17. *Entrance protection from the elements: STORMDOOR. Firestorm and Fire door.
24. *Monopoly utility: WATER WORKS. Firewater and Fireworks.
35. *Lotto America, since 1992: POWERBALL. Firepower and Fireball - Never heard of Lotto America, but am aware of Powerball.
51. *Home security system: HOUSE ALARM. Firehouse and Fire Alarm
60. Warm, cozy places ... and a hint to what can precede both parts of the answers to starred clues: FIRESIDES.
Across:
1. Zsa Zsa's older sister: MAGDA. Two of the three Gabor sisters. The other of course was Eva. "Between the three of them, they had 20 marriages, 19 husbands, and one child." 19 Husbands ? Oh, Magda married one of Zsa Zsa's ex-husbands.
6. NYC winter hours: EST.
9. Italian city known for its cheese: PARMA. We're getting our fill of PARMA lately. Husker Gary had Prosciutto di PARMA Saturday. Kraft and other dairy product makers create their own "Parmesan Cheese", but the real deal Parmesan is Parmigiano-Reggiano. Prosciutto di Parma, Parmesan, and Parmigiano-Reggiano are PDOs in Europe.
14. How French fries are fried: IN OIL.
15. Sgt., e.g.: NCO.
16. Knight's horse: STEED.
19. Moneyed group: HAVES.
20. "You're asking too much": IT'S A LOT.
21. Yankee or Oriole, for short: AL'ER. American League baseball player.
22. __-deucey: ACEY.
27. Metal fuel holder: GAS CAN. I had to replace the gas tank on my 5 y.o. snowblower a few weeks ago. It was leaking at the seam where the two halves are joined. The cap on the new tank says no E-85 fuel. Perhaps the corrosive action of the ethanol destroyed the seal. IDK.
29. "Honestly!": I SWEAR. Also, a pretty country song: John Michael Montgomery - I Swear
30. John at a piano: ELTON. 'Classically trained, but married to rock’n’roll"
31. Winter wear: COAT. Winter coating: hoar.
34. Wall and 42nd, in NYC: STS. Streets. Also a couple of movie titles. 42nd Street and Wall Street
39. Egyptian snake: ASP.
42. They're drawn in pubs: ALES.
43. Western law group: POSSE.
47. Shallow sea areas: SHOALS. Muscle Shoals is a city in Alabama on the Tennessee River. Learned about it from lyrics in this song by Lynyrd Skynyrd, mentioned about 3 minutes in.
50. Trouser measure: INSEAM.
55. Furry "Star Wars" creature: EWOK.
56. Chicago daily, familiarly: TRIB une.
57. Pigged out: OVERATE.
59. Pierce, as an hors d'oeuvre: SPEAR.
63. Slowly, in music: LARGO.
64. Fla. neighbor: ALA.
65. Love, Italian-style: AMORE. Love American Style
66. Director Welles: ORSON.
67. Light brown: TAN.
68. Cylindrical pasta with pointed ends: PENNE. It's best with a good ragu or Bolognese and cheese.
Down:
1. Prefix with print: MIS. Misprint.
2. Hill crawler: ANT.
3. Most sticky, as a sweet treat: GOOIEST.
4. Corrupt policeman: DIRTY COP.
5. Donation to the poor: ALMS.
6. WWII bomber __ Gay: ENOLA.
7. Dart: SCOOT.
8. Rich cake: TORTE.
9. Disbelieving cries: PSHAWS.
10. Having bottomed out, as prices: AT A LOW.
11. Worships: REVERES.
12. Kalahari mongoose: MEERKAT.
13. Much of the Sunday paper: ADS.
18. Rooster's wake-up time: DAWN.
22. Have more birthdays: AGE.
23. Berkeley sch.: CAL.
25. Actress Hayworth: RITA. The Love Goddess
26. H.S. grads-to-be: SRS.
28. Year, in Yucatán: ANO.
31. Disney collectible: CEL.
32. Iron source: ORE.
33. Tummy muscles: ABS. The abdominal (and oblique) muscles. Abdominal Muscles Location and Function
36. Ice Cube's "It __ Good Day": WAS A.
37. Hosp. staffer: LPN. Licensed Practical Nurse
38. Get stuck in traffic, say: LOSE TIME.
39. Campfire residue: ASH.
40. Had a good day on the links: SHOT PAR.
41. Sommeliers, often: POURERS.
44. Attached by thread: SEWED ON.
45. __ Paulo: SAO.
46. Longtime Mass. senator's monogram: EMK. Edward M. (Ted) Kennedy.
48. Italian cheese: ASIAGO. More Italian cheese ! Asiago can range in texture from soft and creamy to dry and crumbly. Here's a quick primer on Parmesan, Asiago and Romano.
49. James of the Lakers: LEBRON. Arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, and still active.
50. '50s Hungarian premier Nagy: IMRE. Perps.
52. Diet-friendly: LO-FAT.
53. Hometown of St. Teresa: ÁVILA. - "The City of Saints and Stones" - A UNESCO World Heritage site. Ávila de los Caballeros.
Where it's at:
54. Showed once more: RERAN.
58. On the double, in memos: ASAP.
59. __-mo: SLO.
61. Suffix with west: ERN. You might have got a hint to this answer with the clue at 43A.
62. Set eyes on: SEE.
