25. Cigarette brand featured on "Mad Men": LUCKY STRIKE.
37. Martial arts level: BLACK BELT.
51. Manhattan stage attraction: BROADWAY HIT.
62. Slimy pest in a flower bed: GARDEN SLUG.
Melissa here. No reveal in today's puzzle, but it wasn't needed with these five theme answers - such POW-erful second words made it obvious. A fair amount of sporting references, all gettable even for those of us who don't follow sports.
Across:
1. Most populous città in Italia: ROMA.
5. Vintage photo tone: SEPIA. Dictionary.com: a reddish-brown color associated particularly with monochrome photographs of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Interesting origin - via Latin from Greek sēpia ‘cuttlefish:’ a blackish fluid secreted by a cuttlefish as a defensive screen. It is bottled and sold both as an ink for fountain pens, and in gourmet food shops to flavor and color food. In Spain and Italy, inky black dishes are marked as Nero or Seppia. Cuttlefish vs. cuttlefish.
10. Scheming: UP TO.
14. "Are you __ out?": IN OR.
15. Tidies text: EDITS.
16. Scattered, as seeds: SOWN.
19. Vast landmass: ASIA.
20. Island near Maui: LANAI.
21. "__ a Lady": Tom Jones hit: SHE'S.
23. It blows things up: TNT. The three letter answer should have made this obvious but I immediately thought along the lines of enlarging a photo.
24. CPR pro: EMT.
29. Ingredient in a Florentine dish: SPINACH.
31. Ancient Aegean region: IONIA.
32. Notice: SEE.
33. Crossword-solving Simpson: LISA.
36. WWI pistol: LUGER.
40. Happen next: ENSUE.
43. Korean imports: KIAS. Automobiles.
44. "Hostel" director Roth: ELI.
47. __ Bornes: card game: MILLE. Nostalgic for me, my family and I played this. According to Wikipedia: French for a thousand milestones, referring to the distance markers on many French roads) is a French card game. Mille Bornes is listed in the GAMES Magazine Hall of Fame.
48. Being disrespectful to: SASSING.
55. Cal. column: THU.
56. Oft-numbered rd.: AVE.
57. Saltimbocca herb: SAGE. Saltimbocca is a meat dish - traditionally veal, but also made with chicken or pork - cooked with prosciutto and sage.
58. Stationery brand: EATON. Letter writing with pen and paper is mostly a lost art.
60. Indian music: RAGA.
65. Heal, in a way: KNIT. Comfrey leaf and root is also known as boneset, or knitbone, because of it's ability to heal both soft tissue and broken bones. We have many plants growing in our yard.
66. Fire remnant: EMBER.
67. New Age composer John: TESH.
68. Not mad: SANE.
69. Fixes the leaks in: SEALS.
70. Two-toned cookie: OREO. Not to be confused with the black and white.
Down:
1. Rummages (through): RIFLES.
2. Parkway entrances: ON-RAMPS.
3. Canadian force member: MOUNTIE.
4. Met melody: ARIA. Opera. If this were a C.C. puzzle, I would think of this:
5. Fall mo.: SEP. Perfect timing.
6. Part of a college URL: EDU.
7. Belarus city: PINSK. Belarus is to the east of Poland. Minsk is the Capital. Pinsk is near the southern border, and looks like a beautiful place to visit.
8. In need of calamine lotion: ITCHY.
9. Fire pit residue: ASHES.
10. N. American land: USA.
11. Bulletin board item: POSTING.
12. Hostess sponge cake: TWINKIE. There are 40 ingredients in a TWINKIE. Michael Pollan on Twinkie vs. carrot, below.
13. Painting the town red: ON A TEAR.
18. Chef Jet __, frequent "Cutthroat Kitchen" judge: TILA. Speaking of lost arts and Michael Pollan, he declared that cooking has become a spectator sport.
22. "All the same ... ": STILL.
26. Western sch. with NCAA Division I team championships in 20 sports: UCLA.
27. Hen-to-be: CHICK.
28. Post office assignments: ROUTES.
30. Sci-fi/fantasy award: NEBULA.
34. Slalom slider: SKI.
35. Embarrass: ABASH.
38. West Yorkshire city: LEEDS.
39. Morales of "The Brink": ESAI.
40. Boards at the dock: EMBARKS. Verb not noun.
41. Kurt Cobain's group: NIRVANA.
42. Alabama Slammer ingredient: SLOE GIN.
45. More diminutive: LITTLER.
46. Not outsourced: IN-HOUSE.
49. WWII weapon: STEN.
50. Enthusiastic: GUNG HO.
52. Pay: WAGES. Answer could be singular or plural.
53. "Only __": NPR sports program: A GAME.
54. __ mate: tealike beverage: YERBA. South American hot infused drink, traditionally served in a gourd with a metal straw. Seems odd to drink hot liquid from a metal straw ...
59. About: AS TO.
61. Dined: ATE.
63. St. with a former "Small Wonder" slogan: DEL.
64. Stammering sounds: ERS.
