Tuba Detail -- Jean Coulon, Belgium
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Sunday, May 6, 2007 "MAKING AMENDS" Puzzle by Charles M. Deber, edited by Will Shortz
This is a warm and welcome Sunday puzzle! Eight A’s is all it takes for this construction to be a droll, loveable exercise in wit, skill and refinement. The comic entries that tickle the funny bone and sparkle with sophisticated ingenuity are standard phrases with the simple addition of a single letter "A" in each to change the phrase into clever wordplay. MENSAWEARDEPARTMENTS (20A Where smart shoppers shop?) THREEMENINATUBA (34A Plight of an overcrowded orchestra?) FIRSTAIDAKIT (52A Introduction to opera) INDIANAOCEAN (68A Locale of Hoosier beaches?) AWALKINTHEPARKA (83A Bit of winter exercise?) ARIVERARUNSTHROUGHIT (101A Geraldo rehearses his show?) CHECKEREDPASTA (1D Dish for an Italian racing champ?) BOTTOMLESSPITA (48D Sandwich that can never be finished?)
7A CARRIE This good natured fun runs throughout the puzzle with both clues and entries (31A Place for fish and ships) SEA; (66 Insider talk) LINGO; (94A Burmese gathering?) CATSHOW; (52A Tiny annoyance) FLEA; (70D Hen, at times) CACKLER; (20D Item on a chain, usually) MONOCLE; and references to a variety of amiable personalities -- MITZI (58A Gaynor of “South Pacific”); MANN (58D Jazz’s Herbie); REN (2D Stimpy’s TV pal); POTSIE (87D “Happy Days” role); and to the dignified -- EVANS (4D Dame Edith who was nominated for three Oscars); SERGEI (12D Composer Prokofiev); LIAM (28D Former Irish P.M. ____ Cosgrave); DIANE (63D Photographer Arbus); JOULE (93D Eponymous physicist) and the macabre -- CARRIE (7D Stephen King’s first novel); LANDRU (14D French Bluebeard); TUTS (97D King ____ tomb); and ATTILA (85D Loser at the Battle of Chalons, A.D. 451).
63D -- Diane Arbus,"Identical Twins", Roselle, N.Y.,1967
Included for good measure are DANTES (63A _______ “Inferno”), CAIRO (29A Site of Napoleon’s invasion of 1798-1801); CREES (1A Tribe with a sun dance); SCRATCHER (39A Cat, at times); OODLES (55A Piles); KISSERS (108A Mugs) -- and so it runs through the whole grid, friendly, good-natured, warmhearted and bright!
This is a masterful Sunday puzzle made to be worked with ease and comfort -- a classic!
Gustave Dore illustration for The Inferno, by Dante Alighieri (63A)
Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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6 comments:
Did you do Bill Clinton's NYT puzzle? What did you think of it?
Mmmmm, I'll check it out...
I'm confused. I thought I commented on this yesterday, but maybe that was the Saturday puzzle. Anyway, I liked this one better. But I really liked the Millhauser/Clinton puzzle. Fun for boomers everywhere.
Hi Donald, glad to see the CARRIE photo -- a blast from the past! Often when I fill in the grid, an evocative phrase or reference will emerge that I can envision (and hope to find) splashed across the screen of one of my favorite crossword blogs. To me, the photos are often as much fun as the commentary. I was hankering to see that exact image from Carrie. Thanks for obliging!
That said, one thing I really like about your blog is that your images are always a fascinating surprise. Humorous and creepy at the same time (sort of Edward Goreyesque), always artistic. Reading your blog is like watching a film of what someone dreams at night. Not to leave you blushing (RED) just wanted to say how much I appreciate your efforts.
norrin2
The puzzle ate my Sunday! See Is "Is" "Is" -- thanks for prodding me into what was rather fun!
rock rabbit
Thank you! A comment such as yours can get me going for the rest of the month!
Very thoughtful of you!
Donald
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