The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: March 2010

03.31.10 — Money

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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Puzzle by Chuck Deodene, edited by Will Shortz

SPREAD THE WEALTH (38A. Redistributionist’s catchphrase … or a hint to the words formed by the circled letters), said circled letters spelling BREAD, DINERO, MOOLAH and LUCRE within BY POPULAR DEMAND (17A. How a former product may be brought back), DANTES INFERNO (23A. Tale of a hellish trip), MANOLO BLAHNIK (49A. Upscale shoe brand) and PLEASURE CRUISES (59A. Escapes via luxury liner) make up the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword.

I never ever heard of Manolo Blahnik, who through the search engines of the internet, I now know is a Spanish fashion designer and founder of a self-named, high-end shoe brand. No matter, he/it exists in this crossword for the sole purpose of providing MOOLAH.

DREAM TEAM and ZEALOUSLY (34D. Superstar assembly, 11D. With fervor) are the only other entries of length, followed by CAMINO and GARAGE (10D. Spanish road, 46D. Mustang’s place), and IN AGONY and UNSOUND (45A. Suffering torment, 29A. Faulty, as a plan).

Five-letter — ADLAI (6D. Dwight’s two-time opponent), ASYLA (2D. Places of respite), AUDEN (32A. “City Without Walls” poet), BECKY (51D. Tom Sawyer’s crush), BRAWN (7D. Brain’s counterpart), 44A. DRY AS dust (so-o-o boring), ETHYL (35D. Alcohol type used as biofuel), FUSES (26D. Amalgamates), GATES (1A. Billionaire Bill), GO BAD (1D. Sprout mold, say), GOT ME (66A. “Good question”), HUSSY (69A. Impudent lady), ITEMS (53D. Lovey-dovey pairs), KESEY (54D. Merry Prankster Ken), NESTS (52D. Snuggles), OPERA (50D. Teatro La Fenice offering), OSAGE (14A. Lake of the Ozarks feeder), OUTRE (55A. Eccentric), RILES (22A. Provokes), TAP IN (3D. Anticlimactic putt).

Short stuff — ABED, AERO, ALAR, ALI, ANAG, ANC, ARCH, ARNE, ASTI, CZAR, DID, DREI, DRNO, DUHS, EBAY, EDNA, EER, EGO, ENNA, ENOW, ESSO, ETE, IOU, LAME, NOTA, ONES (47D. Vending machine input), OPAL, PEA, RAW, RHYS, RNA, RODS, RUB, SEPT, SHY, SOU (37A. Trifling amount), TOE, TREE, TURK, UGH, ULNA, UPON, URSA, UTE.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 6. Sleeping in, say; 10. Bolshevik’s foe; 15. Eins und zwei; 16. Streamlined, in brief; 20. Louisville sports icon; 21. Like steak tartare; 28. Biochem strand; 35. Shell alternative; 42. “Piggy”; 43. Actor Jonathan ___ Meyers; 48. Ruling party in Johannesburg: Abbr.; 57. Soybean relative; 58. Valery’s vacation time; 64. Puzzling jumble: Abbr.; 65. Izmir native; 67. Half-baked; 68. “Buy It Now” site. DOWN: 4. Elitist’s problem; 5. Patriot Day mo.; 8. Unceasingly, to Burns; 9. Accomplished); 12. Obama education secretary ___; 13. Concrete reinforcers; 18. Bear overhead?; 19. Muffs; 24. Dendrologist’s subject; 25. Central Sicilian city; 27. Adequate, in verse; 30. Part of N.B.; 31. Cries from the momentarily stupid; 32. Moscato d’ ___ (Italian wine); 33. Knowledgeable of; 36. Short; 39. Fleming super villain; 40. Cross-dressing “Dame” of humor; 41. Roman aqueduct support; 48. Former orchard spray; 55. Queensland gem; 56. It parallels the radius; 60. RAV4 or TrailBlazer, briefly; 61. Chafe; 62. Cry made while holding the nose; 63 Note from a busted person.

03.30.10 — 5-O

Confetti fills the air at Madison Square Garden during 2009 NYPD graduation.

Calling police officers "5-O" comes from a TV show of about 25 years ago called "Hawaii 5-0." This show was set in Hawaii, and the unit the show was about was 5-0." From that time until today (and probably forever!) law enforcement officers and correctional officers are referred to by criminals as "5-0." On the streets and in prison, when people who are up to no good see a police officer or corrections officer coming their way, they softly say "5-0" to alert others that the law is coming their way. This is not an offensive or disrespectful phrase; sometimes law enforcement officers and correctional officers use it themselves — blurtit.com

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz

A phonetic five-some, AU, EAU, OH, OWE and O, or FIVE-O (9A. Cops, in slang … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme), AU COURANT (17A Up-to-date), EAU DE COLOGNE (23A. Brut or Paco Rabanne), OH TO BE IN ENGLAND (41A. Browning opening line preceding “Now that April’s there”), OWE BACK TAXES (52A. Be indebted to the I.R.S.) and O PIONEERS (65A. Willa Cather novel) are the interrelated group of this Tuesday crossword.

Other — BABA WAWA (42D. Gilda Radner character), BUDDY LIST (70A. Computer setup to facilitate instant messaging), EMINENT (26D. Distinguished), FAR-FLUNG (9D. Widespread), WHIPPED UP (14A. Made quickly, as a meal).

Five-letter — ARYAN (16A. Indo-European), DALIS (25D. Some Surrealist paintings), EAT IN (12D. Have dinner at home), 54D. ECONO Lodge, ETHOS (59A. Spirit of a group), 69A. “So what else IS NEW?”, KNOBS (55D. Door handles), NADIA (37A. Gold-medal gymnast Comaneci), ON AIR (52D. Broadcasting now) and ON THE (13D. Words before rocks, ropes or run), OPTIC (8D. Eye-related), OVALS (27D. Egg shapes), PUMAS (15D. Alternative to Nikes), RAITT (18A. Singer Bonnie), RHODA (71A. Mary’s upstairs neighbor, in 1970s TV), SEE YA (36D. “Adios!”), SPORE (4D. Fungus production), STELE (56D. Inscribed pillar), TEENY (50D. Wee), THERM (19A. Gas bill unit), TOSCA (44A. 1900 Puccini premiere), VOCAB (34D. Lexicon contents, for short), VYING (11D. Competing), WELSH (53D. Like the name “Bryn Mawr”).

Short stuff — ABE, ADAY, AHS, ALOT, ANY, DATA, ECO, ELIS, EROS, GUV, HED, HEIR, HIHO, IDA, INF, INON, LIVE, MER, MISO, NEC, NIH, NMEX, NOG, NYET, ODD, ORSO, PUP, SEEM, SETS, SLAM, SPED, SSTS, STOA, SUN, SUVS, SWAT, UHUH, ULEE, VICE, WON.

ALOHA (63A. “Welcome to Maui!”).

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Explorers on a hwy., e.g.; 5. ___ soup (starter at a Japanese restaurant); 20. Gershwin’s “Concerto ___”; 22. Medical research agcy.; 28. Physical reactions?; 31. Pro wrestling move; 32. Informal British term of address; 33. Schreiber of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”; 35. New Haven collegians; 45. Look; 46. Site of Zeno’s teaching; 47. Civil War prez; 49. Natasha’s refusal; 51 Whichever; 57. Jap. Computer giant; 58. Took home the gold; 72. Floored it; 73. Lover boy? DOWN: 1. Sultan of ___ (Babe Ruth); 2. “No way, no how”; 3. Gambling or drinking; 5. Sea, to Cousteau; 6. Civil rights advocate ___ B. Wells; 7. Light from above; 10. Nest egg for old age, in brief; 21. Eggy drink; 24 Beekeeper of filmdom; 28. Gazillions; 29. Bygone cracker brand; 30. Squash match units; 38. Facts and figures; 39. Privy to; 40. The Beatles’ “___ in the Life”; 43. Ariz. Neighbor; 48. Prefix with friendly; 60. Prince, e.g.;p 61. Roughly; 62. Former fast jets; 64. “I knew a man Bojangles and ___ dance for you …”; 66. Young dog; 67. Chemical suffix; 68. Like 1, 3, 5, 7.

03.29.10 — Hair

Illustration wrought from JOB, 1896, Alphonse Mucha

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Monday, March 29, 2010

Puzzle by John Dunn, edited by Will Shortz

IN THE CROSSHAIRS (38A. Fixed as a target or a hint to four pairs of intersecting answers in this puzzle), BEARD and POMPADOUR (5D. Abraham Lincoln feature; 17A. Elvis Presley feature), MANES and BANGS (11D. Jon Bon Jovi and Tina Turner features; 19A. Mamie Eisenhower feature), PLAIT and BRAID (51D. Pippi Longstocking feature; 60A. Willie Nelson feature) and LOCKS and SPIT CURLS (53D. Rapunzel feature; 62A. Betty Boop and Superman features) are the interrelated group of this wonderfully woolly Monday crossword.

Other — APPAREL and ATTIRED (49A. Clothing; 30A. Clad), DIABLO (55A. Spanish devil), EVADED (10D. Got around), NEMESES (25A. Formidable opponents), ORBITS (46D. Circles, as the earth), PARSNIPS (8D. Cousins of carrots), REALISTS (40D. They see things as they are), RIPEST (21A. At the peak of maturity, as an apple), SATIRE (45D. Lampoon), SODA POP (45A. Sugary drink), STOP AT (6D. Pull into).

Five-letter — AMBLE, ANGLE, CEDED, FLAME (14A. Hot love interest), IVANA, KNIFE, LOIRE (64A. France’s longest river), MESHY, PASTS, PERON, REMAP, SAUCY, SCRUB, SOBAD, TERMS, TROMP, YEMEN, “YES OR no?”

Short stuff — ADS, AERO, ALFA, ALOT, APED, ASIA, CLOD, DDS, DELT, DER, DIME, DINA, DWI, EDNA, ETCH, ISNT, LAND, MELT, OUTS, PELT (47D. Throw things at), RAMS, RELO, RENT, RIB, RMPS, SDS, SEEM, SFPD, STP, TAU, TET, TRA, TRIB, TRUE, UMP, UNO, USED, WREN (36D. Bird that perches with its tail erect).

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Wash very hard; 6. “The racer’s edge”; 9. Chart anew; 15. ___-la-la; 16. The former Mrs. Trump; 20. Tooth specialist’s deg.; 23. Shoulder muscle, informally; 24. Author Ferber; 27. Scads; 34. Tach readings; 35. Drinker’s road offense, for short; 42. Commercials; 43. Appear to be; 44. Its capital is Sana; 48. Apartment dweller’s payment; 52. Move, in Realtor-speak; 54. Opposite of freeze; 57. T in a fraternity; 65. Asian New Year; 66. Weapon in Clue; 67. Step into; 68. Grp. That opposed the Vietnam War; 69. Not ___ (middling). DOWN: 1. Dirty Harry’s employer: Abbr.; 2. Dirt clump; 3. Ewes’ mates; 4. Caller of strikes and balls, for short; 7. T on a test; 9. Tease; 12. It’s measured in degrees; 13. They may be sordid; 18. Actress Merrill; 22. Contract provisions; 24. Impress, as in the memory; 26. Like a net; 27. Part of Istanbul is in it; 28. Real estate; 29. What tagging a runner and catching a fly ball result in; 31. Give a shellacking; 35. Coin with F.D.R.’s profile; 36. Bird that perches with its tail erect; 37. George Harrison’s “___ It a Pity”; 39. Surrendered; 41. Prefix with dynamic; 49. Mosey along; 50. Juan of Argentina; 56. Parroted; 57. Chi-town paper with “the”; 58. ___ Romeo; 59. Preowned; 61. Architect Mies van ___ Rohe; 63. Game with Skip and Draw 2 cards.

03.28.10 — Then We Came to the End — the Acrostic

Sunday, March 28, 2010

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s acrostic draws its quotation from Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris.

It's 2001. The dot-com bubble has burst and rolling layoffs have hit an unnamed Chicago advertising firm sending employees into an escalating siege mentality as their numbers dwindle. A dysfunctional family of misfits forced together and fondly remembered as it falls apart. — Brad Thomas Parsons, Amazon.com Review. It was the era of take-ones and tchotchkes. The world was flush with Internet cash and we got our fair share of it… we bowed down before (a logo), much like the ancient Mayans did their pagan gods. We, too, thought it would never end. -- Interactive site at Hachette Book Group. From “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” to “Dilbert,” the default position for American stories about business — especially as easy a target as advertising — has been derision. White-collar work is meant to be soul-killing and pernicious… “Then We Came to the End” would, it turns out, make a pretty good read on the beach. Particularly if you still have a job to vacation from. — Review in The New York Times Sunday Book Review, March 18, 2007.

The quotation: OUR COPYWRITER DON HAD ANOTHER SCREENPLAY ABOUT A DISAFFECTED AND CYNICAL COPYWRITER SUFFERING ENNUI IN THE OFFICE SETTING WHILE DREAMING OF BECOMING A FAMOUS SCREENWRITER WHICH HE CLAIMED WAS NOT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL

The author’s name and the title of the work: FERRIS THEN WE CAME TO THE END

The defined words:

A. Meal of cereal grain, FARINA

B. Looking for oneself on the Internet, EGOSURFING

C. Color in roulette, ROUGE

D. One making a personal withdrawal?, RECLUSE

E. Human period before bipedal locomotion, INFANCY

F. Opposite of ad-libbed, SCRIPTED

G. 1992 film satire of Hollywood ambition (2 wds.), THE PLAYER

H. Part of an actor’s job application, HEADSHOT

I. Promoting workplace comfort and efficiency, ERGONOMIC

J. Like the maid in a Thomas Percy ballad (hyph.), NUT-BROWN

K. Two-person cutter, swing sharply, WHIPSAW

L. Serialized, as a novel, EPISODIC

M. Slang for a partitioned workplace (2 wds.), CUBE FARM

N. Still single, but unavailable for dating, AFFIANCED

O. Cocktail poured over crushed ice (2 wds.), MAI TAI

P. Environmental science, ECOLOGY

Q. Scientist in a managerial position, TECHNOCRAT

R. Cool, distant, aloof, reserved, OFFISH

S. Having a certain job security, TENURED

T. Subject of King Kamehameha, HAWAIIAN

U. Full of juice?, ELECTRIC

V. “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” poem, ENDYMION

W. Outburst from one who is harried and exasperated (2 wds.), NOW WHAT

X. Beleaguered worker in a strip, DILBERT

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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03.28.10 — What Makes IT ITCH?

Sunday, March 28, 2010

WHAT MAKES IT ITCH?, Puzzle by Ed Sessa, edited by Will Shortz

The title of this fairly dull Sunday crossword is a clue for the seven long answers of the puzzle, e.g., CH added to IT forms ITCH; ergo, expect to add CH to a few more words, in this case, WIN to WINCH, HIT to HITCH, MEN’S to MENSCH, PAT to PATCH, THAT to THATCH, PUN to PUNCH and BUN to BUNCH, changing familiar phrases to inane phrases with justifying question-mark clues, as follows:

NO WINCH SITUATION (23A. Problem for a crane operator?)
ONE HITCH WONDER (38A. Exceptional soldier on his only tour?)
MENSCH FASHION (68A. What kind, decent people wear?)
PATCH ON THE BACK (98A. Hidden help for one who’s trying to stop smoking?)
GET A LOAD OF THATCH (117A. Instruction #1 for roofers?)
MAKE A BAD PUNCH (16D. Hit below the belt?)
HOT CROSS BUNCH (56D. Really angry group)

Other — ANCHORAGE (81D. Home of Elmendorf Air Force Base), CIGAR CASE (47A. Cuban’s home?), COUNSELS (108A. Court figures), DESCEND ON (90A. Arrive unexpectedly en masse), SADDLE UP (29A. Get ready to go), MENDICANT (14D. Beggar), SINGLE GUY (79D. Bachelor), ZETA-JONES (9D. Academy Award winner for “Chicago,” 2002), and two split answer/clues, OSAGE TRIBE (20A. With 21-Across, native Oklahoma group) and STRIPED TIE (59A. Like many a 36-Across, Haberdashery offering).

Seven-letter — BURMESE (78A. Cuddly cat), CABANAS (69D. Some quick-change places), CLOSURE (55D. Conclusion), HELOISE (40D. Hint offered), NANETTE (94D. Tony and Emmy winner Fabray), NEW AGER (3D. Shirley MacLaine, notably), NEW HIGH (88a. Wall Street landmark?), NOMINAL (24D. Hardly worth mentioning), OGREISH (84D. Beastly), SARA LEE (51A. Food giant based in Downers Grove, Ill.), SCONCES (95D. Candleholders on a wall), SECURES (35D. Gets hold of), SIERRAS (49D. Rugged range), SPOKANE (2D. Expo ‘74 city), THREW IN (65D. Included for free).

Mid-size — ABETS; ACHOO; ACOIN; ACTII, ALETA; AMOCO (74D. Bygone brand with a torch in its logo); ASPEN; BEAUT; “BESAME Mucho,” #1 hit for Jimmy Dorsey; CHILI; ENDEAR; ENTER, GENIE; GOSSIP (48D. Tittle-tattle); HEATER; INCAS; INURE; KAPOK (27A. Pillow fill); LAPAZE (5A. World capital at 12,000 feet); LOCKET; NOAHS; OCALA; OSCAR (73A. Grouchy Muppet); OTYPE; PORED and PROBED; PUTON; RERAN; RINSE; SAHIB (77D. Bygone title of respect); SCRUM (10A. Rugby gathering); SOAPY; STAYED; STAUB; TAFTS; TERNE (46A. Lead and tin alloy); TONIC; TOPLIT; UBOAT; UNBEND; UPONE; UTERI; YAPAT (126A. Vocally bother).

Short stuff — ABE; ACHE, ache, ache, ache; AGIO; AMSO; ANNI; ARA; ASH; AWOL; COP; CRAB, crab, crab, crab; CRT; DERR; DONT; DUI; EDEN; EKG; ENOS; EROO; FIE, fie, fie, fie; HITS; HMS; HUES; ION; “Coffee ISN’T my cup of tea“: Samuel Goldwyn; ITEM; JOES; LICK; MEA; “Fly ME TO the Moon“; MRE; NAG and NOG; NESS; NIKE; ODIN; OKAY; OLA; OMNI; OPER; OTB; PABA; PAIN, pain, pain, pain; PASS, pass, pass, pass; PLOD, plod, plod, plod; RIDE; RIIS; RIT and ROT; RPM; SCAR; SEI; SOHO; SONG; STEP; TRIP; WATT and WREN, not the bird.

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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: 15. Schoolyard comeback; 19. Phone abbr.; 22. Eponymous engineer; 26. Green-light; 28. In a lather; 31. Noodge; 32. ___ culpa; 34. Average fellows; 37. “___ Lincoln in Illinois” (1940 biopic); 43. Kvetch; 45. Showed over; 53. Feigned; 54. Chief Norse deity; 55. Hot dog topping; 57. G.M. tracking system; 61. Plug along; 62. Motorist’s no-no, for short; 64. Helps in a heist; 66. Get used (to); 67. Rubbish; 72. Colt’s fans, for short?; 76. Head turner; 76. 45 ___; 77. Leave a mark on; 83. ___ ark; 85 Switch add-on; 86. Machu Picchu people; 92. Play center, often; 93. Dentist’s directive; 97. iTunes selection; 101. Handicapper’s hangout, for short; 103. Spanish wave; 105. Big Apple neighborhood; 106. Twice tre; 107. Eggy quaff; 111. Scrutinized, with “over”; 114. Colorado resort; 116. Years, in Rome; 121. Beat; 122. Centers of early development; 123. Wish granter; 124. News tidbit; 125. Yearn; 127. Cry from beyond a closed door; 128. Leader of the Untouchables. DOWN: 1. Electrical particle; 4. Take a header; 6. Volcanic fallout; 7. Court transfer?; 8. Currency exchange premium; 11. Computer screen, for short; 12. Jacob who wrote “How the Other Half Lives”; 13. Maritime threat of the early 1940s; 15. Off-base in a bad way; 17. Six-time baseball All-0Star Rusty; 18. Like universal blood donors; 25. Ahead, but barely; 30. Charlie Chan creator Earl ___ Biggers; 31. Postman’s creed conjunction; 33. Courthouse records; 39. Member of a strict Jewish sect; 41. Follower of Christopher or Carolina; 42. Slowing down, in mus.; 44. Flip ___ (decide by chance); 50. Win over; 52. Razz; 53. Sunscreen additive; 58. Ohio political dynasty; 60. Old Japanese coin; 61. Investigated; 63. Straighten out; 68. Field ration, for short; 70. Peach and orange; 71. It means everything; 84. Beastly; 87. Filch; 89. Google stat; 91. Genesis son; 92. Sound while jerking the head; 96. Ticker tape letters?; 99. Like atriums; 100. Punk’s piece; 101. City in Florida’s horse country; 102. Gin’s partner; 104. Prince Valiant’s love; 109. “Swoosh” band; 110. One ___ at a time; 112. Heavenly place; 113. Succinct warning; 115. Pest; 118. Parseghian of Notre Dame; 119. “For shame!”; 120. Britannia letters.

03.27.10 — Bijou at the Bijou

The Pink Panther, the largest diamond in the world. This fictitious huge pink gem has an unusual flaw: looking deeply into the stone, one perceives a tiny discoloration resembling a leaping pink panther – hence the name.

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Puzzle by Samuel A. Donaldson, edited by Will Shortz

Lots of Hollywood and plenty of pink, a few good quotations and references to magic, the good, the bad and the ugly are all on the bill of this Saturday bijou at the Bijou.

Across: 1. Massive, GINORMOUS, gigantic + enormous; 10. “Hairspray” mom and others, EDNAS; 15. Versatile, ADAPTABLE; 16. One to hang with, NOOSE; 17. Faded, LOST STEAM; 18. Blackmore heroine, DOONE; 19. Cry after failing, ALAS; 20. Ezio Pinza’s “Mr. Imperium” co-star, LANA TURNER; 22. Easy tots to baby-sit, NAPPERS; 24. Perfect, SPOT-ON; 28. Donatello sculpture subject, ST MARK; 29. Outcast, LEPER; 30. Integrated with, BUILT INTO; 33. More of the same, in research papers, IDEM; 34. Capital on the Buriganga River, old-style, DACCA, now Dhakha; 35. Avant-garde saxophonist John ZORN; 36. Tiny irritations, PIN-PRICKS; 38. The Pink Panther, e.g., JEWEL; 39. Old means of public humiliation, STOCKS; 40. Subject of the 1997 biography “Woman in the Mists”, FOSSEY; 41. They’re made by origami artists, CREASES; 43. Temporary downturn, SAG; 44. Be the charming type?, CAST A SPELL; 46. Chicken, WIMP; 50. “Pinky” Best Actress nominee Jeanne CRAIN; 51. Italy, once, AXIS POWER; 53. With 31-Down, its products are often squeezed, LEMON; 54. Hitchcock trademark, CAMEO ROLE; 55. “The Faerie Queene” character, IRENA; 56. Occasion to break glass?, EMERGENCY.

Down: 1. Kind of ball, GALA; 2. Massive star, IDOL; 3. Launcher launched in 1958, NASA; 4. Takes, with “for”, OPTS; 5. They’re listed in a bill: Abbr., RTS; 6. Youngest Best Actress Oscar winner, 1986, MATLIN; 7. Magic practiced by native Guianans, OBEAH; 8. ULAN Hot (city in Inner mongolia); 9. Linguist’s concern, SEMANTICS; 10. Reach, END UP AT; 11. Attendance incentives, DOOR PRIZES; 12. “It’s anybody’s guess”, NO ONE KNOWS; 13. Actor who won comedy and drama Emmys for the same role, ASNER; 14. Some card readers, SEERS; 21. Motown’s original name, TAMLA; 22. “NOR the soles of her shoe?”: Hamlet; 2. Fall preceder, SLIP; 25. Foot part?, PEDI; 26. Getting in line?, OPEN SESAME; 27. “I can resist everything except TEMPTATION”: Oscar Wilde; 28. Leeches, SUCKS; 30. Move to your previous place; BACKSPACE; 31. See 53-Across, TREE; 32. Exclusive, ONLY; 34. Shoots craps, e.g., DICES; 37. 1982 Grammy-winning song by Toto, ROSANNA; 38. Nudge, JOG; 40. Less natural, FALSER; 41. Last full year of St. Julius I’s papacy, CCCLI; 42. Not so easy to get one’s hands on, RARER; 43. Odious type, SLIME; 45. Hospital administration?, EXAM; 46. Eroded, WORE; 47. Gloating cry, I WON; 48. Sporty Spice of the Spice Girls, MEL C; 49. Part of a food chain, PREY; 52. Faddish disk of the 1990s, POG.

Now showing…

03.26.10 — I'll Be Back!

Collage, frontispiece to third edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus, Illustration by Theodore Von Holst, 1831, with Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator 1984

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Friday, March 26, 2010

Puzzle by Henry Hook, edited by Will Shortz

Sharing clues in this frightful Friday crossword are Arnold SCHWARZENEGGER (16A. Famous bodybuilder) and DR FRANKENSTEIN (48A. Famous bodybuilder?). "Man," I cried, "how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom!" — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus. Woe, Hollywood!

Fill-in-the-blank and/or split clue/answers — 52A. When data’s been ERASED, 53A. … you may have to RE-ENTER it; the country of SRI LANKA is split between 28D. and 50D. …it’s flag has a lion holding a sword; two more fill-in-the-blank clues come in the form of another monster, Jabba the HUTT of “Star Wars”, and praise to the Creator, “Laus DEO” (words atop the Washington Monument).

Diagram of the Principal High Buildings of the Old World, 1884. The Washington Monument is the tallest structure represented.

Other question-mark clues — ANNUS (8D. CD, e.g.?), ARTHURIAN (30A. In days of knights?), FREE (9D. Priceless?), LUGGAGE (11D. Carousel riders?), RECLASPS (27A. Holds over?) and ZERO SUM GAME (17D. Balancing act?), where the gain of one player is offset by the loss of another player, equaling the sum of zero. Harrumph!

People in the puzzle — BEAME (46A. New York City’s first Jewish mayor) who was not himself so BEAMY (26D. Radiant), DER ALTE (13D. Nickname of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer), DIAN (21A. Zoologist Fossey), EDER (18A. Broadway star Linda who won $100,000 on “Star Search”), ELI (24A. TV lawyer Stone), ETHEL (18A. “On Golden Pond” wife), to quote from the film, "Ethel Thayer." It sounds like I'm lisping, doesn't it?, MEG MARCH (35A. Oldest of a literary quartet), REEVES (“Speed” star), SADAT (47A. “In Search of Identity” autobiographer), STAN (47D. Coveleski of Cooperstown), and VERNA (23D. Actress Felton of 1950s TV’s “December Bride”).

HARRUMPH (6D. Disapproving comment) and RE-OPENED (31D. Back in business) are the other long entries followed by those of seven letters — ALL OF ME (34D. 1932 song or 1984 movie), ARCHAIC (2D. Old), CALANDO (37D. Gradually quieting, in music), CASTILE (1D. Vegetable-oil soap), EN MASSE (51A. All at once) and ENROUTE (15A. Getting there), ETESIAN (12D. Summer wind in the Mediterranean), LUCERNE (33D. Swiss canton or its capital), REEDIER (36D. More frail), SHUDDER (32D. Some people do it to think).

The rest of it — AGONY, ALA, AREOLA (14A. Part of the iris bordering the pupil), AWAKER (40D. Reveille, e.g.), BAST, BEGAT, BOWL, CAMOS, CASBAH (1A. Nightclub in the Trump Taj), CARTS and CASTS, CURES, DINERO (54A. Lettuce), EAU, FOG, GSA, HULKS, PAESE (44D. Michelangelo’s country), RAN, REVUE (19A. “Closer Than Ever,” e.g.), SEHEN and SENSE and SERENE, SIGNS, SLANTS (32A. Factors in handwriting analysis), SWAPS, UCLA, VAIL.

“I’ll be back!”

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 20. Fed. Management org.; 22. Permanent solutions; 23. Resort town on I-70; 25. Splotchy apparel, familiarly; 26. Often-used word in Matthew 1; 39. Unwieldy ships; 40. Song from Sondheim’s “Into the Woods”; 41. ___ Claire; 42. 11-time N.C.A.A. basketball champs; 43. Racehorse whose 1955 Kentucky Derby win kept Nashua from taking the Triple Crown; 44. Hide. DOWN: 4. Cricketer’s action; 5. Mobile home: Abbr.; 10. Bewilderment; 22. Flings; 25. Barrows; 29. Makes binding; 43. Just know; 46. Cordage fiber; 49. Governed.

03.25.10 — Odds and Ends

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Puzzle by Dan Naddor, edited by Will Shortz

Essentially three crosswords-in-one due to the division by the two DIAGONAL (41A. Shortcut, perhaps) groups of black squares, three humorous odd-sign long answers constitute the interrelated group of this effervescent Thursday puzzle — BLOW-OUT TIRE SALE (17A. Odd sign at a Michelin dealership?), LINGERIE HALF-OFF (36A. Odd sign at Victoria’s Secret?) and ALL SUITS SLASHED (56A. Odd sign at Men’s Wearhouse?).

To a quick finish and the Victoria's Secret fashion show, a few links are included with the following countdown:

Eight-letter — ARABIANS (31A. The Black Stallion and others), AMARILLO (11D. Panhandle city), EMANATES (44A. Issues), EMERITUS (28A. Part of an academic title), GOLD LEAF (12D. Bookbinding decoration), IN PUBLIC (37D. For everyone to see), NAUTILUS (38D. Spiral-shelled creature).

Seven — ASSAILS (26A. Goes after), BIPOLAR (53A. Kind of disorder), CAMACHO (4A. Boxing champ Hector), ESTIVAL (52A. Summerlike), HARSHER (15A. Like boot camp vis-à-vis day camp), ON BOARD (21A. In agreement with the group), SURPLUS (64A. Extra) and THE VIEW (671A. ABC daytime staple since 1997) cross-referenced with TV SHOW (45D. 61-Across, e.g.).

Six — AGLEAM (2D. Radiant), EATERY (46D. Bistro), FLAIRS (39D. Talents), LAB FEE (1D. Physical expense), LAO TSE (3D. Who wrote “He who does not trust enough will not be trusted”), SLUDGE (47D. Gunk), WET RAG (18D. Symbol of limpness).

Five — 32D. “Oh, give me A HOME …“, 24D. ATARI 2600, CHINA (8D. Popular wedding gift), DATER (51D. Antique dealer, at times), ELIHU (50D. Electrical pioneer Thomson), HERBS (9D. Tea flavorings), MIRED (23D. Stuck), NANAS (33D. Frequent spoilers), NUBIA (25D. Nile Valley region), OREOS (10D. Sandwiches for dessert), ROUTS (49D. One-sided contests), SIEGE (29D. More than a raid), SLANT (34D. Grade).

Short stuff — AAU, AGA and AGO, ALP, ANA, ASTO, AWS, BLEU, CHO, CPUS, FETE, LACT, MRT LAL and LAR, LEU and LIU, ORG, OWE, PCS, RSVP and S'IL, SAAB (19D. Car whose name is an acronym), SOPS, SURF, WYE.

Now, on with the show…

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Kobe Bryant’s team, on scoreboards; 11. Earlier; 14. Near East honorific; 16. Annihilate, with “down”; 20. Roast, e.g.; 30. ___ cheese; 35. Choreographer Lubovitch; 40. Carrier to Tokyo; 42. Computer innards, for short; Sch. In Brooklyn, N.Y.; 62. U.R.L. ending; 63. Program holders; 65. ___ Accord (1998 Mideast peace agreement). DOWN: 4. Comedian Margaret; 5. Jr. Olympics sponsor; 6. The A-Team muscleman; 7. Concerning; 13. Get behind; 36. Milk: Prefix; 43. Soaks (up); 54. Answer; 56. Frequent winter Olympics site; 57. The “S” in 54-Down; 58. Romanian currency; 59. Jimmy Stewart syllables.