Saturday, March 14, 2009Puzzle by Barry C. Silk, edited by Will Shortz
With a near duplicate diagram as yesterday’s Friday crossword, this Saturday puzzle is exactly as exacting as its‘ predecessor . Holoalphabetic (not to be confused with a pangram) it’s a free-wheeling affair with XGAMES (11D. Skateboarders compete in them) at the JFKPLAZA (1A. Park near Philly’s City Hall, site of the LOVE statue), RATTLING (17A. Fazing) the solver with a FLASHFIRE (2D. Result of a combustion explosion) of OPAQUE (18A. Not easily understood) clues and entries that can leave one ZONKED (7D. Totally beat).
Enough of that! I leave analysis to the crossword junkies of the cyber-rant!
Across links: 37. Bedtime stories, EROTICA; 39. River surrounding Navy Island, NIAGARA; 44. 1925 trial name, SCOPES; 53. Arnsberg is on it, RUHR; 58. Secret area of anatomy?, AXILLA; 64. N.C.A.A. rival of George Mason, DREXEL; 65. 1966 hit of the Capitols, COOLJERK.
Down: 3. Eponym of a national forest in New Mexico, KITCARSON; 5. With 59-Down, Rudolph Valentino’s “Blood and Sand” co-star, LILA; 8. Pair of diamonds?, ARGYLES; 21. Dartmoor setting, DEVON; 30. One of Tennessee’s state symbols, IRIS; 36. Passé video store offering, LASERDISK; 46. Texas’s westernmost county, ELPASO; 59. See 5-Down, LEE.
Incidentally, it’s Pi Day!
Oh yeah, and every day, those X GAMES!
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For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
For the complete post, go HERE.
