LA Times Crossword 2 Aug 21, Monday

Advertisement

Constructed by: Joe Schewe
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Noteworthy

Themed answers each start with an accidental (SHARP, FLAT or NATURAL) used in music:

  • 60A Distinguished … and what 17-, 27- and 44-Across literally are? : NOTEWORTHY
  • 17A Space-saving TV display : FLAT SCREEN
  • 27A Deadeye : SHARPSHOOTER
  • 44A Cotton, wool or silk : NATURAL FIBER

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 5m 03s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Bounce off a wall : CAROM

A carom is a ricochet, the bouncing of some projectile off a surface. “Carom” has come to describe the banking of a billiard ball, the bouncing of the ball off the side of the table.

14 Faucet brand : MOEN

The Moen line of faucets was started in 1956 by inventor Alfred M. Moen. It was Moen who invented the first single-handed mixing faucet.

15 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.

19 Property measure : ACRE

At one time, an acre was defined as the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plow in a day. Then, an acre was more precisely defined as a strip of land “one furrow long” (i.e. one furlong) and one chain wide. The length of one furlong was equal to 10 chains, or 40 rods. An area of one furlong times 10 rods was one rood.

20 Mason of “The Goodbye Girl” : MARSHA

Actress Marsha Mason’s breakthrough role was the lead in the 1973 movie “Cinderella Liberty”, opposite James Caan. That performance earned her an Oscar nomination, as did her performance in 1977’s “The Goodbye Girl”, this time opposite Richard Dreyfuss. Mason met celebrated playwright Neil Simon in 1973 when he cast her in his Broadway play “The Good Doctor”. That same year, Simon and Marsh became romantically involved and married. More recently, Mason has been playing Patricia Heaton’s mother on the sitcom “The Middle”.

“The Goodbye Girl” is a 1977 film with a screenplay by the great playwright Neil Simon. The movie is a romantic comedy-drama, with the leads played by Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason. “The Goodbye Girl” was adapted into a Broadway musical that opened in 1993 starring Martin Short and Bernadette Peters heading the cast.

23 Tax form ID : SSN

Social Security number (SSN)

26 Camp bed : COT

Our word “cot”, meaning “small bed”, comes from the Hindi “khat”, meaning “couch, hammock”.

33 Jokes around : JAPES

“To jape” means “to joke or quip”. The exact origins of “jape” are unclear, but it does seem to come from Old French. In the mid-1600s, “to jape” was a slang term meaning “to have sex with”. No joke …!

37 2001 boxing biopic : ALI

“Ali” is a 2001 biographical movie about Muhammad Ali, with Will Smith in the title role. Among other things, the film is noted for its realistic fight scenes. The scenes were realistic because Smith was really being hit, as hard as his opponents could manage.

39 Does some sous-chef work : CHOPS

The “sous-chef de cuisine” (a French term) is the “under-chef of the kitchen”, the second-in-command.

41 “Roth” investment : IRA

Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (Roth IRAs) were introduced in 1997 under a bill sponsored by Senator William Roth of Delaware, hence the name.

42 Prohibition agent Ness : ELIOT

Eliot Ness was the Treasury agent charged with the task of bringing down the notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone. When Ness took on the job in 1930, Chicago law-enforcement agents were renowned for being corrupt, for being on the take. Ness handpicked 50 prohibition agents who he thought he could rely on, later reducing the group to a cadre of 15 and ultimately just 11 trusted men. That group of 11 earned the nickname “The Untouchables”, the agents who couldn’t be bought.

43 Its State Crustacean is lobster : MAINE

A few states have named state crustaceans, including:

  • Louisiana (crawfish)
  • Maryland (blue crab)
  • Oregon (Dungeness crab)
  • Maine (lobster)

48 Old PC monitor : CRT

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) … there aren’t many of them available in stores these days!

59 Longtime Hydrox rival : OREO

The Oreo cookie was introduced in 1912. The Oreo was intended to be a competitor to the very similar Hydrox cookie which had debuted four years earlier. The Oreo won the resulting battle on the grocery store shelves …

62 Seven-foot NBAer Nowitzki : DIRK

Dirk Nowitzki is an NBA player from Northern Bavaria in Germany. Nowitzki has scored more points in the NBA than any other foreign-born player in the league’s history. He also turns out for the German national team, for which is the captain. Indeed, Nowitzki was named German Sports Personality of the Year in 2011.

Down

1 Std. car radios : AM/FMS

Amplitude modulation/frequency modulation (AM/FM)

In telecommunications, a radio signal is transmitted using a sinusoidal carrier wave. Information is transmitted using this carrier wave in two main ways, by varying (modulating) the instantaneous amplitude (signal strength) of the carrier wave, and by modulating the instantaneous frequency of the carrier wave. The former is referred to as an AM signal (“amplitude modulation”), and the latter as an FM signal (“frequency modulation”).

2 Gauchos’ weapons : BOLAS

Bolas are heavy balls connected by cords that constitute a throwing weapon. Bolas are often used to capture animals by tripping them as they run. The weapon is usually associated with gauchos, South American cowboys, although there is evidence that the Inca army used them in battle.

4 Tolkien tree creatures : ENTS

Ents are 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”.

5 Insect that may live for 17 years : CICADA

Cicadas are insects that are found all over the world. Although they resemble locusts, cicadas are an unrelated family. The name “cicada” is Latin and translated as “tree cricket”. However, the name is imitative of the clicking sound the insect makes using parts of its exoskeleton known as “tymbals”.

6 LAX incoming abbr. : ARR

Arrival (arr.)

Los Angeles International Airport is the sixth busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic, and the busiest here on the West Coast of the US. The airport was opened in 1930 as Mines Field and was renamed to Los Angeles Airport in 1941. On the airport property is the iconic white structure that resembles a flying saucer. This is called the Theme Building and I believe it is mainly used as a restaurant and observation deck for the public. The airport used to be identified by the letters “LA”, but when the aviation industry went to a three-letter standard for airport identification, this was changed to “LAX”. Apparently, the “X” has no significant meaning.

7 Atoll barrier : REEF

An atoll is a coral island that is shaped in a ring that encloses a lagoon. There is still some debate as to how an atoll forms, but a theory proposed by Charles Darwin while on his famous voyage aboard HMS Beagle still holds sway. Basically, an atoll was once a volcanic island that had subsided and fallen into the sea. The coastline of the island is home to coral growth which persists even as the island continues to subside inside the circling coral reef.

8 __ Day VitaCraves : ONE A

One A Day is a line of multivitamins made by Bayer. One A Day was introduced way back in 1940.

9 Good people, from the Yiddish : MENSCHES

“Mensch” is a word that comes to us via Yiddish, and is ultimately derived from the German “mensch” meaning “human being”. We use the term to describe someone of integrity and honor.

10 Venetian market : RIALTO

The Rialto is the financial and commercial center of Venice, and has been so for centuries. One of the most famous features of the area is the Rialto Bridge that spans the Grand Canal.

11 Killer whale : ORCA

The taxonomic name for the killer whale is “Orcinus orca”. The use of the name “orca”, rather than “killer whale”, is becoming more and more common. The Latin word “Orcinus” means “belonging to Orcus”, with Orcus being the name for the Kingdom of the Dead.

18 Persian potentates : SHAHS

“Shah” was a title used by Persian emperors that translates into English as “king”. The full title in Persian is “Sahahsah”, which means “King of Kings”.

22 Donald or Daffy Duck : TOON

Donald Duck was created in 1934 by Walt Disney Productions, and first appeared in “The Wise Little Hen” in 1934. Donald’s full name is Donald Fauntleroy Duck.

Daffy Duck first appeared on the screen in “Porky’s Duck Hunt” in 1937. In the original cartoon, Daffy was just meant to have a small role, but he was a big hit as he had so much sass. Even back then, Daffy was voiced by the ubiquitous Mel Blanc.

25 TV advice show co-created by Oprah : DR PHIL

Dr. Phil (McGraw) met Oprah Winfrey when he was hired to work with her as a legal consultant during the Amarillo Texas beef trial (when the industry sued Oprah for libel over “Mad Cow Disease” statements). Oprah was impressed with Dr. Phil, and invited him onto her show. We haven’t stopped seeing him since …

27 “Savvy?” : SEE?

The term “savvy”, meaning “understanding”, comes from the French “savez-vous?”. The French phrase translates as “do you know?”

28 DA’s burden : PROOF

District attorney (DA)

29 Type of tank : SEPTIC

A septic tank is a sewage system that resides locally beside a house, on the property i.e. “on-lot”. The term “septic” is used generally to describe anything related to the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter, often with the emission of foul-smelling gases. Septic tanks usually rely on anaerobic bacteria to break down the solid waste that settles.

30 City curbside call : TAXI!

We call cabs “taxis”, a word derived from “taximeter cabs” that were introduced in London in 1907. A taximeter was an automated meter designed to record distance travelled and fare to be charged. The term “taximeter” evolved from “taxameter”, with “taxa” being Latin for “tax, charge”.

31 Distinctive style : ELAN

Our word “élan” was imported from French, in which language the word has a similar meaning to ours, i.e “style, flair”.

32 “The __ of the Ancient Mariner” : RIME

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is an epic poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge that was first published in 1798. The publication of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is said to mark the beginning of the Romantic period of British literature. Perhaps the lines most often quoted from the poem are:

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where
Nor any drop to drink

34 Taj Mahal city : AGRA

Agra is a medieval city on the banks of the river Yamuna in India. Agra was also the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1658. The city is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

  • The Taj Mahal: the famous mausoleum built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal.
  • Agra Fort: the site where the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond was seized.
  • Fatehpur Sikri: a historic city that’s home to well-preserved Mughal architecture.

35 Surveyor’s map : PLAT

A plat is a map showing actual and planned features, so a town might have a plat showing existing and intended buildings.

39 Benny Goodman’s “licorice stick” : CLARINET

Clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman was known as the King of Swing.

42 Greek Cupid : EROS

The name of Eros, the Greek god of love, gives rise to our word “erotic” meaning “arousing sexual desire”. Eros was referred to in Latin as both “Amor” (meaning “love”) and “Cupid” (meaning “desire”).

43 MGM’s first “M” : METRO

The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film studio was founded in 1924 by Marcus Loew. Loew was already a successful movie theater owner when he purchased Metro Pictures Corporation in 1919, and then Goldwyn Pictures in 1924. Later in 1924, Loew also purchased Louis B. Mayer Pictures, mainly so that Louis B. Mayer could merge all three studios and run them himself as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

45 Disconnect, as oxen : UNYOKE

A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of animals so that they are forced to work together.

46 Milwaukee MLBer : BREWER

The Milwaukee Brewers Major League Baseball (MLB) team was founded in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots. The Pilots only played one season in Seattle before going bankrupt, relocating to Milwaukee and adopting the “Brewers” name. At that time, the Brewers were playing in the American League, and joined the National League in 1998. Only two MLB teams have switched leagues, the other being the Houston Astros.

49 Bar, in court : ESTOP

The term “estop” means to block or stop by using some legal device. “Estop” comes from Old French, in which “estopper” means “to stop up” or “to impede”.

50 India’s first prime minister : NEHRU

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister of India, serving from 1947-64. Nehru was basically the heir to his mentor Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru’s only daughter Indira, also became prime minister (known as Indira Gandhi through marriage, though she was not related to Mahatma).

54 Shipping hazard : BERG

An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that is floating freely after having broken away from a glacier or ice shelf. Our use of “iceberg” comes from the Dutch word for the same phenomenon “ijsberg”, which translates literally as “ice mountain”.

55 Tin-painting art : TOLE

Tole is metalware that has been lacquered or enameled, and usually painted or gilded. “Tôle” is the French word for “sheet metal”.

61 Tokyo, formerly : EDO

“Edo” is the former name of the Japanese city of Tokyo. Edo was the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal regime that ruled from 1603 until 1868. The shogun lived in the magnificent Edo Castle. Some parts of the original castle remain and today’s Tokyo Imperial Palace, the residence of the Emperor of Japan, was built on its grounds.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Up to the task : ABLE
5 Bounce off a wall : CAROM
10 __ ‘n’ roll : ROCK
14 Faucet brand : MOEN
15 Goodnight woman of song : IRENE
16 Wrinkle remover : IRON
17 Space-saving TV display : FLAT SCREEN
19 Property measure : ACRE
20 Mason of “The Goodbye Girl” : MARSHA
21 Life in it is exciting but risky : FAST LANE
23 Tax form ID : SSN
24 Do sum work : ADD
26 Camp bed : COT
27 Deadeye : SHARPSHOOTER
33 Jokes around : JAPES
36 Primp : PREEN
37 2001 boxing biopic : ALI
38 Eye creepily : OGLE
39 Does some sous-chef work : CHOPS
40 Word after final or physical : … EXAM
41 “Roth” investment : IRA
42 Prohibition agent Ness : ELIOT
43 Its State Crustacean is lobster : MAINE
44 Cotton, wool or silk : NATURAL FIBER
47 Neither’s partner : NOR
48 Old PC monitor : CRT
49 Deep __: diving area : END
52 Watches kids for cash : BABYSITS
57 End opposite the pencil point : ERASER
59 Longtime Hydrox rival : OREO
60 Distinguished … and what 17-, 27- and 44-Across literally are? : NOTEWORTHY
62 Seven-foot NBAer Nowitzki : DIRK
63 Give the slip to : ELUDE
64 Extra : MORE
65 Barely beat : EDGE
66 Opera hero, often : TENOR
67 On the __ of the moment: impulsively : SPUR

Down

1 Std. car radios : AM/FMS
2 Gauchos’ weapons : BOLAS
3 Memorize : LEARN
4 Tolkien tree creatures : ENTS
5 Insect that may live for 17 years : CICADA
6 LAX incoming abbr. : ARR
7 Atoll barrier : REEF
8 __ Day VitaCraves : ONE A
9 Good people, from the Yiddish : MENSCHES
10 Venetian market : RIALTO
11 Killer whale : ORCA
12 Kerneled veggie : CORN
13 Commonly replaced joint : KNEE
18 Persian potentates : SHAHS
22 Donald or Daffy Duck : TOON
25 TV advice show co-created by Oprah : DR PHIL
27 “Savvy?” : SEE?
28 DA’s burden : PROOF
29 Type of tank : SEPTIC
30 City curbside call : TAXI!
31 Distinctive style : ELAN
32 “The __ of the Ancient Mariner” : RIME
33 Become a member : JOIN
34 Taj Mahal city : AGRA
35 Surveyor’s map : PLAT
39 Benny Goodman’s “licorice stick” : CLARINET
40 12-Down unit : EAR
42 Greek Cupid : EROS
43 MGM’s first “M” : METRO
45 Disconnect, as oxen : UNYOKE
46 Milwaukee MLBer : BREWER
49 Bar, in court : ESTOP
50 India’s first prime minister : NEHRU
51 Washer’s partner : DRYER
52 Foreshadow : BODE
53 Dry as a bone : ARID
54 Shipping hazard : BERG
55 Tin-painting art : TOLE
56 Daze : STUN
58 Refs raise them to signal a successful field goal : ARMS
61 Tokyo, formerly : EDO

13 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 2 Aug 21, Monday”

  1. 6:55, no errors. A Monday puzzle so theme was not needed or noticed; too bad, it’s kind of clever imo…

  2. About 10 min. no errors…how can 3:39 be a little harder than ANYTHING?
    Stay safe😀

  3. No errors; pretty easy Monday. “Japes” for jokes around was
    unfamiliar to me though.

  4. Easy Monday, as it should be. TOON should be referred to as an abbrev.

    @Anon Mike – you’ve probably seen TOLEware and didn’t know it was called that. Take a look on Etsy. A lot of trays, for sure.

  5. Easy-peasy 7:23 with no errors or lookups. Did have to change PREPS>CHOPS when working the intersecting downs.

  6. 3:56

    I think this might be the first time I finished a Monday under 4 minutes.

    Theme was something to admire after I was done.

    I learned two words: PLAT and TOLE.

  7. Mostly easy; took 13:56 done at a leisurely pace with 1 error. Just couldn’t get MOE_/E_TS. I tried R, F and finally just did an alphabet roll, which got the “N” that I needed for the banner…sheesh!

    And, after a recent faucet leak, I think the plumber replaced it with a Moen! Or, at least it looks like one of the examples I googled; mine doesn’t have a name tag on it.

    Just don’t know my Hobbit stuff at all. And I’m not really interested.

    Nice to see my namesake!

  8. Hi Folks!!!!🤗
    Hey Dirk– I noticed you there, lurking in the southwest!!🙃

    Easy Monday, as usual, but I didn’t catch onto the theme when I was done — didn’t think notes. PLAT and TOLE were new for me too. 👍🏻

    I’m taking classes online — it leaves less time for puzzles so I haven’t checked in here for awhile. Its great to see everyone!! 🤗

    Be well ~~🎡 The multicolored ferris wheel is as close as I can get to an Olympic symbol…..

  9. I’m 72 years old and work as much of your puzzle as I can figure out (very difficult) I enjoy it and just recently found out what all of the clues mean. I find this very helpful and useful. Thank you, it must be difficult to make a puzzle.

Comments are closed.