Cleanup in the Produce Aisle: Lots of produce in today's theme. Not only is the answer an item of produce, but each answer can be broken into two other food items.
20-Across. * Bright yellow sandwich topping: BANANA PEPPER.
34-Across. * Marinara ingredient: PLUM TOMATO.
44-Across. * Citrusy herb in Thai cuisine: LEMON BASIL. I really wanted Lemon Grass, but the perps let me know my initial thought was wrong.
And the unifier:
57-Across. Supermarket section containing each component of (as well as the complete answers to) the starred clues: PRODUCE AISLE. We get 3 items of produce for the price of one!
And two bonus clues:
35-Down. 57-Across spray: MIST.
39-Down. Bad sound in the 57-Across: SPLAT.
Across:
1. Short-legged Welsh dog breed: CORGI. The Queen loved her Corgis.
6. Opera star: DIVA. // And 59-Down. Opera
solo: ARIA.
10. Milk in a skinny latte: SKIM.
14. WNBA team in 53-Across: DREAM. // And 53.
Ga. capital: ATL. The Atlanta Dream is the women's
American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia.
15. Minnesota representative Ilhan: OMAR. Ilhan Oman (née
Ilhan Abdullahi Omar; b. Oct. 4, 1982) is originally from Somalia, and is
now a Congresswoman from Minnesota. Today is her 40th birthday.
[Name # 1.]
16. Actress Olin: LENA. Lena Olin (née Lena Maria Jonna
Olin; b. Mar. 22, 1955) is a Swedish actress. She makes frequent guest
appearances in the crossword puzzles. [Name # 2.]
17. Cohort: CADRE.
18. Costa __: RICA. Costa Rica is one of the countries in
Central America.
19. Choir part: ALTO.
23. Broadway opening?: ACT ONE.
26. Sweet potato kin: YAM. Everything you wanted to know
about the differences between Sweet Potatoes and Yams but didn't know to
ask.
27. Pt. of TGIF: FRI. Thank Goodness It's Friday.
28. Low sound?: MOO.
29. Quran authority: IMAM.
32. Hostess snack: HO HO. Apparently they come in a
variety of flavors, including peanut butter.
37. Messes up: ERRS.
40. Actress Petty: LORI. Lori Petty (b. Oct. 14, 1963) was
a fairly big name in the 1990s. She starred with Keanu Reeves
in the 1991 surfing film Break Point. [Name # 3.]
41. Quick qualifier: IMO. Textspeak for In My Opinion.
42. Harvest: REAP.
43. Concludes: ENDS.
47. Blues guitarist Baker: ETTA. Etta Baker (née Etta Lucille Reid; Mar. 31, 1913 ~ Sept. 23, 2006) is not our
usual Tuesday guest. [Name # 4.]
49. Longtime Swit co-star: ALDA. A reference to Loretta
Swit (née Loretta Jane Szwed; b. Nov. 4, 1937) and Alan Alda (né Alfonzo
Joseph D'Abruzzo; b. Jan. 28, 2936) who both starred in M*A*S*H.
[Names # 5 and 6.]
50. Wanders in an airport?: TSA. As in the Transportation Security Administration.
51. Sunscreen letters: SPF. As in Sun Protection Factor. Everything you wanted to know about SPF but didn't know to ask.
55. Ready to go: ALL SET.
61. Yesteryear: YORE.
62. Goat group: HERD.
63. Throwback diet: PALEO. Also known as the Caveman Diet.
67. As soon as: ONCE.
68. __ Canalway Trail: 365-mile stretch in New York: ERIE.
Everything you wanted to know about the Erie Canalway Trail but didn't know to ask.
69. Zest alternative: IVORY. Both are brands of soaps.
Ivory floats.
70. Require: NEED.
71. Group of two: DYAD. Not a Tuesday word.
72. Word before tea and toast: TEXAS. One you can consume,
the other ...
Down:
1. Public health org. headed by Rochelle Walensky: CDC. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Everyone knows of this agency now, but how
many knew that Prevention is part of the name? [Name # 7.]
2. British singer Rita: ORA. I am not familiar with Rita
Ora's (née Rita Sahatçiu Ora; b. Nov. 26, 1990). She was born in
Yugoslavia (now Kosovo), but her family moved to England for political
reasons when she was an infant. [Name # 8.]
3. Top stripe of a pride flag: RED.
4. Actress Greta: GARBO. Greta Garbo (née Greta Lovisa
Gustafsson; Sept. 18, 1905 ~ Apr. 15, 1990) was a Swedish actress.
The American Film Institute named her in the top 10 greatest female stars of classic Hollywood.
[Name # 9.]
5. "For real!": I MEAN IT.
6. Explorer in "The Lost City of Gold": DORA. [Name # 10.]
7. Hacker's triumphant cry: I'M IN!
8. Time away, informally: VACAY.
9. Great Plains people: ARAPAHO.
10. Smack: SLAP.
11. Underwater ecosystems: KELP FORESTS. Everything you
wanted to know about a Kelp Forest but didn't know to ask.
12. Prefix with faith: INTER-. Interfaith.
13. New Zealand native: MĀORI.
21. Pixar clownfish: NEMO. [Name # 11.]
22. Punk subgenre: EMO. Everything you wanted to know
about Emo can be found in the video below.
23. More than sufficient: AMPLE.
24. Analogy punctuation: COLON. Also a part of the
anatomy.
25. Exceptional performance: TOUR DE FORCE. Today's French
lesson.
30. French friend: AMIE. More of today's French lesson.
31. "__ Mia! Here We Go Again": MAMMA.
33. Greek goddess of marriage: HERA. Everything you wanted
to know about Hera but
didn't know to ask. [Name # 12.]
36. Hammer or saw: TOOL. I see, said the blind man, as he
picked up his hammer and saw.
38. __ the roof: RAISE.
44. Fastened, in a way: LATCHED.
45. Confidentiality contracts: Abbr.: NDAS. As in Non-Disclosure AgreementS.
46. Colorful play area: BALL PIT.
48. Greek letter before upsilon: TAU.
51. Watch covertly: SPY ON.
52. Inclined (to): PRONE.
54. Wary (of): LEERY.
56. Depart: LEAVE.
58. Act: DEED.
60. Named, briefly: ID'ED.
64. Smoked salmon: LOX. Yummers! Hubby's Saturday
morning breakfast fare.
65. Time period: ERA.
66. Noises of exasperation: OYs!
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
