LA Times Crossword Answers 30 Dec 13, Monday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Key with no flats or sharps: Abbr. C MAJ
In the world of music, the key of C major has no flats or sharps.

5. Terra __: pottery clay COTTA
The name “terra cotta” comes to us from Latin via Italian and means “baked earth”. Terra cotta is a ceramic made from clay which is left unglazed. Maybe the most famous work in terra cotta is the Terracotta Army, the enormous collection of life-size figures that was buried with the Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China around 210 BC. I had the privilege of seeing some of this collection when it toured the US a few years ago, and just the few pieces on display were so very impressive.

14. Big deli sandwich HERO
“Hero” is another name for a submarine sandwich. The hero originated in New York City in the 1800s among Italian immigrants who wanted an Italian sandwich that reminded them of home. The name “hero” was coined in the 1930s, supposedly by a food critic in the “New York Herald Tribune” when he wrote that “one had to be a hero” to finish the gigantic sandwich. Hero is a prevalent term to this day in New York City, reserved for a submarine sandwich with an Italian flavor.

The word “delicatessen” (or “deli” for short) came into English from the German “Delikatessen”. The Germans borrowed the word from French, in which language “délicatesse” means “delicious things (to eat)”. The term’s ultimate root is “delicatus”, the Latin for “giving pleasure, delightful”.

16. Away from the wind ALEE
“Alee” is the direction away from the wind. If a sailor points into the wind, he or she is pointing “aweather”.

17. 1965 Righteous Brothers hit repopularized by its use in the 1990 film “Ghost” UNCHAINED MELODY
The lovely song “Unchained Melody” was a huge hit for the Righteous Brothers in 1965. The song was written a decade earlier in 1955 by Alex North and By Zaret as a theme for a prison film called “Unchained”, which explains the title of the tune. The song got a new lease of life in 1990 when it was used in a very sexy scene in the film “Ghost”.

The fabulous film “Ghost” was the highest-grossing movie at the box office in 1990, bringing in over $500 million, despite only costing $21 million to make. Stars of the film are Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. You might want to check out the stage musical adaptation “Ghost The Musical”, which debuted in 2011 and is touring the UK and US.

23. Letter-shaped hardware items T-NUTS
A T-nut is so called because it has a t-shape when viewed from the side.

25. Pilot’s approx. ETA
Expected time of arrival (ETA)

29. Mini-burgers SLIDERS
Sliders are small hamburgers. One suggestion is that the “slider” originated in the US Navy, with the name being a reference to greasy hamburgers sliding back and forth across the grill as a ship pitches and rolls. More recently, the slider became associated with the White Castle fast food chain of restaurants. White Castle introduced the “Slyder” in 1985.

37. 1/12 of a foot INCH
Our word “inch”, meaning a linear measure of 1/12 of a foot, comes from the Latin “uncia” meaning “one twelfth part”.

39. Leg bone SHIN
The tibia is the shin bone, the larger of the two bones right below the knee. The tibia is the strongest weight-bearing bone in the human body. “Tibia” is the Roman name for a Greek flute and it is thought that the shin bone was given the same name because flutes were often fashioned out of the shin bones of animals.

40. Sleuth, slangily TEC
“Tec” is a slang term for a private detective, a private investigator (PI).

41. Monopoly board corner FREE PARKING
The commercial game of Monopoly is supposedly a remake of “The Landlord’s Game” created in 1903 by a Quaker woman called Lizzie Phillips. Phillips used her game as a tool to explain the single tax theory of American economist Henry George. The Landlord’s Game was first produced commercially in 1924. The incredibly successful derivative game called Monopoly was introduced in 1933 by Charles Darrow, who became a very rich man when Parker Brothers bought the rights to the game just two years later in 1935.

49. Coffee maker brand BRAUN
Braun is a manufacturer of consumer goods based in Kronberg, Germany.

51. TV financial adviser Suze ORMAN
Suze Orman is a financial advisor who has gotten her message out on television, in books and on the speaking circuit. She often appears on PBS, and indeed is the most successful fundraiser public television has ever had.

54. Sturgeon delicacy ROE
Several species of sturgeon are farmed for their roe, which is made into caviar.

55. Macaroni shape ELBOW
In many cases, the name given to a type of pasta comes from its shape. The name macaroni, however, comes from the type of dough used to make the noodle. Here in the US macaroni is usually elbow-shaped tubes, but it doesn’t have to be.

63. Indy 500 family name UNSER
The Unser family seems to have racing cars in its blood. Al Unser, Sr. won the Indy 500 on four occasions. Al’s brother Jerry was the first of the Unsers to compete at Indianapolis. Al’s other brother Bobby, won the Indy three times. Al’s son, Al Junior, won the Indy twice. Al Junior’s son is also a racing driver who competes at the Indy Speedway.

65. Skin pics TATS
The word “tattoo” (often shortened to “tat”) was first used in English in the writings of the famous English explorer Captain Cook. In his descriptions of the indelible marks adorning the skin of Polynesian natives, Cook anglicized the Tahitian word “tatau” into our “tattoo”.

67. With 38-Across, Popeye’s kid SWEE’
(38. See 67-Across PEA)
Originally Popeye used the nickname “Swee’pea” to address his girlfriend Olive Oyl. Then along comes a baby, found on Popeye’s doorstep. Popeye adopts the little guy and raises him, calling him “Swee’Pea”.

Down
1. Common freshwater bait fish CHUB
There is a whole family of fish called “chubs” including European chubs, lake chubs, hornyhead chub, creek chubs, and a host of others.

3. With the bow, in music ARCO
“Arco” is a musical direction instructing a string player to return to normal bowing technique after a passage played using some other technique (perhaps pizzicato).

4. ’80s-’90s “Entertainment Tonight” co-host JOHN TESH
John Tesh is a pianist and composer, as well as a radio and television presenter. For many years Tesh presented the show “Entertainment Tonight”. For “ET” he once covered the filming of an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. As part of the piece, he volunteered to act as a Klingon warrior and so if you see the “Star Trek: TNG” episode called “The Icarus Factor” in reruns, watch out for John Tesh engaging in ritual torture with Mr. Worf as his victim.

6. “To be, __ to be …” OR NOT

To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous fortune;
Or to take Armes against a Sea of troubles …

There has been centuries of debate about how one interprets Hamlet’s soliloquy that begins “To be or not to be …”. My favorite opinion is that Hamlet is weighing up the pros and cons of suicide (“to not be”).

8. Little boys TADS
A tad is a small boy, with the term possibly coming from the word “tadpole”.

9. Naval bigwig: Abbr. ADM
Admiral (Adm.)

10. Song from a troubadour BALLAD
A troubadour was a composer and musician of the Middle Ages whose works dealt mainly with chivalry and courtly love. Troubadours were usually men, and a female troubadour would have been called a trobairitz, a lovely word …

18. “Duck Dynasty” network A AND E
The A&E television network used to be a favorite of mine, with the “A&E” standing for “arts and entertainment”. A&E started out airing a lot of the old classic dramas, as well as biographies and arts programs. Now there seems to be more reality TV, with one of the flagship programs being “Dog the Bounty Hunter”. A slight change of direction I’d say …

“Duck Dynasty” is a reality television show on the A&E cable channel. The show is centered on the Robertson family from Monroe, Louisiana who made a lot of money selling products to duck hunters. Phil Robertson has been in the news lately for views he expressed on homeosexuality and other subjects in an interview with “GQ” magazine.

19. Part of EIK EAT-IN
Eat-in kitchen (EIK)

24. Trojans’ sch. USC
The athletic teams of the University of Southern California are called the USC Trojans. The women’s teams are also called the Trojans, but are sometimes referred to as Women of Troy.

25. “Xanadu” rock gp. ELO
The title song of the 1980 movie “Xanadu” was performed by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and Olivia Newton-John (who starred in the film). Despite the popularity of ELO around the world, the song “Xanadu” was the band’s only number one hit back in their homeland of the UK.

28. Lawn bowling game BOCCE
The Italian bowling game of “bocce” (anglicized as “bocci”) is based on a game played in Ancient Rome. “Bocce” is the plural of the Italian word “boccia” meaning “bowl”.

29. Ginger cookie SNAP
“Ginger snap cookies” are known as “ginger nut biscuits” back in Ireland where I come from …

31. River valley known for Riesling wine RHINE
The Riesling grape variety originated in the Rhine region of Germany, and is used to make wines that are often described as fruity and aromatic. The wine generally has a high level of acidity which makes it ideal for aging, with some examples being proclaimed as excellent at over a hundred-years-old.

32. Karaoke selections SONGS
“Karaoke” translates from Japanese as “open orchestra”, and the related word “karate” translates as “open hand”.

34. Tarzan’s foster family APES
“Tarzan” is the title character in the series of books created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The line “Me Tarzan, you Jane” never appeared in the books, and indeed doesn’t even figure in the movies. Apparently Johnny Weissmuller (who played Tarzan in the thirties and forties) saw Maureen O’Sullivan (“Jane”, to Weissmuller’s “Tarzan”) struggling with a suitcase in the parking lot during filming. He grabbed the bag from her, jokingly saying “Me Tarzan, you Jane”, and people have been quoting those words ever since.

35. Once known as, in society pages NEE
“Née” is the French word for “born” when referring to a female. The male equivalent is “né”.

42. Nutritional stat. RDA
Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) were introduced during WWII and were replaced by Recommended Daily Intakes (RDIs) in 1997.

43. Gardner of the silver screen AVA
Ava Gardner is noted for her association with some big movies, but also for her association with some big names when it came to the men in her life. In the world of film, she appeared in the likes of “Mogambo” (1953), “On the Beach” (1959), “The Night of the Iguana” (1964) and “Earthquake” (1974). The men in her life included husbands Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. After her marriages had failed (and perhaps before!) she had long term relationships with Howard Hughes and bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin whom she met through her friend Ernest Hemingway.

44. Cathedral city on the Seine ROUEN
Rouen is the major city in Normandy in northern France. During the days of Norman Britain, Rouen was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties. Rouen was also where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.

The Seine is the river that flows through Paris. The Seine empties into the English Channel to the north, at the port city of Le Havre.

46. Gauchos’ plains LLANOS
“Llano” is the Spanish word for “plain, flat region”.

A “gaucho” is someone who lives in the South American pampas, the fertile lowlands in the southeast of South America. The term “gaucho” is also used as the equivalent of our “cowboy”.

49. __ nova: Brazilian dance BOSSA
Bossa Nova is a style of music from Brazil that evolved from samba. The most famous piece of bossa nova is the song “The Girl from Ipanema”.

51. “In memoriam” column, briefly OBIT
“Obituary” comes from the Latin “obituaris”, originally the record of the death of a person, although the literal meaning is “pertaining to death”.

52. Civil rights activist Parks ROSA
Rosa Parks was one of a few brave women in days gone by who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white woman. It was the stand taken by Rosa Parks on December 1, 1955 that sparked the Montgomery, Alabama Bus Boycott. President Clinton presented Ms. Parks with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996. When she died in 2005, Rosa Parks became the first ever woman to have her body lie in honor in the US Capital Rotunda.

53. Mixed-breed pooch MUTT
The original use of the term “mutt” was for a foolish person, and was probably short for “muttonhead”. The usage evolved into today’s “mongrel dog”.

54. Nevada casino city RENO
Reno, Nevada was named in honor of Major General Jesse Lee Reno, a Union officer killed in the Civil War. The city has a famous “Reno Arch”, a structure that stands over the main street. The arch was erected in 1926 to promote an exposition planned for the following year. After the expo, the city council decided to keep the arch and held a competition to decide what wording should be displayed, and the winner was “The Biggest Little City in the World”.

58. Noah of “Falling Skies” WYLE
Noah Wyle is an actor noted for playing Dr. John Truman Carter III on television’s “ER”. He was highly valued by the show’s producers, earning about $400,000 per episode in 2005, a world record for an actor in a TV drama at that time.

61. Triage ctrs. ERS
Emergency Room (ER)

“Triage” is the process of prioritizing patients for treatment, especially on a battlefield. The term “triage” is French and means “a sorting”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Key with no flats or sharps: Abbr. C MAJ
5. Terra __: pottery clay COTTA
10. Dog’s greeting BARK
14. Big deli sandwich HERO
15. Extreme fear DREAD
16. Away from the wind ALEE
17. 1965 Righteous Brothers hit repopularized by its use in the 1990 film “Ghost” UNCHAINED MELODY
20. “__ sera”: Italian “Good evening” BUONA
21. Clip-__: earrings for non-pierced ears ONS
22. Choir section ALTOS
23. Letter-shaped hardware items T-NUTS
25. Pilot’s approx. ETA
26. Fixes firmly (in) EMBEDS
29. Mini-burgers SLIDERS
33. Scarily unpredictable type LOOSE CANNON
36. However, briefly THO’
37. 1/12 of a foot INCH
39. Leg bone SHIN
40. Sleuth, slangily TEC
41. Monopoly board corner FREE PARKING
45. Lash holders EYELIDS
47. Tenor and bass VOICES
48. Where cows graze LEA
49. Coffee maker brand BRAUN
51. TV financial adviser Suze ORMAN
54. Sturgeon delicacy ROE
55. Macaroni shape ELBOW
59. Pep that won’t quit BOUNDLESS ENERGY
62. “That __ say …” IS TO
63. Indy 500 family name UNSER
64. Wall Street order SELL
65. Skin pics TATS
66. Bearded farm critters GOATS
67. With 38-Across, Popeye’s kid SWEE’

Down
1. Common freshwater bait fish CHUB
2. List of dishes MENU
3. With the bow, in music ARCO
4. ’80s-’90s “Entertainment Tonight” co-host JOHN TESH
5. 401, in old Rome CDI
6. “To be, __ to be …” OR NOT
7. Adolescents TEENS
8. Little boys TADS
9. Naval bigwig: Abbr. ADM
10. Song from a troubadour BALLAD
11. Very much A LOT
12. Decorate again REDO
13. Lock inserts KEYS
18. “Duck Dynasty” network A AND E
19. Part of EIK EAT-IN
24. Trojans’ sch. USC
25. “Xanadu” rock gp. ELO
26. Privileged few ELITE
27. Cold hard cash MONEY
28. Lawn bowling game BOCCE
29. Ginger cookie SNAP
30. Code of conduct ETHIC
31. River valley known for Riesling wine RHINE
32. Karaoke selections SONGS
34. Tarzan’s foster family APES
35. Once known as, in society pages NEE
39. Like less-caloric chicken pieces SKINLESS
41. Devilish one FIEND
42. Nutritional stat. RDA
43. Gardner of the silver screen AVA
44. Cathedral city on the Seine ROUEN
46. Gauchos’ plains LLANOS
49. __ nova: Brazilian dance BOSSA
50. Stopwatch button RESET
51. “In memoriam” column, briefly OBIT
52. Civil rights activist Parks ROSA
53. Mixed-breed pooch MUTT
54. Nevada casino city RENO
56. Make, as coffee BREW
57. Look at lecherously OGLE
58. Noah of “Falling Skies” WYLE
60. Carry with effort LUG
61. Triage ctrs. ERS

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