11.23.09 -- Come Together

Monday, November 23, 2009

Puzzle by Ben Pall, edited by Will Shortz

BEATLES (38A. Group with the four circled members) and the circled members, JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE and RINGO contained within JOIN THE NAVY (3D. Head out to sea, say), POLE VAULTER (18A. Athlete trying to pass the bar?), AGENT ORANGE (59A. Toxic herbicide) and READING ROOM (26D. Library area) are the interrelated group of this terrific Monday crossword.

Wait, there’s more -- ABBEY ROAD (9A. With 46-Down, 1969 album by the 38-Across), 30A. “Nowhere MAN” (1966 hit), 48A. “Gonna TRY with a little help from my friends; 13D. “YER Blues (song on the White Album); 14A. Yoko ONO, RAVI (47A. Sitarist Shankar) and QUOTE (16A. “We’re more popular than Jesus now,” famously). What’s not to like?

PSYCHO(50A. Hitchcock film with a shower scene)and DAMAGED (52A. Injured) lead off the mid-size group which include AT ONCE (19D. Immediately); BULGING (10D. Like eyes seemingly about to pop out); EAR PLUG (55A. Silencer?), EL TORO (39D. Corrida charger); IRONED (5D. Pressed, as clothes); LICENSE (43D. Driver’s ID); NAGGER (49D. Noodge); NAME TAG (22A. It may be worn around the neck at a convention); OSIRIS (25A. Egyptian god of death); RETYPES (23A. Enters again, as text).

Five-letter -- ANODE (2D. Battery terminal); AQUAS (9D. Light blue shades); EERIE (53D. Like a coincidence that raises the hair on the back of your neck); DIG IN (4A. “Bon appetit!”); DWELL (54D. Live in); DUNNO (52D. “Beats me!”); GALAS (6D. Festive events) and HALAS (34D. Longtime N.F.L. coach nicknamed Papa Bear); HATES (51D. Despises); IRATE (15A. Spitting nails, so to speak); 27D. “How much IS TOO much?”; LO-RES (67A. Like a fuzzy computer image, informally); MATEY (30D. One to whom “Ahoy!” is directed); OWNED (65A. Had); ROPER (1D. Cowboy with a lariat); SNORT (68A. Sound akin to “Harrumph!”); STEWS (28D. Mulligan and others); THESE (33A. This and this); TRIOS (45A. The Supremes and others); TWERP (33D. Dweeb); WORSE (64A. Not so good).

Short stuff -- AILS, AWL, AYES, BOT, DIP, DOW, EDNA, EDT, ELAL, ERR, ETE, GATE, GOO, HELD, ITEM, LAIC and LAIR, LAWN, LIES, MEL, NEON, NEST, OIL, ORE, PLEB, POI, PROS, RAJ, STEM, WAN.

Come Together!

-----------------

For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery.

Remaining clues -- Across: 1. Former British rule in India; 17. Luau dish; 20. Novelist Feber; 29. In custody; 32. Where eggs hatch; 35. Of the congregation; 36. Concert receipts; 37. Pallid; 41. ___ Jones industrials; 42. Israeli carrier; 44. Big fibs; 49. “Open 24 hours” sign, maybe; 58. Sketched; 63 Metal on its way to a refinery; 66. Busines for Shell or ExxonMobil; 69. Funnyman Brooks. Down: 4. Quick swim; 7. Short news piece; 8. Campbell of “Party of Five”, NEVE; 11. Droid; 12. Summer in Paris; 21. Yes votes; 24. Commoner, for short; 31. Isn’t well; 35. Lion’s den; 40. Long part of a rose; 56. Mavens; 57. ___ tennis; 59. Piercing tool; 60. Slime; 61. Mess up; 62. Summer hours in N.Y.C.