Los Angeles Times - 18.03.2020

E6 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2020 LATIMES.COM/CALENDAR

ACROSS 1 __ d’art 6 It’s sold in bars 10 Axlike tool 14 Move furtively 15 “In memoriam” bio 16 Cow conversation 17 Rite of Christian ordination 19 Hip ’60s Brits 20 Rodeo ropes 21 Honeybunch 23 Montréal mate 25 Fights (for) 27 “Cold Mountain” hero played by Jude Law 28 Bolster 31 Enhance, as an expense report 33 Whiz 34 Sticking points 35 Carries out 37 ER personnel 38 Fabric ponytail holder 41 Chinese menu surname 43 Foldable beds 44 Pet store enclosures 48 Dismissive syllable 49 Hasty escape 50 Computer key 51 Bounded 53 Quite 56 Leaves in the afternoon? 57 Irritate by rubbing 59 Supermarket walkways 62 Mall directories 63 1850s Eurasian conflict 67 “Ick!” 68 Spanish cat 69 Salty expanse 70 Director Kazan 71 With the circled word in the grid’s center, what each circled word is? 72 Celestial red giant

DOWN 1 __Kosh B’gosh 2 Rain-__ bubble gum 3 Word whose meaning wouldn’t change if it began with “z” 4 One-named singer 5 Boxing decisions 6 “Me too” 7 Corpulent 8 Ultrathin MacBook

9 War affliction, for short 10 Jordan’s capital 11 Entry-level job? 12 Astrology diagrams 13 Ancient ascetic 18 Invite letters 22 __ al-Fitr: end-of- Ramadan feast 23 Fitting 24 Hosp. scan 26 MS format details 29 Mexican money 30 L.A. school 32 Tray filler 35 Milano cathedral 36 Prov. bordering four Great Lakes 37 Authentic 39 Early TV maker 40 Freezer cubes 41 Game for little hitters 42 Wrinkly dog 45 Jumps in the lake 46 Summer in la ville 47 Vast quantity 48 Served like cherries jubilee 49 British co. letters 50 A teaspoon, say

52 Ottoman title 54 French-speaking Caribbean country 55 Colorful memory game 58 Heart tests, briefly 60 Golden Triangle country 61 SASEs, e.g. 64 Missy Elliott music genre 65 Battery for small electronics 66 GI’s furlough ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

3/18/20

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):
Now you’re thinking about
that thing you wanted and
didn’t get. In retrospect, you
didn’t want it that bad.
Taurus (April 20-May
20): You want a routine
you’ve consciously con-
structed, so you’ll get inten-
tional with the cause.
Gemini(May 21-June 21):
Try not to let schooling in-
terfere with learning. To
know only the steps involved
and not the theory behind a
thing is to be as educated as
a robot.
Cancer(June 22-July 22):
Use the momentum of high
emotional tides to buoy your
spirits and augment pro-
duction.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22):
The day brings a denoue-
ment before the curtains
close on a chapter. Conflicts
will be resolved.
Virgo(Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Apologizing unnecessarily

will erode your self-confidence. Better to stand in the situation and face whatever strange energy exists. Libra(Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Here they come — people who not only appreciate your good qualities but will promote and showcase them as well. It’s because you’re ready. Scorpio(Oct. 24-Nov. 21): It won’t drain your willpower to save some for later because you’re so focused on the joy of playing the long game. Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21): Just because a voice happens to be coming from inside you instead of from the outside world doesn’t make that voice true. Capricorn(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In all relationships, you’ll try to hold on to the moment without holding anyone from their freedom. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you happen to arrive at that moment when the other person is looking away,

keep practicing until you can do this trick consistently and on command. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Habits of mind are just like other habits. You may as well be adding the ones you’d prefer instead of falling into whatever comes along. Today’s birthday (March 18): Nature is the story of this world, and you are nature, too. Your experi- ences in the biosphere will teach you profound lessons of being and will open path- ways of spiritual levity. You’ll be responsible for the prog- ress of a group because of the care you give this en- deavor. It all develops beau- tifully. Love and travel fill your summer. Aries and Li- bra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 2, 14, 41 and 20.

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

HOROSCOPE

By Holiday Mathis

“Secondhand Rose” showed up at my club today. When the lesson about “second hand low” on defense was taught, Rose must have been out on a date with Jiggs the plumber. Rose was today’s East, and West led the jack of hearts against four spades. Declarer took the king and led dummy’s deuce of diamonds, and Secondhand Rose ... with the king! Rose then cashed her high trumps and led another heart. South won and ruffed his last heart in dummy, but with Rose holding the guarded queen of clubs and West with the ace of diamonds, declarer had to lose another trick. Down one. South makes game if

Rose plays “second hand low” on the first diamond. South’s jack loses to the ace, but later South can lead the queen of diamonds for a ruff- ing finesse against the king, setting up a discard for his club loser. Rose’s defense was as- tute. Unless West has the ace of diamonds (and he needed something for his bid of two hearts), the contract is surely unbeatable. Question: You hold: ♠A K♥Q 8 7 5 2 ♦K 9 4 ♣Q 7 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. What do you say? Answer: You could blast into 3NT, but it would be sad if partner passed and put down J 8 7 4, A K, A Q 10 7 6 3,

Since you can’t place the
contract with confidence,
bid two clubs, the “fourth

suit,” to let partner make another descriptive bid. If he bids 2NT, you will raise to 3NT. Otherwise, you may play at diamonds or hearts. North dealer N-S vulnerable

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

Opening lead — ♥J

Tribune Media Services

BRIDGE

By Frank Stewart

Dear Readers:Every year, I step away from the Ask Amy column for two weeks to work on other writing projects. Today’s “Best Of ” from 2010 revolves around meeting and matching.

Dear Amy:I am a retired man in my early 80s. My wife passed away last year, and I moved into a senior living residence so I would have some company. Although I am an “older adult,” I still play tennis and keep myself in good shape. Many women in my new home seem to be single and are aggressive about finding a man. Several have invited me for drinks and dinner and later suggested I spend the night. Now, I have nothing against pretty women, and I enjoy their company, but I just don’t want to get into a relationship. How do I let them know I’m not interested in a serious relationship without hurting their feelings? Gosh, some men I know might think they had died and gone to heaven. Not Looking

Dear Not Looking:Based on your story and other tales I’m hearing from the world of senior housing, I’ve come

to the conclusion that the older generation really puts the “living” into “assisted living.” You may be misinterpret- ing the motives of the women at your complex. Just because they come on to you and invite you to spend the night, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are looking for a serious relationship. You will learn this as you go. If this sort of arrange- ment isn’t to your liking (and it obviously isn’t), you should respond with a ver- sion of, “Dottie, you’re a dear and the casserole was won- derful, but I’m only looking for tennis partners.” February 2010

Dear Amy: I am 60 and have been single for 20 years. My best friend tells me I’m “man crazy” because I keep trying to connect emotion- ally with men at church, my favorite venue for meeting nice men. My friend says that I fall in love with every man who talks to me. She told me re- cently that she thinks men generally avoid me because I’m too aggressive. I just like to talk to them and get to know them. Yes, there are times when I have been infatuated with men. But when I let a man

know, he pretty much runs for the hills. I think I have a lot to offer a man, but evidently I drive them away. I don’t know how to proceed. Should I keep trying or mind my own busi- ness at church? Need to Know

Dear Need:You seem to think you attend the Church of the Heavenly Hookups. So let’s start with your description of your house of worship as “my favorite venue for meeting nice men.” Church is a great place to connect with people, but the primary connection should be spiritual or communal. You sound like a stalker, and from your description, you make people uncom- fortable. You could work on understanding your gallop- ing emotions by seeing a pro- fessional therapist. Church is not the appro- priate venue for you to prac- tice flirting skills. Listen carefully to your friend’s description of your behavior, and then ask her to help you behave differently. She might make a good wingman for you — but not at church. October 2010

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

ASK AMY

Relationship for him? No

Los Angeles Times - 18.03.2020

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