LA Times Crossword 20 Apr 20, Monday

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Constructed by: Joe Kidd
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Mad Scramble

Themed answers each include the letter sequence “MAD”, but with the order SCRAMBLED:

  • 59A Frantic rush, or a hint to each set of circles : MAD SCRAMBLE
  • 17A Like a versatile wardrobe : MIX AND MATCH
  • 28A Partner for the big high school dance : PROM DATE
  • 35A Seafood-based party bowlful : CLAM DIP
  • 38A Chess game blunder : BAD MOVE
  • 48A Dined : HAD A MEAL

Bill’s time: 5m 41s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 Ancient Roman orator : CICERO

Cicero was a very influential senator in ancient Rome,in part due to his renowned ability to deliver a persuasive speech. His full name was Marcus Tullius Cicero.

15 “The old-fashioned way” to make money, in an old ad : EARN IT

Even though actor John Houseman was Romanian-born, he was noted on American screens for his distinctive voice and British accent. This was because he was educated in England, before emigrating to the US in 1925. Houseman’s best-known role was playing Professor Charles W. Kingsfield in the 1973 film “The Paper Chase”, and in the movie’s 1978 TV adaptation. He was also quite famous for appearing in TV ads for the brokerage firm Smith Barney, in which he uttered the catchphrase “They make money the old fashioned way… they earn it”.

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16 Hawaiian welcome : LEI

“Lei” is a Hawaiian word meaning “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a lei is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.

20 Mark of Zorro : ZEE

The character Zorro was created by Johnston McCulley in 1919 for a series of stories and pulp fiction, the first title being “The Curse of Capistrano”. The name “Zorro” (Spanish for “fox”) is the secret identity of a Spanish colonial nobleman called Don Diego de la Vega. Famously, Zorro had the habit of carving the letter Z on some object after defeating a foe.

23 Sub detection device : SONAR

The British developed the first underwater detection system that used sound waves. Research was driven by defence demands during WWI, leading to production of working units in 1922. This new sound detection system was described as using “supersonics”, but for the purpose of secrecy the term was dropped in favor of an acronym. The work was done under the auspices of the Royal Navy’s Anti-Submarine Division, so ASD was combined with the “IC” from “superson-ic-s” to create the name ASDIC. The navy even went as far as renaming the quartz material at the heart of the technology “ASDivite”. By the time WWII came along, the Americans were producing their own systems and coined the term SONAR, playing off the related application, RADAR. And so, the name ASDIC was deep-sixed …

27 The “E” in Q.E.D. : ERAT

The initialism “QED” is used at the end of a mathematical proof or a philosophical argument. QED stands for the Latin “quod erat demonstrandum” meaning “that which was to be demonstrated”.

28 Partner for the big high school dance : PROM DATE

A prom is a formal dance held upon graduation from high school (we call them just “formals” over in Ireland). The term “prom” is short for promenade, the name given to a type of dance or ball.

44 Geese flight formation : VEE

Apparently, birds that fly in a V-formation do so for a couple of reasons. One is that it makes for efficient flight and conserves energy. The leading bird gets no advantage, but every following bird gets to “slipstream” a little. It has been noted that the lead bird drops to the back of the formation when he/she gets fatigued. It’s also thought that the flock can stick together more easily when in formation, so it is more difficult to lose someone along the way.

45 Alabama seaport : MOBILE

Mobile, Alabama was founded in 1702, and the first capital of French Colonial Louisiana. The city takes its name from the Mobilian tribe of Native Americans who lived in that area.

51 2010 Apple debut : IPAD

The groundbreaking iPad was introduced by Apple in 2010. The iOS-based iPads dominated the market for tablet computers until 2013, when Android-based tablets (manufactured by several companies) took over the number-one spot.

57 Bikini top : BRA

The origin of the word “bikini”, describing a type of bathing suit, seems very uncertain. My favorite story is that it is named after the Bikini Atoll, site of American A-bomb tests in the forties and fifties. The name “bikini” was chosen for the swim-wear because of the “explosive” effect it had on men who saw a woman wearing the garment!

66 Fairway club : IRON

The “fairway” is bounded by the “rough”, on a golf course.

Down

2 Sushi tuna : AHI

Yellowfin and bigeye tuna are usually marketed as “ahi”, the Hawaiian name. They are both big fish, with yellowfish tuna often weighing over 300 pounds, and bigeye tuna getting up to 400 pounds.

3 Quaint curse : POX

A pox is any of the diseases that produces “pocks” on the skin, eruptive pustules. The pox might perhaps be smallpox or chickenpox. When cursing someone by saying “a pox on you”, the reference is to the “great pox”, namely syphilis.

4 Captain Marvel’s magic word : SHAZAM

“Shazam” is a word that was coined in the “Captain Marvel” comics in 1940. Billy Batson is a boy who can transform himself into the superhero Captain Marvel (aka “Shazam”) by speaking the magic word “Shazam”. “Shazam” is actually an acronym standing for “Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury”.

6 Beatles’ “__ the Walrus” : I AM

“I Am the Walrus” is a Beatles song released in 1967. It was written by John Lennon, with the “Walrus” being a reference to the poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter” from Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking-Glass”.

9 Puerto __ : RICO

Puerto Rico (PR) is located in the northeastern Caribbean (in the Atlantic Ocean), east of the Dominican Republic. The name “Puerto Rico” is Spanish for “rich port”. The locals often call their island Borinquen, the Spanish form of “Boriken”, the original name used by the natives.

10 Roman emperor for three months : OTHO

Otho was Emperor of Rome for only three months, before he committed suicide.

11 Physicist Einstein : ALBERT

After Albert Einstein moved to the US in 1933, he became quite a celebrity and his face was readily recognizable. Einstein was frequently stopped in the street by people who would naively ask him if he could explain what “that theory” (i.e. the theory of relativity) was all about. Growing tired of this, he finally learned to tell people that he was sorry, but folks were constantly mistaking him for Albert Einstein!

22 Reason-based faith : DEISM

Deism (from the Latin “deus” meaning god) is the belief that a supreme being created the universe, a belief based on observation and reason and without the need for faith. Further, a deist does not accept divine intervention and rather believes that the supreme being, having created the universe, leaves the world to its own devices.

23 Blueprint detail, briefly : SPEC

Blueprints are reproductions of technical or architectural drawings that are contact prints made on light-sensitive sheets. Blueprints were introduced in the 1800s and the technology available dictated that the drawings were reproduced with white lines on a blue background, hence the name “blue-print”.

25 Romance writer Roberts : NORA

Nora Roberts is a very successful author who has written over 165 romance novels. Roberts is published under a number of pen names, i.e. J.D. Robb, Jill March and Sarah Hardesty.

26 R.E.M. frontman Michael : STIPE

Michael Stipe was lead vocalist for the band R.E.M. from 1980 through 2011. Stipe is also active in the film industry. He served as an executive producer on the films “Being John Malkovich” and “Man on the Moon”.

30 Three-legged piano : GRAND

A grand piano is one with the frame supported horizontally on three legs. An upright piano has the frame and strings running vertically. Grand pianos come in many sizes. For example, the length of a concert grand is about 9 feet, a parlor grand is about 7 feet, and a baby grand is about 5 feet.

31 Color of Hester Prynne’s “A” : RED

The main character in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel “The Scarlet Letter” is Hester Prynne. After the birth of her illegitimate daughter Pearl, she is convicted by her puritanical neighbors of the crime of adultery. Hester is forced to wear a scarlet “A” (for “adultery”) on her clothing for the rest of her life, hence the novel’s title “The Scarlet Letter”.

34 WWII naval threat : U-BOAT

The term “U-boat” comes from the German word “Unterseeboot” (undersea boat). U-boats were primarily used in WWII to enforce a blockade against enemy commercial shipping, with a main objective being to cut off the supplies being transported to Britain from the British colonies and the US. The epic fight for control of the supply routes became known as the Battle of the Atlantic.

36 Crete’s highest pt. : MT IDA

There are two peaks called Mount Ida that are sacred according to Greek mythology. Mount Ida in Crete is the island’s highest point, and is where one can find the cave in which Zeus was reared. Mount Ida in Asia Minor (located in modern-day Turkey) is where Ganymede was swept up by Zeus in the form of an eagle that took him to Olympus where he served as cupbearer to the gods.

37 UPS competitor : DHL

Back in the sixties, Larry Hillblom was making pocket money as a Berkeley law student by doing courier runs between San Francisco and Los Angeles. After law school, Hillblom decided to parlay his experience into his own business and set up a courier service flying bills of lading ahead of freight from San Francisco to Honolulu. He brought in two buddies, Adrian Dalsey and Robert Lynn, as partners and the three were soon hopping on and off commercial flights and gradually making more and more money. And DHL was born … D (for Dalsey) H (for Hillblom) L (for Lynn). DHL was acquired by Germany’s Deutsche Post in 2002.

40 __ marsala: Italian restaurant choice : VEAL

Veal Marsala is a French-Italian dish made from veal cooked with mushrooms in Marsala wine.

41 Sniggler’s catch : EELS

A sniggler is a person who angles for eels (also called an “eeler”). The term “sniggler” comes from “snig”, a young eel, which in turn is probably related to Old English “snegge” meaning “snail”.

45 Desert illusion : MIRAGE

A mirage occurs when light rays are bent by passing say from cold air to warmer air. The most often cited mirage is a “lake” seen in a desert, which is actually the blue of the sky and not water at all. The word “mirage” comes to us via French from the Latin “mirare” meaning “to look at in wonder”. “Mirage” has the same root as our words “admire” and “mirror”.

49 Taj Mahal city : AGRA

The most famous mausoleum in the world has to be the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The Taj Mahal was built after the death of the fourth wife of Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal (hence the name of the mausoleum). The poor woman died in childbirth delivering the couple’s 14th child. When Shah Jahan himself passed away 35 years later, he was buried beside his wife Mumtaz, in the Taj Mahal.

50 Great Lakes natives for whom an Ohio county is named : MIAMIS

The Miami Native-American nation lived in what is now Indiana, western Ohio and southwest Michigan. The Miami were moved by the US government in the 1840s to reservations in Kansas and then Oklahoma. Today, the federal government recognizes the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, but not the Miami Tribe of Indiana.

55 Irreverent Don of talk radio : IMUS

Don Imus’s syndicated radio show “Imus in the Morning” used to broadcast from New York City. Imus has been described as a “shock jock”, a disc jockey who deliberately uses provocative language and humor that many would find offensive . I’m not a big fan of shock jocks …

56 Turnpike division : LANE

Back in the 15th century, a turnpike (tpk.) was a defensive barrier across a road. By the 17th century the term was used for a barrier that stopped travelers until a toll was paid. By the 18th century a turnpike was the name given to a road with a toll.

60 Tax whiz, briefly : CPA

Certified public accountant (CPA)

62 Online “Ha-ha!” : LOL!

Laugh out loud (LOL)

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Open spaces : GAPS
5 Ancient Roman orator : CICERO
11 Tablet download : APP
14 “This doesn’t look good!” : UH-OH!
15 “The old-fashioned way” to make money, in an old ad : EARN IT
16 Hawaiian welcome : LEI
17 Like a versatile wardrobe : MIX AND MATCH
19 Implore : BEG
20 Mark of Zorro : ZEE
21 Gloomy thinkers : BROODERS
23 Sub detection device : SONAR
26 Devious : SLY
27 The “E” in Q.E.D. : ERAT
28 Partner for the big high school dance : PROM DATE
30 Full of pluck : GRITTY
32 Place for a bud or a plug : EAR
33 Solves, with “out” : FIGURES …
35 Seafood-based party bowlful : CLAM DIP
38 Chess game blunder : BAD MOVE
42 Hastily donned : THREW ON
44 Geese flight formation : VEE
45 Alabama seaport : MOBILE
48 Dined : HAD A MEAL
51 2010 Apple debut : IPAD
52 Butter serving : PAT
53 Young women : GIRLS
54 Sell for : RETAIL AT
57 Bikini top : BRA
58 Little hill crawler : ANT
59 Frantic rush, or a hint to each set of circles : MAD SCRAMBLE
64 Hair-stiffening stuff : GEL
65 Not ready to eat, as fruit : UNRIPE
66 Fairway club : IRON
67 Before, in verse : ERE
68 Up-and-down playground fixture : SEESAW
69 Auction-ending word : SOLD!

Down

1 Chewing __ : GUM
2 Sushi tuna : AHI
3 Quaint curse : POX
4 Captain Marvel’s magic word : SHAZAM
5 Formally hand over : CEDE
6 Beatles’ “__ the Walrus” : I AM
7 Seafood item needing to be cracked : CRAB LEG
8 Way to get in : ENTRY
9 Puerto __ : RICO
10 Roman emperor for three months : OTHO
11 Physicist Einstein : ALBERT
12 View with interest : PEER AT
13 Pen for porkers : PIGSTY
18 Unhip type : NERD
22 Reason-based faith : DEISM
23 Blueprint detail, briefly : SPEC
24 Daunting exam : ORAL
25 Romance writer Roberts : NORA
26 R.E.M. frontman Michael : STIPE
29 Blazing : AFIRE
30 Three-legged piano : GRAND
31 Color of Hester Prynne’s “A” : RED
34 WWII naval threat : U-BOAT
36 Crete’s highest pt. : MT IDA
37 UPS competitor : DHL
39 Mind-matter link : OVER
40 __ marsala: Italian restaurant choice : VEAL
41 Sniggler’s catch : EELS
43 Doodad : WHATSIS
45 Desert illusion : MIRAGE
46 First game in a series : OPENER
47 War movie scene : BATTLE
49 Taj Mahal city : AGRA
50 Great Lakes natives for whom an Ohio county is named : MIAMIS
52 Mission priest : PADRE
55 Irreverent Don of talk radio : IMUS
56 Turnpike division : LANE
57 Make, as tea : BREW
60 Tax whiz, briefly : CPA
61 Sis’ sib : BRO
62 Online “Ha-ha!” : LOL!
63 Come to a close : END