LA Times Crossword Answers 5 Apr 16, Tuesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: C.C. Burnikel
THEME: Sounds Like Decay … each of today’s themed answers comprises two words beginning with the letters DK (sounds like “decay”).

68A. Go to pot … or a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues DECAY (sounds like DK)

17A. *Game with a barrel-throwing gorilla DONKEY KONG
37A. *Lock insert DOOR KEY
61A. *Karl Marx opus DAS KAPITAL
11D. *Temporary housing for Fido DOG KENNEL
33D. *”The Court Jester” star DANNY KAYE

BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 5m 16s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across

14. Birdbath buildup ALGAE
Algae are similar to terrestrial plants in that they use photosynthesis to create sugars from light and carbon dioxide, but they differ in that they have simpler anatomies, and for example lack roots.

15. Plant “pet” CHIA
Chia is a flowering plant in the mint family. Chia seeds are an excellent food source and are often added to breakfast cereals and energy bars. There is also the famous Chia Pet, an invention of a San Francisco company. Chia Pets are terracotta figurines to which are applied moistened chia seeds. The seeds sprout and the seedlings become the “fur” of the Chia Pet.

17. *Game with a barrel-throwing gorilla DONKEY KONG
The first video game featuring the ape called Donkey Kong was created in 1981. That first “Donkey Kong” game also introduced the world to the character known as “Mario”, four years before “Super Mario Bros” became such a big hit.

19. “Flip or Flop” cable channel HGTV
HGTV first went on air in 1994, as the “Home, Lawn and Garden Channel”. The name was shortened (the lawn was dropped) soon after, but nowadays it’s just known as HGTV.

“Flip or Flop” is a reality TV show about the buying and selling of real estate. In each episode, husband-and-wife real estate agents Tarek and Christina El Moussa go through the whole process of flipping a house, from start to finish.

20. Dueling sword EPEE
The sword known as an épée has a three-sided blade. The épée is similar to a foil and sabre, both of which are also thrusting weapons. However, the foil and saber have rectangular cross-sections.

22. Slammer POKEY
“Pokey” (also “poky”) is a slang term for prison, possibly a corruption of “pogie”, a term for a “poorhouse”.

25. “Moi?” WHO? ME?
“Moi” is the French word for “me”.

27. __ Lingus AER
Aer Lingus is my favorite airline! Well, the service isn’t that great, but when I get on board an Aer Lingus plane I feel like I am back in Ireland. Aer Lingus is the national airline of Ireland, with “Aer Lingus” being a phonetic spelling of the Irish “aer-loingeas” meaning “air fleet”. These days Aer Lingus can only lay claim to the title of Ireland’s oldest airline as it is no longer the biggest. That honor goes to the controversial budget airline called Ryanair.

28. Reason for an R rating VIOLENCE
The Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) film-rating system (PG-13, R, etc.) is purely voluntary and is not backed by any law. Movie theaters agree to abide by the rules that come with the MPAA ratings in exchange for access to new movies.

35. Crooner Cole NAT
Nat King Cole’s real name was Nathaniel Adams Coles. Cole made television history in 1956 when his own show debuted on NBC, a first for an African-American. Cole couldn’t pick up a national sponsor, so in order to save money and possibly save the show, many guest artists worked for no fee at all – the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte and Peggy Lee. The show survived for a year, but eventually Nat King Cole had to pull the plug on it himself.

36. Stat that’s better when it’s lower ERA
Earned run average (ERA)

41. Expressive rock genre EMO
The musical genre of “emo” originated in Washington D.C. in the 80s, and takes its name from “emotional hardcore”. “Emo” is also the name given to the associated subculture. Not my cup of tea …

42. Architect Maya __ LIN
Maya Lin is a Chinese American born in Athens Ohio, and is an artist and architect. Her most famous work is the moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Lin was only 21-years-old when she won a public design competition in 1981 to create the memorial. Although her design is very fitting, sadly Lin was not a popular choice for the work given her Asian heritage. As she said herself, she probably would not have been picked had the competition been judged with the knowledge of who was behind each submission.

43. Serengeti grazer GNU
A gnu is also known as a wildebeest, and is an antelope native to Africa. “Wildebeest” is actually the Dutch word for “wild beast”.

The Serengeti is a region in Africa, located in northern Tanzania and southwest Kenya. The name “Serengeti” comes from the Maasai language and means “Endless Plains”.

44. Crease-resistant fabric ORLON
Orlon is the brand name used by the DuPont Corporation for the acrylic fibers the company developed in 1941.

51. Art form profiled in the documentary “Between the Folds” ORIGAMI
Origami is the traditional Japanese art form of paper folding. The best-known example of the craft is the paper crane. The word “origami” is derived from “ori“ (folding) and “kami” (paper).

61. *Karl Marx opus DAS KAPITAL
“Das Kapital” (entitled “Capital” in English versions) is a book about political economy written by Karl Marx, first published in 1867. The book is in effect an analysis of capitalism, and proffers the opinion that capitalism relies on the exploitation of workers. Marx concludes that the profits from capitalist concerns come from the underpaying of labor.

63. Motown’s Marvin GAYE
Marvin Gaye was a singer-songwriter from Washington, D.C. who came to be known as “Prince of Soul” and “Prince of Motown”. Some of Gaye’s biggest hits are “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968), “What’s Going On?” (1971), “Let’s Get It On” (1973) and “Sexual Healing” (1982). Famously, Gaye was shot dead by his father while Marvin was sitting on his mother’s bed just talking to her. Marvin had given the gun to his father as a Christmas gift.

Motown Records is a record label that was founded in 1959 in Detroit (aka “Motor City” or “Motown”). The founder of Motown records was Berry Gordy, Jr.

65. Singer Baker ANITA
Anita Baker is an R&B and soul singer who was raised in Detroit, Michigan. Baker’s most successful song is the Grammy-winning “Sweet Love” released in 1986.

66. Call router: Abbr. OPER
I am quite proud to be related to several of my ancestors in particular. One was my great-grandmother, as she was the first female telephone operator in Ireland …

67. Bread served with chicken tikka masala NAAN
Naan (also “nan”) bread is very popular in Indian restaurants, as well as in other West, Central and South Asian cuisines. Indian Naan is traditionally baked in a clay oven known as a tandoor.

Chicken tikka masala is a dish, comprising chicken tikka (chunks of marinated chicken) served in a masala sauce. Masala is the Hindi word for “mixture”, and describes a mixture of spices. A dish named “masala” uses the spices incorporated into a sauce that includes garlic, ginger, onions and chili paste. Although served as part of Indian cuisine, there seems to be a lot of evidence that chicken tikka masala was actually invented in an Indian restaurant in Britain.

Down
1. Stored in the hold LADED
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.

3. Dancer de Mille AGNES
Agnes de Mille was a dancer and choreographer from New York City. She was the niece of famous director Cecil B. DeMille, and the daughter of William C. deMille who was also a Hollywood director. Agnes turned to dance after she was told that she was “not pretty enough” to pursue her first love, which was acting …

6. Jim of “Wide World of Sports” MCKAY
Jim McKay was a sports journalist, most famous for hosting ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” for 37 years, ending in 1998. McKay also covered 12 Olympic Games, including his memorable coverage of the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics. McKay also served his country during WWII in the US Navy, in which he was the captain of a minesweeper.

7. Self-help website EHOW
eHow is a how-to website that was founded in 1999. eHow has an awful lot of content but doesn’t do a great job of assessing the value of that content. I wouldn’t recommend it …

10. Announcement from the foyer I’M HOME
“Foyer”, meaning “lobby”, is a French word that we’ve imported into English. In French, “foyer” is used for what we would call a “green room”, a place where actors can gather when not on stage or on set.

11. *Temporary housing for Fido DOG KENNEL
“Fido”, the name for many a dog, is Latin for “I trust”.

13. Green-eyed monster ENVY
William Shakespeare was one of the first to associate the color green with envy. He called jealousy the “green-eyed monster” in his play “Othello”.

18. “Son of Frankenstein” role YGOR
1939’s “Son of Frankenstein” is the third in the series of classic horror films featuring Boris Karloff as the Monster. The prior titles are “Frankenstein” and “Bride of Frankenstein”. Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant Ygor is played by Bela Lugosi.

22. D.C. insider POL
Politician (pol)

24. No longer working: Abbr. RETD
Retired (retd.)

26. Sharpen HONE
“To hone” is to sharpen, a verb derived from the noun “hone” A “hone” is a whetstone used in sharpening.

28. Computer invader VIRUS
A computer virus has characteristics very similar to a virus found in nature. It is a small computer program that can copy itself and can infect another host (computer).

29. Hunter’s garb, for short CAMO
Our term “camouflage” evolved directly from a Parisian slang term “camoufler” meaning “to disguise”. The term was first used in WWI, although the British navy at that time preferred the expression “dazzle-painting” as it applied to the pattern applied to the hulls of ships.

30. Thames school ETON
The world-famous Eton College sits on the River Thames and 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).

The River Thames flowing though London is the longest river entirely located in England.

33. *”The Court Jester” star DANNY KAYE
The actor Danny Kaye was a big hit in his native US, but also in France. Kaye was the first ambassador-at-large for UNICEF and the French awarded him the Legion of Honor in 1986 for his work.

“The Court Jester” is a 1956 musical comedy starring Danny Kaye. A lot of money was sunk into the film, so much that it was the most expensive comedy film made up to that time. “The Court Jester” bombed at the box office, but has made a lot of money since then through TV broadcasts.

39. “He’s a priest,” not a beast, per Ogden Nash ONE-L LAMA
The poet Ogden Nash is well known for his light and humorous verse. Try this one for size:

The one-L lama,
He’s a priest.
The two-L llama,
He’s a beast.
And I would bet
A silk pajama
There isn’t any
Three-L lllama.

40. Bear or Berra YOGI
Yogi Bear made his debut for Hanna-Barbera in 1958, on the Huckleberry Hound Show before he was given his own series. Do you remember that collar that Yogi wore around his neck? That was a little trick from the animators. By using the collar, for many frames all they had to do was redraw everything from the collar up, saving them lots and lots of time. Yogi and Boo Boo lived in Jellystone Park, and made Ranger Smith’s life a misery.

Yogi Berra is regarded by many as the greatest catcher ever to play in Major League Baseball, and has to be America’s most celebrated “author” of malapropisms. Here are some greats:

– “It ain’t over till it’s over.”
– “90% of the game is half mental.”
– “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
– (giving directions) “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
– “It’s déjà vu all over again.”
– “Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t go to yours.”
– “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”

45. Propecia rival ROGAINE
Rogaine is a brand name for the drug Minoxidil. It was developed as an oral medication to treat high blood pressure, but was found to have an exploitable side-effect. It caused an increase in the rate of hair growth. A topical solution was marketed to promote growth of hair especially in balding men. The drug seems to work well, but when the application is stopped, things go back to normal in about 60 days. Wouldn’t dream of touching the stuff myself …

Propecia is a brand name of the medication finasteride, which is used to treat male-pattern baldness.

51. Pest control company ORKIN
Orkin is a pest-control company. If you want to learn more about insects, you might want to visit the O. Orkin Zoo, a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The exhibit has over 300 live insects, all displayed in their natural habitats.

52. Bit of slapstick ANTIC
“Slapstick” is physical comedy, horseplay. Back in the late 19th century, the term described a device made from two sticks loosely fastened together, which could be “slapped” together to create a sound effect offstage. The sound effect added to the laugh when a clown or actor was given a slap on stage.

53. Sporty Mazda MIATA
The Mazda MX-5 is sold as the Miata in North America, and as the Roadster in Japan. I’ve always liked the looks of the Mazda Miata, probably because it reminds me so much of old British sports cars. The Miata is built in Hiroshima, Japan.

54. Cavity filler INLAY
“Inlay” is another word for a filling in dentistry. An “onlay” is similar to an inlay. An onlay not only fills a hole in the tooth but it is also built up to replace a missing cusp. It’s sort of halfway between a filling and a crown, I suppose.

55. Jason’s vessel ARGO
In Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts sailed on the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. The vessel was called the “Argo” in honor of the ship’s builder, a man named Argus.

56. Half-moon tide 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.

58. Midshipman’s sch. USNA
The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is located in Annapolis, Maryland. The USNA was founded in 1845 and educates officers for both the US Navy and the US Marine Corps. The motto of the USNA is “Ex Scientia Tridens”, which translates as “From Knowledge, Sea Power”.

61. Ex-Dodger manager Mattingly DON
Don Mattingly is a former professional baseball player who played his entire career with the New York Yankees. Mattingly coached the LA Dodgers since from 2011 until 2015.

62. __ Thai: rice noodle dish PAD
The delicious dish called Pad Thai is a meld of stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus a mix of vegetables and possibly tofu, meat or fish. It is usually topped with crushed peanuts, coriander and lime. The name “Pad Thai” translates as “fried Thai-style”.

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Riffles (through) LEAFS
6. Kitty cries MEWS
10. Like some chatter or threats IDLE
14. Birdbath buildup ALGAE
15. Plant “pet” CHIA
16. Bellyache MOAN
17. *Game with a barrel-throwing gorilla DONKEY KONG
19. “Flip or Flop” cable channel HGTV
20. Dueling sword EPEE
21. Stare unsubtly GAWK
22. Slammer POKEY
23. Wreck completely DESTROY
25. “Moi?” WHO? ME?
27. __ Lingus AER
28. Reason for an R rating VIOLENCE
31. “I __ thought of that” HADN’T
34. Place to overnight INN
35. Crooner Cole NAT
36. Stat that’s better when it’s lower ERA
37. *Lock insert DOOR KEY
41. Expressive rock genre EMO
42. Architect Maya __ LIN
43. Serengeti grazer GNU
44. Crease-resistant fabric ORLON
46. Sewer system entry points MANHOLES
49. Back when AGO
50. Alpine warble YODEL
51. Art form profiled in the documentary “Between the Folds” ORIGAMI
55. Joint sometimes twisted ANKLE
57. Fishing decoy LURE
59. Have __: be connected AN IN
60. “Are you for __?!” REAL
61. *Karl Marx opus DAS KAPITAL
63. Motown’s Marvin GAYE
64. Prefix meaning “all” OMNI-
65. Singer Baker ANITA
66. Call router: Abbr. OPER
67. Bread served with chicken tikka masala NAAN
68. Go to pot … or a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues DECAY

Down
1. Stored in the hold LADED
2. Become running mates? ELOPE
3. Dancer de Mille AGNES
4. Skin bronzing from a bottle FAKE TAN
5. “Understand?” SEE?
6. Jim of “Wide World of Sports” MCKAY
7. Self-help website EHOW
8. [Don’t take me too seriously] WINK WINK
9. Hang loosely SAG
10. Announcement from the foyer I’M HOME
11. *Temporary housing for Fido DOG KENNEL
12. Behind schedule LATE
13. Green-eyed monster ENVY
18. “Son of Frankenstein” role YGOR
22. D.C. insider POL
24. No longer working: Abbr. RETD
26. Sharpen HONE
28. Computer invader VIRUS
29. Hunter’s garb, for short CAMO
30. Thames school ETON
31. Captain’s position HELM
32. Opera highlight ARIA
33. *”The Court Jester” star DANNY KAYE
38. Stare rudely at OGLE
39. “He’s a priest,” not a beast, per Ogden Nash ONE-L LAMA
40. Bear or Berra YOGI
45. Propecia rival ROGAINE
47. Shout out HOLLER
48. Glorifying verse ODE
49. Word after work or play AREA
51. Pest control company ORKIN
52. Bit of slapstick ANTIC
53. Sporty Mazda MIATA
54. Cavity filler INLAY
55. Jason’s vessel ARGO
56. Half-moon tide NEAP
58. Midshipman’s sch. USNA
61. Ex-Dodger manager Mattingly DON
62. __ Thai: rice noodle dish PAD

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