04.02.11 — Are You Kidding Me?

The Cardiff Giant being exhumed in October 1869

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Saturday, April 2, 2011

Puzzle by Mark Diehl / Edited by Will Shortz

ARE YOU KIDDING ME (7D. “Really?!”), THE CARDIFF GIANT (34A. New York “find” of 10/16/1869) and RUSE (21A. 34-Across, e.g.) fit together nicely in this benumbing Saturday crossword.

Other — AIRMAN and U S MARINE (43D. Ace, e.g.; 3D. Devil dog), not MATE but BAIT (26A. Chum, at sea) could be confusing — however, FOUR PM (1A. Start of a dogwatch) makes a proper nod to the navy. There are two diverse nine-letter entries, COURSE FEES (28A. Tuition portion) and EAST OF EDEN (42A. Steinbeck novel). “O’ER the Water to Charlie” (old ballad) gives the crossword the tune of a lost Prince.

Four groups of three eight-letter entries are featured in the corners adding up to a tough quartet — Upper left, FUNGO BAT (1D. Pop-up generator), ON A LEASH (2D. Restrained) and U S MARINE. Upper right, ADAM’S RIB (7A. 1949 comedy about husband-and-wife lawyers on opposing sides of a murder case), RAKEHELL (16A. Libertine) and EVITABLE (18A. Not foreordained). Lower left, AMENDING (57A. Editorial work), SALE ITEM (60A. Irregular, often), ENERGIZE (62A. Rev up). Lower right, ABOVE PAR (37D. Good), NO CHEESE (38D. Whopper request) and TWO-SPEED (39D. Like some Schwinns).

Engraving of Kilroy on the WWII Memorial in Washsington, DC

The remaining six-letter group — BLEEDS, DOODLE (24D. Kilroy, e.g.), ENCASE, GLASER, I’LL SEE (13D. “Maybe“), METRIC, NAME IT (17A. “Price be damned!”), NESTOR (46D. Sage), ON BASE, RAFAEL, REBUKE, SHARIF, STEELE and STREEP, TEENER, UNSURE (15A. Easily shaken).

Et cetera — AKIN (9D. Sharing common alleles), ASNER, BEIGE, BIKED, CREE and TEPEE (52A. Dweller in a 59-Across; 59A. Home for a 52-Across), DAVE, DIDO, DIG, ELBOW, ILES (49A. Wallis and Futuna), ILL, INEZ, LOCO, MET (10D. Sat), NITER, OKAPI (33A. Animal whose tongue is long enough to clean its eyelids and ears), PRIED, RAZOR, REBA, REF, RUES and RUSE, SPF, STENO, VHS, YEN, ZELDA, ZIN (53A. Cab alternative) and ZITI (53D. Tubes in an oven).

"Really?!"

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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 — 19. Soul’s 1970s TV co-star; 20. Itch; 23. “Thank You” singer, 2001; 25. Competed in the Giro d’Italia; 31. Voice of Fredricksen in “Up”; 40. “The Legend of ___”; 41. Push aside; 47. Way off; 48. Atacama Desert export; 49. Wallis and Futuna; 51. DVD precursor; 55. “Doubt” co-star, 2008; 61. Not yet home; 63. Split the eardrums. — DOWN: 4. Ways of Charles de Gaulle?; 5. Got some leverage on; 6. Standard; 8. Writer Eggers; 11. Guevara portrayer; 12. Call on the carpet; 14. Runs over; 25. Like desert sand; 27. Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone, e.g.; 29. San ___, Calif.; 30. Cover letters?; 32. You might purchase this with cream; O.E.D., e.g.; 36. Bad; 37. Good; 42. Surround; 43. Ace, e.g.; 44. 1980s TV private eye; 45. “American Bandstand” viewer; 50. One who keeps padded accounts?; 54. Destructive 1966 hurricane; 56. “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” mail lady; 58. Really enjoy.