01.30.12 — NEST

Monday, January 30, 2012

Puzzle by Francesco Trogu / Edited by Will Shortz

NEST (66A. Where 38-Across lay 1-Across … or a word hidden in 20-, 27-, 44- and 51-Across), BIRDS (38A. Layers of 1-Across), EGGS (1A. Chicks hatch from them), along with ONE-STAR HOTELS (20A. Not-so fancy places to stay), OLD-LINE STATE (27A. Maryland’s nickname), I TUNES TOP TEN (44A. Big Apple list) and BONE STRUCTURE (51A. Osteoporosis threatens it), constitute the interrelated group of this comfortable Monday crossword.

Other — BATTLE AXE (34D. Old weapon in hand-to-hand combat), GAG ORDER (3D. Judges’ decrees to keep information from the public), IRENES, NESTLE (6D. Food giant whose brands include Gerber and Groobers), SEASON, SETTLE, SOCCER, TATERS.

Five-letter — ANIME, ASSET, CELLO, COSTA Rica, EERIE, ENTER, FORAY, HENCE, ISLES, MOORS, PLIES, SNEER, SNUBS, SPEND, SPREE, TITLE, ULNAS.

Short stuff — ACES, ADS, ALSO, ALOE, ASS, ATMS, AXLE, BEND, BIER, BIS, BLU, CUR, DYES, ELEC, ELM, EMIR, ERIN, FARM, GEE, HASP, HIP, ION, LEAP, LET and NET, LSD, MEGA Millions, MOL, NAME, OAF, OATS, PADS, RENO, RLS, RYAN, SETH, SPAN, SPCA, TAD, TART, THEM, TILE, TOFU, UNTO, URSA Major, YARN.

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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: 5. Social slights; 10. Org. that shelters dogs and cats; 14. Jump; 15. Spooky; 16. The “E” of G.E.: Abbr.; 18. Liability’s opposite; 19. Mah-jongg piece; 23. Scoundrel; 25. Collection of atoms: Abbr.; 26. In addition; 32. Contemptuous smile; 33. Small notebooks; 34. Ones not entirely gay or straight; 37. Tasting like unripe applies; 40. Lock fastener; 41. Beast of burden; 42. Soothing juice; 43. Info in a library search request; 47. Old MacDonald’s place; 49. Lout; 50. ‘60s “acid”; 51. Osteoporosis threatens it; 56. Leprechaun land; 57. Therefore; 58. Knitter’s ball; 61. Identify; 62. Go in; 63. Wheel turner; 64. Goes from blonde to brunette, say; 65. Heaths. — down: 1. Dutch ___ disease; 2. Word said while scratching one’s head; 4. Length; 5. Spring or fall; 8. Coffin holder; 9. Rogen of “Superbad”; 10. Colorize; 11. Layers of wood; 12. Rostropovich’s instrument; 13. Untouchable tennis serves; 21. Ruler of Kuwait; 22. Cheerios are made with them; 24. Wrist/elbow connectors; 28. Tennis umpire’s cry; 29. Shopper’s wild outing; 30. Small amount; 31. Episode interruptions; 35. Spots in the Caribbean; 36. Buy things; 38. ___-ray Disc; 39. Charged particle; 40. Cry said twice before “hooray!”; 42. $20 bill dispensers; 43. Bean curd; 44. Actresses Worth and Dunne; 45. World Cup sport; 46. Spuds; 47. Raid; 48. Japanese cartoons; 51. Show flexibility; 52. “It’s us against ___”; 53. City near Lake Tahoe; 54. “For ___ us a child is born …”; 55. Actor Gosling; 59. “Kidnapped” monogram; 60. Badminton feature.