08.16.09 -- Mélange

Sunday, August 16, 2009

LET'S TALK ABOUT ME, Puzzle by Randolph Ross, edited by Will Shortz

A solver is entitled to dislike a crossword puzzle and this one is deserving of cross words, as in “make me” like it, for instance. No way -- ten clues that include the word “me” pose as an interrelated entry/clue mélange of this Sunday-should-be-pleasant-but-this-Sunday-it-is-not crossword. “Pardon me” clues 23A. ERROR MESSAGE; “Save me” 29A. MASS APPEAL; “Feed me” 38A. COUNTER PLEA; “For me?”, RECEIVING LINE; “Shoot me”, 75A. FILM DIRECTION; “Lean on me”, 92A. TENDER OFFER; the aforementioned “Make me” for 101A. CROSS WORDS; “Kiss me” for 107A. PECKING ORDER; “It’s on me”, 16D. FREE RESPONSE; “Write me”, BOOK PROPOSAL. Me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me… So what?

The remainder of the crossword has even less to offer and it’s clues are every bit as vapidly draped in drear resulting in a weary waste of precious time of one of the last weekends of summer. Do yourself a favor -- do something else with the time -- so be it, off with cross words!

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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The remaining clues -- Across: 1. Added (on); 7. Schisms; 12. Says “Two 19-Across,” e.g.; 16. One of the Big Three, for short; 12. See 12-Across; 20. More than is required; 21. Home of Rainbow Bridge National Monument; 22. “Riddle-me-___”; 25. Late 1920s to around 1950; 27. North Carolina town that’s home to Appalachian State University; 28. Summer comfort stat; 31. Seeding org.; 32. Statement of fact; 3. “My best soldiers,” according to Douglas MacArthur; 36. In shape; 37. A.A.A. recommendation: Abbr.; 40. Physicist Bohr; 41. Exactly right, in British lingo; 43. “The Thorn Birds” and others; 44. Stops on the road; 45. Kind of column or committee; 48. Put the kibosh on; 49. It has strong jaws; 51. Modern trivia competition locale; 57. Irishman who has a Time magazine Person of the Year in 2005; 58. ___ ligation; 61. Ones entering rehab; 62. Enters gradually; 64. Snorkeling sites; 66. Break off; 67. Plug; 68 Gets no answers wrong on the test; 69. 1993 TV western starring Kenny Rogers and Travis Tritt; 71. Invites to one’s apartment, say; 73. Scott Turow’s first book was about them; 74. Nevada city; 78. Mo. With Natl. Grandparent’s Day; 78. ___ Dubos, humanist who said “Think globally, act locally”; 80. Old verb suffix; 81. Superlative on “Top Chef”; 85. Fearsome Foursome team; 87. Like some grain; 88. Rough shelter; 90. N.C.A.A. women’s basketball powerhouse; 98. Herd of whales; 97. Pickup place for pets; 98. Airline mentioned in “Back in the U.S.S.R.”; 99. Former Miss America host; 100. Al dente; 104. Actress Hagen; 105. Singing Simon; 106. Bartender’s announcement; 111. Friend ___ friend; 112. Draft status; 113. Where Jean-Claude Killy practiced; 114. Theater area; 115. Lighting director’s choice; 116. Bank bailout acronym; 117. Big success; 118. Child often having special responsibilities. Down: 1. Where many commuters live, informally; 2. Balloon or blimp; 3. Sweet potato nutrient; 4. Icelandic money; 5. To be abroad; 6. British mil. Decoration; 7. Enter quickly; 8. Won’t take no for an answer; 9. Org. overseeing trials; 10. Port pusher; 11. Come across as; 12. Holders of body lubricating fluids; 13. Lake ___, source of the Mississippi; 14. Pops in the nursery; 15. Send; 17. Go off track; 18. What kings rule; 24. Classical rebuke; 26. Choose to participate; 30. Cobblers’ needs; 32. Like some bonds; 33. Stilt, e.g.; 34. Eyes and ears; 38. Arcangelo ___, Italian violin master; 39. Sign of hunger; 40. Tonga-to-Hawaii dir.; 42. Daytime talk show starting in 1987; 44. “___ little silhouetto of a man” (“Bohemian Rhapsody” lyric); 46. Big word in German ads; 47. Ballet set in the Rhineland; 49. Word that led to the “Why a duck?” routine by the Marx brothers; 50. Walk-___; 52. Before; 53. Cans; 55. Nasty words; 56. Housing arrangement; 57. Congressional terms, e.g.; 58. Scale weights; 59. Functional; 63. Child’s wheels; 65. Bank holdings?; 67. Battle star; 70. Hamper; 71. Batsman; 72. Mom-and-pop org.; 76. Very, very tired; 77. Singing brothers’ surname; 79. Presidential inits.; 82. Wrap around; 83. Hollywood hopefuls; 84. Flapdoodle; 86. “___ of robins …”; 87. Ready for a drive?; 88. Protest cry; 90. Get moving again, in a way; 91. Wine order; 92. Mechanic; 93. Cap attachment; 94. Obsession; 95. Sweet treat; 98. Safari leader; 100. Unit of capacitance; 102. Resident of the Land of Cakes; 103. Places to unwind; 105. Thing to wind; 108. Hardwood source; 109. One who knows one’s liabilities; 110. E.T.S. offering.