02.14.11 — Valentine's Day

Venus and Nymphs, c. 1780, François Guérin

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Monday, February 14, 2011 — Valentine’s Day 

Puzzle by Victor Fleming and Lynn Lempel, edited by Will Shortz

Four love songs are the sweet gift of this Valentine’s Day crossword:

I CAN’T STOP LOVING / YOU (17A. & 62-D. 1962 Ray Charles hit)
I’M WALKING BEHIND / YOU (25A. & 62-D. 1953 Eddie Fisher hit)
GIRL, I’M GONNA MISS /YOU (47A. & 62-D, 1989 Milli Vanilli hit)
ONLY WANNA BE WITH /YOU (61A. & 62-D. 1995 Hootie & the Blowfish hit)

Other — ANDIRON (24D. Fireplace log holder), BROWSES (8D. Reads a little here and there), CHOOSES (57A. Takes one’s pick), DISOWNS (43D. Renounces), MANILA (4D. Errata), MEOWED (50D. Made Persian or Siamese sounds), MISTAKES (5D. Errata), LUNCH BOX (40D. Carrier of a sandwich, soda and cookies, say), T-SHIRTS (20A. Tops worn with shorts).

Five-letter — AMEND, BRAVO (8A. “Well done!”), DRESS, GOONS, ID TAG, IRAQI, MIAMI, NESTS, ONION, REBUS, REVEL, SKILL, SPRIG, SURER, TAHOE, TROLL, WEBER.

Short stuff — ACTS, AIMS, ANNE, ARCS, AREA, AVIS, BAG, BAIT, BALM, BASE, BMX, BOOR, CALM, CEO, CHE Guevara, DEAN, DIE, ETTA and ETTU, GLIB, HUB, ICES, INK, LAMB, LEAH, LEND, Mauna LOA, LON, MAC, “MONA Lisa“, NIB, OLGA, ONO, QTS, RAW, REV, ROUT, SHUN, SILO, SITE, SNL, SOON, STA, REV, TABS, VENT and, of course, YOU (62D. Object of affection in 17-, 25-, 47- and 61-Across).

The rose is red, the violet's blue

The honey's sweet, and so are you

Thou are my love and I am thine

I drew thee to my Valentine

The lot was cast and then I drew

And Fortune said it shou'd be you

~ English nursery rhyme

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Soothing ointment; 5. Big ___ (sandwich); 13. Word after rest or residential; 14. Puts frosting on; 16. Takes great pleasure (in); 21. Uncooked; 22. Depot: Abbr.; 24. Gets ready to shoot; 33. Six-sided game piece; 34. Give for a while; 35. More confident; 36. Keep ___ on (watch); 38. Aptitude; 41. First, second, third or home; 42. Change, as the Constitution; 44. Drubbing; 46. Some milk ctns.; 51. “Not much longer”; 53. Sack; 56. Lennon’s second mate; 62. Peeling one may make a person tear up; 65. Rural grain holder; “___, Brute?”; 67. Word puzzle with pictures; 68. Big name in stunt bikes; 69. Faculty head. — DOWN: 1. Cheese in a mousetrap; 2. Firecrackers’ paths; 3. Jacob’s first wife; 6. Every play of Shakespeare has five of them; 7. Corp. honcho; 9. Sun. sermon giver; 10. Rara ___; 11. Air outlet; 12. ___ Korbut, 1972 Olympic gymnastic sensation; 15. Parsley bit; 18. Dweller under a bridge, in fairy tales; 19. Mary had a little one; 26. City known for its Heat; 27. Big name in outdoor grills; 28. Sign, as a deal; 29. Wheel’s center; 30. Baghdad natives; 31. Hatchlings’ homes; 32. Gown; 37. NBC weekend skit show, for short; 39. 45. California/Nevada resort lake; 49. Thugs; 53. Socially inept sort; 54. Meara of comedy; 55. Smooth-talking; 57. Smooth, as seas; 58. Web page; 59. Jazzy singer ___ James; 60. Steer clear of; 63. Penpoint.