LA Times Crossword Answers 11 Oct 13, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Marti DuGuay-Carpenter & Jerome Gunderson
THEME: -UN+K … today’s themed answers are common phrases that end with -UN, and then we add a K at the end:

20A. Buff ancient ruler? ATTILA THE HUN(K)
28A. Own a few James Brown albums? HAVE SOME FUN(K)
49A. Leaps over an oily mud puddle? JUMPS THE GUN(K)
59A. Beef baloney? HAMBURGER BUN(K)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 08m 35s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

4. Gregory Peck role AHAB
“Moby Dick” is a 1956 big screen adaptation of the Herman Melville novel “Moby-Dick”, which was directed by John Huston and stars Gregory Peck in as Captain Ahab. Huston had always envisioned his own father, Walter Huston, playing Ahab. Sadly, Walter passed away by the time John secured funding to for the film. Part of the film was shot in the harbor of Youghal in County Cork, Ireland. There’s a pub In Youghal that was used in some scenes that was renamed “Moby Dick’s” after filming, and I believe you can still get a drink there and see photos of the cast and crew at work.

8. Foster on a screen JODIE
The wonderful Jodie Foster got her big break in movies early in her life, playing a very young prostitute in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film “Taxi Driver”. Sadly, her appearance in “Taxi Driver” led to her being stalked by an obsessed John Hinckley, Jr. Hinckley called Foster on the phone, sent her love letters, and followed her on campus while she was attending Yale. In 1981, Hinckley famously shot and wounded President Reagan, claiming that he believed an assassination of the President would impress Foster.

15. He actually played the lyre NERO
The Great Fire of Rome raged for five and a half days in 64 AD. Of the fourteen districts of Rome, three were completely destroyed and seven more suffered serious damage. The emperor at the time was of course Nero, although reports that he fiddled, played his lyre or sang while the city burned; those accounts are probably not true. In fact, Nero was staying outside of Rome when the fire started and rushed home on hearing the news. He organized a massive relief effort, throwing open his own home to give shelter to many of the citizens who were left living on the street.

16. Amherst sch. UMASS
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) is the largest public university in New England. UMass was founded back in 1863, although it took a while to get the school into service. Construction work was delayed and the college went through two presidents before William S. Clark took charge. He cracked the whip, completed the construction and enrolled the first students in the same year that he took over the reins, in 1867. As a result, although Clark was the third President of UMass, he is regarded by most as the school’s founding father.

17. Two-time NBA MVP Steve NASH
Steve Nash is a professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. Nash is from Canada, although he was actually born in South Africa. He became the first NBA player to carry the Olympic torch and light the Olympic cauldron, which he did at the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, Canada.

18. Component of ocean H2O NACL
Sodium chloride (NaCl, common salt) is an ionic compound, a crystal lattice made up of large chloride (Cl) ions in a cubic structure, with smaller sodium (Na) ions in between the chlorides.

19. Lawn game using lobbed missiles JARTS
“Jarts” is a brand name of lawn darts.

20. Buff ancient ruler? ATTILA THE HUN(K)
In his day, Attila the Hun was the most feared enemy of the Roman Empire, until he died in 453 AD. Attila was the leader of the Hunnic Empire of central Europe and was famous for invading much of the continent. However, he never directly attacked Rome.

23. Attorney general before Thornburgh 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.

Dick Thornburgh served as the Governor of Pennsylvania for eight years before becoming the US Attorney General in 1988. He served in the White House under both President Reagan and President Bush.

28. Own a few James Brown albums? HAVE SOME FUN(K)
The singer James Brown was often referred to as “The Godfather of Soul” and sometimes “Mr. Dynamite”. He was born in Barnwell, South Carolina and had a rough and impoverished upbringing. He lived for some years in his aunt’s house which she ran as a brothel, and when he was sixteen he was convicted of armed robbery and was sent to reform school. While in reform school he was noticed by the R&B star Bobby Byrd, who took him under his wing. Byrd helped secure the young man an early release, and thereafter Brown turned his energies to music.

33. Fez, e.g. HAT
“Fez” is the name given to the red cylindrical hat worn mainly in North Africa, and by Shriners here in the US. The fez used to be a very popular hat across the Ottoman Empire. The etymology of “fez” is unclear, although it might have something to do with the Moroccan city named Fez.

36. Bankruptcy factor DEBT
In the US Bankruptcy Code, Chapter 11 allows for a company or individual to reorganize affairs in the event that debts become so cumbersome that they cannot be cleared. Should the reorganization be unsuccessful, then Chapter 7 of the code might apply, which covers the sale of assets and distribution of proceeds to creditors.

37. Polynesian island nation SAMOA
The official name for the South Pacific country formerly known as Western Samoa is the Independent State of Samoa. “Samoa” is the western part of the island group, with American Samoa lying to the southeast. The whole group of islands used to be known as Navigators Island, a name given by European explorers in recognition of the seafaring skills of the native Samoans.

38. “Break __!” A LEG
There are many, many colorful theories for the origins of the expression “break a leg”, used in the world of theater to mean “good luck”. Regardless of the origin, what is clear is that using the phrase “good luck” is considered to be very bad luck.

40. Fare named for its shape T-BONE
The T-bone and porterhouse are related cuts of meat, with the latter being a larger version of the former.

43. Fabric quantity BOLT
The original use of the term “bolt” was to describe the short cylindrical arrow used in a crossbow, a term that still applies today. We now use “bolt” for short metal rods of the same shape that are often threaded. A bolt is also a unit of measurement for fabrics stored in a roll. One bolt is typically 40 yards, or sometimes 100 yards. The name “bolt” is used for the measurement as the roll of fabric looks like a large version of that original crossbow bolt.

44. Mother of three French kings JOAN I
Joan I of Navarre married the future Philip IV of France when she was just ten years old (Philip was age 16). Philip and Joan became king and queen just one year later, in 1285. The couple had four children, three of whom became kings of France: Louis X, Philip V and Charles IV. The fourth and youngest child was known as Isabella of France, and she was married off to the Edward II, king of England when she was 12 years old (Edward was age 24).

46. Shiny fabric LAME
Lamé is a fabric that has metallic yarns included in the weave. Lamé is a popular fabric for stylish evening wear, and also in the sport of fencing. The metallic threads are conductive and so help register a touch by an épée.

48. Arctic coast explorer RAE
John Rae was a Scottish explorer, who took on the task of searching for the ill-fated Franklin Expedition of 1845. The Franklin Expedition was itself searching for the elusive Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific. John Rae stirred up much controversy back in England when he reported evidence of cannibalism among the ill-fated Franklin explorers.

53. DSL user’s need ISP
Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

54. Mao’s successor HUA
Hua Guofeng was man whom Mao Zedong designated as his successor as paramount leader of the People’s Republic of China and the Communist Party of China. Hua came to power in 1976 and within a few month’s brought Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution to an end. However, Hua was deemed to be moving too slowly with his reforms, and so he was forced into early retirement after just a few years in power and Deng Xiaoping took control.

55. Sticky-footed lizard GECKO
The word “gecko” comes from an Indonesian/Javanese word “tokek”, which is imitative of the reptile’s chirping sound. In making such a sound, geckos are unique in the world of lizards. More interesting to me than a gecko’s chirping is its ability to cling to walls and to other vertical surfaces. Their feet are specially adapted with “toes” that make extremely intimate, close contact to a surface. The toes have millions of hairs called setae that enable the clinging. It isn’t suction that supports them, but rather van der Waals forces (weak “gravitational” attractions). Fascinating stuff …

70. Sound like an ass BRAY
A “bray” is the sound a donkey: “hee-haw”.

71. Bobbin SPOOL
A bobbin is a cylinder around which wire, yarn, thread, film or perhaps ribbon is wound.

72. Ketel One competitor SKYY
Skyy Vodka is produced in the US, although the operation is owned by the Campari Group headquartered in Italy. Skyy first hit the shelves in 1992 when it was created by an entrepreneur from San Francisco, California.

Down
4. “Pitch Perfect” co-star Kendrick ANNA
Anna kendrick is a marvelous actress whose big break came when she played the sidekick to George Clooney’s character in the very interesting 2009 film “Up in the Air”. Kendrick can sing as well as act, and played a student a cappella singer in the 2012 movie “Pitch Perfect”.

“Pitch Perfect” is an entertaining musical comedy film released in 2012. It’s all about an all-female college a cappella group competing to win a national competition.

7. Short jacket BOLERO
A bolero jacket is a very short tailored jacket that probably takes its name from the Spanish dance. Male bolero dancers often wear such a jacket. A less formal version of a bolero jacket is called a “shrug”. A shrug is usually knitted and resembles a cardigan.

8. Concession stand candy JUJUBES
Here in the US, the “Jujubes” are a brand name of gummy candies. North of the border in Canada, “jujube” is a generic term for various gummy jelly candies.

9. Easternmost Arabian Peninsula country OMAN
The Arabian Peninsula (also “Arabia”) is part of Western Asia that is located just north-east of Africa. The peninsula is bordered to the west by the Red Sea, to the northeast by the Persian Gulf, and to the southeast by the Indian Ocean. Most of the Arabian Peninsula is taken up by Saudi Arabia, but also included are Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

10. “Dr. Strangelove” feature DARK HUMOR
“Dr. Strangelove” is a black comedy directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, released in 1964. The big star in the film is the great Peter Sellers, who plays three key roles.

12. Start to stop? ESS
The starting letter in the word “stop” is an S (ess).

14. With 52-Down, grilled fare SHISH
(52. See 14-Down KEBAB)
The name “kebab” (also “kabob”) covers a wide variety of meat dishes that originated in Persia. In the West, we usually use “kebab” when talking about shish kebab, which is meat (often lamb) served on a skewer.

26. __ Gay ENOLA
The Enola Gay was the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb, on Hiroshima in August 1945. Enola Gay was the name of the mother of pilot Col. Paul W. Tibbets, Jr.

27. Ray in the ocean SKATE
Skates (formally “Rajidae”) are a family of fish in the superorder of rays (formally “Batoidea”). Skates look very similar to stingrays but they lack stinging spines.

29. Boxer’s attendant VET
The boxer breed of dog (one of my favorites!) originated in Germany. My first dog was a boxer/Labrador mix, a beautiful animal. Our current family dog is a boxer/pug mix, another gorgeous creature.

31. It’s a wrap STOLE
A stole is a lady’s clothing accessory, a narrow shawl. It can be made of quite light decorative material, or it can be heavier especially if made of fur.

33. Pilgrim to Mecca HAJJI
A Haji (also “Hajji”) is the term used for someone who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and it is sometimes also used as a form of address for such a person. The journey itself goes by the name “haj” or “hajj”.

34. Diamond clan ALOUS
Jesus Alou played major league baseball, as did his brothers Matty and Felipe, and as does Felipe’s son, Moises.

39. Econ. measure GNP
A country’s Gross National Product (GNP) is the value of all services and products produced by its residents in a particular year. GNP includes all production wherever it is in the world, as long as the business is owned by residents of the country concerned. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is different, and is the value of all services and goods produced within the borders of the country for that year.

45. Crewman for 4-Across ISHMAEL
(4A. Gregory Peck role AHAB)
Ishmael is the narrator and protagonist in the Herman Melville novel “Moby-Dick”.

47. Tech sch. grad ENGR
Engineer (engr.)

56. Pungent Thai dish CURRY
Curry powder is actually a mixture of spices used in South Asian cuisine. The actual composition of curry powder varies depending on the cuisine.

60. First name in folk ARLO
Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for their singing of protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m 34s. In the song Guthrie tells how, after being drafted, he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War based on his criminal record. He had only one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest for littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.

62. Joel of “Wicked” GREY
Actor, singer and dancer Joel Grey is best known for playing the fabulous Master of Ceremonies in the musical “Cabaret” both on stage and the big screen. Joel is the father of actress Jennifer Grey, who appeared in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”.

64. Some mil. bases FTS
Some military (mil.) bases are forts (fts.).

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Auto club offering TOW
4. Gregory Peck role AHAB
8. Foster on a screen JODIE
13. Stretches of history ERAS
15. He actually played the lyre NERO
16. Amherst sch. UMASS
17. Two-time NBA MVP Steve NASH
18. Component of ocean H2O NACL
19. Lawn game using lobbed missiles JARTS
20. Buff ancient ruler? ATTILA THE HUN(K)
23. Attorney general before Thornburgh MEESE
24. Yank’s foe REB
25. Dudes HES
28. Own a few James Brown albums? HAVE SOME FUN(K)
33. Fez, e.g. HAT
36. Bankruptcy factor DEBT
37. Polynesian island nation SAMOA
38. “Break __!” A LEG
40. Fare named for its shape T-BONE
43. Fabric quantity BOLT
44. Mother of three French kings JOAN I
46. Shiny fabric LAME
48. Arctic coast explorer RAE
49. Leaps over an oily mud puddle? JUMPS THE GUN(K)
53. DSL user’s need ISP
54. Mao’s successor HUA
55. Sticky-footed lizard GECKO
59. Beef baloney? HAMBURGER BUN(K)
64. Botanist’s category FLORA
66. Dweeb NERD
67. Size measure AREA
68. Competitor’s dream TITLE
69. A bit off the ground, “up” TEED
70. Sound like an ass BRAY
71. Bobbin SPOOL
72. Ketel One competitor SKYY
73. NFL stats YDS

Down
1. Common break hr. TEN AM
2. Speak ORATE
3. Refuse WASTE
4. “Pitch Perfect” co-star Kendrick ANNA
5. Summer phenomenon HEAT
6. Curved support ARCH
7. Short jacket BOLERO
8. Concession stand candy JUJUBES
9. Easternmost Arabian Peninsula country OMAN
10. “Dr. Strangelove” feature DARK HUMOR
11. Adherent’s suffix -IST
12. Start to stop? ESS
14. With 52-Down, grilled fare SHISH
21. Take control LEAD
22. Bottom line? HEM
26. __ Gay ENOLA
27. Ray in the ocean SKATE
29. Boxer’s attendant VET
30. Fall back EBB
31. It’s a wrap STOLE
32. “Terrif!” FAB!
33. Pilgrim to Mecca HAJJI
34. Diamond clan ALOUS
35. Trophy case memento TEAM PHOTO
39. Econ. measure GNP
41. Bug NAG
42. Earthbound bird EMU
45. Crewman for 4-Across ISHMAEL
47. Tech sch. grad ENGR
50. Slow boat TUB
51. Hangs around the house? HAUNTS
52. See 14-Down KEBAB
56. Pungent Thai dish CURRY
57. Play with, as clay KNEAD
58. Gives the go-ahead OKAYS
60. First name in folk ARLO
61. Cause wrinkles, in a way REEK
62. Joel of “Wicked” GREY
63. Water whirled EDDY
64. Some mil. bases FTS
65. Edge LIP

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12 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 11 Oct 13, Friday”

  1. Hello, Bill …. Great blog. Learn a whole h–l of a lot !! Thank you. An excellent puzzle, though complicated puzzle, by the other blog mistress, Marti (HeartRx) Carpenter, and the wordsmith, Jerome Gunderson.

    Must read up on the gecko and the weak gravitational force …. First time I read that it actually applies to lizards …. as well as between atoms, and sub atomic particles, in quantum physics !! Do the geckos read up on Einstein as well ?? Lol.

    Curry, in India, just refers to a dish, that is not relatively dry, and has enough gravy to soak up the rice. More like a liquidy stew.

    Jodie Foster graduated 'summa cum laude' out of Yale. So, she's very smart, as well.

    Thank you for the info on NaCl …. About the lattice structure ….. I was more aware of its cubic crystalline shape. There is a fascinating eponymous book on SALT, a world history By Mark Kurlansky. The book is a great read, especially for a curious person, like you, and was a NYT best seller. Very informative, factual and full of charming stories ….

    Thank you for the difference between a TBone and a Porterhouse steak. Who knew porters could actually afford steaks ? It's all this dammed inflation, in our economy. Lol.

    Jujubes are also the generic berries, like micro-mini apples, found in Calif., Mexico, China, and very common in India …. Ziziphus Jujube.

    Have a nice day, all. And thanks again.

  2. @Vidwan
    You might be interested to hear that in some parts of Ireland, the term "curry" has become synonymous with "take out ethinic food". If an Irishman tells you he had a "curry" last night for dinner, and then you ask what type of curry, he might well answer "chicken chow mein" or "egg foo young"!

    @Taylor
    I see that my scary lack of sports knowledge shines through yet again! Thanks for watching my back. I will go make that change right now. I appreciate the help 🙂

  3. Kabob, Kebab, Kebob…let's call the whole thing off.(music)
    As well as different spellings for Hajj.
    Hua, Joan I, Rae unknown to me.
    Had Team Shirt instead of Photo.
    Not keen on the theme, don't know why.
    Anyway, have a good evening Bill, et.al.

  4. Thought this was rather easy for a Friday puzzle. Some crosses here and there and it was done.
    I always thought if an Irishman told you you he ATE anything for dinner… He was lying!

    (Aww Nuts! Banned again!)

  5. Hi there, Addict.

    I agree, not too bad for a Friday.

    And no, you're not banned (this time). I'm in a good mood, because I just got in after having my "dinner" 🙂

    Have a great weekend!

  6. Pookie,
    I think Addict is referring to a (completely mythical) tradition in Ireland of drinking beer for lunch and avoiding other calories 🙂

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