Monday, October 19, 2026, Jackson Musker

Theme:  ABCs of ambulation.

Jackson Musker

In the last two months, Jackson Musker has published crossword puzzles in the Wall Street Journal and Universal Crossword.  Today marks his debut in the Los Angeles Times.  Congratulations, Jackson!  You are on a roll!  If you, dear reader, listen to public radio in Los Angeles, you may remember Jackson as a reporter on KPCC's Off-Ramp, or perhaps you enjoyed The Dinner Party Download, which Jackson produced for American Public Media.  For updates on his audio career, see jacksonmusker.com.  For more about today's puzzle, keep reading!

The theme clues and answers are:

18-Across. Enjoy a prime position: SIT PRETTY.  The idiom "sitting pretty" means being in a favorable, comfortable, or financially secure position.

23-Across. Cramped areas under some houses: CRAWL SPACES.  A crawl space is an unfinished, narrow space between the earth and the bottom floor of a building, typically measuring about 1 to 4 feet in height.  Very common here in Los Angeles, where basements are rare.

36-Across. Ben E. King hit that begins "When the night has come / And the land is dark": STAND BY ME.  Released in 1961, this song became a hit again in 1986 when it was used in Rob Reiner's movie of the same name, based on a Stephen King novel called "The Body."

51-Across. Biopic about Johnny Cash and June Carter: WALK THE LINE.  The 2005 movie stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.

57-Across. Slow-but-steady progress, or the progression found at the starts of 18-, 23-, 36-, and 51-Across: BABY STEPS.  Aha!  SIT, CRAWL, STAND, and WALK are stages in a baby's development.  Our one-year-old grandson has completed the first three steps, but does not yet walk unsupported.  That's okay.  Baby steps!

Across:

1. Weeper's output: TEARS.

6. Aid and __: help on a heist: ABET.

10. Miles away: AFAR.

14. Planetary path: ORBIT.

15. Puzzle cube creator Rubik: ERNŐ.  Ernő Rubik is a Hungarian architect known for creating the Rubik's Cube (1974).

Have you ever unscrambled one?

16. Tiny, in tech: NANO.  A nanometer is one billionth of a meter.  Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension measuring between 1 to 100 nanometers.  There are 25,400,000 nanometers in 1 inch.

17. Long-lived desert plants: CACTI.

18. [Theme clue]

20. Ration out: ALLOT.

22. "America's Got Talent" judge Mandel: HOWIE.  Howie Mandel is a Canadian comedian, film and television actor, and producer. He voiced Gizmo in the Gremlins films; played an ER doctor on NBC's St. Elsewhere; is a judge on America's Got Talent; and hosts The Price is Right Tonight in Canada.

Howie Mandel through the ages

23. [Theme clue]

27. African antelope: GNU.

29. Turned down: DENIED.

30. Sci-fi blasters: RAY GUNS.

32. Grill briquettes: COALS.

33. Ukraine's capital: KYIV.

35. Be a bookworm: READ.

36. [Theme clue]

39. Danish shoe company: ECCO.  ECCO has been making shoes since 1963, and opened its first retail store in 1982.  The brand owns leather tanneries in the Netherlands, Thailand, Indonesia and China.  ECCO shoes are sold in 101 countries.  Their reputation is for comfort and durability.

ECCO Men's Nubuck Lace-Up Sneaker

42. Soft throw: TOSS.

43. Solemn promises: OATHS.

47. Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York: CORNELL.

49. Extremists: ULTRAS.

50. Classic Pontiac muscle car: GTO.  The Pontiac GTO started the trend for "muscle cars" in the 1960s.  Muscle cars are two-door, four passenger cars with powerful engines.

1966 Pontiac GTO

51. [Theme clue]

54. Many a middle schooler: TWEEN.  BeTWEEN childhood and the TEENage years are the TWEEN years -- roughly ages 9 to 12.

56. Actress Tyler who voices Lana Kane on "Archer": AISHA.  Aisha Tyler is an American actress, talk show host and director. She played Andrea Marino in the first season of Ghost Whisperer, Dr. Tara Lewis in Criminal Minds, Mother Nature in the final two The Santa Clause films, and voiced Lana Kane in Archer. She also had recurring roles on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Friends.

Aisha Tyler

57. [Theme clue]

59. Swedish stores with flatpack furniture: IKEAS.

63. Petri dish gelatin: AGAR.

64. Stratford's river: AVON.  William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, lived there with his wife and children, and is buried there in Holy Trinity Church.  

NaomiZ-upon-Avon last month

65. Release: LET GO.

66. "A __ formality": MERE.

67. Colorful amphibian: NEWT.

68. Future JDs' exams: LSATS.  Law School Admission Tests are required of those seeking Juris Doctor degrees.

Down:

1. List of chapters at the front of a book: Abbr.: TOC.  Table Of Contents.

2. Chapter in history: ERA.

3. Alphabet starter: ABC.

4. Actress and philanthropist who has co-produced films with Tom Hanks: RITA WILSON.  Margarita Wilson Hanks is an actress, singer, and producer with a long list of credits.  With her husband, actor Tom Hanks, she supports women's cancer research, among other charities.  They also support the Shakespeare Center of Los Angles.  Bet they've been to Stratford-upon-Avon!

Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks

5. Most calm: STILLEST.  WordHippo.com says that other words for STILLEST include peacefullest, tanquilest, placidest, and silentest.  None of these sound good to me.

6. Greek fable writer: AESOP.

7. Water filter brand: BRITA.  I gave up using Brita pitchers years ago because they developed molds that were impossible to remove, and had to be replaced regularly.  It turns out that a Brita pitcher filter does not remove most of what can make water unsafe, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, arsenic, nitrate, fluoride, and dissolved solids.  If you can afford to install a reverse osmosis system, it does a much better job.  Activated charcoal filters and water softeners are also superior to Brita.

8. Sinus MD: ENT.  ENT stands for ear, nose, and throat. It refers to a medical specialist who treats conditions in these areas

9. Likely to tip over: TOP HEAVY.

10. Over again: ANEW.

11. Exhaustion: FATIGUE.

12. Insect's feeler: ANTENNA.

13. "You Got It" singer Orbison: ROY.  Roy Orbison (1936-1988) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist known for his powerful voice and emotional ballads. He was popular in the early 1960s and again in the late 1980s when he performed as a member of the Traveling Wilburys:  Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty.  What a group they made!  Here's Roy Orbison, solo, performing "You Got It."

19. Pink, as cheeks: ROSY.

21. Psychedelics study subj.: LSD.  LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide), commonly known as acid, is a hallucinogenic drug derived from ergot, a type of fungus.  Psychedelics are powerful psychoactive substances that alter perception and mood and affect cognitive processes.  They are generally considered physiologically safe and do not lead to dependence or addiction.  They may lead to countercultural revolutions, though!

As a TWEEN in the 1960s, I was concerned that being a young adult
would involve dropping acid regularly and having sex with random people.

23. Public health agcy.: CDC.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

24. __ Speedwagon: REO.  REO Speedwagon -- named for a brand of truck -- was an American rock band formed in Illinois in 1967. The band had great success throughout the 1980s. Their best-selling album, Hi Infidelity (1980), contained four US Top 40 hits and sold more than 10 million copies.  Take a listen to "Can't Fight This Feeling."

25. "Knives Out" actress de Armas: ANA.  Ana de Armas grew up in Cuba, moved to Spain, and then moved to Los Angeles, playing leading film and TV roles along the way.  She was the holographic AI Joi in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), nurse Marta Cabrera in the mystery film Knives Out (2019), Paloma in the James Bond film No Time to Die (2021) and Marilyn Monroe in Blonde (2022), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.  

Ana de Armas

26. Nursery beds: CRIBS.

28. Amer. currency: USD.  United States dollar.

31. North American quintet depicted on the Michigan quarter: GREAT LAKES.

This Michigan quarter was "colorized" by a private company
after issuance by the U.S. Mint. 

33. Grassy mound: KNOLL.

34. Gridiron figs.: YDS.  American football fields are called "gridirons" and are measured in YarDS.

37. Many a fan of the Hawks and the Dream: ATLANTAN.  The Atlanta Dream are a women's team in the Women's National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Hawks are a men's team in the National Basketball Association.  Makes sense that an Atlantan would cheer them on.

38. Bump that indicates a lawn infestation: MOLEHILL.  If your lawn is full of adorable furry mammals, can you really call it an infestation?

Cute!

39. Heartbeat check, for short: ECG.  Electrocardiogram.

40. Humble home: COTTAGE.

41. Prying tool: CROWBAR.

44. Uni- + bi-: TRI.

45. Chewie's co-pilot: HAN.  Chewbacca and Han Solo are characters in the Star Wars films.

Chewie and Han

46. NNW reversal: SSE.  Opposite points of a compass.

48. Meadow moms: EWES.  Mama sheep.

49. Syllables of uncertainty: UHS.  I tried UMS first.

52. Punch sound: KAPOW.

53. Naysayer's quaint contraction: 'TISN'T.  An old fashioned way of saying "it isn't."

55. Charlotte Brontë's "Jane __": EYRE.  Jane Eyre is the title of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel, and the name of its heroine.

57. Punch sound: BAM.

58. Night before: EVE.

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

61. Writer's rep: AGT.  A writer's representative is her agent.

62. Distress letters: SOS.  SOS is a Morse code distress signal ( ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ) designed for ease of use and recognition. SOS did not represent any words when first used.  Later, backronyms were created for it in popular usage, and SOS became associated with phrases such as "Save Our Souls" and "Save Our Ship." 

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Did any part of today's puzzle bring you to TEARS?  Were you DENIED the coveted FIR (Finished It Right)?

Or was it just BAM, KAPOW, done?

We always look forward to your comments.

-- NaomiZ

Monday, October 12, Kyle Dolan

Theme:  PaJama party.

Eating Peach Jam, wearing Pearl Jewelry, and writing in a Poetry Journal

Kyle Dolan regularly constructs themeless Saturday puzzles for the LA Times.  What a surprise and delight to encounter his work on a Monday!  Kyle holds a Ph.D. in Biochemisty and Molecular Biology from the University of Chicago, and is employed as Head of Science & Innovation at British Consulate-General Chicago.  I thought it might be interesting to look at the site where he posts cryptic crosswords --  beneaththesurfacepuzzles.blogspot.com -- and tried my hand at one.  I had absolutely no idea what was happening, even when I read the solution.  Happily, today's puzzle was a Pleasant Jaunt.

The theme clues and answers are:

17-Across. Liquid that can relieve muscle cramps: PICKLE JUICE.  News to me, but according to research published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, a few sips of pickle juice at the onset of cramps is effective in reducing the severity of those cramps within a minute or so.

27-Across. Filling a friend's car with balloons, e.g.: PRACTICAL JOKE.  That would be a surprise -- and annoyance!  Have you ever had to drive with balloons in the car?  It isn't easy, or safe.  

43-Across. Reward or punishment that may be ironic: POETIC JUSTICE.  Virtue is rewarded and vice is punished through a twist of fate that echoes the initial behavior.

58-Across. Cozy garb in some family photos, or what can be found in 17-, 27-, and 43-Across?: MATCHING PJS.  This is the big reveal -- the answers to 17-, 27-, and 43-Across are words beginning with P and J, as further illustrated by the family photo at the top of this blog.

Please Join me as we review the rest of the clues and answers!

Across:

1. Tenant farmers of the early Middle Ages: SERFS.  Serfs who occupied a plot of land were required to work for the lord that owned that land, in return for protection and the right to cultivate some portion of the land for their own subsistence.  They were not allowed to leave without their lord's permission.

Medieval serfs working for the man

6. "Who's there?" response: IT'S ME.

11. Contingencies: IFS.

14. Bird-related: AVIAN.

15. "Unbelievable!": NO WAY.

16. Spanish cheer: OLÉ.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Minuscule: WEE.  Ach!  This wee bit of vocabulary makes me miss our guide to Scotland.  His English was beautifully accented, and when he met Scottish friends along the way, their brief conversations were completely unintelligible to me.

DH with our amazing guide to Scotland

20. __ gin fizz: SLOE.  Sloe gin is an English liqueur made with gin and blackthorn fruits (sloes).  A sloe gin fizz is made with sloe gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda.  I neglected to try one while in England -- but I did enjoy Cotswolds Dry Gin during our time in that region.

21. Long-lasting hairdo: PERM.  A perm, or permanent wave, is a chemical treatment that leaves hair curly for several months.

22. Offering little comfort: BLEAK.

24. "__ is not a drill!": THIS.

26. Bassinet occupant: BABY.  A portable bed for newborns.

Our grandbaby started off in this new style of bassinet,
open to the parents' bed for ease of access.

27. [Theme clue]

32. Flats or heels: SHOES.  The more you know, the lower you go.

High heels are bad for you.

34. Go on an ocean voyage: SAIL.

35. Dubai's fed.: UAE.  Dubai is the largest city in the federal monarchy called the United Arab Emirates.

36. Doily fabric: LACE.

37. Attention-grabbing feat: STUNT.

39. Opinion survey: POLL.

40. Variety: ILK.

41. Cameron who voices Fiona in the "Shrek" franchise: DIAZ.  Lovely actress, charming films.

The actress and the ogress

42. Diminishes: WANES.

43. [Theme clue]

47. Chitchat: TALK.

48. Pig sound: OINK.

49. Perch for a pigeon: LEDGE.  The pigeons that perch on ledges in cities are feral descendants of domestic pigeons, which were treasured for centuries as pets, as messengers, and as food.  Domestic pigeons were bred for various characteristics, much like dogs; their ancestor is the rock dove.  True wild rock doves survive on remote coastal cliffs and islands along the north and west shores of Scotland and Ireland, unmixed with their urban cousins.

Highly recommend this little book.

51. Chicken sound: BAWK.  Chickens replaced pigeons as a food source in human culture.

53. Alan of "M*A*S*H": ALDA.  Alan Alda has appeared on stage and screen over seven decades, but is best known for playing "Hawkeye" Pierce in the CBS Korean war sitcom M*A*S*H (1972–1983).  Alda wrote and directed many of the episodes.

Alan Alda in M*A*S*H

57. "Of course, mon ami!": OUI.  French "yes."

58. [Theme clue]

61. Victoria's Secret garment: BRA.

62. Tierney of "The Affair": MAURA.  You might recognize Maura Tierney from any of a long list of film and TV roles, most notably Lisa Miller on the sitcom NewsRadio (1995–1999), Abby Lockhart on the medical drama ER (1999–2009), and Helen Solloway on the mystery drama The Affair (2014–2019).  I caught that last one; it told the story of an extramarital affair from the viewpoints of the man and woman involved, as well as their spouses.

Dominic West as the cheater and Maura Tierney as the cheatee
in The Affair.

63. Sire: BEGET.  To beget is to father a child.  The King James version of the Bible is full of the past tense, "begat," in lists of ancestors.  Here's an excerpt from Genesis 5:

25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.

26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.

30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

64. Pine-__: cleaning brand: SOL.  Has not been on my radar for years.  Plenty of it advertised online, though.

65. Liability's opposite: ASSET.

66. South American barbecue: ASADO.  Asado is a South American barbecue technique that involves cooking meat over an open fire or grill.

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Down:

1. Ones easily duped: SAPS.

2. Malicious: EVIL.

3. Puerto __: RICO.

4. Greenery that doesn't need water: FAKE TREE.

5. Lorne Michaels' long-running NBC show, for short: SNL.  Saturday Night Live.

Lorne Michaels, Mike Myers, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks, and Dana Carvey
on the set of “Saturday Night Live” in 1992.

6. Just for laughs: IN JEST.

7. Sightseer's booking: TOUR.

8. Move like a fish: SWIM.

9. Big __: fast-food classic: MAC.  Big Mac, medium fries, and medium Coca-Cola:  1170 calories.  For most folks, that leaves about 1,000 calories to consume the rest of the day.  Enjoy!

10. Give a very close look: EYEBALL.

11. "Thanks so much!": I OWE YOU ONE.

12. Pest on a pet: FLEA.

13. Hide-and-__: SEEK.

18. Large-scale tale: EPIC.

23. Pres. between JFK and RMN: LBJ.  John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon.

25. Gives birth to: HAS.  Sure, the guy begets, but who HAS the baby, suffering all the pain and danger of childbirth, feeds, clothes, and raises that child?  Let's hear it for the mothers whose names are omitted from Biblical genealogies.

26. Worm on a hook, say: BAIT.

27. Call unwittingly: POCKET DIAL.  I hear "butt dial" more often.  

Cartoonist unknown.

28. Japanese truckmaker: ISUZU.

29. Tuna container: CAN.

30. Leafy vegetable in a green smoothie: KALE.

31. Morays, e.g.: EELS.

32. Try and fail to walk on ice: SLIP.

33. Saintly ring: HALO.

37. Unable to go to school, maybe: SICK.

38. __ Mahal: TAJ.  On the bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, India, the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built the marble Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal; Shah Jahan is also interred there.  Construction took place from 1631 to 1648.  The Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Taj Mahal

39. Amazon deliveries: PACKAGES.

41. Tough decision: DILEMMA.

42. Come in first: WIN.

44. Playground game: TAG.

45. "Your point being?": SO WHAT.

46. Polynesian carving: TIKI.  In the Māori mythology of New Zealand, Tiki was the first man.  Varying traditions are found throughout Polynesia.  Carvings represent this first man and other deified ancestors.

Māori man decorating a carved wooden tiki.

49. Arcing tennis shots: LOBS.

50. Currency in 21 countries: EURO.  On our recent trip, we used pounds sterling in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and switched to euros in the Republic of Ireland.  

51. Air conditioning figs.: BTUS.  A BTU (British Thermal Unit) measures how much energy your cooling unit uses to remove heat from a room in one hour.  One BTU is the amount of heat required to lower or raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. A higher BTU rating means the AC can cool the room to your desired temperature more quickly.

52. Land parcel: ACRE.

54. Links org.: LPGA.  Ladies Professional Golf Association.  A "links" is a traditional golf course, characterized by an undulating surface and sandy soil that supports the growth of grasses.

55. Provided music for a party: DJed.  Acted as a "disc jockey," skillfully controlling the playing of vinyl records or other recorded music.

56. On the topic of: AS TO.

59. Batteries for some noisy toys: AAs.  No battery operated toys at my house!  If you want noise, you have to beat on the drum, shake the tamborine, or strike the xylophone.

Battery operated toys do the playing for you.

60. Clippers' org.: NBA.  National Basketball Association.  The Clippers play for Los Angeles, as do the Lakers.  New York also has two NBA teams.

Here's the grid:

Dear Solvers,

I hope you've enjoyed this little TOUR of today's puzzle.

If you SEEK further explanations, TALK to others in the comments section!  Go out on a LEDGE!

-- NaomiZ

Monday, October 5, 2026, Amanda Cook

WINTER IS COMING!

Today's constructor, Amanda Cook, is Director of Web and Editorial Content for American Composers Forum, which supports creators of new music by connecting them to resources and opportunities. 🎵 Amanda also supports cruciverbalists with new puzzles; this appears to be her fourth in the LA Times.

Today's theme reminded me of the motto of House Stark in A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, better known by the title of the television adapation, Game of Thrones -- that motto being "Winter is Coming!"  With the temperature reaching 105°F in Los Angeles this past weekend, the promise that winter is coming seems less dreadful than in the books.

The theme clues and answers are:

16-Across. Playful back-and-forth: WITTY BANTER.  

26-Across. Workstation option since the 1980s: WINDOWS COMPUTER.

44-Across. Ticket pickup location: WILL CALL COUNTER.

59-Across. Time off that may coincide with a new calendar year, or what can be found in 16-, 26-, and 44-Across: WINTER BREAK.  Indeed, there is a BREAK in the word WINTER in the cited answers.  It was very kind of Amanda to put the letters spelling WINTER into circles to help us see the theme.

Across:

1. Tiny trims: SNIPS.

More than a few snips went into this tiny trim.

6. "Tár" Oscar nominee Blanchett: CATE.  In the 2022 film, Cate Blanchett plays a haughty orchestra conductor, whose professional misconduct leads to her downfall.  🎵

10. Jar topper: LID.

13. Art studio stand: EASEL.

14. Chocolate-flavored latte: MOCHA.  I love a little espresso in my hot chocolate.

15. Fuss: ADO.

16. [Theme clue]

18. Church seating: PEW.

19. Messy person: SLOB.

20. Word with ocean or eye: LINER.  Ocean liner and eyeliner -- interesting clue!

21. Skim through: SCAN.

22. Wear away: ERODE.  Late last month, the 550-year-old sea arch formed by lava flows in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park collapsed  -- the victim of erosion and a huge storm.

Hōlei Sea Arch in better times

24. Sprawling property: ESTATE.

26. [Theme clue]

30. Rainbow maker: PRISM.

31. Attempted: TRIED.

32. Bath rug: MAT.

33. Old hoops org.: ABA.  From 1967 to 1976, the American Basketball Association competed with the more established National Basketball Association.  

36. Genetic material: DNA.

37. Polo shirt, e.g.: TOP.

40. Power strip switch: ON OFF.

42. Not exactly, informally: KINDA.

44. [Theme clue]

49. Battery terminals: ANODES.  The anode undergoes oxidation (losing electrons) and sends electrons through an external wire to power a device. 

50. Punchiness: OOMPH.

51. See 58-Across: SHOE.

52. Crown for a prom queen: TIARA.

54. Wanes: EBBS.

58. With 51-Across, dance accessory for Fred Astaire: TAP.

Fred Astaire, dancer extraordinaire

59. [Theme clue]

61. Connecticut Ivy Leaguer: ELI.  A student at Yale University may be called an "Eli," referring to Elihu Yale, an early benefactor of the university.

62. Derive: INFER.

63. Possibly dangerous: RISKY.

64. Cozy burrow: DEN.

65. Composer Stravinsky: IGOR.  Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a Russian composer and conductor.  🎵

66. River mammal: OTTER.  This blogger was absent for three weeks, visiting the UK and Ireland.  On the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, DH and I encountered freshwater otters that make daily treks from the hills to the ocean, because food on that island is most plentiful at the shore.  I had never heard of such a thing!

Freshwater otters at the seashore on the Isle of Mull

Down:

1. Does some alterations: SEWS.

2. Place for cuticle oil: NAIL.

3. Analogy words: IS TO.  A puppy is to a dog as a kitten is to a cat.

4. Spots where dogs may sit, lie down, and roll over: PET BEDS.

5. Clever: SLY.

6. Meet over coffee, perhaps: CONNECT.

7. Entr'__: ACTE.  The French word entr'acte is a contraction of the words entre acte ("between acts") and refers to a piece of music performed between two parts of a stage production, or simply an intermission.  🎵

8. Eerie electronic instrument: THEREMIN.  A musical instrument patented by Leon Theremin in 1928, the theremin is controlled without physical contact.  🎵

9. Musical proclivity: EAR.  🎵

10. Affectionate feline: LAP CAT.

11. Brainstorm: IDEATE.

12. Wet blanket: DOWNER.  A person who ruins the fun or enjoyment of others.

14. Some hotel employees: MAIDS.

17. Move like the wind: BLOW.

21. Small earring: STUD.

Hoop with dangle, regular hoop, and stud.

23. Fiction subgenre: ROMANCE.

25. "I didn't quite catch that": SPEAK UP.

26. Typing speed: Abbr.: WPM.  Words Per Minute.

27. 401(k) alternative: IRA.  Individual Retirement Account.

28. Minor quibble: NIT.

29. Chicago airport code: ORD.  Chicago's O'Hare International Airport uses the code ORD because the airfield was originally named Orchard Field (ORcharD).

34. Not-so-humble bragging: BOASTING.

35. Old gridiron org.: AFL.  From 1960 to 1970, the American Football League competed with the more established National Football League.  The crossing of the defunct ABA and AFL was a WAG (wild ass guess) for this blogger.

37. Feature of many a Wile E. Coyote trap, for short: TNT.  Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner are fictional characters from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons produced by Warner Bros. from 1949 onward.  The hungry coyote tries to kill and eat the road runner through complex schemes and mail order explosives.

38. "__ to Joy": highlight of Beethoven's Ninth: ODE.  The fourth and final movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 is commonly called the Ode to Joy.  Here's an excerpt (3:41), performed by André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra:  🎵

39. Golf course standard: PAR.

40. Ye __ Shoppe: OLDE.

41. Pool raft, e.g.: FLOATER.

43. Receive, as a bequest: INHERIT.

44. Squandered: WASTED.

45. Take a deep breath: INHALE.

46. Copy on an email reply: LOOP IN.  When I want to be copied on a string of emails, I ask the recipients to "keep me in the loop."

47. Apple pie-making tool: CORER.

48. Minnesota representative Ilhan: OMAR.  Ilhan Omar has served as the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district since 2019.

Ilhan Omar

53. Deets: INFO.  "Deets" is short for "details."  "Info" is short for "information."

55. Triumph over: BEST.  In this case, "best" is a verb.  "The experienced chess player hoped to best the young prodigy."

56. Make a cake, say: BAKE.

57. Icelandic dairy product similar to yogurt: SKYR.  Yummy.

59. Nintendo console released in 2006: WII.   The Wii introduced motion-tracking controls, and could recognize gestures, as opposed to just buttons on a controller.  The Wii was also Nintendo's first console with internet connectivity for online gaming.

60. Certain sib: BRO.  "Sib" is short for "sibling."  "Bro" is short for "brother."

Here's the grid:

Dear Solvers,

Huge thanks are due to CrossEyedDave and Anonymous T for blogging Mondays during my absence!

I missed the WITTY BANTER in the comments section, and can hardly wait to CONNECT with all of you again.  So SPEAK UP!

And of course, if you have a NIT to pick with the puzzle, we'll lend you an EAR.

I do want to thank Amanda Cook for all the musical entries 🎵, none of which required me to look up the deets of any pop stars du jour.

-- NaomiZ