Wednesday, October 3, 2007
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Puzzle by Robert Dillman, edited by Will Shortz
Gambling -- profession or confession?
FOURTEENRED (17A Call in roulette); HITMEAGAIN (30A Call in blackjack); DOUBLEORNOTHING (37A Call in many a betting game); ILLTAKEONE (46A Call in draw poker); and ROLLTHEDICE (66A Call in craps) are the inter-related entries in today's winner of a puzzle.
Sevens: ANTITAX (20A For smaller government, presumably); ENABLER (21A One who supplies the means); PATTERS (56A Sounds of walking in moccasins); SCRAPER (60A Deicing tool); and STARDOM (24D Celebrity).
Sixes: ALEXEI (6D Cosmonaut Leonov, the first human to walk in space); THELMA (11D 1991 Geena Davis title role); DOREMI (12D "The Sound of Music" hit); STYRON (13D "Sophie's Choice" author); IMPEDE (46D Hinder); LEASES (47D Some auto deals); LATENT (48D Present but not active); and NESTLE (50D Be cozy).
Fives: SCALP (1A A diehard enemy might want yours); AMASS (6A Gather); Armor vincit OMNIA (14A); LACTO (15A Milk: Prefix); ROSIE (34A Robot maid on "The Jetsons"); AUDIO (45A Broadcast portion); Challenge to ADUEL (69A); NIECE (70A Family girl); SEEME (72A Request to meet in person); and ANSEL (73A Photographer Adams).
Fours: SOFA, CMON, ANUT, LIRI, ACRE, STEN, SODA, EACH, ASTA, ELLA, ERAS, RODE, SLUE, ADIN, PIES, ECCE, REEL, ICES, AMMO, OLAF, AIDS, LEND, MOTO, MEAN, and META.
Threes: TDS, HOT, ERY, ESE, DEN, LEM, EST, ASU, FIB, NIT, ORO, TNT, MAN and MIN, EDO and IDO, GOO and LOO.
Deuces: Played a quarter in a slot machine in Reno, Nevada -- nothing came out. Did it once more in Atlantic City, same result -- that's the extent of my gambling, except I buy a one-dollar lottery ticket twice a week.
Snake Eyes: At a travelling carnival on the outskirts of Sioux Falls, South Dakota in my teens with a friend-- he was throwing balls at some stand, and had been convinced he'd win if he could double what he lost (that's right, DOUBLEORNOTHING)-- I said no, because what he needed was everything in my pocket. Friendship and stupidity, I was eventually convinced. One throw, he lost it all! I saw him a week later walking down Ninth, the main drag. He crossed the street to avoid me -- I not only lost all my money, I had also lost a friend!
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Jim in Chicago said...
ReplyDeleteRant mode on. I have to say that I HATED this puzzle, despised it with a white hot passion.
Let's start from the top.
1A. Does anybody really say "I want your scalp". I'll have your hide, yes, but I've never heard scalp used in this contect.
36A Buttresses as a clue for AIDS. I'm sorry but buttressing is a very specific term for shoring up something that is falling apart. AIDS is far to broad an answer for this clue.
56A. People PATTER in Moccasins? Isn't the "patter of little feet" the antitheses of what people who wear moccasins are trying to achieve, which is silent stealth?
69A. A DEN is where the man of the house goes to escape things, not to be with the rest of the family.
72A. SEEME is not a request but a demand.
2D. CMON? Really, really stretching here to make bad fill work.
4D. No rant here, just unheard of to me.
12D. Do we need to have DOREMI ever again?
33D. Can we also add ASTA to the banned word list?
43D I've never heard GOO used for anything other than a sticky oozing substance. Drivel has no substance.
58D RODE as an answer for "depended on". Again, in my book, bad cluing.
Rant off. There, I feel better now.