01.13.10 -- Flower Girls

A few months ago a friend of mine asked me if I could sew a dress for her daughter who was going to be a flower girl in an upcoming wedding with a 'Midsummer Night's Dream' theme.  I said sure, if you let me photograph the finished product for the blog. Deal. -- Kathleen Frances 

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

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Puzzle by Kevan Choset, edited by Will Shortz

FLOWER GIRLS (62A. Certain wedding participants … or a hint to 17-, 28- and 46-Across?), IRIS MURDOCH (17A. Author of The Sea, the Sea”), DAISY MILLER (28A. Henry James heroine) and ROSE KENNEDY (46A. Noted mother of nine) are the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword.

Other entries include ADVERSE (44D. Opposed), AS USUAL (5D. By tradition), EXHIBIT A (10D. Early trial presentation), OPEN CASE (56A. Unsolved crime), RELEASES (20A. Films have them) and TAKES FOR (39D. Assumes to be).

Five- and six-letter -- ARNIE (41A. Morton who founded Morton’s steakhouses), ASSISI (53A. Francis’ home), AT EASE (5A. Relaxed), BRIAR (25D. Prickly shrub), DO RE MI (35D. Start of a musical series), ELIOT (32D. “Silas Marner” author), 47D. James Bond antagonist EMILIO Largo, IODINE (29D. First-aid item), IS NOT (38A. Playground retort), LENTO (31D. Slowly), LYSINE (24D. Certain amino acid); 4D. Paris’s MUSEE d’Orsay, OILERS (65A. Gretzky’s team from 1979 to 1988), RENTS (27D. Flat rates?), RIVALS (21A. Harvard and Yale e.g.); R-LESS (33D. Like non-oyster months), ROADIE (68A. Band aide), RUSSO (Gibson’s “Ransom” co-star, 1996), SACRUM (9D. Pelvis part), SCI FI (52D. Film genre), SIN TAX (15A. Cigarette additive?), SOLON (30D. Ancient lawgiver), T CELL (37A. Immune system agent), VELCRO (22D. Zipper alternative).

Short stuff -- AJAX, ALA, ANN, ARLO, ATO, BRR, CURE, DLI, EDU, ELAL, ENDS, ESTA, FLIT, IONA and IOTA, JOY, LOOS, LUBE, MADD, MEME (Unit of cultural information), OLA, OTOS and OTS, OWED, PASA, PERI, PEZ, RUED, SAP, SCUM, SLIT, SONE, STIR, SYNS, TIRE, TUTU, UTIL, VAS, YANG, ZAPS.

Oh, those flower girls! 

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.

Remaining clues -- ACROSS: 1. Pond film; 11. Candy in a dispenser; 14. Noted archbishop; 16. Like; 19. One likely to be taken in; 23. Internet address ending; 36. English facilities; 37. Immune system agent; 40. Mid sixth-century year; 43. College in New Rochelle, N.Y.; 45. Plains Indians; 49. Notations on some game scores; 51. Anatomical duct; 61. Something you might jump for; 64. Massachusetts’ Cape ___; 66. Dart; 67. Marks (out); 69. Jot. DOWN: 1. ___-fry; 2. Fix; 3. Elec., e.g.; 6. Tucker (out); 7. What circles lack; 8. From ___ Z; 11. Qué ___?”; 12. Airline whose meals are all kosher; 13. Microwaves; 18. Org. with a “Designate a Driver” program; 48. Masculine side; 53. Role in “Troy”; 54. Loudness unit; 55. Dict. Offerings; 56. Was in the red; 57. Actress Gilpin of “Frasier”; 58. Folkie Guthrie; 59. Narrow cut; 60. It is, in Peru; 63. Suffix with Victr-