Saturday, March 14, 2026, Erik Agard

Saturday Themeless by Erik Agard

Erik Agard (born 1993) is a crossword solver, constructor, and editor. He is the winner of the 2016 Lollapuzzoola Express Division, the 2018 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT), a frequent contributor to the New York Times crossword puzzle, a crossword constructor for The New Yorker, the former USA Today crossword editor, and a former Jeopardy!contestant. He is currently a crossword editor at Apple News+.

This was a very Agardian puzzle as Erik pulled a lot of rabbits out of his cluing hat. I acquired a very hard earned "got 'er done"!

Across:

1. Coagulate: CLOT.

5. Batter's boxful?: CAT TOYS - That's taking a lot of latitude with the noun batter!

12. Not giving anything away: MUM.

15. Rather blue: RACY - The old blue laws banned controversial items such as RACY ones.

16. Puzzle out: UNRAVEL - A skill all of us solvers need

17. One-on-one play in a five-on-five b-ball game: ISO - In the play diagrammed below, the red team has moved all but one player to the left side. They then get the ball to #2 to ISOlate him to make a play by himself.

18. Say too much?: OVERESTIMATE 

20. Actor Beatty: NED.

21. "They had our number": WE LOST.

22. Mani-pedi option: GEL.

23. April option: E-FILE - I E-FILED my tax returns and got my refunds a month ago

25. Mile High horses?: BRONCOS.

27. Jerk components: SPICES. 😀

28. Up-front stake: ANTE.

29. In descending order: MOST TO LEAST.

33. Hi-__: RES - We who have been around computers a long time remember the early Lo-RES games

34. Targets of biannual battery replacements: SMOKE ALARMS - It's recommended they be changed when we change from and to daylight savings.

35. Flash the Dolphin or Splash the Whale: BEANIE BABY.

 

36. High-flying Iñupiat tradition: BLANKET TOSS - Originally, this practice was used to boost scouts high enough to spot whale migrations or other game over sea ice.

38. Significant figure: VIP.

41. Jab in a one-two combo?: BOOSTER SHOT 😀 - Ya got me at first Erik, but I had a DOH! moment when I saw this had nothing to do with boxing.

42. Bona __: FIDE - Latin for "in good faith"

43. Releases, in a way: UNTIES 😀

44. Reduced: SMALLER - I enjoyed the 1966 movie Fantastic Voyage where a four-person vessel was reduced to travel through the human body. 

46. "A Master of __": P. Djèlí Clark novel inspired by Islamic mythology: DJINN ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

47. Basis of some protein powders: PEA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  This is bona fide Saturday cluing for PEA

50. Unit left after a white flag in NASCAR: ONE LAP on any NASCAR 9. Like some tracks: OVAL

51. Scooby-__: DOO.

52. Structure that's built to scale: CLIMBING WALL - Gotta love this use of the word scale.

55. Head up: RUN - If you head up an organization, you can be said to RUN it

56. Box on a table: ELEMENT - The table of ELEMENTS

57. Mahjong piece: TILE.

58. Timeline divs.: YRS.

59. Starting point: SCRATCH 😀

60. Translucent chalcedony: ONYX - This is the stone I chose for my high school ring.

Down:

1. Source of leverage: CROWBAR.

2. Actress Cox: LAVERNE - Yeah, I thought of Courtney first

3. Animals with spots: OCELOTS.

4. Erykah Badu's signature song: TYRONE ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

5. Builds specially: CUSTOM MAKES.

6. Insect in the family Formicidae: ANT - Formica is the Latin word for ANT

7. Calc prerequisite: TRIG.

8. Get under control: TAME.

10. "However ... ": YET.

11. Places where days of rest are observed?: SLEEP LABS.

12. Device in a TV news van: MINICAM.

13. No help: USELESS.

14. "Don't be so __": MODEST - What we all say to C.C.!

19. Letters above a tilde: ESC.

24. Passionate: FIERY.

26. Later alternative: SOONER.

27. A few weeks out?: SO LAST MONTH 😀 Things can fall out of fashion in a hurry

30. Interludes on some hip-hop albums: SKITS - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ SKITS are short, often humorous or narrative-driven interludes on hip-hop albums that enhance thematic atmosphere, deepen storytelling and provide brief, conversational respites between songs. You're welcome.

31. Enforceability metaphor: TEETH - Talk's cheap, there needs to be some TEETH in the enforcement 

32. Social prohibitions: TABOOS.

34. "No." and others: SENTENCES - Wow!

35. Nevada's Great __ National Park: BASIN.

36. Cannes opener: BONJOUR 😀 I really liked this when it hit me!

37. Ash removers: LOTIONS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  I had to look this one up after it filled. The ash is an ingredient in the LOTION used to remove blemishes not the substance being removed. 😳

38. Heavy: VILLAIN - Claude Akins came to my mind

39. If all goes well: IDEALLY.

40. Throw: PERPLEX - Erik has a real talent trying to throw solvers

41. "Why ask why?" beer: BUD DRY - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Only in production from 1990 to 2010 when it was losing money. It was brewed using a special fermentation method designed to let the yeast consume more sugars for a "drier" profile, rather than just watering it down. You're welcome.

42. Reached by air: FLEW TO - The Earth is not flat and the shortest distance between two points might take you in what seems to be an odd route on a flat map.

45. "Lust, Caution" director Lee: ANG ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

47. Docking station: PIER 😀

48. 1815 novel set in Highbury: EMMA - A first-edition of this novel that shares my granddaughter's name would run me about $1,700.

49. Support: ABET.

53. Business letters: LLC  and 54. Business letters: INC. 

Friday, the 13th, Mar 2026 ~ Tracy Gray

 "EDGE"SSENTIAL WORKERS

Six years ago, to the day - Friday the 13th, March - most were told to stay home for two weeks . . . . 😜

She's a meteorologist, so, um, essential - don't "skirt" the issue 🙄

Tracy Gray had two puzzles last year, one landing 51 weeks ago, also on a Friday, that had the themers 'turn' on the word DIME.  Today's construction is another "visual" theme from her, offering us a series of ten fills that are "jobs", found on the perimeter, or "side" of the grid - very clever.  We have seen this type of theme before, and I liked the puzzle, but it felt like the author had to "RAM IN" some of the fill - I'm looking at you, 18A~!  Perhaps having the solution to begin will be the best way to explain the reveal;  

38. Secondary gig, or a literal description of 10 answers in this puzzle: SIDE JOB - the edge, or "side" fills are careers, or "jobs", but clued synonymously;

Top Across:

1. Undergarment brand: JOCKEY

their logo 'hints' at professional racehorse riders

7. Single-story home: RANCHER - just called a "ranch" where I grew up

Down Right: 

13. Enc. or dict.: REFerence, encyclopedia & dictionary; one of two abbrs - REFEREE

29. Representation built to scale: MODEL - not the meteorologist🠅, this🠇

Scale model of a Mercury Cougar, with the actual name plate from the car I once owned

52. Perry of classic TV: MASON - Stonemasonry - name #1

Ozzy~!

Across Bottom:

65. One who is a real sport: TROOPER - I linked the Iron Maiden" Eddie" trooper two weeks ago

66. "Heaven Can Wait" Oscar nominee Jack: WARDEN -  name #2 - the main character was 'supposed' to die almost a year ago today - 'proclaimed' in the 1978 movie ( also the name of an Iron Maiden song )

Left Up:

57. Confirm the credentials of, say: VET - the straight verb, and the other abbr, VETERINARIAN

33. Test episode: PILOT - "Pilot~?  What's a pilot~?"

Pulp Fiction

1. 2017 AL Rookie of the Year: JUDGE - NY Yankees baseball slugger, Aaron, name #3

B u t       W
M            a
o              i
r               t
e               ,
T h e  r e' s 

ACROSS:

14. Starts a revolt: UPRISES - my incorrect Down fills seriously hindered my progress in the NW 

16. Good-natured: AMIABLE - the Corner discussed AMICABLE not too long ago

17. Fresca, for one: DIET POP - a Coca~Cola product - an interesting history

18. Hightail it: BOLT OFF - a bit meh.  I have frequently "bolted", but not "off"

19. Extra product: GUM - clever misdirection; this product

20. Some surfers: WAHINES - Downs gave me - - HINES, and I recalled this 'Hawaii Five-O' term

22. Collaborate on Microsoft Teams, say: eMEET

25. "The Man Who Fell to Earth" director Nicolas: ROEG - name #4, and I am shocked that I had never heard of this 1976 Sci-Fi movie staring David Bowie - more here

Some other "versions" from IMDb

26. Try to learn quickly: CRAM

30. Big to-do: RUCKUS - in another Sci-Fi movie, Agent J asks why all the "ruckus"

32. 1990s fitness fad: TAE BO

33. High-performance German cars: PORSCHES - I'll have the plug-in hybrid 918 - name(ish)

Yes, it shoots blue flames - only 918 were made; I can have this one for $2.9mil

36. Frank: CANDID

37. Brewpub fave: IPA

40. Beth Ann Fennelly's "__ to Butter": ODE - name(ish) - Quite raunchy - I love it~!

41. "Grumpy Old Men" actor: LEMMON - I remembered these movie outtakes; name #5

Jack Lemmon and Burgess Meredith

43. Spot for horsing around?: CAROUSEL - Great clue/answer~!

45. Film production company named for a constellation: ORION - they put out a lot of winners

46. Actress Suzanne: SOMERS - my first guess, but I thought there were two "M"s; she of "Three's Company", and "Thighmaster" fame - name #6

47. Shades at the beach: TANS

48. Daycation locations: SPAS

49. Earthquake: SEISM - the "def" from Greek seismos

53. Tops of most org charts: C-SUITES - CEO, CFO, COO, etc.

56. __ salt: SEA

57. No longer occupied: VACATED

60. Option not available for most low-tier streaming subscriptions: SKIP ADS - worth every penny to have uninterrupted music on Pandora 

63. Paragon: EPITOME - uh PIT oh mee -  like hyperbole 😜

64. Starting line?: "HERE I GO - again", Whitesnake~!


DOWN:

2. Yves Saint Laurent perfume: OPIUM - name(ish)

3. __ anglaise: CRÈME - I thought HABLA, but no - it's this Frawnche sauce

4. Word with mess or press: KIT - ah... Not HOT 😏

5. Unusual ability: ESP - Friday, so no indication that this is an abbr~?

6. Pained cry: YEOW~! - I had OUCH to start; I've told co-workers in the past that if I exclaimed "Ouch~!", it was no big deal; if I sucked my teeth, however, maybe they need to call me a doctor . . . 

7. Concern after an animal bite: RABIES

8. Interspersed with: AMONG

9. African flower?: NILE - crossword misdirection - flow-er, like mower

10. Former name of a med. imaging tool: CAT SCAN - originally EMI, now CT - here's why

11. "Task" network: HBO - filled via perps

12. Rivendell resident: ELF - I know my Lord of the Rings

15. Ignited: SPARKED

21. Comfy cover-up: HOUSE COAT

23. Hesitant sounds: Ers - I had Ums to start

24. City near Saguaro National Park: TUCSON - filled via perps; geo name #7

27. Overhauls: REDOs - the noun, not the verb REDOES

28. Remain faithful to, with "by": ABIDE - meh.  I filled in STAND

31. Viola holder: CHIN - Dah~! Not CASE

Pearl de la Motte - she just happened to come up on my Google viola image search

32. Fife-and-drum drums: TABORS - Dah~!  I filled SNARES - the Wiki

34. Palais Garnier performance: OPERA - total WAG

Buy tickets here

35. Force to fit: RAM IN - my time at UPS was spent putting 10lbs of boxes in a 5lb van

This was a US Postal delivery . . . "we care" - uh-huh

36. Heart: CORE

39. Impromptu gig, casually: JAM SESH - has actually appeared once before in another crossword

42. Sweet Italian wine: MOSCATO - WAGed the "C" - my 53A. was messed up due to my 48 Down🠇

44. Draw upon: USE

46. Biter of Miles Morales: SPIDER - mostly perps, not a comics fan, didn't "get it"; his Wiki; name #8

48. Sarcastic challenge: "SUE ME." - I filled in "SEE ME", as in "watch this~!" - Bzzzzt

50. "To refresh your memory ... ": "I SAID . . ."

51. Marsh plant used for papyrus: SEDGE - I was tempted to try REEDS

54. Discontinue: STOP

55. Misrepresent, as data: SKEW

58. Diamond birthstone mo.: APRil - I knew this; here's a comprehensive with alternatives chart

59. AFL partner: CIO - frequent crossword appearances 

61. Golden yrs. fund: IRA - Individual Retirement Account; I can finally start funding mine again - let's just say I'm about to be the next "Hubby" - more to to be revealed in the coming weeks~!

62. Parts __ million: PER

Splynter

Grid Flow 40.4

Thursday March 12, 2026 Jay Silverman

Jay Silverman is no stranger to the LAT, and today presents us with a cautionary tale. Watch your step!

57. Deep part of the outfield, and an apt description of 20-, 28-, 37-, and 49-Across: WARNING TRACK. A WARNING TRACK runs along the wall or fence and is made of a different material than the grass field so that fielders can sense when they are getting close without taking their eyes off the ball. In this puzzle, however, each themed song TRACK issues a WARNING of some sort.

20. 2019 Dua Lipa hit single: DON'T START NOW. DON'T START NOW means telling someone not to begin an annoying, or unwanted behavior that they have a history of doing, particularly in a relationship context. 

28. 1986 Kenny Loggins hit single: DANGER ZONE. A DANGER ZONE is a restricted area with limited access to reduce risk and protect people from injury.

37. 2018 Cardi B hit single: BE CAREFUL. BE CAREFUL is a phrase used to alert someone to take precautions and pay attention to avoid danger, accidents, mistakes, or damage. 

49. 1972 Eagles hit single: TAKE IT EASY. TAKE IT EASY usually means to rest or proceed in a relaxed manner, but in this case, I think it's meant to calm someone down, as in, "Cool it."

Overall, I liked the theme, but DANGER ZONE seems different from the rest. It's something you'd read on a sign rather than something you'd say, but it does issue a WARNING. The downside of five long themers, however, is tons, lots, and even a lot of 3LWs & 4LWs, which made for a pretty easy Thursday.

Now, if you'll just follow me...

Across:

1. Grans: NANAS. My gramps was from Czechoslovakia and we called him Tata, which means dad. Here he is working on a giant ceramic insulator at General Electric's main plant in Schenectady, NY where I was born (in a hospital, not in the factory).

Tata (on left)

6. Deceptive action: FEINT. Deceptive action: FAINT. 

11. Trident-shaped letter: PSI. Ψ.

14. Exhaust: USE UP.

15. Heavy-duty cooler brand: IGLOO.

16. Shade tree: ELM. ELM is the 7th most popular street name in America because many towns and cities relied on them as a primary street tree. Unfortunately, by the 1970s, Dutch Elm Disease had destroyed millions of trees, fundamentally altering the landscape. That's the real nightmare on Elm Street.

17. __ rhythm: brain wave pattern: THETA. Θ.

18. Respectful refusal: NO SIR.

19. 2022 National Toy Hall of Fame inductee: TOP. The classic spinning TOP, along with Lite-Brite and He-Man dolls, were selected for their longevity, creativity, and impact on play. Longevity! Ha! I'd say that the TOP was in another league, one having been found in King Tutankhamun's tomb dating to 1300 BCE. 

Tut's top

20. [theme]

23. Dense grove: THICKET.

25. Change one's story?: EDIT.  Change one's story?: WAFFLE. With SYRUP, of course.

27. Marmalade bit: PEEL.

28. [theme]

33. Waffle topper: SYRUP. Insist on pure maple SYRUP. It's healthier and tastier than corn SYRUP - fit for a king! I know because archeologists stumbled upon a sticky TOP which led to the discovery of King Tut's tomb under this pyramid:

35. Irish designer Kiely known for her stem leaf print: ORLA. Keily ORLA began her career designing hats, and moved on to design work on handbags and a variety of other items including kitchenware and cars.

36. Some QB protectors: RGS. Right Guards protect quarterbacks from unsightly underarm stains.

37. [theme]

41. Australian bird: EMU.

44. On-campus digs: DORM.

45. Grassy yards: LAWNS.

49. [theme]

53. Third-qtr. month: SEPT. SEPTember falls in the 3rd quarter of the year, along with July and August. Those Caesars! It's one thing to have a building or a road named after you, but to have a month like Julius and Augustus do, well, now you're somebody.

54. "Juno" actor Michael: CERA. I first saw the Canadian actor as child in Arrested Development (very funny show, BTW) and he's played many nerdy characters since.

55. 10,000 square meters: HECTARE. A HECTARE is also 100 ares (100 square meters).

57. [theme]

62. Canadian prov.: PEI. Prince Edward Island is one of eastern Canada's maritime provinces noted for its lighthouses and iconic red sand beaches.

63. Pong platform: ATARI. Kong platform: NINTENDO

Donkey Pong

64. Photo finish: MATTE.

67. Oft-redacted ID: SSN. Because of rampant identity theft, Social Security Numbers are often hidden.

68. High anxiety: PANIC. "My SSN has been stolen!"

69. Beg: PLEAD. "Please don't access my bank account!"

70. Gobbled up: ATE. "Hackers ATE my savings!"

71. Crept stealthily: SLUNK. This looks odd in the past tense.

72. Incline: SLANT.

Down:

1. Energy bar bit: NUT.

2. Once-common wood for Louisville Slugger: ASH. This one's not ASH yet.

3. Requiring more help: NEEDIER.

4. Motorist's group: AUTO CLUB.

5. Defeat soundly, in slang: SPANK.

6. Secret social media account, perhaps: FINSTA. A FINSTA (Fake INSTAgram) is a secondary, private Instagram account used by individuals—often teenagers—to share unfiltered or silly content with a close-knit group of friends.

7. Showbiz grand slam: EGOT. Winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.

8. Ingrid's "Casablanca" role: ILSA. Here's looking at her:

9. Pinot __: NOIR. Pee-no-more: see 11D.

10. Legal wrong: TORT.

11. Target of some air fresheners: PET ODOR. I had PEE ODOR at first, which is almost the same thing.

12. Hitting the brakes: SLOWING.

13. Little dickens: IMP.

21. Kristen's "The Good Place" co-star: TED. Kristen Bell starred alongside TED Danson.

22. Pince-__ glasses: NEZ. When I started needing reading glasses, I found them uncomfortable when using headphones. I bought a pince-nez (pinch nose in French) which sorta worked but they kept slipping off, so I went back to standard readers with temples. Besides, they didn't make me look cool like Morpheus.

Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus from The Matrix

23. Pranks with rolls, for short: TPS. Toilet Paperings are usually messy but harmless, yet one was in the news this week when a teacher in GA was accidentally run over by some of his students. Sad situation.

24. "Watch it!": HEY. This could be another WARNING!

26. Your, in French: TES. 

29. "__ Rae": Sally Field film: NORMA. NORMA Rae is based on the true story of a textile worker who fought a trade union over poor working conditions. Sally won the Best Actress Oscar in the 52th Academy Awards for her portrayal.

30. Univ. senior's test: GRE. Graduate Record Examination.

31. Sprite: ELF. 

32. Actor Julia who played Gomez Addams: RAUL. He was the second to play the head of the "altogether ooky" Addams family.

John Astin, Raul Julia and Luis Guzman

34. Mani-__: PEDI. Manicure and PEDIcure.

38. Foldable bed: COT.

39. Amount to: ARE. The verb "to be" is always tricky to define.

40. Announcement before closing time: LAST CALL.

41. And so on: Abbr.: ETC. The abbreviation of ET Cetera.

42. 1930s film star known for double entendres: MAE WEST. She certainly was known for her double entendres!

43. Kyiv's country: UKRAINE. I first learned of Ukraine, and the world at large, by playing Risk as a child.

46. Bad argument, informally: WEAK TEA.

47. "Fresh Air" airer: NPR. National Public Radio.

48. Sault __ Marie: STE.

50. Orecchiette shape: EAR. Orecchiette means "little ears" from Southern Italian cuisine. I never heard this.

51. Comedy routine: SHTICK.

52. "So's __ old man!": YER. "Same to you, buddy!"

56. Stays in tents: CAMPS. Stays intense: VIVID.

A vivid tent?

58. Goes out for a bit?: NAPS. Fun clue.

59. Milan lang.: ITAL. ITALian is the language spoken at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, which are currently in progress.

60. Orkan farewell syllables: NANU. Often repeated by Mork from Ork, played by Robin Williams.  Not to be confused with Oaken farewell syllables by Treebeard (the Ent) in Lord of the Rings, "I'll look for thee, and wait for thee, until we meet again."

61. Crack a smile: GRIN.

62. "The More You Know" TV spot, e.g.: PSA. A Public Service Announcement that lets me know more.

65. Get some sun: TAN.

66. Philly summer hrs.: EDT. Philadelphia summer hours. We switched to Eastern Daylight Time this past Sunday, in case you're wondering why you've been late to work every day this week. You're welcome.

Be good. RB

Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Joe Marangell

  Soul Searching?

CrossEyedDave here, join me while I try to figure out what's happening. Looking at this one themer at a time, maybe we can connect the dots...

17 Across. Olympic National Park attraction: SOL DUC FALLS. I am torn here, as to what to post. But doing some soul searching, i think it is best to go with both videos, as this has to be one of the most beautiful places to hike that I have never seen.

The legend...

Note that the sign spells this place as Sole Duck Falls.

Or just soak up this beautiful place...

27 Across.  Owner without a partner: SOLE PROPRIETOR. (Brings to mind...)

If Moe had a Partner, he wouldn't have to answer the phone...

45 Across. Benson Lee coming-of-age film set in South Korea: SEOUL SEARCHING. This is as close to a reveal that I can find.

I dunno, 6.7 at IMDB

One review said, 

Think Breakfast Club meets American Pie Meets Korean Drama...

61 Across. Goatee alternatives: SOUL PATCHES.

Now, I've never heard of this...

Is this the puzzle reveal?

(You telling me this whole puzzle was a patch job?)

Across:
1. Initials associated with the pride flag: LGBT. lesbian, Gay, BiSexual, Transgender. Often followed by "Q" which stood for something else. In today's PC world, it is more politely defined as Questioning...

The Imitation Game

( try watching without being moved )

5. Apple download: IOS APP. Short for IPhone Operating System.

11. Round vegetable in a pastizz: PEA. Yummers...

14. Potatoes, in Indian cuisine: ALOO. Becoming a crossword staple. In American cuisine, this 4 letter vowel rich word is pronounced "Oreo." 

15. National flower of Mexico: DAHLIA. Beautiful

16. Video meeting annoyance: LAG.

17. [Theme]

19. L.A.'s Melrose, e.g.: AVE. I'm confused by this. It's not "PLACE," or Drive, Lane, or Alley?

20. Like a comfortable flight: SMOOTH. Hmm, can't find a suitable image for this. But I imagine myself sitting in First Class, sipping a Scotch on the Rocks. (With apologies to TINBENI...)

21. Young lady: GAL. Hmm again, maybe in Brooklyn. But I would only call a young "Lady" a Lass...

22. Tournament advancements: BYES. Preferential Treatment?

23. Writing tip?: NIB. Normally this should not require any explanation. But this is the imagination of CrossEyedDave talking. I think this word derived from the days when people wrote with Goose Quills, and they sharpened them by Nibbling on them... (I hope the ink was tasty... :)

25. Financing figs.: APRS. Annual Percentage Rate...

27 Across. [Theme]

34. Impersonate: APE. (Alas, not copycat...)

35. A bit: SOME. (Please sir, may I have some more...)

36. Cussed: SWORE. (&^$$#&&#$^#@ Spellcheck...)

37. Creative sparks: IDEAS. Strangely, I have no rebuttal for this one...

39. D.C. MLBer: NAT. Sports reference. Meaning Washington Nationals.

40. City on the Nile River: ASWAN. Not Cairo...

41. Hint of color: TINGE.

42. "Queer as Folk" actress Gill: THEA. Not familiar, Her IMDB

44. Flesh and blood: KIN.  Not Lambkin, or napkin, Oy Evay!

45. [Theme]

48. Lean (on): RELY.

49. Fox Sports soccer analyst Holden: STU. A 3 letter name i never heard of...Do you really want to go down this rabbit hole...

50. Faulty fireworks: DUDS. (Like the Clue/Answer above...)

52. "SNL" broadcaster: NBC.

55. "The Creation of Adam," for one: FRESCO.

Oh! I always thought of this as a painting.

Where I come from, painting on walls and ceilings is called Graffiti...

60. "__ you kidding?": ARE.  (In reference to 55A, Yes...)

61. [Theme]

63. Spoil: MAR. ( I hope I didn't ruin this puzzle for true Crossword Aficionados...)

64. Whirlpools: EDDIES. (What you get in a CED puzzle review...)

65. Challenge for a cross-country runner: HILL. Really? I face this challenge just getting out of bed...

66. Thrilling pair?: ELS. I didn't see this before, lucky me...

67. Classify: ASSORT.

68. See 2-Down: ON TO.  OK, This is where TTP's method of starting a puzzle in the middle could really pay off...

Down:
1. Young lady: LASS. Wait, where did I see this before? Wasn't it Gal?

2. With 68-Across, grab and not let go of: GLOM. Reminds me of Cookie Monster eating...

3. Tie with a slide clip: BOLO. Never found in a supermarket, that would be Bogo...

(Actually, if you don't live in Texas, I doubt you would ever see one of these...)

Hmm, maybe I should try one as a fashion statement. You know, YOLO...

4. List heading: TO DO. (The head of my puzzle solving list is TADA...)

5. Pet-tracking implants: ID CHIPS. Or, if you are very into Sci-Fi, a very vague reference to the movie Forbidden Planet?

6. Clumsy person: OAF.  (Ok,ok, i take back the forbidden planet reference...)

7. Fluffy rug: SHAG. (Not once the Dog pees on it...) Why couldn't you clue this as an Austin Powers Movie Line?
8. Word in some trattoria dish names: ALLA.

9. One of 36 surrounding the Lincoln Memorial: PILLAR. Believe it or not... when the Lincoln Memorial was built, the entire Washington DC area was a swamp..

The entire place was landfilled to create what we see today.

I dunno, once a swamp, always a swamp. Kinda explains a lot...

10. Faux __: PAS. ( I hope the above comment was not one...)

11. Seeks victory at all costs: PLAYS TO WIN. Sounds more like War than a game...

12. Roof part: EAVE. Adam part, Eve...

13. Suggested range on a game box: AGES. 

18. Eclectic online digest: UTNE. Deriving ideas, style or taste, from a wide range of sources.

an American magazine/digital digest founded by Eric Utne in 1984. It focuses on covering alternative media, politics, culture, and new ideas. The name, of Norwegian origin, loosely translates to "far out" and is also a place.

22. Cold one: BREWSKI. Now we are talking! I knew there was something I liked about all this...

24. "Wuthering Heights" novelist: BRONTE. Hmm, how many Brewskis would it take to read this whole thing?

26. Tuscan city: PISA. Most believe the hypothesis that the origin of the name Pisa comes from Etruscan and means 'mouth', as Pisa is at the mouth of the Arno river.

There is also a slang meaning, but I don't think I should go there...

27. Sink of "Stranger Things": SADIE.

Strange name from a stranger show...

28. Unexecuted market directives: OPEN ORDERS. (If you say so, sounds like more explanation is needed here. But I don't want to...)

29. Fantasy sports groups: LEAGUES.

30. Nebraska city with North America's largest indoor swamp: OMAHA. I am very confused by this.

According to Google it is referenced as "A Desert." And besides, everyone knows North Americas largest swamp is in Washington DC...

31. Broadway star Bernadette: PETERS. I am tempted to link one of many clips from the movie The Jerk,

But I couldn't do that to you...

32. Red-haired primate: ORANG. Yeah, I know. Get over it...

33. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame rapper MC __: REN. (No Comment)

37. Part of TGIF: IT'S. Hmm, how would you have clued this?

38. Buy alternative: SELL. What happened to trade? Swap? (Sorry, I was playing Monopoly recently...)

43. Infomercial imperative: ACT FAST.  They want you to act so fast that they really should remove the space between these two words...

46. Church councils: SYNODS.

47. Offended, say: HURT. I Apologize  for all the references I made in this review...

50. Sir counterpart: DAME.

51. Eurasian range: URAL. Not Aral, that's a lake...

53. Future flowers: BUDS. Does this explain why relationships grow?

54. Muse of history: CLIO. Also a prestigious award for creative communication. (I doubt I will ever win one...)

56. Reverberate: ECHO. (The above comment echoes in my head...)

57. Protected area in a soccer game: SHIN. ( not when I play, mine starts with a G.)

58. Gaul or Breton: CELT.

59. Nobel Peace Prize city: OSLO.

61. Lighthouse view: SEA. Sadly not always true.

Songs have been written about this sad occurrence...

62. Pay-__-click: PER.

Anywho, I am not sure I will ever finish this review. I need to do some more Soul Searching, as I am sure I must have left something out...

I'll be back...

CE:D

P.S. ( i'm back..)

Here is a link to a Joe Marangell  puzzle reviewed by Husker Gary...

Thank you Husker Gary!

The introduction has a great reveal about this constructor ...