03.19.08 -- JAM

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

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Puzzle by Gary Whitehead, edited by Will Shortz

Featured in today's crossword puzzle with JAM (56D. What 20-, 37- and 53-Across may do) are the inter-related entries of LASERPRINTER (20A. Desktop publisher’s need); RUSHHOURTRAFFIC (37A. Commuter’s woe); and HARDROCKBAND (53A. Def Leppard, for one). Three types of jam in which the printer can be kaput, traffic will eventually clear, and that hard rock band is on a roll!

Animals get a fair amount of play, including CHEETAH (14D. Spotted speedster); OCELOT (24A. Wild cat); OTTO (30D. “Beetle Bailey” dog); GOOSE (49D. The Cratchits’ Christmas dinner); AFLAC (32A. Company with a spokesduck); GOATEED (49A. Like Duchamp’s “Mona Lisa”); and ORTIZ (26D. Baseball’s Big Papi). Edibles include MAC and cheese (lunch dish) (1A.); EDAM (15A. Cheese town); SESAME (47A. Bagel choice); MOLDS (64A. Chocolatier’s gear); and, of course, that GOOSE -- but not JAM!

Other long entries include the seven-letter FLATBED (40D. Tow truck type) and ESTEEMS (23A. Regards highly); the six-letter HELPME (4D. “S.O.S.!”); SENECA (8D. Tutor of Nero); SOCCER (46D. Game with a team of 11); and SMARTS (45D. Common sense).

The bulk of the puzzle is in its log jam of five-letter entries: SAPPY (8A. Too sentimental); EFILE (16A. I.R.S. option); NIXON (19A. 1974 pardon recipient); PLAZA (43A. Fountain spot, maybe); JIVER (56A. Deceptive talker); ATEAT (61A. Really bothered); MILLE Bornes (card game) (1D.); AREAS (2D. Precincts); COAST (3D. Take it easy); ODORS (5D. Signs of decay); AFIRE (9D. Full of ardor); REICH (21D. Clinton’s first secretary of labor); TOWER (22D. Word with fire or water); LOOFA (25D. Bath sponge); TOSCA (27D. “Vissi di’arte” opera); INRED (29D. Way to indicate mistakes); ARABS (32A. Most Al Jazeera viewers); FUGUE (33D. Bach offering); LSATS (34D. Aspiring attys.‘ exams); OILER (38D. Crude carrier); APEAK (39D. More or less vertical, at sea); AHEAD (48D. On the horizon); EATON (50D. Stationery brand); ENTRE nous (51D.); and DDAYS (52D. Critical times).

Four-letter entries: ANTE, AUDI, DENY, DORY, EDAM, EEOC, ETTA, HOST, IDEO, IOWA, IROC, LEAH, LORE , IDEO, NOSE, REOS, SARI, SLID, TMEN, and YSER. Three-letter: AGA, BUT, ITO, NES, ORO, OTS, PIX, PLO, SEA, TIE, VEL, YEN…

…and JAM!

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Across: 4. Parasite’s need; 13. Sporty Camaro; 17. Wife of Jacob; 18. It’s handed down; 28. Baseball rarity; 29. Hawkeye’s home; 31. Acapulco gold; 35. It may be upped; 36. Fifth qtrs., so to speak; 41. Turkish V.I.P.; 42. Logical start?; 44. Except; 45. Did a glissade; 46. Tasman ___; 59. Fair-hiring org.; 60. “At Last” singer James; 62. Tracking ability; 63. Fishing boat; 65. River of Flanders; 66. Super ___ (game system). Down: 6. Bollywood costume; 7. Some feds; 10. Flicks; 11. Mahmoud Abbas’s org.; 12. Nikkei currency; 35. Q7 maker; 54. Turn down; 55. Model T contemporaries; 57. “Am ___ believe …?”; 58. M.p.h., e.g