Crazy Eight Balls. The word BALL can be added after each word in the theme answer (and there are 4 theme answers), giving us EIGHT different types of Balls.
17-Across. * Usual burger component: GROUND MEAT. Ground Ball and Meat Ball.
39-Across. * British afternoon tradition: HIGH TEA. High Ball and Tea Ball.
11-Down. * Military might: FIRE POWER. Fire Ball and Power Ball.
33-Down. * Monarch or viceroy: BUTTER FLY. As in Butter Ball and Fly Ball.
And the Unifier:
62-Across. "Magic" toys ... or what the answers to starred clues add up to?: EIGHT BALLS.
Nice how the first and last balls in the series are both baseball references.
Across:
17-Across. * Usual burger component: GROUND MEAT. Ground Ball and Meat Ball.
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| Yummers! |
39-Across. * British afternoon tradition: HIGH TEA. High Ball and Tea Ball.
 |
| Tea Ball |
11-Down. * Military might: FIRE POWER. Fire Ball and Power Ball.
33-Down. * Monarch or viceroy: BUTTER FLY. As in Butter Ball and Fly Ball.
62-Across. "Magic" toys ... or what the answers to starred clues add up to?: EIGHT BALLS.
Nice how the first and last balls in the series are both baseball references.
Across:
1. "Happy Motoring" gas brand: ESSO.
5. Puppy love: CRUSH.
10. Contemptuous sound: PFFT!
14. Long (for): ACHE.
15. Hang __ dry: OUT TO.
16. Make really upset: RILE.
19. Periods often named for presidents: ERAs.
20. Young insects: LARVAE.
21. "Baby back" morsel: RIB.
22. Risqué message: SEXT.
23. Board in a salon: EMERY.
24. In a row: LINED UP.
26. Morales of "Ozark": ESAI. He makes frequent appearances in the puzzles.
28. Metaphors for inner turmoil: DEMONS.
31. Takes into custody: NABS.
34. On sale, say: LESS.
37. Ruby or emerald: JEWEL.
38. Big Aussie bird: EMU. // And 41-Across. Broody music genre: EMO. Nice how these two answers are beside each other.
42. Opel compact car whose name means "stars" in Latin: ASTRA.
44. Literary governess Jane: EYRE. Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Brontë (1816 ~ 1855). It was first published in 1847.
45. Forehead: BROW.
46. Bottom lines: TOTALS.
48. In addition: ALSO.
50. Narcissist's indulgence: EGO TRIP.
53. Blow away: AMAZE.
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| A MAZE |
57. Poet Byron's title: LORD.
59. Fled: RAN.
60. Black furs: SABLES.
61. Recon target: INFO. As in Reconnaissance and Information.
64. Leave no room in: FILL.
65. Didn't show for a date with, with "up": STOOD.
66. Hitchhiker's hope: RIDE. // And 57-Down. Hitchhiker's hope: LIFT.
67. Texting farewell: TTYL. Textspeak for Talk To You Later.
68. Satisfies: SATES.
69. Faculty head: DEAN.
Down:
1. Philadelphia NFLer: EAGLE. The professional football team in Philly.
2. "Get lost!": SCRAM!
3. Jersey __: coastal vacation area: SHORE. It was probably very crowed there this weekend with little social distancing.
4. Bodies of work: OEUVRES. Sometimes written as œuvres. The work has an interesting etymology. It comes from the old French word, uevre, which came from the Latin word opera.
5. Hammurabi's creation: CODE. Hammurabi (1810 ~ 1750 BCE) was a King of the First Babylonian Dynasty. He is best known for drafting the Babylonian Code of Law, now known as the Code of Hammurabi . It is one of the oldest deciphered writings of the ancient world. The Code established rules for commercial interactions, as well as gruesome punishments for crimes.
6. Cuba libre liquor: RUM.
7. Wombs: UTERI. Plural of Uterus.
8. What a Tide to Go pen can remove: STAIN.
9. Area of rapid growth: HOT BED.
10. Take for granted: PRESUME.
12. Linen fiber source: FLAX.
13. Word with sniff or taste: TEST.
18. Those opposed: NAYS.
24. Respected feudal figure: LIEGE.
25. __ vu: familiar feeling: DÉJÀ. Today's French lesson.
27. Boxer Laila: ALI. The daughter of Muhammad Ali.
29. Lost fish in a Pixar film: NEMO. Was Nemo ever found?
30. Sluggish: SLOW.
31. "Fun!": NEAT.
32. "I __ confused": AM SO.
35. Like a wallflower: SHY.
36. Seat belt, e.g.: STRAP.
39. Ring of light: HALO.
40. Ribbonlike fish: EEL.
43. Hit for Aerosmith and The 4 Seasons (different songs, though): RAG DOLL.
45. Overwhelm, as with questions: BOMBARD.
47. Add emphasis to: STRESS.
49. Former Swedish automaker: SAAB.
51. Yogurt-based condiment served to cool hot curry dishes: RAITA. Here's an easy recipe.
52. Bar of gold: INGOT.
54. Kate's TV sidekick: ALLIE. A reference to the 1980s television sit-com Kate and Allie. Kate was played by Susan Saint James and Allie was played by Jane Curtain.
55. Video game princess: ZELDA.
56. German steel city: ESSEN. Do the cars in Essen fuel up with Esso?
58. "Don't count __!": ON IT.
60. Norms: Abbr.: STDs. As in Standards.
63. Clod buster: HOE.
Here's the Grid:
