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

Winter Wonders Concert - December 19, 2022

 Angels We Have Heard on High - Arr. R. Carmichael

A Big Band Christmas - Arr. C. Stromman

Call Me Irresponsible - S. Cahn and J. Van Heusen  Trans. C. Payne

Black Orpheus - L. Bonfa Arr. E. Richards

Jingle Bells, a la Count Basie - Arr. E. Wilkins, Trans J. Lorentz

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Arr. G. Goodwin

The Jody Grind - H. Silver Arr. J. Clayton

Christmas Time Is Here

Hark, The Herald Angels Sing Arr. G. Goodwin

Sleigh Ride, a la Glenn Miller L. Anderson Arr. J. LaBarbera

~~~::~~~

Videography by my lovely wife.

Recorded on an I-Phone 13

~~~::~~~

L. A. Times Crossword Wednesday, December 21, 2022 Susan Gelfand

Theme: A Sporting Chance.  In the language phrases are repurposed to indicate an action involving professional sport team players.  In each case, the first word of the phrase is transformed from a modifier to a verb; a clever and unusual kind of word play.   The major U.S. sports, hockey, football, baseball and basketball are all represented.

17 A. Lend San Jose NHL players?: LOAN SHARKS.  A loan shark is a person who offers loans at extremely high interest rates, has strict terms of collection upon failure, and generally operates outside the law.  The San Jose Sharks are currently in 8th place in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.  Would your team like to borrow one?

23 A. Ring up Los Angeles NFL players?: PHONE CHARGERS.  A phone charger is the accessory you plug into your phone when the battery power is low.  The L.A. Chargers are in 2nd place in the AFC West, behind the Kansas City Chiefs.  Give them a call.

47 A. Improve Los Angeles MLB players?: PERFECT ANGELS.  A perfect angel is an adorable and well behaved child. I cold not find a suitable definition on line, so I made this one up.  The L.A. Angels finished the 1922 season in 3rd place in the Al West division, 33 games behind the 1st place Astros.  There are certainly some opportunities for perfecting their play.

57 A. Videotape Miami NBA players?: RECORD HEAT.  Record heat is the highest temperature reached on a given calendar day at a specific location.  One could record the Miami basketball team with a camera or cell phone - if it's charged.  They are currently in 3rd place in the Eastern conference of the National Basketball Association.

Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa on hand to announce today's game.  I'm quite taken with today's theme. Sadly, though my local Detroit teams are all mired in mediocrity, but the Lions are showing signs of life, and have a slim chance of making the play-offs. On the other hand, I think we all have a sporting chance to get a good solve today.  Let's check it out

Across:

1. Peony part: PETAL.  Each of the segments of the corolla of a flower, which are modified leaves and are typically colored.

6. Tools that can be musical instruments: SAWS.  Here is one.

10. Huge tubs: VATS.  Large tanks or tubs used to hold liquid, especially in industry.

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

15. Discontinued Apple gadget: I-POD.   A portable electronic device for playing and storing digital audio and video files.

16. Cut covered by a SpongeBob bandage, e.g.: OWIE.  Kid's name for a small injury, aka booboo.

19. Bridge pose discipline: YOGA.  A Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.

20. Twisty curve: ESS.  Shaped similar to the letter.

21. Late tourney game: SEMI.  Short for semi-final.  The winner advances to the final game.

22. Gingerbread person?: BAKER.  Also the cookie person and the cake person, unless I'm misunderstanding.

27. Soothing succulents: ALOES.   Any of several succulent plants, typically having a rosette of toothed fleshy leaves and bell-shaped or tubular flowers on long stems. Native to the Old World tropics, several species are cultivated commercially or as ornamentals.

29. Foray: SORTIE.   An attack made by troops coming out from a position of defense.

30. Like much fall weather: COOL.  At a fairly low temperature.

31. Admits as much: LETS ON.   Reveal or divulges information to someone.

32. Stick (out): JUT.   Extend out, over, or beyond the main body or line of something.

35. Workweek starter, for some: MONDAY.   The day between Sunday and Tuesday. 

37. Minnesota mining range: MESABI.    A mining district in northeastern Minnesota following an elongate trend containing large deposits of iron ore. It is the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota.

39. First responder's group, for short: EMS.   Emergency Medical Services.

40. Write-ups that still need some work: DRAFTS.   Preliminary versions of pieces of writing.
 
44. "You can say that again!": AMEN.   An Abrahamic declaration of affirmation which is first found in the Hebrew Bible, and subsequently found in the New Testament. It is used in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim practices as a concluding word, or as a response to a prayer.

45. Safe to put away?: EDIBLE.   Suitable to be eaten.

46. Elaborate cake layers: TIERS.   A tiered cake is multiple, differently sized cakes, stacked atop one another to create height and drama that lends itself to becoming a focal point of the party.

51. Steer clear of: AVOID.   Keep away from or stop oneself from doing something.

52. Chance to roll the dice, say: TURN.   An opportunity or responsibility to do or use something before or after other people

53. __ Moines, Iowa: DES.  The capitol city of Iowa.

56. Ancient France: GAUL.   Gaul was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy, and Germany west of the Rhine. 

60. Slight advantage: EDGE.    

61. Jacob's twin in the Book of Genesis: ESAU.   Esau is the elder son of Isaac in the Hebrew Bible.  He was the progenitor of the Edomites and the elder brother of Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites. Jacob and Esau were the sons of Isaac and Rebecca, and the grandsons of Abraham and Sarah. Of the twins, Esau was the first to be born with Jacob following, holding his heel. Isaac was sixty years old when the boys were born.

62. Give body to, as hair: TEASE.   Teasing, also known as backcombing or ratting, is a combing technique used to create volume at the root of your hair. The technique involves using a fine tooth comb to gently comb the hair downward toward your scalp, causing the hair to slightly tangle and create a voluminous final look.

63. Closing document: DEED.   A legal document by which one person transfers land or buildings to another. 

64. Gen-__: post-boomers: X-ERS.   Generation X is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s as ending birth years, with the generation being generally defined as people born from 1965 to 1980. 

65. 63-Across holder: OWNER.   A person who has legal possession of something.

Down:

1. Lacking color: PALE.  Light in color or having little color.

2. Amorous archer: EROS.  The ancient Greek god of love, identified by the Romans with Cupid.

3. Recipe measures: TEASPOONS.   The teaspoon a unit of measure especially in cookery equal to ¹/₆ fluid ounce or ¹/₃ tablespoon (5 milliliters)

4. "The Dutch House" novelist Patchett: ANN.  Ann Patchett [b. 1963] is an American author. She received the 2002 PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction in the same year, for her novel Bel Canto. Patchett's other novels include The Patron Saint of Liars, Taft, The Magician's Assistant, Run, State of Wonder, Commonwealth, and The Dutch House.

5. Rodeo ropes: LASSOS.   A lasso, also called lariat, riata, or reata (all from Castilian, la reata 're-tied rope'), is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the Spanish and Mexican cowboy, then adopted by the cowboys of the United States. 

6. Blue-eyed cat: SIAMESE.   One of the first distinctly recognized breeds of Asian cat. Derived from the Wichianmat landrace, one of several varieties of cat native to Thailand, the original Siamese became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America in the 19th century.

7. Yellow-orange fruit: APRICOT.   A fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus Prunus. Usually, an apricot is from the species P. armeniaca, but the fruits of the other species in Prunus sect. Armeniaca are also called apricots. 

8. Stir-fry pan: WOK.   A large, bowl-shaped Chinese pan used for frying food quickly in hot oil:

9. '60s "New Left" gp.: SDS.   Students for a Democratic Society

10. Long journey: VOYAGE.    As defined.

11. Stopped snoozing: AWOKE.   Roused from sleeping.

12. Detroit ballplayer: TIGER.  The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, established in 1901, they are also the oldest continuous one name, one city franchise in the AL

13. Mail-order pioneer: SEARS.   Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began as a mail ordering catalog company migrating to opening retail locations in 1925, the first in Chicago.

18. Barnyard layer: HEN.   An egg-laying chicken.

22. Corned beef solution: BRINE.   Water with a high concentration of table salt.

24. Gripped: HELD.   

25. Timecard abbr.: HRS.   Hours

26. Molecule makeup: ATOMS.   An atom is the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element, consisting of a nucleus containing combinations of neutrons and protons and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus by electrical attraction; the number of protons determines the identity of the element.

27. Tippy top: ACME.   Apex, peak, summit

28. Weaver's machine: LOOM.    A machine for interlacing at right angles two or more sets of threads or yarns to form a cloth.

31. Line of a song: LYRIC.   The words

32. "Rebel Without a Cause" star: JAMES DEAN.   James Byron Dean [1931 – 1955] was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), in which he starred as troubled teenager Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his stardom were loner Cal Trask in East of Eden (1955) and surly ranch hand Jett Rink in Giant (1956).

After his death in a car crash on September 30, 1955, Dean became the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in East of Eden. 

33. App-based car service: UBER.  A platform where those who drive and deliver can connect with riders, eaters, and restaurants. In cities where Uber is available, you can use the Uber app to request a ride. When a nearby driver accepts your request, the app displays an estimated time of arrival for the driver heading to your pickup location.

34. Altoids containers: TINS.  Rectangular hinged metal boxes.

36. Chimed in with: ADDED.  Contributed to the discussion.

38. Move effortlessly (through): SAIL.   Glide.

41. Misty Copeland's dance troupe: Abbr.: ABT.   American Ballet Theater, a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant, it is recognized as one of the world's leading classical ballet companies. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spring and a shorter season at the David H. Koch Theater in the fall; the company tours around the world the rest of the year. 

42. Open freight train unit: FLATCAR.   A flatcar is a piece of rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck mounted on a pair of trucks or bogies, one at each end containing four or six wheels. Occasionally, flat cars designed to carry extra heavy or extra large loads are mounted on a pair of bogies under each end.

43. Flimsy: TENUOUS.   Very weak or slight.

45. Submitted tax returns online: E-FILED.

46. Take care of: TEND TO.   Pay attention, apply oneself. 

47. Flipped (through): PAGED.   Turned the pages of (a book, magazine, etc.) especially in a quick, steady manner. 

48. Steer clear of: EVADE.  Escape or avoid, especially by cleverness or trickery.

49. Color for cheeks: ROUGE.   A red powder or cream used as a cosmetic for coloring the cheeks or lips.

50. Watchdog's warning: GRR.  Growling sound.

54. Simplicity: EASE.   The quality or condition of being easy to understand or do.

55. Hip or tip ender: -STER.  A suffix denoting a person engaged in or associated with a particular activity or thing.

57. Dinosaur voiced by Wallace Shawn in the "Toy Story" films: REX.

58. Opposite of WNW: ESE.  West-north-west and East-south-east.  The latter is the direction or compass point midway between east and southeast.

59. Chop down: HEW.   Chop or cut something, especially wood or coal, with an axe, pick, or other tool.

That wraps up our sports outing.  Hope you enjoyed the game, and that your team wins - unless they are playing mine, of course.

Below the puzzle are some bonus tracks from our Winter Wonders Concert on Monday.

Cool regards!

JzB

Jingle Bells, ala Count Basie

Sleigh Ride, a la Glenn Miller

Christmas Time Is Here

The Jody Grind

That's me with the stop time trombone solo at 3:15

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, December 7, 2022 Rich Norris

 Theme - I can't do any better than the unifier, and it will make things easier to present it first.

14 D. Food named for how it's baked, and a hint to each set of circles: UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE.    A cake that is baked "upside-down" in a single pan, with its toppings at the bottom of the pan. When removed from the oven, the finished upside-down preparation is flipped over and de-panned onto a serving plate, thus "righting" it, and serving it right-side up.

In this theme, the relevant answers, with circled letters, are fragments of down fill, read from the bottom up, indicating types of cakes spelt in reverse.  Hope you got the circles.  Otherwise this would be extremely opaque.  It is an uncommon gimmick, but it is not unheard of, and requires the theme entries to be in the down orientation.  Let's have some cake.

4. Itinerary for touring speakers: LECTURE CIRCUIT.   A euphemistic reference to a planned schedule of regular lectures and keynote speeches given by celebrities, often ex-politicians, for which they receive an appearance fee.   

A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten and are particularly prevalent in Asia.

8 D. Brunch dish with ham and peppers: WESTERN OMELET.  Beaten eggs cooked without stirring until set and served folded in half, containing other flavor elements as described.   Now you're just egging me on.   

Lemon cake is a dense, flavorful and very popular cake. Lemon is used to provide its unique flavor to a variety of cakes, including bundt, angel food or white cakes. However, lemon cake commonly refers to loaf cake with a tighter grain and more elastic crumb, much like a pound cake.

16. Flatbed scanner relative: BAR-CODE READER.   An optical scanner that can read printed barcodes and decode the data contained in the barcode to a computer.

A crab cake is a variety of fishcake that is popular in the United States. It is composed of crab meat and various other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, and seasonings. The cake is then sautéed, baked, grilled, deep fried, or broiled. 

Our constructor, Rick Norris, has provided a variety of unrelated cake types, along with an omelet, to fulfill all our culinary desires.  We recognize Rich as the recently retired editor of the L.A.Times Crossword, returning now as a constructor.  Here is a link to C. C.'s interview with him, back in 2009.

Across:

1. GI on the lam: AWOL.  A military person Absent Without Official Leave.

5. Annual festival in Austin, TX: SXSW.  South by Southwest, an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas, 

9. Tot's crumb catcher: BIB.  

12. Rural strolling spot: LANE.  A narrow road, especially in a rural area.

13. Short dog, for short: PEKE.   The Pekingese is a breed of toy dog, originating in China. The breed was favored by royalty of the Chinese Imperial court as a companion dog, and its name refers to the city of Peking where the Forbidden City is located. The breed has several characteristics and health issues related to its unique appearance.

14. Forearm bone: ULNA.    The bone spans from the elbow to the wrist on the medial side of the forearm when in anatomical position. In comparison to the radius, the ulna is described to be larger and longer.

15. French preposition: AVEC.   It means "with."

16. Rationale: BASIS.  A set of reasons or a logical basis for a course of action or a particular belief.

17. Gloomy aura: PALL.  Literally, a dark cloud or covering of smoke, dust, or similar matter.

18. Nissan sedans since 1982: SENTRAS.  A series of automobiles manufactured by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 1982. Since 1999, the Sentra has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. Until 2006, Sentra was a rebadged export version of the Japanese Nissan Sunny, but since the 2013 model year, Sentra is a rebadged export version of the Sylphy. The Sentra nameplate is not used in Japan. 

20. Put away, as loot: STASHED.  Stored safely and secretly in a specified place.

22. "Blade Runner" actor Rutger __: HAUER.   Rutger Oelsen Hauer [1944 - 2019] was a Dutch actor.  In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century. 

23. Lives: EXISTS.  Survives, perhaps.

24. Take away: DETRACT.   Diminish the worth or value of something. 

26. Brought up: BRED.    Reared in a specified environment or way.

27. "Night" author Wiesel: ELIE.   Elie Wiesel [1928 - 1916] was a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored 57 books, written mostly in French and English, including Night, a work based on his experiences as a Jewish prisoner in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.

28. Finance guru Suze: ORMAN.   Susan Lynn "Suze" Orman [b. 1951] is an American financial advisor, author, and podcast host. In 1987, she founded the Suze Orman Financial Group. Her work as a financial advisor gained notability with The Suze Orman Show, which ran on CNBC from 2002 to 2015.

30. 1815 classic whose title character is played by Anya Taylor-Joy in a 2020 film: EMMA.  A novel about youthful hubris and romantic misunderstandings, written by Jane Austen. It is set in the fictional country village of Highbury and the surrounding estates of Hartfield, Randalls and Donwell Abbey, and involves the relationships among people from a small number of families.

a decadent update

34. Common interest group: BLOC.   A combination of countries, parties, or groups sharing a common purpose.

35. "Same": DITTO.   Used to say that whatever you have said about one person or thing is also true of another person or thing.

36. Campus bigwig: DEAN.   The head of a college or university faculty or department.

37. Novelist Morrison: TONI.   Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison [1931 - 2019], known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist. Her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed Song of Solomon brought her national attention and won the National Book Critics Circle Award

38. Derby town in Surrey, England: EPSOM.  The principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about 13.5 miles south of central London. The town is first recorded as Ebesham in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. 

39. Frigg's husband: ODIN.  A widely revered god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and depicts him as the husband of the goddess Frigg.  His name is rendered in several, loosely phonetically related ways in various germanic languages,  all ultimately stemming from the Proto-Germanic theonym *Wōðanaz, meaning 'lord of frenzy', or 'leader of the possessed'.

40. Steakhouse order: RARE.  the lowest level of doneness when it comes to steaks and burgers. Diners who like extremely tender, flavorful cuts of meat will choose this option. Rare meat has an internal temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit. If you order your food rare, the central portion of the meat will be a bright red color.

42. Steakhouse order: RED WINE.  To compliment your RARE steak.

44. Database systems giant: ORACLE.   An American multinational computer technology corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas. In 2020, Oracle was the third-largest software company in the world by revenue and market capitalization.

47. Jousting weapon: LANCE.   A long weapon for thrusting, having a wooden shaft and a pointed steel head, formerly used by a horseman in charging.

48. Revenue source in many a free app: POP-UP AD.   A form of online advertising on the World Wide Web. A pop-up is a graphical user interface display area, usually a small window, that suddenly appears in the foreground of the visual interface.

50. Counterpoint melody: DESCANT.  This is the most common usage of this term whose meaning has shifted over the centuries.  Typically, this melody is in the highest pitched voice, and sounded as a harmony line above the main melody of the song.

52. Kid's plea for permission: CAN I?  Should properly be "May I?"  But, eh -- kids!

53. Fairway chunk: DIVOT.  A piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club in making a stroke.

55. "__ girl!": ATTA.   An informal expression of encouragement or admiration to a woman or girl.  Kinda like: Ya done good, kid!

56. "Law & Order: SVU" co-star: ICE-T.  Tracy Lauren Marrow [b.1958], better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and producer. He began his career as an underground rapper in the 1980s. 

57. Storm rescue op: EVAC. Short for evacuation.

58. 2007 U.S. Women's Open winner Cristie: KERR.  Cristie Kerr (b.1977) is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. She has 20 wins on the LPGA Tour, including two major championships, and over $19 million in career earnings. Kerr was the number one-ranked golfer in the Women's World Golf Rankings for three time periods in 2010. She is naturally left handed but plays golf right handed.

59. Lil Wayne's "__ Carter V": THA.   The twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records.

60. File partner: RANK.  Rank and file is military term relating to the horizontal "ranks" (rows) and vertical "files" (columns) of individual foot-soldiers, exclusive of the officers.

61. "Grand" ice cream brand: EDY'S.   Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Inc., is an American ice cream company, founded in 1928 in Oakland, California, where its present-day headquarters office remains. The company's two signature brands, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and Edy's Grand Ice Cream, are named after its founders, William Dreyer and Joseph Edy

Down:

1. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS.   An expression of grief, pity, or concern.

2. Greet from across the street, say: WAVE HELLO. 

Hi, there.

3. Phrase of unity in the Pledge of Allegiance: ONE NATION.  Indivisible?  You decide.

5. Health club amenities: SPAS.   Commercial establishments offering health and beauty treatment through such means as steam baths, exercise equipment, and massage.

6. Crosses (out): XES.  Deletes.

7. Winter getaway need, maybe: SKIS.  Things are going down hill.

9. Malaise, with "the": BLAHS.  I had Blues, which messed up the perps.

10. Cove, e.g.: INLET.   A small, sheltered bay.

11. Gets thinner, in a way: BALDS.  A condition of hair loss.  Relatable.

19. Blues-rocker Chris: REA.  Christopher Anton Rea is an English rock and blues singer and guitarist from Middlesbrough. A "gravel-voiced guitar stalwart" known for his slide guitar playing, Rea has recorded twenty five solo albums, two of which topped the UK Albums Chart.

21. Lumberjack competition projectile: AXE.  

24. Mortgage balance, e.g.: DEBT.   Amount of money owed.

25. Nonsense: TRIPE.   Figuratively, something poor, worthless, or offensive. 

26. Ulan __: former Anglicization of Mongolia's capital: BATOR.   Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia. It’s in the Tuul River valley, bordering the Bogd Khan Uul National Park. Originally a nomadic Buddhist center, it became a permanent site in the 18th century. Soviet control in the 20th century led to a religious purge. Soviet-era buildings, museums within surviving monasteries, and a vibrant conjunction of traditional and 21st-century lifestyles typify the modern city.

29. Matterhorn and Weisshorn: Abbr.: MTS.   Mountains.  See 33 A. for location.

31. Treated, in a way: MEDICATED.  Treated for a sickness or injury.

32. Primary way in: MAIN ENTRY.   The entrance from outdoors into a primary building through which most customers or other visitors pass or are expected to pass.

33. Dudek of "Mad Men": ANNE.   Anne Louise Dudek [b. 1975] is an American actress. She is known for portraying Tiffany Wilson in the 2004 film White Chicks, Danielle Brookson in the USA Network television series Covert Affairs, Dr. Amber Volakis on the Fox series House, Lura Grant on the HBO series Big Love, and Francine Hanson on the AMC series Mad Men.

At the Bruce Willis roast in 2018

41. Matterhorn or Weisshorn: ALP.  Named peaks in the Alp mountain range.  The Weisshorn in in Switzerland. the Matterhorn straddles the border between Switzerland and Italy.

43. Courtroom VIPs: DAs.  District Attorneys.  They are public officials who acts as prosecutors for the state or the federal government in court in a particular district.

44. Footnote abbr.: OP CIT.   In the work already cited.

45. Jazz drummer Max: ROACH.   Maxwell Lemuel Roach [1924 – 2007] was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history.  He was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1992.   

46. Sleep disturbance: APNEA.   Temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep.

49. Operatic icon: DIVA.   Diva is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. 

50. Tie up at the pier: DOCK.  Literal.  Tie up at a dock, especially in order to load or unload passengers or cargo.  I'd say moor, but that's all I have.

51. Patches, as a driveway: TARS.  Covers a surface with tar, a viscous mixture of organic materials.

54. Part of a moving story: VAN.  If you can get emotional about a truck-load of possessions being transported to a new location.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, November 23, 2022 Lance Enfinger and Jeff Chen

Theme: A watch with nothing to watch.  Each theme answer is an in-the-language phrase that is repurposed to remove a feature from a timepiece. 

20. "Only a fool would want a little calendar on their timepiece!": DROP DEAD DATE.  A provision added to a legal or trade act, such as a contract or a court order that sets a last-delay date past which certain consequences will automatically follow, such as cancelling the contract, taking property or entering a judgment.  Here, it removes a date indication from the clock face.

26. With 45-Across, "I don't need two silly sticks that rotate on my timepiece!": HANDS OFF THE.     45. See 26-Across: MERCHANDISE.  A phrase used to indicate that someone does not want to be touched or - even worse - groped.  Haven't heard it in a few decades.  Here, it removes the hands from the clock.

37. "Digits on a timepiece? That's ridiculous!": FUDGE THE NUMBERS.  A dishonest process of altering data to fit a pre-conceived concept or theory, or for some nefarious purpose.  Here, it removes the numbers from the clock face - I think.  Not familiar with "FUDGE" used in this way. 

55. "Won't happen as long as I'm around," and a summary of 20-, 26-/45-, and 37-Across?: NOT ON MY WATCH.  The clue explains it perfectly.  Here, all the features indicated in the previous theme answers have been removed from the timepiece, now revealed as a wristwatch.  This leaves it featureless and useless.

What time is it?

I don't care!

Hi, Gang, JazzBumpa on hand [unlike the watch in the theme] and rather pressed for time before the Thanksgiving holiday. We're having a crowd at our house tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to eats, drinks, and merriment.  Let's see what interesting tid-bits we can find in this timeless puzzle.

Across:

1. Brother in "Am I my brother's keeper?": ABEL.  From the story of brotherly non-love in the book of Genesis.

5. Seize: TAKE.  Grab suddenly and forcefully. 

9. Decides not to go to: SKIPS.  Opts out of an event.

14. __ reversal: ROLE.  I swapped a crescent roll for an orange scone.  No - wait.  This is a situation in which someone adopts a role the reverse of that which they normally assume in relation to someone else, who typically assumes their role in exchange. 

15. Train travel: RAIL.  By Rail, actually. 

16. Book review?: AUDIT.  Clever clue.  An official inspection of an individual's or organization's accounts, typically by an independent body. Just in case somebody fudged the numbers.

17. Egg warmers: MAMA BIRDS.  Hens.

19. "Fame" star Cara: IRENE.   Irene Cara Escalera (b. 1959) is an American singer and actress. Cara sang and co-wrote the song "Flashdance... What a Feeling" for which she won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1984. Cara is also known for playing the role of Coco Hernandez in the 1980 film FAME, and for recording the film's title song. Prior to her success with Fame, Cara portrayed the title character Sparkle Williams in the original 1976 musical drama film Sparkle.

 

 22. Chase off: SHOO.   

24. Golden yrs. fund: IRA.  Individual Retirement Account.

25. Twitter titter: LOL.  Laughing Out Loud

31. Garage occupant: CAR.

Oops -- wrong CAR

32. Rangers goalie Shesterkin: IGOR.  Igor Olegovich Shestyorkin [b. 1985] is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. He was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round, 118th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

33. Veal cordon __: BLEU.   Thin slices of veal stuffed with cheese and ham and then sauteed. 

42. In years past: ONCE.  - upon a time.

43. Stud farm stud: SIRE.   The male parent of an animal, especially a stallion or bull kept for breeding.

44. "You __ here": ARE.   Signage to indicate your location.

50. Singer DiFranco: ANI.   Angela Maria "Ani" DiFranco [b. 1970] 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.

 

 53. Nice street: RUE.   Ha!  A street in that French city, irrespective of its nicety.

54. In very sharp resolution: IN HD.  Hi Definition.

60. Move effortlessly: GLIDE.   Move with a smooth continuous motion, typically with little noise.

61. Keeps safe: LOCKS AWAY.   Secures

65. Tangerine coats: RINDS.  The tough outer skin of certain fruit, especially citrus fruit.

66. Crumbled froyo topping: OREO.   FroYo is premium self-serve frozen yogurt, available in low fat, dairy-free, or no sugar added options.  OREO  is a brand of sandwich cookie consisting of two chocolate wafers with a sweet creme filling. It was introduced by Nabisco on March 6, 1912,

67. Tardy: LATE.  What do you expect, with this watch?!?

68. Baker's supply: YEAST.   Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitute 1% of all described fungal species.   Bakers get a rise out of them.

69. Loch __ monster: NESS.   The Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or more humps protruding from the water. 

70. Former partners: EXES.  I have one.  Which means I don't have . . . OK, this is confusing.

Down:

1. Upper limb: ARM.  A human upper limb, especially the part between the shoulder and the wrist

2. Fluffy scarf: BOA.

3. Tree on the Great Seal of North Dakota: ELM.   Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the flowering plant genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. 

4. String along: LEAD ON.   Mislead or deceive someone, especially into believing that one is in love with or attracted to them.

5. The Schuyler sisters in "Hamilton," e.g.: TRIO.  We saw Hamilton on Sunday.

6. 50+ group: AARP.   American Association of Retired People.  Like me.

7. "The Secret Life of Bees" novelist Sue Monk __: KIDD.  Sue Monk Kidd [b. 1948] is an American writer from Sylvester, Georgia best known for her novels The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings

8. Conditional programming statement: ELSE-IF.  Use the else if statement to specify a new condition if the first condition is false.  For example: if time is less than 10:00, create a "Good morning" greeting, if not, but time is less than 20:00, create a "Good day" greeting, otherwise a "Good evening".  The programed device evidently is a better time keeper than our dysfunctional watch.

9. Anticipated a tongue depressor, perhaps: SAID AH.  When opened wide with tongue stuck out, what else can you say? 

10. Southeastern Turkey native: KURD.   Kurds or Kurdish people are an Iranian ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in Western Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northern Syria.  As I understand it, when Winston Churchill invented Iraq with a pen stroke in 1921, he deliberately set the boundaries so that the Kurds would not have a home land.

11. Worth emulating: IDEAL.   This scone is a good roll model.

12. __ bean: PINTO.  A variety of common bean. In Spanish they are called frijoles pintos, literally "painted bean". It is the most popular bean by crop production in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States, and is most often eaten whole, or mashed and then refried.

13. Construction alloy: STEEL.   Steel is an alloy made up of iron with typically a few tenths of a percent of carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant typically need an additional 11% chromium.

18. "The Prime of Miss Jean __": BRODIE.   A novel by Muriel Spark, the best known of her works. It was first published in The New Yorker magazine and was published as a book by Macmillan in 1961.  The movie version, starring Maggie Smith, was released in 1969.

21. Fine print, say: ART.  Continuing the theme idea of repurposing common phrases, this indicates an item of fine art rather then small print I need a magnifying glass to read.

22. Snowboarder White: SHAUN.  Shaun Roger White [b. 1986] is an American former professional snowboarder and skateboarder. He is a five-time Olympian and a three-time Olympic gold medalist in half-pipe snowboarding. He holds the world record for the most X Games gold medals and most Olympic gold medals by a snowboarder.

23. Head of cauliflower?: HARD C.  The initial letter of the word is here considered to be the "head."  Kind of a meh! clue.

27. Mil. rank: SGT.  Sergeant - a noncommissioned officer in the armed forces, in particular (in the US Army or Marine Corps) an NCO ranking above corporal and below staff sergeant, or (in the US Air Force) an NCO ranking above airman and below staff sergeant.

28. "Look at THAT!": OOH.  Gee-whiz, golly, gosh!

29. Hot out of the oven: FRESH.   Don't burn your fingers.

30. Recede: EBB.   Like ocean tide or my hair line.

31. Corp. money manager: CFO.   Chief Financial Officer.  It's not good news when one is in the news.

34. Boxer's restraint: LEASH.  The refers to a type of canine pet, rather than a pugilist. 

35. Goofed up: ERRED.  Made a mistake.

36. Put into play: USE.   Deploy (something) as a means of accomplishing a purpose or achieving a result; employ.

38. Jewel: GEM.   A precious or semiprecious stone, especially when cut and polished or engraved.  Figuratively, a person or thing of value.

39. Peeples of "The Fosters": NIA.  Virenia "Nia" Peeples [b. 1961] is an American R&B and dance music singer and actress. Peeples is known for playing Nicole Chapman on the hit TV series Fame; Pam Fields on the drama Pretty Little Liars; Karen Taylor Winters on The Young and the Restless and Sydney Cooke on Walker, Texas Ranger.  Not to mention whatever her role was in The Fosters.

40. Caterer's vessel: URN.   For your coffee.  Because you deserve it.

41. Combat doctors: MEDICS.   Military jargon.

46. Author Hemingway: ERNEST.   Ernest Miller Hemingway [1899 - 1961]was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his adventurous lifestyle and public image brought him admiration from later generations.

47. Alcohol in a Dark 'n' Stormy: RUM.   With ginger beer and lime.  Sounds interesting.

48. Sri Lanka, formerly: CEYLON.  Officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and southeast of the Arabian Sea; it is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. 

49. Breathing exercise direction: INHALE.  Breath in.

50. Hopping mad: ANGRY.   Furious.

51. "For real!": NO LIE.  Not joking.

52. Turner memoir: I TINA.   -- My Life Story is a 1986 autobiography by Tina Turner, co-written by MTV news correspondent and music critic Kurt Loder. The book was reissued by Dey Street Books in 2010

56. Sportsbook offering: ODDS.  Betting features.  That's all I know about it.

57. Became frayed, say: WORE.  The past tense of wear.  Here it means deteriorating.

58. Top poker cards: ACES.   Higher than kings.

59. Ring stats: TKOS.   Technical Knock-Outs.   A boxing term describing a situation where one boxer is judged the winner after knocking the other down three times.

62. Surfboard application: WAX.   Surfboard wax is essential as it gives you a tight grip and creates traction for your feet on your board. The wax also stops you from slipping off when you're paddling out to the waves.

63. Polished off: ATE.   Common crosswordese.

64. "Certainly": YES.  I agree.

Well, this wraps up another Wednesday, I think.  There is no calendar on my watch, so I'm not sure.  Nor do I know what time it is.  Tomorrow is probably Thanksgiving, so have a great one, don't eat too much, and don't argue politics.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, November 9, 2022 Will Eisenberg and Shannon Rapp

Theme: Get It In Gear!  The first word of each theme fill entry is a choice from the gear selector in an automobile.  In the industry, we call it the PRNDL.  Kudos to the construction crew for getting them in this order.

17 A. Actor who plays Cho Sang-woo on "Squid Game": PARK HAE-SOO.  [Park Pyeong-ho b. 1978] is a South Korean actor who has appeared in many movies and TV shows in his homeland.  But - have any of you ever heard of him?   PARK is the gear selection when you don't want the vehicle to move.

24 A. Travel that largely avoids rush-hour traffic: REVERSE COMMUTE.  This is typically a round trip from a home in the city to a job in the suburbs, the opposite of the more common route.  REVERSE is used to go backwards. Look out behind!

35. Cult-favorite indie band formed by Jeff Mangum: NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL.  An American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and again from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock and psychedelic folk. Mangum wrote surreal and opaque lyrics that covered a wide range of topics, including love, spirituality, nostalgia, sex, and loneliness.   I am usually quite circumspect in my critiques on this blog.  But having two theme entries that I have to characterize as gratuitous obscurity is, in my humble opinion, beyond the pale.   NEUTRAL is used when the vehicle is idling.

51. Infuriate: DRIVE UP THE WALL.  Make someone irritated, angry or crazy.  I haven't heard this expression in recent decades.  DRIVE is the gear selection for making forward progress.

59. "Plug me in soon!" warning: LOW BATTERY.  Notification from your electronic device.  LOW gear is used for slow progress - to avoid sliding or digging the tires into mud or sand

Hi Gang - JazzBupma here in the driver's seat today.  Let's see where today's journey takes us.

Across:

1. "You crack me up": HA-HA.  Funny.

5. Print sources?: PAWS.  From your pet doggo.

9. Cookie quantity: BATCH.  Often some number of dozens.

14. Bake-off appliance: OVEN.  Sometimes full of cookies.

15. Unseen Beckett character: GODOT.  From the play "Waiting For Godot," who never arrives.

16. Bugler's blast: BLARE.  Sadly, I couldn't find an actual BLARE, so here is some pretty good bugle playing.

19. Ingredient in piccata dishes: CAPER.   Capparis spinosa, the caper bush, also called Flinders rose, is a perennial plant that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers.

The plant is best known for the edible flower buds (capers), used as a seasoning or garnish, and the fruit (caper berries), both of which are usually consumed salted or, alternatively, pickled.

20. "Exile in Guyville" singer Phair: LIZ.   Elizabeth Clark Phair (b. 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area.  Phair's 1993 debut studio album, Exile in Guyville, was released to acclaim; it has been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

21. Clamor: DIN.   A loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.

23. Way to go: ROAD.   A place to get your vehicle in gear.

28. Alcorn __: HBCU in Mississippi: STATE.   Alcorn State University is a public historically black land-grant university adjacent to Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871 and was the first black land grant college established in the United States. 

30. Personal: OWN.  I guess you have to consider a phrase like, "This is my OWN thing."

31. Court clown: JESTER.  AKA: fool.

32. Arcade giant: SEGA.   A Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo.

33. Culture essayist Tolentino: JIA.   Jia Angeli Carla Tolentino (b. 1988) is an American writer and editor.  A staff writer for The New Yorker, she previously worked as deputy editor of Jezebel and a contributing editor at The Hairpin. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine and Pitchfork. In 2019, her collected essays were published as Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion.

34. Letters of urgency: SOS.  Derives from Morse code dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot.  More here.

42. Window boxes?: ACS.  Air Conditioners.   Clever clue.

43. __ kwon do: TAE.   a Korean form of martial arts characterized by punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques. The literal translation for tae kwon do is "kicking", "punching", and "the art or way of".

44. Sad Keanu or Grumpy Cat: MEME.   A humorous image, video, piece of text, etc., that is copied (often with slight variations) and spread rapidly by internet users.

45. Toiling away: AT WORK.  

49. Thanksgiving mo. in Canada: OCTober.

50. Needle: TEASE.  Drive up the wall?

54. Copenhagen resident: DANE.  Citizen of Denmark.

55. Kung __ chicken: PAO.    A spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish made with cubes of chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers. The classic dish in Sichuan cuisine originated in the Sichuan province of south-western China and includes Sichuan peppercorns. 

56. Orange or peach: HUE.  Colors.

57. Antique mall?: AGORA.   In ancient Greece, a public open space used for assemblies and markets.  Clever clue.

65. Countryman and Clubman: MINIS.  Mini (stylised as MINI) is a British automotive marque founded in 1969, owned by German automotive company BMW since 2000, and used by them for a range of small cars assembled in the United Kingdom, Austria and the Netherlands. The word Mini has been used in car model names since 1959, and in 1969 it became a marque in its own right when the name "Mini" replaced the separate "Austin Mini" and "Morris Mini" car model names

66. "Silas Marner" novelist: ELIOT.  Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe is the third novel by George Eliot. It was published in 1861. An outwardly simple tale of a linen weaver, the novel is notable for its strong realism and its sophisticated treatment of a variety of issues ranging from religion to industrialisation to community.  Mary Ann Evans (1819 – 1880 known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. 

67. Loyal: TRUE.   Giving or showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.

68. Does some onstage improv: SCATS.  To improvise nonsense syllables usually to an instrumental accompaniment : sing scat.

69. Reject: DENY.

70. 38-Down ingredients: EGGS.  Primary component of an omelet. 

Down:

1. Bounce: HOP.

2. "When They See Us" creator DuVernay: AVA.  Ava Marie DuVernay [b. 1972] is an American filmmaker, television producer and former film publicist. She is a recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a NAACP Image Award, a BAFTA Film Award and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee of an Academy Award and Golden Globe. 

3. Feminine pronoun: HER.  In objective case.

4. Art that may be covered by a boot: ANKLE TAT.  Skin art.

Many more here

5. "The Purloined Letter" writer Edgar Allan __: POE.  Edgar Allan Poe’s stature as a major figure in world literature is primarily based on his ingenious and profound short stories, poems, and critical theories, which established a highly influential rationale for the short form in both poetry and fiction.   More here.

6. Promos: ADS.  Advertisements.

7. Like heavy clogs: WOODEN.  Made of wood.

8. Showing little emotion: STOIC.  not affected by or showing passion or feeling.  Having a wooden heart.

9. "EastEnders" network: BBC.  British Broadcasting Corporation, the national broadcaster of the United Kingdom, based at Broadcasting House in London, England.

10. Startles: ALARMS. 

11. Submit, in an MMA match: TAP OUT.    Submit to an opponent by tapping one's hand repeatedly either on the arena or the opponent's body.

12. Generate: CREATE.  Produce

13. Sheepdog, e.g.: HERDER.   A type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding. Their ability to be trained to act on the sound of a whistle or word of command is renowned throughout the world.

15. Steady look: GAZE.   Look steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought.

18. Bee complex: HIVE.    A structure where bees live, either built by people or made by the bees themselves :

22. "Seriously!": NO JOKE.  For realz.

24. Barilla rival: RAGU.   Makers of Italian style sauces.

25. Churns: ROILS.   Disturbs. physically or literally.

26. Paddled, say: SWAM. 

27. Get along well: MESH.   Like gears.

28. W-2 fig.: SSN.   Social Security Number

29. Merch table buy: TEE.  I suppose this is a shirt.  Or possibly a golf accessory, depending on the type of merch.

33. Raise dramatically, as prices: JACK UP.  

34. Bluish gray: SLATE.  Slate is a dark shade of grey that has been mixed with a hint of azure for a cool tone, modern shade. 

36. Steak order: RARE.  Cooked so that the inside is still red

37. Nagging desire: ITCH.  A strong desire to do something

38. Brunch choice: OMELETTE.    A dish made by mixing eggs together and frying them, often with small pieces of other food such as cheese or vegetables; here spelt pretentiously.

39. Aqua kin: TEAL.  Blue-green colors.

40. Two-fifths of Miami?: EMS.  Letters in the word.  Meh!

41. Gymnast Suni: LEE.   Sunisa "Suni" Lee [b. 2003] is a Hmong American artistic gymnast. She is the 2020 Olympic all-around champion and uneven bars bronze medalist. She was a member of the teams that won gold at the 2019 World Championships and silver at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Gold Medal Flower

45. "Altogether ooky" family: ADDAMS.  

46. Woeful: TRAGIC.   Characterized by, expressive of, or causing sorrow or misery.

47. Actress Ryder: WINONA.   Winona Laura Horowitz [b. 1971] professionally known as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Originally playing quirky roles, in the 1990s, she rose to prominence for her more varying roles in productions of diverse genres.   Numerous views.

48. Ready to move on: OVER IT.

49. Annette of "Virgin River": O'TOOLE.   Annette O'Toole [b. 1952} is an American actress. She is known for portraying Lisa Bridges in the television series Nash Bridges, Beverly Marsh in the 1990 television mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's epic horror novel It, Lana Lang in Superman III, Kathy in the romantic-comedy film Cross My Heart and Martha Kent (the mother of Clark Kent) on the television series Smallville.

50. Pulled tight: TAUT.   Stretched or pulled tight; not slack.

52. Lost color: PALED.  Looked more wan.

53. "Come again?": WHAT?   Please repeat.

58. Burro: ASS.  Beast of burden.

60. Come in first: WIN.  Be victorious.

61. Lad: BOY.   Young boy.

62. Rowing machine, familiarly: ERG.  Is it the Ergatta or the Concept Two RowErg?  Beats me.

63. Hallway runner: RUG.   A long, narrow rug meant to be used in a hallway, galley kitchen, or other area of the home where space is narrow, but long.

64. "You got it": YES.  Correct.

So we arrive at our Wednesday destination.  I was able to say something good about the puzzle and something bad about the puzzle.  Overall, the journey was OK.  Hope you made it to the end with no accidents.

Cool regards!

JzB