03.04.08 -- Wrap!

Rex Ingram (with megaphone)
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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Click here for LARGE PRINT.

Puzzle by Kevin Donovan, edited by Will Shortz
THATSAWRAP (62A. Director’s cry … or a statement about 17-Across and 11- and 29-Down), along with FEATHERBOA (17A. Glam rocker’s accessory), CELLOPHANE (11D. Transparent packaging material), and BEEFFAJITA (29D. Taco alternative) are the inter-related entries of this pleasant but familiar crossword puzzle.
AMBER (12D. Color meaning “caution” on 13-Down) and ROADS (13D. See 12-Down) are joined by other loosely linked entries -- MOM (34D. Stereotypical tattoo) and SCAR (10A. Remnant of a tattoo removal, maybe); SMITE (50D. Beat, biblically) and SMASHES (10D. Overhead shots); SPAS (60A. Watering holes) and SPARSE (50A. Like trees on a prairie); ACIDS (5A. Gastric juices, e.g.) and BURP (21A. Pat on the back as a baby); GENTLE (47D. Like caresses) and SNAPAT (9D. Answer in anger).
Beyond that, this puzzle simply UNLOADS crosswordese with seven-letter entries of AEROSAL, ATEAWAY and FATCATS; six-letter ABHORS, DEBTOR, DETECT, SPARSE; five-letter ARISE, ASHEN, BOOZE, BRAVO, CUMIN, CURBS, EMOTE, FEIGN, FORCE, GOFAR, IMBUE, LEVEE, OCTET, POSIT, RATES, STREP; four-letter ACME, AHEM, ALBA, AMMO, ANEW, AREA, AURA, BRAS, CLAN, DIOR, DODO, DRAG, EARN, ETAL, EURO, EXEC, EZRA, GAFF, GOLF, HERO, IRAN, ISIS, LEAR, MEMO, MOJO, NARC, NEWT, OREO, RUES, SEAM, SLED, TITO, TRUE, URIS, YENS and four little three-letter entries (say that three times fast, along with the following!) ACE, AXE, ARE and SEE (63A. “Get it?”), which clue was also the last entry of yesterday‘s puzzle, e.g., GETIT (71A. “Savvy?”) -- O.K., o.k., I got it!
That’s a wrap!
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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Across: 1. It’s full of holes and traps; 14. Zone; 15. Herb popular in Indian food; 16. Staff note; 19. Jessica of “Fantastic Four” films; 20. The “F” in the equation “F = ma”; 22. Sleigh; 23. Get up; 25. Loathes; 27. Usurer’s victim; 30. Throat condition; 31. Parisian streets; 32. Tiptop; 35. Drained of color; 38. “What ___ the odds?”; 39. Dumps (on); 41. Guitarist’s guitar; 42. Succeed in life; 44. It fills barrels; 45. Freshly; 46. Make believe; 48. Espy; 52. Hooch; 54. “Mr. __ risin’” (classic Doors lyric); 55. One always on the lookout for a deal; 57. Hotel room posting; 61. Wife of Osiris; 64. Longtime Yugoslav chief; 65. Flood preventer; 66. Surrounding glow; 67. List ender; 68. Play to the back of the audience; 69. Longings. Down: 1. Sailor’s hook; 2. Nabisco cookie; 3. King who was the father of Cordelia; 4. Moneybags types; 5. Starting pitcher; 6. Places to park; 7. Saturate; 8. New Look designer; 18. Guitar ___ (hit video game series); 24. Oil-rich land; 26. They’re uplifting; 27. Bummer; 28. Money since 2002; 30. Coal bed; 33. Extended family; 36. Company V.I.P.; 37. Former speaker Gingrich; 39. “Exodus” author; 40. Long-gone bird; 43. Kind of can; 45. Eroded; 49. Writer Pound; 51. Take as a given; 52. “Wonderful!”; 53. Wedding band, maybe; 56. Polite way to interrupt someone; 58. Loyal; 59. Pull in; 50. Watering holes

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