02.29.12 — Broadway

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 — Leap Year

Puzzle by Kevan Choset / Edited by Will Shortz

Five standard phrases each beginning with a one-word title of a Broadway play constitute the interrelated group of this entertaining Wednesday crossword:

RENT CONTROL (17A. Security desk at a Broadway theater?)
GREASE MONKEY (23A. Simian on a Broadway set?)
HAIR REPLACEMENT (37A. Understudy in a Broadway show?)
CHICAGO BEARS (48A. Pessimistic Broadway investors?)
CATS PAJAMAS (59A. Nighttime Broadway wardrobe?)

Other — AGASSI, ANCIEN régime, AP TEST, DA BOMB (64A. It’s awesome), MASADA (46D. Siege site of A.D. 72), MT OSSA, OSCARS, PAVLOV (1A. Noted handler of dogs), TRICK KNEE (11D. Bad conditions for playing hoops, say), TROJAN horse, TWIN CITIES (28D. Minneapolis/St. Paul), VIOLET.

Five-letter — ALEUT, AMASS, BUSES, CHOMP, ERNST & Young, Bret HARTE, HAVOC, ORTHO, Renee RUSSO, SEEPY, TITUS, VALUE.

Short stuff — AAHS, ABC, ACH (45A. Rhine whine?), AER Lingus, AGES, AMOI, AOL, “AS I made clear …”, “Even AS WE speak …“, CARA, CHE, D-CUP, DNA, EGO, EMAG, EPA, EROS, ESP and ESS (20A. Starts at either end?), GEER, HATH, HE HE, HEIR, IAGO, ILE de France, “Last one IN IS a rotten egg!“, ISAK Dinesen, ISBN, LST, MOE, MHOS, MISC, NAS, NEA, NIX, OSTE, OVI, PARE, PCS, PSAT, RAE, RARA avis, RLS, STN, THEA (7A. Mother of Helios), TVS, VANS, XTRA.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 11. Tubes; 14. Sports star who wrote 2009’s “OIpen: An Autobiography”; 15. Whom Othello declares “is most honest”; 16. Actress Charlotte; 21. Certain Alaskan); 22. Large bra feature; 26. Challenge for a H.S. honor student; 29. Author Dinesen; 31. ___ & Young (accounting firm); 34 Cancel; 41. Place with a waiting room: Abbr.; 42. Gather; 43. Son or grandson, say; 44. Italian beloved; 46. Greek peak SE of Olympus; 53. Owns, in the Bible; 54. Actress Rene; 58. Egg: Prefix; 62. “The Simpsons” character who says “Oh geez” a lot; 63. [Giggle]; 65. Mac alternatives; 66. Love god; 67. ___ régime (pre-1789 French government). — DOWN: 1. Whittle (down); 2. A long, long time; 3. Plumbers’ wheels; 4. D-Day craft, for short; 5. Walt Disney had 26 of them; 6. Color akin to plum; 7. Emperor who completed the Colosseum; 8. Author Bret; 9. A star can have a huge one; 10. CD mailer of the early 2000s; 12. Care about; 13. Running slowly; 18. “Sesame Street” supporter, in brief; 22. Strands in a cell?; 23. Will of “The Waltons”; 24. Odds and ends: Abbr.; 25. Bone: Prefix; 26. Circus cries; 27. Natl. Merit Scholarship qualifying exam; 31. Green org.; 32. Literary inits.; 33. “Stillmatic” rapper; 36. More, in adspeak; 39. Slate, e.g.; 40. Conductance units; 48. Bite; 49. Rack and ruin; 50. Prefix with -pedic; 51. M.T.A. fleet; 52. Subj. of a space-to-Earth experiment on Apollo 14; 55. Mine, in Amiens; 56. “Me, too”; 57. Library ID; 59. Tony-winning role for Mandy Patinkin; 61. “Desperate Housewives” network.

02.28.12 — Thirteen

The Hindenburg on fire in 1937

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Puzzle by Randall J. Hartman / Edited by Will Shortz

EVERY SINGLE CLUE / IN THIS PUZZLE HAS / THIRTEEN LETTERS (20A. Hint - first part; 41A. Hint’s next part; 56A. Last of the hint) is the raison d'être for this Tuesday crossword.

Other — AT LAST (31A. Words of relief), IRRITANT (42D. Pain in the neck), OPOSSUMS (5D. Pogo and others), ORIENTAL (9D. Eastern, in a way), SNEERS (47A. Derisive looks), ZEPPELIN (43D. Former airship).

Five-letter — AGAIN, AISLE, ALIAS, AOLER, ASHES, ATOLL, FRUIT, HUBBA, IRANI, MEMOS, O COME, ODORS, RAN ON, RIVER, SLANT, SONGS, TESTY, TITLE, WORST.

Short stuff — ART, CIRC, ELAN, ELIA, ERIE, EZRA, FOPS, HUGO, IAGO, IBAR, ISM, LAIT, LASS, LEA, LIED, LIMP, LINE, LOGE, LORI, MAIL, MENU, MORE, NAME, OLES, OLIO, OMNI, OPIE, ORAN, OSLO, OVAL, PEA, PLOD, POLO, PUFF, RBIS, RIMS, SAS, SEEN, SEN and SET, SIRE, SLAV, SOPS, SSE, STY, TAPS, THAW, THEE, YAP.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Norwegian city; 5. Corrida shouts; 9. Start of a carol; 14. Proceed slowly; 15. Explorer Marco; 16. Mississippi, e.g.; 17. “Othello” bad guy; 18. Port of Algeria; 19. Modern Persian; 23. KLM competitor; 24. Pres. Obama, once; 25. Public hanging?; 28. Magical dragon; 36.. Café lightener; 38. Less’s opposite; 40. Seating choice; 44. Buddy List user; 45. Father of a foal; 46. Bumper blemish; 49. Bugler’s melody; 51. Hogs’ enclosure; 52. Surreal ending?; 54. Tiny brain size; 65. Half a wolf’s cry; 66. Daily delivery; 67. Odd collection; 68. From square one; 69. Old Dodge model; 70. Lacking starch; 71. Most egregious; 72. Caught sight of; 73. Glasgow lovely. — DOWN: 1. Boy of Mayberry; 2. Serbian or Pole; 3. Box in a theater; 4. Secret targets?; 6. Actress Singer; 7. Personal flair; 8. Vocalizations; 10. Mag.’s statistic; 11. Nascar circuit; 12. List on a laptop; 13. Sandusky’s lake; 21. Incessant talk; 22. Grazing ground; 25. False identity; 26. Blathered away; 27. Duke or duchess; 29. Beau Brummells; 30. Mango and guava; 32. Wasn’t truthful; 33. Hearth residue; 34. Not be vertical; 35. Short-tempered; 37. You, in the Bible; 39. Pound of poetry; 448. Opposite of NNW; 50. Filming locale; 53. Internal notes; 55. Coral reef isle; 56. Melting period; 57. Boss of fashion; 58. Beam in a bridge; 59. Baseball stats; 60. Facebook entry; 61. Bit of dialogue; 62. Director Kazan; 63. Canyon locales; 64. Absorbs, with “up”.

02.27.12 — The Tell-Tale Tail

Monday, February 27, 2012

Puzzle by Bill Thompson / Edited by Will Shortz

STAND TALL (17A. Exhibits pride), KISS AND TELL (25A. Betray a lover’s confidences), HAND IN THE TILL (37A. Symbol of embezzlement), HIGHWAY TOLL (50A. E-ZPass pays it) and JETHRO TULL (60A. Group with the 1971 3x platinum album “Aqualung”) constitute the interrelated group of this lazy Monday crossword.

Other — ANAGRAMS (38D. “Slot machines” and “cash lost in ‘em,” e.g.), AZALEA, DOGGEREL (11D. High-class poetry it isn’t), ENHALO, EVILER, EYELID, FELINE, GRAVEL, I AM SAM, IN TRAY, MISLED, PESTLE, PRAISE, RAM JET, SAID HI, SUTURE.

Five-letter — ALOHA, ALTOS, ANGRY, ATE IT, ENRON, HOBBY, OCHER, PAREE, PIPPI Longstocking, SOAKS, STEAD, TITLE (52A. “Annie” and “Annie Hall”).

Short stuff — ADZE, ALP, AMA, AOK, ARAB, AS OF, DDE, EDS, EGGS, ELI, ELLE, ETAS and ETAT, FELT, FILM (38D. “Annie” or “Annie Hall), HEMI, ICE, I DIG, IND, IRR, IWO Jima, KIND, LAS Vegas, LEE and LET, LENT, LIMB, LOLL, LOWE, LTR, Photo OPS, OWL, Ping-PONG, POSY, RAH, RENT, RIO de Janeiro, ROE, ROOM, TEAL, TIER, TOAD, TRIG, UZI, ZAG.


Have good week!

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. ___ Long stocking (children’s story character); 6. Dating from; 10. Shaping tool; 14. Energy giant that filed for bankruptcy in 2001; 15. Rob of “Parks and Recreation” 16. Relative of a frog; 19. Hens lay them; 20. Calc prerequisite; 21. Fine and dandy; 22. “Loud and clear, bro”; 29. Lashes grow from it; 31. Confederate general at Gettysburg; 32. ___ v. Wade; 33. Surround with a saintly light; 36. Craps table surface; 41. Landlord’s due; 42. Surface for an unpaved road; 43. Docs’ grp.; 44. Abbr. on a garment sale tag; 46. 2001 Sean Penn movie; 54. Israeli gun; 55. One of nine on a Clue board; 56. Water, when it gets cold enough; 57. Greek H’s; 58. Spirited horse; 63. Bough; 64. Vogue rival; 65. “Gay” city; 66. Small bouquet; 67. Wedding cake feature; 68. Place. — DOWN: 1. Mortar’s partner; 2. Place for arriving office papers; 3. Kudos; 5. Neither Rep. nor Dem.; 6. Voices above tenors; 7. Good long baths; 8. Avian hooter; 9. Catlike; 10. Suffered ignominious failure, in slang; 12. Zig’s opposite; 13. Workers with mss.; 18. Greeted informally; 23. Ike’s inits.; 25. Ilk; 26. Honolulu hello; 27. Laze; 28. Court do-over; 30. Gave temporarily; 34. Wrathful; 35. 8 ½” x 11” paper size: Abbr.; 37. Prefix with sphere; 39. More fiendish; 40. Freshwater duck; 41. “Go team!”; 45. Kind of engine for an airplane; 47. Sew up, as a wound; 48. Rhododenron relative; 49. Deceived; 51. Model building or stamp collecting; 53. Autumn hue; 57. Coup d’___; 58. Swiss peak; 61. QB Manning.

02.26.12 — Fiction Ruined My Family — the Acrostic

 

Indian Cliché by Fritz Scholder, 1981

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s easy-going acrostic draws a quotation from “Fiction Ruined My Family” by Jeanne Darst

“Fiction Ruined My Family reads like a script for performance art, a rapid stand-up routine, careless and wisecracky, signaling moments for the audience to respond to a punch line by clapping. The tinkle of glasses subsides; the performer makes a grimace, takes a bow, goes on. Yet genuine pain is explored - for the dangerous ambitions of fame and achievement and the really dangerous distractions of carelessness with loved ones.” ~ The San Francisco Chronicle

The quotation: AS A KID I WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF CLICHES. MY FATHER FORBADE THEM. IF YOU SAID, “YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT YOU CAN’T MAKE HIM DRINK,” MY FATHER WOULD GO BALLISTIC…. MOM VIOLATED THIS RULE ABOUT EVERY FIVE SECONDS.

The author’s name and the title of the work: DARST, FICTION RUINED MY FAMILY

The defined words:

A. Sleeping with the fishes, DEAD
B. Clumsy as an ox (2 wds.), ALL THUMBS
C. Fair and square; on the button, RIGHT
D. Hair-trigger temper (2 wds.), SHORT FUSE
E. Vanishing point? (2 wds.), THIN AIR
F. Much ado about nothing, FUSS
G. Vantage high above the daily grind (2 wds.), IVORY TOWER
H. Bee’ knees, something else (2 wds.), CAT’S MEOW
L. Neck and neck, even-steven, TIED
J. On a bad losing streak (hyph.), ICE-COLD
K. Marching to a different drummer, OFFBEAT
I. When there’s not a moment to spare (3 wds.), NICK OF TIME
M. Take to the cleaners, ROUT
N. Akin to apples and oranges or night and day, UNALIKE
O. What star-crossed lovers are (2 wds.), ILL-FATED
P. Keyed up; on tenderhooks, NERVOUS
Q. A piece of cake (3 wds.), EASY AS ABC
R. “There’s no place like home” speaker, DOROTHY
S. Enough to make your skin crawl, MACABRE
T. Fair maid or strapping lad, YOUTH
U. Seen in the limelight time and again, FAMOUS
V. Good at being palsy-walsy, AMIABLE
W. Seized the moment (2 wds.), MADE HAY
X. With no why or wherefore, IDLY
Y. Busy bee, eager beaver, pistol (2 wds.), LIVE WIRE
Z. Teamed up to do a hard day’s work, YOKED

The full paragraph of the quotation: As a kid I was absolutely terrified of clichés. My father forbade them in our home. It was like the way other people regarded cursing in their house. If you said, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” my father would go ballistic. Mom couldn’t control herself, apparently, because she violated this rule about every five seconds. ~ Fiction Ruined My Family 

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02.26.12 — Back to the Start

 

Marlon Brando in the 1954 film of On The Waterfront

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

BACK TO THE START, Puzzle by Daniel A. Finan

Edited by Will Shortz

Eight wrap-around answers constitute the featured group of this tedious Sunday crossword:

PERSONALSHOP (23A. Aide for a V.I.P. customer)
TONIBRAX (25A. Multiple Grammy winner who was a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars")
ANTIDEPRESS (23A, Aide for V.I.P. customer)
PLEASUREPRINCI (59A. Freudian concept)
PHYSICALGEOGRA (78A. Mountains, rivers, plains, etc.)
ARTICHOKEHE (99A. Fancy salad ingredient)
UNDERGRO (117A. London transportation)
ONTHEWATERFR (118A. Marlon Brando film)

ACHIEST and SORE, I AM A ROCK (61D. Song that starts “A winter’s day in a deep and dark December”), DECLAWED, EVERMORE, GABFESTS, INFLATES, LEAD UP TO, RELEASED, TROGLODYTES (37D. Cavemen), TWIST-TIE (124A. Fastener patented in 1939), WOUNDED KNEE (43D. South Dakota memorial site).

Seven-letter — AD SPACE, CRIPPLE, EMBRYOS, LIP READ, MCQUEEN (86A. “The Magnificent Seven“ co-star), NEAREST, OCTOPOD (26A. Paper nautilus, e.g.), PRAIRIE, PRATTLE, REBECCA (58D. Only Hitchcock film to win Best Picture), TREAD ON, WHEELIE (54A. It may be popped for fun), YANKEES, YODELER.

Six — ALBINO, ATONAL, COHIBA (66D. Premium Cuban cigar brand), DARKER, ENSLER, EXACTS, FRIARY, GEEZER, IRAQIS (68D. Nationals whose flag declares “God is great“), LA CASA, LEER AT, MALONE, MILEAU, ONSTAR (100D. General Motors subsidiary), SCOPED, SLEWED, STOMAS, SYPHON, VALETS, ZIRCON (44D. Modern December birthstone).

Five — AIRES (92A. Spanish winds), ANGST, ARTOO, “You missed A SPOT“, BIERS, BENET, DELTA, EAT IN, HI MOM, ISAAC, JONAH, KEGLER (57A. X X X lover?), LAPSE, LAMPS, LOOMS, LURED, NADER, NASAL, NODES, ON-OFF, PURER, RHODA, ROOTS, RUSSO-Japanese, STINT, VIDAL, YOWZA (42A. “Oh baby!”).

Short stuff — Make A MAD dash, AMOK, ANEW, ARTS, “Just A SEC!”, AVON, AXL Rose, BURT, CASH, CECE, CDLI, CFOS, DREI, EACH, EDUC, EES, ELON, ENE and ENS, ERE, EROO, FEZ, GET, HAIR, HIT, HON, LAG, LAZE, LENS, LIM, LIPO, MAJ, MART, “Tell ME NO lies“, MORN, NEA, Bar NONE, OID, Special OPS, PASO Robles, PERU, Syngman RHEE, SCOT, SEXT, “SEZ who?!”, SOIL, TRAS, TRY, URB, VHS, “Time WAS …”

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Bulb holders; 6. Part of the name of many a Spanish restaurant; 12 Confabs; 20. Stern taking a bow (in two senses); 21. Demands (from); 22. Eternally; 27. Words mouthed to a TV camera; 29. Like the pen or pencil you might reach for; 30. P.T.A. interest; 32. One of two options at a fast food restaurant; 34. Sample; 40. W.C.; 46. Eve’s opposite; 47. Work assignment; 48. Gore in fiction; 50. Dirty; 51. Kind of switch; 56. Metro area; 57. X X X lover?; 62. Lie about; 63. The “L” of S.L.R.; 64. Trample; 65. Inverness native; 67. Funeral stands; 69. Run out; 73. Jimmie Rodgers or Tex Owens, musically; 76. Bun contents; 82. More sinister; 86. Blackjack decision; 87. Suffix with human; 89. Actor Hil of “Moneyball”; 90. Mind; 93. Distilled vis-à-vis tap; 95. Gospel singer Winana; 96. Like the “ng” sound; 101. Og. Making grants to museums; 103. Big faucet maker; 105. University in North Carolina; 106. Rear; 110. Genealogical study; 112. Articles aren’t found in it; 121. Set free; 122. “Cheers” bartender Sam; 123. Movie droid. — DOWN: 1. Alternative to dieting, informally; 3. Bartering locale; 4. ___ Robles, Calif. 5. Checked (out); 6. Antecede; 8. Bills; 9. Most 17-Down; 10. Plant pores; 12. Grok; 13. Sir Anthony Eden, 1^st Earl o ___; 14. Pulitzer winner for “John Brown’s Body”; 15. Brother’s place; 16. Early life forms?; 17. See 9-Down; 18. Refrain syllables; 19. Send some pixxx?; 24. Network connections; 28. Environs; 31. Incapacitate; 33. Subject of the documentary “An Unreasonable Man”; 35. Helter-skelter; 38. Blows up; 39. Eve who wrote “The Vagina Monologues”; 41. Has parked; 45. White elephant, e.g.; 48. TiVo precursor; 49. “Eavesdrop” from across the room, say; 52. It’s felt on the head; 55. Poetic preposition; 60. Minnesota twins?; 65. Draw (off): Var.; 69. What echoes do; 70. Clear the atmosphere of; 71. Sod house locale; 74. In. or max.; 75. Sweets; 77. Capt.’s superior; 79. Drew in; 80. Old-timer; 81. Some M.I.T. grads; 83. Per; 94. Korea’s Syngman ___; 88. Like some housecats; 91. “Gone With the Wind” bad guys; 93. Yammer; 94. First TV show to debut at #1 in the Nielsen ratings; 97. Eye up and down; 99. Discordant; 102. Feeling pervading Brat Pack movies; 104. Towers; 108. Reynolds of “Boogie Nights”; 107. From the top; 108. Mid fifth-century year; 109. Hofbräuhaus crowd?; 111. Place after place; 113. Home of the Norte Chico civilization; 114. Part of 101-Across; 115. Corp. money types; 116. Switch attachment?; 118. Metered praise; 120. Charlotte-to-Raleigh dir.

02.25.12 — The Crossword Puzzle

The Crossword Puzzle by Ron Landry

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Puzzle by Barry C. Silk / Edited by Will Shortz

Twelve ten-letter answers, three in each corner, is the main feature of this Saturday crossword:

FIVE SATINS (5A. “In the Still of the Nite” doo-wop group, with “the”)
A LITTLE BIT (16A. Somewhat)
KOSHER DELI (18A. Where to request a knish)
MIND READER (60A. Medium relative)
ARE WE ALONE (64A. Spy’s query at the start of a meeting)
REGISTERED (66A. Like legal voters)
MOST WANTED (1D. Like some top-10 people)
ON THE MONEY (2D. Like bull’s-eyes)
BEER BOTTLE (3D. One in a stag’s litter)
STOLEN BASE (30D. One of Henderson’s record 1,406)
OCCASIONAL (31D. Off-and-on)
RHINESTONE (32D. Bit of paste)

Remaining across — AERO, AMOEBOID (27. Like some shape shifters?), CENSOR, DELE, DYE LOT, EELED, FLOP, I ROBOT (59. 1950 sci-fi classic), “Love IS AN Army“, LAN, LEGALESE (49A. Bar lines?), LOCI, MOBS, NANO, NOT, NOTCH, OHO, ONEO and OREO balls, RELOS, RISE, ST DENIS (53. First bishop of Paris), STEN, SUMOS, “THRICE the brinded cat hath mewed“, TNTS, TOWED, WEBCAST, XER.

Down — AL ROSEN (10. The Hebrew Hammer of the Cleveland Indians), CABS, DOLORES (43. Actress-turned-nun Hart), DOG-TIRED, DOWEL, DWI, ENE, ENOL, ETHER, FAKES OUT, HIRE, IBEX, ILO, LEONID (50. Russian playwright Andreyev), NILE, ODOR, OMAR (54. “Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days“ poet), ONEG, PEALE, Abolhassan Bani-SADR, SELES, SELF, SO NICE, STERIC, STIR, TED, TIMOR, TORE AT, VISA.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Crowds around noisily; 15. Beginning of time?; 17. Korean War weapon; 21. Like sports cars, briefly; 22. Reagan-era teen, e.g.; 23. Modern-day stream; 25. Burgeon; 29. Cut bits from, maybe; 33. What “-” means in a search query; 34. Big rig rivals; 36. Mark of a successful gunfighter; 37. They cause blowups; 39. Like many disabled vehicles; 41. Positions; 42. Helped supply a sushi restaurant, say; 44. Promotions may require them, for short; 46. Chile’s main airline; 47. Yarn identifier; 51. Washout; 54. “Looky here!”; ___ balls (chocolaty snacks); 63. Mini successor; 65. LeAnn Rimes’s “Love ___ Army”; 67. Take out. — DOWN: 4. “Aah!”; 5. Tricks; 6. 1969 Peace Prize agcy.; 7. Certain stamp of approval; 8. Fifth element, per Aristotle; 9. Of atoms’ spatial relationships; 11. J.F.K. Speechwriter Sorensen; 12. Horned mountain dweller; 13. View from Memphis; 14. Kerfuffle; 20. Airport fleet; 24. It’s south of the Banda Sea; 26. Hydroxyl compound; 28. Tinkertoy bit; 35. 2009 Tennis Hall of Fame inductee; 38. Common portrait subject; 40. Beat; 45. Abolhassan Bani-___ (first president of Iran); 48. Clawed; 52. Guideposts magazine founder; 55. Take on; 56. Universal donor’s type, briefly; 58. Kitchen drawer?; 61 Traffic violation, for short; 62 Okla. City-to-Tulsa direction.

02.24.12 — Friday Dada

Hannah Höch, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, 1919, collage of pasted papers, 90x144 cm, Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Puzzle by Patrick Berry / Edited by Will Shortz

Across — 1. Cuisine featuring nam prik, THAI; 5. Identifies, PEGS; 9. Counterpart, MATE; 13. Mezzo-soprano Marilyn HORNE; 15. 1968 Best Actor nominee for “The Fixer”, ALAN BATES; 17. A blimp may hover over one, ARENA; 18. Induce squirming in, perhaps, EMBARRASS; 19. Coat that’s easy to take off, WATER BASE PAINT; 21. French loanword that literally means “rung on a ladder”, ECHELON; 22. Colors, TINCTS; 24. Perfect, DEAD ON; 25. It was MSNBC’s highest-rated program when canceled in 2003, DONAHUE; 26. Antique shop purchase, CURIO; 29. Wizard’s garment, ROBE; 30. Paper assets, STOCKS AND SHARES; 36. Device with a hard disk; TIVO; 37. It has a denomination of $1,000, T-NOTE; 38. Homeric character who commits matricide, ORESTES; 41. Weapons used to finish off the Greek army at Thermopylae, ARROWS; 46. What a robot might resemble, PERSON; 47. To the left, LIBERAL; 48. Psychedelic 1968 song featuring a lengthy drum solo, IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA; 31. What a whatnot has, BRIC-A-BRAC; 52. Like molasses, GOOEY; 53. Danger for a climber, ROCK SLIDE; 54. President’s daughter on “The West Wing”, ELLIE; 55. Alternative to “your”, ONES; 56. Company whose Nasdaq symbol is the company’s name, EBAY; 57. Keep alive, as a fire, TEND.

Down — 1. Showed a bit more friendliness, THAWED; 2. Poet who gave us “carpe diem”, HORACE; 3. Singer at Barack’s inauguration, ARETHA; 4. Poor, IN NEED; . Hymn sung to Apollo, PAEAN; 6. Trees in Gray’s country churchyard, ELMS; 7. Kaplan who co-hosted six seasons of “High Stakes Poker”, GABE; 8. Acknowledge a commander’s entrance, maybe, SNAP TO; 9. Pizza sauce, MARINARA; 10. Not going with the flow?, AT ANCHOR;11. Round-bottomed container, TEST TUBE; 12. Letter on Kal-El’s costume, ESS; 14. One hanging at a temple, EARLOCK; 16. It’s all in your head, BRAIN; 20. Christmas green?, BONUS; 23. Gets the gist, SEES; 25. Dimwit, DOLT; 27. “I hate it when that happens!”, RATS; 28. Business often located near an interstate, INN; 30. Obstruct, STOP; 31. Trunk item, TIRE IRON; 32. Too accommodating for one’s own good, OVER-NICE; 33. Once-autonomous people of southern Russia, COSSACKS; 34. Sober, STAID; 35. Nonwoody plant parts, HERBAGE; 39. Senate sheets, TOGAS; 40. Make possible, ENABLE; 42. Disobey the rule?, REVOLT; 43. Baltimore’s ORIOLE Park; 44. Begin with enthusiasm, WADE IN; 45. Got a lot of laughs out of, SLAYED; 47. 1980s Tyne Daly role, LACEY; 49. Small quantity, DRIB; 50. Surrealism forerunner, DADA; 51. Buddy, BRO.

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02.23.12 — Getting Around

Johnny Storm, The Human Torch

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Puzzle by Jeff Chen / Edited by Will Shortz

AROUND (46A. Word needed to be added to 12 appropriately placed answers in this puzzle for their clues to make sense), along with twelve answers around the perimeter of the crossword constitute the interrelated group of this Thursday crossword.

Clockwise, the twelve — SHOOT (1A. Pass quickly, as on a highway); ROOT (6A. Rummage); JERK (10A. Treat badly); KNOCK (13D. Wander aimlessly); FOOL (39D. Not be serious); POKE (61D. Search here and there); HORSE (71A. Act rowdily); MESS (70A. Waste time); KICK (69A. Bandy, as ideas); STICK (49D. Linger); COME (27D. Change one’s opinion); SHOP (1D. Get many price quotes).

Other — ANGELIC (22A. Perfectly behaved), BREEDER, CORNIER, ENSURE, KEEPS TO, KINGPINS (42D. Group leaders), MEGABIT, ORNATE, OTTAWA, PHYSICS (20A. Subject with force), PROPS UP, RAP SHEET (6D. List of criminals?), REHABS, RELIEF, TELLS ON (55A. Gives away, in a way).

Five-letter — BRASS, EXILE, GO SEE, HINDU, JOKER, “Vive LE ROI!”, NO-HOW, OGLER, OLMEC (51D. Ancient Mexican), ORECK, PLANK, RELIC, ROGET, SLOPS, Johnny Storm a k a the Human TORCH, TURIN (5D Famous cloth locale).

Short stuff — AUTH, COEN, COKE, DIE, DUO, ESAU, ETON, ET TU, HIGH, “IRMA la Douce“, ISAO, KEGS, KILO, LPNS, NATO, NEO, NOS, ODES, OHO, ONLY, OWEN and OWES, OUI, OXEN, PERO, PITA bread, RANI, SOUL, STAR, THAN, URNS.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 14. Karma believer; 15. Title believer: Abbr.; 16. Team members; 17. Many a nude beach visitor; 19. Narc’s find, perhaps; 24. Not under any circumstances; 26. Big name in vacuums; 27. Furnace fuel; 31. Heals, in a way; 33. Has a tab; 34. The One, in “The Matrix”; 35. Kind o f pitcher; 40. Storage unit; 40. Storage unit; 42. Maintains, as an itinerary; 43. Double-check, e.g.; 44. One of two in Monopoly; 45. Port. Is part of it; 48. Music genre; 49. Spills; 53. Synonym source; 57. Braces; 63. 14-Across V.I.P.; 65. Back in; 66. “The Big Lebowski” director; 67. George Orwell’s alma mater; 68. Part of many a generator. — DOWN: 2. Drugged out; 3. One’s partner; 4. Works of Horace; 7. Magazine once published by Playboy; 8. Senator’s home; 9. Comparison connector; 10. Wild card; 11. Banish; 12. Vestige; 21. Less sophisticated, in a way; 23. “Check it out!”; 25. Exclamation of surprise; 28. Meany of story; 29. Items sometimes tossed in strongman contests; 30. Biblical twin; 32. Rancher, typically; 36. Hosp. employees; 37. Golfer Aoki; 38. Cry of shocked hurt; 41. Military leaders; 42. Group leaders; 44. The Smothers Brothers, e.g.; 47. Showy; 52. Party principle; 56. City near Provo; 58. But, in Bolivia; 59. Standout; 60. Still-life subjects; 64. Digits, e.g.: Abbr.

02.22.12 — Medieval Turnabouts

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Puzzle by Karen Young Bonin / Edited by Will Shortz

Four pun phrases constitute the main feature of this wily Wednesday crossword: KNIGHTS’ GOING (20A. End of some medieval tournament action?), CONTACT LANCES (27A. Weapons that hit in a medieval tournament?), LIST WE FORGET (48A. Really boring medieval tournaments?) and JOUST KIDDING (53A. Joking around at a medieval tournament).

Other — BASKET, DELOREAN (10D. “Back to the Future” transport), END-ALL, REGALE, SAMSON (9D. Biblical fellow who was dis-tressed), SLIPSHOD (39D. Sloppy), STOOGE, TAKE IT.

Five-letter — AN EYE, BAYED, BESOM (18A. Broom made of twigs), DOBBS, EASED, ENOLA Gay, ENRON, FELLA, INURE, KATES, KORAN, LA LAW, MILER, SCARF, SHOTS, STEED, TOMES, TO DIE for, TRIBS, WEEDS.

Short stuff — ADD and ADO, AIDA, AMOI, AS IT were, AXEL, BLOT, BOOS, BOSH, COM, DAIS, DEBI, DORE, DOWN, DRUM, EMMA, ETCH, EVE, EXES, GAB and GRAB, GUCK, “I’M ON Fire“, Juana INES de la Cruz, IN NO time at all, JEST, LES, LOON, LOVE, NOAH, N DAK, O NEG, OSO, OTTO, OUR, PIA, REF, RIAS, RIO, SANG, ST LO, TOAD, UCLA, XOX.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Act greedy; 5. Newsman Lou; 10. Stand taken by a debater; 14. Elton John/Tim Rice musical; 16. Austin heroine; 17. Jeering from the bleachers; 19. Crazy sort; 23. Charger; 26. Part of the translation of “anno Domini”; 33. Sum up; 34. Holy book; 35. Middleton and Moss; 38. Estuaries; 40. Track figure; 42. Flood survivor; 43. “The Most Happy ___”; 45. Imitated a wolf; 47. Spanish bear; 51. Actress Zadora; 52. Unwelcome growth; 60. See 58-Down; 61. Noted declarer of bankruptcy in 2001; 62. Olympics jump; 66. W.W. II battle site; 67. Accustom; 68. “The occupation of the idle man, the distraction of the warrior, the peril of the sovereign,” per Napoleon; 69. Creature known scientifically as Bufo bufo; 70. Heavy reading; 71. Donald and Ivana, for instance. — DOWN: 1. Shoot the breeze; 2. Carnival city; 3. Fracas; 4. Hamper; 5. Actress Mazar; 6. Fairly uncommon blood type, informally; 7. Nonsense; 8. Black mark; 11. Mine, in Marseille; 12. Springsteen’s “___ Fire”; 13. Told all to the cops; 21. Mont. Neighbor; 22. Crud; 23. Chow down on; 24. ___ for (really delicious); 25. Ultimate object; 28. Follower of many a dot; 29. Some daily papers, informally; 30. TV courtroom drama, 1986-94; 31. Start or finish of an aphorism regarding justice; 32. Patsy; 36. Made less rigorous; 37. Things binge drinkers sometimes do; 39. Sloppy; 41. Zebra; 46. Blue; 49. Accept punishment; 50. Entertain; 53. Witticism; 54. Anne Frank’s father; 55. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s alma mater, in brief; 59. Juana ___ de la Cruz, Mexican poet/nun; 63. Losing row; 64. Brink; 65. French article.

02.21.12 — Best Picture

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Puzzle by Caleb Madison / Edited by Will Shortz

BEST PICTURE (59A. What the starts of 18-, 24-, 38- and 49-Across each won), OLIVER STONE (18A. “Platoon” director), PATTON OSWALT (24A. Comedian who voiced the lead role in “Ratatouille”), REBECCA DEMORNAY (38A. Tom Cruise’s “Risky Business” co-star) and MARTY FELDMAN (49A. Igor player in “Young Frankenstein”) comprise the interrelated group of this winning Tuesday crossword.

Other — AMOEBAE (29A. Little blobs on slides), AMSTEL (46D. Brew named for a Dutch river), BONES MCCOY (30D. Sci-fi physician played by DeForest Kelley), DECREE, HELENA (5D. State capital whose main street is named Last Chance Gulch), LIGHT SABER (3D. Star Wars” weapon), NEEDED, OH STOP (4A. “You flatter me too much!“), REPINE, ROTATE, SARA LEE (45A. Big cake maker), TOSSES.

Five-letter — AGASP, AT PAR, FEUDS, KHAKI, LAP UP, NOOKS, OASES, OMEGA, POEMS, RONDO, SAGET, SPIRO, STOKE, TIVOS, WARES, Rowdy YATES, “Rawhide” cowboy.

Short stuff — ABET, ADAM, AEC, “Who AM I?”, AMFM, ASIA, CEO and CPO, CHER, DENS, EDS and EDT, EDYS, ERIE, ERO, EYES, GERE, HERA, HGTS, INT, IRE, KRIS, LAPP, LOL, MANE, OAK, OCTO, ODD, ODIC, OJAY, OJOS, ONE, OPEL, ORO, PEG and PER, ROME, SERF, SODA, SOLO, TEAL, UGS, YRS.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. “OMG ur so funny!”; 10. Vatican locale; 15. Complain; 16. Any of the singers of the 1973 #1 hit “Love Train”; 17. Something to hang your hat on; 20. “That tastes awful!” comments; 22. Leandro’s partner in a Handel title; 23. Camel refueling spots; 28. It gets flatter as it gets older; 33. Material for a military uniform; 35. Vassal; 37. Peculiar; 42. Fury; 43. Mtn. stats; 44. Sonnets and such; 48. Paneled room, often; 54. Audibly amazed; 5. Old nuclear regulatory org.; 58. Modern prefix with mom; 63. Navy noncom; 64. “Fifteen Miles on the ___ Canal”; 65. Necessary; 66. Symbol of sturdiness; 67. Blue-green shade; 68. Sends to the dump; 69. Soph, jr. and sr. — DOWN: 1. Drink greedily; 2. Last Greek letter; 4. Gold, in Guadalupe; 6. Vice president Agnew; 7. Saves for later viewing, in a way; 8. 2000 Beatles album or its peak chart position; 9. The “p” of r.p.m.; 10. Spin on an axis; 11. 13-Down, south of the border; 12. Neck line?; 13. 11-Down, north of the border; 19. Unaided; 21. Feed, as a fire; 25. Like much of Pindar’s work; 26. They might be hawked; 27. Kind of radio; 31. Leading man?; 32. Ben & Jerry’s competitor; 33. ___ Kross (‘90s rap duo); 34. Juno, in Greece; 35. Bob of “How I Met Your Mother”; 36. N.Y.C. summer hrs.; 39. “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer, 1989); 40. German car; 41. Sonata part; 47. Nordic native; 48. Edict; 51. Fights that go on and on; 52. For face value; 53. Crannies; 54. Help in crime; 55. Actor Richard; 56. Most of Turkey is in it; 60. Stat that a QB doesn’t want to be high: Abbr.; 61. Corp. honcho; 62. Mag. staff.