Theme:
17. Fidgety: ILL AT EASE.
25. "Is that it?": WHAT ELSE.
35. T.S. Eliot poem, with "The": WASTE LAND.
52. Behold in amazement: MARVEL AT.
61. Employee hours suggested by this puzzle's circles: LATE SHIFT.
Melissa here. SHIFT clues us in that LATE will be scrambled - four ways. Not just scrambly, but Scrabble-y, with K, V, X, Y and Z - but alas no J or Q. (Googling for scrambled things, I came across this funny.)
Across:
1. Not quite round: OVAL.
5. Gumbo vegetable: OKRA.
9. Ply: LAYER.
14. Like every U.S. president: MALE. So far.
15. "Coulda been a lot worse!": PHEW.
16. Romantic text: ILUVU. Romantic, if you're 12.
19. Gymnast Simone who won four golds in Rio: BILES.
20. Carefree: GAY.
21. The "I" of "The King and I": ANNA. Anna Leonowens.
22. Masters: MAVENS.
23. Characteristic of the villain in "The Fugitive": ONE ARM.
27. All-in-one printer feature: SCANNER.
29. Actor Wallach: ELI.
30. Unconscious: OUT.
31. "__ goes nothing!": HERE.
32. Muse of poetry: ERATO.
34. Navig. technology: GPS.
39. Sprite: ELF.
42. Admonish: CHIDE.
43. They're on the phone: APPS. Fun clue.
47. Classical lead-in: NEO.
48. Recycle bin item: CAN.
49. Work on, as a vintage auto: RESTORE.
55. Pluto's largest moon: CHARON.
56. Trip up: ASCENT. Love the clue!
57. Use a wrecking ball on: RAZE.
59. Ode title words: TO A.
60. Metaphor in a gambling debacle: SHIRT. Not SHORTs.
63. Smell or taste: SENSE.
64. Ancient Dead Sea region: EDOM. Descendants of Esau. Cave dwellers.
65. Slurpee, basically: ICEE.
66. Tidied, as a lawn: EDGED. What else besides a lawn?
67. TV warrior princess: XENA.
68. Sci-fi escape ships: PODS.
Down:
1. "Heavens!": OMIGOSH.
2. Window topper: VALANCE.
3. Twelve-month: ALL YEAR.
4. Thompson of "Switched at Birth": LEA.
6. Genghis __: KHAN.
7. Watched again: RESAW.
8. Astound: AWE.
9. Liquid poured in honor of a deity: LIBATION.
10. Animated: ALIVE.
11. Holiday fireplace item: YULE LOG.
12. Ties, as a score: EVENS UP.
13. Potatoes often used for fries: RUSSETS. Michael Pollan describes the Russet Burbank.
18. Alpine lake: TARN. Beautiful.
22. Island near Sicily: MALTA.
24. Yet again: ANEW.
26. Physician, hopefully: HEALER.
28. Light-sensitive eye part: RETINA.
33. Great American Ball Park player: RED. This Red?
36. Like some French vowels: ACCENTED.
37. Commandment verb: SHALT.
38. Spreadsheet input: DATA.
39. As a group: EN MASSE.
40. On a tether: LEASHED.
41. Compelling: FORCING.
44. Colonnaded entryway: PORTICO.
45. Reviewed for typos: PROOFED.
46. State assemblies: SENATES.
50. Skin malady: ECZEMA.
51. "__ So Unusual": Cyndi Lauper's debut studio album: SHE'S.
53. Poet's creation: VERSE.
54. Word with secret or school: TRADE.
58. Scads: A TON.
61. Supervillain Luthor: LEX.
62. In the know: HIP.