| Darth Vader and his allies |
| A crossword editor has to be very careful when changing one--unlike this puzzle's editor, who was careless four times herein |
| Talladega" singer who goes by his middle name, not first name (Kenneth): 2 wds. |
| Ancient Greek author famous for his fables |
| Phase of history. |
| First word across in the first-ever crossword (1913) and the first of a dozen appearances of the word in this puzzle's grid, written word search-style (left, right, down, and diagonally) ... Can you f |
| Actor Sandler who was once a regular on "Saturday Night Live |
| Conversation is ___ in which a man has all mankind for his competitors": Ralph Waldo Emerson |
| Budgetary waste |
| Retired outfielder Barry, who was conspicuously denied entry to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013 |
| Was inventive |
| Actor who cross-dressed for his role in "Mrs. Doubtfire": 2 wds. |
| Actress who was the first female host of "Saturday Night Live": 2 wds. |
| Wash |
| Elvis's middle name, on his birth certificate |
| History book chapters |
| #1 song between Phil Collins's "Groovy Kind of Love" and The Escape Club's "Wild Wild West" (1988 wasn't good for music, apparently) |
| ___ around (wasted time) |
| Coulter whose jaw was wired shut in November, according to the New York Post |
| Actress Paquin who plays Rogue in the "X-Men" franchise |
| Activity suggested by this puzzle's theme entries |
| A.L. M.V.P.: 1980 |
| Blocks of history |
| A.E.S. was one |
| When asked how many slices his pizza should be cut into: "Better make it six. I ___" (Yogi Berra quote): 3 wds. |
| Oral histories |
| All, e.g., for this answer's last six letters? |
| Actress Gadot of "The Fast and the Furious" franchise |
| Namesake of a blended whisky brand |
| A Footnote to History" author's inits. |