LA Times Crossword Answers 18 Feb 17, Saturday










Constructed by: Craig Stowe

Edited by: Rich Norris

Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers

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Theme: None

Bill’s time: 14m 57s

Bill’s errors: 0




Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies

Across

16. “St. Matthew and the Angel” painter Guido : RENI

Guido Reni was an Italian painter from Bologna who was active in the first half of the 17th century. Reni’s most famous work is probably “Crucifixion of St. Peter”, an altarpiece commissioned in the early 1600s that is now on display in the Vatican.

17. The Hugo Awards are presented at one : CONVENTION

The Hugo Awards are presented annually for excellence in science fiction and fantasy writing. The awards are named for Hugo Gernsback, who founded the sci-fi magazine “Amazing Stories”.

19. Queen __ Revenge: Blackbeard’s ship : ANNE’S

Blackbeard the pirate was given the slave ship called La Concorde de Nantes in 1717 by his boss, the pirate Benjamin Hornigold. Blackbeard renamed the vessel Queen Anne’s Revenge, possibly as a nod to Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch. Blackbeard lost the vessel off the coast of North Carolina less than a year later. The wreck of the Queen Anne’s Revenge was discovered in shallow water in 1996 and is still undergoing excavation.

Blackbeard was the nickname of the celebrated English pirate Edward Teach who plied his trade around the West Indies and up and and down the North American coast.

20. Reams : A LOT

A ream is 500 sheets of paper. As there were 24 sheets in a quire, and 20 quires made up a ream, there used to be 480 sheets in a ream. Ever since the standard was changed to 500, a 480-sheet packet of paper has been called a “short ream”. We also use the term “reams” to mean a great amount, evolving from the idea of a lot of printed material.

21. Mil. addresses : APOS

Army post office (APO)

22. Tree in a carol : PEAR

The fabulous Christmas Carol called “The Twelve Days of Christmas” dates back at least to 1780 when it was first published in England, though it may be French in origin. The concept of twelve days of Christmas comes from the tradition that the three kings came to visit the Christ Child twelve days after he was born. This same tradition is the origin of the title to Shakespeare’s play “Twelfth Night”.

26. __-chef : SOUS

The “sous-chef de cuisine” is the “under-chef of the kitchen”, the second-in-command.

28. Home to many warthogs : SAVANNA

A savanna (also “savannah”) is a grassland. If there are any trees in a savanna, by definition they are small and widely spaced so that light can get to the grasses allowing them to grow unhindered.

The warthog is a wild animal from the pig family found in Sub-Saharan Africa. The animal takes its name from four wart-like protrusions on its head that serve as a means of defense, but are also reserves of fat.

29. Eastern servants : AMAHS

“Amah” is an interesting word in that we associate it so much with Asian culture and yet it actually comes from the Portuguese “ama” meaning “nurse”. Ama was imported into English in the days of the British Raj in India when a wet-nurse became known as an amah.

33. Its Gold Medal features a profile of Franklin : PULITZER PRIZE

The Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal was designed in 1918 by sculptor Daniel Chester French, the same man who created the seated Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. The medal features Benjamin Franklin’s profile on one side, and an image of a printer using an old-style printing press on the other.

Pulitzer Prizes are awarded annually for achievements in journalism, literature and musical composition. The prize was established back in 1917 by the Hungarian-American newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer. Pulitzer left money in his will for the prize, and for its administration by Columbia University.

36. Vintage tape format : VHS

The video standard known as VHS is more fully referred to as the Video Home System. VHS was one of many standards touted by various manufacturers in the seventies. The biggest rival to VHS was Betamax, but we all knew which of the two standards won the final round in that fight.

38. Moore co-star : ASNER

The character Lou Grant originated on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. Grant was Mary Richards’ boss at WJM-TV in Minneapolis, and was played by Ed Asner. As Lou Grant, Asner is the only actor ever to win a comedy and drama Emmy for playing the same character.

41. Three-time Tour de France champion LeMond : GREG

In 1986, American cyclist Greg LeMond became the first non-European to win the Tour de France. Now retired, LeMond won the Tour three times in all, repeating the feat in 1989 and 1990. He is America’s only official winner of the Tour de France, as Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven victories for using performance-enhancing drugs. For his part, LeMond is a vocal advocate of keeping doping out of the sport of cycling.

43. Albanian currency : LEK

The official currency of Albania is called the lek. The first lek was introduced in 1926, and was apparently named after Alexander the Great.

48. __-Neisse Line, western border of 42-Across : ODER
(42. See 48-Across : POLAND)

There are three significant rivers with the name Niesse in Europe. The longest of these is referred to as the Lusatian Neisse as it passes through the region of Lusatia. The river was used to define part of the border between Germany and Poland after WWII in the Potsdam Agreement of 1945.

49. Two-point contest? : DUEL

I guess those points might be found at the tip of two dueling swords.

51. 122-square-mile republic : MALTA

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.

52. “Green Mansions” heroine played by Audrey Hepburn : RIMA

“Green Mansions” is a 1959 film based on a 1904 novel of the same name by William Henry Hudson. It’s a romantic adventure story with Audrey Hepburn playing a jungle girl who falls in love with a young man she encounters travelling through the forest. The male lead is played by Anthony Perkins. Mel Ferrer, Hepburn’s husband at the time, directed “Green Mansions”.

55. 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.

56. Digital emergency signal : NINE-ONE-ONE

The first use of an emergency phone number nationally was in the UK in 1937, where the number 999 was introduced to call emergency services. If you need emergency services in the UK or Ireland to this day, you have to dial 999. It’s not really clear why 911 became the emergency number in the US. The most credible suggestion (to me) is that when it was introduced by the FCC in 1967, it was a number that “fit” with the numbers already used by AT&T for free services (211-long distance; 411-information; 611-repair service).

57. Uncle __ : BEN’S

Uncle Ben’s is a famous brand of rice introduced in 1943. It was the biggest selling brand of rice in the US from the fifties through the nineties. As one might imagine, the name “Uncle Ben” is pretty offensive and Mars, who owns the brand now, have tried to distance themselves from the African-American slave/domestic servant image. In 2007 there was a TV campaign showing “Uncle Ben” as Chairman of the Board of the company. But, he is still called Uncle Ben …

Down

1. Songwriters’ org. : ASCAP

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) collects licence fees for musicians and distributes royalties to composers whose works have been performed. BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) provides the same service.

3. Salon coloring : HENNA

Henna has been used for centuries as a dye, not just for leather and wool, but also for the hair and skin. In modern days, henna is also used for temporary tattoos.

5. “… the morning __ her golden gates”: Shakespeare : OPES

The following lines are from William Shakespeare’s play “Henry VI, Part 3”:

See how the morning opes her golden gates,
And takes her farewell of the glorious sun!
How well resembles it the prime of youth,
Trimm’d like a younker prancing to his love!

The consensus seems to be that William Shakespeare wrote 38 plays in all. Seven of the plays are about kings called “Henry”:

  • Henry IV, Part 1
  • Henry IV, Part 2
  • Henry V
  • Henry VI, Part 1
  • Henry VI, Part 2
  • Henry VI, Part 3
  • Henry VIII

6. Yahoo! alternative : MSN

The Microsoft Network (MSN) used to be an Internet service provider (ISP). These days, MSN is mainly a web portal.

8. Apes’ lack : TAILS

Apes and monkeys both belong to the order of primates. The most obvious way to distinguish apes from monkeys is by the presence or lack of a tail. Almost all apes have no tail, and almost all monkeys have tails.

9. “__, Sing America”: Hughes : I, TOO

Langston Hughes was a poet active in the Harlem Renaissance, and someone who helped develop the literary form known as “jazz poetry”. His poem “I, Too, Sing America” was published in 1925.

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–

I, too, am America.

10. Rectangular Manhattan attraction : CENTRAL PARK

The man most associated with the decision to develop Central Park in New York City was William Cullen Bryant, the editor of what today is the “New York Post”. He argued that the growing city needed a large, public open space, along the lines of Hyde Park in London and the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. Most of the park’s construction took place between 1860 and 1873. Much of the clearing work was accomplished using gunpowder, and it is often noted that more gunpowder was used in Central Park than in the Battle of Gettysburg.

11. Improved book list? : ERRATA

“Errata” is the past participle of the Latin word “errare” meaning “to err”. We use “errata” (singular “erratum”) to mean a list of errors that have been noted in some publication.

14. Naps : SIESTAS

We use the word “siesta” to describe a short nap in the early afternoon, taking the word from the Spanish. In turn, the Spanish word is derived from the Latin “hora sexta” meaning “the sixth hour”. The idea is that the nap is taken at “the sixth hour” after dawn.

27. Toledo native : OHIOAN

Toledo, Ohio lies in the northwest of the state, at the western end of Lake Erie. Toledo was founded as a result of the prosperity that hit the area when the Miami and Erie Canal was constructed in the 19th century connecting Cincinnati to the Great Lakes. Toledo is known as the Glass City as several glass companies originated there, including Owens Corning and Pilkington North America. There is a large exhibition of glass art at the Toledo Museum of Art.

29. Venus counterpart : APHRODITE

As always seems to be the case with Greek gods, Eros and Aphrodite have overlapping spheres of influence. Aphrodite was the goddess of love between a man and a woman, and Eros was the god who stirred the passions of the male. The Roman equivalent of Aphrodite was Venus, and the equivalent of Eros was Cupid.

30. Goons : MUSCLEMEN

The term “goon” was coined by American humorist Frederick J. Allen in a 1921 “Harper’s” piece titled “The Goon and His Style”. The article defines a good as “a person with a heavy touch” someone lacking “a playful mind”. The term was popularized in the “Thimble Theater” comic strips featuring Popeye. The first use of “goon” to describe a hired thug was in 1938, with reference to strikebreakers.

31. “Bossypants” memoirist : FEY

Tina Fey’s 2011 humorous autobiography “Bossypants” topped the New York Times Best Seller list for five weeks.

34. Efron who voiced Ted in “The Lorax” : ZAC

Zac Efron is an actor from San Luis Obispo, California. Apparently Efron is a heartthrob to “tweenyboppers”. His big break was in the Disney hit movie “High School Musical”.

“The Lorax” is a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss. It is an allegorical work questioning the problems created by industrialization, and in particular its impact on the environment. At one point in the story, the Lorax “speaks for the trees, for the trees have no tongues”. “The Lorax” was adapted into an animated film that was released in 2012, with Danny DeVito voicing the title character.

36. Product originally called Croup and Pneumonia Salve : VAPORUB

The Vicks VapoRub formulation was developed in 1894 by American pharmacist Lunsford Richardson. Richardson called his product Vicks Croup and Pneumonia Salve. By 1890, Richardson had a range of “Vick’s Family Remedies” and founded the company now known as Richardson Vicks.

41. Fixed, in a way : GELDED

“To geld” is to castrate a male animal. “Geld” comes from the Old Norse word “gelda” meaning “castrate”.

45. Hodgepodges : OLIOS

“Olio” is a term meaning a hodgepodge or a mixture, coming from the mixed stew of the same name. The stew in turn takes its name from the Spanish “olla”, the clay pot used for cooking.

“Hochepot” is an Old French word for stew or soup, and this gave rise to an Anglo-French legal term for a collection of property that was gathered prior to being divided up. This became our “hodgepodge” in the early 1400s.

50. Together, in Toulouse : UNIE

“Unie” is French for “united”.

Toulouse is the fourth largest city in France, and is located in the southwest of the country. These days, Toulouse is noted as home to the Airbus headquarters and is known as the center of the European aerospace industry.

54. “L’Âge __”: Buñuel-Dalí surrealist film : D’OR

“L’Âge d’Or” (“The Golden Age”) is a 1930 surrealist comedy film directed by Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel. Buñuel also wrote the screenplay, with surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. German artist Max Ernst also acted in the movie.

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Complete List of Clues and Answers

Across

1. Neutral : ACHROMATIC

11. Farm animals : EWES

15. Reacts to staying up, perhaps : SLEEPS LATE

16. “St. Matthew and the Angel” painter Guido : RENI

17. The Hugo Awards are presented at one : CONVENTION

18. What hearts may do : RACE

19. Queen __ Revenge: Blackbeard’s ship : ANNE’S

20. Reams : A LOT

21. Mil. addresses : APOS

22. Tree in a carol : PEAR

23. Some subordinates: Abbr. : JRS

24. Turn in : RAT OUT

26. __-chef : SOUS

28. Home to many warthogs : SAVANNA

29. Eastern servants : AMAHS

31. Store accessibly : FILE

32. With 37-Across, “No problem” : IT’S …

33. Its Gold Medal features a profile of Franklin : PULITZER PRIZE

36. Vintage tape format : VHS

37. See 32-Across : … OKAY

38. Moore co-star : ASNER

39. Like thou, say : ARCHAIC

41. Three-time Tour de France champion LeMond : GREG

42. See 48-Across : POLAND

43. Albanian currency : LEK

44. Traipse : ROAM

48. __-Neisse Line, western border of 42-Across : ODER

49. Two-point contest? : DUEL

51. 122-square-mile republic : MALTA

52. “Green Mansions” heroine played by Audrey Hepburn : RIMA

53. Plus : IN ADDITION

55. 1860s-’70s Black Hawk War combatants : UTES

56. Digital emergency signal : NINE-ONE-ONE

57. Uncle __ : BEN’S

58. Become decent? : GET DRESSED

Down

1. Songwriters’ org. : ASCAP

2. Knockoff : CLONE

3. Salon coloring : HENNA

4. U-turn : REVERSAL

5. “… the morning __ her golden gates”: Shakespeare : OPES

6. Yahoo! alternative : MSN

7. Rite sites : ALTARS

8. Apes’ lack : TAILS

9. “__, Sing America”: Hughes : I, TOO

10. Rectangular Manhattan attraction : CENTRAL PARK

11. Improved book list? : ERRATA

12. Adapt in a dangerous way : WEAPONIZE

13. Come across : ENCOUNTER

14. Naps : SIESTAS

23. Conversational softener : JUST KIDDING!

25. Not inclined : AVERSE

27. Toledo native : OHIOAN

28. Military address : SIR

29. Venus counterpart : APHRODITE

30. Goons : MUSCLEMEN

31. “Bossypants” memoirist : FEY

34. Efron who voiced Ted in “The Lorax” : ZAC

35. Thankless bunch : INGRATES

36. Product originally called Croup and Pneumonia Salve : VAPORUB

40. Give a hard time : HARASS

41. Fixed, in a way : GELDED

43. Rested (against) : LEANT

45. Hodgepodges : OLIOS

46. Fix things : ATONE

47. Shaggy : MANED

50. Together, in Toulouse : UNIE

51. Vein locale : MINE

54. “L’Âge __”: Buñuel-Dalí surrealist film : D’OR

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