BLATHER REVIEW

Freestyle 5

Sometimes, when putting together a themeless grid, I think of wacky phrases that'll fit nicely into a long slot. Usually, I dismiss them since it'd be silly to include a few Trip Payne-esque "Something Different"-y answers in an otherwise "normal" grid.

35-Down isn't a "wacky" entry. And it could easily have been something bland, like INCISORS. I opted for a more colorful entry. Thing is, I wonder if solvers might think it's forced and clumsy, and that I went with it simply because there were no other options available without redesigning the grid. So, like Pee-wee Herman upon completing his freestyle bike ride, I just want y'all to know that I meant to do that.

As for 4-Down, however, I had very little choice in the matter. :-)

Across Lite puzzle:
Click to solve.

UPDATE:

And, just because I couldn't decide which version of the grid I liked better, here's the alternate version. I prefer 10-Down in this one, but much prefer 3- and 4-Down in the above version. The southwest corner is a little cleaner, I think. The center and southeast are identical in both versions.

Across Lite, of course:
Clicky.

UPDATE 2:

And, since I'm posting multiple versions, here's the original grid that I rejected. The main problem is 37-Across, but the rest of it came out all right so I'll post this one, too. There are only four identical answers here (and one of them is not a 15) so it'll be, for the most part, a new solving experience.

Across Lite, as usual:
Click clack.

Freestyle 4

Across Lite:
Click to solve.

Freestyle 3

Across Lite:
Click to solve.

Freestyle 2

Across Lite:
Click to solve.

Labor Day

The quote in this puzzle is from some TV show I caught while flipping channels about 20 years ago. I have no idea what show it was.

A woman was going into labor in the back seat of a police car. (Or, perhaps it was a taxi, and the cop just happened to be passing by.) The officer asked the gentleman who was accompanying her if he was the father. He answered that he was, and the police officer gave him the instructions found in the longest Across answers.

Happy Labor Day. :-)

Across Lite puzzle:
Click to solve.

Since I haven't posted the link in quite a while, here is where you may download the Across Lite program that will open the above file. It takes just a few seconds to download and install and will let you either solve on screen or print out the puzzle. Well, both, actually.
----> DOWNLOAD ACROSS LITE