LA Times Crossword Answers 28 Jul 2018, Saturday

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Constructed by: Craig Stowe
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 18m 34s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

11. __ drop : MIC

A mic drop takes place when a performer has done particularly well and decides to celebrate by throwing or dropping the microphone to the floor. That doesn’t seem to happen at the performances I tend to frequent …

15. Andean cash crop : COCA

The coca plant is native to South America and is similar in appearance to a blackthorn bush. Coca leaves have been chewed by humans for centuries, perhaps even as far back as 3,000 years ago. Chewing the leaves apparently produces a pleasurable numb sensation in the mouth and a pleasant taste. The most famous alkaloid in the leaf is cocaine, but this wasn’t extracted in its pure form until the mid-1800s. The extracted cocaine was used in a medicines and tonics and other beverages.

17. GPS displays : AVES

Global positioning system (GPS)

19. Dog in the Reagan White House : REX

Rex was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owned by President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan while they lived in the White House. Rex was given by conservative commentator William F. Buckley, Jr. to Nancy Reagan as a Christmas gift. The dog was named for Rex Scouten, who was the White House Chief Usher at the time.

23. Northern cruise destination : ALASKA

Alaska became the 49th state to join the United States on January 3rd, 1959. Hawaii became the 50th state just a few months later, on August 21st.

25. Yeshiva reference : TORAH

In the Jewish tradition, a yeshiva is an educational institution focusing on the study of sacred texts.

28. Works like Beethoven’s “Ah! perfido” : ARIAS

Ludwig van Beethoven is my favorite composer from the Classical period. There are two excellent films that showcase his music and give fictionalized yet entertaining accounts of different aspects of his life: “Immortal Beloved” (1994) that speculates on the identity of one of Beethoven’s lovers, and “Copying Beethoven” (2006) that explores the events leading up to the triumphant premiere of his 9th Symphony.

33. 1988 self-titled C&W album : REBA

Reba McEntire is a country music singer and television actress. McEntire starred in her own sitcom called “Reba” that aired on the WB and the CW cable channels from 2001 to 2007.

39. Cheek, in slang : ‘TUDE

Attitude (‘tude)

41. Comedic honker : HARPO

Harpo Marx was the second oldest of the Marx brothers. Harpo’s real name was Adolph, and he earned his nickname because he played the harp. Famously, Harpe didn’t speak on screen, a routine that he developed after reading a review that he performed really well when he just didn’t speak! He would usually whistle or toot a hand-held horn instead of speaking.

44. Western range : TETONS

Grand Teton National Park (NP) is located just south of Yellowstone NP, and a must-see if you are visiting the latter. The park is named after the tallest peak in the magnificent Teton Range known as Grand Teton. The origins of the name “Teton” is not very clear, although my one story is that it was named by French trappers, as the word “tetons” in French is a slang term meaning “breasts”.

51. Mideast carrier : EL AL

El Al Israel Airlines is the flag carrier of Israel. El Al is known for its high levels of security, both on the ground and in the air. Reportedly, the airline’s passenger aircraft have been operating with anti-missile technology for several years.

55. Written creation of Michelangelo : SONNET

A sonnet is a short poem with varying rhyming schemes but always with 14 lines. The sonnet form has been around at least since the 13th century. The Shakespearean sonnet, for example, is composed of three quatrains (4 lines) and a final couplet (2 lines).

The celebrated Italian Renaissance artist and poet Michelangelo was born Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni in a village near Arezzo in the present-day province of Tuscany. Michelangelo achieved renown during his own lifetime. He was the first Western artist to see his biography published during his own lifetime.

56. __ lives : NINE

In the English-speaking world, the myth is that cats have nine lives. In Spanish-speaking cultures, cats are said to have seven lives. They are less fortunate in Turkish and Arabic cultures, as the number of lives is limited to six.

59. 1860s-’70s Black Hawk War combatants : UTES

The Black Hawk War of 1865-1872 was a series of engagements between Mormon settlers in Utah and several Native American tribes led by Ute chief Antonga Black Hawk.

60. Station : TRAIN DEPOT

Our term “depot”, meaning “station, warehouse”, comes from the French word “dépôt”. The French term translates into English as “deposit” or “place of deposit”.

61. Basilica bench : PEW

In its modern usage, the term “basilica” applies to a Roman Catholic church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope.

62. Some squirts : YOUNGSTERS

“Squirt” is a slang term describing a small child. I’m not sure why …

Down

2. Mother-of-pearl : NACRE

Nacre is the strong iridescent material laid down by some mollusks on the inside of their shells, and it’s also what makes up pearls. The creature lays down nacre as a defensive mechanism, protecting the soft tissue of its body from the rough surface of the outer shell. Similarly, it uses nacre to encapsulate harmful debris or a parasite that penetrates the shell, and that’s how a pearl is formed.

3. Ohio university : AKRON

The University of Akron was founded as a small college in 1870 by the Universalist Church, which handed it over to the city of Akron in 1913. The school founded the world’s first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering in 1988, which was a move designed to service the tire industries that are so prevalent in the Akron area.

7. WV summer hours : EDT

The state of West Virginia (WVA) was formed during the civil war when the western counties in the old state of Virginia (VA) voted to secede from the Confederate state.

8. ’70s Mideast prime minister : MEIR

Golda Meir was known as the “Iron Lady” when she was Prime Minister of Israel, long before that sobriquet came to be associated with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Golda Meir was born Golda Mabovitch in Kiev (in modern-day Ukraine), and when she was a young girl she moved with her family to the United States and settled in Milwaukee. As a teenager she relocated to Denver where she met and married Morris Meyerson, at the age of 19. She and her husband joined a kibbutz in Palestine in 1921, when she was in her twenties. Meir had been active in politics in the US, and continued her political work in Palestine. She was very influential during WWII, and played a leading role in negotiations after the war leading to the setting up of the state of Israel. By the time she was called on to lead the country, Meir had already retired, citing exhaustion and ill health. But serve she did, and led Israel during turbulent times (e.g. the massacre at the Munich Olympics, and the Yom Kippur War). She eventually resigned in 1974, saying that was what the people wanted.

9. Jerry Herman musical : MAME

The musical “Mame” opened on Broadway in 1966, with Angela Lansbury in the title role. The musical is based on the 1955 novel “Auntie Mame” written by Patrick Dennis.

Jerry Herman is a composer and lyricist best known for his work on Broadway musicals. Herman’s biggest hits as a composer are “Hello, Dolly!”, “Mame” and “La Cage aux Folles”.

10. Amazon assistant : ALEXA

Amazon’s Alexa is a personal assistant application that is most associated with the Amazon Echo smart speaker. Apparently, one reason the name “Alexa” was chosen is because it might remind one of the Library of Alexandria, the “keeper of all knowledge”.

12. Rockefeller Center holiday visitor : ICE SKATER

Rockefeller Center is actually made of nineteen buildings in Midtown Manhattan. The site was developed by John D. Rockefeller, who first leased the 22-acre lot back in 1928. The original plan was to build a new opera house for the Metropolitan Opera, but the stock market crash of 1929 led to those plans being canceled. Because of the Great Depression, Rockefeller was forced to fund the whole development project himself, a huge undertaking, but a very successful one.

15. Large falls : CATARACT

A cataract is a large waterfall. “Cataract” is of Greek origin and came into English via the Latin “cataracta” meaning waterfall.

24. Spike : LACE

To lace a drink, is to spike it, by adding perhaps some alcohol or other strong substance.

30. Ancient Semitic language speaker : ISRAELITE

The word “Semitic” comes from the Greek for “Shem”, one of the three sons of Noah. A Semite is one of a large list of peoples, from the Assyrians and Babylonians to the Hebrews. The term “anti-Semite” however, almost always refer to anti-Jewish sentiment.

32. Polliwogs : TADPOLES

“Polliwog” is another word for “tadpole”, which describes the larval stage of an amphibian such as a frog or a toad. The term “polliwog” has been around since the mid-15th century and probably comes from the Old English words “pol” (head) and “wiglen” (wiggle).

36. Vegas’ __ Museum : NEON

The Neon Museum in Las Vegas opened in 1996 and features many old signs from the heyday of the Las Vegas Strip. Much of the museum is a “boneyard”, housing about 150 signs on 6 acres of land.

48. Wading bird : SNIPE

Snipes are wading birds with very long and thin bills that they use to search for small invertebrates in mud. In bygone days, a shot taken by a hunter at one of these wading birds became known as a “snipe”. This usage evolved into the word “sniper” applying to anyone shooting from a hidden position.

49. Purport : TENOR

The purport or tenor of something is its general sense.

50. Marks in margins : STETS

“Stet” is a Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” and then underscoring that change with a line of dots or dashes.

53. Leaf used in the dish laulau : TARO

Laulau is a Hawaiian dish usually consisting of pork wrapped in taro leaf, and is served with a side of rice or macaroni salad. The main part of the dish is traditionally prepared by baking it in an underground oven called an imu.

54. Genesis character : ESAU

Esau, was the grandson of Abraham and the twin brother of Jacob, the founder of the Israelites. When Esau was born to Isaac and Rebekah, the event was described “Now the first came forth, red all over like a hairy garment”. Esau is portrayed later in life as being very different from his brother Jacob, as a hunter and someone who loves the outdoor life.

58. Begin to type? : TIN-

Tintypes are photographs made on a thin sheet of metal, rather than the traditional paper. Tintypes were popular at fairs and carnivals in the 1860s and 1870s, as they did not need to the long drying time that was required for images printed on paper. There is actually no tin involved in the process, and the thin metal substrate is made from iron. A such, tintypes are also known as ferrotypes.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Torn : IN A DILEMMA
11. __ drop : MIC
14. Shakes on it : MAKES A DEAL
15. Andean cash crop : COCA
16. Parents often limit it : SCREEN TIME
17. GPS displays : AVES
18. Worn : ERODED
19. Dog in the Reagan White House : REX
20. Try : TEST
21. __ strength : TENSILE
23. Northern cruise destination : ALASKA
25. Yeshiva reference : TORAH
28. Works like Beethoven’s “Ah! perfido” : ARIAS
29. Lean, to sailors : LIST
33. 1988 self-titled C&W album : REBA
34. “Wanna bet?” : CAN’T I?
35. “My mistake” : I STAND CORRECTED
38. Mark : GRADE
39. Cheek, in slang : ‘TUDE
40. Zipped (through) : TORE
41. Comedic honker : HARPO
42. Jam : STUFF
44. Western range : TETONS
46. Uncompromising types : PURISTS
51. Mideast carrier : EL AL
52. Took in : ATE
55. Written creation of Michelangelo : SONNET
56. __ lives : NINE
57. Unlikely to inherit the crown soon : LAST IN LINE
59. 1860s-’70s Black Hawk War combatants : UTES
60. Station : TRAIN DEPOT
61. Basilica bench : PEW
62. Some squirts : YOUNGSTERS

Down

1. “Ready?” response : I’M SET
2. Mother-of-pearl : NACRE
3. Ohio university : AKRON
4. Exploits : DEEDS
5. “Over there!” : I SEE IT!
6. Super superior : LANDLORD
7. WV summer hours : EDT
8. ’70s Mideast prime minister : MEIR
9. Jerry Herman musical : MAME
10. Amazon assistant : ALEXA
11. Makes one’s residence : MOVES INTO
12. Rockefeller Center holiday visitor : ICE SKATER
13. Discard : CAST ASIDE
15. Large falls : CATARACT
22. Raises : ERECTS
24. Spike : LACE
26. Roughly : ABOUT
27. Strapped : HARD UP
29. “Chill out!” : LIGHTEN UP!
30. Ancient Semitic language speaker : ISRAELITE
31. Begin again : START ANEW
32. Polliwogs : TADPOLES
36. Vegas’ __ Museum : NEON
37. Declining : REFUSING
43. Palm parts : FRONDS
45. Off-color : SALTY
47. Coastal feature : INLET
48. Wading bird : SNIPE
49. Purport : TENOR
50. Marks in margins : STETS
53. Leaf used in the dish laulau : TARO
54. Genesis character : ESAU
58. Begin to type? : TIN-

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