WYNTON MARSALIS, (MOVING TO) HIGHER GROUND — The rhythm guitar... plays every beat as if to remind us, "Here's home."... [T]he rhythm section's like a trampoline: Stiff but springy, it lets everyone... jump around and have a great time. Too stiff or... soggy, and we have a bad time.
| A. | Quite a tongue-lashing (2 wds.) | WHATFOR |
| B. | "Dee-lish!" | YUMMY |
| C. | Island birthplace of Alexander Hamilton | NEVIS |
| D. | First-rate, bang-up (hyph.) | TOPFLIGHT |
| E. | Costume; group of workers | OUTFIT |
| F. | Inclined to rain on a parade | NEGATIVE |
| G. | "Suits" for execs, or "brass" for officers | METONYM |
| H. | Harmonious state, concord | AMITY |
| I. | Witty give-and-take, banter | REPARTEE |
| J. | The Superdome, for one | STADIUM |
| K. | Stop talking like a pirate? | AVAST |
| L. | Lack of vigor; malaise | LETHARGY |
| M. | Covering many or all important points of a subject (hyph.) | INDEPTH |
| N. | Pinniped with ear flaps (2 wds.) | SEALION |
| O. | Like a crowd made mute with awe | HUSHED |
| P. | Forerunner of plastic as a key material | IVORY |
| Q. | Cabin warming option (2 wds.) | GASHEATER |
| R. | "Cross my heart and hope to die!" | HONEST |
| S. | Biblical figure who went up to heaven in a whirlwind | ELIJAH |
| T. | Catch often served blackened | REDFISH |
| U. | Score ornaments such as appoggiaturas (2 wds.) | GRACENOTES |
| V. | Change for the better | REFORM |
| W. | Adipose in the extreme | OBESE |
| X. | Parvenu; leap suddenly | UPSTART |
| Y. | Self-interested letters of opposition | NIMBY |
| Z. | Process for making planks or paper; go ashore | DEBARK |