L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, July 7 Kurt Krauss

Theme: AND WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES SHOULD APREAR?  Theme answers are all on or two-word phrases that are [more or less] synonyms for AMAZED.

17 A. Amazed: TAKEN ABACK.  Surprised or shocked.

39 A. Amazed: STUNNED So shocked that one is temporarily unable to react;

62 A. Amazed: GOBSMACKED. Utterly astonished.

11 D. Amazed: BOWLED OVER.  Amaze, astonish, astound, 

29 D. Amazed: DUMBSTRUCK. So shocked or surprised as to be unable to speak.

Hi Gang, the Amazing JAzzBumps here shock and astound you. Or maybe not.  Anyway, I'll lead you through today's AMAZNG puzzle.  One might chose to quibble with these equivalences, but I'm just going to let them be.  Let's see what surprises are in store.

Across:

1. Tomato used for paste: ROMA.  Oval shaped, meaty variety with less liquid content than most.

5. Comic strip frame: PANEL.

10. Cookbook abbr.: TBSP.  Tablespoon 

14. Issue with a URL: E-MAG.  Electronic Magazine

15. Colleague of Amy and Sonia: ELENA.  Justice Kagan.

16. Roast, on le menu: ROTI.    Is this French?

19. Wilson of "Zoolander": OWEN. [b 1968]. One of this actors that I find to be rather annying.

20. Boring lecture feature: DRONE. A low continuous humming sound, or a semi-articulate speaker with little change in pitch or inflection.

21. Agatha contemporary: ERLE.  Mystery writers Christie and Stanley Gardner, respectively. 

22. Blue Bonnet, e.g.: OLEO.  Can't believe it's not butter.

23. Small change: DIMES.  

25. Swear off sinning: REPENT.   Feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin. Does this mean I'll never do it again?  Only maybe.

27. Shout from Speedy Gonzales: ANDALE.  In context, a rather non-specific expression of enthusiasm.

30. Set, as a price: ASKED.  To which a prospective buyer might counter with a bid.

31. Herr's home: HAUS.  House auf Deutsch.

32. A or Ray, say: ALER.  Baseball player in the American League.  Inferior fill, IMHO.

35. Chip away at: ERODE.  OK. Now I am going to quibble. "Chip away" implies some sort of percussive action removing discrete chunks, while "ERODE" means a gradual wearing away at a micro level.  Not equivalent.

38. Branch: ARM. as of, for example, a body of water.

41. "101 Dalmatians" villain Cruella de __: VIL.

 

 42. __ Ludington, 1777 militia-alerting rider: SYBIL.   Sybil Ludington[April 5, 1761 – February 26, 1839,] was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War. On April 26, 1777, at age 16, she made an all-night horseback ride to alert militia forces in the towns of Putnam County, New York, and Danbury, Connecticut, of the approach of British forces.    I did not know that.

44. "Well done!": GOOD.  

45. Widen, as a hole opening: REAM.   to enlarge, shape, or smooth out (a hole) with a rotating finishing tool.  

46. Attempts: STABS.  Tries [which also fits, I discovered.] 

48. Very: EVER SO.

50. __ music: orchestrates: SETS TO.  Actually, this cold mean simply sitting a melody for a set of words.  Orchestration wold be considerably more elaborate.  Another iffy equivalence.

52. Ate: DINED.

54. End for soft or silver: -WARE.  Sadly, I need perps.

55. GPS options: RTES.  Routes to get you were you are going.

57. Bob Marley, e.g.: RASTA. Short fo  Rastafari, also known as the Rastafari movement or Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion.

61. Lago contents: AGUA.  Spanish lake water

64. Foul weather gear for Brits: MACS. Short for Macintosh - a full length waterproof coat.

65. Permeate: IMBUE.  Fill with [something.]

66. A fisherman may spin one: TALE.  About the one that got away.

67. Jet black: INKY.  Ebon also fits.

68. Until now: AS YET.  Will it continue?

69. British submachine gun: STEN. A family of British submachine guns chambered in 9×19mm which were used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces throughout World War II and the Korean War.  

Down:

1. Collecting Soc. Sec., maybe: RET'D.  No longer working, like, frex, me.

2. Sharif of "Che!": OMAR.

3. Great white shark relative: MAKO.  A fast and dangerous predator.

4. Ulterior motives, perhaps: AGENDAS.  Sometimes considered hidden.

5. Patch veggie: PEA. The small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit,[2] since they contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a (pea) flower.  

6. "Three Tall Women" Pulitzer playwright: ALBEE.   Tis play by Edward Albee [1928-1916] won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1994.

7. Approaches: NEARS.

8. Something in addition to the letter: Abbr.: ENCL. An ENCLOSURE.

9. Celtic rivals: LAKERS.  U.S. Professional basketball teams,

10. State cop: TROOPER.

12. Dutch painter Jan: STEEN.  [1626 - 1679] From the Dutch golden age, he was one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century. His works are known for their psychological insight, sense of humor and abundance of color.  

13. Burgundy grape: PINOT.  Fro wine-making

18. Astronaut Armstrong: NEIL. [1930-2012] He was the first person to walk on the moon.

24. Protein provider: MEAT.  Nutrition.

26. Barely managed, with "out": EKED.   

27. Cries of discovery: AHAS. Eurekas doesn't fit.

28. __ a one: NARY. Totally absent.

30. River near Arezzo: ARNO. In the Tuscany region of Italy

33. Carries with effort: LUGS.  Schlepps

34. "Another Green World" musician: ENO.  Brian [b 1948] was a pioneer in ambient music.  This was his 3rd studio album, released in 1975.

36. "Buenos __": DIAS.  A good gad in Spain.  

37. Red Muppet: ELMO.  

39. Bed board: SLAT.  It supports the box springs.

40. Biblical plot: EDEN.  The early garden.

43. "Piece of cake": IT'S EASY. 

45. Censors for security reasons: REDACTS.  Conceals portions of a text.

47. Noble Italian house that produced two popes: BORGIA.A Spanish-Aragonese family that rose to prominence during the Italian renaissance. The Borgias became prominent in ecclesiastical and political affairs in the 15th and 16th centuries, producing two popes: Alfons de Borja, who ruled as Pope Callixtus III during 1455–1458, and Rodrigo Lanzol Borgia, as Pope Alexander VI, during 1492–1503.

Especially during the reign of Alexander VI, they were suspected of many crimes, including adultery, incest, simony, theft, bribery, and murder (especially murder by arsenic poisoning).  

49. Aloe __: VERA.  An evergreen perennial cultivated for commercial products, mainly as a topical skin treatment.

50. Hindu ascetic: SWAMI.  Read about it here.

51. Eddie __, Olympic gold-medalist in boxing and bobsledding: EAGAN. He [1897 - 1967]  is notable as being the only person to win a gold medal at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in different disciplines.  

52. Disney Channel star __ Ryan: DEBBY. She [b 1993] started acting in professional theatres at the age of seven, and has since starred in several Disney productions.

53. It's debatable: ISSUE. An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.  

56. Whiskered males: TOMS.  Cats, I suppose.  But most males can be whiskered, and so are female cats.  So - ???

58. 32-card game: SKAT. A three-handed trick-taking card game with bidding, played with 32 cards. It is the official game of Germany.

59. Marketing leader?: TELE-.  Cutesey affix clue.

60. Yemeni port: ADEN. Its natural harbor lies in the crater of a dormant volcano, which now forms a peninsula joined to the mainland by a low isthmus.    

63. Bumped into: MET.  With a little luck, nobody was harmed.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  I had my nits, but over-all not too bad.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword. Wednesday, June 22, 2021 Kevin Christian

Theme: To Kill a Vampire.  The last word of each theme fill is something that a vampire cannot abide.

17. Netflix series about unintended consequences of new technology: BLACK MIRROR.  A British dystopian science fiction series with stand alone episodes.

As the legend goes, a vampire will not reflect in a MIRROR.  This is because, traditionally, MIRRORS were backed with a thin layer of silver, which, due to its purity, is incompatible with creatures of darkness. Cf silver bullets and were-wolves.

29. Campground support: TENT STAKE. A spike designed to hold the tent to the ground, either directly or by connecting to ropes.

A STAKE through the heart will take the un from the undead. Decapitation also works.  Leaving nothing to chance, a diligent vampire hunter will do both.

48. Part of a southpaw's ring repertoire: LEFT CROSS.  I boxing, a power punch delivered with the dominant hand when the opponent leads with the opposite hand.

The idea that a vampire cannot abide the CROSS stems from folk lore in Christian Europe.  Evidently, since vampires are taken to be agents of Satan, the crucifix is anathema to them.  Ditto holy water and the eucharist host.  But Anne Rice discarded these concepts in her more modern vampire novels.

61. On earth: UNDER THE SUN.  On earth; in existence (used in expressions emphasizing the large number of something.)

Since vampires are creatures of darkness, they cannot abide direct SUNlight.  Light reflected by the moon, however, is perfectly acceptable to all sorts of macabre and nocturnal entities.

And the unifier - 46. Classic Lugosi character with an aversion to the ends of 17-, 29-, 48- and 61-Across: DRACULA. The prototypical vampire, from Bram Stoker's novel, and its various adaptations.

Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here, STAKing a claim to to this vampiric puzzle.  Let's avoid getting CROSSED up, and finish it before the SUN goes down.

Across:

1. Digital money: ECASH.  Originally a digital-based system that facilitated the transfer of funds anonymously.  eCash was created by Dr. David Chaum under his company, DigiCash, in 1990. Though there was interest in the platform from large banks, eCash never took off and DigiCash filed for bankruptcy in 1998. Apparently the term is now used generically for a variety of electronic money transfers.

6. Welcomed at the door: SAW IN.  According to legend, a vampire can Olly enter a home if invited.

11. "Happy little trees" painter Ross: BOB.  He [1942-1995] died young from a lymphoma.  His TV show lived on long after his passing.

14. Elder Obama daughter: MALIA. She [b 1998] is to the left in this family photo.

15. Ad: PROMO.  Promotional spot

16. Sci-fi vehicle: UFO.  Unidentified Flying Object.

19. Cal. airport not in its namesake city: SFO.  It is located 13 miles from downtown San Francisco.

20. Arcing shot: LOB.

21. Like money in a poker game: AT RISK.  Or the stock market.

22. Some "Rocky" settings: GYMS.  Movies about a boxer.

23. Historic chapters: ERAS.  Long and distinct periods of history having  a particular feature or characteristic.

25. "__ la France!": VIVE.  An expression of French patriotism, on a par with God Bless America.

26. Embezzler's dread: AUDIT.  When the cooked books don't match the expected recipe.

27. Actors sans lines: MIMES.    Those using the theatrical technique of suggesting action, character, or emotion without words, using only gesture, expression, and movement.

31. Google: SEARCH.  Exploring the inter-tubes.

33. Uses a needle: SEWS.  Making a mend, perhaps.

34. "__ out!": YER.   Umpires declaration in baseball.

35. Dutch colonist: BOER. A member of the Dutch and Huguenot population that settled in southern Africa in the late 17th century.

37. Per __: DIEM.  Per diem is a Latin phrase that translates to “by the day.” The term also refers to the amount of money paid to employees for 2 different types of “day” scenarios. The most common use of the term per diem refers to expenses a company reimburses an employee when they travel on business. Another type of per diem is for employees who receive a set amount of pay for a single days’ work.

39. "Get a room!" elicitor, for short: PDA.  Public Displays of Affection.  Stop it - you're making me sick!

42. Pants, briefly: TROU.  Short for trousers.

44. Fashions: TRENDS.  That come and they go.

51. Insignificant person: TWERP.  A silly or annoying person.  Might or might not be insignificant.

52. TV host with her "OWN" network: OPRAH.  Needs no introduction

53. Fruity antacid: TUMS.  I prefer the old-fashioned minty-chalk version.

55. ROFL relative: LMAO. Laughing My Aft-regions Off

56. Colorful cereal brand: TRIX.

Silly Rabbit!

57. Homes high up: AERIES.  An AERIE is a large nest of a bird of prey, especially an eagle, typically built high in a tree or on a cliff.

59. Green prefix: ECO-.  -logical.  

60. Efron of "High School Musical": ZAC.  He [b 1987] has since moved on to a variety of other roles since this 2006-8 trilogy

63. Spacewalk initials: EVA.  Extra-Vehicular Activity

64. Image on some birth announcements: STORK.  

65. Hirsch of "Into the Wild": EMILE. [b 1985] Since then he has gone on to other movies, an assault conviction for an event he claims not to remember due to substance involvement, and a rehab stint.

66. Hibernation location: DEN.  If you are a bear.

67. Itty-bitty: EENSY.  teeny-tiny.

68. "Alas!": SO SAD.

Down:

1. Insignias: EMBLEMS.

2. Some diet soda has one: CALORIE.  A measure of the energy content of ingestibles.

3. College football powerhouse: ALABAMA.  The Crimson Tide.

4. [not my mistake]: SIC.  Sic is a Latin term meaning “thus.” It is used to indicate that something incorrectly written is intentionally being left as it was in the original. [Sic] is usually italicized and always surrounded by brackets to indicate that it was not part of the original.  If it ends up being unintentionally funny, it's {sic} humor.

5. Maori dance with rhythmic chanting: HAKA. If, like me, you knew noting about this, you can learn more here.

6. Exorcist's target: SPIRIT.  Presumably of the evil variety.

7. Gets in: ARRIVES.

8. Took a downturn: WORSENED.  

9. "Everything's fine!": I'M OK.

10. Postal motto word: NOR.  "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"   Until recently.

11. Reason to skip lunch, maybe: BUSY DAY.  If it's really busy, I might miss my nap.  But lunch?!? Hardly.

12. How some candid comments are made: OFF MIKE.  Or so the speaker hopes.

13. Enthusiastic supporter: BOOSTER.

18. "Jersey Shore" airer: MTV.

22. __ check: test of character: GUT.  An evaluation or test of a person's resolve, commitment, or priorities, typically with respect to a particular course of action.

24. Belgrade resident: SERB.  City and citizen of Serbia.

26. Aver: ASSERT.  Avow, proclaim..

28. Rusty nail liquor: SCOTCH.  The Rusty Nail is a cocktail made from Drambuie and SCOTCH whisky. Drambuie is a liqueur with a SCOTCH whisky base.  The classic recipe is two parts Scotch to one part Drambuie, over ice. Modern versions are as dry as 5 to 1.  A lemon twist is optional. 

30. Silly person: TWIT.

32. Munich address: HERR.  Meaning Mister or Sir.

36. Cheered for: ROOTED ON. For your favorite sports team

38. Whimper: MEWL.

39. Was overcome with emotion, informally: PLOTZED.  I was unfamiliar with this Yiddish term.

40. Corrupt: DEPRAVE.  This equivalence is legit, but I would never use them interchangeably

41. Like some violets: AFRICAN.   The various pecies and cultivars are commonly called African violets (although they are not closely related to true violets) or saintpaulias. They are commonly used as indoor houseplants, but can also be kept as outdoor plants in certain climates.

My mom was fond of them

43. Loan sharks: USURERS.  Lenders of last resort who charge exorbitant fees.

45. Draco Malfoy, to Harry Potter: NEMESIS.  A loog-standing rival, or arch enemy.

47. Cuddled, in a way: SPOONED. In a couple of ways.  You choose.

1 : to nestle close together while lying down with one person facing the back of another

2 [perh. from the Welsh custom of an engaged man's presenting his fiancée with an elaborately carved wooden spoon] : to engage in amorous caressing, kissing, and conversation : NECK

49. Line on many bills: TAX.  Sales tax, in this instance.

50. Condescending: SMIRKY. characterized by or having a smirk, especially so as to seem irritatingly smug or conceited..  Could be condescending, by not necessarily.

54. "Quiet on the __!": director's cry: SET.

57. Pay to play: ANTE.  An initial bet before the cards are dealt.

58. Sows, e.g.: SHES.  Females.

61. Operate: USE.    Run also fits. Need perps.

62. Punk rock offshoot: EMO.  A style of rock music resembling punk but having more complex arrangements and lyrics that deal with more emotional subjects.  

So ends another Wednesday.  Now, go out and get some SUN.

Cool regards,

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, May 26, 2021 Winston Emmons

Theme: Stagecraft.  The last lines of the theme entries construct a PLAY, from the ground up.

20 A. Reveal more than is acceptable, say: CROSS THE LINE.  Go to far, in almost any context

36 A. Bicker in public, say: CAUSE A SCENE.  Who would ever do this?

42 A. Avoid involvement: REFUSE TO ACT.  See no evil, avoid taking a side.

, since all the world's a stage, 54 A. Miss a bunt sign, say: BOTCH THE PLAY.  Any sort of offensive or defensive mis-play in a sport

And the unifier: 63. The four longest Across answers can cause it, and their last words suggest it: DRAMA.

Each entry, in order, specifies a larger portion of a theatrical production - though, since all the world's a stage, DRAMA can ensue independently with any of the theme clues.

Hi, Gang, JazzBumpa here to direct our way through this presentation.  Let's not miss any cues. 

Across:

1. Yearn: LONG.  Earnestly desire something

5. Son of Homer: BART.  On the long-running Simpsons TV show

9. New Zealand bird: KIWI. 

13. Decorate: ADORN.  Presumably enhance the beauty of.

15. Son of Isaac: ESAU.  Biblical twin.

16. Turkmenistan neighbor: IRAN.  In Western Asia, 

17. Homeland of Heraclitus: IONIA.   An ancient region on the central part of the western coast of Anatolia in present-day Turkey, 

18. The Heritage Foundation, for one: THINK TANK.  A research institute that advocates for program actions regarding economics, social policy, political strategy, etc.  

22. Philosopher __-tzu: LAO.

23. Miami-to-Kingston dir.: SSE.  South-south-east to Jamaica.

24. Texting format, for short: SMS. Short Message Service.

27. __-bitty: ITTY.  Teeny tiny.

30. H.S. record: GPA. Grade Point Average from your Time in High School.

33. "Can we do this?": IS IT OK?   Are we allowed?

35. Crow call: CAW.  Sound of crows - if there is a crow call roll call, it could lead to murder.

38. Island greeting: ALOHA.  In Hawaii

40. Chiefs' org.: NFL. Kansas City tea in the National Football League.

41. Chillingly strange: EERIE.  Disturbingly mysterious.

45. Bottom line: NET.  The final total of a balance sheet or other financial document.

46. Password preceder: USER I D. You need both to get past a pay wall.

47. Messenger __: RNA.  A single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene, and is read by a ribosome in the process of synthesizing a protein. 

48. Reel holders: RODS. Fishing gear

49. Sun. speech: SERmon, delivered in church.

50. Never, to Nietzsche: NIE.  German.

52. Biol. or ecol.: SCI.  Sciences.

60. Sleeveless undergarments: CAMISOLES.  Usually made of satin , nylon, silk or cotton

Silk

64. Track shape: OVAL. A closed planar curve having a long axis and a short axis.

65. Hindu deity: RAMA.  The 7th avatar of Vishnu.  {more]

66. Peter, vis-‡-vis pumpkins: EATER.   From a nursery rhyme about revenge on a wayward wife. 

67. Like some basements: DANK.  Dark, cold and damp.

68. Recipe verb: STIR.  Blend with mixing device.

69. Await judgment: PEND. Remain undecided.

Down:

1. Not clerical: LAIC.  Not of the clergy.

2. Skunk tipoff: ODOR. The unpleasant aroma of butyl mercaptan.

3. Taboo: NONO.  Something to not do.

4. Like details that make you go "Eww!": GRISLY.

5. One of the March sisters: BETH.  She dies during the course of Little Women, an 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott

6. Arthur of tennis: ASHE.  Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. [1943-1993] won three grand slam singles titles, and was the first black player selected to the U.S. Davis Cup team. 

7. Train tracks: RAILS.

8. North African country: TUNISIA.  The northernmost country in Africa, along the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Algeria to the west and Lybia to the east.

 

Mandatory

 9. Toy on a string: KITE.  Or could be a yoyo, as I first thought .

10. George's lyricist: IRA.  The Gershwin brothers

11. Pale: WAN. In an unhealthy way.

12. Printer fluid: INK.

14. "Apollo 11" org.: NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research. 

19. Israeli parliament: KNESSET.  The Knesset passes all laws, elects the president and prime minister (although the latter is ceremonially appointed by the President), approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government. In addition, the Knesset elects the state comptroller.

21. Frat party garb: TOGA. The toga, a distinctive garment of ancient Rome, was a roughly semicircular cloth, between 12 and 20 feet in length, draped over the shoulders and around the body. It was usually woven from white wool, and was worn over a tunic

24. Fondue fuel: STERNO.  Jellied denatured alcohol in a can, used for buffet heating.

25. Affluent: MONIED.  Wealthy.

26. Robot companion of superhero Booster Gold: SKEETS. More here, in case you care.

27. Wax-winged flier of myth: ICARUS.  He flew too close to the sun.  Could this be a metaphor?

28. "Unto the Sons" memoirist: TALESE. Gay Talese [b 1932] started as a sports writer in high school, and as a journalist for The New York Times and Esquire magazine during the 1960s, he helped to define contemporary literary journalism. 

29. BOGO offering: TWOFER. Buy One, Get One [at no extra charge}: two for the prices of one.

31. Fourth-down play: PUNT.  In American football, a play that gives up the ball by kicking it down the field to give the opposing team a less advantageous position.
  
32. Concerning: AS FOR.  In regard to

34. Drink cooler: ICE.  Frozen water.

36. Foxwoods and Caesars: CASINOS.  Gambling establishments.  Remember - odds always favor the house.

37. Vigorous spirit: ELAN.   Energy, style and enthusiasm.

39. Ben-__: HUR.  An epic 1959 film set in A.D. 26 about a Jewish prince in Jerusalem betrayed into slavery by a Roman commander who was his childhood friend.  After that, DRAMA happens.

43. Masthead names: EDITORS.   The masthead is a printed list, published in a fixed position in each edition, of a publication's owners, departments, officers, contributors and address details.

44. Credit alternative: CASH.  Money handed over.

48. Breakwater material: RIPRAP.  Loose stone piled in place to prevent shore erosion.

51. Dazzling display: ECLAT.  Brilliant success.

53. Surrender, as land: CEDE.  To yield or grant, typically by treaty.

54. Defraud: BILK.  Cheat.

55. Prefix with sphere: HEMI.  Indicating half of

56. Winter Palace resident: TSAR. Pre- WWI Russian despot.

57. Of __: recently: LATE.  Currently

58. Congregation cry: AMEN.  Utterance at the end of a prayer, meaning "so be it."

59. Very tall beer glass: YARD.  

60. "Sacred" fish carving in the Massachusetts State House: COD.   Read about it here.

61. "Selma" director DuVernay: AVA.  Ava Marie DuVernay [b 1972] is an American filmmaker. She won the directing award in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere, becoming the first black woman to win the award.

62. Hombre: MAN.  Spanish

And so we draw the curtain on another Wednesday.  Hope you found it worth the price of admission.

Cool regards!

JzB

L. A. Times Crossword - Wednesday May 12, 2021 Freddie Cheng

Theme: Here's That Rainy Day.  And here's today's theme song.

 

Each person in the theme entries notably has the item we need on a rainy day - though they have it when it's not raining.

19 A. Julie Andrews Oscar-winning role: MARY POPPINS.  A magical English nanny blown in on the East Wind - presumably with the help of her - well, we'll see.

 

26 A. Character who sings "When You Wish Upon a Star": JIMINY CRICKET.  Disney's adaptation of the un-named talking cricket in Carlo Collodi's original story The Adventures of Pinocchio..  In the movie, he is Pinocchio's official conscience.

42 A. Emma Peel's partner on "The Avengers": JOHN STEED.  He has much more to his story than his highly charged association with Mrs. Peel.

So - on to the unifier.  55 A. With "The," Netflix title superhero team ... and a hint to something associated with 19-, 26- and 42-Across: UMBRELLA ACADEMY.  As you have probably gleaned by now, the common characteristic is that each of the theme-noted characters is equipped with an UMBRELLA, with varying degrees of functionality - but always as a fashion accessory.  The UMBRELLA ACADEMY is new to me.  The Netflix series is adapted from a comic book series of the same name, first released in 2007.  You can read more here.

Across:

1. Boyfriend: BEAU. A male admirer.

5. Still, briefly: THO.  Truncated "although."

8. Taunt: GIBE. An insult or mocking remark.

12. Chief Norse god: ODIN.

13. Adler in Sherlock Holmes fiction: IRENE.  A former opera singer, and an opponent Holmes admired for her cunning and wit.  Sjho only appears in one story: A Scandal in Bohemia.

15. "I got this, boss": ON IT.

16. __ Khalifa: Dubai structure that's the world's tallest: BURJ.   With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding antenna, but including a 244 m spire[2]) of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in 2009.  [Wikipedia]

17. Apple throwaways: CORES.  The central part with the seeds.

18. Bout enders, briefly: TKOs.  Technical Knock Outs.  These occur when a referee or court side physician determines that a boxer is incapable of defending himself or has sustained a serious injury; or for some other reason cannot continue.

22. Crimson Tide nickname: BAMA.  Truncated. Alabama.

23. Hightail it, old-style: HIE.  Go quickly.

24. Caps for Highlanders: TAMS.

29. By oneself: SOLELY.  

30. Garden clippers: SHEARS.

32. "Best in Show" actor Willard: FRED. Frederick Charles Willard Jr. (1933 – 2020) was an American actor, comedian, and writer. 

33. Pack animals: MULES.

37. "Shucks!": DRAT.  Dad burn it!

38. Approved, briefly: OK'D.  Gave the OK to.

39. Part ways: SPLIT UP.  

 

 41. Operative: SPY.  More generally, a skilled worker.  I was not aware of this usage.

44. Luminance: SHEEN.  Characteristic of a bright and shiny surface.

47. Towing org.: AAA.  American Automobile Association.

48. Twiggy abodes: NESTS.  Bird homes.

52. Clothing store department: WOMENS.  Along with MENS and CHILDRENS

54. Justice Gorsuch's predecessor: SCALIA.  Antonine [1936-2016] was appointed to the Supreme Court by Reagan in 1986, and was confirmed by a vote of 98-0.

59. Born, in bios: NEE.  Generally used in wedding announcements to refer to the bride's maiden name.

60. Santa's elves' workplace: TOY SHOP.  At the North pole, of course.

61. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" director Anderson: WES.  Wesley Wales Anderson (b.1969) is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their symmetry, eccentricity and distinctive visual and narrative styles.

62. Dog's warning: GRR.  Growl. 

63. Up-and-down rides: SEE-SAWS.

64. Sign at a hot show: SRO.  Standing Room Only.

Down:

1. Hope with jokes: BOB.  Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope KBE (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American stand-up comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer, dancer, athlete and author. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 54 feature films with Hope as star, including a series of seven "Road" musical comedy movies with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner. [Wikipedia]

2. School URL letters: EDU.  This is the top level domain name for academic institutions in the U.S.

3. Sent by plane: AIR-MAILED.  Transported with at least one leg of the journey by plane.  This typically is quicker and more costly than surface mail.

4. Removed stuck paper from: UNJAMMED.  As from a printer of copier.

5. Prize on the mantel: TROPHY. A decorative object awarded as a prize for victory or success.

6. Like many a rescue: HEROIC.

7. Sale limit, briefly: ONE PER.  One to a customer

8. Prepared to skinny-dip: GOT NAKED.  NAKED - or merely unclothed, like mother EVE?

9. Fountain pen mishaps: INK SMEARS.  Messy

10. eharmony profile part: BIOgraphy.  

11. Sci-fi beings: ETS. Extra-Terrestials - Visitors from another planet.

13. Bone-chilling: ICY.  Brrrr!

14. Sixth sense: Abbr.: ESP.  Exrta-Sensory Perception.  Presumed knowledge or ability without the use of the normal 5 senses.

20. Amtrak track: RAIL. The continuous line of metal bars upon which a train moves.

21. Something to scratch: ITCH.

22. One-named Icelandic singer: BJORK.  Björk Guðmundsdóttir [b 1965] is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and DJ. 

25. Watch fastener: STRAP.  Keeps it on your wrist.

27. Female folklore deity: NYMPH.  A mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations.  Not actually deities, they are personifications of nature, and typically toed to a particular location.

28. Put into circulation, as stamps: ISSUE.  

29. Bay Area airport code: SFO.

31. Messy dorm room, say: STY.  By reference to swine.

34. Arm bone: ULNA.  The thinner and longer of the two bones in the human forearm, on the side opposite to the thumb.

35. __ Cuddy, Dean of Medicine on "House": LISA.  Played by Lisa Edelstein.

36. "At Last" singer James: ETTA.  Jamesetta Hawkins, [1938-2012] known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel. 

 

 39. Shakespeare's 150+: SONNETS.  Fourteen line poems of various rhyme schemes.  The last is No. 154. Make of it what you will.

The little Love-god lying once asleep,

Laid by his side his heart-inflaming brand,

Whilst many nymphs that vowed chaste life to keep

Came tripping by; but in her maiden hand

The fairest votary took up that fire

Which many legions of true hearts had warmed;

And so the General of hot desire

Was, sleeping, by a virgin hand disarmed.

This brand she quenched in a cool well by,

Which from Love's fire took heat perpetual,

Growing a bath and healthful remedy,

For men diseased; but I, my mistress' thrall,

   Came there for cure and this by that I prove, 

   Love's fire heats water, water cools not love.

40. Ballpoint covers: PENCAPS.  A word you won't encounter every day.   They may prevent 9 D.

42. Boobird's output: JEER.  Rude, mocking remark, generally in a loud voice.

43. Kaput, as a battery: DEAD.  Out of juice, so to speak.

44. Took a cut, in baseball: SWUNG.  With a bat.

45. Baseball dinger: HOMER.  A home run - a batted ball hit beyond the outfield and out of the field of play, in fair territory.

46. Glowing leftover: EMBER.  A small piece of glowing wood or coal in a dying fire.

49. Oodles: SLEWS.  Big bunches.

50. It may set off a beeper: TIMER.  

51. Right to decide: SAY SO.  Just so.

53. Gin fizz flavor: SLOE.  The sloe is an astringent berry fond in English hedge rows.  Sloe gin is made by infusing gin with these berries.  The fizz is made by combining sloe gin with lemon juice, soda water simple syrup and a fruity garnish.

54. Garbage boat: SCOW.  A flat-bottomed boat with scooping sides.

56. Caustic cleanser: LYE.  Sodium hydroxide, and that's the truth!

57. Pack animal: ASS.  An ASS is a donkey.  A MULE [33 A] is the offspring of a male ass and a female horse.

58. "Bingo!": AHA.  Just so!

That wraps up another Wednesday.  Hope yours wasn't rainy.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, April 21, 2021 Matt Skoczen

Theme: REQUESTS.

This will be easier if we start with the unifier.

56. Tot's sassy demand ... or a hint to the start of the answers to starred clues: GIMME.  Slangy way of saying "Give me." and perhaps more of a demand than a request. So the theme answers are all things that can be requested.

Today's more or less appropriate theme song.

          

17. *Lamb Chop, e.g.: HAND PUPPET. Lamb Chop was Sherri Lewis's sheepish companion. [read more here] GIMME a HAND is a request for help.

31. *Start a number: BREAK INTO SONG.  Spontaneously start singing, possibly with no provocation.  GIMME a BREAK is an expression of exasperation, protest, or disbelief.

48. *Sheriff Woody's sidekick: BUZZ LIGHTYEAR.  Iconic characters from Disney's Toy Story universe.

Frenemies

GIMME a BUZZ is a request for a phone call.

64. *Spoken language, in semiotics: SIGN SYSTEM.  Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols.  I suppose this refers to a system like ASL, which uses hand signals to emulate the spoken word.  Somebody help me if I got this wrong.   GIMME a SIGN can be a prayerful request for guidance, or a more mundane request to another person for clarification.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here.  Not really feeling greedy today, so I'll just give you a tour of today's adventure.

Across:

1. Formal ties: ASCOTS.  Neck decorations, not connections.

7. Corp. homes: HQS.  Head Quarters

10. Govt. farming monitor: USDA.  U. S. Department of Agriculture.

14. Symphony type pioneered by Beethoven: CHORAL.  The 4th movement of his 9th and final symphony has a chorus join the orchestra.

 

This takes a half hour - you have been warned!

 15. Agreement that sounds like fun?: OUI.  Wheee - yes!

16. Clogging is one of its two st. dances: N.CAR.  North Carolina.  So - what is the other one?

19. Laura with an Oscar: DERN.  Laura Elizabeth Dern (b 1967) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. Her parents are actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd.

20. Holiday aide: ELF.  Santa's helper

21. Back: AGO.  Some time in the past.

22. Decisiveness: SPINE.  Being resolute [or stubborn.]

24. Hunk: SLAB.  Chunk of something, not a buff guy in the buff.

26. DJIA listings: COS.  The 30 Companies listed in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.  For anyone interested, I follow it on my blog every business day.  

29. Candy cup creator: REESE.   Chocolate and peanut butter - oh, my.

35. Forbes competitor: INC.  Business magazines.

36. Legal encumbrance: LIEN.  a right to keep possession of property belonging to another person until a debt owed by that person is discharged.

37. Holiday drink: NOG.

38. Lions and tigers and ... not bears: BIG CATS.  The term "big cat" is typically used to refer to any of the five living members of the genus Panthera, namely the lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard, as well as the non-pantherine cheetah and cougar.

42. Swap with, as in a player-for-player deal: TRADE TO.  Pro sports team do this.

44. Busy-bee link: AS A.  

45. "TrËs __": BIEN.  It's all good.

47. GPS info: RTE.  Your global positioning satellite system will give you a route. 

52. "Silas Marner" child: EPPIE.  A girl whom Silas Marner eventually adopts. Eppie is the biological child of Godfrey Cass and Molly Farren, Godfrey’s secret wife. Eppie is pretty and spirited, and loves Silas unquestioningly.   [source]

53. Plaza de toros cry: OLE.  An encouraing interjection.

54. Lily pad squatter: FROG.  [ribbit]

57. Sap: PATSY.  A person who is easily taken advantage of, especially by being cheated or blamed for something.

59. Erode, with "away": EAT.

62. Team's lack, in a clichÈ: AN I.  There are no me in team.

63. Scot's swimming spot: LOCH.  The Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Scots word for a lake or for a sea inlet. 

68. Tennis great who wrote "Days of Grace": ASHE.  Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. [1943-1993] was an American professional tennis player who won three Grand Slam singles titles. He was the first black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.

69. First lady not married to a president?: EVE.  Evidently, she was the apple of Adam's eye.

70. 1996 slasher film: SCREAM.

 

 

71. "To __ not ... ": BE OR.  Hamlet's dilemma.

72. Lunch bread: RYE.  For sandwiches.

73. Pasta unit: NOODLE.  For soup, maybe.

Down:

1. Workout aftermath: ACHES.  Don'r over do it.

2. Word of intent: SHALL.  

3. Chitchat: CONFAB.  An informal private conversation or discussion.

4. O'Hare, on tix: ORD.   Read about the airport here.

5. Chorizo snack: TAPA.   A tapa is a hot or cold appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine.  It need not include chorizo.

6. Belt: SLUG.  A powerful punch.

7. Word with hip or bunny: HOP.  Contemporary music or an old-style line dance

8. Hernando's "Huh?": QUE.  Literal, kinda.

9. Has a capacity of, as a diner: SITS.  Seating capacity.

10. Briefs: UNDIES.  Small clothes, in Westeros.

11. 33-Down start, usually: SCENE ONE.  Beginning of the Second Act.

12. Wouldn't dream of it: DARES NOT.

13. Valiant's son: ARN.  From the comic strip.

18. Indented blemish: POCK.  

23. Rotate so the palm faces down or backward: PRONATE.  As defined.

25. __-a-brac: BRIC.  Random non-valuable stuff.

27. Kind of lamp: OIL.  I'm not gas lighting you.

28. Tizzy: SNIT. Todo, when they're at it.

30. French Toaster Sticks brand: EGGO.  A Kellogg's brand of various kinds of frozen waffles, pancakes, french toast and more.

32. Provides with the means: ENABLES.  

33. Intermission follower, perhaps: ACT II. In a play of more than one act.

34. Towel material: TERRY.  A fabric woven with many protruding loops of thread which can absorb large amounts of water.

38. Ruth on a diamond: BABE.  George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935.

39. "Sure, probably": I SUPPOSE.  Tepid agreement.

40. Andalusian vegetable soup served cold: GAZPACHO.   A cold soup made of raw, blended vegetables.

41. Bell-shaped lily: SEGO.  Calochortus nuttallii — known as sego lily — is a bulbous perennial which is endemic to the Western United States. It is the state flower of Utah. 

43. Ignoring, with "to": DEAF.   Nope.  Not listening.

46. Org. with Jets and Flyers: NHL.  National Hockey League, not the USAF. 

49. Instrument laid flat during play: ZITHER.

50. Many a freshman: TEEN.  One between the ages of thirteen and nineteen.

51. Like 70-Across: R-RATED.  Restricted, Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian. This rating means the film contains adult material such as adult activity, harsh language, intense graphic violence, drug abuse and nudity.

55. "Paper Moon" Oscar winner: ONEAL.  Was it Tatum or her dad?

58. River of Flanders: YSER.  The Yser  is a river that rises in French Flanders (the north of France), enters the Belgian province of West Flanders and flows through the Ganzepoot and into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.

60. YWCA part: Abbr.: ASSN.

61. 1997 Mattel acquisition: TYCO.  You can read about their complicated history here.

63. Chem class part: LAB.  Laboratory, where you can make things that smell bad or go BOOM!

65. Climbing greenery: IVY.  Plant on the walls of college buildings.

66. "Wow!": GEE.  Good Golly!

67. Sellout letters: SRO. Standing Room Only.

So ends another Wednesday.  Hope you enjoyed it.

JzB over and out.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 Jeff Stillman

Theme - today we have a broken word theme, with FALL getting fractured in three different ways,

16 A. *Second Commandment prohibition: FALSE IDOL.  "Thou shalt have no strange gods before me," is how I remember it.

22 A. *Old-fashioned parting words: FARE THEE WELL. Bye, now.

37 A. *"Cheese stands alone" kids' song title guy: FARMER IN THE DELL.  This children's song probably originated in Germany, and was brought to America by immigrants.  It is popular in many countries and languages.

49 A. *Metaphorical insect observer: FLY ON THE WALL.  Said of one who wishes to listen in on secret conversations.

60 A. Go to pieces, or what's literally hidden in the answers to starred clues: FALL APART. The word is divided in each theme entry and the presentation is elegant.  The first division is after the F, the next two bisect the word after the A, and the last one splits the two Ls.

Today's theme song --

 

Hi Gang,  JazzBumpa here to pull things together.  Let's get going.  We might have to solve this piecemeal.

Across:

 1. Go __: hit to right field batting right-handed, say, in baseball lingo: OPPO.  Is this in the sports language?  If so, I've missed it.  I've heard this in politics as doing research on your opponent.

5. Trying to block: ANTI.  Voting against.

9. Performs like Missy Elliott: RAPS.  I do not know her.

13. Ruckus: FRAY.  Ado

14. Eve's opposite: MORN.  No, not Adam.  Shortened evening and MORNING.

15. Sun: Pref.: HELIO. As our local HELIO-centric planetary system.

18. Heroic sagas: EPICS. Long stories about the great deeds of heroic figures.

19. "Awake and Sing!" dramatist: ODETS.  Clifford [1906-1963]  was an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, and director. As a playwright he was extremely influential in the 1930's and 40's.

20. South Carolina state tree: PALMETTO.  It is native to the southern U.S., Cuba, and other Caribbean islands. 

25. See stars: REEL.  To REEL is to lose one's balance and violently lurch or stagger.  One sees stars from a low to the head.  This could also make one REEL, but that does not make them equivalent.

26. Widen, as pupils: DILATE.  To become wider or more open.  I've been putting off my eye exam for almost a year.

30. Fri. preceder: THU.  THURSDAY and Friday on the calendar.

33. "Oh dear!": ALAS.  Too bad.

36. Sherpa's home: NEPAL. A land-locked Asian country between India and Tibet.  It is mostly mountainous, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.  

41. When some dinners are served: AT SIX.  We usually start a few minutes earlier.

42. Delhi wrap: SARI.  A garment consisting of a length of cotton or silk elaborately draped around the body, traditionally worn by women from South Asia.   Read about it here

43. "Narcos" org.: DEA.  Narcotics agents in the Drug Enforcement Agency.

44. Certain Tibetan: LHASAN.  One from Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, lies on the Lhasa River's north bank in a valley of the Himalayas.

46. Sounds of disgust: UGHS.  Along with eeew, and yuck.

55. "Yada, yada, yada": ET CETERA.  And so on and so forth

58. Old copy: MIMEO.  Short for MIMEOGRAPH, a machine that makes copies by forcing ink through a stencil.   From long ago in grade school I remember the pleasant fruity aroma of the ink.

.
59. Little pigs number: THREE.  

 

 63. Tally again: RE-ADD. You can count on it.

64. Skeleton prefix: ENDO-.  means "inside."   You have an ENDOskeleton.

65. Grandson of Eve: ENOS.  The first son of Seth, reckoned to be an ancestor of both Jesus and Mohammed.

66. Geologic spans: EONS.  Generally speaking, non-specific very long time-spans.  In geology, a billion years.

67. __ buco: OSSO.  Cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth.

68. "The Banana Boat Song" opener: DAYO.

 

  Down:

1. No longer using: OFF OF.  As a drug, I suppose

2. Designer bag brand: PRADA.  If you have more than  $1000 you don't need.

3. Not as bright: PALER. More pale is more in the language.

4. Raw bar mollusk: OYSTER.  The common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. 

5. "__ imagining things?": AM I.  Nope.  They really are oysters.

6. Doze: NOD.  Take a nap.

7. Figurative expression: TROPE.  As defined.

8. Eloper's acquisition: IN-LAW.  Member of the new spouse's family.

9. Drove back: REPELLED.  To beat back an attacker.

10. Came down: ALIT.  Landed

11. Early Briton: PICT.  People inhabiting northern Scotland in Roman times.

12. Just okay: SO-SO.  Mediocre, meh.

15. Fashion variable: HEM LINE.  The line formed by the lower edge of a garment.

Variable in time and location

17. Sunrise dirección: ESTE.  En español.

21. Was ahead: LED. 

23. Get wind of: HEAR.  Learn about.

24. MLB pitcher Dock profiled in the 2014 film "No No: A Dockumentary": ELLIS.  Dock Phillip Ellis Jr. (1945 – 2008) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1968 through 1979, most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

27. Parroted: APED.  Copied

28. One shared at a campfire: TALE.  A story that might or might not be true.

29. Jazz legend Fitzgerald: ELLA.

 

 30. Maker of nonstick cookware: T-FAL.

31. Doth possess: HATH. The owneth is upon him.

32. Constellation bear: URSA.  AKA Big or Little Dipper

34. Political commentator Navarro: ANA. Ana Violeta Navarro-Cárdenas [b 1971] is an American political strategist and commentator. She appears on various television programs and news outlets, including CNN, CNN en Español, ABC News, and Telemundo.

35. Walk with a swagger: STRUT.

38. Many printer jams: MIS-FEEDS.

39. Praised highly: EXALTED. Held in high regard and spoken of favorably.

40. Elevation word: HIGH.  Hight wold be more appropriate.

45. "Science Guy" Bill: NYE. William Sanford Nye, [b 1955] popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American mechanical engineer, science communicator, and television presenter.

47. Blood: Pref.: HEMA-.  Mediacal prefix derived from Greek

48. Ran through a reader: SWIPED.  As a credit or ID card.

50. Lover of Euridice, in a Monteverdi work: ORFEO.  An opera from 1607.

51. Tandoori breads: NAANS.  Contrived plural for an unleavened  bread traditionally baked on the outside of a clay oven.

52. Maytag rival: AMANA.  Makers of household appliances.

53. "Bad, Bad" Brown of song: LEROY.

54. Bear voiced by Ned Beatty in "Toy Story 3": LOTSO for short .  Lots o' Huggin' for long 

55. Basic French verb: ETRE.  "To be" in French.

56. "Sons of Anarchy" actor Rossi: THEO. John Theodore Rossi [b 1975] is an American actor and producer best known for his portrayal of Juan Carlos "Juice" Ortiz on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. 

57. Fruit drink prefix: CRAN-.  Because who would buy a drink called Crapple?

61. Mormons' gp.: LDS.  Latter Day Saints.

62. Bath bathroom: LOO.  British English.

That wraps up our legend of the FALL.  Hope you made it through unscathed.

Cool regards!

JzB

Wednesday, March 24, 2021 Jerry Edelstein

Theme:  I've pondered this but cannot come up with something clever, so here is the unifier --

65. Marine Corps motto, briefly, and a hint to the answers to starred clues: SEMPER FI.  This is short for SEMPER FIDELIS, meaning 'always faithful" in Latin.  In our puzzle, the theme fill are two words, both beginning with the letter combination "FI."  So - always FI.

20 A. *Matches with known outcomes: FIXED FIGHTS.  Boxing matches in which one competitor loses on purpose, dishonestly, for reasons related to betting.

56 A. *Music group's lead violinist, casually: FIRST FIDDLE.  I've heard of playing 2nd fiddle, meaning to always play a supporting or inferior role.  By extension, FIRST FIDDLE means to play a commanding role.  I wish it had been clued this way, since it's not really a musical term in common use.

3 D. *Fast-food alternatives to burgers: FISH FILETS.  Popular on Friday's, especially in Lent.

30 D. *Like half a chance: FIFTY FIFTY.  An even bet.  Not sure what half a chance means.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, faithful, as always.  Let's charge into this puzzle and see what we can find.

Across:

1. Concerning: AS FOR.  With regard to  .  .  .

6. Letters replacing a list: ETC. And so on, and so forth.

 

 9. Afternoon snooze: NAP.   Zzzzzz  .  .  .

12. Nighttime party: SOIREE.  From the French soir, meaning evening.

14. Soccer tiebreaker, perhaps: SHOOT OUT.  Selected players from both teams take turns attempting to score on the other side's goal keeper.  Same in hockey.  Since nobody can win the regular game, they decide to have a one on one skills contest.  Meh!

17. County on the English Channel: SUSSEX.  South Saxony located on the island's southern coast.  The battle of Hastings was fought near its modern eastern border.

18. Canyon namesake of dry California winds: SANTA ANA.  They sweep westward from the mountains to the coast.

19. Tree with elastic wood: ASH.  Hence its popularity as baseball bats.

22. Hi-__ TV: DEF.  High definition - a high degree of clarity and detail in the images.

23. What "X" may mean: TEN.  Roman numeral.

24. Music center?: ESS.  The middle letter of the word.  Lame clue, lame fill.

25. Dennis the Menace, for one: IMP.  A mischievous child.

28. Beloved: DEAR.  Held in affection

30. Monk's title: FRA.  Derived from frater, the Latin word for brother.

33. Cultural setting: MILIEU.  Environment or setting, from the French, meaning "middle place."

36. Black and blue?: BERRIES.  Also straw and rasp.

39. H or O, in H2O: ELEMENT.  Hydrogen and oxygen, each a fundamental substance consisting of only one kind of atom.  They combine to form water.

41. Contrasting ornaments: SET-OFFS.  Items with differing appearances to achieve a visual effect.

42. Roald Dahl title heroine: MATILDA. A precocious 5 1/2 year old IMP.

43. Submitted, as a manuscript: SENT IN.  By post, or possibly electronically.

44. Kvetching sounds: OYS.  Exclamations of anger or dismay.

45. Weakens: EBBS.  By reference to a receding tide.

48. Give voice to: SAY.

49. __ Lingus: AER.  Airline of Ireland.

51. Partner in a 2020 peace agreement with Isr.: United Arab Emerates, located at the eastern end of the Arabian peninsula, and home to almost 10 million people. 

53. Quite a ways away: FAR.  

61. Anger: IRE.

62. Imagining: IDEATING.

63. Photo taken backwards?: SELFIE.  With a phone camera pointed at the user.

  66. Thrills: ELATES.  To thrill is to give a sudden feeling of excitement or pleasure. To elate is to make someone very happy.  Equivalent?  You decide.

67. General on a menu: TSO.  A Chinese chicken dish.

68. Fair-hiring letters: EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer.

69. Flair: STYLE. Elan.

Down:

1. Syrian leader: ASSAD.  Bashar Hafez al-Assad [b 1965] is a Syrian politician who has been the 19th president of Syria since 17 July 2000.

2. W.C. Fields persona: SOUSE. A habitually excessive drinker, from the verb "souse," meaning to drench with liquid.

4. RN workplaces: ORS.   Registered Nurses in Operating Rooms.

5. Sailing danger: REEF.  A ridge of jagged rock, coral or sand near the surface of the sea.

6. Ancient mystic: ESSENE.  Members of a Jewish sect, ca 200 BCE to 200 CE who lived in community practicing voluntary poverty and asceticism.

7. Jazz trumpeter Jones: THAD.  Thaddeus Joseph Jones [ 1923 - 1986]  was also a composer, arranger, and one of my jazz heroes.   He was born into a musical family, in near-by Pontiac, MI.


 

 8. Meeting group: CONFEREES.  

9. Biblical boater: NOAH.   Hosted a variety of animals during a flood.

10. Bee, to Opie: AUNT.  From the Andy Griffith Show.

11. School orgs.: PTAS.  Parent- Teacher-Organizations.

13. Leave: EXIT. Depart

15. Name seen on one's way to the penthouse?: OTIS.  Brand name for elevators.

16. License plates: TAGS.  So your car can be on the road legally.

21. Marked on a ballot: X-ED.   We get bubbles to fill in.

26. "La BohËme" role: MIMI.  In my mind, she was FIFI.  That disappointed me.

27. Banana covering: PEEL.   Technically, a banana is a berry.  Blackberries and raspberries are not

29. Hunk's pride: ABS.  Hard, flat abdominal muscles on a well toned fellow.

Here's how

31. APR-reducing loan: REFI.  Refinancing a loan to get a better interest rate.

32. Pt. of AAA: ASSN.  American Automobile Association.

33. Office notice: MEMO.  A written message, usually in a business context.

34. "Now __ me down to sleep ... ": I LAY.   Beginning of a night time prayer.

35. Being severely criticized: UNDER FIRE.  The subject of an attack.

37. Numbered rds.: RTES.  Routes.

38. Novelist Jaffe: RONA.  [1931-2005]  She also wrote for Cosmopolitan in the '60's.

40. Diner check: TAB.  Record of accumulated charges.

46. Aussie parrot, briefly: BUDGIE.  Read all about them.

47. Mournful: SAD.   Feeling sadness, regret or grief.

49. 33-Down demand, perhaps: ASAP. As Soon As Possible.

50. Luncheon end?: ETTE.  Suffix denoting small size.

52. "... or __!": ELSE.  Overt threat.

54. Cartoon mermaid: ARIEL.

From Disney to you

55. Actress Witherspoon: REESE.  Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (b.1976) is an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur.   She has won an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Woman on a mission

56. Punch deliverer: FIST.  

Pow

57. March time: IDES.  (In the ancient Roman calendar) a day falling roughly in the middle of each month (the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th of other months) from which other dates were calculated.

58. San __: Italian resort: REMO.  A city in extreme western Italy on the
 Mediterranean coat. 

59. Recon target: INFO. Reconnaissance to gather information.

60. Sniggler's catch: EELS.

64. Map line: Abbr.: LATitude.  Position on a line north of south of and parallel to the equator.

OK, gang we are FInally FInished for this Wednesday.  Hope you enjoyed it.

Cool regards!

JzB

Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Roland Huget

Theme:  Once again, the unifier sums it up perfectly.

60. Skirt, as an issue ... or a hint to the puzzle's circles: DANCE AROUND.  To make an evasive move.  Here the letters spelling a particular kind of dance book-end the theme fill.  It's easy to see if you got the circles.  Otherwise, not so much.

17. "ABC" group, with "The": JACKSON FIVE.   A pop singing group founded in 1965 with the brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael.


 

JIVE dance originated in the early 1930's.  Not sure how closely modern competitive jive dancing matches the original, but here we go.

26. Part-plant DC Comics superhero: SWAMP THING.  A humanoid/plant elemental creature with environmentalist tendencies.  It has been featured in comics, movies, animation and a TV series.

SWING dance is from the 1940's big band era.

36. Pioneer's wagon with an upward-curved floor: CONESTOGA.  The curve was to prevent cargo from tipping or shifting.  You can read about it here.  

The CONGA is a dance that likely originated in Africa and came to the U.S. via Cuba, in the 1930's.  It's a line dance, never mind that these dancers aren't in a line.

50. Weight loss guru:  JENNY CRAIG.  Genevieve Guidroz (b. 1932) from Louisiana, married Sindney Crain in 1979.  In 1983, they created a nutrition, fitness, and weight loss program in Australia and began offering the program in the United States in 1985.

The JIG is a dance form in 6/8 or 9/8 time with rapid footwork.  It is derived from British isles folk dancing of the 16th century.

Hi, Gang.  JazzBumpa here to lead you through today's adventure.  There's dancing to be done, so let's step to it.

Across:

1. Is sporting: HAS ON.  Wears

6. Bobby who lost to Billie Jean King in tennis' "Battle of the Sexes": RIGGS.

11. Place to unwind: SPA.  Relaxation site

14. Grenoble's river: ISERE.  It's 178 mile course runs from its source in the Alps near the Italian border to where it joins the Rhone.

15. Sign up, in Sussex: ENROL.  British spelling, I assume

16. Reliever's asset: ARM.  Baseball pitcher who replaces the starter.

19. USN clerk: YEO.  Shouldn't this be YOEMAN?

20. Hot state: IRE.  Anger

21. Heat unit: THERM.  A unit equivalent to 100,000 BTU's.

22. Ruhr Valley city: ESSEN.  Famous for its coal mining and steel production.

24. Art class subject: NUDE.   A form of visual art focussed on the unclothed human form.  It's history goes back to the ancient Greeks.

28. Compulsive thief, for short: KLEPTO-.  One experiencing a certain kind of impulse-control disorder.

30. Thoughts spoken onstage: ASIDES.  Words spoken by a character directly to the audience, not to other characters.

31. Prefix with comic: SERIO-.  Some combination of the comic and the serious.

32. "Not for me": PASS.  I'll sit this one out.

35. Left on a liner: PORT.  Right is starboard.

39. Popular side: SLAW.  Chopped cabbage in a vinaigrette or mayonaise dressing.

42. Sore: ACHY.  In pain.

43. Makeshift knives: SHIVS.  Home-made sharp edged weapons.

47. More minute: TINIER.  Smaller

49. Without a musical key: ATONAL. Sure.  But can you dance to it?



54. New Haven Ivy: YALE.  Founded in 1701.

55. Stream of insults, say: ABUSE.  Cruel or harsh treatment.

56. "It's __ to you": ALL UP.  Do your part.

58. Given a meal: FED.  

59. Printemps month: MAI.  In France.

63. Outer: Prefix: ECT-. As in ectoderm.

64. Slices in a pie, often: OCTAD.  Any grouping of 8 items.

65. Gold unit: OUNCE.  This is the Troy ounce, equal to 31.1034768 grams. 

66. Blue shade: SKY.

67. Designer fragrance: C K ONE.  A Calvin Klein product

68. Prepared for a TV interview: MIKED.  Equipped with a microphone.

Down:

1. Mischief: HI-JINKS.  Boisterous or rambunctious carryings-on : carefree antics or horseplay. Mischief is causing annoyance, trouble or minor injury.

2. Ordinarily: AS A RULE. Typically, what you can expect.

3. Any of 11 1860s states: SECEDER.  The confederacy.  And, yes, it was all about slavery.  The Articles of Secession of each confederate state make this abundantly clear.

4. Sitcom planet: ORK.  From the the TV show Mork and Mindy.

5. Outdoor home: NEST.   Where birds dwell.

6. Agree to more issues: RENEW.  Ambiguous clue.  To continue a subscription to a publication.

7. Start to structure: INFRA-.  Refers to the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.  I dislike this kind of clue for a prefix.

8. Big name in fairy tales: GRIMM.   The Brothers Grimm, Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm and Wilhelm Carl Grimm, were German academics, philologists, cultural researchers, lexicographers and authors who together collected and published folklore during the 19th century. 

9. Federal URL ending: GOV.  The last portion of the internet address.

10. Makes things slippery, in a way: SLEETS.  Sleet is a mixture or rain and ice pellets. 

11. Closes the marital deal: SAYS I DO.  You may now kiss the bride.

12. Peacock, e.g.: PREENER.  It straightens its feathers with its beak.

13. Surrounded by: AMONGST.  In the midst of.

18. Extremely: OH SO.  Very, very.

23. Shout from the main mast: SHIP AHOY. A call to greet or get attention.

25. Momentous victories: EPIC WINS.  

27. Part of UTEP: PASO.  University of Texas at El . . . 

29. Excessively: TOO.  As too much, too often, too far, etc.

32. Bench press target, for short: PEC.  Pectorals, for long -- each of the four large paired muscles that cover the front of the rib cage and serve to draw the forelimbs toward the chest.

33. Bat wood: ASH.  What Bat Man hits with.

34. Metaphor for a mess: STY.  Where pigs live.

37. "Breaking Bad" agent: NARC.   The word narc is slang shorthand for "narcotics agent," a federal agent or police officer who specializes in laws dealing with illegal drugs.

38. Prime meridian std.: GST.  Presumably Greenwich Standard Time.  I don't mean to be mean, but I don't think this is legit.  Everything I can find refers to Greenwich Mean Time

39. Place near the Pennsylvania Railroad: ST JAMES.  Properties on the Monopoly game board.

40. Relax: LIE BACK.  Recline

41. Retirement income source: ANNUITY.  A form of insurance or investment entitling the investor to a series of annual sums.

44. Down: IN A FUNK.  Depressed.

45. Chemical bonding number: VALENCE.  The number of chemical bonds between an atom and the other atoms it is bonded to in a molecule.

46. Tobogganed: SLEDDED.  Slid down a snowy hill.

48. Ophthalmologist, for short: EYE DOC.   An ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats all eye diseases, performs eye surgery and prescribes and fits eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems. 

49. Lago filler: AGUA.  Spanish lake with Spanish water.

51. Wound up costing: RAN TO.  Total of all purchased items.

52. Highway through Whitehorse: ALCAN.  The Alaska Highway (French: Route de l'Alaska; also known as the Alaskan Highway, Alaska-Canadian Highway, or ALCAN Highway) was constructed during World War II to connect the contiguous United States to Alaska across Canada. It begins at the junction with several Canadian highways in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon. When it was completed in 1942, it was about 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi) long. [Wikipedia]

53. __-France: ILE DE.   A region in north-central France. It surrounds the nation’s famed capital, Paris, an international center for culture and cuisine with chic cafes and formal gardens. 

57. Senior's highlight: PROM. A formal dance, often with a theme [but not part of this puzzle's theme] held near the end of the academic year.

61. Comic strip cry: ACK.  Of pain or dismay.

62. Non opposite: OUI.  No and Yes in the Ile de France, ne c'est pas?

So ends our dance sessions.  Hope you avoided any potential faux pas.

Cool regards!

JzB