01.12.12 — O Canada


Northern Lights, Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut

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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Puzzle by Gareth Bain / Edited by Will Shortz

CANADIAN PROVINCE (39A. What each of the 10 abbreviations in this puzzle’s answer stands for), along with SK, MB, ON, NB, AB, BC, QC, PE, NL and NS in single squares constitute the interrelated group of this thorny Thursday crossword.

Across — La PLATA (Argentine city); 6. Irksome PE[SK]Y; 10. Blacken, CHAR; 14. Museum piece, RELIC; 15. Name of counties in three states, all crossed by I-90, ERIE; 16. Loosen (up), LI[MB]ER; 18. Amicable, [ON] GOOD TERMS; 20. Abridge, ELIDE; 21. Windhoek-to-Pretoria dir., ESE; 22. “Beloved,” in operas, CARO; 23. Begin energetically, WADE IN; 24. Player of Mark Antony in 1953’s Julius Caesar, MARLO[N B]RANDO; 27. Sing, BL[AB]; 30. Epithet for France’s Louis VI, with “the”, FAT; 31. Singer Alan or Anita, O’DAY; 32. Weather line, ISOBAR; 34. Abbr. in classifieds, EOE; 35. Andries Pretorius, e.g., who gave his name to a national capital, BOER; 39. What each of the 10 abbreviations in this puzzle’s answer stands for, CANADIAN PROVINCE; 43. Bloom support, STEM; 44. Jimmy, PRY; 45. Electorate, VOTERS; 46. Gas brand north of the border, ESSO; 48. Pet rate in a 1972 #1 song, BEN; 49. Medium bra, [B-C]UP; 50. Old name of the San Jose Sharks’ arena, COMPA[Q C]ENTER; 55. Kind of push-up, ONE ARM; 56. Muckraker Jacob, RIIS; 58. Clinton’s veep and his father, ALS; 61. Gain knowledge, LEARN; 62. Skateboarding ramp, QUARTER PI[PE]; 65. American Shakers founder, AN[N L]EE; 66. Language that’s written from right to left, URDU; 67. Popular Italian scooter, VESPA; 68. Not natural, DYED; 69. Map magnification, I[NS]ET; 70. Kindle file, E-BOOK.

Down — 1. Like many a sniper, PR[ON]E; 2. Runners, LEGS; 3. Veld flower, ALOE; 4. Uncle José, e.g., TIO; 5. Hybrid, in a way, ACDC; 6. Inspect, PEER AT; 7. Wrongdoing, ERROR; 8. Less than 1%, [SK]IM; 9. “Assuredly”, YES; 10. Author Beverly, CLEARY; 11 “Broom-HILDA”; 12. Much-advertised sleep aid, A[MB]IEN; 13. Fixed up, REDID; 17. Where Harrah’s started RENO; 19. Sushi bar sauce, TAMARI; 23. The L.A. Sparks play in it, W[NB]A; 25. Not all there, LOOPY; 26. Frankfurt an der ODER; 27. They’re flicked, BICS; 28. Exam for future attys., LSAT; 29. Have [A B]ONE to pick; 30. It’ll pass, FAD; 33. “Pow!”, BAM; 34. Subject of the 2005 book “Conspiracy of Fools”, ENRON; 35. Drill part, BIT; 36. Year in the reign of the emperor Augustus, ONE [BC]; 37. Napkin shade, maybe, ECRU; 38. Party in a legal proceeding: Abbr., RESP; 40. Part of St. Paul’s, APSE; 41. No longer bothered by something, OVER IT; 42. Baron VON Richtohofen; 46. Like some runs, EARNED; 47. Small area meas., S[Q C]M; 48. City once divided by the Green Line, BEIRUT; 50. Mixer choice, COLA; 51. Seemingly ceaselessly, ON END; 52. With cruelty, MEA[NL]Y; 53. Gay PAREE; 54. Plumbing, e.g., TRADE; 57. Golf’s Ballesteros, SEVE; 58. Lhasa APSO; 59. Quick weight loss method, for short, LIPO; 60. Command eliciting barking, S[PE]AK; 62. On the QUI vive; 63. Mantelpiece pieces, UR[NS]; 64. Johnny REB.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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