12.18.10 — Ladies and Gentlemen

The Hallucinogenic Toreador, Salvadore Dali, 1968-70 

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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Puzzle by Brad Wilber, edited by Will Shortz

Queens and presidents, ladies and gentlemen, mom, an alpha male, a bride-to-be, Sabu, Sharon Stone, Yuri and the Venus de Milo, along with the Nixon Era, Camelot and the Enola Gay with a devastating cargo occupy this solid Saturday crossword.

Across — 1. Aid in deep diving, ECHO SOUNDER; 12. One might use Peter Pan, in brief, PBJ; 15. “Casino” Golden Globe winner, SHARON STONE; 16. Sch. With a 60-foot “Praying Hands”, ORU; 17. Proverbially newsworthy item, MAN BITES DOG; 18. Designer of Alabama’s Civil Rights Memorial, LIN; 19. It displays an array of spikes: Abbr., EKG; 20. Trunk attachment, LIMB; 21. Basic drive, LIBIDO; 23. Take on, ASSUME; 25. Marine muncher on mangrove leaves, MANATEE; 26. Explosion producer, IRE; 27. Smashes, MEGA-HITS; 28. Heroine of Inge’s “Picnic”, MADGE; 31. 1986 Indy 500 winner, RAHAL; 32. Poule’s counterpart, COQ; 33. Sparkle, ELAN; 34. Opposite of frumpish, NATTY; 35. Actor awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in W.W. II, SABU; 36. On-target, APT; 37. Deltoid ligament, TIBIA; 38. French frost, GELEE; 39. Old Rory Calhoun TV western, THE TEXAN; 41. Disney character prone to spoonerisms, DOC; 42. Period about a decade before the 34-Down, CAMELOT; 43. Person in a pool, BETTOR; 46. “Saving Fish From Drowning” novelist, AMY TAN; 47. Fist pumper’s cry, YEAH; 48. Spider, Snoopy or Intrepid: Abbr., LEM; 50. Football Hall-of-Famer Huff, SAM; 51. Artwork depicted in Dali’s “The Hallucinogenic Toreador”, VENUS DE MILO; 54. “Last Train to London” grp., ELO; 55. Financial option upon leaving a job, IRA ROLLOVER; 56. Father’s alma mater: Abbr., SEM; 57. Tag with a message, often, VANITY PLATE, my favorite?, on a Rolls-Royce, R U N V S.

Down — 1. Woman in all four “Twilight” novels, ESME; 2. R&B’s CHAKA Khan; 3. Pays dearly for one’s crimes, HANGS; 4. Astronomical discovery, ORB; 5. Stain, SOILURE; 6. Good way to arrive, ON TIME; 7. 1972 Bill Withers hit, USE ME; 8. Wreck checker: Abbr., NTSB; 9. U.S.N. and U.S.A.F. div, DOD; 10. Ship with devastating cargo, ENOLA GAY; 11. Queenly, REGINAL; 12. Like some platforms, POLITICAL; 13. Engagement party?, BRIDE-TO-BE; 14. Queenly, JUNOESQUE; 22. “Ridiculous!”, BAH; 24. Plus or minus, say, SIGN; 25. Israel Philharmonic maestro, MEHTA; 27. Après-midi follows it, MATIN; 28. Places to display cuts, MEAT CASES; 29. First mate?, ALPHA MALE; 30. Intergenerational MTV reality show, DATE MY MOM; 31. Home to Mohammed V University, RABAT; 34. When William Safire worked at the White House, NIXON ERA; 35. One may be Protestant, GOT HELP; 37. Shalom Meir Tower locale, TEL AVIV; 38. Entered rehab, e.g., GOT HELP; 40. Three-day holiday, TET; 41. Not just dangerous, DEADLY; 43. Inebriate, BESOT; 44. Rival of Yastrzemski for 1960s A.L. batting titles, OLIVA; 45. Filled anew, as a flat, RELET; 47. Chess master Averbakh, YURI; 49. Hog’s desire, MORE; 52. Book editor Talese, NAN; 53 CO, e.g.: Abbr., MOL.

Ladies and gentlemen, my mother thanks you,

my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you!

~ George M. Cohan

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Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.