new YOrk TimeS crOSSwOrD

ACROSS 1 Avocado dip, slangily 5 “Peace be upon ___” (Muslim phrase about a prophet) 8 Devise a plot 14 Teeny-tiny

15 Prefix with center 16 Invented, as

a new word

17 W.W. I enemy ace 19 Diamond judge 20 Slobbers

21 Letters on a radio button

23 Lair

24 Parisian evenings 25 Like a house that might be built in a day 27 Quidditch ball that ends the game when it’s caught 32 Jackson 5 hit with the lyric “It’s easy as 1, 2, 3” 35 Feedbag feed 36 Artoo-___

37 & 40 What a straight-A student passes with … or a hint to 17-, 27-, 46and 62-Across

41 Best

42 Swain

45 Responsibility for a

house sitter, maybe 46 Comics hero with

a magic ring 50 Decorates

51 Des Moines resident 55 W-2 ID

58 Opposite of manual 59 Gibson of tennis fame 60 Something a tabby can’t resist 62 Symbol of happiness

64 “Fine by me” 65 Jeremy of the N.B.A. 66 Et ___ (and others) 67 Annual internet awards 68 “Spring forward” hrs. in N.Y.C.

69 Subject of road “Xing” signs DOWN 1 Prepares, as oneself

for battle

2 In ___ (unborn) 3 “Likewise”

4 Half human,

half machine

5 That lady’s

6 Tech start-up’s big moment 7 Part of a mosque from which the call to prayer is made 8 Shoe blemishes 9 Military raider 10 Not square 11 Children’s author Blyton

12 Slight

13 First garden site 18 Moreover 22 Department store department 25 Smartphone predecessor, for short 26 Jessica of “7th Heaven” 28 Fuel for a fire

29 Roof style of some Corvettes 30 Uneaten part of an apple 31 Parasite harborer

32 Lost in ___

33 Make fuzzy

34 Suffix meaning “cell” 38 Notion

39 Product label looked for by the lactose intolerant

40 “You go onstage …

now,” e.g.

42 Cartoon boy who makes many prank calls

43 Elevate to royalty 44 @@@

47 Jewelers’ glasses 48 Tick off

49 So-so

52 Period of time 53 American Eagle

clothing line

54 All-time low 55 Flat-bottomed boat 56 Sushi bar drink 57 Accident investigation org.

59 Family title with two pronunciations 61 Worn-down pencil, e.g. 63 Slang for a hat