02.02.11 — Letter Drop

Wednesday, February 2, 2011 — Ground Hog Day

Puzzle by Peter A. Collins, edited by Will Shortz

LETTER / DROP (47D. With 9-Across, post office mail slot …); dropping A, E, I, O and U from the second of five doubled words (e.g., ASHES, ESTATE, ISLANDER, ORANGE and USING) resulting in clue/answer sentences, constitutes the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword.

• “After the maid cleans out the ASHES, SHE’S going to polish the fireplace doors”
• “The note accompanying the ESTATE STATES that all money should go to charity”
• “The reporter heard the New York ISLANDER SLANDER his coach”
• “At the organic market, the price of ORANGE RANGES from moderate to ridiculous”
• “The teacher found that USING SING-a-longs helped her pupils remember their ABCs”

Other — ARETE, ASSESS, AT EASE, BAR TAB (20A. Zombies might be on it), BEALL, BETIDE, EGOIST, EGRETS (34. Long-legged waders), ELMER’S, LICORICE (38D. Center of Good & Plenty candy), LOBBER (1D. Tennis player, at times), OGLERS, OTTIS, REHASHED (10D. Went over again), SMOLTS, SNORES, STARTS, STILLE, SUNRISE (26D. Stirring time?), TILT AT, UNHATS.

The rest of it — AHIT, ALER, ALG, AMA and AMAH, ANT, ASAP, BLUE, BRA, DRS, EARN, EDEMA, ESSE, GAB, GTS, "HERE’S to you!”, IAMB, ISM and ITE (31-, 36-Down. Suffix with magnet), “ISN’T that cute?!”, JAR, JUTS, LAS and LAST and SLAT, LOO (55A. John, to Paul, George or Ringo), MACE, NNE, NOD, NOSIR, OPEN, PSST, RAND, REPS, REST and RTES, SAGE, SASS, SAT and STA, SIGN, SIR, SNL, SOLA, SPED, SSRS, TACO, TAUS.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Remain; 5. Feeling down; 13. ___ Anderson, Super Bowl XXV M.V.P.; 15. Kentucky senator Paul; 16. 15-Across and allies: Abbr.; 17. Start of an old Army recruiting line; 22. Org. for 9-Down; 23. Caste member; 28. Relax; 29. Sorority letters; 30. Take ___ (lose one); 33. Accept a contract; 41. “___ Nacht” (Christmas carol); 42. One-quarter of “Whose woods these are I think I know”; 43 Club for knights; 44. Latin 101 verb; 45. Alone, on the stage; 53. Penny collector; 56. Young salmon; 61. Rocky ridge; 62. Tex-Mex fare; 65. Whizzed; 66. Hwys.; 67. Lith. And Lat., once. — DOWN: 2. Loose; 3. Turns over, as an engine; 4. Fight with; 5. Part of a two-piece suit?; 6. ___ Cruces; 7. Doffs one’s lid; 8. Plant swelling; 9. Members of the 22-Across; 11. Welcoming customers; 12. “Hey there!”; 14. Blind component; 19. Rode the pine; 21. Happen; 25. Graybearded sort; 27. Make; 32. Old Dungeons & Dragons co.; 33. Weekly NBC staple, for short; 34. Glue brand; 35. Flap one’s gums; 37. End of the line, say: Abbr.; 39. Tiger, e.g., informally; 40. Lip; 44. Self-promoter; 45. Sounds from barracks, maybe; 46. Lascivious lookers; 47. With 9-Across, post office mail slot … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme); 48. Evaluate; 50. Class with many functions: Abbr.; 51. Response to a general question?; 52. Asian nanny; 53. Sticks (out); 54. P.D.Q.; 58. Bobblehead movement; 59. Houston-to-Chicago dir.; 60. Some muscle cars.