N.Y. TIMES CROSSWORD

We asked some favorite Times crossword contributors, “What would you like to do in a daily Times crossword that has never been done before? ”This week’s puzzles, Monday to Saturday, are the result. Note: When completed, the outer squares in this puzzle will contain each of the 26 letters of the alphabet exactly once.

Across

8 Do some financial planning for old age 15 2000 Britney Spears hit 16 Board hirees 17 Take a load off 18 One of the Everly Brothers 19 Means of enlightenment 20 Some Mexican beers 23 Big roll? 24 Vaccine letters 26 2000s teen idol, to fans 27 Justin who directed four of the “Fast and the Furious” films 28 Like museum exhibits 30 Payback 32 Ohio or Illinois, but not Indiana 33 Sharp tastes 34 Some June arrivals 36 Italian-American composer who won a Pulitzer Prize for “The Saint of Bleecker Street” 37 Postgrad degrees 38 Cantina order 40 Moo ___ pork 41 Shake 42 Certain hotel fee 44 School extension? 45 Long-leaved palm 47 Introduction for Pedro or Diego? 48 One of the officemates on “The Office” 50 Anne and Victoria 53 If absolutely necessary

Down

1 How-to guide at an office 2 Adding to that 3 Dad ___ (not exactly a male ideal) 4 Phone button 5 Factory container 6 What you might microwave something on 7 One measure of a school’s success 9 Events with crossover voters 10 Not be upright 11 Sticky 12 John of old sitcoms 13 Preschool breaks 14 Setting increased standards 21 Many a retired academic 22 Series of letters to read? 25 First name on PBS 27 “Jay ___ Garage” (Emmywinning auto series) 29 Hamilton’s place 31 Purchase for many a church or motel 35 Final approvals 36 Clearly unhappy person 39 Working with subterfuge 42 Frontiersman Boone, informally 43 Quiche needs 46 Where people are drawn to scale? 49 Abundantly 51 “Cheers” role 52 Not previously seen