Theme: All Ears - EAR is in the exact middle of each odd-lettered theme entry.
17. *"The San Francisco Treat" : RICE-A-RONI
38. *Decor for part of a floor : AREA RUG
11. *Question to a stranded driver : WHERE ARE YOU
26. *Confinement that might involve an ankle monitor : HOUSE ARREST
58. Site of the hammer, anvil and stirrup ... and a hint to the hidden word in the answers to starred clues : MIDDLE EAR
Melissa here. I found this a Tuesday-plus, or Wednesday level. Did not get the theme until it was over - was looking for something to connect the last words instead of the hidden word gimmick. Very clever MIDDLE EAR reveal.
Across
1. Accessory for Batman or Robin : CAPE
. Got off on the wrong foot right away by plugging in MASK here.
5. Bleating babies : KIDS
9. Nasty marketing campaign : AD WAR. Needed perps for this one - all I could think of was SMEAR.
14. "Jeopardy!" first name : ALEX
. What is a gimme?
15. Run __: go haywire : AMOK
16. Kind of jacket named for a Hindu leader : NEHRU
. The jacket takes its name from India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. A profile of the Nehru jacket.
19. Ordered pizza, say : ATE IN
20. Covert fed. group : CIA
. Tried FBI first.
21. Current "American Dad!" network : TBS
. Had to guess.
23. Slices of history : ERAS
24. "Ouch!" : IT HURTS
28. Makes up (for) : ATONES
30. Life-of-the-party types : RIOTS
. Needed perps here, too.
31. Color in four-color printing : MAGENTA
33. Fever and chills : AGUE
34. Spider trap : WEB
35. Jury makeup : PEERS
37. Super __: game console : NES
. Nintendo Entertainment Center.
40. Moose kin : ELK
42. Actress Witherspoon : REESE
44. Half-pint : CUP. Or her nickname.
45. Color in four-color printing : CYAN
46. "This bears repeating ... " : AS I SAID
48. Solitary : ALONE
49. Zagreb natives : CROATS
50. On the way : EN ROUTE
52. Sharp comment : BARB
53. Taste : SIP
55. Batteries in TV remotes : AA'S
56. Frozen pop treats : ICEES
63. Deep opera voice : BASSO
64. Ronny Howard role : OPIE
65. Category : TYPE
66. Anti-wrinkle treatment : BOTOX
67. Swerve : VEER
68. Start of an idea : SEED
Down
1. Jaguar, e.g. : CAR
. Sometimes the simplest ones are the hardest. D'oh.
2. "Rumble in the Jungle" champ : ALI. From Wikipedia: "Attendance was about 60,000. Ali won by knockout,
putting Foreman down just before the end of the eighth round. It has
been called "arguably the greatest sporting event of the 20th century." Rumble in the Jungle in pictures.
3. Bench press target, briefly : PEC
4. Carry out, as a task : EXECUTE
5. Gold purity unit : KARAT
6. Texter's "I feel" : IMO
. In My Opinion.
7. "Please stop!" : DON'T
8. Commonly seen Colorado airport luggage : SKI BAG
9. Santa __ winds : ANA
10. Cold War thaw : DETENTE
. Definition: "The easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries."
12. Operatic solos : ARIAS. Can't wait to the movie based on this true story, trailer below.
13. Stocking woes : RUNS
18. Makes public : AIRS
22. Take on a challenge : STEP UP
24. Shah's realm, once : IRAN
25. Kellogg's Tony, e.g. : TIGER
27. Neverland pirate : SMEE
29. 10 C-notes : ONE G
. One Grand, or a thousand dollars. The word detective.
32. Ancient counters : ABACI
34. Takes forcibly (from) : WRESTS
. Not STEALS.
36. Slope : SLANT
. Not ANGLE.
38. Home to billions : ASIA
39. Short on manners : RUDE
41. Leg joint : KNEE
43. Paul Anka title meaning "That Kiss" : ESO BESO
45. Hanger hangouts : CLOSETS
47. "I, Robot" author Isaac : ASIMOV
48. Severely damaged sea : ARAL
. From Wikipedia: Formerly one of the four largest lakes in the world with an area of 68,000 km2 (26,300 sq mi), the Aral Sea has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet irrigation projects.
49. Chocolate source : CACAO
51. Consumer advocate Ralph : NADER
52. Tender lettuce : BIBB
54. Sherlock Holmes' smoke : PIPE
57. Chicago team, for short : SOX
59. Yahtzee cube : DIE
60. Hurricane center : EYE
61. Gorilla, for one : APE
62. Embarrassed : RED
