Amy Poehler was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 2001 to 2008, notable for appearing in many great sketches, including those where she played Hillary Clinton opposite Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin. Poehler also starred with Fey in the 2008 movie “Baby Mama”, and now has her own show on NBC called “Parks and Recreation”.

“Parks and Recreation” is a sitcom that started airing on NBC in 2009, and it is a show that has grown on me. It stars the “Saturday Night Live” alum Amy Poehler. The creators of “Parks and Recreation” are part of the team responsible for the American version of “The Office”, so you’ll notice some similarities in the style of the two shows, and some actors that have appeared in both.

Down
1. Hurled weapons BOLAS
Bolas are heavy balls connected by cords that constitute a throwing weapon. Bolas are often used to capture animals by tripping them as they run. The weapon is usually associated with gauchos, the South American cowboys.

2. Development sites UTERI
The Latin “uterus” translates as both “womb” and “belly”. The Latin word was derived from the Greek “hystera” also meaning womb, which gives us the words “hysterectomy”, and “hysterical”.

3. “Atonement” author IAN MCEWAN
Ian McEwan is an English author with a track record of writing well-received novels. McEwan’s most famous work at the moment I would say is “Atonement” which has benefited from the success of the fabulous movie adaptation released in 2007.

4. Champagne shout CRI
“Cri” is the French for “shout”.

Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, famous of course for its sparkling white wine.

5. Panda’s skill, in a 2008 film KUNG FU
In the west we sometimes use the term kung fu to mean a Chinese martial art. We’ve gotten the wrong idea though as the term “kung fu” really describes any skill that can be learned through dedication and hard work. So, kung fu can indeed describe a martial art, but by no means exclusively.

“Kung Fu Panda” is a 2008 animated film from DreamWorks. It’s all about a panda who is expert in kung fu, as you might guess …

6. Auspices AEGIS
Someone is said to be under the aegis of another when that other person provides protection or perhaps sponsorship.

12. Janvier, across the Pyrenees ENERO
In Spanish, a year (año) starts in January (Enero) and ends in December (Diciembre).

“Janvier” is French for “January”.

The Pyrénées is a mountain range that runs along the border between Spain and France. Nestled between the two countries, high in the mountains, is the lovely country of Andorra, an old haunt of my family during skiing season …

19. Seagull relative TERN
Terns are seabirds that are found all over the world. The Arctic Tern makes a very long-distance migration. One Arctic Tern that was tagged as a chick in Great Britain in the summer of 1982, was spotted in Melbourne, Australia just three months later. The bird had traveled over 14,000 miles in that time, an average of about 150 miles a day. Remarkable …

26. Some Deco works ERTES
Erté was the pseudonym of French artist (Russian born) Romain de Tirtoff. Erté is the French pronunciation of his initials “R.T.”

31. Alpine peak EIGER
The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is a noted peak for mountain climbing, with its treacherous north face being the most famous approach to the summit. Over sixty climbers have died since 1935 on that north face.

32. ’40s-’50s D.C. initials HST
Harry Truman wanted to go to West Point having served with the Missouri Army National Guard on active duty in WWI, but he couldn’t get in because of his poor eyesight. Young Truman didn’t have the money to pay for college anywhere else. He did manage to study for two years towards a law degree at the Kansas City Law School in the twenties, but he never finished his schooling. So, Harry S. Truman was the last US President (out of a list of ten) who did not have a college degree.

35. South American forest dweller TAPIR
All four species of tapir are endangered. Even though the tapir looks much like a pig, it is more closely related to the horse and the rhinoceros.

38. Place to chill out SPA
The word “spa” migrated into English from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a municipality in the east of the country that is famous for its healing hot springs. The name “spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.

49. Hefty volume TOME
“Tome” first came into English from the Latin “tomus” which means “section of a book”. The original usage in English was for a single volume in a multi-volume work. By the late 16th century “tome” had come to mean “a large book”.

53. “John Brown’s Body” poet BENET
Stephen Vincent Benét was an author best known for his lengthy narrative poem “John Brown’s Body” which was first published in 1928 and for which he won a Pulitzer Prize. Benét also wrote the story “The Sobbin’ Women” which was later adapted into the musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”.

54. Hersey’s “A Bell for __” ADANO
“A Bell for Adano” is a novel written by John Hersey. Hersey’s story is about an Italian-American US Army officer, Major Joppolo, who found a replacement for a town’s bell stolen by fascists. “A Bell for Adano” was made into a film in 1945, the same year the novel won a Pulitzer.

58. Rose oil ATTAR
Attar is a fragrant essential oil obtained from flowers, and the term may particularly refer to attar of roses.

59. Outmoded PASSE
“Passé” is a French word, meaning “past, faded”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. *Century maker BUICK (Buick Regal)
6. Berlin beef? ACH
9. They may be lost or frozen WAGES
14. Ishikari Bay city OTARU
15. Before, before ERE
16. How holes are rarely made? IN ONE
17. Red Square honoree LENIN
18. Title in a Shakespeare title GENTLEMEN
20. Chair part ARM
21. Karmann __: classic VW GHIA
23. *Name of eight English kings EDWARD (Edward Elgar)
24. [As written] SIC
25. *Engenders FOSTERS (Foster’s Lager)
27. Pageboys et al. DOS
28. Down Under runners EMUS
30. Banks of Chicago ERNIE
32. Suffragist Julia Ward __ HOWE
34. Michigan, to Mitterand ETAT
36. Tippler DIPSO
40. Hindu teacher SWAMI
42. Sajak sale AN E
43. Arab League founding member EGYPT
44. Carpentry joint component TENON
45. History PAST
47. Many presidential periods ERAS
48. Joined a jam SAT IN
50. Business opening AGRO-
52. Kentucky Colonels’ org. ABA
55. *To whom Hamlet said, “O, I die” HORATIO (Horatio Alger)
57. Glove box item MAP
60. *Certain psychic MEDIUM (medium-large)
62. Comes together GELS
63. One-time link AT A
64. Seeing red? IN ARREARS
66. Hues TINTS
68. Sombrero wearer SENOR
69. Sombrero, e.g. HAT
70. Mark Twain, for one ALIAS
71. Emotionless STONY
72. Poehler of “Parks and Recreation” AMY
73. Reason to wear shades (and a word for which you have to 7-Down to find a word, different in each case, that can follow a starred answer) GLARE

Down
1. Hurled weapons BOLAS
2. Development sites UTERI
3. “Atonement” author IAN MCEWAN
4. Champagne shout CRI
5. Panda’s skill, in a 2008 film KUNG FU
6. Auspices AEGIS
7. See 73-Across CREATE AN ANAGRAM
8. Egg source HEN
9. Carefree quality WILD SIDE
10. From the top ANEW
11. Snap GO MAD
12. Janvier, across the Pyrenees ENERO
13. Elates SENDS
19. Seagull relative TERN
22. It often winds up in a yard HOSE
26. Some Deco works ERTES
29. Office joggers MEMOS
31. Alpine peak EIGER
32. ’40s-’50s D.C. initials HST
33. Have a mortgage OWE
35. South American forest dweller TAPIR
37. What might involve reminiscing about old flames? PYROMANIA
38. Place to chill out SPA
39. TDs may end them OTS
41. Dashing, maybe IN A HURRY
46. Follow TAIL
49. Hefty volume TOME
51. Attend alone GO STAG
52. Screwy AMISS
53. “John Brown’s Body” poet BENET
54. Hersey’s “A Bell for __” ADANO
56. Irritable TESTY
58. Rose oil ATTAR
59. Outmoded PASSE
61. Pitching wedge, e.g. IRON
65. “Now I get it!” AHA
67. Not well ILL

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