The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: 07.23.11

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Puzzle by Tom Heilman / Edited by Will Shortz

A majority of the clues of this Saturday crossword feature double meanings, verb/nouns, obscurities and vague generalities, coupled with more than a few mystery answers, making for a very cold soup.

Across — 1. It’s a blast for some balloonists, JET STREAM; 10. “This is a disaster!”, OH GOD; 15. Asian symbols of wisdom, ELEPHANTS; 16. Like longship sailors, NORSE; 17. A dodger might cook one, TAX RETURN; 18. Begin some revising, ERASE; 19. Maker of life-and-death decisions, briefly, EMT; 20. Provider of a hot spot at a coffee shop?, WIFI; 21. Responded to wisely, SASSED; 22. Alexander’s need, GIN; 23. They may be shared during a show, ARM RESTS; 25. Prohibition, EMBARGO; 29. Offices may require them, OATHS; 30. Town council president, in Canada, REEVE; 31. Big mystery during the summer of 1980, WHO SHOT JR; 35. Dish component, SIDE; 36. Bent to do nothing, SLOTH; 37. String shortened, CAPO; 38. Become known, TRANSPIRE; 40. “Friendly” things, in old ads, SKIES; 41. Composition of many sports courts, ZONES; 42. “A dish best served cold”, REVENGE; 43. A dish best served cold, GAZPACHO; 47. Waterloo marshal, NEY; 48. N.H.L. team and former N.F.L. team, OILERS; 49. Casino action, ROLL; 51. Pec pic, perhaps, TAT; 54. Courier alternative, ARIAL; 55. Bit of décor at Trader Vic’s, TIKI TORCH; 57. Change around the Thames, PENCE; 58. What a ham may use, MORSE CODE; 59. Double-EDGED; 60. Hypnotized, IN A TRANCE.

Down — 1. “Grand” or “petit” dance move, JETÉ; 2. Ancient rival of Assyria, ELAM; 3. Cell composition, TEXT; 4. Silver SPR, Md. (Wash. suburb); 5. It was Obama’s self-professed favorite TV series, THE WIRE; 6. Place on a scale, RATING; 7. Sufficient, informally, ENUF; 8. Two of hearts?, ATRIA; 9. MSN Explorer (Web browser); 10. Here, ON EARTH; 11. Baloney, HORSE HOCKEY; 12. Yard stick?, GRASS STAIN; 13. Native of the central Caucasus, OSSET; 14. What thoughts may become, DEEDS; 21. Ruin … or great success, SMASH; 22. Plagued, GAVE NO PEACE; 24. Pig, at times, ROOTER; 25. Previously archaic?, ERST; 26. She resigned after the Yom Kippur War, MEIR; 27. Much too bright, BEDAZZLING; 28. Giving a hoot?, OWLISH; 32. Biblical mount where Aaron died, HOR; 33. PC image acronym, JPEG; 34. Beau’s buy, ROSE; 36. Design info, SPECS; 39. Like many a fishing line, SNARLED; 40. Relatively sylphlike, SVELTER; 43. Get on base?, ENLIST; 44. Come unglued, GO APE; 45. Hit the waves?, AIRED; 46. Giant in astronomy, ORION; 50. Soup thickener, OKRA; 51. 1982 high-tech film, TRON; 52. Plug possibilities, ACDC; 53. What you used to be?, THEE; 55. “That’s more than I wanted to know,” in brief, TMI; 56. Andean vegetable, OCA.

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