Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Puzzle by Sarah Keller, edited by Will Shortz
This is a Tuesday weld of the PHASESOFTHEMOON (64A Starts of 17-, 27- and 49-Across) with three preceding entries -- FULLTIMESTUDENT (17A One not taking just a few classes); NEWYORKER (27A Magazine with the recurring heading "Onward and Upward With the Arts," with "The"); and HALFPRICE (49A Kind of sale). Read that as "Full, New, Half -- Phases of the Moon", giving rise to the question -- why is this common astronomical event presented totally out of order -- it's only three of the phases, New, Half and Full or vice versa. The Half is the center phase. The remaining phases would make for interesting entry fare: With New, Half and Full, along the way are Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent, with a name for everything in between. Take them like a deck of cards, shuffle, put them wherever you like in the puzzle and call it a "theme" (there's that word again, see 05.03.07 -- What's In A Theme).
The remainder of this little Tuesday tiddly wink is a compendium of crossword standards. I can honestly say there isn't a single entry (including the way each is clued) in this crossword puzzle that I haven't seen in a previous crossword. It could serve as a pedagogue's primer for puzzle entries -- memorize them if you're new to the game -- you'll see them all again!
Oh, incidentally, if anyone's keeping stats, please consider for the "Longest Clue" category the aforementioned 27A.
More on this Tuesday's puzzle: Linda G at "Madness...Crossword and Otherwise.
If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.
The longest clue category was pretty much retired back in 2003 when the New York Sun had FIONAAPPLE clued as "Singer with the 1999 album 'When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight And He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand And Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights And If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land And If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right'".
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