The New York Times Crossword

ACROSS

1 Opening in a magic act

5 Some nasty repartee

10 Does a hit on 14 Bread: Ger. 15 Accustom

16 ___ of mandamus

17 1967 James Bond film

20 Yawn, for wanting guests to leave

21 Locale for a talking snake

22 Pro who calls the shots?

23 Ready to retire, say

24 Sister of Thalia and Urania 26 Bankruptcy cause 29 Takes to task

32 Apt word hidden in “Cleopatra’s prop”

35 Kentucky ___ (sister race of the Kentucky Derby) 37 Fly-fisher’s catch 38 Randomized clinical trial 42 Surgical tool with an acronymic name 43 Langston Hughes poem

44 Census datum

45 Hosts

47 Ferret look-alike 50 Something politicians and professors do 52 Weak, as an excuse

56 Chicago trains 58 “Do the ___” 60 Comprehension 61 One who’s maybe too virtuous

64 Stick

65 Occupied 66 Northern terminus of I-79 67 Crocheter’s purchase

68 Does a prewash task

69 Rackets

DOWN

1 Hell, to Dante

2 Oven option

3 It might make you blush

4 Made amends (for)

5 Actor Thornton 6 Lead-in to how or hoo

7 Straight line

8 Ring bearer

9 Cuts off 10 Fly-by-night?

11 Not serious 12 Quitting time, for many

13 Put back in

18 Part of the body covered by a mullet

19 Passes

25 ___ reform (political issue) 27 Anklebones

28 Some amateur theater productions

30 “Yo, ___!”

31 River on which Greek deities swore their oaths 32 Meeting all the job requirements 33 Event for poets 34 Peruvian cocktail 36 Impertinent one 39 Not once, in poems

40 Very handsome, as a beau

41 Stupid, incompetent ones 46 Balance

48 “The Sound of Music” backdrop 49 Gave 10%

51 Prefix with centric

53 Many a Cook Islander

54 Tangle

55 Hoped-for responses to proposals

56 Like most French toast and challah 57 “Damn Yankees” vixen

59 11 or 12, say, but not 13

62 Retreat

63 Around figure?: Abbr.