12.02.10 — Shortzesque

A reflective Will Shortz, editorsweblog 

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Puzzle by Joe Krozel, edited by Will Shortz

Shortzesque, for whatever value one places on the internet’s Urban Dictionary, is defined as “When two entries in the same crossword puzzle have identical definitions -- derived from the name of the crossword puzzle editor of The New York Times, Will Shortz“ The puzzle had Shortzesque definitions for the two entries of ZIPS (Flies) and ZOOMS (Flies). One can even order from that site T-shirts, mugs, greeting cards, mouse pads, stickers, trucker hats, steins, magnets and… bumper stickers!

Today’s crossword by the prolific and masterful Joe Krozel features nine pairs of across entries with Shortzesque… ahem… identical definitions, aka clues:

1.   Orient, FAR EAST
2.   Orient, SITUATE
15. Ace, AVIATOR
16. Ace, ONE SPOT
17. Lower in stature, DEGRADE
18. Lower in stature, BENEATH
34. I, for one, PRONOUN
38. I, for one, NUMERAL
40. Understanding, ENTENTE
41. Understanding, EMPATHY
42. Tire, WEAR OUT
43. Tire, RETREAD
60. Loose, LIBERAL
63. Loose, AT LARGE
65. Mean, AVERAGE
66. Mean, SIGNIFY
67. Bristles, GETS MAD
68. Bristles, ARISTAS

Other across — 19. Part of B.C.E., ERA; 20. Shakes, LOSES; 22. Runnin’ UTES, 1944 N.C.A.A. basketball champs; 23. Party favorites?, A LIST; 24. Onetime sponsor of Richard Petty and Mario Andretti, STP; 26. Uses a needle, SEWS; 29. Dummy, DOPE; 31. Epitome of simplicity, ABC; 44. Tax form datum: Abbr., SSN; 45. Major sight in the sky?, URSA; 47. Ballet bend, PLIE; 48. East end?, ERN; 49. Sweater woes, SNAGS; 53. Raw side?, SLAW; 56. Sway, SAY SO; 57. “Nonsense!”, BAH.

Down — 1. What some things do in the sun, FADE; 2. Profess, AVER; 3. Latvian capital, RIGA; 4. Elephant’s-EAR (plant); 5. Whatever, AT ALL; 6. “Me too!”, SO DO I; 7. Lock, TRESS; 8. They’re good for crying out loud, SOBS; 9. Serpent tail?, INE; 10. Good companion for an ace in Vegas, TEN; 11. Burn through, USE UP; 12. Pit-A-PAT; 13. Lug, TOTE; 14. Old English letters, ETHS; 21. J.F.K. posting, ETD; 23. Ed of Hollywood, ASNER; 24. Froth, SPUME; 25. Lure, TEMPT; 26. Gushes, SPEWS; 27. Coastal fliers, ERNES; 28. Odin, to the Germans, WOTAN; 30. Lulu, ONER; 31. Old Russian co-op, ARTEL; 32. Religion with an apostrophe in its name, BAHA’I; 33. River through Glasgow, CLYDE; 35. “ON OUR Own,” 1989 #2 hit by Bobby Brown; 36. Possible response to a driving mistake, U-TURN; 37. Trawlers’ gear, NETS; 39. Brothers of the Wild West, EARPS; 46. AS A result; 48. Vessels by basins, EWERS; 50. Lake bordered by Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania, NYASA; 51. Moving, ASTIR; 52. GOLGI body (cell part); 53. Denigrate, in English slang, with “off”, SLAG; 54. In the flesh, LIVE; 55. Aid’s partner, ABET; 56. Something that’s fun on the coast?, SLED; 57. Person under the Union Jack, BRIT; 58. Fuji rival, AGFA; 59. Startled cries, HEYS; 61. Winning Super Bowl XXXIV player, RAM; 62. Turkish title, AGA; 64. Response: Abbr., ANS.

This crossword is the ninth this year by Joe Krozel published in The New York Times — the list with links:

10.09.10 — Brobdingnagian Revelation
08.07.10 — It's Better Than Life
07.03.10 — 'Tis So Appalling…
06.16.10 — T'Day's X-Word
05.28.10 — Optical Illusion
04.03.10 — Tabula Rasa
03.20.10 — DESDE, Etc.
02.05.10 — O Naked Moon Full-Orbed!

For another view of today‘s crossword, read Wordplay, The Crossword Blog of the New York Times.

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The problems of this world are only truly solved in two ways:

by extinction or duplication. ~ Susan Sontag

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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.