0621-26 NY Times Crossword 21 Jun 26, Sunday

Constructed by: Hannah Slovut-Einertson
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: Big Draw

Happy Father’s Day, everyone! Themed answers all relate to the GIRAFFE. If we connect the letters circled in the grid, in alphabetical order, we DRAW and BIG GIRAFFE. Clever …

  • 76A “Annual June 21 celebration of the animal depicted in this puzzle by connecting the circled letters from A to T and back to A” : WORLD GIRAFFE DAY
  • 67A “Boy, you’re asking too much” … or what you might say after following the instructions at 76-Across? : THAT’S A TALL ORDER
  • 21A Fighting technique used by [circled letters] (as explained at 76-Across) : NECKING
  • 124A Habitat for [circled letters] : SAVANNA
  • 20D Closest living relative of the [circled letters] : OKAPI
  • 39D Term for groups of [circled letters] : TOWERS
  • 81D Tree whose leaves are eaten by [circled letters] : ACACIA
  • 109D Fur pattern on a [circled letters] : SPOTS
Bill’s time: 20m 17s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

My wife and I are traveling right now, and so I only found time to solve today’s puzzle and write up this very tardy and abbreviated post. I will get to the full post just as soon as I can.

Apologies, and thank you for your understanding.

Bill

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1A Letters accompanying applications, for short : RECS
5A Includes without others knowing, in a way : BCCS
9A “I haven’t a clue” : BEATS ME
16A Plant with an edible inner gel : ALOE
17A Up to snuff : ABLE
18A All over the place : ERRATIC
19A Drove in an A.T.V., say, informally : OFF-ROADED
21A Fighting technique used by [circled letters] (as explained at 76-Across) : NECKING
22A Unreal? : FAKE
23A Verify, as an editor might : FACT-CHECK
25A Launch points in disc golf : TEE PADS
28A “Everything good?,” as a cook might ask : TASTE OK?
29A Laptop mode : SLEEP
30A Tap products : ALES
32A ID used for far more than its name suggests : SSN
33A Do wrong : ERR
34A They’re just one problem after another : IQ TESTS
37A Spanish direction : ESTE
41A Whatchamacallit : NOUN
43A “One ___ Soldier” (1969 antiwar song) : TIN
44A Belgrade resident : SERB
47A Word on either side of “to” : TOE
48A Physician specializing in reproductive health, informally : GYNO
49A Like some flights: Abbr. : INTL
51A Restrict : TIE DOWN
53A Long, hooded cloak that’s also an author’s name : CAPOTE
55A Areas of influence : SPHERES
56A Part of many a mailing address, in brief : PO BOX
59A White dwarf phenomenon : NOVA
61A ___ so often : EVERY
62A Traps during a storm, perhaps : ICES IN
64A Vermont summer hrs. : EDT
66A Certain natural hairstyle : LOCS
67A “Boy, you’re asking too much” … or what you might say after following the instructions at 76-Across? : THAT’S A TALL ORDER
71A Popular browser for accessing the dark web : TOR
72A “Is it OK for us to leave?” : CAN WE GO?
73A It’s one for the history books : EON
76A “Annual June 21 celebration of the animal depicted in this puzzle by connecting the circled letters from A to T and back to A” : WORLD GIRAFFE DAY
81A Japanese audio brand : AIWA
82A Secondary account, in social media slang : ALT
83A Boundaries : LIMITS
84A Be part of, as a film : ACT IN
85A “Surprised to see you here!” : OH, HI!
88A Limber : LITHE
89A Hindu god with an elephant head : GANESHA
92A Satchel with a gendered name : MAN BAG
94A Defeats without difficulty : ACES OUT
95A “I ___ you!” : ENVY
96A Indian royal : RAJA
100A Certain sib : SIS
101A M.L.B. team whose stadium is less than 10 miles from another M.L.B. team’s : METS
103A “Go on, beat it!” : GIT!
104A Pizazz : ELAN
105A “Qué ___ contigo?” (“What’s wrong with you?”) : PASA
107A Cancels out : NEGATES
110A Common holder of pens : MUG
111A Mathematical constant equal to two times pi : TAU
114A Honoré de Balzac’s “___ Goriot” : PERE
115A Give a buzz : PHONE
117A Farm play area : CORN PIT
119A Clergyman known for his verbal gaffes : SPOONER
121A Takes little effort : COMES EASY
123A Minimally : A TAD
124A Habitat for [circled letters] : SAVANNA
125A Starchy plant part in Asian cooking : LOTUS ROOT
129A Something running at a bar : OPEN TAB
130A Fateful day : IDES
131A Digital know-it-all : SIRI
132A Debuted to stockholders, in Wall St. lingo : WENT IPO
133A Art museum that awards the annual Turner Prize : TATE
134A Reindeer cousins : ELKS

Down

1D Big name in the pasta aisle : RAO
2D One often pictured wearing pointy shoes : ELF
3D Task for an office gofer, maybe : COFFEE RUN
4D Colorful wrap : SERAPE
5D Spoke sheepishly? : BAAED
6D Compound found in marijuana, for short : CBD
7D What sets the tone : CLEF
8D Calms : SEDATES
9D Natural predispositions : BENTS
10D Builds : ERECTS
11D National park in Utah : ARCHES
12D “Here, try a sample” : TAKE ONE
13D Driver’s alternative to automatic : STICK
14D Semiaquatic carnivore : MINK
15D Med. diagnostic : ECG
20D Closest living relative of the [circled letters] : OKAPI
24D Show groups : CASTS
25D Golfer Yani : TSENG
26D “The Jetsons” son : ELROY
27D Attended, as a lecture : SAT IN ON
31D Temporarily gave : LENT TO
35D This goes in one ear : Q-TIP
36D {1, 2, 3} and {4, 5, 6} : SETS
38D Offering in lieu of a cash refund, perhaps : STORE CREDIT
39D Term for groups of [circled letters] : TOWERS
40D Teeny-tiny : EENSY
42D Free : NO-COST
45D Sometimes-intentional jeans feature : RIP
46D Looked upon : BEHELD
50D “I want you to be honest …” : LEVEL WITH ME…
52D R&B group Bell Biv ___ : DEVOE
54D Follower of “x” or “y” : … AXIS
56D Pennsylvania school, for short : PITT
57D Diez minus dos : OCHO
58D Testify : BEAR WITNESS
60D Chicago’s ___ Planetarium : ADLER
63D Salt’s formula : NACL
65D Threads around a forum? : TOGA
68D “Look at this!” : TA-DA!
69D Part of WASP : ANGLO
70D “HAHAHAHA!” : ROFL!
74D Vow : OATH
75D Where Ferrari is “RACE,” in brief : NYSE
77D Tot’s injuries : OWIES
78D Price for a return, perhaps : RANSOM
79D Sneaker brand : FILA
80D Political exile : EMIGRE
81D Tree whose leaves are eaten by [circled letters] : ACACIA
84D Audibly shocked : AGASP
86D Big garage, essentially : HANGAR
87D They’re sent after save-the-date cards : INVITES
90D Tone : HUE
91D Memo abbr. : ATTN
93D Eight bits : BYTE
97D Nutty extract : ALMOND OIL
98D French for “yellow” : JAUNE
99D Tick off : ANGER
102D Filter option : SEPIA
106D Small superhero whose catchphrase starts “Up and at ’em” : ATOM ANT
108D Becomes wild, as a party : GETS LIT
109D Fur pattern on a [circled letters] : SPOTS
112D Self-reflective question : AREN’T I?
113D Start to take off, as a onesie : UNSNAP
116D Practically speechless? : HOARSE
117D Spelling bee? : COVEN
118D Late singer Bryson : PEABO
120D YouTube button with two lines : PAUSE
121D Bit of superhero wear : CAPE
122D “Star Wars” character whose species is never named : YODA
124D “You reap what you ___” : SOW
126D Holiday whose name means “festival” : TET
127D Mork’s home planet : ORK
128D “Indeed” : ‘TIS