L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, August 10, 2022. Catherine Cetta

Theme: A puzzle for one seasoning.   As we shall see, this is a well-seasoned puzzle.  This will make more sense if we start with the unifier.

60 A. Quantity applied to dubious advice, and what's found in the answer to each starred clue: GRAIN OF SALT.   To take something with a "grain of salt" is an English language idiom that suggests to view something, specifically claims that may be misleading or unverified, with skepticism or to not interpret something literally.  However, the chemist in me [and yes I have BS and MS degrees in chemistry] recognizes that the symbol for a molecule of common table salt is NaCl.  Na is the symbol for sodium [natrium in the original Latin] and Cl is the symbol for chlorine.  The combination is called sodium chloride.

17. *When "you can see forever," per the classic song: ON A CLEAR DAY.

 

30. *Genetic lab project: DNA CLONING.  A set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms.

35. *Almost got the gold: RAN A CLOSE SECOND.  If you run someone a close second, or run a close second, you almost beat them in a race or competition. So - probably took the silver.

If you take a granular look at each of these answers, you will find the it does indeed contain a modicum of salt

Hi, Gang -- JazzBumpa here to analyze todays experiment in criciverbalism.  Let's grab our lab coats and get going.

Across:

1. Starts a triathlon: SWIMS.  A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. 

6. Airplane assignments: SEATS.  Aisle, window or [ugh] center.

11. Short lines at the register?: UPC.   The Universal Product Code (UPC or UPC code) is a barcode symbology that is widely used worldwide for tracking trade items in stores.

14. Chocolate source: CACAO.   Theobroma cacao, also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, is a small evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.

15. "I've __ up to here!": HAD IT.   Exclamation of impatience or incipient anger.

16. Swelter: FRY.  Experience an unpleasant level of heat.

19. Watch chain: FOB.  A chain attached to a watch for carrying in a waistcoat or waistband pocket.

20. Top __: TEN.  A type of most popular list.

21. Requests: ASKS.

22. DVR pioneer: TIVO.   TiVo is a digital video recorder developed and marketed by Xperi and introduced in 1999. 

23. Rich cake: TORTE.   a rich, usually multilayered, cake that is filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams, or fruit.  It is often glazed and garnished.

25. Air purifying gadget: IONIZER.   Devices that remove certain airborne particles using negative ions. The purpose of an air ionizer is to help air particles settle and collect out of the air.

28. Skateboarding star Tony: HAWK.  Anthony Frank Hawk (b. 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse

32. Qatari bigwigs: EMIRS.   A Muslim (usually Arab) military commander or local chief.

34. "__ I say more?": NEED.   Have you heard enough?

42. Word on Irish euros: EIRE.  Éire is Irish for "Ireland", the name of both an island in the North Atlantic and the sovereign state of Ireland which governs 84% of the island's landmass. 

43. Finnish hot spot: SAUNA.   A small room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. 

44. *Long, curved barrette: BANANA CLIP.   a clip that is slightly curved and used to hold a person's hair in place. 

50. Academic acronym: STEM.  STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. It is an interdisciplinary approach that helps students succeed in college and in their future careers. The focus of a STEM education is hands-on, problem-based learning.

51. Glasses for bookworms: READERS.  Eyeglasses used for reading or close work.  I have a special pair for reading music.  Otherwise I get trapped in bifocal hell.

52. Court attire: ROBES.   A robe is a loose gown worn by judges, barristers and officials in court.

54. Itch: URGE.  Yen, desire, craving, impulse, yearning . . .

55. Han who said, "It's not wise to upset a Wookiee": SOLO.  Portrayed by a former camera man.

Source

56. [shrug]: MEH.  We are not impressed.

59. __ sale: TAG.   A sale of used belongings where the price of the item is discounted and marked on a price tag.

64. Put away: ATE.   Probably with considerable enthusiasm.

65. Very serious: ACUTE.   Present or experienced to a severe or intense degree.

66. Leading: FIRST.  Outperforming the competition.

67. __ light bulb: LED.    Light Emitting Diode. LED lighting products produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs.

68. Cookie source: BAKER.  A person who makes bread and cakes - and, of course, cookies - especially as a trade.

69. Ready to flow: ON TAP.  All set to go.

Down:

1. Person in Paisley: SCOT.  A person from Scotland.  The town Paisley is an industrial centre, Renfrewshire council area and historic county, in west-central Scotland, 7 miles (11 km) west of Glasgow. It is situated on the River White Cart, a tributary of the River Clyde.

2. Diminish: WANE.   Ebb, decline, shrink, contract.

3. "Gosh, no one is happy with me!": I CAN'T WIN.  An expression of dismay.

4. PC alternative: MAC.  An Apple computer.

5. __ power: SOLAR.  The conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), indirectly using concentrated solar power, or a combination. 

6. Like some martinis: SHAKEN.  As opposed to being stirred.  Mine are swirled.

7. AirPods holders: EARS.  Apple's entirely wireless earbuds. They were first released in 2016. AirPods are compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPods, Macbooks, and Apple TVs.  EARS are the organs of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external part of this.

8. Total: ADD.  Sum it up.

9. Hermana de la madre: TIA.   Mom's sister is your aunt, not only in Spanish speaking regions.

10. Farm pen: STY.  Home for pigs.

11. Florence gallery with Botticelli's "Birth of Venus": UFFIZI.   A prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the largest and best known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance.

Venus emerged fully grown from the sea.

12. Tried and true: PROVEN.  We know it will work.  Or so we hope.

13. Seven of Nine of "Star Trek," for one: CYBORG.  A fictional or hypothetical person whose physical abilities are extended beyond normal human limitations by mechanical elements built into the body.  They appear as recurring antagonists in the Star Trek fictional universe.  Not sure what the 7 of 9 refers to.

18. Founded, for short: EST'D.  Established.

22. Pewter component: TIN.  Along with lead.

24. Gumbo vegetable: OKRA.    Abelmoschus esculentus, known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. 

25. Cold, slushy treat: ICEE.    A frozen carbonated beverage available in fruit and soda flavors. 

26. World Cup chants: OLÉS.  From Spanish-speaking countries -- an exclamation used to express approval, triumph, joy, etc.

27. Network connections: NODES.  In telecommunications networks, a node (Latin: nodus, ‘knot’) is either a redistribution point or a communication endpoint. The definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to. 

28. She/__ pronouns: HER.  Putting She/Her in a bio means that the individual is declaring their pronouns. Now people know that they should use She/Her when speaking about or to that person.

29. "No question is too personal" session, for short: AMA.  Ask Me Anything.  [I might even answer.]

31. "Yosemite Valley Winter" photographer Adams: ANSEL.   Ansel Easton Adams 1902 – 1984) was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his black-and-white images of the American West. 

33. Part of an act: SCENE.   As in a stage play.

36. Storyteller: LIAR.  One prone to mendacity.

37. Tolkien creatures: ORCS.  Evil beings that cannot abide the light of day.

38. Wholesale quantity: CASE.  A case of some merchandise is a collection of items packaged together. A case is not a strict unit of measure.
 
39. Get the better of: OUT SMART.   Defeat or get the better of (someone) by being clever or cunning.

40. U-turn from SSW: NNE.  Opposite compass directions

41. Hydroelectric power source: DAM.  A barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply.

44. Merciless: BRUTAL.  Cruel and nasty

45. Gas up?: AERATE.  Introduce a gas into a liquid.

46. Hounded: NAGGED.   Persistently harassed someone to do something.

47. Stand buy: ADE.    I have no idea what this means.

48. Wrinkle remover: IRONER.  A person ironing clothing or other fabric items

49. Casual top: POLO.   An informal style of cotton shirt, with short sleeves, a collar, and some buttons at the neck 

53. Awesome, in showbiz: BOFFO.  High praise or great success.

55. Etsy, e.g.: SITE.   A set of related web pages located under a single domain name, typically produced by a single person or organization.

57. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.  Elsa and Anna are the royal sisters of Arendelle. 

58. Start of an address: HTTP.   For a web site.

60. Shoot the breeze: GAB.   Yack.

61. Color TV pioneer: RCA.

62. North Sea diving bird: AUK.  A bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. The alcid family includes the murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets.

63. Transgression: SIN.   In the original Greek writing of the New Testament, the most common word translated as “sin” or “sins” is “hamartia,” which means “literally missing of the mark.”  If I understand correctly, it is a term from archery. 

Well - that's not the most pleasant way to bring a puzzle to a close.  But it was a good experiment, and I think it hit the mark. I'll call it a success.

Cool regards!

JzB

P. S.  I have family coming in from out of town, so I probably won't be checking the blog.