LA Times Crossword Answers 19 Mar 2018, Monday

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Constructed by: Bruce Venzke & Gail Grabowski
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Reveal Answer: Double Dates

Themed answers comprise two words, each of which is a type of DATE:

  • 61A. Two-couple outings … and what the answers to starred clues are? : DOUBLE DATES
  • 20A. *Begin preparing an evening meal : START DINNER (“start date” & “dinner date”)
  • 11D. *Downpour : HEAVY RAIN (“heavy date” & “rain date”)
  • 35D. *Steaming morning mugful : HOT COFFEE (“hot date” & “coffee date”)

Bill’s time: 4m 59s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Bird’s crop : CRAW

“Craw” is another name for the “crop”, a portion of the alimentary tract of some animals, including birds. The crop is used for the storage of food prior to digestion. It allows the animal to eat large amounts and then digest that food with efficiency over an extended period. The expression “to stick in one’s craw” is used one when one cannot accept something, cannot “swallow” it.

5. Pols with a donkey symbol : DEMS

Thomas Nast was an American caricaturist and cartoonist. Nast was the creator of the Republican Party elephant, the Democratic Party donkey, Uncle Sam and the image of the plump and jocular Santa Claus that we use today.

9. Specialized, committee-wise : AD HOC

The Latin phrase “ad hoc” means “for this purpose”. An ad hoc committee, for example, is formed for a specific purpose and is disbanded after making its final report.

14. Operate with a beam : LASE

The term “laser” is an acronym standing for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation” (LASER). It has been pointed out that a more precise name for laser technology is “Light Oscillation by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”, but the resulting acronym isn’t quite so appealing, namely LOSER.

15. Natural burn soother : ALOE

Aloe vera has a number of alternate names that are descriptive of its efficacy as a medicine. Ancient Egyptians knew it as the plant of immortality, and Native Americans called it the wand of heaven.

16. Set of beliefs : CREDO

A creed or credo is a confession of faith, or a system of belief or principles. “Credo” is Latin for “I believe”.

17. “__ That a Shame” : AIN’T

“Ain’t That a Shame” was co-written and recorded by Fats Domino. That said, the initial 1955 recording by Domino was mistakenly labeled “Ain’t It a Shame”.

23. Nov. 11 honoree : VET

Veterans Day used to be known as Armistice Day, and is observed on November 11th each year. This particular date was chosen as the Armistice that ended WWI was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

24. Capital of Minn. : ST PAUL

Saint Paul that is the state capital of Minnesota, and is one half of the “Twin Cities” , also known as Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Saint Paul used to be called Pig’s Eye, named after a popular tavern in the original settlement in the area. In 1841, Father Lucien Galtier established a log chapel nearby that he dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle, giving the city its current name. The magnificent Cathedral of St. Paul now sits on the site where the log chapel was built.

25. Taxi driver : CABBY

A hansom cab is a very specific design of horse and buggy that was patented by Joseph Hansom in 1834 in England. The “cab” in the name is short for “cabriolet”, an earlier design of carriage on which the hansom was based. It’s from “hansom cab” that we get our modern term “cab”.

27. Many a ’50s pompadour sporter : GREASER

The greaser subculture developed in the US in the late 1940s, and held quite a bit of sway until the mid-1960s. A typical greaser was an Italian or Hispanic-American youth living in an urban area. Although the term “greaser” was already in the language, it had been used derogatively to describe poor laborers of Italian and Mexican descent. In its new usage, “greaser” referred to the greased-back hair styles worn by male members of the subculture. Examples of greasers in the media are Marlon Brando’s character in 1953’s “The Wild One”, members of the Jets and Sharks gangs in 1957’s “West Side Story”, and the cool kids in 1971’s “Grease”.

In the pompadour style, hair at the front is swept up and worn high over the forehead. The style was originally associated with women, and was named for the mistress of King Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour. Males began to sport a similar style in late 1940s, popularized by rock and roll stars such as Elvis Presley.

30. Catastrophic 2017 hurricane : IRMA

Hurricane Irma was a devastating category 5 hurricane that led to over 100 deaths in the contiguous US in 2017, and half as many in the Caribbean islands. Irma was the most intense hurricane to make landfall in the continental US since Katrina in 2005.

36. Suffix with Jumbo : -TRON

A JumboTron is a big-screen television system developed by Sony, one 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.

41. Internet connectivity delay : LAG

In Internet terms, lag is a delay in response caused by network latency. We might notice lag when streaming a video, for example.

43. “The Waste Land” poet T.S. : ELIOT

T. S. Eliot wrote his poem called “The Waste Land” in 1922. “The Waste Land” opens with the famous line, “April is the cruellest month …”

44. Tennis great Gibson : ALTHEA

Althea Gibson was known as “the Jackie Robinson of tennis” as she broke the “color barrier” and became the first African-American woman to win a Grand Slam title, in France in 1956. She was quite the athlete and was a great golfer as well as tennis player. She was the first African-American woman to play in the Ladies PGA tour, although she never had a win. Outside of sport, she sang a little and recorded an album, and even appeared in a movie (“The Horse Soldiers”) with John Wayne and William Holden. Sadly, towards the end of her life she ended up destitute and on welfare. When her plight was made known in a tennis magazine, well-wishers from all over the world sent her gifts of money, a total of nearly one million dollars. Quite a story …

48. Org. with Bulls and Bucks : NBA

The Chicago Bulls have won six NBA championships in the life of the franchise, all of them in the nineties. They won in the 1991, 1992 and 1993 seasons (a so-called “three-peat”), and then again in 1996, 1997 and 1998 (a second “three-peat”).

The Bucks are the NBA team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin who joined the league as an expansion team in 1968. There was a fan contest held to choose the team’s name, and the winning entry was “Robins”, in honor of Wisconsin’s state bird. However, the judges opted for “Bucks”, the second-most popular choice and a reference to the state’s official wild animal, the white-tailed deer.

49. Bonkers : LOCO

In Spanish, if one isn’t “sano” (sane) one might be described as “loco” (crazy).

The word “bonkers” meaning “crazy” originated in the fifties. The term might come from navy slang meaning “slightly drunk”, behaving as though one received a “bonk” on the head.

50. Tart plant stalk diced for pie filling : RHUBARB

We can eat the leaf stalks of the rhubarb plant, but not the leaves themselves. The leaves contain oxalic acid and are highly toxic.

53. A : Z :: alpha : __ : OMEGA

Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet and is the one that looks like a horseshoe when in uppercase. The lowercase omega looks like a Latin W. The word “omega” literally means “great O” (O-mega). Compare this with the Greek letter Omicron, meaning “little O” (O-micron).

64. Civilian attire : MUFTI

Mufti is civilian dress that is worn by someone who routinely wears a uniform. The term is probably related somehow to the Arabic “mufti”, the word for a Muslim scholar who interprets Islamic law.

66. Wordsmith Webster : NOAH

Not only is Noah Webster’s name inextricably linked with his series of dictionaries, but he is also renowned as an advocate for English spelling reform. He argued that “traditional” English is hard to learn, and that it should be simplified and standardized (instead of “standardised”). He published spelling books that were used in schools, and from edition to edition he changed the spelling of words in order to simplify the language. Examples are the use of “s” over “c” in words like “defense” (in Ireland we have defence and defense depending on usage), “-re” became “-er” as in center instead of centre (reversing the influence of French), and he dropped one of the Ls in words like traveler (I learned “traveller”). Mind you, he also spelled “tongue” as “tung”, but he didn’t get very far with that one.

67. Hertz fleet : CARS

The Hertz car rental company was started in 1918 by Walter L. Jacobs in Chicago. He began with just twelve model T Ford cars available for rent. In 1923, the car rental operation was bought out by John D. Hertz who incorporated it into his truck and coach manufacturing company.

73. Actress Cannon : DYAN

The actress Dyan Cannon is perhaps best known for playing Alice in the 1969 film “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice”, for which she received a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Cannon is also famous for having been on Cary Grant’s long list of wives, from 1965 to 1968 (and he was 33 years her senior).

Down

2. Grammy winner Bonnie : RAITT

Bonnie Raitt is a blues singer originally from Burbank, California. Raitt has won nine Grammys for her work, but she is perhaps as well known for her political activism as she is for her music. She was no fan of President George W. Bush while he was in office, and she sure did show it.

6. Pre-college, briefly : ELHI

“Elhi” is an informal word used to describe anything related to schooling from kindergarten through grade 12, i.e. elementary through high school.

7. Cow’s hurdle, in rhyme : MOON

The nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle” has been around at least since the mid-1700s.

Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon,
The little dog laughed to see such fun,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

8. Mystical gathering : SEANCE

“Séance” is a French word meaning “sitting”. We use the term in English for a sitting in which a spiritualist tries to communicate with the spirits of the dead.

9. Severe, as criticism : ACERB

“Acerb” is a variant of “acerbic”, with both terms meaning “sour, bitter-tasting, acidic”.

10. “__ & the Women”: 2000 Gere film : DR T

The 2000 movie “Dr. T & the Women” is a pretty good film, starring Richard Gere in the title role. It’s a romantic comedy about a gynecologist, and the women in his private and public life. The list of actresses playing those women is impressive, and includes Helen Hunt, Farrah Fawcett, Laura Dern, Shelley Long, Kate Hudson and Liv Tyler.

12. “Garfield” dog : ODIE

Odie is Garfield’s best friend, and is a slobbery beagle. Both are characters in Jim Davis’ comic strip named “Garfield”.

13. Future stallion : COLT

There are lots of terms to describe horses of different ages and sexes, it seems:

  • Foal: horse of either sex that is less than one year old
  • Yearling: horse of either sex that is one to two years old
  • Filly: female horse under the age of four
  • Colt: male horse under the age of four
  • Gelding: castrated male horse of any age
  • Stallion: non-castrated male horse four years or older
  • Mare: female horse four years or older

21. Slowpoke in a shell : TURTLE

Back in the early 1800s, a “poke” was a device attached to domestic animals such as pigs or sheep to keep them from escaping their enclosures. The poke was like a yoke with a pole, and slowed the animal down, hence the term “slowpoke”.

28. Big name in ISPs : AOL

AOL was a leading Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the 1980s and 1990s. The company does still provide dial-up access to the Internet for some subscribers, but most users now access AOL using faster, non-AOL ISPs.

29. Chaotic mess : SNAFU

SNAFU is an acronym standing for “situation normal: all fouled up” (well, that’s the “polite” version!). As one might perhaps imagine, the term developed in the US Army, during WWII.

31. “Butt out,” for short : MYOB

Mind your own business (MYOB)

32. Dog in old whodunits : ASTA

Asta is the wonderful little dog in the superb “The Thin Man” series of films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy (as Nick and Nora Charles). In the original story by Dashiell Hammett, Asta was a female Schnauzer, but on screen Asta was played by a wire-haired fox terrier called “Skippy”. Skippy was also the dog in “Bringing up Baby” with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, the one who kept stealing the dinosaur bone. Skippy retired in 1939, so Asta was played by other dogs in the remainder of “The Thin Man” films.

34. Woody’s son : ARLO

Singer Arlo Guthrie is known for his protest songs, just like his father Woody Guthrie. The younger Guthrie only ever had one song in the top 40: a cover version of “City of New Orleans”. He has lived for years in the town of Washington, just outside Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His 1976 song “Massachusetts” has been the official folk song of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since 1981.

45. 2012 Affleck thriller : ARGO

“Argo” is a 2012 movie that is based on the true story of the rescue of six diplomats hiding out during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The film was directed by and stars Ben Affleck and is produced by Grant Heslov and George Clooney, the same pair who produced the excellent “Good Night, and Good Luck”. I saw “Argo” recently and recommend it highly, although I found the scenes of religious fervor pretty frightening …

47. Seized the opportunity : MADE HAY

Make hay while the sun shines … seize the opportunity.

56. Lombardy’s land : ITALY

There are twenty administrative regions of Italy, one of which is Lombardy. Lombardy is in the very north of the country, and its capital is the city of Milan.

57. Vice __ : VERSA

“Vice versa” is a Latin phrase meaning “with position turned”. We always pronounce this term “incorrectly”. In Latin, a “c” is a hard sound, and a “v” is pronounced like a “w”. The pronunciation should be something like “wee-kay wehr-sa”.

58. German steel town : ESSEN

Essen is a large industrial city located on the River Ruhr in western Germany. The city experienced major population growth in the mid-1800s that was driven by the iron works established by the Krupp family.

59. Rescue squad VIPs : EMTS

Emergency medical technician (EMT)

60. Light, to a moth : LURE

It isn’t really understood why moths are attracted to artificial lights. There is one theory that sounds plausible to me though. It is suggested that moths navigate at night by maintaining the moon (the brightest celestial object) at a fixed angle. When a moth finds a brighter light source, like an artificial light, it gets confused.

63. Singer Del Rey : LANA

Lana Del Rey is the stage name of singer/songwriter Elizabeth Grant. Del Rey calls herself a “self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra”. Nice …

65. Bojangles’ dance genre : TAP

Bill Robinson was a tap dancer and actor who often went by the nickname “Bojangles”. It was Bojangles who often danced with child star Shirley Temple in a whole series of films from the 1930s. He also starred in 1943’s “Stormy Weather”, a movie that was loosely based on Robinson’s own life.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Bird’s crop : CRAW
5. Pols with a donkey symbol : DEMS
9. Specialized, committee-wise : AD HOC
14. Operate with a beam : LASE
15. Natural burn soother : ALOE
16. Set of beliefs : CREDO
17. “__ That a Shame” : AIN’T
18. “Hold your horses!” : WHOA!
19. Cybercommerce : E-TAIL
20. *Begin preparing an evening meal : START DINNER (“start date” & “dinner date”)
23. Nov. 11 honoree : VET
24. Capital of Minn. : ST PAUL
25. Taxi driver : CABBY
27. Many a ’50s pompadour sporter : GREASER
30. Catastrophic 2017 hurricane : IRMA
33. “The fresh air is delightful!” : AAH!
36. Suffix with Jumbo : -TRON
37. Spreads apart, as one’s fingers : SPLAYS
39. Hunt like a cat : PROWL
41. Internet connectivity delay : LAG
43. “The Waste Land” poet T.S. : ELIOT
44. Tennis great Gibson : ALTHEA
46. Starlet’s goal : FAME
48. Org. with Bulls and Bucks : NBA
49. Bonkers : LOCO
50. Tart plant stalk diced for pie filling : RHUBARB
53. A : Z :: alpha : __ : OMEGA
55. Originate (from) : DERIVE
59. Arctic toymaker : ELF
61. Two-couple outings … and what the answers to starred clues are? : DOUBLE DATES
64. Civilian attire : MUFTI
66. Wordsmith Webster : NOAH
67. Hertz fleet : CARS
68. Spring for a meal : TREAT
69. Fish in some cat food : TUNA
70. Otherwise : ELSE
71. Oozes : SEEPS
72. “Don’t go” : STAY
73. Actress Cannon : DYAN

Down

1. Yearbook section : CLASS
2. Grammy winner Bonnie : RAITT
3. “It’s __”: “No problem” : A SNAP
4. Counter-wiping aid : WET RAG
5. Procrastinator : DAWDLER
6. Pre-college, briefly : ELHI
7. Cow’s hurdle, in rhyme : MOON
8. Mystical gathering : SEANCE
9. Severe, as criticism : ACERB
10. “__ & the Women”: 2000 Gere film : DR T
11. *Downpour : HEAVY RAIN (“heavy date” & “rain date”)
12. “Garfield” dog : ODIE
13. Future stallion : COLT
21. Slowpoke in a shell : TURTLE
22. Body parts that may be pierced : EARS
26. List of charges : BILL
28. Big name in ISPs : AOL
29. Chaotic mess : SNAFU
31. “Butt out,” for short : MYOB
32. Dog in old whodunits : ASTA
33. “C’mon, be __!”: “Little help, please!” : A PAL
34. Woody’s son : ARLO
35. *Steaming morning mugful : HOT COFFEE (“hot date” & “coffee date”)
38. Looked closely : PEERED
40. “To __ it may concern” : WHOM
42. Yak it up : GAB
45. 2012 Affleck thriller : ARGO
47. Seized the opportunity : MADE HAY
51. Favorite hangouts : HAUNTS
52. Prepared (oneself), as for a jolt : BRACED
54. Does film splicing, say : EDITS
56. Lombardy’s land : ITALY
57. Vice __ : VERSA
58. German steel town : ESSEN
59. Rescue squad VIPs : EMTS
60. Light, to a moth : LURE
62. Match in a ring : BOUT
63. Singer Del Rey : LANA
65. Bojangles’ dance genre : TAP

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