10.11.07






Thursday, October 11, 2007

Puzzle by E. J. Platt, edited by Will Shortz


Could it be?! Oh no! S.O.S.! Save our Stars! 61A Wishful things? ... or a literal description of 16-, 17-, 32-, 44- and 60-Across =
FALLINGSTA


GEORGECLOO (17A People's 2006 Sexiest Man Alive); MEGR (16A "You've Got Mail" Actress); REXHARRIS (32A Julius Caesar portrayer, 1963); BENSTILLE (44A Frat Pack actor); and BRAN (60A R & B singer with a hit 1990s sitcom) are finishing their careers with PHONEY (9D Insincere); BRYAN (13D Presidential candidate who said "No one can earn a million dollars honestly"); MASON (26D Construction worker); BEER (37D Blast constituent?); and INDY (55D Annual May event, informally).

Oh, and for the record, the tail end of PARS
(59D Most are 3, 4 or 5), to finish "STARS".
Being a bit bent out of shape, even their TITANIC (45D Enormous) careers cannot save the stars in this puzzle -- name dropping means something entirely different here. Perhaps our "FALLING STARS", MEG RYAN, GEORGE CLOONEY, REX HARRISON, BEN STILLER, and BRANDY will be seen in a sequel to TITANIC, clinging onto the poop deck, or in a Jules VERNE (50D "From the Earth to the Moon" author) "Encore!" (51A AGAIN) -- worse!, a horror flick involving BROADAXES (3D Timber hewers) and the Leaning Tower of PISA (56A City with una torre pendente) co-starring a GABOR (1A Any one of a trio of Hollywood sisters) with today's "falling stars" gang!

Seriously…


Across: 6. Reason to get some cosmetic dental work; 10 ARAB-Americans (about 3.5 million people); 14. Say “amen,” say; 15. Gadzooks, e.g.; 19. Just; 20. City southeast of 64-across; 21. Starting; 22. Beverage brand; 24. Mouth’s locale; 26. Cage for hawks; 27. Subway stop: Abbr.; 28. New York’s GRACIE Mansion; 30. Hen, e.g.; 34. What a drinker may enter; 38. Chevrolet model; 39. Big exporter of coconut cream and coconut oil; 41. Prefix with kinetic; 42. O.K.’s; 46. Tasty; 48. Smirk; 49. Fertilized things; 52. Wander; 53. Like some checks; 54. Quarter; 57. Particularly: Abbr.; 64. City along the Chisholm Trail; 65. Fidel Castro’s brother; 66. Part of a printing press; 67. Refuse; 68. Starchy side dish; 69. Points on a crescent moon.

Down: 1. Crazy; 2. Like relics; 4. Poetic contraction; 5. Robes, tiaras, etc.; 6. Shade of brown; 7. Game division; 8. “Were ITO do it over…”; 10. Partner in an old radio comedy duo; 11. Lets; 12. Shoelace tip; 18. Some organic compounds; 23. Water holder; 25. Repeats; 28. South side?; 29. French dream; 30. Like many cared-for lawns; 31. Measure again, as a movie’s length; 33. Fervent; 35. Computer technicians’ positions; 36. Everyone, in Essen; 40. Historic Umbrian town; 43. Palm type; 47. Sauté; 49. Like an eyeball; 53. Volleyball stat; 56. Windfall; 58. When repeated, a dance instructor’s call; 62. Top bond rating; 63. Bearded beast.

Now, if only this puzzle had included
DROOPY DOG!

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