Thursday September 3, 2026 Kim Alswager & Zhou Zhang

Zhou Zhang often collaborates with others, and today she's playing a duet with newcomer Kim Alswager. 

61. Score symbols, or a description of 17-, 24-, 39-, and 49-Across: MUSIC NOTES. MUSIC NOTES is a pun of MUSIC notation, i.e. NOTES, blended into theme phrases (also NOTES as in memos) that feature a musical term. Equating the following clues with their musical equivalent answers will take a bit, so bear with me.

17. "Step one: make sure everything is in tune"?: FIRST PITCH. The ceremonial FIRST PITCH is a traditional event where a honored guest throws a baseball from the mound to start a game. In music, one tunes an instrument by adjusting its PITCH.

24. "Learn to recognize the pattern of sharps and flats"?: MASTER KEYS. MASTER KEYS is usually singular, after all, it is the MASTER that unlocks everything. The KEY of a song is the tonal center of the melody, chosen from one of the 12 available NOTES (in Western music) and flavored with a mood, major or minor.

39. "Don't wait for anyone else, go ahead and write a song"?: COMPOSE YOURSELF. To COMPOSE YOURSELF is to calm down and regain emotional control after becoming angry or upset. COMPOSE is what a songwriter does, and this answer is the only one that seems akin to something a memo or NOTE might say.

49. "Now play C major and C minor descending"?: SCALES DOWN. SCALES DOWN means to reduce something in size or scope while still retaining the general idea. C major and C minor are KEYS with corresponding SCALES that may be played from their highest note DOWN to their lowest.

As a musician, I wanted to like this more than I did. It started with, "Step one..." leading me to believe that the rest of the themers would follow some sort of order as one writes or plays a song, but they don't. And while KEYS, PITCH and SCALES are related, COMPOSE (a verb) is not. I also had trouble thinking of most of these phrases as NOTES. 

Playing on:

Across:

1. Word with order or reel: GAG. These phrases highlight the different meanings of GAG, from "to silence" as in a GAG order, to a GAG being a joke as in a blooper reel, a funny collection of outtakes.

4. __ farming: asking for upvotes on Reddit: KARMA. New to me but makes sense.

9. Catches forty winks: NAPS. In the 19th century, "forty" was used loosely to mean an indefinite, large number. In this idiom, "winks" equates to "shut-eye," which is sleep.

Me working hard on this review!

13. Hazy brew, briefly: IPA. India Pale Ale is the most popular beer served here at the Corner.

14. Raise in relief: EMBOSS.

16. On-the-job protection org.: OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

17. [theme]

19. Drill or clamp: TOOL. I liked this because while both are a TOOL, they are also verbs describing the actions of said TOOLs. Just ask OSHA.

20. Party game with forbidden words: TABOO. I can't say enough about this answer.

21. Origin of a plot hole?: HOE. Fun clue.

Not this kind of plot!

22. Green Gables girl: ANNE. ANNE of Green Gables does not have any major plot holes, but it does have some continuity errors and leaves loose ends.

23. One with elitist tastes: SNOB. A SNOB often has a big EGO.

24. [theme]

27. Big heads: EGOS. People with big EGOS are often SNOBs.

29. Regretted: RUED. 

30. Perpignan pal: AMI. Perpignan is a medieval city in Southern France, thus the French word for "friend."

The Castillet (City Gate) of Perpignan

33. Put a new price on: RETAG. Walmart recently tried "surveillance pricing" whereby they use cellphone data to RETAG digital prices on the shelves based on what they think a customer will pay as one walks by. Thus, shoppers may pay different amounts for the same item. I think it's awful and it's being contested.

36. Wedding party member, perhaps: GROOM. It's "perhaps" nowadays. 

39. [theme]

42. Beer with the largest single-site brewery in the world: COORS. While COORS doesn't directly make an IPA, it does through its craft divisions and broader offerings from Molson COORS.

43. Olympic judo medalist Rousey: RONDA. RHONDA was the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo by winning bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She went on to beat everyone else up.

44. Place for a tug: SEA. There are ocean-going tugboats, but most stay in harbors.

45. Opportunity org.: NASA. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. "Oppy" was a historic robotic vehicle that explored Mars for nearly 15 years, far outliving its original 90-day mission.

47. Mirror pic letters on social media: OOTD. Outfit Of The Day. People take pictures of what they are wearing and post them to show off their personal style. Some monetize this by including details telling where they bought their clothes, shoes, and accessories. 

I simply must know where she bought that hideous jacket!

49. [theme]

53. Aware of: ON TO.

57. Onigiri wrapper: NORI. Onigiri is a classic Japanese snack made of cooked rice pressed into a triangle or round shape and often wrapped in NORI, dried seaweed.

58. Tonewood used to make ukuleles: KOA. KOA, from a tree native to Hawaii, is also used in guitar-making because of its striking grain and deep color. 

Gibson SG from their custom shop

59. Parting mot: ADIEU. Let's say "farewell" to any more French today.

60. Shortly, quaintly: ANON. ANON, meaning "soon," was often found in classic literature and plays. In fact, Shakespeare was called the "Bard of ANON" (I may be misremembering my high school English teacher).

61. [theme]

64. Run while sitting: IDLE. Another fun clue.

65. Draw out: ELICIT.

66. Groove: RUT. I'd rather be in the groove than stuck in a RUT.

67. Yuks, online: LOLS. Laugh Out Louds 😂

68. Short digression: ASIDE. 

69. Photo __: OPS. Like this one of NASA's rover:

Photo Opportunity - but who took it?

Down:

1. Talents: GIFTS.

2. Hive-minded?: APIAN. APIAN comes from the Latin word apianus, derived from apis, which means "bee".

3. Greta known as the "Swedish Sphinx": GARBO. GARBO just visited us last Thursday. 

I wonder how she got that nickname?

4. Diet with fat bombs: KETO. On a KETO diet, carbs are the enemy, not fats. 

5. Feedback provider, maybe: AMP. Another music-related clue! This concert set up had potential to provide feedback...and deafen everyone in the process.

The Grateful Dead's Wall of Sound

6. Triple Crown stat: RBI. Baseball's Major League Triple Crown is awarded to a hitter who leads their respective league (American or National) in three major offensive categories during a single regular season: Batting Average (BA); Home Runs (HR); and Runs Batted In (RBI).

7. Fliers who are often light-headed?: MOTHS. My grandma used to call them "millers," and I thought that was because they milled around a light. Turns out it's due to the powdery dust on a MOTH'S wings that resembles milled flour.

8. Tie at a racetrack?: ASCOT. Neckwear named after the famous Royal ASCOT horse race in England.

9. Zero interest: NO TAKERS. Anyone wanna buy my ASCOT collection? Anyone?

10. "Sure, that's a very normal response ... ": AS ONE DOES. 

11. Baloney descriptor: PHONY. It's PHONY baloney!

12. Retail statistic: SALES. I wonder how SALES are affected by surveillance pricing?

15. Like tulle: SHEER.

18. Drink brand with lizards in its logo: SOBE. SOBE was founded in Norwalk, Connecticut, but traded on the vibe of South Beach in Miami, hence the lizards.

24. Springfield watering hole: MOE'S. MOE'S is the bar in The Simpsons cartoons, which may serve IPAs...NITRO-infused of course.

25. Sunflower kin: ASTER. 

26. Tommy Pickles, for one: RUGRAT. Tommy is the baby in the RUGRATs cartoons on Nickelodeon.

28. "__ Pointe Blank": GROSSE. GROSSE Pointe Blank is movie featuring John Cusack as a hitman returning to his home, GROSSE Pointe, Michigan, for his 10-year high school reunion. The title plays on "point-blank" meaning shooting at close range and the main character's name, Martin Blank. It's an entertaining dark comedy from 1997.

30. Syracuse's gp.: ACC. Syracuse University, where both my mother and daughter-in-law earned their masters, is part of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

31. Sound from a pen: MOO. A pen may be any fenced enclosure, but I usually associate them with smaller animals like goats, so BAA crossed my mind.

32. "My streak continues!": I'M ON A ROLL. 

34. Edebiri of "The Bear": AYO. AYO Edebiri won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for her portrayal of a chef in the award-winning TV series, The Bear about the trials and tribulations of a Chicago restaurant.

35. "Why are you still here?": GO NOW.

37. World Cup cheer: OLE. And say, "¡Hola!" to OLE as we switch from French to Spanish.

38. Theater director's deg.: MFA. Masters of Fine Arts.

40. Nutty confections: PRALINES. Originally, this sugary French confection used almonds, but when settlers brought the recipe to New Orleans, native pecans became the nut of choice.

41. Sukiyaki noodle, maybe: UDON. This is our second helping of Japanese food today. Sukiyaki is a popular hot pot dish where thinly sliced beef and vegetables are slow-cooked in a soy sauce broth, then may be served over UDON noodles.

46. Words on a docent's badge: ASK ME. A docent is a person who acts as a knowledgeable tour guide in a museum, zoo or historical site. A good one is a decent docent.

48. Bird that was once endemic to Mauritius: DODO. "Why did the DODO go extinct?" is a question for a docent.

49. __ mail: SNAIL. 

50. Airbnb option: CONDO. 

51. Birth day party?: DOULA. Yet another fun clue! A DOULA is non-medical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a person before, during, and after childbirth.

52. Caravan's rest spot: OASIS. 

54. Cold brew style: NITRO. Suds are pouring freely today! Infusing beer with nitrogen gas, instead of traditional carbon dioxide, creates a silky-smooth mouthfeel with a dense, creamy head.

55. Pave the way for, as a topic of conversation: TEE UP.

56. Removes: OUSTS.

59. Prerequisite to a deal: ANTE. Nice way to clue this old fav.

62. Here, in Le Havre: ICI. More French.

63. Spain's El __: CID. More Spanish. 

I'll let the music play me out.

Be good. RB

Thursday August 27, 2026 Rebecca Goldstein & Matthew Stock

Rebecca Goldstein and Matthew Stock have gotten together and bought stakes in a new steakhouse! 

3. Card game that's really taking off?: STRIP POKER. STRIP POKER is a card game where players forfeit clothing instead of chips...unless you call their buff. 

8. Namesake of Converse's All Star sneaker: CHUCK TAYLOR. Charles Hollis "CHUCK" TAYLOR (1901–1969) was an American semi-professional basketball player and an all-star shoe salesman. 

15. Dance around what's really important: SKIRT THE ISSUE. To SKIRT THE ISSUE means to avoid talking about a complex or awkward topic. As in, "Does this skirt make me look fat?" Umm...

23. Links activity: ROUND OF GOLF. A standard ROUND OF GOLF consists of playing 18 holes in sequential order, though a shorter 9-hole round is also common. It's also a drink order at the 19th hole!

And what do these seemingly unrelated answers have in common? I needed the revealer for this one:

31. With a lot on the line, or a phonetic hint to 3-, 8-, 15-, and 23-Down: HIGH STAKES. Even with the revealer, it still took me a moment to figure out that STAKES becomes STEAKS. Each of the four vertical themers begin (in the HIGH position) with a different cut of steak: STRIP steak; CHUCK steak; SKIRT steak; and ROUND steak.

Our two chefs have cooked up a meaty one today. Vertical themes are rare, and always seem a little tougher, but the rest of the fill was easy to cut through. Over all, I think it was well done.

Let's see what sides they're serving with this:

Across:

1. "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" network: PBS. Fred Roger's show ran from 1968 to 2001 on the Public Broadcasting Service.

4. Collision sound: BAM. Also the sound when seasoning hits the steak!

7. Hill partner, in textbook publishing and country music: MCGRAW. Interesting parallel. Educational publisher MCGRAW Hill vis-à-vis Tim MCGRAW and his wife Faith Hill.

13. Big sellers: HOTCAKES. People scooped up pancakes quickly while they were still warm.

16. "That's old news": I HEARD. 

17. "Could there possibly be a good explanation for this?": DARE I ASK. 

18. Skating jumps similar to toe loops: LUTZES. Rightbrain grew up in her uncle's roller rink. The first time I met her family was at the rink, and they suggested she take her fiancé for a spin. Being my first time on skates, I'm sure they weren't thinking LUTZES but KLUTZES. That was 45 years ago, and I still appreciate that they somehow kept a straight face.

19. Ruckus: STIR. 

20. Motorcycle attachments: SIDECARS. SIDECARS are also cocktails containing brandy, orange liqueur and lemon juice. But best not to mix the two.

22. Hair line?: PART. My favorite PART was when they sang the Hair line, "This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius."

25. Dangers: RISKS.

26. Disconnect: GAP.

28. "Get __ town!": OUTTA. No way!

30. Ski area near Reno: TAHOE.

34. Gold at the Milano Cortina Olympics?: ORO. Italian for gold.

35. Second, but not first: UNIT. A second is a unit of time. 

36. Getting the check: PAYING. ON ME per 57D

37. __ choy: BOK. Florida is so flat, that various entrepreneurs have erected towers (there are three of them) in the middle of nowhere to attract tourists. The most famous is the 205' BOK Tower built in 1920's during the state's land boom. The National Historic Landmark features a 60-bell carillon that plays a concert twice daily to visitors of the surrounding 250-acre gardens.

38. Every evening: NIGHTLY.

40. Prefix with political: GEO. GEOpolitical relates to how a country's physical location, size, and resources affect its politics, power, and relationships with other nations.

41. Revises: AMENDS.

43. Assessment, briefly: EVAL. A quick EVALuation.

44. Boater or bowler: HAT. In my business, a wear a lot of HATs, but neither of these.

45. Greta of classic Hollywood: GARBO. The great Swedish/American actress often just went by GARBO. In 1954, she was awarded an Academy Honorary Award "for her luminous and unforgettable screen performances."

46. Hustle genre: DISCO. Did you do the Hustle?

47. Texting tech: SMS. Short Message Service.

48. Some natural hairstyles: AFROS.

50. Part of QED: ERAT. "Quod ERAT Demonstrandum," said Pliny the Elder in Latin class. "It is proven. Any questions?"

52. Trench coat, wig, and big sunglasses, maybe: DISGUISE. 

Yep, she'd blend in anywhere.

55. Sando spread: MAYO. A sando is a Japanese-style sandwich. The word comes from a shortened form of sandoitchi, the Japanese loanword for sandwich. 

58. Patchy-patterned horses: PINTOS. This patchy PINTO only had 54 horses. On a quiet night, you can hear it rusting.

59. Tacit: UNSPOKEN.

62. Certain spot: LOCALE. 

63. Application that combats dark circles: EYE CREAM. I scream, you scream, we all scream for EYE CREAM?

64. Gobbles (down): SNARFS.

65. Some GEs: ACS. General Electric Air Conditioners.

66. __/her/hers: SHE.

Down:

1. Degs. conferred after defenses: PHDS. Knowing me as you do, can you believe I have a brother with Doctor of Philosophy degree?

2. Large sushi order: BOAT. 

Yum! Hand me the chopsticks!

3. [theme]

4. "WonderWater" brand: BAI. So many brands to keep track of...

5. Alias letters: AKA. Also Known As.

6. "Cleanup on aisle five" impetus: MESS. It's always aisle five. If I ran a store, I'd skip 5 like they skip the 13th floor in tall buildings. 

7. Half marathon's 13.1: MILES. Athens to Marathon is 26.2 MILES.

8. [theme]

9. Participate in decision-making: GET A SAY.

10. Motorola phone: RAZR. Cell phones kept getting smaller, and my RAZR was the smallest one I owned. Then screen size became a thing and now they are bigger than ever.

11. Combative Olympian?: ARES.

12. Dict. entries: WDS. Dictionary entries are words.

14. Michael of "Juno": CERA. I think he'll still look like a young boy when he's an old man.

15. [theme]

21. Opposite of noite: DIA. It's the difference between night and day! In Portuguese, that is.

23. [theme]

24. North African capital: TUNIS. 

26. Emergency kit: GO BAG. It usually contains enough basic supplies to sustain you for three days after a disaster.

27. Sweet smell: AROMA.

29. Comedian Notaro: TIG. TIG Notaro is an Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar-nominated comedian, actor, writer, producer, and podcaster. She's gotten the nod for 75% of an EGOT! 

31. [theme]

32. Wee hour: ONE AM. Two am is the wee wee hour. 

33. Showbiz quartets: EGOTS. The grand slam of winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.

36. Come in second: PLACE. Win, PLACE, and Show are bets in horse racing. A Win bet wins only if your selection finishes 1st. A Place bet wins if it finishes 1st or 2nd (so not just "come in second"). A Show bet wins if it finishes 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. 

39. Sports bar sets: TVS. You can sometimes watch horse racing on sports bar Televisions.

42. Supreme court presence?: NBA STAR. Fun clue...and holding court on TVS in another sports bar.

46. Eager agreement: DO I.

49. Tricks: RUSES.

51. "Te quiero, __ mio": AMOR. "I love you, my love," in español. Sounds a bit redundant.

52. Singer Celine: DION. Her heart will go on and on and....

53. Empire also known as the "Realm of the Four Parts": INCA. The INCA Empire was a vast pre-Columbian state in South America divided into four administrative regions.

54. New Age singer who speaks Irish: ENYA. Everyone's favorite New Ager in crosswords.

56. "Totes": YEAH. "Totes" is slang for "totally", so YEAH seems like a weak equivalent.

57. "I'll get the check": ON ME. PAYING like 36A.

58. [Praying emoji]: PLS. Please! 🙏🏻Some people use this as a "high five" emoji...don't get me started! 😂

60. Org. with LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, and Missouri Tigers: SEC. All these college teams are copy cats, and are members of the the Southeastern Conference of the NCAA.

61. WFH devices: PCS. People who Work From Home often use Personal Computers.

Okay, I'm done grilling these guys.

Be good. RB

 

Notes from C.C.

Happy Birthday to Lemonade, our Friday sherpa for a long long time. Hope all is well with you and Oo!

Thursday August 20, 2026 Jeffrey Wechsler

Jeffrey Wechsler, my old friend, we meet again. His puzzles always land on Thursdays, once a month like clockwork. This is his fourth since April! I don't know why, but I suspect he likes my reviews. 😍

No reveal today, just a bunch of hard clues.

17. Hard stuff in rings: NATURAL DIAMONDS. Not just "hard stuff", but the hardest stuff!

26. Hard stuff in school: ROCKET SCIENCE. Just as hard as brain surgery, apparently.

40. Hard stuff in a bar: ALCOHOLIC DRINKS. Made from hard liquor.

60. Hard stuff for a sweet tooth: JAWBREAKER CANDY. They're hard as a rock. I haven't had one in years, but my jaw aches just thinking about them.

Jeffrey knows how to make a puzzle. He often creates unique grid designs, like this one, with mirror symmetry and multiple grid-spanners. And some of the best cluing this side of LA.

I hope the rest aren't as hard, but I doubt it.

Across:

1. Error: MISSTEP. I wrote MISTEAK, but that was a mistake.

8. Radio static sound: CRACKLE. Occasionally, you'll also hear a Snap or Pop.

Rice Krispies Treats radio!

15. Do the same as: IMITATE.

16. Peaceful getaway spot: RETREAT.

17. [theme]

19. "You said it!": AMEN.

20. Ignited: LIT.

21. Small floral bundle: POSY.

22. Robin Hood foe: SHERIFF. As a royal officer, the SHERIFF of Nottingham viewed Robin as a threat to his authority. Robin interfered with tax collection and outwitted his attempts to capture him.

26. [theme]

32. Gets even with: REPAYS. The SHERIFF of Nottingham was frequently embarrassed by Robin's exploits, so vowed to get even with him.

33. Relativity, for one: THEORY. That's one THEORY, anyway.

35. Bucks and does: DEER. 

36. Org. that oversees food recalls: FDA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

39. Half a sextet: TRIO. 

40. [theme]

45. Utterly exhausted: BONE-TIRED. As if your fatigue has seeped deep into your skeleton, reaching your core.

46. "How amusing": HEH. A sarcastic response to something mildly interesting. Like my review.

49. __ culpa: MEA. MEA culpa is "my fault" in Latin. 

50. Marina __ Rey, California: DEL. As the name implies, much of this town near Los Angeles is a marina.

51. Proper: APT.

54. Fuming: IRATE.

56. Nocturnal flapper: BAT. Could've been an OWL.

58. Word with circle and tube: INNER. An INNER tube is the INNER circle of a tire.

60. [theme]

63. Doesn't just assume: ASKS.

64. Licoricelike herb: ANISE. It is used in cooking and in health remedies, and may be distilled with natural spirits and sugar to produce Anisette.

65. Ore-rich vein: SEAM.

66. Appliance alert: BEEP.

67. Numbers for letters: RENTS. Great clue. Letters are renters, people who let an apartment.

68. Tollbooth pricing unit: AXLE. 

Down:

1. Sports analyst Kimes: MINA. MINA is an award-winning journalist, NFL analyst, and senior writer for ESPN.

2. Mosque leader: IMAM.

3. Place: SITE.

4. Leave speechless: STUN.

5. Fossil-preserving gunk: TAR. 

6. Unreliable stat from the fashionably late: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival. I've instructed RightBrain to wheel my coffin in a few minutes late at my funeral. Aside from that, I have no last wishes.

7. Bit of hamster food: PELLET.

8. One who always gives star treatment?: CRITIC. Another great clue.

9. Belfast-born actor Stephen: REA. The Irish Times ranked REA the 13th greatest Irish film actor of all time.

10. Bread machine: ATM. Fun clue for an Automated Teller machine...or a toaster.

11. Trim, as a photo: CROP.

12. Casino game: KENO.

13. Boyos: LADS. Oh, boyos. I take back what I said about great cluing.

14. Marketplace with personalized gifts: ETSY.

18. NNE, SSW, etc.: DIRS. This clue is asking for DIRections.

22. Contrail location: SKY. A contrail (short for condensation trail) is a line-shaped ice cloud that forms behind jet aircraft flying at high altitudes.

Busy day near an airport with planes flying in different DIRS.

23. Bucks, but not does: HES. A pseudo-clecho of 35A.

24. In shape: FIT.

25. Dismissive syllable: FEH. FEH is a Yiddish interjection used to express disgust, contempt, disapproval, or dismissive annoyance, similar to "yuck" or "bah", which is my reaction to this answer.

26. Bit of fishing gear: REEL.

27. Well-financed gp.?: OPEC. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is financed by oil wells.

28. Chocolate substitute: CAROB.

29. Online access username within universities, briefly: NETID. This shouldn't say "briefly." NetID is the full name of this service that provides a unique digital identity to students, faculty and staff for all their campus systems.

30. Grain ground to make masa: CORN. Since masa is a dough used in Latin America, I thought this should be MAÍZ, which is Spanish for CORN.

31. "The Devil in the White City" writer Larson: ERIK. Larson's book The Devil in the White City won the 2004 Edgar Award in the Best Fact Crime category, among other awards.

32. Nutritional amt.: RDA. Recommended Dietary Allowance.

34. Casual hellos: YOS. If you meet two people, it's a YOYO.

36. Flowering plant once believed to repel pests: FLEABANE. FLEABANE is a large group of native wildflowers in the aster family. Turns out that contrary to folklore, it doesn't repel insects but actually attracts beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies. Be gentle when you break this news to your grandma.

37. E, in Morse code: DIT. The sound of a DOT. 

38. Rigorous evaluation: ACID TEST. Ken Kesey’s psychedelic bus, immortalized in The Electric Kool-Aid ACID TEST, was in the news recently. It will be on display for the first time since the '60s as part of a Grateful Dead show at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Furthur [sic] and the Merry Pranksters

41. Big hit at the ballpark: HOMER.

Homer Simpson

42. Unspecified person: ONE.

43. Hip-hop pioneer Dr. __: DRE. Andre Romell Young, known professionally as Dr. DRE, is a legendary producer, billionaire entrepreneur, and cultural force in hip-hop.

44. Thing of the past: RELIC.

46. Muslim headscarf: HIJAB.

47. Create a clean slate?: ERASE. Anyone remember clapping erasers after class?

48. Ethan of the "Before" trilogy: HAWKE. Ethan is an American actor, director, and writer who has worked across film, stage, and independent productions.

He's been at this for a looong time.

51. Secondary structure: ANNEX.

52. "Bike faster!": PEDAL. 

Are you pedaling back there?

53. Defiant response to a threat: TRY ME.

55. Ingredient meas.: TBSP. Tablespoon measure.

57. Similar (to): AKIN.

59. Mars rover org.: NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

61. "My conscience whispers in your __": "King John": EAR.

62. High or low follower, in graphics: RES.

Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?

Be good. RB