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.

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.

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.