LA Times Crossword Answers 14 Mar 15, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Gail Grabowski
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 18m 06s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. D.C. sports group NATS
The Washington Nationals baseball team started out life as the Montreal Expos in 1969. The Expos moved to Washington in 2005 becoming the Nats. There are only two Major Leagues teams that have never played in a World Series, one being the Mariners and the other the Nats.

15. School acronym ELHI
“Elhi” is an informal word used to describe anything related to schooling from grades 1 through 12, i.e. elementary through high school.

16. Dating term usually abbreviated ANNO DOMINI
The designations Anno Domini (AD, “year of Our Lord”) and Before Christ (BC) are found in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The dividing point between AD and BC is the year of the conception of Jesus, with AD 1 following 1 BC without a year “0” in between. The AD/BC scheme dates back to AD 525, and gained wide acceptance soon after AD 800. Nowadays a modified version has become popular, with CE (Common/Christian Era) used to replace AD, and BCE (Before the Common/Christian Era) used to replace BC.

17. MSNBC anchor Wagner ALEX
Alex Wagner is a liberal political commentator and the anchor of the MSNBC show “Now with Alex Wagner”. Wagner was married to White House chef Sam Kass in 2014, in a ceremony attended by President Obama and his family.

20. The Whiffenpoofs of a cappella fame ELIS
Eli is the nickname for a graduate of Yale University, a term used in honor of the Yale benefactor Elihu Yale.

The Yale Whiffenpoofs are an a cappella group based in Yale University. They are the oldest such university group in this country, established in 1909. “The Whiffenpoof Song” is the group’s traditional closing number. The song was first performed back in 1909, and has been recorded by many artists including Rudy Vallee and Bing Crosby.

The term “a cappella”, formerly “alla cappella”, applies without to singing without musical accompaniment. “Alla cappella” translates from Italian as “in the manner of the chapel”, referring back to older church music that was written for unaccompanied voices.

24. Sherry type PALE DRY
Sherry is a fortified wine made using grapes from around the town of Jerez de la Frontera (formerly “Xerez” or “Xeres”) in the autonomous community of Andalusia in Spain. The word “sherry” is an anglicized form of the name “Jerez”.

26. Swap magazines RELOAD
The word “magazine” was originally used to denote a place for storing goods, particularly military arms and ammunition, back in the late 1500s. This usage was extended to include packs of ammunition attached to automatic weapons. The first use of “magazine” in the sense of a periodical or journal dates back to 1731, with the publication of “Gentleman’s Magazine”. “Magazine” had come to mean a printed list of military stores, and the idea was that the new periodical was to be a “storehouse” of information.

27. Outback order FILET
Outback Steakhouse is a chain of restaurants that was established in 1987, with the first Outback opening in Tampa, Florida. Outback serves largely American food in an Australian-themed dining locale.

29. Gifts for aficionados BOXED SETS
I’m a big fan of binge-watching box sets of TV programs. I like to sample shows, pick out the one’s worth viewing, and then wait till full series become available. I don’t hold with “tune in next week …”

33. VIP of the USAF CIC
Commander-in-Chief (CINC, CIC)

34. Chess grandmaster Spassky BORIS
Boris Spassky is a Russian chess grandmaster, and currently the oldest living world champion. Here in the US, Spassky’s most famous match was in 1972, at the height of the Cold War. That was when Spassky lost the world championship to American player Bobby Fischer in a clash that was billed as the “Match of the Century”.

35. Span. title SRA
The equivalent of “Mrs.” in French is “Mme.” (Madame) and in Spanish is “Sra.” (Señora).

43. Player in eight Super Bowls PATRIOT
The New England Patriots football team was founded in 1959 as the Boston Patriots. The “Patriots” name was selected from suggestions made by football fans in Boston. The team played at several different stadiums in the Boston area for just over ten years, before moving to their current home base in Foxborough, Massachusetts. At the time of the move, the “Boston” name was dropped and changed to “New England”.

47. Then, in Rennes ALORS
Rennes is the capital city of the Brittany region of France, and is also the administrative capital of the department known as Ille-et-Vilaine.

49. Punch line, say END
The punch line of a joke, is at the joke’s end.

50. Like some sirens BEWITCHING
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were seductive bird-women who lured men to their deaths with their song. When Odysseus sailed closed to the island home of the Sirens he wanted to hear their voices, but in safety. He had his men plug their ears with beeswax and then ordered them to tie him to the mast and not to free him until they were safe. On hearing their song Odysseus begged to be let loose, but the sailors just tightened his bonds and and the whole crew sailed away unharmed.

53. Kyrgyzstan border range ALAI
The Alay (also “Alai”) Mountains are located in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The highest peak in the range is Pik Tandykul, which lies on the international border between the two countries.

54. “Block-Heads” co-star, 1938 STAN LAUREL
Stan Laurel was an English comic actor (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson), who made a great career for himself in Hollywood. Laurel ended up at the Hal Roach studio directing films, intent on pursuing a career in writing and directing. However, he was a sometime actor and was asked to step in when another comic actor, Oliver Hardy, was injured and couldn’t perform. Laurel and Hardy started to share a stage together during that time and when it was clear they worked so well together, their partnership was born. Oh, and the oft-quoted story that Clint Eastwood is the son of Stan Laurel … that’s just an urban myth.

“Block-Heads” is a 1938 Laurel and Hardy movie. The film was billed as Laurel and Hardy’s last, but that proved not to be the case.

57. Crimp-haired critters EWES
Crimped hair is curly.

Down
3. “Every Breath You Take” band THE POLICE
The Police was a trio formed in London in 1977, with Sting being the most famous member and lead singer.

“Every Breath You Take” is a 1983 single written by Sting, and released by the Police. It was the biggest hit in the US that whole year, even though essentially it’s a song about stalking an ex-lover!

8. City served by Ben-Gurion airport LOD
Ben-Gurion International (TLV) is Israel’s main airport, and is located in the city of Lod just a few miles southeast of Tel Aviv. The airport is named for David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister.

9. Author LeShan EDA
Eda LeShan wrote “When Your Child Drives You Crazy”, and was host of the PBS television show “How Do Your Children Grow?”

10. Husky follower DOGSLED
The Siberian Husky is one of the oldest breeds of dog, and originated in northern Asia. Siberian Huskies were imported into Alaska in great numbers in the early 1900s for use as sled dogs during the gold rush.

20. Dakota du Sud, e.g. ETAT
In French, South Dakota (Dakota du Sud) is a state (état).

23. __ Canals SOO
In the summer of 2010 I spent a very interesting afternoon watching ships make their way through the Soo Locks and Soo Canals between Lake Superior and the lower Great lakes. The name “Soo” comes from the US and Canadian cities on either side of the locks, both called Sault Ste. Marie.

24. “Angry” adversary in Enid Blyton’s “Faraway Tree” series PIXIE
“The Faraway Tree” is a series of four children’s novels by English author Enid Blyton. There are plans to adapt the books into a live action film.

Enid Blyton wrote stories for children that were very popular when I was growing up in the British Isles. Not so long ago I purchased and reread my favorite of her stories growing up, a children’s novel called “The Secret Island”.

25. Dogfish Head products ALES
Dogfish Head is a brewery in Milton, Delaware that set up shop in 1995. The brewery is named for Dogfish Head in Maine, where the founder spent summers as a child.

32. They go with chips SALSA DIPS
“Salsa” is simply Spanish for “sauce”.

34. Vivacity BRIO
“Brio” is borrowed from Italian, in which language it means vigor and vivacity. “Con brio” is a musical direction often found on a score, instructing the musicians to play “with energy, vigor”.

40. Flying fig. ALT
Altitude (alt.)

43. L.A.-based brewery PABST
Pabst Blue Ribbon is the most recognizable brand of beer from the Pabst Brewing Company. There appears to be some dispute over whether or not Pabst beer ever won a “blue ribbon” prize, but the company claims that it did so at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The beer was originally called Pabst Best Select, and then just Pabst Select. With the renaming to Blue Ribbon, the beer was sold with an actual blue ribbon tied around the neck of the bottle until it was dropped in 1916 and incorporated into the label.

44. Prince Valiant’s bride ALETA
Aleta is the the wife of Prince Valiant in the long-running comic strip. Edward, Duke of Windsor, called the “Prince Valiant” comic strip the “greatest contribution to English Literature in the past one hundred years”. I’m not so sure …

45. “Path __”: 2002 LBJ biopic TO WAR
“Path to War” is a 2012 HBO biographical movie that covers the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson as it related to the Vietnam War. The fine English actor Michael Gambon plays the president, with Donald Sutherland and Alec Baldwin playing supporting roles. I haven’t seen this one yet, but have it “in the queue” …

46. “Woman With a Parasol” painter MONET
“Woman With a Parasol” is a famous 1875 oil painting by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet that can be seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. The work features the artist’s wife and son, Camille and Jean Monet.

48. Pre-euro currency LIRA
The word “lira” is used in a number of countries for currency. “Lira” comes from the Latin for “pound” and is derived from a British pound sterling, the value of a Troy pound of silver. For example, the lira (plural “lire”) was the official currency of Italy before the country changed over to the euro in 2002.

51. Monopoly token that replaced the iron CAT
There are eight tokens included in the game of Monopoly as of 2013. These are the wheelbarrow, battleship, racecar, thimble, boot, Scottie dog, top hat and cat. The latest to be introduced was the cat in 2013, replacing the iron. The battleship and the cannon (aka howitzer, now retired) had been added to the Monopoly game as part of a recycling exercise. The pieces were intended for the game “Conflict” released in 1940, but when Parker Bros. pulled “Conflict” off the market due to poor sales, they added their excess battleships and cannons to Monopoly.

52. Cabinet dept. created under LBJ HUD
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has its roots in the “Great Society” program of President Lyndon Johnson. HUD’s mission is to address the housing needs of the citizenry at the national level. HUD can provide mortgage insurance to help people become homeowners and also provide rental subsidies to lower-income families. HUD is also responsible for enforcement of Federal Fair Housing laws.

53. One on the links ACE
A hole-in-one is also known as an “ace”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. D.C. sports group NATS
5. Hit the roof BOILED OVER
15. School acronym ELHI
16. Dating term usually abbreviated ANNO DOMINI
17. MSNBC anchor Wagner ALEX
18. Specialty brokers LAND AGENTS
19. Head TOP
20. The Whiffenpoofs of a cappella fame ELIS
21. Finely contoured SLEEK
22. Only fair TWO-STAR
24. Sherry type PALE DRY
26. Swap magazines RELOAD
27. Outback order FILET
28. No-brainer? IDIOT
29. Gifts for aficionados BOXED SETS
33. VIP of the USAF CIC
34. Chess grandmaster Spassky BORIS
35. Span. title SRA
36. Joint support KNEE BRACE
39. Disastrous FATAL
41. Come (from) ARISE
42. They’re assembled at bars SALADS
43. Player in eight Super Bowls PATRIOT
46. Herbal beverage MINT TEA
47. Then, in Rennes ALORS
48. Boring, maybe LONG
49. Punch line, say END
50. Like some sirens BEWITCHING
53. Kyrgyzstan border range ALAI
54. “Block-Heads” co-star, 1938 STAN LAUREL
55. Temporary place to stay CAMP
56. Project planning datum TARGET DATE
57. Crimp-haired critters EWES

Down
1. Bit of cleverness NEAT TRICK
2. Admitted ALLOWED IN
3. “Every Breath You Take” band THE POLICE
4. Pack leader? SIX-
5. It’s not a complex number BALLAD
6. Happy way to walk ON AIR
7. Temporary places to stay INNS
8. City served by Ben-Gurion airport LOD
9. Author LeShan EDA
10. Husky follower DOGSLED
11. They’re filled and folded OMELETS
12. Like some brick walls VINED
13. Join ENTER
14. Touch-and-go RISKY
20. Dakota du Sud, e.g. ETAT
23. __ Canals SOO
24. “Angry” adversary in Enid Blyton’s “Faraway Tree” series PIXIE
25. Dogfish Head products ALES
27. Pressure FORCE
29. Sound off BOAST
30. Passing legislation? ESTATE LAW
31. Business identifier TRADE NAME
32. They go with chips SALSA DIPS
34. Vivacity BRIO
37. Hoop, for one EARRING
38. Take offense BRISTLE
39. Venom source FANG
40. Flying fig. ALT
42. Unattached SINGLE
43. L.A.-based brewery PABST
44. Prince Valiant’s bride ALETA
45. “Path __”: 2002 LBJ biopic TO WAR
46. “Woman With a Parasol” painter MONET
48. Pre-euro currency LIRA
51. Monopoly token that replaced the iron CAT
52. Cabinet dept. created under LBJ HUD
53. One on the links ACE

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7 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 14 Mar 15, Saturday”

  1. My mind kept wandering off the misdirections. But when in focus, I managed to eke this one out. That entire SE corner should be cited for causing excessive groan-age.

    ELIS is now on my list of words that should be retired for a while. And for that matter, so is anything in French. 😉

  2. The best part of this puzzle was actually a mistake I made. I had ESTATE TAX instead of ESTATE LAW which made EXES the answer for "crimp haired critters". I laughed and couldn't wait to see the explanation…until the explanation was that I was wrong.

    The etymology of magazine was interesting. The Russian word for "store" is indeed "magazine". In fact, the famous GUM department store in Red Square is an acronym and the "M" stands for magazine.

    Best –

  3. No one else said it, so I will. Woman w/ Parasol was painted in 1875, not 1975. Monet died in 1926. That clue was the only sure answer I had!
    I also had estate tax, and the only crimped hair I could think of are poodles. It was a tough morning!
    Bella

  4. I don't know which surprises me more — Boris Spassky is still alive, or the iron token is gone from Monopoly!
    Meanwhile, I managed this puzzle only by cheating on probably half of it…
    :-
    Enjoy your Sunday, folks!

  5. I just this minute finished the Saturday puzzle. I had one of those Saturdays that started at 4 AM and never let up. Ugh.

    Enjoyed (if you can call staring with furrowed brow as my mind tried to come up with understanding and answers to the clues provided). Finally finished, but it was slow and it was ugly with strike overs.

    Hope everyone has a great Sunday and if I don't spend too much time praying to Chief Priest Amros you'll have to forgive my secular stance. Glad I was born in the USA where religions coexist and so do its citizens.

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