Theme: Thereby Hangs a Tail - A tale of a jumbled TAIL.
21A. "Let's say we're even" : CALL IT A WASH
54A. It's all in your mind : MENTAL IMAGE
3D. Off-ramps : EXIT LANES
34D. Sudden downturns, and a literal hint to this puzzle's circles : TAILSPINS
Argyle here. The letters of TAIL are spun into different orders. I found this not as intriguing as Monday's offering but still quite nice. I hope our regulars would catch the meaning of the reveal and find the permutations even without the circles.
Across:
1. Think tank nuggets : IDEAs
6. Party freebies : SWAG
10. Hurricane response org. : FEMA. (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
14. Confusion : MIX UP
15. Shakespearean villain : IAGO. (Othello)
16. Ink color, to Shakespeare : EBON
17. Flower symbolizing freshness : DAISY
18. Turkish money : LIRA
19. Barnes & Noble reader : NOOK
20. Sandwich initials : BLT
24. Some corporate jets : LEARS
26. Internet hookups? : E-DATES
27. "Oh my goodness!" : "DEAR ME!"
29. Like much barley soup : BEEFY
31. Marriott competitor : OMNI
32. Tuneful : ARIOSE. This was seen on a Sunday back in September.
34. Line on a restaurant receipt : TIP
37. Slice of pie : PIECE
39. Car starter: Abbr. : IGNition
40. Bitcoin, e.g. : E-CASH
42. UFO crew, supposedly : ETs
43. "Golly!" : "BY GOSH!". Will we have to hear about this being sacrilege from anon again?
46. Like some garage floors : OILY
47. Raise aloft : HOIST
48. "How do you like them __?!" : APPLES
50. Baltimore athlete : ORIOLE
53. What undercover cops may wear : WIRES. Spy stuff.
57. Fido's foot : PAW
60. Proactiv+ target : ACNE
61. Eins, zwei, __ : DREI. ...und es ist ein zwei drei Schläge Sie auf dem alten Ballspiel sind out.
62. Suspected perp's story : ALIBI bolstered by 58D. Provide a fake 62-Across for, e.g. : ABET
64. Downpour that can hurt : HAIL
65. Has a snack : EATS
66. Rolled to hold fries, as paper : CONED
67. Does impressions of : APES
68. Bug repellent ingredient : DEET
69. Rapidity : HASTE
Down:
1. Website with movie trivia : IMDb. (Internet Movie Database)
2. Use a rotary phone : DIAL
4. Vienna's land: Abbr. : AUStria
5. Surveillance device : SPYCAM. More spy stuff.
6. Window shelves : SILLS
7. Cry miserably : WAIL
8. Prefix with culture : AGRI. Agriculture.
9. Chin growths : GOATEEs
10. Green Monster ballpark : FENWAY
11. WWII German torpedo craft : E-BOAT. The submarines were U-boats.
12. Bullwinkle, for one : MOOSE. Rocky's friend.
13. Egyptian crosses : ANKHs
22. __ rug: small carpet : AREA
23. Magazine revenue source : AD FEE
25. Actor Dane of "Grey's Anatomy" : ERIC. Dr. Mark Sloan.
27. Lowdown : DOPE. Info that isn't as dumb as it sounds.
28. Exude : EMIT
29. Intolerant sort : BIGOT
30. Years on end : EONS
33. Tractor trailers : RIGS
35. Dot on the blue part of a map : ISLE
36. Sci. class : PHYSics
38. Deadly African virus : E-BOLA
41. Handle it as well as one can : COPE
44. Produced, as crops : YIELDED. That bottom land has produced/yielded a bumper crop three years running.
45. Reagan's first secretary of state : HAIG. Al “I’m in charge here” Haig
47. Monopoly buys : HOTELS
49. Lead the flock : PREACH
50. City name famously used by Peyton Manning when calling signals : OMAHA
51. Summarize : RECAP
52. Navel type : INNIE
53. Slacks measure : WAIST. at the innie.
55. "Dies __": hymn : IRAE
56. Ration (out) : METE
59. Like EEE shoes : WIDE
63. Mauna __ : LOA
Argyle
