Usually when I am doing a puzzle that I will blog, I try to see where the theme is going as I solve. This one totally eluded me until I came to the reveal at 37-Across. "Feature shared by the women vocalists concealed in 17-, 29-, 45- and 59-Across" : ONE NAME. I loved this puzzle - a tribute to 4 extremely talented and brilliant females. And best of all, it gives me an excuse to link more than one YouTube video!
17-Across. Oft-pickled fish : ATLANTIC HERRING. CHER's successful career has spanned nearly fifty years, and she is still going strong. Even after 21 studio albums, she still came up with something new to top the charts, with "Believe."
29-Across. Educational stage : GRADE LEVEL. ADELE is the baby of the bunch, with her breakthrough album released only in 2008. I've been a big fan ever since she caught my attention with "Rolling In the Deep."
45-Across. Keep out : DENY ACCESS. ENYA started her career in 1980. She gained worldwide recognition with her "Watermark" album in 1988 containing the hit "Orinoco Flow."
59-Across. Comes to terms : NEGOTIATES A DEAL. I can't believe that SADE has been around since the 80's. Her "Smooth Operator" debuted in 1983.
Update: There is a bonus one-named singer hiding in the theme entries. ONE NAME hides NENA, who famously sang "99 Luftballons." [With a big tip of the hat to Jerome for spotting that one!]
Across
1. Barge, for one : SCOW.
5. Go up to one's ankles : WADE. And 30-Down. Wade's opponent : ROE. Well, I guess if I were a fish egg, I wouldn't want anyone tromping all over me, either. ;-)
(Of course, some anon. will correct me and say the clue/answer refers to the famous 1973 Supreme Court case involving the right to abortion. I like my version better.)
9. Saw to a seat : LED IN. Thank goodness, it wasn't "ushed"...
14. Launder : WASH.
15. Obi-Wan portrayer : ALEC.
16. Maine college town : ORONO.
20. Kit for Mr. Fixit : TOOL SET. Anyone else want TOOL "box," before checking perps??
21. Bygone : OLD.
22. London facilities : LOO.
23. Otologist's concern : EAR.
24. Cartoon still : CEL. This collectible CEL of 25-Across. Studious-looking dwarf : DOC. goes for $2,125.
26. Strikes out : FANS. I believe this is a baseball term, implying the "fanning" motion of the batter as he attempts to hit, but misses, the pitch charged as the third strike.
33. Part of a Latin trio : AMO. He is, of course, the lead singer. Amas plays bass and Amat is on drums. ;-)
34. Subatomic particle : MUON.
35. Colleague of Sonia and Clarence : ELENA. Supreme Court justices Sotomayor, Thomas and Kagan.
36. Musical dir. : RIT.artando. Gradually decrease the tempo to let morons like me keep up with the beat.
40. P & L column : YTD. Year To Date.
41. Not from around here : ALIEN.
43. Word in a dramatic warning : IDES. "Beware..."
44. Shout for the picador : OLÉ.
48. Bargains : BUYS. And they are often 50-Across. Bargain bin abbr. : IRR.egular.
49. Blvd. cousin : AVE.nue.
51. Big __ : SUR.
53. "So that's your game!" : OHO. This and 55-Across were my two writeovers. I had "Aha!" at first.
54. Had a little lamb : ATE.
55. "Just walk away" : LET IT BE. I wanted to LET IT go...
62. Razz : TAUNT.
63. Ordering aid : MENU. Eyeglasses help, also.
64. Sea birds : ERNS.
65. "Waiting for Lefty" playwright : ODETS.
66. Cad's comeuppance : SLAP.
67. Fries, say : SIDE.
Down
1. Rescue acronym : SWAT. Special Weapons And Tactics.
2. Roman statesman : CATO.
3. Capital once called Christiania : OSLO.
4. They have very big calves : WHALES. I laughed out loud when this one filled in.
5. Super Soaker, e.g. : WATERGUN. It was originally called the "Power Drencher."
6. Ended a flight : ALIT.
7. Cal. page : DEC.ember. Where did this year go???
8. Bounced off the walls : ECHOED. Oh, sounds. I was thinking of a kid on a sugar high.
9. "Downton Abbey" title : LORD.
10. Drop the ball : ERR.
11. 1964 Ronettes hit : DO I LOVE YOU. Sorry, Ronettes: Cher, Enya, Adele and Sade have already upstaged you!
12. How an embarrassing question may be asked : INNOCENTLY.
13. "Mission aborted" : NO GO.
18. Org. chronicled in "The Puzzle Palace" : NSA. National Security Agency.
19. Glamour rival : ELLE.
24. More crafty : CANNIER.
25. Sci-fi author Lester __ Rey : DEL.
26. Capacitance unit : FARAD.
27. Well in the lead : A MILE AHEAD. How is your favorite team doing this year?
28. Passé : NOT IN VOGUE. So last year!
31. Jeans choice : LEES.
32. Stows, as cargo : LADES.
34. "__ Lisa" : MONA.
38. Much of 19- and 48-Down : ADS.
39. Really drops the ball : MESSES UP.
42. Potato spot : EYE. Because "couch" was too long.
46. Credit card issuer : CITI. VISA? Amex? Nope...
47. Beats badly : CREAMS.
48. Magazine with many white dresses : BRIDES.
52. Actress Hagen : UTA.
53. Aware of : ON TO. "OHO, I'm ON TO your tricks!"
54. Court figures: Abbr. : ATTs.
55. Horne on stage : LENA. Horne. Too bad, Lena: you'd be up at the top of the page if you had just one name.
56. Garr on screen : TERI. Sorry Teri, you too. And you don't sing, either. But I do admire your work for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
57. Wedding choice : BAND. 58-Down. "What __ could it be?" : ELSE. Well, it could have been "gown" or "ring" or "food" or...
60. Prov. where the CN Tower is located : ONT. There are two CN towers in Canada, but Alta. was too long.
61. Bus. card number : TEL.ephone. Call me, maybe. (Fun lip sync performance from an unexpected group.)
TaTa!
Marti
