08.11.09 -- FRENCH

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Puzzle by Oliver Hill, edited by Will Shortz

FRENCH (52D. Word that can precede the starts of 20-, 28-, 46- and 57-Across), DRESSING UP (20A. Pre-costume ball activity), HORN-RIMMED (28A. Like Buddy Holly’s glasses), FRIES AN EGG (46A. Prepares part of breakfast, say) and KISS ME KATE (57A. Cole Porter musical that’s a play within a play) are the interrelated entries of this Tuesday crossword.

Mid-size entries -- BASSET (53A. Long-eared hound); CRIBBAGE (37D. Game to 31); ERASES (25A. Uses rubber on); FETISH (51D. Fixation); GINGERY (7D. Pungent, like some Asian cuisine); IMAGES (50D. Camera card contents); IN TURN (8D. One after another); LET SLIP (44D. Blurt out, say); NEIGHS (48D. Paddock sounds); POKE AT (3D. Jab with a finger); SCOTSMAN (11D. Tartan wearer); SO SUE ME (10D. “Well, sorr-r-ry!”); 2D. “… STARVE a fever”; TEA TREE (43D. Source of an oil used in aromatherapy); TOP DOG (1D. Head honcho).

Five-letter -- AGRIN (15A. Beaming); ALARM (60A. Break-in deterrent); AS ONE (19A. In unison); ASSET (9A. Good thing); CENTS (54D. Number after a period); CHESS (33D. Knight’s realm?); COMER (54A. Rising star); FORTE (42A. Strong suit); GLEAN (62A. Pick up bit by bit); HIT IT (65A. Bandleader’s command); LAPSE (4D. Memory glitch); LINDA (44A. Supermodel Evangelista); LUIGI (4A. Brother of Nintendo’s Mario); OVATE (24A. Ellipsoidal); PLANT (18A. Nursery purchase); SCARY (32A. Like Stephen King novels); SIZED (26D. Evaluated, with “up”); SLEET (67A. Winter accident cause); SOCIO (16A. Prefix with -path); SPINS (68A. Starts a turn on “Wheel of Fortune”); WAGER (64A. $2 on the gray mare, e.g.); ZEALS (34A. Burning passions).

Short stuff -- AMOK, ASA and ASK, DAWS, DEBT, DIE and DIG, DSL, EFF, EINE, ELAL, ELI, ENC and ESC, GETA, GIN, HAM, HMO, ING, IRAN, MAIN, MIFF, MRT, NIL and NOR, ORO and OTO, PAK and PAR, SETI, SHH, STAS, TOES, TSP, UTES.

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Remaining clues -- Across: 1. Baking soda meas.; 14. Oklahoma Indian; 17. Islamabad’s land: Abbr.; 23. Salt Lake City team; 27. “___ life!”; 35. Bottom-of-letter abbr.; 38. Patient care grp.; 39. Angry cry to a vampire; 41. Zippo; 49. Tee off; 55. Figure in red; 63. Tonic go-with; 66. Upper-left key; 69. Library admonition. Down: 5. Wrinkly citrus; 6. “Axis of evil” land; 9. Simile words; 12. “___ kleine Nachtmusik”; 13. Tot’s “piggies”; 21. Metro map points: Abbr.; 22. Scorecard figure; 28. Western omelet need; 29. Conquistador’s prize; 30. “Y”-sporting collegian; 31. Upgrade from a dial-up connection; 35. Letter before gee; 38. Hide-hair link; 39. Like, slangily; 40. Gerund end; 45. Bad way to run; 47. Set a price at; 55. Crow cousins; 56. Flier to Ben-Gurion; 58. Alien-seeking program: Abbr.; 59. Common street name; 61. Villain player in “Rocky III”.