Thursday, April 10, 2008
Puzzle by David J. Kahn, edited by Will Shortz
ADOZENROSES (64A. What you can find in the grid after completing this puzzle, looking up, down, left, right and diagonally, word search-style) and THESECRETGARDEN (38A. Classic 1911 children’s novel with a hint to this puzzle’s theme), are the inter-related entries of this Thursday bouquet, along with the word-search entries of ROSE.The remainder of the puzzle entries fairly well exist for the purpose of the scattered word-search ROSE entries, which are eclectically arranged throughout the diagram -- but only a killjoy curmudgeon will complain -- after all, it’s the thought that counts. Usually, I don’t care for the puzzle-after-the-puzzle routine whereby one searches the grid for the afterthought, but I kind of got a kick out of it!
THESORBONNE (18A. University of Paris, familiarly) is the third long entry with its puzzle companion SEINE (59A. River near 18-Across), followed by STORABLE (22A. Fit for warehousing); NINEIRON (60A. Short-range club); PINEWOOD (11D. Good floor material); and ELEONORA (40D. Stage actress Duse), the latter most likely having received many a dozen roses at the curtain calls of her legendary performances!
There's a fair share of entries with a half-dozen letters, including ALEPPO (8A. Syrian city of 2.5+ million); TINIER (16A. More 26-Across), e.g., WEE (26A. Lilliputian); BETSON (29A. Selects, as a racehorse, maybe); PALLOR (48A. Washed-out look); PIROGI (68A. Dumpling stuffed with cheese); TRADES (71A. Carpentry and the like); RESORB (1D. Soak up again, as liquid); BOOGIE (2D. Dance energetically); INSECT (3D. Antenna holder, maybe); Women’s LIBBER (9D.); MANEGE (47D. Horse-training school); LISBOA (50D. Capital of República Portuguesa); ONTOUR (51A. Going from concert to concert); and RESORT (52D. Vacation destination).
AROSE, EROSE and PROSE lead the five-letter entries which include ADMEN, ATEAM, ATRAS, BASAL, DENIS, RICED, ROOST, SEINE, THETA, along with YESOR and NOSIR. The puzzle's petals include four-letter entries of ACHE, ALAS, BALK, COTY, DOPE, ENOL, ERNO, ESTE, ESTS, ETON, HATE, IZOD, NEON, OCHS, OGEE, ROTO, SION and TBAR, followed by the fill of three-letter fragments including APT, ART, BOO, CAT, DIR, EES, EON, ETS, GAP, LEE, MIR, NRC, ORB, ORE and ORO, OUR, PEN, RBI, REO, SEA, SKA, SNO, SOS and WEE.
“Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.” -- Gertrude Stein
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
