UNIVERSAL CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Pepper quantity

5 Adjoin

9 Boston airport 14 Despicable

15 Japanese soup base 16 Came to light 17 Carpentry teacher, at

times?

20 Worked for the

40-Across, maybe 21 Removes, as a ticket

stub

22 Flat-faced dog breed 23 Home of Arizona State

University

24 Hold back, as the tide 26 Sales rep who visits metal shops?

31 Word after “lily” or “landing”

32 “Better Call ___” (AMC series)

33 Freddie Mercury or Bruno Mars, vocally 34 Autobiographical website heading

36 Cajole

38 “The March King” 39 Slapstick desserts 40 MI6’S U.S. counterpart 41 Engine work mentor?

44 Hair metal singer Michaels

45 Smooth-talking 46 Sweetie

47 Cork beverage? 51 Stranger, slangily 53 Artificial intelligence branch ... or what 17-, 26- and 41-Across impart?

56 Thoroughly enjoyed 57 Building ’s accessibility

feature

58 Jazz singer James 59 Rendezvouses with 60 Lend, as five bucks 61 Invitation request

DOWN

1 Format between VHS

and Blu-ray

2 Unloads, as grievances 3 Snuck away

4 Balloon filler 5 Surrounded by 6 Compost container 7 Industrial co. based in

Pittsburgh

8 Objects of spiritual

importance

9 Esteemed award winners

10 Hobbit foes

11 Like a frequently chosen option

12 Since

13 Soft ball brand 18 Flight segment

19 Knocks, as a raven might

23 Opposite of false 24 Involuntary movement

25 Simply not done

26 “The Office” receptionist

27 “Golly!”

28 When they roll, it’s time to leave

29 “Honest!”

30 Halloween choice 32 The Enterprise and others

35 Troop entertainment grp.

36 Candle cord

37 “That’s mildly funny” 39 Talladega warmup circuit

42 Wu-tang ___ 43 Edmonton team

44 Sign towed by a plane

46 “A guy walks into a ___ ...”

47 Mosque leader

48 Give a 10 out of 10, maybe

49 Slushy drink brand 50 Closed

51 Mesmerized

52 “As seen ___”

54 Angsty music genre 55 Mountain pass