05.07.09 -- Rounds the Corner

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz

ROUNDS THE CORNER (40A. Gets past a last difficulty … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme), along a glyph in each of the four corners of the puzzle representing either a HOOP, RING, CIRCLE, or ZERO are this Thursday crossword’s interrelated entries.

1A. [HOOP]STER, B-Ball player; 1D. [CIRCLE] LINE, New York City tour provider;

6A. AWE-INSPI[RING], Like the Grand Canyon or Fourth of July fireworks; 14D. [ZERO] HOUR, Showtime, at NASA;

47D. SIZE [ZERO], Teeny dress measurement; 67A. [RING] IN THE NEW, Welcome January 1, say;

55D. CROP [CIRCLE], Mysterious art visible from the sky; 68A. HULA [HOOP], 1950s fad item.

Nine-letter entries -- HIS OR HERS (43A. Unisex); NEUROPATH (16A. Phobic sort); PROUD PAPA (31A. Cigar distributor, perhaps); TALK RADIO (18A. Rush job?); ZEPPELINS (61A. Means of some W.W. I raids).

Six-letter -- IN A LIE (45D. Bad way to be caught); IRKING (9D. Teeing off); JUNIOR (27D. Sonny); MYRRHS (26D. Some aromatic resins); NAMATH (19A. Broadway Joe); SIT FOR (58A. Take, as an exam).

Five -- AESOP (35D. Classical storyteller); AFORE (30D. Prior to, poetically); 53D. Run AFOUL of; ASPIN (49D. Clinton’s first defense secretary); 51D. Par AVION; 41D. Buffalo Bill CODY’S Wild West Show; CRUMP (66A. Crunching sound); 24A. Give A DARN (care); DEATH (25D. The end); EERIE (42A. Creepy); EULER (8D. Calculus pioneer); FRODO (36A. Fictional hero on a quest to Mount Doom); HARPS (20D. Strings pulled in heaven?); I TINA (13D. 1986 Turner autobiography); IMAMS (17A. Prayer leaders; LORRE (15A. “Casablanca” co-star); NAPPY (50A. Diaper, in Devon); NORMA (54D. Bellini opera); PADUA (12D. “The Taming of the Shrew” setting); PENNE (52D. Pasta variety); SOMAS (2D. Bodies of organisms); THORO (64A. Complete, quickly) crossing THRU; TRAMS (3D. Suspended air travel?); 48D. TREVI Fountain; UDDER (28D. Milk dispenser); 7D. WEAR A smile (grin).

Short stuff -- ANC and ANT, DER, ERMA, ESS, GAY, IRS, ITCH, JURE, MAAR, NORD, ODES, ONE, ORI and ORS, OUR, PCT, PHI, PRE, REID, REST, ROE, SAVE, SETH, SPA, SSW, STAR, UNU.

Will It Go Round In Circles?

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Remaining clues -- Across: 21. “American Pie” actress Tara; 22. “Burma Looks Ahead” author; 23. Head of steam?; 26. Picasso’s muse Dora ___; 27. De ___ (by right); 29. Jocund; 44. “Show pity, ___ die”: “The Taming of the Shrew”; 46. Heading in a Keats volume; 47. “Notch” on Orion’s belt; 53. Mandela’s org.; 56. Agcy. With agents; 57. Stuff the piggy bank. Down: 4. Humorist Bombeck; 5. Kick back; 6. Hill denizen; 10. Sud’s opposite; 11. Where you may get steamed; 31. Paid intro?; 32. Beluga delicacy; 33. Joint possession word; 34. ___ Beta Kappa; 37. Series opener; 38. Part of many Dutch surnames; 39. Hosp. areas; 57. Green of “The Italian Job,” 2003; 59. Scratcher’s target; 60. Dolly Parton’s “Travelin’ ___”; 62. %: Abbr.; 63. Milwaukee-to-Houston dir.