LA Times Crossword Answers 28 Oct 2017, Saturday

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Constructed by: Daniel Nierenberg
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 11m 11s

Bill’s errors: 2

  • MOTE (mite!)
  • SHOFAR (shifar)

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. Takes a risky leap : BASE-JUMPS

BASE jumping is parachuting off fixed objects such as buildings or cliffs. The term “BASE” is actually an acronym standing for the four types of objects from which parachutists jump: Buildings, Antennas. Spans/bridges, Earth/cliffs.

10. Teensy bit : SKOSH

“Skosh” is a slang term meaning “a little bit”, and was originally military slang that came out of the Korean War. “Skosh” derives from the Japanese word “sukoshi” which translates as “few, little, some”.

16. Actress Campbell of “Martin” : TISHA

Tisha Campbell-Martin is an actress best-known for her supporting role on the HBO sitcom “Martin” that features Martin Lawrence. Tisha Campbell married fellow actor and comedian Duane Martin in 1996. That’s a lot of Martins …

17. Florida beach ranked by TripAdvisor as #1 in the U.S. in 2017 : SIESTA KEY

Siesta Key is a barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Florida located near the city of Sarasota.

18. Furry fish eater : OTTER

The fur of the sea otter is exceptionally thick. It is in fact the densest fur in the whole animal kingdom.

19. Drink with a polar bear mascot : ICEE

Slush Puppie and ICEE are brands of frozen, slushy drinks. Ostensibly competing brands, ICEE company now owns the Slush Puppie brand.

20. Mag wheel? : HEF

Hugh Hefner (often called “Hef”) is from Chicago. His first publishing job was in the military, where he worked as a writer for a US Army newspaper from 1944-46. He went to college after his military service and then worked as a copywriter for “Esquire” magazine. He left “Esquire” to found his own publication that he called “Playboy”, which first hit the newsstands in 1953. “Playboy” has been around ever since.

22. Dishonorable sort : CAD

Our word “cad”, meaning “a person lacking in finer feelings”, is a shortening of the word “cadet”. “Cad” was first used for a servant, and then students at British universities used “cad” as a term for a boy from the local town. “Cad” took on its current meaning in the 1830s.

26. One hanging around in the forest? : SLOTH

“Sloth”, meaning “indolence, sluggishness”, comes from the Middle English word “slowe”, the same root for our contemporary word “slow”. The animal, the sloth, is so named as it exhibits slow-moving behavior.

29. Cantina snack : TAPA

“Tapa” is the Spanish word for “lid”, and there is no clear rationale for why this word came to be used for an appetizer. There are lots of explanations cited, all of which seem to involve the temporary covering of one’s glass of wine with a plate or item of food to either preserve the wine or give one extra space at the table.

30. Tombstone shootout participant : EARP

The famous Earp brothers of the Wild West were Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan. All three brothers participated in what has to be the most famous gunfight in the history of the Old West, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Strangely enough, the fight didn’t happen at the O.K. Corral, but took place six doors down the street in a vacant lot next to a photography studio.

The Arizona town of Tombstone built up around a mine that was owned by one Ed Schieffelin. Schieffelin had been told by US soldiers stationed in the area that the only stone (ore sample) he would find in the area was his tombstone. Regardless, he did file a claim, and it was centered on the grave site of one of his men who had been killed by Apaches. Schieffelin filed papers under the name “the Tombstone claim”.

34. Domino’s competitor : SBARRO

The Sbarro chain of pizza restaurants was founded by Italian immigrants, Gennaro and Carmela Sbarro.

Domino’s Pizza started out as DomiNick’s, a pizza store in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The store was purchased by Dominic’s founder Tom Monaghan in 1960, along with his brother. Tom bought out his brother a few months later, for the price of a used VW! The store was renamed Domino’s Pizza in 1965, and two years later the first franchise store was opened. There are now over 8,000 stores worldwide, including one in Tallaght in Ireland, the town where I lived for many years in my youth. That Tallaght store became the first Domino’s outlet in the world to hit a turnover of $3 million a year. We Irish obviously have terrible taste when it comes to pizza …

41. Lighting hrs.? : ETAS

That would be the ETA of a passenger “lighting”, alighting, deplaning..

42. Eye care brand : RENU

ReNu is a brand name of contact lens products sold by Bausch & Lomb.

44. City on the Shatt al-Arab river : BASRA

Basra is a Iraq’s main port, and is located in the south of the country, 34 miles from the Persian Gulf. Access to the gulf ii via the Shatt al-Arab waterway, a river that discharges into the gulf in the port city of Umm Qasr.

48. Hawaiian yellowfin : AHI

Yellowfin and bigeye tuna are usually marketed as “ahi”, the Hawaiian name. They are both big fish, with yellowfish tuna often weighing over 300 pounds, and bigeye tuna getting up to 400 pounds.

49. String around the collar? : BOLO TIE

I’ve never worn a bolo tie, and was surprised to discover that it is a relatively recent invention. The first bolo tie was apparently produced in Wickenburg, Arizona in the late 1940s by a silversmith. The bolo takes its name from the boleadora, an Argentine lariat.

51. Harley Davidson’s NYSE symbol : HOG

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) can give some quite descriptive ticker symbols to companies, for example:

  • Anheuser-Busch (BUD, for “Budweiser”)
  • Molson Coors Brewing Company (TAP, as in “beer tap”)
  • Steinway Musical Instruments (LVB, for “Ludwig van Beethoven”)
  • Sotheby’s (BID, for the auction house)

52. Prayer string : ROSARY

The Rosary is a set of prayer beads used in the Roman Catholic tradition. The name “Rosary” comes from the Latin “rosarium”, the word for a “rose garden” or a “garland of roses”. The term is used figuratively, in the sense of a “garden of prayers”.

54. British society page VIP : NOB

The slang term “nob” has been used for “head” for over 300 years, and is a variant of “knob”.

55. Tiny particle : MOTE

A “mote” is a speck of dust.

56. Interim ruling group : JUNTA

A junta is a group of military officers that rule a country, usually after having seized power forcibly. “Junta” is a Spanish word meaning “council”.

60. Insect world raiders : AMAZON ANT

Amazon ants are referred to as “slave-raiding” ants. They rob the pupae from related species and use the captured ants as “slaves”. The “slaves” do virtually all the work needed to maintain the Amazon ant nest, including provision of food and nursing the young.

62. Ceremony with a Best Female Hip-Hop Artist category : BET AWARDS

The BET Awards are honors given by the Black Entertainment Television network. They were established in 2001 and celebrate the work of African Americans, as well as other minorities, in all aspects of entertainment, including sports.

Down

2. Forming a summit : APICAL

Something “apical” is related to an “apex”.

3. Tight-fitting suit : SPEEDO

Speedo brand swimwear was first produced in Australia in 1928, by a hosiery company that wanted to diversify. The brand name was chosen after a slogan competition among employees was won by “Speed on in your Speedos”. It was a long time ago, I guess …

4. If-then-__: programmer’s flow : ELSE

In the world of computer programming, an “if-then-else” construct is a type of conditional statement. The idea is that IF a particular condition is met THEN a particular action is executed. The additional ELSE statement can be used to define an alternative action.

6. Roseanne Barr, for one : UTAHN

The comedian Roseanne Barr is perhaps best known as the star of her own sitcom called “Roseanne” in which she played the character Roseanne Conner. In 2012 Barr unsuccessfully vied for the Green Party’s nomination for US President. She didn’t give up though, and was successful in winning the nomination of the Peace and Freedom Party. In the 2012 presidential election she earned over 60,000 votes, and placed sixth in the list of candidates.

7. Partner of kisses : MAKES UP

Let’s just kiss and make up …

11. Talking Trans Am of classic TV : KITT

The Trans Am was a specialty version of the Pontiac Firebird produced from 1969 to 2002. My favorite Trans Am is KITT, the artificially intelligent car in the eighties TV show “Knight Rider” …

12. Repeated melodic pattern : OSTINATO

In music, an ostinato is a piece of melody or a rhythmic pattern that frequently recurs in a piece. A favorite work in the classical repertoire that makes particular use of the ostinato form is Ravel’s “Bolero”.

23. “Ten North Frederick” author John : O’HARA

John O’Hara was a best-selling novelist whose most successful titles were his first two: “Appointment in Samarra” (1934) and “BUtterfield 8” (1935).

27. Beach birds : TERNS

Terns are seabirds that are found all over the world. The Arctic Tern makes a very long-distance migration. One Arctic Tern that was tagged as a chick in Great Britain in the summer of 1982, was spotted in Melbourne, Australia just three months later. The bird had traveled over 14,000 miles in over those three months, an average of about 150 miles a day. Remarkable …

29. “Michael Clayton” Oscar winner Swinton : TILDA

Tilda Swinton is an English actress, quite famous in her native land. Swinton made a big name for herself outside the UK when she played the “baddie” in the 2007 movie “Michael Clayton”, opposite the “goodie” played by George Clooney.

“Michael Clayton” is a 2007 film starring George Clooney in the title role, an attorney who is a “fixer” for a New York City law firm.

31. Whisky cocktail garnished with skewered cherries : ROB ROY

Rob Roy was a folk hero in Scotland from the 18th century. He was a sort of Scottish Robin Hood, an outlaw who had the support of the populace. Rob Roy’s full name was Robert Roy MacGregor, itself an anglicization of the Scottish Raibeart Ruadh. He gave his name to a famous cocktail called a Rob Roy, a relative of the Manhattan that is made with Scotch instead of bourbon.

33. Early bathysphere user William : BEEBE

William Beebe was an American explorer, active in the first half of the 20th century. Beebe was very interested deep-sea exploration and this interest led to the development of the bathysphere by Otis Barton in 1928. Beebe accompanied Barton on the first manned descent in a bathysphere, down to 803 ft. A few years later, in 1934, the pair descended to 3,028 ft. setting a record that stood for 15 years.

35. Safe haven for cave dwellers? : BAT HOUSE

A bat house is like a bird house. Usually referred to as a “bat box”, a bat house differs from a birdhouse in that is has a larger opening, and that opening is on the underside of the structure. Bat boxes provide a relatively safe location for bats to rear their young.

36. “Delta of Venus” author : ANAIS NIN

“Death of Venus” is a collection of short stories by Anais Nin that was published in 1977, not long after the author’s passing. The stories were originally written on commission for a private collector in the 1940s.

39. Sushi fish : EEL

Anyone going to a sushi restaurant can order all types of raw fish (known collectively as “sashimi”). However, eel is always served cooked, and that’s because the blood of eels contains a protein that cramps muscles if eaten. If the heart muscle “cramps”, the result can be death. The protein is easily rendered harmless by applying heat, i.e. cooking.

40. Early fast-food eatery : AUTOMAT

An automat is a fast food restaurant that was popular in the first half of the 20th century. The original automat was established in Berlin, but the concept took off in the US. However, our modern fast food restaurants virtually wiped out automats starting in the fifties.

45. Instrument made from a ram’s horn : SHOFAR

A shofar is a musical instrument used in Jewish rituals. It is a relatively simple instrument, made from an animal’s (usually a ram) horn.

50. Spanish vacation island : IBIZA

Ibiza is a Mediterranean island almost 100 miles off the Spanish coast. It is a very popular tourist destination, largely for its legendary nightlife.

55. Avian motormouth : MYNA

Some species of myna (also “mynah”) bird are known for their ability to imitate sounds.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Takes a risky leap : BASE-JUMPS
10. Teensy bit : SKOSH
15. Baked fruit dessert : APPLE TART
16. Actress Campbell of “Martin” : TISHA
17. Florida beach ranked by TripAdvisor as #1 in the U.S. in 2017 : SIESTA KEY
18. Furry fish eater : OTTER
19. Drink with a polar bear mascot : ICEE
20. Mag wheel? : HEF
21. Let loose : UNTIED
22. Dishonorable sort : CAD
23. Without breaks, as a tennis set : ON SERVE
25. Degree of uncertainty : NTH
26. One hanging around in the forest? : SLOTH
28. Eurasia’s __ region : URAL
29. Cantina snack : TAPA
30. Tombstone shootout participant : EARP
32. Natural home : HABITAT
34. Domino’s competitor : SBARRO
37. Fruits often cubed : MELONS
38. Hopeful : WANNABE
40. Acted like : APED
41. Lighting hrs.? : ETAS
42. Eye care brand : RENU
44. City on the Shatt al-Arab river : BASRA
48. Hawaiian yellowfin : AHI
49. String around the collar? : BOLO TIE
51. Harley Davidson’s NYSE symbol : HOG
52. Prayer string : ROSARY
54. British society page VIP : NOB
55. Tiny particle : MOTE
56. Interim ruling group : JUNTA
57. Entertainment for the whole gang : FAMILY FUN
59. Many a Pacific resident : ASIAN
60. Insect world raiders : AMAZON ANT
61. Tears : RENDS
62. Ceremony with a Best Female Hip-Hop Artist category : BET AWARDS

Down

1. First things to learn : BASICS
2. Forming a summit : APICAL
3. Tight-fitting suit : SPEEDO
4. If-then-__: programmer’s flow : ELSE
5. Fast flier : JET
6. Roseanne Barr, for one : UTAHN
7. Partner of kisses : MAKES UP
8. Choose over, with “to” : PREFER
9. Farm dwelling : STY
10. It may be skipped : STONE
11. Talking Trans Am of classic TV : KITT
12. Repeated melodic pattern : OSTINATO
13. Bit of bakeware : SHEET PAN
14. Construction protection : HARD HATS
21. Tanning aid, for short : UV LAMP
23. “Ten North Frederick” author John : O’HARA
24. Motivational speech component? : RAH!
27. Beach birds : TERNS
29. “Michael Clayton” Oscar winner Swinton : TILDA
31. Whisky cocktail garnished with skewered cherries : ROB ROY
33. Early bathysphere user William : BEEBE
34. Curse deterrent : SWEAR JAR
35. Safe haven for cave dwellers? : BAT HOUSE
36. “Delta of Venus” author : ANAIS NIN
39. Sushi fish : EEL
40. Early fast-food eatery : AUTOMAT
43. Unpopular sort : NO-NAME
45. Instrument made from a ram’s horn : SHOFAR
46. Stout : ROTUND
47. Spies : AGENTS
49. Fiber-rich cereals : BRANS
50. Spanish vacation island : IBIZA
53. Minimally : A TAD
55. Avian motormouth : MYNA
57. Swell : FAB
58. Like a carefully kept profile : LOW

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