Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Puzzle by Stephen Edward Anderson, edited by Will Shortz
QUICKSILVER (17A. Mercury); HAIRTRIGGER (60A. Easily set off, as a temper); CHARTTOPPER (11D. #1 on the Hot 100); and TALENT SCOUT (25D. Discoverer of stars?) are today’s inter-related entries -- horses for The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy and Tonto comprise the second half of each entry. RIDEEM (30D. With 27-Down, western cry) COWBOY (27A. See 30-Down)!
Ridin’ the high country are the seven-letter entries including ENCLOSE (4D. Hem in); HADABIT (38A. Ate, but not much); INASTIR (29A. All riled up); OKAYGUY (46D. Nice enough fellow); and Neil Simon’s “Lost in YONKERS” (49A.).
Close on their heels are the six-letter entries: AUGURY (12D. Prognostication); BOARDS (54A. SATs); ETCETC (55A. And so on and so forth); FAKEIT (5D. Try to get by through bluffing); HOTOIL (23A. What French fries are fried in); ICESIN (9D. Strands after a blizzard); ISOBAR (39D. Weather map line); NODICE (50D. “I ain’t buyin’ it!“); ONDUTY (31A. Working the desk, say); PECAN (48D. State tree of Texas); SALIVA (18D. Spit); SITCOM (47D. Soap alternative); SKIRUN (21A. Where to spend time with moguls?); STEPPE (47A. Part of the Kazakhstan landscape).
Kickin' up the dust are the five-letter entries of ARENA, ASSTS, CURED, ENNUI, EYERS, FCLEF, , LEANT, MENSA, PHONO, PIECE, STRIP, STRUT, TILTS, TOADY.
The posse includes the four-letter words BIRD, EROS, HIRE, IOUS, MIST, ONUS, OPIE, OTIS, OTRO, PERK, RULE, SESS, SPIN, THEA, VIEW and three-letter extras, AGO, AMT, CRU, DOT, EAR, EER, EMS, ESE, FAQ, GAP, HAP, HUH, INS,LEI, NBA,NCO, OSO, PBS, RDS, REV, SCI, SOU -- I’m sure I missed one or two hidin’ in them bushes, keep an eye out fer them rattlers!
Ride ’em, cowboy!
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For cartoons for today’s Shakespeare’s 444th Birthday celebration (“A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!”), go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
