Niobe Turned to Stone
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Thursday, November 8, 2007
Puzzle by Paula Gamache, edited by Will Shortz
Here's a frigid crossword puzzle with a HEARTOFSTONE (53A Unfeeling nature ... or a literal hint to 19-, 31- and 38- Across) with three inter-related entries of marked unfeeling -- PISTONENGINE (19A Internal-combustion device); BRETEASTONELLIS (31A "American Psycho" author); and FIRSTONETOBLINK (38A Loser in a staring contest).
This one leaves me cold. Hidden word entries always seem to produce ridiculously unrelated and uninteresting results, and they are neither rewards for the solver's effort, nor revelations of any value.
Across: 1. Quarrel (with); 5. Contents of a scoop; 9. Glass substitute; 13. Child’s plea; 14. “Jabberwocky,” for one; 15. Real MCCOY; 16. Former southern constellation in the shape of a ship; 17. Billet-doux writer; 18. “Skunk egg”; 22. Executor’s concern; 23. When someone 27-Across; 27. See 23-Across; 30. “Tres sexy!”; 35. One of the first to raise a hand, usually; 36. Barn adjunct; 37. Scented gift; 45. Temper, as metal; 46. Vaccine target; 47. Acts as a middleman; 49. Began; 56. Lustrous black; 59. “What TODO?”; 60. Type choice: Abbr.; 61. Apply; 62. Not worth AFIG; 63. Equipment in chuck-a-luck; 64. Best of the early Beatles; 65. Chop SUEY; 66. Tolkien’s talking trees.
Down: 1. Suffix with land or sea; 2. Setting for “La Traviata”; 3. Inner tension; 4. It’s read to the unruly; 5. Beach adjacent to Copacabana; 6. The NOME Nugget, Alaska’s oldest newspaper; 7. Sinn FEIN; 8. The End; 9. Historian William H. MCNEILL, author of “The Rise of the West” ; 10. Here, abroad; 11. Be lovey-dovey; 12 Philosopher Rand; 15. Secretary of state during the War of 1812; 20. Siouan speaker; 21. Monopoly token; 24. “Rag Doll” singer, 1964; 25. Visitor from afar; 26. Kind of surgery for the eyes; 28. Home of “Monday Night Football”; 29. Soak; 31. Without question; 32. Marie Antoinette, par exemple; 33. Gets; 34. Hang ONTO; 39. “You pay attention!”; 40. Factor in pageant judging; 41. Stewpot; 42. One who’s late to adopt the latest; 43. Leaning; 44. Beach maximizer; 48. Mex. Misses; 50. Away; 51. Pass; 52. Strikes out; 54. Vegan’s protein source; 55. Cartoon canine; 56. Agent, for short; 57. Sturdy feller?; 58. A.S.P.C.A. worker.
All in all, a puzzle that amounts to little more than a rock hunt!
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
