UNIVERSAL CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

1 Capital of Vietnam

6 “___ Martin” (2004’22 show about a surgeon)

9 Mark for life

13 Chipmunk’s nut

14 Furry yard pest

15 “The Sun ___ Rises”

16 Raw, or bland

18 She may say “nae”

19 Stan who co-created Spider-Man

20 “Time for a vacation!”

22 Pop singer Amos

23 “Piece of cake!”

24 What a stressed person may do on vacation

30 Plot again

31 Get wind of

32 Corn core

35 Nights before

36 It may be cracked or puffed

38 Islam’s secondlargest branch

39 Come out on top

40 Blue-green hue

41 Peter, Paul or Mary

42 Unserious reason to travel

45 Carbon monoxide’s lack

47 Train track part

48 Good beginning, or a hint to the initials of 20-, 24- or 42-Across

52 ___ up (absorb)

55 Norse god who oversees Valhalla

56 Light pieces of mail, or a bonus hint to this puzzle’s theme

58 Dryer fuzz

59 Flower with a bulb

60 Woolly babies

61 They’re tapped

62 “The Matrix” hero

63 Take up space

DOWN

1 Drag along

2 Spots on the face

3 It smells

4 Load from a lode

5 Running repeatedly

6 Puts on

7 Designer Cassini

8 Hand over

9 Islamic greeting

10 Toy grabbers at arcades

11 4-Down evaluation

12 Like Santa’s cheeks

14 Recurring theme

17 Lord’s worker

21 Drop that’s shed

22 “___ the night before ...”

24 Beer or coffee

25 First name in jeans

26 Handwriting on the wall

27 Mantel, for one

28 High ___ (British meal)

29 “Have some food!”

32 Stylish

33 Sty cry

34 Upside-down sleepers

36 “Scream” director Craven

37 It may be tipped

38 Breeze (through)

40 Zig or zag

41 Fruity bit of candy

42 Knees, e.g.

43 Face-to-face exams

44 Like a pink steak

45 Blast from the past

46 Super eager (to)

48 Traditional music genre

49 Acquire

50 Filly’s father

51 Crosby, Stills and Nash, e.g.

52 Circular opening?

53 Planets and such

54 “Check this out!”

57 Paycheck deduction