Monday, January 5, 2026, Morton J. Mendelson

Theme: After life.

Morton J. Mendelson at McGill University Convocation

Morton J. Mendelson joined the faculty of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology in 1977.  He served as the University’s first Deputy Provost of Student Life and Learning from 2005 until 2013.  When he retired, he devoted himself to family, good works, and crossword puzzle constuction.  Dr. Mendelson was very successful in this last endeavor, with many puzzles published in these pages, in The New York Times, and elsewhere.  It is my sad duty to report that Dr. Mendelson passed away suddenly in July 2025.  May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.

Sigh ... I thought we'd be off to a sad start this morning, as I take over the Monday spot held for so many years by the incomparable Sumdaze.  But I didn't know how sad, until I looked into the biography of today's constructor.  Let's honor Dr. Mendelson by enjoying the crossword puzzle he made for our pleasure.

Best to start with the big reveal:  

39-Across. Time for extracurricular activities, or where the ends of 17-, 26-, 52-, and 62-Across literally are: AFTER SCHOOL.  All sorts of extracurricular activities are scheduled after school, but in today's puzzle, the second word in each theme answer comes AFTER the name of a well-known SCHOOL.  Together, the first and second words form a familiar English phrase.

The other theme clues and answers are:

17-Across. Sweetener used on a Providence campus?: BROWN SUGAR.  BROWN University is a private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island.  SUGAR is a sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrate.  BROWN SUGAR contains a little molasses, a byproduct from the refining of sugarcane or sugar beet juice.

26-Across. Horse that's saddled up for a tour of a Philadelphia campus?: TEMPLE MOUNT.  TEMPLE University is a public "state-related" research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  MOUNT (as a noun) is another word for horse, or other animal that is ridden.  TEMPLE MOUNT is a hill in the Old City of Jerusalem, once the site of two successive Jewish temples, and now home to the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

52-Across. Quad found on a Portland campus?: REED SECTION.  REED College is a private liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon.  A quad is a SECTION of campus enclosed by buildings.  A REED SECTION is the group of musicians in a band or orchestra who play instruments that use a vibrating reed to produce sound, such as saxophones, clarinets, oboes, and bassoons.

62-Across. Kitchen appliance used at a Houston campus?: RICE COOKER.  RICE University is a private research university in Houston, Texas.  COOKER is an appliance used for cooking food.  A RICE COOKER is specifically for cooking rice.  Cooking rice is easy, but sometimes the appliance makes it easier.

Here's the grid, with its lovely symmetry:

Let's learn a little more from Dr. Mendelson's clues and answers.

Across:

1. Insurance company with a gecko mascot: GEICO.

6. "What __ is new?": ELSE.

10. Freeway exit: RAMP.

14. Heavy coat?: ARMOR.  

15th century coat of armor

15. WhatsApp's parent company: META.  Meta Platforms owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

16. Gumbo pod: OKRA.

17. [Theme clue]

19. See 12-Down: DASH.  (The answer to 12-Down is MRS.)  In 2020, the product was rebranded as "Dash," dropping the "Mrs." from its name.  Too dowdy, I suppose.  The original blend includes "Onion, Spices (Black Pepper, Parsley, Celery Seed, Basil, Bay Marjoram, Oregano, Savory, Thyme, Cayenne Pepper, Coriander, Cumin, Mustard, Rosemary), Garlic, Carrot, Orange Peel, Tomato, Lemon Juice Powder, Citric Acid, Oil of Lemon."

20. Restroom, to a Brit: LAV.  Short for lavatory, as Brit is short for British.

21. Forearm bones: ULNAE.  The long bones in your forearm are the ulna and radius.

Not humerus at all.

23. "__ dreaming?": AM I.

26. [Theme clue]

31. Hybrid orange fruit: TANGELO.  A tangelo can be a hybrid of a Citrus reticulata variety, such as mandarin orange or tangerine, and a Citrus maxima variety, such as a pomelo or grapefruit. The name is a portmanteau of "tangerine" and "pomelo."

Cushman honeybells -- a type of tangelo

33. Physician: DOCTOR.

34. Oft-grilled fish, on menus: MAHI.

35. Flirts (with): TOYS.

38. Adventure novelist Cussler: CLIVE.  Clive Cussler (1931-2020) was an American novelist and underwater explorer. His thriller novels have been listed on The New York Times fiction best-seller list more than 20 times. Cussler was the founder and chairman of the National Underwater and Marine Agency which has discovered more than 60 shipwrecks. He was the sole or main author of more than 80 books.  And yet I Did Not Know.

Clive Cussler

39. [Theme clue]

42. Basil-based sauce: PESTO.  DH is not a fan of pesto -- or of green herbs in general -- so we don't have it at home, and I like to order it when we eat out.

pesto pasta

44. Author Wiesel: ELIE.  Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel (1928-2016) was a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored 57 books, including Night, which is based on his experiences as a Jewish prisoner at Auschwitz and Buchenwald during the Holocaust.  I read the book half a century ago, and parts of it are still burned into my brain.

45. Hot spot service: WI-FI.  Wi-Fi is a family of wireless network protocols which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves.  Free at Starbucks!

48. Toward the back of a boat: ASTERN.

50. Supplied, as funds: FRONTED.

52. [Theme clue]

55. "Totally!": YES.

56. Australian marsupial: KOALA.  Marsupials are mammals whose young are born in a relatively undeveloped state and then nurtured in a pouch on their mother's abdomen.  We're all familiar with kangaroos, but the tree-dwelling koala is also a marsupial.

Koalas

57. Provisos: IFS.  Provisos are conditions attached to agreements.  Your rental agreement might guarantee you a certain rate for one year, with the proviso that the property be kept in good repair.  IF the condition is met, THEN your rent won't rise.

59. With 27-Down, "The Substance" Oscar nominee: DEMI.  (The answer to 27-Down is MOORE.)  The Substance is a 2024 horror movie starring DEMI MOORE as a fading celebrity who uses a black market drug to create a younger version of herself.  Critically acclaimed.

Demi Moore in The Substance

62. [Theme clue]

67. Wowed: AWED.

68. Genesis grandson: ENOS.  Enos, or Enosh, was the son of Seth, and grandson of Adam and Eve.  According to the Bible, he lived to be 905 years old!

69. Mediterranean oil source: OLIVE.

70. Beseeches: BEGS.

71. Take a break: REST.

72. Sacred carving: TOTEM.  A totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people.  In North America, we are familiar with totem poles, the monumental carvings found in western Canada and the northwestern United States.  The carvings may represent ancestors, legends, or historic events.

I took this photo of a totem pole in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a dozen years ago. 

Down:

1. Chitchat: GAB.

2. Make a wrong turn, say: ERR.

3. "Seems to me" shorthand: IMO. In My Opinion.  A texting abbreviation.

4. Monastic hood: COWL.  A cowl is an item of clothing consisting of a long, hooded garment with wide sleeves, often worn by monks.  It can refer just to the hood, but usually means the entire robe.  Outside of religious contexts, a cowl is a loose, draping neckline or circular scarf.

Carthusian Monk wearing a cowl

5. Elaborately decorated: ORNATE.  Unlike the outfit pictured above.

6. Australian bird: EMU.

7. Boost: LEG UP.

8. Horse stable unit: STALL.

9. Brought home, as a salary: EARNED.

10. Performer in bull riding competitions: RODEO CLOWN.  All I know about rodeo clowns, I learned from watching Zach Galifianakis in Baskets, which ran on FX from 2016 to 2019.  It was weird.

Zach Galifianakis as Chip Baskets

11. Letters between names: AKA.  Also Known As.

12. With 19-Across, salt-free seasoning brand: MRS.  Ah yes, the late, great Mrs. Dash.  You won't find this label in stores any more:

13. Dismissive sound: PAH.  I don't think I've ever encountered this puff of air, conveying contempt or annoyance, but my Google search suggests that it is often clued this way in crossword puzzles.

18. Gracefully slim: SVELTE.

22. Gas brand with a torch logo: AMOCO.  Amoco has a long history selling gasoline in the United States.  The American Oil Company introduced both the gasoline tanker truck and the drive-through filling station.  Now owned by British conglomerate BP, it is part of a huge multinational company.  The closest one to my home in Los Angeles is in Lincoln, Nebraska ... but it appears they are spreading.

23. Spot for short people?: ATM.  If you are short on cash, head to an Automated Teller Machine.

24. Barnyard bleat: MAA.  Goat speak!

25. Without bothering to be careful: IN HASTE.

27. See 59-Across: MOORE.  We've already talked about Demi Moore in The Substance.

28. __ knife: handy kitchen tool: UTILITY.  A utility knife is smaller than a chef's knife and often serrated.

29. Thanksgiving mo.: NOV.  An abbreviation in the clue (mo. for month) calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

30. Italian three: TRE.  Uno, due, tre ...

32. Naturally talented youngsters: GIFTED KIDS.

36. French fashion monogram: YSL.  Yves Saint Laurent.

37. Futuristic genre: SCI-FI.  Science fiction.

40. Upper body: TORSO.

41. Brave and noble: HEROIC.

42. __ for the course: PAR.  "Par for the course" means what is normal or expected in any given circumstances.  It comes from golf, where par is the standard number of strokes a skilled player is expected to take to complete a hole or an entire course.  

43. Opposite of WNW: ESE.

46. Extra charge: FEE.

47. Docs with DOBs, often: IDS.  Documents with Dates Of Birth are often IDs (identification cards).

49. Not as far: NEARER.

51. By walking: ON FOOT.

53. Country singer Patsy: CLINE.  Patsy Cline (1932-1963) was one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, and one of the first country music artists to successfully cross over into pop music.

54. Food truck fare: TACOS.  Common sight here in Los Angeles.

58. Without backup: SOLO.

59. Pat gently: DAB.

60. Female sheep: EWE.  And what do EWE say?

61. Actress Ryan: MEG.  Meg Ryan is a successful actress who is probably best known for her role in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally (1989).

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal

63. Ballpark fig.: EST.  A "ballpark figure" is an estimate.  It's somewhere in the ballpark ...

64. Baby beaver: KIT.  Baby beavers are called kits.  They are born with fur and open eyes, and can swim shortly after birth.  And they are cute as buttons.

baby beaver AKA kit

65. Genesis matriarch: EVE.  You may recall from 68-Across that Eve was the grandmother of Enos -- and more famously, the first human female, according to the Biblical account.

66. Sleep cycle letters: REM.  Rapid Eye Movement sleep is marked by vivid dreams and muscle paralysis.  If not for that paralysis, we might act out our crazy dreams.

Our blog mistress, C.C., has explained that Monday puzzles are the hardest to create, because the clues and answers have to be simple and straightforward.  I would say that Dr. Mendelson's puzzle is very suitable.  I certainly didn't have to illustrate the long list of minor celebrities that we often encounter later in the week.  Well done, I'd say.

What about you?

Did you solve the puzzle IN HASTE and ERR along the way?

Did you have a LEG UP because of your particular expertise?

Did you make a HEROIC effort to Finish It Right?

Let us know in the comments!

-- NaomiZ

Thursday, December 25, 2025, Katie Hale

Theme:  $omething extra in your stocking.

Today's crossword puzzle comes to us from Katie Hale, assistant crossword editor of the Los Angeles Times, who lives in London, England.  Thanks, Katie, for spreading Christmas cheer from across the pond!  We have some lovely, long theme answers today, and four circled letters.  The circled letters are added to English phrases, transforming the meaning of those phrases so that they match the clues.

16-Across. Produces apian-themed bedroom decor?: MAKES A BEE LINE[N].  Original phrase:  Makes a beeline, that is, goes quickly and directly toward a specific goal.  Adding N gives us MAKES A BEE LINEN, which is apian (bee related) sheets, pillowcases, and other fabric items that decorate a bed.

23-Across. Brand stylization such as camel case?: BUMP ON A LOG[O].  Original phrase:  Bump on a log, that is, someone who sits idle.  Adding O gives us BUMP ON A LOGO.  The reference is to "camel case," a writing format that eliminates spaces between words and indicates separation with capital letters:  PowerPoint, iPhone, FedEx, eBay.  The capital letter sticks up like the hump on a camel, and is often used in brand names.

40-Across. Creates cabernet with mallets?: HAMMERS OUT A WIN[E].  Original phrase:  Hammers out a win, that is, achieves a successful outcome through intense effort.  Adding E gives us HAMMERS OUT A WINE.  Imagine using mallets, which are hammers with large heads, to beat grapes into wine.

51-Across. English noble with an eyebrow ring?: PIERCED EAR[L].  Original phrase:  Pierced ear, that is, an ear in which a hole has been made to allow an earring to pass through.  Adding L gives us PIERCED EARL, a nobleman with additional body piercings.

61-Across. End-of-year perk, and what this puzzle's circled letters form: CHRISTMAS BONUS.  The circled letters spell NOEL, which means Christmas, and comes from the Latin natalis meaning birth or birthday.  A Christmas bonus usually connotes extra money added to one's paycheck at the end of the year, but in this case, we get some extra meanings thanks to NOEL.  The extra Christmas is a bonus!

What other Christmas treats does Katie have in store for us?  Let's open all the gifts.

Across:

1. Extract in some dog treats, briefly: CBD.  Cannabidiol (CBD) is an extract of Cannabis, and has been used to treat anxiety and pain, without much clinical evidence to support that usage.  Still, anything to help Fido feel better.

4. Fare ways?: CABS.  One way to get where you're going?  Pay a fare to ride in a cab.

8. Blue Ribbon beer: PABST.  Pabst claims that its beer was renamed Pabst Blue Ribbon following its win as "America's Best" at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Whether the brand actually won an award in 1893 is unclear, but the beer had won many other awards at other fairs, and Pabst had already started tying blue ribbons around every bottle.  It was such a great marketing ploy that this was an easy answer for you today.

13. Mine material: ORE.

14. Tech gift-guide site: CNET.  Check it out.  

15. Uneasy feeling: AGITA.  Agitation or anxiety.

16. [Theme clue]

19. Jessica of "The Better Sister": BIEL.  Jessica Biel is an American movie and television actress. She co-starred with Elizabeth Banks in "The Better Sister," a 2025 Amazon limited series TV thriller.  The premise:  two estranged sisters, one married to and the other divorced from the same man, are forced together after he is murdered.

Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks

20. London's prov.: ONT.  London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada.  Not the same London where our crossword constructor resides.

21. Step up from amateur night: GIG.  A gig is a paid performance.

22. Cal. column: MON.  Calendar column:  Monday.

23. [Theme clue]

28. "R u 4 real!?": OMG.  Are you for real?  Oh my god!  (Text abbreviations.)

29. 1860s prez: ABE.

30. Before now: AGO.

31. PG Tips and Barry's: TEAS.

British and Irish tea brands

33. Odds partner: ENDS.

36. Contradict in court: REBUT.

40. [Theme clue]

43. Slumber: SLEEP.

44. Tip-top: ACME.

45. Element of cooled pudding: SKIN.  Pudding skin is a rubbery film that forms on the surface of cooked puddings as they cool.  In one episode of Seinfeld, George proposed to cut the skin off of puddings, wrap them in plastic, and sell them as "pudding skin singles," akin to Kraft Singles American cheese.

46. Objective: AIM.

48. "Tinker Bell" voice actress Whitman: MAE.  Mae Whitman has been acting since she was six years old.  She has a long list of movie and TV credits; you may remember her from Parenthood (2010-2015).

Mae Whitman, Lauren Graham, and Miles Heizer in Parenthood

50. Actress Mendes: EVA.  Eva Mendes acted in a lot of movies before calling it quits in 2022, citing a lack of good roles that weren't specifically Latina.  She has two daughters with Ryan Gosling.

Eva Mendez and Ryan Gosling

51. [Theme clue]

56. 43-Across letters: REM.  SLEEP letters?  REM is a stage of sleep marked by -- you guessed it -- Rapid Eye Movement and vivid dreaming.

57. One point in gin rummy: ACE.  Gin Rummy, or simply Gin, is a two player card game in which aces are always valued at one point.

58. DC villain Luthor: LEX.  In DC comics, Lex Luthor is a supervillain with no superpowers.  He's just a wealthy, evil genius, and he's the archenemy of Superman.

Even a supervillain can grow up to be President.

59. Tie to a dock: MOOR.

61. [Theme clue]

66. Actor/director Waititi: TAIKA.  Taika Waititi is a New Zealnd filmmaker, actor, and comedian.  He co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in the horror comedy film What We Do in the Shadows (2014) and more recently directed Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).

Taika Waititi

67. Beauty aisle brand: OLAY.

68. Unreliable stat from the chronically late: ETA.  Adorable youngest daughter is not to be trusted regarding her Estimated Time of Arrival.

69. Like an intimidating climb: STEEP.

70. Eyelid issue: STYE.

71. Set: GEL.  Gel as a verb is to change from a liquid into a thick, soft solid.  Set is another way of saying the same thing.  Are you thinking of 45-Across, pudding skin?

Down:

1. Burger, fries, and a drink, perhaps: COMBO MEAL.

2. Cognitive ability improver: BRAIN GAME.  You're playing one!

3. Hockey feint: DEKE.  A deceptive movement or feint that induces an opponent to move out of position.  This seems to be an ice hockey specific term, and can be used as a noun or verb.

4. Includes, in a way: CCS.  We used to do this with carbon copies!  I still sometimes spell out the CCs at the end of an email when I want to the recipients to be aware of whose eyes will see a "reply all."

5. "Ballerina" 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), 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.  Ballerina was a 2025 thriller.

Ana de Armas

6. "__-a-Lula": classic Gene Vincent hit: BE-BOP.  "Be-Bop-a-Lula" is a rockabilly song first recorded in 1956 by Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps.

7. Real-time record-keeper, for short: STENO.  A STENOgrapher's job is to transcribe speech, as it occurs, using shorthand writing or a stenographic machine, especially in courtroom settings.

8. Good bud: PAL.

9. Form 1040 amt.: AGI.  Adjusted Gross Income belongs on Line 11 of Form 1040.  It reflects your income from all sources, minus certain allowable expenses.

10. "That's exactly right!": BINGO.

11. "Doctor De Soto" writer/illustrator William: STEIG.  I know William Steig mostly for a little picture book called CDB! (1968).   Doctor De Soto (1982) won the National Book Award.  The plot features a mouse dentist who wants to help a fox with a toothache, and yet not be eaten by him.

12. Dance with figure-eight steps: TANGO.

17. Idris of "Hijack": ELBA.  Idris Elba appears frequently in the puzzle.  He's a hugely successful actor who gained fame through his role in the HBO series The Wire (2002–2004).  Hijack is an Apple TV+ thriller series that debuted in 2023; a second season is set to premiere in January 2026.

Idris Elba

18. Volcano where Bronte pistachios are grown: ETNA.  Bronte, Sicily, Italy, is on the slopes of Mount Etna, the active volcano.  The little pistachios grown there derive a sweet flavor from the volcanic soil.

Bronte, Sicily, with Mount Etna

22. Wool-loving pests: MOTHS.

24. __ Eats: UBER.

25. Society for smarties: MENSA.

26. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.

27. Luxury hotel chain: LOEWS.

32. Spread, as peanut butter: SMEAR.

34. Sleepy housemate: DOC.  From Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

35. __ cum laude: SUMMA.  I imagine that many cruciverbalists earned this distinction in college.

37. Trail for cyclists: BIKE ROUTE.

38. Covering everything: UNIVERSAL.

39. Brunch date hr.: TEN AM.  In L.A., people will invite you to brunch at 1 PM.  1 PM!!  Does the language mean nothing any more?  On the other hand, sure, I can be ready by 1 PM.

41. Extraordinary: EPIC.

42. Feature of some distressed jeans: TEAR.

47. Turn to liquid: MELT.

49. Furry red Muppet: ELMO.  The Tickle Me Elmo doll was a huge fad during the 1996 Christmas shopping season.

51. Promises between besties: PACTS.

52. Apple's old messaging app: iCHAT.  iDON'Tchat.  I'm not an Apple person.

53. Haunting: EERIE.

54. Short exhibitions: DEMOS.

55. Speak highly of: EXALT.

60. Pull felt on Earth: O NEG.  Here I need your help.  Are we dealing with gravity?  With weightlessness?  Is the first character a zero, that is, zero neg?  Help, I'm falling!  Or failing!

[The answer was ONE G -- the force of gravity on the surface of the earth, as pointed out by several commenters.  NaomiZ experienced a blind spot here!]

62. 1950s prez: IKE.

Eisenhower and Nixon

63. Sucker: SAP.

64. Go: SAY.  So I go, that movie is the best!, and Sharie goes, it was totally rad!

65. "Ta-ta": BYE.  Ciao for now.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did this BRAIN GAME give you AGITA?  Did you survive by the SKIN of your teeth?

Or did your SUMMA cum laude and MENSA credentials earn you an EPIC win?

Your gift to the rest of us:  a comment below!

If you don't have a Blogger handle, consider being super cool like Darren in L.A. and signing your Anonymous comment. 

Merry Christmas!

-- NaomiZ

 

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

 

1) Happy birthday to dear Kathy (Yellowrocks)! I'm so happy to see you back on the blog. I hope you're having an extra-special day celebrating with your family.
 

Yellowrocks, Dec 10, 2020

2) Happy birthday to Lorraine (Fermatprime) as well! I hope you're doing well. And "Hello"  to Malcolm too - he reads our blog regularly and keeps me posted on how Lorraine is doing from time to time.

Fermatprime, Thanksgiving, 2015

Thursday, December 18, 2025, Rebecca Goldstein

Theme:  On a wing and a prayer ...

Wright Brothers first flight, December 17, 1903

Was our constructor, Rebecca Goldstein, inspired by yesterday's 122nd anniversary of the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina?  Maybe!  The theme answers in today's puzzle all involve wings.  They are:

17-Across. Many an American employee: FLIGHT ATTENDANT.  The American Airlines flight attendant uniform includes a metal pin in the shape of wings with the company logo at the center. 

25-Across. List of pub grub: BAR MENU.  A bar menu frequently includes chicken wings.

28-Across. Contest that starts with a center-ice faceoff: NHL GAME.  The National Hockey League includes a team called the Detroit Red Wings that is celebrating its 100th anniversary in the 2025/26 season.

42-Across. Residential upgrades: HOME IMPROVEMENT.  Upgrading your home?  You might add a new wing.

55-Across. Red Bull slogan, and what can also be said of 17-, 25-, 28-, and 42-Across: GIVES YOU WIIINGS.  Red Bull is an "energy drink" containing caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, B vitamins, and inositol.  It is advertised as a performance enhancer.  In 2013, a class-action lawsuit argued that the slogan "Red Bull gives you wings" and related marketing claims misled consumers into believing the drink provided benefits not found in a cup of coffee.  The suit was settled for $13 million, and the slogan was changed to "Red Bull gives you WIIINGS" as if this is somehow more clearly metaphorical, and less a literal claim.  Both the before and after slogans are news to this blogger.

So, 17-, 25-, 28-, and 42-Across GIVE YOU WINGS.  Sort of, right?  The flight attendant might give you a wings pin.  The bar menu might give you chicken wings.  An NHL game might serve up the Detroit Red Wings.  And home improvements might give you (and your house) new wings.

At this point, we are flying high.  On to the rest of the clues and answers!

Across:

1. "In the headlights" animal: DEER.  Deer have more light sensitive rod cells and greater dilation than we have in our eyes, giving them good night vision. When you shine bright light into their faces at night, they are blinded. Their fear response is to freeze to avoid detection by predators. This response is not well adapted to fast moving cars.

5. Golf tops: POLOS.  Golf courses often have dress codes requiring shirts with collars, so a polo shirt is a comfortable way to meet that standard.

10. Fury: RAGE.

14. Soul, in Spanish: ALMA.

15. "Alas and __!": ALACK.  Alas and alack have the same meaning, and are doubled for effect.

16. Some Sharon Olds poems: ODES.  Sharon Olds is an American poet who won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.  Raised by abusive parents in a strict religious environment, her poetry uses raw language to expose domestic and political violence.  Odes is a 2016 collection of poetry in the form of odes addressing taboo subjects.

17. [Theme clue]

20. __ sauce: TARTAR.

21. Called: TERMED.

22. Brand of 5-Across: IZOD.  Remember when this brand of polo shirts was all the 10-Across?  

24. Breakfast bowl berry: ACAI.

25. [Theme clue]

28. [Theme clue]

32. Skin soother: ALOE.

33. HS diploma equivalent: GED.  General Educational Development is a set of exams that provide a certificate equivalent to a high school diploma.

35. "All over that": ON IT.

36. Wellness space: SPA.

37. Fruit also known as guanabana: SOURSOP.  Soursop is the fruit of Annona muricata, a broadleaf evergreen tree.  It is native to the tropical Americas and is widely propagated.  With an aroma similar to pineapple, the flavor has been described as a combination of strawberries and apple with sour citrus notes, and a creamy texture reminiscent of banana.

Soursop fruit on the tree

41. Herbal refreshment: TEA.

42. [Theme clue]

45. Director Lee: ANG.

46. Quick __ wink: AS A.

47. Escapade: LARK.

49. Chess greats, for short: GMS.  Grandmasters.  Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain.

52. Indigenous Canadians: CREE.

55. [Theme clue]

59. Butter Restaurant chef/owner Guarnaschelli: ALEX.  She's a Food Network star and Manhattan restaurateur.

Alex Guarnaschelli

60. March follower: APRIL.

61. Sushi seaweed: NORI.

62. Pops: DADA.

63. Foul call, maybe: PRANK.  A couple of my friends made "foul calls" when we were in middle school.  A call to the corner drug store or liquor store:  "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?  You do?  Well, let him out!"  And a call to any random number:  "Is your refrigerator running?  It is?  Well, you'd better go catch it!"

64. Scratched (out): EKED.

65. Con: SCAM.

66. Shoe bottoms: SOLES.

67. Simchat bat, for one: RITE.  "Simchat bat" is Hebrew for "rejoicing over a daughter."  This ritual welcomes a baby girl into the Jewish people, much as the "brit milah" (or "covenant of circumcision") welcomes a baby boy ... but with no surgery involved.

Down:

1. Absurd: DAFT.  Just plain silly.

2. "First Lady of Song" Fitzgerald: ELLA.

3. Qatari commander: EMIR.

4. "The Entertainer" genre: RAGTIME.  "The Entertainer" is a 1902 ragtime piece for piano written by Scott Joplin.  It was popular as a piano roll for player pianos in the 1910s, and was first recorded by "the Blue Boys" in 1928, on mandolin and guitar.  In 1973, it was the theme music for The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.  Ragtime was big from the 1890s to 1910s; its signature trait is a syncopated or "ragged" rhythm.

5. Source of financial aid: PATRON.

6. Rio greeting: OLA.  "Hello" in Portuguese, the language of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

7. Muscle worked in dumbbell rows: LAT.  Cruciverbalists call those large back muscles "latissimi dorsi," but gym rats call them lats.

8. Halloween mo.: OCT.  An abbreviation in the clue suggests an abbreviation in the answer.

9. Comedy scene: SKETCH.

10. "Good 4 U" singer Olivia: RODRIGO.  Olivia Rodrigo acted in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and then shifted into singing, which has earned her three Grammy awards.  She was recognized as Time's Entertainer of the Year in 2021, Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2022, and ASCAP's Pop Music Songwriter of the Year in 2022 and 2024.  Good 4 U was her second number-one song in 2021.  This blogger is behind the times.  

11. Driver of "Ferrari": ADAM.  Adam Driver played Enzo Ferrari in the 2023 film.

Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, and as himself.

12. Part of an inheritance: GENE.  Part of a genetic inheritance.

13. Founded, as a co.: ESTD.  "Established" can be abbreviated as EST, ESTD, or EST'D.

18. Skyline obscurer: HAZE.

19. Diane of "Law & Order: SVU": NEAL.  Diane Neal played a New York assistant district attorney on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit from 2003 to 2012.  She had an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2018.

Diane Neal on SVU

23. Excavated: DUG UP.

24. "In conclusion ... ": AND SO ...

25. Fun function: BASH.

26. Chewy brand: ALPO.  Chewy is a pet supplies website.  As far as I can tell, they don't offer the Alpo brand of pet food on their U.S. site, but they do offer it in Canada.  Alpo does make a dog treat called Chew-eez, but again, it appears to be for the Canadian market.  Is our constructor suggesting that Alpo is a particularly chewy brand of pet food?  How would she know?  

27. Wander: ROAM.

29. Price for hand delivery?: ANTE.  The price you pay to be dealt a hand in a card game.

30. Bearing: MIEN.

31. Coup d'__: ÉTAT.  French for "blow to the state," more or less.  An illegal takeover of the government by sudden action.

34. Stumble or fumble: ERR.

37. Vanity pieces: SINKS.  A bathroom vanity combines a sink, countertop, and storage cabinet.

38. "Srsly!?": OMG.  Textspeak:  Seriously?  Oh my god!

39. Roe, e.g.: OVA.

40. "Raging Bull" Oscar nominee: PESCI.  Raging Bull is a 1980 Martin Scorsese film about boxing champion Jake LaMotta.  Joe Pesci plays Jake's brother, Joey LaMotta.

From Raging Bull: Joe Pesci is on the right

43. Sound check?: EAR EXAM.  Your blogger has an audiology appointment tomorrow.

44. Water boy?: MARINER.  A mariner works aboard a boat or ship ... on the water.

47. Olive family shrub: LILAC.  Lilacs and olives are members of the family Oleaceae.  Other family members (of which there are 700!) include jasmine and forsythia.

48. Vegan brand owned by Estée Lauder: AVEDA.

49. Device on a snowboarder's helmet, maybe: GOPRO.  A GoPro is a camera used to capture videos and photos in challenging situations.  It is waterproof and shockproof, can stabilize images, and has versatile mounting options.

50. Wall flowers, perhaps: MURAL.

51. Pigs: SWINE.

53. Miso soup mushroom: ENOKI.

Enoki mushrooms

54. Ibis kin: EGRET.

55. Wanders (about): GADS.

56. Blathers on: YAPS.

57. Varieties: ILKS.

58. "Oh sure, take their __!": SIDE.

Here's the grid:

Solvers:  Did you think Rebecca's puzzle was DAFT?  Did you ERR at some point and react in RAGE?

Or did you think the experience of solving was a LARK and look forward to more puzzles of this ILK?

Let us know in the comments!

-- NaomiZ