LA Times Crossword Answers 28 Sep 13, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: C.C. Burnikel
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 10m 24s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Piece of fruit? SILENT I
The letter “I” in the word “fruit” is silent.

17. Big oaf PALOOKA
The word “palooka” was originally used to describe a mediocre prizefighter and dates back to the 1920s. Then there was a comic strip called “Joe Palooka”, and I guess the meanings got melded somehow. Today we use “palooka” as a slang term for an oaf or a clumsy person.

19. __-Locka, Florida OPA
Opa-Locka is a rather interesting city in Florida. Opa-Locka is located near Miami, and has a themed city plan that is based on “One Thousand and One Nights”. The city hall has a very Arabian look, and some examples of street names are Ali Baba Avenue and Sesame Street.

22. Medieval fight club? MACE
A mace is a relatively simple weapon in essence, a heavy weight on the end of a handle that is used to deliver powerful blows on an opponent’s body.

25. Frozen Four org. NCAA
The semi-finals and finals of the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship tournaments are collectively referred to as the “Frozen Four”. This term is a play on “Final Four”, which is the name given to the final of rounds of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship tournament.

26. Pequod co-owner PELEG
The Pequod is the ship that figures in Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby Dick”. The ship is owned by a consortium of the citizens of Nantucket Island, including Captains Ahab, Bildad and Peleg.

29. Pianist Schnabel ARTUR
Artur Schnabel was a classical pianist from Austria, best known for his recording of Beethoven’s piano sonatas.

31. Ivy League nickname ELI
Elihu Yale was a wealthy merchant born in Boston in 1649. Yale worked for the British East India Company, and for many years served as governor of a settlement at Madras (now Chennai) in India. After India, Yale took over his father’s estate near Wrexham in Wales. It was while resident in Wrexham that Yale responded to a request for financial support for the Collegiate School of Connecticut in 1701. He sent the school a donation, which was used to erect a new building in New Haven that was named “Yale” in his honor. In 1718, the whole school was renamed to “Yale College”. To this day, students of Yale are nicknamed “Elis”, again honoring Elihu.

The term “Ivy League” originally defined an athletic conference, but now it is used to describe a group of schools of higher education that are associated with both a long tradition and academic excellence. The eight Ivy League Schools are: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale.

32. Wild West MAE
Mae West was always pushing the envelope when it came to the “sexy” side of show business, even in her early days in Vaudeville. One of the first plays in which West starred on Broadway was called “Sex”, a work she penned herself. The show was a sell-out, but city officials had it raided and West found herself spending ten days in jail after being convicted of “corrupting the morals of youth”. She started in movies in 1932, already 38 years old. West used her experience writing plays to rewrite much of the material she was given, and so really she was totally responsible for her own success and on-screen appeal.

35. NBAer Artest who changed his name to Metta World Peace RON
Ron Artest is a professional basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers. Artest won the award for NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. Artest officially changed his name in 2011 to Metta World Peace. His new first name “Metta” is a Buddhist word meaning loving-kindness towards all. According to Artest, the name change was made as an act of inspiration aimed at young people all over the world.

36. Youngest male tennis player to be No. 1 in the ATP Rankings LLEYTON HEWITT
Lleyton Hewitt is an Australian tennis player. Hewitt was ranked number one in the world in 2001 at the age of 20, the youngest player ever to achieve that honour.

43. Battle of Shiloh monogram USG
The Battle of Shiloh was a major engagement in the Civil War, fought in 1862 at Pittsburg Landing in southwestern Tennessee. The battle started with a surprise attack by Confederate forces led by Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and P. G. T. Beauregard. The attackers gained the upper hand on the first day, over the Union forces led by Major General Ulysses S. Grant. Union reinforcements arrived during the night and the tide of the battle turned the next day and the Confederates were forced to withdraw. Almost 3,000 men died in the course of the Battle of Shiloh, making it the bloodiest battle in US history up to that point in time.

President Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio. When Grant was recommended for a position at West Point, the Congressman who nominated him mistakenly wrote his name as “Ulysses S. Grant of Ohio”. The young cadet kept the name, including the “S” that stood for nothing. Grant’s name was sometimes shortened to U. S. Grant, so fellow students sometimes called him “Uncle Sam” Grant, or simply “Sam”.

46. Bollywood garments SARIS
Bollywood is the informal name given to the huge film industry based in Mumbai in India. The term “Bollywood” is a melding of “Bombay”, the old name for Mumbai, and of course “Hollywood”.

50. Bedroom label SERTA
Serta was founded in 1931 when a group of 13 mattress manufacturers came together, essentially forming a cooperative. Today, the company is owned by eight independent licensees in a similar arrangement.

52. Some brothers FRAS
The title “Fra” (brother) is used by Italian monks.

54. Having a single channel MONO
Monophonic sound (“mono”) is sound reproduced using just one audio channel, which is usually played out of just one speaker. Stereophonic sound is reproduced using two audio channels, with the sound from each channel played out of two different speakers. The pair of stereo speakers are usually positioned apart from each other so that sound appears to come from between the two. Quadraphonic sound (4.0 surround sound) uses four audio channels with the sound played back through four speakers often positioned at the corners of the room in which one is listening.

55. NYC train, familiarly THE A
The A Train in the New York City Subway system runs from 207th Street, through Manhattan and over to Far Rockaway in Queens. The service lends its name to a jazz standard “Take the ‘A’ Train”, the signature tune of Duke Ellington and a song oft performed by Ella Fitzgerald. One version of the lyric is:

You must take the A Train
To go to Sugar Hill way up in Harlem
If you miss the A Train
You’ll find you’ve missed the quickest way to Harlem
Hurry, get on, now, it’s coming
Listen to those rails a-thrumming (All Aboard!)
Get on the A Train
Soon you will be on Sugar Hill in Harlem.

65. Covent Garden locale WEST END
The West End of London is part of the central area of the city that contains many tourist attractions and in particular a large number of theaters. The West End of London is also home to the most expensive office space in the world.

Covent Garden in London’s West End is associated with the Royal Opera House that is located in the area, and with the former fruit and vegetable market that used to sit right at the center of the district. The name “Covent Garden” comes from the fact that there once was a walled garden in the area owned by the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of St. Peter in Westminster. The abbey rented out the walled garden calling it “Convent Garden”, and this morphed into the area’s current name.

Down
1. Deep sleeps SOPORS
“Sopor” is a Latin word that we’ve absorbed into English. “Sopor” translates as “deep sleep” or “lethargy”.

3. Syllables sometimes said with one’s fingers in one’s ears LA LA LA
“La la la la la” …”I’m not listening”

4. 1940s arena: Abbr. ETO
General Dwight D. Eisenhower (DDE) was in command of the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during WWII. If you’re a WWII buff like me, then I recommend you take a look at a great, made-for-TV movie starring Tom Selleck as Eisenhower called “Ike: Countdown to D-Day” that came out in 2004.

5. Queen who is also a humanitarian activist NOOR
Queen Noor is the widow of King Hussein of Jordan. Queen Noor was born Lisa Halaby in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Najeeb Halaby. Her father was appointed by President Kennedy as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, and later became the CEO of Pan Am. Lisa Halaby met King Hussein in 1977, while working on the design of Jordan’s Queen Alia Airport. The airport was named after King Hussein’s third wife who had been killed that year in a helicopter crash. Halaby and the King were married the next year, in 1978.

7. Mississippi source ITASCA
Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota is the main source of the Mississippi River. Known by Native Americans as “Elk Lake”, the name was changed by Henry Schoolcraft, who led the 1832 expedition to find the source of the Mississippi River. The name “Itasca” is formed from the Latin words for truth (ver-ITAS) and head (CA-put).

8. Show known for its slow-motion shots BAYWATCH
“Baywatch” is TV series starring David Hasselhoff that is about lifeguards patrolling the beaches of Los Angeles County. Over the life of the show, the lifeguards not only had to rescue swimmers, they also had to deal with earthquakes, shark attacks, serial killers and even nuclear bombs. The trademark “look” on the show was provided by slow motion shots of the lifeguards running to someone’s rescue in those red bathing costumes.

10. Sigur __: ethereal Icelandic band ROS
Sigur Rós are a rock band from Reykjavik, Iceland. The lead singer is Jónsi Birgisson, and the band takes its name from Jónsi’s sister, Sigurrós Elin.

13. Loyal friend of Gawain LANCELOT
Sir Lancelot was one of the knights in the legend of King Arthur and the Round Table. Lancelot was the most trusted of Arthur’s knights when it came to battle, but off the field he had a poorer reputation. Famously, Lancelot had an affair with Guinevere, Arthur’s wife.

Sir Gawain was a Knight of the Round Table of Arthurian legend. He was also King Arthur’s nephew, and the trusted friend of Sir Lancelot.

14. Alabama Slammer ingredient SLOE GIN
An Alabama Slammer is cocktail that is served over ice in a Collins glass. A common recipe is:

– ¾ oz. Amaretto
– ¾ oz. Southern Comfort
– ¾ oz. Sloe Gin
– top up with orange juice

21. Duel personality? AARON BURR
Aaron Burr was the third vice-president of the US, serving under Thomas Jefferson. In the final year of his term in office, Burr fought an illegal duel and killed his political rival Alexander Hamilton. Burr wasn’t brought to justice, but he did pay the price politically. Thomas Jefferson dropped him from his ticket in the election held the following year.

28. Mani-pedi spot DAYSPA
Manicure & pedicure (mani-pedi)

30. Rugged vehicles UTES
A utility vehicle is often called a “ute” for short. Nowadays one mainly hears about sports utes and crossover utes.

33. Incredulous accusation ET TU
It was Shakespeare who popularized the words “Et tu, Brute?” (And you, Brutus?), in his play “Julius Caesar”, although the phrase had been around long before he penned his drama. It’s not known what Julius Caesar actually said in real life just before he was assassinated on the steps of the Senate in Rome.

37. Recliner features LEG RESTS
The first reclining chairs were introduced around 1850 in France. Supposedly, the first reclining chair was owned by Napoleon III.

39. Start of Popeye’s credo I YAM
“I yam what I yam …”

Popeye first appeared in 1929 in a comic strip called “Thimble Theatre”. The strip, created by E. C. Segar, ran for ten years before Popeye made an appearance. Popeye received such a great welcome from readers that he soon “took over” the strip, and eventually even hogged the strip’s title. Before Popeye turned up Olive Oyl was the main character.

47. The Joker portrayer ROMERO
Cesar Romero was an American actor of Cuban descent from New York. He played a wide variety of roles on the big screen, but is remembered by many for playing the Joker on the “Batman” television show from the sixties.

48. Like comic Eddie Izzard, at times IN DRAG
Eddie Izzard is a remarkable British stand-up comedian and actor. Famously, Izzard is a transvestite and used to perform stand-up in women’s clothing and makeup, although he tends to perform in “boy-mode” these days. In 2009, Izzard decided to run back-to-back marathons to raise money for charity, despite having no real history of running. He trained for five weeks, and then ran the equivalent of an incredible 43 marathons in 51 days, covering more than 1,100 miles all over the UK and raising over $300,000.

56. “Happily Divorced” actress Drescher FRAN
Fran Drescher’s real name is Francine Jane Drescher, a comedian and comic actress best known for playing Fran Fine on the sitcom “The Nanny”. Fran was born in Queens, New York (go figure!). Her big break came with a small role, but in a huge movie. You might recall in “Saturday Night Fever” that John Travolta was asked by a pretty dancer, “Are you as good in bed as you are on the dance floor?” That young lady was Fran Drescher.

“Happily Divorced” is a sitcom about a florist who divorces her husband of 18 years after discovering that he is gay. The show was created by Fran Drescher (who also stars) and her ex-husband Peter Marc Jacobson. The storyline is based on Drescher and Jacobson’s actual real-life experiences.

60. Cockney abode ‘OME
The East End of London is home to the Cockney, and Cockneys are famous for dropping their aitches, as in “here” becoming “‘ere” and “home” becoming “‘ome”.

62. Mag mogul HEF
Hugh Hefner is from Chicago. His first publishing job was in the military, where he worked as a writer for a US Army newspaper from 1944-46. He went to college after his military service and then worked as a copywriter for “Esquire” magazine. He left “Esquire” to found his own publication that he called “Playboy”, which first hit the newsstands in 1953. “Playboy” has been around ever since.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Piece of fruit? SILENT I
8. Time capsule ceremonies BURIALS
15. Barhopping ON A TOOT
16. Awkward at gatherings, say ASOCIAL
17. Big oaf PALOOKA
18. “I need an answer now!” YES OR NO?!
19. __-Locka, Florida OPA
20. Shortens again, as a board RESAWS
22. Medieval fight club? MACE
23. Move, briefly RELO
25. Frozen Four org. NCAA
26. Pequod co-owner PELEG
27. Give up a seat STAND
29. Pianist Schnabel ARTUR
31. Ivy League nickname ELI
32. Wild West MAE
34. Prefix with -syllabic OCTO-
35. NBAer Artest who changed his name to Metta World Peace RON
36. Youngest male tennis player to be No. 1 in the ATP Rankings LLEYTON HEWITT
40. Guy JOE
41. Short remnant STUB
42. Cagy SLY
43. Battle of Shiloh monogram USG
44. Erect PUT UP
46. Bollywood garments SARIS
50. Bedroom label SERTA
52. Some brothers FRAS
54. Having a single channel MONO
55. NYC train, familiarly THE A
56. Historic events FIRSTS
58. 16th-century date MDL
59. Certain tie NO SCORE
61. “Now, listen …” SEE HERE
63. As good as it gets OPTIMAL
64. All-purpose GENERAL
65. Covent Garden locale WEST END
66. Fuddy-duddy OLD FOGY

Down
1. Deep sleeps SOPORS
2. Hot under the collar IN A PET
3. Syllables sometimes said with one’s fingers in one’s ears LA LA LA
4. 1940s arena: Abbr. ETO
5. Queen who is also a humanitarian activist NOOR
6. Keepsake TOKEN
7. Mississippi source ITASCA
8. Show known for its slow-motion shots BAYWATCH
9. Capitalizes on USES
10. Sigur __: ethereal Icelandic band ROS
11. “Where __ from …” I COME
12. Wartime signal AIR ALERT
13. Loyal friend of Gawain LANCELOT
14. Alabama Slammer ingredient SLOE GIN
21. Duel personality? AARON BURR
24. Words someone 15-Across loves to hear ON ME
26. Hunts PROWLS
28. Mani-pedi spot DAYSPA
30. Rugged vehicles UTES
33. Incredulous accusation ET TU
36. Stop looking for a rescue plane LOSE HOPE
37. Recliner features LEG RESTS
38. Where most hits wind up OUTFIELD
39. Start of Popeye’s credo I YAM
40. Seconds ago JUST NOW
45. Turn a corner, in a game PASS GO
47. The Joker portrayer ROMERO
48. Like comic Eddie Izzard, at times IN DRAG
49. Alone SOLELY
51. Unspoken TACIT
53. Symbol of strength STEEL
56. “Happily Divorced” actress Drescher FRAN
57. Cellphone button SEND
60. Cockney abode ‘OME
62. Mag mogul HEF

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