Of interest — COMEUPPANCE (35A. Just deserts), GIANT SLALOM (31A. Event often with gate crashers?), GRANDNEPHEW (14D. Augustus, to Julius Caesar), LEYDEN (56a. Kind of jar), MICKEY MOUSE (34A. Not to be taken seriously), MISS MANNERS (21D. Longtime adviser on dos and don’ts), OILSEED (26D. Canola, e.g.), ON TIPTOE (10D. So as not to wake anyone, say), SMARTY PANTS (17D. Wisenhemer), SNAKED (40D. Wound), SRI LANKA (52A. So-called “teardrop of India“), YOU ARE (1983 Lionel Richie hit).
Four familiar phrases doubling as imaginary encyclopedia volumes constitutes the interrelated group of this Thursday crossword:
BACK TO BASICS (4D. Encyclopedia volume on education?) MADE TO MEASURE (17D. Encyclopedia volume on tailoring?) NEXT TO NOTHING (7D. Encyclopedia volume on poverty?) RAGS TO RICHES (21D. Encyclopedia volume on wealth accumulation?)
Other — CLEVER (8D. Quick), ILLICIT (47A. Prohibited), JERUSALEM (10D It would be a “crown of glory in the hand of the Lord,“ to Isaiah), METACOMET (41A. Indian chief called King Philip), MY SHARONA (32D. 1979 #1 hit whose title is sung with a stutter), PAY TV (20A. Where to watch some boxing matches), SELBY (1A. Actor David of “Dark Shadows”), SNOW (54D. White sheet), TIM BURTON (30A. “Alice in wonderland” director 2010), UNHINGE (43A. Drive crazy).
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BEEHIVE (60A. Where to find the ends of 19-, 36- and 51-Across), CARIBBEAN QUEEN (19A. 1984 #1 Billy Ocean hit), DOMESTIC WORKERS (36A. Maids, butlers and au pairs) and PREDATOR DRONES (51A. Aircraft in modern airstrikes) constitutes the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword.
Other — AMSCRAY (57A. “Get lost!”); ARAWAK (42A. Greater Antilles native once), DIVISOR (17A. The “3” in “6/3”); EASY CHAIR (20D. Sit back and enjoy it); ‘IT’S A STEAL” (31D. “You can’t beat that price!”); Boxer EVANDER Holyfield; LOUIS CK (16A. Comic who said “The meal is not over when I’m full. The meal is over when hate myself”); MONOSKI (18A. Relative of a snowboard); PONCHO (44D. Something to put on before a shower); SPONGE BOB (9D. Friend of Squidward on Nickelodeon); URSA (34D. Connect-the-dots bear?).
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MIDTERMS(56A. Some tests ... or what's found literally in 17-, 24-, 30-, 39- and 44-Across), e.g., TERM in the middle of five answers constitutes the interrelated group of this Tuesday crossword:
LATER MAN (17A. “Catch ya on the flip side”) UNDETERMINED (24A. Up in the air) MASTERMIND (30A. Genius) BUTTERMILK (39A. Ingredient in some pancake batter) MONSTER MOVIE (44A. “Mothra vs. Godzilla,” e.g.)
Other — AMAR’E(6D. Stoudemire of the N.B.A.), A AS IN APPLE (11D. Start of an alphabet book), BAILING OUT (27D. Rescuing financially), BATGIRL (39D. Barbara Gordon’s secret identity, in comics), CLOSE LOOK (12D. Inspection), LAIRD (36A. Scottish landowner), LA LA LA (16A. “I can’t he-e-ear you!“), MALAMUD (9D. Bernard who wrote “The Natural”), METRO AREA (30D. City plus suburbs), MOIST (40D. Dewy, e.g.), SOLVE (45D. Puzzle out).
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SMALL, SQUIRT, SHRIMP, SHORTY and PEE WEE form the interrelated group of this Monday crossword: SMALL TALK(66A. Chitchat … or an apt title for this puzzle?) SQUIRT GUN (17A. Toy in a water fight) FRIED SHRIMP (25A. Crispy seafood dish) GET SHORTY (39A. 1995 crime caper based on an Elmore Leonard novel) PEE WEE REESE (56A. Hall-of-Fame Dodger nicknamed “The Little Colonel”)
Other — ALT-TAB(42A. PC key combo); APES and GORILLAS (5A. “Planet of the …”; 48D. Thug); ASH TREES (22D. Wood sources for baseball bats); BURRO (16A. Grand Canyon pack animal); COMET and STAR (68A. Heavenly body with a tail; 74A. *); ROOT BEER (26D. Barq’s or Mug); SNICKER (49D. Tee-hee); TAO and ZEN (32A. Chinese path of enlightenment; 53A. Japanese path of enlightenment".
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"Making Connections", Puzzle by Dan Feyer Edited by Will Shortz
Adding “IN” to the start of familiar phrases resulting in unfamiliar ones constitutes the interrelated group of this Sunday crossword:
INLET LIE (23A. “You can never moor a boat here”?), e.g., LET LIE INSURE ENOUGH (24a. Provide sufficient coverage from risk?) INFIDEL CASTRO (39a. Atheistic Cuban leader?) IN-BOX SEATS (46A. Desk chairs?) INCAN OPENER (60A. Quechan “hello”?) INJURY TAMPERING (67A. Removing a Band-Aid too early?) INFIELD GOAL (74a. Covering first, second and third base?) INDUCT TAPE (91A. Add to the Video Clip Hall of Fame?) INTAKE CONTROL (97A. Diet?) INFANCY PANTS (112A. Diapers?) LINKEDIN (117A. Popular website whose name is a hint to this puzzle’s theme)
Other — B-SIDE(104A. Madonna’s “Into the Groove” originally), CAPERS (85A. Green deli stock), COIN FLIP (7D. 50-50 chance), CRIPS (33D. Bloods’ rivals), EGG DONOR (124A. Visitor to a fertility clinic), EYE EXAM (25D. Something you might get two 20s for?), FRISCO (9A. So-called Baghdad by the Bay), HIS HONOR (20A. Mayor’s title), HYPHEN (101A. Jack-in-the-box part), NIOBE (45A. Legendary weeper), PUSHBACK (84D. Resistance), QUACKS (32A. Some miracle drug pushers), SCARJO (102A. “Lucy” star in tabloids), SLUSHIE (96A. Drink that might cause brain freeze), SNEERING (121A. Disrespectful, in a way), TRI-TIP (98D. Bottom sirloin cut of beef), UNCARING (89D. Cold).
Of interest — ANIMANIACS (15A. 1990s TV cartoon produced by Steven Spielberg), BAHA MEN (37A. Band with a 2000 Grammy-winning hit that’s on rolling Stone’s list of all-time “most annoying songs”), CARTWHEELS (61A. Things happy people do), EATEN ALIVE (56A. Mobbed by mosquitos), FINE-TUNED (13D. Well-calibrated), HARPISTS (38A. Ones pulling strings?), HARRUMPHS (32D. Expresses grumpily), LOBSTER BIB (1A. Tie one on at dinner), MACHINE WASH 26D. Put through cycles, in a way), MONEY TALKS (17A. “Cash is king”), SHAMWOW (35A. Infomercial product said to hold 12 times its weight in liquid), OMAN (23A. It’s found on the toe of a boot), SHELL GAME (12D. Certain subterfuge), TAYLOR SWIFT (5D. Singer/songwriter whose name anagrams to ART OF SLY WIT), WHAC-A-MOLE (31D. Metaphor for a tedious, futile effort), WOODSMAN (14D. Savior of Little Red Riding Hood).
Across — 1. Officers’ clip-ons, ID BADGES; 9. Apollo setting, HARLEM; 15. Tasseled topper, TARBOOSH; 16. Shaded ring, AREOLA; 17. Speech opener, often, ANECDOTE; 18. To know, in Nantes, SAVOIR; 19. Lower, LESS; 20. Unenlightened stretch, DARK AGES; 22. Dawn’s direction, in Dresden, OST; 23. Some firefighters’ equipment, RADIOS; 24. Hill people, for short, REPS; 27. Unexpectedly, OUT OF THE BLUE; 29. Sean ASTIN of “the Lord of the Rings”; 32. Pedal pusher, FOOT; 33. Face reddener, IRE; 34. “Tell me what you know!”, SPILL IT; 37. Like many ties, STRIPED; 39. Establish, SET; 40. Monkey on one’s back, ONUS; 42. Quartet in a cathedral, maybe, APSES; 43. 2008 crossover hit for the country duo Sugarland, ALL I WANT TO DO; 47. Matter in the Big Bang theory, YLEM; 48. “The Second Sex” author SIMONE de Beauvoir; 49. Paraguayan pronoun, ESA; 52. Indy front-runners?, PACE CARS; 54. A little off?, TRIM; 55. Chinese zodiac figure, DRAGON; 57. Room in back, say, REAR AREA; 59. Wood borers, AUGERS; 60. Holiday cakes with swirls, YULE LOGS; 61. DEE DEE Myers of the Clinton White House; 62. Pointillism features, SPECKLES.
Down — 1. ITALO-Abyssinian War; 2. Ninth-century invaders of East Anglia, DANES; 3. Home to the marine mega park Océanopolis, BREST; 4. They’re elementary, ABCS; 5. Pentagon outfit, briefly, DOD; 6. Adept in, GOOD AT; 7. Luisiana or Misisipi, ESTADO; 8. Star role in many old films?, SHERIFF; 9. Isn’t out of the running, HAS A SHOT; 10. Limp as A RAG; 11. Addition to the mix, REVERB; 12. Tendency to be indiscreet, LOOSE LIPS; 13. Reuner in New Haven, ELI; 14. Sully, MAR; 21. Japanese zithers, KOTOS; 23. Be almost out, RUN LOW; 25. Strain to make?, PUREE; 26. Beginnings, SEEDS; 27. “The Starry Night,” e.g., OIL; 28. Fidelity alternative, E-TRADE; 29. Rock analysis, ASSAY; 30. One cast in a Harry Potter film, SPELL; 31. Place for an imprint, TITLE PAGE; 35. Kind of, IN A SENSE; 36. Viking garment, TUNIC; 38. Big business news, for short, IPO; 41. River draining Lake Superior, ST MARY’S; 44. Got a mental picture of, IMAGED; 45. Rent, TORE UP; 46. Discounted, ON SALE; 49. ERROL Morris who directed “The Unknown Known,” 2013; 50. Lengthy bout, SIEGE; 51. Opposite of deplete, AMASS; 53. Compulsory courses, CORE; 54. “Tell me what you know!” TALK; 55. Many a scoutmaster, DAD; 56. Cry over, say, RUE; 58. Sport, for short,REC.
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Two 2×2 blocks of black squares to be imagined as containing the word FIRE, surrounded by entries that require the word as part of their answers, constitutes the main feature of this hot little Thursday crossword:
WILD[FIRE] (9D. Metaphor for quick-spreading success) SPIT[FIRE] (10D. British W.W. II plane) [FIRE]-LIT (34D. Like a hearth) [FIRE] AXE (35D. Emergency tool for breaking down doors) PLAYS WITH [FIRE] (24A. Risks disaster) [FIRE] LANE (26A. Illegal place to park) GUN[FIRE] (28A. Rat-a-tat-tat) [FIRE] ANTS (29A. Stinging insects) MIS[FIRE] (31D. Failure) BON[FIRE] (32D. Feature of a big outdoor party) [FIRE] SALE (58D. Chapter 11 event, maybe) [FIRE] EXIT (59D. Building safety feature) OPEN [FIRE] (47A. Start shooting) [FIRE]MAN (50A. Many a calendar beefcake) SURE[FIRE] (53A. Impossible to fail) [FIRE] IN THE HOLE (54A. Warning before a detonation … and a hint to 16 of this puzzle’s answers)
Other — ARACHNID(8D. Scorpion or tick), ARBOR DAY (40D. Annual April celebration), BROWSES (57A. Goes on Safari, say), CD TOWER (22A. Jewel case display unit), I’D SAY SO (4D. “Yep, sounds about right!”), LOST ARTS (3D. Letter writing and sentence diagramming, it’s said), Marvel supervillain Norman OSBORN a.k.a. the Green Goblin, POOLSIDE (41D. Relaxing in a cabana chair, maybe), SEMI-SOFT (38D. Like Havarti cheese).
Five crossings in this Wednesday crossword refer to items that are (or can be) red, resulting in a RED CROSS.
MARS with RARE MEAT (3D. Twix maker; 17A. Something that's just not done at the dinner table?) RADISH with NAIL POLISH (18A: Salad bar item; 12D: Purse item) BRICK with CHILI (31D: Adobe, e.g.; 42A: Tailgate dish) STRAWBERRY with MERLOT (29D: Kool-Aid flavor; 65A: Dark wine) ROSE with RED CROSS (62D: Stood; (67A. Aid provider since 1864 … or a hint to this puzzle’s shaded squares)
Other — ATHEIST(30D. One who’s beyond belief?), BUT WHY (58A. Cry from a whiny child), DAHS (14D. “Tom,“ entirely, in Morse code), EIRE (43A. It goes from Caradonagh to Skibbereen), HATS (8D. Top gear), IT’S A LIE (21D. “Don’t believe that one bit!“), OPA-LOCKA (15A. Miami suburb), PEROT (33D. Reform Party pioneer), PROSPERO (72A. Shakespearean character who says “We are such stuff as dreams are made on”), RECIPE (45A. It might have a stirring part), TV TRAY (36A. Couch potato’s holder), WOMANISH. (1A. Ladylike).
Puzzle by Allan E. Parrish / Edited by Will Shortz
LANDAU, CARRIAGE and COACH are the tidy threesome of this Tuesday crossword:
MARTIN LANDAU (20A. “Ed Wood” actor) PAPER CARRIAGE (35A. Typewriter part) BATTING COACH (53A. Expert on swings)
Other — ANCIENT (30D. Like the Dead Sea Scrolls), BABUSHKA (10D. Russian grandmother), CARDIO (8D. What spin classes provide, informally), MAINSTAY (23a. Primary supporter), MISSPENT (50A. Squandered, as youth), NATURAL (21D. Quick learner), PASSBOOK (37D. Obsolescent bank item), SPARSE (43D. Like people in the Yukon).
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Other — ALAS and “WOE is me!”(33D. “Ah, so sad”; 41D.); Yogi BERRA who said “When you come to a fork n the road, take it”; ÉCLAIR (20A. Patisserie pastry); FUEL and TESLA (22D. What an electric car doesn’t need; 3D. Electric car maker); HOBOS (19A. Bums); HOORAH (10D. Old-fashioned “Yay!”); IRS and LIMES (39A. Org. that may garnish your wages; 38A.Garnishes for Coronas); SARDI (67A. Noted Big apple restaurateur), SNIPED (40D. Took potshots); TIARAS (18D. Miss America toppers).
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Author Paul Martin here tackles the science of that most mysterious, elusive and alluring of human activities, sleeping, and draws on both cutting-edge neuroscience and classic literature to do so. We spend one third of our lives asleep, but know hardly anything about it, and can remember so little of it as we come out of it. Why? Are dreams the place we go to resolve our problems, emasculate our fears and rehearse our hopes? Why are we paralysed when we dream? Why did sleep evolve? And is anybody getting enough sleep? ~ amazon.com
The quotation: THE PURITAN WORK ETHIC AND THE CULT OF TIME MANAGEMENT NAG US TO DO A LITTLE… MORE… EACH DAY. SO WE GET LESS SLEEP. BUT THAT IS STUPID, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO CUT BACK ON THEIR SLEEP ACHIEVE LESS AND FEEL BAD INTO THE BARGAIN.
The author’s name and the title of the work: PAUL MARTIN, COUNTING SHEEP
The defined words: A. Trash-to-ashtray converter (2 wds.), PIG LATIN B. Period for lighting candles, ADVENT C. Of the previous month, ULTIMO D. Find utterly despicable, LOATHE E. Painkiller for patients in rehab, METHADONE F. British author of “Island in the Sun” (2 wds.), ALEC WAUGH G. Chide, scold, admonish, REBUKE H. Crime of a quisling, TREASON I. The Big 12’s Cyclones (2 wds.), IOWA STATE J. Language of Big Brother, NEWSPEAK K. Grape variety used in Bordeaux, CABERNET L. Square one, starting point, OUTSET M. Use a derailleur on the way down a hill, UPSHIFT N. Lunatic, kook, psycho, NUTCASE O. Sons of Liberty action of 1773 (wds.), TEA PARTY P. Replacement for Apple’s MobileMe, iCLOUD Q. After-dark entertainment, NIGHTLIFE R. Field cultivated by Gregor Mendel, GENETICS S. Thrown together carelessly, SLIPSHOD T. Device limiting free movement, HOBBLED U. Dutch export with a red cover (2 wds.), EDAM CHEESE V. Engaged in conflict, under siege, EMBATTLED W. Tom Cruise’s wheels in “Risky Business”, PORSCHE
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“3.1415926 …” — Puzzle by Tom McCoy / Edited by Will Shortz
Pi, Greek letter (π), is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi = 3.1415926... Pi Day is celebrated by math enthusiasts around the world on March 14th. The official site for Pi Day is piday.org.. Wikipedia, HERE. Teachers in many classrooms (this year a Saturday) celebrate Pi Day in classrooms across the globe taking a break from the normal routine to plan a special celebration in honor of π. March 14 also happens to be the birth date of Albert Einstein.
This year, Pi Day is 3.14.15, along with 9:26 (time of day), and this Sunday‘s crossword takes note with PI being the main feature of the puzzle. In five squares, pi (π), works in the down answers and the look-alike TT in the answers across. Other answers also have reference to the main feature
RO[TT]EN EGG (23A. The last one in perhaps) with TY[PI]CALLY (3D. As is usual)
MAD HA[TT]ER (26A. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" asker) with RA[PID]-FIRE (15D. How questions may be asked)
GUIL[TT]RIPS (29A. Shames into action) with RES[PI]TE (9D. Breather)
TA[TT]LE (117A. Snitch) with STU[PI]D (102D. Cry exclaimed while facepalming)
DO[TT]ED (120A. Like two lowercase letters of the alphabet) with UTO[PI]A (105D. More work)
HOW I WISH / I COULD CALCULATE / PI EASILY(69A. With 94- and 72-Across, a mnemonic for the first eight digits of [symbol in the middle of the grid]), e.g., HOW is 3 letters,I is 1, WISH is 4, I is 1, COULD is 5, etc. 3.1415926 the full mnemonic.
FILLING(50D. Pie part [that's appropriately placed in this puzzle?]), along with black squares that form a big pi symbol in the middle of the grid completes the main feature of the crossword.
Other — ALSO-RAN and HARE (90D. Race loser; 118A. Fabled 90-Down); CRAPSHOOT (114A. Risky venture); ESCROW (100D. What money can be kept in); ETRUSCAN (76A. Like much of Italy in 700 B.C.); EYESORES (16D. Derelict buildings, e.g.); KREMLIN (49D. One end of the hotline); SESAME SEEDS (38A. Sushi coating, maybe), SUSS OUT (92D. Solve).
