The Lament for Icarus -- Herbert James Draper
------------------
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Click here for LARGE PRINT. Puzzle by Kenneth J. Berniker, edited by Will Shortz
NOFLYZONE (34D. Restricted space … or a hint to the answers to the six starred clues) describes the inter-related entries VENUSTRAP (17A. *Hairy-leaved plant); WEIGHTBOXER (24A. * Fighter at 112 pounds or less); THERESAINMYSOUP (37A. *Classic comical restaurant complaint); INFIELDRULE (45A. *Umpire’s invocation after a pop-up, perhaps); ZIPUPYOUR (58A. *Advice to a careless dresser, maybe); and BYNIGHTER (3D. *Unreliable sort), all with no FLY.
ASFOR (42A. Regarding) other entries, it’s an odd lot: A quintet of EYRE, EYER, EIRE, ENID and EZRA; a quartet of APE, ARE, ASE and ATE; the trio of BEA, BLEU, and BREL; the DUO (35D. One and one) of XER and SEXER; and the solo ZAX with the DENSE (62A. Obtuse) definition of Hole-punching tool for a slater (58D).
The zax (also called a sack or sax) is a hand tool for cutting, trimming, and punching nail holes in slate. It combines a heavy rectangular knife blade with a large point protruding from the butt. The blade edge is used to split slate, while the point is used to pierce square holes for mounting the slate on the roof with square copper nails or making a series of small holes marking a line where the slate is broken over a slater's iron.
There are several six-letter entries: CURATE (22A. Parish V.I.P.); NORMAL (54A. Reassuring result on a blood test); SCRUBS (9D. O.R. attire); and BEAKER (43D. Lab receptacle).
The large part of the entries are of five letters: SABLE (1A. Jet); SALES (9A. Retail, e.g.); Indo-ARYAN (14A.); CLOVE (16A. Spam flavorer); ASTIR (29A. Not still); AINGE (60A. Former N.B.A. star Danny); SEDER (63A. Occasion to sing “Dayenu”); FRETS (65A. They’re found around a neck); Penny SAVER (1D.); ARENA (2D. Bowl); GARNI (6D. Decorated, on menus); ORANG (7D. Tropical tree-dweller); ALERO (10D. Car discontinued in 2004); LOMAX (11D. Bluesman Willie); EVITE (12D. Web-based way to announce a party); CTEAM (22D. Third-stringers); HYENA (25D. Villainous one in ”The Lion King”); SALAD (31D. Some greens); SPELL (38D. Relieve, as for a break); INCAS (45D. They believed the world was created by Viracocha); NOLIE (46D. “That’s the truth!”); FROND (47D. Makeshift fan); IMAGE (48D. Subject of a certain Google search); RAISE (49D. Subject of union negotiations); UPPER (50D. Caffeine or nicotine); TRUST (52D. Bank’s partner); and DARES (53D. Hurls defiance at).The perfunctorily clued ENS and ENDS, ESSE, GOP, HEED and HIE, INN, LAUD, PLEA, RAG, SHEA and SHY, SPR, TIED, YES, and YTD provide fill for this puzzle’s nooks and crannies, but nothing touches ZAX!
-----------------
Click on image to enlarge.
Puzzle available on the internet at
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: Bush people, for short; 15. It may come after you; 20. English author Blyton; 21. Motor ___; 23. Bootblack’s need; 26. Mind; 28. “Without a doubt”; 31. Seaver once called it home; 33. ___ of the earth; 40. Fictional governess; 41. S.O.S., in essence; 43. “___ sport”; 44. Singer Jacques; 51. Time period for a C.F.O.; 55. Mimic; 56. Biblical prophet; 61. Enzyme ending; 64. Gen ___. Down: 5. Wearer of a half-inch stripe: Abbr.; 8. Zing; 18. The same, in a way; 24. “___ #1!”; 27. Where punts were spent; 29. Bolted down; 30. Short; 32. Hotfoot it; 33. De bene ___ (legal phrase); 36. White Sulphur ___, W. Va.: Abbr.; 38. Easily maneuvered, as a boat; 44. ___ cheese; 59. Suffix for many a sharable computer file.
No comments:
Post a Comment