Well this will be interesting: Long story short, I completed the puzzle but due to <reasons> all I have available to me as I write this blog is a list of the clues. So I will need to recreate the grid as I compose this. Come on an adventure with me as we solve this puzzle together!

• Name: Abode for a Buck
• Grid size: 16×15
• Number of entries: 79
• Difficulty: Medium (my solve time: 7:25)

Once again the title didn’t raise much in my mind before the solve, so I didn’t figure out the theme until the revealer – each of the four themers begins with a word that is a type of home or abode – or quarters; hence the revealer:

• 18A: [Local buffoon]: VILLAGE IDIOT – I once had access to a villa in a small Middle Eastern country – very nice.
• 25A: [Captain of the ill-fated Endurance]: SHACKLETON – The saga of the Endurance has always fascinated me, so Ernest Shackleton is the source of this week’s quote. Coincidentally just last night I watched Season 1, Episode 5 of “For All Mankind” in which the Shackleton Crater on the Moon plays a large role. I’m just glad I don’t live in a shack.
• 35A: [Prime Minister’s appointees]: CABINET MINISTERS – I needed a few crosses for it to become apparent which appointees these were. We used to have a cabin in the Pocono Mountains many years ago.
• 50A: [Communal sect of southern Alberta]: HUTTERITES – I needed far more than a few crosses to get this, and even then I had one wrong that I had to search for. I’m even more glad I don’t live in a hut.
• 58A: [They make a buck, and what this puzzle contains. (Hint: see the starts to the long across answers]: FOUR QUARTERS – The revealer, which I’m not sure needed the parenthetical hint, but it was appreciated.

This solve felt felt right about normal, which makes sense since it’s only 15 seconds faster than my average. However, it should have felt easier as I spent at least 20 seconds searching for a couple of errors/unknowns – lucky it only took me that long. Normal start in the NW but then a beeline to the SE and gradually worked back N from there.

Canadian content

• 1A: [Top cop grp.]: RCMP – Starting off strong as what could be much more Canadian than the Royal Canadian Mounted Police?
• 6A: [BC clock setting]: While I suppose the answer could be Whistler or Prince Rupert, I think it’s the different meaning of setting and it’s Pacific Standard Time.
• 7D: [Potato-producing province]: PEI – I knew Prince Edward Island was known for tourism, but I didn’t know about the potatoes.
• 9D: [Part of 7-Down]: PRINCE – Pretty straightforward, if you got 7D.
• 13D: [Kapuskasing’s prov.]: ONT – Would have had to look this one up if the crosses weren’t all relatively gettable.
• 17A: [Kingston ___ (infamous jail)]: PEN – I was not aware of this jail in Ontario, but will have to add it to the list of jails I’ve toured – fortunately all long since retired when I visited them.
• 35A: [Prime Minister’s appointees]: CABINET MINISTERS – I’m counting this as the first of two Canadian themers in this puzzle.
• 40D: [Island in the Gaspésie?]: ILE – Not sure what the Gaspésie is, but it rang in my ear as Quebecois so ile it is.
• 49D: [Canadian sprinter Andre De ______]: GRASSE – Could have been clued “Astronomer Neil de______ Tyson” but then it wouldn’t have been Canadian.
• 50A: [Communal sect of southern Alberta]: HUTTERITES – And here’s the second. I was completely unaware of this interesting sect.
• 52A: [Heart of Québec?]: COEUR – My high school French comes in handy again (and I love this clever clue).
• 56A: [“Takin’ Care of Business” grp.]: BTO – I was today years old when I learned Bachman Turner Overdrive were from Manitoba.
• 64A: [Made in this ctry.]: CDN – Briefly though the clue was “made in this century” but “new” didn’t work.

Wow – that’s a lot of Canadian content! And of course I’m running late due partly to the aforementioned <reasons> and partly to my own poor time management. So I’m going to post this now (about 8:30 PM EST) so it’s out there shortly after the puzzle hits your inboxes. I will try to update it with “Other stuff” and a quote or advice or something else later, so keep your eyes on this space!

Quote of the week:
“Men Wanted: For hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.”
– Ernest Shackleton