LA Times Crossword Answers 28 Jun 2018, Thursday

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Constructed by: Christopher Adams
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Round of Golf

Themed answers include the string of letters GOLF, with that string moving ROUND by one letter as we progress down the grid:

  • 17A. Generous nature : HEART OF GOLD
  • 28A. Exercising control over one’s own affairs : SELF-GOVERNING
  • 44A. 1945 Physics Nobelist who discovered the exclusion principle : WOLFGANG PAULI
  • 58A. Eighteen holes … and a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters : ROUND OF GOLF

Bill’s time: 6m 35s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

13. “Fortunate Son” band, briefly : CCR

Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) was a rock band from San Francisco that played in a Southern rock style, with hits such as “Proud Mary”, “Bad Moon Rising”, “Down on the Corner” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain”.

16. “Science Friday” host Flatow : IRA

“Science Friday” is an excellent talk show broadcast every Friday on NPR, and hosted by Ira Flatow. Flatow is known to television audiences as the host of “Newton’s Apple”, which ran from 1983 to 1998.

19. S&L offerings : CDS

A certificate of deposit (CD) is like a less-flexible and higher-paying savings account. Instead of depositing money into a savings account and earning interest periodically, one can open a CD. With a CD one deposits a minimum amount of money but must leave it there for a specified length of time. In return for committing the funds for a fixed period, one is given a higher interest rate than a savings account and can redeem that interest and the initial deposit when the term has expired. CDs are relatively low-risk investments as they are FDIC insured, just like savings accounts.

Savings and Loan (S&L)

20. Fortified Portuguese wine : MADEIRA

Madeira is a Portuguese-owned archipelago that lies to the southwest of mainland Portugal. Madeira is famous for its fortified wine, which is known as Madeira wine.

24. Org. Edward Snowden worked for : NSA

Edward Snowden is a former NSA contractor who leaked several top secret NSA documents to the media beginning in June 2013. After disclosing his name as the source of the leaks, Snowden tried to seek asylum in Ecuador. While travelling to Ecuador he had a layover in Moscow. While in Moscow, the US government revoked his passport, which effectively left him stranded in the transit area of Moscow Airport. The Russian government eventually granted him annually-renewable temporary asylum.

27. Cigna rival : AETNA

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

The health care management company known as Cigna was formed in 1982 by a merger of two insurance companies. One was Connecticut General (CG) and the other Insurance Company of North America (INA).

31. Ultrasound goo : GEL

A sonogram is an image made created using ultrasound. “Ultrasound” is the name given to sound energy that has frequencies above the audible range.

37. Arabian Peninsula resident : OMANI

The Arabian Peninsula is shaped like a boot, with the Sultanate of Oman occupying the toe of that boot.

40. World Cup chant : OLE!

The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious tournament in the sport of soccer. The competition has been held every four years (excluding the WWII years) since the inaugural event held in Uruguay in 1930. The World Cup is the most widely viewed sporting event in the world, even outranking the Olympic Games.

41. Persian Gulf republic : IRAN

The Persian Gulf is in effect an inland sea, although it technically is an offshoot of the Indian Ocean. The outlet from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean is one of the most famous maritime “choke points” in the world, and is known as the Strait of Hormuz. About 20% of the world’s supply of petroleum passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

42. CBS forensic series : CSI

The “CSI” TV show franchise uses hits from the Who as theme music:

  • “Who Are You” … “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”
  • “Baba O’Riley” … “CSI: New York”
  • “Won’t Get Fooled Again” … “CSI: Miami”
  • “I Can See for Miles” … “CSI: Cyber”

44. 1945 Physics Nobelist who discovered the exclusion principle : WOLFGANG PAULI

Wolfgang Pauli was an Austrian-born theoretical physicist whose name is most associated with the Pauli exclusion principle. The principle states that particle such as protons, neutrons and electrons cannot have the same quantum numbers, cannot be at the same place at the same time and with the same energy. The discovery of the Pauli exclusion principle led to Pauli being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1945.

48. Bottled water brand : EVIAN

Évian-les-Bains (or simply Évian) is in the very east of France, on the shores of Lake Geneva directly across the lake from Lausanne, Switzerland. As one might imagine, Évian is the home of Évian mineral water, the most successful business in town. Personally, I can’t stand the distinctive taste of Évian water …

57. Programming pioneer Lovelace : ADA

Ada Lovelace’s real name was Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace. She was the only legitimate child of Lord Byron, the poet. Lovelace was fascinated by mathematics and wrote about the work done by Charles Babbage in building his groundbreaking mechanical computer. In some of her notes, she proposed an algorithm for Babbage’s machine to compute Bernoulli numbers. This algorithm is recognized by many as the world’s first computer program and so Lovelace is sometimes called the first “computer programmer”. There is a computer language called “Ada” that was named in her honor. The Ada language was developed from 1977 to 1983 for the US Department of Defense.

58. Eighteen holes … and a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters : ROUND OF GOLF

There’s an urban myth that the standard number of holes on a golf course is 18 because it takes 18 shots to polish off a fifth of scotch whisky. However, the truth is that the standard number of holes in the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland happened to settle down over time at 18, and that standard was adopted all around the world.

63. Asian New Year : TET

The full name for the New Year holiday in Vietnam is “Tet Nguyen Dan” meaning “Feast of the First Morning”, with the reference being to the arrival of the season of spring. Tet usually falls on the same day as Chinese New Year.

64. “District 9” extras : ETS

“District 9” is a science fiction thriller from South Africa that was released in 2009. The title refers to an internment camp created to house and isolate a crew is sick aliens found aboard a spaceship.

66. Texter’s “No way!” : OMG

“OMG” is text-speak for “Oh My Gosh!” “Oh My Goodness!” or any other G-words you might think of …

Down

1. Loser : SCHMO

“Schmo” (also “shmo”) is American slang for a dull or boring person, and comes from the Yiddish word “shmok”.

2. Indian, for one : OCEAN

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world’s oceans, and accounts for almost 20% of the Earth’s surface. It was named for the country of India, which forms much of the ocean’s northern boundary.

5. Musk, e.g. : ODOR

Musk has such an elegant connotation these days because of its use in the world of perfumery. However, its origin is not quite so glamorous. The original substance called musk, also used in perfumes, was extracted from a gland in the rectal area of the male musk deer. The name “musk” is a Sanskrit word for “testicle”.

7. Peace Nobelist Hammarskjöld : DAG

Dag Hammarskjöld was the second secretary-general of the United Nations, right up until his death in a plane crash in Rhodesia in 1961. The crash was considered suspicious at the time as the bodyguards were found to have bullet wounds when they died, but this was put down to bullets exploding in the fire after the crash.

8. WWII zone : ETO

General Dwight D. Eisenhower (DDE) was in command of the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during WWII.

9. Take-out order? : DELE

“Dele” is the editorial instruction to delete something from a document, and is often written in red.

10. Ingredient in therapeutic gum : NICOTINE

Nicotine is an alkaloid stimulant found in the nightshade family of plants, most notably in the tobacco plant. The alkaloid takes its name from the tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum). In turn, the plant takes its name from French diplomat Jean Nicot. Nicot was the ambassador to Portugal from 1559 to 1561. When Nicot returned to Paris from his assignment in Lisbon, he brought with him tobacco plants, and introduced the French court to snuff.

11. Battle of the Bulge region : ARDENNES

The Ardennes Offensive of WWII is better known as the Battle of the Bulge. The “Bulge” name was coined by the American press, citing the “bulge” in the Allied front lines where the battle took place. US forces suffered more casualties in this engagement than in they did any other battle in the whole war.

15. Microchip found in cameras, briefly : SD CARD

SD cards are memory cards that were introduced in 1999. The initials “SD” stand for “Secure Digital”.

18. Go back on a promise : RENEGE

To renege on something is to back out of it. It’s a verb commonly used in card games like bridge and whist. A renege is when a player doesn’t follow suit, even though there may be a card of the suit led in his/her hand.

25. One-named “A Seat at the Table” singer : SOLANGE

Solange Knowles is a singer/songwriter, and the younger sister of the incredibly successful singer Beyoncé. Solange was in the news a while back when security camera footage was released showing her punching and kicking Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z in an elevator.

26. HarperCollins romance imprint : AVON

Avon was a noted publisher of comic books and paperbacks. The company was founded in 1941 and focused on lowbrow literature designed for popular appeal, especially romance novels.

29. Native plants : FLORA

The fauna is the animal life of a particular region, and the flora is that region’s plant life. The term “fauna” comes from the Roman goddess of earth and fertility who was called Fauna. Flora was the Roman goddess of plants, flowers and fertility.

30. CNN correspondent Hill : ERICA

Erica Hill was the co-anchor of “CBS This Morning”, and before that she was co-anchor of CBS’s “The Early Show”. Hill moved in 2008 to NBC News and co-hosted the weekend edition of “Today”. She moved to CNN in 2016.

34. Coca-Cola sports drink : POWERADE

Powerade is one of those sports drinks, and is the only real competitor to Gatorade.

36. New Orleans NBA team : PELICANS

The New Orleans Pelicans joined the NBA in 1988 as an expansion team, originally based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team was going to be called the Charlotte Spirit, but the name was changed following a “name the team” contest run in the local area. During the Revolutionary War, Lord General Cornwallis had referred to Charlotte as a “veritable nest of hornets” due the city’s resistance to British occupation, which explains the local fans’ fondness for the name “Hornets”. The franchise was moved to New Orleans for the 2002 season, as attendance wasn’t big enough to sustain the team in Charlotte. The team had to play two seasons in Oklahoma City due to damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, and played as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. After several years back in New Orleans, the franchise was renamed to the Pelicans, a nod to the Brown Pelican that is the Louisiana state bird.

43. Decongestant brand : SUDAFED

Pseudoephedrine is a drug with decongestant properties, although it is also a stimulant. It is the active ingredient in Sudafed and Mucinex.

51. Clay being of Jewish folklore : GOLEM

“Golem” is Yiddish slang for “dimwit”. In Jewish folklore, a golem is an anthropomorphic being made out of inanimate matter, and is somewhat like an unintelligent robot.

52. Introduction to geometry? : SOFT G

The word “geometry” starts with a soft letter G (gee).

59. 4 x 4, for short : UTE

A utility vehicle is often called a “ute” for short. Nowadays one mainly hears about sport-utes and crossover-utes.

60. Art Ross Trophy org. : NHL

Art Ross was a Canadian who played professional hockey from 1905 to 1918. Ross then worked as a game official on the ice, before launching a second career as coach and general manager of the Boston Bruins. In 1947, Ross donated the Art Ross Trophy to the NHL that is awarded annually to the league’s highest scorer.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. Barfly : SOT
4. Covered with new grass : SODDED
10. Quick snooze : NAP
13. “Fortunate Son” band, briefly : CCR
14. Imagines : IDEATES
16. “Science Friday” host Flatow : IRA
17. Generous nature : HEART OF GOLD
19. S&L offerings : CDS
20. Fortified Portuguese wine : MADEIRA
21. Lingering traces : ECHOES
23. Eternally : ON END
24. Org. Edward Snowden worked for : NSA
27. Cigna rival : AETNA
28. Exercising control over one’s own affairs : SELF-GOVERNING
31. Ultrasound goo : GEL
32. One who minds his manor : LORD
33. Bridal bio word : NEE
34. Speak (up) : PIPE
37. Arabian Peninsula resident : OMANI
39. Admit, with “up” : FESS
40. World Cup chant : OLE!
41. Persian Gulf republic : IRAN
42. CBS forensic series : CSI
44. 1945 Physics Nobelist who discovered the exclusion principle : WOLFGANG PAULI
48. Bottled water brand : EVIAN
49. “__ out!” : YER
50. Minor dents : DINGS
53. Church official : RECTOR
55. “Just watch me!” : I CAN TOO!
57. Programming pioneer Lovelace : ADA
58. Eighteen holes … and a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters : ROUND OF GOLF
61. Hubbub : DIN
62. Blinking diner sign : EAT HERE
63. Asian New Year : TET
64. “District 9” extras : ETS
65. Blended : MELDED
66. Texter’s “No way!” : OMG

Down

1. Loser : SCHMO
2. Indian, for one : OCEAN
3. Baseball deals : TRADES
4. Go unused : SIT IDLE
5. Musk, e.g. : ODOR
6. Neutralize, as a snake : DEFANG
7. Peace Nobelist Hammarskjöld : DAG
8. WWII zone : ETO
9. Take-out order? : DELE
10. Ingredient in therapeutic gum : NICOTINE
11. Battle of the Bulge region : ARDENNES
12. Excerpts : PASSAGES
15. Microchip found in cameras, briefly : SD CARD
18. Go back on a promise : RENEGE
22. One with nest eggs : HEN
25. One-named “A Seat at the Table” singer : SOLANGE
26. HarperCollins romance imprint : AVON
29. Native plants : FLORA
30. CNN correspondent Hill : ERICA
34. Coca-Cola sports drink : POWERADE
35. “Two thumbs up!” : I LOVED IT!
36. New Orleans NBA team : PELICANS
38. Quite a few : MANY
39. Clerk’s chore : FILING
41. Deliberately overlook : IGNORE
43. Decongestant brand : SUDAFED
45. Blubber : FAT
46. Rated (oneself) highly : PRIDED
47. All things considered : IN TOTO
51. Clay being of Jewish folklore : GOLEM
52. Introduction to geometry? : SOFT G
54. Ramble : ROAM
56. Essence : CORE
59. 4 x 4, for short : UTE
60. Art Ross Trophy org. : NHL

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