L.A. Times Crossword Thursday, August 21, 2025 Sean Ziebarth

Theme: Finger Noises.  Each multi-word theme fill contains an example of one.

17 A. "Turn that frown upside down": CRACK A SMILE.    To begin to smile, or to smile slightly, often unexpectedly. It implies a subtle or brief smile.  One can also CRACK one's knuckles.

30 A. "Get your head on straight": SNAP OUT OF IT.   Quickly recover from a negative emotional state, such as sadness, anger, or a bad mood.   Perhaps someone can pull you out of it by snapping their fingers at you.

45 A. "Get on that stage and wow the crowd": KNOCK 'EM DEAD.  Clearly, this is not literal.   It is said to someone to increase their confidence before they appear or do something in public, especially something formal such as giving a speech in front of a crowd.  Literally, KNOCK means to strike a surface noisily to attract attention.  Often, this is done with the knuckles.

61 A. Words of wisdom, and what 17-, 30-, and 45-Across could be called?: SOUND ADVICE.  Guidance or recommendations that are reliable, sensible, and likely to lead to a positive outcome.  The other theme fill employ the other meaning of SOUND - vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear.  In context here, the sounds are generated by one's fingers.

Hi gang, Jazzbumpa here, happy to avoid other kinds of finger references.  On to the puzzle - let's knuckle down and finger it out.

Across:

1. Best effort: A GAME.  One's best performance. 

6. Fools: CLODS.  Dummies.

11. Make a mend: SEW.  Using  needle.  Make like a tailor, and be swift.

14. Like much of central Illinois: RURAL.  Away from towns and cities.

15. "The Raven" writer, briefly: E A POE.  Edgar Alan, longly.  He also wrote mystery stories.

16. "Better. Guaranteed." gadget brand: OXO.  A brand known for its kitchen and home products, particularly its "Good Grips" line. They are recognized for their ergonomic designs and focus on user-friendliness.

19. Whopper: LIE.   A statement at odds with the truth.

20. Luau performance: HULA.

 

21. Medium ability: ESP.  Extra Sensory Perception.  ESP is the purported ability to perceive information through means other than the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste).  This includes abilities like telepathy (mind-to-mind communication), clairvoyance (seeing things not present), and precognition (knowing future events). 

22. Notes equivalent to C sharps: D FLATS.  These are known as enharmonic equivalents.  They occur when two notes have the same pitch but are represented by different letter names and accidentals.  This of course, depends on your tempering system.

24. Immediately following: UPON.  It ensues shortly thereafter.

26. Earlier: PRIOR.  It precedes shortly there before.

27. Word with shell or shore: SEA.  A vast expanse of water with shell bearing creatures, bordered by land.

34. Late: TARDY.  Failure to get there on time.

36. Sleep acronym: REM.  Rapid Eye Movement, one of four stages the brain moves through while sleeping. In REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly in various directions and dreams can occur..

37. Peel: PARE.  Trim something by cutting away its outer edges.

38. Naan flour: ATTA, a whole wheat flour from the Indian subcontinent, having a high gluten content and used to make chapati and other traditional flatbreads.  The person working with it is an atta boy, or atta girl.  

39. Addresses timeline errors, perhaps: EDITS.  Make needed corrections, not necessarily to a time line.

41. Timeline units: ERAS.  Long and distinct periods of history with a particular features or characteristics.

42. Like much 1980s fashion: NEON.  Neon fashion, characterized by bright, electric colors, is experiencing a resurgence, particularly among Gen Z, after being a dominant trend in the 1980s and 90s. Fashion publications like Vogue suggest the trend is making a comeback, with a modern twist. 

< 43. "C'est la __!": VIE.   The iconic French phrase c'est la vie literally translates to “that's life” or "such is life." In other words, “This is how it is” – often with the implication that there's nothing you can do about it.  In other words: "Oh, well."

44. Fess up (to): ADMIT.  Confess to be true or to be the case, typically with reluctance.  "I'm the one who let him in," Tom admitted.

49. __ as a fox: SLY.  an idiom that describes someone as clever, cunning, and often deceitful. It implies that a person is skilled at getting what they want, sometimes through underhanded means, and is adept at navigating tricky situations. The phrase draws on the historical perception of foxes as intelligent and tricky animals. 

50. Brand of riding mowers: DEERE.   John Deere offers a wide range of equipment for various industries, including agriculture, construction, and forestry. Their product line includes tractors, combines, forestry equipment, and construction machinery like excavators and loaders. 

51. YouTube journal: VLOG.  A personal website or social media account where a person regularly posts short videos.

53. Too: OVERLY. To a higher degree than is desirable, permissible, or possible; excessively.

55. Needlework on a sleeve, for short: TAT.   A shortened, informal way to say tattoo, particularly in American English. 

56. Turkey neighbor: IRAN.  Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran  and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the northeast, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. Iran ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population and is the sixth-largest country in Asia. 

60. Burrito option: WET.  A wet burrito is generously smothered in a savory sauce. Red enchilada sauce is a common choice, but salsa verde or a creamy cheese sauce can also be used.

64. Melissa of "The Fighter": LEO.  Melissa Chessington Leo [b. 1960] is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Critics' Choice Awards.

65. Come next: ENSUE.  Follows closely, as per 24 A.

66. Moves closer: NEARS.  Approaches.

67. Cheap tix option: SRO.  Standing Room Only tickets should cost less than even the cheap seats.

68. "The Wild Swans at Coole" writer: YEATS.  William Butler Yeats [1865 - 1939] was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and literary critic who was one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature.

69. Selling point: ASSET.  A useful or valuable thing, person, or quality.

Down:

1. Foot part: ARCH.   The curved part of the sole of the foot, formed by bones, tendons, and ligaments. It acts as a natural shock absorber and spring, distributing weight and impact during movement.

2. Hindu teacher: GURU.  In Hinduism and Buddhism, a spiritual teacher, especially one who imparts initiation.

3. North __ Sea: Central Asian lake: ARAL. The North Aral Sea is the portion of the former Aral Sea that is fed by the Syr Darya River. It split from the South Aral Sea in 1987–1988 as water levels dropped due to river diversion for agriculture. 

4. Hong Kong neighbor: MACAU.   Macau is an autonomous region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong. A Portuguese territory until 1999, it reflects a mix of cultural influences. Its giant casinos and malls on the Cotai Strip, which joins the islands of Taipa and Coloane, have earned it the nickname, "Las Vegas of Asia."

5. Utah's state animal: ELK.   The elk or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia.

6. General aviation company owned by Textron: CESSNA.  An American brand of general aviation aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas.   It started as an independent company in 1927.

7. Lava __: LAMP.   A decorative lamp that contains a glob of special wax in a clear liquid, typically mineral oil, within a glass vessel. The heat from a light bulb at the base of the lamp causes the wax to heat up, making it less dense and causing it to rise. As it cools, the wax becomes denser and falls back down, creating a slow, flowing, and mesmerizing effect. 

8. Maker of Talk to the Hand press-on nails: OPI.    A professional nail care brand, and a subsidiary of Wella Company. Founded in 1981 as Odontorium Products Inc., it has become a global leader in nail polish and related products. 

9. Blues: DOLDRUMS.   A state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or depression.

10. Find appropriate: SEE FIT.   To consider something to be the right or appropriate thing to do.

11. Green energy sources in some desert regions: SOLAR FARMS.    Large-scale installations of solar panels designed to generate electricity for the power grid. These farms convert sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic (PV) cells, which are then fed into the electrical grid for distribution to consumers. 

12. Way out: EXIT.  A portal or passage used to leave a place.  Alternatively, "way out" is an expression indicating something is extremely unconventional, unusual.  So using, frex, the ductwork as an exit would be a way out way out.

13. Heartaches: WOES.   Great sorrow or distress.

18. Very long time: AEON.   An indefinite and very long period of time.

23. Like a lasso: LOOPED.   Folded back in upon itself to form a closed quasi-circle.

25. Therapist's maj.: PSYchology: the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It explores how people think, feel, and act, encompassing a wide range of topics from individual thoughts and emotions to social interactions and mental health. 

26. 68-Across, for one: POET.   A person who writes poems.   Here is one of my demented sonnets.

PASSIONATE PRETENSE

Her throat, no longer perfect, but still white,

Invokes the crimson from the sunset glow,

As she awaits the dark - to taste, to know

Carnality incarnate in the night.

       The sun's suffusion stains her skin to pink

       With its last russet bloom, as if she were

       A blushing maiden, innocent and pure,

       On satin sheets where white and scarlet link.

What has her throat to do with being white?

Like thorn and petals torn they two entwine,

But not as lovers do -- instead, to dine

In sweet engagement of an ancient rite.

Her white throat is a passionate pretense

That now, twice pierced, belies her innocence.

27. Performed terribly: STANK.   Literally, had a bad odor.  Figuratively, failed miserably.

28. All gone: EATEN.  Said of a meal.

29. Luke Skywalker's loyal droid: ARTOO DETOO - A resourceful astromech droid, R2-D2 served Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker in turn, showing great bravery in rescuing his masters and their friends from many perils..  

31. Snooped around: PRIED.  Inquired too closely into a person's private affairs of into things intended to remain hidden.

32. Letter-shaped beam: I-RAIL.  OK, I guess. Not a term I'm familiar with.

33. On edge: TESTY.  Easily irritated; impatient and somewhat bad-tempered.  "On edge" seems a little off the mark.

35. Wearer of tap shoes: DANCER.  A person who dances or whose profession is dancing.  Also one Santa's lead reindeer.

39. With no exceptions: EVERYONE.  Or every thing.

40. Small coin: DIME.  It is the smallest in size, but not in value.

44. Scene: ADO.  Commotion, stir, tumult suggest a great deal of fuss and noise.

46. Plum who was the WNBA All-Star Game MVP in 2022: KELSEY.   Kelsey Christine Plum [b 1994] is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Nicknamed "Plum Dawg", she is a four-time WNBA All-Star and was named the WNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2022. 

47. Sidesteps: EVADES.   to escape or avoid something, often by using cleverness or trickery.

48. Baja's opposite: ALTA.   Low and high, en Español.

52. Caves in: GIVES.  Capitulates.

53. Parliament birds: OWLS.   The most common collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament.

54. Suddenly shift direction: VEER.   Exactly as defined.

55. Letter-shaped fastener: T-NUT.   A type of fastener used to create a threaded insert in materials like wood or plastic. It features a barrel with external threads and a flange with prongs that dig into the material when installed. This allows for a secure screw or bolt attachment. 

57. Coastal inlets: RIAS.    Long, narrow inlets formed by the partial submergence of river valleys.

58. Part of a plot: ACRE.  A plot is a  small area of land.   A standard acre contains 43,560 square feet or 4,047 square meters. A common plot size in some regions is 50 feet by 100 feet, which is 5,000 square feet. Therefore, in this case, an acre could potentially hold approximately 8 or 9 such plots. 

59. Small tree house: NEST.  This home is for the birds.  Or, perhaps, a squirrel.

62. Jenny Thompson's team: USA.   Jennifer Beth Thompson [ b. 1973] is an American former competition swimmer. She is one of the most decorated Olympians in history: twelve medals, including eight gold medals, in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympics.

63. Genetic blueprint: DNA.   DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the molecule that contains the genetic instructions for all living organisms. It's often described as the "instruction manual" for cells, dictating how they function and develop. DNA is a double helix structure made up of nucleotide bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine). These bases pair up in a specific way (A with T, and C with G) to form the "rungs" of the DNA "ladder". 

So we end on that genetic note.  Your DNA is as unique as your fingerprint.  Did you nail this puzzle?  If so, I have to hand it to you.  

Cool regards, see you in September,

JzB