LA Times Crossword Answers 11 Mar 16, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Jeffrey Wechsler
THEME: Table … the circled letters in today’s grid graphically represent TABLES. The letters tell us what type of table each is:

– BACCARAT TABLE
– DRESSING TABLE
– PARLOR TABLE
– DINNER TABLE
– DRAFTING TABLE
– BILLIARD TABLE

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 9m 06s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

1. Notebook memory devices PC CARDS
Nowadays, the computer terms “notebook” and “laptop” tend to be used interchangeably.

8. “The butler did it,” maybe SPOILER
The cliché “the butler did it” is often attributed to a 1930 crime novel called “The Door” by Mary Roberts Rinehart. In “The Door”, the butler actually did commit the crime.

15. Tuna preparation TARTARE
What we now call steak tartare was first served in French restaurants in the early 1900s, and back then was called steak à l’Americaine, would you believe? It was basically raw, seasoned beef mixed with egg yolk. A later version of l’Americaine, without the egg yolk and with tartar sauce served on the side, was called steak tartare. Over time the two versions became one, and the steak tartare moniker won out. By the way, if you order steak tartare in Switzerland, I believe you are served horse meat. There are now similar “tartare” dishes made with raw salmon, or raw tuna.

16. Revolutionary War mercenary HESSIAN
The Hessians were German regiments that fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War. They took their name from the homeland of about one third of the men, namely Hesse-Kassel.

17. Getaway driver, e.g. ABETTOR
The word “abet” comes into English from the Old French “abeter” meaning “to bait” or “to harass with dogs” (it literally means “to make bite”). This sense of encouraging something bad to happen morphed into our modern usage of “abet”, meaning to aid or encourage someone in a crime.

18. Sets right ORIENTS
“To orient” is to adjust relative to the surroundings. The original meaning back in the early 1700s was “to arrange facing east”, from the Old French “orient” meaning “east”. In turn, “orient” comes from the Latin “oriri” meaning “rise”, the idea being that the sun rises in the east.

19. Suitor SWAIN
A “swain” is a country lad, or a beau. Back in the 12th century a swain was a young man who attended a knight.

20. Sediment DREGS
The dregs in wine, the sediment that settles during fermentation (and sometimes in the bottle), is also called “lees”.

21. War on Poverty org. OEO
The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) was created during the Lyndon Johnson administration. The agency was responsible for administering the War on Poverty programs that were part of the President Johnson’s Great Society agenda. The OEO was shut down by President Nixon, although some of the office’s programs were transferred to other agencies. A few of the OEO’s programs are still around today, like Head Start for example.

23. __ Chess: video game WII
Wii Chess is the only Wii game that has never been released in North America. One has to wonder why …?

28. Opening track on Madonna’s album “I’m Breathless” HE’S A MAN
“I’m Breathless” is a 1990 soundtrack album released by Madonna to accompany the movie “Dick Tracy”. Madonna played a character named Breathless Mahoney in the film.

33. First name in folk ARLO
Arlo Guthrie is the son of Woody Guthrie. Both father and son are renowned for their singing of protest songs about social injustice. Arlo is most famous for his epic “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a song that lasts a full 18m 34s. In the song Guthrie tells how, after being drafted, he was rejected for service in the Vietnam War based on his criminal record. He had only one incident on his public record, a Thanksgiving Day arrest for littering and being a public nuisance when he was 18-years-old.

34. Book after Micah NAHUM
Nahum was one of the twelve minor prophets of the Hebrew Bible.

The Book of Micah is one of twelve books in the Bible written by the so-called minor prophets. The name “Micah” translates into English from Hebrew as “Who is like God?”

36. Simba’s mate NALA
In “The Lion King”, Nala is a lioness and the childhood friend of Simba. By the end of the story, Nala and Simba become wedded. “The Lion King” is inspired by William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, with Simba representing the title character, and Nala representing Hamlet’s love interest Ophelia.

41. Symposium group PANEL
In Ancient Greece a “drinking party” was called a “symposium” (just like today!). Often the drink was a mixture of water and wine that was placed in a large vase, called a krater, in the center of the room. Participants in the symposium would dip a smaller vessel into the krater to refill their drinking cups. And yes, “krater” is the root for our word “crater”.

42. Children’s author Asquith ROS
Ros Asquith writes the “Teenage Worrier” books aimed at teens, as well as cartoons for “The Guardian” newspaper in the UK.

43. Raison __ D’ETRE
“Raison d’être” is a French phrase meaning “reason for existence”.

51. Sputnik reporter TASS
TASS is the abbreviation used for the former news agency that had the full name Telegraph Association of the Soviet Union (Telegrafnoe Agentstvo Sovetskogo Soyuza). When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1992, the Moscow-based agency’s scope changed along with its name. It is now known as the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia (ITAR-TASS).

The Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite towards the end of 1957, a development that shocked the establishment in the US. Within months, President Eisenhower created the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA, now DARPA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Space Race had begun …

55. Target of blue sky laws FRAUD
The blue sky laws are a set of varying state laws that are all designed to protect the public from from securities fraud. The term “blue sky” was first used in the context of securities fraud by Kansas banking commissioner J. N. Dolley as he pushed for the passing of the first such law in 1910. Dolley wanted to protect the public from “blue sky merchants”, those selling fraudulent investments that might as well have been “so many feet of ‘blue sky’”.

56. Egg holders SACS
An “egg sac” is a case made of silk that contains the eggs of a female spider.

60. __ chamber ECHO
An echo chamber is a hollow enclosure that is used to produce a particular sound effect for a TV or radio program. Sounds produced in the echo chamber reverberate, creating the impression that the action or conversation is taking place in say a cave or a large hall.

62. Tennis legend ASHE
Arthur Ashe was a professional tennis player from Richmond, Virginia. In his youth, Ashe found himself having to travel great distances to play against Caucasian opponents due to the segregation that still existed in his home state. He was rewarded for his dedication by being selected for the 1963 US Davis Cup team, the first African American player to be so honored. Ashe continued to run into trouble because of his ethnicity though, and in 1968 was denied entry into South Africa to play in the South African Open. In 1979 Ashe suffered a heart attack and had bypass surgery, with follow-up surgery four years later during which he contracted HIV from blood transfusions. Ashe passed away in 1993 due to complications from AIDS. Shortly afterwards, Ashe was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton.

65. David’s “X-Files” co-star GILLIAN
“The X-Files” is a very successful science fiction show that aired on the Fox network from 1993 to 2002. The stars of the show are David Duchovny (playing Fox Mulder) and the very talented Gillian Anderson (playing Dana Scully). By the time the series ended, “The X-Files” was the longest running sci-fi show in US broadcast history.

68. Gym suit UNITARD
A unitard is like a leotard, except that it has long legs and sometime long sleeves. It wouldn’t be a good look for me …

70. Strengthens the spine of REBINDS
The processing of rebinding a book might strengthen the spine.

Down
1. Educational gp. PTA
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

2. Fleet on the street CABS
A hansom cab is a very specific design of horse and buggy that was patented by Joseph Hansom in 1834 in England. The “cab” in the name is short for “cabriolet”, an earlier design of carriage on which the hansom was based. It’s from “hansom cab” that we get our modern term “cab”.

3. J. follower CREW
J.Crew is a clothing and accessory retailer. Never been there, but I’ve seen the name turn up on credit card statements somehow …

5. Pi and others RATIOS
The ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter is a mathematical constant, which we denote with the Greek letter pi (π). The ratio pi can be used to calculate the area of a disk, by multiplying the constant by the square of the radius (πr2).

7. Sun. delivery SER
Some people listen to a sermon (ser.) on a Sunday (Sun.).

8. “Nurse Jackie” network, in TV listings SHO
“Nurse Jackie” is a comedy-drama series centered on an emergency room nurse at a hospital in New York City. The lead character is played by Edie Falco, who also played Tony Soprano’s wife on the “The Sopranos”.

9. Fixed expense PER DIEM
“Per diem” is the Latin for “by the day”. We tend to use the term for a daily allowance for expenses when traveling for work.

10. Underworld deity OSIRIS
Osiris was the Egyptian god of the underworld. Osiris was the son of Geb the Earth god, and Nut the sky goddess. His wife Isis was also his sister. Osiris was killed and mutilated by Set, his own brother. Isis reassembled Osiris and revived him, just long enough that they could conceive their son Horus.

13. Greasy spoon sign word EATS
“Greasy spoon” is a familiar term for a restaurant, usually a diner, that is less than pristine and that serves cheap food.

14. OR personnel RNS
Registered nurses (RNs) might be found in an operating room (OR) or emergency room (ER).

23. Gives a Dixie lickin’ WHUPS
“Dixie” is a nickname sometimes used for the American South, and often specifically for the original 11 states that seceded from the Union just prior to the Civil War. It’s apparently not certain how the name “Dixie” came about. One theory is that it comes from the term “dixie” which was used for currency issued by banks in Louisiana. The 10-dollar bills had the word “dix” on the reverse side, the French for “ten”. From the banknote, the French speaking area around New Orleans came to be known as Dixieland, and from there “Dixie” came to apply to the South in general.

24. __ al pomodoro: Tuscan soup PAPPA
Pappa al pomodoro is a thick soup from Tuscany that includes tomatoes, bread, olive oil, garlic and basil. The bread used is often stale, so the soup is a way of getting rid of unused bread. “Pomodoro” is Italian for “tomato”, and “Pappa al pomodoro” translates literally as “Mush of Tomato”, which admittedly doesn’t sound too appetizing …

27. Former country on its own peninsula KOREA
Korea was occupied by the Japanese military from 1910 until Japan surrendered at the end of WWII in 1945. While the UN was working towards a trusteeship administration for Korea, the Soviet Union managed the Korean Peninsula north of the 38th parallel and the US managed the south. The UN’s plans came to nothing as the Cold War dictated the establishment of the two separate states of North Korea and South Korea. North Korea invaded the South in 1950, leading to the Korean War. After three years of fighting, the border between the two states became the demarcation line between the two military forces on the day the Armistice Agreement was signed. That line runs diagonally across the 38th parallel, and is better known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

29. Year abroad ANNEE
“Année” is a French word for “year”.

30. Wide swimmer MANTA
The manta ray is the biggest species of ray, with the largest one recorded at over 25 feet across and weighing 5,100 pounds.

32. Rhinoplasty concerns NARES
The nostrils are also called the “nares” (singular “naris”).

A nose job is more correctly called rhinoplasty. The “father of surgery” was a physician in ancient India called Sushruta who lived around 1500 B.C. Sushruta performed reconstructive surgery on noses even in his time, largely as there was a demand for the procedure as punitive nose amputation was a favored punishment of the day.

35. Aetna offering HMO
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)

When the healthcare management and insurance company known as Aetna was founded, the name was chosen to evoke images of Mt. Etna, the European volcano.

46. Tylenol 3 component CODEINE
“Codeine” is the common name for the opiate 3-methylmorphine, which is a common ingredient in cough medicines. Codeine occurs naturally, making up about 2% of opium sap, although most codeine is synthesized from the more abundant morphine. The name “codeine” comes from the Greek “kodeia” meaning “poppy head”. There is so much codeine produced that it is the most commonly consumed opiate across the world.

48. Sumatran swingers ORANGS
Orangutans (also “orangs”) are arboreal creatures, in fact the largest arboreal animals known to man. They are native to Indonesia and Malaysia, living in the rain forests. Like most species in rain forests these days, orangutans are endangered, with only two species surviving. The word “orangutan” is Malay, meaning “man of the forest”.

Sumatra is a very large island in western Indonesia, the sixth largest island in the world and home to 22% of the country’s population.

49. Curie workplace LAB
Marie Curie lived a life of firsts. She was the first female professor at the University of Paris, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and indeed was the first person to win two Nobel prizes (in 1903 and 1911). Most of Curie’s work was in the field of radioactivity, and was carried out in the days when the impact of excessive radiation on the human body was not understood. She died from aplastic anemia, caused by high exposure to radiation. To this day, Curie’s personal papers are kept preserved in lead-lined boxes as they are highly radioactive, even her personal cookbook.

50. Durum wheat cereal BULGUR
Bulgur is a cereal made from the groats (hulled kernels) of wheat, usually durum wheat.

Durum wheat, also called “macaroni wheat” is a species with a high protein content that is commonly used as an ingredient in bread and pasta.

51. AT&T, e.g. TELCO
A “telco” is a telecommunications company.

The original AT&T Corporation was known as the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.

52. “His nose … is like __ of fire”: “Henry V” A COAL
Shakespeare’s play “Henry V” is more correctly called “The Life of Henry the Fifth”. The story mainly focuses on his life before and immediately after the king’s celebrated victory over the French at the Battle of Agincourt. “Henry V” includes one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated speeches, an address by the king to his troops at the siege of Harfleur, with the opening lines:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead …

54. Generous feature? SOFT G
The word “generous” features a soft G at the front end.

56. 1972 missile pact SALT I
There were two rounds of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) between the US and the Soviet Union, and two resulting treaties (SALT I & SALT II). The opening round of SALT I talks were held in Helsinki as far back as 1970, with the resulting treaty signed by President Richard Nixon and General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev in 1972.

57. Like India and Pakistan ASIAN
The vast Asian country called India takes its name from the Indus River. The name “Indus” in turn comes from the Sanskrit “Sindhu” that can be translated as “a body of trembling water”. India is the second-most populous country in the world (after China), and the most populous democracy.

The suffix “-stan” in many place names is Persian for “place of”. One example is “Pakistan”, the Place of the Pure. “Pakistan” is a relatively recent name, first coined in 1933. It comes from the abbreviation PAKSTAN, standing for Punjab – Afghan Province – Kashmir – Sindh – BaluchisTAN, all regions in the north of India. The “I” was added to Pakistan to make it easier to pronounce, and to fit the translation “Land of the Pure”.

58. White option, briefly CHARD
The Chardonnay grape is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of France. Now it’s grown “everywhere”. Drinkers of California “Chards” seem to be particularly fond of “oak” flavor, so most Chardonnay wines are aged in oak barrels.

59. FedExes SENDS
FedEx began operations in 1973 as Federal Express, but now operates very successfully under it’s more catchy abbreviated name. Headquartered in Memphis with its “SuperHub” at Memphis International Airport, FedEx is the world’s largest airline in terms of tons of freight flown. And due to the presence of FedEx, Memphis Airport has the largest-volume cargo operation of any airport worldwide.

64. __ Maria TIA
Tia Maria is a coffee liqueur that was invented just after WWII in Jamaica, using Jamaican coffee beans, Jamaican rum, vanilla and sugar. The drink’s name translates to “Aunt Maria”.

66. Bldg. where much research is done LIB
Library (lib.)

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Notebook memory devices PC CARDS
8. “The butler did it,” maybe SPOILER
15. Tuna preparation TARTARE
16. Revolutionary War mercenary HESSIAN
17. Getaway driver, e.g. ABETTOR
18. Sets right ORIENTS
19. Suitor SWAIN
20. Sediment DREGS
21. War on Poverty org. OEO
23. __ Chess: video game WII
24. Gains quickly, as weight PACKS ON
28. Opening track on Madonna’s album “I’m Breathless” HE’S A MAN
33. First name in folk ARLO
34. Book after Micah NAHUM
36. Simba’s mate NALA
37. Fruit cocktail ingredients PEARS
39. Little troublemaker IMP
40. __ child INNER
41. Symposium group PANEL
42. Children’s author Asquith ROS
43. Raison __ D’ETRE
44. Attack ASSAIL
46. Aids to sure footing CLEATS
47. Employee with a skimmer POOL BOY
51. Sputnik reporter TASS
55. Target of blue sky laws FRAUD
56. Egg holders SACS
60. __ chamber ECHO
61. Item graphically depicted by this puzzle’s circles TABLE
62. Tennis legend ASHE
63. Bakeware item LOAF TIN
65. David’s “X-Files” co-star GILLIAN
67. Sanitation service CARTING
68. Gym suit UNITARD
69. Inducers of more groans than guffaws OLD GAGS
70. Strengthens the spine of REBINDS

Down
1. Educational gp. PTA
2. Fleet on the street CABS
3. J. follower CREW
4. “__ girl!” ATTA
5. Pi and others RATIOS
6. Lecture boringly DRONE ON
7. Sun. delivery SER
8. “Nurse Jackie” network, in TV listings SHO
9. Fixed expense PER DIEM
10. Underworld deity OSIRIS
11. “Of course” I SEE
12. Duck tail? -LING
13. Greasy spoon sign word EATS
14. OR personnel RNS
22. Studio caution ON AIR
23. Gives a Dixie lickin’ WHUPS
24. __ al pomodoro: Tuscan soup PAPPA
25. Regions AREAS
26. Blood groups? CLANS
27. Former country on its own peninsula KOREA
29. Year abroad ANNEE
30. Wide swimmer MANTA
31. Warn ALERT
32. Rhinoplasty concerns NARES
35. Aetna offering HMO
38. Omission, say SLIP
40. How casual thoughts are offered IDLY
45. Hitting up LOFTING
46. Tylenol 3 component CODEINE
48. Sumatran swingers ORANGS
49. Curie workplace LAB
50. Durum wheat cereal BULGUR
51. AT&T, e.g. TELCO
52. “His nose … is like __ of fire”: “Henry V” A COAL
53. Broken piece SHARD
54. Generous feature? SOFT G
56. 1972 missile pact SALT I
57. Like India and Pakistan ASIAN
58. White option, briefly CHARD
59. FedExes SENDS
64. __ Maria TIA
66. Bldg. where much research is done LIB

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9 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 11 Mar 16, Friday”

  1. Completed, five errors. Not short order, but about on the order of Thursday's time. Three wrong answers where mine wasn't the right one and couldn't think of anything else, one plain stupid one of that same nature (1-Down, even though evidently I'm out of the loop enough to never have heard of PCCARDS), and then the utterly idiotic 28-Across: Who in the world is going to know the track order of a soundtrack album released in 1990? Much less any one today, unless it happens to sit there and you go grab it.

    Maybe they habitually expect you to Google answers on these instead of what I've been thinking all along?

  2. Trying to fit the answers in the "table" theme made the entire grid very forced. Not to mention the 15×16 shape.

    To close the book on the alleged "collusion" in crossword land, today's grid includes UNITARD, a fairly unique word, and one that you normally don't see much anymore. Except that it showed up 2 days ago in the NY Times crossword, to which Mr. Wechsler contributes regularly.

    Goin' back to sleep for an hour or three…I'm jet-lagged.

  3. the alleged "collusion" in crossword land

    I always notice a number of strange repeat words, especially in weekend grids. Even sometimes in the same run. My favorite of last week is SERENADER showing up in Silkie's grid and Sessa's grid.

    I'm sure with all the Internet stuff going on there has to be a forum or mailing list or something with titles such as "What's a good word for this grid I'm working on?" or discussing good words for grids…

  4. I was in the hunt to finish this one, but the NE and Mideast got me with HES A MAN, DETRE NALA OSIRIS, NAHUM etc. Very Friday-worthy puzzle, however.

    Amusingly, I first put Post-its for Notebook memory devices – attempting (and failing) to be too clever by half. I figured it out though.

    Someone remind me to not order steak tartare in Switzerland.

    In the "overly trivial/who cares?" category, it's spelled Sovyetskogo in Russian, but that ending is actually pronounced – ovo with the o's pronounced like the schwa sound.

    Carrie – your picture disappeared as quickly as it appeared the other day. Great pic but up against that wall like that, I was afraid someone was about to bring you a cigarette and blindfold 🙂

    Vidwan- I can sympathize. With corporate taxes due on Tuesday, this has been a long exhausting week. I could really use a "symposium" this evening…although I may be too beat even for that. I'll probably watch the last 2 episodes of Sons of Anarchy tonight on Netflix. It's one of the most compelling shows I've ever seen and one I never in a million years thought I would ever bother to watch, much less enjoy.

    Best –

  5. I thought that the NE corner was going to do me in. After I finally discarded "slander" for 8 across and finally figured spoiler the last part of this difficult grid came to fruition. I also had a dickens of a time with the SW corner as 54 down had me hung up for the longest time. This was a very difficult Friday brain twister for sure. I'm now officially worried about what Saturday is going to be like…(g)

    Have a great Friday all. See you tomorrow.

  6. from yesterday, and the day before, thanks Carrie for my defense, keeping my back.(!) ;-D) I'm sorry I missed mentioning you, and now I'm missing your picture, as well. Put it on, keep it up. 🙂

    Jeff, I looked through Netflix, and found sons of Anarchy, is …. gritty, violent. Maybe, I'll give it a try tonight, coming as it does, with your impeccable reputation.

    The puzzle was a lost cause, and I will have to come another day. I also have to 'get the low down, and slang'. Some clues were very very interesting.

    My wife's out visiting, so I have plenty of time to myself. When the cat is away, the mice will play.

    Have a great weekend all.

  7. I've been doing crosswords longer than most of you have been on earth (except you aliens) and today's puzzle has the most words and references I have never seen or heard of in my lifetime. Do puzzles really have to be so esoteric and highbrow? LAT puzzles are usually a daily joy for me – this one was a drag at best or a nadir at worst. Come on, guys – be reasonable!!

  8. Hi gang! I feel successful here — only peeked for four answers, which for me is a good Friday (so to speak.) The theme actually helped me A LOT. I started toward the bottom half, LAB gave me TABLE, and I was able to fill in a bunch of them thar circles.
    Had NAOMI before NAHUM, and couldn't see CODEINE even when it was staring at me.
    @Jeff, yes, so glad I wasn't executed when that photo was taken! I can't get my photo to appear when I use my tablet, and I'm often too lazy to get up and walk 3 feet to my desktop…:-
    @Anonymous, I didn't find this grid to be as horrible as most Fridays — but I hear ya.
    Be well~~™

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