Los Angeles Times - 13.08.2019

E6 TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 LATIMES.COM/CALENDAR

ACROSS 1 Not fatty 5 Polynesian carving 9 Ebenezer’s partner Marley 14 Luxury hotel name 15 Word before rock or rain 16 Run off to wed 17 *Cafeteria queue 19 Chickens (out) 20 Dr. Mark Sloan portrayer in “Grey’s Anatomy” 22 Flower holder 23 Harsh treatment 26 Rio Grande city 28 Buckeye State 29 Vane heading 32 From scratch 33 Drums held between the knees 36 How wet hair hangs 38 Australian hub, in itineraries 39 *Non-glitzy local tavern 41 Quattro meno uno 44 Part of a mug shot profile 46 “I’ll handle it” 48 Like early-morning golf greens 50 Self-important type 52 “Lovely” musical meter maid 53 Maven 55 Unwrap with gusto 58 Rank above maj. 59 Device used to record aerie hatchlings 62 “Better late than never,” e.g. 64 Takeover endeavor ... and a hint to what can precede each word in the answers to starred clues 68 Desert drifts 69 Taiwanese PC giant 70 Word game piece 71 Lauder of makeup 72 Lays down a lawn 73 Worry obsessively

DOWN 1 Bit of cybermirth 2 Earthbound bird 3 Gothic novelist Radcliffe 4 Words to pacify a pooch 5 Shire of “Rocky”

6 Christmas eave decoration 7 Bighearted 8 Think tank nugget 9 Tiara sparkler 10 “Aladdin” prince 11 *Corporate retreat with team-building activities 12 Try to block 13 Give 18 Charlemagne’s realm: Abbr. 21 Doubles partner who’s not serving 23 Steals from 24 Crow’s-nest call 25 *Basil sitting on a sill, e.g. 27 Sidekick 30 Final Olds made 31 Bro or sis 34 Laudatory lines 35 Sonora snooze 37 Supporting 40 Delivery vehicle 42 Memorization method 43 Israeli diplomat Abba 45 Emmy-winning scientist Bill 47 Gives a cue

48 Ten-year period 49 Book after Genesis 51 Prepared, as coffee 54 Maker of tasty “pieces” 56 Cupcake finishers 57 Achievement for a duffer 60 Transcript nos. 61 Bonkers 63 “That’s surprising” 65 Beyond tipsy 66 Many a microbrew 67 Archery wood ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

8/13/19

SUDOKU

BLISS By Harry Bliss

KENKEN

Every box will contain a number; numbers depend on the size of the grid. For a 6x6 puzzle, use Nos. 1-6. Do not repeat a number in any row or column. The numbers in each heavily outlined set of squares must combine to produce the target number found in the top left corner of the cage using the mathematical operation indicated. A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.

FAMILY CIRCUS By Bil Keane DENNIS THE MENACE By Hank Ketcham

ARGYLE SWEATER By Scott Hilburn MARMADUKE By Brad & Paul Anderson

CROSSWORD

Edited By Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

SPEED BUMP By Dave Coverly

COMICS

Aries(March 21-April 19):
Life is easier because you
take things as general infor-
mation rather than personal
information.
Taurus (April 20-May
20): Your crew will need two
things from you today: space
and support. Creating space
is easy. Support is trickier,
as it comes in many forms.
Find out which is preferred.
Gemini(May 21-June 21):
There are those who seem to
have an argument for every-
thing. Hear what they have
to say without providing any
resistance. Then declare
your decision and retreat.
Cancer(June 22-July 22):
Events will be swayed by
tides stronger than your will.
Let go; let flow.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22):
You’ll conduct small but key
experiments to learn about
the world and your place in
it. You’re willing to play with
variables.

Virgo(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Right now, it’s important to check the balance of a rela- tionship. If you’re the one in- convenienced more often than not, this is a red flag. Libra(Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Because you’re easy to turn to, you’ll be in on information before others. Some is so sensitive that you may wish you didn’t know it. But your discretion will kick in. Scorpio(Oct. 24-Nov. 21): Going too soft on yourself will be a danger. The chal- lenge ahead requires that you develop some coping mechanisms and fight back. Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21): You’re such a stellar driver of your own life that you may be asked or tempted to drive another’s. This never works;no one can drive two vehicles at once. Capricorn(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There is more than one way to use the energy of at- traction. Channeled proper- ly, it will fuel your best work. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.

18): You feel like you’re not doing enough, but actually you’re doing too much and skipping the rest and recu- peration phase. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): It’s not quite accurate to say you’ll fearlessly lead the way. The fear is real. But you’ll hide it, march forward, and the rest will follow. Today’s birthday(Aug. 13): Ambitions sizzle in your heart, yet somehow you en- ter this solar cycle with a laid-back attitude. You’ll build plans and execute ideas with a flexibility that accommodates others and makes them want to con- tribute generously to your dreams. Family will be the magic ingredient that tips fortune’s favor to you. Aquarius and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 40, 22, 37 and 10.

Mathis writes her column for Creators Syndicate Inc. The horoscope should be read for entertainment.

HOROSCOPE

By Holiday Mathis

Areader says that when North opened two clubs, East boosted the bidding to the five level. My reader writes, “But when my partner doubled, I bid five spades. He bid six. “I won West’s heart lead with the king and led a trump. When East dis- carded, I couldn’t ruff my fourth heart in dummy without losing a trump to West’s jack, so I went after the diamonds: A-K and a diamond ruff. West overruffed, and I also lost a heart. “I think North should pass five spades. He insists he was justified in going on because I wouldn’t have bid five unless I expected to make it.” I understand North’s bid.

In fact, the bidding was fine since six spades was cold. Af- ter South takes one high trump, he can lead dummy’s queen of clubs and pitch a diamond! South ruffs the next club, takes the ace of diamonds, ruffs a diamond and draws trumps. He ruffs a diamond and returns to dummy for the two good diamonds. Question: You hold: ♠A K Q ♥A 6 2 ♦A K 7 6 2 ♣Q 10. You open two clubs (strong, artificial), your partner re- sponds two diamonds (neg- ative or waiting), you bid 2NT and he bids 4NT. What do you say? Answer: Your first two bids showed balanced pat- tern with 23 or 24 points, or a good-looking 22. Partner’s 4NT is not ace-asking but a “quantitative” try for slam, just as a raise of a 1NT open-

ing to 2NT would invite game. Since your values are minimum, pass. South dealer Both sides vulnerable

NORTH ♠A K Q ♥A 6 2 ♦A K 7 6 2 ♣Q 10 WEST EAST ♠J 5 4 ♠None ♥Q J 10 8 5 ♥ 9 ♦Q J ♦10 9 8 3 ♣4 3 2 ♣A K J 9 8 7 6 5 SOUTH ♠10 9 8 7 6 3 2 ♥K 7 4 3 ♦5 4 ♣None SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST Pass Pass 2 ♣ 5 ♣ Pass Pass Dbl Pass 5 ♠ Pass 6 ♠ All Pass

Opening lead — ♥Q

Tribune Media Services

BRIDGE

By Frank Stewart

Dear Amy:For almost 30 years, I’ve been married to an eloquent, thoughtful writer whose every written word is carefully chosen. He turns mundane subjects into interesting reads. He’s smart and funny; he’s a great person, husband and father. Before Christmas, he asked what I wanted. I said that more than anything, I wanted him to write down his feelings for me. For a writer accustomed to evoking warmth and pas- sion, I thought this would be a small task (and free). Oddly, he pushed back. I backed off. For Christmas he gave me a card with the web- site address written on it for planning a vacation. Amy, I’m hurt. I’ve come across mini- novels he wrote about ex- loves or lovely things he’s written to extended family members. I don’t ask for or expect a lot, but now I feel dejected. Recently I asked him to take out the word “love” and tell me how he feels about me. He went on about what a fun evening we’d had. He could have just as eas- ily said this about walking the dog or going out with his friends. This lack of being able to express feelings for me led to an ugly argument.

I know that he loves me, but this makes me feel like I’m not the love of his life. I would like an explanation. Seriously Hurting

Dear Hurting:Let me try to describe the dynamic of being a writer and getting an emotionally loaded assign- ment: Even reading your (reasonable) request for your husband to creatively express his love for you gives me writer-hives. I suspect he has creative paralysis brought on by per- fectionism, combined with a measure of passive-aggres- sion. He is not going to give you the thing you expressly ask for, as long as you ask for it in such a specific way. Furthermore, when he did try to complete an as- signment for you, you didn’t like it enough. “Yikes,” he thinks. “I’m being edited!” You and he have been to- gether — mainly happily — for 30 years. Must he prove his love for you? If you let up on your “asks,” he might be inspired to surprise you. Either way, you get to be with a good manwho is also a gifted writer with a deep flaw: Words sometimes fail him. I hope you can forgive him for that.

Dear Amy:The other day, I was waiting at the service

desk in a store. The woman behind me in line was chatting with me, basically flirting. During the course of this flirtation, she kept touching me. Personally, I don’t care. Sure, maybe I was even flat- tered. But if I touched her the way she was touching me, we’d be in trouble. What do you think about this double standard? Wondering Guy

Dear Wondering: You don’t mention how she was touching you, but yes — many people do not want to be touched by strangers. If men and women were on a level field, this would qualify as a double standard. But women who don’t want to be touched by strangers sometimes feel intimidated by the size differential (with men). Women are also af- fected by social conventions regarding expressing their preferences and having their preferences respected. The important thing is to learn to read basic social cues and body language and to listen to people when they indicate that they don’t like something you are doing that personally affects them.

Send questions to Amy Dickinson by email to ask [email protected].

ASK AMY

He won’t write love letter

Los Angeles Times - 13.08.2019

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