03.17.09 -- Irish

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Puzzle by Richard Chisholm, edited by Will Shortz

ERIN (57D. Land that’s saluted in this puzzle), DUFFY’S TAVERN (20A. 1940s hit radio show featuring the bartender Archie), FINNEGAN’S WAKE (28A. 1939 James Joyce novel), GILLIGAN’S ISLAND (36A. 1960s sitcom about a group of castaways), MCNAMARA’S BAND (44A. 1946 Bing Crosby hit), and HOGAN’S HEROES (51A. 1960s sitcom set in a P.O.W. camp) are this interrelated entries of this St. Patrick’s Day crossword.

Mid-size entries -- ACT NOW (10D. Ad exhortation); AGILE (17A. Sprightly); ALONE (69A. Solo); ARETHA (48D. First name in soul); AT HAND (45D. Available); BUSTLE (6D. Ado); DISCO (33D. Establishment with a revolving mirrored ball); EKING (26D. Barely making, with “out”); FELONS (28D. Prison population); 30D. “GONNA Fly Now” (“Rocky” theme); GRASP (1A. Comprehend); HASID (66A. Jew traditionally dressed in a black coat and hat); HAZARD (25D. Sand trap, e.g.); I AM SO (37D. Schoolyard retort); LASER (14A. Surgeon’s tool); OOHED (24A. Marveled audibly at); POSTS (49A. Blog messages); PREY ON (5D. Victimize); ROSES (22D. Kentucky Derby prize); SO SOON (46D. “Already?”); 63A. TERRA cotta.

Short stuff -- ABS, AIR, ALA, AQUA, AREA, ASEA, ASIN and ASIF, ASS, ATOP, AXED, BAH, BASE, CUPS, DEAD, DEL, ERG, EWE, GIGS, GLAD, GOTO, GSA, GUMP, ILL, ITOO, LAWN, LEN, NOI, NOTA, OAR, OBOE, OIL, ORSO, QUO, RAGU, REAL, SADE, SAX, SEAT, SELF, SIN, SLAV, SPAN, TOSS, UPS, URLS, USO, ZIA.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night!

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Remaining clues -- Across: 1. Contemptible; 10. Shade of many a swimming pool basin; 15. Web addresses; 16. Parts of a tea set; 18. Politician’s goal; 19. Give the heave-ho; 23. Salad additive; 33. Second-smallest state: Abbr.; 34. Instrument held with two hands; 35. Pakistani leader, 1977-88; 41. G.I. entertainers; 42. X ___ xylophone; 43. Work unit; 50. Sculler’s item; 59. On the briny; 62. “Am ___ late?”; 64. Wimbledon surface; 65. Head for; 67. Canned; 68. Period of time. Down: 1. Delighted; 2. Prego competitor; 3. “Yeah, right!”; 4. “To thine own ___ be true”; 7. Geographical datum; 8. Czech, e.g., but not a Hungarian; 9. Ferrara ruling family; 11. Status ___; 12. Good times; 13. Numbskull; 21. Transgress; 27. Defunct; 29. Needing a doctor’s attention; 31. Tummy muscles; 32. “___ won’t!”; 36. Forrest ___, 1994 Oscar-winning role; 38. Fed. Property overseer; 39. Publicize; 40. Novelist Deighton; 47. “Rubbish!”; 52. Play dates?; 53. Surmounting; 54. ___ bene; 55. Down-to-earth; 56. Roughly; 58. Marquis de ___; 59. Menu phrase; 60. Instrument famously played by Bill Clinton on “The Arsenio Hall Show”; 61. One catching a ram’s eye.