12.29.10 — Tilde We Meet Again...

Mexican Sombrero Siesta Ceramic Tile by Ramos Martinez

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Puzzle by Patrick Merrell, edited by Will Shortz

TILDE (58D. Mark used four times in this puzzle’s solution), PIÑA COLADA with NIÑA (18A. Margarita alternatives; 6D. One of a 15th-century trio), JALAPEÑO PEPPERS with PIÑATA (40A. Salsa verde ingredients; 8D. It requires one who’s blind with a bat) and MAÑANA SEÑOR with PIÑON and AÑOS (63A. Procrastinating words south of the border; 52D. Evergreen with edible nuts; 62D. Yucatán years) constitutes the interrelated group of this poco caliente Wednesday crossword.

Other — AMPHORA, EAST ROOM, EMIGRATE, LAS VEGAS (20A. Spanish for “the meadows”), MARIACHI (61A. Like traditional Mexican music), VESTALS.

Six-letter — AMIGOS (59A. Baja buddies), ASSADS, DAHLIA (22A. Mexican bloom), DO GOOD, E MINOR, ERODES, LAPTOP, ONE EAR, POTION, RENAME, REPEAL, SPASMS, TAIPEI, THIRDS, THREAT.

Five — AHYES, AMAIN, ANASS, ANGLO (43A. Barrio outsider), AVAIL, “La BAMBA“, DENSE, ECONO, LADLE, MESAS (13D. Tijuana tables), OCEAN, OMBRE (36A. Card game of Spanish origin), OMEGA, PABLO (1D. “Tortilla Flat” character).

Short stuff — ACE, AJA, ALG, ANNA, APAT, ASEA, ASTA, BAP, BEA and BEN, BIOL, BLAH and BLAM, ELS, ESP (39D. Gift in “The Gift“), GALA, ISAO and ISTO, KOS, LAVE, MOC, NED, OSE, OYL, PAN, POD, RRS, SLAP, SOP, STAT, STEP, TIKI.

Mañana!

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Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Jettisoned compartment; 4. Update, in a way; 10. Noise in a comic book gunfight; 14. Expert; 15. Key of “The James Bond Theme”; 16. Bathe; 17. Big ___; 23. Like telemarketing headsets; 24. Bit of a climb; 26. They’re caught in Chicago; 27. What a cheeky one’s cheek might get; 29. Screen role for Skippy the dog; 31. Pit-___; 34. Cook Island carving; 44. At 30° W 30° N, e.g.; 45. Lock part; 46. Goals against, e.g.; 48. “What ___ be done?”; 50. Certain Protestant: Abbr.; 53. Golfer Aoki; 55. Reason for an evacuation; 65. Castor ___ (old comic strip character); 66. Subj. involving cells; 67. Be altruistic; 68. Mustachioed “Simpsons” character; 69. Kournikova of tennis; 70. They might be knee-jerk reactions; 71. Carbohydrate suffix. — DOWN: 2. Jersey Shore county, appropriately; 3. None too swift; 4. Officially annul; 5. Go from home to home?; 7. “With the jawbone of ___ …”; 8. Comfy footwear, briefly; 9. Slowly disappears; 10. Bor-r-ring; 11. Soup kitchen server; 12. Use; 19. One turned off for takeoff; 21. Virgins of ancient Rome; 25. Island capital of 2.6 million; 30. Two-handled vase; 31. 1977 double-platinum album by Steely Dan; 32. Sweeping shot; 33. Medit. Land; 35. Flattens, for short; 37. Arthur of “The Golden Girls”; 38. $200 Monopoly properties: Abbr.; 41. Crone’s concoction; 42. White House ceremony site; 47. Syrian presidential family; 49. Helping for the very hungry, maybe; 51. At full speed; 54. Psi follower; 56. Cheap, in adspeak; 57. “But of course”; 60. Pricey event; 64. Soak (up).