03.27.12 — Feathering the Nest

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Puzzle by Todd McClary / Edited by Will Shortz

FEATHER ONE’S NEST (62A. Gather wealth by exploitation .. As hinted at by this puzzle’s circled squares?), along with ROBIN, PLUME, LOON, DOWN, HERON and QUILL in circled letters constitutes the interrelated group of this comfortable Tuesday crossword.

Other — ERUPTIVE (31D Prone to violence), ON THE QT (33D. Privately), NEBRASKA (18D. The Cornhuskers), PROBING QUESTION (17A. Investigate reporter’s specialty), SPANISH DOUBLOON (40A. Bit of pirate booty), TWOFOLD (19D. Double).

Six-letter — ADULTS (8D. They’re not kids anymore), EATING, PEORIA, PRIMUS, ROOMBA (36A. Disc-shaped vacuum cleaner from iRobot), SUBSET, TSK TSK, UNISEX.

Five — AIDED, ATOLL, BOSOX, E-NOTE, GONNA, HEFTY, HIREE, IRENE, PIQUE, PROVO, REBUS, RIATA, SANER, SINEX, SPADE, STALE, TWERP, VAIOS (11D. Sony laptops), VIOLA, XANAX.

Short stuff — AGO, ANNO, ARI, ASPS, ASTA, BLOB, BOWL, CAF, COST, DEUT, DOT, EDS, ENOL, ERIQ, FLAK, HEAP, HQS, ISEE, LEON, MOOS, NLE, “ODS bodkins!”, OSLO, OUST, SAG, SELF, SIGH, SLO, SRI Lanka, STU, SUP, TEX, TNT, TSP, ULM, VPS, WARP, WOVE, YEA.

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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: 1. Insignificant one; 8. One in a black suit; 11. Tie-breaking voters in the Sen.; 14. Not as mad; 15. Gave support; 16. Talent agent Emanuel; 20. Smoke column; 21. Einstein’s birthplace; 22. Used a loom; 23 Group within a group; 25. Fenway Park team, familiarly; 26. Half-___ (coffee order); 30. Lead-in to preservation; 32. City where “Peer Gynt” premiered; 34. Previously; 40. Bit of pirate booty; 43. “Naughty!”; 44. Have dinner; 45. Depressed; 46. Jalopy; 48. Poker legend Ungar; 50. ___ Poke (candy brand); 51. New person on the job; 54. Badly bothering; 57. La Salle of ER”; 58. Separator of syllables in many dictionaries; 59. It takes a bow in an orchestra; 66. It may be used with a plunger; 67. Declaration of Independence signer?; 68. Online memo; 69. Nay’s opposite; 70. Overused; 71. Antianxiety medication. — DOWN: 1. Measure for a batter?: Abbr.; 2. Measure of speed in “Star Trek”; 3. Hydroxyl compound; 4. Puzzle with its pluses and minuses?; 5. First, in Latin; 6. Lack muscle tone, perhaps; 7. Tick off; 9. View to be; 10. Newsroom workers, for short; 12. Home of Brigham Young University; 13. Vicks decongestant brand; 234. Weary reaction; 25. Lava lamp formation; 26 Were priced at; 27. Saharan slitherers; 28. Criticism; 37. “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” sounds; 38. Many a New Year’s Day game; 39. Word usually abbreviated on timelines; 41. “No need to elaborate”; 42. Kick out; 47. Midwest city representing average tastes; 49. Like some hair salons; 51. Sizable; 52. Woman’s name meaning “peace”; 53. Wild West show prop; 55. Coral Sea sight; 56. “We’re Not ___ Take It” (“Tommy” tune); 58. Numbers follower: Abbr.; 60. Defense secretary Panetta; 61. “The Thin Man” canine; 63. Command posts, for short; 64. N.Y. Mets’ div.; 65. Cowhand handle.