Thursday, November 19, 2009 Puzzle by Tyler Hinman and Jeremy Horwitz, edited by Will Shortz Three film directors are linked in this entertaining Thursday crossword by way of their clues -- COSTA GAVRAS (17A. “Z” director, 1969), FRITZ LANG (32A. “M” director, 1931) and OLIVER STONE (51A. “W.” director, 2008). The remaining 23 letters of the alphabet are also present, the puzzle is holoalphabetic, which is neither here nor there but everywhere. The performing arts are scattered throughout the puzzle and include DENNEHY (40D. Brian of “First Blood”); IONESCO (13D. Le Rhinocéros” playwright Eugène); IRV (7D. Hip-hop producer Gotti); JASMINE (34D. Disney princess); MEARA (9D. Anne whose real-life husband played her ex on “Rhoda”); MOONLIT (12D. Like the forest in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”); NEESON (46A. “Taken” star, 2008); REDD (49D. Comedian Foxx); STAR MAPS (44A Some Beverly Hills tourist purchases); STAX (6D. Record label whose house band was Booker T. & the M.G.’s), along with ARTSY (58A. Museum-loving) and a quote -- “YOUTH has no age”: Picasso.
Mid-size entries include ASSYRIANS (10D. Hearers of Jonah’s prophecy), CREAM SODA (30D. A&W beverage), QUARRELS (24A Spats), followed by those of seven letters -- AMBIENT (11D. All around); ANALOGS (36D. Cousins); ANOINTS (39D. Picks for a position); DRY WINE (21A. Soave, for one); GEE WHIZ (18D. “Aw, shucks”); ISOLATE (2D. Quarantine); KLEENEX (20A. Kimberly-Clark brand); LUCKIER (1D. More Irish?); MOLESTS (48A. Injuriously annoys); NOSEGAY (3D. Posy); QUIZNOS (24D. Subway alternative); REACH IN (49A. Try to steal the basketball, say); UP TO PAR (35D. Adequate for the job); WAGONER (31D. One who may be in charge of a team); WASH-OUT (38D. Complete failure). Five- and six-letter -- APNEA (41A. Cause of an awakening); 57A. Plant A SEED (give an idea); ATLAS (45D. Titan who fetched apples for Hercules); DAZED (54A. Out of it); DEANE (5D. Silas of the Continental Congress); EASY A (47D. Breeze on a college campus); ENTERS (4D. Steps in); FRERE (32D. Partner in many a French company); GIRD UP (8D. Encircle with a belt); I AGREE (23A. “Totally”); IONIC (28A. Old Greek dialect); LINED (1A. Like some jackets); SIGMA (6A. Symbol in a Riemann sum); TRIES (15A. Doesn’t give up without a fight); UPSIZE (42D. Enlarge); U S ONE (14A. It joins I-10 in Jacksonville and I-90 in Boston); VECTOR (43D. What an arrow may represent); WANT TO (31A. “Are you game?”); WRONG (22D. Double-cross, e.g.). Short stuff -- AMI, BON, CHAI, ERS, ETA, HAT, IPO, LEM, MOO, NAG and NEGS, REY, UOMO, VANE, VEE, WAD, WHUP. Lights, cameras, action… the trailers for Z, M and W. ------------------ 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
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Remaining clues -- Across: 11. Introspective question; 16. ___ juice (milk); 19. Word of praise in Paris; 25. Some honor society letters; 26. Tan; 29. Spanish chess piece; 30. Hot drink; 37. Developer’s needs, for short; 38. Big chunk of money; 42. Italy’s L’Uomo Vogue magazine; 43. Something you always need directions to use?; 50. Google had one in 2004: Abbr.; 53. Tiresome sort; 54. Out of it. Down: 27. It should go on a head; 33. NASA Moon lander; 52. Civic center?
The definition of pangram at dictionary.com is "a sentence, verse, etc., that includes all the letters of the alphabet". Couldn't a crossword puzzle fall under that etc.?
ReplyDeleteHere is a more up to date STARMAP. Learned of it a few days ago when I read this NYT article about kids "Going for the Bling".
ReplyDelete