LA Times Crossword Answers 18 Dec 12, Tuesday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Ki Lee
THEME: Today … each of our themed answers this Tuesday are made up of two words, the first of which is often seen followed by “Tuesday”:

39A. Word that can follow the first words of 17-, 24-, 50- and 62-Across TUESDAY

17A. “Syndrome” that causes smartphone typos FAT FINGER (Fat Tuesday)
24A. Dorothy clicked their heels to return to Kansas RUBY SLIPPERS (Ruby Tuesday)
50A. Biker jacket material BLACK LEATHER (Black Tuesday)
62A. Evil genius’s foe SUPERHERO (Super Tuesday)

COMPLETION TIME: 08m 58s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Zodiac transition point CUSP
The word “cusp” comes from the Latin “cuspis” meaning “spear, point”. In the world of astrology, a cusp is an imaginary line separating two signs of the zodiac. For example, some whose birthday is between April 16 and April 26 is said to have been born “on the cusp” between the signs Aries and Taurus.

14. “On the Waterfront” director Kazan ELIA
Elia Kazan won Oscars for best director in 1948 for “Gentleman’s Agreement” and in 1955 for “On The Waterfront”. In 1999 Kazan was given an Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also directed “East of Eden”, which introduced James Dean to movie audiences, and “Splendor in the Grass” that included Warren Beatty in his debut role.

The 1954 drama “On the Waterfront”, starring Marlon Brando, told a story of violence and corruption among longshoremen. The movie was based on a series of 24 articles written by investigative journalist Malcolm Johnston and published in “The New York Sun”. The original news stories uncovered mob infiltration on the New York City Waterfront, but in the film the location was changed to Hoboken, New Jersey.

15. “A Death in the Family” author James AGEE
James Agee was a noted American film critic and screenwriter. Agee wrote an autobiographical novel “A Death in the Family” that won him his Pulitzer in 1958, albeit posthumously. He was also one of the screenwriters for the 1951 classic Bogart/Hepburn movie “The African Queen”.

16. Big name in real estate RE/MAX
RE/MAX is an international real estate company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The name RE/MAX stands for “real estate maximum”, and the company’s logo is a hot air balloon with RE/MAX emblazoned on it.

17. “Syndrome” that causes smartphone typos FAT FINGER (Fat Tuesday)
“Fat finger syndrome” causes one to hit two keys on a keyboard when the intention is to hit only one, and that can cause a typo.

“Mardi Gras” translates from French as “Fat Tuesday”, and gets its name from the practice of eating rich foods on the eve of the fasting season known as Lent.

19. Dangerous bacteria E COLI
Escherichia coli (E. coli) are usually harmless bacteria found in the human gut, working away quite happily. However, there are some strains that can produce lethal toxins. These strains can make their way into the food chain from animal fecal matter that comes into contact with food designated for human consumption.

24. Dorothy clicked their heels to return to Kansas RUBY SLIPPERS (Ruby Tuesday)
Judy Garland wore ruby slippers in the movie “The Wizard of Oz”. However, in the original novel by L. Frank Baum, Dorothy wore “Silver Shoes”.

“Ruby Tuesday” is a 1966 song by the Rolling Stones written by Keith Richards, apparently about a groupie that he once knew. The American chain of restaurants with the name Ruby Tuesday is named after the song.

30. “Milk’s favorite cookie” OREO
The Oreo cookie was first introduced in 1912. The Oreo was intended to be a competitor to the very similar Hydrox cookie which had debuted four years earlier. The Oreo won the resulting battle on the grocery store shelves …

31. Vittles EATS
“Victuals” is a term for food that is fit for consumption. We tend to pronounce “victuals” as “vittles”, and we use the term “vittles” and “victuals” interchangeably.

32. Setting for many King novels MAINE
The author Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine, graduated from the University of Maine and now lives in Bangor, Maine. Many of King’s stories are set in the state of Maine.

35. Big Pharma regulator FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was in effect created by the Food and Drug Act signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.

Big Pharma is the nickname for the pharmaceutical industry. The nickname comes from the acronym for the lobbying group for the industry, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

38. Big gun lobby: Abbr. NRA
The National Rifle Association (NRA) used the slogan “I’ll give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands”. These words became quite famous when they were used at an NRA convention in 2000 by Charlton Heston, who was then president of the NRA. Heston ended a speech he made with the words “From my cold, dead hands!” while holding up into the air a replica of a Sharps rifle.

43. “Tomorrow” musical ANNIE
“Tomorrow” is a song written for the Broadway musical “Annie”. The musical was based on the Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie”. There were two subsequent film adaptations, both really quite successful, including one released in 1982 directed by John Huston of all people. “Annie” was Huston’s only ever musical.

50. Biker jacket material BLACK LEATHER (Black Tuesday)
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 that signalled the start of the Great Depression did not happen on just one day. The first big drop in the market took place on October 24 (Black Thursday). Things stabilized on Friday, and then the slide continued on the 28th (Black Monday) and the 29th (Black Tuesday).

54. Campus military prog. ROTC
The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program for officers based in colleges all around the US. The ROTC program was established in 1862 when as a condition of receiving a land-grant to create colleges, the federal government required that military tactics be part of the new school’s curriculum.

60. First of 12 ARIES
Aries the Ram is the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, and is named after the constellation. Your birth sign is Aries if you were born between March 21 and April 20, but if you are an Aries you would know that!

62. Evil genius’s foe SUPERHERO (Super Tuesday)
Super Tuesday happens in February or March of a presidential election year. It is that Tuesday in which the greatest number of states hold primaries that will select delegates to be dispatched to the national conventions. Super Tuesday has become more significant over the past couple of decades as more and more states hold their primaries early in the cycle in order to increase the importance of the votes from those states.

Down
2. Arkin of “Argo” ALAN
The actor Alan Arkin won his only Oscar (Best Supporting Actor) for his role in “Little Miss Sunshine” from 2006, a movie I just did not understand …

“Argo” is a 2012 movie that is based on the true story of the rescue of six diplomats hiding out during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The film was directed by and stars Ben Affleck and is produced by Grant Heslov and George Clooney, the same pair who produced the excellent “Good Night, and Good Luck”. I saw “Argo” the other day and recommend it highly, although I found the scenes of religious fervor pretty frightening …

3. Baseball glove MITT
Baseball wasn’t always played with a baseball mitt. The game was originally played using bare hands, just like cricket is today.

4. Jungle adventures SAFARIS
“Safari” is a Swahili word, meaning “journey” or “expedition”.

6. Sheepskin boots trademark UGG
Uggs are sheepskin boots that originated in Australia and New Zealand. Uggs have sheepskin fleece on the inside for comfort and insulation, with a tanned leather surface on the outside for durability. Ugg is a generic term down under, although it’s a brand name here in the US.

9. Dr. of rap DRE
Dr. Dre is the stage name of rapper Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre is known for his own singing career as well as producing records and starting the careers of others such Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.

18. Critical hosp. areas ICUS
Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

22. Apple on iTunes? FIONA
Fiona Apple is a singer-songwriter and pianist from New York City.

25. Oman neighbor YEMEN
Yemen is located on the Arabian Peninsula, lying just south of Saudi Arabia and west of Oman. Yemen is the only state on the peninsula that is a republic (its official name is the Republic of Yemen). Everyone over the age of 18 gets to vote, but only Muslims can hold elected office.

28. British peer EARL
In the ranking of nobles, an earl comes above a viscount and below a marquess. The rank of earl is used in the British peerage system and is equivalent to the rank of count in other countries. Other British ranks have female forms (e.g. marquess and marchioness, viscount and viscountess), but there isn’t a female word for the rank of earl. A female given the same rank as an earl is known simply as a countess.

34. Latin clarifier ID EST
i.e. = id est = that is …

49. Heckle JEER
The original use of “heckle” was to mean questioning severely, and for many years was associated with the public questioning of parliamentary candidates in Scotland. In more recent times, that questioning is a little less polite and is directed at comedians on stage.

51. “Bodas de Sangre” playwright García __ LORCA
Garcia Lorca was a Spanish poet and dramatist. Lorca is as famous for his poems and his plays as he is for the circumstances of his death. Although it has never been irrefutably proven, many believe that he was shot and killed while in the custody of Nationalist militia, one month after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.

53. Like some angles ACUTE
An acute angle is less than 90 degrees, i.e. less than a right angle. On obtuse angle is greater than a right angle.

57. Anti-fur org. PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a very large animal rights organization, with 300 employees and two million members and supporters worldwide. Although the group campaigns for animal rights across a broad spectrum of issues, it has a stated focus in opposition of four practices:

– factory farming
– fur farming
– animal testing
– use of animals in entertainment

58. Loads from lodes ORES
A lode is metal ore deposit that’s found between two layers of rock or in a fissure.

61. The Red or the Black SEA
There are four seas named for colors in English: the Yellow Sea, the Black Sea, the Red Sea and the White Sea.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Butts (into) RAMS
5. Zodiac transition point CUSP
9. Ambition DRIVE
14. “On the Waterfront” director Kazan ELIA
15. “A Death in the Family” author James AGEE
16. Big name in real estate RE/MAX
17. “Syndrome” that causes smartphone typos FAT FINGER
19. Dangerous bacteria E COLI
20. Unbroken INTACT
21. “What’s the __?”: “Same thing” DIF
23. Trying to break an NFL tie IN OT
24. Dorothy clicked their heels to return to Kansas RUBY SLIPPERS
27. “Understood!” YES, I SEE
30. “Milk’s favorite cookie” OREO
31. Vittles EATS
32. Setting for many King novels MAINE
35. Big Pharma regulator FDA
38. Big gun lobby: Abbr. NRA
39. Word that can follow the first words of 17-, 24-, 50- and 62-Across TUESDAY
41. Casual greetings YOS
42. Devious SLY
43. “Tomorrow” musical ANNIE
44. Tries to win WOOS
45. Math subj. CALC
47. Temporary visit SOJOURN
50. Biker jacket material BLACK LEATHER
54. Campus military prog. ROTC
55. PC key ESC
56. Tyrant DESPOT
60. First of 12 ARIES
62. Evil genius’s foe SUPERHERO
64. Range SCOPE
65. Boy or girl lead-in ATTA
66. Agenda unit ITEM
67. He’s coming to town soon SANTA
68. Four quarters YEAR
69. Overtake PASS

Down
1. Loan adjustment, for short REFI
2. Arkin of “Argo” ALAN
3. Baseball glove MITT
4. Jungle adventures SAFARIS
5. “Impossible!” CAN’T BE!
6. Sheepskin boots trademark UGG
7. Garden plantings SEEDS
8. Danger PERIL
9. Dr. of rap DRE
10. Cooking instructions RECIPE
11. Politician’s “We have the same goals” I’M ONE OF YOU
12. Bravery VALOR
13. Departures EXITS
18. Critical hosp. areas ICUS
22. Apple on iTunes? FIONA
25. Oman neighbor YEMEN
26. Game to go after PREY
27. Hankerings YENS
28. British peer EARL
29. Time off spent at home STAYCATION
33. “Just __ figured!” AS I
34. Latin clarifier ID EST
36. Departure point DOOR
37. Homeowners’ gp., e.g. ASSN
39. Discuss it TALK
40. Mom’s brother UNCLE
44. Church activity WORSHIP
46. Receive willingly ACCEPT
48. “Mercy me!” OH DEAR!
49. Heckle JEER
50. Military bigwigs BRASS
51. “Bodas de Sangre” playwright García __ LORCA
52. College application part ESSAY
53. Like some angles ACUTE
57. Anti-fur org. PETA
58. Loads from lodes ORES
59. Alley prowlers TOMS
61. The Red or the Black SEA
63. Mom-and-pop gp. PTA

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