Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Emet Ozar

Theme:  Garden variety.

Surprise!  NaomiZ here on a wonderful Wednesday.  Constructor Emet Ozar enriches the crossword grid with circles to help us find various types of gardens hidden in the long entries.

My native plant garden is for the birds!
This Northern Mockingbird enjoys eating elderberries.

The theme clues and answers are:

16-Across. "The," grammatically: DEFINITE ARTICLE.  Tea garden.

24-Across. Baseball overtime: EXTRA INNINGS. Rain garden.

41-Across. Heavy-duty material for cutting boards: BUTCHER BLOCK. Herb garden.

55-Across. Frances Hodgson Burnett novel set at a country estate, or an apt title for this puzzle: THE SECRET GARDEN.

Let's dig into the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Trash receptacle: CAN.

4. Stringed instrument: HARP.

8. Some med. scans: MRIs.  Magnetic Resonance Imaging tests.

12. Just slightly: A TAD.

14. Large paper format: FOLIO.  Today, folio often refers to 8.5" x 13.5" size paper for printing.  Historically, it meant a large sheet of paper folded once to create two leaves, which make four pages.  Folio books were large compared to quarto and octavo books where the paper was folded more to create smaller pages.

The hands give you an idea of the size of Shakespeare's first folio.

15. Number two: AIDE.  The boss is number one; his aide is number two.

16.[Theme clue]

19. "Let You Love Me" singer: RITA ORA.  Everything I know about Rita Ora, I've learned in the Crossword Corner.

20. Pet restraint: TETHER.

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

22. "Washington Black" novelist Edugyan: ESI.  Esi Edugyan is a Canadian novelist.  She has twice won the Giller Prize (a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English), for her novels Half-Blood Blues (2011) and Washington Black (2018).

23. __ Bradley bags: VERA.  Vera Bradley Designs was incorporated in 1982 and became wildly popular for its colorful fabric tote bags and purses.  

Vera Bradley bags

24. [Theme clue]

29. Predatory insect: MANTIS.

Praying Mantis preying on a lizard.

32. Pa: DAD.

33. Boxer Muhammad: ALI.

34. Vote into office: ELECT.

35. 100%: ALL.

36. Greek fabulist: AESOP.  Fabulist:  a person who composes or relates fables. 

38. Cured fish often topped with capers and lemon: LOX.

39. Aaron Judge stat: RBI.  Aaron Judge is a right fielder for the New York Yankees.  He is a six-time MLB All-Star and two-time American League MVP Award winner. He holds the AL record for most home runs in a season.

Aaron Judge

40. Reveries: DREAMS.

41. [Theme clue]

45. Pixar film about a young sea monster: LUCA.

46. 3-Down signatory: Abbr.: USA.  The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) established a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and took effect on January 1, 1994.  NAFTA immediately lifted tariffs on the majority of goods produced by the signatory nations.  It was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on July 1, 2020.

47. Trans- opposite: CIS.  Cisgender, often shortened to "cis," describes a person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.  In other words, if a person was labeled male at birth and identifies as a man, or was labeled female at birth and identifies as a woman, they are considered cisgender.  The term is the opposite of transgender, which refers to individuals whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth. 

50. Tribute at a memorial: EULOGY.

53. New Mexico's "The City Different": SANTA FE.  Santa Fe combines a number of Southwestern cultures and has a lively art scene.  It adopted "The City Different" moniker in the early 1900s.

The Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe
was the seat of government for New Mexico from 1610 to 1901.

55. [Theme clue]

58. Outstanding: A-ONE.

59. Flood-protection structure: LEVEE.

60. Affirmative votes: YEAS.

61. The one there: THAT.

62. "When will you __ learn?": EVER.

63. Italian three: TRE.

Down:

1. Core group: CADRE.

2. Bit the dust: ATE IT.

3. Commerce pact until 2020: NAFTA.  See 46-Across for more information.

4. Bloviator's excess: HOT AIR.  A bloviator is someone who talks at length in a pompous or boastful way, often saying very little of substance.  The idiom "hot air" refers to empty, exaggerated, or pretentious talk that does not reflect real intentions.

5. Foamy fare: ALE.

6. Small inlet: RIA.

7. Foreshadow: PORTEND.

8. Island cocktail: MAI TAI.  Composed of rum, orange curaçao, fresh lime juice, and orgeat (an almond syrup), the Mai Tai is one of the characteristic cocktails in Tiki culture.

Does anyone else remember Kelbo's tiki restaurant on Pico in West LA?
My ex and I once enjoyed a big blue cocktail in a large bowl with two straws.

9. Loaded with cream, say: RICH.

10. Taking it easy: IDLE.

11. Crystal ball consulter: SEER.

13. Domingo, for one: DÍA.  Domingo is Spanish for Sunday.  Día is Spanish for day.

14. Noteworthy events: FIRSTS.

17. Warning sign on a door: NO EXIT.

18. Coastal flyer: TERN.  Terns are seabirds in the family Laridae, subfamily Sterninae, that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers, or wetlands.

I took this photo of Long-billed Terns in the Amazon River.

23. Apothecary container: VIAL.

24. List-ending abbr.: ETC.

25. Speak off-the-cuff: AD LIB.

26. Moon landing org.: NASA.  National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

27. Grab, with "on to": GLOM.  "Glom onto" is an informal American English phrasal verb that means to take something for one's own use, become strongly attached to something, or become aware of something.  It can also mean to grab hold of something or to latch onto an idea or person.

28. Dainty tastes: SIPS.

29. Singer also known as Scary Spice: MEL B.  Melanie Brown, known as Mel B, is an English singer, actress, author, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the pop group the Spice Girls, where she was nicknamed "Scary Spice" for her energetic stage presence. 

Mel B in 2025

30. Baseball family name: ALOU.

31. Deli counter cry: NEXT.

35. Syllables in an incantation: ABRA.  Abracadabra is a magical incantation whose origin is a matter of debate.

36. Tarot card group: ARCANA.  Tarot cards are generally divided into two main groups: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.

Tarot cards

37. Startled cry at the sight of a mouse: EEK.

39. Give new life to something old: RECYCLE.

40. Prescription measure: DOSAGE.

42. Bedroom storage space: CLOSET.

43. Gargantuan: HUGE.

44. Glossy finish: LUSTER.

47. West Point student: CADET.

48. Apprehensive beginning: I FEAR.

49. Perception: SENSE.

50. Coup d'__: ÉTAT.  A coup d'état (from French for 'stroke of state') is an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership.  A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to power through legal means, tries to stay in power through illegal means.

51. "This is not good": UH OH.

52. "The Chi" creator Waithe: LENA.  Lena Waithe is an Emmy-winning actor, producer, and screenwriter from Chicago.  She is the creative force behind the Showtime drama series The Chi, set in her hometown, and the BET comedy series Boomerang and Twenties. 

Lena Waithe

54. Push to the limit: TRY.  As in, the barking dogs try my patience.

56. Put the pedal to the metal: REV.

57. Precursor to a big event: EVE.

Here's the grid:

Did today's puzzle fulfill your crossword DREAMS?

Or was it A TAD TRYing for you?

NaomiZ

Wednesday, Jun 11th, 2025 ~ Dylan Schiff

 Once Upon a Time....Happily Everafter

The End...

Continues~!??

I am unsure how to call this crossword puzzle; on the one hand, it was a solid mid-week challenge for me; on the other, it took a cheat peek to find out why I did not get the "ta-DA~!".  Then, after staring at the theme answers for longer than I care to admit, I finally figured out the common thread ( only due to the fact that I recognized the first two as titles ) and it left me feeling less than pleased / satisfied; sorta disappointed it was not "more", I guess.  YMMV.  I did a count; 191 letters, and with the three spanners, a whopping 65 dedicated to the theme; that's 34%.  Impressive, but - too many names again, even if they are fairly familair - I am not even going to bother linking to them this week; no circles,  a balance of 21/22 3LW& 4LWs, and two unique fills (*); 

17. Australia's unofficial national anthem: WALTZING MATILDA - Matilda, the book

23. Bite-sized treats: DONUT HOLES* - Holes, the book

37. Wide-eyed awe: CHILDLIKE WONDER - Wonder, the book

52. Cares: GIVES A HOOT* - Hoot, the book

61. Perfect resolution, or a feature of 17-, 23-, 37-, and 52-Across: STORYBOOK ENDING - the four theme fills END with the title of a story/book - yet the fill itself was in a crossword 30yrs ago.  BTW, I "wrote" the "book" that is the title of this blog post, so don't make me enforce ©opywright infringement 😁

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Play mates?: CAST - I do the Down clues first, and I never saw my errors here in the NW . . . .Sigh

5. "31 Days of Oscar" cable network: TCM - Turner Classic Movies

8. Electric current unit: AMPERE

The "naughty" version on my blog page

14. "The Traitors" host Cumming: ALAN- name #1

15. __ Speedwagon: REO - name #2, getting tired of this clue/answer - don't like the band, either....

16. Folk medicine figure: HEALER - I had _ E A _ _R, pondered "REAPER" - hey, technically, death is a "medical" thing 

20. Punk subgenre: EMO - seems like every week now we get this fill

21. Debate topic: ISSUE

22. Obi-Wan portrayer Guinness: ALEC - name #3

26. Took a dip: SWAM

28. Former Russian ruler: TSAR - music interlude; here's an instrumental from Black Sabbath

They would open their show with "Supertzar" playing in the background

29. Bout ruling, briefly: TKO - Technical Knock-Out

31. Dug-out material?: ORE - yeah, I figured this was the common O-R-E fill, trying a different approach  on the cluing - I'll admit, it's not bad

32. Overture follower: ACT I

35. Sign of things to come: OMEN

36. Go (for): OPT

42. Protein in a Monte Cristo: HAM

Now I'm in the mood for a sa'mich

43. Sisters in habits: NUNS

44. Analogy phrase: IS TO

45. Afore: ERE

46. "Your point?": "AND....~?"

47. Tried to buzz: RANG - a bit Meh.

50. Onetime Volvo rival: SAAB - two Swedish automakers

57. Highlands family unit: CLAN

59. "Barbie" director Gerwig: GRETA - name #4

60. Lucy of "Elementary": LIU - name #5

64. Sore: TENDER - my feet are sore - I have walked my neighborhood every day but one since I joined the gym; I need to get me some comfortable hiking footwear - suggestions~?

65. "__ the fields we go ... ": "O'ER"

66. "Diana" singer Paul: ANKA - name #6

67. "Voilà!": "PRESTO~!"

68. Hosp. workers: MDs

69. Outperform: BEST


DOWN:

1. Imitated a crow: CAWED - bleery-eyed, I read this as "imitated a COW", so I put in MOOED; that didn't work with "Waltzing...", so I switched to LOWED, and never checked my Across; hence my black marks in the grid below....

2. San Antonio field trip destination: ALAMO - name(ish)

3. Place to find high rollers?: SALON - high on one's head kind of rollers

4. Red block in Minecraft: TNT - good WAG on my part, but then again, three letters . . . .

5. "How Do I Live" singer Yearwood: TRISHA - I did recall this was spelled "SHA", not "CIA" - still, name #7

6. One who may remove a curse?: CENSOR - Think bloopers

7. Tycoon: MOGUL

8. "Now I've got it!": "A-HA~!"

9. Social media parent company: META - 'they' own Facebook and other social media outlets, I think, and the company is going with "Social Technology" for a title, promoting "virtual reality" goggles - I have tried a set with a model I built in Revit of a church pipe organ; I was impressed, but it made my modeling skills look lame by comparison.  The webpage

10. Equipment for building sand castles: PAILS - what about the shovels~?

Methinks this is called "cheating"

11. "Legally Blonde" protagonist: ELLE WOODS - full name #8

12. Place to see stars: RED CARPET - the kind of stars whose NAMES appear too often in crosswords these days...

13. Historical span: ERA - the most over-used crossword fill

18. Comic strip about a teenager: ZITS - name(ish)

19. "I'd like to see you": "MEET ME."

24. Gas or elec.: UTILity - there's no gas lines in my area; I have to buy oil this week; my water heater is on the furnace

25. Distort, as data: SKEW

Don McMillan, Technically funny

27. Paris subway: METRO - another WAG on my part

30. Creative mind behind the Imagine Peace Tower: ONO - name #9

32. Feels yesterday's workout: ACHES - just in my legs

33. Thespian's role: CHARACTER - ah, good fill

34. Chance for an introvert to recharge: TIME ALONE - I am all for time alone - my ex-wife once called me "anti-social", which was a bonus - it meant I was diagnosed with a disability, and didn't have to participate - 😜

35. Says "Go ahead," say: OKs

38. Genetic material in Rosalind Franklin's "Photo 51": DNA - a "pivotal diffraction X-ray image" of the strand in 1952 - the story here

39. Source of inspiration?: LUNG - Breathe in~!

40. Rainbow band: INDIGO - I toyed with "ROY G BIV", but once I had some crossings, I see it was just ONE band of color

41. Nearby: NIGH - Ah, that kind of nearby, like the end is NIGH~!

( the second guy's sign has the definition of nigh )

47. Made a big stink?: REEKED - I once managed a nightclub that had live bands on the weekends, and one of the groups was called "REEKING HAVOC" - I tried to explain that it's WREAKING, but they're heavy metal, so their name was "better" 🤘

48. Daisylike blooms: ASTERS

49. Side with tandoori chicken: NAAN

51. Medieval poets: BARDS

53. Revved engine sound: VROOM

54. QB protectors, in football lingo: O-LINE - The offensive group of  five (~) guys in front of the quarterback in the NFL

55. Pen sounds: OINKS - That kind of pen

56. Gently pull on: TUG AT

58. Opposite of da: NYET - Tsar-speak for yes and no

61. Valvoline rival: STP - another common crossword fill

62. "Dude ... ": "BRO..."

63. Smidgen: DAB - hey, at least it was not 'A DAB'

Splynter

Here's a picture of me with Picard at the UCONN sign, a mere five mins from my home in CT.

Here's the link to Ginger Roots to see some more pictures

Wednesday, Jun 4th, 2025 ~ Joe Marangell

SHHH~!

TurkiSHHH Delight

My first time covering a crossword from Mr. Marangell.  His first LA Times was here, back in November 2024.  Yes, circles, two days in a row, but very few names, and chunky triple sevens in all four of the Down corners; I think that's why my solve time was higher than usual - I got slowed up because I start with the Down clues.  Overall, a tight group of four unspoken ways to express joy, anger, approval and indifference, "quietly" hiding in the circles;  

17. Credit card promotion for frequent fliers: BONUS MILES - SMILE  😁 - I don't have any credit card with frequent flyer bonus miles - travel for me was always covered by the company; the pipe organ company did not take full advantage of this perk, go figure 🤔

Smile - it looks like it might a good trip; I should become a frequent flyer

24. Etsy purchase, perhaps: CUSTOM PRINT - STOMP 😡 - I don't make prints, but I do build wood furniture - I can see myself selling some pieces through etsy

This one is SOLD already, but I could make one just like it

34. Key partnership?: PIANO DUET - NOD 😉 - The internet says a piano duet is TWO pianos, not just two piano players, this "duet" is hysterical...and then there's this one;

Heart & Soul - "chopsticks"

50. Handwoven products at Istanbul's Grand Bazaar: TURKISH RUGS - SHRUG ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Colorful; I have an abstract-patterned one waiting for a place in my home

58. "Is that so?," or a hint to the communication methods found in this puzzle's circled letters: YOU DON'T SAY - tacit, non-verbal means of expressing one's response

And Away We Go~!

Across:

1. Tree with papery bark: BIRCH

6. Opera set in Memphis: AIDA - crossword staple

10. Part of a Cape Cod, familiarly: CRAN - "A" Cape Cod is a vodka cocktail with cranberry and a slice of lime; I noted that if one is not careful, when buying the Ocean Spray cranberry "cocktail", the amount of  "added" sugar is insane; I buy the "diet" version ( ironic ) that has 1g of 'natural' sugar

14. Japanese lager brand: ASAHI - AND - 47D. Japanese dogs: AKITAS - our constructor must have an affinity for things "A" Japan, as AKIRA was in his first LA Times

15. Ignore: SNUB

16. Main character: HERO

19. Simplicity: EASE

20. Explosive sound: BLAM - I usually wait on perps, as there are dozens of "sounds" this could be

21. Blackjack card: ACE

22. Elizabeth __ cosmetics: ARDEN - the website

23. Hor. map line: LATitude

27. Latin catchall: Et Alii - and others, typically seen as "et al."

29. Annually: PER YEAR

30. Checkout option: DEBIT - I get 5% cash back/points with my Discover & Amazon credit cards - I use my debit card at the gas pump because credit is usually higher priced.

31. Sharp-witted: KEEN

33. Wily: SLY

38. HS exams for coll. credit: APs - Meh.  I don't care for the plural abbrs in crosswords 

41. Hit or __: MISS

42. Athlete who may run four laps: MILER - Ah- I was just a week too early with this fill . . . . 

46. Takes a turn: ROTATES - Literally - not 'your move', during a game

49. Second-most-populated city in Oregon: EUGENE - behind Portland, I am guessing

53. Contribute: ADD

54. Amazon biz: eTAIL

55. U.K. constituent: ENGland - Nottingham was the place both my parents grew up

This image can be purchased on etsy

56. Upper hand: EDGE

57. Prime condition: MINT - I tried BEST

61. Actress Swenson: INGA - I knew her from "Soap" and "Benson" - her IMDb.  My buddy's ex-wife chose this name for their second daughter, so that she could be nicknamed "Iggy"

62. "How __ can I put this ... ": ELSE

63. "Dragon Ball" genre: ANIME

64. Goes out with: SEES

65. Counterpart: PEER - KEEN, SEES and PEER today

66. Subsides: WANES

DOWN:

1. Talked excitedly: BABBLED

2. Keep away from others: ISOLATE - I prefer "solitude" to crowds; I am an introvert

3. Accumulated charges: RAN A TAB

4. Buddy: CHUM

5. That fella's: HIS

6. Nike competitor: ASICS

7. Shore recess: INLET - yeah, but meh; I grew up on Long Island, and the "inlets" were channels to the Great South Bay

8. Expected: DUE

9. Situp muscles: ABs - I do not work on the ABdominals at the gym yet - my trainer "Brett" says my "keg" is in the way - har-har....that's WHY I am going to the gym 😜

10. Manhattan garnish: CHERRY - Manhattan, the rye/vermouth cocktail

11. Prepares: READIES

12. Premier League club known as the Gunners: ARSENAL - oh, my dad would be so disappointed I did not know this immediately - he ate, breathed and slept "European" football - soccer

13. "Stay out": NO ENTRY - we had this identical entry also in the Down in his debut LA Times puzzle

18. Home of Haleakala National Park: MAUI - figured it was Hawai'i, I tried OAHU

22. Start of Q2: APR - The second quarter of the year is April, May, June

24. __ Field: home of the Mets: CITI - Knew this because I grew up on Long Island - but it was Shea back then

25. Sides of a paper?: OP-EDS

26. Restaurant offering: MENU - I WAGed this

28. Body part used in kissing and telling: LIP - cute

31. Kosher deli snack: KNISH - pronounced "Kuh - nish"

Looks tasty

32. Greek goddess of the dawn: EOS

35. City near the geographic center of Iowa: AMES

36. Big birds: EMUS

37. Comedian Notaro: TIG - more here

38. NASA moon exploration program since 2017: ARTEMIS

39. Dish with fries and gravy: POUTINE  - Fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy

I made my own hash browns in the air-fryer this weekend

40. Offbeat: STRANGE

43. Shows through the door: LEADS IN

44. Checkmate phase: END GAME - Not "YOU LOSE"

45. Flights that may serve dinner and breakfast: RED-EYES

48. Shorthand for sharing a new realization: TIL - I was thinking in terms of text messages, like "FYI".  Meh.  I found this, so it's legit

49. Waffle choice: EGGO

51. Second word in an ecological mantra: REUSE - Reduce, - - -, Recycle

52. Working for: UNDER

56. Italian volcano: ETNA - Had this Monday.  Etsy plus Etna today

58. "Uh-huh": YEP - AND - 60D. "Uh-uh": NAW - Slangy verbal communications 

59. Flamenco cheer: OLÉ

Splynter

Wednesday, May 28th, 2025 ~ Sala Wanetick & Emily Biegas

 IT'S A TRAP~!

Star Wars, The Return of the Jedi, It's a trap #1

Once more we have the duo of Sala and Emily offering up our Wednesday workout, and I can literally take my review from their last construction ( here on Mar 5th ) and post it word for word, as today's crossword practically duplicated that one; it felt like deja vu all over again.  I do the Down clues first, so this grid, like the one in March, opened with a muscial concept I could grasp, but also like the last one, it had a plethora of names, two of which formed a Natick ( I'm looking at you, 16A/11D. ) which did me in when I solved the Monday puzzle, as well.  Sigh.  YMMV, but, like thier last crossword, I felt the theme was weak and just didn't hit the mark for me.  It was suggested the last time I did a review of the girls' construction that I be "honest", so that all constructors could improve upon their puzzles ( I myself have had a couple of co-created, published crosswords ) - I say, keep trying, ladies~!  The themers - three "set ups" - and reveal;

17. Potentially awkward encounter: BLIND DATE - I was "threatened" with a blind date the last time I was on Long Island; my friend's wife "really thought I should get together with this friend of hers."

26. Deceptive undercover ploy: STING OPERATION - this is the "poster song" for any "STING"

The Entertainer - Scott Joplin

43. "American Ninja Warrior" feature: OBSTACLE COURSE - I've been diligent in the month of May - went to the gym every other day, then walked 30-40mins in my neighborhood on the off days - and I would love to get into shape just be able to attempt this . . . .

59. "We've been fooled!," or what can be said about 17-, 26-, or 43-Across: "IT'S A SET-UP~!" - I certainly feel like I've been "had"

Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, "It's a trap" #2

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Move from the freezer to the sink, perhaps: THAW

5. Pod that may be pickled: OKRA

9. Barbershop sharpening tool: STROP

14. Hall of Fame golfer Isao: AOKI - name #1 - a crossword staple, with all those vowels - I only knew this name because I learned who he is by doing crosswords; he's the same age as the man who started the Pipe Organ company

15. Some summer babies, astrologically: LEOS - a bit 'meh' in the plural

16. "Defying Gravity" singer Cynthia: ERIVO - name #2, got me - see the little black triangle in the grid solution below.  Natick.  Pure. And. Simple. Period.  Her web page - I do like the album cover

19. Come-ons: LURES - not RUSES; I was 60% correct

20. Burned a bit: SINGED - I once sing-ed a song for karaoke . . . .

21. Stimulant in some soft drinks: CAFFEINE 

I'm fine, no really, I'm good, I just need a cup of coffee

23. Jumbo suffix: TRON - as in Jumbotron, the big screen at sports arenas, etc.; I'm feeling 'meh' about this, too

25. Cooling systs.: A/Cs

33. Coffee mug defect: CHIP

Yup, definitely "chipped"

34. Square-jawed canine: BOXER

35. Supersecretive org.: NSA - Dah~! Not CIA; 33% correct

36. Chicago airport code: ORD - due to O'Hare originally being Orchard Field - the Wiki

37. Gallivant: TRAIPSE - now here are good $2 words for clue/answer

39. Beanie, e.g.: CAP

40. Pool stick: CUE - had this Monday, too

41. Pay bump: RAISE

42. Sheet in a book: PAGE - at least it's not a name; i.e., Jimmy PAGE

47. "C'est la __!": VIE

48. Adjust the pitch of: TUNE

49. Musical place for a partridge: PEAR TREE - another good clue/answer

54. Tennessee NFL team: TITANS

58. Frowned upon: TABOO

61. Shady garden area: ARBOR

62. "Shoot": "DANG."

63. Connecting point: NODE

64. Bombards with texts, say: SPAMS - again, in the plural, a bit 'meh'.

65. Michigan's __ Royale National Park: ISLE - I'm betting Jazzbumpa knew this one

66. Chatted privately, briefly: DMed - Direct Messaged

DOWN:

1. Guitar player's aid: TABS - short for tabulature, which shows the fret number you hold with your finger(s) on the "lines" representing the strings on the neck; it's how I learned to play, but lately, I have gotten better with the actual note names

"Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love" - Van Halen

2. Colorful Hindu festival: HOLI - I had this back on Apr 16th

3. Related (to): AKIN

4. Shape of some eyeliner applications: WINGTIP - this makeup detail

At least it wasn't the shoes

5. One who's past the age of learning, in a saying: OLD DOG - that is, you can't teach an - - - new tricks

6. Hawaii's Mauna __: KEA - geographic name - LOA, or KEA~?

7. Campus mil. group: ROTC - Reserve Officers' Training Corps - more here

8. Offshore: ASEA - yeah, but meh.

9. Focus of a "me day": SELF CARE - I figured it was something like "SPA - - -"

10. Most authentic: TRUEST

11. "SOS" singer, to fans: RiRi - OK, I get it, I'm old.... The artist Rihanna; the song, which samples MY generation's "Tainted Love" from Soft Cell, this 80s one-hit-wonder.  RiRi's Wiki; name #3

12. Tandoor, for one: OVEN - More here

13. Sit (for): POSE

18. "Marriage Story" Oscar winner Laura: DERN - name #4

22. Kayak listing: FARES - Tried HOTEL; the website - Kayak choice would have been more deceptive

24. Goal of some criminal justice reform efforts: NO BAIL - had N, O, L via perps, so a WAG on my part

26. Hedge element: SHRUB - a shrubbery~!

MP and the Holy Grail

27. Gravitational phenomena: TIDES

28. Composure: POISE

29. Anticipate: EXPECT

30. Quechua speakers: INCAS - name(ish)

31. "August: __ County": Meryl Streep film: OSAGE - no clue, so I'm calling name #5

32. Area hidden by a turtleneck: NAPE - could not be "neck" because it was in the clue

33. American tennis phenom Gauff: COCO - the Frawnche Open is this week; like the British open, known as "Wimbledon", the offical name of this tennis championship is Roland-Garros - name #6

37. Turncoats: TRAITORS

38. 5K participant: RACER - I knew we were looking for a "runner", which didn't fit; I tried MILER

42. Make believe: PRETEND

44. Den: TV ROOM - mancave didn't fit

45. Power interruption: OUTAGE - a nuisance, if you're watching a movie in your 44D.

46. Colleges, to Aussies: UNIversitieS

49. School fundraising orgs.: PTAs - again, the plural is a bit 'meh'

50. "Tombstone" character Wyatt: EARP - even if I know this, it's still a name, #7

51. "SOS" singers: ABBA - the "other" SOS song - still a name, #8

52. Cash gift given on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: EIDI  - Islamic holidays - more here.  Really~? on Wednesday~?   Sheesh.  The Wiki

53. Waze figs.: ETAs - Waze, the driving app, a cute play on "WAYS"

55. Basic particle: ATOM

56. Like a streaker: NUDE

57. Stepped on the gas: SPED

60. Marcello Hernández's show, for short: SNL - his IMDb - name #9

Splynter