07.12.09 -- GAMES, the Diagramless

Senet is among the oldest known board games.
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Sunday, July 12, 2009
GAMES, Diagramless Crossword by Jim Hyres, edited by Will Shortz
This diagramless is 17 squares wide by 17 squares deep and has regular crossword symmetry. The first square across is the first box in the first row,
ARENA (1A. Sports venue). The interrelated entries are referred to by the last entry in the puzzle -- GAMES (69A. What the ends of 13-, 25-, 36-, 48- and 61-Across are), specifically, board games. Previous to this puzzle, I had heard of only one of the five games, what's that say? -- I don’t know!
YOU’LL BE
SORRY (13A. “Not a good idea!”), LARGER THAN LIFE (25A. Very imposing), TONGUE TWISTER (36A. It’s hard to say), STIRS UP TROUBLE (48A. Is a rabble-rouser) and RUNNING A RISK (61A. Not playing it safe), the last named of which I recall through what must be extensive advertising or some other media exposure, Wikipedia reveals it was also a popular video game.
Remaining across -- 6. Guns, as an engine, REVS; 10. “Uh-uh”, NO DICE; 12. Tree with easily peeled bark, BIRCH; 15. “HMS Pinafore”; 18. Enter, as evidence, SUBMIT; 19. Certain Pacific Islander, SAMOAN; 21. Summer coolers, ADES; 23. Symbol of limpness, WETRAG; 29. Longtime radio host, IMUS; 30. Tampa Bay squad, RAYS; 31. Extra in “The Sound of Music”, NUN; 32. Spotted, SEEN; 33. Bull’s counterpart, BEAR; 35. Extensive, VAST; 40. Kitten’s plaything, YARN; 41. Itar-TASS news agency; 43. “See ya”, TATA; 44. All alternative, ERA; 45. Western Indians, UTES; 47. Resign, QUIT; 52. Stately dance, MINUET; 53. All alternative, SOME; 54. Once in a blue moon, SELDOM; 56. New York’s ONEIDA Lake; 60. Quattro less uno, TRE; 66. Natives of northern Ohio, ERIES; 67. 6-3, e.g., in tennis ONE SET; 68. Fashion initials, DKNY.
Down -- 1. Whichever, ANY; 2. Friend of Pooh and Piglet, ROO; 3. Student’s e-mail address suffix, EDU; 4. Guitarist Lofgren, NILS; 5. Human rights org., ACLU; 6. Not a peaceful protester, RIOTER; 7. Miscalculate, e.g., ERR; 8. Den items, VCRS; 9. Shrink (from), SHY AWAY; 11. Go back, EBB; 12. The Beatles’ “Revolution” or “P.S. I Love You”, B SIDE; 14. Slate and others, E-MAGS; 15. “The HOT L Baltimore”; 16. Pasta topping, MARINARA; 17. Mix-ups, SNAFUS; 20. MEN’S room; 22. They’re drawn when choosing, STRAWS; 24. Chap, GENT; 25. Use, as a cot, LIE ON; 26. Prayer ending, AMEN; 27. You may need to step on it, RUNG; 28. Spy Mata HARI; 32. Drain insert, STRAINER; 33. Tough problems, BEASTS; 34. U.F.O. pilots, ETS; 36. G.M. sports car, for short, VETTE; 37. Lone Star State sch., UTEP; 38. Concert souvenir, STUB; 39. Kite part, TAIL; 40. Polite but quaint affirmative, YES’M; 41. Manet or Monet, ARTIST; 45. One way to buy, USED; 46. Gave special instruction, TUTORED; 47. Powerful card, QUEEN; 49. Preside (over), RULE; 51. Old Dodge models, OMNIS; 55. Darkness, MURK; 57. “Where did I GO wrong?”; 58. “Shoot!”, DANG; 59. Square footage, AREA; 62. Diarist Anais NIN; 63. Doctrine, ISM; 64. “Get it?”, SEE; 65. Gold purity measures: Abbr., KTS.
Game over!
Click on image to enlarge.
Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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