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
Note from C.C.:
Dear Irish Miss (Agnes) lost her beloved brother James (Bud) last Sunday. Here's the obit page. Please accept our condolences, Agnes! Thanks for the link, Spitzboov!
