12.25.08 -- AAUGH!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Puzzle by Eric Tentarelli, edited by Will Shortz

Three 15-letter entries utilizing the names of nine National Football League teams for three questionable clues are the main feature of this crossword -- BROWN BRONCO COLT (20A. Chestnut-colored mustang offspring?); CHIEF TEXAN SAINT (38A. Main dedicatee of an Austin cathedral?); GIANT COWBOY BILL (55A. Hefty invoice for boots and spurs?).

Other long entries include ALAN ALDA (8D. Star of Broadway’s “QED,” 2001-01); AUTOBAHN (41D. Famously fast route); CLASSICAL (18A. Section in a record store); ECOTOURS (40D. Trips through rain forests, maybe); NOT SO SURE (62A. On the fence); SLOWPOKE (4D. Snail).

Six-letter entries -- ALBEDO (48D. Light ratio in astronomy); ALICES (10D. Walker, Cooper and others); KANSAS (46D. Home of Fort Scott National Historic Site); SACRUM (6D. Pelvic bone); SCREEN (19D. Present for viewing … or prevent from being viewed); TUNICS (39D. Prefix with romantic).

Five-letter -- AARON (17A. Sorkin who created “The West Wing”); AGNEW (34D. Predecessor of Ford); ALERO (16A. Bygone Olds); AMPLE (27A. Like the space around a first-class seat, say); 26D. CAIRN terrier; CAIRO (30D. The City of a Thousand Minarets); CLASP (1D. Choker component); GYROS (54D. Spinners); LOCHS (24D. Ness and Tay); 9A. MADAM secretary; MASON (9D. Brick placer); METES (32D. Doles out); 47A. David NOLAN, founder of the Libertarian Party; OHARA (66A. Last name of Kipling’s Kim); OSAKA (33A. Pitcher Hideo Nomo’s birthplace); OSHEA (25D. Dublin-born film star Milo); PENNE (5D. Pasta salad ingredient); PIXEL (28D Dot); PUREE (44A. Food processor setting); RADIO (63A. Dashboard item); RIFLE (14A. Rummage); SASSY (67A. Fresh); SNEAD (69A. Masters champ of 1949, 1952 and 1954); STONY (52D. Like some silences); UNMAN (64A. Emasculate).

Short stuff -- AFL, AFRO, AGE, AIL, ARAL, ARNE, ASIT, ASP, ATMS, BRA, CRAB, DECO, GNUS, HER, IDEA and IDAE, IONA, KILO, LIAR and LIRA, LEGO, LOAD, LOCO, LUCE, MOLT, NEO, PERU, RED, SANK, SCAM, SNO, TOWS, WREN (58D. Cousin of a treecreeper).

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Xword search information -- Across: 6. Music pioneered by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires; 15. Suffer; 22. Its coat of arms includes a vicuna; 23 “Rule Britannia” composer Thomas; 24. Nuts; 29. Con; 35. “No ___” (“Beats me”); 37. Ripen; 42. “Talk to ___,” Pedro Almodovar film; 43. Time-honored name?; 45. Torpedoed; 50. A.A.A. jobs; 51. ___ were; 53. Brick maker; 65. Embarrassed, perhaps; 68. ___ Balls (snack cakes). Down: 1. Grouch; 2. Epithet that’s an anagram of 60-Down; 3. Big do; 7. Overseas shipping unit; 11. Art ___; 12. Asia’s ___ Sea; 13. Shed; 21. Bust holder; 34. Org. founded by Samuel Gompers; 36. Saharan viper; 49. Prefix with romantic; 55. Prey for lions; 56. College in New Rochelle, N.Y.; 57. Mall conveniences; 59. Family name suffix in taxonomy; 60. Money that’s an anagram of 2-Down; 61. Dishwasherful.