Iconic hat-shaped L.A. restaurant crossword clue Archives – LAXCrossword.com

Today’s Reveal Answer: Sugar Substitute

We can SUBSTITUTE the word “SUGAR” for the last word in each of the themed answers:

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

15. Letter after eta : THETA

The Greek letter theta is the one that looks like the number zero with a horizontal line across the middle.

16. “Strange Magic” band : ELO

“Strange Magic” is song by English rock band the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) that was released as a single in 1976. It had appeared earlier as a track on the ELO’s 1975 album “Face the Music”.

17. Pieman meeter of rhyme : SIMPLE SIMON (giving “simple sugar”)

The first verse of the English nursery rhyme is:

Simple Simon met a pieman,
Going to the fair;
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
Let me taste your ware.

19. Jack of “Barney Miller” : SOO

Jack Soo was a Japanese-American actor noted for playing Detective Nick Yemana on the sitcom “Barney Miller” in the seventies and eighties.

“Barney Miller” is a sitcom set in a Greenwich Village, New York police station. All of the action takes place actually within the station house, except for a once-a-year “special” that followed one of the detectives on a stakeout or in their home. The title character is the captain of the precinct, and is played by Hal Linden.

20. Persian Gulf ship : OILER

The Persian Gulf is in effect an inland sea, although it technically is an offshoot of the Indian Ocean. The outlet from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean is one of the most famous maritime “choke points” in the world, and is known as the Strait of Hormuz. About 20% of the world’s supply of petroleum passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

21. Croc’s cousin : GATOR

Crocodiles and alligators do indeed bear a resemblance to each other, although they belong to distinct biological families. One of the main ways used to distinguish them is by their teeth and jaws. Both the upper and lower sets of teeth of a crocodile are visible when its mouth is closed, whereas only the upper teeth of an alligator are visible with the mouth shut.

23. Bovine baby : CALF

Something bovine is related to a cow, ox or buffalo, any ruminant in the genus Bos. “Bos” is the Latin for “cow”, and “bovinus” a Late Latin derivative term.

26. Toronto NHL team : MAPLE LEAFS (giving “maple sugar”)

The Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team was founded way back in 1917. As members of the National Hockey League, the Maple leafs have won the Stanley Cup championships thirteen times, the second best record in the league. Having said that, the last championship the team won was in 1967, and the resulting “drought” is the longest in NHL today.

About 75% of the world’s maple syrup comes from the province of Quebec. The US’s biggest producer is the state of Vermont, which produces 5-6% of the world’s supply.

31. Corp. kingpin : EXEC

The word “kingpin” is mainly used figuratively these days, to describe the most prominent member of a group. Back at the start of the 19th century, a kingpin was the largest pin in a bowling game called “kayles”. As such, the term “kingpin” is also used sometimes in ten-pin bowling to describe the 5-pin, the pin in the center of the triangular array.

32. Baseball’s Doubleday : ABNER

Abner Doubleday was a general in the Union Army during the Civil War. Some say that Doubleday fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter in the first battle of the war. After the Civil War, while stationed in San Francisco, Doubleday took out a patent for the cable car system that still runs in the city. Claims have been made that Doubleday also invented baseball, with the first game being played in Elihu Phinney’s cow pasture in Cooperstown, New York.

33. Pad __: Asian noodles dish : THAI

The delicious dish called pad Thai is a meld of stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus a mix of vegetables and possibly tofu, meat or fish. It is usually topped with crushed peanuts, coriander and lime. The name “pad Thai” translates as “fried Thai-style”.

35. Bank acct. addition : DEP

One might make a deposit (dep.) into a bank account (acct.).

42. Moody music genre : EMO

The emo musical genre originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. “Emo” is also the name given to the associated subculture. Not my cup of tea …

44. Capital of Morocco : RABAT

Rabat is the capital city of the Kingdom of Morocco. After WWII, the United States maintained a major Air Force Base in Rabat, part of Strategic Air Command (SAC). Responding to pressure from the Moroccan government of King Mohammed V, the USAF pulled out in 1963.

45. Motown music genre : SOUL

Soul music originated in the United States and was born out of gospel music and rhythm & blues. I read one quotation that describes soul as “music that arose out of the black experience in America”.

48. Iconic hat-shaped L.A. restaurant : BROWN DERBY (giving “brown sugar”)

The original Brown Derby restaurant opened in 1926 on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. The building had a very distinctive shape, and was designed to represent a brown derby hat. As a result of the café’s success, the owners opened a second Brown Derby restaurant in 1929. The second establishment was housed in a building with a Spanish Mission facade that was located on North Vine Street in Hollywood. It was this second Brown Derby that gained so much celebrity due to its proximity to the major Hollywood movie studios. The Wiltshire Boulevard Brown Derby closed and was demolished in 1980. The Hollywood Brown Derby was closed in 1985 and was razed to the ground in 1994.

53. Hershey’s nibble : KISS

The Hershey Company produces over 80 million chocolate Kisses each day, and has been making them since 1907.

54. Goldbricks : LOAFS

A goldbrick is someone who lies down on the job, someone who shirks his or her responsibilities. “Goldbrick” arose as slang during WWII, when it meant “to swindle, cheat”. The term was a play on the old confidence trick of selling fake gold bricks.

55. “Fame” singer Cara : IRENE

Irene Cara co-wrote and sang the Oscar-winning song “Flashdance… What a Feeling” from the 1983 movie “Flashdance”. Cara also sang the title song for the 1980 movie “Fame”, and indeed played the lead role of student Coco Hernandez.

58. George Washington hairpiece : POWDERED WIG (giving “powdered sugar”)

In the 18th century, it became fashionable to powder men’s wigs. The main use of the powder was to give the wig a distinctive white or off-white color. The powder was usually made from finely ground starch that was scented, often with orange flower or lavender. The practice fell out of favor in the late 1700s in the English-speaking world after the British government imposed a tax on hair powder.

64. Tiny source of teen angst : ZIT

The slang term “zit”, meaning “pimple”, came into the language in 1966, but no one seems to know its exact derivation.

65. __ Lauder : ESTEE

Estée Lauder was a very successful businesswoman, and someone with a great reputation as a salesperson. Lauder introduced her own line of fragrances in 1953, a bath oil called “Youth Dew”. “Youth Dew” was marketed as a perfume, but it was added to bathwater. All of a sudden women were pouring whole bottles of Ms. Lauder’s “perfume” into their baths while using only a drop or two of French perfumes behind their ears. That’s quite a difference in sales volume …

66. Debonair : SUAVE

The Latin word “suavis” translates as “agreeable, pleasant to the senses”. “Sauvis” is the root of the English word “suave” that describes someone who is gracious and sophisticated, and perhaps a somewhat superficial. “Sauvis” also gave us the English word “sweet” meaning “pleasing to the taste”.

Someone described as “debonair” is very courteous and gracious. The term comes into English via the French “debonaire”, which itself is derived from “de bon’ aire” meaning “of good race”, a phrase that originally applied to the breeding of hawks.

67. USN rank : ENS

Ensign is (usually) the most junior rank of commissioned officer in the armed forces. The name comes from the tradition that the junior officer would be given the task of carrying the ensign flag.

68. Light beer brand : COORS

Adolph Coors founded the Coors brewing company in 1873, in Golden, Colorado. Coors was originally from the Rhine Province in Prussia, and worked in various brewers around what is today Germany before immigrating to the US in 1868. Despite all of his success as a brewer here in America, Coors ended up taking his own life in 1929, by jumping to his death out of a hotel window.

Down

1. Stamp sellers: Abbr. : POS

Post office (PO)

2. Singer DiFranco : ANI

Ani DiFranco is a folk-rock singer and songwriter. DiFranco has also been labeled a “feminist icon”, and in 2006 won the “Woman of Courage Award” from National Organization for Women.

3. Film buffs’ channel : TCM

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is one of my favorite television channels as it delivers just what its name promises, i.e. classic movies.

Back in the early 1900s, a buff was someone (usually a male) who admired firefighting. The term “buff” was a reference to the buff-colored uniforms that had been sported by volunteer firefighters in New York City since the 1820s. The use of the word “buff” spread over time to describe a person who was enthusiastic about any particular subject, e.g. film buff, WWII buff.

4. Brit’s hot “spot” : CUP OF TEA

I guess the reference here is to the oft-quoted English phrase “a spot of tea”. Mind you, I’ve only ever heard that said in jest …

8. Sleep stage : REM

“REM” is an acronym standing for rapid eye movement sleep. REM sleep takes up 20-25% of the sleeping hours and is the period associated with one’s most vivid dreams.

9. Simpson trial judge Lance __ : ITO

Judge Lance Ito came in for a lot of criticism for his handling of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. The lead prosecutor in that trial was Marcia Clark, you might recall. I read the book that’s Clark wrote about the trial called “Without a Doubt”, and she pointed out one trait of Judge Ito that I think is quite telling. Ito would almost always refer to the prosecutor as “Marcia”, while addressing the men on both sides of the case with the honorific “Mister”.

11. Keebler cracker : ZESTA

Zesta is a line of saltine crackers made by Keebler.

12. Socially chilly : ALOOF

I suppose one might guess from the “feel” of the word “aloof” that is has nautical roots. Originally “aloof” meant “to windward” and was the opposite of “alee”. A helmsman might be instructed to stay aloof, to steer the boat into the weather to keep a distance from a lee-shore. It is from this sense of maintaining a distance that aloof came to mean “distant” in terms of personality. Interesting, huh …?

13. Standard & __ : POORS

Standard & Poor’s (S&P) is a financial services company, famous for its stock market indices, especially the S&P 500. The company also publishes credit ratings for sovereign governments, and in 2011 famously lowered the rating of the US federal government from AAA to to AA+.

22. Former nuclear agcy. : AEC

The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was set up right after WWII in 1946, with the aim of promoting the peaceful use of atomic energy. Establishing the AEC was a significant move made by President Truman, as it passed control of atomic energy from the military to the civilian sector. The AEC continued to operate until 1974 when its functions were divided up into two new agencies: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Energy Research and Development Administration (NRDA). The NRDA was merged with the Federal Energy Administration in 1977 to form the Department of Energy.

24. LP record : ALBUM

The first vinyl records designed to play at 33⅓ rpm were introduced by RCA Victor in 1931, but were discontinued due to quality problems. The first long play (LP) 33⅓ rpm disc was introduced by Columbia Records many years later in 1948, with RCA Victor following up with a 45 rpm “single” the following year, in 1949.

25. Jargon : LINGO

Lingo is a specialized vocabulary. “Journalese” and “legalese” would be good examples.

“Jargon” can mean nonsensical and meaningless talk, or the specialized language of a particular group, trade or profession. The term is Old French, with the more usual meaning of “a chattering”. How apt …

33. Bridal gown netting : TULLE

Tulle is a lightweight net fabric that is often used in veils, wedding gowns and ballet tutus.

34. “The Deuce” network : HBO

“The Deuce” is a drama series that has been airing since 2017 on HBO. Starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, the show explores the rise of the porn industry in the New York City in the 1970s. The title “The Deuce” is a nickname earned by New York’s 42nd Street when it was home to movie theaters that mainly showed exploitation films that featured lots of sex and violence.

35. Persian Gulf emirate : DUBAI

Dubai is one of the seven Emirates that make up the federation known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two largest members of the UAE (geographically) are Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the only two of the seven members that have veto power over UAE policy.

37. “For __ sake!” : PETE’S

“For Pete’s sake” is a minced oath, meaning it’s a milder version of a less pleasant expression. “For Pete’s sake” probably came from “for God’s sake”, and maybe even refers to St. Peter.

39. Tater : SPUD

The word “spud” is used as a slang term for a potato and was first recorded in the mid-1800s, in New Zealand would you believe?

40. Like damaged mdse. on sale : IRR

Irregular (“irr.” or “irreg.”)

45. Personal ad woman: Abbr. : SWF

“SWF”, meaing “single white female”, is an abbreviation commonly used in personal ads.

46. Unsolicited, as a manuscript : ON SPEC

Something that is created on spec is a done so without having a specific buyer or consumer in mind. Many crosswords are constructed on spec, and then submitted to the likes of the “New York Times” or “Los Angeles Times” in the hope of publication.

47. __ and terminer: criminal court : OYER

“Oyer and terminer” is a term that originates in English law and that applies in some US states. Here in the US, “oyer and terminer” is the name given to some courts of criminal jurisdiction. Even though it has its origins in English law, the words “oyer” and “terminer” come from French (via Anglo-Norman) and mean “to hear” and “to determine”.

49. Batman’s sidekick : ROBIN

Batman and Robin are somewhat unique among their superhero compatriots in that they have no special powers, just a whole load of cool gadgets. Batman is sometimes referred to as the Caped Crusader, Robin as the Boy Wonder, and the pair as the Dynamic Duo.

50. Brewers’ kilns : OASTS

An oast is a kiln used for drying hops as part of the brewing process. Such a structure might also be called an “oast house”. The term can also apply to a kiln used to dry tobacco.

52. Saints quarterback Drew : BREES

Drew Brees is a quarterback who played for the San Diego Chargers before signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2006. On top of his success in the NFL, Brees was an excellent tennis player in his youth. In one competition, he actually beat a young Andy Roddick who later became the world’s number one.

56. Storied loch : NESS

The Loch Ness monster has been talked about for centuries, but modern interest started in 1933 when a spate of sightings was reported. Those sightings don’t seem to have stopped, with photographs really sparking the imagination.

59. Baja bear : OSO

Baja California is both the most northern and the most western of the Mexican states. The name translates from Spanish as “Lower California”.

60. Intl. commerce group : WTO

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The stated aim of the WTO is to liberalize international trade. The organization was founded in 1995 when an international agreement on trade was reached that effectively replaced the existing General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that was laid down in 1949.

61. Basic card game : WAR

War is a card game, one played mainly by children.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Pumpkin-growing place : PATCH
6. Bitter : ACRID
11. Heat in the microwave : ZAP
14. How a timely stage entrance is made : ON CUE
15. Letter after eta : THETA
16. “Strange Magic” band : ELO
17. Pieman meeter of rhyme : SIMPLE SIMON (giving “simple sugar”)
19. Jack of “Barney Miller” : SOO
20. Persian Gulf ship : OILER
21. Croc’s cousin : GATOR
23. Bovine baby : CALF
26. Toronto NHL team : MAPLE LEAFS (giving “maple sugar”)
29. Upper crust groups : ELITES
31. Corp. kingpin : EXEC
32. Baseball’s Doubleday : ABNER
33. Pad __: Asian noodles dish : THAI
35. Bank acct. addition : DEP
38. Artificial sweetener … and what the end of 17-, 26-, 48- and 58-Across is, literally : SUGAR SUBSTITUTE
42. Moody music genre : EMO
43. Scheme : PLOT
44. Capital of Morocco : RABAT
45. Motown music genre : SOUL
47. Highly adorned : ORNATE
48. Iconic hat-shaped L.A. restaurant : BROWN DERBY (giving “brown sugar”)
53. Hershey’s nibble : KISS
54. Goldbricks : LOAFS
55. “Fame” singer Cara : IRENE
57. Six-pack muscles : ABS
58. George Washington hairpiece : POWDERED WIG (giving “powdered sugar”)
64. Tiny source of teen angst : ZIT
65. __ Lauder : ESTEE
66. Debonair : SUAVE
67. USN rank : ENS
68. Light beer brand : COORS
69. Binge : SPREE

Down

1. Stamp sellers: Abbr. : POS
2. Singer DiFranco : ANI
3. Film buffs’ channel : TCM
4. Brit’s hot “spot” : CUP OF TEA
5. Prefix with port : HELI-
6. Totally lost : AT SEA
7. Nest tweet : CHIRP
8. Sleep stage : REM
9. Simpson trial judge Lance __ : ITO
10. Hang down : DANGLE
11. Keebler cracker : ZESTA
12. Socially chilly : ALOOF
13. Standard & __ : POORS
18. Shade trees : ELMS
22. Former nuclear agcy. : AEC
23. Stop : CEASE
24. LP record : ALBUM
25. Jargon : LINGO
27. Fewest : LEAST
28. Way off the highway : EXIT
30. Miscalculate : ERR
33. Bridal gown netting : TULLE
34. “The Deuce” network : HBO
35. Persian Gulf emirate : DUBAI
36. French states : ETATS
37. “For __ sake!” : PETE’S
39. Tater : SPUD
40. Like damaged mdse. on sale : IRR
41. Really drunk : TANKED UP
45. Personal ad woman: Abbr. : SWF
46. Unsolicited, as a manuscript : ON SPEC
47. __ and terminer: criminal court : OYER
48. Burn brightly : BLAZE
49. Batman’s sidekick : ROBIN
50. Brewers’ kilns : OASTS
51. Successful hitchhiker : RIDER
52. Saints quarterback Drew : BREES
56. Storied loch : NESS
59. Baja bear : OSO
60. Intl. commerce group : WTO
61. Basic card game : WAR
62. “__ been thinking … ” : I’VE
63. “Golly!” : GEE!

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