Hi all.

Jeffrey here.  Thanks to Brian for filling in last week.

Today’s theme is… well, when I solved the puzzle, I had no idea. The first words of the theme answers didn’t seem to relate – COMEDY, INFORMED, OFFICE, WINDS, PROGRAM. The last words didn’t either. So I slept on it. In the morning, I went back to one of my Tips of the Week: the title is a hint to the theme. Let’s see – extremely can refer to the extremes, or ends of the theme answers. Opposed could mean there are opposites involved…Bingo!

“Extremely Opposed” is this week’s puzzle title and the first letters and last letters of each theme answer (the extremes) are opposites (opposed).

17a [Shop talk terms such as “joke map” and “gag hag”] –  <COME>DY LIN<GO>. Come and go.

23a [Given the scoop on] – <IN>FORMED AB<OUT>. In and out.

38a [Work cubicle divider, e.g.] – <OFF>ICE PARTITI<ON>. Off and on.

48a [Nears completion] – <WIN>DS TO A C<LOSE>. Win and lose.

59a [Desktop image, such as Adobe’s looped A] – <PRO>GRAM I<CON>. Pro and con.

Canadian content:

21a [Company name formed from Standard Oil’s initials] – ESSO.  In 1973, Esso became Exxon in the U.S. In Canada, Esso remained the name and is still around.

29a [“The ____” (Sault Ste. Marie, to locals] – SOO. “Sault” is pronounced Soo so this now makes a lot of sense, right?

32a [Hamilton CFLer, for short] – TICAT. Tiger-Cat. They play in Tim Hortons Field because of course they do.

64a [Whale-watching town on Vancouver Island] – TOFINO. How have I lived in Victoria for over 27 years without visiting Tofino?

65a [Toronto river or valley] – DON. The Don Valley Parkway is an expressway that has many too way cars on it..

13d [Hockey sportscaster Oake] – SCOTT. Best known for being on Hockey Night in Canada.

33d [Subj. of Berton’s “The Last Spike”] – CPR. Pierre Burton’s “The National Dream” and “The Last Spike” tell the story of the building of Canada’s transcontinental railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).  The railway was supposed to go to Victoria but when completed in 1885 it ended in Vancouver.  WE’RE STILL WAITING!

35d [Juno-winning Blue Rodeo hit, 1987] – TRY

Tip of the Week:

If you get stuck, take a break of a few minutes or even overnight.

See you next week!