11.03.11 — Inquire Within

 

 

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Puzzle by Parker Lewis / Edited by Will Shortz

Four idioms, NEEDLE in a HAYSTACK, KID in a CANDY STORE, BULL in a CHINA SHOP and HELL in a HANDBASKET, with the first part of the phrase “literally” inside the second part, constitutes the interrelated group of this Thursday crossword — the NEEDLE, KID, BULL and HELL are all "within" the answer/clues, e.g., HAY NEEDLE STACK (20A. Nearly impossible target, literally), CANDY KID STORE (25A. One who’s enraptured, say, literally), CHINA BULL SHOP (46A. Inadvertently destructive sort, literally) and HAND HELL BASKET (52A. Something rapidly deteriorating goes to it, literally).

Other — AGENDA (4D. A chair usually has one), ASCENDED (5D. Rose), Grand BAHAMA Island, BEST BUDS (39D. Intimates), DO RE MI (8D. Bread), ERASED (9D. Cleared), LONGNECK (36D. Certain beer bottle), ON SALE (49D. Marked down), SQUATTER (10D. One without a title), USED UP (48D. Depleted).

Five-letter — ABODE, ADIEU, APERS (66A. Chimpersonators?), “It must be A SLOW news day”, CELLI, CLARA, DWEEB (37A. Weenie), KENYA, KNELL, MUTED, ONE-UP, SAVOR.

Short stuff — AKIN, Give A LEG up, Inter ALIA, ANTE, BALD, CASH, DON, EARS, EEL, EPIC, ETNA, EXAM, GIS, GRAS, HOPI, ICE, IMAC (31D. Jobs plan, once), JEM, JOKE, K’NEX, LASH, LAVA, LEER and LEES, LENA, LITE, MALL, MEAT, MERC (11D. Chicago exchange, informally, with “the“), MINK, OINK, OVAL, QEII (16A. Monarch moniker, for short), REAR, RYAN, SEEN, SHEA, SIRE, SMOG, TASK (22D. Job to do), TEAM, TEN, Young UNS, VERY, WARD of the state, YEW.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Certain lamp goo; 5. Home; 10. Subject of an exhaustive E.P.A. study?; 15. Thoroughly enjoy; 17. Part of an equine pedigree; 18. California’s Santa ___ University; 19. Cemetery sights; 23. Apt name for a crime boss; 24. Gist; 31. Ship navigation hazard; 33. Detected; 34. Equatorial land; 35. Promenade; 40. Caboose; 43. Some jeans; 50. Mardi follower; 51. Five pairs; 59. A good one is cracked; 60. “Bye-bye, mon ami”; 61. Something that’s just for starters?; 62. “The Lord of the Rings,” e.g.; 63. Set the volume of to zero; 64. “Chocolat” actress Olin; 65. Weasel relatives; 67. Purpose of many a doctor’s visit. — DOWN: 1. Pirate’s punishment; 3. First part of an I.P. address?; 6. Treadless; 7. Like faces, typically; 12. Porcine protest; 13. Division units, for short; 21. Ages upon ages; 25. Stringed instruments; 26. Wood used in Voldemort’s wand; 27. Sound at a funeral; 28. Top; 29. Film private; 30. They may ring or have rings; 32. Convert, in a way; 38. Sushi staple; 44. 2000 World Series locale; 52. Neighbors of the Navajo; 53. Similar; 54. Having less fat; 55. Uninviting look; 56. Building toy brand; 57. Italian mount; 58. ___ U.S.A.; 59. Scout’s brother.