The Lamp-Lighter, 1880, James Ensor
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Friday, October 15, 2010
Puzzle by Peter Wentz, edited by Will Shortz
Lighting up this dark and frightful Friday holoalphabetic crossword are a blaze of maybe-you’d-say-but-I’d-say (or not) answer/clues combining the caustic and colloquial.
“No problem!” co-clues YOU GOT IT and OKEY DOKE, two among a denizen of interjections, attitudes and antics including BY JOVE (1D. “I swear!”), BOOZES IT UP (2D. With 6-Down, gets bombed), FRENZIES (14D. Fans may be worked into them), IF I DID IT (12D. Controversial O.J. Simpson book), LAID BACK (41A. Unlike a type A), RUMOR (29A. Something picked up at a water cooler), SNOOKERS (67A. Flimflams), STUCK UP (8D. High-hat), TOO FAR (16A. Bad way to carry something), TOOK OVER (37D. Grabbed the reins), WET RAG (35A. Total bore), WHACK JOB (35D. Nut) — what do you mean “No problem!”
Six-letter — BARGED (66A. Thrust oneself heedlessly), DEVICE (18A. Peripheral, e.g.), C-NOTES (38A. Large pieces of cabbage?), HONEYS (50D. Uses cajolery on), IN JOKE (48D. What only a select few might get), JAVIER (59A. Pitcher Lopez or Vazquez), ODENSE (64A. Port named for a Norse god), QUESTS (3D. Parts of many role-playing games), SPLIFF (9A. Joint), STOKER (49D. Person firing a locomotive).
Five — CAKED, ENSOR (46A. “The Lamp-Lighter” painter), ESSEX, EWING, FOCAL, FRITZ, IRISH, LOVER, PACTS, SANTO, VETTE.
Short stuff — APO, CGI, DII, DRK, EDEN and EGAN, ESE, FRED, HMO, HOS, IME, ISSO, JON, KNOW, LENO, OKRA and ORCA, OZS, POE (10D. “Hop-Frog” writer), RKO, STDS, STE, TETR, TOME, YOO-hoo!
"If you are in a spaceship that is traveling at the speed of light, and you turn on the headlights, does anything happen?" - Steven Wright
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...and what did the blogs have to say?
“We have a pitchman and three pitchers in today’s puzzle. No wonder this tough Friday crossword is no softball. I found it the most challenging Friday in weeks.” - Jim Horne, Wordplay
“Ooh, I loved this puzzle. It made me gnash my teeth. It made me roll my eyes and then unroll them because I was wrong to roll my eyes. It entertained and surprised me.” - Amy Reynaldo, Diary of a Crossword Fiend
“I think I liked this more than I didn't…” - Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword
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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: 19. They may be fluid: Abbr.; 20. Covenants; 22. ___ Prairie, Minn.; 23. Sporty ride; 26. Its final production was released in 1959; 27. Cat of comics; 28. One of the Home Counties; 31. Year China’s Liang dynasty began; 34. “___ Mine” (track on “Let It Be”); 40. Humana offering, briefly; 45. Letters for enlistees’ letters; 47. ___ Spring; 51. Solidified; 53. Relative of “Apt.”; 54. Paradigm of piety, in Pamplona; 55. Have down; 56. In the middle; 58. English composer/pianist Lord. DOWN: 4. Technology for “Avatar,” e.g.: Abbr.; 5. Noel syllables; 9. They’re normal: Abbr.; 10. “Hop-Frog” writer; 11. Flame; 21. One with an extra-wide spine; 24. Half of oct-; 30. Cousin of a blackfish; 33. Eddie who inspired “The French Connection” 39. Soup thickener; 42. Childish rejoinder; 48. What only a select few might get; 49. Person firing a locomotive; 52. 1992 Dream Team member; 56. Ebenezer Scrooge’s nephew; 57. Noted reader of headlines; 60. Official conclusion?; 63. Nickname for Dwight Gooden.
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