04.14.09 -- GEM

Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Puzzle by Barry Boone, edited by Will Shortz
JADE, ONYX, OPAL, TOPAZ and RUBY are the HIDDEN GEMS (59A. What the long Across answers with circles have) to be found in [JA]GGE[D E]DGE (17A. 1985 Glen Close/Jeff Bridges thriller), P[ONY]E[X]PRESS (21A. Mail service made obsolete by the transcontinental telegraph), D[O]G[PA]DD[L]E (32A. Simple swimming stroke); [TO]LL[P]L[AZ]A (40A. Widening in a highway, maybe) and MA[R]C[U]SWEL[BY] (53A. 1970S Robert Young TV role).
Mid-size entries include
ATEDIRT (50A. Groveled), DEEPLY (5D. Very much); DISSIDENT (34D. Andrei Sakharov in the Soviet era, e.g.), EIGHTBALL (3D. It’s last to be sunk), KETTLES (23A. Fish stew containers) and 45D. Economist John Maynard KEYNES.
Five-letter -- ACNED (49D. Pimply); ALDER (50D. Tree with catkins); ALIKE (14A. Similar); AMORE (46D. Love, Italian-style); 46A.
“When You Wish Upon ASTAR; ATEST (12D. Mushroom producer, for short); 27D. “Bedtime for BONZO” (Reagan film); DRIED (33D. Like raisins vis-à-vis grapes); ELLEN (11D. TV’s DeGeneres); 63A. “Evil ERNIE” (comics series); LASSO (13D. Rodeo rope); LENTO (25A. Slowly, in music); LIENS (6D. Property claims); MENUS (38A. Waiters’ handouts); PLACE (2D. Come in second); REMIT (51D. Send, as payment); SAJAK (1D. Pat of “Wheel of Fortune”); SAXON (47D. The “S” in WASP); SETTE (66A. Number of hills in Roma); SPEED (1A. Go 50 in a 30-m.p.h. zone, e.g.); 52D. “We’re off TOSEE the Wizard …”; TOTAL (24D. General Mills brand); 48D. Rome's TREVI Fountain; ZAIRE (10D. Congo’s name before 1997).
Short stuff -- ACH, AGUA, ALTA, ANNE, BALE, BLT, BOYS, BRAT, DEAR and DOES, EBRO, EDNA and ENID, EKG, ETO, GEAR and GRE, IKES and ILES, INDY, INOR, ISTO and ITBE, LILT, LOGE, LOLA, LOT, LPS, MLB, OXEN, PERU, PLEA, RIOT, ROO, ROVE, SHAG, WINE, ZEAL (10A. Enthusiasm).
A real gem!
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Remaining clues -- Across: 6. Joyful tune; 15. “Are you ___ out?”; 16. Utah ski resort; 19. Saint Barthelemy et d’autres; 20. German’s “Dear me!”; 26. Most Little Leaguers; 27. Hay unit; 30. Hardly a little angel; 37. In a Kinks hit s/he “walked like a woman and talked like a man”; 39. Mob scene; 42. Lenin’s “What ___ Be Done?”; 43. River of Spain; 44. Eisenhower and Turner; 57. “Gloria in excelsis ___”; 58. Farm team; 61. Go here and there; 62. Actress Hathaway; 64. Oklahoma city; 65. Bat, ball, glove, etc. Down: 4. Heart test readout: Abbr.; 7. Four-time Harrison Ford film role; 8. Second-level seating; 9. Fearsome display at a natural history museum; 18. Bucks’ partners; 22. Appeal; 28. Contents of the Spanish Main; 29. 8-track alternatives; 30. Deli sandwich, for short; 31. Kanga’s baby; 32. Honeybunch; 35. Film studio locale; 36. W.W. II command; 38. World Series org.; 41. Where Simon Bolivar was once president; 44. The Beatles’ “Let ___”; 54. Catch and throw back as fly balls; 55. Burgundy or Bordeaux; 56. “The Simpsons” teacher was was called Mrs. K; 60. Test for Ph.D. wannabes.

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