03.31.07 -- SLAS / HERS

John Duschatko’s puzzle utilizes a familiar gimmick (broken words continued on unnumbered lines) in a fresh way. The continuing series of eight Freddie Krueger “A Nightmare on Elm Street” films is a good CONTINUEDONNEXT / LINE clue, coupled with SLAS / HERS -- kind of sweet. Also slashed are AIRP / ORTS, UNDE / RESTIMATE, GLENNM / ILLER, UPRI / SING, SEAS / ONER, PREDE / STINED, INCAPACIT / ATES, RUMI / NANT, and CRINK / KLES -- for a total of eleven “slashed” entries, twelve if IPSO / FACTO is included. More gore in this puzzle PRE / DESTINED groom Oedipus Rex (gouged out his own eyes), jacquerie (UPRI / SING) Canada’s Battle of Fort ERIE, 1866, and brutal villain IVAN Drago, “Rocky IV” who killed Apollo Creed. Lurking cautiously in the corners of this violent construction are PATSY, ANTSY, SPANK, PSST, OKS, LINEN, IRENE, Godfrey’s woman in “My Man Godfrey”, and Mary ARDEN, Shakespeare’s mother, and SPERM.

Below: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Oedipus Rex, Glenn Miller, Rocky IV, William Shakespeare, Carole Lombard as Irene, Sperm.