09.14.11 — VS

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Puzzle by Jeff Chen / Edited by Will Shortz

SPY (vs.) SPY (1A. Foe of 71-Across in Mad magazine; 71A. Foe of 1-Across in Mad magazine), along with VS contained in four answers, NATURE VS NURTURE, MAN VS WILD, RENT VS BUY and ALIEN VS PREDATOR, constitutes the interrelated group of this wonderful Wednesday crossword.

Other — DIES DOWN, DR EVIL (48D. Austin Powers foe), HERALD, KNIVES, RELOADED (21A. Like guns and dump trucks, over and over), SAVAGE (30A. Brute), SKULKS (8D. Moves furtively), STRATEGY (41D. Generalship), TERESA (60A. Saint of Ávila), WOOKIEES (55A. Chewbacca and kin).

Five-letter — ARABS, BONES (7D. Our 206), DAUBS, ELFIN and ELVER, ENTER, ESPYS, GAMUT, HASTE, INCOG, ITSOK, LARAS, LOAMY, NEVIS (40A. Neighbor of St. Kitts), REUPS, ROYAL, SLIER, SMASH, STEVE, VANED, YESNO.

Short stuff — ALES, ARMY, ASTI, ATV, BAUM, DRAB, EHUD, ETAS, FRY, HAND, IHOP, KENO, OLEO, OINK, PEWS, PITA, PLAN, POLE, RARA avis, ROM, SANK, SHE, SKY, SOUP, SPED, SPCA, STS, SUDS and SUVS, TAMP, USSR, VATS, VENN, VIVA, WAVY, WORE, YETI, YOKO.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 4. Slaps on; 9. Mass seating; 13. Some round components; 15. “There, there”; 16. Stack server; 17. Genetics-or-environment debate; 20. Utensil drawer compartment; 22. Brewskis; 24. Shade of blue; 25. “And ___ Was,” 1985 Talking Heads song; 28. Decathlete’s implement; 35. Discovery Channel survival show; 38. “___ Theme” (1965 soundtrack tune); 39. Piedmont wine town; 40. Neighbor of St. Kits; 42. Pack down; 43. Wozniak or Jobs; 45. Home-seeker’s decision; 47. Usher in; 50. Bourbon and Beale: Abbr.; 51. Get too much sun; 53. Standing O, say; 64. 2004 movie featuring a lash of sci-fi species; 66. ___ diagram (logic illustration); 67. Wearing a disguise, informally; 68. Oz creator; 69. John Lennon’s “Dear ___”; 70. Like some rich soil. — DOWN: 1. Went under; 2. ___ B; 3. Hairy legend; 5. Off-roader, for short; 6. “Evil empire” initials; 9. Falafel holder; 10. Israel’s Olmert; 11. Sported; 12. Rushed; 14. Some 4WD rides; 18. Opts not to be discharged; 19. Word before pain or treatment; 23. More cagey; 25. Chart-topper; 26. Rush; 27. Reply to a knock; 29. Young migratory fish; 31. Brewery lineup; 32. Many Semites; 33. Full range; 34. Cable TV sports awards; 36. South-of-the-border cheer starter; 37. Washington of jazz; 44. Pixieish; 46. Like a windmill; 52. Kind of question on a survey; 54. Ho-hum; 55. Like moiré patterns; 56. Land O’Lakes product; 57. “Old MacDonald” sound; 58. Popular bar game; 59. Adoption advocacy org.; 61. Itinerary data, briefly; 62. Alternative to salad; 63. Camp group; 65. CD-___.