February 26, 2020 Blake Slonecker

Theme - Alas, poor Marion Crane, we hardly knew ye.  The theme answers all begin with elements of an iconic event in a classic noire movie.  First the unifier.

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.

17 A. *Top brass: HEAD HONCHOS.  The people in charge.   In the movie scene, there is some controversy over whether a body double was used.  But clearly, the HEAD belongs to Janet Leigh, who portrayed the unfortunate Marion Crane.

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]

From a badly written profile 

19. Outlaw: BAN.  Officially or legally prohibit.

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.

Leucanthemum vulgare,

56. "Otoh, what will you pay?": OBO.  Or Best Offer.  Price haggling phrase.

57. Long of "Empire": NIA. [b 1970] American actress

And hip-hop icon

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.

Free shipping

26. "A Death in the Family" author: AGEE.  James AGEE [1909 - 1955] started writing this autobiographical novel about his father's 1915 death in 1948.  Ironically, he died in 1955 with the novel not quite finished.  It was released posthumously in 1957.

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.

Harvard Crew, 2004

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.

Like this, I suppose

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!

Tuesday, February 25, 2020 Paul Coulter

It's Mardi Gras, so Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Let's go to the Movies!  The last word of each movie theme answer can follow the word "Hollywood" to give us a new concept.

17-Across. 1950 Gloria Swanson film: SUNSET BOULEVARD.  Hollywood Boulevard.

Sunset Boulevard was a film by Billy Wilder about a silent film star hoping to make a comeback.

25-Across. 1979 Jim Henson film: THE MUPPET MOVIE.  Hollywood Movie.

Hollywood movies aren't necessarily filmed in Hollywood.

The Muppet Movie is based on the television show, The Muppets.

42-Across. 1988 Demi Moore film: THE SEVENTH SIGN.  Hollywood Sign.

The title of The Seventh Sign, an apocalypse film, is apparently a reference to the seven seals in the New Testament book of Revelation.  It got very poor ratings when it came out.  Probably they haven't improved with time.

The Hollywood Sign dates to 1923, when it was erected as an advertisement for a local real estate development.  It originally read "Hollywoodland".  The "Land" portion has been lost, but the rest of the sign soon became an icon. 

And the Unifier:

57-Acrosss. 2002 Woody Allen film ... or what each of the last words of 17-, 25- and 42-Across can be: HOLLYWOOD ENDING.  Hollywood Endings is about a film director trying to make a comeback.

Across:

1. Rene of "Ransom" (1996): RUSSO.  Rene Russo (née Rene Marie Russo; b. Feb. 17, 1954) makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.

6. Not as expensive: LESS.

10. A bit loopy: DAFT.

14. Part of "the works" on a burger: ONION.

15. Old man, in German: ALTE.  Today's German lesson.

16. Needle case: ETUI.  A crossword staple.

This can be yours for only $675.  Not sure if it comes with the contents.

20. Peanut butter choice: SMOOTH.  My choice would be chunky.

21. Like wax fruit: INEDIBLE.

22. Note from one who's shy?: I.O.U.  My favorite clue of the puzzle.

24. Laser pointer chaser: CAT.

33. Get out of bed: ARISE.

34. Jazz instruments: SAXES.  Did you know that the Saxaphone is a newcomer to the musical instruments?  Adolphe Sax (Nov. 6, 1814 ~ Feb. 7, 1894) received a patent for the instrument in 1846!  It is now a staple of Jazz music

35. Peruvian singer Sumac: YMA.  We haven't seen Ms. Sumac (1922 ~ Nov. 1, 2008) in quite some time.  She used to make frequent appearances in the puzzles.  She has quite a unique voice.

36. Squirrel's hoard: NUTS.

37. Credited in an endnote: CITED.

38. Place to tie up a boat: PIER.

39. 24-hr. cash source: ATM.  The Automatic Teller Machine appears often in our puzzles.

40. Equestrian: RIDER.

41. "That's __!": "Piece of cake!": A SNAP!

45. News initials: UPI.  As in United Press International.

46. __ bunt: productive MLB out: SAC.  A baseball term meaning a Sacrifice Bunt.

47. Looks at closely: EYEBALLS.

52. "John Wick" star Keanu: REEVES.  I think of Keanu Reeves (né Keanu Charles Reeves; b. Sept. 2, 1964) as the actor from the Bill and Ted movies.

59. "Garfield" dog: ODIE.

60. Baseball family name: ALOU.  The Alou brothers make frequent appearances in the puzzles.  The three brothers, Felipe Rojas Alou (b. May 12, 1935), Matty (Dec. 22, 1938 ~ Nov. 2, 2011), and Jesus (b. Mar. 24, 1942), were of the first generation of the family to play major league baseball.  Two of Felipe's sons, Moises (b. July 3, 1966) and Luis Rojas (b. Sept. 1, 1981) are also professional baseball players.

61. Dalai Lama's land: TIBET.

62. Have a craving for: WANT.

63. Appraise: RATE.

64. Clairvoyants: SEERS.

Down:

1. PBS painter Bob: ROSS.  Bob Ross (né Robert Norman Ross; Oct. 29, 1942 ~ July 4, 1995) appeared recently when I provided commentary.   He has actually made a number of guest appearances in the crosswords in the past.  He hosted a show on PBS entitled The Joy of Painting.

2. E pluribus __: UNUM.  The Latin phrase meaning "Out of Many, One", which is the traditional motto of the United States and is found on some American currency.

3. Chinese: Pref.: SINO-.

4. Fair-to-middling: SO-SO.

5. Previous: ONE TIME.

6. Chem class: LAB.

7. Fair-haired Wells race: ELOI.  Another crossword staple.  They are of the imagination of H.G. Wells' novel The Time Machine.

8. Flabbergast: STUN.

9. Chose: SELECTED.

10. Actor Danny who appears in M&M's commercials: DEVITO.  Danny DiVito (né Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr.; b. Nov. 17, 1944) is best known for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the television sit-com Taxi.  He is married to Cheers star, Rhea Pearlman.

11. Run __: drink on credit: A TAB.

12. Roll and bind, as a sail: FURL.

13. Laundry soap brand: TIDE.

18. Commandment pronoun: THOU.

19. Red-wrapped cheeses: EDAMs.  Yummers!

23. Positive aspect: UPSIDE.  Also the title of a movie.

25. "The __ is out there": "The X-Files" catchphrase: TRUTH.

26. Blackjack request: HIT ME!

27. Handy Scrabble tile: ESS.  As in the letter "S".

28. Eucharistic plate: PATEN.

29. Applies, as pressure: EXERTS.

30. Competing (for): VYING.

31. "Know what __?": I MEAN.

32. Wyatt of the Old West: EARP.  Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (Mar. 19, 1848 ~ Jan. 13, 1929) is probably best known for his role in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, although his role was minor compared to that of his brother, Virgil.

33. Future MD's class: ANAT.  As in Anatomy.

37. 1860s North-South conflict: CIVIL WAR.

38. Letter before omega: PSI.  It's Greek to me.

40. Settle, as a debt: REPAY.

41. Climbs: ASCENTS.

43. Rental from a renter: SUBLET.

44. Tortoise racer: HARE.  A reference to one of Æsop's fables.

47. Website with step-by-step instructions: E-HOW.  I have never heard of eHow, but it makes sense.

48. "Star Wars" sentence inverter: YODA.  There is green, he is.

49. Tiger Woods' ex: ELIN.  Elin Maria Pernilla Nordegren (b. Jan. 1, 1980) was born in Stockholm, Sweden.  She and Tiger were married in 2004 and divorced 6 years later.  Last October, she gave birth to a son, whom she named Filip.  Just last week, she legally changed his name to Arthur.

Elin, her boyfriend Jordan Cameron, and baby Arthur, formerly known as Filip.

50. 1970 Kinks hit: LOLA.  Can you believe it's been 50 years since this song came out!

51. Chimney residue: SOOT.

53. Actress Falco: EDIE.  Edie Falco (née Edith Falco; b. July 5, 1963) played Carmela Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos.

54. Vague feeling: VIBE.

55. The "E" in DOE: Abbr.: ENER.  As in the Department of Energy.

56. Some NCOs: SGTS.  As in Sergeants, who ar Non-Commissioned Officers.

58. Deserving: DUE.

Here's the Grid:

QOD:  It has been said that a Scotchman has not seen the world until he has seen Edinburgh; and I  think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  ~  Mark Twain (né Samuel Langhorne Clemens; Nov. 30, 1835 ~ Apr. 21, 1910), American writer.