On the Home Front: While the men were off fighting, the women worked on the Home Front. The last word of each theme answer can be placed before the word Home to give us a new concept.
17-Across. Crowdfunding website: KICK STARTER. Starter Home.
25-Across. Recliner part: ARM REST. Rest Home
49-Across. Sprint rival: T-MOBILE. Mobile Home
59-Across. "The Silence of the Lambs" Oscar-winning actress: JODIE FOSTER. Foster Home
And the Unifier:
35-Across. Civilian activity site during wartime ... and what the end of 17-, 25-, 49- and 59-Across can be: HOME FRONT.
Across:
17-Across. Crowdfunding website: KICK STARTER. Starter Home.
25-Across. Recliner part: ARM REST. Rest Home
49-Across. Sprint rival: T-MOBILE. Mobile Home
59-Across. "The Silence of the Lambs" Oscar-winning actress: JODIE FOSTER. Foster Home
And the Unifier:
35-Across. Civilian activity site during wartime ... and what the end of 17-, 25-, 49- and 59-Across can be: HOME FRONT.
Across:
1. Massage reactions: AHs!
4. Hungarian stew: GOULASH. Here's recipe for traditional Hungarian Goulash for those inclined to cook.
11. Watch chain: FOB.
14. Watch: SEE.
15. Entertainer: ARTISTE.
16. Make fun of: APE. A crossword staple.
19. Medicinal bath site: SPA. Lots of Europeans travel to the Dead Sea Spas for the bath and mud spas.
20. Starts a poker pot: ANTEs.
21. Fabled loser: HARE. A reference to Æsop and his fable about the Tortoise and the Hare.
22. Sporty Pontiacs: GTOs.
1968 Pontiac GTO
23. "__ here": "The place is empty": NO ONE'S.
27. Surly mutt: CUR.
28. Squalid: SEAMY. // Which crossed with 24-Down: "It's not how it __": SEEMS. Maybe it's not as Squalid as it Seems!
31. Stand for an oil, say: EASEL.
32. Superman's symbol: ESS. As in the Letter "S".
33. Notable period: ERA. // Rearrange the letters, and you get 29-Down: "__ you joking?": ARE. Note that these two answers also cross.
34. Sinclair Lewis preacher Elmer __: GANTRY. Elmer Gantry is a satarical novel written by Sinclair Lewis (né Harry Sinclair Lewis; Feb, 7, 1885 ~ Jan. 10, 1951) in 1927. Elmer Gantry was the fictional evangelical minister with a taste for chasing women, power and money. When it was first published, it created quite a furor and was banned in several cities. The books of Sinclair Lewis are surprisingly readable and relevant 100 years later.
38. Sultans' groups of wives: HAREMS.
41. Non-neutral atom: ION.
42. Covert missions: OPs.
45. Deck out: ADORN.
46. Can't stomach: HATES.
48. Zodiac critter with horns: RAM.
51. Wander from the talking point: RAMBLE.
53. Virtual video game people: SIMS. Anyone out there play this game?
54. Food for horses: OATS.
57. Magician's cry: VOILÀ!
58. "Mork & Mindy" planet: ORK. Mork and Mindy was a sit-com that ran from September 1978 through May 1982. Robin Williams (July 21, 1951 ~ Aug. 11, 2014) played an extraterrestrial from Ork.
61. Service charge: FEE.
62. Like many bazaars: OPEN AIR.
63. Had a bite: ATE.
64. Cook in oil: FRY.
65. Oppressive rule: TYRANNY.
66. What Dr. Leary tripped on: LSD.
Down:
1. Suspicious way to look: ASKANCE.
Sophia Loren is looking ascance at Jayne Mansfield.
2. Shockingly evil: HEINOUS.
3. Circle parts, in geometry: SECTORS.
4. Hydrogen and oxygen: GASSES.
5. Uneaten morsel: ORT.
6. Nevada neighbor: UTAH.
7. Old Roman money: LIRA. Not ancient Roman money, just the currency before the Euro.
8. Off the mark: ASTRAY.
9. Navigate: STEER.
10. Sailor's pronoun: HER.
11. First to the finish: FASTEST.
12. One against: OPPOSER.
13. Really awful, as weather: BEASTLY.
18. Barbie's beau: KEN.
22. President with fitting initials: GRANT. Ulysses S. Grant (Apr. 27, 1822 ~ July 23, 1885) given name was actually Hiram Ulysses Grant. The "S" was a clerical error that was written on his nomination to attend West Point. But, that error eventually led to his being known as US Grant, hence the fitting initials. Other interesting facts about President Grant.
26. Intend: MEAN.
30. Underworld society: MAFIA.
34. One who's done for: GONER.
35. Kitchen rack lineup: HERBS. Because Spices was too many letters.
36. '70s-'80s Dodge model: OMNI. Last week Omni was a Hotel Chain.
37. Nonsense: ROT.
38. "Let's tip our caps (to) ... ": HATS OFF!
39. Fan who might be secret: ADMIRER.
40. Item a hotel guest might forget to return on leaving: ROOM KEY. When you stay at a hotel with a key like this, you don't forget it in your pocket upon leaving.
42. Relating to a planetary path: ORBITAL.
43. Portable warehouse platforms: PALLETS.
44. Ruined the reputation of: SMEARED.
46. Aptly named soccer shot: HEADER.
47. Like umami's taste: SAVORY.
50. Eccentric: LOOPY.
52. Yr.'s 12: MOs. There are 12 Months in a Year.
55. Singer Turner: TINA. Tina Turner (née Anna Mae Bullock; b. Nov.26. 1939) is retired now.
56. Penn name: SEAN. Sean Penn (né Sean Justin Penn; b. Aug. 17, 1960) was once married to Madonna. He just celebrated his 60th birthday.
59. Write quickly: JOT.
60. Half a sawbuck: FIN. A Fin is slang for a $5 bill, and a sawbuck is slang for a $10 bill.
Here's the Grid:
And on the Home Front, just when you think the year can't get any weirder, we continue the year 2020:
