The New York Times Crossword
Hoang-Kim Vu, of Washington, D.C, works in global public health. This is his 10th crossword for The Times — fitting, given the theme!- — and his first Sunday. He wanted a theme that made full use of the larger grid, which resulted in this ambitious and impressive interlock. As a born-and-bred New Jerseyan, he hopes solvers will excuse 34-Down, with which he’s ‘‘probably more comfortable’’ than most. — W.S.
ACROSS
1 Loosefitting garment
8 Things packed for a sleepover, informally
11 Cavs, on a scoreboard
14 Effects seen on FX, perhaps
17 Nation on the Red Sea
18 Helmsman on ‘‘Star Trek’’
20 High times for the petroleum industry
23 X, but not Y
24 It might help you keep up with old classmates
26 Big-eyed baby
28 Excerpted passage
29 China’s Sun ____-sen
30 Carrier of goods by rail
34 Player of 45s 35 Haim of ‘‘Licorice Pizza’’
37 Iconic role for Carrie Fisher
38 Certain porter
40 ‘‘Right you are!’’
43 Contest
45 Some Kiwis
47 Stop on a publicity tour
50 When repeated, gung-ho
51 Dish often topped with marinara sauce 54 Dorm décor, often
56 Rave
58 Trivial
59 ____ Paz, 1990 Literature Nobelist
60 The ‘‘e’’ of i.e.
61 Chosen name of five popes
63 ____ Equis
65 Prepare (oneself)
66 Fundamentals
69 Alternatives to Pumas
71 Break for a bit
73 Ctrl-Z command
74 Does some fieldwork
76 ____ Rose of Guns N’ Roses
77 Standings column
78 Leb. neighbor
80 French desserts whose name translates as ‘‘small ovens’’
82 Flair
84 Thor, e.g.
88 Makeup of some sleeves
89 TV chef who wrote ‘‘SemiHomemade Cooking’’
92 ____ Sremmurd (hip-hop duo)
93 White Russian ingredient
94 Playwright Eugene
95 Michelangelo masterpiece
97 Camelot figure
100 It can be written in scripts known as naskh and ruq’ah
102 Require
103 Tree with ‘‘eyes’’ on its bark 106 They can be tapped out
108 Concern at the end of a space journey
110 X 111 Ambitious sort
114 ____ Cherry, 1989 Grammy nominee for Best New Artist
115 ‘‘Take it easy once in a while!’’
118 Sonny and Fredo, for two
123 They’re all pulling in the same direction
124 Keep it in mind!
125 Classy
126 Chinese-dish eponym
127 End of days?
128 You might take them out for a quick spin, informally
129 Rages
DOWN
1 –
2 ____TV (network for ‘‘Impractical Jokers’’) 3 Lower, as lights
4 Hwy.
5 Coding headache
6 Naval engagement
7 One taking interest in your education?
8 H.S. exam
9 7/
10 Heaps at publishing houses
11 Edward Jenner used it when developing the world’s first successful vaccine
12 Sigmatism, by another name
13 The blonde in ‘‘Legally Blonde’’
14 What might unfold at camp
15 Exclamation on April Fools’ Day
16 Words of clarification
19 ‘‘Yeah . . . pass’’
21 Checks for bugs
22 Mlle., in Madrid
25 –
27 Wrap up by
30 Distress signal
31 Put on the air again
32 –
33 Letter after sigma
34 Borough of New Jersey noted for its indoor shopping malls
36 Landed on a licorice space in Candy Land, say
39 Male swan
41 Put side by side
42 Relative of a gator
44 Their eggs are dark green
46 Camera spec 48 –
49 Brought before a jury
52 This, in Spanish
53 Malibu, e.g.
55 One way to go
57 ‘‘This guy? We’re together’’
61 –
62 Accounts
64 Greenlights
66 Schedule slot filler: Abbr.
67 Grim
68 Terra ____
70 One doing the lord’s work?
71 Birch bark and pine cones, e.g.
72 –
75 Missing work?
77 Exchange words? 79 Trickle (through)
81 –
83 Language spoken in Luang Prabang
84 Government bonds?
85 Welcome
86 Consumer
87 Set . . . or word said before set
90 Estuary
91 ‘‘Three Tall Women’’ playwright 96 Overnight site
98 Cold feet and cold shoulder, for two
99 Emperor before the Year of the Four Emperors
101 Louisiana cooking style
103 ‘‘Flick of the Switch’’ band
104 Curt 105 Aches (for)
107 Classic soda brand
109 –
112 ____-Ball
113 Education orgs.
114 Hush-hush pacts, in brief
116 –
117 Good name, informally
119 Some smartphones
120 Something bent or lent
121 –
122 Norm: Abbr.