06.03.09 -- Puzzled States

Wednesday,
June 3, 2009
Puzzle by Samuel A. Donaldson, edited by Will Shortz
TWENTY SIX STATES (36A. What this puzzle’s perimeter contains abbreviations for) and (from upper right clockwise) MA LA RI AL, GA ND HI, IA MS, MI SC, CA ME, CO NC OR DE, NE CT AR, VA IN, UT IL and MO NY constitute the interrelated entries of this Wednesday crossword. The puzzle’s afterthought of state postal abbreviations is of little or no assistance to the solver, but it is an amusing look-ma-no-hands shtick bringing one to wonder, why those states? Puzzling...
The crossword's eight-letter entries include
CONCORDE (63A. Retired Mac 1 breaker) and NON-STOPS (17A. Some long flights); HOT COCOA (57A. Winter warmer) and ICE CREAM (61A. Summer cooler); MALARIAL (1A. Like some fevers) and ONE HORSE (15A. Tiny, as a town).
Six-letter -- ABSENT (10D. Playing hooky); AGE TEN (44D. What many fifth graders have reached); ANTICS (55A. Class clown’s doings);
ASMARA (34D. Eritrea’s capital); ASWARM (18A. Teeming, as with bees); GANDHI (9A. Title role for Ben Kingsley); GARCIA (43D. Deadhead icon); IBERIA (15A. Tiny, as a town); IRANIS (60A. Farsi speakers); I ROBOT (6D. 2004 Will Smith film); NECTAR (62A. Drink of the gods); T J MAXX (21D. Discount apparel chain).
Five-letter -- AFTER (44A. In pursuit of); AMOCO (46D. BP gas brand); 7D. “AS PER your instructions … “; EMEER (31D. Mideast bigwig: Var.;
EPCOT (27A. Florida theme park); ETTES (22A. Diminutive endings); HIT ME (30D. Blackjack player’s request); JOINT (45D. Like some tax returns); MALTA (35D. Mediterranean land); NEWTS (11D. Colorful salamanders); OLMEC (41A. Early Mexican); SCENE (23D. Part of a shoot); SLIER 29D. More artful); 33A. “ULEE’S Gold” (Fonda film); VISOR (47A. Dealer’s wear); and two former QB’s, John ELWAY and Rodney PEETE.
Short stuff -- ACER and ACME, AHS, AGUA, ALAR, AMEX, ANOD, ARC, BEST, CAME,
CCC (58D. New Deal inits.), CHIC, DRAT, GIA, GNAR, HEM, HIRE, HOST, IAMS and IATE, INRE, JAGR, JONS, LENS and LESS, LYE, MIMI, MISC (32D. Like items in a junk drawer: Abbr.), MONY, ORO, OURS, ROAD, ROT, SHOR, SMUT (29A. X-rated stuff), SSR, STAC, TOFU, UTIL, VAIN, YANG.
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Well, perhaps it’s true --
whatever you do, don‘t turn your red state blue!
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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Remaining clues -- Across: 19. Fabric amts.; 20. Letter sign-off; 23. Restaurateur Toots; 25. Stewart and Lovitz; 30. Garment line; 34. Banned apple spay; 35. Actress Rogers; 39. “Must’ve been something ___”; 40. Visa alternative, for short; 42. Chemical in Drano; 43. Make a snarling sound; 45. Hockey’s Jaromir ___; 46. Eau, across the Pyrenees; 50. Wile E. Coyote’s supplier; 52. It’s measured in minutes. Down: 1. When repeated, a Billy Idol hit; 2. Give ___ to (approve); 3. Monocle part; 4. Sounds from a hot tub; 5. Hogwash; 8. More, in a saying; 9. 1970s-’80s supermodel Carangi; 12. “Curses!”; 13. Bring on board; 14. Pet food brand; 24. Parasite’s home; 26. Sharer’s pronoun; 37. Yin’s counterpart; 38. Vegan’s protein source; 47. Self-absorbed; 48. Concerning; 49. Opposite of legato, in mus.; 51. In vogue; 52. Big name in desktop computers; 53. Map line; 54. Showed up; 56. Ukr., once, e.g.; 59. Conquistador’s prize.

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