09.04.09 -- Frigid Friday

Scenographia Systematis Mundani Ptolemaici by Andreas Cellarius, 1660

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Friday, September 4, 2009

Puzzle by Joe Krozel, edited by Will Shortz

Eight 15-letter entries are the main feature of this challenging and frigid Friday crossword -- ANTI-DEPRESSANTS (15A. Psychiatrist’s arsenal); A THOUSAND AND ONE (13D. Number of nights in old stories); CREASE RESISTANT (47A. Having no pressing needs?); ENTREPRENEURIAL (12D. Launching a start-up, say); INSURRECTIONARY (2D. Rebel); ISOLATION BOOTHS (17A. They were used on old TV’s Twenty One”); NATIONALIZATION (44A. Process associated with socialism); PTOLEMYAIC SYSTEM (3D. Long-disproven scientific theory).

Eight-letter entries include NINTENDO (33A. Punch-Out!! Maker); REASONED (27A. Well-thought-out); SIDE DISH (31D. Course component); SPICULES (7D. Sponge skeleton parts).

Seven-letter -- AT LUNCH (32D. Out around midday, say); BATTEAU (8A. Small river craft: Var.); HASSLES (49A. Annoyances); HYMNALS (48A. Service staples); ORIENTS (34D. Breaks in); RAIL CAR (1D. Part of a track team?); RIP SAWS (1A. Wood cutters); U S STEEL (14D. Pittsburgh giant).

Six -- AT COST (32A. Economical way to buy); 8D. BENDED knee; CITIES (30A. They have their limits); MOLARS (36D. Toddlers cut them); NEURAL (29A. Kind of network); NO SALE (33D. Register button); ROOKED (16D. Hornswoggled); SEN-SEN (31A. Freshener since the 1890s).

Five -- 9D. “That’s just AS BAD!”; CODAS (19A. Concluding notes); COPSE (26A. Little wood); HOIST (25D. Jack, e.g.); HOLED (25A. Sank on a course); LULLS (18A. Welcome things on hectic workdays); MATTS (40D. Swimmer Biondi and others); MODES (36A. Styles); NENES (29D. Iberian infants); NONET (22D. Small choir, maybe); NO USE (23D. Pointless); NUKED (22A. Zapped); PANEL (39D. Instrumentation location); POSES (39A. Model’s series); SALAD (42A. Restaurant opener?); SILLS (4D. Framework components); TARDE (43A. Late, in Léon); STONE (28D. Attack barbarously); 35A. “’TISN’T beauty, so to speak, nor good talk …”: Kipling.

Short stuff -- ADAS (5D. Some prosecutors: Abbr.); ARM (24A. Timor Sea, vis-à-vis the Indian Ocean); CRES (21A. Increase in volume, in mus.); EAR (37A. It might get a plug); IAN (45D. Publisher Ballantine); 38A. Ravel’s “Ma Mère L'OYE,” a k a “Mother Goose; MUNI (40A. Bond variety, briefly); NEUE (23A. Modern, in Munster); ROT (20A. Start making a stink?); SOSA (42D. Hitter of 66 in ‘98); TAO (11D. Asian way); TASS (43D. Old propaganda source); TSOS (10D. Chinese menu possessive); UNS (41A. Little or wee follower); WET (6D. Not ideal for a picnic); ZIA (46D. He overthrew Bhutto).

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