Lobotomy
Frame from the 1959 film of “Suddenly, Last Summer”
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Saturday, May 31, 2008
Puzzle by Robert H. Wolfe, edited by Will Shortz
In Tennessee Williams's 1958 play, Suddenly, Last Summer, the protagonist is threatened with a lobotomy to stop her from telling the truth about her cousin Sebastian. The surgeon said, "I can't guarantee that a lobotomy would stop her—babbling!!!" To which her aunt responded, "That may be, maybe not, but after the operation who would believe her, Doctor?"
Four corner sets of three nine-to-ten-letter entries are the main feature of this pleasant, but characterless crossword:
Upper left, across: FATASAHOG (1. Porky); IDONTCARE (15A. “Whatever”); NUNNERIES (17A. Where habits are picked up?).
Upper right, down: SAILNEEDLE (12D. Tool for sewing canvas); NRADIATION (13. Certain atomic X-ray emission); SECONDHAND (14. Tick source).
Lower left, down: POSTMOSAIC (25. After the Pentateuchal period); INTHEAISLE (26. Between seating sections); THIRDFLOOR (27. Attic, often).
Lower right, across: PLAUSIBLE (56. Not too much of a stretch); BAWLEDOUT (59. Read the riot act); SOITSEEMS (61. “Sure looks that way”).
Two more ten-letter entries, GOINGAHEAD (29A. Proceeding); and MEDDLESOME (41A. Curious to a fault) head the remaining entries of this curiously conversational puzzle, along with two eight letter entries, EYETEETH (34A. Exchange for something very valuable) and THREETON (38A. Like some adult hippos).
I won’t babble on as I’ve nothing much to say about this one… perhaps it’s the lobotomy!
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
