Crossword by: Erik Agard and edited by Rich Norris
Welcome to the answers to the Monday October 21 2013 LA Times crossword puzzle! Today’s theme is pretty creative. Each of the themed answers are made up with two words, the first one starting with ‘s’ and the second word is the same as the first but with the ‘s’ at the end instead. The themed answers are: Saudi Audis, Stray Trays, Sleek Leeks, Stale Tales, Sharp Harps and Swell Wells.
Across Answers
1. Floating platforms RAFTS
6. Guy or fellow MALE
10. Haughty sort SNOB
It has been said that the term “snob” came from “sine nobilitate,” a Latin phrase that means “without nobility.” However, this still remains a theory to this day, and may not be true.
14. Creepy starer OGLER
15. Top military draft category ONE-A
Men who register for the military would be classified by the US Government as 1-A, meaning they can be signed up for unrestricted military service. 4-D would be for the “ministers” of religion, 1-A-O is for the “conscientious objector available for noncombatant service,” and 4-A, those who have already completed the service.
16. Skid row denizen HOBO
Hobos are penniless and homeless vagabonds, usually migratory workers.
17. German cars bought by Riyadh residents? SAUDI AUDIS
Audi is Latin for “listen,” an answer to the brand’s former name “Horch,” (the German word for “listen”) which was also the founder’s surname (August Horch).
19. Not many A FEW
20. Releases (on), as an attack dog SICS
The word “sic” is a command taught to dogs to attack somebody.
21. Cafeteria carriers gone missing? STRAY TRAYS
23. QB’s mishap INT
The interception is one of the quarterback’s mishap.
24. Tennis icon Arthur ASHE
Arthur Ashe, the legendary tennis star, who was the first black man to play at a tennis tournament and win a grand slam title (among others), contracted the AIDS virus in 1988. It was said that he got it from a blood transfusion he received from a double-bypass surgery five years before. He went public with his disease in 1992, and died in 1993. He was 49 years old.
25. Makes a choice OPTS
26. Drawing upon USING
28. 100-yard race DASH
30. Shoulder wrap SHAWL
32. “Once __ a time …” UPON
34. PC software APPS
38. Rose of baseball PETE
Pete Rose was proven to be gambling on baseball games, which was why he was banned from baseball in 1989 by Bart Giamatti, the commissioner at that time. He is also permanently ineligible to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall Of Fame.
39. Hard to hear FAINT
40. Was a passenger RODE
41. Figure skater’s leap AXEL
One of the most difficult moves in figure skating is the Axel, which is a jump made with a forward take off. This was named after the very first person who did the jump back in 1882, Mr. Axel Paulsen, a Norwegian figure skater.
42. Uncle Remus’s __ Rabbit BR’ER
43. Nursery-rhyme Jack or his wife SPRAT
Jack Sprat could eat no fat
His wife could eat no lean
And so between them both, you see
They licked the platter clean.
44. Put down, as floor tile LAID
46. “__ my case” I REST
I give up.
48. Fixes with thread SEWS
50. Plastic coffee container designed for a Keurig brewer K-CUP
K-cups are used to brew single-serve coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. It is placed in a small plastic container complete with its very own coffee filter. It was developed by Keurig, and the K-cup technology is licensed to some of the leading brand coffee roasters in the United States.
51. Sports enthusiast FAN
54. Streamlined onion relatives? SLEEK LEEKS
57. Pie à la __ MODE
58. Basketball’s __ “The Pearl” Monroe EARL
Earl Mmonroe is a legendary NBA player of the sixties and seventies. He was NBA rookie of the year in 1968, and became an NBA All-Star for the years 1969, 71, 75, and 77.
59. Stories you’ve heard a bajillion times? STALE TALES
61. Bad to the bone EVIL
62. Promgoer’s concern ACNE
Eeeek!
63. Leaning somewhat ATILT
64. Lousy grades DEES
65. Like so THUS
66. Zappos.com inventory SHOES
Zappos.com, the largest online shoe store in the US, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is an online clothing and shoe shop that was founded in 1999. In 2009, it was acquired by Amazon.com worth US$1.2 billion.
Down Answers
1. Big name in vermouth ROSSI
Martini & Rossi is a multinational company based in Italy, associated with the Martini brand. It also has Asti and Noilly Prat as some of its products.
2. A second time AGAIN
3. Vary irregularly, as prices FLUCTUATE
4. Koppel and Knight TEDS
Ted Koppel, speaks fluent French, German, and Russian. He became a US Citizen in 1963 and says that his most prized possession is his family Torah. He has won twenty five Enny awards, and is also a member of the Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Ted Knight, in the mean time, was a well-respected voice over actor during the sixties and seventies, having voiced over the superheroes in cartoons. Some of the famous characters he has provided his voice to is Superman, The Flash, and The Atom. He has also lent his voice to the Super Friends and the Justice League.
5. __ Lanka SRI
Sri Lanka can be found in South Asia, off of the coast of the Indian Subcontinent. Its history dates back some three thousand years ago. It is home to many languages, ethnicities, and religions.
6. Teeth-and-gums protector MOUTHGUARD
A mouthuard is often used while playing contact sports, to reduce teeth, gum, and lip injury.
7. Conductor Previn ANDRE
Andre Previn is a famous composer, pianist and conductor of American-German decent. He has won10 Grammy awards for his recordings, and 4 Academy Awards attributed to his film work.
8. “Star Wars” princess LEIA
Princess Leia, one of the protagonists of Star Wars, is the twin sister of Luke Skywalker. She is the daughter of Padme Amidala and Darth Vader.
9. “Piece of cake!” EASY!
10. Out-of-tune string instruments? SHARP HARPS
11. Like Jack 43-Across’s diet NO-FAT
12. Does as directed OBEYS
13. Curtain call acknowledgments BOWS
18. Part of YMCA: Abbr. ASSN
YMCA stands for Young Men’s Christian Association
22. How-__: instruction books TOS
24. Feel lousy AIL
27. Neato water sources? SWELL WELLS
28. Insult comic who was a frequent Johnny Carson guest DON RICKLES
Don Rickles studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He had the same classes with Anne Bancroft and Grace Kelly, among others.
29. Crumb-carrying insect ANT
30. Relaxation center SPA
31. Put a curse on HEX
33. Dessert with a crust PIE
35. Financial planner’s concern PORTFOLIO
36. Handheld computer, briefly PDA
PDA stands for Personal Digital Assistant. These devices, now considered obsolete, were hugely popular during the late nineties and early two thousand.
37. Go down in the west SET
The sun sets in the west, and it rises in the east.
39. “The X-Files” gp. FBI
43. Ninth mo. SEP
45. Pop the question ASK
One very popular question to be “popped”: “Will you marry me?”
47. Ploy RUSE
48. Work really hard SLAVE
49. Spooky EERIE
50. Reeves of “Speed” KEANU
Keanu Reeves, before he became famous, had a job sharpening ice skates, then a manager of a Toronto pasta shop. When he was 17, he dropped out of high school to pursue a career in acting.
52. Dancer Astaire ADELE
Adele Astaire is the sister of Fred Astaire. They were both inducted in 1971 into the Theatre Hall of Fame. They were both Vaudevill headliners when they were still young. She retired in 1932 when she married Lord Charles Cavendish.
53. Homes for chicks NESTS
54. Future flower SEED
55. J.D.-to-be’s exam LSAT
LSAT stands for Law School Admission Test.
JD stands for Juris Doctor
56. __ A Sketch ETCH
Etch A Sketch was first introduced in the sixties, and is still being produed until now. It was included in the Toy Industry Association’s Century of Toys list, as one of the most memorable toys of the twentieth century.
57. Trig or calc MATH
I have a love-hate relationship with Math, which started when I was still very young–and may continue to the final days of my life.
60. Prof.’s helpers TAS
TAs are Teachers’ assistants or Teaching Assistants.
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