10.20.10 — What a Bitch!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Puzzle by Finn Vigeland, edited by Will Shortz

Perhaps after blogging 1,500 NYT crossword puzzles over the past four years, it might be an overstatement to say that I haven’t found one that I disliked more than this Wednesday wasteland, but it rates my first WTF!  I’m totally out of it? What is H AND M? This puzzle is surely an introduction, what, H AND M. Oh wow, you can Google it -- HERE! Are we now to solve advertisements for clothing products? Or what? Google a lot of things. Why not? How about A & A, A & B, A & C, A & D, A & E… I need to go on? Oh, give us answers like HAKUNA MATATA (27A. “The Lion King” song) which is an entertainment you may or may have never seen or may not ever, co-clued with H AND M (37A Swedish-based international clothing giant … or a hint to the answers to the six starred clues) — then let us lament, oh dear Heaven, what happened to that wonderful puzzle we like to work every day. After all, there’s no rule that crosswords need to be aware of the majority of the population’s general knowledge. If the venerable Times wishes to will itself and its crosswords into an early grave, who’s to say, why not? Join the great parade of defunctness. This puzzle was the worst! Keep it up, if for nothing else, just to remember I told you so! I know... bitch, bitch, bitch...

So, H & M? Well, if you’re still out there — HEAVY METAL (17A. *Megadeth’s music genre), HOTEL MANAGER (43A. *Hilton Head, e.g.), HORACE MANN (58A. *The Father of American Public Education), HASH MARKS (11D. *Lines on a football field), HAUTE MONDE (33D. *Society) — wow, HI MOM (25A. Sign in the bleachers).

Other — ANAEROBE (38D. Organism that doesn‘t require oxygen), GLAD-HAND, LIVE CHAT, RATCHET, SMELLED (48A. Knocked someone out, say), WORLD MAP.

Mid-size — APHID, ARHAT, ASTARE, AVAST, BOSOM, CIERA, CIVIL, DENIM, ENNIO, ENROLL,EPSOM, ERESTU, FJORD, LOADS, MNEME and MEME, NINON, OCALA, OCHER, RADII, TEAPOT.

Short stuff — ADDL, ALY, AMAT, AMPM, ASCH, BANO, BLED, CPU, DONE, EASY, ERGS, ERE and ERSE, ESAI, ESTD, FLAK, GMAC, HAMM, HAT, HUM, IMAM, INAT, JEDI, KIEL, LENO, NYPD, OREM, REPO, RILE, RITT, ROM, ROTA, SEAT, SEL, THEN, TORO, UBER, WKRP (39A. Dr. Johnny Fever‘s station, in 1970s-’80s TV), see what I mean?

Bitch, bitch, bitch!

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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. City SSW of Jacksonville; 6. Physics unit; 10. First of two before-and-after pictures; 14. Mannerly; 15. Stir (up); 16. “No prob”; 19. “Now!”; 20. European tongue; 21 Cornerstone abbr.; 22. Green bug; 23. Increase in increments, with “up”; 31. Enlightened Buddhist; 34. ___ the beginning; 35. Neighbor of Hung.; 36. You may take one before dinner; 39. Dr. Johnny Fever’s station, in 1970s-’80s TV; 40 Hi-tech heart; 41. Spanish bath; 42. Kind of buddy; 47. One of the three original Muses; 52. Viking training camp?; 54. “The Godfather” composer Nino; 56. “I finished”; 57. Who once remarked “You can’t stay mad at somebody who makes you laugh”; 60. Extra: Abbr.; 61. German word slangily used to mean “extremely”; 62. Circle measures; 63. Germany’s __ Canal; 64. Internet ___ (viral phenomenon); 65. English race site. — DOWN: 1. Autumn hue; 2. Old Olds; 3. “Stop, matey’!”; 4. Real-tinme online conversation; 5. Prince ___ Khan; 6. 1974 Mocedades hit; 7. Film dirrector Martin; 8. Politician’s greeting; 9. Partner of poiver, in French seasoning; 10. It’s “short and stout” in a children’s song; 11. *Lines on a football field’; 12. Morales who played a 13-Down officer on TV; 13. See 12-Down; 18. Docile; 22. Part of a Latin 101 trio; 24 Symbol of a position; 26. Shiite leader; 28. Sheer fabric; 29. One seeing red?; 30. Like 12-hour clocks; 31. “The Nazarene” author Sholem; 32. “___ Man”; 33. *Society; 37. 2004 Olympics gymnastics star Paul or Morgan; 39. Colorful almanac feature; 41. Ran; 42. Busy type; 44. Sign up; 45. Rubbernecking; 46. Auto financing co.; 49. A lot; 50. Film composer Morricone; 51. Material in a “Canadian tuxedo”; 51. Criticism; 53. Lightsaber wielder; 55. Utah city; 58. What fans do; 59. Poetic preposition.