The New York Times Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

1 Opening in a

magic act

5 Some nasty

repartee

10 Does a hit on 14 Bread: Ger. 15 Accustom

16 ___ of

mandamus 17 1967 James

Bond film 20 Yawn, for wanting guests to leave

21 Locale for a

talking snake 22 Pro who calls the

shots?

23 Ready to retire,

say

24 Sister of Thalia

and Urania 26 Bankruptcy

cause

29 Takes to task 32 Apt word hidden in “Cleopatra’s prop” 35 Kentucky ___ (sister race of the Kentucky Derby) 37 Fly-fisher’s

catch 38 Randomized

clinical trial 42 Surgical tool with an acronymic name 43 Langston Hughes

poem

44 Census datum 45 Hosts

47 Ferret lookalike

50 Something politicians and professors do

52 Weak, as an excuse

56 Chicago trains

58 “Do the ___”

60 Comprehension

61 One who’s maybe too virtuous

64 Stick

65 Occupied 66 Northern terminus of I-79

67 Crocheter’s purchase

68 Does a prewash task 69 Rackets

DOWN

1 Hell, to Dante

2 Oven option

3 It might make you blush

4 Made amends (for)

5 Actor Thornton

6 Lead-in to how or hoo

7 Straight line

8 Ring bearer

9 Cuts off

10 Fly-by-night?

11 Not serious

12 Quitting time, for many

13 Put back in

18 Part of the body covered by a mullet

19 Passes

25 ___ reform (political issue)

27 Anklebones

28 Some amateur theater productions

30 “Yo, ___!”

31 River on which Greek deities swore their oaths

32 Meeting all the job requirements

33 Event for poets

34 Peruvian cocktail

36 Impertinent one

39 Not once, in poems

40 Very handsome, as a beau

41 Stupid, incompetent ones

46 Balance

48 “The Sound of Music” backdrop

49 Gave 10%

51 Prefix with centric

53 Many a Cook Islander

54 Tangle

55 Hoped-for responses to proposals

56 Like most French toast and challah

57 “Damn Yankees” vixen

59 11 or 12, say, but not 13

62 Retreat

63 Around figure?: Abbr.