Theme: AVIAN (38.
Bird-related ... four of them have landed at the ends of the answers to
starred clues) - The last four letter of each theme entry is a bird.
17A. *A total failure "goes over like" one: LEAD BALLOON.
57A. *Hotel chain with a geographical name: BEST WESTERN.
3D. *Last Supper cup: HOLY GRAIL.
34D. *Monastic hood: MONK'S COWL.
Boomer
here. The LOON is Minnesota's state bird. No, we are not Loonies. I did
not know that a RAIL was a bird. I thought it was something I hold on
to while climbing stairs.
With that, I wish to extend best wishes and good health to all friends in California as fires are devastating the state. I have two sisters in the Bay Area and I am told that it is difficult to breathe. I also want to extend hope and happiness to our friend Desper-otto and Tony as hurricane Laura is traveling toward Eastern Texas. Best of luck and best wishes for health and happiness to all in range of of this nastiness.
Across:
1. LBJ's vice president: HHH. Indeed, Hubert Horatio Humphrey from Waverly Minnesota. I have fished in Lake Waverly a few times, great for panfish.
4. Sponsor's tube spot: TV AD. Too many on the golf channel. I keep using my remote to try to avoid commercials.
8. Dracula stabber: STAKE. A pile of cash for poker?
13. Tic-tac-toe winner: OOO.
14. Glow: SHINE. "SHINE, SHINE, who wants a SHINE"
15. One-on-one teacher: TUTOR. Schools are working hard to make things work. TUTORS are expensive
16. Fifth scale note: SOL. "SOL, a needle pulling thread." Sound of Music.
19. Arena overhead view provider: SKYCAM.
21. Cowpoke's "okay": YUP. Have I ever poked a cow?? NOPE
22. Tattoo artist's array: INKS. I never bought a tattoo. Some look pretty good, others are too much.
23. Stares open-mouthed: GAPES.
25. Violent storm: TEMPEST. Comes in a teapot.
27. Eaten away by rust, say: CORRODED. Sounds like my 1955 Oldsmobile.
30. More, in Mexico: MAS.
31. Once more: AGAIN.
32. Weather guy Al: ROKER. Not my favorite. I remember he was on "Seinfeld" once.
34. __ and cheese: MAC. I have a box in the cupboard. Seems like a good side dish but I never get around to it.
37. Smooth-tongued: GLIB. Lots of smooth tongues on some of those TV ads mentioned earlier.
41. Itty-bitty: TEENY. "It was an itsy bitsy, TEENY weenie, yellow polka dot bikini".
42. Joltless java brand: SANKA. Sorry, I really like caffeine.
43. Tips container: JAR. My golf course clubhouse has a glass cup for tips. They stopped charging me for a cart, so I dropped a couple of Sacagawea golden dollars in one day.
44. Leather bookbinding material: GOATSKIN.
46. Type of pub named for its unglamorous appearance: DIVE BAR. Most of them may be named Covid distribution centers.
50. Blind pieces: SLATS. We have vertical which work very well. Yes, sometimes there is morning sun in Minnesota.
51. Greek goddess of discord: ERIS.
52. Greek T: TAU.
54. Financial word before year or policy: FISCAL.
1. Bulky "Bonanza" brother: HOSS. The biggest Cartwright. Dan Blocker died at age 43.
2. "Peter Pan" captain: HOOK. Played by Dustin Hoffman I think.
8. Cards, in box scores: STL. Twins played them early. Before they had some positives.
9. "Tiptoe Through the __": TULIPS.
10. Make things right: ATONE. Let me know if I irritate you. I will sing you A TONE.
11. Goofballs: KOOKS.
12. Dadaist Max: ERNST.
14. Apply carelessly: SLAP ON. Looks like a hockey shot to me.
18. Theoretical missing links: APE-MEN.
20. West Indies native: CARIB.
24. Dish up, as a dish: SERVE. Or whack a tennis ball or slap a volleyball.
26. St. Patrick's mo.: MAR. This also happens to be the month when I put the bowling ball in my bag and it is sitting lonely in the garage,
27. Zoo enclosure: CAGE. I never knew why a basketball player is called a CAGER. I am not old enough to remember when basketball was played in a CAGE.
28. Look at creepily: OGLE.
29. Washing, as the dishes: DOING.
33. Bout-ending blows: KAYOS. Knock it off.
36. Scottish family: CLAN.
38. Fizz up, as water: AERATE. Actually to me it means - punch a whole bunch of little holes in a green.
39. Protests by not eating: FASTS. We used to do this during Lent, it was not a protest, just a ritual.
41. Saloon bill: TAB. I never liked Coke products, I drink Diet Pepsi and not TAB. I'm not even sure if TAB is still around.
42. Oil leak blemishes: STAINS. The best way to clean them off the garage floor is use Coke.
43. Court clown: JESTER. It was cancelled this year, but Minneapolis usually has an "Aquatennial festival and parade". The clowns are called Aqua JESTERS.
45. Director Hitchcock: ALFRED. Interesting Q and A, since the theme of this puzzle is "THE BIRDS".
46. Kind of bank card: DEBIT. We don't use ours since the bank kicks us back a few cents on our credit card purchases.
47. Goodnight woman of song: IRENE. "I'll see you in my dreams".
48. Panoramic view: VISTA. Sometimes we visit the Electrical Dam near our home on the Mississippi River. It is a very panoramic site. 
49. Carpenter's files: RASPS.
53. Home of the Jazz: UTAH. Jeopardy had a category where the clues asked for team names that were not plural. Jazz was one of the answers.
55. Natural burn balm: ALOE.
56. Bobcat, e.g.: LYNX. Our WNBA Minnesota team was another clue.
58. Dryly humorous: WRY. I try to be dryly humorous on this site, but sometimes I cannot help getting wet.
59. Little __, singer of the #1 hit "The Loco-Motion": EVA. "Do it nice and easy now and don't lose control."
21. Cowpoke's "okay": YUP. Have I ever poked a cow?? NOPE
22. Tattoo artist's array: INKS. I never bought a tattoo. Some look pretty good, others are too much.
23. Stares open-mouthed: GAPES.
25. Violent storm: TEMPEST. Comes in a teapot.
27. Eaten away by rust, say: CORRODED. Sounds like my 1955 Oldsmobile.
30. More, in Mexico: MAS.
31. Once more: AGAIN.
32. Weather guy Al: ROKER. Not my favorite. I remember he was on "Seinfeld" once.
34. __ and cheese: MAC. I have a box in the cupboard. Seems like a good side dish but I never get around to it.
37. Smooth-tongued: GLIB. Lots of smooth tongues on some of those TV ads mentioned earlier.
39. April 1 "honoree": FOOL.
40. Slim fish often smoked: EEL. Terrible! Lake Waverly by Hubert's house yielded many Sunfish and Crappies. Crappies are not crappy).
40. Slim fish often smoked: EEL. Terrible! Lake Waverly by Hubert's house yielded many Sunfish and Crappies. Crappies are not crappy).
41. Itty-bitty: TEENY. "It was an itsy bitsy, TEENY weenie, yellow polka dot bikini".
42. Joltless java brand: SANKA. Sorry, I really like caffeine.
43. Tips container: JAR. My golf course clubhouse has a glass cup for tips. They stopped charging me for a cart, so I dropped a couple of Sacagawea golden dollars in one day.
44. Leather bookbinding material: GOATSKIN.
46. Type of pub named for its unglamorous appearance: DIVE BAR. Most of them may be named Covid distribution centers.
50. Blind pieces: SLATS. We have vertical which work very well. Yes, sometimes there is morning sun in Minnesota.
51. Greek goddess of discord: ERIS.
52. Greek T: TAU.
54. Financial word before year or policy: FISCAL.
60. Beer named for Washington's capital, briefly: OLY. Oh, I thought it was named after Sven's buddy.
61. Prefix with national: INTER. Or STATE which is a big highway.
62. Covers with asphalt: PAVES. Normally the surface of the above big highway.
63. Was victorious: WON. Twins have WON more than they lost so far, but it's a strange season.
64. Wet-eyed: TEARY.
65. Roe source: SHAD.
66. __ Luthor, Superman nemesis: LEX.
Down:
61. Prefix with national: INTER. Or STATE which is a big highway.
62. Covers with asphalt: PAVES. Normally the surface of the above big highway.
63. Was victorious: WON. Twins have WON more than they lost so far, but it's a strange season.
64. Wet-eyed: TEARY.
65. Roe source: SHAD.
66. __ Luthor, Superman nemesis: LEX.
Down:
1. Bulky "Bonanza" brother: HOSS. The biggest Cartwright. Dan Blocker died at age 43.
2. "Peter Pan" captain: HOOK. Played by Dustin Hoffman I think.
4. Focused on a subject, as a crossword: THEMED. I generally say a few CROSS WORDS when I can't figure out the theme.
5. By way of: VIA.
6. Artist Warhol: ANDY. He has a museum in New York.
7. First appearance: DEBUT. Ryan Jeffers made a DEBUT as catcher last week when Mitch Garver got hurt. Jeffers singled and drove in a run in his first at bat. I am sure that baseball is on a shelf in his home.
5. By way of: VIA.
6. Artist Warhol: ANDY. He has a museum in New York.
7. First appearance: DEBUT. Ryan Jeffers made a DEBUT as catcher last week when Mitch Garver got hurt. Jeffers singled and drove in a run in his first at bat. I am sure that baseball is on a shelf in his home.
8. Cards, in box scores: STL. Twins played them early. Before they had some positives.
9. "Tiptoe Through the __": TULIPS.
10. Make things right: ATONE. Let me know if I irritate you. I will sing you A TONE.
11. Goofballs: KOOKS.
12. Dadaist Max: ERNST.
14. Apply carelessly: SLAP ON. Looks like a hockey shot to me.
18. Theoretical missing links: APE-MEN.
20. West Indies native: CARIB.
24. Dish up, as a dish: SERVE. Or whack a tennis ball or slap a volleyball.
26. St. Patrick's mo.: MAR. This also happens to be the month when I put the bowling ball in my bag and it is sitting lonely in the garage,
27. Zoo enclosure: CAGE. I never knew why a basketball player is called a CAGER. I am not old enough to remember when basketball was played in a CAGE.
28. Look at creepily: OGLE.
29. Washing, as the dishes: DOING.
33. Bout-ending blows: KAYOS. Knock it off.
35. Golfer Isao: AOKI. You won't find him at the Northern Trust PGA in Boston or even Champions Tour these days.
36. Scottish family: CLAN.
38. Fizz up, as water: AERATE. Actually to me it means - punch a whole bunch of little holes in a green.
39. Protests by not eating: FASTS. We used to do this during Lent, it was not a protest, just a ritual.
41. Saloon bill: TAB. I never liked Coke products, I drink Diet Pepsi and not TAB. I'm not even sure if TAB is still around.
42. Oil leak blemishes: STAINS. The best way to clean them off the garage floor is use Coke.
43. Court clown: JESTER. It was cancelled this year, but Minneapolis usually has an "Aquatennial festival and parade". The clowns are called Aqua JESTERS.
45. Director Hitchcock: ALFRED. Interesting Q and A, since the theme of this puzzle is "THE BIRDS".
46. Kind of bank card: DEBIT. We don't use ours since the bank kicks us back a few cents on our credit card purchases.
47. Goodnight woman of song: IRENE. "I'll see you in my dreams".
48. Panoramic view: VISTA. Sometimes we visit the Electrical Dam near our home on the Mississippi River. It is a very panoramic site.
53. Home of the Jazz: UTAH. Jeopardy had a category where the clues asked for team names that were not plural. Jazz was one of the answers.
55. Natural burn balm: ALOE.
56. Bobcat, e.g.: LYNX. Our WNBA Minnesota team was another clue.
58. Dryly humorous: WRY. I try to be dryly humorous on this site, but sometimes I cannot help getting wet.
59. Little __, singer of the #1 hit "The Loco-Motion": EVA. "Do it nice and easy now and don't lose control."
Boomer
