Greetings from Seoul, South Korea! I mentioned last week that I’d be off on an international trip, and here I am. By the time you read this I’ll probably be on my way home – possibly even over Canada assuming the plane follows a similar path as it did on the way here. If I’m lucky, I’ll have attended a KBO game, though it’s currently raining so not looking good. While we wait tosee if the rain will let up, let’s get to this week’s puzzle.

• Name: Uncivil Service
• Size: 16×15
• Entries: 79
• Difficulty: Hard (my solve time: 9:02)

The title wasn’t any help to me in the solve; I kind of expected the themers to have something to do with service, maybe with a word changed to make them “uncivil.” However, the themers are phrases that are often used in an uncivil way, but they’re clued in a context where they would be appropriate, and thus are “taken the wrong way:”

• 18A: [Bus driver’s question to a rider]: WHERE DO YOU GET OFF – You’d say this to someone who did or said something presumptuous or inconsiderate; however, I wouldn’t mind if a bus driver asked me this. As a matter of fact, I wish my bus driver from the Incheon airport did just that as I accidentally stayed on the bus a stop beyond where I should have gotten off
• 30A: [Optometrist’s question to a patient, maybe]: CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT – You’d say this to someone who appears to be missing something obvious, however it would be appropriate for an eye doctor to ask it in helping to diagnose a vision issue.
• 50A: [Therapist’s question to a client, maybe]: WHATS YOUR PROBLEM – You’d say this to someone who was acting irritated or cross with you; a therapist needs to know what troubles you in order to help you deal with it.
• 63A: [Like a route driven off course… or like 18-, 30 and 50 Across, perhaps]: TAKEN THE WRONG WAY – The revealer.

This one was a lot harder than usual and I spent a good amount of time looking for an error. I got hung up in several areas, and there were several entries I’m still not sure I understand – see “Other stuff” below. Maybe the larger than usual grid threw me as well, though I really don’t think the 3 or 4 extra entries added much time, if any.

Canadian content:

• 3D: [Canadian sex educator Johanson]: SUE – So today I learned about Canada’s Dr. Ruth (or maybe Dr. Ruth is the US’s Sue Johanson), and that she sadly passed a few months ago.
• 7D: [Store with a noted blanket, the “the”]: BAY – The Bay is the common name for the Hudsons Bay Company which is known for its distinctive blankets.
• 22A: [TSX debut]: IPO – As we learned last week, TSX is the post-2001 name for the Toronto Stock Exchange, where initial public offerings of stock occur.
• 24A: [St. ___ Mountains (Yukon range)]: ELIAS – When I was on a ship in the Gulf of Alaska, and it was a rare clear day, we could see Mt. St. Elias from over 100 miles out to sea.
• 48D: [Canadian actor Seth of “Superbad”]: ROGEN – I never saw this movie, and would have been unsure before this puzzle if you asked me if he was Canadian.
• 52D: [The “O” of TSO: Abbr.]: ORCH – The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has been in existence since 1922.
• 60A: [Mounties, for short]: RCS – Not sure I’ve ever seen this abbreviation for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and not sure if it’s RCS or RCs.
• 69A: [Esso pump choice]: DIESEL – I remember when there were Esso stations in the US. Not anymore.
• 72A: [Moose Jaw’s “Mac the Moose”, for one]: STATUE – This tourist site seems familiar, so I wonder if it has made an appearance in this puzzle before.

Other stuff:

• 10D: [Present, in Paisley]: GIE – I had no idea whatsoever what this was even after I knew I got it right. It literally just dawned on me as I’m writing this that I was using the “here” use of “present” when the “give” usage was intended. I assume Paisley is in Scotland, and that’s where they “gie” you something.
• 16A: [Shakespearian genre: Abbr.]: TRAG – I had no clue what this could be so needed all the crosses.
• 17A: [More suited for ballet]: LITHER – I keep looking at this and think it’s got to be wrong, but no.
• 21A: [Seoul music?]: KPOP – I’d like to think Barb put this in here in honor of my trip this week, but I seriously doubt that’s the case.
• 40A: [Obnoxiously uppity]: SNOTTY – I had SNOOTY in here for ever, until while reviewing the grid to try to find my error(s) I finally saw that OHRU made absolutely no sense for 41D.
• 42D: [Qualifications for a valedictorian]: TOP MARKS – Topmarks are also used on aids to navigation.

Quote of the week:
해안이 보이지 않는 것을 이겨낼 용기가 없다면 절대로 바다를 건널 수 없다.
(Haeani boiji anneun geoseul igyeonael yonggiga eopdamyeon jeoldaero badareul geonneol su eopda)
“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
– Korean proverb