06.20.12 — Spoonerisms

Buster Keaton in “The Paleface”, 1922

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012 — Summer Soltice

Puzzle by Alan Arbesfeld / Edited by Will Shortz

Six celebrity spoonerisms constitute the main feature of this vacuous Wednesday crossword.

• WHACK JORDAN (17A. Actor’s order to sock an N.B.A. legend?) — Jack Warden
• POTTY SKIPPIN (24A. Teammate of the 17-Across legend avoiding toilet training?) — Scottie Pippin
• CUSTER BEATEN (33A. Old comic actor’s Little Bighorn headline?) — Buster Keaton
• MENACE DILLER (43A. Threaten a classic comedienne like a talk-show host?) — Dennis Miller
• MORMON NAILER (51A. Writer-turned-Utah carpenter?) — Norman Mailer
• TAMES JAILER (62A. Controls a prison guard like a pop singer?) — James Taylor

Other — AGORA. AGREE. AMORAL, BANJO, BRAWN, CLAMPS, COALERS, EXILE, FACE IT, HOBBLE, ILSAS, JACKPOT, KITED, KNAVE, LURKING, LUSTY, MARRY ME, OB GYN, ONE ONE, ON TAP, OSCAR, PADRE, PRESS, ROMEO, RUN IN SCOOB, SMASH, SOAVE, SPORT.

Short stuff — ACE, ADD, AGR, AHOY, ALAR, ALE, ASHE, BOWL, CFO, CUD, ELF and ELS, ERR, ESTE, FRY, IDS, IWO, KANT, LAN, LBJ and LLB, LEAK, LES and LET, MOE and MOI, MY MY, NCAA, NEVE, OPEN, ORK, OSS, RBI, SCI, SRA, SUR, TREE, VEX.

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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. “Deliverance” instrument; 6. Return of a lob, maybe; 11. Corp. money manager; 14. Reason for a February thank-you speech; 15. Chaplain, to a G.I.; 16. PC hookup; 19. Get totally right; 20. Julian Assange posting; 21. Bubble; 22. Ladies’ man; 28. Saturday morning cartoon dog, informally; 31. “C’est ___” (“Camelot” song); 32. Veracruz vane direction; 37. Some purse items, for short; 38 California’s Big ___; 39. Bedevil; 40. Grimm tale figure; 46. Maritime greeting; 49. Noted flag-raising site, for short; 50. Full of passion; 55. Delivery doc; 56. Barrister’s deg.; 57. “Copernicn revolution” philosopher; 61. Sac fly stat; 62. Controls a prison guard like a pop singer?; 66. Public-house offering; 67. Greek gathering spot of old; 68. Rapscallion; 69. ___ Paul guitars; 70. “Full court” tactic; 71. Go along (with). — DOWN: 1. Postseason grid matchup; 2. ___ Stadium (facility near Citi Field); 3. Org. with brackets; 4. Super payoff; 5. Mork’s planet; 6. Have on; 7. Kneeler’s words; 8. Put in; 9. Mrs. Abroad; 10. Artist Rousseau; 11. Jumper cable ends; 12. “Let’s be honest!”; 13. Score in a pitcher’s duel, maybe; 18. Riff, e.g., in “West Side Story”; 23. Taking customers; 25. Eligible for “The Biggest Loser”; 26. Dry Italian wine; 27. Falsified, as a check; 28. Many an ology, Abbr.; 29. It’s a mouthful; 30. Old spy org.; 34. Brush with the law; 35. He-man’s asset; 38. Banish to Siberia; 40. Loop transports; 41. Call for a do-over; 42. Suffer from the heat; 43. “Dear me!”; 44. Some fuel transporters; 45. Hiding in the shadows; 46. Unconcerned with right and wrong; 47. Walk haltingly; 48. Saturnalias; 52. In-a-bottle alternative; 53. “Casablanca” heroine and others; 4. Pres. With an on-board swearing-in; 58. Withdrawn apple spray; 59. Campbell of “Scream”; 60. Site of many a cat rescue; 63. U.S.D.A. part: Abbr.; 64. 2012 role for Chris Diamantopoulos; 65. Blotter letters.