Today’s Saturday Stumper

Today’s Newsday Saturday Stumper is by Brad Wilber, and it’s a tough one. I started with 8-A, eight letters, “St. Thomas, compared to the other US Virgin Islands.” Wrong answer, but at least the last two letters were right, and they sent me on my way. Two answers had me thinking they couldn’t be right, but they were. And so all the answers were right.

Clue-and-answer pairs I especially liked:

12-D, eight letters, “Curb cut beneficiary.” Been there. Will be again, someday.

24-A, six letters, “Pulse quickeners.” No, that can’t be right, I thought. Even after I had the answer, it took me a while to see it. I was expecting a more recognizable plural.

25-D, five letters, “They often keep the change.” Among other things.

30-D, six letters, “Ready for delivery.” I like the indirection.

32-A, five letters, “Mentor of Mozart.” Rudimentary knowledge of classical music pays off.

35-D, four letters, “Showerhead essential.” Here too the answer had me thinking That can’t be right. I have a love-hate relationship with this kind of clue.

43-A, five letters, “Prepares on canvas.” I was thinking of something having to do with gesso. Bob Ross, help!

50-D, five letters, “Justifications for bizarre behavior.” Well, maybe not justifications. Occasions?

63-A, six letters, “Dairy delivery.” And thanks, once again, after many years, to the student who corrected my pronunciation of the answer.

65-A, five letters, “Voyages of the ‘USS Enterprise.’” This clue had me stuck, not because of an admitted lack of Star Trek knowledge but because I didn’t understand the form that the answer took.

And one clue I liked, but whose answer, not at all: 18-A, eight letters, “Backdrop for moonwalks.” I was trying to think of an answer having to do with MTV. Nope.

No spoilers: the answers are in the comments.