09.01.11 — Seeing Double

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Puzzle by Joel Fagliano / Edited by Will Shortz

Five entries with double letters in single squares, e.g., PP OO OO HH (14-Across. Deprecate), ZZ OO OO MM (19-Across. Auto slogan beginning in 2000), EE XX CC UU SS EE SS (41-Across. “Stop avoiding responsibility!”), BB EE EE PP (61-Across. Looney Tunes sound) and PP AA GG OO (70-Across. Pacific capital) constitute the interrelated group of this clever but maddening Thursday crossword.

Corresponding downs:

• POOH, POOH — A PP S, M OO T, M OO R, O HH I
• ZOOM ZOOM — BU ZZ ING, AL OO F, SN OO T, HA MM S
• EXCUSES, EXCUSES — T EE PEES, E XX ON MOBILE, CC ED, VAC UU M UP, LE SS, LOSES SL EE P, GUES SS O
• BEEP BEEP — A BB OT, C EE LO, H EE DS, STE PP ES
• PAGO PAGO — A PP T, P AA R, E GG O, R OO T

Other — ACHESON (56A. Secretary of state between Marshall and Dulles), BABY DIAPER (62A. It may be hard to change), FALSE GODS (30A. Idols), KASPAROV (23A. Deep Blue‘s opponent in chess), PALM TREE (53A. Place to get a date), REGIFTS, STRIP MINES (17A. Eco-unfriendly coal sources), THIS END UP (48A. Instruction on a box).

Mid-size — AB OVO, A REACH, DIANNE, INURE, KERMIT (23D. “Time‘s fun when you‘re having flies“ speaker), LABEL, LADEN, LAMER, LOG IN, ON TOUR, PAPYRI, POMONO, RELATE, SALT II, SENATE.

Short stuff — AMMO, BASH, BON mot, BUG, CELS, ERAS, “Do I EVER!”, “Did you GET that?”, “Vous étés ICI“, Place MAT, MRI and MRT, NANO, NIE, OLDE, PAR, PGA and PSA, POEM, RUNT, SUN, TAN, Pro TEM, TOSS, TROT, ULNA.

————————

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. It’s loaded; 5. Atlantic Records, e.g.; 10. Blowout; 15. From the start; 16. It connects to the wrist; 21. Acts frugally around the holidays, say; 28. One rising at dawn; 29. The Gay Nineties and others; 35. Tell; 38. Hanna-Barbera output; 39. Never, in Nuremberg; 45. It’s never finished, only abandoned, per Paul Valéry; 46. Southern California college; 51. Pipsqueak; 60. Bogey beater; 68. Quaint sign word; 69. Accustom; 71. Part of a tennis serve; 72. Prepare to go on Facebook, say; 73. Pace in dressage. — DOWN: 1. Modern-day tech purchases; 2. Like some points; 3. Tie up, in a way; 4. “Funny running into you here!”; 5. Not so cool; 6. Some; 9. Frets (over); 10. Paging, say; 11. Standoffish; 12. One who’s standoffish; 13. Twin gymnasts Paul and Morgan; 18. ___ Tour; 22. “Seems to be the case”; 25. Negotiations of 1977-79; 26. Ad Council output, for short; 27. Clean, in a way; 31. Off; 32. Traveling, maybe; 33. Feinstein of the 34-Down; 34. See 33-Down; 35. Holders of reservations?; 37. Descendant of Standard Oil; 42. Like associates, on some e-mails; 47. TV star who once appeared in WrestleMania; 49. Much Mongolian geography; 50. Some ancient scrolls; 54. Filled (with); 55. Brief look inside?; 56. Literally, “father”; 57. Singer Green with multiple Grammys; 58. Follows; 59. 10^-9: Prefix; 63. Needle; 64. Part of a sched.; 65. Onetime name in late-night TV; 66. Brand in the freezer; 67. Carrot or beet.