10.07.10 — HEXAGON

1946 Packard Custom Super Eight automobile hubcap with a red cloisonné medallion fastened to the center covering the stamped and painted name with the trademark hexagon logo.

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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer, edited by Will Shortz

HEXAGON (40A. Figure that shares a property with this puzzle), e.g., six SIDEs in the puzzle arranged along the sides of the grid as part of answers featuring ninety-degree turns — SIDEWALK SALE (1D and 19A. Outdoor retail promotion), THE FAR SIDE (7A and 13D. Cartoon featured in 23 best-selling books), SIDESWIPE (34D and 47A. Graze, in a way), STATESIDE (30A and 33D. In America), SIDEWINDER (55D and 69A. Southwestern rattler) and MOUNTAINSIDE (58A and 61D. Where marmots and chamois live), comprises the interrelated group of this perfectly twisted Thursday crossword.

After LHASA APSO (20D. Type of terrier), there are eight seven-letter entries — DÉTENTE, DEVICES, EMERGED, HIBACHI, I LOVE LA, INSPIRE, REBATED, SALIERI (66A. Composer Antonio) and eight six-letter — ASK OUT, DOO WOP, HECKLE, KENOBI, MID-AIR, ROEPER (28D. Critic who‘s a real thumb-body?), TITLES, VILEST.

Rivera Flower Vendor (Girl with Lilies), 1941, Diego Rivera

Five — DIEGO (53A. Muralist Rivera), EMEER, HEAVY, ON RED (54D. One way to turn right), PATTI (48A. Page of music), SERTA, SLEWS, THREE (7A. Number that looks like the letter yogh), TIRES (50A. Michelin Man makeup), his name is Bibendum and then there’s the lovely TOVAH Feldshuh.

Short stuff — ACTE, ALES, APU, ASTI, CROW, DES, EBB, EBON, EOE, EROS, FAA, GOD (42A. Mercury or Saturn), said Saturn not to be confused with the planet with the mystery hexagon, GPA, HAN and YAN, HIE, HOPI, “I’D DO Anything“ (“Oliver!” song), IND, IRR, KNEW, MANE and NAME, NASA, ODE, OHS, PEN, RHEO, RTE, SECT, SHEL, SKA, SST, THX, TOGA, V-TEN (25D. Powerful kind of engine).

Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money,

Maybe we're ragged and funny

But we'll travel along

Singing a song

Side by side.

~ Harry Woods, 1925

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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. It began commercial service in ‘76; 4. Chinese dynasty at the time of Christ; 14. 1983 Randy Newman song; 16. Brazier; 17. Thingamajigs; 18. Partly paid back; 21. Fair-hiring inits.; 22. Silverstein who wrote “The Giving Tree”; 23. Backbreaking; 27. Mattress brand; 34. Splinter group; 37. Quaker product; 38. “Star Wars” surname; 39. Like “be”: Abbr.; 42. Mercury or Saturn; 43. Harmonic singing style; 45. Member of the Be Sharps on “The Simpsons”; 46. Equestrian’s grip, maybe; 55. Reggae relative; 62. Hearten; 67. Nixon policy; 68. Came out; 70. ___ Peres (St. Louis suburb); 71. Work of Alexander Pope. — DOWN: 2. Oodles; 3. Feldshuh of “Brewster’s Millions”; 4. Disturb a stand-up routine; 5. Malt beverages; 6. Nimbus launcher of 1964; 8. Step on it; 9. Withdraw; 10. Carrier overseer, for short; 11. “Roméo et Juliette” section; 12. Stat starter; 15. Most repellent; 24. Express romantic interest in; 25. Powerful kind of engine; 26. “___ Can Cook” (former cooking show); 29. Quick expression of gratitude; 31. Caesar dressing?; 32. Like ink, poetically; 35. Olympic archer; 36. Be exultant; 40. Uto-Aztecan language; 41. Valedictorian’s pride: Abbr.; 44. Punster; 46. Above the ground; 49. Lord and lady; 51. Foreign dignitary; 56. Had down; 57. Palio di ___ (Italian horse race); 59. Like some clothing; 60. “The ____ Game” (1965 Shirley Ellis hit); 63. Put down, in a way; 64. Colts, on a scoreboard; 65. Rural env. abbr.