L.A. Crossword Wednesday, September 22, 2021 Craig Stowe

Theme:  The Bone Head connected to the Tail Bone. The end of each theme entry can follow the word BONE to yield an in-the-language phrase.

17. *Carrier with a Beijing Capital hub: AIR CHINA.  The Chinese national airline.  BONE CHINA is a ceramic made with BONE ash in its composition.  

25. *One barely awake: SLEEPYHEAD.  A sleepy or distracted person.  A BONE HEAD is a stupid person, or somebody who does a dumb or erratic thing.

36. *Keurig Dr Pepper brand since 2008: CANADA DRY. This is a brand name for a less sweet Ginger Ale. Over time, it expanded to include other soft drinks. Ironically, this company now also owns Vernors. BONE DRY is a descriptor for something that is extremely DRY.

51. *Nutritious intake: SQUARE MEAL.  A repast that is large and satisfying.  BONE MEAL is phosphorus-rich mixture of ground up animal bones used as a plant fertilizer and dietary supplement for animals

The unifier -- 61. Coccyx, familiarly, or what the ends of the answers to starred clues can do?: TAIL BONE.  The TAIL bone is the final segment of the vertebral column in all apes, and certain other animals. It is the remnant of a vestigial tai.  Here, the word BONE is at the end of, or TAILING the fill.  

Hi Gang - JazzBumpa, your resident 'BONE player, here ti lead you through today's BONE yard.  Let's see if we can find something to chew on.

Across:

1. Flying fox, e.g.: BAT.  A large fruit eating bat, indigenous to south-east Asia, east Africa, Australia and some near-by island groups.

4. Has the flu, say: AILS.  Suffers from an illness

8. Seed on a bagel: SESAME.  

14. All Hallows' __: EVE.  The night before.

15. Halt: STOP.   Go no farther.

16. More silly: INANER.  It's non common English to paste an -er suffix on polysyllabics.  Should be more INANE, though that doesn't fit the space, and there might be an irony in there.

19. Unemotionally, after "in": STRIDE.  Without feeling to ignoring the effects of some action or even.

20. Reid of "The Big Lebowski": TARA.  Millionaire Jeffrey [the BIG] Lebowski's trophy wife. There is confusion with Jeff [the DUDE] Lebowski, causing the ruination of the rug that tied the whole room together, and much hilarity ensues. 

21. Feudal peasant: SERF.  One in indentured servitude in medieval Europe.

23. "The Travels of Marco Polo" setting: ASIA.  He was born into a family of wealthy merchants, and traveled extensively throughout Asia.

24. "Without delay!": STAT. From the Latin word statin, meaning immediately

28. "Excusez-__!": MOI.  French for me.  This phrase is often used in a satirical way.

29. Nondairy milk ingredient: SOY.  Derived from soy beans.

30. Whopper: LIE.  A big one.  Can you handle it?

31. Automne preceder: ETE.  French seasons not involving tarragon.

32. Banks nicknamed "Mr. Cub": ERNIE.  He played short stop and first base for them from 1955 to 1971, and was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1977.  HE was an 11 time all star and 2 time MVP.

34. Toxic but fragrant shrub: OLEANDER.   It contains several toxic compounds, but is so bitter that poisoning is rare.

39. Crude conduit: PIPELINE.  Also used for gasoline and natural gas.  It's been a rough few months for PIPELINE stocks.

42. Training line: LEASH.  A strap or cord restraining or guiding an animal.

46. Sean Lennon's mom: ONO.  Yoko.

47. Jodie Foster, in college: ELI.  A Yale student.

48. __ pride: GAY.  Confidence, self-respect, and solidarity as expressed by gay people, associated with openness about one’s own sexual identity, and the celebration of gay culture and history.

50. Teensy: WEE.  Very small.

54. Prefix with tasse: DEMI.  Half sized.

55. Adjust for pitch: TUNE.  Listen to the oboe.

56. Rank above viscount: EARL.  Nobility.

57. "Like that'll happen": AS IF.  Skepticism.

58. Black __: scary spiders: WIDOWS.  Black widow spiders are arachnids that are known for the females' unique appearance and tendency to eat their mates. They are considered the most venomous spiders in North America; however, their bite is rarely fatal to humans.

63. Ain't using proper language?: ARE NOT.  Grammatically correct.

64. Tommie of the Miracle Mets: AGEE.  Tommie Lee Agee (August 9, 1942 – January 22, 2001) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1962 through 1973.  The two-time Gold Glove Award winner was named the AL Rookie of the Year in 1966 as a member of the Chicago White Sox. 

65. Deface: MAR.  Cause surface damage.

66. Biblical escape obstacle: RED SEA.  From Egypt to the Arabian Peninsula. 

67. Crammer's concern: TEST.   Studying hard at the last minute.  Good luck.

68. Triage ctrs.: ERS. Emergency Rooms.

Down:

1. "I haven't the foggiest": BEATS ME.  I do not know

2. Sunglasses style: AVIATOR.  "The perfect solution to protect a pilot's eyes against the elements."

3. Part of ATV: TERRAIN.  Between "All" and "Vehicle."

4. __-blond: grayish shade: ASH.  Read about it here.

5. Formal affirmation: IT IS SO.  If not, make it so.

6. Needing company: LONELY.  Sad because one has no friends or company.

7. Bowler's pickup: SPARE.   After leaving some pins standing with the first ball, knocking them all down with the 2nd.

8. One in the fam: SIS.  Female sibling.

9. Strep-treating doc: ENT.  Ear, Nose and Throat specialist; not a talking tree.

10. Emmy-winner actress Paulson: SARAH.  Sarah Catharine Paulson (born December 17, 1974) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 2017, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in the artists category.

11. Ouzo flavoring: ANISEED.   A flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices, such as star anise, fennel, and liquorice.

12. Help to settle: MEDIATE.  Intervene between people in a dispute in order to bring about an agreement or reconciliation.

13. Modern library?: E-READER. A handheld device on which electronic versions of books, newspapers, magazines, etc., can be read.

18. Litter box user: CAT.  Feline house pet.

22. Dude: FELLA.  Just some guy, y' know.

26. Like a noted piper: PIED.  Dressed in multi-colored clothing.

27. How some taxes are paid: YEARLY.  One time, every year.

29. Undercoat: SEALER.  A paint layer applied after the primer and before the topcoat.

33. Crushed __: ICE.  

34. Dedicated poem: ODE.

35. Science guy Bill: NYE.  William Sanford Nye (born November 27, 1955),[3] popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American mechanical engineer, science communicator, and television presenter.

37. Khartoum's river: NILE.  The longest river in Africa.

38. Japanese art genre: ANIME.  Japanese animated art work.

39. Like boomers' birthdays: POST WAR.  The war ended in September, 1945.  Mine is in 1946

40. Ask: INQUIRE.

41. Throbbed, like one's heart: POUNDED.  With excitement or fear.

43. Really cool: AWESOME.  Inspiring great admiration or fear.

44. Advanced college course: SEMINAR. A class at a college or university in which a topic is discussed by a teacher and a small group of students.

45. Some young bovines: HEIFERS.  Young female cows that have not borne calves.

48. Usually unheated home part: GARAGE.  A building for housing a motor vehicle or vehicles.

49. They're on your side: ALLIES.   Persons or groups that provide assistance and support in an ongoing effort, activity, or struggle.

52. Long stretches: AEONS.   Immeasurably or indefinitely long periods of time 

53. Really bother: EAT AT.

54. Tiny bit: DAB.  A small amount. 

59. Misfortune: WOE.  A condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief

60. Greyhound destination: Abbr.: STA.  Station - a regular stopping place in a transportation route.

62. Give permission to: LET.  Allow.

That wraps it up.  A nice adventure, with no bone head plays.

Cool Regards!

JzB