10.18.12 — Which Switch Is Which?

 

Stoned Snake by blueferret

 

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

 

Puzzle by Samuel A. Donaldson / Edited by Will Shortz

 

Switching the first and last words in five common four-word phrases accompanied by justifying clues constitutes the interrelated group of this sly Thursday crossword:

 
SADDLE IN THE BACK (17A. Bit of riding gear on a truck’s flatbed?)
HOLE IN THE ACE (28A. Evidence of some marksmanship?)
DARK IN THE SHOT (37A. Lighting director’s woe?)
HAY IN THE ROLL (45A. Baking hazard at a manger?)
GRASS IN THE SNAKE (59A. Diagnosis for a stoned viper?)
 

Other — ABASES, ANYHOO (1A. “Changing the subject …”), AMBIENCE, AUTO LOAN, DETAIN, HAREMS, JOE PESCI, MUTTER, OIL SLICK (5D. Film about the sea?), ONE PIN (6D. The first to go on a strike, usually), POETIC, REST STOP, SPEEDS UP, SPELLS (68A. Ones cast in “Wicked“).

 

Five-letter — ALIAS, ASPCA, BOTOX (35D. Crow’s-feet treatment), CACTI, CRABS, Mary DORIA Russell, EARTH, “J. EDGAR,” 2011 film, ENIAC, ETHER, HIT ON, INKED, PETIT four, PONDS, SOARS, STILT, TARTE, TORME, USRDA.

 

Short stuff — ADS, ANTE, ATL, BAR, CASE, ELBA, ERS, ETC and ETH, “If I HAD A nickel …”, ICE T, ILYA Ulyanov, INT, IS IT, “IT’S Magic“, JANA Kramer, KEL, LIE, LOO, MCI, METH lab, NCO, NEA, NOIR, OUT, “That’s what SHE said“, SID, SST, TBS, TLC, TUSH, UAE, UTEP, XTC, YTD.

 

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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: 7. Oscar winner who appeared in a Snickers ad; 15. Hold for questioning; 16. Money for a ride?; 19. Humane org.; 20. Parisian pastry; 21. Pampering place; 24. Crooked line?; 25. Verizon subsidiary; 27. PBS’s Science Kid; 32. “Giant Brain” that debuted in 1946; 33. Doris Day hit “___ Magic”; 34. Cable channel owned by Time Warner; 41. Bygone flier, for short; 42. Card game akin to euchre; 49. Series ender, often; 52. Block; 53. OPEC member, briefly; 54. 1970s-90s band with a euphoric-sounding name; 55 Novelist Mary ___ Russell; 57. Old F.D.A. guideline; 65. Atmosphere; 66. Grumble; 67. Place to walk a dog, maybe. — DOWN: 1. Spots; 2. “The Big Read” sponsor, for short; 3. Thus far, on a quarterly stmt.; 7. Actress/country singer Kramer; 8. Published; 9. Biblical suffix; 10. Kind of license; 11. Island off the coast of Tuscany; 12. Climbs swiftly; 13. They have sticking points; 14. Having tattoos; 18. “O.G. Original Gangster” artist; 22. Skin care brand; 23. Name on a spy’s passport, perhaps; 26. Portmanteau, e.g.; 20. “Battlestar Galactica” destination; 30. Tried to pick up; 31. Knockout number?; 36. Circus clown prop; 38. ___ Ulyanov, Vladimir Lenin’s father; 39. Film genre; 40. Hastens; 44. Pampering, in brief; 46. Belittles; 47. Rear; 48. Old Turkish quarters; 50. Singer who co-wrote “The Christmas Song” 51. Beefs; 56. “That so?”; 57. Sch. Whose fight song is “Miners Fight”; 58. Get in on the deal; 60. QB’s blunder; 61. Cpl. Or sgt.; 62. Home of the Braves, on scoreboards; 63. Kenan’s former Nickelodeon pal; 64. Where you might see a lot of chest-pumping, for short?