LA Times Crossword Answers 9 May 13, Thursday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Mark Bickham
THEME: Looking for Directions … each of the themed answers contains one of the four cardinal directions:

16A. *Classic paradox CHICKE(N OR TH)E EGG
21A. *Memorable site of a 1965 Beatles concert SH(EA ST)ADIUM
36A. *Comes up with a solution FIGURE(S OUT H)OW
51A. *Body shop’s reappraisal NE(W EST)IMATE

59A. Device useful in navigation, or in discovering the hidden theme in the answers to starred clues DIRECTION FINDER

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 07m 37s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Atkins diet credo NO CARBS
The eating of relatively few carbohydrates is central to the diet proposed by Robert Atkins. Atkins first laid out the principles behind the Atkins diet in a research paper published in 1958 in the “Journal of the American Medical Association”. He popularized his diet starting in 1972 with his book “Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution”.

8. Medicare section PART B
Medicare is divided into four parts:

A: Hospital Insurance
B: Medical Insurance
C: Medicare Advantage Plans
D: Prescription Drug Plans

13. Freight lineup BOXCARS
A “boxcar” is a basic railroad car used to carry freight. It’s the one shaped like a big box, with large doors at each side.

14. Asian electronics giant TOSHIBA
The Japanese company that we know today as Toshiba was formed in 1939 with the merger of Tokyo Electric and Shibaura Engineering Works. The “To-shiba” name comes from a melding of TO-kyo and SHIBA-ura.

18. Fjord relative RIA
A drowned valley might be called a ria or a fjord, both formed as sea level rises. A ria is a drowned valley created by river erosion, and a fjord is a drowned valley created by glaciation.

19. Extended break from svc. LOA
Leave of absence (LOA)

20. Together, on a score A DUE
“A due” is a musical term meaning “together”, and literally translates from Italian as “by two”.

21. *Memorable site of a 1965 Beatles concert SH(EA ST)ADIUM
The Beatles concert tour of 1965 was the band’s second, after the phenomenal success of their debut appearances in America the prior year. The opening engagement was at Shea Stadium, a concert at which the Beatles only played for 30 minutes. The audience of over 55,000 people set a new record for concert attendance, as did the gate of $304,000 (seems small now, huh?). The amplifiers in the stadium were completely overpowered by the noise of the crowd, and the Fab Four literally couldn’t hear themselves sing. At one point John Lennon just started goofing around as no one could hear the music, and starting playing keyboards with his elbows!

26. Aetna’s bus. INS
When the health care management and insurance company known as Aetna was founded, the name was chosen to evoke images of Mt. Etna, the European volcano.

27. Salmon for bagels LOX
Lox is a cured salmon fillet, finely sliced. The term “lox” comes into English via Yiddish, and derives from the German word for salmon: Lachs.

28. LBJ’s veep HHH
Hubert Humphrey was the running mate of President Lyndon Johnson in the 1964 presidential campaign. Humphrey was sworn in as Vice President in 1965, the 38th person to hold the office. Humphrey was the Democratic candidate for president in the 1968 election, but lost to Richard Nixon.

President Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) is one of only four people to have held all four elected federal offices, namely US Representative, US Senator, US Vice-President and US President. As President he is perhaps best remembered for escalating involvement in the Vietnam War, and for his “Great Society” legislation.

29. Residents along the Gulf of Bothnia FINNS
The Gulf of Bothnia is the most northerly part of the Baltic Sea, and is located between Finland to the west and Sweden to the east.

31. “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore” speaker YOGI
Yogi Berra is regarded by many as the greatest catcher ever to play in Major League Baseball, and has to be America’s most celebrated “author” of malapropisms. Here are some greats:

– “It’s ain’t over till it’s over.”
– “90% of the game is half mental.”
– “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
– (giving directions) “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
– “It’s déjà vu all over again.”
– “Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t go to yours.”
– “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”

41. Horace works EPODES
An epode is a lyric poem made up of couplets in which the first line is long, and the second line much shorter. The form was invented by the Greek poet Archilochus, and was most famously used by the Roman poet Horace.

One of Ancient Rome’s leading lyric poets was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, or “Horace” as we tend to know him.

42. Card game for three SKAT
When I was a teenager in Ireland, I had a friend with a German father. The father taught us the game of Skat, and what a great game it is. Skat originated in Germany in the 1800s and is to this day the most popular game in the country. I haven’t played it in decades, but would love to play it again …

44. Some choristers ALTOS
In choral music, an alto is the second-highest voice in a four-part chorus made up of soprano, contr(alto), tenor and bass. The word “alto” describes the vocal range, that of the deepest female singing-voice, whereas the term “contralto” describes more than just the alto range, but also its quality and timbre. An adult male’s voice (not a boy’s) with the same range as an alto is called a “countertenor”.

49. Where agua flows RIO
In Spanish, there is water (agua) flowing in a river (río).

50. Assam export TEA
Assam is a state in the very northeast of India, just south of the Himalayas. Assam is noted for its tea, as well as its silk.

57. Reid or Robbins TIM
Tim Reid played the character Venus Flytrap on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati”, one of the disc jockeys at the station.

Tim Robbins is a Hollywood actor, director and producer. I’d say that Robbins’ best-known roles are the leads in “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Player”. Robbins also wrote, produced and directed the 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking” starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. Robbins was married for almost thirty years to Susan Sarandon, although they split up in 2009.

58. Deg. for Dilbert creator Scott Adams MBA
“Dilbert” is a comic strip written by Scott Adams, a “neighbor” of mine here in the Bay Area. Adams used to own a nice restaurant at the end of my street.

68. Responds to the MAILER-DAEMON RESENDS
In the world of email, a mailer-daemon is a program that sends out an auto reply to an email sender when the original message bounces, does not reach the intended sender.

Down
1. “30 Rock” network NBC
“30 Rock” is a sitcom on NBC that was created by the show’s star Tina Fey. Fey is an ex-performer and writer from “Saturday Night Live” and uses her experiences on that show as a basis for the “30 Rock” storyline.

4. West African capital ACCRA
Accra sits on Ghana’s coast and is a major seaport as well as the country’s capital city. The name “Accra” comes from a local word “Nkran” meaning “ants”, a name chosen because of the large number of anthills found in the area when the city was founded.

5. Sporty RAKISH
Something described as “rakish” is styled in a sporting manner. The term probably derives from the “raking” of the mast of a sailing ship, slanting it away from the perpendicular. Raking a mast can favorably impact the vessel’s performance, and can also make it look more “sporty”.

7. Phisher’s target: Abbr. SSN
Social Security number (SSN)

Phishing is the name given to the online practice of stealing usernames, passwords and credit card details by creating a site that deceptively looks reliable and trustworthy. Phishers often send out safe-looking emails or instant messages that direct someone to an equally safe-looking website where the person might inadvertently enter sensitive information. “Phishing” is a variant of the word “fishing”, as in “fishing for passwords, PIN numbers etc.”

8. French meat-and-veggies dish POT-AU-FEU
Pot-au-feu is a French stew made with beef and is similar to many stews made around the world, containing cheap cuts of meat with mainly root vegetables and spices. The name “pot-au-feu” means “pot on the fire”, and used to apply to a pot that was kept on the fire during cold weather, with ingredients being added when they became available, and stew doled out when needed.

10. South American bird named for a Greek Titan RHEA
The rhea is a flightless bird native to South America. The rhea takes its name from the Greek titan Rhea, an apt name for a flightless bird as “rhea” comes from the Greek word meaning “ground”.

12. Many air rifles BB GUNS
A BB gun is an air pistol or rifle that shoots birdshot known as BBs. Birdshot comes in a number of different sizes, from size 9 (0.080″ in diameter) to size FF (.23″). 0.180″ diameter birdshot is size BB, which gives the airgun its name.

14. Half-human Enterprise counselor TROI
Deanna Troi is a character on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” who is played by the lovely Marina Sirtis. Sirtis is a naturalized American citizen and has what I would call a soft American accent on the show. However, she was born in the East End of London and has a natural accent off-stage that is more like that of a true Cockney.

15. Gets on AGES
Ages … gets on in years.

17. Antediluvian OLD
Something “antediluvian” is very old. The term comes from “ante” meaning “before” and “diluvium” meaning “flood”. The idea is that something really old took place before Noah’s Flood.

24. Name of three Ottoman sultans AHMED
The Ottoman Dynasty was named for its founder, Osman I. The term “Ottoman” comes from the name “Osman”. The “Ottoman Empire” was really established with the conquest of Constantinople, and that didn’t happen until almost 130 years after Osman I died.

25. Falls spray MIST
Spray from a waterfall creates a mist.

30. Ordinal extremes NTHS
An extreme is to the nth degree.

44. Mountaintop homes AERIES
An aerie is the nest of an eagle.

48. Shinbones TIBIAS
The tibia is the shin bone, the larger of the two bones right below the knee. The tibia is the strongest weight-bearing bone in the human body. “Tibia” is the Roman name for a Greek flute and it is thought that the shin bone was given the same name because flutes were often fashioned out of the shin bones of animals.

50. 1860s presidential in-law TODD
Mary Todd moved in the best of the social circles in Springfield, Illinois and there met the successful lawyer, Abraham Lincoln. The path to their marriage wasn’t exactly smooth, as the engagement was broken once but reinstated, with the couple eventually marrying in 1842.

52. Some Nintendo consoles WIIS
The Wii is the biggest-selling game console in the world. Two distinguishing features are the impressive wireless remote control and its WiiConnect24 system which allows the console to get messages and updates wirelessly in standby mode. I have my kids unplug the darn thing when they aren’t using it, as even in standby mode it sucks up bandwidth on my wireless network here at the house.

53. Angst-filled genre EMO
The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. Not my cup of tea …

54. Parson’s home MANSE
A manse is a minister’s home in various Christian traditions. “Manse” derives from “mansus”, the Latin for “dwelling”. The term can also be used for any stately residence.

61. “This American Life” airer NPR
“This American Life” is a radio show that is broadcast weekly on National Public Radio (NPR). Host of the show is the much-respected Ira Glass. I was interested to learn that one of my favorite composers, Philip Glass, is Ira’s first cousin.

62. Speed-skating gold medalist Jansen DAN
Dan Jansen is a retired speed skater who won a gold medal for the US in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Atkins diet credo NO CARBS
8. Medicare section PART B
13. Freight lineup BOXCARS
14. Asian electronics giant TOSHIBA
16. *Classic paradox CHICKE(N OR TH)E EGG
18. Fjord relative RIA
19. Extended break from svc. LOA
20. Together, on a score A DUE
21. *Memorable site of a 1965 Beatles concert SH(EA ST)ADIUM
26. Aetna’s bus. INS
27. Salmon for bagels LOX
28. LBJ’s veep HHH
29. Residents along the Gulf of Bothnia FINNS
31. “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore” speaker YOGI
33. Self-effacing MODEST
36. *Comes up with a solution FIGURE(S OUT H)OW
41. Horace works EPODES
42. Card game for three SKAT
44. Some choristers ALTOS
46. Down EAT
49. Where agua flows RIO
50. Assam export TEA
51. *Body shop’s reappraisal NE(W EST)IMATE
55. Spheres ORBS
57. Reid or Robbins TIM
58. Deg. for Dilbert creator Scott Adams MBA
59. Device useful in navigation, or in discovering the hidden theme in the answers to starred clues DIRECTION FINDER
65. Honeys DEARIES
66. Lowly laborer PEASANT
67. Party animals? STAGS
68. Responds to the MAILER-DAEMON RESENDS

Down
1. “30 Rock” network NBC
2. Cry of wonder OOH!
3. One-fifth of DLV CXI
4. West African capital ACCRA
5. Sporty RAKISH
6. A little fresh air? BREATH
7. Phisher’s target: Abbr. SSN
8. French meat-and-veggies dish POT-AU-FEU
9. Silvery gray ASH
10. South American bird named for a Greek Titan RHEA
11. Associated TIED IN
12. Many air rifles BB GUNS
14. Half-human Enterprise counselor TROI
15. Gets on AGES
17. Antediluvian OLD
21. Wily SLY
22. Place for a shoe HOOF
23. Military vet EX-GI
24. Name of three Ottoman sultans AHMED
25. Falls spray MIST
30. Ordinal extremes NTHS
32. “__ that a lot” I GET
34. Verb ending -OSE
35. Antibiotic allotments DOSES
37. “__ further reflection …” UPON
38. Icing buds on fancy cakes ROSETTES
39. Vegetable also called lady’s-finger OKRA
40. Tarry WAIT
43. Little piggy TOE
44. Mountaintop homes AERIES
45. Unwitting test taker LABRAT
47. Charge to bank non-members, often ATM FEE
48. Shinbones TIBIAS
50. 1860s presidential in-law TODD
52. Some Nintendo consoles WIIS
53. Angst-filled genre EMO
54. Parson’s home MANSE
56. Shot contents SERA
60. Slangy smoke CIG
61. “This American Life” airer NPR
62. Speed-skating gold medalist Jansen DAN
63. Stop END
64. Blockers for QBs RTS

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Posted by Bill Butler
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