LA Times Crossword 16 Apr 24, Tuesday

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Constructed by: Ricky Sirois
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer(s): Split the Check

Themed answers each include the letters “CHECK”, SPLIT between the beginning and end:

• 31A With 41- and 45-Across, go Dutch, or what the answers to the starred clues do? : SPLIT …
• 41A See 31-Across : … THE …
• 45A See 31-Across : … CHECK

• 18A *Game timer that may implement the Fischer method : CHESS CLOCK
• 24A *Choose selectively : CHERRY-PICK
• 52A *Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band with the hit “The Flame” : CHEAP TRICK
• 61A *Silverado, for one : CHEVY TRUCK

Read on, or jump to …
… a complete list of answers

Bill’s time: 6m 01s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

5 NYC cultural institution redesigned by architect Yoshio Taniguchi : MOMA

The founding of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City was very much driven by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, wife of John D. Rockefeller. Working with two friends, Abby managed to get the museum opened in 1929, just nine days after the Wall Street Crash. The MoMA’s sculpture garden bears the name of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and has done so since 1949.

Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi is perhaps best known in North America for renovating and redesigning the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, a project completed in 2004. Back in Japan, Taniguchi is best known for designing several art galleries and museums.

9 Made fun of : JAPED

“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-1600s, “to jape” was a slang term meaning “to have sex with”. No joke …!

14 Dance for seniors : PROM

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

18 *Game timer that may implement the Fischer method : CHESS CLOCK

A chess clock comprises two countdown clocks, sitting side-by-side. Buttons on the top of the device start one clock, while stopping the other. The idea is to track the total time used by each of two players, ensuring that neither one overly delays the game. A Fischer clock is a version of a chess clock that was patented by former world champion Bobby Fischer. The Fischer clock allocates a fixed time at the beginning of the game, and then adds a small amount of time after each move. This prevents the situation where one player becomes desperately short of time, giving him or her a “breather” after each move is made.

22 Acorn dropper : OAK

These days, we don’t usually consider acorns (the fruit of the oak tree) as a foodstuff. But in days past, many cultures around the world have used acorns as food. Usually, bitter tannins that occur in acorns need to be leached out in water. Acorn meal can be a substitute for grain flour, which can then be used to make bread. Acorns have also been used as a substitute for coffee, especially when coffee was rationed. Notably, acorn coffee was brewed up by Confederates during the American Civil War, and by Germans during World War II.

23 “Eureka!” : AHA!

“Eureka” translates from Greek as “I have found it”. The word is usually associated with Archimedes, uttered as he stepped into his bath one day. His discovery was that the volume of water that was displaced was equal to that of the object (presumably his foot) that had been submerged. He used this fact to determine volume (and density) of a crown, something he needed in order to determine if it was made of pure gold or was a forgery.

24 *Choose selectively : CHERRY-PICK

Cherry picking is a tactic used to support an argument in which favorable individual cases are cited as representative of all cases. Cherry picking attempts to bias an audience by focusing only on data that is supportive of an argument, while overlooking data that is non-supportive.

31 With 41- and 45-Across, go Dutch, or what the answers to the starred clues do? : SPLIT …
41 See 31-Across : … THE …
45 See 31-Across : … CHECK

A Dutch door has a top and a bottom equally divided in area. There is a suggestion that the term “go Dutch” originated with the Dutch door. The bill is “split”, and so are Dutch doors. That said, when people “go Dutch” they each pay for themselves, as opposed to even splitting the tab.

42 The “N” of USNA : NAVAL

The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is located in Annapolis, Maryland. It 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”.

43 River mammal : OTTER

Male and female otters are known as dogs and bitches, with the offspring called pups. Males and females are sometimes referred to as boars and sows. A collection of otters is a bevy, family, lodge or perhaps a romp. When in water, a collection of otters can be called a raft.

46 “No __, no fuss!” : MUSS

“Muss” means “state of disorder”, and is a term that probably evolved from “mess”. The phrase “no muss, no fuss” means “no bother, no mess made, no excessive hustle and bustle”.

52 *Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band with the hit “The Flame” : CHEAP TRICK

Cheap Trick is a rock band from Illinois that was formed in 1973. Such is the band’s popularity that the Illinois Senate in 2007 declared that April 1 every year would be Cheap Trick Day.

58 German pronoun : ICH

Ich is the German for “I”, as in “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am a Berliner), the famous words of support uttered by President John F. Kennedy (JFK) in 1963 in a speech in West Berlin.

60 Certain Honshu resident : OSAKAN

The Japanese city of Osaka used to be called Naniwa, with the name changing to Osaka sometime before 1500. “Osaka” can be translated either as “large hill” or “large slope”. Osaka is sometimes referred to as “the Chicago of Japan” as it is a major center of commerce and industry. The city has also been named the “nation’s kitchen”, and was a center for Japan’s rice trade for centuries.

Honshu is the largest island in Japan, and the seventh largest island in the world. The name “Honshu” translates as “Main Island”.

61 *Silverado, for one : CHEVY TRUCK

The Chevrolet Silverado range of trucks was introduced in 1999 as the successor to the C/K line marketed by Chevy from 1960 through 2002. The Silverado name had been used as the top trim level for the C/K line.

65 Actress Neuwirth : BEBE

Bebe Neuwirth is a wonderful actress and dancer who famously played Dr. Lilith Sternin, the wife of Dr. Frasier Crane on “Cheers” and “Frasier”. Neuwirth is a fabulous dancer, having studied ballet at Juilliard. In more recent years she has had starring roles on Broadway, and in 2010 played opposite Nathan Lane in “The Addams Family”. Neuwirth also played a leading role on the show “Madam Secretary”.

66 Oscar winner Firth : COLIN

Colin Firth is an English actor who came to prominence playing Mr Darcy in the fabulous television adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” that came out in 1995 (I cannot recommend that six-episode drama enough). More recently, Firth won the Best Actor Oscar for playing King George VI in “The King’s Speech”.

68 Flake (on) : BAIL

The phrase “to bail out” (sometimes just “to bail”) means to leave suddenly. We’ve been using the term since the early thirties, when it originated with airline pilots. To bail out is to make a parachute jump.

69 Colorado ski locale : ASPEN

Aspen, Colorado used to be known as Ute City, with the name change taking place in 1880. Like many communities in the area, Aspen was a mining town, and in 1891 and 1892 it was at the center of the highest production of silver in the US. Nowadays, it’s all about skiing and movie stars.

Down

3 Like the deities Odin and Freya : NORSE

The Norse goddess Freyja (also “Freya”) rules over Fólkvangr, a meadow that is the destination of half of those who die in battle. The other half go to Valhalla, the majestic hall presided over by the god Odin. The word “freyja” translates to “lady, mistress” in Old Norse.

5 Clan that feuded with the Hatfields : MCCOYS

The Hatfield and McCoy families of West Virginia and Kentucky were involved in a notorious feud that lasted from 1863 to 1891. The feud was somewhat resurrected in 1979 when representatives from both families appeared on the game show “Family Feud”. The McCoys came out ahead on TV and went home with over $11,000 and a pig.

7 “The Simpsons” tavern owner : MOE

The regulars on “The Simpsons” hang out at Moe’s Tavern, which is named for and run by Moe Szyslak. The most popular beer at Moe’s is Duff Beer. The name “Duff” is a reference to the real-life Duffy’s Tavern that used to be East 13th Street in Eugene, Oregon. “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening used to frequent Duffy’s regularly, and Moe’s looks very much like Duffy’s in terms of decor and floor plan.

9 Tire changer’s need : JACK

“Jack” is a nickname for “John”. Back in the 1500s, the term “jack” came to be used colloquially to describe any man of low status (as in “jack of all trades, master of none”). The usage was extended to describe any tool that saved work, perhaps replaced menial labor. By the end of the 1600s, the term “jack” became particularly associated with a portable device used to lift heavy weights using leverage.

12 __ Sketch: art toy : ETCH A

Etch A Sketch was introduced in 1960. The toy was developed in France by inventor André Cassagnes, who initially named it “L’Écran Magique” (The Magic Screen).

13 Capital of Senegal : DAKAR

The Republic of Senegal is a country on the far western coast of Africa. For many years Senegal was a French colony, gaining independence in 1960. The capital of Senegal is Dakar. Dakar is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, thus making it the westernmost capital on the African mainland.

19 Fifth Avenue retailer : SAKS

Fifth Avenue in New York City is sometimes referred to as the “most expensive street in the world”. The section that runs through Midtown Manhattan is home to upscale stores, such as Saks Fifth Avenue.

27 Egyptian soccer superstar Mohamed : SALAH

Mohamed Salah is a soccer player from Egypt who has played much of his professional career with European clubs. He joined Switzerland’s FC Basel in 2012, England’s Chelsea FC in 2014, Italy’s AS Roma in 2016, and England’s Liverpool FC in 2017. The Egyptian people are very proud of Salah, and call him the “Fourth Pyramid”.

30 Little needles in some medical tests : LANCETS

“Lancet” is another name for a scalpel. There’s a publication called “The Lancet”, which is possibly the world’s most respected medical journal. It is certainly the oldest, first published in 1823.

31 Hostess __ Balls : SNO

The Hostess cakes called Sno Balls are usually pink in color, although in its original form each packet of two cakes contained one white and one pink. Around Halloween you can buy Sno Balls in the form of Scary Cakes and Glo Balls that are colored orange and green. and on St. Paddy’s Day there’s a green one available. Yoo hoo!

36 Retro tint for photos : SEPIA

Sepia is that rich, brown-gray color so common in old photographs. “Sepia” is the Latinized version of the Greek word for cuttlefish, as sepia pigment is derived from the ink sac of the cuttlefish. Sepia ink was commonly used for writing and drawing as far back as ancient Rome and ancient Greece. The “sepia tone” of old photographs is not the result of deterioration over time. Rather, it is the result of a deliberate preservation process which converts the metallic silver in the photographic image to a more stable silver sulfide. Prints that have been sepia-toned can last in excess of 150 years.

38 Rug cleaner, for short : VAC

The first practical portable vacuum cleaner was invented by James Spangler in 1907. Spangler sold the patent for the design to his cousin’s husband, William Henry Hoover. Hoover then made his fortune from manufacturing and selling vacuum cleaners. Hoover was so successful in my part of the world that back in Ireland we don’t use the verb “to vacuum” and instead say “to hoover”. Also, “hoover” is what we call a vacuum cleaner, regardless of who makes it.

47 Glaswegian, e.g. : SCOT

Glasgow sits on the River Clyde, and is the largest city in Scotland and. Back in the Victorian Era, Glasgow earned a reputation for excellence in shipbuilding and was known as “Second City of the British Empire”. Glasgow shipyards were the birthplaces of such famous vessels as the Lusitania, the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth. People from Glasgow are known as Glaswegians.

50 Neopagan religion : WICCA

Wicca is a relatively new phenomenon. It is a Neopagan religion that developed in the twentieth century. Typically, followers of Wicca worship one goddess and one god, namely the Moon Goddess and the Horned God. A follower of Wicca is called a Wiccan or a Witch.

54 Religious leader in many a Chaim Potok novel : RABBI

Chaim Potok was a Jewish American author. Potok’s most famous novel is “The Chosen”, which recounts the life of a Jewish youth in New York City during WWII.

55 Furniture stores that sell meatballs : IKEAS

Every IKEA store features a restaurant that serves traditional Swedish food, including Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam. Each store also has a Swedish Food Market where customers can purchase specialty foods from Sweden.

59 Country singer Loretta : LYNN

Singer Loretta Lynn is sometimes referred to as the First Lady of Country Music. Lynn was born in 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner and his wife, and so famously is also referred to as “the Coal Miner’s Daughter”. Her much younger sister (by 19 years) is the singer Crystal Gayle.

63 Abu Dhabi’s fed. : UAE

Abu Dhabi is one of the seven Emirates that make up the federation known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two largest members of the UAE (geographically) are Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the only two of the seven members that have veto power over UAE policy. Before 1971, the UAE was a British Protectorate, a collection of sheikdoms. The sheikdoms entered into a maritime truce with Britain in 1835, after which they became known as the Trucial States, derived from the word “truce”.

64 Audit firm pro : CPA

Certified public accountant (CPA)