Constellation Awakening at Dawn (1941) -- Joan Miro
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Sunday, March 9, 2008
SPLITS AND MERGERS
Puzzle by Patrick Berry, edited by Will Shortz
I am always intrigued by a crossword puzzle that takes more time to explain than it does to solve, but NOTIFICANHELPIT (24A. “Over my dead body!” / Alert [split]) and ATION (25D. See 24-Across) become NOTIFICATION that one might need to TRANSLATE (26A. Exchange words? / New beginning [merger) with CLEA (5D. See 26-Across) for a CLEAN SLATE, and IMPOSITIONS (39A. Annoying obligations / “No need to check” [split]) and IVE (41D. See 39-Across) mean I’M POSITIVE before ELLERBEE (42A. 1980s "NBC News Overnight" anchor / Feared insect [merger}) and KIL (31D. See 42-Across) become a KILLER BEE upon the EVENTHORIZON (59A. Black hole’s boundary / Despite the fact that [split]) and OUGH (61D. See 59-Across) EVEN THOUGH I didn't see that coming. DISACCHARIDE (70A. Double sugar / Travel freely? [merger]) and HITC (56D. See 70-Across) HITCH A RIDE before a DRYVERMOUTH (90A. Martini ingredient / Delta site [merger]) and RIV (79D. See 90-Across) is a RIVER MOUTH with the CARRADIO (86A. Commuter's source of entertainment / Actor John or David [split]) with INE (88D. See 86-Across) for CARRADINE followed by a HUNGARIAN (103A. Franz Liszt, e.g. / Didn’t go straight, maybe [split]) and IGHT (104D. See 103-Across) who HUNG A RIGHT. Thanks for the ride -- DONTBEA STRANGER (106A. “Come back now, y’hear?” / Park employee [merger]) FORES (85D. See 106-Across) FOREST RANGER.
Bless this mess of splits and mergers, downs and acrosses -- here's the whole shebang!:
Across: 1.Upper end of a soprano’s range; 6. Life work?; 9. In support of; 12. Bishopric; 19. Basketballer nicknamed the Diesel; 20. Attribute (to); 22. Joins up; 23. Concave button; 24. “Over my dead body!” / Alert [split]; 26. Exchange words? / New beginning [merger]; 28. TIA Maria (coffee liqueur); 29. Gift-wrapper’s need; 30. Strummed instrument; 32. “IHAVE my doubts”; 33. Animated film character voiced by Matthew Broderick; 35. Fine fellow; 36. Undecided, you might say; 38. Deal (out); 39. Annoying obligations / “No need to check” [split]; 42. 1980s “NBC News Overnight” anchor / Feared insect [merger]; 44. At full speed; 45. “Mazel TOV!”; 46. “The History BOYS” (Tony-winning play); 47. Harsh; 48. Return flight destinations?; 52. Off-limits; 55. Get down; 56. Plant manager?; 58. Figure just above the total; 59. Black hole’s boundary / Despite the fact that [split]; 62. Group migration; 64. Like Eton attendees; 65. Author of the Earth’s Children” series; 66. Social reformer Lucretia; 67. “Great Scott!”; 68. A little cross?; 70. Double sugar / Travel freely? [merger]; 74. Get dressed (up); 75. “Feh!”; 76. Insects found in trunks; 77. Takes off; 78. Bag; 80. In the cooler; 81. Unread messages; usually; 83. Mountain SE of ancient Troy; 85. It has many sides; 86. Commuter’s source of entertainment / Actor John or David [split]; 90. Martini ingredient / Delta site [merger]; 94. Burt’s “Stroker Ace” co-star; 95. “The Seagull” ingénue; 96. Water, to Watteau; 97. Fictional blue humanoid; 98. Aggressive patriot; 99. Fishtank accessory; 100. Prefix with potent; 102. MapQuest suggestion: Abbr.; 103. Franz Liszt, e.g. / Didn’t go straight, maybe [split]; 106. “Come back now, y'hear?” / Park employee [merger]; 110. TV journalist Van Susteren; 113. Commentator; 114. Using company resources; 115. Great white HERON; 116. Took too long, as a meeting; 117. Superhero name ender; 118. Broke bread; 119. Finger-lickin’ good.
Down: 1. HOI polloi; 2. Overnight site; 3. Patrician; 4. Della sells hers in “The Gift of the Magi”; 5. See 26-Across; 6. Keen producers; 7. Quarantine; 8. Scale’s range; 9. Taylor’s deputy on TV; 10. Kimono securer; 11. REC room; 12. Gap filler?; 13. Occupy; 14. Blast furnace input; 15. Peacemaker maker; 16. #1 hit for Marty Robbins; 17. Add surreptitiously; 18. Some phosphates, e.g.; 21. Observance; 25. See 24-Across; 27. Modern political acronym; 30. Navajo enemy; 31. See 42-Across; 33. Abrupt increase on a graph; 34. Assuages one’s guilt; 37. Prepares, in a way, as chicken; 39. Adult insect; 40. California county with Point Reyes National Seashore; 41. See 39-Across; 43. Origin; 44. Complete; 47. It’s not needed in hydroponics; 49. It’s clipped at both ends; 50. Philippic; 51. Game similar to bridge; 52. Really appeals to; 53. Earthly paradise of Celtic legend; 54. Caviar source; 55. W.W. II light machine gun; 56. See 70-Across; 57. Bleeped word; 60. Reagan’s first secretary of state; 61. See 59-Across; 62. Pros who practice; 63. Violinist Itzhak; 66. Four-legged female; 69. Napped fabrics; 70. “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” star; 71. IRISH Sea, connected to St. George’s Channel; 72. It’s split; 73. At a distance; 76. BOEUF bourguignon; 79. See 90-Across; 81. 1953 3-D film starring Fernando Lamas; 82. Earlier; 84. Seat separator; 85. See 106-Across; 86. Stop up; 87. Some campaign fund-raisers; 88. See 86-Across; 89. Cereal grass; 90. Himalayan cedar; 91. RAMONA Quimby, girl of children’s lit; 92. Chinese province bordering Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar; 98. 2007 title role for Ellen Page; 101. “ITLL be O.K.”; 103. Chemistry Nobelist Otto; 104. See 103-Across; 105. Precinct; 107. BYA landslide; 108. Country singer McGraw; 109. What retroviruses contain; 111. Preschooler; 112. To some extent. UGH (75A. "Feh!")!
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