NYT Crossword, 0720

Woah! So much that I do not know. Not only did I not finish the puzzle today, but I also had three wrong letters in the puzzle. Ouch. In my favor, however, is the observation that many in the puzzling community were stumped by the obscurity of some of these words.

The obscure:

• Mocks = JAPES?
• Trail to follow = SPOOR?
• Eurasian ducks = SMEWS?
• Natural bristle = AWN?
• Go rapidly = SKIRR?
• Bygone blades = SNEES? This appears to be a rather bogus clue.
• Open court hearing = OYER?

The proper names:

• "La Gioconda" mezzo-soprano = LAURA.
• Dr. Zhivago role = PASHA.
• Mrs. Woody Allen = SOONYI.
• Illinois city, site of the last Lincoln-Douglas debate = ALTON.
• Half-brother of Tom Sawyer = SID.
• Manhattan part = RYE. Doesn't actually appear to be a part of Manhattan, but rather 33 minutes away.

My mistakes:

• Across: November 5, in Britain/Down: "Venice Preserved" dramatist Thomas: GUYFAWKESNIGHT/OTWAY (not guyfaukesnight/otuay)
• Down: Bossman or bosswoman/Across: ____ state: PREZ/ZEN (not pres/sen)
• Across: La Scala cheer/Down: Capri, e.g., to a Capriote: BRAVA/ISOLA (not bravo/isolo). Clearly demonstrates my lack of Italian.