OBAMA
Sunday, January 11, 2008 MAKING HISTORY, Puzzle by David J. Kahn, edited by Will Shortz STATES WON BY BARACK OBA[MA] (46A. With 90-Across, what the 28 circled squares in this puzzle represent) [IN] THE PRESI[DE]NT[IA]L ELE[CT]ION (90A. See 46-Across) and the circled squares containing two-letter abbreviations of states in across order -- NY, WA, WI, NH, NM, NC, IL, HI, MD, MA, ME, RI, CA, FL, OH, NJ, VA, IN, DE, IA, CT, OR, MI, VT, CO, CN, PA, MN -- comprise the interrelated entries of this pre-inaugural crossword. The Obama nation! 
HA[IL] TO THE C[HI]EF (25A. Song with the lyric “We salute him, one and all”), A[ME][RI][CA]N [FL]AGS (58A. Patriotic displays), O[VA]L OFFICE (84A. White House tour highlight) and [CO][NV]ENTION GOER (115A. Political insider) are also on hand for the occasion, with J[OH][NJ]AY (66A. First U.S. chief justice), presiding in the center of the puzzle, to administer the OATH (79. Inauguration recital) to the president-elect. A few coat-tail entries to the foregoing -- COAST (78A. Source of late election returns, with “the”); CONG (41D. Workplace for Reps. and Dems.); 60D. Reagan-ERA; EVASION (103A. Debater’s ploy); POLLERS (5D. Pre-election workers); SEP (128A. Citizenship Day mo.); TYLERS (65A. White House family of the 1840s). How much of the crossword is just fill to achieve the majority is questionable, as much of it is made interesting just through the presence of the double-letter circle/squares. Across (links and other circled states): 5. PU[NY]; 8. Rap; 14. [WA]R[WI]CK; 19. O[NH]ER; 20. O[NM]E; 21. E[NC]HASE; 41. Green’s songwriting partner in old musicals, CO[MD]EN; 62. Jazz Age figure; 97. James Joyce short story; 99. IG[OR]; 100. Youngster; 112. S[MI]LED; 114. [VT]WO; 122. PI[PA]GE; 123. ALU[MN]AE. Down (links and states): 2. I[NH]ERE;6. U[NM]OOR; 7. [NY]ETS; 9. I[NC]A; 10. PH[IL]; 14 [WA]LE; 16. Outside’s opposite, [WI]T[HI]N; 33. NETS[CA]PE; 35. I[MD]B; 45. S[MA]SH; 47. TI[ME]LY; 48. AT[RI]AL; 58. Carnal subject, [FL]ESH; 59. FA[NJ]ET; 64. OMIO 67. [OH]TO 70. DEFE[CT][OR]S; 78. CL[IN]T; 84. Numbers?, OP[IA]TES; 85. [VA]LLI; 92. [DE]LI; 104. I[VT]UBE; S[CO]PE; 108. A[NV]IL; 109. RE[PA]Y; 113. [MI]DAS touch; 117. O[MN]I. 
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Sunday, January 11, 2008 MAKING HISTORY, Puzzle by David J. Kahn, edited by Will Shortz STATES WON BY BARACK OBA[MA] (46A. With 90-Across, what the 28 circled squares in this puzzle represent) [IN] THE PRESI[DE]NT[IA]L ELE[CT]ION (90A. See 46-Across) and the circled squares containing two-letter abbreviations of states in across order -- NY, WA, WI, NH, NM, NC, IL, HI, MD, MA, ME, RI, CA, FL, OH, NJ, VA, IN, DE, IA, CT, OR, MI, VT, CO, CN, PA, MN -- comprise the interrelated entries of this pre-inaugural crossword. The Obama nation! 
HA[IL] TO THE C[HI]EF (25A. Song with the lyric “We salute him, one and all”), A[ME][RI][CA]N [FL]AGS (58A. Patriotic displays), O[VA]L OFFICE (84A. White House tour highlight) and [CO][NV]ENTION GOER (115A. Political insider) are also on hand for the occasion, with J[OH][NJ]AY (66A. First U.S. chief justice), presiding in the center of the puzzle, to administer the OATH (79. Inauguration recital) to the president-elect. A few coat-tail entries to the foregoing -- COAST (78A. Source of late election returns, with “the”); CONG (41D. Workplace for Reps. and Dems.); 60D. Reagan-ERA; EVASION (103A. Debater’s ploy); POLLERS (5D. Pre-election workers); SEP (128A. Citizenship Day mo.); TYLERS (65A. White House family of the 1840s). How much of the crossword is just fill to achieve the majority is questionable, as much of it is made interesting just through the presence of the double-letter circle/squares. Across (links and other circled states): 5. PU[NY]; 8. Rap; 14. [WA]R[WI]CK; 19. O[NH]ER; 20. O[NM]E; 21. E[NC]HASE; 41. Green’s songwriting partner in old musicals, CO[MD]EN; 62. Jazz Age figure; 97. James Joyce short story; 99. IG[OR]; 100. Youngster; 112. S[MI]LED; 114. [VT]WO; 122. PI[PA]GE; 123. ALU[MN]AE. Down (links and states): 2. I[NH]ERE;6. U[NM]OOR; 7. [NY]ETS; 9. I[NC]A; 10. PH[IL]; 14 [WA]LE; 16. Outside’s opposite, [WI]T[HI]N; 33. NETS[CA]PE; 35. I[MD]B; 45. S[MA]SH; 47. TI[ME]LY; 48. AT[RI]AL; 58. Carnal subject, [FL]ESH; 59. FA[NJ]ET; 64. OMIO 67. [OH]TO 70. DEFE[CT][OR]S; 78. CL[IN]T; 84. Numbers?, OP[IA]TES; 85. [VA]LLI; 92. [DE]LI; 104. I[VT]UBE; S[CO]PE; 108. A[NV]IL; 109. RE[PA]Y; 113. [MI]DAS touch; 117. O[MN]I. 
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