Friday August 15, 2025 Zachary David Levy

Well, it's RustyBrain again, Moe's alter ego for the third and final time, so let's call this a visit from the spirit of Chairman future!

Zachary David Levy is an assistant professor of neurosurgery and emergency medicine at Hofstra's Zucker School of Medicine on Long Island. He's also the crossword editor for Ocean City magazine. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to create crosswords, but it can't hurt!

No revealer today, so watch how HASTE makes WASTE, sorta:

17. Speed needed to harvest lilacs, violets, and lavender for dye?: PURPLE HASTE. Derived from "purple haze," slang for assorted varieties of pot or LSD (thus a fitting 60s song title).

28. "Waterfowl found to prefer celibacy"?: WILD GOOSE CHASTE. A twist on the familiar phrase "wild goose chase." 

 

44. Enigmatic pile of trash?: MYSTERIOUS WASTE. From "mysterious ways," describing things that are difficult to understand or explain, often divine or supernatural. (Must everything be a album cover with this guy?)

57. Fake gems that add sparkle to a gastropod shell?: SNAIL'S PASTE. "Snail's pace" is an idiom describing something moving very slowly, often to the point of being frustrating. Some snails don't know when to stop.

Most of these themers seemed a bit forced, rather than wacky, with a convoluted clue leading to an equally nonsensical answer. Only MYSTERIOUS WASTE rises to the occasion as a plausible thing. I used AI to make picture sense of a couple of them, and I didn't really like the the results so I resorted to my old standbys - album covers! 

The changed words all rhyme, but the original words they replace don't. So, while haze and ways rhyme, as do chase and pace, the two pairs don't match each other. Rhyming aside, the fill overall was decent, although a tad easy for a Friday. 

Are you braced for a taste?

Across:

1. Photo display option: ALBUM. A great way to display pics of four friends.

6. Early PC platform: MS-DOS. MicroSoft Disk Operating System. Bill Gates quickly needed an operating system for the new IBM PC, so he bought 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products for $25K. He renamed it MS-DOS and the rest is history.

11. NFL Hall of Famer Marino: DAN. This jersey gives you an idea of how long I've been a fan of "DAN the Man." In December 1985, I attended my first NFL game on a epic Monday night in the Orange Bowl vs. the then undefeated Chicago Bears. I was hoarse the next day from shouting so loud! Been a Dolfan ever since.

14. "CSI" city: MIAMI. Home to #13 Dan Marino and the MIAMI Dolphins.

15. Unescorted: ALONE.

16. Moody genre: EMO.

17. [theme]

19. Cry before a jump: BOO. Because "Geronimo!" didn't fit.

20. Tahini ingredient: SESAME. Tahini is a Middle Eastern condiment made from crushed SESAME seeds. Cultivation of sesame began 3,500 years ago in the Tigris and Euphrates region of Mesopotamia, so check the expiration date on your tahini before you buy.

21. "Aw, rats!": CRUD. "The tahini has expired!"

22. Custard ingredient: EGG.

25. NYM rival: ATL. The New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves are both in the National League (NL) East division. Pictured is a Brave trying to give a Met a wedgie as they jockey for the pennant.

26. Sore: ACHING.

28. [theme]

32. Blue shade: AZURE. Another shot from my visit to the PNW a few weeks ago (seems like longer!). This is Diablo Lake in North Cascades National Park. Look at that color!

33. Russian saint for whom an alphabet is named: CYRIL. The Cyrillic alphabet is used for several languages across Eurasia. It's based on the Greek Alphabet with additional letters developed to represent Slavic sounds.

34. Post-WWII gp.: NATO. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a political and military alliance of countries in Europe and North America, founded in the aftermath of World War II.

35. Giggle syllables: TEHEE. I prefer tee-hee, but the usual response to my jokes is a groan. 

37. Hesitant denial: UM NO. UM NO, not wild about this one. 

41. Biblical song: PSALM. 

43. Yves Saint Laurent fragrance since 1977: OPIUM. One of RightBrain's favs. (BTW, my wife chose this name for my blogs because she's always...oh, you know.)

44. [theme]

49. "The Grass Harp" author: CAPOTE. Truman CAPOTE.

50. A Bobbsey twin: NAN. Oddly, her twin is also named NAN, but spelled backwards. As they are fraternal twins, the boy's name was later changed to MAN to avoid confusion...or so I heard.

51. 1040 fig.: SSN. Social Security Number. Wow, there are a lot of abbreviations in this puzzle!

52. Sleep apnea device, briefly: CPAP. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines use a hose connected to a mask or nose-piece to deliver steady air pressure to help breathing while asleep.

53. Saguaro National Park growth: CACTUS. The large saguaro CACTUSes (cacti in Latin) stand like silent sentinels in the desert. Reminds me a bit of Easter Island.

56. Car loan fig.: APR. Annual Percentage Rate

57. [theme]

62. Shipping charge, e.g.: FEE.

63. "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" writer Marie: KONDO. "Just thank an item for it's service and let it go." But I paid good money for it! 

64. Word in some bank names: TRUST. Your money is safe here <wink> TRUST me.

65. Publishing VIPs: EDS. Editors, or possibly famous newsmen like Ed Bradley and Edwin Newman.

66. Luggage attachment: ID TAG. TAG is short for...I mean ID is short for IDentification. I'm getting bleary-eyed keeping up with all these abbrev.

67. Cries in sties: OINKS. 

Down:
1. Psych (up): AMP. This one goes up to 11.

2. Simu of "Barbie": LIU. 

3. __ exam: BAR. And now, a BAR exam for you. (Hint: the correct answer is Almond Joy, because I'm nuts! I mean, I like nuts. I like all kinds of people, actually. I'm gonna stop now...)

4. Cricket officials: UMPS. Baseball is believed to have originated from older bat-and-ball games such as cricket and rounders, hense similar terms like UMPires. 

5. Line in some expense reports: MILEAGE. Yours may vary.

6. Hawaiian "thank you": MAHALO. I just started watching the Hawaiian historical drama "Chief of War" on Apple TV. Fascinating to see Hawaii in the late 18th century before being "discovered."

7. Criticize harshly: SLAM. "Boo! You can't end a poem with orange!"

8. Rx information: DOSE. The term "Rx" on a prescription originates from the Latin word recipe, meaning "to take."

9. Blue Jays prov.: ONT. The Blue Jays play in ONTario's capital city of Toronto.

10. "Happy now?": SEE. 

11. Remains: DEBRIS.

12. Specification in a recipe: AMOUNT. It could be a tsp. or even a tbsp. (adding some abbreviations of my own).

13. Annoying one: NOODGE.

18. This, in Spanish: ESTO.

21. Fried dish named for a small boat: CHALUPA. Here's a flotilla of CHALUPAs.

22. Actor McGregor: EWAN.

23. Home of the Grand Egyptian Museum: GIZA. Finally open after over a decade of delays, the GEM is the world's largest archaeological museum and features the 83-ton, 3200-year old statue of Ramesses II in the entrance hall.

24. Surplus: GLUT.

26. Farm unit: ACRE.

27. Chinese life force: CHI.

29. Convertible: DROP TOP. Once upon a time we had this beauty, a 1998 Jaguar XK8 Cabriolet (fancy name for a DROP TOP, so they could charge more). Unfortunately, the DROP TOP turned into a rag top under the intense Florida sun.

30. Knucklehead: SCHMO. Also a very popular Harley-Davidson V-twin motorcycle engine.

31. Contact site: EYE.

35. Container weight: TARE. To get an accurate weight of an object, especially one packed to ship (such as the knucklehead engine above), you first weigh the empty crate (or truck) to determine its TARE. Then you weigh them both together and subtract the TARE to find the item's actual weight. 

36. Civil War-era pharmacist Lilly: ELI. "When it says Lilly's Lilly's Lilly's on the label, label, label, you will like it, like it, like it, on your..." Wait a minute, that's not right.

38. Battleship cry: MISS. I once called an old battleship MISS and she hit me with her pocketbook.

39. "Aw, rats!": NUTS. 

40. Sign: OMEN.

42. Gel: SET.

43. Take responsibility for: OWN UP TO.

44. Maker of Baked Apple Pie K-Cups: MC CAFE. Sounds awful. Then again, I'm a black coffee kind of guy.

45. Prattled on: YAPPED. "...and as I was saying, the bunny hopped over my garden fence - I guess I should've made it taller - and maybe painted it. The fence, not the bunny, anyway..."

46. Extras: SPARES. Mom said always carry an extra pair of socks, just in case all the stores close right after you step in a puddle.

47. Clear: UNCLOG. Years ago, I used a pressurized drain cleaner in my apartment. Suddenly, the people downstairs started yelling as I created a geyser in their kitchen sink! Not the best way to meet the neighbors.

48. Hurdles for srs.: SATS. High school seniors take Scholastic Assessment Tests, which use to be called Scholastic Aptitude Tests but now SAT officially stands for nothing (actually true!).

53. "Sorry, busy": CAN'T.

54. Elton John musical: AIDA.

55. Dress at some Asian weddings: SARI. "Oops! I accidentally spilled wine on your dress." "SARI." "Yes, I am."

57. Slalom runner: SKI. 

58. Bobblehead's motion: NOD.

59. Great ball of fire: SUN.

60. Disapproving sound: TSK. Reminds me of my elementary school piano teacher for some reason. I quit after a year or so (I'm apparently not a childhood prodigy). It wasn't until high school that I got back into music, only this time on guitar. A number of years ago, I picked up keyboards again. It's amazing what you can learn on YouTube, but the rudiments from my youth came in handy. Thank you Mrs. Price, wherever you are!

61. Non-earthlings, for short: ETS. ExtraTerrestrialS. Are we finally done with all these initials and abbreviations?

Moe, please hurry back! Fridays are hard!!

Monday July 21, 2025 Zachary David Levy

  

Happy Monday, everyone! 

Today's theme is:  

Constructor Zachary David Levy gives us four themed clues and an earworm reveal that might very well stick with you all day. Let's take a closer look:

17 Across. Film edition typically longer than its theatrical release: EXTENDED CUT.

EXTENDED FAMILY are relatives beyond a nuclear family such as grandparents and cousins.

24 Across. Big name in nonprescription reading glasses: FOSTER GRANT.  

A FOSTER FAMILY provides temporary care for children who cannot live with their biological parents due to various circumstances.

39 Across. Opinion formed when shaking hands, perhaps: FIRST IMPRESSION.

The FIRST FAMILY is the family of the president of the United States.  

49 Across. Wrestling event with a series of combatants: ROYAL RUMBLE.  This is a WWE event available on pay-per-view.

A ROYAL FAMILY is an EXTENDED FAMILY with titles. 

62 Across. Sister Sledge classic whose second line is "I got all my sisters with me," and a hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 39-, and 49-Across: WE ARE FAMILY.

The starts of the themed clues are all types of families. Works for me!

Here is the song from 1979:  

Yes, the four singers in Sister Sledge are real sisters! 

Their names are Joni, Kim, Debbie, and Kathy Sledge.

Next we'll look at the members of this FAMILY grid seated at the kiddie table:

Across:

1. Sounds from a chicken coop: CLUCKS.   Here you go....

7. Spew forth, as oil: GUSH.  

It's a GUSHer!

11. Cleverness: WIT.  WITty clues are appreciated.

14. Sell every last copy: RUN OUT.  ... as in "Did the newsstand RUN OUT of copies of today's paper?"

15. Not for: ANTI.  ANTI can be a stand-alone word or a prefix.

16. Slip up: ERR.  To ERR in the Tour de France peloton (large group of riders) can have disastrous outcomes as seen in this crash from Stage 7. We later learned that Joao Almeida from Portugal broke a rib in this crash. He continued to ride but ultimately left the race during Stage 9. This was a tough blow since he placed 4th in last year's Tour and was the #2 man in this year's top-seeded team. 

19. Female sheep: EWE.

20. Performing: DOING.  ... as in "She is performing a tracheotomy."

21. Mardi Gras city nickname: NOLA.  New Orleans, LA  

House of the Rising Sun     ~     The Animals     ~     1964

<The authorship of this traditional folk song is uncertain.>

22. Et __: and others: ALIA.  Latin  

23. Mine output: ORE.  What's mine is (y)OREs.

27. "I inhaled it!": YUM.  Perhaps the clue writer was thinking:  "It tasted so delicious that I ate it all up quickly."

28. Little kiddos: TOTS.     and     33 Down. Little scoundrel: IMP.

29. Broadway "Auntie": MAME.  I had an advantage on yesterday's puzzle because I had already researched this for today's blog. Mame is a Broadway musical based on a 1955 novel entitled Auntie Mame. Angela Lansbury played Mame Dennis in 1966. The song We Need a Little Christmas is from that musical.

Auntie and 11-Down are Easter eggs.

32. Courteous: NICE.

36. Dance venue with a mirror ball: DISCO.  

This one cracks me up!

42. Scent: AROMA.

43. British baby stroller: PRAM.

44. French head: TÊTE.     and     55 Down. French "Hi": SALUT.  

45. Café au __: LAIT.  ... more French. This time we have a coffee with hot milk added.

47. Anger: IRE.

54. PC "oops" key: ESC.  One might use the ESC key to close an unwanted window.

57. "Your Friends & Neighbors" actor Jon: HAMM.  I was unfamiliar with this show. It first aired this past April on Apple TV+.

58. Insurance co. for mil. families: USAA.  To take out a policy with USAA, one must be a current or past military member or their FAMILY member.

59. "Inside Out" studio: PIXAR.  I was unfamiliar with this 2015 animated film. 

61. Medium's claim, for short: ESP.  

64. Sundial three: III.

65. Busy, busy, busy: AT IT.  

66. Increasingly rare web access method: DIAL-UP.  

I sometimes wonder what "latest tech"
will soon seem terribly outdated.

67. Surveillance org.: NSA.  Perps inform us on whether it will be CIA or NSA.

68. Gets into, as clothes: DONS.  🎵 "DON we now our gay apparel...." 🎵

69. "BoJack Horseman" voice actor Will: ARNETT.  I have not seen this one either. BoJack Horseman was an animated Netflix TV show for adult audiences that ran from 2014-2020. I do know Will Arnett from his Smartless podcast. He is quick-WITted.

Down:

1. Set of beliefs: CREDO.

2. Pyramid-shaped hotel in Las Vegas: LUXOR.  Every time I Google something about Las Vegas for this blog, I get Vegas ads on my computer for weeks.

3. Open, as a knot: UNTIE.  Or, as those of us who are spelling-challenged might say, "Open, as a not: unite."

4. "Fargo" filmmakers Ethan and Joel: COEN.  These brothers wrote, directed, produced, and edited this 1996 movie.  BTW, I did see this movie ... and liked it a lot!

5. Martial art practiced by a panda in an animated franchise: KUNG FU.  "Kung Fu Panda" rings a bell but I somehow missed seeing these movies, too.

6. Time zone wd.: STD.  word and standard

7. Actress Gal: GADOT.  (b. April 30, 1985)  her IMDb page

8. Dad's brother: UNCLE.  Easter egg!!!

9. E.B. White's "__ Little": STUART.  (1899 - 1995)  E.B. White was born in Mount Vernon, New York. His three most popular children's books are Stuart Little (1945), Charlotte's Web (1952), and The Trumpet of the Swan (1970).

10. Punch: HIT.  If you watched Saturday morning cartoons in 1975, you might remember this commercial:  

11. Little girl, in the Highlands: WEE LASSIE.

12. "Crocodile Hunter" Steve: IRWIN.  (1962 - 2006)  He was an Australian TV personality who hosted a show on Animal Planet. His untimely death was caused by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary in the Great Barrier Reef.

13. Pay for: TREAT.

18. Nav. rank: ENS.  Naval and ensign

22. Adept performer: ARTISTE.  What is the difference between and artist and an ARTISTE?

25. Potent prefix: OMNI-.  Def.:  universally.

26. Divine beings: GODS.

27. Polite affirmation: YES MA'AM.  An 18-Down might say this to an adjuster at 58-Across.

29. Painter's deg.: MFA.  degree and Master of Fine Arts

30. Run on TV: AIR.  If you RUN OUT of clues, you might have to reuse a word from the grid.

31. Bodybuilding competition for men since 1965: MR. OLYMPIA.  This one was in the punchbowl because I remembered that Arnold Schwarzenegger was one. He won six years in a row from 1970 to 1975 then again in 1980.  

1971

34. EMT skill: CPR.  

35. Notable time: ERA.

37. Camper's bed: COT.  This RV bed takes camping up a notch.  

38. Single: ONE.     and     62 Down. Bundle of dollars: WAD.

40. Kite extension: TAIL.  I wanted to pair this with 56-Down but it was the wrong type of tale.

41. Actor Jannings: EMIL.  (1884-1950)  He was a Swiss-German actor. Hollywood historians would know him for sure. 

46. Always there for: TRUE TO.

48. Put back together: REPAIR.

49. Deutschland river: RHEIN.  Native spellings are used in the clue and, therefore, in the answer.

50. Caravan refuge: OASIS.

51. Sprinter Bolt: USAIN.  (b. Aug. 21, 1986)  In 2025 he became Jamaica's global tourism ambassador.  

52. Small shops: MARTS.

53. Sweetie: BAE.

54. Kick out: EXILE.  

"An English sea captain being asked if he had read The Exile of Erin replied, 'No, sir, but I should like to anchor on it.' Year afterwards, when he had been hanged as a pirate after a career of unparalleled atrocities, the following memorandum was found in the ship's log that he had kept at the time of his reply, 'Aug. 3d, 1842. Made a joke on the ex-Ile of Erin. Coldly received. War with the whole world!'"

56. Burial chamber: CRYPT.  

60. Somali-born supermodel: IMAN.  (b. July 25, 1955)  Happy almost-70th birthday to IMAN!  🎂

63. HHS agency: FDA.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is abbreviated, so is the Food and Drug Administration.

The Grid

That's all for this FAMILY reunion. Wishing everyone a pleasant week ahead!

Friday, July 4, 2025 - Zachary David Levy

 

 Theme: "Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone"?

[only because she (Lisa LOEB) showed up at 68-across this past Tuesday]

Puzzling thoughts:

I will admit that after solving today's Zachary David Levy puzzle, I was a bit perplexed.  I kept looking and looking for some unifier that brought this puzzle's reveal (64-across. Goldarn, or a hint to making the starred clues match their answers: DOGGONE.) to an "aha" moment.  Maybe the reveal should be DOG GONE.  And then, like the proverbial can of V8 Juice, it hit me:  the "key" is to look at each of the four starred clues, find the canine (i.e., "dog"), get rid of the pooch, and then re-read the clue

Still stumped?  Let's look at all four individually and see where the little dog has gone

3-down. *Jet setter: PITCH BLACK.  In the clue, eliminate the word "setter" (a name of a dog breed) from "jet" and then match the phrase "pitch black" to the clue "jet".  Best thing I could find that ties the word "jet" to Pitch Black is shown in the video below

7-down. *Puget sound: PHONE HOME.  In the clue, remove the letters "p.u.g." (pug, another dog breed) from the word Puget, and you're left with the clue: "ET sound".  And for those who watched the eponymous movie, "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial", the "phone home" line is well-known.  For those who haven't (or those who forgot) I've linked a short video clip below

Note:  for those who thought this clue and answer might refer to the body of water in Washington state, the word "sound" in the clue is not capitalized.  Additionally, this clue/answer was the one that gave it away for Chairman Moe.  I kept thinking, "phone home" is an E.T. catchphrase and sure enough ...

11-down. *Boxer brief: SHORT-LIVED. Once again, once the "dog word" boxer is gone from the word brief the clue/answer makes sense.  Something that is "brief" is definitely short-lived.  

53-across. *Labatt offerings: WIRELESS ROUTERS.  Similar to 7-down, the dog that disappears is in the first word of the clue, Lab.  And what is left behind is another abbreviation ATT, a communications company that also specializes in the sale of (offers) wireless routers

Like this one

So, there you have it.  Not so tough once you examine the clues closely.  I came "this close" to asking my fellow bloggers for assistance, but once I got the reveal it all made sense.  I'll comment further about some specific areas in the rest of the puzzle in the section below

The grid symmetry is somewhat unusual.  The blocks (black squares) in the center of the grid almost appear to be a smiley face with its tongue sticking out!  Not sure if this was Zachary's intention, but the grid pattern certainly allowed him to include all of the entries 

Here are a couple of clues/entries that ended up in the editor's waste basket:

Clue:  Rock hound: OUTCROPPING

Clue:  Joe Cocker: CUP OF COFFEE

For what it's worth, I was kind of hoping for an Independence Day themed puzzle, but no fireworks. So in lieu of none in the puzzle, I'll add this to the recap:

One year shy of 250 ...

I also thought about using "Who Let the Dogs Out" for my theme title.  For those who wanted that one instead, here is a brief clip:

The Grid

On to the rest ... 

Across:
1. "That's on me": OOPS.  In the words of my Crossword Corner buddy, desper-otto, "have I ever told you how frustrating it is not to solve 1-across?" This remained unsolved until perps came to the rescue

5. Ready for bed, briefly: IN PJS.  Not often seen (the answer, that is) in crossword puzzles but I like it. If I had to answer this personally, the answer would be IN MBS.  TMI??  Wait until you see 43- and 44-across ...

10. Invitation abbreviation: RSVP.  No RSVP needed to visit the Crossword Corner; just show up!

14. Ballet move: PLIE. I had so much trouble with the NW corner of this puzzle that I entered this word and erased it four times.  Should've trusted my instincts

15. Like seven Nolan Ryan games: NO HIT.  Ryan is #1 all-time in throwing the most no hitters

16. River that ends in Cairo: OHIO.  A very clever and misdirecting clue.  Cairo, IL is the general place where the OHIO river merges with the Mississippi River.  You think this is false?  Please don't be in denile [sic]

Technically, just south of Cairo

17. Some FD members: EMTS.  FD = Fire Department

18. Walk heavily: TROMP.  I'm sure that some folks breathed a sigh of relief when they saw an "O" as the vowel in this word entry ... 

19. Not all: MOST.  SOME also fits

20. Latte order: DECAF.  MOCHA was fitting this spot for way too long; hence my troubles in the NW corner

22. Demo letters: TNT.  Demo as in "demolition"; but my puzzle grid was far from being blown up

23. "No one __": CARES.  The phrase "Gives a $hit" had too many letters 😜

24. Average joe: SCHMO.  Average "Moe" would have given us Stooge 😀

25. "Good one": HEH.  "Hah" also fit

26. Unable to sit still: ANTSY.  This describes me at times

27. Name that also means "son of" in Hebrew: BEN.  I had to cheat to get this answer; my lack of Hebrew knowledge leaves me verklempt und verstumpft - does Yiddish count?

28. "Billions" network, for short: SHO.  I tried HBO to no avail

29. Nada: NIL. "Zip" fit

30. Ga. capital: ATL.  Also, the airport code for Hartsfield-Jackson Intl 

32. Got ready for school?: TUTORED.  This wasn't as hard to figure out as the clue might have suggested

35. Sort: ILK. Crossword-ese

38. Spot for rumination: LEA.  A bit of a stretch, IMO but I get it.  I don't know if I ever meditated in a LEA; maybe a wooded spot, though and certainly at the beach

39. Salon step: SHAMPOO.  Speaking of shampoo ... why do some (fill in the blank) exhaust an entire bottle of it while showering?  Because they take the directions on the bottle too literally.  It reads: "lather, rinse, repeat ..."

40. Vehicle on the move?: VAN.  Were you "moved" by this clue/answer?? 

41. Creatures that make Frodo's sword glow blue: ORCS. Thanks to Ms. Margaret (my partner) for helping me with this one

43. Liberates: FREES.  The Naturist Society celebrates two International "naked" days:  The first Saturday in May is World Naked Gardening Day;  the 21st of June is Naked Hiking Day.  Nothing FREES you like doing these activities in your birthday suit - but apply plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated if you choose to participate in these events (next year)

[the links above do NOT show anyone naked; in case you were wondering ...]

44. Low-carb diet: KETO.  After this past hiatus I took (and certainly after the one coming up in July and August) the Chairman will need to adopt this diet (or one similar) to shed a few unwanted #s - so I continue to look good in mbs

45. Some Polynesian carvings: TIKIS.  This filled with perps and seemed appropriate

47. __ finger: INDEX.  "Ring" was too short; "middle" was too long; PINKY, also fit

48. Rattle off: NAME.  Great clue

51. Word on a cornerstone: ANNO.  ESTD fit until it didn't

[theme entry]

60. Drink suffix: ADE.  I also struggled a bit in the SW corner, but ADE was the logical answer.  A CSO to our former Friday Sherpa LemonADE714

61. Figure on the red carpet: A-LISTER.  Several hyphenated answers in today's puzzle

62. "This is the life": AAH.  What I as a retired person says quite often

63. Serene: ZEN.  The feeling after ruminating in a LEA perhaps?

[reveal / theme unifier] 

65. Hydrotherapy spot: SPA.  Doggone it!  If you insert a letter "C" into this answer you'd have SPCA 

66. Use up: EAT.  This consumed more time (to solve) than necessary

67. Gregory Peck's co-star in "The Paradine Case": ANN TODD.  A 1947 film with an actor most folks would not recall.  This one definitely took a Google search to confirm

68. Atty.'s title: ESQ.  Short for ESQuire

Down:
1. News stands?: OP-EDS.  In the words of my Crossword Corner buddy, desper-otto, "have I ever told you how frustrating it is not to solve 1-down?"

2. Native of Tabasco: OLMEC.  MAYAN fits, too, and that mistake made the NW corner nearly impossible to solve without a few "cheats"

[theme entry]

4. Word in a magical phrase: SESAME.  PRESTO fit, too

5. QB mishap: INT.  Short for "INTerception" - often thrown by QuarterBacks

6. Guiding principle, metaphorically: NORTH STAR.  Another great clue

[theme entry]

8. First Native American to win Olympic gold: JIM THORPE.  Now we know why Zachary used IN PJS for 5-across.  Needed the "J" to begin Jim.  BTW, I do like it when a constructor uses the full name of a person rather than just their first or last name

9. Gas additive brand: STP.  Question:  when was the last time anyone used STP as a gasoline additive? Not I.  Not since the 1970's for me.  Corner Quiz:  Who was the spokesman for STP back in the day? 

[Answer:  this guy]

10. Itinerant people whose flag depicts a wagon wheel: ROMANI.  All perps

[theme entry]

12. Shop clamps: VISES.  Using these when I was in shop class (woodworking) was one of my strengths; one of my devices I guess ... 

13. Hopscotch, in New York slang: POTSY.  Filled with perps.  My knowledge of New York slang is slightly less than my knowledge of Hebrew.  I guess that a clue that referred to a character on "Happy Days" would've been too easy for Friday

21. Text formatting array: FONTS.  I think the default text FONT for the blog is Georgia

23. "Count on me": CAN DO.  I tried "I AM IN" first

30. Tons: A LOT.  This is not one of my favorite entries, but it seems to show up a lot in crossword puzzles

31. Actress Polo: TERI.  Another word that filled with perps [from the Internet]: "Theresa Elizabeth Polo is an American actress. She starred as Pamela Martha Focker (née Byrnes) in the Meet the Parents trilogy, Helen Santos in The West Wing, and played the role of police officer Stef Adams Foster in the Freeform series"

Polo, c. 2012

33. Old TV dial letters: UHF.  I tried VHF first - a coin toss for sure

34. Dawn goddess: EOS.  Anyone ever wonder if there is a Palmolive goddess?  Oh!  There is!! Her name is Madge, and she's a manicurist

36. Past due: LATE.  Term used for library books and expectant mothers

37. Fort south of Indianapolis: KNOX.  Ft. KNOX is in Kentucky, but it is almost due south of Indianapolis if you check a map

42. Trig ratio: SINE. Moe-ku #1:

        Astrophysicist

        Used trigonometrics. They

        Were called "Old Lange SINEs"

44. Tangle: KNOT.

46. Canadian tea brand: SALADA.  I recall this tea brand, but it isn't a name I hear often; a mini CSO to Canadian Eh!  And of course, worthy of another commercial from the archives:

47. Toughened: INURED.  Did anyone else find this one too hard?

49. Noggin: MELON.  I put BRAIN in first 

50. Endorse remotely: E-SIGN.  My e-signature looks nothing like my written one

51. Nickname in "Star Wars": AR-TOO.  Cee Three Pee Oh didn't fit

52. Seemingly forever: NO END.  Not today's blog; finished it in record time

53. Google Maps alternative: WAZE.  Lots of tough entries today, including this one.  Definitely a Friday puzzle, finally!! Lucina must be pleased! 😉

54. Inkling: IDEA.  What I had for less than 1/2 of the answers

55. Studio figure: RENT.  Great clue - a "studio" is another name for an apartment for which one pays RENT

56. NCO rank: SSGT.  No problem

57. Facility: EASE. No problem

58. Uses a gavel: RAPS. Moe-ku #2:

        Musician Ice-T

        Decides to become a judge;

        He enjoys his RAPS (with his gavel)

59. Former NBAer known as "The Big Cactus": SHAQ.  His nickname when he played for the Arizona Suns.  Here are some of his other nicknames beginning with "The Big"

 

 

My "dogs" are tired.  Please add your comments and thoughts in the section below ...