05.01.12 — Id Est

 

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Puzzle by Zoe Wheeler and Aimee Lucido / Edited by Will Shortz

IE added to the first word of common phrases resulting in uncommon ones with justifying clues constitutes the interrelated group of this light-hearted Tuesday puzzle, i. e.:

• JUNKIE MAIL (17A. Package full of syringes?)
• QUICKIE STUDY (23A. Thesis topic for sex ed?)
• SHARPIE SHOOTERS (38A. Cameras taking pictures of permanent markers?)
• BEANIE SPROUT (46a. Pompom on a skullcap?)
• BOOKIE CASE (57A. Police investigation of a betting house?)

Other — CREATOR (43A. God, with “the”), CRIKEY, EUGENE, HAIKU, MIMIC, POLKA DOT (40A. Like some summer dresses, by design), REBUSES (26A. Picture puzzles), SCREAM AT (31A. Loudly berate).

Five-letter — AGENT, ARCED, ATEAT, BLOOP, EERIE, EXERT, FLASK, HINDU, LEGO, MICAH, NOOKS, NOTES, OLDER, OPERA, OSTEO, PARIS, PROBE, QUIRK, STILT, WEARY.   

Short stuff — ACAI, ARK, ARLO, “Do A SI do“, BAAL, BEST, BLT, CENT, COX, DATE, DUB, ECHO, ELLA, EONS, ERIE, EURO, IDEE, ILSA, INCA and INCH, IPUT, KRIS, Jiffy LUBE, Tuna MELT, MFAS, MOJO, NUT, OINK, OTT, OUR, PETS, RASP, REN, RING, Rice-A-RONI, SAL, SHAW, SST, TIRE, TREY, TSAR, USER.

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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. Child prodigy of “Heroes”; 6. Painters’ degs.; 10. “Pygmalion” playwright; 14. “Falstaff” or “Fidelio”; 15. “Play it, Sam” speaker; 16. Bridgestone product; 19. Ancient Andean; 20. Great Giant; 21. Kardashian matriarch; 22. Less likely to be carded, say; 29. Acorn or pecan; 30. Berry for the health-conscious; 31. Loudly berate; 41. “___ Enchanted” (2004 film); 42. Stimpy’s TV pal; 51. Building blocks; 52. It changes hands at an altar; 53. Give a name; 56. Cookie celebrating its centennial in 2012; 60. Pig’s sound; 62. Students take them in class; 63. Dogs, cats and gerbils; 64. “South Park” writer Parker; 65. Put out, as energy. — DOWN: 1. It’s stolen in an Austin Powers movie; 2. “___ a Spell on You”; 3. Penny; 4 Noah’s vessel; 5. 17-0syllable poems; 6. Makes like; 7. Item “spirited” past security?; 9. “My gal” of song; 10. One of a pair for a clown; 11. Bangalore believer, maybe; 12. See 46-Down; 13. Tired; 18. ___ Lackawanna Railroad; 22. Bone: Prefix; 23. Peculiarity; 24. Go slowly (along); 25. Multinational currency; 26. Speak with a scratchy voice; 27. It comes back to you; 28. False deity; 31. Fast jet, for short; 32. Troubled terribly; 34. Singer Guthrie; 35. Romanov ruler; 37. “Midnight in ___” (2011 Woody Allen film); 38. Notion: Fr.; 39. Ages and ages; 43. “Holy smokes!”; 45. Oregon city; 46. Short baseball hit that’s 12-Down; 47. Spooky; 48. Go-between; 49. Cozy spots; 50. Look into; 53. Information on a check; 54. Consumer; 55. Outdo; 57. Sandwich usually served with may; 58. “___ Mutual Friend” (Dickens’s last finished novel); 59. Actress Courteney.