Bill

@Ernest A classic conflict in university cities is that between longtime residents and the students who come for a few years -- TOWN vs. GOWN. "Gown" refers to the cap and gown the students wear at graduation.

@Glenn Mitchell A Google search for "mandolin capo" shows lots of options. My grandfather was a mandolin player in Cuba before coming to America in the 1920s. I've never seen a photograph of him with his instrument, and have no idea whether he used a capo with it. His playing was evidently good enough to have charmed my grandmother.

@Steve W The author thinks it is. ASDOI.

@Margaret Betty Crocker products such as cake mixes are sold in grocery stores.

@Andrzej "I have no idea what a Greek Row is. Is it a row of buildings housing fraternities and sororities, which for some reason unknown to me are called by Greek letters?" Yes, exactly.

@Katie As an ONTARIAN, you may get a certain clue faster than the rest of us!

@Katie You could work some of those words into a doozy of a crossword puzzle.

@Five Corners Hippie John may adore Mary, but after a time he stops digging (SOURS ON) her.

@SP Hmm. I can see "grow a backbone" as the theme for a future Thursday puzzle. "Accept criticism, or the key to the answers at 10, 17, 31, and 40 down." That said, "Comparisons, in an idiom" might be a good clue for ODIOUS.

@Strudel Dad That might 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 be true, but I think you're being a 𝑡𝑎𝑑 dogmatic.

@Rick I think it's from commands used to drive draft animals, Gee (right) and Haw (left).

@JayTee I think MRR is saying that "to lase" means to emit light, not to strike with a laser beam. A laser may zap someone, but it doesn't lase them.

@Braun You use italics (abbreviated ITAL) as the type face for text that is stressed (emphasized).

@JayTee Glad your eyes are OK now! They were lasered.