Today’s Saturday Stumper

Today’s Newsday  Saturday Stumper, by Matthew Sewell, started out so easily: 1-A, four letters, “Hula hoops, for instance.” I was not fooled. But I soon found this puzzle presenting obstacle after obstacle: 19-A, six letters, “Very sharp in D&D, from Carroll.” 43-A, six letters, “Portmanteau for fortissimo singing.” And let us not forget 35-D, four letters, “Code sharer with Uzbekistan Airways.” Whose wheelhouse is this puzzle in? Not mine. But I did get it, all but one letter. (See 19-A.)

Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:

3-D, three letters, “First string.” This one gave me fits. RNA?

4-D, fifteen letters, “Overtime alert.” Seems a bit blah for a fifteen-letter answer.

10-D, fifteen letters, “Where split decisions are made.” I thought of stocks and boxing rings.

13-D, four letters, “He ‘put chic into chips,’ per Times (1977).” Forty-nine years ago. Ah, yes, of course. (Cough.)

14-A, ten letters, “Japanese belt.” I couldn’t make SUNTORY fit.

26-A, four letters, “Major in ’90s news.” A pretty tortured way to clue this answer.

20-D, six letters, “Father of Agamemnon.” I’d hate to be known as Agamemnon’s father. I’d also hate to be known as Agamemnon.

30-D, five letters, “Goddess associated with olive trees.” Not TEENA. (Short for ATHENA).

38-A, eight letters, “Word from Greek for ‘scatter.’” I learned something.

49-A, ten letter, “Wipe clean to reuse.” Oddly anachronistic.

My favorite in this puzzle: 42-D, five letters, “Ancient character with no followers.”

No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.