05.23.14 — Zzzzzzzz

Friday, May 23, 2014

Puzzle by David Steinberg / Edited by Will Shortz

Eight letter Z’s grouped together in the center and the division of the crossword into three essentially separate puzzles (the grid suggesting a stylized letter Z) constitutes the main feature of this Friday crossword.

Across — 1. Tears, CAROUSES; 9. Philatelist’s abbr., PERF; 13. Blow up, OVERSTATE; 15. Zero, for one, OVAL; 16. When Winesap apples ripen, LATE AUTUMN; 18. Genesis source, SEGA; 19. Weapons in Olympic shooting events, AIR GUNS; 20. Actress in a best-selling 1979 swimsuit poster, BO DEREK; 20. Braves’ division, briefly, NL EAST; 23. Make less attractive?, DEGAUSS; 24. Mythical hunter, DIANA; 25. Notable buried at the Cathedral of Lima, PIZARRO; 26. Inside opening?, ENTO; 27. Downs rapidly, GUZZLES; 28. N.F.L. positions: Abbr., RGS; 29. Blew away, DAZZLED; 30. Ottawa electees, for short, MPS; 33. Flusters, TIZZIES; 34. Existed, WERE; 35. Bungler, FOOLER; 36. Soda, at times, MIXER; 37. Tattooed temporarily, HENNAED; 38. Red-eye remedy, VISINE; 39. Mitsubishi model whose name means “huntsman” in Spanish, MONTERO; 40. Describing an ancient tragedian, SENECAN; 41. One of the books in the Book of Mormon, OMNI; 42. Rosalind Russell title role, AUNTIE MAME; 44. Ball PEEN; 45. Lied, TOLD TALES; 46. Filmmaker ERLE C. Kenton; 47. Worker who often takes leaves, BOTANIST.

Down — 1. It doesn’t hold water, COLANDER; 2. Proving beneficial, AVAILING; 3. Camp David and others, RETREATS; 4. Purple-flowered perennial, OREGANO; 5. Patriotic chant, USA USA; 6. Means of attracting publicity, STUNT; 7. Takes courses?, EATS; 8. World Series of Poker champion STU Ungar; 9. Affected sorts, POSEURS; 10. Extremely, EVER SO; 11. Fulminates, RAGES; 12. Kind of jacket, FLAK; 14. Crooked bank manager, maybe, EMBEZZLER; 17. Arizona city across the border from a city of Sonora with the same name, NOGALES; 21. Belled the cat, DARED; 23. Confused, DIZZIED; 25. Solve, PUZZLE OUT; 27. Ben of “Run for Your Life”, GAZZARA; 29. Moon of Saturn, DIONE; 30. Latin America’s northernmost city, MEXICALI; 31. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, PRE-NAMES; 32. Least flustered, SERENEST; 33. Life insurance plan, TONTINE; 34. Member of a biblical trio, WISEMAN; 35. Kitchen bulb?, FENNEL; 36. Democrat in the Bush cabinet, MINETA; 37. It’s a long shot, HOMER; 38. “Casablanca” actor Conrad VEIDT; 39. Emulate Eeyore, MOPE; 40. Capital of France’s Manche department, ST LO; 43. Head, in slang, NOB.

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