Theme: New Speak - Our first utterances.
17A. Silly sort : GOOFBALL
25A. Zeros : GOOSE EGGS
37A. Anniversary celebration at the Met, say : GALA PERFORMANCE
50A. Disputed Mideast territory : GAZA STRIP
62A . Infantile vocalizations, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 37- and 50-Across : BABY TALK. Goo goo, ga ga.
Argyle here. Koochy, koochy, koo.
Across:
1. Baja vacation spot : CABO. We were on Cabo's peninsula just last Friday.
5. Tree's sticky output : SAP
8. Neck mark from necking : HICKEY
14. Razor name : ATRA
15. Suffix with pay : OLA. payola.
16. Taking the place (of) : IN LIEU
19. Polish port where Solidarity was founded : GDANSK. Not baby's first word.
20. Music producer Brian : ENO
21. Dueling sword : ÉPÉE
22. "Hannah and __ Sisters": Woody Allen film : HER
23. Formal pronouncements : DICTA. Legal mumbo-jumbo.
30. Pay with plastic : CHARGE
32. __ of: done with : RID
33. Not at home : OUT
34. The Judds, e.g. : DUO
35. Migration formation : VEE
36. Move in the wind : SWAY
42. Numbered musical piece : OPUS
43. Grunting female : SOW
44. Slowing, on a music score: Abbr. : RIT. (ritardando)
45. Little point to pick : NIT
46. Sick __ dog : AS A
47. Spitball need : SALIVA
53. R&B singer Baker : ANITA
55. "That's all __ wrote" : SHE
56. Fermented honey drink : MEAD
58. The USA's 50 : STs. (states)
59. Nissan model : SENTRA
64. Series of related emails : THREAD
65. Luau instrument : UKE
66. Curved molding : OGEE
67. Fort Bragg mil. branch : US ARMY
68. Boston hrs. : EST. (Eastern Standard Time)
69. Dandelion, e.g. : WEED
Down:
1. Confined, as a bird: CAGED
2. Not accented, as syllables: ATONIC. Seldom seen word.
3. Ornamental pin: BROOCH
4. Doofus: OAF
5. Ivory in the tub: SOAP
6. State without proof: ALLEGE
7. Prefix with -lithic: PALEO
8. Bogart film set in a California range: "HIGH SIERRA", A campy trailer.
9. Truly: INDEED
10. Irish county bordering Limerick: CLARE. Across the River Shannon.
11. Next of __: KIN
12. Wide shoe widths: EEs. I blindly put in EEE.
13. Guffaw: YUK
18. Face adversity well: BEAR UP
24. Cries of triumph: TADAs
26. Layered cookie: OREO
27. Bridal attire: GOWN
28. Avocado dip, for short: GUAC. (guacamole)
29. Eyelid sore: STYE
31. Dates one person exclusively: GOES STEADY
35. Ex-GIs' gp.: VFW. (Veterans of Foreign Wars)
36. Lustrous fabric: SATIN
37. Bell hit with a padded mallet: GONG
38. Samoan capital: APIA. Have we learned it yet?
39. Skating leap: LUTZ
40. Have a good laugh: ROAR
41. Address for a noblewoman: MILADY
46. Traditional Hindu retreat: ASHRAM
47. Delivers a lecture: SPEAKS
48. Facial expression: VISAGE
49. Postwar British prime minister: ATTLEE. Clement Attlee, Prime Minister from 1945 to 1951.
51. Autumn blossom: ASTER
52. Suffuse (with): IMBUE
54. Queried: ASKED
57. Help with a heist: ABET
59. Actor Erwin: STU. That is way back in the archives.
60. "Come again?" sounds: EHs?
61. FDR agency: NRA. (National Recovery Administration)
63. Illegal parker's risk: TOW
Argyle