| Asset-freezing org. (CONTEST ALERT! My new all-skill, solve-at-home crossword contest benefiting the Alzheimer's Foundation of America is Sept. 30. First prize, $2,500. For details visit www.alzfdn. |
| Talladega" singer who goes by his middle name, not first name (Kenneth): 2 wds. |
| Needle opening |
| First word across in the first-ever crossword (1913) and the first of a dozen appearances of the word in this puzzle's grid, written word search-style (left, right, down, and diagonally) ... Can you f |
| Opening |
| J'accuse" author's first name |
| Tennis champion Martina |
| Broadway's first Willy Loman |
| Actor's first course? |
| First name that's feminine in English and masculine in Italian |
| Actress who was the first female host of "Saturday Night Live": 2 wds. |
| Adam and Eve's first residence |
| A long time ___ in a galaxy far, far away ..." ("Star Wars" opening words) |
| Class for someone whose native tongue isn't widely spoken in the U.S., for short |
| A first name in whodunits |
| First word of a Beatles' album title |
| Alma-___, U.S.S.R. city |
| Co-creator of the Reitwagen, the first internal-combustion motorcycle |
| First thing Iowa State cheerleaders ask for? |
| Midwest university with 23 team wrestling championships |
| Five-time world champion figure skater Carol |
| Supersecretive U.S. org. |
| First pitcher to have defeated all 30 major-league teams |
| Story of a Ping-Pong champ's retirement years? |
| U.S. food giant whose brands include Banquet and Chef Boyardee |
| Part of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. |
| Dramatic opening? |
| Author Locke of the Harlem Renaissance, the first African-American Rhodes scholar (1907) |
| Surprises unpleasantly, and a hint to each starred answer's first two + last two letters |
| Hitchcock's first Technicolor film |