08.24.11 — AEIOU, Etc.

and sometimes "y", photograph by Jones, flickr

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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Puzzle by Kelsey Blakley / Edited by Will Shortz

The addition of the vowels A, E, I, O and U to the front of TROPHY CASE, BONY FISH, SLANDER TRIAL, LIVE BAIT and NIT PICKING to form new phrases clued by questioned-marked clues constitutes the interrelated group of this witty Wednesday crossword, resulting in ATROPHY CASE (17, Physical therapist’s assignment?), EBONY FISH (24A. Blackened seafood?), ISLANDER TRIAL (36A. Castaway’s day in court?), OLIVE BAIT (49A. Lure for Popeye’s sweetie?) and UNIT PICKING (59A. Choosing between pounds and kilos?). AEIOU as a New York Times crossword group was best done December 10, 2008, HERE.

Other — AIR BASES (3D. Homes for drones), ALEUTIAN (38D. Like Unalaska), CARDIAC (32A. Kind of arrest), CREEP IN, LATE and ELATE, LEAN ON ME (39D. 1989 movie featuring principal Joe Clark), MATA HARI (2D. Exotic dancer executed in 1917), ORANGES, X-RAY LAB (1D. Medical dept. room).

Mid-size — AFL CIO, ALAMO, ALCOVE, ALLOT, ANIMA, ANKLE, AOLERS, ARTIST, BANES, DC CAB, DRIFT, ELATE, EVADE, ID TAG, LHASA (23A. The Forbidden City), LITTER, LLAMAS, MAUNA Kea, PORTIA, RADARS, REMAIN, RESIN, SLOBS, TEETHE, UNCLES, USAGES, WANTON, YABBER (20A. Gossip, to an Aussie).

Short stuff — AAS, ACNE, AMI, AND and ANY, ARTE, ATIT, La BREA Tar Pits, EAR, EMT, ENES, FOG, GMAC, “Give IT NO thought!”, LAME, LAV, OLEO, ORE, PAT, Eskimo PIE, RAE and RTE, RAIL, REP, RUHR, SSE and SSR, URU, WINS, XMAS, YEAR.

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... as The Caterpillar vowels...

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Holiday time, in ads; 5. Detection devices; 11. One way to stand; 14. Bunk bed feature; 15. Fester and Vanya; 16. Shipment to a smeltery; 19. Postal worker’s circuit: Abbr.; 21. Friend of François; 22. Engaged; 26. Some small power supplies; 27. Facilities, informally; 29. Lift up; 40. Enter slowly; 41. Spread selection; 43. Mete out; 46. It may come in a blanket; 48. Bionic part of the Bionic Woman; 55. After midnight, say; 56. “Go on …”; 57. Maliciously done; 58. CPR pro; 61. Funny Charlotte; 62. Hang back; 63. Uncool; 64. Georgia, once: Abbr.; 65. Customary practices; 66. Hydrocarbon suffixes. — DOWN: 4. Food-stains-on-shirts sorts; 5. River to the Rhine; 6. Whatever amount; 7. 1983 Mr. T comedy; 8. 1836 siege site; 9. Frankincense or myrrh; 10. GPS heading; 11. Wife of Brutus; 13. iTunes search category; 13. Chew on a baby toy, say; 18. Thunder sound; 22. Result of a ‘55 union merger; 24. Dance around; 25. Information for an oenologist; 28. Reason to use Retin-A; 31. Dinette spot; Union ___; 34. Headache for a snow shoveled; 37. Johnson of “Laugh-In”; 42. Good sources of vitamin C; 43. Many I.M. recipients; 44. Wool-yielding pack animals; 45. Runt’s group; 47. Auto financing org., formerly; 50. Causes of ruin; 51. Man’s feminine side; 52. Med-alert bracelet, e.g.; 54. Shackle site; 57. Standings column; 59. Neighbor of Braz.