01.28.08 -- Seriously!

Monday, January 28, 2008

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Puzzle by Michael Blake, edited by Will Shortz

THECHIPMUNKS (55A Singing group suggested by the starts of 20-, 28- and 48-Across) is certainly a very light way of linking three heavy entries together -- ALVINTOFFLER (20A. “Future Shock” author), SIMONWIESENTHAL (28A, Late hunter of Nazi war criminals), and THEODOREDREISER (48A. “Sister Carrie” author)! Alvin and the Chipmunks is an animated music group, consisting of three singing chipmunks: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. I haven't heard them in years, but as children my brother and I would sing very slowly on a tape recorder and then replay it on fast -- voila, Chipmunks!

Lots of other contrast in this jazzy little Monday puzzle: LAMAZE (26A. Kind of class for expectant mothers) with STIFFS (8D. Cadavers, slangily); TERRA firma (17A.) with EDWHITE (44D. First American to walk in space); CLAMOR (27D. Noisy shouting) with SEDATE (28D. Anesthetize, say); TOWIT (21D. Namely) with Tit for TAT (12D.); and we have a BEAR (10D. Yogi, for one) and a MOOSE (69A. Bullwinkle, for one) -- oh, an there's TERMITE (46D. Orkin target) and ANTENNA (9D. Insect or radio part) -- and a total repeat from yesterday's puzzle, ATANEND (5D. Finished), clued yesterday as (19D. Over).

People in the puzzle joining those pseudo-Chipmunks, Alvin Toffler, Simon Wiesenthal, and Theodore Dreiser, are MATA Hari (1D.); ABEL (2D. Brother of Cain and Seth); "MERV Griffin's Crosswords" (3D.); MARINO (4D. Dolphins QB Dan); LEE (22D. Former auto executive Iacocca); THOMAS (25D. Clarence of the Supreme Court); EARLE (32D. Country rocker Steve); MAMMA (1A. Baby's first word, in Italy); EMO (34A. Comedian Philips); a DIVA (35A. Aria singer); DIOR (37A. Designer Christian); an IMAM (42A. Muslim holy man); LOTT (45A. Former senator Trent); HAN Solo of "Star Wars" (64A.); IRENES (65A. Actress Papas or Ryan); ROGET (66A. Thesaurus author); and last but not least, an actress I directed in a play some years ago, EDIES (71A. Actress Falco and namesakes) -- explaining why I was such a faithful viewer of "The Sopranos".

Pictured below is what the chipmunk in my backyard looks like. He and his extended family live under the tool shed, and I've never heard them make a sound, much less sing!

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THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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Across: 1. baby's first word, in italy 6. commercials 9. touches14. skip _ (lose tempo) 15. tennis do-over 16. katmandu's land 17. _ firma18. mai _ (tropical drink) 19. "yum!" 20. "future shock" author 23. prefix with -lithic 24. wetland 25. antique restorer's efforts, for short 28. late hunter of nazi war criminals 34. comedian philips 35. aria singer 36. brewing coffee produces one37. designer christian 39. semesters 42. muslim holy man 43. shake hands (on) 45. former senator trent 47. _ dye (chemical coloring) 48. "sister carrie" author 52. airport schedule abbr. 53. the 1919 treaty of versailles concluded it: abbr. 54. directional suffix 55. singing group suggested by the starts of 20-, 28- and 48-across 61. dragon ball z game company 64. _ solo of "star wars" 65. actress papas or ryan 66. thesaurus author 67. superlative suffix 68. girlish laugh 69. bullwinkle, for one 70. letter between pi and sigma 71. actress falco and namesakes Down: 1. _hari 2. brother of cain and seth 3. "_ griffin's crosswords"4. dolphins qb dan 5. finished 6. choir voice 7. like most users of sign language 8. cadavers, slangily 9. insect or radio part 10. yogi, for one 11. fedex competitor 12. tit for _ 13. crafty 21. namely 22. former auto executive lacocca 25. clarence of the supreme court 26. kind of class for expectant mothers 27. noisy shouting 28. anesthetize, say 29. "put me down as a maybe" 30. tied down, as a boat 31. "_ changed my mind" 32. country rocker steve 33. prefix with lateral 38. old olds car 40. "the _ squad" of b0s-70s tv 41. throat problem 44. first american to walk in space 46. orkin target 49. be in the red50. wealthier 51. accustomed 55. _ chic 56. corned beef concoction 57. absorbed by 58. soda pop brand 59. thigh/shin connector 60. understands 61. slot machine part 62. excessively 63. in the past.