07.13.12 — Hint & Hunch

"It's alive!" — Gene Wilder, ‘Young Frankenstein”

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Friday, July 13, 2012

Puzzle by Jim Horne and Jeff Chen / Edited by Will Shortz

A friendly and lively Friday crossword, clever, a bit challenging here and there with a few give-a-ways and a great sense of humor.

Across — 1. Attempt to appear alert, say, STIFLE A YAWN; 12. Unregulated, NO HOLDS BARRED; 14. The same old, same old, BUSINESS AS USUAL; 16. Skillfully snatched, SNARED; 17. Grinding away, AT IT; 18. Way with a no., RTE; 19. Logical conjunctions, in mathematics, ANDS; 20. Certain leatherworker, DYER; 21. “Don’t Look Now” diretcor, ROEG; 22. Feature of the previous clue, TYPO; 25. Ignore, LET BE; 26. “In my opinion …”, AS I SEE IT; 30. 1950s heartthrob, FABIAN; 31. Dean Martin persona, SOT; 32. Exemplar of masculinity, MAN’S MAN; 34. El CID; 35. Sounds off?, HUSHES; 37. Some modern subscriptions, PODCASTS; 39. Neil Armstrong’s middle name, ALDEN; 40. Look, SEEM; 41. Home of the Aztec Ruins Natl. Monument, NMEX; 42. I.O.U., CHIT; 45. Chero-Cola, after a name change, NEHI; 49. Blues guitarist TAJ Mahal; 50. Trick or treat, e.g., NOUN; 51. Kato KAELIN who testified against O. J.; 53. Vinaigrette alternative, ITALIAN DRESSING; 56. Lab figure who might cackle in glee, EVIL SCIENTIST; 57. “Star Wars” catchphrase, USE THE FORCE.

Down — 1. “My heart bleeds”, SO SAD; 2. Lusts, THIRSTS; 3. IONE Skye of “Say Anything …”; 4. Ran, FLED; 5. Inits., for Mitt Romney, LDS; 6. Frank Rich piece, ESSAY; 7. Lower, ABASE; 8. P.L.O.’s YASIR Arafat; 9. Stuck in A RUT; 10. Targets for QBs, WRS; 11. Worrywarts, e.g., NEUROTICS; 12. Sir Trevor NUNN of the Royal Shakespeare Company; 13. Young, alluring sort, DATE BAIT; 14. Youth org. since 1910, BSA; 15. Robin Hood and Helen of Troy, LEGENDS; 20. Bump off, DO IN; 21. Gray figure?, REB; 23. The heel of a geographical boot, YEMEN; 24. Snow PEAS; 25. Renaissance fair sight, LANCE; 26. “Foolish” singer, 2002, ASHANTI; 27. This bud’s for you, SOUL MATE; 28. “This somehow feels familiar …”, IT’S DÉJÀ VU; 29. Recipe abbr., TSP; 30. Sparkle a little less, FADE; 33. Very, very, MOST; 36. Kind of nut, HEX; 38. Like Bourne in “The Bourne Identity”, AMNESIC; 42. It’s clear when danger subsides, COAST; 43. Feeling, HUNCH; 44. Kind of rock, INDIE; 46. Ludwig wrote für her, ELISE; 47. Help for a guesser, HINT; 48. Dutch-based banking giant, ING; 50. Locale of a Horatio Nelson victory, NILE; 51. Casino activity, KENO; 52. Physics dept. offering, ASTR; 54. Easter fleur, LIS; 55. Target of fans’ scorn, REF.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.