Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Puzzle by Malia Jackson and Noah Snyder, edited by Will Shortz
FLYINGSAUCER (52A. What you thought you saw); METEORSHOWER (20A What you really saw?); WEATHERBALLOON (28A. What you really saw?); and CLOUDFORMATION (46A. What you really saw?) are the inter-related entries featured in today’s crossword. Included for good measure is YETI (67A. Abominable Snowman), another “what-you-thought-you-saw/what-you-really-saw”. Left out are Nessie and the Chupacabra! Or how about the cow abduction -- see HERE!Real and unreal people in the puzzle include William of OCCAM, known for his “razor” (9A.); Rock’s Motley CRUE (15A.); RHETT (16A. He didn’t give a damn); RIDGE (32A. First secretary of homeland security); ORC (40A. Tolkien humanoid); MUNI (61A. “Scarface” star, 1932); CRUSOE (6D. Defoe castaway); ORWELL (9D. Big Brother’s creator); CEO (11D. Corp. V.I.P.); OATES (21D. Hall’s singing partner); EDITOR (29D. Blue-pencil wielder); RATER (30D. Judge of sex and violence in films); USO (38D. Grp. Helping those on shore leave); and EZRA (56D. Poet Pound) -- some with a NAMETAG (4D. “Hello” sticker), some with a BADGE (66A. Sheriff’s symbol); some with an OBIT (3D. End piece?).
7-letter entries include CHORALE (10D. Bach work); SURFING (42D. Web recreation); MINUSES (45D. Grade flowerers) and SHUTEYE (36A. Z’s).
6-letter, ELAPSE (24A. Pass by); TERRIF (50A. “Super!”); SCORCH (5D. Burn with an iron); DILATE (47D. Get wider); POCONO (25D. With 13-Down, Pa. range); SOURON (26D. Grow sick of); WIMPLE (28D. Part of a nun’s habit); MAGNET (48D. Refrigerator adornment); ASSISI (49D. St. Francis’s home).
5-letter, ARENT (63A. Don’t exist); “I AMNOT amused!” (46A.); WOOLS (19A. Angora and merino); CILIA (58A. Tiny hairs); WEARY (22D. Pooped); ENACT (27D. Make into law) and REACT (32D. Flinch, say); HUFFY (37D. Peeved and showing it); and 39D. EATSA hole in (corrodes.).
4-letter, ADES, APTS, ASSN, BRIM, CITE, CUBA, CURE, ECUA, ETRE, ICBM, ICON, “If IMAY be so bold…” (53A.), NUDE, OUST, REEL, SCTV, SEAL, SIZE, OUST, TACO, TUSH (7D. Keister), and VETO.
3-letter, AER, ATL, BEE, CAB, EMI, IRA, LED, MTS, and USE (Play for a sap).
That little group consisting of 39-Down, 51-Across and 49-Down?…well! No comment!
I think there’s a UFO in the grid, so I marked it in green…or… is it just my imagination?!…
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