11.04.12 — Frankly Speaking


 
Sunday, November 4, 2012
 
FRANKLY SPEAKING, Puzzle by Brendan Emmett Quigley
Edited by Will Shortz

Ten words in French and/or English, along with clues to justify a change in the meaning of common phrases due to the duality, constitute the interrelated group of this sluggish Sunday crossword:

  • MERE MORTALS (25A. Marseille mothers who are not goddesses?)
  • TRAINING BRAS (40A. Working on one’s biceps and triceps in Toulon?)
  • YELLOW FIN (59A. Cowardly end in Cannes?)
  • ONE OF OURS (80A. Bordeaux bear cub?)
  • INTERNET CHAT (94A. Online feline in Lyon?)
  • OFFICE TEMPS (113A. Nine to five, generally, in Grenoble?)
  • ROMAN GLADIATOR (3D. Prizefighter in a Parisian novel?)
  • THE ARTIST (5D. Expert at brewing oolong in Orleans)
  • PAIN MANAGEMENT (54D. Overseeing of a Bayonne bakery?)
  • CRIME PAYS (82D. French-speaking country where illegal activity runs rampant?)

That’s right, Mère/mother; bras/arm; fin/end; ours/bear; chat/cat; temps/time; roman/novel; the/tea; pain/bread; pays/country.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. One to take a complaint to: Abbr.; 4. It can get the blood flowing; 9. Like calves at a rodeo; 16. Crush, e.g.; 19. Some soft words; 20. Lost deliberately; 21. Wave receiver; 22. Card game with stakes; 23. Subject of three Oliver Stone films, informally; 24. Fixed-term agreement; 27. Half-court game?; 29. Sailing; 31. Barber’s challenge; 32. Hawaiian coffees; 33. Back-to-school purchase; 35. Sense; 37. Hot ___; 38. “Easy”; 43. On the up and up; 44. Soldier under Braxton Bragg, for short; 45. Female suffix; 46. Org. with badges; 48. Country whose name means “he that strives with God”; 50. [That’s awful!]; 52 Quality that produces taste; 57. Stinging insect; 62. Innocent one; 63. Issue (from); 64. Tiara component; 65. It may contain traces of lead; 66. Tony winner Schreiber; 67. Less refined; 69. Like an infant’s fingers, typically; 71. Matisse masterpiece; 73. Actress Bosworth; 74. Pathetic group; 76. The limbo, once; 78. Turkey’s third-largest city; 79. John Maynard Keynes’s alma mater; 82. Indians’ shoes; 83. “Phooey!”; 85. Fiji competitor; 86. Cosa ___; 88. Nevada county; 89. Spy, at times; 91. With 98-Down, “Mad Money” host; 92. First capital of Alaska; 100. Who said “I owe the public nothing”; 103. Dead ringers?; 104. ___ Inn; 106. Home of Gannon Univ.; 107. Short-tailed weasel; 108. Crib side part; 110. First college frat to charter a chapter in all 50 states; 112. Environmental portmanteau; 116. Certain work of subway art; 118. Word with salad or roll; 119. Mauna ___ Observatory; 120. Surround with shrubbery; 121. Rocks for Jocks, most likely; 122. Eleanor Roosevelt ___ Roosevelt 123. Take a wrong turn; 124. “What’s it gonna be”; 125. What to wear; 126. Healy who created the Three Stooges. — DOWN: 1. QB Donovan; 2. Net guard; 4. The Rams, on sports tickers; 5. Expert at brewing oolong in Orleans?; 5 Q.E.D. part; 7. Mysterious Scottish figure, informally; 8. Many an “iCarly” fan; 9. Hasty flight; 10. Weakness; 11. Layers of clouds; 12 On TV, say; 13. “Got a Hold ___” (1984 top 10 hit); 14. “Lux” composer Brian; 15. Lost time?; 16. Two-dimensional; 17. “De-e-eluxe!”; 18. Entourages; 26. Indiana Jones venue; 28. ___ fixe; 30. Comic Dave; 34. Ramjets, e.g., 36. Populous area; 37. Country music channel; 39. Paper size: Abbr.; 41. Some foam toys; 42 Area close to home; 44. Put on the job again; 46. Large fern; 47. Toothed; 49. 58-Down 29-Across; 50. “Star Trek” villains; 51. Not present at; 53. Flaming; 55 Issue for Michelle Obama; 56. R in a car; 58. Go-ahead; 60. Showed, as a seat; 61. Org. for big shots?; 64. Family nickname; 68. That, to Tomas; 70. Tucson school, briefly; 72. Eye surgeon’s instrument; 76. Was concerned (with); 77. Cretin; 81. QB legend nicknamed the Golden Arm”; 84. Elastic; 87. It’s more than a pinch: Abbr.; 90. Interview seg.; 91. What a photocopier light may indicate; 93. “American Idol” winner Allen; 94. Relief for plantar fascitis; 95. Against; 96. Outside of walking distance, say; 97. Actor Morales; 98. See 91-Across; 99. Millinery item; 100. Operating system between Puma and Panther; 101. Most distant point; 102. Rode hard; 105. Nickel-and-___; 108. E.P.. issuances: Abbr.; 109. Kind of brick; 111. The language Gaidhlig; 114. Shoe width; 115, ___-Seal (leather protector); 117. ___ Palmas, Span.

 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the NYT Sunday puzzles, and I do them every week, but this was an awful puzzle, with ridiculously obscure words and clues. To be fair, there were some well-clued words, but for the most part, especially for the majority of us who do not speak French, the puzzle made no sense whatsoever. Were it not for the constructor's "cred," I'm sure Will Shortz wouldn't have thought for a minute about publishing this one.

Joe K. said...

I totally agree with anonymous. That puzzle should not have made this paper. It was a stupid puzzle.

Joe K.