google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Ken Buxton & Zhouqin Burnikel

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Jun 2, 2026

Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Ken Buxton & Zhouqin Burnikel


SPRING HAS SPRUNG!


The only thing rebelling in my garden this year is either the Mealy Bugs, or Wooly Aphids that leave a white fluffy cotton-like wax that looks like mold, because this year I am spraying my rose bushes with Neem Oil!  Don't wait until you see damage, start spraying now!

The Reveal:

64 Across. Rebelled, or what can be found in 3-, 10-, 24-, and 29-Down: ROSE UP. Because the themers are all downs, you can find the word ROSE rising from bottom to top in each. All are split between words, but not all are split in the same place...

3 Down. Success for a pitcher?: SALES ORDER. (Sales order) 

10 Down. Shifts to eco-friendly farming: GOES ORGANIC. (Goes organic)

24 Down. "Save your apologies": DON'T BE SORRY. (Don't be sorry)

29 Down. Refreshing citrus dessert: LIME SORBET. (Lime sorbet)


Across:

1. Betting setting: CASINO.

7. Bad air day factor: SMOG.

11. Comprehend: GET.

14. Figure of speech?: ORATOR.  Very clever word play here, because Orator is a noun, you have to use your imagination to see Orator as a figure of speech....

15. City near Stanford University: PALO ALTO.

17. Experience again: RELIVE.

18. Restore from the trash, say: UNDELETE.

19. Big primates: APES.

20. "The Far Side" cartoonist Larson: GARY.
Name #1

22. Nasal cavity: SINUS.

23. "Viva __ Vegas": LAS.

24. Ellipsis trio: DOTS. Yes, I know I use them excessively...

25. __ for apples: BOB. This really got me. After doing years of puzzles with clues like 3 letter (blank) for murder by Sue Crafton, I automatically inked in "A IS."

26. Depleted atmospheric layer: OZONE.

28. Largest and strongest of the 19-Across: GORILLA.

32. Kitchen cover: APRON.

34. Cloth that protects hair waves: DURAG. Curious clueing, hair waves? I mean, I have wavy hair, but it seems oddly specific... The simplest etymology for do-rag is that it is named as such because it is a rag worn to protect one's hairdoDo-rag is the preferred spelling by Miriam-Webster Dictionary.

36. Bond creator Fleming: IAN. Also Chitty Chitty Bang Bang... He also has a rather lengthy Bio on Wiki. Name #2

37. "Wonder Woman" actress Gal: GADOT. Name #3
For Splynter...

38. Cookbook writer Garten: INA. Name #4
The Barefoot Contessa.

39. Let in or let on: ADMIT.

41. Morn's opposite: EVE.

42. Noble rank below viscount: BARON.



44. Dorothy, to Em: NIECE.
Not names as much as film legends...

45. Snake: SERPENT.

47. Hangs on the line: DRIES.

49. World-warping drug: LSD(lysergic acid diethylamide)

50. Computer repaired at a Genius Bar: IMAC.

51. Egg cells: OVA.

54. Competition with barrel racing: RODEO
My 1st thought was Roleo, but it seems those log rollers do not appreciate doing the same thing on barrels...

57. Alum: GRAD.

58. "Everybody Loves Raymond" actor Garrett: BRAD.
Name #5

59. "That makes sense": I HEAR YOU.

61. Ready for farming: ARABLE.

63. Canada's second-most populous city: MONTREAL.

64. [ Theme Reveal ]

65. Sun spot?: SKY. 😀

66. Big name in locks: YALE.

67. Six-line section of a sonnet: SESTET.

Down:
1. Reef material: CORAL.

2. Griddled corn cake: AREPA.
Kind of reminds me of a skinny English Muffin...

3. [ Theme ]

4. "Yes, indeed!": IT IS.  As one word, itis is a suffix used to indicate inflammation, but as two words  reminds me of a lot of people that use it as a twurd...

5. Mo. that was ninth in a 10-month Roman calendar: NOV. November Believe it or not, March used to begin the year..

6. State with the deepest lake in the U.S.: OREGON.
Crater Lake Tour.

7. San Antonio NBA team: SPURS.

8. More than a few: MANY.

9. Timeworn: OLD.

10. [ Theme ]

11. "Twisters" star Powell: GLEN. Name #6.
From the sequel to the original 1996 movie.
Just new faces on an old classic...

12. Caesarean delivery?: ET TU.

13. Digits in socks: TOES.

16. Suspect's excuse: ALIBI.

21. Groveled: ATE DIRT.

2. [ Theme ]

25. Feathery scarf: BOA.

27. Menagerie: ZOO.

28. Consultant on a family history project, perhaps: GRANDMA.

29. [ Theme ]

30. Secular: LAICA.I. Overview

31. Penny-__: trivial: ANTE.

32. Forever and ever: AGES.

33. Smooth (over): PAVE.

35. Family card game: UNO.

40. Cube with pips: DIE. Cubes would be dice...

43. "Go on ... ": AND.

46. Fold on a kilt: PLEAT.A rather complicated subject...

48. Tracking devices: RADARS.

50. "Yay, me!": I RULE.

52. Hold dear: VALUE.

53. Very good (at): ADEPT.

54. Edges of hoops: RIMS.

55. "If you insist": OH OK.

56. Disavow: DENY.

57. Soccer score: GOAL.

58. Hunting/fishing retailer __ Pro Shops: BASS.

60. Affirmative vote: YEA.

62. Caviar: ROE. (Fish eggs...)

And, The Grid...

CE:D out...
≽^•⩊•^≼

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
Today's constructors are none other than our CC, and our TehachapiKen! (Father of Arizona Jim.)
Here's hoping both will chime in on the Blog today with crossword constructing secrets, and tips on how to make our roses rise up!

7 comments:

Subgenius said...

The themed fills
were not necessarily the easiest to get, but in the long run I think C.C. and T Ken concocted a pretty fair puzzle.
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Will d-o ever learn to read the complete clues? Apparently not. Thought this was a Tuesday themeless until CE:D 'splained the gimmick. Had up for "A IS" at 25a. Easily fixed. Thanx, Ken, C.C., and CE:D.

desper-otto said...

Otto-correct strikes again. HAND up..

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

Another collaboration initiated, I’m sure, by our generous mentor, CC. I recognized Ken’s name immediately and, as usual, the collaboration proved to be another winner. I do enjoy a vertical theme and it fools me ever time as to the location of the themers. Until I filled in Rose Up, I was completely unaware of the theme. I thought the fill was a cut above the usual Tuesday fare, with Undelete being the only unknown. Lemon Sorbet, Don’t Be Sorry, I Hear You, etc. were standouts but I wish Ate Dirt and I Rule would bite the dust and disappear.

Thanks, Ken and CC, for an enjoyable solve and congrats, Ken, for being the latest Cornerite to partner with CC. Thanks, CED, for an informative review which I’ll return to when I have the time to appreciate the interesting tidbits.

Have a great day.

Anonymous said...

I'm late for work so just wanted to say I enjoyed all the clever cluing, especially for a Tuesday. YEA Ken & CC!

Also liked the gambling sub-theme: CASINO, LAS Vegas, ANTE and DIE. Fun and games!

(Rusty Brain on my new PC that needs lots of set up!)

KS said...

FIR. Another fairly easy puzzle appropriate to the day. I had no trouble with today's presentation.
The theme was clever, but I did need the reveal to get it.
Overall a very enjoyable puzzle.

Bob Lee said...

Nice puzzle. I saw the OR in the long answers, but didn't know why until I got to the SE corner and got the reveal. Fun!