09.24.08 -- Humming


Humming Bird - Karin Kuhlmann
------------------

Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Puzzle by Lynn Lempel, edited by Will Shortz
HUMMINGBIRD (17A. One of the “dumbest dumb animals,“ according to 60-Across), ITSREALLYTIMEHE (27A. Start of the reason the 17-Across is one of the “dumbest dumb animals”) LEARNEDTHEWORDS (46A. End of the reason) and GEORGEBURNS (60A. See 17-Across) constitute this crossword’s interrelated entries. While there are plenty of quotes attributed to Burns, I ran out of patience in a search to find today‘s; however, there are many cartoons in reference to same (see link at end of commentary).
Other long entries are HOLYTERROR (11D. Imp plus); SIRGALAHAD (29D. “Le Morte d’Arthur”); BUMMERS (4D. Lousy breaks); and FORSURE (45D. Definitely).
Six-letter -- ORIOLE (5D. Orange-and-black flier) and AVIARY (8D. Home for a 5-Down, maybe); DAYONE (48D. The beginning); ENDEAR (47D. Make lovable); MARMOT (9D. Rockies rodent); NAMATH (18D. M.V.P. of Super Bowl III); SLEEVE (39D. Elbow locale); WEEBIT (49D. Tad).
Five-letter -- ALAMO (6A. Battle to remember, with “the”); AMOUR (14A. Frequent Jacques Brel song subject); BARED (35A. Shown in full); BIMBO (1A. Empty-headed sort); EDGAR (41A. Award for Best Novel won three times by Dick Francis); EDGES (32D. Outer reaches); HEADS (37A. Chairs); HEARD (31D. Found out); IMPEL (27D. Force); IRATE (65A. Steaming); LIANA (50A. Tropical vine); MANIA (64A. Craze); NAVAL (15A. Like the Battle of Trafalgar); ROBOT (25A. Unpaid factory worker); SAMOA (20A. Polynesian land); TEPEE (68A. Conical home); TRADE (28D. Vocation); TREKS (67A. Wilderness walks); VESTA (56A. Goddess of home and family).
Three- and four-letter -- ANG, ANTE, BAH, BIB, DAHL, DYE, ELMS, ERIK, FORE, GAS, GMT, HOW, IMUS, JOAD, JOWL, LABS, LEER, LID, LSD, MOMA and ROMA, MRIS, ODE and ODIE, OLD, OOH and OOPS, PAL and PAR, RAG, RYES, SAM, SEE, SLOE and TOE, TRAP, WEDS, WPA.
Off-topic, Googling George Burns, I came across THIS!
-----------------
For today’s cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
Click on image to enlarge.
Puzzle available on the internet at
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.
Xword search information -- Across: 11. “And ___!”; 16. Work by Gray or Spenser; 19. Eye protector; 21. Walton who founded Wal-Mart; 22. Some Jim Beam quaffs; 23. Classic Main Street liners; 33. Pics for docs; 34. Corn locale; 36. Course number; 40. Car wash item; 51. Unpleasant look; 52. “The Grapes of Wrath” surname; 54. Easter egg brightener; 59. “Golly!”; 63. F.D.R. employment initiative; 66. Trip provider? Down: 1. “Humph!”; 2. ___ in the Morning”; 3. Guggenheim alternative in N.Y.C.; 6. Taiwanese-born director Lee; 7. Where many cultures thrive; 10. Out of vogue; 12. Jon’s comics canine; 13. Ends an engagement; 22 Home of the Galleria Borghese; 24. Gin flavoring; 26. Something to drool over?; 38. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” author; 42. Perennially parched; 43. Protein-producing substance; 52. Bloodhound feature; 53. Bungler’s cry; 55. “CHiPs” actor Estrada; 57. Decoy; 58. Start to date?; 60. Clock setting at 0 degrees longitude: Abbr.; 61. Fuel on the range; 62. Witness.

2 comments:

kuhli said...

Hi Donald, to illustrate your article you used my artwork "Hummingbird". Regretably the link provided with this is broken. I would really appreciate it if you could correct it. The correct URL is: http://karin-kuhlmann.artistwebsites.com/featured/humming-bird--abstract-art-karin-kuhlmann.html

Thank you,
Karin Kuhlmann

DONALD said...

Karin

Link repaired... and may I say what a beautiful work!

Donald