Nine answers "project" one letter above or below the crossword and when read clockwise from top center spell out "SORE THUMB."
[S]HARKFIN (9D. Seafood soup base) [O]LD FAITHFUL (12D. Attraction that operates under its own steam?) [R]ADIO ANTENNA (15D. Catcher of some waves) SUNSHINE STAT[E] (59D. Words below a orange on a license plate) VAMPIRE BA[T] (72D. Hematophagous creature) OCEAN TRENC[H] (67D. Mariana, e.g.) DROP-DOWN MEN[U] (62D. It might contain a list of postal abbreviations) [M]OUNT MCKINLEY (4D. Peak that's known as "The Great One") [B]EAN SPROUT (6D. Crisp bit in a stir-fry)
Other — EKE BY(108A Barely manage); HELENA (66D. Capital city founded during a gold rush); HIBERNATION (100A. Sleep mode?); IT’S NO WONDER (23A. “I expected as much“); LIE and LEI (99D. Fiction; 85D. Hula hoop?); MAPLE LEAF (76A. Hockey team with a patriotic name); MOREL (19D. Seasonal linguine topper); ; OBOL (36D: Coin to pay for passage across the River Styx); SMARTPHONE (78A. Distracttion for many an idle person); SUH-WEET (45A. “Awe-SOME!”); TOMFOOLERY (50A. Shenanigans).
Since the doors of the first subway train opened in 1904, New Yorkers and tourists alike have been fascinated, amused, amazed, repelled and bewildered by the world-within-a-world that lies beneath the city.
Now, as the subway celebrates its centennial anniversary, the creator of The New York Times's award-winning "Tunnel Vision" column leads us on an extended tour of this storied subterranean land, revealing:
Its inhabitants: the Tango Man, the traveling magician, Mayor Bloomberg
Its wildlife: the subway-riding pigeons, the Fulton Street cat, the blind mules
Its customs, taboos and secret histories: door blocking, leg spreading, pole hugging, even, yes, token sucking
Its government: the sheriff of Grand Central, the Ethel Merman of the shuttle, the motorman who drove the last No. 1 train beneath the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001
Tips for the first-time traveler: how to get a seat, how to get a date, the fine art of "pre-walking" ~ amazon.com
The quotation: WORKERS HAVE COME ACROSS ALL MANNER OF HUMANITY IN THE SUBWAY OVER THE YEARS. LIKE THE HOMELESS MAN WHO LIKED TO SIT AT A Y IN THE TRACKS, IN A LAWN CHAIR, WITH A BATTERY-POWERED LIGHT, READING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.
The author’s name and the title of the work: RANDY KENNEDY, “SUBWAYLAND”
The defined words: A. Part of Queens served by the A train, ROCKAWAY B. Ventilation aid for an underground transportation system (2 wds.), AIR SHAFT C. Not terribly old, fairly recent, NEWISH D. Weapon Nikola Tesla supposedly made (2 wds.), DEATH RAY E. Vociferous cry of protest, YOWL F. Winner of the first Tony for Best Original Score (2 wds.), KURT WEILL G. Bay State symbol (2 wds.), ELM TREE H. Ruff, muffler, bandanna or boa, NECKWEAR I. Underground; deep-below, NETHER J. Beyoncé’s role in “Cadillac Records” (2 wds.), ETTA JAMES K. Intended for sale to hoi polloi (hyph.), DOWN-MARKET L. New York alma mater for Chaim Potok, YESHIVA M. Event generating a huge amount of buzz, SENSATION N. Father of “the once and future king”, UTHER O. Product made by Parker and Pentel, BALLPOINT P. McCarthyite pursuit (2 wds), WITCH HUNT Q. Procedure for solving a problem, ALGORITHM R. Resort city on the Black Sea, YALTA S. Over-the-top verbosity, LOGORRHEA T. Ingredients in tapenade and Caesar salad, ANCHOVIES U. Eponymous founder of a Copenhagen research institute (2 wds.), NIELS BOHR V. Cup from which Turkish coffee is drunk, DEMITASSE
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Of interest — ADORATION and IDOL(11D. Something shown to 46-Acrosses; 46A. Recipient of 11-Down); BACTERIA (38D. Germ); DIAMOND (36A. Pirates‘ place); DIXIECRAT and DUXELLES (3D. Onetime Strom Thurmond designation; 17A. Mushroom layer of a beef Wellington); DON’T ERASE (52A. Chalked warning left for custodial staff); FLINTSTONE (9D. Noted employee of Slate); I’M UP FOR IT 2D. Volunteer’s assurance); KIDS’ MEAL (1A. It may facilitate playing with one’s food); LADY DI (16A. Spectator who got a standing O at Wimbledon in 1981); LETTUCES (42A. Heads for the garden?); NON-STARTER (27D. Really bad idea); SMELL TEST (30D. Informal gauge of credibility); STATE LINEand TIME-SAVER (33D. Where you might lose an hour; 34D. It might gain you an hour).
Of interest — ABOUT A BOY (2D. 1998 coming-of-age novel by Nick Hornby); BY ACCIDENT (47A. Without trying); EYE RHYMES (36A. Four-hour tour features?); GYPSIES (34D. Broadway chorus dancers, informally); HATCHES (37D. Sub entries);HEALTH FOOD (15A. Good eats); HORSEHIDE (29D. Old baseball coverage?); IN RARE FORM (18A. Doing particularly well); OZONE HOLE (31D. Atmospheric problem); POKER GAME (3D. Oscar Madison’s weekly event); SAINTHOOD (27A. Judas never attained it);STONEHENGE (20A. Site of an annual British music festival); UPS THE ANTE (51A. Increases risk and reward); YOKE (17A. For which two heads are better than one?); ZEROES IN ON (53A. Gets very near).
This tiresome Thursday crossword features another one of those “think about it after you solve it” gimmicks. This one is EVEN / ODDS(33A: With 34-Across, 50-50 chance … or a hint to answering six equations in this puzzle), along with ALTERNATION (54A: Duke's ride + slowly = this puzzle's theme). The clues refer to three different answers: the first + second answers alternate letters in the grid, for a third answer on the other side of the "=" sign. Who cares?
CELLO SUITES (16A: Hits hard + famed spokescow = some Bach compositions), e.g., CLOUTS and ELSIE RAIL PASS (20A: Rends + word of regret = commuter's purchase), RIPS and ALAS CIA SPIES (22A: Cloak + Egyptian deity = some spooks), CAPE and ISIS BLUETITS (48A: Rear + floral rings = colorful birds), BUTT and LEIS FREE MEAL (50A: Relief org. + stagger = soup kitchen offering), FEMA and REEL
Other — ABBESS (35A. Superior woman?); BEER MUG (36D. One hanging around a bar?); CLERISY (1D: Intelligentsia); HOT SAKE (12D. Winter serving in a Japanese restaurant); RUG (57A. Turkoman, e.g.); SULTANS (2D. Mideast V.I.P.’s); TEDIUM (46A. Monotony).
In this interesting Wednesday crossword, common words / phrases have a negative contraction added to the end and are vaguely reclued to justify the change.
ANI MUSTN'T (18A: Singer DiFranco should heed a warning), ANIMUS CATS CAN'T (23A: Jazz players are incapable), CAT SCAN BUSH WASN'T (35A: W. never existed), BUSHWA MATH ISN'T (49A: Calculus disappears), MATHIS KATY DIDN'T (55A: Singer Perry opted out), KATYDID
Other — AGORA(17A. Ancient marketplace); AKIM Tamiroff of “Anastasia”; A-TRAIN (48A. Transport in an Ellington tune); COLGATE (38D. Ipana competitor, once); CROUTON (24D. Salad bar cube); SASHIMI (41D. Fare often served with wasabi); SKIBOB (25A. Winter recreation on vehicle); TINY TIM (42D. Boy in a Scrooge vision); TOTE BAG (11D. Gift to a donor, maybe); TWISTED (39D. Injured, as an ankle); VAN GOGH (12D. Post-impressionist with several self-portraits); WAKED (15A. Rose from slumber, old-style).
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ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE(39A. Beatles hit that’s a hint to both parts of the answer to each italicized clue) is the main feature of this Tuesday crossword:
CHILD SEAT(18A. *Removable car safety feature) BIRD’S NEST (22A. *Asian soup ingredient) MATCH GAME (54A. *Classic daytime show hosted by Gene Rayburn) LIFE STORY (61A. *Biography)
Other — BEST(1A. First word in every Academy Award category); BOCCE (1D. Lawn sport); DAHLIA (46D. Mexico’s national flower); MAGNOLIA (26D. Southern bloom); TANDOORI (9D. Cooked in a clay oven, as in India); ÜBERGEEK.(40D. One who’s fluent in both JavaScript and Klingon, say).
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I NAILED IT (57A. Appropriate exclamation upon solving this puzzle?), along with the steps of a manicure (CLIP, FILE, BUFF, SHINE, POLISH, found at the ends of five answers) constitutes the interrelated group of this Monday crossword
VIDEO CLIP (17A. Excerpt shown on TV) CIRCULAR FILE (23A. Wastebasket, jocularly) TRAIN BUFF (33A. Visitor at a railroad museum, say) MOONSHINE (39A. Product of a backwoods still) SOCIAL POLISH (45A. What a boor sorely lacks)
Other —BABYLON(9D. Ancient Hanging Gardens city), BROIL and I’M COLD (35D. Swelter; 5D. “Brr-r-r!“), LOANS (47D. What banks always have interest in?), STORIED (40D. Illustrious, as a past), TIKIS (22D. Polynesian carvings), TRINI (33D. Lopez with the hit “If I Had a Hammer“).
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This Sunday’s crossword is a mish-mash. The note heading the puzzle is of no real help in solving the puzzle being an afterthought, over-long and a who-cares.
For the record, the note preceding the crossword reads “When this puzzle is completed, the circled letters will form a path (starting in the first circle of 93-Across) spelling out the puzzle’s theme. Each long Down answer contains a hidden city, reading in order from top to bottom, not necessarily consecutively. The location of the city, and its number of letters, are indicated.”
The feature referred to in the note is JULES / VERNE (1-Down and 141-Down),AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (in circled letters throughout the puzzle beginning and ending at HELM), with the long down answers containing a “hidden” city (uncircled letters) -- think of the crossword existing without the over-wrought stunt and plod through this dreadful thing. Or just forget it altogether.
The cities from left to right:
SAINT FRANCIS COLLEGE (3D. Brooklyn Heights school), San Francisco
THE NEW YANKEE WORKSHOP (31D. PBS craft show for 21 seasons), New York
LETTING ONE’S HAIR DOWN (6D. Relaxing), London
LEMON SQUEEZERS(75D. Ones pressed into service in the kitchen?), Suez
BORN TO BE MY BABY(10D. 1988 Bon Jovi hit), Bombay
SPECIAL COURT MARTIAL (39D. Military trial for a misdemeanor), Calcutta
THE LONG KISS GOOD NIGHT (14D. 1996 Geena Davis thriller), Hong Kong
YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING (41D. “Get it?”), Yokohama
Other — BAGPIPES((160A. They’re blown at some weddings), HELM (85A. Captain’s spot), HOT DATES (12A. Much-anticipated nights out), MARATHON (148A. Long-running event?), OPEN BAR (43D. Popular party feature), STUD FARM (26A. Breeding ground), WONKY (67A. Not quite right).
Of interest — AESOP (2D. “Slow and steady wins the race” source); CHESHIRE (23D. County of Lewis Carroll’s birth); CLOWN CAR (21D. Hollowed-out comedic prop); EGO TRIP (44D. Retweeting of rave reviews, possibly); ESKIMO KISS (17A. Touching of noses); EXIT LANES (33D. You might move over for them on the highway); FLOODLIGHT (64A. Night game requirement); FREE CLIMB (12D. Ascent without assistance); HATCHET JOB (1A. Reputation ruiner); KRONOR (51A. Swedish coins); MATHIS (46A. “It’s Not for Me to Say” crooner); OFFICE BOY (43A. Certain gofer); PLACE A BET (55A. Wager); ROCK GARDEN (60A. Form of xeriscaping); SCOTCH EGG (20A. Deep-fried pub dish); SNARES (46D/ Gobbles); THE CURE (42D. “Friday, I’m in Love” band, 1992); YOU LIE (28A. “False, false, false!”).
Six full-length-of-the-puzzle answers constitutes the main feature of this mean Friday crossword:
SEALED WITH A KISS (1A. Message accompanied by red lips) ALL OVER THE PLACE (16A. Like a hot mess) BAGGAGE CAROUSEL (17A. Where everything has been checked) TRACTOR TRAILERS (50A. They’re good for the long haul) RUSSIAN ROULETTE (53A. Game with one round) ON HANDS AND KNEES (54A. Like many floor cleaners)
Other — BROAD (45D. Like dales, but not glens); EL NORTE (38D. Los Estados Unidos, en Mexico); HOT IRON (36D. Means of branding); SABADO (1D. Saturday, in Seville); SELFIE (15D. Many an Instagram); SILK (49D. Web content); WRESTLE (7D. Get a lock on e.g.).
Puzzle by Peter A. Collins / Edited by Will Shortz
RAISED THE BAR (52A. Elevated expectations or what this puzzle’s maker did to five answers in this puzzle), e.g., raising the BAR- prefix of words and/or phrases to the row just above the remainder of the aforementioned words and/or phrases, constitutes the main feature of this fairly agreeable Thursday crossword:
BAR/ REL OF MONKEYS (17A. It gets a tow; 20A. Metaphor for fun) BAR / OQUE (10A. Communicate like a drill sergeant; 16A. Scarlatti’s style) BAR / RIER REEF (31A. Unpainted, say; 36A. Shoreline protector) BAR/ T SIMPSON (38A. Prefix with -meter; 42A. Perpetual 10-year old of TV) BAR / BIES (60A. Campaign from town to town; 64A. Line of Mattel dolls)
Other — AHOY(47A. Exclamation that’s made up of two shorter exclamations); CORING (29D. Geophysicist’s activity); DARK (8D. Word with horse or meat); DEBTEE and LOAN (27D. One offering a 7-Down; 7D. Advance); DECORS (27A. Looks inside a building); EARTH SIGN (18A. Capricorn, Taurus or Virgo); MRS DASH (21D. Seasoning brand); THE FORE (5D. A place of prominence).
In this friendly Wednesday crossword, thrice-repeated single words change meaning when the sequence of letters are divided in a different manner:
VIS À VIS A VISA (20A. In relation to someone’s travel document?) ABE LABEL ABEL (33A. “Grampa Simpson, describe a Genesis figure?”) RIDER I DERIDE (41A. Jockey who’s jeered by me?) P. I. SPIES PIES (57A. Detective catches siht of bakery wares?)
Other — ASH and ASPEN (12D. Makeup of some bats); 53D. Wood used n matchmaking); EASTER (23A. Holiday not widely observed by Quakers); LATINO (31A. Many a MundoFox watcher); PRAIRIE / DOG (5D. With 11-Down, barking rodent); STENOS (49D. Notepad holders of old).
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Four Tom Swifties constitute the main feature of this Monday crossword: 18A. “You forgot to water the plants,” Tom said WITHERINGLY” 28D. “Being a bit laz, prefer automatic,” Tom said SHIFTLESSLY” 1A. “Oh, I just fed the alligator,” Tom said OFFHANDEDLY” 3D. “As much as I’d like, you’re not getting any of my estate,” Tom said UNWILLINGLY”
Other — ALICE and ANNIE(15A. Girl who was a guest at the Mad Hatter’s tea party; 69A. Hit 1977 musical with the song “It’s the Hard-Knock Life”); DISCO (60A. “Saturday Night Fever” music genre); Playwright LILLIAN Hellman; NEPAL and SEISMIC (25D. 2015 earthquake locale; 9D. Earth-shaking); STEREOS (56A. Sound systems).
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To-Do List (Abridged), Puzzle by Joe Krozel Edited by Will Shortz
Six sets of overlapping phrases constitutes the main feature of this Sunday crossword: WIND A WATCH A PLAY A PRANK (23A: Set time / Go to theater / Engage in tomfoolery). i.e. wind a watch / watch a play / play a prank THUMB A RIDE A WAVE A FLAG (33A: Hitchhike / Surf / Show patriotism) DO A FLIP A COIN A PHRASE (54A: Somersault / Start football game / Invent some language) RUN A LIGHT A FIRE A SHOT (75A: Not stop at intersection / Warm up / Use rifle) MAKE A CATCH A BUS A TABLE (89A: Play baseball / Take public transportation downtown / Clean up after diners leave) FILE A RETURN A BOOK A TRIP (108A: Finish taxes / Visit library / Plan vacation)
Other — Renaissance artist ANDREA del Sarto; CRIME SCENE (50A. Place to pick up prints); DRAPE (37D. Window dressing), FOOT IT (56D. Go by walking), MARINE CORPS (19A. Group of companies); SHRINK (86D. Head analysts?); WIVE (99D. Take as a bride).
