06.29.08 -- 9 ½ K
Sunday, June 29, 2008
TEN GRAND SURPLUS, Puzzle by Tony Orbach and Patrick Blindauer
Nine inter-related humorous entries are featured in this Sunday puzzle by inserting ten K’s into standard phrases, et cetera -- SHOWMETHEMONKEY (22. Impatient kid’s plea at a zoo?); TRIPLEKLUTZ (31. Worrisome type at a china shop?); AFTERASKORT (48. Seeking the right women’s tennis attire?); PLANKAHEAD (54. Warning sign on a pirate ship?); WINKWINKSITUATION (61. Source of some inside humor?); BARKTENDER (71. Tree doctor?); AVERAGEJOKE (82. Your basic “So this guy walks into a bar …”?); GUNKCONTROL (94. Use of steel wool, e.g.?); INFLATABLEKRAFT (110. Cheez Whiz you could blow up?).
Across: 1. City once called Eva Perón; 8. Jim Belushi’s costume in “Trading Places”; 15. Cross stock; 19. Napoleon’s relatives; 20. Romance; 21. Reform Party founder; 24. Minneapolis suburb; 25. Four: Prefix; 26. Wipe out; 27. Animal with an onomatopoeic name; 28. More kempt; 29. Big name in computer printers; 33. X-rated; 36. Sea route; 39. “That hurt!”; 40. Count with a severe overbite; 43. Villa RICA (town near Atlanta); 44. Dwellers along Lake Victoria; 50. Love overseas; 51. Maker of the old Royale; 52. “Get it?”; 53. Insinuating; 57. Gold medalist skier Hermann; 59 Miss Piggy’s pronoun; 60. “Presto!”; 67. Name on a plane; 69. The dark side; 70. Young hog; 75. City WSW of Dortmund; 77. Geom. Point; 89. 24-hr. convenience; 81. Dope; 85. Disastrous drop; 88. Rabbit’s title; 89. Certain hand-held; 90. LESE majesté; 91. Brand-new to the language; 93. Gulf; 98. Palate appendage; 101. Butch Cassidy, for one; 102. EAT crow; 103. Peaks; 105. Swingers’ stats; 109. “Be that as ITMAY …”; 113. What a rake does; 114. Thaw; 115. Traveler’s temptation; 116. Once, in the past; 117. Hellish; 118. Bears witness.
Down: 1. In case; 2. Workout aftermath; 3. Churchyard unit; 4. Jack who wrote the lyrics to “Tenderly”; 5. Intend (to); 6. Nursery items; 7. Cartoon dog; 8. Father of Deimos and Phobos; 9. Apple or pear; 10. Comedic Philips; 11. Punch with a stick; 12. Take apart; 13. Become blocked, in a way; 14. Christie contemporary; 15. Took a two-wheeler; 16. “A Masked Ball” aria; 17. Music for a baseball team?; 18. Movie lover’s cable channel; 21. Have a quick look from the hallway, say; 23. Geiger of counter fame; 28. Alternative to J.F.K. and La Guardia; 30. Rain hard; 31. “TACT teaches you when to be silent”; Disraeli; 32. Prepare to chat, maybe; 33. Some hand-helds; 34. Golden pond fish; 35. Be something special; 37. Padded; 38. Laugh, in Lille; 41. Type of eye surgery; 42. Practically pristine; 44. Thurman of “Kill Bill”; 45. “When You AREIN Love” (1912 tune); 46. Actress Patricia; 47. Concession stand purchase; 49. Opera’s KIRI Te Kanawa; 50. Settled (on); 54. Luau fare; 55. Converse competitor; 56. Holler’s partner; 57. Use shamelessly; 58. Gray area?: Abbr.; 59. Co. with a butterfly logo; 61. Nature’s aerators; 62. Nikita’s no; 63. White wine aperitif; 64. Soyuz launcher; 65. Lots; 66. South Pacific kingdom; 67. “Voice of Israel” author; 68. Org. with peace-keeping forces; 72. Stock ticker’s inventor; 73. 1958 Best Actor David; 74. “DRE Day” (1993 rap hit); 75. Flush (with); 76. Arid; 77. Perfume brand; 78. Boxing stats; 79. There are 435 in Cong.; 82. Seed cover; 83. Ben-Gurion carrier; 84. Author portrayed in the miniseries “The Lost Boys”; 86. Indiana city near the Michigan border; 87. Spoils; 88. Illegal record; 91. Sly; 92. Boneheaded; 94. Deceit; 95. Out-and-out; 96. When doubled, sings; 97. Something to believe; 99. Roxie’s dance partner in “Chicago”; 100. “USEIT or lose …”; 103. Lead-in to girl; 104. Battle of Normandy city; 106. Streisand, to friends; 107. “IFAT first you don’t succeed …”; 108. Orch. Section; 110. Wallet items, informally; 111. Darth Vader’s boyhood nickname; 112. Chess piece: Abbr.
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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Across: 1. City once called Eva Perón; 8. Jim Belushi’s costume in “Trading Places”; 15. Cross stock; 19. Napoleon’s relatives; 20. Romance; 21. Reform Party founder; 24. Minneapolis suburb; 25. Four: Prefix; 26. Wipe out; 27. Animal with an onomatopoeic name; 28. More kempt; 29. Big name in computer printers; 33. X-rated; 36. Sea route; 39. “That hurt!”; 40. Count with a severe overbite; 43. Villa RICA (town near Atlanta); 44. Dwellers along Lake Victoria; 50. Love overseas; 51. Maker of the old Royale; 52. “Get it?”; 53. Insinuating; 57. Gold medalist skier Hermann; 59 Miss Piggy’s pronoun; 60. “Presto!”; 67. Name on a plane; 69. The dark side; 70. Young hog; 75. City WSW of Dortmund; 77. Geom. Point; 89. 24-hr. convenience; 81. Dope; 85. Disastrous drop; 88. Rabbit’s title; 89. Certain hand-held; 90. LESE majesté; 91. Brand-new to the language; 93. Gulf; 98. Palate appendage; 101. Butch Cassidy, for one; 102. EAT crow; 103. Peaks; 105. Swingers’ stats; 109. “Be that as ITMAY …”; 113. What a rake does; 114. Thaw; 115. Traveler’s temptation; 116. Once, in the past; 117. Hellish; 118. Bears witness.
Down: 1. In case; 2. Workout aftermath; 3. Churchyard unit; 4. Jack who wrote the lyrics to “Tenderly”; 5. Intend (to); 6. Nursery items; 7. Cartoon dog; 8. Father of Deimos and Phobos; 9. Apple or pear; 10. Comedic Philips; 11. Punch with a stick; 12. Take apart; 13. Become blocked, in a way; 14. Christie contemporary; 15. Took a two-wheeler; 16. “A Masked Ball” aria; 17. Music for a baseball team?; 18. Movie lover’s cable channel; 21. Have a quick look from the hallway, say; 23. Geiger of counter fame; 28. Alternative to J.F.K. and La Guardia; 30. Rain hard; 31. “TACT teaches you when to be silent”; Disraeli; 32. Prepare to chat, maybe; 33. Some hand-helds; 34. Golden pond fish; 35. Be something special; 37. Padded; 38. Laugh, in Lille; 41. Type of eye surgery; 42. Practically pristine; 44. Thurman of “Kill Bill”; 45. “When You AREIN Love” (1912 tune); 46. Actress Patricia; 47. Concession stand purchase; 49. Opera’s KIRI Te Kanawa; 50. Settled (on); 54. Luau fare; 55. Converse competitor; 56. Holler’s partner; 57. Use shamelessly; 58. Gray area?: Abbr.; 59. Co. with a butterfly logo; 61. Nature’s aerators; 62. Nikita’s no; 63. White wine aperitif; 64. Soyuz launcher; 65. Lots; 66. South Pacific kingdom; 67. “Voice of Israel” author; 68. Org. with peace-keeping forces; 72. Stock ticker’s inventor; 73. 1958 Best Actor David; 74. “DRE Day” (1993 rap hit); 75. Flush (with); 76. Arid; 77. Perfume brand; 78. Boxing stats; 79. There are 435 in Cong.; 82. Seed cover; 83. Ben-Gurion carrier; 84. Author portrayed in the miniseries “The Lost Boys”; 86. Indiana city near the Michigan border; 87. Spoils; 88. Illegal record; 91. Sly; 92. Boneheaded; 94. Deceit; 95. Out-and-out; 96. When doubled, sings; 97. Something to believe; 99. Roxie’s dance partner in “Chicago”; 100. “USEIT or lose …”; 103. Lead-in to girl; 104. Battle of Normandy city; 106. Streisand, to friends; 107. “IFAT first you don’t succeed …”; 108. Orch. Section; 110. Wallet items, informally; 111. Darth Vader’s boyhood nickname; 112. Chess piece: Abbr.
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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
Thank heaven your blog is not filled with trials and tribulations of solving, preaching and moanings about difficulties or the opposite -- this blog's posts are down to earth and totally unique!
ReplyDeletethepasserby
Everytime I darkened in another K, I felt like I was at a baseball game with some unhittable ptcher!!!! I remember Jim Belushi in the ape suit on the train but I liked him better in Mr. Destiny.
ReplyDeleteI just loved this one. GUNK CONTROL was my favorite theme answer, although I went to bed last night with several blank squares in the southwest corner. I looked with fresh eyes this morning...suddenly remembered ELKHART, and the rest just flowed!
ReplyDeletethepasserby -- oh if you look around, you'll find me kvetching here and there -- thanks for the "unique" though!
ReplyDeletealanrichard -- oh, those K's -- try as I could, Belushi in an ape suit I can't remember or find on the internet, maybe I didn't look hard enough -- but I did see the film, so...
ReplyDeletelinda g -- oh yes, my life could use a litte GUNKCONTROL! As you know, blogging is an insidious addiction swallowing up one's responsibilities to the point of... well, madness!
ReplyDeleteI would comment here, but the log in makes it difficult -- is it necessary?
ReplyDeleteIf you mean the "word verification", it keeps automatic spam from attaching itself to the comments in the guise of an individual message -- some of this spam is diagreeable -- I'd rather give up comments than take on junk. It's not that difficult to type in the word verification -- and as you probably know, you can sign in as anonymous or whatever id you like.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment.
Please oh please tell me why "Music for a baseball team?" (17D) is NONET because I am at the end of my rope here.
ReplyDeleteIn music, a NONET is a composition which requires nine musicians for a performance.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, there are nine players on a team in baseball. Not the best of clues, and a bit silly, but that's crosswords.