The New York Times crossword puzzle

Across

1 Mitts 5 Short-term

employment 8 Edible part of a

nut

12 With 68-Across, cocreator of the British parody band the Rutles 13 Land next to the Land of Nod 15 Super-super 17 This puzzle’s

solution 19 Schnozzola 20 Actress Mireille ___ of “Good Omens” 21 Cheatson 23 Whatcomes afterlove 26 Terminate from an agency, in spy lingo 27 ___-foot (volume measure) 28 Claptrap

30 Strip lights 33 Juicers use

them

35 Opera character whose first name is Floria 37 Device that turns plastic into paper? 39 Front or back 40 Didn’tquite makeithome, say

42 The 2 in 1/2,

e.g.

43 Groove on 44 Relationship with a statistics teacher? 45 Blading need 47 Relinquished 49 Biz bigwig, in

brief 51 ___-deucey (backgammon variety) 52 Check, with

“in” 54 Dateforaparty 56 Aid in some problemsolving 60 Author of “The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me,” 1985 61 Head-to-toe

garment 62 “Figure it out!” … or how to arrive at this puzzle’s solution, using the answers to italicized clues 66 Part of R.B.G. 67 One branch of

Islam

68 See 12-Across 69 Storm cloud? 70 Go (for)

71 Not G-rated,

say

Down

1 What may be filled with ink … or oink 2 M.L.B. team that plays at Chase Field, in brief

3 Vintage

appliance? 4 Like some love letters and candles 5 Jumbo jet? 6 Phrase with a

hand raise 7 Fellow 8 Bibliophile’s recommendations 9 Current

phenomenon 10 High school

model, maybe 11 “That’s right” 14 Novice,

informally 16 Symbols used

for tagging 18 Corn spot 22 Someone might order cannabis by this 23 Managed 24 Widely

recognized 25 Playground cry 29 It’s up for

debate 31 Mocktail with a

rhyming name 32 ___ Island 34 Work on the side of a building, perhaps 36 Sailing

vessel 38 “Poppycock!” 41 Bicycle spokes,

e.g.

46 Disputed region between India and Pakistan 48 Ducks that

don’t lay eggs 50 Trite 53 Indicators of acknowledgment 55 Persian Gulf

land: Abbr. 56 Go back 57 Certain leg muscle, familiarly 58 Origin of the words “khaki” and “pajama” 59 N.Y.C. neighborhood bounded by the Bowery to the east

63 Help line? 64 Special treatment, for short

65 “Listen here!”