Pandemic Etiquette: Now that it has been a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) downgraded Covid-19 from a health emergency to a health threat and we are not in pandemic mode, do we still have to STAND APART?
  17-Across. Generic choice at the supermarket: STORE BRAND.  Store brands are made and sold for a specific retailer and meant to compete with
  brand-name goods. Store brands tend to be cheaper than name brand goods.
  25-Across. Emotional condition: STATE O FMIND.
  50-Across. Inspire wannabes, maybe: START A TREND.
And the unifier:
  63-Across. Stick out from the crowd, and what can be found in 17-, 25-,
    40-, and 50-Across?: STAND APART.  No circles were needed in today's puzzle to see that the word Stand
    is broken Apart in each theme answer.
Across:
  1. All __: medium for shouty emails: CAPS.  YOU DON'T HAVE TO
  YELL!
  5. Meteorologist's tool: RADAR.
10. Apple tablet: iPAD.
14. Feel sore: ACHE.
  15. Adler played by Lara Pulver on "Sherlock": IRENE.  Lara
  Pulvar (b. Sept. 1, 1980) is an English actress who portrayed Irene Adler on
  the BBC version of Sherlock Holmes.  [Names # 1 and 2, One fictional, one
  real.]
16. Overhaul: REDO.
  19. Bank lobby conveniences: ATMs.  A crossword staple.
20. Sum: TOTAL.
  21. __ deck: cruise ship level: LIDO.
23. Formal neckwear: TIE.
  24. Sign at a packed theater: SRO.  Standing Room Only.
29. Become misshapen: WARP.
  30. Tortilla chip dip, for short: GUAC.  Yummers!  I
  love a good Guacamole.
  31. Alan of "M*A*S*H": ALDA.  Hawkeye Pierce
  from M*A*S*H was portrayed by Alan Alda (né Alphonso Joseph
  D'Abruzzo; b. Jan. 28, 1936).  The television sit-com ran for 11 years:
  from September 1972 through February 1983.  [Name # 3.]
  34. Deciduous 26-Downs: ELMS.  //  And 26-Down. Backyard
  shade provider: TREE.  Living on Elm Street can be a real
  nightmare.
37. Schnoz: SNOUT.
43. Hard to pick up: HEAVY.
44. "Scram!": SHOO.
  45. Great Basin people: UTES.
  46. Sound from a 57-Across: MEOW.  //  And 57-Across.
  Feline: CAT.  //  And 53-Across. Sounds from big
  57-Acrosses: ROARS.
48. Chirpy songbird: WREN.
  54. Caspian __: SEA.  The Caspian Sea is the world's largest
  inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake and
  sometimes referred to as a full-fledged sea.  It is a landlocked body of
  water in Eurasia. The countries surrounding Caspian Sea are five countries: Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and
  Kazakhstan
  58. Layered cookie: OREO.  A crossword staple.  You can
  get the cookie in a variety of flavors, but why?
59. Birth-related: NATAL.
61. Within: AMID.
  66. Puerto __: RICO.  Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and unincorporated U.S. territory.  Its
  capital is San Juan.
67. Data assortment: ARRAY.
68. Grain tower: SILO.
69. Otherwise: ELSE.
70. Fritter away: WASTE.
  71. Big name in ice cream: EDYS.
Down:
  1. __ a ballot: votes: CASTS.  This is an election year.
   Enough said.
2. Many an A-lister: ACTOR.
3. Camera output: PHOTO.
  4. Some hydrating skin care products: SERA.  But do they
  really work?
5. Tease: RIB.
  6. Flight status abbr.: ARR.  As in Arrival time.
7. Handed out a hand: DEALT.
  8. "It's the Hard Knock Life" musical: ANNIE.  [Name # 3,
  fictional.]
  9. Clifford of kid-lit, for one: RED DOG.  Clifford The Big
  Red Dog is a series about the adventures of a girl named Emily Elizabeth and
  her pet dog, a giant, red-furred dog named Clifford.  Norman Bridwell
  (1928 ~ 2014) was the author of this series.  The first book in the
  series was published in 1963.  [Name # 4, fictional.]
  10. Gershwin brother: IRA.  A nice, refreshing change from
  the usual Individual Retirement Account.  Ira Gershwin (né Israel Gershovitz; Dec. 6, 1896 ~ Aug. 17,
  1983) was the older brother of George Gershwin (né Jacob Gershovitz; Sept. 26,
  1898 ~ July 11, 1937).  The two brothers collaborated on many songs: George composed the music and Ira wrote the
  lyrics.   [Name # 5.]
  11. Frilly garment in many a costume drama: PETTICOAT.
  12. Online moderator, for short: ADMIN.  As in Administrator.
  13. Gave a couple of Advil, say: DOSED.
  18. Olaf's creator in "Frozen": ELSA.  The
  musical Frozen is based on Hans Christian Anderson's story The Snow Queen.  [Name # 5, fictional.]
22. Practical: OF USE.
27. Great grade: A-PLUS.
  28. Topknot on a dude: MAN BUN.
  29. Formal relinquishing of rights: WAIVER.
31. __ Wednesday: ASH.
  32. Cell service initials: LTE.  As in Long Term Evolution.  Everything you wanted to know about LTE but didn't know to ask.
  33. Theatrical behavior: DRAMATICS.
  35. Dashboard stat: MPH.  As in Miles Per Hour.
  36. Writer and abolitionist Harriet Beecher __: STOWE.
   Harriet Beecher Stowe (June 14, 1811 ~ July 1, 1896) is best known for
  her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.  [Name # 6.]
  38. Arles article: UNE.  Today's French lesson.  Arles
  is a city in southern France.  It is best known for being the place that
  inspired Vincent Van Gogh (Mar. 30, 1853 ~ July 29, 1890) to paint many of his works.  It
  was also an ancient Roman outpost.
  39. QB goals: TDS.  Think football: as in Touch Downs.
  41. Japanese city whose name means "capital city": KYOTO.  Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It's famous
  for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial
  palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses.
42. "Beep beep" maker: HORN.
47. Polish capital: WARSAW.
  49. Novelist Ferber: EDNA.  Edna Ferber (Aug. 15, 1885 ~ Apr.
  16, 1968) wrote many novels, including Show Boat, which was later
  adapted into a musical.  [Name # 7.]
  50. Cause to jump, maybe: SCARE.
  51. Native of Sri Lanka: TAMIL.
  52. Eye-catching aquarium fish: TETRA.  Everything you wanted
  to know about Tetra but didn't know to ask.
54. Serious: STAID.
  55. Before the doors open: EARLY.
56. Choir section: ALTOS.
60. Cathedral area: APSE.
62. Mama deer: DOE.
  64. D.C. MLBer: NAT.  The Washington, D.C., Nationals are a professional baseball team.
65. Salon supply: DYE.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
 
 


