08.21.11 — Finding NEMO

Sunday, August 21, 2011

UNDERWATER SEARCH, Puzzle by Alan Arbesfeld / Edited by Will Shortz

FINDING NEMO (37-Down: 2003 Pixar film) and a note at the top of the puzzle, e.g., “When this puzzle is done, look for a name (hinted at by 37-Down) hidden 17 times in the grid, each reading forward, backward, down, up or diagonally, word search-style“, asks the solver to go fishing for NEMO throughout the grid upon completing the crossword; however, even without searching for the seventeen NEMOs, the puzzle is still a fresh and breezy Sunday crossword, uh… nibble, nitpick or not.

Across — 1. One going into an outlet, PRONG; 6. Sonata movement, RONDO; 11. Org. for Lt. Columbo, LAPD; 15. 33⅓ and others, RPMS; 19. Buzz, RUMOR; 20. Huge quantity, OCEAN; 231. Cross letters, INRI; 22. “IRMA la Douce”; 23. Again, ONE MORE TIME; 25. “I before E except after C” and others, MNEMONICS; 27. Tampa-to-Orlando dir., ENE; 28. Swelling of the head, EGOMANIA; 30. Carry illicitly, SMUGGLE; 31. Modern: Ger., NEU; 33. Old Turkish V.I.P.’s, AGAS; 34. “Now you SEE IT …”; 35. Skippy alternative, JIF; 38. Attachment points under the hood, ENGINE MOUNTS; 42. Finnish city near the Arctic Circle, OULU; 46. Oodles, A MILLION; 48. Street on old TV, DELLA; 49. Racketeer’s activity?, TENNIS; 51. “Ideas for life” sloganeer, PANASONIC; 53. Skips on the water, DAPS; 56. “The Canterbury Tales” pilgrim, REEVE; 56. Sight near a drain, EDDY; 57. Also, NOT TO MENTION; 61. Dues payer: Abr., MEM; 62. Mark Twain, e.g., religiously speaking, DEIST; 64. Sp. Miss, SRTA; 65. Human, e.g., food wise, OMNIVORE; 67. Salad orderer’s request, NO OIL; 70. Mercedes competitor, LEXUS; 73. Bothered, ATE AT; 74. Attractive, MAGNETIC; 77. Mother of Horus, in Egyptian myth, ISIS; 79. “Mona Lisa” feature, SMILE; 82. Prince Valiant’s son, ARN; 83. Part of the Hindu Godhead, DIVINE MOTHER; 88. Summer hangout, POOL; 89. Italian 10, DIECI; 91. Organic compound, ENOL; 92. Rights of passage, EASEMENTS; 94. 1936 Loretta Young title role, RAMONA; 96. Pioneering computer, ENIAC; 99. Back end of a time estimate, LATE DATE; 100. Carolina university, ELON; 101. Terminology, NOMENCLATURE; 104. LOS Banos, Calif.; 105. Skipping syllables, TRA LA; 107. Edible Andean tubers, OCAS; 108. Cousin on “The Addams Family”, ITT; 110. Prepared for YouTube, say, VIDEOED; 113. Tyson nickname, IRON MIKE; 116. Suffix with planet, OID; 119. “Just a sec”, ONE MOMENT; 121. Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, STATESWOMEN; 124. “Fargo” director, COEN; 125. “This IS IT!”; 126. Inner tube-shaped, TORIC; 127. Perplexed, AT SEA; 128. Objectives, ENDS; 129. Firm part: Abbr., ATTY; 130. Bag of chips, maybe, SNACK; 131. Unlocked?, SHORN.

Down — 1. Maven, PRO; 2. Bit of Viking writing, RUNE; 3. Sign, OMEN; 4. Ladies’ club restriction, NO MEN; 5. Miracle-GRO; 6. Nicolas who directed “The Man Who Fell to Earth”, ROEG; 7. Twice tetra-, OCTO; 8. Big name in upscale retail, NEIMAN; 9. Cracked or torn, DAMAGED; 10. What Rihanna or Prince uses, ONE NAME; 11. City of Kings, LIMA; 12. Former Texas governor Richards, ANN; 13. Like the alarm on many alarm clocks, PRESET; 14. Least hopeful, DIMMEST; 15. Notes to pick up on?, RING-TONE; 16. Self-righteous sort, PRIG; 17. Mid 22^nd-century year, MMCL; 18. Ed.’s convenience, SASE; 24. French island WSW or Mauritius, REUNION; 26. Non’s opposite, OUI; 29. Tryster with Tristan, ISOLDE; 32. Slippery ones, EELS; 34 Awake suddenly, SNAP TO; 38. “Have I MADE myself clear?”; 37. 2003 Pixar film, FINDING NEMO; 39. “GO NO further …”; 40. U.S.A. or U.K., INITS; 41. ULAN Bator, Mongolia; 43. Stoic, UNEMOTIONAL; 44. Occasional ingredient in turkey dressing, LIVER; 45. 1972 Bill Withers hit, USE ME; 47. Applies, as paint, LAYS ON; 50. Banks and Pyle, ERNIES; 52. PC key, CTRL; 54. Lower layer of the earth’s crust, SIMA; 58. Suffix with Capri, OTE; 59. Magazine with an annual Hot 100, MAXIM; 60. Neighbor of Que., ONT; 63. Stood like a pigeon, TOED IN; 66. Improvised musically, VAMPED; 68. “Lord, is IT I?’; 69. In concert, LIVE; 71. Hope grp., USO; 72. Spot, SITE; 74. One concerned with el niño, MADRE; 75. Sans-serif typeface, ARIAL; 76. Field of stars?, CINEMA; 78. Will of the Bible, SHALT; 80. Pick 6, e.g., LOTTO; 81. Someone ELSES; 84. Zero, NONE; 85. “Sense and Sensibility” sister, ELINOR; 86. “ESAU Wood sawed wood” (old tongue-twister); 87. Hears again, as a case, RETRIES; 90. Treats with scorn, CONTEMNS; 93. It often has dashes, MEET; 95. Fatigue may be a symptom of it: Var., ANAEMIA; 97. Approaches boldly, ACCOSTS; 98. O.K. Corral gunfighter, CLANTON; 102. Senior, OLDEST; 103. Capital of Eritrea, ASMARA; 106. Little hopper?, ROO; 109. Crown holder, TOOTH; 110. Viva VOCE; 111. Home IN ON; 112. One may be good or dirty, DEED; 113. Wee, informally, ITTY; 114. Suffix with arthr-, ITIC; 115. Sergeant in “The Thin Red Line”, KECK; 117. “I’M SO sorry!”; 118. One of them does?, DEER; 120. Annual b-ball event, NIT; 122. Has been, WAS; 123. Palindromic girl’s name, NAN.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.