Castle and Sun -- Paul Klee------------------
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Puzzle by Elizabeth A. Long, edited by Will Shortz
SHAPESUP (42D. Quits misbehaving … or a literal hint to 4-, 9-, 13-, 49- and 57- Down), along with ELGNAIRT (4D. Percussion instrument in an orchestra), ELCRIC (9D. Coterie), RATS (13D. Headliner), ERAUQS (49D. Unhip person) and LAVO (57D. Racetrack) are the interrelated entries of this pleasant Thursday crossword. Of course, reading the entries given the “literal hint” results in TRIANGLE, CIRCLE, STAR, SQUARE and OVAL, names of familiar geometrical shapes here running up in down spaces.
WHIRLIGIG (33A. Colorful lawn or garden fixture) and ARTICHOKE (44A. Something you might want to get to the heart of?) are the other long entries in this puzzle of otherwise evenly distributed average-sized entries.
CRINKLE (20A. Make rustle, as foil), EPISTLE (39A. Hebrews, for example), LORELAI (57A. One of TV’s Gilmore Girls), PRAISES (22A. Writes odes to, e.g.), RATTLER (38A. Slithering danger) and SPREADS (60A. Unfolds) are the next longest at seven letters, followed by six-letter entries of CASABA (29A. Winter melon), NETTLE (46A. Annoy), SPLITS (10D. Forks) and TWEETS (47D. Chirps).
Five-letter entries are the main bulk of the puzzle and include ANNAN, ATILT, BELLE, CIRCA, DINAH, EPSOM, ICIER, IOTAS, KNOLL (21D. Small hill), LEAPT, LILAC, MANIA, MSDOS, ODETS, ORIEL, QATAR, RANIN, SAUNA, SHONE, UNITY, UTURN, WORDS.
AGRA, ALA, AMIE, ANNE, ASI, BOLL, CURE, ERA, ERIE, GETA, HARE, ITAL and ITAT, ITO, LAG, LENT, LIL and LOL, OMEN, ONES, PASS, PIES, PIN and PINA, PYRE, RISE (59D. Small hill), RMS, RUNG, SPAR, STAN, SUED, TIE, UNTO, VEST and WREN are the fill.
That’s how it shapes up!
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
