06.24.12 — Element of Surprise




Sunday, June 24, 2012

ELEMENT OF SURPRISE, Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski
Edited by Will Shortz

An "afterthought" clue/answer/direction, CARBON FOOTPRINT (42D. Global warming calculation whose shape is suggested by connecting 14 squares in this puzzle in a closed loop based on the appropriate 23-Across), along with ATOMIC SYMBOL (23A. Every chemical element has one), heads the interrelated group of this Sunday crossword. Try as I might, connecting the Cs (atomic symbol for Carbon), I couldn’t get a footprint that looks like what I think a footprint looks like… but, hey!, it’s the thought that counts.

OZONE HOLES (40A. Worrisome Arctic and Antarctic developments)
SAVE WATER (69A. Conservationist’s catchphrase)
PLANT A TREE (94A. Arborist’s catchphrase)
CONSERVE FUEL (117A. Environmentalist’s catchphrase)
GREENHOUSE GASES (14D. Atmospheric worries)
THROW-AWAY (44D. Kind of society that is careless of the environment)

Other — CELERIES, CONCERN, GALLEON, IS IT ART, NECTARS, NIAGARA (74A. Falls for married women?), NOMINAL, ON A DATE, ONE LITER, PETER II, RENOIRS, SCREEDS, SPANIEL, SPIRALS, ST BARTS, THUS FAR, TINACTIN, TSARIST, YELL FIRE.

Six-letter — ASLEEP, ASST DA, ATONAL, BALERS, CLARET, DELANO, ECOCAR, ERASED, IDEATE, INNATE, KOREAN, LADLES, LEER AT, LOWEST, LUANDA, NELLIE, PASTES, PETITE, PT BOAT, REMARK, SPARED, SPLASH, SPHERE, SUFFIX, THANK U, TRIUNE, TULIPS, VIXENS.

Five — AISLE, AMOCO, DELTS, ECONO, ELEMI, ERICK, EUROS, GAZED, GRADE, LAVAL, PLAN B, POSIT, RAN TO, SCOUR, SCRAG, SELLS, SHEEP, SIGNS, SPATS, SPRAT, STARK, TATAS.

Short stuff — ACDC. ADO, AGE. ALS, ANDS, ARKS, ASK, BANG, BENT, BIC, COR, DATA, DEP, DICT, DIS, EAR, “ECCE homo“, ELK, ENTS, EROS, GAO, GAYE, GORE, I AS in igloo, IGER, LVOV, MOMA, NDAK, OAT, “O IS for Outlaw”, OKS, ONUS, ORCA, OWE, PAT, PCBS, PDA, PUZO, RAH, RILE, RKO, ROSH, SAC and SAN, SCH, SEM, SIP, SNAP, SOWS, SOT, SPED, STK, TAN, TED, TERM, THX, TARO and TORO, TRA, XENA, YNEZ.

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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. Went easy on; 7. Went 90, say; 1. Pop’s relative?; 15. Nurse; 18. 18th-century Russian emperor; 21. Media executive Bob; 22. Mobile info organizer; 25. Stalks in a soup kitchen; 27. “Tough-actin’ medication; 28. Ginger cookie; 30. Eye salaciously; 31. Bare; 32. 2012 Mark Wahlberg comedy; 34. Load to bear; 36. Present from birth; 37. Antlered animal; 38. Goggled; 42. ___ anglais (English horn); 43. Congratulations indicator; 45. Have loans; “Sue Grafton’s “___ for Outlaw”; 47. Popular Caribbean destination, informally; 51. “___ 1138” (1971 sci-fi film); 53. Search with a fine-tooth comb; 55. Realm; 56. Sommelier’s pick; 59. Drapery adornments; 63. Backup procedure; 64. Chorus line leader?; 65. Seeing someone socially; 67. Fan sound; 68. Cost; 71. Slope; 73. Pose; 76. Roker and Pacino; 77. Supermarket datum; 78. To date; 80. Like puns among all forms of humor, it’s said; 82. In the arms of Morpheus; 83. Place; ___ Diego; 86. Harangues; 88. Arm of the U.S. Cong.; 89. Big tippler; 91. Financial page abbr.; 93. Some nods; 98. Gemini and Virgo; 100. Exchange purchase: Abr.; 103. Dutch exports; 104. Sight on an Alaskan cruise; 106. Animal pouch; 107. Transnational cash; 109. Farm machines; 110. N.Y.C. home of van Gogh; 112. Cause panic in a theater, perhaps; 114. Seltzer bottle capacity; 119. Hubbub; 120. Neighbor of Sask.; 12. Band with a juiced-up name?:; 122. Tokenish; 123. Vacation acquisition, maybe; 124. Edible root; 125. ___ Hashana; 126. Flirtatious lot. — DOWNS: 1. Tiffs; 2. Tiny; 3. Like much avant-garde music; 4. Comment; 5. Dampier of the N.B.A.; 6. Webster’s ref.; 7. Theological inst.; 8. Potential landfill pollutants, for short; 9. Car opener?; 10. Presidential middle name; 11. Signature piece?; 12. Century, say; 13. Nervous ___; 15. Pasta shapes; 16. Brainstorm; 17. Wallops; 19. Question to a museum visitor; 24. California’s Santa ___ Mountains; 26. “Girl With a Hoop” and “The Umbrellas”; 29. “The Last Don” author; 33. Bank statement abbr.; 35. Farm females; 38. 45th American vice president; 39. Processed material; 41. Fruity drinks; 47. Eclat; 48. 1998 Alanis Morissette hit; 49. Out of line?; 50. Beanpole; 52. Woman warrior; 54. Nibble for Dobbin; 55. Jack who’s a picky eater; 57. Montreal suburb; 58. Farewells; 60. Cleared; 61. Soup servers; 62. Followers; 64. Like pre-1917 Russia; 66. Shoulder muscles, in gym-speak; 70. Love personified; 72. Antagonize; 79. Droopy-eared pet; 81. Tolkien forest creatures; 82. Scroll holders; 84. One frequently being waved at; 87. Worry; 88. Part of the Spanish Armada; 90. Semester, e.g.; 92. Put down; 94. Mosquito fleet vessel; 95. Angola’s capital; 96. “Law & Order” figure: Abbr.; 97. Green vehicle; 99. Marvin who sang “Let’s Get It On”; 100. Follow-up letters?; 101. Father, Son and Holy Spirit; 102. Seoul soul; 106 Old brand whose logo featured a torch; 107. Varnish ingredient; 108. Unloads; 111. English connections; 113. Ukrainian city, formerly; 115. Bud holder; 116. “King Kong” studio; 118. Educ. Facility.

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