Out of Shape #8: Marching Bands

Yes, on the one hand, you've got a major puzzle on the line today, baton on the other hand, we're out of parade puns, so hopefully groaning-intro-lovers will let us float on this somewhat ramshako attempt.

Being able to offer cryptic versions of puzzles that we’ve solved in GAMES for literally decades makes us so happy. Richard Maltby did a couple of these under the title Square-Rigged but in our heart, these will always be Marching Band puzzles and we show our true colors as this one unfurls. Despite being a bigger 50+ clue affair, it still lands as medium difficulty since almost the entire puzzle is checked; work with a friend and you should find your way through.

Thanks to test solvers Andy Stilp and John Sams, the latter of whom pitched in on some live clue rewrites over a Saturday morning breakfast, and to editor Will Nediger, which sounds more like a snippet from a Music Man lyric every time we type it.

(Thanks to solver Michael for pointing out that when we first published this puzzle, the in-browser solution file was incorrect. It's been updated, but if you started solving and are looking for your previous session, the old link — with an errant solution! — is here. The correct solution can be found in the PDF or the button below.)