LA Times Crossword
June 23, 2020
Warren Houck

The answers to the clues below will have something in common.

1. East Asian mushroom
2. Major branch of Islam
3. From the 50th state
4. City buried by Mount Vesuvius eruption
5. What a plane is doing before takeoff 
6. Popular winter sport
7. Bones or circle parts
8. The affirmative votes are in the majority and a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme.

Answers:

1. Shiitake (pronounced she (short) i tah' kee
2. Shiite
3. Hawaiian
4. Pompeii
5. Taxiing
6. Skiing
7. Radii
8. The ayes have it - - - words with two consecutive "I's"