12.27.09 -- Toasting the New Year

Champagne Bubbles by fantartsy JJ

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Sunday, December 27, 2009

TOASTING THE NEW YEAR, Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz

CHAMPAGNE BUBBLES in circles, I AM DRINKING THE STARS (25A. Purported cry from 100-Across upon discovering this puzzle’s subject), DOM PIERRE PERIGNON (100A. See 25-Across), BENEDICTINE MONK (34D. 100-Across, for one), IT’S TWELVE O’CLOCK (39D. Cry before “Happy New Year!”), CHEERS (1A. Common toast), CLINKS (12A. Sounds accompanying toasts), BOTTOMS UP (75A. Alternative to 1-Across), WINE LOVER (77A. Connoisseur of this puzzle’s subject) and SALUT (119A. Common overseas toast) are the interrelated group of this perfect salute-to-the-New-Year crossword puzzle; and what’s not to love about that lonely clueless E in the center of the puzzle!

AGN (61A. Once more: Abbr.) is a SIN (31D. Do bad) you say? Well, LAH DI DAH (59A. Hoity-toity), go HULK OUT (116A. Become enraged, as a comic book figure), this is a fine vintage crossword filled with the bubbles of words, magic and cheerful, the ROSIEST (24A. Most hopeful) of paeans to the coming of the New Year -- it’s a CHAMP (57A. Titleholder)!

Other -- ANTI-HERO (33D. Raskoinikov in “Crime and Punishment,” e.g.); ARSENAL (21A. Store); AVERAGE (80A. C); CORN COB (87D. Biodegradable pipe material); GNOCCHI (111A. Italian dumplings); GOES WEST (62A. Follows the path of 19th-century pioneers); GOOD ONE (83D. “Funny!”); GUNNED FOR (62D. Pursued tenaciously); HORSE-LIKE (60D. Equine); IN HEELS (79A. Dressed up, maybe); JUNK DNA (114A. Genetic material with no known function); LAKE ERIE (40D. Discovery of the explorer Louis Joliet); PHONIES (108A. Fakes); SISSIES (51A. Cream puffs); TOOK A CAB (32D. Skipped the subway, say); UNEASIER (41D. More restless).

Six-letter -- FAISAL, GASKET, HALLOW and HOLLIS, KEIFER, MAGNUS, LOSTTO, NEOCON, NOTNOW, QUIVER, RACEME, RONDOS, SLIGHT, SOAKER, SUNTEA.

Five -- ACEIT, ACRAB, AERIE, AGNUS, APOET, AREGO, BATED, BUNKO, BWANA, CABIN, CHOSE, ECONO, EPSOM, HAHAS, IMARI, LEADA, LINEN, MAURA, MERCE, NILES, OBIES, OILUP, ONETO (44A. 11:59 p.m., e.g.), OPENS, REBID, RUING, STABS, SWARM.

OTIC (36D. Of the ears) and OCULAR (66D. Of the eyes) lead off the echoes -- HUH and HUE, ONO and NON, LAO and OLA, NOLO and OLAN, COO and QUA, LIEN and LIMN and all the other short stuff -- ABET, AGUE, AMOK, ANSA, APO, ARFS, BAST, BET, CHA, DOOM, EDIT, ELEM, ELO, ELSA, ETAL, FIRM, HARI, ILIA, IONE, ISL, ITT, KISS (16D. New Year’s Eve action), LRON, MAD, MIDI, MOHS, NARC, NED, NGO, NLER, OAK, OFIT, OGEE, OMNI, OSHA, OWED, PEEP, PERU, PHI, PJS, RAMA, RBIS, SAGE (52D. Wise), SHE, SST, TANS, TNUT, TSO.

Happy NewYear! 

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Remaining clues -- ACROSS: 7. Be ___ (constantly complain); 18. Make sacred); 19. Actress Tierney; 20. Neighborhood in Queens; 28. Bygone Dodge; 29. Vietnamese leader ___ Dinh Diem; 30. Help out in a bad way; 31. Tries; 35. “Livin’ Thing” band, for short; 37. Honor society character; 38. Prepare for a bodybuilding competition; 43. Actress Skye; 46. ___ double life; 48. Summer shades; 49. Later; 53. Joint seal; 55. Sutherland of “24”; 58. Beverage brewed naturally; 64. Nail the test; 65. Sweet talk; 67. Sine ___ non; 68. Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Eagles; 69. Person on the alert for snow?; 70. Late choreographer Cunningham; 72. Swindle; 74. Mechanic’s ___; 81. Name of seven Norwegian kings; 84. Thai’s neighbor; 85. Beatty of “Superman”; 86. Ex-lib, perhaps; 90. “___ can survive everything but a misprint”: Oscar Wilde; 91. Al dente; 92. Terriers’ warnings; 94. ___ Lodge; 95. Bad end; 96. Symbol of strength; 97. Pay back?; 99. Scientologist ___ Hubbard; 110. Restrained; 115. Japanese procelain; 117. Miss, e.g.; 118. Alcatraz, for one: Abbr.; 120. General name on menus; 121. Jump into a pool? DOWN: 1. When said three times, a dance; 2. Spy Mata ___; 3. Mrs. Albert Einstein; 4. Na, Ne, Ni or No; 5. Some Mozart works; 6. Hive mentality?; 7. Berserk; 8. Part of a plane; 9. Having certain misgivings; 10. “All systems ___”; 11. Rope fiber; 12. Went with; 13. Was beaten by; 14. 1998 Olympic figure skating gold medalist ___ Kulik; 15. D-back, e.g.; 17. Grounded flier; 22. Napkins and such; 24. Up an offer, e.g.; 26. “Frasier” role; 27. What the Laugh Factory produces; 37. Slightest protest; 42. LAX setting; 44. Due; 45. Workplace watchdog grp.; 46. Describe; 47. The chills; 50. The wonder ___ all; 54. Looped handle, in archaeology; 56. Flower arrangement; 58. Super ___ (water shooter); 59. Office PC hookup; 63. Big ___; 67. It may be taken with a bow; 70. ___ scale; 71. English Derby site; 72. Swahili honorific; 73. “The Good Earth” wife; 76. Carpentry fastener; 76. S-shaped molding; 81. “Are you ___?”; 82. Mil. Address part; 88. Lennon’s lady; 89. French vote; 91. Former Saudi king; 93. Cold-shoulder; 96. Taps, in a way; 98. “___ Dei”; 101. Skirt length; 102. Diamond stats; 103. “___ Lama Ding Dong” (1961 hit); 104. Series ender: Abbr.; 105. Arequipa is its second-largest city; 106. Make a long story short?; 107. Start of a plea; 108. Comfy evening wear; 109. “You talkin’ to me?”; 112. Shade; 113. Cousin ___ of “The Addams Family”.