LA Times Crossword 3 Mar 22, Thursday

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Constructed by: Jeffrey Wechsler
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer(s): The Whole

Themed answers are each terms that often follow “THE WHOLE …”:

  • 70A With 71-Across and each answer to a starred clue, all of it : THE …
  • 71A See 70-Across : … WHOLE
  • 1A *Common delivery : PACKAGE (giving “the whole package”)
  • 8A *Bagel partner : SCHMEAR (giving “the whole schmear”)
  • 21A *Rolled Mexican dish : ENCHILADA (giving “the whole enchilada”)
  • 44A *Skeet, e.g. : SHOOTING MATCH (giving “the whole shooting match”)
  • 57A *Object : THING (giving “the whole thing”)
  • 69A *Opera, literally : WORKS (giving “the whole works”)

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

Bill’s time: 7m 38s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

8 *Bagel partner : SCHMEAR (giving “the whole schmear”)

The word “schmear” comes from the Yiddish word “shmir” meaning “spread”. The phrase “the whole schmear” is a relatively recent one, dating back to around 1969 and coming from the world of business.

15 Rank : ECHELON

We use the word “echelon” (ech.) to describe a rank or level, particularly in the military. The term comes from French, in which language it has the same meaning, although the original meaning in Old French is “rung of a ladder”.

16 West End attraction : THEATRE

The West End of London is a part of the central area of the city that contains many tourist attractions and in particular a large number of theaters (“theatres”). It is also home to the most expensive office space in the world.

19 Sight from the Eiffel Tower : SEINE

There are 37 bridges spanning the River Seine in Paris, including 5 pedestrian-only bridges and 2 rail bridges.

The “Exposition Universelle” (World’s Fair) of 1889 was held in Paris, France. The 1900 fair is remembered for the magnificent entrance arch that was constructed for visitors. That entrance arch was to remain standing for only nine years, but the city decided to keep it and you can visit it today. Today we call that entrance arch the Eiffel Tower. The tower is sometimes referred to in French “La Dame de Fer”, meaning “the Iron Lady”.

20 Like the Tin Man, after meeting Dorothy : OILED

The movie “The Wizard of Oz” is full of irony. The Scarecrow wants to be intelligent and discovers he is already very smart. The Tin Man wants to be able to love and finds out that he already has a heart. The Lion thinks he is a coward but turns out to be fearless. And the big reveal is that the Wizard of Oz, who is positioned as all-powerful, is actually just a bumbling and eccentric old man.

21 *Rolled Mexican dish : ENCHILADA (giving “the whole enchilada”)

“Enchilada” is the past participle of the Spanish word “enchilar” meaning “to add chili pepper to”. An enchilada is 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.

27 Tuba’s flared end : BELL

The tuba is the lowest-pitched of all brass instruments, and one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra (usually there is just one tuba included in an orchestral line-up). “Tuba” is the Latin word for “trumpet, horn”. Oom-pah-pah …

31 To whom the rhinoceros was “prepoceros” : NASH

Ogden Nash was a poet well known for his light and humorous verse, such as:

The rhino is a homely beast,
For human eyes he’s not a feast.
Farwell, farewell, you old rhinoceros,
I’ll stare at something less prepoceros.

38 Gp. in a 1955 labor merger : CIO

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded in 1886, making it one of the first federations of unions in the country. Over time the AFL became dominated by craft unions, unions representing skilled workers of particular disciplines. In the early thirties, John L. Lewis led a movement within the AFL to organize workers by industry, believing this would be more effective for the members. But the craft unions refused to budge, so Lewis set up a rival federation of unions in 1932, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The two federations became bitter rivals for over two decades until finally merging in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO.

39 “Erin go __!” : BRAGH

“Erin go bragh!” is an anglicization of the Irish phrase “Éirinn go brách!”, which translates as “Ireland forever!”

41 Grissom of NASA : GUS

Gus Grissom was the second American to fly in space, and the first astronaut at NASA to make two space flights. Sadly, Grissom was one of the three astronauts who died in that terrible launch pad fire in 1967.

44 *Skeet, e.g. : SHOOTING MATCH (giving “the whole shooting match”)

There are three types of competitive shotgun target shooting sports:

  • Skeet shooting
  • Trap shooting
  • Sporting clays

47 Steinbeck’s Tom Joad, e.g. : OKIE

“Okies” is a derogatory term used during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s for farming families who migrated from Oklahoma (hence the name), Arkansas, Kansas and Texas in search of agricultural jobs in California. The road used by many of these migrant families was Route 66, which is also called “Mother Road”.

Tom Joad is the protagonist in John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”. The role of Joad was played by Henry Fonda in the 1940 film adaptation directed by John Ford. Ford’s movie has a place in history, as it was one of the first 25 movies selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

48 Sturdy trees : OAKS

The oak is the state tree of several US states:

  • Oak tree: Iowa
  • Northern red oak: New Jersey
  • White oak: Connecticut, Illinois and Maryland
  • Live oak: Georgia

56 Pace : CLIP

A clipper was a three-masted sailing ship commonly crossing the seas in the 19th century. Clippers were built for speed, so were narrow and had less room for carrying freight than many vessels used in trade. They were developed largely due to the demand for speedy delivery of fresh tea from China to Europe. The name comes from the term “to clip” meaning to move swiftly (as in “at a clip”). Perhaps the most famous clipper ship is the Cutty Sark built in 1869, the last clipper to be built as a merchant vessel. The Cutty Sark owes her fame to the fact that she is on display as a museum ship in a dry dock in Greenwich in London.

61 Type of drive on the Enterprise : WARP

In the “Star Trek” universe, starships were powered by matter-antimatter reactions. The warp speed achieved by the engines is very much like our real-world Mach number. Just as a plane traveling at Mach 1 is moving at the speed of sound, a starship traveling at warp factor 1 is moving at the speed of light. Mach 2 is twice the speed of sound, and warp factor 2 is twice the speed of light. Cool, huh …?

The USS Enterprise is a starship in the “Star Trek” universe (pun!). There have been several generations of starships with the name Enterprise, starting with the vessel numbered NCC-1701, which appeared in the original TV series. My favorite “Star Trek” series is “Next Generation”, which features USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D.

64 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.

65 Hawaii’s Pineapple Island : LANAI

Lanai is the sixth largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Lanai was first spotted by Europeans just a few days after Captain Cook was killed on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1779. In 1922, the Hawaiian Pineapple Company bought the whole island of Lanai and turned most of it into the world’s largest pineapple plantation. Since then, Lanai has been known as “The Pineapple Island”. Today, 98% of the island is owned by Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle, and 2% is owned by the State of Hawaii.

67 Org. overseeing broadband : FCC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been around since 1934, when it replaced the Federal Radio Commission.

In Internet terms, the word “broadband” is used to describe Internet access that is faster than dialup. In more broad (pun!) telecommunication terms, “broadband” is used to describe “bandwidth” data transmission that is “broad” enough to carry several signals and several different types of traffic at the same time.

69 *Opera, literally : WORKS (giving “the whole works”)

The Latin for “work” is “opus”, with the plural being “opera”. We sometimes use the plural “opuses” in English, but that just annoys me …

Down

1 Bench press targets : PECS

“Pecs” is the familiar name for the chest muscle, which is more correctly known as the pectoralis major muscle. “Pectus” is the Latin word for “breast, chest”.

3 Trendy cupful : CHAI

Chai is a drink made from spiced black tea, honey and milk, with “chai” being the Hindi word for “tea”. We often called tea “a cup of char” growing up in Ireland, with “char” being our slang word for tea, derived from “chai”.

4 Bit of succotash : KERNEL

The main ingredients in succotash are corn and lima beans, although in parts of the South, succotash can be made with any collection of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with butter.

7 MD treating rhinitis : ENT

Rhinitis is irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Usually, rhinitis is a result of inhalation of allergens such as pollen and pet dander.

8 RR stop : STN

A station (“stn.” or “sta.”) is a railroad (RR) or bus stop.

9 When doubled, a dance : CHA

The cha-cha-cha (often simplified to “cha-cha”) is a Latin dance with origins in Cuba, where it was introduced by composer Enrique Jorrin in 1953.

10 King from whom Mary and Joseph fled : HEROD

Herod Agrippa was the grandson of Herod the Great, and like his grandfather was a Roman client king of Judea. It is thought that Herod Agrippa is the “Herod” mentioned in the Bible’s “Acts of the Apostles”, the king who imprisoned Peter and who had killed James son of Zebedee. Agrippa’s grandfather was the King Herod who ordered the Massacre of the Innocents described in the Gospel of Matthew. This was Herod’s attempt to kill the young Jesus by ordering the murder of all boys aged two or younger in Bethlehem and vicinity.

11 Contralto Anderson : MARIAN

Marian Anderson was a contralto from Philadelphia who spent her singing career performing in concerts and recitals rather than taking on operatic roles, despite many requests from respected opera companies. Anderson eschewed the invitations on the grounds that she had not been trained to act. As an African-American, Anderson was at the forefront in the struggle for artists of color to overcome racial prejudice. In 1939, she was refused permission to sing in Washington’s Constitution Hall that is owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). This decision resulted in First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigning from the DAR. Mrs. Roosevelt and her husband then backed an open-air concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that same year, which was a resounding success.

13 Prado contents : ARTE

In Spanish, a work of “arte” (art) might be in the “Museo del Prado” (Prado Museum) in Madrid.

The Museo del Prado is in Madrid, the capital of Spain, and has one of the finest art collections in the world. The gallery’s most famous work is “Las Meninas” By Velazquez.

14 Clarinet, for one : REED

The clarinet is a lovely-sounding instrument, isn’t it? The name “clarinet” comes from the Italian word “clarino” meaning “trumpet”, with the “-et” suffix indicating “small”.

22 WNBA position : CTR

Center (ctr.)

23 Philly’s signature sandwich : HOAGIE

“Hoagy” (sometimes “hoagie”) is another name for a submarine sandwich. The term “hoagy” originated in Philadelphia, and was apparently introduced by Italians working in the shipyards during WWI. The shipyards were located on Hog Island, and the sandwich was first called “the Hog Island”, which morphed into “hoagy”.

27 Short cut : BOB

A bob cut is a short hairstyle in which the hair is cut straight around the head, at about the line of the jaw. Back in the 1570s, “bob” was the name given to a horse’s tail that was cut short, and about a century later it was being used to describe short hair on humans. The style became very popular with women in the early 1900s (as worn by actress Clara Bow, for example), with the fashion dying out in the thirties. The style reemerged in the sixties around the time the Beatles introduced their “mop tops”, with Vidal Sassoon leading the way in styling women’s hair in a bob cut again. Personally, I like it …

29 Jacob’s first wife : LEAH

According to the Bible, Leah was one of the two wives of Jacob, the other being Leah’s sister Rachel. Jacob’s intention had been to marry Rachel, but Leah and Rachel’s father “switched” his daughters and provided Leah as the veiled bride. Jacob married Rachel a week later, and lived with the two wives concurrently.

32 Band with an electrical symbol in their logo : AC/DC

The Heavy Metal band known as AC/DC was formed by two brothers Malcolm and Angus Young in Australia. Malcolm and Angus chose the name “AC/DC” after their sister Margaret noticed them on a sewing machine (the abbreviation for alternating current/direct current). The group is usually called “Acca Dacca” down under.

36 Lose with a triple bogey, maybe : CHOKE

The golfing term “bogey” originated at the Great Yarmouth Golf Club in England in 1890, and was used to indicate a total round that was one-over-par (and not one-over-par on a particular hole, as it is today). The name “bogey” came from a music hall song of the time “Here Comes the Bogeyman”. In the following years it became popular for players trying to stay at par to be “playing against Colonel Bogey”. Then, during WWI, the marching tune “Colonel Bogey” was written and named after the golfing term. If you don’t recognize the name of the tune, it’s the one that’s whistled by the soldiers marching in the great movie “The Bridge on the River Kwai”.

37 Critter on a Ring Dings box : DRAKE

Ring Dings are round, chocolate-coated and creme-filled snack cakes introduced in 1958 by Drake’s Cakes.

43 “No winners, no losers” : IT’S A WASH

The phrase “it’s a wash”, meaning “there’s no gain either way”, comes from the underworld. Back in the 19th century, a “wash” was a fake transaction between a seller and a buyer for some illegal purpose.

46 Helgenberger of “CSI” : MARG

Marg Helgenberger is an actress best known for roles she plays on television. Helgenberger played investigator Catherine Willows on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. She also played drug-addicted prostitute K.C. Koloski in the Vietnam War drama “China Beach”.

49 Phillips __ : SCREW

Screws come with slot-heads (-) and Phillips-heads (+). The Phillips-head screw and screwdriver are named for Henry F. Phillips of Portland, Oregon. Phillips didn’t invent the “+” screw head, but as a businessman he was behind its successful implementation.

50 Old Olds : ALERO

The Alero was the last car made by General Motors under the Oldsmobile brand. It was produced from 1999 to 2004.

53 “The Divine Comedy” division : CANTO

A canto is a section of a long poem. “Canto” is the Italian for “song”, and is a term first used by the Italian poet Dante.

58 Axe part : HAFT

The haft of a weapon is its handle or hilt.

59 Foot part : INCH

An inch is 1/12 of a foot. The term “inch” comes from the Latin “uncia” meaning “twelfth”.

63 Classic muscle cars : GTS

In the automotive world, “GT” stands for “Grand Touring” or “Gran Turismo”.

65 “The __ allows it, and the court awards it”: “The Merchant of Venice” : LAW

Famously, at the climax of William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”, Antonio goes on trial because he cannot repay a loan to Shylock of 3,000 ducats. Faced with non-payment, Shylock demands his legal right to “a pound of flesh”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 *Common delivery : PACKAGE (giving “the whole package”)
8 *Bagel partner : SCHMEAR (giving “the whole schmear”)
15 Rank : ECHELON
16 West End attraction : THEATRE
17 Old racing vehicle : CHARIOT
18 Tell a tale : NARRATE
19 Sight from the Eiffel Tower : SEINE
20 Like the Tin Man, after meeting Dorothy : OILED
21 *Rolled Mexican dish : ENCHILADA (giving “the whole enchilada”)
27 Tuba’s flared end : BELL
30 Reduced, with “down” : TONED …
31 To whom the rhinoceros was “prepoceros” : NASH
35 Natural resource : ORE
36 Made with skill : CRAFTED
38 Gp. in a 1955 labor merger : CIO
39 “Erin go __!” : BRAGH
41 Grissom of NASA : GUS
42 High landform : RIDGE
44 *Skeet, e.g. : SHOOTING MATCH (giving “the whole shooting match”)
47 Steinbeck’s Tom Joad, e.g. : OKIE
48 Sturdy trees : OAKS
49 Bring bad news to : SADDEN
52 Jumps back, say : REACTS
56 Pace : CLIP
57 *Object : THING (giving “the whole thing”)
61 Type of drive on the Enterprise : WARP
62 Modify, as sails : RE-RIG
64 Singer DiFranco : ANI
65 Hawaii’s Pineapple Island : LANAI
66 Put up or straight up : ERECT
67 Org. overseeing broadband : FCC
68 Moving : ASTIR
69 *Opera, literally : WORKS (giving “the whole works”)
70 With 71-Across and each answer to a starred clue, all of it : THE …
71 See 70-Across : … WHOLE

Down

1 Bench press targets : PECS
2 Pine (for) : ACHE
3 Trendy cupful : CHAI
4 Bit of succotash : KERNEL
5 Not from around here : ALIEN
6 Viscous stuff : GOO
7 MD treating rhinitis : ENT
8 RR stop : STN
9 When doubled, a dance : CHA
10 King from whom Mary and Joseph fled : HEROD
11 Contralto Anderson : MARIAN
12 List abbr. used as a substitute : ET AL
13 Prado contents : ARTE
14 Clarinet, for one : REED
22 WNBA position : CTR
23 Philly’s signature sandwich : HOAGIE
24 Not at all serious : IN FUN
25 “Don’t dawdle, people!” : LET’S GO!
26 Drink ending : -ADE
27 Short cut : BOB
28 Isn’t right : ERRS
29 Jacob’s first wife : LEAH
32 Band with an electrical symbol in their logo : AC/DC
33 [How unfortunate] : [SIGH]
34 Long-handled tool : HOE
36 Lose with a triple bogey, maybe : CHOKE
37 Critter on a Ring Dings box : DRAKE
40 “You chose wisely” : GOOD PICK
43 “No winners, no losers” : IT’S A WASH
45 Bit of color : TINT
46 Helgenberger of “CSI” : MARG
49 Phillips __ : SCREW
50 Old Olds : ALERO
51 More grim : DIRER
53 “The Divine Comedy” division : CANTO
54 Follow : TRAIL
55 Cross site, often : SPIRE
58 Axe part : HAFT
59 Foot part : INCH
60 “Well done!” : NICE
63 Classic muscle cars : GTS
65 “The __ allows it, and the court awards it”: “The Merchant of Venice” : LAW