08.21.12 — PLunder the Sea, etc..

 

Deep Sea Fish, 1994, Sally Morgan

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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Puzzle by Josh Knapp / Edited by Will Shortz

Adding the letters PL to the front of common phrases forming uncommon ones constitutes the interrelated group of this pleasing Tuesday crossword:

PLUS WEEKLY (18A. Magazine for arithmetic lovers?)
PLEAT MY SHORTS (24A. Bizarre demand to a dry cleaner?)
PLACE OF DIAMONDS (39A. Zales or Tiffany’s?)
PLUNDER THE SEA (51A. Overfish?)
PLACID RAIN (60A. Light shower?)

Other — ADVISE, HERALD, MILDEST (27D. Least spicy), NEW DELHI, ONCE AGAIN, REECHO (9D. Bounce around a canyon, say), SCORSESE (49A. Oscar-winning director of “The Departed,” 2006), “It would SEEM TO me …”, SLEEPWEAR (3D. Retirement attire).

Five-letter — ALLOT, EAMES, EBOLA, HAYES (13D. First president to have a telephone in the White House), HEGEL (57A. Philosopher who was the father of dialectical idealism), JOKER, LA LAW, MARSH, MEESE, MESSY, PIPES, RAJAH, RERUN, SPELT, STEAM, SWINE (69A. Ones before whom pearls are cast), TESLA, Grand THEFT Auto, TISCH, UMAMI (53D. Taste that‘s not sweet, sour, bitter or salty).

Short stuff — AAH, ABE and ABLE, ALOE, ALPO, APE and APU, BEER, Silent CAL, CEN, CLAN, DABS, DISH, DOPE and NOPE, EARL, “ELLA Enchanted“, ENVY, EOE, GDP, GLAM, HEED, HOPI, HOT and NOT, “Luke, I AM your father“, I BET, IDS, ISLE, LEO X, LOL, NEST, OLE, ONYX, OTHO (28D. Emperor of A.D. 69), PDAS, SIC, TIVO, UPDO, VEE, WISH.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Gossip; 5. David Bowie’s rock genre, informally; 9. Old Indian ruler; 14. Fit; 15. Excellent, in modern slang; 16. African virus; 17. Samuel Adams or Corona; 20. Momentum, informally; 22. [as written]; 23. Want ad letters; 29. City served by Indira Gandhi International Airport; 31. Sexy; 32. Flamenco cry; 33. Took part in a bee, British-style; 35. Arizona tribe; 43. Middling noble rank; 44. Early Westinghouse collaborator; 45. Silent ___ (Coolidge nickname); 46. “That feels goo-oo-ood!”; 56. Center of gravity?; 65. Chair designer Charles; 67. High coif; 68. Record for later, in a way; 70. Hornets’ home; 71. Deep black gem. — DOWN: 1. Applies with a Q-Tip, say; 2. “Yeah, sure …”; 4. Usher in with fanfare; 5. Important econ. Indicator; 6. “U crack me up!”; 7. “Thank you, come again” speaker, on “The Simpsons”; 8. Like drawn-out divorces; 10. Lincoln moniker; 11. Card #53 or #54; 12. Dole out; 19. Genie’s offering; 21. Reagan attorney general Ed; 25. Chow chow chow brand; 29. “Uh-uh”; 34. N.Y.U.’s ___ School of the Arts; 36. “I repeat …”; 37. Droids, e.g., for short; 38. Aruba or Bora Bora; 40. Extended family; 41. Ingredient in some suntan lotions; 42. Waterlogged locale; 47. Counsel; 48. Take counsel from; 51. Singing ability, informally; 52. 1980s-’90s courtroom drama; 58. Green-eyed monster; 59. Pope who excommunicated Martin Luther; 61. 100 years: Abbr.; 62. Jungle swinger; 63. Checks the age of, in a way; 64. “Only kidding!”

08.20.12 — LUCK

Monday, August 20, 2012

Puzzle by Robert Cirillo / Edited by Will Shortz

LUCK (52D. Word that can follow the starts of 20-, 28-,43- and 52-Across), along with BEGINNER’S GUIDE (20A. Help for newbies), DUMB QUESTION (26A. There’s no such thing as this, according to a saying), TOUGH AS NAILS (43A. Really strong) and LADY NANCY ASTOR (5A. First woman to sit in the British House of Commons) constitutes the interrelated group of this Monday crossword.

Other — ADENAUER (5D Former German chancellor Konrad), BARN OWL (41D. Nocturnal rodent hunter on a farm), CALL A CAB (38D. Arrange for transport to the airport, perhaps), INSURABLE (33D. Like a car or home, to State Farm), ROAD SIGNS (11D. Stop, Yield or No U Turn), ROUGHER (9D. Not as gentle).

Mid-size — ADAGE, AMIES, ASCOTS, ATRIA, BOAST, CANOE, COVES, CURVY, Broadway‘s “Billy ELLIOT“, GO DEAD, INNER tube, LEVER, OVATE, PLAZA, PROBE, QUEEN, REDID, SOIREE, SUPERB, TASSEL, TRYST.

Short stuff — AAR, ACT, AHOY, ASS, BYE, CUE and CUBE, DEE and DRE, DYS, EKED, ERE, EROS, GTO, HAY, HMOS, LAZY, LOOK, LTS, LYES, NAME, NINE, NOEL, OHIO, ONTO, OOZE, OTOE, POUR, PUPU platter, ROAR, SILT, SKY, SNL, SPUR, SUMO, TINY, UCLA, UKE and UKR, UMS and UMPS, UOMO, WON’T, ZITI.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. City square; 6. Thing on a cowboy’s boot; 10. Arrow-shooting Greek god; 14. Overhauled; 15. Man, in Roma; 16. “See for yourself!”; 17. Almost round; 18. ___ platter (order at a Polynesian restaurant); 19. Word before Susan or Sunday; 23. Prior to, in verse; 24. Swiss river to the Rhine; 25. Med. Care options; 31. Evening event; 34. Kiev’s land: Abbr.; 35. 1964 Pontiac debut; 37. Sandra of “Gidget”; 38. Craft with a paddle; 40. Columbo and others: Abbr.; 41. “Ta-at”; 42. Graduation cap attachment; 47. Sound heard before an MGM film; 48. Weekend NBC staple, for short; 49. Be a thespian; 56. Six-sided solid; 57. Home of Lima and Toledo; 58. Not straight, as a street; 59. The Bruins of the N.C.A.A.; 60. The Who’s “___ Get Fooled Again”; 61. Parisian girlfriends; 62. Barely made, with “out”; 63. Caustic alkalis; 64. “I came, I saw, I conquered,” e.g. — DOWN: 1. Government investigation; 2. Prying bar, e.g.; 3. “Honesty is the best policy,” e.g.; 4. Large-tubed pasta; 6. A-one; 7. Rain cats and dogs; 8. Officials on a diamond; 12. Move like molasses; 13. Wild blue yonder; 21. Identify; 22. Verbal hesitations; 26. Rap’s Dr. ___; 27. Elizabeth I or II; 28. Hawaiian instrument, for short; 29. Oklahoma tribe; 30. Christmas song; 31. River deposit; 32. Latch ___; 37. Prefix with functional; 39. Donkey; 42. Wee; 44. Stop working, as a car battery; 45. Farm bale; 46. Broad ties; 49. Heart chambers; 50. Quiet places along a shore; 51. Meeting for Romeo and Juliet; 53. Chips ___!; 54. Number of “lives” a cat has; 55. Kind of wrestling; 56. Pool ball striker.

08.19.12 — OH, REALLY!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

“OH, REALLY?“, Puzzle by Freddie Cheng / Edited by Will Shortz

Eight common phrases with the sound of O replacing the sound of L, e.g. jingle/jingo, Jackyl/Jacko, Temple/Tempo, cycle/psycho, renal/Reno, eagle/ego, total/Toto and sickle/sicko, forming uncommon phrases, constitutes the interrelated group of this Sunday crossword:

• JINGO ALL THE WAY (23A. Ultranationalism?)
• THE DAY OF THE JACKO (39A. “Thriller” Grammy sweep?)
• TEMPO OF DOOM (48A. Speed at which the apocalypse is coming?)
• RINSE PSYCHO (64A. Obsessive-compulsive soap purger?)
• RENO FAILURE (74A. Big gambling loss in the Biggest Little City in the World?)
• AMERICAN EGO (91A. Bad precept for U.S. foreign policy?)
• TOTO ANNIHILATION (99A. Not a happy ending on the yellow brick road?)
• HAMMER AND SICKO (121A. TV detective with his unbalanced suspect?)

Other — AESOPIC (51A. Having allegorical meanings), ANTI-TAX, APOSTLE, AROUSAL, AT LONG LAST, CHA CHAS, ETCHANT, LEG CRAMPS, MARLENA Shaw, Kate MIDDLETON, Paul O’NEILLS, REFUSE HEAP (14D. Dump), RONZONI, UNDERMINE.

Mid-size — ACETIC, ADDLED, AENEID, AGENDA, ALIENS, ALPES, AMISS, ARCANE, AURATE, BLEEPS, CHESTY, CORNET, DIRGES, EASEL, Zhou ENLAI, ENOKI (5D. Japanese mushroom), ENSEAT, EXACTA, FELLA, Enrico FERMI, FINERY, GYRATE, JESUS, KEENER, LES MIZ, LOATHE, LOOFAH, MALLET, Zubin MEHTA, “Eugene O’NEGIN“, House of ORANGE, Peter O’TOOLE, PANAMA, REAPED, REPASS, SAYS SO, SEEM TO, SLIME, SONYS, STOCK, STREAK, TAUPES, TIRADE, TOTERS.

Short stuff — ACHE, AGES, AHA, ALIT, ALOE, ANA and ANO, ANIL, AOL, ARCO, CELL, CEOS, DAB, DEEP, DIOR, DRE, DSOS, DUE, Dame EDNA Everage, ELSE, EMMA, END and ENT, ESTA, EXIT, FIR, HAR and HAW, HIT, HTTP, ICEE, DEA, “Are you IN OR out?”, INRE, IRAN, I THE, LETO (113D. Consort of Zeus), LODE, LINO and LONI, MAJS, MAXI, MIAS, MNO, MTN, NEON, NEMO, NIL, ORYX, OVEN, PACK, PIE, PTA, RENT, RIOT, ROI, SELL, SERB, SKIP, SLAT, SODS, STY (13D. Dump), TOAD, TOTS, TSA, UFO, VEER, XKES.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Polo need; 7. Some ballroom dances; 14. Go by again; 20. Figures in TV’s “V”; 21. Acid, e.g.; 22. One-two wager; 25. Sunday best; 26. Keep on hand; 27. View from une chalet, maybe; 28. Reforms?; 29, Scream, so to speak; 31. Gray shades; 35. Mil. Stat; 44. Appear that way; 46. Zero; 47. More than dislike; 56. 43-Down follower; 57. Brought in; 61. Gold-compound salt; 62. Balkan native; 66. Source of indigo; 70. Kate who married a prince; 73. Classic Jags; 77. Venetian strip; 80. Louis Armstrong played one; 81. More gung-ho; 84. Excitement; 89. Former Treasury secretary Paul and former Yankee Paul; 93. Spa item; 97 L-P center; 98. Non compos mentis; 105. Choice word; 107. Do a hula, e.g.; 108. Swerve; 110. Goes (for); 112. Nastily slander; 116. Wrong; 120. What a chair may hold; 125. Solemn pieces; 126. Like the Boston Tea Partiers; 128. Opposite of dethrone; 129. Big name in pasta; 130. Curses out? — DOWN: 1. Some mil. Brass; 2. Settled down; 3. Lead-in to type; 4. Bikers’ woes; 6. J.F.K. search party?; 7. Clandestine group; 8. Link letters; 9. Joint concern; 10. Opposite of flat; 11. Part of a bray; 12. Santa ___; 15. Red-letter word; 16. Article of apparel that’s not made where you might think; 17. Like CH3CO2H; 18. Run; 19. Asserts something; 24. Plaster support; 1980s New York Philharmonic maestro; 30. Peter of “The Last Emperor”; 32. Part of some e-mail addresses; 33. Radar anomaly; 34. Class action grp.?; 36. Spanish 101 word; 37. Many-layered; 38. “Little” comics boy; 40. Rear; 41. J’adore perfumer; 42. Perennial succulent; 43. Religious figure; 45. Sandbox frequenters; 49. Manhattan Project physicist; 50. Jazz vocalist Shaw; 52. Antelope related to the gemsbok; 53. Cram; 55 Mitt Romney and others, once; 58. Pizzeria order; 59. The Lord of the Rings” tree creature; 60. U.K. mil. Decorations; 63. Con; 65. China’s Zhou ___; 66. With the bow, in music67. Really bright; 68. Memo intro; 69. Blonde Anderson; 71. Appropriate; 72. Death Row Records co-founder, familiarly; 75. Chap; 76. “Finally!”; 78. Like election laws, typically; 79. Ugly one; 82. Watson of the Harry Potter films; 83. Musical with the song “Seasons of Love”; 85. Sabotage; 86. Dump, say; 87. A long time; 88. Big vein; 90. Some Blu-ray players; 92. Louis XIV, for one; 94. Wreath source; 95. Solution reaction; 96. Miss’s partner; 99. It might result in a meltdown; 100. Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene ___”; 101. Bag handlers; 103. Broadway smash starting in ‘87; 104. Pizzeria need; 109. Chart holder; 111. Spark, so to speak; 114. Big oil exporter; 115. Mini’s counterpart; 117. Summer cooler; 118. Record problem; 119. Lays the groundwork for?; 121. Half a laugh; 122. New element in each of this puzzle’s theme answers; 123. Geog. Abbreviation; 124. Tiny application.

08.18.12 — At Liberty

Lady Godiva by Edward Henry Corbould

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Saturday, August 18, 2012

Puzzle by Dana Motley / Edited by Will Shortz

Variety, said to be the spice of life is liberally dispensed in this lively Saturday crossword.

Across — 1. Contemporary of Columbus, CABOT; 6. Stats for DVDs, RPMS; 10. Homey, DAWG; 14. Actress De La Garza of “Law & Order”, ALANA; 15. Latin word that’s an anagram of 62-Across, ERAT; 16. Stone for a Libra, traditionally, OPAL; 17. One barely riding?, LADY GODIVA; 19. Put out, RILE; 20. Choice for a huge movie fan?, IMAX; 21. 20- and 60-Across, e.g., NAME BRANDS; 23. Peacockery displayer, FOP; 24. TravelMate notebook maker, ACER; 25. Food items once called Froffles, EGGOS; 26. Pattern seen on a diamond, PINSTRIPES; 30. Delay, HOLD UP; 32. Evidence of bodily harm, SCAB; 33. BEA Lillie with a Tony; 36. Leader in music, MAESTRO; 38. Some markets, KROGERS; 40. Lets pass, OKS; 41. All the best?, TENS; 43. Husky alternatives, AKITAS; 44. None for the money, two for the show?, FREE PASSES; 46. OSSIE Davis of “Bubba Ho-Tep,” 2002; 49. Sonoma County winery, SIMI; 50. First name among exotica singers, YMA; 53. White alternative, WHOLE WHEAT; 55. Heart-piercing figure, EROS; 56. Vulgarian, LOUT; 57. Summer wear for women, HALTER TOPS; 59. “Plaid” and “spunk” derive from it, ERSE; 60. OREO Blizzard (Dairy Queen offering); 61. Nonplussed, AT SEA; 62. Be dashing, TEAR; 63. Keyboardist MERL Saunders; 64. Sordid, MESSY.

Down — 1. Rialto setting: Abbr., CALIF; 2. Crockett Hotel’s neighbor, ALAMO; 3. Malcontents, BAD APPLES; 4. Stone for a Cancer, traditionally, ONYX; 5. Put out, in a way, TAG; 6. Ready for publication, REDACT; 7. They cover the basics, PRIMERS; 8. Sarah Palin, self-descriptively, MAVERICK; 9. Shot, STAB; 10. Wear banned in many schools, DO-RAGS; 11. Impressionistic work?, APING; 12. One hard to find, WALDO; 13. Cagney player on TV, GLESS; 18. Boozing it up, ON A SPREE; 22. Alternatives to Filas, REEBOKS; 27. Some bracelets, IDS; 28. Almond, for one, NUT TREE; 29. What a host holds, PARASITE; 30. Grp. Operating within a network, HMO; 31. Rendering on Connecticut’s state quarter, OAK; 33. A 1952 3-cent stamp honored her 200^th birthday, BETSY ROSS; 34. Long reign, say, ERA; 35. Numbskull, ASS; 37. Minimal market purchase, ONE SHARE; 39. Grant, in Glasgow, GIE; 42. Pitching ace?, SPIELER; 44. Tap add-on, FILTER; 45. Powerful explosive, AMATOL; 46. Youngster with disproportionately large eyes, OWLET; 47. Popular vacation spot, with “the”, SHORE; 48. “The Liberty Bell” composer, SOUSA; 51. Looks down, MOPES; 52. Try to find out what’s inside, ASSAY; 54. “WHOM the gods would destroy …”; 55. Novel addendum?, ETTE; 58. Butt, RAM. 

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08.17.12 — Aoxomoxoa and Other Stuff

Friday, August 17, 2012

Puzzle by Peter Wentz / Edited by Will Shortz

There's some tough stuff in this otherwise friendly Friday crossword.

Across — 1. Modern mail?, FLAK JACKET; 11. British RAJ; 14. It ends at 12, SENIOR HIGH; 15. Main part, often, HERO; 16. The Bay of Fundy has the largest one in the world, TIDAL RANGE; 17. Judicial administration?, OATH;18. Estadio call, OLE; 19. Tall and thin, LANK; 20. Complete, as a crossword, FILL IN; 22. Like A through D, PASSING; 24. Having a bad trip, maybe, CAR SICK; 25. Examine carefully, VET; 26. QB who threw a record-tying seven touchdown passes in a single game (1962), Y A TITTLE; 27. W-2-figure, WAGES; 30. Pitcher’s stat, SAVES; 31. “YER out!”; 32. Somalia’s locale in Africa, HORN; 33. Compromise of 1877 figure, HAYES; 34. To-do, STIR; 35. Split, in a way, AXE; 36. Southern writer William Gilmore SIMMS; 37. Split (up), DIVVY; 38. Fighting directly, TOE-TO-TOE; 40. Nickname in classic jazz, DIZ; 41. “The Bourne Identity” plot device, AMNESIA; 42 Makes sense of, DIGESTS; 46. Commercial miscellany, JOB LOT; 47. Cartoonist WALT Kelly; 48. Bug, TAP; 49. Director-type, EXEC; 50. View from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, OPERA HOUSE; 53. Hershey brand, ROLO; 54. What a drawer may hold, FELT-TIP PEN; 55. Animal in a comic strip title, KAT; 56. Running too quickly?, FALSE START.

Down — 1. It controls the amount of light admitted, F STOP; 2. “The Pearl Fishers” soprano, LEILA; 3. Altiplano locale, ANDES; 4. Soul producer, KIA; 5. Kicks, JOLLIES; 6. Downright, ARRANT; 7. Cho CHANG, romantic interest for Harry Potter; 8. Twist, KINK; 9. EGG-shaped; 10. Moirai, in Greek myth, THE FATES; 11. “Big Brother,” for example, REALITY TV; 12. It includes provision for the admission of new states, ARTICLE IV; 13. “A stronger America” sloganeer, JOHN KERRY; 15. “The Planets” composer, HOLST; 21. It controls the amount of light admitted, IRIS; 23. SVEN Kramer, 2010 Dutch speed-skating gold medalist; 24. Gives in under pressure, CAVES; 26. “Lookie what I did!”, YAY ME; 27. “Can you BELIEVE that guy?!”, WHAT A JERK; 29. Grateful Dead album whose title reads the same forward and backward, AOXOMOXOA; 29. Intermediate level in karate, GREEN BELT; 30. Navigator Islands, now, SAMOA; 33. Clicked, HIT IT OFF; 34. One criterion for sorting, SIZE; 36. Fair, SO-SO; 37. “Dude, I got something to tell you …”, DIG THIS; 39. Verizon, e.g.., TELCO; 40. Widen, DILATE; 42. Short-range missiles, DARTS; 43. Buddhist shrine, STUPA; 44. Big stinger, TASER; 45. Dog-tired, SPENT; 47. “Now that you mention it …”, WELL; 51. Sugar PEA; 52. Vote (for), OPT.

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08.16.12 — Keys

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Puzzle by Ethan Cooper / Edited by Will Shortz

Four phrases made up from the names of computer keyboard keys constitutes the interrelated group of this droll Thursday crossword:

ESCAPE CONTROL (20A. Prison guard system?)
ALT PAGE DOWN (30A. Hipster Capital Hill worker after collapsing?)
SPACE BAR TAB (39A. Bill at the “Star Wars” cantina?)
SHIFT CAP’S LOCK (52A. Restyle a bit of a D.C. hockey player’s hair?)

Other — AEGEAN SEA (3D. Cyclades setting), A LOT TO DO, BAG CLIP, BET ON IT, DRACULA (5D. Speaker of the line “Listen to them - the children of the night”), MONOLOG, OPEN SKIES, SCOT-FREE, STATURE, VOTES NO.

Mid-size — AHORA, CADRE, CANOLA, CARLY, Swiss CHARD, CIGNA, Sacré-COEUR, DROOL, IDEAL, LATELY, MAYTAG, MSDOS, NEURO, NOISE, ORATE, RECODE, RUNS TO, SCARS, SHAPE, SLO-MO, SPIRE, TAG UP, TESTY, V-SIGN, WERNER Klemperer, WIDEN, YIELD.

Short stuff — AC/DC, AGS, AIDE, AKIN, ARAL Sea, AWOL, CCC, DOER, EDU, Isle of ELY, EPIC, Quod ERAT faciendum, “… might HIS quietus make”, HOI polloi, HYPO, I DIG, LARA, LAST, LILI, NAME, ODOR, OPIE, ORLE, PEEN, PLIE, RUES, SADE, SAT, STEM, All THAT, TYKE.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 6. Derive (from); 10. Multimillion-selling band from Australia; 14. Sacré-___ (Paris landmark); 15. Syringe; 16. Actress ___ Flynn Boyle; 17. Aetna competitor; 18. Blood-sharing?; 19. Bloodhound’s lead; 23. Level of achievement; 25. These days; 26. Healthful cooking option; 27. “Let’s see that again in ___”; 29. D.O.J. heads; 35. Sighs over, say; 38. Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show”; 44. E-mail suffix once required to join Facebook; 45. Make grand statements; 46. Klemperer of “Hogan’s Heroes”; 48. Company that introduced coin-slide washers in Laundromats; 51. Gives a thumbs-down; 55. Not just a talker; 56. Taylor of “Say Anything ..”; 57. Click or clack; 60. Heraldic band; 61. “That’s cool, man”; 62. Unbeatable; 63. Singer with the 1986 #1 album “Promise”; 64. It’s not meant to be used on nails; 65. Quick to flip. — DOWN: 1. New Deal work program, for short; 4. Totals; 6. Outline; 7. Preschooler; 8. More awesome than awesome; 9. Late-night talk show feature; 10. Much work ahead; 11. Core members; 12 Mouth watering?; 13. Nickelodeon title girl; Asia’s ___ Sea; 22. Kind of recognition; 23. Chicken pox result, often; 24. Go back before proceeding; 27. Skyline feature; 28. In the cellar; 32. Like a policy allowing unfettered air traffic; 33. Ream; 34. Prefix with -pathy; 36. Unpunished; 41. Twist-tie alternative; 42. Not reporting, maybe; 43. “You can be sure”; 47. Alter, as a program; 48. Windows forerunner; 49. Now, in Nicaragua; 50. Investor’s info; 51. Two-finger salute; 53. Gofer; 54. “Swan Lake” move; 58. Didn’t sell; 59. England’s Isle of ___.

08.15.12 — Town Squares

Town Square by Thomas Kinkade

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski / Edited by Will Shortz

TOWN SQUARES (35A. What the six groups of circled letters represent), e.g., BOOM, HOME, BOYS, DOWN, CAPE and FREE, constitutes the main feature of this pleasant Wednesday crossword.

Other — ADULATES, BED SHEET, BISQUES (25D. Starters at some seafood restaurants), BUSTIERS, EPHEDRA (20A. F.D.A.-banned weight-loss supplement), PALOMAR, PEACHTREE Street, SHERATON, SONATINAS.

Six-letter — ATE OUT, ATM FEE, BEHEST, BOO HOO, BRUTAL, DISOWN, FLARES, IBM PCS, LASTLY, SCOTIA, Elke SOMMER, STAIRS, TRACES, TYRONE.

Five — ALECS, APPLE, ANWAR Sadat, BRONX, EASY A, I DON’T, INSET, INTRO, LASSO (62A. Wonder Woman‘s weapon), Simon LE BON of Duran Duran, SOAKS, SOOTS, UNDUE, U PENN.

Short stuff — AEC, AFRO, AFT, APPLE, APU, ATS, BIBI Andersson of  "Persona“, CART, DNA, EBON, ELEM, ENA, EON, EPEE, EROS (26D. Lust, deified), GILA, HIHO, HMOS, IAL, INCA, KEEN, Myrna LOY, MDS, MMCC, OWS, PBS, PIU, PREP, RITA, Mobutu SESE Seko, SGTS Bilko and Friday, SUPS, TETS, THE, Drop TROU, TSO, TUX, UNO Chicago Grill, URB.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 9. Pie choice; 14. Black, to bards; 15. Ritz look-alike of old; 17. Managed care grps.; 18. Sch. Type; 19. Gut course; 22. Next century’s end; 24. Edinburgh’s locale, in poetry; 25. It may be fit for a queen; 30. Some flights; 33. Blackens with chimney grime; 34. Subway Series borough; 38. Ivy League sch.; 40. Excessive; 41. Girl in a Beatles title; 42. Patronized a restaurant; 44. Toward the rear; 47. Close-fitting women’s garments; 49. “In conclusion …”; 51. People who valued vicuña wool; 52. Hale telescope’s observatory; 53. Words of denial; 56. “Add to ___” (e-shopper’s button); 58. Wig style; 59. Egypt’s Sadat; 60. Sport with touches; 61 Sound like a banshee; 63. Takes night courses; 64. Zaire’s Mobuto ___ Seko. — DOWN: 1. Urgent request; 2. Cloned office equipment; 3. [That’s such a shame!]; 4. Cartographic detail; 5. Marriott competitor; 6. Arizona county or river; 7. Everyday article; 8. Elke of film; 9. Baldwin and others; 10. Atlanta’s main street; 11. “Sesame Street” channel; 12. Powell’s “The Thin Man” co-star; 13. Doe in “Bambi”; 21. Wash one’s hands of; 23. Rx writers; 27. Lo-o-o-ong time; 28. Monkey suit; 31. Cadillac model unveiled in 2012; 33. Some Beethoven works; 34. Really, really touch; 35. Hanoi holidays; 37. Really looks up to; 38. Populous area, informally; 39. More, on a score; 42. Early nuclear org.; 43. Uses as a pattern; 44. Withdrawal charge; 45. Distress signals; 46. Old county of Northern Ireland; 48. 101 course, typically; 50. Is in hot water?; 52. Attend Choate, say; 53. Proverb ender?; 54. Evidence in paternity suits; 55. Hammer-on-the-thumb cries; 67. “The Simpsons” merchant.

08.14.12 — Inner City

Neighbors try to catch some fresh air and play an afternoon game of chess sitting out on what is left of the second-story, inner-balcony floor of their deteriorating apartment building in Centro Havana, Cuba. Photo by Jen Klewitz

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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Puzzle by Ian Livengood / Edited by Will Shortz

INNER CITY (63A. Densely populated area … or what 17-, 24-, 32-, 43- and 51-Across each have?), along with London, Riga, Havana, Lima and Kingston found within TEFLON DON (17A. John Gotti’s nickname, with “the”), YURI GAGARIN (24A. First human in space), HAVA NAGILA (32A. Folk song played at Jewish weddings), ELI MANNING (43A. Giant who was the Super Bowl XLVI M.V.P.) and BAKING STONE (51A. Flat item to cook food on) constitute the interrelated group of this fine Tuesday crossword.

Other — CARICATURE (29D. Many an illustration in The Economist), CARILLON (40D. Bell tower instrument), PICASA (27A. Google image-organizing app.), RED CAP (50D. Station aide), ROLLAWAY (9D. Bed with wheels), THE JIG IS UP (11D. “Caught you, at long last!”), TOLD YA (4D. “Was I right, or was I right?!“), TORPID (48A. Sluggish).

Five-letter — “Run ALONG now …”, BESOT, GRIPS, HAYDN, INTEL, LEERY, “Viva LE ROI!”, ODDER, This, that and the OTHER, RADII, RERAN, RETRO, SONIC, STEIN, TINEA (54D. Skin woe), TORIC, TORSO, USUAL, YENTA, YESES.

Short stuff — ACNE (67A. Skin woe), ADA, ANN and AWN, “What A SAD state of affairs!”, “AS I see it …“, AWAG, CORE, DICE, EGAN, ERR, ETE, ETNA, GRAY, GTO, Ob-GYN, IDOL, INFO, IFFY, I’M OK, INFO, JAX, JET, JUTS, LEVI, NENE, ONE A, ON OR about, ONUS, ORYX (13D. Large African antelope), PATE, PEAS, PIER, RAH, RYES, SCAR, Dark Lord of the SITH, “… and SO IT goes”, UVA, VII, WIN, YALE.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 5. Pre-dyed hair color, often; 9. Hip again; 14. Desk offering; 15. Connecticut Ivy; 19. Cautious; 20. Father of the Symphony; 21. What a military operative may provide; 23. 1995 N.F.L. expansion team, for short; 30. Like an excited puppy’s tail, old-style; 31. Oklahoma town; 38. Life Saver-shaped; 41. Come out on top; 42. Approvals; 46. Thos. Jefferson founded it; 47. Nuclear reactor part; 55. Black shade; 57. More puzzling; 61. Regular; 65. Sculptor’s subject; 66. Place to drop a line from; 68. Oktoberfest container; 69. Memento from Zorro; 70. Food items catapulted with a spoon, maybe. — DOWN: 1. Dark Lord of the ___ (“Star Wars” title); 2. Eminently draftable; 3. Not certain at all; 4. “Was I right, or was I right?!”; 6. Lines going out in all directions; 8. Dirt disher; 10. Julliet season; 12. Showed again; 18. Arduous task; 22. Richard of “Love Me Tender”; 25. Bowl noise; 26. Huge fad; 27. Spread on crackers; 28. Worshiped one; 33. Plant bristle; 34. Roman septet; 35. Curry who formerly co-hosted “Today”; 36. Italian writer Primo; 39. “No problem here”; 44. Spanish baby; 45. Pontiac model discontinued in ‘74; 51. Made drunk; 52. Movie set aides; 53 Title character in a Sega game; 55. Extends (out); 58. Yahtzee equipment; 59. Italian hot spot; 60. Some deli loaves; 64. Do something wrong.

08.13.12 — Makeup

Monday, August 13, 2012

Puzzle by Gareth Bain / Edited by Will Shortz

MAKEUP TEST (62A. What this crossword is, in a way?), along with liner, rouge, foundation and powder found in OCEAN LINER (18A. Luxury craft crossing the Atlantic, say), MOULIN ROUGE (23A. Paris cabaret), SOLID FOUNDATION (39A. Good grounding) and COCOA POWDER (53A. Spooned-out Nestlé product) constitute the interrelated group of this attractive Monday crossword.



Other — APATHY (49D. Lack of interest), DIONNE (5D. “Walk On By” singer Warwick), ENCORE (6D. “Again! Again!“), ON THE WHOLE (30D. Considered from all sides), TRIPLE TIME (4D. Rhythm for a minuet or waltz), WAISTS (48D. What belts wrap around).

Five-letter — AEIOU, ATOLL, BUENO, CELLO, DEBIT, DINED, EARTH, ELECT and ERECT, EYING, GUTSY, HONES, INURE, OVERT, POKED, RATTY, RHINO, SPASM, STAVE, TAMER, THETA, WARTY (13D. Like a witch's nose).

Short stuff — ACLU, Et ALII, APE, ARGO, ATOM, COL and CON, CUE, EASE, EDGY, ELO and ENO, EPEE, EVEN, Burkina FASO, GELD, HIYA, HORA, HOT, III, IPAD, IRA, LEES, LENS and LENT, NICE, NON sequitur, “Step ON IT!“, OPEC, PEER, PEG, PESO, PHEW, Punxsutawney PHIL, REDS, SCAT, SLOP and STY (20A. Hog‘s food; 278A. Hog‘s home), TAU, TEN, TSA and TSP, “UPON my honor!”, VIA, WAGE.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. “Shoo, kitty!”; 5. Minus item on a balance sheet; 10. “Man, that was close!”; 14. One’s equal; 15. Harden (to); 16. Jewish wedding dance; 17. Et ___ (and others); 22. Give the most votes; 28. Weapon for fencing; 29. Shekel : Israel :: ___ : Mexico; 31. Letter before iota; 34. ___ Mustard (Clue character): Abbr.; 35. Not naughty; 43. Building block of molecules; 44. Gibbon, for one; 45. Heavy zoo critter; 46. Lack of hardships; 48. Employee’s pay; 50. Recipe amt.; 58. Many a South Seas island; 60. By way of; 61. Slangy greeting; 65. “Step ___!” (“Hurry up!”); 66. Having settled the score; 67. Planet invaded in “The War of the Worlds”; 68. Given for a time; 69. Cincinnati team; 70. Full of nerve; 71. Exploring the bounds of propriety, as humor. — DOWN: 1. Involuntary twitch; 2. Instrument played with a bow; 3. Vowel run; 7. Good, in Granada; 8. Levin or Gershwin; 9 “Perfect” number; 10. Punxsutawney ___ (annual spring forecaster); 11. Sharpens; 12. Posture-perfect; 19. Cask dregs; 24. Portable Apple device; 26. Desex, as a stallion; 31. Org. conducting airport searches; 32. On a streak; 33. “Livin’ Thing” rock grp.; 34. Pool stick; 36. “East” on a grandfather clock; 37. Jailbird; 38. Rock producer Brian; 40. Burkina ___ (African land); 41. Oil cartel; 42. Jason’s ship; 47. Rights grp.; 50. Circus employee with a whip; 51. Barrel support; 52. Prodded with a finger; 54. In broad daylight; 55. Enjoyed a banquet; 56. Looking at; 57. Run-down; 59. Periscope part; 63. Item to hang your hat on; 65. Greek cross.

08.12.12 — The Naked Olympics — the Acrostic

Sunday, August 12, 2012

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s timely, winning acrostic draws a quotation from The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Ancient Games by Tony Perrotttet.

Combining a wealth of vivid details with a knack for narrative pacing and subtle humor, Perrottet (Pagan Holiday) renders a striking portrayal of the Greek Olympics and their role in the ancient world. While our modern games certainly pay homage to the Greek festival that was held uninterrupted for more than 1,200 years, the book's title refers to the most pronounced difference between the two: Ancient athletes competed in the nude, adorned only with olive oil. While Perrottet also outlines events ranging from the merciless chariot races to the pankration a sort of early predecessor of ultimate fighting in which strangulation was seen as the surest means of attaining victory he also puts the games in their heavy religious context and gives readers a strong sense of what they were like from a spectator's point of view. That they were cramped, hot and dizzyingly unsanitary apparently did little to dissuade throngs of people from the often treacherous journey to Olympia to catch glimpses of their heroes. And their experiences provided by Perrottet are what separate this book from staid history. His goal, he writes at the outset, is "to create the ancient games in their sprawling, human entirety," so readers are treated not only to a thorough picture of the games' proceedings but also to glimpses of the shameless bacchanalia, numerous (and often lascivious) entertainments and even corruption that accompanied them. It's an entertaining, edifying account that puts a human face on one of humanity's most remarkable spectacles. ~ Agent, Elizabeth Sheinkman, Google Books

The quotation: THE ROWDY THRONGS… FLUNG THEIR BEDDING WHEREVER THEY COULD,… SPRAWLING LIKE REFUGEES ACROSS THE SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE. … WITH ITS LACK OF BASIC SANITATION OR FACILITIES, THE OLYMPIC FESTIVAL WAS THE WOODSTOCK OF ANTIQUITY.

The author’s name and the title of the work: PERROTTET, THE NAKED OLYMPICS

The defined words:

A. Size, shape and proportions, PHYSIQUE
B. Important figure in geometry, EUCLID
C. Open showily again after a quiescent period, REFLOWER
D. Winner of horse racing’s Triple Tiara in 1975, RUFFIAN
E. Heavily favored competitor, OVERDOG
F. Quite a crowd, THOUSANDS
G. Trendy fad based on an act of devotion, TEBOWING
H. Number after the last number, ENCORE
I. Misled; cast aside; emitted (2 wds.), THREW OFF
J. Post-prime part of a career, TWILIGHT
K. Lover of Apollo killed trying to catch a discus, HYACINTH
L. Rowing event; key pool balls, EIGHTS
M. Apprise, tell, inform, NOTIFY
N. Rituals usually involving water, ABLUTIONS
O. Mug, puss, KISSER
P. H. L. Mencken coinage for a stripper, ECDYSIAST
Q. NBC newsmagazine since 1992, “DATELINE”
R. Best in industry, OUTWORK
S. “If the world were a LOGICAL place, men would ride side-saddle” (Rita Mae Brown)
T. Standard for comparison, YARDSTICK
U. Collect some hardware, MEDAL
V. Superior skill, exceptional ability, PROWESS
W. Poem inspiring South Africa’s 1995 World Cup rugby team, in film, "INVICTUS"
X. Something raced in a hippodrome, CHARIOT
Y. Herculean attribute, STRENGTH

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The full paragraphs of the quotation: The only inn at ancient Olympia, the Leonidaion, was reserved for ambassadors and officials, so everyone else was left to fend for themselves. The Sacred Precinct of Zeus—a walled-off enclave of pagan temples and shrines—was besieged on all sides by a vast, anarchic campground, and the rowdy throngs all set to claiming their own space, in keeping with their station: Most simply flung their bedding wherever they could, huddling between altars, crowding elegant colonnades, nestling between the statues of illustrious sporting champions. Others rented space in temporary shelters or put up their own tents, sprawling like refugees across the surround countryside. Plato himself once slept in a makeshift barracks, head to toe with snoring, drunken strangers.

The smoke from thousands of cooking fires created a pall of pollution Crowd control was enforced by local officials with whips.

Not for nothing does our word chaos derive from the ancient Greek; with its lack of basic sanitation or facilities, the Olympic festival was the Woodstock of antiquity. ~ The Naked Olympics

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Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.