03.22.09 -- Closing the Deal
Alice and Cards, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, 1951 ----------------- Sunday, March 22, 2009 CLOSING THE DEAL, Puzzle by Joon Pahk and Matt Matera, edited by Will Shortz I’m sure one doesn’t need to be hot for a crossword puzzle to solve it, but a little fire might help. It also helps if the puzzle's got a bit of rhythm (if that can be applied to a crossword) or pizzazz (and that can be applied to anything) which might motivate the solving process; however, this one manages to serve up just a so-so hand, which is no complaint -- it's actually fairly interesting in retrospect. There’s a group of interrelated across entries referring to the playing of cards -- I suppose if one plays cards, the puzzle's a done deal; however, I was unfamiliar with several of the card games what with two having secondary names and never having played four of the games -- not that one need have experienced or experience anything found in a crossword puzzle contrary to the ramblings of one self-appointed crossword "critic"! RED HOT POKER (25. Painful prod); DIAMOND SOLITAIRE (27. Engagement gift); YOM KIPPUR WAR (50. Conflict of 1973); DINETTE SET (57. Showcase Showdown prize, perhaps); ARTICHOKE HEARTS (67. Fancy salad ingredients); BATHTUB GIN (83. Speakeasy supply); LONDON BRIDGE (92. Subject of a nursery rhyme that has only eight different words); CENTURY TWENTY-ONE (109. Big name in real estate); PIZZERIA UNO (119. Classic name in chain restaurants). Other entries of length -- EX-MARINES (23A. Corps veterans); MAGNETIZED (74D. Made more attractive?); TAKES A WALK (16D. Leaves); TOW HEADED (91A. Fair-haired); ZOOT SUITS (52A. Bygone party attire). Zoots, but not SUITS!
People in the puzzle -- ALOIS (34D. Eponymous Dr. Alzheimer); CPAS (107D. Ones working on columns, for short); a DAMOZEL (93D. Young woman, old-style); DIOR (13D. Christian of the cloth?); 77D. Thomas Hardy’s EGDON Heath; ELY (120D. Ron of “Tarzan”); EMP (39D. Hirohito’s title: Abbr.); 63D. Alibi IKE (Ring Lardner character); ITURBI (69D. Pianist Jose); LEEAAKER (65A. Star of 1950s TV’s “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin”); LORI (9D. “Full House” actress Loughlin); NICOLE (41D. Designer Miller); OZMA (125A. Princess of literature); 43A. PAAVO Nurmi, the Flying Finn; PETER (51D. “Quo vadis?” speaker); PYE (95A. English poet laureate Henry); REBS (129A. Gray side); REESE (76A. Man with cups and pieces); ROS (38D. Author Asquith of children’s books); a SERB (64D. Balkan native); SETH (54D. Rogen of “Knocked Up”); SHUTE (127A. “On the Beach” author); 58D. THOM Yorke, lead singer of Radiohead; T-MAN (101A. Untouchable, say); TUTU (112D. Peace Nobelist from South Africa); YGOR (115D. “Son of Frankenstein” role).
Remains across -- 1. Eye affliction; 5. Wearing a long dress and a collar buttoned to the top, maybe; 9. Was; 14. Raise hell; 19. Evian and others; 20. Harried; 21. Manuscript marks noting possible errors; 22. Go on and on; 29. Turned on the waterworks; 30. In Sicily it’s about 10, 920 ft. high; 31 After-Christmas sale shoppers, e.g.; 33. Papier-MACHE; 37. Shows in a theater; 46. Penne ALLA vodka; 47. Traveler’s alternative to 90-Down, JFK; 55. Part of a family; 56. Munic. Official; 59. Stripe; 60. Down; 61. Help desk sign; 62. See 84-Down; 72. Easily beat all the competition; 75. Petty; 80. River separating continents; 81. Singular praise?; 87. H.S. class; 88. Montréal-MIRABEL International Airport; 96. Singular; 97. Energy source; 98. Having only the forepart visible, as a beast in heraldry; 100. ULNAR nerve (funny bone tingler); 103. “A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a VIOLIN; what else does a man need to be happy?”: Albert Einstein; 107. Historian’s Muse; 121. Like, with “to”; 122. Spinning; 123. Untagged, in tag; 124. Michelangelo’s David, e.g.; 126. “Alas…”; 128. Showed disdain, in a way.
Down -- 1. Origin; 2. Get ready to take off; 3. Desert in the Southwest; 4. This is a test; 5. It may be fine or fine art; 6. Typeface imitative of handwriting; 7. Words of explanation; 8. Quark/antiquary pairs; 10. “Su-u-ure”; 11. Sacred Hindu text; 12. K-12; 14. Killer APP; 15. One with prier engagements?; 17. Sch. Near the Rio Grande; 18. Cheeky; 24. Where 51-Down was martyred; 26. Pro TEM; 28. Like some petticoats; 32. Symphony, e.g.; 33. “Zoom-zoom” sloganeer; 35. Dull, hollow sound; 36. Often-anonymous intimidation technique; 40. Scratches (out); 42. Flowering shrub; 44. “x” in an equation; 45. “At-ten-SHUN!,: e.g.; 47. Protrude; 48. “Bah!”; 49. 24 of them = 100%: Abbr.; 53. Rear of a galley; 50. Brave activity; 66. Based on A TRUE story; 68. “TAKIN’ Care of Business” (1974 hit); 70. Los Angeles’s CEDARS-Sinai Medical Center; 71. Basic cooking instruction; 72. They’re often scheduled at noon; 73. “… then again, I could be wrong”; 78. Home of St. Catherine; 79. Rear-ENDER; 82. Sometimes-satin item of apparel; 84. With 62-Across, comic’s challenge; 85. Certain M.P.G. rating: Abbr.; 86. French beverage; 88. Home of Mondrian’s “Broadway Boogie Woogie”; 89. Part of an academic address; 90. Traveler’s alternative to 47-Across, LAG; 94. Green-eyed monster; 99. Nashville 11; 100. “UNTO the Sons (Gay Talese best seller); 102. Big A.T.M. maker); 104. Accept responsibility; 105. LEAD A double life; 106. Fjord, for example; 108. Old Italian bread; 110. Fünf minus vier; 111. Sodium hydroxide, chemically; 113. Second, e.g.; 114. Mechanical; 116. Squishy stuff; 117. Feeling no pain; 118. Juan’s “those”. Go here for Alice nel paese delle meraviglie - Carte! ------------------ For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated. 
Click on image to enlarge. Puzzle available on the internet at THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.
People in the puzzle -- ALOIS (34D. Eponymous Dr. Alzheimer); CPAS (107D. Ones working on columns, for short); a DAMOZEL (93D. Young woman, old-style); DIOR (13D. Christian of the cloth?); 77D. Thomas Hardy’s EGDON Heath; ELY (120D. Ron of “Tarzan”); EMP (39D. Hirohito’s title: Abbr.); 63D. Alibi IKE (Ring Lardner character); ITURBI (69D. Pianist Jose); LEEAAKER (65A. Star of 1950s TV’s “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin”); LORI (9D. “Full House” actress Loughlin); NICOLE (41D. Designer Miller); OZMA (125A. Princess of literature); 43A. PAAVO Nurmi, the Flying Finn; PETER (51D. “Quo vadis?” speaker); PYE (95A. English poet laureate Henry); REBS (129A. Gray side); REESE (76A. Man with cups and pieces); ROS (38D. Author Asquith of children’s books); a SERB (64D. Balkan native); SETH (54D. Rogen of “Knocked Up”); SHUTE (127A. “On the Beach” author); 58D. THOM Yorke, lead singer of Radiohead; T-MAN (101A. Untouchable, say); TUTU (112D. Peace Nobelist from South Africa); YGOR (115D. “Son of Frankenstein” role).
Remains across -- 1. Eye affliction; 5. Wearing a long dress and a collar buttoned to the top, maybe; 9. Was; 14. Raise hell; 19. Evian and others; 20. Harried; 21. Manuscript marks noting possible errors; 22. Go on and on; 29. Turned on the waterworks; 30. In Sicily it’s about 10, 920 ft. high; 31 After-Christmas sale shoppers, e.g.; 33. Papier-MACHE; 37. Shows in a theater; 46. Penne ALLA vodka; 47. Traveler’s alternative to 90-Down, JFK; 55. Part of a family; 56. Munic. Official; 59. Stripe; 60. Down; 61. Help desk sign; 62. See 84-Down; 72. Easily beat all the competition; 75. Petty; 80. River separating continents; 81. Singular praise?; 87. H.S. class; 88. Montréal-MIRABEL International Airport; 96. Singular; 97. Energy source; 98. Having only the forepart visible, as a beast in heraldry; 100. ULNAR nerve (funny bone tingler); 103. “A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a VIOLIN; what else does a man need to be happy?”: Albert Einstein; 107. Historian’s Muse; 121. Like, with “to”; 122. Spinning; 123. Untagged, in tag; 124. Michelangelo’s David, e.g.; 126. “Alas…”; 128. Showed disdain, in a way.
Down -- 1. Origin; 2. Get ready to take off; 3. Desert in the Southwest; 4. This is a test; 5. It may be fine or fine art; 6. Typeface imitative of handwriting; 7. Words of explanation; 8. Quark/antiquary pairs; 10. “Su-u-ure”; 11. Sacred Hindu text; 12. K-12; 14. Killer APP; 15. One with prier engagements?; 17. Sch. Near the Rio Grande; 18. Cheeky; 24. Where 51-Down was martyred; 26. Pro TEM; 28. Like some petticoats; 32. Symphony, e.g.; 33. “Zoom-zoom” sloganeer; 35. Dull, hollow sound; 36. Often-anonymous intimidation technique; 40. Scratches (out); 42. Flowering shrub; 44. “x” in an equation; 45. “At-ten-SHUN!,: e.g.; 47. Protrude; 48. “Bah!”; 49. 24 of them = 100%: Abbr.; 53. Rear of a galley; 50. Brave activity; 66. Based on A TRUE story; 68. “TAKIN’ Care of Business” (1974 hit); 70. Los Angeles’s CEDARS-Sinai Medical Center; 71. Basic cooking instruction; 72. They’re often scheduled at noon; 73. “… then again, I could be wrong”; 78. Home of St. Catherine; 79. Rear-ENDER; 82. Sometimes-satin item of apparel; 84. With 62-Across, comic’s challenge; 85. Certain M.P.G. rating: Abbr.; 86. French beverage; 88. Home of Mondrian’s “Broadway Boogie Woogie”; 89. Part of an academic address; 90. Traveler’s alternative to 47-Across, LAG; 94. Green-eyed monster; 99. Nashville 11; 100. “UNTO the Sons (Gay Talese best seller); 102. Big A.T.M. maker); 104. Accept responsibility; 105. LEAD A double life; 106. Fjord, for example; 108. Old Italian bread; 110. Fünf minus vier; 111. Sodium hydroxide, chemically; 113. Second, e.g.; 114. Mechanical; 116. Squishy stuff; 117. Feeling no pain; 118. Juan’s “those”. Go here for Alice nel paese delle meraviglie - Carte! ------------------ For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated. 
Click on image to enlarge. Puzzle available on the internet at THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.
How lovely to see The Blessed Damozel by Rossetti here!
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