02.08.12 — Extra S

In the Nathaniel Hawthorne version of the Midas myth,
Midas's daughter turns to a statue when he touches her.

 Illustration by Walter Crane for the 1893 edition.

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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Puzzle by Lynn Lempel / Edited by Will Shortz

An extra S in five familiar phrases results in unfamiliar phrases constituting the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword.

• BASS RELIEF (17A. Throat lozenge for low-voiced opera stars?)
• MIDAS’S TOUCH (25A. Cause of a sexual harassment complaint?), or perhaps punctuated as MID-ASS?… no way!
• DISCUSS THROWERS (35A. Talk about pitchers and quarterbacks?)
• SINGLESS BAR (49A. Pub with no karaoke?)
• BUSS TICKET (57A. Admission provider for a kissing booth?)

Other — ABUSED, AMMAN (67A. Home of Middle East University), AND SO on, AUTOS (54A. Dodges, perhaps), AWESOME (46A. “Far out!“), BERTHS, CALVE, CANTO, DO RE MI, ERICA and EROICA, FRAUD, GLENS, GOES BANANAS (24D. Loses it), OF COURSE NOT (11D. “No way!”), ORALS, RELIC, ROOMIES (28A. Dorm-mates, e.g.), SASHA, SOLIDS, STENO, STINTS, STOAT, SWATHE, TEA ACT, URALS, U S OPEN, VIRILE.

Short stuff — ACE, ADS, A FEW, ALG, ANAT, ARID, ASHE, AYE, BAH, COTS, ELAN, ELIE, EVA and UVA, FAB, HEAD, IKEA, ITE, KLM, LOKI (23A. Crafty Norse god), MACE, NCAA, NESS, ORCA, PINE, RAF, RAMS, RNA, RTE, SCAM, SEAR, “SHE’S the Boss“, SITH, STE, STIR, STYE, TEN, TSP, “What’s the USE?”, USSR, WATT.

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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. Flimflam; 6. Char, as a steak; 10. Handy roll-outs at sleepovers; 14. ___ on (sentence shortened); 15. SeaWorld performer; 16. Some; 19. See 43-Across; 20. Museum piece; 21 Certain weasel; 22. Course with many unknowns: Abbr.; 30. Social finale?; 31. Way to go: Abbr.; 32. Its logo includes its name in blue letters in a yellow oval; 33. Is miserly; 41. Pullman features; 42. Class with a skeleton in the closet?: Abbr.; 43. The Cavaliers of the 19-Across; 45. Mate’s approval; 52. Kitchen meas.; 53. Grad students’ grillings; 56. Woodsy scent; 62. Flair; 63. 1968 winner of the 43-Down; 64. Give birth, as a whale; 65. Eliot who pursued Capone; 66. Top dog. — DOWN: 1. Terrif; 2. Coded material; 3. Some Super Bowl highlights; 4. Red state, once; 5. “The Sound of Music” tune; 6. Some foods for growing babies; 7. Co-anchor Hill of “The Early Show”; 8. Crackerjack pilot; 9. U.K. military arm; 10. Main section of a long poem; 12. Precursor to a memorable Boston party; 13. Wrap in bandages; 18. Nobelist Wiesel; 21. Exe3c’s note taker; 22. Lifeless; 26. Foes of the Jedi; 27. Commotion; 29. Ceremonial rod; 33. Urban grid: Abbr.; 34. Start of a Clement Moore classic; 36. Range extending from the Arctic to Kazakhstan; 37. Eye annoyance; 38. “___ the Boss” (Mick Jagger album); 39. Crashes into; 40. Fred Astaire move; 43. Annual tournament played in N.Y.C.; 44. Manly; 46. Mistreated; 47. James with an electrical unit named after him; 48. Beethoven’s Third, popularly; 50. Valleys; 51. One of the Obamas; 55. Con game; 57. Cantankerous cry; 59. Alphabetic trio for fliers; 60. Powerful Perón; 61. Sum of the first three prime numbers.