The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: 09.08.12

Idyll in Tahiti, 1901, Paul Gauguin

The "kihee whihenee," or petticoat, is a mere breadth of white cotton, or calico; loosely enveloping the person, from the waist to the feet. Fastened simply by a single tuck, or by twisting the upper corners together, this garment frequently becomes disordered; thus affording an opportunity of being coquettishly adjusted. ~ Omoo: Adventures in the South Seas, Chapter XLVII, How They Dress in Tahiti, 1847, Herman Melville

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Saturday, September 8, 2012

Puzzle by Byron Walden / Edited by Will Shortz

This tough and teasing Saturday crossword literally begs for a vacation in Tahiti!

Across — 1. One of the housewives on “Desperate Housewives”, GABY; 5. Spelled, STOOD IN FOR; 15. Book with the chapter “How They Dress in Tahiti”, OMOO; 16. Emulated Anne Frank, KEPT A DIARY; 17. Take one’s lumps?, TONG; 18. Black piecrust component, OREO COOKIE; 19. Conditioner’s cousin, CREAM RINSE; 21. Mockingbird prey, BEES; 22. Timon of Athens, e.g., HERMIT; 23. Trattoria order, PENNE; 24. President who won 97.6% of the vote in 2007, ASSAD;25. Cameo voicer on Weird Al Yank Vic’s “I Lost on Jeopardy”, PARDO; 29. Took off the table?, ATE; 30. Crime lab tool, TWEEZERS; 32. George III descriptor, MAD; 33. “O thou pale ORB that silent shines”: Burns; 36. Second, INSTANT; 37. Player who followed in Player’s footsteps, ELS; 38. Measure of thanks?, MIL; 39. People who need to find a john?, VICE COPS; 41. Coin introduced by Louis IX, ECU; 42. Word from on high, EDICT; 43. Ones taking off?, APERS; 47. Home of the Rugby League’s Rhinos, LEEDS; 49. Quarter, BILLET; 50. Pursuit of Pan, ECHO; 51. Sensor in a CD player, PHOTO DIODE; 55. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame doo-wop group from Baltimore, THE ORIOLES; 57. Backsplash piece, TILE; 58. Volunteer, TENNESSEAN; 59. Milked, USED; 60. Obama and Clinton, for example, EX-SENATORS; 61. Baseball throws, PEGS.

Turquoise mask. Mixtec-Aztec. 1400–1521.

Down — 1. GOTCHA journalism; 2. Title shared by works of Ovid and D. H. Lawrence, AMORES; 3. Faux pas, BONERS; 4. Roll in a locker, YOGA MAT; 5. Sporty hybrid, SKORT; 6. Polo of “Little Fockers”, TERI; 7. Dentist’s request, OPEN; 8. Little Thief’s people, OTOS; 9. Relative of a carp, DACE; 10. Mating call?, I DO; 11. Tantalus’ daughter, NIOBE; 12. It may be assumed, FAKE NAME; 13. Partner of Connecticut and Vermont, ORIENTAL; 14. Starters in some fields, RYE SEEDS; 20. Labor group, MIDWIVES; 23. Like some envelopes, POSTPAID; 25. “Home Alone” co-star, PESCI; 26. Texcoco denizen, AZTEC; 27. Turn another color, say, REACT; 28. Character inspired by Fu Manchu, DR NO; 31. So-called “Wheat Capital of the United States”, ENID; 33. Frittata, e.g., OMELETTE; 34. General Mills offering, RICE CHEX; 35. University of Delaware athletes, BLUE HENS; 40. Separate, SPLIT UP; 44. Nancy Drew’s aunt, ELOISE; 45. Cincinnati baseball of old, REDLEG; 46. Stable assets, STEEDS; 48. Family name in an 1869 romance, DOONE; 49. Smee and others, BOS’NS; 51. Knights’ Square site, PISA; 52. Myriad, HOST; 53. Imperial offering, OLEO; 54. Jag, TEAR; 56. REN Faire (re-enactors event, informally).

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