LA Times Crossword Answers 5 Sep 13, Thursday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Robin Stears
THEME: Punny Food … today’s themed answers are two-word food items that are clued cryptically:

17A. Group for jive fools? TURKEY CLUB
31A. Quick swim in la mer? FRENCH DIP
46A. GI unlikely to pass inspection? SLOPPY JOE
60A. Reneged on politically motivated funding? PULLED PORK

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 07m 36s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Behold, to Ovid ECCE
“Ecce!” is Latin for “look!” or “behold!”

The Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso is today known simply as Ovid. Ovid is usually listed alongside the two other great Roman poets: Horace and Virgil.

10. Stow on board LADE
The verb “lade” meaning “to load” comes from an Old English word “hladan”. Lade also used to mean “to draw water” and indeed gave us our word “ladle”. So “lade” and “ladle” are close cousins.

14. Décembre event NOEL
In France, Christmas (Noel) takes place in December (Décembre).

15. Mosul resident IRAQI
Mosul lies in northern Iraq and is the third largest city in the country, after Baghdad and Basra.

19. Boat that can navigate in shallow waters SCOW
A scow is a flat-bottomed boat with squared-off ends that’s often used for transportation, usually pushed or pulled by a barge. Often a scow can be seen carrying junk or garbage.

20. Big name in taco sauce ORTEGA
The Ortega food manufacturing company has been around for about 150 years. It was founded by Maria Concepcion Jacinta Dominguez Ortega, known affectionately as Mama Ortega within the company.

23. NHL legend ORR
Bobby Orr is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. By the time he retired in 1978 he had undergone over a dozen knee surgeries. At 31 years of age, he concluded that he just couldn’t skate anymore. Reportedly, he was even having trouble walking …

24. Kingston Trio song that inspired the Boston subway’s CharlieCard MTA
“M.T.A.” was a 1958 hit for the Kingston Trio. The song tells of a man called Charlie who is stuck on board an MTA subway car in Boston. His problem is that “exit fares” had been introduced on the system to supplement “entrance fares” (true story!), and the man didn’t have the extra nickel needed to get off the train.

The CharlieCard is smart card that can be used on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The card takes it name from the folk song called “Charlie on the MTA”, that was a hit for the Kingston Trio in 1958.

25. “Superman Returns” character OLSEN
In the Superman stories, Jimmy Olsen is a cub photographer who works on the “Daily Planet” newspaper with Clark Kent and Lois Lane.

“Superman Returns” is a 2006 movie that stars Brandon Routh in the title role, replacing Christopher Reeve who passed away in 2004. The film did “okay” apparently, but plans for a sequel were shelved.

27. Fed. nutrition std. US RDA
Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) were introduced during WWII and were replaced by Recommended Daily Intakes (RDIs) in 1997.

31. Quick swim in la mer? FRENCH DIP
“La mer” is French for “the sea”.

34. FDR had three of them VPS
President Franklin D. Roosevelt had three vice presidents:

– John Nance Garner
– Henry Agard Wallace
– Harry S. Truman

36. Like single-malt scotch AGED
Single malt Scotch is made with malted barley as the single grain ingredient. Single malt whiskey made in the US in some cases is made from malted rye, rather than malted barley.

41. Lingerie top BRA
“Lingerie” is a French term, but as used in France it just means any underwear, worn by either males or females. In English we use “lingerie” to describe alluring underclothing worn by women. The term “lingerie” comes into English via the French word “linge” meaning “washables”, and ultimately from the Latin “linum”, meaning “linen”. We tend not to pronounce the word correctly in English, either here in the US or across the other side of the Atlantic. The French pronunciation is more like “lan-zher-ee”, as opposed to “lon-zher-ay” (American) and “lon-zher-ee” (British).

46. GI unlikely to pass inspection? SLOPPY JOE
Sloppy joe is a dish usually made of ground beef, onions, ketchup and seasonings, all served on a bun. There are two stories that supposedly explain the origin of the name “sloppy joe”. One is that it comes from Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West, Florida; the other is that it was invented by a cook named Joe in Sioux City, Iowa.

48. “When Worlds Collide” co-author Philip WYLIE
Philip Wylie was an author from Beverly, Massachusetts, someone who published many works on many subjects in many genres. Wylie’s 1930 science fiction novel “Gladiator” partially inspired the Superman comic-book character. The science-fiction novel that he co-wrote called “When World’s Collide” provided inspiration for the comic strip “Flash Gordon”.

49. Zenith’s opposite NADIR
The nadir is the direction pointing immediately below a particular location (through to the other side of the Earth for example). The opposite direction, that pointing immediately above, is called the zenith.

50. Tour de France stage ETAPE
“Étape” is the French word for stage, as in a “stage” in the Tour de France. It is used in English military circles to describe where troops halt overnight, but can also describe the section of the march itself. So, a march can be divided into stages, into étapes.

Back in the late 1800s, long-distance cycle races were used as promotional events, traditionally to help boost sales of newspapers. These races usually took place around tracks, but in 1902 the backers of the struggling sports publication “L’Auto” decided to stage a race that would take the competitors all around France. That first Tour de France took place in 1903, starting in Paris and passing through Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Nantes and then back to Paris.

52. Jurisprudence org. ABA
The American Bar Association (ABA) was founded back in 1878 and is a voluntary association for lawyers and law students. The ABA focuses on setting academic standards for law schools and setting ethical codes for the profession.

53. Justice Fortas ABE
Abe Fortas was a US Supreme Court Justice from 1965 to 1969. Fortas has to resign his position on the bench due to a scandal about payments received, allegedly for favors granted.

54. Drying oven OAST
An oast is a kiln used for drying hops as part of the brewing process. Such a structure might also be called an “oast house”.

58. Longtime Lucci role KANE
Susan Lucci is perhaps the most famous actor associated with daytime soap operas, and was the highest paid actor in daytime television. Lucci was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series an incredible 21 times, for her portrayal of Erica Kane in “All My Children”.

60. Reneged on politically motivated funding? PULLED PORK
Pork barrel politics have been around for a long time. The term originated in 1863 in a story by Edward Everett Hale called “The Children of the Public”. Hale used “pork barrel” in a positive way, describing any public spending by government for the benefit of citizens. By the 1870s the term “pork” had negative connotations, with references in the press to “pork barrel bills” in Congress. Nowadays “pork” really applies to any government project designed to benefit a relatively small group of citizens (usually potential voters for a particular politician) with the bill being paid by the citizenry as a whole.

62. Rescue teams, briefly EMTS
Emergency medical technician (EMT)

63. Kiddie’s refrain EIEIO
There was an American version of the English children’s song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (E-I-E-I-O), that was around in the days of WWI. The first line of the US version goes “Old MacDougal had a farm, in Ohio-i-o”.

64. Jim Davis pooch ODIE
Odie is Garfield’s best friend and is a slobbery beagle, a character in Jim Davis’s comic strip.

66. Sunset __ STRIP
The Sunset Strip is part of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. The 1½-mile stretch is the best known part of Sunset Boulevard, and is home to high-end boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs.

Down
4. Sexy Sommer ELKE
Elke Sommer is a German-born actress who was at the height of her success on the silver screen in the sixties. Sommer won a Golden Globe as Most Promising Newcomer Actress for her role opposite Paul Newman in 1964’s “The Prize”. She also sings and has released several albums. Now Sommer focuses on painting, producing artwork that is strongly influenced by the work of Marc Chagall.

5. Saudi capital RIYAL
The Saudi riyal is currency of Saudi Arabia, and the Qatari riyal is the currency of Qatar.

9. “Mine!” DIBS!
The expression used by child “to have dibs on” expresses a claim on something. Apparently, the term “dibs” is a contraction of “dibstone”, which was a knucklebone of jack used in a children’s game.

10. Arles article LES
A few years ago I had the privilege of living just a short car-ride from the beautiful city of Arles in the South of France. Although Arles has a long and colorful history, the Romans had a prevailing influence over the city’s design. Arles has a spectacular Roman amphitheater, arch, circus as well as old walls that surround the center of the city. In more modern times, it was a place Vincent van Gogh often visited, and where he painted his famous “Cafe Terrace at Night”, as well as “Bedroom in Arles”.

11. Camp David __ ACCORDS
The Camp David Accords were agreements signed by President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel, and witnessed by President Jimmy Carter. The Accords were the result of thirteen days of secret negotiations at Camp David in 1978.

Camp David is the very lovely country retreat used by the US President and family. Technically, Camp David belongs to the US Navy and is known as Naval Support Facility Thurmont. The installation was originally built between 1935 and 1938 as a retreat for government agents and their families. President Franklin D. Roosevelt converted it to a presidential retreat in 1942, naming it Shangri-La. When President Eisenhower was in office he renamed Shangri-La to Camp David in honor of his father and grandson, both of whom were called David.

22. Bolivian capital SUCRE
Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia, although the La Paz is the seat of government.

26. Calif. law group SFPD
The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is the 11th largest police department in the country. The SFPD dates back to the days of the Gold Rush, being founded in 1849 as a force of 35 officers. SFPD has featured a lot in movies and on television. The most famous films are probably “Bullitt”, the “Dirty Harry” series and “48 Hrs.” On television there was “Ironside”, “The Streets of San Francisco” and now “Monk”.

30. Shrimp dish SCAMPI
The Italian dish known as “scampi” is a serving of shrimp in garlic butter and dry white wine.

32. “The Lion King” lioness NALA
In “The Lion King”, Nala is a lioness and the childhood friend of Simba.

34. Très VERY
“Très” is the French word for “very”.

38. La __ Tar Pits BREA
The La Brea Tar Pits are located right in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. At the site there is a constant flow of tar that seeps up to the surface from underground, a phenomenon that has been around for tens of thousands of years. What is significant is that much of the seeping tar is covered by water. Over many, many centuries animals came to the water to drink and became trapped in the tar as they entered the water to quench their thirsts. The tar then preserved the bones of the dead animals. Today a museum is located right by the Tar Pits, recovering bones and displaying specimens of the animals found there. It’s well worth a visit if you are in town …

39. Talladega’s home ALABAMA
The Talladega Superspeedway is the longest oval on the NASCAR circuit with a length of 2.66 miles. It also has seating for a whopping 175,000 spectators. The track opened in 1969, built on an abandoned airfield north of the city of Talladega, Alabama. The circuit is renowned for its supposed Talladega Jinx, which is said to have caused a number of accidents and incidents over the years. There has been a relatively high number of fatalities and crashes, including the death of driver Larry Smith in what was apparently a minor wreck, and the death of driver Davey Allison in a helicopter crash in the raceway’s infield. In another strange occurrence, driver Bobby Isaac left his car on the 90th lap of a race as he claims he heard voices that told him to park and get out of his vehicle.

40. Capybaras, e.g. RODENTS
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world, a native of South America. This huge animal is related to the tiny little guinea pig, a remarkable relationship given that a fully grown adult capybara can be over four feet long, and weigh up to 140 pounds.

41. Coca-Cola producer BOTTLER
The first cola drink to become a commercial success was Coca-Cola, soon after it was invented by a druggist in 1886. That first Coca-Cola was flavored mainly with kola nuts and vanilla. The formulation was based on an alcoholic drink called Coca Wine that had been on sale for over twenty years. The original alcoholic version actually contained a small concentration of cocaine.

43. Apple pie order A LA MODE
In French, “à la mode” simply means “fashionable”. In America, the term has come to describe a way of serving pie, usually with ice cream, or as I recall from when I lived in Upstate New York, with cheese.

44. Remote, undesirable locale, figuratively SIBERIA
Siberia is a vast area in Northern Asia. The region’s industrial development started with the construction of the Trans-Siberian railway from 1891 to 1916, which linked Siberia to Russia in the west.

47. Ignatius of Loyola follower JESUIT
Saint Ignatius of Loyola (also known as Inigo Lopez de Loyola) was a Spanish knight from a noble family in the Basque region of Spain. He left behind his easy life to became a hermit and a priest, and eventually founded the Society of Jesus (The Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic church).

59. Last of the Mohicans? ESS
The last letter in the word “Mohicans” is an S (ess).

61. Year in Claudius’ reign LII
I find Claudius to be the most fascinating of all the Roman Emperors. Claudius had a lot going against him as he walked with a limp and was slightly deaf. He was put in office by the Praetorian Guard (the emperor’s bodyguards) after Caligula was assassinated. Claudius had very little political experience and yet proved to be very forward-thinking and capable.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Behold, to Ovid ECCE
5. Graded RATED
10. Stow on board LADE
14. Décembre event NOEL
15. Mosul resident IRAQI
16. Supply-and-demand subj. ECON
17. Group for jive fools? TURKEY CLUB
19. Boat that can navigate in shallow waters SCOW
20. Big name in taco sauce ORTEGA
21. Smooch KISS
23. NHL legend ORR
24. Kingston Trio song that inspired the Boston subway’s CharlieCard MTA
25. “Superman Returns” character OLSEN
27. Fed. nutrition std. US RDA
29. Great joy BLISS
31. Quick swim in la mer? FRENCH DIP
33. Lip-__ SYNC
34. FDR had three of them VPS
35. Started the day AROSE
36. Like single-malt scotch AGED
38. Ran when wet BLED
39. Iron clothes? ARMOR
41. Lingerie top BRA
42. Short run DASH
46. GI unlikely to pass inspection? SLOPPY JOE
48. “When Worlds Collide” co-author Philip WYLIE
49. Zenith’s opposite NADIR
50. Tour de France stage ETAPE
52. Jurisprudence org. ABA
53. Justice Fortas ABE
54. Drying oven OAST
56. Boring tool REAMER
58. Longtime Lucci role KANE
60. Reneged on politically motivated funding? PULLED PORK
62. Rescue teams, briefly EMTS
63. Kiddie’s refrain EIEIO
64. Jim Davis pooch ODIE
65. Lip SASS
66. Sunset __ STRIP
67. Campus official DEAN

Down
1. Puts in a vault, in a way ENTOMBS
2. Refined, as manners COURTLY
3. Positive CERTAIN
4. Sexy Sommer ELKE
5. Saudi capital RIYAL
6. Parenthesis, e.g. ARC
7. Loquacious types TALKERS
8. Like some track stars EQUINE
9. “Mine!” DIBS!
10. Arles article LES
11. Camp David __ ACCORDS
12. Like a Hail Mary pass DO OR DIE
13. Swaddle ENWRAP
18. They may clash on a set EGOS
22. Bolivian capital SUCRE
26. Calif. law group SFPD
28. Poorly made SHODDY
30. Shrimp dish SCAMPI
32. “The Lion King” lioness NALA
34. Très VERY
37. Hit the big leagues GO PRO
38. La __ Tar Pits BREA
39. Talladega’s home ALABAMA
40. Capybaras, e.g. RODENTS
41. Coca-Cola producer BOTTLER
43. Apple pie order A LA MODE
44. Remote, undesirable locale, figuratively SIBERIA
45. Pay heed, in literature HEARKEN
46. Racers and rattlers SNAKES
47. Ignatius of Loyola follower JESUIT
48. Garden intruder WEED
51. Hosp. area PRE-OP
55. Zoo primates APES
57. … peas in __ A POD
59. Last of the Mohicans? ESS
61. Year in Claudius’ reign LII

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