Monday, June 18, 2007
Puzzle by Randall J. Hartman, edited by Will Shortz
This is a 78 defined word, 78 entry standard crossword puzzle with a slight air of "gone fishing" -- in the center of the grid, DOONE (29D "Lorna _____")which was a GEMOFTHEOCEAN (48A Columbia, in an old patriotic song) presides over the puzzle perhaps having returned with the necessities for ETOUFFEE (38D Crayfish dish) and CHICKENOFTHESEA (Popular canned tuna) for when the LADYOFTHELAKE (20A She offered Excalibur to the future King Arthur) CATERS (45A Handles the food for the party) seafood served over a BED (47A Quilt locale) of RICE (28D Serving with chop suey).
Of the remaining 70 defined words and their entries, AMAT (7D Amo, amas, ____...) shares this grid with AMASS (33D Accumulate); GREER (32D Garson of "Mrs. Miniver"), NEVE (54D Campbell of "Scream") and MACRAE (25A Grodon of "Oklahoma!') co-star; NAP (55D 40 winks) and SEX (58D Topic for Dr. Ruth) bracket the bottom of the grid. EYRE, ERTE, EARL, EDDY, EROS, ETHIC, EASES, ESSEX, EMU and MRED form a little group of themselves. ORE & BRA, LED & ZED, HMO & EMU, CEO & BED form little crosses on the edge of a grid within the grid, BORN and DIED are both here, along with COME and GONE.
HARD (51D Rocklike) SOLVE (61A Do, as a puzzle), this was not, but ETOUFFEE? -- if I were ever to order crayfish, that's not what I say!
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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
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