04.05.08 -- Nightmare

The Nightmare, 1781, Johann Heinrich Füssli

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Saturday, April 5, 2008

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Puzzle by Rich Norris, edited by Will Shortz

“A nightmare is a dream which causes a strong unpleasant emotional response from the sleeper, typically fear or horror, or the sensations of pain, falling, drowning or death. Such dreams can be related to physical causes such as a high fever, or psychological ones such as psychological trauma or stress in the sleeper's life, or can have no apparent cause. If a person has experienced a psychologically traumatic situation in life, for example, a person who may have been captured and tortured, the experience may come back to haunt them in their nightmares. Sleepers may waken in a state of distress and be unable to get back to sleep for some time.” -- Wikipedia

I declare this puzzle a nightmare!

Ten-letter across entries -- SHORTSTRAW (1. Not a very good drawing); MEDIUMRARE (15. A little red); IRONMAIDEN (17. Band with the 1982 platinum album “The Number of the Beast”); BRAINCHILD (56. Bean product?); ERICTHERED (59. 10th-century exile from Iceland); DARKHORSES (61. Upsetting types).

Nine-letter down entries -- TRIVALENT (7. Like some chromium) and arsenic) and YARDSTICK (31. Standard).

Eight-letter-down entries -- TRIALRUN (12. Test); OILPAINT (13. Medium in a tube); WATERSKI (14. It’s hard to do this barefoot); STAYSMAD (33. Burns overnight?); TITICACA (34. Two-part lake connected by the Strait of Tiquina); and RASPUTIN (35. 1996 Emmy-winning role for Alan Rickman).

Seven-letter entries -- STRAPIN (33A. Get ready to take off); ASHANTI (36A. Singer whose 2002 song “Foolish” was #1 for 10 weeks); RADIXES (8D. Base numbers, in math); and OPENAIR (40D. Unprotected, in a way).

Six-letter -- TAXLAW (23A. Certain code); TIGRIS (28A. River past the ruins of Nineveh); HERESY (30A. Martin Luther’s crime); TORTES (39A. Cakes often made with ground nuts); ATSTUD (41A. Like some sires); LATEST (48A. Recent developments); SMILEY (1D. Joke indicator); HERALD (2D. Bygone New York daily, with “the”); ODOULS (3D. Nonalcoholic beer brand); WENTAT (10D. Charged); WISHES (24D. Fountain requests); DEPAUL (27D. The Blue Demons of the N.C.A.A.’s Big East); DABBED (42D. Put [on] gently); STAIRS (44D. Connecting flight); POLLEE (45D. Question answerer); READDS (46D. Checks, as checks).

Five-letter -- LAUDS (19A. Honors); SPUNK (32A. Pluck); TIARA (38A. Runway topper); OCALA (54A. Central Florida Community College site); RINDS (4D. Twist things); AREEL (9D. Experiencing drunkenness); TERRA (49D. Land in the Colosseum); OCHER (50D. Cousin of rust).

Four-letter -- ACID, ARIA, BENT, DANE, DOLE, ELLS, GPAS, HART, MATE, MEDE, NAPE, OCHO, OTOE, PDAS, STOW, WILT, NAPE, VIET, NAPE, SAWN, SCUM, STAT, TORI and TUMS.

Three-letter -- LAR, NTH, SMA, SPR, YDS and YIP.

Pleasant dreams!

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THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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Across: 11. Cache; 16. Da capo ___ (Baroque piece); 18. Fade; 20. Thai relative; 21. View from the back seat?; 22. Wings; 25. Choreographer Lubovitch; 26. Meas. of progress, at times; 27. Labor secretary under the first George Bush; 43. Modern info holders; 44. When Arbor Day is observed: Abbr.; 47. Pound sound; 50. Nebraska City’s county; 51. Cleaning target; 53. Inclination; 55. The other shoe, e.g.; 58. Mordant; 60. Rosencrantz or Guildenstern. Down: 5. Rolaids alternative; 6. “An’ singin there, an’ dancing here, / Wi’ great and ___ “: Burns; 8. Base numbers; 11. Cut; 23. Inner tubes, e.g.; 29. Ranking nos.; 30. “Pal Joey” lyricist; 37. Saves, e.g.; 52. Ancient denizen along the Caspian; 54. ___ Rios Bay; 57. Last in a series.