ACROSS

1 Indicates 3-A or 4-C hair texture
5 Saturated by water, maybe
11 Island group acronym
12 Almost, but not quite
13 According to the Times, the most influential singer of the Era
15 Pediatrician’s org.
16 Diplomatic rep.
17 Home of the Cowboys
20 Organ for hearing
23 Soul’s most Unforgettable nepo baby
26 Spanish equivalent of “so-so,” when said twice
27 Tea-time pastries
28 Not yet determined, briefly
31 Wrath or fury
32 Rare singer and former Disney star
37 Ponder
38 Back of the neck
39 Corroded from oxidation
40 Common Spanish first name, or “nothing” when spelled backwards

DOWN
1 Such as Everest or Jojo
2 Currently ranked #1 by FIFAWWC
3 Such as duchess, marquess, or princess
4 “I can’t hear you!”
5 Signal-to-noise radio, in tech-talk
6 Office within the Department of Education, promotes excellence and equity
7 Dusk’s early counterpart
8 What slow traffic or loud chewing might do?
9 Typically found on shelves in December
10 All the News That’s Fit to Print
14 October’s birthstone
17 Genetic blueprint
18 International organization for astronomers, in short
19 Familiar term for sibling or friend
21 Craft beer variety
22 Dorm address, abbr.
24 Vape
25 A beer or virus
29 Generation of writers, including Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg
30 When it’s upped, things get intense
32 Polite address
33 Trinity’s domain ending
34 Life-saving defibrillator
35 U.S. agency that protects the environment
36 State of tranquility