Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Emet Ozar

Theme:  Garden variety.

Surprise!  NaomiZ here on a wonderful Wednesday.  Constructor Emet Ozar enriches the crossword grid with circles to help us find various types of gardens hidden in the long entries.

My native plant garden is for the birds!
This Northern Mockingbird enjoys eating elderberries.

The theme clues and answers are:

16-Across. "The," grammatically: DEFINITE ARTICLE.  Tea garden.

24-Across. Baseball overtime: EXTRA INNINGS. Rain garden.

41-Across. Heavy-duty material for cutting boards: BUTCHER BLOCK. Herb garden.

55-Across. Frances Hodgson Burnett novel set at a country estate, or an apt title for this puzzle: THE SECRET GARDEN.

Let's dig into the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Trash receptacle: CAN.

4. Stringed instrument: HARP.

8. Some med. scans: MRIs.  Magnetic Resonance Imaging tests.

12. Just slightly: A TAD.

14. Large paper format: FOLIO.  Today, folio often refers to 8.5" x 13.5" size paper for printing.  Historically, it meant a large sheet of paper folded once to create two leaves, which make four pages.  Folio books were large compared to quarto and octavo books where the paper was folded more to create smaller pages.

The hands give you an idea of the size of Shakespeare's first folio.

15. Number two: AIDE.  The boss is number one; his aide is number two.

16.[Theme clue]

19. "Let You Love Me" singer: RITA ORA.  Everything I know about Rita Ora, I've learned in the Crossword Corner.

20. Pet restraint: TETHER.

21. Due-in hr.: ETA.  Estimated Time of Arrival.

22. "Washington Black" novelist Edugyan: ESI.  Esi Edugyan is a Canadian novelist.  She has twice won the Giller Prize (a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English), for her novels Half-Blood Blues (2011) and Washington Black (2018).

23. __ Bradley bags: VERA.  Vera Bradley Designs was incorporated in 1982 and became wildly popular for its colorful fabric tote bags and purses.  

Vera Bradley bags

24. [Theme clue]

29. Predatory insect: MANTIS.

Praying Mantis preying on a lizard.

32. Pa: DAD.

33. Boxer Muhammad: ALI.

34. Vote into office: ELECT.

35. 100%: ALL.

36. Greek fabulist: AESOP.  Fabulist:  a person who composes or relates fables. 

38. Cured fish often topped with capers and lemon: LOX.

39. Aaron Judge stat: RBI.  Aaron Judge is a right fielder for the New York Yankees.  He is a six-time MLB All-Star and two-time American League MVP Award winner. He holds the AL record for most home runs in a season.

Aaron Judge

40. Reveries: DREAMS.

41. [Theme clue]

45. Pixar film about a young sea monster: LUCA.

46. 3-Down signatory: Abbr.: USA.  The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) established a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and took effect on January 1, 1994.  NAFTA immediately lifted tariffs on the majority of goods produced by the signatory nations.  It was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on July 1, 2020.

47. Trans- opposite: CIS.  Cisgender, often shortened to "cis," describes a person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.  In other words, if a person was labeled male at birth and identifies as a man, or was labeled female at birth and identifies as a woman, they are considered cisgender.  The term is the opposite of transgender, which refers to individuals whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth. 

50. Tribute at a memorial: EULOGY.

53. New Mexico's "The City Different": SANTA FE.  Santa Fe combines a number of Southwestern cultures and has a lively art scene.  It adopted "The City Different" moniker in the early 1900s.

The Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe
was the seat of government for New Mexico from 1610 to 1901.

55. [Theme clue]

58. Outstanding: A-ONE.

59. Flood-protection structure: LEVEE.

60. Affirmative votes: YEAS.

61. The one there: THAT.

62. "When will you __ learn?": EVER.

63. Italian three: TRE.

Down:

1. Core group: CADRE.

2. Bit the dust: ATE IT.

3. Commerce pact until 2020: NAFTA.  See 46-Across for more information.

4. Bloviator's excess: HOT AIR.  A bloviator is someone who talks at length in a pompous or boastful way, often saying very little of substance.  The idiom "hot air" refers to empty, exaggerated, or pretentious talk that does not reflect real intentions.

5. Foamy fare: ALE.

6. Small inlet: RIA.

7. Foreshadow: PORTEND.

8. Island cocktail: MAI TAI.  Composed of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice, and orgeat (an almond syrup), the Mai Tai is one of the characteristic cocktails in Tiki culture.

Does anyone else remember Kelbo's tiki restaurant on Pico in West LA?
My ex and I once enjoyed a big blue cocktail in a large bowl with two straws.

9. Loaded with cream, say: RICH.

10. Taking it easy: IDLE.

11. Crystal ball consulter: SEER.

13. Domingo, for one: DÍA.  Domingo is Spanish for Sunday.  Día is Spanish for day.

14. Noteworthy events: FIRSTS.

17. Warning sign on a door: NO EXIT.

18. Coastal flyer: TERN.  Terns are seabirds in the family Laridae, subfamily Sterninae, that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers, or wetlands.

I took this photo of Long-billed Terns in the Amazon River.

23. Apothecary container: VIAL.

24. List-ending abbr.: ETC.

25. Speak off-the-cuff: AD LIB.

26. Moon landing org.: NASA.  National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

27. Grab, with "on to": GLOM.  "Glom onto" is an informal American English phrasal verb that means to take something for one's own use, become strongly attached to something, or become aware of something.  It can also mean to grab hold of something or to latch onto an idea or person.

28. Dainty tastes: SIPS.

29. Singer also known as Scary Spice: MEL B.  Melanie Brown, known as Mel B, is an English singer, actress, author, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the pop group the Spice Girls, where she was nicknamed "Scary Spice" for her energetic stage presence. 

Mel B in 2025

30. Baseball family name: ALOU.

31. Deli counter cry: NEXT.

35. Syllables in an incantation: ABRA.  Abracadabra is a magical incantation whose origin is a matter of debate.

36. Tarot card group: ARCANA.  Tarot cards are generally divided into two main groups: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.

Tarot cards

37. Startled cry at the sight of a mouse: EEK.

39. Give new life to something old: RECYCLE.

40. Prescription measure: DOSAGE.

42. Bedroom storage space: CLOSET.

43. Gargantuan: HUGE.

44. Glossy finish: LUSTER.

47. West Point student: CADET.

48. Apprehensive beginning: I FEAR.

49. Perception: SENSE.

50. Coup d'__: ÉTAT.  A coup d'état (from French for 'stroke of state') is an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership.  A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to power through legal means, tries to stay in power through illegal means.

51. "This is not good": UH OH.

52. "The Chi" creator Waithe: LENA.  Lena Waithe is an Emmy-winning actor, producer, and screenwriter from Chicago.  She is the creative force behind the Showtime drama series The Chi, set in her hometown, and the BET comedy series Boomerang and Twenties. 

Lena Waithe

54. Push to the limit: TRY.  As in, the barking dogs try my patience.

56. Put the pedal to the metal: REV.

57. Precursor to a big event: EVE.

Here's the grid:

Did today's puzzle fulfill your crossword DREAMS?

Or was it A TAD TRYing for you?

NaomiZ

Monday April 28, 2025 Emet Ozar

  

Happy Monday, everybirdie! sumdaze here.

Theme:  

We will begin with the starred clues:

17 Across. *Defiantly petty retaliation: TIT FOR TAT.

21 Across. *Purchase when planning a train tour: RAIL PASS.

26 Across. *Figure used for counting: CARDINAL NUMBER.  

These are the Whole Numbers but not zero.

47 Across. *Wrecking ball swingers on a construction site: CRANE OPERATORS.

52 Across. *Ride the waves using wind power: KITE SURF.

And the reveal:

63 Across. Morning person, or a feature of the answer to each starred clue?: EARLY BIRD.

Each answer begins with a type of BIRD. In other words, the BIRD is EARLY in the answer.   

Grand TIT, Ridgeway's RAIL, Cardinal
Sandhill CRANE, and Swallow-tailed KITE

Kudos to constructor Emet Ozar for packing this grid full with six themed answers. I also liked how he used all of the bird names in a non-bird way.

Here is today's grid:  

Coincidentally, last night I started reading Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (author & illustrator).

Across:

1. Bank lobby conveniences: ATMs.  

5. Hot under the collar: SORE.     and     24 Down. Tantrum: SNIT.     and     59 Down. Work (up): RILE.  

9. Gets ready, briefly: PREPS.

14. Swat (away): SHOO.

15. "__ further reflection ... ": UPON.  

Get it? He could not see the vampire's reflection in his rearview mirror.

16. Fertile desert spot: OASIS.

19. Big name in blenders: OSTER.  "Vitamix" did not fit.

20. Amount of food consumed: INTAKE.  For example, a sea otter's food INTAKE is 25% to 30% of their body weight each day. They do not have a blubber layer like seals do so they need the calories to stay warm.  

After eating, they spend a lot of time cleaning their "tables".

23. Pros with strong opinions on style: EDS.  Professionals and EDitorS

Style might refer to an author's distinctive way of writing or perhaps it is referring to a style guide such as The Chicago Manual of Style. 

25. Company abbr.: INC.  INCorporated

34. Writer/actress Fey: TINA.  [b. Elizabeth Stamatina Fey on May 18, 1970]  Tina's IMDb page

Tina Fey created the TV series 30 Rock (2006-2013).

She also starred in it, playing head writer Liz Lemon.

In this scene she dresses up as XWD favorite Princess Leah to get out of jury duty

then later marries Criss Chros (James Marsden) in the same outfit. (2:25 min.)

35. __ sum: bite-sized Chinese fare: DIM.  

36. Close tightly: SEAL UP.  I started with SEcure.

37. Getting on in years: AGING.  

Click to enlarge.

39. Indent key: TAB.  Today I learned that TAB is short for tabulator or tabular. It advances the curser to the next stop. Most style guides require a paragraph indent to be 1/2".

41. Insincere compliments: SMARM.  obsequious flattery

When a roomful of people all shout out insincere compliments it can become a swarm of smarm.

42. Dorothy who was in many Hope/Crosby "Road" films: LAMOUR.  [1914-1996]

44. Heat in the microwave: ZAP.

46. Personal blurbs: BIOS.

50. Reggae kin: SKA.  Here's a fun SKA music video:  

Real Big Fish   ~   Sell Out   ~    1996

51. Post-dubbing title: SIR.  One definition of dub, as a verb, means to confer knighthood on. After you are dubbed a knight, people call you SIR.

57. Evening party: SOIREE.

62. "Know what __?": I MEAN.  ...jellybean.

65. Rodeo rope: LASSO.

66. Highest sudoku digit: NINE.  Sudoku is a puzzle in which missing numbers are to be filled into a 9 by 9 grid of squares which are subdivided into 3 by 3 boxes so that every row, every column, and every box contains the numbers 1 through 9.

Do we have any daily sudoku solvers on The Corner?

67. "If all __ fails ... ": ELSE.  

68. Group of eight: OCTET.  Periodic Table fans will like this 3:41 min. video about the OCTET Rule.  

69. Cafeteria carrier: TRAY.  A 70-A uses one to carry a slice of pepperoni pizza, chicken nuggets, and carton of chocolate milk from the kitchen to the dining area.  #DormFood

70. Adolescent: TEEN.

Down:

1. Italian region known for wine: ASTI.  Its area is about 581 sq. miles (1,504.5 sq. kilometers). That is roughly the same size as American Samoa.

2. __ Mints: Girl Scout Cookies choice: THIN.  Contrary to wishful thinking, eating them will not make you THIN.

3. Big name in applesauce: MOTT.  The answer would be MOTT'S if the clue was "Big brand name in applesauce."

4. Spot for a catnap: SOFA.  

H-Gary's cat, Lily, demonstrates

5. Casual response to "You handled it?": SURE DID.

6. Choose (to): OPT.

7. Lion's sound: ROAR.  Would you rather be able to purr or ROAR? Big cats like lions and tigers can ROAR but they cannot purr. The hyoid bone in smaller cats vibrate against their larynx to created a purring noise. Big cats do not have a hyoid bone. Instead, they have a fleshy length of muscle and cartilage which is used for ROARing. 

8. Involve: ENTAIL.     and     48 Down. Mom or pop: PARENT.

Notice that both of these words cross three themers. Very challenging to construct! Locking in these two fill words likely dictated choices for other not-exactly-amazing fill. (I'm looking at you 5-D.)

9. Game sticks that are treated with chalk: POOL CUES.  

10. Quality of a scratchy voice: RASP.

11. "Cómo __ usted?": ESTÁ.  Spanish speakers use this version of "How are you?" when they want to show respect for the listener.

12. Many Thanksgiving desserts: PIES.  This article reveals the results of a 2024 survey asking for America's favorite Thanksgiving pie. I like the line, "The correct answer is having half slices of three different kinds."  😝

13. Former geopolitical states: Abbr.: SSRs.  My guess is that USSR stands for the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. So, without the U we have individual (not united) geopolitical states. Alone, each is a Soviet Socialist Republic. The final s makes the abbreviation plural to match states in the clue. Your thoughts?

18. Signed off on: OKED.  Last month Grammar Girl did a podcast on OK. She said that OK and okay are both OK. The Associated Press style guide emphatically recommends the two-letter spelling. The New Yorker writes it as two letters with a period after each:  "O.K."

22. Quaint hotels: INNS.  The news reported on a hotel scandal. They outed the INNS.  (ba-dum-tss)

26. "Close, but no __!": CIGAR.  This idiom is used to say that a guess was almost correct or an effort was almost sufficient.  

27. Jung's inner self: ANIMA.  related article

28. Rambled for a while: RAN ON.

29. "You continue to __ me!": AMAZE.  This is what I say to C.C.

30. Cha-cha kin: MAMBO.  Both are dances.

31. Selma of "Legally Blonde": BLAIR.  She played Vivian Kensington, Warner's other love interest who ended up becoming friends with Elle.

32. Capital of Italy?: EUROS.  Clue writers love to trick us with the various definitions of capital.

33. Tachometer stats: RPMs.

34. Powdery mineral: TALC.

38. "So much for that": GUESS NOT.

40. Taverns: BARS.

43. Big name in media streaming: ROKU.  Roku is a streaming device that enables you to watch shows on your TV. It can search major streaming services so you do not have to go to each service. It will make finding shows on, for example, Netflix easier but you still have to pay for Netflix separately.

45. Tie pattern: PAISLEY.  

49. City on the Hudson in upstate New York: TROY.  CSO to some Cornerites!

52. Metric weight: KILO.  One KILOgram is about 2.2 pounds.

53. Apple desktop: IMAC.

54. Exam: TEST.

55. Relax, as restrictions: EASE.  let up on

56. Mediocre: FAIR.

58. "Yeah, right": I BET.  showing doubt

60. Celtic language: ERSE.

61. Utopia: EDEN.  I laughed at the caption on this one:

64. Genetic messenger: RNA.  

That's all. Time sure flew by today. I bird you farewell!

Thursday, February 1, 2024 ~ Emet Ozar

SWF Seeking...

Escape - Rupert Holmes

15. *Device sold with some sheets of hard candy: TOFFEE HAMMER. You say so.

Toffee Hammer

22. *Took from the top: SKIMMED OFF. Taking the cream or a Salami Attack.

47. *"The Irishman" role for Al Pacino: JIMMY HOFFA. Jimmy's still alive, right?

58. *Teenage vampire slayer of film and TV: BUFFY SUMMERS. I didn't know Buffy had a last name.

35. Some partners, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues?: SAME SEX COUPLES.

All I can figure is MM (male-male) & FF (female-female) are paired up in the themers. Overall, Emet provided a nice Thursday puzzle that wasn't too difficult.

Across:
1. Yogurt-based drink: LASSI.

Recipes

6. Choose: OPT.

9. "The Equalizer" network: CBS. I've seen one or two partial episodes - I think Queen Latifah was (is?) in it.

12. Pins included in many Ikea furniture kits: DOWELS.
 

Who's NOT used these?

13. Oberlin College's state: OHIO. Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. Founded in 1833, it is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the United States and the second-oldest continuously operating coeducational institute of higher learning in the world. [WikiP]

14. Horde member in Tolkien: ORC. Remember, ENTs (16' humanoids that look like trees) are good; ORCs bad. EFTs are salamander newts and are NOT part of LOTR.

15. [See: theme]

17. "The Marvels" director DaCosta: NIA.

Nia DaCosta

18. Zaftig: ROTUND. Zaftag: Yiddish origins for "pleasantly plump" woman. #Google

19. Genetic strand: RNA. Ribonucleic acid.

20. Happily __ after: EVER. All the Grimm Brothers' tales as told by Disney.

21. Pastoral poem: IDYL.

22. [See: theme]

25. Label: TAG.

26. "Nova" subj.: SCI. Nova, on PBS, is a great SCIence program.

28. Suffers: AILS.

29. Tokyo, long ago: EDO. Comes up about four times a year in puzzles.

30. Diner patron: EATER. A diner eats dinner at the diner.

33. Yuletide: NOEL.

35. [See: theme]

39. Stew meat: LAMB. Friday, I had lamb curry at an Indo-Pac place. It must be authentic - no pepper icon next to the menu item but it sure had a kick to it.

40. Style: TASTE.

41. Amber, for one: GEM.

43. Brand of kitchen bags: GLAD.
 

Don't get mad, get Glad

45. Dudes: HES. Guys & Bros was too long.

46. "It's __-brainer!": A NO. I didn't even have to think about this one.

47. [See: theme]

52. "Not only that ... ": ALSO. Oh, and, and, and...

53. Neck of the woods: AREA. As Pop [57d] says of his property, "It's my little postage stamp on the globe."

54. Salad dressing base: OIL. EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) was too long; perps said 'egg' was right out.

55. Crazy about: MAD FOR.

57. Pop: DAD. I call father both.

58. [See: theme]

61. Fig. affected by weather: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival is just that, an estimate.

62. Lago contents: AGUA. Spanish lesson for the day.

63. Removes, as a knot: UNTIES. Or, how dyslexics gather around a cause.

64. Marina __ Rey, California: DEL.

65. Sighs of pleasure: AHS.

66. Visibility reducers: MISTS. Could affect your ETA.

Down:
1. Ambitious aspiration: LOFTY GOAL. Anyone have any LOFTY GOALs for 2024? Mine is to get a HAM license.

2. Nasty: AWFUL. Mean was too short.

3. Observed: SEEN.

4. Winter coaster: SLED.

5. "More or less": ISH. Or so(ish).

6. "Wowza": OH MAMA. Should I rat-out BIL? He had salted carmel in dark chocolate for the first time. "Oh, damn, Oh, Oh, dude. Oh, Mama! Y'all need to check this out!" //he has a sheltered (meat & potatoes) pallet. Once, the Girls double-dog dared him to eat a blueberry and he was plussed.

7. Thanksgiving dessert: PIE. Being from the South, DW must have pecan; I gotta have pumpkin.

8. The Blue Jays, on sports crawls: TOR. Toronto Blue Jays, eh, C,Eh?

9. Chat sesh: CONVO. A chat ses[h]sion is a conv[o]ersation. #KidsTheseDays

10. Terse: BRIEF. [see: 9d]

11. Beginner's knitting project, perhaps: SCARF. For crocheting too (I made a lot of scarfs :-))

12. Tchotchkes: DOODADS. Thingies on the shelf.

13. Universal opening?: OMNI. Omnipresent, Omnivorous, Omniscient, Omnidirectional.

15. Hackneyed: TRITE. [see: this expo]

16. Genesis boat: ARK.

20. Unsuccessful Ford: EDSEL.

 History [Time]

22. Locale: SITE.

23. Microscopic: MINUTE. Here's a word that, depending on long- or short- "I," has two different meanings. Primer is another.
//chatting with a hacker-buddy HAM on #discord I said I'd like a primer on the cheap-a** Baufeng radio I bought for my LOFTY GOAL. He thought I wanted to paint it :-)

24. Gets together quietly: ELOPES. Cute.

26. Proper: SEEMLY. I don't quite get this... I thought SEEMLY was baudy in a way.

27. World Heritage Site in Algiers: CASBAH. Cue The Clash.

Rock the Casbah

31. Business card no.: EXT. Phone number EXTention within your PBX (Private Branch Exchange).

32. Kelly Clarkson's first record label: RCA. Nipper's recording studio. Hi Misty!

34. Cost of a suit?: LEGAL FEES. Not a three-piece but a lawsuit.

36. Molten rock: MAGMA.

Rock Cycle

37. Federal org. that inspects workplaces: OSHA. Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

38. Features of many alarms: SENSORS. Motion sensors, break-glass noise sensors, magnet switches on the windows & doors, etc.

42. Heath-covered wastelands: MOORS. Emily Bronte comes to mind.

Semaphore Version of Wuthering Heights [Python]

44. Foolish one: DOOFUS.

47. Over it all: JADED. Cynical.

48. Hopping mad: IRATE. PO'd was too short.

49. Purple Heart, e.g.: MEDAL. (Army) Bro has one.

Purple Heart

50. Sports org. based in Zurich: FIFA.  #Soccer

51. Pop __: FLY. Usually an easy catch in #Baseball.

52. Let in or let on: ADMIT. Bouncer ADMITs you or you ADMIT you did it.

55. Public transit system in San Francisco, familiarly: MUNI. I kept wanting BART but perps didn't agree.

56. Tsps. and tbsps.: AMTS. Don't confuse these two AMTS when using baking powder (ask me how I know).

58. Pasture sound: BAA.

59. "Blah": UGH.

60. Dim __: cuisine often served in steamer baskets: SUM.

Yummers!

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs: LOng shO[ts] -> LOFTY GOALS, bart -> MUNI
ESPs: LASSI, ROTUND, MUNI (oh, yeah)
Fav: I'll go w/ OMNI - any one else subscribe to the magazine back in the day?

Toss in your $0.02 below - I'll catch up with y'all later tonight. Have a great Friday eve!

Cheers, -T

Tuesday, July 18, 2023 Emit Ozar and Rachel Fabi

Time to Celebrate!  Raise Your Glass and give a Toast as we Cheer C.C. for creating this wonderful blog!  I'll Drink to That!

20-Across. Pink #1 single, and a hint to the ends of 28- and 47-Across: RAISE YOUR GLASS.

28-Across. Eggy, bready breakfast choice: FRENCH TOAST.  Everything you wanted to know about French Toast, but didn't know to ask.

47-Across. Raspberries: BRONX CHEERS.

54-Across. Exclamation after a rousing speech, and a hint to the ends of 28- and 47-Across: I'LL DRINK TO THAT.

Across:

1. Pace set by a drummer or a metronome: TEMPO.

6. And so on, briefly: ETC.  //  Not to be confused with 29-Down. Travel schedule abbr.: ETA.

9. All thumbs: INEPT.

14. Unadorned: STARK.

15. "Quiet, please!": SHH.

16. "Obvs": NO DUH!

17. "The Hate U Give" writer Thomas: ANGIE.  Angie Thomas (b. Sept. 20, 1988) is an author best known for her young adult literature.  The Hate U Give is her first published novel.   The novel is portrayed through the eyes of a 16-year-old African-American girl from a poor neighborhood who attends an elite private school in a predominantly white neighborhood.  She witnessed a white police officer shoot and kill her childhood friend, Khalil.  She becomes involved in the social tensions that end in a riot after  the police officer is not held responsible for the shooting.  [Name # 1.]

18. Uni- + bi-: TRI.

19. Impressive Blue Angels maneuver: FLY BY.  The Blue Angels are a flight demonstration squadron within the United States Navy.  The Blue Angels have a base in Pensacola, Florida.  We used to see them practice when we summered in Fort Walton, Florida.  They are an aerobatic team that performs many aerial demonstrations throughout the United States and Canada.

23. Painter's deg.: MFA.  MFA = Master of Fine Arts.

24. Battery size: AAA.

25. Audit firm exec: CPA.  CPA = Certified Public Accountant.

35. Shared frustrations with, perhaps: RANTED TO.

37. Sharp-eyed bird: EAGLE.

38. Impulse: URGE.

39. Muscles worked by dead bug exercises: ABs.  This exercise will strengthen the Abdominal muscles.

41. Writer Lebowitz: FRAN.  Fran Lebowitz (née Frances Ann Lebowitz; b. Oct. 27, 1950) is known for her humorous and sarcastic social commentary.   [Name # 2.]

42. Rumpus: MELEE.

44. Building projects in the toy aisle: LEGO SETS.  I played with Legos before there were such elaborate sets.  My bricks were just red and white with a grey base.  Still, I have fond memories of playing and making wonderful creations.

50. Opposite of WNW: ESE.

51. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE.  UAE = United Arab Emirates.

52. Cyberchats, for short: IMs.  IMs = Instant Messagings.

62. Island near Oahu: KAUAI.  //  And 67-Across. Archipelago unit: ISLET.  The Hawaiian Islands form an Archipelago.

63. Art expert Sister Wendy, e.g.: NUN.  In addition to being an art historian, Sister Wendy (née Wendy Mary Beckett; Feb. 25, 1930 ~ Dec. 26, 2018) was also a Catholic nun.  She was known for being the host of a documentary series on art history that aired on the BBC.  [Name # 3.]

64. Worcestershire __: SAUCE.

65. One more time: AGAIN.

66. "If u ask me ... ": IMO.  Textspeak for In My Opinion.

68. Adolescent: YOUNG.  //  And 36-Down. Adolescent: TEEN.

69. __ and flow: EBB.

70. Beach umbrella benefit: SHADE.

Down:

1. Pre-Lenin Russian ruler: TSAR.  Tsar or Czar?

Nicholas II was the last Tsar of Russia.

2. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.

3. Gift-bearing Nativity trio: MAGI.

4. Light-bending block: PRISM.

5. Painter Georgia known for large flowers and New Mexico landscapes: O'KEEFFE.  Georgia O'Keeffe (née Georgia Totto O'Keeffe; Nov. 15, 1887 ~ Mar. 6, 1986) was married to photographer Alfred Stieglitz (Jan. 1, 1864 ~ July 13, 1946).  She is best known for her meticulous paintings of natural forms, particularly (suggestive) flowers and desert-inspired landscapes.  [Name # 4.]

6. Spanish "this": ESTO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

7. Drive-__ window: THRU.

8. President between Mitterrand and Sarkozy: CHIRAC. Jacques Chirac (né Jacques René Chirac; Nov. 29, 1932 ~ Sept. 26, 2019) served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He had previously served as the French Prime Minister in the 1970s.  [Name # 5.]

9. Blow up: INFLATE.

10. Bourbon Street locale, informally: NOLA.  As in New Orleans, LA.

11. Brand found near Ben & Jerry's: EDY'S.  Both are brands of Ice Cream.  What's your favorite Ice Cream?  [Name adjacent.]

12. Places for pints: PUBS.

13. "Love __ neighbor": THY.

21. Fabric measure: YARD.

22. "I'm so frustrated!!!": GAH.

25. Tidbit: CRUMB.

26. Peeling knife: PARER.

27. __-Saxon: ANGLO.

30. Aristocratic: NOBLE.

31. Buffoons: OAFS.

32. Say yes: AGREE.

33. Wooden strips: SLATS.

34. On pins and needles: TENSE.

40. "What'd I tell ya?": SEE.

43. Giving off: EXUDING.

45. "True __": Western remake starring Hailee Steinfeld: GRIT.  I remember the original version of True Grit, which starred John Wayne (né Marion Robert Morrison; May 26, 1907 ~ June 11, 1979).  In 2010, the Coen brothers directed a remake in which Hailee Steinfeld (b. Dec. 11, 1996) portrayed Mattie Ross, originally played by actress Kim Darby (née Deborah Zerby; b. July 8, 1947). [Name # 6.]

46. Gradual absorption method: OSMOSIS.

48. Hatchback, e.g.: CAR.

49. Tush: HEINIE.

53. Hidden supply: STASH.

54. "Othello" villain: IAGO.  Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello (c. 1601–1604).  Iago is the play's main antagonist. Iago hates Othello and devises a plan to destroy him by making him believe that Othello's wife, Desdemona, is having an affair.  James Earl Jones (b. Jan. 17, 1931) is probably the best known actor who portrayed Othello.  From yesterday, we learned that IAGO was also the name of the parrot in Aladdin.  [Name # 7.]

55. Traditional Hawaiian feast: LUAU.  //  And 59-Down. Dance at a 55-Down: HULA.

56. Reclined: LAIN.

57. Anesthetized: NUMB.

58. Etch A Sketch control: KNOB.

60. Got 100% on: ACED.

61. Chapeau's spot: TÊTE.  Today's French lesson.

62. Longtime Yankees broadcaster Michael: KAY.  I don't follow the Yankees, thus am not familiar with Michael Kay (b. Feb. 2, 1961).  [Name # 8.]

Here's the grid:

חתולה