LA Times Crossword 2 Oct 18, Tuesday

Advertisement

Advertisement

Constructed by: Roland Huget
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Follow Suit

Themed answers start with one of the SUITS in a deck of cards:

  • 56A. Carry on the same way … and what the ends of 17-, 25-, 35- and 48-Across do : FOLLOW SUIT
  • 17A. Tool for cutting stone and concrete : DIAMOND SAW
  • 25A. Garden digging, e.g. : SPADEWORK
  • 35A. Richly upholstered seat : CLUB CHAIR
  • 48A. Prilosec target : HEARTBURN

Bill’s time: 5m 35s

Bill’s errors: 0

Advertisement

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Gulf States prince : EMIR

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

5. Macy’s competitor : KOHL’S

Kohl’s is a department store chain with its headquarters in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The store takes its name from the founder, Maxwell Kohl.

10. Eucharist celebration : MASS

In the Christian, the Eucharist is a rite celebrating Christ’s sacrifice, as called out by Jesus at the Last Supper.

15. Boise’s state : IDAHO

Boise, Idaho is the largest metropolitan area in the state by far. There are a number of stories pertaining to the etymology of the name “Boise”. One is that French trappers called the tree-lined river that ran through the area “la rivière boisée”, meaning “the wooded river”.

16. Israeli airline : EL AL

El Al Israel Airlines is the flag carrier of Israel. El Al is known for its high levels of security, both on the ground and in the air. Reportedly, the airline’s passenger aircraft have been operating with anti-missile technology for several years.

17. Tool for cutting stone and concrete : DIAMOND SAW

Only 20% of mined diamonds are suitable for use as gemstones. 80% of mined diamonds are used industrially, for example in the blades of a diamond saw.

19. River of Cairo : NILE

Depending on definition, the Nile is generally regarded as the longest river on the planet. The Nile forms from two major tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, which join together near Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. From Khartoum the Nile flows north, traveling almost entirely through desert making it central to life for the peoples living along its length.

Cairo is the capital city of Egypt. It is nicknamed “The City of a Thousand Minarets” because of its impressive skyline replete with Islamic architecture. The name “Cairo” is a European corruption of the city’s original name in Arabic, “Al-Qahira”.

23. Chinese menu promise : NO MSG

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of a naturally-occurring,non-essential amino acid called glutamic acid. It is used widely as a flavor enhancer, particularly in many Asian cuisines. Whether or not it is harmful seems to be still under debate. I say that something produced in a test tube shouldn’t be in our food …

28. Jules who created the Nautilus : VERNE

Jules Verne really was a groundbreaking author. Verne pioneered the science fiction genre, writing about space, air and underwater travel, long before they were practical and proved feasible. Verne is the second-most translated author of all time, with only Agatha Christie beating him out.

The Jules Verne sci-fi novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” was first published in 1869-1870 as a serial in a French magazine. Star of the novel (to me) is Captain Nemo’s magnificent submarine called the Nautilus. The “20,000 leagues” in the title is the distance travelled by the Nautilus underwater, and not a depth. 20,000 leagues is about three times the circumference of the Earth.

30. Passé reception aid : AERIAL

We tend to use the term “aerial” and “antenna” interchangeably. Strictly speaking, the aerial is the top part of an antenna. The lead-in is the lower part of the antenna, the part providing the electrical connection between the aerial and the instrument, radio or TV.

34. Love personified : AMOR

Eros, the Greek god of love, gives rise to our word “erotic”, meaning “arousing sexual desire”. Eros was referred to in Latin as both Amor (meaning “love”) and Cupid (meaning “desire”).

35. Richly upholstered seat : CLUB CHAIR

A “club chair” is a type of armchair that was introduced in France under the name “comfortable chair”. The use of “club” might be a reference to a “gentlemen’s club”, where the chairs became quite common.

37. Nobel Peace Prize city : OSLO

The Peace Prize is the most famous of the five prizes bequeathed by Alfred Nobel. The others are for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature. There is also a Nobel Prize in Economics that is awarded along with the original five, but it is funded separately and is awarded “in memory of Alfred Nobel”. Four of the prizes are awarded by Swedish organizations (Alfred Nobel was a Swede) and so the award ceremonies take place in Stockholm. The Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and that award is presented in Oslo.

44. “SNL” alum Cheri : OTERI

Cheri Oteri was the SNL (“Saturday Night Live”) cast member who regularly appeared with Will Ferrell in the skit featuring a pair of Spartan cheerleaders.

46. Dancer Duncan : ISADORA

Isadora Duncan was an American dancer, inventor of American modern dance. Duncan emphasised the torso in her moves, a break from the balletic tradition of moving from the feet. She left the US when she was 22 years old and moved to Europe around 1900, and from there emigrated to the Soviet Union. Duncan had a tragic passing. She loved to travel in open automobiles wearing a long, flowing scarf. One day her scarf got wrapped around the spokes and axle of the car in which she was travelling, and broke her neck.

48. Prilosec target : HEARTBURN

“Prilosec” is a brand name for the drug omeprazole. It is a proton-pump inhibitor, meaning that is reduces the production of gastric acid.

52. Caught with a lasso : ROPED

Our English word “lasso” comes from the Spanish “lazo”, and ultimately from the Latin “laqueum” meaning “noose, snare”.

53. Old-fashioned printing machine : LINOTYPE

Linotype printing was the main technology used in the publication of newspapers and magazines for most of the 20th century, up until the 1970s when it was gradually replaced by offset printing and computer typesetting. Linotype printing was so called as a complete “line of type” was produced at one time.

54. Champagne brand : MOET

Moët & Chandon is a French winery, and one of the world’s largest producers of champagne. The company was founded by wine trader Claude Moët in 1743. The name was changed to Moët & Chandon in the 1830s when Pierre-Gabriel Chandon, an in-law to the Moët family, was given co-ownership. Moët & Chandon owns the famous Dom Pérignon brand name, honoring the Benedictine monk who did so much to improve the quality of champagne.

60. __ majesty: high treason : LESE

“Lese majesty” is the crime of offending the dignity of the “majesty” or sovereign, or the state. The term “lèse-majesté” is from French Law, and comes from the law of Ancient Rome. In Latin “laesa maiestas” means “injured majesty”. The term has no relevance in the United States, but the law is occasionally cited in other countries, including many in Europe.

61. Diarist Nin : ANAIS

Anaïs Nin was a French author who was famous for the journals that she wrote for over sixty years from the age of 11 right up to her death. Nin also wrote highly regarded erotica and cited D. H. Lawrence as someone from whom she drew inspiration. Nin was married to banker and artist Hugh Parker Guiler in 1923. Decades later in 1955, Nin married former actor Rupert Pole, even though she was still married to Guiler. Nin and Pole had their marriage annulled in 1966, but just for legal reasons, and they continued to live together as husband and wife until Nin passed away in 1977.

62. With 50-Down and 14-Across, fairy tale opening : ONCE …
(50D. See 62-Across : … UPON A … )
(14A. See 62-Across : … TIME)

The stock phrase “Once upon a time” has been used in various forms as the start of a narrative at least since 1380. The stock phrase at the end of stories such as folktales is often “and they all lived happily ever after”. The earlier version of this ending was “happily until their deaths”.

Down

1. Takeoff approx. : ETD

Estimated time of departure (ETD)

2. 1002, to Caesar : MII

In Roman numerals, MII is 1002.

8. __ apso: little dog : LHASA

The Lhasa apso breed of dog originated in Tibet and is named after “Lhasa” (the capital city) and “apso” (a Tibetan word meaning “bearded”). The Lhasa apso has been around since 800 BC and is one of the oldest breeds in the world, one very closely related to the ancestral wolf.

12. Port near Naples : SALERNO

Salerno is a port city on the southwest coast of Italy. In WWII, after the Italians negotiated a peace treaty with the Allies in 1943, the King of Italy relocated to Salerno from Rome. The new Italian government was set up in the city, and so for a few months, Salerno was the nation’s capital.

18. Like an accurate soccer shot : ON GOAL

Soccer (also known as “association football”) is the most popular sport in the world. The term “association football” was introduced in 1863 in England, with the name chosen to distinguish the sport from rugby football. The term “soccer” started to appear about 20 years later in Oxford, as an abbreviation for “association”.

24. Santana’s “__ Como Va” : OYE

“Oye Como Va” is a song written by Tito Puente in 1963. The best-known recording is the cover version by Santana released in 1970.

Santana is a Latin rock band from by guitarist Carlos Santana in San Francisco in 1967. Santana’s big break came with a well-received performance at Woodstock in 1969, when the band was completely unknown.

25. __-Croatian: Slavic language : SERBO

The language known as Serbo-Croatian is the primary language spoken in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

31. Here, in Haiti : ICI

The Republic of Haiti occupies the smaller, western portion of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. The rest of the island is taken up by the Dominican Republic. Haiti is one of only two nations in the Americas to have French as an official language, the other being Canada.

32. Twain/Harte play : AH SIN

“Ah Sin” was a disastrous play written by Bret Harte and Mark Twain. The two writers didn’t get on at all well during the writing process, and when the play was produced for the stage it was very poorly received. Nevertheless, Twain suggested a further collaboration with Harte, and Harte downright refused!

33. Vientiane’s country : LAOS

Vientiane is the capital city of Laos, and is situated on the famous Mekong River. The city was originally called the “city of sandalwood” by Buddhist monks, naming after the valued trees that grew in the area. The French took the Pali words for “city of sandalwood” and rewrote it as the French-sounding “Vientiane”.

35. Becomes rusted : CORRODES

Rust is iron oxide. Rust forms when iron oxidizes, reacts with oxygen.

37. “C’est magnifique!” : OOH LA LA!

“C’est magnifique!” is French for “It is magnificent!”

38. “The Pawnbroker” actor Rod : STEIGER

Rod Steiger played some powerful roles on the screen, perhaps most memorably the Chief of Police in the 1967 drama “In the Heat of the Night” for which he won a Best Actor Oscar. Steiger was married five times, including a 10-year marriage to fellow actor Claire Bloom. Together Bloom and Steiger had a daughter, the British opera singer Anna Steiger.

“The Pawnbroker” is a 1964 movie adaptation of the novel of the same name by Edward Lewis Wallant. The title character, played by Rod Steiger, is a pawnbroker in East Harlem who is a Holocaust survivor. The film provided Steiger with his big break in movies. And, if you watch carefully you’ll see an extra named Morgan Freeman in his first on-screen appearance.

39. Least fatty, as corned beef : LEANEST

Corned beef is beef that has been cured with salt. “Corn” is an alternative term for a grain of salt, giving the dish its name. Corned beef is also known as “salt beef”, and “bully beef” if stored in cans (from the French “bouilli” meaning “boiled”).

42. Cork’s country: Abbr. : IRE

Cork is the largest and most southerly county in Ireland. The county is named for the city of Cork, which is the second largest in the country. Cork is sometimes referred to as “the Rebel County”, which alludes to the region’s resistance to British rule. Tourists flock to Cork for several reasons, not least as it is home to the famous Blarney Stone as well as Cobh, the port from which so many Irish emigrants left for countries like Australia, Canada and the United States.

43. Heel : CAD

Our word “cad”, meaning “person lacking in finer feelings”, is a shortening of the word “cadet”. “Cad” was first used for a servant, and then students at British universities used “cad” as a term for a boy from the local town. “Cad” took on its current meaning in the 1830s.

45. Hairy Addams cousin : ITT

In the television sitcom “The Addams Family”, the family had a frequent visitor called Cousin Itt. Itt is a short man with long hair that runs from his head to the floor. Cousin Itt was played by Italian actor Felix Silla.

54. Forest floor plant : MOSS

There is a traditionally-held belief that in the northern hemisphere there is a heavier growth of moss on the north-facing side of trees. The assumption is that the sun creates a drier environment on the south side of the tree, an environment that is less conducive to the growth of moss.

Advertisement

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Gulf States prince : EMIR
5. Macy’s competitor : KOHL’S
10. Eucharist celebration : MASS
14. See 62-Across : … TIME
15. Boise’s state : IDAHO
16. Israeli airline : EL AL
17. Tool for cutting stone and concrete : DIAMOND SAW
19. River of Cairo : NILE
20. Playing surface surrounded by boards : RINK
21. Access charge : USER’S FEE
23. Chinese menu promise : NO MSG
25. Garden digging, e.g. : SPADEWORK
26. Abandoned building, say : EYESORE
28. Jules who created the Nautilus : VERNE
29. Form a union : WED
30. Passé reception aid : AERIAL
34. Love personified : AMOR
35. Richly upholstered seat : CLUB CHAIR
37. Nobel Peace Prize city : OSLO
40. Toxic substance : POISON
41. Snapshot, briefly : PIC
44. “SNL” alum Cheri : OTERI
46. Dancer Duncan : ISADORA
48. Prilosec target : HEARTBURN
52. Caught with a lasso : ROPED
53. Old-fashioned printing machine : LINOTYPE
54. Champagne brand : MOET
55. Got on in years : AGED
56. Carry on the same way … and what the ends of 17-, 25-, 35- and 48-Across do : FOLLOW SUIT
60. __ majesty: high treason : LESE
61. Diarist Nin : ANAIS
62. With 50-Down and 14-Across, fairy tale opening : ONCE …
63. Newspaper section with many reviews : ARTS
64. Horizontal graph lines : X-AXES
65. Enthusiastic : KEEN

Down

1. Takeoff approx. : ETD
2. 1002, to Caesar : MII
3. Gun carrier’s warning : I’M ARMED
4. Careless : REMISS
5. Garden hose obstruction : KINK
6. Unmatched : ODD
7. Welcomes to the treehouse : HAS UP
8. __ apso: little dog : LHASA
9. Scattered, as seed : SOWED
10. Department store section : MENSWEAR
11. Wing-shaped : ALIFORM
12. Port near Naples : SALERNO
13. More streamlined : SLEEKER
18. Like an accurate soccer shot : ON GOAL
22. Gun, as an engine : REV
23. Just out : NEW
24. Santana’s “__ Como Va” : OYE
25. __-Croatian: Slavic language : SERBO
27. Do another stint : RE-UP
31. Here, in Haiti : ICI
32. Twain/Harte play : AH SIN
33. Vientiane’s country : LAOS
35. Becomes rusted : CORRODES
36. Lined up : IN A ROW
37. “C’est magnifique!” : OOH LA LA!
38. “The Pawnbroker” actor Rod : STEIGER
39. Least fatty, as corned beef : LEANEST
41. Many a Top 40 song : POP TUNE
42. Cork’s country: Abbr. : IRE
43. Heel : CAD
45. Hairy Addams cousin : ITT
47. Is moderately successful : DOES OK
49. How some documents are sent : BY FAX
50. See 62-Across : … UPON A …
51. Kick back : RELAX
54. Forest floor plant : MOSS
57. Golf ball position : LIE
58. Cocktail cooler : ICE
59. Down-for-the-count count : TEN

Advertisement