LA Times Crossword 26 Aug 20, Wednesday

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Constructed by: Mike Peluso & Joe Krozel
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer(s): Square Dances

The grid includes four sets of circled letters arranged in SQUARES. Those sets of letters spell out the names of DANCES:
REEL
The reel is a Scottish country dance that is also extremely popular in Ireland.

HORA
The hora is a circle dance that originated in the Balkans. It was brought to Israel by Romanian settlers, and is often performed to traditional, Israeli folk songs. The hora (also horah) is a regular sight at Jewish weddings. Sometimes the honoree at an event is raised on a chair during the hora.

HULA
The hula is a native dance of Hawaii that uses arm movements to relate a story. The hula can be performed while sitting (a noho dance) or while standing (a luna dance).

FRUG
The Frug was a sixties dance craze that evolved out of another dance fad called the Chicken. After the Frug came the Swim, the Monkey, the Dog, the Watusi, the Mashed Potato and the Jerk.

  • 24D With 31-Down, hoedown activities, and a hint to the circled letters : SQUARE …
  • 31D See 24-Down : … DANCES

Bill’s time: 5m 40s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

10 Amt. rarely paid by a car buyer : MSRP

Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)

15 Puget Sound, e.g. : INLET

George Vancouver was a British explorer, and an officer in the Royal Navy. As well as exploring the coast of Australia, he is best known for his travels along the northwest coast of North America. The city of Vancouver was named in his honor. Travelling with him on his American voyage was a lieutenant Peter Puget, and in his honor, Vancouver named the waters south of the Tacoma Narrows “Puget’s Sound”. Nowadays, the name “Puget Sound” describes an area much greater than Vancouver had envisioned.

16 Elevator name : OTIS

Elevators (simple hoists) have been around for a long time. What Elisha Otis did was come up with the “safety elevator”, a design that he showcased at the 1853 World’s Fair in New York. At the Fair, Otis would stand on an elevated platform in front of onlookers and order his assistant to cut the single rope holding up the platform. His safety system kicked in when the platform had only fallen a few inches, amazing the crowd. After this demonstration, the orders came rolling in.

21 Ark landing site: Abbr. : MT ARARAT

Mount Ararat is in Turkey. It is a snow-capped, dormant volcano with two peaks. The higher of the two, Greater Ararat, is the tallest peak in the country. Ararat takes its name from a legendary Armenian hero called Ara the Beautiful (or “Ara the Handsome”). According to the Book of Genesis, Noah’s ark landed on Mount Ararat as the Great Flood subsided.

23 P&L part : LOSS

Profit and loss (P&L).

29 Letters at the end of a proof : QED

The initialism “QED” is used at the end of a mathematical proof or a philosophical argument. QED stands for the Latin “quod erat demonstrandum” meaning “that which was to be demonstrated”.

35 German gent : HERR

In German, a “Herr” (Mr.) is married to a “Frau” (Mrs.), and they live together in a “Haus” (house).

36 Stalin-era prisons : GULAGS

The Gulag was a government agency in the Soviet Union that administered forced labor camps. The term “gulag” was used for the camps themselves, especially when used for political dissidents. “GULag” is actually an acronym standing for the Russian “Chief Administration of Corrective Labor Camps and Colonies”.

Joseph Stalin was General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party from 1922 to 1952, and Soviet Premier from 1941 to 1953. Stalin’s real name was Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili. Not long after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1903 he adopted the name “Stalin”, which is the Russian word for “steel”.

39 Some nest egg components : IRAS

Individual retirement account (IRA)

40 Only monosyllabic U.S. state : MAINE

Maine is the least-densely populated state east of the Mississippi, with almost 90% of its land covered with forests. Perhaps that’s why the state’s nickname is “The Pine Tree State” …

41 Weighty Brit. references : OEDS

The “Oxford English Dictionary” (OED) contains over 300,000 “main” entries and 59 million words in total. The longest entry for one word in the second edition of the OED is the verb “set”. When the third edition was published in 2007, the longest entry for a single word became the verb “put”. Perhaps not surprisingly, the most-quoted author in the OED is William Shakespeare, with his most quoted work being “Hamlet”. The most-quoted female author is George Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans).

42 Tease : RIB

“To rib”, meaning “to tease”, is a term dating back to 1930 and is probably an extension from “poking someone in the ribs”.

43 “Ars Poetica” poet : HORACE

The full name of Horace’s work is “Ars Poetica, Epistula ad Pisones” (The Art of Poetry, Letters to the Pisos). The work describes the technical aspects of poetry in ancient Rome, and the term “ars poetica” has come to mean the poetry of that period.

One of ancient Rome’s leading lyric poets was Quintus Horatius Flaccus or “Horace”, as we tend to know him. Horace’s most famous work is probably his collection of Latin lyric poems titled “Carmina” (the Latin for “Odes).

48 Aquarium cutie : OTTER

Sea otters actually hold hands while sleeping on their backs so that they don’t drift apart. When sea otter pups are too small to lock hands, they clamber up onto their mother’s belly and nap there.

49 Math subj. : CALC

The Latin word “calculus” was originally used for a reckoning or an account, and originally applied to a pebble that was used to maintain a count. The Latin word came from the Greek for a pebble, “khalix”.

51 Palm starch : SAGO

When I was growing up in Ireland I was very familiar with pearl sago, which is very similar to pearl tapioca. Pearls of sago are simply little balls of sago starch used to make breads, pancakes, biscuits, or steamed puddings that we ate as kids. Sago comes from the pith of the sago palm tree. To get at the starch the tree has to be cut down and the trunk split to reveal the pith. The pith is crushed and manipulated to make the starch available, which is then washed out of a fibrous suspension. One sago palm tree yields about 150-300 kg of starch. Personally I love the stuff, but then, I am a bit weird …

53 “Spring Symphony” composer : SCHUMANN

The composer Robert Schumann completed four symphonies in all, and left one incomplete:

  • Symphony in G Minor “Zwickau” (1832-33, incomplete)
  • Symphony No. 1 “Spring” (1841)
  • Symphony No. 2 (1846-46)
  • Symphony No. 3. “Rhenish” (1850)
  • Symphony No. 4 (1841, revised in 1851)

Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 is also called the “Spring Symphony”. Schumann started work on the piece in January of 1841, and it premiered just two months later in Leipzig. That first performance was conducted by his friend Felix Mendelssohn.

61 West Virginia resource : COAL

The vast coalfields of West Virginia were used to fuel, literally, the Industrial Revolution in the United States. West Virginia’s official state rock is bituminous coal.

65 Connoisseur : MAVEN

I’ve always loved the term “maven”, which is another word for “expert”. “Maven” comes into English from the Yiddish “meyvn” describing someone who appreciates and is a connoisseur.

A connoisseur is an expert, or someone who appreciates something with discrimination. The term “connoisseur” is French in origin, and stems from the Latin “com” (with) and “gnoscere” (to recognize).

66 Provide the bank blueprints for, say : ABET

The word “abet” comes into English from the Old French “abeter” meaning “to bait” or “to harass with dogs” (literally “to make bite”). This sense of encouraging something bad to happen morphed into our modern usage of “abet” meaning to aid or encourage someone in a crime.

Blueprints are reproductions of technical or architectural drawings that are contact prints made on light-sensitive sheets. Blueprints were introduced in the 1800s and the technology available dictated that the drawings were reproduced with white lines on a blue background, hence the name “blue-print”.

67 Even civil ones aren’t friendly : WARS

A civil war is an armed conflict between factions within the same country. Here are some examples, ones with which I am most familiar:

  • The American Civil War (1861-1865) was fought between northern states loyal to the Union and southern states that formed the Confederate States of America.
  • The English Civil (1642-1651) was fought between the Parliamentarians (the “Roundheads”) and the Royalists (the “Cavaliers”).
  • The Irish Civil War (1922-1923) was fought between the pro-treaty Provisional Government and the anti-treaty Irish Republican Army. The treaty in question was the Anglo-Irish Treaty that effectively divided the country between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland, which remained part of the United Kingdom.

69 Flu fighters : SERA

Blood serum (plural “sera”) is the clear, yellowish part of blood i.e. that part which is neither a blood cell nor a clotting factor. Included in blood serum are antibodies, the proteins that are central to our immune system. Blood serum from animals that have immunity to a particular disease can be transferred to another individual, hence providing that second individual with some level of immunity. Blood serum used to pass on immunity can be called “antiserum”.

Influenza (the “flu”) is an ailment that is caused by a virus. The virus is readily inactivated by the use of soap, so washing hands and surfaces is especially helpful in containing flu outbreaks … and other virus pandemics …

Down

1 Finn conveyance : RAFT

In Mark Twain’s novel “Huckleberry Finn”, much of the storyline is taken up with Huck’s adventures with the slave Jim as they raft down the Mississippi River. By making the journey, the pair hope to find freedom from slavery for Jim and freedom from his vagrant drunkard father for Huck.

2 Et __: and others : ALIA

“Et alii” (et al.) is the equivalent of “et cetera” (etc.), with “et cetera” being used in place of a list of objects, and “et alii” used for a list of names. In fact, “et al.” can stand for “et alii” (a group of males, or males and females), “et aliae” (a group of women) and “et alia” (a group of neuter nouns, or a group of people where the intent is to retain gender-neutrality).

4 Heinz Field NFL team : STEELERS

The Pittsburgh Steelers football team was founded in 1933, making it the oldest franchise in the AFC. Back in 1933, the team was known as the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates name was chosen as the Pittsburgh baseball team was the Pirates. The name was changed to the Steelers in 1940, and then the Steagles in 1943 when the team merged with the Philadelphia Eagles. There was a further merger in 1944, with the Chicago Cardinal to form Card-Pitt. The Steelers name was resurrected in 1945.

Heinz Field in Pittsburgh serves as the home of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Pittsburgh’s Panthers. The stadium opened in 2001, less than 100 feet from the old Three Rivers Stadium, which was imploded later that year to make way for a parking lot.

6 Ltd. relative : INC

A company that has incorporated uses the abbreviation “Inc.” after its name. By incorporating, a company forms a corporation, which is a legal entity that has legal rights similar to those of an individual. For example, a corporation can sue another corporation or individual. However, a corporation does not have all the rights of citizens. A corporation does not have the Fifth Amendment right of protections against self-incrimination, for example. It is perhaps understandable that the concept of “corporations as persons” is a frequent subject for debate.

10 Angora goat fabric : MOHAIR

The Angora goat produces the wool known as mohair. On the other hand, Angora wool comes from the Angora rabbit. Both rabbit and goat are named for Turkey’s capital Ankara, which was known as “Angora” in many European languages.

12 Latvian capital : RIGA

Riga is the capital city of Latvia. The historical center of Riga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, declared as such because of the city’s magnificent examples of Art Nouveau architecture.

13 Sibilant “Hey!” : PSST!

“Sibilant” is a lovely word that describes a sound of speech, i.e. the sound of an “s” or “z”, a hissing sound. The word “sissies”, for example, has three sibilant sounds.

18 First chimp in orbit : ENOS

Enos was a chimpanzee that was launched into Earth orbit in 1961 by NASA on a Mercury Atlas 4 rocket. Enos’s flight was a rehearsal for the first orbital flight made by an American, astronaut John Glenn. Enos returned from his mission safely, but died the following year from dysentery.

22 “Peanuts” word of frustration : RATS!

The characters in the cartoon series “Peanuts” were largely drawn from Charles Schultz’s own life, with shy and withdrawn Charlie Brown representing Schultz himself.

26 Pirouette : WHIRL

We took our word “pirouette” directly from French, in which language it has the same meaning, i.e. a rotation in dancing. “Pirouette” is also the French word for “spinning top”.

27 Elevated dwelling : AERIE

An aerie is an eagle’s nest, and is also known as an “eyrie”. The term “aerie” more generally describes any bird’s nest that is located on a cliff or a mountaintop.

30 Sports bureau co-founder Al or Walter : ELIAS

The Elias Sports Bureau has been providing research and statistics for professional sports since 1913. The business was set up in 1913 in New York City by Al Munro Elias and his brother Walter.

34 Surgical cutter : LASER

The term “laser” is an acronym standing for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. It has been pointed out that a more precise name for laser technology is “light oscillation by stimulated emission of radiation”, but the resulting acronym isn’t quite so appealing, namely “loser”.

36 Controversial crop alteration, for short : GMO

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is one with genetic material that has been altered by genetic engineering. One might argue that the oldest form of genetic engineering is selective breeding, the use of animals or plants with desired traits for the creation of the next generation.

43 Big wheel on a ship : HELM

In its broadest sense, the term “helm” describes the whole of a ship’s steering mechanism, including the rudder and tiller. In a more specific sense, the helm is the handle, tiller or wheel that is used to control the steering gear.

53 Flat-bottomed garbage hauler : SCOW

A scow is a flat-bottomed boat with squared-off ends that’s often used for transportation, usually pushed or pulled by a barge. Often, a scow can be seen carrying junk or garbage.

54 Deep sleep : COMA

Our term “coma” comes from the Greek “koma” meaning “deep sleep”.

55 Builder who lived to be 950 : NOAH

According to the Bible, the longest living people were:

  1. Methuselah (969 years)
  2. Jared (962 years)
  3. Noah (950 years)
  4. Adam (930 years)
  5. Seth (912 years)

56 Central church part : NAVE

In large Christian churches, the nave is the main approach to the altar, and is where most of the congregation are seated.

58 Cartoonist Goldberg : RUBE

Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist, engineer and inventor who became famous for designing overly-complicated gadgets to perform the simplest of tasks. Goldberg produced a famous series of cartoons depicting such designs. Such was the success of his work, the Merriam-Webster dictionary accepted the phrase “Rube Goldberg” as an adjective in 1931, an adjective meaning “accomplishing something simple through complex means”.

59 The “E” in DOE: Abbr. : ENER

The US Department of Energy (DOE) came into being largely as a result of the 1973 oil crisis. The DOE was founded in 1977 by the Carter administration. The DOE is responsible for regulating the production of nuclear power, and it is also responsible for the nation’s nuclear weapons. The official DOE seal features a lightning bolt and symbols denoting five sources of energy: the sun, an atom, an oil derrick, a windmill and a dynamo.

60 Spanish pronoun : ESTA

In Spanish, the “otra” (other) is neither “esta” (this) nor “esa” (that).

63 Actress Wallace of “E.T.” : DEE

Actress Dee Wallace is best known for playing young Elliot’s mother in the Steven Spielberg 1982 masterpiece “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Half a poverty-to-wealth metaphor : RAGS
5 Shows affection, dog-style : LICKS
10 Amt. rarely paid by a car buyer : MSRP
14 Came down : ALIT
15 Puget Sound, e.g. : INLET
16 Elevator name : OTIS
17 Building emergency exit : FIRE ESCAPE
19 Takes too much for oneself : HOGS
20 Natural skill : TALENT
21 Ark landing site: Abbr. : MT ARARAT
23 P&L part : LOSS
25 Injure badly : MAIM
26 Pay : WAGES
29 Letters at the end of a proof : QED
32 Fish with a net : TRAWL
35 German gent : HERR
36 Stalin-era prisons : GULAGS
38 Green acres : LEA
39 Some nest egg components : IRAS
40 Only monosyllabic U.S. state : MAINE
41 Weighty Brit. references : OEDS
42 Tease : RIB
43 “Ars Poetica” poet : HORACE
44 Craving : URGE
45 Time off : LEAVE
47 From S.F. to Vegas : ESE
48 Aquarium cutie : OTTER
49 Math subj. : CALC
51 Palm starch : SAGO
53 “Spring Symphony” composer : SCHUMANN
57 Be released : GO FREE
61 West Virginia resource : COAL
62 They’re holstered in old Westerns : LOADED GUNS
64 Forget to include : OMIT
65 Connoisseur : MAVEN
66 Provide the bank blueprints for, say : ABET
67 Even civil ones aren’t friendly : WARS
68 Bedding component : SHEET
69 Flu fighters : SERA

Down

1 Finn conveyance : RAFT
2 Et __: and others : ALIA
3 “Atta __!” : GIRL
4 Heinz Field NFL team : STEELERS
5 Grocery shoppers’ aids : LISTS
6 Ltd. relative : INC
7 Refuse to talk, with “up” : CLAM …
8 Didn’t give away : KEPT
9 Iron output : STEAM
10 Angora goat fabric : MOHAIR
11 Severe weather warning : STORM ALERT
12 Latvian capital : RIGA
13 Sibilant “Hey!” : PSST!
18 First chimp in orbit : ENOS
22 “Peanuts” word of frustration : RATS!
24 With 31-Down, hoedown activities, and a hint to the circled letters : SQUARE …
26 Pirouette : WHIRL
27 Elevated dwelling : AERIE
28 “Sit, sit” : GRAB A CHAIR
30 Sports bureau co-founder Al or Walter : ELIAS
31 See 24-Down : … DANCES
33 Golfer’s “pitching” club : WEDGE
34 Surgical cutter : LASER
36 Controversial crop alteration, for short : GMO
37 “Golly!” : GEE!
41 Too tired to go further : OUT OF GAS
43 Big wheel on a ship : HELM
46 Gymnast’s jumps : VAULTS
48 Prayer opener : O GOD ….
50 Settles : CALMS
52 Contract negotiator : AGENT
53 Flat-bottomed garbage hauler : SCOW
54 Deep sleep : COMA
55 Builder who lived to be 950 : NOAH
56 Central church part : NAVE
58 Cartoonist Goldberg : RUBE
59 The “E” in DOE: Abbr. : ENER
60 Spanish pronoun : ESTA
63 Actress Wallace of “E.T.” : DEE