10.13.13 — Taken to Task



Sisyphys (1548-1549) by Titian, Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain


In Greek mythology Sisyphus was a king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth) punished for chronic deceitfulness by being compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this action forever. ~ Wikipedia 

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Sunday, October 13, 2013

“Taken to Task” Puzzle by Jeff Chen / Edited by Will Shortz

Imagery plays an important role in this uniquely imaginative Sunday crossword with a rock-like black-dot-square atop SISYPHUS in circled letters, reinforced by six entries:

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (22A. Movie franchise since 1996)
BOULDER COLORADO (30A. Setting for “Mork & Mindy”)
PERPETUAL MOTION (98A.
Violation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics)
IT’S AN UPHILL BATTLE (108A. Underdog’s saying)
INFINITE LOOP (15D. Computer programming problem)
ROLLING STONE (60D. First publisher of Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”)



Robert Fludd's 1618 "water screw" perpetual motion machine from a 1660 wood engraving.

Other — ALGER HISS (76D. Red Scare target), ASPCA (7A. Org. for lab safety?), CAR KEYS (50A. Sonata starters), CLEOPATRA (14D. Shakespeare heroine), DENEB (40A. One of three stars in the Summer triangle), DIGRESSED (92A. Went off?), DODO BIRD (28A. Metaphor for obsolescence), HEARTLESS (39D. Cold-blooded), INSOLVENCY (4D. Feared red state), LASSIE (121A. Animal with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame), LOTHARIOS (38A. Whistle-blowers?), tried to make sense of that clue, but to no avail, Rapper Nicki MINAJ, MEAT PIE (73A. Pub offering), ROSINS (1A. Treats, as a bow), TÊT-À-TÊTES (74D. Little confabs), WINE GLASS (47D. Red or white vessel).


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The sun climbs
from cool streams
of eastern seas
to oust the night.
What long drudgery
for a light-bringer —
unpacking this foolish
planet from darkness!

Sun! while your bright
beams are conquering
half of the world
in heaven's service,
loosing legions
of light everywhere —
in the east the night
always pursues you.

Sturdy Sisyphus
strains at his rock,
the Danaids' jar
drips forever,
and earth whirls herself
endlessly
out of light
and into darkness.


~ Drudgery, Jonas Hallgrimsson



  

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

Lotharios wolf whistle at pretty women walking by....