Crossword by: C.C. Burnikel and edited by Rich Norris
Welcome to the Monday August 5th 2013 LA Times crossword answers! There is nothing too exciting about the theme today. The themed answers just have V at the start of the first word and J at the start of the second word. So we have VJs instead of DJs to tune in our answers today.
Across Answers
1. Abbr. on old Eurasian maps SSR – stands for Soviet Socialist Republics of which there were 15 that made up the Russian empire after the Russian Revolution.
4. Video game area ARCADE – Arcade games became a term for computer gaming before the existence of personal computers and personal game consuls as this is where people would go to play them. Game arcades still exist in small pockets of towns and cities here and there but these days instead of kids standing around a pinball machine jeering each other it all happens online now.
10. Dashboard gauge, briefly TACH – the tachometer is gauge or device that measures the revolutions per minute (rpm) of an engine. The phrase “red-lining it” refers to the tachometer meaning the engine is getting revved right out.
14. Green org. with a floral logo EPA – stands for Environmental Protection Agency
15. Honeybunch DEARIE
16. Scandinavian capital that uses garbage to generate energy OSLO – You’ve surely heard the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. Well this takes it to a new extreme. Oslo’s energy generation from the use of garbage is going so well they are now actually importing garbage ramp up the production.
17. Stephen Colbert asset WIT
18. Funny bits you need to see VISUAL JOKES (themed answer)
20. Bangkok native THAI – Thailand is a country in South East Asia and it’s capital is Bangkok. It’s a vibrant country of intriguing culture, spicy and delicious food, of which my favorite is Tom Yung Kung (spicy and sour soup with large shrimp) and amazing scenery and natural attractions including the white sand beaches and crystal clear water of the islands or Koh’s
22. T-shirt size array, briefly SML
23. Online finance company E-LOAN
24. Building blocks of matter ATOMS – these are kind of important to us, Earth and the universe as they are basically the Lego blocks of well…everything (including Lego). An atom is made up of Protons which have a positive charge, neutrons which have a neutral charge and electrons which have a negative charge. The protons and neutrons are joined together to form the nucleus and the electron orbits the nucleus. When you add a new proton you get a new type of atom. Carbon, the most common type of atom in the universe is made up of 6 protons, 6 neutrons and 6 electrons.
25. Cheerios grain OAT
27. Prefix with verse UNI – Something interesting happening in universe science at the moment is the work on detecting gravitational waves. The theory is that a gravitational wave is a wave of immense energy moving at the speed of light caused by an an extreme event such as the collision of two stars, or a star going ‘supernova’. These were first predicted by Einstein about 100 years ago and science today has developed a new technique called ‘quantum squeezing’ to give detectors a higher level of sensitivity.
28. Personal assessments of worth VALUE JUDGMENTS (themed answer)
33. Eisenhower and Turner IKES
34. Tolkien monster ORC – if you watch the Lord of the Rings movies you would know that the Orc’s are the bad guys and mortal enemies of just about everyone.
35. Post- opposite PRE
36. Arnaz of Hollywood DESI
37. “I give up!” UNCLE – another good one my older brother used to do to me was to say ‘whistle’ while pinching me hard. All you want to do is scream so it’s very hard to stop and whistle. It’s funny how kids figure out these tricks.
39. H.S. exam PSAT
43. Gov. Cuomo’s domain NYS
45. Inner tube filler AIR
46. Nobelist Morrison TONI
47. V8 Spicy Hot, e.g. VEGETABLE JUICE (themed answer)
51. Animation frame CEL
52. Govt.-issued ID SSN – What’s your Social Security Number?
53. Often-pressed key ENTER
54. Negative particle ANION – Maybe the theme today is actually small stuff. An anion is an atom that has more electrons than protons that they have gotten from somewhere like, the spare electron shop:)
56. Former NBAer __ Ming YAO
59. Tapped barrels KEGS – as Homer Simpson would say… mmmm beer.
60. Music channel host whose abbreviation hints at this puzzle’s theme VIDEO JOCKEY (themed answer)
63. Cooperstown Hall of Famer Mel OTT
65. Sealed, as a win ICED
66. “Man of the House” author Tip O’NEILL
67. Division of history ERA – ah it’s the end of an era isn’t it.
68. Subtraction word LESS
69. “Stop dreaming!” BE REAL
70. Roget entry: Abbr. SYN – Peter Mark Roget was amongst other things a lexicographer (lexicon refers to the vocabulary of a language) and most well known for publishing his work the Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases which became commonly known as Roget’s Thesaurus.
Down
1. Attach a button, say SEW
2. Bit of physical comedy with a sprayed beverage SPIT TAKE
3. Entry points for some rodent nests RAT HOLES – did you know that rats are cannibals? Mother rats will sometimes eat the runts of her litter to give more energy to the rest. Rats in general will also attack and eat other rats that enter their territory.
4. Provide counsel to ADVISE
5. Portuguese king REI
6. Pop’s Mama CASS
7. Calla lily family ARUM
8. Conversation in a screenplay DIALOG
9. Cooked sushi fish EEL – eel sounds like it would be a grosse thing to eat but it is actually very tasty when prepared in a sushi restaurant. They have a mini blowtorch that they fire up and scorch both sides which creates a natural caremelling of the skin.
10. Hammer or saw TOOL
11. Invite to dinner, e.g. ASK OUT
12. Spruces up CLEANS
13. Egypt’s Mubarak HOSNI
19. Yankee shortstop Derek JETER
21. Funny AMUSING – haha lol lmao rofl – any other ones I missed?
24. Enthusiastic AVID
26. Electric current unit AMPERE
29. Knight games JOUSTS
30. Decorative vase URN
31. 1983 Mr. T film DC CAB
32. Planet farthest from the Sun, now NEPTUNE – Pluto some may say but unfortunately Pluto lost it’s planet rating back in 2009 and is now considered a large asteroid and a part of the Cuiper Belt collection of asteroids.
38. “__ Abner” LI’L
40. “C’est la vie” SO IT GOES
41. Family tree subject ANCESTRY
42. Bleacher part TIER
44. Simple question type YES/NO
47. Grand Canal city VENICE
48. Slurs over ELIDES
49. “I wouldn’t do this for just __” ANYONE
50. Hyde was his alter ego JEKYLL
51. Raise petty objections CAVIL
55. Weighty Brit. references OEDS
57. Masterful server ACER
58. Dust Bowl migrant OKIE
61. LinkedIn listing JOB
62. She, in Lisbon ELA
64. Beachgoer’s goal TAN
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