07.07.07

07.07.07 -- The Missing Link


Saturday, July 7, 2007

Puzzle by Todd McClary, edited by Will Shortz

HELLOHELLO (15A Enthusiastic welcome) -- as you may have noticed, this blog was on the blink, but malfunction STEPSASIDE (14A Relinquishes control) and the blog is back, ORSO (62A "...maybe more, maybe less") it looks!

The acrosses:

1. Magellan, e.g. -- neither Ferdinand or Portugeuse
11. Three-time Gold Glove winner AMOS Otis.
16. Undergo ecdysis -- brought to mind a stripper.
17. Imparts artfully -- not in the crossword world!
18. “Put your wallet away” -- on second thought…
19 Word with age or weight -- super-big and very old?
20. Surveillance setup -- do you have yours?
22. Bricklike -- could be a lot of things.
25. Idolized artist in Ouida’s “A Dog of Flanders” -- easy to see why!
26. Bad combustion -- tricky.
29. Sorority letters -- the rarer of the group.
31. Shatt al Arab port -- o…..k….
31. Put away -- again, anything.
33. Many a Degas portrait -- almost all of them!
35. Skipper, to Barbie -- I don’t get this one at all.
36. La Grande Jatte, e.g. -- happenstance fill.
37. Zolaesque imputation -- haven’t seen this entry in years!
38. Duct opening -- more fill.
39. Outboard motor Inventor Evinrude -- long way to go for OLE!
40. Release a bulletin -- oh, take out the pin!
41. TV role for Bamboo Harvester -- knew that horse had a name!
42. Attack -- you know this one, could be “seige” “set at”, “set on”, etc.
44. Basketball court’s three-point line, e.g.. -- another long way to go.
45. Rumble in the Jungle setting -- that’s how it was billed, great image!
46. Whizzes -- well…o.k.
48. One who’s more than attentive -- could be “ogler”, etc.
50. Its flag depicts a plow, shovel and pick -- yep!
52. Contend [with] in the country -- ever RASSLE with a puzzle?
56. St. ____ [Cornwall resort town] -- one more way to clue IVES.
57. Doctor, at times -- first off, is doctor a verb or noun?
60. Frobe who played Goldfinger -- all solver’s know this one!
61. Cosmopolitan alternative -- unusual to see the full name.
63. Supporters of roads -- well, it depends on the road, now doesn’t it.

The downs:

1. Some Muslims -- no comment
2. Shut (up) -- as in enclosed
3. Dictionary word before a variant spelling -- long way to go
4. Mount -- noun or verb?
5. Eternal -- if the constructor needs an beginning “i”, it’s a column
6. Toss -- see 24
7. “V for Vendetta” actor, 2006 -- keeping track of Stephen
8. ___-Tab (PC window-switching shortcut) -- long way to go
9. Gained popular acceptance -- from left field
10. Quaint note opener -- think Sidney Poitier
11. Simple life? -- nice way to clue an old standard
12. Casa dei Bambini school founder -- some 100 years ago
13. Show tune sung by a stevedore named Joe -- a favorite!
21. Tula moolah -- nice rhyme
23. Track wager -- I wanted “exacto”, but no!
24. Toss -- double-clued, see 6, very Shortzesque
26. Words to leave by -- saving this for the end of the commentary
27. Did a dog trick -- love when they do that
28. Aids in closing deals -- the more the merrier!
30. Lath cover -- what else?
33. It may lack stars -- could half a half a star
34. Northwest Terr. native -- fill, just fill
37. Pre-election group -- did not know that was a bona fide definition
41. Zabaglione ingredient -- food, glorious food!
43. Decides one will -- seen this often.
45. Hound -- it’s a noun!
47. Sassers -- Ooooo! Like this one!
49. Result of a handshake, maybe -- Maybe.
51. Pick ___ (pettifog) -- ready when you are!
53. Record label for Sam and Dave and Booker T. & the MG's
54. Sourdough’s dream -- gold!
55. Period pieces? -- you know this one!
58. ___ crusade -- fill.
59. Dude -- fill, but cool, man!

ADIOSAMIGO (26D Words to leave by)!

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Read Linda G's analysis of the construction of this puzzle at Madness...Crossword and Otherwise

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