PUZZLING DIRECTIONS
Credit: LA Times Crossword
Sylvia Bursztyn and Barry Tunick  (#1-4 and 16-18)

The answers to the clues below will have something in common.

1. Betray
2. Difficult burden
3. Do battle metaphor
4. Having contrary goals
5. Intersecting parallel lines, as on a map
6. Where a choice must be made
7. Cut-away view
8. Kind of embroidery
9. Lawyers may do this
10. Thoughts and ideas do this
11. Ethnically diverse, as a dance festival
12. Childish promise
13. Check another source for more information
14. Under intense scrutiny
15. What triathletes do

16. Trace the source
17. Space flight finale
18. Scold
19. In Australia
20. Go from third gear to second, for example
21.  Initial deposit on a loan, as for a car
22. Diminish the importance of something
23. Heavy rain
24. In New England, especially Maine
25. Genuine and sincere, without airs
26. Reduce staff to save money
27. Depressing, discouraging experience informally
28. Unproductive period, as in a factory
29. Highway peril for heavy trucks
30.  Conductor's concern

Answers:

1.  Doublecross
2. Cross to bear
3. Cross swords
4. At cross-purposes
5. Crosshatch
6. Crossroads
7. Cross section
8. Cross-stitch
9. Cross-examine
10. Cross your mind
11. Cross-cultural
12. Cross your heart
13. Cross-reference
14. In the cross hairs
15. Cross-train

16. Run down
17. Splashdown
18. Dress down
19.  Down under
20. Downshift
21. Down payment
22. Play down
23. Downpour
24. Down East
25. Down-to-earth
26. Downsize
27. Downer
28. Downtime
29. Downgrade
30. Downbeat