I pulled out 39D Toque: CHEFSHAT because I learned a while ago that a toque is what Canadians call a beanie. How did I learn that? Well, it was in an episode of Nathan for You. I looked it up back then and saw that here it’s a chef’s hat.
Kind of a sad theme in today’s puzzle.
17A Classic work with chapters titled “Attack by Stratagem” and “Maneuvering an Army”: THEARTOFWAR -> T[HEART]OFWAR.
24A Signature Phil Collins hit ranked among VH1’s “100 Greatest Songs of the 80s”: INTHEAIRTONIGHT -> INT[HEA]I[RT]ONIGHT.
38A Changes political affiliation: SWITCHESPARTIES -> SWITC[HE]SP[ART]IES.
48A Flee to remote safety: HEADFORTHEHILLS -> [HEA]DFO[RT]HEHILLS.
60A Despondent … as progressively suggested by 17-, 24-, 38- and 48-Across?: HEARTBROKEN. Though I had initially put BROKENHEART, it became evident quickly that it was not in that order.
Finished this one in 8:42.
| Day | This Wk | Best | Average | 4-Wk Avg | Streak |
| Monday | 4:05 | 3:49 | 9:24 | 5:12 | 77 |
| Tuesday | 8:42 | 5:22 | 13:14 | 10:41 | 1 |
| Wednesday | 7:38 | 17:00 | 11:40 | 17 | |
| Thursday | 12:12 | 28:44 | 31:09 | 3 | |
| Friday | 16:23 | 31:59 | 21:39 | 17 | |
| Saturday | 20:12 | 33:57 | 33:38 | 17 | |
| Sunday | 15:11 | 53:49 | 40:56 | 4 |