L.A. TIMES CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Moment of remorse 5 Portrayer of a big scaredy-cat

9 One thing on top of another

14 Saucony rival

15 Resort town near Santa Barbara

16 Buffalo hockey player 17 *They're for the dogs 19 French clerics

20 Make rough

22 __ tick: disease carrier 23 Open, as toothpaste 26 By any means

28 It may be proper

29 Start to mature?

32 Poll gathering

33 Lancelot and Mix-a-Lot 34 “La Cage __ Folles” 35 Bleak

38 Linguistic suffix

39 *Enter on the sly

41 Word before and after “oh”

42 Freshwater minnow 44 Chaps

45 2002-'03 viral outbreak, briefly

46 Together, so to speak 47 Droop

48 Plasm prefix 49 Followers of shots

52 Taj __

53 Put the brakes on 54 Phantom

58 “Mental Illness” Grammy winner Mann 60 Jiffy Lube service, and a hint to the start of the answers to starred clues 64 Engagement ring centerpiece

65 Lackluster

66 Like some U.S. mail 67 Belarus capital

68 Start of a decisionmaking rhyme

69 Actor Miller of “Justice League”

DOWN

1 Bud

2 Park in NYC, e.g. 3 Long of “NCIS: Los Angeles”

4 Garage containers 5 “Copacabana” showgirl

6 Open a bit

7 Verbal hesitations 8 Reacts to yeast 9 ID issuer

10 Laptop alternatives 11 *Two-time women's soccer Olympic gold medalist

12 Espresso foam

13 “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” novelist 18 Short trip

21 Dropping (off)

23 Indy racing family name 24 Din

25 *Gravlax

27 Key

29 They go for the gold

30 Feel remorse for

31 Finals, say

36 Major artery

37 Germ-killing brand 39 Triangle ratio

40 Hawaii's Mauna __ 43 Buckles, as a seat belt 45 Yachting event, e.g.

49 Great divide 50 French-speaking Western Hemisphere country

51 Fine English china 52 “So-so”

55 Kerry locale

56 Extended family

57 Frozen dessert chain 59 “Yikes!”

61 Pince-__ glasses 62 Watchdog's warning

63 ORD posting