CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Comedy bit 4 Soapstone

8 Like some excuses 11 -- vera

13Muffin spread 14 High card 15 Remoteness 17Hwys.

18 Fall

19 Rough cabin 21 Explain further 22Owed right now 23 Tibet’s capital 26 Call

29Machete

30 Sotto -

31 Strut along 33 Sauna site 34 AMuppet

35 The two of them 36 Recital extra 38Walk on 39 Wheel part 40 French king 41 Antic

44 Disquiet 48 Byronwork 49 Awkward dive (2 wds.)

52Norm

53 Pointed arch 54Muslimmystic 55 Grounded bird 56Head gestures 57 Slicker

DOWN

1 Gallop or canter 2 Part of a.k.a. 3Gunk

4 Lugged 5Husband of Fatima 6Mr. Tolstoy 7Useup

8Ms. Paretsky 9 “Black Ice” group 10 Office furnishing 12 Border town (2 wds.) 16 TV’sHawkeye 20 Skirt border 22 Pipe

23 Deli units 24 Fabulous diamond

25 Bates or Arkin 26 Irritated

27 Band member 28 -- -- moment too soon

30 Action word 32 Advanced degree 34Kentucky whiskey

35 Gives a quick rundown

37 Ernesto Guevara 38 Cereal-eating tiger

40 Sits on the throne 41Handle problems 42 Economist -Smith

43Machu Picchu site

45 Astringent 46 Living-room piece 47 Larger-than-life 50 Self-esteem 51Was in charge of