Today’s Newsday Saturday

Today’s Newsday  Saturday crossword, by S. N., Stan Newman, the puzzle’s editor, is a real challenge, a great crossword, a Saturday Stumper in everything but name. I ended up stuck in the northeast corner last night and put the puzzle aside for another episode of Mare of Easttown. And while I was watching, an answer I needed to sort that corner out — for 19-A, five letters, “Some stocks or colleges” — popped into my head, and not because of anything happening in Easttown. Episode over, I went back to the puzzle and got the rest. Three episodes to go.

Some clue-and-answer pairs I especially liked:

1-A, seven letters, “1990 coinage in PC Magazine.” The puzzle begins on an educational note. I didn’t know the word went back so far.

5-D, four letters, “What onion rings lack.” SKIN? The answer was not obvious to me.

8-D, three letters, “It’s good for Nazarenes.” A tough one from the northeast. But then so simple.

10-D, four letters, “Arm elevator.” O northeast corner. I thought I knew it, then thought too hard. REST?

15-D, six letters, “Francis is the first pope to be one.” My education is showing.

22-D, three letters, “It often flew FDR during WWII.” Surprising.

29-A, four letters, “Sticking point.” A nice way to clue this answer.

31-A, six letters, “Pop star since the ’50s.” I am happy to know this performer is still with us.

38-A, three letters, “What tops certain faces.” Defamiliarization at work.

50-D, six letters, “Second-shot target, often.” More defamiliarization.

57-A, four letters, “Early-year beef.” An inventive way to improve the answer.

My favorite: 14-A, fourteen letters, “Indy, more formally.” Aha! But even after you see most of it, the final letters are perhaps not obvious.

No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.