Theme: Choose - Three grid-spanning, two word entries that start each word with the respective part of the two part unifier. The unifiers are placed symmetrically near the start and the end of the grid.
17A. What an inflammatory statement is intended to do : PROVOKE CONFLICT
38A. What a restraining order is designed to do : PROHIBIT CONTACT
59A. What a band PR man is paid to do : PROMOTE CONCERTS
5D. With "and" and 61-Down, both sides (and this puzzle's title) : PRO
61D. See 5-Down : CON
Argyle here. A complex grid for a simple theme, appropriately. It appears to be another debut puzzle. If so, then Dave Sarpola has set the bar pretty high for himself. Impressive.
Across:
1. Head covering : SCALP. Tricky start.
6. High poker pair : ACES
10. Lobbying group for 50-and-overs : AARP
14. Peripheral : OUTER
15. Casual good-bye : TA-TA
16. XIX x III : LVII. 19x3=57
20. Long hauler : SEMI. Truck.
21. Medical research org. : NIH. National Institutes of Health.
22. Weekly check time : PAYDAY
23. Batter's stickum : PINE TAR
25. Bunsen burner, e.g. : GAS JET
29. Scrape off : ABRADE
33. Despise : ABHOR
34. Little stream : RILL
36. Lost film fish : NEMO. Walt Disney Studio's "Finding Nemo"
41. Deserve : EARN
42. Make-meet link : ENDS
43. A-lister : CELEB. Celebrity
44. Interlocks : MESHES
46. Meetings of lips : KISSES. But so much more!
47. Rodeo shouts : YEE-HAWS
50. Moon of Jupiter : EUROPA. Jupiter has 63 confirmed moons.
54. Nest egg letters : IRA
55. Color tones : HUES
62. Schools of thought : ISMS
63. Lodge fellows : ELKS. The Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks.
64. Heart, e.g. : ORGAN
65. Winery container : CASK
66. Go up : RISE
67. December tunes : NOELS
Down:
1. Soaks (up) : SOPS
2. Antidote : CURE
3. Basic building block : ATOM
4. Jeans pioneer Strauss : LEVI
6. Had home cooking : ATE IN
7. Secret stockpile : CACHE
8. Ike's WWII command : ETO. European Theater of Operations. General Eisenhower.
9. Author of muchas epístolas : SAN PABLO. Spanish. The letters of St. Paul.
10. Colleague in combat : ALLY
11. Fanatical : AVID
12. Costa __ : RICA. Central America Map.
13. Commiserate with : PITY
18. Wrinkle, as one's brow : KNIT
19. "M*A*S*H" actor Jamie : FARR. Cpl. Klinger.
23. Scope prefix, in subs : PERI
24. Soapstones : TALCS
25. Stare in wonder : GAPE
26. Garfield's middle name : ABRAM. James Abram Garfield, our 20th President.
27. Land by the sea : SHORE
28. __ Hopkins University : JOHNS. Baltimore, Maryland. If you wondered about the name...His first name, Johns (not John), was a family name. (wikipedia link)
30. Payments for hands : ANTEs. Poker.
31. Real bargains : DEALS
32. Ceremony facilitator : EMCEE
34. Dishwashing step : RINSE
35. "__ be a shame if ..." : IT'D
37. Places to pick your pony, for short : OTBs. Off Track Betting.
39. Bird that dines on stinging insects : BEE-EATER. Not native to America. Image.
40. CBS military drama : "NCIS"
45. Insulin deliverer : HYPO
46. Two-time Olympic skating medalist Michelle : KWAN
48. Country bumpkins : HICKS
49. "... __ / By any other name ..." : A ROSE. A shout-out.
50. Like some poetry : EPIC
51. Bear in the night sky : URSA
52. CD-__: computer inserts : ROMs
53. Trans-Siberian Railway city : OMSK
55. Damsel's savior : HERO
56. Yen : URGE
57. Catchall abbr. : ET AL.
58. Personnel IDs : SSNs
60. New Haven Ivy Leaguer : ELI. Yale.
Argyle
