03.21.11 — Absolutely!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer and Steve Salitan, edited by Will Shortz

Spring has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere! Yes!… and “Absolutely!” is the clue for the interrelated group of YOU BETCHA, BY ALL MEANS, RIGHT ON BROTHER, AIN’T IT THE TRUTH, DARN TOOTIN’ and SURE THING… absolutely, a very agreeable Monday crossword.

Other — ANTONY (46A. Marc who loved Cleopatra), A-TESTS (29A. Some global treaty subjects, informally), GET BEAT (5D. Lose the game), IN A TRAP (42D. Snared), LEAGUE (23A. The “L“ in N.L. or A.L.), NEW AGE (50A. Enya‘s kind of music), TENNERS (44D. They‘re worth twice as much as fins), WARMS TO (9D. Becomes more fond of).

Five-letter — AGLOW, AMORE, ANKHS, ASIAN, BRIAR, EAGLE, ENERO (66A. Month when Chile is far from chilly), GENIE, LEASH, LEONA, LOYAL, POSES, PROBE, RIGID, SASSY, SAT UP (68A. Stopped lying?), SCUBA, WATER, WHALE.

Short stuff — ABBA, AIL and ALE, AMIE, APP, AREA and ASEA, BAA and BAG, BEET, BESO, DBLS, EIS, ERIN, “ET TU Brute?”, “Born This Way” singer Lady GAGA, GOTO, GOUT, IRES, ISN’T, LACY, LIAR (22D. When doubled, cry before “pants on fire”), LPS, NANU, NEE, ORC (14A. Tolkien monster), OSHA, REDS, REIN, RIOT, RTE, SHOT, SRS, STET, TESH, TOGA, TOSS, TOY (64D. Tinker with, with “with”), TUNA, TYPO, UGH, UKE.

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

 ~ Robin Williams

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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. The Stones’ “Sticky Fingers” and “Tattoo You,” e.g.; 4. Like lit lanterns; 9. H2O; 15. Dog strap; 16. Dean Martin’s “That’s ___”; 19. Stiff; 20. “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” group; 25. Winter Autobahn hazard; 38. Spanish for “kiss”; 39. Luau instrument, informally; 40. Chuck; 47. Mark meaning “no change”; 48. Smartphone download, briefly; 61. Offshore; 62. ___ patch (Uncle Remus setting); 65. Helmsley who had hotels; 67. Feel under the weather; 69. Impertinent; 70. Word before a maiden name in wedding announcements. — DOWN: 1. True-blue; 2. Exploratory spacecraft; 3. Diver’s gear; 4. Pub drink; 6. Frilly, as lingerie; 7 Org concerned with workplace injuries; 8. Blubber source; 10. French girlfriend; 11. Festive “Animal House” wrap; 12. St. Paddy’s land; 13. Cincinnati squad; 18. Baseball base; 24. “Gross!”; 27. Joint woe that afflicted Benjamin Franklin; 28. Egyptian crosses; 31. Amount in a whiskey glass; 32. John who once co-hosted “Entertainment Tonight”; 33. Sophs., two years later; 34. Bridle strap; 35. “Freedom ___ free”; 36. Attend, as a party; 37. Underground vegetable with edible greens; 38. Ewe’s plaint; 43. Printing goof; 45. Hwy.; 49. Does some modeling; 51. Crib cry; 52. Like the eastern part of Russia; 53. Spirit in a bottle; 54. “The ___ has landed”; 55. Two-base hits: Abbr.; 56. Vicinity; 57. Bottle-throwing occasion; 58. When repeated, a classic sitcom sign-off; 59. Bluefin, e.g.; 60. Angers.