02.22.14 — High Spirits


Guido Reni's Archangel Michael Trampling Satan, 1636.

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Saturday, February 22, 2014

Puzzle by Evan Bornholm / Edited by Will Shortz

Across — 1. Ones who think things are good as gold?, ALCHEMISTS; 11. Like metals used by 1-Across, BASE; 15. Feared sight on the Spanish Main, PIRATE SHIP; 16. Obama’s favorite character on “The Wire”, OMAR; 17. Like some parents, STAY-AT-HOME; 18. Big long-distance carrier?, SEMI; 19. Coastal fish consumers, ERNS; 20. Much may follow it, HOW; 21. Composer of the opera “Rusalka”, DVORAK; 23. Deal with, SEE TO; 25. People might pass for them, for short, TDS; 27. High line in the Middle East, EMIRS; 28. Small cell, AAA; 30. Brand of body washes, OLAY; 32. Grp. With the Office of Iraq Analysis, CIA; 33. Art that uses curse words?, BLACK MAGIC; 37. Volt-ampere, WATT; 38. Takes the plunge, RISKS IT; 39. Peak transmission setting of old?, MT SINAI; 41. Declines, with “out”, OPTS; 42. Fall apart, COME UNDONE; 44. Score abbr., ARR; 46. First name of Woodstock’s last performer, JIMI; 46. Split second?, PEE; 47. Golden, in Granada, DE ORO; 49. Hit with skits, for short, SNL; 51. Get off the drive, say, ERASE; 55. No-gooder, BAD EGG; 57. 2012 baseball All-Star Kinsler, IAN; 59. Some plans for the future, briefly, IRAS; 60. Rackets, ADOS; 61. High spirits?, ARCHANGELS; 64. Land capturer, in literature, NEMO; 65. “Bummer”, WHAT A SHAME; 68. Tied, DREW; 67. Whip wielder, DOMINATRIX.

Down — 1. Vaulted areas, APSES; 2. Tall order at a British pub, LITRE; 3. Big picker-upper?, CRANE; 4. Frequent Monet subjects, HAY STACKS; 5. Projection in the air, for short, ETA; 6. Kind of bust, METH; 7. “I SHOT a man in Reno” (“Folsom Prison Blues” lyric); 8. Well-trained boxer, maybe, SHOW DOG; 9. Punk rocker Armstrong with a 2012 Grammy, TIM; 10. Reached 100, say, SPED; 11. Near to one’s heart, BOSOM; 12. First drink ever ordered by James Bond, AMERICANO; 13. Do-gooder, SAMARITAN; 14 Composer called a “gymnopédiste”, ERIK SATIE; 22. Woe, in Yiddish, VEY; 24. Symbols of might, OAKS; 26. Scuzz, SLIME; 29. Facebook connections in Florence?, AMICI; 31. Start sputtering, say, ACT UP; 33. Aid in fast networking, BROADBAND; 34. One getting messages by word of mouth?, LIP READER; 35. Site of the 1992 Republican National Convention, ASTRODOME; 36. Very small (and very important) matter, ATOMS; 37. Like some missed field goals, WIDE RIGHT; 40. Weapon in “The Mikado”, SNEE; 43. Telejournalist’s item, MINICAM; 45. Part of many a training regimen, JOG; 48. Plant in subsequent seasons, RESOW; 50. “Swing Shift” Oscar nominee, LAHTI; 52. In the back, AREAR; 53. Game stew, SALMI; 54. Locale of London Stansted Airport, ESSEX; 56. “Good GAWD A’mighty!”; 58. Side in an Indian restaurant, NAAN; 62. Certain sorority chapter, RHO; 63. Tapping grp., NSA.

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

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Bear with me here. This is an assertion free zone :-D. The mention of Archangels inspired me to pontificate a wee bit. Lucifer who is described in some texts as an Archangel, his name means (probably) light bringer. Compare with Prometheus. The base refers to whiteness, however. For instance, leucocytes refer to what are sometimes called "white blood cells". It (the root leuco)otherwise has no relation to blood. I bring this up because the reference in this puzzle made me think of it. Remember Luca Brasi in "The Godfather"? I'm always looking for symbolism in works such as novels and movies cause those guys just do that a lot. "Luca Brasi" could be interpreted as 'white brass' or 'white bronze'. White bronze is a foundation goldsmiths use to support gold or silver plating in jewelry. This might refer to the circumstance in the movie, while the Godfather still lives, the foundation has been wiped away, and Michael (no reference to the Archangel) must rebuild from scratch.