Universal Crossword

Across

1 Long-lasting ‘do

5 Dull-coloured

9 “Definitely!”

13 Really irked

15 Part of a choral ensemble?

16 Forested Norwegian city

17 Step between landings

18 Not closed

19 Employs

20 Oscar winner for “Norma Rae”

22 “___ got company!”

23 Gets in shape?

24 Queues, or some cues

25 Home to the New York State Museum

28 “Not following”

31 Become a member

32 Author of “Believing: Our Thirty-Year Journey to End Gender Violence”

35 Word after “fine” or “folk”

36 Soft shoe, for short

38 Was in first place

39 “And I’m gonna be high ___ kite by then” (Elton John)

40 “Hairspray” star who became a TV host

43 Spill the tea, say

44 Eclipsed

45 Cummerbunds’ places

47 River spanned by the Pont de Normandie

49 Very funny people

51 Suspend, as

Christmas lights

52 “Thinkin Bout You” R&B singer

57 “Stat!”

58 First Mexican movie to win Best Foreign Language Film

59 Breastfeed

60 Self-referential 61 Enthusiasm

62 Two cubed

63 Muppet who had a Twitter beef with a rock

64 Alternatively

65 Common gifts for children

Down

1 Overtake in a race

2 Mathematician Zuber Falconer or singer James

3 Authentic

4 Many dogs bark at him

5 “Robot” synonym that Lucasfilm trademarked

6 Recruits through pressure

7 Cain’s victim

8 Flex

9 “Keep dreamin’!”

10 Bare necessities

11 “All Day Strong” pain reliever

12 Gardeners’ tubes

14 Evaluate in the dressing room

21 Soar, say

24 Laundry unit

25 Not quite closed

26 Chicago mayor Lightfoot

27 Crypto-purchasing device

29 1,760 yards

30 4G ___

32 Berry whose name is

75 per cent vowels

33 Exam taken before the bar, often: Abbr.

34 Research facilities

36 Tiny pest

37 Former

41 ___ chicken (spicy, stir-fried dish)

42 Some TV shows from Seoul’s country, informally

43 Buttery, flaky bread

45 Bowl-shaped pan

46 Make amends

47 “Tsk, tsk!”

48 Oil holder?

50 Silly

52 Liberate

53 Stop, drop and ___

54 Thus

55 Like a used firepit

56 Aptly named NBA team