Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle

Constructor: Rajeswari RajamaniRelative difficulty: Easy-MediumTHEME: RIPPED ABS (61A: Many a gymgoer's goal ... or what the starred clues in this puzzle must have for their answers to make sense?)— you have to "rip" the "abs" (i.e. the letters "ab") from the starred clues to make sense of them:Theme answers:EXPONENTS (17A: *They're found next to cabarets [carets])PONZI SCHEMES (24A: *Viable [Vile] investment plans)EMAILS (38A: *They might be marked asabsent [sent])ORALLY (40A: *Baby [By] talk)BELOW THE BELT (49A: *Like some nasty habits [hits])Word of the Day: Junipero SERRA(67A: Junipero ___, known as the "Apostle of California") —Saint Junípero Serra FerrerO.F.M.(/huːˈniːpəroʊˈsɛrə/;Spanish:[xuˈnipeɾoˈsera]; November 24, 1713– August 28, 1784), popularly known simply asJunipero Serra, was a SpanishCatholicpriest and missionary of theFranciscan Order. He is credited with establishing theFranciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda, aUNESCO World Heritage Site. He founded a mission inBaja...