LA Times Crossword Answers 19 Feb 2018, Monday

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Constructed by: Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Theme: Rolling in Dough

Themed answers start with a synonym of “ROLLING IN DOUGH”:

  • 52A. Wealthy, and a hint to the first word of 20-, 35- and 40-Across : ROLLING IN DOUGH
  • 20A. Inquiry meant to entrap : LOADED QUESTION
  • 35A. Nonfluctuating method of doing things : SET FORMULA
  • 40A. Impressionist once labeled “The Man of a Thousand Voices” : RICH LITTLE

Bill’s time: 4m 34s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Android downloads : APPS

Android is an operating system for mobile devices that was developed by Google. Android is mainly used on touchscreen devices like smartphones and tablets, although versions have been developed for cars (Android Auto), for televisions (Android TV) and for wrist watches (Android Wear). Android is the most successful operating system today, having the most extensive installed base.

5. Array around a surge protector : WIRES

A surge protector is an appliance that protects electrical devices from damaging voltage spikes. Surge protectors often take the form of power strips.

14. Bridges of Hollywood : BEAU

The actor Beau Bridges is the son of actor Lloyd Bridges, and brother of actor Jeff Bridges. Beau’s best-known role is perhaps one of “The Fabulous Bakker Boys” alongside brother Jeff.

17. “NBA Friday” channel : ESPN

The initialism “ESPN” stands for Entertainment Sports Programming Network. ESPN is a cable network that broadcasts sports programming 24 hours a day, and was launched back in 1979. ESPN has a lot of ardent fans. Several parents have named children Espn (usually pronounced “Espen”) on honor of the network.

19. Dental exam image : X-RAY

X-rays were first studied comprehensively by the German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (also “Roentgen”), and it was he who gave the name “X-rays” to this particular type of radiation. Paradoxically, in Röntgen’s native language of German, X-rays are routinely referred to as “Röntgen rays”. In 1901, Röntgen’s work on X-rays won him the first Nobel Prize in Physics that was ever awarded.

24. Per __: daily : DIEM

“Per diem” is the Latin for “by the day”. We tend to use the term for a daily allowance for expenses when traveling for work.

30. Mud __: type of wasp : DAUBER

Mud daubers are types of wasps that build their nests from mud. Mud daubers are relatively nonaggressive and rarely use their stings. However, they have been linked to several aircraft crashes. Mud daubers are suspected to have built nests within the pitot tubes of the doomed airplanes. Blocked pitot tubes cause a plane’s airspeed to be measured incorrectly.

35. Nonfluctuating method of doing things : SET FORMULA

“Fluctuate” is another favorite word of mine. Meaning “to shift back and forth”, the verb comes from “fluctus”, the Latin word for “wave”. In turn, “fluctus” comes from the Latin verb “fluere” meaning “to flow”.

37. Org. supporting flossing : ADA

American Dental Association (ADA)
Dental floss has been around a long time, with the term “dental floss” being introduced in the early 1800s. Anyone fond of the writings of James Joyce (that wouldn’t be me!) might recall a character using dental floss in his famous novel “Ulysses” that was published between 1918 and 1920.

38. Freelancer’s encl. : SAE

An SAE is a “stamped, addressed envelope”. An SASE is a “self-addressed, stamped envelope”.
The term “free lance” was coined by Sir Walter Scott in his 1820 novel “Ivanhoe”, when he used it to describe a medieval mercenary warrior. Forty years later, a “freelancer” was a journalist who did work for more than one publication without a long-term commitment.

39. QB scores : TDS

In American football, one “goal” of a quarterback (QB) is to score touchdowns (TDs).

40. Impressionist once labeled “The Man of a Thousand Voices” : RICH LITTLE

Rich Little is a Canadian-born impersonator known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices”. Little lives in Las Vegas, and there was sworn in as a US citizen just a few years ago, in 2010. I saw Little perform in Vegas not that long ago, and really enjoyed the experience. I felt a little sorry for the younger folks in the audience though, who were scratching their heads at impersonations of Jimmy Stewart, George Burns, Jack Benny, James Mason and the likes.

45. Pedometer unit : STEP

A pedometer is an instrument worn by a runner or walker that measures the number of steps taken. The name of the device comes from “pes”, the Latin for “foot”.

47. First-stringers : STARTERS

We’ve been using the phrases “first string” and “second string” in athletics since the mid-19th century. The expressions come from archery, in which a competitor would carry a second bowstring in case the first bowstring broke.

49. Honorary legal degs. : LLDS

The honorary degree of Legum Doctor (LL.D.) translates from the Latin as Doctor of Laws, a plural. This practice of using the plural originated in Cambridge University in England, as one was awarded an LL.D. after having been taught both Canon Law and Civil Law.

51. Ipanema’s city : RIO

Ipanema is a beach community in the south of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The name Ipanema is a local word meaning “bad water”, signifying that the shore is bad for fishing. The beach became famous on release of the song “The Girl from Ipanema” written in 1965.

59. Pop music’s “hottest spot north of Havana” : COPA

The Copacabana of the 1978 Barry Manilow song is the Copacabana nightclub in New York City (which is also the subject of the Frank Sinatra song “Meet Me at the Copa”). The Copa opened in 1940 and is still going today although it is struggling. The club had to move due to impending construction and is now “sharing” a location with the Columbus 72 nightclub.

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star
Tony always tended bar
Across the crowded floor, they worked from 8 ‘til 4
They were young and they had each other
Who could ask for more?

63. Makes docile : TAMES

Something described as “docile” is easily managed or readily trained. The term ultimately derives from the Latin “docere” meaning “to teach”.

64. Folklore brute : OGRE

An ogre is a monster of mythology and folktales that has the appearance of a man, and which eats human beings. The term “ogre” comes to us via French from the name of the Etruscan god Orcus, who feasted on the flesh of humans.

66. Sport with clay disks : SKEET

There are three types of competitive shotgun target shooting sports:

  • Skeet shooting
  • Trap shooting
  • Sporting clays

Down

1. Brother of Cain : ABEL

In the story of Cain and Abel in the Book of Genesis, Cain murders his brother Abel. Subsequently, God asks Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” Cain replies, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

2. Cuban currency : PESO

Cuba is the only country in the world that has two official currencies. The Cuban peso (CUP) is referred to as the “national currency”. Government workers are paid in CUPs, and CUPs can be used to pay for government-provided services and price-controlled items such as fruit and vegetables. There is also the Cuban convertible peso (CUC) that was introduced in 1994, when its value was pegged to the US dollar. Most products available in stores are imported, and have to be purchased with CUCs. Cubans with access to CUCs, like hotel workers interfacing with tourists, they tend to have better lifestyles than government workers in general.

3. Respected Smurf : PAPA

The Smurfs are little blue people created in 1958 by the Belgian cartoonist who went by the pen name Peyo. 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.

4. Basking locale on a cruise ship : SUN DECK

Our verb “to bask”, meaning “to expose one to pleasant warmth”, is derived from the gruesome 14th-century term “basken”, meaning “to wallow in blood”. The contemporary usage apparently originated with Shakespeare, who employed “bask” with reference to sunshine in “As You Like It”.

6. Baghdad’s country : IRAQ

According to the University of Baghdad, the name “Baghdad” dates way back, to the 18th-century BCE (yes, BCE!). The name can be translated into English from the language of ancient Babylon as “old garden” (bagh-) and “beloved” (-dad).

7. Eye care solution brand : RENU

ReNu is a brand name of contact lens products sold by Bausch & Lomb.

11. Money in Malta : EURO

Euro coins are issued by all the participating European states. The reverse side is a common design used by all countries, whereas the obverse is a design specific to each nation. For example, the one euro coin issued by Malta features the Maltese Cross. That Maltese euro is legal tender right across the eurozone. The Irish euro features a harp.
The island state of Malta is relatively small (122 square miles), but its large number of inhabitants makes it one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. Malta’s strategic location has made it a prized possession for the conquering empires of the world. Most recently it was part of the British Empire and was an important fleet headquarters. Malta played a crucial role for the Allies during WWII as it was located very close to the Axis shipping lanes in the Mediterranean. The Siege of Malta lasted from 1940 to 1942, a prolonged attack by the Italians and Germans on the RAF and Royal Navy, and the people of Malta. When the siege was lifted, King George VI awarded the George Cross to the people of Malta collectively in recognition of their heroism and devotion to the Allied cause. The George Cross can still be seen on the Maltese flag, even though Britain granted Malta independence in 1964.

21. Lodge logo animal : ELK

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) was founded in 1868, and is a social club that has about a million members today. It started out as a group of men getting together in a “club” in order to get around the legal opening hours of taverns in New York City. The club took on a new role as it started to look out for poor families of members who passed away. The club now accepts African Americans as members (since the seventies) and women (since the nineties), but atheists still aren’t welcome.

22. Hazmat suit hazard : TEAR

Dangerous goods are commonly referred to as hazardous materials, or Hazmat. People working with dangerous goods might wear a Hazmat suit.

27. Spy plane acronym : AWACS

When the British developed radar in WWII, they also came up with an airborne system that they actually deployed during the war. In 1944 the US Navy commissioned a similar system, and so launched the first American Airborne Early Warning (AEW) system, also before the war was over. The more modern term for the technology is Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS for short.

29. ERA and RBI, e.g. : STATS

That would be baseball: earned run average (ERA), and run batted in (RBI)

31. Montana city : BUTTE

The city of Butte, Montana has a history that is rooted in mining. Butte was founded as a mining town in the late 1800s. Although mining brought great growth to the area, it also brought environmental problems. Today Bette is home to the country’s largest Superfund cleanup site.

36. Stetson hat material : FELT

“Stetson” is a brand name of hat, manufactured by the John B. Stetson Company of St. Joseph, Missouri. The so called “cowboy hat” that Stetson pioneered was such a success that the company became the largest hat maker in the world, producing over 3.3 million hats per year.

41. The Netherlands, informally : HOLLAND

Some Dutch people can get a little annoyed if one refers to their country as “Holland”, as the correct name is “the Netherlands”. North and South Holland are two of the country’s twelve provinces. The use of “Holland” instead of “the Netherlands” is analogous to the former Soviet Union being referred to as “Russia” and the United Kingdom being called “England”. That said, sometimes even the Dutch people themselves refer to the country as Holland, especially at a soccer match!

57. Actor Richard : GERE

Richard Gere has played such great roles on the screen, and I find him to be a very interesting character off the screen. Gere has been studying Buddhism since 1978 and is a very visible supporter of the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet. Gere has been married twice; to supermodel Cindy Crawford from 1991 to 1995, and to model/actress Carey Lowell from 2002 until 2016. Gere’s breakthrough role was as the male lead in the 1980 film “American Gigolo”.

59. Squad car driver : COP

“To cop” was northern British dialect for “to seize, catch”, and is still a slang term meaning “to get hold of, steal”. This verb evolved in the noun “copper”, describing a policeman, someone who catches criminals. “Copper” is often shortened to “cop”.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Android downloads : APPS
5. Array around a surge protector : WIRES
10. Words after deal or count : … ME IN
14. Bridges of Hollywood : BEAU
15. Part of a sports complex : ARENA
16. Enveloping glow : AURA
17. “NBA Friday” channel : ESPN
18. Peachy : DANDY
19. Dental exam image : X-RAY
20. Inquiry meant to entrap : LOADED QUESTION
23. Right-angled shape : ELL
24. Per __: daily : DIEM
25. Freebies with a bowl of soup : CRACKERS
30. Mud __: type of wasp : DAUBER
34. Sharp-eyed flier : HAWK
35. Nonfluctuating method of doing things : SET FORMULA
37. Org. supporting flossing : ADA
38. Freelancer’s encl. : SAE
39. QB scores : TDS
40. Impressionist once labeled “The Man of a Thousand Voices” : RICH LITTLE
45. Pedometer unit : STEP
46. “Already?” : SO SOON?
47. First-stringers : STARTERS
49. Honorary legal degs. : LLDS
51. Ipanema’s city : RIO
52. Wealthy, and a hint to the first word of 20-, 35- and 40-Across : ROLLING IN DOUGH
59. Pop music’s “hottest spot north of Havana” : COPA
60. Shut down : CEASE
61. Three, in Germany : DREI
62. Baking chamber : OVEN
63. Makes docile : TAMES
64. Folklore brute : OGRE
65. Remain up in the air : PEND
66. Sport with clay disks : SKEET
67. Can’t live without : NEED

Down

1. Brother of Cain : ABEL
2. Cuban currency : PESO
3. Respected Smurf : PAPA
4. Basking locale on a cruise ship : SUN DECK
5. Walks like a duck : WADDLES
6. Baghdad’s country : IRAQ
7. Eye care solution brand : RENU
8. Pulled the plug on : ENDED
9. Ties the knot : SAYS “I DO”
10. Largest amount : MAXIMUM
11. Money in Malta : EURO
12. Mideast nation in a 2015 nuclear deal : IRAN
13. Vote against : NAY
21. Lodge logo animal : ELK
22. Hazmat suit hazard : TEAR
25. Seals in the juices of : CHARS
26. Traffic report source : RADIO
27. Spy plane acronym : AWACS
28. Sit for a bit : REST
29. ERA and RBI, e.g. : STATS
31. Montana city : BUTTE
32. Tribal leader : ELDER
33. Talks hoarsely : RASPS
36. Stetson hat material : FELT
41. The Netherlands, informally : HOLLAND
42. Lounge around : LOLL
43. Formally accuses of, with “for” : INDICTS
44. Heart-to-heart : EARNEST
45. Used to change a ceiling light bulb, as a chair : STOOD ON
48. Relieved (of) : RID
50. Move on tiptoe, say : SNEAK
52. Wander : ROVE
53. Take the lid off : OPEN
54. It usually has a set of rules : GAME
55. “That makes sense” : I SEE
56. Hard-to-resist feeling : URGE
57. Actor Richard : GERE
58. Moved quickly, old-style : HIED
59. Squad car driver : COP

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