L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, October 26, 2022 Baylee Devereaux

Theme: Working a second job.  The wording of regular jobs is repurposed to identify alternative activities that might or might not exist in the real world.  Moonlighting, one might say. 

16 A. Receptionist at a high-rise hotel, one might say: STORY TELLER.  One who spins a yarn, or, in this case, who tells you where to go.  Or at least what floor to arrive at.

22 A. Instagram influencer, one might say: SOCIAL WORKER.  One who helps individuals, groups, and families prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives.  In the not so every day world, one who is a trend setter on social media.

37. Bartender pouring a selection of craft beers for tasting, one might say: FLIGHT ATTENDANT.  Up in the air, a person on a commercial air pane who serves drinks and otherwise takes care of the passengers.  Back here on earth, one who serves an array of various pre-selected beers - aka a flight..

48. Pathological liar, one might say: MAKE UP ARTIST.  One who prepares a performer's face and other features prior to their appearance on stage or set.  Alternatively, someone who generates falsehoods.  Can you believe it.

59. Audiophile with an extensive collection of club mixes, one might say: HOUSE KEEPER.  A person employed to perform cleaning and other domestic tasks in a hotel or institution.  Or a  "House Music" enthusiast.  This is named after The Warehouse club in Chicago where it originated in the early 1980's.  It is a style of electronic dance music that was developed by dance club DJs in Chicago that were influenced by early to mid-1970s dance music as spun by DJs in New York, and spread to Detroit, New York, and eventually Europe. 

Hi Gang, Jazzbumpa here, working the blog for you today. The puzzle is thematically rich, and the theme is clever and straightforward.  A couple of the entries might be a bit of a stretch, but let's bend with it.  Now we'll delve into the puzzle and hope it doesn't take us into the second shift.

Across:

1. Homes in Honduras: CASAS.  Houses in Spanish

6. "Let's put a smile on your plate" breakfast chain: IHOP.  International House of Pancakes.

10. Chop (off): LOP.

13. Like a brand-new candle: UNLIT.  Better to light one, though.

14. __ drum: SNARE.

 

 15. Mimic: APE.  Imitate.

18. Pothole filler: TAR.   A dark, thick, flammable liquid distilled from wood or coal, consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons, resins, alcohols, and other compounds. It is used in roadmaking and for coating and preserving timber.

19. __ card: SIM.    An integrated circuit intended to securely store the international mobile subscriber identity number and its related key, which are used to identify and authenticate subscribers on mobile telephony devices

20. Kunis of "Black Swan": MILA.   Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis [b. 1983] is an American actress. She began playing Jackie Burkhart on the Fox television series That '70s Show (1998–2006) at the age of 14. Since 1999, Kunis has voiced Meg Griffin on the Fox animated series Family Guy.

At the 2022 Oscars

21. Sharp cry: YELP.   Especially of pain or alarm.

27. French article: LES.  Meaning "THE."

28. Orchestra leader: MAESTRO.    A distinguished musician, especially a conductor of classical music.  My friend Adam, who conducts a local Symphony Orchestra, named his dog MAESTRO.

31. Capital city on a fjord: OSLO.  In Norway

34. Give up, as a right: WAIVE.  As stated.

36. In the know: HIP.    Trendy or cool, up on the latest thing.   "I'm so hip, I can barely see over my pelvis." -- Zaphod Beeblebrox

37. Bartender pouring a selection of craft beers for tasting, one might say: FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

41. Black Mission fruit: FIG.   Despite being called a fruit, a fig is technically a syconium—a tiny group of inverted flowers growing inside a pod. Each pod contains hundreds of flowers, and each flower produces a small seed, which is the actual fruit of the fig plant. An achene contains each seed.   The Mission fig (also known as Black Mission or Franciscana) is a popular variety of the edible fig (Ficus carica). It was first introduced to the United States in 1768 when Franciscan missionaries planted it in San Diego.

42. Eggs on: URGES.   Encourage (someone) to do something that is usually foolish or dangerous 

43. Rolls the credits: ENDS.   Figuratively finishes something (off.)

44. "The Office" sales rep who solves crosswords during meetings: STANLEY.    Leslie David Baker [b. 1958] is an American actor. He is known for playing disgruntled paper salesman Stanley Hudson in The Office for nine seasons (2005–2013).

46. Actor Meadows: TIM.   Timothy Meadows is an American actor and comedian who was one of the longest-running cast members on Saturday Night Live, where he appeared for ten seasons and for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series in 1993.

53. "Take a __ breath": DEEP.   Calm down.

55. Futbol cheers: OLÉS.  Used as a shout of approval, triumph, or encouragement.

56. Female sheep: EWE.   As defined

58. Part of BYOB: OWN.  Bring Your Own Bottle.

63. Top of a semicolon: DOT.  Can be seen here -- ;

64. Place of refuge: OASIS.    Figuratively. More literally,  a fertile spot in a desert, where water is found.

65. Unleash upon: LET AT.   To allow one to attack someone or something.

66. Approves: OKS.  

67. Bring (out): TROT.   To bring forward for display or use

68. Cereal tidbit: FLAKE.   A small, flat, thin piece of something, typically one that has broken away or been peeled off from a larger piece.

Down:

1. Talk a blue streak?: CUSS.  Another alternate meaning.  Instead of being verbose, using cruse language.

2. Those opposed: ANTIS.  The PROS are those in favor.

3. Replay tech: SLO-MO.  Abbrv for Slow Motion.

4. __ guitar: AIR.  An imaginary guitar one pretends to play.  Air trombone, on the other hand, is the real thing.

5. Completely stump: STYMIE.    Figurative.  Literally, to prevent or hinder the progress of.

6. Kin by marriage: IN-LAW.   If you get divorced, they become out-laws.

7. "2001" supercomputer: HAL.  Each letter off one from IBM.  A mere coincidence.

 

8. Some underground rock bands?: ORE.  We are deep [so to speak] into second meanings today.  This band is not musicians, but rather a stratum of a mineral that is economically viable; a bed or a distinct layer of vein of rock in other layers of rock.

9. According to: PER.  Literal.

10. After: LATER THAN.  As stated

11. Birthstone for some Libras: OPAL.

12. BOLO target: PERP.  Be On The LookOut for a one who has committed a crime.

14. Advice from a nervous stockbroker: SELL.  About 10 1/2 months late.  This year has been brutal.

17. Spanish aunts: TIAS.  En la familia.

21. "Be glad to": YES.  I will do that.

23. Heavy shoe: CLOG.   A shoe, sandal, or overshoe having a thick typically wooden sole.

24. Fails to mention: OMITS.   Leaves out.

25. Carry on: RAVE.  Not continue, but to behave or speak in a foolish, excited, or improper manner.  Generally used in the phrase, "rant and rave."

26. Sharp: KEEN.  As of a blade or someone's mind.

29. Cocktail garnish: RIND.  Of a lemon or lime.

30. Chooses: OPTS.  Picks one thing as opposed to another.

31. Send-__: farewells: OFFS.  A demonstration of goodwill and enthusiasm for the beginning of something new (as a trip.)

32. Buttonhole, e.g.: SLIT.  A long, narrow cut in something.

33. Bone-connecting tissues: LIGAMENTS.  Short bands of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connect two bones or cartilages or hold together a joint.

34. Japanese cattle breed used for Kobe beef: WAGYU.  Now you know.

35. Had a bite: ATE.  

38. She-__: Marvel role for Tatiana Maslany: HULK.  Tatiana Gabriele Maslany [b1987] is a Canadian actress. She rose to prominence for playing multiple characters in the science fiction thriller television series Orphan Black, which won her a Primetime Emmy Award, two Critics' Choice Awards, and five Canadian Screen Awards.

39. Ancestry.com printout: TREE.  Family representation in a diagram.

40. Singer Lovato: DEMI.   Demetria Devonne Lovato [b. 1992] known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. After appearing on the children's television series Barney & Friends, Lovato rose to prominence for playing Mitchie Torres in the musical television film Camp Rock and its sequel Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam.

You probably haven't heard this recently.

45. Short snooze: NAP.  About mid-afternoon for me.

46. Taxing trip: TREK.   A long arduous journey, especially one made on foot or in a star ship.

47. In and of __: ITSELF.  Intrinsically, or considered alone

49. Hypothesize: POSIT.   Put forward as a basis of argument.

50. Stout and porter: ALES.   types of beer with a bitter flavor and higher alcoholic content.

51. Nasal partitions: SEPTA.   A partition separating two chambers, such as that between the nostrils or the chambers of the heart.

52. Tinker with: TWEAK.   Make a fine adjustment to a mechanism or system.

53. Long-extinct bird: DODO.   An extinct flightless bird with a stout body, stumpy wings, a large head, and a heavy hooked bill. It was found on Mauritius until the end of the 17th century.

54. "Star Wars" critter that looks like a teddy bear: EWOK.   The Ewok is a fictional species of small, furry, mammaloid, bipeds in the Star Wars universe. They inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in arboreal huts and other simple dwellings, being seen as primitive in comparison with other sentient species.   Ewoks debuted in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi and have since appeared in two made-for-television films.

57. Art Deco icon: ERTE.  Romain de Tirtoff [1892 – 1990] was a Russian-born French artist and designer known by the pseudonym Erté, from the French pronunciation of his initials (pronounced [ɛʁ.te], AIR TAY) which he shares with me. He was a 20th-century artist and designer in an array of fields, including fashion, jewellery, graphic arts, costume and set design for film, theatre, and opera, and interior decor.

59. Spicy: HOT.  Literally, the last sensation of spicy foods, such as peppers.  Figuratively, overtly sexual.

60. Lifeboat blade: OAR.   For rowing to safety

61. GI morale booster: USO.   The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. 

62. Electric __: EEL.   The electric eels are a genus, Electrophorus, of neotropical freshwater fish from South America in the family Gymnotidae. They are known for their ability to stun their prey by generating electricity, delivering shocks at up to 860 volts. Their electrical capabilities were first studied in 1775, contributing to the invention in 1800 of the electric battery.  

That wasn't too much hard work, and there were some clever moments.  Hope you enjoyed it. See you next month.

Cool Regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, October 12, 2022 Amie Walker

Theme: Once again, I can't do any better than the unifier.  

55. Revived game show hosted by Jane Krakowski that's also an apt title for this puzzle: NAME THAT TUNE.  This is a game show in which contestants attempt to identify a tune played by an on-stage orchestra in a minimum number of notes.  It started on radio in 1952, and then appeared on TV from 1943 to 1959.  Over the decades it has had several reincarnations, most recently in January, 2020.  In the puzzle, theme fill are song titles.  Let's see how it works.

18. Protest song?: COME ON EILEEN.  A 1982 hit by Dexys Midnight Runners.  "Come on" is plaintive plea for someone to be more compliant or stop being annoying.

 

33. Backing track?:  HELP ME RHONDA.  A 1965 hit by The Beach Boys.  To back someone is to help out in some sort of way.

41. Opening number?:  DEAR PRUDENCE.  From the Beatles White Album, released in 1968.  "Dear Someone" is the typical opening of a snail mail letter, if anyone sends them anymore.

Hi,  Gang - JazzBumba here to fill your day with song.  Don't feel bad it you found the theme to be a bit opaque.  I had to appeal to the Corner blogger team to help figure it out.  Special thanks to Husker Gary who saw the deepest.  Some added layers here are that song, track and number are all synonyms for a tune, with each in a different context; and that each theme entry contains a girl's or woman's name, for an added touch of elegance.

Across:  

1. "We can seat you now" gadget: PAGER.  It beeps and flashes in a restaurant.

6. Italian wine used in cooking: MARSALA.   A fortified wine made in Sicily. Marsala is most commonly used in cooking to create nutty, rich caramelized sauces. 

13. Puts in a row: LINES UP.  Puts things in order.

15. "So it would appear": I GATHER.  I guess so.

16. Spoon, for one: UTENSIL. A tool or implement.

17. The 4,080-piece Disney Castle, e.g.: LEGO SET. 

It's expensive

20. Boy in the "Star Wars" prequel films: ANI.   Anakin Skywalker was a legendary Force-sensitive human male who was a Jedi Knight of the Galactic Republic and the prophesied Chosen One of the Jedi Order, destined to bring balance to the Force. Also known as "Ani" during his childhood, Skywalker earned the moniker "Hero With No Fear" from his accomplishments in the Clone Wars. His alter ego, Darth Vader, the Dark Lord of the Sith, was created when Skywalker turned to the dark side of the Force, pledging his allegiance to the Sith Lord Darth Sidious at the end of the Republic Era.

21. "What __, your maid?": AM I.  Sarcasm.  But clean up after yourself - OK?.

22. Short mission?: RECON.  An abbreviated form of reconnaissance - an exploratory military survey of enemy territory

26. Alexander of "Rizzoli & Isles": SASHA.  Suzana Drobnjakovic [b 1973,] known by her stage name Sasha Alexander, is an American actress and TV director. She played Gretchen Witter on Dawson's Creek and has acted in films including Yes Man and He's Just Not That Into You. Alexander played Caitlin Todd for the first two seasons of NCIS.

30. Msg. to the whole squad: APB.   All Points Bulletin.  An electronic information broadcast sent from one sender to a group of recipients, to rapidly communicate an important message.

32. Drink suffix: -ADE.  Generally used with drinks made from citrus fruits.

37. Twix ingredient: CARAMEL.  Along with chocolate and a cookie.

40. Directly toward the sunset: DUE WEST.   The cardinal compass point that is a 270 degrees. westward.

43. Go bad: ROT.   Decay.

44. "Hey, that's enough!": T M I.   Too Much Information.  Please tell me less.

45. "Hey, that's enough!": OK NOW.  Stop it already.

48. Derisive look: SNEER.  often with a curled lip.

51. Virginia Woolf's "__ Dalloway": MRS.  Social commentary on upper class life in England after WW I.

53. Gear tooth: COG.   As defined.

60. Prodded: POKED AT.   Jabbed with a finger or other object

63. Rely on excessively: USE A LOT.  

64. Buttercup family member: ANEMONE.   Anemone is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Plants of the genus are commonly called windflowers. They are native to the temperate and subtropical regions of all continents except Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica.

Grown from bulbs

65. Array for BB gun target practice, perhaps: TIN CANS.  Cheap targets.

66. Broadway props?: TONY NOD.  Props as praise rather than accessory items - clever clue

67. Really love: ADORE.

Down:

1. Climbing spikes: PITONS.   Pegs driven into a rock or crack to support a climber or a rope.

2. Low-hemoglobin condition: ANEMIA.   A low number of red blood cells.

3. __ therapy: GENE.   The transplantation of normal genes into cells in place of missing or defective ones in order to correct genetic disorders.

4. Exxon, in Canada and Europe: ESSO.   Brand name for auto fuel.

5. Damage beyond repair: RUIN.   Destroy

6. Many-legged arthropod: MILLIPEDE.  Any of a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, 

7. Outfielder Tommie in the NY Mets Hall of Fame: AGEE.  Tommie Lee Agee [1942 - 2001] was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1962 through 1973, most notably as a member of the New York Mets.  He was the American League rookie of the year in 1966 and a two time gold glove winner. 

8. Wild party: RAGER.   A larger gathering usually of highschool or college students where massive amounts of alcohol are consumed.

9. "La La Land" Oscar winner Emma: STONE.   Emily Jean Stone [b 1988,] known professionally as Emma Stone, is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

10. Relieved sounds: AHS.  An exhaled exclamation used to express a range of emotions including surprise, pleasure, sympathy, and realization.

11. Novelist Harper: LEE.   Nelle Harper Lee [1926 - 1916] was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. 

12. Class with smocks: ART.  To protect from paint spatters.

13. Pixar film that lost to "Encanto" for a Best Animated Feature Oscar: LUCA. A 2021 American computer-animated coming-of-age fantasy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Set on the Italian Riviera, the film centers on Luca Paguro, a young sea monster boy with the ability to assume human form while on land, who explores the town of Portorosso with his new best friends,

14. Urgent request: PLEA.

19. Mosque authority: IMAM.  A title of various Muslim leaders, especially of one succeeding Muhammad as leader of Shiite Islam.

23. Word with candy or sugar: CANE.  Works either way.

24. Track figures: ODDS.   The probability that one thing is so, or will happen rather than another thing.

25. Tidy: NEAT.   Orderly.

27. __-Pei: dog breed from China: SHAR.   The Shar Pei is a dog breed from southern China. Traditionally kept as a chicken eating dog and property guardian, the Shar Pei was driven to the brink of extinction in the 20th century. The breed is known in the West for its deep wrinkles, whilst a traditional less wrinkled form is maintained in Hong Kong. 

28. Natural rope fiber: HEMP.   Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a botanical class of Cannabis sativa cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use.  It is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products, including rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel.

29. 30-Across, for one: ALERT.  Warn someone of a danger, threat, or problem, typically with the intention of having it avoided or dealt with.

31. "24K Magic" singer Mars: BRUNO.   Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, dancer, and music video director. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical styles, including pop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae, disco, and rock. 

I like this one more

34. Took a nosedive: PLUMMETED.  Like the stock market this year.

35. "Darn it all to __!": HECK.   Bowdlerized exclamation of anger or dismay.

36. John Irving's "A Prayer for __ Meany": OWEN.   A Prayer for Owen Meany is the seventh novel by American writer John Irving. Published in 1989, it tells the story of John Wheelwright and his best friend Owen Meany growing up together in a small New Hampshire town during the 1950s and 1960s. According to John's narration, Owen is a remarkable boy in many ways; he believes himself to be God's instrument and sets out to fulfill the fate he has prophesied for himself.

37. USN officers: CDRS.  The written abbreviation for Commanders when it is used as a title.

38. Many millennia: AEON.  An indefinite and very long period of time, often a period exaggerated for humorous or rhetorical effect.

39. Matter of interest?: RATE.  Referring to the annual charge per year on a borrowed amount of money.

42. Gossip: DIRT.   Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, usually negative, and typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.

46. Eye-related: OCULAR.

47. Had meager success in a series of games: WON ONE.  Like, frex., the 1-4 Lions.

49. Foe: ENEMY.  Adversary.

50. Home detector target: RADON.  Radon is a chemical element with the symbol Rn and atomic number 86. It is a radioactive, colourless, odourless, tasteless noble gas.

52. Boarded up: SHUT.  Closed for business.

54. Understands: GETS. Comprehends.

56. Spanish hand: MANO.  Literal.

57. __ Kate Dillon of "Billions": ASIA.   Asia Kate Dillon [b.1984] is an American actor, best known for their roles as Brandy Epps in Orange Is the New Black and Taylor Mason in Billions. Dillon is non-binary and uses singular they pronouns.

58. Look after: TEND.   Take care of.

59. Folded snack: TACO.  In the U.S. this is a Mexican dish consisting of a fried tortilla, typically folded, filled with various mixtures, such as seasoned meat, beans, lettuce, and tomatoes.  It is the Spanish word for sandwich.  Once in Mexico I ordered a jamon con queso taco and got a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread.  True story.

60. "The Women of Troy" novelist Barker: PAT.   Patricia Mary W. Barker  [née Drake; b. 1943] is an English writer and novelist. She has won many awards for her fiction, which centres on themes of memory, trauma, survival and recovery. Her work is described as direct, blunt and plainspoken

61. "Woman Power" singer 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 1953 with her family.   In 1969 she married English musician John Lennon of the Beatles. 

62. "__ Burns: America": KEN.   Kenneth Lauren Burns [b. 1953] is an American filmmaker known for his documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle American history and culture. His work is often produced in association with WETA-TV and/or the National Endowment for the Humanities and distributed by PBS.

That's all folks.  Hope you enjoyed the music.

Cool regards!

JzB

L. A. Times Crossword Wednesday, September 21, 2022 Bonnie Eisenman

Theme: A DASH OF HABERDASHERY - or - YOU'RE PUTTING ME ON.  Theme answers are not quite homonyms for in-the-language phrases, and refer to articles of apparel. Let's try them on for size.

But first, today's theme song.

 

20. Impractical way to get dressed?: SHOES ON FIRST.  They're likely to get caught up in one's pant legs.  I assume everyone gets the reference.

31. Planning meeting for the costume department?: CLOTHES CALL.  I guess it's a zoom meeting, not face to face, since it'a CALL.  Anyway, this is a narrow escape

42. Disappointing sign on a store selling warm-weather garments?: OUT OF SHORTS.  So, alas, we are forced to wear long pants.  That has us feeling not quite right.

53. Really pulls off a jacket?: ROCKS THE COAT.  Not removing it, but rather to wear, display, or feature it in a striking, distinctive, or attractive manner.  Not like rocking the boat, which means disturbing the status quo.

 

Hi Gang, JazzBunpa here to escort you to the fitting room.  Let's find out if anything needs alteration.

Across:

 1. Thwack: SLAP.  Strike with the palm of the hand or a flat object.  Ouch!

5. Informed (of): AWARE.  On to.

10. Compensation: WAGE.  Regular payment for a steady job.

14. Tuck out of view: HIDE.  Conceal something.

15. Wrinkled: LINED. Having undesired slight folds.

16. Many a univ. donor: ALUM.  Grad.  Note abrvs.

17. 365 days: YEAR.  One solar circuit.

18. Rub ingredient: SPICE.  An aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to flavor food, 

19. HBO political satire starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus: VEEP. 

 

23. Barack and Michelle's eldest daughter: MALIA.  Lots of pics here.

26. Family room: DEN.  A room in a house or apartment, used for activities not involving work:

27. Impatient: ANTSY.  Agitated; a blend of eager and anxious.

28. Lives: EXISTS.  Is alive.

30. Cookie fruit: FIG.  The edible fruit of Ficus carica, a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world, both for its fruit and as an ornamental plant. 

35. "Stop filming!": CUT.  This signifies the end of a take and a call to stop the action. It's crucial for the actor to keep the acting and action going until the director calls “cut” or they risk messing up a great shot. It is never up to the actor to stop what they're doing without the “cut” call from the director.

38. Broody sorts?: HENS.  They sit on their eggs until they hatch. Not sure what mood they are in.

39. Sir or sri: TITLE.   Words designating rank, office, or nobility; terms of address (Mr., Mrs.); initials for an academic degree (MBA, Dr), or terms of respect.

40. More than dislike: HATE.   An intense or passionate negative feeling.

41. Donkey: ASS.  Beast of burden. 

44. GPS display: MAP.  "The map is not the territory."  -- Ned Stark

45. Small village: HAMLET.  Derived from Old French, meaning a settlement smaller than a village.

46. Food cart snacks in South Asia: CHAAT.   A family of savoury snacks that originated in India, typically served as an hors d'oeuvre or at roadside tracks from stalls or food carts across South Asia in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.  Now you know.

49. Texting letters: SMS.   SMS, or "Short Message Service," refers to standard text messages that are sent using a cellular signal instead of an internet connection, unlike iMessage or other web-based messaging services. SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, which is why longer SMS messages are typically broken into parts.

52. Swerves: VEERS.  Sharply changes direction.

56. Initial poker bet: ANTE.  Pay to play.

57. Japanese noodle dish: RAMEN.   Quick-cooking noodles, typically served in a broth with meat and vegetables.

58. Carried debt: OWED.   Was in the red.

62. Appear to be: SEEM.  Give the impression of being a particular kind of person or thing. 

63. "You __ kidding!": ARENT.  Contraction of. are not.

64. Grow tiresome: WEAR.   Exhaust one's patience or tolerance.

65. Jekyll's counterpart: HYDE.  A duel-personality character featured in a Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. 

66. Basil-based sauce: PESTO.   A sauce originating in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy. It 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.

67. Yields, as a profit: NETS.   Gain determined by income less expenses.

Down:

1. Bashful: SHY.   Being reserved or having or showing nervousness or timidity in the company of other people.

2. Blip on a polygraph, maybe: LIE.   This is properly regarded as pseudo-science, but sadly is credible in legal proceedings.

3. Hugo-nominated novelist Palmer: ADA.   She is an American historian and writer and winner of the 2017 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her first novel Too Like the Lightning was published in May 2016. The work has been well received by critics and was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel. 

4. Continues: PERSISTS.  Continues firmly or obstinately in an opinion or a course of action in spite of difficulty, opposition, or failure.

5. "One more thing ... ": ALSO.   Besides that; in addition . . .

6. Totally beat: WIPED.  Exhausted.

7. Ouzo flavoring: ANISE.   Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is one of the oldest known spice plants. It grows in the Mediterranean, Spain, West Asia, Mexico, Egypt, and the Middle East. Anise contains chemicals that might have estrogen-like effects, decrease swelling, and help fight off insects.   Does it taste god or awful -- you decide.

8. Scouting mission, briefly: RECON.   Short for reconnaissance, the military observation of a region to locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features.

9. Garden with forbidden fruit: EDEN.   Original home of Adam and Eve, as the story goes.  Sadly, it was snake infested.

10. Fluttering in the wind: WAVING.   Moving to and fro with a swaying or undulating motion while remaining fixed to one point.

11. Warning signal: ALERT.   A warning of a danger, threat, or problem, typically with the intention of having it avoided or dealt with.

12. Ballpark figure: GUESS.   Should be a closer estimate than a mere guess.

13. Like cans in a recycling bin, hopefully: EMPTY.  You don't generally throw them out when they're full.

21. Doth own: HATH.  Possesses, old style.

22. Fall flat: FAIL.   be unsuccessful in achieving one's goal.

23. Anime genre featuring giant robots: MECHA.   Anime in Japan is any animated work, regardless of style.  Mecha is anime featuring robots in battle.

24. Wheel-connecting rods: AXLES.    A central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. 

25. NFL team whose mascot is named Roary: LIONS.  See him here.  They hung on for the win this week.

29. Punchline lead-in: SETUP.   A lead-in line that prepares the listener for the joke, often with misdirection.

30. __ and blood: FLESH.  Used to emphasize that a person is a physical, living being with human emotions or frailties, often in contrast to something abstract, spiritual, or mechanical.  Fire doesn't fit.

32. "Pull up a chair": SIT.  Take a load off our feet.

33. Corp. computer exec: CTO.   Chief Technical Officer.

34. Fuzzy sitcom star of the 1980s: ALF.  Acronym for Alien Life Form.   Gordon Shumway [aka ALF] is an alien from the planet Melmac who follows an amateur radio signal to Earth and crash-lands into the garage of the Tanners, a suburban middle-class family who live in the San Fernando Valley area of California. 

35. "The Grouchy Ladybug" writer/illustrator: CARLE.   The Grouchy Ladybug, also known as The Very Grouchy Ladybug, is a 1977 children's book written by Eric Carle, best known as the author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and published by Greenwillow Books.  Eric Carle [1929 - 2021] was an American author, designer and illustrator of children's books.

36. Out-and-out: UTTER.   Complete; absolute.

37. Tries, as one's patience: TESTS.   Persists in annoying behavior.

40. Place of origin: HOMETOWN.   Straight forward.

42. Cheerios grains: OATS.   The oat, sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name. While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed.

43. "__ Nagila": Israeli folk song: HAVA.  Let us rejoice - a song of celebration.

44. Defiant retort: MAKE ME.   Force me, if you can.

46. Cymbal sound: CRASH.  This one is pretty lame.

47. Bee product: HONEY.    S sweet, viscous food substance made by honey bees and some other bees.  Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants (floral nectar) or from secretions of other insects (such as honeydew), by regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation. 

48. Performed: ACTED.   Portrayed a character in a presentation.

49. Open up, in a way: SHARE.   To tell (thoughts, feelings, experiences, etc.) to others. 

50. Fast-spreading social media posts: MEMES.   An idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.

51. Fragrance: SCENT.   These sound better than odor and smell.

54. Hip hop genre: TRAP.   A subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States during the early 2000s. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang word "trap", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. It features drum machines and lyrical content that often focuses on drug use and urban violence.  

55. "I'm __ your tricks!": ON TO.   You can't fool me.

59. Pint-size: WEE.  Tiny.

60. "Mangia!": EAT.  In Italian.

61. Many profs: DRS.  Mostly PhDs.

That's it.  Hope you're looking and feeling dapper.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, September 7, 2022. Susan Gelfand

Theme: Music with Dinner.  Though, I might have that backwards.  Either way, it's both tasty and notable.  And maybe I'll have to sing for my supper.  Let's hope not.  So let's dive in.

20 A.   Favorite vegetable side dish of singer Donna?: SUMMER SQUASH.  This is a squash that is harvested when immature, while the rind is still tender and edible.  LaDonna Adrian Gaines (1948 –  2012), known professionally as Donna SUMMER, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music gained a global following.

31. Favorite leafy course of singer Al?: GREEN SALAD .    A SALAD is a dish consisting of mixed, mostly natural ingredients with at least one raw ingredient.  A GREEN SALAD consists of lettuce and other uncooked green vegetables.

Albert Leornes Greene (b. 1946), better known as Al GREEN, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s.  

42. Favorite fish entree of singer Carole?: KING SALMON.  The Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon in North America, as well as the largest in the genus Oncorhynchus.  Its common name is derived from the Chinookan peoples. Other vernacular names for the species include KING SALMON, Quinnat salmon, Tsumen, spring salmon, chrome hog, Blackmouth, and Tyee salmon.

Carole KING Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway, and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of all time, King is the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century in the US, having written or co-written 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

53. Favorite fruity dessert of singer Fiona?: APPLE STRUDEL.  A STRUDEL is a type of layered pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, in this case sliced APPLES,  spices, and other optional ingredients.

Fiona APPLE McAfee-Maggart (b. 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. She has released five albums from 1996 to 2020, which have all reached the top 20 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. APPLE has received numerous awards and nominations, including three Grammy Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and a Billboard Music Award

   

Hi Gang, it's JazzBumpa here, today's maitre'd cum impresario.  Hope you enjoy the savory offerings from Chef Susan.  Let's see what other delights are on the menu.

 1. Truism: AXIOM.   A statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true.

6. Scrape cover: SCAB.   A dry, rough protective crust that forms over a cut or wound during healing.

10. Runs or walks, e.g.: STAT.  Baseball statistics.

14. Subway to the Louvre: METRO.   A rapid transit system in the Paris metropolitan area, France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architecture and unique entrances influenced by Art Nouveau. It is mostly underground and 226.9 kilometres long.

15. Spanish lake: LAGO.  Literal translation.

16. One and only: LONE.  Having no companions; solitary or single.

17. Fuss at the mirror: PREEN.   Devote effort to making oneself look attractive and then admire one's appearance.

18. Many an Omani: ARAB.  Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of the Persian Gulf. 

19. Legendary: EPIC.  Of extraordinary scope or magnitude.

23. Go out, as the tide: EBB.  Recede, diminish.

26. Sail support: MAST.  A tall upright post, spar, or other structure on a ship or boat, in sailing vessels generally carrying a sail or sails.

27. Toepick-assisted skating leaps: LUTZES.

 

 28. More gloomy: DARKER.  As in some fiction or weather phenomena.

30. "Okey-dokey": YEAH.   Agreement or approval

34. Decide (to): OPT.  Make a choice to do something, or not

37. Contract negotiator: AGENT.  A person who acts on behalf of another person or group.

38. Family boy: SON.  Male offspring.
 
39. Bub: FELLA.   Some guy.

41. Crayola eight-pack choice: RED.  One of the primary colors.

44. Speaker's platform: DAIS.  A low platform for a lectern, seats of honor, or a throne.

46. Candy bar nut: ALMOND.  The oval edible nutlike seed (kernel) of the almond tree, growing in a woody shell, widely used as food.

47. Saunters: MOSEYS.  Walks or moves in a leisurely manner.

50. Some ceiling fixtures: FANS.   Twirly thing that moves air.

52. Big __ Conference: NCAA division that includes Montana: SKY.  A collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision.

56. Shoe inserts: FEET.  I wanted orthotics.  Oh, well.  If it fits, wear it.

57. Curling __: IRON.  Device for unstraightening hair.

58. Post-swim wrap: TOWEL.  A piece of thick absorbent cloth  used for drying oneself or wiping things dry.

62. Quechua speaker: INCA.     South American Indians who, at the time of the Spanish conquest in 1532, ruled an empire that extended along the Pacific coast and Andean highlands from the northern border of modern Ecuador to the Maule River in central Chile. 

63. Raven's retreat: NEST.   Bird's home.

64. Connect with: TIE TO.   Make a connection or relationship between two or more persons or things.

65. Queries: ASKS.  Requests an answer or some information.

66. Picks up on: GETS.  Understands.

67. Like draft beer: ON TAP.

Down:

1. Concert piece: AMP.  Sound amplifier.  Not a musical selection.

2. Gen __: XER.  the demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials, generally defined as people born from 1965 to 1980.  My kids are from 1970 and 1972.

3. Meteor follower: -ITE.   Cutesy clue for a suffix.   When meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors. When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it's called a meteorite.

4. Raw metals: ORES.    Naturally occurring solid materials from which metals or valuable minerals can be profitably extracted.

5. __ Valley: puzzle game with optical illusions: MONUMENT.  Interesting game.  I played it a few years ago, then forgot about it more recently.

6. Closes with force: SLAMS.  As if in anger.

7. Keyboard symbol above 6: CARET.   This thing: ^

8. Food thickener: AGAR.   A jelly-like substance consisting of polysaccharides obtained from the cell walls of some species of red algae, primarily from ogonori and "tengusa". 

9. Winter Olympics racer: BOBSLED.   A team winter sport that involves making timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh.

10. Nancy Drew, e.g.: SLEUTH.   A person who investigates crimes.

11. Birthstone after opal: TOPAZ.  For the months of October and November, respectively.

12. Pernod flavor: ANISE.  A Mediterranean plant of the parsley family, cultivated for its aromatic seeds which are used in cooking and herbal medicine.

13. Help desk pros: TECHS.  AKA nerds.

21. Red planet: MARS.   The 4th planet in our solar system.

22. Sine __ non: essential: QUA.  QUA means "in the capacity of."  The phrase refers to something that is absolutely necessary.

23. Mystery writers' award: EDGAR.   Named for Mr. Poe.

24. River transport: BARGE.   A flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight

25. Kennel club designation: BREED.   A stock of animals within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection.

29. Fox Sports MLB reporter Rosenthal: KEN.   Ken Rosenthal (b. 1962) is an American sportswriter and reporter. He serves as a field reporter for Fox Major League Baseball since 2005, and was an in-studio reporter for MLB Network from 2009 to 2022. Since August 2017, he is a senior baseball writer for The Athletic.

30. Yin and __: YANG.  Yin and yang is a Chinese philosophical concept that describes interconnected opposite forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the cycles of yin and yang and formed into objects and lives.

I used this idea in a sonnet I wrote many years ago.

THE SUBSTITUTE

There are those whose lives are meant to be entwined,

Lovers thrust together by the force of destiny,

When choice and fate converge, that they may be

Connected at the soul, the heart, the mind.

Within their closed circumference one can find

Two curves in perfect fit -- his yang, her yin,

That in each cycle once again begin

To cluster into love's sweet spiral bind.

But consider -- if in the vast span of infinity

One of them becomes displaced in small degree;

Is born a decade late, perhaps is sent

To the farthest corner of the continent --

The distant echo of an unfelt touch, an unseen face.

Who will be the one who comes to take his place?

32. Seller's caveat: AS IS.  What you see is what you get.

33. Chaney of classic horror: LON.   Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (1883 –1930) was an American actor, director, screenwriter and makeup artist. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup.  Chaney was known for his starring roles in such silent horror films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques that he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces".

34. "Mayans M.C." star Edward James __: OLMOS.   Edward James Olmos (b. 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in Miami Vice (1984–1989), actor in and director of American Me (1992), William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver (1988), for which he received an Academy Award nomination, and Detective Gaff in Blade Runner (1982) and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017). In 2018 through 2022, he has played the father of two members of an outlaw motorcycle club in the FX series Mayans MC.

35. Cheap wine, in British slang: PLONK.   Who knew?

36. Jessica of "Cocoon": TANDY.   Jessie Alice Tandy (1909 – 1994) was a British-American actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. She acted as Blanche DuBois in the original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire in 1948. Her films included Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and The Gin Game. At 80, she became the oldest actress to receive the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Driving Miss Daisy.

39. Artificially high voice: FALSETTO.

 

 40. West __: high-end design retailer: ELM.   One of many brands owned by the Williams-Sonoma Co.

42. Smooching: KISSING.  Touching with the lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, reverence, or greeting.

43. Temporary castle material: SAND.   For when you're at the beach.

I especially like the arch

44. River mouth formations: DELTAS.    Landforms shaped like triangles, created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river and enters slower-moving or stagnant water. This occurs where a river enters an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, or another river that cannot carry away the supplied sediment. 

45. Affirmative vote: AYE.  I see.

47. Criminal group: MAFIA.   An organized international body of criminals, operating originally in Sicily and now especially in Italy and the US and having a complex and ruthless behavioral code.

48. Debuts: OPENS.   As, frex., a play or movie

49. Tiny bit: SPECK.   Mote

50. Cold coat: FROST.  a deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground or other surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing.

51. Many godmothers: AUNTS.  Moms' sisters.  Or dads'.

54. Genealogy diagram: TREE.  A diagram showing the relationships between people in several generations of a family; a genealogical tree.

55. Meat cut: LOIN.  a cut from the part of the body on either side of the spine between the lowest ribs and the hipbones.

59. In need of a 58-Across: WET.  From swimming or getting caught in the rain.

60. Due-in hr.: ETA.   Estimated Time of Arrival

61. Cut (off): LOP.   To cut off (a branch, limb, or other protrusion) from the main body of a tree.  Can one lop a loin?

After today's tasty adventure, I will leave you to ponder that meaty question at your leisure.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword - Wednesday, August 24, 2020. David Alfred Bywaters

Theme:  Double or NO thing.  Each theme answer is a unique phrase that you might never see anywhere else; and it contains a duplicated word.  But you have to surgically remove a certain letter combination: that NO thing, in order to see it.  Let's start with the unifier.

69 A. "Find another way out" sign and a feature of four answers in this puzzle: NO EXIT.  The type of wording you might see over an entrance-only doorway.  And here it indicates that the "NO" letter combo must be excised from the answer.

20 A. Teatime treat topped with shaved ice?: SNO-CONE SCONE.  This is a frosty treat you're not liable to find any time soon.  But it might be good.  Let me know.  Maybe have two, for a SCONE SCONE

33 A. Feature of King Arthur's court?: NOTABLE TABLE.  The notable thing about King Arthur's table was that it was round.  So nobody was seated at the head nor the foot; and all were equal.  So anyone at the TABLE could TABLE the discussion.

41 A. Gaggle native to northern Italy?: GENOESE GEESE.  Genoa is the northern-most city on the western shore of the Italian peninsula.  Do GEESE there mate for life?  Maybe I'm thinking of swans.  Anyway, you get a pair of gaggles here.  And maybe a giggle or two.

54 A. Trainee's bad habits?: NOVICES' VICES.  A NOVICE is a person new to or inexperienced in a field or situation.  I've been playing the trombone for decades and, sadly, still have bad habits.  Perhaps the novice can overcome hers.  Or she might double down and Get caught in the VICE'S Jaws.

Hi, gang. JazzBumpa, your humble blogger for the day, is in awe of this theme.  It combines the duplicated word idea with the removable syllable technique, with a resulting variable degree of silliness.  I can't imagine how David found these examples.  Seriously -- Wow!

Let's move on and what else is notable.

Across:

1. State with conviction: ASSERT.  AVER and AVOW are both too short.

7. Adventurous: BOLD.  Willing to take risks and do new things.

11. Hit the slopes: SKI.  Slide down a hill side on wooden slats attached to your feet.  I tried this once. The slope hit back.

14. Less abundant: SPARER.  A condition of having no excess.  Not sure there can be degrees of spareness.  A comparative based on a root ending in -R always seems awkward.

15. Purple berry from Brazilian palms: ACAI.  The açaí palm, Euterpe oleracea, is a species of palm tree cultivated for its fruit, hearts of palm, leaves, and trunk wood. Global demand for the fruit has expanded rapidly in the 21st century, and the tree is cultivated for that purpose primarily.

16. Midmorning hour: TEN.  That's when I like to be on the treadmill; though the word "like" is used rather ironically here.

17. State that's an archipelago: HAWAII.  Located about 2000 miles from the U.S. mainland, the Hawaiian archipelago contains 137 volcanic islands spanning 1,500 miles. 

18. Went on and on: YAMMERED.  Yadda, yada, yada . . .

22. Bistro: CAFE.  A small restaurant.

25. Spanish article: UNA.  Meaning "one," or the English article "a."

26. Wind quintet wind: OBOE.  A woodwind instrument with a double-reed mouthpiece, a slender tubular body, and holes stopped by keys.  Can also be used as a drumstick -- at least once.

27. Pub order: ALE.  Bottoms up.

28. Played the part of: ACTED AS.  Either in a play, or some real life situation.

32. Put a stop to: END.  Make it quit.

36. Buffet fuel: STERNO.  Flammable hydrocarbon jelly supplied in cans for use as fuel for cooking stoves or chafing dishes.

37. Farfalle shape: BOWTIE.  Small pieces of pasta shaped like bows or butterflies' wings.

45. Augment with superfluous verbiage: PAD.  Lengthen a speech, piece of writing, etc. with unnecessary material.  Hence the admonition to write tight.

48. Runs again: REPLAYS.  As a TV program or sports highlight.

49. "It's __ good": ALL.  Phrase used to express a sense of general approval, despite a perceived slight, sometimes used ironically.

50. Biblical land west of Nod: EDEN.   EDEN is the biblical earthly paradise inhabited by the first created man and woman, Adam and Eve, prior to their expulsion for disobeying the commandments of God.  After killing his brother, Cain was exiled to the land of Nod.  "Nod" (נוד‎) is the Hebrew root of the verb "to wander" (לנדוד‎). Therefore, to dwell in the land of Nod can mean to live a wandering life. Perhaps this suggests that Cain would not know peace.

52. Part of t.i.d., on an Rx: TER.  Three.  T.I. D. is short for ter in die. three times a day.

53. Lover of Aphrodite: ARES.  It's complicated.  Aphrodite was the wife of Hephaestus.  It did not go well.

59. Microscope blobs: PROTOZOA. An informal term for a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris.

60. Excuses: ALIBIS.  An ALIBI is a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.  An excuse is an attempt to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offense); seek to defend or justify.  These are not even close equivalents.

64. Folk singer DiFranco: ANI.  Angela Maria "Ani" DiFranco (b. 1970) is an American singer-songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums. DiFranco's music has been classified as folk rock and alternative rock, although it has additional influences from punk, funk, hip hop and jazz. She has released all her albums on her own record label, Righteous Babe.

65. Champagne designation: BRUT.  The word Brut is French for “dry” which means that Brut Champagne is a dry, sparkling wine. 

66. "That's it for me!": I'M DONE.  Can be literal, meaning some task is finished, or as an expression of  anger or exasperation. 

67. Drug in Michael Pollan's "How to Change Your Mind": LSD.  A synthetic crystalline compound,  Lysergic Acid Diethyl amide, that is a potent hallucinogenic drug.

68. Feed adequately: SATE.  Satisfy (a desire or an appetite) to the full.

Down:

1. Tennis star Barty who announced her retirement in 2022, familiarly: ASH.   Ashleigh Barty (b. 1996) is an Australian retired professional tennis player and cricketer. She was the second Australian tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in the world in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) after fellow Aboriginal Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley, holding the ranking for 121 weeks overall. 

2. Day __: SPA.   A business that provides a variety of services for the purpose of improving health, beauty, and relaxation through personal care treatments.

3. Adage: SAW.  A proverb or short statement expressing a general truth.

4. Wipe out: ERASE.  Remove or eliminate.

5. Halter attachment: REIN.  A long, narrow strap attached at one end to a horse's bit, typically used in pairs to guide or check a horse while riding or driving.

6. Half a sextet: TRIO.  A group of three individuals engaged in a collective activity.

7. Rifle attachment: BAYONET.  A blade that may be fixed to the muzzle of a rifle and used to stab an opponent in hand-to-hand fighting.

8. Anthem with the line "The True North strong and free": O CANADA.   A genuinely great anthem.

  

 9. Fabric with metallic threads: LAMÉ.  Fabric with interwoven gold or silver threads.

10. Turns down: DIMS.  As, frex., a lamp.

11. Flashing light: STROBE.   A type of specialized lamp that produces a continuous series of short, bright flashes of light.

12. Heavily into: KEEN ON.  Very enthusiastic or excited about. 

13. "No doubt": INDEED.   Used to emphasize a statement or response confirming something already suggested.

19. Prefix with friendly: ECO-.    Not harmful to the environment.

21. Adorable: CUTE.   Attractive in a pretty or endearing way.

22. Some recyclables: CANS.  Along with bottles and paper.

23. Much: A LOT.   An indefinite large quantity

24. Big party: FETE.   A celebration or festival.

28. Doubleday incorrectly credited with inventing baseball: ABNER.  Abner Doubleday (1819 – 1893) was a career United States Army officer and Union major general in the American Civil War. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg.  In San Francisco, after the war, he obtained a patent on the cable car railway that still runs there.   In 1908, 15 years after his death, Doubleday was declared by the Mills Commission to have invented the game of baseball (a claim never made by Doubleday during his lifetime). This claim has been thoroughly debunked by baseball historians.

29. Knockoff: CLONE.    A product that is very similar to another one that it was copied from.

30. Westminster landmark: ABBEY.   Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and a burial site for English and, later, British monarchs.   Construction of the present church began in 1245 on the orders of King Henry III.

31. Tedious journeys: SLOGS.   A spell of difficult, tiring work or travelling.

34. Bol. neighbor: ARG.  South American countries Bolivia and Argentina.

35. Short-horned bighorn: EWE.  The female of any ovine species.

38. Hot streak: TEAR.  Having great success over a period of time 

39. Land in the water: ISLE.  Not making a splash [a verb], but instead, a part of the earth's surface [a noun] extended above the surface of a body of water.

40. Slithery fish: EELS.  A snake-like fish with a slender elongated body and poorly developed fins, proverbial for its slipperiness.

42. Chooses not to participate: OPTS OUT.  Just so.

43. Raise: ELEVATE.  Move to a higher level, either literally or figuratively.

44. South Asian garb: SARI.   A garment consisting of a length of cotton or silk elaborately draped around the body, traditionally worn by women from South Asia.

Instruction on how to do it

45. Epistolary friend: PEN PAL.   A person with whom one becomes friendly by exchanging letters, especially someone in a foreign country whom one has never met.

46. Festoons: ADORNS.  Decorates.

47. Without, with "of": DEVOID.  Entirely lacking or free from.

51. Minor issue: NIT.   A small imperfection or a minor glitch in a system or piece of software.

53. Out of the way: ASIDE.  Literal.

55. Picnic discards: COBS.  From ears of corn.

56. "The Snowy Day" Caldecott winner __ Jack Keats: EZRA.  Ezra Jack Keats (né Jacob Ezra Katz; 1916 – 1983) was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He won the 1963 Caldecott Medal for illustrating The Snowy Day, which he also wrote. 

57. Adam's eldest: CAIN.  In Genesis, Cain was the first human offspring.  He murdered his younger brother, Abel.  Cf also 50 A.

58. Red Muppet with a pet goldfish named Dorothy: ELMO.

61. Amazon.com delivery: BOX.  A container full of stuff, used for transporting said stuff.

62. Suffix on some pasta names: -INI.  As in rotini, linguini, etc.

63. Good to go: SET.  Prepared to do something.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  Let's get set for whatever the next adventure might be.

Cool regards!

JzB

L.A. Times Crossword Wednesday, August 10, 2022. Catherine Cetta

Theme: A puzzle for one seasoning.   As we shall see, this is a well-seasoned puzzle.  This will make more sense if we start with the unifier.

60 A. Quantity applied to dubious advice, and what's found in the answer to each starred clue: GRAIN OF SALT.   To take something with a "grain of salt" is an English language idiom that suggests to view something, specifically claims that may be misleading or unverified, with skepticism or to not interpret something literally.  However, the chemist in me [and yes I have BS and MS degrees in chemistry] recognizes that the symbol for a molecule of common table salt is NaCl.  Na is the symbol for sodium [natrium in the original Latin] and Cl is the symbol for chlorine.  The combination is called sodium chloride.

17. *When "you can see forever," per the classic song: ON A CLEAR DAY.

 

30. *Genetic lab project: DNA CLONING.  A set of experimental methods in molecular biology that are used to assemble recombinant DNA molecules and to direct their replication within host organisms.

35. *Almost got the gold: RAN A CLOSE SECOND.  If you run someone a close second, or run a close second, you almost beat them in a race or competition. So - probably took the silver.

If you take a granular look at each of these answers, you will find the it does indeed contain a modicum of salt

Hi, Gang -- JazzBumpa here to analyze todays experiment in criciverbalism.  Let's grab our lab coats and get going.

Across:

1. Starts a triathlon: SWIMS.  A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. 

6. Airplane assignments: SEATS.  Aisle, window or [ugh] center.

11. Short lines at the register?: UPC.   The Universal Product Code (UPC or UPC code) is a barcode symbology that is widely used worldwide for tracking trade items in stores.

14. Chocolate source: CACAO.   Theobroma cacao, also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, is a small evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.

15. "I've __ up to here!": HAD IT.   Exclamation of impatience or incipient anger.

16. Swelter: FRY.  Experience an unpleasant level of heat.

19. Watch chain: FOB.  A chain attached to a watch for carrying in a waistcoat or waistband pocket.

20. Top __: TEN.  A type of most popular list.

21. Requests: ASKS.

22. DVR pioneer: TIVO.   TiVo is a digital video recorder developed and marketed by Xperi and introduced in 1999. 

23. Rich cake: TORTE.   a rich, usually multilayered, cake that is filled with whipped cream, buttercreams, mousses, jams, or fruit.  It is often glazed and garnished.

25. Air purifying gadget: IONIZER.   Devices that remove certain airborne particles using negative ions. The purpose of an air ionizer is to help air particles settle and collect out of the air.

28. Skateboarding star Tony: HAWK.  Anthony Frank Hawk (b. 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse

32. Qatari bigwigs: EMIRS.   A Muslim (usually Arab) military commander or local chief.

34. "__ I say more?": NEED.   Have you heard enough?

42. Word on Irish euros: EIRE.  Éire is Irish for "Ireland", the name of both an island in the North Atlantic and the sovereign state of Ireland which governs 84% of the island's landmass. 

43. Finnish hot spot: SAUNA.   A small room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. 

44. *Long, curved barrette: BANANA CLIP.   a clip that is slightly curved and used to hold a person's hair in place. 

50. Academic acronym: STEM.  STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. It is an interdisciplinary approach that helps students succeed in college and in their future careers. The focus of a STEM education is hands-on, problem-based learning.

51. Glasses for bookworms: READERS.  Eyeglasses used for reading or close work.  I have a special pair for reading music.  Otherwise I get trapped in bifocal hell.

52. Court attire: ROBES.   A robe is a loose gown worn by judges, barristers and officials in court.

54. Itch: URGE.  Yen, desire, craving, impulse, yearning . . .

55. Han who said, "It's not wise to upset a Wookiee": SOLO.  Portrayed by a former camera man.

Source

56. [shrug]: MEH.  We are not impressed.

59. __ sale: TAG.   A sale of used belongings where the price of the item is discounted and marked on a price tag.

64. Put away: ATE.   Probably with considerable enthusiasm.

65. Very serious: ACUTE.   Present or experienced to a severe or intense degree.

66. Leading: FIRST.  Outperforming the competition.

67. __ light bulb: LED.    Light Emitting Diode. LED lighting products produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs.

68. Cookie source: BAKER.  A person who makes bread and cakes - and, of course, cookies - especially as a trade.

69. Ready to flow: ON TAP.  All set to go.

Down:

1. Person in Paisley: SCOT.  A person from Scotland.  The town Paisley is an industrial centre, Renfrewshire council area and historic county, in west-central Scotland, 7 miles (11 km) west of Glasgow. It is situated on the River White Cart, a tributary of the River Clyde.

2. Diminish: WANE.   Ebb, decline, shrink, contract.

3. "Gosh, no one is happy with me!": I CAN'T WIN.  An expression of dismay.

4. PC alternative: MAC.  An Apple computer.

5. __ power: SOLAR.  The conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), indirectly using concentrated solar power, or a combination. 

6. Like some martinis: SHAKEN.  As opposed to being stirred.  Mine are swirled.

7. AirPods holders: EARS.  Apple's entirely wireless earbuds. They were first released in 2016. AirPods are compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPods, Macbooks, and Apple TVs.  EARS are the organs of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external part of this.

8. Total: ADD.  Sum it up.

9. Hermana de la madre: TIA.   Mom's sister is your aunt, not only in Spanish speaking regions.

10. Farm pen: STY.  Home for pigs.

11. Florence gallery with Botticelli's "Birth of Venus": UFFIZI.   A prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the largest and best known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance.

Venus emerged fully grown from the sea.

12. Tried and true: PROVEN.  We know it will work.  Or so we hope.

13. Seven of Nine of "Star Trek," for one: CYBORG.  A fictional or hypothetical person whose physical abilities are extended beyond normal human limitations by mechanical elements built into the body.  They appear as recurring antagonists in the Star Trek fictional universe.  Not sure what the 7 of 9 refers to.

18. Founded, for short: EST'D.  Established.

22. Pewter component: TIN.  Along with lead.

24. Gumbo vegetable: OKRA.    Abelmoschus esculentus, known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. 

25. Cold, slushy treat: ICEE.    A frozen carbonated beverage available in fruit and soda flavors. 

26. World Cup chants: OLÉS.  From Spanish-speaking countries -- an exclamation used to express approval, triumph, joy, etc.

27. Network connections: NODES.  In telecommunications networks, a node (Latin: nodus, ‘knot’) is either a redistribution point or a communication endpoint. The definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to. 

28. She/__ pronouns: HER.  Putting She/Her in a bio means that the individual is declaring their pronouns. Now people know that they should use She/Her when speaking about or to that person.

29. "No question is too personal" session, for short: AMA.  Ask Me Anything.  [I might even answer.]

31. "Yosemite Valley Winter" photographer Adams: ANSEL.   Ansel Easton Adams 1902 – 1984) was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his black-and-white images of the American West. 

33. Part of an act: SCENE.   As in a stage play.

36. Storyteller: LIAR.  One prone to mendacity.

37. Tolkien creatures: ORCS.  Evil beings that cannot abide the light of day.

38. Wholesale quantity: CASE.  A case of some merchandise is a collection of items packaged together. A case is not a strict unit of measure.
 
39. Get the better of: OUT SMART.   Defeat or get the better of (someone) by being clever or cunning.

40. U-turn from SSW: NNE.  Opposite compass directions

41. Hydroelectric power source: DAM.  A barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply.

44. Merciless: BRUTAL.  Cruel and nasty

45. Gas up?: AERATE.  Introduce a gas into a liquid.

46. Hounded: NAGGED.   Persistently harassed someone to do something.

47. Stand buy: ADE.    I have no idea what this means.

48. Wrinkle remover: IRONER.  A person ironing clothing or other fabric items

49. Casual top: POLO.   An informal style of cotton shirt, with short sleeves, a collar, and some buttons at the neck 

53. Awesome, in showbiz: BOFFO.  High praise or great success.

55. Etsy, e.g.: SITE.   A set of related web pages located under a single domain name, typically produced by a single person or organization.

57. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.  Elsa and Anna are the royal sisters of Arendelle. 

58. Start of an address: HTTP.   For a web site.

60. Shoot the breeze: GAB.   Yack.

61. Color TV pioneer: RCA.

62. North Sea diving bird: AUK.  A bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. The alcid family includes the murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets.

63. Transgression: SIN.   In the original Greek writing of the New Testament, the most common word translated as “sin” or “sins” is “hamartia,” which means “literally missing of the mark.”  If I understand correctly, it is a term from archery. 

Well - that's not the most pleasant way to bring a puzzle to a close.  But it was a good experiment, and I think it hit the mark. I'll call it a success.

Cool regards!

JzB

P. S.  I have family coming in from out of town, so I probably won't be checking the blog.