Brevity
57A. ATOM (Bond component)
Atomic Bomb detonation Photo by Harold Edgerton -- Automatic Camera situated 7 miles from blast with 10 foot lens. Shutter speed equaled 1/100,000,000 of-a-second exposure.
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Saturday, May 3, 2008
Puzzle by Patrick Berry, edited by Will Shortz
Today’s puzzle presents us with six entries containing an abbreviation, e.g., a letter used in place of a larger word -- HONEYBS (16A. Nectar collectors); SPLITPS (17A. Soup vegetables); STREETYS (33A. Cunning in a practical way); HERBALTS (38A. Recuperative drinks); SNAKEIS (58A. Two, in a way); and SOUTHCS (60A. “Mutiny on the Bounty” locale) -- bees, peas, wise, teas, eyes and seas. Sweet!
This puzzle will surely disturb the purist crossword solver who insists on the usual Monday through Saturday regiment, but this is a puzzle which will amuse and please everyone else! Ye olde Times Saturday crossword puzzle is too oft plodding and serious -- this one’s a delight!
Well, DARN (55A. Not-so-strong oath), be ORNERY (64A. Ill-tempered), we know you’re OPPOSED (1A. On the other side), whatever one HOLDSTO (38D. Doesn’t deviate from), ASSERTS (13D. Maintains), or to which one ASSENTS (15D. Knuckles under), there’s plenty of fodder to DISMAY your ASPS (8D. Old symbols of royalty) and set them in a RAGE (23A. Storm), rubbing SALT (41D. Stinger) in their wounds -- I hope I’m wrong and there are no complaints -- UGH (61D. “What a nightmare!”), TOILETS (62A. Heads); OOHLALA (1D. Fashion world exclamation); RATATAT (11D. Gatling gun sound) -- what a REFRAIN (40D. “Fa la la la la la la la la,” e.g.)!
Puzzle people include Painter ANDREA del Sarto (8A.); ADA (22A. Richard’s love in “Bleak House”); YENTL (28A. Film with the Oscar-nominated song “Papa, Can You Hear Me?); ELIS (35A. Some Ivy Leaguers); Morgan LEFAY (King Arthur’s half-sister) (50A.); an ACE (54A. Virtuoso); ELGRECO (63A. Painter tutored by Titian); TROI (29D. Half-human “Star Trek: T.N.G.” character); STRAUSS (36D. “Wine, Women and Song” composer); ELEANOR (39D. Henry II’s wife); IACOCCA (44D. “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?” author); CLEMSON (45D. Where William [the Refrigerator] Perry played football); ENOLA Gay (53D.) -- cry foul, Vladimar PUTIN (56A. Ante, say) has a Monday clue!
Some acrosses: 14. Interestingly folded sheet ORIGAMI; 15. Guru residences, ASHRAMS; 65. Like many Bedouins, SAHARAN. A few downs: 12. How one might stare into space, EMPTILY; 43. Dead Sea Scrolls material, LEATHER.
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I’ll tell you a secret -- I can read words of one letter! Isn’t that grand?
-- The White Queen to Alice in
Through the Looking Glass.For The White Queen's Dictionary of One Letter Words, go HERE.
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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
