Today’s Saturday Stumper

The Newsday Saturday Stumper seems to once again be available from the Newsday site without a subscription. Hurrah! Today’s Stumper is by “Anna Stiga,” or Stan Again, Stan Newman, the puzzle’s editor. The pseudonym marks an easier Stumper, and this one is indeed easier, though several clues made me struggle. 8-D, nine letters, “Baker of artisanal breads”? Well, it’s not PEPPERIDGEFARM.

Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:

1-A, six letters, “Unsuccessful.” I always think of the answer as a word I learned in college.

12-D, three letters, “Know how.” Sneaky.

20-A, twelve letters, “French president’s term.” Pretty Stumpery. I thought the answer had to be in French, and there is an answer in French that looks right, but it’s wrong.

21-D, four letters, “‘_____ travail!’ (‘Too much work!’: Fr.).” Part of the reason I thought the answer for 20-A was in French.

28-A, three letters, “Common contents of bookcases.” ART? CDS? Also pretty Stumpery.

30-A, seven letters, “Hershiser in ’88, Pujols in ’04”: uh, sports? No doubt many solvers will just know this, but not me.

41-A, seven letters, “‘Father’ to ‘père,’ per Wikipedia.” I just liked seeing the answer.

47-D, six letters, “One of four in Romeo and Juliet.” I caught on.

48-D, six letters, “Museum pieces.” There’s a poem that comes to mind.

58-A, four letters, “Fair pair.” I always like an answer that I think I understand until I realize that I’ve probably misunderstood it. It’s like getting a bonus answer when the puzzle is done.

No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.