Day: August 24, 2014

Frequently Asked Question: Why isn’t the puzzle in my paper the same as the one shown on your blog?
If the puzzle in your paper doesn’t match the one that I solved, it is probably a Sunday crossword. On Sundays, the “LA Times” chooses to publish Merl Reagle’s excellent crossword, and not their own “LA Times” Crossword. The “LA Times” puzzle is still sent out in syndication, and is also published in the “LA Times” online. I’ve been asked to blog about Merl Reagle’s crossword, but frankly I don’t have the time. Sunday puzzles have lots of clues!

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
11. Clothing fold CUFF
Back in Ireland, we call the extra layer at the bottom of a sleeve a “cuff”, just as we do here in North America. However, that extra layer of material at the bottom of a pant leg, we called that a “turn-up” and not a “cuff”.

15. TV talk pioneer PAAR
Jack Paar was most famous as the host of “The Tonight Show”, from 1957 to 1962. When he died in 2004, “Time” magazine wrote that Paar was “the fellow who split talk show history into two eras: Before Paar and Below Paar”. Very complimentary …

19. Like some bears’ market predictions DIRE
The terms “bull” and “bear” markets come from the way in which each animal attacks. A bull thrusts his horns upwards (an “up” market), whereas a bear swipes with his paws downward (a “down” market).

21. New Balance competitor AVIA
The Avia brand name for athletic shoes was chosen as “avia” is the Latin word for “to fly”, and suggests the concept of aviation. Avia was founded in Oregon in 1979.

22. Bear overhead URSA
Ursa Minor (Latin for “Smaller Bear”) sits right beside the constellation Draco (Latin for “dragon”). Ursa Minor used to be considered the wing of Draco, and so was once called “Dragon’s Wing”.

The constellation called Ursa Major (Latin for “Larger Bear”) is often just called the Big Dipper because of its resemblance to a ladle or dipper. Ursa Major also resembles a plow, and that’s what we usually call the same constellation back in Ireland: the “plough”.

27. Acct. earnings INT
A bank account (acct.) can earn interest (int.).

28. 2010 title role for Denzel ELI
2010’s “The Book of Eli” is one of those “end of the world” type movies, with Denzel Washington playing a tough guy traveling across what is left of the United States after some apocalyptic event.

29. Big party for jalopy owners? BEATER BASH (from “beer bash”)
“Beater” is slang for an old car that is in poor condition, and is a term that dates back only to the 1980s.

The origins of our word “jalopy” meaning “dilapidated old motor car” seem to have been lost in time, but the word has been around since the 1920s. One credible suggestion is that it comes from Jalapa, Mexico as the Jalapa scrap yards were the destination for many discarded American automobiles.

36. 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”.

39. Coll. drilling group ROTC
The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program for officers based in colleges all around the US. The ROTC program was established in 1862 when as a condition of receiving a land-grant to create colleges, the federal government required that military tactics be part of a new school’s curriculum.

45. “As I see it,” in texts IMO
In my opinion (IMO)

46. Clergyman who works wonders? MIRACLE CURATE (from “miracle cure”)
A curate is a clergyman in certain churches, someone who is focused on the care of the souls of the parish members. The term “curate” comes from the Latin “curare” meaning “to take care of”.

52. Periscope part LENS
The prefix “peri-” is Greek in origin and means “around”. An example of its use is “periscope”, a device on a submarine for looking “around”.

55. Mid-Atlantic st. DEL
The state of Delaware takes its name from Virginia’s first colonial governor, Englishman Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr. Delaware is known as “The First State” as it was the first to ratify the US Constitution, in 1787. It is also the second smallest state in the union, after Rhode Island.

56. Sight from the Sicilian village of Taormina ETNA
Mt. Etna is the largest of three active volcanoes in Italy. Mt Etna is about 2 1/2 times the height of its equally famous sister, Mt. Vesuvius.

Taormina is a village on the coast of Sicily that is a popular tourist destination. The village sits perched on a cliff, and overlooks the Ionian Sea. It is also about a 45-minute drive from Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano.

57. Intimate modern message SEXT
“Sexting” (a portmanteau of “sex” and “texting”) is the sending of explicit dialog and images between cell phones. The term “sexting” was first coined by the UK’s “Sunday Telegraph Magazine” in a 2005 article. Apparently the practice is “rampant” among teens and young adults. Whatever happened to dinner and a movie …?

67. Fairy tale food PORRIDGE
The story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” was first recorded in 1837, in England, although the narrative was around before it was actually written down. The original fairy tale was rather gruesome, but successive versions became more family-oriented. The character that eventually became Goldilocks was originally an elderly woman, and the three “nameless” bears became Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear.

69. Rival of Brom in an 1820 novel ICHABOD
Ichabod Crane is the protagonist in Washington Irving’s short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. It’s thought that Irving “stole” the name from someone he actually knew, a captain in the army called Ichabod B. Crane.

77. Classic pops NEHIS
“Nehi Corporation” was the nickname for the Chero-Cola/Union Bottle Works that introduced the Nehi drink in 1924. Years later the company developed a new brand, Royal Crown Cola (also known as RC Cola). By 1955, RC Cola was the company’s flagship product, so the “Nehi Corporation” became the “Royal Crown Company”. In 1954, RC Cola became the first company to sell soft drinks in cans.

80. Frog’s kiddie-lit friend TOAD
The “Frog and Toad” series of books for young children was written illustrated by Arnold Lobel. The books were the basis of a 2002 Broadway musical called “A Year with Frog and Toad”, and there’s talk of an animated feature film.

81. Condescending sort SNOB
Back in the 1780s, a “snob” was a shoemaker or a shoemaker’s apprentice. By the end of the 18th century the word was being used by students at Cambridge University in England to refer to all local merchants and people of the town. The term evolved to mean one who copies those who are his or her social superior (and not in a good way). From there it wasn’t a big leap for “snob” to include anyone who emphasized their superior social standing and not just those who aspired to rank. Nowadays a snob is anyone who looks down on those considered to be of inferior standing.

83. Photoshop developer ADOBE
Adobe’s Photoshop is a wonderful piece of software used for editing graphics. When I first bought a copy of Photoshop, it was really expensive (about $300, ten years ago), but now there are cost-effective, stripped-down versions available.

85. Mother of the Valkyries ERDA
In Richard Wagner’s (very, very lengthy) Ring Cycle, Erda is the goddess of the Earth (as well as wisdom and fate). Erda gives birth to eight immortal daughters called the Valkyries.

89. “Mr. Blue Sky” band, briefly ELO
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) is a symphonic rock group from the north of England. The band’s manager was Don Arden, father of Sharon Osbourne (wife of Ozzy).

93. Biker’s trail? RIDING HABITAT (from “riding habit”)
“Riding habit” is the name given to the formal period clothing worn by women when riding sidesaddle on a horse.

103. Evil sitcom organization KAOS
The satirical comedy series called “Get Smart” was the creation of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, and starred Don Adams as Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. Agent 86 worked for the spy agency CONTROL, alongside the lovely Agent 99. CONTROL’s sworn enemy was the criminal organization called KAOS. Smart’s shoe phone was a hilarious prop used in almost every episode. When Smart dialed the number 117, the shoe converted into a gun. Cool stuff …

110. Volga Region daily? TATAR PAPER (from “tar paper”)
Tatars are an ethnic group of people, mainly residing in Russia (a population of about 5 1/2 million). Actor Charles Bronson had a Tatar heritage. Bronson’s real name was Charles Buchinsky.

The Volga is the longest river in Europe, and is considered the national river of Russia.

Tar paper is a heavy-duty paper that has been impregnated with tar. It is a waterproof material used as an underlay for a roof.

117. Cantina cooker OLLA
An olla is a traditional clay pot used for the making of stews. “Olla” was the Latin word used in Ancient Rome to describe a similar type of pot.

125. Friendly court contest ONE SET
Some tennis players might play just one friendly set instead of a whole match.

126. Toledo’s lake ERIE
Lake Erie is the fourth largest of the five Great Lakes by area (Lake Ontario is the smallest). The lake takes its name from the Erie tribe of Native Americans that used to live along its southern shore. Erie is the smallest of the Great Lakes by volume and the shallowest, something for which nearby residents must be quite grateful. Being relatively shallow, much of Erie freezes over part way through most winters putting an end to most of the lake effect snow that falls in the snow belt extending from the lake’s edge.

128. 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.

129. Mouth formations DELTAS
Deltas form at the mouth of rivers.

Down
2. Fanny pack spot HIP
In the British Isles, a “fanny pack” is called a “bum bag”. The use of the word “bum” is considered more polite than the word “fanny”, which has a very rude meaning in that part of the world.

3. Portfolio element, for short IRA
Individual retirement account (IRA)

6. Demolition aid TNT
TNT is an abbreviation for trinitrotoluene. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.

9. Like many King novels EERIE
Stephen King is a remarkably successful author having sold over 350 million copies of his books, many of which have been made into hit movies. I’ve tried reading two or three, but never finished one. I really don’t do horror …

10. RMN was his VP DDE
Richard Milhous Nixon (RMN) was US Vice President under President Dwight D. Eisenhower (DDE).

12. Iris locale UVEA
The uvea is the middle of the three layers that make up the eyeball.

The iris is the colored part of the eye with an aperture in the center that can open or close depending on the level of light hitting the eye.

13. Punto and Bravo FIATS
Fiat is the largest car manufacturer in Italy, and is headquartered in Turin in the Piedmont region in the north of the country. Fiat was founded in 1899 by Giovanni Agnelli, when the company’s name was “Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino” (FIAT). A few years ago, Fiat became the majority shareholder in Chrysler.

14. China setting FAR EAST
In geographical terms there are three “easts”. The Near East and Middle East are terms that are often considered synonymous, although “Near East” tends to be used when discussing ancient history and “Middle East” when referring to the present day. The Near/Middle East encompasses most of Western Asia and Egypt. The term “Far East” describes East Asia (including the Russian Far East), Southeast Asia and South Asia.

15. Colorado county or its seat PUEBLO
The city of Pueblo, Colorado is located just over 100 miles south of Denver. The city takes its name from a settlement established by fur trappers around 1842 that they called “El Pueblo” or “Fort Pueblo”. The original buildings were adobe structures, hence the “Pueblo” name.

30. Baptism, e.g. RITE
Baptism is a rite in Christian traditions admitting a candidate, often an infant, into the Church. The ceremony usually uses water as a sign of purification. Water may be poured on the head, or the candidate may be totally immersed in water.

32. Singer Mann AIMEE
Aimee Mann is an American rock singer and guitarist.

33. Swindler at a New York zoo? BRONX CHEATER (from “Bronx cheer”)
The Bronx Zoo in New York City is the largest metropolitan zoo in the country, and is located right on the Bronx River.

What is known as a Bronx cheer in the US is called “blowing a raspberry” in the rest of the world. The term “Bronx cheer” is a reference to the sound made by some spectators in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, in New York City.

34. Media mogul with a Presidential Medal of Freedom OPRAH
What can you say about Oprah Winfrey? Born into poverty to a single mother and with a harrowing childhood, Oprah is now the greatest African American philanthropist the world has ever known. Oprah’s name was originally meant to be “Orpah” after the Biblical character in the Book of Ruth, and that’s how it appears on her birth certificate. Apparently folks had trouble pronouncing “Orpah”, so she’s now “Oprah”.

35. Mars, to the Greeks ARES
The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of blood-lust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos, Deimos and Eros. The Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars.

42. Gave stars to kippers? RATED HERRING (from “red herring”)
The exact origin of the term “red herring”, meaning “something that misleads”, isn’t known. The most common explanation for the use of the phrase is that kippers (strong-smelling smoked herrings) were used to by fugitives to distract bloodhounds who were on their trail. Kippers become red-colored during the smoking process, and are no longer “white herrings”.

48. Matthews of “Hardball” CHRIS
“Hardball with Chris Matthews” is a nightly talk-show about politics, airing on MSNBC. The show’s host, Chris Matthews, is a colorful character. Matthews served with the Peace Corps from 1968 to 1970, in Swaziland in Africa. He has been back to Africa since and found himself hospitalized in 2002, suffering from malaria that he picked up on one of his trips.

49. Fab Four name LENNON
John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in New York City in December 1980. Chapman’s lawyers wanted him to file an insanity plea but instead he chose to plead guilty and was sentenced to life in prison, with eligibility for parole after 20 years. Chapman has been denied parole every two years since 2000 and is still an inmate of Attica State Prison.

The Beatles were described on the sleeve notes of their 1963 album “With the Beatles” as the “fabulous foursome”. The press picked up on the phrase and morphed it into “the Fab Four”.

63. 2001 honor for J.K. Rowling OBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry in the UK that was established in 1917 by King George V. There are five classes within the order, which are in descending seniority:

– Knight Grand Cross (GBE)
– Knight Commander (KBE)
– Commander (CBE)
– Officer (OBE)
– Member (MBE)

The author of the amazingly successful “Harry Potter” series of books is J. K. Rowling. Rowling wrote the first book when she was living on welfare in Edinburgh in Scotland, and in longhand. She would often write in local cafes, largely because she needed to get her baby daughter out of the house (she was a single mom), and the youngster would tend to fall asleep on walks. Within five years, the single mom on welfare became a very rich woman, and is now worth about $1 billion!

66. Much of Libya SAHARA
The name “Sahara” means “greatest desert” in Arabic and it is just that, a great desert covering almost 4 million square miles of Northern Africa. That’s almost the size of the United States.

The Italo-Turkish War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 1911 and October 1912. At the end of the conflict the Ottoman Empire ceded to Italy the three provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan and Cyrenaica. These provinces became Italian North Africa, and ultimately the country that we know today as Libya. The name “Libya” comes from the Ancient Greek “Libúē”, the historical name for Northwest Africa.

68. Genetic messenger RNA
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is an essential catalyst in the manufacture of proteins in the body. The genetic code in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids that make up each protein. That sequence is read in DNA by messenger RNA, and amino acids are delivered for protein manufacture in the correct sequence by what is called transfer RNA. The amino acids are then formed into proteins by ribosomal RNA.

76. 2014 U.S. Senior Open winner Montgomerie COLIN
Colin Montgomerie is a popular Scottish golfer who nows play on the Champions Tour. “Monty” is particularly noted for his play on the European Ryder Cup team. He has been a member of that team eight times and has never lost a singles match.

78. Diva highlights SOLI
“Soli” (the plural of “solo”) are pieces of music performed by one artist, whereas “tutti” are pieces performed by all of the artists.

“Diva” comes to us from Latin via Italian. “Diva” is the feminine form of “divus” meaning “divine one”. The word is used in Italy to mean “goddess” or “fine lady”, and especially is applied to the prima donna in an opera. We often use the term to describe a singer with a big ego.

86. Poet who feuded with Pope Boniface VIII DANTE
Dante Alighieri was an Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His “Divine Comedy” is widely considered to be the greatest literary work ever written in the Italian language.

Pope Boniface VIII is probably best remembered for the very public feuds that he had with the poet Dante Alighieri. Dante went as a far as naming Pope Boniface in his epic poem “Divine Comedy”. The poet placed the pope in the Eighth Circle of Hell, among the simoniacs, those sinners found guilty of selling church offices and roles.

90. Advanced degs. PHDS
PhD is an abbreviation for “philosophiae doctor”, Latin for “teacher of philosophy”.

94. 14-legged crustaceans ISOPODS
Isopods are small crustaceans (meaning they have exoskeletons), with seven pairs of legs. Examples would be woodlice and pill bugs. The name “isopod” comes from the Greek “iso” (same) and “pod” (foot).

102. One of four singing brothers ED AMES
The Ames Brothers were a singing quartet who were active in the 1950s. The “Ames” brothers were actually the Urick brothers, and used “Ames” as a stage name. They had started out as an act called the Amory Brothers. After the quartet disbanded in 1961, Ed Ames went on to have a successful solo singing career, and became a familiar television actor. Ed played “Mingo”, the sidekick to the title character on “Daniel Boone” that ran in the sixties.

106. Form of oxygen OZONE
Ozone gets its name from the Greek word ozein, meaning “to smell”. It was given this name as ozone’s formation during lightning storms was detected by the gas’s distinctive smell. Famously, there is a relatively high concentration of the gas in the “ozone layer” in the Earth’s stratosphere. This ozone layer provides a vital function for animal life on the planet as it absorbs most of the sun’s UV radiation.

111. Mil. no-show AWOL
Absent without leave (AWOL)

112. Appetizer in una taberna TAPA
“Tapa” is the Spanish word for “lid”, and there is no clear rationale for why this word came to be used for an appetizer. There are lots of explanations cited, all of which seem to involve the temporary covering of one’s glass of wine with a plate or item of food to either preserve the wine or give one extra space at the table.

“Taberna” is Spanish for “tavern”.

118. Mortar trough HOD
A hod is a 3-sided box on the the end of a long handle used for carrying bricks (and sometimes mortar) at a construction site, usually up and down ladders.

Return to top of page

For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. China problem CHIP
5. Brought to Broadway STAGED
11. Clothing fold CUFF
15. TV talk pioneer PAAR
19. Like some bears’ market predictions DIRE
20. Happened next ENSUED
21. New Balance competitor AVIA
22. Bear overhead URSA
23. Extra vacation clothes? SPARE ATTIRE (from “spare tire”)
25. Barely burn SEAR
26. Reactions to mice, maybe EEKS
27. Acct. earnings INT
28. 2010 title role for Denzel ELI
29. Big party for jalopy owners? BEATER BASH (from “beer bash”)
31. Simply not done TABOO
34. Trying experiences ORDEALS
36. Catamaran mover SAIL
37. Emergency supplies delivery method AIRDROP
39. Coll. drilling group ROTC
41. Ball game delayers STORMS
45. “As I see it,” in texts IMO
46. Clergyman who works wonders? MIRACLE CURATE (from “miracle cure”)
51. “How relaxing!” AAH!
52. Periscope part LENS
54. Wood shop tools LATHES
55. Mid-Atlantic st. DEL
56. Sight from the Sicilian village of Taormina ETNA
57. Intimate modern message SEXT
58. Clipped, in a way SHORN
59. Shrill cry YELP
61. Race TEAR
62. Corn or cotton CROP
64. Bores for ore MINES
67. Fairy tale food PORRIDGE
69. Rival of Brom in an 1820 novel ICHABOD
72. Pops in the fridge SODAS
74. Hoisting devices WINCHES
75. Wildly excited FRENETIC
77. Classic pops NEHIS
79. Solidify CAKE
80. Frog’s kiddie-lit friend TOAD
81. Condescending sort SNOB
83. Photoshop developer ADOBE
85. Mother of the Valkyries ERDA
88. Makeshift shelters HUTS
89. “Mr. Blue Sky” band, briefly ELO
90. Future litigator’s study PRELAW
91. Airport transport TRAM
92. Virtuoso ACE
93. Biker’s trail? RIDING HABITAT (from “riding habit”)
97. Ristorante suffix -INI
98. Upheaval THROES
100. Call for NEED
101. Puts on the right track ORIENTS
103. Evil sitcom organization KAOS
105. Didn’t fill yet, as calendar slots HAS OPEN
109. They may be rough EDGES
110. Volga Region daily? TATAR PAPER (from “tar paper”)
114. Sharp turn ZAG
115. __ premium AT A
116. Traveling AWAY
117. Cantina cooker OLLA
118. Bees battling over nectar? HONEY COMBAT (from “honeycomb”)
123. “In your dreams” NOPE
124. Wiped out DEAD
125. Friendly court contest ONE SET
126. Toledo’s lake ERIE
127. Delighted GLAD
128. Three-part figs. SSNS
129. Mouth formations DELTAS
130. Identical SAME

Down
1. They may be writable CDS
2. Fanny pack spot HIP
3. Portfolio element, for short IRA
4. Game division PERIOD
5. Reserved __ SEAT
6. Demolition aid TNT
7. Sunflower relative ASTER
8. Artisan group GUILD
9. Like many King novels EERIE
10. RMN was his VP DDE
11. Analytical write-up CASE STUDY
12. Iris locale UVEA
13. Punto and Bravo FIATS
14. China setting FAR EAST
15. Colorado county or its seat PUEBLO
16. Geometry figure AREA
17. Sets a price of ASKS
18. Reckless RASH
24. Vast, in verse ENORM
29. Voting coalition BLOC
30. Baptism, e.g. RITE
31. Formal affair wear TAILS
32. Singer Mann AIMEE
33. Swindler at a New York zoo? BRONX CHEATER (from “Bronx cheer”)
34. Media mogul with a Presidential Medal of Freedom OPRAH
35. Mars, to the Greeks ARES
38. Drips on the driveway OIL SPOTS
40. Move like ivy CREEP
42. Gave stars to kippers? RATED HERRING (from “red herring”)
43. Run MANAGE
44. Portfolio units SHARES
47. Elementary bit ATOM
48. Matthews of “Hardball” CHRIS
49. Fab Four name LENNON
50. Sanction ALLOW
53. Leaves high and dry STRANDS
56. Flier’s printout E-TICKET
60. Competition with slashing PRICE WAR
63. 2001 honor for J.K. Rowling OBE
65. Suffix with stamp -EDE
66. Much of Libya SAHARA
68. Genetic messenger RNA
69. “Maybe even less” IF THAT
70. Catching position CROUCH
71. Enjoyed some courses DINED
73. It’s usually not a hit SIDE-B
76. 2014 U.S. Senior Open winner Montgomerie COLIN
78. Diva highlights SOLI
82. Jerks BONEHEADS
84. Relay stick BATON
86. Poet who feuded with Pope Boniface VIII DANTE
87. Off the mark AMISS
90. Advanced degs. PHDS
93. Bring up REAR
94. 14-legged crustaceans ISOPODS
95. Equipment GEAR
96. Connect with TIE TO
99. Signed off on OKAYED
102. One of four singing brothers ED AMES
104. Corporate division SALES
106. Form of oxygen OZONE
107. Comic strip frame PANEL
108. Spew out EGEST
110. Strong flavor TANG
111. Mil. no-show AWOL
112. Appetizer in una taberna TAPA
113. Not leave things to chance PLAN
115. Fakes being ACTS
118. Mortar trough HOD
119. Word of support YEA
120. One may be padded BRA
121. Intention AIM
122. Driving need? TEE

Return to top of page