07.17.11 — The End Is in Sight

Sunday, July 17, 2011

THE END IS IN SIGHT, Puzzle by Daniel A. Finan

Edited by Will Shortz

Seven familiar phrases that have a letter or letters within that make the same sound as the (missing) last word of the phrase constitutes the interrelated group of this crafty Sunday crossword.

• PLACES TO GO PEOPLE TO [see] (25A. Parting words from the busy type)
• THE PRINCESS AND THE [pea] (36A. Hans Christian Anderson story)
• WITH RELATIVE [ease] (53A. Hardly breaking a sweat)
• THE WHITES OF THEIR [eyes] (66A. End of a command at the Battle of Bunker Hill)
• BEST OF LUCK TO [you] (82A. “Godspeed!”)
• HEALTHY WEALTHY AND [wise] (93A. End of a Benjamin Franklin aphorism)
• WHERE THE WILD THINGS [are] (111A. 2009 fantasy film based on a best-selling book)

Other — ANHEUSER (87D. Big name in brewing), BELL PEPPER (3D. Vegetable on a vine), DITSIEST (103A. Most clueless), ON PATROL (4D. Cruising the beat), PEEP SHOW (86D. Something to watch when there‘s nothing on?), SHEPHERD (8D. Jesus, to Christians), SPEAKS UP (30A. Isn‘t shy with an opinion), TAP DANCERS (74D. Some clickers).

Mid-size — A MINOR, CAMACHO (38D. 1980s lightweight boxing champ), COOL IT, ET VOILA, FADES IN, GAL PAL, GHETTO, GINKGO (120A. Tree with fan-shaped leaves), HARVARD, HASKELL, IN A TREE (77A. Where K-I-S-S-I-N-G happens), JAGUAR (69A. Symbol of strength, to the Maya), KNOW HOW, KRAKEN (65A. Monster of Norse myth), LAKERS, MADRID, MOTOWN, NUNCIO (108A. Papal legate), OCTADS, OLD AGE, Hoi POLLOI, POPPED, SHARON, SHOCKER, “STAYIN Alive”, THE REF, TINGLE, San YSIDRO.

Five-letter — ADDLE, AGAIN, ALPHA, ANEST, ANNAN, ARPEL, ATEAR, ATPAR, BORAT, CHIEF, DALEY, ELIEL, ESSEN, FRISK, GASSY, HIPPO, HIRES, HOSTS, ISAAC (89A. Pianist Albéniz), JIBES, KAUAI, LAUER, “C’est LA VIE“, LIE IN, MARAT, NADIA, NORAD and NORAH, ODILE, OPALS, OWENS, POTOK, SEUSS, THAWS, “Cosi fan TUTTE”, TWEET, UTENN, WEBER.

Short stuff — AFR, AKIN, ALOU (12D. Jesús, for one), ARA, ASIA, BOIL, CAL (84. “Silent“ one), CLAY, DEMI, DOGS, DUET, DUH, EROO, ERR, ETE, FLU, GIPP, HAG, HINT, HUD, ION, “ Dies IRAE“, ITCH, IWIN, JAB, JUNG, Krazy KAT, KID, LETT, LOOK, MAE, MOAN, MWAH, NAT, NIB and NIL, OARS, ODA, OGLE, OHNO, ORYX, OSS, PIK, RAY, SAGO, SEP and SEX, SHOO, SLOG, SSR, STY, TAN and TAR, TELE, TENS, THA, TIDE, TINK, USA and USE, WEED, WERE, WMD, ZEN, ZETA.

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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. Punch; 4. Birthstones whose name starts with the same letter as their month; 9. Senescence; 15. Puzzle; 20. Advantage; 21. “Chasing Pirates” singer Jones; 22. “Stop that!”; 23. Matt in the morning; 24. It means nothing; 28. Whom a guy might hang with when he’s not with the guys; 31. Area in a 1969 Elvis Presley hit; 32. “The Chosen” author Chaim; 34. Cabinet dept. since 1965; 35. Pottery base; 43. Kind of shot; 46. Critter with foot-long teeth; 47. Dipped sticks?; 48. Island known for having “the wettest spot on earth” (450+” of rain per year); 49. French Revolution figure; 51. Adrien of cosmetics; 52. Iraq war subj.; 55. Goldenrod, e.g.; 56. Article for Lil Wayne; 57. Eastern sect; 58. Appears gradually on the screen; 59. One of 15, once: Abbr.; 60. Major upset, say; 62. See 72-Across; 72. With 62-Across, Whoopi’s “Ghost” role; 73. Granter of an honorary degree to George Washington in 1776; 74. Farmer’s ___; 79. Hydroxide, e.g.; 80. C.I.A. forerunner; 81. Palm variety; 86. Water ___ (dental product company); 87. How some stock is purchased; 88. City on the Ruhr; 90. TV part; 91. Gymnast Comaneci; 92. Place with snorts; 96. Bring to a ___; 98. 9/; 99. Pacifist’s protest; 100. The Jackson 5’s first major label; 114. Goof; 115. Former U.N. leader Kofi; 116. Key of the “Odense” Symphony; 117. “Swan Lake” maiden; 118. Arm of a starfish; 119. Has over; 121. Grill brand; 122. Cause for a TV-MA rating. — DOWN: 1. Contemporary of Freud; 2.See 96-Down; 6. Coach Parseghian; 7. Varish resins; 9. Quarterfinal groups, e.g.; 10. “The way I see it …”; 11. See 15-Down; 13. Notre Dame football legend; 14. Time to enjoy le soleil; 15. With 11-Down, leaders; 16. Chicago may before Emanuel; 17. Number with two; 18. Riga resident; 19. Switch ending; 26. Creator of Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose; 27. Watch on the beach, maybe; 29. Like bubble gum and questions; 33. Skills; 35. Main; 36. Détentes; 37. Classic root beer brand; 39. Of the same sort; 40. D.C. baseball; 41. “Ya think?!”; 43. Give a body check; 45. Vols’ school; 49. Where Julio Iglesias was born; 50. Rampaging, after “on”; 53. Had been; 54. They moved from Minnesota to Los Angeles in 1960; 56. 1994 Denis Lear/Kevin Spacey flick; 57. Sorority letter; 60. Stone in Hollywood; 61. Word repeated in “I ___!” I ___!”; 62. Bellyache; 63. Home of the 46-Across: Abbr.; 64. “Ta-da!”; 67. “Buzz off!”; 68. Eddie on “Leave It to Beaver”; 69. Dovetails; 70. Emily Dickinson poem “For Every Bird ___”; 71. Bombastic; 75. Over; 76. Military group headquartered in Colo. Spgs.; 78. Architect Saarinen; 70. Hankering; 83. Today preceder; 90. Modern update; 93. Clue; 95. Little thrill; 96. 2006 comedy title character from western 2-Down; 97. Buck in the Country Music Hall of Fame; 100. [Kiss]; 101. “Yikes!”; 102. Perfect specimens; 103. Half: Prefix; 104. Cry after hitting a jackpot; 105. “Peter Pan” fairy, for short; 106. Struggle (through); 107. Surfer’s concern; 110. Serengeti antelope; 112. Witch; 113. Point of writing?