A Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits! The first word of each theme answer describes a style of haircut.
17-Across. * Vocabulary gone viral: BUZZ WORDS. We have Nikola Bizumić (1823 ~ 1906) to thank for the buzz cut. He invented manual hair clippers in the late 1800s. With the advent of these clippers, barbers could easily chop hair close and fast.
26-Across. * Tee style: CREW NECK. What's the difference between a crew cut and a buzz cut? Buzz cut is the most low maintenance haircut. Crew cut has a clean fade on the sides. Crew cut is a grown up buzz cut on top. Crew cut has just enough length on top for texture.
33-Across. * "Old Time Rock and Roll" singer: BOB SEGER. Robert Clark Seger (b. May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his raspy voice. When I think of Bob Seger, I immediately think of: 35-Across. "Just take those old records off the shelf / I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself," e.g.: LYRICS.
46-Across. * New Year's Day sporting event: BOWL GAME. A bowl cut is a hairstyle where the hair is cut to the same length all around the head, giving it the shape of an upside-down bowl.
52-Across. * Fluffy carpets: SHAG RUGS. A shag haircut is a layered hairstyle with choppy layers, volume, and wispy bangs. This style was popular in the 1970s.
And the unifier:
66-Across. Options package for a new car, and what can be found at the start of the answer to each starred clue: TRIM LEVEL. I am not familiar with the term Trim Level. Apparently it means a version of a car model with a specific set of features and options.
And, We start our puzzle with an Easter Egg:
1-Across. Hairless: BALD.
Across:
5. "A Nightmare on __ Street": ELM.
8. Insurance company with a duck mascot: AFLAC. The name of the insurance company comes from its original name: American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus.
13. Et __: and others: ALIA. Today's Latin lesson.
14. French champagne brand: MOËT. The full name of this champagne is Moët et Chandon, but is generally just called Moët. The company is one of the world's largest champagne producers and is a prominent champagne house. The company was established in 1743 by Claude Moët (1683 ~ 1760).
16. Slow-moving tree dweller: SLOTH.
19. Former capital of Japan: KYOTO.
20. Wow: AMAZE.
21. Gabaldon who writes the "Outlander" novels: DIANA. Diana J. Gabaldon (b. Jan. 1, 1952) is an author and television writer. She is best known for the book series Outlander. This series of book is part historical fiction, part romance, part adventure, part fantasy, and part adventure. There are about 9 books in the series. I started to read the first book, but it really isn't my style.
23. [As per the original]: SIC. We saw Latin abbreviation just last week. Sic is short for the phrase sic erat scriptum means thus it had been written. Sic is used in writing to indicate that a quotation is an exact transcription of the original source, including any errors. It's used to show that the author is aware of the errors and is reproducing the quotation as it appears in the original text.
24. __ of luxury: LAP.
28. As thick as __: THIEVES.
32. Exchange: SWAP.
39. Hoppy brew: ALE. // And 57-Across. Spot for a pint of 39-Across: PUB. Ales are becoming a crossword staple.
40. Vulgarly showy: GAUDY.
42. "The Raven" poet: POE. Edgar Allan Poe (Jan. 19, 1809 ~ Oct. 7, 1849) American writer and poet. He's best known for his short stories and poems, particularly those involving mystery and the macabre. His novel The Murders in the Rue Morgue, which was first published in 1841, is considered to be the first modern detective story.
43. Formally adopt, as a treaty: RATIFY.
49. Clown costume part that may honk: NOSE.
51. Oddballs: WEIRDOS.
56. Narc's org.: DEA. As in the Drug Enforcement Agency.
58. Home city of K-pop's BTS: SEOUL. K-pop is short for (South) Korean Popular Music. The band BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean, hence the band is from Seoul, South Korea.
60. Played out: STALE.
64. Smell: AROMA.
68. With 31-Down, Great Barrier Reef locale: CORAL. // 31-Down. See 68-Across: SEA. I recently went snorkeling in the Coral Sea. We had to wear stinger suits to protect us from the stinger jelly fish that are prevalent in the waters in the southern hemisphere summer.
69. Smack: SLAP.
70. Farm grunt: OINK.
71. Between, in French: ENTRE. Today's French lesson.
72. Mos. and mos.: YRS. Months and Months become Years.
73. Hush-hush docs: NDAs. As in Non-Disclosure Agreements.
Down:
1. __ ghanoush: BABA. Smoky Middle Eastern roasted eggplant dip with tahini, garlic, lemon, olive oil and spices. Yummers!
2. Grad: ALUM.
3. Superstar Minnelli: LIZA. Liza Mary Minnelli (b. Mar. 12, 1946) is the daughter of Judy Garland (née Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922 ~ June 22, 1969) and Vincente Minnelli (Feb. 28, 1903 ~ July 25, 1986).
4. Wows: DAZZLES.
5. Dramatically maudlin, slangily: EMO.
6. Title for an earl: LORD. There are five ranks in British peerage. In descending order those ranks are:, duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. Below the peerage are honorary ranks that include baronet and knight. Technically, in British titles, "Lord" is not a specific rank itself, but rather a courtesy title used to address members of the peerage, generally, barons and below, meaning it falls at the lower end of the British nobility hierarchy.
7. First responder: MEDIC.
8. "No such thing as a stupid question!": ASK AWAY.
9. Go by plane: FLY.
10. Baggy: LOOSE.
11. Story in Architectural Digest?: ATTIC. Clever! The attic is the top Story in a house.
12. __-full: at capacity: CHOCK.
15. Old Russian rulers: TSARS. I discussed Tsars in last week's puzzle.
18. Create a tapestry: WEAVE. Probably the most famous tapestry is the Bayeux Tapestry, which isn't woven, but rather embroidered. If you want to see the tapestry, to NOW! The Bayeux Tapestry Museum will be closed for renovation work beginning this September and will not reopen until October 2027.
22. Many a honeymooner: NEWLYWED.
25. Title gal in a Buddy Holly hit: PEGGY SUE.
27. "Tiny Desk Concerts" producer: NPR. Tiny Desk Concerts are little musical performances that are done in the National Public Radio offices.
28. Ski lift option: T-BAR.
29. Spanish greeting: HOLA. Today's Spanish lesson.
30. "Yeah, sure": I BET.
34. __ the wrong way: RUB.
36. Apple tablet: iPAD.
37. "¿__ está usted?": COMO. More of today's Spanish lesson. I am fine, thank you very much.
38. Views: SEES.
41. __ Jones: DOW. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Dow Jones, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.
44. Gerund suffix: -ING. A gerund is any of various nonfinite verb forms that most often functions as a noun.
45. Sign of movement?: FOR SALE. Cute clue.
47. Von Trapp sister: LIESL. Liesl was a fictional von Trapp sibling created for the movie The Sound of Music. All the names of the real von Trapp children were changed for the film.
48. Rankle: GRATE ON.
50. Award quartets, for short: EGOTs. As in the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.
52. Word separator: SPACE.
53. Lake along Michigan's thumb: HURON.
54. Scrub, as a mission: ABORT.
55. Cantankerous: SURLY.
59. "Nothing you say is true!": LIAR.
61. Voracious: AVID.
62. Headey of "Game of Thrones": LENA. Lena Headey (née Lena Kathren Headey; b. Oct. 3, 1973) portrayed Cersei Lancaster in Game of Thrones.
63. Lodge group since 1868: ELKS. Its full name is the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. It is an American fraternal order that was originally formed as a social club in New York City. It now has more than 750,000+ members at at least 1,920 lodges.
65. Tarnish: MAR.
67. U.K. lawmakers: MPs. As in Members of Parliament.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
