Thursday June 2, 2011 Ed Sessa

Theme: ALTERED STATES (58A. Paddy Chayefsky novel, and literally, what the beginnings of 20-, 32-, and 43-Across all are) - The starting words of each common phrase is an anagram of a US state. "Altered" is a indicator of anagram in Cryptic crossword.

20A. Words of regret : HAD I ONLY KNOWN. Anagram of Idaho. Spanning three words.

32A. Samaritan's assurance : I MEAN NO HARM. Maine. Bridging two complete words.

43A. Classic kids' wagons : RADIO FLYERS. Florida. Crossing two words again.

C.C. again. Al has been working non-stop since Memorial Day and badly needs some sleeping time. He had an amazing consecutive 43-week blogging streak at the Corner.

Another clever gimmick from Mr. Ed, whose puzzles always have an unexpected unifier and give me the most satisfying head slap.

Smooth grid. Several awesome long non-theme entries. Some of the clues (mostly for small words) are confounding.

Across:

1. Elbows and bow ties : PASTAS. Easy start.

7. Floppy-eared "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" demon : CLEM. No idea. Google yourself. The image scares me.

11. RMN's first veep : STA (Spiro Theodore Agnew). Did not know his middle name.

14. Pre-deal demand : ANTE UP

15. Roll call response : HERE

16. Gist : NUB

17. City on the Rio Grande : LAREDO. U.S./Mexico border city.

18. Plane folks? : AVIATORS. Great clue.

22. Lair : DEN

23. Vodka brand that sounds like a toast : SKOL. Sounds like "Skoal".

24. Martial arts schools : DOJOs

26. TV's Mrs. Peel : RIGG (Diana). First thought is EMMA.

28. Oil holder, perhaps : LAMP

31. Hawaiian coffee region : KONA

36. Freq. performer at Tanglewood : BSO (Boston Symphony Orchestra). Got me.

37. Lauderdale neighbor : BOCA. Dennis' favorite haunt.

38. Bleachers sound : ROAR

40. Non-Rx : OTC

48. Good time : BOOM

50. Memo starter : AS TO

51. Physical, e.g. : EXAM

52. Responded to a bailiff's request : STOOD. This guy is really in a class by himself when it comes to scandal.

54. Brittle cookie : SNAP

57. Actress Zadora : PIA

62. Piker's nickname : EL CHEAPO. Excellent fill.

63. Nailed the test : ACED IT

65. Earl or Lady Grey : TEA

66. Rodent control brand : d-CON. Could only think of RAID.

67. Like pine pitch : RESINY. Wow, this is a word.

68. N.C. summer hrs. : EDT

69. Africa's Mobutu __ Seko : SESE

70. Things on strings : ID TAGS. What were you picturing?

Down:

1. Sidekick : PAL

2. Angels' home : ANAHEIM. Anaheim Angels.

3. Off-the-wall : STRANGE

4. Fit to be tied, with "off" : TEED

5. Wiesbaden wheels : AUDIs. Alliteration.

6. Scare : SPOOK

7. Traditional Jewish bread : CHALLAH

8. Assess : LEVY

9. The Phantom of the Opera : ERIK

10. "__ My Shadow": 1927 song : ME AND. Was ignorant of the song.

11. Flattering trickery : SNOW JOB. Great entry.

12. Excitement generators : TURN-ONs.

13. Six-pack __ : ABs. Best abs you'll ever see.

19. Had the desired effect : TOOK

21. Some mutual funds : NO LOADS. What does it mean? I've only heard of no front-load.

22. Soft & __: deodorant : DRI

25. __ Paulo : SAO

27. Jabber : GAB

29. Abandons at sea : MAROONS

30. Plum's title, briefly : PROF. Professor Plum.

33. Postal motto word : NOR. "Neither rain nor snow...".

34. Sweet Sixteen gp. : NCAA

35. __ de mer : MAL

39. Catcher's place? : RYE. "The Catcher in the Rye".

40. Dictionary cousin of arch. : OBS. Obsolete I suppose. Arch = archaic. I don't like this clue.

41. Unsalvageable after an accident : TOTALED

42. Hipster : COOL CAT. I think Jazzbumpa is cool!

44. Cook's announcement : IT'S DONE

45. "Where you book matters" online service : EXPEDIA

46. Barn ritual : RAISING. What barn?

47. "He'll hae misfortunes great an' __": Burns : SMA. Quote freezes me.

49. Adult silkworm : MOTH

53. Some sealed documents : DEEDs

55. Arcade games leader : ATARI

56. Took measured strides : PACED

59. America's Cup competition, say : RACE. Yachting.

60. Poetic saga : EPOS. Like "Paradise Lost". You wanted EPIC too?

61. Drill : TEST

62. Summer in the cité : ETE

64. TV host Pennington et al. : TYs

Answer grid.

C.C.