LA Times Crossword 29 Jun 20, Monday

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Constructed by: Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Keeps an Eye On

Themed answers each end with synonyms of “KEEPS AN EYE ON”:

  • 55A Looks after, as suggested by the last word of 20-, 29- and 46-Across : KEEPS AN EYE ON
  • 20A Protection for extremities during slicing and dicing : FINGER GUARDS
  • 29A Old-style timepieces attached to vests : POCKET WATCHES
  • 46A 15-season CBS drama about the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit : CRIMINAL MINDS

Bill’s time: 4m 47s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Phone call enders : BYES

Our salutation “good-bye” started out as a contraction of “God be with ye”, which was a more common phrase in the 14th century. The structure of the contraction was influenced by existing phrases such as good day, good evening, etc.

14 Piglike rhino relative : TAPIR

All four species of tapir are endangered. Even though the tapir looks much like a pig, it is more closely related to the horse and the rhinoceros.

15 Move like The Blob : OOZE

The 1958 horror film “The Blob” was the first movie in which Steve McQueen had a leading role. “The Blob” wasn’t a success at all, until Steve McQueen became a star that is. Using McQueen’s name, the movie was re-released and gained a cult following and was particularly successful at drive-in theaters.

16 Strong wind : GALE

A gale is a very strong wind, one defined by the Beaufort scale as having wind speeds from 50 to just over 100 kilometers per hour.

19 Stan on the sax : GETZ

Stan Getz was a jazz saxophonist. Getz’s playing style earned him the nickname “The Sound”.

25 Brewery kilns : OASTS

An oast is a kiln used for drying hops as part of the brewing process. Such a structure might also be called an “oast house” or “hop kiln”. The term “oast” can also apply to a kiln used to dry tobacco.

33 GI chow : MRE

The Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) comes in a lightweight package that’s easy to tote around. The MRE replaced the more cumbersome Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) in 1981, a meal-in-a-can. In turn, the MCI had replaced the C-ration in 1958, a less sophisticated meal-in-a-can with a more limited choice.

35 The “O” in OAS: Abbr. : ORG

The Organization of American States (OAS) was founded in 1948, and has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Not all of the independent states in the Americas are members. Cuba was barred from participation in the organization after a vote in 1962. Honduras had her membership suspended after the country’s 2009 coup.

42 Rude dude : CAD

Our word “cad”, meaning “person lacking in finer feelings”, is a shortening of the word “cadet”. “Cad” was first used for a servant, and then students at British universities used “cad” as a term for a boy from the local town. “Cad” took on its current meaning in the 1830s.

43 Travel document : VISA

A visa is usually a stamp in one’s passport, an indication that one is authorized to enter (and less often, to exit) a particular country. The word “visa” comes into English, via French, from the Latin expression “charta visa” meaning “paper that has been seen”, or “verified paper”.

45 Tropical “constrictor” : BOA

Boa constrictors are members of the Boidae family of snakes, all of which are non-venomous. Interestingly, the female boa is always larger than the male.

46 15-season CBS drama about the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit : CRIMINAL MINDS

“Criminal Minds” is a police drama that has aired on CBS since 2005. The stories revolve around the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia.

50 Become frantic : PANIC

In Greek mythology, Pan was a lecherous god, one who fell in love with Echo the mountain nymph. Echo refused Pan’s advances so that he became very angry. Pan’s anger created a “panic” (a word derived from the name “Pan”) and a group of shepherds were driven to kill Echo.

59 “The Thin Man” dog : ASTA

Asta is the wonderful little dog in the superb “The Thin Man” series of films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy (as Nick and Nora Charles). In the original story by Dashiell Hammett, Asta was a female Schnauzer, but on screen Asta was played by a wire-haired fox terrier called “Skippy”. Skippy was also the dog in “Bringing Up Baby” with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, the one who kept stealing the dinosaur bone. Skippy retired in 1939, so Asta was played by other dogs in the remainder of “The Thin Man” films.

62 Lacrosse targets : NETS

Lacrosse is a game very much associated with the cultural tradition of the Iroquois people, and may have originated as early as the 12th century. The original games lasted all day long, and perhaps for two or three days, and were played as part of a ceremonial ritual. In the native language, the activity was referred to as “the Creator’s Game”. It was French Jesuit missionaries who coined the name “lacrosse”. In French, a “crosse” is a “stick with a curved end”.

63 Specialized vocab : LINGO

Lingo is specialized vocabulary. Journalese and legalese would be good examples.

67 Kibbles ‘n Bits competitor : ALPO

Alpo is a brand of dog food introduced by Allen Products in 1936, with “Alpo” being an abbreviation for “Allen Products”. Lorne Greene used to push Alpo in television spots, as did Ed McMahon and Garfield the Cat, would you believe?

Kibbles ‘n Bits is a dog food first produced by Del Monte Foods that was introduced in 1981. The original selling feature of the product was that it contained both chewy and hard crunchy pieces.

“To kibble” is to crush or grind coarsely. This verb evolved into the noun “kibble” meaning meat and/or grain that is ground into small pellets, especially when it is used for pet food.

69 Colorful marble : AGATE

A playing marble made from agate is called just that, an agate. Steelies on the other hand, are made from solid steel.

Down

2 Curie with two Nobels : 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 Physics in 1903, and in Chemistry in 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.

5 Art Deco master : ERTE

“Erté” was the pseudonym of French (Russian-born) artist and designer Romain de Tirtoff. “Erté” is the French pronunciation of his initials “R.T.” Erté’s diverse portfolio of work included costumes and sets for the “Ziegfeld Follies” of 1923, productions of the Parisian cabaret show “Folies Bergère”, as well as the 1925 epic movie “Ben-Hur”. Erté’s most famous work by far is an image titled “Symphony in Black”. It depicts a tall and slender woman dressed in black, holding a black dog on a leash.

6 __-woogie : BOOGIE

Given that the boogie-woogie style of music developed in African-American communities in the 1870s, it makes sense that the term “boogie” would be African in origin. It has been suggested that “boogie” comes from perhaps the Mandinka verb “booga” meaning “to beat”, or from the West African “bogi”meaning to “to dance”.

7 Dannon products : YOGURTS

Danone is a French company that sells a wide range of food products, as well as bottled water. Here in the US Danone sells under the brand name “Dannon”. Examples of Danone products are Evian bottled water and Activia yogurt.

8 Pound who was a friend of T.S. Eliot : EZRA

Ezra Pound was an American poet who spent much of his life wandering the world, and spending years in London, Paris, and Italy. In Italy, Pound’s work and sympathies for Mussolini’s regime led to his arrest at the end of the war. His major work was the epic, albeit incomplete, “The Cantos”. This epic poem is divided into 120 sections, each known as a canto.

T. S. Eliot (TSE) was born in New England but grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. Much of Eliot’s college education was at Oxford, and clearly he became comfortable with life in England. In 1927 he became a British citizen and lived the rest of life in the UK.

10 Spider’s hatching pouch : EGG SAC

An egg sac is a case made of silk that contains the eggs of a female spider.

11 Main squeeze, in slang : BAE

“Bae” is a contemporary term of endearment. It is a pet name that is an abbreviation of “babe, baby”, although I’ve also read that it is an acronym standing for “before anyone else”.

12 Lunch menu letters : BLT

The BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) is the second-most popular sandwich in the US, after the plain old ham sandwich.

26 Clog or loafer : SHOE

Clogs are shoes made from wood, at least in part. The clog originated as a protective item of footwear for use by farm, factory and mine workers.

The loafer slip-on shoe dates back to 1939. “Loafer” was originally a brand name introduced by Fortnum and Mason’s store in London. The derivative term “penny loafer” arose in the late fifties or early sixties, although the exact etymology seems unclear.

27 Fork-tailed shorebird : TERN

Terns are a family of seabirds. They are similar to gulls, but are more slender and more lightly built. Many species of tern are known for their long-distance migrations, with the Arctic tern migrating so far that it is believed to see more daylight in a year than any other animal.

28 Army NCO : SSGT

A staff sergeant (SSgt.) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO).

32 High-spirited horse : ARABIAN

The Arab (also “Arabian”) breed of horse takes its name from its original home, the Arabian Peninsula. Like any animal that humans have over-bred, the horse falls prey to genetic diseases, some of which are fatal and some of which require the horse to be euthanized.

36 Sputnik letters : CCCP

The abbreviation CCCP stands for “Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик”, which translates from Russian as “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics”, the USSR.

The Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite towards the end of 1957. The first in a series of space missions, the satellite was just a 23-inch diameter “ball” trailing four antennas. Sputnik 2 was launched just a month later, and carried the first living passenger into orbit, namely a dog named Laika. The word “sputnik” means “co-traveller” in Russian.

37 “__ Croft: Tomb Raider” : LARA

“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” is a 2001 movie starring Angelina Jolie as the popular video game character. There was a sequel released in 2003 titled “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life” in which Jolie reprised her role. Alicia Vikander played Lara Croft in a 2018 series reboot called “Tomb Raider”.

38 Top Norse god : ODIN

In Norse mythology, Odin was the chief of the gods. He is usually depicted as having one eye, reflecting the story of how he gave one of his eyes in exchange for wisdom.

39 Flight safety org. : TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the agency that employs the good folks who check passengers and baggage at airports.

41 Toting clubs for a golfer : CADDYING

“Caddie” is a Scottish word, as one might expect given the history of the game of golf. “Caddie” is a local word derived from the French “cadet”, meaning a younger son or brother, and also a student officer in the military. The variant spelling “caddy” is quite common.

44 MLB’s Hank Aaron, e.g., in 21 seasons : ALL-STAR

The great Hank Aaron (“Hammerin’ Hank” or “the Hammer”) has many claims to fame. One notable fact is that he is the last major league baseball player to have also played in the Negro League.

Major League Baseball’s first All-Star Game was held as part of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. The longest All-Star games since then went to 15 innings, in 1967 and 2008, with the 2008 game lasting 4 hours and 50 minutes.

47 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, with “The” : … MIKADO

“The Mikado” is a wonderful comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, set in the exotic location of Japan. “Mikado” is a former term for the “Emperor of Japan”. In the opera, Ko-Ko is the name of the Lord High Executioner of Titipu.

48 Pitifully small : MEASLY

Back in the 17th century, someone measly was affected with measles. The use of “measly” to describe something insultingly small was initially recorded as slang in the mid-1800s.

49 “Burnt” crayon color : SIENNA

The shade known as “sienna” or “burnt sienna” was originally a pigment made from earth found around Siena in Tuscany.

56 Grandson of Adam : ENOS

Enos was the son of Seth, and therefore the grandson of Adam and Eve, and nephew of Cain and Abel. According to the ancient Jewish work called the Book of Jubilees, Enos married his own sister Noam.

57 One in handcuffs, for short : PERP

In cop-speak, a “perp” (perpetrator) might prey on a “vic” (victim).

58 Kazan with an honorary Oscar : ELIA

Elia Kazan won Oscars for best director in 1948 for “Gentleman’s Agreement” and in 1955 for “On The Waterfront”. In 1999 Kazan was given an Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also directed “East of Eden”, which introduced James Dean to movie audiences, and “Splendor in the Grass” that included Warren Beatty in his debut role.

59 Actress Gardner : AVA

Ava Gardner is noted for her association with some big movies, but also for her association with some big names when it came to the men in her life. In the world of film, she appeared in the likes of “Mogambo” (1953), “On the Beach” (1959), “The Night of the Iguana” (1964) and “Earthquake” (1974). The men in her life included husbands Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra.

60 Sun, in Sonora : SOL

Sonora is the state in Mexico that lies just south of Arizona and New Mexico. Sonora is the second-largest state in the country, after Chihuahua.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Evidence of fire : SMOKE
6 Phone call enders : BYES
10 Recedes to the sea : EBBS
14 Piglike rhino relative : TAPIR
15 Move like The Blob : OOZE
16 Strong wind : GALE
17 “__ you clever!” : AREN’T
18 Folklore meanie : OGRE
19 Stan on the sax : GETZ
20 Protection for extremities during slicing and dicing : FINGER GUARDS
23 Long-standing dispute : FEUD
24 Go public with : AIR
25 Brewery kilns : OASTS
29 Old-style timepieces attached to vests : POCKET WATCHES
33 GI chow : MRE
34 Many a retired racehorse : SIRE
35 The “O” in OAS: Abbr. : ORG
36 Least distant : CLOSEST
40 Coming into being : NASCENT
42 Rude dude : CAD
43 Travel document : VISA
45 Tropical “constrictor” : BOA
46 15-season CBS drama about the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit : CRIMINAL MINDS
50 Become frantic : PANIC
51 Meadowland : LEA
52 Uses a shovel : DIGS
55 Looks after, as suggested by the last word of 20-, 29- and 46-Across : KEEPS AN EYE ON
59 “The Thin Man” dog : ASTA
62 Lacrosse targets : NETS
63 Specialized vocab : LINGO
64 Null and __ : VOID
65 Like much testimony : ORAL
66 Word with circle or city : INNER …
67 Kibbles ‘n Bits competitor : ALPO
68 Agile : SPRY
69 Colorful marble : AGATE

Down

1 Employee group : STAFF
2 Curie with two Nobels : MARIE
3 Speak candidly : OPEN UP
4 Regal realms : KINGDOMS
5 Art Deco master : ERTE
6 __-woogie : BOOGIE
7 Dannon products : YOGURTS
8 Pound who was a friend of T.S. Eliot : EZRA
9 Tea leaves reader : SEER
10 Spider’s hatching pouch : EGG SAC
11 Main squeeze, in slang : BAE
12 Lunch menu letters : BLT
13 Utters, in slang : SEZ
21 Earns lots of, as dough : RAKES IN
22 Spoils, as a grandchild : DOTES ON
26 Clog or loafer : SHOE
27 Fork-tailed shorebird : TERN
28 Army NCO : SSGT
30 Narrow opening in a cliff : CREVICE
31 Take the title : WIN
32 High-spirited horse : ARABIAN
36 Sputnik letters : CCCP
37 “__ Croft: Tomb Raider” : LARA
38 Top Norse god : ODIN
39 Flight safety org. : TSA
41 Toting clubs for a golfer : CADDYING
44 MLB’s Hank Aaron, e.g., in 21 seasons : ALL-STAR
47 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, with “The” : … MIKADO
48 Pitifully small : MEASLY
49 “Burnt” crayon color : SIENNA
53 “__ it, Rover!”: “Fetch!” : GO GET
54 Keep a mate awake, perhaps : SNORE
56 Grandson of Adam : ENOS
57 One in handcuffs, for short : PERP
58 Kazan with an honorary Oscar : ELIA
59 Actress Gardner : AVA
60 Sun, in Sonora : SOL
61 Bit of advice : TIP

14 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 29 Jun 20, Monday”

  1. Fun easy puzzle and theme. 40a, only got it cuz everything else was done. Never heard that word before, and I’m not young.

  2. If you want to see some amazing Boogie Woogie piano playing, go to youtube and search for Boogie Woogie. There are a series of short clips showing people playing pianos which were set out in malls and stations for anyone to play. Several musicians drop in and really put on a show. 5 or 10 minutes, always puts a smile on my face.

      1. Tony– cool clip! Those kids look so young. I believe I’m getting leg cramps just watching them….🤗

  3. 12:48 with one VERY dumb error as a result of not paying close enough attention.
    Stay safe

  4. 7:44, no errors. Got off on the wrong foot with ASHES and ATEAM instead of SMOKE and STAFF, but eventually recovered my balance … 😜.

  5. 5:53 3 errors! Went with the wrong kind of testimony.

    Nascent is a lovely word. Nice to see it.

  6. 7 minutes, 33 seconds, no errors. Sent the wrong way on both ENOS and MEASLY in the bottom middle section, so had to do some corrections at the end.

  7. Pretty easy 100%, with only a couple of whiteovers. Knew all the words except
    BAE and NASCENT, but the border letters made them work.

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