puzzle

 ACROSS

  1 Beginning, in an idiom ... or a hint to the starred clues' answers, pre-transformation

  5 Milo's pug pal

  9 Energize, with "up"

 12 Mattress brand that anagrams to "a rest"

 13 Trumpet, e.g.

 14 One may start with "What if we ..."

 15 *Package arriving for a Catholic celebration?

 18 ___ carte

 19 Eco-friendly bulb variety

 20 "Seriously!"

 21 Gifts used for writing

 24 Give off, as hormones

 26 Tilling tool

 27 Skewered Thai dish

 28 *Wedding bands?

 32 "Toodles!"

 36 Anjous and Boscs

 37 "Narcos" org.

 38 Combo meal drinks

 39 Mailed

 40 *Airport security channel?

 42 Texas Roadhouse specialty

 44 Billiards need

 45 Apt name for a psychic?

 48 Rodents in experiments

 52 Empathetic words

 53 Michael Caine's title

 54 Lav, in Liverpool

 55 *Sun mission?

 60 ___ crane (toy-grabbing machine)

 61 Kristen of "Welcome to Me"

 62 Unkind adjective that some feminists have reclaimed

 63 "Toy Story" antagonist

 64 Pinot grigio, e.g.

 65 End, in an idiom ... or a hint to the starred clues' answers


DOWN

  1 Black Panther Bobby

  2 Financial expert Suze

  3 Beehive State native

  4 GladRags or Always product

  5 Enthusiastic approval

  6 Mary ___ Lincoln

  7 Anger

  8 Show Ariana DeBose hosted in '22

  9 "Hello" singer

 10 Worthiness

 11 Check recipient

 12 Fingers' rhythmic sound

 14 Academic's happy place

 16 ___ ego

 17 People whose soldiers had alpaca capes

 22 Undesirable thing to draw

 23 Billions of years

 24 Carl who influenced "2001: A Space Odyssey"

 25 Sci-fi beings

 27 Dishonest person

 28 Co. with brown trucks

 29 Formerly named

 30 Author McEwan

 31 "In my opinion ..."

 33 Big bother

 34 Sticky black stuff

 35 "___ This Old House" (PBS show)

 38 Bump, as a toe

 40 Top rating, often

 41 Paperless greeting

 43 Layer

 45 Record player inserts

 46 Food concern

 47 Course with dressing

 48 Loyal subject

 49 Elite guests

 50 Train whistle sounds

 51 Samsung competitor

 53 Twirl

 56 "Yech!"

 57 12 letters?

 58 Red Roof ___ (hotel chain)

 59 Sigma follower

solution