Crossword by: C.C. Burnikel and edited by Rich Norris
Welcome to the answers to the Saturday September 28 2013 LA Times crossword puzzle!
Across Answers
1. Piece of fruit? SILENT I
F-R-U-I-T. The “I” is silent.
8. Time capsule ceremonies BURIALS
15. Barhopping ON A TOOT
Bar crawlers in New York are now using their bikes to get around town. Not very safe, but can still be thought of as convenient. And quick.
16. Awkward at gatherings, say ASOCIAL
An “asocial” individual hates social interaction, while an “antisocial” person is against the ordinances of society. They can justify this by committing crimes, as an example, or shun others who make an effort to abide by them. Know the difference.
17. Big oaf PALOOKA
A “palooka” is now generally being used in a negative context, synonymous to being large, clumsy, and dumb.
18. “I need an answer now!” YES OR NO?!
19. __-Locka, Florida OPA
Opa-Locka City was established in 1926 with the theme “One Thousand And One Nights” in mind of its developer, Glenn Curtiss, one of the pioneers in aviation. Fast forward to present time, and it now has the highest rate of crimes in the US.
20. Shortens again, as a board RESAWS
22. Medieval fight club? MACE
A mace is shaped with a heavy head on one end to deliver powerful, heavy blows. The shaft is often made of metal, though sometimes wood is also being used. For a more effective penetration into plated armours, it is shaped with knobs or flanges. To this very day, it is still being used on various institutions as a symbol of authority.
23. Move, briefly RELO
25. Frozen Four org. NCAA
“Final Four” is what it’s called in the basketball championships of the NCAA Men’s Division. Therefore, it’s only fitting that the championship tournament of the Men’s Ice Hockey for the same organization be called “Frozen Four.”
26. Pequod co-owner PELEG
Apart from Peleg, two other captains own this fictitious whaleship from the novel Moby-Dick, that’s Captain Ahab and Captain Bildad.
27. Give up a seat STAND
29. Pianist Schnabel ARTUR
Artur Schnabel from Austria is considered to be one of the most important and well-respected pianists of the twentieth century’s
31. Ivy League nickname ELI
Supposedly, you don’t just call any Ivy League grad “Eli”. It’s for Yale grads, in honor of Elihu Yale, a Collegiate School of Connecticut benefactor. The school’s name has been changed to Yale College in the year 1718. It became Yale University in 1887.
32. Wild West MAE
Mary Jane West, or Mae West ranked fifteenth in the American Film Insitute’s list of the greatest female stars of all time. She was a multi-talented actress, and was considered a sex symbol of her time.
34. Prefix with -syllabic OCTO-
35. NBAer Artest who changed his name to Metta World Peace RON
Mr. World Peace changed his name to “inspire and bring the youth together around the world.” “Metta” is a Buddhist word which translates to “compassion” or “loving kindness.”
Oh the irony of it all as he still continues to have conflicts with other NBA players. (Remember what he did to James Harden?)
36. Youngest male tennis player to be No. 1 in the ATP Rankings LLEYTON HEWITT
Mr Hewitt of Australia, was only twenty years old the time he was ranked number one in the world of tennis.
40. Guy JOE
41. Short remnant STUB
42. Cagy SLY
43. Battle of Shiloh monogram USG
Around three thousand soldiers died in the battle of Shiloh, a bloody attack made by the confederate forces over the union forces being led by Presidenty Ulysses S. Grant, that time still a Major General.
USG stands for Ulysses S. Grant. The “S” was a mistake, and doesn’t really stand for anything. It was an error in writing of the person who recommended him to West Point, he just decided to keep it.
44. Erect PUT UP
46. Bollywood garments SARIS
50. Bedroom label SERTA
Serta is a mattress company founded in the early 30’s. It was licensed by thirteen mattress makers, and still continues to be the largest mattress manufacturer in the United States up to this day.
52. Some brothers FRAS
Fras are what you call Italian friars or monks.
54. Having a single channel MONO
55. NYC train, familiarly THE A
The A Train has the longest 1-seat ride in the New York City Subway system, running more than thirty one miles. It is also the inspiration to a very popular song compsed by Billy Strayhorn in collaboration with Duke Ellington.
Ellington gave Strayhorn directions on how to reach his place via the subway. Coincidentally, it began with “Take the ‘A’ Train.”
56. Historic events FIRSTS
58. 16th-century date MDL
59. Certain tie NO SCORE
61. “Now, listen …” SEE HERE
63. As good as it gets OPTIMAL
64. All-purpose GENERAL
65. Covent Garden locale WEST END
The West End, located in Central London, is regarded to be one of the most expensive places in the world to rent office or commercial space. Covent garden is located in the Eastern part of the West End.
66. Fuddy-duddy OLD FOGY
Calling someone an “old fogy” means that he (or she) is old fashioned, conservative, or fussy–or in other words, a “fuddy-duddy.”
Down Answers
1. Deep sleeps SOPORS
Sopor is Latin for an unnaturally deep, lethargic, kind of sleep.
2. Hot under the collar IN A PET
“In a pet” means to be angry, as to be “hot under the collar,” which is also to feel resentful or angry.
3. Syllables sometimes said with one’s fingers in one’s ears LA LA LA
4. 1940s arena: Abbr. ETO
ETO stands for European Theater of Operations, an army formation of the United States which operated in different parts of Europe for 3 years, from 1942 to ’45.
Its headquarters was located in London.
5. Queen who is also a humanitarian activist NOOR
Queen Noor of Jordan is the daughter of the former Pan American World Airways president, Najeeb Halaby. She was given the name “Noor” (which in Arabic means “light”) by King Hussein when they were married in 1978. She was his fourth wife and was widowed in 1999. She now has the title Queen Dowager of Jordan.
6. Keepsake TOKEN
7. Mississippi source ITASCA
Mississippi begins in Lake Itasca in the northern part of Minnesota. The lake begins as a stream which only measures 3′ deep at four hundred and thirteen meters above sea level.
8. Show known for its slow-motion shots BAYWATCH
9. Capitalizes on USES
10. Sigur __: ethereal Icelandic band ROS
Pronounced as “si-ur rose”
11. “Where __ from …” I COME
12. Wartime signal AIR ALERT
13. Loyal friend of Gawain LANCELOT
Lancelot is one of the knights of the round table, and King Arthur’s most trusted ally especially when it comes to battle. Gawain is also a knight of the round table, King Arthur’s nephew, and Lancelot’s friend.
When Gawain’s brothers tried to plot against Lancelot by exposing his love affair with King Arthur’s wife Guinevere, Gawain was the one person who tried to stop them. However, a bitter turn of events resulted in his hatred for Lancelot, as his brothers were killed when Lancelot tried to rescue her from being burned alive.
14. Alabama Slammer ingredient SLOE GIN
Sloe Gin is a British liqueur, traditionally made by infusing sloe berries with gin.
21. Duel personality? AARON BURR
Aaron Burr. served as Thomas Jefferson’s vice president for one term. Because of repeated attacks to his integrity, he challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel. It has been reported that Hamilton intentionally missed his shot on Burr, but Burr’s shot was more fatal, as it pierced his liver. He died the day after.
24. Words someone 15-Across loves to hear ON ME
26. Hunts PROWLS
28. Mani-pedi spot DAYSPA
30. Rugged vehicles UTES
The Falcon RTV Ute is manufactured by Ford
33. Incredulous accusation ET TU
“Et tu” is Latin for “And you.” These were rumored to be the last words uttered by Julius Caesar, directed to his friend, Marcus Brutus before he was killed. However, this still remains to be a rumor, and was probably just sensationalized by the fact that “Et tu, Brutus?” were the same words used in Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar.
36. Stop looking for a rescue plane LOSE HOPE
37. Recliner features LEG RESTS
38. Where most hits wind up OUTFIELD
39. Start of Popeye’s credo I YAM
“…what I yam and that’s all what I yam!”
40. Seconds ago JUST NOW
45. Turn a corner, in a game PASS GO
47. The Joker portrayer ROMERO
Romero loved his mustache and refused to have it shaved for his portrayal of the Joker in the 60’s. So they just smeared white make up all over it during scenes. Ew…
48. Like comic Eddie Izzard, at times IN DRAG
British Eddie Izzard is a well-known stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who is known for his comic style and impersonations.
49. Alone SOLELY
51. Unspoken TACIT
53. Symbol of strength STEEL
Man Of Steel, anyone?
56. “Happily Divorced” actress Drescher FRAN
Fact: Fran Drescher married his high school sweetheart. They divorced, and then found out he’s gay. However, they remain the best of friends. Awwww…
57. Cellphone button SEND
60. Cockney abode ‘ome
Adele, the singer, is known for her Cockney accent.
62. Mag mogul HEF
87-year old Hugh Hefner is the founder of Playboy Enterprises, one of the leading sources of adult entertainment in the US. He worked as an Esquire Copywriter in 1952, but left when he wasn’t given his $5 raise. In 1953, he raised $8.000 to launch Playboy. The first issue sold more than fifty thousand copies, as it featured Marilyn Monroe. The rest, as they say, was history. Controversial history.
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