01.05.14 — Clued In

Sunday, January 5, 2014

“Clued In” — Puzzle by Alan Derkazarian / Edited by Will Shortz

Everything for which one might dislike a crossword is contained in this obnoxious Sunday crossword puzzle.  Divided into four small crosswords, relying upon trivial knowledge of a board game with which one may or may not be familiar, this one borders on criminality.  Not familiar with CLUE, the board game?  Forget it, just work the four little puzzles (or not) and toss it aside.  Know the game?  Go for it!

• SUSPECT (1A. The “who” of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three shaded answers in this quadrant), e.g., MISS SCARLET.
• ROOM (11A. The “where” of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three shaded answers in this quadrant), e.g., IN THE LOUNGE.
• WEAPON (73A. “The “what” of a Clue accusation, whose identity is hinted at by the three shaded answers in this quadrant), WITH THE ROPE.

MISS SCARLET / IN THE LOUNGE / WITH THE ROPE (89A, 113A and 135A.) is the resulting accusation.  MISS SCARLET is clued by FEVER, LETTER and TANAGER.  ROOM clues are RELAX, IDLE and REST.  WEAPON with REPO, PORE and OPER (anagrams for ROPE).  Entry to the four “rooms” appears to be indicated by the black squares, or not…

Other — “ABANDON SHIP” (75D. Captain‘s last order), ALASKANS (53A. The Palins, e.g.), ALIEN ATTACK (45A. Early Coleco hand-held game), BRANDO (89D. Antony’s player in “Julius Caesar,“ 1953), DIET SODA 30D. It may contain aspartame), LAREDO TEXAS (38A. Southern terminus of I-35), NOT VERY MUCH (78D. Hardly at all), PRETZELS (4D. Ballpark fare), PTERODACTYL (14D. Prehistoric menace), ROLLING PINS (80D. Cartoony clubs), SENNETT (144A. Director Mack of early slapstick).

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