05.31.07

KCAB-BACK


Thursday, May 31, 2007

Puzzle by William F. Stephens, edited Will Shortz

!efas ton si dlrow eht ro eman a evah tsum gnihtyreve ekil -- elzzup "emeht" a siht llac ot gniog si enoemoS

It's just a crossword puzzle with four answers entered backwards with the word "back" missing -- that hardly makes it a "theme" -- let's get over this "theme" and "rebus" fixation -- a "theme" puzzle would include all entries in the puzzle and a "rebus" puzzle would do the same! The good Lord did not say we must have a name for everything, but if we must have a name, name it correctly -- again, "a crossword puzzle with four backward entries" -- that's it!

Check the grids above, can you find a "theme"? That out of the way, the four entries (with a fifth "clue" entry) are:

BACK (55D Missing word in 21-, 31-, 40- and 50-Across, applied literally)

ENOERAUQSOT (21A From the beginning again) -- (BACK)(TOSQUAREONE)

DAEDEHTMORF (31A Revived) -- (BACK)(FROMTHEDEAD)

ERUTUFEHTOT (40A 1985 Michael J. Fox film) -- (BACK)(TOTHEFUTURE)

ELDDASEHTNI (50A Controlling things once more) - (BACK)(INTHESADDLE)

The only other backward/forward entries are ERIE (51D I-90 runs along it) and EIRE (61A U2's home) which cross each other in the bottom center of the grid, ELBA (40D Napoleon's home before his Hundred Days campaign) (e.g., ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW ELBA), and EWE (20A Milk source) -- all of which are oft-seen fill that just happen to be palindromes.

There is no "theme", just four answers entered backwards with a missing word supplied in another area of the puzzle!

Further commentary to follow...

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For today's cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated

Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

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05.30.07

ORBIT!

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel, edited by Will Shortz

TIMOTHYLEARY (53A Speaker of the catchphrase that starts 20-, 27- and 47-Across), combined with TURNONANAXIS (20A Revolve), TUNEINTOMORROW (27A “Don’t miss the next episode…”), and DROPOUTOFSIGHT (47A Become a recluse, perhaps), combine for a neat anchor for this Wednesday special, which along with the center cross, a hep-cat-like saying HEYBABY (37A Start of many a pickup line) and ORBIT (28D Go around and around) combine to command -- “Hey baby, orbit -- turn on, tune in, drop out!“

WHEW! (1A “I’m glad that’s over!”) because I’m in a DAZE (69A Stun) -- this crossword puzzle is NSYNC (31A “Bye Bye Bye“ boy band) -- ITSTRUE (23A “Honest!”), would ILIE (54D Tennis’s Nastase) (I know, I know!) -- OK then, would I LIE (41A Tall tale) to YOU (39D “___ and whose army?”).

This puzzle is a WRY (1D Like some humor) ABOMB (22D Weapon in 1940s headlines) of a puzzle which sounded a SIREN (64A Signal to clear the road), DREW (18A Sketched) me in, and won my HEART (67A Courage) with such entries as OSKAR (9A Schindler of Schindler’s List) with MIRA (55A Actress Sorvino) (I have my own reasons) and LILYPAD (46D Frog’s perch) even though they aren‘t OLIVE (58 A Shade of green); further, I didn’t even mind such entries as TOILETS (52A Rest stop features), the usually boring KNOX (11D The “K” in James K. Polk), nor the repugnant YASIR (40D Arafat of the P.L.O.).

They're all there and more -- this puzzle is a trip in itself!

It’s late, I should be ABED (34A Sleeping, say), getting some REM (33A Kind of sleep), so I’ll do the ENDRUN (5D Evasive maneuver) as I’ve WRITTEN (4D On paper) enough on ITNOW (23A Edward R. Murow’s See____”) -- so let’s just give it ANOD (68A Give ____ to [approve]),a ROAR (14A Sound from a 57-Down) of the LION (57D Big prowler) of approval, and a MEA (29D ____culpa) for my naked enthusiasm! Enjoy the puzzle, man! -- heed the label on the lysergic acid diethylamide like “Alice in Wonderland" -- EAT (3D Chow down)!

Treat yourself to Linda G's Madness…Crossword and Otherwise. Linda was a bit leery and particularly prescient in questioning the presence of an eerie LEARY entry in yesterday’s puzzle -- hey, he was just lurking at the door, right smack dab in the middle of yesterday’s puzzle awaiting today's -- in a starring role!

Now, Mr. Shortz, will tomorrow’s puzzle give us the missing entry? -- LSD!

For today’s cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

05.29.07

...ar


Above: (1) Guernica by Pablo Picasso -- In 1992 the painting was moved from the Museo del Pado to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, both in Madrid,, along with about two dozen preparatory works. This action was controversial in Spain, since Picasso's will stated that the painting should be displayed at the Prado.

(2) On 4th of February, 1945 the Big Three (Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin) convened at Yalta, on the Crimean Peninsula.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Puzzle by Jim Hyres, edited by Will Shortz

BAR (38A It can precede the starts of 16-, 26-, 43- and 58-Across and 10- and 33-Down) was the last entry I filled on this puzzle which ties in with CHARTTOPPER (16A #1 hit), BELLBOTTOMS (26A Some 1960s-'70s attire), KEEPANEYEON (43A Watch), NONETHELESS (58A However), HOPSCOTCH (10D Playground game), and CODENAMES (33D Manhattan Project and Operation Overlord). Having no idea what was wanted, I just worked the remainder of the puzzle and then came back to the center to see what the hell 38A was all about -- all I had was AR -- and for 38D Competition of sorts, I had only EE -- so I ran through the alphabet starting with CAR, EAR, FAR, WAR, etc. -- concentrating on the clue for 38D, and trying to match it up with the indicated tie-in references to 38A -- so the last letter I filled in was B. No fun at all -- but, that happens!

When one applies the BAR to the other entries, they become BAR CHART, BAR BELL, BAR KEEP, BAR NONE, BAR HOP (here's more, they're sensational -- BAR HOP, BAR HOP, BAR HOP; then, of course, the old traditional boozing up BAR HOP) and finally, BAR CODE (write a bar code for yourself HERE). I must say, a lot of odd information was amassed in this puzzle.

Nevertheless, I liked the references to YALTA (13A W.W. II conference site); BERET (63A Prince's "Raspberry _____"), that was another B I pondered somewhat; ZOOMS (62A Skyrockets); ALERO (49D Bygone Olds); MISHIT (42A Faulty shot, as in tennis); ITSOK (21A Comforting words); and PRADO (52A Madrid museum), the last, of course, brings immediately to mind Pablo Picasso's "Guernica" which I sat staring at for no end in an empty room at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City many years before the crowds, the controversy and its subsequent return to Spain.

A pleasant Tuesday!

For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.


Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

05.28.07 QUESTIONS

Monday, May 28, 2007

Puzzle by John Underwood, edited by Will Shortz

A popular variant of “Twenty Questions” is called "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Other". In this version, the answerer tells the questioners at the start of the game whether the subject is an animal, vegetable, mineral, or other. The game defines an animal as a member of the animal kingdom, a vegetable as a member of the plant kingdom, a mineral as anything geological, and other as anything else.

TWENTYQUESTIONS (55A Game suggested by the first words of 17-, 25- and 42-Across)

ANIMALMAGNETISM (17A Sex appeal)

VEGETABLEGARDEN (25A Where to grow carrots and spinach)

MINERALDEPOSITS (42A Places to find some gems)

This wonderful little Monday crossword puzzle asks many other questions (note that the name of the game [suggested by the first words of 17-, 25- and 42-Across] referred to in the clue of 55A is missing OTHER -- it, however, can be found in the one clue with a question mark, 48D Way off base?, which is AWOL.

Other questions include ROSETTA (41D _____ Stone [hieroglyphic key]) -- which unlocked the mystery of the Egyptian hieroglyphics; EXIT (11D Sartre's "No ___") a play in which the characters question where they are, who they are and existence in Hell; EMINEM (43D Rapper a k a Slim Shady) who questions authority and everything in life with his interrogatory lyrics; the tiny little QUI (56D On the ___ vie); LEAK (7D Unauthorized disclosure), who dunnit?; ELSE (12D If not); BLUE (50A With 52-Across, Thomas Gainsborough portrait, with "The") BOY (52A See 50-Across), a painting painted over a painting to answer the question of blue in composition; DALAI (30D With 18-Down, Tibetan V.I.P.) LAMA (18D See 30-Down) with the many questions of domain; and last but not least KANE (2D "Citizen ___").

CITIZEN KANE's tale begins when wealthy media magnate Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) dies, and he utters the enigmatic word "Rosebud". The producer of an obituary newsreel asks a reporter to find out about Kane's private life and personality, in particular to discover the meaning behind his last word: “Ask the question anyway...! Build the picture around the question, even if you can't answer it.”

The reporter questions in interviews the great man's friends and associates, and Kane's story unfolds as a series of flashbacks; however, he is unable to solve the mystery, and he concludes that "Rosebud" will remain an enigma. At the end of the film, the camera pans over workers burning some of Kane's many possessions. One throws an old sled, with the word "Rosebud" painted on it, into the fire, the same sled that Kane was riding as a child the day his mother sent him away. There is a shot of a chimney with black smoke coming out. The film ends as it began, with the "No Trespassing" sign. The closing shot shows the "K" on top of the iron fence.

There is much else to like in this gem of a crossword puzzle. A "V" in the center of the grid, along with LST (46A D-Day craft: Abbr.) and GETEM (40A "Don't let these guys escape!") -- perhaps for Memorial Day? ECOLI crosses ECOLE. SUNLIGHT (9D Source of Vitamin D) shines on ASTER (63A Flower with rays) with the blessing of IRIS (3D Rainbow goddess). The neighbor in the print edition of The New York Times Crossword Puzzle, Goren on Bridge, GOREN (27D Charles who wrote "Winning Bridge Made Easy") gets a friendly nod. BEATLE (28 John, Paul, George or Ringo), VENOM (25D What a fang ejects); SCAR (1D Memento of a knife fight), DEADEYES (37D Sharpshooters) one of which our Vice President is not!

With that, I'll SIGN (62A Aries or Libra) off, but not without noting this puzzle is AONE (58A Super-duper)!

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For today's questionable cartooon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

05.28.07 Venom

VENOM (25D What a fang ejects)

05.27.07

DINNER THEATER

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Puzzle by Patrick Berry, edited by Will Shortz

Punned titles of theater plays provide eight long entries across the grid of this Sunday crossword entitled DINNER THEATER (which itself becomes an equivoque):

BAREFOOTINTHEPORK (23A Play about tenderizing meat with one’s toes?), pork = park.

THEMERCHANTOFVENISON (31A Musical drama about a butcher who sells deer meat?), venison = Venice.

THEBURGERSOPERA (40A Musical play set at McDonald’s?), burger’s = beggar’s.

WURSTSIDESTORY (59A Musical drama that tells the tale of a sausage casing?), wurst = west.

PORGYANDBISQUE (64A Musical drama about a man eating soup?), bisque = Bess.

ABIESIRISHROAST (85A Play about a guy ordering beer from Dublin?), roast = rose.

CHITLINSOFALESSERGOD (91A Play about swine intestines that are semi divine?), chitins = children.

AHAMFORALLSEASONS (106A Play about meat that’s good to eat anytime?), ham = man.

Barefoot in the Park starred Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in the Broadway production and in the film. This play is perhaps one of the true mainstays of dinner theater and summer stock.

The Merchant of Venice is not generally considered, nor can I recall or find reference to its being a musical drama, although an opera exists from the Shakespeare play. Even though the play makes infamous reference to a pound of flesh, not in the Poconos or anywhere else in dinner theater will you see this old chestnut!

The Beggar’s Opera was the basis for The Three Penny Opera, both of which occupy a place somewhere between opera and operetta. You'll probably not see this one in a dinner theater either!

West Side Story does make it into the dinner theater and summer stock circuit a lot, but the Leonard Bernstein work is performed at opera houses throughout the world. It could be done as a revue for dinner theater with the plot cut out and a ship-cruise type medley of singers.

Porgy and Bess is rarely seen in a dinner theater setting or summer stock for that matter, and is mainly a work performed by opera companies, even though Ira Gershwin intended it for theater, its premiere having taken place on Broadway. It would take a twelve-course meal to get through this one!

Abie’s Irish Rose is a war-horse of summer stock and is frequently done tongue-in-cheek at dinner theaters. This entry is also a war-horse of crossword puzzles, clued backwards and forwards, upside down and from every possible angle. Patrick Berry pays tribute to this old reliable by the entry NICHOLS (20A Anne who wrote "Abie's Irish Rose") -- so it's due is done!

Children of a Lesser God was performed originally at a Broadway theater, is not often seen in summer stock and rarely in dinner theater -- the film had a modest success and Marlee Matlin got an Oscar for her performance as, well, pretty much herself.

A Man for All Seasons is a brilliant drama and as the pun indicates, an opportunity for a “ham” performance, but Paul Scofield in both the play and in the film gave an excellent and subtle performance. This entry is the best of the lot, as a ham can be both an actor and a dinner. However, one is unlikely to see the play in a dinner theater setting.

Other food-related entries in this construction are FALLOWDEER (17D Popular quarry for British hunters), FISHERY (80A Business with net gains), HIHO (12A Old cracker brand), ADE (57D Drink suffix) FASTS (80A Diets drastically), MAWS (39A Gullets), NUTMEG (72A Mulling spice), and RAGU (113A Brand name with an accent on its last letter). One could include TRACHEA (5A Breathing tube) (think Heimlich Manuever), ELK (26A Beast with a bugling call) (Eskimo food), AORTA (94D Main line) (think clogged from you know what...), SOT (112A Elbow-bender) (lots of those at dinner theaters!), PLAX (19A Pfizer product used before brushing the teeth), and FLOSS (93D Line at the dentist's office?) which one should do when all is said and done!

Theater-related entries include the aforementioned NICHOLS there's GEDDES (52A Actress Barbara Bel _____), wonderful in Hitchcock's "Vertigo", and it's also interesting to note her father was a stage designer turned industrial designer, Norman Bel Geddes. SARAH (3D "The Terminator" heroine), PLATT (2D Oliver of "The West Wing"), ELTON (10D Mr. _____, scheming vicar in "Emma"), ALESSANDRO (16D Composer Scarlatti), REGAN (32D Possessed girl in "The Exorcist") (yuck, green vomit! -- I'd prefer the clue to be "one of three Lear daughters" or words of that ilk), which brings up YACK (68D Talk, talk, talk: Var.), so I'll stop right here and let you pick at the rest of this theatrical refection -- ah, rhymes with confection!

For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

05.26.07

S as in Saturday, Swoons, Spit-Takes & Doodads

The Niagara Waterworks -- Fallsview Indoor Water Park in Niagara Falls, Canada. The Niagara Waterworks is a large interactive water play center with all kinds of sprayers and doodads to soak others and get soaked.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Puzzle by Joe DiPietro, edited by Will Shortz

This is a playful puzzle with DOODADS (1A Fandangles) and TOEHOLD (8A It can aid one’s climb to the top) in the lead, followed by TICTACTOE (33D Game ih which crosses are used) -- nice words and fairly harmless activities, but then we get a bit sadistic with the esses!

Esses? This Saturday crossword is a stern lisper's heaven with words of action beginning with "s" all crowded into the center left of the grid:

SEESTOIT (7D Makes sure something’s done)

SKI (20A Come down briskly?) (Remember all those lewd remarks by otherwise proper Commenters.)

STIFF (24A Creaky) (They’ll have at this today!)

SCOTFREE (28A Without repercussions)

SITSOUT (36A Skips) sits on top of…

STEPON (39A Flatten) flanked by…

SWOON (28D Faint) and

SCRUNCH (24D Compress) and punctuated by a…

SPITTAKE (37D Bit of slapstick) and elsewhere, bringing up the rear (have a comment?) are…

STEELER (60A Brown foe) and last, but not least…

SPRYEST (61A Displaying unmatched nimbleness).

Noted Personalities (living or dead) include DIANAROSS (1D Singer with the 1980 #1 hit “upside Down”), OSA (30A Massen of the 1940s film Tokyo Rose), EVE (55D One-named rap star/actress), DANTE (4D “De Vulgari Eloquentia” author), ELSA (10D Designer Schiaparelli), CID (41A Massenet’s “Le___”), TATE (40A 1992 Pulitzer poet James), LENNY (49D 1974 Dustin Hoffman movie) and MATADORS (38D Ones who accept charges), give them all an OLE (9D Appreciative response to 38-Down).

Financial Matters bring us such entries as ONDEPOSIT (2D Banked), not to be confused with LEVEE (13D Bank), DUN (6D Hound for bucks?), TARIFF (8D Duty), CHIT (45A Check) and the aforementioned SCOTFREE.

Human Actions, Activities and Proclivities: OVERSTATE (3D Hyperbolize), EVILLOOKS (34D Glares), NERTS (19A “The heck with it”), APNEA (22A What might prevent you from staying out?), IDEATED (54A Thought), HASTE (50A Precipitateness), TLC (44A Special treatment), REDCARPET (35D Special kind of treatment), ROT (27A Languish).

For the pedagogues the pickings are sparse with only ADENINE (17A DNA component), READER (43D Schoolbook), HEXAD (48A Series of six), and perhaps MISSIVE (38A Letter) and maybe WRIT (31A ____ of assistance [search warrant]) to see if the dog really ate the homework.

Designers and craftsmen will recognize HOTPRESS (11D Give a smooth and glossy finish, in a way), DÉCOR (53A Inside look), CHIPS (45D Takes the edge off, maybe), OVINE (12D Wooly) and ULSTER (32A Winter coat).

Those into geography and transportation can hop a TAXI (40D Waiter at a hotel) maybe with an OPENTOP (56A Like some tour buses) and cruise down PARKAVE (58A Fashionable part of N.Y.C.) or go to LALA (49A ____land) sail down the ISERE (47D River from the Savoy Alps), look at the stars from KITT (21D Arizona’s ____Peak National Observatory),take a covered wagon across the FRUITED (25D Like some plains) where they can lade produce INCRATES (42A How apples and oranges may come), head east to ROANOKE (59A ________Island, N.C.)where they can cut a REED (26A Swamp thing) -- if only the answer had been NESS (I, know, it’s Nessie but she wouldn‘t fit), we’d have made it back to yesterday’s puzzle (remember Scotland?)...oops, that was WALES!

The latin today is very sparse: ETAL (51D Substitute for some names) and ALIS (5D First word of Oregon’s Latin motto).

Standing alone like the weasel in the children’s rhyme is POP (57D Some music)…

Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle.
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.

Below’s the tune (or melody), for more lyrics go HERE.

...or write your own lyrics in praise of DiPietro!

For today’s second cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

05.25.07

Friday on Friday

Friday, May 25, 2007

Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel, edited by Will Shortz

JACK WEBB (1A Actor with an L.A.P.D. auditorium named after him)

Viewers of the old TV program, Dragnet, remember Sgt. Joe Friday repeatedly telling the witnesses he'd question about a crime, "Just the facts, Ma'am." He had no time to get mixed up in the emotional aspects, he just wanted names, numbers, and details.

This Friday’s crossword puzzle has no time to get mixed up either -- names, numbers, and details:

(Scene, LAPD holding cell, suspect: the notorious Crossword Puzzle Butcher)

IMONADIET (14A Words that often follow sweet offers) -- see, cold, not hot.

HIRELINGS (17A Flunkies) -- more at mercenary. A flunky cringes.

"Just the facts, Ma'am."

ANKLET (19A It can have its charms) Vague clue, low blow.

SAAB (20A “Born from jets” sloganeer”) A Saab story.

FISCALQUARTER (33A Subject of a financial report) Good, cold, nice and cold.

MODEM (37A Kind of port) Not your mother’s Manischewitz

MYLAI (49A Hamlet in 1969 headlines)

"Just the facts, Ma'am."

NINELIVES (55A Feline gift) Also a cat food not on the shelf.

JIHADS (1D Crusades) Why is the puzzle so hostile?

AMINUS (2D It’s less than perfect) The way we were going, I thought Nothnagel was looking for “animus“.

WALES (5D Its flag has a large red dragon) Oooo…quotation from movie “Red Dragon”:

Hannibal Lecter: Tell me, Will. Did you enjoy it? Your first murder? Of course you did. And why shouldn't it feel good? It does to God. Why only last week in Texas, he dropped a church roof on the heads of 34 of his worshippers, just as they were groveling for him. He wouldn't begrudge you for one Journalist.

Well, now that BEGSTHEQUESTION (8D Commits a logical fallacy) petitio principia.

"Just the facts, Ma'am."

GRADEAS (13D Good eggs) and RATEDR (44D Like “The Godfather”) or "Goodfellas"?

GORE (29D 2006 Oscar winner for his first film) -- could be clued to fit a crime.

DIESES (45D Double daggers in printing) -- you were thinking Edward Scissorhands? Google it, you’ll get this message -- Did you mean: diseases?

"Just the facts, Ma'am."

SEMI (35D Interstate sight) Now that could be a really, really lot of different things!
MACAQUE (37D Monkey with cheek pouches)-- it’s like I have a twin!

“…the facts!”

Oll Korrect, OK! I confess, I confess -- a Lulu is a CORKER, KNELLS sounds ominously, MARKUP is an edit, the “Shoe” waitress was ROZ, well, not fully, just INASENSE, when she CALLS, secretaries often hold them, I put mine on a pedestal to IDEALIZE, I’m trying to keep it simple or MERE, SUEME, yeah, a snide challenge, you have a way of turning TOONESIDE, you can’t UNZIP, open, in a way my yap, I’ll POUT, look down, if you’re looking for AXEMEN or guitarists, slangily, I’m just one not mingling much, a LONER!

Am I making any sense, any sense at all!!!

"Just the facts, Ma'am."

Dah... da, dum dum!

(Commercial)

For today's cartoon go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

05.24.07

LETTER BOX

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Puzzle by Patrick Merrell, edited by Will Shortz


Stretching the fifteen squares across this crossword puzzle's grid are DDDMONSTERMOVIE (17A "Creature From the Black Lagoon," e.g.), HHHHCLUBMEETING (41A Gathering of budding agriculturists), and KKKKKKKKKKRACES (62A Some running competitions)

-- long-hand for 3D monster movie, 4H club meeting and 10K races -- the three main entries in a crossword puzzle construction seemingly obsessed with duplication of letters for the sake of itself.

That's perfectly "oll korrect," uh, I mean, O.K., as this sort of letters-for-letters-sake indulgence is a harmless alphabetical amusement, the etymological equivalent of archaeology (think hieroglyphics). Undoubtedly, some well-meaning soul will blandly brand it a "theme" -- yes, there are those quotation marks again!

Hanging up three balloons does not really constitute a "theme" (not again!); however, several other entries join in the attempt: III (34A Sundial hour), TEEM (45A Brim), SST (57A Old J.F.K. sight), SKEET (73A Target sport), POOHBAH (22D Bigwig), TUTEE (37D One in a class by himself), and the odd-looking KAA (63A "The Jungle Book" python).

The three fifteen-letter acrosses necessitate a lot of fill top and bottom of the puzzle: KID, END, BAD, IKE, APT, REV, LAI, EKE, KLM, KAA, KFC, KTS, CUE, ETE, SET which are joined elsewhere in the construction by TEK, OSE, ABE, ISE, CSI, CSA, RAT, UNI, SON and the aforementioned III. Hey, those are just the three-letter entries!

Oll korrect (e.g., O.K.), four-letter fill: AIMS, ESME, ETAT, EBBS, ANIL, SACK, SKYS, AHEM, POWS, ASHE -- not until we get to PIKESPEAK (15A Site of an annual auto hill climb) and LAFAYETTE (69A City of Indiana or Louisiana) can we look back at the runner-ups, those little-monster five and six letter words of head, heart, hands, and health (oops, that's the 4 H's), does this puzzle speak, and oddly it does so -- KEBAB (1A Food that's stuck on a plate) (Never experienced kebab sticking to a plate), BENICE (50A "Please refrain from personal attacks") (is that the only way to be nice?), MACYS (Big parade organizer) (now them's balloons!), all SORTS (60A Separates).

Middle right of the puzzle grouped running down are BIKINIS, BIONICS and SINGLET (that's an image!) -- boy, those five and six letter entries have character! BROKAW (5D "The Greatest Generation") is from my home state, OBIES (44A Cousins of Drama Desk Awards) -- one hangs on my wall; MOHAWK (30A Attention-getting haircut) -- something I don't have enough hair for (watch your dangling prepositions); AHEM (52A "Excuse me") NOTME (25D Cry of innocence); CSA (58A Gray side: Abbr.) and I mean ACUTE (70A Severe)!


With that, I'll 40A Call ITAN evening...


O.K., give it "****"!

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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.


Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.

05.23.07

SMOKE SCREEN

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Puzzle by Bruce Venzke and Stella Daily, edited by Will Shortz

ITRIEDTOBUY (21A Start of a quip from a hunter), ACAMOUFLAGESUIT (27A Quip, part 2), BUTICOULDNTFIND (46A Quip, part 3), ONEANYWHERE (54A End of the quip), read "I tried to buy a camouflage suit, but I couldn't find one anywhere", conceals an ashen Wednesday puzzle filled with quaint disguises. It seems burned out from sending up a smoke screen to hide it's own existence.

Hunting through this construction, one can find some fragments of clothing available, a SHOE (42A Pump, e.g.), ASCOTS (10D Fancy neckwear), a LAPEL (28D Boutonniere's place), a FOB (36D Watch spot) (a pocket for a watch or a chain or short ribbon to keep the watch in the pocket); however, it seems everything else that it WORE (57D Sported) is still in the DRIERS (51 Hotel bathroom amenities).

NOMEAT (50D Vegetarian's stipulation) and BANANA (1D Yogurt flavor); ATOMIC (2D Like some energy) and TMI (59A Pa. nuclear plant site); BONDAGE (9D Slave's state) and HOLYCOW (43D "Geez Louise!"); TREX (23D Fearsome dino) and AMY (29D "Little Women" sister); TUE (4D Calendar column: Abbr.) and WEDS (68A Forms a union) -- nothing about this puzzle really feels comfortable. Perhaps it's the clues, or HINTS (69A Solving helpers) that makes this puzzle hard to CAREFOR (53A Be fond of).

Any unattributable quote in a crossword puzzle sticks in my CRAW (19A Part of a bird's gullet) because by the time the quote is completed it is of no help in solution of the rest of the puzzle -- it's done! If someone actually said "I tried to buy a camouflage suit, but I couldn't find one anywhere", well that might be interesting. I GNAR (44D Make a snarling sound) -- Grrrrrrr!

Visit Linda G at Madness...Crossword and Otherwise!

For today's cartoon go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Do today's New York Sun Puzzle (free on-line HERE) and then read GREEN GENIUS

Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.