10.12.10 — Of the Year

Calendar by Federal Art Project of the New York City Poster Division, WPA, 1938

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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Puzzle by José Chardiet, edited by Will Shortz

This sweet Tuesday crossword is accompanied by the note: The answers to the 12 starred clues have something in common. What is it? The answers to the 12 starred clues start with abbreviations for the months of the year, in order. Of little use in solving the crossword, but a clever and interesting afterthought — JANETS, FEBREZE, MARSALA, APROPOS, MAYER, JUNCTION, JULIETTE, AUGIE, SEPHORA, OCTOMOM, NOVOTES and DECLAW — and there goes another year!

Other — BANK JOB (25D. Heist of a sort), FERTILE (65A. Productive), GYRATED (27D. Did the watusi, e.g.), IN A HEAP (13A. All piled up), JACKSON, LAB RAT (7A. Maze runner), LECTER (66A. Hannibal of “The Silence of the Lambs”), MERITED (28D. Deserved), MORMON (41A. Latter-day Saint), PAJAMAS (20D. Sleepers), PAPA DOC (14D. Nickname of the dictator who said “I know the Haitian people because I am the Haitian people”), SHUTOUT (21D. Game in which only one team scores), SIERRA Nevada, SUNROOF (39D. Car option that slides open), SYNERGY (22D. Working well together), TRAGEDY (29D. “Coriolanus” or “Richard III”), interestingly gyrated and tragedy are anagrams.

Five-letter — AH YES, ARCED, CORER, FAKED, Pop’s JONAS Brothers, LEPER (7D. Outcast), MINIS, SABER, SALTS, STEEDS, ST JOE.

Short stuff — ABRA, AIG, Santa ANA, ATE, AZO dye, BRO, DAD, EDDY, EHS, EOE and ETE, Raison d’ETRE, HOT, IAN, JIM, JON, Mauna KEA, MAE and MEW, MGMT (26A. Band with the 2008 song "Electric Feel"), MIL and MIX, NAR, NON, NOTE, OLA, ORE, OTC, PSST, PVC, REP, SNL and SOL (G string?), STP, STYX (48A. Dead river?), TEAS, TEC and TES.

“The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the Year.” ~ Mark Twain

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. A four-digit answer key is no longer required).

Remaining across — ACROSS: 1. *Reno and 38-Across, for two; 15. *Procter & Gamble deodorizer; 16. *Sweet Italian wine; 17. *Fitting; 18. Indy initials; 20. Cheater’s utterance; 24 Cavalry blade; 30. “It’s all coming back to me now”; 32. Parental palindrome; 33. *The second “M” of MGM; 34. *Roundabout, for one; 37. Downed; 40. Bailed-out co. in 2009 news; 41. Latter-day Saint; 43 *Actress Lewis of “Natural Born Killers”; 45. *Hanna-Barbera’s ___ Doggie; 46. Stewart of “The Daily Show”; 476. Knight’s need; 49. Mongoose’s foe; 51. Small vortex; 52 Stop start?; 53. Lode deposit; 55. *Cosmetics chain whose name comes from the Greek for “beauty”; 59. *Nadya Suleman mother of 14, familiarly; 64. *Nays; 65. Productive; 67. *Remove nails from. — DOWN: 1. Halpert of The Office”; 3. Not wide: Abbr.; 4. Canadian query closers; 5. Oolong and others; 6. Puts (away), as for safekeeping; 8. Start of a spell; 9. Dude; 10. Workout unit; 12 Parisian possessive; 15. Like some U.F.O. sightings; 23. Private eye; 26. Fannie ___; 31. Missouri city, informally; 33. Some skirts; 35. Actor Holm; 42. Mingle; 44. Summer on the Seine; 49. Apple implement; 50 Rainbowlike; 52. Part of a melody; 55. “___ Digital Shorts”; 56. Want ad abbr.; 57. Common pipe material, briefly; 58. Trendy; 60. Like some stocks, for short; 61. 1,000 G’s; 62. Suffix with pay or plug; 63. Cat call.