LA Times Crossword 18 Jun 20, Thursday

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Constructed by: Adam Vincent
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Theme (according to Bill): Something to Steal

Themed answers are each common phrases reinterpreted as the stealing of something:

  • 17A Steal from a box office? : LIFT TICKETS
  • 30A Steal from a bar? : HOOK SHOTS
  • 44A Steal from a government database? : NICK NAMES
  • 59A Steal from a beauty salon? : POCKET COMBS

Bill’s time: 7m 00s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Actress Gillan of “Guardians of the Galaxy” : KAREN

Scottish actress Karen Gillan is most famous for playing Amy Pond in the “Doctor Who” sci-fi show made by the BBC. Amy Pond was the companion to the eleventh doctor, played by Matt Smith. More recently, Gillan has been playing Nebula in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series of films.

11 Caps Lock neighbor : TAB

Like most features on our computer keyboards, the tab key is a hangover from the days of typewriters. When using a typewriter, making entries into a table was very tedious, involving lots of tapping on the spacebar and backspace key. So, a lever was added to typewriters that allowed the operator to “jump” across the page to positions that could be set by hand. Later this was simplified to a tab key which could be depressed, causing the carriage to jump to the next tab stop in much the same way that the modern tab key works on a computer.

14 Texas tourist spot : ALAMO

The San Antonio mission known as the Alamo may have been named for a grove of nearby cottonwood trees. “Álamo” is the Spanish name for the cottonwood.

17 Steal from a box office? : LIFT TICKETS

The term “box office” may date back to Shakespearean times. In those days long past, patrons would deposit fees for seeing theater performances in boxes. The full boxes would be collected and placed in an office called, imaginatively enough, the “box office”.

19 Dress to the nines, with “up” : TOG

The verb “to tog up”, meaning “to dress up”, comes from the Latin “toga” describing the garment worn in ancient Rome. “Tog” can also be used as an informal word for a coat or a cloak. Back in Ireland, togs are what we call swimming shorts.

The term “to the nines” means “to perfection”. The first person to use the term in literature was Robbie Burns. Apparently the idea behind the use of “nines” is figurative (pun!), with the number nine considered “ideal” as it is arrived at by multiplying three by three.

22 Bellybutton type : OUTIE

The navel is basically the scar left behind when the umbilical cord is removed from a newborn baby. One interesting use of the umbilicus (navel, belly button) is to differentiate between identical twins, especially when they are very young.

24 Sources of wisdom : ORACLES

In ancient Greece and Rome, an oracle was someone believed inspired by the gods to give wise counsel. The word “oracle” derives from the Latin “orare” meaning “to speak”, which is the same root for our word “orator”. One of the most important oracles of ancient Greece was the priestess to Apollo at Delphi.

26 Chincoteague horse : PONY

The Chincoteague Pony is a breed living in the wild on Assateague Island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. Apparently the name “Chincoteague Pony” is mainly used in Virginia, whereas the “Assateague horse” is preferred in Maryland.

32 Ostrich cousin : RHEA

The rhea is a flightless bird that is native to South America. The rhea takes its name from the Greek Titan Rhea. It’s an apt name for a flightless bird as “rhea” comes from the Greek word meaning “ground”.

34 Sudoku digit : ONE

Number puzzles similar to our modern-day Sudoku first appeared in French newspapers in the late 1800s. The format that we use today was created by Howard Garns, a 74-year-old freelance puzzle constructor from Connersville, Indiana and first published in 1979. The format was introduced in Japan in 1984 and given the title of “Sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru”, which translates to “the digits are limited to one occurrence”. The rather elaborate Japanese title was eventually shortened to Sudoku. No doubt many of you are fans of Sudoku puzzles. I know I am …

35 Routine grounder, e.g. : EASY OUT

That would be baseball.

41 Bird whose eye is in the Wise potato chips logo : OWL

The Wise Potato Chip Company was founded in 1921 by Earl Wise, Sr. He adopted the owl as a company mascot, as the owl is reputed to be very “wise”.

42 __ race : RAT

We use “rat race” figuratively to describe an endless, pointless pursuit. The term comes from the laboratory, where one might imagine rats racing around a maze in search of some cheese.

43 Field mouse : VOLE

Vole populations can increase very rapidly. Mama vole is pregnant for just three weeks before giving birth to litters of 5-10 baby voles. Then, the young voles become sexually mature in just one month! If you have one pregnant vole in your yard, within a year you could have over a hundred of the little critters.

48 Goddess trio, with “the” : … FATES

The three Fates of Greek mythology were white-robed deities, and were also called the Moirai. The three Fates were Clotho the spinner, Lachesis the allotter and Atropos the unturnable.

49 Workplace standards org. : OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970 during the Nixon administration. OSHA regulates workplaces in the private sector and regulates just one government agency, namely the US Postal Service.

50 Integer : NUMERAL

An integer is a number that does not include a fraction. The word “integer” is Latin for “whole”.

54 Grenoble greeting : SALUT

In French, “salut” means “hi”, and is less formal than “bonjour”. The term can also be used as a friendly toast.

Grenoble is a city at the foot of the French Alps. The Winter Olympic Games were held there in 1968.

62 Syncopated work : RAG

Ragtime music was at the height of its popularity in the early 1900s. It takes its name from its characteristic “ragged” rhythms. The most famous ragtime composer was Scott Joplin, who had a big hit with his “Maple Leaf Rag” when it was published in 1899. He followed that up with a string of hits, including the “Pine Apple Rag” (sic). Ragtime fell out of favor about 1917 when the public turned to jazz. It had a resurgence in the forties when jazz musicians started to include ragtime tunes in their repertoires. But it was the 1973 movie “The Sting” that brought the true revival, as the hit soundtrack included numerous ragtime tunes by Scott Joplin, including the celebrated “The Entertainer” originally published in 1902.

In the world of music, syncopation is the expected emphasis away from the normally accented beat, producing an unexpected rhythm, an “offbeat” rhythm. Syncopation is a characteristic of many genres of music, notably ragtime and jazz.

63 Where van Gogh’s second “Sunflowers” series was painted : ARLES

“Sunflowers” is the name of two series of paintings by Vincent van Gogh. In the first series, painted in Paris, the flowers are lying on the ground. The more famous second series was painted in Arles, and depicts the flowers in a vase. Famously, a Japanese insurance magnate purchased “Still Life: Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers” in 1987 in an auction, paying just under $40 million. This price outstripped the previous record price paid for a work of art by a wide, wide margin, one that stood at $12 million.

64 St. Teresa’s town : AVILA

Ávila is famous for the walled defenses around the old city that date back to 1090. They were constructed out of brown granite, and are still in excellent repair. There are nine gateways and eighty-towers in all. Even the cathedral built between the 12th and 14th centuries is part of the city’s defenses, so it looks like an imposing fortress.

St. Teresa of Ávila (also known as St. Teresa of Jesus) was a Carmelite nun living in Spain in the 1500s. She is particularly noted for her writings on Christian meditation and mental prayer.

66 Bobby pin target : TRESS

A bobby pin is an unobtrusive hair clip. The clip became popular starting in 1899 with the introduction of the “bob cut”, hence the name “bobby pin”.

67 __ Tots : TATER

Ore-Ida’s founders came up with the idea for Tater Tots when they were deciding what to do with residual cuts of potato. They chopped up the leftovers, added flour and seasoning, and extruded the mix through a large hole making a sausage that they cut into small cylinders. We eat 70 million pounds of this extruded potato every year!

Down

4 Ambulance pro : EMT

Emergency medical technician (EMT)

5 Official with a seal : NOTARY

A notary public is a public officer licensed to perform specific legal actions in non-contentious legal matters. The main duties are to administer oaths, take affidavits and witness the execution of documents.

8 Sound system : STEREO

Monophonic sound (“mono”) is sound reproduced using just one audio channel, which is usually played out of just one speaker. Stereophonic sound is reproduced using two audio channels, with the sound from each channel played out of two different speakers. The pair of stereo speakers are usually positioned apart from each other so that sound appears to come from between the two. Quadraphonic sound (4.0 surround sound) uses four audio channels with the sound played back through four speakers that are often positioned at the corners of the room in which one is listening.

11 Many a clue in the TV series “Blindspot” : TATTOO

“Blindspot” is a crime drama about a woman with amnesia whose body is covered with tattoos. The FBI discovers that the tattoos give clues to crimes that must be solved. The premise sounds intriguing, so I must take a look at the show one day …

13 Pro golfer’s disappointments : BOGEYS

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”.

18 Glass of public radio : IRA

Ira Glass is a well-respected presenter on American Public Radio who is perhaps best known for his show “This American Life”. I was interested to learn that one of my favorite composers, Philip Glass, is Ira’s first cousin.

25 Tennis garment : SKORT

The garment called a “skort” is a hybrid between shorts and a skirt.

27 Higher ed. test : GRE

Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

29 “Isle of Dogs” director Anderson : WES

“Isle of Dogs” is a 2018 animated and stop-action film by Wes Anderson. The movie has a science-fiction storyline, and is set in near-future Japan. All dogs are banished to Trash Island after an outbreak of dog flu threatens to cross into the human population. The voice cast of “Isle of Dogs” is very impressive, and includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, Yoko Ono and many other A-list names.

31 __ Balls: former Hostess treats : SNO

The Hostess cakes called Sno Balls are usually pink in color, although in its original form each packet of two cakes contained one white and one pink. Around Halloween you can buy Sno Balls in the form of Scary Cakes and Glo Balls that are colored orange and green. and on St. Paddy’s Day there’s a green one available. Yoo hoo!

33 Disney film based on a Chinese legend : MULAN

“Mulan” is a 1998 animated feature film made by Walt Disney studios. The film is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, a woman who takes the place of her father in the army and serves with distinction for twelve years without reward. Disney’s lead character was given the name Fa Mulan. Donny Osmond provided the singing voice for one of the lead characters, after which his sons remarked that he had finally made it in show business as he was in a Disney film.

36 “Queen Sugar” cable station : OWN

“Queen Sugar” is a TV drama that is based on a 2014 novel of the same name by Natalie Baszile. It’s all about three estranged siblings who reunite to save their family’s failing sugarcane farm in Louisiana.

44 Cosa __ : NOSTRA

Apparently, “Cosa Nostra” is the real name for the Italian Mafia. “Cosa Nostra” translates as “our thing” or “this thing of ours”. The term first became public in the US when the FBI managed to turn some members of the American Mafia. The Italian authorities established that “Cosa Nostra” was also used in Sicily when they penetrated the Sicilian Mafia in the 1980s. The term “Mafia” seems to be just a literary invention that has become popular with the public.

57 Deposed Russian ruler : TSAR

The year 1917 saw two revolutions in Russia, with the pair collectively called “the Russian Revolution”. As a result of the February Revolution that centered on Petrograd, the last Emperor of Russia (Tsar Nicholas II) abdicated and members of the Imperial parliament took control of the country, forming the Russian Provisional Government. The Provisional Government was itself overthrown in the October Revolution, which was led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolshevik party.

60 “Bobby Hockey” : ORR

Bobby Orr is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. By the time he retired in 1978 he had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries. At 31 years of age, he concluded that he just couldn’t skate anymore. Reportedly, he was even having trouble walking. While still 31 years old, in 1979, Orr became the youngest person inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Prior to that, in 1967, Orr became the youngest person named the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Actress Gillan of “Guardians of the Galaxy” : KAREN
6 Has a frog in one’s throat : RASPS
11 Caps Lock neighbor : TAB
14 Texas tourist spot : ALAMO
15 Insistent comeback : IS TOO
16 “It’s __-win situation” : A NO
17 Steal from a box office? : LIFT TICKETS
19 Dress to the nines, with “up” : TOG
20 Put away : EAT
21 Like a loud crowd : AROAR
22 Bellybutton type : OUTIE
24 Sources of wisdom : ORACLES
26 Chincoteague horse : PONY
27 Clumsy : GAWKY
30 Steal from a bar? : HOOK SHOTS
32 Ostrich cousin : RHEA
33 Got together : MET
34 Sudoku digit : ONE
35 Routine grounder, e.g. : EASY OUT
37 Timber-cutting tool : BROADAX
41 Bird whose eye is in the Wise potato chips logo : OWL
42 __ race : RAT
43 Field mouse : VOLE
44 Steal from a government database? : NICK NAMES
48 Goddess trio, with “the” : … FATES
49 Workplace standards org. : OSHA
50 Integer : NUMERAL
52 Moves with the breeze : SWAYS
54 Grenoble greeting : SALUT
55 Feed bit : OAT
58 Top __ : TEN
59 Steal from a beauty salon? : POCKET COMBS
62 Syncopated work : RAG
63 Where van Gogh’s second “Sunflowers” series was painted : ARLES
64 St. Teresa’s town : AVILA
65 Is for two? : ARE
66 Bobby pin target : TRESS
67 __ Tots : TATER

Down

1 Curly leafy green : KALE
2 Latin “others” : ALIA
3 Rapids transit : RAFT
4 Ambulance pro : EMT
5 Official with a seal : NOTARY
6 Bounce : RICOCHET
7 Set the price high : ASK A LOT
8 Sound system : STEREO
9 Cauldron : POT
10 Mediocre : SO-SO
11 Many a clue in the TV series “Blindspot” : TATTOO
12 Sanctify with oil : ANOINT
13 Pro golfer’s disappointments : BOGEYS
18 Glass of public radio : IRA
23 Sudden, dramatic disruption : UPHEAVAL
24 “I heard you the last time” : OKAY OKAY
25 Tennis garment : SKORT
27 Higher ed. test : GRE
28 “Yes!” : AHA!
29 “Isle of Dogs” director Anderson : WES
31 __ Balls: former Hostess treats : SNO
33 Disney film based on a Chinese legend : MULAN
36 “Queen Sugar” cable station : OWN
37 Unfounded : BASELESS
38 On the __ : DOT
39 Tavern tankard : ALE
40 Simple signatures : XES
42 New film versions : REMAKES
44 Cosa __ : NOSTRA
45 “Cross my heart!” : I SWEAR!
46 Coins returned : CHANGE
47 Brawn : MUSCLE
48 One of the haves : FAT CAT
51 Boring routine : RUT
53 Minor disagreement : SPAT
55 Leave unsaid : OMIT
56 Not all thumbs : ABLE
57 Deposed Russian ruler : TSAR
60 “Bobby Hockey” : ORR
61 Egg cells : OVA