LA Times Crossword Answers 13 Jul 13, Saturday

CROSSWORD SETTER: Barry C. Silk
THEME: None
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 19m 39s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 … KRILL (crill), AKC (ACC!!)

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
10. Summers of old? ABACI
The abacus was used as a counting frame long before man had invented a numbering system. It is a remarkable invention, particularly when one notes that abaci are still widely used today across Africa and Asia.

16. Shrimplike critters KRILL
Krill are small, shrimp-like crustaceans that live in the oceans. Krill feed on plankton, and in turn, krill are the main part of the diet of larger animals such as whales, seals and penguins. There’s an awful lot of krill in the world, an estimated 500,000,000 tonnes of it. That’s about twice the biomass of humans on the planet!

17. Lock-related nickname CARROT TOP
“Carrot top” is a slang term for someone with red hair.

18. Jellyfish kin CORAL
Corals are invertebrates found in the sea that live in compact colonies. Some corals secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard exoskeleton, and these type of corals make up the basic infrastructure of coral reefs.

19. Aftershave additive ALOE
Aloe vera has a number of alternate names that are descriptive of its efficacy as a medicine. These include the First Aid plant, Wand of Heaven, Silent Healer and Miracle Plant.

23. It determines 28-Across: Abbr. DOB
(28. Number based on 23-Across AGE)
Date of Birth (DOB)

32. Comics patient of Dr. Liz Wilson ODIE
Odie is Garfield’s best friend and is a slobbery beagle, a character in Jim Davis’s comic strip.

33. ADHD drug RITALIN
Ritalin is a trade name for the drug methylphenidate that is used for treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy. Methylphenidate has a similar structure and similar properties to the drug cocaine, although it is less potent.

The “official” name for the condition we sometimes still refer to as “attention deficit disorder” (ADD) is “attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder” (ADHD).

34. Immortal college coach Amos __ Stagg ALONZO
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an athlete and coach whose talents extended across a number of sports. He is was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Basketball Hall of Fame.

37. Sue Ann __, Betty White’s role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” NIVENS
The actress Betty White has been at the top of her game for decades. White started her television career with an appearance with high school classmates on a local Los Angeles show back in 1939. Her most famous TV run was co-hosting the Tournament of Roses Parade, a gig she had for nineteen years in the sixties and seventies. Given her long career, White holds a number of records in the world of entertainment. For example, she is the oldest person to host “Saturday Night Live” (at 88) and she is the oldest woman to win a Grammy (at 90).

In its day, “The Mary Tyler Moore show” was a real trail-blazer. It was the first television series with a lead character who was an independent-minded, career-oriented, single … woman.

38. Seat of New York’s Nassau County MINEOLA
The name of Mineola on Long Island is derived from the Native American word for “pleasant place”. The town is surrounded by flat plains, and has favorable winds for flying. The Wright Brothers, and indeed Igor Sikorsky, spent time in Mineola, using the good conditions for testing of their various aircraft.

41. “The Lion in Winter” queen ELEANOR
“The Lion in Winter” is a play by James Goldman that was first staged in 1966 on Broadway. The two lead characters in the piece are King Henry II of England and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. The play was adapted into a very successful movie in 1968 starring Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn. There was also a 2003 television movie adaption that I’d like to see, starring Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close.

42. Ref. with about 600,000 word-forms OED
The “Oxford English Dictionary” (OED) contains over 300,000 “main” entries and 59 million words in total. It is said it would take a single person 120 years to type it out in full. The longest entry for one word in the second edition of the OED is the verb “set”. When the third edition was published in 2007, the longest entry for a single word became the verb “put”. Perhaps not surprisingly, the most-quoted author in the OED is William Shakespeare, with his most quoted work being “Hamlet”. The most-quoted female author is George Eliot (aka Mary Ann Evans).

46. Actor Mineo SAL
Sal Mineo’s most famous role was John “Plate” Crawford, the kid who was in awe of the James Dean character in “Rebel Without a Cause”. Sadly, Mineo was murdered in 1976 when he was just 37 years old. He was attacked in the alley behind his Los Angeles apartment and stabbed through the heart. When an arrest was made it was discovered that the murderer had no idea that his victim was a celebrity, and that his plan was just to rob anyone who came along.

48. Deg. requiring workshops MFA
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

50. Endnote abbr. IBID
Ibid. is short for the Latin word “ibidem” and is typically found in footnotes and bibliographies. Ibid. is used to refer the reader to the prior citation, instead of giving the same information all over again (title, author etc.).

52. Jazz musician __ Lateef YUSEF
Yusef Lateef is a jazz musician originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Lateef plays many instruments, but mainly the tenor saxophone and flute.

59. Eloi girl saved from drowning by the Time Traveller WEENA
In the 1895 novel by H. G. Wells called “The Time Machine”, there are two races that the hero encounter in his travels into the future. The Eloi are the “beautiful people” who live on the planet’s surface. The Morlocks are a race of cannibals living underground who use the Eloi as food.

60. Cabinet department EDUCATION
The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (DEH) was split in 1979, into the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

62. General at the Alamo SANTA ANNA
The famous Alamo in San Antonio, Texas was originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero. The mission was founded in 1718 and was the first mission established in the city. The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, a thirteen-day siege by the Mexican Army led by President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Only two people defending the Alamo Mission survived the onslaught. One month later, the Texian army got its revenge by attacking and defeating the Mexican Army in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the surprise attack on Santa Anna’s camp, many of the Texian soldiers were heard to cry “Remember the Alamo!”.

Down
5. Sign of an overflow SRO
Standing Room Only (SRO)

6. Study of extraterrestrial life ASTROBIOLOGY
“Astrobiology” is the study of extraterrestrial life, as well as life on earth. The “exobiology” applies the study and search for life beyond earth.

8. EPA science ECOL
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is concerned with the science of ecology (ecol.).

9. Brother of the Apostle Andrew ST PETER
In the Christian tradition, Saint Peter is often depicted as the keeper of the gates of heaven. This depiction arises from a passage in the Gospel of Matthew:

I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

10. Lab org.? AKC
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the organization that handles registration of purebred dogs The AKC also promotes dog shows around the country including the famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The Labrador breed of dog has been around at least since 1814, and the chocolate Labrador appeared over a century later in the 1930s.

11. Tito’s real name BROZ
Marshal Josip Broz Tito led the Yugoslav resistance during WWII, and after the war led the country as Prime Minister and then President.

12. Large terrier AIREDALE
The Airedale Terrier breed of dog originated in a geographic area of Yorkshire in the North of England … called Airedale. The breed was developed to hunt otters in and around the River Aire that runs through the area.

13. Allergy-treating brand CLARITIN
Claritin is a trade name for the drug loratadine, which is used to treat allergies.

14. Broken mirrors, to some ILL OMENS
There is a superstition that breaking a mirror causes an individual to have seven years of bad luck, which originates from the belief that a mirror reflects the soul. So, breaking of a mirror reflects breaking part of the soul. As the soul was believed to regenerate itself every seven years then one would have to endure seven years of bad luck before the soul could repair itself.

26. Dahl’s precocious title girl MATILDA
“Matilda” is a children’s novel by Welsh author Roald Dahl. Hero of the piece is an extraordinary little girl called Matilda Wormwood.

Roald Dahl’s name is Norwegian. Dahl’s parents were from Norway, although Dahl himself was Welsh. Dahl became one of the most successful authors of the twentieth century. Two of his most famous titles are “James and the Giant Peach” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”.

32. Top status ONE-A
The US government maintains information on all males who are potentially subject to military conscription, using what is called the Selective Service System(SS). In the event that a draft was held, men registered would be classified into groups to determine eligibility for service. Class 1-A registrants are those available for unrestricted military service. Other classes are 1-A-O (conscientious objector available for noncombatant service), 4-A (registrant who has completed military service) and 4-D (Minister of religion).

34. Home to the Big 12’s Cyclones AMES, IOWA
The city of Ames, Iowa is famous for holding the Ames Straw Poll in advance of most presidential elections. The poll in question is used to gauge the level of support for two or more Republican candidates, although non-Republicans are allowed to cast a vote. To vote one has to be an Iowa resident and one must buy a ticket to the fundraising dinner at which the vote is taken. The event gets a lot of coverage, so it boosts the local economy as journalists hit the town. It is a very successful fundraiser for the Republican Party in Iowa as well, but the usefulness of the straw poll in predicting the eventual winner of the nomination is less clear. There have been five straw polls since 1979, and just 2 out of 5 times the poll winner went on to capture the party’s nomination.

Iowa State University of Science and Technology (ISU) is located in Ames, Iowa. Among many other notable events, ISU created the country’s first school of veterinary medicine, in 1879. The sports teams od ISU are known as the Cyclones.

35. Comic strip set in Arkansas LI’L ABNER
The cartoonist Al Capp set his classic comic strip “Li’l Abner” in the fictional community of “Dogpatch”. According to one of the “Li’l Abner” strips, Dogpatch was located somewhere in the state of Kentucky. However, a map shown in another strip seemed to place Dogpatch in Tennessee or Arkansas.

45. Atlanta suburb SMYRNA
The city of Smyrna, Georgia is a suburb of Atlanta. The name Smyrna had been used in the area from the days of Smyrna Camp Ground, a religious encampment from the 1830s. As the area grew, it was known by several names until formerly incorporating with the name Smyrna in 1872.

51. Bill who created José Jiménez DANA
Bill Dana is a comic actor who is probably best known for his Puerto Rican alterego José Jiménez. Dana/Jiménez used to make regular appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show”.

53. It makes a fizz fizz SODA
By definition, a cocktail known as a Fizz includes lemon or lime juice and carbonated water. The most popular of the genre is the Gin Fizz, made from 3 parts gin, 2 parts lemon juice, 1 part sugar syrup and 5 parts soda water.

54. Smidge IOTA
Iota is the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet. We use the word “iota” to portray something very small as it is the smallest of all Greek letters.

Our word “smidgen”, meaning a small amount, might come from the Scots word “smitch” that means the same thing or “a small insignificant person”.

58. MLB’s Halos, on scoreboards LAA
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team are also known as “the halos”.

The Anaheim Angels are today more correctly called the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The “Angels” name dates back to 1961 when the team was founded in the “City of Angels”, Los Angeles. When the franchise moved to Anaheim in 1965 they were known as the California Angels, then the Anaheim Angels, and most recently the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Free-of-charge transactions? CASH SALES
10. Summers of old? ABACI
15. Meet INTERSECT
16. Shrimplike critters KRILL
17. Lock-related nickname CARROT TOP
18. Jellyfish kin CORAL
19. Aftershave additive ALOE
20. Hot RILED
22. Squat ZERO
23. It determines 28-Across: Abbr. DOB
24. Become compost ROT
25. Alley roamer TOM
27. Reduce in intensity DIM
28. Number based on 23-Across AGE
29. Flow out EBB
30. Flow out EMANATE
32. Comics patient of Dr. Liz Wilson ODIE
33. ADHD drug RITALIN
34. Immortal college coach Amos __ Stagg ALONZO
37. Sue Ann __, Betty White’s role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” NIVENS
38. Seat of New York’s Nassau County MINEOLA
40. Sanctified HOLY
41. “The Lion in Winter” queen ELEANOR
42. Ref. with about 600,000 word-forms OED
43. “Speak up” reactions EHS
46. Actor Mineo SAL
47. Massage target EGO
48. Deg. requiring workshops MFA
49. Intend AIM
50. Endnote abbr. IBID
52. Jazz musician __ Lateef YUSEF
54. “It was nothing” I TRY
55. Ready to draw ON TAP
57. “You got lucky” mutterer SORE LOSER
59. Eloi girl saved from drowning by the Time Traveller WEENA
60. Cabinet department EDUCATION
61. Deck out ARRAY
62. General at the Alamo SANTA ANNA

Down
1. Shrill insect CICADA
2. Like slide rules ANALOG
3. Flash producer STROBE
4. Present HERE
5. Sign of an overflow SRO
6. Study of extraterrestrial life ASTROBIOLOGY
7. “That’s enough” LET IT BE
8. EPA science ECOL
9. Brother of the Apostle Andrew ST PETER
10. Lab org.? AKC
11. Tito’s real name BROZ
12. Large terrier AIREDALE
13. Allergy-treating brand CLARITIN
14. Broken mirrors, to some ILL OMENS
21. Chain reaction metaphor DOMINO EFFECT
24. Defensive team’s goal line to 20 yard line, in football lingo RED ZONE
26. Dahl’s precocious title girl MATILDA
31. Sub group NAVY
32. Top status ONE-A
34. Home to the Big 12’s Cyclones AMES, IOWA
35. Comic strip set in Arkansas LI’L ABNER
36. 53-Down size ONE LITER
39. Gets excited AROUSES
40. Dramatic game winner HOME RUN
43. Doesn’t go out, maybe EATS IN
44. Employ HIRE ON
45. Atlanta suburb SMYRNA
51. Bill who created José Jiménez DANA
53. It makes a fizz fizz SODA
54. Smidge IOTA
56. Visit the cashier PAY
58. MLB’s Halos, on scoreboards LAA

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