05.08.11 — Working in Opposition

 

The Milky Way from Earth. Kerry-Ann Lecky Hepburn, Weather and Sky Photography

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Sunday, May 8, 2011 — Mother's Day

WORKING IN OPPOSITION,

Puzzle by Daniel A. Finan / Edited by Will Shortz

Eleven gradable opposites constitutes the main feature of this Sunday crossword:

• LONG SHORTS (23A. Capris?)
• ROUND FLATS (30. Domes to let in London?)
• NEW OLDS (38A. Pre-2004, purchase from G.M.?)
• FAULTY SOUNDS (47A. Sour notes?)
• LITTLE LOTS (56A. Fractions of acres?)
• BAD FAIR GOODS (70A. Shabby wares sold at an expo?)
• LEFT RIGHTS (83A. Towers in the high country?)
• LAST INITIALS (91A. B and O, for presidents #43 and #44?)
• PRO CONS (101A. Career criminals?)
• TAPED LIVES (111A. Material for a biographer with a recorder?)
• TOP BOTTOMS (121A. Best-looking rear ends?)

For an even dozen "play on opposites," see the very similar New York Times Crossword of February 20, 2008, HERE.

Other — BIAS TIRE (35D. Radial alternative), BIENNIAL (70D. Like House elections), DESSERTS (31D. Courses people look forward to?), GUIDE DOG (43D. One in a harness), JINGOIST (78D. International bully), REQUESTS (12D. D.J.’s considerations), RISIBLES (65D. Sense of humor), SCALPELS (24D. Masked people wield them), STRIVING (87D. Giving it 110%, so to speak), TRIFECTA (57D. Ambitious track bet).

Seven-letter — ABETTED, ALBANIA, CALORIC (28A. Kind of intake), INVITEE, LOOTERS, NURSERS, PARAGON, SIMIANS, SLIP-ONS, TWINKLY (13D. Like stars at night).

Six — ASSISI, ASTLEY (107A. Rick who sang “Never Gonna Give You Up“), AT ONCE, DRYDEN, ELISHA, FRONDS, GLITCH, GUN LAW, NELSON, NORMAN, NUDITY, OLE OLE, RIBLET, SO AS TO, SPOOFS, STALER, TREBEK, TRIAGE, TOO FAR, WASABI (34A. It may bring a tear to your eye).

Five — AARON, ALTAR, ARROW, ASHED, CAFFE, C-TEAM, D-DAYS, EGADS (128A. “Great Scott!”), EMOTE, ENOLA Gay, ENTER, ENURE, ESTES, FARER, IGLOO, 22A. Pitcher Hideki IRABU and JAPAN (14A. Home for 22-Across), IRAQI, JIFFS, JOSIE, KERRI, LOESS, NOURI, OCALA, ONE AT a time, PETRA, RESEW, RINKY-dink, SASES, “SEE NO evil …”, SET OF circumstances, SKIRT, SLOBS, SORES, SSGTS, T-BARS, TITHE, YIPES (109D. “Great Scott!”).

Short stuff — “ABAS le roi!”, ALII and ALLI, ARAL, ARK and ARS and AYS, BAI, CAN, DAVI, DIDO, ONE, DUD, ECG and EGG, EKES, ELKE, ELUL, ERA and ERI, ETTA, ETUI, GEL, GOER, GTE, HESS, “IF I Only Had a Brain“, ILEX, INRI, IRS, ISAO, ISLS, KENO, LOA and LOS, NAGS, NOM, OBI, OLLA, ORY, PAPA, POOL, REEF, ROAR, SHA, SIGN, SLAT, SNL, SOUL, SRI, SUA, TAX, TRIP, TSK, TUT, UTA.

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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. Rides; 5. Nickname for Joseph Haydn; 9. Part of a girl scout’s uniform; 19. Needle case; 20. Tender areas; 21. Fix, as a hem; 25. Dweller along the Tigris; 26. Ending with sea; 27. See 66-Across; 32. Southern city known as the Horse Capital of the World; 36. Squeezes (out); 37. Verizon forerunner; 42. Cruise stops: Abbr.; 43. Convention conclusion?; 44. “Spaceballs” and the like; 50. “___ Poetica”; 53. Accustom; 54. Toy rocket company since 1958; 55. Verdi aria “___ tu”; 59. Boston Tea Party issue; 60. He wrote “None but the brave deserves the fair”; 64. “Flashdance” acto Michael; 66. “King ___,” song premiered on 27-Across on 4/22/78; 67. Month before Tishri; 69. “___ Do is Dream of You”; 74. Featured singer on Eminem’s “Stan”; 75. Shipwreck site; 76. Org. whose functions follow forms?; 78. Lead singer of the fictional Pussycats; 79. Famous answer giver; 81. HBO’s ___ G; 86. Pokey; 87. Unkempt types; 89. First player listed in “Total Baseball”; 90. Shakespearean assents; 95. Battlefield sorting system; 97. Spanish pot; 98. Crucifix letters; 9. Batter’s need; 105. Eastern wrap; 108. Actor Robert who played the villain in “Licence to Kill”; 110. Overly air-conditioned room, facetiously; 114. Monkeys; 117. Disco ___; 119. Church gift; 124. Key key; 125. Sub-sub-players; 126. Blind piece; 127. Some encls.; 129. Pianist Myra; 130. Numbers game. — DOWN: 1. Hold on a mat; 2. Chop-chop; 3. N.R.A. concern; 4. Mr., in Milano; 5. March Madness activity; 6. Lane marking; 7. Millennia-old Jordanian city that’s a World Heritage Site; 8. St. Clare’s home; 9. Asian title; 10. Walsh with 2004 and 2008 gold medals in beach volleyball; 11. Golf’s Aoki; 13. Secs; 16. Ideal; 17. Covered for, maybe; 18. Baby bottles; 20. Doo-wop syllable; 29. ___ latte; 33. Part of L.A.; 39. Through; 40. “O my prophetic ___!”: Hamlet; 42. Genus of holly; 45. Palm features; 48. Actress Hagen; 49. Suffix with audit; 50. Union locale; 51. Barbecued bit; 52. More clichéd; 58. ___ sponte (legal term); 60. Fizzler; 61. Actress Cuthbert of “24”; 62. Reason for a TV-MA rating; 66. How some practical jokes go; 68. Windblown soil; 71. Animal shelter?; 72. Pomade alternative; 80. Actress ___ Ling of “The Crow”; 81. Et ___; 82. “Long,” in Hawaii; 84. Lead-in to -meter; 85. Jet’s noise; 88. Certain N.C.O.’s; 91. Targets of martial law; 92. Modern locale of ancient Illyria; 93. Loafers, e.g.; 94. One asked to R.S.V.P.; 96. Heart meas.; 100. Snag; 102. Fútbol cheer; 103. Oklahoma city; 104. In order that one might; 106. Pivotal times; 107. Incinerated; 108. Express shock or happiness, say; 112. Sommer in Southern California; 113. Jazzy James or Jones; 116. Athos, Porthos or Aramis; 120. Signs of ineloquence; 122. Utterance of a finger wagger.