LA Times Crossword 22 Jun 20, Monday

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Constructed by: Jordan Hildebrandt
Edited by: Rich Norris

Today’s Reveal Answer: Fried Rice

Themed answers each include the letter sequence “RICE”, although it has been “fried”, the order changed:

  • 62A Chinese menu standard, or what’s literally found in the circled letters? : FRIED RICE
  • 17A Boss on a red truck : FIRE CHIEF
  • 25A Writer of arcade entertainment reviews : GAME CRITIC
  • 38A Frozen food biggie : MARIE CALLENDER’S
  • 50A National STEM Competition for middle school visionaries : FUTURE CITY

Bill’s time: 6m 50s!

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

6 Wd. modifying a noun : ADJ

Adjective (adj.)

14 Appliance maker : AMANA

The Amana Corporation takes its name from the location of its original headquarters, in Middle Amana, Iowa. Today, the Amana name is very much associated with household appliances. The company was founded in 1934 to manufacture commercial walk-in coolers.

15 CT scan relative : MRI

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine uses powerful magnetic fields to generate its images so there is no exposure to ionizing radiation (such as X-rays). We used MRI equipment in our chemistry labs at school, way back in the days when the technology was still called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRI). Apparently the marketing folks didn’t like the term “nuclear” because of its association with atomic bombs, so now it’s just called MRI.

A CT (or “CAT”) scan produces (via computer manipulation) a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object, usually the human body. It does so by taking a series of two dimensional x-ray images while rotating the camera around the patient. The issue with CT scans is that they use x-rays. High doses of radiation can be harmful, causing damage that is cumulative over time.

16 Room on the Clue board : STUDY

Clue is a board game that we knew under a different name growing up in Ireland. Outside of North America, Clue is marketed as “Cluedo”. Cluedo was the original name of the game, introduced in 1949 by the famous British board game manufacturer Waddingtons. There are cute differences between the US and UK versions. For example, the man who is murdered is called Dr. Black (Mr. Boddy in the US), one of the suspects is the Reverend Green (Mr. Green in the US), and the suspect weapons include a dagger (a knife in the US), and a spanner (a wrench in the US). I think it’s a fabulous game, a must during the holidays …

19 Tuesday fare? : TACOS

Taco Tuesday is a promotion run by many American restaurants, especially in Southern California. Participating establishments offer deals on tacos, and perhaps other Mexican dishes served in tortillas. Apparently, “Taco Tuesday” is a trademark owned by Wyoming-based fast-food restaurant Taco John’s.

20 Letters before “Fridays” in a restaurant name : TGI …

T.G.I. Fridays is an American restaurant chain that was founded in 1965 in New York City. Today there are over a thousand T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants in over 50 countries. I think that Fridays has always been particularly successful overseas. I used to visit one a lot with my family when we lived in the Philippines, and I believe the most successful Fridays restaurant anywhere in the world is the one in Haymarket Leicester Square in London in the UK.

21 Campus party garb : TOGA

In ancient Rome, the classical attire known as a toga (plural “togae” or “togas”) was usually worn over a tunic. The tunic was made from linen, and the toga itself was a piece of cloth about twenty feet long made from wool. The toga could only be worn by men, and only if those men were Roman citizens. The female equivalent of the toga was called a “stola”.

25 Writer of arcade entertainment reviews : GAME CRITIC

Our word “arcade” comes from the Latin “arcus” meaning “arc”. The first arcades were passages made from a series of arches. This could be an avenue of trees, and eventually any covered avenue. I remember arcades lined with shops and stores when I was growing up on the other side of the Atlantic. Arcades came to be lined with lots of amusements, resulting in amusement arcades and video game arcades.

29 Detox facility : REHAB

One might go to rehab (rehabilitation) for detox (detoxification).

38 Frozen food biggie : MARIE CALLENDER’S

Marie Callender’s is a restaurant chain found mainly in California. The chain was started by Don Callender in Orange, California in 1948 as a retail outlet for selling mainly pies. Don named the store for his mother Marie, who had baked and sold pies for many years to make some extra money for the family.

43 Premier League powerhouse : ARSENAL

Arsenal Football Club (nicknamed “the Gunners”) is an English soccer team based in the Holloway district of London. The club was founded in 1886 as Dial Square by workers at the Royal Arsenal munitions factory. Dial Square was the name given to the workshops at the center of the Royal Arsenal complex. After just a few weeks in existence, the club changed its name to Royal Arsenal, which was eventually shortened to just Arsenal.

44 Progressive spokeswoman : FLO

Progressive is a popular auto insurance company, the one that uses the perky character named “Flo” as a spokesperson. Flo is played by comedian and actress Stephanie Courtney.

50 National STEM Competition for middle school visionaries : FUTURE CITY

Future City Competition is a US national competition designed to stimulate the interest of 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Participating teams design a future city with an emphasis on a particular topic that is assigned annually. Topics chosen in the past have been stormwater management, green energy, urban agriculture and clean water.

55 Eye care brand : RENU

ReNu is a brand name of contact lens products sold by Bausch & Lomb.

57 1857 litigant Scott : DRED

The landmark case of Dred Scott vs. Sandford came before the US Supreme Court in 1857. Scott had been born a slave, but lived with his owner in a free state for several years before returning to the slave state of Missouri. Scott’s argument was that living in a free state entitled him to emancipation. A divided US Supreme Court sided with Scott’s owner John Sandford. The decision was that no African American, free or enslaved, was entitled to US citizenship and therefore Scott was unable to petition the court for his freedom. The decision heightened tensions between the North and South, and the American Civil War erupted just three years later.

59 Road goo : TAR

The terms “tarmac” and “macadam” are short for “tarmacadam”. In the 1800s, Scotsman John Loudon McAdam developed a style of road known as “macadam”. Macadam had a top-layer of crushed stone and gravel laid over larger stones. The macadam also had a convex cross-section so that water tended to drain to the sides. In 1901, a significant improvement was made by English engineer Edgar Purnell Hooley who introduced tar into the macadam, improving the resistance to water damage and practically eliminating dust. The “tar-penetration macadam” is the basis of what we now call tarmac.

64 Disney’s Little Mermaid : ARIEL

In the 1989 Disney animated film “The Little Mermaid”, the title character is given the name “Ariel”. In the original fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen that dates back to 1836, the Little Mermaid is given no name at all. There is a famous statue of the unnamed Little Mermaid sitting in Copenhagen Harbor, in Andersen’s homeland of Denmark.

66 Hilda and Zelda, to TV’s Sabrina : AUNTS

The hit TV show “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” is based on a comic book series of the same name. The title character is played by actress Melissa Joan Hart. Sabrina lives with her two aunts, Hilda and Zelda, who are both 600 years of age. There’s also a cat called Salem, who has magical powers.

67 Category in iTunes : GENRE

iTunes is a very successful software application from Apple. It’s basically a media player that works on platforms like the iPad, iPhone and iPod. It connects seamlessly to the iTunes store, where you can spend all kinds of money. Plans are afoot to break up iTunes into separate applications focused on music, podcasts and TV.

69 Dough raiser : YEAST

Yeasts are unicellular microorganisms in the kingdom Fungi. The species of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used for centuries in the making of wine and beer, and in breadmaking. Saccharomyces cerevisiae converts carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and alcohol in the process of fermentation. When making beer and wine, the carbon dioxide and alcohol may be captured by the liquid. When making bread, the carbon dioxide and alcohol is driven off by heat.

Down

1 Roofing support : RAFTER

Rafters are the beams that slope from the ridge of a roof down to the tops of the supporting walls.

2 Political refugee : EMIGRE

An émigré (fem. “émigrée”) is an emigrant. The term is French in origin, and particularly applies to someone who is a political refugee from his or her native land.

3 Outcast : PARIAH

“Pariah” is an anglicized version of the Tamil word “Paraiyar”. The Paraiyar are a social group of about 9 million people found in some Indian states and in Sri Lanka. The term “pariah” came to be a general term for members of the lowest caste in society, outcasts.

4 Number of beers that fall off the wall in each round of the song : ONE

“99 Bottles of Beer” is a North American, reverse-counting song that has been around since the mid-1900s. It starts out with:

99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer.
Take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall…

If you have the energy to finish the song, it finishes up with:

No more bottles of beer on the wall, no more bottles of beer.
Go to the store and buy some more, 99 bottles of beer on the wall…

6 Latina friend : AMIGA

In Spanish, an “amigo” is a male friend, and an “amiga” is a female friend.

7 “I Have a __”: MLK : DREAM

I remember listening to the full text of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I have a dream …” speech not long after I moved to this country. I think I am man enough to admit that my eyes misted up as I listened to the words. I also recall thinking how lucky I was to have been invited to live in this great country, which was facing up to some of the sins of its past.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

8 Skippy rival : JIF

Jif is the leading brand of peanut butter in the US, and has been since 1981. Introduced in 1958, Jif is now produced by Smuckers.

Skippy is a brand of peanut butter that has been around since 1933 when it was introduced by Rosefield Packing Co., just down the road here in Alameda, California. The companies that have owned the “Skippy” brand name have for decades been in dispute with the estate of Percy Crosby, the creator of the “Skippy” comic strip, over use of the name.

9 Noisy weather event, briefly : T-STORM

Thunderstorm (t-storm)

10 Arcade pioneer : ATARI

At one point, the electronics and video game manufacturer Atari was the fastest-growing company in US history. However, Atari never really recovered from the video game industry crash of 1983.

11 All-purpose roll : DUCT TAPE

What we tend to call “duct” tape today was originally known as “duck” tape. In its first form, duck tape was rubber-based adhesive applied to a duck cloth backing, hence the name. Cotton duck cloth is a canvas-like material, a plain woven cotton fabric. The name “duck” comes from the Dutch “doek” meaning “linen canvas”. Duck tape started to be known as “duct tape” in the fifties, as it was commonly used to wrap air ducts in the construction industry.

13 Part of CBS: Abbr.

CBS used to be known as the Columbia Broadcasting System. CBS introduced its “eye” logo in 1951. That logo is based on a Pennsylvania Dutch hex sign.

18 Harley, e.g. : HOG

The Harley-Davidson motorcycle company was founded in the very early 1900s by two childhood friends, William Harley and Arthur Davidson, . Their first design was in effect an engine hooked up to a pedal bicycle, but the 116 cc cylinder capacity simply couldn’t generate enough power to get up the hills of their native city of Milwaukee. The pair came up with a redesigned model that had a cylinder capacity of 405 cc, which the partners built in a shed at the back of Davidson’s house. In 1906, the partners built their first factory, located where the company’s headquarters is to this day, on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Famously, Harley motorcycles are nicknamed “hogs”.

24 Deadly nerve gas : SARIN

Sarin is a toxic liquid that easily evaporates into a gas, and is used as a chemical weapon. It was first discovered in Germany by scientists looking for stronger pesticides. The name Sarin was derived from the names of the discovering scientists: Schrader, Ambros, Rudiger and von der Linde.

26 Great Seal bird : EAGLE

There’s an urban myth out there that Benjamin Franklin was not happy with the choice of the bald eagle as the national bird for the US, and opined that the turkey should fill that role. Letters written by Franklin show that indeed, he was not happy with the choice of the bald eagle, deeming it to be “a bird of bad moral character” that “does not get [its] living honestly”. Franklin went on to describe the image of the bald eagle on the nation’s Great Seal as “more like a turkey”. And that is how urban myths get started …

27 “Young Frankenstein” aide : IGOR

In the world of movies, Igor has been the assistant to Dracula, Frankenstein and Young Frankenstein among others. Igor is almost invariably portrayed as a hunchback.

I am not really a big fan of movies by Mel Brooks, but “Young Frankenstein” is the exception. I think the cast has a lot to do with me liking the film, as it includes Gene Wilder (Dr. Frankenstein), Teri Garr (Inga), Marty Feldman (Igor) and Gene Hackman (Harold, the blind man).

28 Many “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” characters : COPS

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is a sitcom set in the 99th precinct of the NYPD in Brooklyn. Star of the show is “Saturday Night Live” alum Andy Samberg, who plays Detective Jake Peralta.

30 Sweetie, in slang : BAE

“Bae” is a contemporary term of endearment. It is a pet name that is an abbreviation of “babe, baby”, although I’ve also read that it is an acronym standing for “before anyone else”.

34 Antivirus giant : MCAFEE

McAfee is a security software company now known as Intel Security Group. Purchased by Intel in 2011, the company was founded by John McAfee in 1987. John McAfee might be described as a “bit of a character”. He lived in Belize for several years, before being forced out of the country. After returning to the US, McAfee went after the Libertarian Party nomination for US president in the 2016 election.

35 Medicare Advantage, familiarly : PART C

Medicare is divided into four parts:

  • A: Hospital Insurance
  • B: Medical Insurance
  • C: Medicare Advantage Plans
  • D: Prescription Drug Plans

36 Pacino and Roker : ALS

Al Pacino seems to be best known for playing characters on both sides of the law. Pacino’s big break in the movies came when he played Michael Corleone in “The Godfather”, a role that grew for him as the series of films progressed. But his Oscar-winning role was that of a blind ex-military officer in “Scent of a Woman”.

Al Roker is best known as the weatherman on the “Today” show on NBC. He has successfully branched out from that platform though, and even co-wrote a novel called “The Morning Show Murders”, about a celebrity chef and TV host who gets entangled in mystery. Topical stuff …

37 Sherlock Holmes adversary Irene : ADLER

The character Irene Adler only appears in one of the many Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the story “A Scandal in Bohemia”, Holmes expresses remarkable admiration for Adler as a woman and as a foe. As a result, derivative works in the Holmes genre often feature Adler as something of a romantic interest for Sherlock.

38 Offend slightly : MIFF

To miff is to put out, to tee off. “To miff” is a verb that has been around since the early 1600s. Interestingly, in 1824 Sir Walter Scott described the word “miffed” as “a women’s phrase”. That should get him a slap, I’d say …

39 Civil rights org. : ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has its roots in the First World War. It grew out of the National Civil Liberties Bureau (CLB) that was founded to provide legal advice and support to conscientious objectors. The ACLU’s motto is “Because Freedom Can’t Protect Itself”. The ACLU also hosts a blog on the ACLU.org website called “Speak Freely”.

40 Based on, as opinions vis-à-vis faith : ROOTED IN

We can use the French phrase “vis-à-vis” as a preposition meaning “compared with”. When used as an adverb or adjective, it means “face-to-face”, which is a more literal translation from French.

45 Diamond pattern : ARGYLE

The argyle pattern is based on the Campbell tartan. The Campbell clan is based in the Argyll region (note the spelling) in the west of Scotland, giving the Argyle pattern its name.

47 Light-sensitive eye layer : RETINA

The retina is the tissue that lines the inside of the eye, and is the tissue that is light-sensitive. There are (mainly) two types of cells in the retina that are sensitive to light, namely rods and cones. Rods are cells that best function in very dim light and only provide black-and-white vision. Cones on the other hand function in brighter light and can perceive color.

52 Elba who played Mandela : IDRIS

English actor Idris Elba plays the drug lord Stringer Bell in the marvelous HBO drama series “The Wire”, and played the title character in the 2013 film “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”. Off the screen, Elba occasionally appears as a disk jockey using the name “DJ Big Driis”.

“Long Walk to Freedom” is a 1994 autobiography by the revolutionary and eventual statesman Nelson Mandela. The book was adapted into a very successful film entitled “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”, with English actor Idris Elba in the title role. The movie was released in South Africa at the end of November 2013, and Nelson Mandela passed away just a few days later.

53 Total rubbish : TRIPE

“Tripe” is an informal term meaning “rubbish, of little value”. Tripe is actually the rubbery stomach lining of an animal such as a cow. Tripe is a traditional dish in British cuisine that is prepared by poaching it with onions in milk.

58 June 6, 1944 : D-DAY

The most famous D-Day in history was June 6, 1944, the date of the Normandy landings in WWII. The term “D-Day” is used by the military to designate the day on which a combat operation is to be launched, especially when the actual date has yet to be determined. What D stands for seems to have been lost in the mists of time although the tradition is that D just stands for “Day”. In fact, the French have a similar term, “Jour J” (Day J), with a similar meaning. We also use H-Hour to denote the hour the attack is to commence.

60 Gift at a white elephant exchange, say : GAG

We use the idiomatic term “white elephant” to describe an object or venture that costs more to maintain than can be gained by disposing of it. The term comes from the tradition of presenting a white, albino elephant to a Southeast Asian monarch. Such a beast was a blessing, in that it was viewed as sacred and a sign of great power. It was also a curse, in that the animal was of no practical use and was expensive to maintain. The derivative phrase “white elephant gift exchange” refers to a party game in which impractical gag gifts are exchanged, usually at Christmas.

62 Annual shot target : FLU

Influenza (the “flu”) is an ailment that is caused by a virus. The virus is readily inactivated by the use of soap, so washing hands and surfaces is especially helpful in containing flu outbreaks … and other virus pandemics …

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Transplant to a new container : REPOT
6 Wd. modifying a noun : ADJ
9 Triumphant shouts : TADAS
14 Appliance maker : AMANA
15 CT scan relative : MRI
16 Room on the Clue board : STUDY
17 Boss on a red truck : FIRE CHIEF
19 Tuesday fare? : TACOS
20 Letters before “Fridays” in a restaurant name : TGI …
21 Campus party garb : TOGA
22 Arrange in order : SORT
23 Divisions of history : ERAS
25 Writer of arcade entertainment reviews : GAME CRITIC
29 Detox facility : REHAB
31 Long __ of the law : ARM
32 In the past : AGO
33 Riotous spree : RAMPAGE
37 Per item : A POP
38 Frozen food biggie : MARIE CALLENDER’S
42 Desktop image : ICON
43 Premier League powerhouse : ARSENAL
44 Progressive spokeswoman : FLO
45 Toward the stern : AFT
46 French fathers : PERES
50 National STEM Competition for middle school visionaries : FUTURE CITY
55 Eye care brand : RENU
56 Sword’s sharp part : EDGE
57 1857 litigant Scott : DRED
59 Road goo : TAR
60 Super-excited : GIDDY
62 Chinese menu standard, or what’s literally found in the circled letters? : FRIED RICE
64 Disney’s Little Mermaid : ARIEL
65 Sass : LIP
66 Hilda and Zelda, to TV’s Sabrina : AUNTS
67 Category in iTunes : GENRE
68 Employ : USE
69 Dough raiser : YEAST

Down

1 Roofing support : RAFTER
2 Political refugee : EMIGRE
3 Outcast : PARIAH
4 Number of beers that fall off the wall in each round of the song : ONE
5 Diplomat’s skill : TACT
6 Latina friend : AMIGA
7 “I Have a __”: MLK : DREAM
8 Skippy rival : JIF
9 Noisy weather event, briefly : T-STORM
10 Arcade pioneer : ATARI
11 All-purpose roll : DUCT TAPE
12 Hubbub : ADO
13 Part of CBS: Abbr. : SYS
18 Harley, e.g. : HOG
22 It allows air but keeps out bugs : SCREEN
24 Deadly nerve gas : SARIN
26 Great Seal bird : EAGLE
27 “Young Frankenstein” aide : IGOR
28 Many “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” characters : COPS
30 Sweetie, in slang : BAE
34 Antivirus giant : MCAFEE
35 Medicare Advantage, familiarly : PART C
36 Pacino and Roker : ALS
37 Sherlock Holmes adversary Irene : ADLER
38 Offend slightly : MIFF
39 Civil rights org. : ACLU
40 Based on, as opinions vis-à-vis faith : ROOTED IN
41 Daytime snooze : NAP
45 Diamond pattern : ARGYLE
47 Light-sensitive eye layer : RETINA
48 Passes, as laws : ENACTS
49 Most certain : SUREST
51 Part of a cow the milk comes from : UDDER
52 Elba who played Mandela : IDRIS
53 Total rubbish : TRIPE
54 “__-haw!” : YEE
58 June 6, 1944 : D-DAY
60 Gift at a white elephant exchange, say : GAG
61 Wrath : IRE
62 Annual shot target : FLU
63 Parisian street : RUE