10.20.08 -- Change Direction

Monday, October 20, 2008

Puzzle by Daniel Raymon, edited by Will Shortz

CHANGEDIRECTION (38A. Take a new path … or a hint to 20-, 36-, 41- and 57-Across), along with NORTHTHORN (20A. Prickle in Alaska?); WESTSTEW (36A. Simmered dish in California?); EASTSEAT (41A. Chair in Maine?); and SOUTHSHOUT (57A. Scream in Alabama?) are the interrelated entries of this Monday back-to-work crossword and are in need of no explanation.

It is interesting to note, however, the near echoing of the interrelated entries with STINT (1D. Time in the army, say) and STORM (1A. Tempest) in the opening corner, matched by STENT (54D. Medical tube); and SMART (67A. Sting) in the closing.

Other longer entries include RESTRAINT (4D. Curb); PRAGMATIC (11D. Hardheaded); CASESTUDY (35D. Examined example); STOCKHOLM (37D. Capital on the Baltic Sea); and OVERSEER (8D. Manager).

Five- and six-letter entries include AERIE (10D. Eagle’s home); AORTA (52D. Line from the heart); ASCII (33A. Computer character set, for short); ASIDE (48D. Parenthetical remark); DETEST (45D. Abhor); ELTON (64A. Singer John); ETCHER (6D. Artist working on glass); GOTCHA (25D. “You fell for it!”); HOCKS (42A. Pawns); HORDE (61A. Multitude); 17. “IREST my case”; JIGSAW (27D. Interlocking puzzle); LUIGI (50D. Mario’s brother in Nintendo’s Mario Bros.); SILOS (7D. Missile holders); TUDOR (53D. English royal house after York); TYPEA (14A. Energetic almost to a fault); TYROS (2D. Neophytes).

Three- and four-letter -- ABA, ACED, AJAR, ALF, AQUA, APED, AWNS, BEOK, BESS, CLEO, DOER, DRAC, DYE, EDIE, EEL, EGGO and ERGO, EQUI, ESOS, ETO, FLEA, GEM, IGOR, KATS, KAYE, MATH, PATS, PERK, RAGE, RAH, RUDD, SAW, SEWS, SHES, SHAY, SLIT, SOON, TBA, TIVO, TSAR, TSE, WIGS, and WIT (36D. Punning and such).

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The Tampa Bay Rays celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series.