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!
Quicklink
Jump to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
CROSSWORD SETTER: Gail Grabowski
THEME: From Beginning to End … each of today’s themed answers is a common word made up from two words, but the beginning word is switched to the end:
27A. Outstanding building manager? STAR SUPER (from “superstar”)
29A. Truck at the end of the convoy? FINAL SEMI (from “semifinal”)
43A. Ordinary hero? STANDARD SUB (from “substandard”)
67A. One auditing highway department supplies? SIGN COUNTER (from “countersign”)
87A. Golfer with an array of trick shots? CREATIVE PRO (from “procreative”)
103A. Rate goose feathers? GRADE DOWN (from “downgrade”)
105A. Well-rehearsed swindle? FLUENT CON (from “confluent”)
39D. Spock’s memoir? LOGICAL BIO (from “biological”)
47D. Chess champion’s blog entry? MASTER POST (from “postmaster”)
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 18m 06s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. It puts the blue in blue cheese MOLD
Being a bit of a French speaker (admittedly a very poor one), the term “bleu” cheese has always kind of irritated me. I would prefer that we use either “blue cheese” or “fromage bleu” and not mix the languages, but then I can be annoyingly picky! It’s said that blue cheese was probably discovered accidentally, as molds tend to develop in the same conditions that are best for storing cheese. The blue mold in the cheese is introduced by adding Penicillium spores before the cheese is allowed to set. And yes, it’s the same mold that is used to produce penicillin, the antibiotic.
19. Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Estelle Parsons in 2014 OBIE
Estelle Parsons is an actress, an Oscar winner for playing a supporting role in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde”. You might also remember Parsons for playing Roseanne’s mother on the sitcom “Roseanne”.
21. Lawrence partner GORME
Eydie Gorme is best known for her work with her husband, Steve Lawrence. The duo have been recording traditional popular music together since the late fifties.
22. Fast-moving mammal HARE
Hares belong to the genus Lepus, and young hares, that are under one-year-old, are called leverets.
23. Bedsheet material PIMA
Pima is a soft cotton that is very durable and absorbent. Pima cotton is named after the Pima Native Americans who first cultivated it in this part of the world.
26. Composer Stravinsky IGOR
The composer Igor Stravinsky’s most famous works were completed relatively early in his career, when he was quite young. His three ballets “The Firebird”, “Petrushka” and “The Rite of Spring” were published in 1910-1913, when Stravinsky was in his early thirties.
29. Truck at the end of the convoy? FINAL SEMI (from “semifinal”)
A “semi” is a “semi-trailer truck”. The vehicle is so called because it consists of a tractor and a half-trailer. The half-trailer is so called because it only has wheels on the back end, with the front supported by the tractor.
40. Big name in small trucks TONKA
The toy manufacturer today known as Tonka started out as a manufacturer of garden implements in Mound, Minnesota in 1946. By 1955, toys had become the main product line for the company. At that time the owners decided to change the company name and opted for “Tonka”, a Dakota Sioux word meaning “great, big”.
42. Genre of the band Jawbreaker EMO
Jawbreaker was a band who was very influential in the emo movement of the early nineties.
43. Ordinary hero? STANDARD SUB (from “substandard”)
“Hero” is another name for a submarine sandwich. The hero originated in New York City in the 1800s among Italian immigrants who wanted an Italian sandwich that reminded them of home. The name “hero” was coined in the 1930s, supposedly by a food critic in the “New York Herald Tribune” when he wrote that “one had to be a hero” to finish the gigantic sandwich. Hero is a prevalent term to this day in New York City, reserved for a submarine sandwich with an Italian flavor.
47. Co. leaders MGT
Management (mgt.)
54. French bean? TETE
“Tête” is French for “head”.
A slang term for a “head” might be “bean” or “noggin”.
60. Hapless sort LOSER
One’s “hap” is one’s luck. So to be “hapless” is to be out of luck, unfortunate.
62. Pressure line ISOBAR
An isobar is a line on a weather map connecting points of equal barometric pressure.
64. Sacher creations TORTES
A torte is a type of cake made primarily with eggs, sugar and ground nuts (but no flour).
Sachertorte is a chocolate cake from Austria. It was specifically created in 1832 when Prince Metternich commanded his personal chef to prepare a dessert for some special guests. But his head chef became ill so the task fell to 16-year-old Franz Sacher, an apprentice in the kitchen. That teenager’s dessert is now one of Austria’s most famous dishes.
70. Jazzman Fountain PETE
Pete Fountain is a New Orleans clarinetist. For four years Fountain played with the Lawrence Welk orchestra, but left when he and Welk had artistic differences.
76. 1940 DC Comics debut ROBIN
Batman and Robin are unique among their superhero compatriots in that they have no special powers, just a whole load of cool gadgets.
78. Held firm STOOD PAT
To stand pat is to resist change. The term comes from the game of poker, in which one “stands pat” if one keeps one’s hand as is, not drawing any extra cards.
83. Northern terminus of I-79 ERIE
Interstate 79 runs from Charleston, West Virginia in the south to Erie, Pennsylvania in the north.
86. WWII venue ETO
General Dwight D. Eisenhower (DDE) was in command of the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during WWII.
90. Routine letters SOP
Standard operating procedure (SOP)
91. Brandy letters VSOP
Cognac is a famous variety of brandy named after the town of Cognac in the very west of France. To be called cognac, the brandy must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in very specific French oak barrels. It is the length of this aging that defines the various grades of cognac (and other brandies):
– VS: Very Special … at least 2 years storage
– VSOP: Very Special (or Superior) Old Pale … at least 4 years storage
– XO: Extra Old … at least 6 years
– VSO: Very Superior Old … 12-17 years
94. Conservative portfolio investments T-NOTES
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.
102. In CHIC
“Chic” is a French word meaning “stylish”.
103. Rate goose feathers? GRADE DOWN (from “downgrade”)
Down feathers are the very fine feathers found under the tougher exterior feathers of a bird. There is fossil evidence that some non-avian dinosaurs had down-like feathers.
105. Well-rehearsed swindle? FLUENT CON (from “confluent”)
Things which are confluent run together, blend into one. Two rivers can be confluent, as can ideas.
113. Prime minister between two Ehuds ARIEL
Ariel Sharon was a former Prime Minister of Israel. While still in office in 2005, Sharon suffered two debilitating strokes that left him in a permanent vegetative state from early 2006, until he finally passed away in early 2014.
Ehud Barak served as Prime Minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001. Barak left office after he called a special election for Prime Minister and lost the vote to Ariel Sharon. Barak resigned from the Knesset and took an advisory job with the US company Electronic Data Systems (EDS), and did some security-related work with a private equity company. In 2007, Barak took over leadership of Israel’s Labor Party. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense from 2009 until 2013.
Ehud Olmert took over as Acting Prime Minister when Ariel Sharon suffered a severe stroke early in 2006. He then led his party to victory in a general election held later that same year. He held Israel’s highest office in his own right until 2009, when he had to step down facing allegations of corruption.
114. With two exceptions, NFL Pro Bowl locale since 1980 OAHU
The Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League, which is played at the end of the season.
115. Canadian gas brand ESSO
The brand name Esso has its roots in the old Standard Oil company as it uses the initial letters of “Standard” and “Oil” (ESS-O). The Esso brand was replaced by Exxon in the US, but ESSO is still used in many other countries.
118. Lowly laborer PEON
A peon is a lowly worker with no real control over his/her working conditions. The word comes into English from Spanish where it has the same meaning.
121. Game of chance BEANO
The game called Beano is a precursor to Bingo. Beano was so called as dried beans were used to cover the numbers on a card that had been called.
122. Calligrapher’s supplies INKS
Calligraphy is the art of fine handwriting, and a term derived from the Greek “kallos” meaning “beauty” and “graphein” meaning “to write”.
Down
2. Departure notice? OBIT
“Obituary” comes from the Latin “obituaris”, originally the record of the death of a person, although the literal meaning is “pertaining to death”.
3. Succotash bean LIMA
The main ingredients in succotash are corn and lima beans, although in parts of the South, succotash can be made with any collection of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with butter.
7. Valuable vein LODE
A lode is a metal ore deposit that’s found between two layers of rock or in a fissure. The “mother lode” is the principal deposit in a mine, usually of gold or silver. “Mother lode” is probably a translation of “veta madre”, an expression used in mining in Mexico.
8. Like some soap opera plot elements OVERDONE
The original soap operas were radio dramas back in the fifties. Given the structure of society back then, the daytime broadcasts were aimed at housewives working in the home. For some reason the sponsors of those radio shows, and the television shows that followed, were soap manufacturers like Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive and Lever Brothers. And that’s how the “soap” opera got its name …
10. ’60s-’80s Brit. sports car MGB
The MGB sports car was produced by British car manufacturer MG Cars from 1962 to 1980. The acronym “MG” stood for Morris Garages.
11. Pocahontas’ spouse ROLFE
John Rolfe was one of the early English settlers in America, perhaps most famous for marrying the Native American Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan. For a few months before her death, Pocahontas lived with Rolfe in England. The couple had actually boarded a ship to return them to Virginia when Pocahontas became ill and had to be brought ashore on the south coast of England, where she soon passed away.
13. “Project Runway Canada” host IMAN
Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid is a supermodel from Somalia who goes simply by the name “Iman” these days. Iman is smart cookie. Imam has a degree in Political Science and is fluent in five languages: Somali, Arabic, Italian, French and English. Since 1992, Iman has been married to British rock star David Bowie.
“Project Runway” is a reality show that is hosted by model Heidi Klum. On the show, contestants compete by presenting clothes designs having been given limited time and materials. “Project Runway” is now a worldwide franchise. North of the border, the show is called “Project Runway Canada” and is hosted by supermodel Iman. The show in the UK is known as “Project Catwalk” and has had several hosts, including Elizabeth Hurley and Kelly Osborne.
16. Pub order LAGER
Lager is so called because of the tradition of cold-storing the beer during fermentation. “Lager” is the German word for “storage”.
30. Molokai memento LEI
Molokai is the fifth largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Famously, Molokai was home to a leper colony that was managed by Father Damien, a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium. Father Damien cared for the victims of Hansen’s Disease (then known as “leprosy”) for sixteen years before succumbing to the illness himself in 1889. Father Damien was declared a saint in 2009.
33. Chinese leader? INDO-
In the strict sense of the term, Indochina is a region in Southeast Asia that corresponds to the former French territory known as French Indochina. Today this region is made up of the countries of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. However, the term “Indochina” is more generally used to describe Mainland Southeast Asia, and in this usage it also encompasses Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.
34. 2 Tone revival music genre SKA
Ska originated in Jamaica in the late fifties and was the precursor to reggae music. No one has a really definitive etymology of the term “ska”, but it is likely to be imitative of some sound.
37. Two-time Masters champ Ballesteros SEVE
Seve Ballesteros was a very entertaining golfer from Spain, once ranked as the world’s number one player. Sadly, Ballesteros died from brain cancer in 2011, at the age of 54.
38. It gives you the big picture IMAX
The IMAX Corporation, which is behind the IMAX film format, is a Canadian company. The impetus for developing the system came after Expo ’67 in Montreal. Back then large format screenings were accomplished using multiple projectors with multiple screens, with images basically stitched together. The team behind the IMAX technology set out to simplify things, and developed a single-camera, single-projector system.
39. Spock’s memoir? LOGICAL BIO (from “biological”)
Leonard Nimoy played the logical Mr. Spock in the original “Star Trek” television series. Spock has to be the most popular character on the show, and he keeps popping up in “Star Trek” spin offs to this day. Nimoy first worked alongside William Shatner (Captain Kirk) in an episode of “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” (I loved that show!), with Nimoy playing a bad guy and Shatner playing an U.N.C.L.E. recruit. Nimoy passed away in early 2015.
40. Protective covering TARP
Originally, tarpaulins were made from canvas covered in tar that rendered the material waterproof. The word “tarpaulin” comes from “tar” and “palling”, with “pall” meaning “heavy cloth covering”.
44. “Love Is Strange” actress TOMEI
Marisa Tomei’s first screen role was in “As the World Turns”, but her break came with a recurring role in “The Cosby Show” spinoff called “A Different World”. Tomei won an Oscar for her delightful performance in “My Cousin Vinny” in 1992.
“Love Is Strange” is a 2014 drama film starring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as a same-sex couple who get married after 39 years living together. The critics loved this film, and I am looking forward to seeing it …
56. Quiznos offering TORPEDO
Quiznos is one the finer fast food joints in my humble opinion. The main meal served is a toasted submarine sandwich.
58. Part of TA: Abbr. ASST
Teaching assistant (TA)
64. The Magi, e.g. TRIO
“Magi” is the plural of the Latin word “magus”, a term applied to someone who was able to read the stars. Hence, magi is commonly used with reference to the “wise men from the East” who followed the star and visited Jesus soon after he was born.
68. Curmudgeonly comment GRIPE
“Curmudgeon” is a favorite term used by my wife to describe me. A curmudgeon is a bad-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions. I am sure she means it very affectionately …
75. Rights reader COP
“To cop” was northern British dialect for “to seize, catch”. This verb evolved in the noun “copper”, describing a policeman, someone who catches criminals. “Copper” is often shortened to “cop”.
The Miranda warning is given by US police officers to suspects in order to ensure that any statements made by the suspect can be used at trial. The warning became part of police procedure after a 1966 Supreme Court decision in the case of Miranda v. Arizona. The crux of the court’s decision was that statements made by a suspect during interrogation were only admissible at trial if the defendant was informed of his or her right to consult an attorney, and right to remain silent. The “Miranda” in the case was Ernesto Mirando, who was arrested by the Phoenix PD on suspicion of kidnapping and rape. The Supreme Court decision set aside Miranda’s conviction as his confession was deemed inadmissible. Miranda was rearrested and retried. At the second trial he was convicted without the use of the contested confession.
77. Auto ad no. MSRP
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)
80. An oz. has six TSPS
Teaspoon (tsp.)
87. City on the Guadalquivir River CORDOBA
Córdoba is a city in Andalusia in southern Spain.
The Guadalquivir is the longest river that is entirely located in the country of Spain. The two largest cities on the Guadalquivir are Córdoba and Seville.
88. “If you ask me,” to texters IMO
In my opinion (IMO)
89. Cassio’s commander OTHELLO
Shakespeare’s “Othello” was first performed in 1604. The main characters in the play are:
– Othello, a general in the army of Venice
– Desdemona, Othello’s wife
– Cassio, Othello’s trusted ensign
– Iago, the villain of the piece
95. Diarist Anaïs NIN
Anaïs Nin was a French author, famous for her 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.
96. Well-armed swimmers? OCTOPI
The name “octopus” comes from the Greek for “eight-footed”. The most common plural used is “octopuses”, although the Greek plural form “octopodes” is also quite correct. The plural “octopi” isn’t really correct as the inference is that “octopus” is like a second-declension Latin noun, which it isn’t. That said, dictionaries are now citing “octopi” as an acceptable plural.
99. Dip with zip SALSA
“Salsa” is simply Spanish for “sauce”.
100. “Fain would I __ on form”: Juliet DWELL
William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is all about the love between the two title characters, which is forbidden as the pair come from two families who are sworn enemies. Early in the play, Romeo (a Montague) sneaks into a masquerade ball being held by the Capulets in the hope of meeting a Capulet girl named Rosaline. Instead, he meets and falls for Juliet, also a Capulet. Tragedy ensues …
101. Film composer Morricone ENNIO
Ennio Morricone is an Italian composer best known for writing music for films and television shows. It was Morricone who wrote the fabulous scores for the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone, including the theme for “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.
104. German auto OPEL
Adam Opel founded his company in 1863, first making sewing machines in a cowshed. Commercial success brought new premises and a new product line in 1886, namely penny-farthing bicycles. Adam Opel died in 1895, leaving his two sons with a company that made more penny-farthings and sewing machines than any other company in the world. In 1899 the two sons partnered with a locksmith and started to make cars, but not very successfully. Two years later, the locksmith was dropped in favor of a licensing arrangement with a French car company. By 1914, Opel was the largest manufacturer of automobiles in Germany. My Dad had an Opel in the seventies, a station wagon (we’d say “estate car” in Ireland) called an Opel Kadett.
106. Former Italian capital LIRA
The word “lira” is used in a number of countries for currency. “Lira” comes from the Latin for “pound” and is derived from a British pound sterling, the value of a Troy pound of silver. For example, the lira (plural “lire”) was the official currency of Italy before the country changed over to the euro in 2002.
107. Battle of Normandy city CAEN
Caen, on the River Orne, lies in the Calvados department of France in the northwest of the country. Caen is famous for the WWII Battle of Caen that left the town practically destroyed. Caen is also the burial place of the Norman King William I of England, also known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
113. BOLO equivalent APB
A BOLO is a police alert, an acronym standing for “be on the look-out”. A BOLO can also be called an APB, an “all-points bulletin”.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. It puts the blue in blue cheese MOLD
5. Lit up AGLOW
10. High muck-a-muck MR BIG
15. Shell occupant CLAM
19. Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Estelle Parsons in 2014 OBIE
20. Took turns? DROVE
21. Lawrence partner GORME
22. Fast-moving mammal HARE
23. Bedsheet material PIMA
24. Bored by it all JADED
25. Puff up BLOAT
26. Composer Stravinsky IGOR
27. Outstanding building manager? STAR SUPER (from “superstar”)
29. Truck at the end of the convoy? FINAL SEMI (from “semifinal”)
31. Source of inspiration MUSE
32. Scatter DISPEL
36. Ridicule JEER AT
37. Like some partners SILENT
40. Big name in small trucks TONKA
41. Nursery supply SOIL
42. Genre of the band Jawbreaker EMO
43. Ordinary hero? STANDARD SUB (from “substandard”)
47. Co. leaders MGT
50. Hazy VAGUE
53. Tiered snack OREO
54. French bean? TETE
55. It may be blank STARE
57. It’s a turnoff EXIT RAMP
59. How many vacations are taken BY CAR
60. Hapless sort LOSER
61. Shut down CEASE
62. Pressure line ISOBAR
64. Sacher creations TORTES
65. All-in-one printer option SCAN
67. One auditing highway department supplies? SIGN COUNTER (from “countersign”)
70. Jazzman Fountain PETE
71. Prepared ALL SET
73. Least available RAREST
74. More respectable NICER
76. 1940 DC Comics debut ROBIN
77. Bogged down MIRED
78. Held firm STOOD PAT
81. Literary __ GUILD
82. Flow with force SPEW
83. Northern terminus of I-79 ERIE
85. Spots for dips POOLS
86. WWII venue ETO
87. Golfer with an array of trick shots? CREATIVE PRO (from “procreative”)
90. Routine letters SOP
91. Brandy letters VSOP
93. Black cats, perhaps OMENS
94. Conservative portfolio investments T-NOTES
97. Not so demanding EASIER
100. Banish DEPORT
102. In CHIC
103. Rate goose feathers? GRADE DOWN (from “downgrade”)
105. Well-rehearsed swindle? FLUENT CON (from “confluent”)
110. Get to RILE
111. Begins OPENS
113. Prime minister between two Ehuds ARIEL
114. With two exceptions, NFL Pro Bowl locale since 1980 OAHU
115. Canadian gas brand ESSO
116. Contradict BELIE
117. Distress PERIL
118. Lowly laborer PEON
119. They’re often in hot water TEAS
120. Sanction ALLOW
121. Game of chance BEANO
122. Calligrapher’s supplies INKS
Down
1. Challenging locks MOPS
2. Departure notice? OBIT
3. Succotash bean LIMA
4. “Goodness!” DEAR ME!
5. Fiddles with ADJUSTS
6. Wine, with “the” GRAPE
7. Valuable vein LODE
8. Like some soap opera plot elements OVERDONE
9. Abandon bachelorhood WED
10. ’60s-’80s Brit. sports car MGB
11. Pocahontas’ spouse ROLFE
12. Range setting BROIL
13. “Project Runway Canada” host IMAN
14. Find work GET A JOB
15. Carpentry tool CHISEL
16. Pub order LAGER
17. Pizzeria attraction AROMA
18. Reason for a raise MERIT
28. Daily power source SUN
30. Molokai memento LEI
33. Chinese leader? INDO-
34. 2 Tone revival music genre SKA
35. Wedding day rental PARTY BUS
37. Two-time Masters champ Ballesteros SEVE
38. It gives you the big picture IMAX
39. Spock’s memoir? LOGICAL BIO (from “biological”)
40. Protective covering TARP
41. Litigant SUER
44. “Love Is Strange” actress TOMEI
45. Prepare to serve, as wine DECANT
46. Kick off START
47. Chess champion’s blog entry? MASTER POST (from “postmaster”)
48. Extend a hand to GREET
49. Short TERSE
51. Whisk, for one UTENSIL
52. Notable time ERA
55. __-pitch SLO
56. Quiznos offering TORPEDO
58. Part of TA: Abbr. ASST
59. Reacted to a bad call BOOED
62. How homes may be measured IN AREA
63. Cork alternative SCREWTOP
64. The Magi, e.g. TRIO
65. Military nickname SARGE
66. Pull CLOUT
68. Curmudgeonly comment GRIPE
69. Keypad key ENTER
72. Objective END
75. Rights reader COP
77. Auto ad no. MSRP
78. Samples, in a way SIPS
79. Water-storing plant ALOE
80. An oz. has six TSPS
83. “Did you __?” EVER
84. Cheap way to live RENT-FREE
87. City on the Guadalquivir River CORDOBA
88. “If you ask me,” to texters IMO
89. Cassio’s commander OTHELLO
91. They may be seen in streams VIDEOS
92. Go out with SEE
95. Diarist Anaïs NIN
96. Well-armed swimmers? OCTOPI
97. Blue heron kin EGRET
98. Originate ARISE
99. Dip with zip SALSA
100. “Fain would I __ on form”: Juliet DWELL
101. Film composer Morricone ENNIO
102. Update CUE IN
104. German auto OPEL
106. Former Italian capital LIRA
107. Battle of Normandy city CAEN
108. “Hmm … I guess that’s all right” OH … OK
109. Sisters NUNS
112. Seam, say SEW
113. BOLO equivalent APB