Monday, November 2, 2026, Amanda Cook

Theme:  What's My Line?

Today marks Amanda Cook's fifth crossword constructor credit in the Los Angeles Times.  What a great way to begin the week!

The theme clues and answers are:

16-Across. Minute Maid juice box option: FRUIT PUNCH.  

24-Across. Catchphrase associated with hippies: FLOWER POWER.

34-Across. Occasion to wear a little black dress, perhaps: COCKTAIL PARTY.

50-Across. Tennis server's infraction: DOUBLE FAULT.  A double fault occurs when the server makes two consecutive errors, and the point goes to the opponent.  The errors might be hitting the net, hitting outside the service box, or stepping onto the court before contacting the ball.

58-Across. End of a race, or what's found at the end of 16-, 24-, 34-, and 50-Across?: FINISH LINE.  I had to reach this FINISH LINE to see the theme:  each of the listed entries finishes with a type of line!  PUNCH LINE, POWER LINE, PARTY LINE, FAULT LINE.  Bottom line:  well done!

We have not come to the end of the line, though.  Here come the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Earth tremor: SEISM.

6. Quarterback Darnold who won the Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2026: SAM.  As you might have guessed, Sam Darnold's line of work is playing quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL.

9. Tom or drake: MALE.  A tom is a male turkey; a drake is a male duck.

13. Japanese breadcrumbs: PANKO.  Have you ever purchased white bread or pastries in a Japanese grocery?  The texture is incredibly light and fluffy!  No wonder Japanese breadcrumbs are prized for coating fried foods.

14. Lose steam: TIRE.

15. 20-Down highlight: ARIA.  An aria is an elaborate solo song with instrumental accompaniment featured in an opera.

16. [Theme clue]

18. Dressage gait: TROT.

19. The "D" of LED: DIODE.  An LED (light-emitting diode) is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current flows through it.

20. Atmospheric layer with holes: OZONE.  The ozone layer has a big seasonal hole over Antarctica, largely due to chemicals released from refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays.  The hole allows harmful ultraviolet radiation to reach the Earth's surface, which raises the risk of skin cancer, cataracts, and immune system damage for humans and other creatures, and harms plants, including crops.  Thanks to an international treaty (The Montreal Protocol) signed in 1987, which phased out chlorofluorocarbons, the hole in the ozone layer is gradually shrinking.  Sadly, recent extreme weather due to human caused climate change appears to be slowing the recovery of the ozone layer.

The ozone hole over Antarctica

21. Knee pt. studied in an MRI, perhaps: ACL.  The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the main stabilizing ligaments in the knee.

24. [Theme clue]

27. Bedroom piece: DRESSER.  You know ... bed frame, dresser, nightstand, mirror.  Typical bedroom furniture.

29. Migrating geese formation: VEE.  Each goose generates a wake of air behind and beneath its wings.  A following bird gains upward lift from the air currents created by the bird in front.  The goose at the front of the line doesn’t get any aerodynamic benefit and works the hardest. That’s why, when the first goose gets tired, it drops back into a trailing position, and another goose takes the lead. 

Geese in V formation

30. Crafty: SLY.

31. Thoroughly cooked: DONE.  Stick a fork in me, Jerry -- I'm done!

32. Pageant crown: TIARA.

34. [Theme clue]

40. Maid of honor speech, typically: TOAST.

41. Field of expertise: AREA.

43. PC key near the space bar: ALT.  I went into a veterinary clinic today to pick up meds for darling daughter's dog, and saw these keyboards at the front desk PCs.  I may need one.

Candy colored keyboard!

46. "What __ missing?": AM I.

47. Flagging down, as a cab: HAILING.

50. [Theme clue]

53. Bear, in Spanish: OSO.

54. Utterly confused: AT SEA.

55. Loud kiss: SMACK.

57. Leaning Tower city: PISA.

58. [Theme clue]

63. Notified: TOLD.

64. Opinion column: OP-ED.  "Op-ed" is short for "opposite the editorial page."  The essays that appear there are short opinion pieces that represent the views of outside contributors rather than the publication's editorial board.

65. Conger catcher: EELER.

66. Classic game console, for short: SNES.  Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

67. Prohibit: BAR.

68. Airline based in Atlanta: DELTA.

Down:

1. Coppertone initials: SPF.  Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures how well a sunscreen protects your skin from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which cause sunburn and contribute to skin cancer.

2. Unit of corn: EAR.

3. Shiba __: dog breed: INU.  An ancient Japanese breed of hunting dog, the Shiba Inu is small:  just 17-22 pounds.  If you want an adorable, fox-like little dog that is independent, stubborn, and can't be trusted off-leash, here's your next pet!

Shiba Inu

4. Lose traction, as on an icy road: SKID.

5. Recurring themes: MOTIFS.

6. Connective tissue: SINEW.  Also called a tendon, a sinew connects muscle to bone.

7. Curved path: ARC.

8. "Not my fave": MEH.

9. __ ball soup: MATZO.  DH looks forward to my vegetarian matzo ball soup every year.

Here is Martha Stewart's vegetarian version.

10. Quiver contents: ARROWS.  A quiver is a container used by archers to hold arrows.

A classic back quiver

11. "Hello" singer Richie: LIONEL.  Lionel Richie is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer.  In the 1970s, he was a songwriter and co-lead singer of the Motown group The Commodores.  In 1982, he launched his solo career with the album Lionel Richie.  His second album, Can't Slow Down (1983), became one of the best-selling albums of all time, and included the number one singles "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello."  He co-wrote the 1985 charity single "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson.  His third album, Dancing on the Ceiling (1986), contained the number one single "Say You, Say Me" and the No. 2 hit title track.  Wow.  Strange video, though.

12. Dining establishment: EATERY.

14. Royal house of Elizabeth I: TUDOR.  Henry VII was the first Tudor king of England, seizing the crown by force during a civil war.  His son Henry VIII is remembered for separating the Church of England from the Catholic church to facilitate the dissolution of his first five marriages; his sixth wife outlived him.  Henry VIII's son Edward VI reigned from age nine until his death at age 15.  Next up, Mary I ("Bloody Mary"), a daughter of Henry VII, reigned for five years, during which she restored Catholicism and persecuted Protestants.  And then came Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, who had been beheaded for supposed treason.  Elizabeth ruled for an amazing 70 years, restored the protestant church in England, and was the last of the Tudor monarchs.  Merry Olde England.

Elizabeth I

17. Bit of trekking gear: POLE.  These collapsible poles are lightweight and fit in your suitcase.  Totally worth bringing if you're planning to hike on uneven terrain.

Trekking poles

20. La Scala production: OPERA.  La Scala is an historic opera house in Milan, Italy.

21. Append: ADD.

22. Colorful clog with holes: CROC.

Croc with Croc

23. Longtime late-night host Jay: LENO.  Jay Leno is a stand-up comedian who was chosen in 1992 to replace Johnny Carson as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show, which he did until 2009 when Conan O'Brien took over for a year.  Leno returned to hosting The Tonight Show from 2010 to 2014, then hosted Jay Leno's Garage, and then the revival of You Bet Your Life.  He currently writes a regular column in Popular Mechanics giving automotive advice.

Jay Leno

25. Nefarious: EVIL.

26. Gather, as crops: REAP.

28. Religious faction: SECT.

32. __ for tat: TIT.

33. North __ Sea: Kazakh lake: ARAL.  The Aral Sea was once the world’s third largest lake.  It started shrinking in the 1960s when the Soviet government diverted two of its main inlet rivers, the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, to irrigate the surrounding desert region. The North Aral Sea was separated from the South Aral Sea in 1987-88 as water levels dropped.  Independent Kazakhstan has addressed environmental degradation by again allowing the Syr Darya River to flow into the lake.

The Aral Sea is circled.

35. Eucalyptus lover: KOALA.  The koala is native to Australia and eats little besides Eucalyptus, which is poisonous to most other animals.  The low nutritional value of this diet leads koalas to sleep up to twenty hours a day.  Hmm ... good life?

36. Like household pets: TAME.

37. "You wish!": AS IF.

38. Threesome: TRIO.

39. Cravings: YENS.

42. Long, long __: AGO.

43. Modifies to fit: ADAPTS.

44. Soothing cosmetic: LOTION.

45. Minor dustup: TUSSLE.

47. Muggy: HUMID.  Like this past summer in Los Angeles.  Brutal!

48. "What a shame": ALAS.

49. Irritated, in a way: ITCHED.  Like the bites of the invasive Aedes mosquitoes (commonly known as "ankle biters") which have recently infested Los Angeles, thanks to the aforesaid humidity.

51. Common elements in Native American jewelry: BEADS.

52. Ed of "Elf": ASNER.  Ed Asner (1929-2021) was an American actor, best known for playing Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) and the same character on the drama Lou Grant (1977-1982).  He won seven Primetime Emmy Awards -- the most of any male actor -- and acted in a number of films as well.  He played Santa Claus in New Line Cinema's Elf (2003) and voiced Carl Fredricksen in the Pixar animated film Up (2009).

Ed Asner is on the far right, with other cast members of
The Mary Tyler Moore Show

56. "Twittering Machine" painter Paul: KLEE.  Twittering Machine is a 1922 watercolor with gouache, pen-and-ink, and oil transfer on paper by Swiss-German painter Paul Klee. It depicts a loosely sketched group of birds on a wire or branch connected to a hand-crank.

Klee's Twittering Machine

58. Keyless key: FOB.  A key fob is a remote control device that uses radio waves to communicate with a car's computer, allowing drivers to lock, unlock, or start their vehicles with the press of a button.

59. Bitter beer letters: IPA.  India Pale Ale was created when English brewers increased the amount of hops in beer, and increased the alcohol level, to preserve the brew for the hot, six-month sea journey to India, during the time that India was under the control of the British East India Company.  

60. Unwell: ILL.

61. Take-home pay: NET.

62. Pitching ace's stat: ERA.  Earned Run Average.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Did Amanda's puzzle SMACK you in the face with the POWER of its brilliance?

Or did you find FAULT with it?

LINE up below to share your comments!

-- NaomiZ

Monday, October 26, 2026, Zhouqin Burnikel

Theme:  CAST your mind back ...

Zhouqin Burnikel -- our C.C.

Today's constructor, Zhouqin Burnikel, grew up in Xi'an, China, and moved to the Minneapolis area in 2001.  She started this blog in 2008, and started making her own crosswords in 2010.  Since then, she has become one of the most prolific and popular crossword constructors in the country.  We know her in this space as C.C., where her band of bloggers collaborates to educate and entertain everyone enjoying crossword puzzles in the Los Angeles Times.

C.C. helped us out today with circled letters to highlight the theme.  Note that the theme entries are symmetrically placed in the grid.  That's elegant!  The theme clues and answers are:

17-Across. "Piece of cake!": IT'S A CINCH.  Two ways of saying "easy!" -- just like a Monday puzzle.

29-Across. Airport screening spots: TSA CHECKPOINTS.  Where the Transportation Security Administration scans for prohibited items and holes in your socks.

47-Across. Landmark antidiscrimination legislation of 1964: CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.  Proposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, this act outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

64-Across. Shoe with a strap behind the heel, or what can be found in each set of circled letters: SLINGBACK.  Slingback shoes can be high- or low-heeled, but "it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that sling."  Did you see the circled letters, which if read BACKwards, spell CAST?  CAST, as a verb, is a synonym for the verb SLING.  In the theme answers, the SLING (or CAST) goes BACK.

Slingback shoe

It took this blogger a moment to grasp the theme.  I was picturing my father, CASTing a fly fishing line, which involved SLINGing the entire line backward and forward before letting it settle on the water's surface, and eventually the synonyms hit me.

It is my duty and pleasure to TOSS a few more explanations of today's puzzle your way.

Across:

1. Mani-pedi spots: SPAS.  Spas are nice places to get MANIcures and PEDIcures.

5. Muscles targeted by leg raises: ABS.  You can do leg raises lying down, hanging from a bar, or in a "captain's chair" as shown below.

8. Pumpkin's place: PATCH.

13. Like a trusted mentor: WISE.

14. Not of the clergy: LAIC.

16. Windy City airport: O'HARE.  O'Hare is a massive global hub in Chicago.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Harder to come by: RARER.

20. Stingray relative: MANTA.  Manta rays can be as large as 29 feet wide.  They have one of the highest brain-to-body ratios of all fish and exhibit self-awareness.  They are endangered by overfishing.

Human diver and manta ray with suckerfish

21. Search for: SEEK.

23. "Well, golly!": GEE.

24. Vipers in the Sahara: ASPS.  The asp, or Egyptian cobra, is highly venomous.  The Egyptian queen Cleopatra committed suicide through the bite of an asp, reputed to bring on sleepiness and death without pain.

27. Feel the same way: AGREE.

29. [Theme clue]

34. Actor Lowe: ROB.  Rob Lowe was a Brat Pack actor in the 1980s, and has achieved critical acclaim this century with roles in The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters, and other television productions.

Rob Lowe

35. "That sounds cool!": OOH.

36. Below, poetically: 'NEATH.  Simon & Garfunkel used this shortened version of "beneath" in their 1964 song, The Sound of Silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone

Narrow streets of cobblestone

'Neath the halo of a street lamp

I turned my collar to the cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light

That split the night

And touched the sound of silence

38. Individual: ONE.

39. Heartburn reliever: ANTACID.

42. Title for Louis XIV: ROI.  "Roi" is French for "king."

43. Tennessee NFL player: TITAN.  I knew this one only because DH is from Tennessee, and follows sports.

45. Snowboarding great Chloe: KIM.  Chloe Kim is an American professional snowboarder and two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Chloe Kim

46. German 101 article: EIN.  "Ein" is German corresponding to the English article "a."  Courses numbered "101" are usually introductory classes for college undergraduates.

47. [Theme clue]

52. Girl Scout Cookie with coconut: SAMOA.  In some regions, Samoas are labeled Caramel deLites, but they're made by a different bakery and have key differences.  Samoas have darker chocolate and more coconut.  Caramel deLites have milk chocolate and less coconut.  I wonder whether the deLites inspire the same level of devotion as the Samoas?  

53. Relax in the bath: SOAK.

54. Oral health org.: ADA.  American Dental Association.  If you use one of the major toothpaste brands, you're probably used to seeing the ADA Seal of Acceptance on the package.

56. Line on a graph: AXIS.

58. Golf course halves: NINES.  A full course has eighteen holes.  Playing half the course takes less time and may benefit beginners.

62. Automaton: ROBOT.

64. [Theme clue]

67. "You had to be __": THERE.

68. Currency in Cyprus: EURO.  Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, and adopted the euro in 2008.

69. Woe after a long hike: ACHE.

70. Filled to the brim: SATED.

71. Shoot the breeze: GAB.

72. Shine from within: GLOW.

Down:

1. First leg of a traditional triathlon: SWIM.  A triathlon is an endurance race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running.

2. Falafel bread: PITA.  Falafel is a deep fried ball of chickpeas and/or fava beans, often served in pita bread.

Falafel in pita

3. Professional gp.: ASSN.  "Gp." stands for "group."  "Assn." stands for "association."

4. Closest airport to Mt. Rainier, familiarly: SEA-TAC.  The 14,411-foot active volcano is about 60 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the state of Washington.

5. Mahershala of "Green Book": ALI.  Mahershala Ali's acting has been rewarded with two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.  Ali won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Moonlight (2016) and in Green Book (2018).  Green Book tells the true story of a 1962 tour of the deep south by African-American pianist Don Shirley, relying on The Negro Motorist Green Book to find restaurants and hotels accepting black customers.

6. Declare off-limits: BAN.

7. Sets the dogs (on): SICS.

8. Salty fried snack: PORK RIND.

9. "I get it now!": AHA.

10. Bull's-eye vicinity: TARGET AREA.

11. One of Canada's First Nations: CREE.  The Cree are a North American indigenous people whose homelands occupy most of eastern and central Canada.

12. "Present!": HERE.  Both are responses to roll call.

David?  Here!  Alice?  Present!

15. Low-priced: CHEAP.

18. Fat wallet fattener: CASH.

22. Sense of self: EGO.

25. Laborer: PEON.  A low ranking worker, or debtor bound to servitude.

26. Edinburgh native: SCOT.  We encountered these good looking folks in Edinburgh last month:

Edinburgh natives

28. U-turn from WSW: ENE.  Opposite points on a compass.

29. Slow and steady run: TROT.

30. Lightning-fast hedgehog of video games: SONIC.  Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game series for Sega which debuted in 1991.

31. "No weaseling out! Pay up!": A BET IS A BET.

32. Uniform color for some park rangers: KHAKI.

33. Showing no emotion: STOIC.

37. Helpful suggestion: HINT.

39. Like Pixar movies: ANIMATED.

40. Slangy smokes: CIGS.  Short for cigarette, of course.

41. Intro to a texter's two cents: IMHO.  IMHO stands for "in my humble opinion."

44. "Selma" director DuVernay: AVA.  Ava DuVernay is a recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a BAFTA Film Award, and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee for an Academy Award and Golden Globe.  Her Academy Award nomination was for the 2014 film Selma, about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Ava DuVernay

48. Fishy bagel topping: LOX.  Lox is a fillet of raw salmon that has been soaked in salt water for at least several days and then thinly sliced.  It is typically served on a bagel with cream cheese.

49. Reward for a job well done: RAISE.

50. Zesty flavor: TANG.

51. Carrier for poles, boots, and goggles: SKI BAG.

54. Bonsai and saikei: ARTS.  Bonsai is the Japanese art of pruning trees or shrubs in shallow containers to create miniature versions of mature trees.  Saikei goes a step further by adding stones, moss, gravel and other elements to create miniature landscapes.

Saikei

55. Gulf capital known for its futuristic skyline: DOHA.  Doha is the capital of Qatar.

Doha

57. Slimy garden pest: SLUG.

59. Table salt, to a chemist: NACL.  NaCl is the chemical formula for sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt.

60. Sound in an empty chamber: ECHO.

61. Distort, as data: SKEW.

63. Mined find: ORE.

65. 401(k) kin: IRA.  Individual Retirement Account.

66. San Francisco's __ Hill: NOB.  An historic, affluent neighborhood in San Francisco, with steep hills, luxury hotels, and great views of the city and the bay.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Were you WISE to the theme today?  Was it a CINCH for you?

Or did you encounter a rough PATCH?

We love to hear from you -- beginners and old-timers alike.  All are welcome in the comments.

-- NaomiZ

Notes from C.C.:

Here's a picture of CrossEyedDave, all dressed up for a fancy French restaurant. He said "This is my first time tasting Crepe Suzette. I don't like crepe Suzette any more than I like French in my crosswords..."

 

At least he didn't have to solve the dessert before eating it.

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