02.17.09 -- BROKENHEARTED

February 17, 2009

Puzzle by Kristian House, edited by Will Shortz

Gee! I had no idea! I hope I wasn’t too flip about it all…let me check -- Valentine’s Day crossword puzzle NY Times 02/14/09 -- no, not really. Other than saying there was nothing very romantic about it, which was the truth. Perhaps no heart is safer than a broken heart! Better late than never, today’s crossword gives us BROKENHEARTED (53A. Sad, like 20-, 28- and 46-Across?), along with RICHEARTHTONE (20A. Umber or chocolate brown); THEARTOFWAR (28A. Military treatise by Sun Tzu); NOWHEARTHIS (46A. Captain’s “Listen up!”) -- yup, those are today’s melancholy late-Valentine’s Day interrelated entries -- like half-eaten chocolates or wilted flowers!

REDHOTS (5D. Candy that makes your mouth burn) might as well lead off the remaining longer entries but ASARULE (45D. In most cases) they’ll be of no help! DISHTOWEL (35D. Drier’s need), HANDSOAP (34A. Bathroom dispenser refill), INTOPFORM (10D. Managing perfectly) and REVAMPED (44A. Gave a makeover) round out the category.

Mid-size entries include AGILE (14A. Quick, like a cat); AMVET (32D. W.W. II-era G.I., e.g.); APORT (30D. To the left, at sea); ARENAS (47D. Concern locales); AVATAR (8D. PC user’s self-image); CHURN (25D. Antique farm device); ELECT (4D. Give a seat to); EPSON (68A. Big name in printers); ETHOS (21D. Body of cultural values); EVITA (40D. Madonna title role); INLAW (27D. Acquired relative); JAWED (17A. Chewed the fat); LIBYA (65A. Qaddafi’s land); 26D. Myopic Mr. MAGOO; MAKER (1A. God, with “one’s”); RANOUT (48D. Were completely depleted); REEDY (33D. Like an oboe’s sound); ROAST (42A. (Friars Club event); SOWHAT (9D. “Who cares?”); STONE (38A. Thing in a sling); STRIP (52D. “Blondie” or “Cathy”); TORME (36A. The Velvet Fog); URBAN (61A. Built-up); WRAPS (31D. Cylindrical sandwiches).

Short stuff -- AARP, AGAR, AIDE, AURA, BRIE, CMI, DAN, DAYO, DEVO, DRAW, EAT, EBBS, EDDA, ELAN, ETAS, GAP, GROW, HERA, IDOL, KIWI (3D. Fuzzy fruit), LAX, MAJ, NADA, NAN, NEH, NOEL, ODIE, PEEL, RAVE, RODE, STAN, STY, TARA, TAS, TEAK, TERR, TOT and TROT, TRIX, UGLI (37A. Trademarked citrus).

I hold it true, whate'er befall; / I feel it, when I sorrow most; / 'Tis better to have loved and lost /Than never to have loved at all. -- from Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem In Memoriam:27, 1850

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Remaining clues -- Across: 6. Airport guesses, for short; 10. Word after matinee or teen; 15. “Whip It” rock group; 16. Zilch; 18. Shootout shout; 19. Cereal “for kids”; 23. Pre-K enrollee; 24. Org. for boomers, now; 25. Early 10th-century year; 37. Trademarked citrus; 41. Party with techno music, perhaps; 49. Pig’s pad; 50. Gold medalist Lipinski; 51. Profs’ helps; 59. Shoot up; 60. Year-end air; 63. Adviser, say; 64. A person may have one of invincibility; 66. Suffer from sunburn; 67. Lee of Marvel Comics. Down: 1. Hot Lips Houlihan’s rank: Abbr.; 2. Petri dish stuff; 3. Fuzzy fruit; 6. Ancient Icelandic work; 7. U.S. Virgin Is., e.g.; 11. “Rats!:; 12. “Garfield” canine; 13. Left Coast airport code; 22. It’s faster than a walk; 29. Do lunch; 39. Book before Esth.; 43. Flooring wood; 53. Cheese with a moldy rind; 54. Hectored; 55. Wife of Zeus; 56. Pizazz; 57. Falls back; 58. “The Banana Boat Song” word; 59. Watergate tape problem; 62. Tandoor-baker bread.