08.17.08 -- Nothing

Aleksandr Rodchenko (Russian, 1891–1956.) Non-Objective Painting: Black on Black. 1918
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Friday, August 17, 2007

Puzzle by Roger Barkan, edited by Will Shortz

Remember those photo album corner holders -- they were on the corners of the grid of last week’s Friday (August 10, 2007) crossword puzzle. Well, today, they’re back, but this time there is nothing worth framing -- actually, the center of the grid contains one lone black square -- for me at least, it winds up the center of attention.

Today’s puzzle begins with SHAGCARPETS and is PILED thick with entries, one atop the other like a TON of bricks -- STEPTOTHEREAR, CHARLOTTEAMALIE, RANARACE, URICACID, TELEVISIONPILOT, MEDITERRANEAN, and DESERTSTORM take up most of the space unoccupied by the little black square in the center of the grid. Quite the feat, considering that their crossings are for the most part very original -- not easy to do! Enough of that…

A picture can be worth a thousand words.

ACROSS: 1. You can sink your feet into them; 12. Bus line?; 14. Caribbean cruise port of call; 16. Diwali revelers; 17. Sprinted, perhaps; 18. Home of the Cotopaxi volcano; 19. Early film actress Pitts; 20. Rolling Stone cover subject; 21. Abbr. After an author’s name, maybe; 22. Marty’s mentor in “Back to the Future”; 23. Where Japanese shares are bought and sold: Abbr.; 25. Mountain; 26. Utah’s ____ Mountains; 28. Comparable to a wet hen; 32. Pointed warning?; 34. This-and-that recording for a friend or a party; 36. Time immemorial; 37. Van _____ of “Double Team” and “Double Impact; 39. Some “wax”; 40. ___-Bo; 42. Beer may be on this; 43. Cement layer’s work; 44. Word before and after “against”; 47. Marvel Comics series; 49. Profile on a 19c stamp; 50. Major component of kidney stones; 52. Hula-hoop, say; 53. Start of a series; 55. ____ diet, food plan emphasizing olive oil, fish, fruit, vegetables and red wine; 56. Gulf war offensive

DOWN: 1. Star performer’s reward; 2. Got together; 3. 100, say; 4. Classic cars with 389 engines; 5. Hotel room option; 6. Draw; 7. Birds with a name from Greek myth; 8. Squirt; 9. Title aunt in a 1979 best seller; 10. Most affect by pathos; 11. Leaves alone, sometimes; 12. It’s guarded in a soccer game; 13. “Copacabana” antagonist; 14. Coffee alternative; 15. Third-longest river of California; 19. Daydreamed, with “out”; 22. Pulled off; 24. Partner of Coburg, historically; 26. Major in astronomy?; 27. Site of King Hussein Mosque; 29. Language of India with a palindromic name; 30. Home of Lawrence University; 31. Accessories for a secretary; 33. Go ahead of; 35. Dennis the Menace, for one; 38. Accepted bad treatment; 41. Heat up; 43. Like someone who’s been fooled before; 44. Wickiup, for one; 45. Self-styled “Family City U.S.A.”; 46. Like 1-Across; 48. Scrooge McDuck, notably; 49. Sleep: Prefix; 51. National competitor; 52. Swatter’s target; 54. Places for gurneys, for short
A real nasty solve -- which a good puzzle should be. What's left to say?...
...nothing.
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
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