A1. Who's-eating-what chains ~ FOODWEBS

A9. Comic actor George who was nicknamed "Toastmaster General of the United States" ~ JESSEL

A15. Joined ~ INLEAGUE

A16. Impeach ~ ACCUSE

A17. Blood group? ~ REDCROSS

A18. "Cat's in the Cradle" singer ~ CHAPIN

A19. Literary periods? ~ ELLIPSIS

A20. West German chancellor Adenauer ~ KONRAD

A21. Passkey carriers ~ MAIDS

A22. His ___ (mock-formal title) ~ NIBS

A24. First name in '50s TV ~ DESI

A25. Wife of Richard III ~ ANNE

A26. Count ~ RELY

A27. Orioles catcher Hernández ~ RAMON

A28. No longer named ~ NEE

A29. Dawdles ~ MOSEYSALONG

A31. Dieter's concern ~ FATS

A32. It might come from the lips of someone who's all thumbs ~ OOPS

A33. Cash in one's chips ~ BITETHEDUST

A37. K-12 group ~ PTA

A40. "___ After the Show" (former Oxygen program) ~ OPRAH

A41. Brenda Maddox book about James Joyce's wife ~ NORA

A42. Actress who played Katherine Harris in "Recount" ~ DERN

A43. Parliamentary faction ~ NAYS

A44. Frequent gossip column subject ~ IDOL

A45. "Isn't that hilarious?" ~ GETIT

A46. Midshipman, upon graduation ~ ENSIGN

A48. Like some mirrors ~ REARVIEW

A50. Duffel with a drawstring ~ SEABAG

A51. Last line of "Star Trek: First Contact" ~ MAKEITSO

A52. Tennis player Sanchez who was the #1 doubles player in 1989 ~ EMILIO

A53. Air field? ~ AVIATION

A54. Performers, collectively ~ TALENT

A55. Fairly long odds ~ TENTOONE

D1. Person who puts out? ~ FIREMAN

D2. Like the road less traveled, say ~ ONELANE

D3. Conservative ~ OLDLINE

D4. Settle a dispute ~ DECIDE

D5. Takes a bow? ~ WARPS

D6. All-star cast problems ~ EGOS

D7. Part that matters ~ BUSINESSEND

D8. Attached by its base, as a plant ~ SESSILE

D9. Ball game ~ JACKS

D10. Identical response ~ ECHO

D11. Many politicians weather them ~ SCANDALS

D12. Person in charge, in British slang ~ SUPREMO

D13. Quarterback who wrote the novel "Toss" ~ ESIASON

D14. Activity that's not without interest ~ LENDING

D23. Request for permission ~ BYYOURLEAVE

D26. "Indignation" author ~ ROTH

D27. Deeply moved ~ RAPT

D29. Field for Fields ~ MATH

D30. Ivette of Eden's Crush ~ SOSA

D31. Like things that might fly ~ FEASIBLE

D33. White-flowered plant named for its supposed healing properties ~ BONESET

D34. Affluent Rio neighborhood ~ IPANEMA

D35. It keeps a vessel windward in a storm ~ TRYSAIL

D36. Perennial cellar dweller ~ DOORMAT

D37. ___ principii (begging the question) ~ PETITIO

D38. Sports for the fit? ~ TRIESON

D39. "___ Fisher" (Denzel Washington's directorial debut) ~ ANTWONE

D42. Schwarzenegger's "Twins" costar ~ DEVITO

D44. Casting choice ~ INGOT

D45. Crack ~ GREAT

D47. All alternative ~ GAIN

D49. Like sissies? ~ AKIN