Theme: Chill Out
20. "Rest those weary feet" : TAKE A LOAD OFF
36. "Why not try the recliner?" : SIT BACK AND RELAX
53. "Don't just stand there" : PULL UP A CHAIR
Melissa here. Perfect theme for a summer day, with the grid-spanner right in the center. Smooth ride except for the southwest, where I hit a few snags. Favorite answer was PICKY EATERS.
Across
20. "Rest those weary feet" : TAKE A LOAD OFF
36. "Why not try the recliner?" : SIT BACK AND RELAX
53. "Don't just stand there" : PULL UP A CHAIR
Melissa here. Perfect theme for a summer day, with the grid-spanner right in the center. Smooth ride except for the southwest, where I hit a few snags. Favorite answer was PICKY EATERS.
Across
1. Cuts (off) : LOPS. Started off wrong right away by entering ENDS.
5. Unwelcome stocking stuffer : COAL
5. Unwelcome stocking stuffer : COAL
9. Express gratitude to : THANK
14. Monogram ltr. : INIT
15. Starting poker pot contribution : ANTE
16. Pocahontas' husband John : ROLFE. Anyone else try SMITH first? D'oh. Here's the real story.
17. Corp. assistant : SECY. Secretary. I need one.
18. "Lovely" meter maid in a Beatles song : RITA
19. Volunteer's offer : I WILL
23. Tarzan actor Ron : ELY
23. Tarzan actor Ron : ELY
24. Whole bunch : TON
25. Spanish beaches : PLAYAS
29. Div. the Phillies play in : NL EAST
31. Most of a mortgage payment, usually : INTEREST
33. Big oaf : APE. Not ASS.
34. Sheriff Taylor's TV son : OPIE
35. __ Fáil: Irish coronation stone : LIA. Thanks, perps, never remember.
42. "The Scarlet Letter" letter : RED A
43. Colorful Mattel card game : UNO
44. Wedded couples : MARRIEDS
47. Had heard about : KNEW OF
50. Deep down : INSIDE
51. Yellowfin tuna : AHI.
52. Boston skyscraper, with "the" : PRU. The Prudential Tower.
57. Johnny with the catchphrase "Come on down!" : OLSON. Needed almost every perp to fill this.
60. "Out of Africa" author Dinesen : ISAK
61. Toaster waffle choice : EGGO
62. Air rifle : BB GUN. Always makes me think of this.
63. Prefix with meter : PERI
64. 1969-'74 Israeli prime minister : MEIR
66. Table scraps : ORTS
67. Taxpayer IDs : SSNS
Down
1. "__, my children, and you shall hear ... ": Longfellow : LISTEN
2. Common soccer score : ONE ALL
3. They're fussy about food : PICKY EATERS
4. Eyelid sore : STYE
5. Used auto area : CAR LOT
6. Veggie that may cause tears : ONION
7. "__ girl!": "Way to go!" : ATTA
8. Starring role : LEAD
9. Wee bit : TRIFLE
10. To what length : HOW FAR
11. Late, great boxer : ALI
12. Org. with Jaguars and Panthers : NFL
13. Kenan's Nickelodeon pal : KEL
21. On the briny : AT SEA
22. Made a choice : OPTED
26. Book for finding local businesses : YELLOW PAGES. Does anyone still use them?
27. Where billions live : ASIA
28. Lay's chips-in-a-can brand : STAX
30. Police dept. alert : APB
31. Apple tablets : IPADS
32. 1492 ship : NINA
34. Gave the green light : OKED
36. Tractor-trailer : SEMI
37. Lendl of tennis : IVAN
38. Fish basket : CREEL
39. Hard to decipher, as some ancient inscriptions : RUNIC
40. L.A.-to-N.Y. dir. : ENE
45. Remove roughly, as a magazine page : RIP OUT
46. "Couldn't tell ya" : I DUNNO
47. Casual pants : KHAKIS
48. Starting point : ORIGIN
49. Uproars : FURORS
51. Not together : APART
54. Slimming surgery, for short : LIPO
55. Techie's client : USER
56. Skirt bottoms : HEMS
57. Transitive vb. follower : OBJ
58. Wall St. takeover : LBO. Leveraged buyout.