The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: November 2007

11.30.07 -- Extinct

24D ONETEN (Classic Packard model with a numerical name)

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Friday, November 30, 2007

Puzzle by Henry Hook, edited by Will Shortz

Exceptionally misleading clues are the main feature of this Friday hodgepodge; and as for entries, there is a fondness for crossing a fabricated corker like GEEYATHINK with the obscure ODERNEISSE.

This fairly tiresome affair has a fair share of unfair clues, including 15A, 17A, 19A, 22A, 26A 32A, 37A, 40A, 44A, 49A, 52A, 55A, 56A, 57A, 58A, 5D, 27D, 31D, 32D, 39D, and 48D -- I’m sure there are more. Not wanting to dwell too long on this attempt to stump the solver by hook, line and stinker, I’ll end it here.

Across: 1. Show signs of improvement; 11. Second in a series; 15. Indication of stress; 16. 1,575-mile river known to some locals as the Zhayyq; 17. “Well, duh!”; 18. Hitch; 19. Supra; 20. Syrup of IPECAC; 22. Caustic; 23. Sci-fi author McIntyre; 25. Bad EMS, German resort; 26. With eyes open; 30. Mr. Levy of 1920s Broadway fame; 3. Holders of big pads; 33. Marker; 34. W.S.J. subjects; 35.”It’s ADATE!” (“You’re on!”); 36. Alt. Spelling; 37. Slam; 38. Dictionary data; 39. Minimal change; 40. Cloth workers?; 42. Big-league; 43. Sculptor Oldenburg; 44. Dive; 46. Game craze of the late 1980s and ‘90s; 49. Direct; 51. Island nicknamed the Gathering Place; 52. Jump the gun; 55. Senior moment?; 56. One who’s happy when things look black; 57. Blunt; 58. Undergo a change of habit?

Down: 1. Olympics item … or the winning word in the 1984 National Spelling Bee; 2. Civilians eligible be drafted; 3. ODERNEISSE Line (German/Polish border); 4. Bitter fruit; 5. Queues; 6. Name on a bottle of Beyond Paradise; 7. Sch. Staffer; 8. French pronoun; 9. Suffix with south; 10. Sparks a second time; 11. Department; 12. Greenland colonizer; 13. “I did it!”; 14. Pianist Templeton; 21. Visual PC-to-PC files; 23. Appearances; 24. Classic Packard model with a numerical name; 26. Pompadour, for one; 27. Prerecorded; 28. Advance; 29. Tentlike dwelling with a conical roof; 30. Like some electric circuits; 31. Be angry as heck; 32. “Nothing to it”; 38. Hybrid fruit; 39. Where cooler heads prevail?; 41. Fritz the Cat illustrator; 42. Paid (up); 44. Locker room habitués; 45. Rain gear brand; 46. Maximally; 47. Pull down; 48. Grand total? 49. Plural suffix with beat or neat; 50. Kind of pronoun: Abbr.; 53. Clause connector; 54. Unduly.

This is a puzzle that projects a need to be inscrutable and overly clever.

Maybe tomorrow.

Oh, by the way, I liked the reference to the Packard.

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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11.29.07 -- Grace

The photograph “Grace,” depicting an elderly man bowing his head and giving thanks, taken in Bovey, Minnesota, in 1918, by Eric Enstrom, was adopted as the official state photograph in 2002. A copy of the photograph is on display in the secretary of state’s office in St. Paul. -- a framed copy has been a fixture of my mother’s dining room for half a century.

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Thursday, November 29, 2007

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Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz

PRAYER (55A It ends with something found four times in this puzzle) is the binding clue, along with AMENCORNERS (lA Parts of churches appropriate to this puzzle) for the inter-related entries of this Thursday crossword puzzle. For good measure, there is ONEARTH (45D Where "Thy will" will be done, in part); "Do UNTO others ..." (26A); DEUT (42A Old Testament book: Abbr.); and EDEN (6D Fall place).

Four four-letter squares provide the letters A-M-E-N to eight entries, two of which utilize the word “AMEN”. The ENDRESULT (36A Consequence) is “AMEN” in all four corners, MIMETIC (25D Imitative), or should one say suggestive, of AMENCORNERS (1A).
Of course, there is no architectural section of a church building called the amen corner. An amen corner is a place in a church reserved for pesons leading congregational responses.

Members of the original Oakdale Emory Methodist Church display finery of 1908. The church core, built in 1835 at the intersection of Cashell Road and Emory Lane, contained a choir loft and "amen corner"--a place from which church dignitaries could frequently punctuate the sermon with a timely "Amen!" .

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The eight inter-related entries are: AMENCORNERS (1A); AMENTOTHAT (1D “You sure said it!”); AMENDS (14D (Adds to or subtracts from); AMENITIES (65A Factor in a hotel rating); CAMERAMEN (9A TV news crew); STAMEN (60D Filament holder); TUTANKHAMEN (66A Egyptian royal); and MILITIAMEN (46D Citizen soldiers).

The always welcome Shortzesque clue has struck twice in this puzzle, with “Roomy dress” being the clue for both 11D MUUMUU and 58D TENT; and again with “Trattoria order” being the clue for both CAMPARI (40D) and SCAMPI (48D).

The positive entries -- COURAGE (2D “Be brave!”); OPTIMAL (3D Best); AONE (10D Primo); along with the four AMENs and their entourage --balance the negative well enough -- ONUSES (18A Loads); NIHIL (5D It meant nothing to Nero); LOWMARK (44D D, for one); AMOK (24A Frenzied); the neutral but corrective REENTER (13D Type in, as lost data) and the selective REREAD (7D Like favorite books, often). TUSH (34D Sitting spot) may raise an eyebrow, and TOPSIDES (15A Decks) is joined by AMENCORNERS and OUTTHERE (17A Really bizarre) stacked in nebulous locations in the upper left corner.

ICEMEN (21A Ones with cool jobs?) is a cool clue, along with Thumb locale: Abbr. for MICH (49A), Quick change artist? for TELLER (31A), and Twinkly, in a way for STARLIT (41D). Other longer entries include ESSENCE (12D Perfume); CHOCK (9D Wood block for holding an object steady); RUMOR (37D Buzz); HOUSED (16A Put up); SLALOM (43A Winter Olympics event); PIECHART (61A Graphic in a business report); TRIPLE (63A Rare play); and CONCERTI (64A Bach’s Brandenburgs, e.g.).

People in the puzzle include HAMEL (22A Veronica of “Hill Street Blues); DUCES (30A Italian leaders); MATE (33A Pal); MCS (Roast V.I.P.‘s); RATSO (47A “Midnight Cowboy” role; SALMAN (60A Writer Rushdie); YALE (56D Setting for many episodes of TV’s “Gilmore Girls”) (yesterday this entry, in the same location, was clued as Where the Clintons met); ERLE (23D First name in mysteries); Edvard BENES, Czech president and patriot (53D); CARIOU (50D Tony winner for “Sweeney Todd,“ 1979); DECCA (54 Label of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”); and Mother HEN (62D).

Other across: 19. Angular opening; 20. Follower of Max of Paul?; 28. Petri dish gel; 29. Touch up, as text; 36. Sounds of ambivalence; Rice-A-RONI (51); 52. Computer once with an egg-shaped design; 53. City south of Delray Beach, for short; 54. Carpenter’s pin; 57. Sales rep’s assignment: Abbr.; 59. Month before juin.

Other down: 4. Alphabet trio; 8. Reno-to-L.A. dir.; 21. Smidgens; 27. C.I.A. forerunner; 29. Mahler’s “Das Lied von der ERDE”; 30. Hollow; 32. Prefix with spore; 38. Hawaiian root; 39. Dr.’s order; 61. Polling abbr.

The Praises of Mary -- St. Lomman, Abbot, 7th century

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Another crowning achievement in crossword puzzle construction for Elizabeth C. Gorski, who has given us a puzzle of both intelligence and grace.

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11.28.07 -- Shortz-Cut

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

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Puzzle by Ray Fontenot, edited by Will Shortz

GETLOST (22A What you might do while driving to an unfamiliar place); FINDAGASSTATION (39A What you might do next?); BUYAMAP (55A What you might do next?); along with the note: “DIAGONAL (What you might do eventually to make up for lost time), for which the answer is TAKETHESHORTCUT, are the inter-related entries of this Wednesday back-to-New-York crossword puzzle.

Very appropriate for myself, as the past weekend was a bit like this puzzle for me -- lost and mapless. Thanks for the patience with my errors, omissions, faux pas, typos, etc. It was the first time I blogged on the road. Sometimes wi-fi worked, sometimes not. At times, I photographed the screen to gain an image of the diagram (completed grid) of the puzzle for publication. On occasions with no printer or scanner, hand-wrote from the screen, then typed, then didn’t get a chance to go back to proofread. However, the experience tells me that it is quite do-able, and in the future, with improvements in technological equipment... Yes, that’s right, next time I’ll use a map!

So, now to the puzzle at hand, from my monster computer center at home -- not taking any shortcuts! Let me start out by saying that the success of this puzzle is that I, whether or not you did or will, got lost! Isn’t that the point? I didn’t notice the direction to “SEE NOTEPAD” and when I did, it didn’t help. Kept thinking that somehow my unfilled squares must be a smattering of asymmetrical glyphs or their relatives.

Had GETLOST; FINDAGASTATION; and BOYAMAP for a good part of the puzzle -- other signs along the road I usually see, just weren’t there, or I was driving too fast to complete the puzzle quickly and missed the turn! I got fixated on what should be that wasn’t, like MEW instead of “meow”, UHOH instead of “oh oh”, etc.; and was amused far too much by ESHARP (28A F equivalent)! I'm blaming it on jet-lag!

Across: 1. “Jabberwocky” start; 5. Female W.W. II-era enlistees; 10. Sorento and Sedona; 14. Brewery fixture; 15. Is sporting; 16. Just sitting; 17. Zuider Zee sight; 18. Midway alternative; 19. Legal basis of a repo; 20. Bone-related; 24. Rich dessert; 25. Jumbo and colossal; 26. Words of woe; 32. Ancient theaters; 36. Vintner’s prefix; 38. “I LOVEA Parade”; 42. Water nymph; 43. Garland’s “cowardly” co-star; 44. Manuscript encl.; 45. Seasoned vet; 47. Southwest art center; 49. Hardly garrulous; 51. Ph.D. hurdles; 58. Local lingo; 60. Melville mariner; 61. Leader of the Mel-Tones; 64. Sierra Club concern: Abbr.; 65. Game turn, maybe; 66. Quilt stuffing; 67. Gull-like predator; 68. South Korea’s first president; 69. Some side dishes; 70. Communicate with modern-style

Down: 1. List heading; 2. Tailor’s measurement; 3. Request one’s presence at; 4. Be in control; 5. All out; 6. Sighed word; 7. Fat-pig filler?; 8. Welsh breed; 9. Cause for a blessing?; 10. Volleyball spikes, say; 11. Peculiar: Prefix; 12. Publican’s stock; 13. Made rhapsodic; 21. ATO Z; 23. TESLA coil (1891 invention); 25. Able to feel; 27. Prix fixe offering; 29. Adidas alternative; 30. Model T contemporaries; 31. Frame filler; 32. OFNO consequence; 33. Old-fashioned phone feature; 34. Sooner city; 35. Not fixed; 37. Arm of the Dept. of Labor; 40. Relevant, in law; 41. Smokeys; 46. Emulates Daniel Webster; 48. Malaga Mrs.; 50. Be too good to; 52. Bikini event, once; 53. John who wrote “Wherever Law ends, Tyranny begins”; 54. Victors at Little Bighorn; 55. Roseanne, again; 56. “Here comes trouble!”; 57. Where the Clintons met; 59. Blind part; 62. Nutritional abbr.; 63. Catty remark?

Diagonal: 1. What you might do eventually to make up for lost time?

In short, there are lots of familiar entries with enough confusion in the cluing to make this a puzzle with a few false starts, detours, and enough confusion to get lost, find a gas station, buy a map, but just take the shortcut in the long run -- isn’t that what makes a puzzle a puzzle?

I wonder?!

For one more cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Puzzle available on the internet at

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11.27.07 -- Voice v.v. Voice

His Master’s Voice by Francis Barraud, circ. 1899

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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

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Puzzle by Julie Ann Bowling, edited by Will Shortz

Four ten-letter inter-related two-word heterophones are the main feature of this neatly constructed Tuesday crossword puzzle. LEADPENCIL (20A Number one #2?); MINUTEMAID (57A Little woman?); POLISHJOKE (9D What a comedian might do before going onstage?); and BASSGUITAR (29D Fish-shaped musical instrument?) -- even though the heterophone is only the first word of each entry, e.g., lead, minute, polish, and bass, it seems unnecessary to complicate the description.

Nevertheless, there is the matter of whatchamacallit -- check Comments section for this discussion. At this point I'm leaning toward what appears to be the best of all possible worlds and have emended the introductory paragraph in the light of comments -- especially moved to same by the comment left by NYT Anonimo in today's Comments -- "(the) theme would be more accurately described as Heteronyms rather than homophones or homonyms."
Upon further research, "heterophone" seems to be the most accurate definition. A partial quotation from Wikipedia for "heterophone" follows:

"In linguistics, heterophones are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings, such as desert (abandon) and desert (arid region). Heterophones are a type of homonym, and are also called heteronyms. The state of being a heterophone is called heterophony. Opposite to heterophones are homophones: words that sound exactly the same (and may or may not have different spellings)."
Is there a Henry Higgins in the house? See Comments.

Continuing with admirable symmetry, there are two nine-letter entries, IRONSTONE (6D Hard porcelain) and PRECLUDED (34D Made impossible); two eight-letter entries, DOUBLETS (26A 2 and 12, e.g., in dice) and SCARESUP (49A Puts together hastily); two seven-letter entries, PEASANT (24A Manorial worker) and VACUOUS (51A Empty, as a stare); with three six-letter entries, GOSPEL (5D Matthew or Mark); FJORDS (35A Oslo is on one), and RUEFUL (50D Really sorry).
Five-letter entries include AGONY, AVERS, CROCE, DOLED, EXECS, FARSI, GROSS, LEAST, LOSES, OMEGA, OWING, PUMPS, RODEO, SILOS, SNORT, TENON, UNCLE and UNZIP.

There is quite a large four-letter group which includes ARCS, CIRC, COOP, DEEP, DENG, DYER & DYES, EDNA, EPEE, IDEA, IGOR, INCA, ISLE, KITE, LENO, LOOT, NERD, NORA, NOTS, ODOR, OMEN, ORAL, ORZO, OUSE & OUIS; PLOD, POTS, RIND, RSTU, SORE, UNTO, and WOVE.
The three-letter fill, AUF, DUH, EXS, GAP, ICU, LSU, SAD, and SAO, is quite economical.

Clues across: 1. In debt; 6. Post-op locale; 9. Bets build them; 13. Workplace for some clowns; 14. Melon exterior; 16. Sign to heed; 17. States confidently; 18. Rice-shaped pasta; 19. Late-night name; 20. Number one #2?; 22. Hunchbacked assistant; 23. “All My EXS Live in Texas” (1987 #1 country hit) (; 24. Manorial worker; 26. 2 and 12, e.g., in dice; 31. “I am such a dope!”; 32. Bart’s teacher, EDNA Krabappel; 33. Hen’s home; 35. Oslo is on one; 39. Have-NOTS (poor people); 40. Traffic problem; 42. Northamptonshire river; 43. Yucky; 45. Olympics blade; 46. Toy with a cross frame; 47. Dental problem calling for braces; 49. Puts together hastily; 51. Empty, as a stare; 55. Prefix with culture; 57. Little woman?; 63. Heist haul; 64. Proceed slowly; 65. Persian tongue; 66. Cuzco native; 67. Holding a grudge; 68. “I surrender!”; 69. Batik artist; 70. In a funk; 71. Manages to elude
Down: 1. Like most folklore; 2. Used a loom; 3. Brainchild; 4. Social misfit; 5. Matthew or Mark; 6. Hard porcelain; 7. Magazine fig.; 8. Loosen, as a parka; 9. What a comedian might do before going onstage?; 10. Alphabet ender; 11. Carpentry joint part; 12. Angry bull’s sound; 15. Apportioned, with “out”; 21. Members of management; 25. “AUF Wiedersehen”; 26. China’s DENG Xiaoping; 27. Dumpster emanation; 28. Sermon preposition; 29. Fish-shaped musical instrument; 30. Ivory, Coast and others; 34. Made impossible; 36. Alsace assents; 37. Queue after Q; 38. Tough to fathom; 41. Most trivial; 44. SAO Tome; 48. High-heel shoes; 50. Really sorry; 51. Not yet expired; 52. Intense pain; 53. Jim who sang “Time in a Bottle”; 54. Missile sites; 58. Ibsen’s NORA Helmer; 59. Hand, to Hernando; 60. Rainbow shapes; 61. Cruise stopover; 62. Stamping tools.
Speaking of heterophones, heterographs, heteronyms, homographs, homonyms, or homophones; ET phone home!

Goodbye, I gotta fly!

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11.26.07 -- Dakota Territory

Bear Butte, sentinel mountain just east of Sturgis, South Dakota, an almost-volcano, noted for its role as a pioneer landmark; and its continuing role as a holy mountain and founding place of religion for several tribes of Plains Indians.

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Monday, November 26, 2007

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Puzzle by Andrea Carla Michaels, edited by Will Shortz

Today, reporting from Bear Butte, near Sturgis in the former Dakota Territory (67 Across)!

HACK, HECK, HICK, HOCK, and HUCK may sound like excuses not to go in to work this Monday, but they are merely the first syllables of five inter-related entries in this back-to-work crossword, including HACKYSACK (17A Bean-filled bag moved with the foot); HECKLER (25A Comedy club razzer); HICKORYSMOKED (37A Like some hams); HOCKNEY (52A Pop artist David); and “I Heart HUCKABEES” (51A). If that last entry sounds a bit odd, it seems that a glyph of a heart was used for a film title -- I ♥ Huckabees -- but who these days has a printable heart? Joining in on the phonetics are BOK and WOK.

Plenty of contrast and look-alikes are included, among them REARUP, RISE and DROP -- A MESS and WIPEUP -- LAYTO, LAPSE and LESSENED -- RAH and YAY -- PIPELINE, SINK and PLUG -- ROMANIA and ARABIA; A LOT and ACRE; GARB and TOG; EGO and BRAIN; SAPS and SASSES -- MISS YOU and GO HOME (which I will do tomorrow).

People in the puzzle include Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Oskar Schindler, Rory Calhoun, nanas aka grandmas, Queen Elizabeth, David Hockney, Saudis, and the “spokesduck” for AFLAC. Employers include the aforementioned AFLAC, the frequently mentioned APPLE, RKO and MGM.

IDECLARE (38D “You don’t say!”, after “Well”) has a rather complicated clue, along with NAG (31A Say “Do this,” “Do that” … blah, blah, blah) -- and how about 59A Auto gizmo that talks, for short (GPS)?

Across: 1. Clothing; 5. It’s arched above the eye; 9. iPhone maker; 14. Crème-filled cookie; 15. Wine: Prefix; 16. Burger side order; 17. Bean-filled bag moved with the foot; 19. Expire, as a subscription; 20. Honor bestowed by Queen Eliz. 21. Farm unit; 22. Bowling alley divisions; 23. Postcard sentiment; 25. Comedy club razzer; 27. Simple; 28. Electric cord’s end; 30. Where dirty dishes pile up; 31. Say “Do this,” “Do that” … blah, blah, blah; 34. Border on; 36. Prefix with classical; 37. Like some hams; 41. Fishing pole; 42. Loads; 43. Id’s counterpart; 44. Beverages in barrels; 46. Fall; 48. Statutes; 52. Pop artist David; 54. Bucharest’s land; 57. Gather, as information; 58. Opposite of fall; 59. Auto gizmo that talks, for short; 60. Scarecrow’s wish in “The Wizard of Oz” ; 61. 2004 film “I ♥ HUCKABEES; 63. EARNA living; 64. On the briny; 65. Like a first-place ribbon; 66. “What AMESS! (“It’s so dirty!”); 67. Dakota TERR (old geog. designation); 68. Depletes, as strength.

Entrance to Bear Butte Creek Campground at my sister Mary‘s ranch, one of the many campgrounds established for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, an annual event in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

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1. “Get out of here!”; 2. Where Saudis live; 3. Nook; BOK choy (Chinese green); 5. Chocolate syrup brand; 6. Stand on the hind legs, as a horse; 7. “ONCE upon a time …”; 9. Insurance co. with a “spokesduck”; 10. Throwing cream pies and such; 11. Oil conveyor; 12. Abated; 13. 180 degrees from WNW; 18. “That’s great news!”; 22. Peanut, e.g.; 24. Out of SYNC (not harmonizing); 25. Parts of cars with caps; 26. Early MGM rival; 29. LAYTO rest (bury); 32. Letters before an alias; 32. Letters before an alias; 33. Flax-colored; 35. Dress (up); 37. 3-D picture; 38. “You don’t say!”, after “Well”; 39. Actor Calhoun; 40. Kind of nut; 41. Stadium cry; 45. Balls of yarn; 47. Person comparing costs; 49. Actress Lansbury; 50. Use a paper towel; 51, Gives some lip; 53. Grandmas; 55. Schindler of “Schindler’s List”; 56. MEA culpa; 58. Subterfuge; 60. Actress Arthur; 61. Sombrero, e.g.; 62. Kids’ ammo.

I will be leaving the Dakota TERR (old geog. Designation) (67A) anon to be ASEA (64A On the briny), or at least a quick pass o’er it on the way home -- YAY (18D “That’s great news!”)!

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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11.25.07 -- BULL -- the Acrostic

Bullfight, 1934 -- Pablo Ruiz Picasso

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Sunday, November25, 2007

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

Today’s acrostic features a quotation from Personal Pleasures, a collection of essays by Rose Macaulay.

The quotation as it appears in the acrostic:

HOW AGREEABLE TO WATCH FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGH STILE THIS MIGHTY BULL SNORTING CHAMPING PAWING THE EARTH LASTING THE TAIL BREATHING DEFIANCE AT HEAVEN AND ME HIS HEART HOT WITH HATE UNABLE TO CLIMB A STILE

The author of the quote and the title: MACAULAY PERSONAL PLEASURES

With all due respect, however, a bull can and has entered the stile -- see HERE. Also, this video shows the danger a matador may encounter in the area of embarrassing pain -- HERE. For a rather good collection of bullfight photographs, go HERE.

The defined words:

A. MATTHEW (Book listing eight Beatitudes); B. ABOLISH (Do away with, get rid of); C. CHATHAM (William Pitt’s earldom); D. AFGHANS (Tall hounds with silky coats); E. UMBRAGE (Shadow; feeling of pique); F. LIGHTEN (Bleach or buoy); G. ATHWART (Perpendicular to lengthwise); H. YIDDISH (Language of kvetchers and schmoozers?); I. PITCHER (Half of a battery); J. EWELAMB (Young female in a flock [2 wds.]); K. RALEIGH (One point of North Carolina’s Research Triangle); L. STEALTH (“Do good by ____, and blush to find it fame” [Alexander Pope]); M. ONTHEGO (Constantly busy [3 wds.]); N. NOTHING (“Seinfeld” subject, ostensibly); O. ATHLETE (Performer of physical feats); P. ITOTES (Figure of speech like “That’s not bad!”); Q. PALMOFF (Sell as genuine, as a cheap imitation [2wds.]); R. LIGNITE (R. Barely coalified peat); S. EBWHITE (“One Man’s Meat” essayist [3 wds.]); T. ACHERON (“River of woe” crossed on the way to Hades); U. SIBERIA (Setting for “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch”); V. UNHITCH (Detach from a trailer); W. RIGHTON (Exactly; “You said it!” [2 wds.]); X. EVIDENT (Plain to see); Y. SHEATHE (Put away as a poniard or parang).

It is interesting to note that all of the defined words are the exact same length.

Ole!

11.25.07 -- MOM

My Mom

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Sunday, November 25, 2007

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TWO OUT OF THREE -- Puzzle by Trip Payne, edited by Will Shortz

This Saturday, after the dust settled from traveling, I spent the day with my mother on the occasion of her 88th birthday. How did we spend the day? Well, among the many and varied activities which occupy her time from dawn to dusk, my mom does crossword puzzles. So, my brother printed out the Sunday Times crossword from the internet, and we leisurely solved this pleasurable puzzle -- and that my friends is the best way in the world to solve a puzzle!

Nine inter-related entries are a bonus to the solver, yielding two letters out of three of series of three-letter words which comprise onomatopoeic sentences and/or statements.

ROBROYROT (24A Nonsense about a cocktail?);

MADMAXMANMAYMARMAT (25A Warning about Mel Gibson on a wrestling surface?);

BIGBICBIZBIO (41A Major book about a leader of the lighter industry?);

FOEFORFOX (67A Hound, typically?);

HAGHASHAYHAT (90A Why horses are attracted to a witch’s headgear?);

SADSAMSAWSALSAYSAX (106A Why guitar-loving Cooke was blue when his gal named her favorite musical instrument?);

PUGPUPPUN (112A Witticism about a wrinkly little dog?);

DIPDIDDIGDIN (3D A nitwit liked the loud noise?);

ADDADZADSADO (63D Complicate commercials for woodworking tools?)

All of the above entries were of good help in the solution of the puzzle because once one gets the idea that two letters are repeated for the entire entry and only one changes, et cetera -- well! Thanks for the good time!

Entries along the way that caught our collective eyes: GRIPS (5A Rigging technicians); TOOTOO (19. Affected); ELEARNING (20A Web-based education) (didn’t know there was such a term); SHMEAR (38A Bagel order) (in New York you’ll hear this, in South Dakota, not!); DIECUT (50A Like most jigsaw puzzles) (I could only think about how, as children, we were kept busy for hours with the most recent jigsaw!); OUNCE (51A Snow leopard) (Mom knew this, and we want to know why this isn’t it a measurement?); NOTBAD (56A Decent); ONION (74A Kind of powder); CLUING (76A Part of making a crossword); UFOS (78A They travel very long distances) (This got a good laugh!); KEYPAD (98D Feature of some locks) (We're still not sure on this one); CANUCK (115A Flame battler, at times) (Well, canuck has something to do with ice, but this is Canuck the Ice Hockey Team, as are the Flames -- we settled for a draw); ENROL (99A Join up) (Mom prefers two L’s); DOPED (122A Puzzled [out]).

Going for the downs, there was POEM (8D Gray lines); TIERED (39D Having multiple layers); BECKONING (43D Making a curling motion with the forefinger, maybe); PROSED (65D Wrote a novel, maybe); OLDE (81D Shoppe adjective) (this is one I knew); TUBA (92D “Symphonie Fantastique” need) (this is one Mom knew); “MAUVE is just pink trying to be purple”: Whistler (101D); and Exeunt OMNES (stage direction) (102D).

The remainder across: 1. Contractor’s offerings; 10. Traipse (about); 13. Diamond points; 18. Fashion’s Tahari; 22. Between green and black, maybe; 23. General assemblies; 28. Catchy tunes; 29. USDA prime; 30. Somewhere around; 34. Far from perky; 35. One who tells it like it isn’t; 39. Skosh; 47. Mr. Noodle’s friend on “Sesame Street”; 48. Ltr. With a period; 53. Capital of Honshu; 54. French Toaster Sticks maker; 55. Work with intaglio; 59. Margaret famous for painting waiflike children with big eyes; 62. Japanned metal; 63. Climber’s challenge; 66. Not for the masses; 69. Subject of the film “An Unreasonable Man”; 71. Sportscaster Dierdorf; 72. He spent 29 years in the Knesset; 75. Formerly did; 80. X-ray doses; 81. Takes too much, quickly; 84. Half of an animation duo; 85. Verdi’s “Don CARLOS”; 87. “ODIE Unleashed!” (cartoon volume); 88. Figure skating maneuver; 90. 93. Something “realise” lacks; 94. Overshadows; 96. Chang and Eng’s homeland; 97. 1987 Suzanne Vega hit; 100. Berserkly; 103. Diver’s milieus; 116. Cover, in a way; 117. Part of the answer to 36-Down; 118. Tannin source; 119. City that lost capital status in 1990; 120. Unable to pay the bill; 121. 1980s video game console, in brief; 123A DORA Spenlow (Dickens girl).

Down: 1. Road’s shoulder; 2. Its first word translates as “wrath”; 4. Apparently do; 5. “Eydie Swings the Blues” singer; 6. Some tomatoes; 7. Find ITIN one’s heart; 9. Dominican-born player with more than 600 homers; 10. Infection causes; 11. Get ALOAD of; 12. Messing of “Will & Grace”; 13. Open up, as a topic; 14. Whenever; 15. “My dear man”; 16. Musician Brian; 17. Rank below warrant officer: Abbr.; 19. Some crosstown trips; 21. Word before lock and load; 26. Swift’s “A Tale of ATUB”; 1980s Soviet leader Andropov; 31. Count (on); 32. Signed in, say; 33. Middle name of “the King”; 35. Red-shelled fruit: Var.; 36. R.N.’s locale; 37. U.S. dance grp.; 38. L.A.’s region; 40. German chancellor Merkel; 42. “Skedaddle!”; 44. Frenzied situation; 45. Like some jeans; 46. To-do pile’s place; 49. Promote; 52. Perfect places; 56. Italian saint Philip NERI; 58. Nut producer; 60. In AFOG (dazed); 61. Vote in Quebec; 64. End of a James Bond title; 65. Wrote a novel, e.g.; 67. Safari spottings; 68. Graveyard shift time; 70. Aviation-related; 73. Doldrums; 75. W.W. II American naval cruiser; 77. Slangy turndown; 79. “Feels good!”; 82. Temporarily not working; 83. Take to the skies; 85. William Petersen series; 86. “Oh, clever!”; 89. Flourish; 91. Calls (for); 95. Show off; 100. Clinton’s first defense secretary; 103. Beurre blanc, e.g.; 104. Rider of the steed Babieca; 105. Coupon user; 107. Two-out actions: Abbr.; 108. Plebe’s place: Abbr.; 109. Home to the Dr. Pepper Museum; 110. Velcro alternative; 111. Her sidekick was Gabrielle; 112. Greek consonants; 113. New England sch.; and 114. New Pontiac of 1964.

Now that was the way to do a crossword puzzle!

The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog with his mother, and we do 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

11.24.07 -- In the Clouds

52D LGA -- Photograph from Northwest Airlines flight during take-off from LaGuardia Airport, looking at New York City

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Saturday, November 24, 2007

Puzzle by Victor Fleming, edited by Will Shortz

Oh yes, I was! The craziest thing I’ve done lately is try to blog a puzzle without having internet access on a laptop, no printer, no scanner, no place to sit down, and no sleep! I desperately whisper that thing’s will get better!

More on that later -- and finally, here I am at the Alex Johnson Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota (don’t ask) -- morning approaches, it’s still dark; I am determined!

This was a tough crossword, as a matter of fact, I was in the clouds on it too! GOTOSLEEP (51A Drop off), NECESSARY (1A Called for) and that's as far as I can go!

Across: 1. Called for; 10. Not get along; 15. Common bank deposit? 16. Slow in scoring; 17. 1976-85 sitcom setting; 18. Zealous; 19. Philogists’ work, for short; 20. Rd. designer, e.g.; 21. Begin energetically; 22. Feed; 24. Where things may be neatly ordered; 25. Doesn’t belt it out; 27. Unsettled sort; 28. Lash with a whip; 29. Source of political support; 33. “Happy Days Are Here Again” composer; 34. Three-time 1990s French Open winner; 35. Israeli opera conductor Daniel OREN; 36. Encore setting; 38. JARED Diamond, author of the1998 Pulitzer-winning book, "Guns, Germs, and Steel”; 39. They may be done in a salon; 40. Results of some glances; 41. Onsets; 44. Fast-foot chain known for its floats; 45. Distress call; 46. Some shooters, briefly; 47. Where to find “Rome”; 50. Lead-in to phobia; 51. Drop off; 53. Filibustered, say; 54. Clumsy; 55. “Why what ANASS am I!” (Hamlet soliloquy line); 56. Some Mozart works.
Down: 1. Pitcher who was the 1995 N.L. Rookie of the Year; 2. Guarded weapon; 3. They may accompany fevers; 4. Part of a long and winding road; 5. It’s usually spun first; 6. Performs awfully; 7. 1980s-‘90s N.B.A. star Danny; 8. Many a camper, informally; 9. “YER out!“; 10. Butcher’s need; 11. Display at a golf tournament; 12. Provocation result; 13. Draft holder; 14. They frequently become locked; 21. Shock aftermath; 23. Open competitors, often; 24. Kind of rack; 25. Good secret-keeper; 26. Unilever brand; 27. 7 and 11 in a casino; 29. Storm sounds; 30. Game sticker?; 31. Look; 32. Far left and far right; 34. Perform superbly; 37. Tropical reptiles; 38. Star of TV’s “The Fugitive”; 40. King of pop; 41. “Ten North Frederick” novelist; 42. Duke of Cornwall’s wife; 43. Massey of film; 44. Take in, e.g.; 46. Loudness unit; 48. Well around Trevi Fountain? 49. Goes (for); 51. They’re found in a mess.
All's well that ends well!

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

11.23.07 -- Play Ball!

Friday, November 23, 2007

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Paula Gamache, edited by Will Shortz

Reverse and/or revise a few clues and this puzzle has its share of inter-related entries -- VISITORSDUGOUT (26A Where Yankees are found at Shea); BALLPARKFRANKS (40A Fan fare?); LICENSEFEE (1A Bit of income for the Department of Motor Vehicles); GRANDSLAMS (59A Rod Laver won two); BACKTOBACK (12D Consecutive); ITSALLGOOD (27D “Everything’s cool”); SCHOTT (6D Controversial 1980s-’90s baseball team owner); USTA (47D Court org.); TDS (55D Cowboys’ concerns, briefly); FOES (8D They’re not for you); TOSS (30A Put into a 35-Down); AIMAT (25A Target); YADA yada yada (58A When tripled, “et cetera”).

Other long entries include such odd-ball items as ETHNICVOTE (15A What someone might win after stumping a cultural group?); GOATCHEESE (17A Greek salad ingredient); BASICTRUTH (53A Axiom); ARTOODETOO (57A Witness to Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala’s secret wedding); ENTERSON (4D Begins); MINSTREL (36D Oldtime entertainer); EEEWIDTH (10D Big shoe spec); TRASHBAG (35D Waste product); ASIANFUSION (25D Cuisine that may be served with a chork); and EVERSOSORRY (7D “A thousand pardons”).

Additional clues, across: 11. Waist products; 16. Russian car; 18. Seventh-century year; 23. Two-timing types; 31. Dry out; 32. They’re taken to the cleaners; 33. Dude; 34. Y.M.C.A. member?: Abbr.; 35. Ark contents; 36. 16 and Seventeen, for short; 37. UPA tree; 38. Hatch in politics; 39. Doesn’t quite mash; 43. Stinko; 44. One-eighties; 45. “Jeez!”; 47. Amer. capital; 48. Flawlessly; 52. Corner piece; 56. Snatch, slangily.

Down: 1. LEGG Mason (asset management firm); 2. “ITOO, dislike it” (start of Marianne Moore’s “Poetry”); 3. Fictional character who first appeared in “The House Without a Key; 5. Robertson of CNN; 9. Big-headed sorts, for short; 11. Candidate for the proverbial glue factory; 13. Frivolous; 14. Related; 22. Don in the National Radio Hall of Fame; 24. City where Cezanne was born; 26. Hornet genus; 28. Ninth-century founder of the Russian monarchy; 29. Id output; 31. Smear; 38. Work; 39. Skate; 41. Start of a little daredevil’s declaration; 42. Food fish of Australia and New Zealand; 45. Binge; 46. Ciao, in Chile; 49. Make OUTA check; 50. Little bit; 51. Wilson’s vice pres. THOS Marshall; 54. Sheet music abbr.

That’s it for now -- I'm off and running!

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

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

11.22.07 -- X-Word

Laura Wait -- X, letter of danger, sex and the unknown, Vol. I, 2006.

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Thursday, November 22, 2007

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Oliver Hill, edited by Will Shortz

ADULTFILMRATING (16A [See diagram]); ROMANNUMERALTEN (56A [See diagram]); along with PRODUCT (59A What x makes) and the convergence of four entries containing the letter "X" in the center of the diagram are the inter-related entries of this Thanx-giving puzzle. Encircling the nexus of a central 17-square "X" formed in the diagram, are LORAX (17D 44-Across character, with "the"); T. REX (32A); XES (33A Marks [out]); and XYLEM (38D Tree tissue). For good measure, the young Mr. Hill has thrown in AWARDS (1A Crosses and such) and MAE WEST (42D Who said "I believe in censorship. After all I made a fortune out of it"), further padding this whimsical mix of "X".

Across: 7. Rid of persistent dinginess, say; 13. Crunchy salad ingredient; 14. Sluggishness; 18. Word with ceiling or football; 19. Son of David; 20. N.Y.C. commuter option; 21. Prefix with skeleton; 23. Author of “Winning Bridge Made Easy” ; 24. Wisconsin senator Feingold; 25. Trick; 27. “Gnarly!”; 28. “The Da Vinci Code” albino; 29. Some camp sights; 31. Beast that bugles; 34. ALDINE Press, classic Venetian printer that introduced italics; 39. Half of a 1991 film title duo; 44. Children’s doctor?; 45. SYD Lawrence Orchestra (British big band since the 1960s); 47. Domains; 48. Slew; 49. Los Angeles’s PALOS Verdes Peninsula; 51. A long time; 52. Hill creator; 53. Thumb’s end; 55. Feeling in a cathedral, maybe; 60. Superlatively Halloweenlike; 61. High point; 62. Small harpsichord.

Down: 1. Medium tempo; 2. Tense; 3. Poking tool; 4. Sch. Papers; 5. Clear up; 6. Crew member; 7. Barely missed, as a hole; 8. Corporation in 2001 headlines; 9. Withdraw (from); 10. “All nature is but ART: Pope; 11. Bright lights, at times; 12. Suggests; 13. Like blue-chip stocks; 15. Sampras rival; 22. A; 24. Light (into); 26. Gull relatives; 28. Skater Cohen; 30. Spot; 31. Soggy; 34. B flat, enharmonically; 35. “Fidelio” protagonist; 36. It’s shaken outside a house, not in; 37. Suffix with sex; 40. Pitching stat; 41. Heir; 43. Yes; 45. Private response?; 46. Nonprofit groups, often; 49. PINCE-nez; 50. Throat ailment; 53. Cozy; 54. Adriatic port; 57. Hustle and bustle; 58. Architect Maya.

Illustrations: Across: King Solomon. Down: Mae West by Salvador Dali

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Giving this one four out of four X's (XXXX)! and wishing one and all a Happy Thanksgiving!

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For a too-soon pre-X-mas cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games