Theme: CANDY COAT. A timely Halloween theme, these are all candies that might be found in a trick-or-treat bag. Clueing for this had to have been chewy. (See what I did there?)
17. Treats for a comedian?: SNICKERS. Favorite theme clue, and favorite candy bar.
26. Treats for a teacher?: SMARTIES. This is where the theme appeared for me. Remember Horshack, the penultimate smarty-pants?
40. Treats for an oil tycoon?: GUSHERS. Here's an impressive one. But not near as impressive as the Lakeview Gusher Number One in Kern County, California, in 1910. It created the largest accidental oil spill in history, lasting 18 months and releasing 9 million barrels (1.4×106 m3) of crude oil.
50. Treats for a submarine pilot?: WARHEADS. From Wikipedia: A ballistic missile submarine ("Boomer") is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads.
64. Treats for a fisher?: WHOPPERS. Definition: a thing that is extremely or unusually large.
Across:
1. Victoria's Secret purchase: BRA.
4. US Open stadium named for a US Open winner: ASHE. Arthur. Saw him here just yesterday. His widow is the celebrated photographer Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe. They adopted a daughter in 1986. She was named Camera, after her mother's profession.
8. Calm: SEDATE.
14. Couple's word: OUR.
15. Ostrich relative: RHEA.
16. Swaps: TRADES.
19. Scold harshly: RAIL AT.
20. Blacken on the outside: SEAR.
21. Name in the makeup aisle: ESTEE. Lauder.
23. Mars rover org.: NASA.
24. Young newt: EFT.
28. Headboard pole: BEDPOST. Fitting question for this sweet theme, does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?
32. "I'm down with that": OKAY.
33. More likely to cause skidding: ICIER.
34. Santa's reindeer, e.g.: OCTET. Plus Rudolph makes it nine, or a nonad. How Santa's reindeer got their names.
36. Family game room: DEN.
39. Semicircle, e.g.: ARC.
42. Wild way to go: APE.
43. Lawyer's advice: SUE.
44. Prefix with personal: INTER.
45. Blender maker: OSTER.
47. "True Detective" rating: TVMA. Mature audiences only (18 or older).
48. Browned in butter: SAUTEED. That works, but it could be any oil.
54. Pontiac muscle car: GTO.
55. Way out there: AFAR.
56. Bel __: creamy cheese: PAESE. Was not familiar with this cheese.
58. Miranda __ of "Homeland": OTTO.
62. Destroyed, as documents: TORE UP.
66. Clothes line: CREASE. Nice.
67. Snakelike fish: EELS. The plural was tricky.
68. Feel crummy: AIL. Aw.
69. Drove on the trail: HERDED.
70. Some stay at home: DADS.
71. Pooh pal: ROO.
Down:
1. Supervisor: BOSS.
2. Old character: RUNE. Another good clue.
3. Bizet's "Habanera," e.g.: ARIA. From Carmen.
4. Genesis vessel: ARK.
5. Units in a ream: SHEETS.
6. "His," to Bierce: HERS. The Devil's Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. Other entries include: Love (n.) A temporary insanity curable by marriage; Marriage (n.) A household consisting of a master, a mistress, and two slaves, making in all, two; and Positive (a.) Mistaken at the top of one's voice.
7. Bridge seats: EASTS. Card game.
8. Runner in the raw: STREAKER. Don't look, Ethel!
9. Victorian __: ERA.
10. Like porcelain teacups: DAINTY.
11. Estes' ticket-mate: ADLAI. 1956 DNC, Adlai Stevenson was the nominee, with running mate for VP Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee. Stevenson and Kefauver lost the election to incumbent President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Vice President Richard M. Nixon 57.4% to 42%.
12. Give body to, as hair: TEASE.
13. "¿Cómo __?": ESTÁS. Spanish for "How are you?"
18. __ de chine: light fabric: CREPE.
22. Actors, often: EMOTERS.
25. Let bygones be bygones: FORGIVE.
27. Informs on: RATS OUT.
28. Media critic's concern: BIAS.
29. Linen hue: ECRU.
30. They're spotted in casinos: DICE. Awesome.
31. Taqueria order: TOSTADA.
35. Michael of "SNL": CHE.
36. "It's a __!": DATE.
37. Weapon with two accents: EPEE.
38. Unlikely candidate for prom king: NERD.
41. Not charted: UNMAPPED.
46. Brownstone porch: STOOP. Brownstone is a building material. Inside A $15M Brooklyn Brownstone.
47. Fine line: THREAD.
49. Antediluvian: AGE OLD.
50. Item on a wrist: WATCH.
51. Earlier than, to poets: AFORE.
52. Not as common: RARER. Hard to pronounce.
53. Put in stitches: SEWED.
57. Miracle Mets' stadium: SHEA.
59. Drop from an eye: TEAR.
60. Jazz __: TRIO.
61. Sonja Henie's birthplace: OSLO.
63. Play for a sap: USE.
65. Message afterthoughts: Abbr.: PSS. Post scripts.
