LA Times Crossword Answers 14 Jan 14, Tuesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: C.C. Burnikel
THEME: Hidden Apps … each of today’s themed answers contains the letters APP:

16A. Recycled sheets for scribbling SCRAP PAPER
23A. End-of-filming cast event WRAP PARTY
45A. Toy gun loaded with rolls CAP PISTOL
54A. Scrubbing brand with two periods in its name SOS SOAP PAD

35D. Supplier of software hidden in 16-, 23-, 45- and 54-Across APP STORE

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 06m 09s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

6. 2013 World Series champs, familiarly SOX
The Boston Red Sox is one of the most successful Major League Baseball teams and so commands a large attendance, but only when on the road. The relatively small capacity of Boston’s Fenway Park, the team’s home since 1912, has dictated that every game the Red Sox has played there has been a sell out since May of 2003.

13. Garlicky sauce AIOLI
To the purist, especially in Provence in the South of France, the “home” of aioli, aioli is prepared just by grinding garlic with olive oil. However, other ingredients are often added to the mix, particularly egg yolks.

14. Stinky Le Pew PEPE
Pepé Le Pew is a very likeable cartoon character from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. Pepé is a French skunk, first introduced way back in 1945. He is always thinking of “l’amour” and chases the lady skunks, or a black cat with a white stripe painted down her back accidently.

18. Senior’s big dance PROM
A prom is a formal dance held upon graduation from high school (we call them “formals” over in Ireland). The term “prom” is short for “promenade”, the name given to a type of dance or ball.

20. Dry as the Gobi ARID
The large desert in Asia called the Gobi lies in northern China and southern Mongolia. The Gobi desert is growing at an alarming rate, particularly towards the south. This “desertification” is caused by increased human activity. The Chinese government is trying to halt the desert’s progress by planting great swaths of new forest, the so called “Green Wall of China”.

21. Perfect spots EDENS
In the Christian tradition, the “fall of man” took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, against the bidding of God. As a result, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden to prevent them becoming immortal by eating from the tree of life. The first humans had transitioned from a state of innocent obedience to a state of guilty disobedience.

22. Org. headed by the U.S. Comptroller General GAO
The Government Accounting Office, established as a branch of the US Congress in 1921, was renamed the Government Accountability Office in 2004. A much better name, I think …

23. End-of-filming cast event WRAP PARTY
When shooting of a film is concluded the movie is said to “wrap”, and everyone heads to the wrap party. There is one story that “wrap” is actually an acronym for “wind, reel and print”, a reference to the transition of the filming process into post-production. But, this explanation is disputed.

25. “Alley __” OOP
“Alley Oop” is a comic strip that ran for four decades starting in 1932. “Alley Oop” was drawn by V. T. Hamlin. The title character lived in the prehistoric kingdom of Moo and had a pet dinosaur called Dinny. Alley Oop also had a girlfriend called Ooola. I had assume that Ooola’s name was a play on “hula hoop”, but that wasn’t invented until the 1950s (a kind blog reader informs me) …

34. Scandal-ridden Texas-based corporation ENRON
After all the trials following the exposure of fraud at Enron, several of the key players ended up in jail. Andrew Fastow was the Chief Financial Officer. He plea-bargained and received ten years without parole, and became the key witness in the trials of others. Even Fastow’s wife was involved and she was sentenced to one year for helping her husband hide money. Jeffrey Skilling (ex-CEO) was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months. Kenneth Lay (CEO) died in 2006 after he had been found guilty but before he could be sentenced. The accounting firm Arthur Andersen was found guilty of obstruction of justice for shredding thousands of pertinent documents and deleting emails and files (a decision that the Supreme Court later overturned on a technicality). But still, Arthur Andersen collapsed under the weight of the scandal and 85,000 people lost their jobs (despite only a handful being directly involved with Enron).

36. Odometer button RESET
An odometer measures distance traveled. The word derives from the Greek “hodos” meaning “path” and “metron” meaning “measure”.

38. Fast sports cars GTS
GT stands for “Grand Touring” or “Gran Turismo”.

39. “Great” primate APE
The hominids are the great apes, and belong to the family of primates called Hominidae. Extant genera that make up the family Hominidae are:

– chimpanzees
– gorillas
– humans
– orangutans

40. Skiing coats PARKAS
A parka is a hooded, often fur jacket that is worn in cold weather. The original parka was a pullover design, but nowadays it is usually zipped at the front. “Parka” is the Russian name for the garment , absorbed into English in the late 1700s via the Aleut language.

41. Rain delay rollout TARP
Originally, tarpaulins were made from canvas covered in tar that rendered the material waterproof. The word “tarpaulin” comes from “tar” and “palling”, with “pall” meaning “heavy cloth covering”.

44. Tattoos, slangily INK
The word “tattoo” (often shortened to “tat”) was first used in English in the writings of the famous English explorer Captain Cook. In his descriptions of the indelible marks adorning the skin of Polynesian natives, Cook anglicized the Tahitian word “tatau” into our “tattoo”.

48. Morning hrs. AMS
The 12-hour clock has been around a long time, and was even used in sundial format in Ancient Egypt. Our use of AM and PM dates back to Roman times, with AM standing for Ante Meridiem (before noon) and PM standing for Post Meridiem (after noon). However, the Romans originally used the AM concept a little differently, by counting backwards from noon. So, 2AM to the Romans would be two hours before noon, or 10AM as we would call it today.

54. Scrubbing brand with two periods in its name SOS SOAP PAD
S.O.S is a brand name of scouring pads made from steel wool impregnated with soap. The product was invented as a giveaway by an aluminum pot salesman in San Francisco called Ed Cox. His wife gave it the name “S.O.S” as an acronym for “Save Our Saucepans”. Note the punctuation! There is no period after the last S, and that is deliberate. When Cox went to register the trademark, he found that “S.O.S.” could not be a trademark because it was used as an international distress signal. So he dropped the period after the last S, and I hope made a lot of money for himself and his wife.

57. Works in un museo ARTE
In Spanish, one sees works of art (arte) in a museum (un museo).

Down
1. Brewer’s oven OAST
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”.

4. Shrine to remember ALAMO
The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna’s camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry “Remember the Alamo!”.

5. Dot on a domino PIP
A pip is a dot on a die or a domino, or a mark on a playing card.

6. Old-timey photo hue SEPIA
Sepia is that lovely rich, brown-grey color so common in old photographs. “Sepia” is the Latinized version of the Greek word for cuttlefish, as sepia pigment is derived from the ink sac of the cuttlefish.The “sepia tone” of old photographs is not the result of deterioration over time. Rather, it is the result of a deliberate preservation process which converts the metallic silver in the photographic image to a more stable silver sulfide. Prints that have been sepia-toned can last in excess of 150 years.

7. Spot with regular and guest columnists OP-ED PAGE
Op-ed is an abbreviation for “opposite the editorial page”. Op-eds started in “The New York Evening World” in 1921 when the page opposite the editorials was used for articles written by a named guest writer, someone independent of the editorial board.

8. Gen-__: millennial preceder XER
The term Generation X originated in the UK where it was the name of a book by Jane Deverson. Her book detailed the results of a study of British youths in 1964, contrasting their lifestyle to those of previous generations. It was Canadian author Douglas Coupland who was responsible for popularizing the term, with his more successful publication “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture”. By the latest accepted definition, Gen-Xers were born between 1961 and 1981.

11. Chum CRONY
A crony is a friend or companion. The term originated as slang in Cambridge University in England in the 1600s. “Crony” is probably derived from the Greek “khronios” meaning “long-lasting”.

14. Fencing defense PARRY
In competitive fencing, a parry is a maneuver that blocks and attack by an opponent. There are nine defined ways to execute a parry. The seventh of this list is known as “septime”.

24. Wrinkly little dog PUG
The pug is a breed of dog of Chinese origin. Our current family pet is a boxer/pug cross, a good-looking mutt!

25. Keats’ “__ on Melancholy” ODE
“Ode on Melancholy” was one of the so-called “1819 Odes” written by the poet John Keats, a collection that included famous poems such as “Ode on a Grecian Urn”, “Ode to a Nightingale” and “Ode to Psyche”.

26. Historical novelist Follett KEN
Ken Follett is a Welsh author specializing in thrillers and historical novels. Among his most famous works are “Capricorn One”, “Eye of the Needle”, “The Man From St. Petersburg” and “On Wings of Eagles”. Quite a few of Follett’s novels have been adapted for the big screen, and you may recognize some movies made from the preceding list of titles.

30. Cyclone center EYE
A cyclone is a weather system, something like a tropical storm. It is composed of air circulating rapidly around a low pressure center. In the northern hemisphere, cyclones circulate in a counterclockwise direction, whereas in the southern hemisphere they circulate clockwise.

32. Ice cream treat ESKIMO PIE
Russell Stover and a partner started in business in 1921. Their company’s initial product was the world’s first chocolate-dipped ice cream bar that they called an Eskimo Pie. When competition for the ice cream product became too intense, Russell and his wife formed a new company to make boxed chocolates. That enterprise was formed in 1923, and the chocolates were originally known as Mrs. Stover’s Bungalow Candies. They were renamed to Russell Stover Candies in 1943.

33. Jack’s access BEANSTALK
“Jack and the Beanstalk” is a fairy tale from England. In the story, young Jack sells the family cow for some magic beans. He plants the beans and a massive beanstalk grows up into the sky. At the top of the beanstalk there lives an ogre. Jack climbs the beanstalk and adventures ensue …

39. Tycoon Onassis ARI
Aristotle Onassis was born to a successful Greek shipping entrepreneur in Smyrna in modern-day Turkey. However, his family lost its fortune during WWI and so Aristotle worked with his father to build up a new business empire centered on the importation of tobacco. In 1957, Aristotle founded the Greek national airline, what is today called Olympic Air, and he also got into the business of shipping oil around the world. He married Athina Livanos in 1946, the daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate. They had two children, including the famous Christina Onassis. Livanos divorced Onassis on discovering him in bed with the opera singer Maria Callas. Onassis ended his affair with Callas in order to marry Jackie Kennedy in 1968.

40. Prefix with -lithic PALEO-
The Paleolithic Age is a period of human history lasting from about 2.6 million to about 10,000 years ago. The Paleolithic Age is noted as the time when humans started using stone tools. The word “Paleolithic” comes from the Greek “palaios” meaning “old” and “lithos” meaning “stone”, so the term really translates as “Old Stone Age”.

43. Hustlers chasing rustlers POSSE
Our word “posse” comes from an Anglo-Latin term from the early 15th century “posse comitatus” meaning “the force of the county”.

46. Like a hermit ALONE
The Greek word for “uninhabited” is eremos, which is the root for “eremia” meaning both “desert” and “solitude”. The Greek word eremites then means “a person of the desert”. This was absorbed into Latin as “ermita”, meaning someone who lived in solitude or in an uninhabited area. We use “eremite” to mean the same thing, although the derivative term “hermit” is more common.

48. For the bond-issue price AT PAR
Stocks, and other financial vehicles, may be sold “at par”, meaning at the original price, not discounted nor at a premium.

49. Bearded Smurf PAPA
The Smurfs are little blue men created by a Belgian cartoonist in 1958. The Smurfs became famous in the US when Hanna-Barbera used them in a children’s cartoon series. The characters are largely a group of males. The original lineup included just one “Smurfette”, who is wooed by almost all of the boy Smurfs. Later, another female was introduced into the mix called Sassette, and still later along came Granny Smurf.

52. “Grand” ice cream maker EDY’S
Dreyers’ ice cream sells its products under the name Dreyers in the Western United States, and Edy’s in the Eastern states. The company’s founders were William Dryer and Joseph Edy.

55. TSA employee AGT
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was of course created in 2001, soon after the 9/11 attacks.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Like many bar brews ON TAP
6. 2013 World Series champs, familiarly SOX
9. PC problem solver TECH
13. Garlicky sauce AIOLI
14. Stinky Le Pew PEPE
15. Storybook baddie OGRE
16. Recycled sheets for scribbling SCRAP PAPER
18. Senior’s big dance PROM
19. Rain heavily TEEM
20. Dry as the Gobi ARID
21. Perfect spots EDENS
22. Org. headed by the U.S. Comptroller General GAO
23. End-of-filming cast event WRAP PARTY
25. “Alley __” OOP
26. Under lock and __ KEY
27. Pervasive glow AURA
28. Used a rotary phone DIALED
30. Fried rice ingredient EGG
31. Spider’s trap WEB
34. Scandal-ridden Texas-based corporation ENRON
35. Pirate’s “yes” AYE
36. Odometer button RESET
38. Fast sports cars GTS
39. “Great” primate APE
40. Skiing coats PARKAS
41. Rain delay rollout TARP
43. Pick up the tab PAY
44. Tattoos, slangily INK
45. Toy gun loaded with rolls CAP PISTOL
48. Morning hrs. AMS
49. Plane handler PILOT
50. Stun with a police gun TASE
51. Shopping bag TOTE
53. Admit frankly AVOW
54. Scrubbing brand with two periods in its name SOS SOAP PAD
56. Christmas candle scent PINE
57. Works in un museo ARTE
58. With glee GAILY
59. Serving whiz ACER
60. Golfer’s smallest wood? TEE
61. Tough journeys TREKS

Down
1. Brewer’s oven OAST
2. “Good job!” NICE GOING!
3. Ripped to shreds TORE APART
4. Shrine to remember ALAMO
5. Dot on a domino PIP
6. Old-timey photo hue SEPIA
7. Spot with regular and guest columnists OP-ED PAGE
8. Gen-__: millennial preceder XER
9. First-rate TOP-DRAWER
10. Long-legged wader EGRET
11. Chum CRONY
12. Tailoring borders HEMS
14. Fencing defense PARRY
17. Poked at like a cat PAWED
21. Lobed organ EAR
24. Wrinkly little dog PUG
25. Keats’ “__ on Melancholy” ODE
26. Historical novelist Follett KEN
29. Suffered a blackout LOST POWER
30. Cyclone center EYE
32. Ice cream treat ESKIMO PIE
33. Jack’s access BEANSTALK
35. Supplier of software hidden in 16-, 23-, 45- and 54-Across APP STORE
36. Bit of sunlight RAY
37. Pooh-pooher’s sound TSK
39. Tycoon Onassis ARI
40. Prefix with -lithic PALEO-
42. On point APT
43. Hustlers chasing rustlers POSSE
45. Word with duty or pride CIVIC
46. Like a hermit ALONE
47. Personal shopper’s asset TASTE
48. For the bond-issue price AT PAR
49. Bearded Smurf PAPA
52. “Grand” ice cream maker EDY’S
54. Went unused SAT
55. TSA employee AGT

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