WITHSHARPOBJECT
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Puzzle by Seth A. Abel, edited by Will Shortz
"Blogs Answer, Question Crossword Puzzles", a page one headline article published Friday in The New York Sun refers to the "everyday schmoe who just does the puzzle" -- feel insulted? Check HERE for definition of "SCHMOE". Go HERE for Friday's New York Sun article on Crossword Bloggers.
Apropos, The New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle is titled "MORE HEADLINES THAT MAKE YOU GO "HUH?"
COURTTOTRYBEATINGVICTIM (25A Ambiguous headline about a man charged with killing his attacker?)
MARCHPLANNEDFORAUGUST (39A Ambiguous headline about a protest?)
TEACHERSTRIKESIDLEKIDS (63A Ambiguous headline about school closings?)
FEDSDISCOVERCRACKINLA (81A Ambiguous headline about a California drug bust?)
CITYSHOMELESSCUTINHALF (101A Ambiguous headline about a vagrancy statistic?)
LAWYERSGIVEPOORADVICE (120A Ambiguous headline about attorneys' pro bono work?)
MANGETSYEARINVIOLINCASE (142A Ambiguous headline about a stolen Stradivarius?)
Ambiguity in the world of academia is an anathema to pedagogues who prefer to keep their sphere severe and sharp. This construction will have none of that. Quotations without source running the length of the puzzle cannot be a pleasing solve for anyone, especially when the resulting answers are weak in double-entendre, this puzzle's "HEADLINES" "theme".
Working one's way through this puzzle with absolutely no clue as to the seven full-length across entries except for the repeated words "ambiguous" and "headline about", the only immediate clues are the answers achieved from the down entries -- going one by one, laboriously deciphering these fairly innocuous clues and testing their entry is tedious and unrewarding. A full-across "HEADLINE" may not come to light until ninety-something-per-cent fill of the entry has been achieved. By that time, one has little patience for tepid humor.
Some of the downs -- ADAMN (118D Rhett Butler's last words). NACL (17D Shaker formula) -- it appears that when a constructor cannot get out of a jam, just Google the "entry" and something will come up -- desperate fill! YOGA (137D Home stretches?) -- only at home? MLIII (99D 11th-century year) -- well, this could be anything! That old standard EDITH (74D Head of costume design) -- no longer includes a question mark?
I worked this puzzle with "downs" , one by one with little across for over half of the solve, piecing together scattered patchwork from the bottom up, achieving the 'HEADLINES" in reverse order. This is the worst kind of "quotation" puzzle -- one who's quote is entirely fictional and meekly humorous.
An excellent way for a sharp expert or a "schmoe" to waste away a rainy Sunday!
Speaking of HEADLINES, GREEN GENIUS has posted the following links of interest -- go to the GREEN GENIUS site for details:
Could George W. Bush write a crossword puzzle?
George W. Bush to Replace Will Shortz as NYT Crossword Puzzle Editor
Blogs Answer, Question Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles prove technology can't replace human touch
Click here for original post with illustrations and puzzle grid.
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