LA Times Crossword Answers 10 Apr 15, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Peg Slay
THEME: Dropper … each of today’s themed answers is a common phrase, but we have are instructed to “DROP PER”. So the letter-string PER is DROPPED from that phrase to give the answer to the clue:

39D. Medicine dispenser, and, in another way, a hint to the answers to starred clues DROPPER (and “DROP PER”)

17A. *Bargain dairy product? ONE-CENT MILK (from “one-percent milk”)
32A. *Nickname for a roller coaster highlight? THE BIG DIP (from “the Big Dipper”)
37A. *Security workers asleep on the job? BUM GUARDS (from “bumper guards”)
52A. *Really hot cold drink? JALAPENO POP (from “jalapeño popper”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 12m 07s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Roam GAD
“To gad about” is to move around with little purpose. The word “gad” comes from the Middle English “gadden” meaning “to hurry”.

9. Norse shape-shifter LOKI
Loki is a god appearing in Norse mythology. He is a “shape shifter”, a being who can appear in different forms. In one story about Loki, he was punished by other gods for having caused the death of Baldr, the god of light and beauty. Loki is bound to a sharp rock using the entrails of one of his sons. A serpent drips venom which is collected in a bowl, and then his wife must empty the venom onto Loki when the bowl is full. The venom causes Loki great pain, and his writhing results in what we poor mortals experience as earthquakes.

13. Word often following “further” ADO
Without further ado …

15. The Tempter SATAN
Satan is the bringer of evil and temptation in the Abrahamic religions. The name “Satan” is Hebrew for “adversary”.

16. Trivial amount SOU
A sou is an old French coin. We use the term “sou” to mean “an almost worthless amount”.

22. Bar supply SELTZER
The term “seltzer” comes from the village of Selters in Germany. Selters has natural springs of carbonated mineral water that is bottled and sold as Selters water. In English-speaking countries, the name has morphed into “Seltzer” water.

30. __ of roses ATTAR
Attar is a fragrant essential oil obtained from flowers, and the term may particularly refer to attar of roses.

32. *Nickname for a roller coaster highlight? THE BIG DIP (from “the Big Dipper”)
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”.

36. Soap containing ground pumice LAVA
Lava is a brand of soap that was introduced as a heavy-duty cleanser in 1983. Unlike like soaps that are marketed using a “soft” image, Lava touts the inclusion of ground pumice that is intended to abrade grime off the skin. Pumice is found in certain types of lava ejected from a volcano, hence the name of the soap.

37. *Security workers asleep on the job? BUM GUARDS (from “bumper guards”)
Bumper guards are vertically mounted crosspieces that are commonly mounted on emergency vehicles. The guards prevent the locking of bumpers when pushing another vehicle.

39. Only Dwarf without a beard DOPEY
In the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale called “Snow White”, the seven dwarfs were not given any names. The names were added for the 1937 classic Disney film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. The seven dwarfs are:

– Doc (the leader of the group)
– Grumpy (that would be me, according to my wife …)
– Happy
– Sleepy
– Bashful
– Sneezy
– Dopey

42. Oath for toondom’s Dick Dastardly DRAT!
Dick Dastardly is a marvelous cartoon villain the Hanna-Barbera universe. Dastardly first appeared in the animated series “Wacky Races”, and later in “Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines”. The Dastardly character was inspired by Professor Fate in the 1965 movie “The Great Race”, played by Jack Lemmon. Dastardly’s personality and mannerisms are modelled after the magnificent English comic actor Terry-Thomas.

44. It’s named for a trapeze artist LEOTARD
The garment known as a leotard was named for French trapeze artist Jules Léotard. Léotard wore such a garment when he was performing.

47. Turkish tabby ANGORA
The Turkish Angora is a breed of domestic cat that is often called simply an Angora or Ankara cat. The Angora is particularly prized for its white coat, although the breed can come in a variety of colors.

52. *Really hot cold drink? JALAPENO POP (from “jalapeño popper”)
Jalapeño poppers are jalapeño peppers that have been stuffed with cheese and spices, and then breaded and deep fried.

55. Cuckoopints, e.g. ARUMS
The woodland plant Arum maculatum has a number of common names including “lords-and-ladies” and “cuckoo-pint”. These gender-related names are a reference to the shape of the plant’s flower, which resemble male and female genitalia.

58. Bar offerings RYES
For whiskey to be labelled as “rye” in the US, it has to be distilled from at least 51% rye grain. In Canada however, a drink called rye whiskey sometimes contains no rye at all.

60. Reject NIX
The use of “nix” as a verb, meaning “to shoot down”, dates back to the early 1900s. Before that “nix” was just a noun meaning “nothing”. “Nix” comes from the German “nichts”, which also means “nothing”.

Down
1. They may be noble GASES
The rare gases are better known as the noble gases, but neither term is really very accurate. Noble gas might be a better choice though, as they are all relatively nonreactive. But rare they are not. Argon, for example, is a major constituent (1%) of the air that we breathe.

2. __ Reader ADOBE
Adobe Acrobat is the software used to create .pdf files. Most of us are more familiar with the associated application called Adobe Reader, because that’s what we use to read those .pdf files.

4. Loser-to-be? SNOOZER
You snooze, you lose.

6. Arab potentate EMEER
In English, emir can also be written as emeer, amir and ameer (watch out for those spellings in crosswords!).

7. Muscle mag display PECS
“Pecs” is the familiar term for the chest muscle, more correctly known as the pectoralis major muscle. “Pectus” is a the Latin word for “breast, chest”.

8. Green Day drummer __ Cool TRE
Green Day is a punk rock band from just down the road here, from Berkeley, California. The name “Green Day” was chosen by the band to reflect their fondness for marijuana. “Green day” is a slang term used to describe a day spent smoking the drug.

9. Lorenzo of “Renegade” LAMAS
Lorenzo Lamas is an actor from Santa Monica, California who is best known perhaps for playing the character Hector Ramirez on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful”. He also played the lead in a nineties adventure drama called “Renegade”, which is about a police officer on the run after being framed for a murder.

10. Man with rising aspirations? OTIS
Elevators (simple hoists) have been around for a long time. What Elisha Otis did was come up with the “safety elevator”, a design that he showcased at the 1853 World’s Fair in New York. At the Fair, Otis would stand on an elevated platform in front of onlookers and order his assistant to cut the single rope holding up the platform. His safety system kicked in when the platform had only fallen a few inches, amazing the crowd. After this demonstration, the orders came rolling in.

15. Layered clouds STRATI
Stratus clouds (plural “strati”) are very common, and as they are wider than they are tall and flat along the bottom, we might just see them as haze in a featureless sky above us. Stratus clouds are basically the same as fog, but above the ground. Indeed, many stratus clouds are formed when morning fog lifts into the air as the ground heats up.

23. Bluegrass characteristic TWANG
Bluegrass is a sub-genre of country music, and has its roots in the traditional music brought over from the British Isles, particularly from Ireland and Scotland. The style of music really evolved quite recently, just before WWII. Musician Bill Monroe is referred to as its “founding father”, and indeed bluegrass takes its name from Monroe’s band, the Blue Grass Boys.

24. Transvaal settlers BOERS
“Boer” is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for “farmer”, a word that was used to describe the Dutch-speaking people who settled parts of South Africa during the 1700s.

In geographic terms, the Transvaal is an area in modern-day South Africa that lies north of the Vaal River. “Transvaal” translates as “across the Vaal”.

27. 2002 Cage/Streep film ADAPTATION
The 2002 movie “Adaptation” is described as a “metafilm”, meaning that the film is a story about its own production. “Adaptation” stars Nicolas Cage as screenwriter Charlie Kaufman who is struggling to adapt Susan Orlean’s book “The Orchid Thief” into a movie. This one was received very well by the critics, so I am putting it on my list of films to see one day …

28. Honky-tonk DIVE
A honky-tonk is a bar with musical entertainment, usually country music. The etymology of the term “honky-tonk” seems unclear. The term has evolved to mean any cheap, noisy bar or dance hall.

29. Fix, in a way SPAY
Our verb “to spay”, meaning “to surgically remove the ovaries of” (an animal) comes from an old Anglo-French word “espeier” meaning “to cut with a sword”.

30. Goya’s “The Duchess of __” ALBA
María Cayetana de Silva was the 13th duchess of Alba. She was a favorite subject of the Spanish painter Francisco Goya. The duchess is the subject in the famous portrait known as “The Naked Maja”, as well as “The Clothed Maja”. Goya also painted her in a 1797 work called “Mourning Portrait of the Duchess of Alba”, in which the 35-year-old lady is dressed in mourning attire following the death of her husband.

35. Regional animal life FAUNAE
The fauna (plural “faunae”) is the animal life of a particular region, and the flora (plural “florae”) is that region’s plant life. The term “fauna” comes from the Roman goddess of earth and fertility who was called Fauna. Flora was the Roman goddess of plants, flowers and fertility.

38. Seizes unlawfully USURPS
“To usurp” is to seize and hold by force, say the power or authority of a ruler. The term “usurp” comes to us from Latin via French, from “usus” (a use) and “rapere” (to seize).

44. Blue gem, briefly LAPIS
Lapis lazuli is a blue, semi-precious stone mined mainly in Afghanistan. Lapis Lazuli is Latin for “stone of Lazhward”, referring to the Persian name for the location where the stone was mined. Our word “azure”, a shade of blue, has the same root.

47. Open a touch AJAR
Our word “ajar” is thought to come from Scottish dialect, in which “a char” means “slightly open”.

48. Not NARY
The adjective “nary” means “not one”, as in “nary a soul”.

49. Kindergarten staple GLUE
“Kindergarten” is a German term, literally meaning “children’s garden”. The term was coined by the German education authority Friedrich Fröbel in 1837, when he used it as the name for his play and activity institute that he created for young children to use before they headed off to school. His thought was that children should be nourished educationally, like plants in a garden.

50. Spanish lady DONA
In Spain, a title of respect for men is “Don”. The equivalent female title is “Dona”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Roam GAD
4. Got ready for company, perhaps SWEPT
9. Norse shape-shifter LOKI
13. Word often following “further” ADO
14. One adopting a puppy, say NAMER
15. The Tempter SATAN
16. Trivial amount SOU
17. *Bargain dairy product? ONE-CENT MILK (from “one-percent milk”)
19. Go out EBB
20. Dedicated lines ODES
21. Eliminates completely ERASES
22. Bar supply SELTZER
24. Farm cries BAAS
25. Vessel with a spout EWER
26. Database command SORT
27. Spots ADS
30. __ of roses ATTAR
32. *Nickname for a roller coaster highlight? THE BIG DIP (from “the Big Dipper”)
34. Reclined LAIN
35. Easily provoked FIERY
36. Soap containing ground pumice LAVA
37. *Security workers asleep on the job? BUM GUARDS (from “bumper guards”)
39. Only Dwarf without a beard DOPEY
40. Had ATE
41. Goes after SUES
42. Oath for toondom’s Dick Dastardly DRAT!
43. Provide money for FUND
44. It’s named for a trapeze artist LEOTARD
47. Turkish tabby ANGORA
50. Deaden, as a piano string DAMP
51. Reason for an extra period TIE
52. *Really hot cold drink? JALAPENO POP (from “jalapeño popper”)
54. Violin ending -IST
55. Cuckoopints, e.g. ARUMS
56. Merge UNITE
57. “Well now!” OHO!
58. Bar offerings RYES
59. It’s a stunner TASER
60. Reject NIX

Down
1. They may be noble GASES
2. __ Reader ADOBE
3. Holiday rate, perhaps DOUBLE TIME
4. Loser-to-be? SNOOZER
5. Stray WANDER
6. Arab potentate EMEER
7. Muscle mag display PECS
8. Green Day drummer __ Cool TRE
9. Lorenzo of “Renegade” LAMAS
10. Man with rising aspirations? OTIS
11. Iron-rich cabbage KALE
12. Signs INKS
15. Layered clouds STRATI
18. Neighboring NEARBY
23. Bluegrass characteristic TWANG
24. Transvaal settlers BOERS
26. Shakes off SHEDS
27. 2002 Cage/Streep film ADAPTATION
28. Honky-tonk DIVE
29. Fix, in a way SPAY
30. Goya’s “The Duchess of __” ALBA
31. Stretched TAUT
32. Overused TIRED
33. Unsportsmanlike look GLOAT
35. Regional animal life FAUNAE
38. Seizes unlawfully USURPS
39. Medicine dispenser, and, in another way, a hint to the answers to starred clues DROPPER (and “DROP PER”)
42. Bump at the office, maybe DEMOTE
43. Bar heads FOAMS
44. Blue gem, briefly LAPIS
45. Hindu sage RISHI
46. Withdrawal process DETOX
47. Open a touch AJAR
48. Not NARY
49. Kindergarten staple GLUE
50. Spanish lady DONA
53. Hardware item NUT

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14 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 10 Apr 15, Friday”

  1. Bill – How do you solve these Friday puzzles so darn fast? I did complete the grid, but your time was at least twice or maybe three times as fast as mine.

    I did have a bit of a tough time coming up with 4 Across "Got ready for company perhaps" because I stuck in "Pasha" for 6 Down. Finally I got "Emeer" (which most of the times is either "Ameer" or "Emir").

    Let's see what tomorrow's puzzle brings in the way of mental confusion, shall we? (g)

  2. @Argyle
    My wife let me sleep in today 🙂 Thanks …

    @Tony Michaels
    Well, I learned that my solving times are shamefully pedestrian at the recent ACPT. That said, my Friday LAX solving times have improved dramatically over the past year or so. I think that working out the theme helps on Fridays more than any other day. I usually get stuck halfway, and then a few deft applications of the theme get me moving again. Themeless Saturday is the bugaboo …

  3. I zipped through parts of this puzzle and came to a screeching halt in other parts. Very bumpy road to the finish.

    NAMER? Are you kidding me? SWEPT? I don't sweep for company. SOU and RISHI? Unknowns. OHO – I hate as much as Willie hates EPEE. I was convinced DAMA was correct for Spanish lady so DONA came very reluctantly as did that entire section, therefore.

    Interesting theme though.

    I always preferred paste in kindergarten rather than GLUE. Tasted better…

    Weekend time –

  4. Bill, don't sell yourself short. You finished quite respectably in your category. If 12 minutes on this grid is pedestrian, wth is my 21 minutes? Does the ACPT have a "Don't Bother Showing Up" group? I belong in that one.

    I had to google ANGORA, that whole SW made me want to scream. (50D) DONA is barely used in Spanish (actually Doña). DONA is a type of bagel. (6D) EMEER is positively an assault on our synapses.

    I can feel the black smoke rising from Pookie's ears. 😀

  5. Jeff, DITTO! My sentiments exactly. GOL (Willie's GROAN OUT LOUD)at NAMER.
    DAMA for me as well. Did very poorly today.
    Ugh.

  6. Willie D, we crossed paths writing in. Agree totally with the EMEER answer. TSAR CZAR, KABOB KEBAB KEBOB,AHH AAH and that ridiculous OHO!

  7. The one adopting the puppy, presumably be the NAMER of said puppy….ie would give it its name

    Don't shoot the messenger..

  8. The one adopting the puppy, presumably, would be the NAMER of said puppy….ie would give it its name

    Don't shoot the messenger..

    Sorry, all. Poor grammer in the previous response..

  9. Tiny point – i've used Lava soap my whole life, and i'm 72! A Google search says Lava dates to 1893, not 1983.

  10. From the looks of things, it's probably just as well my paper didn't get delivered today!
    Bella

  11. Hated it. Not that I expected to finish a Friday. Too many tangential answers, like NAMER. Never heard of RISHI – give us some background?

    @Anon 9 PM – that's why I get the electronic. I can print it out. Saves money if there's feet of snow and below zero. Even if I DNF.

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