LA Times Crossword Answers 6 Sep 14, Saturday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
15. Big Sur retreat ESALEN
Esalen is a retreat centre in Big Sur, California that was opened in 1962. The center is located on the coast, about 50 miles south of Monterey. It takes its name from the Esselen Native American tribe that once lived in the area where the institute is located.

17. Philosopher de Beauvoir SIMONE
Simone de Beauvoir was a French philosopher and writer. de Beauvoir wrote a treatise in 1949 called “The Second Sex” that discussed the oppression of women, which became an inspiration for the modern feminist movement. She is also known for the long-term relationship she had with fellow philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre.

18. 1992 Michelle Pfeiffer role CATWOMAN
Michelle Pfeiffer got her big break in movies with an appearance in 1983’s “Scarface” opposite Al Pacino. Pfeiffer is married to the very successful television writer and producer David E. Kelley.

Catwoman is a supervillain who is usually depicted as an adversary of Batman in comics. In the sixties television show “Batman”, Catwoman was first portrayed by actress Julie Newmar, but then the more memorable Eartha Kitt took over, with the marvelously “feline voice”. On the big screen, Catwoman has been played by Lee Meriwether in “Batman” (1966), by Michelle Pfeiffer in “Batman Returns” (1992), by Halle Berry in “Catwoman” (2004) and by Anne Hathaway in “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012).

19. Wright-Patterson, e.g. AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is located just east of Dayton, Ohio. The first aircraft operations on the land now occupied by the base were way back in 1904. Orville and Wilbur Wright conducted test flights there with their Wright Flyer III aircraft.

23. Titicaca feeders RIOS
“Rio” is the Spanish word for “river”.

Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America, and the highest navigable lake in the world (navigable by “large” commercial vessels). Lake Titicaca is located in the Andes, on the border between Peru and Bolivia.

25. Forest mom DOE
A male deer is usually called a “buck”, and a female a “doe”.

27. __ Lodge ECONO
Econo Lodge is a low-cost hotel chain in the Choice Hotels portfolio of brands. The chain started in 1969 as Econo-Travel, and demonstrated pretty quickly that budget-hotels were a good idea. The first hotel was built in Norfolk, Virginia and it started making money three weeks after welcoming its first guests.

29. “Fats” Waller piano style STRIDE
“Stride” is a jazz piano style that features an “oom-pah” action with the left hand, alternating between a bass note and a chord.

Fats Waller was the son of a clergyman in New York City, and started playing the piano when he was six, and his father’s church organ when he was ten. Waller took up the piano professionally when only fifteen years old, working in theaters and cabarets. Waller co-wrote such classics as “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Honeysuckle Rose”.

31. Gang leader of old comics BAZOOKA JOE
The Bazooka brand of bubble gum was introduced by the Topps Company soon after the end of WWII. Bazooka have included comic strips in the wrappers for their gum since the early to mid-fifties. The hero of the strip if Bazooka Joe, a young man who wears an eyepatch.

37. Goethe’s “The __-King” ERL
“Der Erlkönig” (“The Erl King”) is a poem by the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The poem tells of the death of child attacked by the Erl King, a supernatural being. The Austrian composer Franz Schubert made a musical adaptation of Goethe’s poem, using the same title.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer (among other things!). Goethe’s most famous work is probably his play “Faust”. This epic work was published in parts, starting in 1808. The work was only published in toto after his death in 1832.

40. Yvette, e.g. NOM
Yvette is a French name (nom). It is the feminine form of the male given name “Yves”, which means “yew” or perhaps “archer”.

41. Soup vegetable LEEK
The leek is a national emblem of Wales (along with the daffodil), although I don’t think we know for sure how this came to be. One story is that the Welsh were ordered to wear leeks in their helmets to identify themselves in a battle against the Saxons. Apparently, the battle took place in a field of leeks.

45. “Free,” in “land of the free” ADNOUN
An “adnoun” is an adjective that is being used as a noun, with the term being a portmanteau of “adjective” and “noun”. Examples are the last words in the following phrases:

– Guide-dogs for the blind
– Tax cuts for the wealthy
– Blessed are the meek
– Land of the free

47. Wheat used in health food SPELT
Spelt is a species of wheat that was very popular in Europe from the Bronze Age right up to the Middle Ages. Nowadays “bread wheat” is a more popular species, although spelt is making a comeback as it can be grown quite successfully without the use of fertilizers.

51. 19th/20th-century civil rights leader __ B. Wells IDA
Ida B. Wells worked as an African American journalist, while providing leadership in the civil rights movement. She published a pamphlet in 1892 called “Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases”, which publicized the horrors of lynching of African Americans by white mobs in the South.

58. Common ore of mercury CINNABAR
Mercury is the only metallic element that is liquid at room temperature. It was this property that led to its former name “hydrargyrum”, from the Greek “hydr-” (water) and “argyros” (silver). And, “hydrargyrum” gives us Mercury’s element symbol “Hg”. The name “mercury” was in honor of the Roman god Mercury, who was known for speed and agility, another reference to metals liquid properties. Most of the world’s mercury is found in the form of mercuric sulfide, in the ore called cinnabar.

Down
1. 1962 Crystals album with cover art of a biker HE’S A REBEL
Gene Pitney wrote the sixties hit song “He’s a Rebel”, and he intended it to be recorded by the Shirelles. The Shirelles passed on the song, and so producer Phil Spector gave the song to the Crystals. At the time the song’s recording was scheduled, the Crystals were on tour so Spector had Darlene Love perform the song in the studio, backed by the Blossoms. But when the recording was released, the song was credited to the Crystals and they had to add it to their concert repertoire. So, the Crystals had a number one hit that they didn’t even record!

The Crystals are a female vocal group that was formed in 1960, and are still going strong today. The group had some great hits in the sixties, including “He’s a Rebel”, “Dad Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” and “Then He Kissed Me”.

3. Hoodwink BAMBOOZLE
It’s thought that the lovely word “bamboozle” came into English from the Scottish “bombaze” meaning “perplex”. We’ve been using “bamboozle” since the very early 1700s.

“Hoodwink” has had the meaning “to deceive” since about 1600. Prior to that it meant simply “to blindfold”, a sort of portmanteau word from “hood” and “wink”.

4. Workers’ rights gp. since 1919 ILO
The ILO (International Labour Organization) is an agency now administered by the UN which was established by the League of Nations after WWI. The ILO deals with important issues such as health and safety, discrimination, child labor and forced labor. The organization was recognized for its work in 1969 when it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

6. Three-time Masters winner SNEAD
Sam Snead was probably the most successful golfer never to win a US Open title, as he won a record 82 PGA Tour events. He did win seven majors, but never the US Open. He was also quite the showman. He once hit the scoreboard at Wrigley Field stadium with a golf ball, by teeing off from home plate.

7. Flying cartoon hero, formally ROCKET J SQUIRREL
“The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show” was a cartoon series that originally aired on television in the late fifties and early sixties. The title characters are a moose (Bullwinkle) and a squirrel (Rocky). Rocky the Flying Squirrel is formally known as Rocket J. Squirrel, Bullwinkle’s full name is Bullwinkle J. Moose.

8. Some NASA missions EVAS
Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) is the name given to any work done by an astronaut outside of his or her spacecraft. The term would encompass walking on the moon, as well as making a space walk i.e. floating around in space while tethered to spacecraft.

21. Actress Dawson of “Men in Black II” ROSARIO
The actress Rosario Dawson is from New York City. Dawson played the waitress Laura Vasquez in the film “Men in Black II”.

“Men in Black” are said to have appeared in the past whenever there have been reports of UFO sightings. Supposedly, these men are government agents whose job it is to suppress reports of alien landings. The conspiracy theorists got their day in the movies with the release of a pretty good sci-fi comedy in 1997 called “Men in Black”, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones.

30. Capitol center ROTUNDA
In architecture, a rotunda is name given to a building with a circular ground plan. Often the building has a dome, but that isn’t a strict requirement for a “rotunda”. The term can also refer to a round room within a building. The most famous example in this country is the Rotunda in the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

36. 1980s-’90s Richard Mulligan sitcom EMPTY NEST
“Empty Nest” is a sitcom that aired in the eighties and nineties, a spin-off of the hit show “The Golden Girls”. “Empty Nest” is about a pediatrician who is a neighbor of “the golden girls”, a Dr. Harry Weston. Weston is recently widowed and living with two adult daughter who have moved back into his home.

The actor Richard Mulligan is best-known for his work on television sitcoms. Mulligan played Burt Campbell on “Soap” and Dr. Harry Weston on “The Golden Girls” and the spin-off “Empty Nest”. Richard’s older brother is director Robert Mulligan, who directed such classics as “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962), “Summer of ‘42” (1971) and “Same Time, Next Year” (1978).

42. Hawaiian priests KAHUNAS
Like many words in Hawaiian, the term “kahuna” has several English translations, everything from a priest to an expert in some profession. The expression “the Big Kahuna” comes from the movie “Gidget”, released in 1959. The Big Kahuna was the leader of one of the surfing gangs in the film, and was played by Cliff Robertson.

44. AQI monitor EPA
The air quality index (AQI) is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

46. California city near Bakersfield DELANO
Delano, California is a city that was founded back in 1869 as a railroad town. The Southern Pacific Railroad gave the new town its name in honor of then Secretary of the Interior Columbus Delano. Today, Delano’s economy is driven by agriculture, and the area around the city is particularly noted for producing table grapes. The federal government’s external broadcasting service Voice of America operated its most powerful shortwave transmitter just outside Delano, until 2007.

48. Salad bar items BAC~OS
Bac~Os are a brand of bacon bits.

50. Pacific island nation TONGA
The Kingdom of Tonga is made up of 176 islands in the South Pacific, 52 of which are inhabited and scattered over an area of 270,000 square miles. Tonga was given the name Friendly Islands in 1773 when Captain James Cook first landed there, a reference to the warm reception given to the visitors.

52. Grover’s 1890s vice president ADLAI
Adlai Stevenson I was US vice president from 1893 to 1897, serving under President Grover Cleveland. He was the grandfather of Adlai Stevenson II who served as US Ambassador the UN under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and who ran unsuccessfully for the office of US president twice against Dwight D. Eisenhower.

55. Troubled Mideast region GAZA
After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the boundaries of the strip of land on the Mediterranean around Gaza were fixed in the Israel-Egypt Armistice Agreement. The boundaries were specifically defined but were not to be recognized as an international border. From 1948, the Gaza Strip was occupied and administered by Egypt, until 1967 when Israel took over occupation following the Six-Day War. In 1993, Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Accords which handed over administration to the Palestinian Authority, but with Israel retaining control of the Gaza Strip’s airspace, some land borders and its territorial waters. The intent was to further this agreement, but discussions between the parties broke down. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

61. James, again, briefly CAV
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970.

LeBron James was just 18 years old when he was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, the number one pick in NBA draft. Before he even made his first appearance as a professional player, the young man had signed a $90 million dollar endorsement contract with Nike. James played from 2010 to 2014 with the Miami Heat, and then returned to the Cavs.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Some daily activities HABITS
7. Restored vigor to, in a way REPOTTED
15. Big Sur retreat ESALEN
16. Chef’s assortment OVENWARE
17. Philosopher de Beauvoir SIMONE
18. 1992 Michelle Pfeiffer role CATWOMAN
19. Wright-Patterson, e.g. AFB
20. Certain laundry load DARKS
22. “This is just __” A TEST
23. Titicaca feeders RIOS
25. Forest mom DOE
26. Turning points CRISES
27. __ Lodge ECONO
29. “Fats” Waller piano style STRIDE
31. Gang leader of old comics BAZOOKA JOE
33. Trick RUSE
37. Goethe’s “The __-King” ERL
38. To begin with FIRSTLY
40. Yvette, e.g. NOM
41. Soup vegetable LEEK
43. Stewed LIQUORED UP
45. “Free,” in “land of the free” ADNOUN
47. Wheat used in health food SPELT
48. Gets clean BATHES
51. 19th/20th-century civil rights leader __ B. Wells IDA
53. Marching band? ARMY
54. On the wrong side (of) AFOUL
55. Ceremonial lineup GRADS
57. Disallow BAN
58. Common ore of mercury CINNABAR
60. Pin down LOCATE
62. Form a union ORGANIZE
63. Sees the light, maybe AWAKES
64. Like many sales SEASONAL
65. Devote, as time INVEST

Down
1. 1962 Crystals album with cover art of a biker HE’S A REBEL
2. “Whatever” AS IF I CARE
3. Hoodwink BAMBOOZLE
4. Workers’ rights gp. since 1919 ILO
5. Look after TEND
6. Three-time Masters winner SNEAD
7. Flying cartoon hero, formally ROCKET J SQUIRREL
8. Some NASA missions EVAS
9. Favorite PET
10. Ahead ONWARD
11. Wedding cake specification TWO-TIER
12. Tones down TAMES
13. Backspace, usually ERASE
14. Reasons for as-is sales DENTS
21. Actress Dawson of “Men in Black II” ROSARIO
24. Wintry commercial prefix SNO-
26. Spanish sky CIELO
28. Doubled-over reaction OOF!
30. Capitol center ROTUNDA
32. Where some artists’ firings occur KILNS
34. Cook poorly, in a way UNDERBAKE
35. Ideal pairing SOUL MATES
36. 1980s-’90s Richard Mulligan sitcom EMPTY NEST
39. Age abbr. YRS
42. Hawaiian priests KAHUNAS
44. AQI monitor EPA
46. California city near Bakersfield DELANO
48. Salad bar items BAC~OS
49. Burning AFIRE
50. Pacific island nation TONGA
52. Grover’s 1890s vice president ADLAI
55. Troubled Mideast region GAZA
56. Ready to grow SOWN
59. Garbage holder BIN
61. James, again, briefly CAV

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