09.01.10 — Salt

Close up view of NaCl crystals

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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Puzzle by Michael Torch, edited by Will Shortz

ADD A PINCH OF SALT (61A. Cooking instruction… ), e.g., NaCl, to bare-chested, scotch pine and Fannie Maes producing BARNACLE CHESTED (17A. Like a sunken treasure?), SCOTCH PINNACLE (28A. High place near Aberdeen?) and FANNIE MANACLES (46A. Restraints for writer Flagg?) — that’s the recipe for the interrelated group of this seasoned Wednesday crossword.

Other — FLIES BY (45D Passes quickly), “Silas MARNER”, MT SINAI (10D. Tablets site), NUCLEI (8D. Centers), ONE NAME (43D. What Shakira or 25-Down [Cher] goes by), SENT COD (4D. Not yet paid for, as a mailed package), TORNADO (38A. “The Wizard of Oz” weather event).

Five-letter — CLARE (31D. Irish county north of Limerick), CROWN (29D. Bonk), EERIE (57A. Creepy), GIZMO (65A. Thingy), LEGOS, OH WOW (42A. “Amazing!”), PANDA (30D. 2008 Beijing Olympics mascot), SASHA, STILE, SNEER, SOFT C (20A. Third of December?), TILED, UMBER.

Short stuff — ADZE, AGA, AONE, ARC, AVON, BIBS and BINS and BITS, BRIC-a-brac, CHEF and CHER, CHOC, DEAL, DOE, EAST, EDAM, ELEM and ELHI, ELO, ERIN, ETTA, ETCH, FROM, HORN, HST, INTO, ILIA, ISAO, ISEE, ISMS, MAGS, MOAN, NCAA, NERF, OCTO, ODIN, OGEE, OSO, OTS, POR favor, RAGU, RARE, RATS, REDS, TEA, TWIT, URN, VAL, WARD, WOOF, YEAH (70A. When sung three times, part of a Beatles refrain).

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Salt on a vibrating table:

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Lost-and-found containers; 5. It has ringers on its team; 9. Brown shade; 14. “Got it”; 15. Sauce brand; 16. Subway station sight; 21. Grp. With the platinum record “A New World Record”; 22. Systems of principles; 23. Ice cream flavor, briefly; 26. Secretary on “The Office”; 34. One in custody; 35. Breakfast cupful; 36. Like most bathrooms; 37. Spanish bear; 41. Eastern V.I.P.; 44. Own fawning; 45. Gift tag word; 50. James who sang “A Sunday Kind of Love”; 51. Like some textbooks; 52. Complain; 55. Grecian art object; 61.Cooking instruction hinting at this puzzle's theme?; 66. A.L. or N.L. division; 68. Look of superiority; 69. Cry from Charlie Brown. — DOWN: 1. Places for double dribbles?; 2. Golfer Aoki; 3. Hasbro product; 5. Shot put’s path; 6. Kilmer of “Real Genius”; 7. Kind of arch; 9. Consume; 11. Partner of pieces; 12. Part of 51-Across: Abbr.; 13. Some wines; 18. Number after sieben; 19. Honker; 24. Eight: Prefix; 25. Singer with a Best Actress Oscar; 27. Loving; 28. Olympic skater Cohen; 32. Building set; 33. Mild cheese; 34. Pound sound; 38. Dweeb; 39. Super-duper; 40. 25%-off price, e.g.; 47. French CD holder; 49. Julia Child, for one; 52. High-performance wheels; 53. Thor’s father; 54. Wood shaper; 56. Org. with Divisions I, II and III; 58. Exceptional; 59. Pelvic bones; 60. Mark permanently; 63. Pres. Initials; 64. Periods of extra mins.