05.07.09

Rounds the Corner

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz

ROUNDS THE CORNER (40A. Gets past a last difficulty … or a hint to this puzzle’s theme), along a glyph in each of the four corners of the puzzle representing either a HOOP, RING, CIRCLE, or ZERO are this Thursday crossword’s interrelated entries.

1A. [HOOP]STER, B-Ball player; 1D. [CIRCLE] LINE, New York City tour provider;

6A. AWE-INSPI[RING], Like the Grand Canyon or Fourth of July fireworks; 14D. [ZERO] HOUR, Showtime, at NASA;

47D. SIZE [ZERO], Teeny dress measurement; 67A. [RING] IN THE NEW, Welcome January 1, say;

55D. CROP [CIRCLE], Mysterious art visible from the sky; 68A. HULA [HOOP], 1950s fad item

A few more links: TALK RADIO (18A. Rush job?); NAMATH (19A. Broadway Joe); FRODO (36A. Fictional hero on a quest to Mount Doom); 26A. Picasso's muse Dora MAAR; and who knew UNU?

Will It Go Round In Circles?

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

05.06.09

Search

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Puzzle by Michael Callaway Barnhart, edited by Will Shortz

KEYWORD and/or KEY WORD (35A. Google search need … or a hint to the ends of 20- and 49-Across and 11- and 28-Down), RUNNING A TAB (20A. Not paying immediately at the bar); LOSE CONTROL (49A. Go ballistic); FIRE ESCAPE (11D. Apartment building feature); and DO NOT ENTER (28D. Road sign warning) are the interrelated entries of this Wednesday crossword.

People in the puzzle -- BEST MAN; CPAS; DIANA; IVO; KING LEAR; PEI; PERON; MGMT; MOSES; MR DEEDS; OKIE; ONEAL; SATIE; SRA; TSAR; and the Hammer-wielding god, THOR.

Other -- UP IN SMOKE (56A. 1978 Cheech & Chong movie) and STONED (5D. Like Cheech & Chong, typically); CUPBOARD; DEBEERS; OVERACTS; SPANKED; TROPICAL.

A few more links -- 21D. AMBER Alert (abduction bulletin); DEPOT; EPONYM (44D. Penn to Pennsylvania); LODGES (6D. 41-Across meeting places) and BPOE (41A. Fraternal letters); PERU, and 37D. Yevtushenko’s “Babi YAR”.

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

05.05.09

ZZ

The Letter Z, Abba Richman

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 -- Cinco de Mayo!

Puzzle by Trip Payne, edited by Will Shortz

The exchange of the “s“ sound for “z“ in three phrases “don’t move a muscle, bussing tables, fuss and feathers”, via ZZ in three sets of two squares each results in DON’T MOVE A MUZZLE (17A. Decide against reorganizing the pet store?), BUZZING TABLES (38A. Conversation-filled places in a restaurant?), FUZZ AND FEATHERS (61A. What chicks have?) -- the minimalist gimmick for this Tuesday crossword.

Links -- BASS TUBA (38D. Low-pitched instrument) and OOM-PAH-PAH (9D. Sound from a 38-Down); BIT-O-HONEY (35D. Nestle candy); NEZ PERCE (11D. Pacific Northwest tribe); I DO I DO (2D. Musical whose opening song is “All the Dearly Beloved”); PHOTON (53A. Massless particle); WELLES (33D. “Citizen Kane” director); 14A. Hersey’s “A Bell for ADANO”; TORIC (30A. Doughnut-shaped).

That‘s a WRAP (33A. Finish shooting a movie)!

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

For the completet post, go HERE.

05.04.09

Forget It!

Monday, May 4 , 2009

Puzzle by Mark Milhet, edited by Will Shortz

GETTING COLD FEET, CHICKENING OUT and LOSING ONE’S NERVE, all clued as “Succumbing to second thoughts” are the interrelated entries of this Monday back-to-work crossword puzzle.

Today's links -- CORN PONE (36D. Dixie bread), ICE SHEET (12D. Arctic covering), FERULES (40D. Old schoolmasters’ sticks); IPECAC (18D. Drug used to treat poisoning); 47D. MARVEL Comics, home of Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four); ASTIN (4D. Actor/brother Sean or Mackenzie); 30D. Mount SINAI, where the Commandments where given to Moses; ISBN (45A. 978-0060935443, for Roget‘s Thesaurus).

He who hesitates…

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

05.03.09

A Stately Garden

Stately Garden I, John Wainwright

Sunday, May 3, 2009

A STATELY GARDEN, Puzzle by Caleb Madison, edited by Will Shortz

In circled letters within eight across entries, state flowers constitute the interrelated group of this Sunday crossword -- the list:

VIOLET: 23.VIOLIN CONCERTOS, Five works of Mozart [Rhode Island].

ROSE: 29. AGREE TO DISAGREE, Not completely settle an argument [New York].

LILY: 48. ALVIN AILEY, “Revelations” choreographer [Utah].

PEONY: 58. EXPERT TESTIMONY, Trial hearing? [Indiana].

CARNATION: 68. CASH TRANSACTION, It’s never made with plastic [Ohio].

LILAC: 82. CLINT BLACK, Country singer with the #1 album and single “Killin’ Time” [New Hampshire].

LAUREL: 95. LAURENCE OLIVIER, He played a Nazi in “Marathon Man” and a Nazi hunter in “The Boys From Brazil” [Connecticut].

POPPY: 108. PUT ON A HAPPY FACE, “Bye Bye Birdie” tune [California].

For the first Sunday in May, a perfect bouquet!

Flowers!

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

05.02.09

...and down the stretch they come!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Puzzle by Peter A. Collins, edited by Will Shortz

This Saturday crossword puzzle doesn’t horse around! The interrelated entries concern an event beginning today, the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, which consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse. In recent years, the Triple Crown has become a very rare achievement, with most horses specializing on a limited range of distances. This year the three races of the Triple Crown take place today, May 2 (Kentucky Derby), May 16 (Preakness Stakes) and June 6 (Belmont Stakes).

The equine entries -- TRIPLE CROWN (23A. It comprises the 10-Down, 34-Across and a third part found elsewhere in the grid); BELMONT (10D. Part of the 23-Across); PREAKNESS (34D. Part of the 23-Across); and running diagonally from upper left to lower right is KENTUCKY DERBY. Additionally,THE FAVORITE (48A. One that bets are on) and BREEDER (39D. One with a stake in 48-Across, say) cross in the lower left corner of the puzzle. Place your bets HERE!

A few more links -- OPHELIA (38D. “O, what a noble mind is here overthrown!” speaker, in Shakespeare); THERESA (23D. The Little Flower of Jesus); ASSISI (61A. Birthplace of St. Clare); RAINER (28A. Best Actress winner for “The Great Ziegfeld,” 1936); UMIAKS (14A. Walrus-skin boats); ANNIE (29A. Musical with the song “It’s the Hard-Knock Life”); HAMEL (7D. Actress Veronica of “Hill Street Blues”).

“…and down the stretch they come!”

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

For the complete post, go HERE.

05.01.09

Stumper?

Woodsman, artwork by Vebjorn Stromenn

Friday, May 1, 2009

Puzzle by Joon Pahk, edited by Will Shortz

POL (27A. Stumper?) is as good a short example of a Saturday crossword clue of which one can conjure. Yes, it's not an AXE, and yes, this crossword continues in the same vein -- clues of strained creditability, often opinionated, all for fairly common entries with a few exceptions. The two longest entries, KLEPTOCRACY (7D. Government marked by rampant greed and corruption) and DNA SEQUENCE (26D. Biochemical arrangement), are oddly enough clued in perhaps the most straightforward manner of the lot. The remaining clues for shorter entries seem to be issued by an eroded Sphinx in the desert. What's to say -- it's May day!

A few links, across -- CARJACK; 8. Arms on shoulders, MUSKETS; 17. Like wingdings, FESTIVE; 40. Polar bears, e.g., SEALERS; 46. The appendix extends from it, CECUM; 60. Guy making passes, MATADOR; 64. Stand against a wall, perhaps, ETAGERE.

Down: 1. Unisex wear, CAFTAN; 14. Like ferns, SEEDLESS; 31. Tumble and toss about, WELTER; 37. Big name in steelmaking, BESSEMER; 39. Meets near the shore?, REGATTAS; 48. Predecessor of Web forums, USENET; 53. Bad thing to get from your boss, THE AX.

Careful!

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

For the complete post, go HERE.