LA Times Crossword Answers 13 Apr 16, Wednesday

Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
1. Like many knock-knock jokes CORNY

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Irish
Irish who?
Irish you in the name of the law!

6. Fit together, as some Russian dolls NEST
Matryoshka dolls are those wooden nesting dolls that are on sale at every tourist trap across Russia. “Matryoshka” is Russian for “little matron”.

16. Magazine with annual Style Awards ELLE
The Elle Style Awards have been presented annually since 2002 by “Elle” magazine.

17. Impressionist who was frequently a guest of Johnny Carson RICH LITTLE (with sides of “RICE”)
Rich Little is a Canadian-born impersonator, known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices”. He lives in Las Vegas, and there was sworn in as a US citizen just a few years ago, in 2008.

Johnny Carson hosted “The Tonight Show” for thirty years, from 1962 to 1992. Although Carson was the first choice to take over the show from Jack Paar, he initially declined. Carson eventually took the job, after it had also been declined by Bob Newhart, Jackie Gleason, Groucho Marx and Joey Bishop.

21. Org. with Wizards and Magic NBA
The Washington Wizards are the professional basketball team based in the nation’s capital. The franchise began playing in Chicago as the Packers, in 1961. One year later, the Chicago team changed its name to the Zephyrs. After one more season, the franchise relocated and became the Baltimore Bullets. In 1973, the team moved to Landover, Maryland to became the Capital Bullets, and then took the Washington Bullets name the following season. The final name change came in 1995, as the owner was uncomfortable with the violent images conjured up by the “Bullets” name. The Wizards name was chosen after a fan contest.

The Orlando Magic were formed in 1989 as an NBA expansion team. A local paper was asked to run a competition to suggest names for the new team and the community came up with its four top picks of “Heat”, “Tropics”, “Juice” and “Magic”. A committee then opted for “Orlando Magic”. A good choice I think …

23. __ tai MAI
The Mai Tai cocktail is strongly associated with the Polynesian islands, but the drink was supposedly invented in 1944 in Trader Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. One recipe is 6 parts white rum, 3 parts orange curaçao, 3 parts Orgeat syrup, 1 part rock candy syrup, 2 parts fresh lime juice, all mixed with ice and then a float added of 6 parts dark rum.

29. Clearasil shelfmate OXY
The OXY Skin Care products were developed by GlaxoSmithKline, but the brand name has been owned by Mentholatum since 2005.

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.

31. Less-filling brews LITES
The first light beer was produced by Chicago’s Meister Brau brewery in the sixties. Miller took over Meister Brau, reformulated the light beer using the same process and became the first of the big breweries to come out with a light beer, “Lite Beer from Miller” introduced in 1973. There really wasn’t a serious competitor to Miller Lite until Anheuser-Busch finally came up with a process and a product in 1982 that they called Bud Light.

32. Phoenix-to-Albuquerque dir. ENE
The city of Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona. Home to almost 1.5 million people, Phoenix is the most populous state capital in the country.

Albuquerque is the most populous city in the state of New Mexico. The city was founded in 1706 as a Spanish colonial outpost named “La Villa de Alburquerque” (note the extra letter R) in honor of Francisco, Duke of Alburquerque, who had been viceroy of New Spain from 1653 to 1669. Alburquerque is a town in the west of Spain, close to the border with Portugal.

34. Statute that protects source confidentiality in journalism SHIELD LAW (with sides of “SLAW”)
When a news reporter exercises a legal right not to divulge a source of information, he or she is taking advantage of a “shield law”, which gives some legal protection to the reporter and informant. There is no federal shield law, but a majority of the US states have shield laws in place.

41. Govt. stipend SSI
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is federal program that provides financial relief to persons with low incomes who are 65 or older, or who are blind or disabled. The SSI program is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) even though the the Social Security trust fund is not used for SSI payments. SSI payments come out of general tax revenue.

42. Gem weight CARAT
A carat is a unit of mass used in measuring gemstones that is equal to 200 mg.

47. Health club SPA
The word “spa” migrated into English from Belgium, as Spa is the name of a municipality in the east of the country that is famous for its healing hot springs. The name “Spa” comes from the Walloon word “espa” meaning “spring, fountain”.

48. Golfer’s booking TEE TIME
A “tee time” is a reservation made at a golf course to start a round of golf (“tee off”) at a particular time.

50. Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly BEAUTY ICONS (with sides of “BEANS”)
Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926 in LA County Hospital, the child of Gladys Pearl Baker. The young girl was given the name of Norma Jeane Mortenson on her birth certificate, but her mother changed this to Norma Jeane Baker almost immediately. She and her estranged husband, Martin Edward Mortensen, had separated before Baker became pregnant so it is suggested that the Mortensen name was used just to give Norma Jeane “legitimacy”. Norma Jeane married a Jim Dougherty when she 16 years old, and took his name to become Norma Jeane Dougherty in 1932. During WWII she was discovered by a photographer and became quite a successful model. The modelling earned her a screen test, at which time it was suggested that Norma Jean change her name yet again. The first name chosen for her by studio executives was Carole Lind (after Carole Lombard and Jenny Lind), but then Norma Jeane chose “Jeane Monroe” for herself, using her mother’s maiden name. It didn’t take long before the studio intervened again, suggesting that they had too many “Jeans” already. The name Marilyn Monroe was floated as it had a nice ring to it. Along with the new name, Marilyn changed from a brunette to a blonde, and a star was born …

The lovely American actress Grace Kelly led the US delegation to the Cannes Film Festival in 1955 and there she met Prince Rainier III, at a photo-op in the Palace of Monaco. Twelve months later the pair were married and Kelly retired from acting at the age of 26. She suffered a stroke while driving her car in 1982, not long before her 53rd birthday. Kelly died in the resulting car crash but her daughter, Princess Stéphanie, survived the accident.

54. On edge ANTSY
The word “antsy” embodies the concept of “having ants in one’s pants”, meaning being nervous and fidgety. However, “antsy” has been used in English since the 1830s, whereas “ants in the pants” originated a century later.

55. Jackie’s second ARI
Jackie Kennedy Onassis was born into a privileged family, the daughter of a Wall Street stock broker, John Vernou Bouvier III. Ms. Bouvier moved in the same social circles as the Kennedy clan, and first met the then-US Representative John Kennedy at a dinner party hosted by mutual friends. After she saw her husband assassinated, and then her brother-in-law Bobby Kennedy, she declared that she feared for the life of her children as they bore the Kennedy name. She left the country, eventually meeting and marrying Aristotle Onassis. Reportedly she was very satisfied that the Greek shipping magnate was able to provide privacy and security for her children.

56. Founded: Abbr. ESTD
Established (estd.)

57. City near Tahoe RENO
The city of Reno’s economy took off when open gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931. Within a short time, a syndicate had built the Bank Club in Reno, which was the largest casino in the whole world at the time.

Lake Tahoe is up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, right on the border between California and Nevada. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in the country, and the largest lake in general, behind the five Great Lakes. It’s also the second deepest lake, with only the beautiful Crater Lake in Oregon being deeper. Given its location, there are tall casinos that sit right on the shore on the Nevada side of the state line where gambling is legal.

61. “Dancing With the Stars” co-host Andrews ERIN
Erin Andrews is a sports reporter. I don’t watch much in the line of sports but I do know Ms. Andrews for her appearances on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2010. She did quite well and made it to the final of the show. And now, she is the show’s co-host alongside Tom Bergeron.

62. Tan shade ECRU
The shade called ecru is a grayish, yellowish brown. The word “ecru” comes from French and means “raw, unbleached”. “Ecru” has the same roots as our word “crude”.

Down
1. Snickers ingredient CARAMEL
Snickers is a candy bar made by Mars. When I was growing up in Ireland, the same candy bar was sold as a Marathon. The name was changed in Europe to Snickers in 1990. 75% of the world’s Snickers bars are made in the Mars factory in Waco, Texas.

2. Paper work? 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).

5. Paris fashion monogram YSL
Yves Saint-Laurent (YSL) was a French fashion designer, actually born in Algeria. Saint-Laurent started off working as an assistant to Christian Dior at the age of 17. Dior died just four years later, and as a very young man Saint-Laurent was named head of the House of Dior. However, in 1950 Saint-Laurent was conscripted into the French Army and ended up in a military hospital after suffering a mental breakdown after the hazing inflicted on him by his fellow soldiers. His treatment included electroshock therapy and administration of sedatives and psychoactive drugs. He was released from prison, managed to pull his life back together and started his own fashion house. A remarkable story …

8. Mo. town STL
The city of Saint Louis, Missouri was founded by French explorers in 1763. Sitting on the Mississippi River it grew into a very busy port. By the 1850s was the second busiest port in the country, with only New York moving more freight.

9. With 25-Down, what America is across, to Brits THE …
(25D. See 9-Down … POND)
The Atlantic Ocean has been referred to as “the pond” for quite a long time. The expression dates back to the 1640s.

18. Memo starter IN RE
The term “in re” is Latin, derived from “in” (in) and “res” (thing, matter). “In re” literally means “in the matter”, and is used to mean “in regard to”, or “in the matter of”.

26. Jump on ice AXEL
An Axel is a forward take-off jump in figure skating. It was first performed by Norwegian Axel Paulsen at the 1882 World Figure Skating championships.

28. Hardy title teenager TESS
The full name of Thomas Hardy’s 1891 novel is “Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented”. When it was originally published, “Tess …” received very mixed reviews, largely because it addressed some difficult sexual themes including rape, and sexual double standards (attitudes towards men vs women). I suppose the most celebrated screen adaptation is Roman Polanski’s “Tess” released in 1979. Polanski apparently made “Tess” because his wife, Sharon Tate, gave him Hardy’s novel as her last act before she was murdered by the Manson family. There is a dedication at the beginning of the movie that just says “To Sharon”.

32. Yalie ELI
Eli is the nickname for a graduate of Yale University, a term used in honor of the Yale benefactor Elihu Yale.

36. Morales of “NYPD Blue” ESAI
The actor Esai Morales is best known for his role in the 1987 movie “La Bamba”, which depicted the life of Ritchie Valens and his half-brother Bob Morales (played by Esai).

“NYPD Blue” is a police drama that was originally aired in 1993, and ran until 2005. Stars of the show are Dennis Franz, David Caruso, Jimmy Smits and Rick Schroder. The show created a bit of a fuss back in the nineties as it featured a relatively large amount of nudity for broadcast television.

37. Air Force heroes ACES
A flying ace is an aviator who has shot down a number of enemy planes during combat. The qualifying number of kills seems to vary, but five is common. The first use of “ace” was during WWI when the French newspapers dubbed pilot Adolphe Pegoud “l’as” (French for “the ace”) when he shot down his fifth German plane.

38. Musical with nightclub scenes 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.

39. 1968 to now, in pro tennis OPEN ERA
In the sport of tennis, the Grand Slam tournaments were opened up to professional players, and not just amateurs, in 1968. So, the period since 1968 has been called “The Open Era”.

43. Drummer’s joke punctuation RIMSHOT
A rimshot is a sound made when a drummer hits the head of a drum and the rim at the same time. It’s a sound often used by comics to help punctuate a gag.

49. Author Blyton ENID
Enid Blyton wrote stories for children that were very popular when I was growing up in the British Isles. Not so long ago I purchased and reread my favorite of her stories growing up, a children’s novel called “The Secret Island”.

51. Me.-to-Fla. route US-ONE
US Route 1 runs from Fort Kent in Maine right down to Key West in Florida.

52. 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.

56. Channel with numerous sister channels ESPN
ESPN is the Entertainment Sports Programming Network, a cable network that broadcasts sports programming 24 hours a day. ESPN was launched back in 1979.

60. “Woe __”: 1996 grammar book IS I
Patricia O’Conner has written five books about the English language, including “Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English”. What a great subject for a book! I need to buy it for my kids (and probably should take a peek myself) …

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For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Like many knock-knock jokes CORNY
6. Fit together, as some Russian dolls NEST
10. Commando ploy RAID
14. Square measures AREAS
15. Pledge OATH
16. Magazine with annual Style Awards ELLE
17. Impressionist who was frequently a guest of Johnny Carson RICH LITTLE (with sides of “RICE”)
19. Ink stain BLOT
20. Quite a while AGES
21. Org. with Wizards and Magic NBA
22. Hard-to-hit pitch CURVE
23. __ tai MAI
24. Greek gatherings? FRAT PARTIES (with sides of “FRIES”)
27. Cleared (out) EMPTIED
29. Clearasil shelfmate OXY
30. Be in session SIT
31. Less-filling brews LITES
32. Phoenix-to-Albuquerque dir. ENE
33. Movie backdrops SETS
34. Statute that protects source confidentiality in journalism SHIELD LAW (with sides of “SLAW”)
38. Column on a decision maker’s list CONS
41. Govt. stipend SSI
42. Gem weight CARAT
46. Copy APE
47. Health club SPA
48. Golfer’s booking TEE TIME
50. Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly BEAUTY ICONS (with sides of “BEANS”)
53. “Holy cow!” MAN!
54. On edge ANTSY
55. Jackie’s second ARI
56. Founded: Abbr. ESTD
57. City near Tahoe RENO
58. Menu listing literally represented by this puzzle’s circles SIDE DISHES
61. “Dancing With the Stars” co-host Andrews ERIN
62. Tan shade ECRU
63. Teapot part SPOUT
64. Viewpoint TAKE
65. Show sorrow or joy WEEP
66. “101” class, briefly INTRO

Down
1. Snickers ingredient CARAMEL
2. Paper work? ORIGAMI
3. Exchange need RECEIPT
4. Slangy turndowns NAHS
5. Paris fashion monogram YSL
6. “Pretty good!” NOT BAD!
7. Frequent, as a diner EAT AT
8. Mo. town STL
9. With 25-Down, what America is across, to Brits THE …
10. Contradict in court REBUT
11. Court order? ALL RISE
12. “This is awesome!” I LOVE IT!
13. Loathes DETESTS
18. Memo starter IN RE
22. Show sorrow or joy CRY
24. Bass, e.g. FISH
25. See 9-Down … POND
26. Jump on ice AXEL
28. Hardy title teenager TESS
32. Yalie ELI
33. Hit SWAT
35. Road trip guessing game I SPY
36. Morales of “NYPD Blue” ESAI
37. Air Force heroes ACES
38. Musical with nightclub scenes CABARET
39. 1968 to now, in pro tennis OPEN ERA
40. Fastidious sort NEATNIK
43. Drummer’s joke punctuation RIMSHOT
44. Hobbyist AMATEUR
45. Sees after TENDS TO
47. Muddy digs STY
48. Ripped to shreds TORE UP
49. Author Blyton ENID
51. Me.-to-Fla. route US-ONE
52. Core group CADRE
56. Channel with numerous sister channels ESPN
58. Patch, perhaps SEW
59. Diamonds, slangily ICE
60. “Woe __”: 1996 grammar book IS I

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