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Friday, September 12, 2008
Puzzle by Natan Last, edited by Will Shortz
Ole! Today we are treated to a PASODOBLE (1A. Dance that simulates the drama of a bullfight), ISTHISLOVE (14A. 1978 Bob Marley hit whose title words are sung four times before “… that I’m feelin’”) and a BOOGALOO (37D. Energetic 1960s dance with swiveling and shuffling) -- no time to be lolling in LALALAND (56A. Daydreaming) -- on your toes!
Why not COTTONTO (35D. Start to like) this puzzle? It crackles with the entertaining and the original -- we’ve a CHOCOHOLIC (17A. One needing kisses, say), not a Catholic; KOALABEARS (20A. Furry folivores) and QUAKEROATS (47A. Company that makes Aunt Jemima syrup), is there a recipe here?; SWOOSH (31A. Sound at an auto race), not Nike; a TYPO (19A. Nooks for books, maybe), which doesn‘t happen with two-hand typing, B is typed with the left and N, the right; and ZEES (18A. Jazz duo?), when will I ever learn?
OHCOMEON (4D. “You have got to be kidding!”) leads the conversational entries which include AHSO (16A. Faux Japanese reply); AMENS (25A. Believers’ comments); SING (46A. Snitch); OKEYDOKEY (61A. “You got it!”); oh gosh and OSHKOSH (6D. City at the mouth of the Fox River); STOP (3D. Ticklee’s cry); TSKTSK (43D. “I’m very disappointed in you”) -- get out the BULLHORN (21D. March instrument?), let‘s go ONSTRIKE (23D. Out)!
Out? Out could be anything, and while we’re at it, who will be drilling today, what kind of drill and to what end -- well, it’s DENTISTS (42D. They know the drill), and like “load”, “stevedore” is noun and verb - so someone STEVEDORED (59A. Worked the docks). Ha! I GOTLOOSE (27A. Escaped) that pitfall! Think PORK (60A. Waste of Congress?) might be the work of an EVILDOER (9D. Baddie)?! I wasn’t AWARE (25D. Au courant)!
A touch of drama with OSIRIS (40D. God of life, death and fertility who underwent resurrection) and DIO (5D. The Divine, to da Vinci), BLOOD (7D. Shade of red) and MOOD (22A. It may be set with music) and MOURN 6D. Keen); HAUNT (34A. Trouble in a way) and ASHY (2D. Cadaverous).
DRUB (24A. Cudgel) and GRUB (10A. Chuck wagon fare); PORK and PARK (52D. See 10-Down) where you’ll find a GAZEBO (10D. Shady spot in a 52-Down) with a POODLE (41A. Winston Churchill’s Rufus, for one) in PAISLEY (41D. Pattern sometimes called “Persian pickles) -- enough!
The remains across: 32. It holds the line; 33. Foot of the Appian Way?; 35. Locale of some mirrors; 36. Letter-shaped girder; 38. Lord John Boyd ORR, winner of the 1949 Nobel Peace Prize; 39. Study, say; 44. Turned up; 45. Child’s play, perhaps; 51. Area next to an ambulatory; 55. Letter-shaped fastener; 58. Days of old.
Downs: 1. Early Inverness resident; 8. “She was LOLA in slacks” (part of an opening soliloquy by Humbert Humbert); 11. Cousin of a cassowary; 12. USER fee; 13. One with fire power?; 15. Trick-taking game; 27. Nutrition units; 28. Some essays; 29. “A Lonely Rage” autobiographer Bobby; 30. The farmer’s wife in “Babe”; 31. Did a farrier’s work; 46. Song verse; 47. Canal cleaner (please, please, please do not stick a QTIP in your ear!); 48. Menu option; 49. Teacher of Heifetz; 50. Fashion model Wek; 53. Ko-Ko-s dagger in “The Mikado”; 54. Current happening?; 57. Kick in.
Encore!
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TEEN PUZZLEMAKER WEEK -- All the daily crosswords this week, Monday through Saturday, have been contributed by puzzlemakers under the age of 20. Today's crossword is by Natan Last, 17, of Brooklyn. He is a first-year student at Brown University. This is his sixth puzzle for The Times.
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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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