Friday, March 20, 2009 Puzzle by David Levinson Wilk, edited by Will Shortz It’s the first day of Spring! Ten 15-letter entries are the main feature of this Friday criss-cross crossword with a very tidy diagram: CHARACTER ACTORS (17A. Their parts are usually unusual); SOAKED TO THE SKIN (32A. Not merely having wet clothes); AT SOME OTHER TIME (39A. Later); FILL IN THE BLANKS (40A. Provide what’s missing); FEEL IN ONES BONES (56A. Just know); ALABAMA SLAMMERS (3D. They include amaretto and sloe gin); ROTTEN TO THE CORE (6D. As bad as can be); DRESS TO THE NINES (7D. Get all dapper); ACROSS THE STREET (8D. Very close, in a way); STOP MAKING SENSE (11D. 1984 Talking Heads concert film and hit album). The next longest entries are of only five-letters -- 31D. “A NEST of traitors!”: Shak.; 26D. “A SAFE Place,” 1971 Orson Welles movie; AUTOS (10D. Jam ingredients); CESTA (63A. Basket on a court); 5A. “ERDAS warning” (“Das Rheingold” aria); FREER (60A. Less formal); HOPES (22A. You don’t want them to be dashed); OBESE (53A. Very big); OLMOS (50A. Oscar nominee for “Stand and Deliver,” 1988); POBOY (20A. Hero, to some); SIMKA (30D. Carol Kane’s role on “Taxi”); TAROT (4D. The Emperor, The Empress or The High Priest); TORCH (15A. It goes a long way before the Olympics); 27D. Gun-TOTIN (like Yosemite Sam); UBOAT (49D. German diver); VOLES (45D. Crop-damaging animals). Short stuff -- ASIF, ATE and ATM, ASA and ASAP, AYE, CCCP, CHAT, COLA, CHI, CIR, DEN, EMI, ENA and ENT, ERL, ESPN, ETC, ESS and FESS, FIRE, GAT, GOB, GUS, HEB and HES, HOHO, ISM, KOL, LEIA, MVP, NFC, NTS, OFFS, PSI, SASS, SEAR, SHA and SRA and STA, TERM, TSO, UTNE. 
On the occasion of the equinox, a clue and its' entry have returned from last year -- On March 21, 2008 (post titled 03.21.08 -- Thorns), the clue and entry appear at 46-Down. “ANEST of traitors!”: Shak. It’s the first day of Spring! ------------------ For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
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Remaining clues -- Across: 1. Bit of back-and-forth; 10. “Yeah … whatever!”; 14. Cherry ___; 16. ___ Independent Press Awards; 21. Name on a Chinese menu; 23. Took a course?; 24. Surreal beginning?; 25. Surreal ending?; 26. A person who’s short might run to it; 28. Some Windows systems; 29. Comparison component; 41. Faline’s mother in “Bambi”; 42. Fathers and sons; 43. Heat on the street; 44. Series standout, briefly; 47. Apnea specialist: Abbr.; 48. One of a pair of mice in “Cinderella”; 52. Abbr. on a residential street sign; 59. Can; 61. Dreaded letters for a procrastinator?; 62. Reason for parental scolding; 64. Coastal bird. Down: 1. Letters on old Russian maps; 2. Chocolaty treat; 5. Condensation indication; 9. Al Green’s “___ -La-La (Make Me Happy)”; 12. Dictator’s opening; 13. Utter guilt, with “up”; 18. Assembly call; 19. 46-Down preceder; 33. ___ Nidre (Yom Kippur prayer); 34. Virgin’s parent; 35. Relaxation location; 36. Likud lang.; 37. Schubert’s “The ___ King”; 38. Stopping point: Abbr.; 46. 19-Down follower; 48. Lot; 50. Wastes; 51. Royal from the planet Alderaan; 54. Cauterize; 55. It shows many matches; 57. Grp. With East and West divisions; 58. Tabasco title: Abbr.
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