1. With 18-Across, R.E.M. guitarist: PETER. PETER BUCK - You might recall his guitar work in this song.
18. With 35-Across, 10-time "SNL" host who was Belushi's straight man in samurai routines: BUCK. BUCK HENRY playing the straight man opposite John Belushi
35. With 44-Across, hitter of 755 home runs: HENRY. HENRY (Hank) AARON. Historic # 755.
44. With 57-Across, "Breaking Bad" actor: AARON. AARON PAUL - Played Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad.
57. With 68-Across, Garfunkel's partner: PAUL. PAUL SIMON. You're Breaking My Heart
68. With 1-Across, one of the Twelve Apostles: SIMON. SIMON PETER. Saint Peter.
39. What six people in this puzzle might be said to possess: TWO FIRST NAMES.
Very clean puzzle. I liked how the names wrapped. It must have taken quite a bit of effort to find the right names to make this puzzle work out so well.
Across:
6. Microscope glass: LENS.
10. All snuggled in: COZY. A nice place to be, perhaps with a blanket in a comfy chair and a good read.
14. Support piece: BRACE. Hopefully Abejo is getting accustomed to his.
15. 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit: ADIA.
16. Black-and-white cookie: OREO.
17. Anglo-__: SAXON.
19. Restaurant handout: MENU.
20. Gritty film genre: NOIR. So many great films. Fritz Lang directed this noir with Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, and Broderick Crawford. The story line and cinematography evoke grit.
22. "We are gathered __ today ... ": HERE. Because of the pleasure we derive solving crossword puzzles and for sharing our experiences with like-minded friends.
24. "Say that's true ... ": IF SO. "If your supposition is correct, then..."
27. Speedway event: RACE.
29. Entertainment award quartets, for short: EGOTs. New to you too ? I think it's fill that I've forgotten. Fifteen People Have Won Them
33. Swiss skiing spot: ALP. How about the Jungfrau or Grindelwald ?
34. Pops, to tots: DADAs.
36. "Perhaps I'm wrong": MAYBE NOT. I was certain I was correct, but perhaps I'm wrong. You may be right.
38. Takes effect: SETS IN.
41. Climbs, as a cliff: SCALES.
42. Staggered: TEETERED.
45. Gives (out) sparingly: DOLES.
46. Passé TV accessory: VCR.
47. Sediment layer: DREGS.
48. Courtroom cry: OYEZ.
49. Big Apple team: METS.
50. Weak end?: NESS. Elliot's end ?
52. Anti-cruelty org.: PETA.
54. Green gemstone: JADE. Jade Gemstone Information
59. Zest: OOMPH.
63. Big Aussie birds: EMUs. Someone was asking about the size of big birds the other day.
64. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.
65. Worker, briefly: PROLE.
66. Ocean motion: TIDE. A dangerous rip tide
Down:
1. "Arthur" TV station: PBS. American / Canadian educational cartoon aimed at children 4-8 years. I had no idea this series has been running for 21 years !
2. Notable time: ERA.
3. Withholding __: TAX.
4. Lodge opening?: ECONO. This one is in Des Moines, IA.
A brand in the Choice Hotels lodging chain.
6. Chocolate dog: LABRADOR.
7. Emory email ender: EDU. Peter Buck of R.E.M. attended Emory University for a short while.
8. Wall recesses: NICHES.
9. "For heaven's __!": SAKE. More points off my man card.
10. Impatient after-school text to a parent: COME GET ME. Mom, where are you ?!!!
11. Salem is its cap.: ORE.
12. Buddhist sect: ZEN.
13. "__ busy?": YOU.
21. Tehran residents: IRANIs.
23. Warms up, as leftovers: REHEATS.
24. Dr. Seuss' Sam-__: I AM.
25. Sideless train unit: FLATCAR.
26. Invasive computer program: SPYWARE.
28. Scratching-post attachment: CATS TOY.
30. With no breaks, as a tennis set: ON SERVE. In tennis, a "break" is when the receiving player or team has won a game in a match against the serving player or team. "On serve" describes a match were neither opponent has broken the other's serve. Big Easy, can you have Dianne vet my statements ?
31. Cut into four-inch pieces, as a footlong sub: TRISECT.
32. Dict. entry: SYN onym.
34. Pass rusher's team: DEFENSE. American rules football.
37. Meaty spaghetti sauce: BOLOGNESE. J. Kenji López-Alt of Serious Eats offers his version:
38. React to dust: SNEEZE.
40. Script for TV: TELEPLAY.
41. Down or blue: SAD. There's a prescription for that.
43. Rx writers: DRs.
45. Rx quantity: DOSAGE.
49. New Zealand native: MAORI.
51. Prepare for a boxing day?: SPAR.
53. A++: TOPS.
54. Airbus product: JET. Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Gulfstream...
55. French buddy: AMI.
56. Failed firecracker: DUD.
58. Clickable link: URL. Uniform Resource Locator
60. Boo-boo kisser: MOM. Moms are the best !
61. Gaza Strip gp.: PLO.
62. "An egg's way of making another egg": Samuel Butler: HEN. He's too deep for my current station in life.
