08.22.07 -- Pickup Lines

Sophia Bush in The Hitcher (2007)

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

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Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer, edited by Will Shortz

PICKUPLINES (61A Singles bar repertoire (and a hint to 17-, 24-, 36- and 52-Across), along with BOOKEMDANNO (17A McGarrett’s TV catchphrase), NEEDALIFT (24A Question for a hitchhiker), ITSFORYOU (36A Shout from the phone), and LIKEAROCK (52A Chevy truck slogan, once) are the inter-related entries of this inert Wednesday puzzle.

We just conjugated on the subject of pickup lines in The New York Times Crossword Puzzle, Sunday, July 22, 2007, which was titled WORST PICKUP LINES.

Here’s the SUBPLOT (1D Side story). Because I never saw a single episode of Hawaii Five-O, picked up a hitchhiker, shouted from the telephone, drove a Chevy truck, or used a pickup line, I’ll ask AMNESTY (46D General pardon) on grounds of the UNKNOWN (41D Hardly a celebrity) for being less than enthusiastic. If that GOESFAR (12D Succeeds in a big way) well, thanks and DENADA (9D “Gracias” response).

A scene from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 2005.

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Oh, and TOSSIN (67A Casually add) TSKED (4D Clicked one’s tongue), and INHERE (64A Cry after “Psst!”) into the mix of this stew-of-words-and-phrases of miscellany that feels like it needs to be TIDIED (31D Straightened [up]).

PRORATE (2D Apportion, as costs), ANOINTS (3D Rubs oil on), ARMOIRE (11D Tall wardrobe), REGATTA (13D Yachting event), ALIENEE (40D Property recipient, in law), INTONER (44D Chanter), GUNNER (15A Artillery unit member), ORSINO (48D "Twelfth Night lover), ELNINO (47A Cause of odd weather), MIKADO (5A Nanki-Poo’s father), OPERA (35A Paris Metro station next to a music center), OLEOLE (59A World Cup chant), PRIEST (20A Father figure?), ARARAT (29A Biblical landing spot), COOLEST (45D Least ruffled), SELFISH (39D Me-first) and LEILA (56D Hyams of 1920s- ‘30s films) are the disparate main entries in this out-of-focus melange.

END (49A Wrap up)!

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