MLG GIVEN DESCENT CLNC WITH CROSSING RESTRICTION; THEN HAD ALT AMENDED; MISSED AMENDED ALT AND ATC CORRECTED PROBLEM.

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WHILE CRUISING AT OUR CRS ALT OF FL410; WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DES TO FL370 AND EXPECT CATTA AT FL260. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT FL370 WE SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED A CLRNC TO CROSS CATTA AT FL260. AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH FL302 THE CTLR CALLED AND TOLD US WE WERE RESTR TO FL330 AND ASKED WHY WE WERE DSNDING AND WHY WE WEREN'T 'LISTENING UP.' THEN; TOLD US TO CLB TO FL330. AS WE INITIATED THE CLB WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS CATTA AT FL260. AT NO TIME DURING OUR DES DID WE RECEIVE NOR DID WE ACKNOWLEDGE A STOP DES AT FL330. AFTER SPEAKING WITH WATCH SUPVR AT WASH CENTER; HE HAVING REVIEWED THE TAPES AND FOUND NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ANY ALT RESTRICTION; AND HAVING TIME TO REFLECT ON THIS SITUATION; THE AMOUNT OF TFC ON THIS FREQ; AND THE FACT THAT IDLE/CRS/DES ON AN LGT PRODUCES ABOUT 1400 FPM; WHICH WOULD CREATE ALMOST 2 MINS FROM THE TIME WE WENT THROUGH THE ALT THE CTLR WANTED US RESTR TO; TILL HE ACTUALLY DETECTED IT; INDICATES TO ME THAT THIS CTL POSITION AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY SEVERELY NEEDS TO BE DILUTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 80483: THE WATCH SUPVR SAID HE HAD REVIEWED THE TAPES AND WE INDEED HAD NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC. AS FAR AS HE WAS CONCERNED; WE WERE 'EXONERATED.' THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND APPEARED TO BE WORKING 2 FREQS. SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS; PRIOR TO THE EVENT; WERE BLOCKED.