03.31.11 — Pitch!

Kenny Rogers, Kenny Rogers, Dave Stewart, Dave Stewart, Eddie Fisher, Eddie Fisher, Brian Wilson and Brian Wilson

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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Puzzle by Jeremy Horwitz and Tyler Hinman / Edited by Will Shortz

PERFECT PITCH (19D. Something the eight people at 3-, 9-, 28- ad 30-Down have all strived for?); 3D. Yankees hurler (1996 champs) / Solo singer of “Lady” (#1 in 1980), KENNY ROGERS; 9D. A’ s hurler (1989 champs) / Eurythmics musician on “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” (#1 in 1983), DAVE STEWART; 28D. Orioles hurler (1966 champs) / Solo crooner of “Oh! My Pa-Pa (#1 in 1954), EDDIE FISHER; and 30D. Giants hurler (2010 champs) / Beach Boys vocalist on “Help Me, Rhonda” (#1 in 1965), BRIAN WILSON are the interrelated group of this Thursday crossword on the day the baseball season begins and songs of the past may be remembered.

Other — AIR KISS (24A. Distant sign of affection?), ALL HERE (66A. “Everything’s accounted for”), COLE SLAW (60A. Barbecue side), IN A COMA (16A. Totally out), ISOLATE (48D. Keep from spreading), LATERAL (69A. Nonforward pass), PEDICAB (7A. Way around Shanghai), RISOTTO (52A. Creamy dish), SLIP COVERED (18A. Saved, as a seat?), TAI CHI CHUAN (62A. Dojo discipline), TEN STONE (20A. 140 pounds, in Britain), UNLOADS (5D. Vents).

Mid-size — ABOVE, AGAVE, ARENA, AT ODDS, BLINI, ELLIS, ERASE, EVITE, GOODS, ICED, IRONED, LINEN, MAUDE, MINED, RICHE, RIGID, SAUDI, SWEET, TIVOS, TOUGH (53D. Grisly).

Short stuff — AMES, ARCO, ASS, BADE, BAM, CEL, CHAW, CORA, DIMS, EARP, ECCE, ELK, ENO and ENOS, ENYA, ETAL, EVE, FOCI, FONT, GTO, HES, INCA, INN and ION, IRA, ITAT, KOCH, LALA, LILT, NET, NOR, ODE, PIC, PSST, PUB, RBI, RUED, SNL, STOW, SUE, TAOS, VIE.

Read "Meet 30-Down: Wilson Is Answer for the Giants" in the New York Times today, March 31, 2011, HERE.

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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. Animal on the Michigan flag; 4. Crawl space?; 14. Parisian life; 15. Weekly show starting at 11:30 p.m. E.T.; 17. Longfellow’s “Tales of a Wayside ___”; 22. Clear; 23. “May It be” singer, 2001; 27. Wished undone; 29. Garamond, e.g.; 30. “Wham ___!”; 33. Fighting; 35. ___ signum (look at the proof: Lat.); 36. One-third of a baseball’s Triple Crown, for short; 37. Uncompromising; 38. It’s a mouthful; 39. + or - thing; 40. Garden lady; 41. Leave ___ that; 44. Tequila source; 46. Scand. Land; 47. 1994 Costner title role; 48. Made flatter; 49. Dummy; 50. Two key points on an ellipse’s major major axis; 51. Stash; 57. “Les Than Zero” novelist; 65. Go after; 67. Car co-created and named by John DeLorean; 68. Dedicated work; 70. “For ___ a ..”; 71. Capture. — DOWN: 1. Modern party aid; 2. One might sleep on it; 4. Hushed “Hey!”; 6. Some pancakes; 7. It’s a snap; 8. Roxy Music co-founder; 10. They finish cakes; 11. Mrs. Dithers of the comics; 12. Midwest college town; 13. Ordered; ; 21. Meccan, e.g.; 25. Mayor who later served as judge on “The People’s Court”; 26. Member of a mountain empire; 31. Topping; 32. Got out of the ground; 33. Ring holder; 34. Records, in a way; 42. New Mexico’s ___ Ski Valley; 43. BP subsidiary; 45. Get the ___ on; 52. Affluent, in Arles; 1970s sitcom that ended with the title character in Congress; 56. “Ni-i-ice!; 57. Listing abbr.; 58. Singsong syllables; 59. Cheerful tune; 61. Book in the Book of Mormon; 63. S&L holding; 64. Funny frame.