The Letter Z, Abba Richman -----------------
Tuesday, May 5, 2009 -- Cinco de Mayo!
Puzzle by Trip Payne, edited by Will Shortz
The exchange of the “s“ sound for “z“ in three phrases “don’t move a muscle, bussing tables, fuss and feathers”, via ZZ in three sets of two squares each results in DON’T MOVE A MUZZLE (17A. Decide against reorganizing the pet store?), BUZZING TABLES (38A. Conversation-filled places in a restaurant?), FUZZ AND FEATHERS (61A. What chicks have?) -- the minimalist gimmick for this Tuesday crossword.
BASS TUBA (38D. Low-pitched instrument) and OOM-PAH-PAH (9D. Sound from a 38-Down) lead the band of other long entries which include ALL-STARS (12D. Baseball V.I.P.s); BIT-O-HONEY (35D. Nestle candy); NEZ PERCE (11D. Pacific Northwest tribe); RINGLET (26D. Hair curl); and UTILIZED (39D. Availed oneself of).
Six-letter entries include BAD FIT (1D. Mismatch); CAMERA (49D. Cell phone feature, often); CAVIAR (6D. Expensive eggs); DANGER (3D. What a flashing red light may indicate); DITZES (24D. Airheads); I DO I DO (2D. Musical whose opening song is “All the Dearly Beloved”); NO LESS (47D. Amazingly enough); PHOTON (53A. Massless particle); RED SEA (51D. Sudan/Saudi Arabia separator); TARSAL (25A. Ankle-related); USER ID (50D. Computer handle); WELLES (33D. “Citizen Kane” director).
Five -- 14A. Hersey’s “A Bell for ADANO”; BIDEN (1A. Cheney’s successor as vice president); EERIE (67A. Amazingly coincidental); 70A. “The Devil Wears PRADA”; PROPS (22A. Stagehands’ items); TORIC (30A. Doughnut-shaped); RECUR (48A. Come up again and again); TIE TO (56A. Make a connection with).
Short stuff -- AERO, APU, BAR, CLIO, CUZ, DSL, DYE, ECRU, ENT, ETA, EYES, EZRA, FEW, FIG, FUN, HAL, HER, IDED, IRA, ISIS, KATE, KID, LEE and LES, MED, NAP, NADA, NEA, NEMO, NOMS, NYE, OCT, OMEN, ONAN, ORZO, PTA, RELY, RICH, SASE, SCAT, SCI, STEP, TEL, TUB, UBER, URL, YEWS.
That‘s a WRAP (33A. Finish shooting a movie)!
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Remaining clues -- Across: 6. Prize in the ad biz; 10. ___ irregular basis; 15. Prefix with nautical; 16. Count (on); 20. Mediterranean tree; 21. Geog. Or geol.; 23. Picked out of a lineup; 32. Very chocolaty, say; 28. Announcement from cockpit, say; 34. Bathroom fixture; 36. Break in the day; 37. Cousin of beige; 42. Oscar winner Kate; 43. ___ Aviv, Israel; 44. Evil computer in “2001”; 45. Mother of Horus; 46. Sign of the future; 55. A MS. Might come back in it; 58. “Au Revoir, ___ Enfants”; 60. Pre- ___ (undergrad study); 65. “Deutschland ___ Alles”; 66. “Windows to the soul”; 68. Amazingly coincidental; 69. Certain conifers. Down: 4. Suffix with differ; 5. Jules et Jim, par exemple; 7. Washington and ___ University; 8. Certain savings plan, for short; 10. Very small pasta; 13. Comedian Louis; 18. When Canada celebrates Thanksgiving: Abbr.; 19. Web address; 29. Clerk on “The Simpsons”; 31. Since, slangily; 40. Whom Marlin sought in a 2003 film; 41. Tavern; 42. Young goat; 53. Sch. Group; 54. Largest U.S. labor union: Abbr.; 57. Old Testament book; 59. Dance lesson; 61. Enjoyment; 62. Hide the gray, say; 63. Many’s opposite; 64. “How Stella Got ___ Groove Back”.
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