LA Times Crossword Answers 7 Jul 13, Sunday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Gail Grabowski
THEME: Tee Time … each of today’s themed answers is a well-known, two-word phrase with a TY inserted at the end of one wrod, a “tee” sound:

27A. Really old deck of cards? RATTY PACK (from “Rat Pack”)
29A. Feline in the headlines? PRESS KITTY (from “press kit”)
48A. Thief who begs to be arrested? CRIME NOVELTY (from “crime novel”)
65A. Frogumentary? WARTY FILM (from “war film”)
82A. Price tag on a toilet for tots? POTTY STICKER (from “pot sticker”)
101A. Humongous harbor wall? JUMBO JETTY (from “Jumbo Jet”)
104A. Sitcom with spiteful scripts? CATTY SHOW (from “cat show”)
36D. Flickering bulb? SPOTTY LIGHT (from “spotlight”)
40D. Nitpicking kid minder? PETTY SITTER (from “pet sitter”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 22m 05s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Apple products MACS
Macintosh (also “Mac”) is a line of computers from Apple Inc. The first Mac was introduced in 1984, and I remember someone showing me one at work in those early days of personal computing. There was a piece of white plastic connected to the main computer by a cord, and I was amazed when the guy showed me that it controlled where the cursor was on the screen. My colleague told me that this lump of plastic was called “a mouse” …

19. Hip dance? HULA
“Hula” is the name of the Polynesian dance. The chant or song that the dance illustrates, that’s known as the “mele”.

20. “Summertime,” for one ARIA
“Porgy and Bess” is an opera with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and libretto by DuBose Heyward. The storyline of the opera is based on the novel “Porgy” written by DuBose Heyward and and wife Dorothy. “Porgy and Bess” was first performed in 1935, in New York City, but really wasn’t accepted as legitimate opera until 1976 after a landmark production by the Houston Grand Opera. The most famous song from the piece is probably the wonderful aria “Summertime”.

22. Genre of Vasarely’s “Zebras” OP ART
Op art is also known as optical art, and puts optical illusions to great effect.

Victor Vasarely was a Hungarian-French artist who produced works in the Op Art genre. Vasarely’s painting from the 1930s called “Zebra” is often cited as one of the first examples of Op Art.

23. Before thou know’st ANON
“Anon” originally meant “at once” and evolved into today’s meaning of “soon” apparently just because the word was misused over time.

27. Really old deck of cards? RATTY PACK (from “Rat Pack”)
The original Rat Pack from the fifties was a group of actors that centered on Humphrey Bogart, and included a young Frank Sinatra. Supposedly, Bogart’s wife, Lauren Bacall, christened them the Rat Pack after seeing them all return from one of their nights on the town in Las Vegas. The sixties Rat Pack was a reincarnation of the fifties version, with the core group of actors being Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin (Dino), Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford.

31. Catamaran mover SAIL
A catamaran is a boat that has two hulls. Catamarans have been around along time, with the design having being used by the Ancient Greeks. Notably, the design was used by the locals in the Bay of Bengal and it was this design that was adopted by European boat builders. The name “catamaran” comes from the Tamil language of southeastern India, with “kattu maram” meaning “logs tied together”.

32. WWII torpedo vessel E-BOAT
In WWII, the German Navy’s Motor Torpedo Boats were similar to American PT boats and were called S-boots, short for Schnellboot (“fast craft”). The Allied forces referred to them as E-boats, with the “E” possibly standing for “enemy” or “Eilboot” (“hurry boat”).

43. __ Robert: nickname for pitcher Bob Feller RAPID
Bob Feller was a major league baseball player who turned out for the Cleveland Indians for all of his playing career. Feller played for the Indians from 1936 to 1956, with a four year interruption for military service as a Chief Petty Officer on the USS Alabama during WWII.

44. Watchdog breed 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.

47. When some deadlocks are broken, briefly IN OT
In overtime (O.T.)

56. Sunrise service occasion EASTER
Sunrise services are attended by some Christians at Easter. The time of sunrise is chosen because in the gospel account of the resurrection, some women went to the tomb of Jesus at dawn.

58. Jazz nickname SATCHMO
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1900. Armstrong had a poor upbringing, and only stayed in school till he was 11 years old. The exact origin of Louis’s nickname “Satchmo” seems to be a little unclear. One story is that he used to dance for pennies in New Orleans as a youngster and would hide those pennies in his mouth away from the other kids. For this he earned the nickname “satchel mouth”, which was shortened to “Satchmo”.

63. Hickman who portrayed Dobie Gillis DWAYNE
“The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” is a sitcom that aired from 1959 to 1963, with Dwayne Hickman playing the title character. The show was based on a collection of short stories of the same name by Max Shulman. The Shulman stories had also inspired a movie back in 1953 called “The Affairs of Dobie Gillis” starring Debbie Reynolds and Bobby Van.

68. Where Hillary was a sen. NYS
Hillary Clinton was a US Senator for New York State (NYS).

77. Tampico pals AMIGOS
Tampico is a port city in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

79. Epitome of virility STUD
The word “stud”, meaning “a male horse kept for breeding”, is derived from the Old English word “stod” which described a whole herd of horses.

81. Christmas cupful NOG
It’s not really clear where the term “nog” comes from although it might derive from the word “noggin”, which was originally a small wooden cup that was long associated with alcoholic drinks.

82. Price tag on a toilet for tots? POTTY STICKER (from “pot sticker”)
“Pot sticker” is the literal translation of “jiaozi”, the name of a Chinese dumpling.

91. 1980s attorney general MEESE
Ed Meese was born in Oakland, California just down the road here and spent 24 years in the office of the Treasurer of Alameda County, the county in which I live. After military service, Meese earned himself a law degree at UC Berkeley. Later, as Chief of Staff for President Reagan, he was instrumental in a famous decision to crack down on student protesters at Berkeley which resulted in one protester dying and a two-week occupation of the city by the California National Guard.

98. Dawn deity EOS
In Greek mythology, Eos is the goddess of the dawn who lived at the edge of the ocean. Eos would wake each morning to welcome her brother Helios the sun. The Roman equivalent of Eos is Aurora.

99. People now known as Sami LAPPS
Lapland is a geographic region in northern Scandinavia, largely found within the Arctic Circle. Parts of Lapland are in Norway, Sweden and Finland. The people who are native to the region are called the Sami people. The Sami don’t like to be referred to as Lapps as they regard the term as insulting.

100. Mark’s successor EURO
One of the currencies replaced by the euro was the Deutsche Mark from Germany.

113. Saxon leader? ANGLO-
Germanic tribes invaded Great Britain from the early 5th century and created the nation that we now call England. The Anglo-Saxons, as these tribes came to be called, held sway in the country until 1066, the year of the Norman Conquest. The Anglo-Saxons were descendants of three Germanic tribes:

– The Angles, from Angeln in Northern Germany (and the tribe that gave the name “England”).
– The Saxons, from Lower Saxony and Holland.
– The Jutes, from the Jutland peninsula in Denmark.

114. Old laundry soap RINSO
Rinso was a laundry detergent first manufactured in England in 1908 by a company called Hudson’s Soap. The detergent was introduced into the US in 1918. In America, Rinso took to radio advertising and sponsorship in the days of “soap operas”. Rinso’s most famous program association was with “The Amos ‘n’ Andy Show” in the forties. One of the brand’s slogans was “Solium, the sunlight ingredient”. I have no idea what Solium is, but it certainly did sell a lot of Rinso!

117. Saunter MOSEY
“Mosey” is American slang for “amble”, of unknown origin.

118. Conservative IRA asset T-NOTE
A Treasury note (T-Note) is a government debt that matures in 1-10 years. A T-Note has a coupon (interest) payment made every six months. The T-note is purchased at a discount to face value, and at the date of maturity can be redeemed at that face value. A T-Bill is a similar financial vehicle, but it matures in one year or less, and a T-Bond matures in 20-30 years.

119. WWII weapon STEN
The STEN gun was an iconic armament used by the British military forces. The name STEN is an acronym. The S and the T comes from the name of the gun’s designers, Shepherd and Turpin. The EN comes from the Enfield brand name, which in turn comes from the Enfield location where the guns were manufactured for the Royal Small Arms Factory, an enterprise owned by the British government.

Down
2. Moon goddess LUNA
“Luna” is the Latin word for “moon”, and is the name given to the Roman moon goddess. The Greek equivalent of Luna was Selene. Luna had a temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome but it was destroyed during the Great Fire that raged during the reign of Nero.

4. Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking, e.g. PANTSUIT
Le Smoking was a tuxedo suit designed for women by Yves Saint Laurent in 1966. The design attracted a lot of attention in the fashion world and was groundbreaking as it gave women the option to wear clothes traditionally associated with men.

6. Serif-free font ARIAL
Serifs are details on the ends of characters in some typefaces. Typefaces without serifs are known as sans-serif (using the French word “sans” meaning “without”). Some people say that serif fonts are easier to read on paper, whereas sans-serif fonts work better on a computer screen. I’m not so sure though …

8. Virologist Jonas SALK
Jonas Salk was an American medical researcher, famous for developing the first safe polio vaccine. In the fifties, especially after the 1952 polio epidemic, the biggest health fear in the US was polio because it killed thousands, left even more with disabilities and most of the victims were children. The situation was dire and the authorities immediately quarantined the family of any polio victim, and that quarantine was so strict that in many cases the families were not even permitted to attend the funeral of a family member who died from the disease.

9. Edible with a crisp pod SNAP BEAN
Snap beans are also known as green beans and string beans.

13. Three-part figs. SSNS
A Social Security number (SSN) is divided into three parts i.e AAA-GG-SSSS, Originally, the Area Number (AAA) was the code for the office that issued the card. Since 1973, the Area Number reflects the ZIP code from which the application was made. The GG in the SSN is the Group Number, and the SSSS in the number is the Serial Number. However, this is all moot, as since 2011 SSn’s are assigned randomly.

28. Place to play bocce, perhaps YARD
The Italian bowling game of “bocce” (anglicized as “bocci”) is based on a game played in Ancient Rome. “Bocce” is the plural of the Italian word “boccia” meaning “bowl”.

32. “Symphony in Black” artist ERTE
Erté was the pseudonym of French artist (Russian born) Romain de Tirtoff. Erté is the French pronunciation of his initials “R.T.”

34. Taurus neighbor ARIES
Aries the Ram is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, and is named after the constellation. Your birth sign is Aries if you were born between March 21 and April 20, but if you are an Aries you would know that!

35. Arabian peninsula capital SANA’A
Sana (also Sana’a) is the capital city of Yemen. Within the bounds of today’s metropolis is the old fortified city of Sana where people have lived for over 2,500 years. The Old City is now a World Heritage Site.

38. “I Will Follow ___”: 1963 chart-topper HIM
“I Will Follow Him” was a hit for Little Peggy March in 1963. The song is a translation of a French tune called “Chariot” that had been a hit for English singer Petula Clark.

39. Twitter titter, and then some LOL
LOL is an abbreviation used in Instant Messages and phone texting, an abbreviation for “Laughing Out Loud”.

42. Mower handle? DEERE
John Deere invented the first commercially successful steel plow in 1837. Prior to Deere’s invention, farmers used an iron or wooden plow that constantly had to be cleaned as rich soil stuck to its surfaces. The cast-steel plow was revolutionary as its smooth sides solved the problem of “stickiness”.

44. Hood’s missile ARROW
Robin Hood is a figure from English folklore, celebrated in story and song. Some stories suggest that Robin Hood the outlaw was actually a real nobleman, the Earl of Huntington. Robin Hood’s famous companion was Maid Marian. Interestingly, the legend of Maid Marian (full name Lady Marian of Leaford) had been around for centuries before she became associated with Robin Hood starting in the 1700s.

48. Baby or nanny follower CAM
From what I’ve read, it is legal to record video with a hidden camera, at least to monitor the behavior of a caregiver in your home. Apparently there is also a law that prohibits the recording of audio. So, “nanny cams” are sold without audio capability. But (disclaimer) that’s just what I read, so don’t take my word for it!

49. Norwegian king, 995-1000 OLAF I
It is believed that the Norwegian King Olaf I led the conversion of the Vikings to Christianity and built the first church in the country (in 995 CE). Olaf was actually married to an Irishwoman, albeit a woman from a Viking family. Queen Gyda was the sister of the King of Dublin, Olaf Cuaran.

60. Pete’s wife on “Mad Men” TRUDY
On the AMC hit “Mad Men”, the character Pete Campbell is an ambitious account executive married to Trudy Vogel. Campbell is played by Vincent Kartheiser and Vogel is played by Alison Brie.

61. Bismarck et al. OTTOS
Germany first became a country of her own in 1871 when the Princes of the various independent German states met at Versailles outside Paris to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as the Emperor of the German Empire. The man behind this historic development was Wilhelm’s Ministerpräsident, Otto von Bismarck. Von Bismarck was a powerful figure in Prussia and indeed on the world stage, earning him the nickname of the “Iron Chancellor”.

62. Devils Tower st. WYO
Devils Tower is an igneous intrusion that rises over 1200 feet from the ground in the Black Hills in northeastern Wyoming. Devils Tower was the first of the nation’s National Monuments, having being so designated in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Devils Tower played a pivotal role in the 1977 movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”.

66. Santa __ racetrack ANITA
Santa Anita Park is a racetrack for horses in Arcadia, California.

67. Carpentry joint MITER
A miter joint is one in which two pieces of wood are joined at ninety degrees, with the ends of each individual piece of wood cut at 45 degrees. The four joints in the corners of a picture frame are often miter joints.

69. Premarital posting BANNS
In the Christian tradition, the banns of marriage are the public announcement posted in a parish church of an intended marriage. The banns are intended to give anyone a chance to raise any valid objections to the union.

71. Anka hit with a Spanish title ESO BESO
“Eso Beso” is Spanish for “That Kiss”, and is the name of a hit song recorded by Canadian-born singer Paul Anka.

74. Capek play about automatons RUR
“R.U.R.” is a play written in Czech by Karel Capek, first produced in 1921. “R.U.R.” is a science fiction work and is remembered in part for introducing the world to the word “robot”. The words “automaton” and “android” were already in use, but Capek gave us “robot” from the original Czech “robota” meaning “forced labor”.

76. Dynamite guy? NOBEL
Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist and businessman. Nobel is famous for the invention of dynamite during his lifetime, as well as for instituting the Nobel Prizes by providing the necessary funds in his will.

79. Surfboard fin SKEG
A skeg is an extension to the keel of a boat, towards the stern. A skeg is also the name for the fin on the underside of a surfboard, positioned towards the rear.

83. Half of sei TRE
Twice three (tre) is six (sei), in Italian.

87. Balloon or blimp AEROSTAT
An aerostat is a type of aircraft that doesn’t derive its lift from forward motion like a fixed wing airplane. Instead, the lift comes from buoyancy, as in a balloon or a dirigible.

91. Gardener of rhyme MARY
“Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” is an English nursery rhyme. The first stanza of the modern version is:

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.

94. Cocktail with scotch ROB ROY
Rob Roy’s full name was Robert Roy MacGregor, itself an anglicization of the Scottish Raibeart Ruadh. He gave his name to the famous cocktail, a relative of the Manhattan that is made with Scotch instead of bourbon.

95. Bodega patron LATINO
“Bodega” is the Spanish term for a winery, or these days for a grocery store.

97. Symbol of precision BUTTON
Right on the button …

100. Scriabin composition ETUDE
An étude is a small instrumental composition that is usually quite hard to play and is intended to help the performer master a particular technique. “Étude” is the French word for “study”. Études are commonly performed on the piano.

Alexander Scriabin was a composer and pianist from Moscow, Russia. Scriabin’s early works were in the Romantic style, but later works exhibited more dissonance and were more atonal.

101. Jupiter’s wife JUNO
Juno was a the patron goddess of Rome and the Roman Empire. Juno also looked out for the women of room. She was also the sister and wife of the chief Roman god Jupiter.

102. Trendy warm boots UGGS
Uggs are sheepskin boots that originated in Australia and New Zealand. Uggs have sheepskin fleece on the inside for comfort and insulation, with a tanned leather surface on the outside for durability. Ugg is a generic term down under, although it’s a brand name here in the US.

103. Lawn game missile JART
Jarts are a brand mae of lawn darts.

105. Partner of aid ABET
The word “abet” comes into English from the Old French “abeter” meaning “to bait” or “to harass with dogs” (it literally means “to make bite”). This sense of encouraging something bad to happen morphed into our modern usage of “abet” meaning to aid or encourage someone in a crime.

106. Big Island port HILO
Hilo is the largest settlement on the big island of Hawai’i, with a population of over 43,000 (that’s not very many!). I love the Big Island …

109. Avuncular top hat wearer SAM
The Uncle Sam personification of the United States was first used during the War of 1812. The “Uncle Sam” term was so widely accepted that even the Germans used it during WWII, choosing the code word “Samland” for “America” in intelligence communiques.

The term “avuncular” means “having to do with an uncle”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Put one’s hands together, in a way CLAP
5. Apple products MACS
9. Concert memorabilia STUBS
14. Preserves, in a way SALTS
19. Hip dance? HULA
20. “Summertime,” for one ARIA
21. They’re forbidden NO-NOS
22. Genre of Vasarely’s “Zebras” OP ART
23. Before thou know’st ANON
24. Many a cheerleader GIRL
25. Golf green border APRON
26. South-of-the-border residences CASAS
27. Really old deck of cards? RATTY PACK (from “Rat Pack”)
29. Feline in the headlines? PRESS KITTY (from “press kit”)
31. Catamaran mover SAIL
32. WWII torpedo vessel E-BOAT
33. “Uh-uh” NAH
34. Guarantee ASSURE
37. Like skilled negotiators SHREWD
39. Perch in a pond LILY PAD
43. __ Robert: nickname for pitcher Bob Feller RAPID
44. Watchdog breed AKITA
45. Go bad ROT
46. From Athens to Augusta, Ga. ESE
47. When some deadlocks are broken, briefly IN OT
48. Thief who begs to be arrested? CRIME NOVELTY (from “crime novel”)
52. Word alphabetizers ignore THE
53. Get stuck for, as a cost EAT
54. Stroked tools OARS
55. Mouth piece? LIP
56. Sunrise service occasion EASTER
58. Jazz nickname SATCHMO
60. Wrecker’s fee TOWAGE
63. Hickman who portrayed Dobie Gillis DWAYNE
64. Decade divs. YRS
65. Frogumentary? WARTY FILM (from “war film”)
68. Where Hillary was a sen. NYS
69. Miss the beginning BELATE
72. Macadamia product NUT OIL
73. Quitter’s words I RESIGN
77. Tampico pals AMIGOS
78. Union agreement? I DO
79. Epitome of virility STUD
80. Excessively TOO
81. Christmas cupful NOG
82. Price tag on a toilet for tots? POTTY STICKER (from “pot sticker”)
87. Initial step A TO B
88. Ultimate power NTH
89. Certain suit top BRA
90. Deduce INFER
91. 1980s attorney general MEESE
92. Uncaged SET FREE
95. Cuddly companion LAPDOG
97. It’s not good to be over one BARREL
98. Dawn deity EOS
99. People now known as Sami LAPPS
100. Mark’s successor EURO
101. Humongous harbor wall? JUMBO JETTY (from “Jumbo Jet”)
104. Sitcom with spiteful scripts? CATTY SHOW (from “cat show”)
109. Sweetheart SUGAR
110. Trying to lose, after “on” A DIET
111. Share a border with ABUT
112. Makeshift swing TIRE
113. Saxon leader? ANGLO-
114. Old laundry soap RINSO
115. Start over REDO
116. They’re drawn in bars ALES
117. Saunter MOSEY
118. Conservative IRA asset T-NOTE
119. WWII weapon STEN
120. Traffic sound TOOT

Down
1. Turn black CHAR
2. Moon goddess LUNA
3. Often A LOT
4. Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking, e.g. PANTSUIT
5. Chatterbox MAGPIE
6. Serif-free font ARIAL
7. Copies per day, say: Abbr. CIRC
8. Virologist Jonas SALK
9. Edible with a crisp pod SNAP BEAN
10. Cheap-seats spot TOP ROW
11. Like much small print UNREAD
12. Leg up BOOST
13. Three-part figs. SSNS
14. Gregarious SOCIAL
15. Ho-hum feeling APATHY
16. Wear LAST
17. Server’s aid TRAY
18. Rd. atlas listings STS
28. Place to play bocce, perhaps YARD
30. Like sweaters KNITTED
32. “Symphony in Black” artist ERTE
34. Taurus neighbor ARIES
35. Arabian peninsula capital SANA’A
36. Flickering bulb? SPOTTY LIGHT (from “spotlight”)
37. Items on an auto rack SKIS
38. “I Will Follow ___”: 1963 chart-topper HIM
39. Twitter titter, and then some LOL
40. Nitpicking kid minder? PETTY SITTER (from “pet sitter”)
41. Visibly frightened ASHEN
42. Mower handle? DEERE
44. Hood’s missile ARROW
45. Force back REPEL
48. Baby or nanny follower CAM
49. Norwegian king, 995-1000 OLAF I
50. Watch VIGIL
51. Was about to nod, maybe YAWNED
54. “Quit worrying about it” OH STOP
57. Comes out with SAYS
59. Mountaineer’s challenge CRAG
60. Pete’s wife on “Mad Men” TRUDY
61. Bismarck et al. OTTOS
62. Devils Tower st. WYO
66. Santa __ racetrack ANITA
67. Carpentry joint MITER
69. Premarital posting BANNS
70. Act the wrong way? EMOTE
71. Anka hit with a Spanish title ESO BESO
74. Capek play about automatons RUR
75. Silly sort GOOSE
76. Dynamite guy? NOBEL
79. Surfboard fin SKEG
83. Half of sei TRE
84. What one might sneak out on TIPPY TOE
85. Swing voters: Abbr. INDS
86. Fiscal exec CFO
87. Balloon or blimp AEROSTAT
91. Gardener of rhyme MARY
93. What “F” often means FEMALE
94. Cocktail with scotch ROB ROY
95. Bodega patron LATINO
96. Most fitting APTEST
97. Symbol of precision BUTTON
99. Escorted LED IN
100. Scriabin composition ETUDE
101. Jupiter’s wife JUNO
102. Trendy warm boots UGGS
103. Lawn game missile JART
104. They’re sometimes seen in jams CARS
105. Partner of aid ABET
106. Big Island port HILO
107. Versatile cookie OREO
108. Wild place, once WEST
109. Avuncular top hat wearer SAM

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