dannmann's NYT crossword puzzle ramblings

saturday, december 08, 2007
barry c. silk / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: this one was a bit of a bear!



theme: none

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in the "notes of record" category
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barry, y' broke me down, here...



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in the "most googled" category
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1A second african-american in the baseball hall of fame CAMPANELLA (roy "campy" campanella was widely considered to have been one of the greatest catchers in the history of the game. he played for the brooklyn dodgers during the late 1940's and 1950's, as one of the pioneers in breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. his hall of fame career was cut short in 1958 when he was paralyzed in an automobile accident)

30A fangorn forest dweller ENT (ents are a fictional race from j. r. r. tolkien's fantasy world of middle-earth. the term ent in a fantasy context is very different from the anglo-saxon word ent, as the former refers to a humanoid tree and the latter refers to a "giant" although they both appear to have been inspired by the talking trees of many of the world's folklores)

55A cager kukoc TONI (cager is a term frequently used for a professional basketball player and originated from early 1900's games played in a cage to separate the audience from the playing court and speed up the game by keeping the ball in-bounds. Toni Kukoč is a retired Croatian basketball player and one of the first established european stars to play in the national basketball association. he was renowned for his versatility and passing ability; although his natural position was small forward, he played all five positions on the court with equal prowess and demonstrated court vision that is seldom found in players of his height)

37D early screenwriter bernstein ISADORE (isadore bernstein was an american screenwriter. he wrote for 65 films between 1914 and 1938)


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in the "cool multiple word answer" category
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15A some planets may be seen with it UNAIDED EYE

16A "you can stop trying to wake me now!" I'M UP!

32A 1961 top 10 hit for the everly brothers EBONY EYES (listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ1_sOfCHM4 )

34A 1966 album that's #2 on rolling stone's all-time greatest albums list PET SOUNDS (essentially a solo project for brian wilson, after he had quit touring with the beach boys in order to focus his attention on writing and recording, "pet sounds" wove elaborate layers of vocal harmonies, coupled with sound effects and unconventional instruments such as bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, the tannerin, and dog whistles, along with the more usual keyboards and guitars. listen to brian sing 'god knows why' from "pet sounds": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC_UILNwWrc&feature=related)

36A 2001 microsoft debut WINDOWS XP

45A melodramatic cry MY HERO!

56A it appears first in china FAMILY NAME

59A lexicographic enlighteners USAGE NOTES

8D option for dvd viewing LETTERBOX FORMAT

12D either of two father-and-son dodgers owners O'MALLEY

21D when there are lots of errands to run, say BUSY DAY

36D conversation piece? WIRE TAP

41D durable athletes IRON MEN

47D it's worth 8 points in scrabble 'J' TILE


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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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18A league heading: abbr. NATL. (national)

19A linemen next to centers: abbr. LGS. (left guards)

22A stat. that's better when lower E.R.A. (earned run average)

28A some home theater systems RCA'S (rca "the most trusted name in electronics" is an acronym for the radio corporation of america, and is a trademark used by two companies, namely sony bmg music entertainment and owner thomson sa, which licences the name to other companies for electronic products)

43A the same beginning? ISO- (greek 'so-', from 'sos' : 'equal' is prefix that means "equal," as in isometric, "having equal measurements)

48A pay stub? -OLA (as in payola, the bribery of an influential person in exchange for the promotion of a product or service, especially that of disc jockeys for the promotion of records)

54A block buster? T.N.T. (tri-nitro-toluene is best known as a useful explosive material with convenient handling properties, and its explosive yield is considered the standard measure of strength of bombs and other explosives)

4D water follower, commercially -PIK

5D wearers of four stars: abbr. ADMS. (admirals)

10D flying start? AER-

11D fan club reading, briefly ZINES (electronic magazines)

26D pacific force, for short L.A.P.D. (los angeles police department)

33D book before job: abbr. ESTH (esther)


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in the "other" category
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17A simon legree TASKMASTER (harriet becher stowe's fictional account of her anti-slavery sentiments "uncle tom's cabin; or, life among the lowly" featured a villainous and cruel slave owner - a northerner by birth - whose name, simon legree, has become synonymous with greed. his goal is to demoralize tom and break him of his religious faith)

20A taj mahal attractions SLOTS (as in trump's 'taj mahal' casino... and slot machines)

21A "my life on trial" autobiographer BELLI (melvin mouron belli was a prominent american lawyer known as 'the king of torts' after winning a court case, he would raise the 'jolly roger' over his office building and fire an antique cannon on the roof to announce the victory and the impending party)

58A _ sea (shrinking body of water) ARAL

60A achiever of many goals PELE (edson "pelé" arantes do nascimento, is a former brazilian football (soccer) player, rated by many as the greatest footballer of all time)

3D remove knots from, maybe MASSAGE

6D comic kevin NEALON

7D 60-across's real first name EDSON (see: 60A)

24D "doctor faustus" novelist MANN

27D spaces between leaf veins AREOLES

49D composer boccherini LUIGI

52D mean BASE

53D northumberland river TYNE

57D annuaire listing NOM


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in the "damn-brand-new-t'-me" category
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44A willingly LIEF
52A spread news of BRUIT


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in the "your mileage may vary" category:
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favorite clue/answer of the day: 2D cheaters, to teachers ANAGRAM



keep on keepin' on...

dann
all elements of the puzzle (grid layout, clues, and answers), NYT, NY Times, and The New York Times logo are ©2007 The New York Times
1. second african-american in the baseball hall of fame 11. they feature creatures 15. some planets may be seen with it 16. "you can stop trying to wake me now!" 17. simon legree 18. league heading: abbr. 19. linemen next to centers: abbr. 20. taj mahal attractions 21. "my life on trial" autobiographer 22. stat that's better when lower 23. undivided 24. pillowcase material 25. loose overcoat 28. some home theater systems 30. fangorn forest dweller 31. makeup problem 32. 1961 top 10 hit for the everly brothers 34. 1966 album that's #2 on rolling stone's all-time greatest albums list 36. 2001 microsoft debut 39. web developer? 43. the same beginning? 44. willingly 45. melodramatic cry 46. engine using a stream of compressed air 48. pay stub? 50. sequel title starter 51. gets to work on time? 52. spread news of 54. block buster? 55. cager kukoc 56. it appears first in china 58. _ sea (shrinking body of water) 59. lexicographic enlighteners 60. achiever of many goals 61. it's no longer working 1. sharp workers? 2. cheaters, to teachers 3. remove knots from, maybe 4. water follower, commercially 5. wearers of four stars: abbr. 6. comic kevin 7. 60-across's real first name 8. option for dvd viewing 9. products of wood ashes 10. flying start? 11. fan club reading, briefly 12. either of two father-and-son dodgers owners 13. silhouette 14. first-aid equipment 21. when there are lots of errands to run, say 24. "doctor faustus" novelist 26. pacific force, for short 27. spaces between leaf veins 29. great move 32. caesarean being 33. book before job: abbr. 35. dweeb 36. conversation piece? 37. early screenwriter bernstein 38. insignificant 40. how some people die 41. durable athletes 42. match 45. many a circular 47. it's worth 8 points in scrabble 49. composer boccherini 52. mean 53. northumberland river 56. creature feature 57. annuaire listing