08.10.07 -- Camera Obscura

“The Procuress” by Johannes Vermeer, 1656

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Friday, August 10, 2007

Puzzle by Patrick Berry, edited by Will Shortz

Remember those photo album corner holders -- well, today's puzzle has four, one at each corner, which seem to hold a photograph of this crossword puzzle with its central entry GALLERIES (27A Old masters reside in them) -- all bringing to mind the camera obscura utilized by Johannes Vermeer, best known for his "Girl With a Pearl Earring".

A picture can be worth a thousand words.

Across:

1. Oblong dessert; 12. Compositions; 14. Wizards and Magic, e.g.; 16. “Heat traps” in houses; 17. Suitable for hypertension sufferers; 18. Liquid used in canning; 19. “The SKYS the limit!”; 20. Traditional know-how; 21. Skull Island denizen, for short; 22. Mush PEAS (British dish); 23. Drab and colorless; 24. Geom. Measure; 25. Kind of dish; 26. ‘ARETHA Now” (1968 R & B album); 27. Old masters reside in them; 29. Court staff; 32. Bully’s target, maybe; 33. Biblical figure who says to God “Make me understand how I have erred; 36. Takes on; 37. Overlook; 38. Baker v. CARR (landmark Supreme Court voting rights case); 39. Memo heading; 40. Square dance partner; 41. Long known for playing football; 42. Doesn’t stay on topic; 44. Gelato sans milk; 45. Hiding one’s true feelings; 47. French-born architect who designed Washington, D. C.; 48. 1930 novel that takes its title from Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”

Down:

1. Bankrupting; 2. For the ASKING; 3. Potential heiress; 4. Congressional output; 5. Grab ahold of; 6. It separates the Bering Sea from the Pacific; 7. Spreads out; 8. Compartmentalized box’s contents; 9. Two-time football Pro Bowler Leon; 10. White sheets; 11. Take from a book, say; 12. Female prison official; 13. “From Russia With Love” org.; 14. Sweet, glazed cake; 15. “G’bye!”; 19. It leaves an impression; 22. D.C. players; 23. Wilbur Post’s “pal”; 25. “The Odd Couple” director; 26. Is shown; 27. Ice cream flavor; 28. Lie; 29. Early “astronaut; 30. It reveals who’s on first; 31. Undependable; 33. Paleontologist’s discovery, maybe; 34. Show the ropes to; 35. Jeremy BRETT, 1980s-’90s portrayer of Sherlock Holmes; 37. Gets into a single lane, say; 38. Stock holder; 40. Romance or horror; 41. 1992 Nicholson title role; 43. Highlands weapon; 44. Soft rock?; 46. Many a retirement gift

Illustration: Medieval menu of cakes and ale.

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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