12.04.12 — Proving Ground

Princess Diana

 

————————

 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

 

Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski / Edited by Will Shortz

Two-word phrases each beginning with the letters P and G, e.g., PROVING GROUND (20A. Weapons-testing area), PLANE GEOMETRY (31A. Subject of a Euclidean treatise), PEANUT GALLERY (38A. Cheap seating area in a theater) and PRINCESS GRACE (52. Bride in 1956 news) constitutes the interrelated group of this Tuesday crossword.

Princess Grace

Other — HERE YOU GO (58A. “As requested …”), MINIDONUT (17A. Small treat for a coffee break), PEACH PIES (31D. August bake sale inventory), WIND-UP TOY (11D. Clapping monkey or chattering teeth).

 

Mid-size — AGHAS, ARSON, AVANT-garde, BOISE, DIANA (18D. William and Harry’s mother), ELEGY, EMIRS, EVICT, HAUNT, LINSEED, MAHALO, “Me and Bobby MCGEE“, MEOWS, OREOS, PHONE-IN, PIMPS, Q AND A, Lou RAWLS, REQUIEM, RITUAL, SONGS, UGLIEST, USRDA, “The Man Who WASN’T There”.

 

Short stuff — ADZE, AES, AIRS, ANEW, ARC, BOW, CHER DELL, DHL, EDGE, EERO, ERDE, ETRE, GRES, HERA, HMM, HONE, ILE, IMAM, LAYS, LCD, MMIV, ORA pro nobis, ORZO, PERM, PIA Zadora, PSST, ROAD and ROAR, RTES, SHEA, “The children were nestled all SNUG in their beds“, SPAM, STA, SSN, TETR, TOSS, ULAN Bator, UNE and UNI.

————————

 

 

 

 

Click on image to enlarge.

 

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. It’ll curl your hair; 5. Hushed “Wanna hear something?!”; 9. Lou who sang “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine”; 14. Muslim leader; 15. Sharpen; 16. Force out; 19. Post-lecture session; 22. Govt.-issued ID; 23. Monogram in ‘50s politics; 24. Holy communion, e.g.; 27. Prefix with polar or cameral; 28. Wood-shaping tool; 30. Actress Zadora; 34. Former home of the Mets; 36. FedEx competitor; 37. Deep-six; 43. Lob’s path; 44. Some coll. Tests; 45. France’s ___ de Re; 46. Hawaiian “thank you”; 48. French article; 49. “Very interesting …”; 56. Idaho’s capital; 59. Lunchbox treats; 60. Earth, to Brahms; 61. From the top; 63. U.S. 1, e.g.; 64. U.S. 1 and others: Abbr. — DOWN: 1. Gussies up, in modern slang; 2. Mideast moguls; 3. Kept talking and talking; 4. Year of Super bowl XXXVIII; 54. Call a radio host, say; 6. Troubadour’s repertoire; 8. Four: Prefix; 9. “Dies Irae,” e.g.; 112. TV screen choice, for short; 13. Subway stop: Abbr.; 21. Ricelike pasta; 25. What hoity-toity people put on; 26. Major chip maker; 28. Eastern leaders; 29. Big name in computers; 32. Slight advantage; 33. To be, to Bernadette; 34. Target of a filter; 35. Queen in Greek myth; 39. Least pulchritudinous; 40. 1982 Jeff Bridges flick; 41. Kind of oil; 42. Somber song; 47. Hot crime topic?; 48. Nutritional datum, in brief; 49. Visit in a ghostly way; 51. Cat calls; 53. “Burlesque” co-star, 2010; 54. Architect Saarinen; 55. Jet engine sound; 56. Cellist’s purchases.