Theme: When the theme entries are vertical, it generally means there is some sort of a gimmick. The presence of circles in the grid confirms this notion. If you didn't get them, then this theme would be very opaque. The circled letters, when read in reverse, spell part a certain kind of fitness activity. The vertical orientation suggests that the implied common word is UP.
3 D. "It's safe to come out": THE COAST IS CLEAR. Idiomatic, suggesting that there are no enemies in sight. The contained word, when read up is SIT, giving us the SIT UP -- an abdominal endurance training exercise to strengthen, tighten and tone the abdominal muscles. Our multi-talented oldest granddaughter, Amanda, is a certified fitness trainer, and she assures me that this is a completely useless activity.
9 D. Predictors of most 20th-century U.S. presidential elections: GALLUP POLLS. Gallop is an organization that conducts polls: assessments of public opinion by the questioning of a [presumably] statistically representative sample. Here the contained word is PULL. A PULL UP is a closed-chain movement where the body is suspended by the hands and pulls up. As this happens, the elbows flex and the shoulders adduct and extend to bring the elbows to the torso. Resistance is provided by body weight.
25 D. User's rescuer: TECH SUPPORT. This is a service provided by a hardware or software company which provides registered users with help and advice about their products. The contained word is PUSH. The PUSH UP is an exercise in which a person lies facing the floor and, keeping their back straight, raises their body by pressing down on their hands.
11 D. Workout suggested by the circled letters and their orientation: EXERCISE ROUTINE. This is what you get when you combine these items. My routine involves a tread mill and free weights, instead.
Hi gang, JazzBumpa here. I'm not a fitness trainer, but I will be guiding us along as we exercise our brains in this puzzle routine. Let's hit it.
Across:
1. Bank security device, briefly: CCTV. Closed Circuit TV.5. Aim high: GO BIG. Or, as the saying tells us, go home.
10. Harvest: REAP. Gathering in of crops.
14. "Fancy meeting you here!": OH, HI. Sometimes said in awkward situations.
15. Vital vessel: AORTA. The main artery of the body, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system. In humans it passes over the heart from the left ventricle and runs down in front of the backbone
16. Semi bar: AXLE. A rod or spindle (either fixed or rotating) passing through the center of a wheel or group of wheels. A semi is a tractor trailer rig, which will have several AXLES.
18. Shoulder warmer: SHAWL. An article of fabric worn over the shoulders and/or head.
19. Table parts: FEET. Person parts, too.
20. Region on the South China Sea: MACAO. An autonomous region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong.
22. Members with unflinching loyalty: STALWARTS. Those who are loyal, reliable, and hardworking.
24. Landlord's sign: TO LET. Meaning: for rent.
26. __ Ellen, J.R.'s wife on "Dallas": SUE. Portrayed by Linda Grey
27. Maximum: CAP. As in a limit on spending.
28. HHS agency: FDA. Food and Drug Administration.
29. Exchange need: RECEIPT. As in returning a purchase to a retail establishment for a refund or replacement.
32. 12-Down output: IPA. India Pale Ale, a hoppy brew.
33. "No problem!": EASY. Piece of cake.
35. ER skill practiced on a doll: CPR. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
36. Pet-adoption ads, briefly: PSAS. Public Service Announcements.
38. Part of MB: BYTE. The Megabyte [MB] unit of information equal to 2^20 bytes or, loosely, one million bytes. A byte consists of 8 adjacent binary digits (bits), each of which consists of a 0 or 1.
39. Couldn't refuse: HAD TO. No choice.
41. Text recipient: CELL. Cellular telephone
44. Tattoo parlor supplies: INKS. And needles.
46. Pussy-cat's partner, in verse: OWL. In this bit of doggerel. Or, perhaps, it's catterel.
47. One with many limbs: TREE.
48. Facebook barrage, at times: ADS. Unfortunately.
50. Unconscious: OUT COLD. Unconscious or asleep.
53. "Srsly?!": OMG. Oh My Goodness! [perhaps]
54. Media-monitoring org.: FCC. Federal Communications Commission.
55. "Up First" network: NPR. National Public Radio.
56. Flu fighter: SERUM. A fluid used to provide immunity to a pathogen or toxin by inoculation or as a diagnostic agent.
58. Emotionally break down: FALL APART.
62. "__ while they're hot!": GET 'EM. Whatever they happen to be.
64. Bicolor cookie: OREO. Crossword's favorite cookie.
65. Dinnertime draws: ODORS. Aromas are more inviting.
67. Italian tower city: PISA.
68. End of the line: REAR. Back end,
69. Burning again: RELIT. As upon seeing an old flame?
70. Column in math: ONES. Tens, hundreds, thousands . . .
71. Risk it: DARE. Take a chance. It can be beautiful.
72. Walk heavily: TROMP. Or STOMP.
73. Pursue: SEEK. Follow, attempt to catch.
Down:
1. Micro- ending: -COSM. A community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger.
2. Calorie counter's break: CHEAT DAY. Based on the idea that a dieter can 'cheat' for one day a week as long as they eat to their diet plan for the remaining six days.
4. Author Gore: VIDAL. Eugene Luther Gore Vidal [1925 - 2012] was an American writer and public intellectual known for his epigrammatic wit, erudition, and patrician manner. Vidal was bisexual, and in his novels and essays interrogated the social and cultural sexual norms he perceived as driving American life.
5. Fun time, in slang: GAS.
6. Fireworks cries: OOHS. Not to mention Aahs.
7. Frank's cousin: BRAT. Two naughty boys? No, wieners and BRATwurst - types of sausages.
8. Formal confession: IT WAS I. Yep. I done dooed it.
10. Nadal's nickname: RAFA. Rafael Nadal Parera [b 1986] is a Spanish professional tennis player. He is ranked world No. 4 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals; he has been ranked world No. 1 for 209 weeks and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.
12. Pub dispenser: ALE TAP. Keg dispenser
13. Pampering spot for cats and dogs: PET SPA.
21. Above, in poems: O'ER. As, frex, ramparts.
23. Dampens: WETS. Moistens.
28. Winter mo.: FEBruary. Shortest because it's the worst.
30. Bookkeeping pro: CPA. Certified Public Accountant.
31. Triage MD: ER DOC. Emergency Room physician. Triage is the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties.
34. Craving: YEN. I thought about going to Japan but didn't have the YEN to travel.
37. Pretense that's put on: ACT. As in a play, or sometime in real life.
40. 28-Down number: TWO. Because it's the second month of the year.
42. "I wanna look!": LEMME SEE. The more proper "Let me see" also fits.
43. Thanksgiving dinner choice: LEG. Commonly called a drum stick. Always my first choice.
45. Hawaii's __ Coast: KONA. Coffee region, I believe.
48. Pay for on one's own: AFFORD. The ability of pay for something.
49. Georgetown Univ. locale: DC AREA. Near the nation's capitol.
51. Wall Street regular: TRADER. One who frequently buys and sells stocks or options.
52. Ph.D., e.g.: DEG. An advanced degree.
57. Targets for towers: REPOS. Towers, as in vehicles that tow, not tall architectural structures. REPOS are repossessed vehicles, because of a 48 D failure.
59. Mythology: LORE. A body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group, typically passed from person to person by word of mouth. I fail to see equivalence here. Myths are historical stories, not necessarily factual, that are of importance to a society. They can be an aspect of LORE, but the whole is not equal to one of its parts.
60. Caramel-centered treat: ROLO. Coated with chocolate.
61. Request at the barbershop: TRIM. Just make me look neat.
63. Render indistinct, as an odor: MASK. Cover something up.
66. Longtime NASCAR sponsor: STP. It's the racer's edge.
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