Monday, April 27, 2026, Patti Varol

Theme:  OVERJOYED!

Today's puzzle comes to us from Patti Varol, who is not only the editor of the Los Angeles Times Crossword, but whose puzzles have appeared in many other publications, and have been the challenges presented in many crossword tournaments. 

Each of today's long entries begins with a synonym for "happy" -- a very nice way to start Monday morning.

20-Across. Carnival ride with seats shaped like animals: MERRY-GO-ROUND.

33-Across. Hard candies with blue raspberry and green apple flavors: JOLLY RANCHERS.

43-Across. Brand of heavy-duty trash bags: GLAD FORCEFLEX.

59-Across. Golfer played by Adam Sandler: HAPPY GILMORE.

I wanted to echo Patti's theme by using another familiar phrase that starts with a synonym for "happy" -- and does not re-use one of Patti's synonyms -- and I could not do it.  The fact that Patti found these four phrases and fit them into symmetrical spots in the grid is impressive.  The whole thing left me delighted, joyful, thrilled, and ecstatic.

Let's see what other cheerful things show up in the grid.

Across:

1. Allure of a coffee shop: AROMA.

Sometimes the aroma is the best part.

6. Private convos: DMS.  Direct messages are private conversations, usually on social media sites.

9. Initial phase: ONSET.  It has been over a year since the ONSET of my daughter's dog Charlie's crippling disability.  Five veterinarians and thousands of dollars later, we may have a diagnosis.

Our dearly departed terriers at left; Charlie (a European village dog) on the right.

14. Student: PUPIL.

15. Snakelike fish: EEL.

16. "And there you have it!": VOILÀ.  "See there!" in French.  Adopted into English to call attention to something, or to suggest an appearance as if by magic (like "ta-da").

17. Flower part: PETAL.

18. D-backs, on scoreboards: ARI.  The Arizona Diamondbacks (or D-backs) are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Arizona Diamondbacks logo

19. ATM key: ENTER.

20. [Theme clue]

23. Strong urge: DESIRE.

26. Earsplitting: LOUD.

27. Pick up the tab: PAY.

28. Before, poetically: ERE.

     Maid of Athens, ere we part,

     Give, oh, give me back my heart!

     Or, since that has left my breast,

     Keep it now, and take the rest!

          -- Lord Byron, 1810

29. Frustrated cry: GAH.  An interjection used to express disappointment, frustration, or dismay.

Gah!

31. Recipe amount: CUP.

33. [Theme clue]

38. Tibet's continent: ASIA.

39. Sign before Virgo: LEO.

40. Dinghy pair: OARS.

43. [Theme clue]

48. One who may have a platonic partner, for short: ARO.  Aromantic -- a person who does not experience romantic attraction.

49. Flesh and blood: KIN.

50. Photo __: OPS.  Photo opportunities.  Occasions or settings that lend themselves to, or are deliberately arranged for, taking photographs, especially for favorable publicity of the subjects.

51. Delivery room docs: OBS.  Obstetricians.

54. Backless shoe: MULE.  Mules can be flat, or on wedges or block heels, or even high-heeled.  Many slippers are mules.  Toes can be open, as shown below, or closed.

Mule with block heel.

57. "This sale ends soon!": ACT NOW.  Pressure tactics sometimes lead to poor decisions.

59. [Theme clue]

62. "Rashomon" director Kurosawa: AKIRA.  Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 30 feature films over six decades.  Rashomon (1950) was the surprise winner of the Golden Lion at the 1951 Venice Film Festival, opening Western markets to Japanese films for the first time.  You may remember Seven Samurai (1954).

Akira Kurosawa

63. Actress Goth of Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein": MIA.  Mia Goth is a British actress and model.  She has a fitting surname for the genre.

She's too old for her mother to prevent her going out like this.

64. "I'm the best!": YAY ME.

68. Intel job: RECON.  Intel is intelligence, or information concerning a subject of interest, especially an enemy; recon is reconnaissance, or an exploratory military survey of enemy territory.

69. K-pop band who began their Arirang World Tour in 2026: BTS.  BTS (which stands for the Korean words for "Bulletproof Boy Scouts"), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010.  In 2020, BTS became the fastest group since the Beatles to chart four US number-one albums in less than two years.  They are the best-selling musical act in South Korean history.

70. __ to: before: PRIOR.

71. Very skilled: ADEPT.

72. Dead __ Scrolls: SEA.

73. Categories: TYPES.

Down:

1. Program opened with a tap: APP.  An app, which is short for "application," is a type of software that can be installed and run on a computer, tablet, smartphone or other electronic devices.  Most apps have a specific and narrow function.

Apps on a smartphone.

2. Truly regret: RUE.

3. Choose: OPT.

4. Metropolis east of the Everglades: MIAMI.

5. Hypersensitivity that may be diagnosed with a scratch test: ALLERGY.

6. Precious: DEAR.

7. Actress Streep: MERYL.  Meryl Streep is an American actress who has had success with critically acclaimed dramas and mainstream silliness alike.  Over her long career, she has earned three Academy Awards:  Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kramer vs Kramer (1979), and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Sophie's Choice (1982) and for The Iron Lady (2011).  She is the most Academy Award-nominated performer in history.

Meryl Streep in 1977

8. Irish county next to Mayo: SLIGO.  County Sligo is a county in the Northern and Western Region of Ireland.  W. B. Yeats grew up there and its landscapes inspired his poetry.  Obscure for a Monday puzzle.

The dark green area is County Sligo; the pink is Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.

9. Like a library book one has to pay for: OVERDUE.  My long career as a librarian was partly inspired by my childhood fascination with date due cards and the machine that captured an image of each card alongside my library card.

Alas, I never got to use the photocharger.  I mostly worked in computerizing catalogs.

10. Off-limits move: NO NO.

11. "Quit slouching!": SIT UP.

12. Supreme Court justice Kagan: ELENA.  Elena Kagan is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was appointed in 2010 by President Obama and is the fourth woman to serve on the Court.  PRIOR to her service on the Supreme Court, she was a clerk for Justice Thurgood Marshall; a lawyer in private practice; a professor at the University of Chicago Law School; a special counsel for the Senate Judiciary Commmittee; Associate White House Counsel for President Clinton; professor and then Dean of Harvard Law School; and then Solicitor General for President Obama. 

The first four female U.S. Supreme Court justices:
 Sandra Day O'Connor, Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elena Kagan.

13. Not on time: TARDY.

21. Tail end: REAR.

22. Cry of pain: OUCH.

23. __ vu: familiar feeling: DÉJÀ.  Déjà vu is French for "already seen."  In English, it refers to the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time, that is, a feeling that one has seen or heard something before.

24. God with a bow and arrow: EROS.

25. Former baseball commissioner Bud: SELIG.  "Bud" Selig is the commissioner emeritus of baseball.  He was de facto acting commissioner beginning in 1992 in his capacity as chairman of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Executive Committee before being named the official commissioner in 1998.  He served as the ninth commissioner of baseball from 1998 to 2015.  He is credited with the financial turnaround of baseball, with a 400 percent increase in the revenue of MLB during his tenure.

Bud Selig

30. Grapefruit serving, often: HALF.

32. Univ. teacher: PROF.  A university teacher is often a professor.

34. Singsong syllables: LA LA.

35. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.

36. Wine stopper: CORK.

37. Cut-and-dry spot: SALON.

41. Seized auto: REPO.  Repossessed (usually for failure to make payments).

42. Annual festival in Austin, TX: SXSW.  South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of film, interactive media, and music festivals that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas.

44. Insect that forages in large raids: ARMY ANT.

45. Heisman winner Flutie: DOUG.  Doug Flutie is a former professional football quarterback.  In a 21-year career, Flutie played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and one season in the United States Football League (USFL).  He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1984.

46. Italian farewell: CIAO.  Or, as DH likes to say:  "Ciao for now!"

47. Put into code: ENCRYPT.

51. Catherine of "The Studio": O'HARA.  Catherine O'Hara (1954-2026) was a Canadian-American actress and comedian. She began in improvisational and sketch comedy before expanding her career with dramatic roles. She has a long list of film credits, but may be best known for her roles in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt's Creek. 

Catherine O'Hara in 2005

52. Made cookies, say: BAKED.

53. Jazz (up): SPICE.

55. Arms and legs: LIMBS.

56. Crème de la crème: ELITE.  More French!  "Crème de la crème" is literally "cream of the cream" and is used to mean "best of the best." 

58. In need of tissues: TEARY.

60. Actor's accessory: PROP.

61. Tortilla dough: MASA.  Masa is dough made from ground corn that has been softened by soaking in alkali. 

65. Shrill bark: YIP.

66. Fellow Stooge of Larry and Curly: MOE.  We have a Chairman by that name in our Corner.

67. Hosp. triage areas: ERS.  Hospital triage areas are Emergency Rooms.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did you RUE attempting this puzzle, and cry "GAH" HALFway into it?

Or are you an ELITE solver, so ADEPT at crosswords that you yelled "YAY ME!"?

All TYPES of solvers are welcome in the Comments.  We DESIRE your input.

-- NaomiZ

Monday, April 20, 2026, Doug Peterson

Theme:  This is HUGE!

Constructor Doug Peterson has accomplished another tremendous feat, as revealed here:

63-Across. Finale that earns a standing ovation, and a feature of 17-, 24-, 38-, and 50-Across: BIG FINISH.  Each of the theme answers FINISHes with a synonym for BIG.

The other theme answers are:

17-Across. Piano studio instrument: BABY GRAND.

24-Across. Indulging in a luxurious existence: LIVING LARGE.

38-Across. Mascot on cans of peas and corn: JOLLY GREEN GIANT.

50-Across. NHL team in Salt Lake City: UTAH MAMMOTH.  This ice hockey team was created in 2024 -- not long enough ago for your sports-challenged blogger to have heard of it, but perpendicular entries in the grid were very helpful.

I racked my brain for additional phrases that would fit the pattern.  Can you think of a common, two or three word phrase that ends with a synonym for BIG?  I couldn't.  Doug Peterson thought of four of them, fit them into perfectly symmetrical spaces in his grid, and made one of them span the grid right in the middle.  Wow. 

Let's see what else Doug came up with to top off his colossal achievement.

Across:

1. Young men: LADS.

5. Add voice-over to: DUB.

8. Dark expression: SCOWL.

13. __ Puffs: chocolaty cereal: OREO.  Here's a new clue for crosswords' favorite cookie.  I never heard of the cereal.  Please don't tell my grandchildren about it.

14. Atlas section: ASIA.

16. "Star Trek" role for Nichelle Nichols: UHURA.

Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura

17. [Theme clue]

19. Tag call: NOT IT.

20. Gain possession of: OBTAIN.

21. Yahtzee cube: DIE.  Singular form of "dice."

23. Apartment payment: RENT.

24. [Theme clue]

27. Word before planning or sale: ESTATE.  If you have anything of value that you'd like to leave to your heirs or to charity, consider having an attorney create a trust for you!  It will cost you something, but nothing compared to what your heirs will spend on probate attorneys -- and the years they will invest in the process -- if you leave only a will.  If you have a legal trust, the transfer to your heirs is almost immediate and does not involve the courts.  I see the difference in my work all the time.

30. Young women: GALS.

31. Three, in Germany: DREI.

32. Printer brand: EPSON.

35. Liveliness: PEP.

38. [Theme clue]

42. NNW reversal: SSE.  Opposite points on the compass.

43. Borden spokescow: ELSIE.  The Borden Company was established in 1857.  Its dairy subsidiary has gone through many changes of ownership, and even bankruptcy in 2020.  Poor Elsie!  Created in 1936, the old gal once had a husband, Elmer the Bull, but he went off to be the mascot for Elmer's Glue under Borden's chemical division.  True story!

Elsie and Elmer grilling beef (!) in the good old days

44. CBS military series in its 23rd season: NCIS.  NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is a military police procedural television series.  23 seasons, and I've never seen an episode!  Any fans here?

45. Body part with a bridge: NOSE.  The nasal bridge is the elevated region of the nose between and just below the eyes. It is formed by two small, oblong bones, which meet in the middle.

The "bridge" is indicated at top as "Nasal bone."

47. __ on: added hastily: TACKED.

50. [Theme clue]

54. Gym pads: MATS.

55. Extinct New Zealand bird: MOA.  Do you remember this from a Monday puzzle in February?  Moa are an extinct group of flightless birds formerly endemic to New Zealand.  There were likely a couple million of them circa 1300 CE when Polynesians settled New Zealand.  Some species were 12 feet tall!  Extinction occurred within 100 years of human settlement, thanks to overhunting.

Moa and human nemesis

56. Bit of fridge decor: MAGNET.

61. "I knew it all __!": ALONG.

63. [Theme clue]

65. Fable lesson: MORAL.

66. __ gin fizz: SLOE.  Shake with ice: 1.5 oz sloe gin (gin infused with blackthorn fruits, i.e. sloes), 1 oz lemon juice, and 0.75 oz simple syrup.  Strain into glass filled with fresh ice.  Top with club soda and stir gently.

67. Midrange voice: ALTO.

68. Motivation for a project, in hashtags: INSPO.  "Inspo" is an informal abbreviation for "inspiration," used on social media to describe motivating ideas, visual references, or creative concepts in fashion, lifestyle, and design. 

69. Canonized Fr. woman: STE.  The abbreviation for Sainte, which is feminine for Saint in French.  For example, the woman we call St. Joan of Arc is called Ste Jeanne d'Arc in her homeland of France.

70. Have on: WEAR.  And just as importantly ...

Down:

1. Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca: LOBO.  Rebecca Lobo-Rushin is a television basketball analyst and former professional women's basketball player in the WNBA from 1997 to 2003.  I did not know (DNK) this, and it gave me a rough start in the northwest part of the puzzle.

Try to identify the former professional basketball player.

2. Many a Syrian: ARAB.

3. Balance owed: DEBT.

4. Bean used to make tofu: SOYA.

5. "Well, shoot!": DARN IT.

6. Alysa Liu's Olympic team: Abbr.: USA.  Alysa Liu, an American figure skater, is the 2026 Olympic champion in both women's singles and in the team event, the 2025 World champion, the 2022 World bronze medalist, the 2025–26 Grand Prix Final champion, a two-time Grand Prix medalist, a four-time Challenger Series champion, and a two-time U.S. national champion.

Alysa Liu at the recent winter Olympics

7. Bright forehead adornment: BINDI.  A bindi is a decorative dot or jewel worn on the forehead, representing the "third eye" in Hindu and Indian culture.

Woman wearing a bindi.

8. Star that warms Mars: SUN.

9. Written for group singing: CHORAL.

10. Vast cosmic expanse: OUTER SPACE.

11. Squeeze dry: WRING.

12. Milky coffee order: LATTE.

15. Possible score after deuce: AD IN.  Tennis scoring!  

     0 points = Love

     1 point = 15

     2 points = 30

     3 points = 40

     Tied score = All

     40-40 = Deuce

     Server wins deuce point = Ad-In

     Receiver wins deuce point = Ad-Out

18. __ monster: Arizona lizard: GILA.  The Gila monster is a venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, slow-moving reptile, up to 22 inches long, and is the only venomous lizard native to the United States.

Gila monster

22. Actively encourage: EGG ON.

25. Swerves sharply: VEERS.

26. "Auld __ Syne": LANG.

27. Greek Cupid: EROS.

28. Devoted fans of singer/actress Gomez: SELENATORS.  This I did not know (DNK in the comments section), but I do know Selena Gomez, especially from Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building," so it wasn't too hard to fill.

Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez

29. Up to, briefly: TIL.

31. Some radio personalities: DJS.

33. Shar-__: PEI.  The Shar Pei dog breed nearly became extinct in the 20th century due to cultural changes in China.  In 1978, it was named by The Guinness Book of Records as the world's rarest breed, with only 60 remaining.  The publicity led to demand in the United States.  Breeders in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan crossed the Shar Pei with bull terriers, pugs, and bulldogs, and passed them off to American buyers as purebred.  The American Kennel Club now recognizes the Shar Pei, but with the fleshier appearance of the cross breeds.  The original type of Shar Pei is still down to 50 to 100 dogs.

Chinese "bone mouth" Shar Pei on the left, American "meat mouth" Shar Pei on the right.

34. Deal with: SEE TO.

36. City in northern Oklahoma: ENID.

37. Scoreboard nos.: PTS.

39. Quaint affirmative: YES'M.  "Yes'm" is a contraction of "yes ma'am," used as a polite, often regional (Southern US) or dated, affirmative response to a woman.  Like "Yessir," but for the ladies.

40. Sparkle: GLEAM.

41. Printmaker's fluid: INK.

46. Slangy "Touché!": OH SNAP.

48. Charge for using a card: ATM FEE.

49. Spiced tea from India: CHAI.

50. So-called "fifth taste": UMAMI.

51. Owl's claw: TALON.

52. Crowds around, as a celebrity: MOBS.  In our neighborhood, the big excitement is when a group of crows MOBS a hawk.  They don't want a selfie or a signature.  They want the hawk out of the neighborhood, so it won't eat their eggs or nestlings.  Mockingbirds MOB the crows for the same reason.  I was anti-crow until I saw them mobbing hawks.  Hawks eat songbirds, including the tired migrant birds that come to our yard twice a year, on their way from colder climes to warmer, and back the other way.  Hawks have to eat, too, but you know, Not In My Back Yard.

Crows mobbing a hawk.

53. Stamps and sends: MAILS.

57. Nibble (on): GNAW.

58. Khartoum's river: NILE.  Khartoum is the capital of Sudan, upriver on the Nile from Egypt.

The red flag marks Khartoum.

59. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTÁ.  "How are you?" (formal) in Spanish.

60. Marvel's hammer thrower: THOR.

62. Day-__ paint: GLO.

64. Comprehended: GOT.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Did this puzzle GNAW at you, causing you to WRING your hands and SCOWL?

Or did it put PEP in your step, and a GLEAM in your eye, on the way to a BIG FINISH?

Maybe we can take some INSPO from your experience.  Please comment!

-- NaomiZ

Monday, April 13, 2026, Pranav Daryanani

Theme:  NEWS FLASH!

Here's big news:  This appears to be Pranav Daryanani's first published crossword puzzle.  If so, congratulations!  It's perfect for Monday, fast and fun but with some fresh fill.  I didn't see the theme until the big reveal:

54-Across. "This just in!," or what 20-, 33-, and 40-Across are doing?: BREAKING NEWS.  Oh, I get it!  In the theme entries, the word NEWS is broken so that NE occurs at the beginning of the answer, and WS occurs at the end.  Here are the theme entries:

20-Across. "Bridgerton" and "Stranger Things," for two: NETFLIX SHOWS.

33-Across. Cushions for napping on long flights: NECK PILLOWS.

40-Across. Statutes that attempt to ensure a carbon-neutral future: NET-ZERO LAWS.

Yours truly enjoys this sort of theme.  It's not just about BREAKING a word, but revealing it in a way that is a clever play on words ... literally, BREAKING "NEWS."  Hats off to Pranav.

Let's see what else our NEW constructor has in store for us.

Across:

1. Mischief-makers: IMPS.  An imp is a small evil spirit, or a mischievous child.

5. Cauliflower unit: HEAD.  I like to buy cauliflower HEADs of different colors at the local farmers market, cut them up, rub them with olive oil and black pepper, and roast them in the oven on high heat until fork tender.  Delicious as a side dish, or as the basis for cauliflower tacos.

9. "I __ Feeling": Black Eyed Peas hit: GOTTA.  "I Gotta Feeling" is a song by the Black Eyed Peas from their fifth studio album The E.N.D. (2009).  Bet you'll recognize the refrain.

14. Biblical ark maker: NOAH.

15. Ivy that was the first U.S. school to issue a Ph.D.: YALE.  The eight members of the Ivy League are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University.

16. Barcelona bills: EUROS.  Barcelona is in Spain, which is part of the European Union, and uses banknotes or "bills" in Euros, in these denominations:  €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, and €500.  Single Euros exist only as coins.

17. Killer whale: ORCA.

18. "Journeys" that involve emotional manipulation: GUILT TRIPS.  Cute clue!

20. [Theme clue]

22. Shoe front: TOE.

23. Watch display: TIME.

24. Letters between names: AKA.  Also Known As.  On Thursdays, we sometimes hear about a smart lady called RightBrain AKA Mrs. RustyBrain.

27. Vegas venue: CASINO.  Have you seen any shows in Las Vegas?

30. Sparks happiness in: ELATES.

32. Groovy: FAB.

33. [Theme clue]

36. Historic chapters: ERAS.

38. Sombrero, e.g.: HAT.

39. Sticky strip: TAPE.

40. [Theme clue]

45. "Park it!": SIT.

46. Split: CLEAVE.  Cleave is a great verb, with two opposing meanings:

      1.   to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly -- as in "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)

      2.  to divide by or as if by a cutting blow : split ; to separate into distinct parts and especially into groups having divergent views.

      Keep CLEAVE in mind for clues like "cling together"!

47. Military gesture: SALUTE.

49. Overhead trains: ELS.  Elevated trains, often called "Els" or "L trains," are rapid transit systems with tracks built above street level on elevated structures.  DH and I were fascinated to see these in Chicago.

Chicago "L train"

50. Shade trees with oval leaves: ELMS.  Oval leaves?  Sure, I guess -- compared to maple leaves.  Anyway, crossword "shade trees" are usually ELMS.

53. Dipping bread: SOP.  This reviewer is familiar with the verb (to dip in liquid), but -- breaking news! -- has just learned the noun, a piece of food dipped in a liquid.

54. [Theme clue]

59. Magic or ventriloquism performance, say: VARIETY ACT.  A variety act is a short, specialized performance -- such as juggling, magic, comedy, ventriloquism, or acrobatics -- featured within a larger, mixed-entertainment show. 

62. Misses the mark: ERRS.

63. Radiates: EMITS.

64. Tiny unit of matter: ATOM.

65. Marvel-ous mutants?: X-MEN.  The X-Men are a superhero team in comic books published by Marvel Comics.

X-Men

66. Land near 41-Down: TIBET.  "Land" as in "country."

67. State bird of Hawaii: NENE.

It was nice of this Nene on the Big Island to come close for a portrait.

68. Sun-kissed shades: TANS.

Down:

1. Aware of, as a secret: IN ON.

2. "Encore!": MORE.  Literally, "again" in French.  Audiences in English speaking countries yell "Encore!" to mean "More!"  French audiences shout "Bis!" (meaning "twice" or "repeat") or "Une autre!" (another one).

3. Treaty: PACT.

4. Mine passages: SHAFTS.

5. Personal cleanliness: HYGIENE.  Easier to say than to spell!  Hi, Jinx!

6. Waters, in French: EAUX.  Literally, "waters" in French.  The singular is "eau."

7. Sought-after party guests: A-LIST.

8. New __, India: DELHI.  Delhi is a metropolitan region encompassing Old Delhi and surrounding areas. New Delhi is a specific, modern district within Delhi that serves as the capital of India.

9. Message on a hospital bouquet: GET WELL.

This can be a mood booster!

10. For us: OURS.

11. Prefix with -ceratops: TRI.  Triceratops means "three-horned face."

12. Tee or polo: TOP.  TOP meaning "shirt."

13. Braying animal: ASS.

19. Marisa of "Spider-Man: No Way Home": TOMEI.

Marisa Tomei played Aunt May

21. Pork cut: LOIN.

24. Words for raising spirits?: A TOAST.

25. Collectible doll with the same name as a Japanese mayonnaise brand: KEWPIE.  This reviewer never heard of Kewpie mayo (sounds delish, actually), but knows Kewpie dolls.  Our youngest grandchild looks just like a Kewpie doll, but his millenial parents don't know what that is.

Kewpie mayo and Kewpie doll

26. Thing of value: ASSET.

27. "The Office" star Steve: CARELL.  Steve Carell starred as Michael Scott in NBC's mockumentary comedy The Office for seven seasons, 2005–2011, and 2013.  Great show.  

Steve Carell in The Office

28. Wanes: ABATES.

29. Spanish eight: OCHO.

31. PC key near Z: ALT.  I'm glad they don't ask me about Mac keyboards.

32. Backyard border: FENCE.

34. Actor Penn: KAL.  Kalpen Modi, known professionally as Kal Penn, is an American actor, author, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration.  He is known for his portrayals of Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar film series, Lawrence Kutner on the television program House, White House staffer Seth Wright on Designated Survivor, and Kevin, a psychologist and boyfriend to Robin in How I Met Your Mother.

Kal Penn

35. School support gps.: PTAs.  Parent Teacher Associations.

37. Kendrick Lamar's "All the Stars" collaborator: SZA.  "All the Stars" is a song by rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer SZA, released in 2018 as the lead single to the soundtrack album of the film Black Panther.  I'm not up to date with pop music, so this was NEWS to me.

41. Only mountain taller than K2: EVEREST.  Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on earth in terms of altitude, 29,032 feet above sea level.  K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, at 28,251 feet above sea level, is the second tallest.  K2 is considered more difficult and dangerous to climb.

42. Rent out again: RELET.

43. "Someone else did this!": WASN'T ME.

44. Tedious assignment: SLOG.

48. First in line: UP NEXT.

51. Like Chichén Itzá: MAYAN.

Very cool pre-Columbian site in Yucatán State, Mexico.

52. Use an ice rink or a roller rink: SKATE.

54. Chomp: BITE.

55. Cultural legend: ICON.

56. Humorist Bombeck: ERMA.  Erma Bombeck (1927-1996) wrote a syndicated newspaper humor column from 1965 to 1996, describing Ameican suburban home life .  It was pretty great, and very popular.  She suffered from kidney disease most of her life, requiring daily dialysis, and disclosed it only three years before her death.

Erma Bombeck

57. Small songbird: WREN.

58. Govt.-issued IDs: SSNs.

59. Doc who might implant a microchip: VET.  Doc is short for doctor; VET is short for veterinarian.

60. Mate, in Marseille: AMI.  French for "friend."

61. Tease playfully: RIB.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Were you on the FENCE about this puzzle?  Was it a struggle akin to climbing EVEREST?

Or was it the sort of grid that ELATES you, with a VARIETY of fill that allowed you to SKATE to the finish?

Let us IN ON your thoughts in the comments!

-- NaomiZ