N.Y. TIMES CROSSWORD

Across

1 Tavern assistant 8 Person typically taking Torts and Contracts 12 Literary reference 13 Roast, e.g. 15 Outsider politician’s target 18 Retail giant whose catalog comes in 17 languages 19 “We’re doomed!” 20 Wendi ___, ex-wife of Rupert Murdoch 21 Parts of some law profs.’ résumés 22 Year in the reign of Antoninus Pius 23 Hudgens and Huxtable 26 Skedaddled 27 Not skedaddle 28 It may have a stretch in it 31 One end of Fla.’s Sunshine Skyway Bridge 33 Currency of West Africa 34 About 31 /4 light-years 35 Ice dam locale 36 Juillet’s time 37 Picks on 41 Kind of bulb, for short 42 “Can I get an ___?” 43 “You ain’t ___!” 46 Strong competition? 49 What’s this, Señor? 50 Arm wave or finger snap 53 Hot times? 54 “The application of democracy to love,” per H. L. Mencken 55 “Fair point” 56 Some rigs

Down

1 Poet who wrote “Tyger! Tyger! burning bright” 2 Hit 2004 sci-fi film with a 2007 sequel 3 Fugitives 4 Some undergrad degs. 5 Part of the conjugation for “avoir” 6 Aquarium decorations 7 Sounds of doom, maybe 8 ___ law 9 Word sung four times before “Born is the King of Israel” 10 The thyroid is part of it 11 Female Action Comics character 12 Inside 14 Network’s concern 16 Oscarnominated actor for “The Aviator” 17 Spitballs, e.g. 24 “Big” comics character 25 Where you may need to read the fine print 29 Liberal political activist Ralph 30 Isaac Asimov’s “The Bicentennial Man,” e.g. 31 Atlanta women’s college 32 Food item cooked “to a light golden color” 38 ___ Stewart, singer of the 1979 #1 hit “Knock on Wood” 39 Add a layer to 40 One of Buddha’s 10 disciples 44 Things that lead to Rome? 45 ___ a one 47 Kind of bar 48 Start of Massachusetts’ motto 51 One making a report 52 Ancient times, in bygone days