12.26.12 — It's All About ME ...!

 

 

me me Dreaming (with a little help from my friends) by Richard Bell

 

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

 

Puzzle by Dan Schoenholz / Edited by Will Shortz

 

ME ME ME ME ME (35A. Egocentric person’s mantra) in five squares crossing [ME]ADE, A[ME]NDS, MI[ME]OS, CAR[ME]N and PRI[ME], along with ME in eight additional squares constitutes the interrelated group of this bright Wednesday crossword:

 

• [ME]XICAN [ME]AL (4D. Chile relleno, e.g.) with ANI[ME] (1A. Some cartoons) and BIO[ME] (31a. Ecological communities)
• JA[ME]S CA[ME]RON (18A. Best Director of 1997) with AI[ME]E (7D. Actress Anouk) and CA[ME]L (10D. Caravan transport)
• [ME]DIAN INCO[ME] (56A. Statistic from the Bureau of Labor) with AIL[ME]NT (43D. Flu, e.g.) and HEL[ME]TS (47D. Batters toppers)
• RHY[ME] SCHE[ME] (33D. ABAB, for one) with HO[ME] RUN (47A. Round-tripper) and [ME]ENY (65A. Choosing-up-sides word)

 

Other — AIRIER, ANECDOTE, ARROYO (11D. Often-dry stream), CAJOLE, EMMYS and LUCCI (64A. Awards at which 51-Across was finally a winner in 1999; 51A. Soap star Susan), HONEST, INTERIOR, IRRITATE, LEAN ON, LOUDER, LUCITE, SELECTED, SLOVEN, TWINGE.

 

Five-letter — AGREE, ASIDE, “CLAIR de Lune”, COUNT, EOSIN (41D. Rose-red dye), GLOVE, LSATS, MYRNA Loy of “The Thin Man”, PEONY, PEPSI, RAILS (23A. Touts’ hangouts).

 

Short stuff — ALL, AGRA (1D. Pearl Mosque city), ARLO, CASH and CASK, CPR, DIGS, DKNY, ECON and ETON, GEN X, GNU, HACK, HAN, HIGH, ICE, IDS, IOU, MARE (29A. Dark area on the moon), NEON, NETS, NOM, ODDS, ONT, REC center, ROTI de boeuf, SCUM, SERA, TBS, TREK, Michelle WIE, YES (26A. “Thumbs up!”).

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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: 10. Bills, e.g.; 14. Boomers’ babies; 16. Out of the way; 16. Folkie who chronicled Alice; 20. Speech opener, often; 22. Michael Jackson wore one; 24. E.R. administration; 27. Sudden pain; 30. Windsor’s prov.; 32. Not so stuffy; 34. Hospital fluids; 43. Winner’s take, sometimes; 46. Tip sheet figures; 48. Marker letters; 49. His, to Henri; 50. Cola wars “combatant”; 53. Chose; 59. Untalented writer; 60. Clears after taxes; 61. Have significance; 62. School attended by 007; 63. Difficult journey. — DOWN: 2. Word in the names of some bright colors; 3. Cabinet department; 5. Sweet-talk; 6. Hurdles for future D.A.’s; 8. Bouncers’ requests; 12. Neatnik’s opposite; 13. “No lie!”; 19. Correspond; 21. Archaeological sites; 27. “Cougar Town” network; 28. Golf’s Michelle; 37. Rub the wrong way; 38. Bearded antelope; 39. Qin dynasty follower; 42. Act the gloomy Gus; 44. “Speak up!”; 45. Acrylic sheet material; 50. Indiana’s state flower; 52. Cooper’s handiwork; 53. Lowlife; 54. Business school subj.; 55. Designer label letters; 57. Clinch, as a deal; 58. Pierre du Jacques.