Theme: Your Services Are No Longer Required - Synonyms of "fire" are hidden in the beginning of the first word of each theme answer.
17A: War on terror foe: AXIS OF EVIL. That is what President Bush named Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
26A: Elton John tribute rededicated to Princess Diana: CANDLE IN THE WIND. Originally dedicated to Marilyn Monroe
46A: "Alice Adams" novelist: BOOTH TARKINGTON. His "Alice Adams" won a Pulitzer Prize. Full Name: Newton Booth Tarkington (died 1946).
60A: Donald Trump catchphrase, and hint to the first two, three and four letters, respectively, of 17-, 26- and 46-Across: YOU'RE FIRED.
Quite a tight theme. AX, CAN, BOOT are all independent verbs embedded in the start of the first noun of the theme phrase. Four X'es and one J also add a bit of scrabbliness to the grid.
Argyle here. If this isn't a theme you can relate to, congratulations. Two fifteen letter fills on a Monday must be unusual. And it seems to be a puzzle that being a little older is a good thing.
Across:
1A: Urge forward: IMPEL.
6A: Rock genre involving flamboyant garb: GLAM. Mere words won't do! We Want More - Brisbane's (OZ) Glam rock band.
10A: Hasn't yet paid: OWES.
14A: __ Gras: MARDI.
15A: Insolvent banking giant, familiarly: WAMU. Washington Mutual, Inc.
16A: Green Hornet's sidekick: KATO. Keye Luke (a frequent visitor to crosswords) took the role in the movie serials, and in the television series he was portrayed by Bruce Lee.
20A: Cake-making aid: MIX.
21A: 1492 ship: NINA. And 22A: Crow's-nest cry: "LAND HO!".
24A: Tex-__ cuisine: MEX.
25A: Litigator's org.: ABA. American Bar Association. And 38A: Litigator's field: LAW.
35A: Util. product: ELEC.. Electric utility.
39A: "__ Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts": old song: I'VE. Singing Roll a bowl a ball a penny a pitch
40A: Hens do it: LAY.
43A: Three-time Masters champ Sam: SNEAD.
49A: Pickle holder: JAR.
50A: Ballot marks: XES.
51A: Canal country: PANAMA.
54A: Bar in a grill: SPIT. Outdoor grill with a rotisserie.
56A: Tarzan raiser: APE.
59A: Economist Smith: ADAM. Followed by 65A: Exorbitant interest: USURY.
66A: Change of a five: ONES.
67A: Johnny of "Public Enemies": DEPP.
68A: Sugar bowl cubes: LUMPS.
Down:
1D: Mosque official: IMAM. And 9D: Islamic clerics: MULLAHS. Not the same?
2D: Leg-covering skirt: MAXI. You only get a pic if it's a mini.
3D: Grand __: auto race: PRIX.
4D: Publishing VIPs: EDS.
6D: Rock star Stefani or actress Verdon: GWEN.
10D: 1945 Pacific battle site: OKINAWA.
11D: Magician's rod: WAND.
12D: Engrave, in a way: ETCH.
13D: Manhattan district: SOHO. The NYC Manhattan today.
18D: Repairs: FIXES.
24D: XL squared: MDC. 40x40=1600
28D: Not familiar with: NEW TO.
29D: Turner autobiography: I, TINA. Cover.
30D: "No chance!": "NEVER!".
31D: Fine-tune: TWEAK.
32D: Archipelago part: ISLET.
33D: "Groovy!": "NEATO!". Time to retire "NEATO" and bring back "RAD".
34D: Israeli war hero Moshe: DAYAN.
42D: Orange Place on a Monopoly board: ST. JAMES.
43D: Got off course: STRAYED.
44D: The South: DIXIE.
45D: NFL three-pointers: FGS. Field goal- Kicking the football through the goal posts.
47D: Meat with eggs: HAM.
48D: Trawler's haul: NETFUL.
51D: Half a Samoan city: PAGO.
52D: Tennis score: AD IN. The server only needs one more point to win.
53D: Main church section: NAVE.
54D: __ pump: waste disposal device: SUMP.
55D: Yorick's skull, e.g.: PROP. "Alas, poor Yorick! A fellow of infinite jest, reduced to a mere PROP."
56D: Calla lily family: ARUM. Have we learned this yet?
57D: Cop's quarry: PERP. And our savior.
58D: "Grand" ice cream brand: EDY'S.
62D: Terre Haute sch.: I.S.U.. Indiana State University. Indiana State was originally founded as Indiana State Normal School in 1865. The University changed its name three times and finally agreed upon today’s name in 1965.
Answer grid.
17A: War on terror foe: AXIS OF EVIL. That is what President Bush named Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
26A: Elton John tribute rededicated to Princess Diana: CANDLE IN THE WIND. Originally dedicated to Marilyn Monroe
46A: "Alice Adams" novelist: BOOTH TARKINGTON. His "Alice Adams" won a Pulitzer Prize. Full Name: Newton Booth Tarkington (died 1946).
60A: Donald Trump catchphrase, and hint to the first two, three and four letters, respectively, of 17-, 26- and 46-Across: YOU'RE FIRED.
Quite a tight theme. AX, CAN, BOOT are all independent verbs embedded in the start of the first noun of the theme phrase. Four X'es and one J also add a bit of scrabbliness to the grid.
Argyle here. If this isn't a theme you can relate to, congratulations. Two fifteen letter fills on a Monday must be unusual. And it seems to be a puzzle that being a little older is a good thing.
Across:
1A: Urge forward: IMPEL.
6A: Rock genre involving flamboyant garb: GLAM. Mere words won't do! We Want More - Brisbane's (OZ) Glam rock band.
10A: Hasn't yet paid: OWES.
14A: __ Gras: MARDI.
15A: Insolvent banking giant, familiarly: WAMU. Washington Mutual, Inc.
16A: Green Hornet's sidekick: KATO. Keye Luke (a frequent visitor to crosswords) took the role in the movie serials, and in the television series he was portrayed by Bruce Lee.
20A: Cake-making aid: MIX.
21A: 1492 ship: NINA. And 22A: Crow's-nest cry: "LAND HO!".
24A: Tex-__ cuisine: MEX.
25A: Litigator's org.: ABA. American Bar Association. And 38A: Litigator's field: LAW.
35A: Util. product: ELEC.. Electric utility.
39A: "__ Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts": old song: I'VE. Singing Roll a bowl a ball a penny a pitch
40A: Hens do it: LAY.
43A: Three-time Masters champ Sam: SNEAD.
49A: Pickle holder: JAR.
50A: Ballot marks: XES.
51A: Canal country: PANAMA.
54A: Bar in a grill: SPIT. Outdoor grill with a rotisserie.
56A: Tarzan raiser: APE.
59A: Economist Smith: ADAM. Followed by 65A: Exorbitant interest: USURY.
66A: Change of a five: ONES.
67A: Johnny of "Public Enemies": DEPP.
68A: Sugar bowl cubes: LUMPS.
Down:
1D: Mosque official: IMAM. And 9D: Islamic clerics: MULLAHS. Not the same?
2D: Leg-covering skirt: MAXI. You only get a pic if it's a mini.
3D: Grand __: auto race: PRIX.
4D: Publishing VIPs: EDS.
6D: Rock star Stefani or actress Verdon: GWEN.
10D: 1945 Pacific battle site: OKINAWA.
11D: Magician's rod: WAND.
12D: Engrave, in a way: ETCH.
13D: Manhattan district: SOHO. The NYC Manhattan today.
18D: Repairs: FIXES.
24D: XL squared: MDC. 40x40=1600
28D: Not familiar with: NEW TO.
29D: Turner autobiography: I, TINA. Cover.
30D: "No chance!": "NEVER!".
31D: Fine-tune: TWEAK.
32D: Archipelago part: ISLET.
33D: "Groovy!": "NEATO!". Time to retire "NEATO" and bring back "RAD".
34D: Israeli war hero Moshe: DAYAN.
42D: Orange Place on a Monopoly board: ST. JAMES.
43D: Got off course: STRAYED.
44D: The South: DIXIE.
45D: NFL three-pointers: FGS. Field goal- Kicking the football through the goal posts.
47D: Meat with eggs: HAM.
48D: Trawler's haul: NETFUL.
51D: Half a Samoan city: PAGO.
52D: Tennis score: AD IN. The server only needs one more point to win.
53D: Main church section: NAVE.
54D: __ pump: waste disposal device: SUMP.
55D: Yorick's skull, e.g.: PROP. "Alas, poor Yorick! A fellow of infinite jest, reduced to a mere PROP."
56D: Calla lily family: ARUM. Have we learned this yet?
57D: Cop's quarry: PERP. And our savior.
58D: "Grand" ice cream brand: EDY'S.
62D: Terre Haute sch.: I.S.U.. Indiana State University. Indiana State was originally founded as Indiana State Normal School in 1865. The University changed its name three times and finally agreed upon today’s name in 1965.
Answer grid.
Argyle
