11.02.11 — Split Infinitives

“To boldly go where no man has gone before.” ~ "Star Trek"

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Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Puzzle by Barry Franklin and Sara Kaplan / Edited by Will Shortz

Four infinitive synonyms for the word "SPLIT" (TO DIVORCE, TO PULL UP STAKES, TO GO FIFTY FIFTY and TO SHATTER), along with SPLIT INFINITIVE (37A. Grammatical infelicity … or what 17-, 23-, 48- or 60-Across is?) constitutes the interrelated group of this witty Wednesday crossword. Not to be found in today’s crossword, however, is a split infinitive, an English-language grammatical construction in which a word or phrase, usually an adverb or adverbial phrase, comes between the marker to and the bare infinitive (uninflected) form of a verb (Wikipedia); e.g., “to boldly go…”

Other — ALLIGATOR and SHARKSKIN (33D. Pricey belt material; 11D. Shiny suit fabric), RIGATONI (9D. Pasta variety), TRIFECTA (38D. Ambitious track bet).

Mid-size — ABOUT, ACURA, ASSET, ATTIC, CSPAN, ELEVE, ERROL, GUARD, ICHAT, IONIA, LORNA, MACHU Picchu, ORION, PARIS, RASPY, RODEO, ROUTS, SARAN, SHOOT, SNUFF, SOWED, SPIRO, STOOLS, TATAS, THOSE, YASIR, YIELD.

Short stuff — AID, ALF, AFT, APO, AREA, ASAP, ASIA, ASL and ASS, BERN, CARL and CARR, COTS, DREA, ERI, HAGS, HALE, ICE, INF, KEW, LEI, LISA, OBOE, ONED, OOOH, PAPI, SEMI, S’IL (18D. Part of R.S.V.P.), SLO, SUE, TAB, THO and THU, TOFF (40D. Elegantly dressed bloke), TRAC, USDA, VOUS (41. Part of R.S.V.P.).

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Astronomer Sagan; 5. Final preceder; 9. Like E.T.’s voice; 14. Sounder of the tuning note at the start of an orchestra rehearsal; 15. Gillette ___ II; 16. Apple communication tool; 19. Palace employee; 20. Appeal; 21. “Aren’t you special!”; 22. Caleb who wrote “The Alienist”; 28. Provider of a jawbone to Samson; 29. G.I. address; 30. Traffic caution; 36. London’s ___ Gardens; 42. Runaways; 43. Linear, briefly; 44. “___ tu” (Verdi aria); 45. Foot soldiers: Abbr.; 46. TV extraterrestrial; 54. Neck of the woods; 55. Crones; 56. A hand; 58. Where the brain resides, slangily; 62. “Ask me anything”; 63. Part of Georgia is in it; 64. Sound; 65. “___ Doone,” 1869 historical romance; 66. Alpine capital; 67. Food safety org. — DOWN: 1. Some prison furnishings; 2. Circa; 3. Official state sport of Wyoming; 4. Wahine wear; 5. Bar lineup; 6. Weasley family owl, in Harry Potter books; 7. ___ Picchu (Inca site); 8. Put away; 10. Honda division; 12. Score to aim for; 13. Stock page abbr.; 22. Hearings channel; 24. Big ___ (nickname of baseball’s David Ortiz); 25. “We’ll always have ___” (line from “Casablanca”); 26. Student in 25-Down; 27. Planted; 31. It’s a plus; 32. Vice president Agnew; 34. Smokeless tobacco; 35. At the back of a boat; 39. Ancient Aegean region; 46. Crocheted item; 47. Simpson girl; 49. 1970s-’90s film company; 50. “Along ___ lines …”; 51. P.L.O.’s Arafat; 52. Goodbyes; 53. Cede; 57. Actress de Matteo of “The Sopranos”; 58. Communications syst. For the hearing-impaired; 59. However, for short; 60. Bar bill; 61. Fifth of seven: Abbr.