03.05.14 — No Clue


Fast-growing NOAA active region No. 11112, crackling with solar flares, surrounds a sunspot group in the SW quadrant (lower right). On October 16, 2010, this region launched a CME, or coronal mass ejection, toward Earth. In addition, a vast dark solar prominence cuts across the sun's southern hemisphere and links with the sunspot group. This prominence (filament) is so large it spans a distance several times the separation of Earth and the moon. NASA Image

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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Puzzle by Evan Bornholm / Edited by Will Shortz


The clueless HELL IF I KNOW; I’M STUMPED; BEATS ME; DON’T ASK ME and I HAVE NO CLUE (57A. Phrase that defines [and describes] 18-, 24-, 37- and 52-Across) constitutes the interrelated group of this amusing Wednesday crossword.

Other — ERSATZ (49D. Like Splenda vis-à-vis sugar), Terra FIRMA, HEY YOU (2D. “Pssst!“), POKEMON (10D. Late 1990s fad), STONE AGE (36D. Fred and Barney’s time), SUN SPOTS (11D. They have umbras and penumbras).


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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

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