LA Times Crossword 10 Oct 21, Sunday

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Constructed by: David Alfred Bywaters
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: Moonlighting

Themed answers are common phrases starting with a gerund, and reinterpreted as professionals moonlighting in other jobs:

  • 22A Exec working as a lifeguard? : DIVING SUIT
  • 32A Sailors working as aromatherapists? : SMELLING SALTS
  • 49A Committee head working as a lead guitarist? : ROCKING CHAIR
  • 63A NBA players working as Instacart employees? : SHOPPING CENTERS
  • 84A Comics working as phone solicitors? : CALLING CARDS
  • 97A Author’s rep working as a janitor? : CLEANING AGENT
  • 114A Football player working as a tailor? : FITTING END

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

Bill’s time: 13m 27s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 2017 Dan Stevens fantasy title role : BEAST

Disney’s 2017 romantic fantasy film “Beauty and the Beast” is based on the animated movie the same studio released in 1991. In turn, 1991’s “Beauty and the Beast” was an adaptation of the 18th-century version of the fairy tale “La Belle et la Bête” written by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Emma Watson and Dan Stevens play the title roles in the 2017 film, with both performances garnering critical acclaim.

Dan Stevens is an actor from London who came to prominence playing Matthew Crawley on the period drama “Downton Abbey”. After leaving “Downton”, he played the Beast in the 2017 Disney hit “Beauty and the Beast”, opposite Emma Watson.

10 Units of resistance : OHMS

The unit of electrical resistance is the ohm (with the symbol omega) named after German physicist Georg Simon Ohm. Ohm was the guy who established experimentally that the amount of current flowing through a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage applied, (V=IR) a relationship that every school kid knows as Ohm’s Law.

14 Stop running, with “out” : CONK …

The phrase “conk out” was coined by airmen during WWI, and was used to describe the stalling of an engine.

19 Aerie occupant : EAGLE

An aerie (sometimes “eyrie”) is an eagle’s nest. The term “aerie” can also more generally describe any bird’s nest that is located on a cliff or a mountaintop.

24 Speaks in Spanish : HABLA

“Habla español?” is Spanish for “Do you speak Spanish?” “Aquí se habla español” translates as “Spanish is spoken here”.

27 Accessory for Astaire : TAP

Dancer, actor and singer Fred Astaire never won a competitive Academy Award, and received just one nomination: for Best Supporting Actor in 1974’s “The Towering Inferno”. However, was presented with an honorary Academy Award in the 1949 season “for his unique artistry and his contributions to the technique of musical pictures”. That honorary Oscar was presented by his longtime film and dance partner Ginger Rogers.

28 .000001 meters : MICRON

The measurement of length called a micron (plural “micra”) is more correctly referred to as a micrometer (or “micrometre”). One micron is equivalent to one millionth of a meter.

32 Sailors working as aromatherapists? : SMELLING SALTS

“Sea dog” and “old salt” are familiar terms for a sailor, especially one that has lots of experience.

The active ingredient in smelling salts is usually ammonium carbonate, which releases ammonia gas when mixed with alcohol. When the activated salts are held under the nose, the ammonia irritates the mucous membranes causing an inhalation reflex action.

41 City near Nîmes : ARLES

Quite a few years ago now, I had the privilege of living just a short car-ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although Arles has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a prevailing influence over the city’s design. Arles has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place Vincent van Gogh often visited, and was where he painted many of his most famous works, including “Cafe Terrace at Night” and “Bedroom in Arles”.

Nîmes is a lovely city in the south of France. One of the claims to fame of the city is the invention of denim fabric. The French phrase “de Nîmes” (from Nîmes) gives us the word “denim”. Also, the French phrase “bleu de Gênes” (blue of Genoa) gives us our word “jeans”.

46 Crossword constructor’s chore : CLUEING

“Cruciverbalist” is a term developed in the 1990s to describe crossword enthusiasts. The word comes from the Latin for cross (crux) and word (verbum). “Cruciverbalist” is sometimes limited to those who actually construct the puzzles. Over on the other side of the Atlantic, we often call such people “setters”.

52 Fawn’s mom : DOE

A fawn is a young deer, usually one less than a year old.

53 Bolt with great speed : USAIN

Usain Bolt is a Jamaican sprinter who won the 100m and 200m race gold medals in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Back in Jamaica, Bolt was really into cricket, and probably would have been a very successful fast bowler had he not hit the track instead.

55 Site of Napoleon’s exile : ELBA

Napoleon was sent into exile twice. A coalition of European powers sent him to the island of Elba in Tuscany in 1814, only for him to escape after a year and return to power. After Wellington defeated him at Waterloo, Napoleon was dispatched to the British-owned island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic, where he spent the last six years of his life.

56 “The __ is silence”: Hamlet’s last words : REST

In William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”, the title character dies uttering the lines:

O! I die, Horatio;
The potent poison quite o’er-crows my spirit:
I cannot live to hear the news from England,
But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited—The rest is silence.

57 Good guy : MENSCH

“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.

76 Bone: Pref. : OSTE-

The prefix “osteo-” is a combining form meaning “bone”. The term comes from “steon”, the Greek for “bone”.

78 St. with a panhandle : FLA

What we know as the US state of Florida, was named by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who led the first Europeans to the area in 1513. The actual name he used was “La Florida”, Spanish for “the Flowery (Land)”.

The Florida Panhandle is in the Central Time Zone, whereas the rest of the state is in the Eastern Time Zone.

82 Rehab symptoms : DTS

The episodes of delirium that can accompany withdrawal from alcohol are called delirium tremens (the DTs). The literal translation of this Latin phrase is “trembling madness”.

83 It might be on a stickie : MEMO

The Post-it note was invented at 3M following the accidental discovery of a low-tack, reusable adhesive. The actual intent of the development program was the discovery of a super-strong adhesive.

84 Comics working as phone solicitors? : CALLING CARDS

A very amusing person might be referred to as a card, stitch, wag or riot.

90 Traditional song with the line “Je te plumerai” : ALOUETTE

The French-Canadian children’s song starts with, “Alouette, gentille alouette …” “Alouette” is the French word for a bird, the “lark”. The song is actually pretty gruesome, even though it was used to teach children the names of body parts. The origin of the song lies in the French colonists’ penchant for eating larks, which they considered to be game birds. So in the song, the singer tells the lark that he/she will pluck off one-by-one the lark’s head, nose, eyes, wings and tail.

92 Workplace standards org. : OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

93 Sunlit lobbies : ATRIA

In modern architecture, an atrium (plural “atria” or “atriums”) is a large open space usually in the center of a building and extending upwards to the roof. The original atrium was an open court in the center of an Ancient Roman house. One could access most of the enclosed rooms of the house from the atrium.

95 “Gloria in Excelsis __” : DEO

“Gloria in excelsis Deo” is a Latin hymn, the title of which translates as “Glory to God in the Highest”.

96 Overdo the sweetness : CLOY

To cloy is to cause distaste by oversupplying something that would otherwise be pleasant, especially something with a sweet taste.

105 “__ Dark Materials”: HBO fantasy series : HIS

“His Dark Materials” is a fantasy television series based on the epic trilogy of novels of the same name by Philip Pullman. Not for me …

113 Hanukkah potato pancake : LATKE

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

121 Equine hue : ROAN

A roan horse has an even mixture of white and colored hairs on the body with the head, lower legs, mane and tail having a more solid color.

122 Cleopatra’s kingdom : EGYPT

Cleopatra was the last pharaoh to rule Egypt. After she died, Egypt became a province in the Roman Empire.

Down

1 Composition conclusion : CODA

In music, a coda is primarily a passage that brings a movement to a conclusion. “Coda” is Italian for “tail”.

6 “It is the __, and Juliet is the sun”: Romeo : EAST

There’s a famous couplet in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” spoken by Romeo as he spots Juliet above him at a window or on a balcony:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Romeo continues with:

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.

I reckon Romeo is smitten …

7 Liquido claro : AGUA

In Spanish, “agua” (water) is a “liquido clara” (clear liquid).

9 Asian festival : 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.

10 Expert in futures? : ORACLE

In ancient Greece and Rome, an oracle was someone believed to be inspired by the gods to give wise counsel. The word “oracle” derives from the Latin “orare” meaning “to speak”, which is the same root for our word “orator”. One of the most important oracles of ancient Greece was Pythia, the high priestess to Apollo at Delphi.

17 Joints with caps : KNEES

The patella is the kneecap. The bone’s Latin name is “patella”, which is a diminutive form of “patina”, the word for “pan”. The idea is that the kneecap is pan-shaped.

28 Word of Gallic gratitude : MERCI

“Thank you” translates to “merci” in French, “gracias” in Spanish, and “danke” in German.

The Gauls were a Celtic race, with Gaul covering what is now known as France and Belgium. We use the term “Gallic” today, when we refer to something pertaining to France or the French.

33 Greek goddess for whom a spring month is named : MAIA

Maia is one of the Pleiades of Greek mythology, and is the eldest of the Seven Sisters. The month of May is named for Maia.

34 “Divine Comedy” focus : SOUL

In Dante’s epic poem “The Divine Comedy”, the poet journeys through the three realms of the dead. The Roman poet Virgil guides Dante through Hell and Purgatory. Dante is guided through Heaven by Beatrice, the poet’s ideal of womanhood Beatrice

37 Like ancient Peru : INCAN

The Inca people emerged as a tribe around the 12th century, in what today is southern Peru. The Incas developed a vast empire over the next 300 years, extending along most of the western side of South America. The Empire fell to the Spanish, finally dissolving in 1572 with the execution of Túpac Amaru, the last Incan Emperor.

40 Pilate’s “Behold!” : ECCE!

Pontius Pilate was the judge at the trial of Jesus Christ and the man who authorized his crucifixion. Over the years, many scholars have suggested that Pilate was a mythical character. However, a block of limestone was found in 1961 in the modern-day city of Caesarea in Israel, and in the block was an inscription that included the name of Pontius Pilate, citing him as Prefect of Judea.

44 Small recipe quantity : PINCH

In cooking, the terms “dash”, “pinch” and “smidgen” can all be used for a very small measure, one that is often undefined. However, you can in fact buy some measuring spoons that define these amounts as follows:

  • a dash is 1/8 teaspoon
  • a pinch is 1/16 teaspoon
  • a smidgen is 1/32 teaspoon

45 With 100-Down, 1951 horror film whose title role was played by James Arness : THE …
(100 See 45-Down : … THING)

James Arness played the role of Matt Dillon, Marshal of Dodge City, on “Gunsmoke” for twenty years. If you count the occasions when he reprised the role for specials, he actually performed as Matt Dillon over five decades. Did you know that the real name of Peter Graves, the actor who played Jim Phelps on “Mission: Impossible”, was Peter Arness, as he and James were brothers?

The 1951 film “The Thing” was actually released as “The Thing from Another World”. It is a sci-fi horror piece, so not my cup of tea. What I find most interesting about the movie is that James Arness (who played Marshall Matt Dillon on “Gunsmoke”) portrays the title “creature”. That said, he is in such heavy makeup and costume that he is really unrecognizable on screen.

46 Ark unit : CUBIT

According to the Bible’s Book of Genesis, Noah was instructed to build his ark 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. That’s about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.

51 Custard dessert : FLAN

Flan (also “crème caramel”) is a delicious dessert comprising a molded custard topped with a clear caramel sauce. The related crème brûlée is a dessert made from molded custard with a hard, burnt caramel layer on top.

55 Salem-to-Boise dir. : ESE

Salem is the state capital of Oregon. It is thought that the city takes its name from the older city of Salem, Massachusetts.

Boise, Idaho is the capital and the largest metropolitan area in the state by far. There are a number of stories pertaining to the etymology of the name “Boise”. One is that French trappers called the tree-lined river that ran through the area “la rivière boisée”, meaning “the wooded river”.

56 Nation in a Fleming title : RUSSIA

“From Russia, with Love” is the fifth James Bond novel written by author Ian Fleming. The book was adapted into the second Bond movie, one starring Sean Connery. Apparently, President John F. Kennedy listed “From Russia, with Love” as one of his ten favorite books.

59 Santa __ winds : ANA

The Santa Ana winds are the very dry air currents that sweep offshore late in the year in Southern California. Because these air currents are so dry, they are noted for their influence over forest fires in the area, especially in the heat of the fall. The winds arise from a buildup of air pressure in the Great Basin that lies between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. Under the right conditions, that air spills over the peaks of the Sierra Nevada and basically “falls” down the side of the Sierra range, heading for the ocean. As the air falls it becomes drier and heats up so that relative humidity can fall to below 10% by the time it hits the coast.

60 Army NCO : SGT

A non-commissioned officer (NCO) might be a sergeant (sgt.) or a corporal (cpl.).

64 Poe output, aptly : POEMS

Edgar Allan Poe enlisted in the US Army when he was 18 years old, although he claimed to be 22 at the time and used the false name “Edgar A. Perry”. While serving at Fort Independence in Boston Harbor, Poe released his first book “Tamerlane and Other Poems”, of which there are purported to be only 12 copies left in existence. Poe negotiated his way out of a 5-year obligation to the army by arranging entry to West Point. He managed to cut short his time at West Point by purposely getting court-martialed for gross neglect of duty and disobeying orders. Soon after returning to civilian life, Poe published his third volume of poems, with financing provided by several of his West Point classmates. Simply titled “Poems”, the work includes the line “To the U.S. Corps of Cadets this volume is respectfully dedicated”.

65 Game played on horseback : POLO

The sport of polo originated in Iran, possibly before the 5th century BC. Polo was used back then primarily as a training exercise for cavalry units.

67 Auto pioneering partner : ROYCE

Henry Royce founded the Rolls-Royce company in 1904 with his partner, Charles Rolls. Royce died at 70 years of age in 1933. His last words were, reportedly, “I wish I had spent more time in the office …”

69 Studier of signs : ASTROLOGER

In astronomical terms, the zodiac is a group of 13 constellations that together form a roughly circular pattern in the night sky. Most of these constellations are named for animals, which explains why the word “zodiac” comes from the Greek “zodiakos” meaning “circle of little animals”. We can’t see the whole Zodiac at any one time in the year, but one constellation does dominate the sky every four weeks. In astrological terms, there are only 12 signs of the zodiac. Astrologists skip the constellation Ophiuchus (visible November/December). Ophiuchus is the serpent bearer.

73 National Poetry Month : APRIL

April was chosen as National Poetry Month by the Academy of American Poets in 1996.

78 Seasonal affliction : FLU

Influenza (the “flu”) is an ailment that is caused by a virus. The virus is readily inactivated by the use of soap, so washing hands and surfaces is especially helpful in containing flu outbreaks … and other virus pandemics …

84 Freighters’ loads : CARGOES

Cargo is freight carried by some vehicle. The term “cargo” comes into English via Spanish, ultimately deriving from the Latin “carricare” meaning “to load on a cart”.

87 Pontiac muscle cars : GTOS

The Pontiac GTO was produced by GM from 1964 to 1974, and again by a GM subsidiary in Australia from 2004 to 2006. The original GTO’s design is credited to Pontiac chief engineer at the time John DeLorean, who later founded the DeLorean Motor Company.

93 Mystery award namesake : AGATHA

The Agathas are literary awards given annually for mystery and crime writers producing exceptional works in the “cozy mystery” genre. “Cozies” are crime fiction in which there is a dearth of sex and violence, and in which the crime is committed and solved in a small community or gathering. The awards are named for the queen of the cozy mystery genre, Agatha Christie.

97 Philanthropist Barton : CLARA

Clara Barton was deeply disturbed by her experiences caring for the wounded during the Civil War. She dedicated herself after the war towards American recognition of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The American Red Cross was inevitably formed, in 1881, and Barton was installed as its first president.

111 Binged (on), as junk food : OD’ED

Overdose (OD)

115 Hairy Addams family member : ITT

In the television sitcom “The Addams Family”, the family had a frequent visitor called Cousin Itt. Itt is a short man with long hair that runs from his head to the floor. Cousin Itt was played by Italian actor Felix Silla.

They’re creepy and they’re kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They’re altogether ooky,
The Addams Family.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Milk consumer : CALF
5 2017 Dan Stevens fantasy title role : BEAST
10 Units of resistance : OHMS
14 Stop running, with “out” : CONK …
18 Like zeroes : OVAL
19 Aerie occupant : EAGLE
20 Heartless : CRUEL
21 Shortly, once : ANON
22 Exec working as a lifeguard? : DIVING SUIT
24 Speaks in Spanish : HABLA
25 Stalwart political group : BASE
26 “Accidents will happen,” e.g. : ADAGE
27 Accessory for Astaire : TAP
28 .000001 meters : MICRON
29 Head for the hills : FLEE
30 Word of technique : HOW
32 Sailors working as aromatherapists? : SMELLING SALTS
35 Narrow opening : SLIT
38 Sole : ONE
41 City near Nîmes : ARLES
42 Rough words? : OR SO
43 Truckload unit : TON
44 Source of perfection, so they say : PRACTICE
46 Crossword constructor’s chore : CLUEING
49 Committee head working as a lead guitarist? : ROCKING CHAIR
51 Stimulate : FUEL
52 Fawn’s mom : DOE
53 Bolt with great speed : USAIN
54 Get a look at : SEE
55 Site of Napoleon’s exile : ELBA
56 “The __ is silence”: Hamlet’s last words : REST
57 Good guy : MENSCH
59 “To repeat … ” : AS I SAID …
62 Puts to work : USES
63 NBA players working as Instacart employees? : SHOPPING CENTERS
68 Badly hurt : MAIM
71 Not in time : TOO LATE
72 “I’m not buying that!” : NO SALE!
76 Bone: Pref. : OSTE-
77 Inform : TELL
78 St. with a panhandle : FLA
81 “Uh-oh!” : YIPES!
82 Rehab symptoms : DTS
83 It might be on a stickie : MEMO
84 Comics working as phone solicitors? : CALLING CARDS
88 Correction tools : ERASERS
90 Traditional song with the line “Je te plumerai” : ALOUETTE
91 Call __ day : IT A
92 Workplace standards org. : OSHA
93 Sunlit lobbies : ATRIA
95 “Gloria in Excelsis __” : DEO
96 Overdo the sweetness : CLOY
97 Author’s rep working as a janitor? : CLEANING AGENT
101 Chic retreat : SPA
103 Security device : LOCK
104 Church official : DEACON
105 “__ Dark Materials”: HBO fantasy series : HIS
108 Sound : AUDIO
112 Farm prefix : AGRI-
113 Hanukkah potato pancake : LATKE
114 Football player working as a tailor? : FITTING END
116 React to a shock : REEL
117 Cultural values : ETHOS
118 City map, sometimes : INSET
119 Not just dislike : HATE
120 Pretentious : ARTY
121 Equine hue : ROAN
122 Cleopatra’s kingdom : EGYPT
123 Walked : TROD

Down

1 Composition conclusion : CODA
2 Ardent : AVID
3 Volcanic output : LAVA
4 Small sampling, as of various beers : FLIGHT
5 Implore : BEG
6 “It is the __, and Juliet is the sun”: Romeo : EAST
7 Liquido claro : AGUA
8 Loses traction : SLIPS
9 Asian festival : TET
10 Expert in futures? : ORACLE
11 Overreaching self-confidence : HUBRIS
12 Dieter’s breakfast : MELON
13 Much street talk : SLANG
14 A subway rider might save it : CAB FARE
15 From every direction : ON ALL SIDES
16 In close opposition : NOSE-TO-NOSE
17 Joints with caps : KNEES
20 Scary story : CHILLER
23 Modernist : NEO
28 Word of Gallic gratitude : MERCI
31 Frayed : WORN
33 Greek goddess for whom a spring month is named : MAIA
34 “Divine Comedy” focus : SOUL
35 Neither bow nor pick : STRUM
36 Unsecured : LOOSE
37 Like ancient Peru : INCAN
39 Bugs : NAGS
40 Pilate’s “Behold!” : ECCE!
44 Small recipe quantity : PINCH
45 With 100-Down, 1951 horror film whose title role was played by James Arness : THE …
46 Ark unit : CUBIT
47 Heavy : LEADEN
48 Comes into : GETS
50 Affectionate invitation : KISS ME
51 Custard dessert : FLAN
55 Salem-to-Boise dir. : ESE
56 Nation in a Fleming title : RUSSIA
58 More torrid : HOTTER
59 Santa __ winds : ANA
60 Army NCO : SGT
61 Cooling cubes : ICE
64 Poe output, aptly : POEMS
65 Game played on horseback : POLO
66 Badly : ILL
67 Auto pioneering partner : ROYCE
68 Fashion : MODE
69 Studier of signs : ASTROLOGER
70 “I can’t tell” : IT’S A SECRET
73 National Poetry Month : APRIL
74 Brought about : LED TO
75 Long exam answer : ESSAY
78 Seasonal affliction : FLU
79 Wasn’t true : LIED
80 Poker hand staple : ANTE
83 Intend : MEAN
84 Freighters’ loads : CARGOES
85 From far away (perhaps very far) : ALIEN
86 Bank offering : LOAN
87 Pontiac muscle cars : GTOS
89 With uncertainty : SHAKILY
93 Mystery award namesake : AGATHA
94 Add at the end : TACK ON
96 Came down with : CAUGHT
97 Philanthropist Barton : CLARA
98 Do-nothing : IDLER
99 Cool kin : NEATO
100 See 45-Down : … THING
102 Critical critique : PAN
106 Wee : ITSY
107 Dance part : STEP
109 Letter opening : DEAR …
110 Fond of : INTO
111 Binged (on), as junk food : OD’ED
114 “Shame on thee!” : FIE!
115 Hairy Addams family member : ITT

13 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword 10 Oct 21, Sunday”

  1. To go through the weekend with 3 DNF only to finish this one and have one error (TORN for WORN ) is very discouraging to say the least😂
    Stay safe😀
    Go Ravens.

  2. 17:04

    A fun Sunday puzzle that comes to a FITTINGEND.

    THE THING and its remakes are considered to be a classic SF story, but I have managed to avoid seeing any of them. It reminds me that James Arness’s brother, Peter Graves, starred in a much cheesier movie, It Conquered the World. This is best watched with the assistance of robots as an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Its fitting end is a hilariously ponderous speech that begins: “He learned almost too late, that man is a feeling creature … and, because of it, the greatest in the universe.”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9iC7DvuD3s

  3. Bill,
    Ref: James Arness writeup.. is he “really recognizable”? Or “really UNrecognizable”?

    1 foopah today. Wrote CARFARE for 14D instead of CABFARE.

    1. Thx, Anon Mike. That error was forgivable, I mean, unforgivable. As always, I appreciate the help.

  4. Decided to do the Sunday for a change; took 36:10 with no errors or peeks…pretty easy actually. I just took my time as it was a Sunday.

    Stay safe 🙂
    Go Giants (That’s a baseball team)

  5. 23:40 with no errors or lookups. Two small changes made from TINY>ITSY and FELL>REEL (yes, for that, the clue would have been “ReactED to a shock). A clever theme.

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