07.17.07 -- ?? ??

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Puzzle by Natan Last, edited by Will Shortz
ATBOTHENDS (64A How the answer to each of the nine starred clues repeats) -- might be the oddest way to describe the very loosely inter-related "nine starred clues" of this strange puzzle feature -- so, let's just assume the nine entries are supposed to represent a candle burning at both ends. Is that a stretch -- yes. Is it any more ridiculous than the entries with their 64A notation -- no!

The nine entries are CASABLANCA (17A *1942 film with the line "What makes saloonkeepers so snobbish?"); TEAMMATE (24A *Bench sharer); HIBACHI (41A *Japanese grill); ESTATES (27D *Many-acred homes); SEAHORSE (56A *Underwater creature whose males give birth); ISRAELIS (10D *They live on acres of Acre's); LEADROLE (11D *Rick Blaine in 17-Across, e.g.); ARTOWAR (39A *Classic Chinese military treatise, with "The"); and REDSCARE (40D "Fearful 1917-20 period). Read CA CA, TE TE, HI HI, ES ES; SE SE, IS IS, LE LE, AR AR, and RE RE.
The last entry in the puzzle is appropriate -- SOS (73A "Help!)
The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.
Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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