12.11.12 — Santa and Company

 
 
 
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Tuesday, December 11, 2012
 
Puzzle by Gene Newman / Edited by Will Shortz

SAINT NICHOLAS (35A. Figure associated with eight answers in this puzzle), along with DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID, DONNER and BLITZEN, constitutes the interrelated group of this seasoned Tuesday crossword that only a Scrooge might dislike!
 
Other — ALSACE-Lorraine, ARIANA Grande, ARRIVALS, ESTHETES (12D. Art lovers), GLEAMS, HACIENDA (20A. Home that usually has a tile roof), HANG ON, I’M ON IT, MISS CUBA (11D. Havana beauty, maybe), NEW AGE, ONEIDA, PIECES, PILSENER (51A. Pale, light lager beer), SEA LION (35D. Fish-eating creatures), SORT OF.
 
Five-letter — AGILE, ANISE, CAPRA, CERTS, CHAIR, CONEY Island, ECONO, ENEMY, ESSAY, ESSEN, INLET, Fighting IRISH, IVIED, LOANS, LOESS, MABEL Normand, MEMOS, NORMS, ONE IN a million, OP ART, PESTS, TINEA (47D. Athlete‘s foot, e.g.), TRADE, ZESTY.
 
Short stuff — ADOS, ARA, CUB, CWT, DAD (1A. June honoree), DTS, EDO, ENS, HAS, IMAX, “IRMA la Douce“, IRR, LED, LIE, LODE, MOM (33D. May honoree), MTV, NIT, PARD, PERI, RAF, RARO, REL, SIN, TES, UAR, UPON, UTE.

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Puzzle available on the internet at


Remaining clues — ACROSS: 4. Mythical archer; 9. Bon Ami competitor; 14. Notre Dame coach Parseghian; 15. Illusory pictures; 16. Licorice flavorer; 17. Confession in a confessional; 18. Standards; 19. Reasons to call an exterminator; 22. Fighting ___ (Notre Dame team); 23. Other side; 24. High-stepping horse; 26. Uncommon: Sp.; 27. Professorship; 30. Western tribe; 31. Kind of music not known for its beat; 33. Old-time actress Normand; 38. Two … two … two mints in one; 39. Sparkles; 40. Former Mideast inits.; 41. Loamy soil; 42. Fusses; 46. Flash: Ger.; 49. Commercial prefix meaning “thrifty”; 50. Like some college walls; 54. Bank department; 55. Office missives; 56. Annual hoops event, for short; 57. Fjord, e.g.; 58. Swap; 59. Tokyo, once; 60. Part of many a college application; 61. Sexually attractive woman; 62. Battle of Britain victor, for short. — DOWN: 1. 100-meter competitor, e.g.; 2. Actress Grande; 3. Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers; 4. New York’s ___ Island; 5. Well versed in; 6. Western buddy; 7. “___ la Douce” (Billy Wilder film); 8. Sot’s peril; 9. “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” director; 13. French possessive; 21. “Good as done”; 22. Sale tag abbr.; 24. Fragments; 25. Reunion attendee, maybe: Abbr.; 27. 100 pounds: Abbr.; 28. Be right with you …”; 29. Quick on one’s feet; 32. U.S.N.A. grad: Abbr.; 36. Airport sign; 37. Is down with; 38. Chicago major-leaguer; 41. Headed; 43. ___ Pass; 44. Iroquois tribe; 45. Somewhat; 48. Lively; 49. Ruhr city; 51. Persian fairy; 52. Motion picture format; 53. Ore deposit; 54. “The check is in the mail,” maybe; 55. “Unplugged” network.
 

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