Author: Victor Barocas
Editor: Will Shortz
Across
Book after II Chronicles EZRA
Stone on a set EMMA
Heat almost to the point of boiling SCALD
Bad person to trust LIAR
Close at hand NEAR
Actress Shire of “Rocky” TALIA
*Large container for cinnamon or coriander? SPICEDRUM
Sign up for, as a contest ENTER
Good qualities ASSETS
*Gist of a Dear John letter? LOVEDONE
Able is he and he is Elba IDRIS
Depend (on) RELY
Number for John Tyler (or Alexander Hamilton) TEN
Tiny matter? ATOM
Place back on the market, say RELIST
Not yet up INBED
Laundry unit LOAD
Pot starter ANTE
*Play matchmaker? FORGEDALLIANCES
Lose steam FLAG
Cookie in a Dairy Queen Blizzard OREO
Perfect IDEAL
Seasonal workers in red suits SANTAS
Recovers some yards? SODS
Deal that protects company secrets, for short NDA
Midmonth date IDES
Boneless steakhouse order FILET
*Tinkling racket on a windy day? CHIMEDIN
Jog the memory of REMIND
Positive Instagram responses LIKES
Change a map of southern England? … or, when parsed differently, what you need to do to the answers to the starred clues MOVEDOVER
Unconcealed OVERT
Grp. that Qatar left in 2019 OPEC
Rapper Wyclef JEAN
Pick on, in a way TEASE
On deck NEXT
Analogy words ISTO
Down
Woman’s name that’s also the first four letters of a Central American country name ELSA
Closes, as a fly ZIPS
Kellogg’s cereal with a purple box RAISINBRAN
Followed a curved path ARCED
Breaks off a relationship ENDSIT
Lead-in to maid or man MER
Viciously attack MAUL
Brink’s truck feature ARMOR
s TV role for Brosnan STEELE
Game with Lollipop Woods and Gumdrop Mountains CANDYLAND
Kind of sax ALTO
Lender’s security LIEN
Have the courage DARE
Online financial company ETRADE
“Il Trovatore” composer VERDI
Like some panels and flares SOLAR
Dust-ups TIFFS
“___ Holmes” (streaming film about Sherlock’s sister) ENOLA
Earthworm hunters MOLES
Deal sweeteners INCENTIVES
Stand in good ___ STEAD
Automaker with a Cybertruck TESLA
Kitchen counters? EGGTIMERS
Standoffish ALOOF
Gave a shot, say DOSED
Designed with passageways AISLED
“___ Fideles” ADESTE
To the point DIRECT
“Simple” nursery rhyme character SIMON
Nontext component of a text EMOJI
Form lumps CLOT
Bee complex HIVE
Retail giant whose first store opened in Älmhult, Sweden IKEA
“Uh-uh” NOPE
Lacking clutter NEAT
Foe of Mr. Bond DRNO
Cause trouble for VEX
