LA Times Crossword Answers 31 Oct 14, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Doug Peterson
THEME: A Start and Finish … each of today’s themed answers is a common phrase, but with a letter A added to the start and finish of one word in that phrase:

64D. Smallish batteries, and a hint to how the answers to starred clues are formed AAS

17A. *Media member with a curly tail? PRESS AKITA (from “press kit”)
25A. *With 50-Across, travel guide that touts Oranjestad’s worst hotels and restaurants? ARUBA THE
50A. See 25-Across WRONG WAY (from “rub the wrong way”)
38A. *”Whatever you say, wise goddess!”? ALL RIGHTY, ATHENA (from “all righty, then”)
61A. *Refrigerator on the front lines? AMANA OF WAR (from “man-of-war”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 16m 59s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Common telenovela theme AMOR
“Amor” is Spanish for “love”.

A “telenovela” is a “television novel”, a form of programming that is very popular in Latin America. A telenovela is sort of like a soap opera that has an end in sight, and that runs for less than a year. I like this quote from an executive at Telemundo:
“A telenovela is all about a couple who wants to kiss and a scriptwriter who stands in their way for 150 episodes.”

5. Travel needs for many VISAS
A visa is a usually a stamp in one’s passport, an indication that one is authorized to enter a particular country. The word “visa” comes into English, via French, from the Latin expression “charta visa” meaning “paper that has been seen”, or “verified paper”.

17. *Media member with a curly tail? PRESS AKITA
The Akita breed of dog is named for its point of origin, the Akita Prefecture in Japan. When Helen Keller visited Japan in 1937, she asked for and was given an Akita breed of dog, with the name of Kamikaze-go. Sadly, the dog died within a year from distemper. The following year the Japanese government officially presented Keller with a replacement dog. Supposedly Keller’s dogs were the first members of the breed to be introduced into the US.

20. Sorceress jilted by Jason MEDEA
In Greek mythology Medea was the wife of Jason, the heroic leader of the Argonauts. Medea was a sorceress who pledged to help Jason in his search for the Golden Fleece, on condition that he take her as his wife. According to some accounts, Jason left Medea and took up with Glauce, the daughter of the king of Corinth. Medea got her own back by sending Glauce a golden coronet and a dress that were covered with poison. The poison killed Glauce, and her father the king. To further her revenge on Jason, Medea killed two of her own children that were fathered by him.

23. Seahawks’ org. NFC
National Football Conference (NFC)

The Seahawks are Seattle’s NFL franchise, having joined the league as an expansion team in 1976 along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team is owned by Paul Allen, the man who founded Microsoft along with Bill Gates. The Seahawks fans are particularly enthusiastic and noisy, earning themselves the nickname “the 12th Man”. These fans twice set the Guinness World record for the loudest crowd noise at a sporting event in 2013.

25. *With 50-Across, travel guide that touts Oranjestad’s worst hotels and restaurants? ARUBA THE
(50. See 25-Across WRONG WAY)
Oranjestad is the capital city of the island of Aruba in the Caribbean. Aruba is a constituent country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Oranjestad translates as “Orange Town”, and was named for the first King William of Orange-Nassau.

30. Ore. setting PST
The state of Oregon is in the Pacific Time Zone.

31. José __: frozen Mexican food brand OLE
José Olé is a brand of frozen Mexican food products that was founded in 2000.

32. Sitar selections RAGAS
Raga isn’t really a type of music, but has been described as the “tonal framework” in which Indian classical music is composed. Ravi Shankar was perhaps the most famous raga virtuoso (to us Westerners).

The sitar has been around since the Middle Ages. The sitar is a stringed instrument that is played by plucking, and is used most often in Hindustani classical music. In the West we have been exposed to the instrument largely through the performances of Ravi Shankar and some music by George Harrison of the Beatles, a onetime student of Shankar.

34. Santa __ Mountains: coastal California range CRUZ
The Santa Cruz Mountains lie to the west of the Santa Clara Valley (aka “Silicon Valley”) in Northern California. The range separates the valley from the Pacific Ocean.

38. *”Whatever you say, wise goddess!”? ALL RIGHTY, ATHENA
The Greek goddess Athena is often associated with wisdom (among other attributes). In many representations. Athena is depicted with an owl sitting on her head. It is this linkage of the owl with the goddess of wisdom that led to today’s perception of the owl as being “wise”.

42. In-land link? LA-LA
La-la land is a euphemism for a state of unconsciousness.

43. Henie on the ice SONJA
Sonja Henie was a World and Olympic Champion figure skater from Norway from the days when “amateur” sports stars were not paid. Henie made up for her lack of income from competing by developing a career in Hollywood. She was one of highest-paid film stars at the height of her movie career.

44. Grammy-winning “We Are Young” band FUN
Fun (stylized as “fun.”) is a band from New York City. Never heard of them …

45. Cybernotes IMS
Even though instant messaging (sending IMs) has been around since the 1960s, it was AOL who popularized the term “instant message” in the eighties and nineties.

54. “King Kong” studio RKO
The RKO Pictures studio was formed when RCA (RADIO Corporation of America) bought the KEITH-Albee-ORPHEUM theaters (and Joe Kennedy’s Film Booking Offices of America). The RKO acronym then comes from the words “Radio”, “Keith” and “Orpheum”.

“King Kong” really is a classic movie. It stars Fay Wray as the young woman (Ann Darrow) with whom Kong falls in love. Wray was very interested in the role as she was told that she would be playing opposite the “tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood”. She thought it might be Clark Gable. At least that’s how the story goes …

55. Franklin’s note HUNDRED
Benjamin Franklin is featured on one side of the hundred-dollar bill (also called a “C-spot”), 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”. However, on the actual clock on Independence Hall, the “four” is denoted by “IIII”, which has been the convention for clock faces for centuries.

60. Qatari potentate EMIR
An emir is a prince or chieftain, most notably in the Middle East. In English, “emir” can also be written as “amir” and “ameer” (watch out for those spellings in crosswords!).

Qatar is a sovereign state in the Middle East occupying the Qatar Peninsula, itself located in the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar lies on the Persian Gulf and shares one land border, with Saudi Arabia to the south. Qatar has more oil and gas reserves per capita of population than any other country in the world. In 2010, Qatar had the fastest growing economy in the world, driven by the petrochemical industry.

61. *Refrigerator on the front lines? AMANA OF WAR
The Amana Corporation takes its name from the location of its original headquarters, in Middle Amana, Iowa.

65. In __ parentis LOCO
The Latin phrase “in loco parentis” translates as “in the place of a parent”. We use the term in the law when referring to a person or organization that takes on some of the responsibilities of a parent.

66. What a shin guard protects TIBIA
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.

67. Legendary galley ARGO
In Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts sailed on the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. The vessel was called the “Argo” in honor of the ship’s builder, a man named Argus.

70. Actor Gosling RYAN
Ryan Gosling is a Canadian actor who really seems to be riding high right now. He is one of a string of entertainers to graduate from the Mickey Mouse Club on the Disney Channel. I saw him not too long ago in the fun romantic comedy “Crazy, Stupid, Love” starring alongside Steve Carell.

Down
1. Digital clock toggle AM/PM
The 12-hour clock has been around a long time, and was even used in sundial format in Ancient Egypt. Our use of AM and PM dates back to Roman times, with AM standing for Ante Meridiem (before noon) and PM standing for Post Meridiem (after noon). However, the Romans originally used the AM concept a little differently, by counting backwards from noon. So, 2AM to the Romans would be two hours before noon, or 10AM as we would call it today.

6. India __ INK
The black ink known as “India ink” was actually developed in the China, although the carbon pigment used was imported from India, hence the name.

7. Fashion designer Anna SUI
Anna Sui is a fashion designer from Detroit, Michigan.

11. Threat to a WWII destroyer U-BOAT
U-boat stands for the German “Unterseeboot” (undersea boat). Notably, a U-boat sank the RMS Lusitania in 1915, an event that helped propel the US into WWI.

18. Trip to see the big game? SAFARI
“Safari” is a Swahili word, meaning “journey” or “expedition”.

22. Birth announcement abbr. LBS
The unit of mass that we know today as a “pound” is descended from the old Roman unit of weight known as a “libra”. That “libra” connection is why we abbreviate pound to “lb”. The name “pound” though comes from the Latin “pondo” meaning “weight”.

25. Subject for da Vinci ANATOMY
Leonardo da Vinci was perhaps the most diversely talented person who ever contributed to society. He was a gifted painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer and writer. Da Vinci’s mural “The Last Supper” is the most reproduced work of art in the world.

27. Earthenware pot OLLA
An olla is a traditional clay pot used for the making of stews. “Olla” was the Latin word used in Ancient Rome to describe a similar type of pot.

33. Holiday song closer SYNE
The song “Auld Lang Syne” is a staple at New Year’s Eve, the words of which were written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The literal translation of “Auld Lang Syne” is “old long since”, but is better translated as “old times”. The sentiment of the song is “for old time’s sake”.

35. S&L offering for homeowners REFI
Savings and Loan (S&L)

36. Word on the Great Seal of the United States UNUM
From 1776, “E pluribus unum” was the unofficial motto of the United States. “E pluribus unum” is Latin for “Out of many, one”. It was pushed aside in 1956 when an Act of Congress designated “In God We Trust” as the country’s official motto.

The Great Seal of the United States is a device used to authenticate some US federal documents. The obverse (front) of the Great Seal is used as the coat of arms of the US, a design that can seen on all American passports.

37. Novelist Grey ZANE
Zane Grey certainly did hit on the right niche. He wrote romanticized western novels and stories that really lent themselves to the big screen in the days when westerns were very popular movies. Incredibly, 110 films were made based on his work.

39. Shower harbinger RAINDROP
A harbinger is a person or a thing that indicates what is to come. The word comes from the Middle English “herbenger”, a person sent ahead to arrange lodgings.

40. Cracked open AJAR
Our word “ajar” is thought to come from Scottish dialect, in which “a char” means “slightly open”.

50. Young wolf WHELP
A whelp is a young dog, and also a young wolf, bear, lion, tiger and seal. The term has largely been replaced by “pup” or “puppy”.

59. Suffix with Jumbo -TRON
A JumboTron is a big-screen television system from Sony, often seen in sports stadiums. The brand name “JumboTron” is used pretty generically now for any big-screen system in such venues, even though Sony exited the business in 2001.

62. Mount Rushmore figure, familiarly ABE
The four presidents whose faces are carved in the granite face of Mount Rushmore are (from left to right) George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Each of the presidents is about 60 feet in height, although they might have been larger. The original intent was for the presidents to be depicted from head to waist, but the project lost funding.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Common telenovela theme AMOR
5. Travel needs for many VISAS
10. Lose, in a Vegas game BUST
14. Amplify, in a way MIKE
15. Not available IN USE
16. Fit ABLE
17. *Media member with a curly tail? PRESS AKITA
19. Word with barn or storm DOOR
20. Sorceress jilted by Jason MEDEA
21. “Not interested” I’LL PASS
23. Seahawks’ org. NFC
25. *With 50-Across, travel guide that touts Oranjestad’s worst hotels and restaurants? ARUBA THE
26. “Time to split!” GOTTA RUN!
30. Ore. setting PST
31. José __: frozen Mexican food brand OLE
32. Sitar selections RAGAS
34. Santa __ Mountains: coastal California range CRUZ
38. *”Whatever you say, wise goddess!”? ALL RIGHTY, ATHENA
42. In-land link? LA-LA
43. Henie on the ice SONJA
44. Grammy-winning “We Are Young” band FUN
45. Cybernotes IMS
48. Six, for many MEALTIME
50. See 25-Across WRONG WAY
54. “King Kong” studio RKO
55. Franklin’s note HUNDRED
56. “Cheers,” e.g. TOAST
60. Qatari potentate EMIR
61. *Refrigerator on the front lines? AMANA OF WAR
65. In __ parentis LOCO
66. What a shin guard protects TIBIA
67. Legendary galley ARGO
68. __ school PREP
69. How-to units STEPS
70. Actor Gosling RYAN

Down
1. Digital clock toggle AM/PM
2. Squishy area MIRE
3. Didn’t deny OKED
4. Feel offended by RESENT
5. Itinerary word VIA
6. India __ INK
7. Fashion designer Anna SUI
8. Buzzing with activity ASTIR
9. Close securely SEAL UP
10. Run of lousy luck BAD PATCH
11. Threat to a WWII destroyer U-BOAT
12. Splash clumsily SLOSH
13. Clipped TERSE
18. Trip to see the big game? SAFARI
22. Birth announcement abbr. LBS
24. Climbing challenge CRAG
25. Subject for da Vinci ANATOMY
26. One may go into an empty net GOAL
27. Earthenware pot OLLA
28. Bluff betrayer TELL
29. Words of disgust UGHS
33. Holiday song closer SYNE
35. S&L offering for homeowners REFI
36. Word on the Great Seal of the United States UNUM
37. Novelist Grey ZANE
39. Shower harbinger RAINDROP
40. Cracked open AJAR
41. Have words with TALK TO
46. Dept. head MGR
47. Workout garb SWEATS
49. Beyond reasonable limits TOO FAR
50. Young wolf WHELP
51. One may be going around RUMOR
52. Ready if required ON ICE
53. Not turn away ADMIT
57. Not right AWRY
58. Multigenerational tale SAGA
59. Suffix with Jumbo -TRON
62. Mount Rushmore figure, familiarly ABE
63. Tang NIP
64. Smallish batteries, and a hint to how the answers to starred clues are formed AAS

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