Universal Crossword

Across

1 Plead

4 Opposite of post

7 Acting ensembles

12 “___ of these days ...” 13 Seydoux of

“No Time to Die” 14 College athlete, e.g. 15 Painting and sculpture expos, say 18 Toyota sedan discontinued in 2022 19 Attire at some frat parties 20 Flat-bottomed vessel 22 Hoppy beer, for short 23 Prominent part of an aardvark

24 Sci-fi craft

25 Yelp user, at times 27 ___ Juarez (city south of El Paso) 29 Feeling low

30 Public perception 33 Go it alone 37 Contented sound 38 “Spartacus” Oscar winner Peter 40 “Amazing!”

41 Frequent flyer’s reward

43 McCartney’s songwriting partner 45 French Mrs. 46 Bakery-cafe chain 48 Heir to the family fortune

50 Outrage

51 Certain rec centers 55 Young boy

56 Instant decaf brand

58 Loud burp

59 Make a minister 61 More consistent 63 Confidently and courageously 64 Destinations for ambulances: Abbr. 65 Seasonal illness 66 Toboggans, e.g. 67 Born as

68 “Groovy!”

Down

1 Sea vessels

2 Former energy company in business ethics case studies 3 Very beginning, slangily

4 *Picnic cutlery 5 Camping gear seller 6 AirPod, e.g.

7 *Leaves nothing to chance

8 Actress de Armas 9 With 32-down, shared equally ... and a hint to a word hidden at the centre of each starred clue’s answer 10 Movie cliche 11 Underwater navigation tool 14 Pester

16 Dr. Anthony ___, prominent member of the coronavirus task force

17 *Places to see the big game?

21 French sculptor hidden in

“retro diner” 26 Remote batteries, usually

28 Mikhail Gorbachev was its last leader: Abbr.

30 Lout

31 It’s between a birdie and a bogey

32 See 9-down

34 Hand (out)

35 London lavatory 36 Possess

39 Easy basket

42 Angsty music genre 44 Nominated

47 Tidy up

48 People who rarely tidy up

49 Holiday song 52 Drop-off location? 53 Fast Amtrak train 54 Hydrangea or azalea 57 “___ questions?” 60 Find a sum

62 Before, poetically

The circled letters reveal the crossword puzzle’s theme