LA Times Crossword 3 Mar 23, Friday

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Constructed by: Amie Walker
Edited by: Patti Varol

Today’s Reveal Answer: Keep an Eye Out

Themed answers are common phrases with AN “I” KEPT OUT, removed from the first word

  • 50A “Stay alert!,” or a phonetic hint to the answers to the starred clues : KEEP AN EYE OUT
  • 19A *Relocation specialist? : MOVE PRODUCER (from “movie producer”)
  • 26A *Chiropractor who treats mollusks? : CLAM ADJUSTER (from “claim adjuster”)
  • 42A *Lift for Mom’s mom? : GRAN ELEVATOR (from “grain elevator”)

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

Bill’s time: 7m 59s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 PC shortcut key : CTRL

The Control (CTRL) key on a PC keyboard is used to modify the function of other keys. For example, pressing CTRL+C copies a selection to the clipboard, and CTRL+V pastes the contents of the clipboard to a location defined by the cursor. Control keys were introduced on teletypewriters to generate “control characters”, which are non-printing characters that instruct a computer to do something like print a page, ring a bell etc.

5 __ Jansen: kid-lit detective with a photographic memory : CAM

The “Cam Jansen” series of books are mystery novels for children authored by David A. Adler. The protagonist is Jennifer Jansen, who has the nickname “Cam” because she has a photographic memory that she activates by blinking her eyes and saying “click”.

12 Seehorn of “Better Call Saul” : RHEA

Rhea Seehorn is an actress best known for playing lawyer Kim Wexler in the TV crime drama “Better Call Saul”. Seehorn’s birth name is Deborah Rhea, but she opted to use her middle name at a young age (which she pronounces as “Ray”).

16 God of war : ARES

The Greek god Ares is often referred to as the Olympian god of warfare, but originally he was regarded as the god of bloodlust and slaughter. Ares united with Aphrodite to create several gods, including Phobos (Fear), Deimos (Terror) and Eros (Desire). Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera, and the Roman equivalent to Ares was Mars.

26 *Chiropractor who treats mollusks? : CLAM ADJUSTER (from “claim adjuster”)

Clams can live up to about 500 years. The oldest recorded clam was a quahog clam found in Iceland, which lived to be 507 years old. To determine the clam’s age, the researchers opened it up. By doing so, they ended the life of the oldest living animal ever found …

31 Cattle breed : ANGUS

The full name of the cattle breed is Aberdeen Angus, which is also the name used around the world outside of North America. The breed was developed by crossbreeding cattle from the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland. The breed stands out in the US as Angus cattle don’t have horns.

35 Maker of Don’t Bossa Nova Me Around nail polish : OPI

Opi (originally “Odontorium Products Inc.”) is a manufacturer of nail polish based in North Hollywood, California. One of Opi’s marketing coups was the introduction of a line of Legally Blonde 2 polishes, which featured in the film.

36 Light air : LILT

A lilt is a light, happy tune.

37 Tennessee athlete : TITAN

The Tennessee Titans are a football team based in Nashville. The team relocated to Nashville from Houston in 1997. They were called the Tennessee Oilers for two seasons, before adopting the “Titans” moniker.

39 Skater Midori : ITO

Midori Ito is a Japanese figure skater. Ito was the first woman to land a triple/triple jump and a triple axel in competition. In fact, she landed her first triple jump in training when she was only 8 years old. Ito won Olympic silver in 1992, and was chosen as the person to light the Olympic cauldron at the commencement of the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

40 Cutoffs fabric : DENIM

Cutoffs were initially a practical solution to prevent workers’ pants from getting caught in machinery during the industrial revolution. However, they became a fashion statement in the 1960s and have been popular ever since.

41 Walk quartet : BALLS

That would be baseball.

46 Spectators on “Ted Lasso,” e.g. : EXTRAS

“Ted Lasso” is a marvelous sports-comedy TV show about an American college football coach who moves to the UK to manage an English soccer team. The title character is played very admirably by Jason Sudeikas. Sudeikas first played Lasso in a series of TV commercials commissioned to promote NBC’s coverage of the British Premier League. The character became so popular that he inspired a whole TV series. Great stuff, and highly recommended …

58 Ancient letter : RUNE

A rune is a character in an alphabet that is believed to have mysterious powers. In Norse mythology, the runic alphabet was said to have a divine origin.

61 Jazz legend James : ETTA

“Etta James” was the stage name of celebrated blues and soul singer Jamesetta Hawkins. James’ most famous recording was her 1960 hit “At Last”, which made it into the pop charts. James performed “At Last” at the age of 71 in 2009 on the reality show “Dancing with the Stars”, which was to be her final television appearance. She passed away in 2012.

62 Bird in the starling family : MYNA

Some species of myna (also “mynah”) birds are known for their ability to imitate sounds.

63 Carry-on inspectors: Abbr. : TSA

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Down

1 Muscle woe : CRAMP

“Charley horse” is a very American term for painful muscle spasms in the legs. The term possibly arose in the late 19th century, and may be named for baseball pitcher Charlie “Old Hoss” Radbourn who apparently suffered a lot from leg cramps.

3 Superman player : REEVE

Actor Christopher Reeve was most associated with his portrayal of Superman in the late seventies and early eighties. Reeve became paralyzed from the neck down when he fell from a horse in a jumping event in 1995. He published a best-selling autobiography 1999 called “Still Me”, and sadly passed away in 2004.

The 1978 movie “Superman” was directed by Richard Donner and stars a relatively unknown Christopher Reeve in the title role. Many critics cite “Superman” as the film that launched the reemergence of interest in superhero films, a level of interest that has only grown since then.

4 Use an engraving machine, say : LASER CUT

The term “laser” is an acronym standing for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. It has been pointed out that a more precise name for laser technology is “light oscillation by stimulated emission of radiation”, but the resulting acronym isn’t quite so appealing, namely “loser”.

5 Guitar accessory : CAPO

A capo is a clamp-like device that is placed around the neck of a guitar or other stringed instrument to shorten the strings, and hence raise the pitch. The full name, rarely used these days, is “capo tasto”, which is Italian for “head tie”.

8 Some ladies of Spain : MADRES

In Spanish, a “madre” (mother) is a member of “la familia” (the family).

9 Yard sale? : ALE

A yard (of ale) is a very tall glass, one that is just under a yard (three feet) long. It holds about 60 fluid ounces of beer. I’ve tried drinking out of one, and it is extremely difficult. There is a bulb at the bottom of the glass. When you get towards the end of the drink, that bulb causes a kind of airlock and the remainder of the beer rushes to the top of the glass, splashing you in the face.

13 Sandwich that might have queso fresco and crema : TORTA

“Torta” is the Italian and Spanish word for “cake”.

14 OB-GYN, e.g. : DOC

Obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN)

18 Brother in Roman lore : REMUS

According to tradition, Rome was founded by the twin brothers Romulus and Remus. The pair had a heated argument about who should be allowed to name the city and Romulus hit Remus with a shovel, killing him. And so, “Rome” was born, perhaps instead of “Reme”!

23 Lagoon border : ATOLL

An atoll is a coral island that is shaped in a ring that encloses a lagoon. There is still some debate as to how an atoll forms, but a theory proposed by Charles Darwin while on his famous voyage aboard HMS Beagle still holds sway. Basically, an atoll was once a volcanic island that had subsided and fallen into the sea. The coastline of the island is home to coral growth which persists even as the island continues to subside inside the circling coral reef.

A lagoon is a shallow body of water, usually separated from the sea by sandbar or reef. The term “lagoon” comes from the Italian “laguna”, the word for a pond or lake. The original “laguna” is the “Laguna Veneta”, the enclosed bay in the Adriatic Sea on which Venice is located. In 1769, Captain Cook was the first to apply the word “lagoon” to the body of water inside a South Seas atoll.

24 Landlocked country in South Asia : NEPAL

Nepal lies to the northeast of India. Today, the state is known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. In 2008, the Communist Party of Nepal won the country’s general election. Soon after, the Assembly voted to change the form of government, moving away from a monarchy and creating a secular republic.

25 Abridges : TRIMS

The words “abridge” and “abbreviate” both come from the same Latin root “abbreviare”, meaning to “make short”.

27 Location of the fictional town Horseshoe Bay on The CW’s “Nancy Drew” : MAINE

I loved the “Nancy Drew” mysteries as a kid (I know, as a boy I “shouldn’t” have been reading girls’ books!). The “Nancy Drew stories” were written by a number of ghost writers, all of whom went by the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. The character was introduced by publisher Edward Stratemeyer in 1930. Nancy Drew’s boyfriend is Ned Nickerson, a college student from Emerson.

29 Pulitzer category : DRAMA

Pulitzer Prizes are awarded annually for achievements in journalism, literature and musical composition. The prize was established back in 1917 by the Hungarian-American newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer. Pulitzer left money in his will for the prize, and for its administration by Columbia University.

32 TNT component : -NITRO-

“TNT” is an abbreviation for “trinitrotoluene”. Trinitrotoluene was first produced in 1863 by the German chemist Joseph Wilbrand, who developed it for use as a yellow dye. TNT is relatively difficult to detonate so it was on the market as a dye for some years before its more explosive properties were discovered.

37 __ Aviv : TEL

The full name of Israel’s second largest city is Tel Aviv-Yafo. “Tel Aviv” translates into “Spring Mound”, and is a name that was chosen in 1910. Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 as a housing development outside the port city of Jaffa. Tel Aviv and Jaffa merged in 1950.

41 Like classic Volvos : BOXY

Volvo is a Swedish manufacturer of cars, trucks and construction equipment. The Volvo name was chosen as “volvo” is Latin for “I roll”.

43 Inventor Tesla : NIKOLA

Nikola Tesla was born in Serbia, but later moved to the US. Tesla’s work on mechanical and electrical engineering was crucial to the development of alternating current technology, the same technology that is used by equipment at the backbone of modern power generation and distribution systems.

53 Craigslist caveat : AS IS

Craigslist (usually written as “craigslist”) is an online network of communities that features classified advertisements organized geographically. Craigslist was started by Craig Newmark in 1995, originally as an email distribution list for his friends who lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area.

A caveat is a warning or a qualification. “Caveat” is the Latin for “let him beware”.

54 __ bene : NOTA

“Nota bene” is Latin for “note well”, and is abbreviated to “NB”.

55 Resistance eponym : OHM

The unit of electrical resistance is the ohm (with the symbol omega) named after German physicist Georg Simon Ohm. Ohm was the guy who established experimentally that the amount of current flowing through a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage applied, (V=IR) a relationship that every school kid knows as Ohm’s Law.

56 Pile near a pitchfork : HAY

A “pitchfork” is so called because it is primarily a “fork” for lifting and “pitching” hay.

57 Convent figure : NUN

A convent is a community devoted to religious life, and especially a community of nuns. The term “convent” ultimately comes from the Latin “com” (with, together) and “venire” (to come).

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 PC shortcut key : CTRL
5 __ Jansen: kid-lit detective with a photographic memory : CAM
8 More than a few : MANY
12 Seehorn of “Better Call Saul” : RHEA
13 Repaired, maybe : TAPED
15 Facial tissue additive : ALOE
16 God of war : ARES
17 Market directives that have yet to be executed : OPEN ORDERS
19 *Relocation specialist? : MOVE PRODUCER (from “movie producer”)
21 Study closely : PEER AT
22 Intended : MEANT
26 *Chiropractor who treats mollusks? : CLAM ADJUSTER (from “claim adjuster”)
31 Cattle breed : ANGUS
34 Land divisions : ACRES
35 Maker of Don’t Bossa Nova Me Around nail polish : OPI
36 Light air : LILT
37 Tennessee athlete : TITAN
38 “Kapow!” : BLAM!
39 Skater Midori : ITO
40 Cutoffs fabric : DENIM
41 Walk quartet : BALLS
42 *Lift for Mom’s mom? : GRAN ELEVATOR (from “grain elevator”)
45 Tag line? : NOT IT!
46 Spectators on “Ted Lasso,” e.g. : EXTRAS
50 “Stay alert!,” or a phonetic hint to the answers to the starred clues : KEEP AN EYE OUT
55 Evasive reply to “Why do you ask?” : OH, NO REASON
58 Ancient letter : RUNE
59 Lug : HAUL
60 Makes a baby blanket, say : KNITS
61 Jazz legend James : ETTA
62 Bird in the starling family : MYNA
63 Carry-on inspectors: Abbr. : TSA
64 Cubicle surface : DESK

Down

1 Muscle woe : CRAMP
2 Pang : THROE
3 Superman player : REEVE
4 Use an engraving machine, say : LASER CUT
5 Guitar accessory : CAPO
6 Mimicked : APED
7 Set of dishes? : MENU
8 Some ladies of Spain : MADRES
9 Yard sale? : ALE
10 “That’s neither here __ there” : NOR
11 “Bingo!” : YES!
13 Sandwich that might have queso fresco and crema : TORTA
14 OB-GYN, e.g. : DOC
18 Brother in Roman lore : REMUS
20 Buddies : PALS
23 Lagoon border : ATOLL
24 Landlocked country in South Asia : NEPAL
25 Abridges : TRIMS
27 Location of the fictional town Horseshoe Bay on The CW’s “Nancy Drew” : MAINE
28 Play ender, often : ACT IV
29 Pulitzer category : DRAMA
30 Fox Sports NFL sideline reporter Hale : JEN
31 Square up : ALIGN
32 TNT component : -NITRO-
33 Rub it in : GLOAT
37 __ Aviv : TEL
38 Exchanged : BARTERED
40 Dissuade : DETER
41 Like classic Volvos : BOXY
43 Inventor Tesla : NIKOLA
44 Chilly temps : TEENS
47 Path : ROUTE
48 Reunion attendees : AUNTS
49 Cookout choice : STEAK
51 Startled cry : EEK!
52 Huff and puff : PANT
53 Craigslist caveat : AS IS
54 __ bene : NOTA
55 Resistance eponym : OHM
56 Pile near a pitchfork : HAY
57 Convent figure : NUN