ANSWERS: Cramped Crossword 2

It's been almost two weeks since "Cramped Crossword 2" was posted on this blog, and eight people since then have correctly solved it, as you can see in the list below:

• Grant Fikes ****
• Eric Maddy ****
• Sam Levitin ****
• Tyler Hinman ****
• Dan Simonds ****
• Mom ****
• Lynn Sweeney ****
• Debbie Benford ****

Now head below the break for the answers as well as some solvers' comments!

The nine letters in the center of the grid unscramble to spell out "TELEPHONE" (by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé)

Solver Eric Maddy said he was "Not sure whether it's intentional that the nine letters are laid out in the same fashion as a telephone keypad, but if so -- kudos for that."

Patron Tyler Hinman made this puzzle harder on himself, saying "I hope this is right, since I attempted it without the clues!"

Solver Sam Levitin got the right answer, "Although I first thought of the Blondie song, not the LG one", in reference to "Hanging on the Telephone"