09.21.08 -- Y, the Diagramless

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Diagramless Puzzle by Byron Walden, edited by Will Shortz

With imagination, one can make out a Y-shaped pattern in the center of this diagramless puzzle, which supports the entries of DIVINING ROD, TUNING FORKS, ANTIBODY, WISHBONE, GOAL POSTS, SLINGSHOT and, of course, YSHAPED.

Across: 1. Sky blue; 6. Adjust the relative value of, as a currency; 7. *Branch of hydrology?; 13. Turns target; 14. “Me neither”; 15. *Orchestra members’ aids; 19. What candles sometimes signify; 21. Science of the ear; 22. Hearth residue; 25. Plenty; 27. Common complimentary close; 28. “ARLO and Janis (comic strip); 29. First name in the Bible alphabetically; 31. Common U.R.L. ending; 32. Time for a shower; 33. Inflated; 35. See 61-Across; 36. Rubberneck; 37. Common U.R.L. ending; 39. Matterhorn, for one; 40. “Son of Frankenstein” drudge; 42. Start of a Latin 101 conjugation; 43. Fall tool; 44. Competed; 46. Locale for a massage; 47. Gauge with units in cubic feet; 49. 2000 George Clooney film, familiarly; 51. *Resistance fighter?; 52. *Chicken leftover; 53. Guide for the Magi; 54. Whence the Magi; 55. Word that describes the answers to the six asterisked clues; 61. With 35-Across, commits oneself publicly; 62. Audience member with a hidden agenda.

Down: 1. Severe dryness; 2. “ZEN and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”; 3. News inits. Since 1958; 4. Stimpy’s cartoon pal; 5. Yuletide quaffs; 7. Fruit-bearing palm; 8. Post-O.R. destination; 9. Chianti or Soave; 10. Actor Calhoun of old westerns; 11. Sitcom planet of the 1970s-’80s; 12 Unsettled state; 16. Lunch time; 17. Stick stuff that sticks stuff; 18. Setting in many a western; 19. Certain Gulf Stater; 20. *Ends of some fields; 23. *Dennis the Menace zinger?; 24. Not finally fill, as an employment position; 26. Farm female; 28. Likely; 30. Of very little value; 32 Disparaged; 34. Nosed (around); 35 Defense story; 36. Crazy in love, maybe; 38. With 41-Down, like triple plays in baseball; 39. Swear to; 41. See 38-Down; 43. Singer McEntire; 45. Capital of Qatar; 48. Univ. on the Charles River; 50. “Frank TV” channel; 55. Word that describes the answers to the six asterisked clues; 56. Speedway letters; 57. “Malcolm in the Middle” dad; 58. Wanted poster abbr.; 59. Autograph hound’s need; 60. D. C. winter setting.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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