04.26.09 -- Um... Er...

Sunday, April 26, 2009

ROUGHLY SPEAKING, Puzzle by Trip Payne, edited by Will Shortz

Thirty-something two-letter entries of ER or UM squeezed into single squares gives this crossword its game. The remainder of the crossword, if pleasant enough, exists to serve the gimmick:

Across: 2002 Winter Olympics host: Abbr.; 4. It scans for problems; 7. J. J. ABRAMS, co-creator of “Lost” and director of 2009’s “Star Trek”; 13. Take for one’s own; 18. Prematurely; 20. Country singer EMMYLOU Harris; 21. Two lines may make one; 22. “ANGELAS Ashes”; 23. Op-ed piece, e.g.; 25. Worries for ransom recipients; 27. Resident of Asmara; 28. The 33rd pres.; 29. State animal of Maine; 31. Leonardo’s home; 33. Santiago, to Hemingway; 37. Parts of some cages; 39. It may go around the office; 43. Annually; 44. Anakin Skywalker flew one in “Star Wars Episode I”; 46. Home of the National Stock Exchange of India; 47. French Quarter’s home, with “the”; 48. Shadow; 49. Really enjoys oneself; 51. Coral Sea features; 52. Greeting you shouldn’t say at an airport; 54. Driving events that use checkpoints; 55. Baseball Hall-of-Famer George SISLER; 56. Flanged weapons; 57. More obstreperous; 59. Blood bank supply; 60. Tag line?; 61. Trappers’ trophies; 62. Partner of research: Abbr.; 65. Blunt; 67. Dervishes, e.g.; 68. Actress Amanda PLUMMER; 70. Salon product for flat hair; 73. Possible item in a window box; 75. Bridge tactic; 76. Reading without emotion; 78. Lyricist ALAN Bergman; 79. Reason to get all gussied up; 80. CARNE picada (burrito filler); 81. Ominous jungle sound; 83. Makes true; 84. Amer. Film INST (annual awards grp.); 85. Lousy tip; 86. Rubbernecked; 87. Like Santa’s boots; 88. “ITSUP to you”; 91. Reservoir’s edge; 94 Professional who may wear goggles; 98. Crowded, in a way; 102. Individual debtors pay it; 107. Be routed; 108. Hold tight; 109. One who’s barely working?; 110. North Carolinian, e.g.; 111. Pitched quarters; 112. Writing that needs defending; 113. Seventh-brightest star in a constellation; 114. Units in physics.

Down: 1. Sock away; 2. They aren’t gregarious; 3. Statement of philosophy; 4. Gang hanger-on; 5. Horse color; 6. “To recap …”; 7. Make AMESS of things; 8. Rolls-Royce’s parent company; 9. Guitarist Cooder and others, RYS; 10. High point; 11. Bird once hunted by the Maori; 12 Extras; 13. Much Arizona flora; 14. ONOR about; 15. Eyeball; 16. Feather, to Fernando; 17. State trisected by a river of the same name: Abbr.; 19. Inland SEA; 20. Madrid month; 24. Hollywood’s Roberts and others, ERICS; 26. BON voyage; 30. Either of two books of the Apocrypha; 31. Miles of film, VERA; 32. Unit indicated by “; 34. 19th-century geologist Charles LYELL; 35. Casino employee; 36. Aggregate; 38. TRAC II razor; 39. Poor orator, perhaps; 40. Its first sale was a broken laser pointer; 41. Buck or boar; 42. “The Blue Boy” and others; 43. Compassionate sort; 44. Using a certain abrasive on; 45. OBJET trouvé; 46. Its capital is Bamako; 47. Paul Robeson, e.g.; 50. Cheek; 52. Detestation; 53. Stabber’s attack; 56. Comedy webzine founded in 2000; 58. Detestation; 60. Extra in “The Producers”; 61. Spicy cuisine; 62. 2003 sequel to a popular 1994 comedy; 63. Issues; 64. Mesa VERDE; 65. Groucho Marx foil Margaret DUMONT; 66. A in German class?; 67. Teacher of Schubert, SALIERI; 68. Contribute; 69. Narrow shelf; 70. End of a famous claim; 71. Second son of Judah, ONAN; 72. What P.O.’s handle; 74. Get out of the line?; 75. Dark quaff; 77. Heart; 79. Alabama-born novelist, HARPERLEE; 82. Shoat holder; 85. Rude audience member; 86. Demitasse, e.g.; 87. What lumberjacks leave; 89. Recipe amts.; 90. Historic South Carolina fort SUMTER; 92. Taking off on; 93. Wall Street newsmakers; 94. It may require a password: Abbr.; 95. Relative of a lemming; 96. INAN awkward position; 97. ASST mgr.; 99. Exactly as required; 100. Greek peak; 101. Run a risk; 103. Kind of power; 104. III, today; 105. Largest known dwarf planet; 106. Prefix with glottis.

Um… Er... !

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