03.18.11 — EQUINOX, Etc.

Spring Equinox at Stonehenge photo by Josh Gurner

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Friday, March 18, 2011

Puzzle by Patrick Merrell, edited by Will Shortz

Spring gets a polite nod at the end of this crossword with EQUINOX (62A. Semiannual event) and none too soon for the Northern Hemisphere!

There hasn’t been A SLOW NEWS DAY (6D. When there’s nothing doing) as of late, — AKIHITO (16A. He succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989) made a rare appearance on Japanese television but a few days ago. BAGHDAD IRAQ (26D. Home to more than 5 ½ million Arabs) has been calm, but the rest of the Middle East is certainly news. Charlie Sheen appears to be HIGH AS A KITE (24D. Wasted), while a judge KEELHAULS (29A. Severely rebukes) Lindsay Lohan. THRILLERS (11D. Games that go into overtime, say), MISSISSIPPI (12D. United States divider) SEA ANIMALS (42A. Dolphin, e.g.) and RENEWABLE (32D. Like wind and solar energy) round out the long entries of this Friday crossword.

Other — “AM I BLUE” (52A. Standard with the lyric “Ain’t these tears in my eyes telling’ you?“), AMHERST, BEST MAN, CHARIOT (38A. Part of an ancient procession), IRONS OUT, LEANED ON, LEERS AT, LEG RESTS, MAFIOSI, RAT-LIKE, RAW FISH (1A. Carpaccio base, maybe), SENATOR, SNEEZED, TRA LA LA (15A. “I haven’t a care in the world”).

Mid-size — “… A TALE told by an idiot”: Macbeth, AURAL (22D. Like something you’ve heard); BEARS, BELIED, BRAWNY, CRÈME and FLANS (4D. 23-Down caramel desserts), DISPEL, EURAIL (27D. Kind of pass), GENII, HARARE (7D. City known as Salisbury until 1982), KOREAN, NEW AGE, NOTED, RATITE, REGROW, REMAIN, ST LEO, TOE-IN.

Short stuff — ACHS, ARE, BALE, “EEK A mouse,” and EKE, GALL, GINO, HEC, “Must’ve been something I ATE”, ISLE, LIZ, NED, NIN, NRA, OON, PIE, REED, RTS, SIE, TIX, TOFU, TON, UKE (54D. Marilyn Monroe played one in “Some Like It Hot“), URI, USO, WAN.

One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese,

cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring. ~ Aldo Leopold

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 8. Rite aide; 17. Certain committee member; 18. Surveys, usually with negative responses; 19. Music genre; 21. Barbados, e.g.; 22. Worms cries; 25. Ulysses S. Grant was its eighth pres.; 26. Refuted; 28. State sch. In Kingston; 31. What mown lawns do; 33. Wheelchair attachments; 36. Home of Hampshire College; 39. Pressured; 41. Get rid of; 44. Organizational figure; 45. Strapping; 47. Jules Verne harpooner ___ Land; 48. Singer Vannelli of 1970s-’80s pop; 50. Flightless bird; 55. Smooth; 59. Beady-eyed and sneaky; 60. Criminal types; 61. Was irritated and made some noise about it? — DOWN: 1. Some linemen: Abbr.; 2. What may be coming after you; 3. Not ruddy; 8. Farm delivery; 9. Accomplish by economy, with “out”; 10. You: Ger.; 14. “Got it”; 20. Rancor; 29. Ethnic cuisine; 30. ___ Crighton Trophy (Canada’s Heisman-like award); 34. Wheel alignment; 35. Pope with a Nov. 10 feast day; 37. Gob; 40. Pretty ballerina in an Abba song; 43. Respite from dependents and everyone else; 45. Some circus performers; 46. Bring back to full strength, as a staff; 48. Guardian spirits; 50. Papyrus, e.g.; 51. Some soft white blocks; 53. La ___ (Hollywood nickname); 56. Suffix with bass; 57. Operation Mail Call grp.; 58. B.O. buys.