05.25.12 — Nepeta Cataria



Cats on catnip enjoy rolling around in the herb and may even lick or chew it.

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Friday, May 25, 2012

Puzzle by Brendan Emmett Quigley / Edited by Will Shortz

Hallucinogenic cluing is the foremost feature of this frightful Friday crossword:

Across — 1. Finery, REGALIA; 8. Key for someone with 20/20 vision?, C SHARP; 14. Audit targets, EVADERS; 15. Concluding syllables, ULTIMAS; 16. Take at an opportune time, SEIZE ON; 17. Grooms, NEATENS; 18. Modern chemistry experiment?, INTERNET DATING; 20. End of a dictionary, ZEES; 21. “The Scarperer” author, BEHAN; 22. “Ciao”, TATA; 24. “The cautious seldom ERR”: Confucius; 25. Teary, SAD-EYED; 27. MRS Fields; 28. Winter ailment, informally, STREP; 29. Get dressed for a party, say, DUDE UP; 31. 52-Down unit, ISSUE; 34. One who’s blue, for short?, DEM; 36. Poison ivy and others, VINES; 37. Herb that causes euphoria, CATNIP; 39. 2022 World Cup host, QATAR; 41. Threshold, EVE; 42. Raw, NATURAL; 44 Lead character in Larry McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove”, GUS; 47. Many a “Twilight” fan, TEEN; 49. Stick for a kite, ROOST; 50. Bankrupted, SUNK; 51. It might be covered by an umbrella, FROZEN DAIQUIRI; 54.”Aladdin” princess, JASMINE; 55. Remove spots from, LAUNDER; 56. Compass divisions, OCTANTS; 57. Most slapstick, INANEST; 58. Showcases of rock bands?, GEODES; 59. Ones who are hurting?, SADISTS.

Down — 1. Blow up, maybe, RESIZE; 2. Fix for a wobbly table, EVENER; 3. Boot cover, GAITER; 4. Carving tools, ADZES; 5. A wolf may have one, LEER; 6. Part of a jail cell, IRON BAR; 7. Prescription direction, AS NEEDED; 8. Swept, say, CLEANED; 9. Yards, e.g., STAT; 10. Command associated with numbers, HIT IT; 11. “Couldn’t agree with you more”, AMEN, AMEN; 12. Seemed right, RANG TRUE; 13. They go below signatures, briefly, PSS; 15. Oct. 24, UN DAY; 19. “Moby-Dick” setting, THE PEQUOD; 23. Lethal injection administer, ASPS; 25. Hinged vessel, often, STEIN; 26. 2001 British Open champion David DUVAL; 28. Britain’s biggest-selling paper, with “The”, SUN; 30. Certain board member: Abbr., DIR; 31. “Home Invasion” rapper, ICE T; 32. Avoid humiliation, SAVE FACE; 33. Points in the direction of, STEERS TO; 35. First jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize, MARSALIS; 39. Raises, PARENTS; 40. “Eugene Onegin” girl, TATIANA; 43. Conditions, with “up”, TONES; 44. Museum employees, GUIDES; 45. Revolutionary state, UNREST; 46. Christmas tree base coverings, SKIRTS; 48. One who’s rally going places, NOMAD; 50. Like the majority of Saudis, SUNNI; 52. Informal pub, ‘ZINE; 53. Brown green?, QUAD; 54. Prod, JOG.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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