09.01.08 -- Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves by Nicola Sedgwick

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On-Line Monthly Bonus Puzzle, September 2008

Autumn Leaves by Fred Piscop

If you subscribe to The New York Times on-line Premium Crosswords, you are probably familiar with the monthly puzzle -- chock-full of interrelated entries with a title to match. For September, the title of the puzzle is Autumn Leaves, and true to the season there are plenty of…well…leaves!

Across: 1. Lily PAD (floating leaf); 12. Opening words from a tea leaves reader; 14. Stuffed GRAPE leaves (Greek salad item); 15. Turn OVER a new leaf; 18. Japanese beetles feed on its leaves; 19. Leaf coral, e.g.; 21. Leaf through a magazine, say; 38. Leaf of a calyx; 39. Product of the burned residue of tobacco leaves; 44. Tree with toothed leaves; 47. Leaf opening; 51. Area bounded by veins in a leaf; 54. Drop-leaf table support; 58. Bay leaf, e.g.; 63. SAGE leaf (turkey stuffing ingredient); 65. Home among the leaves; 66. Curry leaves have a distinct one; and 68. Maple Leafs’ org.

Down: 8. Home of hockey’s Maple Leafs; 11. Leaves producer; 13. “A New Leaf” star ELAINE May; 24. Country whose emblem is the maple leaf; 25. LOOSE-leaf binder; 26. Jagged, like a leaf edge; 27. Leafy vegetables; 31. SHAKE like a leaf; 41. Leaf-raking month; 43. “Maple Leaf Rag” composer Scott; 49. Dish of leafy vegetables; 52. Leaf through; 54. Coated with gold leaf; 55. Plant with fleshy leaves; and 56. Where Adam and Eve sported fig leaves.

Non-leaf clues and/or entries include the acrosses of 4. Bikini parts; 8. The U.S.’s last mustachioed president; 16. Aspirin unit; 17. Hard-hit baseball; 23. Fleming who created 007; 24. Director Joel or Ethan; 25. Impart; 27. Transcript stat; 29. Hidden reserve; 33. Handed-down tales; 34. Part of a set of clubs; 36. Workplace watchdog org.; 37. Hugs, on cards; 40. Old U.S. gas brand; 42. Like an oboe’s sound; 43. Leno monologue bit; 46. Code-cracking org.; 48. Itar-TASS (news agency); 50. Enjoy brandy, say; 59. Boxer Ali; 61. Altar affirmations; 64. Mete out; 67. Promgoer’s partner. Downs: 1. Dot on a die; 2. Yard sale caveat; 3. Editor’s strikeout; 4. Mold-ripened cheese; 5. “Atlas Shrugged” author; 6. Companion of Tarzan; 7. SERBO-Croatian; 9. State frankly; 10. FESS up (admit guilt); 14. Secluded valley; 20. Roll of dough; 22. Hi-RES graphics; 28. John, Paul and John Paul; 30. Fur tycoon John Jacob; 32. Aesopian loser; 33. Leopold’s co-defendant of the ‘20s; 34. Haifa’s land: Abbr.; 35. Like some grins; 45. Shakespearean prince; 47. Three Stooges missile; 50. “Right now!” in the O.R.; 51. Facetious words of understanding; 53. Descartes’ “therefore”; 57. “”Well, I’ll be!”; 60. In the style of; 62. Cardinal cap monogram.

While the abundance of clues and entries related to the puzzle’s title may make the solving a bit easier than some would want, the unveiling of the crossword is a pleasant trip, perhaps one could say akin to a ride through the country to look at the changing colors in autumn.

Take it slow and gawk, speeding through will just be a blur! If anything, Fred Piscop’s monthly puzzles prove that getting there is half the fun!

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

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