puzzle

 ACROSS

  1 Have to

  5 African antelope

  8 Lend a helping hand

 14 Kindergarten essentials

 15 Not just speedwalk

 16 Simple shelter

 17 *Inventory problem for an office supply store?

 19 Elephant or giraffe

 20 Start of a new ___

 21 "Except if ..."

 23 Behind schedule

 24 Garment resembling a tube top

 26 Exercised one's right at the ballot box

 27 Poetic globes

 29 *Hotel honoring the first Latina EGOT winner?

 31 Hollywood products

 33 Emphatic assent, in Seville

 34 "___ (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)"

 37 Disguised, as a message

 42 Oodles

 44 Crumble away

 45 *Motorized candy dispenser?

 51 Temporary beds

 52 Healing plants

 53 Salad dressing ingredient

 55 Any minute now

 56 Didn't bother?

 57 "___ 'em!" (order to a dog)

 60 Olympic gymnastics champion Biles

 62 All-encompassing, or a description for each starred answer's letter change?

 64 Log-on name

 65 Sign for much of August

 66 Early video game release

 67 Rides a bike

 68 So far

 69 Trade blows

DOWN



  1 Puzzle with many lines

  2 Popular ride-booking  app

  3 Game originally named Criss-Crosswords

  4 General of Chinese-American cuisine

  5 Popular LGBTQ+ dating app

  6 Protons' places

  7 Ousts from office

  8 Woeful cry

  9 D.C. figure

 10 One who left port ... and calls left "port"

 11 Person whom the National Prison Project advocates for

 12 ___ Island (NYC borough)

 13 Ohio birthplace of Gloria Steinem

 18 Hair ball?

 22 "___ Q" (1968 CCR hit)

 25 Acronym for tingle-inducing videos (MARS anagram)

 26 It can be hushed

 27 Friend-friend connection?

 28 Edge

 30 ISP with a butterfly logo

 32 Expresses disappointment

 35 Dove sound

 36 Overhead

 38 Highly social whale

 39 Threshold

 40 NYC summer hrs.

 41 ___ Moines

 43 How guards walk

 45 Let go, as an opportunity

 46 Plaza Hotel girl

 47 Rocketed

 48 Lady of Spain

 49 Main course

 50 Techie's suggestion, often

 54 Stone on a crown

 56 Bulbs in some signs, briefly

 58 Tiny bit

 59 Powerful policymaker

 61 Zilch

 63 Targets of many pilates exercises

solution