08.25.13 — Capital L's

Hopper, “A Bug’s Life”, 1998

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Sunday, August 25, 2013

Capital L’s, Puzzle by Victor Barocas / Edited by Will Shortz

In this overly complicated Sunday crossword, eight six-letter state capitals, TOPEKA, DENVER, JUNEAU, BOSTON, AUSTIN, ALBANY, HELENA and PIERRE each give the first and second halves of the capital’s name to two separate L-shaped answers:

• TOPEKA = TOP DOGS (27A. Big kahunas) and EUREKA (9D. Cry of epiphany)
• JUNEAU = JUNIPER (37A. Berry used to make gin) and THOREAU (20D. He wrote “It is life near the bone where it is sweetest”)
• DENVER = DENOUNCE (35A. Censure) and CLEAVER (16D. Butcher’s tool)
• BOSTON = BOSS HOGG (71A. White-suited “Dukes of Hazzard” villain) and SHELTON (46D. Connecticut city)
• AUSTIN = AUSTERE (73A. Spartan) and TINACTIN (43D. Athlete’s foot treatment)
• ALBANY = ALBERTS (104A. Einstein and Camus) and TIFFANY (81D. Renowned jeweler)
• HELENA = HELOISE (106A. Hint-giving columnist) and MACARENA  (77D. 1990s craze)
• PIERRE = PIETA (116A. Religious art figures) and LE CARRE (94D. Best-selling author who once worked for Britain’s M16)

Other — A BUG’S LIFE (130A. Pixar movie between “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2”), BARITONES (19A. Rossini‘s William Tell and others), BRIGHTEST (23A. Superlative for Sirius), CONVERSE (14D. Nike rival), GALAPAGOS (97A. Darwin stopping point, with “the”), IN-PATIENT (126A. Kind of treatment), Poet/dramatist Frederico Garcia LORCA; REISSUING (47A. Putting out on an anniversary, maybe), RINGO (102A. Lead singer on “Octopus’s Garden”), RISK FREE (95A. Guaranteed), ROCK CONCERT (24A. Rush job?), SPIN CITY (92D. TV show on which Charlie Sheen replaced Michael J. Fox), THIS IS A TEST (123A. Emergency Broadcast System opening), TRIPTYCH (51A. Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” for one), UVULA (21A. Lump in one’s throat).

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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.