04.30.12 — B and B

Pink Bed and Breakfast by Rhonda Roban Brausey 

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Monday, April 30, 2012

Puzzle by Susan L. Stanislawski / Edited by Will Shortz

B AND B (28D. Quaint lodging hinted at by the outsides of 18-, 20-, 28-, 42-, 51- or 55-Across), BRIDGE CLUB (18A. Group that includes North, South, East and West), BILLY BOB (20A. Actor Thornton of “Sling Blade”), BLUE CRAB (28A. Chesapeake Bay delicacy), BELLY RUB (42A. Activity a puppy loves), BRAKE JOB (51A. Service provided at Meineke and Pep Boys) and BRUSED RIB (55A. Sparring injury, perhaps) constitute the interrelated group of this cheerful Monday crossword.

Other — APPLES, BOBBIN (5D. Certain spool), CAVERN, EDGE OUT, ENTERS, LILIES, LISTEN UP (38D. “Now hear this!”), PRESENT, SASSED, SEABED, TIC-TAC, WELL-READ (4D. Versed in the classics, say).

Five-letter — ANISE, APACE, APIAN, BETTE, BEAUS, BLISS, BONED, CARIB, DRIVE, ENRON, NAÏVE, ON RED, PLAIN, PRANK, RANDS, RINSE, ROANS, TWEED, VINYL,YARNS.

Short stuff — ABLE, BAIT, BASK, BONA fide, BRIE, DAW, DENT, DOUR, ENNE, ENS, ETAL, EXES, IGOR, Currier and IVES, JAKE, LIRE, NAPA, NOTE, ONO, OGLE, OPEC, ORAL, ORBS, PADS, PECK, Grand PRIX, PURE, RAIN, SNOB, STEW, TED, TODO, TORI, TRIB, UKES, YVES.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Fret, 5. Singer/actress Midler; 10. Heading on a list of errands; 14. Memo; 15. No turn may be allowed then, according to a sign; 16. Lab assistant in a horror film; 17. Face-to-face exam; 22. Opposites of exits; 23. Shower; 25. Carlsbad feature; 32. Beelike; 33. Can of worms, say; 34. Singer Yoko; 35. Writer Ayn and others; 36. Naval rank: Abbr.; 37. Bare-bones; 39. Frigid; 40. Writing tablets; 41. Dentist’s directive; 45. Talked back to; 47. Bit of bumper damage; 48. Golden Delicious and others; 57. California wine valley; 58. Bygone Italian coins; 59. Artless; 60. Hawaiian strings, informally; 61. Ones giving or receiving alimony; 62. Like some preppy jackets; 63. Eat like a bird. — 1. High-hatter; 2. Spelling of “90210”; 3. And others, for short; 6. Company with a spectacular 2001 bankruptcy; 7. Chicago daily, briefly, with “the”; 8. Koppel or Kennedy; 9. Just beat, as in a competition; 10. Something always sold in mint condition?; 1. Eye amorously; 12. Sullen; 13. Heavenly bodies; 19. Feminine suffix; 21. Tall tales; 24. Seventh heaven; 25. West Indies native; 25. Rapidly; 27. Old LPs and 45s; 29. Reddish/white horses; 30. Biscotti flavoring; 31. Like chicken breast cutlets; 33. Boyfriends; 37. Shenanigan; 40. Something brought to a birthday party; 43. Easter blooms; 44. Designer ___ Saint Laurent; 45. Bottom of the ocean; 47. The “D” of PRNDL; 48. Competent; 49. Grand ___ (auto race); 50. Chaste; 51. Cheese popular with crackers; 52. Actor Gyllenhaal; 53. Crude group?; 54. Take in some sun; 56. Black bird.

04.29.12 — Puns and Anagrams

The Fall of Icarus, 1636, Peter Paul Rubens

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Sunday, April 29, 2012

PUNS AND ANAGRAMS, Puzzle by Mel Taub / Edited by Will Shortz

Across — 1. Surgically cuts, secrets, RESECTS; 8. Got ‘old of cab, AILED; 13. Makes a distribution and collapses, GIVES OUT; 14. S.C. beverages that go with fish, SCALES; 16. How to order Clara tea, A LA CARTE; 17. Mythical queen on beach with you, HECUBA; 18. Purest sleep, REST UP; 19. Leader of Perseus, oddly: Abbr., PRES; 21. Kind of dusky, SAN; 22. Seller’s condition for a relative, AS IS; 23. Twisted puns, SPUN; 24. Ticket #3, #2, #1 and #5, CITE; 25. Head of state, informally, GUV; 26. Colorful genre, GREEN; 28. Covers with hail, in afterthought, PAVES; 39. e + p = t; EPEEIST; 31. At mirror on the wall, who finds it safer?, FAIREST; 33. Man’s name for lava, ALVA; 34. What to do in the loge, OGLE; 35. Pins set in parts of feet, INSTEPS; 38. I resort to tear gas for them, RIOTERS; 42. Appears to see some, COMES; 43. A fool to dot two i’s, IDIOT; 45. Follower of Phil, LIP; 46. Asian river in intramurals, AMUR; 47. How to get the sum of a column of numbers, ADIT; 48. He likes to avoid a cop, CAPO; 49. Kind of dance, RID; 50. Region on the outskirts of the Arctic Sea, AREA; 51. Like resolute emir: Fr., FIRMER; 53. Remove belt during mix-up, UNGIRD; 55. Where the French found real iron LORRAINE; 57. CC 2; SEES TO; 58. Some tied to 4-Down, EDOMITES; 59. Perfume ingredient from trees, ESTER; 60. Water barrier and why it broke, DAMAGED.

Down — 1. Irritates P.I. rules, RILES UP; 2. Tricky Va. Sieve, EVASIVE; 3. Groups with radios and TVs (about 100), SECTS; 4. He didn’t use a birthright, ESAU; 5. Kind of oration, CORP; 6. Mild rebuke of a king, TUT; 7. Plain sound of a footfall, STEPPE; 8. Like Shane after getting terrible news, ASHEN; 9. Alternately increase desserts, ICES; 10. Black heart, LAC; 11. Evil use that’s hard to catch, ELUSIVE; 12. Disputes at de school in Maine, DEBATES; 13. Area Gigi used for parking, GARAGE; 15. Assent that’s most rational, SANEST; 20. Flee fort and ruin, RUN FOR IT; 23. Discarded as a steed is, SET ASIDE; 24. Trace it back to a proofreader, CARET; 26. He confused Selig, GILES; 27. Reply to semi-privates, RSVP; 28. One caught up in scheme of airman, PILOT; 30. One who dines in a tree, EATER; 32. Fee paid by Iago, AGIO; 35. Curia’s ill-fated flier, ICARUS; 36. One of the men, I.e., on the ballot, NOMINEE; 37. Dark spots on Ed’s gums, SMUDGES; 39. Ancient on Eli team, ELAMITE; 40. Matured red pine, RIPENED; 41. What is found in Sp. Mines, SPORES; 44. How laddie got connected, DIALED; 47. Zeal that sounds more difficult in London, ARDOR; 48. Cigar man, CRAIG; 50. Parted in the middle, ARTE; 51. Preposition on a form, FROM; 52. Maria who’s losing a girlfriend, IRMA; 54. First adherent, IST; 58. Where there’s much ado in a sultan’s palace, ODA.

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04.29.12 — In Fractions

Ursula and John Rapp and grandchildren, Rapid City, SD, c 1947

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Sunday, April 29, 2012

INFRACTIONS, Puzzle by Tracy Gray / Edited by Will Shortz

Phrases with fractions indicated by matching above and below entries comprises the interrelated group of this Sunday crossword:

• ONE GENERATION over THREE (23A. With 26-Across, like grandchildren), e.g., third generation
• DRAW AND ONE over FOUR (33A. With 44-Across, execute, in a way), draw and quarter
• IN ONE HEAVEN over SEVEN (45A. With 50-Across, euphoric), seventh heaven
• SAKS ONE AVENUE over FIVE (71A. With 77-Across, high-end retail chain), Saks Fifth Avenue
• THE ONE SENSE over SIX (94A. With 103-Across, 1999 Shyamalan thriller), The Sixth Sense
• MEET ONE WAY over TWO (105A. With 112-Across, compromise), meet halfway
• BEETHOVEN’S ONE over NINE (122A. With 127-Across, classical work that’s the source of the European Union’s anthem), Beethoven’s Ninth

Other — ABSCESSES (49D. Jobs for dentists), ARMORIES (126A. Military depots), ENLISTEES (46D. New faces on bases), GET TAKEN (9D. Be fooled), GOES GAGA (5A. Flips), SO IT SEEMS (82A. “Apparently”), STEELIEST (57A. Superlatively strong), THANATOS (89D. Death personified, in ancient Greece), TOSSED TO (129A. Gave, as a hot potato), UKULELES (21A. Pacific strings).

Mid-size — AMELIA, ANACINE, ARCSINE, AREOLAS, ARISTAE, ATLASES, ATTIRE, AVOWAL, CASUIST, COLD WAR, D FLATS, ESTATE, EURASIA, GEORDI, I DO TOO, ISADORA (125A. Dancer Duncan), LITERAL, LOTIONS, MY HERO, NOT NOW, OSTEOID, OVERDUE, RED SEA, SEPTAL, SEXIST, SHEETS, SUNUNU, TARSAL, TESTER, THRACE, TINWARE.

Five-letter — ANISE, ASNER, A STEW, AVANT-garde, BAHAI, Venae CAVAE, COPSE, EELER, ELIOT, ERUPT, ESKER, HANOI, ISAAC, KNEES, OCHRE, OF THE same mind, OILED, OTROS, SET IN, SISSY, SLATE, STYLE, Gherman TITOV.

Short stuff— Et ALII, A NET, ARNO and ARVO, ASSN, DEER, DOGE, Dr. DRE, DWI, EDA, EER, EINE, ENNA, ESO and ESP and EXP, ETC and ETH, ESO and EXO, GUN, HAIR,HAWK, HISS, IRE, “Freedom ISN’T free“, ITEM, KOI, LOIS Lowry, MCA, MOSS, NIN, OKE, ON A mission, Phnom PENH, PESO, PIXY, REMS, REST, REV, ROM, SPOT, SPUD, SSE, STET, SYS, TADS, TRI, TSAR, TUT, TWP, URI, USER, VAL and VAT and VET, WOVE, WRIT.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. It has eyes than can’t see; 13. Student of morality; 20. Philippine money; 22. Fine word for libraries?; 25. Beach bottles; 27. Deck out; 28. Bad record part, for short; 29. “For shame!”; 30. Ancient parting place; 36. Keen observer; 40. Prefix with cycle; 41. Pond fish; 43. ___ d’Or, Quebec; 48. Ankle bone; 51. Product with the old ad catchphrase “Mother, please, I’d rather do it myself!”; 53. Faith that celebrates both Jesus and Muhammad; 61. Initially; 64. Scaredy-cat, maybe; 65. Sacred music composer ___ Pärt; 67. Trig inverse; 68. County subdivision: Abbr.; 75. Botanical beards; 78. Grove; 80. Political party that won 39 electoral votes in 1948; 86. Panache; 87. They’re fit for kings and queens; 90. Poet who wrote “In the room the women come and go / Talking of Michelangelo”; 91. What’s left behind; 98. Part of AARP: Abbr.; 101. Fury; 102. ___ Records (old music label); 104. What’s left; 108. Later; 111. Abbr. on many food labels; 115. Stinko; 120. Like some interpretations; 128. They have scales; 129. Gave, as a hot potato; 13. Peter, e.g. — DOWN: 1. Bind; 3. Possible candidate for rehab; 4. Old Italian magistrate; 5. Word with top or pop; 6. Fine, in old slang; 7. “1984” superpower; 8. Blue-gray; 10. Et ___ (and others); 11. “Star Trek: T.N.G.” role; 12. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” Emmy winner; 13. The West was part of it; 14. Promises; 154. Become fixed; 15. The Rams of the N.C.A.A.; 17. “Ditto!; 18. George Bush’s chief of staff John; 19. Person doing a practice run; 24. Poetic “always”; 31. Biblical suffix; 35. Neighbors of C notes; 35. What letting off steam might result in; 37. Operating without ___; 38. Zigzagged; 39. Trouser parts; 47. Brewer’s vessel; 48. Gherman ___, cosmonaut who was the second human to orbit the earth; 54. Musical with the song “Easy to Be Hard”; 55. The Piazzale Michelangelo affords a view o f it; 56. Detail; 58. R&B singer Hayes; 59. Glacial formation; 60. Part of A.B.S.: Abbr.; 62. World capital once occupied by France; 63. Fly off the handle; 65. Flavor akin to fennel; 66. Quickly accelerate; 68. Iotas; 69. Order in the court; 70. Sprite; 73. Prefix with resort; 76. Muted; 79. Fisher with a grig; 81. Agitated, after “in”; 82. Beijing-to-Shanghai dir.; 83. One from Germany; 84. Nature’s pillow?; 85. Put back; 88. And everything else, for short; 92. Colonial service; 93. Colored parts; 95. Bonelike; 96. “Henry & June” role; 97. Outside: Prefix; 98. 2009 Hilary Swank biopic; 99. Gender offender; 100. Like a nasal membrane; 102. Rescued damsel’s cry; 106. Others, in Oaxaca; 107. Up; 109. Cousin of rust; 110. Korean money; 114. Sleep stages; 117. ___ Lowry, children’s writer; 118. City in Sicily; 119. Silhouette on many a yellow sign; 121. Child-care author LeShan; 123. Cat scanner?; 124. “___ Beso”.

04.28.12 — Down to Earth

This Island Earth, 1955

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Saturday, April 28, 2012

Puzzle by Gary J. Whitehead / Edited by Will Shortz

Ten fifteen-letter answers is the main feature of this down-to-earth Saturday crossword:

• THIS ISLAND EARTH (8D. 1955 sci-fi film that was one of the first to use Technicolor
• CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (1A. Stuff between some cake layers)
• EAT ONE’S HEART OUT (16A. Brood terribly)
• NURSE CLINICIANS (17A They may perform minor surgeries)
• INTERNAL AUDITOR (35A. Staff member checking the books)
• MAINTENANCE-FREE (41A. Self-correcting or self-cleaning, say)
• MAKE A MENTAL NOTE (42A. Put some matter in the gray matter?)
• TAKE NO PRISONERS (60A. Ruthless)
• A HARD NOT TO CRACK (66A. Something baffling)
• RAISES THE STAKES (67A. Creates more incentive to win)

Five-letter — ANENT, APEAK, ”Every man will be A POET if he can“, ASLAN, CENTO, CUERS, DELOS, DUCAT, ELITE, EPICS, HAUSA, IFNOT, IMMIE, IRENE, MNEME, NAACP, OASIS, ORCAS, OTROS, Nez PERCE, RETRO, SANDE, SARAS, SAREE, SERTA, STAPH, TIANT, TIKKI, UTICA.

Short stuff — AHA, ALE, COS, EEN, END, EONS, EPA, ESOS, ETS, HAS, ICK, KAI, LECH, MAC, MAIM, NIT, NRA, OCT, ONE, PEU, PUT, Ad REM, “… SO A fool returneth to his folly“, SID, SUN, TAR, TEE and TOO, TSO, UAE.

I - I know everybody's seeing flying saucers and screwy lights up in the sky. Well, you can put me in the booby hatch too, because, so help me, I saw this ship turn a bright green up there. ~ This Island Earth

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 18. Menu general; 19. Harbors; 20. Jobs announcement?; 21. Refreshment site; 26. Old-time actresses Allgood and Haden; 32. Tom Sawyer’s half brother; 34. Org. with lead concerns; 43. “Nasty!”; 44. Kill; 45. Besides; 46. Big pictures; 49. Ball-bearing piece; 51. Sycosis source, informally; 55. Trucial States, today: Abbr.; 57. Buzzsaw Brown, e.g. — DOWN: 1. Poem comprised of quotations; 2. Common language of Niger; 3. Others, to Juan; 4. Calculator button; 5. In dire need of gas; 6. First name in Polish politics; 7. Literary lion; 9. Contracted time period?; 10. More than mar; 11. Killers that may go through hoops; 12. City near Oneida Lake; 13. “… ___ fool returneth to his folly”: Proverbs 26:11; 14. Thing to fry in; 15. 8-Down characters, briefly; 22. She pounded the East Coast in 2011; 23. Alternative to Tempur-Pedic; 25. Luis in the Red Sox Hall of Fame; 27. Like many things that come back; 28. “Every man will be ___ if he can”: Thoreau; 29. South Asian wear: Var.; 31. Moon of Jupiter; 33. Ticket, informally; 35. Color-streaked playing marble; 36. Grp. Involved with Brown v. Board of Education; 37. McAloo ___ (burger at McDonald’s in India); 38. About; 39. Apollo’s birthplace; 40. Otherwise; 47. Round dance officials; 48. Hall-of-Fame jockey Earl; 50. Olympic-level; 52. Vertical, at sea; 54. Ear protectors; 56. Time to evolve?; 58. Those, to Juan; 60. Seagoing sort; 61. City upon figuring out 68-Across; 62. Trombonist Winding; 63. Express; 64. Time of year for much raking: Abb.; 65. Grp. With a piece plan?

04.27.12 — Spotlight

Spotlight, photo by Visualogist

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Friday, April 27, 2012

Puzzle by Patrick Berry / Edited by Will Shortz

Four fifteen-letter entries are featured in this fine Friday crossword:

STAMP OF APPROVAL (17A. O.K.)
THREE TIMES A LADY (20A. First #1 hit for the Commodores)
DRAW ATTENTION TO (41A. Spotlight)
EASY FOR YOU TO SAY (44A. “Yeah, right!”)

Five of eight or nine letters — CARTOONY (32D. Not drawn true to life), IN TESTATE (28D. Not ready to go, you might say), IN ARREARS (3D. Not caught up), JACKSTRAW (26D. Pick-up sticks piece), NAMESAKE (4D. First son, sometimes), ON THE MEND (2D. Getting better), PARKINSON (27D. English physician James who gave his name to a disease), REPEOPLED (8D. Like a town that used to be a ghost town), TALK TO ME (31D. “I want the lowdown!”), TOPSAILS (9D. Schooner features).

Mid-size — Aalto ALVAR, CAMEO (15A. Head stone?), CHALKS, COOLED, CRANE, ERSATZ, EWELL, HAFIZ (6D. Koran memorizer), HASTE, JELLS, KNOLL, KURTIS, LEAKY, MARLA and MARTA, MERIT, MERKEL, MUTUAL, OATERS, PACED, PEARY, PILAF, RATES, READS, “Tom SAWYER, Detective“, SCOTTY, “The Battle of the SEXES” (D. W. Griffith film), SHIRT, SILKS, SMEARY, SPIED, TAXES.

Short stuff — ANNA Pavlova, ANTE, CANE, CARP, CAST, COIN (1A. One called upon to decide), DEAD, DEER, EYRE, IMAM (7D. Koran reciter), INRE, MDS, NOTE, OLEO, OYEZ, PEAL, PIP, POLY, SLIM, Santa YNEZ Valley.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 5. Back cover?; 10. Keep the complaints coming; 14. Pavlova of the ballet; 16. Nondairy alternative; 21. Counterfeit; 22. Horse shows?; 23. Hard to see though, say; 24. Laid eyes on; 25. Hardly seaworthy; 26. Takes shape; 27. Apple seed; 30. About; 31. One of Franklin’s certainties; 32. Little Tramp prop; 33. Diagnosis deliverers: Abbr.; 34. Expended some nervous energy; 35. Commuting option in Georgia’s capital; 36. Jockey’s uniform; 37. First female chancellor of Germany; 38. Attributes (to), with “up”; 40. Former “CBS Morning News” co-anchor Bill; 45. Play money?; 46. The Donald’s second ex; 47. Small letter; 48. Some ruminants; 49. Bob ___, “To Kill a Mockingbird” villain; 50. Santa ___ Valley (winegrowing region). — down: 1. Play group; 5. Warp drive repairman on the original “Star Trek”; 10. Sat on a sill, maybe; 11. Finnish architect Aalto; 12. Tries out for a part; 13. Part of many a tech school’s name; 18. “The North Pole” author, 1910; 19. Phone company offers; 23. Hardly stocky; 29. Ring; 34. Starchy dish; 35. Good reason for promotion; 37. Held in common; 38. Part of a boomtown’s skyline; 39. Cause of careless mistakes; 40. Rise; 41. Utterly exhausted; 42. Literary governess’s surname; 43. Courtroom cry.

04.26.12 — World

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Puzzle by Julian Lim / Edited by Will Shortz

WORLD in five squares is the main feature of this Thursday crossword:

• IT’S A SMALL [WORLD] AFTER ALL (1A and 40A. With 40-Across, a chorus line … ) with [WORLD] WIDE WEB (41D. Realm of many searches)
• SEA [WORLD] (10A. Where dolphins perform tricks) with [WORLD] BANK (13D. Group making billion-dollar loans)
• FIRST [WORLD] WAR (23A. The Treaty of Versailles ended it) with REAL [WORLD] (5D. Long-running MTV show, with “The”)
• A WHOLE NEW [WORLD] (59a. Oscar-winning song from “Aladdin”) with [WORLD]LY (63D. Possessing much life experience
• OLD [WORLD] (67A. Europe, Asia and Africa) with RING[WORLD] (50D. 1970 Hugo Award-winning novel by Larry Niven)

Other — ARRANGE (26D. Orchestrate), CANDY APPLE (17A. Snack on a stick), DEODORANT (51A. Secret, e.g.), OIL-PROOF (8D. Like some safety boots), PIPES IN (21A. Imports, as elevator music), ROOT CROP (35A. Turnips, e.g.), TOSS DOWN (42A. Chug), UNHINGE (5A. Drive mad).

Mid-size — ABBESS (68A. First in an order), ALDRIN (33D. Apollo 11 astronaut), Slippery as AN EEL, AUGIE, A WEEK (27A. Hebdomadally), DELTS, ELISE, FLOAT, GEAR TO, “I AM SO dead!“, IN PAWN, MATRI, MUMBO, NO MORE (45D. “I’ve had enough!“), NROTC, “OL’ MAN River”, OMAHAS (31A. Oto neighbors), ON TIME, OREOS, PAC-TEN, Il PLEUT, RAITA, REIGN, RENOIR (15A. Painter of many nudes), SCREW, THIRD (49D. Place for a yellow ribbon), TRIPOD (4A. Astronomer’s accessory). TRYST.

Short stuff — BERG, CLUB, CRT, DIS, DREI, EGO, Lady GAGA, GAL, HAB and HAS, INC, ISLA de Margarita, LAO, Lo MEIN, NEO, OXY, POP, REN, RIGA, SLOE, SON, TAU, TEA Party, In TOTO, WAX.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. With 40-Across, a chorus line … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme; 4. Astronomer’s accessory; 14. A fresh start?; 16. Kind of sandwich; 19. Capital city on the Daugava River; 28. Southeast Asian language; 29. Campus org. for ensigns-in-training; 40. See 1-Across; 43. Punctual; 44. Cover many subjects?; 46. Sigma follower; 47. Prefix with lineal; 57. Just; 64. It might come off the shelf; 66. “Has Anybody Seen My ___?” (1920s song); 69. ___ 10 (acne-fighting medicine). — DOWN: 1. Part of many a firm’s name; 3. Young fellow; 4. Lover’s plan; 6. Hocked; 7. Result of rampant inflation?; 9. Eins + zwei; 10. Thread holder; 11. Beethoven honoree; 12. ___ Doggie (old cartoon pooch); 18. Insult, slangily; 22. Arizona and Arizona State jointed it in ‘78; 23 Parade part; 25. Is peripatetic; 30. In ___ (altogether); 32. Experiences; 34. Plum look-alike; 36. Old PC part; 37. Indian sauce with coriander and cumin; 39. Il ___ (it rains: Fr.); 47. Jumbo beginning?; 52. Shoulder muscles, for short; 53. Many people like to take these apart; 54. Nicktoons character; 60. Old Testament book before Zephaniah: Abbr.; 61. Bighead; 62. Floor cover.

04.25.12 — 7 Cs

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Puzzle by Peter Wentz / Edited by Will Shortz

SEVEN CS (61A. Punny title for this puzzle that’s a hint to the answers to the starred clues), AC MILAN, RC COLAS, DC COMICS, W C FIELDS, JC PENNEY, MC HAMMER and N C STATE constitute the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword.

Other — ACADIAN (8A. Early French settler), ACCOUNT, COCCYX (9D. Tailbone), COLETTE, COROLLA, CUBS WIN (1A. Catchphrase of announcer Harry Caray), DACTYL (45D. “Innocent,” but not “guilty“), EDIT OUT, ERASMUS (39A. Contemporary of Luther), FACE OF EVIL (32D. Villainy personified), IPANEMA, Mrs. O’LEARY’S cow, RESTYLE, WELCOME MAT (5D. Sign of hospitality).

Five-letter — ACCRA, ACRID, ALAIN, ANENT, ARETE, ATLAS, EASY A, ELTON, FASTS, I’LL BE, “The best IS YET to come“, LUNES, MANOR, NASTY, PASEO, PEWEE, SNIDE, SOFAS, STYES, TASES, “Who are THESE people?!”, UNCLE.

Short stuff — ACE, ADS, AERO, Santa ANA, ARCS, ATV, BAM, BIT, CIA, CPR, CUT, Whoop-de-DOO, ECO, EDY, ENE, ETD, Swine FLU, IMAC, JAVA, MARY, “Love ME DO“, MESS, MFAS, MSEC, MUTT, NANO, NOT, STE, TAT, UPC, XFL.

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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 15. Locale in a 1964 Stan Getz hit; 16. Toyota model; 17. *Football club that plays at San Siro; 18. *First soft drinks sold in cans; 19. *Green Lantern company); 21. Comedy routine; 22. Former Toyota model; 25. Big name in ice cream; 26. Word of choice; 27. Green prefix; 28. Painters’ degs.; 31. Bygone sports org. for which Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura was a TV analyst; 33. *He said “Start every day off with a smile and get it over with”; 35. Space launch vehicle; 40. Report; 42. G.P.A. booster; 43. *Big clothing reailer; 44. Airport announcement, for short; 46. Prefix with magnetic; 47. Phoenix-to-Albuquerque dir.; 48. Unregistered sort; 51. Cousin of a dune buggy, for short; 53. Observes a religious holiday, in a way; 56. *Baggy pants popularizer in the 1980s; 59. *The Wolfpack, informally; 66. Remove, as an unnecessary line; 67. Give a makeover. — DOWN: 1. The Company, for short; 2. Lines at a store, for short; 3. Whack!; 4. Indirectly derogatory; 6. G3, G4 or G5; 7. Product from the maker of the 6-Down; 8. Bad-smelling; 10. Jump shorts have them; 12. “That’s amazing!”; 13. French actor Delon; 14. Vicious, as the weather; 20. What a slob leaves; 22. Smallish bird; 23. Capital of Ghana; 24. Where houseguests may sleep; 26. John of London; 30. Parts of some campaigns; 36. Crescent shapes; 37. Regarding; 38. Eyelid problems; 40. Crackerjack; 41. Some chest-thumping, for short; 43. World’s most populous island; 48. “Jane Eyre” locale; 49. Paul McCartney’s Albert, e.g.; 50. Zaps, in a way; 54. Rocky ridge; 56. Figure in a crèche; 57. Fraction of a min.; 60. Gang identifier, for short; 62. Word after waste or want; 63. Well-muscled, informally; 64. Véronique, e.g.: Abbr.

04.24.12 — The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Puzzle by Adam G. Perl / Edited by Will Shortz

GIRL / WITH / THE DRAGON TATTOO (1A. With 10-Across and the circled letters, a best selling novel, with “The”), STIEG (62A. Author Larsson of 1-/10-Across, etc.), LISBETH SALANDER (17A. Heroine of 1-/10-Across, etc.) and MIKAEL BLOMKVIST (54A. Hero of 1-/10-Across) constitute the interrelated group of this Tuesday crossword.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (original title in Swedish: Män som hatar kvinnor– literally– men who hate women) is a crime novel by the late Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. It is the first book of the "Millennium series" trilogy, which, when published posthumously in 2004, became a best-seller in Europe and the United States. ~ Wikipedia

Other — ARIANE (43D. 1906 Massenet opera based on Greek myth), LOS ALTOS (42A. Silicon Valley city), N TESTS (44A. 1940s Bikini blasts, for short), NUTMEG (44D. Mace source), OPERATOR (29A. Zero personality?), RETOOK (5D. Seized again), SHRIEK (26A. Horror film sound), WINONA (10D. Actress Ryder).

Five-letter — AGORA, APNEA, ASSET, BLAKE (59A. English Romantic poet William), ESTER, ETHOS, ETUDE, GLIDE, GOOSE, G SPOT, “GUNGA Din“, GUPTA, HOMEO, “You OWE IT to yourself“, REINS, RELIC, ROSAS, SEPIA, STALL, STEAK, STOKE, “TO ERR is human“, T TOPS.

Short stuff — AKIN, Jai ALAI, AMID, AREA, ARON, ASIA, ATTA, AUTO, BLT, CEL, ERIE, EST, GALE, GENE, GIRL, GTOS, HERE, IDA, INDO, IN RE, IRIS (2D. Rainbow goddess), LAB, LEN, LUST, ODIN, REGT and REST, RIOT, SMOG and SOOT, STEM, SUES, TEAM, TEES and TRES, TIDE, TOES, TWO, WAS, WIRE, VET.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 5. Excavation find; 14. Environs; 15. Musical exercise; 16. Start of a legal memo; 20. Ballpark fig.; 21. It’s found in stacks; 22. One taking a gander?; 23. Bygone muscle cars; 24. The King’s middle name; 34. Kipling’s “___ Din”; 35. Tango requirement; 36. During; 37. It’s to your advantage; 38. “Little piggies”; 39. Actor Cariou; 40. TV doctor Sanjay; 41. Old photo tint; 45. Cause for calling in the National Guard; 46. Takes to court; 47. Not flighty; 50. Lead-in to boy or girl; 51. Has been; 58. God of war and magic; 60. Canal of song; 61. Part of a pool; 63. There’s no “I” in it, they say. — DOWN: 1. Air force?; 3. Relaxation; 4. Experimentation station; 6. Spirit of a people; 7. One of the seven deadly sins; 8. Gilbert and Sullivan princess; 9. Cartoon frame; 11. Prefix with China; 12. Number of Los Lonely Boys; 13. “Take this”; 18. Fragrant compound; 19. Public place in Athens; 23. Encircle; 24. Sleeper’s problem; 25. Armory grp.; 26. Conk out; 27. Prefix with -pathy; 28. Ones holding their horses?; 29. Boots; 30. Some sports car features; 32. Some Spanish flowers; 34. “The ___ and Other Recent Discoveries About Human Sexuality” (1982 best seller); 37. Self starter?; 38. Perturbs, with “off”; 40. Dance movement; 41. Porterhouse, for one; 46. Feed, as a fire; 47. Factor in an air quality rating; 48. Beach washer; 49. Similar (to); 51. Something a police informant might wear; 52. Where Indians live; 53. Stern’s opposite; 55. Figure wachers’ figs.; 56. Deli order, for short; 57. Animal doc.

04.23.12 — King

"Duke Max" Crown of the King of Meridies

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Monday, April 23, 2012

Puzzle by Michael David / Edited by Will Shortz

Seven “either/or” entries rule this colorful Monday crossword, the clues commanding a split of common gerunds: PAR KING (20A. Ruler on a golf course?); PEA KING (53A. Ruler in a vegetable garden?); THIN KING (4D. Ruler after a diet?); TAN KING (10D. Ruler on a beach?); PROVO KING (20D. Ruler in a Utah city?); FLAN KING (40D. Ruler with custard desserts?); LOO KING (42D. Ruler in a W.C.?).

Other — ALIEN TO, BURRITO, DECAGON and TEN (65A. Figure with 14-Down sides; 14D. Number of sides in a 65-Across), DEFICIT, HYPHENS, IN A RAGE, RON ORE, MENTION, PAST DUE, PIT-A-PAT, SILICON, ROY G BIV (66A. Rainbow mnemonic).

Mid-size — AFRICA, ARTIST, CAIRO, DIODE, DITTO, EQUATE, ESKIMO, INERT, IRVING, JESTER, LOCKET, N TEST, RAIN ON (23A. Spoil, as a parade), RONDO, SUMMON, TEEPEE, UNIT.

Short stuff — ACK, AGOG, Stick A TOE in the water, AYE, BAD, CLOY, COB and COD, Art DECO, EAR, EMO, ERIC, ESAI, EST, FOR, FUME, I DO, JERK, LAMP, NENE, NET and NEV, NOON, Forget-me-NOT, NSC, “… OR I quit!”, PAIN, PHD, PIMA, PULE, “QUE pasa?”, SIR, SKIN, SPF, TING, “My country ‘TIS of thee“.

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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. Late, as a library book; 8. Sound of an excited heart; 15. “-” marks; 16. Furious; 17. Surplus’s opposite; 18. Bring up, as a subject; 21. Yank; 24. Floppy feature of a basset hound; 27. Morales of “NYPD Blue”; 28. In favor of; Mushroom cloud creator, briefly; 34. Scrape, as a knee; 35. Songwriter Berlin; 38. Little bell sound; 39. Electron tube; 40. Be furious; 41. Rock music genre; 42. Heart-shaped item on a chain, say; 43. Genie’s home; 44. Last movement of a sonata; 46. Tire filler; 48. Atlantic food fish; 50. Foreign policy grp.; 52. Hawaii’s state bird; 56. Comic strip cry; 58. Folded Mexican dish; 59. Element used to make semiconductors; 63. Not recognizable by; 64. Raw material for a steel mill. — DOWN: 1. Advanced deg.; 2. Sailor’s affirmative; 3. Beach lotion letters; 5. Art ___ (1920s-’30s movement); 6. Join; 7. Superlative suffix; 8. Fine cotton; 9. Like krypton; 11. Easel user; 12. Ache; 13. Bug-eyed; 21. Court clown; 22. Igloo builder; 25. Zimbabwe’s continent; 29. Passengers; 31. Consider the same; 32. Order to come; 33. Cone-shaped shelter; 35. Bachelor’s last words; 36. Badminton court divider; 45. Where many fed. Employees live; 49. “Me too”; 51. Egypt’s capital; 53. Whine; 54. Guitarist Clapton; 55. Midday; 57. Fill to excess; 58. Rotten; 59. Madam’s mate; 60. Corn on the ___; 62. Las Vegas’s home: Abbr.

04.22.12 — The Fragile Species — the Acrostic

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Wenzel Peter, The Vatican

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Sunday, April 22, 2012 — Earth Day

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s fine and timely acrostic draws a humorous quotation from The Fragile Species by Lewis Thomas. The author of The Lives of a Cell and The Medusa and the Snail now raises challenging questions about some of the major issues of our time--AIDS, drug abuse, and aging. With extraordinary perception, he discusses topics such as evolutionary biology, the development of language, the therapeutic aspects of medicine, and his love for his profession. ~ Google Books

The quotation: OUR WORD ‘HUMAN’ COMES FROM THE… ROOT DHGHEM, MEANING SIMPLY ‘EARTH.’ THE MOST TELLING COGNATE WORD IS ‘HUMUS,’ THE PRIMARY PRODUCT OF MICROBIAL INDUSTRY. … IT GIVES A NEW… SPIN, TO THE OLD CLICHÉ FOR AN APOLOGY: “SORRY, I’M ONLY HUMAN.”

The author's name and the title of the work:  LEWIS THOMAS FRAGILE SPECIES

The defined words:

A. Feathery plant for a woodland garden (2 wds.), LADY FERN
B. Environmental subgroup, ECOTYPE
C. Maker of Hacky Sacks and Frisbees (hyph.), WHAM-O
D. Element named for its blue spectral lines, INDIUM
E. Like some bars or tennis matches, SINGLES
F. Mouse-riding Arthurian knight of lore (2 wds.), TOM THUMB
G. Gaga, overflowing with enthusiasm (hyph.), HOG-WILD
H. Classic candy bar (2 wds), OH HENRY
I. Halfway point in a presidential election cycle, MIDTERM
J. O.K. to fly, AIRWORTHY
K. Leave in the lurch; thread or fiber, STRAND
L. Loud alternative to a lighthouse, FOGHORN
M. Concern for certain banks (2 wds.), RH FACTOR
N. Hatred, hostility, loathing, ANIMUS
O. Benjamin Franklin wh founded a rubber company, GOODRICH
P. “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” genre, IMPROV
Q. Filled with light, brilliant, LUMINOUS
R. Fungal cause of St. Anthony’s fire, ERGOT
S. Throw in the towel (2 wds.), SAY UNCLE
T. Greek author of “Parallel Lives”, PLUTARCH
U. What someone with alexithymia can’t express, EMOTION
V. Active in sports, business or evolution, COMPETING
W. Line connecting equal values on a map, ISOPLETH
X. Atlanta campus boasting many a “green” building, EMORY
Y. Much of the atmosphere’s particulate matter (2 wds.), SEA SALT

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The full quotation: I cannot get this out of my head. It has become, for the moment, the most important thing I know, the obligatory beginning of any memoir, the long-buried source of language. We derive from a lineage of bacteria, and a very long line at that. Never mind our embarrassed indignation when we were first told, last century, that we came from a family of apes and had chimps as near cousins. That was relatively easy to accommodate, having at least the distant look of a set of relatives. But this new connection, already fixed by recent science beyond any hope of disowning the parentage, is something else again. At first encounter, the news must come as a kind of humiliation. Humble origins, indeed.

But then it is some comfort to acknowledge that we’ve had an etymological hunch about such an origin since the start of our language. Our word “human” comes from the prot-Indo-European root dhghem, meaning simply “earth.” The most telling cognate word is “humus,” the primary product of microbial industry. Also, for what is worth, “humble.” Also “humane.” It gives a new sort of English, in the sense of a strange spin, to the old cliché for an apology: “Sorry, I’m only human.” ~ The Fragile Species

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Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.