SMEAREDON (65A. Not applied neatly)
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Friday, August 8, 2008
Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel, edited by Will Shortz
You’ve got to be kidding me! Saturday is a day early this week if it still holds that the Saturday New York Times puzzle is above the difficulty of a Friday puzzle. Nonetheless, this one is done without mirrors or dealing from the bottom of the deck -- it does, however, drag out some clues and entries that are totally unexpected and awesome!
SUPERSIZEME (4D. Hit 2004 Morgan Spurlock documentary) would seem the eleven-letter entry most likely to crack the puzzle, but nothing across wants to fit. When it’s vertical partner, EXTRACREDIT (5D. It might turn a B into an A), fades into view upon several of the acrosses materializing, the upper left of the crossword comes into focus. Once that area is complete, however, the two eleven-letter entries down right, RAZORBLADES (25D. Cutting-edge technology?) and ENERGYDRINK (26D. Jolt, e.g.) remain equally as elusive to the solver, most likely to the amusement of some highly-pleased joker.
The across entries of nine letters in the upper right, DOCTORWHO (6A. TV series featuring a robotic dog named K-9), SOLIDFOOD (16A. Something to chew on), ONONEKNEE (18A. Waiting for the starting gun, say) do not come easy either -- consider here the cluing and entries of the downs: DSOS, OONA, HOER, ODE and ODER. CLOMP is but one result to be drawn from a clue such as 8D. Not tread lightly. Then there’s that clue for 12D. Got beaten by two people?, which is WONBRONZE -- I imagined a mugging!Down in the left corner, I knew AXELFOLEY (59A. 1985 Golden Globe-nominated role for Eddie Murphy), was unsure of MANOAMANO (63A. Without assistance in a fight) because I misread the clue as flight! SMEAREDON (65A. Not applied neatly) is full of possibilities. Wildest clue is for LOVESCENE (35D. Shoot with steam?) -- think about it!
The left side of the crossword is fairly-well divided from the right due to a passageway of two-square openings commanded by DELIRIOUS (33A. Bouncing off the walls) and ALLERGENS (42A. Causes of some breakouts), I actually considered FILECAKES! SCOLD (27A. Termagant), I wanted SHREW. SITBY (46A. Not get involved) wasn’t SITIN.
On and on…
Hopefully, Saturday will be today! No joke!
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For the complete post, go HERE.
