LA Times Crossword Answers 24 Jan 16, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Fred Piscop
THEME: Fare Play … today’s themed answers are common food items (FARE). Each is clued with reference to an alternative meaning of the adjective included in the name of the dish:

23A. Fare after successful medical treatment? CURED PORK
25A. Angry fare? STEAMED MILK
45A. Illegally taken fare? POACHED SALMON
86A. Fare constantly questioned? GRILLED CHEESE
110A. Soundly defeated fare? CREAMED CORN
112A. Inebriated fare? FRIED RICE
37D. Excessively pampered fare? CODDLED EGGS
41D. Fare at the Friars Club? ROASTED NUTS

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 16m 54s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

5. South-of-the-border currency PESO
The coin called a “peso” is used in many Spanish-speaking countries around the world. The coin originated in Spain where the word “peso” means “weight”. The original peso was what we know in English as a “piece of eight”, a silver coin of a specific weight that had a nominal value of eight “reales”.

19. “Dizzy Red Riding Hood” (1931) cartoon star BOOP
Betty Boop made her first appearance on the screen in 1930, in a cartoon called “Dizzy Dishes”. Her character was modeled on the the It-girl, the sexy Clara Bow of movie fame. Back then Betty Boop was a sexy poodle and it wasn’t until 1932 that she morphed into completely human form. Betty was quite the risqué figure, but her vampish ways only lasted a few years. When the Production Code of 1934 came into force, Betty started to dress more modestly and toned down her behavior.

20. Domingo delivery ARIA
Plácido Domingo is a Spanish tenor, from Madrid. Famously, Domingo was one of “The Three Tenors”, the performing trio that brought classical arias to the masses. The other two “Tenors” were fellow-Spaniard José Carreras and Italian Luciano Pavarotti.

30. Crispy Crunchy candy bar maker REESE’S
Reese’s Crispy Crunch Bar was introduced in 2006.

31. Tool used on pineapples CORER
The original “pineapple” was what we call today a pine cone, the reproductive organ of a conifer tree. The term was then used by Europeans to describe the tropical fruit that they found, which looked like a large pine cone.

33. School attended by 007 ETON
The world-famous Eton College is just a brisk walk from Windsor Castle, which itself is just outside London. Eton is noted for producing many British leaders including David Cameron who took power in the last UK general election. The list of Old Etonians also includes Princes William and Harry, the Duke of Wellington, George Orwell, and the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming (as well as 007 himself as described in the Fleming novels).

35. Far from wimpy MACHO
A man described as “macho” shows pride in his masculinity. “Macho” is a Spanish word for “male animal”.

Our term “wimp”, describing a “timid person”, probably is an alteration of “whimper”, the sound that such an individual may make.

40. Colombian city of two million CALI
In terms of population, Cali is the third largest city in Colombia (after Bogotá and Medellin). Santiago de Cali (the full name for the city) lies in western Colombia. Apparently, Cali is a destination for “medical tourists”. The city’s surgeons have a reputation for being expert in cosmetic surgery and so folks head there looking for a “cheap” nose job.

44. “__ y Plata” ORO
“Oro y Plata” means “gold and silver”, and is the state motto of Montana. The motto was written in Spanish, solely because “it had a nice ring to it”.

50. Word on a Susan B. Anthony coin ONE
The Susan B. Anthony dollar was produced by the US mint from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999. The obverse of the coin features the profile of civil rights activist Susan B. Anthony who played such a pivotal role in the introduction of women’s suffrage in the US. The use of Susan B. Anthony’s image marked the first time that a non-fictitious female had appeared on circulating US coinage.

51. Newsman Koppel TED
The broadcast journalist Ted Koppel is most associated with his long run as anchor for the “Nightline” program on ABC. Koppel was actually born in England, to a Jewish family that had fled from Germany. He emigrated with his family to the US when he was 13 years old. Koppel is great friends with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger who was a frequent guest on his television show.

60. Raptor trainer FALCONER
“Raptor” is a generic term for a bird of prey, one that has talons to grip its victims.

62. Wilson of the Beach Boys BRIAN
The Beach Boys are very much a family group. The initial lineup was Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson (brothers), Mike Love (a cousin) and Al Jardine (a family friend). The Beach Boys had more Top 40 hits than any other American rock band, a grand total of 36.

63. Gunga Din’s burden WATER
“Gunga Din” is an 1892 poem penned by Rudyard Kipling. The poem tells of a British soldier in colonial India and a native water bearer who saves his life. We tend to pronounce the water bearer’s name as Gunga Din, with the “din” just as it’s written, like the loud noise. Based on the rhymes in the poem however, we should be pronouncing it “deen”.

66. Like bogs PEATY
When dead plant matter accumulates in marshy areas, it may not fully decay due to a lack of oxygen or acidic conditions. We are familiar with this in Ireland, because this decaying matter can form peat, and we have lots and lots of peat bogs.

69. Core group CADRE
A “cadre” is most commonly a group of experienced personnel at the core of a larger organization that the small group trains or heavily influences. “Cadre” is a French word meaning a “frame”. We use it in the sense that a cadre is a group that provides a “framework” for the larger organization.

71. Entrance supports JAMBS
A door or window jamb is the vertical portion of the frame. The term “jamb” comes from the French word “jambe” meaning “leg”.

76. Wild outings SAFARIS
“Safari” is a Swahili word, meaning “journey” or “expedition”.

79. Makes fun of JAPES
“To jape” means “to joke or quip”. The exact origins of “jape” are unclear, but it does seem to come from Old French. In the mid-1600’s “to jape” was a slang term meaning “to have sex with”. No joke!

80. Codebreaking org. NSA
The National Security Agency (NSA) was set up in 1952 by President Truman, a replacement for the Armed Forces Security Agency that had existed in the Department of Defense since 1949. The NSA has always been clouded in secrecy and even the 1952 letter from President Truman that established the agency was kept under wraps from the public for over a generation. I really like the organization’s nickname … “No Such Agency”.

82. Classical name of Troy ILION
Ilion (or in Latin “Ileum”), was the ancient name for the city of Troy. It’s this name for Troy that gives rise to the title of Homer’s epic poem “Iliad”.

84. __ Ronald Reagan USS
The USS Ronald Reagan is a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the US Navy that was launched in 2001. Although there are many US Navy vessels named for US presidents, the Ronald Reagan was the first to be so in honor of a living former president.

85. ESL part: Abbr. ENG
English as a Second Language (ESL) is sometimes referred to as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

89. Vietnamese holiday 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.

90. __ Plaines, Illinois DES
Des Plaines, Illinois is a suburb of Chicago that is located next to O’Hare International Airport. The city is named for the Des Plaines river that runs through the suburb.

92. Cyclotron bits IONS
A cyclotron accelerates charged particles (ions) using a magnetic field, usually directing the particles round and round a huge underground circular structure.

93. Stroke made vertically MASSE
In billiards, a massé shot is one in which the cue ball makes an extreme curve due to the player imparting heavy spin on the ball with his or her cue held relatively vertically.

98. Points for Poseidon TINES
Those would be the three tines (points) on Poseidon’s trident.

Poseidon was the god of the sea in Greek mythology as well as the “Earth-Shaker”, the god responsible for earthquakes.

104. Word on an LP STEREO
Monophonic sound (“mono”) is sound reproduced using just one audio channel, which is usually played out of just one speaker. Stereophonic sound is reproduced using two audio channels, with the sound from each channel played out of two different speakers. The pair of stereo speakers are usually positioned apart from each other so that sound appears to come from between the two. Quadraphonic sound (4.0 surround sound) uses four audio channels with the sound played back through four speakers often positioned at the corners of the room in which one is listening.

The first vinyl records designed to play at 33 1/3 rpm were introduced by RCA Victor in 1931, but were discontinued due to quality problems. The first Long Play (LP) 33 1/3 rpm disc was introduced by Columbia Records many years later in 1948, with RCA Victor following up with a 45 rpm “single” the following year, in 1949.

114. Banded marble AGATE
Agate is a micro-crystalline form of quartz (so is related to sand/silica). Some agate samples have deposited layers that give a striped appearance, and these are called “banded agate”.

115. City at the foot of the Ozarks TULSA
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma (after Oklahoma City). Tulsa started out as a settlement established by the Loachapoka and Creek Native American tribes in 1836. These early settlers called their new home “Tallasi” meaning “old town”, and this name morphed into “Tulsa” that we use today.

The Ozark Mountains aren’t really mountains geographically speaking, and the Ozarks are better described by the alternate name, the Ozark Plateau. It’s not really certain how the Ozarks got their name, but my favorite theory is that “Ozarks” is the phonetic spelling of “aux Arks”, short for “of Arkansas” in French.

117. Fossey subjects APES
Dian Fossey carried out her famous study of gorilla populations in the mountain forests of Rwanda (NB: it was Jane Goodall that worked with chimpanzees). Sadly, Fossey was found dead in her cabin in Rwanda in 1986, murdered in her bedroom, her skull split open by a machete. The crime was never solved.

121. Little shavers LADS
“Shaver” is a slang term for a “fellow”, from the sense of “one who shaves”.

Down
5. Commuter’s reading PAPER
Our verb “to commute”, meaning “to go back and forth to work”, ultimately derives from the Latin “commutare”, meaning “to often change”. Back in the late 1800s, a “commutation ticket” was a season pass, so named because it allowed one to “change” one kind of payment into another. Quite interesting …

7. McCartney title SIR
The ex-Beatles bass player’s full name is Sir James Paul McCartney. “Paul” was knighted for his services to music in 1997. The Rolling Stones lead singer’s full name is Sir Michael Philip Jagger. “Mick” was knighted for his services to popular music in 2003.

11. “Card Players Quarreling” artist STEEN
Jan Steen was a Dutch painter active in the Dutch Golden Age, the 17th century. Steen’s most famous work is probably “The Feast of Saint Nicholas”, which you can see at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

15. “Serpico” director LUMET
Sidney Lumet passed away in April 2011. As a movie director Lumet had a great string of celebrated films to his name including “12 Angry Men”, “Dog Day Afternoon”, “Network” and “The Verdict”. Although nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for each of these films, he never won an individual Oscar. However, the Academy gave Lumet the recognition he deserved in 2004 by presenting him with an Honorary Award.

The 1973 movie “Serpico”, starring Al Pacino, is a based on a book by Peter Maas. The book is based on the true story of undercover police officer Frank Serpico. Serpico went undercover to investigate corruption within the New York Police Department.

16. “QB VII” author URIS
“QB VII” is a novel by American author Leon Uris, a story about events leading up to a libel trial in the UK. The title refers to the courtroom in which the trial takes place i.e. Queen’s Bench, Courtroom Seven.

17. Vitamin K-rich green KALE
Vitamin K is actually a group of vitamins that are essential to the process of blood coagulation. A form of vitamin K is also involved in photosynthesis in plants, so green leafy vegetables are the best source of the vitamin for humans.

18. Benevolent order ELKS
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) was founded in 1868, and is a social club that has about a million members today. It started out as a group of men getting together in a “club” in order to get around the legal opening hours of taverns in New York City. The club took on a new role as it started to look out for poor families of members who passed away. The club now accepts African Americans as members (since the seventies) and women (since the nineties), but atheists still aren’t welcome.

29. 1994 co-Nobelist with Rabin and Arafat PERES
Shimon Peres is an Israeli statesman who was born in Poland. Peres served as President of the State of Israel from 2007 to 2014. Born Szymon Perski in Poland, while president Peres was the oldest head of state in the world. While serving foreign minister, he represented Israel in the secret negotiations that led to the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993. For that work, Peres was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.

Yitzhak Rabin was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, and the first Prime Minister to have been born in the relatively young state of Israel. Rabin was a signatory of the Oslo Accords in 1993, along with PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, and US President Bill Clinton. Sadly, this led to his death as he was assassinated two years later by a right-wing radical who opposed the Accords.

Yasser (also Yasir) Arafat was born in Cairo in 1929, the son of two Palestinians and the second-youngest of seven children. Arafat was beaten by his father as a child and so did not have a good relationship with him. Arafat did not attend his father’s funeral, nor did he visit his grave. The beatings were apparently administered because the young Arafat was repeatedly attending religious services in the Jewish quarter of Cairo. Arafat’s explanation was that he wanted to “study the mentality” of the Jewish people.

32. More risqué RACIER
“Risqué” is a French word, the past participle of the verb “to risk”. So in English we use “risqué” to mean “racy”, but in French it means “risky”.

34. Budget noodle dish RAMEN
Ramen is a noodle dish composed of Chinese-style wheat noodles in a meat or fish broth flavored with soy or miso sauce. Ramen is usually topped with sliced pork and dried seaweed.

35. Recurring melody MOTIF
A motif is a recurring element in an artistic work or design.

36. Sacramento’s Sleep Train __ ARENA
The Sacramento Kings basketball team plays in the Sleep Train Arena, which is named for the Sleep Train chain of a mattress retailers.

37. Excessively pampered fare? CODDLED EGGS
The word “coddle” means to boil gently, as in “coddle an egg”. Coddle was first used to mean “treat tenderly” by Jane Austen. Austen introduced the extended usage in her masterpiece “Emma”.

39. “Moonstruck” Oscar winner CHER
“Moonstruck” is a 1987 movie, a romantic comedy starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. There’s a bit of a love triangle in the storyline, with Danny Aiello playing the man who loses the girl. “Moonstruck” won three Oscars and was a huge success, and somehow, I’ve never seen it …

41. Fare at the Friars Club? ROASTED NUTS
The Friars Club is a private show-business club in New York City that has roots dating back to 1904. Back then the club was called the Press Agents Association. Within a few years the name was changed to reflect its broadening membership of actors and musicians. The name “Friar” was chosen as it comes from the Latin for “brother”, deemed to a good name for a fraternal organization. Famously, the Friars Club hosts events in which a celebrity is “roasted” by a panel of comedians and show business VIPs.

47. 2000-’01 NBA MVP Iverson ALLEN
Allen Iverson is a professional basketball player who played in the NBA for several years. Iverson signed up to play for a Turkish basketball team in 2010. He played in Turkey for two seasons and retired from the game in 2013.

48. Sail spars SPRITS
A sprit is a pole that extends out from a mast, often supporting a special sail called a spritsail.

56. Eye irritants MOTES
“Mote” is another word for a speck of dust.

57. Many OPEC ministers ARABS
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in 1960 at a conference held in Baghdad, Iraq that was attended by Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Nine more countries joined the alliance soon after, and OPEC set up headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and then Vienna, Austria in 1965. The basic aim of OPEC was to wrench control of oil prices from the oil companies and to put it in the hands of the sovereign states that own the natural resource.

62. Valentine candy message BE MINE
The forerunner to Sweethearts candy was introduced in 1866, with the famous sayings written on the candy tailored for use at weddings. One of the original expressions was, “Married in pink, he will take a drink”. The original candy was a lot bigger, to fit all those words! The smaller, heart-shaped candy hit the shelves in 1901. We’ve been able to buy Sweethearts with the words “Text me” since 2010.

66. Given orally, in law PAROL
In the law, a statement described as “parol” is given orally as opposed to in written form.

67. Skins-and-poles home, traditionally TEPEE
A tepee (also written as “tipi” and “teepee”) is a cone-shaped tent traditionally made from animal hides that is used by the Great Plains Native Americans. A wigwam is a completely different structure and is often a misnomer for a tepee. A wigwam is a domed structure built by Native Americans in the West and Southwest, intended to be a more permanent dwelling. The wigwam can also be covered with hides but more often was covered with grass, reeds, brush or cloth.

74. Philistine’s lack TASTE
“Philistine” is a derogatory term used to label someone as an anti-intellectual, or someone who undervalues art, beauty and intellect. Our use of the word derives from the German word “Philister” that was used originally by university students to describe, in a snide way, the townspeople of nearby Jena in eastern Germany. There had been a row between the students and locals resulting in several deaths. A university cleric admonished the participants in a sermon using a phrase from the Bible’s “Book of Judges”, saying “The Philistines be upon thee”, a reference to the conflict between Samson and the Philistines. Anyway, little did that cleric know how his words would ring out around the world over 300 years later.

77. Delta, for one AIRLINE
Delta was the world’s largest airline for a while (after merging with Northwest Airlines in 2008) and is also the oldest airline still operating in the US. Delta’s roots go back to 1924 before it started carrying passengers and was called Huff Daland Dusters, a crop dusting company based in Macon, Georgia. The name Delta Air Service was introduced in 1928.

79. Tommy __, ex-pitcher for whom a surgical procedure is named JOHN
Tommy John surgery (TGS) is a procedure in the ulnar collateral ligament, a thick band of tissue in the elbow, is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body. The operation is commonly required for athletes, particularly baseball player. The first baseball player to undergo the procedure, in 1974, was Major League pitcher Tommy John, hence the name.

83. Starbucks snack SCONE
Starbucks is a coffee company based in Seattle, Washington. It is the largest coffeehouse company in the world and has over 19,000 stores. In the 1990s, Starbucks was opening one new store every single day! Starbucks is named after the chief mate on the Pequod in Herman Melville’s book “Moby Dick”.

87. Active during the daytime DIURNAL
A diurnal animal is active during the day, whereas a nocturnal animal is active at night.

88. Touch up EMEND
The verb “to amend” means “to change for the better, put right, alter by adding”. The related verb “to emend” is used more rarely and mainly in reference to the editing of professional writing. Both terms are derived from the Latin “emendare” meaning “to remove fault”.

95. Stingray relative SKATE
Skates (formally “Rajidae”) are a family of fish in the superorder of rays (formally “batoidea”). Skates look very similar to stingrays but they lack stinging spines.

97. In itself PER SE
“Per se” is a Latin phrase that translates as “by itself”. We use “per se” pretty literally, meaning “in itself, intrinsically”.

103. Tide type NEAP
Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon on the oceans. At neap tide, the smaller gravitational effect of the sun cancels out some of the moon’s effect. At spring tide, the sun and the moon’s gravitational forces act in concert causing more extreme movement of the oceans.

104. Bunny’s tail SCUT
A scut is short erect tail, like that on a rabbit or a deer.

105. Rubs out OFFS
To “rub out, off” is to murder, to kill.

107. Kelly of talk TV RIPA
When Kelly Ripa secured the co-host spot on morning television with Regis Philbin, she was still acting in “All My Children” in a role she had been playing for over ten years. After a year of holding down two jobs, she eventually gave up the acting job.

111. Rehab shakes DTS
The episodes of delirium that can accompany withdrawal from alcohol are called Delirium Tremens (the DTs). The literal translation of this Latin phrase is “trembling madness”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Skier’s mecca ALPS
5. South-of-the-border currency PESO
9. Hillside home attraction VISTA
14. Lucky break FLUKE
19. “Dizzy Red Riding Hood” (1931) cartoon star BOOP
20. Domingo delivery ARIA
21. Prefix with face or faith INTER-
22. Of the ear AURAL
23. Fare after successful medical treatment? CURED PORK
25. Angry fare? STEAMED MILK
27. Took charge of STEERED
28. Skyline standouts SPIRES
30. Crispy Crunchy candy bar maker REESE’S
31. Tool used on pineapples CORER
33. School attended by 007 ETON
34. Take a load off REST
35. Far from wimpy MACHO
38. Pasture portion ACRE
40. Colombian city of two million CALI
41. Piston connector ROD
44. “__ y Plata” ORO
45. Illegally taken fare? POACHED SALMON
50. Word on a Susan B. Anthony coin ONE
51. Newsman Koppel TED
52. Works at steadily PLIES
53. Fuss over oneself PREEN
54. Step into character ACT
55. Unaffiliated: Abbr. IND
56. Certain track contestant MILER
57. Write parts for ARRANGE
59. Drag to court SUE
60. Raptor trainer FALCONER
62. Wilson of the Beach Boys BRIAN
63. Gunga Din’s burden WATER
65. Wolfed down EATEN
66. Like bogs PEATY
67. Pointer’s cry THERE!
69. Core group CADRE
71. Entrance supports JAMBS
72. Tried hard to recognize PEERED AT
75. Soccer stadium cry OLE!
76. Wild outings SAFARIS
79. Makes fun of JAPES
80. Codebreaking org. NSA
81. Show __ DOG
82. Classical name of Troy ILION
83. Did a cobbler’s job SOLED
84. __ Ronald Reagan USS
85. ESL part: Abbr. ENG
86. Fare constantly questioned? GRILLED CHEESE
89. Vietnamese holiday TET
90. __ Plaines, Illinois DES
91. Pitchers with heads ALES
92. Cyclotron bits IONS
93. Stroke made vertically MASSE
95. Recipe direction STIR
96. Turned rapidly SPUN
98. Points for Poseidon TINES
101. Like some treasure SUNKEN
104. Word on an LP STEREO
106. Chief CENTRAL
110. Soundly defeated fare? CREAMED CORN
112. Inebriated fare? FRIED RICE
114. Banded marble AGATE
115. City at the foot of the Ozarks TULSA
116. Pet store supply FEED
117. Fossey subjects APES
118. Put back in the sty REPEN
119. Girder material STEEL
120. Light on one’s feet SPRY
121. Little shavers LADS

Down
1. Kid stuff ABCS
2. Oaf LOUT
3. Sponge opening PORE
4. Shout to an awardee SPEECH!
5. Commuter’s reading PAPER
6. Diminish over time ERODE
7. McCartney title SIR
8. Homes for squirrels OAKS
9. Called on VISITED
10. 101 title word INTRO
11. “Card Players Quarreling” artist STEEN
12. Black or green drinks TEAS
13. Usher’s offering ARM
14. Appears gradually FADES IN
15. “Serpico” director LUMET
16. “QB VII” author URIS
17. Vitamin K-rich green KALE
18. Benevolent order ELKS
24. Give in to gravity DROOP
26. In the near future, poetically ERE LONG
29. 1994 co-Nobelist with Rabin and Arafat PERES
32. More risqué RACIER
34. Budget noodle dish RAMEN
35. Recurring melody MOTIF
36. Sacramento’s Sleep Train __ ARENA
37. Excessively pampered fare? CODDLED EGGS
39. “Moonstruck” Oscar winner CHER
40. Like a frisked suspect, at times CLEAN
41. Fare at the Friars Club? ROASTED NUTS
42. At the proper moment ON CUE
43. Put a damper on DETER
46. Pipe up OPINE
47. 2000-’01 NBA MVP Iverson ALLEN
48. Sail spars SPRITS
49. Deck out ARRAY
56. Eye irritants MOTES
57. Many OPEC ministers ARABS
58. Decorative jugs EWERS
61. Common rental CAR
62. Valentine candy message BE MINE
64. “__ we there yet?” ARE
66. Given orally, in law PAROL
67. Skins-and-poles home, traditionally TEPEE
68. Takes note of HEEDS
69. Needing decryption CODED
70. Without peers ALONE
71. Locks up JAILS
72. Most ashen PALEST
73. Long-eared equines ASSES
74. Philistine’s lack TASTE
77. Delta, for one AIRLINE
78. Store handout FLIER
79. Tommy __, ex-pitcher for whom a surgical procedure is named JOHN
83. Starbucks snack SCONE
86. Entry-level jobs? GATEMEN
87. Active during the daytime DIURNAL
88. Touch up EMEND
94. Starlike ASTRAL
95. Stingray relative SKATE
96. Made off with STOLE
97. In itself PER SE
99. Not so genial ICIER
100. Poor NEEDY
101. Emotional mark SCAR
102. The munchies, e.g. URGE
103. Tide type NEAP
104. Bunny’s tail SCUT
105. Rubs out OFFS
107. Kelly of talk TV RIPA
108. Sailed through ACED
109. Reduced LESS
111. Rehab shakes DTS
113. Public image, for short REP

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5 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 24 Jan 16, Sunday”

  1. I had a longer than usual night last night so I was a little groggy doing the puzzle this morning. Seemed to take longer than usual as well. From the start I had "stoop" before DROOP in the NW and had similar issues throughout the puzzle. I never got in sync with the cluing. I'll just chalk that up to too many IPAs last night.

    Ok theme, but CODDLED EGGS? Although it's a plausible phrase, I'm not sure I'd describe it as a common one like the others were.

    I've said it here before, but I love the book QBVII. A renowned doctor is accused by a writer of being a Nazi war criminal so he sues the writer for libel. Without giving anything away it has a very creative verdict for the trial. I highly recommend it.

    Best –

  2. Got in sync with the theme relatively early to at least see what the setter was doing. Unfortunately, still ended up with 9 errors (low for me on average) due to a lot of errors in the 70's for actually coming up with alternatives that fit the grid. Other than that, it was stuff I would have never gotten anyway, so I count it a decent effort. Doing relatively well with the other 21x21s in my paper from yesterday, so an acceptable day overall.

  3. They got Sleep Train Arena into a puzzle just in time. The Sacramento Kings are moving to a new arena called The Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento. The last game at Sleep Train will be April 9, 2016 against Oklahoma City.

    Coddled eggs are partially or somewhat cooked eggs similar to baked eggs. The degree of doneness achieved depends on how long the egg is cooked. But as the word "coddle" suggests, it is a gentle cooking method, resulting in a soft texture, with a yolk still at least partially runny (although the white should not be liquid). A good example of coddled eggs are the eggs used in the dressing for a Caesar Salad. These are only cooked enough to add a little thickness to the dressing.

  4. Like people who 'look at' Playboy, …. just for the articles, I came here to just read the blog…. and all your comments.

    Bill, a small typo, Tommy John surgery is TJS ( not TGS – ) as the initials would indicate.

    TGS, on the other hand is also a very valid surgery acronym – Target Guided surgery. I looked it up, and thus discovered the typo. Doctors and pharma companies are finding more and more, fun and profitable things to occupy themselves, than we ever imagined.

    Thanks for the blog. See you early next week. ;-D)

    P.S. How do you coddle an egg ? Offer it some chocolate, and whisper 'sweet nothings' to it.

  5. How to do you coddle an egg ? The previous answer wasn't funny, and showed no imagination.

    An alternative answer would be; To coddle an egg or eggs, place each one in its own basket…

Comments are closed.