LA Times Crossword Answers 23 Jul 14, Wednesday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Steve Blais
THEME: Smiley Faces … each of today’s themed answers is a character noted for a SMILEY FACE:

17A. “Alice in Wonderland” critter known for disappearing CHESHIRE CAT
27A. Painting partly shown on the original cover of “The Da Vinci Code” MONA LISA
36A. Ubiquitous Mad Magazine guy ALFRED E NEUMAN
47A. “Batman” villain THE JOKER

59A. Some emoticons, and defining features of 17-, 27-, 36- and 47-Across SMILEY FACES

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 7m 01s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Auto whose griffin logo was recently discontinued SAAB
SAAB stands for Svenska Aeroplan AB, which translates into English as Swedish Aeroplane Limited. SAAB was, and still is, mainly an aircraft manufacturer. If you take small hops in Europe you might find yourself on a SAAB passenger plane. The SAAB automotive division was acquired by General Motors in the year 2000, who then sold it to a Dutch concern in 2010. However, SAAB (automotive) finally went bankrupt in 2011. A Chinese consortium purchased the assets of SAAB Automotive in 2012, and so SAAB vehicles are in production again. The new vehicles are using the SAAB name, but cannot use the SAAB griffin logo, the rights to which have been retained by the mother company.

11. “Family Guy” daughter MEG
“Family Guy” is a very successful animated show on television. It was created by Seth MacFarlane, the same guy who came up with “American Dad!”. My kids love them both. Me, I can’t stand ‘em.

14. Beige cousin ECRU
The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.

17. “Alice in Wonderland” critter known for disappearing CHESHIRE CAT
The Cheshire Cat is a character in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. The Cheshire Cat has an expansive grin, and at one point magically disappears in front of Alice, leaving just the grin visible.
Well! I’ve often seen a cat without a grin,’ thought Alice; `but a grin without a cat! It’s the most curious thing I ever saw in my life!

27. Painting partly shown on the original cover of “The Da Vinci Code” MONA LISA
Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece that we know in English as the “Mona Lisa” is called “La Gioconda” in Italian, the language of the artist. It’s also known as “La Joconde” by the Government of France which owns the painting and displays it in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The title comes from the name of the subject, almost certainly Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo. Giocondo was a wealthy silk merchant in Florence who commissioned the painting for the couple’s new home to celebrate the birth of their second son.

“The Da Vinci Code” is an excellent yarn (although much panned), written by Dan Brown. Brown’s first book to feature the character Robert Langdon was even better in my opinion, namely “Angels & Demons”.

32. Free TV ad PSA
Public service announcement (PSA)

33. Pepsi, e.g. COLA
The Pepsi-Cola formulation was developed by one Caleb Bradham who made the drink at home and sold it as “Brad’s Drink”. Bradham’s aim was to provide a drink that was pleasant to taste, that would aid digestion and boost energy. Included in the formula were pepsin (a digestive enzyme) and kola nuts. These two ingredients inspired the brand name we use today: Pepsi-Cola.

36. Ubiquitous Mad Magazine guy ALFRED E NEUMAN
Alfred E. Neuman is the mascot of “Mad” magazine, although the image of the smiling, jug-eared youth had been around for decades before the magazine. “Mad” first used the likeness in 1955, and young Mr. Neuman has appeared on the cover of almost every issue of the magazine since then. Neuman’s name was inspired by American composer Alfred Newman, a prolific writer of film scores.

41. Cry to a toreador OLE!
“Toreador” is an old Spanish word for a bullfighter, but it’s a term not used any more in Spain nor in Latin America. In English we use the term “toreador”, but in Spanish a bullfighter is a “torero”. A female bullfighter in a “torera”.

42. Clumsy boats ARKS
The term “ark”, when used with reference to Noah, is a translation of the Hebrew word “tebah”. The word “tebah” is also used in the Bible for the basket in which Moses was placed by his mother when she floated him down the Nile. It seems that the word “tebah” doesn’t mean “boat” and nor does it mean “basket”. Rather, a more appropriate translation is “life-preserver” or “life-saver”. So, Noah’s ark was Noah’s life-preserver during the flood.

47. “Batman” villain THE JOKER
The Joker is one of the most colorful of Batman’s nemeses, introduced into the comic books in 1940, appearing in the first ever edition of “Batman”. He has been played on screen by some colorful characters. In the original television series he was portrayed by Cesar Romero, and on the big screen by Jack Nicholson. What great casting!

53. Aussie sprinters EMUS
The emu has had a tough time in Australia since humans arrived on the continent. 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 …

54. Blue Staters, collectively THE LEFT
On political maps, red states are Republican and blue states Democrat. The designation of red and blue states is a very recent concept, popularized in the 2000 presidential election by TV journalist, the late Tim Russert. In retrospect, the choice of colors is surprising, as in other democracies around the world red is usually used to describe left-leaning socialist parties (the reds under the bed!), and blue is used for conservative right-wing parties. In election cycles, swing/battleground states are often depicted in purple.

58. __ Cruces LAS
Las Cruces (Spanish for “the crosses”) is the second largest city in the state of New Mexico, and is the home of New Mexico State University.

59. Some emoticons, and defining features of 17-, 27-, 36- and 47-Across SMILEY FACES
An emoticon is a glyph created using text characters, usually to represent facial features, and usually oriented sideways. The emoticon is designed to indicate emotion or attitude. The classic example is the smiley face 🙂

63. Sinusitis-treating MD ENT
Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT)

The suffix “-itis” is used to denote inflammation, as in laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx) and sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses).

68. Haywire AWRY
“Haywire” is wire used to bind bales of hay. Haywire is very springy, and coils of the wire are difficult to keep under control. That characteristic gives us informal meaning of “haywire”, namely “erratic, crazy”.

Down
2. Günther’s gripe ACH!
The German exclamation “ach!” is usually translated into English as “oh!”

3. “Blessed __ the pure in heart …” ARE
In the Christian tradition, the Beatitudes are a collection of moral teachings laid out by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, according to the Gospel of Matthew. The eight Beatitudes are:

… Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
… Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted
… Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth
… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled
… Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy
… Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God
… Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God
… Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. Poppycock BUSHWA
“Bushwa” is “rubbish, nonsense, rot”. The term originated in the early 1900s and may be a derivative of “bourgeois”.

It is thought that the relatively gentle term “poppycock” comes from a Dutch word for “dung” combined with a Latin word for “excrete”. Not so gentle after all …

6. Siena sweetie CARA
“Dear” (cara) is a word spoken with affection (con affetto), in Italian.

Siena is a beautiful city in the Tuscany region of Italy. In the center of Siena is the magnificent medieval square called Piazza del Campo, a paved sloping open area made up of nine triangular sections. The square has to be seen to be believed. Twice a year, the famous bareback horse-race called the Palio di Siena is held in the Piazza.

7. Staff notation CLEF
Clef is the French word for “key”. In music, a clef is used to indicate the pitch of the notes written on the stave. The bass clef is also known as the F-clef, and the treble clef is the G-clef.

8. Spanish folk hero EL CID
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar was known as El Cid Campeador, which translates as “The Champion” or perhaps “The Lord, Master of Military Arts”. El Cid was a soldier who fought under the rule of King Alfonso VI of Spain (among others). However, he was sent into exile by the King in 1080, after acting beyond his authorization in battle. El Cid then offered his services to his former foes, the Moorish kings, After a number of years building a reputation with the Moors, he was recalled from exile by Alfonso. By this time El Cid was very much his own man. Nominally under the orders of Alfonso, he led a combined army of Spanish and Moorish troops and took the city of Valencia on the Mediterranean coast, making it is headquarters and home. He died there, quite peacefully in 1099.

10. Lush SOT
Our word “sot” comes from the Old English “sott”, meaning a fool. The word “sot” started to be associated with alcohol and not just foolery in the late 1500s.

11. Gets a move on MAKES TRACKS
“Lush” is a slang term for a heavy drinker. Back in the 1700s, “lush” was slang for “liquor”.

21. Rattler’s poison VENOM
The scales covering the tip of a rattlesnake’s tail are made of keratin, the same structural protein that makes up the outer layer of human skin, as well as our hair and nails. The rattlesnake shakes its tail vigorously to warn off potential predators, causing the hollow scales to vibrate against one another and resulting in that scary “rattle” sound. The rattler’s tail muscles “fire” an incredible fifty times a second to achieve that effect, demonstrating one of the fastest muscular movements in the whole animal kingdom.

22. Image file letters BMP
A bitmap is an image file format used to store digital images. Basically, each pixel in a bitmap file is stored as a “bit” of information, hence the name “bitmap”. In 1987, CompuServe introduced a new type of image file called the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF). A GIF image takes the same information as a bitmap and then compresses it, resulting in a smaller file size. However, during compression the image may lose some resolution.

23. Flor del amor ROSA
In Spanish, the rose (rosa) is the flower of love (flor del amor).

26. Protein source for vegans TOFU
Tofu is another name for bean curd, and is a Japanese word meaning just that … bean that has “curdled”. Tofu is produced by coagulating soy milk, using either salt or something acidic. Once the protein has coagulated, the curds are pressed into the familiar blocks. Personally I love tofu, but my wife, she absolutely hates it …

34. Egyptian cross ANKH
The ankh was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character for “eternal life”. The ankh wasn’t just used in inscriptions but was often fashioned into amulets and as surrounds for mirrors (perhaps symbolizing a view into another world).

39. Flagstaff-to-Roswell dir. ESE
The Arizona city of Flagstaff is named for a flagpole that was erected by a scouting party in celebration of the US Centennial on July 4th, 1876.

The Roswell UFO Incident took place in 1947. Some people believe that an extraterrestrial spacecraft crashed, with aliens aboard. After the initial reports the public accepted the US Military’s explanation of the crash, that the debris recovered belonged to an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon. The whole incident was dug up again over 30 years later when a claim was made that there was a cover-up in 1947, and that the armed forces had recovered an alien craft and brought it to Roswell Army Air Field. “The National Enquirer” ran the story, and it has been running ever since.

40. Rejections NOES
Yep the plural of “no” is “noes”, and not “nos”.

45. Big name in high fashion ARMANI
Giorgio Armani is an Italian fashion designer and founder of the company that has borne his name since 1975. Although Armani is famous for his menswear, the company makes everything from jewelry to perfume.

49. Quebec/Ontario border river OTTAWA
The Ottawa River takes its name from the Odawa people, an Algonquin nation. The city Of Ottawa changed its name to that of the river, from Bytown in 1855. The original townsite was called Bytown after Captain John By who completed the Rideau Canal that runs from Kingston on Lake Ontario to present-day Ottawa.

50. Walk of Fame honoree CELEB
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a series of sidewalks taking up 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and 3 blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood. The Walk of Fame is an ever-changing monument dedicated to those who have achieved greatness in the entertainment industry, both in front of and behind the camera. The first stars installed in the sidewalk were a group of eight, officially laid in 1960. That group consisted of:

– Joanne Woodward (actor)
– Olive Borden (actor)
– Ronald Colman (actor)
– Louise Fazenda (actor)
– Preston Foster (actor)
– Burt Lancaster (actor)
– Edward Sedgwick (director)
– Ernest Torrence (actor)

51. Engage in online fraud PHISH
Phishing is the name given to the online practice of stealing usernames, passwords and credit card details by creating a site that deceptively looks reliable and trustworthy. Phishers often send out safe-looking emails or instant messages that direct someone to an equally safe-looking website where the person might inadvertently enter sensitive information. “Phishing” is a play on the word “fishing”, as in “fishing for passwords, PIN numbers etc.”

55. Nobelist Wiesel ELIE
Elie Wiesel is a holocaust survivor, best known for his book “Night” that tells of his experiences in Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

57. Literary governess Jane EYRE
“Jane Eyre” is the celebrated novel written by Charlotte Brontë, under the pen name Currer Bell. Over the years, I’ve shared here on my blogs that the “Jane Eyre” story line is a little too dark and Gothic for my taste, but a very persuasive blog reader convinced me to look more at the romantic side of the story and give it a second chance. I watched a wonderful 4-hour television adaptation of the novel made by the BBC a while back and I have to say that because I was focused on the relationship between Jane and Rochester, I was able to push past the Gothic influences (that depress me) so I really enjoyed the story. I thoroughly recommend the 2006 BBC adaptation to fans of the novel.

59. Poseidon’s realm SEA
Poseidon was the god of the sea in Greek mythology as well as the “Earth-Shaker”, the god responsible for earthquakes.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Auto whose griffin logo was recently discontinued SAAB
5. Log on to ACCESS
11. “Family Guy” daughter MEG
14. Beige cousin ECRU
15. Hail from a distance CALL TO
16. Lumberjack’s tool AXE
17. “Alice in Wonderland” critter known for disappearing CHESHIRE CAT
19. Cousins, say KIN
20. Lost it HAD A FIT
21. It may be bulletproof VEST
22. Free-for-all BRAWL
25. Hates DETESTS
27. Painting partly shown on the original cover of “The Da Vinci Code” MONA LISA
31. Half an etiquette list DON’TS
32. Free TV ad PSA
33. Pepsi, e.g. COLA
35. In favor of FOR
36. Ubiquitous Mad Magazine guy ALFRED E NEUMAN
41. Cry to a toreador OLE!
42. Clumsy boats ARKS
43. Part of an ear COB
45. Getting on in years AGING
47. “Batman” villain THE JOKER
50. Tummy-showing shirt CROP TOP
52. “__ obvious!”: “Duh!” IT’S SO
53. Aussie sprinters EMUS
54. Blue Staters, collectively THE LEFT
58. __ Cruces LAS
59. Some emoticons, and defining features of 17-, 27-, 36- and 47-Across SMILEY FACES
63. Sinusitis-treating MD ENT
64. Requiring less effort EASIER
65. Bend WARP
66. Sci. course BIO
67. Stick ADHERE
68. Haywire AWRY

Down
1. Short time SEC
2. Günther’s gripe ACH!
3. “Blessed __ the pure in heart …” ARE
4. Poppycock BUSHWA
5. Biting, as wit ACID
6. Siena sweetie CARA
7. Staff notation CLEF
8. Spanish folk hero EL CID
9. Put into words STATED
10. Lush SOT
11. Gets a move on MAKES TRACKS
12. Is more than a dream EXISTS
13. Classy guys GENTS
18. Site of many school lockers HALL
21. Rattler’s poison VENOM
22. Image file letters BMP
23. Flor del amor ROSA
24. Corresponding with ANALOGOUS TO
26. Protein source for vegans TOFU
28. __ hockey ICE
29. Pepsi, e.g. SODA
30. Watchful ALERT
34. Egyptian cross ANKH
37. Decides with a coin FLIPS
38. Monthly expense RENT
39. Flagstaff-to-Roswell dir. ESE
40. Rejections NOES
44. Pal BRO
45. Big name in high fashion ARMANI
46. Lost one’s temper GOT MAD
48. Short time JIFF
49. Quebec/Ontario border river OTTAWA
50. Walk of Fame honoree CELEB
51. Engage in online fraud PHISH
55. Nobelist Wiesel ELIE
56. Creepy look LEER
57. Literary governess Jane EYRE
59. Poseidon’s realm SEA
60. Cornfield call CAW
61. Take a wrong turn, say ERR
62. Binoculars user SPY

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4 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 23 Jul 14, Wednesday”

  1. Hello all,

    I found the puzzle a little challenging. It was a conundrum, to me, as to how the Cheshire Cat and Alfred E. Neuman could be related – except for their loony grins.

    Thank you, Bill, for informing me that the 'Blues' stand for the 'Democrats'. I realized that they stood for one or the other, but not which was which.

    Bushwa and Cara were total unknowns. When Italian lovers break up, do they write 'Cara John' letters ?

    Finally, ( 😉 ), on the subject of the Rattlesnake's tail muscles vibrating at 50 times a second, – a humming bird's wings flap at 75 to about 200 times per second. The american domestic electric alternating current changes polarity (alternates) at 50 cycles per second.(cps). Other British and european AC alternate at 60 cps.

    Continue on your wonderful journey, Bill.
    As an ancient Chinese saying goes,'Its far. far better to travel hopefully, than to arrive'.

    Have a happy day, all. ;-D)

  2. Hi Bill, (Another hike? I sure hope you and your wife have comfortable shoes ^0^ )
    Vidwan, Sfingi, Addict, Piano Man, Jeff, Tony and everyone!
    ANALOGOUS TO sure looked strange with some letters missing. Did not know the abbreviation BMP.
    Missed by one letter. Had NAES not NOES.
    I guess a COB is part of an ear, but kernel wouldn't fit. sigh.
    Stay safe, everyone.
    See you tomorrow!

  3. Never heard of BUSHWA. Is that a term used in the US?

    For Dan Brown fans, he has a new book out called Inferno. It is a mystery based on Dante's Divine Comedy. Very much like the Da Vinci Code. I am about half way through and it is full of action.

  4. Ditto on never hearing "bushwa" in common usage. I already finished the puzzle and I don't even remember noticing a theme. Weird.

Comments are closed.