Theme: Where Are You Headed?
18. Route to church?: SERVICE ROAD.
24. Route to the navy yard?: FLEET STREET.
37. Route to a showing of "Jaws"?: GREAT WHITE WAY.
53. Route to basketball camp?: PASSING LANE.
60. Route to the liquor store?: FIFTH AVENUE.
Melissa here. Each theme answer describes a location - or where you might be if you followed the route in the clue. This appears to be Lempel's debut at the corner - congratulations! Except for the theme answers, the grid is filled with mostly short words. Made for a pretty quick solve - but I did need perps for some of the southeast.
Across:
1. "Sheer Driving Pleasure" automaker: BMW.
4. "A Little Bit Stronger" singer Sara: EVANS. Country.
9. Carmen Sandiego's crime: THEFT. Things only adults notice in Carmen Sandiego.
14. Fish eggs: ROE.
15. Mature on the vine: RIPEN. Verb.
16. Aerie nester: EAGLE.
17. "Science Friday" host Flatow: IRA. Looking for a new podcast?
20. No-sweat class: EASY A.
22. Prof's URL ender: EDU. Academia - websites and email domains typically end with .edu.
23. CPR pro: EMT.
28. Chowed down: ATE.
30. Bubbly bar supply: SELTZER. Fizzy water sure has gotten popular in the past 5+ years. So many brands and flavors. I remember when Perrier in the green glass bottle was the only choice.
31. Oscar winner Poitier: SIDNEY. Just passed away in January of 2022 at the age of 94.
33. Mama of folk rock: CASS.
36. River noted for its châteaux: LOIRE. A château (plural châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry. Loire Valley Castles: The Best French Châteaux You Mustn't Miss. Check it out, a châteaux ROUTE does exist!
42. Experts who deal with stress?: POETS. Angela Gibson is one of my favorites.
43. Fallon's predecessor: LENO. Jimmy Fallon, Jay Leno - The Tonight Show.
44. Discarded stuff: JETSAM. One of those words I've only seen in crosswords and books.
46. Lay in store for: AWAITED. Sounds ominous.
52. Pre-1991 atlas initials: SSR. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 1922–91.
56. Brit's washroom: LOO. Gimme.
58. Scoundrel: RAT. Alan Watts called it “The Element of Irreducible Rascality.”
59. Hold the throne: REIGN.
64. Many a dad joke: PUN. Groan.
65. Musical set in Argentina: EVITA.
66. Conjure up: EVOKE.
67. Yalie: ELI.
68. Back at the track: BET ON. Nice clue - back as in sponsor or support.
69. Worked with thread: SEWED.
70. Uncertainties: IFS.
Down:
1. Legal filings: BRIEFS.
2. Group's level of enthusiasm: MORALE.
3. Untrustworthy type: WEASEL.
4. Like a poor copy: ERSATZ. Just like 44a, only seen in books and crosswords.
5. Fight (for): VIE.
6. Busy time for the IRS: APR. The deadline to file your federal tax returns is the fourth month after your fiscal year ends, day 15, so usually April 15. If day 15 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the due date is delayed until the next business day. Your return is considered filed on time if your envelope is properly addressed, postmarked and deposited in the mail by the due date.
7. "When pigs fly!": NEVER. I heard Flo's voice (from Alice) in my head but that was donkeys.
8. Derisive: SNIDE.
9. Top typically paired with jeans: TEE.
10. Fabled procrastinator: HARE. From The Tortoise and The Hare.
11. Narcissist's attribute: EGOMANIA. I can't think of one example.
12. Excessive praise: FLATTERY.
13. Brother of pols Jack and Bobby: TED. Kennedy.
19. Stage signals: CUES.
21. However: YET.
25. Nonorthodox religious group: SECT.
26. Fishing net: TRAWL. A buoyed line used in sea fishing, having numerous short lines with baited hooks attached at intervals.
27. Carpet alternative: TILE.
29. Iris locale: EYE. Eyeball.
32. Big name in chemicals: DOW.
34. Cow or sow: SHE.
35. Africa-to-Asia land bridge: SINAI.
37. Starts streaming, say: GOES LIVE.
38. Equip with new parts: RETROFIT. To install, fit, or adapt (a device or system) for use with something older: to retrofit solar heating to a poorly insulated house.
39. Arrivals in "Arrival": ETS.
40. "Quickly" letters: ASAP. As soon as possible.
41. Word with hall or house: TOWN.
42. Comfy attire: PJS. Pajamas.
45. Rooney of "Carol": MARA. Carol is a 2015 movie starring Cate Blanchett. Rooney won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as aspiring photographer Therese Belivet.
47. Consented: AGREED.
48. __-de-France: Paris's region: ILE. Île-de-France is a region in north-central France. It surrounds
the nation’s famed capital, Paris, an international center for culture
and cuisine with chic cafes and formal gardens.
49. Asian capital with a Chiang Kai-shek memorial: TAIPEI. Kai-shek was the head of the Nationalist government in China from 1928 to 1949 and subsequently head of the Chinese Nationalist government in exile on Taiwan. National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a popular tourist attraction.
50. Swallow up: ENGULF.
51. "The Unit" actor Haysbert: DENNIS.
54. Reliever's successes: SAVES. Baseball. A save is awarded to the relief pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team, under certain circumstances.
55. Martin of "Only Murders in the Building": STEVE. Anyone watching this?
57. "Beetle Bailey" dog: OTTO. Sgt. Snorkel's anthropomorphic, look-alike bulldog whom Sarge dresses up the same as himself, in an army uniform.
60. Black History mo.: FEB.
61. "To All the Boys" series creator Jenny: HAN. Did not know this.
62. Currently: NOW.
63. Guitar kin, informally: UKE. Ukelele.
