Universal Crossword Clues and Answers January 16, 2024
Author: by Chris Gross
Across
| ___ out (decline to participate) | OPT |
| “Insecure” star Rae | ISSA |
| Fox in “Back to the Future” | MCFLY |
| Per ___ (daily) | DIEM |
| Afternoon socials | TEAS |
| First zodiac sign | ARIES |
| Ticklish Muppet | ELMO |
| Word after “K” or “Wal” | MART |
| Fictional work | NOVEL |
| *1982 film for which Meryl Streep won Best Actress | SOPHIESCHOICE |
| Easy throw | TOSS |
| Unit of current, briefly | AMP |
| Murmur | COO |
| *Award whose first winners included Scattergories and Taboo | MENSASELECT |
| “Better Call Saul” network | AMC |
| Delivery person? | MOM |
| Starbucks size | VENTI |
| Burdensome | ONEROUS |
| Makes from scratch | CREATES |
| Open-source operating system | LINUX |
| Fed. property agency | GSA |
| It’s not observed in Ariz. | DST |
| *It includes free two-day shipping on eligible items | AMAZONPRIME |
| However | YET |
| Evian product, to the French | EAU |
| “Phooey!” | RATS |
| “Why do we have a problem?” … and a hint to the ends of the starred clues’ answers | WHATSYOURBEEF |
| Love, in Lyon | AMOUR |
| Stitches | SEWS |
| Trade fair | EXPO |
| What 37-Across is equivalent to | LARGE |
| Part of Ontario’s border | ERIE |
| Peacock part | TAIL |
| Ontario and Michigan | LAKES |
| Plant, originally | SEED |
| Glum | SAD |
Down
| Keats poems | ODES |
| First TV episode | PILOT |
| Musical pace | TEMPO |
| Quick way to say “I can relate” | ITME |
| Sail the seven ___ | SEAS |
| Wise guy’s wit | SARCASM |
| Bronchial woe | ASTHMA |
| Pedi’s partner | MANI |
| Nile reptile, for short | CROC |
| Nickel’s value | FIVECENTS |
| Gymnast Sunisa | LEE |
| French designer’s initials | YSL |
| ___ scale, on which topaz is an eight | MOHS |
| Ideology suffix | ISM |
| Black ___ (covert missions) | OPS |
| Group of eight | OCTET |
| Soul singer Redding | OTIS |
| Outback bird | EMU |
| Rejections | NOS |
| Second person? | EVE |
| Pb, to chemists | LEAD |
| Japanese cartoon style | ANIME |
| Highway sign featuring a guy with a shovel | MENATWORK |
| University of California, Santa ___ | CRUZ |
| Cosmetic brand whose name sounds like a cheer | OLAY |
| Maker of POP kitchen containers | OXO |
| Forensic TV franchise | CSI |
| Male in a flock | RAM |
| Swiss relative | GRUYERE |
| Snare for tuna | NET |
| Declines to bid | PASSES |
| Go wrong | ERR |
| Assist with a crime | ABET |
| Second-largest state | TEXAS |
| Old photo tone | SEPIA |
| Enormous | HUGE |
| Greek god whose name sounds like 16-Across | ARES |
| Boo-boo | OWIE |
| Secondhand | USED |
| Not call or raise | FOLD |
| Tide alternative | ALL |
| Goat’s sound | MAA |