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...and sometimes "Y"
Sunday, September 30, 2007 FIVE-STRING
Puzzle by Kelsey Blakley, edited by Will Shortz AEIOU (17D Fivesome seen in order in the answer to each starred clue) is a great entry/clue for nine entries in this wonderful Sunday crossword puzzle: GAMEMISCONDUCT (23A *Ice hockey penalty); FACETIOUS (34A "Tongue-in-cheek); HALFSERIOUSLY (40A *Somewhat in jest); GATHERINGCLOUDS (68A "Sign of coming danger); WANDERINGSOUL (94A *Drifter); TAKEITOUT (102A *What "dele" means); WATERINGTROUGH (119A *Barnyard fixture); TRADEDISCOUNT (13D *Professional courtesy in pricing); and LATENIGHTHOUR (58D *Time during a graveyard shift). I was reminded of my school days when we learned the vowels by reciting "A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y"! Note: The electronic puzzle differs from the newsprint. AEIOU is clued as "Fivesome seen in order in the answer to each italicized clue"; and the clues are subsequently italicized without a "star".This is a nice easy-going Sunday solve -- a very friendly and near-perfect crossword puzzle that left me with a very satisfied feeling accompanied by amazement at how brilliantly word upon word fell into place. This crossword is without a single clumsy entry or far-fetched clue, making it akin to the perfect fits of a jig-saw puzzle. So many crosswords are being Googlized these days with ridiculous lazy entries, that to encounter one without a single odd-ball abbreviation, variation, permutation, et cetera, is a genuine relief and pleasure!
YOU (99D Crossword solver, presumably); however, becomes someone else after its entered! No matter -- from EDEN (1A Starting point) to ESSO (129A Bygone U.S. gas brand), this puzzle is so tight and together with so many great entries that it’s a little classic! ...and SNOOK (8D Derisive gesture)?! -- never knew it had a name!Other acrosses: 5. Wraps on stage; 9. Org. that inspects factories; 13. Frog’s place; 19. DEMI-pointe (ballet position); 20. Footballer-turned politician Swann; 21. Inn’s offering; 22. Hungry lion, e.g.; 26. Mame, e.g.; 27. Motrin rival; 28. They may be high before a competition; 29. Purges; 31. Companion of a spade; 32. Surgically excise; 33. Pod that’s sometimes pickled; 36. Cote d’ AZUR; 38. Observed; 46. Unbroken; 50. Dinner spread; 51. Food label abbr.; 52. Rocky Mtn. highs?; 55. Patron saint of metalworkers; 58. Not skip a beat?; 59. Go-go-go; 61. Not go by one’s own locomotion; 61. Connections; 63. Family V.I.P.’s; 65. “Myself was stirring ERE the break of day”: Shak.; 66. Oiled, in a manner; 72. To be handled by; 75. DOE-eyed; 76. “TV Funhouse” show, for short; 77. Key holder? Abbr.; 80. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” author, 1970; 81. Upshot; 85. Lack of variety; 87. Special case?; 88. Dan ISSEL, former N.B.A. star and coach; 89. Roman historian; 91. Jazzy Anita; 92. Sharp bend; 98. Colorless, flammable gas; 101. Imitator; 105. PEAT moss; 108. Does just all right; 113. Top-notch; 114. Israeli statesman Barak; 115. Actress/spokeswoman Belafonte; 116. Ancient Greek region; 117. Tin: Prefix; 122. New Hampshire senator John; 123. 1965 movie “ISAW What You Did”; 124. Give a come-hither look; 125. Toy company whose name is an anagram of 124-Across; 126. Corkscrew, e.g.; 127. One-liners; and 128. General TSOS chicken.
Downs: 1. Annual literary award; 2. Silas of the Continental Congress; 3. Thompson and Lazarus; 4. Relative of 26-Across; 5. Jewish crepe; 6. Exclamations of exasperation; 7. Religious recluse; 8. Derisive gesture; 9. Periods in prison, e.g.; 10. Old French coins; 11. Ad follower; 12. City of New Orleans operator; 14. First word spoken to earth from the lunar surface; 15. Dashed; 16. Maker of Bug-B-Gon; 18. Shady sorts?; 24. Biotite and phlogopite; 25. Home of “The Diane Rehm Show”; 30. Put away for good; 34. Christopher Morley novel “Kitty FOYLE”; 35. Future residents; 37. Banquet holder; 39. Designer Cassini 40. Some cliff dwellers; 41. English playwright Ayckbourn; 42. “I’m game!”; 43. Backing; 44. Landlord, e.g.; 45. Development sites; 47. Came down; 48. Word with bar or color; 49. One-to-one, e.g.; 53. Card catalog abbr.; 54. Chiantis, e.g.; 57. Poet who wrote “The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on”; 60. Tears to pieces; 64. Arch sites; 67. Nothing doing?; 68. Sea of GALILEE; 69. Newts; 70. Stephen Jay GOULD, author of “The Panda’s Thumb; 71. Role in “The Color Purple”; 72. Carded, say; 73. Grp. Conducting Operation Deny Flight; 74. Repeated cry at a beer blast; 77. Cousin of Spot; 78. Beach bash; 79. AMYL nitrate; 82. Lick again; 83. Flair; 84. Nielsens; 86. To-DOS; 90. Small bark; 93. Saint-ETIENNE, capital of France’s Loire department; 95. 4-Down’s brothers; 96. Brings to naught; 97. Feminist Germaine; 100. Philosopher Wittgenstein; 102. Italian poet Torquato TASSO; 103. Misbehave; 104. “The Family Circus” cartoonist; 106. Side flap; 107. Rampaging; 109. “A Confederacy of Dunces” author; 110. Pivots; 111. “American Pie” actor Jason; 112. Uneducated boor; 115. Unaccompanied; 118. Novice, maybe; 120. Simile’s center; and 121. Day-GLO.
I (excuse the expression) was glad to see ELOI clued differently, and OMAR shedding the extra R -- and the favorite of the AEIOU entries? WANDERING SOUL. ------------------For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For today's post, go to Secrets.
Dead As A Doornail
Friday, September 28, 2007
Puzzle by Harvey Estes, edited by Will Shortz
DEADASADOORNAIL (62A Completely gone) lies near the bottom of this lifeless Friday crossword as a perfect description of its surroundings, which together with LEAVESABADTASTE (1A Doesn't sit well), the leading entry atop this gravestone of words, one that certainly many will do BYTRIALANDERROR (17A One way to solve problems), desperately moaning for an ESCAPEMECHANISM (57A Daydreaming, e.g.) oh, say perhaps ARTAPPRECIATION (16A Class in which various schools are discussed), or in desperation, poring through ASSESSMENTROLLS (63A Records of interest to real estate agents), instead of staring blankly at six 15-square lines with nary an easy across or down entry much less a straight-forward clue to exhume this fossil of a puzzle.
I know puzzles are supposed to puzzle, but gravestone rubbings have never appealed to me as a recreational activity. The clues today are akin to eroded granite refusing to dislodge the identity of the deceased.
Digging deeply unearths 1D Distillation location is a LAB; 5D Large accounts?, EPICS; 6D Place for jets, SPA; 8D Bit of moonshine, BEAM; 9D Adolescent outburst, ACNE; 12D Go downhill, ATROPHY; 22D Occasional clashers, EGOS; 28D Rather informal?, KINDA; 29D Help set up chairs for?, ENDOW; 34D Take many courses, FEAST; 48D It may be wrapped in a bun, TRESS; 59D Now in, HOT.
Shoveling across, including the vagueness concocted for the six 15-letter entries, are such definitions as 31A Retiree’s coverage?, SHEET; 36A Didn’t paw, FONDLED; 40A Balloon attachment, GONDOLA; 24A City on the Natchez Trace, TUPELO; 41A Object in a Monet painting, IRIS; 47A Least spotted, RAREST; and 52A Something needed for your sake?, RICE.
ATTAGIRL (3D Encouraging remark); VARMINT (4D Predatory critter); SIRREE (13D No follower); KINDA; and AGIN (26A Not backing, in the backwoods) attempt cheerful chumminess. For clumsiness, there is ERY (2D Suffix with cream); 10D Louis Armstrong’s “Oh DIDN’T He Ramble”; TAE (11D Initials of a noted “Wizard”); USED to be (25D); AMC (18A Pacer maker: Abbr.); “ORTO dispraise my lord…”: Juliet (20A); ALA grecque (37A); and MAR (56A Gouge, say).
Just plain ornery are ARMORIAL (37D Relating to heraldry); GRENADE (40D It may contain tear gas); IMEANNO (41D Emphatic turndown); TOEOUT (49A Front wheel divergence); and TOOTLE (14D Drive along leisurely).
People in the puzzle: ARLO (7D 1968 Folk album); TINAFEY (33A “30 Rock” creator); FRIEDA (42D Curly-haired “Peanuts” character); RAMSES (43D 20th-dynasty ruler); ERICAS (44D Lois Lane player Durance and others); and the recently discovered and quickly over-used OMARR (50D Astrologer with the autobiography “Answer in the Sky”). IMAM (53D) and IMIN (51A Hacker’s cry of success) lead the pack of happenstance fill which includes such dead wood as MLS, SIL, PAS, ESL, MMES, AWES, ECON, CEDE, FOES, TOT, and the ever-present OMEN, with a smattering of foreignese, FRERE (42A Member of la famille immediate) and SALLE (30D French study, e.g.) which ENROOT (15D Firmly establish) this dinosaur into solid rock for future archaeologists with nothing better to do!
T.G.I.F.!
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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
(#!&)
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Puzzle by Peter Wentz, edited by Will Shortz
Pressing THESHIFTKEY (61A What is being held in 17-, 32-, 38- and 45-Across) is a clue for PARENTHESES (17A 90); POUNDSIGN (32A 3); EXCLAMATIONMARK (38A 1); and AMPERSAND (45A 7) in this Thursday thrashing. The reference to the typewriter/ computer keyboard (with its quirky QWERTY), might present some puzzlement beyond the usual to those who don't use a typewriter or a computer, along with DOTEDU (1A End of many college addresses); ONEGIG (12D Capacity of many a flash drive, informally); and strangely, HELP (18D Information desk offering).
The remaining Acrosses: 7. Fictional pirate; 11. Suffix with official; 14. "I do," e.g.; 15. King's position, in a game; 16. "Another Green World" musician; 19. The Silver State: Abbr.; 20. Like white elephants; 21. Damp basement cause; 23. One way to stand; 26. Prime Cuts maker; 28. This and that; 29. Shia leaders; 37. Lake TROUT; 43. Present-day Persian; 44. Don't stop; 49. Criticize sneakily; 50. Skittles variety; 53. Roll call call; 54. Auto accident sound; 57. Cruise ship Empress of the SEAS; 60. Turner in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; 66. Receive; 67. Captain of literature; 68. "The Power and the Glory: novelist, 1940; 69. Walletful, informally; 70. Like many games.
The other Downs: 1. Drop bait lightly on the water; 2. Eggs in labs; 3. A.L. team, on scoreboards; 4. Still-life object; 5. Carvey of "Wayne's World"; 6. Extreme sort; 7. Alan Jay Lerner's "SHE Wasn't You"; 8. MISSOURI Valley Conference in college sports; 9. Gen. Robt. ELEE; 10. Alternatively; 11. 20,320-foot Alaskan peak; 22. Some carriers; 23. Old King Cole accessory; 24. Kind of card; 25. Soapstone, e.g.; 27. Plant nursery activity; 30. Pseudonym of Jean Baptiste Poquelin; 31. STARR Report of the 1990s; 33. Breakfast place; 34. Beach sights; 36. Second in a Latin series; 39. Damned one; 40. Samoan capital; 41. Like some muscles; 42. Common injury site; 45. Franciscan locale; 46. Unpopular, in a way; 47. Makes applesauce, e.g.; 48. One helping; 52. Pretend; 55. Locale of many Italian vineyards; 56. Bawl (out); 58. It's rarely seen under a hat; 59. Originate; 62. Sauce ingredient; 63. Mauna KEA; 64. Culmination; and 65. "You bet!"
Crossword puzzles sometimes bring about some interesting information, which for me today was the entry PELOTA (35A Jai alai ball). According to one manufacturer's specifications, it seems the Pelota is the most lethal ball of any sport. The Pelota is 3/4 the size of a baseball, harder than a golf ball, and has been clocked at speeds in excess of 180 m.p.h. The Guiness Book of Records calls it the world's fastest ball. The Pelota is constructed of hand wound Brazilian rubber with two hand-sown goatskin covers. Pelotas cost over $150 each and must be re-covered after 15 minutes of play. No machine has ever been developed to construct a pelota.
This is an interesting-enough puzzle for a Thursday, but I'll MOVEON (13D Not dawdle) as tomorrow is another day -- TGIF (51A Weary worker's cry)!
----------------- For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
There's No Business Like Show Business
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Puzzle by Lee Glickstein and Craig Kasper, edited by Will Shortz
A note to today’s puzzle states: “The answers to the 13 starred clues have something in common” -- and they do!
The titles of thirteen musicals dance throughout this Wednesday wonder: OLIVER (1A *Stone in Hollywood); OKLAHOMA (7A *Home for Will Rogers and Garth Brooks); SPAMALOT (16A *What some unscrupulous e-businesses do?); RENT (19A *Torn); HAIR (31A *Extremely narrow winning margin); CABARET (35A *Kind of club); EVITA (41A *A Peron); CANDIDE (44A *Student of Dr. Pangloss); AIDA (*Lover of Radames); FAME (*Renown); CAROUSEL (67A *Site of much horsing around?); SHOWBOAT (69A *Perform ostentatiously); and KISMET (70A *Destiny).
Also chiming in to the tune of show business are Cole Porter's "Well Did You EVAH?" (57A); CHI (39A The Bears on the scoreboard) ("Chicago", the musical?); KPAX (8D 2001 film set in a mental institution); HAL (11D Anthropomorphic cinema computer); OLIN (12D Lena of "Chocolat"); MOES (13D Place to which Bart Simpson makes prank calls); DAS (45D Some "Law & Order" figs.); NERO (58D "Quo Vadis" role); Class CLOWN (59A); JFK (65D 1991 film directed by 1-Across); TRA (23A Song syllable); AVALON (17A Arthurian paradise) (also a 1996 film); PHIL (43A TV Dr. of note); and ODEA (60D Old music halls).
Less fanciful, but just as interesting, are PROVERBS (27A Whence the line "A soft answer turneth away wrath"); NEONATAL (47A Like some nursery care); LAVALIER (18A Bejeweled pendant); OVERRIDE (63A Nullify) (yesterday it was VETO, clued as Pork chop); FRIEZE (68A Architectural decoration); MINOSO (15A 1950s All-Star outfielder Minnie); Air JORDAN (65A); LIVEUP (2D Meet, as expectations, with "to"); INANER (3D Goofier); CHALET (26D Home in the Alps); OCULAR (28D Eyepiece); SETDOWN (30D Lay); ANADEM (48D Ancient garland); and LAMAZE (49D Kind of class).
Five-letter entries include COXES (20A Regatta crew leaders); LAVED (9D Washed); AMASS (10D Collect); REBEC (24D Renaissance instrument); BRINE (29D Curer of feta cheese); TAINT (36D Sully); SCRUB (51D Cancel); ALISO Viejo (California city near Laguna Beach) (52D); and TENET (55D Creed element).
Four-letter words or the like are VOLT, OSLO, ATRA, DOCS, FRIS, ANNE, LYNX, ECRU; and three-letter entries just happening to fall into the puzzle are ESO, DSC, NSA, RUE, EPA, RID, ANY, INN, RSA, WTS, NAT, ROW, ORI, and REX.
A very entertaining Wednesday puzzle -- "There's no business like show business!"
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For today's cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
Victuals and Vehicles 
"Man at the Crossroads" by Mexican Muralist, Diego Rivera, with Ben Shahn (the mural at Rockefeller Center in New York that would be destroyed by Nelson Rockefeller for political reasons
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Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Puzzle by Randall J. Hartman, Edited by Will Shortz
This Tuesday tornado of a puzzle features five inter-related entries of phrases relating to victuals and vehicles.
BANANABOAT (17A Food transportation …that Harry Belafonte sang about) -- "Come, Mr. Tally Man, tally me banana/ Daylight come and we wanna go home," (dock workers working the night shift loading bananas onto ships).. The Banana Boat Song is a traditional Trinidadian Calypso folk song. However, it’s a lot of other things, see Banana Boat.
MEATWAGON (24A …that’s an ambulance, in slang) -- whatever…this is usually an ambulance from a morgue, the individual being transported is deceased and therefore “meat” -- there are other definitions of a meat wagon, none of them too savory; however, the original “meat wagon” seems to have been parked a long time ago.
TURNIPTRUCK (37A …that a rube might fall off) -- brings to mind the Joads in “The Grapes of Wrath”. It is commonly thought of as a Metaphorical vehicle bringing rubes to the metropolis. One who falls off the truck is hopelessly naive. “Fall off a turnip truck” is not exactly praise, but then it’s not condemnation, more observation of unfortunate circumstances.
APPLECART (48A …that may be upset) -- a phrase used to define creating a difficulty. If you upset the apple cart, you cause trouble and upset people. It’s not as dangerous as rocking the boat, but upsetting the apple cart would mean someone’s going be picking up a lot of scattered apples, as an apple cart is a orchard wagon filled with loose apples.
GRAVYTRAIN (59A …that’s a source of easy money) -- not only easy to do but with great reward, an easy task. In politics, "gravy train" refers to a depraved gorging on luxuries, since someone else foots the bill. It seems like the expression got a little off track, as a gravy train relates to gravy boat, a dinner table container used to hold gravy.
This is a very active crossword puzzle, not only for the mobility aspects of the inter-related entries mentioned above, but there is skating, dancing, golfing, loading and unloading, football, soccer, ice hockey, bull-fighting, baseball, prisoner escape, face-making, starting and stopping, and general competition -- SKATE (21A Play ice hockey); ASTAIRE (41A He danced in “Silk Stockings”); PGA (Org. for drivers?), think golf; PIER (52A Place to load and unload); AWOL (16A One who may be caught off base?); KNEE (19A Place for a footballer’s pad); JABBED (1D Poked); APB (6D Alert for a fleeing prisoner, in brief); SETAT (9D Go after); MAKEAFACE (10D Stick out one’s tongue, maybe); OLE (13D Corrida cheer); MARIS (24A Home run hero of ‘61); ARENAS (47D Soccer venues); BIGTEN (20A Indiana and Ohio are in it); OSU (26D Home of the Cowboys: Abbr.); NET (27D New Jersey cager); PER (29D Part of r.p.m.); RUBELBOWS (32D Mingle [with]); START (34D Crank up); TARP (37D Rain delay roll-out); and VIE (60D Compete).
There are also such colorful entries as REDROSE (32A Symbol of love); PEA (29A Shade of green); GUNK (25D Icky stuff); RIP (40D Boot Hill letters); ASS (66A Doofus); “Sometimes you feel like ANUT” (36A); GENIES (46D Wish offerers); MOJO (10A Voodoo charm); PINATA (45D Party animal?); and DANGIT (3D “Phooey!”).
Conversation is helped out with IMPOSE (15A Butt in); OFUSE (31A Useful); AGREE (50D See eye to eye); VETO (56A Pork chop?); AVOW (61A Declare); EMAIL (2D Communicates with online); “ITSA deal!” (55D); and AHA (39A “So it’s you!”).
People in the puzzle include JED Bartlet, president on “The West Wing” (1A); STAMOS (4A John of “Full House”); ELIA (23A Charles Lamb, pseudonymously); ARAB (39A Al Jazeera viewer, typically); ASTAIRE; Harry Belafonte; R & B singer Mary J. BLIGE (53A); DIANNE (54A Sen. Feinstein); EDNA (30D Novelist Ferber); Actor Benicio DEL Toro (43D); VAL (56D Kilmer who once played Batman); EVE (57D She raised Cain); and by way of CIGAR (49D Prop for Groucho Marx).
Odd couples: ERIE and AERIES; REARS and HIRED; MOOSE (7D Bullwinkle) and REN (44A Stimpy’s cartoon pal); RESEDA (65A San Fernando Valley district) with OSAKA (8D Japanese city whose name means “large hill”); and TEA (63A Some like it hot) and JOE (12D Coffee, slangily).
Urps and orts and bumps along the road: SINE, TMAN, LENS, OWN, ATA, PAR, URN, TON, DST, TWO, OPT -- that should do it!
Silents and Silence
Nita Naldi-----------------
Monday, September 24, 2007
Puzzle by Fred Piscop, edited by Will Shortz
While it’s true THERESNOIINTEAM (39A Admonition to a showboating athlete), there is a M and an E (think “me“)! PLAYME (9D Benchwarmer’s plea)! Joining in that “admonition” are an introduction, HERESJOHNNY (20A Old “Tonight Show” intro), and a question, WHERESWALDO (53A Kid’s book with a hidden character), comprising a trio of HERE, THERE, WHERE, or HERES, THERES, WHERES -- IDSAY (14A “In my opinion…”) it doesn’t really matter. This is a happy little back-to-work Monday puzzle which will please anyone who knows what day it is.
The other long entries are EYESHADE (5D Poker player’s headgear), NOTAWHIT (41D Zero), RELEASED (31A Set free), and IDENTITY (45A What a driver’s license shows proof of), followed by PACMAN (27A Classic arcade game), CASTLE (26D Windsor, notably), MIRING (30D Sinking in mud), TOWNIE (46D (Local no collegian, to a collegian), and STEELS (47A Makes tough).
Lots of five-letter words: DOUSE (1A Put out, as a fire), PIQUE (9A Arouse, as interest), SIEVE (Utensil used with flour), AMISS (19 Out of kilter), ACRID (36A Pungent-smelling), OLDIE (44A Almost any doo-wop tune), OCEAN (60A Atlantic or Pacific), HOARD (63A Squirrel away), ALIBI (Suspect’s story), INBAD (66A Out of favor, informally), SMITH (40D Most common U.S. surname), PURSE (67A Derby prize), TESTS (69A Activities in 57-Down) which is LABS, ALLOW (6D Give the O.K.), PATRI (27D Father: Prefix), ACHED (28D Felt sore), CRÈME (29D Oreo’s filling), ROOMY (31D Hardly cramped), SUEDE (33D Napped leather), EMAIL (34D Cybermessages), DOMES (35D Stadium toppers), and VENAL (49D Open to bribery).
There’s (there’s that word again) plenty of four-letter words: DISH, ODIE, USER, SAVE, LEAH, QUIP, URSA, EASY, GNAT, ELIA, SOAP, ACLU, MEIR, EZRA, REEL, AONE, LABS, DRAT, ODDS, GOLD, SUMO, REMI, and MAMA, and finishing off the fill are the three-letter entries ALF, LEA, LAW, ZEN, REA, ALL, ABS, SIS, IAM, AMC, HOW, GOT, and VIA.
Last, but not least is NALDI (22D Nita of silent films), the featured silent star of this Monday jewel.
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Johnny Carson’s last TV appearance (on Letterman), HERE.
For today's cartoon go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
Marcel Marceau, Mime -- 1923 - 2007
Appropriately, today’s crossword puzzle is silent, that is to say,
without its frequent variations, entries and/or definitions of a MIME.
Video HERE.
Words for Words
The Color of Words IX -- Wosene Worke Kosrof, Ethiopia
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Sunday, September 23, 2007
FLIP-FLOPS
Puzzle by David Levinson Wilk, edited by Will Shortz
The familiar phrases of “go for broke”, “play for keeps”, “fish for compliments”, “work out for the best”, “king for a day”, “make up for lost time”, “thirst for knowledge”, “bob for apples”, and “free for all” are inverted, resulting in the following:BROKEFORGO (23A Rolled sixes while on Water Works, in Monopoly?);KEEPSFORPLAY (28A Doesn’t throw away, as a stage prop?);COMPLIMENTSFORFISH (35A What a sushi chef loves to hear?);THEBESTFORWORKOUT (48A “8 Minute Abs,” according to some?);ADAYFORKING (69A January 15?);LOSTTIMEFORMAKEUP (83A Was late to an appointment at the cosmetician?);KNOWLEDGEFORTHIRST (95A What scientists working for Gatorade have?);APPLESFORBOB (108A Dylan not liking Dell computers?);ALLFORFREE (115A Like pro bono work?).
The remaining acrosses are: 1. Kicked off; 6. Pill, 10. Jacket-and-tie affair; 14. Afternoon fare; 19. Good, to Guido; 20. Comedy Central’s “CALL 911”; 21. Jubilant cries; 22. Unadulterated; 25. 552, on a cornerstone; 26. Whirlpool alternative; 27. Co-star on TV’s “Taxi”; 28. Doesn’t throw away, as a stage prop?; 31. Element that’s liquid at room temperature; 33. Remote; 34. King’s lands; 41. “Say Say Say,” say; 42. Royal jelly maker; 43. Hi-RES; 44. Nasdaq listings: Abbr.; 47. Opposite of morn, to a poet; 56. Wilson of Tinseltown; 57. Blackberry nos.; 58. Vatican emissary; 59. Extra-large; 64. Webster and Wyle; 67. Canon competitor; 68. Till; 72. Bond; 73. Pull a GROIN; 76. Unit of yarn; 76. Historical separation; 78. Dish; 80. Volume by Horace; 82. History; 88. Stroke; 91. Flight attendant’s announcement, for short; 92. German name part; 93. “Shine a Little Love” grp.; 94. Arcade; 103. Some moon rocks; 106. Three-day holiday; 107. Hero of Sophocles’ “Electra”; 112. Grosse POINTE, Mich.; 113. Opera SERIA; 114. Not closed all the way; 119. Part of TWA; 120. “HADI known then…”; 121. Gladness: Fr.; 122. Andropov and Gagarin; 123. To date; 124. Darkens, maybe; 125. Let go; and 126. Actress Graff.
The downs: 1. Fraud finder: Abbr.; 2. Grand tour locale: Abbr.; 3. A bird flying by on the right, to the Greeks; 4. Disheveled; 5. Words following see, hear and speak; 6. For now; 7. Start of many airline names; 8. Like Mozart’s Symphony No. 10; 9. Cozy spot; 10. Develop anacrusis; 11. Gridiron star; 12. Rings of islands; 13. “Like that’ll ever happen!”; 14. Indications of anger; 15. Kind of band; 16. One bit; 17. The Beatles arrived in New York in 1964 on this; 18. Does in; 24. Done, in Dijon; 20. 40% of fifty?; 30. Prayer; 31. A following?; 32. Wolf; 36. Withdraw; 37. Born as; 38. Try; 39. Basics of grade school learnin‘?; 40. Small number; 44. Certain shell; 45. “But of course, Monsieur!”; 48. More than buzzed; 48. Deuce; 49. “HESA Tramp,” Peggy Lee song in “Lady and the Tramp”; 50. Bagnold and others; 51. Carpenter, at times; 52. Spanish bloom; 53. Honshu port; 54. “Danger! Danger!”; 55. Dungeons & Dragons figure; 56. Mitch Miller, , e.g.; 59. What multitask do with things; 60. Displace; 61. Greek peak; 62. Ringo’s eldest; 63. EYEOF newt (witches’ brew ingredient); 65. With it; 66. Hogwarts professor; 70. Paul Bunyan’s dog; 71. Pulitzer-winning novelist Shirley Ann GRAU; 74. Little complaint; 77. Recipe amt. 79. Moves around; 81. “Peter Pan” pirate; 84. Cut (down); 85. 8 x 10, say: Abbr.; 86. TV character from the planet Melmac; 87. “Rock and Roll, Hoochie KOO”; 88. Rear seating section in a theater; 89. “What ELSE?”; 90. B’way buys; 94. Yearning; 95. Al in Cooperstown; 96. The Braves’ div.; 97. Online investing site; 98. Ruins; 99. Classic Ferrari; 100. Laid some tiles; 101. The Police, e.g.; 102. Son of William the Conqueror; 103. “No more, Luigi!”; 104. Parrots; 105. Nozzle choice; 109. Late Saudi king; 110. Any member of a 1970s R & B group; 111. Low: Sp.; 112. “Swan Lake” bend; 116. Nova, e.g.; 117. German article; and 118. Wind dir.
I found this Sunday crossword a bit of a dry and tedious solve -- the inordinate amount of familiar entries and their definitions contributed to my ennui; however, it does contain a lot of variety resulting in some artful wordplay.
SPYVSSPY
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Puzzle by Mark Diehl, edited by Will Shortz
SPYVSSPY (1A Mad magazine feature) is the first entry in a crossword puzzle that no one will “solve” in five and a half minutes! Like, you know, reading, looking at the squares, typing in the entry, moving on to the next, etc. Thinking!
CONTACT (12D Help for a secret agent) -- In the early 70’s I worked off and on for The New York Times as a temporary missing link between computers when the newspaper was in the process of eliminating typesetters due to the advent of new technology.
EYETESTS (55A Providers of peer review?) -- One of the perks of the job was getting The New York Times Sunday Magazine with the crossword puzzle on the Wednesday before it’s general publication. Eventually, I was also able to get the daily the day before its publication.
TIRED (43A Played out) -- I was the who never OWNSUPTO (20A Admits) lacking ENDURANCE (50A Mountain climber’s need), or that while solving, he TANKS (22A Falls apart) and goes CATATONIC (30D Beyond oblivious) checking the Yellow Pages under SANATORIUMS (33A Rest stops?), goes running in the CITYSTREETS (30A Locale for most of the New York Marathon) screaming SITONIT (26D “Happy Days” catchphrase)!
CRAPPIE (11D Small sunfish) -- I miss being able to get a jump on the puzzle -- especially when blogging the puzzle. The hour gets late, my schedule is thrown off something fierce in the process.
NAPTIME (21D When the kids are out) -- I know the puzzle arrives in the hands of one blogger a fair amount of time before it comes on line, giving plenty of time to solve.
SCENEFOUR (53A When Hamlet first sees a ghost) -- Do the puzzle, if needed, then write the blog. Next, wait until 10:00 p.m. when the puzzle comes on line, then type the results into the “Play Against the Clock” crossword section of The New York Times on-line subscription service, as quickly as possible! ...and presto, post!
YOUONLYLIVEONCE (8D Daredevil’s creed) runs the entire length of the center of the puzzle, intersected by SATELLITE (32A Kind of state), sharing their “L”’s.
RXS (29A Ones needing fulfillment?) -- this will give the appearance of lightning speed-reading, excellent typing, and a store of trivial knowledge unsurpassed by any living being on the planet Earth! Oh, and all challengers subject to "purge"!
DARING (48A Risque) THENATION (14A Weekly since 1865) which INTONES (13D Cantillates) its moans, but ELECTS (19A Puts in) to follow the Majorette of Puzzle POLICE (27A Keep in order) in a comical OATER (23D Old drive-in fare)!
PHALANX (2D Troop group) in force SHANT (18A Quaint contraction) explain these murderous two -- BISCOTTO (46A One use for anise) and COCCI (9A Spherical bacteria) -- a powerful brew!
YOW (42A “That hurts!”) -- So ragged and torn my poor Webster’s, it be -- Google to check, after all, it is free! Constructors are using it, so why cannot we? Alas! Nothing Google-able but CBSSPORTS (9D Home of “The NFL Today”) and PAMELASUE (17A Martin of Hollywood).
VNECK (4D Some sweaters), VEE (40A Hum follower), NSYNC (54A Band active from 1995 to 2002), FOLGERS (38D Kind of crystals), I drearily drone with arched eyebrow in pretentious preternatural knowledge -- “those are all things one must major in college!”
STPETER (1D Figure in many jokes) and the YEMENIS (3D Arabs who are not in OPEC) lurk with their SALTS (5D Smelling things) waiting in STAS (6D London’s Covent Garden and others: Abbr.), being watched by PIS (7D Dicks) (I kid not)!
A puzzle from NEWSDAY (35D Part of the Tribune Company) is missing some pieces -- OAHU, ONTAP, SAL, ENIS, and SAM, SLUED, LEE, and PAN, SAL, CARET, DUNE, and ATARI -- such CORN (47A It’s hard to walk on)! You'll find them here, all stuck in strange places!
ONEMAN (39A Solo), a BARON (16A Financial V.I.P.), an ELF (36A Dobby or Winky, in Harry Potter) and CLEO (41A “Pinocchio” character voiced by Mel Blanc), the last who ANOINTS (34D Chooses) to chew on a SOYBEAN (33d Source of lecithin) when a LEANCUT (37D Round steak, e.g.) awaits, if worms are called "baits"!
CANAL (45A Rialto Bridge sight) -- smooth sailing, all’s well, nary a care and a gondolier’s song!
The Long and the Shortz of It
Times Square - New Year's Eve 1938 -- MAKEARESOLUTION (38A Determine)
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Friday, September 21, 2007
Puzzle by Paula Gamache, edited by Will Shortz
ASBADASBADCANBE (1A Just the pits);
THEREYOUGOAGAIN (16A Classic line of debate?);
LITTLEORNOTHING (17A Just a bit, if that);
OVERANDDONEWITH (30A Sewn up);
AIRAMERICARADIO (37A "The Randi Rhodes Show" network);
MAKEARESOLUTION (38A Determine);
LIBERALDEMOCRAT (53A Left-of-center party member);
ANYPORTINASTORM (57A "I'll take whatever help I can get"); and
SEATTLESEAHAWKS (58A Pro team whose mascot is a blue bird named Blitz)
The above are the main entries and fairly well the entire body of this frisky Friday crossword puzzle.
The remainder of the puzzle exists to serve the nine 15-square across entries.
The three triple-stacked entries across (in sets of three) are divided by two "passageway" triple-stacks with the requisite black squares, allowing only two letters each for entry between the three 15-square across triple-stacked entries.
MAST (18A Flag holder); TRIM (19A In shape); AVGS (20A Means: Abbr.); CYS (21A Songwriter Coleman and others); FAJITA (23A Food whose name means "little sash"); and PIC (28A Many an e-mail attachment).
LSD (39A It'll change you mind); INTONE (40A Drone); PLIE (41A Dance move); EKE (44A Scratch); BAIN (46A Winner of three consecutive Emmys for "Mission: Impossible"); KANE (47A Batman creator Bob); and Woody Guthrie's "Tom JOAD" (49A).
The clues for the down entries which are, in the main, happenstance fill to serve the accomplishment of nine full-across entries are:
1. Thrashers home in the N.H.L.: Abbr.; 2. One just filling up space; 3. Second of 24; 4. See 52-Down; 5. Arm raiser, informally; 6. Vote for; 7. In need of a sweep; 8. Ragged edges, in metalworking; 9. Lambs: Lat. 10. Destiny; 11. String player?; 12. Ottoman officers; 13. Simple; 14. Toot; 15. Some specialize in elec.; 21. They may give you a seat; 22. Spring river phenomenon; 23. Soundproofing material; 24. Converse alternative; 25. Yo-yo; 26. Requiem title word; 27. Alternative to a 23-Across; 28. Somewhat, in music; 29. Embarrassing way to be caught; 31. 1856 antislavery novel; 32. Insult, on the street; 33. Volt-ampere; 34. Peculiar: Prefix; 35. Relative of -ance; 36. Perfect; 41. He wrote that government "is but a necessary evil" 42. Gulf of Sidra setting; 43. Like the Keystone Kops; 44. "The ENDIS near!"; 45. New Hampshire's KEENE State College; 46. Longfellow's "The Bells of San BLAS"; 47. Rove in politics; 48. Old man, in Mannheim; 49. Rib; 50. Prefix with -hedron; 51. In ranks; 52. With 4-Down, black magic; 54. Raise a stink?; 55. Billy's call; 56. Logos and the like: Abbr.
As is obvious, the cluing for the down entries is in many cases convoluted and/or a stretch -- necessarily so, due to the droppings left from the blitz of long acrosses.
That said, the six 15-across "conversational" entries are, to crossword puzzles, original; and the remaining three -- "Air America Radio", "Liberal Democrat", and "Seattle Seahawks" can certainly count this crossword as their last full-length appearance for a while, at least.
All in all, a very satisfying and fun T.G.I. Friday solve!
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For today's cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
