05.14.08 -- Linemen

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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Puzzle by Doug Peterson, edited by Will Shortz

FREQUENTFLIRTER (17A. Singles bar habitué?); PARTYASYOUGO (28A. Do some barhopping?); ALPINESKIRTS (47A. Dirndls?); MARTINCHARACTER (63A. “Wild and crazy guy” on the old “S.N.L.”?) along with RTS (71A. Football linemen, for short, caught in 17-, 28-, 47- and 63-Across?) are this crossword’s inter-related entries -- the idea being, I gather, that omitting the RT in each of the longer entries produces something different, e.g., frequent flier, pay as you go, alpine skis, and main character. This makes a plodding solve, uninteresting and unrewarding -- it must be me, I’m sure. It didn’t help that I kept recalling dreidel instead of dirndl -- and that I never noticed 71A until I began writing this commentary.

There's even less kick in the remainder of the puzzle -- ONEACROSS (3D. This answer intersects it) and OPERASTAR (36D. Callas or Sills) are the two nine-letter entries; CARDROOM (10D. Hold’em venue) and THANATOS (40D. Death personified, in ancient Greece), the eight.

Seven-letter entries include POSTURE (39A. Stooped shoulders, e.g.); GLIMPSE (41A. Quick peek); CATSEYE (7D. Certain marble); and ONAWHIM (45D. For the heck of it). Six-letter, UNDIES (22A. Intimate wear, informally); ALKALI (55A. Lye, e.g.); NYQUIL (24D. Vicks brand); TOGGLE (26A Two-position switch); SEENIN (31D. Tended to by the butler, say); and GLINKA (32D. “A Life for the Tsar” composer).

Five-letter, AKRON, AMAZE, BROOK, CLARE, FIRST, FLEES, IAMBS, LOOPY, MARCO, NOLAN, OUTIE, PAULI, PINUP, QUEEG, SCOFF, SENSE, SHEAF, SUSHI. Four-letter, AHEM, ALOU, ASTO, BANA, CRUZ, ESAU, ICAN, IMAC, LIKE, LUAU, OARS, ORES, PAIN, PEPS, PSST, QUIT, RENT, REST, SPIN, TEXT, WIFE, YEPS. Three-letter, AMA, ANA, APE, AUR, AXE, CIN, CPA, ELO, ESP, ETA, IAN, LAS, MSU, MTS, OFF, WBC, WOO.

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Across: 1. Send roses, perhaps; 4. Polo name; 9. Pooh-pooh; 14. “Atonement” author McEwan; 15. Harvest bundle; 16. Physics Nobelist Wolfgang; 20. Twin in Genesis; 21. Geog. Feature; 23. The Reds, on a scoreboard; 25. H; 27. Lie down on the job?; 33. “Rockaria!” grp.; 34. Bogart role; 35. Daft; 43. Unagi or tekka maki; 44. Ryan with 5,714 strikeouts; 46. Eerie ability; 50. “Not if ___ help it!”; 53. Santa ___ winds; 54. Internists’ grp.; 57. Pugilists’ org.; 60. In the matter of; 66. Put up with; 67. Tear-out from a Playboy magazine; 68. Rail-splitter’s tool; 69. Pick up on; 70. Flabbergast. Down: 1. The “Judy” of Punch and Judy; 2. Dinghy movers; 4. East Lansing sch.; 5. Call for attention; 6. Monopoly expense; 8. Not working; 9. Washer or dryer action; 11. Nave designation; 12. Takes off; 13. “For starters …”; 18. Cease; 19. Island shindig; 28. Fires (up); 29. Baseball’s Felipe or Moises; 30. Gold: Prefix; 37. Alternative to “Hey!”; 38. Informal assents; 42. Scale syllables; 48. Nuisance; 49. Non-PC purchase; 50. Feet in a meter; 51. St. ___ of Assisi; 52. Goodyear’s home; 56. Take a shine to; 58. Eric of “Munich”; 59. Santa ___, University of California city; 61. ___ message; 62. Sources of nickel, e.g.; 64. Tax season V.I.P.; 65. Zoo attraction.