Theme: It's Puzzle Time! - Double AM's.
17A. Wishy-washy : NAMBY PAMBY
62A. Cookie brand : FAMOUS AMOS
11D. Elite group of athletes : DREAM TEAM. Note: The AM sound is missing.
35D. It's "played" by finger-pointers : BLAME GAME
52D. Wee hr., and a hint to a feature common to this puzzle's four longest answers : TWO AM
Argyle here. A theme excellent in its simplicity with some sparkly fill and we're good to go.
Across:
1. Cereal dish : BOWL. Remember we get cereal from Ceres, the goddess of agricultural fertility.
5. Defame in print : LIBEL. Slander - defamation by oral utterance.
10. Brink : EDGE
14. New York City theater award : OBIE. The off-Broadway award. Tony is the on-Broadway award.
15. Dutch-speaking Caribbean island : ARUBA
16. Dianetics creator Hubbard : L. RON. Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body which was created by L. Ron Hubbard and is practiced by followers of Scientology and separate independent Dianeticist groups. Wikipedia
19. Heating outlet : VENT
20. Baseball official : UMP
21. Ukrainian city of one million : ODESSA
22. "Othello" conspirator : IAGO
23. Give up the single life : SAY "I DO"
25. Standard : NORM
27. Took the first step : BEGAN
30. Very happy : ELATED
33. Exxon merger partner : MOBIL
36. Pigeon's roost, often : LEDGE. But we were thinking, "statue".
38. "Evil Woman" rock gp. : ELO. (Electric Light Orchestra)
39. Societal problems : ILLS
40. Thyme piece : SPRIG
41. Not at all wild : TAME
42. Agcy. that regulates tobacco products : FDA. (Food and Drug Administration)
43. Apple music players : iPODs
44. Greek island : SAMOS
45. Doe or sow : FEMALE
47. Slalom competitor : SKIER
49. Utility abbr. : ELEC.
50. Enterprise engineer : SCOTTY. Officer Montgomery Scott. The exact phrase, "Beam me up, Scotty", was never actually spoken in any Star Trek television episode or film.
54. Lead-in for bytes or bucks : MEGA
56. Persistently demand : INSIST
60. Run a tab, say : OWE
61. Arabian sultanate : OMAN. 55D. Gulf States prince : EMIR
64. Rocker Hendrix : JIMI. Jimi Hendrix - Star Spangled Banner Woodstock 1969 (not for everyone) Link
65. Hole __: golf rarity : IN ONE
66. Tilt : LEAN
67. Valuable rocks : OREs
68. Like pet parakeets : CAGED
69. Prom night wheels : LIMO
Down:
1. Paycheck surprise : BONUS
2. 2012 Romney defeater : OBAMA
3. Popeye's hamburger-loving pal : WIMPY
4. Neighbor of Syr. : LEB. (Syria/Lebanon)
5. Peke or Yorkie : LAP DOG
6. "Dies __": Latin hymn : IRAE
7. Mooches, as a cigarette : BUMS
8. Flows out : EBBS
9. Bomb on stage : LAY AN EGG
10. TV's "Mistress of the Dark" : ELVIRA
12. Loud bell : GONG
13. Within: Pref. : ENTO
18. Swiss Alps melody : YODEL
24. Sacred wader of old Egypt : IBIS
26. Corrida cheer : ¡OLE!. "Bravo!"
28. Food for Fido : ALPO
29. Dweebs : NERDS
31. Red "Sesame Street" Muppet : ELMO
32. Performs : DOES
33. Annoy : MIFF
34. Shoppe modifier : OLDE
37. Floppy __ : DISK
40. Explicit : SPECIFIC
41. Hawaiian root : TARO
43. Suffix with infant : ILE. (infantile)
44. Religious divisions : SECTS
46. Grammy winner Morissette : ALANIS
48. Put out, as a publication : ISSUED
51. Marisa of "My Cousin Vinny" : TOMEI
53. Courtroom question type : YES/NO
54. Magic charm : MOJO
57. Mom's mom : NANA
58. Skyline haze : SMOG
59. Actress Skye : IONE
63. Every bit : ALL
Argyle
