QOD: If you want peace, don’t talk to your friends. Talk to your enemies. ~ Desmond Tutu (né Desmond Mpilo Tutu; Oct. 7, 1931 ~ Dec. 26, 2021), South African cleric and recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize
Steal My Heart.
16-Across. Replace a player on the basepath: PINCH RUN.
20-Across. Comedian who co-created the Netflix animated series "Big Mouth": NICK KROLL.
63-Across. Go on a break, or what the starts of 16-, 20-, 32-, 43-, and 57-Across can be called: TAKE FIVE. Five examples of stealing.
Across:
1. Scrabble piece: TILE.
5. Come to a close: END.
8. Small fruit pie: TART.
12. Beyoncé, to the Beyhive: IDOL. Before she went out on her own, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (b. Sept. 4, 1981), she was the lead singer of Destiny's Child. Her ardent fans are known as the Beyhive.
13. Caviar: ROE.
14. "Makes sense now": AH, I SEE!
18. Sibling's daughters: NIECES. // Lots of family relationships in today's puzzle. We also saw 24-Across. Unlike 18-Across: MALE. // And we have 40-Across. Mama's hermana: TIA.
19. Critical time: D-DAY.
22. October birthstone: OPAL. Many opals are found in Australia. Hi, Kazie!
25. Bag-checking org.: TSA. As in the Transportation Security Administration.
26. Dana Bash's channel: CNN. Dana Ruth Bash (b. 1971) is an American journalist, news anchor, host of Inside Politics and co-anchor of State of the Union on CNN.
28. Loose-leaf beverage: TEA. // And 3-Down. Drink made with Earl Grey tea and steamed milk: LONDON FOG. I thought London Fog was a clothing manufacturer.
30. Fly or fish, for example: VERB. // And 6-Down. Fly or fish, for example: NOUN.
35. Top poker cards: ACES.
39. Houseplant that seldom needs watering: ALOE.
41. Iditarod town: NOME. A brief history of the Iditarod sled race.
42. Prefix with watts: MEGA.- So fraught with meaning ...
46. Bread served with biryani: ROTI. Let's travel to India for today's meal. Roti is a simple, unleavened flatbread and biryani is an elaborate, aromatic mixed rice dish. Yummers!
48. Body of water: SEA.
49. Glum: SAD.
50. Orbiting facility: Abbr.: ISS. As in the International Space Station.
53. __ de gallo: PICO. Now let's travel to Mexico for our next meal. Pico de gallo is a Mexican salsa. Yummers!
55. Dethrone: OUST.
60. Informed: TOLD.
62. Bemoan: LAMENT.
66. Add a raised design to: EMBOSS.
67. Younger "ManningCast" host: ELI. Eli Manning (né Elisha Nelson Manning; b. Jan. 3, 1981) is the son of Archie (né Elisha Archibald Manning, III; b. May 19, 1949) and the younger brother of Cooper (né Cooper Archibald Manning) and Peyton (né Peyton Williams Manning; b. Mar. 24, 1976). The sons were all born in New Orleans. Cooper's dreams of following the family into a football career were dashed when he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. His son, Arch (Archibald Charles Manning; b. Apr. 27, 2004) plays college football.
68. Reverse: UNDO.
69. Stretch across: SPAN. Bridge building is an engineering feat.
70. Earn after taxes: NET.
71. Loch with a legend: NESS.
Down:
1. Helpful pointer: TIP.
2. Terse confession: I DID.
4. Yosemite Valley landmark, for short: EL CAP. It's formal name is El Capitan and it is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park. Sadly, just last week a young climber, Balin Miller (Jan. 12, 2002 ~ October 1, 2025), fell to his death attempting a climb up the face of this rock formation.
5. Use bleach on a load of colored laundry, say: ERR.
QOD: My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.~Desmond Tutu (né Desmond Mpilo Tutu; Oct. 7, 1931 ~ Dec. 26, 2021), South African cleric and recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize