02.24.08 -- OSCAR

Sunday, February 24, 2008

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WINNERS’ CIRCLES
Puzzle by Nancy Nicholson Joline, edited by Will Shortz
The encircled letters of the inter-related entries, ONTHEWATERFRONT [23A. Film (1954), actress (2003)]; PETERJACKSON [37A. Director (2003), actor (1962]; UNFORGIVEN [61A. Film (1992), actor (1958)]; CLARKGABLE [71A. Actor (1934), actor (1995)]; MARLEEMATLIN [94A. Actress (1986), director (1962)]; SHIRLEYMACLAINE [112A. Actress (1983), supporting actor (1999)]; SCHINDLERSLIST [17D. Film (1993), actress (1987)]; WHITECHRISTMAS [46D. Song (1942), supporting actress (1994)] yield the second half of their respective clues -- THERON, PECK, NIVEN, CAGE, LEAN, CAINE, CHER, and WIEST.

1-Across identifies the inter-related entries' common bond as THEOSCAR.

I don’t think I’ve seen OIL and OYL together in the same puzzle before, but then this OSCAR special is heavy on O’s -- SONATA, NONONONO, SOONER, ANO, OMA, OAT, OSHEA, RENATO, OOHS, OOF, NORELCO, LESOTHO, PANCHO, etc.

OEUVRES, ACTOUT, HECKLER, ART, OPENER, ABNER and LUM, AUDEN, ALDOUS, APU, TENNISON, LENO, HECUBA, LOUISA, and ALMA are other show-biz type entries -- although ALMA‘s clue (109A. Girl in Tennessee Williams‘s “Summer and Smoke“) seems inaccurate, Geraldine Page was 37 years old when she played Alma. She was nominated for the role as best actress in 1961, the year Sophia Loren won for “Two Women“. Nominated seven times, Page finally won the Oscar in 1986 for her performance in "The Trip to Bountiful", and died the following year.

Better late than never!

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The envelope, please! -- read Linda, Madness...Crossword and Otherwise

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THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Across: 9. Accord competitor; 15. Is afflicted with sigmatism; 20. Emphatic refusal; 21. Tulsa native; 22. French pen filler; 25. Nothing, to Nero; 26. Brief; 27. Comments around cute babies; 28. East ender?; 29. “We can’t delay!”; 30. Visually assess; 31. Morsel; 33. Fish in fish and chips; 35. Isabel Allende’s “____ of My Soul”; 36. Florence-to-Rome dir.; 39. Interject; 40. Rests; 41. 12 meses; 42. Low tie; 44. Like the Wild West; 47. Pen with a cap; 48. Abbr. at the bottom of a letter; 49. Places for runners; 52. Work ___; 53. Granny, in Gelsenkirchen; 55. China’s largest ethnic group; 57. Nineveh’s kingdom; 59. Smeared; 64. Follower of weekend news, briefly; 65. ___ bran; 66. Friend in a western; 68. “The Age of Anxiety” author; 69. Rent; 70. Philosopher Kung Fu-___; 73. Destination of the Bounty in “Mutiny on the Bounty”; 76. Comedy club annoyance; 78. Olive ___; 79. Troll dolls, once; 81. Beau ___; 81. Milo of “Ulysses”; 83. Kind; 85. “___ Diaboliques”; 87. Big pan; 91. Venezuelan export; 92. Object of veneration in ancient Egypt; 93. Cool; 98. Mail order option, for short; 101. Sport jersey material; 102. Author Huxley; 103. Wallop; 104. Kwik-E-Mart owner on “The Simpsons”; 107. Tahoe, e.g., for short; 108. Future school?; 109. See 113-Down; 111. Soil improver; 116. Humble; 117. Rebel; 118. Checks; 119. Surgical aid; 120. Jerks; 121. Forensic experts. Down: 1. Investment options, for short; 2. Dolls; 3. Password, e.g.; 4. Reactions to fireworks; 5. N.F.L. guard Chris; 6. Overawe; 7. Santa ___; 8. Spin; 9. Rus. And Ukr., once; 10. Response to “pow!”; in cartoons; 11. Big name in grooming aids; 12. Winter wear; 13. Detective superintendent Jane of TV’s “Prime Suspect”; 14. Knack; 15. Jay that chatters; 16. At first; 18. Ready; 19. Three-time French Open champ, 1990-92; 24. Household item with a neck; 29. One flying over Hawaii; 31. Stakes; 32. Linda Ronstadt’s “___ Easy”; 33. Villa in Mexico; 34. Like the inside of a sphere; 37. Gat; 38. ___ alai; 40. Slender; 43. Org.; 44. Basutoland, today; 45. World books; 47. Capital known as the Venice of the East; 48. Swamps; 50. Informal eating place; 51. More racy; 54. Sierra Club founder; 56. Prized horse; 58. Elated; 60. Area between hills; 62. Geezer; 63. Inspiration; 67. Kind of vow; 71. Reunion gatherers; 72. “Us” or “them” in “It’s us against them”; 74. “Didn’t we just have that?”; 75. Global energy company; 77. Make the beds, dust, etc.; 80. March around camp, e.g.; 84. Term of respect abroad; 86. “…as old as yonder ___”: James Joyce; 88. Late news?; 90. Part of a Latin 101 conjugation; 91. Works; 93. Mother of Paris; 95. One of the Alcotts; 96. “It’s ___!”; 97. Swarmed; 98. Tibetan or Afghan; 99. First act in a revue; 100. Pressure; 101. Taj ___; 106. Junkie; 108. Solicits orders (for); 109. Girl in Tennessee Williams’s “Summer and Smoke”; 110. Worms, e.g.; 112. Jrs. No more; 113. 109-Across’s old radio partner; 114. Fire; 115. Truck part

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