06.10.11 — Tenderly

African Elephant by Ucumari, flickr

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Friday, June 10, 2011

Puzzle by Patrick Berry / Edited by Will Shortz

Four 15-letter across answers are the main feature of this thick-skinned Friday crossword: ORANGE FREE STATE (17. Political entity of 1854-1900), TENT CATERPILLAR (19. Tree-defoliating insect), AFRICAN ELEPHANT (43. Largest land animal) and LEAVE IT TO BEAVER (50. Popular June program?).

Eight- and nine-letter — CARTHAGE (34D. Queen Dido’s home), HAVE IT OUT (14A. Resolve a longstanding disagreement), PAGEANTS (30D. Elaborate spectacles), SAN ANGELO (52A. Site of Goodfellow Air Force Base), SENTRIES (38A. Ones offering pass protection?), SPITBALL (1A. It uses liquid from a pitcher), TANTRUMS (25A. They’re thrown in anger), TENDERLY (54A. 1950s million-selling song that begins “The evening breeze caressed the trees …“), TENTACLE (4D. Arm of the sea?), TERRAPIN (15D. Swampland swimmer).

Seven and six — ASSISTS (9D. Hockey stat), A TEAMS, BIG CITY (5D. Typical of urban life), BUTLER, DEEP END (37D. Where one may take the plunge?), EJECTS, EPONYM, MAI TAI, PROCESS (36D. Handle, as paperwork), TERMED, THEBAN, TRIVIA.

Five — ABOMB, AREAS, CLONE, DARIN, DOLLY, EDITS, ELLEN, JOSIE, LOFTS, MARIE, MAXIM, PAGAN, PEPYS, SPEND, SUPER 8, TEXAS, UNARM.

Short stuff — AIMS, ALDA, AVER, BRER, CARE and PARE, CHET, DAVIS, ETAT, FEAR, ISLE, IVAN, LURE, META, NAP, NELL, OPAL, PEPYS, RAVE, ROSE, ROTA, SHOT, TIE, TROY.

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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: 9. Cloud maker; 20. Tries to ensure a hit; 21. One with big hips, maybe; 22. Bounces; 29. What keeps a camera rolling?; 30. Old English recorder; 31. Day break; 32. Pirate’s hiding place, possibly; 33. “Poor Richard’s Almanack” tidbit; 34. Maintenance; 35. Roadbed inset; 36. Like the ancient Greeks; 37. “Beyond the Sea” singer; 40. Designated; 41. Membership list; 42. Jazz trumpeter Baker; 51. Mid 19^th-century president; 53. Spheres. — DOWN: 1. Chance to win; 2. Shave; 3. Tolstoy character ___ Ilyich; 5.Typical of urban life; 6. Special Forces units; 7. Artists’ stories, maybe; 8. It’s at the end of the line; 10. Role in a drawing-room mystery; 11. Flame Queen ___ (famous gemstone); 12. Having multiple layers of self-reference; 13. Southern contractions; 18. Rob Roy or Shirley Temple; 22. Cuts a line, say; 23. Animated girl-group leader; 24. Actress Corby who played Grandma Walton; 25. Short-lived republic founded in 1836; 26. Take a piece from; 27. Madame Tussaud’s first name; 28. Devote; 33. Cocktail often made with pineapple juice; 34. Queen Dido’s home; 36. Handle, as paperwork; 37. Where one may take the plunge?; 39. Game show fodder; 40. Oedipus, for one; 42. Copy; 43. Alan who won an Emmy for his role on “The West Wing”; 44. “That little darkroom where negatives are developed,” per Michael Pritchard; 45. Major party; 46. Conseil d’___ (French government body); 47. Make known; 48. “Little” Dickens character; 49. Where Patroclus met his end.