Theme: Fonetic Progression - FL followed by a phonetic long vowel sound progressing through a, e, i, o, u.
17A. Food Network's "Throwdown!" host : BOBBY FLAY
24A. '60s song about an insect who "hid / Inside a doggie from Madrid" : SPANISH FLEA. Clip with lyrics, not the Herb Alpert instrumental version.
41A. 1996 R. Kelly hit : "I BELIEVE I CAN FLY"
51A. Difference between money coming in and money being spent : NET CASH FLOW
66A. Contagious dog malady : CANINE FLU
Argyle here. Very similar grid to Monday including the middle grid spanner. A Tuesday feel to the puzzle though. Thanks, David, we needed this.
Across:
1. Tom, Ma or Pa, in "The Grapes of Wrath" : JOAD. Okies.
5. Ballpark judges : UMPS
9. Greek i's : IOTAs
14. Doing nothing : IDLE
15. Put a stop to : HALT
16. Russian currency : RUBLE
19. Actor's platform : STAGE
20. Remove pencil marks : ERASE
21. Vinyl flooring piece : TILE
23. Skin care brand : OLAY
27. Palsy-walsy : CHUMMY
Chumlee
31. Mongrel : CUR
32. Villainous Norse god in the 2012 film "The Avengers" : LOKI
33. Musical pause : REST
37. Guffaw : LAUGH
44. Baffling question : POSER
45. Sesame Street giggler : ELMO
46. Increase, as prices : GO UP
47. Singer Sumac : YMA. "Peruvian songbird" has been with us for years now.
49. Deceives : LIES TO
57. Grand Ole __ : OPRY
58. Beverage nut : KOLA
59. Newton with laws : ISAAC
64. Squirrel away : HOARD
68. Take place : OCCUR
69. SOS responder : USCG. (United States Coast Guard)
70. Fast horse : ARAB
71. Bridge predecessor : WHIST. The 16th century game you can now play online.
72. Stadium that hosted a 1965 Beatles concert : SHEA
73. Muscle firmness : TONE
1. Be in sync (with) : JIBE
2. Febreze target : ODOR
3. "Fantastic Four" actress Jessica : ALBA
4. Society newbies : DEBs. (debutante)
5. Frequency between 300 and 3,000 MHz : UHF. Ultra High Frequency, VHF, 30 MHz to 300 MHz : Very High Frequency. Television before cable and satellite.
6. Island nation near Sicily : MALTA. Située dans La mer Méditerranée. (How did I do?)
7. __ Jane : PLAIN
8. Touchscreen-touching tools : STYLI. Plural of stylus.
9. Org. that's the target of April glowers : IRS
10. Not close enough : OUT OF RANGE
11. Game for young batters : T-BALL
12. Aquarium buildup : ALGAE
13. "I'm outta here!" : "SEE YA!"
18. Polite rural assent : YES'M
22. PC bailout key : ESC
25. Pile that aptly rhymes with fire : PYRE
26. Hawaiian dance : HULA. 29D. 26-Down instruments : UKEs
27. Film excerpt : CLIP
28. Vagabond : HOBO. Yes, yes. Got it right this time.
30. Hannah Montana portrayer : MILEY CYRUS. Not what she is famous for now!
34. Eden outcast : EVE and Adam.
35. Poivre companion : SEL. French 'pepper' compadre, 'salt'.
36. Duncan of the NBA's Spurs : TIM. Not a very well known TIM. His Wiki page.
38. Usually fuzzy tabloid pics : UFOs
39. Market surfeit : GLUT
40. Doc's shot provider : HYPO. (hypodermic syringe)
42. Culinary maven Rombauer : IRMA. "The Joy of Cooking" author.
43. Denver's st. : COLOrado
48. Inquire of : ASK
50. Victor's cry : I WIN
51. "Never in a million years!" : "NO HOW!"
52. Pleistocene, e.g. : EPOCH
53. "Baywatch" actress Bingham : TRACI. Not a very well known TRACI. Her Google images.
54. Magician's opening : HOCUS - Pocus, often followed by a flash.
55. Word with drive or memory : FLASH
56. Cavalry weapon : LANCE. The lance is longer, stouter and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing.
60. "Save me a __!" : SEAT
61. Bushy do : AFRO
62. Arkin of "Argo" : ALAN. Father of Adam Arkin.
63. Sugar bowl unit : CUBE
65. 2000 Richard Gere role : DR. T. "Dr. T & the Women"
67. Red-and-white supermarket logo : IGA. (Independent Grocers Alliance) Holy cow! Check out the coverage.
Argyle