After the New York Times straightened out its problem with the Print and Play version, my computer pulled a few stunts of its own. I didn't even print out the puzzle until almost midnight.
...but was ecstatic to see an immediate gimme at 1D: Singer with the 1980 #1 hit "Upside Down" (Diana Ross), which made it easy to infer 1A: Fandangles (doodads).
Reading quickly through the clues, I knew that 31A: __ of assistance (search warrant) was writ. I never thought that fifteen years as a paralegal would come in so handy.
Another long gimme was 33D: Game in which crosses are used (tic tac toe), probably because of Patrick Blindauer's clever May 15 puzzle.
That was it for the gimmes, but I had a few guesses that panned out, and I was able to piece this together.
A few proper nouns I wasn't sure about. 10D: Designer Schiaparelli (Elsa), 21D: Arizona's __ Peak National Observatory (Kitt), 40A: 1992 Pulitzer poet James (Tate) and 47D: River from the Savoy Alps (Isere). And while I know of Dante, I didn't know that he was the answer to 4D ("De Vulgari Eloquentia" author). Again, those were eventually easy enough to guess from the crosses.
Some clues/answers that I especially liked:
8A: It can aid one's climb to the top (toe hold). I was initially thinking of climbing the corporate ladder.
42A: How apples and oranges may come (in crates.). Originally had the pound.
34D: Glares (evil looks). Love it.
35D: Special kind of treatment (red carpet). Ditto.
58A: Fashionable part of N.Y.C. (Park Ave). Dahling, I love you, but give me Park Avenue. Lisa singing to Oliver on Greenacres...yes, I'm old enough to remember that one very well.
Many other initially wrong answers, but it would make this post waaaaay too long.
And I just heard the coffee finish brewing. Don and the deck are waiting.
A long weekend. Delightful.
Linda G
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