12.31.07

On the Job!

Monday, December 31, 2007

Puzzle by Lynn Lempel, edited by Will Shortz

After a weekend from the New York Times that issued a bruising and brutal cold-hearted Saturday crossword puzzle from Bob Klahn (who of us will soon forget, golconda, peripeteia, ochlocracy and xantippe?), followed by a delightful warm-hearted Frosty the Snowman puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski on Sunday, regular solvers are left with little to do but tuck the collective tips of their medullae oblongatae between their shanks and skulk off in appreciation for an end-of-the-year crossword which presents little humor or challenge. For the gory details, read the two assessments at The JimH Crossword Blog -- The Saturday Bob Klahn puzzle stinks and Elizabeth C. Gorski wraps up the year again. Jim says it all -- and while you’re at it, check out his companion blog -- XWord Info -- a great crossword puzzle archive for the entire past year and beyond!

With a last gasp, Father Time and Lynn Lempel bring the year to a close in the form of the final NYT puzzle of 2007, swiping it across the cranium to SOOTHE (22A Relieve) the perplexed grey matter after a horrendous Saturday and a humorous Sunday.

On the job! BLOODTYPING (10D Pre-transfusion procedure); NAMECALLING (25D Some verbal abuse); IRONFILING (17A A magnet attracts it in a physics experiment); and TOPBILLING (57A Star’s marquee position), along with (or for) CPAS (54A Inspectors of fin. Books) make this a Monday office worker’s special!

Plus, we get classic twin Shortzesque clues for NOTAWHIT (43A Zilch) and NADA (52A Zilch) -- the year’s last! This crossword SPLITSUP (28A Divorces) THEMET (32A Locale for a York diva) and her ARIA (15A Diva’s song) with a SPLAT (39A Tomato-hitting-the floor sound) of an EXIT (34D Escape route) from EDEN (60A Genesis garden) on the SKIDS (going to pot)(1D) with SCADS (1A Oodles) of SIN (8D Envy or gluttony) and WOE (44D Misery) -- OUI (23D “Yes, madame”), we ate the tomato!

Counting down to the New Year:

8-letter entries include SAFETIES (5D Two-point plays in football) and SPIRALED (39D Shot up, as inflation);

7-letter entries, SLANTED (24A At a tilt), CARGOES (47A Freighters’ freights), TAGSALE (9D Event before moving), and CHORTLE (41D Gleeful laugh);

6-letter entries, ANGLER (51A One with a hook, line and sinker), SPIELS (42A Sales pitches);

5-letter, KOREA (14A Seoul’s land), HEXES (37A Jinxes), EATIN (62A Have a meal at home), DOSES (65A Medicinal amounts), CORAL (2D Deep pink), AROMA (3D Enticing smell), VALID (6D Legitimate), INERT (18D Lifeless), SWAMI (42D Hindu teacher), OMITS (48D Skips), ERNIE (49D Old TV comic Kovacs) (actually, he’s more dead than old), and SIGNS (50D Leo and Libra).

4-letter, ABET, ARID, BALI, BLEW, COIN, COMA, EACH, ELSA, ENID, ERIC, GLEN, HERO, LAUD, LEAH, LENT, LIAR, LOON, LPGA, ONCE, PETS, SOLE, TANG, THEN, URAL, VAST, WHEE, and YORE (36A Olden times).

3-letter, AGE, AIR, CON, DAM, DEN, DEN, MRI, and last but not least WIN (Carry the day)!

Did Lynn say WIN! In the event you think that I’ve taken this puzzle thing too seriously, two bloggers have taken on the hubristic task of handing out awards this year! Seriously! On January 4, 2008, the American Crossword Critics Association (ACCA) - which is just Amy Renaldo (Orange of Diary of a Crossword Fiend) and Michael Sharp (Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle) - will be handing out their Best of 2007 Crossword Puzzle Awards, with five categories -- so, roll out the red carpet! …or is it orange!

3...2...1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!




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

12.30.07

The Adorable Snowman

Sunday, December 2007

WINTER FIGURE, Puzzle by Elizabeth C. Gorski, edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday delight is headed by the note: The 16 circled letters, starting in square #4 and proceeding roughly counterclockwise, ending at #38, will spell the opening lyric of a popular song. Well, if you’re reading this, you’ve either solved the puzzle or I’ve ruined your fun!

Fun it is too! Intelligent and frivolous! While the diagram (or "grid", as some prefer) is a bit clunky with its black squares roughly (hold it a distance from the eyes) outlining a snowman; however, the circled-squares do so with much more finesse -- the top hat at the top of the diagram gives a top-heavy look to the puzzle, taking one aback at very first glance. I thought, “who’s going to wear that to a New Year’s party?” -- EVENTS (145A. New Year‘s Eve parties, e.g.) -- and then discerned a coal-like outline of a snowman -- so like a SERF (144A Lord‘s worker) or VASSAL (90A Lord‘s worker), (so Shortzesque!), proceeded to solve this romp in the snow.

The 16 circled letters, as you know by now, whether through your own imperturbation or the less subtle machinations of this commentary spell out F R O S T Y T H E S N O W M A N. I couldn’t resist putting little baby Frostys into the grid instead of the letters -- too much free time? Why no! If people can go out and roll snow into big balls, stack them, stick objects into the result, e.g., coal, carrots, pipes, whatever, place a hat on top -- 107A. Provider of an old silk hat, e.g. (as depicted at the top of this puzzle) = HABERDASHER -- or even wrap a scarf around it, stick twigs into it to indicate appendages, and give it a broom, then my efforts at continuing the tradition with this entertaining cyber-snowman construction is not so outrageous that I need to seek analysis, or is it?!

Onward -- after “FROSTY, THE SNOWMAN” is 3D. Lyric, part 2, after “Was a”, JOLLYHAPPYSOUL; 134A Lyric, part 3, after “With a” CORNCOBPIPE; 16D Lyric, part 4, ANDABUTTONNOSE; 114A Lyric, part 5, ANDTWOEYESMADEOUTOFCOAL. So to beat this to death, the following:

Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul,
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal.

Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale, they say,
He was made of snow but the children
Know how he came to life one day.

There must have been some magic in that
Old silk hat they found.
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around.

O, Frosty the snowman
Was alive as he could be,
And the children say he could laugh
And play just the same as you and me.

Thumpetty thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Look at Frosty go.

Thumpetty thump thump,
Thumpety thump thump,
Over the hills of snow.

I feel like such a child! Well, let me tell you, as a child, we had a blizzard that closed the whole town down for nearly a month, nothing came in, nothing went out. Could not touch the window panes as they were something of a cross between glass and ice upon to which one’s hands would adhere as if with crazy glue. We bundled up ala Eskimo to sleep at night, and yet during the day, we did -- yes, we built a huge snowman, which spent the good part of the winter evolving with the weather, vandalism, repairs, smack dab in the middle of the front yard, where it terrorized the neighborhood for months!

Across: 1. Land of 300+ islands; 5. Not straight; 10. Words: Abbr.; 15. Eclipse feature; 19. Borodin’s “Prince IGOR”; 20. N.F.L. team for which Barry Sanders played; 21. “Dancing With the Stars” winner APOLO Ohno; 22. Shortly; 23. Wright wings; 24. Playwright Fugard; 25. Not familiar with; 26. Nuptial exchange; 27. Shed some light on? 29. Deli offering; 31. Artificial heat?; 32. Pull; 40. Like some folders; 41. Cadaverous; 42. Class in factories; 44. Oil by the barrel; 45. Photographer Adams; 47. Avalons, e.g.; 48. Have ANOUT (be innocent, maybe); 50. Date with a Dr.; 52. No fancy threads; 54. Piece of soap; 56. Poker great Ungar and others; 59. Breaches; 60. Gets a move on; 63. Rain forests and grasslands, e.g.; 65. R.N.’s locale; 66. Ice cream maker Joseph; 67. Clarinetist’s purchase; 68. Scatter; 70. Smidgen; 72. Cultural funding org.; 73. “ITSNO big deal!”; 75. 13; 78. Dec. holiday plans?; 80. Pump room?; 82. Five min. periods, maybe; 83. A wee hour; 85. Without slack; 86. “Jurassic Park” actress; 88. Advantages; 90. Lord’s worker; 91. Part of R.S.V.P.; 92. Cen. Parts; 54. Yule LOG; 95. No longer working: Abbr.; 96. Bourg’s department; 97. Before, in verse; 98. Ginger treats; 100. Cole Porter’s “You Don’t Know PAREE”; 102. Hitches; 104. Fraternity letters; 110. Rugged wheels, briefly; 119. Rustic setting; 120. Ear-relevant; 121. State one’s views; 122. J.F.K. alternative; 123. “The Oath” author Frank; 125. Horizontal molding pieces; 131. Wolves; 133. Mountain ridge; 137. Contents of some scrolls; 138. Kind of track; 140. Wound (up); 141. Herbal tea; 142 Loses ground?; 143. Crawl (with); 144. Lord’s worker; 145. New Year’s Eve parties, e.g.; 146. Wood measure; 147. OSLO Accords; 148. News agency started in 1925.

I’ll dispense with the downs, so the snowman stays up as long as possible! -- with the exception of 1. FIESTA (Holiday Party); 2. IGLOOS (Homes that may have tunnel entrances); 58. SPARKLE (What icicles do); 118. FESTIVE (Holidayish); and 126. ANGEL (Harpist, of sorts) -- something else to do with the snow!

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For a festival of snowman cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

12.29.07

Peripeteia Lost

Illustration for Paradise Lost, Gustave Dore
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Saturday, December 29, 2007

Puzzle by Bob Klahn, edited by Will Shortz

A dozen ten-letter entries in sets of three occupy the four corners of this puzzle with no regard to rhyme or reason.

Upper left: BUBBLEBATH (1A Modesty preserver, in some films) is an odd-ball description. OPERASERIA (15A Old form of Italian musical drama) on the other hand is fairly straightforward, as is ADVANCEMEN (17A Public appearance preparers).

Upper right: WINTERTIDE (12D End-of-year festival) is timely, especially in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. ANDYROONEY (13D “Common Nonsense” author, 2002) and STOLENCARS (14D Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concern) finish off this corner.

Lower left: HASAGOATIT (24D Tries something) was a very fair definition, as was the clue for OCHLOCRACY (25D Mob rule); however, a word not often used in day-to-day conversation, while the simple entry BOOTLEGGER (26D One running for work?) wanted to be VOTEGETTER, or anything else that could come to mind.

Lower right: PERIPETEIA (48A Unexpected turn of events, as in a literary work) is a word I haven’t seen in a quarter of a century. While PLATEGLASS (51A See-through sheets) is very common, the clue is opaque; and finally, EIGHTEENTH (53A Grant’s position in presidential history) is just a matter of enumeration.

After the ten-letter entries, eight eight-letter entries ensue: TOYSTORY (19A Pixar’s first feature-length film); BRASSARD (4D Uniform armband); HANDOUTS (10D Fliers, e.g.); FOURIRON (27A It has a smaller degree of loft than a mashie); XANTIPPE (32D Scolding wife: Var.); MISTITLE (33D Handle incorrectly?); GOLCANDA (37A Rich mine or other source of great wealth); and BAPTISMS (43A Initiations).

The center portion of the crossword was a bit tricky -- I wanted XERES to be JEREZ (which it is, but not today); WITTY, LUSTY, PALMS, PROMS; NOTES, NOSES (I’m not kidding); kept thinking of June Allyson in the The Shrike instead of XANTIPPE, and was totally unfamiliar with GOLCONDA, wallowing around in a seeming quagmire in the middle of the puzzle, at which time my computer froze!

When everything was “back to normal” (unnecessary quotes necessary for emphasis), I had a clean slate and left out my beloved mish mash of a center, entering only FIRMA (27D Latin land descriptor). Thereon, the computer was so slow, I just stared at blanks awaiting to type until I was allowed to do so! If I didn’t have a blog, I’d had quit right then and there!

Finally, I printed what I had and completed it by hand -- and while I was somewhat perturbed, I’m sure this would have sent the crossword speed-freaks to their analyst, no matter what the time of night!

The remainders, Across: 11. “TWAS wondrous pitiful”: “Othello”; 16. “AINT Nobody” (1983 Chaka Khan hit); 18. Introduction to Chinese?; 20. Finger or toe; 22. Mass appeals: Abbr.; 23. You may be lost in the middle of it (remind you of anyone?); 24. McKinley’s first vice president; 28. Cupule’s contents; 29. Sparkling; 30. List in a book’s front: Abbr. (what sensible individual uses TOC anywhere? Maybe TIC, TAC, or TICK TOCK, but Table of Contents -- if someone every says "read the TOCs", I’ll slap them!); 31. Like racehorses (wanted this to be FAST); 32. Spanish city that gave sherry its name (now is that a for-real clue?); 33. MINA Harker, heroine of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”; 34. Rocket datum: Abbr.; 35. Where to pick up dates?; 36. Fall production; 37. Rich mine or other source of great wealth; 39. Shuffles; 40. Margay cousins; 41. Siege site; 42. Mountain sheep; 47. Graffitists’ scrawls; 50. Puts away; 52. Banks of note.

Down: 1. Shell, e.g., 2. Hair-raiser?; 3. Bunch; 5. You can make light of it (“The Tell-Tale Heart” flickered in my memory); 6. Squire (as a verb); 7. Draft picks (not military); 8. Private group (military); 9. Even numbers; 11. Meditative exercise; 21. Catawampus (it’s AWRY -- what?!); 23. Scoring units; 27. Latin land descriptor; 29. Joins; 35. Price-manipulating group; 36. Retinue; 38. Top-of-the-line; 39. Rug rat ; 41. It may be blind; 43. Gasconade (for a simple word like BRAG?!); 44. Name equivalent to Hans or Ivan; 45. Tear up (long “e”); 46. Military band (who wears those?); and 49. Father of Hophni and Phinehas, in the Bible -- it’s ELI, for the love of heaven!

So, this report comes crashing to an end! This clever crossword puzzle ate my computer and left me speechless -- peripeteia lost!

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

12.28.07

Alphabet Soup

Friday, December 28, 2007

Puzzle by John Farmer, edited by Will Shortz

Whatever can be said or not said about this crossword puzzle, it is full of seldom-seen entries accompanied by brutal cluing. Additionally, every letter in the alphabet is included -- some would call it a pangram, which it is not; but it could be called pangramish, which is about as clumsy a definition as possible outside of perhaps an alphabet soup. The very symmetrical diagram (or grid), with its double-cross and anchored edges is an attractive one at which to gaze!

The 15-square LANDOCALRISSIAN (14A Sci-fi character whose name is an anagram of CAROLINA ISLANDS) and MEMBERSOF THEBAR (53A Some licensed practioners); with the 14-square entries, JENNIFER LOPEZ (11A Singer with the #1 hit “All I Have“) and QUICKBROWNFOX (56A Exercise animal?) utilize most of the alphabet with the exception of V, Y, and G, which can be plucked from VALOR (43D Pluck); POTSY (57A Hopscotch); and OMEGA (26D Corinthian conclusion).

Rarefied definitions coupled with unusual entries make any puzzle more difficult, and today’s crossword is replete:

Across: 1. Algonquian Indian tribe; 6. Went sniggling; 16. Otoscope user, for short; 17. Have quite enough for; 18. MedWatch agcy.; 21. Chalon-sur-SAONE, France; 22. “The Da Vinci Code” priory; 23. “Half ALOAF … “; 25. Bygone Ford; 26. Place to find a C-note?; 27. Climber’s support; 29. Indian pastries; 31. DON Herbert, TV’s Mr. Wizard; 32. 100 qintars; 33. Hands out; 37. Constellation between Cygnus and Pisces; 41. They’re plucked; 42. Bird: Prefix; 44. Star ANISE; 45. “ASET of Six” (Joseph Conrad story collection); 46. “A parlor utensil for subduing the impenitent visitor”: Ambrose Bierce; 48. 1950s British P.M.; 49. Mooring site; 50. Stuffed with cheese, in Mexican cooking; 52. D-Day arena: Abbr.; 58. Tough to dig into, as soil.

Down: 1. Notice; 2. Home of many of 1-Across: Abbr.; 3. A long time in Lisbon; 4. Fuchsite and alurgite; 5. Assuming even that; 6. They’ll give you the run-around; 7. Illuminati; 8. Place, e.g.; 9. 7-in. platters; 10. More than exalts; 11. Sound of change; 12. Mr. Rosewater in Kurt Vonnegut’s “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater”; 13. “Butterfly” actress, 1981; 14. Clear the way to; 15. Some babysitters; 20. South Beach, e.g.; 22. Northwest tribe; 24. 2004 Sondheim musical, with “The”; 28. Country INN; 30. It can fill a yard; 33. Elevator button; 34. 1968 hit whose title is repeated three times with “Oh” and then again after “Baby I love you”; 35. Make hot; 36. Passes effortlessly; 37. Miss badly; 38. Seaman in a ceremonial honor guard; 39. Excise on some out-of-state purchases; 40. Mr. abroad; 46. Extra benefits; 47. When a football may be hiked; 50. Geom. Figure; 51. “This is disastrous!”; 54. Pulitzer category, briefly; 55. Red EFT (young amphibian).

Last, but not least -- TGIF (19A “I’m ready for the weekend!”)!

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

12.27.07

The Letter "C"


From the Mannerist alphabet, by I. Paulini
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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Puzzle by Jim Leeds, edited by Will Shortz

Five inter-related entries, by addition of the letter "C" to the beginnings of "oral exam", "on the lookout", "Old Folks At Home", "oil paintings", and "ovenware", convolutedly clued for the resulting CORALEXAM (17A. Certain marine biologist’s test?); CONTHELOOKOUT (23A. One way to get into a gang’s headquarters?); COLDFOLKSATHOME (35A. Eskimos in an igloo?); COILPAINTINGS (Pictures of Slinkys?); and COVENWARE (57A. Witches’ pots, pans, etc.?). I find this kind of cunning linguistics not entirely to my taste, as a single letter, in this case "C", becomes evident only upon uncovering at least two, maybe three of the conceits, requiring the solver to slog through five coyly-clued unamusing smarmy entries with perverted definitions. At least yesterday’s puzzle had three letters, e.g., "NYC"!

OCEAN (37D. Triton's realm) and SEA (4D. Triton's realm) are an excellent Shortzesque twin-clued pair of entries.


Longer entries: BIRDCALLS (3D. Coos and hoots); WOLFSBANE (32D. Poisonous flower); RIBROAST (9D. Beef cut); and FARPOINT (36D. Utmost distance from the eye at which an image is clear); followed by CRESTS (22A. Tops); ALERTS (5D. Red lights and flares); LEAVES (26A. Splits); PANFRY (43A. Prepare trout, in a way); PINEAL (43D. Kind of gland); and ASSOON (51A. Part of A.S.A.P.).

A raft of interesting four-letter entries give a bit of difficulty in the upper right and lower left corners -- RAKES (9A. Casino equipment); AWEEK (10D. Hebdomadally); KELSO (11D. Five-time Horse of the Year, 1960-64); COPRA (22D. Dried coconut meat); CAUSA finalis (purpose, in law); (45D.); OSTAR (46D. Massive, very hot celestial orb); ISERE (47D. French frigate that carried the Statue of Liberty to the U.S.); LORAN (48D. Nautical acronym). Less troublesome four-letter entries are SIXTH (6D. Musical interval); PEASE pudding (British dish) (7D.); "If IWERE you ..." (16A.); BELIE (19A. Gainsay); ERITU (12D. Verdi opera); along with its anagram UTERI (56A. Wombs); "What SEEST thou?" (biblical query) (13D.); BOERS (30A. 'Breaker Morant" people); ACIDS (40A. Stomach contents); LOESS (25D. Windblown deposit); BLINI (30D. Thin pancakes); SARAN (59A. Cling Plus brand); TEVYE (60D. "Fiddler on the Roof" role); NOONE (49D. Who has won an Oscar for Best Actor three times); and "ARENT we all?" (62A.).

Four letters -- ABIE, ALEX, AMER, ANON, ANYA, ARTS, ASPS, EGON, EROS, FACT, FOBS, JESS, HANG, LANE, LEGS, LIEU, LUCE, OBOE, OENO, OVID, PEEL, OBOE, OVID, SEXY, SNOG, and UGLI.


Three letters -- CAP, ENS, OKD, OPA, REN, SUM, TED, and WSJ.

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

12.26.07

NYC

Singer Building at Night, Charles Vezin (1858-1942)

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Puzzle by Jim Page, edited by Will Shortz

NYC (38A. Song from 65-Across that’s hidden in 20- and 54-Across and 10- and 35-Down) and ANNIE (65A. Hit Broadway musical based on a comic strip); along with TONYCURTIS (20A. “The Defiant Ones” co-star, 1958); JOHNNYCAKE (54A. Cornmeal dish often served with maple syrup); FUNNYCIDE (10D. 2003 Kentucky Derby winner); and PONYCARTS (35D. Vehicles at a petty zoo), are the inter-related entries of this Wednesday crossword.

A pleasant puzzle with fairly equal-sized entries. However, I don’t much care for groups of ten-letter entries serving the purpose of a three-letter inter-related reference, and Tony Curtis, Johnny Cake (sounds like two thespians), along with the equestrian Funny Cide and pony carts entries, are no exception. They just land with a thud and seem lifeless. A little less lifeless, probably due to their being autonomous of any inter-relationship, are the eight-letter CANNABIS (40A. Hashish source), recently in the NYT puzzle as REEFER; and SET PIECE (36A. Movie chase scene, e.g.) followed by four seven-letter entries, DISCMAN (28A. Sony music player introduced in 1984); ARGYLES (43A. Some socks); MESSKIT (8D. Not backing); and BEIJING (41D. 2008 Olympics host).

Six-letter entries, CLOROX (6D. Bleach brand); ASPENS (26D. Quakers in the woods); METALS (27D. Most are good conductors); BENOIT (44D. 1984 gold-medalist marathoner Joan); MAPPED (32A. Delineated, with “out”); and KNEADS (42A. Massages).

Five-letter entries, AMISS, RECAP, ELITE, IDIOT (37A. Yo-yo); EDGED; MOLAR, CROPS, ARETE, MELON (2D Deep pink); ICING (3D Hockey no-no), usually defined in relation to cake; SATYR, ROUTS; SHOTS, SCORN; TALON (48D. Kite’s clutcher), I actually wrote in “child”; OKAPI; and PERSE (50D. As such), which appeared this last Sunday.

Four-letter: CRAM, FAZE, LONE, URAL, OUTS, NIPS, NASA, ENGR, STOP, AQUA, BURR, the nicely contrasting ITOO and NOTI, continuing with LIST, ETAS, GEST, SPEC, ANTI, ARIA, ZAPS, ELSA, USED, MICA, ADAR, PING, MEGA, ACED NEDS, ABLE, QUIT, KEEN, STOP, URSA, OTOE, and YMCA, also a song from a musical.

Three-letter: KAY, MEX, NIX, DEC, CSI, SEE, SYS, and SOS.

Off to work -- Leapin' Lizards!

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For Annie's first appearance, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

12.25.07

Christmas

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Puzzle by Nancy Salomon, edited by Will Shortz

Christmas has arrived at The New York Times! The greeting from Nancy Salomon and Will Shortz is given in five languages, once each in French, Danish, Spanish, Italian, and four times in English. Merry Christmas!

JOYEUXNOEL (17A. “Merry Christmas” to the French);
GLAEDELIGJUL (29A. “Merry Christmas” to the Danes);
FELIZNAVIDAD (47A. “Merry Christmas” to Spaniards); and
BUONNATALE (64A. “Merry Christmas” to Italians).

This is a crossword puzzle that has everything -- including LAMPS (26A. Genie holders) just in case you forgot to include something on your Christmas wish list. Here’s what’s under the tree:

Across: 1. Sword handles; 6. Worker’s due; 10. Wood-shaping tool; 14. “One for My Baby” composer Harold; 15. Horse course; 16. One of nine in golf; 19. Antique autos; 20. Tipple; 21. Winter melon; 23. “Atlas Shrugged” author Rand; 24. Shooters grp.; 33. Spar verbally; 36. “I can only DOSO much”; 37. Sch. Named for a televangelist; 38. Life stories on film; 40. Leak fixer; 43. Toss in; 44. Not e’en once: 46. Inspiring sisters; 51. “Lemon Tree” singer Lopez”; 52. Third after delta; 53. “Pow!”; 56. Federer and Nadal; 59. Collected; 62. Hgt.; 66. Two capsules, perhaps; 67. Terrier sounds; 68. Animated ogre; 69. Cold war superpower; 70. Sectional, e.g.; 71. Makeup maker Lauder.

Down: Muslim pilgrim; 2. Kitchen drawer?; 3. Visit from the Blue Angels, maybe; 4. Readying for a drive; 5. Cold-shoulder; 6. Hit the jackpot; 7. Guacamole ingredient; 8. Greek earth goddess; 9. Architects’ annexes; 10. Car safety device; 11. Prized positions; 12. Menagerie; 13. U.S.N.A. grad; 18. TV’s Warrior Princess; 22. Thrilla in Manilla boxer; 25. It had a notable part in Exodus; 27. Blender setting; 28. Pronounces poorly; 30. Waikiki welcome; 31. Lively wit; 32. Chat room chuckle; 33. Sailor’s behind; 34. Bill tack-on; 35. Piety; 39. It has headquarters at N.Y.C.’s Time Warner Center; 41. Thurman of “Dangerous Liaisons”; 42. Spa treatments; 45. Make balanced; 48. “The nerve!”; 49. Benzoyl peroxide target; 50. “Rats!”; 54. Split up; 55. Knock-down-drag-out; 57. Corp. recruits, often; 58. Continental currency; 60. Move gently; 61. Apollo astronaut Slayton; 62. Campus e-mail suffix; 63. Acapulco article; 65. Supersecretive intelligence org.

Hope everything your want for you, your family and friends will be yours today!

Merry Christmas!

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

12.24.07

Ho! Ho! Ho!


Mortimer Snerd
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Monday, December 24, 2007

Puzzle by Mark Sherwood, edited by Will Shortz

Ho! Ho! Ho! Well ain’t this a nice Christmas Eve crossword puzzle -- it's a REDNECK XMAS!

Check it out, PROFESSOR (34D "Nutty" role for Jerry Lewis), we done got ourselves a PICKUPTRUCK (59A Light hauler), yep, we got one of ‘em; we're BORNTORUN (11D Bruce Springsteen’s first hit), jes’ like Uncle Zeke; a PARTYANIMAL (17A One who’s always up for a good time), yer lookin’ at ‘im; CREDITREPORT (27A Background check for a lender), don’t ask, don’t tell; and we're givin' them RAPPERS (32A Jay-Z and Timbaland) LIFEINPRISON (44A Long, long sentence); then thar's my good friends LOTT (48A Mississippi’s Trent) and 66A Edgar Bergen’s Mortimer SNERD!

'Taint all jes' that tho' -- if ya' follow my LINE (52D Word that can follow the starts of 17-, 27-, 44- and 59-Across), y'all gets a party line, credit line, life line, and a pick-up line. If that ain’ t’ yer likin’, thar’s other thangs we got, I WARNS (65A Issues an advisory) ya’!

I’ll be back fer more, just ya’ wait ‘n see!

Across: 1. Doorframe parts; 6. Chinese-born American architect; 11. Be a pugilist; 14. Bide one’s time for; 15. Manicurists’ concerns; 16. Electrical unit; 19. Coastal inlet; 20. Out of bed; 21. TEL Aviv; 22. In the near future; 23. Prefix with -lithic; 24. DEAN of students; 26. President before D.D.E.; 35. Atop, poetically; 36. REO Speedwagon; 37. Horizontally; 38. Musical transitions; 40. “What was ITO do?”; 41. Bulls, rams and bucks; 43. Goes to; 47. “I know what you’re thinking” claim; 49. BlackBerry, e.g., in brief; 54. Illustration, for short; 55. Husband of Isis; 58. April 15 org.; 61. Sgt., e.g.; 62. Didn’t go out for dinner; 63. Gift recipient; 64. Floppy rabbit feature; 65. Issues an advisory.

Down: 1. Where the Pokemon craze originated; 2. Cognizant (of); 3. Nintendo brother; 4. Kibbles ‘n BITS; 5. Eyelid woe; 6. Holiday INN; 7. Drink that often comes with an umbrella; 8. Olive stuffing; 9. Airline to Ben-Gurion; 10. Nantucket, e.g.: Abbr.; 12. Akron’s home; 13. Marvel mutant superhero; 18. Big name in fairy tales; 22. Egyptian viper; 25. Actor Harris and others; 26. Regarding this point; 27. TV’s “CPO Sharkey”; 28. Send again; 29. Place that often has picnic tables; 30. Hollow-stemmed plant; 31. Flip; 32. Fence part; 33. Play’s start; 39. GEN Xers; 42. Worker with genes or film; 43. Bit of land in a river; 45. Superlative suffix; 46. Brenda Lee’s “ROCK Around the Christmas Tree”;; 49. Trim, as branches; 50. Kitchen gizmo; 51. Questioned; 53. Killer whale; 54. Sandwich bread; 56. Norms: Abbr.; 57. Fe, to chemists; 59. Furry foot; 60. Little UNS (tots) (and tonight they’re waiting for Santa)!

That's that! I guess we ought be grateful fer the Brenda Lee song, cause the NYT is playin' Scrooge on Christmas this year, here's the only other reference to the occasion other than in the Business Section -- 'TIS THE SEASON.

And now, the chance for a Christmas Evening crossword puzzle is LOST (52A. Unretrievable), or ain't that supposin' t' be irretrievable?!

Don't know, jes' askin'!

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

12.23.07 -- the Acrostic

Cosmos




Sunday, December 23, 2007

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

A little ham on wry for the Holiday -- the quote:


HOW DID THE COSMOS ORIGINATE HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN AROUND DID IT BEGIN WITH AN EXPLOSION OR BY THE WORD OF GOD IF THE LATTER COULD HE NOT HAVE BEGUN IT TWO WEEKS EARLIER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE WARMER WEATHER.


The author’s name and the title of the work:

WOODY ALLEN SIDE EFFECTS


The defined words:

A. Well adapted for travel in water (hyph.), WEBFOOTED; B. Old Testament’s shortest book, OBADIAH; C. Handy items in a hot spot (2 wds.), OVENMITTS; D. In a folksy, old-timey style, as wit or cooking (hyph.), DOWNHOME; E. Great tree at the center of the universe, in Norse mythology, YGGDRASIL; F. Yosemite Park hotel, with an Indian name, that is a National Historic Landmark, AHWAHNEE; G. Member of a great quintet (2 wds.); LAKEEERIE; H. Be forgiving, don’t bother to comment on something (3 wds.), LETITGO; I. Beleaguered housewife in a 1970s sitcom (2 wds.), EDITHBUNKER; J. 1966 Beatles hit from the album “Rubber Soul” (2 wds.), NOWHEREMAN; K. Since 2004, to undermine with smear tactics (hyph.), SWIFTBOAT; L. Song from “Peter Pan” (4 wds.), IWONTGROWUP; M. Faithful listener to radio host Rush Limbaugh, DITTOHEAD; N. One with few reservations, EXTROVERT; O. “No need to elaborate” (2 wds.), ENOUGHSAID; P. Saint’s day celebration, FEAST; Q. Wowed by a linoleum job?, FLOORED; R. Culmination of running, ELECTION; S. Pal; accomplice; group of soldiers, COHORT; T. Rise to a great height, TOWER; U. Kidnap and force into service, SHANGHAI.

Woody Allen at Wikipedia, HERE.

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12.23.07

Pfui! Humbug!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

YULE OUTSOURCING, Puzzle by Adam G. Perl, edited by Will Shortz

The title given this puzzle, “Yule Outsourcing” refers to the inter-related entries compromising a “verse” -- SANTA HAD AN EASY SEASON (23A. Start of a holiday verse), LYING IN HIS BIG RECLINER (48A. Verse, part 2), IF YOU ASK HIM FOR A REASON (78A. Verse, part 3), EVERY TOY IS MADE IN CHINA (108A. End of the verse). That’s it. That’s what we’re getting for the “Holiday” -- somebody’s faux fakakta quote -- pfui!!!

The rest of this crossword is unmercifully lackluster and simple. O.K., I’ll admit, I don’t care to decipher what appears to be an "original" quotation of questionable merit -- but, perhaps we deserve this coal-in-the-stocking, all of us crossword aficionados who blog away, nitpicking, pretentiously assuming we could do better, excoriating for a comma here, a period there, slamming the out-of-order, commenting upon a poor little piece of ragged pseudo-literature as though it were some distraught student’s thesis -- this is what Santa Shortz gives us this Sunday as we hope that something better is sent down out respective chimneys on Christmas Eve. Oh, did I say the dread word, “Christmas” -- Lord (oh, there I go again) help us that we should commemorate the origins of the occasion!

Well, we’ll need to be content to hang our balls and bells on the tree, drape it with lights and tinsel, shopping desperately through today’s offering for something to wrap up and stick under it.

Don’t PANIC (69A “What to do? What to do?” feeling), it’s not a CRISIS (88D Big pickle?), we have REEFER (20A Joint), ASHES (38D Grate-ful?), RADON (95A Dangerous seepage), DEET (46A Insect repellent) and EDIBLES (112a Fruitcake and plum pudding, e.g.) like PECAN (64D Christmas cookie ingredient) UNDER the mistletoe (55A), all which ISAPTTO (75D Will likely) tickle the ERRATA (1A Literary slips) as you PLOD (64A Lumber) your way through this Christmas PIE (77A).

The entries are generic, but the cluing makes a stab at dressing them up for the Holiday -- e.g., words/entries such as DASH (19D), ALL (108), IND (8D), RENE (3D), RETOLD (62D), STS (58A), REINS (64D), ORIENT (2D), REAR (3D), TEN (47D), et cetera are clued to pass as Seasonal fare -- a simple IQTEST (14A Grade school administration, maybe) will tell you this one will get an ESS (111D) or a DEE (109D)!

More of the same across: 7. Lost; 14. Grade school administration, maybe; 21. Former Acura model; 22. Fashion’s Bartley; 26. Locks; 27. 10%; 28. “ULEES Gold” (1997 film); 29. Suffix with respond; 30. Way overdue to take off?; 32. Former Japanese P.M. Shinzo ABE; 34. “Being and Nothingness” writer; 38. About; 39. Area for a reupholstered; 43. Comment made with a nod; 44. “ASAN alternative …”; 45. “Pay ITNO mind”; 54. Author Deighton; 56. Audibly; 57. Expiate, with “for”; 58. Nicholas and others: Abbr.; 59. Ticks off; 60. Church part; 61. Intrinsically; 62. A.A.A. recommendations: Abbr.; 63. Sandwich shop orders; 66. “The Sandbox” playwright; 70. Brown; 71. Young amphibian; 74. Flora and fauna; 75. Some sorority sisters; 76. Implied; 82. Archer William; 83. Fannie MAES (investing options); 84. Theodemocratic state; 85. Up TONO good; 86. Porters; 88. Popular cuisine; 90. Unemotional type, slangily; 92. Certain soldier; 93. “Little Miss Sunshine” co-star; 94. Mentaist Geller; 95. Dangerous seepage; 99. Decorate gateway in Japan; 101. Classic role played by Gerard Depardieu in “The Man in the Iron Mask”; 111. Jack of “The Apartment”; 113. Tickles; 114. Source of “we three kings”; 115. Puts a new bottom on; 116. Blocks.

Down: 1. Once, old-style; 2. Where the bag of gifts is stowed on a sleigh; 3. Auberjonois of “The Christmas Star”; 4. Times in classifieds; 5. Promo, perhaps; 6. Fictional detective Lupin; 7. “Mamma MIA!”; 8. Home of Christmas Lake Village: Abbr.; 9. RR stop; 10. Of fast times?; 11. Discriminating sort, in a way; 12. Heated; 13. Word repeated in “Now DASH away! DASH away! DASH away … !”; 14. French pronoun; 15. Line former; 16. Green-blue; 17. “Anything ELSE?”; 18. Blue -black berrylike fruit; 19. Whips; 24. F.D.R.’s successor; 25. Longed (for); 30. Studio sign; 31. Uncle BENS; 33. Univ. QB, perhaps; 34. Grammy and Emmy-winning soprano; 35. Until now; 36. Straps in a sleigh; 37. Number of lords a-leaping; 39. Based on ATRUE story; 40. Made a long story short?; 41. Title in Toledo; 42. Difficult period; 44. Big range; 45. Stravinsky and others; 49. Garfield’s assassin; 50. Memo starter; 51. Initiation rite; 52. Kind of artery; 53. French-named city on Galveston Bay; 60. Mideast desert; 62. Like the Christmas story, often; 63. What snow shovels may produce; 64. Christmas cookie ingredient; 65. Cub’s place; 66. Some; 67. Career soldier; 68. Peter of “Everybody Loves Raymond” 69. Elbows; 70. It’s a wrap; 71. EPSOM salts; 72. Singer Apple; 73. Joint part; 76. “Born TORUN”; 79. “Walk Like AMAN”; 80. Part of Captain Cook’s explorations; 81. Had; 87. Rafting area; 89. Out-elbowed?; 90. Pressed; 91. Group; 93. Take for ARIDE; 94. News source, for short; 95. Move, in Realtor-speak; 96. Swear; 97. Moore of “G.I. Jane”; 98. “Coffee, Tea ORME?”; 100. Court hearing; 102. “Take THAT!”; 103. Author Shere; 104. Lulu; 105. Lip; 107. Big bang maker; 108. Word left off the end of the clue at 13-Down; 109. Poor grade; 110. Satisfactory grade, in kindergarten.

Well, you can just go right ahead and tell Santa I’ve been naughty, and I don’t care -- he’s not getting any cookies here! Not for all the tea in China! Pfui! Humbug!

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Read Linda G at Madness...Crossword and Otherwise

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