09.15.10 — B, Quiet...

The Letter B from The Alphabet Suite, Erté

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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Puzzle by Zoe Wheeler, Brown University ‘12, edited by Will Shortz

Note: Every crossword this week, from Monday to Saturday,

has been composed by a student at Brown University. 

Read more at Wordplay.

Silent B in the form of BE QUIET (52A. “Shut up!” … or a phonetic hint to this puzzle’s theme), PLUMB TREE (17A. Where lead weights grow?), SAM IAMB (21A. Bit of a Coleridge poetry line?), DUMB DUMB BULLETS (39A. Ammo for idiots?) and PAPER JAMB (61A. Toy house door support?) are the interrelated group of this worthy Wednesday crossword.

Other — ALL IN ALL (10D. Everything considered), BISCUITS (40D. Dog treats), BROCADE (18D. Wedding gown fabric), KATMANDU (5D. Capital of Nepal), PLASTER (38D. Bandage, across the pond), STABLES (25D. Equine areas), UNTIMELY (41D. Not expected).

Six-letter — C-NOTES (30A. 10 of them make a thou), EWBANK (31D. Only coach to win both N.F.L. and A.F.L.), FORMAT (24D. Layout), MEANIE (56A. No-good sort), STENTS (46A. Surgical inserts), TO TERM (20A. How babies may be carried).

Five-letter — ADRAW, ALANA, ALGER (19A. Horatio who wrote about down-and-out boys), ASSAY, BATIK, BEEPS, CAMEL, DAMNS, ERI TU, ERNIE, LADES, LAURA (28D. Object of Petrarch‘s passion), LIE IN wait, LINUS, LOAFS, PLATE, PLEAS, SAGAS and SAJAK, SKITS, SPAMS, WEISS (67A. “Marat/Sade“ playwright Peter).

Short stuff — AAA, ABBA, ACNE, AID, ASEA and ASIA, ASS, “Lemme AT ‘EM!”, BLEW, CLU, EBAY, EDGY, EIRER, Lady GAGA, IMIT, KATY (69A. Singer Perry with the 2010 #1 hit “California Gurls“), KIEL, KNOT, LLD, NASA, NCR, ONE, OSLO, PEG, PIA, QEII, RAPT, ROTC, SASS, SERB, SKY, SSN, SUE, TEES, TEUT, TPKE.

Whence "SAM IAMB", e.g., Green Eggs and Ham,

a combination of trochaic and iambic tetrameter, by Dr. Seuss

I could not, would not, in a house.

I would not, could not, with a mouse.

I would not eat them with a fox.

I would not eat them in a box.

I would not eat them here or there.

I would not eat them anywhere.

I would not eat green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am

 

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Org. known for drilling?; 5. Masseur’s target; 9. Soap operas, essentially; 14. Offshore; 15. What adolescents may fight; 16. Bit of dental work; 20. How babies may be carried; 23. Takes it easy; 26. Nine-digit ID; 27. Harvard degree earned by J.F.K. in 1956; 32. “Take a Chance on Me” group; 36. Little battery; 37. “Let’s call it ___” (“We’re even”); 38. S O S’s, essentially; 42. Bert’s “Sesame Street” buddy; 43. Actress Stewart; 44. ___ mater (brain cover); 45. Cheeky chatter; 47. What’s up?; 48. Gulager of “The Virginian”; 50. “Saturday Night Live” segments; 64. Verdi aria; 65. German port; ___ Minor; 68. Pushing the envelope; 69. Singer Perry with the 2010 #1 hit “California Gurls”. DOWN: 1. Enthralled; 2. Munch Museum’s locale; 3. German: Abbr.; 4. Certain cigarette; 6. Big name in A.T.M.’s; 7. Single; 8. Ball supporters; 9. Sends cyberjunk; 13. Balkan native; 22. Long-earned farm animal; 27. Works as a stevedore; 29. Curses; 33. Prompts on answering machines; 34. Hand-dyed fabric; 35. Analyze; 46. Take to court; 49. “Peanuts” boy with a blanket; 51. Pat of “Wheel of Fortune”; 52. Muffed; 53. Homeland of Joyce and Yeats; 54. Helen Mirren’s crowning role, informally?; 55. It takes a toll: Abbr.; 57. Astronaut’s letters; 58. Cry during a recess game; 59. Web site with a “Buy It Now” option; 62. Help; 63. Accurate throw.