08.27.09 -- Inversion

Pyramid, The Louvre
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Thursday,
August 27, 2008
Puzzle by Derek Bowman, edited by Will Shortz
Circled letters in seven rows of this crossword act as “clues” for seven clues: PATTERN, PATTER, PATER, PATE, PAT, PA, A. The entries for the corresponding clues are themselves clues -- DESIGN (52A. First row); SPIEL (51D. Second row); DAD (43D. Third or sixth row); HEAD (64A. Fourth row); DAB (4D. Fifth row); DAD (43D. Third or sixth row); ONE (61D. Seventh row). The resulting inverted word ladder (removing one letter at a time in descending order) may or may not be of assistance in the solve, but is a pleasant-enough gimmick.
Entries of length include
ANDROMEDA (33D. Gene Roddenberry-inspired sci-fi series); ASTAIRES (33A. Brother-aBoldnd-sister dancing duo); CRUELEST (44A. Most merciless); DECREASES (10D. Shrinks); IN EARNEST (11D. Passionately); LPGA TITLE (13A. With 14-Across, Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam have each won this several times); PEDESTAL (12D. Support for the arts?); STALE AIR (5D. Result of poor ventilation); STEEL GREY (34D Metallic shade, in Sheffield); TIPS OVER (37D. Upsets).
Mid-size -- CREATE (25A. Bring into being); ERRANT (32A. Straying); OPENERS (27A. Intros); PRATTLE (38A. Foolish chatter); PREAMP (46A. Stereo component); SOLDERS (50A. Joins).
Five-letter -- 18A. Run AFOUL of; ANTIS (49A. Those against); AGAPE (3D. Wide open); 21D. “Don’t go in there! It’s A TRAP!”; 1D.
Mont BLANC; ELIEL (40. Architect Saarinen); ELOPE (15D. Act without the parents’ blessings, say); EPHOR (2D. Ancient Spartan magistrate); GIANT (54D. Bigger than big); IRENE (53D. Classic Broadway musical with the song “Alice Blue Gown”); 29A. New York’s NODES (55D. Intersecting points); PLUTO (8D. Mickey Mouse’s puppy pal); PRATT Institute (art school); PROSY (48D. Like plain text); SINEW (62A. Muscle connector); 31D. Neon TETRA; YEARN (66A. Have a hankering).
Short stuff -- ADIP, AERO, AHAB, ALT, AOL, APT, ARI, ASEA, BEAD, EDEN, EER, ENNE (67A. Suffix akin to -trix), ESL and ESS (45D. Suffix akin to -trix), HEP, ICED and IDED, ITO, LEOS, LIFT, NAE, NOP, NRA, OMG, PETS, RAE and
RAYE (68A. Comedic star Martha), RENE, RIO, SLIP, STUN, TOE and TOP, TNT, TRAC, VERO.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Remaining clues -- Across: 1. Moccasin adornment; 5. Faux pas; 9. Took ___ (went swimming); 16. Russo who co-starred in “The Thomas Crown Affair”; 17. Literary lead role for Gregory Peck in 1956; 19. Clinched; 20. Alphabet trio; 21. Keyboard key; 22. Boot feature; 24. Singer Corinne Bailey ___; 36. Out on the water; 37. C7H5N3O6; 41. Educ. Course in which grammar and idioms are taught; 42. Verified, in a way; 56. Online gasp; 57. “You’re the ___” (Cole Porter classic); 58. Popular ISP; 59. Brazilian hot spot; 60. ___ Beach, Fla.; 65. Paradise lost; 68. Comedic star Martha; 69. Many August babies; 70. Guinea pigs, maybe. Down: 6. Boost; 7. Japanese butler in “Auntie Mame”; 9. Shipping magnate Onassis; 23. Always, poetically; 26. Fitting; 28. Lobby in a D.C. building?; 30. ___ II razor; 35. Knock out; 47. Intersected; 58. Aviation-related; 63. Edinburgh refusal; 64. Up on things, daddy-o.

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