Crossword puzzle answers: December 8, 2016

ACROSS1 New growth 6 Recipe meas. 10 Diner special 14 The good dishes 15 Low voice 16 Black-and-white snack 17 Thoroughfares 18 Fossilized plants 19 Longish skirt 20 Opposed 21 Restaurant takeouts (2 wds.) 23 Fuzzy fruits 25 Victorian garment 26 Rock concert souvenir 27 Country singer Patsy -- 29 Weaker, as an excuse 32 Nest builders 33 Laugh syllable 36 Very pleased 37 Cheech's partner 38 Modicum 39 Fair-hiring letters 40 Basketball venue 41 Smudge 42 Keen 43 Knock politely 44 Hoodlums 47 Give credit 51 Gratis (3 wds.) 54 Ben Jonson works 55 Spunky movie princess 56 Woes 57 Not touching 58 Insect resins 59 "-- drummers drumming ..." 60 Snicker (hyph.) 61 Wooden strip 62 Capricorn's symbol 63 Moderate gaits

DOWN 1 Discard 2 Hold the --! 3 Gaucho's rope 4 Charged with a crime 5 Tank filler 6 Baja fast food 7 Surfer's reading 8 Antler bearer 9 Walking a beat 10 Durango dude 11 Verdi numbers 12 Swamp grass 13 Raise, as a sail 21 Joey or Kiki 22 Nearly forever 24 That girl 27 Old hag 28 Jazzy -- Horne 29 Size above med. 30 Pub pint 31 Chairman -- 32 Hone 33 Ground breaker 34 Depot info 35 Pitcher handle 37 Flattening 38 Racy 40 Throb 41 Cul-de- -- 42 Horrified 43 Half a dangerous fly 44 Bridge fees 45 Cager Shaq -- 46 Ancient Phoenician port 47 Money in the bank 48 Popular potato 49 Jaunty lid 50 -- Park, Colorado 52 Mishmash 53 Radius companion 57 Legal rep