12.07.08 -- the Acrostic

Dust Thou Art...

Sunday, December 7, 2008

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox & Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz

Tough stuff! Puzzle and quote! I hope you’re not reading’ this ‘fore you do this Sunday’s acrostic, or at least take a whirl at it, ‘cause this one’s a real brainduster!

The quotation is taken from Timothy Egan’s “The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl” (link here for Dust Bowl).

The quotation: WHEN THE DUST FELL IT PENETRATED EVERYTHING NOSE THROAT KITCHEN BEDROOM WELL THE EERIEST THING WAS THE DARKNESS PEOPLE TIED THEMSELVES TO ROPES BEFORE GOING TO A BARN JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET AWAY LIKE A WALK IN SPACE

The author’s name and the title of the work: TIMOTHY EGAN WORST HARD TIME

The defined words: A. TWISTER; B. INVEST; C. MOBSTER; D. OBJURGATE; E. TABLE TENNIS; F. HEARTH; G. YAWNER; ELEVENTH; I. GATEWAY; J. ALTITUDE; K. NEWS DESK; L. WEEKEND; M. ON FILE; N. ROUGHNECK; O. SPAGHETTI; P. TOOTLE; Q. HORSE THIEF; R. ADEPT; S. REFRESHED; T. DECADE; U. TALK SHOP; V. INFLOW; W. MORPHINE; X. ELAPSE.

Pray for rain!

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For a few disaster cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated, or go here and wait for the cow! How about a drive into a dust storm in Australia? HERE.

For the complete post, go HERE.

12.06.08

or

Orson Welles, The Third Man

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Saturday, December 6, 2008

Puzzle by Ashish Vengsarkar and Narayan Venkatasubramanyan, edited by Will Shortz

Ten clues (with asterisks) in this crossword are missing the letters “or” -- 1A. *Panama, e.g., Panorama, VIEW; 9A. *Popular rest area (resort), ASPEN; 17A. *Bat portrayer (Borat), SACHA BARON COHEN; 54A. *Sty for youngsters (Story), THREE LITTLE PIGS; 61A. *Deal (Ordeal), TRIAL; 63A. *Cal REEF (Coral); 10D. *Male booster (Morale), SHOT IN THE ARM; 22D. *Words that come from clams (clamors), ONOMATOPOEIA; 26D. *Aid in tailing (tailoring), NEEDLE; 31D. *Famous son (Orson), WELLES.

TENORS (29D. Choir section … and what are missing from the starred clues) completes the interrelated entries.

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

12.05.08

I'm Late!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Puzzle by Joe Krozel, edited Will Shortz

Looking for excitement? No? Good. It’s not in today’s crossword. I’ll make this quick, I’m running late! T.G.I.F.!

Today's links -- BADDEBTS (14D. Lenders’ banes); NUGATORY (32D. Inconsequential); DECARLO (39D. Gwynne’s co-star on “The Munsters”); TAGTEAM (52A. Ring pair); NEURAL (2D. Kind of network); AERIE (31D. Flight takeoff and landing spot); INNIE (7D. Omphalos variety); LUIGI (16A. Mario Bros. brother); ELOI (Wellsian race); 37A. 1984 Physics co-Nobelist Simon van der MEER; TAE and TRI and TRU.

Gotta go -- IMLATE (1D. Cry from the White Rabbit)!

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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated

For the complete post, go HERE.

12.04.08

Clear

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Puzzle by Barry C. Silk, edited by Will Shortz

CLEAR (63A. With 64-Across, words that can precede the starts of 18-, 31-, 38- and 55-Across), THE (64A. See 63-Across), DECK OFFICER (18A. Bridge authority), THROAT LOZENGE (31A. Medicated candy), AIR MAIL LETTER (38A. Comparatively quick communication) and AREA CODE MAP (55A. Verizon reference) are the interrelated entries of this Thursday crossword.

Pairs abound -- AHEAP and FEW (19D. Small number) -- BATCAVE and GOTHAM -- CASA and DACHA -- COMETO and IMBACK -- DUTCH and IRISH -- ELBE and VOLGA -- REMORSE and SADDEST -- SALUT and SIEG -- LICENSE and USERID -- UPS and ADDL -- PHONE and OPER -- SBARRO and TAKEOUT.

AMATEUR (38D. Dabbler) leads off the solo mid-size entries including CRUSH; DEEPLY; DIMAG; EPITAPH; ILOSE; KOREA; MEDIC; MISSHAPE; NETZERO; PELOSI; SCALLION; SIFTS; SQUELCH; THROBS; VIEWS; WINEBAR; ZELIG.

Fragments -- ACK and AQI, AKIM and ARIZ, CASE, DUN, ELL, ENLS, ENYO, HUEY, IMA, INO and IVO, ISM and ITEM, LAIR, MBA, MOE, NIB, NYES, OAR, SDS, SSW, and ETC (6D. Series finale?: Abbr.).

Clear!

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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated

For the complete post, go HERE.

12.03.08

S to P

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Puzzle by Michael Blake, edited by Will Shortz

FOURWAYSTOP (63A. Feature of some intersections … or a five-word hint to 17-, 23-, 40- and 50-Across), the five-word hint being “four-way S to P”, along with PAVINGGRACE (17A. Elegance in road construction?); PLUMLANDLORD (23A. Desirable guy to rent from?); POUNDEDTHEALARM (40A. Hit “snooze” with force?); PUBCOMMITTEE (50A. Council of Guinness drinkers?) are the interrelated entries of this Wednesday crossword.

A few links -- COUNTBASIE (29D. “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” composer/bandleader); DARYL (7D. Hall of fame); DORA (26D. TV explorer); 69A. Donna Summer’s “SHE Works Hard for the Money”; CARROTCAKE (11D. It often has cream cheese frosting); AENEID (67A. Old war story); MOOED (52D. Lowed), which has non-partners of COW (11A. Intimidate) and milk pitcher ELSIE (55D. Borden cow); OLDER (12D. Grayer, maybe); GTO; RDS and ZIG (5D. Make a sharp turn).

Need a few rules for a four-way stop?! Go HERE!

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For today's cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated

For the complete post, go HERE.

12.02.08

Sounds

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Puzzle by Matt Ginsberg, edited by Will Shortz

DIN (41A. All the sounds in this puzzle together?) is the uniting entry for the -- Sounds of … an explosion, BOOM; … thunder, CLAP; … a mother with noisy kids, HUSH; … a toy train, CHOOCHOO; … a raindrop in a puddle, KERPLUNK; … a table tennis ball, PING and PONG; … brakes, SCREECH; … a basketball through a basket, SWISH; … a knock on a door, RAP; … Road Runner, BEEPBEEP; … grease in a deep fryer, SPLATTER; … a porker, OINK -- and the down “sounds” of … champagne glasses, CLINK; … a surprised German, ACH; … a hen, CLUCK; … a circusgoer, OOOH; … a doorbell, DONG; … a cheater in class, PSST; … a person sitting down; PLOP. A din, indeed!

The entry likely to provide the most outrageous sound? -- 35A. Not enough room to swing ACAT!

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

12.01.08

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Reversed 1894S-Dime Reverse

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Monday, December 1, 2008

Puzzle by Eric J. Platt, edited by Will Shortz

TURN ON A DIME (57A. Change abruptly, or what the insides of 17-, 27- and 43-Across do?), along with BETTEMIDLER (17A. The Divine Miss M), NURSEMIDWIFE (27A. Birth mother’s helper), and SEMIDETACHED (43A. Connected on only one side, as a town house) are the interrelated entries of this back-to-work Monday crossword puzzle.

Links for Monday: ADELE (15A. One of the dancing Astaires); 28D. “Maria ELENA,” 1941 #1 hit; 41A. IVAN the Terrible; OWENS (37A. Jesse of the 1936 Olympics); COCOON (45D. Thing from which a butterfly emerges); MUG (40A. Rob on the street).

Brother, can you spare a dime?

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

For the complete post, go HERE.