LA Times Crossword Answers 26 Jan 15, Monday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Clement McKay
THEME: Noisy Start … each of today’s themed answers starts with loud noise:

17A. Like the 1920s-’30s, economically BOOM OR BUST
24A. Excellent work BANG-UP JOB
35A. Dramatic weight-loss program CRASH DIET
49A. Deadeye with a rifle CRACK SHOT
59A. Hectic pre-deadline period CRUNCH TIME

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 6m 05s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

10. Cutlass automaker OLDS
Oldsmobile was an automobile brand founded by Ransom E. Olds (REO) in 1897. The brand was finally phased out by General Motors in 2004.

General Motors introduced the Oldsmobile Cutlass in 1961, and used the name on a succession of models right up to 1999.

14. Nike competitor AVIA
The Avia brand name for athletic shoes was chosen as “avia” is the Latin word for “to fly”, and suggests the concept of aviation. Avia was founded in Oregon in 1979.

15. Valuable violin, for short STRAD
Generations of the Stradivari family produced violins, the most famous of which were constructed by Antonio Stradivari.

16. Genesis or Exodus, e.g. BOOK
The Book of Genesis is the first book in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. Some of the main figures in the book are Adam and Eve, Moses, Abraham and Jacob/Israel. “Genesis” is a Greek word meaning “origin, creation”.

The Book of Exodus is the second book in the Bible, and deals with Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt. The name “exodus” comes from the Greek “exodos” meaning “departure”.

17. Like the 1920s-’30s, economically BOOM OR BUST
The 1920s are often called the Roaring Twenties, a period of dynamic change across all aspects of life. Things were finally returning to normal after WWI, jazz became popular, some women “broke the mold” by becoming “flappers”, and Art Deco flourished. The whole decade came to a tragic end with the Wall Street Crash of 1929, followed by the Great Depression.

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 signalled the end of the Roaring Twenties and the start of the Great Depression. That same year, 23,000 people committed suicide in the US, the highest number ever.

23. Indian melodies RAGAS
Raga isn’t really a type of music, but has been described as the “tonal framework” in which Indian classical music is composed. Ravi Shankar was perhaps the most famous raga virtuoso (to us Westerners).

27. Dean’s email suffix EDU
The .edu domain was one of the six original generic top-level domains specified. The complete original list is:

– .com (commercial enterprise)
– .net (entity involved in network infrastructure e.g. an ISP)
– .mil (US military)
– .org (not-for-profit organization)
– .gov (US federal government entity)
– .edu (college-level educational institution)

28. Japanese sash OBI
The sash worn as part of traditional Japanese dress is known as an obi. The obi can be tied in what is called a butterfly knot.

30. Back of a flipped coin TAILS
The two sides of a coin are known as the “obverse” and the “reverse”. The obverse is commonly referred to as “heads”, as it often depicts someone’s head. The reverse is commonly called “tails”, as it is the opposite of “heads”.

31. 2,000 pounds TON
Here in the US, a ton is equivalent to 2,000 pounds. Over in the UK, a ton is 2,240 pounds. The UK unit is sometimes referred to as an Imperial ton or sometimes a “long ton”. Folks over there refer to the US ton then as a “short ton”. To further complicate matters, there is also a “metric ton” or “tonne”, which is equivalent to 2,204 pounds. I wish we’d just stick to kilograms …

34. Greek messenger of the gods HERMES
Hermes was the Greek god of transitions and boundaries, one who intercedes between mortals and the divine. He could move freely between the mortal and divine worlds and so was regarded as the messenger of the gods. The Roman equivalent to Hermes was the god Mercury.

38. Geek Squad member TECHIE
Best Buy is a retailer specializing in the supply of consumer electronics. Best Buy services include the famous “Geek Squad”, a band of technical experts that will help solve your computer and other consumer electronic problems.

42. EPA-banned pesticide DDT
DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (don’t forget now!). DDT was used with great success to control disease-carrying insects during WWII, and when made available for use after the war it became by far the most popular pesticide. And then Rachel Carson published her famous book “Silent Spring”, suggesting there was a link between DDT and diminishing populations of certain wildlife. It was the public outcry sparked by the book, and reports of links between DDT and cancer, that led to the ban on the use of the chemical in 1972. That ban is touted as the main reason that the bald eagle was rescued from near extinction.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

45. Roger who broke Babe Ruth’s record MARIS
Roger Maris (real name: Roger Maras) was the son of Croatian immigrants. It was Maris’s single season record of 61 home runs that Mark McGwire broke in in 1998 (hitting 70 that season). Maris’s own record of 61 runs (in 1961) beat the previous record of 60 set in 1927 by Babe Ruth.

53. “A Doll’s House” playwright IBSEN
Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian playwright, considered by many to be the greatest playwright since William Shakespeare. Ibsen was famous for shocking his audiences by exploring subjects that offended the sensibilities of the day (the late 1800s).

“A Doll’s House” is probably the most famous play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The play deals with the feminist awakening of the lead character, Nora Helmer. “A Doll’s House” is sometimes referred to as the “first true feminist play”.

55. Decorative inlaid work MOSAIC
Medieval mosaics were often dedicated the the Muses, and that’s what “mosaic” means: of the Muses.

56. Watchful Japanese canines AKITAS
The Akita breed of dog is named for its point of origin, the Akita Prefecture in Japan. When Helen Keller visited Japan in 1937, she asked for and was given an Akita breed of dog, with the name of Kamikaze-go. Sadly, the dog died within a year from distemper. The following year the Japanese government officially presented Keller with a replacement dog. Supposedly Keller’s dogs were the first members of the breed to be introduced into the US.

57. Comet Hale-__ BOPP
Comet Hale-Bopp was an unusually bright comet that was observable in the night sky for 18 months in the late 1990s. The comet was discovered in 1995 by two American amateur observes called Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp, hence the name. Famously, claims were made that there was an alien spaceship travelling behind Hale-Bopp. 39 members of a San Diego religious cult called Heaven’s Gate committed mass suicide in 1996 in order to reach the spacecraft.

61. Thought from la tête IDEE
In French, one’s head (tête) might produce an idea (idée).

62. Hayes or Hunt HELEN
Helen Hayes was an actress born in 1900 in Washington D.C. Such was her success that Hayes came to be known as “the First Lady of the American Theatre”. She also gave her name to the Helen Hayes Awards which recognize excellence in Washington D.C. theater productions.

Helen Hunt is a very talented actress who first came to national attention playing opposite Paul Reiser in TV’s hit sitcom “Mad About You”. Hunt then starred in some major films including “As Good as It Gets” (for which she won the Best Actress Oscar), “Twister, “Cast Away”, What Women Want” and more recently “The Sessions”. Offscreen, Hunt was married for a while to Hank Azaria, a favorite actor of mine.

63. Slaughter in the Baseball Hall of Fame ENOS
Enos Slaughter has a remarkable playing record in Major League Baseball over a 19-year career. Slaughter’s record is particularly remarkable given that he left baseball for three years to serve in the military during WWII.

Down
1. Musical set at the Kit Kat Club CABARET
The musical “Cabaret” is based on “I Am a Camera”, a 1951 play written by John Van Druten. In turn, the play was adapted from a novel “Goodbye to Berlin” written by Christopher Isherwood. The action in the musical takes place in the 1930s, in a seedy Berlin cabaret called the Kit Kat Club. “Cabaret” is a great stage musical, although the 1972 film of the musical isn’t one of my favorites.

2. Guacamole fruit AVOCADO
The wonderful avocado comes from a tree that is native to Mexico and Central America. The avocado fruit is sometime called an avocado pear, because of its shape, even though it is not related to the pear at all. The fruit might also be referred to as an alligator pear, due to the roughness of the green skin of some avocado cultivars.

Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes, and is made by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

4. Margaret Mead subject SAMOA
“Coming of Age in Samoa” sounds like a fascinating book. It was written by American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead and published in 1928. In the book, Mead examines the behavior of youths in Samoa, making some comparisons with youths in America. One major observation she made was the smooth transition from childhood to adulthood of Samoan girls, compared to what she described as a more troublesome transition in the US.

5. Georgia and Latvia, once: Abbr. SSRS
The former Soviet Union (USSR) was created in 1922, not long after the Russian Revolution of 1917 that overthrew the Tsar. Geographically, the new Soviet Union was roughly equivalent to the old Russian Empire, and was comprised of fifteen Soviet Socialist Republics (SSRs).

The former Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of Georgia is now an independent country. Supposedly, the Georgian people were given their name because they especially revered St. George. The flag of Georgia does indeed feature five St. George’s crosses.

Latvia is one of the former Soviet Socialist Republics. People from Latvia are called Letts.

6. Horseplayer’s haunt, for short OTB
Off-Track Betting (OTB) is the legal gambling that takes place on horse races outside of a race track. A betting parlor can be referred to as an OTB.

7. Island near Curaçao ARUBA
Aruba is one of the so-called ABC Islands. The ABC Islands is the nickname given to the three westernmost islands of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean. The nickname comes from the first letters of the island names: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. All three of the ABC Islands are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

8. Perry in court MASON
I must have read all of the Perry Mason books when I was in college. I think they kept me sane when I was facing the pressure of exams. Author Erle Stanley Gardner was himself a lawyer, although he didn’t get into the profession the easy way. Gardner went to law school, but got himself suspended after a month. So, he became a self-taught attorney and opened his own law office in Merced, California. Understandably, he gave up the law once his novels became successful.

10. Section of a woodwind quintet score OBOE PART
A wind quintet is a group of five woodwind players, usually flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon.

11. Conrad classic LORD JIM
“Lord Jim” is a novel by Joseph Conrad that was twice adapted for the big screen. The 1925 silent film version starred Percy Marmont in the title role, and the 1965 version featured Peter O’Toole as the lead.

13. Big __ Country: Montana SKY
The state name “Montana” comes from the Spanish “montaña” meaning “mountain, mountain country”. The naming of the state was the subject of much debate in the past, with some objecting due to the fact that most of “Montana” isn’t mountainous.

25. Corrida cry OLE!
Spanish bullfighting is known locally as “corrida de toros”, literally “race of bulls”.

29. Scottish hillside BRAE
“Brae” is a lowland Scots word for the slope or brow of a hill.

34. Sunshine cracker HI-HO
Sunshine Biscuits was an independent producer of cookies and crackers which produced Hi-Ho crackers in competition to the successful Ritz brand. In 1996, Sunshine was absorbed by the Keebler Company and Hi-Ho Crackers was on the list of brands that was discontinued because of the merger.

35. Massachusetts city crossed by four Interstates CHICOPEE
The city of Chicopee, Massachusetts has the nickname “Crossroads of New England”. The name is quite apt in that it is located at the confluence of four interstate highways: I-90, I-91, I-291 and I-391.

38. Film lover’s TV choice TMC
The Movie Channel is owned by Showtime, which in turn is subsidiary of CBS. The channel’s name is often abbreviated to “TMC”, although this is informal usage.

47. Many a Punjabi SIKH
Sikhism is a religion that was founded in the Punjab region, which straddles the India-Pakistan border. Even though Sikhism was established relatively recently, it is now the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. Sikhism was founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak.

Punjab is the most populous province in Pakistan and is home to over half of the country’s citizens. “Punjab” (also “Panjab”) translates as “Five Waters”, a reference to five rivers that form tributaries to the Indus River: Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.

50. Goldman __: investment banking giant SACHS
Goldman Sachs made out like bandits during the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007-08, as the company actually short-sold subprime mortgage bonds. As the price of the bonds nose-dived, Goldman Sachs made huge profits.

52. Eyelike openings OCULI
Oculus is the Latin word for “eye”, and is a term used in architecture for a circular window.

56. Clearasil target ACNE
Clearasil acne medication was developed in 1940 by Ivan Combe and Kedzie Teller. Combe promoted the product by sponsoring the television show “American Bandstand” for many years.

57. Clic Stic pen maker BIC
Société Bic is a French company, based in Clichy in France. The first product the company produced, more than fifty years ago, was the Bic Cristal ballpoint pen that is still produced today. Bic also makes other disposable products such as lighters and razors.

60. Pince-__ glasses NEZ
Pince-nez are eyeglasses clipped to the bridge of the nose. “Pince-nez” is French, translating as “pinch the nose”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Parking lot fillers CARS
5. “Me too!” SO AM I!
10. Cutlass automaker OLDS
14. Nike competitor AVIA
15. Valuable violin, for short STRAD
16. Genesis or Exodus, e.g. BOOK
17. Like the 1920s-’30s, economically BOOM OR BUST
19. Wild revelry ORGY
20. Audition hopefuls ACTORS
21. Enjoyed a sail, say BOATED
23. Indian melodies RAGAS
24. Excellent work BANG-UP JOB
27. Dean’s email suffix EDU
28. Japanese sash OBI
30. Back of a flipped coin TAILS
31. 2,000 pounds TON
32. Uncooked RAW
34. Greek messenger of the gods HERMES
35. Dramatic weight-loss program CRASH DIET
38. Geek Squad member TECHIE
41. Fireworks reaction OOH!
42. EPA-banned pesticide DDT
45. Roger who broke Babe Ruth’s record MARIS
46. Refusals NOS
48. Prior to, in poems ERE
49. Deadeye with a rifle CRACK SHOT
53. “A Doll’s House” playwright IBSEN
55. Decorative inlaid work MOSAIC
56. Watchful Japanese canines AKITAS
57. Comet Hale-__ BOPP
59. Hectic pre-deadline period CRUNCH TIME
61. Thought from la tête IDEE
62. Hayes or Hunt HELEN
63. Slaughter in the Baseball Hall of Fame ENOS
64. Surrender, as territory CEDE
65. Grab SEIZE
66. Emailed SENT

Down
1. Musical set at the Kit Kat Club CABARET
2. Guacamole fruit AVOCADO
3. Tear gas weapon RIOT GUN
4. Margaret Mead subject SAMOA
5. Georgia and Latvia, once: Abbr. SSRS
6. Horseplayer’s haunt, for short OTB
7. Island near Curaçao ARUBA
8. Perry in court MASON
9. Convention pin-on ID TAG
10. Section of a woodwind quintet score OBOE PART
11. Conrad classic LORD JIM
12. Guard that barks DOG
13. Big __ Country: Montana SKY
18. Approximately OR SO
22. One-to-one student TUTEE
24. Prejudice BIAS
25. Corrida cry OLE!
26. Undergraduate degrees in biol., e.g. BSS
29. Scottish hillside BRAE
33. Detective’s question WHO?
34. Sunshine cracker HI-HO
35. Massachusetts city crossed by four Interstates CHICOPEE
36. Insurance covers them RISKS
37. “Please stop that” DON’T
38. Film lover’s TV choice TMC
39. Corn serving EAR
40. Hardly roomy, as much airline seating CRAMPED
42. Preordain DESTINE
43. “It’ll never happen!” DREAM ON!
44. Most uptight TENSEST
47. Many a Punjabi SIKH
50. Goldman __: investment banking giant SACHS
51. New employee HIREE
52. Eyelike openings OCULI
54. Tugs at a fishing line BITES
56. Clearasil target ACNE
57. Clic Stic pen maker BIC
58. Poem that extols ODE
60. Pince-__ glasses NEZ

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