LA Times Crossword Answers 6 Feb 14, Thursday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Jill Denny & Jeff Chen
THEME: Top Dog … today’s main themed answers are in the down direction, and feature a DOG at the TOP (at the start of each answer). And, if you squint a bit, the black squares of the grid look like a pooch’s face:

2D. Fruit of ancient Persia POMEGRANATE (giving “pom”)
8D. Numbskull CHOWDERHEAD (giving “chow”)
11D. Daedalus’ creation LABYRINTH (giving “lab”)
12D. Combativeness PUGNACITY (giving “pug”)

4A. 62-Across coat FUR
38A. Strokes a 62-Across PETS
50A. Big enchilada LEADER OF THE PACK

60A. With 62-Across, a hint to the starts of this puzzle’s four longest Down answers TOP
62A. See 60-Across DOG

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 09m 30s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Easter season: Abbr. SPR
The Easter holiday takes place in spring (spr.)

10. Long, on Molokai LOA
Mauna Loa on the “big island” of Hawaii is the largest volcano on the planet (in terms of volume). The name “Mauna Loa” is Hawaiian for “Long Mountain”.

13. Pi follower RHO
Rho is the Greek letter that looks just like our Roman letter “p”.

15. Chic “Bye” ADIEU
“Adieu” is the French for “goodbye” or “farewell”, from “à Dieu” meaning “to God”.

21. Reminiscent of venison GAMY
“Venison” is the meat of a deer. In days of yore, the term applied not just to deer, but to any large game. The word “venison” ultimately derives from the Latin “venare” meaning “to hunt”.

30. Annabella of “The Sopranos” SCIORRA
The actress Annabella Sciorra played Tony Soprano’s lover on HBO’s “The Sopranos”. I also remember her as the tormented mother in “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”.

35. Computer that once came in “flavors” IMAC
The iMac is a desktop computer platform from Apple introduced in 1998. One of the main features of the iMac is an “all-in-one” design, with the computer console and monitor integrated. The iMac also came in a range of colors, that Apple marketed as “flavors”, such strawberry, blueberry and lime.

39. Greek cheese FETA
Feta is a Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk, or a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk. The cheese is salted and cured in a brine solution for several months before it is eaten.

40. First name in one-liners HENNY
Henny Youngman was comedian known for his one-liners, most famously “Take my wife – please!” Youngman grew up in Brooklyn, New York but was actually born in Liverpool in England.

41. Actress Charlotte et al. RAES
Charlotte Rae is an American actress, best known for playing the character Edna Garrett on two sitcoms from the seventies and eighties: “Diff’rent Strokes” and “The Facts of Life”. Towards the end of the series, the Edna Garrett character operated her own gourmet food shop called “Edna’s Edibles”.

42. Fountain near the Spanish Steps TREVI
The Trevi Fountain is a huge fountain in Rome, the largest constructed in the Baroque style. The tradition is that if one throws a coin in the fountain then one is guaranteed a return visit to the city. Tourists throw in an amazing 3,000 euros (over $4,000) every day. The money is collected and is used to stock a supermarket for the needy of the city.

Rome’s Spanish Steps are known locally as the “Scalinata” and are a set of 135 steps the sit above the Piazza di Spagna. The Spanish Steps are the actually the widest staircase in Europe. They always remind me of the movie “Roman Holiday”, as that is where Audrey Hepburn ate her gelato.

45. __’acte ENTR
The term entr’acte comes to us from French, and is the interval between two acts (“entre” deux “actes”) of a theatrical performance. It often describes some entertainment provided during that interval.

48. Flute part STEM
The narrow bowl of a champagne flute is preferred over the wide bowl of a champagne coupe as the smaller surface area of the wine helps retain its carbonation.

50. Big enchilada LEADER OF THE PACK
“Enchilada” is the past participle of the Spanish word “enchilar” meaning “to add chile pepper to”. An enchilada is a basically a corn tortilla rolled around some filling and then covered in chili pepper sauce. The term “big enchilada” is used in the same way as we would use “big cheese” i.e. the top dog. The phrase was popularized in the sixties when John Ehrlichman refers to Attorney General John Mitchell as “the big enchilada” on one of the Watergate Tapes.

59. Fawn spawner DOE
A fawn is a young deer, often less than a year old.

Down
2. Fruit of ancient Persia POMEGRANATE (giving “pom”)
The Pomeranian is a breed of small dog, named for the Pomerania region of Europe (part of eastern Germany and northern Poland). The breed was much loved by the royalty of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 19th century, Queen Victoria owned a particularly small Pomeranian. Due to the notoriety of the monarch’s pet, the Pomeranian was bred for small size, so that during the Queen’s admittedly long reign, the size of the average “pom” was reduced by 50% …

3. Vatican Palace painter RAPHAEL
Raphael was an artist and architect from Central Italy. Raphael was active during the High Renaissance and is often considered alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci who were active in the same timeframe in Italy,

4. Pet rocks, e.g. FAD
The Pet Rock lives on in history even though the fad really only lasted about 6 months, in 1975. It was enough to make Gary Dahl a millionaire though. His next idea, a “sand farm”, didn’t fly at all.

5. News agcy. since 1958 UPI
Founded in 1958, United Press International (UPI) was one of the biggest news agencies in the world, sending out news by wire to the major newspapers. UPI ran into trouble with the change in media formats at the end of the twentieth century and lost many of its clients as the afternoon newspapers shut down due to the advent of television news. UPI, which once employed thousands, still exists today but with just a handful of employees.

8. Numbskull CHOWDERHEAD (giving “chow”)
The Chow Chow (sometimes just “Chow”) is a breed of dog that originated in China. The Chinese name for the breed is “Songshi Quan”, which translates as “puffy-lion dog”, a rather apt name given its appearance …

11. Daedalus’ creation LABYRINTH (giving “lab”)
Daedalus was a master craftsman of Greek mythology who was tasked with creating the Labyrinth on the island of Crete that was to house the Minotaur. After the Labyrinth was completed, King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in a tower, so that he could not spread word of his work. Daedalus fabricated wings so that he and Icarus could escape by flying off the island. Despite being warned by his father, Icarus flew too close to the sun so that the wax holding the wings’ feathers in place melted. Icarus drowned in the sea, and Daedalus escaped.

The Labrador (Lab) breed of dog has been around at least since 1814, and the chocolate Labrador appeared over a century later in the 1930s.

12. Combativeness PUGNACITY (giving “pug”)
The pug is a breed of dog of Chinese origin. Our current family pet is a boxer/pug cross, a good-looking mutt!

18. Cremona artisan AMATI
The first of the Amati family to make violins was Andrea Amati, who lived in the 14th century. He was succeeded by his sons, Antonio and Girolamo. In turn, they were succeeded by Girolamo’s son, Nicolo. Nicolo had a few students who achieved fame making musical instruments as well. One was his own son, Girolamo, and another was the famed Antonio Stradivari.

20. Red Square honoree LENIN
I made it to Russia only once in my life, and it was a memorable trip. I saw all the sites in and around Red Square in Moscow, but couldn’t get in to visit Lenin’s Tomb. It was closed for renovations …

26. D.C. network C-SPAN
C-SPAN is a privately-funded, non-profit cable channel that broadcasts continuous coverage of government proceedings.

33. Fig. on 26-Down SEN
Senator (sen.)

46. “__ bien!” TRES
Très bien! Very (très) good (bien) in French.

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

51. Angst-filled genre EMO
The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. Not my cup of tea …

52. Killer Birds, e.g. APP
“Killer Birds” is a game that can be played on smartphones running the Android operating system.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Easter season: Abbr. SPR
4. 62-Across coat FUR
7. Interest fig. PCT
10. Long, on Molokai LOA
11. Experience with enthusiasm LAP UP
13. Pi follower RHO
14. “Out” crier UMP
15. Chic “Bye” ADIEU
16. Charged particle ION
17. Detox place REHAB
19. Bridal emanations GLOWS
21. Reminiscent of venison GAMY
22. Dweeb NERD
23. Red state? ARREARS
26. Easy gaits CANTERS
29. Given a hand DEALT IN
30. Annabella of “The Sopranos” SCIORRA
31. Chased (after) RAN
32. Whirling IN A SPIN
34. Farm feed HAY
35. Computer that once came in “flavors” IMAC
37. Biscuit, maybe TREAT
38. Strokes a 62-Across PETS
39. Greek cheese FETA
40. First name in one-liners HENNY
41. Actress Charlotte et al. RAES
42. Fountain near the Spanish Steps TREVI
44. Buddy KIDDO
45. __’acte ENTR
48. Flute part STEM
50. Big enchilada LEADER OF THE PACK
57. Babysitter’s handful IMP
58. New evidence may lead to one RETRIAL
59. Fawn spawner DOE
60. With 62-Across, a hint to the starts of this puzzle’s four longest Down answers TOP
61. Slogan sites T-SHIRTS
62. See 60-Across DOG

Down
1. Bit of mudslinging SLUR
2. Fruit of ancient Persia POMEGRANATE (giving “pom”)
3. Vatican Palace painter RAPHAEL
4. Pet rocks, e.g. FAD
5. News agcy. since 1958 UPI
6. Regret bitterly RUE
7. Preceding PRIOR TO
8. Numbskull CHOWDERHEAD (giving “chow”)
9. Bunches TONS
11. Daedalus’ creation LABYRINTH (giving “lab”)
12. Combativeness PUGNACITY (giving “pug”)
18. Cremona artisan AMATI
20. Red Square honoree LENIN
23. Lacking purpose ADRIFT
24. Juice extractor REAMER
25. Grab, as a line drive SNARE
26. D.C. network C-SPAN
27. Like most bawdy films R-RATED
28. Lays down the law SAYS SO
33. Fig. on 26-Down SEN
36. Gave in CAVED
38. Groom with care PRIMP
43. Unmoving INERT
44. Hull stabilizers KEELS
46. “__ bien!” TRES
47. Big name in IRAs ROTH
48. Rustle STIR
49. “Take __!” THAT
50. Aflame LIT
51. Angst-filled genre EMO
52. Killer Birds, e.g. APP
53. Calendar abbr. FRI
54. Recipe instruction ADD
55. Soft murmur COO
56. Barrel at a bash KEG

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