The New York Times crossword puzzle

Across

1 Corresponds 7 Very much 11 Hot temper 14 Something often held underwater 15 Flummox 17 Flummox 18 Shakespeare, notably

19 Call of support 20 Grazer with a bushy beard 21 Joined forces (with)

22 South American arboreal snake 26 Laser tag equipment 27 Depictions of lands’ ups and downs 29 Seriously shortchange 32 Focal points of a debate 34 Offensive line 35 Mind 36 Brambles with edible purple fruit

39 Resting place 40 Uncompromising sorts 42 Small bouquet 43 Setting for Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” 45 Casts off 47 Weekly 90-min. TV show 48 Cowboys’ grp.

50 Word with room or system 52 Flummox … or a classic word game represented by the central grid of shaded squares, in which 15-, 17and 55-Across can be found 55 Flummox 56 Nonchalant 57 No. after a no. 58 Drink sometimes served in a masu cup 59 Hits the roof

Down

1 “Sesame Street” Muppet with magical powers 2 Hug or kiss, maybe

3 Took a second? 4 Three-vowel French word that sounds like a fourth vowel 5 French connections 6 ___-wolf

7 “___ Ben Adhem” (Leigh Hunt poem) 8 “Dancing With the Stars” judge Goodman 9 Comes clean 10 Certain marketing gimmicks 11 Pensée 12 Liberal arts college in Portland, Ore. 13 Transgress 16 Former Fords

18 In a real mess 20 Runs out of water

23 Start of a count-off 24 Name that drops “-jah” 25 Dumbbell curls build them, for short 26 Monthly utility statement 28 Sound from a crib

29 Giving a boost 30 Unrefined material 31 Dangerous pellets 32 Rabble 33 Figure on a fiver

34 Winter exclamation 37 Photo lab request: Abbr.

38 Singer Lana del ___ 40 Surfer wannabes 41 Subordinate in the prosecutor’s office: Abbr. 42 Its flag has vertical stripes of red-whitered

44 Key just above G

45 Glasses, informally 46 Weight

47 Old dagger 49 Collectible cartoon frames 50 Award turned down by Alan Rickman: Abbr. 51 Variety 52 Pre-A.D. 53 Piece of equipment for certain summer Olympians 54 Atlanta sch.