01.10.09 -- Blitz!

Map of the Catacomb of the Apostate, Lineage II

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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Puzzle by Bob Klahn, edited by Will Shortz

Vague clues and static entries more akin to exits may give the solver of this crossword unexpected free time this Saturday -- like, forget it. It’s a BLITZ (26D. Defeat quickly and overwhelmingly) -- it speaks for itself:

Nine-letter entries -- BOOTTREES (20A. Foot-long stretchers); MARACAIBO (54A. Oil-rich South American basin); STALLIONS (33D. Studs); STEGOSAUR (4d. Literally, “roof lizard”).

F. E. Fillebrown engraving of The Dance of the Pleiades by Elihu Vedder

Eight-letter -- ADAMSALE (63A. Water); ALABAMAN (35D. Hank Williams or Nat King Cole); AMBROSIA (58A. Food carried by doves); APOSTATE (1A. Deserter); ARMENIAN (13D. Member of the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion); BARONIAL (61A. Style of envelope for greeting cards); GENERICS (36D. No-names); MAHIMAHI (34D. Brilliantly colored food fish that changes hues when removed from the water); PECTORAL (15A. Kind of fin on a fish); PETERMEN (17A. Safecrackers, slangily); REASSURE (14D. Calm, say); WISEUPTO (12D. See through at last).

Seven-letter -- ALIBABA (41D. Morgiana’s storied master); ECOTONE (37A. Area between forest and prairie, e.g.); ELNORTE (8D. The United States, to some prospective immigrants); MAGUIRE (34A. “The Good German” actor, 2006).

“Great Japanese Naval Victory off Haiyang Island” by Nakamura Shūkō, 1894

Six-letter -- ALINES (30A. Dress cuts); ALLPRO (45A. Best in one’s position); AMINOR (57A. C relative); APPALL (1D. Scandalize, e.g.); ECARTE (44D. Game played with a piquet deck); HACKIT (60A. Manage); INSANE (62A. Irreparably cracked); LETSBE (25A. Doesn’t bother); MIASMA (18A. Corrupting influence); NEPALI (31D. Asian language with 14 + million speakers); OCTANT (3D. Piece of pie, often); ONESET (21D. Quick round of tennis); ONSALE (48D. Ready to move); PATRIA (40A. Nero’s homeland); PEEDEE (2D. River with an alphabetical-sounding name); PERSIA (46D. One side in the Battle of Marathon); RADIAL (47D. Like sunbeams); SEAWAR (9A. Main engagement?); SUMTER (9D. Early South Carolina senator Thomas); UMPIRE (16A. Person at home).

Five-letter -- ABOIL (28D. Furious); ADAGE (19A. Oft-repeated words); ALERT (39A. Bushy-tailed?); APART (11D. Cut off); BIRDS (56A. Kites, e.g.); BSTAR (32A. Rigel, for one); CLING (51A. Remain close); HORNE (23A. Cotton Club standout of the ‘30s); NOMAD (52D. Land rover); TAEBO (7D. Regimen with “cardio bursts”); TANKA (50D. Poem of 31 syllables in five lines).

Four-letter -- 56A. BRAM Bones of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”); COIN (55D. Eagle, e.g.); CRAG (38D. Bit of a bluff); EMIT (10D. Let off); HEIR (23D. Scion); IBET (49A. “Ha!”); LEAN (53A. Cant); LENO (22A. Dyslexic TV host with a college degree in speech therapy); TORE (5D. Flew); TUNS (24A. 252-gallon measures); TERA (27A. Computer prefix meaning 2 to the 40th power); ZEAL (43A. Fire).

Three-letter -- ARM (6D. Magazine article); BRA (59D. It’s under a top); HAN (42A. River to the Yangtze); 29A. “PIU che penso” (Handel aria).

Et cetera:

Jim HORNE (Wordplay) greets Lena HORNE today -- his New York Times blog is always a good read. Lena, born June 30, 1917, will be 92 this year. Jim is much younger than both Lena and his avatar (Picasso).

Other people in the puzzle -- Haven’t seen Toby MAGUIRE in "The Good German." Who would ever know or what for that Hank Williams and Nat King Cole are ALABAMAN and why do we need to know? Jay LENO is dyslexic? I knew yeggs, but today they are PETERMEN, there’s little difference as I can tell. The “early South Carolina senator Thomas” is also a fort -- SUMTER.

Words for the day -- the “brilliantly colored food fish that changes hues when removed from the water” is a MAHI MAHI, and if the clue were a bit longer, we could spot one in a line-up. Does Smokey the Bear use ECOTONE in day-to-day conversation? Here’s a TANKA, if you care. BSTAR appeared earlier this season. PIU is desperate fill and doesn’t merit a link.

Here’s a BARONIAL “style of envelope for greeting cards”. The oil-rich South American basin, MARACAIBO, is also the second-largest city in Venezuela. Here’s the PEEDEE.

APOSTATE... hmmm...

How‘s your paleontology, er... Jurassica?

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