07.07.08 -- Honey, I Shrunk the Puzzle!

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, 1989

-----------------

Monday, July 7, 2008

Puzzle by Bob Klahn, edited by Will Shortz

IOTA, HINT, ATOM, TRACE and BIT are contained in five otherwise wholly unrelated entries -- PATRIOTACT (17A. Antiterrorism legislation of 2001); STITCHINTIME (20A. Proverbial saver of nine, with “a”); MARISATOMEI (35A. “My Cousin Vinny” Oscar winner); PENNANTTRACES (54A. Classic battles between the Giants and Dodgers, e.g.); DEBITHOMAS (58A. 1986 world champion American figure skater).

“What’s in those circles?” probably won’t come to anyone’s mind as they work this mini-Monday back-to-work-after-the-long-July-the-fourth-weekend. The Times publishes its supposedly easiest puzzle on the first day of the work week, so stopping to see what’s in the squares with circles most likely happens when the solver completes the crossword, whereupon it all becomes smaller and smaller and smaller -- honey, I shrunk the puzzle!

All the standards are here -- ABE, ALIBI, ANAIS, ARISTA, BEREA, BOXER, CNOTE, DUCT, ELIA, ENDUP, ENOS, EROS and ERSE, ESTEEM, EVE, EXACTA crossing EXETER, HEM (30A. Pants part) along with its Shortzesque partner SEAT (62A. Pants part), HITAT, IDLE, INA, ISAIAH, ISITI, LOCH, MESH, MINOR, MIT, MIX, NAT, NONAME, OILY, OLLA, ONHIGH, OTTO, OVER, PAL, PERM, PESTO, PORE, QANTAS, RBIS, REHAB, REPOSE, REPTILE, REQ, ROB, ROOMIE, SAP, SETTEE, SHOT, SINAI, SIR, STLO, SURREAL, TELE, TRAC, ULA (41D. Diminutive suffix), YESMAN.

Seen less often: 45. “Keep it simple, STUPID”; SHARP (28D. On the ball or on the dot), OSTINATO (9D. Recurring melodic phrase), TENORSOLO (34D. Pavarotti performance), AIRSTREAM (4D. Wind tunnel tunnel), INTANDEM (36D. Working together) and NOOGIE (25A. Playful knuckle-rub), the latter which is often committed as a cruel act to a defenseless individual.

The Incredible Shrinking Man, 1957

-----------------

The shrunken clues:

Across: 1. Mount ___, Ten Commandments locale; 6. Normandy invasion town; 10. Sweat opening; 14. Writer Nin; 15. Cupid; 16. Genesis son; 19. Gun blast; 22. Snake or alligator; 26. Eggs ___ easy; 27. Suck-up; 31. Kentucky’s ___ College; 33. Try to strike; 39. Word with Asia or Ursa; 40. Ultimately become; 43. Necessity: Abbr.; 49. Earthen pot; 50. Bet on a one-two finish; 52. Dreamlike; 57. “Beetle Bailey” bulldog; 62. Pants part; 63. “The Last Tycoon” director Kazan; 64. “I was at a movie theater when it happened,” e.g.; 65. Highlands Gaelic; 66. What gears do; 67. Tyson or Holyfield.

Down: 1. Maple syrup source; 2. Bull ___ china shop; 3. Turner who led a revolt; 5. “Lord, ___?” (Last Supper query); 6. Certain sofa; 7. ___ II razor; 8. ___ Ness monster; 10. Green Italian sauce; 11. Like angels we have heard?; 12. Dormmate; 13. Think the world of; 18. Greasy; 21. Unbranded; 22. Steal from; 23. December 24, e.g.; 24. Salon job; 29. Sch. In Cambridge, Mass. 32. Record label for the Kinks and the Grateful Dead; 38. Not doing anything; 42. Buddy; 43. Tranquility; 44. New Hampshire prep school; 45. Airline with a kangaroo logo; 47. Book after Song of Solomon; 48. It’ll bring a tear to your eye; 51. Equivalent of 10 sawbucks; 53. Place to “dry out”; 55. The “T” of TV; 56. Diamond stats; 59. Blend; 60. President Lincoln; 61. Madam’s partner.

Too small to see? -- SOU (37D. Trivial amount)!

-----------------

For today’s cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.