Tuesday's New York Times puzzle solved: June 12, 2018

My time: 6:16.

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Put on your crossword-solvin' shoes for this one by Samuel A. Donaldson and Tracy Gray, which imagines punny footwear for three occupations, buying shoes JUST FOR KICKS.  A cat burglar would buy and wear SUCTION PUMPS, a synchronized swimmer would wear WATER MOCCASINS, and an event coordinator wears PARTY PLATFORMS.

ABIE has been clued three different ways since I've been keeping track: the Jewish protagonist in the play "Abie's Irish Rose," the comic strip about the Agent, and today as a song from "Hair."  The song "ABIE Baby" is about working for the man, and how we're not going to take it anymore.  The title character of the song is Abe Lincoln.  (I've been pronouncing it "Abby!"  Is it "Ay-bee??")

Never heard of MIRIAM Makeba, "Mama Africa," a South African singer and UN Goodwill Ambassador.  Here is her "Click Song."

The Camaro IROC appeared on September 7, 2017.  Today we see the Camaro IROC-Z, the "Camaro that thinks it's a Corvette," introduced in 1984.

Clever clues: "Bear that's up at night?" is URSA.  "Lion's pride?" is MANE.  "Pressing concerns for astronauts?" is G-FORCES.

That's it!  Well GEE, WHAT A TREAT this puzzle was.  I liked the funny theme, with its quite witty capper.  Nice and easy for a Tuesday.