02.20.11 — Wunderbar!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

WUNDERBAR!, Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz

Eleven three-block black squares each forming a... well, “bar” substituting for the word... “BAR”... that's right, "BAR"... for twelve entries is the spine of this stiff of a Sunday crossword. Cool, okay, fine, pure gold... but, tough stuff for a Sunday, I'm a little irked, yet I helplessly admit it’s no secret that the brilliant Elizabeth C. Gorski is my favorite crossword constructor and can do no wrong!

[BAR]NAKED LADIES (26. Band whose 1998 song “One Week” was #1 for one week)
[BAR]TLETT (46A. Pear variety)
CHOCOLATE [BAR] (48a. Milky Way, for one)
PABLO ESCO[BAR] 58A. Onetime head of the Medelin drug cartel), sharing a BAR with
[BAR]BIE AND KEN (69A. Mattel announced their breakup in 2004)
[BAR]ROOM BRAWL (84A. Classic western slugfest)
SPACE[BAR] (It’s just below a B)
BELLY UP TO THE [BAR] (109a. Plan on ordering a drink, say)
[BAR]KED AT (27D. Sharply reprimanded)
[BAR]ELY (28D. Just)
TIE[BAR] (99D. Cravat holder)
PIANO [BAR] (88D. Lounge in many a hotel)

Other — APPEALS TO, ARIETTA, AT LARGE, BALALAIKAS (100. Three-stringed instruments), CAMPIER, DEAD-SET, DELIVER US, DOG HANDLER (37A. Lab instructor?), EMIRATE, ISOLATORS (81D. Quarantine advocates), IT’S GREAT (15D. “I love this!”), KEILLOR, OCTOMOM, OH DEAR ME, PAPER HATS (4D. New Year‘s Eve wear), RESOLDER, SADISTIC (12D. Really mean), SASHIMI (25A. Food often dipped in soy sauce), SOMALIA, STORMER.

Mid-size — AD REPS, AMEN RA (5D. Egyptian god of the universe), ARDENT and ARENDT, ARRANGE, AS TALL, AT HOME, 1950s pinup queen BETTIE Page, BORDER, BOURNE, BRINES, DEL RIO (114A. Actress Dolores of the silent era), DYNAMO, EVENER, GLIDER, GO AHEAD, GODSEND, LAUREN, MAKE HAY, MAMBAS (89D. Fearsome snakes), MINTED, NEEDLE, PALMED, PASSED, PEORIA, PESETA, RISERS, ROLLER, SLOPED, SMURFS (121A. Blue boys?), STORMER, TIDILY, THE END (41D. Finis), U S ARMY, YOU PAY.

Five — ALAMO, ANITA, ANTIC, ATALE, BELLA, BOSSY, COATI (79D. South American animal with a snout), EASES, EBERT and EBOAT, EIEIO. ELIAN, ERMAS, GORAN, LEBON, LEONI, LOMAN, LYLES, OMARR, ONRED, PIPER, QUODS, RIKKI, SABIN, SLYER, SPACE, STEEL, TANGY, TVSET.

Short stuff — AGO, ALT, BLU, COIL, CRIB and CRI and CRO, DRE, EAST and ERST, EBEN, EFT and EMT and EST, GEN, GOL, ITA, KEG, LARD, LEVI, LOME, MAE, MII and MIT and MOT, NEWT, NGOR, NOHO, NSA, ODS and OKS, OMNI, OYL, PIED, QTY, RCA, RENU, RST, SHED, STOA, SUI generis, TBSP, TSO, UNO, YDS, YODA (6D. “Star Wars“ guru).

Oh what the hell, check this out!

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Words before a discounted price; 7. TV network force; 13. Pickle juices; 19. Go-getter; 20. Hometown of old radio’s Fibber McGee and Molly; 21. Noted parent in tabloids; 23. Not level; 24. Did sleight of hand with; 29. Tennis’s Ivanisevic; 30. Astrologer to the rich and famous; 33. Softens; 34. More furtive; 38. PC key; 39. Reduced amount?; 42. Spartan walkway; 43. Bridge position; 45. “After you”; 50. Didn’t accept, with “on”; 53. One way for drivers to turn; 55. NASA recruiting site; 56. In the past, once; 60. “Give ___ rest!”; 61. ___-ray Disc; 63. Gift from above; 65. Shreve who wrote “The Pilot’s Wife”; 71. Name in 2000 headlines; 72. Set up; 76. Alphabet trio; 77. Tapping site; 78. Big name in lens care; 79. Dernier ___; 80. Sandler’s “Spanglish” co-star; 82. With good order; 89. Really use an opportunity well; 92. CPR pro; 93. Slinky, e.g.; 94. Togo’s capital; 98. Writer/philosopher Hannah; 99. General name on a menu?; 102. Roman 1,002; 103. Children’s song refrain; 105. “Death of a Salesman” role; 106. Best Buy buy; 107. Wars, in ancient Rome; 112. Loose; 115. Brand advertised with a cow; 119. Member of an assaulting party; 120. Leveling tool; 122. Fervid; 123. Choir supports; 124. Currency replaced by the euro. — DOWN: 1. Rushing stat: Abbr.; 2. Popeye’s gal; 3. Juan’s one; 7. Beseeches; 8. Resolved; 9. Suitcase convenience; 10. “Aunt ____ Cope Book”; 11. Multicolored; 13. Giving orders; 14. Pioneer in quadraphonic records; 16. Big Apple neighborhood; 17. Gulf state; 18. Civil war locale beginning in 1991; 22. Made, as money; 30. Takes too much; 31. Witty saying; 32. Fifth word of the Gettysburg Address; 35. W.W. II craft; 38. Etui item; 39. Jails, in British slang; 44. Drop; 45. Quiet transportation; 47. Simon of Duran Duran; 48. ___-Magnon; 49. Present opener?; 50. Parade tootler; 51. Dickens title opener; 52. Vaccine pioneer; 54. “The Killing Fields” actor Haing S. ___; 57. “___-Tikki-Tavi”; 58. Word with plate or plant; 59.Like grapefruit juice; 62. Grp. Whose seal has the words “This we’ll defend”; 64. Irving Bacheller novel ___ Holder”; 65. Caper; 67. Ralph ___ ne Lifshitz; 68. Steal; 70. Equal in height; 73. Avis alternative; 74. Lizard look-alike; 75. Football score abroad; 83. Part of the next-to-last line of the Lord’s Prayer; 85. “My stars!”; 86. Mend, in a way, as a metal joint; 88. Lounge in many a hotel; 90. Mozart’s “Un Bacio di mano,” e.g.; 91. Garrison in Minnesota; 93. More like Bette Midler stage shows; 96. Green lights; 96. Common middle name for a girl; 97. Biblical verb ending; 100. Recurring Matt Damon title role; 101. Not out; 104. “The Great Movies” author; 105. Actor Waggoner and others; 108. Product of fatback; 110. Italian author Primo; 1121. Recipe abbr.; 113. Brig. ___; 116. Rap’s Dr. ___; 117. Little amphibian; 118. Hush-hush grp.