08.12.07

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MOON



Sunday, August 12, 2007

LIGHTHEADED: Puzzle by Cathy Millhauser, edited by Will Shortz

HEAVEN (50D Paradise) is SHINING (1A Illustrious) on this ode TOTHEMOON (62D Ralph Kramden cathchphrase on old TV…and a hint to this puzzle…) which includes NEW, HARVEST, QUARTER, BLUE, PAPER, CRESCENT, WAXING, HALF and FULL.

NEWAGEMOVEMENTS (22A Tarot reading, crystals, spiritualism, etc.); HARVESTHOME (33A Traditional English festival); QUARTERSTAFF (44A Little John’s weapon in Robin Hood legend); BLUELAGOON (64A Brooke Shields movie with “The”); PAPERTIGER (75A Its roar is worse than its bite); CRESCENTROLL (94A Dinner bun); WAXINGSALON (103A Hair removal site); HALFALOAF (38D Proverbial portion); FULLMETALJACKET (119A 1987 Kubrick film) provide the "light" beginnings.

Titling the puzzle LIGHTHEADED (likely for the phase or type of MOON at the beginning of the above entries) takes on more meaning when one delves further into this otherwise very dark crossword puzzle.

Eerily peppered with such WORDS (40A Partner of music) as GLOWER (7D Sullen looks); WORST (32D Most base); ACHE (36A Caladryl: itch :: Bengay: ____); TREPAN (35D Boring tool); ERROR (47D What "[sic]" may signify); LIGATED (65D Tied surgically); PELT (78D Trapper's prize); CHEMICAL (19A Dow product) crossed by NAM (6D Sen. John Kerry served there); WEEP (26A Mourn audibly); TOADY (56A Bootlicker); BANAL (82A Overdone); STARE (126A Show awe, in a way); MANURE (99D Garden fertilizer); and CREMATE (96D Burn at the end?); this puzzle has a side as dark as IVORY (72A Some contraband).


Inhabitants of this crossword puzzle include Alice Faye, Charlotte Rae, Oona Chaplin, Stanley Kubrick, Susan SONTAG (8A She wrote "Under the Sign of Saturn"), Jack Nance, Carol Burnett, Jim Morrison, Franz Lehar, Chicago Mayor Daley, Nelson Algren, Santana, William Shea, John Kerry, Bob Hoskins, Chain Potok, Robin Hood, the Spice Girls, Tiberius Claudius Nero, Hiram Walker, and Ralph Kramden

The Great Moon Hoax articles (New York Sun, 1835) Link, and some historical background here.

Not to dwell upon the dark side of the moon, there is light in this crossword to pierce the night. The positive: ETHIC (14A Body of precepts); WASH (49A Break-even enterprise); TEE (67A Bit of a snicker); NEAT (89A Well-planned); OONA before OVUM; AXILLA crossing NILLA; AYE and SALUT; ETO and STLO; FAYE and RAE; CUPS and CORN; IDIOMS (17D See red, talk a blue streak, etc.); OBOES and OPEDS; -- with JOY (122D Procter & Gamble detergent) and ELYSIAN (128A Like a paradise) sharing the end of this puzzling puzzle with TOODLEOO (125A "Ta-ta")...

...it's got OOMPH (9D Zip)!

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