12.31.07 -- On the Job!

Monday, December 31, 2007

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Puzzle by Lynn Lempel, edited by Will Shortz

After a weekend from the New York Times that issued a bruising and brutal cold-hearted Saturday crossword puzzle from Bob Klahn (who of us will soon forget, golconda, peripeteia, ochlocracy and xantippe?), followed by a delightful warm-hearted Frosty the Snowman puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski on Sunday, regular solvers are left with little to do but tuck the collective tips of their medullae oblongatae between their shanks and skulk off in appreciation for an end-of-the-year crossword which presents little humor or challenge.

For the gory details, read the two assessments at The JimH Crossword Blog -- The Saturday Bob Klahn puzzle stinks and Elizabeth C. Gorski wraps up the year again. Jim says it all -- and while you’re at it, check out his companion blog -- XWord Info -- a great crossword puzzle archive for the entire past year and beyond!

With a last gasp, Father Time and Lynn Lempel bring the year to a close in the form of the final NYT puzzle of 2007, swiping it across the cranium to SOOTHE (22A Relieve) the perplexed grey matter after a horrendous Saturday and a humorous Sunday.

On the job! BLOODTYPING (10D Pre-transfusion procedure); NAMECALLING (25D Some verbal abuse); IRONFILING (17A A magnet attracts it in a physics experiment); and TOPBILLING (57A Star’s marquee position), along with (or for) CPAS (54A Inspectors of fin. Books) make this a Monday office worker’s special!

Plus, we get classic twin Shortzesque clues for NOTAWHIT (43A Zilch) and NADA (52A Zilch) -- the year’s last! This crossword SPLITSUP (28A Divorces) THEMET (32A Locale for a York diva) and her ARIA (15A Diva’s song) with a SPLAT (39A Tomato-hitting-the floor sound) of an EXIT (34D Escape route) from EDEN (60A Genesis garden) on the SKIDS (going to pot)(1D) with SCADS (1A Oodles) of SIN (8D Envy or gluttony) and WOE (44D Misery) -- OUI (23D “Yes, madame”), we ate the tomato!

Counting down to the New Year:

8-letter entries include SAFETIES (5D Two-point plays in football) and SPIRALED (39D Shot up, as inflation);

7-letter entries, SLANTED (24A At a tilt), CARGOES (47A Freighters’ freights), TAGSALE (9D Event before moving), and CHORTLE (41D Gleeful laugh);

6-letter entries, ANGLER (51A One with a hook, line and sinker), SPIELS (42A Sales pitches);

5-letter, KOREA (14A Seoul’s land), HEXES (37A Jinxes), EATIN (62A Have a meal at home), DOSES (65A Medicinal amounts), CORAL (2D Deep pink), AROMA (3D Enticing smell), VALID (6D Legitimate), INERT (18D Lifeless), SWAMI (42D Hindu teacher), OMITS (48D Skips), ERNIE (49D Old TV comic Kovacs) (actually, he’s more dead than old), and SIGNS (50D Leo and Libra).

4-letter, ABET, ARID, BALI, BLEW, COIN, COMA, EACH, ELSA, ENID, ERIC, GLEN, HERO, LAUD, LEAH, LENT, LIAR, LOON, LPGA, ONCE, PETS, SOLE, TANG, THEN, URAL, VAST, WHEE, and YORE (36A Olden times).

3-letter, AGE, AIR, CON, DAM, DEN, DEN, MRI, and last but not least WIN (Carry the day)!

Did Lynn say WIN! In the event you think that I’ve taken this puzzle thing too seriously, two bloggers have taken on the hubristic task of handing out awards this year! Seriously! On January 4, 2008, the American Crossword Critics Association (ACCA) - which is just Amy Renaldo (Orange of Diary of a Crossword Fiend) and Michael Sharp (Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle) - will be handing out their Best of 2007 Crossword Puzzle Awards, with five categories -- so, roll out the red carpet! …or is it orange!

3...2...1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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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

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