02.03.08 -- Directions

Sunday, February 3, 2008

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Puzzle by Matt Ginsberg, Edited by Will Shortz

NOTE: If you work this crossword from the New York Times Magazine printed version, you will find that there is a different set of numbers involved. Also, where a dash (-) is shown in the electronic version behind a clue number, there is no number or dash in the hard copy version. I am inclined to say because of that fact, the tactile version is much more difficult to solve.

The puzzle asks one to enter an arrow and a letter in nine individual squares throughout the grid -- indicating UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT. The accompanying clues or whatever, depending on which version you utilize, rely upon those imaginary words to complete the entry -- or if you can write small enough...well. Not attempting to assign numbers to the entries or clues due to the difference between the electronic and magazine versions, the results are as follows:

UPSIDE DOWN CAKE; PICKED UP SPEED; TWO LEFT FEET; ALL RIGHT ALREADY; OUT IN LEFT FIELD; EXTREME RIGHT WING; EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD; SETTING UP SHOP; and STAND UP COMIC.

It reminds me of the nightmare one can experience when being given wrong directions on a cold wet night, or worse, being a passenger in the car when the driver won't look at a map! So much like this tedious trek into dreck...

Experiences to forget!

However, if you really want more of this joy-forsaken journey, read Amy "Orange" Renaldo's analysis in her Diary of a Crossword Fiend.

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For today's cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

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Click on images to enlarge.

Electronic:

Magazine:

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

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.

Across: 1. Artist’s digs, maybe; 5. Totally accurate; 11. Pineapple desserts; 18. “___, gorgeous!” (Fanny Brice’s comment to herself when looking in the mirror); 19. One of wine’s Gallo brothers; 20. Autobiographical short story by Edgar Allan Poe; 21. Marisa of “What Women Want”; 22. 1974 Mocedades hit; 23. Careful consideration; 24. Men’s fashion accessories; 26. Cork shooter; 28. “Biography” network; 29. Accelerated; 30. Threw off the scent; 31. Check list?; 32. Canonized mlle.; 33. More encouraging; 34. Third word of “America”; 35. Blue Devils’ and Tigers’ org.; 38. Contact lens solutions; 40. They’re better than one; 45. Elton’s johns; 47. Blind element; 48. Stereotypical reaction to Elvis; 50. Magneto’s adversaries, in comic books; 51. Lugs; 53. Spread in a spread; 56. Passe; 59. Classic Toyota sports cars; 61. ___ Bradshaw, “Sex and the City” role; 62. Wynken, Blynken and Nod, e.g.; 63. Turf, as opposed to surf; 64. Dancer Alvin; 65. Malodorous; 67. Become part of; 68. Imp; 71. Place to get dates?; 72. Fronded plant; 73. Fictional submariner; 75. Civil rights march site, 1965; 76. Family; 78. Wise; 81. Repeated John Gielgud role; 83. Popular song from Broadway’s “The Wiz”; 86. Titanic message; 67. Arctic diver; 88. Runs; 90. Eponymous German electrophysicist; 92. Begets; 96. Things on strings; 97. Deterge; 101. Prefix with -zoic; 102. Sitcom title role for Brandy Norwood; 103. 1997 Jim Carrey film; 104. What man and a woman become in marriage; 106. Two-wheeled covered carriage; 108. Hops-drying kilns; 109. Establishing a business; 110. Hero of Bellini’s “I Puritani”; 111. Anticipate; 112. Mary Tyler Moore co-star; 113. Seinfeld, for one; 114. Feast. Down: 1. Sainted pope of A.D. 683; 2. Ancient Mexican people; 3. Evidence of dandruff; 4. Facilities; 6. Slips; 7. Hydrocarbon suffix; 8. Execrate; 9. Bone formation; 10. Mathematical sequence of unknown length; 11. ___ Bator; 12. A pop; 13. Na2CO3; 14. Dental filling; 15. Literature’s Lorna; 16. Lose little by little; 18. U.R.L. lead-in; 20. Israeli P.M. Olmert; 25. They may be funny or bright; 27. Neighbor of Switz.; 30. Educator Maria; 31. Subatomic particle that is a nuclear binder; 33. Mideast money; 34. Bad dancer’s handicap; 35. “Enough!”’ 36. Collected; 37. Mistress; 39. Bridges in Hollywood; 40. The “ten” in “hang ten”; 41. Reactionary; 42. Flower also called a naked lady; 43. Hero maker; 44. Old dirk; 46. Unblemished; 46. Lineage; 49. Failings; 52. Breezes (through); 54. Quite wrong; 56. Business position; 58. Word before and after “after”; 60. Cross product; 61. Geom. Figure; 64. Disco term meaning “galore”; 65. Punch; 66. French Sudan, today; 67. Raspberry; 69. “___ Angel,” 1933 film; 70. Scratch sheet listings; 72. Slams; 74. Fannie ___ (securities); 77. Jupiter or Mars; 79. ___ Gay, W.W. II bomber; 82. Ointment ingredient; 83. Subject of the book “Last Flight”; 84. Setting for “Driving Miss Daisy”; 88. Call, or call on; 89. Turkish pooh-bahs; 91. Lake ___, third largest lake in Africa; 92. Imagine, informally; 93. Sectioned, as a window; 94. Prince Valiant’s wife; 95. Tapestry threads; 98. Month before lyar; 99. “Socrate” composer; 100. First, in Frankfurt; 102. Relig. Title; 103. Lady’s man; 105. Anchorage-to-Fairbanks dir.; 107. Great ball of fire.