09.25.10 — Playing Out September

Jack Benny Statue at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Ranch Cucamonga

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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Puzzle by Patrick Berry, edited by Will Shortz

I LIKE IT LIKE THAT (19A. 1965 top 10 hit for the Dave Clark Five) and RANCHO CUCAMONGA (45A. California city with a statue of Jack Benny) are the two longest entries of this rock-solid last Saturday of September musically-inclined crossword. The countdown…

Nine-letter — DATE PALMS (29D. Oasis sights), DRESS COAT (28D. Tails), HEAT PUMPS (11D. Alternatives to furnaces) and RESIDENCE (6D. Requirement for running for political office).

Eight — 16A. ADRIENNE Shelly, writer/director/costar of “Waitress,” 2007, AS GOOD AS (48A. Practically), IMITATES (18A. Draws inspiration from, maybe), LIE-A-BEDS (50A. Reluctant risers), SAD TO SAY (52A. “Unfortunately …”), WATCH OUT (7A. “Duck” call?).

Seven — ADDENDS (27A. Total producers), CRINGED (34D. Drew back), DATA SET (35A. Table of values), DEBUSSY (35D. “L’Enfant Prodigue” composer) , EURASIA (33D. The majority of people live here), EVENS UP (36D. Balances), HELIPAD (3D. Takeoff spot for many a traffic reporter), ON THE GO (12D. Active), SHA LA LA (2D. 1974 top 10 Al Green hit subtitled “Make Me Happy”), SPIRALS (32D. Increases alarmingly), TANGELO (37D. Juicy fruit), TESTERS (14D. Tough questions), UNEATEN (13D. Left over, possibly), WAILERS (7D. 1960s- ’70s group originally known as the Teenagers, with “the”).

Six — ADMIRE (8D. Prize), ASHLAR (1A. Masonry that requires little mortar), ATTICA (1D. Ancient land on the Aegean), DEMONS (29A. Personal problems), LEADEN (41D. Sluggish), LOUSED (49A. Made a hash of, with “up”), MODULE (51A. Computer program subsection), SECADA and SECEDE (39D. Two-time Grammy winner Jon; 32A. Withdraw), SNAP-ON (53A. Attachable by pressing), TALONS (17A. They might grab something to eat), THE ONE (15A. Mr. or Mrs. Right).

Five — BEBOP (43A. Specialty of Charlie Parker), BODES, DEERE, GENRE, GEODE, GOUDA, HAVOC, LOOKS, PURSE, RERAN, RUGER (26A. Maker of rifles and revolvers), SEVEN, TENDS, TRIKE.

Short stuff — ALA, ANNE, CAPS, CITE, GENE, HARP (31A. Instrument capable of glissandi), HOBO, IRIS, MOON, PETE, ROCS (30A. Birds said to feed their young with elephants), VAL.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 21. Mushroom parts; 22. Big name in agribusiness; 23. British actor Postlethwaite; 24. Hank Williams’s home state: Abbr.; 38. Compact container?; 39. Common number of spots on a ladybug; 40. Crime novelist McDermid; 42. Shade akin to lavender; 44. There might be one for depression. — DOWN: 4. Attractiveness; 5. James I’s queen consort; 9. Short ride?; 10. Make an example of; 20. Cares for; 25. Sparkly rock; 26. Showed, as a classic; 31. Devastation; 43. Seems to indicate; 44. It may be smoked in a supermarket; 46. Depression-era traveler; 47. Sentimentalize.