LA Times Crossword 2 Jun 19, Sunday

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Constructed by: Gary Larson
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: Getting Along

Themed answers sound like common phrases in which a short A-sound has been replaced by a long A-sound:

  • 22A Bash in a boxcar? : FREIGHT PARTY (from “frat party”)
  • 24A Capillary? : MINI-VEIN (from “minivan”)
  • 45A Senior taking lessons? : GRAYED STUDENT (from “grad student”)
  • 68A Minor combat injuries? : BATTLE ACHES (from “battleaxe”)
  • 92A Endure a Moscow heat wave? : BAKE IN THE USSR (from “Back in the USSR”)
  • 119A Poorly executed karate move? : LAME CHOP (from “lamb chop”)
  • 121A Pretend a true story is made-up? : FEIGN FICTION (from “fan fiction”)
  • 38D Pancake cookbook photo session? : CREPE SHOOT (from “crapshoot”)
  • 47D Source of elegance? : GRACE ROOTS (from “grass roots”)

Bill’s time: 15m 01s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Observing Yom Kippur, say : ON A FAST

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people, and is also known as the Day of Atonement.

8 Gumbo pod : OKRA

Gumbo is a type of stew or soup that originated in Louisiana. The primary ingredient can be meat or fish, but to be true gumbo it must include the “holy trinity” of vegetables, namely celery, bell peppers and onion. Okra used to be a requirement but this is no longer the case. Okra gave the dish its name as the vernacular word for the African vegetable is “okingumbo”, from the Bantu language spoken by many of the slaves brought to America.

12 Location tools : RADARS

Scientists have been using radio waves to detect the presence of objects since the late 1800s, but it was the demands of WWII that accelerated the practical application of the technology. The British called their system RDF standing for Range and Direction Finding. The system used by the US Navy was called “Radio Detection And Ranging”, which was shortened to the acronym RADAR.

20 Radioactive element : URANIUM

The isotope of uranium that is mostly found in nature in uranium-238. Natural uranium also contains a small amount (less than 1%) of uranium-235. When uranium is “enriched”, the percentage of uranium-235 is increased. Uranium containing 80% or more uranium-235 is known as “weapons grade”.

22 Bash in a boxcar? : FREIGHT PARTY (from “frat party”)

A boxcar is a basic railroad car used to carry freight. It’s the one shaped like a big box, with large doors at each side.

26 __ Mae : FANNIE

The Federal National Mortgage Association is commonly called “Fannie Mae”, a play on the initialism FNMA. Fannie Mae was founded in during the Great Depression as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal.

27 Till fill : ONES

The nation’s first president, George Washington, is on the US one-dollar bills produced today. When the original one-dollar bill was issued in 1863, it featured a portrait of Salmon P. Chase, President Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of the Treasury.

28 Auditing pros : CPAS

Certified public accountant (CPA)

30 Some research aids : TOMES

“Tome” first came into English from the Latin “tomus” which means “section of a book”. The original usage in English was for a single volume in a multi-volume work. By the late 16th century, “tome” had come to mean “large book”.

32 “My Way” lyricist : ANKA

The song “My Way” has lyrics that were written by Paul Anka in 1969, but the tune itself was composed two years earlier by Claude François and Jacques Revaux. The song had been released with completely different lyrics in France as “Comme d’habitude” (“As Usual”). When Anka heard the song on television in Paris he sought out and obtained the rights to use it himself, for free. Supposedly, “Comme d’habitude” has been recorded in more languages, by more artists, than any other song in the contemporary repertoire.

And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way

34 Tourist trap trinkets : KITSCH

“Kitsch” is a German word, and is an adjective that means “gaudy, trash”.

44 White wine apéritif : KIR

Kir is a French cocktail made by adding a teaspoon or so of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) to a glass, and then topping it off with white wine. The drink is named after Felix Kir, the Mayor of Dijon in Burgundy, who used to offer the drink to his guests. My wife is particularly fond of a variant called a Kir Royale, in which the white wine is replaced with champagne.

An apéritif is an alcoholic drink served before a meal, to stimulate the palate. A digestif is an alcoholic drink served after a meal, to aid digestion.

47 Dubious “gift” : GAB

Blarney is a town in County Cork in the south of Ireland. Blarney is home to Blarney Castle, and inside the castle is the legendary Blarney Stone. “Kissing the Blarney Stone” is a ritual engaged in by many, many tourists (indeed, I’ve done it myself!), but it’s not a simple process. The stone is embedded in the wall of the castle, and in order to kiss it you have to sit on the edge of the parapet and lean way backwards so that your head is some two feet below your body. There is a staff member there to help you and make sure you don’t fall. The Blarney Stone has been labelled as the world’s most unhygienic tourist attraction! But once you’ve kissed it, supposedly you are endowed with the “gift of the gab”, the ability to talk eloquently and perhaps deceptively without offending. The term “blarney” has come to mean flattering and deceptive talk.

50 Goodnight woman of song : IRENE

“Goodnight, Irene”, also known as “Irene, Goodnight”, is a lovely American folk song that was first recorded commercially back in 1932 by blues singer Lead Belly. The song made it to number one in the charts for the Weavers in 1950 and for Frank Sinatra in the same year.

52 Marsh plant : CATTAIL

Cattails are flowering plants found in wetlands. We call them bullrushes back in Ireland …

53 California town whose name means “the river” : EL RIO

El Rio is a town in Ventura County, California. The town was founded as New Jerusalem in 1875, then became Jerusalem, Elrio and finally El Rio in 1905.

55 Stops : DEPOTS

Our term “depot”, meaning “station, warehouse”, comes from the French word “dépôt”. The French term translates into English as “deposit” or “place of deposit”.

58 Golfer Trevino : LEE

Lee Trevino is an American golfer of Mexican descent, and so has the nicknames “The Merry Mex” and “Supermex”. He is well known for his great sense of humor and for playing pranks on the golf course. For many years, Trevino wore a Band-Aid on his arm while playing, covering the tattoo with the name of his ex-wife.

60 Gas supplied in Canada by Imperial Oil : ESSO

Imperial Oil is a Canadian company with a majority ownership by Exxon Mobil. Imperial produces a lot of crude oil and natural gas, and also operates service stations with the brand name ESSO.

76 Dubai dignitary : EMIR

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.

78 Birch of “American Beauty” : THORA

Thora Birch is an actress from Los Angeles. Birch is probably best known for her breakthrough role in the 1999 movie “American Beauty” in which she was the insecure daughter of a married couple played by Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening.

While I found the film “American Beauty” to be an enjoyable and interesting film (loved Annette Bening in it), I also found it very depressing. If you haven’t seen it, the main story is about a man having a midlife crisis (played by Kevin Spacey) and developing an infatuation for his teenage daughter’s flirtatious friend (played by Mena Suvari, and whom I guess is the “American Beauty”). The movie is definitely worth watching, and received huge accolades when released in 1999.

82 Title for Robinson : MRS

When Mike Nichols was making the 1967 film “The Graduate” he apparently became obsessed with the music of Simon and Garfunkel, who were just coming into the limelight. Nichols made a deal with Paul Simon to write three songs that he could use on the soundtrack of his new movie. Simon and Garfunkel were touring constantly around that time, so Nichols had to badger Simon to hold up his end of the bargain. When Nichols was ready to lay down the film’s soundtrack there was only one commissioned song available, so Nichols had to basically beg Paul Simon for anything. Simon mentioned that he was finishing up one new song, but it wasn’t written for the film. It was more a celebration of former times, with lyrics about baseball great Joe DiMaggio and former First Lady, Mrs. Roosevelt. Nichols informed Simon that the song was no longer about Mrs. Roosevelt, and it was about Mrs. Robinson …

90 Capri, locally : ISOLA

In Italian, no man is an “isola” (island).

The island of Capri off the coast of Southern Italy has been a tourist resort since the days of ancient Rome. Capri is home to the famous Blue Grotto, a sea cave that is illuminated with sunlight that’s colored blue as it passes through the seawater into the cave.

91 N.C. winter hours : EST

Eastern standard time (EST)

92 Endure a Moscow heat wave? : BAKE IN THE USSR (from “Back in the USSR”)

By the time the Beatles recorded “Back in the U.S.S.R”, they were having a lot of problems working with each other. The song was recorded in 1968, with the band formally dissolving in 1970. Tensions were so great during the recording of “Back in the U.S.S.R” that Ringo Starr actually stormed out saying that he had quit, and the remaining three Beatles made the record without Ringo. Drums were played mainly by Paul McCartney, but there are also drum tracks on the final cut by both George Harrison and John Lennon. Interesting, huh?

98 How some desserts are served : A LA MODE

In French, “à la mode” simply means “fashionable”. In America, the term has also come to describe a way of serving pie. Pie served à la mode includes a dollop of cream or ice cream, or as I recall from my time living in Upstate New York, with a wedge of cheddar cheese.

101 Longtime Indian leader : GANDHI

Mohandas Gandhi was a political and spiritual leader in India in the first part of the 20th century, as the country sought independence from Britain. He was also referred to as “Mahatma”, meaning “great soul”. His remarkable philosophy of nonviolence and living a modest lifestyle was a great inspiration to the Indian people. India (and Pakistan) was granted independence in 1947. Tragically, Gandhi was assassinated the very next year.

105 May honorees : MOMS

Note the official punctuation in “Mother’s Day”, even though one might think it should be “Mothers’ Day”. President Wilson and Anna Jarvis, who created the tradition, specifically wanted Mother’s Day to honor the mothers within each family and not just “mothers” in general, so they went with the “Mother’s Day” punctuation.

107 Tailgating fare : BRATS

A bratwurst (sometimes “brat” in the US) is a German sausage. The name comes from “brät-” meaning “finely chopped meat”, and “Wurst” meaning “sausage”.

109 Biblical birthright seller : ESAU

Esau was the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When their mother Rebekah gave birth to the twins “the first emerged red and hairy all over (Esau), with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out (Jacob)”. As Esau was the first born, he was entitled to inherit his father’s wealth (it was his “birthright”). Instead, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for the price of a “mess of pottage” (a meal of lentils).

110 Transcript stats : GPAS

Grade point average (GPA)

113 Plant for a pet? : CHIA

Chia is a flowering plant in the mint family. Chia seeds are an excellent food source and are often added to breakfast cereals and energy bars. There is also the famous Chia Pet, an invention of a San Francisco company. Chia Pets are terracotta figurines to which are applied moistened chia seeds. The seeds sprout and the seedlings become the “fur” of the Chia Pet.

115 __ d’hôtel : MAITRE

The full title of a “maître d’” is “maître d’hôtel”, which means “master of the hotel”.

119 Poorly executed karate move? : LAME CHOP (from “lamb chop”)

“Karate” is a Japanese word meaning “empty hand”, and the related word “karaoke” translates as “empty orchestra”.

121 Pretend a true story is made-up? : FEIGN FICTION (from “fan fiction”)

Fan fiction (also “fanfic”) is fiction created by fans of an original work that uses characters from that original work.

124 First name in scat : ELLA

Ella Fitzgerald, the “First Lady of Song”, had a hard and tough upbringing. She was raised by her mother alone in Yonkers, New York. Her mother died while Ella was still a schoolgirl, and around that time the young girl became less interested in her education. She fell in with a bad crowd, even working as a lookout for a bordello and as a Mafia numbers runner. She ended up in reform school, from which she escaped, and found herself homeless and living on the streets for a while. Somehow Fitzgerald managed to get herself a spot singing in the Apollo Theater in Harlem. From there her career took off and as they say, the rest is history.

Scat singing is a vocal improvisation found in the world of jazz. There aren’t any words as such in scat singing, just random nonsense syllables made up on the spot.

Down

1 “Carmina Burana” composer : ORFF

“Carmina Burana” is a cantata by Carl Orff based on a collection of medieval poems that go by the same name. The name translates as “Songs from Beuern”. The best known movement of the cantata by far is the dramatic “O Fortuna” used at the opening and closing of the piece. One study placed “O Fortuna” as the most often played piece of classical music in the UK over the past 75 years, largely due to its use in television commercials. Famously, the piece appeared in the US in ads for Gatorade and Old Spice aftershave.

2 18-Across writer Roberts : NORA
(18A Fiction genre : ROMANCE)

Nora Roberts is a very successful author who has written over 165 romance novels. Roberts is published under a number of pen names, i.e. J.D. Robb, Jill March and Sarah Hardesty.

5 Cardio procedure : ANGIO

Angioplasty (“angio”, for short) is a mechanical widening of a narrowed artery. In the surgical procedure, a balloon catheter is inflated at the point of the obstruction to open up the artery. A stent may then be inserted to make sure the vessel remains open.

7 Asian holiday : TET

The full name for the New Year holiday in Vietnam is “Tet Nguyen Dan” meaning “Feast of the First Morning”, with the reference being to the arrival of the season of spring. Tet usually falls on the same day as Chinese New Year.

8 Land on its own gulf : OMAN

The Gulf of Oman isn’t actually a gulf, and rather is a strait. It connects the Arabian Sea to the Strait of Hormuz and hence to the Persian Gulf.

9 Divided land : KOREA

Korea was occupied by the Japanese military from 1910 until Japan surrendered at the end of WWII in 1945. While the UN was working towards a trusteeship administration for Korea, the Soviet Union managed the Korean Peninsula north of the 38th parallel and the US managed the south. The UN’s plans came to naught as the Cold War dictated the establishment of the two separate states of North Korea and South Korea. North Korea invaded the South in 1950, leading to the Korean War. After three years of fighting, the border between the two states became the demarcation line between the two military forces on the day the Armistice Agreement was signed. That line runs diagonally across the 38th parallel, and is better known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

10 Disorderly place : RAT’S NEST

Queen of France Marie Antoinette is credited with popularizing the elaborate hairstyle known as the pouf. The hair was styled using a pomade made from wholesome ingredients such as beef marrow and bear grease. Because of the complexity of the hairstyle, ladies wore it for a week or two, during which time the animal fat would become rancid. It was reported that vermin would be attracted to the hair while sleeping, which apparently led to the phrase “her hair is a rat’s nest”.

13 Song for a diva : ARIA

The term “diva” comes to us from Latin via Italian. “Diva” is the feminine form of “divus” meaning “divine one”. The word is used in Italy to mean “goddess” or “fine lady”, and especially is applied to the prima donna in an opera. We often use the term to describe a singer with a big ego.

15 Young Skywalker’s nickname : ANI

Anakin “Ani” Skywalker is the principal character in the first six of the “Star Wars” movies. His progress chronologically through the series of films is:

  • Episode I: Anakin is a 9-year-old slave boy who earns the promise of Jedi training by young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
  • Episode II: Anakin is 18-years-old and goes on a murdering rampage to avenge the killing of his mother.
  • Episode III: Anakin is 21-years-old and a Jedi knight, but he turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. His wife Padme gives birth to twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker.
  • Episode IV: Darth Vader, comes into conflict with his children, Luke Skywalker and the Princess Leia.
  • Episode V: Darth Vader attempts to coax his son Luke over to the dark side, and reveals to Luke that he is his father.
  • Episode VI: Luke learns that Leia is his sister, and takes on the task of bringing Darth Vader back from the Dark Side in order to save the Galaxy. Vader saves his son from the Emperor’s evil grip, dying in the process, but his spirit ends up alongside the spirits of Yoda and Obi-Wan. They all live happily ever after …

23 “Best in Show” actress Parker __ : POSEY

Parker Posey is an American actress who has earned the nickname “Queen of the Indies” due to her success in several indie movies. She did miss out on one mainstream role though, as she was edged out by Jennifer Aniston to play Rachel on “Friends”.

“Best in Show” is comedy film released in 2000 that is in the mockumentary style. It follows five entrants to a big dog show. It is a Christopher Guest film, so I gave up after about 10 minutes of viewing …

31 Sister of Zsa Zsa : EVA

Eva Gabor was the youngest of the Gabor sisters, all three of whom were celebrated Hollywood actresses and socialites (her siblings were Zsa Zsa and Magda). One of Eva’s claims to fame is the unwitting promotion of the game called “Twister”, the sales of which were languishing in 1966. In an appearance on “The Tonight Show” she got on all fours and played the game with Johnny Carson. Sales took off immediately, and Twister became a huge hit.

Zsa Zsa Gabor was a Hungarian American actress, born in Budapest as Sári Gábor (the older sister of the actress Eva). Zsa Zsa Gabor was married a whopping nine times, including a 5-year stint with Conrad Hilton and another 5 years with the actor George Sanders. One of Gabor’s famous quips was that she was always a good housekeeper, as after every divorce she kept the house!

33 William of “Carrie” : KATT

Actor William Katt is probably best known as the star of the TV show “The Greatest American Hero”, which ran from 1981 to 1983. William’s mother was the actress Barbara Hale, who played Della Street on television’s “Perry Mason”. His father was actor Bill Williams, who played the title role in the fifties TV series “The Adventures of Kit Carson”.

37 The Auld Sod : EIRE

“Auld Sod” (meaning simply “old sod”) is a familiar term for Ireland, especially when referring to the country as one’s homeland from abroad. ‘Tis true …

38 Pancake cookbook photo session? : CREPE SHOOT (from “crapshoot”)

“Crapshoot” is an informal term used for something that is a gamble, is unpredictable. The term from the gambling game of craps.

42 Falco of “The Sopranos” : EDIE

Actress Edie Falco won three Emmy Awards for playing Carmela Soprano on HBO’s outstanding drama series called “The Sopranos”. Falco also won an Emmy in 2010 for playing the title role in “Nurse Jackie”, an excellent black comedy.

48 Actor Quinn : AIDAN

Aidan Quinn is an Irish-American actor. Quinn was born in Chicago but spent some years growing up in Ireland. Mainly known as a movie actor, Quinn is currently playing the role of Captain Tommy Gregson on the excellent TV series “Elementary” that is centered on a modern-day Sherlock Holmes.

49 Petty officers, briefly : BO’S’NS

A boatswain works on the deck of a boat. He or she is unlicensed, and so is not involved in the navigation or handling of the vessel, and instead is in charge of the other unlicensed workers on the deck. “Boatswain” is pronounced “bosun” and this phonetic spelling is often used interchangeably with “boatswain”. The contraction “bo’s’n” is also very popular.

51 First line of a three-line eatery sign : NO SHIRT …

No shoes, no shirt, no service.

56 Japanese noodle : SOBA

Soba is a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour. In Japan, the word “soba” tends to be used to describe any thin noodle, in contrast with the thicker noodles that are called udon.

62 Done, to Donne : O’ER

John Donne was one of England’s most celebrated poets, and was active at the start of the 17th century. He spent much of his life in poverty and even spent a short time in prison for having married his wife without procuring the appropriate permissions. After his release, his wife bore him 12 children in 16 years, passing away a few days after the twelfth child was born.

65 Geek Squad client : USER

Best Buy is a retailer specializing in the supply of consumer electronics. Best Buy services include the famous “Geek Squad”, a band of technical experts that will help solve your computer and other consumer electronic problems.

66 Underworld river : LETHE

The Lethe is one of the five rivers of Hades in Greek mythology. All the souls who drank from the river Lethe experienced complete forgetfulness. The Greek word “lethe” means “oblivion, forgetfulness”.

67 One of a Dumas trio : ATHOS

Alexandre Dumas’ “Three Musketeers” are Athos, Porthos and Aramis, although the hero of the novel is the trio’s young protégé D’Artagnan. A musketeer was an infantry soldier who was equipped with a musket. Funnily enough, the three “musketeers” really don’t use their muskets, and are better known for prowess with their swords.

69 Denali National Park state : ALASKA

“Denali” means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language, and is now the name used for Mount McKinley. Denali’s summit stands at 20,237 feet, making it the highest mountain peak in North America. I was surprised to learn that there is a Denali State Park, as well as the Denali National Park. The two are located adjacent to each other (which makes sense!). The State Park is undeveloped for all practical purposes, with just a few campgrounds and trailheads.

70 Victoria’s Secret purchase : CORSET

Victoria’s Secret was founded in 1977 in San Francisco, California. The founder wanted to create an environment where men were comfortable buying lingerie for their wives or girlfriends, an alternative to a department store.

74 Algiers citadel : CASBAH

“Casbah” is the Arabic word for a “citadel”. “Casbah” usually refers to the citadel in the city of Algiers and the area surrounding it.

77 “Our National Parks” author : MUIR

John Muir was a famous American naturalist, although he was born in Scotland. Muir founded the Sierra Club in 1892. He published “My First Summer in the Sierra” in 1911, which described one of Muir’s favorite places in the country, the Sierra Nevada range in California.

84 Criticism : FLAK

“Flak” was originally an acronym standing for the German term for an aircraft defense cannon (FLiegerAbwehrKanone). “Flak” then became used in English as a general term for antiaircraft fire and ultimately a term for verbal criticism, as in “to take flak”.

88 __-European : INDO

The Indo-European languages are a large group that includes most of the major languages of Europe, the Iranian plateau and South Asia. The Indo-European is the largest grouping of languages in the world.

89 Recent medical research subject : STEM CELL

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can become specialized cells. Stem cells are found in embryos (embryonic stem cells), and are especially prevalent about 4-5 days of growth after fertilization. Stem cells are also found throughout the bodies of adults (somatic stem cells). Somatic stem cells are associated with a particular organ and have the potential to regenerate all the cell types of the organ from which they originate.

96 Marathoner’s need : STAMINA

The marathon commemorates the legendary messenger-run by Pheidippides from the site of the Battle of Marathon back to Athens, and is run over 26 miles and 385 yards. The first modern Olympic marathon races were run over a distance that approximated the length of the modern-day Marathon-Athens highway, although the actual length of the race varied from games to games. For the 1908 Olympics in London, a course starting at Windsor Castle and ending in front of the Royal Box at White City Stadium was defined. That course was 26 miles and 385 yards, the standard length now used at all Olympic Games. Organizers of subsequent games continued to vary the length of the race, until a decision was made in 1921 to adopt the distance used in London in 1908.

106 Con man’s partner : SHILL

A shill is someone planted, perhaps in an audience, with the job of feigning enthusiasm.

108 Tasteless : TACKY

Something tacky is in bad taste. The term “tacky” derives from the noun “tackey” that was used in the early 1800s to describe a neglected horse.

111 “Every great architect is … a great __”: Wright : POET

The architect Frank Lloyd Wright embraced the philosophy of designing structures that were in harmony with the environment. One of his most famous works is an elaborate home in rural Pennsylvania known as Fallingwater, which is partially built over a waterfall.

112 Lhasa __ : APSO

The Lhasa apso breed of dog originated in Tibet and is named after “Lhasa” (the capital city) and “apso” (a Tibetan word meaning “bearded”). The Lhasa apso has been around since 800 BC and is one of the oldest breeds in the world, one very closely related to the ancestral wolf.

114 Some groceries : IGAS

The initialism “IGA” stands for “Independent Grocers Alliance”, and is a chain of supermarkets that extends right around the world. IGA’s headquarters is in Chicago. The company uses the slogan “Hometown Proud Supermarkets”.

116 “__ yellow ribbon … ” : TIE A

A yellow ribbon is symbolically worn by people awaiting the return of a loved one, usually from military service overseas, but also from a penal institution. The song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” tells the tale of a convict returning home. His loyal loved one is waiting for him and she ties a whole boatload of yellow ribbons around the old oak tree to greet him.

118 Tolkien creatures : ENTS

Ents are those tree-like creatures that live in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in his series of books “The Lord of the Rings”. “Ent” is an Old English word for “giant”.

120 “Argo” spy gp. : CIA

“Argo” is a 2012 movie that is based on the true story of the rescue of six diplomats hiding out during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The film was directed by and stars Ben Affleck and is produced by Grant Heslov and George Clooney, the same pair who produced the excellent “Good Night, and Good Luck”. I highly recommend “Argo”, although I found the scenes of religious fervor to be very frightening …

122 Omen in “Jaws” (besides the music) : FIN

“Jaws” is a thrilling 1975 movie directed by Steven Spielberg that is based on a novel of the same name by Peter Benchley. The film has a powerful cast, led by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. “Jaws” was perhaps the first “summer blockbuster” with the highest box office take in history up to that time, which was a record that stood until “Star Wars” was released two years later.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Observing Yom Kippur, say : ON A FAST
8 Gumbo pod : OKRA
12 Location tools : RADARS
18 Fiction genre : ROMANCE
19 Complain : MOAN
20 Radioactive element : URANIUM
22 Bash in a boxcar? : FREIGHT PARTY (from “frat party”)
24 Capillary? : MINI-VEIN (from “minivan”)
26 __ Mae : FANNIE
27 Till fill : ONES
28 Auditing pros : CPAS
29 Back in the day, back in the day : ERST
30 Some research aids : TOMES
32 “My Way” lyricist : ANKA
34 Tourist trap trinkets : KITSCH
36 “I need a few __” : SECS
39 Continuously : EVER
41 Entered carefully : EASED IN
44 White wine apéritif : KIR
45 Senior taking lessons? : GRAYED STUDENT (from “grad student”)
47 Dubious “gift” : GAB
50 Goodnight woman of song : IRENE
52 Marsh plant : CATTAIL
53 California town whose name means “the river” : EL RIO
55 Stops : DEPOTS
57 Field with many partners : LAW
58 Golfer Trevino : LEE
59 Understands, as a radio message : READS
60 Gas supplied in Canada by Imperial Oil : ESSO
61 Provide money for : ENDOW
64 Cat food source : TUNA CAN
66 Bind with a line : LASH
68 Minor combat injuries? : BATTLE ACHES (from “battleaxe”)
72 Hideouts : DENS
73 Aboveboard : ETHICAL
75 Fluff or flub : ERROR
76 Dubai dignitary : EMIR
78 Birch of “American Beauty” : THORA
79 __ result : AS A
82 Title for Robinson : MRS
83 Heavy rain aftermath : RUNOFF
86 Riots : HOOTS
87 Some discriminators : SEXISTS
90 Capri, locally : ISOLA
91 N.C. winter hours : EST
92 Endure a Moscow heat wave? : BAKE IN THE USSR (from “Back in the USSR”)
97 Browning result : TAN
98 How some desserts are served : A LA MODE
99 Gait between walk and canter : TROT
100 Invites : ASKS
101 Longtime Indian leader : GANDHI
105 May honorees : MOMS
107 Tailgating fare : BRATS
109 Biblical birthright seller : ESAU
110 Transcript stats : GPAS
113 Plant for a pet? : CHIA
115 __ d’hôtel : MAITRE
119 Poorly executed karate move? : LAME CHOP (from “lamb chop”)
121 Pretend a true story is made-up? : FEIGN FICTION (from “fan fiction”)
123 Small sizes : PETITES
124 First name in scat : ELLA
125 Like the darkest night : INKIEST
126 In order that one might : SO AS TO
127 Wings you can’t eat : ELLS
128 Refuses : NAYSAYS

Down

1 “Carmina Burana” composer : ORFF
2 18-Across writer Roberts : NORA
3 “Absolutely!” : AMEN!
4 Passes out : FAINTS
5 Cardio procedure : ANGIO
6 One creating plots : SCHEMER
7 Asian holiday : TET
8 Land on its own gulf : OMAN
9 Divided land : KOREA
10 Disorderly place : RAT’S NEST
11 Vague number : ANY
12 Beef cut : RUMP
13 Song for a diva : ARIA
14 Women’s workout wear brand : DANSKIN
15 Young Skywalker’s nickname : ANI
16 Fix firmly : RIVET
17 Court figures : SUERS
21 Catchall category: Abbr. : MISC
23 “Best in Show” actress Parker __ : POSEY
25 Maximum : NTH
28 Invitation notation : CASUAL
31 Sister of Zsa Zsa : EVA
33 William of “Carrie” : KATT
35 Supervised hospital resident : INTERN
36 Cause of a road mark : SKID
37 The Auld Sod : EIRE
38 Pancake cookbook photo session? : CREPE SHOOT (from “crapshoot”)
40 Take back : RECANT
42 Falco of “The Sopranos” : EDIE
43 Computer key : DELETE
45 Comes down with : GETS
46 Opposite of rush : DAWDLE
47 Source of elegance? : GRACE ROOTS (from “grass roots”)
48 Actor Quinn : AIDAN
49 Petty officers, briefly : BO’S’NS
51 First line of a three-line eatery sign : NO SHIRT …
54 Introductions : LEAD-INS
56 Japanese noodle : SOBA
57 Tennis call : LET!
62 Done, to Donne : O’ER
63 Hospitality : WARMTH
65 Geek Squad client : USER
66 Underworld river : LETHE
67 One of a Dumas trio : ATHOS
69 Denali National Park state : ALASKA
70 Victoria’s Secret purchase : CORSET
71 Store posting: Abbr. : HRS
74 Algiers citadel : CASBAH
77 “Our National Parks” author : MUIR
80 Look : SEEM
81 Geometry basics : AXIOMS
84 Criticism : FLAK
85 They’re often for the home team : FANS
88 __-European : INDO
89 Recent medical research subject : STEM CELL
93 Sets down : ALIGHTS
94 __ sprawl : URBAN
95 Frat. counterpart : SOR
96 Marathoner’s need : STAMINA
100 If nothing changes : AS IT IS
101 Salon supply : GEL
102 Stat relative : ASAP
103 Directory entries : NAMES
104 Because of : DUE TO
106 Con man’s partner : SHILL
108 Tasteless : TACKY
111 “Every great architect is … a great __”: Wright : POET
112 Lhasa __ : APSO
114 Some groceries : IGAS
116 “__ yellow ribbon … ” : TIE A
117 Promising : ROSY
118 Tolkien creatures : ENTS
120 “Argo” spy gp. : CIA
121 Doctor’s charge : FEE
122 Omen in “Jaws” (besides the music) : FIN

15 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 2 Jun 19, Sunday”

  1. About half on Saturday, not trying it today. Hope for better tomorrow and
    the rest of the coming week. Kudos to all.

  2. LAT: 26:30, no errors. Newsday: 19:17, no errors. WP: 27:43, no errors. Sunday Universal: 23:38, no errors. All a bit more thoughtful than usual, it seemed (so it’s probably just a side effect of taking out one of those two trees yesterday 😜).

  3. One hour, 26 minutes, and then I needed help with the last 20 blanks. What does “getting along” have to do with the puzzle? First I do all the across ones, then all the down ones. By then it’s been more than 30 minutes already. Never heard of Danskin or Thora or fan faction or Isola or Aidan Quinn, etc, etc. Clever puzzle, though.

    1. Getting A, long? Heh-heh, get it? Yeah, that’s what I said, too….

  4. @old man….getting along refers to a long a verses a short a.
    51:05 no errors…it took me several tries to get this website this morning….must be my 10 year old iPad or the 78 year old operator

  5. I don’t keep track of time, because I’d be interrupted too often, but this
    one went pretty fast once I caught on to the theme (by the time I got
    “minivein”)….but I don’t think I’m familiar with the phrase “fan fiction”.
    Can someone explain?

    Whoops, never mind. I went back and read Bill’s explanation.

  6. Dirk –

    From yesterday – In 1996 I was in Caracas and had the opportunity to visit Angel Falls (it’s only been open to the public since 1990). I declined as I was really ready to go home at that moment, and it was looking like I would be back there a few more times. I never went back. The country trashed itself, and now I have no idea when I could go back. You and Carrie are more optimistic than I am. But I’ve been kicking myself for years for not seizing that opportunity.

    I’ll do the puzzle later today. I have some things to do today first

    Best –

  7. Re 49D, not all petty officers are bos’n’s, only those who are qualified members of the deck department. There are petty officers in other divisions, e.g. engineering, communications, etc.

  8. 29:37, no errors. Tricky, but solveable. The top right corner, for some reason, took forever to “dial in on”. Theme was a bit of a stretch, that’s the long and short of it….

  9. 38:08. Indeed, tricky but solvable. Theme answers came easily. I had more issues with the fill at times.

    Sadly, “Elementary” is now in its last season, about 2 episodes in. Like(d) that one too.

    Jack2 –
    You’re correct, but it doesn’t matter. As long as some petty officers are BOSNs it’s fair game. Something I still have trouble remembering sometimes is that we are given “clues” to what is in the squares. They are only clues they aren’t intended to be dictionary definitions in all cases.

    Best –

  10. Brats are the official tailgating fare in Wisconsin. I miss the “fry outs” and Bratwurst Day in my home town, Sheboygan Bratwurst Capital of the World .

    1. A certain kind of addition to a building can be called a “wing” or an “ell” (because of its position relative to the existing structure).

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