06.10.08 -- SQYD

Illustration: Alphonse de Neuville’s portrayal of the famous battle with the giant squid in Jules Verne’s "Vingt mille lieues sous les mers" showing the beast with the requisite ten tentacles, instead of eight as described by Verne in his narrative.
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
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Puzzle by Barry C. Silk, edited by Will Shortz

SQYD (11D. 3 ft. by 3 ft.) leads a swirling school of happenstance fill in this unseaworthy crossword -- ARI, COP, DEA, EGG, EMS, ESO, JAB, XKE, MVP, NHL, NOT, OOH, ONO, OTO, PTS, QED, SOC, SPA, SYR, TAN, UKE, WAR and XKE of three letters, and ADES, ASET, BAEZ, CRAG, DEED, EHUD, ERIC, HICK, IDEA, ITAL, JOSE, KENO, KING, MEAD, MOEN, MOON, NIKE, OWNS, PELE, SPIN, TAXI, TOGS, TOOL, USSR and VOTE of four.

That is the real HIDDENCOST (56A. Surprises for buyers … or what 18-, 28- and 43-Across contain) to the solver, rather than the inter-related entries of ROCOCOSTYLE (18A. 18th-century Parisian design), DELMONICOSTEAK (28A. Beef cut) and NEWMEXICOSTATE (43A. Aggies home) rendering this lost-at-sea puzzle not worth the price of the dear old Gray Lady in 1851.

The rest of this shipwreck includes PHOEBESNOW (3D. “Poetry Man” singer), EXPATRIATE (31D. American in Paris, e.g.), NASTASE (10D. Tennis great Ilie), TERCELS (41D. Bygone Toyotas), WAITSON (4A. Serves at a restaurant), ALTOONA (15A. Pennsylvania railroad city), LOOSELY (62A. In an imprecise way), ALONZO (5D. Mourning of the N.B.A.); SUBTLE (45D. Understated); STPETER (63A. Heavenly gateman), NORDIC (29D. Kind of skiing), ICANSO (26D. Argumentative comeback) and a group of five-letter entries, AKITE, DALES, DOWSE, ENIAC, ISAAC, MOSES, OSAGE, PLATO, SLASH, TADAS, TIDES and TRANS.

SQYD!

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Across: 1. Sportswriters’ pick, for short; 11. Masseur’s workplace; 14. “Look at that!”; 16. Proof-ending abbr.; 17. Oklahoma Indian; 20. Scout’s doing; 22. Flyers’ org.; 23. Ocean motions; 24. Joan at Woodstock; 26. Slanty type: Abbr.; 34. Charlton Heston role of 1956; 35. Missouri river; 36. Classic Jaguar; 37. Holds the title to; 38. ___ fatty acid; 39. Board game turn; 40. “___ Beso” (1962 hit); 41. Verbal flourishes; 42. “The Republic” philosopher; 46. Rock’s Clapton; 47. Reagan’s “evil empire”; 48. 1940s computer; 51. The “one” of a one-two; 53. Bumpkin; 60. ___ Ben Canaan of “Exodus”; 61. Luau instrument, informally; 63. Bronzed, at the beach; 64. Govt. narcotics watchdog; 66. Silly Putty container. Down : 1. State of mind; 2. Privilege of those 18 and over; 4. Realm of Ares; 6. Prickly heat symptom; 7. Shed item; 8. Part of Ascap: Abbr.; 9. “The Plastic ___ Band -- Live Peace in Toronto 1969” (1970 album); 12. Old Cosmos great; 13. Sidewalk stand quaffs; 19. Arcade flub; 21. Broad valleys; 25. Ambulance letters; 27. Glad rags; 28. Use a divining rod; 30. Violinist Stern; 32. “Go fly ___!”; 33. Lotto relative; 34. Big name in faucets; 38. It’s hailed by city dwellers; 39. Web address punctuation; 42. Qt. halves; 44. Honey drink; 48. Israel’s Barak; 49. Greek goddess of victory; 50. Something to think about; 51. “No way, ___!”; 52. Play___ (enjoy some tennis); 54. Mountain climber’s grip; 55. Word before snake or crab; 57. “Just the opposite!”; 58. Whistle blower, at times; 59. Neighbor of Turk.

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