Midas by Peter Sharpe
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Monday, May 5, 2008
Puzzle by Stella Daily and Bruce Venzke, edited by Will Shortz
Everyone will love this rich Monday back-to-work crossword puzzle! This is a true no-nonsense good old-fashioned see-how-bright-you-are-today gift to the everyday solver. No plodding, distant and convulsive etymological archaeology today! Slam, bam, thank you ma’am, and sirs! Pure gold!
Four inter-related entries (by merit of rhyming ACKETs) are this crossword’s main feature -- WELCOMEPACKET (20A. Tourism bureau’s offering); TENNISRACKET (28A. It’s swung at Wimbledon); YELLOWJACKET (48A. Pesky wasp); and INCOMEBRACKET (58A. It helps determine how much tax you owe the I.R.S.).
Other entries of length include MADMONEY (5D. Small amount of cash saved for an emergency); SICKDAY (9D. Time off from work with pay); MASCOT (4D. Yale’s bulldog, e.g.); and ELTORO.
The shorter entries include ADULT; (3D. Like blue movies); SKOSH (55D. Smidgen); EERIE (56D. Like “The Twilight Zone” music); Popeye’s creator E. C. SEGAR (9A.); and MIDAS (69A. King with a golden touch).
A puzzle with that magic touch -- what to do with all the extra time? Spend it wisely!
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
