… after which CRISP + ALEXA received me …

Such is the ability of the “X”! And so very early on, I had solutions working from coast to coast, and coast to coast once more. After this, there weren’t many hassle spots, which can clarify why the clues had been making an attempt so so laborious, torturously laborious, to be cutesy and misdirective. “?” clues abounding. If these issues miss, they’re jarring, and a bunch of them simply missed for me as we speak. The worst part for me, by far, was the POKER a part of HIGH STAKES POKER, which I could not get for a relatively very long time, even with the “P”! HIGH STAKES … WAGER? That’s an “exercise,” perhaps. I needed solely HIGH STAKES GAME however “recreation” was within the clue and in addition that reply did not match. (Sidenote: playing / on line casino clues, as all the time, of zero curiosity to me … and we already had the horrid ACETEN, come on …). That clue on HIGH STAKES POKER is so horribly convoluted (37A: Activity for some huge recreation hunters?). Are excessive rollers often called “huge recreation”? I’ve heard fat-pocketed gamblers known as “whales.” Are whales the “huge recreation?” Is the poker recreation itself the “huge recreation”? But … POKER is the “exercise,” presumably. Never thought of POKER, largely as a result of I used to be trying (because the clue advised me to) for an “exercise,” and didn’t assume that “exercise” was a “recreation” as a result of “recreation” was Also In The Clue, Presumably Referring To Something Else. And then that part … OK, a CORSET *has* ties that bind, but it surely itself will not be “the ties that bind,” “?” or no “?” (42A: The ties that bind?). Woof. And OAKS do not “throw” shade, actually nobody would say that (28D: They could throw shade). Trees solid shadows, however they don’t throw shade, so put a “?” on that (sure, I’m begging for a “?”) or discover one other clue.  I assumed it was Hold the LINE at 30D: Hold the ___, not Hold the FORT, and I “confirmed” LINE with AÇAI (solely to have AÇAI seem later within the clear up, up prime!). Finally, seems the variety of five-letter “S”-words which might be believable solutions for 27A: Show disdain, in a method are manifold. Legion. I had, let’s have a look at … first SNEER, then SNORT, then SCOWL, and solely after determining FREE did I lastly get SCOFF. Just a horrible, clunky method to finish an in any other case tremendous puzzle. 

I’ve by no means closed a (browser) window with an ESCAPE KEY ever, in order that was bizarre (35D: Tool for closing a window). The clue on NAPTIMES is the epitome of “making an attempt too laborious” (49A: Stretches for the remainder of us?).  It cannot lay off the (admittedly) intelligent “remainder of us” misdirection although “us” makes nooooooo sense right here. Why are “we” taking a faucet? I do not even take naps. Also, NAPTIMES has a scheduled, kindergarteny vibe, so “us” (that’s, we solvers, largely not in kindergarten, I’m guessing) would not work nicely right here in any respect. I see what you are doing (utilizing “remainder of us” to imply “our relaxation”), and it is undoubtedly ingenious wordplay, but it surely simply comes throughout as compelled right here, as a clue for this explicit reply. But as I stated early on, the fill right here is usually clear and satisfying. You can take ACETEN and HEN’S TEETH and put them … some other place, however the 15s all sing. Well, the non-poker ones, anyway. And all of the small nooks and crannies of this grid seem to have been fairly nicely polished, so even when I assumed the cluing was within the weeds a bit as we speak, I nonetheless assume the grid itself is admirable. Happy final day of September. See you tomorrow.