LA Times Crossword Answers 26 Apr 16, Tuesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke
THEME: Attached File … each of today’s themed answers ends with a word that often precedes FILE, can have “FILE” ATTACHED:

59A. It may be affixed to an email … and, literally, what the last word of 20-, 35- and 42-Across can have ATTACHED FILE

20A. Keep in suspense LEAVE HANGING (giving “hanging file”)
35A. Department store fixture DISPLAY CASE (giving “case file”)
42A. Shingle securer ROOFING NAIL (giving “nail file”)

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 5m 34s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

5. Radio switch AM/FM
The radio spectrum is divided into bands based on frequency. “High band” is composed of relatively high frequency values, and “low band” is composed of frequencies that are relatively low. FM radio falls into the band called Very High Frequency, or VHF. Television signals use frequencies even higher than VHF, frequencies in the Ultra High Frequency band (UHF). AM radio uses lower frequencies that fall into the relatively low bands of Low, Medium and High Frequency (LF, MF, and HF).

14. “Young Frankenstein” helper IGOR
In the world of movies, Igor has been the assistant to Dracula, Frankenstein and Young Frankenstein among others. Igor is almost invariably portrayed as a hunchback.

I am not really a big fan of movies by Mel Brooks, but “Young Frankenstein” is the exception. I think the cast has a lot to do with me liking the film, as it includes Gene Wilder (Dr. Frankenstein), Teri Garr (Inga), Marty Feldman (Igor) and Gene Hackman (Harold, the blind man).

15. “Deck the Halls” syllables FA LA
The music for “Deck the Halls” is a traditional Welsh tune that dates back to the 16th century. The same tune was used by Mozart for a violin and piano duet. The lyrics with which we are familiar (other than the “tra-la-la”) are American in origin, and were recorded in 19th century.

17. “The West Wing” actor Alan ALDA
Alan Alda has had a great television career, especially of course on “M*A*S*H”. Alda won his first Emmy in 1972, for playing Hawkeye Pierce on “M*A*S*H”. He won his most recent Emmy in 2006 for his portrayal of Presidential candidate Arnold Vinick in “The West Wing”. When it comes to the big screen, my favorite of Alda’s movies is the 1978 romantic comedy “Same Time, Next Year” in which he starred opposite Ellen Burstyn.

18. Fed. agent G-MAN
The nickname “G-men” is short for “Government Men” and refers to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

23. Maker of Fiesta Flats taco shells ORTEGA
The Ortega food manufacturing company has been around for about 150 years. It was founded by Maria Concepcion Jacinta Dominguez Ortega, known affectionately as Mama Ortega within the company.

24. Gorilla who learned sign language KOKO
Koko is a female Lowland Gorilla that lives in Woodside, California. The researcher Penny Patterson taught Koko to speak a modified form of American Sign Language (ASL) that she called Gorilla Sign Language. Koko can apparently use over a thousand signs.

28. Half a Mork-to-Orson farewell NANU
“Mork & Mindy” is a sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982. The title characters were played by Robin Williams and Pam Dawber. Mork is an alien from the planet Ork who reports back to his superior called Orson. Orson is played by voice actor Ralph James. Ralph James was also known for providing the voice of Mr Turtle in famous Tootsie Pop commercials in the seventies. Nanu nanu!

47. Roulette bet ODD
The name “roulette” means “little wheel” in French, and the game as we know it today did in fact originate in Paris, in 1796. A roulette wheel bears the numbers 1-36. A French entrepreneur called François Blanc introduced the number “0” on the wheel, to give the house an extra advantage. Legend has it that Blanc made a deal with the devil in order to unearth the secrets of roulette. The legend is supported by the fact that the numbers 1 through 36 add up to a total of “666”, which is the “Number of the Beast”. Spooky …

51. Weekly NBC offering since 1975, briefly SNL
NBC first aired a form of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) in 1975 under the title “NBC’s Saturday Night”. The show was actually created to give Johnny Carson some time off from “The Tonight Show”. Back then “The Tonight Show” had a weekend episode, and Carson convinced NBC to pull the Saturday or Sunday recordings off the air and hold them for subsequent weeknights in which Carson needed a break. NBC turned to Lorne Michaels and asked him to put together a variety show to fill the vacant slot, and he came up with what we now call “Saturday Night Live”.

61. Drummer Ringo STARR
Ringo Starr’s real name is Richard Starkey. Before he joined the Beatles (replacing drummer Pete Best), Starkey played with the Raving Texans. It was with the Raving Texans that he adopted the name “Ringo Starr”, because he wore a lot of rings and he thought it sounded “cowboyish”. Back then his drum solos were billed as “Starr Time”.

65. First name in bike stunts EVEL
Daredevil Evel Knievel contracted hepatitis C from the many blood transfusions that he needed after injuries incurred during stunts. He had to have a liver transplant as a result, but his health declined after that. Knievel eventually passed away in 2007.

66. Japanese verse HAIKU
A haiku is a very elegant form of Japanese verse. When writing a haiku in English we tend to impose the rule that the verse must contain 17 syllables. This restriction comes from the rule in Japanese that the verse must contain 17 sound units called “moras”, but moras and syllables aren’t the same thing. What the difference is though, is not so clear to me. Here’s an example of a Haiku:

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don’t make sense
Refrigerator

67. Tupperware tops LIDS
Back in the 1930s, Earl Tupper was working at the DuPont Chemical Company, and from DuPont obtained inflexible pieces of polyethylene slag. Tupper purified the slag and shaped it into unbreakable containers. He added airtight lids with a “burping seal”, which were provided tight seals similar to that provided by the lids on paint cans. He called his new product Tupperware.

69. Kentucky Derby racer HORSE
The first Kentucky Derby was run in 1875, and is a race modelled on the Epsom Derby in England and the Grand Prix de Paris (now called the “Prix de l‘Arc de Triomphe”). As such, The Kentucky Derby was run over 1½ miles, although in 1896 this was shortened to 1¼ miles. The winning horse is presented with a very elaborate blanket made of red roses.

71. Lacking, in Lorraine SANS
The historical region of Lorraine is in the northeast of France, where it borders Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. The largest city in Lorraine is Nancy, although the region’s capital is Metz.

Down
1. Old way to place a collect call DIAL 0
Dial 0 (zero) for operator, not “O”.

5. Kabul native AFGHANI
Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. The city has been the site of major conflict for much of the 3,500 years that it has been in existence. In the past, this conflict was mainly driven by the city’s strategic location on the major trade routes of south and central Asia.

10. “Fear of Flying” author Erica JONG
The author Erica Jong’s most famous work is her first: “Fear of Flying”, a novel published in 1973. Over twenty years later she wrote “Fear of Fifty: a midlife memoir”, published in 1994.

11. Antlered animal 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 …

12. Two-time 1500-meter gold medalist Sebastian COE
Sebastian Coe is a retired middle distance runner from the UK who won four Olympic medals including golds in the 1500m in 1980 and 1984. After retiring from athletics, Coe went into politics and served as a Member of Parliament from 1992 to 1997. In the year 2000, he was made a Life Peer, and so Coe now sits in the House of Lords. Lord Coe headed up London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

22. Maker of NORDLI furniture IKEA
The furniture chain IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943, when he was just 17-years-old. IKEA is an acronym that stands for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd (don’t forget now!). Elmtaryd was the name of the farm where Ingvar Kamprad grew up, and Agunnaryd is his home parish in Sweden.

25. Texas tourist spot ALAMO
The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna’s camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry “Remember the Alamo!”

27. Revise EMEND
The verb “to amend” means “to change for the better, put right, alter by adding”. The related verb “to emend” is used more rarely and mainly in reference to the editing of professional writing. Both terms are derived from the Latin “emendare” meaning “to remove fault”.

29. Shoreline protection gp. USCG
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has the distinction of being the country’s oldest continuous seagoing service. The USCG was founded as the Revenue Cutter Service by Alexander Hamilton in 1790. The USCG motto is “Semper Paratus”, a Latin phrase meaning “Always Prepared”.

31. Discreetly send a dupe email to BCC
A blind carbon copy (bcc) is a copy of a document or message that is sent to someone without other recipients of the message knowing about that extra copy.

36. Lewis Carroll specialty PUN
Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He was born in 1832 in the village of Daresbury near Warrington in the county of Cheshire, in the northwest of England. And, let’s not forget one of Carroll’s most beloved characters, the Cheshire Cat.

44. Kremlin rejection NYET
“Nyet” is Russian for “no”, and “da” is Russian for “yes”.

I was lucky enough to visit the Moscow Kremlin as a tourist a few decades ago. The Kremlin sits right on Red Square, along with Saint Basil’s Cathedral and the famed GUM department store. “Kremlin” is a Russian word for “fortress”.

46. R-rated, perhaps LEWD
The Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) film-rating system (PG-13, R, etc.) is purely voluntary and is not backed by any law. Movie theaters agree to abide by the rules that come with the MPAA ratings in exchange for access to new movies.

54. Rx, for short SCRIP
“Scrip” is an informal term for a prescription.

There seems to some uncertainty about the origin of the symbol “Rx” that’s used for a medical prescription. One explanation is that it comes from the astrological sign for Jupiter, a symbol put on prescriptions in days of old to invoke Jupiter’s blessing to help a patient recover.

56. Skin lotion brand NIVEA
Nivea is a brand name of skin-care products from Germany. The Latin word “nivea” means “snow-white”.

59. Sacred chests ARKS
According to the Book of Exodus, the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments are inscribed were placed in a chest called the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was built according to instructions given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.

62. Confucian “path” TAO
The Chinese character “tao” translates as “path”, but the concept of Tao signifies the true nature of the world.

The sayings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (anglicized from “K’ung Fu-Tse”) are collected in a work called “The Analects” or “Linyu”. It wasn’t Confucius who wrote down his thoughts though, but rather his pupils, some 40 or so years after his death in 479 BC.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Doorbell sound DONG
5. Radio switch AM/FM
9. Pop out of the CD player EJECT
14. “Young Frankenstein” helper IGOR
15. “Deck the Halls” syllables FA LA
16. Use crayons COLOR
17. “The West Wing” actor Alan ALDA
18. Fed. agent G-MAN
19. Best way to sing ON KEY
20. Keep in suspense LEAVE HANGING (giving “hanging file”)
23. Maker of Fiesta Flats taco shells ORTEGA
24. Gorilla who learned sign language KOKO
25. “__ you for real?” ARE
28. Half a Mork-to-Orson farewell NANU
30. Symbol EMBLEM
32. Suffers from HAS
35. Department store fixture DISPLAY CASE (giving “case file”)
38. Tunnel effect ECHO
40. Actor’s prompt CUE
41. “We gotta move!” C’MON!
42. Shingle securer ROOFING NAIL (giving “nail file”)
47. Roulette bet ODD
48. Like a spoiled child BRATTY
49. Didn’t need to guess KNEW
51. Weekly NBC offering since 1975, briefly SNL
52. Takes notice of SEES
55. Like some country songs TWANGY
59. It may be affixed to an email … and, literally, what the last word of 20-, 35- and 42-Across can have ATTACHED FILE
61. Drummer Ringo STARR
64. Sheepish smile GRIN
65. First name in bike stunts EVEL
66. Japanese verse HAIKU
67. Tupperware tops LIDS
68. Harvest REAP
69. Kentucky Derby racer HORSE
70. Sporting weapon EPEE
71. Lacking, in Lorraine SANS

Down
1. Old way to place a collect call DIAL 0
2. Creepy admirer OGLER
3. Signal silently to NOD AT
4. Sculptured, as an image GRAVEN
5. Kabul native AFGHANI
6. Wee one’s word MAMA
7. __ steak FLANK
8. Tropical fruit MANGO
9. Political debate topic ECONOMY
10. “Fear of Flying” author Erica JONG
11. Antlered animal ELK
12. Two-time 1500-meter gold medalist Sebastian COE
13. Give it a whirl TRY
21. “My stars!” EGAD!
22. Maker of NORDLI furniture IKEA
25. Texas tourist spot ALAMO
26. Fix a green RESOD
27. Revise EMEND
29. Shoreline protection gp. USCG
31. Discreetly send a dupe email to BCC
32. Chef’s flavorings HERBS
33. Oak-to-be ACORN
34. Sandbar SHOAL
36. Lewis Carroll specialty PUN
37. Security issue LEAK
39. Time and again, to a bard OFT
43. “Honest!” IT’S TRUE!
44. Kremlin rejection NYET
45. Passionate INTENSE
46. R-rated, perhaps LEWD
50. Thin cookies WAFERS
53. Sharp-eyed flier EAGLE
54. Rx, for short SCRIP
56. Skin lotion brand NIVEA
57. Collect incrementally GLEAN
58. Sounds from a kennel YELPS
59. Sacred chests ARKS
60. Hole up HIDE
61. Librarian’s warning SHH!
62. Confucian “path” TAO
63. Go public with AIR

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16 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 26 Apr 16, Tuesday”

  1. Zero errors. Pretty snappy time for a Tuesday, too.

    Pretty much the same for the WSJ, too…

  2. Just completed the LAT's grid and it seemed pretty straight forward and "Tuesday" like to me. I'm nominating 54 Down's "Rx for short" as an oxymoron due to the fact that Rx is far shorter than "scrip" so how can scrip be "for short"?

    Have a great day all. See you tomorrow.

  3. Pretty easy Tuesday, but I had about half a dozen write overs from rushing a bit.

    Agree that the Kremlin is an amazing place to visit. If I remember correctly the inside is what used to be the city of Moscow. Afterwards the entire city was built in a defensive posture – one ring after another. So the entire city is a series of (more or less) concentric rings around the Kremlin.

    Inside there is a bell that weighs over 200 tons (400,000 lbs sounds heavier) that is broken. The broken off piece sits right next to it and is roughly 6×6 feet and weighs 11 tons – about 22,000 lbs. I have a picture of my friend and me trying to lift it. Newsflash – we were unsuccessful.

    @Tony
    Is Charlie short for Charles? 🙂

    Best –

  4. @Carrie
    From yesterday – just to clarify – yes the posts show up in Pacific time. So my post yesterday was at 5:57 Pacific, but here in the Central time zone is was 7:57 – so essentially 8 AM local time is when I posted – probably not as impressive…

    Best

  5. The WSJ grid was about the same level of simplicity as the LAT's (in total agreement about that with Jeff). As to Charlie and Charles…at least then they are tied for the same amount of letters! (g)

  6. Whoops. I agree with Glenn (Jeff didn't weigh in on the WSJ grid yet) about today's grid's being the same level of easiness.

  7. The puzzle was a breeze, with a few hiccups. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

    Wanted to post some haikus, but my poem notebook seems to have gone lost somewhere.

    I went to a rock and gem show over the weekend, and am busy examining my 'collection'. Also reading up on esoteric facts like, the difference between a ruby (Al oxide, carborundum -) and a spinel.(Al magnesium oxide -).(not that I have any ). I was gifted a small petoskey (MI. coral, glacier ) rock, duly ground and finely polished, and a Botswana banded Agate, and right now, they seem to provide me with an endless source of pleasure.

    Meanwhile, my next urgent need is to buy a new car for my wife. Her Avalon is 16 years old, and she should have had a newer one 10 years ago. Under the rules of the Ohio Bureau, she's actually entitled to buy 'Antique' license plates ….

    Bill, thanks for the blog, and have a nice day, all.

  8. Just finished it, easy puzzle
    One goof, it refers to a person from Kabul as an Afghani. Proper style is that a person from Afghanistan is an Afghan, Afghani is the national currency. Surprised the eds let it slide.

  9. CAT HAIKU
    The food in my bowl is old
    And more to the point
    Contains no tuna.

    So you want to play.
    Will I claw at dancing string?
    Your ankle is closer.

    There's no dignity
    In being sick – which is why
    I don't tell you where.

    Seeking solitude
    I am locked in the closet.
    For once I need you.

    Tiny can, dumped in
    Plastic bowl. Presentation,
    One star; service: none.

    Am I in your way?
    You seem to have it backwards:
    This pillow is taken.

    Your mouth is moving;
    Up and down, emitting noise.
    I've lost interest.

    My brain: walnut-sized.
    Yours: largest among primates.
    Yet, who leaves for work?

    Most problems can be
    Ignored. The more difficult
    Ones can be slept through.

    Cats can't steal the breath
    Of children. But if my tail's
    Pulled again, I'll learn.

    I don't mind being
    Teased, any more than you mind
    A skin graft or two.

    So you call this thing
    Your "cat carrier". I call
    These my "blades of death".

    Toy mice, dancing yarn
    Meowing sounds. I'm convinced:
    You're an idiot.

  10. Pookie-
    Brava!! When did you meet my cat?

    Puzzle was fine, except for that RX for short part.

    Bella

  11. @ Bella, glad you liked them. A friend sent me those years ago.
    I think your cat is probably my cat too, especially the "tuna" part.
    @Vidwan I looked up petoskey and Botswana banded Agate. They're fabulous!
    I was watching a home-shopping channel and the guy was hawking Rainbow Calsilica pendants. They was beautiful…
    and expensive.
    Then I looked it up and there is controversy as to whether it is man-made. Said it might be run-off from a tile factory.The colorful slurry runs off into a drain pond where it actually hardens over time into "stone"
    Just wondering if you ever heard of it.
    RAINBOW CALSILICA

  12. Wow, typing as fast as I can, and only had to briefly think once or twice, still only got :11. I don't know how you guys get so fast. I'm using pen on paper though, maybe you guys are doing it on the computer. I'm perhaps a shade faster with a ball-point than I am with my fine-point felt tip pen, which I usually use.

    My warmup crossword is a 13×14, where no thinking is involved, and I get down to :05.

    @Carrie Of course I'll cut you the same slack in a similar situation and sorry for calling you Cassie, doh!

    -Dirk (3 Saturdays)

  13. Hi gang!! Once again no newspaper at my door so had to do this thing online. Hate that! At least this wasn't a Friday — even an easy grid like today's takes forever online for me.
    ….and that's IGOR, pronounced EYE-gor, lest we forget…;-)
    Hey thanks Dirk! I shall hold you to it!
    @Jeff, thanks for clarifying. I don't feel so bad now. But I wonder, with all that sleep, how is it that you couldn't lift that bell fragment?! LOL sorry–just kidding (;
    Welcome Eugene– nic3 point about Afghani.
    Be well~~™

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