Theme: Say What? - Speak right up, or some other word for speak up front.
18A. Prohibition era saloon : SPEAKEASY
26A. John Kerry's domain : STATE DEPARTMENT
43A. Supermarket convenience : EXPRESS CHECKOUT
57A. Complete ninny : UTTER FOOL
Argyle here. Straightforward cluing but a few too many tough answers. YRMV (your results may vary). Two good grid spanners. AUDIT is a nasty word to use at this time of year.
Across:
1. Rosary counters : BEADS
6. Fall faller : LEAF
10. Long hike : TREK
14. Review of business books : AUDIT
15. Girl in a J.D. Salinger short story : ESME. "For Esmé—with Love and Squalor"
16. Wound-up fire engine item : HOSE
17. Jim who sang "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" : CROCE
20. Budget accommodations : HOSTELs
22. Chafing dish heaters : STERNOs
23. Basilica recesses : APSEs
25. Spanish "a" : UNA. (f.)
33. Flirt with : HIT ON
34. Tops, as cupcakes : ICES
35. Stephen of "The Crying Game" : REA
36. From the U.S. : AMERican
37. Dwindled : WANED
39. "The Wizard of Oz" lion Bert : LAHR. Hello, old friend.
40. Little, in Lyons : PEU. Little, in Lille: PEU. un peu de Francais.(Feb 17, 2011)(Feb 28, 2014)
41. Fictional plantation : TARA. GWTW
42. In __ fertilization : VITRO
47. Tolkien giant : ENT
48. Le __, France : HAVRE. Church of St. Joseph
49. Rodeo rider, at times : LASSOER
53. Put on an extra sweater, say : GET WARM
59. Alvin of dance : AILEY. Unknown to me. He founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City and died in 1987.
60. Midday : NOON
61. __ Reader: alternative media digest : UTNE. A magazine founded in 1984 by Eric Utne and Nina Rothschild Utne. They live in Minneapolis and get away to a 100-acre Wisconsin farm for weekends.
62. Sunday song : PSALM
63. PDA entry : APPT. (appointment)
64. Lewd look : LEER
65. Itty-bitty : EENSY
Down:
1. Composer of fugues : BACH. I had no idea fugues were so long. The Well Tempered Clavier(1:52:33)
2. Multinational currency : EURO
3. Big fusses : ADOs
4. Absolute ruler : DICTATOR
5. Increase the slope of : STEEPEN
6. Tenant : LESSEE
7. Psychic's claim : ESP
8. Iowa State home : AMES
9. Showcased : FEATURED
10. Aries : THE RAM
11. Chestnut horse : ROAN
12. Petro-Canada rival : ESSO
13. Janitor's janglers : KEYS. A little alliteration.
19. Adoptive parents of Superman : KENTs
21. '60s hallucinogen : LSD
24. Popeye's favorite veggie : SPINACH
26. Physical condition : SHAPE
27. "It takes a licking ..." watch : TIMEX
28. Wolfed down : ATE UP. Misdirection?
29. King beater : ACE. (not the Queen)
30. Muse for a bard : ERATO
31. India's first prime minister : NEHRU
32. Fortunetelling card : TAROT
37. Opposite of thrifty : WASTEFUL
38. Horace's "__ Poetica" : ARS. A poem (c20 b.c.) by Horace, setting forth his precepts for the art of poetry.
39. "Ditto" : "LIKE-WISE"
41. Choir member : TENOR
42. DVD forerunner : VCR TAPE
44. Take exception to : RESENT
45. Boxer "Marvelous" Marvin : HAGLER
46. Adam's mate : EVE
49. Roman moon goddess : LUNA
50. Perched on : ATOP
51. "Quit it!" : "STOP!"
52. Repetitive learning : ROTE
54. Actor Alda : ALAN
55. Kinfolk: Abbr. : RELs. Acceptable for genealogy research.
56. "Goodness gracious!" : "MY, MY!"
58. Single in a wallet : ONE. If down to a single single, get thee to the ATM.
Argyle
