Miscellaneous Monday

Monday, October 1, 2007

For the post of 09.29.07, click HERE.

For the post of 09.28.07, click HERE.

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Allan E. Parrish, edited by Will Shortz

This Monday's back-to-work puzzle features a JUNKDRAWER (30D Location for the ends of the answers to the four starred clues) -- you know, those PIGPENS (24D *Sties) into which we PLUNK (36A Put [down], as money) something in case we might ever need it? FLORIDAKEYS (18A *Popular Sunshine State vacation); TICKERTAPE (3D *Material for an old-fashioned parade); and THIRDSTRING (61A *Like players below the B team) are also thrown into this miscellaneous mess -- however, that's really not enough junk, so I'm throwing in a YOYO (12D Toy that might go "around the world") and an UZI (14A Israeli submachine gun) too.

Oh, junk?! Want junk? -- here's junk! -- lots and lots of words we see over and over again and again in puzzle after puzzle after puzzle -- ALOE, BET, BUNT, SON, OPT, ASTA, HINDI, OKIE, ERE, ADO, WAR, OPED, LOCI, EMI, EZRA, FROM, JAS, NRC, UAR, SLIM, SESS, ASTA, STAGE, DODO, EDGE, INTL, NETS, SKIED, STLO, NICE, ETTA, RES, NAME, IHOP and REX! Now, that's junk!

O.K., that drawer's full, I'll just have to leave the rest of it out FORALL (15A Last words of the Pledge of Allegiance) to see and EFFUSE (4A Gush) over! MEDICOS (22A Docs); TAKEAIM (20A Prepare to shoot) and TARGET (26A Dartboard, for one); EFFACE (4D Wipe off) or get ERODED (Wore away).

We'll need chairs for ISIAH (53D N.B.A. coach Thomas); LIONEL (37D Hampton of jazz fame); ALEC (11D One of the Baldwin brothers); ANDIE (31D Actress MacDowell) and ADOLPH (19D Coach Rupp of college basketball); Fur trader John Jacob ASTOR (27D); DESI (43A Arnaz of "I Love Lucy") and MAYS (10A Willie of the 19850s-'60s Giants). The ELDEST (9D Firstborn) is a TOPER (42A Serious drinker) who never MINDED (49A Objected to) "MAKIN Whoopee!" (10D)!

Get ready to FOLIATE (5D Decorate with leaves) your DORSAL fin (48D) and LASHES (68A Mascara goes on them) to ENGAGE (21D Take on); not ODON (47A Take too much of, briefly), but SIMMER (52A Keep just below boil) and TASTE (26D One of the five senses) ACRID (51D Pungent) TRIX (60D Cereal whose ads feature a "silly rabbit") -- be SINCERE (64A Not deceitful), ATEASE (65A "Relax, soldier!"), ENCAMP (23A Stop for the night, as soldiers) -- I have IMAGES (50D Representations) of an IMMENSE (44D Really, really big) ADO (51A Brouhaha)!

The rest will just have to go in the round file, there's no more room!

Oops!

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

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.

09.30.07 -- Invitation to the Dance -- the Acrostic

Abraham Lincoln & Mary Todd Lincoln greeting Union generals, Cabinet members, & others at a reception. Hand-colored lithograph by John Smith, Philadelphia, 1865, from The Library of Congress

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Sunday, September 30, 2007

ACROSTIC Puzzle by Emily Cox & Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz

Today‘s acrostic contains a quotation from DORIS Kearns GOODWIN‘s “TEAM OF RIVALS“ -- “The story is told of Lincoln's first meeting with Mary at a festive party. CAPITVATED BY HER LIVELY MANNER, INTELLIGENT FACE, CLEAR BLUE EYES, AND DIMPLED SMILE, LINCOLN REPORTEDLY SAID, "I WANT TO DANCE WITH YOU IN THE WORST WAY." AND, MARY LAUGHINGLY TOLD HER COUSIN LATER that night, "HE CERTAINLY DID."

The defined words with their clues are:

A. DIPTYCH (Artwork on two hinged panels); B. OLDGLORY (What Betsy Ross worked on (2 wds.); C. RICHTER (Eponym of a widely used logarithmic scale); D. INDICTED (Charged in an unwelcome way); E. SAGUARO (Set item in many a western); F. GETHELP (“You should see a psychiatrist!”); G. ORBITAL (Making the rounds?); H. OBDURATE (not likely to say “I’m sorry” for a crime); I. DYNASTY (Sports franchise that perennially dominates); J. WILLYNILLY (Whether desired or not; randomly [hyph.]); K. ICELAND (Country with the oldest known geyser…and from which the word “geyser” comes); L. NEVILLE (Longbottom, bumbling friend of Harry Potter); M. TAILWIND (Pilot’s aid in making good time); N. EDAMAME (Boiled soybean pods, in Japanese cuisine); O. ANTENNA (Destination of some waves); P. MEMPHIS (Home of the bluesy Beale Street); Q. OUTLAWRY (State occupied by Jesse James beginning in 1866); R. FLETCHER (Person who makes arrows); S. RENOWNED (Having widespread name recognition); T. INCENSE (Staple of aromatherapy); U. VERMONT (Abutter of Lake Champlain); V. ACIDITY (What a pH below 7 indicates); W. LADYDAY (Jazz nickname, or March 25 on the Christian calendar [2 wds.]); X. SALUTES (Fire off 21 rounds, maybe)

Another fine acrostic from Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon!

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

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.

09.30.07 -- ...and sometimes "Y"

Sunday, September 30, 2007

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FIVE-STRING

Puzzle by Kelsey Blakley, edited by Will Shortz

AEIOU (17D Fivesome seen in order in the answer to each starred clue) is a great entry/clue for nine entries in this wonderful Sunday crossword puzzle: GAMEMISCONDUCT (23A *Ice hockey penalty); FACETIOUS (34A "Tongue-in-cheek); HALFSERIOUSLY (40A *Somewhat in jest); GATHERINGCLOUDS (68A "Sign of coming danger); WANDERINGSOUL (94A *Drifter); TAKEITOUT (102A *What "dele" means); WATERINGTROUGH (119A *Barnyard fixture); TRADEDISCOUNT (13D *Professional courtesy in pricing); and LATENIGHTHOUR (58D *Time during a graveyard shift). I was reminded of my school days when we learned the vowels by reciting "A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y"!

Note: The electronic puzzle differs from the newsprint. AEIOU is clued as "Fivesome seen in order in the answer to each italicized clue"; and the clues are subsequently italicized without a "star".

This is a nice easy-going Sunday solve -- a very friendly and near-perfect crossword puzzle that left me with a very satisfied feeling accompanied by amazement at how brilliantly word upon word fell into place. This crossword is without a single clumsy entry or far-fetched clue, making it akin to the perfect fits of a jig-saw puzzle. So many crosswords are being Googlized these days with ridiculous lazy entries, that to encounter one without a single odd-ball abbreviation, variation, permutation, et cetera, is a genuine relief and pleasure!

YOU (99D Crossword solver, presumably); however, becomes someone else after its entered! No matter -- from EDEN (1A Starting point) to ESSO (129A Bygone U.S. gas brand), this puzzle is so tight and together with so many great entries that it’s a little classic! ...and SNOOK (8D Derisive gesture)?! -- never knew it had a name!

Other acrosses: 5. Wraps on stage; 9. Org. that inspects factories; 13. Frog’s place; 19. DEMI-pointe (ballet position); 20. Footballer-turned politician Swann; 21. Inn’s offering; 22. Hungry lion, e.g.; 26. Mame, e.g.; 27. Motrin rival; 28. They may be high before a competition; 29. Purges; 31. Companion of a spade; 32. Surgically excise; 33. Pod that’s sometimes pickled; 36. Cote d’ AZUR; 38. Observed; 46. Unbroken; 50. Dinner spread; 51. Food label abbr.; 52. Rocky Mtn. highs?; 55. Patron saint of metalworkers; 58. Not skip a beat?; 59. Go-go-go; 61. Not go by one’s own locomotion; 61. Connections; 63. Family V.I.P.’s; 65. “Myself was stirring ERE the break of day”: Shak.; 66. Oiled, in a manner; 72. To be handled by; 75. DOE-eyed; 76. “TV Funhouse” show, for short; 77. Key holder? Abbr.; 80. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” author, 1970; 81. Upshot; 85. Lack of variety; 87. Special case?; 88. Dan ISSEL, former N.B.A. star and coach; 89. Roman historian; 91. Jazzy Anita; 92. Sharp bend; 98. Colorless, flammable gas; 101. Imitator; 105. PEAT moss; 108. Does just all right; 113. Top-notch; 114. Israeli statesman Barak; 115. Actress/spokeswoman Belafonte; 116. Ancient Greek region; 117. Tin: Prefix; 122. New Hampshire senator John; 123. 1965 movie “ISAW What You Did”; 124. Give a come-hither look; 125. Toy company whose name is an anagram of 124-Across; 126. Corkscrew, e.g.; 127. One-liners; and 128. General TSOS chicken.

Downs: 1. Annual literary award; 2. Silas of the Continental Congress; 3. Thompson and Lazarus; 4. Relative of 26-Across; 5. Jewish crepe; 6. Exclamations of exasperation; 7. Religious recluse; 8. Derisive gesture; 9. Periods in prison, e.g.; 10. Old French coins; 11. Ad follower; 12. City of New Orleans operator; 14. First word spoken to earth from the lunar surface; 15. Dashed; 16. Maker of Bug-B-Gon; 18. Shady sorts?; 24. Biotite and phlogopite; 25. Home of “The Diane Rehm Show”; 30. Put away for good; 34. Christopher Morley novel “Kitty FOYLE”; 35. Future residents; 37. Banquet holder; 39. Designer Cassini 40. Some cliff dwellers; 41. English playwright Ayckbourn; 42. “I’m game!”; 43. Backing; 44. Landlord, e.g.; 45. Development sites; 47. Came down; 48. Word with bar or color; 49. One-to-one, e.g.; 53. Card catalog abbr.; 54. Chiantis, e.g.; 57. Poet who wrote “The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on”; 60. Tears to pieces; 64. Arch sites; 67. Nothing doing?; 68. Sea of GALILEE; 69. Newts; 70. Stephen Jay GOULD, author of “The Panda’s Thumb; 71. Role in “The Color Purple”; 72. Carded, say; 73. Grp. Conducting Operation Deny Flight; 74. Repeated cry at a beer blast; 77. Cousin of Spot; 78. Beach bash; 79. AMYL nitrate; 82. Lick again; 83. Flair; 84. Nielsens; 86. To-DOS; 90. Small bark; 93. Saint-ETIENNE, capital of France’s Loire department; 95. 4-Down’s brothers; 96. Brings to naught; 97. Feminist Germaine; 100. Philosopher Wittgenstein; 102. Italian poet Torquato TASSO; 103. Misbehave; 104. “The Family Circus” cartoonist; 106. Side flap; 107. Rampaging; 109. “A Confederacy of Dunces” author; 110. Pivots; 111. “American Pie” actor Jason; 112. Uneducated boor; 115. Unaccompanied; 118. Novice, maybe; 120. Simile’s center; and 121. Day-GLO.

I (excuse the expression) was glad to see ELOI clued differently, and OMAR shedding the extra R -- and the favorite of the AEIOU entries? WANDERING SOUL.

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

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

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.

09.29.07 -- Secrets

MATAHARI (15A She was executed in 1917)

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Saturday, September 29, 2007

Puzzle by Robert H. Wolfe, edited by Will Shortz

Three long entries, THATSRIDICULOUS (17A "Nonsense!"); SENSITIVENATURE (36A Delicacy); and HEYDONTLOOKATME (55A "I'm not volunteering!") set a tone for this SASSY (14D Flip) and evasively-clued Saturday puzzle. ASSOONAS (1A When) I uncovered MATAHARI (15A She was executed in 1917) occupying the upper left of the puzzle with a prone SALMINEO (62A "Tonka" star, 1958) in the lower left under DRILLERS (60A Boring people) and in dead center, DIVAS (29D 45-Down performers), flashing a "V" as the central letter of this crossword, I was INADILEMMA (40A Stuck with no way out), and WARNED (61A On notice) that my ROLE (50A Lead, e.g.) as solver may be labeled RIP (52A Engraved message?: Abbr.) -- but to be overwhelmed?, why PSHAW (44D 17-Across, quaintly)!

BLEEPS (9A Slip covers?) -- I wrote for an hour without saving and lost it all!

Across -- 16 100 centesimal; 19 Pentax Spotmatic, e.g., in brief; 20 Boy in the comic strip “Rose is Rose”; 21 Parents; 22 Parts of many jam sessions; 25 Minute; 27 African evergreen shrub; 29 Vlasic varieties; 33. Like VCRs in the 1970s; 39 One-striper: Abbr.; 40 Stuck with no way out; 41 Kitchen pieces; 43 Animal visitor to Paris in a classic children’s book; 44 Cornmeal concoction; 47 One that takes a picture?; 49 Crosses; 50 Lead, e.g.; 52 Engraved message?: Abbr.; 59 Ring of anatomy; 61 On notice. Down -- Withdrawal figs.; 2 Joke writer for many Kennedy campaign speeches; 3 Astrological set; 4 Some husk contents; 5 Understanding responses; 6 Pusher; 7 Botanical appendages; 8 Fries, say; 9 A telly may get it; 10 Old Olympics award; 11 Scarlett O’Hara’s mother and others; 12 W.W. II vessel; 13 Cascades; 18 Comment before turning in; 23 Director of the Associated Press, 1900-35; 24 Scale succession; 26 Nicholas Gage title character; 27 More; 28 Tout’s opposite; 29 45-Down performers; 31 How some hats are worn; 32 Drawing, e.g.; 33 Start of some countdowns; 34 “Piece of My Heart” singer Franklin; 35 Result of regular use; 37 “Sin City” actress, 2005; 38 Stagecoach puller; 41 Body band; 42 Flat part; 44 27-Across, quaintly; 45 See 29-Down; 46 Parfait part; 47 It’s a big part of life; 48 Do some tune-up work on; 51 Aurora producer; 53 2002 Literature Nobelist Kertesz; 54 Capital of Colombia; 56 Land of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”’; 57 Dutch traveler’s choice; 58 Figure in the Sunni/Shia split.

IMTIRED (18D Comment before turning in) -- Goodnight!

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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09.28.07 -- Dead As A Doornail

Friday, September 28, 2007

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Harvey Estes, edited by Will Shortz

DEADASADOORNAIL (62A Completely gone) lies near the bottom of this lifeless Friday crossword as a perfect description of its surroundings, which together with LEAVESA BADTASTE (1A Doesn't sit well), the leading entry atop this gravestone of words, one that certainly many will do BYTRIALANDERROR (17A One way to solve problems), desperately moaning for an ESCAPEMECHANISM (57A Daydreaming, e.g.) oh, say perhaps ARTAPPRECIATION (16A Class in which various schools are discussed), or in desperation, poring through ASSESSMENTROLLS (63A Records of interest to real estate agents), instead of staring blankly at six 15-square lines with nary an easy across or down entry much less a straight-forward clue to exhume this fossil of a puzzle.

I know puzzles are supposed to puzzle, but gravestone rubbings have never appealed to me as a recreational activity. The clues today are akin to eroded granite refusing to dislodge the identity of the deceased.

Digging deeply unearths 1D Distillation location is a LAB; 5D Large accounts?, EPICS; 6D Place for jets, SPA; 8D Bit of moonshine, BEAM; 9D Adolescent outburst, ACNE; 12D Go downhill, ATROPHY; 22D Occasional clashers, EGOS; 28D Rather informal?, KINDA; 29D Help set up chairs for?, ENDOW; 34D Take many courses, FEAST; 48D It may be wrapped in a bun, TRESS; 59D Now in, HOT.

Shoveling across, including the vagueness concocted for the six 15-letter entries, are such definitions as 31A Retiree’s coverage?, SHEET; 36A Didn’t paw, FONDLED; 40A Balloon attachment, GONDOLA; 24A City on the Natchez Trace, TUPELO; 41A Object in a Monet painting, IRIS; 47A Least spotted, RAREST; and 52A Something needed for your sake?, RICE.

ATTAGIRL (3D Encouraging remark); VARMINT (4D Predatory critter); SIRREE (13D No follower); KINDA; and AGIN (26A Not backing, in the backwoods) attempt cheerful chumminess. For clumsiness, there is ERY (2D Suffix with cream); 10D Louis Armstrong’s “Oh DIDN’T He Ramble”; TAE (11D Initials of a noted “Wizard”); USED to be (25D); AMC (18A Pacer maker: Abbr.); “ORTO dispraise my lord…”: Juliet (20A); ALA grecque (37A); and MAR (56A Gouge, say).

Just plain ornery are ARMORIAL (37D Relating to heraldry); GRENADE (40D It may contain tear gas); IMEANNO (41D Emphatic turndown); TOEOUT (49A Front wheel divergence); and TOOTLE (14D Drive along leisurely).

People in the puzzle: ARLO (7D 1968 Folk album); TINAFEY (33A “30 Rock” creator); FRIEDA (42D Curly-haired “Peanuts” character); RAMSES (43D 20th-dynasty ruler); ERICAS (44D Lois Lane player Durance and others); and the recently discovered and quickly over-used OMARR (50D Astrologer with the autobiography “Answer in the Sky”).

IMAM (53D) and IMIN (51A Hacker’s cry of success) lead the pack of happenstance fill which includes such dead wood as MLS, SIL, PAS, ESL, MMES, AWES, ECON, CEDE, FOES, TORT, and the ever-present OMEN, with a smattering of foreignese, FRERE (42A Member of la famille immediate) and SALLE (30D French study, e.g.) which ENROOT (15D Firmly establish) this dinosaur into solid rock for future archaeologists with nothing better to do!

The Mummy Of Ramses II in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo

T.G.I.F.!

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

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

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.

09.27.07 -- (#!&)

Thursday, September 27, 2007

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Puzzle by Peter Wentz, edited by Will Shortz

Pressing THESHIFTKEY (61A What is being held in 17-, 32-, 38- and 45-Across) is a clue for PARENTHESES (17A 90); POUNDSIGN (32A 3); EXCLAMATIONMARK (38A 1); and AMPERSAND (45A 7) in this Thursday thrashing. The reference to the typewriter/computer keyboard (with its quirky QWERTY), might present some puzzlement beyond the usual to those who don't use a typewriter or a computer, along with DOTEDU (1A End of many college addresses); ONEGIG (12D Capacity of many a flash drive, informally); and strangely, HELP (18D Information desk offering).

The remaining Acrosses: 7. Fictional pirate; 11. Suffix with official; 14. "I do," e.g.; 15. King's position, in a game; 16. "Another Green World" musician; 19. The Silver State: Abbr.; 20. Like white elephants; 21. Damp basement cause; 23. One way to stand; 26. Prime Cuts maker; 28. This and that; 29. Shia leaders; 37. Lake TROUT; 43. Present-day Persian; 44. Don't stop; 49. Criticize sneakily; 50. Skittles variety; 53. Roll call call; 54. Auto accident sound; 57. Cruise ship Empress of the SEAS; 60. Turner in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; 66. Receive; 67. Captain of literature; 68. "The Power and the Glory: novelist, 1940; 69. Walletful, informally; 70. Like many games.

The other Downs: 1. Drop bait lightly on the water; 2. Eggs in labs; 3. A.L. team, on scoreboards; 4. Still-life object; 5. Carvey of "Wayne's World"; 6. Extreme sort; 7. Alan Jay Lerner's "SHE Wasn't You"; 8. MISSOURI Valley Conference in college sports; 9. Gen. Robt. ELEE; 10. Alternatively; 11. 20,320-foot Alaskan peak; 22. Some carriers; 23. Old King Cole accessory; 24. Kind of card; 25. Soapstone, e.g.; 27. Plant nursery activity; 30. Pseudonym of Jean Baptiste Poquelin; 31. STARR Report of the 1990s; 33. Breakfast place; 34. Beach sights; 36. Second in a Latin series; 39. Damned one; 40. Samoan capital; 41. Like some muscles; 42. Common injury site; 45. Franciscan locale; 46. Unpopular, in a way; 47. Makes applesauce, e.g.; 48. One helping; 52. Pretend; 55. Locale of many Italian vineyards; 56. Bawl (out); 58. It's rarely seen under a hat; 59. Originate; 62. Sauce ingredient; 63. Mauna KEA; 64. Culmination; and 65. "You bet!"

Crossword puzzles sometimes bring about some interesting information, which for me today was the entry PELOTA (35A Jai alai ball). According to one manufacturer's specifications, it seems the Pelota is the most lethal ball of any sport. The Pelota is 3/4 the size of a baseball, harder than a golf ball, and has been clocked at speeds in excess of 180 m.p.h. The Guiness Book of Records calls it the world's fastest ball. The Pelota is constructed of hand wound Brazilian rubber with two hand-sown goatskin covers. Pelotas cost over $150 each and must be re-covered after 15 minutes of play. No machine has ever been developed to construct a pelota.

This is an interesting-enough puzzle for a Thursday, but I'll MOVEON (13D Not dawdle) as tomorrow is another day -- TGIF (51A Weary worker's cry)!

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

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

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.

09.26.07 -- There's No Business Like Show Business

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Lee Glickstein and Craig Kasper, edited by Will Shortz

A note to today’s puzzle states: “The answers to the 13 starred clues have something in common” -- and they do!

The titles of thirteen musicals dance throughout this Wednesday wonder: OLIVER (1A *Stone in Hollywood); OKLAHOMA (7A *Home for Will Rogers and Garth Brooks); SPAMALOT (16A *What some unscrupulous e-businesses do?); RENT (19A *Torn); HAIR (31A *Extremely narrow winning margin); CABARET (35A *Kind of club); EVITA (41A *A Peron); CANDIDE (44A *Student of Dr. Pangloss); AIDA (*Lover of Radames); FAME (*Renown); CAROUSEL (67A *Site of much horsing around?); SHOWBOAT (69A *Perform ostentatiously); and KISMET (70A *Destiny).

Also chiming in to the tune of show business are Cole Porter's "Well Did You EVAH?" (57A); CHI (39A The Bears on the scoreboard) ("Chicago", the musical?); KPAX (8D 2001 film set in a mental institution); HAL (11D Anthropomorphic cinema computer); OLIN (12D Lena of "Chocolat"); MOES (13D Place to which Bart Simpson makes prank calls); DAS (45D Some "Law & Order" figs.); NERO (58D "Quo Vadis" role); Class CLOWN (59A); JFK (65D 1991 film directed by 1-Across); TRA (23A Song syllable); AVALON (17A Arthurian paradise) (also a 1996 film); PHIL (43A TV Dr. of note); and ODEA (60D Old music halls).

Less fanciful, but just as interesting, are PROVERBS (27A Whence the line "A soft answer turneth away wrath"); NEONATAL (47A Like some nursery care); LAVALIER (18A Bejeweled pendant); OVERRIDE (63A Nullify) (yesterday it was VETO, clued as Pork chop); FRIEZE (68A Architectural decoration); MINOSO (15A 1950s All-Star outfielder Minnie); Air JORDAN (65A); LIVEUP (2D Meet, as expectations, with "to"); INANER (3D Goofier); CHALET (26D Home in the Alps); OCULAR (28D Eyepiece); SETDOWN (30D Lay); ANADEM (48D Ancient garland); and LAMAZE (49D Kind of class).

Five-letter entries include COXES (20A Regatta crew leaders); LAVED (9D Washed); AMASS (10D Collect); REBEC (24D Renaissance instrument); BRINE (29D Curer of feta cheese); TAINT (36D Sully); SCRUB (51D Cancel); ALISO Viejo (California city near Laguna Beach) (52D); and TENET (55D Creed element).

Four-letter words or the like are VOLT, OSLO, ATRA, DOCS, FRIS, ANNE, LYNX, ECRU; and three-letter entries just happening to fall into the puzzle are ESO, DSC, NSA, RUE, EPA, RID, ANY, INN, RSA, WTS, NAT, ROW, ORI, and REX.

A very entertaining Wednesday puzzle -- "There's no business like show business!"

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For today's cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

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

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.

09.25.07 -- Victuals and Vehicles

"Man at the Crossroads" by Mexican Muralist, Diego Rivera, with Ben Shahn (the mural at Rockefeller Center in New York that would be destroyed by Nelson Rockefeller for political reasons

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Randall J. Hartman, Edited by Will Shortz

This Tuesday tornado of a puzzle features five inter-related entries of phrases relating to victuals and vehicles.

BANANABOAT (17A Food transportation …that Harry Belafonte sang about) -- "Come, Mr. Tally Man, tally me banana/ Daylight come and we wanna go home," (dock workers working the night shift loading bananas onto ships).. The Banana Boat Song is a traditional Trinidadian Calypso folk song. However, it’s a lot of other things, see Banana Boat.

MEATWAGON (24A …that’s an ambulance, in slang) -- whatever…this is usually an ambulance from a morgue, the individual being transported is deceased and therefore “meat” -- there are other definitions of "meat wagon", none of them too savory; however, the original "meat wagon" seems to have been parked long time ago.

TURNIPTRUCK (37A …that a rube might fall off) -- brings to mind the Joads in “The Grapes of Wrath”. It is commonly thought of as a Metaphorical vehicle bringing rubes to the metropolis. One who falls off the truck is hopelessly naive. “Fall off a turnip truck” is not exactly praise, but then it’s not condemnation, more observation of unfortunate circumstances.

APPLECART (48A …that may be upset) -- a phrase used to define creating a difficulty. If you upset the apple cart, you cause trouble and upset people. It’s not as dangerous as rocking the boat, but upsetting the apple cart would mean someone’s going be picking up a lot of scattered apples, as an apple cart is an orchard wagon filled with loose apples.

GRAVYTRAIN (59A …that’s a source of easy money) -- not only easy to do but with great reward, an easy task. In politics, "gravy train" refers to a depraved gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill. It seems like the expression got a little off track, as a gravy train relates to gravy boat, a dinner table container used to hold gravy.

This is a very active crossword puzzle, not only for the mobility aspects of the inter-related entries mentioned above, but there is skating, dancing, golfing, loading and unloading, football, soccer, ice hockey, bull-fighting, baseball, prisoner escape, face-making, starting and stopping, and general competition -- SKATE (21A Play ice hockey); ASTAIRE (41A He danced in “Silk Stockings”); PGA (Org. for drivers?), think golf; PIER (52A Place to load and unload); AWOL (16A One who may be caught off base?); KNEE (19A Place for a footballer’s pad); JABBED (1D Poked); APB (6D Alert for a fleeing prisoner, in brief); SETAT (9D Go after); MAKEAFACE (10D Stick out one’s tongue, maybe); OLE (13D Corrida cheer); MARIS (24A Home run hero of ‘61); ARENAS (47D Soccer venues); BIGTEN (20A Indiana and Ohio are in it); OSU (26D Home of the Cowboys: Abbr.); NET (27D New Jersey cager); PER (29D Part of r.p.m.); RUBELBOWS (32D Mingle [with]); START (34D Crank up); TARP (37D Rain delay roll-out); and VIE (60D Compete).

There are also such colorful entries as REDROSE (32A Symbol of love); PEA (29A Shade of green); GUNK (25D Icky stuff); RIP (40D Boot Hill letters); ASS (66A Doofus); “Sometimes you feel like ANUT” (36A); GENIES (46D Wish offerers); MOJO (10A Voodoo charm); PINATA (45D Party animal?); and DANGIT (3D “Phooey!”). Conversation is helped out with IMPOSE (15A Butt in); OFUSE (31A Useful); AGREE (50D See eye to eye); VETO (56A Pork chop?); AVOW (61A Declare); EMAIL (2D Communicates with online); “ITSA deal!” (55D); and AHA (39A “So it’s you!”).

People in the puzzle include JED Bartlet, president on “The West Wing” (1A); STAMOS (4A John of “Full House”); ELIA (23A Charles Lamb, pseudonymously); ARAB (39A Al Jazeera viewer, typically); ASTAIRE; Harry Belafonte; R & B singer Mary J. BLIGE (53A); DIANNE (54A Sen. Feinstein); EDNA (30D Novelist Ferber); Actor Benicio DEL Toro (43D); VAL (56D Kilmer who once played Batman); EVE (57D She raised Cain); and by way of CIGAR (49D Prop for Groucho Marx).

Odd couples: ERIE and AERIES; REARS and HIRED; MOOSE (7D Bullwinkle) and REN (44A Stimpy’s cartoon pal); RESEDA (65A San Fernando Valley district) with OSAKA (8D Japanese city whose name means “large hill”); and TEA (63A Some like it hot) and JOE (12D Coffee, slangily).

Urps and orts and bumps along the road: SINE, TMAN, LENS, OWN, ATA, PAR, URN, TON, DST, TWO, OPT -- that should do it!

"The Grapes of Wrath", 1941

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.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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