08.05.08 -- Mr. Exist

STAR (10A. Dwarf or giant, maybe)

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Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Puzzle by Joon and Caroline Pahk, edited by Will Shortz

ANAGRAMMEDNAMES (62A. What the clues for 17, 27- and 48-Across all contain) is the entry/clue of the four interrelated entries, counting itself, of this Tuesday crossword.

VLADIMIRNABOKOV (17A. Writer who created the character Vivian Darkbloom). In Lolita, Vivian Darkbloom is the female writing partner of Clare Quilty (Humbert’s shadow and double). Quilty is a successful playwright and child pornographer who takes a liking to Lolita from an early age, following Lolita throughout the story and kidnapping her away from Humbert. Lolita confuses Humbert by telling him that Vivian is a man and Clare is a woman. After Quilty’s death, Vivian writes Quilty’s biography. Just for the record, full name: Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov

JIMMORRISON (27A. Singer who nicknamed himself Mr. Mojo Risin’). Who was 'Mr. Mojo'? Mr. Mojo makes his appearance in the song L.A. Woman. The verse in part -- Mr. Mojo Risin' Got to keep on risin' Mr. Mojo Risin'. Mojo is black slang for sexual prowess. The tempo steadily increases in the song, rising if you will a la orgasm. Also known as The Lizard King, also the name of The Doors was Morrison’s idea, inspired by a quote from William Blake -- "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear as it is, infinite." Full name: James Douglas Morrison

EDWARD GORY (48A. Author/illustrator who used the pseudonym Ogdred Weary) wrote many of his books under pseudonyms that were usually anagrams of his own name represented today by Ogdred Weary. Some of these are Regera Dowdy, Raddory Gewe, Dogear Wryde, E. G. Deadworry, D. Awdrey-Gore, Wardore Edgy and Groeda Weyrd. Full name: Edward St. John Gorey

MISTERX (53A. Unidentified man) is also a pseudonym of sorts with the possibility of its bearer being revealed via anagram as MR. EXIST.

Of course, when it comes to anagrams, then ADZE (1A. Woodworking tool) twists into a DAZE; TESLA (5A. Real-life scientist played by David Bowie in “The Prestige,” 2006) could be LEAST; STAR (10A. Dwarf or giant, maybe), RATS; LIED (14A. Perjured oneself), IDLE; TABS, BATS; REEL, LEER; RIFE, FIRE; STEN, NETS; AXLE, AXEL; LANA, ANAL; ELI, LIE; EDDA, DEAD; MESA, SAME; METES, TEEMS; SADE, ADES; ENE, NEE; MARS, RAMS; HITS…uh, that’s enough!

SIMILAR (25D. Akin) leads off the remaining more-than-five-letter entries which include 9D. Samuel Barber’s “ADAGIO for Strings”; AGONIZE (21A. Suffer); BROKAW (24D. Tom who wrote “The Greatest Generation”); DERATE (49D. Lower the allowed electrical capacity of); and SATIRE (31D. “Saturday Night Live” genre), which neatly crosses SKITS (40A. “Saturday Night Live” bits).

Five-letter entries -- 20. Edgar ALLAN Poe; ASSAY (34D. Analyze, as ore); ATEAM (43A. Mr. T Series, with “The“); BORNE (19D. Carried); ILIAD (15A. Work that begins “Sing, goddess, the wrath of Peleus’ son…”); ELITE (57A. Upper crust); EVANS (37A. Newspaperman Harold); ESTES (70. Adlai’s 1956 running mate); ISITI (28D. Last Supper query); JIHAD (27D. Fanatics wage it); LTGEN (51D. Three-star officer: Abbr.); MEYER (44D. “The Great Gatsby” gambler Wolfsheim); QATAR (32D. Doha’s land); STONE (10D. See 6-Down), which is ELI (6D. With 10-Down, ABC series starring Jonny Lee Miller) and I’ve never heard of Eli Stone or Jonny Lee Miller; TAINT (67A. Besmirch); UNITE (33D. Hook up).

The remainders: ALIA, ALVA, ARCS, ATOZ, COMA, DILL, DIS, DTS, ESTE and ESTES, GLEN, IMAX (59D. Big movie fan’s option?); INIT and INTO, IRE, ISEE, ISITI and ITIS, LAMA, LYE, MALT, MIT, ROVE, SAFE, SIR, TATA, TELL, TIKI, TIM, TITO and VITO, XMAS (56D. Brief holiday?), and ZEAL (3D. Fervor) which anagrams nicely to LAZE.

Nominatim, MISTER X is MR. EXIST, 32A. Sine QUA non -- Solo Dark Blond!

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Search information: Across: 16. Older brother of Michael Jackson; 22. Keep __ on; 26. Spleen; 35. Words said with a nod; 36. Unwakeful state; 39. The 40 of the Top 40; 42. End of an illness?; 45. Inter ___; 46. “Toodles!”; 47. Talk smack about; 51. Caustic cleansing agent; 52. Stagger; 66. Teeming (with); 68. Shake alternative; 69. British gun); 71. Revolutionary car part? Down: 1. Thomas ___ Edison; 2. Salmon garnish; 4. Snorri Sturluson work; 5. Late newsman Russert; 7. Walter Scott title; 11. “Kon- ___”; 12. All-inclusive; 13. Travel the country; 18. Preoccupied with; 23. They may be drawn with compasses; 30. Badlands sight; 38. Don Corleone; 41. Marquis de ___; 50. Narrow valley; 53. Location of Olympus Mons; 54. Still alive; 55. Out’s opposite; 58. One-L person, in an Ogden Nash poem; 60. Distinguish; 61. Direccion from which the sun rises; 63. Cambridge sch.; 64. Suffix with ethyl; 65. The shakes, for short.