Pinocchio by Enrico Mazzanti (1852-1910)
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Thursday, June 19, 2008
Puzzle by Joe Krozel, edited by Will Shortz
LIES, spelled out by utilizing all the black squares of this crossword, headlines and dominates this puzzle like a New York Times headline in time of war!
Good grief! Already this month, we’ve had TRUTH, and previous to that LIE-ABILITY, now just bold-faced LIES!
TEN (56A. Number of clues in this puzzle that contain factual inaccuracies) mollifies the screaming accusation to mean unintentional misinformation or bush-league intelligence (pun intended). Well, let’s see if I can find them…
1A. France’s OTTO von Bismarck -- he of Germany; 14A. NEON -- Chemical element with the symbol, s/b iron; 19. GTE, Former pharmaceutical giant; 24A. ESAU, Father of Jacob, oh, brother!; 8D. AGASSI, Golf great Andre, s/b tennis; 9D. NINEAM, Standard office-closing time; 28D. ACUTEANGLE, It’s more than 90 degrees, s/b less; 47. ELS, Tennis champ Ernie, he does what Agassi doesn't; 49. YEN, Currency of China, try Japan; 50. EST, Summer hrs. in N.Y.C.
I suspected ERIS (57A. Dwarf planet larger than Pluto), but it‘s true, unless I ERRS (17. Gets it wrong)…
The needs of the diagram (or grid), which should disturb those who insist on symmetry, result in a column to the far right of three fifteen-letter words -- CIGARETTE SMOKER (11D. One who exhibits pack mentality?), ARTUROTOSCANINI (12D. Who quipped “God tells me how the music should sound, but you stand in the way”) and DRESSFORSUCCESS (13D. Job seeker’s fashion advice).
Between the over-sized E and S of the black-square LIES lies a column of three vertical entries of ten letter lengths, HIGHTAILIT (27D. Bolt); the aforementioned erroneously clued ACUTEANGLE and the correctly clued GUESSAGAIN (29D. “Nope, still not right!”) -- hmmm!
Outside of that gigantic S is the vertical entry of SECRETCODE (30D. Writing that’s hard to read), adding further intrigue to this oddest of oddities. Separating the L and I from the E and S is the 15-letter CATCHAGLIMPSEOF (26A. Spot), which lies (there’s that word again) in such a position as to actually catch but a glimpse from the solver.
Now, after all that rigmarole ensues normalcy of sorts: Here are a few links -- ERECTOR (36A. Crane, e.g.); ENFANT (18. Terrible one?); TOREST (3D. One way to lay things); and ICU, for the rest of the lot, click here for the complete story.
Round up the usual suspects... Vincit omnia veritas!
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
