11.28.10 — A Shining Moment

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting, 2008, photo by Bryan Bedder Getty Images NA

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Sunday, November 28, 2010

A SHINING MOMENT, Puzzle by Jeremy Newton, edited by Will Shortz

THE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY (148A. “Annual Manhattan event [represented symbolically in this puzzle]), along with nineteen squares containing the word “ON”, THE WEDNESDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING (3D. With 5-Down, when 148-Across traditionally takes place), ROCKEFELLER CENTER (15D. Where 148-Across takes place), NORWAY SPRUCE (17D. Traditional centerpiece of 148-Across) and ON SWITCH (120D. Start for 148-Across?) constitutes the interrelated group of this challenging but cheerful Sunday crossword.

The “ON” group across — ALL ON RED, ONION, ONE IRON, ON AUCTION, ON THE BUTTON, BIG ON, ONSET, EMOTIONAL, I’M ON TO YOU, OBLONGS, TONY TONI TONE, IRONIST and NONE. The corresponding downs — AVON, DELMONTE, HER HONOR, FONDA, LONG I, ION STORM, RONETTES, MONK, BONO, CON-MAN, MON AMI, CANYON, ON A SPREE, ON SIMMER, ON SWITCH, ON THE ICE, ON BUDGET and ETONS. I didn’t catch “ON” until the rest of the puzzle was all lit up!

Is bigger better? I don’t know… Today’s crossword is 23x23 (21x21 is the usual) and sports approximately 60 more clues than the regular Sunday puzzle for many small words and abbreviations in a very fragmented grid — even coloring in the “ON” squares in red, does not take one’s eye away from the multitude of black squares fragmenting the grid. Not a complaint, just an… observation!  O.K. then, hit the ON SWITCH!

“O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

Thy candles shine out brightly!

Each bough doth hold its tiny light,

That makes each toy to sparkle bright

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

Thy candles shine out brightly!”
 ~ English version of last verse of “O Tannenbaum”

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Passes with flying colors; 8. Home of Hells Gate State Park; 13. A lot of an orchestra; 20. Really, really want; 21. Break off; 22. “Are we not joking about that yet?”; 23. Sounded sheepish?; 24. Roulette bet; 26. How pets may fly; 27. Came to realize; 28. Avant-garde composer Brian; 29. Quick flight; 30. Something groundbreaking?; 31. N.B.A.’er Smits, a k a the Dunkin’ Dutchman; 32. Amaze; 33. Shed thing; 36. Source of some rings; 38. Felt in the gut; 41. Richard Gere title role of 2000; 42. Peach, e.g.; 45. Onetime “S.N.L.” regular Tina; 46. Snack food with a Harvest Cheddar flavor; 50. “Butter knife” of golf; 51. Deem; 56. Austin-to-Waco dir.; 57. Frozen, perhaps; 59. Escapee from a witch in a Grimm tale; 61 Swingers grp.; 62. It may be put down on a roll; 64. Up for bidding; 68. Strong aversion, colloquially; 70. Kind of moment; 71. 10 Downing St. figures; 73. R.V. refuge org.; 74. Efflux; 76. Places for needles; 77. Go by; 79. Exactly right; 82. Mythological triad; 83. Porker’s place; 84. Creatures known to lick their own eyeballs; 88. Itty-bitty; 88. “Como es __?” (Spanish “Why?”); 89. Nuts about; 90. It guards the heart; 94. Kind of romance between actors; 98. One of the Gandhis; 99. ___ Grand; 101. Vegas opening?; 102. ___ Na Na; 104. What might go for a dip?; 108. Worked up; 110. Big name in late-night; 112. “Don’t try any more tricks!”; 114. Brooks or Blanc; 115. When repeated, an old sitcom farewell; 116. Cry of self-pride; 117. Beginning; 118. Preceders of xis; 119. Stretched figures; 121. R&B funk trio with the 1990 bit “Feels Good”; 124. One using twisted humor; 126. Is worth doing; 127. Trattoria topper; 128. Letter-shaped support; 131. Provides service that can’t be beat?; 132. Stave (off); 134. Part of a sunbow; 136. Shih __ (dog); 137. Blue stuff; 139. Bitter quarrels; 142. Input; 144. Beatles’ last studio album; 151. Transmission repair franchise; 152. Footnote abbr.; 153. Zero; 154. Christmas ___; 155. Leader of the Silver Bullet Band; 156. Lillian of silents; 157. Seek damages; 158. Org. that infiltrated Nazi Germany; 159. Rx amount: Abbr.; 160. In thing. — DOWN: 1. Doesn’t shut up; 2. Razzle-dazzle; 4. Pirate’s realm; 6. Ceaselessly; 7. Intense heat; 8. La Palma, e.g.; 9. Canned foods giant; 10. Cosmetics giant; 11. Title for Judge Judy; 12. Cookie with crème; 13. Wakens; 14. Picker-upper; 16. “Yes, Virginia there ___ Santa Claus”; 18. “Diary of a Madman” author; 19. December fall; 24. Dinner in a can; 25. “Whip It” band; 34. Discus path; 35. Mount in myth; 37. Here, in Dijon; 39. “Deus ___” (1976 sci-fi novel); 46. Low- ___; 43. Hardly a plain Jane; 44. Capital of Iceland?; 46. Winds; 47. Detach, in a way; 48. Movie co. behind “Wordplay and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”; 49. Ready; 52. Blind guess; 53. French seasoning; 54. Texas A&M athlete; 55. Asserts something; 58. Magnetic disruption in space; 60. 1960s girl group, with “the”; 63. Literary inits.; 65. It’s picked in Maui; 66. Park of an ear; 67. Torque’s symbol; 69. Gate projection, for short; 72. Man in the hood?; 75. One-named rock star; 78. Stream of consciousness, for short?; 80. Chu ___ (legendary Confucian sage); 91. What it must do; 92. PX patrons; 85. Fraudster; 87. Frenchman’s term of address; 89. Shtick; 91. Swell; 92. Echo producer; 93. “Right there with you”; 95. Chinese “way”; 96. Clean again, as a floor; 97. Tiny creature; 98. Like St. Nick; 100. Overfills; 103. Firm newbie; 105. Sarcastic sort; 106. Take in, as guests; 107. Sends packing; 109. Bingeing; 110. Award named for a Hall-of-Fame pitcher; 111. Blogger, e.g.; 113. Just below the boiling point; 122. Not benched, as in hockey; 123. Not overspending; 125. Set to go off, say; 128. Flops in lots; 130. Out; 133. Extra-large top?; 135. Start for -centric; 136. Essays; 138. Western tribe; 139. Kind of party; 140. Cuisine with pad see ew noodles; 141. Signs of dreaming; 143. Wide-lapel jackets; 145. It was wrapped around the Forum; 146. Rare blood type, for short; 147. Jane at Thornfield; 149. Funny Costello; 150. Wallgreen rival.