google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Jul 9, 2026

Thursday July 9, 2026 Robin Stears

Robin Stears is cutting the rug today. After constructing crosswords for 30 years, she's still got the moves!



17. Dance move performed when entering a room?: DOORSTEP. A DOORSTEP is just outside a door, while a threshold is the bottom of the doorframe itself. 

21. Cancan move performed while skydiving?: DROP KICK. A DROP KICK is a rarely used tactic in American football, it's only been used successfully once since 1941. Doug Flutie, in his last play in the NFL, kicked it in a game between the Patriots and the Dolphins in 2006.

35. Tango move on "Yellowstone"?: RANCH DIP. Yellowstone, the TV show, takes place on a ranch, where RANCH DIP is presumably served at parties.

46. Five-point spin on the dance floor?: STAR TURN. A STAR TURN is an idiom that refers to the most prominent performance in a show.

56. Leap at a military ballet?: BASE JUMP. BASE JUMPing is an extreme sport where participants parachute from a fixed object rather than an aircraft. BASE is an acronym for Buildings, Antennas, Spans (bridges), and Earth (cliffs).

66. Pas de deux move performed where the road divides?: FORKLIFT. Pas de deux is a ballet term referring to an intricate dance duet, probably much more graceful than a warehouse FORKLIFT.

While there is no revealer, we have six (!) themers that all end in a dance move: STEP; KICK; DIP; TURN; JUMP and LIFT. With this many themers, the grid was pretty crowded leaving a lot of short fill which made this easier than usual for a Thursday. I have two left feet, so I found it better to play in the band than be out on the dance floor. 


Let's take the rest for a spin:

Across:

1. Hotel waiters: CABS. Nice misdirect for the dance's opening number.

5. Carried the day: WON.

8. Cuts it close: SHAVES. Literally, it's using a razor - figuratively, it means a narrow escape.


14. Skip past: OMIT.

15. "__ takers?": ANY.

16. Nikon product: CAMERA

17. [theme]

19. Unexpectedly funny: IRONIC. Funny strange, not funny haha, I ASSUME.

20. Adopt, as an alias: ASSUME. Believe it or not, my name isn't RustyBrain. 

21. [theme]

23. Makeshift swing: TIRE. Some are fancier than others.

Oh, yours was just a round one?

25. Bard's before: ERE.

26. Network supported by "viewers like you": PBS. And viewers like me! I've volunteered to man the phones at a Public Broadcasting Service fundraiser.

29. Number of legs on a prawn: TEN. Prawns are the larger biological cousins to shrimp.

If you like legs more than wings, these are for you.

30. Shows up: ARRIVES.

35. [theme]

38. Half an Everest expedition: ASCENT. The other half, the descent, is considered more dangerous because after reaching their goal, climbers are exhausted and less focused.


39. Actor Sharif: OMAR. Everyone's favorite OMAR was also a world-class bridge player.

He apparently liked backgammon as well.

40. Club VIPs: DJS. Disc Jockeys. 

42. Inner: Prefix: ENTO. I wanted the more common ENDO, as in ENDOscope and ENDOskeleton. 

43. Curt: ABRUPT.

46. [theme]

49. James M. Cain's "__ Pierce": MILDRED. The film version of his novel won Joan Crawford the Best Actress Oscar for the title role in 1945.


51. Spanish gold: ORO. Lots of ORO at the bottom of the ocean from sunken Spanish galleons off the Gold Coast of Florida.

52. Contact site: EYE. As in contact lens. 

53. Singer Yoko: ONO. The first time Paul McCartney met Yoko, he said, "Oh, no!"

Here she is making EYE contact.

54. Wasabi __: PEAS.

56. [theme]

61. Coffee shop emanations: AROMAS.

65. Artful dodger?: EVADER.

66. [theme]

68. Spot: NOTICE.

69. Apple core, for short: CPU. Central Processing Unit, a computer's "brain" (no relation). 

70. Store that sells Frakta shopping bags: IKEA. It's Kits in Every Aisle.

71. Sounds like a bird: TWEETS. Seems like only yesterday when TWEETS only applied to birds.

72. Slump: SAG.

73. Like a lawn at dawn: DEWY. This is when it dawned on him that he lost.

Truman celebrating his upset victory in 1948.

Down:

1. Led Zeppelin's final studio album: CODA. Like the output from many groups, I like the early albums better.

2. Famous __ cookies: AMOS. Much more famous than these cookies, which are for the Byrd's.


3. "About me" summaries: BIOS.

4. Move with a swagger: STRUT.

5. Used sprinklers on: WATERED. Unless your lawn is already DEWY.

6. United: ONE.

7. "Blue Bloods" org.: NYPD. Blue Bloods was a TV series about the New York Police Department starring Tom Selleck.

8. Annabella of "The Sopranos": SCIORRA. She played Gloria Trillo, Tony Soprano's mistress in Season 3.


9. __ Ferry, West Virginia: HARPERS. HARPERS Ferry is famous as the site of abolitionist John Brown's 1859 raid, which helped spark the Civil War. Because of its strategic location between North and South, the town changed hands eight times during the conflict.

10. Wildly out of control: AMOK. I wanted to spell it AMUK, which was IRONIC because it didn't fit.

11. Start of Caesar's boast: VENI. "VENI, vidi, vici" translates to "I came, I saw, I conquered." It was spoken by Julius Caesar in a report to the Roman Senate over a quick and decisive victory. That's as succinct as it gets. 


12. Actor Bana: ERIC. ERIC Banadinovich is an actor from Down Under who came out on top!


13. Burlap bag: SACK.

18. Suffix that means "maker": SMITH. I grew up in Williamsburg, VA where there are many craft shops plying colonial trades, such as: blackSMITH, tinSMITH and gunSMITH. A friend mine from high school apprenticed as a silverSMITH. 

Amazing quality from only simple tools.

22. Mens __: criminal intent: REA. Oddly, I learned this phrase from watching Legally Blonde.


24. Wednesday's roommate at Nevermore: ENID. From the Addam's Family spinoff, Wednesday. Jenna Ortega plays Wednesday, and Emma Myers plays Thursday ENID.

Wednesday and Enid

26. Many a charity tourney: PRO-AM.

27. Deer friend of Flower and Thumper: BAMBI.

28. Warning from a doghouse: SNARL.

31. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T. The Grammy-winning rapper also carved out a successful acting career and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


i
32. Locale: VENUE.

33. Log passage: ENTRY.

34. Granite or marble: STONE.

36. Yucky stuff: CRUD.

37. Comfy loungewear: PJS. Short for Pajamas.

Pajama shorts

41. "Enough!": STOP.

44. Assignment: PROJECT.

45. Terms of service: TENURES.

47. Accent piece: AREA RUG.

48. "The Fountainhead" protagonist: ROARK. The Fountainhead is a 1943 philosophical novel by Ayn Rand that champions individualism, egoism, and artistic integrity.

50. __ Pérignon: DOM. I can think of better ways to spend $250+ than a bottle of champagne. 

55. Utterly reliable: SOLID.

56. Not erect: BENT.

57. Solemnly swear: AVOW.

58. Fully appease: SATE.

59. Falco of "The Sopranos": EDIE. EDIE played Carmela Soprano, Tony's wife. 

You better not mention Gloria.

60. Some USO patrons: PFCS. Private First Class soldiers may attend shows put on by United Service Organizations, an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment and other programs to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.

Bob Hope spent 50 Christmases overseas!


62. Podcaster's purchase: MIKE. Bzzzt! No one spells it this way. It's MIC, short for microphone.

63. Several: A FEW.

64. Remain: STAY.

67. Happy Greek cry: OPA. Oh, Pa! I'm so happy!!

Be good. RB

Notes from C.C.:

Happy 56th birthday to our sweet Tony (Anon-T)! Every time I need someone to cover the blog, Tony is there without hesitation. Thank you for always being so generous with your time and willing to help. Hope you have a wonderful birthday, Tony!

 

 
Tony At Wit's End near Carmel on Father's Day 2017

 

Jul 8, 2026

Wednesday, July 8, 2026 - Jonathon Hales

 Theme:  "Quiet, please!"

 

 25 library cartoons, comic strips, and pictures – Ebook Friendly

Puzzling thoughts:

Greetings from Chairman Moe; or, as I learned last month when Miss Margaret and I toured the Iberian Peninsula for 3+ weeks, the local expression for greetings are: "Bom Dia" (Portuguese) and "Egun On" (Basque)
 
My crossword solving skills took a hiatus, too, as I did not travel with my laptop, and solving on a cellphone is not very practical.  Solving crossword puzzles was not even on my priority/to do list while on holidays.  Too many amazing things to see and explore.  If you've never visited Portugal or the Basque Country in Spain, do. Thanks, CED, for swapping Wednesdays with me this month as I returned back to the U.S. on 1 July and would not have been able to do my "assigned" day

On to the puzzle du jour:  When I googled the constructor's name, Jonathon Hales, I came up empty; other than a few people with that name (and exact spelling) on Facebook.  I found zero relatable "hits" to any so-named crossword puzzle constructor so my guess is that this is both his LAT and personal debut.  If this is so, congratulations!  If not (and he happens to stop by) please provide us with some more details about yourself and about today's puzzle

Jonathon's work is a combination of word play and factual phrases that one could relate to a (52-across. Community facility for researchers and book lovers) LOCAL LIBRARY.  For example:

17. Suggestion for a 52-Across patron who didn't finish a book by closing time?: CHECK IT OUT.  The word play ("check it out") could refer to examining or analyzing something; the library connection (literal meaning) is taking the book to the desk, showing your library card, and taking it home for a period of time
 
 

library checkout cartoon with book and the caption "You want to check out a book?" by Jonny Hawkins 

24. Reminder on a collection that can't leave a 52-Across?: READ ONLY FILE.  The literal and figurative meaning of this is a bit more vague than the other entries, IMO.  But, if you recall the "Reference" section of a library, items such as encyclopedias were "read only in the library"; not to be checked out.  A read only file [as defined by Microsoft Support] is: any computer file that you can open, view, print, or copy, but cannot modify, delete, overwrite, or edit. The operating system blocks any "write" operations to protect the document's content and maintain its original state

 

File System Cartoons and Comics - funny pictures from CartoonStock

 
36. Sign near a door slot of a 52-Across?: RETURN TO THE FOLD. Another connection of literal and figurative as the word "return" is what you literally do with a book you've checked out of the library, and return to the fold is an expression that means to rejoin, return, or be welcomed back into a group, community, or organization after a period of absence. I suppose that a book that's been checked out of the library could be "missed" by the other books.  I chose another meaning of the word "fold" with the cartoon below:
 
 
Origami Fold Cartoons and Comics - funny pictures from CartoonStock 
 
64. Advice for patrons who borrow materials from a 52-Across?: DON'T BE LATE.  The cartoon below is a bit "dark" but it summarizes the theme! 😏
 
 
library checkout cartoon with library and the caption She vowed to put an end to overdue books and unpaid fines. It was the right thing to do ? even used a silencer. by Mike Baldwin 

Perhaps my blogging "skills" took a hiatus, too.  Please add your thoughts to the comment section if you saw anything different than I 

Here is the completed grid.  This "felt" a bit more difficult than a typical Wednesday puzzle but I finished it without help and with very few write-overs ...

 

 

 

Across:

1. Seaweed on tobiko maki: NORI.  Moe-ku:
 
        Question on seaweed
        Sushi wrap: Do you eat it?
        If it's no, NOR I 

5. Trophy winner: CHAMP

Championship Trophies Cartoons and Comics - funny pictures from CartoonStock

10. Quaker grains: OATS.  

Image of Quaker Oats : Old Fashioned Classic Recipes (Hardcover)

14. Sing the praises of: LAUD.  As in the lyrics of this hymn:

 


15. Striped Girl Scout Cookie: SAMOA.  Not sure that I agree that a singular cookie would be called a Samoa 

Amazon.com: SAMOAS® GIRL SCOUT COOKIES : Grocery & Gourmet Food

16. Tortilla sandwich: WRAP.  Moe-ku:

        Movie director's
        Comment after having lunch:
        "I think that's a WRAP!" 

[theme entry]

19. The Dalai __: LAMA.

20. Geena's "Thelma & Louise" co-star: SUSAN.  Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon 

Thelma and Louise' cast: Where are they now?
That's Susan on the left / Geena on the right



21. Native Canadian: CREE. [from Wikipedia] "The Cree are one of the largest Indigenous groups in North America, with a total population exceeding 350,000. Their traditional territories stretch from Alberta to Quebec in Canada, with a few communities in Montana, USA. They are divided into distinct groups like the Plains, Woodland, and Swampy Cree, each adapting unique traditions to their specific regional environments"

23. Not great: BAD.  I typed in MEH before correcting it

[theme entry]

28. Former South African president Nelson: MANDELA.  

Image of Nelson Mandela | Born, Death, Quotes, Biography, Story, & Education, | Britannica

31. Slices and __: DICES.  Ron Popeil's invention of the 1960's: "It slices and dices and makes julienne french fried potatoes ..."


And its commercial was filmed in the Canadian Province that's the answer to (49 across. Home of Canadian curler Marc Kennedy:) ALBERTA. (and a mini-CSO to CanadianEh!)

32. Melber of MS NOW: ARI. [according to Wikipedia] "Ari Naftali Melber is an American attorney and Emmy Award-winning journalist who is the Chief Legal Correspondent for MS NOW and host of The Beat with Ari Melber. Melber won a 2016 Emmy Award for Supreme Court reporting and was nominated for Emmy Awards in 2020 and 2025 in the "Outstanding Live Interview" category"

33. Frequently, in poetry: OFT.

35. March 14 dessert: PIE.  Based on the fact that the mathematical number for "pi" is 3.14 (when rounded to two decimals) and is also a way of expressing March 14 (3/14)

[theme entry]

43. Look at: SEE.  

44. "Gangnam Style" rapper: PSY.  

45. Forever and a day: EON

46. Group of lions: PRIDE.  Moe-ku:

        A group of lions
        Who were homosexual
        Held a PRIDE Parade 
        (of course they did!!) 
 
Lions taking part in a Pride Day parade - Impossible Images - Unique stock images for commercial use. 

[theme reveal]

56. The "A" of IPA: ALE.  As in India Pale ALE

57. __ fountain: SODA.  If the word "fountain" were capitalized, my answer would've been PETE

58. Greek fable writer: AESOP.  My favorite "fables" growing up were featured on the cartoon show "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle":

 




62. Healthy piece: SLAB.  As opposed to an "unhealthy piece" where I would have inserted the word FLAB

67. Prefix with phone: MEGA.  Anyone else besides me have TELE in this spot?

68. Twinkle: GLEAM.  A different spelling of this word was used as a brand name for toothpaste (that apparently made your teeth "twinkle").  P & G discontinued this brand about 12 years ago as part of a purging of under-performing SKUs

 

Image of Gleem toothpaste - 1983 - YouTube

 

69. Raison d'__: ETRE. Raison d'être is a French phrase that translates to "reason for existence". It refers to the fundamental purpose, justification, or driving motive behind why a person, organization, or concept exists

70. Greek war god: ARES. Did anyone confuse Ares with MARS?  The Roman war god? Not I

71. County in southeast England: ESSEX.

72. Furniture wood: TEAK.  Moe-ku:
 
        Piece of furniture
        Shaped like Polynesian raft
        Is called: Kon-TEAK-i  


Down:
1. MLB playoff round: NLCS.  Short for: National League Championship Series - won last year by the LA Dodgers.  I'm old enough to remember when there was one "champion" of the NL and one of the AL and they contended for the World Series.  Baseball has expanded greatly since then (double the number of teams) and there are more playoff rounds before the World Series begins.  Now, there is a "Wild Card" round; a "Divisional" round; and a "League Championship" round.  Used to be that the World Series was decided in early October - with all the extra "rounds" it can spill into November

2. Diamond Head's island: OAHU.  A reference to the dormant volcano crater located on Hawaii's most populated island

 

Diamond Head: Everything You Need Before Visiting

 

3. Wants to take back: RUES.

4. Security checkpoint request: I.D. CARD.  During our Iberian Peninsula trip we had to show our U.S. Passport several times but never an I.D. "card"

5. CBS forensic franchise: CSI.  Short for: Crime Scene Investigation

6. See 34-Down: HAT. (34 down. With 6-Down, part of an Abraham Lincoln costume:) TOP.  This dude wore a top hat of sorts:

 




7. Corporation previously called Standard Oil of Indiana: AMOCO.  [per Wikipedia]: The majority of today’s largest energy corporations trace their roots back to the 1911 breakup:

  • ExxonMobil: Descends from the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (Esso) and the Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony).
  • Chevron: Formed from the Standard Oil Company of California (SoCal), which later acquired Standard Oil of Kentucky.
  • BP (British Petroleum): Acquired the Standard Oil Company of Ohio (Sohio) and the Standard Oil Company of Indiana (Amoco).
  • Marathon Petroleum / Marathon Oil: Descends directly from The Ohio Oil Company, an early Standard Oil production subsidiary.

  • 8. Grieve: MOURN.

    9. Dev of "Lion": PATEL.  A clecho of sorts as the word "lion" appeared for the answer: PRIDE

    10. "Horned" bird: OWL.  We had a Great Horned Owl "family" build a nest in one of our community's Saguaro cacti a few years ago

    Image of Raptor Ambassador Spotlight: Zari the Great Horned Owl - Schlitz Audubon

    11. Language of the Quran: ARABIC.

    12. Snack steamed in a corn husk: TAMALE.

    13. Small shovels: SPADES.  

    18. Patella locale: KNEE.

    22. Grammy winner Gorme: EYDIE.  Married to fellow singer/comedian Steve Lawrence

     


     

    25. Like Kevin McCallister at Christmas: ALONE.  From the movie series "Home Alone"

    26. Inane: DAFT. [according to Cambridge Dictionary] "Daft" is an informal adjective meaning foolish, silly, or obviously absurd. Commonly used in British and Scottish English, the term describes actions, ideas, or behavior that lack good sense and judgment

    27. Feudal estate: FIEF. Moe-ku:
     
            Notable giant
            Became a vassal. His new 
            Phrase? "FIEF-fi-fo-fum"  

    28. Feb. follower: MAR.  Might've preferred this answer to not be an abbreviation 

    29. "Odds __ ... ": ARE.  'N' ENDS didn't fit; nor ON

    30. Tiny issue: NIT.  See my response to 28 down

    35. Kingdom divisions: PHYLA.  [according to Wikipedia] "Phyla" is the plural form of the word phylum. In biology, a phylum is a major taxonomic rank used to classify organisms. It sits below kingdom and above class. Organisms in the same phylum share a fundamental structural framework or a common evolutionary body plan

    37. Food safety org.: USDA.  Short for United States Department of Agriculture

    38. Film spools: REELS

    39. Peter the Great, for one: TSAR.  CZAR also fits, but why tsar?  [according to American Heritage Dictionary]  "Tsar" and "czar" are simply two different English spellings of the same Russian title for a monarch or supreme ruler, with both words etymologically derived from the Roman title "Caesar"

    40. Not 'neath: OER.

    41. Spot with many spots: LOT.  As in a parking lot

    42. Genetic material: DNA. So, is RNA a genetic material?  Would it have worked as an answer here? Yes, RNA is genetic material. While DNA is the primary genetic material for humans and most other cellular life, RNA serves as the sole genetic material for many viruses (such as HIV and Influenza). Additionally, all living cells use RNA to translate genetic information (code) from DNA into functional proteins [according to National Human Genome Research Inst]

    46. Blood bank supply: PLASMA.  Moe-ku:
     
            What's the screen format
            Of Count Dracula's TV?
            Why, PLASMA, of course!  


    47. __ skates: ROLLER.  ICE was too short here, but see the next entry:

    48. Worldwide cold spell: ICE AGE.    

    50. Scottish hillside: BRAE.  I had CRAG first, but after correcting I learned this about the difference between crag and brae"Crag and brae both describe natural geographical elevations, but they differ in their appearance, composition, and regional usage. A crag is a steep, rugged, or projecting rock. A brae is a term from Scottish English and Northern English referring specifically to a sloping hillside, typically leading down to a river" [according to Merriam-Webster]

    51. Shoelace hole: EYELET.  Whilst I still have shoes that involve tying laces, I really enjoy my Skechers "step-in" shoes.  The pair I wear most often even come with eyelets even though those are unnecessary

    53. Mountain hangout: LODGEAprès-ski hangout

    54. Role models: IDOLS.  A direct rejection of the second of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4) "It strictly prohibits creating physical, graven images or idols of anything in heaven, earth, or sea to worship them"

    55. Curses: BANES.  My friend the Thesaurussaurus agreesMore 1370 Curse Synonyms. Similar words for Curse.

    59. Fill until full: SATE.  This happened far too often when we were on our Iberian Peninsula trip - but I suppose that gaining just 3 pounds over the course of 23 days isn't too bad.  I swore I wasn't going to eat bread again for quite a while and my first "meal" after getting home was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich 

    60. Other, in Oaxaca: OTRA.  We probably heard this word a time or two when we were in Spain 

    61. Steal a glance: PEEK.  Moe-ku:

            The paparazzi
            Were rated 5 stars.  It was
            Their PEEK performance 

    63. Humanities degs.: B.A.s. Another of many abbreviations used today - Bachelor of Arts

    65. __ kwon do: TAE. Fun Fact:  "Taekwondo" can be translated as tae ("strike with foot"), kwon ("strike with hand"), and do ("the art or way"). Taekwondo (or Tae Kwon Do) Moe-ku:

            New martial arts course
            Features a "touchless" routine
            Known as TAE Kwon Don't  


    66. Extreme sport with bunny hops: BMX. Not sure if this is AI generated or not but if I hadn't googled it I don't know that I could imagine it ...


    As I conclude this blog, I am still wondering if there was another meaning to the collective entries, but I won't lose sleep over it.  Please feel free to comment below if you think otherwise or agree.  Obrigado y Eskarikosko (thank you in Portuguese and Basque)

    See you again next month - Chairman Moe 

    Post script:  I almost forgot to include this classic Library Video; the Library Cop.  Enjoy!

     


     

    Jul 7, 2026

    Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Matthew Luter

      The best title for this puzzle would have to simply be the reveal, COME TOGETHER, because the circled letters spell COME as they slowly come together in each theme clue/answer.

    20 Across. Question, as the opposing side's witness: CROSS EXAMINE.

    34 Across. Settings that reinforce personal biases: ECHO CHAMBERS.

    41 Across. Tool for monitoring blood sugar levels: GLUCOSE METER.

    55 Across. Classic Beatles song, or an apt description of the progression of this puzzle's circles: COME TOGETHER.

    Nothing as dubious as the above raccoon seems to be planning, just a well crafted puzzle from Matthew Luter. You can find his website here.

    Across:
    1. Baked desserts: PIES.

    5. "Shoot!": DRAT.

    9. Threaded fastener: SCREW.

    14. Kendrick of "Pitch Perfect": ANNAName #1

    15. Learning by memorization: ROTE.

    16. Throw with effort: HEAVE.

    17. A little naughty: RACY.

    18. Big brass horn: TUBA.

    19. Prodded: URGED.

    20. [Theme]

    23. Location of all but two NATO members: EUROPE.

    24. Overly: TOO.

    25. Covered in cinders: ASHY.

    29. Cell service letters: LTELTE stands for Long Term Evolution. It is the standard 4G wireless technology that powers your mobile internet, streaming, and calls when you are not connected to Wi-Fi. It delivers fast, reliable data speeds that are significantly smoother than older 3G networks.

    30. List-ending abbr.: ETC. (as long as we are explaining abbreviations:) Etc. stands for the Latin phrase et cetera, which translates literally to "and the rest" or "and other things" in English.

    32. Giants legend Mays: WILLIEName #2

    34. [Theme]

    37. Breathe hard: PANT.

    39. Language similar to Thai: LAO. I found this to be a rather nasty Natick when crossed with 31 down...

    40. Fashioned: MADE.

    41. [Theme]

    44. Stop working: RETIRE.

    45. Icarus, to Daedalus: SON.

    46. The first "A" of Reddit's AMA: ASK. (AMA = ask me anything)

    49. Landfill output: ODOR.

    50. Some short albums: EPS. Extended Play, (I have never seen one...)

    53. No longer surprised by: USED TO. (I would be surprised if I saw an EP Album...)

    55. [Theme Reveal]

    58. Was able to: COULD.

    61. Comedian Trevor: NOAHName #3

    62. "Take this": HERE
    Used to the extreme in the Goes Wrong Show...

    63. Possessed: OWNED.

    64. Sushi seaweed: NORI.

    65. Zone: AREA.

    66. Trudges heavily: PLODS.

    67. "What __ is new?": ELSE.

    68. Element seen all over Las Vegas: NEON.

    Down:
    1. Package: PARCEL.

    2. Bored by routine: IN A RUT.

    3. "Do it again!": ENCORE.

    4. Authorization: SAY SO.

    5. The Electric Mayhem bandleader: DR. TEETHName #4

    6. Common sauce base: ROUX.
    How to Roux...

    7. Facing the pitcher: AT BAT.

    8. Spanish "I love you": TE AMO. (Te=you, Amo=I love)

    9. Give the cold shoulder: SHUN.

    10. Individually wrapped breakfast choice: CEREAL BAR.

    11. Cleaning cloth: RAG.

    12. Night of anticipation: EVE.

    13. Hitched: WED.

    21. Ronnie who sang lead on "Be My Baby": SPECTOR Name #5

    22. Corn Belt state: IOWA.

    26. Luge or skeleton: SLED.

    27. Add to the staff: HIRE.

    28. Desired response to a promposal: YES.

    31. Kenneth of fashion: COLE. (The other half of a nasty Natick...)  Name #6

    33. Gigantic: IMMENSE.

    34. Surrounded: ENCIRCLED. Like today's theme letters...

    35. Pic taker: CAM. I call foul on this one, as I wanted SLR... abbreviated picture = abbreviated camera? Meh...

    36. Weeding tools: HOES.

    37. Claimed no contest, maybe: PLED.

    38. Prefix with correct or complete: AUTO.

    41. Miracle-__: garden brand: GRO.

    42. Appear to be: SEEM.

    43. Difficult question: TOUGHIE.

    46. Show some stick-to-itiveness?: ADHERE. 😀

    47. Audiophile's system: STEREO.

    48. Like BTS or bibimbap: KOREAN. (Either you know it, or you don't. Perps to the rescue...)

    51. Tubular pasta: PENNE.

    52. Perch at a pub: STOOL.

    54. Hawke of "Before Sunrise": ETHANName #7

    56. Action figures?: ODDS. 😏

    57. Rowboat pair: OARS.

    58. Many a "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" character: COP.

    59. Bird in Tootsie Pop ads: OWL.

    60. Game with Reverse cards: UNO.

    The Grid

    Today's hasty review is brought to you from a hotel room in Bar Harbor, Maine. I am on vacation (sort of) and I spent most of my day here:

    CE:D out...
    ฅᨐฅ