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!
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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.
