LA Times Crossword Answers 11 Jan 17, Wednesday










Constructed by: Robert E. Lee Morris

Edited by: Rich Norris

Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers

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Theme: Pun with Wages

Today’s themed answers are common phrases, clued “punnily” as though they refer to someone’s wages:

  • 16A. Newspaper reporter’s compensation? : DAILY BREAD
  • 38A. Chiropractor’s compensation? : BACK PAY
  • 61A. Comedian’s compensation? : FUNNY MONEY
  • 10D. Landscaper’s compensation? : HEDGE FUNDS
  • 27D. Domino’s delivery driver’s compensation? : PIZZA DOUGH

Bill’s time: 5m 16s

Bill’s errors: 0




Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies

Across

6. European cheese town : EDAM

Edam cheese takes its name from the Dutch town of Edam in North Holland. The cheese is famous for its coating of red paraffin wax, a layer of protection that helps Edam travel well and prevents spoiling. You might occasionally come across an Edam cheese that is coated in black wax. The black color indicates that the underlying cheese has been aged for a minimum of 17 weeks.

10. Puddle jumper trip : HOP

A puddle-jumper is a relatively small passenger plane used for traveling short distances.

14. ChapStick container : TUBE

ChapStick is a brand of lip balm produced by Pfizer, although it is so popular that the term tends to be used generically. ChapStick was invented way back in the 1880s by a Dr. Charles Browne Fleet in Lynchburg, Virginia.

22. “Wheel of Fortune” buy : AN E

Contestants have been spinning the “Wheel of Fortune” since the game show first aired in 1975.

25. Wise : SAPIENT

The literal translation of “Homo sapiens” from Latin is “wise or knowing man”. The Homo genus includes the species Homo sapiens (modern humans), but we’re the only species left in that genus. The last known species related to humans was Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthal Man) which died off about 24,000 years ago. However, another species was discovered in Indonesia in 2003 that has been dubbed Homo floresiensis (Flores Man … sometimes called “hobbit”), and it may possibly have lived as recently as 12,000 years ago. Watch this space …

29. DOJ bureau : ATF

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is today part of the Department of Justice (DOJ). The ATF has its roots in the Department of Treasury dating back to 1886 when it was known as the Bureau of Prohibition. “Explosives” was added to the ATF’s name when the bureau was moved under the Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of the reorganization called for in the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

31. Speaker’s spot : DAIS

Ultimately our word “dais”, meaning “raised platform for a speaker”, comes from the Latin “discus” meaning a “disk-shaped object”. I guess that the original daises had such a shape.

38. Chiropractor’s compensation? : BACK PAY

Chiropractic is a type of alternative medicine that largely involves the adjustment of the spinal column. The term was coined in the US in the late 1800s and comes the Latinized Greek “chiro-” meaning “hand” and “praktikos” meaning “practical”.

40. N.L. player whose home games include a Presidents Race : NAT

If you attend a Washington Nationals baseball game, held Nationals Park, you’ll see the Presidents Race in the middle of the fourth innings. Individuals dressed like six former US presidents, each sporting a large and cartoonish head, participate in the race. The runners in the footrace are:

  • George (Washington)
  • Abe (Lincoln)
  • Tom (Jefferson)
  • Teddy (Roosevelt)
  • Bill (Taft)
  • Calvin (Coolidge)
  • Herbie (Hoover)

44. Some prosecutors: Abbr. : ADAS

Assistant District Attorney (ADA)

45. “Selma” director DuVernay : AVA

Ava DuVernay is a filmmaker who became the first African American woman to win the Best Director Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, a feat she achieved in 2012 for her feature film “Middle of Nowhere”. “Middle of Nowhere” tells the story of a woman who drops out of medical school to focus on husband when he is sentenced to 8 years in prison. DuVernay also directed the 2014 film “Selma”, which was centered on the 1965 voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

48. Medical emergency alert : CODE BLUE

A “Code Blue” alert in a hospital generally indicates that a resuscitation team is needed for a patient in cardiac or respiratory arrest.

53. Baby fox : KIT

Kits are the young of several mammalian species, including the ferret and the fox. “Kit” is probably a shortened form of “kitten”.

54. Soon, to a bard : ANON

“Anon” originally meant “at once” and evolved into today’s meaning of “soon” apparently just because the word was misused over time.

55. Kibbutz setting : ISRAEL

A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel. Kibbutzim were traditionally agriculture-based, but now are often centered around high-tech and other industrial enterprises. The first kibbutz was established in 1909 in Palestine under Ottoman rule. This kibbutz is called Degania, which now is in northern Israel.

57. Actress Thurman : UMA

Uma Thurman started her working career as a fashion model, at the age of 15. She appeared in her first movies at 17, with her most acclaimed early role being Cécile de Volanges in 1988’s “Dangerous Liaisons”. Thurman’s career really took off when she played the gangster’s “moll” in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” in 1994. My favorite of all Thurman’s movies is “The Truth About Cats & Dog’s”, a less acclaimed romcom released in 1996. She took a few years off from 1998 until 2002, doing very little work in favor of motherhood. It was Tarantino who relaunched her career, giving her the lead in the “Kill Bill” films.

60. Cooling meas. : BTUS

In the world of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), the power of a heating or cooling unit can be measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). This dated unit is the amount of energy required to heat a pound of water so that the water’s temperature increases by one degree Fahrenheit.

63. Bass’ red triangle, e.g. : LOGO

The red triangle on the label of a bottle of Bass Ale was registered in 1875 and is UK Registered Trade Mark (TM) No: 00001, the first trademark issued in the world.

64. Moran of “Happy Days” : ERIN

Erin Moran is the lovely actress most famous for playing Joanie Cunningham on “Happy Days” and the resulting (short-lived) spin-off sitcom called “Joanie Loves Chachi”. Long before she got her big break in “Happy Days”, Moran played Jenny Jones on the children’s drama “Daktari” from the late sixties.

66. New Testament bk. : EPH

It seems that the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians (EPH) is now regarded by scholars as written “in the style of Paul” by someone who was influenced by Paul’s thought.

67. German battleship Graf __ : SPEE

Maximilian Graf von Spee was actually born in Denmark, but of a noble German family. By the time WWI started, Spee had risen to the rank of Rear Admiral in the German Navy. He was killed in the Battle of the Falkland Islands (the original 1914 version!). He gave his name to the powerful pocket battleship, the Admiral Graf Spee, which was damaged in the Battle of the River Plate during WWII. The Graf Spee took refuge in the neutral port of Montevideo and when the boat was expelled by the government of Uruguay, the captain scuttled her rather than face the Allied flotilla waiting for her just outside the port.

Down

1. Former NYC mayor Giuliani : RUDY

Rudy Giuliani became known around the world as he stepped up and led his city during the terrible days following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. His actions that September earned him a number of accolades. He was named as “Time” magazine’s person of the year, and was given an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.

2. Seesaw sitter of tongue twisters : ESAU

I saw Esau, he saw me.
I saw Esau, sitting on a see-saw,
I saw Esau, he saw me.
I saw Esau, he saw me, and she saw I saw Esau.
How many S’s in that?

4. Sushi selection : EEL

Anyone going to a sushi restaurant can order all types of raw fish (known collectively as “sashimi”). However, eel is always served cooked, and that’s because the blood of eels contains a protein that cramps muscles if eaten. If the heart muscle “cramps”, the result can be death. The protein is easily rendered harmless by applying heat, i.e. cooking.

6. French I verb : ETRE

The French for “to be” is “être”.

9. Scorned lover of Jason : MEDEA

In Greek mythology Medea was the wife of Jason, the heroic leader of the Argonauts. Medea was a sorceress who pledged to help Jason in his search for the Golden Fleece, on condition that he take her as his wife. According to some accounts, Jason left Medea and took up with Glauce, the daughter of the king of Corinth. Medea got her own back by sending Glauce a golden coronet and a dress that were covered with poison. The poison killed Glauce, and her father the king. To further her revenge on Jason, Medea killed two of her own children that were fathered by him.

10. Landscaper’s compensation? : HEDGE FUNDS

Originally, a “hedge fund” was a fund that paired long and short positions in a strategy designed to “hedge” market risk, to avoid major losses. That’s far from the case today, as hedge funds are now relatively high risk/reward investments that are not available to the general public as they avoid or partially avoid regulatory oversight.

12. Shirts named for a sport : POLOS

René Lacoste was a French tennis player who went into the clothing business, and came up with a more comfortable shirt that players could use. This became known as a “tennis shirt”. When it was adopted for use in the sport of polo, the shirts also became known as “polo shirts”. And then the “golf shirt” is basically the same thing.

15. Theater district : RIALTO

The original Rialto district is in Venice, Italy.

The Rialto is the financial and commercial center of Venice, and has been so for centuries. One of the most famous features of the area is the Rialto Bridge that spans the Grand Canal.

17. Lee who was the top-charting female soloist of the ’60s : BRENDA

Brenda Lee is a country and rockabilly singer who had 37 songs that made the charts in the sixties. Lee’s biggest hits are probably “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” from 1958, and “I’m Sorry” from 1960. Lee was only 13 years old when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”.

24. Painter Cassatt : MARY

Mary Cassatt was an American painter from Pennsylvania who moved to France at the young age of 22 years, in 1866. By which time she was already studying to become a professional artist. Cassatt became friends with Edgar Degas, who invited her to exhibit with the group called “the Impressionists”, who were garnering a great deal of attention at the time. Cassatt’s reputation as a great artist is perhaps built on an extensive series of paintings of mothers with a child.

27. Domino’s delivery driver’s compensation? : PIZZA DOUGH

Domino’s Pizza started out as DomiNick’s, a pizza store in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The store was purchased by Dominic’s founder Tom Monaghan in 1960, along with his brother. Tom bought out his brother a few months later, for the price of a used VW! The store was renamed Domino’s Pizza in 1965, and two years later the first franchise store was opened. There are now over 8,000 stores worldwide, including one in Tallaght in Ireland, the town where I lived for many years in my youth. That Tallaght store became the first Domino’s outlet in the world to hit a turnover of $3 million a year. We Irish obviously have terrible taste when it comes to pizza …

32. ’50s prez : IKE

When the future president was growing up, the Eisenhower family used the nickname “Ike” for all seven boys in the family, as “Ike” was seen as an abbreviation for the family name. “Big Ike” was Edgar, the second oldest boy. “Little/Young Ike” was Dwight, who was the third son born. Dwight had no sisters.

35. Swedish automaker : SAAB

SAAB stands for Svenska Aeroplan AB, which translates into English as Swedish Aeroplane Limited. SAAB was, and still is, mainly an aircraft manufacturer. If you take small hops in Europe you might find yourself on a SAAB passenger plane. The SAAB automotive division was acquired by General Motors in the year 2000, who then sold it to a Dutch concern in 2010. However, SAAB (automotive) finally went bankrupt in 2011. A Chinese consortium purchased the assets of SAAB Automotive in 2012, and so SAAB vehicles are in production again. The new vehicles are using the SAAB name, but cannot use the SAAB griffin logo, the rights to which have been retained by the mother company.

36. Internet crafts marketplace : ETSY

Etsy.com is an e-commerce website where you can buy and sell the kind of items that you might find at a craft fair.

38. Spill the beans : BLAB

“To spill the beans” is to divulge a secret. The expression first appeared in American English, in the early 1900s. The phrase arose as an alternative to “spoil the beans” or “upset the applecart”.

39. PC feature only used in combinations : ALT KEY

The Alt (alternate) key is found on either side of the space bar on US PC keyboards. The Alt key evolved from what was called a Meta key on old MIT keyboards, although the function has changed somewhat over the years. Alt is equivalent in many ways to the Option key on a Mac keyboard, and indeed the letters “Alt” have been printed on most Mac keyboards starting in the nineties.

47. TV’s J.R. Ewing, e.g. : OILMAN

The TV soap “Dallas” revolved around the Ewing family. The show that ran for 13 years was originally intended as a five-part mini-series, with the main characters being newlyweds Bobby and Pam Ewing. But, the devious character in the piece, Bobby’s brother J. R. Ewing, became so popular with audiences that the series was extended with J. R. at the center of the story.

48. Part of CNN : CABLE

CNN (Cable News Network) was launched in 1980 by the Turner Broadcasting System, and was the first television channel in the world to provide news coverage 24 hours a day.

50. “__ Been Good”: Joe Walsh hit : LIFE’S

Joe Walsh is a musician who has been a member of several successful bands, including the Eagles and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band.

51. Take over : USURP

“To usurp” is to seize and hold by force, say the power or authority of a ruler. The term “usurp” comes to us from Latin via French, from “usus” (a use) and “rapere” (to seize).

52. Bath-loving Muppet : ERNIE

For many years, I believed that the “Sesame Street” characters Bert and Ernie were named after two roles played in the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”. In the movie, the policeman’s name is Bert and his taxi-driving buddy is named Ernie. However, the “Sesame Street” folks have stated that the use of the same names is just a coincidence. Aww, I don’t wanna believe that’s a coincidence …

56. Novelist Rice : ANNE

Anne Rice is an American author of erotic and Gothic novels. Rice was born Howard Allen O’Brien (no wonder she changed her name!). Her famous series of novels “The Vampire Chronicles” centers on her character Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman who was turned into a vampire in the 18th century. One of the stories, “Interview with the Vampire”, was adapted for the big screen in 1994 and features Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and others in a star-studded cast. Not my kind of movie though, as I don’t do vampires …

57. Windows alternative : UNIX

Unix is a computer operating system that was developed at Bell Labs in 1969. The initial name for the project was Uniplexed Information and Computing Service (Unics), and this evolved over time into “Unix”.

62. Chihuahua cheer : OLE!

Chihuahua is a state in northern Mexico that shares a border with Texas and New Mexico. Chihuahua is the largest state in the country, so has the nickname “El Estado Grande”. The state takes its name from the Chihuahuan Desert which lies largely within its borders. The Chihuahua breed of dog takes its name from the state.

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Complete List of Clues and Answers

Across

1. Bowling alley button : RESET

6. European cheese town : EDAM

10. Puddle jumper trip : HOP

13. Wedding figure : USHER

14. ChapStick container : TUBE

15. Fix up : REDO

16. Newspaper reporter’s compensation? : DAILY BREAD

18. Big star : IDOL

19. “I’m with ya” : YUP

20. Threatening words : OR ELSE

21. Farming prefix : AGRO-

22. “Wheel of Fortune” buy : AN E

23. Smooth, as transitions : SEAMLESS

25. Wise : SAPIENT

29. DOJ bureau : ATF

30. Dry as dust : ARID

31. Speaker’s spot : DAIS

34. Get out of bed : ROUSE

37. “__ who?” : SEZ

38. Chiropractor’s compensation? : BACK PAY

40. N.L. player whose home games include a Presidents Race : NAT

41. Brownish-green : HAZEL

43. Greenish-blue : TEAL

44. Some prosecutors: Abbr. : ADAS

45. “Selma” director DuVernay : AVA

46. Drops in : STOPS BY

48. Medical emergency alert : CODE BLUE

53. Baby fox : KIT

54. Soon, to a bard : ANON

55. Kibbutz setting : ISRAEL

57. Actress Thurman : UMA

60. Cooling meas. : BTUS

61. Comedian’s compensation? : FUNNY MONEY

63. Bass’ red triangle, e.g. : LOGO

64. Moran of “Happy Days” : ERIN

65. Flared dress : A-LINE

66. New Testament bk. : EPH

67. German battleship Graf __ : SPEE

68. Connection point : NEXUS

Down

1. Former NYC mayor Giuliani : RUDY

2. Seesaw sitter of tongue twisters : ESAU

3. Send in a box : SHIP

4. Sushi selection : EEL

5. “Taste this” : TRY ONE

6. French I verb : ETRE

7. Stereotypical dawn challenges : DUELS

8. Take down a peg : ABASE

9. Scorned lover of Jason : MEDEA

10. Landscaper’s compensation? : HEDGE FUNDS

11. Aromas : ODORS

12. Shirts named for a sport : POLOS

15. Theater district : RIALTO

17. Lee who was the top-charting female soloist of the ’60s : BRENDA

22. Helping hand : AID

24. Painter Cassatt : MARY

25. Over-the-shoulder band : SASH

26. Square statistic : AREA

27. Domino’s delivery driver’s compensation? : PIZZA DOUGH

28. Diplomatic skill : TACT

32. ’50s prez : IKE

33. Health resorts : SPAS

35. Swedish automaker : SAAB

36. Internet crafts marketplace : ETSY

38. Spill the beans : BLAB

39. PC feature only used in combinations : ALT KEY

42. “All the same … ” : EVEN SO …

44. Fitting : APT

47. TV’s J.R. Ewing, e.g. : OILMAN

48. Part of CNN : CABLE

49. Winning : ON TOP

50. “__ Been Good”: Joe Walsh hit : LIFE’S

51. Take over : USURP

52. Bath-loving Muppet : ERNIE

56. Novelist Rice : ANNE

57. Windows alternative : UNIX

58. Drop-down list : MENU

59. Yes votes : AYES

62. Chihuahua cheer : OLE!

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