LA Times Crossword Answers 22 Oct 15, Thursday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: David Poole
THEME: Sounds Famous … each of today’s themed answers sounds like a common phrase, but instead refers to a famous person. And, each of those famous people has a name that sounds like a bird:

17A. Ditty from 1970s-’80s NFL wide receiver Lynn? SWANN SONG (sounds like “swan song”)
25A. Unwinding places for actor Russell? CROWE BARS (sounds like “crowbars”)
38A. Tough spot for actor Walter? PIDGEON HOLE (sounds like “pigeonhole”)
49A. Easter adornment made by politician Dan? QUAYLE EGG (sounds like “quail egg”)
61A. Facial feature of actor Ethan? HAWKE EYES (sounds like “Hawkeyes”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 9m 20s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 … ADS (IDs), ANSARA (Insara)

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

4. Magnetic induction unit TESLA
The Tesla unit measures the strength of a magnetic field, and is named after the physicist Nikola Tesla. Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia, but later moved to the US. His work on mechanical and electrical engineering was crucial to the development of alternating current technology, the same technology that is used by equipment at the backbone of modern power generation and distribution systems.

9. Nobelist Curie MARIE
Marie Curie lived a life of firsts. She was the first female professor at the University of Paris, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and indeed was the first person to win two Nobel prizes (in 1903 and 1911). Most of Curie’s work was in the field of radioactivity, and was carried out in the days when the impact of excessive radiation on the human body was not understood. She died from aplastic anemia, caused by high exposure to radiation. To this day, Curie’s personal papers are kept preserved in lead-lined boxes as they are highly radioactive, even her personal cookbook.

14. Petal plucker’s word NOT
She loves, she loves me not. She loves me …!

17. Ditty from 1970s-’80s NFL wide receiver Lynn? SWANN SONG (sounds like “swan song”)
After his professional football career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lynn Swann became a sportscaster and has been very active in Republican politics in recent years. Swann ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2006. He also publicly declared his interest in running for the House of Representatives in 2008, but bowed out of the race early.

The phrase “swan song” is used for a final gesture, a lat performance. The expression derives from an ancient belief that swans are silent for most of their lives, but sing a beautiful song just before they die.

22. Enjoy Whistler SKI
Whistler is a town in British Columbia that is home to Whistler Blackcomb ski resort. Whistler Blackcomb has a greater uphill lift capacity than any other ski resort on the continent, and also hosts more visitors than any other.

25. Unwinding places for actor Russell? CROWE BARS (sounds like “crowbars”)
Russell Crowe is a highly successful actor from New Zealand. Understandably, he doesn’t like people to call him “Australian”, even though it was in Australia that he launched his acting career. Not too long before the 9/11 attacks, the FBI contacted Crowe to inform him that al-Qaeda was plotting to kidnap him as part of a general attack on high-profile “American” icons. For a few months the New Zealander was guarded by Secret Service agents.

A crowbar is a wonderful tool, one that can be used to pry open things, and to remove nails. The claw at one or both ends of the tool aids in that nail removal, and it is likely this “claw” was said to resemble that of a crow, giving us the name “crowbar”. Back in Elizabethan times. the same tool was called an “iron crow”. There’s a line in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” that reads “Get me an iron crow and bring it straight/Unto my cell.”

30. Sagittarius, e.g. ARCHER
Sagittarius is a constellation of the zodiac, with “sagittarius” being the Latin for “archer”. The constellation is usually represented by a centaur (half-bull, half-man) with a bow.

38. Tough spot for actor Walter? PIDGEON HOLE (sounds like “pigeonhole”)
Walter Pidgeon was a very successful Hollywood actor from New Brunswick. The long list of great movies in which he starred includes “”Mrs. Miniver”, “Forbidden Planet”, “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” and “Funny Girl”. Pidgeon had a marvelous and distinctive speaking voice, and was also a classically trained baritone.

43. Big club in Atlantic City? ACE
Atlantic City is a major resort on the New Jersey coast that benefits from its proximity to New York City (132 miles) and Philadelphia (55 miles). Atlantic City’s famous boardwalk was first built in 1870, the purpose of which was to keep sand out of the lobbies of the hotels on the beachfront.

44. Neurologist’s printout, briefly EEG
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of electrical activity caused by the firing of neurons within the brain. The EEG might be used to diagnose epilepsy, or perhaps to determine if a patient is “brain dead”.

49. Easter adornment made by politician Dan? QUAYLE EGG (sounds like “quail egg”)
Dan Quayle served as both a US Representative and a US Senator from Indiana before becoming the 44th Vice President, under President George H. W. Bush. Quayle refused to run for office in 1996, going up against the Clinton/Gore ticket, but entered the fray again in 2000 seeking the Republican nomination for president. Ironically, he was defeated by the son of his former Commander-in-Chief, George W. Bush.

53. Gretzky, during most of the ’80s OILER
Wayne Gretzky is regarded by many as the greatest ever player of ice hockey, and indeed has the nickname “The Great One”.

55. __ Cruces LAS
Las Cruces (Spanish for “the crosses”) is the second largest city in the state of New Mexico, and is the home of New Mexico State University.

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

58. Emulate Whistler PAINT
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American-born painter who spent most of his working life in Britain. His most famous work is the 1871 painting usually referred to as “Whistler’s Mother”. That actual title of the piece is “Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1”.

61. Facial feature of actor Ethan? HAWKE EYES (sounds like “hawkeyes”)
Ethan Hawke is a Hollywood actor who made his breakthrough in a supporting role in “Dead Poet’s Society”, playing opposite Robin Williams. Hawke was married to Uma Thurman, with whom he has two children.

64. “Little Miss Sunshine” Oscar winner ARKIN
The actor Alan Arkin won his only Oscar (Best Supporting Actor) for his role in “Little Miss Sunshine” from 2006, a movie that I just did not understand …

65. Rebellious Turner NAT
Nat Turner was a slave in Virginia who led a slave rebellion in 1831 that led to the deaths of over a hundred people. Half of the casualties were white,and half were black. The 55 white deaths took place on the day of the rebellion as a growing mob of slaves traveled from house-to-house freeing fellow slaves but also killing any white people they came across; men, women and children. The rebellion was suppressed within two days by a white militia. Slaves involved in the rebellion were tried for insurrection and related crimes, and a total of 56 blacks were executed on suspicion of involvement in the uprising. In the aftermath, life for slaves became even more difficult as any freedoms that they had earned were largely curtailed.

Down
1. “Broken Arrow” co-star ANSARA
Michael Ansara played the character Cochise in the fifties Western TV series “Broken Arrow”.

4. Notable Downing Street number TEN
10 Downing Street is one of the most famous street addresses in the world and is the official London residence of the British Prime Minister. Although it may not look it on television, it’s a spacious pad, actually a larger house made by combining three older houses back in the 1700s. Although Number 10 has over one hundred rooms, they are mostly offices and reception rooms and the actual residence itself is quite modest. It was so modest that when Tony Blair came to power he opted to move himself and his family into the more spacious residence next door at Number 11, an apartment traditionally reserved for the Chancellor of the Exchequer (the UK equivalent of the Secretary of the Treasury). The succeeding Prime Minister, David Cameron, seemed to like the idea, because he now lives in Number 11 as well.

5. “__ of Eden” EAST
John Steinbeck considered “East of Eden” his magnus opus. Most of the storyline takes place near Salinas, just south of where I live here in the Bay Area. Two of the characters in the story are brothers Cal and Aron, representative of the biblical Cain and Abel. According to the Book of Genesis in the Bible, after Cain murdered his brother Abel he fled to the Land of Nod, located “east of Eden”. It is this wording that Steinbeck used for the name of his novel.

8. With 33-Across, “Life of Pi” director ANG
(33A. See 8-Down LEE)
Taiwanese director Ang Lee sure has directed a mixed bag of films, mixed in terms of genre but not in terms of quality. He was at the helm for such classics as “Sense & Sensibility” (my personal favorite), “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Hulk”, “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi”.

The 2012 movie “Life of Pi” is based on a 2001 novel of the same name by Yann Martel. The “Pi” in the title is an Indian boy named Pi Patel who finds himself adrift for 227 days in small boat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

9. Pluto’s master MICKEY
Pluto is Mickey Mouse’s pet dog, as well as a star in his own right. Pluto is an unusual Disney character in that he is portrayed basically as a dog as opposed to a “humanized” version of a dog, as are most Disney characters.

10. Improvise in a sketch AD LIB
“Ad libitum” is a Latin phrase meaning “at one’s pleasure”. In common usage the phrase is usually shortened to “ad lib”. On the stage the concept of an “ad lib” is very familiar. For example, an actor may substitute his or her own words for forgotten lines using an ad lib, or a director may instruct an actor to use his or her own words at a particular point in a performance to promote a sense of spontaneity.

11. 2014 World Cup city RIO
The 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament was held in Brazil, with Germany emerging victorious after defeating Argentina in the final. The most memorable game of the competition was Germany’s unexpectedly big win over the host nation in the semi-final round, a 7-1 victory.

13. Printemps follower ETE
In French, spring (printemps) is followed by summer (été).

24. Pi Day celebrant, stereotypically NERD
The first three digits of the mathematical constant “pi” are 3.14, so “Pi Day” is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) every year since 1988 when it was inaugurated at the San Francisco Exploratorium. In countries where the day is usually written before the month, Pi Day is July 22nd, reflecting the more accurate approximation of pi as 22/7. Interestingly, March 14th is also Albert Einstein’s birthday.

31. Common allergen RAGWEED
The pollen of ragweed is the greatest allergen of all pollens. It seems that the pollen season has been lengthening in recent years, probably due to global warming.

35. Mont Blanc covering NEIGE
“Neige” is the French word for “snow”.

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps. The name “Mont Blanc” translates from French into “white mountain”. The mountain lies on the border between France and Italy, and it has been generally accepted for decades that the summit lies within French territory. However, there have been official claims that the summit does in fact fall within the borders of Italy.

36. Emilio Estevez, to Martin Sheen SON
Emilio Estevez is one of the members of Hollywood’s famous “Brat Pack”, having appeared in “The Breakfast Club” and “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Estevez’s father (and can’t you tell it from looking at him?) is actor Martin Sheen. Estevez decided to keep his father’s real name, and not the stage name of “Sheen”. Charlie Sheen is Emilio’s brother, and Charlie’s real name is Carlos Estevez.

37. “Goosebumps” series author RL STINE
“Goosebumps” is a series of children’s horror novels written by author R. L. Stine. The novels have been adapted into a television series shown on Canadian TV.

The author R. L. Stine is sometimes referred to as the Stephen King of children’s literature as he writes horror stories for young people.

40. Website help sect. FAQ
Most websites have a page listing answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). There is a link to this blog’s FAQs at the top-right of every page.

41. Post-op area ICU
After being wheeled out of the Operating Room (OR) a patient might spend some time in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

46. Stand-up comic Boosler ELAYNE
Elayne Boosler is a stand-up comedian and was one of the first female comedians to have her act aired as a special on cable television. She does have some funny lines, and here’s one that I particularly like:
“When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country.”

48. No-tell motel meetings TRYSTS
In its most general sense, a tryst is a meeting at an agreed time and place. More usually we consider a tryst to be a prearranged meeting between lovers. The term comes from the Old French “triste”, a waiting place designated when hunting.

56. Monty Python segment SKIT
The zany comedy show called “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” was first aired in 1969 on the BBC. The show ran for four seasons and finished up soon after John Cleese decided to leave the team and move onto other projects.

58. Vancouver setting: Abbr. PST
Pacific Standard Time (PST)

George Vancouver was a British explorer, and an officer in the Royal Navy. As well as exploring the coast of Australia, he is best known for his travels along the northwest coast of North America. The city of Vancouver was named in his honor. Travelling with him on his American voyage was a lieutenant Peter Puget, and in his honor, Vancouver named the waters south of the Tacoma Narrows “Puget’s Sound”. Nowadays, the name Puget Sound describes an area much greater than Vancouver had envisioned.

61. “The __”: Uris novel HAJ
“The Haj” is a novel by the very successful American author Leon Uris. It is set in Palestine in first half of the 20th century.

62. “No, No, Nanette” foursome ENS
There are four letters N (en) in the title “No, No, Nanette”.

The 1925 musical “No, No, Nanette” spawned two famous songs: “Tea for Two” and “I Want to Be Happy”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Lead-ins to some online games ADS
4. Magnetic induction unit TESLA
9. Nobelist Curie MARIE
14. Petal plucker’s word NOT
15. Use at the table EAT ON
16. Dunderhead IDIOT
17. Ditty from 1970s-’80s NFL wide receiver Lynn? SWANN SONG (sounds like “swan song”)
19. Replicate CLONE
20. Fighting against ANTI
21. Rarely seen item on casual Friday TIE
22. Enjoy Whistler SKI
23. Rule REIGN
25. Unwinding places for actor Russell? CROWE BARS (sounds like “crowbars”)
30. Sagittarius, e.g. ARCHER
32. Sign of hope RAY
33. See 8-Down LEE
34. Mass __ TRANSIT
37. Wander ROVE
38. Tough spot for actor Walter? PIDGEON HOLE (sounds like “pigeonhole”)
40. Computer menu heading FILE
42. Hockey positions WINGERS
43. Big club in Atlantic City? ACE
44. Neurologist’s printout, briefly EEG
45. Find out about DETECT
49. Easter adornment made by politician Dan? QUAYLE EGG (sounds like “quail egg”)
53. Gretzky, during most of the ’80s OILER
54. Foreign __ AID
55. __ Cruces LAS
57. Not NARY
58. Emulate Whistler PAINT
61. Facial feature of actor Ethan? HAWKE EYES (sounds like “Hawkeyes”)
63. Bike wheel feature SPOKE
64. “Little Miss Sunshine” Oscar winner ARKIN
65. Rebellious Turner NAT
66. Structural support TRUSS
67. Kids around JESTS
68. Some municipal trains ELS

Down
1. “Broken Arrow” co-star ANSARA
2. Wet blanket DOWNER
3. Radio problem STATIC
4. Notable Downing Street number TEN
5. “__ of Eden” EAST
6. Stiff-upper-lip type STOIC
7. Hardly a social butterfly LONER
8. With 33-Across, “Life of Pi” director ANG
9. Pluto’s master MICKEY
10. Improvise in a sketch AD LIB
11. 2014 World Cup city RIO
12. Charged particle ION
13. Printemps follower ETE
18. Lingerie purchase NIGHTIE
22. Bundled up SWATHED
24. Pi Day celebrant, stereotypically NERD
26. Circular gasket O-RING
27. Soothing succulent ALOE
28. Accelerate, with “up” REV
29. Understand SEE
31. Common allergen RAGWEED
35. Mont Blanc covering NEIGE
36. Emilio Estevez, to Martin Sheen SON
37. “Goosebumps” series author RL STINE
38. Court answer PLEA
39. Twistable treat OREO
40. Website help sect. FAQ
41. Post-op area ICU
44. Privileged groups ELITES
46. Stand-up comic Boosler ELAYNE
47. Breakfast choice CEREAL
48. No-tell motel meetings TRYSTS
50. Pulls hard YANKS
51. Intimidating look GLARE
52. Rubbernecks GAWKS
56. Monty Python segment SKIT
58. Vancouver setting: Abbr. PST
59. 30-day mo. APR
60. Note from one who’s short IOU
61. “The __”: Uris novel HAJ
62. “No, No, Nanette” foursome ENS

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10 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 22 Oct 15, Thursday”

  1. Completed, zero errors. Huh? I think that has to be the first time after the problems I've had earlier in the week. Actually figured out the shenanigans of the theme.

    We're due for Wechsler and BCS next if history serves so the rest of the week probably won't be good. Or as good.

  2. There seemed to be multiple recurring themes in this one, albeit it minor ones. I will spare everyone the specter of endless Monty Python SKITs, even though I'm itching to do it.

    But, for the sports fan in all of us, Lynn SWANN's amazing catch in Super Bowl X here. And a snippet of The Great One playing for the Edmonton OILERs.

    Finally, I must have misread the clue on a TESLA, because I though of the "unit" as a Tesla coil, See one in action. 😀

  3. This was a very good Wednesday puzzle that was put into a Thursday paper. My times for Mon-Thurs this week have all still been pretty much identical. Very odd indeed.

    "No No Nanette" foursome being ENS got me. Those ALWAYS get me! I had to use crosses to fill it in. I got it, but I didn't get it.

    Liked the Monty Python reference too. I saw an interview with John Cleese once and he made an interesting point about that series. He said it was the last time any such series would exist without external input. No focus groups influencing anything, no producers wanting to change things..etc. It was what those 6 guys thought was funny and nothing else. It seemed to work, and I suspect it would still work if given a chance. I think online shows might offer hope of such a thing again.

    Best –

  4. I started out in the NW corner with some severe head scratching trying to figure out the answer to the clue "Broken Arrow" as was only thinking of the John Travolta film of the same name from a few years ago. When I finally got Ansara I came to the sudden realization that there was a much earlier version that was set in the 1800's. Doh!

    Other than that this came together without too much problem. And I the pun fun was enjoyed.

    Hope everyone has a great day and I look forward to what machinations Friday will bring to tease my brain.

  5. @Bill – I understand your saying you had two errors, but I think one wrong letter, even though it leads to two answers being wrong, only counts as one error by my way of thinking.

  6. Whoa! Something's wrong! It's Thurs and I finished!

    Last to come together-wingers, oilers, R L. Stine. I enjoyed the theme, and it helped.

    Enjoyed re-thinking East of Eden, I haven't read it in yrs. 20 yrs ago I was in a Lit class, discussing A River Runs Through It. The instructor and myself (a middle-aged fogey) were the only ones to see the biblical themes. All the 20 somethings were completely ignorant of the Bible. An important literary genre has become invisible.

    Bella

  7. @ Jeff "No No Nanette" foursome being ENS got me. Those ALWAYS get me!"
    Well it got me today. I really dislike those letter clues.
    Forgot how to spell QUAYLE so my snow was NEIGG.
    I can't figure that HAWK EYES are "Facial features".
    Did poorly today.

  8. had to Google for HAJ, NEIGE, ARKIN, RLSTINE, SWANN.

    @Anon – you're right about the young and Bible knowledge. I talk to a Jehova's Witness whenever she comes, since at least she reads the Bible (though I won't convert). They sure are computer savvy, too.

    ANSARA was one of those we called Bronx Indians, usually Italian. He was Lebanese. Any Mediterranean would do. The fellow with the tear coming down his face was Sicilian.

  9. I finished a Thurs., after I 'got' the theme. Kinda busy today, as well. Have another eye appointment tomorrow, am not going to report oit here, because Pookie yelled at me the last time. 😉 I hope I can get a driver to drive me home….

    Have a good indian summer day, fellas.

  10. Yay, clean finish on a Thursday! Easy-ish as Thursdays go, but tougher than a Wednesday, IMO.
    @Bill, I don't think you mentioned it, but the theme answers were (misspelled) birds. Cute, I thought.
    @Sfingi–really? The crying Indian was Sicilian?!
    See you solvents mañana!
    Be well~~™

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