New York Times, Monday, September 10, 2018

Today's grid underwent one small change between submission and publication: 35-Across was originally REBA, clued as "Sitcom that starred a country singer." (I'll have to assume that there's an unwritten one-country-singer-turned-actor-per-puzzle limit.) Favorite clue: 10-Down.

Something new at XWord Info this week: "Jim and Jeff, at the Puzzles"! I was a huge fan of Siskel and Ebert's back and forth — often disagreeing, but always done respectfully. Jim and I will alternate days, of who goes first and who does the rebuttal.

Such perfect SPREADing of the four CHEESEs today. I loved that Jacob:

1. used four four-letter cheeses, for perfect consistency
2. spread them so regularly — exactly every other letter
3. aligned them either to the beginning or the ending of the theme phrase.

Near perfect, I say! My only hesitation was in BLEU — you can ask most anyone for FETA and EDAM and BRIE without confusion. Ask for BLEU at the front of your grocery store, and who knows what you'll get! Besides the stink-eye.

But ultimately, that's a small complaint. So I dug the elegance of these finds.

I wasn't exactly sure who BURL IVES was, so I might have chosen BERLINER instead. BURL IVES is undoubtedly crossworthy though, so it's simply a matter of preference.

Along with Stulbergian craftsmanship — fun bonuses in GET BUSY, AL ROKER, STOOD ASIDE, and TAKES A BOW with very little grid glue (HOO and maybe EWERS) — this was in my POW! running.

I do not understand Jeff's objection to BLEU. Like the other circled words, it's a kind of cheese. One might as well complain that some of the cheeses here are from cow milk, but others are from sheep milk. (FETA can, apparently, even include goat milk.)

I love the BURL IVES clue but, Jeff is right, it's less satisfying if you don't know the man. He was a popular folksy singer in his day with a gentle, engaging voice. The "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" reference elevates the entry. When you think of that iconic film, you probably flash to Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. It takes a few seconds to remember that, oh yeah, Burl Ives played Big Daddy. "There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity!"

Mr. Stulberg is right about 10-Down. "Grp. making after-work plans?" for AARP is sublime.

I'm looking forward to arguing with Jeff this week. Well, we always argue, but this week we'll do it in public. Let's see if we're still friends after seven days. It's been years since I've written regularly about crosswords. This should be fun.