puzzle

 ACROSS

1 Ready to be picked

  5 Cold War side, briefly

  9 "Relative" of Sasquatch

 13 Astronomer/poet Khayyam

 14 Big wind

 15 Finals or physicals

 17 Uninteresting dad?

 19 March 17 VIP

 20 New Mexico's state flower

 21 Cheese's partner

 23 TV personality Kelly

 24 To the ___ degree

 25 Reason for a U2 cover band to hold tryouts?

 29 Nail polish brand

 31 Abbr. at the end of a list

 32 Help with a heist, say

 34 Caustic cleaning solution

 36 Speaks hoarsely

 40 Particles that refuse to obey the laws of physics?

 44 "Pearls Before ___" (comic strip)

 45 Relaxation destination

 46 Power network

 47 Word with "loose" or "split"

 50 Host

 52 Turbulent body of water?

 56 Iraq War concern: Abbr.

 59 Double-reed instrument

 60 Flub

 61 On the wagon

 63 Front yards

 65 Heckle Sidney Crosby's team at the Winter Olympics, say?

 68 Last Greek letter

 69 Tablet with an Air model

 70 "Happy" sea creature

 71 Soccer star Morgan

 72 Seeks an answer

 73 "Queen of Jazz" Fitzgerald

DOWN

  1 Swedish singer whose name sounds like a bird

  2 "That was my maximum"

  3 Board game of Indian origin

  4 "South Park" character Cartman

  5 Comfy boot brand

  6 Tree goop

  7 Instant replay effect

  8 Fix potholes in

  9 "Absolutely!"

 10 Pizza size for a big group

 11 Putt from two inches away, e.g.

 12 Line in an old Apple ad

 16 Command after "Sit," maybe

 18 Seizes

 22 Persian or Siamese

 26 Fryers' fluids

 27 "Miss Independent" singer

 28 Podcaster Santa Maria

 30 Rocks out in England?

 32 Situp targets

 33 Archer's item

 35 Failing grades

 37 Tricky pitch

 38 Upsilon follower

 39 Pink Floyd's Barrett

 41 Hawaii's state bird

 42 Gorillas and others

 43 An author might use a fake one

 48 "Black-ish" dad

 49 Neighbor of Bulgaria

 51 House, on Ibiza

 52 Neckwear in a saloon

 53 "Becoming" author Michelle

 54 Item in a beach bag

 55 ___ the ball (messes up)

 57 Gold, silver or bronze prize

 58 Serious TV show

 62 Slightly more than never

 64 Alto or soprano instrument, briefly

 66 Acorn source

 67 LPs' successors

solution