12.29.08 -- RUN

Jesse Owens, photograph in "Die Olympischen Spiele, 1936"

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Monday, December 29, 2008

Puzzle by Kevin Donovan, edited by Will Shortz

RUN (54D. Something 18-, 26-, 42- or 51-Across might have), RUMMY HAND (18A. It might include a 10-, jack, queen and king of hearts), BASEBALL GAME (26A. Yankees/Red Sox matchup, e.g.); BROADWAY PLAY (42A. Candidate for a Tony) and PANTYHOSE (51A. L’eggs product) are the interrelated entries of this mid-season Monday crossword.

HIE (52D. Hightail it, old-style) leads off the rundown of activity and angst -- ACHE (38A. Want badly, with “for”); BIG TOE (25A. Something often stubbed); EXISTS (29A. Has being); FEIGN (1A. Make believe); GLUMMEST (4D. Most morose); HYPED UP (41D. Much ballyhooed); IRK (57A. Annoy); NO DOUBT (5D. “Absolutely”); REPHRASE (36D. Say another way); SLY (56D. Wily); USED (50D. Played for a sap).

People in the puzzle -- AARON (15A. Alphabetically first name in the Bible); ANDIE (13D. Actress MacDowell); BART (42D. TV character who says “Don’t have a cow, man!”); BUTLER (49A. Who often “did it” in a whodunit); CARELL (6D. Steve of “The Office”); CLARA (6A. Barton who founded the American Red Cross); PUNKS (46D. Petty gangsters); RON (16D. Harry Potter’s best friend), who led off Sunday’s crossword with the clue being Harry’s pal at Hogwarts; 23A. “Pulp Fiction” co-star SAMUEL L. Jackson; TESLA (31D. Inventor Nikola) and his IDEAS (32D. Inventors have them) -- Wordplay refers us to this TESLA; TONTO (12D. Kemo Sabe’s companion); UHURA (48A. “Star Trek” lieutenant).

ANY TIME (10D. “Whenever”) and ARRAYED (38D. In formation) introduce the mid-sized entries -- ALPHAS (47A. Dominant dogs); ASIAN (24D. Like half of Istanbul); CELLO (14A. Yo-Yo Ma’s instrument); CLOUD (17A. Rain source); DARTS (53A. Game with a bull’s-eye); DEEDS (61A. Monopoly cards); EIDER (58A. Duck that’ll get you down?); LACED (27D. Tied up, as skates); MOPEDS (20A. Speedy two-wheelers); OHARE (45D. Chicago air hub); PENNY (62A. 1 cent); POP ART (44A. Andy Warhol genre); 11D. Military aircraft engine maker PRATT & Whitney; PUPIL (44D. Tutee); 23D. Anglo-SAXON; THESES (40A. 95 things posted by Martin Luther); 22A. TUTTI-frutti; 59A. “I’ll have the USUAL”; WATERS (43D. Tends, as plants).

Short stuff -- ACT (35A. Series of scenes); AHA (35D. “Now I understand!”); 37A. Massachusetts’ Cape ANN; ARMS (8D. An octopus has eight); BAN (25D. Prohibition); BETA (26D. Commercial prefix with -max or -cam); BODE (49D. Portend); 9D. CD-ROM; COT (39D. Barracks bed); EEL (2D. Snakelike fish); FCC (1D. Radio monitoring org.); GOT (28D. Understood); HUGE (19D. Enormous); ILO (3D. U.N. agcy. Awarded the 1969 Nobel Peace Prize); LAUD (7D. Extol); 60A. LES Etats-Unis; NOSY (33D. Snoopy); PEAS (21D. Pod contents); PTA (11A. School grp.); REDO (36A. Make over); TALL (40D. Like an N.B.A. center); TAN (55D. Sunbathe); TIN (31A. Sn, chemically speaking); TO A T (34A. On the nose).

S‘long, gotta verb-not-noun run!

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