The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: July 2008

07.31.08 -- Heaven, Earth and Hell

A Soul Brought to Heaven, by Adolph William Bouguereau

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Thursday, July 31, 2008

Puzzle by Allan E. Parrish, edited by Will Shortz

Heaven, Earth and Hell get musical representation in today’s crossword with the interrelated entries of TOOMUCHHEAVEN (19A. 1979 Bee Gee chart-topper), RAREEARTH (34A. Band with the 1970 hit “Get Ready”) and HIGHWAYTOHELL (50A. 1979 AC/DC seven-time platinum album).

EPITAPHS (39A. Many Latin compositions) and WEREWOLF (30A. Professor Lupin in Harry Potter books, e.g.) are slightly related eight-letter entries, connected by the nine-letter COFFEEPOT (20D. One that’s “perky” in the morning) spilling down the center of the diagram.

STMARK (36A. One of the four evangelists, briefly) or a SCAMP (48A. Devil) may be present to greet the candidates, real or imaginary, past or present, including AMAHL (9D. Menotti title character); AUSTEN (33A. Creator of the Bennet family); CLINE (49D. “Walkin’ After Midnight” hitmaker, 1957); a CROONER (17A. Dean Martin, for one); ELS (58A. Golfer dubbed “The Big Easy”); HAHN (54D. Violin virtuoso Hilary) and HANA (51D. Mandlikova of tennis fame); 14D. Michael LEAVITT, Bush secretary of health and human services; 47D. Patrick MAGEE, 1996 Tony recipient for “Marat/Sade”; MAO (47A. Author of a once-popular books of quotations); ORR (2D. 1967 N.H.L. rookie of the year); SAYERS (44D. Football Hall-of-Famer Gale); 14A. Suffragist Elizabeth Cady STANTON; a TECHIE (8D. Computer whiz) and a TRAINEE (37D. Drill instructor’s charge) and an entire PHALANX (40D. Military wing).

WORSHIP (1A. Temple activity) leads off the remaining numerous seven-letter entries -- ANNEXES (62A. Takes over); BROCADE (15A. Wedding gown material); CANTATA (18A. Bach work); CHANNEL (60A. Where the buoys are?); EMINENT (16A. Distinguished); ENLARGE (55A. Blow up); ENTENTE (13A. Accord); MINGLED (38D. Got around at a get-together); RADIATE (56A. Emit); ROOTFOR (3D. Support, at a game); SACHETS (36D. Lingerie drawer items); SEDATES (61A. Puts under); TAMALES (8A. Tex-Mex treats) and TEENIER (59A. Smaller than small).

ARISE (43A. Come up) leads the five-letter entries -- 6D. Radio HANOI (onetime propaganda source); MOTTO (28A. Part of a seal); MUFTI (21A. Civvies); SCOOT (4D. Tear out); SEDAN (48D. Q45 or Grand Marquis).

An APE (35D. Koko who communicates through American Sign Language, e.g.) ushers in the remaining small fill -- ANTA, ARID, ERAS, FIFE, FORK, HAM, IDEM, ILE, MINE, PERU, MINE, MOW, OIL, ORCA and OSHA, SIP, SPED, TEE, UTE, WARE, WBC, WRIT.

Near the end of his life, W. C. Fields, was asked by a friend who caught Fields reading The Bible if he had become religious -- Fields replied, not at all -- "I'm checking for a loophole"!

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Search information -- Across: 23. ___ change; 24. QB’s stat.; 25. Great Plains tribe; 26. County of St. Andrews, Scotland; 4. Shot (off); 45. Yes, in Yokohama; 46. Let go. Down: 1. Fighters’ org.; 6. Footnote word; 7. Locale for Che Guevara in “The Motorcycle Diaries”; 10. Harbor danger; 11. Architectural pier; 21. Shorten, in a way; 22. Multipurpose truck; 26. Chess tactic that involves attacking two pieces at once; 27. Spot in la mer; 28. Half-and-half, maybe; 29. Department of Labor agcy.; 31. Post-Civil War Reconstruction and others; 32. Pottery; 33. Unimaginative; 41. Eggs Benedict ingredient; 42. Hardly a chug; 52. Judicial director; 53. Killer whale; 57. Gadget for 58-Down.

07.30.08 -- Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, detail of an oil painting attributed to John Taylor, c. 1610. National Portrait Gallery, London

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Puzzle by Elizabeth A. Long, edited by Will Shortz

SHAKESPEARE is the subject of today’s interrelated entries -- FANTASTICAND (20A. Part 1 of a quote attributed to Sam Goldwyn) ITWASALLWRITTEN (37A. Part 2 of the quote) WITHAFEATHER (52A. End of the quote), along with the notation of “When this puzzle is finished, the 11 circled letters in reading order will spell the subject of the quote starting at 20-Across”.

For the drama, there's a PASSEL (5D. Large quantity) of activity in this crossword -- SMACKDOWN (8D. Wrestling show), SLAUGHTER (35D. Cream), KNEECAP (25A. Gangster’s target, maybe), PAIN (41A. Pest), EDGY (30A. Nervous), TROD (58A. Trampled [on]); LAMB (1A. Symbol of gentleness); LENTO (9A. Direction for playing a dirge); ELATE (6D. Gladden); EVADE (10D. Avoid); MAINE (3D. “Murder, She Wrote” locale); BLOT (4D. Inky mess); 11D. “NOT an option”; ABYSS (21D. Chasm); PEONS (28D. Lowly types); ANGER (22D. Reaction to a snub, maybe); APART (38D. A sad way to grow); HEISTS (44D. The job in “The Italian Job,” and others); 56. “Now IVE seen everything!” -- all fodder for the feather.

The Cast: SADA (18A. Thompson of TVs “Family”); a TRIO (36A. Stooges, e.g.) and an ALUM (15A. Homecoming returnee); 49A. PHD candidate; DEGAS (63A. “La Toilette” artist); RAES (64A. Actress Charlotte and others), the AXIS (65A. W. W. II foe); an ARHAT (2D. Enlightened Buddhist); BWANA (47D. Swahili form of address); LINNEY (9D. Leading lady Laura); OYL (13D. Popeye’s Olive); STAN (29D. Laurel from England); IRINA (39D. Skater Slutskaya); SWEDES (45D. Early colonists along the Delaware); HEIDI (50D. Shirley Temple title role); and GODS and Monsters (1998 film).

ICEBERG (46A. Kind of lettuce) lays a bed for the food and drink which includes 5A. Goober PEAS; a SIP (45A. Hardly a gulp) of ALE (31A. Irish red, for one); SLOE (35A. Blackthorn); LIMAS (55A. Succotash ingredients); while SWALE (34D. Low marshland) and DROSS (51D. Cast-off-material) ameliorate any appetite. I think no one in the cast ATE (23A. Partook of) this OLIO (59A. Mixture).

The leftovers across: 14. Like some hygiene; 16. “It floats” sloganeer; 17. Home to Columbus; 19. Birth-related; 24. Comb maker; 29. Word part: Abbr.; 32. Places for crow’s-nests; 42. Horses of a certain color; 43. .001 inch; 44. Rheinland residence; 48. Foxtail feature; 60. “Wheel of Fortune” category; 61. Where St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday.

The remains of the day, down: 1. Spa sponge; 7. Auto make owned by Volkswagen; 12. TRA-la; 26. Magna CARTA; 27.Unfamiliar; 30. ELLIS Island, museum site since 1990; 32. City on Biscayne Bay; 33. Dusty place, traditionally; 36. Sporty car feature; 48. Previous to, once; 49. Jacob’s-ladder, for one; 53. Verdi’s “E il sol dell’anima,” for one; 54. “Julius Caesar” costume; 55. Played the first card; 57. Computer unit, informally.

"Suit the action to the word, the word to the action." William Shakespeare

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07.29.08 -- Great

Henry Andrews (18?-1868), William Pleater Davidge as Malvolio in Twelfth Night, c.1846

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Puzzle by David Kwong and Emily Halpern, edited by Will Shortz

"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them". - (Twelfth Night, Act II, Scene V, Wm. Shakespeare).

In today’s crossword, GREAT is replaced in the entries of THEDECENTGATSBY (17A. Mediocre F. Scott Fitzgerald novel?), GOODBARRIERREEF (27A. Mediocre place in scuba?), THENOTBADESCAPE (49A. Mediocre Steve McQueen film?) and OKAYBALLSOFFIRE (65A. Mediocre Jerry Lee Lewis hit?).

EITHEROR (10D. “Take you pick”) and SYNONYMS (40D. Roget’s listings) are INDEED (4D. “For sure!“) appropriate entries for a crossword’s CRAFTY (51D. Cunningly evil) clues, whether one CLOAKS (18D. Items of apparel for Dracula) or gives a PSEUDO (42D. False start?) to the solver.

With the exact same clue as his appearance in the June 23rd crossword, BOGIE (1A. “Casablanca” star, informally), headlines a parade of personages, ARLO (63D. Folkie Guthrie); BEA (66D. Arthur of “Maude”); BETH (1D. “Little Women” woman); ELO (23A. “Evil Woman” band, for short); ERICA (33D. “All My Children” vixen); EROS (39A. Bow-wielding god); GREG (Kinnear of “Little Miss Sunshine”); IONE (7D. Actress Skye); ITALO (70A. Novelist Calvino); KEN (69A. Barbie’s beau); LEEZA (21A. Gibbons of TV talk); LEON (64D. Trotsky of Russia); 25A. Daisy MAE, who went to Marryin’ Sam; 45D. Alley OOP; OPRAH (28D. First name in book clubs); 9A. Legendary cowboy PECOS Bill; RITA (43A. “Lovely” Beatles girl); and a mystery GUEST (27D. Spare room user).

Non-personage five-letter entries include ATEST (46A. Cold war-era blast, in headlines); CORAL (38A. Atoll makeup); EARNS (14A. Brings in); EATUP (34D. Thoroughly enjoy); FLARE (35D. S O S signal); INRED (32D. How mistakes are often marked); NYLON (73A. Hose material); 68A. In the PRIME of life; REHAB (30D. Place to get clean); RIATA (31D. Cowpoke‘s rope); RIGID (57A. Unyielding); SALSA (71A. Zesty dip); SANYO (44A. Sony competitor); SHARP (41A. Quick-witted); SKEIN (37A. Yarn buy); TIARA (16A. Bejeweled topper); and for those who tend to the romantic -- ONONE (29D. With 6-Down, ready to propose) and its four-letter partner, KNEE (6D. See 29-Down).

The remainders: ANTZ, ARAL, ARC, CASE, CUR, ELO, ESE, FIN, GAME, GLEE, HESS, HUGE, ILKS, ISNT,KIA, LBS, MOPS, MOWN, NON, OAHU, OKRA, OPE, ORBS, PTA, RIAL, SAYS, SET, TERA, TSK, UKR, UPN, WAIL.

This puzzle? Decent… Not bad… Good… Okay… GREAT!

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Search information -- Across: 6. Rio automaker; 15. Dijon denial; 20. Whopping; 22. Gas company that sells toy trucks; 36. It merged with the WB to form the CW; 48. Mean mutt; 52. Unlock, to a bard; 53. Kiev’s land: Abbr.; 54. Like a trim lawn; 61. Asia’s ___ Sea; 72. Match part. Down: 2. Honolulu’s home; 5. Suffix with journal; 8. 1998 animated film with a queen; 9. Group that usu. Meets at a school; 11. Scope out, pre-heist; 12. Planets or stars; 13. Comes out with; 19. Willing to go along; 24. Barbell abbr.; 26. ___ welder; 45. Alley ___; 47. Terse reproof; 50. Trillion: Prefix; 54. Unruly dos; 55. Gumbo vegetable; 56. Banshee’s sound; 58. Types; 59. High spirits; 60. George Harrison’s “___ It a Pity”; 67. One of a snorkelers pair.

07.28.08 -- Mondays

ANGEL (3D. Extremely well-behaved child)

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Monday, July 28, 2008

Puzzle by Roger Baiocchi, edited by Will Shortz

START (1A. With 21-Across, begin from scratch) ATSQUAREONE (21A. See 1-Across), TAKECENTERSTAGE (41A. Move into the limelight) and ENDUPINLAST (59A. With 73-Across, be beaten by the rest of the field) PLACE (73A. See 59-Across) are the interrelated entries of this Monday back-to-work crossword, along with 72A. SITE-specific (like the answers at 1-, 41- and 73-Across).

On the grade of easy to difficult from Monday to Saturday, the start of the week always seems so friendly., perhaps because solvers never get a day off -- Monday’s are the closest to a vacation. One could just pile up a few days’ puzzles and knock ‘em off mid-week. However, for most it is a fix, an addiction, a must-do every morning along with a cup of JOE (40. Coffee, in slang). If you worked Sunday’s crossword, with its voluminous amount of some of the smallest entries one could possibly cram into one puzzle, plus glyphs of up, down, left and right -- well, then you certainly know what I mean when I say Monday starts the week in a friendly manner.

The next longest entries of today’s crossword are those of six letters -- ANDHOW (55A. “Really!”); AROMAS (39D. Kitchen emanations); CAREEN (10D. Lurch from side to side); ENTRAP (50D. Nab in a sting operations); ERUPTS (48D. Totally loses one’s cool); RELISH (24A. Hot dog topping); SYLVAN (36A. Woodsy); THESES (22D. Dissertations); THRASH (5D. Defeat soundly); USEDTO (45A. Once did).

The welcome average-size entry of five letters makes up the bulk of the puzzle: ANGEL (3D. Extremely well-behaved child); ASNIT (70A. Peeved, after “in”); CUTUP (42D. Such a jokester); EAGER (17A. Zealous); ENNUI (53D. Ho-hum feeling); HENNA (56D. Dye in temporary tattoos); ISSUE (26A. Number of a magazine); INALL (29A. Entirely); IRAQI (7D. Baghdad native); LISTS (52D. Tilts); 57. OPTIC nerve; RENTS (66A. Lets or sublets); RUINS (23D. Aztec or Mayan cities, today); RULES (51A. Recreation center posting); SINUS (8D. Nasal congestion locale); SLANT (54D. Tilt); STEER (1D. Have the wheel of a car); TEASE (2D. Tempt); TENET (47A. Element of a doctrine); TENTH (14A. Tithing portion; TEXAS (9D. Sam Houston served as its president, senator and governor); WASTE (58D. Fritter away).

Monday brings us all those three- and four-letter friends -- AGEE, AHOY, AJAX, AKIN, ASI, BYTE, COMB, DOIT, DYNE, EASE, EGOS, EPA, ERIE, ESE, ESL, EXES, GEMS, GIST, GOOP, ISLE, LEES, LOGE, LTD, MANX, MOON, NOME, OHIO, OMEN, OMIT, RIOT, RTE, SEAL, SETS, SHED, SITE, SNAG, STAT, TEND, TUNE, VETO.

Have a great week -- start at square one, take center stage, and end up in first place!

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Search information -- Across: 6. Heart of the matter; 10. Hair untangler; 15. Great Lake touching four states; 16. Cry to a matey; 18. Tailless cat; 19. Emulate a mob; 20. WNW’s opposite; 27. Where to store a lawn mower; 33. Christmas ___ (holiday stamp); 44. “___ was saying…”; 46. Givers and receivers of alimony; 49. Sign from above; 63. Dump cleanup grp.; 64. Gunk; 65. It’s “catchy”; 68. Fail to mention; 69. Something to whistle; 71. 7-6, 2-6, 6-4, e.g. Down: 4. 66 on a map, e.g.: Abbr.; 6. Onyx and opal; 11. One of the states touched by 15-Across; 12. Apollo 11 destination; 13. Computer unit; 25. ___ of Wight; 28. Unit of force; 30. Cleanser whose name comes from Greek myth; 31. High-priced seating area; 33. Performers Peggy and Pinky; 33. Goals or assists; 34. Simplicity; 35. Related (to); 37. Bygone Ford; 38. Nix, presidentially; 43. Be inclined (to); 59. What modest people lack; 60. City south of the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve; 61. “Go ahead!”; 62. Writer James; 67. Course for a future U.S. citizen, maybe: Abbr.

07.27.08 -- Every Which Way

Sunday, July 27, 2008

GOING EVERY WHICH WAY, Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel and David Quarfoot, edited by Will Shortz

The main entries of today’s crossword feature directional glyphs -- eight entries contain two directions each -- either [up], [down], [left] and/or [right] are the following:
[Up] STAIRS [down] STAIRS (29A. Popular 1970s British TV series); [left] IT [up] TOCHANCE (38A. Took the risk); SIT [down] ANDSHUT [up] (125A. Exasperated teacher’s cry); [right] WHEREYOU [left] THEM (137A. Missing glasses location, usually); [down] THE [right] FIELDLINE (16D. Barely fair, maybe); STANDING [up] [right] (36D. Erect); [left] A [down] PAYMENT (72D. Secured, in a way, with “on”); ITS [right] [up] YOURALLEY (70. Sentiment suggesting “Try this!”).

The sixteen supporting entries each containing one direction each:

Across -- [down] BOY (16. Command to an overfriendly canine); ALL[right] (37. “Now you’re talking!”); THE [left] (71. Liberals); [down] SIZING (84. Cause of unemployment); S [up] DOG (91. Slangy street greeting); [right] ON (90A. “Amen!”); SET [up] S (95. Arrangements); [right] END (101. Football defensive line position).

Down -- DAM [up] (1. Block); [down] SHIFTED (31. Went from second to first, say); [left] ONBASE (38. Not brought home); [up] AT (41. Awake by); RESTED [up] (89. Took it easy); STAGE [right] (105. Common entry point); GO [down] (113. Happen, slangily); [left] EYE (140. Bazooka Joe’s working peeper).

As a sacrifice to the [up], [down], [left] and/or [right] gimmick, the remainder of the crossword is composed mostly of fragments and odds and ends, making for an unusual amount of small entries and their subsequent clues -- For a Sunday crossword, an average amount is somewhere around 120 or so, across and down.

Across: 1. 2003 Stanley Cup champions; 7. Portrays; 12. It’s found in many pockets nowadays; 20. Genus of poisonous mushrooms; 22. Brewing; 23. Pasta used in soups; 24. Actress Polo; 25. Nickname for a bodybuilder; 26. Flip; 27. Junior in the N.F.L.; 28. Bunch; 32. Bug; 34. Fraternity letters; 35. Dungeon items; 45. From ATO Z; 47. Radiate; 51. When a second-shift employee may get home; 52. City that overlooks a bay of the same name; 53. Opening screen option on many an A.T.M.; 56. “Think big” sloganeer; 57. One inside another; 59. Spot alternative; 61. Fine-tunes; 62. Split; 63. Abbr. in a real-estate listing; 64. Creator of the Tammany Hall tiger; 66. Tic-tac-toe plays; 68. Warner Brothers shotgun toter; 69. “Whose woods these AREI think I know”; Frost; 73. Actor Brynner; 74. INA rut; 76. Keats, e.g.; Ilk; 77. It May have two doors; 79. Ralph who co-wrote “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”; 81. Cartoonist Keane; 82. “The Praise of Folly” writer; 86. It might follow a slash mark; 91. Club alternative; 92. Slangy street greeting; 94. Ball with a yellow stripe; 98. Four-star hotel amenity; 99. J.F.K. info: Abbr.; 102. Old musical high notes; 103. Deuce beaters; 104. Where to pick up pick-up sticks; 106. Viking Ericson; 108. Summer Mass. Setting; 109. Bug; 110. “We AIMTO please”; 111. Nativity scene figures; 114. GINNIE Mae; 116. Stead; 117. Like most apartments; 119. A hyperbola has two; 121. Having stars, say; 122. Deliver, as a harsh criticism; 124. “Star Trek” TV series, to fans; 128. Shade of blue; 130. Kids drink from them; 132. Comedian Margaret; 133. Part of a shark’s respiratory system; 145. Genesis son; 146. Issue; 148. The second “R” in J.R.R. Tolkien; 149. Wrinkles; 150. Fan mag; 151. Pixar fish; 152. Africa’s ATLAS Mountains; 153. A super’s may be supersized; 154. Result of pulling the plug?; 155. Overflow; 156. Unesco World Heritage Site in Jordan; 157. Gives in return.

The exasperating bits and pieces with their nasty clues continues with the down entries: 2. Birds than can sprint at 30 m.p.h.; 3. Extensive; 4. One of a people conquered in 1533; 5. French orphan of film; 6. Camper’s aid; 7. Miss; 8. “IFAT first …”; 9. Arrangement of 40-Downs; 10. “Ain’t gonna happen” 11. Commercial prefix with foam; 12. Cyclades island; 13. Before: Abbr.; 14. Longtime Boston Symphony conductor; 15. Hollow center?; 17. Sugar source; 18. Read aloud; 19. Exclamation of surprise; 21. In itself; 31. Fasten with a pop; 33. Will Ferrell title role; 39. Off; 40. See 9-Down; 42. Bootleggers’ bane; 43. Son-in-law of Muhammad; 44. Go-ahead; 46. Common hockey score; 48. Proposed “fifth taste,” which means “savory” in Japanese; 49. Keeps; 50. Put forth; 54. “Do you want me to?”; 55. Tasmania’s highest peak; 58. Z-car brand; 60. International oil and gas giant informally; 62. Benedict III’s predecessor; 65. Misses, e.g.; 67. Negative; 78. Cipher org.; 80. T or F, e.g.: Abbr.; 81. Construction project that gave rise to the Ted Williams Tunnel; 83. Sphagnous; 85. Some taters; 86. Over; 87. Building component?; 88. Shrinking, perhaps; 91. Gone bad; 93. Frog legs, to some; 95. Hold off; 96. TV puppet; 97. Precept; 98. Pal of Kenny and Kyle; 100. Tach reading; 107. Alpine sights; 112. Behind; 115. “I’ll pass”; 117. Plush; 118. Connoisseur; 120. Pawned; 123. Head counts?; 126. Tristram’s love; 127. More gloomy; 129. Singer Mann; 131. “That’s AWRAP; 133. Look; 134. Footnote abbr.; 135. Impart; 136. Player’s call; 138. Behind; 139. “Bridal Chorus” bride; 141. Ground cover; 142. Early Chinese dynasty; 143. Choice word; 144. E-mail, e.g.: Abbr.; 147. Cartoon feline.

It's cold comfort that the arrow glyphs could possibly save time in a crossword that seems to shatter into way too many shards -- more a pile of rubble than a mosaic. Bug (today's Shortzesque clue) is used twice as a clue, once for 32A...

...and once for ANNOY (109A. Bug). Apropos!

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07.26.08 -- Dream

“The Bride” -- Jan Thorn-Prikker

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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Puzzle by Barry C. Silk, edited by Will Shortz

In the course of solving a crossword, it can be frustrating to encounter multiple and oddly-juxtaposed consonants and vowels, but that's the stuff of which puzzles are made. Today's sports a heavy dose. An in-progress solving may leave one with consecutive-square partial entries of illogical-looking fragments, e.g. EAEA, MRW, STK, XNA, OUE, RSK, QS, QT, QW with a couple of RH's, coyly embellished with an assortment of slippery clues. That, however, is just fine, for crosswords are often a SURREAL (45. Fantastic) wedding of a nightmare and a dream.

The solitary business of solving is well-represented here with the two long entries of the crossword, ROLLING STONE (7D. Drifter), which can be either a person who drifts from place to place or a rock or ground drill, and ELEANORRIGBY (21D. Title woman of song who “lives in a dream”). Comfort for the frustrated comes in the form of IGNOREIT (62A. “Nothing to get upset about”) and THERENOW (15A. Words of solace); while for the maven, there is MRWIZARD (1A. Conductor of many TV experiments) and IQTEST (9A. Many people get 100 on it); and for everyone there is STUMBLE (13D. Err); DWELLON (8D. Refuse to let go of) and EATITUP (12D. Fall for something hook, line and sinker) or just 42. “Let ITGO”!

Other long entries include BMOVIE (39D. They may have just one or two stars); BONANZA (40D. Ore galore); EBERHART (65A. 1966 Pulitzer-winning poet Richard); GOALIES (43D. Players with saving accounts?); INSPIRE (46D. Motivate); MTSINAI (1D. High point of the O.T.); 41D. San QUENTIN (Western pen); RHEBOKS (2D. Cousins of oribis and dik-diks); SEAEAGLE (17A. Hunter of fish); STKITTS (47D. Columbus discovery of 1493); SYSTOLES (67A. Heartbeat halves); TYPESET (14D. Ready to be put to bed); WEANERS (3D. Stockbreeding devices).

Five- and six-letter entries -- AKRON (28A. Home of minor-league baseball’s Aeros); ANGIO (6D. Hospital procedure, for short); BLUNT (50A. Direct); DANES (53D. About 5.5 million Europeans); 57A. Mount Saint ELIAS (Alaskan/Canadian peak); EZINES (64A. Periodicals with unturnable pages); HEATUP (18A. Get intense); INTOTO (60A. Completely); ISSUE (32A. Children); LILLE (20A. Where Charles de Gaulle was born); LOUISE (24D. New York congresswoman Slaughter); MAHALO (31D. Oahu “thank you”); OILLIT (25A. Like some old lamps); OASIS (44A. Haven); OATES (52D. She won the 1970 National Book Award for Fiction); OXNARD (52A. Ventura County’s most populous city); QWEST (10D. Big telecom company); SANEST (66A. Touched the least); SLIME (22A. Goo); SWEATY (16A. Like some palms); VANNA (55A. The Guinness book once dubbed her “television’s most frequent clapper”).

Three- and four-letter -- APET (34A. Miffed, after “in”); BBQS (39A. Things associated with pits and spits, briefly); GNAT (33A. Snack for a dragonfly); IBMS (35A. Many servers); 19A. Scottish : Mac :: Arabic : IBN; IRE (4D. Cause of an explosion); ISTO (26D. What a colon may mean); MINX (36D. Coquette); MOUE (48A. Unhappy face); MULE (31A. Obstinate type); NOEL (23A. Advent number); NOES (30A. They don’t respond favorably); NONE (66A. Touched the least); NOOR (49A. U.S.-born Jordanian queen); NOSH (37A. Bite); ONE (51A. Small note); ORSK (54A. Second biggest city in Russia’s Orenburg region); RHO (63D. P); RPI (59A. The Engineers of N.Y.’s Liberty League); SORT (58D. Stripe); TBS (27A. “Frank TV” airer); TEAL (11D. Pond denizen) and ZEAL (5D. Antithesis of apathy).

Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been/ Lives in a dream/ Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door/ Who is it for?/ All the lonely people/ Where do they all come from ?/ All the lonely people/ Where do they all belong ? -- lyrics, Eleanor Rigby, The Beatles

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07.25.08 -- Idols & Idyls

Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, AP photo

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Friday, July 25, 2008

Puzzle by John Farmer, edited by Will Shortz

The entry of JUMPINJACKFLASH (7D. Rolling Stones hit just before “Honky Tonk Women”) sports 12 black squares on its sides that fairly well divide this crossword in half, while the three remaining squares to either side of the 15-letter entry both contain ONE in the entries of ONEONONES (31D. Some court contests) and APOLLOONE (8D. Ill-fated NASA effort) and NAN (38A. Britton who wrote “The President’s Daughter,” 1927) as the three-letter across entry binding the down entries. SOJOURNERS (30A. Visitors) and TIMEPIECES (40A. Ones with read faces?) connect the center to the four corners of the crossword.

It appears that with “The President’s Daughter” Nan Britton wrote what is considered to be the first kiss-and-tell book, one in which she claimed to have been the mistress of President Warren G. Harding, and that Harding was the father of her daughter, Elizabeth Ann. One passage mentions their making love in a coat closet in the executive office of the White House. Déjà vu!

The remainder of the crossword DIDOK (44A. Got by), utilizing entries of far less sensation with the exception perhaps of UPACREEK (16A. In Dutch); MORTALLY (18A. How some are offended); NOOSE (27A. Sue Grafton’s “N”); STOOLS (61A. They may be lined up at the bar); HASHEESH(62A. Weed); WATTLE (22A. Turkey‘s dewlap) and IDOLIZE (41D Put on a pedestal).

Across: 1. Spell; 7. Crams; 15. Continue the journey; 17. Least hospitable; 19. Cobbler, at times; 20. Practice; 21.

LESE-majesté; 23. Tribulations; 25. Baseball’s Belinsky and Jackson; 26. Prickly area of a prickly pear; 29. “Should IOR shouldn’t …”; 35. Cousin of a woodcock; 39. Fifth-century pope, the first to receive the title “the Great”; 43. Mac; 45. Rebelled; 48. “Calvin and Hobbes: bully; 51. Part of the N.C.A.A.’s purview: Abbr.; 52. Look daggers; 53. Start of a “Name That Tune: bid; 55. Text te-hee; 56. “Your children are not your children” poet; 57. Bank of America Stadium team; 59. Attire; 60. Inclusive words, fittingly?; 63. Herbs of the mint family.

Down: 1. Goal of middle management?; 2. Quaker Oats product; 3. Acting; 4. Must; 5. TV announcer who played himself in “Bananas”; 6. Some specials; 9. Jazz pianist/composer Williams; 10. Tax fig.; 11. Landlocked ARAL Sea; 12. One with a high Q score; 13. Five-time Horse of the Year, 1960-64; 14. Celtic canines; 24. Former union members: Abbr.; 28. Apnea specialist, for short; 32. Shortage in a rush-hour subway; 33. Not intended for just a single application: Var.; 34. Dry state; 36. Walker, quickly; 37. Grand; 42. Intimate; 46. Base of support; 47. Legendary MacGregor; 48. Child prodigy of “Heroes”; 49. Florida’s OCALA National Forest; 50. Lords of London; 54. Have a little something; 58. Invention that’s not thought highly of -- LIE.

As to the origins of Jumpin’ Jack Flash, The Rolling Stones’ Richards has stated that he and Jagger wrote the lyrics while staying at Richards' country house, where they were woke up one morning by the sound of the gardener, Jack Dyer, walking past their window. When Jagger asked what the noise was, Richards responded: "Oh, that's Jack - that's jumpin' Jack." However, Jagger said in a 1995 interview with the publication Rolling Stone that the song arose "...out of all the acid of Satanic Majesties... It's about having a hard time and getting out. Just a metaphor for getting out of all the acid things." Hear it HERE.

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