03.23.10 — AR to O

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Puzzle by Kurt Krauss, edited by Will Shortz

Discover Card, part company, takes up arms and sharp shooter get a make-over via the useless-to-me “hint” of 75-Across — ARTOO-Detoo … or, when read in three parts, a hint to 17-, 31-, 47- and 63-Across. What? O.K… DISCOVER COD (17A. Try a North Atlantic fish for the first time?), POT COMPANY (31A. Ekco or Farberware?), TAKES UP OMS (47A. Registers for a meditation class?) and SHOP SHOOTER (63A. Store photographer?) — if it’s Tuesday, this must be Boston… AR to O!

Other — DEEP END (30D. Where to find the diving board), DENYING (40A. Turning down), FEDERAL (37A. Part of F.B.I.), I’VE GOT IT (41D. “Eureka!”), MISTER ED (3D. 1960s sitcom with a talking palomino), PAPAYAS (22D. Melonlike tropical fruits), and the split up 23-25A. “I’ll alert THE MEDIA”: Hobson, in Arthur”.

Mid-size — AMIDST, ASTRO, ATBAY, FLORIN (12D. Old European gold coin), FUMES, HAMEL, IDEES, KANSAS, JEMIMA (11D. Aunt known for her pancakes), 13D. Sex authority Alfred KINSEY, MAINE (70A. Augusta’s home), MEASLY, NAVEL, PABLO (15A. Picasso or Casals) and PAPAL (44A. Like a visit from Benedict XVI, e.g.), PLEAS, SEPIA, SPEEDO, STORM and STOMA (55D. Leaf opening), SWAPS, TAPIRS (21A. Rhino relatives with long snouts), THREE, TOWING, TRITT (14A. Travis who sang “T-R-O-U-B-L-E”), WINDOW.

Short stuff — ABC, ACED, AMIE, APU, ELI, ENO, ETCH, FTD, GIRD, GLIB and GOB, GTS, HIDE, IDS and ITS, JFK, LAPP, LOL, MINN and MON, NEMO, NSA, OMAN, OMB, OPE, OSHA, PEA, PLOT, REO, ROAR, SASH, SEMI, SODA, SRAS, TGIF, URI, VEEP, WAR and WHAT (59D. “Say again?”).

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. Vapors; 6. Trades; 11. Alternative to La Guardia or Newark, in brief; 16. Peyton Manning’s brother; 19. Jamaican term of address; 20. Afternoon hour; 28. French girlfriend; 29. Bind with a belt; 34. Notions in Nantes; 36. Old photo color; 46. Middle of the abdomen; 52. Big rig; 53. Its capital is Muscat; 54. Defendants enter them; 56. Hunk; 57. Airplane seating request; 60. Houston baseball; 62. They’re checked at checkpoints, briefly; 68. Code-breaking org.; 69. “Hill Street Blues” actress Veronica; 71. Fast sports cars; 72. Cornered. DOWN: 1. Co. with a blooming business?; 2. Spoonbending Geller; 4. Engrave glass with acid; 5. Nor’easter, for one; 8. “Dancing With the Stars” network; 9. Secret plan; 10. Scotch’s partner; 18. Prez’s #2; 23. Letters said with a shout; 24. Camouflage; 26. The “I” in 23-Down; 27. Got a perfect score on; 32. Unlock, in poetry; 33. Wisc. Neighbor; 35. Ladies of Spain: Abbr.; 38. Storekeeper on “The Simpsons”; 39. Dweller above the Arctic Circle; 42. Nautilus captain; 43. Insincerely eloquent; 45. I.M. snicker; 47. A.A.A. activity; 48. Surrounded by; 49. “The Wizard of Oz” setting; 50. Paltry; 51. Miss America accessory; 58. Workers’ protection agcy; 61. Lion’s warning; 64. Govt. book balancer; 65. Podded plant; 66. British musician Brian, 67. ___ Speedwagon.