Thursday, August 21, 2025 Sean Ziebarth

 Theme:  Let's make some NOISE!

Prolific constructor Sean Ziebarth is a high school English teacher, surfer, and DJ.  In today's puzzle, he gives us a push in the right direction with some good advice, and suggests we make some noise in the process, hearing a little snap, crackle, and pop in common English phrases.  The theme clues and answers are:

17-Across. "Turn that frown upside down": CRACK A SMILE.  

30-Across. "Get your head on straight": SNAP OUT OF IT.

45-Across. "Get on that stage and wow the crowd": KNOCK 'EM DEAD.

61-Across. Words of wisdom, and what 17-, 30-, and 45-Across could be called?: SOUND ADVICE.

In addition to giving these phrases a fresh hearing, Sean has placed the theme entries in symmetrical rows Across.  Neato!  I'll bet it's fun to be in his class.

What else can we learn from Sean today?  Let's look at the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Best effort: A GAME.  One's highest level of play or performance.

6. Fools: CLODS.  I wasn't fond of this one, thinking that a clod is an oaf.  When I looked up synonyms of FOOL and of CLOD for today's blog, neither word listed the other.  But idiot is listed as a synonym for both clod and fool, so I suppose that if A=C and B=C, then A=B.

11. Make a mend: SEW.

14. Like much of central Illinois: RURAL.

15. "The Raven" writer, briefly: E A POE.  Edgar Allan Poe.

16. "Better. Guaranteed." gadget brand: OXO.  Favorite crossword utensils.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Whopper: LIE.

20. Luau performance: HULA.

21. Medium ability: ESP.  Extrasensory perception is an ability claimed by persons who say they are mediums, able to facilitate communication between the living and the dead.

22. Notes equivalent to C sharps: D FLATS.  These notes are the same black key on the piano (between the white keys C and D), and produce the same pitch.  The note will be written one way or the other depending on the key of a musical composition.

24. Immediately following: UPON.  "Upon hearing the news, she burst into tears."

26. Earlier: PRIOR.

27. Word with shell or shore: SEA.

30. [Theme clue]

34. Late: TARDY.

36. Sleep acronym: REM.  Rapid eye movement sleep is the stage of sleep where most dreams happen.

37. Peel: PARE.

38. Naan flour: ATTA.  If we ever have a Crossword Corner party, we are going to make naan with ATTA.  And eat many varieties of Oreos.  What else should be on the menu?

39. Addresses timeline errors, perhaps: EDITS.

41. Timeline units: ERAS.

42. Like much 1980s fashion: NEON.

43. "C'est la __!": VIE.  French for "That's life!"

44. Fess up (to): ADMIT.

45. [Theme clue]

49. __ as a fox: SLY.

50. Brand of riding mowers: DEERE.

51. YouTube journal: VLOG.  Video blog.

53. Too: OVERLY.

55. Needlework on a sleeve, for short: TAT.  A tattoo sleeve.

56. Turkey neighbor: IRAN.

60. Burrito option: WET.  A "wet burrito" is served covered in sauce, and must be eaten with a fork and knife.

61. [Theme clue]

64. Melissa of "The Fighter": LEO.  Melissa Leo is an American actress, and the recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Critics' Choice Awards.  In 2010, she won several awards for her performance in the film The Fighter, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.  DNK.

Melissa Leo

65. Come next: ENSUE.

66. Moves closer: NEARS.

67. Cheap tix option: SRO.  Standing Room Only.  No seat for you!

68. "The Wild Swans at Coole" writer: YEATS.  "The Wild Swans at Coole" is a poem by Irish poet William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), first published in 1917.

The first stanza of the poem:

The trees are in their autumn beauty,

The woodland paths are dry,

Under the October twilight the water

Mirrors a still sky;

Upon the brimming water among the stones

Are nine-and-fifty swans.

69. Selling point: ASSET.

Down:

1. Foot part: ARCH.

2. Hindu teacher: GURU.

3. North __ Sea: Central Asian lake: ARAL.  The Aral Sea was once the world’s third largest lake.  It started shrinking in the 1960s when the Soviet government diverted two of its main inlet rivers, the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, to irrigate the surrounding desert region. The North Aral Sea was separated from the South Aral Sea in 1987-88 as water levels dropped.  Independent Kazakhstan has addressed environmental degradation by again allowing the Syr Darya River to flow into the lake.

4. Hong Kong neighbor: MACAU.  Macau is an autonomous region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong. A Portuguese territory until 1999, it is said to be the most densely populated region in the world. Its giant casinos and malls have earned it the nickname, "Las Vegas of Asia."

5. Utah's state animal: ELK.

6. General aviation company owned by Textron: CESSNA.  Textron Aviation sells Beechcraft and Cessna-branded aircraft, and supports older Hawker aircraft with parts and service.

7. Lava __: LAMP.  Lava lamps have been manufactured since 1963.

Cool array next to your water bed.

8. Maker of Talk to the Hand press-on nails: OPI.  OPI is a popular brand of nail polish, so this was an easy guess.

Hard to see, but the package says TALK TO THE HAND in the upper left corner.

9. Blues: DOLDRUMS.

10. Find appropriate: SEE FIT.

11. Green energy sources in some desert regions: SOLAR FARMS.

12. Way out: EXIT.

13. Heartaches: WOES.

18. Very long time: AEON.  Aeon is the more popular spelling in Britain.  On our side of the pond, a very long time is usually an eon.

23. Like a lasso: LOOPED.

25. Therapist's maj.: PSY.  A therapist's major course of study is psychology.

26. 68-Across, for one: POET.  Ah, yes, YEATS again.

27. Performed terribly: STANK.  Past tense of stink.  "The place stank like a sewer."  Or in slang, to be very bad at something.  "He stank at golf."

28. All gone: EATEN.

29. Luke Skywalker's loyal droid: ARTOO-DETOO.  Also written as R2-D2.

This vehicle with R2-D2 on the back was seen regularly in our neighborhood of Westchester, Los Angeles, when the kids were growing up.

31. Snooped around: PRIED.

32. Letter-shaped beam: I-RAIL.  An I-shaped rail.  Apparently used for things from curtains to trains.

33. On edge: TESTY.

35. Wearer of tap shoes: DANCER.

39. With no exceptions: EVERYONE.

40. Small coin: DIME.

44. Scene: ADO.

46. Plum who was the WNBA All-Star Game MVP in 2022: KELSEY.  Kelsey Plum is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. She is a four-time WNBA All-Star and was named the WNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2022.

Kelsey Plum

47. Sidesteps: EVADES.

48. Baja's opposite: ALTA.  Spanish low and high.

52. Caves in: GIVES.

53. Parliament birds: OWLS.  A group of owls is called a parliament, reflecting their perceived wisdom.

54. Suddenly shift direction: VEER.

55. Letter-shaped fastener: T-NUT.  T-nuts are threaded fasteners with prongs that dig into the material when tightened.  First I-rail, now this!  What am I, a gearhead?

57. Coastal inlets: RIAS.

58. Part of a plot: ACRE.

59. Small tree house: NEST.

62. Jenny Thompson's team: USA.  Jenny Thompson is a former competitive swimmer.  She is one of the most decorated Olympians in history, with twelve medals, including eight gold medals, earned in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympics.

Jenny Thompson

63. Genetic blueprint: DNA.

Here's the grid:

How did EVERYONE do today?

Did you SNAP OUT OF your DOLDRUMS and KNOCK 'EM DEAD?

Or was the puzzle OVERLY difficult, so that success EVADEd you?

Let us know in the comments.

-- NaomiZ

Wednesday, September 20, 2025 Rebecca Goldstein

Theme:  Geography Lessons, and geography expansions.   As we travel through the locations, each located in the 2nd word of each theme fill, they get increasingly larger

16 A. Stop on a fall foliage tour?: LEAVES TOWN.  Ordinarily, this means departing from a TOWN.  Here, it suggests a TOWN with many colorful leafy trees.

30 A. Stop on a victory tour?: PARTY CITY.  This was a retail chain stocking a wide range of themed party supplies, plus costumes & holiday decorations.  It has gone out of business in the U.S., but is still active in Canada.  Here, though, it is a city full of revelry.  Note also, a city is larger than a town.

44 A. Stop on a wine tour?: DRY COUNTY.  This is a county in the United States where the sale and public consumption of alcohol is prohibited.   It's unclear why anyone on a wine tour would visit there, unless it's a place to stop drinking?  At any rate, a county is generally larger than a city.

58 A. Stop on an apology tour?: SORRY STATE.   This indicates being in a situation or condition that is poor, neglected, or unfortunate, often one that is deserving of pity or regret.  Here,  though, it is a place containing many counties where contrition is prominent.  

Hi, Gang, JazzBumpa here with a puzzling travelogue.  Let's embark, and see where it takes us.

Across:

1. Some cuff links: STUDS.  Formal jewelry worn at the shirt cuff in place of a button.  The stud portion is a short metal bar connecting a decoration to a fastener.

6. Passover mo., often: APR.  April.  Passover is a major Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

9. Genesis brother: ABEL.  He was murdered by his twin brother Cain.

13. Number of strands in a simple braid: THREE.  

14. Creative development: IDEA.   The thought before the brainstorm.

15. Proper partner: PRIM.  Stiffly formal and respectable; feeling or showing disapproval of anything regarded as improper.

18. Roman robe: TOGA.  A loose flowing outer garment worn by the citizens of ancient Rome, made of a single piece of cloth and covering the whole body apart from the right arm.

19. The upper crust: ELITES.   A select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society.   Or so they would have you believe.
 
20. Packers' pts.: TDS.  Touch downs.  The Packers are the team from Green Bay in the National Football League.

22. "Don't know her": WHO?   What or which person or people?

23. Shiny fender material: CHROME.  Chromium plate as a decorative or protective finish on motor-vehicle fittings and other objects.

25. "Critique of Pure Reason" philosopher: KANT.  Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central thinkers of the Enlightenment. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics have made him one of the most influential and highly discussed figures in modern Western philosophy.

27. "Well, shucks": AW, GEE.  Expressing genial self-deprecation or gratified embarrassment.

33. Epic battles: WARS.   A state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state.  In a war there may be many distict battles.

34. Section of a race: LEG.   A specific, defined part or section of the race. 

35. Call from a treehouse: UP HERE.  Telling you where to look
 
36. One day __ time: AT A.  To deal with each day's problems as they come instead of worrying about the future.

37. "Restore + Strengthen" shampoo brand: FINESSE.  Finesse shampoo, specifically the Finesse Restore + Strengthen Moisturizing Shampoo, is designed to rejuvenate dry, damaged, or stubborn hair by providing a moisturizing and strengthening treatment. 

39. Announcement makers in HS classrooms: PAS.  Public Address System, a system of microphones, amplifiers, and loudspeakers used to amplify speech or music in a large building or at an outdoor gathering..

40. Criticize harshly: REVILE.   Criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.

42. "Uh-uh": NAH.  Nope, no way, aint gonna happen.

43. Treadmill setting: PACE.  Consistent and continuous speed in walking, running, or moving.

46. Los Angeles restaurant with hot dogs named for celebrities: PINKS.

47. Overnight recipe: STEW.   A stew is a hearty dish that consists of solid food ingredients, such as meat, seafood, and/or vegetables, cooked slowly in liquid and served in the resulting gravy or thickened broth. 

48. Talk and talk and talk: YAMMER.   Talk foolishly or incessantly.

50. Shutterbug's initials: SLR.  Single Lens Reflex, a camera design where the photographer views the scene through the lens itself, using a mirror and prism system to direct the image to the viewfinder. This allows for accurate framing and focus, as you see exactly what the lens sees. 

51. Mule on the Erie Canal: SAL.  A reference to the mule featured in the American folk song, "Low Bridge, Everybody Down," also known as "The Erie Canal Song". The song tells the story of a mule named Sal who works on the Erie Canal, hauling barges filled with various goods. She is portrayed as a reliable and hardworking animal, and the song highlights the close relationship between the mule and its driver.

53. De-lightful time?: OUTAGE.  A time period when electric power is disrupted.  This is often due to storm-related infrastructure damage.  But not always. 

56. One struggling to face facts, maybe: LIAR.   A teller of untruths.  My universal theory of why this happens is that the truth is not compatible with the LIAR's agenda.

61. All-father of the Norse gods: ODIN.   A prominent figure in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism, revered as a god associated with wisdom, magic, death, prophecy, and victory in battle. He is often depicted as an old, one-eyed man with a long beard, wearing a cloak and a wide-brimmed hat, and carrying a spear. Odin is known for his insatiable thirst for knowledge, his role as the leader of the Aesir tribe of gods, and his connection to Valhalla, the hall where fallen warriors reside. 

62. Joint above an ankle: KNEE.   The largest and one of the most complex joints in the human body, connecting the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). It's a hinge joint that allows for bending and straightening of the leg, and it's crucial for weight-bearing and movement. The knee joint is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles, all working together to enable a wide range of motion and stability. 

63. Pamplona pooch: PERRO.   "Dog" en Español.  Pamplona is a city in Spain.

64. Implements in a lab coat pocket: PENS.  For copious note taking.

65. Vane dir.: SSW.  South, southwest, the compass point or direction midway between south and southwest.

66. Home to the annual Food & Wine Classic: ASPEN.  Aspen, in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, is a ski resort town and year-round destination for outdoor recreation. It's also known for high-end restaurants and boutiques, and landmarks like the Wheeler Opera House, built in 1889 during the area’s silver mining boom.  We missed this year's classic, but can try again next year.

Down:

1. Home of the Blues, for short: ST. L.  St. Louis, Mo. is home to the Blues, a professional hockey team.

2. You, once: THEE.  Archaic or dialect form of you, as the singular object of a verb or preposition.

3. Russian range: URAL.  A mountain range in western Russia that forms a traditional boundary between Europe and Asia. 

4. Tech gadgets: DEVICES.   Things made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment.

5. Stay mad: SEETHE.   Be filled with intense but unexpressed anger, by analogy to a slow boiling liquid..

6. Big fuss: ADO.  A state of agitation or fuss, especially about something unimportant.

7. Alloy in some costume jewelry: PEWTER.   A gray alloy of tin with copper and antimony (formerly, tin and lead).

8. South African currency: RAND.  The basic monetary unit of South Africa, equal to 100 cents.  The rand takes its name from the Witwatersrand ("white waters' ridge" in English, rand being the Afrikaans and Dutch word for 'ridge'), the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. 

9. Fitting: APT.  Appropriate or suitable in the circumstances.

10. Dessert tray?: BROWNIE PAN.    A type of baking pan specifically designed for making brownies. It's typically rectangular, with a non-stick surface, and often features a removable bottom or a divider to help with even baking and easy removal of the finished brownies.   The clue is a misdirection, since it usually refers to a collection of sweet treats, typically displayed on a tray or platter, served at the end of a meal as a final course. 

11. Format before cassettes: EIGHT TRACK.    A magnetic tape format popular for music distribution from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. It's characterized by a continuous loop of ¼-inch magnetic tape housed in a rectangular cartridge. Each tape contains eight tracks of audio, arranged in stereo pairs, allowing for four stereo programs on a single tape. 

12. "Ur hilarious!": LMAO.  Laughing My Ahem-buttocks Off, maybe.  Cf. 31D.

14. "Come on in": IT'S OPEN.  Open door invitation to enter.

17. __ and estar: Spanish 101 lesson: SER.  In Spanish, both "ser" and "estar" translate to "to be" in English, but they are used in different contexts. "Ser" is used for permanent or defining characteristics, while "estar" is used for temporary states or conditions, location, and actions. 

21. Service replaced by Microsoft Teams: SKYPE.   An online platform that enables users to make voice and video calls, send instant messages, and share files over the internet. The name "Skype" is derived from "sky" and "peer-to-peer," reflecting its initial design as a peer-to-peer communication tool. 

24. Fuchsia relative: MAGENTA.   A light purplish red that is one of the primary subtractive colors, complementary to green.  Fuchsia is a vivid purplish-red color like that of the sepals of a typical fuchsia flower.

26. "Bah," in Berlin: ACH.  Expressions of contempt or disagreement.

27. Oscar, but not Elmo: AWARD.  The "Oscar" is the common name for the Academy Award of Merit, a golden statuette awarded annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievements in the film industry. It's one of the most prestigious awards in the world of cinema.  Also Oscar and Elmo are Sesame Street muppets.

28. Way to make an entrance at a pool party: WATER SLIDE.  A slide into a swimming pool, typically flowing with water and incorporating a number of twists and turns.

29. Source of easy money: GRAVY TRAIN.   Used to refer to a situation in which someone can make a lot of money for very little effort.

31. Bottom: TUSH.  The buttocks - either of the two round fleshy parts that form the lower rear area of a human trunk.  Cf. 12D.

32. Green lights: YESES.  Grants permission or approval.

34. Stead: LIEU.  The place or role that someone or something should have or fill (used in referring to a substitute).

37. Streams: FLOWS.    Moves along or out steadily and continuously in a current or stream.

38. "I'm listening": SAY MORE.  Yes, I'm interested.  Keep talking.

41. Apply a cold pack to, say: ICE.  Use cold therapy on an injury.

43. Home team at PNC Park: PIRATES.  The Pittsburg team in the National League of Major League Baseball.

45. Pantyhose: NYLONS.  Clothing for women made of thin material that fits closely over the feet and legs and goes up to the waist.  Do they even exist any more?

46. Spot's grooming spot: PET SPA.   A grooming service that offers more than just basic bathing and clipping. It provides a range of specialized treatments designed to pamper and relax pets, promoting their overall well-being. These services often include aromatherapy, calming music, and gentle handling techniques to create a stress-free environment. 

49. Very, in Venezuela: MUY.   Literal translation from English to Español.

50. Unappetizing plateful: SLOP.  A derogatory way to talk about food that doesn't look very tasty.

52. Requests: ASKS.  Says something in order to obtain an answer or some information.

54. Irving character: GARP.   Protagonist in The World According to Garp.  I read this book decades ago and have only vague recollections of a few scenes.

55. 17-Down, in French: ETRE.   To be [or not, I suppose] in any language.

57. Some ER staff: RNS.  Registered Nurses.

59. VCR button: REWind.   It winds a tape or film back to the beginning.

60. Geologic age: EON.   An indefinite and very long period of time.

So, after all that time, we've reached our destination.  Travel broadens one, it's said, and this trip did grow on me  Hope the journey enlarged your enjoyment.  See you in September, a definite and rather short time period way.

Cool regards!

JzB 

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 Kyle Dolan

The Energizer Bunny.  The first word of each theme answer is another word for energy.

3-Down. Potential basketball assist that hits the floor: BOUNCE PASS.

7-Down. Fast-food pickup location: DRIVE THRU WINDOW.

9-Down. "Quiet!": ZIP YOUR LIP.

28-Down. Kitchen gadget often used on oranges: JUICE PRESS.

Here's the unifier:

31-Down. Like some protein-rich snacks, or what can be found in 3-, 7-, 9-, and 28-Down?: HIGH ENERGY.  Note that each theme answer is in the down position.  This gives each synonym of ENERGY to be in the HIGH position.

Across:

1. Dining room fixture: TABLE.

6. QB's successes: TDs.  We have a mini Football Theme.  QuarterBack's successes are Touch Downs.  //  15-Across. Cards, on scoreboards: ARI.  The ARIzona CARDinals are a professional football team.  //  52-Across. QB's errors: INTS.  As in INTerceptions.

9. Sassy letter-shaped gesture: Z-SNAP.

14. Scrub hard, as a pot: SCOUR.

16. "Leave it to me": I WILL.

17. Connected to an outlet: PLUGGED IN.

19. Spotted bean or horse: PINTO.

20. Gas in bright signs: NEON.

21. "Nice work!": VERY GOOD.

23. Kindergarten recitation: ABCs.

25. Bygone automaker from South Korea: DAEWOO.

27. Loaf with seeds: RYE.

28. Leave at the altar: JILT.

29. The "L" of MLK: LUTHER.

34. Swiss peak: ALP.

35. Great Salt Lake state: UTAH.

36. Beethoven's Third: EROICA.  Eroica is Italian for Heroic.

37. South Beach neighbor: MIAMI.

39. Sign at a packed B'way theater: SRO.  As in Standing Room Only.

41. McDonald's arches et al.: LOGOs.

42. Fly or flea: INSECT.

44. Citrus with an unappealing name: UGLI.  The Ugli fruit is a natural hybrid of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine.  It tastes better than it looks.

46. Birthday party topper: HAT.

47. End section of an Italian sonnet, e.g.: SESTET.

48. Burrito kin: WRAP.

49. Historical period: ERA.

50. Pocketful in a nursery rhyme: POSIES.  Ring Around the Rosie ....  Is this rhyme really about the Black Plague?

53. Neverland boy who befriends the Darling children: PETER PAN.

57. Hue: TONE.

59. Ooze, as charm: EXUDE.

60. "We're not on the same page": I DISAGREE.

64. Buffalo __: WINGS.  What's the real origin of Buffalo Wings?

65. __ de plume: NOM.  Today's French lesson.  Translated to mean a pen name.

66. "Copy that": ROGER.

67. Doesn't leave: STAYS.

68. Early afternoon: TWO.

69. Tim Gunn's area of expertise: STYLE.  Timothy MacKenzie Gunn (b. July 29, 1953) was the chief creative director at Kate Spade, Co.  He was also on Project Runway.

Down:

1. Kitchen qty.: TSP.  As in Teaspoon.

2. Knee surgery target, for short: ACL.  As in an Anterior Cruciate Ligament.  This is becoming a crossword staple.

4. Some Winter Olympics sleds: LUGES.

5. Cogito, __ sum: ERGO.  Today's Latin lesson.  I think, therefore I am.

6. Smidge: TAD.

8. Muscle fiber: SINEW.

10. Big gulp: SWIG.

11. El __: climate pattern: NIÑO.  El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.  Its cooler counterpart is La Niña.  During El Niño years, there tends to be less hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean.   La Niña years, on the other hand, favor more intense hurricanes in the Atlantic.

12. Voice below soprano: ALTO.

13. Trudge: PLOD.

18. Break up: END IT.

22. Auditioner's goal: ROLE.

23. One of the Three Musketeers: ARAMIS.  Also the name of a men's cologne.

24. Author credit: BYLINE.

26. Word of woe: ALAS.

30. As well: TOO.

32. Nature photography, perhaps: ECO-ART.

33. Jah worshippers: RASTAS.  Everything you ever wanted to know about Rastafari, but didn't know you needed to know.

38. Ran into: MET.

40. Fairy tale baddie: OGRE.

43. Camaro roof option: T-TOP.  Another crossword staple.

45. Endures: LASTS.

51. Miracle worker, perhaps: SAINT.

52. Gold bar: INGOT.

53. Congregants' benches: PEWS.

54. Red sign above a door: EXIT.

55. Sushi fish: TUNA.  //  And 62-Down. Sushi fish: EEL.  My first thought was Ahi, but we already had the Tuna Fish.

56. Provocative: EDGY.

58. Boathouse collection: OARS.

61. "Seems to me," online: IMO.  Textspeak for In My Opinion.

63. Poetic "before": ERE.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday August 18, 2025 Amanda Cook

  

Happy Monday, everyone! Today's puzzle comes to us from the marvelous mind of Amanda Cook. You may recall that Amanda constructed the EXCHANGE puzzle published the Sunday before yesterday. Today marks her 16th LAT publication. Sweet! 

Theme:  

We'll start with the four themers:

17 Across. Avant-garde: CUTTING EDGE.  

CUTTING BOARD

23 Across. Assets and liabilities statement: BALANCE SHEET.  

A BALANCE BOARD is a piece of fitness equipment.
How to Select the Best BALANCE BOARD for You

39 Across. Stylistic faux pas that puts an editor between a rock and a black sheep?: MIXING METAPHORS.  This clue provides an example of what MIXING METAPHORS is. It takes two metaphors, "between a rock and a hard place" and "black sheep" and combines them in a way that does not really fit.  

A MIXING BOARD combines audio recordings.
Perhaps you have seen one in a movie scene set in a recording studio.

51 Across. Illumination that sets a tone: MOOD LIGHTING.  

A MOOD BOARD is a collage of colors, fabric swatches, shapes, etc.
They can be helpful when organizing ideas for a decorating project.

63 Across. List of top-scoring players, and what the start of 17-, 23-, 39-, or 51-Across could be called?: LEADER BOARD.  

This is a LEADER BOARD from a golf tournament.

All four of the themed answers are two-word phrases. The first word can be put in front of (i.e., LEAD) the word BOARD to create something new. Not being familiar with a couple of the answers did not impede my solve. MIXING METAPHORS gets full points for not only working with the theme and spanning the grid, but it is also a fun answer for us word lovers.

Now let's close this door and start a new chapter:

Across:

1. Like some histories: ORAL.

5. Scents such as freshly baked bread and clean laundry: AROMAS.  Both are appealing smells.

11. Cave mammal: BAT.  This was my favorite clue today! At first I was trying to think of big, furry, hibernating mammals.  

a BAT in a cave

14. Zilch: NONE.

15. __ Creed: Mass recitation: NICENE.  It is recited as part of the Catholic Mass. You can read it here.

16. Flamenco cry: OLÉ.

19. Was victorious: WON.

20. Live and breathe: EXIST.  This was a fun use of a known expression!

21. Feel under the weather: AIL.

22. Cabin timber: PINE.

27. King Arthur's realm: CAMELOT.  

1470 reproduction of Évrard d'Espinques's illumination of the Prose Lancelot,
 showing King Arthur presiding at the Round Table with his knights,

30. Compete in a slalom: SKI.

31. Alias letters: AKA.  Also Known As  

32. Dozes (off): NODS.  Off inside the parenthesis means that it is combined with the answer to match dozes. In other words, the clue-writing convention is telling us that dozes means NODS off.

35. Archipelago unit: ISLET.

43. Take potshots (at): SNIPE.  

 I find it difficult to believe this beautiful SNIPE 
would take potshots at anyone. 

44. Repeated word in a Doris Day classic: SERA.  I have previously linked the Doris Day song a few times. Today I am presenting something different. In this song, the artist uses a MIXING BOARD to sample Doris Day. (Sample means to use a piece of a pre-existing work in a new piece.) It might not be your cup of tea but perhaps you will find it interesting. 

Wax Tailor     ~     Que Sera     ~    2020

45. Tear (apart): RIP.

46. Archer's asset: AIM.

48. Positives: UPSIDES.  

56. Storylines: ARCS.  Babylon 5 (1994) is usually credited as the first U.S. television series with a 5-year story ARC conceptualized prior to filming. I describe it as "United Nations in space". 

Bruce Boxleitner is front and center.

57. Salty expanse: SEA.     and     7-Down. Atlantic, for one: OCEAN.

58. Pirouetting, say: ON TOE.  Think "ballet".

62. Tabby: CAT.  

This is Coco, my SIL's new tabby CAT.

66. Feasted on: ATE.

67. Achieve fame: ARRIVE.  

68. Arancini ingredient: RICE.  These are new to me. They are Italian RICE balls.  

recipe

69. Sopping: WET.  

"WET dog" smell is up there with those in 5-Across.

70. Organized workflow: SYSTEM.

71. Flair: ELAN.

Down:

1. __ upon a time: ONCE.

2. Gumbo thickener: ROUX.  Def.: (noun) a cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a thickening agent in a soup or a sauce.

BTW, the plural form is also ROUX.

3. Against: ANTI.

4. Doesn't disturb: LETS BE.  

This is a scene from one of my favorite movies, Yesterday (2019). The premise is that a struggling musician wakes up to an alternate reality where he is the only one on Earth who knows who the Beatles are or any of their songs. In this scene, he tries to play Let It Be for his parents. They are completely unaware of how amazing the song was in the previous reality. (3:29 min.)  

5. Rashida's "Parks and Recreation" role: ANN.  

Rashida Jones as the very likable ANN Perkins

6. Fix, as a fight: RIG.

8. Soldier trained in first aid: MEDIC.

9. "I teach geometry, so I know all the __": math professor's quip: ANGLES.  Groan!

10. Observe: SEE.

11. "Starman" singer David: BOWIE.  Me:  This clue is too hard because the only Starman song I know is by David Bowie...oh, wait...that fits. Never mind.  

Here is the 1972 song:

12. Unaccompanied: ALONE.

13. Core belief: TENET.

18. Lang. of Rome: ITAL.  language and Italian

22. Run an email scam: PHISH.  This term comes from the idea of fishing. Just as a fisherman dangles bait on a hook, internet scammers send out bait to computer users.

This is an early scene (not a spoiler) in the movie The Beekeeper (2024). Unfortunately it contains a lot of F-bombs but I encourage you to watch it because it portrays how bad people scam money from good people via the internet. This 4:28 min. scene might help you prevent your life savings from being stolen by nefarious hackers.  If you are ever in doubt, call your bank. Do not use the number 'conveniently' provided by the scammer. Do not click on their links!!!

24. __ division: LONG.  Yay, it's an excuse for me to insert another Old 97's song! This is Singular Girl from 1999.

Talking to you girl is like LONG division, yeah  🎵

25. Molecule makeup: ATOMS.

26. Pass over: SKIP.

27. Zoom devices, familiarly: CAMS.  cameras

28. Related (to): AKIN.

29. Ankle-length skirt: MAXI.

33. Hollywood ending?: DEE.  This is one of those meta clues. The last letter in Hollywood is the letter D.

34. Confident stride: STRUT.

36. "Bridgerton" title: LORD.  Bridgerton is a Netflix drama based on novels by Julia Quinn. It is set in the 19th century and follows eight siblings seeking relationships. It has been compared to a cross between Jane Austen and Scandal. LORD Anthony Bridgerton is one of the characters.

37. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.

38. Baking amts.: TSPS. amounts and teaspoons

40. Apple tablets: IPADS.

41. Singer Diamond: NEIL.  (b. Jan. 24, 1941). I'm a fan!  

Neil Diamond     ~     You Don't Bring Me Flowers     ~     1977

written by Neil Diamon with Alan and Marilyn Bergman

42. Heritage celebrated in May, for short: AAPI.  Asian American and Pacific Islander

I see that this answer appeared a year ago in a Universal crossword puzzle. It was also used twice in 2023 in USA Today puzzles.

47. Great suffering: MISERY.  This is THAT scene from the movie Misery (1990), based on Stephen King's psychological horror novel.  WARNING:  Do not watch this video if you have not already seen the movie!! It is absolute MISERY and it will haunt you.

49. Hoity-toity type: SNOB.

50. Send to voicemail, perhaps: IGNORE.  I'm happy to be guilty of this. I try to be present in whatever I'm doing. That means I do not let my phone interrupt me just because it dings or rings. The great thing about a cell phone is that it can accept messages which I can view later.

51. Colorful parrot: MACAW.  

Both males and females share this brilliant coloration.

52. Deliver a speech: ORATE.

53. Chamber music configuration: OCTET.

54. Bike parts: GEARS.  

55. "You've never __ so good": HAD IT.

59. Follow covertly: TAIL.  This is a 2:08 min. scene from The French Connection (1971). Gene Hackman is trying to TAIL Fernando Rey:  

60. Marine apex predator: ORCA.  

61. Idyllic place: EDEN.  

63. __ Vegas Aces: LAS.  This is a WNBA team.

64. Night before: EVE.  I wonder what EVE did the night before she was cast out of the Garden of EDEN.

65. "Shiny Happy People" band: REM.  Here is that 1991 song:  

The grid:  

See you later, crocodile!

(I wrote that before doing yesterday's puzzle.)