Puzzle by Donna Hoke Kahwaty, edited by Will Shortz
Standard crossword puzzles range in ease or difficulty depending upon the obscurity of the entry or the vagueness of its definition (clue).
A gradation was established by Margaret Farrar, the late crossword puzzle editor for the New York Times, of a Monday to Saturday scale of easy to difficult -- primarily with the thought of the office worker in mind in New York City.
Monday’s puzzle, with its everyday usage entries and sensible definitions allows everyone to get back to work without struggling over some damn nonsense in a crossword puzzle -- a quick-fix feel-good mental challenge. Arriving at work, puzzle done during the commute -- or, if not, quickly under the spread-sheet, or at coffee break. Monday example: Post office purchase = STAMP.
Tuesday’s puzzle is a Monday puzzle with something spilled on it -- workable, but in need of a little squinting. Wednesday and Thursday (and including Sunday) are geared for mid-level ease or difficulty. By Friday -- when one really needs a distraction from the humdrum of the rat race -- an entry like
STAMP is defined as
“Budd portrayer”. Lord knows what definition
(still the same word) it would receive on a Saturday!
Postage STAMP and Terence STAMP
In actuality, a fully-constructed puzzle from a Monday can be re-clued (e.g., re-define the words) where both the entry and the definition are totally removed from everyday use or knowledge. One does not necessarily need entries or definitions that are archaic in order to construct a Friday puzzle; however an OSNABURG or an OSSIFRAGE will insure angst -- Drapery material named for a German city ...and... Vulture that feeds mostly on bone marrow.
From Monday through Thursday there will be entries with quotations, inter-associations, double meanings, letter runs (e.g., “QWERTYUIOP“), single-square word (e.g., “LAM“) and symbol (e.g., “&”) entries -- usually clued by a single entry, such as today’s -- ARTLESS (38A Ingenuous…or like 17-, 24-, 50- and 60-Across), which in this case could be called a double-clued entry with an imaginary second entry.
One finds in this case, the answers (or entries) and their definitions (or clues) to be STINGSALARY (17A Con man’s pay?), HEOFDARKNESS (24A Satan?), SURPRISEPIES (50A Slapstick staples?), and MINIGLASSES (60A Parts of dollhouse dinner table settings?) -- inserting the word “ART” these entries become "starting salary", "heart of darkness", "surprise parties", and "martini glasses".
That takes care of five of the 76 entries; however, those five entries are probably of little use to the solver as in all likelihood one will work toward these entries, rather than from them -- I doubt sincerely, that "sting salary", "he of darkness", "surprise pies" and "mini-glasses" are of everyday usage. Being that there are 76 entries left to solve, these five entries are hardly the main composition of the puzzle; however, I am sure you’ll read otherwise elsewhere -- it certainly is simplistic to lump nearly all of crossword-puzzledom under a one-word definition, especially when it is hackneyed and etymologically incorrect. Further, does one really need a secondary name for a crossword puzzle?
The ten-letter entries UPTHERIVER (11D Jailed); FORESTFIRE (12D Dry season danger), ROADRUNNER (29D Cartoon beeper); DINNERDATE (30D Restaurant companion) are the four other long answers in this puzzle’s grid.
Seven-letter entries and their definitions include CINCHES (4D They’re easy), LOSESIT (46D Snaps), KAYAKS (10D Transportation around the Aleutians) and AROMAS (48D Perfumer’s stock in trade).
Six-letter entries -- ARDENT (28A Full of gusto), RESORT (31A Vacation destination), REMAND (47A Send back), and SNORES (49A Disturbs the peace, in a way).
Five-letter entries -- SCARF (6D Simple knitting project), PALED (7D Went white), OWENS (13D 1936 Olympics record-breaker), ARMED (26D Ready to fight), STUDS (33D Ear decorations), SARGE (50D “Beetle Bailey” character), EVITA (51D Broadway hit that originally opened in London in 1978), PAGER (52D Cellphone’s predecessor), DANCE (1A Flicker), SPEAK (6A Dog command), USAIR (14A Aviation name until 1997), ASHEN (22A Almost white), NOISY (32A Blasting), ANDSO (53A “Then what happened?“), AGATE (65A Banded stone), BITES (66A Snacks), SONAR (68A Ocean explorer’s aid), STILT (69A Long leg?) and CAPRA (15A “Ladies of Leisure” director) - on Monday, he’s the director of “A Wonderful Life”.
There are some twenty or so four-letter word entries, including ASTA (2D 1930s film dog) and ASTI (56D Town ESE of Turin) at the beginning and end of the grid; and the Will Shortz twice-used-definition hallmark (in this case with a contrast), SOOT (18D Symbol of blackness) and SNOW (23D (Symbol of whiteness).
A few less than twenty entries are of three letters, including UFO, IGO, ORE, ERE, ERG, EPA, TRE, TAN and NAN -- often referred to as “fill”, but more appropriately these entries are pure happenstance, although their definitions attempt to give them deliberateness; e.g., 11A Object of some amateur films, 61D “Where did ___ wrong?”, 21A Source of wealth, 67A Palindromic preposition, 5D Bit of work, 8D DDT banner, 19A Afternoon hour in Italy, 37A Salon acquisition, and 62D Bert Bobbsey’s twin.
Donna Hoke Kahwaty’s mid-level standard puzzle construction with its five double-meaning entries is pleasant and ARTFUL!
The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.
Puzzle available on the internet at
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Title: Doré's White Rose - Illustration to Dante's Divine Comedy, Paradiso by Gustave Doré. Plate 34. Dante and Beatrice and the Heavenly Host of Angels (Canto 31: The Saintly Throng in the Form of a Rose)
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Friday, June 15, 2007
Puzzle by Nancy Joline, edited by Will Shortz
MESSENGERS (66A Angels) is as good a topic as any in this standard Friday crossword puzzle. The word "Angel" is taken from the Greek word "Angelos" which means "Messenger".
Angels are those souls who from the beginning of creation never lost contact with the Creator, never had physical lives, and seek only to fulfill the will of the Creator. They came into being as a link between the Creator and humanity. They bring us messages to guide and protect us. Though they usually do not remain with one person exclusively, they can come to you when you call them.
Existing entirely at the will and in the service of God, the angel is frequently dispatched to earth to deliver some important revelation or declaration, usually having much impact upon the lives of the recipients. Aside from the other tasks given to them in relating to earthly affairs, angels are mentioned frequently in the Bible in the ministering role of messengers. While angels have many other duties in tradition, both in heaven and on earth, their role as messengers is still one central to their existence, serving to remind an often forgetful world that God loves all of his Creation and is concerned for its well-being.
One of six 10-letter entries, MESSENGERS is joined in that letter-count by HOROSCOPER (61A One who deals in futures), ERECTORSET (64A Construction equipment), GRANOLABAR (1A Energy source), RENONEVADA (15A Home of the National Automobile Museum), and EVITAPERON (17A First lady who was once a prominent radio actress).
The 10-letter entries are far outnumbered by the 8-letter and 7-letter entries: SINECURE (34A Political payoff, perhaps), OLDTIMER (39A Pops), ADOANNIE (9D "Oklahoma!" girl), PETSTORE (37D Place with cages), GRENADE (1D Pineapple, e.g.), REVOKES (2D Takes back), ANIMALS (3D Brutes), BARRIOS (8D En estos lugares se habla espanol), VANUATU (12D "Survivor" setting, 2004), PLASTER (13D Drub), SIGNORE (14D Gentleman of Verona), ENVELOP (21D Wrap), SYRIANS (29D Modern dwellers of ancient Ebla), OPENBAR (39D Where drinks aren't on you), LABELLE (40D Singer with the 1975 #1 hit "Lady Marmalade"), DUSTUPS (41D Scraps), RETIRES (42D Turns in), TRAIPSE (44D Tramp), REDDEER (45D Highlands relative of an elk), and ASSERTS (46D Maintains) -- totalling four eight-letter and 16 seven-letter entries.
A wonderful criss-crossing of long entries permeates this crossword puzzle grid and only relents with eight six-letter entries, AVENUE (7D Pennsylvania, e.g.), EOCENE (26D Dawn-of-mammals epoch), TATTLE (28D Tell), ENRAGE (20A Tick off), CONTRA (43A Sandinista's foe), ESSAYS (32A Two Ralph Waldo Emerson collections), SATIRE (56A "Gulliver's Travels," e.g.), and DUROCS (49 Some hogs); six five-letter entries, LEPER (6D Object of a miracle of Jesus), NEATO, VOTER, PAULA, EBSEN and DESTE, sixteen four-letter entries, NOTE, RANG, MVPS, CALI, SNAG, NOME, RUIN, TRAP, ERLE, STUD, BIDE, BLUE, ALPS, REST, BORG and AHEM; with a mere ten three-letter entries (the "happenstancers") ONA, MCS, AKA, EON, SAM, NRC, TED, ADS, NET, and CON.
I believe it is important to listen to our MESSENGERS -- even today one saved me from my ultimate demise! If not, you could not read this now.
Nancy Joline has constructed a beautiful crossword puzzle, full of the past, the present and the future, neatly and compactly interlocked in a tight and economical grid of much variety with multiple messages -- what more could a mortal ask?
Hallelujah!
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Puzzle available on the internet at
