Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Soviet government issued Decree 655-268 in August 1964. This document ordered Vladimir Chelomei and Sergei Korolev to develop competing lunar flyby and landing programs respectively.
Improvements increased the N1 rocket payload capacity to 93 tons through engine adjustments and weight reduction. The vehicle featured thirty engines in its first stage instead of the original twenty-four.
Political interest evaporated once American astronauts orbited the Moon with Apollo 8. Reserve units flew unpiloted missions through 1970 before the entire Zond program received official cancellation status by the end of that year.
The second launch on the 3rd of July 1969 destroyed the rocket and entire launch complex. This disaster delayed the program by two years despite scheduled efforts to upstage Apollo 11.
Alexei Leonov holds the strongest claim as the Soviets' first choice for the Moon landing. He led a training group focused on landing missions that included commanders Popovich, Belyayev, Volynov, and Klimuk.