Whew, Sunday already?

Technically it's not Sunday yet, but once the Sunday NYT is released, I move on to the next day. I was making my way through Eric Berlin and Craig Kasper's great puzzle when the applet decided to stop. Technically, the applet continued on in its merry timer-advancing way but the browser window froze up, so I finished the puzzle in Across Lite. I loved the theme and how it played out. I'm guessing by the byline that Eric came up with the idea and Craig figured out how to lay it all out elegantly. (According to Eric's blog, Francis Heaney also helped with the theme.) And look at how elegant it is—the first and last five across answers combine to re-parse into terms described by the long entries. I bet this puzzle's genesis came during Super Bowl season when Eric thought about a SUPERB OWL; yea or nay, Eric? Anyway, it's a great puzzle. Look at all the longish vertical fill—HEAVE HOS and TEAPOT DOME, EPITOMIZE and EXORCISM? Good stuff. I'm sure the clues were great, too, but I'm a little too traumatized by the technical glitch to remember specifics.

Updated on Sunday: I'm not really in the mood for crosswords today (although that didn't stop me from doing five of them just now). My favorite clue/entry from all five of them was in Henry Hook's LA Weekly: "Woody's mother-in-law" for MIA. (Har!)

NYT somewhere in the 10- to 11-minute range
WaPo 8:16
Hook 8:17
LAT 9:13
CS 5:04
Saturday Stumper 7:50