Today’s Saturday Stumper

Today’s Newsday  Saturday Stumper is by “Anna Stiga,” Stan Again, Stan Newman, the puzzle’s editor, offering an easier Stumper of his own making. Easier it was. I took me twenty-odd minutes, with some difficulty in the northwest that cleared up with 4-D, three letters, “Traffic stopper.” Note to self: read every clue.

Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:

1-D, six letters, “Go downhill fast.” Wonderful word.

9-D, five letters, “Tried to keep one’s seat.” Stumper-y.

14-A, eight letters, “One-third power.” POSEIDON would fit (sharing rule with Zeus and Hades).

24-D, seven letters, “Verb coined by Lewis Carroll.” A gift.

26-D, seven letters, “Silhouette border.” I kept thinking of the people with scissors who appear at old-timey recreations.

30-A, five letters, “Pajama-clad title character of a ’51 film.” And look what follows.

31-A, three letters, “Big ape.” Ha!

40-A, eight letters, “Batcave facility.” But of course.

63-A, eight letters, “Sarcastic show of support.” New to me. I’ve seen it but didn’t know the name.

My favorite in this puzzle: 3-D, six letters, “Instrument made from bamboo.” SHAKUHACHI just wouldn’t fit.

No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.