The New York Times crossword puzzle

Across

1 Something to make before blowing out the birthday candles 5 Staple of Greek cuisine 9 All- knowing sort 14 ___ Morita, co- founder of Sony 15 ___ vera 16 Kind of bond

in chemistry 17 What Thoreau lived in at Walden Pond 19 Romance or

horror 20 Indian Ocean

bloc? 22 Hibernation

station 23 Measurements

of 60- Acrosses 24 Central American bloc? 33 “I’m cool

with that” 34 Brother

in an order 35 Steel support for concrete 36 Letter insert: Abbr. 37 Non- Jew

39 Bill who popularizes science 40 Many,

colloquially 42 Land of Donegal and Dingle Bay 43 Paula of “Paula’s Home Cooking” 44 Western

European bloc? 47 Multivolume

ref. 48 Scottish cap 49 Organization founded in 1945 … or a literal description of 20-, 24- and 44- Across? 56 2008 movie with the line “I will find you, and I will kill you” 58 Softening- up words before a request 59 Prevent, as disaster 60 Alkali neutralizer 61 Mishmash 62 ___ profundo ( lowest vocal range) 63 Motto for a modern risktaker, for short 64 Email folder

Down

1 Insect with a hanging nest 2 Furnishings retailer with gigantic stores 3 “Awesome!” 4 Office- closing

time 5 What phone books are alphabetized by 6 Inter ___ 7 Apollo program

destination 8 Mercedes-___ 9 Words next to

a dotted line 10 Cry of lament 11 Elsa’s younger sister in “Frozen” 12 Russian

space station 13 Diamonds,

slangily 18 ___ interface 21 Fitting 24 Christmas

carols 25 “You didn’t have to tell me” 26 Plants with

needles 27 Dead duck 28 “___ next

time!” 29 Director

Kurosawa 30 Li’l ___ 31 Sauce, cheese or noodles, in lasagna 32 Gladiatorial combat site 37 Examine, as

a crystal ball 38 Gradually slowing, in music 41 High

achievers? 43 Pizza company with a game piece logo 45 Summer setting in D. C. 46 Spreadsheet

figures 49 Island instruments, for short 50 Website with the heading “Recently Viewed Items” 51 Style of the Chrysler Building, informally 52 It gets hit on the head 53 Eye amorously 54 Ruhr refusal 55 Opening on

a schedule 56 Precursor

of Diet Coke 57 Director DuVernay of “Selma”