Thursday, December 18, 2025, Rebecca Goldstein

Theme:  On a wing and a prayer ...

Wright Brothers first flight, December 17, 1903

Was our constructor, Rebecca Goldstein, inspired by yesterday's 122nd anniversary of the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina?  Maybe!  The theme answers in today's puzzle all involve wings.  They are:

17-Across. Many an American employee: FLIGHT ATTENDANT.  The American Airlines flight attendant uniform includes a metal pin in the shape of wings with the company logo at the center. 

25-Across. List of pub grub: BAR MENU.  A bar menu frequently includes chicken wings.

28-Across. Contest that starts with a center-ice faceoff: NHL GAME.  The National Hockey League includes a team called the Detroit Red Wings that is celebrating its 100th anniversary in the 2025/26 season.

42-Across. Residential upgrades: HOME IMPROVEMENT.  Upgrading your home?  You might add a new wing.

55-Across. Red Bull slogan, and what can also be said of 17-, 25-, 28-, and 42-Across: GIVES YOU WIIINGS.  Red Bull is an "energy drink" containing caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, B vitamins, and inositol.  It is advertised as a performance enhancer.  In 2013, a class-action lawsuit argued that the slogan "Red Bull gives you wings" and related marketing claims misled consumers into believing the drink provided benefits not found in a cup of coffee.  The suit was settled for $13 million, and the slogan was changed to "Red Bull gives you WIIINGS" as if this is somehow more clearly metaphorical, and less a literal claim.  Both the before and after slogans are news to this blogger.

So, 17-, 25-, 28-, and 42-Across GIVE YOU WINGS.  Sort of, right?  The flight attendant might give you a wings pin.  The bar menu might give you chicken wings.  An NHL game might serve up the Detroit Red Wings.  And home improvements might give you (and your house) new wings.

At this point, we are flying high.  On to the rest of the clues and answers!

Across:

1. "In the headlights" animal: DEER.  Deer have more light sensitive rod cells and greater dilation than we have in our eyes, giving them good night vision. When you shine bright light into their faces at night, they are blinded. Their fear response is to freeze to avoid detection by predators. This response is not well adapted to fast moving cars.

5. Golf tops: POLOS.  Golf courses often have dress codes requiring shirts with collars, so a polo shirt is a comfortable way to meet that standard.

10. Fury: RAGE.

14. Soul, in Spanish: ALMA.

15. "Alas and __!": ALACK.  Alas and alack have the same meaning, and are doubled for effect.

16. Some Sharon Olds poems: ODES.  Sharon Olds is an American poet who won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.  Raised by abusive parents in a strict religious environment, her poetry uses raw language to expose domestic and political violence.  Odes is a 2016 collection of poetry in the form of odes addressing taboo subjects.

17. [Theme clue]

20. __ sauce: TARTAR.

21. Called: TERMED.

22. Brand of 5-Across: IZOD.  Remember when this brand of polo shirts was all the 10-Across?  

24. Breakfast bowl berry: ACAI.

25. [Theme clue]

28. [Theme clue]

32. Skin soother: ALOE.

33. HS diploma equivalent: GED.  General Educational Development is a set of exams that provide a certificate equivalent to a high school diploma.

35. "All over that": ON IT.

36. Wellness space: SPA.

37. Fruit also known as guanabana: SOURSOP.  Soursop is the fruit of Annona muricata, a broadleaf evergreen tree.  It is native to the tropical Americas and is widely propagated.  With an aroma similar to pineapple, the flavor has been described as a combination of strawberries and apple with sour citrus notes, and a creamy texture reminiscent of banana.

Soursop fruit on the tree

41. Herbal refreshment: TEA.

42. [Theme clue]

45. Director Lee: ANG.

46. Quick __ wink: AS A.

47. Escapade: LARK.

49. Chess greats, for short: GMS.  Grandmasters.  Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain.

52. Indigenous Canadians: CREE.

55. [Theme clue]

59. Butter Restaurant chef/owner Guarnaschelli: ALEX.  She's a Food Network star and Manhattan restaurateur.

Alex Guarnaschelli

60. March follower: APRIL.

61. Sushi seaweed: NORI.

62. Pops: DADA.

63. Foul call, maybe: PRANK.  A couple of my friends made "foul calls" when we were in middle school.  A call to the corner drug store or liquor store:  "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?  You do?  Well, let him out!"  And a call to any random number:  "Is your refrigerator running?  It is?  Well, you'd better go catch it!"

64. Scratched (out): EKED.

65. Con: SCAM.

66. Shoe bottoms: SOLES.

67. Simchat bat, for one: RITE.  "Simchat bat" is Hebrew for "rejoicing over a daughter."  This ritual welcomes a baby girl into the Jewish people, much as the "brit milah" (or "covenant of circumcision") welcomes a baby boy ... but with no surgery involved.

Down:

1. Absurd: DAFT.  Just plain silly.

2. "First Lady of Song" Fitzgerald: ELLA.

3. Qatari commander: EMIR.

4. "The Entertainer" genre: RAGTIME.  "The Entertainer" is a 1902 ragtime piece for piano written by Scott Joplin.  It was popular as a piano roll for player pianos in the 1910s, and was first recorded by "the Blue Boys" in 1928, on mandolin and guitar.  In 1973, it was the theme music for The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.  Ragtime was big from the 1890s to 1910s; its signature trait is a syncopated or "ragged" rhythm.

5. Source of financial aid: PATRON.

6. Rio greeting: OLA.  "Hello" in Portuguese, the language of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

7. Muscle worked in dumbbell rows: LAT.  Cruciverbalists call those large back muscles "latissimi dorsi," but gym rats call them lats.

8. Halloween mo.: OCT.  An abbreviation in the clue suggests an abbreviation in the answer.

9. Comedy scene: SKETCH.

10. "Good 4 U" singer Olivia: RODRIGO.  Olivia Rodrigo acted in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and then shifted into singing, which has earned her three Grammy awards.  She was recognized as Time's Entertainer of the Year in 2021, Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2022, and ASCAP's Pop Music Songwriter of the Year in 2022 and 2024.  Good 4 U was her second number-one song in 2021.  This blogger is behind the times.  

11. Driver of "Ferrari": ADAM.  Adam Driver played Enzo Ferrari in the 2023 film.

Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, and as himself.

12. Part of an inheritance: GENE.  Part of a genetic inheritance.

13. Founded, as a co.: ESTD.  "Established" can be abbreviated as EST, ESTD, or EST'D.

18. Skyline obscurer: HAZE.

19. Diane of "Law & Order: SVU": NEAL.  Diane Neal played a New York assistant district attorney on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit from 2003 to 2012.  She had an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2018.

Diane Neal on SVU

23. Excavated: DUG UP.

24. "In conclusion ... ": AND SO ...

25. Fun function: BASH.

26. Chewy brand: ALPO.  Chewy is a pet supplies website.  As far as I can tell, they don't offer the Alpo brand of pet food on their U.S. site, but they do offer it in Canada.  Alpo does make a dog treat called Chew-eez, but again, it appears to be for the Canadian market.  Is our constructor suggesting that Alpo is a particularly chewy brand of pet food?  How would she know?  

27. Wander: ROAM.

29. Price for hand delivery?: ANTE.  The price you pay to be dealt a hand in a card game.

30. Bearing: MIEN.

31. Coup d'__: ÉTAT.  French for "blow to the state," more or less.  An illegal takeover of the government by sudden action.

34. Stumble or fumble: ERR.

37. Vanity pieces: SINKS.  A bathroom vanity combines a sink, countertop, and storage cabinet.

38. "Srsly!?": OMG.  Textspeak:  Seriously?  Oh my god!

39. Roe, e.g.: OVA.

40. "Raging Bull" Oscar nominee: PESCI.  Raging Bull is a 1980 Martin Scorsese film about boxing champion Jake LaMotta.  Joe Pesci plays Jake's brother, Joey LaMotta.

From Raging Bull: Joe Pesci is on the right

43. Sound check?: EAR EXAM.  Your blogger has an audiology appointment tomorrow.

44. Water boy?: MARINER.  A mariner works aboard a boat or ship ... on the water.

47. Olive family shrub: LILAC.  Lilacs and olives are members of the family Oleaceae.  Other family members (of which there are 700!) include jasmine and forsythia.

48. Vegan brand owned by Estée Lauder: AVEDA.

49. Device on a snowboarder's helmet, maybe: GOPRO.  A GoPro is a camera used to capture videos and photos in challenging situations.  It is waterproof and shockproof, can stabilize images, and has versatile mounting options.

50. Wall flowers, perhaps: MURAL.

51. Pigs: SWINE.

53. Miso soup mushroom: ENOKI.

Enoki mushrooms

54. Ibis kin: EGRET.

55. Wanders (about): GADS.

56. Blathers on: YAPS.

57. Varieties: ILKS.

58. "Oh sure, take their __!": SIDE.

Here's the grid:

Solvers:  Did you think Rebecca's puzzle was DAFT?  Did you ERR at some point and react in RAGE?

Or did you think the experience of solving was a LARK and look forward to more puzzles of this ILK?

Let us know in the comments!

-- NaomiZ

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Adam Shapiro

Theme:  Triple doubles.  Each theme fill contains three groups of doubled [or more] letters.

 

 (Edited later: Each theme entry consists of three parts, each part can follow "Double":

 

CROSS-OVER STAR:  Double cross. Double over. Double star.

BEDROOM DOOR - Double bed. Double room. Double door.

TAKE UP SPACE - Double Take. Double up. Double space.

 

 

 

First, the unifier --  58 A. Impressive basketball feats, and what 20-, 36-, and 43-Across have: TRIPLE DOUBLES.  A triple-double in basketball occurs when a player achieves double digits (10 or more) in three of the five main statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks, with points, rebounds, and assists being the most common combination

20 A. Artist with success in more than one genre: CROSS-OVER STAR.    A celebrity who successfully moves from one entertainment field (like music) to another (like acting) or from a niche genre to mainstream success, broadening their appeal.  The three doubles here are R, O and S, though the S's over-achieve.

36. What an angsty teenager may slam: BEDROOM DOOR.  A bedroom door primarily provides privacy, security, and noise control for a personal space.  The psychology behind door slamming involves expressing intense, often negative, emotions like anger, frustration, and helplessness when words fail, acting as a physical release or symbolic boundary-setting against overwhelming situations or people, and sometimes it's a learned behavior or a passive-aggressive way to signal displeasure without direct confrontation, serving as a powerful, non-verbal declaration of ending something or needing space.  The three doubles here are D, R and O.  The O's have a doubled double.

43. Be useless: TAKE UP SPACE.  In a non-constructive way.  The doubles here are A, E, and P.

Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here, with only two doubles, though they bookend the alphabet.  Let's dig into this puzzle.  I promise not to have a tantrum.

Across:

1. Biblical kingdom east of the Dead Sea:  MOAB.    A people and a land east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot, known for their frequent conflicts with Israel but also for figures like Ruth, a Moabitess in Jesus's lineage, showcasing grace amidst rivalry.

5. "But there is __ in Mudville ... ": NO JOY.   " . . .mighty Casey has struck out."  I once had an occasion to write a parody of Ernest Lawrence Thayer's famous poem.  It can be seen here.

10. Pack and send: SHIP.  My lovely wife does this with her cookies to our grands in remote locations.

14. Poet __ St. Vincent Millay: EDNA.   Edna St. Vincent Millay [1892 - 1950] was an American lyrical poet and playwright.   Millay was a renowned social figure and noted feminist in New York City during the Roaring Twenties and beyond. She also wrote prose under the pseudonym Nancy Boyd. 

15. Abruptly end an engagement?: ELOPE.  Well - this is ending it in a hopeful way, getting married.

16. Nevada city on the Truckee River: RENO.   A city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County.  Reno is a tourist destination known for its casino gambling and proximity to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.

17. Pros and __: CONS.  Good and bad points.

18. Relentlessly protect the line on the battlefield: MAKE A STAND.   To adopt a firm position or opinion about an issue and be prepared to defend it, often in the face of opposition or a majority consensus. 

22. To this point: AS YET.  Until now.

23. Snacked: ATE.  Consumed victuals, like those in 33 A.

24. Scratch, say: MAR.   Cause a defect.

27. Fortuneteller's deck: TAROT.   Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy whereby practitioners use tarot cards to purportedly gain insight into the past, present or future. The process typically begins with formulation of a question, followed by drawing and interpreting cards to uncover meaning. 

31. Home for Sharks or Kraken: ARENA.  This is kind of sneaky, since OCEAN also fits. but no - this refers to two west coast teams in the National Hockey League, located in San Jose and Seattle, respectively.

33. Frito-__ snacks: LAY.  Salty, crunchy, carby, bet-you-can't-eat just one delights, as in 23A.

39. Skin care brand: OLAY.   A skincare brand owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G), that originated in South Africa in 1952 as "Oil of Olay". Founded by Graham Wulff, the brand was acquired by P&G in 1985. The brand offers moisturizers, cleansers, and serums, and is a market leader in the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. 

41. Decorate: ADORN.  Make more beautiful or attractive.

42. BMW competitor: AUDI.   German cars.  Audi of America, Inc., a subsidiary of Audi AG, markets Audi vehicles in the United States. The company, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, sells sedans, crossovers, coupes, SUVs, and convertibles. 

46. Sum of the first three prime numbers: TEN.  These primes are two, three and five.  One looks like it should also be a prime, but for some technical reason, it isn't.

47. __ legend: URBAN.   A humorous or horrific story or piece of information circulated as though true, especially one purporting to involve someone vaguely related or known to the teller.  Or - such a story about country singer and former spouse of Nicole, Keith.  Or [and this is a reach] a high-performance race car built as a 5/8-scale replica of 1930s and 1940s American automobiles, driven in the city.  

48. Choose: ELECT.  Opt for.

50. Big D sch.: SMU. Southern Methodist University, a private research university in University Park, Texas, United States. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South—now part of the United Methodist Church—in partnership with Dallas civic leaders.

51. Org. that may confiscate liquids: TSA.  Transportation Security Administration, a United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agency, secures U.S. transportation systems. Created in 2001 after the September 11 attacks, its main focus is airport security, preventing aircraft hijackings and other threats. 

54. Torah teacher: RABBI.   A spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. A person becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as semikhah—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts, including the Tanakh, Midrash, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, Halakha, and rabbinic commentaries thereon.

63. Find an extra level, ala Spinal Tap: GO TO ELEVEN.   One more better higher louder.

65. Help (out): BAIL.    Rescue someone from a bad spot, often financially or from trouble, by analogy to paying bail to get released from jail.   One of my trombone buddies bailed me out with an extra stand light when mine went out in the middle of performing for a Christmas party on Sunday.

66. Innovator's first step: IDEA.  A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.

67. Like a baseball bat's symmetry: AXIAL.    Symmetry around an axis or line (geometry). An object is said to be axially symmetric if its appearance is unchanged if transformed around an axis.  In a bat, this axis is the center line along the length of the bat.

68. Squeeze (past): EDGE.   To win or advance by a very small margin; or to narrowly slip by an obstacle.

69. Square figure: NERD.   A nerd is a term for someone deeply passionate about intellectual, academic, or niche subjects, often seen as socially awkward.   A square is someone uncool, conventional, old-fashioned, or out of touch with current trends.

70. Running total: TALLY.  The current amount at any given moment.

71. Juicy bit of info: DEET.  Slang for detail[s.]. They don't have to be juicy, so I have my doubts about this clue

Down:

1. Hajj destination: MECCA.   A hajj the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place in the last month of the year, and that all Muslims are expected to make at least once during their lifetime.  Mecca is Islam's holiest city, located in Saudi Arabia, known as the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad.

2. Smells: ODORS.  Aromas, if they're pleasant. If not, other synonyms may apply.

3. Pester: ANNOY.   Bug or irritate someone, or make them a little angry. 

4. Type of dog serenaded by Elvis on "The Steve Allen Show": BASSET.  It's a hound.

5. Fictional clownfish: NEMO.  More than you want to know, probably.

6. Royal name of Norway: OLAV.  The name of 5 Norwegian kings over the last 1000 or so years.

7. Card material: JOKE.  In slang, "card" often means an amusing, eccentric, or unique person.  Which card?  The Joker, probably. 

8. Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking," for one: OPERA.  A renowned contemporary American opera by composer Jake Heggie with a libretto by Terrence McNally, based on Sister Helen Prejean's memoir about her spiritual work with death row inmates, exploring themes of justice, compassion, and humanity.

9. Beer foam producer: YEAST.   Yeast makes beer foam by producing carbon dioxide during fermentation, which forms bubbles that get trapped by foam-stabilizing proteins from malt and yeast, creating the frothy head

10. Mex. miss: SRTA.    A form of "señorita", a noun which is often translated as "young lady". "Srta." is an abbreviation which is often translated as "Ms.".

11. "I can explain": HEAR ME OUT.  "Hear me out" means "listen to my full explanation or perspective before you judge or respond," asking for patience to fully convey an idea, often something unusual or potentially controversial, so the listener understands the complete thought. 

12. Travel stop: INN.   A place to spend the night in.

13. Orca family group: POD.    A whale pod is a social group, usually of related whales (like orcas or dolphins), that travels, hunts, and lives together, often centered around a matriarchal line, providing protection and cooperative benefits.

19. Boiling water output: STEAM.  Water vapor condensing in the air.

21. Guess: STAB.  An attempt to answer, without a sound basis in knowledge or evidence.

25. Cathode's counterpart: ANODE.  The negative and positively charged electrodes, respectively, of a device.

26. __ to go: RARIN'.   Eager and enthusiastic.

28. Gather, as crops: REAP.  Bring in the harvest.

29. Against all __: ODDS.   Succeeding or happening despite extremely low chances, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, or expectations that it wouldn't happen, emphasizing perseverance and unlikely triumph over difficulty. 

30. Familiar theme: TROPE.    A writer's usage of commonly recurring or overused literary techniques and rhetorical devices (characters and situations), motifs, and clichés in a work of creative literature.

32. Nutrition fig.: RDA.   Recommended Dietary Allowance, the average daily nutrient intake level that meets the needs of nearly all (97-98%) healthy people in a specific life stage and gender group, serving as a key guideline within Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) to ensure adequate nutrition

33. Seated meditation pose: LOTUS.  An advanced yoga and meditation pose where each foot rests on the opposite thigh, creating a stable, upright seat with knees pointing out, resembling a lotus flower. 

34. False follower?: ALARM.   Misdirecting clue.  The word "alarm" can follow the word "false."  It means a warning given about something that fails to happen.

35. Calorific tea ingredient in Tibet: YAK BUTTER.   Yak butter tea, or po cha, is a traditional, hearty Himalayan drink made from strong tea, yak butter, salt, and sometimes milk, providing essential fats and energy in harsh climates, often described as savory, oily, and creamy, serving as sustenance, a ritual drink, and even a skin moisturizer. It's prepared by boiling tea leaves, churning the strong brew with yak butter and salt, and sometimes milk, resulting in a frothy, soup-like beverage that's central to Tibetan culture and diet. 

37. Like much medication: ORAL.  Taken by mouth, rather than injection.

38. __ in a lifetime: ONCE.  An event, experience, or opportunity that is extremely rare, special, and unlikely to happen again in a person's life.  And this famous song.

40. Vote to pass a bill: YEA.  All opposed say Nae.

44. Loosen, as a shoelace: UNTIE.  Undo a knot.

45. Hosiery shade: ECRU.  A pale, creamy, grayish-yellow or light brownish-beige color, named from the French word for "raw" or "unbleached" linen, describing its original natural state.

49. Like busy browser windows: TABBED.  As I write this, I have 14 tabs open in my Chrome window.

52. Water balloon sound: SPLAT.  A slappy, splashy sound.
 
53. Amazon assistant with regional accents: ALEXA. Amazon's cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) voice service that powers smart speakers (like Echo) and other devices, allowing users to control them with voice commands to play music, get news, manage smart home devices, set timers, and more.  Alternatively, my 2nd oldest granddaughter.

55. Mandoline piece: BLADE.  A mandoline slicer is a kitchen tool with a razor-sharp blade for quickly slicing fruits and vegetables into uniform shapes and thicknesses.  

 I'll admit I was baffled by this for a while, since I misunderstood the clue.

56. Hosiery shade: BEIGE.   A pale, sandy, neutral color, like a grayish-tan or light yellowish-brown, named from the French for undyed, natural wool, offering a warm, subtle, and versatile backdrop often associated with dependability and relaxation, blending creamy off-white with light brown tones.   And a clecho.

57. Castaway's place: ISLET.  A small island.

59. Fork locale: ROAD.   A place where one must choose.

60. Villainous: EVIL.  Up to no good.

61. Bargain: DEAL.  A favorable purchase price

62. Hulu's "__ Murders in the Building": ONLY.  No one or nothing more besides; solely or exclusively.  The program is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. The show focuses on a trio of strangers (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) with a shared interest in true crime podcasts, who become friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their upscale apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and producing their own podcast about the cases, titled Only Murders in the Building. It's been renewed for a 6th season.  I never got around to watching season 4.

63. Gimlet liquor: GIN.  A Gimlet is a classic, tart, and refreshing cocktail made with gin, lime juice, and a sweetener like simple syrup or lime cordial, traditionally shaken with ice and served up in a coupe glass, garnished with a lime wheel or twist.  Gin is a clear, distilled alcoholic spirit defined by its primary flavoring: juniper berries, combined with other botanicals like citrus peels, coriander, and angelica root, creating a fresh, piney, and complex flavor profile, popular in cocktails.

64. Lines from an admirer: ODE.  A lyrical, often ceremonial poem that praises or glorifies a specific person, place, thing, or idea.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  Happy holidays, and a joyous and prosperous New Year to all.  I'll be back in January.

Cool regards!

JzB

Tuesday December 16, 2025 Emily Biegas and Sala Wanetick

Hear, Hear!  All ears are not used for hearing.

17-Across. Dog ears?: BOOKMARKS.

26-Across. Bunny ears?: SHOELACE KNOT.

42-Across. Elephant ears?: CARNIVAL FOOD.

56-Across. Mouse ears?: MICKEY HAT.

Across:

1. Sound of an eye-opening moment: AHA!

4. Unlikely to break the ice: TIMID.

9. Objects of worship: IDOLS.

14. Most populous city in Can.: TOR.  Toronto.  Hi, Canadian, Eh!

15. Pointlessly silly: INANE.

16. Inter Miami captain Lionel: MESSI.  Lionel Andrés Messi (b. June 24, 1987) is an Argentine professional soccer player.  He has been with Miami since 2023.

19. Windshield sticker: DECAL.

20. Smoothie bowl berry: AÇAI.  This berry is a small, dark purple fruit that grows in the Amazon.  And you can purchase them from the other Amazon.

21. Start for giving and taking: MIS.  As in Misgiving and Mistaking.

22. Beefsteak, for one: TOMATO.  A beefsteak tomato is a large, meaty and juicy variety of tomato.  It is most common on burgers, sandwiches and salads.  Yummers!

23. Quickly don: THROW ON.

25. Regal home: MANOR.

30. Like walruses and wild boars: TUSKED.

33. Mo. with a spooky finale: OCT.  October has a spooky Halloween finale.

34. Gold, in Spanish: ORO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

35. Got up: AROSE.

36. Sailor's yes: AYE.

37. New York mascot with a baseball for a head: MR. MET.  Apparently there is a Ms. Met, too.

39. "Geaux Tigers!" sch.: LSU.  As in Louisiana State University.  If you watch college football, you know that LSU has been in the news a lot recently, and not for having a winning team.

Mike the Tiger, the mascot of LSU.

40. Four-time WNBA MVP Wilson: A'JA.  A'ja Riyadh Wilson (b. August 8, 1996) is an American professional basketball player.  She plays for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association.  Aja is also the name of a Steely Dan album.

41. Creamy chocolate dessert: MOUSSE.  Yummers!

46. Software-creating professional: CODER.

47. Riled up: ANGERED.

51. "Not all __ wear capes": HEROES.

53. French sailor's yes: OUI.  Today's French lesson.

54. Actress Headey: LENA.  I never watched Game of Thrones, was not familiar with this actress.  Apparently, Lena Kathren Headey (b. Oct. 3, 1973) portrayed Cersei Lannister on that show.

55. Greek alphabet ender: OMEGA.  It's all Greek to me.

58. Inbox message: E-MAIL.

59. Hightails it: FLEES.

60. Royal flush card: ACE.

61. Knighted women: DAMES.  That's Dame Helen Mirren (née Ilyena Lydia Mironoff; b. July 26, 1945) to you.  She was made a Dame in 2003.

62. "The Jetsons" dog: ASTRO.  A reference to the cartoon from the 1960s.

63. "Dynamite" K-pop group: BTS.

Down:

1. Chance for a hit: AT BAT.

2. Moonshine: HOOCH.

3. Thundering, as a crowd: AROAR.  Mike the Tiger and the Crowd Roar.

4. Minnesota governor Walz: TIM.  Timothy James Walz (b. April. 6, 1964) is the 41th governor on Minnesota.  He has been in office since since January 2019.

5. Irritable: IN A MOOD.

6. "Semper fi" shouter: MARINE.

7. Signs, as a contract: INKS.

8. Jardin __ Tuileries: public space near the Louvre: DES.  More of today's French lesson.  The Tuileries Garden is a public garden between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France.  Queen Catherine de' Medici had the garden made as part of the Tuileries Palace in 1564.  After the French Revolution, it became a public park.

9. "That's all for me": I'M DONE.

10. View as appropriate: DEEM OK.

11. Formal nods from the Academy, informally: OSCAR NOMS.  As in a nomination.

12. Future esq.'s exam: LSAT.  As in Law School Admission Test.  This appeared in Friday's puzzle, so I'll steal MM's accompanying image.

13. Rural storage tower: SILO.

18. Mall stalls: KIOSKS.

22. Diplomacy: TACT.

24. "This ride is fun!": WHEE!

25. Spice in pumpkin spice, often: MACE.  Mace is a spice from the nutmeg tree.  It is also a weapon.

27. Like a ride-or-die friend: LOYAL.

28. Metal-yielding rocks: ORES.  A crossword staple.

29. Checkout lane bag: TOTE.

30. Anticaking agent in table salt: TALC.  I was not aware that Talc was used in food products.  Apparently, the FDA has approved it in foods at a concentration of less than 2%.

31. Latin for "bear" in constellation names: URSA.  Also known as the Big and Little Dipper.

32. Common substitute for Greek yogurt: SOUR CREAM.

36. Slightly open: AJAR.  Not to be confused with 40-Across.

37. Electronic music pioneer Robert: MOOG.  The use of the Moog synthesizer was first used in the mid-1960s.  Robert Arthur Moog (May 23, 1934 ~ Aug. 21, 2005) was an American engineer and pioneer in electronic music.

38. Without manners: RUDELY.

40. St. crossers: AVES.  Streets and Avenues.  Sounds like a game of Chutes and Ladders.

41. Nickname: MONIKER.

43. Painful head rub: NOOGIE.

44. Lofty standards: IDEALS.

45. Sink fixture: FAUCET.

48. Home update, familiarly: REHAB.

49. Put into law: ENACT.

50. Candlelit dinners for two, e.g.: DATES.

51. Cleared weeds in the garden, say: HOED.

52. Jane Austen novel that inspired the movie "Clueless": EMMA.

53. Frying liquids: OILS.

56. Iowa Writers' Workshop deg.: MFA.  As in a Master of Fine Arts.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

57. That, in Tijuana: ESO.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

I'll be out next week, but I know you will be in good hands.  Wishing you a very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.

Happy Chanukah to those who are celebrating.  May the memory of those who perished in Sydney be a blessing.