10.23.11 — Take IT From The Top

Cousin Itt by Don Forkner

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

TAKE IT FROM THE TOP, Puzzle by Joe DiPietro / Edited by Will Shortz

IT is missing from the beginning (top) of seven long down entries of common phrases in this solid Sunday crossword, with question-marked clues defining the results.

• STANDS TO REASON (3. Gets up for the debate?)
• GOES WITHOUT SAYING (7. Beats it and won’t explain why?)
• DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION (8. Proof that a “Jersey Shore” character has an incontinence problem?)
• RUNS IN THE FAMILY (13. Arrest an entire crime syndicate?)
• DOESN’T TAKE A GENIUS (33. Eschews Mensa material when going to parties?)
• REMAINS TO BE SEEN (42. Contents of Lenin’s Tomb, e.g.?)
• SERVES YOU RIGHT (50. Merits at least a 20% tip?)

Other — ANOMALY (93D. Departure from the norm), ARMENIA (2D. Asian republic), AS SWEET AS PIE (110A. Incredibly nice), ED GRIMLEY (32A. Neurotic Martin Short character), IDEAL GAS (115A. Matter in statistical mechanics), OPENING NOTES (24A. Tone setters for conductors), PEACE SIGN (100A. V formation?), SAME SEX (94D. Untraditional, as some marriages), SENT MESSAGE (26A. Item in a certain e-mail folder), TAX SALE (1D. Transference of property to pay assessments), TO A HALT (67A. How some cars screech), TURN ON A DIME (107A. Change quickly), XMAS TREE (22A. Holiday purchase, informally).

Six-letter — AMIENS, ASIAGO, ATTILA, AVISOS, DENSER, DYNAST, ELAINE, EMPLOY, EYELID, HASSLE, HELENA (20A. Queen City of the Rockies), IN A TIE, LADLES, NO RISK, ONEISH, PREMED, SALVIA, SEESAW, SESTET and SETSAT.

A Naiad by John William Waterhouse, 1893;

a water nymph approaches the sleeping Hylas.

Five — AD REM, ANDES, CAROM, DAM UP, DELIA, ENSUE, EYDIE, GET IN, GORKI, HOSED, INSET, KNEAD, NAIAD (47D. Aquatic nymph), PASTE, PLAYS, RASPY, REAPS, RECON, Times ROMAN, RUSTY, SALAD, SANKA (79A. An instant), SASSY, SHEBA, SPEAR, STEIN, ULTRA, UNITS, YALIE.

Short stuff — ADZE, AGES, AGO and AGOG, AIR, ALE and AVE, ARTY, ASS, BAG, BARE, CAA, DAYO and ODAY, DOS, DUES, EAT, EHLE, ELO and ELY, GEO, ICET, IMS, ITT (44A. Cousin who‘s “altogether ooky“), KSU, LIST, LTS, LEN and LIN and LINO, LUNA Park, classic Coney Island amusement locale, MEN, METO, MNO, NEED, NEST, NEWS, NONU, OAS, OPEC, POP, PPG, PSI, QUI and QUIT, RAN (65A. 1986 film based on “King Lear“), RAZR, SIDE, SIT, STD and SYD, STYX, TASS, TURF, UAE, UNI, URSA and USSR, WEE and WEEP, WII, WREN.

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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. Onetime propaganda source; 5. Portmanteau; 8. Obstruct; 3. Brings in; 18. Funny Johnson; 19. See 6-Down; 21. Prefix with light or sound; 28. A couple of Spaniards?; 29. E-mail alternatives; 30. Source of the Amazon; 31. South Carolina’s state bird; 35. Not discounted; 36. Give up; 38. Start of a 1957 hit song; 40. Press and fold, say; 41. Packing order?; 42. Oxidized; 43. Agree (with); 45. Vague early afternoon time; 47. Like certain investments; 49. Soaked; 53 To the point, to lawyers; 57. Succeed; 59. Bridge expert Culbertson; 60. Go back and forth; 62. Some are cohesive; 64. Territory; 66. How some games finish; 67. How some cars screech; 69. Plant known as “seer’s sage” because of its hallucinatory effect; 71. Loser; 72. Skinny; 74. Screenwriter Ephron; 75. Somme place; 76. Prefix with magnetic; 77. Old fishing tool; 81. Blowup, of a sort; 82. “… but possibly untrue”; 84. Peeper protector; 86. Wield; 88. Uncorking noise; 90. His debut album was “Rhyme Pays”; 91. Grating; 92. W. Hemisphere grp.; 95. Queen’s land; 97. Like average folks, in Britain; 98. Enthralled; 102. Shop chopper; 104. Bounce (off); 105. Mil. Officers; 106. Avg. level; 116. Bulldog; 117. Dispatch boats; 118 Neighbor of Oman: Abbr.; 119. “Pride and Prejudice” actress Jennifer; 120. 9-Down holder; 121. Pickup line?; 122. One of the Chaplins; 123. Underworld route. — DOWN: 1. Transference to pay assessments; 4. Certain poetic output; 5. Reveal; 6. With 19-Across, far back; 9. Heady stuff; 10. Entire “Reservoir Dogs” cast, e.g.; 11. Athlete’s attire, informally; 14. Inits. In ‘70s and ‘80s rock; 15. Slayer of his brother Bleda; 16. Like some majors; 17. Impudent; 20. Longtime ESPN football analyst Merrill ___; 23. Protected images, for short; 25. Russian novelist Maxim; 27. Fancified, say; 32. Singer Gorme; 34. “Drag ___ Hell” (2009 movie); 36. “Star Wars” character ___-Gon Jinn; 37. SALT party; 39. Dashboard choice; 46. Settle in; 48. The Wildcats of the N.C.A.A.; 51. “Airplane!” woman; 52. King or queen; 53. Hard Italian cheese; 54. Slower to pick up; 56. Phone button trio; 58. ___ Minor; 61. Break down; 63. A bar may offer it; 68. One-dimensional: Abbr.; 70. Flat flooring; 73. Minute; 78. Scout’s mission; 80. Assertive comeback; 83. 118-Across is in it; 85. Super Bowl IV M.V.P. Dawson; 87 Scoring stat for N.B.A.’ers; 89. Wallop; 91. Motorola phone line; 95. Changes; 96. Give a hard time; 99. Soup kitchen implements; 100. They’re shown by X’s, O’s and arrows; 101. Luggage attachment; 103. Some annual bills; 104. Major org. representing entertainers and athletes; 108. Anita of jazz; 109. Desideratum; 111. ___ fit; 112. Brooklyn’s Flatbush, e.g.: Abbr.; 113. Go unused; 114. Symbol for electric flux.