Paint the Town Red II -- Alfred Gockel
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Monday, February 11, 2008
Puzzle by Ken Bessette, edited by Will Shortz
JOBOPENING (59A. Want ad heading .. Or a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 38-, and 49-Across); NOSEAROUND (17A. Snoop); ODDCOUPLE (25A. Felix and Oscar, with “the”); PAINTTHETOWNRED (38A. Carouse); and SNOWWHITE (49A. Symbol of purity) are the inter-related entries of this Monday back-to-work crossword.
Having little to do with a real job (like work), we are given a nose job, an odd job, a paint job, and in the end, a snow job -- well, for what more could one ask?! Me for one, NETWAGES (39D. Take-home pay)!
I’m not sure this puzzle believes in an honest job, the nearest entry to that is a YEGG (69A. Safecracker), and it appears to dread going to work on Monday -- it has DEATH (26D.) and an OBIT (1A.), it seems to be MADAT (23D. Furious with) or IRATE (65A. More than steamed), even FEDUP (37D. At the end of one’s patience) of the ABRUPT (18D. Brusque) end of two days OFF (35A.) in a WRITHE (40D. Squirm) facing five DRAB (10A.) ones… anyway, IDO (44A.).
All kidding aside, a fun Monday puzzle with lots of variety and pleasantly CLUED (7D. Informed, with “in”) to DRAWUPON (10D. Use, as past experience) for solution. Contrasts and pairings abound -- OBIT (1A. Black-bordered news item) and BIO (2D. Life story, for short) share their B. IDIG (58A. “Gotcha,” to a beatnik) and “IDO solemnly swear…” (44A.) are a conversational couple. NAG (62D. Re-re-re-remind) and GAG (63D. Respond to a really bad joke, maybe) sit and fit side by side, as do SMILE (49D. Photographer’s request) and NUDIE (50D. Peep show flick) -- and then there’s MATZOH (29D. Passover bread) and FRITO-Lay (snack company) (36D.). TWAIN (21A. “Huckleberry Finn” author) and JIM (59D. Huck’s raftmate) are another couple. Oh, and 12D. “APRIL Love,” 1957 #1 hit by 13-Down) BOONE (13D. Singer Pat).
The remaining six-letter entries: CANOED, CRANNY, DICTUM, TALCUM, TIETAC, PACMAN, ZITHER.TALCUM. Five-letter, APRIL, BOONE, ECLAT, ECONO, ELSIE (24A. Pitcher of milk?); EMOTE, HECHE, METED, MURAL, OMAHA, ORING, RECAP, SMEAR, TBONE, TROPE, TOBAT. Four-letter, ACRO, APED, DOME, EARP, EEGS, HERO, LINE, NCAA, REPO, STEP, TOOL, WIFI. Three-letter, EDS, ETD, HAN, ICE, IFS, MET, ORE, OWL, OWN, TEE and TOR.
Appropriately for Monday, this puzzle is on the job!
Read Orange.
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