03.12.12 — Alterations and Altercations

Petrified Forest by Nancy Jolley

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Monday, March 12, 2012

Puzzle by Lynn Lempel / Edited by Will Shortz

Composer Philip Glass, author Danielle Steel, actor Elijah Wood and comedian Chris Rock are molded, hammered, petrified and crushed in this Monday crossword: MOLDED GLASS (18A. Had a big influence on Philip’s music?), HAMMERED STEEL (29A. Harshly criticized Danielle’s novels?), PETRIFIED WOOD (49A. Scared the daylights out of Elijah in “The Lord of the Rings”?) and CRUSHED ROCK (63A. Trounced Chris in a comedy competition?).

Other — CENSORS (54A. Bleepers), EASY DOES IT (31D. “Careful!“), FALSETTO (10D. Unnaturally high voice), HAVE A HEART (3D. “Show some mercy!”), ICED UP (51D. Became a winter hazard, as a road), NO NUKES (47D. Peacenik’s mantra), NORTH SEA (39D. Watery expanse between England and Scandinavia), SNEEZE (8D. Eruption that might elicit a blessing), TOM-TOMS (4D. Native American drums), ZEALOTS (24A. Fanatics).

Five-letter — AGREE, APRON, ARNAZ, ATARI, ATE AT, C-NOTE, NASAL decongestant, OFFER, ONION, POETS (72A. Keats and Shelley), RAISA, RELAX, ROSIE, RUN-IN, SPLIT, TONGS, UNDUE, USE UP.

Short stuff — ACDC, ACH, ALA, CHE Guevara, CLAP, CURL, CUT, DEAD, DR NO, ERLE, ESSO, FIAT, FLOE, “Ye GODS!”, HEX, HOPE, ICON, III, LION, LOAN, LOWE, NIA and NIL, NOV, NSA, ODE (65D. Keats or Shelley work), OED, ONO, ORG, OSLO, OSS, RASP, RNA, SAGO, SCAR, SEE, SEGA, SNL, STOP, SUCH as it is, TALC, T-MAN, TNT, URGE, YEN, ZANE

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Video contains strong language…

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. German cry; 4. Ice-grabbing tool; 9. Bid; 14. Genetic stuff; 15. Cutting one may bring tears to your eyes; 16. Mrs. Gorbachev; 17. Oct. follower; 20. Bothered terribly; 22. Envision; 23. “Enough already!”; 27. Grey who wrote about the Old West; 29. Harshly criticized; 36. Starch from a tropical palm; 37. Company that created Pong; 38. The “L” in S.&L.; 43. Norway’s capital; 44. Chef’s wear; 46. Clickable computer image; 48. Hankering; 53. Soft powder; 60. British ref. for wordsmiths; 62. Deplete; 67. NBC comedy show since ‘75; 68. Be in harmony; 69. Lacking justification; 70. Rightmost number on a grandfather clock; 71. Veg out; 73. Charge for a bang-up job? — DOWN: 1. Desi of “I Love Lucy”; 2. 100 smackers; 5. Yoko from Tokyo; 6. Zero; 9. We site alternative to com or edu; 11. Italian carmaker; 12. Canadian gas brand; 13. Speak with a gravelly voice; 19. Utterly exhausted; 21. State between Miss. And Ga.; 25. I.R.S. agent, e.g., informally; 26. Company whose mascot is Sonic, the Hedgehog; 28. Org. protecting U.S. secrets; 30. Symbolic riveter of W.W. II; 32. Mystery writer ___ Stanley Gardner; 33. Leo’s symbol; 34. Applaud; 35. Optimist’s feeling; 41. High-voltage Australian band?; 42. Actor Rob of “The West Wing”; 45. Vardalos of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”; 50. Floating arctic mass; 52. W.W. II intelligence org.; 55. Quarrel; 56. Bowler’s challenge; 57. Battle reminder; 58. Goad; 59. Ringlet; 61. James Bond’s film debut; 64. Evil spell; 66. Abridge.