I totally blanked out

Thursday' puzzle kicked my ass. David Quarfoot is one devious fellow, whom I shall curse with my fists waving in the air wildly. I just gave up in the middle of it, and waited till the next day and check my answers. And my friend, the theme is totally crazy out of this world. When it dawned on me, I was like totally swearing my mind out.

Main clues:
Moving aids, or a hint to this puzzle's theme -
Redeemable recyclables -
Like some glasses, in a phrase -
Statement not to worry about -
Pledge, but not really -
Loses ignominiously, on a game show -
Fail, as in a search -
Push ahead , despite exhaustion -
Older couple's home, often -
With 52-Across, how to take some medications -

Anyways, as you may know. I had problems with most of the clues. So brace yourself, this will be a long post.

In progress - afoot

Tricky Clues:
They often have four parts - Chorales
Its name is also its NYSE symbol - IBM
Big bang producer - TNT
One involved in a faceoff - linesman

Minutemen - Umass team name
Okemo - Vermont Ski resort
DSO - Distinguished Service Order, British honorary
Eczema - Dematitis, causes itchy, red, flaky skin.

Things to know:
Welsh Rarebit - A cheesy dish
Lee Grant - actress who won an Oscar for Shampoo, and also nominated for Voyage of the Damned, the Landlord and Detectove Story
Bremen - German port town
Rara avis - a unique or rare person or thing
Ent - Humanoid trees from Tolkien's Middle Earth.

Dante's Inferno's first line - 'Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita' which translates to 'in the middle of the journey of our lives'

Laudo manentem; si celeres quatit
Pennas, resigno quae dedit, et mea
Virtute me involvo, probamque
Pauperiem sine dote quaero.
- Carmina (III, 29), Horace

Which translates to:
I praise Fortune while she lasts;
if she shakes her quick wings,
I resign what she has given,
and take refuge in my own virtue,
and seek honest undowered Poverty.