02.06.08 -- F is H

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

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Puzzle by Larry Shearer, edited by Will Shortz

“F” is “H” -- FISH (70A.), clued as a “hint” and “angle”, along with FIS (“F“ is?) (45A.) and INF (In “F“) (22A.), not clued as hints or angles, morph “follow suit“, “hiring squads“, “feed the kitty“, and “fairy tales” into HOLLOWSUIT (18A. Exec with no ideas?); HIRINGSQUADS (28A. Headhunter posses?); HEEDTHEKITTY (48A. First rule of lion taming?); and HAIRYTALES (61A. “Rapunzel” and others?). The entry of ALLFOURS (8D.), morphable to “all hours”, is not included -- wrong reversal!

Oh!.. but, plenty of exclamations in this crossword: OHNO (2D. Shout of dismay); ASIF (3D. “You wish!”); 9D. “YOO-hoo!”; HAHA (28D. “Very funny!”); IGOOFED (25A. “Whoops!”); EASY (37D. “Child’s play!”); HONEST (50D. “No fooling!); AHSO (14A. Facetious “I see”); CLAP (16A. Show approval, in a way); YIPE (34A. Cry of surprise) for anyone who LOSESIT (39A. Flies off the handle) -- ALAS (59D. Word of woe)!

People in the puzzle: MCKAY (5A. Olympics sportscaster Jim); PHILO (15A. Detective Vance); a SOFTY (20A. Sentimental sort); an ARISTO (32A. Blue blood, for short); BAKERS (46A. Workers with white hats); CLAIR (54A. Mrs. Huxtable of 1980s- ‘90s TV); CHOIRS (6D. Groups on risers); YENTL (21D. Streisand title role); TAKEI (41D. Sulu player on “Star Trek”); ENRY (49D. Professor ‘iggins); CHER (54D. “Mask” star, 1985); and LILI (58D. 1953 Leslie Caron film).

The eight-letter entry SIDEWALK (40D. Hopscotch site) stands alone of the remaining longer entries, followed by the seven-letter ones including TOPTHIS (4D. Hotdogger’s dare); CALIBER (27A. .45 or .22); CHAIRED (44D. Headed up); and KISSOFF (47D. Dismissal, slangily); and ECSTASY (10D. Cloud-nine state), which shares it’s clue with BLISS.

Six-letter, OCEANS (26A. Vast amounts) and GRANDE (51A. Starbucks size). Five-letter, ISLAM (57A. Five pillars faith); ETONS (23A. Stiff collars); SKATE (69A. In-line item); GLUON (11D. Quark-binding particle); GAINS (12D. Market upticks); GLARE (51D. Angry look); RAISE (52D. Bluffer’s ploy, maybe); QUEST (31D. Adventurous expedition); and BLISS (66A. Cloud-nine state), which shares it’s clue with ECSTASY.

Four-letter entries include ACDC, ALIA, ASIF, BASS, BOAT, EASY, EGGO, ERSE, FLAT, HEIR, IBET, IROC, KILN, MYTH, OILY, OPTS, ORES, PORT, REED, RIND, SNIP, and WEED. Three-letter, BOA, HON, MPH, SSE, TBS, WAN and URL.

Actually, it’s H is F, isn’t it? -- or am I thinking of F is as H Wednesday?

“Ash Wednesday” by Carl Spitzweg: the end of Carnival

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Across: 1. Tub toy; 10. Toaster waffle; 17. Salon sound; 22. Like Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8; 24. Next in line; 33. It begins with “http”; 38. Sweetie; 42. Flapper wrapper; 43. Flexible, electrically; 45. Hi-___; 53. Tram loads; 55. Lacking color; 64. Needing shampoo, say; 65. Gaelic tongue; 67. Driver’s headache; 68. Marsh growth; 70. Angle (and a three-word hint to this puzzle‘s theme). Down: 1. Part of a jazz combo; 5. Speedometer meas.; 7. Ceramist’s need; 13. Withdraws, with “out”; 29. Camaro ___-Z; 30. Brie coat; 36. Cruise stopover; 56. Suffix with Saturn; 60. “Toads cause warts,” e.g.; 62. Atlanta Braves’ longtime network; 63. Compass dir.