10.31.07 -- Hallowe'en!

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

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Puzzle by Ken Stern, edited by Will Shortz

It’s Hallowe’en!

TRICKORTREAT (33D Something said while holding a bag) and HATTRICK (44A Hockey feat);

TRICKSOFTHETRADE (20A Professional secrets) and PRETREATMENTS (4D Stain looseners on washday);

STPATRICK (11D Mid-March honoree) and RETREATS (27A Off-site meetings, maybe);

JEANEKIRKPATRICK (53A U.N. ambassador under Reagan) and PEACETREATIES (39D War enders);

CARDTRICK (49D Entertainment from a magician) and ENTREATY (65A Balance sheet listing) --

-- are entries with two-word squares giving up TRICK or TREAT one way or another!

The New York Times is doing a bang-up job of Halloween and it‘s adjuncts, with yesterday’s Ghost puzzle (yesterday was Ghost Day, a sort of Halloween-een) and on Sunday, the Acrostic was on the topic of All Saint‘s Day, which is November 1st -- the major reason that Halloween exists. An excellent trio of crossword puzzles -- but wait, All Soul‘s Day is November 2nd! Will Will will us a fourth on the 1st or the 2nd? No matter, this puzzle and the previous two are treasures! Thank you!

Tricks: STPAT and RETS (they almost work without the “trick” or “treat”); XAXES (17A Some horizontal lines); OPED (21D Like some columns); QUEENED (28A Promoted, as a pawn); HOAXES (45A Some urban legends) crossed with JINXED (34D Having bad luck, say); CARDTRICK, this wanted to be “MAGIC”; WKRP (6A Johnny Fever’s workplace, in 1970s- ‘80s TV) and MSRP (10A Amt. at a car dealership).

Treats: OPAL (19A Birthstone of someone born on Halloween); MUUMUU (24D Hawaiian dress) and OAHU (63A Honolulu’s home), who can forget a trip to Hawaii? ; DEION (48D Two-sport Sanders), a cool name; WOLFED (6D Gobbled up, with “down”), they‘ll be out tonight!; “Choosy moms choose JIF” (34A); “…ANDA bottle of rum” (55D); RAW (41D Uncooked) and RARE (41A Red in the middle); and last but not least, Red SOX (3D) with Ride the PINE (sit out a baseball game)(39A) -- am I wrong, or does that bring up an image of a World Series celebration interrupted by an A-Rod report?!

Other things in the trick or treat OLIO (15A Mixed bag): Acrosses: 1. Big stingers, 14. Ancient marketplace; 16. Siouan tribe; 18. Carries; 23. Muslim holy man; 26. Amanda of “The Whole Nine Yards” ; 30. Took to court; 32. Went bad; 37. Ham it up; 38. SODA pop; 40. Heros; 42. Large, at Starbucks; 43. Elec. Day, e.g.; 46. Aussie’s neighbor; 47. Like some old stores; 48. Early seventh-century year; 50. Wander; 52. Whirlpool; 58. Shows; 57. Entr’ ACTE; 58. Certain flower girl; 62. Focal point; 64. Reese of “touched by an Angel”; 66. Swill; and 67. Balance sheeting listing.

Nothing too SATIRICAL (38D Like The Onion) that would be an IQTEST (23D Hurdle for Mensa membership) in the downs: 1. Candle material; 2. Turkish title; 5. Lip; 7. Movie for which Jane Fonda won an Oscar; 8. Starboard (nice when the entry and the clue are the same length, e.g., RIGHTSIDE); 9. You might strike one (POSE, again!); 10. Docked; 12. Map lines; 13. New York Cosmos star; 22. Fig or fir (nice clue for a dull entry!); 25. Organism needing oxygen (Hmmm…); 29. Born (you know it's NEE); 31. Can. Neighbor (Doh!); 35. Mean (oops, another trick clue!); 36. Spunky (another same-length entry, FEISTY); 42. Designer Diane VON Furstenberg; 44. Honey site; 45. Rope material; 46. “Sexual Behavior in the Human Male” author; 47. Begin, as a hobby; 51. Brand name in lawn care; 53. Chimpanzee researcher Goodall; 54. “Get Smart” org.; 59. Choices for Chicago commuters; 60. Cavs, on a scoreboard; and 61 Nag (at), yes, EAT!

A wonderful puzzle for Halloween! Trick or Treat!!!

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

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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Robert Goulet, Actor, Dies at 73 -- The New York Times

A Tribute HERE.