dannmann's NYT crossword puzzle ramblings

wednesday, december 12, 2007
daniel kantor / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: don't feel sorry for me... nothin' but self-inflicted stubbornness, t'day!


theme: deals, deals, ev'rywhere there's deals! 60A says it all: what 17-, 25-, 36- or 50-across is A GOOD DEAL

17A BLACKJACK
25A TWO FOR ONE
36A GOLDEN PARACHUTE
50A BAJILLION


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in the "notes of record" category
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i liked this puzzle, daniel... a few stinkers and fewer klinkers


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in the "most googled" category
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i don't think a lotta googlin' is necessary here, but maybe


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in the "cool multiple word answer" category
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16A vegas request HIT ME (an espression used at... blackjack tables!)

23A circular seal O-RING

3D try to reach a talk show, say DIAL IN (gee, telephone dials are fairly archaic, aren't they?!)

5D "28 flavors" chain, for short HO JO (howard johnson's)

11D dress shop compliment IT'S SO YOU!"

22D means of exit OFF RAMP

35D airport security request PHOTO I.D.

38D willy loman player on broadway LEE J. COBB

47D musical inability TIN EAR

51D rumormonger's start "I HEAR..."

59D "... _ mouse?" "...OR A..."


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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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31A ex-g.i.'s grp. V.F.W. (veterans of foreign wars)

42A ranch moniker "TEX" (texan : one from texas)

8D neighbor of mo. ARK. (mo : missouri... and ark : arkansas)

27D suffix with aqua -NAUT

61D fast www link DSL (digital subscriber loop, or digital subscriber line)


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in the "further explanation" category
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more later...








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in the "damn-brand-new-t'-me" category
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sports references can slay me... 10D seven-time n.l. home run champ KINER (ralph mcpherran kiner is an american former major league baseball player and current announcer. though constant injuries forced his retirement from the game after only ten seasons, his tremendous slugging output during his short career outpaced nearly all of his national league contemporaries from the mid 1940's through the mid 1950's. he was elected to the baseball hall of fame in 1975)


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in the "your mileage may vary" category
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favorite clue/answer: 11D "IT'S SO YOU!"


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. snookered 4. discourse topic 9. raced the super g, say 14. butterfly _ (sash) 15. underwater wave generator 16. vegas request 17. 21 in two cards 19. williams of "happy days" 20. "the lion king" queen 21.andean tuber 22. sapphic works 23. circular seal 25. happy hour offering, maybe 29. drinking sprees 31. ex-g.i.'s grp. 32. "hurrah!" 33. dander 34. fruits de _ (seafood) 35. use a ewer 36. c.e.o. protector 41. _ fixe 42. ranch moniker 43. ranch call 44. annual scripps event 45. drum site 46. gymnast's helper 50. huge amount, slangily 53. runway asset 54. cartoonist addams 55. _ kovic, role forlorn cruise 57. machu picchu dweller 58. like melted caramel 60. what 17-, 25-, 36- or 50-across is 62. citified 63. initiates, in a cruel way 64. quick to learn 65. brit's blade 66. fishhook attachment 67. carlos or felipe 1. pal around (with) 2. loud, like trumpets 3. try to reach a talk show, say 4. sound uttered while shaking the head 5. "28 flavors" chain, for short 6. puts into effect 7. brilliantly colored bird 8. neighbor of mo. 9. follow secretly 10. seven-time n.l. home run champ KINER 11. dress shop compliment 12. funny philips 13. iniquity site? 18. 1956 bernstein operetta 22. means of exit 24. "primal fear" star, 1996 26. recovered from 27. suffix with aqua 28. bronte heroine 30. bowling shoes, often 34. mel gibson's "mad" role 35. airport security request 36. bee gees' surname 37. concert halls 38. willy loman player on broadway 39. gilpin of "frasier" 40. place to brood 45. comic boosler 46. catch some z's 47. musical inability 48. go over the wall, maybe 49. donald trump's field 51. rumormonger's start 52. item with pedals 56. december air 58. gloomy guy? 59. "... _ mouse?" 60. starts of sneezes 61. fast www link