05.16.12 — HINT, HINT

Lacerta, the Lizard was created by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius, from the stars between Cygnus and Andromeda. In the first renderings the Lizard looked a lot like a weasel with a long curly tail, but later drawings were modified to portray a lizard.

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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Puzzle by Kevin Adamick / Edited by Will Shortz

Eight repeated-word phrases constitute the interrelated group of this pleasant but so-so Wednesday crossword with double hints a bonus for the solver:

MAHI MAHI (1A. Hawaiian entrée)
AMEN, AMEN (15A. Emphatic call from the flock)
LIAR, LIAR (64A. 1997 Carrey comedy)
SERA SERA (66A. Words after “Que”)
HINT, HINT (13D. Comment made while elbowing someone)
YADA, YADA (14D. “And so on”)
AGAR-AGAR (35D. Petri dish gel)
BORA BORA (36D. South Pacific island)

Other — ABSORBS, CLOISTER, INGEMAR Johansson, INSULATOR (4D. Asbestos, for one), LACERTA (38A. The Lizard constellation), MEMORIALS, ON LOAN TO, RETOOLS, SECRETES, TOASTING.

Mid-size — AD HOC, AMEND, AMOUNT, ANNIE, AROMAS, AREOLA, AVATAR, ESPIES, ET ALIA (16A. And so on), GAMIN, GOERS, GOTHAM, HEALER, HELENE Curtis, HENNA, “HITCHY-Koo”, Loch LOMOND, MARNIE (47D. 1964 Hitchcock thriller), MATZOS, NICOLO Amati, President PRO TEM, RACER, RASCAL, RETAN, SENORA, STRATA, TAMPA, TORERO, TORSO.

Short stuff — ABED, ACER, ALA, AMI (6D. Burgundy bud), ARC, ASHY, AT AN early age, GARB, IRAN, “The Heat IS ON”, “How was I TO know?”, LAR Park Lincoln, MAT, NENE, ONE L, OPIE, ORA pro nobis, PITA, RAVE, RARA, TIA, ZULU.

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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: 17. Honoring at a banquet, say; 15. Scotland’s Loch ___; 19. Natal native; 20. 50^th state’s bird; 22. Kind of sandwich; 23. First-year J.D. student; 24. Street child; 25. Like the area around an erupting volcano; 26. Rock layers; 28. Tennis whiz; 30. One in la familia; 31. One concerned about charges; 33. Alter; 35. Assumes, as costs; 40. Ones on the move; 43. Bow shape; 44. Redheaded boy of 1960s TV; 46. Bouquets; 50. Hard to find in Latin?; 52. Cure again, as leather; 54. All-night party; 55. Sacked out; 57. Modern home of ancient Elam; 58. Batman’s home; 60. Being borrowed by; 63. Pupil surrounder; 65. Spanky or Alfalfa. — DOWN: 1. Seder servings; 2. Check figure; 3. Doctor, ideally; 5. Dojo floor covering; 7. Skin colorer; 8. Former world heavyweight champion Johansson; 9. ___ Curtis, onetime cosmetics giant; 11. Home of MacDill Air Force Base; 21. Violinmaker Amati; 24. Raiment; 27. Many a classical sculpture; 29. Soapbox derby entrant; 32. Glimpses; 34. Some anniversary events; 37. Generates, as fluids; 42. Modernizes, as a factory; 45. First; 48. 2009 James Cameron blockbuster; 49. Madrid madam; 51. Like some committees; 53. Musical with the song “N.Y.C.”; 59. Indicator of how something is done; 61. Actress ___ Park Lincoln.