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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Click on image to enlarge.

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.