12.09.10 — Where There's Smoke...

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Puzzle by Byron Walden and Caleb Madison, edited by Will Shortz

BLOW OPEN (22A. *Dramatically expose), HOUSE BOAT (24A. *Home near a shore), HOLY CROSS (54A. *Massachusetts college), FREE BIRD (59A. *1975 Southern rock hit stereotypically requested at concerts), SCREEN DOOR (11D. *Porch feature) and WHITE TRASH (34D. *Hillbillies’ put-down) along with SMOKE (58D. Word that can combine with the starts of the answers to the six starred clues) and FIRE (71A. Word that can combine with the ends of the answers to the six starred clues) comprises the interrelated group of this smoldering Thursday crossword.

Other — ANATOLY (29D. Late Soviet diplomat Dobrynin), BANDANA (25D. Outlaw’s accessory), COMBOVER (6D. Dos that are don’ts?), DIET SODA (4D. Fresca, e.g.), MORAL DUTY (40D. Kantian concern), POT PIES (10D. Baked entrees), SEA / BASS (64D. With 60-Down, big Chilean export), SIERRAS (49A. Mount Whitney’s range), SPIRIT OF / TROY (44D. With 19-Across, U.S.C.’s marching band), TALENTS (28A. They’re shown in a beauty pageant), TRIES ON (46D. Checks the fit of ).

Mid-size — ANGUS, ASCII, AVILA, BITTEN, BOMBS (32D. Turkeys), CNOTE (20A. Five Jacksons), DRAMAS (39A. Miller products?), EMILE, HIMOM, HOVEL, LLANO, MASCOT, MELOTT, MERLE Oberon of “Wuthering Heights“, NASDAQ (37A. Where to find eBay and Google), OHYOU, OLLAS, OMANI, ORGAN, PERCH, SCAMS, SHINTO (50D. Literally, “way of the gods”), SONYA, SORER, SQUAD car, STATE, TASSO (30D. Italian poet who was the subject of a Goethe play and a Donizetti opera).

Short stuff — ALII, “ I AM SO dead!”, ATON, BAWD, EEL, ELHI, FEMA, ICH, LIE (26A. Prevaricate), MCI, NEW, OCTA, OLAV, ONEK, ORO, OSHA, OSU, PLOD and PROD, PSAT, RAYE, SHE, SLEW, SOSA, TARO, TIL, TOY and TROY, WACO, YAZ (62A. Bosox legend), YEAS, ZAHN.

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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. Opposite of race; 5. Pyramid schemes, e.g.; 10. Its scores are used in selecting Natl. Merit Scholars; 14. For all grades; 15. Shanty; 16. Prefix with -pod; 17. Comical Martha; 18. Actor Hirsch of “Into the Wild”; 19. See 44-Down; 27. Patron saint of Norway; 32. Madam; 36. Just out; 38. Govt. watchdog since 1970; 41. Big ten sch.; 42. Co. bought by Verizon; 43. One leading a cheer, perhaps; 44. 1998 Roberto Clemente Award winner; 45. Like a vampire’s victims; 47. Classification for some popular Spanish music; 48. Push; 49. Mount Whitney’s range; 51. Et ___; 53. “Fore; 61. Words mouthed to a camera; 62. Pro team?; 63. Beef type; 65. Tropical vegetable also known as elephant’s-ear; 67. Part of 41-Across; 68. Short race, briefly; 69. Paula of TV news; 70. Whom Raskolnikov confesses his crme to in “Crime and Punishment”. — DOWN: 1. Stool, perhaps; 2. Southwest plain; 3. Words to a kidder; 4\5. Maroon 5’s “___ Will Be Loved”; 7. St. Teresa’s place; 8. Youngest Hall-of-Famer (at age 22) to hit 100 home runs; 9. Whole bunch; 12. Lots; 13. Nerf ball, e.g.; 21. Sinuous swimmer; 23. Pueblo pots; 33. PC character set; 36. Baylor’s home; 52. I, to Wilhelm I; 55. Silent film accompaniment; 56. Certain rial spender; 57. More peeved; 59. Org. criticized in “When the Levees Broke”.