L. A. Times Crossword Wednesday, November 22, 2023 Amy Johnson

Theme: Let's Tie This Thing Up - Maybe Like A Turkey?

17 A. "Get lost!": GO FLY A KITE.  The phrase originated in the 1940s and was very popular at that time and for the next few decades. Its meaning is derived from its literal meaning: A person would probably need to go away to actually fly a kite.  And what would s/he hold on to -- hmmm.

23 A. Hands-on creation?: SHADOW PUPPET. These are figures that are placed between a light and a screen. Moving them creates the illusion of moving images on the screen. An experienced puppeteer can make figures appear to walk, talk, fight and dance. Shadow puppetry is a popular form of entertainment in countries all over the world.  But there are other puppets manipulated in a different way.

46 A. Home of SpongeBob SquarePants: BIKINI BOTTOM.   Bikini Bottom is the main setting in the SpongeBob SquarePants series. It is an undersea city where SpongeBob and his friends live. According to Nickelodeon's program summary, Bikini Bottom is located in the Pacific Ocean, beneath Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.  Were they just stringing us along?  Here is the other kind.

57 A. Actress who completed her EGOT with a Grammy for the audiobook "Finding Me": VIOLA DAVIS.  Viola Davis [b. 1965]  is an American actress and producer. Davis is one of the few performers to have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. She is the sole African-American to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting as well as the third person to achieve both statuses. Alternatively, the VIOLA is a string instrument that is bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.

And -- the unifier -- 36 A. What some favors and one part of the answers to 17-, 23-, 46-, and 57-Across come with?: STRINGS ATTACHED.   If something such as an agreement or special offer has strings attached, it involves special demands or limits.  These are metaphorical strings. But each of the other theme fill have an alternate meaning in which it is literally attached to a string - and in each case a different kind of string.

Hi Gang, JazzBunpa here to pull your strings today.  Let's dig into this puzzle and see it we can put a bow around it.

Across

1. "Sounds cool, man": I'M HIP.  OK. by me in jive talk.

6. Antioxidant-rich berry: ACAI.   Açaí berry is a fruit from a palm tree found in South America, mainly in the Brazilian Amazon. Because the tree does not grow outside its natural habitat, and the fresh Açaí berries are very perishable, they are usually available outside Brazil only as a juice 

10. Protrudes: JUTS.  Sticks out.

14. Background tunes for a tree-trimming party: NOELS.  Christmas Carols.  Nope - still too soon.

15. Quarterback's setback: SACK.   In gridiron football, a sack occurs when the quarterback (or another offensive player acting as a passer) is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before throwing a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and without clear intent, or when a passer runs out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage due to defensive pressure.

16. "Just __!": A SECond.  Request for someone to wait for a brief moment.

19. "You Bet Your Life" host Jay: LENO.  James Douglas Muir Leno (born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, writer and comedian. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's The Tonight Show from 1992 until 2009.  Since 2021 he has hosted the revival of You Bet Your Life. 

20. Industrious insect: ANT.   Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified.

21. "If I Could Turn Back Time" singer: CHER.   Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industry. Known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment, as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances.

22. Knight game: JOUST.   Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French joster, ultimately from Latin iuxtare "to approach, to meet."  You can learn about it here.  [Embedding was not allowed]

26. Small parts for big names: CAMEOS.  A CAMEO is a small character part in a play or movie, played by a distinguished actor or a celebrity.

29. Lamarr of the silver screen: HEDY.   Hedy Lamarr [born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, 1914] was an Austria-Hungarian-born American actress and technology inventor. She was a film star during Hollywood's Golden Age.

BadAss Inventor

30. Particle with an orbital system: ATOM.    An atom is a particle that consists of a nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by an electromagnetically-bound cloud of electrons. The atom is the basic particle of the chemical elements, and the chemical elements are distinguished from each other by the number of protons that are in their atoms. 

31. IRS convenience: E-FILE.  Electronic filing, also known as e-filing, is a process of submitting documents to a court or government agency. You typically do this via the internet or other electronic means. 

33. Brownie __ mode: ALA.  Topped or garnished with ice cream.

40. L.A.-to-NYC dir.: ENE.  East-North-East - the direction or compass point midway between east and northeast..

41. Tiny bits: IOTAS.  Extremely small amounts.

42. Set the pace: LEAD. Set the initiative in an action; be an example for others to follow, have first place in a race..

43. Brittney Griner's org.: WNBA.  Women's National Basketball Association.   Brittney Yevette Griner ( born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA.)] She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's national basketball team and a six-time WNBA All-Star. She was additionally named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.

44. Little rascals: SCAMPS.   Person, especially children, who are mischievous in a likable or amusing way.

51. Dark wood: EBONY.  Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus Diospyros, which also includes the persimmon tree. Few Diospyros species such as macassar and mun ebony are dense enough to sink in water.

52. Portal: DOOR.   Entrance way.

53. Itinerary info: ETA.  Estimated Time of Arrival.

56. "Sounds cool!": NEAT.  Slang phrases for approval or agreement.

60. Story: TALE.   a fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted.

61. __-Alt-Del: CTRL.  A PC key combination.  The function of the key combination differs depending on the context but it generally interrupts or facilitates interrupting a function. 

62. Leaves out: OMITS.  Leaves out or excludes (someone or something), either intentionally or forgetfully.

63. Actor Sharif: OMAR.   Omar Sharif [born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub, 2015). was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in his native country in the 1950s. He is best known for his appearances in American, British, French, and Italian productions.

64. "Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis __: ROSS.  Tracee Joy Silberstein (born October 29, 1972), known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000–2008) and Black-ish (2014–2022) receiving nominations for five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the latter.  She is the daughter of actress and Motown recording artist Diana Ross and Robert Ellis Silberstein. 

65. Windbreaker fabric: NYLON.   Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers with amide backbones, usually linking aliphatic or semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are white or colorless, and soft; some are silk-like. They are thermoplastic, which means that they can be melt-processed into fibers, films, and diverse shapes.  The properties of nylons are often modified by blending with a wide variety of additives.

Down:
1. Pulitzer-winning architecture critic Saffron: INGA.  Inga Saffron (born November 9, 1957) is an American journalist and architecture critic. She won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism while writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

2. Once in a blue __: MOON.  This indicates a rare event.  More precisely, a blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year: the third of four full moons in a season.  This happens every two to three years (seven times in the Metonic cycle of 19 years)

3. Lift with effort: HEFT.  As defined.

4. Ailing: ILL.  Sick.

5. Film set at the Bates Motel: PSYCHO.  Psycho is a 1960 American horror film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay, written by Joseph Stefano, was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The film stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam. The plot centers on an encounter between on-the-run embezzler Marion Crane (Leigh) and shy motel proprietor Norman Bates (Perkins) and its aftermath, in which a private investigator (Balsam), Marion's lover Sam Loomis (Gavin), and her sister Lila (Miles) investigate her disappearance.

6. Made inquiries: ASKED.  Said something in order to obtain an answer or some information.

7. Tahrir Square city: CAIRO.  Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the city-state Cairo Governorate, and is the country's largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metropolitan area, with a population of 22.1 million, is the 12th-largest in the world by population.   Tahrir Square; English: "Liberation Square", also known as Martyr Square, is a major public town square in downtown Cairo, Egypt. The square has been the location and focus for political demonstrations. The 2011 Egyptian revolution and the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak occurred at the Tahrir Square.

8. "__ your age!": ACT.  Behave in a manner appropriate to someone of one's age and not to someone much younger.

9. Actor Barinholtz: IKE.   Ike Barinholtz [b. 1977] is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer. He is best known for his starring roles in the comedy series MADtv (2002–2007), Eastbound & Down (2012), The Mindy Project (2012–2017), Bless the Harts (2019–2021), The Afterparty (2022), and History of the World, Part II (2023). In February 2023 he won the inaugural primetime season of Celebrity Jeopardy!, winning US$1,000,000 for charity.

10. Bucket of bolts: JALOPY.  An old car in a dilapidated condition.

11. Burn through: USE UP.   Use or consume all of a stock or supply of something.

12. Tied up in knots: TENSE.  Become emotionally upset, typically through anxiety or nervousness.

13. "House of Gucci" director Ridley __: SCOTT.  Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English filmmaker. He is best known for directing films in the science fiction, crime, and historical drama genres. His work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades throughout his career, including the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2018, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2003, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

18. Cries of discovery: AHAS.  Used when you are expressing pleasure or surprise that you have understood something or found something out

22. King Herod's realm: JUDEA.  The Herodian kingdom was a client state of the Roman Republic ruled from 37 to 4 BCE by Herod the Great, who was appointed "King of the Jews" by the Roman Senate. When Herod died, the kingdom was divided among his sons into the Herodian Tetrarchy.

23. Service plaza rig: SEMI.  A semi tractor-trailor vehicle used for hauling freight.

24. Tiny bits: WHITS.  Iotas, and a clecho.

25. Linus Van __: "Peanuts" kid: PELT.  Linus Van Pelt is a fictional character in Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts. He is the best friend of Charlie Brown, the younger brother of Lucy Van Pelt, and the older brother of Rerun Van Pelt. His first appearance was on September 19, 1952, but he was not mentioned by name until three days later. He was first referred two months earlier, on July 14. Linus spoke his first words in 1954, the same year he was first shown with his security blanket. Linus is named after Schulz's friend Linus Maurer.

Linus

26. 12 bottles of wine: CASE.  A box or receptacle for holding something, often a specific quantity.

27. Env. directive: ATTN.  Mail routing instruction within an office or business.

28. Extra: MORE.  But, wait . . .

31. Founded: Abbr.: ESTAB.  Established - the date when a business was started.

32. Drone-regulating org.: FAA.   Federal Aviation Administration.

33. "Excuse me ... ": AHEM.  Feigned throat clearing sound, used to get someone's attention.

34. __ year: LEAP.  A year, occurring once every four years, that has 366 days including February 29 as an intercalary day.

35. Stirs in: ADDS.   If you add one thing to another, you put it in or on the other thing, to increase, complete, or improve it. For example: add the grated cheese to the sauce. 

37. Nincompoop: NINNY.  A foolish nitwit.

38. Asian desert: GOBI.   The Gobi Desert is a vast, cold and arid region in northern China and southern Mongolia. It's known for its dunes, mountains and rare animals such as snow leopards and Bactrian camels. In the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, the Khongoryn Els sand dunes are said to sing when the wind blows. The park also features the deep ice field of Yolyn Am canyon. Dinosaur fossils have been found at the red "Flaming Cliffs" of Bayanzag.

39. Chowder morsel: CLAM.  Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve molluscs. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds.

43. Time for cold feet?: WINTER.  Literal.  I've been wearing socks to bed for a few weeks.  Figuratively,  having cold feet is to be too fearful or timid to undertake or complete an action.

44. Greek portico: STOA.  A classical portico or roofed colonnade.

45. Le __ Bleu: Julia Child's alma mater: CORDON.   Literally "blue ribbon," indicating a high level of achievement. 

46. Lunchbox type: BENTO.  A bento is the Japanese iteration of a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal, often for lunch. Outside Japan, it is common in other East and Southeast Asian culinary styles, especially within Chinese, Korean, Singaporean, Taiwanese cuisines and more, as rice is a common staple food in the region. 

47. Steel girder: I-BEAM.   An I-beam is any of various structural members with an I or H-shaped cross-section. Technical terms for similar items include H-beam, w-beam, universal beam, rolled steel joist, or double-T. I-beams are typically made of structural steel and serve a wide variety of construction uses. 

48. Souvenir toy from Australia, say: KOALA.   A stuffed animal toy replica of the koala

49. Landfill emanations: ODORS.  It's garbage.  It smells bad.

50. Road trip expense: TOLLS.  A charge payable for permission to use a particular bridge or road.

53. Mean business?: EVIL.  Profoundly immoral and wicked.  Clever misdirection.

54. "Mambo King" Puente: TITO.  Ernest Anthony Puente Jr., [1923 -2000]commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. Puente and his music have appeared in films including The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54.

55. Trade gp.: ASSN.   A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry.

57. Bygone TV attachment: VCR.  Video Cassette Recorder.

58. Skater Midori: ITO.   Midori Ito [b. 1969] is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 1989 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist. She is the first woman to land a triple-triple jump combination and a triple Axel in competition. 

59. "Doctor Who" role for Karen Gillan: AMY. Karen Sheila Gillan (/ˈɡɪlən/; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress and filmmaker. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who (2010–2013), for which she received several awards and nominations. Her early film roles include Ally in the thriller film Outcast (2010) and Jane Lockhart in the romantic comedy film Not Another Happy Ending (2013). She also worked on the stage while in Britain, appearing in John Osborne's play Inadmissible Evidence (2011).

That wraps up this Wednesday.  Hope I didn't string you along.  Have a joyous, blessed and food-filled Thanksgiving.  See you all in January.  Go Lions!

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday November 8, 2023 Rachel Fabi

Theme:  ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS.  I'll defer the explanation until after we've reviewed the theme entries.

3 D. *Staff symbol for a bassoon piece: TENOR CLEF.   This monstrosity.  European symphonic music uses it for trombone parts, to my great dismay.  

Abomination

The TENOR of a situation can also refer to the general conditions or attitude present,

9D. *Symphonic composition that evokes another art form: TONE POEM.   A piece of orchestral music, typically in one movement, on a descriptive or rhapsodic theme, intended to evoke vivid imagery. TONE can also refer to the general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc. 

33. *Wig adhesive: SPIRIT GUM.  A quick-drying solution of gum, chiefly used by actors to attach false hair to their faces.  SPIRIT can also refer to those qualities regarded as forming the definitive or typical elements in the character of a person, nation, or group or in the thought and attitudes of a particular period.

37D. *Accessory that changes color: MOOD RING.   A finger ring that contains a thermochromic element, or "mood stone", that changes colors based on the temperature of the finger of the wearer. Finger temperature, as long as the ambient temperature is relatively constant, is significantly determined by peripheral blood flow, which, presumably, is modulated by the autonomic nervous system. A mood ring contains liquid crystals that change color depending on the temperature.  MOOD can also relate to a state of mind or being.

And the unifier -- 7D. Layer in which space stations orbit Earth, and what the answers to the starred clues literally have?: UPPER ATMOSPHERE.   A collective term that refers to various layers of the atmosphere of the Earth above the troposphere and corresponding regions of the atmospheres of other planets.  Read about it here.  The troposphere is the lowest layer, containing 75% of total atmospheric mass.  It is where most weather happens.  ATMOSPHERE can also relate to the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art.

Hi, Gang, JazzBumpa here to gauge the collective mode here at the Corner.  Don't feel bad it you had trouble sussing today's theme.  It's clever, subtle, and actually on the abstract side.  But I didn't let it spoil my mood.  I appealed to my fellow bloggers, and they figured it out for me.  Thanks, guys!  The definition I found for ATMOSPHERE actually uses some of the words in the theme fill, so this theme is really solid.

Also, when the theme is presented vertically, there is usually a related gimmick.  Here it is the word UPPER, indicating the the meaningful part of the theme fill will be located high in the vertical position - the first word of the two word fill.   Really well done.  

Let's check out the rest of the puzzle.

Across

1. Keep an eye on: WATCH.  Observe carefully.

6. Early riser?: SUN.  It's always up at the crack of dawn.

9. Folded fare: TACOS.  Meal in a hard corn flour shell.

14. Vegan beauty brand: AVEDA.  Maker of hair and skin care products.

15. Tax pro: CPA.  Certified Public Accountant.

16. Surname of Bo and Sunny: OBAMA.  Bo, a male Portuguese water dog was a family pet of the Obama's from 2009 until it died in 2017.  Sunny, a female of the same breed, joined the family in 2013.

17. "Despacito" singer Luis: FONSI.  Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (b. 1978), known by his stage name Luis Fonsi, is a Puerto Rican singer. He is known for his soulful and dance oriented songs.

Take it slow

18. Tablet download: APP.  Short for APPLICATION - a functional program for the device.

19. Taking a personal day, say: NOT IN.  Away from the job or office.

20. Cube root of eight: TWO. 2x2x2 = 8.

21. When an album drops, e.g.: RELEASE DATE.  The date on which it is available for purchase or distribution.

24. 46-Down Emmy winner Gilda: RADNER.  Gilda Susan Radner (1946 –1989) was an American actress, comedian, writer, and singer. Radner was one of the seven original cast members of the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from its inception in 1975 until her departure in 1980. In her routines on SNL, she specialized in parodies of television stereotypes, such as advice specialists and news anchors. In 1978, Radner won an Emmy Award for her performances on the show. She also portrayed those characters in her highly successful one-woman show on Broadway in 1979. Radner's SNL work established her as an iconic figure in the history of American comedy.

26. Divest of wrapping paper, perhaps: OPEN.  As birthday or Christmas presents.

27. Decongest: UNCLOG.  Open a drain pipe or nasal passage.

29. "°Hasta luego!": ADIOS.  Later, alligator.

31. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" actress Little __: NELL.   Laura Elizabeth Campbell (b. 1953) better known as Nell Campbell or by her stage name Little Nell, is an Australian actress, singer, and former club owner. She is best known for her role as Columbia in the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the original stage play from which it was adapted. 

32. Far from fresh: STALE.  As defined.

33. Spot for a soak: SPA. A mineral spring considered to have health-giving properties, or a location or a facility offering something similar.

36. Big goal: DREAM.  A cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.

38. "I wonder ... ": HMM.   Used to express reflection or hesitation.

39. Clean a spill: MOP UP.   Wipe liquid away from a surface with something absorbent.

41. Taking a personal day, say: OFF.  Away from the job or office.  Look - a clecho!

42. Pungent bulb: ONION.  An edible bulb with a pungent taste and smell, composed of several concentric layers, used in cooking.

44. Dig up: MINE.   To dig holes in the ground in order to find and obtain coal, diamonds, etc. 

45. Chicken homes: COOPS.   Cages or pens for confining poultry.

46. Street __: SMARTS.   The experience and knowledge necessary to deal with the potential difficulties or dangers of life in an urban environment.

48. Edamame units: PODS.   Long, narrow, flat parts of some plants, such as beans and peas, that contain the seeds and usually have a thick skin

49. Food word that is plural in Italian but singular in English: PANINI. Over there, more than one piece or loaf of bread.  Over here, a sandwich, usually toasted, made from Italian bread

51. Chad Michael Murray teen drama set in North Carolina: ONE TREE HILL.   One Tree Hill is an American drama television series created by Mark Schwahn, which ran from 2003 until 2012. The show is set in the fictional town of Tree Hill in North Carolina and initially follows the lives of two half-brothers, Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan Scott (James Lafferty), who compete for positions on their school's basketball team and the drama that ensues from the brothers' romances. 

54. Brief "I can't unhear that": TMI.  Too Much Information.  Not on my need-to-know list.

57. Rock icon Smith who wrote the memoir "Just Kids": PATTI.   Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith (b. 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses.

Over 9 minutes - you have been warned

58. Crossed (out): X-ED.  Deleted.   To show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it.

59. Golden beer: LAGER.  A beer (such as a bock or pilsner) that is brewed at cool temperatures by slow fermentation with a slow-acting yeast. Lagers tend to have a lighter, clearer appearance than ales with a usually lower alcohol content and slightly higher sugar content. The yeast used to ferment lager is often referred to as "bottom-fermenting" since it does not rise to the top of the brewing vessel during fermentation.

61. Scandal-plagued energy company: ENRON.   Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. It was founded by Kenneth Lay in 1985 as a merger between Lay's Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, both relatively small regional companies. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 20,600 staff and was a major electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper company, with claimed revenues of nearly $101 billion during 2000. Fortune named Enron "America's Most Innovative Company" for six consecutive years.  At the end of 2001, it was revealed that Enron's reported financial condition was sustained by an institutionalized, systematic, and creatively planned accounting fraud, known since as the Enron scandal. Enron has become synonymous with willful corporate fraud and corruption. 

62. Is for you?: ARE.  Second person, present tense, both singular and plural form of the verb "to be."

63. Upscale Honda: ACURA.  Acura is the luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America. The brand was launched on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. Acura sells cars in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, and Kuwait.

64. "Nothing __!": DOING.   There is no prospect of success or agreement.

65. Shirt size: Abbr.: MED.  Medium.

66. Country on the Gulf of Aden: YEMEN.  Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. It is located in the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the northeast. It shares maritime borders with Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia. 

Down:

1. Drift on the breeze: WAFT.  As a pleasant odor, perhaps from baked goods.

2. Declare openly: AVOW.  Or AVER - always need perps

4. Items in jewel cases: CDS.  Compact Discs - storage media for recorded music or data.

5. Coif: HAIR DO.  A hairstyle, hairdo, haircut or coiffure refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human head but sometimes on the face or body. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although practical, cultural, and popular considerations also influence some hairstyles.  What then is a hair don't?

6. Beaufort __: SCALE.   The Beaufort scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale.

8. Cabbage in baechu kimchi: NAPA.   Napa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage originating near the Beijing region of China that is widely used in East Asian cuisine. Since the 20th century, it has also become a widespread crop in Europe, the Americas and Australia. In much of the world, it is referred to as "Chinese cabbage".

10. Homes: ABODES.  Dwellings.

11. Settlement-building game with hexagonal tiles: CATAN.   Catan, previously known as The Settlers of Catan or simply Settlers, is a multiplayer board game designed by Klaus Teuber. It was first published in 1995 in Germany by Franckh-Kosmos Verlag as Die Siedler von Catan.

12. Exclude: OMIT.  Leave out or ignore.

13. Levelheaded: SANE.  Rational.

22. Lang. of Canada: ENG.  The English Language, spoken if parts of Can.

23. Planter contents: SOIL.  Dirt.  I can dig it.

25. Penne __ vodka: ALLA.   Penne alla vodka is a pasta dish made primarily with vodka and penne pasta (or similar shapes such as rigatoni), usually accompanied with heavy cream, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, onions, and sometimes small meats and vegetables like sausage, pancetta or peas. The pure alcohol apparently helps intensify and accentuate flavors in the dish, among other claims.

27. Back up, on a PC: UNDO.  Not back up, as to make a reserve copy, but to reverse and erase characters while typing at the keyboard, or negate some operation.

28. Foam toy brand: NERF.  Nerf is a toy brand formed by Parker Brothers and currently owned by Hasbro. Most of the toys are a variety of foam-based weaponry, with other Nerf products including balls for sports such as American football, basketball, and baseball. Their best known toys are their dart guns (referred to by Hasbro as "blasters") that shoot ammunition made from "Nerf foam" (partially reticulated polyether type polyurethane foam). Their primary slogan, introduced in the 1990s, is "It's Nerf or Nothin'!". Annual revenues under the Nerf brand are approximately US$400 million

30. 2017 Kendrick Lamar album: DAMN.   The fourth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, dropped on April 14, 2017.   DAMN received widespread critical acclaim, with many naming the album one of the best albums of 2017 and the decade. 

32. Endorse as a couple, in slang: SHIP.   To take an interest in or hope for a romantic relationship between (fictional characters or famous people), whether or not the romance actually exists.  I'm guessing this is derived from relationship, but -- who knows?  I don't have that kind of street smarts.

34. Fourth-down play: PUNT.  In American football, kicking the football away to the opposing team in an attempt to give them worse field position.  This is done when it is unlikely to achieve a first down - the next short term goal of the team with the ball. 

35. Bonobos, e.g.: APES.  Large primates that lack a tail, including the gorilla, chimpanzees, orangutan, gibbons and certain British Bishops.  The bonobo, also historically called the pygmy chimpanzee, is an endangered great ape and one of the two species making up the genus Pan (the other being the common chimpanzee.)

Wikipedia

40. Country northeast of 66-Across: OMAN.  Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located in West Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of the Persian Gulf. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, while sharing maritime borders with Iran and Pakistan. The capital and largest city is Muscat.

43. Bouquet: NOSE.  Aroma, such as one that might waft, or more likely from a bottle of wine.

45. "The fabric of our lives," per an ad slogan: COTTON.  Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor percentages of waxes, fats, pectins, and water.

It's fun to play

It is a curious fact of the music world that marches written for fairs and expositions almost always fade into oblivion. Two notable exceptions are Sousa’s “King Cotton” and “The Fairest of the Fair.” The former was written for the Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895, and the latter for the Boston Food Fair of 1908.

Sousa and his band had great drawing power at fairs and expositions and were much sought after. But officials of the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta attempted to cancel their three-week contract with the Sousa Band because of serious financial difficulties. At Sousa’s insistence they honored their contract, and at the first concert they became aware of their shortsightedness. Atlanta newspapers carried rave reviews of the band’s performances.

"Sousa’s march, “King Cotton,” has proved a winner. It has been heard from one end of Dixie to the other and has aroused great enthusiasm and proved a fine advertisement for the Exposition."

The Sousa Band did indeed bring the exposition “out of the red,” and the same officials who had tried to cancel Sousa’s engagement pleaded with him to extend it. “King Cotton” was named the official march of the exposition, and it has since become one of the perennial Sousa favorites.

-- From notes to the video

46. NBC show with Punkie Johnson: SNL.   Saturday Night Live.

47. "A Few Figs From Thistles" writer: MILLAY.  Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892 – 1950) was an American lyrical poet and playwright. Millay was a renowned social figure and noted feminist in New York City during the Roaring Twenties and beyond.  Millay won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her poem "Ballad of the Harp-Weaver"; she was the first woman and second person to win the award. In 1943, Millay was the sixth person and the second woman to be awarded the Frost Medal for her lifetime contribution to American poetry.   Millay's 1920 collection A Few Figs From Thistles drew controversy for its exploration of female sexuality and feminism.  She was promiscuous and bisexual before it was cool.

48. __ dish: PETRI.   A Petri dish is a shallow transparent lidded dish that biologists use to hold growth medium in which cells can be cultured, 

50. Helped: AIDED.  Assisted or abetted, depending on what was attempted.

51. Piece with a view: OP-ED. An opinionated article printed opposite to the editorial page.

52. Prefix with bot: NANO.  Nano is a unit prefix meaning one billionth. Used primarily with the metric system, this prefix denotes a factor of 10⁻⁹ or 0.000000001.   Nanobots are the object of an emerging technology field creating machines or robots whose components are at or near the scale of a nanometer.

53. LSAT, e.g.: EXAM.   An examination or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics.   The Law School Admission Test is a standardized test administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates.

55. Only: MERE.  That is solely or no more or better than what is specified.

56. Country north of 40-Down: IRAN.   Iran, also known as Persia and officially as the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east. 

60. Pro: ACE.  An expert in some activity or endeavor.

Thus endeth another Wednesday.   We had some fun music and a middle-eastern geography lesson.  So it's all good and the atmospheric conditions should be quite positive.

Adios, and Cool Regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, October 25, 2023 Jill Singer

Theme:  Saving Face.  Some ideas about the FACE are preserved in this puzzle.  Let's see how it works.

18 A. *"Attractive!":  EYE CATCHING.  Immediately appealing or noticeable; striking.

24 A. *"Noisy!": EAR PIERCING.  A sound that is high pitched, annoyingly loud and unpleasant.

49 A. *"Amazing!": JAW DROPPING.  Causing great surprise or astonishment.

64. *"Delicious!": LIP SMACKING.  Highly pleasing or appealing to the sense of taste or smell

And the unifier -- 40 A. Many an emoji, and a feature of the starred clues and their answers?: FACIAL EXPRESSION.   A motions or position of the muscles beneath the skin of the face. According to one set of controversial theories, these movements convey the emotional state of an individual to observers. Facial expressions are a form of nonverbal communication.

So, what's going on here?  The theme fill don't really describe facial expressions - at least not in any consistent way.  So we must dig a layer deeper.  A verbal expression is the act of making your thoughts, feelings, etc., known by speech or writing.  Here we have idiomatic expressions that relate to parts of the face, hence FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.  Well done Jill Singer!

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, with eyes wide open.  Let's nose our way into the puzzle, lick our lips,  and see what we can sink our teeth into.

Across:

1. Whomp, quaintly: SMITE.  Strike with a firm blow.  The past tense is smote.

6. Religious subdivisions: SECTS.  Group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs from those of a larger group to which they belong.  World wide, there are about 40,000 Christian denominations.  Do they qualify? 

11. Injury reminder: SCAR.  A mark left on the skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not healed completely and fibrous connective tissue has developed.

15. Hoosier hoopster: PACER.  The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.

16. Sunlit courtyards: ATRIA.  An ATRIUM is a central hall or court in a modern building, with rooms or galleries opening off it, often glass-covered.

17. Large volume: TOME.  The dormant scientist in me wanted this to be the amount of space inside a geometric figure.  But, alas, it is a large, weighty, often scholarly book.

20. Othello's false friend: IAGO.   Iago is the main antagonist in Shakespeare's play OTHELLO, and Othello's standard-bearer. He is the husband of Emilia, who is in turn the attendant of Othello's wife Desdemona. 

21. Marketplaces on smartphones: APP STORES.  In the singular, a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context.

22. Urchin-eating mammal: OTTER.  Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among other animals.  Sea urchins are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin are distributed on the seabeds of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to 5,000 meters. The spherical, hard shells of sea urchins are round and covered in spines.  Yum!

23. Place to stop on an RV trip: KOA.   KOA (short for Kampgrounds [sic] of America) is an American franchise of privately owned campgrounds. Having more than 500 locations across the United States and Canada, it is the world's largest system of privately owned campgrounds.  It was founded in 1962 and is based in Billings, Montana, United States. 

27. Replayed tennis serve: LET.    A serve is called a LET when the ball hits the net cord but still lands in the service court. Such a serve is not considered a fault and the server may repeat the service attempt.

30. Not particularly inspiring: BLAH.  Used to refer to something which is boring or without meaningful content.  Something to which you might say, "Meh!"

31. Thin nails: BRADS.  Small wire nails with small, often asymmetrical heads.  The depressions caused by driving them are brad pits.

33. Fundamental: BASAL.   Of or relating to the foundation, base, or essence of a thing.

36. Pulitzer winner Ferber: EDNA.   Edna Ferber [1885 - 1968] was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big, Show Boat, Cimarron, Giant and Ice Palace, which also received a film adaptation in 1960.

43. Pedal pushers: FEET.  Pedal pushers are calf-length trousers that were popular during the 1950s and the early 1960s. Often cuffed and worn tight to the skin.  But that's not we are talking about.  We are talking about the lower extremity of the leg below the ankle, used to push the pedals of, frex, a bicycle. 

44. Heeds: OBEYS.  Complies with the command, direction, or request of a person or a law. 

45. Expert in Islamic law: MUFTI.    An Islamic scholar who is legally able to rule on various religious and personal matters. In some places, people going through a divorce might need the help of a mufti. In Islamic countries, muftis are officials who are authorized to make legal decisions or help judges in deciding cases.

46. Breakfast brand: EGGO.   Eggo is a brand of frozen waffles owned by the Kellogg Company, and sold in North America. Several varieties are available, including homestyle, miniature, cherry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla bliss, brown sugar cinnamon, apple cinnamon, buttermilk, chocolate chip, and Thick & Fluffy. Wikipedia

48. Sunscreen letters: SPF.   Sun Protection Factor, a measure of how much solar energy (UV radiation) is required to produce sunburn on protected skin 

56. Function: USE.   An activity or purpose natural to or intended for a person or thing.

59. Say "y'all," say: ELIDE.  Omit a sound or syllable when speaking.

60. Without a rival: UNOPPOSED.   Unchallenged.

63. Big fuss: TODO.   A commotion or fuss.

66. Site with tutorials: EHOW.   eHow is an online how-to guide with many articles and 170,000 videos offering step-by-step instructions. eHow articles and videos are created by freelancers and cover a wide variety of topics organized into a hierarchy of categories.

67. Water filter brand: BRITA.   Brita GmbH is a German manufacturer of water filters headquartered in Taunusstein near Wiesbaden, Hesse. The company's manufacturing facilities are located in China, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Brita products are distributed in 69 countries

68. Plain text: PROSE.   Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.

69. Cut, as a log: SAWN.  Here, "cut" is functioning as a verbal adjective rather than a verb, describing the condition of a log.

70. Meal that gets tossed: SALAD.   Garden salads use a base of leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula or rocket, kale or spinach; they are common enough that the word salad alone often refers specifically to garden salads.  A tossed salad is one mixed with an oil dressing.

71. More rational: SANER.  The comparative form of sane, thus, more sane.

Down:

1. Bark elicitor: SPEAK.   Command to a canine.

2. Breakfast brand: MAYPO.  

3. Winter carnival structure: ICE PALACE.   A castle-like structure made of ice.

Or this

4. Gumshoes: TECS.  Slang words for detective.

5. Latin 101 verb: ERAT.  Meaning “he/she/it was.”

6. Pelvic bones: SACRA.  The sacrum is a triangular bone in the lower back formed from fused vertebrae and situated between the two hipbones of the pelvis.

Source

7. Old anesthetic: ETHER.   A pleasant-smelling colorless volatile liquid that is highly flammable. It is used as an anesthetic and as a solvent or intermediate in industrial processes.

8. Like potato chips but not mashed potatoes: CRISP.   Firm, dry, and brittle, especially in a way considered pleasing or attractive: "crisp bacon."

9. Metal derived from cassiterite: TIN.   Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. A silvery-coloured metal, tin is soft enough to be cut with little force, and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort.

10. Droop: SAG.   Bend or hang downward limply.

11. Sutures: STITCHES UP.  Closes a wound by sewing it shut.  An oddity of the English languages that the word up is superfluous in this construction.

12. South American mammal related to the raccoon: COATI.   Coatis, also known as coatimundis, are members of the family Procyonidae in the genera Nasua and Nasuella. They are diurnal mammals native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. The name "coatimundi" comes from the Tupian languages of Brazil, where it means "lone coati".

San Diego Zoo

13. Pharmaceutical giant: AMGEN.   Amgen Inc. is an American multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. 

14. Corp. makeover: REORG.   A reorganization is a significant and disruptive overhaul of a troubled business intended to restore it to profitability. It may include shutting down or selling divisions, replacing management, cutting budgets, and laying off workers.

19. Small digit?: TOE.   Any of the five digits at the end of the human foot.  Alternatively, could be the numbers one or two.  Any of these cold also be call a low digit.

22. "You for Me" singer Rita: ORA.

25. Letter-shaped girders: I-BARS.   An iron or steel beam that is I-shaped in cross section. 

26. International fashion magazine: ELLE.   A worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. Published by the Paris-based Lagardère Group, Elle is considered one of the world's leading women magazine, with 45 editions around the world and 46 local websites.

28. Made shorter, in a way: EDITED  DOWN.   To edit down is to make changes to a text or movie, deciding what will be removed and what will be kept in, in order to prepare it for being printed or shown: 

29. Gp. known for travelers' checks: TSA.   The Transportation Security Administration: the US government organization that checks that the activities of companies transporting people or goods are safe, legal, etc.  Another cleverly misdirecting clue.

31. Buddy letters: BFF.   Best Friend Forever.

32. Issa of "The Photograph": RAE.

33. Free jazz kin: BEBOP. BEBOP is a type of jazz originating in the 1940s and characterized by complex harmony and rhythms.  On the other hand, free jazz is an improvised style of jazz characterized by the absence of set chord patterns or time patterns.  If they are kin, it is of a very distant variety.

34. Firetruck tool: AXE.  A tool typically used for chopping wood, usually a steel blade attached at a right angle to a wooden handle.

35. Intel collector: SPY.   A person who secretly collects and reports information on the activities, movements, and plans of an enemy or competitor.

37. Spread of cultural ideas, e.g.: DIFFUSION.    The spreading or merging of different cultural ideas. It occurs directly, indirectly, or through force and appears in various forms, including: Relocation diffusion: When people migrate to new places and influence or become influenced by the existing cultures.

38. "__ a chance!": NOT.   Ain't happenin'.

39. Singer-songwriter DiFranco: ANI.   Angela Maria "Ani" DiFranco [b. 1070]  is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums. DiFranco's music has been classified as folk rock and alternative rock, although it has additional influences from punk, funk, hip hop and jazz

41. Amazon's arrow smile, e.g.: LOGO.   A logo is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or to include the text of the name that it represents as in a wordmark.

42. Texting tech: SMS.   Short Message/Messaging Service, commonly abbreviated as SMS, is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems. It uses standardized communication protocols that let mobile devices exchange short text messages.

47. Hurdle for Ph.D. hopefuls: GRE.   The Graduate Record Examination is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the United States and Canada and a few other countries. The GRE is owned and administered by Educational Testing Service.

49. Ballet leaps: JETES.  Jumps in which a dancer springs from one foot to land on the other with one leg extended outward from the body while in the air.

50. Hilo hello: ALOHA.  Hawaiian greeting.

51. Inelegant bit of typesetting: WIDOW.  A widow occurs when the last line of a paragraph is not able to fit at the bottom of a page or column. Instead, it sits at the top of the next page, looking out of place. 

52. Dilation target: PUPIL.   The opening at the center of the iris through which light passes. The iris adjusts the size of the pupil to control the amount of light that enters the eye.   It is dilated [opened wider] for certain medical examinations of the eye.

53. Place to share pics: INSTA.  Short for Instagram - a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters, be organized by hashtags, and be associated with a location — via geographical tagging.

54. Wanderer: NOMAD.   A member of a people having no permanent abode, and who travel from place to place to find fresh pasture for their livestock.

55. Dean's list no.: GPA.  Grade Point Average.

57. Gut feeling: SENSE.  A feeling or reaction based on an instinctive emotional response rather than considered thought.

58. Tool for making neat beds: EDGER.   This ambiguous clue refers to garden beds, not pieces of furniture designed for sleeping.

61. Patients' main MDs: PCPS.  Primary Care Physicians.

62. Pod in Cajun cuisine: OKRA.   Abelmoschus esculentus, known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods used in the cuisine of many countries.. 

64. Lots of ozs.: LBS.   Sixteen ounces make a pound.

65. George Gershwin's songwriting brother: IRA.   Ira Gershwin [1896 - 1983] was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 20th century.

Here we are at the end of another Wednesday.  Did you save face?  Win by a nose?  See you next time.  I'll keep an eye out for you.

Cool regards

JzB

 

L.A. Ties Crossword Wednesday, October 11, 2023 Joseph A. Gangi

Theme - The opposite of hanging by a thread.  To explain, let's start with the unifier.

10 D. Remain uncertain until the very end, and what the answers to the starred clues do?: GO DOWN TO THE WIRE.  As explained by the clue, there's some question how things may turn out.   This term comes from horseracing, where it was long the practice to stretch a wire across and above the track at the finish line. It was extended to figurative use about 1900.  A wire is a flexible strand of metal.  Let's see how that is relevant to the other clues.  The theme entries are all vertical, so the use of "DOWN" in the unifier clue is key. 

3 D. *"You should be ashamed!": THATS DESPICABLE.  Said to someone who did something beyond the pale.  Real life incidents of this sort are plentiful.  There are different types of CABLES, but some types are wires used as electrical or communications connections.  So we can see that the vertical fill does, indeed, go down to the WIRE.  Pretty clever, eh!

5 D. *Ability to show restraint: SELF DISCIPLINE.  This is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. As an executive function, it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one's behavior in order to achieve specific goals.  A LINE is a length of cord, rope, wire, or other material serving a particular purpose.

15 D. *Recent entry in Guinness, say: NEW WORLD RECORD.  This is the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity.   A CORD is a thin, flexible string or rope made from several twisted strands.  

Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here to unravel the skein.   Each theme fill ends in a synonym or near synonym for a WIRE.  This is an extremely clever hidden word them, and a nut I had to get some help to crack.  So thanks to my fellow blogger for the assistance.

Let's get down to it and see what other paths we will be led down.

Across:

1. Address letters: HTTP.  Hyper Text Transfer Protocol - The beginning of an Internet web address. 

5. Skyrocket: SOAR.  Here, "skyrocket" is a verb meaning to fly high.

9. Old-timey "OMG!": EGAD.  This is a softened oath, dating from the late 1600's, probably derived from "Oh, GOD!"

13. "Fancy seeing you here!": OH - HI.  One of my long ago work colleagues told the story of his brother who was walking through a shopping mall holding hands with his girl friend, when his wife came walking in the other direction.  This is what he said.

14. Disgraced energy firm: ENRON.  The corporation, founded in 1985, engaged in massive fraud, and got away with it for years.  This house of cards came tumbling down from 2000 to 2001.  You can read all about it here.

16. Zigzagged: WOVE.  Moved in a side to side forward motion.

17. Ring loudly: PEAL.  As a bell.

18. Do not disturb: LET BE.  Leave it alone.

19. Barbara who played a TV genie: EDEN.  Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead; August 23, 1931) is an American actress best known for her starring role as Jeannie in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie (1965–1970).   IIRC, Jeannie's belly button was always covered.  

20. Trip, as an alarm: SET OFF.  Actuate.

22. Cry of pain: YOWL.  Owie!

24. Goblin kin: ORC.  Tolkien monters.  Here is more info, if you're that kind of nerd.  [Full disclosure - I am.]

25. Simple earrings: STUDS.  A stud earring features a gemstone or other ornament mounted on a narrow post that passes through a piercing in the ear or earlobe, and is held in place by a fixture on the other side. 

That is a diamond

27. Number of players in a chess game: TWO.  

Wikipedia

28. Cry from a crib: WAH.  Baby's complaint.

Alternatively

29. Say further: ADD.  Tell us more.

31. Problems picky people pick: NITS.  Little issues of little import.

33. Outstanding: OWING.   As an unpaid debt.

35. Word after film and before cut: CREW.  A film CREW is a group of people working off camera to make a motion picture, such as the producer, camera operators, stage managers, etc.   A CREW cut is a type of haircut in which the upright hair on the top of the head is cut relatively short, graduated in length from the longest hair that forms a short pomp (pompadour) at the front hairline to the shortest at the back of the crown so that in side profile the outline of the top hair approaches the horizontal.

37. Energy option involving roof panels: SOLAR.   Solar power works by converting energy from the sun into power. There are two forms of energy generated from the sun for our use – electricity and heat. Both are generated through the use of solar panels, which range in size from residential rooftops to 'solar farms' stretching over acres of rural land.

39. Branch out (from): STEM.   To derive from some origin.

41. Steep-walled formation: MESA.  Also known and table land.  Mesa is the Spanish word for table.

42. Move at a snail's pace: CRAWL.  Literally, move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground.  Figuratively, move forward or make progress very slowly.

43. Personal charisma: MOJO.  Literally, a magic charm, talisman, or spell.  Figuratively, a powerful personality.

44. "College GameDay" network: ESPN.   Originally, in 1979, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, shortened to ESPN in 1985.

Alternatively

 
45. "That makes my blood boil!": I'M MAD.  Expression of anger.

46. Word to opt out of a text subscription: STOP.  Unless it's ignored.

47. Ab-crunching exercise: SIT UP.   The last time this came up in a puzzle I blogged, I pointed out that it is a worthless, and potentially harmful exercise.  I got some push back.  I guess anything can be a controversy.  Anyway, here it is again.

49. Many a retired racehorse: SIRE.  Used to produce the next generation of horses from a valuable blood line.

51. Snicker syllable: HEE.  Along with TEE.  Comic book laughter.

52. PC panic key: ESC.  On computer keyboards, the Esc key (named Escape key in the international standard series ISO/IEC 9995) is a key used to generate the escape character (which can be represented as ASCII code 27 in decimal, Unicode U+001B, or Ctrl+[). The escape character, when sent from the keyboard to a computer, often is interpreted by software as "stop"

53. Org. for Twins: MLB.  The Minnesota Twins team of Major League Baseball.

55. Poke fun at: TEASE.  Have fun at someone's expense.  Often not nice.

57. "I knew it!": AHA.  Syllable of recognition or enlightenment.

58. Spot to fish from: PIER.   A platform supported on pillars or girders leading out from the shore into a body of water, used as a landing stage for boats.

60. Stands too close to: CROWDS.  Violates one's personal space.

63. Cries noisily: SOBS.  Nobody looks good doing it.

65. "Super cool!": NEATO.  That's rad, man!

67. Quite urgent: DIRE.   Extremely serious or urgent, possibly dangerous.

68. App with crowdsourced reviews: YELP.   Yelp Inc. is an American company that develops the Yelp.com website and the Yelp mobile app, which publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses. It also operates Yelp Guest Manager, a table reservation service. It is headquartered in San Francisco, 

69. Diamond flaw?: ERROR.   Not a mar in a gemstone, but a misplay on a baseball field - usually misplaying a batted or thrown ball or throwing inaccurately.

70. Neck of the woods: AREA.   Nearby region.

71. Cruising, say: ASEA.  On a ship.  Our oldest granddaughter is wrapping up her third gig entertaining on a Disney Cruise Ship. This time she got to dance on the main stage.

72. __ money: startup funds: SEED.  Money allocated to initiate a project.

73. Stitched together: SEWN.  Attached by using thread and needle.

Down:

1.  Short flights: HOPS.   Boing!

2. "Beautiful Mistakes" rapper Megan __ Stallion: THEE.  Megan Jovon Ruth Pete [b. 1995] known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her freestyling became popular on social media platforms such as Instagram.

4. Flight school graduate: PILOT.  One in control of an aircraft.

6. Undivided: ONE.  Unified.

7. Pseudo-sophisticated: ARTY.  Making a strong, affected, or pretentious display of being artistic or interested in the arts.

8. High-tech worker: ROBOT.  A machine that does a job formerly done by a person. 

9. Farm female: EWE.  Lady sheep.

11. Everyman: AVERAGE JOE.  Typical guy, man on the street.

12. Judi who plays Queen Victoria in "Mrs Brown" and "Victoria & Abdul": DENCH.  Dame Judith Olivia Dench [b. 1934] is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage.  Inexplicably, she also wound up in this thing.

21. Amusing: FUN.  Providing mirth and/or enjoyment.

23. Blue: LOW.  Sad.  possibly prone to sobbing.

26. Seattle's WNBA team: STORM.  The Seattle Storm is an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerley and her husband Barry ahead of the 2000 season.

29. Highest point: ACME.  Apex.

30. Formal footwear: DRESS SHOES.  

32. Shuts with a bang: SLAMS.  A forceful exit, perhaps.

34. Philosophies, informally: ISMS.  Belief systems.

36. Have a yen for: WANT.  Desire something.  Alternatively - I thought about going to Japan, but didn't have the yen to travel.

38. Look for: AWAIT.  Anticipate.

40. Have the blues: MOPE.  Be blue or low.

48. Ballpark figure?: UMP.  Not a statistic.  Short for umpire - a person with no clear idea of where the strike zone is located.

50. Musician's gift: EAR.  Melodic ability.

52. GPA booster: EASY A.  A class that is not challenging.

54. Stout and porter: BEERS.  Beer varieties.

56. Cola and ginger ale: SODAS.  Carbonated soft drinks.

59. Red in the center: RARE.  As cooked beef.

61. Did some doodling: DREW.  Made random sketches.

62. Actor Gunn who plays Kraglin in the MCU: SEAN.   Sean Gunn [b. 1974] is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Kirk Gleason on The WB series Gilmore Girls, and Kraglin Obfonteri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

64. Hot tub: SPA.   A large tub filled with hot aerated water used for recreation or physical therapy.

66. Stubbing victim: TOE.  Any of the five digits at the end of the human foot.  They exist to locate furniture in dark rooms.

A lot of puzzles have their ups and downs.  This one was mostly down - in a good way.  It didn't let us down, and I'm down with that.

Cool Regards!

JzB

L. A. Times Crossword Wednesday, September 27, 2023 John Guzzetta

Theme:   A puzzle in MODE mode.  The second word of two-word in-the-language phrases represent various types of MODES.

17 A. *Ray Winstone/Ben Kingsley crime drama: SEXY BEAST.  A SEXY BEAST is someone who exudes sexuality and is difficult to resist.  BEAST MODE  refers to the aggressive, animalistic persona that one might assume when in competition or combat in order to overpower an opponent.

22 A *Period of anxiety that may be brought on by facing one's mortality: MIDLIFE CRISIS.  This is an emotional crisis of identity and self-confidence that can occur in early middle age.   CRISIS MODE is a hyper reactive condition where everything catches you off guard,  increases your stress levels and you feel panicky. 

49. *Folded missile in a classroom: PAPER AIRPLANE.  Here are detailed instructions for how to make one.

AIRPLANE MODE is a setting on a smartphone or tablet for use on board an aircraft, in which the device does not receive or transmit wireless signals and so does not interfere with the aircraft's communication systems.

58. *Spot to store valuables when traveling: HOTEL SAFE.   A SAFE is a strong metal cupboard with special locks, in which you keep money, jewelry, or other valuable things.  There might be on in your HOTEL room.   SAFE MODE is a diagnostic mode of a computer operating system. It can also refer to a mode of operation by application software. Safe mode is intended to help fix most, if not all, problems within an operating system. It is also widely used for removing rogue security software. 

38. Fashionable, or an apt description of the ends of the answers to the starred clues: A LA MODE.  This refers to something fashionable and stylish.  Or, alternatively, a mode of serving pie, along with a scoop of ice cream.  

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here, in puzzle analysis MODE.  {We will definitely not be getting into analyzing musical or mathematical MODES!}.  Generally, a MODE is manner in which something occurs or is experienced, expressed, or done.  Let's get into action MODE.

Across:

1. Flowerbox place: SILL.  A widow shelf.

5. Hubbub: STIR.  Ado

9. Use a 26-Down: SHAVE.  Scrape whiskers off the face, for example.

14. Nabisco cookie: OREO.  A pair of chocolate wafers with a sugary cream filling.  The crossword world's favorite desert.

15. Gallant one: HERO.  Doer of courageous deeds, or a large sandwich.  Chose wisely.

16. Wonder Woman's rope: LASSO.  A rope with a loop or noose at one end, suitable for capturing villains, perhaps.

19. "Touch of Evil" director Welles: ORSON.  This 1958 movie involves the investigation into drug trafficking after a car bomb explodes near the Mexican border.  George Orson Welles [1915-1985] was an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. 

20. Some remote batteries: AAAs.  Small cylindrical batteries.

21. Bacon pieces: STRIPS.  One strip = one rasher. 

27. Apartment, say: UNIT.  A single living quarter in a larger structure.

28. "You __ to be there": HAD.  Explaining that being a direct witness is sometimes important for understanding or believing.

29. Put away: STOW.  Pack neatly in a particular place.

32. Some DVD players: SONYS.  Products of the Sony Group Corporation, a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.

34. Assessed, with "up": SIZED.  Examined and evaluated something or someone.

36. Actor Vigoda: ABE.   Abraham Charles Vigoda [1921 - 2016] was an American actor known for his portrayals of Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather and Phil Fish in both Barney Miller and Fish TV shows.

37. Vampire vaporizer: SUN.   According to legend, these evil creatures cannot abide direct sunlight.

40. Not gross: NET.  After all charges and deductions.

41. Examine critically: EYE.  Size up, visually.

42. Waffle: WAVER.  Vacillate due to uncertainty.

43. First few pages of many books: INTRO.  Short for introduction -  a preliminary and explanatory section at the beginning of a book, report, or speech..

45. Feudal laborer: SERF.  An agricultural laborer bound under the feudal system to work on their lord's estate.

47. Neither's partner: NOR.  Used to exclude pairs of things or concepts.

48. Japanese noodle: UDON.   Wheat pasta made in thick strips.

54. Parking spots: SPACES.  Areas demarcated within a larger region for placing individual vehicles.

56. "Agreed!": DEAL.  An agreement entered into by two or more parties for their mutual benefit, especially in a business or political context.

57. Eagle's perch: AERIE.  A large nest in a high place.

63. Pertaining to birth: NATAL.  As defined.

64. Disney snowman: OLAF.  From the movie FROZEN.

65. "__ go bragh!": ERIN.  Ireland forever!

66. Do up, as hair: STYLE.  A particular arrangement of one's hair.

67. Guitar tuners: PEGS.    Short wooden or metal sticks with flat, rounded ends that are turned to make the strings on a musical instrument tighter or looser.

68. Lean (toward): TEND.  Have a natural inclination to do or be drawn toward some object of action.

Down:

1. "Help!" letters: SOS.   A Morse code distress signal used internationally, originally established for maritime use. In formal notation SOS is written with an overscore line, to indicate that the Morse code equivalents for the individual letters of "SOS" are transmitted as an unbroken sequence of three dots / three dashes / three dots, with no spaces between the letters.

2. Anger: IRE.  Negative emotional reaction to words or an event.  Hopefully, it is not forever.

3. Supervillain Luthor who co-founded the Injustice League: LEX.  Originated in Superman comics.

4. Faithfulness: LOYALTY.  A strong, reliable feeling of support or allegiance.

5. Bundle of harvested grain: SHEAF.   A bundle of grain stalks laid lengthwise and tied together after reaping.

6. Poke fun at: TEASE.   Merriment at the expense of a usually unwilling victim.

7. Org. with many auditors: IRS.  Internal Revenue Service - the Federal tax collecting agency.

8. Spoil: ROT.  Deteriorate over time, as produce.

9. Casino machines: SLOTS.   Coin-operated gaming machines that generate random combinations of symbols on a dial, certain combinations winning varying amounts of money for the player.

10. Vice president Kamala: HARRIS.   Kamala Devi Harris [b. 1964] is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th and current vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well as the first African-American and first Asian-American vice president. 

11. Prosecutor's deputy, for short: ASSISTANT D.A.   The Assistant District Attorney is responsible for assisting the District Attorney with administering the ongoing activities of the District Attorney's Office and assists in developing and implementing departmental goals and objectives within general policy guidelines.

12. Initials on a brandy bottle: VSOP.  Very Superior Old Pale.  For a cognac to be classified as a VSOP, the minimum age of the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend must be at least 4 years old.

13. Ages upon ages: EONS.   Long periods of unspecified duration.

18. "Wow at first sip" brand: BAI.  A brand of cocoanut water.

21. Allied (with): SIDED.  Joined together for some purpose, generally against organized opposition. 

22. Dishevels, as hair: MUSSES.  Runs fingers through someone's hair in a random way to mess it up.

23. Senator for whom Honolulu's airport is named: INOUYE. Daniel Ken Inouye [1924 - 2012] was an American attorney, soldier, and politician who served as a United States senator from Hawaii from 1963 until his death in 2012. Beginning in 1959, he was the first U.S. Representative for the State of Hawaii, and a Medal of Honor recipient.

24. Occasion to use the good china: DINNER PARTY.  A social occasion at which guests eat dinner together.

25. Fire-breathing Greek monster: CHIMERA.   In Greek mytholog, a fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.

26. Stubble remover: RAZOR.   An instrument with a sharp blade or combination of blades, used to remove unwanted hair from the face or body.

30. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" king: OBERON.  A king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream, in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania, Queen of the Fairies.  Also, Oberon is a wheat ale that embodies everything we love about summer. Brewed with just wheat malt, hops, water and Bells Brewery's signature house ale yeast.  

31. Slobbery kiss: WET ONE.  Moist smooch.

33. Watched: SAW.  Observed or eyed.

34. Really relish: SAVOR.  Enjoy the flavor of.

35. "Agnus __": DEI.   Agnus Dei is the Latin name under which the "Lamb of God" is honoured within Christian liturgies descending from the historic Latin liturgical tradition, including those of Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism.

39. Features of a bowling alley: LANES.  Wooden or urethane decks that are 62'10-3/4" long and 42 inches wide with ten pins spaced one foot apart 60 feet from the foul line.  

44. Mathematical void symbolized by { }: NULL SET.   In mathematical sets, the null set is a set that does not contain any values or elements. It is expressed as { } and denoted using the Greek letter ∅ (phi). Now we exit math mode.

46. Treatment that may involve a peel: FACIAL.  A beauty treatment for the face.

50. "Nope" writer/director Jordan: PEELE.  Jordan Haworth Peele [b. 1978] is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker, known for his film and television work in the comedy and horror genres.  I don't believe he is known for his facial treatments.

51. Luggage label: I.D. TAG.  Item to identify the ownership of an item of luggage.

52. Hangouts for some schools?: REEFS.  A ridge of jagged rock, coral, or sand just above or below the surface of the sea.  The school here is of the fishy variety.  

53. Friend: PAL.  Buddy amigo.

54. Without: SANS.  In French.  I relish a puzzle sans French. 

55. Organic fuel: PEAT.   Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. 

58. Short jump: HOP.  I HOP means I make a short jump.  IHOP is where I'm taking Gloria later this week for pumpkin pancakes. 

59. Copa Mundial cheer: OLE.   Copa Mundial is Spanish for World Cup, the FIFA international soccer [futbol] tournament.  I had a bit of trouble tracking it down, since Google just wanted to show me shoes of the same name.  Olé is a Spanish interjection used to cheer on or praise a performance commonly used in bullfighting and flamenco dance. 

60. What "will be" will be: ARE.  Forms of  the verb "to be."  This is a playful little excursion into tenses, where the future of the past becomes the present. 

61. Sign of a shark: FIN.  The shark's dorsal fin can sometimes be seen above the water line.  Not a good sign.

62. Goal: END.   The aim or purpose of an activity.  Also the END of this puzzle.  Well placed.

OK, Gang - that wraps up another Wednesday, and a fine ride it was.  I am now in sign-off mode.

Cool regards, 

JzB