67A: You’ve seen this before. Even if you haven’t, ask yourself: What does this clue really want me to do? Is “Half of nine?” asking you to do some division and come up with FOUR AND A HALF? Not at all. It’s asking you to look closely at the word “nine.” Half the letters in that word are ENS (N’s).

13D: One reason we run the weekly feature “What the Heck Is That?” is because we understand that there is some general knowledge in the puzzle that solvers might not be familiar with, so we define the word and provide examples of how you might see it clued. That way, you’ll recognize it the next time it comes up. One of the first ones we did was NEMEA, which is where Hercules was sent to slay the terrifying Nemean lion. The other reason is that it gives me more to do so I don’t wander off and get myself into trouble.

37D: Hey now! This clue/entry pairing was unexpected, but made me laugh. “Chain letters?” are not the kind you pass along in hopes of having good luck for the next 100 years, at least not in this puzzle. They are the letters S AND M, which ostensibly involves … well, you know.

55D: Watching constructors and puzzle editors try to come up with fresh clues for a ubiquitous entry like OREOS is almost a hobby for me now. Applause for today’s clue, “Shelfmates of Chips Ahoy!”

Today’s Theme

If you are solving in our web game or in the app, get your rebus button warmed up. Mr. Kwong has scattered a few comments, mostly about himself (ME!), in this grid.

I’m kidding, but not about the rebus. The rebus is real. The word ME is squeezed into a single square eight times (I’m including the revealer, PRIME TIME EMMY, at 62A), and all of them work for both the Across and Down entries.

But wait, as a wise man once said, there’s more. There are five television programs in the grid that contain these ME rebuses, and all of the programs have won PRIME TIME EMMYs. The clues are the years they won the award, because it’s Thursday and Mr. Kwong is going to make you work for your solve.