Bill
New York
@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.
This one baffled me, and I'm from Natick.
@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.
I was scratching my head because the logic of the puzzle escaped me -- then it started to click. Fun idea, and clever phrases to make use of it in crosses!
@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.
Times Square. How cool is that?
FAIR ISLE SWEATERs were popular among preppy girls at my college in the seventies, and I haven't thought about them since. ARMAGEDDON old! Even then, [digging] someone was a bit passé. I wish I could say I KNEW IT ALL ALONG, but AT NO POINT IN TIME had I heard of that term for a CHESS tie-breaker.
@Strudel Dad That might 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 be true, but I think you're being a 𝑡𝑎𝑑 dogmatic.
A WHOOPEE CUSHION is a JOKE that goes under your BUTT. (It makes a noise when you sit down.) Nice clue. And fun puzzle!
@Rick I think it's from commands used to drive draft animals, Gee (right) and Haw (left).
Well, it took me a couple of minutes to get AHNOLD, but I was able back it out from HEAVIES -- not a heavy lift, once I got AVID. The theme was very cool.
@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.
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