04.18.08 -- Theme

Friday, April 18, 2008

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Puzzle by Joe DiPietro, edited by Will Shortz

Four sets of three nine-letter entries are the theme of this puzzle:

Upper left, down: NETLEASES (1. Certain rental arrangements); AQUAVITAE (2D. Spirits); BUTTEDOUT (3. Quit meddling).

Upper right, across: STEPASIDE (6A. “This is how it’s really done …”); PUTABIDON (16. Tried to buy); ONTHEMEND (18. Improving).

Lower left, across: LAKEHURON (57. Site of Mackinac Island); OPENSFIRE (62. Begins to attack); WENTTOBED (64. Retired).

Lower right, down: APPLEPIE (34D. Americana symbols); COUPDETAT (35. Takeover); EXPOSGAME (36. Bygone Montreal event).

Theme? Well, yes… it makes as much sense as any description.

BRINY (29D. Ocean blue) crosses SANIBEL (38A. Florida island) in the center of the puzzle -- radiating out to the four corners with the following clues:

Across: 1. Films are shown in them, NABES; 15. It’s all for the Italians, TUTTO; 19. Map line: Abbr., LAT; 20. Jazz singer Carmen MACRAE; 22. You can see right through it, PANE; 23. Become balanced, EVENOUT; 25. Note taker?, TELLER; 27. Its closing duet is “O terra, addio”, AIDA; 28. “About Last Night…” co-star, 1986, ROBLOWE; 31. Pay a visit to, STOPAT; 33. Angel’s garb, ROBE; 34. Domino with one spot, ACE; 37. Lac contents, EAU; 40. Curse, POX; 41. Position, SET; 42. Common noun suffix, TION; 43. Blunder, SLIPUP; 45. “Please? Please? Please?”, WILLYOU; 47. Rival rival; ALPO; 48. What big eyes they have, OGLERS; 51. Exam takers now, exam givers later, PREMEDS; 53. Café NOIR; 54. Weekly World News newsmaker, ALIEN; 56. Identify, informally, PEG; 60. Grammy-winning Baker, ANITA; 63. Best by far, CREAM; 65. Sampling, TASTE.

Down: 4. Put away one’s groceries, EAT; 5. Films can be shown in it, SLOMO; 6. Pal, SPORTO; 7. Main ingredient in tekka maki, TUNA; 8. Suffix with super, ETTE; 9. Cry of disgust, PAH; 10. Former Japanese P.M. Shinzo ABE; 11. “That’s easy”, SIMPLE; 12. Best, IDEAL; 13. “Holy Sonnets” poet, DONNE; 14. Rear-ENDER; 21. Docks, CURTAILS; 24. Be off one’s guard, NAP; 25. “Indeed!”, TOBESURE; 26. “The Seven Year Itch” co-star; EWELL; 30. High return, LOB; 32. Moving, ASTIR; 39. Cambodia’s Lon NOL; 44. “IAM Woman” (1972 #1 song); 45. “You WERENT kidding!”; 46. Theorized, OPINED; 48. Simmering, ONLOW; 49. Freak out, GOAPE; 50. Compare, LIKEN; 52. Pass, ENACT; 54. Bust ARIB (laugh hard); 55. It’s handed down, LORE; 58. Barkley was his V.P., HST; 59. One might be involved in a hoax, UFO; 61. Colt’s fans?, NRA.

ALIEN (54A. Weekly World News newsmaker)

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