07.19.07 -- K Ni Fe

Thursday, July 19, 2007

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Puzzle by David J. Kahn, edited by Will Shortz

There’s no rule that a crossword puzzle can’t be dull or that it need be on the cutting edge, but when it presents a “riddle”, there is usually a twist. The entries and clues: WHATIMPLEMENT (20A With 28-, 48- and 56-Across, riddle whose answer appears in the circled squares); CANBEPRODUCED (28A See 20-Across); FROMPOTASSIUM (48A See 20-Across); NICKELANDIRON (56A See 20-Across); and in the circled squares, KNIFE.

Upon completing all the entries, I thought “I must be missing something here -- it is late at night. Earlier our hamlet had a blackout, so I am blogging late -- but I just don’t get it." I thought a riddle was supposed to be “a problem or a puzzle in the form of a question or statement so formulated that some ingenuity is required to solve or answer it.” Yeah, Websters.

As in, you know, the Riddle of the Sphinx: “What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?” -- The solution: "A man -- who crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age."

The “riddle” presented in this crossword puzzle felt so much like a science class question that I became convinced it was one. Again, I asked myself, am I missing something? If this is a riddle, then the answer (KNIFE) must be a riddle itself. "It’s late...there was a blackout...I have an excuse for my obtuseness...this can't be as dull as it seems!"

Finally, it hit me like one of the bolts of lightning that had been threatening our poor little hamlet all evening -- there are three elements and the answer is separated into three.

The riddle: “What implement can be produced from potassium, nickel and iron?” The answer: K, Ni, Fe.

The circles are in very light print, all on one line and are contained in the words ICKY (60A Like worms); ENIAC (61A Computer unveiled in 1946); and FEAR (62A Cold feet). O.K., so that’s good. Additionally, AMI (23A “Who…….?” [common riddle ending]) and REE (64D “Riddle-me-…..”) are stuck into the grid up left and down right. Little riddles in the puzzle: 12D Canines that bite -- TEETH; 37A Affluent duo? -- EFS; and even perhaps 29D How some music is played -- BYEAR.

Original clues for standard entries -- UFOS (5A Project Blue Book subject); PAST (9A Ex-); OPIE (15 Talk radio’s ____ & Anthony); EPEE (19A Abbe de l’____, pioneer in sign language); LOG (25A Camp seat); ACER (23D One with a sterling service) and EXITS (31D Takes off).

People in the puzzle -- SIBYL (39A Fortuneteller); TROY (47A Movie featuring Peter O’Toole as Priam); ALI (51A Kentucky’s Athlete of the Century); REDWING (3D N.H.L. team at Joe Louis Arena); ORFEO (30D Monteverdi opera); MAGI (24D Ancient gift givers); KYLE (57D MacLachlan of “Desperate Housewives”); and BRIANENO (40D Musician who created the Windows 95 start-up sound).

Long down entries and their clues include: UNSTOPS (5D Pulls the plug on); FILIGREE (6d Fine metal openwork); SEEPED (8D Trickled); ASLOUD (15D Comparatively noisy); SETADATE (38D Plan for nuptials); and RADICAL (46D Avant-garde).

Contrasts: NILE (58D With 66-Across, Egyptian agricultural area) crosses DELTA (66A See 58-Down); SHONE (36D Stood out) abuts SMILED (44D Beamed); the aforementioned OPIE sits on top of EPEE; FICKLE (48D Changeable on a whim) crosses NICKEL…etc., and INRE (67A Concerning) changes places with ENCLS (22D Bottom-of-letter abbr.).

This puzzle and its “riddle”? I almost drew a NIL (53A Goose egg), but now the “Bells ARE Ringing” (55A) -- and it’s my alarm clock -- so I'll cut right to the end!

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For today's "cartoon" go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Knife Amnesty, London -- Some of the weapons to be destroyed by the Metropolitan Police.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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