09.12.09 -- Cow

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Puzzle by Barry C. Silk, edited by Will Shortz

Elusive clues are the main feature of this Saturday crossword, likely to cow a swift solve.

Across: 1. Pet that hisses when frightened, BOX TURTLE; 2. Sermon subject, EVILS; 15. Certain prank victim, APRIL FOOL; 16. Croesus conquered it, IONIA; 17. Cow with a drawn-out look, STARE DOWN; 18. Unselfish sort, GIVER; 19. Name on a bottle of Emerald Dream, ESTEE; 20. Ethical course, HIGH ROAD; 22. Marie and Julie: Abbr., STES; 23. Nobel-winning chancellor, BRANDT; 25. One of the Bonin Islands, for short, IWO; 26. The fox in Disney’s “The Fox and the Hound”, TOD; 27. Like some washers, COIN OP; 28. Big name in footwear, MCAN; 29. Skinny type, SCRAG; 30. Not at all cool, GEEKY; 31. 0-to-500 scale that goes from least to most hazardous), AIR QUALITY INDEX; 36. Hamper, CRIMP; 37. Mathematician NIELS Henrik Abel; 38. First name in Indian music, RAVI; 39. Most important, HUGEST; 41. Org. with many centers, NBA; 44. What I might indicate, ONE; 45. Word a loser likes to see?, NON-FAT; 46. Bring down, FELL; 47. Drill denial, SIR NO SIR; 49. Extremely unlikely, FREAK; 50. Crystal ball alternative, TAROT; 51. Not leave on the line?, TUMBLE DRY; 54. Laughable, INANE; 55. Like many motorcycle engines AIR-COOLED; 56. Red giant variety, C STAR; 57. Mountaineer’s concern, STEEPNESS.

Down: 1. Least noble, BASEST; 2. Decides one will, OPTS TO; 3. Bluer than blue, X-RATED; 4. Rim attachments, TIRES; 5. Fictional apiarist, Jackson, ULEE; 6. Old postal abbr., RFD; 7. At that, TOO; 8. Easily reachable goals, LOW-HANGING FRUIT; 9. Current source of problems?, EL NINO; 10. Ice figure?, EIGHT; 11. See, in Somme, VOIR; 12. Billed, INVOICED; 13. Have trouble drifting off, LIE AWAKE; 14.Cameo stone, SARDONYX; 21. It excludes income on foreign investments: Abbr., GDP; 23. Adriatic wind, BORA; 24. Money for 32-Down, RIAL; 27. Size in a lingerie shop, C-CUP; 28. MENS room; 29. 2,560 roods: Abbr., SQ MI; 30. Given an expensive coat, GILT; 31. Diversion involving a quotation, ACROSTIC; 32. Readers of the newspaper Hamshahri, IRANIANS; 33. Tommy Lee Jones film set along the Mississippi, with “The”, RIVER RAT; 34. TIE A knot; 35. Very recently: Abbr., YEST; 39. Yuletide trio, HOS; 40.Record-holder for throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games, UNITAS; 41. One getting into the groove?, NEEDLE; 42. Turns way up, BLARES; 43. Resins used in paints, ALKYDS; 45. Observant one, NOTER; 46. Ozone damager, FREON; 48. “Ali” actress Gaye, NONA; 49. Dud, FLOP; 52. Desert Storm grub, briefly, MRE; 53. Letters used in dating, BCE (or any number of other abbreviations).

Cow with a drawn-out look, er… STARE DOWN?

------------------

For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery.