Theme: Ultimate Business/Leisure Suit - Two word entries starting with the same two letters but not just any two letters. The two letters stand for pajamas but not just any pajamas. They represent the attire that publisher Hugh Hefner wore while conducting his business from the Playboy mansion.
18A. *Wealthy executive's plane : PRIVATE JET
39A. *Preparation using crushed Bartletts, say : PEAR JAM
63A. *Cheese with a bite : PEPPER JACK
3D. *Pizza Hut rival : PAPA JOHN'S
35D. *Ordinary-looking gal : PLAIN JANE
65D. Magazine mogul, familiarly, known for dressing in the sleepwear hinted at by the answers to starred clues : HEF
Argyle here. I felt the theme was a little flat with the feeling I'd seen it before. Still, it's tough getting all those jays in there. No complaints. The lack of long non-theme entries kicks up the word count.(80)
Across:
1. Have the blues : MOPE
5. Blackens : CHARS
10. Time gone by : PAST
14. Historical times : ERAs
15. Cooperstown's "Hammerin' Hank" : AARON. Cooperstown is the Baseball Hall of Fame location.
16. Mystical old letter : RUNE
17. Ductwork sealer : TAPE
20. Commercial suffix with Motor : OLA. (Motorola)
21. Barfly : SOT
22. Gourmand : EPICURE. Tuesday words.
23. Took issue : OBJECTED
26. Sheets with shopping reminders : LISTS
27. Midwest tribe : OTOE
28. Sea eagles : ERNEs
31. Search engine giant : YAHOO
33. Meadow bleats : BAAs
34. Omar of "House" : EPPS
38. Writer Rand : AYN
42. Lav, in Bath : LOO
43. Slob's creation : MESS
45. Zone : AREA
46. Online business : E-TAIL
48. Breath mint with Retsyn : CERTS
50. Indian garment : SARI
51. Episcopal chapel leader : VICAR. I watch "The Vicar of Dibley" ocasionally.
54. Emulate Gregory Hines : TAP DANCE
58. Kazakh-Uzbek border lake : ARAL SEA
61. Help-wanted notice? : SOS
62. __ in Juliet : J AS
65. Heavenly instrument : HARP
66. As to : IN RE
67. California/Nevada border lake : TAHOE
68. Covetousness : ENVY
69. Like a useless battery : DEAD
70. Leaves : EXITS
71. Lawyer's charges : FEES
Down:
1. "Ditto" : "ME TOO"
2. Pulsonic toothbrush brand : ORAL B
4. Opposite of WNW : ESE
5. "In Cold Blood" writer Truman : CAPOTE
6. Western writer Bret : HARTE
7. Shipping magnate Onassis : ARI
8. Wander : ROVE
9. Go ballistic : SNAP
10. Accurate : PRECISE
11. Served in its natural gravy, as roast beef : AU JUS
12. Viking family dog of comics : SNERT. He is Hägar's pet; Helga's pet is Kvack, the duck.
13. French heads : TÊTÊs
19. Roofing material : TILE
21. Exclusive story : SCOOP
24. DDE's command : ETO. Dwight D. Eisenhower / European Theater of Operations
25. Most loved : DEAREST
29. Hindu prince : RAJA
30. Govt. intel org. : NSA. (National Security Agency)
31. Thanksgiving veggie : YAM
32. Yeoman's "yes" : "AYE"
33. Bratty Simpson kid : BART
36. Hawaiian food staple : POI
37. Note before la : SOL and 47D. Syllable before la : TRA
40. Organ with a canal : EAR
41. Fermented honey beverages : MEADS
44. Sold for a big profit, as tickets : SCALPED
49. Celtic language : ERSE
50. Bike wheel radii : SPOKES
51. Lacking zip : VAPID
52. "Fame" singer Cara : IRENE
53. "It's a Wonderful Life" director Frank : CAPRA
55. Broad tie : ASCOT
56. Work on a totem pole : CARVE
57. Sports awards : ESPYs. (short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award)
59. One-named Deco master : ERTÉ. Romain de Tirtoff, initials R.T. (Erté)
60. "Iliad" warrior : AJAX. He came to a tragic end.
64. Sashimi tuna : AHI. Hawaiian name.
Argyle