dannmann's NYT crossword puzzle ramblings

wednesday, january 02, 2008
patrick blindauer/ will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: the crosses sure aided each other here!



theme: 20A and 59A "CLARINET RELATIVE" seem to hint at something altogether different than what is highlighted today, but it's knot... ya hafta go a wee bit further... 41A "what to do after completing this puzzle, with four straight lines CONNECT ALL THE "O's"... and then go just a bit further... see the "your mileage may vary" section below...


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in the "notes of record" category
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whew! patrick, the puzzle itself was a fair wednesday challenge, but the theme... wow!


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in the "most googled" category
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this surprised me: 14A southwestern sheepherders HOPIS


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in the "cool mutiple word answer" category
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24A honeymoon suite feature HOT TUB

32A see with 65-down [with 65D] ONE O' CAT

51A ample shoe width E-E-E

61A "yikes!" UH OH

8D alternative if things go wrong PLAN "B"

21D multiple-choice choices A, B, OR C

26D some court attire TENNIS SHOES

34D wrap up by END AT

43D pope after john x LEO VI

57D freshen RE-NEW


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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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6A "dragnet" force, in brief L.A.P.D. (los angeles police department)

10A org. for which a d.v.m. might work S.P.C.A. (society for the prevention of cruelty to animals)

19A n.y. neighbor CONN. (connecticut)

23A grp. that conducts many tests F.D.A. (food and drug administration)

30A epigram MOT (a shortening of: "bon mot" (french, "good word[s]")... a clever saying; a witticism)

71A secy. ASST. (assistant)

1D half a dance CHA (as in... cha cha... not can... can can!)

3D new issue on wall st. I.P.O. (initial public offering [of shares of stock])

4D color faintly TINCT

10D order to attack, with "on" SIC (i have always been bothered by not knowing the derivation of this usage for "incite an attack [especially a dog or dogs] by")

12D individually owned apartment CONDO (condominium)

36D 50 degs., maybe LAT. (latitude)

48D _ foods, inc. ORE-IDA (the portmanteau of 'oregon' and 'idaho', a brand of potato-based "heat 'n' eat" frozen foods owned by the h.j. heinz company)

62D post w.w. II pres. H.S.T. (harry s. truman)

66D response to a joke in an i.m. L.O.L. (laughing out loud)


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in the "further elaboration" category
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i'll be back on track t'morrow, folks!


but i am compelled to include a quick shot from 1975's brodadway production of 'chicago'... 1A chita rivera... and 56A gwen verdon...
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in the "your mileage may vary" category
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theme spoiler: one of the clarinet's relatives would be an "oboe"... yet, the highlighted area does not resemble one - not even a little bit at all... hmmm... it looks much more like a strange connective string... or an oddly decorative ribbon of... "o's"... or an "o" bow! yikes! puns... y' either hate 'em... or y' hate 'em more!


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 ©2008 The New York Times
1. rivera of the original "chicago" 6. "dragnet" force, in brief 10. org. for which a d.v.m. might work 14. southwestern sheepherders 15. mythical king of the huns 16. press 17. unending pain 18. ayatollah's land 19. n.y. neighbor 20. with 59-across, hint to this puzzle's secret 23. grp. that conducts many tests 24. honeymoon suite feature 27. souvenir from a bad trip? 29. le figaro article 30. epigram 32. see 65-down 33. "come here often?," e.g. 35. chewy candy 38. river to the rhone 41. what to do after completing this puzzle, with four straight lines 44. children's author blyton and others 45. chief whitehorse, e.g. 46. subject of illicit trade 47. japanese leader of the 1960's 49. "the gift of the magi" gift 51. ample shoe width 52. promoted 56. gwen of the original "chicago" 58. berlin cry 59. see 20-across 61. "yikes!" 63. like some hands 64. _ gay (w.w. II plane) 68. some votes 69. cain of "lois & clark" 70. china company 71. secy. 72. dry 73. jim-dandy 1. haifa dance 2. keep all to oneself 3. new issue on wall st. 4. color faintly 5. sanctuary 6. dragon's _ (early video game) 7. central courts 8. alternative if things go wrong 9. bread for burritos? 10. order to attack, with "on" 11. made a killing, say 12. individually owned apartment 13. former u.n. chief kofi 21. multiple-choice choices 22. kind of approval 24. actor tom of "amadeus" 25. bialy flavorer 26. some court attire 28. violinist schneider, informally 31. curtain puller of film 34. wrap up by 36. 50 degs., maybe 37. former swedish p.m. palme 39. beau 40. city north of cologne 42. any acetate, chemically 43. pope after john x 48. _ foods, inc. 50. instruments for drawing angles 52. animals 53. spanish skating figures 54. cain vis-a-vis abel 55. _ lama 57. freshen 60. be inclined 62. post w.w. II pres. 65. with 32-across, a ball game 66. response to a joke in an i.m. 67. rocker _ rose