The Festivus Pole



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The Festivus Pole, Puzzle by Fred Piscop, edited by Will Shortz

If you subscribe to The New York Times on-line Premium Crosswords, you are probably familiar with the monthly bonus puzzle. For the month of December, the title of this seasoned crossword is “The Festivus Pole” featuring almost thirty clues containing the word “pole“ or close to it.

Across — 1. North Pole workers, ELVES; 9. Chair carried on poles, SEDAN; 14. Fowl pole?, ROOST; 17. Polecat’s cousin, OTTER; 24. What barber poles do, SPIN; 26. Flagpole SITTER (exhibitionist of sorts); 37. John Paul II was the first Pole to attain this position, POPE; 38. Batpole user, ROBIN; 46. Peary who is credited with being the first to reach the North Pole, ROBERT; 49. Pole-propelled boat, PUNT; 50. Pole vault or shot put, EVENT; 53. Telephone pole wood, FIR; 56. Go down the firehouse pole, SLIDE; 62. Tilter’s pole, LANCE; 65. Situated between poles, AXIAL.

Down — 3. Go to the polls, VOTE; 5. Barber pole markings, STRIPES; 6. Comedian Michael who wrote “Pole to Pole”, PALIN; 7. North Pole inventory, TOYS; 9. Circus clown’s pole, STILT; 10. Pole’s continent, EUROPE; 28. Abode made of poles and hides, TEPEE; 29. Pole tossed by Scots, CABER; 31. Admiral Byrd book about polar exploration, ALONE; 34. Polestar, FOCUS; 36. Run up the flagpole, so to speak, TEST; 42. Pole-propelled boat, GONDOLA; 44. Compass part that points to a magnetic pole, NEEDLE; 49. Polar outerwear, PARKA; 50. Napoleon exile site, ELBA; 52. Polar BEAR (white beast); 55. Fishing pole attachment, REEL; 56. First commercial airline to fly a polar route, SAS.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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