01.26.08 -- What's in a Name?

Saturday, January 26, 2008
Puzzle by Karen M. Tracey, edited by Will Shortz
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." -- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Julie, II, ii
What’s in a name? Today’s crossword is not letting on too much -- however, it certainly is full of them: Mary J. Bilge, Ferruccio Busoni, Jean Genet, Phillip Glass, Irv Gotti, Abbas Kiarostami, Erik Larson, Barry Manilow, Liza Minnelli, Naomi (Mara), Tania Raymonde, Alex Rousseau, Sylvia Syms, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Stanislaw Wyspianski, along with Kris (Cheryl), a major domo, a nurse and patient, an admiral and a general, a satyr, Errol, the Owl, Pachebel, Isaac, Turandot, Dad’s, the Weasley family, Harry Potter, Bunsen, a Slav in the form of a Dalmatian and a Pomeranian, and even a JURYBOX (7A. Peer group setting?).
The four corners of the crossword have three nine-letter stacked entries each: Upper left going across: 1. COOKIEJAR, 15. OPPORTUNE, and 17. RECOVERED. Upper right down: 12. ROOTCANAL, 13. MAJORDOMO, and 14. STANISLAW. Lower left going down: 30. JEANGENET, 31. UNDERRATE, and 32. NUMBERONE. Lower right across: 57. HILLSIDES, 60. ENLARGERS, and 62. STEVIERAY.
After that, in descending order -- Seven-letter entries: 7D. JURYBOX, 9D. REDSTAR, 39D. LURCHES, 40D. MOSELLE, 30A. JUNKFAX, 34A. RETINOL, 38A. ADMIRAL, and 40A MANILOW. Six-letter entries: 8D. ANEMIC, 25D. TREPAN, 28D. CASABA, 43D. SQUINT, 27A. ECOCAR, 36A. ENURES, 37A. PAJAMA, and 42A. BUSONI. Five-letters: NORMS, UBOAT, RIOJA, SETON, BITTE, SATYR, BARQS, ABBAS, ERROL, NAOMI, ETNAS, TEENS, CORES, OPERA, OPCIT, KOOKY, NURSE, REFER, TANIA, BLIGE, BIDER, AZERA, SASSY. Four-letter; ETES, OBIE, KRIS, FIJI, OMAN, SLAV, ERIK, SYMS, FADS, NEBS, LIZA, and CUES. Three-letter: IRV, SRI, CRI, and GRE.
Does that all look just like a lot of names for names’ sake -- It sure did to me!
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1. Cash cache, often; 10. No surprise outcomes; 15. Happy; 16. Liner threat, once; 17. Well again; 18. Spanish table wine; 19. “Isaac’s Storm” author Larson; 20. Player of the Queen Mother in “The Queen,” 1006; 21. Determined to execute; 22. Wanton type; 24. Please to Pachebel; 26. Shout across the Seine?; 27. Green vehicle; 29. They don’t stay hot for very long; 30. It’s prohibited by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991; 34. Vitamin A; 36. Toughens; 37. Kind of party; 38. General equivalent; 40. “New York City Rhythm” singer; 41. Bills; 42. “Turandot” composer Ferocious ___; 44. Sr.’s test; 45. Dad’s rival; 46. Iranian filmmaker Kiarostami; 51. Weasley family’s owl, in Harry Potter books; 53. Breaking sticks; 55. Minnelli of Broadway; 56. Biblical woman who renamed herself Mara; 57. What kids might roll down; 59. Old lab items akin to Bunsen burners; 60. Darkroom equipment; 61. Cold weather; 62. Blues guitarist Vaughan. Down: 1. They’re seedy; 2. Glass work; 3. Ibid. relative; 4. Crackpot; 5. Hip-hop producer Gotti; 6. “Vous ___ ici”; 7. Peer group setting?; 8. Peaked; 9. Dwarf, maybe; 10. Ill-prepared worker?; 11. Drama honor; 12. Potential canine saver; 13. Personal manager; 14. Playwright/painter Wyspianski; 23. Direct; 25. Mine shaft tool; 28. Honeydew alternative; 29. The Yasawa Islands are part of it; 30. “The Thief’s Journal” author; 31. Review unfairly, maybe; 32. Tops; 33. Cheryl’s “Charlie’s Angels” role; 35. ___ Raymonde, player of Alex Rousseau on “Lost”; 39. Reels; 40. Light white wine; 43. Look askance; 45. Rapture; 47. Six-time Grammy winner Mary J. ___; 48. Patient one; 49. Hyundai sedan; 50. Fresh; 52. It has an exclave on the Straight of Hormuz; 54. Pomeranian or Dalmation; 58. Asian honorific.

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