————————
Friday, June 21, 2013 — Summer Solstice
Puzzle by Michael Sharp / Edited by Will Shortz
Twelve ten-letter entries in sets of three in the four corners of the puzzle constitutes the main feature of this first-day-of-summer crossword.
TABLECLOTH (1A. Dinner spread)
MIRACLE GRO (15A. Gardening brand)
AMY POEHLER (17A. Former “Weekend Update” host on “S.N.L.”)
SNEAK A PEEK (55A. Ruin the surprise, perhaps)
ALL-TERRAIN (59A. On- and off-road)
TYLER PERRY (61A. Movie mogul whom Forbes magazine once named the highest-paid man in entertainment)
EARL MONROE (12D. N.B.A. Hall-of-Famer who, with Walt Frazier, formed the Knicks’ “Rolls Royce Backcourt”)
GREGARIOUS (13D. Outgoing)
ASSAILANTS (14D. Hit makers, say)
PORTLANDIA (27D. TV sketch comedy set in the “city where young people go to retire”)
OPERATIONS (28D. They’re ordered by mathematicians)
SENEGALESE (29D. Some French-speaking Africans)
Other — “Bigger & BLACKER,“ EROTIC and TRENDING (48A. Hot; 9D. Hot), HORRORS (10D. “Ye gods!“), LEERS AT and OGLE (39D. Views lasciviously; 8D. View lasciviously), OPIATE (43D. It’s a downer), SMELT ROE (24D. Common sushi garnish), TRESTLES (38A. They cross many valleys).
————————
or Right click and select “Open Link in New Window".
Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.
1 comment:
Not sure what the clue for 37 across is supposed to mean. There are two senses of "natural" that might apply here. In the first, nature is the all inclusive set, and if something truly exists, it is necessarily "natural"
Boron is not pixie dust.
In the second, natural refers to all things not created by human synthesis. This is not the case either. Boron is formed by cosmic ray spallation (see here from Wiki): "Cosmic ray spallation is a form of naturally occurring nuclear fission and nucleosynthesis."
If cosmic rays are "unnatural" then so is sunlight, the ultimate source of most if not all life.
As Carl Sagan said, "We are made of star stuff".
A third possibility for the clue writer's meaning could be that you must use a dowsing rod or some such thing of superstition to find boron.
Enough said.
Post a Comment