04.23.08 -- Ride 'em, Cowboy!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
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Puzzle by Stephen Edward Anderson, edited by Will Shortz
QUICKSILVER (17A. Mercury); HAIRTRIGGER (60A. Easily set off, as a temper); CHARTTOPPER (11D. #1 on the Hot 100); and TALENTSCOUT (25D. Discoverer of stars?) are today’s inter-related entries -- horses for The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy and Tonto comprise the second half of each entry. RIDEEM (30D. With 27-Down, western cry) COWBOY (27A. See 30-Down)!
Ridin’ the high country are the seven-letter entries including ENCLOSE (4D. Hem in); HADABIT (38A. Ate, but not much); INASTIR (29A. All riled up); OKAYGUY (46D. Nice enough fellow); and Neil Simon’s “Lost in YONKERS” (49A.).
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Close on their heels are the six-letter entries: AUGURY (12D. Prognostication); BOARDS (54A. SATs); ETCETC (55A. And so on and so forth); FAKEIT (5D. Try to get by through bluffing); HOTOIL (23A. What French fries are fried in); ICESIN (9D. Strands after a blizzard); ISOBAR (39D. Weather map line); NODICE (50D. “I ain’t buyin’ it!“); ONDUTY (31A. Working the desk, say); PECAN (48D. State tree of Texas); SALIVA (18D. Spit); SITCOM (47D. Soap alternative); SKIRUN (21A. Where to spend time with moguls?); STEPPE (47A. Part of the Kazakhstan landscape).
Kickin' up the dust are the five-letter entries of ARENA, ASSTS, CURED, ENNUI, EYERS, FCLEF, , LEANT, MENSA, PHONO, PIECE, STRIP, STRUT, TILTS, TOADY.
The posse includes the four-letter words BIRD, EROS, HIRE, IOUS, MIST, ONUS, OPIE, OTIS, OTRO, PERK, RULE, SESS, SPIN, THEA, VIEW and three-letter extras, AGO, AMT, CRU, DOT, EAR, EER, EMS, ESE, FAQ, GAP, HAP, HUH, INS,LEI, NBA,NCO, OSO, PBS, RDS, REV, SCI, SOU -- I’m sure I missed one or two hidin’ in them bushes, keep an eye out fer them rattlers!
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Across: 1. Low pitch symbol; 6. Prepare for a physical exam; 11. Upper limit; 14. Where the action is; 15. Not the whole thing; 16. “Say what?”; 19. In the past; 20. Wasn’t quite vertical; 26. Poli ___; 28. Other, in Zaragoza; 33. Listing in Hoyle’s; 34. Tower-top attraction; 36. Bear, in Bilbao; 37. Chicago-to-Pittsburgh dir.; 40. “Bill Moyers Journal” airer; 51. Fine spray; 52. Type measures; 57. Courtier; 59. Barracks boss, for short; 65. Bygone French coin; 66. “I’m so bored” feeling; 67. Smoked or pickled; 68. Tsp. or qt.; 69. Paralegals, e.g.:; 70. Oglers. Down: 1. Help page rubric; 2. Premier ___ (wine designation); 3. Grass skirt accessory; 6. English; 7. Pinball game stoppers; 8. Gun in the garage?; 10. Free use of a company car, say; 13. LP player; 23. Engage; 24. Big burden; 32. Pixel; 35. Wave catcher?; 38. Chance; 41. Word with early or whirly; 42. Legis. Meeting; 44. “La Belle et la ___”; 51. It has a test of brightness; 53. Walk proudly; 56. Sister and wife of Hyperion; 58. Former newspaper publisher ___ Chandler; 61. Elected group; 62. M.A. hopeful’s test; 63. Suffix with election; 64. Pikes, e.g.: Abbr.

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