Soup to Nuts
Nude Descending a Staircase -- Marcel Duchamp
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Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz
WORD (62A. Kind of ladder exemplified by the answers to the seven starred clues), along with SOUP, COUP, COOP, COOS, COTS, CUTS, and NUTS (from SOUP to NUTS), e.g., THEWHOLESHEBANG (38A. From 1- to 67-Across) constitutes a sort of solver’s reward -- the compilation and result are largely undiscernable during the solve, at least in that I could fathom. Not that that matters as this crossword does not rely upon these ENTRIES (23A.) for length and substance. However, clued across as 1. *Salad partner; 16. *Takeover; 21. *Pen; 25. *Cote calls; 48. *Sleep lab purchases; 56. *Salon styles; and 67. *Fanatics, SOUP to NUTS is a ladder missing a few rungs space-wise, causing one to hunt around for the steps in a rather hide-and-seek descent.
With that minimal wordage, there’s room aplenty for every thing else, the longer entries being STRINGTRIO (18A. Violin, viola and cello); OPERAROLES (59A. Aida and Norma, notably); CORNSALAD (11D. Summer side dish); DESKCLERK (34D. Hotel front person); POWERSAW (4D. Buzzer on “This Old House”); BETATRON (40D. Particle accelerator); AERATOR (50A. Lawn care tool); ENTRIES (23A. Mail at contest central); PISCES (5D. Last sign); JESSES (47D. James and Jackson); HOARDS (45D. Collectors’ collections); and ACTION (10D. Director’s order).
Five letter entries constitute the bulk of the crossword: PANSY (5A. Velvety bloomer); ILENE (15A. Graff of stage and screen); PINTS (Half-and-half quantities); SODAS (32A. Sprites in bottles?); BLOTS (35A. Bad marks); ERICA (42A. Jong who wrote “Sappho’s Leap”); WEDGE (43A. Woodcutter’s tool); HULAS (54A. Sinuous dances); ERASE (63A. Backspace over text); VENTS (66A. Blows off steam); Paris’s SACRE-Coeur Basilica (1D.); ORLON (2D. Sock material); UNAPT (3D. Not suitable); ALTOS (6D. Some saxophones); Joe Jackson’s “ISSHE Really Going Out With Him?” (24D.); FLECK (27D. Dandruff bit); SEWER (36D. Storm drain, e.g.); ATEST (50D. Event in 1940s-’50s headlines); TOYOU (51D. Conclusion of “Happy Birthday”); OPART (52A. Eye-popping canvases); and RENTS (53D. They’re high in Manhattan).
Joining SOUP to NUTS, four-letter entries include ACNE, ARNO, BLIP, CATH, CLAW, CORE, EDGE, EPOS, HOWI, INKS, NAPE, NERO, NUIT, OHHI, OORT, ORTS, PANG, ROPE (20A. Hitchcock thriller), ROSA, RYAN, SIKH, SNIP, STDS, TOPE, ULAN, and UPON.
Three-letter leftovers: DHS, FRA, GPO, JET, LAD, REV, SSS, TPK, TSA, and YEN.
Great Gorski!
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