10.17.10 — Figure of Speech

Numeral 8, Erté

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Sunday, October 17, 2010

FIGURE OF SPEECH, Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer, edited by Will Shortz

The numeral 8 (or “figure“) is used phonetically in eight squares of this gr8ing Sunday crossword:

• CONW8WITTY and AB8 (25A. Singer with the #1 country hit “Hello Darlin’”; 14D. Lessen) — Conway Twitty, abate.
• CR8 and SUBW8RAIN (31A. Egg protector; 3D. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, in New York City), crate, subway train.
• W8UNTILDARK and TAILG8 (37A. Suspenseful 1966 Broadway hit; 7D. Follow too closely), Wait Until Dark, tailgate.
• LIFTEDW8S and THEL8L8SHOW (60A. Repeatedly raised the bar?; 40D. “The Chairs” playwright), lifted weights, The Late Late Show.
• P8ONPLACE (76A. Racy best-selling novel of 1956), Peyton Place.
• B8ANDSWITCH and ST8S (99A. Fast-talking salesman’s tactic; 89D. Conditions), bait and switch, states.
• SK8BOARDER and M8AG (116A. X Games competitor; 109D. Largest employer in Newton, Iowa, until 2006), skateboarder, Maytag.
• G8ER and RELEASED8 (127A. Spat; 84D. Movie producer’s time of stress), gater, release date.

Other — ANANIAS (46A. Biblical liar), DEDUCED (53A. Gathered), EPHEMERA (74A. Items of short-lived use), EXECUTE (95A. Carry out), GHERKIN (97D. Pickle type), GRILLER (97A. Barbecue cook), IGNORANCE (2D. Bliss, it is said), IONESCO (41D. “The Chairs” playwright), LAWN CHAIR (1D. Common patio sight), MARY ASTOR (86D. Oscar-winning actress for “The Great Lie,” 1941), ME FIRST (87A. Like an egocentric’s attitude), MR WIZARD 913D. Don Herbert’s moniker on 1950s-’60s TV), OPEN TRADE (85D. Tariffs hinder it), 49A. Actress RAE DAWN Chong, SHADOWS (6D. Trails), TEA CARTS (90D. Some service stations), TEST TUBE (63A. Long piece of glassware), WAPITIS (62D. Elk).

Six-letter — ANDREI, ARENAS, ATMFEE, ATTEND, CHOKER, BEAMER, DWEEBS, ERIEPA, ETHANE, FACEUP, ICIEST, NOODLE and OODLES, RENTED, RUBATO, SEAVER, SMORES, STAPLE, UPNEXT, WINKED.

Five — ACEIN, ASTIN, ATHOL, CAINE, DIONE, EFILE, EZINE, HAIRS, HARKS, INSET, KNEEL, LIMIT, NONET, OASIS, PERMA, REINS, RITES, STLEO, TEENY, THANE, TERNS, Rikki-TIKKI-tavi, USERS, USTED, VASCO, VIBRA.

Short stuff — AAA, AGUA, ALC, ALEE, ALOG, ANAP, ANI and ANTI, ASU, ATA, AUTO, BEAN, BIG, BUC, CHEF, DUST, ECON, ELLA, EROS, ETTE, FDA, FOYT, FROM, HERE, HUTS, IDDO, IKEA and IRAE and INRE, ITAR, LESS and NESS, NEER and SEER, LISA, LSTS, LTDS, MICE and MIRE, NOW, OLAV, PACA, PSI, REDD, RENE, RTS, SAGA, SRS and SRIS, TEC, WNBA.

The crossword contains a self-descriptive: NOT SO HOT (39D. With 48-Across, mediocre)…

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Click on image to enlarge

Puzzle available on the internet at THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games (solutions to puzzles are available immediately by clicking on “Solution” in the Across Lite menu).

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Alaska senator Murkowski; 5. Sean who played the title role in “Rudy,” 1993; 10. Start to frost?; 15. Pan handler; 19. El oceano, por ejemplo; 20. Shakespeare’s Lennox, Angus or Ross; 27. When repeated, a calming phrase; 28. A whole lot; 29. Debate side; 30. Cartographic extra; 32. Easy as falling off ___; 33. Salon, for example; 35. Listens, old-style; 43. Grp. That conducts many tests; 51. Leas welcoming; 52. Wait upon; 54. ___ Coty, French president before de Gaulle; 55. Stick in the mud; 57. Subtracting; 59. Cassandra, for one; 67. N.F.C. South player; 70. Noggin; 71. Still product: Abbr.; 72. On the safe side; 73. Wave function symbol in quantum mechanics; 79. Take ___ (rest); 80. Hindu titles; 82. Speed-skating champ Johann ___ Koss; 83. Out of; 91. Flammable fuel; 93. Part of a postal address for Gannon University; 96. Moon of Saturn; 97. Barbecue cook; 98. Football linemen: Abbr.; 102. Itsy-bitsy; 103. Explorer ___ da Gama; 104. Shout from one who’s on a roll?; 108. ___ loss; 107. One to a customer, e.g.; 110. Prime; 113. Camping treats; 115. B.M.O.C.’s, often; 119. Tanned; 120. Zoom; 121. Florida univ. affiliated with the Catholic Church; 122. ___ the hole; 123. “ … and ___ it again!”; 124. “Twilight,” e.g.; 125. ___ manual; 126. Gulf relatives. — DOWN: 4. Prominent tower, for short; 5. Massachusetts industrial city on the Millers River; 8. Dictator’s phrase; 9. Dread loch?; 10. Spotted cavy; 11. H.S. class; 12. Didn’t but, perhaps; 15. “Educating Rita” star; 16. Sheds; 17. Novel conclusion?; 18. Track star A.J.; 26. Gave a sly signal; 28. Good spot for a date?; 34. “Dies ___” (hymn); 36. Prepare for a dubbing; 38. Yucatan “you”; 42. Former Fords; 43. Showing, as a deck member; 44. Square sorts; 45. Peace Nobelist Sakharov; 47. Cost for getting money, maybe; 50. Common settler; 52. Bowls; 56. ___-Tass news agency; 58. Bread, milk or eggs; 61. Tech stock; 64. Folk singer Jenkins; 65. Miracle Mets pitcher, 1969; 66. Shamus; 67. Person who’s visibly happy; 68. On deck; 76. Sweeping story; 77. Schubert’s “Eine kleine Trauermusk,” e.g.; 78. Use Turbo Tax, say; 81. Comedian Foxx; 88. With freedom of tempo; 89. Conditions; 92. Black bird; 94. Devotional ceremonies; 100. Noggin; 101. Ring around the collar; 103. Lead-in to harp or phone; 105. Dancer’s controls?; 107. W.W. II craft; 108. Furniture giant; 111. Not e’evn once; 112. Winged Greek god; 113. Ballpark figure; 114. Cheese lovers; 117. The Sun Devils of the N.C.A.A.; 119. Magnanimous.