05.16.11 — Horse Play

A spiny seahorse (hippocampus guttulatus) in Studland Bay, Dorset. Photograph: Steve Trewhella

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Monday, May 16, 2011

Puzzle by Ian Livengood / Edited by Will Shortz

Seahorse, sawhorse, warhorse, dark horse, race horse, dead horse, high horse, iron horse, inferred by HORSEPLAY (63A. Roughhousing … or a hint to the ends of 17-, 21-, 26-, 33-, 40-, 43-, 47- and 56-Across) with AGEAN SEA (17A. Greece/Turkey separator), CHAIN SAW (21A. Lumberjack’s tool), ANTI-WAR (26A. Advocating “Bring the troops home now!,” say), AFTER DARK (33A. In the evening), RAT RACE 940A. Daily nine-to-five struggle), BRAIN DEAD (43A. Really dimwitted), ACE HIGH (47a. Like the best straight in poker) and PUMP IRON (56A. Lift weights) constitutes the interrelated group of this playful Monday crossword.

Other — CHIA PET (45D. Kitschy gift with green “fur”), EUREKA, GRAFTS, ICE PICK (44D. Chipping tool), MEADOW, RAIN GOD (10D. One prayed to during a dry spell), RWANDA, UTENSIL (4D. Knife or fork).

Five-letter — ADDER, ATBAT, ARTSY, AZTEC, EMAIL, ENOLA, ERECT, KEATS, LARAM, Tennis’s MARAT Safin, NITRO, NOHOW, OMAHA, ORALS, SCRUM, SILKS, SUSHI, THICK, TRITE, USAIR.

Short stuff — ACAB, AIG, Jai ALAI, ARE and ARM, CAD, “You CAN’T handle the truth!”, COGS, COOL, CREW, ENE, FLAB, FRA, GYM, IRKS, KITH, LAS, LEO, LUI and OUI (42A. Him, to Henri; 55A. Yes to Yves), NAPA, NOIR, OLE, OMNI, PUTS, RATE, REX, RIGA, RNA, RUNG, SEE, SOP, STAR, STOW, SYST, TADA and TATA, TAO and TAX, TOGA, WAX.

Horse-play, romping, frequent and loud fits of laughter, jokes, and indiscriminate familiarity, will sink both merit and knowledge into a degree of contempt. They compose at most a merry fellow; and a merry fellow was never yet a respectable man.
 ~ Lord Chesterfield

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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: 1. Rugby scuffle; 6. Zodiac lion; 9. Face-to-face exams; 14. Clichéd; 15. Pitcher’s asset; 19. Explosive liquid, for short; 20. Landlocked African country; 23. Soak (up); 24. Devil in Looney Tunes cartoons, informally; 25 Place for barbells and treadmills; 30. Eastern “way”; 32. Hip; 39. Bailed-out insurance co. in 2008-09 news; 46. Dastardly fellow; 50. Observe; 52. WSW’s opposite; 587. Skin-transferring operations; 62. Pan Am competitor; 65. Dense; 66. Cheer at a bullfight; 67. “Ode on Melancholy” poet; 68. Jockey’s attire; 69. Car wash application; 70. Facing the pitcher. — DOWN: 1. Symbol on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; 2. Rowing team; 3. Latvia’s capital; 5. Where sheep graze; 6. ___ Vegas; 7. Not stooped; 8. Largest city in the stat where Lincoln is the capital; 9. Hyatt alternative; 11. Bohemian; 12. Former California N.F.L.’er now located in St. Louis; 13. Store (away); 18. California wine valley; 22. Ancient Mexican pyramid builder; 26. Hail ___ (cry “Taxi!”); 27. Pinot ___ (wine); 28. Roman wrap; 29. Hourly wage, e.g.; 31. Is, pluralized; 34. Monk’s title; 35. “Look how great I did!”; 37. Ladder step; 38. ___ and kin; 40. Genetic carrier: Abbr.; 41. Small viper; 48. Mechanical teeth; 49. “I found it!”; 50. Japanese fare at a “bar”; 51. Message sent with a click; 53 “Ain’t gonna happen!”; 54. ___ Gay (W.W. II plane); 56. Sets (down); 57. Peeves; 59. Spare tire, so to speak; 60. British goodbye; 61. The “S” in GPS: Abbr.; 64. Sleuth creator Stout.