LA Times Crossword
December 16, 2018
Joe Kidd
(Title shown below)

Each phrase in the left-hand column corresponds to a word in the right-hand column according to a certain pattern. Can you match them up and explain the pattern?

TROUBLED  TIMES               CRANED
SUE IS CONFUSED                AMOUNT
FINISHED OFF                        AIDE
UPSET SISTER                        EARTH
EXOTIC DANCER                  RESIST
ODD MAN OUT                      ISSUE
BROKEN HEART                    FIENDISH
CRAZY IDEA                          SMITE

Answer:

Each word in the right-hand column is an anagram of one (or two) of the words in the left-hand column. The other words in the left-hand column explain the "gimmick" for the anagram:

troubled TIMES - SMITE
SUE IS confused - ISSUE
FINISHED off - FIENDISH
upset SISTER - RESIST
exotic DANCER - CRANED
odd MAN OUT - AMOUNT
broken HEART - EARTH
crazy IDEA - AIDE 

Puzzle title: IN OTHER WORDS