Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds-----------------
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Puzzle by Natan Last, edited by Will Shortz
Picture yourself on a train in a station/ With plasticine porters with looking glass ties./ Suddenly someone is there at the turnstile,/ The girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
It’s count-down Saturday -- starting with eight ten-letter across entries: PLASTICINE (1. Oil-based paste mentioned in the lyrics to “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”); HAVEANIDEA (15. Get inspired); OBITUARIES (17. Late news?); DUMBLEDORE (24A. Headmaster of literature); SWITCHEROO (49. Underhanded change, slangily); WHYAMIHERE (57. Existential musing); HOOTENANNY (60. Folkies’ do); ORNATENESS (62. Opposite of simplicity).
Linkage: ARMORIAL (13. Of heraldry); AIRWOMAN (33. Her idea may be taking off) possibly to AVIATE; MRMIYAGI (34. Film character who says “I promise teach karate. That my part. You promise learn”); AUTOMATA (36. They work by themselves); ESTONIA (28A. Hiiumaa Island belongs to it); PHOBOS (1D. Moon of Mars); JOLENE (46D. #1 country hit for Dolly Parton); LOHAN (51D. Star of “Herbie: Fully Loaded,” 2005); IRAQ (11A. Script meaning “God is great“ appears on its flag); SAM (32A. “Dick Tracy” character Catchem).
Here’s a question -- when is a Friday puzzle a Saturday and vice versa? Are they interchangeable? -- does it matter? Well, that’s the egotistical and tiresome diatribe in the blogosphere! I doubt that The New York Times can or would be held accountable to the judgmental impositions of the preening members of an electronic crossword clique who find it intellectually stimulating to be upset over whether one day is harder than another. Often, it appears the lady doth protest too much, especially over this article in Slate -- The Puzzle of Puzzle People by Ron Rosenbaum. Expounding upon the fine line between Friday and Saturday difficulty is just self-serving vanity. Crossword editors can and will do what they damn well please and there isn’t diddly any doodler can do about it!
ITSLATE (35A. Lead-in to “I really should get going)…
Why Am I Here?
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For the complete post, click HERE.
