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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