01.31.14 — Let's Do This Thing

Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate 

a Second Before Awakening (1944) by Salvador Dalí

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Puzzle by Chris A. McGlothlin / Edited by Will Shortz

Across — 1. “No more wasting time!”, LET’S DO THIS THING; 16. Pixar, e.g., ANIMATION STUDIO; 17. Was just getting started, HAD A LONG WAY TO GO; 18. Some foreign friends, AMICI; 19. Union STA: Abbr.; 20. Breathers, LUNGS; 21. “Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der BEEK; 22. It’s a state, BEING; 234. Unduplicated, SOLE; 25. AL’S Toy Barn (“Toy Story 2” setting); 26. Parked cars, VALETED; 28. A Kennedy, TED; 29. Fix, NEUTER; 31. Makes a fuss over, with on”, DOTES; 33. What Sports Illustrated ‘s annual Swimsuit Issue has a lot of, AD PAGES; 35. Marker’s mark maker, FELT TIP; 39. Bottom line?, X AXIS; 41. Cruise, VOYAGE; 42. Professional org. with a “healthy” balance sheet, AMA; 45. Musical instrument for a geisha, SAMISEN; 7. MASH unit, COT; 48. Pioneering map publisher William RAND; 50. 1998 film in which Donny Osmond has a singing role, MULAN; 51. One on the staff?, NOTE; 52. Thin as A RAIL; 54. Romanian capital, LEU; 55. Albert’s sitcom co-star, GABOR; 58. Numbats, BANDED ANTEATERS; 59. Washington report starter, I CANNOT TELL A LIE; 60. Charm, CAST ONE’S SPELL ON.

Portrait of Shaumonekusse, painted by Charles Bird King circa 1822. On display in the White House Library

Down — 1. Caribbean capital, to locals, LA HABANA; 2. Cloisonné, e.g., ENAMELED; 3. Sets things straight, TIDIES UP; 4. Trash talk, SMACK; 5. “Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening” artist, DALI; 6. Tribe of Chief Shaumonekusse, OTO; 7. It hang around trees, TINSEL; 8. Immobilized, HOG TIED; 9. Needing, IN WANT OF; 10. Grp. That’s got your number?, SSA; 11. Texting ta-ta, TTYL; 12. Many Rwandans, HUTUS; 13. Defensive reply, I DO NOT; 14. Nitpick, NIGGLE; 15. Gave a boost, GOOSED; 22. Practice test?, BAR EXAM; 23. Square things, GET EVEN; 26. Setting for “Ocean’s 11”, VEGAS; 27. Actor Alain DELON; 30. Strain, TAX; 32. Home for E.B. White’s Wilbur, STY; 34. Pose as, SIMULATE; 36. “Live más” sloganeer, TACO BELL; 37. Classic song that begins “When my baby / When my baby smiles at me”, I GO TO RIO; 38. “CSI” star William PETERSEN; 40. Few of them were made after 1929, SILENTS; 42. Source of the word “admiral”, ARABIC; 43. One of two in a rumba, MARACA; 44. Pineapples: Sp., ANANAS; 46. Prepares, as some mushrooms, SAUTES; 49. “If I DIDN’T Have You” (2001 Best Original Song Oscar winner); 51. Kind of star, NATAL; 53. “Leading With My Chin” memoirist, LENO; 55. Air force?, GALE; 57. Slip into, DON; 58. Grp. With the 1971 gold album “Pictures at an Exhibition”, ELP.

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01.30.14 — Old Riddle

July 29, 1969 issue of The New York Times signed by Neil Armstrong

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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Puzzle by Dan Schoenholz / Edited by Will Shortz

WHAT’S BLACK, WHITE / AND R[E/A]D ALL OVER along with THIS NEWSPAPER and A SUNBURNED PANDA (17A. With 27-Across, an old riddle; 63A. Answer to another spelling of the riddle) is the main feature of this amusing Thursday crossword.

Other — ANKARA (51D. Site of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations), BALL YARD (6D. Home is one corner in it), BEADY (18D. Like a rat’s eyes), DOWAGERS (40D. Violet Crawley of “Downton Abbey,” and others), EPHEMERA (10D. D. Time-sensitive items); JOHANNES (38D. Artist Vemeer), Box S[E/A]T.

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01.29.14 — What's In a Name?

Ulysses S. Grant, Elgin Baylor, Adam Sandler and Woodrow Wilson

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Puzzle by Michael Black / Edited by Will Shortz

Circled letters within four proper names delineate the individual’s association (country, league, show and conflict) in this modest Wednesday crossword:

ULYSSES S GRANT (20A. A General and his country, e.g., USA
ELGIN BAYLOR (37A. A hoops great and his league), NBA
ADAM SANDLER (44A. A comic and his former show), SNL
WOODROW WILSON (59A. A president and his conflict), WWI

Other — NIOBE (26D. Weeper of myth); PAY TO PLAY (11D. Ante up); RODIN (35D. “The Kiss” sculptor); SHADOW BOX (36D. Spar with nobody).

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For the puzzle in syndication appearing Wednesday, January 29, 2014, 
click on the following link:  12.25.13 — Golden Rings 

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01.28.14 — BO

Bo (born October 9, 2008) is a pet dog of the Obama family, 
the First Family of the United States 

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Puzzle by Jeff Stillman / Edited by Will Shortz

In this Tuesday crossword, BO is added to the end of familiar phrases — soccer mom, twist tie, phone bill and struck dumb — resulting in a sound change that generates an unfamiliar phrase:

SOCCER MAMBO (20A. Celebration dance after a goal?)
TWIST TAE BO (11D. Aerobics done to Chubby Checker music?)
PHONE BILBO (29D. Give a hobbit a ring?)
STRUCK DUMBO (57A. Punched out a Disney elephant?)

Other — DUBAI (53D. Home of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building); GAUCHO (51D. South American cowboy); INFRA-RED (5D. Like some vision); MADCAP (4D. Like the Marx Brothers); OBI and OBOE; PARAKEET (41D. One known for talking back); PSST and PESTS; RUINS and UNEARTH (19A. Archaeological site; 48A. Find, as at an archaeological site); SAPPER (27A. Combat engineer); SPLIT UP (30A. Separated, as a couple).

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01.27.14 — TIME

Monday, January 27, 2014

Puzzle by James Tuttle / Edited by Will Shortz

TIME SHARE (63A. Vacation lodging purchase … or an arrangement between the two halves of the answer to each starred clue?), along with phrases where the word TIME can be shared by the first and second words., e.g., AIR TRAVEL, PEACEKEEPER, LIFELINE, FACE CARD and DINNER TABLE constitutes the interrelated group of this easy-going Monday crossword:

AIR TRAVEL (17A. *Flying)
PEACEKEEPER (24A. *One placed between warring parties)
LIFELINE (32A. *Contestant’s help on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”)
FACE CARD (45A. *King, queen or jack)
DINNER TABLE (52A. *Piece of furniture that might be under a chandelier)

Other — ADEN, AENEID, ANNO, AMA, EDENS, EMEER, ENID and ENO; FIBONACCI (34D. Eponym of a number series that begins 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, …); CLEOPATRA (11D. 1963 Elizabeth Taylor role); DOLCE (39A. Softly, in music); HES and SHE and MACHO (12D. Guys; 55A. “There SHE is, Miss America”; 9A. Hypermasculine); MAGNETO (9D. X-Men villain); NEAT-O (53D. “Far out!“); ONION (69A. “America’s Finest News Source,“ with “The”); R AND R (28D. Early stage of industrial work, for short); TRIED and TRUE (Reliable).

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01.26.14 — Over and Under

Under Your Spell, Alan Wake 2013

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Sunday, January 26, 2014

IT’S ALL RELATIVE, Puzzle by Daniel A. Finan

Edited by Will Shortz

In this irritating Sunday crossword, twelve vertical answers with cross-referenced clues appear in pairs assuming the implied words “under” or “over”:

[Under] A SPELL = BEWITCHED (3D. See 51-Down; 51D. 3-Down, relatively)
NO WAY JOSE = [Over] MY DEAD BODY (6D. See 73-Down; 73D. See 6-Down)
FEELING THE HEAT = [Under] THE GUN (12D. 93-Down, relatively; 93D. See 12-Down)
TALK TO YOU LATER = [Over] AND OUT (12D. 93-Down, relatively; 93D. See 12-Down)
SHELTERED = [Under] LOCK AND KEY (82D. 14-Down, relatively; 14D. See 82-Down)
EXCESSIVE = [Over] THE TOP (42D. 95-Down, relatively; 95D. See 42-Down)

Other — A LEG UP (117A. Some starting help); ANTONYM (119A. Love to hate?); BEHEADS (83A. Tops off?); DUMPED (121A. On the receiving end of a Dear John letter); KENNEDY (116A. Powell’s successor on the Supreme Court); LIBYANS (62A. “Back to the Future” villains); NEOGENE (40A. Period of the Cenozoic Era); OCCUPY (77A. Have troops in); SCATTER (25A. What players do at the start of a game of tag); SHERPA (21A. Summit planner); WARTHOG (92A. Source of ivory); WEASEL (24A. Untrustworthy sort); YOKUM (34A. Li‘l Abner‘s surname).

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01.26.14 — Frankenstein's Cat — the Acrostic

Still from Frankenstein’s Army by Richard Raaphorst

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Sunday, January 26, 2014

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s acrostic draws a quotation from “Frankenstein’s Cat:  Cuddling Up to Biotech’s Brave New Beasts” by Emily Anthes.

We’ve always felt free to meddle with animals in the name of good breeding, with results that sometimes backfire.  We have Dalmatians that are prone to deafness, retrievers with weak hind legs, pugs and bulldogs that can barely breathe.

But as Emily Anthes shows in her witty and well-researched new book, “Frankenstein’s Cat:  Cuddling Up to Biotech’s Brave New Beasts,” the rise of biotechnology has taken animal manipulation to an entirely new level.  And the results can vary from the beneficial to the profitable to the absurd. ~ The New York Times Book Review

The quotation:  [UTAH] IS HOME TO A STRANGE HERD OF GOATS.  THANKS TO … GENES BORROWED FROM A SPIDER, EACH FEMALE … PRODUCES MILK THAT’S CHOCK-FULL OF SILK PROTEINS … [I]N THE LAB, SCIENTISTS CAN EXTRACT THE SPIDER PROTEINS AND SPIN THEM INTO SILK.

The author’s name and the title of the work:  ANTHES, FRANKENSTEIN’S CAT

The defined words:

A. Subject of a tale by Ovid about metamorphosis, ARACHNE
B. Fed; fostered; given sustenance, NOURISHED
C. Fictional character whose initials were used in forming the acronym “Taser” (2 wds.), TOM SWIFT
D. Give a thumbs-up signal?, HITCHHIKE
E. Show; quick, EXPRESS
F. Place providing refuge, SHELTER
G. Way through a park or garden, nature trail, FOOTPATH
H. On roses, one of “My Favorite Things,” per “The Sound of Music”, RAINDROPS
I. Forerunner of the modern ice ax, ALPENSTOCK
J. Enter a state of torpidity (2 wds.), NOD OFF
K. Sauce often used in making meatloaf, KETCHUP
l. Neoprene or natural rubber, chemically, ELASTOMER
M. One of an annual sextet, NOBELIST
N. Card game featured in “The Cincinnati Kid” (2 wds.), STUD POKER
O. England’s Daily Mirror and Sun, for example, TABLOIDS
P. Outer layer of cells in early development, ECTODERM
Q. Prey that may be ensnared in webs, INSECTS
R. Garment for a woman who’s retiring, NIGHTIE
S. Marine gastropod with a shell (2 wds.), SEA SNAIL
T. Smoky quartz named for a Scottish range, CAIRNGORM
U. Ptolemaic treatise on astronomy, ALMAGEST
V. Directive when throwing somebody something unexpectedly (2 wds.), THINK FAST

The complete paragraph of the quotation:  Meanwhile, nearly two thousand miles away, a barn in Logan, Utah, is home to a strange herd of goats.  Thanks to a pair of genes borrowed from a spider, each female goat produces milk that’s chock-full of silk proteins.  When the milk is processed in the lab, scientists can extract the spider proteins and spin them into silk. ~ Google Books, Frankenstein’s Cat

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01.25.14 — Warm Bodies

Zombie Nicholas Hoult in the film “Warm Bodies”, 2013

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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Puzzle by James Mulhern / Edited by Will Shortz

Across — 1. Body that doesn’t remain at rest?, ZOMBIE; 7. Having way too much on one’s plate, SWAMPED; 14. It’s not normal, ANOMALY; 16. Dismissive confession follower, SO SUE ME; 17. Start liking a lot, GET INTO; 18. Rare electee, WRITE-IN; 19. A TO B; 20. Ingredient in an Americano, SODA; 22. Like Fabergé eggs, DAINTY; 23. Repeated battle cry, TORA; 25. Megadyne fractions, NEWTONS; 27. Chef DiSpirito, ROCCO; 29. Dog it, LOAF; 30. Texts, e.g.: Abbr., MSGS; 34. “The Valley of Amazement” novelist, 2013, AMY TAN; 36. Org. for female shooters, LPGA;38. Inuit knife, ULU; 39. Writer of the ethnography “Germania”, TACITUS; 41. Get out of the blasted state?, SOBER UP; 43. What isn’t the small print?: Abbr., ENL; 44. Suffocating blanket, SMOG; 46. Get off the drive, say, DELETE; 47. Food factory stock, DYES; 48. Ninny, BOOB; 51. Utter, SHEER; 52. 20th-century treaty topic, TEST BAN; 55. Priceline possibilities, INNS; 56. Release, UNLOCK; 59. 2012 Pro Bowl player Chris SNEE; 61. Once-common “commonly”, OFT; 62. Game that can’t be played, RAIN-OUT; 64. She wrote “The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands”, DR LAURA; 66. “Spread the happy” sloganeer, NUTELLA; 67. Queen’s weapon, STINGER; 68. Producing zip, STERILE; 69. Strips at a pageant, SASHES.

Down — 1. Given a 20 for food, say, ZAGAT-RATED; 2. Drink that often makes a person sick, ONE TOO MANY; 3. Road hog, MOTORCYCLE; 4. Record label abbr., BMI; 5. Johns of Britain, IANS; 6. John of Britain, ELTON; 7. Recife-to-Rio dir., SSW; 8. Bible, WORD OF GOD; 9. Like Huns, ASIAN; 10. Refusal to speak, MUTISM; 11. Flatten, as a rivet, PEEN; 12. Throw out, EMIT; 13. Keep from, DENY; 15. Demonstrate a wide range on  range?, YODEL; 21. Gone private?, AWOL; 24. Early CliffsNotes subheading, ACT I; 26. Restin’ piece?, TAPS; 28. Energy bar ingredients, OATS; 31. “You guessed it …”; SURE ENOUGH; 32. Like some diets that avoid pasta, GLUTEN-FREE; 33. People people, SUPERSTARS; 35. Ninny, NUMBSKULL; 37. Lincoln and others, ABES; 40. Diesel discharge, SOOT; 42. Primary and secondary, briefly, ELHI; 45. Bunches, GOBS; 48. Habitual high achiever?, STONER; 50. Label stable; BANDS; 53. C.D.C. concern, ECOLI; 54. “Phooey!”, NERTS; 58. Some heavy planters, URNS; 57. Like some flags: Abbr., NAUT; 58. Not full-bodied, LITE; 60. “Modern Gallantry” pen name, ELIA; 63. Swimming gold medalist Park TAE-hwan; 65. Key component: Abbr., ANS.

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01.24.14 — The Friday Crosswords

The crossword puzzle that was published in the January 17 print issue, by Ian Livengood, was published in error.  The correct puzzle for this date, by Kevin G. Der, appeared online that day.  The Livengood puzzle appears online today and the Der puzzle will appear in print.  Select puzzle from one of the two following links:  

The Other Friday Crossword by Ian Livengood

TGI Flying by Kevin G. Der

01.23.14 — Block

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Puzzle by Michael Hawkins / Edited by Will Shortz

A note accompanies this puzzle:  Although this puzzle can be solved in Across Lite, there are elements in the print version that cannot be duplicated electronically.  We recommend using the PDF for the best solving experience.

So, there are three squares containing the word BLOCK in this odd Thursday crossword. The puzzle contains wholly unnecessary numbering differences of the puzzle between the print and electronic versions.

However, to clarify same, the numbering of 23-, 39-, and 56-Across are omitted in the clues.  There are five double-word entries, starting or ending with the word BLOCK in a single unnumbered square.  The number designations that follow are from the electronic version:

NEW KID ON THE [BLOCK]ADE (20A. Member of a boy band with nine top 10 hits / Supply line cutter) — numbered 20A and 23A in print — with SUN [BLOCK]S OUT (9D. Beach bag item / Represses, as bad memories) — clues numbered 9D and 23D in print.

BUTCHER[BLOCK] PARTIES (34A. Kitchen counter option / Some street gatherings) — numbered 35A and 39A in print — with CINDER [BLOCK] QUOTES (15D. Building unit / Set-off chunks of text) — clues numbered 15D and 39D in print.

ICE [BLOCK]BUSTER MOVIE (51A. Bygone delivery / “Titanic” or “Avatar”) — numbered 53A and 56A in print — with CELL [BLOCK]AGE (37D. Cooler part / Obstruction) — clues numbered 37D and 56D in print.

Other — APOGEE (Zenith); DONALD (Daisy’s love); EDIBLE (Food item); FIENDS (Buffs); HERALDS (Royal messengers); NUDES (The Graces in Raphael’s “The Three Graces,“ e.g.); SEWERS (Settings for some escape scenes); SMIRK (Smug look); TUBE PAN (Angel food cake requirement).

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01.22.14 — Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel, illustration by Arthur Rackham, 1909

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Puzzle by Jared Banta / Edited by Will Shortz

HANSEL AND GRETEL (35A. Story mapped out in this grid, from lower left to upper right), along with a trail of BREAD CRUMBS (in circled letters from HOME (in a single square down left) to WITCH (in a single square, upper right), constitutes the interrelated group of this perfectly pleasant Wednesday crossword. 

Of the ilk — BROTHERS GRIM (52A. Publishers of 35-Across, with “the”), EAT NO FAT (11D. Emulate Jack Sprat), HANS CHRISTIAN / ANDERSON (20A. With 23-Across, giant in fairy tales) and RAMONA Quimby of children’s lit.

Other — CÉSAR RITZ (34D. Swiss “king of hoteliers”), EVICTED and LESSEES (30A. Kicked to the curb; 40A. Flat takers), [HOME] BREW and NEAR BEER (61A. Do-it-yourself libation; 37D. It has a low percentage of alcohol), SENSELESS (4D. Lacking reason), TATE (60A. Where many Sargents hang, with “the”), TESLA (27A. Rock band named for an inventor), THE S[WITCH] (9A. 2010 Jennifer Aniston movie), THROWS (47A. Purposely loses), ZITS (63A. Bad marks for a high schooler?).

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01.21.14 — Word Loop

Encounter by M. C. Escher, 1944

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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Puzzle by Todd Gross / Edited by Will Shortz

WORD / LOOP (1A. With 72-Across, what the answers on this puzzle’s perimeter form), e.g., WORD, WOOD, WOOT, TOOT, HOOT, HOOP, LOOP, LOOK, KOOK, COOK, CORK, CORD, constitutes the main feature of this Tuesday crossword:

The words of the loop with their clues:  1A. WORD; 5A. Beech and birch, WOOD; 9A. “Yay!,” in a text message, WOOT; 12D. Beep, TOOT; 31D. Knee-slapper, HOOT; 57D. Basketball target, HOOP; 72A. LOOP; 71. Take a gander, LOOK; 70A. Nutcase, KOOK; 58D. Diner employee, COOK; 32D. One may pop on New Year’s Eve, CORK; 13D. Telephone attachment, CORD.

Other — ADRIP and A TRIP; DEMISE (8D. Death); DREADED (4D. Like calls from bill collectors, typically); IMARET (21A. Turkish hospice); KEY WEST (48A. Florida home for Hemingway); NEUTRAL (46D. Car gear); NEWSWEEK (39D. Magazine launch of 1933 with a hyphen in its name); RE-ENACTS (19A. Performs, as historical scenes); RUPIAH (54A. Indonesian currency); SEXUAL relations; WE MADE IT (9D. Cry upon arrival); WILE E Coyote.

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01.20.14 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial

Washington, D.C., 1963

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Monday, January 20, 2014 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski / Edited by Will Shortz

MLK JR (38A. Annual Jan. honoree), LINCOLN MEMORIAL (17A. Site of a 1963 speech by 38-Across), CIVIL RIGHTS (30A. Cause associated with 38-Across), I HAVE A DREAM (49A. Repeated phrase in 38-Across’s speech at the 17-Across) and LINCOLN MEMORIAL (17A. Site of a 1963 speech by 38-Across) constitute the interrelated group of this fine Monday tribute crossword.

Other — ATTACK AD (58A. Aggressive campaign TV spot), DEAR ME (52D. “My goodness!“), IRANI and OMANI, MAMA and WAWA, PAIRINGS (21A. Matchmaker’s match-ups), PIAGET (12D. Luxury watch brand), RIMIER (9D. Covered with more frost), TAKE A STAND (29D. Get off the fence?), UP IN THE AIR (11D. Still undecided).

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