LA Times Crossword Answers 5 Apr 13, Friday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Ned White
THEME: Starts Swapping … each of the themed answers is common phrase, but with the starting sounds of the first and last words swapped (i.e. spoonerisms):

17A. Falk and Fonda after mud wrestling? ICKY PETERS (from “picky eaters”)
24A. Overzealous peach eaters? PIT NICKERS (from “nit pickers”)
39A. Oils a deck of cards? SLICKS UP THE PACK (from “picks up the slack”)
51A. Security images of an armed robbery? STICK-UP PIX (from “pick-up sticks/stix”)
63A. Gal idolizing actor Matthew? PERRY CHICK (from “cherry pick”)

COMPLETION TIME: 38m 28s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 3 … EAR (can), EST (CST), RIC (Nic)

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Org. where weight matters WBA
The World Boxing Association (WBA).

4. Ancient Ephraimite’s home ISRAEL
The Tribe of Ephraim was one of the two Tribes of Israel descended from the Tribe of Joseph, the other being the Tribe of Manasseh.

14. “Ben-__” HUR
The celebrated Charlton Heston movie “Ben-Hur” is a dramatization of a book published in 1880 by Lew Wallace titled “Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ”. The 1959 epic film won a record 11 Academy Awards, a feat that has been equaled since then but has never been beaten. The other winners of 11 Oscars are “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Rings”.

15. Caterer’s supply STERNO
Sterno is a very useful product, a “jellied alcohol” that usually comes in a can. The can is opened and the contents burn very easily and persistently. The brand name “Sterno” comes from the original manufacturer, S. Sternau & Co. of Brooklyn, New York.

16. Succotash bean LIMA
The main ingredients in succotash are corn and lima beans, although in parts of the South, succotash can be made with any collection of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with butter.

17. Falk and Fonda after mud wrestling? ICKY PETERS (from “picky eaters”)
Peter Falk was an actor from New York City who became most associated with the title role in the cop show “Columbo”.

Peter Fonda is the son of actor Henry, brother of actress Jane, and father of actress Bridget. Peter nearly didn’t make it to the stage. He was one of the many children who have been victims of shooting accidents. Peter shot himself in the stomach when he was just 11-years-old, and very nearly died.

23. Hawaiian coffee KONA
Kona coffee is cultivated on the Big Island of Hawaii, on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai, two of the five active volcanoes on the island. Coffee plants were brought to Kona in 1828 and late in the 19th century, coffee became a viable and worthwhile crop. Today Kona is a one of the most expensive and popular coffees in the world.

28. Midwinter Asian holiday TET
The full name for the New Year holiday in Vietnam is Tet Nguyen Dan, meaning “Feast of the First Morning”. Tet usually falls on the same day as Chinese New Year.

32. Packs in a hold LADES
The verb “lade” meaning “to load” comes from an Old English word “hladan”. Lade also used to mean “to draw water” and indeed gave us our word “ladle”. So “lade” and “ladle” are close cousins.

35. End notes? OBIT
“Obituary” comes from the Latin “obituaris”, originally the record of the death of a person, although the literal meaning is “pertaining to death”.

45. Storm maker of yore GEO
Geos were small vehicles manufactured by General Motors mainly in the nineties. Geos were designed to compete head-to-head with the small imports that were gaining market share at the time in the US. Some Geo models that you might remember are the Metro, the Prizm and the Storm. The cars were actually built as joint-ventures with Japanese manufacturers. The Prizm was a GM/Toyota project, the Metro was GM/Suzuki, and the Storm was GM/Isuzu.

46. CIA predecessor OSS
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was formed during WWII in order to carry out espionage behind enemy lines. A few years after the end of the war, the OSS functions were taken up by a new group, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

62. Inter __ ALIA
Inter alia means “among other things” in Latin.

63. Gal idolizing actor Matthew? PERRY CHICK (from “cherry pick”)
Matthew Perry is an actor best known for his television work, especially playing Chandler Bing on the iconic sitcom “Friends”.

68. Mauna __ LOA
Mauna Loa on the “big island” of Hawaii is the largest volcano on the planet (in terms of volume). The name “Mauna Loa” is Hawaiian for “Long Mountain”.

69. Wolverine sneaker brand KEDS
Keds is a brand name of athletic shoe first introduced in 1916 by US Rubber. The shoe was marketed as a rubber-soled, canvas-topped sneaker.

70. ’50s tankers? EDSELS
It was Henry Ford’s son Edsel who gave his name to the Edsel brand of automobile, a name that has become synonymous with “failure”.

Down
1. Roux-making tool WHISK
A roux is a mixture of wheat flour and clarified butter (or other fat) cooked together until it can be used as a thickening agent. Roux is an essential ingredient in French cooking, although “healthier” versions are being used more and more these days.

2. Chichester chap BUCKO
“Bucko” was originally a nautical term of address, dating back at least to 1883 when it referred to a cocky, swaggering sort of guy.

Chichester is a cathedral city in the southeast of England.

3. “Catch-22” actor ARKIN
The actor Alan Arkin won his only Oscar (Best Supporting Actor) for his role in “Little Miss Sunshine” from 2006, a movie that I just did not understand …

The 1970 movie “Catch-22” is a satire on war that is set in WWII. The film is based on the very successful novel of the same name by Joseph Heller. The remarkable cast of “Catch-22” includes Alan Arkin, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight, Orson Welles and Art Garfunkel in his acting debut. I tend to compare “Catch-22” with “M*A*S*H”, another black comedy about war that was released the same year. “M*A*S*H” comes out way ahead in my opinion …

4. Net profit makers, briefly ISPS
An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is just what the name indicates, a company that provides its customers with access to the Internet. One way that ISPs differentiate themselves from each other is in the way in which end users are connected to the ISP’s network. So, there are cable ISPs, DSL ISPs, dial-up ISPs and satellite ISPs. I’d go with cable if I were you, if it’s available in your area …

5. Sault __ Marie STE
In the summer of 2010 I spent a very interesting afternoon watching ships make their way through the Soo Locks and Soo Canal between Lake Superior and the lower Great lakes. The name “Soo” comes from the US and Canadian cities on either side of the locks, both called Sault Ste. Marie.

8. Subject of the 2005 book “Conspiracy of Fools” ENRON
After all the trials following the exposure of fraud at Enron, several of the key players ended up in jail. Andrew Fastow was the Chief Financial Officer. He plea-bargained and received ten years without parole, and became the key witness in the trials of others. Even Fastow’s wife was involved and she was sentenced to one year for helping her husband hide money. Jeffrey Skilling (ex-CEO) was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months. Kenneth Lay (CEO) died in 2006 after he had been found guilty but before he could be sentenced. The accounting firm Arthur Andersen was found guilty of obstruction of justice for shredding thousands of pertinent documents and deleting emails and files (a decision that the Supreme Court later overturned on a technicality). But still, Arthur Andersen collapsed under the weight of the scandal and 85,000 people lost their jobs (despite only a handful being directly involved with Enron).

25. River near Karachi INDUS
The Indus river rises in Tibet and flows through the length of Pakistan and empties into the Arabian Sea, the part of the Indian Ocean lying to the west of the Indian subcontinent. The Indus gives its name to the country of India as “India” used to be the name of the region (which paradoxically is now in modern-day Pakistan) along the eastern banks of the river.

Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan. Karachi was the country’s capital when Pakistan gained independence from Britain in 1947. The capital was moved to Rawalpindi in 1958, and then to the newly built city of Islamabad in 1960.

27. Buckskin source ELK
The elk (also known as the wapiti) is the one of the largest species of deer in the world, with only the moose being bigger. Early European settlers were familiar with the smaller red deer back in their homelands, so when they saw the “huge” wapiti they assumed it was a moose, and incorrectly gave it the European name for a moose, namely “elk”. The more correct name for the beast is “wapiti”, which means “white rump” in Shawnee. It’s all very confusing …

29. 1970s-’80s self-improvement course EST
Erhard Seminars Training (est) was a 60-hour course designed to improve one’s ability to cope with life and find new fulfilment. The est training was popular throughout the seventies and into the mid-eighties. The training was developed by Werner Erhard from Philadelphia, and Erhard was able to attract some celebrity participants including Cher, Joe Namath, Yoko Ono, John Denver and Diana Ross.

31. “Coney Island” documentarian Burns RIC
Ric Burns is a documentary filmmaker, the younger brother of the more famous Ken Burns (who was behind “The Civil War”, “Baseball” and “The War”).

33. Bk. before Philippians EPH
It seems that the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians is now regarded by scholars as written “in the style of Paul” by someone who was influenced by Paul’s thought.

34. Gimlet spec STOLI
Stolichnaya is a brand of Russian vodka made from wheat and rye grain. Well, “Stoli” originated in Russia, but now it’s made in Latvia, which is of course a completely different country, so you won’t see the word “Russian” on the label.

A gimlet is a relatively simple cocktail, traditionally made with just gin and lime juice. The trend in more recent times is replace the gin with vodka.

38. Ring decision TKO
In boxing, a knockout (KO) is when one of the fighters can’t get up from the canvas within a specified time, usually 10 seconds. This can be due to fatigue, injury, or the participant may be truly “knocked out”. A referee, fighter or doctor may also decide to stop a fight without a physical knockout, especially if there is concern about a fighter’s safety. In this case the bout is said to end with a technical knockout (TKO).

40. Southeast natives CHOCTAWS
The Choctaw are a Native American people from the southeast of the United States. The Choctaw were the first Native Americans to be forced from their land under the Indian Removal Act of 1830. They were relocated to lands west of the Mississippi River in Indian Territory.

41. Barnum’s Fiji mermaid, for one HOAX
Phineas Taylor Barnum was one of the great American showmen, famous for founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus. By some measures, Barnum was the first ever “show business” millionaire. Beyond the world of entertainment, Barnum was also a politician for a while and served two terms in the Connecticut legislature, and was mayor of the city of Bridgeport. Barnum was a very successful author as well. One of his most famous books was “The Humbugs of the World”, an exposé of deceptions in the world of entertainment. He was a believer in illusions, providing they gave value for money in terms of entertainment. However, Barnum had an intense dislike of fraudulent deception and came down hard on spiritualist mediums in particular.

42. Hosp. readout EKG
An EKG measures electrical activity in the heart. Back in my homeland of Ireland, an EKG is known as an ECG (for electrocardiogram). We use the German name in the US, Elektrokardiogramm, giving us EKG. Apparently the abbreviation EKG is preferred as ECG might be confused (if poorly handwritten, I guess) with EEG, the abbreviation for an electroencephalogram.

51. Act of love, or hostility SMACK
A smack might be a kiss, or a slap.

52. Veil material TULLE
Tulle is a lightweight net fabric often used in veils, wedding gowns and ballet tutus.

53. Epic with more than 15,000 lines ILIAD
The Iliad is an epic poem by the Greek poet Homer, which tells the story of the siege of Ilium (also known as Troy) during the Trojan war.

55. Salon choices PERMS
“Perm” is the name given to a permanent wave, a chemical or thermal treatment of hair to produce waves or curls. I don’t worry about such things as it’s a number-one all over for me …

59. Schindler of “Schindler’s List” OSKAR
Oskar Schindler is of course the protagonist in the Steven Spielberg movie “Schindler’s List”. Schindler was a real person who survived WWII. During the Holocaust, Schindler managed to save almost 1,200 Jews from perishing by employing them in his factories. After the war Schindler and his wife were left penniless having used his assets to protect and feed his workers. For years the couple survived on the charity of Jewish groups. Schindler tried to make a go of it in business again but never had any real success. He died a pauper in 1974 in Hildesheim, not far from Hanover. His last wish was to be buried in Jerusalem. Schindler was the only former member of the Nazi Party to be buried on Mount Zion.

64. R&B artist Des’__ REE
Des’ree is an R&B singer from London, England. One of Des’ree’s biggest hits is the song “Kissing You”, which was used in the 1996 film adaption of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

65. Designer monogram YSL
Yves Saint-Laurent was a French fashion designer, actually born in Algeria. Saint-Laurent started off working as an assistant to Christian Dior at the age of 17. Dior died just four years later, and as a very young man Saint-Laurent was named head of the House of Dior. However, in 1950 Saint-Laurent was conscripted into the French Army and ended up in a military hospital after suffering a mental breakdown from the hazing inflicted on him by his fellow soldiers. His treatment included electroshock therapy and administration of sedatives and psychoactive drugs. He was released from prison, managed to pull his life back together and started his own fashion house. A remarkable story …

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Org. where weight matters WBA
4. Ancient Ephraimite’s home ISRAEL
10. Pasture calls BAAS
14. “Ben-__” HUR
15. Caterer’s supply STERNO
16. Succotash bean LIMA
17. Falk and Fonda after mud wrestling? ICKY PETERS (from “picky eaters”)
19. Since AS OF
20. Overhead views SKIES
21. “You got me” NOT A CLUE
23. Hawaiian coffee KONA
24. Overzealous peach eaters? PIT NICKERS (from “nit pickers”)
26. Treated, as a patient SEEN
28. Midwinter Asian holiday TET
29. Tin __ EAR
32. Packs in a hold LADES
35. End notes? OBIT
39. Oils a deck of cards? SLICKS UP THE PACK (from “picks up the slack”)
43. Office specialist TECH
44. Lost, as a tail SHOOK
45. Storm maker of yore GEO
46. CIA predecessor OSS
49. Falls back LAGS
51. Security images of an armed robbery? STICK-UP PIX (from “pick-up sticks/stix”)
56. Salon choice UPDO
60. Nine to three, say MULTIPLE
61. Heart conditions? ACHES
62. Inter __ ALIA
63. Gal idolizing actor Matthew? PERRY CHICK (from “cherry pick”)
66. Scratch CLAW
67. Pathetic to the max LAMEST
68. Mauna __ LOA
69. Wolverine sneaker brand KEDS
70. ’50s tankers? EDSELS
71. Bungle ERR

Down
1. Roux-making tool WHISK
2. Chichester chap BUCKO
3. “Catch-22” actor ARKIN
4. Net profit makers, briefly ISPS
5. Sault __ Marie STE
6. Like many a mil. officer RET
7. Ain’t right? AREN’T
8. Subject of the 2005 book “Conspiracy of Fools” ENRON
9. Snapped LOST IT
10. Driveway improvement BLACKTOP
11. Flier’s request AISLE
12. Illicit affair AMOUR
13. Hotel amenities SAFES
18. They’re all for it YEAS
22. Nail ACE
24. Casserole veggies PEAS
25. River near Karachi INDUS
27. Buckskin source ELK
29. 1970s-’80s self-improvement course EST
30. Bar supply ALE
31. “Coney Island” documentarian Burns RIC
33. Bk. before Philippians EPH
34. Gimlet spec STOLI
36. Snare BAG
37. Bar supply ICE
38. Ring decision TKO
40. Southeast natives CHOCTAWS
41. Barnum’s Fiji mermaid, for one HOAX
42. Hosp. readout EKG
47. Cross-country need, perhaps SKI
48. Lithe SUPPLE
50. Similar things SUCH
51. Act of love, or hostility SMACK
52. Veil material TULLE
53. Epic with more than 15,000 lines ILIAD
54. Respond to a charge PLEAD
55. Salon choices PERMS
57. Franco finale? -PHILE
58. Designer’s concern DECOR
59. Schindler of “Schindler’s List” OSKAR
61. Treads the boards ACTS
64. R&B artist Des’__ REE
65. Designer monogram YSL


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3 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 5 Apr 13, Friday”

  1. Hello and sorry for the spam. I just put my free app, Crossword Rush, in the Play Store.

    I constructed all the puzzles myself, but am just a poor teacher with no marketing budget. Hence this spam.

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    Thanks so much, and sorry again for the spam.

  2. YES!!! I'm not the only one that screwed up that section. One letter was as good as any other. And my time was not far off from yours ( But I don't time myself ):)

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