11.12.09 -- Diamond

Thursday,
November 12, 2009
Puzzle by Brendan Emmett Quigley, edited by Will Shortz
A [DIAMOND] IS FOREVER (36A. Classic marketing tagline) and [DIAMOND] LIL (37D. Mae West role), [DIAMOND] JIM BRADY (1A. Tycoon who was reputedly the first person in New York City to own an automobile) and [DIAMOND] RING (1D. Union symbol?), [DIAMOND]HEAD (10A. Hawaiian landmark) and [DIAMOND]BACKS (10D. Chase Field team), NEIL [DIAMOND] (67”Heartlight” singer, 1982) and BLACK [DIAMOND] (44D. Symbol for a difficult ski run), BASEBALL [DIAMOND] (68A. Home setting) and HOPE [DIAMOND] (54D. Subject of a renowned curse) comprise the interrelated group of this gem of a Thursday crossword.
Other long entries include ARTERIOLE (66A. Small blood vessel), ISOLATIVE (17A. Tending to cut off), REDEFINES (15A. Changes in a whole new way) and TURBOPROP (62A. Commuter aircraft, maybe).
Mid-size -- IDOIDO (3D. Excited answer to “Who wants …?”; JESUIT (2D. Kind of priest);
MELTED (4D. Like the Wicked Witch of the West at the end of “The Wizard of Oz”); OMNIBUS (43A. Collected work); PETROL (48D. It’s refined in Britain); RKELLY (24A. Singer with the 2002 hit “Ignition”); SCROLL (49D. Dungeons & Dragons item); SPELLS (50A. Kisses may break them); TASTIER (31A. Better at dinner); UTOPIA (47D. Fantasy world).
Five -- ANITA (7D. “The Red Tent” author Diamant); ASPIC (58A. Kind of jelly); ASSAI (55A. Very, to Verdi);
AXELS (18A. Tricky jumps); BERTH (16A. Moorage); COUPS (46A. Impressive feats); DEVON (8D. Exeter’s county); DIRTS (52D. Grimes); MAURA (51D. Actress Tierney of “ER”); OPENS (42A. Uncorks); RECTO (32A. Chapter’s starting point, usually); TODAY (29A. “No more delaying!”); TORIC (20A. Like some fancy soap bubbles); WHELK (65A. Marine snail).
Short stuff -- ARI and IRA, ARNE, ATL, AWN, BEE, BFA,
CFOS (33D. Inc. article subjects), COS (33D. Inc. article subjects), CURL, DHS, ENCL, ERE, ETTE, GIDE, HEX, ILL, LEE, LIRR, MDL, NUIT, ORB, OTRO, PEI, RAN, RIT, RYES, SHE, STAB, TECH, TOP, TORE, TRE, UMP, USS, VSO, YRS.
A kiss may be grand but it won't pay the rental /On your humble flat, or help you at the automat /Men grow cold as girls grow old /And we all lose our charms in the end /But square cut or pear shaped /These rocks don't lose their shape /Diamonds are a girl's best friend!
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Remaining clues -- Across: 19. Van Gogh’s “Le CafĂ© de ___”; 22. “Corydon” author; 23. Got a move on; 35. ___ chic; 40. Show signs of age, maybe; 51. Year Nostradamus’s first almmanac was written; 53. Texas___; 57. Not esto or eso. Down: 5. Painter’s deg.; 6. Slowing down, in mus.; 9. North Sea tributary; 11. Whammy; 12. “___ upon my bed I lay me”: Longfellow; 13. Airport code of the world’s busiest airport; 14. Some A.L.’ers; 21. NPR host Flatow; 23. Some breads; 25. Diminutive ending; 26. Way into N.Y.C.; 27. Jason who starred in TV’s “My Name is Earl”; 28. Sentence units: Abbr.; 30. Anagrammatic cousin of 21-Down?; 31. Flew; 34. Non pareil; 36. His first opera was “Rosamund”; 38. Unsolicited MS., perhaps; 39. Brandy letters; 41. Expert on a 68-Across; 45. Maritime letters; 56. Attempt; 58. Plant bristle; 59. ___ -bear; 60. “Dictionary of Linguistics” linguist; 61. In a bad way; 63 Community get-together; 64. Regal symbol.

2 comments:

Sami said...

How do you get the diamond entered into the 'play against the clock?'

Thanks!

Sami

DONALD said...

Sami,

The glyph of the diamond was entered separately upon a priorly scanned crossword, both documents being jpg's. Play Against the Clock doesn't appear to have any glyphs and the Across Lite does not provide an appropriate one of a diamond.