LA Times Crossword Answers 6 Jun 15, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Pawel Fludzinski
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 14m 18s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 … ARHAT (Araat), FRANK GEHRY (Frank Geary)

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. “… and hid his face __ a crowd of stars”: Yeats AMID
“When You Are Old” is a poem by Irish poet William Butler Yeats:

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

5. Farrier’s tool RASP
A rasp is a like a coarse version of a file. Files have teeth that run from one side of the tool to the other, and are usually used for metalwork. Rasps have coarser teeth that cover the surface of the tool, like jagged bumps. Rasps are usually used in woodworking.

Traditionally there has been a distinction between a farrier and a blacksmith. A blacksmith is someone who forges and shapes iron, perhaps to make horseshoes. A farrier is someone who fits horseshoes onto the hooves of horses. The term “blacksmith” is sometimes used for one who shoes horses, especially as many blacksmiths make horseshoes and fit them as well.

9. Word derived from the Aramaic for “my father” ABBOT
Our word “abbot” ultimately derives from the Aramaic word “abba”, an honorific title extended to one’s father.

18. Zealand natives DANES
Zealand is an island in Denmark that is home to about 45% of the country’s population. There is no direct connection between the island of Zealand and the country of New Zealand. New Zealand is named for the Dutch province of Zeeland, which is on the other side of Denmark.

19. “Candy-colored clown” in Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams,” with “the” SANDMAN
“In Dreams” is a 1963 ballad written and recorded by Roy Orbison.

A candy-colored clown they call the sandman
Tiptoes to my room every night
Just to sprinkle stardust and to whisper
“Go to sleep, everything is alright”

20. Butler, e.g. SERVANT
In a large (and posh!) household, a butler is generally the most senior member of the staff. Traditionally, the butler is male, and is in charge of the male members of the household, with the housekeeper managing the female staff. The butler also has direct control of the dining room, the wine cellar and the pantry. It is the management of the wine cellar that is indicative of the roots of the term “butler”. Back in Ancient Greece and Rome, the equivalent of the butler was in charge of the wine supply. Our modern term from the Old French “botellier” meaning “bottle bearer”, and further back from the Medieval Latin “butticula”.

22. Cézanne’s “Boy in __ Vest” A RED
“The Boy in the Red Vest” is a painting by Paul Cézanne. It was stolen from a private collection in Zurich, Switzerland in 2008, but recovered in 2012 in Serbia.

29. Manchego sources EWES
Manchego is a cheese made from sheep’s milk made in the famous La Mancha region of Spain. The term “Manchego” is used to describe things related to La Mancha.

31. Copacetic A-OK
Our term “A-OK” is supposedly an abbreviation for “A(ll systems are) OK”, and arose in the sixties during the Space Program.

Something described as “copacetic” is very fine, very acceptable.

33. Quadrennial winter event since 1976 PARALYMPICS
The Winter and Summer Paralympic Games grew out of a gathering of British disabled WWII veterans that coincided with 1948’s Summer Olympic Games. The first official Paralympic Games was held in Rome in 1960.

35. “Piano is not my forte,” e.g. PUN
What was remarkable about the piano when it was invented, compared to other keyboard instruments, was that notes could be played with varying degrees of loudness. This is accomplished by pressing the keys lightly or firmly. Because of this quality, the new instrument was called a “pianoforte”, with “piano” and “forte” meaning “soft” and “loud” in Italian. We tend to shorten the name these days to just “piano”.

36. Orgs. with class issues? PTAS
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

39. Wi-Fi relative LAN
Local Area Network (LAN)

“Wi-Fi” is nothing more than a trademark, a trademark registered by an association of manufacturers of equipment that use wireless LAN (Local Area Network) technology. A device labeled with “Wi-Fi” has to meet certain defined technical standards, basically meaning that the devices can talk to each other. The name “Wi-Fi” suggests “Wireless Fidelity”, although apparently the term was never intended to mean anything at all.

44. Wapiti ELK
The elk (also known as the wapiti) is the one of the largest species of deer in the world, with only the moose being bigger. Early European settlers were familiar with the smaller red deer back in their homelands, so when they saw the “huge” wapiti they assumed it was a moose, and incorrectly gave it the European name for a moose, namely “elk”. The more correct name for the beast is “wapiti”, which means “white rump” in Shawnee. It’s all very confusing …

45. Dick Grayson, to Bruce Wayne WARD
A ward is someone placed in the custody of another, usually by a court of law. For example, in the “Batman” stories Bruce Wayne (Batman) had a ward, Dick Grayson (Robin). Coincidentally, on the original TV series, Dick Grayson was played by Burt “Ward”.

46. Sites of some runners AISLES
A runner is a hallway carpet.

47. Goaded, with “on” EGGED
The verb “to egg on”, meaning “to goad”, has nothing to do with birds’ eggs. Rather, the term evolved from “to edge on”, to move forward a small amount.

49. ’60s-’70s Japanese leader SATO
Prime Minister Eisaku Sato of Japan won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974 (sharing it with Irishman Sean MacBride). He won for “his renunciation of the nuclear option for Japan and his efforts to further regional reconciliation”. Sato defined Japan’s nuclear policy in the sixties by laying out “Three Non-Nuclear Principles”. The principles are that Japan will not possess, nor manufacture nuclear weapons, not permit introduction of nuclear weapons into Japanese territory.

58. Nirvana attainer ARHAT
“Arhat” is a Sanskrit word, the exact translation of which is somewhat disputed, with the various Buddhist traditions assuming different meanings. Translations vary from “worthy one” to “vanquisher of enemies”.

Nirvana is a philosophical concept in some Indian-based religions. In the Buddhist tradition, nirvana is the state of being free from suffering i.e. not experiencing craving, anger or other afflicting states.

61. Blue books? PORNO
The word “pornography” comes from the Greek “pornographos” meaning “writing of prostitutes”.

62. Opening numbers? AREA CODES
Area codes were introduced in the 1940s. Back then the “clicks” one heard when dialling a number led to mechanical wear on various pieces of equipment. In order to minimize overall mechanical wear, areas with high call volumes were given the most efficient area codes (lowest number of clicks). That led to New York getting the area code 212, Los Angeles 213 and Chicago 312.

63. Indo-__ languages ARYAN
The Indo-Aryans are a collection of peoples that speak languages that share the same linguistic roots, traced back to the ancient Indo-Iranian peoples. Included in the Indo-Aryan group of peoples are the Bengali people, the Gurkhas, the Kashmiri people and the Punjabi people.

64. Pastoral poem IDYL
An “idyll” (also “idyl”) is a short poem with a pastoral theme, usually depicting the scene in romantic and idealized terms. The word comes from the Greek “eidyllion”, which literally translates to “little picture” but was a word describing a short, poem with a rustic theme.

65. Indianapolis-to-Springfield direction WEST
Indianapolis is the largest city in Indiana, and is the state capital. The state of Indiana was formed in 1816, with the state capitol being named as Corydon. The capital was changed to Indianapolis in 1825. Indianapolis is the closest of all capitals to the center of its state.

Springfield is the sixth-largest city in Illinois, and the state capital. The area was settled in 1818 by trappers and traders and was first called Calhoun, after Senator John Calhoun of South Carolina. The town was renamed in 1832 after Springfield, Massachusetts. The city’s most famous resident was Abraham Lincoln, who lived there from 1837 until 1861, before moving into the White House.

Down
1. They may include yrs. and models APBS
A police department (PD) might issue an All Points Bulletin (APB). An APB is a broadcast from one US law enforcement agency to another.

2. “__ 18”: Uris novel MILA
“Mila 18” is a novel by American author Leon Uris that is set during WWII in Warsaw, Poland after the occupation by Germany. The book’s title refers to the bunker that served as headquarters of the Jewish resistance group in the Warsaw Ghetto. The bunker was located at “Ulica Mila 18” (“18 Pleasant Street” in English).

3. Food Network’s “__ Chef America” IRON
“Iron Chef” is a Japanese cooking show that has been broadcast since 1993. The original Japanese show was dubbed for airing in English-speaking countries and became a surprising hit around the world. There are now spin-off shows around the world including “Iron Chef America” and “Iron Chef UK”.

4. Columnist Maureen DOWD
Maureen Dowd is a celebrated columnist for “The New York Times” as well as a best-selling author. Dowd won a Pulitzer for her columns about the Monica Lewinski scandal.

5. Emulate Liz Taylor … regularly REMARRY
Actress Elizabeth Taylor married eight times, to seven husbands. Those marriages were to:

– Conrad “Nicky” Hilton, the young hotel heir
– Michael Wilding, the English actor
– Mike Todd, the film and stage producer
– Eddie Fisher, the singer
– Richard Burton (twice), the Welsh actor
– John Warner, who went on to become a US Senator for Virginia
– Larry Fortensky, a construction worker whom Taylor met at the Betty Ford Clinic

7. NASDAQ unit STK
Stock (stk.)

The computerized stock trading system known as the NASDAQ was created in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers. NASDAQ stands for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. NASDAQ was the successor to the over-the-counter (OTC) trading system that was common at the time. OTC trading is done directly between two parties without being facilitated by an exchange.

8. Pepper trio? PEES
There are three letters P (pee) in the word “pepper”.

10. Price support? BRAVA
To express appreciation for a male performer at an operatic performance, traditionally one calls out “bravo!”. Appreciation for a female performer is shown by using “brava!”, and for more than one performer by using “bravi!”

Leontyne Price is a soprano from Laurel, Mississippi. Before retiring from the opera stage, Price was a leading artist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, one of the first African-American singers to be so honored.

12. Like some software OPEN SOURCE
Open-source software has the source code available to users and is not protected by copyright. The intent is to allow collaboration in the development of the software in the hope of producing a better product. One of the more famous examples of an open-source product is the Mozilla Firefox Internet browser that some of you may be using to read this blog.

15. FedEx competitor US MAIL
The US Postal Service (USPS) is a remarkable agency in many ways. For starters, the government’s right and responsibility to establish the Post Office is specifically called out in Article One of the US constitution. Also, the first postmaster general was none other than Benjamin Franklin. And the USPS operates over 200,000 vehicles, which is the largest vehicle fleet in the world.

FedEx began operations in 1973 as Federal Express, but now operates very successfully under it’s more catchy abbreviated name. Headquartered in Memphis with its “SuperHub” at Memphis International Airport, FedEx is the world’s largest airline in terms of tons of freight flown. And due to the presence of FedEx, Memphis Airport has the largest-volume cargo operation of any airport worldwide.

26. A virus may cause one FATAL ERROR
A computer virus has characteristics very similar to a virus found in nature. It is a small computer program that can copy itself and can infect another host (computer).

27. Walt Disney Concert Hall architect FRANK GEHRY
Frank Gehry is an architect from Toronto who is based in Los Angeles. Listed among Gehry’s famous creations are the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao in Spain, The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and his own private residence in Santa Monica, California. He is currently working on the upcoming Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial that will be placed in Washington, D.C. I hope to see that one day …

30. Like an Irish wolfhound’s coat WIRY
The Irish wolfhound is a huge animal, the tallest of all breeds of dog. The breed was developed in Ireland to hunt wolves, hence the name. I used to think I had a large dog, a boxer-labrador mix. Then I boarded him in a kennel where Irish wolfhounds were bred, and my dog looked like a Chihuahua …

32. Furrows KNITS
Furrow one’s brow, knot one’s brow.

34. Israel’s Iron Lady MEIR
Golda Meir was known as the “Iron Lady” when she was Prime Minister of Israel, long before that sobriquet came to be associated with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Golda Meir was born Golda Mabovitch in Kiev (in modern-day Ukraine), and when she was a young girl she moved with her family to the United States and settled in Milwaukee. As a teenager she relocated to Denver where she met and married Morris Meyerson, at the age of 19. She and her husband joined a kibbutz in Palestine in 1921, when she was in her twenties. Meir had been active in politics in the US, and continued her political work in Palestine. She was very influential during WWII, and played a leading role in negotiations after the war leading to the setting up of the state of Israel. By the time she was called on to lead the country, Meir had already retired, citing exhaustion and ill health. But serve she did, and led Israel during turbulent times (e.g. the massacre at the Munich Olympics, and the Yom Kippur War). She eventually resigned in 1974, saying that was what the people wanted.

38. Retirement outfit? PJS
Our word “pajamas” (“PJs” for short) comes to us from the Indian subcontinent, where “pai jamahs” were loose fitting pants tied at the waist and worn at night by locals and ultimately by the Europeans living there. And “pajamas” is another of those words that I had to learn to spell differently when I came to America. In the British Isles the spelling is “pyjamas”.

43. “Ed Wood,” e.g. BIOPIC
Ed Wood was a screenwriter, director, producer and actor who made a lot of low-budget films during the 1950s. Wood worked a lot with the actor Bela Lugosi and when Lugosi passed away, the popularity of Wood’s films died off with his star. Tim Burton made a biopic about the life and career of Ed Wood that was released in 1994, a movie that was simply called “Ed Wood”.

48. Kofi Annan’s birthplace GHANA
Kofi Annan is a diplomat from Ghana who served as General Secretary of the UN for ten years until the beginning of 2007. Annan was born into an aristocratic family, and had a twin sister named Efua Atta. Efua and Kofi shared the middle name “Atta”, which means “twin” in the Akan language of Ghana. Annan attended the MIT Sloan School of Management from 1971-72, and graduated with a Master of Science degree.

50. 1976 Spingarn Medal recipient AILEY
Alvin Ailey was a dancer who formed his own group in New York in 1958, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The most famous work that Ailey choreographed was called “Revelations”.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) awards the Spingarn Medal every year, to honor outstanding achievement by an African American. The award was created in 1914 and is named for Joel Elias Spingarn, the NAACP’s first Chairman of the Board.

51. Literary sobriquet PAPA
Apparently, the author Ernest Hemingway picked up the moniker “Papa” on the birth of his first child (as one might expect!). Hemingway seemed to the like the nickname, and welcomed its use outside of the family, and his admirers obliged.

A sobriquet is an affectionate nickname. “Sobriquet” is French for “nickname”.

52. Golden Triangle native THAI
The “Golden Triangle” is the name given to one of the main opium-producing areas in Asia. The triangular area includes part of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.

54. “There are liars … __ to beat the honest men”: “Macbeth” ENOW
There is a superstition in the theatrical world that uttering the name “Macbeth” in a theater will bring disaster of some sort. To avoid this, the euphemism “the Scottish Play” is used instead.

56. Supermodel Sastre INES
Inés Sastre is a supermodel and actress from Spain.

57. “__ we forget” LEST
“Lest we forget” is an oft-quoted phrase, one that comes from a poem by Rudyard Kipling called “Recessional”. Kipling wrote the piece on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897 and used it to express sadness at the waning of the British Empire. The phrase “lest we forget” is used in this context, a warning that the empire will decline. Ever since WWI we’ve been using the words on memorials as a plea not forget the sacrifices made by others in the past.

60. Chicago airport code ORD
O’Hare International is the fourth busiest airport in the world. The original airport was constructed on the site between 1942 and 1943, and was used by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the manufacture of planes during WWII. Before the factory and airport were built, there was a community in the area called Orchard Place, so the airport was called Orchard Place Airport/Douglas Field. This name is the derivation of the airport’s current location identifier: ORD (OR-chard D-ouglas). Orchard Place Airport was renamed to O’Hare International in 1949 in honor of Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare who grew up in Chicago. O’Hare was the US Navy’s first flying ace and a Medal of Honor recipient in WWII. As an aside, Butch O’Hare’s father Edward was a lawyer friend of Al Capone who eventually worked undercover for the IRS and helped get the famous gangster convicted on tax evasion. Some years later, Edward was shot to death while driving his car.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. “… and hid his face __ a crowd of stars”: Yeats AMID
5. Farrier’s tool RASP
9. Word derived from the Aramaic for “my father” ABBOT
14. Whirl PIROUETTE
16. Place, as cloth before surgery DRAPE
17. Talk big BLOW SMOKE
18. Zealand natives DANES
19. “Candy-colored clown” in Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams,” with “the” SANDMAN
20. Butler, e.g. SERVANT
22. Cézanne’s “Boy in __ Vest” A RED
24. Isn’t quite neutral LEANS
25. Business AFFAIR
29. Manchego sources EWES
31. Copacetic A-OK
33. Quadrennial winter event since 1976 PARALYMPICS
35. “Piano is not my forte,” e.g. PUN
36. Orgs. with class issues? PTAS
37. Command ender -EER
38. Meter starter PERI-
39. Wi-Fi relative LAN
40. Metaphorical target of a fruitless pursuit SHINY OBJECT
44. Wapiti ELK
45. Dick Grayson, to Bruce Wayne WARD
46. Sites of some runners AISLES
47. Goaded, with “on” EGGED
49. ’60s-’70s Japanese leader SATO
51. Prepare for baking PREHEAT
53. Jeopardize IMPERIL
58. Nirvana attainer ARHAT
59. Ace HOLE IN ONE
61. Blue books? PORNO
62. Opening numbers? AREA CODES
63. Indo-__ languages ARYAN
64. Pastoral poem IDYL
65. Indianapolis-to-Springfield direction WEST

Down
1. They may include yrs. and models APBS
2. “__ 18”: Uris novel MILA
3. Food Network’s “__ Chef America” IRON
4. Columnist Maureen DOWD
5. Emulate Liz Taylor … regularly REMARRY
6. Square things ATONE
7. NASDAQ unit STK
8. Pepper trio? PEES
9. Deal with ADDRESS
10. Price support? BRAVA
11. Stereotypical slipper? BANANA PEEL
12. Like some software OPEN SOURCE
13. Measuring device TEST
15. FedEx competitor US MAIL
21. What a conductor may conduct: Abbr. ELEC
23. “We’ll see” DEPENDS
25. Brandy flavor APPLE
26. A virus may cause one FATAL ERROR
27. Walt Disney Concert Hall architect FRANK GEHRY
28. Small power sources AAS
30. Like an Irish wolfhound’s coat WIRY
32. Furrows KNITS
34. Israel’s Iron Lady MEIR
38. Retirement outfit? PJS
40. Smitten with SWEET ON
41. Words with baby or bad day HAD A
42. Breakfast choice OATMEAL
43. “Ed Wood,” e.g. BIOPIC
48. Kofi Annan’s birthplace GHANA
50. 1976 Spingarn Medal recipient AILEY
51. Literary sobriquet PAPA
52. Golden Triangle native THAI
54. “There are liars … __ to beat the honest men”: “Macbeth” ENOW
55. Tormented RODE
56. Supermodel Sastre INES
57. “__ we forget” LEST
60. Chicago airport code ORD

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