20-Across. Defiant challenge : TRY STOPPING ME.
32-Across. Would-be immigrant's concern : ENTRY STATUS.
40-Across. Nashville VIP : COUNTRY STAR.
50-Across. Romance novel staple, another word for which is aptly hidden in 20-, 32- and 40-Across : SECRET MEETING. I love it when the reveal perfectly describes the theme, as this one does. Jeffrey seems to like these hidden word themes, and I get to see him a lot in this Thursday spot. Lots of fun clues in this one, that got a chuckle from me when I figured them out.
Across
1. Each : A POP. I love filling in 1-A immediately.
5. Subtly cruel : CATTY. Meowwww.
10. Stock items: Abbr. : MDSE. Merchandise.
14. Couch potato's aid : TIVO.
15. Bizarre : OUTRE. Way out there.
16. Severely damaged sea : ARAL.
17. "Think you can manage?" : FEEL UP TO IT?
19. Beatle George's Indian friend : RAVI. Harrison and Shankar.
22. Dishevel : MUSS.
23. Matzo's lack : YEAST. Ironically followed by:
25. Approach to a landing? : RISER. Stairs, but it also describes YEAST.
28. Grass plot around a sundial, in "Jabberwocky" : WABE. So-called by the characters in the poem, because it goes way before and way behind the sundial.
Twas bryllyg, and ye slythy toves
Did gyre and gymble in ye wabe:
All mimsy were ye borogoves;
And ye mome raths outgrabe. 31. __ chi : TAI. Not to be confused with chai tea.
35. Believer's suffix : ISM.
36. Binding oath : I DO. Only about 50% of the time, it seems.
37. "__, With Love" : TO SIR. One of my favorite Sydney Poitier movie. Also a hit song by Lulu.
38. Comprehend : SEE.
39. Scand. country that borders Russia : NOR. I wanted Fin. first.
43. Commercial suffix with wheat : ENA. Before she left for work every day during the school year, my mother would make a big pot of WheatENA, Maypo, Cream of Wheat, or Oatmeal. I still love all of them!
44. Antlered deer : HART.
45. Hops driers : OASTS.
46. Aqua __: corrosive acid : REGIA. "Royal water," or nitro-hydrochloric acid is so-called because it can corrode the noble metals gold and platinum.
48. X-rated stuff : SMUT.
56. Part of RNA : RIBO. I wanted to put in "acid," but thought that probably wasn't it because of the clue for 46-Across.
57. Watergate figure : DEEP THROAT. Anyone remember the brouhaha caused by the movie of the same name?
59. Barbara of "Mission: Impossible" : BAIN. Remember Cinnamon Carter?
60. Bottled-up sort? : GENIE. Fun clue!
61. On a break, say : IDLE.
62. Rustic accommodations : INNS. Out of the way spots for TRYSTS?
63. Old Norse texts : EDDAS.
64. Con's confines : CELL.
Down
1. Org. regulating explosives : ATF. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
2. Painter Mondrian : PIET. I owned a Mondrian minidress in the 60's.
3. Concluded : OVER.
4. Nylon, for one : POLYMER.
5. Egyptian Christians : COPTS.
6. Road runners : AUTOS. Another fun clue!
7. Trans Am roof option : T-TOP. This is the Hurst style T-TOP.
8. Road __ : TRIP.
9. "Snowman" in a fur coat : YETI. Yesterday, he was a mysterious mountain climber!
10. Homer's beloved : MARGE.
11. Ones earning play money? : DRAMATISTS. See what I mean? Here's another great clue!
12. Helps by arriving early, with "for" : SAVES A SEAT.
13. Priest who mentored Samuel : ELI. All perps.
18. Unreasonable interest : USURY. Loved this clue, too!
21. Scientific Bill et al. : NYES.
24. Ski race equipment : TIMERS. Huge V8 moment - I was all over poles, skis, goggles, helmets....
25. "The Bucket List" director : REINER.
26. Bali citizen : INDONESIAN.
27. Container seen above seats : STORAGE BIN. "Luggage" bin just wasn't working with any of the perps...
28. "The Weavers: __ That a Time!": folk documentary : WASN'T. I remember their version of "Guantanamera."
29. Quarreling : AT IT.
30. Third U.S. VP : BURR.
33. Ancient portico : STOA.
34. Band commitment : TOUR.
40. Sear : CHAR.
41. "__, I do adore thee": Shakespeare : YOUTH.
42. Swiftian : SATIRIC.
47. Screen array : ICONS.
48. Old photo tone : SEPIA.
49. Deals (out) : METES.
51. A Möbius strip has just one : EDGE.
52. Upset, with "off" : TEED. Not me.
53. Fix : MEND.
54. Joint : NODE. Oh, I was thinking of something you smoke.
55. Chutzpah : GALL. Love that word, "chutzpah." Does it come from Yiddish?
56. Box score stat : RBI.
58. Business card no. : TEL. I think it would have been fun to clue this as "No-tell mo-___.""
T-t-t-hat's all, folks!
Marti