08.19.08 -- "Huh?"

Kicks 106.9

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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Puzzle by Harriet Clifton, edited by Will Shortz

YOUREBREAKINGUP (20A. “Huh?”); CANYOUHEARMENOW (25A. Comment after 20-Across); IDIDNTCATCHTHAT (44A. Comment after 25-Across); ILLTRYREDIALING (50A. Comment after 44-Across) are the interrelated entries featured in today’s crossword.

“Huh?” could be a clue for just about anything -- I’m not enamored of long entries in crosswords that can be solved only by getting a majority of the crosses and not by their own clue, theorizing what someone may or may not say or have said -- however, here it gets a free pass because of the reference to lost telephone communication or the lack of it. Still, “Huh?”?

THEARTS (43D. Opera, ballet and so on) are given a fair amount of space today with entries bracketed by BWAY (1D. N.Y.C. theater district, for short) and the LOOP (13D. Chicago district, with “the”); ARIAS (38A. Andrea Bocelli deliveries); TOSCA (64A. Puccini opera); SCAT (6A. Sing like Ella Fitzgerald); 22D. “IRMA la Douce”; the BEAST (1A. Admirer of Beauty, with “the”) and SCAR (4D. “The Lion King” villain); NAOMI (27D. One of the Judds); WYATT (33D. Jane of “Father Knows Best”); and a LYRE (52D. Stringed instrument of old).

Cross-referenced entries and their clues -- GRAY (58D. With 8-Down, source of an ethical dilemma); and AREA (8D. See 58-Down); ETTU (12D. Caesarean rebuke) and IDES (50D. When 12-Down was uttered); UNIT (63A. The “U” in 21-Down) and BTU (21D. Abbr. on an appliance sticker).

Other long entries -- APTLYPUT (38D. Well said) and TANKARDS (9D. Big mugs) of eight letters; THREEON (5D. Bases loaded), seven; ATONCE (10D. “A.S.A.P.!”); DATSUN (45D. Bygone Japanese car name); SCORCH (6D. Burn with an iron); TODATE (46D. Until now), six letters.

Five-letter -- AGAIN (34A. Not just once); 26D. “Ha! That‘s AGOOD one!”); AROAR (17A. Loud, as a crowd); CACTI (25D. Desert flora); EDINA (29D. Minneapolis suburb); NATCH (31D. “But of course!”); 32D. OMNIA vincit amor; ROPER (61A. Rodeo contestant); SMOKY (67A. Like a cigar bar); TACIT (43A. Like something communicated with a wink and a nod); WELCH (14A. Longtime G.E. chief with the best seller “Jack: Straight from the Gut”).

Four-letter -- ABEL (10A. Genesis victim); ALOU (3D. Baseball’s Moises); BING (11D. Cherry variety); COOP (37A. Restrain, with “up”); CORA (15A. Mrs. Dithers in “Blondie”); COVE (7D. Place to moor a boat); DADA (35A. Word from the crib); 59A. DAYS Inn; ECRU (62A. Neutral shade); EERO (2D. One of the Saarinens of Finland); EMIT (54D. Throw off); ETNA (40A. Sicilian spewer); 56D. IPSO facto; LACE (51D. Valentine decoration); LOOM (55D. Appear ominously); NECK (57D. Chicken part that’s good for soup); 42A. ONOR about (roughly); ONTO (19A. Not duped by); OPEN (42A. Say “one club,” say); OVEN (18A. Place for a roast); PUMA (60A. Wild cat); RUNE (53D. Letter in a mysterious inscription); SEEN (65A. In the public eye); TETE (66A. Head of France?) and TITO (16A. 1950s-’70s Yugoslav leader).

Three-letter -- AMY, AOL, ARC, CRI, EAT, ORE, TOM, YIP and ETC.

MYBATTERYISDEAD (Comment after 50-Across). Or, “Huh?”

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