Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Puzzle by Richard Silvestri, edited by Will Shortz
MOUND clued as "Pitcher’s place" and "Go TOBAT for (defend)" are the other baseball entries. New to me were ALOES as a "bitter drug," El ALAMEIN as a "British victory site of 1942"; that DARTS is featured on TV in England; and almost new because I haven’t heard the word in years, "Rathskeller" decorations, which was unnecessary as the entries crossing STEINS built the word without a clue. I thought there was an apostrophe in "Land O Lakes." I really didn’t know that there’s a "Peter Principle“, defined by Webster’s as “the facetious preposition that each employee in an organization tends to be promoted until he reaches his level of incompetence."
I was taken aback at KIDNAP being clued as “Snatch.” Other clues giving pause were “Big jerk” for SPASM; “White House” for IGLOO; a LAV rather than a LOO for “W.C.”; “Part of N.B.” could be either NOTA or "bene." Thought about corn flakes for the clue "Post meal," wanted NOOK instead of ROOK for “Corner piece“. RIFLE is “Long arm?”.
People in the puzzle --LIAM O’Flaherty; the Earl of ESSEX; an Adak ALEUT; the operatic prince IGOR; ALAN of “Two and a Half Men”; Don Juan’s mother INEZ; Inventor ELIAS Howe; a PIPER (Highland musician); and the Canadian film and television actress NEVE Campbell.
Refreshments -- EVIAN, LATTE, REDPEPPER, STEAMERS, TACO, TEXMEX served in the MESS. Places are limited to SEDALIA and UTICA. Other long entries include EPILOG, LABOHEME, MOUSED, REVEAL, and SNOOZES.
Pairs -- NEVE and NOTA; TAD and ATON; ANY and ALL, SIN and SONS (a touch of the Prodigal). Initials -- PGA, CIA, ILA, LSAT.
Questionable definition -- “Of course!” for DUH. I say “duh” when I just don’t know at all!
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Across: 1. Course of action; 5. Big jerk; 10. Author O'Flaherty; 14. Jai ___; 15. White house; 16. Suffix with govern; 20. Continuously; 21. Grabs some shut-eye; 22. Bitter drug; 26. "Of course!"; 31. Sting operation; 35. Dockworkers' org.; 36. Beach washer; 37. Go too far onstage; 38. Leading the league; 41. W.C.; 42. Ledger entry; 43. Coffeehouse order; 44. Land O Lakes product; 46. Air Force hero; 47. Earl in the court of Elizabeth I; 51. Music booster; 53. Adak native; 54. With "El," British victory site of 1942; 58. Wild; 66. Operatic prince; 67. Perrier alternative; 68. Part of N.B.; 69. Puts on; 70. Query before a big event; 71. Revue segment. Down: 1. Snack in a shell; 2. One of TV's "Two and a Half Men"; 3. Give a hoot; 4. Snatch; 5. Sloth, for one; 6. Eagle shooters' grp.; 7. Every last bit; 8. End of some company names; 9. Pitcher's place; 10. Inspiration for "Rent"; 11. Don Juan's mother; 12. Plot component; 13. Post meal; 18. Not playing; 19. Hunted rodents; 23. Go (for); 24. Closing passage; 25. City in central Missouri; 27. Long arm?; 28. Inventor Howe; 29. Indoor game much seen on English TV; 30. Let slip; 32. Go ___ for (defend); 33. Erie Canal city; 34. Man of Principle?; 39. Clambake fare; 40. Adjective for a 1-Down; 45. I might signify this; 49. Clump of grass; 50. Rathskeller decorations; 51. Highland musician; 54. In the c enter of; 55. Block brand; 56. Loads; 57. Actress Campbell; 59. Corner piece; 60. Objecting to; 61. Exam for a would-be atty.; 63. Org. in "The Bourne Identity"; 64. Tiny amount; 65. To some extent.
The American Indians called soldiers and frontiersmen with rifles "long arm", because the rifle could reach out from a long distance and kill.
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