03.12.09

PED XING

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Puzzle by David Chapus, edited by Will Shortz

This Thursday crossword features four squares with the multiple letters, PED, the traffic sign abbreviation for “pedestrian.” Signaled by the center entry, PEDXING (39A. Street sign … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme), the resulting interrelated entries are COU[PED]EVILLES (17A. Classic Cadillacs) crossing EX[PED]ITES (4D. Hastens); CA[PED]CRUSADER (60A. Batman, with “The”) crossing TY[PED]UP (53D. Prepared, as a report); SHAR[PED]GED (11D. Like a saber) crossing S[PED]BY (25A. Passed quickly); TA[PED]ELAYS (38D. Features of many Olympics broadcasts) and BI[PED]AL (44A. Like humans and ostriches).

Two who may miss the sign -- MAGOO (30A. “Mr.” whose first name is Quincy) and ODIN (37A. One-eyed god of myth).

Look out for this guy at any PEDXING!

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

03.11.09

The Face on the Barroom Floor

The Face on the Barroom Floor

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Puzzle by Caleb Madison, edited by Will Shortz

BAR (58D. Judging by their names, where the answers to the four starred clues might be found?), along with DONALD RUMSFELD (20A. *Bush cabinet member who resigned in 2006), AMY WINEHOUSE (26A. *Her “Rehab” won a Grammy for Song of the Year), WALLACE BEERY (45A. *Best Actor winner for “The Champ,” 1931) and NATALIE PORTMAN (54A. *”Star Wars” actress who’s a Harvard grad), are the interrelated entries of this Wednesday crossword.

AGE LIMIT (5D. What some amusement park rides have), given an appropriate clue, might join the aforementionend group, along with an Animal-House style DORM ROOM (40D. Stereotypically messy digs); certainly a BLUE MONDAY (10D. 1957 Fats Domino hit) after a lost weekend, and ABSOLUTELY (26D. “No doubt!”), OASTS (14A. Places for hops).

And the face on the barroom floor…?

Or HERE!

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

03.10.09

Ai, ai, eye!

eye collage, azrael nite

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Puzzle by Thomas Takaro, edited by Will Shortz

EYE (37D. Word that can follow each half of 20- and 60-Across and 11- and 36-Down), along with BLACKHAWK (20A. Attack helicopter), BUCK NAKED (60A. In the altogether), SEEING RED (11D. Really steamed) and GLASS WALL (36D. See-through partition), are the interrelated entries of this Tuesday crossword -- blackeye, hawkeye, Buckeye, naked eye, seeing eye, red eye glass eye, wall eye -- ai, ai, eye!

People in the puzzle links -- AKIRA (55D. Director Kurosawa); ARLEN (68A. “Over the Rainbow” composer Harold); JACOBI; KEILLOR; KURT; LEAH; OONA; PLACIDO; a REI (48A. Portuguese king) and a RULER (53D. Kaiser or czar); “Just a GIGOLO” (1931 hit).

A couple more -- ELATE (54A. Make rhapsodic) and ELITE (27D. Select few); GOATEE (30D. Colonel Sanders facial feature) and HAIRDO (25D Buzz, bob or bangs); Will-O’ THE-wisp.

Can‘t Take My Eyes Off of You!

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For today’s cartoon, go to

The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

For the complete post, go HERE.

03.09.09

Keep Going!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Puzzle by Betty Keller, edited by Will Shortz

This Monday puzzle’s interrelated entries, TRY TRY AGAIN (17A. “Keep going!”), NEVER SAY DIE (58A. “Keep going!”), HANG IN THERE (11D. “Keep going!”) and DON’T STOP NOW (25D. “Keep going!”) might seem like a little start-of-the-week pep talk for many of us, and no wonder!

Monday links: LAND LINES (10D. Noncellular phones); NIPPERS (53A. Playful puppies); GEESE (13D. Fliers in V’s); LOREN (5D. Best Actress for “Two Women”); SMELL (1A. What skunks do); ECO, IKE, IVAN, SELA, USA, YMCA.

Keep going!

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

03.08.09 -- Diagramless

Gongs and Gags

Ken Richmond as he opened films from the J. Arthur Rank Studio.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

DIAGRAMLESS, Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel, edited by Will Shortz

Four separate puzzle blocks connected by a trickle of letters in a zigzag center give some difficulty to solving this diagramless crossword. Swaths of empty squares occupy the corners and scattered ones prevent entry from one sector to another. With the constantly alternating allocation of one to four clues per diagramless line, coupled with the inability to move between blocks of words, this crossword is mean.

The puzzle has a group of interrelated entries --- WRONG AGAIN (13A. *”Nope, that’s not it either”); SEGA GENESIS (21A. *Sonic the Hedgehog game system); LONG AGO (44A. *Many years past); BUSTING A GUT (65A. *Laughing hysterically); BANG A GONG (6D. *1972 T. Rex hit titled “Get It On” in the U.K.); VOTING AGE (40D. *18) -- tied together by INSIDE JOKE (73A. Something you might not get … or what the answers to the starred clues each contain?).

The remainder of the entries are fairly common with workable clues. There’s ORALB and BGIRL, UZI and OUZO, SOYUZ and SUDOKU, and ACES clued as Serves one right?

Click here for the gong banger in action!

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For the complete post, go HERE.

03.08.09

One More Thing

A young George Foreman celebrates his Olympic triumph.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

ONE MORE THING, Puzzle by Zack Kushner, edited by Will Shortz

Today, (groan) paronomasia… COOKING WITH GASPS (23A. Rachael Ray activity eliciting oohs and aahs?); BUILT RAMPS TOUGH (39A. Prepared for heavy on/off traffic?); USE THE FORCEPS LUKE (47A. Advise t actor Perry when delivering a baby?); ASPS FOR ME (67A. Cleopatra’s last request?); GOING TOPS THE POLLS (86. Travel is voted most popular?); LONG TIME NO SEEPS (92A. Result of a good basement waterproofing years ago?); BULLET PROOF CARPS (115A. Unassailable beefs?). The remainder of this concoction is no PS and for this solver, had a very static feel.

The biggest PS today is 100-Down, Any of boxer Foreman's five sons, GEORGE. Foreman has 10 children, and each of his five sons are named George: George Jr., George III, George IV, George V, and George VI. They are also known by the nicknames "Monk," "Red," "Joe," "Big Wheel," and "Little George.”

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

03.07.09

On Edge

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Puzzle by Joe Krozel, edited by Will Shortz

MORTAR AND PESTLE (1A. Drug combination), MACHINE WASHABLE (1D. Not taken to the cleaners?), ENGAGEMENT STONE (14D. One set for a future wedding?) and ENDS ON A SOUR NOTE (62A. Doesn’t get wrapped up well?) are the main entries of this Saturday crossword, clinging to the outer edge of the grid with the letters N, E, W and S left hanging with a nice-looking radiation of black squares emanating from a cross in the center…and that‘s what it‘s all about! For an in-depth analysis of today’s crossword diagram, read Wordplay.

A few across links: 15. Many a vigilante; 31. Pitcher Orlando Hernandez’s nickname; 33. Undercover Playboy bunny of 1963; 36. “Lost” Emmy nominee Henry IAN Cusick; 53. Bebe who co-starred in “The Maltese Falcon,” 1931; 56. “Krapp’s Last Tape” playwright; 61. Dweller along Lake Volta.

Down: 7. W.W. I battle locale near the Belgian border; 12. Longtime columnist for The Nation; 24. “Walk on the Wild Side” singer; 42. First name in late-night talk, once; 53. Band that famously remade “Satisfaction” on its first album.

Don’t forget -- Spring forward!

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

For the complete post, go HERE.