Theme: Break Wind. The last word of each theme answer can precede "wind."
17. Blink of an eye: SPLIT SECOND. Second wind.
24. "The Life of Pablo" hip-hop artist: KANYE WEST. West wind.
38. Comb and scissors, to a stylist: TOOLS OF THE TRADE. Tradewind.
50. Tucked-in clothing part: SHIRT TAIL. Tailwind.
62. Musical ensemble ... or what the ends of 17-, 24-, 38- and 50-Across comprise: WIND QUARTET.
Melissa here. Good morning, we made it to mid-week, greeted by another clever Doug Peterson puzzle.
Across:
1. Arrangement holder: VASE.
5. Pursues with bloodhounds: TRACKS.
11. Pampering, briefly: TLC. Tender loving care.
14. Mideast airline: ELAL.
15. Ace, in poker: BULLET. From www.poker-vibe.com: Making a bet in poker is often called "firing a bullet." Firing two bullets
(leading on the flop and turn) when bluffing is a move that successful
players make, but it is something that should only be done occasionally.
16. That lady: HER.
19. Poison __: villain in Batman comics: IVY.
20. Tip of a wingtip: TOE CAP.
21. Oprah's channel: OWN.
22. Quick cut: SNIP.
23. Former Soviet orbiter: MIR.
26. Half-brush partner: DUSTPAN.
29. Old AT&T rival: GTE.
30. '60s pigskin org.: AFL.
31. Grows faint: DIMS.
34. Hank with 755 homers: AARON.
42. Sean of "Stranger Things": ASTIN.
43. In any way: EVER.
44. Bakery order: PIE.
45. Aunt, in Andalusia: TIA. Andalusia is in southern Spain.
47. Flat-lying volcanic flow: LAVA BED.
55. __ heartbeat: IN A.
56. Formally surrender: CEDE.
57. Did some laps: RAN.
58. Put into gear?: CLOTHE. All perps.
61. Liquid in a drum: OIL.
64. Lyrical tribute: ODE.
65. Periodic reviews: AUDITS.
66. "M*A*S*H" star: ALDA. Hawkeye, ordering a martini:
67. "Deck the Halls" contraction: TIS.
68. Inky goofs: SMEARS.
69. Set in a purse: KEYS. Sneaky.
Down:
1. Suit piece: VEST.
2. Gravy Cravers pet food brand: ALPO. I saw Gary Cravers and couldn't figure out who he was and why he had his own pet food brand.
3. Stephen King novel featuring vampires: SALEM'S LOT.
4. Draw forth: ELICIT.
5. Butter amt.: TBSP.
6. Kick oneself for: RUE.
7. Major maker of can material: ALCOA.
8. Rodeo __: CLOWN.
9. Saxophonist with 17 Grammy nominations: KENNY G.
10. Normal: Abbr.: STD. Standard.
11. Your, old-style: THINE.
12. Wranglers competitor: LEVIS.
13. Chamber in a vampire movie: CRYPT.
18. Pool protector: TARP.
22. Get bleeped, maybe: SWEAR.
24. Item in a kitchen block: KNIFE.
25. Coup d'__: ETAT. French origin, literally 'blow of state.'
26. Pollster's collection: DATA.
27. Aerial enigmas: UFOS.
28. Hurly-burly: ADO. Oscar Hammerstein's lyric for the song "Honey Bun" in South Pacific: "Her curls are hurly-burly."
32. "Total Request Live" network: MTV.
33. Seaside souvenir: SHELL. It is increasingly common to see rules against collecting shells, due to "unintended environmental repercussions."
35. Competition where rhymes are exchanged: RAP BATTLE.
36. Garfield housemate: ODIE.
37. Have to have: NEED.
39. Petrol purchase: LITRE.
40. Tizzy: SNIT.
41. Cy Young Award winner's stat: ERA.
46. Naturally lit courtyard: ATRIUM.
48. Home improvement guru Bob: VILA.
49. Fur-lined jacket: ANORAK. Also, according to Wikipedia, "British slang which refers to a person who has a very strong interest, perhaps obsessive, in niche subjects."
50. Hurry along: SCOOT.
51. "America's Got Talent" judge Klum: HEIDI.
52. Lazes around: IDLES.
53. "Storage Wars" network: A AND E.
54. "The Jungle Book" setting: INDIA.
58. Get bleeped, maybe: CUSS.
59. Actress Lamarr: HEDY.
60. Flight sked info: ETAS.
62. "That __ close!": WAS.
63. NFL period: QTR. Quarter.
