LA Times Crossword 5 Jul 19, Friday

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Constructed by: Derek Bowman
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Hoarse-Sounding Puzzle

Themed answers each relate to thoroughbred horse-racing:

  • 32A New York city with a historic race course : SARATOGA SPRINGS
  • 37A 2015 Triple Crown winner : AMERICAN PHAROAH
  • 38A California race that’s a stepping-stone to Kentucky : SANTA ANITA DERBY

Bill’s time: 7m 42s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Jimmy Choo shoe brand co-founder Mellon : TAMARA

Tamara Mellon is a shoe designer who co-founded her own Tamara Mellon brand in 2016. Twenty years earlier, Mellon co-founded the Jimmy Choo line of shoes with the eponymous Malaysian shoe designer.

16 Dander, e.g. : ALLERGEN

Dander is microscopic material shed from an animal’s body. It is small enough to travel through the air, and becomes part of house dust. It is usually when traveling through the air that it can be breathed in by humans, and cause an allergic reaction. Dandruff is similar to dander, except that the skin that is shed comes from the scalp instead of the main body, and the flakes are larger in size.

19 Duff Beer server : MOE

The regulars on “The Simpsons” hang out at Moe’s Tavern, which is named for and run by Moe Szyslak. The most popular beer at Moe’s is Duff Beer. The name “Duff” is a reference to the real-life Duffy’s Tavern that used to be East 13th Street in Eugene, Oregon. “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening used to frequent Duffy’s regularly, and Moe’s looks very much like Duffy’s in terms of decor and floor plan.

24 Wise teacher : GURU

“Guru” is a Hindi word meaning “teacher” or “priest”.

30 Muse with a lyre : ERATO

In Greek mythology, Erato was the Muse of lyric poetry. She is often depicted with a wreath of myrtle and roses, and playing a lyre.

The lyre is a stringed instrument that is most closely associated with ancient Greece, and with the gods Hermes and Apollo in particular. According to myth, Hermes slaughtered a cow from a sacred herd belonging to Apollo and offered it to the gods but kept the entrails. Hermes used the entrails to make strings that he stretched across the shell of a tortoise, creating the first lyre. Apollo liked the sound from the lyre and agreed to accept it as a trade for his herd of cattle.

32 New York city with a historic race course : SARATOGA SPRINGS

The Saratoga Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racing track located in Saratoga Springs, New York. The track was opened way back in 1863.

37 2015 Triple Crown winner : AMERICAN PHAROAH

American Pharoah was the twelfth winner of the Triple Crown, achieving the feat in 2015. The horse’s name was inspired by that of his parents: Pioneerof the Nile (dam) and Yankee Gentleman (sire). And, as some kind blog readers have pointed out, there are a some unexpected spellings in the names of horses. One might expect “American Pharoah” to be spelled “American Pharaoh”, and indeed “Pioneerof the Nile” to be written as “Pioneer of the Nile”. More challenges for us crossworders …

The US Triple Crown horse races are, in order through the year:

  1. The Kentucky Derby
  2. The Preakness Stakes
  3. The Belmont Stakes

38 California race that’s a stepping-stone to Kentucky : SANTA ANITA DERBY

Santa Anita Park is a racetrack for horses located in Arcadia, California. The most famous races on the track’s calendar are the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap.

39 Minute Maid Park player : ASTRO

Enron Field, as it was known, is a retractable-roof ballpark that was built next to Houston’s old Union Station. Enron paid $100 million to get its name on the field, and then when the world found out what a scam Enron actually was, the Astros bought back the contract for the name, for a mere $2.1 million. The stadium became Astros Field for a few months, until the Coke people paid $170 million for a 28-year contract to rename the stadium Minute Maid Park. A good deal for the Astros, I’d say.

40 Denver-to-Omaha dir. : ENE

Denver, Colorado is nicknamed the “Mile-High City” because its official elevation is listed as exactly one mile. Denver City was founded in 1858 as a mining town. The name was chosen in honor of the Kansas Territorial Governor at the time, James W. Denver.

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska. It is located on the Missouri River, about 10 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River When Nebraska was still a territory Omaha was its capital, but when Nebraska achieved statehood the capital was moved to the city of Lincoln.

42 Talks acronym : TED

The acronym “TED” stands for “Technology, Entertainment and Design”. TED is a set of conferences held around the world by a non-profit group called the Sapling Foundation. The conference subjects are varied, and the meetings are often led by big names such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Gates and Jane Goodall. The Sapling Foundation then makes recordings of the conferences available for free online with the intent of disseminating the ideas globally. These conferences are known as “TED Talks”.

Strictly speaking, words formed from the first letters or other words are known as “initialisms”. Examples would be FBI and NBC, where the initials are spoken by sounding out each letter. Certain initialisms are pronounced as words in their own right, such as NATO and AWOL, and are called “acronyms”. So, acronyms are a subset of initialisms. As I say, that’s “strictly speaking”, so please don’t write in …

43 Country in a Beatles title : USSR

By the time the Beatles recorded “Back in the U.S.S.R”, they were having a lot of problems working with each other. The song was recorded in 1968, with the band formally dissolving in 1970. Tensions were so great during the recording of “Back in the U.S.S.R” that Ringo Starr actually stormed out saying that he had quit, and the remaining three Beatles made the record without Ringo. Drums were played mainly by Paul McCartney, but there are also drum tracks on the final cut by both George Harrison and John Lennon. Interesting, huh?

45 1992-2001 Expos manager Felipe : ALOU

Felipe Alou is a former professional baseball player and manager. Alou managed the Montreal Expos from 1992 to 2001, and the San Francisco Giants from 2003 to 2006. Alou was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and came to the US to play for the Giants in 1955. Felipe’s brothers Matty and Jesús followed him to the US, and into Major League baseball.

48 Boom source : TNT

“TNT” is an abbreviation for “trinitrotoluene”. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.

49 “__ Baby Baby”: 1965 Miracles hit : OOO

“Ooo Baby Baby” is a 1965 song released by the Miracles, and co-written by band members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore. The song was most successful in 1978 when it was covered by Linda Ronstadt, with the slightly different title “Ooh Baby Baby”.

The musical group known as the Miracles got together in 1955. The group was first called the Matadors, and was later known as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Their biggest hit was the great song from 1970 called “The Tears of a Clown”.

57 Like Greenpeace, e.g. : ANTINUKE

Environmental organization Greenpeace was founded in 1971, and is headquartered in Amsterdam. Famously, the organization uses seagoing vessels in some of its campaigns. The most renowned of these ships was the refitted fishing trawler Rainbow Warrior. The original Rainbow Warrior was known for disrupting activities like whale-hunting, dumping of radioactive waste and nuclear testing. In response to the latter, the French government secretly bombed the vessel while in harbor in Auckland, New Zealand. A Dutch freelance photographer died in that bombing.

58 2017 biopic about a figure skater : I, TONYA

“I, Tonya” is a 2017 comedy biopic about the life of figure skater Tonya Harding, with a focus on the 1994 attack on Harding’s rival Nancy Kerrigan. Harding is played by Australian actress Margot Robbie. I haven’t seen this one, but it’s on my list as I hear good things …

Tonya Harding won the US Figure Skating Championships in 1991. Harding’s reputation was greatly tarnished in the run up to the 1994 Olympics, when her former husband and her bodyguard contracted someone to attack Harding’s main competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. During a practice session for the US Championship, a hired thug assaulted Kerrigan with police baton, attempting to break her leg. Kerrigan was forced to withdraw, and Harding won the championship. Both Harding and Kerrigan were selected for the Olympic team, and despite attempts to get Harding removed, both skated at the Games in Lillehammer. Harding finished in eighth place, and Kerrigan won the silver medal. Harding admitted that she helped cover up the attack when she found out about it, and was stripped of her US Championship title.

59 “Good Day Sunshine” album : REVOLVER

“Good Day Sunshine” is a Beatles song from the 1966 “Revolver” album. As for all Beatles numbers, writing credits for “Good Day Sunshine” go to Lennon-McCartney, but McCartney actually composed the song, and indeed provides lead vocals, as well as the piano and bass guitar tracks.

Down

1 Spot to drink : TEA

I guess the reference here is to the oft-quoted English phrase “a spot of tea”. Mind you, I’ve only ever heard that said in jest …

2 Rose of rock : AXL

Axl Rose is the lead vocalist of the American rock band Guns N’ Roses.

3 ’80s-’90s Heat home : MIAMI ARENA

The Miami Heat basketball team debuted in the NBA in the 1988-89 season. The franchise name was chosen in a competitive survey, with “Miami Heat” beating out “Miami Vice”.

7 Very short poem : HAIKU

A haiku is a very elegant form of Japanese verse. When writing a haiku in English we tend to impose the rule that the verse must contain 17 syllables. This restriction comes from the rule in Japanese that the verse must contain 17 sound units called “moras”, but moras and syllables aren’t the same thing. What the difference is though, is not so clear to me. Here’s an example of a Haiku:

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don’t make sense
Refrigerator

8 Stately trees : ELMS

The Ulmus laevis deciduous tree that is native to Europe is commonly referred to as the European white elm, spreading elm and stately elm.

9 The Zugspitze, e.g. : ALP

The Zugspitze is an Alpine peak, and the highest mountain in Germany.

10 With 44-Across, “Summertime Sadness” singer Lana : DEL …
(44A See 10-Down : … REY)

“Lana Del Rey” is the stage name of singer/songwriter Elizabeth Grant. Del Rey calls herself a “self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra”. Nice …

12 Asian shrine 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.

20 Pizza seasoning : OREGANO

Oregano is a perennial herb that is in the mint family. Also known as wild marjoram, oregano is very much associated with the cuisine of southern Italy. Oregano’s popularity surged in the US when soldiers returning from WWII in Europe brought with them an affinity for what they called “the pizza herb”.

22 Flat-topped lands : MESAS

“What’s the difference between a butte and a mesa?” Both are hills with flat tops, but a mesa has a top that is wider than it is tall. A butte is a much narrower formation, and taller than it is wide.

23 Slangy event suffix : -ORAMA

The “-orama” is used in advertising and journalism to create words meaning a space or spectacle related to the root word. Examples are “Scoutorama” and “smellorama”. The suffix is a derived from words like “panorama” and “diorama”.

25 Reverse, for one : UNO CARD

In my youth I remember being taught a great card game by a German acquaintance of mine, a game called Mau Mau. Years later I discovered that UNO is basically the same game, but played with a purpose-printed deck instead of the regular deck of playing cards that’s used for Mau Mau. I hear that Mau Mau is derived from the game called Crazy Eights.

26 Harry Potter and Tom Sawyer : ORPHANS

In the world of “Harry Potter”, Harry’s mother was Lily Potter nee Evans. Lily Evans had magical abilities, even though she was born to muggles, individuals with no magical powers. Lily married James Potter. Lily and James were murdered by Lord Voldemort, leaving their child Harry an orphan.

30 1930s Rhine/Zener experiment : ESP TEST

Zener cards were developed in the early thirties by psychologist Karl Zener, for use in experiments related to extra-sensory perception (ESP) that he conducted with his colleague J. B. Rhine. These five simple and distinctive cards replaced the standard deck of cards that had been used in trials up to that point. The five symbols used on the cards are a circle, a cross, three wavy lines, a square and a star.

31 Circa : ON OR AROUND

“Circa” is a Latin word meaning “around, near, about the time of”. We use “circa” directly in English to mean “about the time of”, as well as in derivative words such as “circle” and “circus”.

34 Singer DiFranco : ANI

Ani DiFranco is a folk-rock singer and songwriter. DiFranco has also been labeled a “feminist icon”, and in 2006 won the “Woman of Courage Award” from National Organization for Women.

35 Cape Cod feature : GABLE

The gable is a the triangular portion of a building’s wall that is defined by the intersection of the two slopes of the roof.

The Cape Cod architectural style is relatively simple. Cape Cod cottages often have a story and a half, with a steep roof and end gables. There is a distinctive single chimney at the center of the roof. The front door is also place centrally in the wall.

43 Anesthetized : UNDER

“Aisthesis” is the Greek word for “feeling”, from which “anaisthesia” is Greek for “want of feeling, lack of sensation”. And that’s how we get our English term “anesthesia”.

48 Tip in Vegas : TOKE

“Toke” is an informal term describing a tip given to a dealer or other employee at a casino.

50 Orchestras tune to one : OBOE

When you hear an orchestra tuning before a performance, you’ll note (pun!) that the oboe starts off the process by playing an “A”. The rest of the musicians in turn tune to that oboe’s “A”.

52 “Weekend Update” show : SNL

“Weekend Update” is the longest-running of any recurring sketch on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL). In fact, the segment made its debut on the very first show, back in 1975. The first “anchor” at the “Weekend Update” was Chevy Chase.

53 Bloke’s address : GUV

“Guv” is an informal word used in the UK, and a shortened form of “governor”. It is usually a friendly address to a man, sort of like our “Mac” or “Dad”.

“Bloke” is British slang for “fellow”. The etymology of “bloke” seems to have been lost in the mists of time.

55 Manhattan part : RYE

The cocktail called a Manhattan is made from whiskey, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters. I favor my own version of a brandy Manhattan, using brandy, sweet vermouth and orange bitters.

56 Disobedient, to Fido : BAD

“Fido”, the name for many a dog, is Latin for “I trust”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Jimmy Choo shoe brand co-founder Mellon : TAMARA
7 Athlete’s feint : HEAD FAKE
15 Cast out : EXILED
16 Dander, e.g. : ALLERGEN
17 “Sadly, that’s not the case” : ALAS, NO
18 Not just requested : IMPLORED
19 Duff Beer server : MOE
20 Gives the go-ahead : OKS
21 Sources of renewed energy : NAPS
22 “Who, me?” : MOI?
24 Wise teacher : GURU
26 Pull (out) : OPT
28 Historic time : ERA
29 Unified : ONE
30 Muse with a lyre : ERATO
32 New York city with a historic race course : SARATOGA SPRINGS
37 2015 Triple Crown winner : AMERICAN PHAROAH
38 California race that’s a stepping-stone to Kentucky : SANTA ANITA DERBY
39 Minute Maid Park player : ASTRO
40 Denver-to-Omaha dir. : ENE
41 Completely : ALL
42 Talks acronym : TED
43 Country in a Beatles title : USSR
44 See 10-Down : … REY
45 1992-2001 Expos manager Felipe : ALOU
48 Boom source : TNT
49 “__ Baby Baby”: 1965 Miracles hit : OOO
51 Has a revelatory experience : FINDS GOD
54 Many city workers live in one : SUBURB
57 Like Greenpeace, e.g. : ANTINUKE
58 2017 biopic about a figure skater : I, TONYA
59 “Good Day Sunshine” album : REVOLVER
60 Called for : NEEDED

Down

1 Spot to drink : TEA
2 Rose of rock : AXL
3 ’80s-’90s Heat home : MIAMI ARENA
4 Additionally : ALSO
5 Go back to the table : RENEGOTIATE
6 Hubbub : ADO
7 Very short poem : HAIKU
8 Stately trees : ELMS
9 The Zugspitze, e.g. : ALP
10 With 44-Across, “Summertime Sadness” singer Lana : DEL …
11 It’s off the ground during a wheelie : FRONT TIRE
12 Asian shrine city : AGRA
13 Word with watch or time : KEEP …
14 Stops : ENDS
20 Pizza seasoning : OREGANO
22 Flat-topped lands : MESAS
23 Slangy event suffix : -ORAMA
25 Reverse, for one : UNO CARD
26 Harry Potter and Tom Sawyer : ORPHANS
27 Procession plan : PARADE ROUTE
30 1930s Rhine/Zener experiment : ESP TEST
31 Circa : ON OR AROUND
33 Painter’s work area : ART STUDIO
34 Singer DiFranco : ANI
35 Cape Cod feature : GABLE
36 With pause, perhaps : SHYLY
43 Anesthetized : UNDER
45 A long way off : AFAR
46 Queue (up) : LINE
47 Being broadcast : ON TV
48 Tip in Vegas : TOKE
50 Orchestras tune to one : OBOE
52 “Weekend Update” show : SNL
53 Bloke’s address : GUV
54 Offense : SIN
55 Manhattan part : RYE
56 Disobedient, to Fido : BAD