05.11.11 — Golden Ratio

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Puzzle by Jonah Kagan / Edited by Will Shortz

FIBONACCI SERIES (33A. Mathematical sequence related to a pattern found in a 17-, 29-, 42- or 58-Across, informally), ARTICHOKE (17A Food with a heart), NAUTILUS (29A. Cephalopod known for its shell), INNER EAR (42A. Cochlea locale) and SUNFLOWER (58A. Van Gogh subject) constitute the interrelated group of this brilliant Wednesday crossword.

The crossword is accompanied by the note, “When this puzzle is done, the 11 circled letters can be connected by a curved line to spell a two-word phrase appropriate to this puzzle’s theme.”  The result of the connect-the-dot exercise evokes the Fibonacci curve, defined by the aforementioned circled letters, G O L D E N  R A T I O.

Other — DISARMED (53A. No longer able to shoot), NO REASON (35D. “Because I felt like it”), REPARTEE (9D. Badinage), TED TALKS (20A. Popular online lectures about “ideas worth spreading”).

Mid-size — AINGE, ANNIE, ATONAL, DAHLIA, EAT IN, ECLAT, EGGOS, EITHER, EWOKS, Honolulu’s IOLANI Palace, ISLETS, IT’S FUN, LAROSA, LATIN, LOGIA, MAI TAI, MILIEU, NAGGED, NICER, NOOGIE, OPTIMA (26A. Midsize Kia), POLLEN, PROLE, REAMS, SEDAN  (62A. 26-Across, e.g.), SNEERS, TIE TO (Link with).

Short stuff — AER Lingus, ADEN, AHA, AHOY, ALEX (36A. “A Clockwork Orange“ narrator), ALIS, ARKS, ATRA, AWRY, DEAR, DRAY, DUAD, DUHS (24D. Stupidity syllables), EARN, EEN, EERO, ESTD, EXT, IOTA, IRA, LDR, MWAH (54D. Sound of an air kiss), OAF (26D. Speaker of stupid syllables), OPE, ORAL, PHI (27A. Greek letter associated with the 33-Across), Leonardo of PISA (mathematician who wrote about the 33-Across), RAGU, REC, RYE, SARA, SCI, “SO A man walks into a bar …”, SPAT, STEM, TAB, TIRE.

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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. Pipe part; 5. Babycakes; 9. Paper orders; 15. Out of kilter; 16. Have dinner at home; 19. Blue-collar worker; 21. Alvy’s love interest in a Woody Allen film; 22. Father-and-daughter boxers; 23. Pres., e.g.; 26. Midsize Kia; 31. “Now I see!”; 32. “Both work for me”; 40. Sneeze producer; 41. Cam button; 49. No. after a no. 50. Razor brand; 51. Sayings of Jesus; 57. Some waffles; 59. Link with; 60. Sauce that’s made “Old World Style”; 61. Singer Bareilles with the 2007 top 10 hit “Love Song”; 62. 26-Across, e.g.; 63. Yemeni port; 64. Ship-to-ship communication. — DOWN: 1. Short row; 2. Ring around a rim; 3. Cornerstone abbr.; 4. Tiki bar staple; 5. “The Black ___” (2006 film); 6. They thought C-3PO was a god in “Return of the Jedi”; 7. Scroll storers; 8. Pumpernickel grain; 10. Merit; 11. Like much Schoenberg music; 12. Surroundings; 13. Mocking looks; 18. Pacify; 23. Homo sapiens, e.g.; 28. Web browser sub window; 29. More pleasant; 30. Like oddly conjugated verbs: Abbr.; 32. Razzle-dazzle; 34. Unbarred, to a bard; 37. Glass behind a radio microphone; 38. Night of poetry; 39. Chem. or biol.; 42. They may start as sandbars; 43. Knuckle-head move?; 44. Pestered; 45. “You’ll enjoy this”; 46. Said aloud; 47. Old-time crooner Julius; 50. N.B.A. player-manager Danny; 52. Itsy-bitsy bit; 53. Pair; 55. Architect Saarinen; 56. Heavy cart; 58. Miguel’s Mrs.