LA Times Crossword 3 Jun 19, Monday

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Constructed by: Danny Reichert
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): End of the Calculator

Each of today’s themed answers ends with a synonym of “calculator”:

  • 17A One who shuns alcohol : TEETOTALER
  • 59A Venomous European viper : BLACK ADDER
  • 11D Club sandwich pickup spot : DELI COUNTER
  • 25D “The Queen of Disco” : DONNA SUMMER

Bill’s time: 4m 30s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Medium’s board : OUIJA

The Ouija board was introduced to America as a harmless parlor game at the end of the 19th century, although variations of the board date back to 1100 BC in China, where it was apparently used to “contact” the spirit world. The name “Ouija” is relatively recent, and is probably just a combination of the French and German words for “yes” … “oui” and “ja”.

6 Diner side dish with cabbage : SLAW

The term “coleslaw” is an Anglicized version of the Dutch name “koolsla”, which in itself is a shortened form of “Koolsalade” meaning “cabbage salad”.

10 Wood-shaping tool : ADZE

An adze (also “adz”) is similar to an axe, but is different in that the blade of an adze is set at right angles to the tool’s shaft. An axe blade is set in line with the shaft.

14 “Bolero” composer Maurice : RAVEL

Maurice Ravel’s “Boléro” is a remarkable piece of music that has a very insistent theme that just builds and builds, with instruments being added to the mix as the piece develops. Famously, “Boléro” played a significant role in the 1979 film “10” starring Bo Derek, Dudley Moore and Julie Andrews. Not a bad movie …

16 Flowery Hawaiian greetings : LEIS

“Lei” is the Hawaiian word for “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a lei is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.

17 One who shuns alcohol : TEETOTALER

Teetotalism is the practice of abstaining from alcohol. The teetotalism movement started in England in the 1800s.

19 European peaks : ALPS

There are eight Alpine countries:

  • Austria
  • Slovenia
  • France
  • Switzerland
  • Liechtenstein
  • Germany
  • Monaco
  • Italy

20 Resembling a classic sheriff’s badge : STAR-LIKE

In the Old West, a sheriff’s badge was often referred to as a “tin star”.

22 Hoppy pub order, for short : IPA

India pale ale (IPA) is a style of beer that originated in England. The beer was originally intended for transportation from England to India, hence the name.

The foodstuff that we call “hops” are actually the female flower of the hop plant. The main use of hops is to add flavor to beer. The town in which I live here in California used to be home to the largest hop farm in the whole world. Most of the harvested hops were exported all the way to the breweries of London, where they could fetch the best price.

28 “It’s just __ manic Monday”: the Bangles : ANOTHER

The Bangles are a band that formed in Los Angeles in 1980, a trio of female musicians. The group went through a few names before settling on the Bangles, namely the Colours, the Supersonic Bangs and the Bangs. The Bangles’ biggest hits are “Manic Monday” (1986), “Walk Like an Egyptian” (1986) and “Eternal Flame” (1989).

“Manic Monday” was a big hit for the Bangles in 1986. The song was actually written by Prince, and offered to the Bangles under the pseudonym “Christopher”.

30 __Tax: tax prep software : TURBO

TurboTax is a software- and online-based income tax preparation service. It’s what I’ve used since I retired, and I have no complaints …

33 Navy vessel letters : USS

The abbreviation “USS” stands for “United States Ship”. The practice of naming US Navy vessels in a standard format didn’t start until 1907 when President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order that addressed the issue.

34 Make it to midnight on New Year’s Eve, say : STAY UP

The New Year’s celebration in Scotland is known as Hogmanay, although the term “Hogmanay” actually applies to New Year’s Eve. Such is the extent of the party for Hogmanay, that New Year’s Day is a public holiday across the country, and so is January 2nd.

38 Religious principle : TENET

A tenet is an article of faith, something that is held to be true. “Tenet” is Latin for “he holds”.

40 Hanukkah pancakes : LATKES

A latke is a delicious potato pancake (I’m Irish, so anything made with potato is delicious!).

43 Pixar specialty, for short : CGI

Computer-generated imagery (CGI)

Pixar Animation Studios started out as part of Lucasfilm in 1979, George Lucas’s production company. Lucas sold what was to become Pixar to Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 1986. Pixar produced its first feature film in 1995, the fabulous “Toy Story”, and followed up with a string of hits. The company was then sold to Walt Disney in 2006, when valued at $7.4 billion. That transaction resulted in Steve Jobs becoming the biggest shareholder in Walt Disney.

46 Canonized one : SAINT

The act of creating a saint is known as “canonization”. The term derives from the process of placing someone in the canon (or “calendar”) of saints.

49 Beast with a beard : GNU

The gnu is also known as the wildebeest, and is an antelope native to Africa. “Wildebeest” is a Dutch meaning “wild beast”.

54 Drummer’s __ shot : RIM

A rim shot is a sound made when a drummer hits the head of a drum and the rim at the same time. It’s a sound often used by comics to help punctuate a gag.

59 Venomous European viper : BLACK ADDER

The common name “black adder” can apply to two different snakes; one venomous and one not. The venomous black adder is also known as the common European adder, and is found throughout Western Europe and East Asia. The non-venomous black adder is endemic to North America, and is commonly known as the eastern hognose snake.

64 Kid’s building block : LEGO

Lego is manufactured by Lego Group, a privately held company headquartered in Billund, Denmark. The company was founded by a carpenter called Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1934 and the now-famous plastic interlocking blocks were introduced in 1949. The blocks were originally sold under the name “Automatic Binding Bricks” but I think “Lego” is easier to remember! The name “Lego” comes from the Danish term “leg godt” meaning “play well”.

65 Egypt’s capital : CAIRO

Cairo is the capital city of Egypt. It is nicknamed “The City of a Thousand Minarets” because of its impressive skyline replete with Islamic architecture. The name “Cairo” is a European corruption of the city’s original name in Arabic, “Al-Qahira”.

67 Physics work units : ERGS

An erg is a unit of mechanical work or energy. It is a small unit, with one joule comprising 10 million ergs. it has been suggested that an erg is about the amount of energy required for a mosquito to take off. The term comes from “ergon”, the Greek word for work.

Down

1 Scrap of food : ORT

Orts are small scraps of food left after a meal. “Ort” comes from Middle English, and originally described scraps left by animals.

2 Dubai’s fed. : UAE

Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the federation known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two largest members of the UAE (geographically) are Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the only two of the seven members that have veto power over UAE policy.

4 Globetrotting group : JET SET

The jet set comprises wealthy individuals who frequent the fashionable resorts around the world. The term “jet set” was coined in 1951, and actually predated (slightly) the introduction of jet planes for commuter flights.

10 Chicken __ king : A LA

A dish prepared “à la king” (usually chicken or turkey), is food prepared in a cream sauce, with mushrooms, pimentos, green peppers and sherry.

11 Club sandwich pickup spot : DELI COUNTER

The club sandwich is a double-decker affair with three layers of bread and two layers of filling. This style of sandwich has been around since the end of the 19th century, and some say it was invented at an exclusive gambling “club” in Saratoga Springs, New York.

12 Nada : ZIPPO

The use of the words “zip” and “zippo” to mean “nothing” dates back to the early 1900s, when it was student slang for being graded zero on a test.

25 “The Queen of Disco” : DONNA SUMMER

Donna Summer is known as “The Queen of Disco”, with great hits like “Love to Love You, Baby”, “I Feel Love” and “Hot Stuff”. In the late sixties and early seventies, LaDonna Gaines (her real name) lived and worked in Germany. There she met and married an Austrian actor called Helmuth Sommer. They divorced not long after the marriage, but Donna kept his family name, just changing the “o” to “u” to give her the stage name of “Donna Summer”.

29 “Siberian” dogs : HUSKIES

The Siberian Husky is one of the oldest breeds of dog, and originated in northern Asia. Siberian Huskies were imported into Alaska in great numbers in the early 1900s for use as sled dogs during the gold rush.

37 Approx. landing hr. : ETA

Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

43 Colorful cats : CALICOS

Domestic cats with a white coat and patches of brown and black are called calico cats in this country. Back in Ireland, and the rest of the world I think, such cats are called tortoiseshell-and-white. “Calico” is not a breed of cat, but rather a coloring.

44 Like the alphabet with alpha and beta : GREEK

The Greek alphabet starts off with the letters alpha, beta, gamma …

52 Fort __, NC : BRAGG

Fort Bragg in North Carolina is a very large army installation that covers over 250 square miles. The base is named for General Braxton Bragg, the native North Carolinian who commanded the Confederate Army forces during the Civil War.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Medium’s board : OUIJA
6 Diner side dish with cabbage : SLAW
10 Wood-shaping tool : ADZE
14 “Bolero” composer Maurice : RAVEL
15 Like takeout food : TO GO
16 Flowery Hawaiian greetings : LEIS
17 One who shuns alcohol : TEETOTALER
19 European peaks : ALPS
20 Resembling a classic sheriff’s badge : STAR-LIKE
22 Hoppy pub order, for short : IPA
23 Stroll in the shallows : WADE
26 Rent collector : LESSOR
27 Playfully shy : COY
28 “It’s just __ manic Monday”: the Bangles : ANOTHER
30 __Tax: tax prep software : TURBO
32 Days __: hotel chain : INN
33 Navy vessel letters : USS
34 Make it to midnight on New Year’s Eve, say : STAY UP
36 Melodies : TUNES
38 Religious principle : TENET
40 Hanukkah pancakes : LATKES
43 Pixar specialty, for short : CGI
45 Golf ball perch : TEE
46 Canonized one : SAINT
47 Bow-and-arrow pros : ARCHERS
49 Beast with a beard : GNU
51 Empower : ENABLE
53 Formerly, old-style : ERST
54 Drummer’s __ shot : RIM
55 17-Across’ condition, always : SOBRIETY
57 Peak : ACME
59 Venomous European viper : BLACK ADDER
63 Sigh of relief : PHEW!
64 Kid’s building block : LEGO
65 Egypt’s capital : CAIRO
66 Response during attendance-taking : HERE!
67 Physics work units : ERGS
68 Used a keyboard : TYPED

Down

1 Scrap of food : ORT
2 Dubai’s fed. : UAE
3 “__ been had!” : I’VE
4 Globetrotting group : JET SET
5 Multitudes : A LOT
6 Creepy watchers : STARERS
7 Lounges around : LOLLS
8 Ones who discriminate against seniors : AGEISTS
9 Exercise routine : WORKOUT
10 Chicken __ king : A LA
11 Club sandwich pickup spot : DELI COUNTER
12 Nada : ZIPPO
13 A college applicant may have to write one : ESSAY
18 Accounts : TALES
21 Inconsistent : ERRATIC
23 Stand by : WAIT
24 Declare void : ANNUL
25 “The Queen of Disco” : DONNA SUMMER
29 “Siberian” dogs : HUSKIES
31 “Later” : BYE
35 Equals on a jury : PEERS
37 Approx. landing hr. : ETA
39 Student’s hurdle : TEST
41 Dignify : ENNOBLE
42 Less likely to tip over : STABLER
43 Colorful cats : CALICOS
44 Like the alphabet with alpha and beta : GREEK
48 Prime time? : HEYDAY
49 Visual aid in a statistics text : GRAPH
50 Specialized market segment : NICHE
52 Fort __, NC : BRAGG
56 Social skill : TACT
58 Female sheep : EWE
60 Elegant dance floor move : DIP
61 Poetic “before” : ERE
62 Curtain holder : ROD