Okanaganer

Wow... 20 ten-letter answers and no clunkers! I winced a bit at OVERABOUND but it's fine.

As a golf fan, it's funny that PAR is almost never clued accurately for the game. (Average score of all golfers is something like 20 to 30 *over par* for an 18 hole round). Neither I, nor anyone I've ever played with, *expects* it! Yet LIE is clued here perfectly.

Deb said she has been to none of these states. I've been to all except Tennessee! And I live in western Canada. No idea about the flags, though. What a zany theme.

Wow, the Unknown Names: LEONORA, ELLIE, DEVA, and ANTOINETTE as a first name (Marie Antoinette I have heard of). As others have said, it seemed really tough but I was surprised to finish in under 20 minutes which is not bad for a Saturday. Great grid spanners! And I loved the DVD nestled beside the CD CASES up top.

After I finished, I spent a while trying to get the theme. I thought it must be something to do with death: 1, 19, and 22 across contain DEAD, CHECKOUT, and PERISH. But the rest of the puzzle gave me nothing... I'm glad I was wrong! This was just a fine themeless.

I am a huge Ennaudi fan but somehow errored with LUDAVICO crossing DASAS!

Um... "there’s no 10th inning in baseball"... what??