01.29.08 -- Rolling

Tapestry by Elaine Normandy

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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

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Puzzle by C. W. Stewart and J. K. Hummel, edited by Will Shortz

THEYCANBEROLLED (39A. What 17-, 26-, 50- and 60-Across have in common), along with BOWLINGBALL (17A. It may end up in the gutter); TURTLENECK (26A. Sweater style); QUAKEROATS (50A. Classic breakfast fare); and MOVIECAMERA (60A. Item on a set) are the inter-related entries of this last Tuesday of January puzzle as this cold month ELAPSES (29A. Runs out) and the SUNDIAL (48A. Old timer?) spends a little less time in the dark while the Earth rolls in its orbit around old Sol. The groundhog is stirring!

This Sunday’s crossword has turned up a second time this week -- yesterday it was a repeat of ATANEND -- today it’s the bowling ball, which on Sunday was featured as the entry THEBALLSINYOURCOURTROOM (72A. Reminder to a forgetful judge on bowling night?). Cool!

Lots to like in this crossword, the words play against each other in a simultaneously harmonious and jangling way -- FANGS and STUDS, NOLO and SOLOED, ALOHA and ADIEU, AIDA, ADELE and ARIEL, ALA and ORO, TEE, TAP and TAPE, ADAGE and OLDIE, OZARK and OSKAR, LABOR and PAYHIKE, et cetera. YAHOO gets a shout, there’s the MOB, the USMC, an IDOL, a LIAR, a CLASS, AMOR, SMUT, FUMES, NOVAE, and CYGNUS, all SNARLED in a handsome weave, a wonderful unrolled tapestry of entries and clues, ideas and words. The clues:

Across: 1. Prominent feature of Dracula; 6. Reunion group; 11. Showman Ziegfeld; 14. “Let’s Make ADEAL”; 15. Search engine name; 16. Designer Claiborne; 19. In the style of; 20. AMINO acid (protein component); 21. Schindler of “Schindler’s List”; 23. Spy’s device; 29. Runs out; 32. Slave girl of opera; 33. Exploding stars; 34. Fuel economy org.; 35. City in Italia; 43. Pageant accessory; 44. Tony Soprano and cohorts, with “the”; 45. Cheese hunk; 46. One on a pedestal; 48 Old timer?; 54. Suffix with butyl; 55. Reporting to; 56. How-to presentations; 59. ATA glance; 66. Fix illegally; 67. Disney mermaid; 68. Sees red; 69. Informal top; 70. Center of power; 71. Some retired racehorses.

Down: 1. Wonderful, slangily; 2. Fuss; 3. Partner of improved; 4. Big bash; SLIM to none (long odds); 6. Stellar swan; 7. Part of a repair estimate; 8. “Got it!”; 9. Showman Hurok; 10. Went at it alone; 11. Cereal morsel; 12. Purple hue; 13. Country/rock’s OZARK Mountain; 18. Nick at NITE; 22. Tangled, as hair; 23. Big tops; 24. Lei Day greeting; 25. Blacktops, say; 27. Surveillance evidence; 28. Fact fudger; 30. Common union demand; 31. Part of a min.; 34. Flow back; 36. Nostalgic tune; 37. Mullally of “Will & Grace”; 38. Fred Astaire’s sister; 40. Bow-toting god; 41. Certain plea, for short; 42. Of one’s OWN; 47. Skin-related; 48. Makes hard; 49. “Semper Fi” org.; 50. Milk purchase; 51. Loosen, in a way; 52. Bit of wisdom; 53. Parting word; 57. Klutzy sorts; 58. Dirty reading; “ORO y plata”; 62. Trader VIC (old restaurateur); 63. Rhea relative; 64 Like Republican states on an electoral map; 65. Braying beast.

Perhaps I should have saved the entries of ALOHA and ADIEU to close, but I didn’t, so I’ll just call it a NITE (18D.) and let this puzzle be the LOCUS (70A. Center of power) to get Tuesday rolling without further ADO (2D. Fuss)!

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