07.12.08 -- Noah's Dove

Gen 8:11 -- And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluck't off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. Illustration by Gustave Doré
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Saturday, July 12, 2008
Puzzle by Myles Callum, edited by Will Shortz
Some crossword puzzle blogs comment on each and every entry/clue -- well, whatever makes the boat float -- so, for today, a shipload of interjections:
Eleven-letter entries, two groups -- Upper left corner across: CRANKCALLER (1. 911 pest, e.g.), bad people; WOMENINLOVE (15. D.H. Lawrence novel made into a 1969 film), good film; and TOSSEDSALAD (17. Many a first course), thought destination or education. Lower right corner across: DINNERDATES (56. Restaurant parties, often), something to do with catering, but no; AVOCADOPEAR(60. Fruit with a pit, to a Brit), cute clue; and NOTEPASSERS (62. Clandestine classroom communicators), reminded me of The 400 Blows.
Ten-letter, another two groups -- Upper right corner down: HEADSTARTS (12. Track edges), not the sides, the advantages; STRESSFREE (13. Unpressured), doctor's orders; and TEDDYBEARS (14. Comforters on kids' beds), mine was a giraffe. Lower left corner down: STALEMATES (26. Play halters), thought of a clothing item; TRIOSONATA (27. Any one of Handel's Op. 2 pieces), nice-looking entry; and PILOTLIGHT (28. Longtime flame?), romance and Arlington Cemetery came first to mind.
Nine-letter -- KNEEHOLES (5D. Desk features), not in my Webster's, and NINTENDOS (35D. They're hooked up to some TV's), not on my monitor.
Eight-letter -- ANISETEA (49A. Aromatic herbal quaff), not at Starbucks; and MISADDED (20A. Had sum problems), or had "some".
Seven-letter -- DARENOT (39D. Be more than reluctant to), why not?; FUNSTER (40A. Clown), jester didn't fit, Fenster is an Addams; LOLITAS (9D. Alluring adolescents), wicked; LOOKSAD (38A. Be down, apparently), had feel sad; SANTAFE (34A. Home of the Museum of International Folk Art), been there; TRIPLES (32A. Makes a big hit), my team could use a few.
Six-letter -- AILEEN (36A. Quinn who played Annie in film), that too-cute musical; DANTES (21D. "The Count of Monte Cristo" hero), only when you need a plural of Dante; ELENAS (23D. "Uncle Vanya" wife and others), aka Helena and Yelena; LLAMAS (8D. Cud chewers), not cattle; NUANCE (43D. Shade), not a tree; OLDSAW (29A. "A penny saved is a penny earned," e.g.), not adage or saying and not plural; PEKOES (33D. Sri Lanka exports), more tea; RUBIES (47A. What a virtuous woman is worth more than, according to Proverbs 31:10), a real gem; SANEST (42A. Least likely to crack), or safest; SHEBAT (22A. 30-day winter month), usually spelled shevat; TIERRA (37A. Land at a Spanish airport?), terra with an i; WATUSI (30D. Mashed potato alternative), not food.
Five-letter -- NESTS (4D. Flight destinations), clever clue; 11D. "Yet do thy cheeks look REDAS Titan's face": Shak. , the Bard always gives class to fakakta entries; SEDAN (46D. French city that shares its name with a car), also salon; SOAPS (48D. Bars that gradually get smaller), not cellphones; SMOTE (19A. Hit with a heavy blow), many times fatal; SASSY (25A. Flip), entry with umpteen definitions; MOLES (45A. Ones with shovellike feet), my spell-check wants to hyphenate shovel-like; 61A. NOAHS Dove (the constellation Columba).
Debris -- AMSO, ANS, ARD, ATEE, BDS, CID, CWTS, EAP, ESTO, ETE, ETH, EVAS, FEB, HEAR, HST, NTSB, RDA, ROOM, SAT, SES, SSRS, STP, TAG, TIVO -- all those friendly little standard crossword bits and pieces the clues of which on Saturdays are as cloaked as imps and monsters.
Peace.
Click on image to enlarge
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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Search information: Across: 12. V.P. between Wallace and Barkley; 16. Time for Tours tourists?; 18. Dull finish?; 26. 1999 Clorox acquisition; 31. Fed. accident investigator; 41. Idaho motto starter; 44. Parisian possessive; 55. Follow closely (along); 59. Archaic ending; 61. Got into the swing, say. Down: 1. 100-lb. units; 2. Study, e.g.; 3. Childish retort; 6. Enemy of the Moors, with "the"; 7. True, at times: Abbr.; 10. NASA spacewalks; 24. What directors sit on: Abbr.; 40. . American Heart Mo.; 50. It can stop the show; 52. Exactly, after "to"; 53. Catch, in a way; 54. Bygone grp. of 15; 57. "To Helen" writer's inits.; 58. Salt std., e.g.

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