Hi all.
Jeffrey here.
“Two Bits” is this week’s puzzle title and each theme answer is clued with two items in a set clued by a term which ordinarily has a different meaning.
17a [“Hair” and “Hairspray”?] – MUSICAL DUO.
25a [Huff and puff?] – PAIR OF PANTS. Why are pants pairs? You can’t wear one pant.
35a [Rice and potatoes?] – DUAL CARBS.
49a [Wind and solar?] – POWER COUPLE.
57a [Snatch and grab?] – DOUBLE TAKE.
Canadian content:
10a [Stay in a Boler, perhaps] – CAMP. The original Canadian built Boler molded fiberglass trailer was introduced in 1968.
24a [“The bright red mud” prov., of song] – PEI. Stompin’ Tom Connors singing “Bud the Spud” is peak Canadian content.
52a [Canadian actors Cook and Buckley] – AJS. Andrea Jay Cook and Alan John Buckley.
61a [Hockey’s Bobby and Colton (no relation)] – ORRS. A case can be made that Bobby Orr was the greatest hockey player ever. A case can not be made that Colton Orr was the greatest hockey player ever.
9d [Vancouver’s Word on the Street, for one] – BOOK FAIR.
27d [Prince Albert-to-Saskatoon dir.] – SSW. 139 kilometres down highway 11.
29d [With “longest,” word often used to describe the Canada/U.S. border] – UNDEFENDED.
43d [Falls for a newly-married man?] – NIAGARA. Niagara Falls is on the undefended border. The Canadian side is way better.
Tip of the Week (that doesn’t work for this puzzle):
SSE has appeared in the New York Times Crossword five times more often than SSW. So go with E instead of W if you aren’t sure of the last letter.
See you next week!