59A . Classic "Psycho" segment where one might see the starts of the answers to starred clues: SHOWER SCENE. Here it is, in all its screaming intensity.
25. *Response to wild applause: CURTAIN CALL. When the actors get another chance to bow after a great performance. But that is after a stage play, and we're at a movie. The CURTAIN is prominent in the scene, and afterwards Norman Bates, played by Tony Perkins wraps Marion's corpse in it, and sticks it in the trunk of her car.
37. *Political metaphor about dealing with bureaucracy: DRAIN THE SWAMP. Nope. No politics. The stage blood circling the DRAIN is a bit of cinematic brilliance.
50. *Market-based pollution-control policy: CAP AND TRADE. The junction of politics and economics is still of limits. Moving right along . . . One might have expected Marion's shower CAP to keep her hair neat - but all to no avail, since her corps ends up in an UNDRAINED SWAMP. But wait - she doesn't wear one! Am I missing something here?!?
Hi gang, a somewhat confused JazzBumpa here to direct today's excursion. Hope we don't get too bogged down.
Across:
1. Commerce pact to be replaced by USMCA when it's ratified: NAFTA. Trade deals, new and old. More politics, where we dare not venture.
6. __ circus: MEDIA. A news event with hyped-up or out of proportion coverage.
11. Cook quickly: ZAP. Use a microwave.
14. Fluffed-up dos: AFROS. Most popular X-word hair style.
15. Apple music players: IPODS. Portable player of digital audio and video.
16. Actress Longoria: EVA. Eva Jacqueline Bastón (née Longoria; born March 15, 1975) is an American actress, producer, director, activist, and businesswoman. [Wikipedia]
20. Iraq War concern: Abbr.: WMD. Weapons of Mass Destruction. There weren't any.
21. New beginning?: NEO-. A prefix denoting a new or [more likely] revived form of something.
22. Spine-tingling: EERIE. Like a scene depicting a murder in a shower.
24. Farm female: EWE. This answer makes me feel sheepish.
28. Almost on "E": LOW. Fuel gauge reference
29. Biblical mount: ASS. Here are 76 references.
30. Attend: GO TO.
31. "The Art of Loving" author Erich: FROMM.
33. Cubs' home: DEN. Animal offspring, not a sports team
34. Fort Collins sch.: CSU. Colorado State University. Home of the Rams. Our second ovine of the day.
41. Wild blue yonder: SKY.
42. Unagi, e.g.: EEL. Japanese fresh water eel.
43. Beyond angry: IRATE. Feeling great anger.
45. Membership fees: DUES. An obligatory payment
47. "Help!" at sea: SOS. A Morse code distress signal transmitted as an unbroken sequence of 3 dots, three dashes and three dots.
49. P-like letter: RHO. Rho (/roʊ/; uppercase Ρ, lowercase ρ or ϱ; Greek: ῥῶ) is the 17th letter of the Greek alphabet. [Wikipedia]
54. "__ Explain Things to Me": 2014 Rebecca Solnit essay anthology: MEN. Man-'splainin' is politically incorrect.
55. Yellow-and-white daisy: OX EYE.
57. Long of "Empire": NIA. [b 1970] American actress
58. A-lister: VIP. Very Important Person. I'm not sure who decides these things.
64. Canon SLR: EOS. Electro-Optical System. An autofocus single lens reflex mirrorless camera series.
65. Programmer: CODER. Software engineer.
66. Certain Jamaican, religiously: RASTA. A religious movement with distinctive and restrictive modes of diet, dress and behavior that honors people of African descent.
67. Brief reaction to oversharing: TMI. Too Much Information.
68. Newspaper essays: OP-EDS. Items placed opposite the editorial page.
69. Wild West movie: OATER. An allusion to horse feed.
Down:
1. "Don't think so": NAH. Slangy negation
2. Brief thing to say: A FEW WORDS. Literal
3. Basic structure: FRAMEWORK. Or supporting structure.
4. Lincoln in-law: TODD. Relative of Mary Todd Lincoln.
5. Shade of gray: ASH.
6. Ones who dig hard rock?: MINERS. Literal, not musical.
7. Florida theme park: EPCOT. At the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando.
8. Play-__: kids' clay: DOH. Colorful modeling material mostly made from flour, water and salt.
9. Wedding promise: I DO. But, alas, so many don't.
10. Agreement: ASSENT.
11. Striped equine: ZEBRA. Native to Africa.
12. To no __: useless: AVAIL.
13. Group of judges: PANEL.
18. Weight on one's shoulders: ONUS. From the Latin word for a load or burden.
23. Tesla Model X, for one: ECOCAR. An environmentally friendly vehicle.
24. "The Hobbit" being: ELF. ORC is also three letters, as is ENT.
25. Sleeveless top, for short: CAMI. Camisole, for long.
27. + or - particles: IONS. Atoms or molecules with an electron either added or missing.
32. "Help!" at sea: MAYDAY. This is repeated three times at the beginning of a transmission, to avoid any misunderstanding. The word was selected in 1921, and is derived from the French venez m'aider ('come and help me.') I did not know that.
33. UPS rival: DHL. Parcel delivery companies.
35. Most ingratiatingly earnest: SMARMIEST. In a way that is extreme and/or insincere.
36. Get serious, gambler-style: UP THE ANTE. Increase the stakes in a deliberation, conflict or dispute.
38. Can't live without: NEED. Must have.
39. Push to the limit: TEST. Can you do it?
40. Sage: WISE. I once met a sage named Herb.
44. Seemingly forever: EON. A long time of indefinite duration.
46. World Heritage Site org.: UNESCO. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
47. Civil War swords: SABERS. A SABER is a type of backsword [having a single-edged blade and a hilt with a single-handed grip] with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry.
48. Baking soda target: ODOR. It absorbs the odor causing substance.
50. Tenth Commandment verb: COVET. The desire to possess something.
51. Universal principle: AXIOM. A statement regarded as established, accepted or self-evidently true.
52. One side in the "cola wars": PEPSI. Preferred by some in my family. My lovely wife favors Coke. I am indifferent.
53. Crewed in a shell: ROWED. Shell is word with many meanings. It was my nickname for my daughter when she was little, based on her middle name, Michelle. Here it refers to a light racing boat used in the sport of crew.
57. College Football Playoff org.: NCAA. National Collegiate Athletic Association.
60. Sock __: HOP. An informal dance event, usually to popular recorded music, generally held in a high school gymnasium. Hard soled shoes had to be removed to protect the floor - hence the name.
61. Lyrical tribute: ODE. A lyric poem in the form of an address to a person or object.
62. "No seats" sign: SRO. Standing Room Only, indicating an at-capacity event.
63. Cup handle: EAR.
That wraps up another Wednesday. Crazy week so far. Nobody knows how dangerous the corona virus may be. We are having a snow event that closed all the schools today. Stay warm and safe. Take your vitamins. By low and sell high. And please be careful in the shower.
Cool regards!
JzB
