The New York Times crossword puzzle

Across

1 Headache

helper

6 Tot's scratches 13 Palate cleanser in a multicourse French meal 15 Source of a foul odor when wool is washed 16 Going after the

big bucks, say 17 Creature catcher

in gaming 18 Position with

security 20 N.B.A. team that shares an arena with the N.H.L.'s Stars, familiarly 21 Predicament 22 Major Manhattan thoroughfare, informally 23 Made a lap, say 24 Playground

comeback 26 Creepy quality 30 Important

contacts 31 Chewed (out) 33 Lead-in to plane 35 Cut

36 "Tsk, tsk," in

textspeak

37 Bug that sounds like it was in the air?

39 Port letters 40 Traditional wedding dish in southern Italy, hence its literal translation ("brides") 42 Most Broadway theaters have two of these 44 Fish often

served tartare 45 Nickname for Time's 2023 Person of the Year

47 Pole used for extending a sail

49 Half and half 50 Some home installations, in brief

52 Cool, in old

lingo

53 Rapper ___ Cat 55 Handling

things

58 Very rough, as

an experience 60 Finished,

colloquially 61 Drinks are on

me! 62 Grumpy

companion 63 Defensive football plays, informally 64 "___ seguro?" ("Are you sure?": Sp.)

Down

1 Currently 2 "You're

tempting fate!" 3 Goggles that aren't meant to go underwater 4 Construction materials named after a capital? 5 Headliner 6 Poster's place 7 Barrel material 8 Like some shows and bands

9 Order that comes with a wide straw

10 Speed skater Johann ___ Koss, winner of four Olympic golds

11 Makes quiet, in

a way

12 Show with a Joke Swap segment, in brief

14 "Cya"

17 Small part of a

window 19 "Golly!"

23 Move laterally 24 Junot ___, author of "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" 25 Maternity ward staffers, informally 27 Look within oneself 28 Apartment units 29 Japanese/Italian

fusion dish 32 Floor

34 Not that

much

38 Letters on a

bow

41 Site of a famous flagraising

43 Head for the

toilet, say? 46 "Sure, lemme deal with this first, though" 48 Test-taking

no-nos

51 Lays down some ground rolls?

53 Dull

54 Like communal

property 55 Weight 56 Southern side

dish

57 Barbie and Ken,

e.g.

58 Chips flavor 59 Publicity, so to

speak