The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: 01.12.11

"Ardhanarishwara" from a Maithili Painting

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Puzzle by Jim Hilger, edited by Will Shortz

The word HALF, squeezed into six squares, constitutes the interrelated group of this witty Wednesday crossword:

[HALF]-BAKED (1A. Poorly developed, as an idea) with [HALF]-TRUTH (1D. Deceptive remark)
ONE [HALF] (10A. 50%) with [HALF] NELSON (13D. Wrestling hold)
[HALF]-AND-[HALF] (37A. Coffee additive) with SAWED IN [HALF] (9D. How a magician’s assistant might appear) and [HALF]-HEARTED (37D. Hardly enthusiastic)
[HALF]-DAY (67A. Four hours on the job, perhaps) with BETTER [HALF] (38D. Wife, colloquially)
FIRST [HALF] (69a. Opening 30 minutes of football) with OTHER HALF] (49D. Jacob Riis subjects, with “the”)

Other across — 7. Clear of dishes, BUS; 14. Milton Berle’s longtime sponsor, TEXACO; 15. Actress ANA Alicia; 16. WINN-Dixie Stores; 17. Spoil, as a parade, RAIN ON; 18. “Stat!”, NOW; 19. “ECCE homo”; 20. Tony winner Hagen, UTA; 21. Joule fraction, ERG; 23. “Misty” composer Garner, ERROLL; 25. The second “T” in TNT, TOLUENE; 28. Vitamin label fig., RDA; 29. Rock’s LOS Lonely Boys; 30. Sunken ships, HULKS; 31. Unmoved, STOIC; 33. Anka’s “ESO Beso”; 34. Port on the eastern Mediterranean, TYRE; 35. Go TO ANY length; 36. Q’s point value in Scrabble, TEN; 38. Bikini part, BRA; 41. Draws back, SHIES; 42. Big Apple enforcement org., NYPD; 46. Improviser’s asset, EAR; 47. Artist Matisse, HENRI; 48. Tahitian-style wraparound skirt, PAREO; 50. Dam-building org., TVA; 51. Western treaty grp., OAS; 52. Most dismal, DARKEST; 54. Worker in a cage, TELLER; 56. Pickup truck feature, BED; 57. Book before Esth., NEH; 58. Joy Adamson’s lioness, ELSA; 59. Way of the East, TAO; 61. “As if!”, OH SURE; 64. Marsh growth, REED; 65. Year-end helper, ELF; 66 “Time After Time” singer Cyndi LAUPER; 68. Cool, in slang, DEF.

Jean Nicolet, landing at the Bay of Green Bay, painting by Franz Rohrbeck, 1910.

Down — 2. Barely defeat, BEAT OUT; 3. With respect to a graph line, e.g., AXIALLY; 4. Toto’s state: Abbr., KAN; 5. Prefix with system, ECO; 6. “Singin’ in the Rain” director Stanley DONEN; 7. Prank cigar sound, BANG; 8. Game with Draw 2 cards, UNO; 10. Person in the hole, OWER; 11. Lake Michigan explorer Jean NICOLET; 12. Box in, ENCLOSE; 22. Puts a new finish on, RESTAINS; 24. Risqué, RACY; 26. Kiev’s land: Abbr., UKR; 27. Suffix with Sudan, ESE; 28. Like some inns or hot dog stands, ROADSIDE; 32. Cartridge filler, TONER; 39. In a tangled mess, RAVELED; 40. Amu Darya’s outlet, ARAL SEA; 41. Do some blacksmith’s work on, SHOE; 42. “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” airer, NPR; 43. Shaggy animal in a herd, YAK; 44. Marriage contracts, briefly, PRENUPS; 45. Provisional Mormon state, DESERET; 53. Moe parodied him in some W.W. II-era Three Stooges shorts, ADOLF; 55. Tramp’s love, LADY; 56. Broadway hit, slangily, BOFF; 60. Pub offering, ALE; 62. Yes, in Yokohama, HAI; 63. Big SUR, Calif.

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