02.28.08 -- Word for Word

Carlo Carrà -- Interventionist Demonstration, 1914

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Thursday, February 28, 2008

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Puzzle by Matt Ginsberg, edited by Will Shortz

In linguistics, a homonym is one of a group of words that share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings, although there is confusion as to the terminology.

Words for words can be confusing, and to be economical with words, today I’m using homonym. Autoantonym is arguably the best definition -- others in use are contranym, whose meaning is “any word that can be its own antonym, e.g. cleave, overlook; also called antilogy, enantiodrome.” There is also a recently invented superfluous term-- antagonym -- a fakakta word not accepted in respectable dictionaries.

Eleven homonyms are featured in today’s crossword --

GOOFF (19A. Beginning operating or stop operating);

RESERVATION (20A. Confirmation or uncertainty);

ORIGINAL (30A. Unchanged or novel);

NOTHINGISBETTER (38A. Words of praise or words of condemnation);

SANCTION (45A. Approve or penalize);

TRANSPARENT (55A. Easy to see or impossible to see);

RAVEL (60A. Entangle or disentangle);

WEAR (1D. Last under use or erode under use);

LEFT (13D. Remaining or gone);

TRIM (52D. Add to or remove from); and

TRIP (59A. Move gracefully or move clumsily).

Other long entries include MINIDRESS (8D. Revealing garment); 36A. “No national is permitted to live in IGNORANCE with impunity”: Jefferson; GRAVAMEN (5D. Grounds for legal action); and BIGAPPLE (40D. Gotham).

Six-letter: PETERI (4D. “Great” czar); EGGNOG (9D. It might be spiked); TETLEY (46D. Twinings competitor); ATREST (49D. Sitting); TAOISM (27A. Belief in a harmony with nature); and GIANTS (48A. Willie Mays and teammates).

Five-letter: EMAIL (9A. Place for an emoticon); GAGNE (16A. Dodger All-Star pitcher Eric); SEINE (35A. Repeated setting for Georges Seurat paintings); NOSIR (43A. Respectful refusal); IRENE (64A. Comedic title role for Renee Zellweger, 2000); MESSY (67A. Chaotic); RADAR (6D. Gary Burghoff role of TV and film); ROSSI (21D. Martini’s partner); 30D. ONION Ring; 41D. Dr. ERICA Hahn of “Grey’s Anatomy”; TENTHS (27D. Fair housing?); ALOHA (28D. Welcome to paradise?); OFTEN (29D. Commonly); NOTIN (31D. Away from the office); ARENT (32D. Don’t exist); LARKS (33D. Shenanigans); and PSALM (51D. “O, sing to the Lord a new song,” for one).

Four-and-three-letter: ABIT, ADIN, AGOG, ASIS, COLL, DUOS, ELF, EMER, EMIT, ENS, ESME, EVES, FORA, GOT, GRIM, HARE, HOCK, INFO, INIT, INK, IRR, KERR, NEAP, NEOS, NEMO, OUI, PACT, RABE, RANI, ROAR, SIFT, SIMI, THE, THEO, TTOP.

Homonyms? Ho hum!

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THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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Across: 1. Sari, e.g.; 5. Gloomy; 14. Life of Riley; 15. Asian princess; 17. Some; 18. Deuce follower; 24. Stadium sound; 25. Some Grammy winners; 34. Kobold; 37. Discussion spots; 42. TV’s Kojak; 44. Pen’s partner; 50. Deborah nominated for six Academy Awards; 51. Accord; 52. It’s definite; 62. Minimal tide; 63. E.R. part: Abbr.; 65. Univ.; 66. California’s ___ Valley; 68. Olaf’s girlfriend in Lemony Snicket books; 69. Sporty car roof option. Down: “Hurlyburly” playwright David; 3. “No returns”; 7. L., B. or J.; 10. Jiang’s husband; 11. Like kids at a circus, maybe; 12. Dope; 22. Paris accord; 26. Sort through; 39. Equine ankle; 47. Non-std.; 53. Fabled slacker; 54. 12/24/ and 12/31; 56. Converts to a cause, briefly; 57. Broadcast; 58. Fictional submariner; 61. Nav. rank.