LA Times Crossword Answers 22 Jun 2018, Friday

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Constructed by: Jeffrey Wechsler
Edited by: Rich Norris

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Today’s Reveal Answer: Getting One’s Ducks in a Row

Themed answers are all need the word DUCK added to make sense. And, all of those themed answer are grouped into three ROWS in the grid:

  • 59A. With 69-Across, organizational process implied by eight answers in this puzzle : GETTING ONE’S DUCKS …
  • 69A. See 59-Across : … IN A ROW
  • 1A. *Sparkling wine : COLD DUCK
  • 5A. *Classic Chinese dish : PEKING DUCK
  • 11A. *Defeated incumbent : LAME DUCK
  • 27A. *Toon with a speech problem : DAFFY DUCK
  • 30A. *Goner : DEAD DUCK
  • 34A. *Charmed one : LUCKY DUCK
  • 46A. *Bath toy : RUBBER DUCK
  • 48A. *Fictional uncle of triplets : DONALD DUCK

Bill’s time: 9m 43s

Bill’s errors: 0

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Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1. *Sparkling wine : COLD DUCK

Cold Duck is a brand of sparkling wine that was developed in Detroit in 1937. The original recipe was based on a German legend that involved the mixing of the dregs of unfinished wine bottle with Champagne. As such, today’s Cold Duck is usually a mix of one part Mosel wine, one part Rhine wine, one part Champagne along with a little seasoning. The wine from the legend was given the German name “Kaltes Ende” (cold end), but this evolved into the similarly sounding “Kalte Ente” that translates as “Cold Duck”.

5. *Classic Chinese dish : PEKING DUCK

Peking duck is a traditional dish from Beijing. The duck that is served is mainly the skin, skin that has been made very crispy by roasting. In order to get the skin easily away from the meat, after the duck is slaughtered, air is pumped under the skin to separate it from the underlying fat. Sounds very appetizing …

11. *Defeated incumbent : LAME DUCK

The original usage of the term “lame duck” was on the London Stock Exchange where it referred to a broker who could not honor his debts. The idea was that a lame duck could not keep up with the rest of the flock and so was a target for predators. A lame duck in the world of politics is an incumbent who is nearing the end of his or her term, and who is deemed to have reduced influence as a result.

15. Trendy berry : ACAI

Açaí (pronounced “ass-aye-ee”) is a palm tree native to Central and South America. The fruit has become very popular in recent years and its juice is a very fashionable addition to juice mixes and smoothies.

18. Fillmore’s party : WHIG

The Whig Party (in the US) was active from 1833 to 1856, and was the opposition party to the Democrats at that time. One of the tenets of the Whig Party was the supremacy of Congress over the Executive branch. Prominent members of the party included Presidents Zachary Taylor and John Tyler. Abraham Lincoln was also a Whig while he served a two-year term as a US Representative for the state of Illinois. By the time he became President, Lincoln was a member of the Republican Party.

Vice President Millard Fillmore took over the US Presidency when Zachary Taylor died after only 16 months in office. Fillmore was born in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, but grew up around Buffalo. He was one of the founders of the University of Buffalo and served as chancellor there after he left office in 1853. He was also the last Whig to occupy the White House, as the party broke up after Fillmore’s presidency.

19. Hyundai sedan : SONATA

The Sonata is one of Hyundai’s most successful models, having been introduced in 1985 and still being sold today. The original model didn’t make it to the North American market as it had problems meeting emission standards. The first Sonatas hit this side of the Pacific in 1988, and were assembled in Bromont, Quebec.

20. Tide table term : 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.

21. Browning works : SONNETS

Elizabeth Barrett was a very popular poet in England in the mid-1800s. The successful poet and playwright Robert Browning was an admirer of her work, and wrote to her saying so. The two met, and began a famous courtship that led to a secret marriage that they had to hide from Elizabeth’s father.

23. Pizzeria jarful : OREGANO

Oregano is a perennial herb that is in the mint family. Also known as wild marjoram, oregano is very much associated with the cuisine of southern Italy. Oregano’s popularity surged in the US when soldiers returning from WWII in Europe brought with them an affinity for what they called “the pizza herb”.

25. Martinique, e.g. : ILE

The island (“île”)of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean is actually a part of France, and is referred to as an “overseas department”. As such, Martinique is part of the European Union and even uses the euro as its currency. The island is fully represented in the French National Assembly and Senate, just like any department within France. It’s sort of like the status of Hawaii within the US.

27. *Toon with a speech problem : DAFFY DUCK

Daffy Duck first appeared on the screen in “Porky’s Duck Hunt” in 1937. In the original cartoon, Daffy was just meant to have a small role, but he was a big hit as he had so much sass. Even back then, Daffy was voiced by the ubiquitous Mel Blanc.

38. Former Half.com owner : EBAY

Half.com is an eBay company that allows sellers to offer items at fixed prices to potential buyers. Soon after its founding in 1999, the company made a deal with the town of Halfway, Oregon to change its name to Halfway.com for twelve months as part of an advertising campaign.

41. Second start? : NANO-

The prefix “nano-” is used for units of one thousand-millionth part. “Nano-” comes from the Greek “nanos” meaning “dwarf”.

42. Home security giant : ADT

ADT is a home and small-business security company based in Boca Raton, Florida. The company was founded back in 1874 by Edward Calahan. Calahan had invented the stock ticker several years earlier, and ran the Gold and Stock Telegraph Company. Calahan was awoken one morning by the sound of a burglar in his house, and so he decided to develop a telegraph-based security alarm system. The success of the system led to the founding of American District Telegraph, later known as ADT.

45. Just issued, in Innsbruck : NEU

“Neu” is the German word for “new”.

Innsbruck is the capital city of the Austrian state of Tyrol. Located in the Alps, Innsbruck is a famous center for winter sports and has hosted two Winter Olympic Games, in 1964 and 1976. The name “Innsbruck” translates as “Inn bridge”, with the Inn being the river on which the city is built.

48. *Fictional uncle of triplets : DONALD DUCK

Donald Duck was created in 1934 by Walt Disney Productions, and first appeared in “The Wise Little Hen” in 1934. Donald’s full name is Donald Fauntleroy Duck.

50. Swung about : SLUED

“To slue” (also “slew) is to turn sharply, or to rotate on an axis.

55. Iberian Peninsula city : PORTO

Portugal’s city of Oporto (“Porto” in Portuguese) gave its name to port wine in the late 1600s. Oporto was the seaport through which most of the region’s fortified red wine was exported.

The Iberian Peninsula in Europe is largely made up of Spain and Portugal. However, also included is the Principality of Andorra in the Pyrénées, a small part of the south of France, and the British Territory of Gibraltar. Iberia takes its name from the Ebro, the longest river in Spain, which the Romans named the “Iber”.

65. Either of two Monopoly sqs. : UTIL

In most versions of the board game Monopoly, the two utilities are Water Works and Electric Company.

66. Like boxers : CANINE

The boxer breed of dog (one of my favorites!) originated in Germany. My first dog was a boxer/Labrador mix, a beautiful combination. Our current family dog is a boxer/pug mix, and is another gorgeous animal.

67. Parrilla of “Once Upon a Time” : LANA

Actress Lana Parrilla is perhaps best known for her appearances in TV series. One of her earliest roles was Angie Ordonez in “Spin City”. More recently, Parrilla has been playing Evil Queen Regina in the fantasy drama show “Once Upon a Time”. Lana’s Dad Sam Parrilla played professional baseball, including a season with the Philadelphia Phillies.

68. Debussy subject : LUNE

“Clair de lune” is the beautiful third movement from Claude Debussy’s piano work called the “Suite bergamasque”. “Clair de lune” is French for “moonlight”.

Claude Debussy is one of my favorite composers, and someone who epitomises the Romantic Era and Impressionist Movement in music. One of my favorite CDs is a collection of some “lighter” Debussy pieces called “Debussy for Daydreaming”, and what an evocative collection it is. Included are “Syrinx”, “Maid with the Flaxen Hair”, “Rêverie” and everyone’s favorite, “Clair de Lune”.

72. Lawgivers : SOLONS

Solon was an Athenian statesman and lawmaker in Ancient Greece. He gave his name to our contemporary word “solon” meaning “a wise lawmaker”.

73. Son of Eve : SETH

According to the Bible, Adam and Eve had several children, although only the first three are mentioned by name: Cain, Abel and Seth.

Down

2. Tres y cinco : OCHO

In Spanish, “tres y cinco” (three plus five) is “ocho” (eight).

6. Son of 73-Across : ENOS
(73. Son of Eve : SETH)

Enos was the son of Seth, and therefore the grandson of Adam and Eve. According to the ancient Jewish work called the Book of Jubilees, Enos married his own sister Noam.

8. Bread’s “Baby __ Want You” : I’M-A

“Baby I’m-a Want You” is a charming 1971 song by the band Bread. It was written by the band’s lead singer David Gates.

Bread was a soft rock band from Los Angeles that was at the height of its success in the seventies. Bread’s string of hits includes “It Don’t Matter to Me”, “If”, Baby I’m-a Want You”, Everything I Own”, “The Guitar Man” and “Aubrey”. The band’s name was chosen by two of the founding members in 1968, after they pulled up behind a bread van at a stoplight.

9. Org. led by Jens Stoltenberg : NATO

Jens Stoltenberg became Secretary General of NATO in 2014, after having served two terms as Prime Minister of Norway.

14. Hockey’s Phil, to fans : ESPO

Phil “Espo” Esposito is a former professional hockey player who played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.

22. Historic Nevada city : ELY

Ely is a city in eastern Nevada. The city was founded as a Pony Express stagecoach station, and then experienced a mining boom after copper was discovered locally in 1906. One of Ely’s former residents was First Lady Pat Nixon, who was born there in 1912.

24. Sushi roll fish : EEL

Sushi is a Japanese dish that has as its primary ingredient cooked, vinegared rice. The rice is usually topped with something, most often fish, and can be served in seaweed rolls. If we want raw fish by itself, then we have to order “sashimi”.

28. Former “Idol” judge : ABDUL

Paula Abdul is primarily a singer and dancer, and someone who endeared herself even more to the American public in recent years as a judge on “American Idol”. Abdul had a famous husband for a couple of years, as she was married to actor Emilio Estevez from 1992-94.

Fox’s “American Idol” is a spin-off show that was created after the amazing success of the British television show “Pop Idol”. Neither program(me) would be my cup of tea …

30. JFK or LBJ : DEM

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) was the son of Joe Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald, hence the president’s double-barreled name.

Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) was born in Stonewall, Texas to Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines.

31. Chemical suffix : -ENE

In organic chemistry, the three basic classes of hydrocarbons are alkanes, alkenes and alkynes. Three of the simplest members of these classes are ethane, ethene (commonly called “ethylene”), and ethyne (commonly called “acetylene”).

35. Pet bird’s home : CANARY CAGE

What we now know as the domestic canary was first brought to Europe from Macaronesia, off the coast of Africa, by Spanish sailors in the 1600s. Macaronesia is a collection of four archipelagos that includes the Canary Islands. The name of the islands comes from the Latin “Insula Canaria” meaning “island of dogs”, a reference to the many large dogs found locally. So, the canary bird is named for the Canary Islands, which are named for dogs.

39. German article : DER

The definite article in German is der, die or das, for masculine, feminine and neuter nouns. The indefinite article is ein, eine or ein, again depending on the gender of the noun. A further complication, relative to English, is that the masculine form (and only the masculine form) of the article changes when used in the accusative case, when used with the object of a sentence. The accusative forms are “den” and “einen”.

43. __-wip : REDDI

Reddi-wip is a brand of sweetened whip cream that comes out of a pressurized can. The propellant used in the can is nitrous oxide, also called “laughing gas”, which is the same gas used by dentists as an anesthetic.

47. ’60s pop group : BEATLES

The Beatles arrived in the US for their first tour in February 1964, arriving at John F. Kennedy Airport to a very, very warm reception. The group’s arrival was the first “action” in what came to be known as “the British Invasion”.

51. 2010s Colts head coach Chuck : PAGANO

Chuck Pagano is a former NFL coach. Pagano was appointed head coach for the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, and almost immediately had to take a leave of absence when he was diagnosed with a form of leukemia. While Pagano was undergoing that treatment, over twenty Colts’ players and two Colts’ cheerleaders shaved their heads in support of their relatively new coach. Thankfully, the cancer went into remission soon after the treatment. Pagano was fired by the Colts in 2017.

53. Hathaway’s “The Intern” co-star : DE NIRO

“The Intern” is an entertaining comedy released in 2015 starring Robert De Niro in the title role, a 70-year-old retired executive who joins a senior citizen intern program. De Niro’s young boss is played by Anne Hathaway. The initial plan had been to cast Michael Caine and Tina Fey as leads, but things worked out just fine with the “replacements”, I’d say …

60. Notions case : ETUI

An etui is an ornamental case used to hold small items, in particular sewing needles. We imported both the case design and the word “etui” from France. The French also have a modern usage of “etui”, using the term to depict a case for carrying CDs.

Notions are miscellaneous items, especially the likes of needles, buttons and thread.

61. CBS maritime drama : NCIS

NCIS is the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigates crimes in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The service gives its name to the CBS TV show “NCIS”, a spin-off drama from “JAG” in which the main “NCIS” characters were first introduced. The big star in “NCIS” is the actor Mark Harmon. “NCIS” is now a franchise, with spin-off shows “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “NCIS: New Orleans”.

63. Celtic __ : KNOT

Celtic knots are stylized representations of knots that often feature in Celtic art. It’s difficult to walk down any road in Ireland without “tripping over” a Celtic knot.

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Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1. *Sparkling wine : COLD DUCK
5. *Classic Chinese dish : PEKING DUCK
11. *Defeated incumbent : LAME DUCK
15. Trendy berry : ACAI
16. Critter : ANIMAL
17. Natural resources : ORES
18. Fillmore’s party : WHIG
19. Hyundai sedan : SONATA
20. Tide table term : NEAP
21. Browning works : SONNETS
23. Pizzeria jarful : OREGANO
25. Martinique, e.g. : ILE
26. Always, in 21-Across : E’ER
27. *Toon with a speech problem : DAFFY DUCK
30. *Goner : DEAD DUCK
34. *Charmed one : LUCKY DUCK
38. Former Half.com owner : EBAY
39. “Not guilty,” e.g. : DENIAL
41. Second start? : NANO-
42. Home security giant : ADT
43. Take into account : REMEMBER
45. Just issued, in Innsbruck : NEU
46. *Bath toy : RUBBER DUCK
48. *Fictional uncle of triplets : DONALD DUCK
50. Swung about : SLUED
51. Places for notes : PADS
55. Iberian Peninsula city : PORTO
56. Blue : SAD
57. Fit to __ : A TEE
58. Mock conclusion? : -ERY
59. With 69-Across, organizational process implied by eight answers in this puzzle : GETTING ONE’S DUCKS …
65. Either of two Monopoly sqs. : UTIL
66. Like boxers : CANINE
67. Parrilla of “Once Upon a Time” : LANA
68. Debussy subject : LUNE
69. See 59-Across : … IN A ROW
70. Self-images : EGOS
71. Overdoes it, with “out” : PIGS …
72. Lawgivers : SOLONS
73. Son of Eve : SETH

Down

1. Cornfield calls : CAWS
2. Tres y cinco : OCHO
3. Placed : LAIN
4. Give due respect : DIGNIFY
5. Scrapbooker’s supply : PASTE
6. Son of 73-Across : ENOS
7. Holiday guests, often : KIN
8. Bread’s “Baby __ Want You” : I’M-A
9. Org. led by Jens Stoltenberg : NATO
10. Driving hazard : GLARE
11. Broadway producer’s desire : LONG RUN
12. Region : AREA
13. Nasty : MEAN
14. Hockey’s Phil, to fans : ESPO
22. Historic Nevada city : ELY
24. Sushi roll fish : EEL
27. Darlings : DEARS
28. Former “Idol” judge : ABDUL
29. Adjective in some diet ads : FAT-BUSTING
30. JFK or LBJ : DEM
31. Chemical suffix : -ENE
32. Intention : AIM
33. Apply carefully : DAB
35. Pet bird’s home : CANARY CAGE
36. Lowered oneself? : KNELT
37. “Really?” : YOU DO?
39. German article : DER
40. Was first : LED
43. __-wip : REDDI
44. Cordoned (off) : ROPED
47. ’60s pop group : BEATLES
49. Free-for-all situation : NO RULES
51. 2010s Colts head coach Chuck : PAGANO
52. Without a key : ATONAL
53. Hathaway’s “The Intern” co-star : DE NIRO
54. “As __ TV” : SEEN ON
59. [Yikes!] : GULP!
60. Notions case : ETUI
61. CBS maritime drama : NCIS
62. Finishes (up) : SEWS
63. Celtic __ : KNOT
64. Merit badge site : SASH

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