L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, February 22, 2023 Alexander Liebeskind and Yu-Chen Huang

Theme: once again I have to defer to the unifier.

36 A. Functions perfectly, and what can be said about the starts of 17-, 23-, 46-, and 57-Across: WORKS LIKE A CHARM.   I'm uncertain if this is referring to charms in the mystical-spiritual sense, or as a jewelry item that can be found on a charm bracelet.  Let's check it out.

17 A. Pride symbol: RAINBOW FLAG.  A rainbow is a meteorological and optical phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the Sun.  The rainbow flag represents the intersectional diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2-S) communities. A rainbow charm symbolizes optimism and silver linings.

An arc of colors

23 A. Arachnid relative that resembles a crustacean: HORSESHOE CRAB.   Horseshoe crabs are marine and brackish water arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only living members of the order Xiphosura.Despite their name, they are not true crabs or crustaceans: they are chelicerates, most closely related to arachnids such as spiders, ticks, and scorpions.  I did not know this.   The horseshoe represents luck, prosperity, and protection on your travels.   Many styles and colors of charms are available.

46 A. Minty frozen treat at McDonald's every March: SHAMROCK SHAKE.  A mint flavored confection.

Only 730 calories

 A shamrock is a young sprig, used as a symbol of Ireland. Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, is said to have used it as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity. The name shamrock comes from Irish seamróg ([ˈʃamˠɾˠoːɡ]), which is the diminutive of the Irish word seamair and simply means "young clover".

As a charm it symbolizes good luck, and traditionally was believed to ward off evil.

57 A. Nutty-tasting winter vegetable: ACORN SQUASH.  Acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo var. turbinata), also called pepper squash or Des Moines squash, is a winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges on its exterior and sweet, yellow-orange flesh inside. Although considered a winter squash, acorn squash belongs to the same species (Cucurbita pepo) as all summer squashes (including zucchini and crookneck squash).

We had one for dinner a few nights ago.

The acorn, or oaknut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera Quercus and Lithocarpus, in the family Fagaceae). It usually contains one seed (occasionally two seeds), enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns are 1–6 cm (1⁄2–2+1⁄2 in) long and 0.8–4 cm (3⁄8–1+5⁄8 in) on the fat side.   As a charm it represents wealth, strength, happiness in marriage,

Hi, Gang.  JazzBumpa here; charmed to be your host today. 

Across:

1. Hint of color: TINCT.  As defined.

6. Biblical tower site: BABEL.   The Tower of Babel (Hebrew: מִגְדַּל בָּבֶל‎, Mīgdal Bāḇel) narrative in Genesis 11:1–9 is an origin myth and parable meant to explain why the world's peoples speak different languages.  According to the story, a united human race speaking a single language and migrating eastward, comes to the land of Shinar (שִׁנְעָר‎). There they agree to build a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Yahweh, observing their city and tower, confounds their speech so that they can no longer understand each other, and scatters them around the world.

11. Inquire: ASK.  pose a question

14. Play area?: ARENA.  A level area surrounded by seats for spectators, in which sports, entertainments, and other public events are held.

15. Greek salad fruit: OLIVE.   A small oval fruit with a hard pit and bitter flesh, green when unripe and brownish black when ripe, used as food and as a source of oil.

16. Sushi topper: ROE.  The mass of eggs contained in the ovaries of a female fish or shellfish, typically including the ovaries themselves, especially when ripe and used as food.  I had shad roe once.  Once.

19. Texter's "Hang on a sec": BRB.  Be Right Back.

20. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" director Lee: ANG.

21. No-frills font: ARIAL. A sans serif font. It looks like this.

22. Wee bit: IOTA.  The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet ( Ι, ι ), transliterated as ‘i.’.   The words iota and jot share a lot more than just a common meaning—both ultimately derive from the same word. When Latin scholars transcribed the Greek name of the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet, they spelled it as either iota or jota (the letters i and j were simply variants of each other), and these spellings eventually passed into English as iota and jot. Since the Greek letter iota is the smallest letter of its alphabet, both words eventually came to be used in reference to very small things.

27. Sex therapy subject: LIBIDO.  A concept originated by Sigmund Freud to signify the instinctual physiological or psychic energy associated with sexual urges and, in his later writings, with all constructive human activity.

29. Helpful supporter: ALLY.   A person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose:

30. Loads: A TON.  Figuratively, any large amount.  Imagine, if you will, a ton of iotas.

31. Give in a little: BUDGE.   To move slightly; begin to move.  Hence, to change one's opinion or stated position; yield.

33. Irritate: VEX.  Annoy. 

40. Brief alarm?: SOS.  Brief in the sense that it consists of only three letters; not that whatever causes the alarm is of short duration.   These are the letters represented by the radio telegraphic signal (· · · – – – · · ·) used, especially by ships in distress, as an internationally recognized call for help.

41. Fake: POSER.  One portraying himself as something he is not.

42. Singer India.__: ARIE.   India Arie Simpson [b 1975], also known as India Arie, is an American singer and songwriter. She has sold over five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards from her 23 nominations, including Best R&B Album.

Not a poser

43. Gargantuan: HUGE.   Enormous.  Derived from Gargantua, the name of a giant king in François Rabelais's 16th-century satiric novel Gargantua, the second part of a five-volume series about the giant and his son Pantagruel. 

44. "The Country Girls" novelist Edna: O'BRIEN.   The Country Girls is a trilogy by Irish author Edna O'Brien [b. 1930]. It consists of three novels: The Country Girls, The Lonely Girl, and Girls in Their Married Bliss. 

51. School year division: TERM.   A fixed or limited period for which something  lasts or is intended to last.

52. Swarms (with): TEEMS.   As defined.

53. Noble __: GAS.   The noble gases make up a class of chemical elements with similar properties; under standard conditions, they are all odorless, colorless, monatomic gases with very low chemical reactivity. The six naturally occurring noble gases are helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and the radioactive radon.

56. With 11-Down, Michigan college town: ANN.    Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the fifth-largest city in Michigan. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Washtenaw County. 

Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan. The university significantly shapes Ann Arbor's economy as it employs about 30,000 workers, including about 12,000 in the medical center. The city's economy is also centered on high technology, with several companies drawn to the area by the university's research and development infrastructure.

Ann Arbor was founded in 1824, named after the wives of the village's founders, both named Ann, and the stands of bur oak trees.

60. TNT part: TRI. Trinitrotoluene, more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagent in chemical synthesis, but it is best known as an explosive material with convenient handling properties. The explosive yield of TNT is considered to be the standard comparative convention of bombs and asteroid impacts. 

61. Sounds from happy cats: PURRS.   Cats will purr when they are in a relaxed environment, sending out waves of calmness. This may also occur when you stroke them, and if this is the case, your feline friend is feeling happy or sociable.

62. Loosen, as a knot: UNTIE.  

63. Storm center: EYE.   A region of mostly calm weather at the center of tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area, typically 30–65 kilometers in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the most severe weather and highest winds occur.

64. Borden spokescow: ELSIE.   Elsie the Cow is a cartoon cow developed as a mascot for the Borden Dairy Company in 1936 to symbolize the "perfect dairy product". Since the demise of Borden in the mid-1990s, the character has continued to be used in the same capacity for the company's partial successors, Eagle Family Foods and Borden Dairy.

65. Utopias: EDENS.   An imaginary location, community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members.

Down:

1. Actress Reid: TARA.   Tara Donna Reid  [b. 1975] is an American actress. She played Vicky in the films American Pie, American Pie 2, and American Reunion, and Bunny Lebowski in The Big Lebowski. In 2013, she starred as April Wexler in the television film Sharknado, and went on to reprise the role in five sequels.

2. Setting of the graphic novel "Persepolis": IRAN.

3. People next door: NEIGHBORS.

4. "Erin Burnett OutFront" channel: CNN.

5. Knight's tunic: TABARD.    A type of short coat that was commonly worn by men during the late Middle Ages and early modern period in Europe. Generally worn outdoors, the coat was either sleeveless or had short sleeves or shoulder pieces.

6. "Ziggy Stardust" singer David: BOWIE.  David Robert Jones [1947-2016], known professionally as David Bowie, was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his innovative work during the 1970s.

7. Some Italian sports cars, for short: ALFAS.  Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. It was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy as A.L.F.A., an acronym for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili. The brand is known for sport-oriented vehicles and has been involved in car racing since 1911.

8. Star of HBO's "Barry": BILL HADER.   William Thomas Hader Jr. (b. 1978) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director. Hader first gained widespread attention for his eight-year stint as a cast member on the long-running NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2013, for which he received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Peabody Award. He became known for his impressions and especially for his work on the Weekend Update segments, in which he played Stefon Meyers, a flamboyant New York tour guide who recommends unusual nightclubs and parties with bizarre characters with unusual tastes.

9. Actress Longoria: EVA.  Eva Jacqueline Longoria Bastón [b. 1975] is an American actress, producer, and director. After a number of guest roles on several television series, she was recognized for her portrayal of Isabella Braña on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, on which she starred from 2001 to 2003.

10. Part of a race: LEG.   In track and field, leg is a term used to describe one of four equal parts of a relay race. Each leg is run by a different runner, who must pass a baton to the next runner in order to complete the race.

11. See 56-Across: ARBOR.  Michigan City.

12. Kinda: SORTA.  Approximately.

13. Shish __: KEBAB.  Shish kebab is a popular meal of skewered and grilled cubes of meat. It can be found in Mediterranean cuisine and is similar to or synonymous with dishes called shashlik and khorovats, found in the Caucasus region. It is one of the many types of kebab, a range of meat dishes originating in the Middle East.

18. Approximately: OR SO.  Kinda, sorta.

22. Slippery, as a road: ICY.   Glazed with frozen water.

24. Barnyard sound: OINK.   Piggish vocalization.

25. Actress Kurylenko: OLGA.   Olga Kostyantynivna Kurylenko [b. 1975] is a Ukrainian–French actress and model. She started her acting career in 2005, and first found success as an actress for her role as Nika Boronina in the film adaptation of the video game Hitman. 

26. Utility abbr.: ELEC.   Electric.

27. Newton trio: LAWS.  Newton's laws of motion are three basic laws of classical mechanics that describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it. These laws can be paraphrased as follows:  A body remains at rest, or in motion at a constant speed in a straight line, unless acted upon by a force. When a body is acted upon by a force, the time rate of change of its momentum equals the force. If two bodies exert forces on each other, these forces have the same magnitude but opposite directions.

28. "Am __ early?": I TOO.  It's so hard to be just early enough.

31. Dividing lines: BISECTORS.  Straight lines that divide lines, angles or shapes into two equal parts.

32. Luau strings, briefly: UKE.  

33. Diversify, in a way: VARIEGATE.   Alter in appearance, especially by adding different colors.

34. Ohio border lake: ERIE.   South of Canada.

35. Marvel mutants who battle Magneto: X-MEN.   In the Marvel Universe, mutants are humans who are born with a genetic trait called the X-gene which grants them natural superhuman abilities. Due to their differences from the majority of humanity, mutants are subject to prejudice and discrimination and many X-Men stories feature social commentary on bigotry and justice. The X-Men have fought against a variety of enemies, including villainous mutants, human bigots, supervillains, mystical threats, extraterrestrials, and malevolent artificial intelligences. 

37. Egg (on): SPUR.    Goad or urge someone else to do something,

38. Macy's red star, for one: LOGO.   A symbol or other design adopted by an organization to identify its products, uniform, vehicles, etc.

39. Literary "Listen!": HARK.   To listen closely or give attention to something: 

43. "I wonder ... ": HMM.   Indication of pondering.

44. Units of resistance: OHMS.  Electrical resistance.

45. Language from northern Spain: BASQUE.   The language of the Basques: people sho are indigenous to, and primarily inhabit, an area traditionally known as the Basque Country — a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.

46. Utter: STATE.   Give audible expression to; speak or pronounce.

47. "Atlanta" actor Brian Tyree __: HENRY.   Brian Tyree Henry [b.1982] is an American actor. He rose to prominence for his role as Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles in the FX comedy-drama series Atlanta, for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

48. Golfer Palmer, to fans: ARNIE.  Arnold Daniel Palmer [1929-2016] was an American professional golfer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most charismatic players in the sport's history. Dating back to 1955, he won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and the circuit now known as PGA Tour Champions.

49. Beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist __ Walsh Jennings: KERRI.   Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings [b 1978] is an American professional beach volleyball player, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist. She is the beach volleyball leader in career victories as of 2016 having won 135 international and domestic tournaments.

50. Pick up: SENSE.   Become aware of or realize something, although it is not very obvious.

54. Spelling clarification phrase: AS IN.  Frex, G as in Gila monster.

55. Wally Lamb's "__ Come Undone": SHE'S.   the 1992 debut novel by Wally Lamb. The novel was selected as the fourth book for Oprah's Book Club in December 1996. Lamb's novel was named a finalist for the 1992 Los Angeles Book Awards' Art Seidenbaum Prize for first fiction. She's Come Undone has been translated into eighteen languages.

57. Imitate: APE.

58. __-de-sac: CUL.  A street or passage that is closed at one end.

59. German conjunction: UND.  Meaning "and."

And so it ends.  Were you charmed?

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A.Times Crossword Wednesday, February 8, 2023 Drew Schmenner

Theme: Vowel Sound Progression - With Z Sounds.  The final syllable of each them entry begins with the sound - though not always the spelling - of the letter "Z," and ends with the sound - though not the spelling - of a long vowel, in alphabetical order: A, E, I, O and U.  Let's check it out.

18 A. Small dog with a French name: BICHON FRISÉ.   From French: bichon à poil frisé, French pronunciation: ​[biʃɔ̃ fʁize], meaning 'curly haired dog') is a small breed of dog.  Although the Bichon breed type are originally Spanish, used as sailing dogs, also as herding dogs sometimes, the French developed them into a gentle lap-dog variety. 

The ending is pronounced ZĀ, or ZAY, if you prefer.  What are you gonna do - it's French!

23 A. Stopped worrying: RESTED EASY.  When you don't worry you can sleep well.

The ending is pronounced ZĒ, or ZEE.  This is the kind of thing that makes English as a 2nd language so hard.

41 A. Education activist who is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate: MALALA YOUSAFZAI.  (Urdu: ملالہ یوسفزئی, Pashto: ملاله یوسفزۍ, pronunciation: [məˈlaːlə jusəf ˈzəj]; born 12 July 1997), is a Pakistani female education activist and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Awarded when she was 17, she is the world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate, and the second Pakistani and the first Pashtun to receive a Nobel Prize.

On 9 October 2012, while on a bus in Swat District after taking an exam, Yousafzai and two other girls were shot by a Taliban gunman in an assassination attempt in retaliation for her activism; the gunman fled the scene. Yousafzai was hit in the head with a bullet and remained unconscious and in critical condition at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, but her condition later improved enough for her to be transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK.  You can read more details here. 

The rendering of here last name into English results in the last syllable as written above, and pronounced ZĪ, or Z-EYE. 

54 A. Leader of the Pink Ladies in "Grease": BETTY RIZZO.  Portrayed in the movie by Stockard Channing, she is a tough and sarcastic leader of the Pink Ladies. She smokes, drinks, and does not care what others think of her. Rizzo is also a girl with a "reputation". 

The ending of her name is pronounced, for a nice change of pace, pretty much like it's spelt: ZŌ. 

64 A. To a great extent, informally: OUT THE WAZOO.  To an excessive degree.

The final syllable is pronounced ZŪ.  The long U is often pronounced "YOO," rather than"OO."  But sometimes not, I guess.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa on the scene with today's lesson in phonetics.  Let's keep an ai out for what else we can find in tode's grid. Are oo with my?

Across:

1. Derisive cry: BAH.  Sometimes along with its partner, HUMBUG!

4. Open, as a 4-Down app: TAP ON.  Accessing an app on a touch-screen device.

9. Marshmallow treats: PEEPS.  

Read about them here.

14. In the past: AGO.  This was recorded some time ago.

15. Rock's __ in Chains: ALICE.

16. "The Martian" star: DAMON.   Matthew Paige Damon (b. October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among Forbes' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North American box office, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.He has received various awards and nominations, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for three British Academy Film Awards and seven Primetime Emmy Awards.

In the movie, When astronauts blast off from the planet Mars, they leave behind Mark Watney (Matt Damon), presumed dead after a fierce storm. With only a meager amount of supplies, the stranded visitor must utilize his wits and spirit to find a way to survive on the hostile planet. Meanwhile, back on Earth, members of NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring him home, while his crew mates hatch their own plan for a daring rescue mission.

17. Earth __: DAY.   An annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. 

20. Inbox filler: E-MAIL.   On your computer or device.

22. Spending like there's no tomorrow: ON A SPREE.   A spell or sustained period of unrestrained activity of a particular kind.

26. Isr. neighbor: SYR.  Israel and Syria.

27. Wild guess: STAB.   Sort of like a shot in the dark.

28. Tool with teeth: SAW.  I can see that.

31. Blue-green hue: TEAL.   A dark greenish-blue color, named for a duck of similar hue..

34. Pyramid, often: TOMB.   The Egyptian ones are.

37. Canterbury pens: GAOLS.  British spelling of Jail.  As a kid, when I first saw this in a Sherlock Holmes story I was quite confused.

44. Raging mad: IRATE.   Seeing red.

45. Barbecue rod: SPIT.   A slender pointed rod for holding meat over a fire

46. Cough syrup amts.: TSPS.  Teaspoons.

47. Alter __: EGO.  A person's secondary or alternative personality.

49. Chem class rooms: LABS.  A laboratory.  I saw a sign in one stating that here should be more labor and less oratory,

51. Quinceañera attendee, maybe: TIO.  An AUNT might attend the celebration of a girl's 15th birthday. this has cultural roots in Mexico and Europe and is widely celebrated by girls throughout Latin America. 

60. Out early: ON PAROLE.  Parole is the release of a prisoner temporarily (for a special purpose) or permanently before the completion of a sentence, on the promise of good behavior.

63. Tatum of "Paper Moon": O'NEAL.   Tatum Beatrice O'Neal [b. 1963] is an American actress. She is the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award, winning at age 10 for her performance as Addie Loggins in Paper Moon opposite her father, Ryan O'Neal. She also starred as Amanda Wurlitzer in The Bad News Bears, followed by Nickelodeon, and Little Darlings.    

67. Spill preventer: LID.   As on a child's puppy cup.

Kids in their cups

68. Like overly rehearsed comments, probably: TRITE.    Overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness.  Said of a remark, opinion, or idea.  Overly rehearsed?  I dunno 'bout that.

69. Rework, as text: EMEND.  Make corrections and improvements.

70. Beats by __: DRE.  Brand name for pricey earphones and buds.

71. Dye used in mehndi decoration: HENNA.   A  dye prepared from the plant Lawsonia inermis, also known as the henna tree, the mignonette tree, and the Egyptian privet, the sole species of the genus Lawsonia.   Mehndi is a form of body art and temporary skin decoration from the Indian subcontinent usually drawn on hands or legs.

72. Fizzy drinks: SODAS.

73. __ Lingus: AER.  The flag carrying ail line of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of International Airlines Group. The airline's head office is on the grounds of Dublin Airport in Cloghran, County Dublin. 

Down:

1. The "B" of "Notorious RBG": BADER.   Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg [b. 1933] was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020.

2. Peak performance: A-GAME.   One's best possible performance,

3. Georgetown athletes: HOYAS.   According to Georgetown's Athletic Department Website, many years ago, when all students were required to take Greek and Latin, the athletic teams were nicknamed "The Stonewalls."  Rumor has it that one clever student chanted "Hoya Saxa!" which translates to "What Rocks!"  The cheer grew and students began to consistently yell "Hoya Saxa! Hoya Saxa!" Eventually, the "Saxa" was dropped and the cheer evolved to "Hoya!"

The name proved popular and all Georgetown teams were named "The Hoyas."  No, a Hoya is not a bulldog. It is not any animal, mascot, or creature of any sort. Hoya actually means "what."

So, if you ever ask: What is a Hoya? That's your answer. What? What. A Hoya is what.

4. Device with a touchscreen: TABLET.    A mobile computing device that has a flat, rectangular form like that of a magazine or pad of paper, that is usually controlled by means of a touch screen, and that is typically used for accessing the Internet, watching videos, playing games, reading electronic books, etc.

5. Wong of "Always Be My Maybe": ALI.  Alexandra Dawn "Ali" Wong [b. 1982] is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She is best known for her Netflix stand-up specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife, and Don Wong. She starred in the film Always Be My Maybe, on which she also served as a writer and producer.

6. Selfie, e.g.: PIC.  Photograph of one's self.

7. Golfer Lorena: OCHOA.   Lorena Ochoa Reyes [b. 1981] is a Mexican former professional golfer who played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour from 2003 to 2010. She was the top-ranked female golfer in the world for 158 consecutive and total weeks, from 23 April 2007 to her retirement on 2 May 2010, at the age of 28 

8. Highlighter hues: NEONS.    Extremely bright or vivid colors, so named ny analogy to neon lamps.

9. Versatile docs: PDFS.  Documents in Portable Data File format, useable on any platform.

10. Wyatt of the Old West: EARP.   Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp [1848 - 1929] was an American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp was involved in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which lawmen killed three outlaw Cochise County Cowboys.

11. Dubai rulers: EMIRS.   A title of various Muslim (mainly Arab) rulers.

12. Seven-time MLB All-Star catcher Buster: POSEY.   Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III [b.1987] is an American former professional baseball catcher. Posey spent his entire twelve-year Major League Baseball career with the San Francisco Giants, from 2009 until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2021 season. In September 2022, Posey joined the Giants' ownership group.

13. Snide smile: SNEER.   A contemptuous or mocking smile, remark, or tone.

19. Those opposed: NAYS.  

21. "Oof, look at the time": IT'S LATE.  Time to call it a night.

24. Target of some miners: DATA.  Data mining is the process of extracting and discovering patterns in large data sets involving methods at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and database systems.

25. Some TikTok teens: E-BOYS.   E-girls and e-boys, sometimes collectively known as e-kids, are a youth subculture of Gen Z that emerged in the late 2010s, notably popularized by the video-sharing app TikTok. It is an evolution of emo, scene and mall goth fashion combined with Japanese street fashion and K-pop fashion.

29. Ottoman title: AGA.    A military or civil officer in the Ottoman Empire

30. Enters, as an aroma: WAFTS IN.  To WAFT is to pass or cause to pass easily or gently through or as if through the air.

31. "You've shared enough!": TMI.  Too Much Information.

32. AirPod holder: EAR.  The organ of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external part of this.

33. Pie __ mode: ALA.  Literally, fashionable; in the current style or fashion.   Here in the U.S. it means the ice cream has a scoop of ice cream on it.

35. Swiffer product: MOP.   An implement made of absorbent material fastened to a handle and used especially for cleaning floors

36. Constructed: BUILT.  

38. Parts of lbs.: OZS.   Pounds and ounces.  Where does the "z" come from?  

39. Overtake and then some, on a track: LAP.  A LAP is one time around a race track.  To LAP another runner is to get one full LAP ahead of him

40. Family nickname: SIS.   Meaning sister.  I have one.

42. __ of lamb: LEG.   Lamb leg is a large and succulent cut from the hind legs that can be butchered into smaller cuts. Lamb leg is a popular Sunday dinner roasting joint, though, this is not the only way this tasty joint can be prepared.

43. Stick around: STAY.   Remain in a certain place.

48. Wind quintet wind: OBOE.   A woodwind instrument with a double-reed mouthpiece, a slender tubular body, and holes stopped by keys.

50. Stews (over): BROODS.  Thinks deeply about something that makes one unhappy.  Worries.

51. Sweet __: TOOTH.  A affection for confections.

52. Accustom: INURE.  Accustom (someone) to something, especially something unpleasant.

53. Decide to participate: OPT IN.  Choose to participate in something.

55. "As You Wish" memoirist Cary: ELWES.   Ivan Simon Cary Elwes [b. 1962] is an English actor and writer. He is known for his leading film roles as Westley in The Princess Bride, Robin Hood in Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Dr. Lawrence Gordon in the Saw film series.

56. DÌa de San ValentÌn sentiment: TE AMO.  The Valentine's Day sentiment is, I love you."

57. Nintendo's The Legend of __: ZELDA.  The Legend of Zelda is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-releases have been outsourced to Capcom, Vanpool, and Grezzo.

58. Former name of the Congo: ZAIRE.   Officially the Republic of Zaire (French: République du Zaïre, [ʁepyblik dy zaiʁ]), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa (after Sudan and Algeria), and the 11th-largest country in the world. With a population of over 23 million inhabitants, Zaire was the most-populous officially Francophone country in Africa, as well as one of the most populous in Africa.

59. Not as up-to-date: OLDER.  I'm taking this personally.

61. Memo abbreviation: ATTN.   Attention recipient.

62. "Better Call Saul" Emmy nominee Seehorn: RHEA.   Deborah Rhea Seehorn [b. 1972] is an American actress and director. She is best known for playing attorney Kim Wexler in AMC's Better Call Saul, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards

65. Zoo opening in London?: ZED.   The first, i.e. opening, letter of the word in Brit-speak. We just call it Zee.

66. "Based __ true story": ON A.  Said of a fictional account involving real persons and/or events.

That's all, folks.  Hope you were able to pronounce all these words.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

Cool regards!

JzB