06.30.09

How Now Brown Cow

How Now Brown Cow?, Heidi Malott

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Puzzle by Steve Dobis, edited by Will Shortz

HOW GOES IT (17A. *Informal Greeting), NOW AND AGAIN (30A. *At times), BROWN BAGGER (47A. *One not using the company cafeteria, maybe), COW PALACE (64A. *Bay Area concert venue) and ELOCUTION PHRASE (40A. Exercise in pronunciation … like the first words of the answers to the starred clues) -- HOW NOW BROWN COW.

How now, brown cow?

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06.29.09

Say Cheese!

Mousetrap, Shelley Grund

Monday, June 29, 2009

Puzzle by Paula Gamache, edited by Will Shortz

GOOD, BETTER and BEST found in the entries of GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP (17A. Seven or eight hours, typically), BETTER MOUSE TRAP (35A. Inventor’s goal) and BEST-KEPT SECRETS (52A. They rarely see the light of day) comprise the interrelated entries of this Monday, back-to-work crossword puzzle.

Monday links -- HORSES (43A. Mustangs, e.g.) and RANGE (40A. Where 43-Across run free) are inter-clued; ICE AGE (25D. Freezing period); SOUSE (16A. Drunkard) and the milder TIPSY (59A. A little drunk) -- the puzzle also includes DWI (47A Drunk motorist‘s offense, briefly) and SIP (54D. Not guzzle).

It’s a short week this week -- SMILE (33D. “Say cheese!”)!

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06.28.09

Secret Ingredients

The Three Witches in Macbeth, 1948 film by Orson Welles

Sunday, June 28, 2009

SECRET INGREDIENTS, Puzzle by Barry C. Silk, edited by Will Shortz

The long entries of this plodding puzzle exist in the main to contain letters within circles spelling out DILL, OREGANO, FENNEL, PEPPER, ROSEMARY, THYME, JASMINE and GINGER "hidden" in the entries of ADMIRAL NELSON (23A. Battle of Trafalgar hero) which produces dill; COARSE-GRAINED WOOD (38A. Oak or ash), oregano; FALLEN ANGEL (60A. Lucifer, notably), fennel; PAY THE PIPER (83A. Suffer for acting unwisely), pepper; PRINCETON SEMINARY (101A. New Jersey ecumenical institution), rosemary; TIMOTHY Q MOUSE (124A. Tiny friend of Dumbo), thyme; JAMES A MICHENER (17D. “The World Is My Home” memoirist, 1991), jasmine; MANAGING EDITOR (52D. Deadline maker), ginger.

No more secrets!

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06.27.09

Ill at Ease



The Confession, 1896, Sir Frank Bernard Dicksee

Saturday, June 27, 2008

Puzzle by Trip Payne, edited by Will Shortz

CHRIST (42D. Word that first appears in Matthew 1:1) and BLESS ME FATHER (35A. Start of a confession) stand out in this craftily-clued Saturday crossword, along with the pair of ILL AT EASE (52A. Uncomfortable) and SELF-CONSCIOUS (31A. Uncomfortable, in a way), continuing with TELLS (59A. Relates to) and VESPERS (20A. They’re observed in the evening) with ENEMIES (2D. They’re opposed) and MEDIATE (3D. Talk to two 2-Down, say) recommending conciliation -- a little religion never hurts!

A few more links -- EYE CHART (21D. It begins with an E [in two ways]); TOMB RAIDER (43A. Influential 1996 video game), FYI nearly 500 video games were released in 1996 -- ANGELOU (12D. “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie” poet); BRIOCHE (35D. French bread); DO-RAGS (1D. Rappers wrappers); IOTAS (32D. Is in Athens?) and short stuff AMIS, GIA, METZ, OOPS, TRE.

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06.26.09

Casual Friday

Friday, June 26, 2009

Puzzle by Lynn Lempel, edited by Will Shortz

A very casual Friday crossword with lots of noun and/or verb mix in the clues.

Random links -- AAAMEMBER; GEEKSQUAD; GREENZONE (50. Walled-off enclave in Iraq); REDSQUARE (27D. Military parade site); BENGHAZI (33D. Libya’s second-largest city); GANGWAR (41A. Rumble); CAMDEN (5D. New Jersey city that was home to Walt Whitman); ALBEE (6D. Winner of three Pulitzer Prizes for Drama); BALDY (20D. Guy who needs no 24-Down) and COMBS (24D. Dopp it items); GOADS (29A. Cattle drivers); PEENS (51A. Tool parts for bending and shaping); REEVE (18A. 1998 Grammy winner for narrating his book “Still Me”); SOAPY (22D. Ivory-covered?); ALFA (26D. Romeo might go after it); CAPP (5A. Lower Slobbovia creator); MGM (48A. Letters associated with a lion).

So, go casual!

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06.25.09

By the Numbers

Sunset Geese Flight, Jeff Cushner

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Puzzle by Bill Zais, edited by Will Shortz

Including the clue number for five entries to complete a phrase constitutes the interrelated entries of this terse Wednesday crossword composed of otherwise unrelated miscellanea -- 3. SHEETS TO THE WIND (Plastered); 5. CARD STUD (Gambling game); 7. PER CENT SOLUTION (Sherlock Holmes novel, with “The”); 20. SOMETHING (One starting a career, perhaps); 40. HOUR WEEK (Work period).

A few links -- DIPTYCH (38A. Hinged pair of pictures); EPISTLE (62A. Philemon, e.g.); GRECIAN (64A. Like the Trojan horse); 39. PAINTED Desert; DECCA (30D. Record label of Bill Haley and His Comets); STELE (50D. Archaeological find); and VEE (25D. Migration formation?).

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06.24.09

AD

Mabel Normand in an advertisement for “Back to the Woods”, 1918

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Puzzle by Corey Rubin, edited by Will Shortz

TAKE OUT AN AD (60A. Promote one’s business, maybe … or a hint to 16-, 23-, 30-, 41- and 47-Across), along with DRUG DICTION (16A. Talking like a junkie?), e.g., drug addiction, SHOW OF A DOUBT (23A. Agnostic’s display?), shadow of a doubt, RIO ACTIVITY (30A. Sunbathing at Ipanema, e.g.?), radioactivity, ROLLER BLING (41A. Rink jewelry?), rollerblading, and MAILING DRESS (47A. Letter carrier’s uniform?), mailing address, are the interrelated entries of this odd crossword.

Links -- BONE DRY; HOAXES; PLASMA TV; RHESUS; SHTETL; ANJOU; EBOLA; MABEL (47D. Normand of old movies); UVRAY; CAW and COW; RAO and REO; SADR; VAL.

For a really big ad -- HERE!

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06.23.09

Wham!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Puzzle by Caleb Madison, edited by Will Shortz

PUNCH AND JUDY (20A. Slapstick puppet show), SOCK IT TO ME (33A. “I’m ready for anything!”), HIT THE SACK (44A Go get some shuteye) and DECK THE HALLS (57A. Yuletide tune) are the interrelated entries of this Tuesday crossword.

GROUCHO MARX (11D. He said “Here’s to our wives and girlfriends … may they never meet!”) makes his second appearance this week, having his deathbed quote in Sunday’s crossword (“Die, my dear? Why, that’s the last thing I’ll do!”).

Other links -- STAN LEE (9D. Co-creator of the Fantastic Four). EDGAR (71A. Mystery writer’s award); INKER (39D. Worker on a comic book); SLAYS (13D. Wows at a comedy club).

Punch, sock, hit and deck!

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06.22.09

The Sound of C

Sea Breeze I, Carol Saxe

Monday, June 22, 2009

Puzzle by Fred Piscop, edited by Will Shortz

Si, C, see and sea, e.g., the sounds, are the interrelated elements of this refreshing Monday crossword -- SISISENOR (17A. Emphatic south-of-the-border assent), CMAJORSCALE (26A. Beginning piano student’s exercise), SEEYOULATER (45A. Parting words) and SEABREEZE (62A. Wind that cools a beach).

Other long entries are DEBITCARD and POLYESTER, followed by six six-letter entries -- ARAMIS, ENABLE, ICEJAM, NETTLE, ONEYE and PANAMA.

A few links -- AESOP and HARE share the clue of Loser to a tortoise in a fable; 27D. The Beatles’ “Any Time ATALL”; JULIA (28D. Roberts of “Erin Brockovich”); 64A. Aviator WILEY Post.

Here‘s The Sound of C.

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06.21.09 -- the Acrostic

Electronic Acrostic

Sunday, June 21, 2009

ACROSTIC, Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz

We've been robbed!

The Quotation: MY STANDARD BREAKFAST OF BACON EGGS TOAST JELLY AND ORANGE JUICE WITH COFFEE CONTAINS EVERY ELEMENT I CRAVE CAFFEINE SUGAR CHOLESTERAL AND FAT IN CALIFORNIA EATING SUCH A MEAL IS REGARDED AS A SUICIDE ATTEMPT

The Author’s Name and Title of the Work: SUE GRAFTON B IS FOR BURGLAR

The Defined Words: A. SLACK-JAWED; B.UNIFORMITY; C. ECCENTRIC; D. GO FISH; E. REJOINDER; F. AVIFAUNA; G. FANATIC; H. THE FLY; I. OMELET; J. NO CAN DO; K. BEEFALO; L. IMPEDIMENTS; M. SADNESS; N. FALSETTO; O. OCTAVE; P. RENEGE; Q. BREATHE; R. UNDERSTUDY; S. RAGTAG; T. GLACIAL; U. LAGASSE; V. ASCETIC; W. RASTAFARIAN.

Note on Wordplay, the Crossword Blog of The New York Times, from Will Shortz on Sunday puzzles: As readers of the print edition of the Times noted last week, the Magazine’s “trim size” was reduced for the June 14 issue. Unfortunately, with this new size, which is 9% smaller than the old one, the traditional second Sunday puzzles (acrostics, diagramlesses, cryptics, etc.) could no longer physically fit below the crossword.

06.21.09

Last Words

Edvard Munch. The Death Bed. 1895

Sunday, June 21, 2009

FAMOUS LAST WORDS, Puzzle by Matt Ginsberg and Pete Muller, edited by Will Shortz

“Curtain! Fast music! Light! Ready for the last finale! Great! The show looks good, the show looks good!” ~~ Florenz Ziegfeld, showman, d. July 22, 1932

The last words of twelve individuals comprise the interrelated entries of this Sunday crossword puzzle:

OSCAR WILDE (1A & 13A “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go”); GROUCHO MARX (27A. “Die, my dear? Why that’s the last thing I’ll do!”); LOU COSTELLO (32A. “That was the best ice cream soda I ever tasted”); SALVADOR DALI (53A. “Where is my clock?); CONRAD HILTON (71A. “Leave the shower curtain on the inside of the tub”); DYLAN THOMAS (87A. “I’ve had 18 straight whiskies. I think that’s the record”); PANCHO VILLA (94A. “Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something”); ERROL FLYNN (110A & 113A. “”I’ve had a hell of a lot of fun and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it”); MARCO POLO (20D. “I have not told half of what I saw”); CALIGULA (46D. “I live!”); EVA PERON (48D. “Eva is leaving”); BO DIDDLEY (68D. “I‘m going to heaven!”).

For more of the same, go HERE.

“Good Night.”

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06.20.09

Vicissitude

A Jester, Philippe Mercier

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Puzzle by Brad Wilber, edited by Will Shortz

If the crossword solver sometimes doesn’t have a clue, it’s likely there really isn’t really a practical one, and this Saturday crossword abound, hawking its CAPRICE (40D. Fancy) as casually as a seller of snake oil. WAS I SNORING is clued as Response to being elbowed, maybe,

while MERRY ANDREW gets the terse clue of Clown. ANGLOMANIA is Going bonkers for the British? and EROTICA is Body art? Writer on pictures is ROGER EBERT and Writer whose words are twisted? is an IRONIST. Reduced fare?, DIET PLATE. Followers of some meals are SIESTAS, a TACO is folded before dinner, and EGGROLL is stuffed in a restaurant. Beige attribute, NEUTRALITY. Staged is THEATRICAL and Shape shifters are AMOEBAE. Enough to make even the SANEST (42A. Maximally balanced) HESITANT (32D. Waffling) and ILL AT EASE (65D. Restive).

Saturday links -- ASOK (22A. “Dilbert” character who was reincarnated as his own clone); a DRYAD (28A. Companion for Pan); IONESCO (2D. “The Bald Soprano” playwright, 1950); LOEB (54A. 1924 co-defendant); TANTALUS (15D. Victim of terrible teasing); TENIERS (8D. Surname of three generations of Flemish old masters); YAZ (29D. Old Fenway nickname); BOLIVIA (11D. Where Quechua is spoken); EOLITH (31A. Prehistoric stone tool); FT RILEY (27D. Kansas mil. Reservation with eh U.S. Cavalry Museum); and YER.

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06.19.09

Puzzling People

Paradise of Dante Alighieri, Canto XXXI, illustration by Gustave Dore

Friday, June 19, 2009

Puzzle by David Levinson Wilk, edited by Will Shortz

People in the puzzle -- ANDREAS (7D. Two-time Greek P.M. Papandreou); 9D. Civil-rights leader ASA Philip Randolph); 34D. Dumas’s “La Dame AUX Camélias”; ELLEN (43A. First name of two first ladies); EVA MARIE (37D. Saint of acting); JAMES DEAN (48A. Actor who said “Only the gentle are ever really strong”); a HIRER (1D. Engaging sort); IMUS (31A. Big name in radio); ISAK DINESEN (15A. “Babette’s Feast” author, 1950); JASON (29A. Husband of a sorceress, in myth); LAMARR (44D. Strange woman player in “The Strange Woman,” 1946); MINETA (46D. 2001-06 secretary of transportation); NEREUS (8D. Mythical Aegean Sea dweller); a PROTEGEE (13D. She has a personal trainer); ROYS (54D. Artist Lichtenstein and others); TEY (28A. “Miss Pym Disposes” mystery novelist); and last but hardly least, there’s the lovely, scheming Eve of ALL ABOUT EVE (57A. 1960 movie on which the musical “Applause” is based).

HASTA MANANA (1A. South-of-the-border sign-off)!

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06.18.09

Æ

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer, edited by Will Shortz

Exchange of the letter E for the letter A in four squares are the interrelated entries of this Thursday crossword, resulting in nurse’s aide becoming NURSE’S AIDA (17A. Hospital employee’s role as an opera girl?); name that tune, NAME THAT TUNA (26A. What Starkist decided to do for “Charlie”?); delivery date, DELIVERY DATA (43A. A girl, born 8:48 a.m., weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces, e.g.?); and Rubik’s Cube, RUBIK’S CUBA (58A. Where a Hugarian toy inventor vacations in the Caribbean?). Not quite a grapheme!

Three Thursday links -- LEX LUTHOR (33D. Villain from DC); GOULD (49D. Creator of “Dick Tracy”); YODA (8D. His planet of exile is Dagobah).

Want real excitement? Obama swats a fly, HERE!

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06.17.09

A Nest of Robins in Her Hair

The Angel Oak in Charleston, South Carolina on Johns Island

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Puzzle by Peter A. Collins and Joe Krozel, edited by Will Shortz

TREE (46A. Thing depicted by this puzzle’s circled letters) and circled letters resulting in the word LIMB (7D. Life’s partner), TRUNK (31D. Magician’s prop) and ROOT (59D. Cheer for) with four more LIMBS and two more ROOTS in unclued circles, constitute this puzzle’s main feature. I didn’t regard the circles while doing the crossword so I don’t know if they are of any use in the solution; however, the “tree” is rather abstract. Included much as an afterthought is NESTS (73A. Items in a 46-Across, often), as are most of the crossword’s entries, existing mainly to serve the arrangement of the words contained within circles.

Wednesday links: ILOILO (10D. Philippine seaport); ONEARM (20A. Feature of a Las Vegas “bandit”); WIESEL (47A. “Night” novelist); CLARA (16A. Bow, the “It Girl”); ELITE (68A. Like SEALs); PIPES (39A. Kiltie’s instrument); 17. “Rikki-TIKKI-Tavi”; LISP.

Click here for a good look at the Angel Oak!

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06.16.09

Perpetrators!

The so-called Perp Walk, where, where the accused are led from the Precinct Station-house on their way to court appearances, is a time-honored tradition at the 120th Precinct Station-house in Staten Island's St. George. section. The camera-shy still find ways to avoid having their face show up in the news.

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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Puzzle by Paula Gamache, edited by Will Shortz

PERPS (47D. Those “walking” through the answers to the starred clues), TAMPERPROOF (17A. *Impervious to picking, as a lock), COPPERPLATE (25A. *Engraver’s surface), SEMPER PARATUS (36A. *Motto of the U.S. Coast Guard), PAPER-PUSHER (47A. *Routine-bound bureaucrat) and SUPERPOWERS (57A. *Countries with big militaries) are the interrelated entries of this Tuesday crossword.

PEPPERS (18D. Jalapeños and chilies), PURR and PARR are not included in the line-up, but are very suspect. Petal plucker’s pronoun, the clue for SHE at 64-Across, and and a peppering of P’s throughout the crossword including PAH (61A. Part of a tuba’s sound) perpetrate this puzzle’s alliteration with no need for help from Peter Piper and his peck of pickled peppers.

Tuesday links -- BUSSING (40A. Playful kissing) and CUDDLES (45A. Nestles); PARIAH (43D. Persona non grata); WOOER (9D. Affection seeker); SMOG (22A. Air apparent?); SSS (42. Deflation sound).

Time to do the walk!

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06.15.09

Public Relations

Monday, June 15, 2009

Puzzle by John Dunn, edited by Will Shortz

PRMEN (38A. Promoters … or a description of 17-, 23-, 46- and 57-Across?), along with PHILIP ROTH (17A. “Portnoy’s Complaint” author), PAT ROBERTSON (23A. Founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network), PIERRE RENOIR (46A. “Le Déjeuner des Canotiers” painter), PAUL REVERE (57A. He didn’t really cry “The British are coming!”) and IMAGE (47D. Concern of 38-Across) are the interrelated entries of this Monday crossword.

A few Monday links -- ASSETS (10D. Stock, bank deposits, real estate, etc.), DEPEND (45A. Bank on) and DEPRIVES (39D. Takes away from with “of”), AESOP (14A. “The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs” writer); EUROS (32A. Italian and French bread?); STENO (43A. Old office note taker).

EASY (37A. “Duck soup!”)!

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