Sunday, May 31, 2009 ODD ONE OUT, Puzzle by Kelsey Blakley, edited by Will Shortz A note accompanies today’s crossword: Every letter in the answer to each asterisked clue appears an even number of times in that answer … except one. Altogether, these eight unpaired letters can be arranged to spell the answer to 68- and 70-Across. Some people are NUTS OVER crosswords is the 68/70-Across entry/clue. Not much of a clue, but the down entries are friendly enough to yield the across answer. The second part of this crossword is an anagrammatic afterthought; the note provided is of no help with the solution of the puzzle per se, being merely instructions for anyone who is truly nuts over crosswords that there is more to do. I gathered all the stray letters and still didn’t catch on until the mavens and ravens were rolling their eyes over my denseness. On the other hand, I’m not fond of look-ma-no-hands gimmicks that are of no help in the solution and require one to further dwell upon the crossword. I’m just saying… N is the odd one out in STRENUOUS EFFORT (46D. *Real work); U in INSUFFICIENCIES (102A. *Deficits); T in UNITARIAN CHURCH (23A. *Religious affiliation of John Adams and William Howard Taft); S in GOES UNDERGROUND (86A. * Hides out); O in TATTERED AND TORN (116A. *Ragged); V in PRIVATE PRACTICE (3D. *Not firm work?); E in ANTIPERSPIRANTS (33A. *You raise your arms for these); R in HIPPOCRATIC OATH (49A. *Physician’s promise). A few links across -- Creator of Princess Ozma; 32. Manila pact grp., 1954; 59. Oregon city, with “The”; 60. King of England, 946-55; 62. Film that lost the Best Picture Oscar to “Chariots of Fire”; 73. Illinois city; 100. Jaw site; 107. Jack Sprat’s dietary restriction; 123. Impressionist Degas. Down: 4. Dead giveaway; 6. Hill of Hill hearings; 15. Nubian Desert locale; 24. Explorer ALONSO Álvarez de Pineda, first European to see the Mississippi; 30. “LILI Marlene” (W.W. II love song); 35. 1967 #1 hit whose lyrics begin “What you want / Baby, I got it”; 54. Ancient playwright who originated the phrase “While there’s life, there’s hope”; 95. Author Welty; 117. She can be polled. ------------------ For today’s cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated. For the complete post, go HERE.
05.31.09
Nuts Over Crosswords!
Sunday, May 31, 2009 ODD ONE OUT, Puzzle by Kelsey Blakley, edited by Will Shortz A note accompanies today’s crossword: Every letter in the answer to each asterisked clue appears an even number of times in that answer … except one. Altogether, these eight unpaired letters can be arranged to spell the answer to 68- and 70-Across. Some people are NUTS OVER crosswords is the 68/70-Across entry/clue. Not much of a clue, but the down entries are friendly enough to yield the across answer. The second part of this crossword is an anagrammatic afterthought; the note provided is of no help with the solution of the puzzle per se, being merely instructions for anyone who is truly nuts over crosswords that there is more to do. I gathered all the stray letters and still didn’t catch on until the mavens and ravens were rolling their eyes over my denseness. On the other hand, I’m not fond of look-ma-no-hands gimmicks that are of no help in the solution and require one to further dwell upon the crossword. I’m just saying… N is the odd one out in STRENUOUS EFFORT (46D. *Real work); U in INSUFFICIENCIES (102A. *Deficits); T in UNITARIAN CHURCH (23A. *Religious affiliation of John Adams and William Howard Taft); S in GOES UNDERGROUND (86A. * Hides out); O in TATTERED AND TORN (116A. *Ragged); V in PRIVATE PRACTICE (3D. *Not firm work?); E in ANTIPERSPIRANTS (33A. *You raise your arms for these); R in HIPPOCRATIC OATH (49A. *Physician’s promise). A few links across -- Creator of Princess Ozma; 32. Manila pact grp., 1954; 59. Oregon city, with “The”; 60. King of England, 946-55; 62. Film that lost the Best Picture Oscar to “Chariots of Fire”; 73. Illinois city; 100. Jaw site; 107. Jack Sprat’s dietary restriction; 123. Impressionist Degas. Down: 4. Dead giveaway; 6. Hill of Hill hearings; 15. Nubian Desert locale; 24. Explorer ALONSO Álvarez de Pineda, first European to see the Mississippi; 30. “LILI Marlene” (W.W. II love song); 35. 1967 #1 hit whose lyrics begin “What you want / Baby, I got it”; 54. Ancient playwright who originated the phrase “While there’s life, there’s hope”; 95. Author Welty; 117. She can be polled. ------------------ For today’s cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated. For the complete post, go HERE.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 ODD ONE OUT, Puzzle by Kelsey Blakley, edited by Will Shortz A note accompanies today’s crossword: Every letter in the answer to each asterisked clue appears an even number of times in that answer … except one. Altogether, these eight unpaired letters can be arranged to spell the answer to 68- and 70-Across. Some people are NUTS OVER crosswords is the 68/70-Across entry/clue. Not much of a clue, but the down entries are friendly enough to yield the across answer. The second part of this crossword is an anagrammatic afterthought; the note provided is of no help with the solution of the puzzle per se, being merely instructions for anyone who is truly nuts over crosswords that there is more to do. I gathered all the stray letters and still didn’t catch on until the mavens and ravens were rolling their eyes over my denseness. On the other hand, I’m not fond of look-ma-no-hands gimmicks that are of no help in the solution and require one to further dwell upon the crossword. I’m just saying… N is the odd one out in STRENUOUS EFFORT (46D. *Real work); U in INSUFFICIENCIES (102A. *Deficits); T in UNITARIAN CHURCH (23A. *Religious affiliation of John Adams and William Howard Taft); S in GOES UNDERGROUND (86A. * Hides out); O in TATTERED AND TORN (116A. *Ragged); V in PRIVATE PRACTICE (3D. *Not firm work?); E in ANTIPERSPIRANTS (33A. *You raise your arms for these); R in HIPPOCRATIC OATH (49A. *Physician’s promise). A few links across -- Creator of Princess Ozma; 32. Manila pact grp., 1954; 59. Oregon city, with “The”; 60. King of England, 946-55; 62. Film that lost the Best Picture Oscar to “Chariots of Fire”; 73. Illinois city; 100. Jaw site; 107. Jack Sprat’s dietary restriction; 123. Impressionist Degas. Down: 4. Dead giveaway; 6. Hill of Hill hearings; 15. Nubian Desert locale; 24. Explorer ALONSO Álvarez de Pineda, first European to see the Mississippi; 30. “LILI Marlene” (W.W. II love song); 35. 1967 #1 hit whose lyrics begin “What you want / Baby, I got it”; 54. Ancient playwright who originated the phrase “While there’s life, there’s hope”; 95. Author Welty; 117. She can be polled. ------------------ For today’s cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated. For the complete post, go HERE.
