01.03.11 — Ack Attack

Bill the Cat from Bloom County by Berkeley Breathed

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Monday, January 3, 2011

Puzzle by Ian Livengood, edited by Will Shortz

ACK, the onomatopoeic sound used mainly for frustration is helpful in the solution of this rhythmic Monday crossword’s interrelated group — STAND BACK (17A. “Don‘t get too close!”), THAT’S WACK (21. “Wow, totally crazy!”), BRAT PACK (26A. Stars of “The Breakfast Club“ and St. Elmo‘s Fire,” collectively), CAR-JACK (40A. Take someone‘s wheels from at gunpoint), KNAPSACK (49A. Hiker‘s bag), SPICE RACK (54A. Place for parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme) and THUMBTACK (64A. Bulletin board fastener), with the cee-less KOJAK (30D. Old cop show starring Tell Savalas) crossing the aforementioned crime in the center of the puzzle.

Other — CALLER ID (40D. Phone-screening service), CANASTA (4D. Variation of rummy that was a 1950s fad), ESTATES (46D. Subjects of wills), LET’S TALK (9D. “We can discuss this fully later”), UNAWARE (10D. Not in the know) and ZIP CODE (44D. 90210, e.g.).

Mid-size — ARMOR, ASIAN, ASPIC jelly, BLIPS, ENOLA Gay (W.W. II plane), HYPED, KARMA, LEASH, LURED, NATCH (52D. “Why, certainly!”), Writer Joyce Carol OATES, OSKAR, PARKAS, PLAZA, RIFLE, SAUDI Arabia, SENILE, SHIRK, SOLAR, TASER.

Short stuff — AFRO, ALB, ALTO, “Ali BABA and the 40 Thieves”, BOOM, CARD, CHAI (57D. Indian tea), CORP, CRAM, DARK, DRIP, EAR, ECRU, EIRE, ELEC, EMIR, FEAT, HITS, I’M UP (56D. Early morning declaration), KURT (58D. Rock‘s Cobain), LEIS, “Mona LISA“, MAIN, MARC (1A. Painter Chagall), MDS, MESS, MR T, PAIR, PLAN, PRAY, “No PROB!” (“Easy!”), RIAL, RICH, RITA (25A. Actress Hayworth), Santa ROSA, Calif., RPI, “Don’t mind IF I do!”, SASH (54D. Miss America band), SIB, SKEE-Ball (arcade game), SLUE, TAIL, TIP.

Deb Amlen makes her Wordplay blogging debut with today’s puzzle — read The Crossword Blog of The New York Times HERE.

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Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 5. Bushy hairdo; 9. Enticed; 14. Pseudonym for Charles Lamb; 16. Honolulu keepsakes; 19. Police stun gun; 20. Kind of energy or eclipse; 23. Sis or bro; 31. Winter coats; 36. Sound made when passing the sound barrier; 38. What a dog walker holds on to; 42. Engineering sch. In Troy, N.Y.; 43. Town square; 45. Duo; 46. Mideast ruler; 47. Definitely past one’s mental peak; 51. Blueprint; 53. Mohawk-sporting TV star of the ’80s; 63. Galahad’s protection; 67. Ace or deuce; 68. Land of Blarney; 69. Talked up; 70. Chart-topping songs; 71. Swing around on an axis. — DOWN: 1. Boot camp meal; 2. Kind of saxophone; 3. Mideast money; 5. Edmonton’s prov.; 6. Quite an accomplishment; 7. More than well-off; 8. Schindler of “Schindler’s List”; 12. Util. bill; 13. Alternative to white, as turkey meat; 18. Faucet trouble; 22. 15%-20%, for a waiter; 26. Spots of light on a radar screen; 27. The “R” in N.R.A.; 28. Vietnamese or Thai; 29. Nasdaq listing: Abbr.; 32. Fate; 34. Dodge, as work; 37. Common street name; 41. Study hard at the last minute; 48. Where to hold a telephone receiver; 55. Appeal to God; 60. Showy peacock feature; 61. Light brown shade; 65. Rx prescribers.