02.28.15 — The Saturday Crossword

Bluebeard and Judith in an illustration 
by Gustave Doré for Perrault's tale

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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Puzzle by Barry C. Silk / Edited by Will Shortz

Of interest — BAZOOKA (14D. “Stovepipe” of W.W. II), BELA and OPERA (53A. “Bluebeard’s Castle” librettist Balázs; 16A. “Bluebeard’s Castle,“, e.g.), CAMEO (26A. One of many made by Hitchcock), C-CLAMP (26D. Woodworker’s tool), DICK CLARK (29A. Famous New Year’s Eve party?),  FRYOLATOR (67a. Greasy spoon appliance), GET A GRIP (17A. Finishes freaking out), IRON CROSS (15A. Classic symbol of rebellion), KNOB and SNOB, PANAMA HAT (1A. Summer suit accessory), PHOTOBOMB (48A, Laugh-inducing pic), POT and TOT, ROULADE (41D. Musical embellishment), SMELTER (43D. Where to get the lead out?), STRETCHER (62A. Battlefield transport), TITFER (49D. Bit of headwear, in British lingo), WEARISOME (65A. Yawn-inducing).

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02.27.15 — The Friday Crossword


Friday, February 27, 2015

Puzzle by Julian Lim / Edited by Will Shortz

Of interest — ACORN, IDIOTS and NUTS (24D. Tough nut to crack; 33D. Nuts; 51D. Nuts), BB GUN and CAT’S-EYE (25D. Certain shooter; 17A. Certain shooter), GRACE PERIOD (1A. Time of forgiveness), MELISMA (20A. Musical phrase in which a single syllable is sung over several notes), NONZERO (40A. Positive or negative), PRISONER OF WAR (12A. Jean-Paul Sartre or Winston Churchill, once), SHOGI (22D. So-called Japanese chess), SPARE THE ROD (55A. Be lenient), STEPHEN JAY GOULD (52A. Evolutionary biologist who wrote “The Panda’s Thumb”), STORAGE SPACES (54A. Trunks, e.g.), THIS IS SPINAL TAP (14A. Classic 1984 film in which most of the dialogue was ad-libbed).

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02.26.15 — Half...


Thursday, February 26, 2015

Puzzle by Caleb Emmons

Four answers completed by interpolating the word “half” before the last word and imagining the completion of the second half of the last word constitutes the interrelated group of this Thursday crossword:

KENNEDY DOL (17A. Coin first minted in 1964), e.g., half-dollar
FLYING AT MA (54A. Signaling remembrance, in a way), half mast
GOING OFF COC (10D. Acting rashly), half-cocked
SUPER BOWL TI (24D. Occasion for a much-hyped performance), halftime


Other — Soap star Deborah ADAIR, ANNO mundi, ARISTOTLE (32D. “Poetics” author), CC’ING (40A. Keeping in the loop, in a way), EELED (13D. Tried to catch some fish), FUNNY FARM (1A. Crazy place?), HOODWINK (8D. Tricks), JACKO (36A. Tabloid nickname of the ‘80s), MOLOTOV (43A. Eponymous Soviet minister of foreign affairs), PENSACOLA (3D. Southern city that calls itself “America’s First Settlement” [1559]), REDS (60A. Six crayons in a Crayola 64 box), STARBUCKS (18A. Company with a lot of bean counters?), WAGGLED (25A. “Danced“ like a bee).

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02.25.15 — Capitals

Nebraska Capitol Building by Ryan McGinnis, flickr

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Puzzle by Michae4l Shteyman / Edited by Will Shortz

Four midwest state capitals constitute the interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword:

LANSING MICHIGAN (22A. Midwest capital #1)
LINCOLN NEBRASKA (37A. Midwest capital #2)
ST PAUL MINNESOTA (46A. Midwest capital #3)
DES MOINES IOWA (15D. Midwest capital #4)

Other — A AVERAGE (62A. Stellar student’s boast), AMEBAE and BEING (8A. Lives in a cell?; 11D. Life form), Trevor ARIZA of the N.B.A., CAN’T LOSE (17A. Guaranteed to succeed), CHART and ICU (51A. Location for patient information; 32A. Where to find some very sick individuals, for short), ENVOI (10D. Final stanza in a poem), Paavo NURMI, the Flying Finn of 1920s Olympics, ONE-EARED (14A. Like the praying mantis, anatomically [weird, but true]), RESIGN (7D. Terminate a contract … or extend it), ROLLED R (1A. Part of “rico” or “roja”), WRIST PAD (55A. Carpal tunnel syndrome preventer).

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02.24.15 — Grey


Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Puzzle by Elizabeth A. Long / Edited by Will Shortz

EARL’S SUNGLASSES (20A. Shades of Grey?), LADY JANE’S BLINDS (36A. Shades of Grey?) and ZANE’S LAMP COVERS (52A. Shades of Grey?) constitutes the interrelated group of this tangled Tuesday crossword — read as EARL Grey, LADY JANE Grey, ZANE Grey.

Other — AMBULANT (38D. Able to walk), CALL A CAB (9D. Advice to someone who’s drunk and about to leave), ENDUE and UNDUE, ESSES and YESES,  INCUBATOR (33D. Place for a preemie), INNOVATE (39D. Be creative), MANGANESE (8D. Element between chromium and iron on the periodic table), OPIE and OPUS, PIE-LIKE (23A. Resembling a quiche), SCULLERY (4D. Room where pots and pans are stored), STOOLIE (48A. Singer in prison, maybe).

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02.23.15 — The Monday Crossword


Monday, February 23, 2015

Puzzle by Joel Fagliano / Edited by Will Shortz

LEAVE A BAD TASTE (53A. Not sit well … or what eating 20-, 32- or 41-Across might do?), ROTTEN TOMATOES (20A. Online aggregator of movie reviews), SOUR GRAPES (32A. Fox’s feeling in an Aesop fable), and BITTER PILL (41A. Hard-to-accept consequence) constitute the interrelated group of this sweet Monday crossword.

Other — ALTO and AUTO, ANGORA CAT (3D. Long-haired feline), ART MUSEUM (33D. The Getty or the Guggenheim), CRAB and CRIB, I’M GAY (67A. Groundbreaking admission from Ellen in a 1997 sitcom), PARENTING (34D. Subject of advice from Dr. Spock or Dr. Phil), ROMANCE (42D. Word before novel or language), STATE DEBT (4D. Governor’s financial concern), WYOMING (9D. Least populous state).

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02.22.15 — A View from A Broad — the Acrostic


Sunday, February 22, 2015

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s acrostic draws an amusing quotation from “A View from A Broad” by Bette Midler.


In A View from a Broad, originally published in 1980, Bette relives her career through memories of endless rehearsals, her fear of flying, crazy schedules and wisdom she learned from Thai Gondoliers, with the trademark razor-blade wit that her fans have grown to know, love and expect.

Filled with photographs, a new introduction and heartwarming stories that highlight only a portion of a brilliant career, A View from a Broad is the perfect gift for anyone who loves music, theater or just plain fun ;and will be cherished by the fans of  Divine Miss M for years to come. ~ goodreads


The quotation:  THERE WERE SOME INITIAL DIFFICULTIES WHEN THE DIRECTOR FIRST TOLD ME… THAT IF THE FILM WAS TO HAVE ANY SEMBLANCE OF REALITY AT ALL THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE MOMENTS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE WERE ON-SCREEN AT THE SAME TIME I WAS.

The author’s name and the title of the work:  BETTE MIDLER, “A VIEW FROM A BROAD”

The defined words:

A. Part of life that was of interest to Scouting founder Lord Baden Powell, BOYHOOD
B. Billy Crystal or Whoopi Goldberg, e.g., several times each, EMCEE
C. Work alluded to in this puzzle’s quote (2 wds.), ‘THE ROSE”
D. Poster of a brief message, TWEETER
E. Noted 1940s-50s first lady, familiarly, EVITA
F. Book relating the parable of the talents, MATTHEW
G. Copy, mimic, parrot, IMITATE
H. Jennifer Garner or Brad Pitt feature, DIMPLES
I. Machine much used in the suburbs (2 wds.), LAWN MOWER
J. Wax excited, ENTHUSE
K. Mark of 2012’s “The Avengers”, RUFFALO
L. Count portrayed by John Malkovich, ATHOS
M. Dressing room furniture piece, VANITY
N. Last of six 1964 Beatles chart toppers (3 wds.), "I FEEL FINE”
O. One of the Barrymores, ETHEL
P. Hazard of bungee jumping or head banging, WHIPLASH
Q. 1985 Chevy Chase comedy, FLETCH
R. Herding dog named after a German town, ROTTWEILER
S. Identity of a person, ONESELF
T. Ticket stub, signed photo or such, MEMENTO
U. Attention-getting behavior, ANTICS
V. Aviator, informally, BIRDMAN
W. Device used n casting, REEL
X. N.B.A. Hall-of-Famer Robertson, OSCAR
Y. Party invitation specification, ATTIRE
Z. What an extreme daredevil may seem to have (2 wds.), DEATH WISH

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02.22.15 — Switch

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

“Flip-Flops”, Puzzle by Patrick Berry / Edited by Will Shortz

In this tiresome Sunday crossword, lightly shaded squares (and none in the electronic version) indicate the portions of eight pairs of entries to be switched in order to make sense, both at their site, and relating to the entry/clue GOES UP AND DOWN (65A. What each group of shaded words in this puzzle does):
  • RECATCHAS and PURINA STAREOW (21A. Turnpike turnoffs [intimidate, in a way]; 24A. Pet food brand [recover lost ground]); e.g.,  REST AREAS and PURINA CAT CHOW — CATCH “UP“, STARE “DOWN”
  • SAENDRI and TLIEER-HEARTED (23A. Narrator of “Amadeus” [go to bed]; 26A. Compassionate [finally become]); SALIERI and TENDER-HEARTED — END “UP“, LIE “DOWN”
  • ELACTPAD and STALBOWITE (45A. Skateboarder’s safety item [salaam]; 53A. Point at the ceiling? [misbehave]; ELBOW PAD and STALACTITE  — BOW “DOWN”, ACT “UP”
  • ARUNUS and BDIEETTE (51A. Goodbyes [abate]; 55A. She’s not light-headed [amass]); ADIEUS and BRUNETTE — DIE “DOWN”, RUN ‘UP”
  • PRIMUSEG and NAPINA (83A. Activity done in front of a mirror [clearly define]; 89A. Upset stomach [consume]); PRIMPING and NAUSEA — USE “UP”, PIN “DOWN”
  • WARIDEAPER and STSTEPNT (85A. Office trash [resign]; 90A. Loud and harsh [start crowding the crotch]); WASTEPAPER and STRIDENT — STEP “DOWN”, RIDE “UP”
  • SELFRESTANTET and BRAINRS (109A. Control of one’s actions [fall in great quantities]; 117A. Converses à la Tracy and Hepburn [pay in advance]); SELF-RESTRAINT and BANTERS; ANTE “UP”; RAIN “DOWN”
  • SCROPMOUNTAIN and ATONEOLIS (114A. Granite dome in Georgia [moderate]; 119A. Athens landmark [arise]); STONE MOUNTAIN and ACROPOLIS — TONE “DOWN”; CROP “UP”
Other — COLIN Firth of “The King’s Speech”; DRUM OUT (19A. Expel, as from a club); DUPLEXES (67D. Divided houses); HONOREE (27D. Banquet V.I.P.‘s); LIBRA (59A. Cosmic balance?); “Taxi” character Elaine NARDO; PITFALL (91D. Unseen danger); TAPENADE (8D. Appetizer with pureed olives); TESLA (28A. City of Light creator at the 1893 World’s Fair); Actress TILDA Swinton; TWIT (38A. Ridicule)

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02.21.15 — The Saturday Crossword

La Vie, 1903, Pablo Picasso

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Saturday, February 21, 2015

Puzzle by Doug Peterson and Brad Wilber
Edited by Will Shortz

Across — 1. It’s usually taken on a bus, CLASS TRIP; 10. Pact signed by Nixon, SALT I; 15. Nancy Drew never left hers behind, LATE TEENS; 16. Saw, AXIOM; 17. Needing no prop, in a way, OVEN READY; 18. Bait, TEMPT; 19. Org. in “Argo”, CIA; 20. It depicts a winged woman, EMMY; 21. Beyond that, MORE SO; 22. Not mussed, KEMPT; 24. Loads, for many: Abbr., SYN; 25. Constellation near Ursa Major, LEO; 26. Art film?, ACETATE; 30. Unleashes (on), SICS; 31. Who said “Power has to be insecure to be responsive”, RALPH NADER; 34. Brute, OGRE; 35. Observe, OBEY; 36. Tip-offs, CLUES; 37. It may be thrown in the mix, CHEX; 38. Take off, SOAR; 39. Animated character who’s five apples tall, HELLO KITTY; 41. “Truth n engineering” sloganeer, AUDI; 42. Where the waves come in?, ANTENNA; 43. Dairy case units: Abbr., PTS; 44. Was taken in, BIT; 45. Stay a step ahead of, ELUDE; 49. Secure, ATTAIN; 51. Place for a rivulet, DALE; 54. Part of HUD: Abbr., DEV; 55. Diamond, e.g., RHOMB; 56. Triton, to Neptune, SATELLITE; 58. Reisz who directed “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”, KAREL; 59. Crowd, CLOSE IN ON; 60. “Make someone Happy” composer, STYNE; 61. It connects two pages, HYPERTEXT.

Down — 1. Slug, CLOCK; 2. Allegorical painting from Picasso’s Blue Period, LA VIE; 3. Field standouts, A TEAM; 4. Paul, for one: Abbr., SEN; 5. Exhibit plasticity, STRETCH; 6. Be present in large quantity, TEEM; 7. Widen, as a gun barrel, REAM; 8. Ark finder, familiarly, INDY; 9. University course, for short, PSY; 10. Delayed, in a way, SAT ON; 11. Woodcutter, AXER; 12. Star’s spot, LIMELIGHT; 13. Phrase often stamped in red, TOP SECRET; 14. #1 hit on the soundtracks for “Grumpy Old Men” and “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”, I’M TOO SEXY; 21. Former Miss America who ran for the U.S. Senate in 1980, MYERSON; 23. Early writing materials, PAPYRI; 24. “Fifty Shades of Grey” protagonist, STEELE; 27. Fetter, ENCHAIN; 28. Facility, TALENT; 29. Mature, ADULT; 30. Bee, e.g., SOCIAL; 31. She wouldn’t take an affront sitting down, ROSA PARKS; 32. “Since you asked …”, ABOUT THAT; 33. It gets attention when it runs, LEAD STORY; 40. Prie-dieu feature, KNEELER; 44. BIBLE Belt; 46. Italian city near the Slovenian border, UDINE; 47. Users may enter it, DETOX; 48. 1-Across, for one, EVENT; 50. Famous last word, AMEN; 51. New Year’s Eve ball-drop commentator beginning n 2003, DALY; 52. Crowning, ATOP; 53. Un crime de LESE-humanité; 56. Duke, e.g.: Abbr., SCH; 57. University course, for short, LIT.

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02.20.15 — In One Ear ...


Friday, February 20, 2015

Puzzle by David Woolf / Edited by Will Shortz

Three cross-referenced answers are the main feature of this trundling Friday crossword:

I SHOULD HAVE / KNOWN BETTER (15A and 17A. With 17-Across, the B-side to A Hard Day’s Night”)
IN ONE EAR AND / OUT THE OTHER (60A and 64A. With 64-Across, ignored)
TRUE CRIME and RAT POISON (33D. “Ripped from the headlines” genre; 34D. Compound in some 33-Down stories)

Other — ACT NORMAL (12D. Pretend nothing is wrong), AUTISM (41A. Asperger’s is a form of it), BIG-BREASTED (1A. Buxom), EGGMAN (36A. Mysterious figure in “I Am the Walrus”), IS NOT and TATTLE (2D. Schoolyard retort; 9D. Schoolyard report?), LEHR (55A. Glassmaker’s oven), OILMAN (28D. Worker who thrives on strikes?), PELOTA (46D. Jai alai ball), SHRINKAGE (13D. Washing woe), SHTICKS (8D. Stand-up routines), STAYED LOOSE (66A. Kept things casual), TRAVELS (38A. Violates a court rule).

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02.19.15 — Loops



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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Puzzle by Jason Finn / Edited by Will Shortz

Three answers that have letters forming LOOPS (51A. What the paths of three answers in this puzzle include) that spell out the solutions constitutes the interrelated group of this Thursday crossword:

PAPER AIRPLANE (26A. Classroom projectile)
ROLLER COASTER (60A. Theme park part)
SHOELACE (62A. It may be on the tip of the tongue)

Other — ARMANA and ASWAN (2D. Archaeological site along the Nile; 5A. City that supplied granite for Egyptian monuments), ANNA SUI (27D. Chinese-American fashion icon), ATYPICAL (8D. Anomalous), BIT COIN (4D. Digital currency), DOTCOM (1D. Kind of bubble), FIRE AWAY (11D. “I’ll take your questions now”), GOES BAD (47D. Sours), LAE (28D. Pacific port from which Amelia Earhart left on her last and fatal flight), NAUSEATE (34A. Disgust), NO AIR (9D. Asphyxiation cause), OCTAVO (52D. Book size), R CRUMB (50D. “Keep on Truckin’” cartoonist), SENNA (48A. Plant used in herbal remedies), WENT COLD (38D. Disappeared, as a trail).
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02.18.15 — Fore and Aft


Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Puzzle by Ed Sessa / Edited by Will Shortz

Reversing the front and rear words of five common phrases constitutes the main feature of this friendly Wednesday crossword:
  • BABY THE ROCK (17A. Mollycoddle Dwayne Johnson?)
  • BOOKS THE COOK (22A. Enters charges against a restaurant employee?)
  • QUESTION THE DUCK (36A. Try to find out what’s what at a pond?)
  • BLAME THE BEAR (46A. Shift responsibility for some missing campsite food?)
  • DECK THE SWAB (56A. Kayo Popeye?)
Other — AFT (55A. Back, to Popeye), ANODE (41A. Battery terminal), BPS (11A. Some gas stations), BRUNO (11D. Musical Mars), CCCP (1A. Letters on Soyuz rockets), ENCARTA (20A. Onetime Microsoft encyclopedia), ICE / CUBE (21D. Motel freebie; 1D. 21-Down unit), PAIGE (32A. Major League Baseball’s oldest-ever rookie [age 42]), SKIN (35D. It’s all around you), SPIDER (15A. One navigating the web?), STANDEE (23D. One who can’t find a seat, say), TEFLON (44A. Polytetrafluoroethylene, commercially), TRIPE and TRIPE, ULNA (14A. Fifth-longest bone in the human body)

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02.17.15 — Who Let the Dogs Out?


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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Puzzle by Bruce Haight / Edited by Will Shortz

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT (22A. 2000 novelty hit … or a hint to the nine starred clues) heads a gang of dogs in this affable Tuesday crossword, along with a black-square dog in the center of the grid:

CHOW (1D. *Grub)
POM (11A. *Fruit juice brand)
BOXER (4D. *One working on a canvas?)
BEAGLE (10D. *Darwin's ship)
SETTER (34D. *Volleyball position)
BLOODHOUND (53A. *Relentless pursuer)
POODLE (47D. *Kind of skirt or haircut)
HUSKY (66A. *Like Lauren Bacall's voice)
PUG (56D. *___ nose)

Throw in a CAT (1A. Enemy of the pictured animal), TOTO (3D. Pooch in Oz) and the idiom "Sick AS A dog."

Other — AM PM and SEEK (45A. Clock radio toggle switch; 35A. Car radio button); BREAD and TOAST (59A. Wonder product; 60A. 59-Across, after crisping); CRAT and TACT; ISEULT (27A. Tristan’s love, in Camelot); LOOK ONE’S BEST (23D. Dress to the nines, say); NOT SO BAD (40D. Middling); STRETCHED OUT (25D. Went from one seat to two, maybe); TANNERIES (31A. They convert hides to leather).

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