03.20.12 — The Moving Finger

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 — Vernal Equinox

Puzzle by Will Nediger / Edited by Will Shortz

KINDERGARTENER (20A. One who engages in finger painting), CRIME LAB ANALYST (37A. One who engages in fingerprinting) and POLICE INFORMER (53A. One who engages in finger-pointing) constitute the interrelated group of this cheerful first-day-of-Spring Tuesday crossword.

Other — BEER HALL (6D. Locale of a 1923 Munich putsch), EVANSVILLE (10D. Indiana city on the Ohio), FAMILY LIFE (25D. Standard sitcom subject), JUBILANT (57A. Ecstatic), JUST A FEW (18A. Not that many), NAIL FILE (39D. Salon tool).

Six-letter — BESTIR, CLOROX, DARWIN, ENTAIL, EXETER, GAPE AT, HUBBUB (1. Ado), IRISES (58A. Van Gogh painting dominated by green and blue), LOVE ME (61A. Title of hits by Elvis Presley and Justin Bieber), ODENSE, ON CALL and ON-LINE, REVAMP, SELL TO, Mother TERESA, UNSEAL.

Five-letter — ACURA, BLEND, FLAPS (25A. Ados), Robert HOOKE, I’M SET, KENYA (48D. Home of Barack Obama Sr.), Brian ORSER, SABOT, SEE ME (51D. Terse note from the boss), SINAI, TIE IN, TWICE, UNDID.

Short stuff — ABBA, ACE, ACTS, AHA, AIRS, ANYA Seton, AS OF, Jessica BIEL, BIND, BRIE, EDD, EWOK, ILL, ISO, ITEM, JAW (57D. Tyrannosaurus rex had a big one), KEW Gardens, On the LAM, LASH, LEAD, LYE, MAB and MAJA, MASS, OBOE and OVER, PITH, PUSH, RIVE, TORA, WHEE, WIFE (11D. Ring bearer), “VIVE le roi!”, YANK.

The moving finger writes, and having written moves on.  Nor all thy piety nor all thy wit, can cancel half a line of it. ~ Omar Khayyam

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 7. Queen in a speech by Mercutio; 10. Denizen of the Endor world in “Return of the Jedi; 14. Two-thirds of AOL; 15. Hole in one; 17. Danish birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen; 22. TV announcer Hall; 23. “That’s it!”; 24. Broadcasts; 27. Give a makeover; 31. “Take a Chance on Me” group; 36. Mount ___ Hospital; 40. Promotional device; 41. When said three times, 1970 film on the Pearl Harbor attack; 42. Whip; 43. Target as a customer; 45. What “bis” means; 47. Tug hard; 49. Unwell; 50. Prefix with bar; 59. Starting from; 60. Soapmaker’s supply; 62. Roller coaster cry; 63. On the ___ (fleeing); 64. Locale in Devon or New Hampshire. — DOWN: 1. Pioneering scientist Robert; 2. Reversed; 3. Mixture; 4. Tricky situation; 5. Open, as an envelope; 7. Goya subject; 8. Lexus rival; 9. Rouse; 12. No longer in love with; 19. Nobel winner Mother ___; 21. Observe with the mouth open; 26. Wooden shoe; 28. Novelist Seton; 29. Part of W.M.D.; 30. Heart of the matter; 31. Book after John; 32. Creamy cheese; 33. Jessica of “The Illusionist”; 35. Traveler on the Beagle; 38. Involve; 39. Salon tool; 44. Available if needed; 46. Bleach brand; 50. “No more for me”; 52. Canadian figure skating champion Brian; 53. Exhortation during labor; 54. Cousin of a bassoon; 55. Agenda part; 58. Split.