Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Puzzle by Chuck Deodene, edited by Will Shortz
SMILE (16A Beam), NONEEDTOTHANKME (Helpful person's line), GLADTOBEOF (32A With 42-Across, helpful person's line), ASSISTANCE (42A See 32-Across), HON (19D Darlin'), SAYSYES (43D Agrees), AROSE (48A Levitated); COZIEST (21A Most comfy), ETAL (57D And others, for short) provide a positive bent to this well-TUNED (46A Like good pianos and engines) Tuesday crossword puzzle.
However, not all is well in Eden -- DUMB (1A Inane), IBET (14A Cynic's comment), ALARM (25A Peturbation), CLIQUE (60A Coterie), JAB (23D Elbow); SLYLY (67A With cunning), RAT (6D Squealer), TORN (29D Having a hard time deciding), FUSS (36D Bother); TURNA deaf ear to (54A), and AWRY (58D Cockeyed) -- provide the opposite side of amiability.
Territorial and technical:
IRIS scan (biometric authentication method) (5A); ZONED (9A Districted); NASA (15A Payload delivery org.); GALAXY (20A Spiral in space); USERID (39A Log-in info); LAND (66A Reel in); EVEN (65A Tied up); DINGS (1D Small jobs for a body shop); UBOAT (2D Kriegsmarine vessel); INDY (5D Annual racing classic); ISO (7D Prefix with tonic); ORE (24D Prospecting find); 1989’s LOMA Prieta earthquake (26D); Lithium-ION battery (45D); PVC (62D Piping compound, briefly); and SAIL (59D Clipper’s sheet), which technically is ROPE -- see following quote from Simple Language of the Sea:
“Sheet: The rope or tackle, attached to the clew of the sail, or to the outer end of a boom, used to adjust the trim of a sail. It is used to describe any rope or wire used to adjust the trim of a sail and is named for the sail to which it is attached, e.g. main, genoa, staysail, and spinnaker sheets.”
People, places, and pastimes: JOHNS (23A Vice squad arrestees, perhaps);
NUDISM (38A Philosophy of bare existence?); SCOT (68A St. Andrew’s Day observer); EXPATS (18D Sojourners abroad, for short); PARIS (64A Popular place for 18-Down); SATCHMO (8D “Hello, Dolly!” jazzman); SHEA (28D Flushing stadium); ZSAZSA (9D One of the Gabors); DRESSY (47D Stylish); ALEC (41A Writer Waugh); HOPI (37A Mesa tribe); STOMP (22A Jazz dance); DICE (35D Cubes at Harrah’s); RIDE (31D Ferris wheel or bumper cars); a meal with SQUAB (53D Fowl entrée); MENLO Park (noted lab site) (3D); a SEEDY (55D Not yet gentrified) neighborhood; BTEAM (4D Substitute players); anchoring in ADEN (34D Mideast harbor city) and having refreshments on TEASETS (56A Spode ensembles) with LULU (33D “To Sir With Love” singer, 1967) and LEO (63D Fierce type astrologically).
Brands and business: OMNI (10D Bygone Dodge); NIKE (11A Giant in footwear); DEET (13D It’s repellent); SRO (44D Sellout letters); TIPS (56D Much of a waitress’s income); CENT (60D ¢); AISLE (52D Airplane seating request); STELLA Artois beer (40D); RAYON (49A Versatile fabric); ATM (50D Dough producer, briefly); and EBAY (69A Virtual mart).
This coming week gives us the EPIC (30D Like “Paradise Lost”) of the autumnal equinox, with the advent of the ASTER (27A Autumn bloomer), and the changing color of the ELMS (12 Graceful shaders); so enjoy the few days of Summer while it LASTS (Lives on)!
SMILE!
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Visit Mona and the dogs at The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
