L. A. Times Crossword Wednesday, July 12, 2023 Alan Massengill and Doug Peterson

Theme:  How Did We Get Here?  [We went for a ride.]. This is a hidden word theme, where a common mode of transportation spans between words in a 2 or 3 word theme fill.

7 A. *Barbie-inspired doll on "The Simpsons": MALIBU STACY.  This is the most popular doll in Springfield.  You can read about it here.   She arrived in this puzzle by BUS.

31 A. *"OK, gotta go!": WELL I'M OUT.  Announcing one's departure - in this case via a LIMO.  Maybe Stacy will go along for the ride.

Ridin' in Style

36 A. *Free baseball, so to speak: EXTRA INNINGS.  There's no extra charge when the game is tied after nine innings, and the spectators get to stay and watch the rest of the excitement.  If it's a home game in Chicago, you can leave afterward on a TRAIN.

On the Right Track

46 A. *Limb for Jaime Sommers or Steve Austin: BIONIC ARM.  Fictional characters from the two TV series The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman.  Each of them was seriously injured in separate accidents, and had body parts replaced with artificial components, giving them super-human abilities.  A CAR is a common means of transportation, even for us ordinary people. 

62 A. Service offered by 18-Down, and what's happening in the answers to the starred clues: RIDE SHARING.   A company that, via websites and mobile apps, matches passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire that, unlike taxicabs, cannot legally be hailed from the street.  Here, the theme fill surround the various vehicles that share their letters with the finished answer,

Hi Gang.  JazzBumpa here to direct today's traffic.  In this puzzle we have to find different way to get from point A to point B.  Let's see if we can do it without any accidents or unnecessary delays.  Start your engines!

Across

1. Donation sticker words: I GAVE.  

6. Unskilled in: BAD AT.  

11. "Have we __?": MET.  Suspicious kind of greeting.

14. Thread holder: SPOOL.   A cylindrical device which has a rim or ridge at each end and an axial hole for a pin or spindle and on which material (such as thread, wire, or tape) is wound. 

15. Upscale Honda brand: ACURA.

16. Passed-down tales: LORE.  A body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group, typically passed from person to person by word of mouth.

19. Surface measure: AREA.  As defined.

20. __ fever: CABIN.  Irritability, listlessness, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors during the winter.

21. Many a Henry James heroine: HEIRESS.   A woman who is legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.  James is best known for his novels dealing with the social and marital interplay between émigré Americans, the English, and continental Europeans.  He also wrote ghost stories.

23. Spice in pumpkin spice, often: MACE.   Mace is a yellowish-brown spice that is derived from the dried lacy coating of the nutmeg seed. 

26. Field for a 23-Down: ECON. Economics - the branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth.

28. "Purgatorio" poet: DANTE.  Dante Alighieri  (c. 1265 – 1321) was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His Divine Comedy is widely considered one of the most important poems of the Middle Ages and the greatest literary work in the Italian language.

29. Justin from Canada: BIEBER.  Justin Drew Bieber [b.1994] is a Canadian singer. He is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and global influence in modern-day popular music.  His personal life has been --- complicated.

34. Supplement: ADD ON.   Include something as an additional element.

35. Pundit piece: OP-ED.  Denoting or printed on the page opposite the editorial page in a newspaper, devoted to commentary, feature articles, etc.

42. "If it __ broke ... ": AIN'T.  Multi-purpose contraction of am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not. Meanwhile, if something is reasonably successful or effective, there is no need to change or replace it.

43. Hall's Hall of Fame partner: OATES.   Daryl Hall and John Oates are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two write most of the songs they perform, separately or in collaboration.  They have a pile of gold and platinum albums.  I was never a fan.

51. Gospel writer enshrined in a Venice basilica: ST. MARK.  The ascribed writer of the oldest of the four canonic New Testament gospels.  Modern scholarship suggests that the gospels were written anonymously, and that supposed authors names were added in the 2nd century.

52. Metallica's "__ It Sleeps": UNTIL.  This is the lead single from their 6th studio album "LOAD," from 1996, and they're only single to reach the top 10 in America.

You are not obligated to watch this

53. Startled cry: YIPE.  On of many possibilities.

55. Actress Turley of "Mad Men": MYRA.  Myra Turley [b. 1947] is an American film and television actress, best known as Dale in the 1995 sitcom Muscle, and as Madeline Evelley in Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers.

56. Drops by: STOPS IN.  Makes an unannounced visit.

59. One more than tri-: TETRA.  Prefixes indication three and four.

61. Basketball target: HOOP.  An 18 inch diameter circle through which the players attempt to shoot a 9.4 inch diameter ball.

67. Cagey: WILY.  Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully.

68. Motionless: INERT.  Lacking the ability to move.

69. Bit part: CAMEO.   A small role (as in a movie) usually performed by a well-known actor

70. Consumed: ATE.  Ingested.

71. Last word: SAY SO.  The power or act of deciding or allowing something.

72. Japanese city that's home to Nijo Castle: KYOTO.     The castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens. The surface area of the castle is 275,000 square metres (27.5 ha; 68 acres), of which 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft) is occupied by buildings.   Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It's famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses.

Down:

1. Belief system: -ISM.   A suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it was used to form action nouns from verbs (baptism); on this model, used as a productive suffix in the formation of nouns denoting action or practice, state or condition, principles, doctrines, a usage or characteristic, devotion or adherence, etc.

2. Dean's list fig.: GPA.  Grade Point Average.

3. Web pioneer: AOL.   America On Line   An American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo! Inc.   It was founded in 1985.

4. Larynx: VOICE BOX.   The hollow muscular organ forming an air passage to the lungs and holding the vocal cords in humans and other mammals;

5. Idris of "The Suicide Squad": ELBA.  Idrissa Akuna Elba OBE [b. 1972] is an English actor and DJ. An alumnus of the National Youth Music Theatre in London, he is known for roles including Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire, DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther, and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.   OBE is an award given in the UK for a special achievement.

6. Bare-bones: BASIC.   Reduced to or comprising only the unadorned or essential elements of something.

7. "Don't delay!": ACT NOW.  Snooze and you lose.

8. "Levitating" singer __ Lipa: DUA.   Dua Lipa (b. 1995) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Her mezzo-soprano vocal range and disco-influenced production have received critical acclaim and media coverage. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, two Billboard Music Awards, an American Music Award, and two Guinness World Records. She was included on the Time 100 Next list in 2021.

MEH!

9. Structure stabilized by a keystone: ARCH.   A curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.  A keystone is the wedge-shaped piece at the crown of an arch that locks the other pieces in place.

 Support from above

10. Actor Diggs: TAYE.  Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs [1971] is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals Rent and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the TV series Private Practice, Murder in the First, and All American

11. EGOT winner Rita: MORENO.   Rita Moreno [b. 1931] is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. She is noted for her work on stage and screen in a career spanning over seven decades. Moreno is one of the last remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

12. 1974 hit with Spanish lyrics: ERES TU.  "Eres tú" (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeɾes ˈtu]; "You Are") is a popular Spanish language song written in 1973 by Juan Carlos Calderón and performed by the Spanish band Mocedades, with Amaya Uranga performing the lead vocal.

13. Social service?: TEA SET.  Also called a TEA SERVICE, this is a set of matching tea pot, cups, saucers, along with cream and sugar containers, often made of fine china.  I can be used at a social event.  

16. Any Super Bowl LVI-winning player: L. A. RAM.  Super Bowl LVI was an American football game played on Feb.13, 2022,  to determine the champion of the National Football League for the 2021 season. The National Football Conference champion Los Angeles Rams defeated the American Football Conference champion Cincinnati Bengals, 23–20.

18. Lyft competitor: UBER.  These are companies that offer app based ride sharing opportunities, and other transportation services.

22. Emphatic denial: I DID NOT.  And I really mean it!

23. Degree for future execs: MBA.  Master of Business Administration.  I have one, but was never an exec.

24. Succor: AID.   Assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.

25. Formally surrender: CEDE.  Give up (power or territory).

27. Like some vivid colors: NEON.   Neon colors are just bright types of primary and secondary colors, such as green, yellow, red, blue, and purple. Neon colors stand apart from conventional colors since they absorb and reflect more light.

30. Necessitates: ENTAILS.  Involves (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence.

32. Hosp. worker: LPN.  Licensed Practical Nurse.

33. Tropical garland: LEI.    A circle of flowers that is worn around the neck in Polynesia. 

37. Cars singer Ocasek: RIC.  Richard Theodore Otcasek, [ 1944 - 2019] known as Ric Ocasek, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the rock band The Cars.

38. Actress de Armas: ANA.  Ana Celia de Armas Caso [b. 1988] is a Cuban and Spanish actress. She began her career in Cuba with a leading role in the romantic drama Una rosa de Francia. At the age of 18, she moved to Madrid, Spain, and starred in the popular drama El Internado for six seasons from 2007 to 2010

39. Humble self-appraisal: I TRY.   But -- do I succeed?

40. Radioactive emission: GAMMA RAY.  A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation, is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically shorter than those of X-rays. 

41. Lisa Loeb's biggest hit: STAY.  Lisa Loeb [b. 1968] is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author and actress. She started her career with the number one hit song "Stay" from the film Reality Bites, the first number one single for an artist without a recording contract.

44. Miscalculate: ERR.  Make a mistake.

45. Calypso-influenced genre: SKA.   A music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the off beat.

46. Malarkey: BUSHWA.   Nonsense.

47. Really pumped: IN TO IT.   Highly enthused about something.

48. "Lawrence of Arabia" star: O'TOOLE.   Peter Seamus O'Toole [1932 - 2013]. was a British stage and film actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic and with the English Stage Company.

49. Kinda chilly: NIPPY.  That's cool.

50. Angled joints: MITERS.   A joint made between two pieces of wood or other material at an angle of 90°, such that the line of junction bisects this angle.

51. "Late Night" host after Jimmy: SETH.  Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.

54. Gnocchi sauce: PESTO.  A sauce that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Sardo, all blended with olive oil. It originated in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy.

57. Crocus kin: IRIS.   A flowering plant genus of 310 accepted species with showy flowers. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also widely used as a common name for all Iris species, as well as some belonging to other closely related genera. 

58. Designer Ricci: NINA.  Nina Ricci [1883 - 1970], born Maria Nielli in Turin, was an Italian-born French fashion designer. She moved to France at the age of 12. At the age of 13, she began an apprenticeship at a dressmaker's. In 1904, she married Luigi Ricci. They had one child, 

60. Ribs order: RACK.   A rack of ribs will have a minimum of 8 ribs, but can also include up to 13 depending on the butcher and how it was prepared. Butchers will call it a “cheater rack” if it contains less than 10 ribs.

63. TV actress Susan: DEY.   Susan Hallock Dey [b. 1952] is a retired American actress, known for her television roles as Laurie Partridge on the sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on the drama series L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992.

64. Brief "As I see things": IMO.  In My Opinion.

65. Accounting figure: NET.   The amount that's left over after you deduct expenses, taxes, and other liabilities (sums you have to pay). Your net amount is the lowest number you can get, meaning you only reach your net point once you've subtracted everything you need to dedicate money to.

66. Gloppy stuff: GOO.  A sticky or slimy substance.

So, on that rather unpleasant not, we bring another Wednesday to a close.  But we covered a lot of territory, and I hope you enjoyed the rest of the excursion.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Rebecca Goldstein

Theme:  The SHELL, you say!  The unifier explains it perfectly

54 A. Corporations with little business activity, and what are formed by the circled letters: SHELL COMPANIES.    Corporations without active business operations or significant assets. These types of corporations are not all necessarily illegal, but they are sometimes used illegitimately, such as to disguise business ownership from law enforcement or the public.  

Here, the phrase is repurposed [or reused, per 28D] to indicate a bookends type theme for the puzzle, in which the names of prominent American corporations are split, providing the beginning and ending letters for the theme fill entries.

16 A. Fruity frozen treat: ORANGE POPSICLE.  A popsicle is a piece of flavored ice or ice cream on a stick.  In this case the flavor is ORANGE.  Rather specific fill for an other general clue.  Oracle Corporation is 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.   Oracle also declined during 2022.  It started to recover in October and has recently passed its former high and gone hyperbolic.

25. Pursue additional education, e.g.: APPLY FOR COLLEGE.   To ask to be accepted as a student at colleges or universities by filling out and sending applications.   Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California. Apple is the world's largest technology company by revenue, with US$394.3 billion in 2022 revenue. As of March 2023, Apple is the world's biggest company by market capitalization. As of June 2022, Apple is the fourth-largest personal computer vendor by unit sales and the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. It is often considered as one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Alphabet (parent company of Google), Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft.  Apple stock had a choppy decline through 2022, bottoming early this year.  It has since soared to new highs.

35. Spanish "I like": ME GUSTA.  Literal.   Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly named Facebook, Inc., and TheFacebook, Inc., is an American multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California. The company owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other products and services. Meta is one of the world's most valuable companies and among the ten largest publicly traded corporations in the United States. It is often considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Alphabet (parent company of Google), Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft.  Meta stock price peaked in September, 2021, then lost over 75% of its value at the November, 2022 low.  It has since recovered, but is still far below its all time high.

42 A. Slips, bras, etc.: INTIMATE APPAREL.    Women's underwear and nightclothes. synonyms: lingerie. types: gown, night-robe, nightdress, nightgown, nightie; lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women.  Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is one of the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 series of instruction sets found in most personal computers.  Its stock was badly battered last year, losing over 50% of its value.  It flattened out in October and is starting to make a comeback.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here to broker today's transactions.  All the theme entries are American multi-national corporations involved in various aspects of technology.   Let's see how we can push forward.

Across

1. Chaparral growth: SHRUB.  It is a shrubland plant community found primarily in California, in southern Oregon and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild wet winters and hot dry summers) and infrequent, high-intensity crown fires.

6. Place to soak some barking dogs: FOOT SPA.   A bowl for soaking the feet in warm water, especially one in which the feet are massaged by small jets of water.  For "dogs," not canines.

13. Indigenous New Zealanders: MAORIS.   Māori originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350. 

15. Underhanded course of action: LOW ROAD.   A behavior or approach that is unscrupulous or immoral.

18. Precious stone: GEM.  A precious or semiprecious stone, especially when cut and polished or engraved.

19. Release, as an album: DROP.  The act of releasing it to the public.

20. Chats online, briefly: IMS.  Instant Messages.

21. Beach bucket: PAIL.  A bucket is usually an open-top container. In contrast, a pail can have a top or lid and is a shipping container. In common usage, the two terms are often used interchangeably.  In this context, a beach bucket is a toy for plying in the sand.

22. "Rumor has it ... ": I HEAR.  Through the grape vine, maybe.

31. Spring flower: IRIS.   A plant with sword-shaped leaves and showy flowers, typically purple, yellow, or white. Native to both Eurasia and North America, it is widely cultivated as an ornamental.

Wikipedia

32. Fish in a swarm: EELS.  Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes, which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage and are usually predators.  They do swarm in deep water

33. Ctrl-__-Del: ALT.  On a personal computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system, Control+Alt+Delete is the combination of the Ctrl key, the Alt key and Del key that a user can press at the same time to terminate an application task or to reboot the operating system.

34. Not 'neath: O'ER.   Over, aka above.

38. "Obvi": DUH.  Said of something that is readily apparent and not at all surprising.

39. Comedian DeLaria: LEA.  Lea DeLaria is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer. DeLaria is credited with being the first openly gay comic to appear on American television with her 1993 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show. 

40. Notable times: ERAS.   A long and distinct period of history with a particular feature or characteristic.  Three of our granddaughters attended the Detroit performance of The Eras Tour, the ongoing sixth headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Described by her as a journey through all of her "musical eras", the Eras Tour is a tribute to all of Swift's studio albums so far.  They loved it.

41. Ballet leap: JETE.   A jump in which a dancer springs from one foot to land on the other with one leg extended outward from the body while in the air.

47. Express big feelings, maybe: EMOTE.    Portray emotion in a theatrical manner.

48. Transit option to NYC's Roosevelt Island: TRAM.  A tram is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are called tramways   The Roosevelt Island Tramway provides the most modern aerial tramway in the world, running every 7-15 minutes from 59th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan to Tramway Plaza on Roosevelt Island.  

49. Web access co.: ISP.   Internet Service Provider.

50. "Any minute now": SOON.  Immanent.

51. WNBA honor for A'ja Wilson in 2020 and 2022: MVP.    Most Valuable Player.

59. Item on a laundry list?: TIDE POD.   Water-soluble pouches containing highly concentrated laundry detergent, marketed by Proctor and Gamble under the Tide brand name.

60. Campfire treats: S'MORES.  Toasted marshmallows sandwiched between graham crackers with a chocolate segment.

61. Bounding main: OPEN SEA.   An expanse of sea away from land.

62. Prevent, as disaster: AVERT.  Prevent or ward off an undesirable occurrence

Down:

1. Dark cloud on the horizon?: SMOG.   Air pollution that reduces visibility. The term "smog" was first used in the early 1900s to describe a mix of smoke and fog. The smoke usually came from burning coal. Smog was common in industrial areas, and remains a familiar sight in some cities today.   I don't think this clue is accurate.  Smog occurs much closer than the horizon.

2. Largest lagomorph: HARE.  A lagomorph is a mammal of the order Lagomorpha; a hare, rabbit, or pika.

3. Cover a lot of ground: ROAM.  Move about or travel aimlessly or unsystematically, especially over a wide area.

4. Mantle piece: URN.   A tall, rounded vase with a base, and sometimes a stem, especially one used for storing the ashes of a cremated person.

Ashes to Ashes . . .

5. Circled square on a calendar, maybe: BIG DAY.   A very important or significant day.

6. First three community cards in Texas Hold 'em: FLOP.    The dealing of the first three face-up cards to the board, refers also to those three cards themselves. 

7. Alley-__: OOP.   Used to encourage or draw attention to the performance of some physical, especially acrobatic, feat.

8. Hurt sounds: OWS.  Expressions of pain.

9. Start to cycle?: TRI.  A vehicle similar to a bicycle, but having three wheels, two at the back and one at the front.   This kind of clue makes me gnash my teeth.

10. __ media: SOCIAL.   Websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

11. Expert who relies on a show of hands: PALM READER.  Typically, this clue refers to a non-verbal method of voting by raising hands.  Here, the PALM READER is one who practices fortune-telling through the study of the palm. Also known as palm reading, chiromancy, chirology or cheirology, the practice is found all over the world, with numerous cultural variations. Clever clue.

12. Citrus drinks: -ADES.   I can't find a specific definition for this suffix on its own.  But these drinks  contain the juice of the fruit mixed with sweetened water.

14. Calligrapher's flourish: SERIF.   A slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter in certain typefaces.

17. Casual top: POLO.   A casual short-sleeved cotton shirt with a collar and several buttons at the neck.

21. "Thx" counterpart: PLS.  Please and thanks, shortened.

22. Fruity frozen treats: ICES.  Very cold -ADES, maybe.

23. "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester: HOLT.  Lester Don Holt Jr. (born March 8, 1959) is an American journalist and news anchor for the weekday edition of NBC Nightly News, NBC Nightly News Kids Edition, and Dateline NBC. On June 18, 2015, Holt was made the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News following the demotion of Brian Williams.  Holt became the first African-American to solo anchor a weekday network nightly newscast.

24. Pataky of "Fast & Furious" films: ELSA.  Elsa Lafuente Medianu [b 1976] known professionally as Elsa Pataky, is a Spanish model and actress. Pataky is known for her role as Elena Neves in the Fast & Furious franchise. She has appeared in the films Snakes on a Plane, Giallo and Give 'Em Hell, Malone.

Doesn't look furious

25. Garlicky dip: AIOLI.   A cold sauce consisting of an emulsion of garlic and olive oil; it is found in the cuisines of the northwest Mediterranean, from Andalusia to Calabria. 

26. Take a long look in the mirror?: PREEN.   Devote effort to making oneself look attractive and then admire one's appearance.

27. Vessel that may fly the Jolly Roger: PIRATE SHIP.   A sailing vessel used by a person who commits robbery on the seas.  Jolly Roger is a pirate's flag with a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

But is he really happy?

28. Waste reduction strategy: REUSE.   Reuse is the action or practice of using an item, whether for its original purpose or to fulfill a different function. It should be distinguished from recycling, which is the breaking down of used items to make raw materials for the manufacture of new products.

29. Muscle used in a squat, informally: GLUTE.  A muscle of the buttock.

Glutes

30. Broadway icon Merman: ETHEL.   Ethel Merman [1908 - 1984] was an American actress and singer. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, as well as her leading roles in musical theater, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." She performed on Broadway in Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, and Hello, Dolly! 

35. "Someone didn't get the __": MEMO.  To not know something that everyone else knows: Everybody seems to be wearing green today - I guess I didn't get the memo.

36. Part of Q.E.D.: ERAT.  Latin abbreviation for quod erat demonstrandum: "Which was to be demonstrated." Q.E.D. may appear at the conclusion of a text to signify that the author's overall argument has just been proven.

37. Scandal suffix: GATE.  This originated with Nixon's Watergate scandal, the burglary of the DNC headquarters in the Watergate Office Building.  Now the suffix is recklessly added to any distinctive word associated with a political scandal.

41. Printer problem: JAM.   Paper getting stuck in the printer mechanism.

43. Hold up: IMPEDE.   Deter, delay, obstruct, hinder.

44. Bonding partner: ATOM.  ATOMS are the smallest particles of a chemical element that retain the properties of that element.  Molecules are made up of atoms bonded together.

45. Play things?: PROPS.   Prop is short for 'property' and is any object used in a performance that isn't part of the set or worn by an actor. Props can be anything, from small to large items – a notebook to a fountain.   This is a clever clue.

46. Country that connects the Americas: PANAMA.  Panama is a country on the isthmus linking Central and South America. 

49. Analogy phrase: IS TO.  A is to B as alpha is to beta.   Comparative connector, I suppose.  In a cursory search I'm unable to discover anything else about this usage.

50. Word with bread or cracker: SODA.  These items are made with sodium bicarbonate in the recipe rather than yeast as a leavening agent.

51. Slimy mud: MIRE.  Swampy or boggy ground.

52. Swerve: VEER.   Change direction suddenly.

53. "Over here!" in a library voice: PSST.  A non-vocalized whisper.

55. Ballroom dancer Goodman: LEN.  Leonard Gordon Goodman [1944 - 2023] was an English professional ballroom dancer, dance teacher, and dance competition adjudicator.

56. Vinyl records, briefly: LPS.  Long Playing records.

57. Cedar Rapids campus: COE.   Coe College is a private liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was founded in 1851 and is historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The college is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities.

58. Native American Heritage mo.: NOV.   November.   On August 3, 1990, President of the United States George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, thereafter commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month. The bill read in part that "The President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities". This landmark bill honoring America's tribal people represented a major step in the establishment of this celebration which began in 1976 when a Cherokee/Osage Indian named Jerry C. Elliott-High Eagle authored Native American Awareness Week legislation the first historical week of recognition in the nation for native peoples. This led to 1986 with then President Ronald Reagan proclaiming November 23–30, 1986, as "American Indian Week"

On that happy note we wrap up today's midweek transactions.  Thanks for keeping me company. Hope you found it to be profitable.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. times Crossword Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Enrique Henestroza Anguiano and Brooke Husic

Theme:  Countdown [with an implied blast off.]  The theme fill contains spelt-out hidden numbers in circled squares that decrease as you move down the grid.

Today's theme song --

20 A. "The Mum Hunt" children's author: GWYNETH REES.   Gwyneth Rees (b. 1968) is a British author of children's books. Her novel The Mum Hunt won the Red House Children's Book Award for Younger Readers in 2019, and another, My Mum's from Planet Pluto, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in the same year.    I parsed this wrong as Gwyne Threes, which did not help.  The hidden number is THREE.

28 A. "I'll believe it when I see it!": FAMOUS LAST WORDS.   Said as an ironic comment on or reply to an overconfident assertion that may well be proved wrong by events.  The hidden number is TWO.

48 A. Proceed with care: WALK ON EGG SHELLS.  Be extremely cautious about one's words or actions. The hidden number is ONE.

55 A. Oscar-nominated film about NASA mathematicians, and a description of the countdown found in this puzzle?: HIDDEN FIGURES.  Three brilliant African-American women at NASA -- Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson -- serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.

Of course, the hidden figures are the numbers included in the theme fill.  And the count down is to the blast that launched John Glenn into orbit, where he circled the earth 3 times, if you counted up.

Hi, Gang - Jazzbumpa here.  This all should have been as easy as 1, 2, 3, but I foiled myself repeatedly.  Let's blast off and orbit this puzzle.

Across:

1. Molecule part: ATOM.  The building block of everything.

5. Confidence games, e.g.: SCAMS.   Deceptive schemes or tricks used to cheat someone out of something, especially money. 

10. Cherished: DEAR.   Held in high estimation.

14. Monsieur, across the Rhine: HERR.  The honorific "mister." in French and German.

15. Verboten: TABOO.   Anything forbidden by religious custom or social mores.

16. Nigerian language: IGBO.   The principal native language cluster of the Igbo people from Southern Nigeria.

17. "Yes, correct": IT IS.   Statement of agreement.

18. "Rhythm of Love" singer Baker: ANITA.   Anita Denise Baker (b. 1958 in Toledo Ohio - my home town) is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for her soulful ballads, particularly from the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s.

19. Sniffer: NOSE.  A part of your respiratory system. It allows air to enter your body, then filters debris and warms and moistens the air. Your nose gives you a sense of smell and helps shape your appearance. 

23. ID on a map: IDAHO.  I was thinking "identification," making this harder than it needed to be

25. Squeezed (out): WRUNG.  Squeezed and twisted (something) to force liquid from it.

34. Enjoy Aspen: SKI.  Aspen, in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, is a ski resort town and year-round destination for outdoor recreation. It's also known for high-end restaurants and boutiques, and landmarks like the Wheeler Opera House, built in 1889 during the area’s silver mining boom.   Our granddaughter Samantha was there in January working in hospitality for the XXVII X-Games. Bad weather complicated her return trip.

35. Food and dining website since 2005: EATER.  Eater is a food website by Vox Media. It was co-founded by Lockhart Steele and Ben Leventhal in 2005, and originally focused on dining and nightlife in New York City. Eater launched a national site in 2009, and covered nearly 20 cities by 2012.

36. Enthusiast: FAN.  An enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator.  The word is uncertain etymology.  It is likely derived from fanatic, a person with “uncritical zeal and enthusiasm.” 

37. One-piece shapewear options: BODY SUITS.  A close-fitting one-piece stretch garment for women, typically worn for sports.   I misread the clue as "sleepwear," adding to my confusion.

41. "227" actress Reed Hall: ALAINA.   Alaina Reed Hall [1946 - 2009] was an American actress and singer who portrayed Olivia Robinson, Gordon's younger sister, on the PBS children's television series Sesame Street, and Rose Lee Holloway on the NBC sitcom 227.

44. Get hold of: OBTAIN.  Get, acquire, or secure something.

52. Left turn from sur: ESTE.   South and east en Español.

53. Jazz pianist Mary __ Williams: LOU.  Mary Lou Williams [1910 - 1981] was an American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records.

54. Her, across the Rio Grande: ELLA.  Female pronouns in English and Español.

60. __ Pèrignon: DOM.  a brand of vintage Champagne. It is named after Dom Pérignon [1638 - 1715] a Benedictine monk who was an important quality pioneer for Champagne wine but who, contrary to popular myths, did not discover the Champagne method for making sparkling wines.

61. Flies: AVIATES.  Pilots or flies in an airplane.

62. PIN point: ATM.  A Personal Identification Number is used at an Automatic Teller Machine.

64. Sine __ non: QUA.   The phrase refers to an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary.

65. Type of roof with dormer windows: MANSARD.   A roof which has four sloping sides, each of which becomes steeper halfway down.

Source

66. Unjustly deprive (of): ROB.   Take property unlawfully from (a person or place) by force or threat of force.

67. Ave. crossers: STS.  Streets cross Avenues. 

68. __-Dame de Paris: NOTRE.   A medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.  Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and was largely completed by 1260, though it was modified in succeeding centuries. 

69. Place for a scrub: SPA.   A commercial establishment offering health and beauty treatment through such means as steam baths, exercise equipment, and massage.

Down:

1. Big tuna: AHI.   The Hawaiian term used to refer to Yellowfin or Bigeye tuna. Ahi Tuna has a light pink flesh and a flavor that is stronger than most fish.

2. Vietnamese New Year: TET.   The Vietnamese New Year observed during the first several days of the lunar calendar beginning at the second new moon after the winter solstice

3. Art form used to create a crane or a masu box: ORIGAMI.   The Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures.

4. "A Wrinkle in Time" woman: MRS. WHO.   A Wrinkle in Time is the story of Meg Murry, a high-school-aged girl who is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin O'Keefe to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces that hold him prisoner on another planet. You can read more about it here.

5. __ Smiths: Adidas tennis shoes: STAN.   Stanley Roger Smith [b. 1946] is an American former professional tennis player. Smith is best known to non-tennis players as the namesake of a popular brand of tennis shoes. A world No. 1 player and two-time major singles champion, Smith also paired with Bob Lutz to create one of the most successful doubles teams of all-time.

6. Sugar stalk: CANE.    Sugar cane is a species of tall, perennial grass that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sucrose, which accumulates in the stalk internodes. 

7. Somewhat: A BIT.  An uncertain small amount.  While "quite a bit" is an uncertain large amount.

8. Light-headed creature?: MOTH.   A chiefly nocturnal insect related to the butterflies. It lacks the clubbed antennae of butterflies and typically has a stout body, drab coloration, and wings that fold flat when resting.  It is attracted to light.

9. Really take off: SOAR.  Fly high and fast.

10. Pesos, e.g.: DINERO.  Money en Español.

11. Try to find oneself?: EGO SURF.  To search the internet to find references to one's name or one's personal information.   Well played clue.

12. Cobra pose muscles: ABS.  The abdominal muscles.   The cobra pose is a gentle backbend practiced from a face-down position that warms and strengthens the spine while opening the chest. 

13. Poke bowl topping: ROE.   Poke is diced raw fish served either as an appetizer or a main course. 

21. The "y" in ily: YOU.  I guess ily means I love YOU.

22. "Grossss!!": EWW.  Expression of disgust.

23. "No __, ands, or buts": IFS.   An idiom used to indicate certainty.

24. Prescott of the Cowboys: DAK.  Rayne Dakota Prescott [b. 1993] is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at Mississippi State, where he twice received first-team All-SEC honors, and was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

26. Doc meant to protect trade secrets: NDA.  Non-Disclosure Agreement.

27. "Family Feud" reruns channel: GSN.  The Game Show Network.

29. Midsize car: SEDAN.   A passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for an engine, passengers, and cargo. The first recorded use of sedan in reference to an automobile body occurred in 1912. The name derives from the 17th-century litter known as a sedan chair, a one-person enclosed box with windows and carried by porters. 

30. Frito-__ snacks: LAY.  An American subsidiary of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets, and sells corn chips, potato chips, and other snack foods.   Frito-Lay began in the early 1930s as two separate companies, "The Frito Company" and "H.W. Lay & Company", which merged in 1961 to form "Frito-Lay, Inc". In 1965, Frito-Lay, Inc. merged with the Pepsi-Cola Company, resulting in the formation of PepsiCo. Since then, Frito-Lay has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo. 

31. Symbols in email addresses: ATS.  This thing: "@."   It is properly called the at sign.

32. Brazilian singer __ Jorge: SEU.

33. Small combos: TRIOS.  A group of three musicians.  A trio of piano, violin and cello is common in classical chamber music.  A typical jazz trio will contain drums, a chording instrument, such as piano or guitar, and a melodic instrument or singer.

  
37. Did the second leg of a triathlon: BIKED.   A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the disciplines included.

38. Artist Yoko: ONO.   Yoko Ono [b. 1933] is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up in Tokyo and moved to New York City in 1952 to join her family. 

39. Texter's "If I'm being real": TBH.  To Be Honest.

40. Take the helm: STEER.  To control the course of or direct, especially to guide by mechanical means (such as a rudder;) to set and hold to a course.

41. Floor: AWE.   Inspire a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.

42. React angrily: LASH OUT.   Express anger by saying or writing furious words about someone or some thing..

43. Nissan 29-Downs: ALTIMAS.   a mid-size car that has been manufactured by Nissan since 1992. It is a continuation of the Nissan Bluebird line, which began in 1955.  The Altima has historically been larger, more powerful, and more luxurious than the Nissan Sentra but less so than the Nissan Maxima. The first through fourth-generation cars were manufactured exclusively in the United States and officially sold in North and South America, along with the Middle East and Australia. 

45. Very attentive: ALL EARS.   Listening eagerly and attentively.

46. "You've had enough of my jokes": I'LL STOP.  But I never do.

47. Govt. org. with cryptanalysts: NSA.   National Security Agency, a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence purposes, specializing in a discipline known as signals intelligence (SIGINT).

49. Current event in the Pacific?: EL NIÑO.    An irregularly recurring flow of unusually warm surface waters from the Pacific Ocean toward and along the western coast of South America that prevents upwelling of nutrient-rich cold deep water and that disrupts typical regional and global weather patterns.  Another clever clue.

50. Zip along: GO FAST.  Zoom

51. Fender instrument: GUITAR.  Fender produces acoustic guitars, bass amplifiers and public address equipment, however it is best known for its solid-body electric guitars and bass guitars, particularly the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Precision Bass, and the Jazz Bass.

56. Hoover, for one: DAM.  Neither president nor vacuum cleaner fit.  Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

57. Fashion's __-Picone: EVAN.   A line of women's clothing made by the partnership of Charles Evans and Joseph Picone in1949.   They sold it to Revlon in 1962. 
 
58. "Runaway Bride" co-star: GERE.   Richard Tiffany Gere [b. 1949] is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence with his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol. 

59. Amer. capital: USD.  Capital, not capitol.  The U.S. Dollar -- $.

60. Blizzard sellers, familiarly: DQS.  Dairy Queens are an American chain of soft serve ice cream and fast food restaurants headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. It was owned and operated by Sherb Noble and opened on June 22, 1940. It serves a variety of its own original frozen products that vary from location to location.

63. C-suite degree: MBA.  Master of Business Administration, a postgraduate degree focused on business administration.  The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounting, applied statistics, human resources, business communication, business ethics, business law, strategic management, business strategy, finance, managerial economics, management, entrepreneurship, marketing, supply-chain management, and operations management in a manner most relevant to management analysis and strategy. It originated in the United States in the early 20th century when the country industrialized and companies sought scientific management.  I has one of dem.

So, we've reached the end of another Wednesday adventure.  Hope you had a blast.

Cool regards!

JzB

L. A. Times Crossword Wednesday, May 5, 2023 Amie Walker

Theme: It's COOL when you weather the storm.  Meteorological phenomena of the COOL variety.

17 A. *Destructive meteorological events marked by high winds and heavy rain: SUPER STORMS.  These are storms of particularly high intensity causing damage over a wide area. 

28 A. *Phenomena created by sunlight refracting through ice crystals in clouds: FIRE RAINBOWS.  A fire rainbow is as a result of light being refracted as it passes from the moon or the sun over the ice crystals within the atmosphere, especially with cirrostratus or cirrus clouds.  I saw one over Black Lake a few summers ago.  It was very cool, and looked similar to this picture.

Read all about it

45 A. *Low-pressure systems also called "winter hurricanes": BOMB CYCLONES.  This is a powerful, rapidly intensifying storm associated with a sudden and significant drop in atmospheric pressure.  

And the unifier -- 61 A. Feature of early spring and late fall, or an apt description of the answers to the starred clues?: COOL WEATHER.  This is weather with temperatures that are less than warm, but not actually cold.

One sense of the word COOL is as an intensive modifier, and that's how I'm taking the meaning here.  I'm open to other interpretations.  Being in a SUPER STORM or BOMB CYCLONE is probably an intense experience, but not necessarily one that is very good or enjoyable, i.e "COOL."  Contrast the FIRE RAINBOW, which is indeed very COOL!.  But to be SUPER, on FIRE, or the BOMB would be COOL.  So, there's that.

HI Gang it's JazzBumpa, who occasionally plays it cool.  Let's see if we can heat up this puzzle.

Across:

1. __ d'Azur: stretch of the Riviera: COTE.  The azure cost.  Azure is sky blue, so this could refer to enjoyable weather or the hue of the water.

5. Black-and-white mammal: PANDA.  Unlike azure, neither black nor white is a color.  The Panda is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. For many decades, the precise taxonomic classification of the giant panda was under debate because it shares characteristics with both bears and raccoons. However, molecular studies indicate the giant panda is a true bear, part of the family Ursidae.

10. NBC skit show, familiarly: SNL.  Saturday Night Live.

13. Declare bluntly: AVOW.   Assert or openly confess.

14. Relaxed: AT EASE.  Free from worry, awkwardness, or problems; relaxed.

16. Garland that may feature kika blossoms: LEI.  In Hawaii

19. Geologic age: EON.  An immeasurably or indefinitely long period of time. 

20. Director Roth: ELI.   Eli Raphael Roth (b.1972) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. As a director and producer, he is most closely associated with the horror genre, namely splatter films, having directed the films Cabin Fever (2003) and Hostel (2005).

21. Sun Devils sch.: ASU.  Arizona State University

22. Aquaman's staff: TRIDENT.   A three-pronged spear.

24. Indulgently lavish: DECADENT.  Characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline, or, more loosely, as defined in the clue.

27. Opening: GAP.   A break or space in an object or between two objects.

33. __ voce: SOTTO.   In a quiet voice, as if not to be overheard.

36. Spots for fast cash: ATMS.  Automatic Teller Machines.

37. Actress Long: NIA.   Nia Talita Long (b.1970) is an American actress. Best known for her work in Black cinema, Long rose to prominence after starring in the film Boyz n the Hood (1991), and for her portrayal of Beullah "Lisa" Wilkes on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1991–1995).

38. Consequently: THUS.  As a result or consequence of this; therefore.

39. Gives in: CAVES.  Capitulates

41. Piquancy: ZING.   Zest - an enjoyably exciting quality.

42. Objective: AIM.   Goal.

43. Achy: SORE.  In pain.

44. Ballet jumps: JETES.  Like this.

49. Favorable vote: YEA.

50. Be just right for: SUIT TO A T.  To be ideal or perfectly appropriate for one; to be completely in line with one's tastes, preferences, interests, style, etc.

54. Altogether: UTTERLY.  Completely and without qualification; absolutely.

58. Blasting material: TNT.  Tri-Nitro Toluene is an odorless, yellow solid is used in explosives. In the United States, TNT is primarily made at military sites. .

59. Michael of 10-Across: CHE.   Michael Che Campbell [b. 1983] is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. Che is best known for his work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, where he has served as co-anchor on Weekend Update alongside Colin Jost, and the two were co-head writers from 2017 until 2022.

60. "Excusez-__": MOI.   Excuse ME, in French

64. Nosher's bite: NOM.  Used for showing that you like a particular kind of food or that you think something looks or sounds very good to eat

65. Cream-filled pastry: ECLAIR.    A pastry made with choux dough filled with a cream and topped with a flavored icing. The dough, which is the same as that used for profiterole, is typically piped into an oblong shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside.   Nom, nom, nom!

66. "The __ Tour": 2023 Taylor Swift concert series: ERAS.  The ongoing sixth headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Having not toured for her studio albums Lover, Folklore, and Evermore due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Swift is embarking on the Eras Tour in support of all of her albums, including her latest, Midnights. 

67. Flamenco cheer: OLÉ.  A Spanish interjection used to cheer on or praise a performance.

68. Party leaders: HOSTS.  Persons who receive or entertain other people as guests.

69. Intro, in journalism jargon: LEDE.   The opening sentence or paragraph of a news article, summarizing the most important aspects of the story.

Down:

1. Surveyed surreptitiously: CASED.  Inspected or studied, especially with intent to rob

2. Plant structure with reproductive cells: OVULE.    The organ that forms the seeds of flowering plants. It is borne in the ovary of the flower and consists of nucellus protected by integuments, precursors of embryo/endosperm, and seed coat, respectively.

Ka-Bloom!

3. Discussion point: TOPIC.  Subject matter.

4. Pasture grazer: EWE.  Female sheep.

5. Quarterback, often: PASSER.   Somebody is supposed to catch it - wearing the same color shirt.

6. Bring into harmony: ATTUNE.  Either literally, as in music, or figuratively, as in a social context.

7. Prefix for a revived music genre, e.g.: NEO.  A type of music that fuses contemporary style with a popular genre from some time in the past.

8. Move quickly: DART.   Move or run somewhere suddenly or rapidly.

9. Genre of YouTube videos that may bring about brain tingles, for short: ASMR.   Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. A pleasant form of paresthesia, 

10. Go to bed before putting something to bed, say: SLEEP ON IT.  Delay making a decision on something until the following day.   A tactic to avoid making a rash judgment.

11. Word on really bright Crayolas: NEON.   Neon colors are just bright types of primary and secondary colors, such as green, yellow, red, blue, and purple. Neon colors stand apart from conventional colors since they absorb and reflect more light.

12. Dryer fluff: LINT.   Fuzz made up of fine pieces of yarn and fabric, better known as microfibers. 

15. Endorses digitally: E-SIGNS.   An e-signature (electronic signature) is a digital version of a conventional handwritten signature. In many countries, including the United States, an e-signature can provide the same legal commitment as a handwritten signature if it meets certain criteria.

18. Part of NPR: RADIO.  National Public RADIO is an American nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national syndicator to a network of over 1,000 public radio stations in the United States. 

23. Blot: DAB.   Press against something lightly with a piece of absorbent material in order to clean or dry it.

25. Matinee hrs.: AFTS.  Afternoons.

26. Goes a long way: TRAVELS.   Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical locations. 

29. Had a bite: ATE.  Noshed, perhaps.

30. Sends a text, briefly: IMS.  Sends an Instant Message.

31. Viognier, e.g.: WINE.    A white wine grape variety. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhône Valley. 

32. Droops: SAGS. Bends or hangs downward limply.

33. Try: STAB.   An attempt to do something.

34. Indiana neighbor: OHIO.   Ohio, officially the State of Ohio is a state in the Midwestern United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area. With a population of nearly 11.8 million, Ohio is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated state.  My home state.

35. Muscle-strengthening session for a baby: TUMMY TIME.   Laying babies on their stomachs for brief periods while they're awake. It's an important way to help babies strengthen their neck and shoulder muscles, and improve motor skills.

39. Demurely evasive: COY.   Making a pretense of shyness or modesty that is intended to be alluring.

40. Curved path: ARC.  As defined.

41. Piquancy: ZEST.  Zing - an enjoyably exciting quality.

43. Not at all abundant: SCARCE.  In short supply, or insufficient to meet demand.

44. Volkswagen sedan: JETTA.  A compact car/small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen since 1979. Positioned to fill a sedan niche above the firm's Golf hatchback, it has been marketed over seven generations,

46. Comb creator: BEE.  A honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal prismatic wax cells built by honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen.

47. Get the better of: OUTWIT.   Deceive or defeat by greater ingenuity.

48. Bay Area NFLers: NINERS.  Short for Forty-niners, named for miners or other persons that took part in the 1849 California Gold Rush.  

51. Autumn colour: OCHRE.  A natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the colours produced by this pigment, especially a light brownish-yellow.

52. Still to come: AHEAD.  In the relatively near future.

53. Brief: TERSE.   Short and to the point.

54. "Uh, guess again": UM - NO.  Said of a woefully incorrect guess or comment.

55. Wrench, e.g.: TOOL.   A wrench is a TOOL consisting of a handle with one end designed to hold, twist, or turn an object (such as a bolt or nut) 

56. Scot's swimming spot: LOCH.   Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. 

57. "Seize the day" acronym: YOLO.   You Only Live Once.

62. __ Vegas: LAS.   The 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and 2nd-largest in the Southwestern United States. 

63. Business card no.: TEL.  Telephone number. 

That wraps up another COOL Wednesday.  Hope you didn't get over-heated.

COOL regards!

JzB

L. A Times Crossword Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Susan Gelfand

Theme: Let's find a game to play.  Some common games are hidden in the theme fill, with their letters scrambled.  The needed letters are in circled squares.  Hope you got them.

17 A. Primatologist who is the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees: JANE GOODALL.  Dame Jane Morris Goodall DBE; born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall, is an English primatologist and anthropologist. She is considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, after 60 years studying the social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees. Goodall first went to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in 1960, where she witnessed human-like behaviours amongst chimpanzees.   Interestingly, I have observed chimp-like behavior in humans.

JENGA is the classic block-stacking, stack-crashing game. How will you stack up against the law of gravity? Stack the wooden blocks in a sturdy tower, then take turns pulling out blocks one by one until the whole stack crashes down. Is your hand steady enough to pull out the last block before the tower collapses?

 25. Postimpressionist painter whose work influenced cubism: PAUL CEZANNE.  Paul Cézanne [1839 –1906] was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work introduced new modes of representation and influenced avant garde artistic movements of the early 20th century. Cézanne is said to have formed the bridge between late 19th-century Impressionism and the early 20th century's new line of artistic enquiry, Cubism.

CLUE is a board game in which players have to find out who's responsible for murdering Mr. Boddy of Tudor Mansion in his own home. Get the scoop on the mansion's rooms, weapons and guests and start detecting! Was it Plum with the wrench in the library? Or Green with the candlestick in the study? Eliminate information throughout the game in this classic whodunit. The player who correctly accuses Who, What, and Where wins!   The Harry Potter version is absolutely brutal.

37. Cartoonist who created Snoopy and Woodstock: CHARLES SCHULZ.  Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schulz (1922 – 2000) was an American cartoonist and the creator of the comic strip Peanuts, featuring what are probably his two best-known characters, Charlie Brown and Snoopy. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential cartoonists in history, and cited by many cartoonists as a major influence, including Jim Davis, Murray Ball, Bill Watterson, Matt Groening, and Dav Pilkey.

CHESS is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. The recorded history of chess goes back at least to the emergence of a similar game, chaturanga, in seventh-century India. The rules of chess as we know them today emerged in Europe at the end of the 15th century, with standardization and universal acceptance by the end of the 19th century. Today, chess is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide.

51. Radio personality who declared himself "King of All Media": HOWARD STERN.  Howard Allan Stern [b. 1954] is an American radio and television personality, comedian, and author. He is best known for his radio show, The Howard Stern Show, which gained popularity when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from 1986 to 2005. He has broadcast on Sirius XM Radio since 2006. I guess it's a characteristic of modern American Society that one can achieve great riches and notoriety by being an obscene and obnoxious blow hard.

And the unifier:   60. Cause of a major paradigm shift, and an apt description of 17-, 25-, 37-, and 51-Across as well as their sets of circled letters: GAME CHANGER.  This is an event, idea, or procedure that affects a significant shift in the current manner of doing or thinking about something.  In the clue, "changer" indicates that the letters of the games' names have been mixed up.  Notably, all of the people whose names have been used are recognized for their exceptional level of achievement.  In face, one might think of them as GAME CHANGERS in their own right.  Nice meta to the theme.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here ready for some fun and games.  Would you like to play along?  OK.  It's your move.  Let's go!

Across:

1. Taj __: MAHAL.  An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.  Also, Henry St. Claire Fredericks Jr. (b. 1942), better known by his stage name Taj Mahal, is an American blues musician. He plays the guitar, piano, banjo, harmonica, and many other instruments.

6. Provide funding for: ENDOW.  Give or bequeath an income or property to a person or institution.

11. Nurse: SIP.  As a noun sip means "small drink," like a sip of Coke or a sip of soup. The origin of sip isn't clear, though we know it's related to the Old English supan, "take into the mouth a little at a time."

14. Desert plant used to make tequila: AGAVE.  Agave is a genus of monocots native to the hot and arid regions of the Americas and the Caribbean,  The genus is primarily known for its succulent and species that typically form large rosettes of strong, fleshy leaves.

15. City near Dayton with a Greek name: XENIA.  Xenia is a city in southwestern Ohio and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. It is 15 miles (24 km) east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Miami Valley region. The name comes from the Greek word Xenia (ξενία), which means "hospitality".  On April 3, 1974, a deviating tornado rated F5 on the Fujita scale cut a path directly through the middle of the city

16. Alter __: EGO.   The second, hidden side of one's own self

19. Take off: RUN.  Get moving

20. Natural Thanksgiving decor: GOURD.  A fleshy, typically large fruit with a hard skin, some varieties of which are edible.

21. Tire pattern: TREAD.  The pattern of raised lines on a tire that prevents a vehicle from sliding on the road:

23. Fresh from the garden: RAW.  Literally, uncooked. 

29. Fiendish: EVIL. Wicked, bad and nasty.

31. Starter served with a spoon: SOUP.  A primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot, that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. 

32. Gift basket fruit: PEAR.   Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus Pyrus, in the family Rosaceae, bearing the pomaceous fruit of the same name. Several species of pears are valued for their edible fruit and juices, while others are cultivated as trees.

33. Lavish celebrations: FETES.   Traditional public festivals, held outdoors and organised to raise funds for a charity. They typically include entertainment and the sale of goods and refreshments.

35. Rumor, to a rumor mill: GRIST.  Grist is the thing about to be milled; in this sense, it is information about to be spread that someone would rather be kept secret

42. Mover's challenge: PIANO.  A large, heavy keyboard musical instrument with a wooden case enclosing a soundboard and metal strings, which are struck by hammers when the keys are depressed. 

43. Cheering wildly: AROAR.  Abounding with noise or laughter.

45. Pinochle kin: SKAT. Skat historically Scat, is a three-player trick-taking card game of the Ace-Ten family, devised around 1810 in Altenburg in the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. It is the national game of Germany

48. Sullen: DOUR.  Relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance.

50. Alt-rock band Better Than __: EZRA.  They formed in 1988 and refuse to reveal the origin of their name.

55. Have a nosh: EAT.  Literal

56. Ticked off: IRATE.  Angry.

57. Crimson Tide coach Nick: SABAN.  Nicholas Lou Saban Jr. [b. 1951] is an American football coach who has been the head football coach at the University of Alabama since 2007.  He was head coach at my alma mater, the University of Toledo from December 1989 through 1990, leading the Rockets to a 9-2 season and co-championship of the Mid-American Conference in 1990.

59. Apiece: PER.  Related to the price or some characteristic on a single item.

66. Skosh: TAD.  Small amount.

67. Farewell that's bid: ADIEU.   Adios, amigo.

68. January, in Jalisco: ENERO.  Jalisco is a western Mexican state fringing the Pacific Ocean. The state is known for mariachi music and tequila, both of which reportedly originated here. The capital, Guadalajara, is peppered with colonial plazas and landmarks like the neoclassical Teatro Degollado and regal Guadalajara Cathedral, with its twin gold spires. The neighboring Palacio de Gobierno houses murals by Mexican artist José Clemente Orozco.

69. Walk-__: bit parts: ONS.  Denoting or having a small nonspeaking part in a play or film.

70. Submit, as a complaint: LODGE.  Present a complaint, appeal, claim, etc formally to the proper authorities.

71. Stopwatch button: RESET.  To set, adjust, or fix into an original or neutral condition.:

Down:

1. Capt.'s superior: MAJ.  MAJOR outranks Captain.

2. Turkish title: AGA.  In Muslim countries, especially under the Ottoman Empire, a military commander or official.

3. Spend time around: HANG WITH.  Informally socialize with somebody.

4. Small Chevy rebranded as the Sonic: AVEO.  Read about it here.

5. Helpful boost: LEG UP.  An act of helping someone or something to improve their position.

6. Book after Genesis: EXODUS. It narrates the story of the Exodus, in which the Israelites leave slavery in Biblical Egypt through the strength of Yahweh, who has chosen them as his people. The Israelites then journey with the prophet Moses to Mount Sinai, where Yahweh gives the 10 commandments and they enter into a covenant with Yahweh, who promises to make them a "holy nation, and a kingdom of priests" on condition of their faithfulness. 

7. Connecticut governor Lamont: NED.  Edward Miner Lamont Jr. [b. 1954] is an American businessman and politician serving as the 89th governor of Connecticut. He has served in this position since January 9, 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a Greenwich selectman from 1987 to 1989. 

8. Letters from one's folks?: DNA.  Deoxyribonucleic acid is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. The letters DNA are a short cut.

9. Fryolator need: OIL.  This is a kitchen appliance used for deep frying foods in oil.

10. Ballroom dance in 3/4 time: WALTZ.  A highly popular ballroom dance evolved from the Ländler in the 18th century. Characterized by a step, slide, and step in 3/4 time, the waltz, with its turning, embracing couples, at first shocked polite society.

11. Peaceful: SERENE. Calm, peaceful, and untroubled; tranquil.

12. Gal·pagos lizard: IGUANA.   A large, arboreal, tropical American lizard with a spiny crest along the back and greenish coloration, occasionally kept as a pet.

13. Consider carefully: PONDER.  Think about something carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion.

18. Rita featured on Iggy Azalea's "Black Widow": ORA.   Rita Sahatçiu Ora  born Rita Sahatçiu on 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut studio album, Ora, released in August 2012, debuted at number one in the United Kingdom. 

22. Pure bliss: RAPTURE.  A feeling of intense pleasure or joy.

23. Slo-mo reviewer: REF.  In sports: a referee.

24. With, on le menu: AVEC.  French

26. Finishes an online session: LOGS OUT.  Go through the procedures to conclude use of a computer, database, or system.

27. Mongrels: CURS.  A dog of no definable type or breed.

28. Bigger than big: EPIC.  Extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope

30. Eagerly accepted: LEAPT AT. 

34. __ Lanka: SRI.   Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon and 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, separated from the Indian peninsula by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. 

36. __ Na Na: SHA.   Sha Na Na was an American rock and roll doo-wop cover group. Formed in 1969, but performing a song-and-dance repertoire based on 1950s hit songs, it simultaneously revived and parodied the music and the New York street culture of the 1950s. 

38. Actress Diane: LADD.  Diane Ladd [b. 1935] is an American actress. She has appeared in over 120 film and television roles. For the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

39. Mireille of "Big Love": ENOS.  Mireille Enos [b. 1975] is an American actress. Drawn to acting from a young age, she graduated in performing arts from Brigham Young University, where she was awarded the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship.

40. Cough drops: LOZENGES.  Small medicinal tablets, originally in the shape of a rhombus or diamond, taken for sore throats and dissolved in the mouth.

41. Fast fashion clothing chain based in Spain: ZARA.  A Spanish multi-national retail clothing chain. It specialises in fast fashion, and sells clothing, accessories, shoes, beauty products and perfumes. The head office is in Arteixo, in A Coruña in Galicia.  In 2020 it was launching over twenty new product lines per year.

44. Tattletale: RAT.  A person, especially a child, who reveals secrets or informs on others.

45. Mailing label words: SHIP TO.  Indicating the recipient.

46. Kimchi cuisine: KOREAN.   A traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including gochugaru, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal, etc. 

47. Ribbons and trophies: AWARDS.  Achievement prizes

49. Coast Guard operation: RESCUE.  Save someone from a dangerous or distressing situation.

52. Majestic: REGAL.  Having or showing impressive beauty or dignity.

53. Stadium cheer: RAH.  A cheer of encouragement or approval.

54. Pro hoopster: NBA-ER.  A player in the National Basketball Association.

58. Green Gables girl: ANNE.  Anne of Green Gables is a 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. Written for all ages, it has been considered a classic children's novel since the mid-20th century. 

61. Big commotion: ADO.  A state of agitation or fuss, especially about something unimportant.

62. Century beginning: MID.  Mid-century is a time approximately in the middle of a century.  This meaning defies the surface meaning of the clue.  I am not amused.

63. Brain waves mapper, briefly: EEG.   An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures electrical activity in the brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to the scalp. Brain cells communicate via electrical impulses and are active all the time, even during asleep. This activity shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording.

64. Bard's before: ERE.  

65. Nonsense: ROT.   Spoken or written words that have no meaning or make no sense; word salad.

Well - all good things must come to an end, including this game.  We all had a chance to win.  Happy Wednesday, everyone.

Cool regards!

JzB