05.29.07 -- ...ar

Above: (1) Guernica by Pablo Picasso -- In 1992 the painting was moved from the Museo del Pado to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, both in Madrid,, along with about two dozen preparatory works. This action was controversial in Spain, since Picasso's will stated that the painting should be displayed at the Prado.

(2) On 4th of February, 1945 the Big Three (Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin) convened at Yalta, on the Crimean Peninsula.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Jim Hyres, edited by Will Shortz

BAR (38A It can precede the starts of 16-, 26-, 43- and 58-Across and 10- and 33-Down) was the last entry I filled on this puzzle which ties in with CHARTTOPPER (16A #1 hit), BELLBOTTOMS (26A Some 1960s-'70s attire), KEEPANEYEON (43A Watch), NONETHELESS (58A However), HOPSCOTCH (10D Playground game), and CODENAMES (33D Manhattan Project and Operation Overlord). Having no idea what was wanted, I just worked the remainder of the puzzle and then came back to the center to see what the hell 38A was all about -- all I had was AR -- and for 38D Competition of sorts, I had only EE -- so I ran through the alphabet starting with CAR, EAR, FAR, WAR, etc. -- concentrating on the clue for 38D, and trying to match it up with the indicated tie-in references to 38A -- so the last letter I filled in was B. No fun at all -- but, that happens!

When one applies the BAR to the other entries, they become BAR CHART, BAR BELL, BAR KEEP, BAR NONE, BAR HOP (here's more, they're sensational -- BAR HOP, BAR HOP, BAR HOP; then, of course, the old traditional boozing up BAR HOP) and finally, BAR CODE (write a bar code for yourself HERE). I must say, a lot of odd information was amassed in this puzzle.

Nevertheless, I liked the references to YALTA (13A W.W. II conference site); BERET (63A Prince's "Raspberry _____"), that was another B I pondered somewhat; ZOOMS (62A Skyrockets); ALERO (49D Bygone Olds); MISHIT (42A Faulty shot, as in tennis); ITSOK (21A Comforting words); and PRADO (52A Madrid museum), the last, of course, brings immediately to mind Pablo Picasso's "Guernica" which I sat staring at for no end in an empty room at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City many years before the crowds, the controversy and its subsequent return to Spain.

A pleasant Tuesday!

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