Monday, September 28, 2026, Hoang-Kim Vu

  Theme: Words of Support.

17 Across. Words of support from an abacus?: YOU CAN COUNT ON ME.

29 Across. Words of support from a rideshare driver?: I'M HERE FOR YOU.

45 Across. Words of support from a crossbody bag?: I'M ON YOUR SIDE.

No!

Yes!

57 Across. Words of support from a broken elevator?: I WON'T LET YOU DOWN.

How the elevator got broken...

CE:D here, filling in. I don't know why all my cartoons seem so down in this fun, uplifting puzzle. Maybe because it's Monday... Hurry back NaomiZ! We need you to cheer us up!

Onward!

Across:
1. Game, __, match: SET.

4. Piece of cake: CINCH. Or, easy as pie! Use Granny Smiths!

9. Granny Smith, for one: APPLE.

14. The "A" of ETA: Abbr.: ARR. (Estimated Time of Arrival.)

15. Spanish form of Paul: PABLO.

16. "Get out of town!": NO WAY.

17. [Theme.]

20. Brainstorming outputs: IDEAS.

21. Epitome of slowness: SNAIL. Not Sloth?

22. Six years for a U.S. Senator, e.g.: TERM.

23. __ Arabia: SAUDI.

25. Pre-K basics: ABCS.

29. [Theme.]

32. Santa __, California: ANA.

35. Used a pair of sculls, say: OARED. More info here...

36. Chutzpah: NERVE.

37. Out that gets a runner home, for short: SAC FLY. Sacrifice Fly Ball.

39. Like some evening gowns: BEADED.

$991.00???

40. Invoice amount: TOTAL. (See above...)

41. Rebuff: SPURN. 

44. Sault __ Marie: STE. Oldest city in Michigan. Home of the Soo locks. More info here.

45. [Theme.]

48. Orange skin: RIND. (I wanted peel...)

49. Madrid museum: PRADO.

50. Quick inhalation: GASP.

54. Not united: APART.

56. Prefix with -lithic: PALEO.

57. [Theme.]

62. Around, in dates: CIRCA.

63. Phone notification: ALERT.

64. Tasseled hat that shares a name with a Moroccan city: FEZ.

Quite honestly, as a style choice, I just don't think it looks good on anybody.

(Unless your a Stoat.)

65. Leg joints: KNEES.

66. Smallest possible: LEAST.

67. Swim-bike-run race, informally: TRI. As such a long grueling race, why such a short name?

Down:
1. "Tell me already!": SAY IT.

2. Slowly wear away: ERODE.

3. More accurate: TRUER.

4. Pros who are busy in Apr.: CPAS. Certified Public Accountants.

5. Actor McKellen: IAN.

The one and only...

Would you believe? A young Gandalf?

6. "SNL" TV network: NBC. Saturday Night Live/National Broadcasting Company.

7. Sense of finality that may be needed after a breakup: CLOSURE. Hmm, after every breakup, I needed stitches...

8. Pursued doggedly: HOUNDED.

Musical interlude...

Would you believe, after all these years, the paper today said Frank Sinatra was disgusted by Elvis' dance moves... Jeez man, let it go...

9. Against: ANTI.

10. Location that may have "No running" and "No diving" signs: POOL AREA. Hmm, Monday clueing. I guess Wednesday would be no glass bottle area, and Friday would be "place to get a cue..."

11. Dominate, in gaming slang: PWN. (Pawn.) very grey area, could go on and on, (don't ask about teabagging...)

12. Go on the __: get out of town: LAM.

13. Organ with a retina: EYE.

18. Top that's useful in layering, for short: CAMI.

This is what happens when you spend too many hours doing crossword reviews...

19. Innocent one: NAIF. (Nope, I'm guilty..)

23. Mitchell of "Pretty Little Liars": SHAY.

24. __ Lingus: Irish carrier: AER.

26. "Turn! Turn! Turn!" band, with "The": BYRDS.

27. Desire: COVET.

28. Fuzzy fabric: SUEDE. When Michael Caine became famous, he was approached by John Wayne with some advice, I'll let Michael explain it...

When you're a star, don't wear suede shoes!

30. "Pretty in Pink" star Ringwald: MOLLY.

31. Sticking straight up, as hair: ON END.

32. Up and about: ASTIR. An A word!  Tell me, when did you last use this word!

33. Two-time Australian Open winner Osaka: NAOMI.

34. Follow, as a hunch: ACT ON.

38. Burlesque performance: FAN DANCE.

Due to complaints about pics degrading Women,

We are forced to downgrade the fan dance video...

39. Spirit: BRIO. It helps to know Italian...

41. Inexplicably weird: SURREAL.

42. Natter (on): PRATTLE.

43. Amer. capital: USD. U.S. Dollar.

46. Iridescent gem: OPAL.

47. "Good lord!": EGAD.

51. In midair: ALOFT. 

52. Underground waste line: SEWER.

53. __ scheme: PONZI.

55. School support orgs.: PTAS. (If I need to explain PTA's, you need to go back to school...)

56. Golf stroke near the hole: PUTT.

57. "How nasty": ICK.

58. Take first prize: WIN.

59. Mine lode: ORE.

60. Pro vote: YEA.

61. Surgery ctrs.: ORS. Operating Rooms.

The Grid.

*Just an Easter Egg for The Big Bang theory fans. Note: that when Leonard runs out with the smoking rocket fuel, Sheldon takes time to turn the refrigerator magnet upside down. It is explained in an earlier episode that Sheldon is obsessed with Flags. So much so that he created a Flag for the Apartment. A yellow lion on a field of blue. He turns the flag upside down as a sign that the apartment is in distress...

Oh! I almost forgot!

How the show ended 8 years later....

Some notes on my Monday solving experience:

26d birds b/4 byrds, can't remember if it was a fat fingered typo, or a brain fart...

32d up and about, awake before astir. Yes it was a rude awakening for a Monday...

44a soo b/4 ste, not quite awake yet, and old crosswords were seeping into my memory...

48a peel b/4 rind, reminds me why I gave up oranges for breakfast before having coffee...

60d pro vote, yes b/4 yea (it was my 66a least of my problems...)

And finally, since The Devil Wears Prada 2 recently came out, I put an A at the crossing of Prado and Brio...  (there are more Naticks in Europe than in Connecticut...)

Anywho, please leave some uplifting words in the comments. We all need them on a Monday...

CE:D out...

₍^ >⩊< ^₎Ⳋ

Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Nate McLean

 (Preface, by CrossEyedDave:)

Today's is a very special puzzle, we have a new young and talented Constructor, who's first puzzle has created a  fun (and for me) challenging suss fest. Not only that, I had an even more fun, challenging, and learning experience trying to explain it all! Nate, I look forward to many more "aha" moment experiences from you. Thank you for this submission...

Commenters: please let our new constructor know how he did with feedback on your personal experience in solving this puzzle.

Theme: Phonetic agreement 

They agree, they see eye to eye, but somehow I don't think it's going to end well...

The Reveal:

54 Across. *How like-minded people see, or a phonetic hint for the answers to the starred clues?: EYE TO EYE.

18 Across. *Tablet choice: IPAD MINI.

23 Across. *Silent film based on a Leoncavallo opera: I PAGLIACCI.

Canio is the tragic clown in the Opera PAGLIACCI.

There were two silent films titled "I" PAGLIACCI

One in 1915, and another in 1923.

It might ring a bell around the 2 minute mark...

Should it start with "I"? (Yes.)

36 Across. *Destination for a day trip from Naples: ISLE OF CAPRI.

Take a cruise, it will be fun, they said...

49 Across. *Lionel Messi's MLS team: INTER MIAMI.

MLS = Major League Soccer.

As you can clearly see, the themers go from I to I... you may be an optimist, but after I got tripped up by so many tricky clue/answers, I tend to be a bit disagreeable. (Full list at end...)

Let's see if we agree, onward!

Across:

1. Japanese beer brand: ASAHI.

So many choices...

6. Pet adoption org.: SPCA. Not to be confused with ASPCA. Explanation can be found here.

10. Exec concerned with network security: CTO. Chief Technology Officer.

13. Piccata ingredient: LEMON.

Even better, substitute White Wine for chicken stock!

14. "Celebration" band __ & the Gang: KOOL.

15. Magic spell: HEX. As a noun, it is a curse or a witch's charm meant to cause harm. As a verb (to hex), it means to cast that evil spell on someone. The word comes from the German word Hexe, meaning witch.

16. Inner selves, in Jungian psychology: ANIMAS. Deep dive can be found here: Japanese "Anime" is also (sort of) derived from the Latin Anima, or soul. A deeper dive can be found here... (Be careful Alice, there are rabbit holes ahead...)

18. [Theme.]

20. Friend: ALLY.

22. Poker-faced: STOIC.

23. [Theme.]

27. Overseas greeting?: AHOY. This really got me, I wanted Ciao...

30. Formally turn over: CEDE.

31. Panang curry cuisine: THAI.

32. Summoning contraction: C'MERE. ( not Pssst...)

33. Sweet potato kin: YAM.

34. Filmed: SHOT.

35. Oklahoma athlete: SOONER.

36. [Theme.]

39. DraftKings user, e.g.: BETTOR.

41. Gutter locale: EAVE. I was thinking bowling...

42. Skin pic: TAT.

45. Done (with): FED UP.

46. Architect Saarinen: EERO.

47. Old Testament scribe: EZRA.

48. Pet pest: FLEA.

49. [Theme.]

51. "The Trial" novelist Kafka: FRANZ.

53. Notary imprint: SEAL.

54. [Theme Reveal.]

57. Vin in the "Fast & Furious" franchise: DIESEL.

61. Passing through: VIA.

62. Nautilus captain: NEMO.

63. None too trusting: LEERY.

64. Just right: APT.

65. Garden with forbidden fruit: EDEN.

66. Drum kit drum: SNARE.

Down:
1. Banned Books Week org.: ALA. American Library Association.  Fear not! ALA does not refer to a Southern State!  Banned books week this year is October 4th thru 10th. If you oppose censorship, and support the freedom to read and learn, you can do something about it here!

2. Capitol Hill VIP: SEN. Senator.

3. French friend: AMI.

4. Show of respect: HOMAGE.

5. Entirely: IN ALL.

6. Slalom, say: SKI.

7. Genre for many an Attenborough documentary, in brief: POPSCI. Short for popular science.

8. Raccoon relative: COATI.

9. Canadian shoe brand: ALDO. Half a Natick with a 50% tariff...

10. Home of the Mayan temple El Castillo: CHICHEN ITZA.

11. Decimal base: TEN.

12. Commercial lead-in to Clean: OXI.

17. Move like a snake: SLITHER.

19. Spanish term of endearment: MI AMOR. (My love.)

21. Early search engine: YAHOO.

23. Distant: ICY.

24. Green shade: PEA.

25. Wave the white flag: ADMIT DEFEAT.

26. Where toe beans are found: CAT FEET.

28. Minecraft mineral: ORE.

29. "__ outta here!": YER.

32. Deal (with): COPE.

34. Low-quality A.I.-generated content: SLOP.

35. Reveled in: SAVORED.

37. E.B. White's "__ Little": STUART.

38. Gives a darn: CARES.

39. One to share a matching bracelet with, informally: BFF. Best Friend Forever.

40. Unagi roll fish: EEL.

43. Radius locale: ARM.

44. __ chi: martial art: TAI.

46. Biological catalyst: ENZYME.

47. Fashion designer Fisher: EILEEN. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

49. "__ a nap!": I NEED.

50. Sends: MAILS.

52. First-rate: AONE. Aone is a casual or stylized spelling of A-one, but personally I believe it should be One A, because A1 is a steak sauce...

54. Actress Longoria: EVA.

55. Puppy noise: YIP.

56. Countless lifetimes: EON.

58. __ salt: SEA.

59. Goof up: ERR.

60. Caustic compound: LYE.

The Grid.

I would be very interested to know what you thought of this puzzle, because, while I am a mediocre solver at best, this puzzle kept tripping me up. Was it just wavelength? Wheelhouse? Or very tricky clues.

(Or maybe I need to retire, lost to many brain cells... I dunno.) here is the list of things that tripped me up, but perpage and sussing made this quite the workout for me to finally finish this Wednesday puzzle.

1a Japanese beer asaki/asahi. If I get beer wrong, I need to stop drinking...

12d Commercial lead-in to Clean: oxo/oxi. Hmm, I got sidetracked in the kitchen...

17d Move like a snake: sidles/slither. Ok, ok, I saw snake and I panicked!

22a Poker-faced: stone/stoic. (Guess I was thinking stone faced...)

23d. Distant: far/icy. (Ooh, this left me cold...)

29d. "__ outta here!": get/yer (really? Get outta here!...)

45a. Done (with): FED UP. ( I tentatively penciled an E as in ended here before the perps confirmed I was done with...)

27a. Overseas greeting?: AHOY. This really got me, I wanted Ciao...

So who did this to me? Who is this constructor who kept me busy as a one armed wallpaper hanger?

I checked the L.A Times, nothing... N.Y Times, nothing... Google Crossword Constructors, nothing...

And then, as I was about to 25 down (admit defeat,) I found this:

Nate, I hope you stop by and tell us how you accomplished this suss fest, ( and how do you know Italian Opera? ) and I hope to see many more puzzles from you.  Who knows, maybe one day, we can meet eye to eye!

CE:D out...

≽^- ˕ -^≼

Monday, September 14, 2026, Brian Keller

  Today's Theme:

The Reveal:

60 Across. Game division, or what can be found in 16-, 26-, and 44-Across: FIRST HALF.

The First Half:

16 Across. Star of "Ghost" and "The Substance": DEMI MOORE.

The Second Half:

26 Across. "For Whom the Bell Tolls," for one: HEMINGWAY NOVEL.

The Third Half???

44 Across. Indigenous people of Oklahoma who originated in Florida: SEMINOLE NATION.

Demi, Hemi, and Semi are all prefixes meaning "half."

Onward!

Across:
1. Highly skilled: ABLE.

5. Mop (up), as gravy: SOP.

8. Valuable item: ASSET.

13. Spring: LEAP.

14. Perlman of "Cheers": RHEA.

You remember Carla...

15. "Hello," in Mandarin: NIHAO. My first guess would be to pronounce this NiH"a"-o, but I would be wrong.

16. [Theme.]

18. Believe without questioning: TRUST. Belief without questioning would be faith...

19. Former: ONE TIME. ("At" one time seems more plausible to my ears...)

20. Chemical in oven cleaners: LYE. No Lie! Why would you trust your lungs to this stuff?

22. "New" prefix: NEO.

23. "I'm __ roll!": ON A. (I think it would have to be two N's to be considered one word...)

24. Informal lingo: SLANG. (See above 23A.)

26. [Theme.]

32. Supergirl accessory: CAPE.

No Capes!

33. Actor's prompt: CUE.

34. One-named singer whose studio albums have numerical titles: ADELE.

35. Braying pack animal: ASS.

36. Thawing of diplomatic tensions: DETENTE.

39. Digital collectible: Abbr.: NFT. More info here...

40. Tale: STORY.

42. Fruit-filled pastry: PIE. Tart wouldn't fit..

43. French friends: AMIS.

44. [Theme.]

48. Stately home in the country: MANOR.

49. Wheels: CAR. Curious that you need "wheels" (plural, 4 to be exact,) for this clue to work...

Pardon my dust...

50. No. 1 pal: BFF. Best Friend Forever.

53. Cow sound: MOO.

54. French island near Sardinia: CORSICA.

58. Perp's excuse: ALIBI.

60. [Theme Reveal.]

62. Ancient artifact: RELIC.

63. "Up, up, and __!": AWAY.

64. Dr. Frankenstein's assistant: IGOR.

Obligatory pronunciation lesson...

65. Maroon vegetables: BEETS.

66. Pig heavier than 120 pounds: HOG.Some have been known to reach 1,400 lbs...

67. __ stick: POGO.

Down:
1. Gucci of fashion: ALDO.

2. "We've all __ there": BEEN.

3. Gold fabric: LAME.

4. Perfect example: EPITOME.

5. Jimmy Choo creation: SHOE.

6. Above, poetically: OER.

7. Spanish rice dish seasoned with saffron: PAELLA. During my recent trip to Spain (CE:D here...) I eagerly awaited tasting authentic Spanish Paella. However I was disappointed at every dinner in Barcelona and Girona. Too dark, brothy, and/or fishy. It was not until our cruise tour of Valencia that I was made aware that Paella originated here, and I sampled a delicious home made Paella of my dreams...

8. Insect feelers: ANTENNAE.

Some are more extravagant than others...

9. Knight's title: SIR.

10. Exclude: SHUN.

11. Smooth sailing: EASE.

12. Dog who visits Oz: TOTO.

14. Nora Roberts genre: ROMANCE.

17. Short skirt: MINI.

For Splynter...

For the Ladies...

21. "Yippee!": YAY. (Don't get too excited...)

24. Center defender in soccer: SWEEPER. Ack!again! We had this Wednesday!

25. Immortal being: GOD.

26. Speed: HASTE.

27. __ salts: bathwater additive: EPSOM. Would you bathe in it if it were called magnesium sulphate?

28. Belly: GUT.

29. Mobile payment app: VENMO.

30. Small and pointy-eared, perhaps: ELFIN. Large and pointy-eared, perhaps: Vulcan?

31. Tennis do-overs: LETS.

32. Elliot of the Mamas and the Papas: CASS.

Best video quality I could find, song starts at 1:20.

36. Branch of mechanics: DYNAMICS.

37. Diarist Anaïs: NIN. More info here.

38. Pot insulator, in England: TEA COSY.

41. Part of a basketball hoop: RIM.

43. Blimp, for one: AIRSHIP.

45. Peace activist Yoko: ONO.

46. Exfoliating scrubber: LOOFAH.

47. Fruit-filled pastry: TART. Oho! A 42 across Clecho!

50. Spike on a dragon's tail: BARB. I don't know why Mace came to mind...

51. Make a run for it: FLEE. If you see the above!

52. Nail salon tool: FILE.

54. Jagged rock: CRAG. More info here.

55. "Aladdin" parrot named for a Shakespeare villain: IAGO.

Not to be confused with Igor...

56. Plumbing problem: CLOG.

57. Natural hairstyle: AFRO.

59. Drill insert: BIT.

61. __ Jima: IWO.

And The Grid.

7 personal names, 13 three letter words, (more if you include God.) but easy enough for a Monday to breeze through. Brian Keller is an up and coming constructor we hope to see more of, his last puzzle  Was reviewed here.

I feel I went on far too long, so I have saved Demi, Hemi, and Semi for discussion on The Blog. What were your  experiences with Demi's, Hemi's, and Semi's? And/or have you ever met Demi, Hemingway, or a Seminole Indian? I would love to hear your stories!

 

Chris Gross (Chairman Moe on our blog) made today's Universal. Click here to solve.

CE:D out...

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 Rena Cohen

 

Theme: Soccer positions.

I tried out for Soccer once,

They gave me this T-Shirt...

20 Across. Soccer player who shares every little detail online?: PUBLIC DEFENDER.

A defender is an outfield player whose main job is to stop the other team from scoring goals. 

Types of Defenders

Center-backs (CB): Play in the middle of the defense right in front of the goal. They win high balls and block shots. 

Full-backs (LB/RB): Play on the left and right sides of the backline. They stop opposing wingers and run up the sidelines to help on offense

Wing-backs (LWB/RWB): An aggressive type of full-back. They focus heavily on running up and down the field to support attacks

Sweepers (SW): A rare, deeper defender who plays behind the main defensive line to clean up loose balls. 

Key Skill

Tackling: Winning the ball cleanly from opponents

Positioning: Standing in the right place to block passing lanes

Aerial ability: Heading away crosses and long balls

Communication: Organizing the backline and talking with teammates.

38 Across. Soccer player from a Florida archipelago?: KEEPER OF THE KEYS.

A keeper (short for goalkeeper) is the designated player on a soccer team whose primary job is to stop the opposing team from scoring by preventing the ball from crossing the goal line.

Key Responsibilities and Rule

Handball Privilege: The keeper is the only player on the field allowed to use their hands and arms, but they can only do this inside their own designated penalty area.

Last Line of Defense: They act as the final barrier against shots and direct the outfield defenders during plays and set pieces.

Distinct Uniform: To easily tell them apart from everyone else, the keeper must wear a jersey color that is different from both teams and the referee.

Starting Attacks: Beyond stopping goals, modern keepers often use kicks or throws to launch fast counter-attacks for their team.

51 Across. Soccer player who doesn't pull their weight?: CARRIED FORWARD.

A forward in soccer is an outfield player who plays closest to the opposing teams's goal with the primary job of scoring and creating goals.

Main Roles of a Forward

Center Forward / Striker: Plays through the middle as the main goalscorer and focal point of the attack.

Winger / Wide Forward: Plays on the left or right side to stretch the defense, dribble past defenders, and cross the ball into the penalty box

Second Striker: Plays just behind the main center forward to link the midfield and attack

False Nine: A forward who drops backward into the midfield to pull defenders out of position and create open space for teammates. 

Core Responsibilities

Finishing: Shooting and heading the ball into the net to score goals

Creating Space: Making smart runs off the ball to open passing lanes for teammates

Holding the Ball: Using physical strength to keep possession under pressure from defenders until help arrives

Pressing: Applying early pressure on opposing defenders when the other team has the ball.

Onward! To the coin toss, and kickoff!

Across:
1. Insensitive: CRASS.

6. Not out: SAFE.

10. Apple variety: GALA.

14. __ Productions: media company founded by Oprah: HARPO. (Oprah backwards.)

15. West Coast sch. that joined the Big Ten in 2024: UCLA.

16. Team with a lot of pull?: OXEN.

17. All over: AGAIN.

18. Birds whose oil is used in Aboriginal medicine: EMUS.

19. Super Serum seller: OLAY. (Note: Olay does not sell Emu Oil...)

20. [Theme.]

23. __-di-dah: LAH.

24. Blubber: FLAB. Emu oil is made by harvesting, melting, and refining the thick layer of fat found on the back of an Emu.

25. Accident report?: OOPS. 😬 

28. "What a gimme!": EASY.

31. Mail: POST.

34. King topper in a game of war: ACE.

35. Singer Halliwell: GERI.

Also known as Ginger Spice...

36. Leave in a fit?: CLOTHE. (To make sense, you must read this 3 times...)

38. [Theme.]

41. Like steak, but not cake: SAVORY.

42. Reasons to go to extra innings: TIES.

43. Jazz (up): AMP.

44. Rookie gamer: NEWB. Also Newbie, or Noob...

45. Speck on a map: ISLE. 

46. Sign: OMEN.

47. Long fish: EELS.

49. "Truthfully" initials: TBH. (To Be Honest.)

51. [Theme.]

58. Lean: THIN.

59. Within reach: NEAR.

60. Eaglet home: AERIE.

61. Avant-garde style: DADA. Examples can be found here...

62. Small bird of prey: KITE. Again, examples can be found here...

63. "You almost guessed it!": CLOSE. No examples here,  because you missed it...

64. Staircase part: STEP.

65. "Now!": STAT.

66. Respected leader: ELDER. 

Down:
1. Fella: CHAP.

2. Robusto! sauce brand: RAGU.

3. Many an Eid celebrant: ARAB. More info here...

4. Lets the cat out of the bag: SPILLS. 

5. Ketanji colleague: SONIA. 

Clue/answer refers to these guys.

Since there is no politics on the Blog,

I will not be naming them...

6. Sought compensation: SUED. (See below:)

7. Height: ACME. 

A scene from Coyote Vs Acme.

8. Nickname for comedian Gabriel Iglesias: FLUFFY. 

9. Stand for artistic freedom?: EASEL. 😀

10. Bible: GOOD BOOK.

11. Wheel spinner: AXLE.

12. Father of Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia: LEAR. William Shakespeare wrote the tragedy King Lear. 

Quick Facts:

Written: Between 1605 and 1606

First Performance: December 1606

Plot: An aging king divides his kingdom among his daughters, leading to tragic consequences and madness.

13. Flexible amount: ANY.

21. Joyful: CHEERY.

22. Italy's third-largest city: NAPLES.

25. National trees of the United States: OAKS.

26. Place where people cruise through life?: OCEAN.😏

27. Get to: PEEVE.

29. Preferring platonic relationships, for short: ARO. Aro is short for aromantic, which describes a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others.

30. Searches (through): SIFTS.

32. Iron output: STEAM.

33. Herb in jerk seasoning: THYME. 

35. Company with an annual search for a spokesbaby: GERBER.

36. Flamin' Hot puff: CHEETO. 

People are serious about their Cheetos...

37. "College GameDay" network: ESPN.

39. Short time out: POWER NAP.

40. From dawn __ dusk: TIL.

45. Finder's cry: I SEE IT. 

Finders cry: Mine!

46. "Such is life": OH WELL. 

48. Spot for a tee party?: LINKS. ❤️

50. Knee protector: BRACE.

51. Small talk: CHAT.

52. Deputy: AIDE.

53. Spreadsheet input: DATA.

54. Guitar ridge: FRET. My 50 year old guitar is getting worn grooves in its frets.

(I fret about my frets...)

55. Yankee nickname of the 2000s: AROD.

56. "__ and shine!": RISE.

57. Lots of bucks: DEER. 

58. Some 37-Down highlights: Abbr.: TDS. (Touchdowns.)

The Grid.

7 three letter words, 6 people names, and only one abbreviated school name. Not bad!

A Link to Rena Cohen July 20 Crossword Writeup

Describing this lovely Constructor...

Sorry for the deep dive into splainin' Soccer positions, but I know little about the game and had to do much research to do this write up, and, you know I hate to suffer alone...

CE:D out...

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