LA Times Crossword Answers 29 Mar 13, Friday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Jack McInturff
THEME: Hoops for Troops … today’s themed answers are well known phrases with a TR combo swapped for an H, which is how you also arrive at HOOP from TROOP:

16A. Hide cyberspace crimes? COVER ONE’S HACKS (from “cover one’s tracks”)
27A. Amsterdam cops? DUTCH HEAT (from “Dutch treat”)
35A. Objects of poolside ogling? SWIMMING HUNKS (from “swimming trunks”)
47A. Hayseed that doesn’t tip? CHEAP HICK (from “cheap trick”)
57A. NBA military appreciation initiative, and a hint to this puzzle’s theme HOOPS FOR TROOPS

COMPLETION TIME: 17m 07s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Beginning to bat? ACRO-
Our prefix “acro-” comes from the Greek “akros” meaning “at the top”. Examples are “acrophobia” (fear of heights) and “Acropolis” (“city at the top”).

5. Styptic stuff ALUM
Alum is common name for the chemical potassium aluminium sulfate. Styptic pencils can contain alum as the active ingredient that stems bleeding from a small cut. The alum acts as an astringent, a compound that shrinks some body tissues.

13. Cleaver kid BEAV
Ward Cleaver and his wife June were the parents of Wally Cleaver and his younger brother “The Beaver”, for whom the fifties sitcom “Leave It to Beaver” was named. Ward Cleaver was played by Hugh Beaumont.

14. Collaborative website WIKI
A wiki is a website in which users are allowed to create and edit content themselves. The term “wiki” comes from the name of the first such site, introduced in 1994 and called WikiWikiWeb. “Wiki” is a Hawaiian word for “quick”, and is used because comprehensive content is created very quickly a there are so many collaborators contributing to the site.

15. Actress Anderson LONI
Loni Anderson’s most remembered role was Jennifer Marlowe on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati”. Anderson has been married four times, most famously to actor Burt Reynolds from 1988 to 1993.

19. Macbeth or Hamlet ROLE
There is a superstition in the theatrical world that uttering the name “Macbeth” in a theater will bring disaster of some sort. To avoid this, the euphemism “the Scottish Play” is used instead.

“Hamlet” is William Shakespeare’s longest play, and was also one of most popular of the playwright’s works during his lifetime.

22. “Where __”: 1996 Beck hit IT’S AT
Beck is the stage name of Bek David Campbell, an American alternative rock musician.

25. Mr. __: Dr Pepper rival PIBB
The soft drink on the market today called Pibb Xtra used to be known as Mr Pibb, and before that was called Peppo. Peppo was introduced in 1972 as a direct competitor to Dr Pepper.

30. “Barnaby Jones” star EBSEN
The actor Buddy Ebsen is best known for playing Jed Clampett in television’s “The Beverly Hillbillies”. Ebsen had been cast in the role of the Tin Man in the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz”, but he developed an allergy to the aluminium dust that was used in the makeup. He ended up in hospital and had to walk away from the part. Ebsen blamed “The Wizard of Oz” on persistent problems that he had with his lungs in subsequent years. But Ebsen lived 16 years longer that any of the other major cast members of the film, so maybe he got the last laugh!

Barnaby Jones is a character on the detective show from the seventies called “Canon”. The Jones character was played by Buddy Ebsen. Ebsen then starred in the title role of the spinoff show called “Barnaby Jones”.

32. Editor’s mark STET
“Stet” is the Latin word meaning “let it stand”. In editorial work, the typesetter is instructed to disregard any change previously marked by writing the word “stet” and then underscoring that change with a line of dots or dashes.

33. Strong-legged bird EMU
The emu has had a tough time in Australia since man settled there. There was even an “Emu War” in Western Australia in 1932 when migrating emus competed with livestock for water and food. Soldiers were sent in and used machine guns in an unsuccessful attempt to drive off the “invading force”. The emus were clever, breaking their usual formations and adopting guerrilla tactics, operating as smaller units. After 50 days of “war”, the military withdrew. Subsequent requests for military help for the farmers were ignored. The emus had emerged victorious …

34. Pendleton Act pres. CAA
Chester Arthur was the 21st President of the US, and came to power after the assassination of James Garfield in 1881. President Arthur was known to be socially adept, and was very conscious of his role in society. He was always immaculately attired, apparently even changing his pants several times in a day. He was called “Chet” by family and friends, and sometimes answered to his middle name, Alan. However, he insisted that Alan be pronounced with the stress on the second syllable, Al-an.

40. Writer Marilyn __ Savant VOS
Marilyn vos Savant is a writer from St. Louis, Missouri. vos Savant first came into the limelight not for her writing, but for her IQ. She was listed in the “Guinness Book of World Records” in 1985 as having the highest IQ for a female, with a score of 190.

41. Chambéry shout CRI
“Cri” is the French for “shout”.

Chambéry is a city in southeastern France. The most landmark in town is the “Elephants Fountain”, an elaborate structure built in 1838 that includes four elephants squirting water from their trunks.

44. Parting word ADIEU
“Adieu” is the French for “goodbye” or “farewell”, from “à Dieu” meaning “to God”.

47. Hayseed that doesn’t tip? CHEAP HICK (from “cheap trick”)
“Hayseed” is a slang term for a country bumpkin, a yokel. Not very flattering terms, I’d say …

49. Push for payment DUN
“To dun” is to insist on payment of a debt.

52. Málaga-to-Cádiz dirección OESTE
“Oeste” (west) is a “dirección” (direction), in Spanish.

The city of Malaga is on the Costa del Sol in the South of Spain, as are the famous European tourist destinations of Torremolinos and Marbella. The Costa del Sol was made up of sleepy little fishing villages until the 1980s when the European sunseekers descended on the region. I wouldn’t recommend it for a holiday quite frankly …

Cádiz is a port city in southwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz is a remarkable city geographically, in that it sits on a thin spit of land that juts out into the sea.

53. Like the L.A. Times Building ART DECO
The headquarters of the “Los Angeles Times” newspaper is located in an art deco building that was opened in 1935.

57. NBA military appreciation initiative, and a hint to this puzzle’s theme HOOPS FOR TROOPS
“Hoops for Troops” is an NBA-led initiative focused on honoring serving and retired military personnel, especially around Veterans Day weekend.

62. Broadway governess ANNA
“The King and I” is a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical based on a book by Margaret Landon called “Anna and the King of Siam” first published in 1944. Landon’s book is based on a true story, told in the memoirs of Anna Leonowens. Leonowens was the governess of the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the 1860s, and she also taught the king’s wives.

63. The Supremes or Cream TRIO
The Supremes were the most successful vocal group in US history, based on number one hits. The group started out in 1959 as a four-member lineup called the Primettes. The name was changed to the Supremes in 1961. One member dropped out in 1962, leaving the Supremes as a trio. Lead singer Diana Ross began to garner much of the attention, which eventually led to a further name change, to Diana Ross & the Supremes.

Cream were a “supergroup” from Britain, meaning the band was comprised of musicians from other successful groups. Band members included Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker.

65. Honey drink MEAD
Mead is a lovely drink, made from fermented honey and water.

Down
1. “Shark Tank” airer ABC
“Shark Tank” is a reality television show that features aspiring entrepreneurs making pitches to potential investors (the “sharks”) as they try to grow their businesses. The show is a Mark Burnett production and is based in a British series called “Dragons’ Den”.

3. __4: Toyota SUV RAV
The Toyota RAV4 is Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV or “ute” for short). The RAV4 name stands for Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-wheel drive. Inventive, huh? The Chevy TrailBlazer was also an SUV, but production was stopped in 2008, caught up in the financial woes of GM a couple of years ago.

5. MP’s concern AWOL
The Military Police (MPs) are concerned with personnel who go AWOL (Absent WithOut Leave).

7. Ho’s instrument UKE
The ukulele originated in the 1800s and mimicked a small guitar brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants.

Don Ho apparently had a pretty liberal arrangement with his wife. When Ho was touring with his two backing singers, Pattie Swallie and Elizabeth Gevara, all three of them shared a room together. He had two children with each of his roommates, giving a total of ten kids including the six he had with his wife. The arrangement was quite open, it seems, with all ten kids visiting each other regularly. To each his own …

9. Mardi Gras torch FLAMBEAU
A flambeau is a burning torch, like one carried in a ritual procession. “Flambeau” is the French word for “torch”.

10. Focal points LOCI
“Locus” is Latin for “place”.

12. Offer to one who’s been recently blessed? TISSUE
“Bless you! Do you have a cold? Here’s a tissue.”

17. “Goodbye, Columbus” author ROTH
Author Philip Roth’s two most famous works are probably his 1959 novella “Goodbye, Columbus” for which he won a National Book Award, and his extremely controversial 1969 novel “Portnoy’s Complaint”. The latter title was banned in some libraries in the US, and was listed as a “prohibited import” in Australia. The controversy surrounded Roth’s treatment of the sexuality of the main character, a young Jewish bachelor undergoing psychoanalysis for his “complaint”.

18. Fireside shelf HOB
A “hob” is the cooking surface on a stove, and is a term that originally applied to a shelf at the back or side of a fireplace that was used for keeping food warm.

29. Brit. recording heavyweight EMI
EMI is a British music company, with the acronym originally standing for Electric and Musical Industries.

34. Hairy “pet” CHIA
Chia is a flowering plant in the mint family, and the Chia Pet is an invention of a San Francisco company. Chia Pets are terracotta figurines to which are applied moistened chia seeds. The seeds sprout and the seedlings become the “fur” of the Chia Pet.

36. Clicking site MOUSEPAD
Macintosh (also “Mac”) is a line of computers from Apple Inc. The first Mac was introduced in 1984, and I remember someone showing me one at work in those early days of personal computing. There was a piece of white plastic connected to the main computer by a cord, and I was amazed when the guy showed me that it controlled where the cursor was on the screen. My colleague told me that the lump of plastic was called “a mouse” …

37. Ph.D. seeker’s exam GRE
Passing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is usually a requirement for entry into graduate school here in the US.

38. Brooklyn Nets forward Humphries KRIS
Kris Humphries is a basketball player with the Brooklyn Nets. Humphries was married for a short time to TV personality Kim Kardashian in 2011/2012.

43. Barely earn, with “out” EKE
To “eke out” means to “make something go further or last longer”. For example, you could eke out your income by cutting back on expenses. I always have a problem with the commonly cited definition of “eke out” as “barely get by”. Close but no cigar, I say …

44. Oklahoma city ADA
Back in 1889, Jeff Reed was hired to carry the mail between the two communities of Stonewall and Center in what was then called the Indian Territory. Reed had moved to the area from Texas and he bought some land in between the two limits of his mail route and built himself a log cabin. Pretty soon other settlers built homes nearby and in 1891 the settlement got its own post office. As postman, Reed got to name the new post office and he called it Ada, after his oldest daughter. Ada is now a county seat and has over 17,000 residents. One of the sons of the city of Ada was the televangelist Oral Roberts.

45. Duke’s home DURHAM
Duke University was founded in 1838 as Brown’s Schoolhouse. The school was renamed to Trinity College in 1859, and to this day the town where the college was located back then is known as Trinity, in honor of the school. The school was moved in 1892 to Durham, North Carolina in part due to generous donations from the wealthy tobacco industrialist Washington Duke. Duke’s donation required that the school open its doors to women, placing them on an equal footing with men. Trinity’s name was changed to Duke in 1924 in recognition of the generosity of the Duke family.

47. Seals’s partner CROFTS
Seals and Crofts was a soft rock duo made up of Jim Seals and Dash Crofts, two musicians from Texas. Seals and Crofts were most active in the 1970s.

54. Spanish address DONA
In Spain, a title of respect for men is “Don”. The equivalent female title is “Dona”.

55. Creamy spread BRIE
Brie is a soft cheese, named after the French province of Brie where it originated.

56. Early Nebraskans OTOS
The Otoe (also Oto) Native American tribe originated in the Great Lakes region as part of the Winnebago or Siouan tribes. The group that would become the Otoe broke away from the Winnebago and migrated southwestwards ending up in the Great Plains. In the plains the Otoe adopted a semi-nomadic lifestyle dependent on the horse, with the American bison becoming central to their diet.

60. Class-conscious org.? PTA
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Beginning to bat? ACRO-
5. Styptic stuff ALUM
9. Leapfrog FLIT
13. Cleaver kid BEAV
14. Collaborative website WIKI
15. Actress Anderson LONI
16. Hide cyberspace crimes? COVER ONE’S HACKS (from “cover one’s tracks”)
19. Macbeth or Hamlet ROLE
20. Most cozy HOMIEST
22. “Where __”: 1996 Beck hit IT’S AT
25. Mr. __: Dr Pepper rival PIBB
26. Bemoan RUE
27. Amsterdam cops? DUTCH HEAT (from “Dutch treat”)
30. “Barnaby Jones” star EBSEN
32. Editor’s mark STET
33. Strong-legged bird EMU
34. Pendleton Act pres. CAA
35. Objects of poolside ogling? SWIMMING HUNKS (from “swimming trunks”)
40. Writer Marilyn __ Savant VOS
41. Chambéry shout CRI
42. Olive, for one TREE
44. Parting word ADIEU
47. Hayseed that doesn’t tip? CHEAP HICK (from “cheap trick”)
49. Push for payment DUN
50. Peppy SPRY
52. Málaga-to-Cádiz dirección OESTE
53. Like the L.A. Times Building ART DECO
55. Nitwit BOOB
57. NBA military appreciation initiative, and a hint to this puzzle’s theme HOOPS FOR TROOPS
62. Broadway governess ANNA
63. The Supremes or Cream TRIO
64. Remote button MUTE
65. Honey drink MEAD
66. Realizes SEES
67. Victim of spoilage? BRAT

Down
1. “Shark Tank” airer ABC
2. Corp. leader CEO
3. __4: Toyota SUV RAV
4. Like some imaginations OVERACTIVE
5. MP’s concern AWOL
6. Pickup initiator LINE
7. Ho’s instrument UKE
8. Cause of a big slice MISHIT
9. Mardi Gras torch FLAMBEAU
10. Focal points LOCI
11. Cartoonists, at times INKERS
12. Offer to one who’s been recently blessed? TISSUE
17. “Goodbye, Columbus” author ROTH
18. Fireside shelf HOB
21. Common base TEN
22. Points a finger at IDS
23. Sounds of disdain TUTS
24. Difficult spot STEW
25. Potbellied PAUNCHY
28. Clothes lines HEMS
29. Brit. recording heavyweight EMI
31. Peace rally slogan BAN THE BOMB
34. Hairy “pet” CHIA
36. Clicking site MOUSEPAD
37. Ph.D. seeker’s exam GRE
38. Brooklyn Nets forward Humphries KRIS
39. Dissenting group SECT
43. Barely earn, with “out” EKE
44. Oklahoma city ADA
45. Duke’s home DURHAM
46. Chant INTONE
47. Seals’s partner CROFTS
48. In need POOR
51. Mac alternatives PCS
54. Spanish address DONA
55. Creamy spread BRIE
56. Early Nebraskans OTOS
58. Pay dirt ORE
59. Word of sharing OUR
60. Class-conscious org.? PTA
61. Prepared SET


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