Los Angeles Times - 11.03.2020

E6 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020 LATIMES.COM/CALENDAR

ACROSS 1 School of thought 4 1972 Kentucky Derby winner __ Ridge 8 Landlocked African country 12 Sense of balance 15 Half of a folk-rock duo 16 *Orson Welles’ role in “The Third Man” 17 Public square 18 Court answers 19 Org. promoting fluoridation 21 State of calm attentiveness 22 Fair-haired 23 *James T. Kirk player, in recent “Star Trek” films 26 Kareem, once 27 Deli order 29 Police trickery 30 Koala’s hangout 32 Crest container 34 “Bus Stop” playwright 35 Dollar bill, e.g. ... and what the ends of the answers to starred clues have in common 38 Curly top 40 Landlocked Asian country 41 “Elephant Boy” boy 45 Jigsaw unit 47 Color printer refills 49 “What’s shakin’?” 50 *“Pogo” cartoonist 52 Finds the right words, say 54 Step into character 55 It may need massaging 56 Crouch down 57 Word with ice or cookie 59 *“Damn Yankees!” star 63 Wetland birds 64 Pushing to the limit 65 “Put a tiger in your tank” brand 66 Babe in the woods 67 LP successors

DOWN 1 “More or less” suffix 2 Desktop item 3 “The Big Sleep” private eye

4 Most populous Arabian Peninsula city 5 Pandora’s boxful 6 Sundial seven 7 PIN point 8 End of a soldier’s URL 9 Jaw-dropping 10 Cough drop 11 Absurd 13 WWII light machine gun 14 Class ring number 15 Acting fitfully 20 Talk smack about 22 Deli order 23 Pitiless 24 Boot stud 25 Legendary Hollywood hot dog restaurant 28 French summer 31 “Snowy” bird 33 Black shade 36 Houston NBA team 37 “Try me” 38 Cochise followers 39 Instagram overlays 42 Like some lions 43 Rifle handle

44 Good times 46 Brain scan inits. 48 Costume spangle 50 Fritter away 51 They may be drawn 53 Country duo Brooks & __ 56 Bandleader Artie 58 Rock producer Brian 60 DOJ division 61 Bikini half 62 Some NFL linemen ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

3/11/20

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):
You often provide reassur-
ance. It’s in the way you
calmly respond, as though
you believe in the other per-
son’s ultimate capability.
Taurus (April 20-May
20): The sort of plans you’ll
be making today will only
work out if they have a date
attached to them. Sixty days
is a magic number.
Gemini(May 21-June 21):
As you prepare to present
your work, don’t forget to
prepare a defense of it, too.
It’s an exercise that will
strengthen your position.
Cancer(June 22-July 22):
The muses will speak to you.
This is not quite enough to
make things happen in your
world. It’s a zephyr for your
sail, and now you must steer.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22):
You’re a creator. Hold your-
self to a high standard of
originality, and then give
yourself credit for that.

Virgo(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): People around you are making decisions against their best interest. If you are to as- sert yourself in the scenario, you must go diplomatically. Libra(Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Success comes from focus- ing on the mundane side of the work you do today: the craft, not the art, the clean- up and organization. This keeps you grounded. Scorpio(Oct. 24-Nov. 21): Smooth stones, storm clouds, an animal’s soft fur, the smell of damp earth — this sort of observances will lift you and send you far from the workaday world. Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21): You’re not where you used to be. You have yet to give conscious awareness to some of your require- ments. Make the new list. Capricorn(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): To attract more oppor- tunity and create possibility for achievement, focus on your strengths and talents. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.

18): How can you feel heard if you’re not in feeling range? Receptivity requires your message to land close to the ear, or the heart. Find out what the barriers are so you can bring them down. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): If you want the truth, ask someone with nothing to gain and nothing to lose. Today’s birthday (March 11): You have the means to raise up appear- ances, though you’re fully aware that people are not cool because of what they look like on the outside. It’s that special attention you give people, your genuine ac- knowledgement of their being and your unique way of serving the needs of the mo- ment, that give you a super- cool aura. Leo and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 43, 1, 22 and 16.

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

HOROSCOPE

By Holiday Mathis

“How good a memory do you have?” Cy the Cynic asked me. “Good for remembering bridge hands from 30 years ago,” I said, “but not look-at- a-phone-number-and-re- member-it-long-enough-to- press-seven-buttons good.” “My partners can’t recall an auction from two minutes ago,” Cy grumbled. Today’s South played dangerously high at three spades. Since his “balanc- ing” bid of one spade could have been light, North should have passed it. When West led the jack of diamonds, South took the ace, led a trump to the king and returned a trump to ... his jack. West won, and the defense also got three hearts

and a club. Down one. South forgot the auction. East must have a high heart — probably the king — or else West’s opening lead would have been a high heart. The opening lead also marks East with the queen of diamonds, but he couldn’t respond to West’s opening bid. West will therefore have the queen of trumps. South must reject a finesse and instead take the ace and king. Question: You hold: ♠A J 75 2 ♥J 8 3 ♦A 2 ♣K Q 2. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he bids two clubs. What do you say? Answer: Your partner’s hand is not well defined, and your best contract is un- known. He could hold K 3, Q 4, K Q 10 7 6, A 8 7 6 (you need to rest at 3NT) or 3, A 4, K Q J

9 4, A J 9 6 4. Bid two hearts, a forcing “fourth-suit” action that merely asks him to keep describing his hand. West dealer Both sides vulnerable

NORTH ♠K 9 4 ♥7 5 2 ♦K 7 5 ♣J 7 4 3 WEST EAST ♠Q 3 ♠10 8 6 ♥A Q 10 6 4 ♥K 9 ♦J 10 8 4 ♦Q 9 6 3 ♣A 10 ♣9 8 6 5 SOUTH ♠A J 7 5 2 ♥J 8 3 ♦A 2 ♣K Q 2 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1 ♥ Pass Pass 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass 3♠ All Pass

Opening lead — ♦J

Tribune Media Services

BRIDGE

By Frank Stewart

Dear Readers:I’ve gath- ered some topical “Best of ” columns from 10 years ago. Today’s compilation deals with questions related to sexually unfaithful partners.

Dear Amy:My husband is almost 70 years old. He is a doorman in an apartment building. I just found out that he has been fooling around with other women who work in the building for almost 20 years. He says it means nothing — that it’s just “free booty in the elevator.” He doesn’t want to break up our marriage and said he would die without me. He comes straight home after work and says he is very happy in our marriage, and I’m trying to stay in the marriage. I’m trying to cope. He won’t change, and I know he’ll never leave me! What kind of woman ac- cepts this relationship? Sad Wife

Dear Sad:I can imagine wanting to stay in a long marriage where there is a tremendous emotional in- vestment. There are also val- id practical reasons to stay in a marriage. However, your husband is not only unre- pentant about his elevator booty calls but, according to you, he lacks the intention

and ability to change. I disagree. Any of us is ca- pable of change, given the proper motivation. Your husband is sleazy and unethical on the job. His behavior could (and should) cost him his job. Beyond your anger and sense of be- trayal, surely you are recali- brating your personal esti- mation of him. He should be given a clear directive about his options. He should also agree to meet with you and a professional counselor. April 2010

Dear Amy:I am a 53-year- old male engaged to a won- derful woman several years younger. She is honest, sweet and attractive. She has a goodness that few others possess. My problem is that even though I love her, I am not in love with her. We have not been intimate for a long time because I just do not feel that way about her. Instead, I have sought and found inti- macy with others. These women were just fulfilling a need. But about a year ago I met someone special. She knows about my fi- ancée and has pressured me to break off the engagement. But I know that would dev- astate my fiancée. She is much too kind and sweet to be hurt in that way.

We have talked about us not being intimate, and I make excuses (such as made-up medical problems causing impotency). How should I handle this? Perplexed in Pittsburgh

Dear Perplexed:There is an old saying: “The truth will set you free.” In this case, the truth will set your fiancée free. And frankly, she’s the one I’m concerned about. I often suggest scripts for people to use for challenging conversations. Here’s yours: “Honey, I am a lying, skeevy horndog. I don’t deserve you. I know that people fre- quently say that, but in this case, it’s really true.” Tell her what you’ve been up to. Then apologize to her, and to anyone whom you might have used sexually or emotionally misled to fulfill your own needs. You also should suggest that your fi- ancée get tested for STDs. If you want to make things easier on her, don’t sugarcoat this. Tell her everything. Her relief at being done with you will ease her devastation. May 2010

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

ASK AMY

‘Free booty’ in an elevator

Los Angeles Times - 11.03.2020

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