My wife and I are in Ireland right now, starting off the New Year with family. I just managed to slip away to solve the puzzle, and write up this abbreviated post. I will get to the full post just as soon as I can.
1 Recede : EBB
4 Submit, as homework : HAND IN
10 “Yeah … I don’t think so” : UM … NO
14 Gymnast Suni of Team U.S.A. : LEE
15 Plaza resident of fiction : ELOISE
16 What some flakes are made of : BRAN
17 59-Across from someone who’s paying? : IT’S MY TREAT
19 Thus : ERGO
20 Feature of Jupiter’s moon Europa : OCEAN
21 Apple field worker? : IT PRO
23 Acronymic title for a legendary athlete : THE GOAT
26 23-Across, in boxing : ALI
27 Purchase : BUY
30 59-Across from an anxious caller? : ANSWER THE PHONE
33 Sound of intrigue : OOH!
34 Thoroughly enjoy : EAT UP
35 59-Across from a frustrated parent? : CLEAN YOUR ROOM!
41 “I’m ___ of you” (Valentine’s Day message for a plant lover?) : FROND
42 Mole that should definitely be removed? : SPY
43 59-Across from a carpooler? : DO YOU NEED A RIDE?
50 Record label for H.E.R. and SZA : RCA
51 Letters of amusement : LOL
52 Erstwhile : ONE-TIME
54 Tons o’ : LOTSA
56 Singing rodent of cartoondom : ALVIN
57 Bridges in film : JEFF
59 “Come here often?,” e.g. … or a hint to 17-, 30-, 35- and 43-Across : PICKUP LINE or “PICK UP” LINE
63 “Frozen” snowman : OLAF
64 It might include a plus one : INVITE
65 Feminist assn. since 1966 : NOW
66 Storage containers : BINS
67 Like matryoshka dolls : NESTED
68 Speech fillers : ERS
Down
1 Poet who wrote “April is the cruellest month” : ELIOT
2 “You ___!” (informal affirmative) : BETCHA
3 Appear in public : BE SEEN
4 “Whoa, take it easy!” : HEY NOW!
5 Prefix with rock or country : ALT-
6 Neither’s partner : NOR
7 Game piece with multiple faces : DIE
8 Name meaning “God is salvation” : ISAIAH
9 Annoy : NETTLE
10 Cab alternative : UBER
11 1983 hit song that begins with “Domo arigato” : MR ROBOTO
12 Prod, and then some : NAG
13 Famous bed-in participant : ONO
18 They have issues, in brief : MAGS
22 Certain itinerant musician : PIPER
24 “___ Flux” (1990s animated sci-fi series) : AEON
25 Setting for the “Iliad” : TROY
28 “E pluribus ___” : UNUM
29 Informal affirmative : YEP
31 Ones being pointed to at a distance : THOSE
32 Good, in Chinese : HAO
35 Certain slip-on shoe : CROC
36 Die-hard follower : LOYAL FAN
37 Ambient musician Brian : ENO
38 Grown-up : ADULT
39 Topknot, for one : UPDO
40 Reynolds of “Deadpool” : RYAN
41 N.Y.C. drive, with “the” : … FDR
44 Straight-up : NO-SPIN
45 Five-time Olympic sprinting gold medalist ___ Thompson-Herah : ELAINE
46 Harvested : REAPED
47 “___ be OK” : IT’LL
48 Heavenly : DIVINE
49 Key of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 : E MINOR
53 Celeb gossip show : E! NEWS
55 Exterminates : OFFS
57 Word with snow or day : … JOB
58 QB Manning : ELI
60 Drugstore chain known for long receipts : CVS
61 Baby fox : KIT
62 Great Basin tribe : UTE
