03.14.11 — Monday Melt, etc.

Ran (乱?, "chaos" or "revolt") is a 1985 film written and directed by Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. It is a jidaigeki (Japanese period drama) depicting the fall of Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-era warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons. The story is based on legends of the daimyo Mōri Motonari, as well as on the Shakespearean tragedy King Lear. ~ Wikipedia

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Monday, March 14, 2011

Puzzle by Andrea Carla Michaels, edited by Will Shortz

MALT, MELT, MILT, MOLT and MULT (second letter vowel progression), constitutes the interrelated group of this marvelous Monday crossword, aforesaid found in the across entries of MALTED MILK (18. Fountain treat), MELT IN ONE’S MOUTH (23. What M&M’s do), MILTON BRADLEY (37. Company that produced Twister and Candy Land), MOLTEN CHOCOLATE (50. Hershey’s vatful) and MULTIPLIER (56. The “3” in “6 x 3 = 18”). Forget about the vatful of Hershey’s Chocolate or the M&M’s, e.g., MELT and MOLT!

Other — ADDAMS, AERIAL, ATOLL (16A. Bikini Island, e.g.), BEHIND, CANALS, CRAZES, EARTHA (32A. Singer Kitt), ITALIA, HEM and HAW (5- and 29-Down, hesitate), LITTLE, Puccini’s “MADAMA Butterfly“, SCALES, SEXIST, ULTRAS.

Five-letter — AKIRA (63A. “Ran” director Kurosawa), AZTEC, BLURT, C CLEF, CIVET (21D. Spotted cat), DETOX, DEVIL (66A. Hell of a guy?), DRANO, HEIDI, LABEL, LET BE, MARIE, UPSET, OLINS, ORALS, UPSET, XANAX (55A. Antianxiety drug with a palindromic name).

Short stuff — ABAA, ACLU, ANEW, ATM, “BALI Ha’i” (“South Pacific” song), CIS, DATS, DRIP, EASE, EDGE, EGG, ELIS, ELK, ERIE, FIGS, HTML, I’LL, INTL, LIV, LSAT, MAD, MELO, MENU, MUM, NBC, NET, NOHO, RACE, RES, ROI, SSE, THEY, TRA and TRI, UKE, UTNE, VOL.

Come not between the dragon and his wrath. ~ King Lear, 1. 1

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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. Grp. Defending individual rights; 5. WWW letters; 9. France’s ___ Antoinette; 14. What icicles do; 15. Buffalo’s county or lake; 17. Jamie Foxx’s “Yep ___ Me”; 20. Early Mexican; 22. Simple rhyme scheme; 30. Opposite of NNW; 31. W-Z, e.g., in an encyc.; 33. Lagging; 36. All over again; 41. Restaurant handout; 42. Libra’s symbol; 43. Extremists; 46. Basketball rim attachment; 47. “___ for Cookie” (“Sesame Street” song); 54. Indy 500, e.g.; 64. Rim; 65. Yale students; 67. Mediterranean fruit trees; 68. Exam for a wannabe atty. — DOWN: 1. Gomez or Morticia; 2. Manias; 3. Wee; 4. Overturn; 6. La la lead-in; 7. “The Last Supper” city; 8. Do not disturb; 10. 24-hr. banking convenience; 11. Louis XIV, par exemple; 12. “___ Never Fall in Love Again”; 13. Antlered animal; 19. Comfort; 24. Area west of the Bowery; 25. Actors Ken and Lena; 26. Ph.D. exams; 27. ___ Reader (eclectic bimonthly); 28. Place to swim and play b-ball, say); 33. Say impulsively; 34. “30 Rock” network; 35. Liquid-Plumr rival; 37. Prefix with drama; 38. The “I” in IHOP: Abbr.; 39. “30 Rock” co-star Baldwin; 40. Program for getting clean; 41. Not saying a thing; 44. Pre-cable TV adjunct; 45. Crackle and pop’s partner; 47. Venice attractions; 48. Home of Venezia; 49. Like male chauvinists; 51. Musical staff sign; 52. Supermodel Klum; 53. File folder stick-on; 56. Alfred E. Neuman’s magazine; 57. “Tip-Toe Thru’ the Tulips With Me” instrument; 58. Actress Tyler of “Armageddon”; 59. Cycle starter?; 60. “Which came first?” choice; 61. Home phone number abbr.