05.16.10 — Double Crossers

Sunday, May 16, 2010

DOUBLE CROSSERS, Puzzle by Matt Ginsberg, edited by Will Shortz

The title of this confusing yet clever crossword refers to ten squares, each one of which is divided into four smaller squares with two sets of resulting two-word phrases.

• S/T/T/H — 1A. *Winning dad in a race, FASTER FATHER; 3D. *Edberg enjoying a sports match, STEFAN THE FAN
• R/E/E/N — 6A. *Like Enron, IN THE RED IN THE END; 11D. *Knock again, RETRY ENTRY
• E/A/A/T — 20A. *Whispers heard during an in-class test, CHEATER CHATTER; 14D. *Nectarine grove, PEACH PATCH
• S/P/P/L — 43A. *Serving tray left next to the frying pan, SPLATTER PLATTER; 43D. *Orthodontist, at times, SPACER PLACER
• R/S/N/T — 58A. *Revival meeting, CONVERSION CONVENTION; 26D. *Stupid show from a cable TV giant, TIME-WARNER TIME WASTER
• R/I/E/N — 73A. *You’re not that sorry!”, CONTRITION CONTENTION; 74D. *Small-claims court, RESTITUTION INSTITUTION
• S/T/T/R — 80A. *One who apprentices woodworkers, STAINER TRAINER; 80D. *Lorry in a ditch, STUCK TRUCK
• I/E/E/R — 90A. *Bozo, for one, KIDDIE KIDDER; 68D. *Oven, at times, COOKIE COOKER
• S/P//C/L — 105A. *Singer Britney succeeds at the high jump, SPEARS CLEARS; 105D. *Where Robert Burns and kin are buried, SCOTS PLOTS
• L/E/E/R — 117A. *Just one or two pups, say, LITTLE LITTER; 97D. *Vlasic employee, PICKLE PICKER

Other — ANDRETTI (19A. Only person to be named Driver of the Year in three different decades), ATTESTS TO (15D. Confirms), 22A. BEAUFORT Sea, north of Alaska; CELERITY (94A. Speed), DURATION (70A. Extent); FIT TO KILL (61D. Strikingly, as in dress), GALLIPOLI (75D. 1981 Mel Gibson film), HOLLOWED (110A. Caused to be depressed?), JENNIFER (60A. Tennis’s Capriati), NAME DROPS (78D. Tries to impress, as in conversation), NEON LIGHT (16D. Strip sight), OUT AHEAD (59D. Leading in a race), RETURN TO (33D. Start of some sequel titles), ROGER AND ME (5D. 1989 Michael Moore documentary), SANGRIAS (29A. Wine drinks); STEEPENS (115A. Becomes more inclined), TIME LIMIT (76D. Exam constraint), TOLUENES (99A. Solvents often found in antiknock additives), TRUE LEVEL (8D. Carpenter’s standard), YAMMERER (38A. Kvetch).

Mid-size — AND NOT, ANIMAS, AVEDON, CHALET, CHEESES, COMICS, DETERS, DWAYNE, ERRATA, HECTOR, HEFNER, IDEAMAN, IT’S A LOT, OLD CARS, PEAHEN, PITIED, PLINKS, REPRESS, SAVANNA, SEETH, SIGN IN, TSETSES (118A. Flies across sub-Saharan Africa?).

Five — ABEAM, AREGO, ARENA, CANAL, DEFOG, DJINN, DODOS, DONNE, EDICT, ETONS, FADES, IONIC, IVORY, KENNY, LABAN, NESTS, ORECK, OWENS, PELEE (99D. Volcano that devastated Martinique in 1902), RANON, RILED, ROADS, SHEAF, SOCKS, SOAPS, SHEAF, SPANO.

Short stuff — ABU, ALT, ANTE, ARCA, CAV, CLE, CPL, DIET, DIT, DYE, EGO, EKE, EMU, ENA and ENS, ESSE, ETE, GTOS, GYN, HOP, HST, IDO, INE, KIL, LES and LESS, MAI, NDAK, ORE and ORR, PEST, PHD, PRAY, PROD, RATE and RETE, REEF, SECY, SGT, SIR and SLR, SWEE, TGI, TIA, TINT, TROD and TROT, VICE, VOW, ULM, USED.

A late note to the puzzle for solving on the computer states “Squares where marked words intersect are to be treated as if they contain a 2x2 grid of smaller squares.” If you are a subscriber to Across Lite version of the puzzle, you may solve it HERE.

Speaking of double-crossers...

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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: 13. Joe of “NCIS”; 19. All systems __!”; 21. Dashboard choice; 23. Ajax’s opponent; 24. Grandmother of Spain’s Juan Carlos; 25. When Paris is burning?; 27. “South Park” boy; 28. Comparatively dull female; 32. “___ Miz”; 33. Snorkeling spot; 34. Camera inits.; 38. Minus; 39. Aunt, in Andalucia; 40. “What if this present were the world’s last night?” poet; 42. LeBron James, beginning in ‘03; 45. ___ Snorkel; 46. 108-Across, e.g.; 47. ___ Johnson, a k a the Rock; 48. Aladdin’s kleptomaniac sidekick; 50. Foam turbulently; 52. Edison, notably; 54. Junkers; 57. Brisk pace; 62. Latin being; 63. Aboriginal food source; 64. “My dear man”; 65. ___ Friday’s; 66. Medieval chest; 75. Old Pontiacs; 77. Zebra’s home; 78. “This’ll cost you”; 82. Get (to it); 83. Excepting; 85. Squeeze (out); 86. Einstein’s birthplace; 87. Discourages; 89. Month after avril; 92. The Indians, on a scoreboard; 93. Say grace, say; 96. 3,281 ft.; 97. Pointed implement; 98. The nth degree?; 103. Like the down and out; 107. PC key; 108. Altar words; 109. DC ___; 112. Kind of column; 114. Xylophone sounds; 116. TV pitchman David. DOWN: 1. Drops back, as in a horse race; 2. Circus site; 4. ___ booster; 6. Like Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony No. 1; 7. The Missouri R. runs through it; 9. Hugh M. ___ First Amendment Award; 10. Stiff collars; 12. Morse code sound; 13. Paper bundle; 17. Only defenseman to have won the N.H.L. scoring title; 19. Crosswise, at sea; 20. Dairy section; 28. Pain, so to speak; 30. OB/ ___ (medical specialist); 31. Telephone answerer: Abbr.; 35. Have special privileges; 37. Talked incessantly; 38. Brother of Rebekah; 40. Einsteins they aren’t; 41. “Laugh-In” announcer Gary; 44. Neural network; 46. Greed, for one; 48. Inner personalities, in psychology; 51. Slips; 53 Photographer Richard; 55. Muslim spirit; 58. Register; 64. Some afternoon fare; 67. Teed off; 69. What you may need to do to get a hand; 71. Broken in, say; 72. Shade of white; 73. Lock site; 91. Make unconscious; 84. Legislature; 88 Put one’s foot down; 91. Change the locks?; 94. Alpine domicile; 95. Things between shoulders; 100. Diamond complements; 101. Decree; 102. Punches; 104. Salon job; 106. Popeye’s ___’ Pea; 109. One answering to a 45-Across: Abbr.; 110. Presidential initis.; 111. Coast Guard rank: Abbr.; 113. Pitchblende, for one.