Election 2020: The California Crossword Edition

From CalMatters:

By Ben Christopher

September 16, 2020

Every election season has its ups and downs — now this one has acrosses as well.

Think you know California, from its Capitol culture to its latest ballot props? This crossword puzzle will put your expertise to the test. (It also put us to the test — we’ve had trouble getting it to work on mobile, so our sincere apologies that mobile users, for now, will need to print it it out and solve it the old-fashioned way.) Time yourself and let us know how you did.

And if you need hints, avail yourselves of the clues’ hyperlinks to our Election 2020 Voter Guide, studded with answers just awaiting your discovery.

ACROSS

1. Vinyasa accessories

5. Wind or wood might pass through one

9. What a "Yes" vote on Proposition 25 would eliminate

13. When something runs this way, chaos ensues

14. During

15. Cheese named for a Dutch town

16. How one might describe Proposition 15

18. Carson Assemblymember Mike Gipson, for one

19. It may offer shares of their yield (Abbr.)

20. Upton Sinclair novel set in Southern California

21. Permit

22. California's third smallest county by population

25. Prefix with "-ysis"...for the type of clinic at issue with Proposition 23

28. Origin

32. Greek group, for short

35. Love lines

36. Type of action that would be permitted if Proposition 16 passes

40. Silently signaling in the 36-Across

41. Group for whom the largest population center in the United States is in Fremont, California

42. It's one or the other

44. Common destinations for EMTs

45. Might be a valuable party favor for a politician

48. Distance btwn Lyft coords

49. Following "Q", an Internet conspiracy theory

50. Ish

51. This, across the border from San Ysidro

53. If Proposition 17 passes, one on parole could vote / If Proposition 20 passes, it would be easier for a lawbreaker to become one

57. When a ref. calls it

59. John's dance partner in "Pulp Fiction"

60. Looks like a "P" and could be found on a 32-Across banner

62. They'll lose a tax break if Proposition 19 passes

64. A new minimum age if Proposition 18 passes

67. They run parallel to the radiuses

68. How one might learn about sin

69. "____ life I'll love you more" (Beatles lyric)

70. Jobs that would be reclassified by Proposition 22

71. Prop. 24 would expand laws designed to keep yours private

72. The types of cells to be researched with funding from Proposition 14

DOWN

1. It's used for embellishing lashes

2. Intensifies (up)

3. Original high-speed rail plan: from SF _____

4. What one might do at Big Bear or Mammoth

5. Mustachioed plumber of fame

6. What someone liable to benefit from Proposition 19 might say?

7. Kim or Pump diminutive

8. The "bad" cholesterol

9. How gifts, wine or ears may be treated

10. Fast-talking salesperson

11. Altar affirmation

12. May come before top or dog

15. Product seemingly favored by Governor Newsom

17. Assemblymembers Lackey or Daly

23. Regularly

24. One proclaiming the order of a judge...or who gets choked up

26. Festoons

27. CA.-legal bulb-type

29. One type of Bachelor

30. Counteracting

31. Notaro of note

33. Alamo foe

34. Where one might find the cerveau

37. Zeus' mother

38. Horace or Aimee

39. In ____ itself (by its own nature)

43. Kaiser Permanente, eg

44. Old-timey, before

46. How many Asian American women there are in the California Legislature

47. A place name

52. They might be found in a gumbo or curry

54. "That's great!" in text shorthand, perhaps

55. Alpha's opposite

56. What some computer programs might spit out if you ask it to divide zero by zero

58. Predecessor to the CIA

60. It might be "controlled" if Proposition 21 passes

61. Key ingredient in Impossible Burgers

62. A pre-COVID greeting

63. Lilly or Manning

64. HPV, for one

65. Constitutional amd. ratified by California on Nov. 13, 1972

66. "____ but a scratch," said the Black Knight of Monty Python

After all, this election isn’t just a Trump-Biden cage-match. Californians will have a direct say in the fate of a dozen ballot measures, some placed on your ballot by lawmakers, others by activists, others by industries.

If you’re still game after you’ve mastered this California Crossword, check out our Interactive “Gimme Props” — it will help you discern, based on your responses, how you might want to vote on Nov. 3.

To be sure you’re prepared to play in Election 2020, register to vote — or if you think you already are registered, you can confirm that online.

Crossword designed by Ben Christopher and built online by Kevin Lizarazo.

Via the Post It, CalMatters political reporter Ben Christopher shares frequent updates from the (socially distanced) 2020 campaign trail.

Californians — what to know before you vote

In addition to the high-stakes Trump vs. Biden presidential match, the 2020 ballot asks you whether to raise property taxes, expand rent control, ban cash bail, further protect consumer data privacy and resurrect affirmative action. It also will determine if the state Legislature remains in the control of a gigamajority of Democrats, and if the “blue wave” that swept away half of GOP-held congressional seats has receded. Confused about anything? Our best-on-the-market voter guide has got you covered.

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