07.31.09

SWOON

Friday, July 31, 2009

Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel, edited by Will Shortz

DEAD TO RIGHTS (5D. Red-handed), IRISH WHISKEY (21D. Mayo sauce?), FREE-THROW LINE (46A. Where a fouled player might go) and WITHIN EAR-SHOT (22A. Relatively close) are the main entries of this Friday crossword, which has been lavishly described in partial quarters with words such as “delicious, fun, great, ingenuous, poetic, rare, sparkle, wonderful, zingy” -- oh you cruciverbalists!

THERE’S MORE (13A. “I’m not done yet!”) heads a group of ten-letter entries including SALMA HAYEK (17A. Oscar-nominated portrayer of Frida Kahlo), BAZOOKA JOE (56A. Comics character with a “gang”), OPEN SESAME (60A. Passage enabler), and nine-letter HELD WATER (3D. Wasn’t full of holes), LEYDEN JAR (32D. It might store an electric charge) and its’ clue-mate EELS (24D. They might store electric charges) creating an image of an odd fishbowl.

Last links -- SWOON (44D. Become rapturous) and ELATE (48D. Make rapturous); DOYENNE (6D. Helen Thomas in the White House press corps, e.g.); ONESIE (28A. Baby shower gift); SWAYZE (42A. Early TV news commentator famous for doing Timex ads); ALAMO (26A. Subject of the 1955 film “The Last Command”); MARIO (15D. Plumber seen in an arcade); YPRES (63A. City in 1917 headlines) .

All together now, swoon!

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07.30.09

Four-Letter Words

Thursday,
July 30, 2009
Puzzle by Ashish Vengsarkar, edited by Will Shortz
FOUR-LETTER WORDS (16A. Profanities [and a hint to this puzzle’s anomalies]) and REPEAT OFFENDERS (51A. Record holders? [and a punny hint to this puzzle’s anomalies]) -- along with EEEE (1A. Facility), e.g., ease; QQQQ (8A Signals), cues; IIII (19A. Peer group?), eyes; TTTT (20A. Razz), tease; BBBB (47A. Garden sights), bees; OOOO (49A. Is behind), owes; GGGG (61A. “Man oh man!”), geez or jeeze; YYYY (63A. Hip), wise -- are the interrelated entries of this Thursday crossword.
A few links --
GANGSTER (40A. Blood, e.g.); EERIEST (4D. Like H.P. Lovecraft among all popular writers?); YVETTE (7D. Actress Mimieux of “Where the Boys Are”); MEDEA (12A. Jiltee of myth); ARN (24D. Royal son of the comics); OOP (34A. Alley of Moo).
For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For the complete post, go HERE.

07.29.09

Teams

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Puzzle by Tim Wescott, edited by Will Shortz

Six long entries, each containing consecutive circles spelling out the name of various Major League Baseball teams seems to be the losing game of today’s crossword -- Astro, MAKES A STRO NG CASE (17A. Argue forcibly); Ray, CROP SPRAYER (28A. Presticide spreader, e.g.); Twin, SHORT-WINDED (48A. Terse); Giant, NORWEGIAN THRONE (61A. Where Olaf I or Olaf II sat); Ranger, ORANGE RINDS (11D. Juicer remnants); Met, COME TO TERMS (24D. Shake hands). That leaves 24 teams in the cold. There are other references to sports in the crossword, but most are unrelated to baseball. What?

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07.28.09

Now You're Talking!

Eternal Scream by Josh Sommers

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Puzzle by Tony Orbach, edited by Will Shortz

Now you’re talking! This Tuesday crossword is filled with conversation. Going from the positive to the negative outlook, WITHOUT QUESTION (17A. “Sure thing”), IN ALL LIKELIHOOD (28A. “Chances are good”), MAYBE YES MAYBE NO (35A. “It could go either way”), NOT LOOKING SO HOT (43A. “Doubtful!”) and AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN (56A. “Forget it!”) are the main interrelated entries of this lively puzzle.

A few links -- MOTHRA (3D. Insect monster of Japanese film); 6D. Amazon ANT (aggressive insect); FONDA (14A. Jane of “Monster-in-Law”); MOWGLI (1D. “The Jungle Book” hero); YETI (37D. Hulking Himalayan of legend).

Finally, there’s THE NET (49D. Where one might see “OMG” or TTYL”) -- I knew OMG, but not the “talk/type/talk to you later” abbreviation, so…

From TokyoMonster.com, TTYL!

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07.27.09

Parrish, the Thought

The Lantern Bearers, Maxfield Parrish
Monday,
July 27, 2009
Puzzle by Allan E. Parrish, edited by Will Shortz
PUBLISH OR PERISH (17A. College professor’s mantra), MAXFIELD PARRISH (38A. Highly collectible illustrator), any relation?, and LOUISIANA PARISH (59A. Lafayette or Orleans) cannot help but call attention to the surname of the constructor of this crossword -- deliberate? Perish the thought!
Monday links --
AWOLS (7D. Mil. Truants) and RENEGADE (41D. Deserter); AUNT (56D. See 39-Down) and FRITZI (39D. Nancy’s 56-Down in the comics); CASPAR (26D. One of the Wise Men); NO EXIT (24D. 1944 Jean-Paul Sartre play); ACELA (14A. High-speed train); 43A. OSAGE orange; 53D. TERRA incognita; OCHS (13D. Adolph who was chief of The New York Times from 1896 to 1935), speaking of publish or perish.
Oh, and HA HA (6D. LOL, out loud)!
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The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For the complete post, go HERE.

07.26.09


Story Circle

Medieval engraving of the Knights of the Round Table

Sunday, July 26, 2009

STORY CIRCLE, Puzzle by Kevin G. Der, edited by Will Shortz

KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE (14D. With 76-Down, 1953 Ava Gardner film … as depicted elsewhere in this puzzle?) and SIR squeezed into five of the puzzle's squares in a loose circle with no particular centerpiece is this crossword’s conceit, along with the interrelated entries of EXCALIBUR (2D. 1981 film in which Helen Mirren plays a sorceress), A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHURS COURT (4D. With 12-Down, 1889 Twain novel), MIST OF AVALON (71D. 2001 Anjelica Huston miniseries, with “The”), SWORD IN THE STONE (137A. 1963 animated film with the song “Higitus Figitus,“ with “The”) and QUEST FOR CAMELOT (143A. 1998 animated film featuring the voice of Pierce Brosnan). The puzzle does not have circles in the Magazine.

The entries containing SIR -- Across: 38. [SIR]ES (Fathers); 40. AE[SIR] (Norse pantheon); 72. [SIR]IUS (Part of Canis Major); 73. YES[SIR] (Boot camp affirmative); 101. DE[SIR]ED (101A. Popular. Down: 18. PUMP[SIR]ON (Does some heavy lifting); 19. FIRE[SIR]EN (Red alert?); 72. [SIR]LOINS (72D. Some steaks); 74. [SIR]OCCOS (Hot desert winds); 88. YA[SIR] (Chairman Arafat).

The remainder of the crossword is lavished with a nerve-racking compilation of bits and pieces, fragments, abbreviations, nonsense and other gruesome and grueling fill! -- ACE, ADA, ARI, AYN, BIZ, CAL and CAS and GAS, DOS, ESS, EVA and EVE, FGS, HRS, ICS, IRR, LAN, LEE, LST, NAH and NAG, NHL, NSA, OAR, ORU, RAH, REN, SAX, SNO and SON, TAT, TEC, THO, YAO and YON. More? -- ANNI, AURA, CERA, COMA, DEFT, DORM, EARS, ESAI, ETCH, FLOR, FOES, IFFY and ILLE, INRE, IONO, ISAO and IPSO, JAVA, KNOB, LABS, LRON, MERC and MESH, NANS, NILS and NIPS, NANS, ODON, ORSO, PODS, ROTC, SINO, SQIN, STEM, STYE, UGLI, VOUS. Five-letter -- ADIEU, ANGIE, AOLER, AUFEU, CHAIN, CHICO, DISKS, DOESA, ENCYC, ENRON, ERICA, EXIST, FLYIN, FRIAR, INGOT, KOMBU, LEDGE, LOFAT, MEDAL, NEALS, NISAN, NOTIF, OPTIN, DISKS, CHAIN, OCEAN, OLMOS, REHEM, RHINE, SABOT, STOCK, SYNOD, TITAN, TVSET, ULTRA, UVULA, VIDEO, VIXEN, YEANS, and etc.

So much for CAMELOT!

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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

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07.23.09

DOGS

funnydogsite.com
Thursday,
July 23, 2009
Puzzle by Gary & Stephen Kennedy, edited by Will Shortz
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT (7D. Hit song from 2000 … and a hint to 10 symmetrically arranged Across answers) and the imaginary entries of hotdog, Devil Dog, alpha dog, dog-ear, dog tag, dog catcher, dog breeder, lucky dog, salty dog, dog-eat-dog via the omission of DOG in the entries of HOT (1. Show-off); DEVIL (9. U.S. Marine); ALPHA (15. Leader of the pack); CATCHER (34. Animal control officer); EAR (36. Folded corner); TAG (46. G.I.’s ID); BREEDER (47. Person who raises and sells pups); LUCKY (70. One falling into good fortune); SALTY (72. Old sailor); EAT (74. Cutthroat). All very shaggy!
Links of the day --
MADE IN / USSR (4D. With “the” and 32-Across, describing an old Matryoshka doll); CAVE ART (34D. Lascaux paintings, e.g.); KASHMIR (23D. K2 locale); MODEL A (38A. 1927-31 Ford); VIXENS (11D. She-foxes); MEOWS (4A. Manx cries); SIT-IN (28A. Certain occupation); OTIS (31A. Milo‘s canine pal), REN (17A. Neurotic cartoon character).
Who let the dogs out?!…HERE!!!
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The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For the complete post, go HERE.

07.22.09

JOES

Wednesday,
July 22, 2009
Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer, edited by Will Shortz
SLOPPY JOES (64A. School cafeteria fare … and a hint to this puzzle’s theme) and five entries with jumbled JOEs is the humorous interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword. The victims of the “sloppiness” are EOJ FRAZIER (17A. Olympic boxing gold medalist of 1964), JEO NAMATH (25A. Hero of Super Bowl III), OJE BIDEN (30A. 47th U.S. vice president), OEJ PESCI (45A. Oscar winner of 1990) and EJO COCKER (51A. Singer on day three of 1969’s Woodstock).
Wednesday links --
ANUBIS (61A. Egyptian god with the head of a jackal), DARTH (13D. Title before Sidious or Maul); FUJIS (55D. Some apples); JOLIE (52D. Half of Brangelina); OTERI (35A. Cheri of “Scary Movie”); 18D. REDDI-wip; 53D. UBOAT (56D. W.W. II menace).
Time for a commercial…
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For today’s cartoon, go to
The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For the complete post, go HERE.

07.21.09

Luna Firma

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Puzzle by Donna S. Levin, edited by Will Shortz

MEN WALK ON MOON (20A. New York Times headline of 7/21/69), NEIL ARMSTRONG (28A. Subject of a photo beneath 20-Across), WE CAME IN PEACE (45A. With 55-Across, message left by 28-Across for future explorers), FOR ALL MANKIND (55A. See 45-Across) are the interrelated entries of this 40th anniversary of The New York Times newspaper reportage of the first moon walk. It marks the first time the newspaper used 96-point type on a front-page headline. For more on the subject of that edition, go HERE.

A few links -- DOPAMINE (38D. Pleasure-associated neurotransmitter); HORATIO (5D. Whom Hamlet calls “A Man that Fortune’s buffets and rewards / Has ta-en with equal thanks”); La DOLCE vita; ELIOT (64A. “Silas Marner” author); HENIE (33A. Old-time Norwegian skating sensation); ODETS (54D. “Waiting for Lefty” playwright); RELIC (31D. Archaeologist’s find) and STELA (39D. Inscribed pillar); ORGY (56D. Bacchanalian revelry).

Walter Cronkite and the news of the landing on the moon, HERE.

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For the complete post, go HERE.




07.20.09

Terra Firma

Glowing Tobacco Plant, Image taken by Keith Wood for Science Magazine
Monday,
July 20, 2009 -- Apollo 11 Anniversary
Puzzle by Pancho Harrison, edited by Will Shortz
PLANT MANAGERS (57A. Factory supervisors … or a hint to the starts of 20-, 36- and 42-Across), ROOT OF ALL EVIL (20A. What the love of money is, they say), STEM THE TIDE (36A. Stop a prevailing trend), LEAF THROUGH (42A. Quickly turn the pages of) are the interrelated entries of this Monday crossword -- and one could perhaps manage to include PRUNE (23A. Lop off, as branches) and STREW (53D. Spread, as seed).
Although today is the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, producing the quotation, “That’s one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind” nothing in this crossword relates to that occasion (well, maybe the clue for 33D); however, there are a few other remarks in the puzzle -- 14A. “Put a sock IN IT!”; 28A. “So long!“, SEE YA; 40A. “I’ll take that as A NO”; 54A. “Oh, bushwa!”, MY EYE; 71A. “Put a tiger in your tank” brand, ESSO; 30D. “I AM NOT amused!” and 43D. Ellington’s “Take THE A Train”, but that's not going to the moon!
A few more links -- 48A. Mexican revolutionary PANCHO Villa (not to be confused with Pancho Harrison); CLOSER (31A. Ninth-inning pitcher), EXPLOSIVE (11D. Nitroglycerin or dynamite), TOILS (8D. Works long and hard).
As for the MOON…
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For the complete post, go HERE.

07.19.09 -- the Acrostic

Manners From Heaven
Sunday, July 19, 2009
ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz
God bless The New York Times -- the acrostic is alive and well in The Magazine on page 44! We raging fans of the superior Cox and Rathvon creations are pleased as punch! The author and work of this Sunday’s acrostic is
Quentin Crisp’s “Manners From Heaven”. Here is the link to Quentin Crisp at Wikipedia. Aficionados of the acrostic can wipe away tears and dive right into this really tough one which should bring new, but joyous tears to many a solver -- it’s a humdinger!
The quotation:
EUPHEMISMS ARE NOT USELESS VERBIAGE THEY ARE LIKE SECRET AGENTS ON A DELICATE MISSION THEY MUST AIRILY PASS BY A STINKING MESS WITH BARELY A NOD OF THE HEAD EUPHEMISMS ARE UNPLEASANT TRUTHS WEARING DIPLOMATIC COLOGNE
The author’s name and the title of the work: CRISP MANNERS FROM HEAVEN
The defined words: A. CHALLENGED; B.
RESTROOM; C. IMPOLITE; D. SWEETIE; E. PURITAN; F. MINISKIRT; G. AWAY GAME; H. NICE-NELLY; L. NAMESAKES; J. ESOPHAGUS; K. REBUS; L. SHADY; M. FREEHAND; N. RESTRAINT; O. OBSCENITY; P. MADHOUSE; Q. HIGH HORSE; R. EMILY POST; S. AMBULATE; T. VESTIGIAL; U. ETATS-UNIS; V. N'EST-CE PAS.
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For the complete post, go HERE.

07.19.09

You Are There

19th century coal miners would traditionally take canaries in cages down into the mine with them. The birds would act as an early warning system for carbon monoxide gas. When the canary stopped singing the miner would know that he had to escape the chamber he was in. This particular yellow canary was obviously a favored pet as well as a working bird. Inscribed with the legend : 'In Memory of Little Joe. Died November 3rd 1875. Aged 3 Years' (from
The British Antique Dealers' Association via the blog Dream Tree)
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Sunday, July 19, 2009
YOU ARE THERE, Puzzle by Lynn Lempel, edited by Will Shortz
A slog-of-a-solve Sunday puzzle, non-too-LIMPID (66D. Clear) and a bit LIMP (66A. Droopy), in which the insertion of the letters U & R together into "by all accounts, fry cook, C-rations, sine wave, oh my god, holy matrimony, canary in the mine, town without pity and cried wolf" results in the interrelated entries of BURY ALL ACCOUNTS (24A. Corrupt financier’s command?); FURRY COOK (30A. Mama Bear at the stove?); CUR RATIONS (54A. Alpo or Purina One?); URSINE WAVE (72A. Greeting from Smokey the Bear?); OH MY GOURD (92A. Pumpkin grower’s cry of surprise?); HOURLY MATRIMONY (101A. Scheduled activity at a Vegas chapel?); 3D. CANARY IN THE MURINE (3D. Songbird at an eye drops factory?); TOWN WITHOUT PURITY (34D.Sodom or Gomorrah?); CURRIED WOLF (40. Triumphant spicy meal for the Three Little Pigs?).
Across, a few links -- 18. Socialite with a self-named perfume, IVANA; 47. Pets with dewlaps, IGUANAS; 62. Painter Andrea DEL Sarto; 80. Best Actress nominee for “Indochine”, DENEUVE; 114. Douglas HYDE, first president of Ireland.
A few down -- 7. DEREK Walcott, 1992 Literature Nobelist; 35. Snake with “lightning bolts” on its back, TREE BOA; 48. King Minos’ daughter who aided Theseus, ARIADNE; 70. Darling family pet, NANA; 80. Ngo Dinh DIEM, South Vietnam’s first president.
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07.18.09

Quadrupuzzle V

BARCODE (37A. It’s machine readable)
Saturday,
July 18, 2009
Puzzle by Joe Krozel, edited by Will Shortz
Today's crossword is essentially four small puzzles joined in the center by a few letters. Divided by four big black "hammers", each quadrant needs to be solved separately. This is the fifth New York Times crossword of this type over the past two years -- See
12.01.07 -- Quadrupuzzle and 09.20.08 -- Quadrupuzzle III with the same diagram; 12.22.07 -- Quadrupuzzle II, a close variation; and most recently 10.17.08 -- Quadrupuzzle IV, the last being the least cubically claustrophobic.
Puzzle 1 (Upper left): Across -- 1. DUFFS; 12. IN ROWS; 16. STEREO; 18.
CAESAR; 20. UP LATE; 22. SPOKEN; 24. SEVER; 26. DENSER. Down -- 1. DISCUSS; 2. UNTAPPED; 3. FREE LOVE; 4. FORSAKEN; 5. SWEATERS; 13. SOREN.
Puzzle 2 (Upper right): Across -- 6.
SCALIA; 14. SPOUTING; 17. PROSTATE; 19. LETS IN ON; 21. INHALANT; 23. NASTASE; 25. GETA. Down -- 6. SOOTHSAY; 7. CUSS AT; 8. ATTILA; 9. LIANAS; 10. INTONE; 11. AGENT; 14. SPLINE; 15. PRENATAL.
Puzzle 3 (Lower left): Across -- 33. GALL; 37.
BARCODE; 42. HAVE AT IT; 44. ERASURES; 46. ENTICING; 48. LEAD UP TO; 50. STRESS. Down -- 25. GRADIENT; 27. EGOTRIPS; 34. LET’S GO; 37. BARNET; 38. AVATAR; 39. RESIDE; 40. CAUCUS; 42. HEELS.
Puzzle 4 (Lower right): Across -- 28.
AYESHA; 35. CHAPS; 41. THORPE; 43. HERMAN; 45. EL TORO; 47. MOANER; 49. ENGINE; 51. SECTS. Down -- 29. ECHELONS; 30. SHORTAGE; 31. HARMONIC; 32. APPARENT; 35. SeraSENORES; 41. THEME.
Go four it!
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