L. A. Times Crossword Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Emma Lawson

Theme: I can't do any better than the unifier.

61 A. Make waves, and a hint to this puzzle's circles: ROCK THE BOAT.  As we'll soon see, various boats have been rocked by having the letters of their names mixed up, thus "rocked."  This is indicated by the circles in the grid.

17 A. Charitable undertaking that deserves support: WORTHY CAUSE.  Someone or something deserving support because they have the qualities or abilities required.  The hidden mixed-up word is YACHT - a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use.   Often a rich person't toy.

31 A. Bit of false modesty: HUMBLE BRAG.  An ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud.  We go from a potentially elegant YACHT to the fittingly humble BARGE -  a flat-bottomed inland waterway vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion.  It is typically either pushed or pulled by another vessel.

42. "Ugh, shut up already": NO ONE CARES.  A blunt statement of disinterest.   Of greater interest is the CANOE - a lightweight, narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle.

Hi, Gang.  Emma was not able to fit CRUISE SHIP into the mix.  Still, we can enjoy our aquatic excursion with a variety of mixed up vessels.  Let's sail into the rest of the puzzle and see what else we can discover

Across:

1. __ Sutra: KAMA.   "Principles of Love" is an ancient Indian Sanskrit text on sexuality, eroticism and emotional fulfillment in life. It was written as a guide to the art of living well, the nature of love, finding a life partner, maintaining one's love life, and other aspects pertaining to pleasure-oriented faculties of human life.

5. Charlatans: FRAUDS.  Those falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill;

11. Smidgen: TAD.  A tiny quantity.

14. Classic Camaro: IROC.   IROC stands for International Race of Champions, a competition similar to Nascar. IROC began in 1974 by racing Porsches, but the cost of maintaining them was prohibitive, so the series turned to the Chevy Camaro in 1975.

15. Breaks things off: ENDS IT.  Brings something to a close, such as a relationship.

16. Tankard filler: ALE.  a type of beer with a bitter flavor and higher alcoholic content.

19. Right Guard alternative: BAN.  Under arm deodorants.

20. Feedback: INPUT.  Information provided in response to something.

21. Bullfighters: MATADORS.  Their job is to kill the bulls.

23. "Go for the Goal" memoirist Mia: HAMM.   Mariel Margaret Hamm-Garciaparra [b. 1972] is an American retired professional soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion. Hailed as a soccer icon, she played as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team from 1987 to 2004. 

25. Tried to avoid the catcher's tag: SLID HOME.  Like this.

26. Pan: SKILLET.   A shallow metal cooking pot with a long handle, used for frying.

29. "Weetzie Bat" series writer Francesca __ Block: LIA.  Francesca Lia Block [b.1960] is an American writer of adult and young-adult literature. She is known for the Weetzie Bat series, which she began while a student at UC Berkeley. 

30. Break the tape: WIN.  Getting to the finish line first in a race.

37. Religious platform: ALTAR.   A table or flat-topped block used as the focus for a religious ritual, especially for making sacrifices or offerings to a deity.

40. Scottish refusal: NAE.

41. Tuscan city whose university was founded in 1240: SIENA.  A city in central Italy’s Tuscany region,  distinguished by its medieval brick buildings. The fan-shaped central square, Piazza del Campo, is the site of the Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall, and Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th-century tower with sweeping views from its distinctive white crown. 

45. 2016 Super Bowl MVP __ Miller: VON.   Vonnie B'VSean Miller [b. 1989] is an American football outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. Miller played college football at Texas A&M, where he earned consensus All-American honors and the Butkus Award. He was selected by the Denver Broncos second overall in the 2011 NFL Draft.  He tore his ACL vs the Lions on Thanksgiving day, 2022.  The Bills went on to win that game 28-25 on a field goal as time expired.  The Bills could have used him this week as the Bengals shredded their defense.

46. "I've got it!": AHA.  That moment of realization.

47. Talking back to: SASSING.   Unwelcome feedback.

50. Temporada con nieve: INVIERNO.   The snowy season in Spain is WINTER.

55. Connections: TIES.  

56. Jazz trumpeter Wynton: MARSALIS.   Wynton Learson Marsalis [b. 1961] is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards, and his Blood on the Fields was the first jazz composition to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. 

57. Cuts: TRIMS.   Removes excess.

60. Big fuss: ADO.

64. Tech exec: CIO.  Chief Information Officer.   Probably a nerd.

65. Much of North Africa: SAHARA.  Large desert.

66. Memo phrase: IN RE.   A Latin phrase meaning “in the matter of.” The term “In re” is used in legal documents to refer to a case, particularly a case without an opposing party. For example, "In re Estate of Ruth Bentley" might be used to refer to a probate case about the estate of Ruth Bentley.

67. "Grace and Frankie" actor Waterston: SAM.   Samuel Atkinson Waterston (b.1940) is an American actor. Waterston is known for his work in theater, television and film.  He has received many awards.   

68. Lure into wrongdoing: ENTRAP.  Do this in order to achieve arrest and prosecution.

69. "On the double!" abbr.: ASAP.   As Soon As Possible.

Down:

1. New Zealand bird: KIWI.   Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand of the order Apterygiformes. The five extant species fall into the family Apterygidae and genus Apteryx. Approximately the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are the smallest living ratites.

Seven Kiwi Facts

2. "East of Eden" brother based on Abel: ARON.  Although Aron is likable and kind, his innate moral sensitivity is extreme, and it makes him fragile and easily susceptible to hurt. The sheltered Aron has a great deal of trouble facing the reality of human evil in the world, and Steinbeck builds a great deal of suspense in the second half of East of Eden regarding whether or not Aron will ever meet his mother, Cathy, and whether or not he will survive such an encounter.

3. Completely become: MORPH INTO.    Change very gradually from one thing into another.

4. Real: ACTUAL.   Existing in fact; typically as contrasted with what was intended, expected, or believed.

5. Tina with a recurring role on "Only Murders in the Building": FEY.   Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey [b.1970] is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. Fey is best known for her tenure as a cast member and head writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1997 to 2006. 

6. GOP org.: RNC.   Republican National Committee.

7. "Run to You" singer Bryan: ADAMS.   Bryan Guy Adams [b 1959] OC OBC FRPS is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million records and singles worldwide. 

8. Typical: USUAL.  Expected.

9. Purify, in a way: DISTILL.   Purify (a liquid) by vaporizing it, then condensing it by cooling the vapor, and collecting the resulting liquid.

10. Makes less wobbly: STEADIES.  Stabilizes the position of something.

11. Simply not done: TABOO.   A social or religious custom prohibiting or forbidding discussion of a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing.

12. Wake-up call?: ALARM.   Something that alerts a person to a situation

13. Pretty thick: DENSE.   Closely compacted in substance.  Figuratively, of a person - stupid.

18. Webmaster's code: HTML.   HyperText Markup Language.

22. Abu __: DHABI.   The capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates.  The city of Abu Dhabi is located on an island in the Persian Gulf, off the Central West Coast. Most of the city and the Emirate reside on the mainland connected to the rest of the country. 

24. Just okay: MEH.   Expressing a lack of interest or enthusiasm.

26. Ugly duckling's true self: SWAN.  A Danish literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875), published in 1843.  A swan's egg is misplaced in a clutch of duck eggs, and the resulting cygnet becomes an outcast.  Eventually he discovers is true self and flies away.

27. Approximately 2.2 lbs.: KILO.  The kilogram is the unit of mass in the International System of Units, having the unit symbol kg. It is a widely used measure in science, engineering and commerce worldwide, and is often simply called a kilo colloquially. It means "one thousand grams."

28. Fish in a negitoro roll: TUNA.  Negitoro is diced tuna with green onion. You'll most often find it served as a sushi roll. The tuna is sourced from scraping near the bones and from scrap pieces.  Yum!

32. Mo. after Leap Day: MAR. Leap day is Feb.29, occurring every 4th year not divisible by 100.  The following month is March.

33. Orchard pollinators: BEES.

34. Subsequent drafts: REVISIONS.  Of a text.

35. Quote book abbr.: ANON.  Anonymous.

36. Crew: GANG.  A group of people who work closely together.

38. Diarist Nin: ANAIS.  Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell  [1903 – 1977] was a French-born American diarist, essayist, novelist, and writer of short stories and erotica. Born to Cuban parents in France, Nin was the daughter of the composer Joaquín Nin and the classically trained singer Rosa Culmell. Nin spent her early years in Spain and Cuba, about sixteen years in Paris (1924–1940), and the remaining half of her life in the United States, where she became an established author.

39. Prepare for a show: REHEARSE.   Practice (a play, piece of music, or other work) for later public performance.  I usually do this on Monday and Wednesday evenings.  Speaking of boats - granddaughter Amanda is in Toronto REHEARSING for her 3rd gig as a cast member on a Disney cruise ship.

43. Assistance in getting a ride?: CAR LOAN.  Money borrowed to purchase a vehicle.  Clever clue.

44. Plopped down in a chair: SAT.

48. Location: SITE.   

49. Croatia neighbor: SERBIA.  A landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe.  The two countries have similar spoken languages, but different written languages, as Serbia uses the Cyrillic alphabet.

50. Apple desktops: I-MACS.  Brand designation for lines of personal computers.

51. Gymnast Comaneci: NADIA.   Nadia Elena Comăneci Conner [b. 1961] is a Romanian retired gymnast and a five-time Olympic gold medalist, all in individual events. In 1976, at the age of 14, Comăneci was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games.

The IOC has blocked the video from sharing{?!?)  You can see it HERE

52. Revving sound: VROOM.

53. Not, in German: NICHT.   Literal.

54. Liam's "Schindler's List" role: OSKAR.  Oskar Schindler [1908 - 1974] was a German industrialist, humanitarian and a member of the Nazi Party who is credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories in occupied Poland and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. 

58. "Where Am I Now?" memoirist Wilson: MARA.   Mara Elizabeth Wilson (b. 1987) is an American actress and writer. She rose to prominence as a child for playing Natalie Hillard in the film Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and went on to play Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street (1994), the title character in Matilda (1996), Annabel Greening in A Simple Wish (1997), and Lily Stone in Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000). Wilson took a 12-year hiatus following the last film to focus on writing. She returned to acting in 2012, and has predominantly worked in web series.

59. Pedometer unit: STEP.   An act or movement of putting one leg in front of the other in walking or running.

62. La-la lead-in: TRA.   Nonsense syllables sometimes occurring in songs, sometimes used to suggest gaiety, lightheartedness, or playful derision.

63. Luck, to Shakespeare: HAP.   Obsolete term for luck or good fortune, from Middle English "happe."  This is the root of our modern word "happy."

Now we bring this ship into port.  Hope you had a HAP voyage.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A.Times Crossword Wednesday, January 11, 2023 Tom Pepper and C. C. Burnikel

Theme: Bad Beginnings.  Two-word in-the-language phrases are given new meanings by adding the prefix MAL- to the first word.  This prefix ordinarily indicates a bad or evil version of the root word, but here it results in a totally new, unrelated word.  Very clever, and I don't know how Tom and C. C. were able to find them.

17 A. Soft feathers on a croquet implement?: MALLET DOWN.   This is a silly image, so - right up my ally.  Maybe wielded by an iron fist in a velvet glove?  A LET DOWN is a disappointment.  None here, though.

30 A. Negotiations over the ingredients of a milkshake?: MALTED TALKS.  The silliness continues.  Here is a recipe to TALK about.  I got a 100 point glucose spike just looking at the nutrition facts. "TALKS" often refers to serious negotiation over treaties or arms limitation  A TED TALK is a recorded public-speaking presentation that was originally given at the main TED (technology, entertainment and design) annual event or one of its many satellite events around the world. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks, often called "TED talks."

47. Place to park one's spiteful feelings?: MALICE SHELF.  Are you on silliness overload yet?  I'm enjoying it.  Malice is ill will or the intention or desire to do evil.  A bit abstract to be stored anywhere other than the depth of your psyche.  An ICE SHELF is a floating sheet of ice permanently attached to a landmass.  Until it collapses, that is.  This is not good.   You can learn more here.

64. Karl's years with the Utah Jazz?: MALONE TIME.  Karl Anthony Malone [b. 1963] is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Mailman", he is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.  He spent his first 18 seasons (1985–2003) in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.  He was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team.  Malone Time was a good time. ONE TIME can refer to some one or some thing from the past, or it can relate to a single, unique occurrence or event.

Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa here to assure we don't have a bad beginning, middle or end.  Let's dive into today's puzzle and see what we can find.

.Across:

1. Bit of pond growth: ALGA.   A simple, nonflowering, and typically aquatic plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. Algae contain chlorophyll but lack true stems, roots, leaves, and vascular tissue.

5. Snatches: GRABS.   Grasps or seizes suddenly and roughly.

10. Map out: PLAN.   As indicated, plan out the details of program or course of action.

14. Earsplitting: LOUD.  Extremely loud.

15. Anti-harassment movement: ME TOO.   A global social movement that seeks to expose and prevent sexual harassment and assault, especially against women, by raising awareness and holding perpetrators to account publicly.

16. Perfect gradually: HONE.   By analogy to sharpening a knife.

19. Billions of years: EONS.  Indefinite and very long periods of time.

20. Stick on: AFFIX.  Stick, attach, or fasten (something) to something else.

21. Bow (out): OPT.   Make a choice from a range of possibilities.   One could also opt in.

22. Judi Dench and Helen Mirren, for two: DAMES.   DAME is an honorific title and the feminine form of address.  Originally this was the female equivalent of knighthood, but now is extended to recognize accomplishment in other endeavors.  The two mentioned DAMES are film actresses.

23. Emeril catchword: BAM.   

25. "No thanks": I PASS.  I'll opt out of whatever this is.

27. Proverb: SAW.   An old saying, often repeated; maxim; proverb.

35. CBS forensic franchise: CSI.   Crime Scene Investigation.

36. Animated film about a bird from Brazil: RIO.  

37. Some unauthorized creations: FAN ART.   Artwork created unofficially by fans of a book, film, etc., and based on that work.

38. All the __: RAGE.    Very popular at a particular place and time.

40. Font flourish: SERIF.   A slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter in certain typefaces.

42. Rascal Flatts, e.g.: TRIO.   Rascal Flatts was an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney. DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousin, a brother-in-law of country music singer James Otto, and a former member of the contemporary Christian music duo East to West. 

43. Casting director?: ANGLER.   Nice misdirection here.   Casting is the act of the angler throwing the bait and hook (or a lure) out over the water, typically by slinging a fishing line manipulated by a long, elastic fishing rod.   Angling is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook or "angle" attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. 

45. "Shea Butter Baby" singer-songwriter Lennox: ARI.   Courtney Shanade Salter [b. 1991] known professionally as Ari Lennox, is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C.  She is the first female artist to be signed to J. Cole's record label, Dreamville Records. 

46. Day-__ paint: GLO.   The Day-Glo Color Corp. (also styled as DayGlo) is a privately held American paint and pigments manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1946 by brothers Joseph and Robert Switzer and is currently owned by RPM International. It specializes in fluorescent paint and pigments, such as those used in safety applications, artwork and signage. It invented black-light fluorescent and daylight fluorescent paints and nondestructive testing methods using fluorescent dyes.

50. Bracket shape: ELL.  Same shape as the letter "L".

51. Drop out of the conversation?: ELIDE.   Omit (a sound or syllable) when speaking.  Misleading clue.

52. Stately tree: ELM.   A tall deciduous tree that typically has rough serrated leaves and propagates from root suckers.

54. Herb piece: SPRIG.   A small stem bearing leaves or flowers, taken from a bush or plant.

56. SoFi Stadium NFL player: RAM.   Member of the L.A. Rams professional football team.  They were the victims of horrendous officiating on Sunday that gave a playoff spot to the Seahawks.  If they had lost or tied, that spot wold have gone to the Lions.  Wait until next year.

59. Psyched: EAGER.  Slang term for being highly enthusiastic about some activity.

63. Landing spot for a cannonball: POOL.   A cannonball is a diving style where the diver hugs their knees and attempts to enter the water with their body shaped as much like a sphere as possible. The goal is to create a large splash.

66. Unflappable: COOL.   Calm and composed, especially in a potentially tense situation.

67. Honeycrisp, for one: APPLE.   The round fruit of a tree of the rose family, which typically has thin red or green skin and crisp flesh. Many varieties have been developed as dessert or cooking fruit or for making cider.

68. Video snippet: CLIP.    Video clips are short sections of video, usually parts of a longer recording. The term is also more loosely used to mean any short video less than the length of a traditional television program.

69. Private employer?: ARMY.  Also a Major employer and a General employer. 

70. Sauce for gnocchi: PESTO.   Pesto is a sauce that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano.

71. Sandogasa, beanie, etc.: HATS.  Various head coverings, some rather obscure..

Down:

1. __ mater: ALMA.  Literally, "nourishing mother;" an allegorical Latin phrase used to identify a school, college or university that one formerly attended or/and graduated from.

2. Be a couch potato: LOAF.  Be lazy.

3. View from Florida's west coast: GULF.   A large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented navigable bodies of salt water that are enclosed by the coastline.

4. Embrace spontaneity, in a way: AD LIB.   In music and other performing arts, the phrase ad libitum, often shortened to "ad lib" or "ad-lib", refers to various forms of improvisation. 

5. Clock-setting std.: GMT.   Greenwich Mean Time is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. 

6. Give the decor a face-lift: RE-DO.   Redecorate.

7. Resting on: ATOP.   On the top of.

8. Neckwear worn by Matt Smith on "Doctor Who": BOW TIE.   The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that the two opposite ends form loops.

She forgot the shirt

9. Male offspring: SON.   A boy or man in relation to either or both of his parents.

10. Ring-necked state bird of South Dakota: PHEASANT.   Birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia. 

Wikipedia

11. Has tremendous influence: LOOMS LARGE.    Becomes or seems highly important and often causes worry.

12. Baby photographer Geddes: ANNE.   Anne Elizabeth Geddes [b 1956] MNZM [New Zealand Order of Merit] is an Australian-born, New York City-based portrait photographer known primarily for her elaborately-staged photographs of infants. Geddes's books have been published in 83 countries. 

13. Loch in tabloid photos: NESS.   Home of the Monster.

18. Final, e.g.: EXAM.   A test given to students at the end of a course of study or training.

22. Spreadsheet contents: DATA.  Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.

24. Color akin to brick: MARS RED.   A Fine Arts red pigment used in painting, artificially made from an iron oxide base and characterized by strong film-forming properties and permanence. 

26. Common email attachment: PDF FILE.   Portable Document Format - a file format that provides an electronic image of text or text and graphics that looks like a printed document and can be viewed, printed, and electronically transmitted.

27. "Buzz off!": SCRAM.   Go away.

28. Yoga position: ASANA.   An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses.

29. Leeway in a negotiation, say: WIGGLE ROOM.   Capacity or scope for negotiation or operation, especially in order to modify a previous statement or decision.

31. Falsehood: LIE.   Dishonest statement intended to mislead.

32. Text at a bat mitzvah: TORAH.   The compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

33. Whale food: KRILL.   Small crustaceans of the order Euphausiacea, found in all the world's oceans. The name "krill" comes from the Norwegian word krill, meaning "small fry of fish", 

34. Seat at the bar: STOOL.   A seat usually without back or arms supported by three or four legs or by a central pedestal. 

39. Prozac maker: ELI LILLY.   Eli Lilly and Company is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 countries. The company was founded in 1876 by, and named after, Colonel Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical chemist and veteran of the American Civil War. 

41. Ring of Kerry's isl.: IRE.   Ireland.  The Ring of Kerry is a scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland’s County Kerry. Its 179 km-long, circular route takes in rugged and verdant coastal landscapes and rural seaside villages. 

44. Vaping device: E-CIG.   E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine—the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products—flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales into the air.

48. Brightly colored wrap: SERAPE.   A long blanket-like shawl/cloak, often brightly colored and fringed at the ends, worn in Mexico, especially by men. 

49. Escape in a hurry: FLEE.  Scram.

53. Stick in a book: MATCH.   A short, thin piece of wood or cardboard used to light a fire, being tipped with a composition that ignites when rubbed against a rough surface.

54. Animal rescue org.: SPCA.   Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

55. Not great: POOR.   Worse than is usual, expected, or desirable; of a low or inferior standard or quality.

57. Austrian peaks: ALPS.   The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe,[b][2] stretching approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.

58. Lose feathers: MOLT.   The process of an animal to shed old feathers, hair, or skin, or an old shell, to make way for a new growth.

60. __ monster: GILA.   A species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, typically slow-moving reptile, up to 56 centimetres long, and it is the only venomous lizard native to the United States.

61. Give off: EMIT.   Produce and discharge something, especially gas or radiation.

62. Counts at a gym: REPS.  Repetitions of an exercise or action. 

64. Diagram at a visitor center: MAP.  Floor plan of the building.

65. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.    A new and different form of something that existed in the past, such as a theory, style, language, or philosophy.

There goes another Wednesday.  Hope you enjoyed it from the beginning to the ending.

Cool regards!

JzB