Lou, Lou, Skip to My Lou! I didn't see the theme until I went searching after I finished the puzzle. The last syllable of each theme answer has the same "oo" sound.
17-Across. Was completely crushed by the competition: MET ONE'S WATERLOO.
39-Across. Actress who played Joan Watson on "Elementary": LUCY LIU.
61-Across. Is hopelessly confused: DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE.
3-Down. Catches a seasonal malady: GETS THE FLU.
27-Down. Threepio's companion: ARTOO.
32-Down. Stuffed with ham and cheese: CORDON BLEU.
Across:
1. Cleaning cloths: RAGS.
5. Branch of govt.: DEPT.
9. Suffers after a CrossFit workout, say: ACHES.
14. "Just gimme __!": A SEC.
15. Really, really enjoy a joke: ROAR. Followed
by: 16-Across. Enjoy a joke: LAUGH. And also: 26. "Good
one": HA HA! A comedian, a lawyer, and a war hero walk into
a bar. The bartender says: What can I get you Mr. Zelinskyy?
20. Orzo and ziti: PASTAs.
21. Grand total: SUM.
22. History: PAST.
23. Part of a server's income: TIPS.
24. __ soup: sushi bar bowlful: MISO. Yummers!
28. "La La Land" Oscar winner Stone: EMMA. Emma Stone (née
Emily Jean Stone; b. Nov. 6, 1988) and Ryan Gosling (né Ryan Thomas Gosling;
b. Nov. 12, 1980) co-stared in this film.
31. Chocolaty drink: COCOA.
35. Before, in classic palindromes: ERE. Napoleon never said what you thought he said.
36. Continent with most of the world's people: ASIA. Continents by population.
37. "Adios!": SO LONG.
38. Org. with bomb-sniffing dogs: ATF
. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is a law enforcement agency within a 5-Across.
41. __ de Janeiro: RIO. The name of this Brazilian city
literally means the River of January.
42. Blob: DOLLOP.
44. Asteroid formation: BELT.
45. Put on: DON.
46. "Gonna join us?": YOU IN?
47. __ the deal: SEAL.
48. Fair ride: PONY.
49. Number-picking bar game: KENO.
51. "__ open book": "Ask me anything": I'M AN.
53. A single time: ONCE. Also the beginning of many a fairy
tale.
56. "Maa" ma: EWE. What happens if you never shear a sheep?
58. Just okay: NOT BAD.
64. Spine-tingling: EERIE.
65. Yard sale caveat: AS IS.
66. Queen of Mount Olympus: HERA. Everything you wanted to
know about Hera,
but didn't know to ask.
67. Roofing stone: SLATE. The pros and cons of a slate roof.
68. Golf pegs: TEEs.
69. Chinese currency: YUAN.
Down:
1. Wheelchair access: RAMP.
2. Between ports on a cruise: ASEA.
4. Nova __: SCOTIA. Hi, Canadian, Eh! We visited Nova
Scotia quite often when we were kids.
5. Gets into character for Comic-Con, say: DRESSES UP. The
2022 Comic-Com International event will be in San Diego in July. I'll
pass.
6. Lip balm brand with egg-shaped containers: EOS. They come
in all sorts of flavors.
7. Bear feet: PAWS.
8. Damage that may be psychological: TRAUMA.
9. Smithwick's beer: ALE. I am not familiar with Smithwick, but apparently it comes from Ireland.
10. Commuting arrangement: CAR POOL.
11. Hip-moving Hawaiian dance: HULA.
12. Alter __: secret identities for superheroes: EGOs.
Superman was Clark Kent's alter Ego.
13. Completely worn out: SHOT.
18. Quick snooze: NAP.
19. "I could do without this knowledge," way less formally: TMI.
Text speak for Too Much Information.
25. Merit badge earner: SCOUT. I earned many badges when I
was a girl scout.
26. Stimulating: HEADY.
29. Open __ night: MIC.
30. "I'll think about it": MAYBE.
33. French __ soup: ONION. Yummers!
34. Anguish: AGONY.
36. Flying solo: ALONE.
37. Inanity: SILLINESS.
40. __ & Perrins steak sauce: LEA. The bottles of Lea & Perrins are wrapped in paper. It is a hold-over from the days when the sauce was shipped from England in the 1800. The paper wrapping helped to protect the glass bottles from breaking.
43. Gives something a thumbs-up: LIKES IT.
47. "Big deal": SO WHAT.
48. Uneven, as fog: PATCHY.
50. Badminton court divider: NET.
52. Extinct emu-like bird: MOA. The Moa is believed to have gone extinct in the 1200s.
53. Poetic tributes: ODES.
54. Yule tune: NOEL.
55. "Superbad" actor Michael: CERA. Michael Cera (né Michael
Austin Cera; b. June 7, 1988) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.
He co-starred with Alia Shawkat (née Alia Martine Shawkat; b. Apr. 18,
1989 ) in Arrested Development.
57. Simplicity: EASE.
59. Mystical glow: AURA.
60. Campus official: DEAN.
62. Alumna bio word: NÉE. Today's French lesson.
63. Compete (for): VIE.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה