Wednesday's New York Times crossword puzzle solved: August 5, 2020

My time: 5:31, 24 seconds slower than my record!

Theme: EVERYTHING BAGEL, hinted at by the words within various clues: POPPY FIELD, OPEN SESAME, VERUCA SALT, and ONION DOMES.

I can't say I'm too familiar with Lil' Bow Wow, né Shad Gregory Moss, let alone with his music, let alone with his 2002 basketball movie LIKE MIKE.  A boy finds a pair of Michael Jordan's sneakers and gains the ability to play like MJ himself.  There was even a sequel!  Direct to video.

I didn't know the Tickle Me Elmo was made by TYCO (now owned by Mattel).

IOTA is clued as "leader of Kappa Lambda Mu?"  I guess that's sort of clever.  There's a fine line between clever and irritating in crossword clues, sometimes.

Knowing a little bit about Indian religions, as I do, I got SIKH immediately, but I could not have come up with the Five Thieves themselves.  Kaam (lust), Krodh (anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (attachment), and and Hankaar (ego) are the five weaknesses of human spirituality.  Sikhs also enumerate the three pillars, the five virtues, and the five Ks they wear.

Luego is Spanish for "then;" its opposite is AHORA.

Clever clues: "Story of a lifetime, in brief" is OBIT.  "Canine's coat" is ENAMEL.  Tooth, not dog!

This was a very pleasing puzzle.  I liked the long fill and how the theme was cohesive.  Nothing to POOH at here!