Pressure Cooking

About the Puzzle

I wrote this puzzle back in 2017. The New York Times rejected it at the time, but I can't remember why...maybe they felt like some of the theme answers were a bit too "unnatural" sounding. Nonetheless, I love the theme of this puzzle--it still puts a smile on my face! I hope you enjoy it also.  

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  • 1 "She," to a seadog
  • 5 Major Pittsburgh employer
  • 10 Bad people are taken to this
  • 14 "I can't watch!"
  • 15 Radio-based navigation system
  • 16 Venue with many booths
  • 17 Montenegro joined it in 2017
  • 18 Two-time Country Grammy winner
  • 19 "But what more could I do"
  • 20 Pumped the Gouda Gang for info?
  • 23 Galoot
  • 24 Ottawa Senators captain Karlsson
  • 25 Quaff at "The Prancing Pony"
  • 26 Interrogated the Butterball Bandits?
  • 32 Type of season
  • 34 ___ the rubber (pitcher's action)
  • 35 Self-styled "non-musician" Brian
  • 36 Copper, so to speak
  • 40 "No hard feelings?"
  • 42 Lays competitor
  • 43 ___ man about a horse
  • 45 Beyond that
  • 46 Worked over the Starbucks Syndicate?
  • 51 Be a friend to
  • 52 Something briefly dropped?
  • 53 Flow impeder
  • 56 Gave the Pearl Pack the third degree?
  • 59 Beyond the horizon, say
  • 61 Banded together (with)
  • 62 Horace contemporary
  • 63 Keyboard row or key
  • 64 2600 maker
  • 65 Title clownfish of film
  • 66 Chopped
  • 67 Homies
  • 68 Historian's divisions
  • 1 Drum in a salsa club
  • 2 Maureen who was "The Queen of Technicolor"
  • 3 Fluid for cold mornings
  • 4 Piece of work?
  • 5 Tailors
  • 6 Have a haughty air
  • 7 Whence the phrase "sticky wicket"
  • 8 Something sworn
  • 9 Animal in the suborder Vermilingua ("worm tongue")
  • 10 Quick clip
  • 11 Bar on the road
  • 12 Cruise ship amenity
  • 13 Puts down
  • 21 Grazer's place
  • 22 Not get spotted by
  • 27 Pursuer of Frodo
  • 28 Like a non-starter, for short
  • 29 Passed out
  • 30 Genesis offspring
  • 31 One may join a team
  • 32 Style, at a salon
  • 33 ___'acte (intermission)
  • 37 Weingarten of nail polish fame
  • 38 Rush order words
  • 39 Apt name for a talkative guy?
  • 41 Bitty
  • 44 Served in the role of
  • 47 Was livid
  • 48 They're taken at diners
  • 49 "Bon Appétit" reader
  • 50 It's a joy to have
  • 54 One's inner self
  • 55 Windows replaced it
  • 56 "___ difference"
  • 57 Ortiz of martial arts
  • 58 Skye of "Say Anything..."
  • 59 "The Living Daylights" band
  • 60 Sly or sexy one