05.20.09 -- Graduation Exercise

Frontispiece for the French Academy Dictionary, Engraved by Gerard Edelinck
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Puzzle by Ashish Vengsarkar, edited by Will Shortz
COLLEGE STATION (36A. Texas city … and a hint to the starts of 21-, 27, 45- and 56-Across) along with FRESHMAN SENATOR (21A. Barack Obama, 2005-08, e.g.); SOPHOMORE JINX (27A. Rookie’s superstition); JUNIOR PARTNER (45A. Subsidiary member of a firm); SENIOR DISCOUNTS (56A. Some restaurant and pharmacy lures) are the interrelated entries of this Wednesday 16-square wide crossword. APTITUDE TEST (18A. Entrance requirement, maybe) does well as an opener to the academic grouping, and THE IMMORTALS (63A. French Academy’s 40 members) is a closer of sorts.
Other entries of length include FOUR-IN-ONE (13D. Multipurpose, somehow); NO ONE ELSE (33D. Only you); PALOMINOS (12D. Gold-colored horses); SCOUT SIGN (32D. Half-salute).
Six-letter entries -- ARMAND (1A. Actor Assante); ASSESS (69A. Gauge); BEAVER (15A. Oregonian); DRUM UP (6D. Solicit, as business); EVEN SO (7D. Still); LEER AT (66A. Ogle); 50D. San NICOLA, Christmas figure in Italy; OTITIS (47D. Ear inflammation); RBI MEN (48D. Ones who drive people home?); RETAME (11D. Bring back to domestication).
Five-letter -- ABAFT (1D. Toward the stern); ATLAS (54D. World record?); EMBAR (7A. Imprison); INANE (65A. Vapid); MAMIE (25A. 1950s White House resident); REPRO (2D. Not an original); 3D. “Ahoy, MATEY!”; PSSTS (55D. Attention getters); SNARE (53D. Entrap); SOREN (68A. Philosopher Kierkegaard); STENT (51A. Blockage remover); VERSE (16A. Frost lines).
Short stuff -- AIL and AOL AMI, ASSN, AVIS, BAI, BREE, CLX, DASH, DINE, DJS, DOO, EPA, ERR, ESSE, GAP, INE and INN, ISR, LUX, MGS, METS, MUS, NETH, NOT, OHNO, ORES, ORT, OWL, PFC, RAP and SAP, REAR, RNA, SOL, SNOW, TAJ, TASM, TEE, TOY, URN, USS, UTES.
Graduation! It‘s that time of year!
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Remaining clues -- Across: 12. Mil. Rank; 17. Netscape acquirer; 20. Meter-candle; 23. Part of Santa’s bagful; 24. ___ Enterprise; 32 Skier’s wish; 34. Archaeological find; 35. “Just kidding!”; 42. ___-wop; 43. Bum ___; 44. To be, to Brutus; 52. Actress ___ Ling of “The Crow”; 53. Fool; 62. Feel awful; 64. Classic British two-seaters; 67. Like Dvorak’s “Serenade for Strings”. Down: 4. Company with the stock symbol CAR; 5. Belg. neighbor; 8. Subway Series participant; 9. “Desperate Housewives” role; 10. Part of P.T.A.: Abbr.; 14. 160, to Caesar; 19. Place for a gauge, informally; 22. Persian for “crown”; 26. Bus. Card info; 27. Tijuana tanner; 28. Pooh pal; 29. High school dept.; 30. Little bit; 31. Messenger ___; 37. Make a clanger; 38. Clothing retailer since 1969; 39. Air monitor, for short; 40. Shirt to wear with shorts; 41. Mideast land: Abbr.; 42. CD players; 46. Days ___; 49. Australian island: Abbr.; 57. [Gasp!}; 58. Tail end; 59. Sup; 60. Tram loads; 61. Shoshone speakers; 62. Ennemi’s opposite.

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