The New York Times

ACROSS

1 Bit of strategy

7 Painting technique used in van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” 14 Good as gold, and others? 15 High-m.p.g. vehicle

16 One having a certain video chat 17 This just in! 18 What happens while you’re busy making other plans, it’s said 19 Italian architect Ponti

21 ___ and Ole (stock characters in Upper Midwest jokes) 22 Revolution around o sol 23 Makers of parts 25 Be present 28 Expression of support 30 Expression of contempt

31 One who might meet with angels, for short 32 Things used by star witnesses? 38 Meet somebody you’ve heard lots about 39 Creator’s leeway 40 Jill Biden _ _ _ Jacobs 41 Mauna _ _ _

42 Something found after many years? 43 Fencing sport with bamboo swords 46 Film composer Morricone 48 Seat occupier, for short 51 Stylish

53 Like 2021

54 It has its faults, informally 55 Club’s premier venue

58 Bring aboard, scifi-style

60 How many Amish barns are raised 61 Robinhood competitor 62 Patronized, in a way 63 Indenting aid

DOWN

1 Producer of 15-Acrosses 2 Oscar nominee for “Argo” 3 Narcissist’s ploy 4 It’s on a roll 5 Follower of McCarthy 6 Boatload 7 Levin who wrote “The Stepford Wives”

8 Team with “Mr.” and “Mrs.” mascots 9 Irritant 10 Appropriate

11 What Grand Canyon tourists enjoy

12 Large marble 13 Choice words 15 Capital of every country?

20 Dolt

23 James Beard award winners 24 Northernmost part of the U.K. 26 “___ legit” 27 “Lovely _ _ _ You” (song by the Moody Blues) 29 Flavoring of Cedilla liqueur 32 Defeat soundly, slangily 33 Setting for a blender

34 Pic on a pec, say 35 Amour de _ _ _ (self-love: Fr.)

36 Equatorial plantation crop 37 Force on Earth, in brief

44 “Go, and catch a falling star” poet 45 Stop here ___ (traffic sign) 47 “Intuition tells me ...” 49 Sidestep

50 Lab tube 52 Diminutive master of film 54 Potato or pasta, informally 55 Prefix with century

56 What Friday has, unlike any other day of the week? 57 ___ of This Swirled (Ben & Jerry’s flavor) 59 Pilot’s info, for short