Sunday November 8, 2026, 2026 Katie Hale

Theme: EMPTY WORDS - T is changed into M in each phrase.

22. Rowing teams that spread good cheer?: MERRY CREWS. Terry Crews.

40. Scampering after a letter caught by the wind?: CHASING ONE'S MAIL. Chasing one's tail.

47. Exhausted after cramming for a geography test?: ALL MAPPED OUT. All tapped out.

64. Trick to getting the cleanest floors?: MOP SECRET. Top secret. 

71. Courthouse employee responsible for maintenance?: BAR MENDER. Bartender.

85. Solution when it's too hard to choose one Halloween costume?: MULTI-MASKING. Multi-tasking.

92. "Let's raise a glass to our favorite silent performers of yore!"?: FOR OLD MIME'S SAKE. For old time's sake.

115. Shop displays of long skirts?: MAXI STANDS. Taxi stands. 

"Empty" sounds like "M-T," hence the title. Some letter changes occur in the first word, some in the middle, and a couple in the last word. No odd man out.

Across:

1. NYC home of Dalí's "The Persistence of Memory": MOMA.

5. Leader of the Aesir: ODIN. Aesir is the pantheon of Norse myth. Also 97. Home of 5-Across: ASGARD.

9. Use the Track Changes feature in a document, say: EDIT. Microsoft Word.

13. Roles, metaphorically: HATS.

17. At any moment: EVER.

18. Body lotion brand: NIVEA. I like Curel. Scent-free. 

20. Places: PUTS.

21. Hebrew prophet: MICAH. One of the twelve minor prophets. 

24. Solo at the Met: ARIA.

25. The Gem State: IDAHO.  Idaho is home to more than 72 different types of precious and semi-precious gemstones.

26. Jealous: ENVIOUS.

27. Superlative suffix: EST.

29. From Laos, say: ASIAN.

31. NL East or AL West: DIV.

32. "Ciao!": BYE.

33. Afternoon TV fillers: RE-RUNS.

35. Clear plastic: LUCITE. Type of acrylic. 

37. Mesoamerican fruit: CACAO.

43. "For You" singer Rita: ORA.

44. Take to court: SUE.

45. Insta profile part: BIO.

46. Killer whale: ORCA.

52. Ides of March utterance: ET TU.

53. Texas metropolis, for short: DFW. Dallas Fort Worth. 

56. Jeep headquarters city: TOLEDO. Mud Hens.

57. Shortly after the big bang, e.g.: EONS AGO.

59. Orléans river: LOIRE.

61. Notable deeds: FEATS.

63. Title role for Benicio del Toro: CHE.

66. Collapsible bed: COT. 69. No longer in 73-Across: RISEN. 73. Place to be tucked in: BED.

67. Chobani competitor: OIKOS.

70. Took lunch: ATE.

74. Cacophonous: NOISY.

76. Starts a fresh pot: ANTES. Poker.

77. Leaves no room for doubt: ENSURES.

79. Bully: COERCE.

82. "It was fine": MEH.

83. Tax pros: CPAS.

88. Late-night TV pioneer: PAAR (Jack)

89. Prefix with dermis: EPI.

90. 2019 W.S. champ: NAT. World Series. National.

91. Corp. bigwig: CEO.

98. NHL legend Hull: BRETT. Son of Bobby Hull.

100. Image in a group chat, perhaps: AVATAR.

101. Runway figures: MODELS.

102. Hip-hop pioneer Kool __ Dee: MOE.

103. Blue rep.: DEM.

104. Lure: TEMPT.

106. Prayer __: RUG.

107. Airport areas with extra amenities: LOUNGES.

111. Muse of poetry: ERATO.

113. Self-involved: VAIN.

117. Contract addition: RIDER.

118. Ruse: PLOY.

119. Media coverage: PRESS.

120. "Heat" director Michael: MANN. He also directed "Ali".

121. "I need it now!": STAT.

122. Rational: SANE.

123. Normandy landing time: D DAY.

124. Round-about figs.?: ETAS. Oh, "round-about" here means approximate. 

Down:

1. Image in a group chat, perhaps: MEME.

2. Busy spot at Thanksgiving: OVEN. Look at this pumpkin bar. Loaded.

3. "Wheel of Fortune" creator Griffin: MERV.

4. Up, in Spanish: ARRIBA.

5. Perfectly timed: ON CUE.

6. Short ways to go?: DIRS. Directions. 

7. "__ seen enough": I'VE.

8. Cap company: NEW ERA.

9. Org. that regulates pesticides: EPA.

10. Chihuahua neighbor: DURANGO. Both are states in northern Mexico; Durango borders Chihuahua to the south.

11. "Affirmative": IT IS SO.

12. Ming who hosts the cooking show "Simply Ming": TSAI.

13. Camouflaged: HID.

14. National park near Bar Harbor: ACADIA.

15. Largest island in French Polynesia: TAHITI.

16. Sandbox toy: SHOVEL.

19. Burros: ASSES.

21. Wee: MINUSCULE.

23. Go up and down: YO-YO.

28. The Texas __: nonprofit media company: TRIBUNE.

30. "Nerd __!": ALERT.

34. Liters and meters: UNITS.

36. Nashville awards org.: CMA. The Country Music Association. 

37. Polish layer: COAT.

38. "Heaven" singer Parks: ARLO. Born and raised in London. 

39. Summon: CALL FORTH.

40. Measuring __: CUP.

41. Laugh syllable: HEE.

42. Closed for business: NOT OPEN.

44. Totally right: SPOT ON.

48. "Let's get together": MEET ME.

49. Lovelace of computing history: ADA. Daughter of Lord Byron.

50. Room designs: DECORS.

51. Cries of wonder: OOHS.

52. Self-images: EGOS.

53. Cajun dish cooked with giblets: DIRTY RICE.

54. No charge: FREE.

55. Like a martini with extra vermouth: WET.

58. Surrounded by: AMIDST.

60. Ric of The Cars: OCASEK.

62. Like many infield throws: SIDEARM.

65. Ski run vehicle: SNO-CAT.

66. Peppermint candy shape: CANE.

68. Some dolls: KENS.

69. Spool: REEL.

71. "Bang!": BAM.

72. Moving staircase: ESCALATOR.

73. Elle Woods' dog: BRUISER. 

75. Apple platform: IOS.

78. Called someone out, perhaps: UMPED.

80. Tech coverage site: CNET.

81. Awards quartet: EGOT.

84. Fernando Tatís Jr., for one: PADRE.

86. Tattoo parlor supply: INK.

87. Astronaut Jemison: MAE.

88. Tea holder: POT.

89. Strong feeling: EMOTION.

92. Sliding volume controls: FADERS.

93. No longer interested: OVER IT.

94. Best Western rival: RAMADA.

95. Antelope with twisted horns: IMPALA.

96. Losing streak: SLUMP.

98. Session: BOUT.

99. File menu choice: RE-NAME.

102. Like green logs: MOSSY.

105. Some post-series interviewees, for short: MVPS. The latest World Series MVP: William Contreras. 

107. Kudrow of "The Comeback": LISA.

108. Little pest: GNAT.

109. Writer Ferber: EDNA.

110. IDs on blue cards: SSNS.

112. Lunar festival in Vietnam: TET. Feb 6, 2027.

114. Dec. 31: NYE.

116. Marked (out): X'ED.

C.C.

Sunday September 6, 2026 Katie Hale

Theme: "READ THE INSTRUCTIONS" - Each answer ends with something that's meant to be followed, and each clue is a literal example of it.

22. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," e.g.?: GUIDING PRINCIPLE.

32. "Oral contracts are binding," e.g.?: UNWRITTEN LAW.

50. "A new pope shall be chosen at a conclave," e.g.?: CARDINAL DIRECTION.

66. "The strike zone is between the chest and knees," e.g.?: BATTING PRACTICE.

87. "The ball must hit the cushion before dropping into the pocket," e.g.?: BANKING REGULATION.

102. "Chickens will be fed in the coop," e.g.?: PECKING ORDER.

119. "Wear sensible shoes and a lumbar support belt," e.g.?: LONG-STANDING RULE.

Every clue is a literal example of the second word in the answer, while the first word naturally fits that literal context. Very consistent set.

I wouldn't be surprised if the theme set required very little editing. Katie is an outstanding Sunday constructor as well as Patti's assistant.

The grid is also a model LAT Sunday: the total word count, black-square count, and number of three-letter entries all align with the style Patti has long favored.

Across:

1. Add some oomph to: AMP UP.

6. In good __: STEAD.

11. "The Marvels" director DaCosta: NIA. Didn't fare well in the box office.

14. Latch (onto): GLOM.

18. Speckled horses: ROANS.

19. Dodge: EVADE.

20. Zingy flavor: TANG.

21. "Sorry, I slipped": OOPS.

25. "Frozen" reindeer: SVEN.

26. "Come back __!": HERE.

27. See 91-Across: EAGLE. 91. With 27-Across, patriotic Muppet: SAM.

28. Like rum barrels: OAKEN.

29. Ms. Marvel, for one: HERO.

30. Fruity drink suffix: ADE.

35. Cause of a soccer ball bending midair: SIDE SPIN.

40. Vigor: ELAN.

41. Fish eggs: ROE.

42. Character who calls Homer "neighborino": NED. Flanders.

43. Romania neighbor: MOLDOVA.

45. Letters said while showing a badge: FBI.

47. "Ew, stop talking!": TMI.

55. Fall (over): TIP.

56. Et __: and others: ALIA.

57. Polite contraction: YES'M.

58. Castle protectors: MOATS.

59. Turn to rubble, briefly: DEMO. 81. 59-Across stuff: TNT.

60. Ancient land of the Fertile Crescent: ASSYRIA.

63. Scout leader?: GIRL. Girl Scout. Literal sense.  

64. NHL trophy namesake: NORRIS.

71. Significant amount of spots?: AD FEES. Ad spots on TV/radio.

74. Piglet moms: SOWS.

75. Drank daintily: HAD A SIP.

79. __-back: LAID.

80. Unsettling look: STARE.

82. Target of some laser therapy: SCAR.

85. City bond, for short: MUNI.

86. Birthplace of MLK: ATL.

92. Home security co.: ADT.

93. Malaysian fleet: AIR ASIA. One of Asia's largest low-cost airlines.

94. __ for tat: TIT.

95. Mexican lager: SOL.

97. AKB48 genre: J POP. AKB48 is Japan's best-selling idol group, with dozens of rotating members.

100. Miami Beach fair for gallerists and curators: ART BASEL.

107. Designer initials: YSL.

108. Former Yankee slugger, familiarly: A-ROD.

109. "That wasn't wholly true": I LIED.

110. Tennis star Naomi: OSAKA.

114. Airport pickup option: UBER.

118. Space City pro: STRO.  Short for Astro, Houston is nicknamed "Space City" because of NASA.

122. Coming-of-age story subject, often: TEEN.

123. Cheap, plastic camera type: LOMO.  Refers to the inexpensive film cameras associated with the lomography movement. Learning moment for me.

124. Curtain beam, often: I RAIL.

125. Agree to take part: OPT IN.

126. Latin 101 verb: ESSE.

127. Copy: APE.

128. Public affairs network: C-SPAN.

129. Source of wealth: ASSET.

Down:

1. Petulant cry: ARGH. And  2. Petulant look: MOUE.

3. Salt and pepper, e.g.: PAIR.

4. Like Dracula: UNDEAD.

5. Air pump meas.: PSI.

6. Super Monkey Ball developer: SEGA.

7. Rating for mild language, perhaps: TV PG.

8. Countess counterpart: EARL.

9. French farewell: ADIEU. Or "Salut".

10. Recliner room: DEN.

11. Part of a table setting: NAPKIN.

12. Shoreline feature: INLET.

13. Sales rep: AGENT.

14. "Gee, that seems unlikely": GOSH NO.

15. Treasure-y note?: LOVE LETTER. Cute clue.

16. __ glasses: OPERA.

17. Jen Psaki's network: MSNOW.

20. Dress-up box item: TIARA.

23. Liam of "The Naked Gun": NEESON.

24. Draped neckline: COWL.

31. Moore of "The Substance": DEMI.

33. Get close: NEAR.

34. "__ go bragh!": ERIN.

35. Shuts up tight: SEALS.

36. "Hijack" star Elba: IDRIS. Who do you think will be the next Bond?

37. Dabble in: PLAY AT.

38. Just hanging about: IDLE.

39. Dozes (off): NODS.

42. Sweet Sixteen org.: NCAA.

44. __ and vigor: VIM.

45. Toned: FIT.

46. Sarajevo's region: BOSNIA.

48. "Light My Candle" singer in 117-Down: MIMI. 117. Musical set in Alphabet City: RENT.

49. Long-term goals for some startups: IPOS.

51. Sleeper sofa: DAYBED.

52. Dubai leader: EMIR.

53. "Downton Abbey" countess: CORA. Cora Crawley.

54. Powdery mineral: TALC.

59. Imagined: DREAMT.

61. Issa of "Barbie": RAE.

62. "What a downer": IT'S SAD.

63. Rte. finder: GPS.

65. Anxiety-related med. condition: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

67. Novelist Dinesen: ISAK.

68. Tuna roll wrap: NORI.

69. Singer Stefani: GWEN.

70. Force measured in newtons: THRUST.

71. Start of a lament: ALAS.

72. "Star Trek" android: DATA.

73. Movie soundtracks: FILM SCORES.

76. Family-friendly hotel room: SUITE.

77. How anchovies may be packed: IN OIL. I liked dried anchovies.

78. Guinness serving, often: PINT.

82. __ Lanka: SRI.

83. Michael of "Barbie": CERA.

84. Vegan thickener: AGAR.

87. Indonesian island: BALI.

88. Gawk: GAPE.

89. Tripoli resident: LIBYAN.

90. Small clock inserts: AAAS.

96. "And I'm finished": OK DONE. And  97. "Come along for the ride": JOIN ME.

98. Italian "You're welcome": PREGO.

99. Bet calculations: ODDS.

101. Drinks noisily: SLURPS.

102. Wasabi product: PASTE. You can find this brand in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store.

103. Some deco pieces: ERTES.

104. __ Wafers: NILLA.

105. Sludgy stuff: GLOOP.

106. Big cat sounds: ROARS.

111. Finger click: SNAP.

112. College basketball coach Barnes: ADIA. Head coach of the SMU Mustangs. Another learning moment for me.

113. Potter's oven: KILN.

115. Objections: BUTS.

116. Author Wiesel: ELIE.

120. Involuntary spasm: TIC.

121. Southwestern Indian state: GOA.

C.C.

Friday, Aug 14th, 2026 ~ Katie Hale

 FOURTH SUNDOWN & INCHES

Actually, it's #5, and Across, but . . .

LA Times assistant editor Katie Hale is back - her last crossword offering was a month ago, on a Monday, here.  The last one I blogged was a co-authored puzzle that had too much of a cringe factor ( for me ) to be enjoyable.  Today, however, was a pleasant, and partially humorous construction, with four themers, including two grid-spanners, that added our star, the three-letter word SUN, to common phrases, giving them 'solar' power.  There were maybe a few too many 2-word entries, especially in the Downs, but it was Friday-level, if not easier.  Standard grid, no "outlier add-ons" this week, with 10 names, no circles, and a near-perfect balance of 3-, 4-. and 5-letter words.  The themers and reveal;

18. *Action figure at the bottom of a pool?: SUNKEN DOLL - I first thought maybe G.I. Joe~?

I had the 80's "action figures" the same size as the Star Wars ones

23. *Naval officer's very quiet "ahoy there"?: LITTLE BOSUN PEEP - Bosun, how one pronounces "boatswain" 

35. *Jokes about miscellaneous items?: SUNDRY HUMOR

48. *Essential for authors who work at the beach?: WRITER'S SUNBLOCK

56. Clean energy option, or a hint to what the answers to the starred clues have?: SOLAR POWER

But Wait There's More~!

ACROSS:

1. "Cor, blimey!": "I SAY~!" - Brit-speak

5. Oxygen co-creator: OPRAH - Oxygen, the network, not the element from THE Creator -  name #1

10. Mascaron image: FACE - filled via perps, WAGed the "C" - this architectural detail

14. Drive-__: THRU

15. Tricky tennis serve: SLICE - meh.  It's called an "ace" where I play tennis

16. Traffic-dependent figs.: ETAs

17. Azaria of "Brockmire": HANK - I know him from the Simpsons; name #2

20. WSW reversal: ENE

21. Virtual citizenry: SIMS - Another good guess on my part - but I have played Sim City & The Sims

22. Dad's sister: AUNT

28. Outdoor dining spot: PATIO

29. "Oh, now I see": "A-HA~!"

30. TV controller?: FCC - The Federal Communications Commission - I cound not recall what the second "C" stood for

31. 19th Greek letter: TAU

33. Cryptography org.: NSA - Thursday dupe

34. Mineralogist who created a scale: MOHS - this puzzle's themers gave me a laugh, so I'm giving it the "other" kind of star, a 4 / 5⭐ from on the "other" Moe's Scale - name(ish)

38. 2025 WNBA champions: ACES - I follow no basketball at all, tried the SUNS - but knowing the theme after the fact meant it could not be - plus I missed the "W" part of the clue as well . . . 😜

40. Solstice mo.: DECember - Monday, the 21st of this year, 12:50pm on the LA Times coast

41. Live and __ live: LET - in 1973, Wings "used to say . . ."

Live & Let DIE~!, Mr. Bond - James Bond

42. "Starship Troopers" backdrop: WAR - had it, filled it in, then took it out . . . an overdone movie with egregious graphic violence - I loved it.  The IMDb

43. Zing: PEP

44. Gives, but not forever: LENDS - I had perps from doing the Downs first, so it was not LOANS

53. Olympic swimmer Torres: DARA - name #3 - her website

54. Cruising: ASEA

55. __ leaf: stew herb: BAY - why you shouldn't eat one~!?

The YouTube link

59. Snitch (on): NARC

60. "Copacabana" bartender: TONY - had this Barry Manilow reference three weeks ago; name #4

61. Hugo or Edgar: AWARD - Both for literature, one Sci-Fi, the other Mystery and other genres

62. Wayfair rival: IKEA - I have bought home items from Wayfair, only shopped once at an Ikea

63. Referendum side: PROS

64. Like some buns: MESSY - Ah.  Those kinds  of bun

There's a red-haired beauty at my gym,

always on the Stairmaster when I am

65. Join (up): TEAM

DOWN:

1. Networking assistance: IT HELP - 2-word #1 - AND - 51D. 1-Down callers: USERS

2. Grammy winner Twain: SHANIA -  name #5 

A knock-off of Robert Palmer's video, which has more leg in it

3. "Is This Thing On?" star Will: ARNETT - name #6

4. Big laugh: YUK

5. Activist/actor Davis: OSSIE - learned by doing crosswords, name #7

6. Straight up: PLUMB - the same client with the pantry doors just got a new pocket door installed

7. Classic laundry soap: RINSO - I have heard of this brand, but I used Tide, then switched to soap flakes as suggested by the book "Laundry Love" which I learned of from sumdaze - name(ish)

8. "Jeepers!": "ACK~!" - Dah~! Not "EEK~!"

9. Little laugh: HEE - waited on perps; HEE, HAW or TEE~?

10. Beyond irritated: FED UP - the name chosen for the new merger of Federal Express and UPS 😜

11. Try to make right: ATONE FOR - 2-word #2

12. Pasadena research univ.: CAL TECH - 2-word #3

13. Pre-naturalization test course, for short: ESL - "English as Second Language" - Do you have to take the test/course these days~?

19. Meemaw alternative: NANA - no one in my family has ever used either term for "Granny"

21. "McSorley's Bar" painter: SLOAN - John, name #8

24. "__ Andronicus": TITUS - T.I.L. this is a Shakespeare play, name #9

25. Ceremonial accessory: SASH - I tried VEIL first

26. Rental after closing, maybe: U-HAUL - I was thinking a place to sleep after closing on the sale of a house, but you haven't bought a new one, like "HOTEL"

27. Hardware for Xbox: PCs

32. Cow's milk source: UDDER - this is udderly true . . . 🙄

33. US Open locale: NYC - I figured it was the tennis Open

34. Interstate stopover: MOTEL - so my HOTEL was looking wrong now . . .

35. Fig. for ordering replacement parts: SERIAL No. - 2-words, yeah, but I like this fill, #4

36. Set pieces: REPS - at the gym.  I am now 193.0lbs - I took a pic of the scale last Saturday; my trainer allows 3lbs for sneakers and clothes - when I picked up the phone for the image, it added .5lbs~!

Now my trainer thinks I can get down to 160lbs - Yikes~!

37. Peach __: MELBA - Pie & Cobbler didn't fit the dish

38. "So sweet!": "Aww. . ."

39. Side mirror spot: CAR DOOR - I clipped the one on the passenger side on my Dodge Grand Caravan, bought a replacement unit, but to get to the screws I have to strip out half the dashboard - I'm in no hurry, and the mirror isn't actually broken - it's the remote motor that doesn't work - 2-word #5

43. Cider source: PEAR - never heard of cider from pears - it's called Perry; a recipe here

45. Like some cheesecake: NO-BAKE - technically, there's a hyphen, so not a 2-word answer

46. Region with many Nats fans, briefly: D.C. AREA - 2-word(ish)

47. Overview producer?: SKYCAM - Big Brother is watching . . . 😶

49. Canteen stack: TRAYS

50. Perceived to be: SAW AS - aaaand Twurd~!

52. Uncool: NERDY

56. Auto care brand: STP - Crossword staple

57. Actress Grier: PAM - two mentions in three weeks for me, name #10

58. Come up short, maybe: OWE

59. Minor quibble: NIT - "can't you see that man is a nit~!"

No, dagnubbit~!

Splynter

Grid Flow an even 30.0 - and it was the Katie puzzle I blogged

where I first introduced this parameter

Monday, July 6, 2026, Katie Hale

Theme:  Gravity brings me down!

Katie Hale, assistant crossword editor of the Los Angeles Times and today's constructor, starts the week on a grounded note, with a very down-to-earth puzzle.  The big reveal of the theme occurs here:

54-Across. Fashion house release with autumnal colors, or what the ends of 20-, 34-, and 41-Across are: FALL COLLECTION.  This reviewer is familiar with the cycle of seasonal fashion collections, but the answers referenced here contain a collection of synonyms for a different kind of FALL -- the kind where you plummet to earth.

20-Across. Official clearance to miss class: PERMISSION SLIP.  I remember needing this type of note from the teacher if I had to be in the hallway after the bell rang.  But like so many words in English, SLIP has another meaning -- it's a synonym for FALL.

34-Across. Perform dramatic flips down a sprung track: POWER TUMBLE.  A sprung track is an elevated runway with flexible fiberglass rods or steel springs beneath a padded surface to provide the rebound necessary for the multiple high-speed flips and twists of power tumbling.  (Congrats if you knew this!)  And TUMBLE is another synonym for FALL.

41-Across. Outdoor family getaway: CAMPING TRIP.  I don't go camping with my mom anymore, but I did make a TRIP to the ER with her a couple of weeks ago when she TRIPped.  You will have noticed that TRIP is another synonym for FALL.

As we get older, FALLing is our Kryptonite.  Steady on your feet, there, Solvers!  Let's make our way carefully through the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Stylish and classy: CHIC.

5. Olivia Rodrigo album with the hit "Vampire": GUTS.  If you say so!  Solved with perps (perpendicular entries).  Here's the official video (with some language not for kids):

9. PD boss: SARGE.  A Sergeant (SARGE) supervises Detectives and Uniformed Officers, but ranks beneath a Lieutenant, Captain, Commander, Deputy Chief (or Assistant Chief), and the Chief of Police.  Your Police Department may vary.

14. Nike's Swoosh, for one: LOGO.

15. Fairy tale brute: OGRE.

16. "Stop the launch!": ABORT.

17. Wall St. investment opportunities: IPOS.  Initial Public Offerings.  These are the moments when private companies transition to publicly traded entities by selling shares on a public stock exchange.  This is also when early investors in the private companies can recoup their money and get out.

18. "The Keep" novelist Jennifer: EGAN.  Ms Egan's 2006 gothic horror thriller was a national bestseller.

19. Makers of mysterious footprints in the Himalayas: YETIS.  You remember Yeti; he's the Himalyan counterpart of our North American Bigfoot (AKA Sasquatch).

Yeti and Bigfoot

20. [Theme clue]

23. Little hellion: IMP.

24. Basketball three-pointer: TREY.  "Trey" is basketball slang for a three-point shot.

25. Happens: OCCURS.  Stuff occurs.

28. "As you wish": SO BE IT.

33. NHL great Bobby: ORR.  A retired champion of the National Hockey League, who is still a favorite in crossword grids.

Bobby Orr, 1970

34. [Theme clue]

37. CBS military law drama: NCIS.   This series portrays a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.  I delegate the watching thereof to DH.

39. Small battery size: AAA.

40. Nintendo consoles with balance boards: WIIS.

Life is but a dream ... or a video game.

41. [Theme clue]

46. Actress Dennings: KAT.  Kat Dennings is an American actress known for her starring roles as Max Black in the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls (2011–2017) and as Darcy Lewis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film and television franchise beginning with Thor (2011).

Kat Dennings in 2 Broke Girls

47. Madrid's nación: ESPAÑA.

Madrid is magnificent.

48. Happened after: ENSUED.

50. Boast: BRAG.

53. Bowling pin count: TEN.

54. [Theme clue]

61. Amazon basin bean: CACAO.

Cacao pods and beans

62. Trash: RUIN.  As a verb, "trash" means to throw away, destroy, or severely criticize something.  DH and I once suffered through a night in Reno when the hotel guests in the room next to ours trashed the place, and security personnel seemed loathe to interfere.  Staff members were removing broken furniture from that room when we ventured out in the morning.

63. Org. with a "Know Your Rights" handbook: ACLU.  The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the U.S. constitution.

64. Opener: INTRO.

65. __ off: angry: TEED.  Everyone seems to agree that this expression came from golf, but it's hard to understand how.  The nearest I can come is that when you take a hard swing at someone or something -- even if you use your words! -- you're pretty angy.

66. Bog material: PEAT.  A bog is a wetland where partially decayed plant matter accumulates over thousands of years, forming PEAT.  The water in a bog comes almost entirely from rainfall, and is acidic.  Specialized plants thrive in the low oxygen bog, and their remains trap vast amounts of carbon, helping to regulate the global climate.  Ireland has famously harvested peat for centuries as an energy source, but is now closing its commercial peat bog operations to slow climate change.

Soaring oil prices have contributed to individuals harvesting peat, 
even while commercial operations are closed by the government.

67. Black tea variety: ASSAM.

68. Puts in: ADDS.

69. Ice cream brand: EDY'S.  We never see EDY'S in L.A.  The same company is called Dreyer's here.

Down:

1. Trim, as fingernails: CLIP.

2. "Fingers crossed" feeling: HOPE.

3. "The Rite of Spring" composer Stravinsky: IGOR.  Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a composer and conductor.  His ballet "The Rite of Spring" caused a near-riot at its Paris premiere in 1913 due to its modernist music and choreography.

Igor Stravinsky

4. Astronomical: COSMIC.

5. Becomes a paid athlete: GOES PRO.

6. Fluffy winter boots: UGGS.  "Ugg boots" have a long history in Australia, and have been commercially manufactured there since the 1930s, but the UGG brand was founded in Santa Monica, California in 1978 and primarily marketed to surfers, who were the main users of ugg boots in Australia. I bought Darling Daughter's first pair in a surf shop in L.A. -- but I did once visit New Jersey and see groups of tween girls wearing them in the mall in the winter.

UGG boots in their natural habitat

7. Characteristic: TRAIT.

8. Mister, in 47-Across: SEÑOR.

9. "Well, that's not what I think": SAYS YOU.

10. Eve's second son: ABEL.  

Abel and Cain

11. Indian flatbread: ROTI.

12. Customizable part of a tennis racket: GRIP.

13. Non-earthlings, for short: ETS.  Extraterrestrials.

21. Post-alarm utterance: I'M UP.

22. Wasp's home: NEST.

25. Two-tone ocean predators: ORCAS.

26. Pinch closed, as pie crust: CRIMP.

Basic crimping technique

27. __ bag: party favors: SWAG.

29. Audi competitor: BMW.

30. Chargeable transport: E-BIKE.

31. Homeric saga about the Trojan War: ILIAD.

32. Evaluate: TEST.

33. "In the past ... ": ONCE.

35. Have dinner: EAT.

36. Not often seen: RARE.

38. Mud wrap venue: SPA.

42. Like a flower garden during spring: IN BLOOM.

43. Drug cop: NARC.  Narcotics officer.  Baby boomers also used NARC as a verb meaning to snitch on someone, especially in regard to drug use.

The tee shirt says "Don't be a narc."

44. Means (to): INTENDS.

45. Fraction of a min.: PSEC.  A picosecond is a unit of time equal to one trillionth of a second.  

49. Take off a certain adhesive: UNTAPE.

51. Major artery: AORTA.

52. Put on a certain adhesive: GLUED.

54. Ardent supporters: FANS.

55. Performs in a play: ACTS.

56. Video game archaeologist Croft: LARA.  Lara Croft is the main protagonist of the video game franchise Tomb Raider.  She made the leap to film in 2001, portrayed by Angelina Jolie.

Lara Croft as she appears in the video games

57. Wasn't honest: LIED.

58. Frosted, as a cake: ICED.

59. Regenerist brand: OLAY.

Being a woman requires specialized lotions for various body parts.

60. Snack bowl filler: NUTS.

61. Spy org.: CIA.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

I DNK (did not know) "The Keep" novelist Jennifer EGAN, the basketball three-pointer TREY, what a sprung track is or the POWER TUMBLE that takes place thereon, or actress KAT Dennings, even though I've covered her in a previous blog post.  I found the middle east block pretty tough, where TUMBLE and KAT both lived.  I'd say that Katie's puzzle was challenging for a Monday!  On the other hand, I FIR (finished it right), thanks to perps (perpendicular entries) and the occasional WAG (wild ass guess). 

How about you?  Were you FANS of this puzzle?  Were you NUTS about it?

Or did you go down to RUIN and defeat, and get TEED off by the exercise?

BRAG about it in the comments!

-- NaomiZ